Thursday, September 24, 2009

Wonderful, Marvelous!

It seemed that I had over-done it ... maybe "over-sold" myself. I was hoping that the future employers will not view me as being over-confident or over-zealous, but it turned out to be ok for me :D. Was quite happy that I had landed the job, although the pay is FAR below my old job, but then, my old job sucked big time though I loved to work with my colleagues.

Right now, let me clear my outstanding debts, refresh my bank account and also CPF, and start afresh! Then, I can truly be financially free!

The light at the end of the tunnel is visible again ...

Just for thoughts...

Monday, September 21, 2009

Have I Lost My Corporate Sparkle?

The interview date has been re-arranged to Wednesday, September 23rd instead. Dang! I've actually cleared my Tuesday for this, now I'm here typing and enjoying the cool, wet Tuesday, rain wet (hey! naughty naughty!). 

I've been up early, but lazed in bed till some calls and SMSes woke me up. I had SWORN the night before to get up early (again, early is a relative word) to get some "work" done, like filling out claim forms for client, look through their bills, reply to my "boss" that I'm giving him the sack since he's forcing me to a roadshow again with "your attendence is REQUIRED" (actually he has good intentions, I hope). Not forgetting putting listings together, follow up with clients, AND IMPORTANTLY, prepare for my interview tomorrow.

It's been, what, almost 8 months since I left the corporate world. I am wondering, have I lost my corporate sparkle? I was doing well in my previous company, and they did make drastic (ok, I'm exaggerating) changes after I'm gone, and my former boss did receive a warning from the no.1 man in Asia.

I wonder if this "self-employed" life has made me soft. You see, there are no real political arena in this self-employed world. The only gossips within your own clique are those colleagues who had notoriously appeared on YouTube. Other than that, it's "hey, where should we hang out today?", "which client are you meeting today? have you prepared?" or "which listings are you working on?"

Not that I have gave up on my interests in Financial Planning or anything, but for an undisciplined person like myself, I need a fixed job to keep disciplined. What I had gone through, I had disciplined myself financially (sort of). I think I can bring these good financial habits to the workplace, and KEEP IT.

Let me shine!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Teardrop by Massive Attack (Mezzanine)

This is a moving song which I had loved for a long time... a little bit dark, eerie and a little bit of goth there, but it does get one thinking.. what this clip means, go figure. This is a great triphop piece.  




Teardrop by Massive Attack (Album: Mezzanine)

Love, love is a verb

Love is a doing word
Feathers on my breath


Gentle impulsion
Shakes me, makes me lighter
Feathers on my breath


Teardrop on a fire
Feathers on my breath


Water is my eye
Most faithful mirror
Feathers on my breath


Teardrop on the fire
Of a confession
Feathers on my breath


Most faithful mirror
Feathers on my breath
Teardrop on the fire
Feathers on my breath

Ooh ooh ooh

You're stumbling in the dark
Stumbling in the dark

Ooh ooh ooh

Friday, September 18, 2009

I WANNA LEARN TO PLAY THE CELLO!

Yo Yo Ma inspires me ... I don't care about other people's reviews on him, especially those coming from non-musical background. He inspired me to learn string instruments.

I've been a bad girl. Well, actually, not bad. Just one who could not follow through. Like in golf, your follow through is important for accuracy. I've learnt a few lessons of the violin, and I stopped.

Not that I gave up, but I did not have the time previously. Was working literally round the clock, clocking more than 12 hours a day's worth of work. When I quit the shipping line and came out to be a self-employed person (twice), I have to control my spending, so I had to stop my bank account from "bleeding" out.

Why the sudden interest?

I had thrown myself out of the rat race, into my own world where I have to scrape and save every penny now, living almost to the bare minimum (except those lazy times where I still took taxi rides :P). Time is a double-edged sword, someone had said to me. But I begin to realise my own self existence, and I want to experience the thrills life has to offer.

Life is just fleeting by, every milli-second, and life deserved to be treasured, like time.

I want to learn as many things as possible, as many languages as I possibly can, as many cultures as my mind can take, before life passes me by.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Ah! New Opportunities Will Come!

Started with an early day ... well, earlier than USUAL, that is. Had a nice breakfast at Suntec's Coffee Bean, and lingered there for a while, waiting for the training seminar to begin.

My friend texted me on my mobile phone, saying that her company's HR personnel will give me a call today.

Yippee! my heart screamed with delight. I had sent her my resume to get a referral for a post her company had.

"Get me a foot at the door", I had asked of her, "And I will do the rest. I know how to market myself." Actually, I will be selling myself. Don't we all!

----------------------------

Anticipation ....

The CALL came. A very nice young lady spoke with me for a while, asking politely to have a short discussion with me.

Hmm... She was concerned that the work place is a tad far from where I lived. No worries, with the NEL, shouldn't take too long to get there.

"Great!" she says, "I shall now schedule you for a Tuesday appointment, will that be ok for you?"

Sure! I'll keep my day free! YIIPPEE!!

Not that I hate my current jobs, but I REALLY need some new funds in my CPF and bank account.

Let's pray for the best!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Life Fleeting By

Time Lost, and "Found" Again
------------------------------

As I'm typing this, each millisecond of my life is fleeting by, like the flowing of water from a faucet. Time cannot be reversed, what time one had lost cannot be regained, but what experiences one had gained cannot be lost.

How about looking at it this way. What time one had "gained" has translated into opportunities, chances and solutions.

"Huh?"

Yes, had a friend who had to settle a sum of income tax with IRAS for the previous year, but she was out of job at that time. The tax manager then worked out a monthly repayment plan for her so that she could settle her income tax eventually, instead of paying one lump sum. Time "gained" that had translated into a solution for her.

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The Fun Times
----------------

All the fun times, the good, the bad, the ugly, they are all now just glimpses of the past. Fond memories of yester-years stay ... but fond memories.

What have one to look forward to?

For some individuals, they have exciting lives, living everyday as if it were their last. Some live for the future, carefully crafting their path to get to a place of fulfillment in the future.

Some, however, likes to live in the past, where they feel secure, not having to face the now-reality of life, always telling others, " When I was young ...", or, "In the past, women ... " (I'll just leave that as that.

Look around, you'll see many listless people walking around, going about their lives, wondering where has time gone too, or what they have to look forward to in the future.

You'll see a lot of people still living in their past. Not THE PAST, but THEIR PAST. Still in their own world, wondering what happened to the world they once knew. Wrong... wondering what happened to the SINGAPORE they once knew. Those who know not what is happening outside their little neighbourhood. Living day to day,waiting for journey's end.

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The Opportunities
-------------------

It is funny how when one has hit rock bottom, that one finally "opens" one's eyes. My eyes were shut to opportunities in the past when I had a "normal" job. The day I had decided to throw in the towel, I guess I could say that my "radar" began to scan a wider range.

Through and through, I have experienced that when one door shuts, either a window or another door opens.

Now being in the category of "self-employed" (the "S" quadrant, as according to R.Kiyosaki's Cashflow Quadrant model), my perception of work, life and money changed drastically. I guess I had jumped into it without preparation for what might come. I had always compared going into self-employment to jumping into the large blue ocean, not knowing where to swim, what's lurking in the waters, and when I might find land. Same script I ran through and through when people asked me what is it like coming out of my comfort zone.

At least almost 8 months after I quit from a normal job (actually there was nothing normal about my old job), I can tell people that my eyes had been opened to opportunities, and I see it at every corner.

Was sort of lamenting to a gal friend that whenever I want to quit the *peep* industry, new business will come in. "Hey, but this will not always happen, okay!"

Okay, okay, I get it.

Through another chat with a gal friend (I have more gal friends than guy friend!), a new job opportunity came up, and this was just a day after my aunty called me, ALSO with another job opening.

Well, all roads lead to Rome, just need to choose one that pays better, and provides better benefits in the long run!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Pray... And the Answer Will Come In Due Time

I have been at crossroads in my life before, but never had I been so vexed. Pissed at the world, at work, and why good things do not come at my door. Hated the regimental company, and looking desperately for a solution.

Go or stay ... Go, I finally decided. Go to another company in similar line ... Go find. Had spoken to my acquaintance to help me on this, but I'll quit first.

Help my dad's friend? What am I waiting for? But I still have to fork out some money! *sigh*

It's not like I have no job, but I have to find new sources of income and leads. It's my own business, and I have to manage this. My husband is not going to support me financially you know, I still have to find income to settle my bills.

Spoke to my dad, and a friend, finally it all became clear what steps I can take now to alleviate myself from these frustrations.

Pray for guidance. God has answered. Go do it.

千年之恋 - 信乐团

Love this song ...



谁在悬崖沏一壶茶
温热前世的牵挂
而我在调整千年的时差
爱恨全喝下
岁月在岩石上敲打
我又留长了头发
耐心等待海岸线的变化
大雨就要下
风狠狠的刮
谁在害怕
海风一直眷恋着沙
你却错过我的年华
错过我新长的枝丫
和我的白发

蝴蝶依旧狂恋着花
错过我转世的脸颊
你还爱我吗
我等你一句话

一生行走望断天崖
最远不过是晚霞
而你今生又在哪户人家
欲语泪先下
沙滩上消失的浪花
让我慢慢想起家
曾经许下的永远又在哪
总是放不下
啊轮回的记忆在风化
我将它牢牢记下