Quote of the day

If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it. – Mary Engelbreit

Start of the week has been a little quiet. Perhaps there’s only 1 task for me to do and completion of it is dependent on other factors. But those in the office are all busy with year-end stuff and start of the year stuff, closing accounts, accruing budget, salary review, performance evaluation, cleaning up 2010 planning etc.

Office is becoming a little more lively but not so much since my neighbours are clearing their annual leave, so it’s rather quiet at my area. Since I’m a contract staff, I could have encashed my annual leave if I didn’t clear them. However I’ve extended the contract, and hence brought forward my 2009 annual leaves to this year. As a result I’ll have 10 days of annul leave within the extended 6 months. A lot huh?! Hehe..

There are a total of 11 public holidays for Singapore and 6 are in the beginning of the year. Wow I’ve got a total of 16 (holidays plus annual leaves) for my 6 months here. Sweet! What’s even sweeter is that of these 6 holidays, most fall on either a Friday, Monday, Saturday (leave in lieu) or Sunday (holiday in lieu).

New Year’s Day
Friday 1 Jan 2010

Chinese New Year
Sunday 14 Feb 2010 –> Holiday in lieu (Tuesday 16 Feb 2010)
Monday 15 Feb 2010

Good Friday
Friday 2 Apr 2010

Labour Day
Saturday 1 May 2010 –> Leave in lieu (1 more day to annual leave)

Vesak Day
Friday 28 May 2010

Yeah! Long weekends! Awesome!

January:  21 Weekdays  - 1  Holiday = 20 Working Days
February: 20 Weekdays  - 2  Holiday = 18 Working Days
March:  23 Weekdays - 0  Holiday = 23 Working Days
April:  22 Weekdays - 1  Holiday = 21 Working Days
May:  21 Weekdays - 1  Holiday = 20 Working Days
June:  22 Weekdays - 0  Holiday = 22 Working Days
July:  7  Weekdays - 0  Holiday = 7 Working Days

Total Working Days: 131
Working Days Used: 4
Working Days Left: 127

127 more working days for me before the contract ends. I haven’t include the annual leave yet, but it’s already seem like an extremely short period. =(

What will happen after that…  >_<

Quote of the day

Never regret something that once made you smile. – Amber Deckers

새해 복 많이 받으세요^^!!!!

We have entered the 10th year of the 21st century and it just dawn on me that I’m in my mid 20s.  Time really flies after 21, is it because we are always so busy with school and work? Time just doesn’t seem enough, how?

Weekend was alright, many gatherings as usual. Mah jong, poker, wii, movie and last but not least feast.

Treasure Hunter is bad. Don’t bother watching it.

Day 1 of work, it was alright.. Have enough work to keep me busy. Had some set backs but was quickly resolved.

How’s your first day at work or school? Interesting?

Quote of the day

Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.  – Hal Borland

A few more days to the end of the year. Haha quite different from what my quote says but it’s still the end.

I went through a huge transition this year. I was a student in January and an employee in December. It’s an eventful year for me, I’ve lots of first times this year too, graduating, going on vacation with Fab, travelling alone, getting a job, learning korean.

This year has been a tough year for fresh graduates. It’s not easy to find a job and even if you found one, it really isn’t paying as much as those who graduated earlier a year before. I started my job search in February, months before my graduation, went for few interviews but nothing positive. After going for so many interviews, I realised I wasn’t performing well because I was too nervous, not prepared or too truthful about certain things.

Right after exams, I took my first vacation to Melbourne. It was my first time travelling alone, I was really excited and didn’t quite understand the fears others had when travelling by themselves. Fab would say that’s because I’m naive but I’m quite at ease travelling by myself. It’s also my first vacation with Fab. It’s nice time spend between the both of us. I get to see a different side of him, a more mature and dependable side.

Right after the vacation, I continued with my job search for another 2 months till I got this job which I’ve started a day before my commencement. Hence for job surveys, it seems like I got my job really fast just before graduation but it’s really a long process from February to April (after my exams) to July.

I like this job and felt I was given the best opportunity ever to learn from a capable boss and be exposed to things a fresh graduate don’t usually get to experience on the first job. I’ve also extended my contract and got a pay increment for next year.

I’m learning Korean now, but I’m not discipline enough to revise and I’m a little behind my class. I’m starting to understand a little for variety shows or dramas that aren’t translated. It’s an eventful year for the Korean entertainment scene too. My favourite band Super Junior has some issues with contract, assault, drink driving etc. There are several new bands and I liked their songs too. Feeling a little embarrassed liking idols since they are much younger than I. There are several good drama and I especially liked watching You’re Beautiful, I think they got the right cast and I like the story line about a girl who disguised herself as her brother to join a band to fulfilled her brother’s dream.

I’ve matured this year, though there are things that I need to improve on, such as being more structured, more goal orientated, I still feel that I’ve learned and experience quite a lot this year and I look forward to the brand new year, 2010.

Oh dear.. I suddenly felt like volunteering with CARE again. Missing those times and interactions with the kids. =p

Quote of the day

A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;
It makes no noise at all
But softly gives itself away.
- Eva Logue

The first present I gave was to my boss. She was thrilled and she gave me a kiss. =D Like a little girl, she opened the present immediately. It was a book by Mitch albom, have a little faith. As I get the staff to wrap the book after my purchase, I didn’t manage to pen down messages inside the book. Seeing that she asked me to write a message so she could remember that it was from me. =) I’m glad she like it.

For Dutch, Christmas is not a common festival, only Christians or Catholics etc celebrate it. So it’s not in their tradition to get people presents for this day. Well I hope I made her day, since today is her last day before she goes on maternity leave, she has been really stressed and busy for the past few weeks trying to hand over everything.

As expected, not everyone expect me to give them something but I’m really happy and content when they come by to my desk or call me to say thank you or wish me Merry Christmas.

This is the first time I’m getting Christmas presents for so many people. It is fun and fulfilling, I will continue this for the years to come and also include my family. Haha.. Not this year but next year, since I’m already broke right now.

May the timeless message of Christmas fill your heart and home with joy today and throughout the coming year. Have a Merrious Christmas!

Quote of the day

You don’t choose your family.  They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.  – Desmond Tutu

It’s Dong Zhi again. This year’s a little different, I made tang yuen last night instead of early this morning. Free up a lot of my time. I even have time to go do a little bit of christmas shopping.

I wasn’t really thinking about getting christmas presents for my colleagues but after I heard the HR said that during this period, new comers would always end up doing last-minute shopping. They didn’t expect to receive the gifts and when they get it, they rush downstairs to buy some. I wouldn’t want to land myself in that position and I also thought it would be nice to show my thanks and appreciation.

Buying gifts for people is really enjoyable, I like thinking of what to buy and who to buy for. This is the first time I’m actually buying so many gifts for my office. I had a lot of headache thinking what to buy due to my budget. Hence I ended up getting most people the same thing, instead of personalizing.

I reckon that I’m a little too much, too generous, he he since I’ve bought so many that it seems like I bought for almost everyone I’ve known or worked with. I would like to show my appreciation for them helping or guiding me during my 5-6 months of working with them even if I don’t really know them.

I didn’t even buy anything for my family, feeling a little bad about it but we haven’t been celebrating this day at all. So how? I’m broke after getting over 20 gifts.. =p

I look forward to Thursday! It’ll be half day and I hope everyone can feel my sincerity and appreciation. =D

Merry Christmas!  Ho ho ho..

Quote of the day

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. - Helen Keller

After much thoughts, I’ve finally decided to continue with my current company. Hopefully a good decision, hope to learn more and I’m looking forward to working with my new boss who will be replacing my boss while she is away on maternity leave.

I had some interaction with her before and she’s a really nice person and hopefully another strong and capable women who can manage the implementation of the strategy. Heard from my boss and colleagues that she is someone who is able to see the big picture and dare to implement changes, someone who is very strategic and like to interact and develop people.

Quote of the day

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

I’ve went for my 2nd interview, I thought it was good. I’m positive that they will contact me but I may be wrong. Shall wait till end of this week or next Monday for the result.

A step nearer to my dilemma. But like my colleague said, it’s a good problem since I have 2 choices to select from.

New Company:

• 1 year bond before conversion to perm staff –> Can’t quit even if I don’t like but something more secure than a temp staff
• SME: Structure and culture may be very different from MNC and I happened to work/interned for many MNCs so far
• Management Trainee –> Learn more stuff from marketing communication to product developement
• Marketing –> Something that I enjoy and want to do
• Overseas travelling opportunities –> Something I look forward to 
• Interviewers seems like nice colleagues or bosses to have –> However my first impression of my current boss who was my interviewer then was that she’s a capable person and I want to learn from her. Didn’t feel that from them.
• Work 8:30am – 6:30pm –> Slightly longer working hours than the current job
• Location –> Though need to transfer buses but it’s nearer
• Pay –> About the same as what my current company will be offering
• Leave –> Only 7 days for the 1st year
• Medical benefit –> Extended to my position despite just being a trainee, not sure how much though

Current Company:

• Extension of 6 months contract –> Another temporary job
• MNC –> Better structure and processes
• Focus more on monitoring the strategic actions –> May be dry at times, probably more admin work as well
• Working with Directors and countries within the region –> Good exposure, understand how functions work together
• Working in the Strategy Implementation Department –> Greater understanding of how to communicate strategy to employees and how company works towards achieving targets
• Already worked for 6 months –> Familiarity with working culture and environment
• Good Boss and great mentor –> Always giving me constructive feedback to improve myself
• Work 8:30am to 5:30pm –>I like to start work earlier and end earlier
• Location –> A little too far, about 1:30 hours to travel 1 way
• Pay –> About the same range offered by the new company
• Leave –>1 day /month which is 6 days for 6 months
• Medical benefit –> Can only claim up to $60

What say you? Which would you choose? What are the points that you would be giving higher weights? For me definitely learning and development opportunities, which both have. Haha.. HELP!!

Quote of the day

You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition.  What you’ll discover will be wonderful.  What you’ll discover is yourself.  – Alan Alda

Yes, it’s been a long time. I’m simply too lazy to update this blog. Work have been busy, it felt exactly like doing my BIT project. Creating a brief, determining the specification and design, the development, UAT and training manual. I like what I’m doing but where can I head to after this?

Gotten a second interview from another company, the job sounds interesting, something I’ve always wanted to do, Marketing.

My company decides to extend my contract to another 6 months. Pay will be higher too, more responsibilities as a result. I would be able to learn more and develop myself further.

Now what? I like my company but I’m not exactly doing what I wanted, yet I do enjoy the things I do. The new job definitely fits my ideal job but I don’t know if I’ll like the company being that it’s a local one, definitely cannot compete with my company in terms of employee welfare.

If you were me, what will you choose? Both have opportunities for me to develop into a better person, marketer or project manager.