Sunday, August 31, 2008
I Miss Taipei....
Min Sheng East Road was quite a quiet place, which I was told quite a high class area. I remembered that I used to go downstairs to nearby shops to get my dinner like braised food (卤味), dumplings with corn soup or sweet & sour soup and sometimes barbequed corn or potatoes which are sold on lorry. The corn was being barbequed with special spicy sweet sauce, which was really really nice. Even till now, every time I think of it, my saliva stills waters.
Then further down the road, there are many 24 hours cafe, which have delicious cakes or sandwiches and of course great coffee. I used to meet my Taiwanese friends there for chit chat till past midnight. Even the cakes in the cake shop were different and they come in bite size with beautiful package, suitable to give out as gifts.
There are also small shops (not yet restaurant, more like a eatery place) which sold local cuisine, which is very different from any eatery shop there is in Singapore. I remembered this shop that sells very nice noodles with Shark meat and bamboo shoot in mayonnaise as side dishes. It is just heavenly delicious. If the place did not change a lot, I can still roughly remember it's location.
Taiwanese porridge reminds me of the local Teochew porridge, but they would add in sweet potatoes and the sides dishes are just fantastic. If you travel to Taiwan, you must never miss out their Mee Suan, be it the oyster flavoured or the pig intestines one. Not to forget there is also Cuttlefish Mee Suan. If you are adventurous enough, do try out their stinky tofu.
The steamboat there is also fantastic. I guess it must be their water, cos everything just taste so delicious. When I knew that I was coming back to Singapore, I simply had to have steamboat for dinner every day, cos I would not be able to taste the same in Singapore.
Even the deep fried pork chop or chicken chop, all taste so good. I can just go on and on. There are still more items that I can carry one saying but I can't go on, cos my mouth just can't stop watering and I need to find some food to tame my taste bud.
Anyway you just have to travel there and experience for yourself. So all food lovers out there, dun wait liao... plan for a trip to Taiwan and you will know.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Why Ladies Night? Asked My Cute handsome Colleague
Well actually I am also not so sure if I have the right answer but it does sure sound logic to me. The very reason of having Ladies Night is to attract pretty girls to attend the pub or disco, so that they can draw in crowds of guys, hunger to put their hands on the pretty ladies. So if anyone knows the right answer, please please tell me that I'm right... hahaha!!!
Anyway my colleagues and I will having a great time this coming Thursday, singing our souls out at the karaoke. Hopefully, I will have more things to write on my blog after the event.... So cheers, have a great weekend.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Ladies hear me, you want bigger boobs?
Health Benefits:-
- Promote Heart Health
- Promote Optimal Health
- Increase Your Absorption of Carotenoids from Vegetables
- Avocado Phytonutrients Combat Oral Cancer
Recipes:-
http://www.recipezaar.com/93753
http://recipes.recipeland.com/recipes/recipe/show/Indonesian_Avocado_Drink_18775
You can try out the two recipes above, otherwise try it at some Local Indonesian Cuisine restaurants. Do let me know how you fare?
Beijing Olympics 2008 Aftermath
Some are employed as air-stewardess or got into financial services line, mostly in the services line. They are also earning 5 times more than normal university graduates.
I guess this is inevitable as they are all so pretty, slim and speak English. After all, they have to go through stringent selection process and only 297 people being selected from 3000. It is also the reward to them for putting in effort and volunteering their help, having to go through 1 year of training.
Life after Resignation
Nowadays, I have to be extra careful with what I said or do, if not I can get sued from company one, you know.... like badmouth the company or divulge company P&C information to 3rd parties. The last thing in the world that I want to do is to have any more connections with this company after my last day of service.
By the way, this company breaks world record (I think, if you dun count massive retrenchment) or at least my friend's company record by having at least 10 resignations in a month. This is by far the most in any of my working experience or shared experience from my friends. LOL! I guess this goes to show how bad the company is.
Also beware of bosses who suddenly becomes very nice and courteous with you, cos dun know what they are up to.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
My Resignation Confirmation
Many colleagues who had done the same as me (I mean tendering resignation) are all anxious to have that last day arriving soon and very excited to hand over our work stuff to others. We can't wait to start our life afresh and forget the terrible time that we have had here in this company.... LOL!!
For a change, we are finally able to really let our hairs down to enjoy our happy hours after work. We are lining up many activities after work to have fun.
I hope my new job will allow me to work long enough till my retirement. :D
My resignation
She followed on to ask that she hopes my resignation is not a rash decision and I replied flatly that I have long consider this options for many months.
If only this company has exit interviews, otherwise I would have given the most nasty remarks. In the past, I would have never consider to give bad review during exit interview and this is the company that I dun mind doing it. Anyway there is no chance to do so, cos this company dun have exit interview. Maybe they know that they will have very bad comments which they refused to heed and can't be bothered with.
S$1,000,000 How would you use it?
What about you? How would you spend it? I have asked myself many times, hoping that this will help me to gather more positive energies that can allow me to really own 1 million dollars. LOL!!! I must have seen too much times the motivitional videos "The Secrets".
Anyway I have it all planned out and in the meanwhile picking up the skills to invest that can help me to prolong the life time of these 1 million dollars in my bank account.
Cheers!!! Good luck to every one but dun fight with me for this coming Thursday TOTO first prize ya.....
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Types of Boss you should never work for
1) Boss who does not plan - can you imagine what kind of repercussions that this can have on the department or the company, depending on how significant his position is? If there is no planning, there is no sense of direction and hence how to do work with. Some subordinates will love this kind of bosses, cos dun have to think much lor... just follow instructions lah, cos you won't know next steps what he wants to do.
2) Boss who is insecured - meaning that he has low self-esteem and low self confidence. If he is just a middle or top management level manager, then he would definitely makes things difficult for you if you unintentionally makes him feels in-adequate. He would also bad-mouth you in front of higher management people, so that you won't be in the good book of the big boss.
If he's the owner of the company, then good luck to you. He would make unrealistic demands and if you can't accomplish it, he would verbally insult your intelligence just to make himself looks better.
3) Boss who is petty - this kind of people will always remember you for stepping onto his foot and make you pays in many ways, even if you have leave the company for many years.
4) Boss who claims all credits - even if the tasks are not done by him, he would claim all credits whenever possible, and some case also involves pushing blame on others. I had this boss (i.e. owner of the company) who will make all decisions on investment and override decisions by the HOD and when there is problems arose, he would question the HOD for not doing the right decision. Usually this kind of people is also very insecured with low self-confidence.
The above lists are not exhaustive but the tip of iceberg. To be continued.....
Many resignations!!!
We are working in a public listed company but many times, we felt that there is quite alot of corporate governances issue here. Anyway, I'm leaving my job liao, so I dun have to worry anymore.
I should have heed my friend's advice not to join this company. He told me this company has very bad reputation in the market. If I have heed his advice, I would have save myself 5 months of insult and agony here :(
Monday, August 25, 2008
Sad or Happy for 4 mths Maternity Leave?!
On the other hand, I am feeling sad as I am currently looking for a new job and most jobs interview that I have been to, the interviewers are very concerned if I am planning to have kids or not.
So how? Dun work, no money to raise babies.... dun give birth now, after a few years it may be difficult to have kids liao... how? What should I do?
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Raising Babies? Money Talks!
A gathering last weekend with a batch of new friends gave me more insights about why this should be done.
First of all, most childcare teachers are grossly underpaid. Even a graduate with degree only commands pay of less than S$1,500 and assistant childcare teacher without degree or certificate is even lesser, not more than S$1,000. This is mostly the case for both private and public childcare center. This being that their salary is not regulated by MCYS.
So I wondered why some private childcare centre is charging such high fees? Do they really have better paid qualified teachers or simply more teachers?
Another concern is with such low income range, are we able to attract well trained staff / teachers who can really give our children a good kickstart in their formal education? I guess this may be the reason why many parents are paying more to enrol their children in other additional activities or tutition so as to give them the edge over others. This in turns makes it very expensive to raise children.
Last but not least, to help the lower income group families to overcome and get out the viscious cycle of their poverty, their children needed to have the same early education as any other children, instead of leaving it optional to families to provide.
I think some 10 years back, I have already read that a child's first 5 years is a very crucial period for learning as this is the time where they can absorb the most. So why is the government wait till now and still not decided to make ECEC compulsory?
Friday, August 22, 2008
Jamaican with the gene for fastest runner in the world??
The answer is Actinen A, according to a joint study by the University of Glasgow and the University of the West Indies (UWI). Over the years, researchers tested over 200 Jamaican athletes, and found that 70 per cent of them have Actinen A in their fast-twitch muscle fibres, those which help men like Asafa Powell or Usain Bolt run like lightning. "This compared to only 30 per cent in an Australian group that is being tested," said Professor Errol Morrison, president of Jamaica's University of Technology (UTech). "There will be many potential Asafa Powells, Sherone Simpsons and Sherikas (Williams), because the genetic predisposition is there," Morrison added.
More gold medalists from Jamaica in track event? I can't wait to see how fast they can run.
Olympic Gold Medalist wins prizes to pay debts for Dad
Wu has won various medals in international competition but under this glorious scene, she has to bear the responsbilities for the livelihood of her family - Her granny is not in good health, she has a elder sister who is studying in university, father owes huge debts due to his failed business venture and her mother has to work as hard labour, earning small amount of money.
She knew that in order to provide better for her family, she had to succeed in Tae Kwon Do as the prize money won from each competition would go a long way to her family. So she trained hard. On the first gold medal she won, she got 50,000 dollars and immediately she called her mum to say that she has won money for her sister's university school fees. The next day, she cheekily teased her mother: "50,000 dollar is very heavy, can you carry it? Mother, please do not work anymore, I will raise the money for the family.
I really respected her for her determination and for her filial piety. I wondered the new generation would be able to handle such hardship and would raise money for the family? I remember reading a article quite some time ago, that interviews young people around their 30s, still asking their parents for money even when they have their own income. I really think there must be something wrong with their upbringing.
Not that I expect my kids to raise me when I'm old, but at least I dun expect them to take money from me and still proud to be interview with photos taken. What has the world come to....
LiFe in SiNgApOre
In Singapore , the majority of us live in Highly Dangerous Buildings (HDB), and most people have already got used to Paying and Paying (PAP). Not only do you have to pay, you Pay Until Bankrupt (PUB). If that's not enough, somebody still Purposely Wants to Dig (PWD) and get more from you. So what more can you do when you are in the Money Only Environment (MOE)? With the current Mad Accounting System (MAS), you are forced to Pay the Sum Ahead (PSA), Which will leave some people Permanently Owing Some Banks (POSB). And forced to live on the Loan Techniques Always (LTA) system. When you fall sick and happen to be admitted to a Money Operating Hospital (MOH), You might be able to use your Cash Prior to Funeral (CPF) fund. If you are out of luck, you may meet doctors who Never Use Heart (NUH) to treat you, and you will be Sure to Give up Hope (SGH). To help ease the traffic, motorists have to pay Cash On Expressway (COE). If that doesn't help, they can always Eternally Raise Prices (ERP) on the roads. If you don't own a car, you can always make a Mad Rush to the Train (MRT), OR get squashed in a bus Side By Side (SBS). Lastly, under all these pressures, there are not many places we can relax, not even the good old place we used to go because it has become So Expensive and Nothing To See Actually (SENTOSA)!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Two new faces in Singapore billionaire list
Singapore now has seven US-dollar billionaires, up from five last year,
according to the latest list of the 40 richest people here published by
Forbes.
But the combined net worth of Singapore's 40 most affluent people
stayed unchanged at US$32 billion, as some real estate tycoons here saw their
fortunes dwindle with falling property stocks.
Boss who is always right...
I guess some are 死鸭子嘴硬(which means dead duck with hard mouth - meaning even till dead, also will argue that one's right).
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Office Politics - Petty Boss
Just a few weeks back, my superior tells me that I should report to him verbally and not bother to send in email cos he has not time for the email. I thought since he gave such instruction, I just followed lor...
But yesterday, some problem cropped up as some goods that we intended to import in was being held up at the customs due to lack of some import certificates. I was being held in charge to transmit the information to our trading counterparts from overseas of the requirement of import certificate before sending the goods over, which I completed as required and even report verbally to my superior.
So when the problem crops up, naturally all fingers are pointed at me. As there is no b&w and my superior does not say anything, naturally all mistake seems to be made by me. Luckily I have a colleague, who is there when I have completed the task, spoke up for me. Otherwise I dun know how bad this will looks on me.
No wonder none of the other colleagues likes this superior who likes to think oneself as the right hand person of the boss and never hesitate to step down on others when the chances arises. Our previous CEO left due to this superior.
Work life is already tough liao... still have to work under such person (i.e. if I may, I would rather not refer that superior as person, instead as a animal who has no kind feelings, only hunger for power).... Life is too short to be bothered by such person. So I will forgive but I will not forget and take this as a learning experience.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Marriage & Babies
Well sometimes it's not that we dun want to get married but imagine spending at least 9hrs (8 workings hours plus 1 hr lunch) and more in the office with 1-3 hours for transport to and fro work, another 6-8 hours for sleeping, so you see there isn't much time left for socialising. For me, I get to know my hubby from internet via ICQ through midnight chat during my jobless period. Otherwise, I wondered how am I going to get hitched and get married.
After marriage, the next problem is how to have babies. In order to ensure a comfortable income for the family, both of us work very long hours, often having to bring work home. We hardly have time to have sex, no wonder that Singapore has one of the lowest frequency in making love.
haiz.... what to do.... life still have to go on and we still trying for babies.
Movie Review for "12 Lotus"
Royston is someone whom I would describe as a artistic movie director, so his message is very subtle and required much pondering to be able to understand what he is trying to express.
Nonetheless I just shed tears as I cried very easily and I still enjoy the songs "Ah Hua Ah Long", very sweet and lovely song.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Fugitive ex-Citiraya boss fled with US$51m
Article on The Straits Time, By K. C. Vijayan
THREE years after Ng Teck Lee fled the country with money he pocketed while running waste recycling company Citiraya, it has now surfaced just how much he amassed and how he did it.
In all, investigators believe he skipped town with US$51 million (S$72 million), made from selling used computer chips which the recycler should have destroyed.
This makes the fraud one of Singapore's biggest ever corporate scandals.
To him, his family is only worth S$72 million. I guess to many of us, this is really a hefty sum of money, enough to last for few generations (depending on how one use it lah...). Not that I'm very noble or what, but does it not weigh on his conscience that he has ruin lives for the family of 11 who was convicted for the crimes that he mastermind and he has fled with most of the money, benefitting from the illegal trade?
I guess we would never know, cos with S$72 million, anyone can do a total makeover that no longer resemble any current images so much so that even if he's in town, no one will know.
:( World is so unfair
Michael Phelps, the billion dollar man?
I guess it is abit outdated to say that sportsman can't make big money...
Weighed in gold, Michael Phelps is worth about $3 million . In reality the face of the Beijing Olympics is probably worth 10 times that amount each year.
Phelps reportedly earns about $5 million a year from endorsements although his agency Octagon declined to comment. Portnoy forecast this rising to about $30 million, short term.
Phelps, who became a professional swimmer at 16 and a millionaire by 18, has sponsors, agents, lawyers, accountants, charities, his own website in English and Chinese, and even his own logo with a wave-like blue M and red P over his name.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Nomination for Worst Boss
If there is ever any competition for the worst boss in the world, I would surely send in my entry of this particular director.
Crime scenes:-
1) How much does a water dispenser cost or a large tin of biscuits cost? In the name of cost saving, this little basic benefits has to be forfeited. But my question is how much can one save on this when the big boss flies on business class SQ airplane for 1-2 hours flight journey?
2) All managers out there, may I ask this question - would you let your subordinate to go ask for replacement of your spoilt automatic toothbrush, especially when you did not even bother to send out the warranty card? Would this be consider personal stuff or work related? Unless you are chairman, then probably your PA should do it... but a top management director asking his boss' PA to do this?
3) How embarrassing it would be for a top management director to be always late on credit cards payment and always asking for waiver of late charges and interest charged, till bank has to warn that it is the last waiver that they can give. Not to mention that this director is not without money to make payment in full.
New Singapore Pledge
Heeheehee... just the kind of pledge for me...
Kudos to the anoymous author (received via sms)
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Kudo to one of my creator - My father
My dad is a very traditional and family oriented guy. He has toiled for over 35 over years for this family without any complaint. He always ensure that we have enough food on the table and we are given the best education that we can have. Therefore from young, myself and 3 siblings never have to worry about life, except our studies and school life.
My father also never ask anything from us nor expects anything from us. He will be happy as long as there is his favourite tiled game (i.e. mahjong) at least once a week. Luckily for me, I have a fantastic hubby who is willing to take time off his busy schedule to play the game with my parents every weekend.
Even though I have yet to have my own kids, but I am beginning to appreciate what my parents have done for me and is trying to return the flavor not because I have to but I want to.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Where is your manners?
It was on Friday evening, at the time where most people were heading home from work, on a crowded MRT train. As usual, it was very packed and all seats were taken. Then a small rowdy boy, with his mother and grandfather boarded the train. In came the boy saying loudly in chinese, "mum, there is no seat available and these people all pretend to sleep!"
Instead of reprimanding the boy for being rude, she repeated the same remark and agreed with his son, "Yeah lor, forget it, you will not find a seat for your grandfather, because every one is pretending to sleep."
I just could not believe what I have heard. So rude of them to make such remarks and I could not believe that this is how the mother is teaching her son. I came from a very strict upbringing where even during meal time, we have to greet the elders and ask them to eat first before we can start. I held fast to such tradition and I would insist my kids to behave the same way. It is a kind of basic respect to your elders.
Anyway the episode did not end here. One lady apparently awoke by this commotion, opened her eyes and saw the poor old man standing, stood up and let him sit. But that rude small boy, around 3-4 years old, rushed to the seat and insisted that he wanted the seat, pushing his grandfather away. As he pushed his grandfather away, he almost sat on the young chap on the next seat. Awoke by this, the young man saw the poor old man and too offered his seat to the old man.
What was really sickening, was that the mother just verbally told off her son, "Son, this seat is meant for old people, you should not take the seat." She merely said this twice to the son and did nothing... absolutely nothing. Not only that, the son just looked away from his mother and pretended not to hear anything, and even pretended to sleep by closing his eyes.
Unfortunately I do not have the courage, otherwise I would have made the comments "nowadays youngsters has no proper manners, no 家教 (meaning no proper upbringing)".
I fear for the future of this mother, as I dun think her son will treat her well when she's in old age. Haiz.....
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Singapore - No Human Rights???
Of cos ppl give up citizenships here!! This is A FUCK UP PLACE TO LIVE IN!!! We have NO HUMAN RIGHTS!!!! Petrol UP cannot complain.. ANything increase in price you can only shut up and pay.. You strike they catch u saying you violate the law.. WTF??!!!
First of all, how do you define human rights? What is human rights? According to the wikipedia, human rights refers to the right to life and liberty, freedom of expression, equality before the law, right to participate in culture, the right to food, the right to work and the right to education.
So which area of rights and freedoms that what most people thinks that we lack is the freedom of expression. But compared to the other rights and freedoms, which is more important? What is human rights when one is not able to feed oneself and has to depend on government welfare to buy food?! Would you want to be hungry, jobless and sick, just to have the freedom to speak. So let's be more practical.
Secondly, Singapore is not the only country that is hit with rising cost, it is affecting worldwide. In any case, having strike is not helping the situation, with demostration from our neighbouring countries. Rather than protesting or speaking out about it, give more constructive solutions, if you can. If not, shut up and work hard.
Last but not least, I would like to say - if you want freedom of expression, please also be prepared to bear the consequences of it. With freedom of speech also comes the responsibilities. Dun just say say, stir up emotions and then walk away, doing nothing.
I am very proud to be a Singaporean and will never consider migrating. I hope that we can have many more years of happiness, properity & progress for our nation.
Monday, August 4, 2008
A Slow Monday
I wondered how I can get through with this for the rest of my working career, which is why I do not see myself staying long with this company. No doubt that I have people telling me to stay on for the good pay and easy work, but I really can not see myself rotting away in this job.
But job market is really bad as I dun have much responses from the numbers of job applications that I have send out. I am getting a bit frustrated and getting desperate. To comfort myself, I have started to day-dream of the illusive windfall in the form of the S$8 million TOTO. All things will end well if I strike TOTO top prize... heehee...
Sunday, August 3, 2008
New to Blogging
I like to voice out my thoughts on matter I am interested in, which is a wide range of topics. At times to bitch about unfairness in this world.... :)
Anyway I just hope that you will enjoying reading what I have wrote... :D