First TIS BKK Business Trip

There is always some form of special meaning to the first... anything. Extra nervous, extra excited. Everything is new and eye-opening and never knowing what to expect, how to anticipate. A 100% Greenhorn.

The 7.40am flight which Uncle Pat drove me to Airport with his part time stint as taxi driver. I almost thought he was giving a lift to a good ole excolleague- I didnt think of paying him, seriously.

Anyway, for the 2 presentations that I prepared for, none was a presentation worth remembering cause I couldn't engaged the audience with limited time and limited english. AND the thing is, R&D people dont care about my marketing concepts that much compared to the actual fragrance proposals. Stories are good to have and I felt I was just going thru the motions, the stories werent getting insides the heads.

But I dont think that is my problem cause my boss didnt feedback anything negative to me. I'm happy that she didnt. I absolutely believe that no news is good news. HAHAAH.

Our personal time after work, was precious. The personal time after work I had, I couldnt relax and enjoy thoroughly. At the back of mind, I worried about my next presentation. I couldnt let go and and just drink... I thought I need to do everything as fast as possible so that I can be well rested for a presentation.

Anyway, thank the stars above for my nice excolleague-host. Hosted dinner @ Siam. Hosted a beer @ Asiatique. It has been about 5 years since we worked together; sometimes one have to be thick skin to ask to be hosted. hahahah.

Gorgeous renovated warehouse turned conceptual vintage market place located next to the chao praya river: It is like clark quay except  with much bigger river and breeze and space, vintage decor and small ferries wheel.

                                   

Me & host: He is a jolly good fellow- no language barrier, no uncomfortable silence, just with the friendly thai hospitality.

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I told my boss that the key difference between a business trip  ( even if its just a 36Hour trip, really) and a vacation trip is that you cant wait for the biz trip to end and you NEVER want a vacation trip to end too fast. Is that true or not? And the tiredness you feel after a biz trip is different from a vacation, cause seriously, I really just could NOT relax until the meetings are over. How to relax, with the boss next to you, where your every action represent your potential and could be evaluated?

& this milestone is over in a blink of an eye... it is good to start off the way I did, with the smaller clients and more bo chap customers, cause it builds self confidence.  I learnt that I need to prepare but I really dun need to over prepare. Go with the flow & think on your feet. Treat my audience as sillies cause the self confidence is really important to have an aura in your presentation. Rest well drink lots of water, cause I didnt and by the second day, my voice was a little hoarse.

Next key event? ? NATAS FAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

things to be do before i am 30

There is so many things and interest to pursue! At least by the time I am 30, I take heart that I did already have some wishes come true through sheer willpower.

I think I feel happy most of the time due to healthy living. More exercise = more positive energy. I really enjoyed badmintan playing with the boyfriend. I start to think, man, he is SO CUTE with all the sweat dripping down his face,eh.... heheheh.

So adding on to the list of things to do b4 30 y.o.
- master basic Korean
- learn proper swimming strokes.
- basic business Thai, lets just start with self introduction & see what happens
- see if I can work hard and be yoga instructor for basic level.
- of course, another continent to visit for the first time- North America
- play badminton regularly with the bf so that he can have healthy lifestyle too.
-experience lavender fields in person next year,,, not just via the pictures I googled for the fragrance pyramid!

(Not stressing myself to accomplished that things as A MUST, but if I have opportunity, I will definitely grab first, think later).

Lets note down some positive things at work too:
- P&G mgr is supremely satisfied with my quality of work. I'm happy he likes it. Unfortunately or fortunately, he is not direct boss.
- my colleague is at least cooperative enough to deliver artwork that I am satisfied. Coming from FMCG, I am even more hard to please than my boss regarding visuals, I feel.
- my other colleague found new job with good increment, so I hope that can also FINALLY happen to me.. in the future.
- my first biz trip is just a 2d1n trip to BKK, I LOVVVVVEEEEE bkk, so i am just a wee bit sad that we cant stay there a little longer just so, i can go Paragon at least. HOW DO I HAVE TIME to go there in a 2d1n work trip. Maybe I will just shop in 7-11.  >___<

my surprise

I was surprised. That I only weigh 40kg according to today's basic type of scale.

  Just 1 month ago I was 43kg on a digital scale. But I am pretty sure that the weighing scale isnt too accurate. I am eating as  much as I want. I do not that think I can lose 3kg just like that. Some perverse part of me is happy if I did lose weight. the skimnnier the better!! more to eat with no fear. heh. 

BF has a destination which he wants to visit MORE than me. That's great. Finally some wanderlust seems to be have rubbed off from me to him. I want to see him wanting to see the world and just be a more learned man. More than just SEA. 

Travelling adds knowledge. emotions and wonderful memories that we probably cant replicate on the same level if we stay in the same area of land. If we dont do anything different, we will always get the same results. 

So.

So we continue to wait for Natas and see what we can get. 

Sorry No Cure

:""Sorry No Cure." How familiar these words are. Remember you said this to me? Unfortunately, maybe we are a tad similar. I am repeating those words you said to me, to you. It is karma right in your face, scarily enough.

My boss told me, I am too kind. Is that another way of saying I do not know how to reject people and be assertive? I duno. But I don't really care. I don't care I create inconvenience for myself.  Cause if I can be kind, it is the least that I should do. I want to treat people the way I would like to be treated to.

My friend said I didn't try hard enough. Then he quote me an example on how he tried harder and then it was all worth it in the end. But some people are not worth even that 1% of  the time and effort. I don't even think my 1 second should be spent on trying harder.

And that's me. I don't (really) care what people think of me. I stick to my principals unless there is compelling reasons to change. I am not like you and you are not like me and that is the end of story. I always do what I please... as much as I can, anyway. Life is more about compromise and meeting half way, I know.

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Facebook is a powerful tool. It made me realize why the past happen the way it did. At least I realize more about it, than now.
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Sometimes I think about meeting up with those super long lost friends from the times when we were juvenile. Will I be shocked at how we changed? Shocked, pleasantly or even unpleasantly...Haha. Should we even meet in the first place for fear of awkward silence and totally different frequencies? And yet, if you never  meet, then you never know... 

things i realize from the past 2 months

1. @ friends. So it seems like I/we lost a "friend" again. the "friend" who no longer cares enough to reply to you.& if  so, then we were never truly "friends"to begin with or somewhere along the way, the "friend" has decided to drop out.

Aquarians tend to take "friendships" too seriously. But, what can I do... i am born like that !! It wont Kill me, but the way I view "friendships"and the standards that I have innately for "friendships" may be too high to be "average/normal".... but never mind about me! Life still goes on brilliantly!

2. @ work Randomly, I suddenly remember a statement I used to make- " I never want to be in B2B again!". And look where I am again today, now!!

Isnt life amazing? I am b2b and thoroughly enjoying it. Maybe coz this is a special b2b.

AMAAAAAZZZZZZZZIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGGG.

Now that my neighbortheannoyingorange is whiner... can whine 15min non stop about the inconvenience of a  heavy downpour during a lunch/can whine about PRC/"heavy"work load..... I feel like I need to be thankful for whatever life has given me. I DONT HAVE MUCH TO WHINE ABOUT.

People think the marketing dpt is the least-stressed department in TIS. i aint about to go rebut this statement or a simply the opinion of the unenlightened who hasnt been in your shoes.

Everyone has stress even the person who empties the rubbish bin. but i feel that when you are good at what you are doing, you are able to go with the flow and do what is required or even go beyond and make things better. When you are good at what you are doing... stress becomes the motivational factor to do better than before. It is the good stress that everyone needs. So i will strive to be good at what I am doing.

I also believe- do or don't do. There is no try.

3. @ Travel and fun. I had fun discussing with pehli what 1000SGD can get in USA-outlets. maybe 1 tiffany bracelet, 2 kate spade tote bags, 10 pcs of street labels clothes and I will be carting as many personal care stuff as possible from the supermarkets to put into the empty luggage. Both of us have small appetite, so we will buy & share one portion of whatever and be full and maximise our spending $ this way!

My latest wild idea that I wanna propose to my boss, is that I wanna intern at my USA office for a week! or really just a day, please. My plan: after my 10day tour, I will extend 5 days in NY and spend some time at TAKUS! i will pay for everything except- can the company kindly sponsor me 5 day of lodging?>> 600-800 SGD worth.  

and why should the company do this? Because when one person gains additional exposure in knowing how the other part of the world works, the inspiration & insights generated will add the creativity and depth needed in my course of work. Especially I am in charge of Fine Fragrance category. Shouldn't I know how first hand our FF office works, so that I can explain to our customers how we work, globally, with conviction???

OKKKKKKKKKK.... i will keep dreaming. I KNOW reality.

CNY 2013

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR. This is my fav holiday, no 2 questions about it. People give $$ instead of presents (like in Xmas) and it suits my pragmatic, practical style way much much more! HAHAHAHAH.

This CNY, is the probably the 2nd last CNY that people will hand out red packets to me. This has got to be the no. 1 sign that I am a kid NO MORE.

This CNY, our relatives on Pa''s side, could only gather for a short amt of time. which means, really I only see them about 3h in a year. I dont understand how come people want to escape house visiting for a total of 2 days out of 365 days. Our relatives may ask the same questions all over again and that is just becoz they see us on a yearly basis, its only natural they forgot all about it. And of course, we are doomed to have those insensitive and unimportant topics to be discussed like WEIGHT?SKIINNY?FATT? and DOYOUHAVEAGIRL?BOY?FRIEND kinda topics and i think to tolerate it for a single day is ... ok! Anyway, I love my family, extended, poor, rich , close or not, simply they are my relatives and have seen me grown up and have nothing but good wishes for me. :D

Anyway, CNY is great because precisely, we only meet 3h this year, there isnt much to tolerate and we have  just enough time to eat and make small talk without feeling fake and awkward. HAHAHAH. My cute bachelor cousin is still single and cute. AND still ask if i club or not. i dont! lol. well well, i also become those auntie-relatives that ask how old r u, hows ur sch and stuff. heheheheh. i've got nieces-extended that is already 15 years old. and is a probably gonna be a SNAG coz he ask questions starting off by "It may be a offensive question but can I ask... what is your age???",

ROFL. LOL. SO cute. His name is Louise, before i forget. Louise who is now currently aspires to be accountant , at age 15 y.o. because he loves numbers. His Sister, Chloe, 11. y.o, wants to be a lawyer and this year, we look alike cause we got similar hair styles, bangs with a bob cut.


my brother has grown heavy again and he is so sweet to lug 6 heavy packs of my fav penang coffee mix back home. Such a guy thing- i only want to have A FEW but he has to bring back 6 packs (which is like 6 months supply???). Probably because he thinks by buying 6 packs back, he can escape me bugging him to buy such things again. HAHAHAH. True.

the passage of time. so scary to me. but it is a journey that everyone needs to complete and go thru. no one can stay stagnant and even if you do, you are just living in your own world while everyone proceeds with time. i cant believe that my uncle/auntie are already 60-70 because they somehow remain as the younger selves of 50s. I want to them to stay the way they were... strong & healthy.

I have to say, that. yes, i am one of those who is staying stagnant, staying behind in my old world. remaining as a kid in my heart even tho I am approaching 30. LOL.

I also house visited my bf's relatives too. I envy his AH_MA who is about 90 year old but still every strong and healthy (for her age). She has 4 generations of kids with her, and everyone is filial to her. I think she is very fortunate and life is nice. She has alzemir, she forgets stuff and remember the old days clearly. I think i have these sort of condition too. didnt I just say  I remember everyone as tho they were the young(er) relatives whom I have the strongest impression, in their prime, without kids, or without white hair....?

 ANYWAY, i just want to say, please treasure your family!!!! everyday!  especially during CNY, during a time of expressed intention of reunion & a precious grand total of 2 public holiday granted to us by our pay and pay gov... 

considerations

I'm considering myself to be a little too brand-whorish for my capabilities & money earning power now. why on earth, do i wanna a tiffany ring? So badly that I went to check out the prices at the store? Why on earth, cant i get a ok-cheap laptop but must get a Viao leh? Or a phone that I need to pay a few hundred $ instead of one that is free?

Good marketing, I suppose. Congrats to them.

My new mantra is to buy what I need, not what brand I like. It will help me save $$ to achieve my greater goals (holidays) in life.

I need self-control and courage to not be brand-conscious. Asking a marketing person to be brand-unconscious sounds a bit paradoxical. Lets see how it turns out.

So far, have managed to resist buying the cute subtle leopard print pants  i saw at H&M.  Although, obviously, i am still in lust with it.

AND WHEN WILL MY BUSINESS TRIPS BE IN ??

WHY PPL GET TO GO JAPAN FOR WORK AND YET THEY ARE NOT HAPPY??

WHY WE ALWAYS WANT WHAT WE CANT HAVE???!! 

love taiwan!

It isn't surprising that I spend the most on pineapple cakes as souvenirs from TW. It was a bit mind boggling that I spend about $150SGD on pineapple cakes. well well. It goes to show how premium those cakes were!!  The Vi-gor brand do taste good.

I didnt shop to my heart's content cause there simply isnt enough time. However I am grateful ZH's couple friends are really nice to accommodate my shoppaholic's behaviour and my foodie's cravings. 

Now I understand why do my colleague visit TW at once a year for holiday. The food is great, the shopping is pretty cheap & they have spring-cool weather compared to the melting heat all year round in Sg. They have magical natural phenomenon, hot springs, breathtaking mountains, gorgeous beach, refreshing weather, beautiful colorful sakarus, cheap beer and yummy food anyway along the streets. All around the corner available to the wee hours.. 

Too bad, it was too foggy for us to appreciate and witness for ourselves the scenery.

In short, i love tw and i wanna go there again. explore the beach scene. or the refreshing air at the farms... .

and of course, eat the food and drink the beer again!! 

& i declare I have a bitchy colleague who seems to like to poke fun (not-funny-fun) at me at any available opportunity. I declare I will not stoop to her level. I declare I will just blatantly roll my small eyes when she does that not-fun jab at me with a smile on her face & that tone which seems to imply she is just kidding.


I declare i will have a collection of her insensitive comments...

Latest to add on to the list:
- a monologue about how i choose a guy who is poor to be my bf.  hmm. i dont even want to let my bf know her monologue abt  "poor BF". i think he will go mad as well. and anyway, i cant rmb what was the content except to say that i had choosen a poor bf. omg. 

- a shocked "SQ??!" when I answered I took SQ to go TW.  i duno if its becoz she think i am too poor to afford SQ or what. Well, the truth is i am not rich enough to take SQ had it not been for a promo. but still?? i couldnt bear to dignify her comment so i guess  i wouldnt know. 

- a self-proclaimed self-lessness on how she will only want my help IF I WANT TO. my gawd, she really doesnt know what is team spirit. bleah. it is no use acting so considerate that you dont want to inconvenience me when you cant finish your work. just hand it over to me and say thank you,  and I think it will save both our time.I DO NOT WANT TO help you (who wants extra work ??) But I will help you because I CAN... NOT because  I WANT.  good grief. 


time to sleep and look forward to yoga.

and another trip to TW by the next few years? 

new year resolutions!!!

2012 is 99.9% gone! So who cares about 2012 already? Now that I am with Yoga, I found out that reflection need not be done on annual basis. I had been reflecting as & when, when there is something worth to reflect and ruminate upon. So nothing particular to reflect upon now.

I am genuinely excited by 2013.

cause I never been on business trips so I look forward to know what they are like. Since its all SEA locations, i don't suppose it will be THAT tough. 3 trips coming up and I cant wait to see and smell the region for myself.   

I am excited by the prospect for searching for the ring that will make me fall in love at first sight. I thought I will find it at Tiffany coz I am really smitten by their advertising and eh, brand color. So, went to tiffany but ... it is so meh. So, the search continues. In the meantime, continue to brainwash self that the brand of ring doesnt matter. STOP BEING A BRAND WHORE.   

I am hopeful that in 2013 I can catch up with a long lost friend just to see how time has changed my friend. banking on the fact that my biz trip can happen. Time didnt change me. Did it change him? I missed our conversations, jokes and plain friendship. Does he?  

I am extra determined to go USA in 2013 cause i been smirked at for not being there before. Still have to keep fingers crossed that things can happen smoothly. 

Whatever will happen, will happen. Maybe Murphy's law will rule in the end. But in the meantime, I cant lose hope in 2013 and myself. 

petty colleague

Well well, the petty colleague IS ME.

Cause I will not forget the snide remarks which i am taking it as a personal attack on me... simply cause I am the only one who has not been to USA while ''everyone has''.

being the travel-freak that i am, i took this especially personally.cause my travels are funded by myself. y should i be looked down upon by someone who probably funds her expenditure by her parents. who went to USA on student exchange program? BLEAH..

and omg, it is so funny to laugh AT me simply cause I am one month older than you?!!!

so insensitive. so funny-haha-my-toenail-have-trouble-snickering.

and I noticed that you are always so quick to defend yourself even something is wrong. Jesus!! no-one is pointing fingers at anyone, why are you so fast to make sure people know you were ...right? it is so prissy and a sign of poor team spirit. I cant  help thinking should there be a slightest sign of trouble, you will forsake your team members just so you can save your skin.

I wish I can lecture this semi-fresh grad that it is utterly unprofessional to verbalise that you do not wish to work with certain colleague coz this certain colleague will push you to deliver things and in that sense, isnt that easy to work with.

I wish I can lecture that it is unprofessional to ASSUME that my day is as unproductive as yours simply cause you think yours was unproductive.

I wish you can contain your disdain for the PRCs to yourself and stop sharing with me.


HMMMMMM,


I now understand why the previous colleague didnt want to speak to you much for leisure.


Everything has a reason.  

>>>>>.it is just so good to get this snide remarks out of my system. 

maybe we are all mad. .

I really like the below except from the anointed notes which I read in Alice In Wonderland...

THEAETETUS: I certainly cannot undertake to argue that madmen or dreamers think truly, when they imagine, some of them that they are gods, and others that they can fly, and are flying in their sleep. SOCRATES: Do you see another question which can be raised about these phenomena, notably about dreaming and waking? THEAETETUS: What question? SOCRATES: A question which I think that you must often have heard persons ask:--How can you determine whether at this moment we are sleeping, and all our thoughts are a dream; or whether we are awake, and talking to one another in the waking state? THEAETETUS: Indeed, Socrates, I do not know how to prove the one any more than the other, for in both cases the facts precisely correspond;--and there is no difficulty in supposing that during all this discussion we have been talking to one another in a dream; and when in a dream we seem to be narrating dreams, the resemblance of the two states is quite astonishing. SOCRATES: You see, then, that a doubt about the reality of sense is easily raised, since there may even be a doubt whether we are awake or in a dream. And as our time is equally divided between sleeping and waking, in either sphere of existence the soul contends that the thoughts which are present to our minds at the time are true; and during one half of our lives we affirm the truth of the one, and, during the other half, of the other; and are equally confident of both. THEAETETUS: Most true. SOCRATES: And may not the same be said of madness and other disorders? the difference is only that the times are not equal.

Merry xmas n a happy new year.

Dear Life,
I AM VERY HAPPY & SATISFIED with my life NOW. WHO KNEW?? THANK YOU.

At the start of 2012, I though I can work out  my dream branding job.But after I gave all that I am willing to give,,, things still arent going my way. I suppose after knowing what the "dream job"entails, my priority and my dream has CHANGED. Living my EX-Dream isnt motivating me to work harder and be happier. I realized I wasnt suitable for the ex-dream. Not that I am not capable, as my ex-bosses would hurry to add.  

at the end of 2012, I happen to to read a FB post about " happiness is not derived from living a past dream"(or similar)... I now know why I was miserable when i felt i could do nothing right. Just miserable. Not depressed, not clinically any way.

Life is ever-changing and simply amazing. So is that voice and courage to tell me to give up my past dream when I didnt have enough to give, to make the dream work. It is fundamentally scary and just plain unpleasant to know that I couldnt be what I want to be, without sacrificing 8h of sleep, weekends and me-time. At the same time, it is finally illuminating and motivational to know what you want more in life.

... and suddenly, i found myself wanting to shop for a wedding ring, gather some ideas for my dream wedding (for which I supposed I will only have 1 in my lifetime, as there is no other brave soul wanting to marry me and live in torment for the rest of his life...).This feeling of  "wanting to get married" is new to me. TOTALLY NEW. I have no idea why  I (finally??) have this desire in this time of the month although i do have a theory.

My theory is... I am finally ready to be on this path as I am closer to realizing the my singleton's dreams of seeing the world. Most of the countries which I wanna visit are on my check list. The last ultimatum... I am praying/working hard to see NY at the end of 2013.

and  then i freaked out myself, as i was reading  " I DONT KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT" and I actually imagine myself to relate to the leading character who is juggling motherhood and career. OMG; am I that past the young adult phrase already???( oh btw, i prob wont have career but just a enough & it will be enough for me.) SINCE WHEN DO I EVEN THINK ABOUT BEING A MOM WITH TWO KIDS???

since now i guess. after... I had my moments of madness,,, and with madness comes, clarity (with high price tag).

this moment of madness costs me $3800 SGD. there is about 12 tiny speaks of clarity (aka diamonds) inside. I always thought I would spend about about a few K on a bag FIRST but end up my first regretful splurge is a TH watch.

CHANT TO SELF: Money doesnt matter as long as I can earn it back. Although my heart pains still. (SMILE)


Life... is on a track. Have to work hard to stay this way. Have to trust that things will work itself out at the same time.

I'm just glad to be living in this moment.

FIRST time to Europe

Hi Eve,

Cant believe you finally made it to Europe after all these years, like 5 years, despite being just a worker ant. Cant believe you went to EASTERN Europe instead of the Paris/London, the way you always thought it will be. 

Life is strange but as long as you can go to Europe, it is just as good. We gotta be flexible, HUH? But despite you didnt go to those outlet shopping cities,  you gotta be super mindful of your expenditure, coz for some bewitched reason, you overspend on a bloody depreciating diamond watch. But since you always think money can be earned back... I suppose there is no use regretting  LIVE IN THE MOMENT!! ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS ON HOLIDAY, huh. 

I also think this attitude will kill you if it continues when you have to start feeding a family. Dont always rationalize your expenditure by saying "this is the last year i can spend recklessly on myself .... from 2014 onwards times changed, and spending on yourself is the ABSOLUTE last priority", with your 1/2 a million dollar HDB flat and expensive children (hopefully) to feed... I think you need to learn from your parents the way they treasure every last dollar. But still that's something happening in 2014. HAHA. 

OK, whatever. I think you cannot change your spots untill you realize you got last than $2k in your bank. And that all those material simply doesnt matter as long as you have a roof on your head & food in the refrigerator. 

Hmm. Would you have chosen not to go Europe despite being 10K poorer? Guess not, since $$ in the bank means nothing you as you dont even bother you shd ALREADY start saving for the bloody house. Guess you would still exchange it for the old world experience of Europe , to see the history in front of your eyes and to simply appreciate what you have in Spore more. (except for the hot sweaty weather). & worry about those worrisome housing/wedding matters later on. 

Anyway, will you be on track on your next big travel destination (that is like, so, the wrong priority, but still) ?? I know you so wanna go USA , another farwaway continent to be on the ultimate shopping spree. To see the land of the pop culture that you are living with since you know what is pop music. 

Well nobody knows. Nobody knows you would really splurge on that bloody depreciating watch. Nobody including yourself, huh. So seriously,  did that watch make you happy? Most likely yes, since in your heart, you really like it & like all the memories that it represents. 

& on a different note, it was quite a surprise for you to receive FB request from RT. But glad you didnt lose sleep after realizing all the lies he told you (once you finish scanning his fb page)

I mean, what is the reason for him toning down his family wealth?? Like, saying his family company is just small local firm compared to the one of the largest shipping company in the SEA worth quite a few million USD? Is it becoz 80 USD MIL, is just small change in his eyes? Maybe it is, coz you nvr know whats the psyche of rich ppl. 

& what is with saying he was a kid with no siblings, when he had 2 sibling?? Is he like, delusional? Maybe then, you had befriended a weirdo but you didnt know it.... how psycho & slightly creepy to know someone who couldnt tell the truth about the himself. 

Ok, I know, that is just you dramatizing your boring life. Thats what you always feel the need to explore the world so that you can add some awesome chapters in your life. & I know, you cant be bothered to stay perplexed with those weird stuff in life... once you have some awesome food to focus on!

And, that is it from me, 
love,
your voice in your head. 

europe: update

Seriouslyy... the more you plan, the more it seems like things Just don't work out.

like the once upon KL trip with Friend A, & she blown me away to go KOREA with her sis-business trip.

& again with Friend A, we were planning to go GREECE & discussing which airline to take, & suddenly her mom had a stroke & well, it is best that any holiday should be cancelled/postponed. (DISAPPOINTMENT. But  no choice)

Been planning /anticipating to go central Europe since Aug. Anticipating to go to the factory & buy at least one "cheap" wallet as momento, friends were all so ready with their shopping list & look what happened? Trip got cancelled & I will be getting a full refund.

so, if it is not meant to be, it never will be.

Anyway, I cannot give up on my holiday so easily/ at all. So, my nicest BF & me went to find a replacement trip... which had us ended up going to Eastern Europe instead. Coz, it was the most value for money package out of the ones we checked ( coz we still get the FOC DUBAI value-add despite it is a diff tour agency).  heheheheheh.

Really, it doesn't matter where we go, as long as I get a change of scenery, & i have my nicest BF with me. He is so nice that even the uncle at the travel agency commented that he is so nice! Heheheh. YAYA... i know ppl will be reminding me that i shouldnt take him for granted.  YAH. i am not.

The next time, we go for holiday. I will NOT dictate where to go! & I guess he will wanna go JPN. So I guess... I will subtly , naturally let  him know the reasons why we should visit HOKKAIDO. heheheheh. 

new. new. new job

Yah, I've turned into a job hopper & I just completed my honeymoon first week at Takasago, perfume chemical house. I enjoyed the industrial estate with the cheap lunches & cheap coffee that is just 60% of the price I used to pay at liang court. The food is not too bad either! I am really happy with this. I like the company bus. (altho the service std is not consistent on the way back). I like my boss, I think she is real pretty & seems to have patience to guide & teach me slowly... so I wont be tooo afraid. I like that I am working with US and PARIS counterparts, coz even tho I will never work there, at least I get to liase with ppl from those self-perceived glam countries. I get to work with people from diff nationalities which is interesting to me coz it makes feel that I am truly in a MNC, learning stuff from Europeans & Philippinos & good ole Malaysians. 

I am still in very in touch with FMCG, or at least I feel so, with all the numerous products piled up on the floor. & another interesting aspect is that I will be in charge of fine fragrance as well. Sniff sniff, the perk is that we will get to know & wear the latest fragrance or simply channel n.5. 

It seems like the bulk of my job is to present & convince ppl to take up our products. What goes behind those 15min presentations is at least 1 week of rehearsals & 1 month of presentation, I foresee that happening for my first presentation, definitely. Will just keep fingers crossed.

Anyway, I nvr thought that I cant stick it out with KAO for at least 2-3 years. LOL. I am driven mad by the hours & the ... STUFF. Standees? Gondolas? Size of Carpet? Height of Poster Stand? Driven dammm mad & felt like the stupid things that doesn't cause any life or death made my life very miserable indeed. 

Wearing the pros & cons, I decided that to take a break. Altho, I means I only lasted one year there. Too bad for me. My health and mental soundness can only take so much. I think I was mentally and physically fatigued that's why I keep making the same mistakes again. (and also, becoz  to a certain extent, one month the same thing is OK, approved. & the next month, the same thing is NOT ok, anymore). 

So I just arrived at a conclusion. at THE conclusion>> I dont care. Dont care enough to stay there. I want to leave. 

I want to leave to go EUROPE. BUT ALAS, my promotional departure date does not have enough headcount. SO NOW, I HAD NO EUROPE to go to >,<. To think I also announced that I am counting down to Europe. My disappointment is so tremendous that I can feel my heart sinking with punctured disappointment. 

Hi Cameron!

It was the first time going to cameron highlands! Had been looking forward to going to the mountains for past few weeks. But, now as a conclusion, I thought the best time to go was when we were still taking human geography... it will be amazing to see the terracing in front of our eyes back as a geo students. would have definitely made passing human geography easier & more fun.

Even though the coach ride was not 100% comfortable, I think it was tolerable. The cool fresh air & greenery did not disappoint. Did not take a lot of photos cause wasnt feeling photogenic...

We were so near the blue sky & clouds!

& we also have a free hi-tea set. It was simple. Although it is also three-tiered, it was nothing like the gourmet TWG tea set.

I was happy with the room too. big clean spacious. Heritage hotel is not bad! except the health club was closed & there is flies around the food.

I love the nasi lemak, ikan billis & sambal!

I did think the strawberry farm was a disappointing, cause i keep thinking it will be strawberry field. like vineyard. but turn out to be:

but nothing can get me down when we are so near the greenery & the pretty flowers...

We love the fresh air!

I love myself & i love to cam whore!

They look deliciously sweet but looks are deceiving.

love the prata we had. crispy & fluffy.

I quite like the different pace & feel of this malaysian region. I wanna visit & explore other cities of msia. Misa is so near but so different!

stronger

today is Saturday and my boss & supplier was whatsapping each other at 11am about some shitty issue that only happens to suay people like me or a freaky basis, which, of course, also mean it must happen to me...

I , of course, didnt know about the whatsapping until they finished their conversation cause i couldnt care less about my phone & instead, was stoning and eating breakfast in front of the tv set.

hmmmm.

i wasnt expecting the whatsapping to happen & i just feel sian. & then something more sian happen. my supplier called me to tell me they cocked up something that we , as client, as already highlighted & forewarned them. so must redo. rework. & the fulfilment date is coming monday. thats y he bothered to call on a saturday & spoil my weekend.

was feeling sian but at least things could be resolved peacefully with a few sms. **PHEW**

so wat dont kill u, MAKES U STRONGER.

i heart my yoga class! i really feel GOOD when i am in class n all i need to do is try to fulfill the damm pose. the alignment of body, soul & spirit!!

adele

i love adele's voice! i would willing pay for her music & i did. kinda like, win some lose some. take some, give some. if i really like something, i will buy it. if not... i guess i will stick to downloading it. i have my morales & ethics... but just not a lot. haha. or they are not with me all the time.

i also wonder why didn't adele's company ask her to lose some weight. is it some strategy to truly make her stand out of the crowd. but i think it will be ideal for her to lose some weight just to be within the healthy bmi. she looks (pretty) enormous despite the photoshop... but i guess, if she truly lose weight (to be on the healthy & not skinny side) it will probably help sell a lot of magazines & tabloids. Milking her possible future story angles already.

and i just paid for a second chance to go strawberry fields again! with Ms Jasmine Ho. hehehehhe. i am pretty sure this time i will succeed in making my way there. Positivity helps!

Now i am comtemplating should i sign up for a one year yoga package... my muscles are still aching from my first hot yoga lesson at real yoga. thinking thinking... it is not so easy to make me part with me this much of $$ !!

in debt

i will be so in-debt, that i dunno how in debt i am. to my eyeballs, maybe? hahahah. thanks to trivelis. but trivelis... is a place which i look forward to, although i am sure there are as much cons as pros.

actually i nvr thought about owning a place untill ... now actually. untill i signed myself into hdb debt. untill we set up a savings account, making me have $300 less liquidity each month. & now, i am kinda excited & i cant wait to see the fruition of these decisions.

sometimes i feel like, can i just fast forward 3 years? I wanna be decorating my house!!!!! so wrong a reason, but still, it is one of the big things i look forward in life. probably i cant decorate it much , since it is so small. but it means i dun need to spend too much on furniture & misc simply because there is no space to put. *phew*...........

i m too pragmatic for my own good. but here in good ole singapore, i kinda feel like i am like due to environment.

2012

i start off 2012 knowing that i put on weight. the same 5kg that i lost... that made ppl comment i was skinny.

NOW, ppl almost cant recognise me cause i got rounder ... just really bigger size me. anywayzzz. it is a wake up call that i cant snack at night. i cant eat (snack) after 9pm at night. if i do .... the 5kg (or more) come chasing after me, i only did calories in, but no calories out.

healthy living... here i come! & I will climb those stairs again. i will cut those carbs again, again and again.

I want to make a habit to take part in lucky draw contest that being run by products that i already use or dun mind using. esp those lucky draws that offer cash prizes. i like this way better compared to buying 4D, hoping to strike one of the prizes.

I am a confirmed staff of cow singapore. after 4 months. that means my probation was extended!!! my boss thinks i am ok, except that i tend to be rash & dun think things through. i think she was also trying to say i am gullible too. ohhh wellz.

i am also not sure what to think of the 3% annual increment/adjustment.... but there is a consensus that we , execs of cow, are partly paying to learn , paying for the opportunities and paying for the valuable exposure that not many other places offer ; paying for the chance to build up our resumes. Then i found that that some of the mktg execs suffered a pay cuts to join cow. omg. if they were to give me a paycut. i doubt i would have joined. or maybe... i would, depending what chris-the-career-consultant advised me. gawd knows.

and it's time to have a joint account with zh. i feel bad at times, cause i am such a self-centred gf at times. made possible, cause he is so bo-chap about everything.it cultivates this bad habit.

and in 2012... can i really make it to USA? with no silver spoon , rich parents or high paying job, i am hoping one of the contests which i will be participating can help me in this. ^.^ cheers to the power of positive thinking.