30/11/07

What a spiritless and non-constructive Friday to mark the last day of November.

I mentioned about looking forward earnestly to December due to the festive month and seemingly loads of activities to fill me up. But well, sometimes being overly engaged in these kinda activities simply just weigh you down and unknowingly, causes certain stress hormones in your body. Ha. Perhaps I just prefer things as simplistic as it can be. No fuss, no hassle. I just feel that I'm beginning to fear the upcoming month.

I wonder when I can finish buying the x'mas gifts for the long list of friends and colleagues. Well it's actually quite fun to mall-hop sourcing for x'mas gifts. Urm, but if the shopping list gets too long, then of course it can be agonising. Argh. I need to set a deadline for myself. By 9 Dec it shall be!

Okay, I also need to be extra disciplined in my running and workouts. You see, who can resist the temptations of such sumptuous and gastronomic buffets this festive month? I already have 3 dinner buffets arranged and lined up for me. Blissful and sinful at the same time. I'm going to eat in moderation, I mean I will try. Hmm...

Reached home at 8pm today. Dan did not meet me as he'd to prepare for his paper on 3 Dec. Hardworking darling! It's quite unusual to be home so early and especially on a Friday. Well I intended to subdue myself from the crowds who are now in town jostling with each other. I needed some peace and gratification, like now.

I wanna rekindle the feeling of solitude again...

Melancholy

I fully grasp the excruciating pain and agony of the families belonging to the 5 young rowers who have deceased due to the unfortunate accident in Cambodia.

While I was watching the news just now and saw how their families mourned and had to brave through this crisis with a heavy heart, tears welled up my eyes. These 5 young able men had so much in life that's expecting them to accomplish and excel. And now their demise will linger forever tinges of grief and sorrows amongst their families, friends and love ones. This is so uncalled for.

I sincerely hope that they will be able to rest in peace and bless all their love ones wherever they might be.

"Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life." - Bertolt Brecht

Retail Therapy

I need to do some serious shopping today. Not due to the festive season but for myself.

Do you realise that sometimes you indulge in immense activities but not realising that you're depriving yourself of the needs that you actually deserve? Life is constantly taking its toll on us, just a matter of how well we are able to swallow it. And if we fear to confront, why not embrace?

I can't really remember when was the last time I seriously shopped, not just simply window-shopping. I probably need some retail therapy, and that doesn't constitute to spending lavishly on branded goods and all. I guess I can never ever comprehend ladies who can cough up exorbitant amounts of money on branded goods. Sometimes, it's not whether you can afford it but rather, do you need it? Do you exactly appreciate the quality or just adore the brand naively cuz everyone has it and it's a symbol of status?

I like to shop by myself and that's my form of retail therapy. Perhaps at the end of the day I might not end up with any significant purchases, but I know it's almost remedial for the mind, body and soul. I think this is the most important thing. :)

An account of a fatigued day

I am utterly immersed in pure fatigue... but it's only mid-week!

Oh well, at least I know after today, I can smell the weekend soon. You see, I've this same feeling every week. Isn't it a sign of routinity? Indeed it is. Everyone will not disagree with me. Ha.

I'd a long meeting today with my bosses and fella-colleagues to discuss on the department's issues, particularly the Xmas party. It's actually my first time getting involved in all these organising of activities and gosh, there's really quite a lot to act upon. I guess it's partly the lengthy meeting that kinda drained my brain cells, thus making me worn-out. Okay, I need some creative juices now! Looking forward to the consequential events that are going to happen following the festive season.

Uh. The cause of my fatigue doesn't end there. I went for kickboxing after work. Supposedly to rejuvenate, but it exhausted me even more. I couldn't feel as much adrenalin burning today as compared to previous classes, and we did this hip and leg exercise which actually could help us to improve our side-kicks. Ouch, that seriously hurts big time.

To make things worse, I waited faithfully for a whole 45 minutes for bus 65 at Dhoby Ghaut before I realized that the bus will not be coming any sooner and when more and more swamps of people began to flood the bus-stop. Thinking that to hail a cab at that point of time will be futile, I went to take the train heavy-heartedly, feeling bushed and famished. How unfortunate, must be the Asean Summit happening in town, I thought to myself.

Alright, it's time to replenish and restore! Off to slumberland...

X'mas is in the air...

It was heart-warming and peace-filled for me (despite the crowd) when I aisled down Orchard Road yesterday.

Yes! Christmas's knocking on our doors once again. The familiar festivity that always
overwhelms our senses and transcends us into the brand new year thereafter. I'm gonna rejoice in the proceedings of shopping for presents, receiving presents and most importantly relishing the Christmas spirit! Geez, I sound kinda holy don't I? Hiaks.

I need to plan all my agendas and schedules properly from today onwards and making sure that I do not miss out anything/anyone essential to execute/meet.

Time just seems so tight from now till end of 2007! I hope to achieve the most of it to make 2007 a remarkable one while I can. :)

Resolutions

When every year begins to come to a closure, you often hear people reciting animatedly on their upcoming new year resolutions, be it attainable or not. And of course, you also hear people exclaiming that there is no such need to make resolutions because they never fulfill it anyways.

If resolutions were set on a unrealistic platform, or for the sake of just setting because it makes you feel better, then definitely it defeats the whole purpose.

It's strange that I am talking about resolutions now as for the past 26 years 11 months and 17 days, I never made any because I know I really will not execute the resolutions. However having said that, I was reminded abruptly on the bus journey home just now that I had lost track of what I've done for 2007. This is horrendous upon realisation.

I finally deciphered that I'm not getting younger and that I should feel and contain more responsibilities in my life. I mean, it's saddening to realise every year passes by you without a wink, and yet you don't feel any impact. Yes, life goes on. But life can't just go on like that. It'll ultimately reach a meaningless standstill.

After thorough introspection, I'll be setting the following resolutions for 2008:

• to shed 5 kg more by April
• to learn Japanese language before I visit Japan, hopefully by September
• to join the Standard-Chartered full Marathon in December
• to start reading again as I've stopped reading for donkey years, books I mean
• to learn cooking

Well, I think that will be all for now as I don't want to over-declare and not accomplishing it. They should all be attainable, but only countable on my absolute conviction and genuineness.

Resolutions, here I come.

Mindless Thoughts

It has been a week of amalgamated and heedless thoughts so far.

Nothing factual or substantial seems to evolve from doing everything.

I feel disoriented, and somehow adrift amidst the hectic yet predictable agenda.

What a lousy feeling. I detest this emotion.

Am I astrayed in a paradoxical situation?

Have lonesome memories came back for more lingering?

I need to redeem myself from these weave of mindless thoughts.

We are the world... we are the future...

It was an amazing array of national costumes and kaleidoscopic feast for me on our division's D&D held at Inter-Continental Hotel last Friday!

Without further delay, presenting the following icons... Ha!

Sharon in Kebaya, myself in Hanbok and Jan in Mongolian tribal costume

With Junxiang, the Indian man

Sitting in harmony!

The ladies again...

Connie in Kimono and Leslie in Scottish costume

With Andy the Egyptian King - he won the best dressed male for the night! Woo hoo!

Smiling in unison...

The guys from left: Alvin as Vietnamese, Junxiang as Indian, Andy as Egyptian, Hongwei as Thai and Eddy as Mongolian dude!

And to our pleasant surprise, we won the BEST DRESSED TABLE! This is exhilarating I tell you. I didn't expect myself to indulge so much in this fun. And of course after the whole thing ended, I was totally drained and worned-out. However, so much for all the thrill and memories, it's definitely worth it. :)

Indeed as the song goes, "we are the world, we are the future..."

Service Excellence

Of late, the bank has been instilling in us the important values of 'Service Excellence' that we should deliver to our customers.

Service Excellence, obviously is something essential and a priority to people who work in front lines who needs to cater to customers' never-ending queries and thirst for assistance. Of course we should be part of all these - but wait, strictly speaking my customers are debtors who are at my mercy. So where should I draw this skeletal line? I'm perplexed.

Based on banking perspectives, I help the bank to minimise losses and maximise profits by ensuring the delinquency rates decrease with time and also ensuring the amount of provision required is within budget. How impressive it sounds. However, from a layman's view, I'm deemed as a 'legalised loan shark' who collects money from people who have defaulted on their payments to the banks. Hey, how wrong is that? It is also a noble job isn't it, to withstand the arrogance and frustration of these people who can't pay and yet putting up a tough front with you. It's not the end of the world, just admit it.

I finally reckoned after much thought that I can also deliver Service Excellence to my 'customers', that I'll be more empathetic and patient towards their plight but only if they deserve it. I suppose we'll be delivering 100% Service Excellence to people by telling them they do not have to pay for their defaulted amounts and that they can take their own sweet time to pay us back? You see, it's so intricate.

I remembered quite a number of customers complimenting me on my work attitude and readiness to assist them, but on an ending note, they still never fail to curse and swear the bank for their rigour and unbreakable policies. Well, they are actually also scolding me in a way since I'm part of the bank. Hence, by complimenting me and reproaching the bank just simply makes me more perturbed.

On a societal view, I'm just befuddled at how Service Excellence can differ such worlds apart in the same industry. For example, there are irritating and inconsiderate bus drivers who doubles their speed recklessly on a busy road without sparing a thought for the congested crowd in the bus. But just this afternoon, I was being greeted amicably by a bus driver when I boarded the bus. How rare is this phenomenon? Kudos to him.

I guess we can never finish pin-pointing the lapse of service prevalent in various industries, so why not just put in effort within your means to make someone's day if you're in the service line? It could just lead to tremendous significance. :)

My D&D event's pictures on the way!

"Sow good services; sweet remembrances will grow them." - Madame de Stael

Retreat to Nature

What a serene day it is today to take our heavy mind off work chores and earthly affairs. When was the last time you embraced nature and let it sweep woes off your mind? I can't recall. Or was it I never halt to ponder much about the beauty of nature? It's simply antidotal to the much stirred heart and soul.

It's my first time to Pulau Ubin today. I believe this place has undergone much revolution through the years, but I'm quite sure the initial artistry of nature cannot be eradicated. It was a pity that we didn't get to cycle though, as the weather was wet and we decided to just let our legs take us wherever it could.

I was able to feel the nature aura palpating inside me from a good 1 hour walk. Simply therapeutic I must say. :)

"After you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, and so on - have found that none of these finally satisfy, or permanently wear - what remains? Nature remains.

Genting Chronicle

Okay, I promised to recount my short episode in Genting so here it goes! :) To be precise, I was in Genting for 25 hours minus the time needed for travelling to and fro (reached at 2.30pm on Sat and left at 3.30pm on Sun).

Out of 25 hours, I spent 5 hours sleeping, 1 hour on foot reflexology, 8 hours eating, drinking, shopping, taking photos, enjoying cool air and chit-chatting and lastly to my astonishment, I realized I spent a good 11 hours at the Casino! I hope I got my Mathematics correct.

Hey wait, I'm no hardcore gambler man. Believe it or not, I only played Jackpot alright! Nothing of those professional games where everyone schemes and desires to win a mega million dollar, or rather the whole casino. Ha! But still, luck wasn't exactly shining on my side as well. I think I lost around RM$120... all to Jackpot! Geez. But of course, I marvel at some of my colleagues who literally 'show-hand' at the games. One of them lost like maybe RM$1k? Looking at him, I decided that I shan't whine and complain as my loss is nowhere compared to his. Hee.

Although this trip's rather short, I still appreciate it very much. It's one of those rare times where you get to mingle with your colleagues outside work boundaries, laugh and look silly together, and of course strengthening our friendship! We should do this kinda short trip more often in future man!

And now, presenting the wonderful peeps I hanged out with in Genting...

Yeow Hwee, Alvin, Junxiang & Eddy

With Eddy

With Yeow Hwee & Junxiang

Dawn, Adeline, me & Jan

With Rinn


Group picture!

Me, Rinn, Adeline & Jan


With Dawn

With Jan

Random photographs I took for your viewing pleasure

It's time for bed. I hope I'll dream of beautiful things in life later.

"They say dreams are the windows of the soul - take a peek and you can see the inner workings, the nuts and bolts." - Henry Bromel