pre newyear post xmas thoughts

It's the time of the year again where you are poor and know that you are going to spend more. The fact that Chinese new year is earlier this year is not going to help much. How I wish that money can drop fromt the sky and land accurately on my hand.

Everyone in the office is taking turns to take leaves. As a result, the office is quite dead. Come to think of it, the number of days of leave SAF gives is quite substantial. If you were to work like an ox for a year, without taking any leaves, you would have accumulated 42 days (-14 if you decide to sell through flex) of leaves. that will allow you to take almost 2 full months of leaves. Imagine that, for one month a year, you get paid to go overseas for holidays or slacking at home doing nothing. I wonder who told me that you will get no holidays after you start working.

xmas

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Candle the and tree


Lighted candles


lonely tiger



xmas tree in the lounge


What a spread


hottest food of the night


Ian took this without my knowledge


biting the shoes


The unsuspecting victim

kinda amazed by the "formal" event (they tried to make me wear formal wear but i ended up wearing polo tee and jeans. I'm also quite amazed by the lack of punctuality in Singaporeans. It was supposed to start at 7.30 and it dragged and dragged till 8 plus.

Darius is the guy I sympathise most. Till now, he still don't know what hit him. I guess he will lose sleep for days if I show him the video. Anyway, I have decided to be a hermit for my next birthday. There is no way anyone can force me back to hall. After witnessing what Kenneth and Darius went though, I guess I shall celebrate my birthday away from hall.

Knowledgeable workers

Read about this term in Newsweek and it reminds me what Singapore are not. Singaporeans are more concerned about being present during working hours (that explain the ultra low take-up rate for home-working or flexi-hours scheme) and the phenomenon of presentism (weird but it's true that employee turn up when they are supposed to stay at home to rest).

Another 3 weeks/ 4 trainings to IHG. All the trainings I have went through finally come into play. I really wish that we achieve some creditable result as the team deserve it. Playing $10 per month from our own pocket is one thing. Coming for all trainings just show how committed we are to the game.

ECP outing

It's the third week of my VA and I feel like I have just been back yesterday. Nevertheless, time is passing as slowly as ever in office. Maybe I feel that way because I haven't been in office very often or maybe the hall activities are taking too much of my time. I just can't wait for the next sem to start because term time is more slack than holidays, what an irony.

PS outing is quite fun, considering that I have to play treasure hunt with 3 40++ military personnel, do sia kang like carrying stuffs and walk under the sun for 2 hours plus plus plus.

My impression of DY PS after he made the small speech to the whole of the department changed quite dramatically. Most of us use to think or still strongly believe that COLs or LTCs and above are just people who can't excel outside (in the private sector) but always throw ranks around in SAF to get things done. They are not as useless as other perceive. At least most of them can talk cock quite well (showmanship rules in SAF). However, some of the things he mentioned is quite true. Firstly, a good degree is quite important in getting your idea job. Secondly, almost everything reckon decision making and we can choose to do things they right way or the easy way (we shouldn't even think about the wrong way). Lastly, enjoy my studies while I can. Many times, we look back and say "hey those time were fun" but when we were going through those times, we would have said "what the fish am I doing here". How I miss those tough times (bmt, ocs, odac trips, ncc expeditions). But I guess I won't get many chances to go through them again. Studies (especially uni life) is tough in it's own ways but I guess many years later I will look back and say "mugging for exams is fun", "lecture is enjoyable"......... Thus, I should work harder now so that many donkey years later, I have more "enjoyable" memories to look back.