If I were the boss...
I would not hire or keep staff whom I think are not working. I will give my staff due respect and appreciation and pay them what they deserve. I will give them a proper pantry, complete with newspapers, radio and even a coffee machine too if I can. I will let them take breaks and chit chat with each other. After all, that's what make healthy employees and cohesive working relationships.
Is that why I'm still an employee?
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Rompin' for fishes
Went to Rompin, Malaysia for the long weekend. My first fishing trip ever!! Left late on Thurs, then 2 days of fishing in the sun and open sea, both days ending with a fish feast at a local coffeeshop. Didn't do too badly too. Got a number of good catches - red snapper, parrot fish..the fishes' names loses me. Beginner's luck, I guess.
For those who think fishing is a boring dreary wait, well..you're only seeing one side of it. True that it can get boring when there's no action. But the feel of fishes nibbling on the bait and possibly getting hooked, trying to figure out what's going on down under, the moment when you get a bite, reeling in a good catch...it can get quite thrilling actually.
While I'm not exactly passionate about it and still very much squirmish about handling live sea animals, I can see why some people are mad about fishing. Esp when you're into it, it's kinda therapeutic to simply concentrate on fishing the entire day, without another care on your mind.
I don't know when I might go fishing again, but I definitely wouldn't mind. It was good fun. For now, though, I need to go nurse the bug bites I got from the rustic chalet-like 'resort' and repent for all the prawns and fishes I've manhandled.
Happy kid or escapist?
I have a colleague who said I'm a happy kid. Actually, I think I'm more of an escapist. I love the idea of a beautiful and wonderful world, but have a low threshold for the ugly reality.
Take my family for example. My late night pillow conservations with my mom often revolves around how late my brothers are staying up till, how much excess computer games they play, how we kids are not contributing to the family enough, how the family is kinda falling apart in pieces... These used to be intimate conversations between my mom and I, when I felt like I'm sharing the load. Now, it just depresses and distresses me.
Perhaps because I've learnt how things are not gonna change if all we do is complain about it. No offence to my mom, I know she gave us her all but I kinda think it's how we were brought up, how we were always taken care of and it's too late to change unless we do something drastic. So when my mom complains, the helplessness just make me angry. I even wanna cry sometimes. Other times, it makes me toss and turn and even lose sleep.
Times like these, I think ignorance is bliss. Sometimes, I think I'd rather not know. And live in my own painted world, that is at least within my control. Call me pampered. But what's wrong with seeing only the good stuff, the better side of things?
Guess if I ever meet with some catastrophe though, I'd either fall flat on my face and never get up again, or happily live in the ignorance of my own self-delusion.
Fuku No Ne ~ Sound of Happiness
Went to a Japanese concert organized by the Japan Embassy today. Was expecting the usual shamisen, koto, drums, flute kinda ensemble but was delighted to find that one of their numbers, in fact their theme song, was a Hokkaido folk song, Soran Bushi. Which also happens to be sorta the theme song for Yosakoi. For those who don't know, I so fell in love with Yosakoi since visiting the festival in Sapporo 2 years ago. It was just a pleasant surprise and I'm so glad I went today.
On a different note, was kinda surprised as I went around town today. Probably just me not being in tune. Like I went to McDonald's today and got a bit lost with the new menu which doesn't list everything they sell. Then on my way back after the concert, was taking the MRT heading west, and realizing the sign no longer says "Boon Lay" but "Joo Koon". I was like, wth is Joo Koon. Then the new Clementi looks promising with a nice-looking shopping mall. Speaking of new shopping centres, went to 'iluma' opp Bugis last friday for a movie premiere. the shops aren't really ready yet. In fact, lots of renovations and cleaning still going on. But I definitely look forward to the new cinema.
Pretty random post here. Can't believe my last post was in Nov last year. hee..Oh well..If you know me. I go missing sometimes. =P
Deep breath...
Frustrating day today. Went out to work on time. Got to Little India before 0810, so still got some 20min or so while I wait for my transfer bus. Then things start testing my patience.
Traffic was sloooooooow, cos of this accident on Rochor Road. By the time my bus came, I have less than 10min to get to work. Then I think the bus stopped at every single traffic light. In fact, think it stopped like every 100m, 4 times on one of the roads. Sighz...relax...breathe deeply...sighz...
I was already late by then. Luckily, Mr S (my director, see previous previous post) is out on a meeting, my colleague, who wanted help buying coffee, kindly informed me.
Finally alighted the bus. Went to buy coffee. Long long queue. Bought at another kopitiam. Then went to Starbucks at my office building to get breakfast. I was hungry. And they're usually quite fast. And there was only one man in front of me. But the girl was new!
So I was just trying to keep my face straight while she fumbled a little taking order for the man in front of me. Then me. And the order from the man after me. Before finally processing our orders. I know she's just new and learning and it's not her fault. But it was just a hair-tearing frustrating start of a day for me.
Finally, got in at 0850. Then it was a long day staring at my draft report and finally getting like 20 words done. *Deep breath...* 明天会更好.
Just venting...
Was just waiting for my bus on my way home after gym when this quite good-looking (ok, think model gorgeous) white guy came along asking for directions to 'Oxley Road'. Unfortunately, none of us at the bus stop know and here's the thing. This guy just went, "Wow...Good Singaporeans."
Now, I don't know about you but I think that's just rude. Was there really a need to get sarcastic? It's not like we didn't wanna help. I hope he had a fun wandering time on the streets after that. Arrogant p*ghead.
PS: Tried asking my colleagues where Oxley Road is after that. Apparently, it's like
the Lee Kuan Yew residence. Just in case you're clueless like me.
0830-1145-1245-1700
Not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I have 3 bosses. First, BH the general manager who's my direct supervisor and a local. Then S, Japanese and the planning director who oversees the department. Finally the MD, who came early this year and brought S over. Unlike the previous MD and director, who are quite keen to foreign culture, these new bosses of mine are quite typically Japanese and have that "I-am-the-boss-and-thus-superior-beings" attitude.
Also, before this week, we actually were quite slack about punctuality, for a Japanese company. None of us really go overboard being late but I guess the occasional 10-15min is inevitable. For lunchtime, people quite commonly go out slightly late. My department, esp, always seem busier, so we are often the last ones to leave, compared to our lunch kakis in other departments. We are also often the last to leave work.
Anyway. BH was on a business trip, so it should have been a quiet week. But it was far from that. In fact, we declared 'war' with S!! haha...ok, that was an overstatement. But it has been the talk of the week in the office and I'm actually quite sick of the topic now.
Basically, I was a bit late, like 15min late on Tues morning. And S wasn't happy, esp since I was used to notifying BH and didn't notify him. So he asked me to his desk and asked me why I'm late and blah blah, in full view of my other colleagues, including other departments. Later, I heard that I was actually lucky. For my other colleague who was also late, he didn't even bother to ask her over to his desk. He just projected his voice across half the room. You can imagine, my colleague was embarrassed and furious. As for the other colleagues who witnessed this, they were just shocked. No respect at all, if you ask me.
Then, lunch time and we went off as usual, pissed about the morning and about 15min late. When we got back, the same colleague who was late and myself were once again summoned to his desk.
S: "What is the company's lunch time?"
Us: "1145 to 1245"
S: "What time is it now?"
Us: "1pm?"
S: "So why are you late?"
We tried to explain that we were only slightly off the time, and didn't take more than an hour, and this is the way it has always been, including the past 2 months since he joined us and said nothing. But the conclusion is we are to 'follow the company's rule' and 'we cannot decide lunch time by ourselves'. "Ok, noted." Now, I'm angry.
Fine, if he want us to stick to every minute stated by the company. Like you would if you work in a factory!! If he wanna be stricter about punctuality, fair enough. But he could have given us some notice. Not to mention some respect. Chiding us in front of other people, he is either ignorant of cultures out of Japan, or just trying to act boss. How about asking us to go for lunch at 1145, instead of questioning us after? Control freak. Everything must get his approval.
Anyway, if this is the way he wants it, he shall get it. Our new policy at work now is to stick to all the times, including leaving work at 5pm. Not being sarcastic here, but it is kinda a blessing in disguise. We can now feel absolutely rightful and guiltless to leave at 5. That's a few more hours every day. And getting to still see daylight after work. No more cancelling weekday evening dates.
I wish, anyway. With my manager back, it may be tough to maintain though. But what the watever. Heck care liao. If you ask me now, my colleagues are great, my job is not too bad, but my director and company welfare sucks.
0830-1145-1245-1700 all the way!!
