Appraisal Day!

After 2 sessions of appraisal, I've finally completed my appraisal with the ratings & comments from bossy. But then each year, it's always the same rating & more or less the same words from bossy, saying that he has tried hard to fight for better ratings BUT.....
Yes! There's always a BUT to it. Sigh...

So how to have a breakthrough so that he can really fight for better ratings for me without the word BUT coming back to me at the end?? He suggested that I do some project of my own, which I find it abit useless & time-wasting. Hmm...how to innovate when most of the time you just get to follow instructions from your uppers? Just don't see anything good or useful that an associate can do to show that he is well above others. Yes, even my boss agrees that in such a lab environment, to excel in leadership roles is tough. At times, I just feel that me as an associate is just like a housewife. U keep the whole house clean & tidy but how well has it been recognised?

Another thing we discussed was about furthering studies. Well, this has been on my mind ever since I graduated, it's just about finding the right opportunity& time. But somehow, this urge is fading as I'm ageing. Wonder why. Maybe because now there's more commitment, having to give another 4-5 years of my youth to studies makes me re-think about it. Maybe because the longer I've been in R&D, the more lost I feel & I don't want this to happen for the rest of my life (coz if I study, probably I'll be stucked in R&D). But if I don't study, I must move out of R&D soon! Anyway, Bossy has been very encouraging & helpful.

Hmm...at the end of the day, somehow there's this surge of sianness in me. Due to appraisal? Other stuff?? Hmm..... sometimes I just wonder if I'm asking for too much in life.

Greed.

Does it grow with age?

Again, I miss walking down the street alone, with the wind blowing. I think it does help me clear my mind.

My Shopping List

Suddenly I realised that there's so many things I wish to buy.

1. New pair(s) of jeans for work.
2. New t-shirts for work/gym
3. Nice & presentable clothes/dresses
4. Fancl facial wash + toner
5. New sandals
6......

Still adding more thngs to the list. BUTtttt.... my bonus still not in & I gotta wait till end of March! Sob sob.....

Bad Day...

Today is a lousy day, bad start of the week. Well, it didn't start off with a lousy day. But it just turned bad towards the end of the work day. It's still the same old people who have got on my nerves. I just can't stand how selfish some people are. For a 8hr slot daily that's available for booking, a good 6 hrs of it has been taken up by 2 of them who belonged to the same team, leaving just 2 hrs of lunch time for others to use it. Ok, well, we do have another similar instrument but it's problematic & just broke down today. For me, it's not an issue to sacrifice my lunch hour for the use of the instrument. But still, I or rather we felt that it was very unfair that people from the same team are bugging the system for the entire day & others are not given a chance to use it. Basically all those queued behind me could not have a slot to use the instrument & have to maybe risk their stuff on the problematic one (Well, think I'm still considered quite kiasu compared to them! Haha....) What's more is that a very kiasu environment has been created in the lab all because of them! In order to book the instrument for next day's use, we are only allowed to do so after 5pm. But the Kiasu them are always sitting & hanging around the 'booking book' way before 5pm and we are never their opponent. Yah, cos we have so much things to do in lab, I think it's a complete waste of time to sit infront of the 'booking book' at like 4.30pm & wait for that half an hour to pass. Really crazy!!

So when I saw that a 6-hr slot was "gone", I tried to reason out nicely with A, but he refused to give way, saying that they need the 6 hrs. I think B saw that I wasn't very happy & after a discussion with A, he gave up 3 hrs of his slot. Nay, not that I'm going to take up his 3 hr slot, ok? I went around to check if anyone else needs the slot and gave it to him. Yes, at least now 4 persons can use the instrument tomorrow instead of 3 & I'm sticking to my slot during lunch hour. Just wish that these people will be more understanding & less selfish to make it a better place for us to work in. I'm not trying to vent my anger or what to anyone with regards to this matter. I just want some fairness in the matter. I'm glad that I got it already. :)

Catch-up lunch

This afternoon I've finally met up with Fi for lunch. This lunch date has been dragged from 2007 to 2008 & finally we ended up @ Biopolis' Mealbox! Doing a quick count, the last time I saw Fi was in NUS and that's some 3+ years ago. How time flies!!

But, it's still so easy to recognise her despite my myopia coz she still maintains her spikey hair. Except that it's now less funky (coz less spikey. Haha...) and more tamed (or should I say mature?). Spotted her in a pink shirt, with a blazaar over it and holding a very pink umbrella. Hmm...definitely different from the past coz she used to be in t-shirt & berms. Keke...

We had a great time talking, about past, about present, about future. Missed the fun time we all had during JC 1st 3 months, really! I think it's oe of my happiest time and probably that's why I'm so actively in touch with my pre-JC group of friends. Haha... Fi really knows how to make me happy. She commented that my face shape has became so much sharper & I'm slim! Wahaha....

Hope that the whole group of us can meet up soon!!

Beauty World.... CHA CHA CHA!!!

CHA CHA CHA....CHA CHA CHA!!! Yes, I've just attended the musical, 'Beauty World', on last Friday evening. So what makes me wanna watch this musical so much?

Well well, it all goes back to 10 years ago, in 1998, when I was still in my secondary school. We had this vocal training course (I think so. Haha....) at Mediacorp which was then called TCS. The vocal training course aside, we were brought to tour around Mediacorp to see the various acting studios, etc. On the last day of our training, we were invited to watch the Beauty World musical full dress rehersal and it was a great performance! Yes, and it's my 1st time (and last time I think...) to be in a Mediacorp studio andto be so close to the stage & actors. Hee hee....

So now, 10 years later, I was so excited to be able to catch the musical again, although it's now different casts. They also did some changes to the musical & have added more songs to it, it is still as fantastic!

I'm always amazed by how fast they change the stage backdrop, their beautiful costumes as well as their excellent acting skills & singing. Really impressed!

So will there still be another return of the Beauty World musical 10 years down the road? Let's wait till 2018 then!

Welcome 2008!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!

Year 2008 just arrived without me really realising it! Yah, time to wake up!! Yawn yawn....

Anyway, had an interesting new year countdown @ Music Dreamer Live! Cafe. A small yet cosy place where we were entertained by songs & games as we munched on the snacks & drank the bubble tea. At the stroke of 12 midnite, we wished one another Happy New Year & rushed out of the cafe to catch the fireworks. Haha....we were pretty lucky to get a good view of the high-flying fireworks. Hee hee... So nice!!! Hope it marks a good start for me, for US!!!

Coming to my "self-appraisal" & New Year resolutions. So for the past 1 year, what have I acheived & what have I not achieved?

But all in all, 2007 is a pretty eventful year. Early in the year, it started off with a new chapter in life with LLT. Not something that I would expect though, coz I always claimed that I wanna be a nun. Haha.... But really want to thank him for always being there to share my joy & wipe my tears. Hee hee....

Friendship wise. Lost a few & gained a couple. Losses? Well, people change over the years or because of things in life which could have triggered changes. But whether those changes are for good or for worse, I guess only time will tell. I welcome the new friends who have entered into my life and I will continue to treasure the old friendships I have! Thanks friends!!

For the past year, I have also watched lots of movies, a couple of musicals & plays such as 'Phantom of the Opera', 'Dim Sum Dollies in the History of Sg', 'Titoudao', 'Kumar the Queen', and a few more which I've forgotten the title. Haha.... Attended a few concerts too,which include Mayday's, Christina Aguilera's, Cheer Chen's, A-Mei's & ended with Fish Leong's.

Holidays wise. Sadly, 1 Penang trip with Pig then a business trip to Turkey, Istanbul & Kusadasi. But I totally love Kusadasi!! Nice sunset, interesting place. But too bad we got too little time there. Not too long after my Turkey trip, my uni good friend, Pig, left for US for 1.5 years. Sob sob... So miss her. Now I got one less travelling & shopping kaki. But still hope she'll do well in US. I'll find you soon, ok??

As for my work, I'm kinda of doing work that will help people achieve "success" & not we ourselves achieving it. Hmm.... 2008 is going to be another of the same kind. Sigh... Well, yah. Again, it's time this year to seriously think about my future!

One of my resolutions every year is to pick up a new skill and for last year, it's rock-wall climbing. Fun, & gd experience! So what's up for this year? Hopefully a new language like German (Still hoping that I can go Basel for work/studies some day. LOL) & yes, diving! Which I've procrastinated for 2 years. Haahah...

~2008~

So for 2008, I definitely hope to achieve much more & be happier. Work wise, I need to really think about which direction I'm heading. I don't want to be stuck as an associate in R&D forever!

I also want to travel to more placs this year! Yah, I know travelling is costly, but I wanna go out to see the world! Hopefully I got enough leave & $$ to go US to look for pig! Yes, and also my diving trip. Hee hee..... So hope that I'll get a big fat bonus, which I really doubt so. Sigh...Anyway, I intended to cut down on the performances I attend to make my holiday trips possible! =)

Other than these, I hope to have more time spent with my family especially. More family dinner, outings & hopefully a family holiday trip! Yes yes, also more time with YOU, my friends. Hee hee...

Cheers to 2008!! Hope it's a good luck year!!! Hehe....

It's Boxing Day!

HAPPY BOXING DAY! It's just a day after Christmas day. Hope that everyone had fun & joy and had plentiful of presents! This year's X'mas eve was spent at a wedding banquet. It was an interesting one as it is a military wedding procession. Haha...I think the previous military wedding I attended was my cousin's which happened >10 years ago. For this wedding ceremony, the newly-weds have to undergo "obstacles" or you can just call it sabotage. Haha.... I think the groom is always the target for sabotage in every wedding. So poor thing. Having to go through all these to marry a wife. But then they should go through all these. Being a man to protect their wife, rite? Hee hee....

Anyway, back to X'mas, I was home just in time when the clock struck 12am. MERRY X'MAS!!! I was eager to receive my second X'mas present (I didn't even open up my 1st present until x'mas day although I've received it much earlier. Haha....) but I was told that I need to wait till X'Mas day.

Woke up early on X'mas day to prepare for a housewarming-cum-potluck-cum-x'mas party. We prepared konnyaku jellies, agar agar & potato salad. Improvements: Jellies were not sweet enough (be health conscious mah) while the potatoes were not soft enough. The party @ Pearlina's house was fun. Haha...especially when we have planned for a surprise segment. Wahahaha..... The day was ended with a movie, Warlords.

Today is Boxing day, & finally back to work after a 6-day rest. Yawn yawn.... Thank goodness that boss is still not back from Germany yet. So we created a havoc. Long long lunch from 11.30am to 3pm! Wahaha....all the way to Excelsior @ Cityhall for dim sum. After that was gift exchange & I got a cute mug & a couple keychain, with the chinese character, 'Happiness', on it. Thanks to Wai Ling then. =)

Tired day! Next PH is just a week away! I'm in NO MOOD to work!!!

My first Prawn Fishing Trip!

Ho ho ho..... My so-called x'mas break started on Thursday & it will last all the way to Tuesday. Yah, I took leave yesterday & on x'mas eve so that I can enjoy a long long weekend! Yeah!!

I was tasked to organise the activities for yesterday. Haha...so after some thoughts & research, I decided to plan for a prawn fishing trip. Given some advice from my "advisor", we decided to head for the prawning place @ Sin Ming instead of the one at the Bottle Tree Park. Situated just beside the Golf course @ Sin Ming, there's in fact 4 ponds from which you can fish the prawns! Interestingly, the bait used is actually small cubes of pig's liver. Yes, place the bait on the hook & you are ready for your catch!

One of the ponds

The Bait

After a good 2.5 hours of fishing, we finall caught.... 10 PRAWNS!!!! Wahaha....Compared to others it's not really a fruitful catch, but it was really fun & we both enjoyed it!

Our 10 LIVE prawns!!

With the 10 live prawns pcked in a plactic bag, we were clueless as to how to deal with them. Hmm....steam them? Grill them? Fry then?? But...first & foremost, how to kill them??? Best solution: Freeze them in the freezer!!!

A day later, I'm sure that they were definitely frozen to death (seems so ruthless hor?) & so I cooked them with margarine, garlic & black pepper. Yummy!! Here they are! From live to cooked! Poor prawns, but that's the fact of life!

My cooked prawns. Nice??

X'Mas Shopping!

My favourite festival of the year is here. Yes! It's Christmas!! Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle all the way. La la la....

It's also time to get lots of presents, both for my good friends and for x'mas gift exchange. This year I got 5 exchanges! Oh manz..... broke broke..... December is my favourite month yet it's also my "brokest" month. Sigh....

Anyway, I finally managed to complete all my x'mas shopping! Haha...bought alot of cute little stuff for the exchanges as well as gifts which I hope my friends will like. Heez.... In the end, I also spent quite some time wrapping up all the presents on my own. Here they are!


Yah, all wrapped up in Taka wrapper but it doesn't mean that they are purchased from there, ok? Just that I have tonnes of that wrapper. Oppz...

I'm so looking forward to x'mas!! I want presents too!!

I'm now 25 years old already! :'(

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEeee! Another year older already. OMG!!

This year's birthday just come & passed, or in fact every year it did, rite? Oh yah... Well, this year's celebration started off with a spa treat @ The Rainforest Spa. Hmm...very special experience, relaxing. It's my 1st time doing it! Haha.... Ya, too stressed by work lately so someone knows that I need to destress & brought me there. We started off with jacuzzi & steam bath followed by a scrub then massage. To destress mah, so both my scrub & massage I picked the lavender fragrance one. Heez... After that was dinner at Halia Restaurant @ Botanical Garden. Nice ambience with soothing jazz music played by a trio. Just realised that the last time I went to Botanical Garden was when I was in sec sch! Haha....I'm so mountain tortise lor.

I was on leave today despite my busy work schedule. But then Bday more important than work mah, only once a year & to be 25 year old exactly it only happens once in a lifetime. Haha...so took a day off & watched The Golden Compass at GV Gold Class. The theatre was so classy & the seat was cozy. You can adjust the seat's height & inclination according to your preference. Haha... so comfortable that I fell asleep for a moment (yes, just for a moment coz I was being "barked at" for sleeping. haha). Dinner was then a nice home-prepared steamboat. Yes! I love steamboat!! This was already my 3rd steamboat in 3 weeks' time. Haha.....

I was happy with the celebration, all thanks for YOUR effort! Although I was looking for more (presents presents!!wahahaa). Yet somehow I also felt a little depressed & sad. Hmm....am I moaning over my always-increasing age (mid-20 now!)? Or I'm expecting too much? Or I'm just don't want to face reality to go back to work to solve the unsolved issues? Well, somehow just feel sian & I'm still feeling it now. Just no mood for anything, no excitement or what over my Bday. No feeling, numbed, feeling of emptiness. Dunno why also.

I just want a good break, can be a very relaxed one or an adventurous one. Adventure? Now I'm thinking of the reverse G-max bungy @ Clarke Quay. Anyone game for it???

Pirates Ah Hoi!

Pirates Ah Hoi! That's our annual D&D theme for this year which took place @ Hilton Hotel last nite. We were released from work 2hrs earlier yesterday so that we got time to dress up for the event. But instead, the bunch of us went Orchard to shop shop. Well, all gals so what else do you expect? We ended up buying a 'Little Miss' t-shirt each. Haha.... I'm now Little Miss Bad / Stubborn! Hee hee....

After shopping, we headed to Hilton for our dinner! But being lazy/boring/no mood/$0 budget, most of the colleagues (including me) from my unit did not dress up for the event. But we did some last min props (parang!) using cardboards (see picture). So damn cool, rite? Haha....

But we later saw more powerful "weapons" others have brought. Some brought "guns" (or rather toy guns). Haha....Anyway, it was an interesting piirates' gathering with most of us wearing the bandana. Although some looked like milk ladies instead. Ahaha...

Food wasn't very nice so didn't eat much. We played a couple of games & luckily or unluckily, I was picked to play a relay game. All I have to do was to burst a balloon & there I received a $10 Coffee Bean voucher. Wahaha.... However, I got no luck in the lucky draw this year. Hmm...it seemed like an alternate year winning for me. Won 3 years ago & last year. But anyway, we each got a $50 Takashimaya voucher as the door gift this year & on top of it my $100 voucher from last year is still unspent. So now $150 worth of Taka voucher! Who wanna go shopping with me??

Bombs? RED Bombs.

Lately I've received quite a number of red bombs pre-warnings. Oh mine! Friends of my age are getting married already! Congrats to Alni, Qing & Peiyee. Heez... Yah, that also reminds me that I'm not young already, will be turning 25 years old in a few days' time!

Sometimes I wonder what will make one feel that he/she is ready for marriage? Being in a relationship for many years already? Wanting to live with and see your loved one everyday? Reaching marriageable age? Sick & tired of present single life & want to have a change? Want to have kids? Want someone to wash & iron clothes for u?

If you asked me if I'm ready for marriage now, my answer is no. I think that there's still many things I wanna do and achieve before I will settle down. Furthermore, I still think that I'm a kid at heart leh, so how am I going to take care of another person?

Spinning Class!

I've finally tried out the spin class at PF today. Yes, finally I did it after procrastinating since I joined PF a year ago. All thanks to Grace for encouraging me to join her for the class. Heez....

Well well, I would say that it's a painful experience! Similar to cycling, I actually hate the triangular bicycle seats which always make my butt so painful. Maybe coz I got big butt?! :(

Other than that still ok lah, a little tiring during the class but felt quite ok after that. Heez.... But then, probably I've been too tired from work lately, I didn't have much motivation to cycle. The instructor is quite helpful and motivating and we simply have to follow the tempo of the music and the instructor's commands to cycle "uphill" or "downhill". I was too tired to visualise any "hills" then, so just cycle at my own pace. Ahaha.....

Probably I should try the class agian some day when I'm less tired & more motivated. Keke....

Suddenly I got this desire to go blading @ ECP. Wanna be in the sun, accelerate in my blades & let the wind slap on my face. SHIOK! I miss it!!

10km - Accomplished!

Hohoho!!! I've completed my 10km run & I'm still in one piece. Glad to say that I've clocked a timing of 1hr 17min & have been ranked in the top 38% runners. Keke.... Proud of myself!

For the remaining of the day after my 10km run was spent doing "sinful stuff". Wahaha!! After the run, we went over to Suntec for our roti prata breakfast (or should say 2nd round of breakfast for me). But I skipped lunch as I was too tired by afternoon & really need a good nap before meeting up with my JC bunch. Well, lack of sleep the previous night. Was a little excited plus I've been woke up by people who were more excited over the run. Poor me hor? My run started at 8am but I was already awakened at 5am!

In the evening, I've met up with the gals to celebrate Cat's belated birthday. Haha... Had fun eating mala steamboat and half-way through the dinner there was a blackout. But still, we had an enjoyable evening chatting & of course make plans for our coming X'mas celebration!


Yeah, it's now December! X'mas!!! PRESENTS!!!!

Tomorrow is the Marathon day!

Counting down to 08 00hr tomorrow morning. Just another 9hr 48mins more to that. Yes yes, I should be sleeping by now. But I'm getting a little excited and still gotta load my MP3 with songs to prepare for tomorrow. Yes yes. I'll be doing the Standard Chartered Marathon tomorrow. Just 10km I'm already getting excited. Haha... So what will happen if we proceed with the plan of 21km next year and a full marathon of 42km year after next? Hmm... No time to think so far now. Let me come back in one piece tomorrow 1st. Ahaha.... I'm sure we will! :)

Time to do some breathing exercise! Keke...

Gd nite!

Work work work!

It's been quite a while since I last mentioned about my work. So before you read on, be prepared to hear my sorrows.Haha...

Just two words to describe my present work. EXTREMELY BUSY!

Now I'm trying to finish up the synthesis of 11 compounds before I can happily go off to celebrate my bday then X'mas. Well, I'm done with 4 of them, 5 on their way but the remaining 2 still stuck somewhere. Yes, trying hard to push these 11 compounds through by next week. Meanwhile my lab notebook entries are accumulating, my Turkey conference report is waiting to be completed & also my APPRAISAL by 12th Dec. Haha.... Think I'm going bonkus soon. Lots of things to be done but so little time. So now I'm still considering if I should take leave on next next Mon. Hmm.....

Stressed & tired lately, so I might be more irritable lately. Please pardon me for that!

Holiday, holiday!! When can I go for a good break??

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!!! So why is the musical called Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?? Well well, it's because of this magical car which can fly and swim besides going on roads. So the name of the musical actually came from the sound the car engine makes which sounds like 'chitty chitty chitty chitty' before it gives out 2 loud bangs. Haha... Interesting!

I've attended the musical last nite. It was really cool! I always find the orchestra in the background the most appealing part in musical. Probably it has got to do with me in school band back in my sec & JC days. Haha....yah, got to hear the trumpet again. Of course, on the stage, the performers have put up a really good show too. Their singing & dancing were fantastic. Now their theme song is still running in my head. Haha....

This is my 2nd musical for the year, where the previous one was The Phantom of the Opera. So what's up next? It gonna be Beauty World Musical in January. Can;t wait till then!

Nite out @ Brotzeit with Bossy

Last nite I had a great evening out with RH & Bossy. Yes! Our team of three! This time round, instead of treating us to lunch, Bossy decided to bring us out for dinner as he wishes to see how well we can hold alcohol. Well, Bossy loves to drink beer and he drinks it like water, which also explains why he has a beer belly (which he denies that it's a result of too much beer. Haha). I admit that I'm not such a good drinker. Just a 0.5l + 0.3l of German beer was sufficient to make me turn red like a lobster and make me feel sleepy. But then I wasn't drunk lo. Haha...

Yah, German beer + German food. We went to the Brotzeit German Bier Bar Restaurant @ Vivocity for our very first dinner outing. It's actually my 2nd time there already. Food was alrite but beer was great and a good sleep inducer for me. Haha... We had a nice chat about work, about life. Chatted till almost 11pm before Bossy left for his 2nd round of drinking session while RH & I headed home. Felt really sleepy then. Lousy me!

Come to think of it, we three have been in the same team for 3 years already! How many more 3 years will our group of trio continue to have? Hmmm...

It's Such a Small Small World!

Last Thursday was Deepavali. Happy Belated Deepavali to all!

I started off my day with a 2hr combat class at Great World City's PF. Well, 2hr combat class is already my routine on public holidays. Haha... Crazy 2hrs but definitely fun! But the most rewarding thing for my trip down to GWC yesterday was to bump into Grace at PF. We two were so excited to meet each other in the ladies. Very surprised too. I've been trying to meet her up for dinner ever since she's back from Australia but we never succeed in meeting up. Yet we met at PF's toilet! Haha... Anyway, what's more of a coincidence is that Grace is actually Oscar's vet! Unbelievable! Really can't believe that Singapore is that small for such coincidence! Like this friend knows that friend of mine, etc etc. Super Frienster! Oh well, for now it's probably more appropriate to call it Super Facebook! Haha...

Too bad, our catch up was really short. Hope we can meet up for more catching up some time really soon!

Today I was back in office with no "government" around. Yah, boss was away, so can have a relaxing day. Anyway, my arms are still aching from all the waving at A-Mei's concert last nite. Yah, aching not because of the gym but the concert. So you can imagine how high the concert got. Hee hee.... yah, it was really good!

Back to School!

This afternoon I went back to my alma mater, NUS. Not back to study la, just back there to submit a sample for elemental analysis. Hmm....although that's the main reason why I was there, but I think PT, RH & I spent more time looking for old friends, exploring the new canteens & went Co-op shop-shop. Haha....I suddenly felt so old in there. Afterall, I've already left NUS for nearly 3.5 years already. Time flies!

But it felt great to be back to school, an energetic & vibrant environment! Heez....kind of miss those schooling days. Miss lectures, tutorials, rushing assignments, preparing for tests & exams. I know I sound crazy now. Having to go through all the grueling work, burn midnight oil again, who wants? Haha...

Anyway, RH & I managed to get a copy of Clayden's organic chemistry textbook each for personal use. Yah, $70 for a book that's work-related yet we have to fork out from our own pocket. Crazy? Hardworking? Haha.... Well, to me I'm getting it for my own good la. Anyway, I've been wanting to get the book for quite some time already. Need to thank Cat too for getting the discount card for me. Hee hee....

After touring around Science faculty, we trios went over to Arts Canteen for lunch. It is now nicely renovated and it looks so much more spacious now. Back to school = back to cheap & decent food. I had vegetable rice with 2 veg + 1 meat which only costs me $1.80. I also ordered my all-time-favourite drink in the Arts canteen, strawberry-jackfruit juice. Yummy!! Still tastes as good, at only $1.30.

Felt so satisfied, not just my stomach. Happy to have my very own Clayden's organic chemistry book now!! Heez....