Farewell, Ken

Hi Ken,

How have you been? I hope you have settled down pretty well in another world. Were you happy with the memorial services put together for you? I've to admit that the one in Tourism Court was way too sad for your style. During the rehearsal, I felt as though you were around, correcting our notes and pitches and the impossible tempo which we could hardly catch. The memory was so fresh....

It was merely three years ago when i got the email from KL to ask if i was keen to go for an audition, after participating in a HR-organised singing competition. My only intention was to win the $200 CK Tangs voucher so that i could get nice utensils and cutlery for my new flat. Little did i know it would turn out something more rewarding than that. I was nervous yet excited for the audition, especially when it was conducted by the board's most talented and creative Director of Brands. A man who had always been up and above and known to be once the producer of the legendary musical Chang & Eng, was going to hear me sing? It sounded unreal but very flattering. However, your warmth and friendliness broke the ice almost immediately and it wasn't long that everyone got comfortable with one another and most importantly, with you. Eventually all the five brave souls were recruited into the troupe. Our first project was Staff Conference 2007 and i couldn't remember how did we manage to squeeze out so much time for the numerous sessions of rehearsals. I guess it didn't require much effort for doing something we liked. You tried very hard to perfect us but it was more important for you that we enjoyed ourselves. We did. Very much in fact. The day came and i saw you smiling widely at the front row, like a proud parent seeing their kids performing at some school function. You were so eager to gather feedback after the performance and obviously it was so positive that you couldn't wait to share your joy with us via email. You didn't keep the credit to yourself.

Subsequently, Music in Motion (thank you for giving me the opportunity to name the troupe) was formed and we dominated the stage of many official events thereafter. I was captivated by your melodious singing and was instantly blown away by your charisma when you played on the organ at every rehearsal. But i didn't think it was appropriate to tell you. Oh i didn't mean to roll eyes at you when you tried to decline our request to join us on stage when you obviously wanted to sing very much. I hope you didn't caught me from the mirror image but i thought you did. And despite complaining for singing "Uniquely You" for umpteen times, i kinda like that song pretty much. You were indeed a genius for creating a song with such a wide range.

Ken, you know, I regretted not telling you the differences you had made in my life in STB. At the time when i thought i was fading away in the monotony of life, you added colours and music which turned a graveyard into a flower festival. I began to look forward to come to work every morning, looking beyond the paperwork on my desk. You birthed the hidden desire in me and i never knew how much i like to be performing on stage. I saw a whole new perspective of the word "passion" in you and how one would never grow tired for the things they are passionate about. You became my role model in finding passion in my life and i wanted to learn from you so much and see things from your perspective. When i finally plucked my courage (and indicated my preference to transfer to the Marketing team), i didn't realised it was too late....

Sitting in the dance room two days after your departure, i could no longer hold back my tears. The thought of "gone were the good old times" was too heart-wrenching. Still in disbelief that you were gone so soon.

They wanted me to set a livelier mood in your remembrance video. I hope i didn't do too bad although i couldn't quite gather my thoughts in time to express myself. But whatever said was from the bottom of my heart.

I knew i had to do "Uniquely You" for the last time. During the rehearsal for your memorial service, the pianist asked if i knew how to operate the pedals of the organ. Subconsciously, i responded with "only Ken knows" and it suddenly hit me, how much i was going to miss you. During the actual performance, i tried my best to get a hold of myself but my vocal chord and hand seemed to be mourning as well. I'm sure you weren't pleased with the trembling voice and flat notes. But that was the highest honour i thought, to present the song to the composer.

Learned so much of your younger days at the tribute at Action Theatre. Suddenly felt so close to you but the irony was, i would never get to hear all these if not for this occasion. But having to witness your life journey, it somewhat seemed complete. Other than your inborn talent, i saw how well-loved you were as a sweet-natured man. Once again, i was glad that i saw that side of you at least.

Ken, it had been a fruitful journey. It's time to rest now but your legend shall live forever.

Missing you,
Bonny

Staff Conference 2007


Dinner and Dance 2007


Staff Conference 2008


Staff Conference 2008

"There's a place in my heart
That i keep for someone special
Memories forever true to me
Take me through those tougher days"
Music and Lyrics By ~ Ken Low

God is good

Just got home from the second last session of Alpha and i also conducted my second talk for the season. Due to the Baptism Service this Sunday, we brought forward Alpha to Friday and it left me two days lesser to prepare for my talk. Well, nothing is impossible with God. :)
"Does God Heal?" was my topic and being the ambassador of the healing power of the Lord, i guess i just had to do the job. Whatever kind of healing you want, i've been through them myself. In another words - problematic lah.
There were pretty good testimonies from some of the rest as well and it's amazing to see how God has been working in our lives. He must be uber busy sia.
It has been almost two months of weekly Alpha sessions and i'm glad i can still look forward to it when Sunday approaches.
However, i realised i started to get a bit anxious with the new friends in our midst as they didn't seem to be moved at all. When i was praying for one of the girls and asked how have she been feeling after attending all the previous sessions, she said "nothing". In my mind, i could feel myself screaming "hello!! how can it be??? haven't you seen how real God can be??".
Obviously i didn't want her to stop coming, hence i could only end with a "take your time to explore k". Sigh.
In God's timing - was all i could console myself of.
At the end of the day, even if no one come to know the Lord, we trust that God is pleased with what we have done and am sure an impact, be it huge or little, has been left in their hearts.
In God's timing.

After Alpha, a bunch of thirty of us proceeded to Swee Choon Tim Sum at Jalan Besar for supper. My favourite place with cheap and tasty dim sum! :)
My table consisted of eight young girls (incuding myself and i don't care :p) ate like pigs! I think we ordered about thirty dishes and we cleaned the plates in less than twenty minutes. Tsook tsook.
Over the dining table, XX was sharing about a comment made by her male colleague that he likes girls who are needy.
While rolling my eyes, i began to realise that that's the natural egoistic trait of man, with a variation in magnitude of course. But in general, they need to be needed.
If that argument is valid, then i'm doom, i thought. I've been in the school of independence since young and most of the time, the only person i depend on is myself (and God of course). Well, with the exception of my three confidants where two of them are currently situated across the oceans, and of course my favourite Persi. They are the only ones whom i have no qualms to reveal my needs and weaknesses when i need to.
Not that i've been suppressing my emotions but the fact is, i don't have much "down" times to begin with. I like my life to be simple.
However, when i get whiny, those friends that i've mentioned will get it big time and i just have to salute their patience.
Anyway, coming back to the topic, i concluded that i'll be better to remain single than seeing someone with high insecurity. Eeewww...

Oh something random before i end this post.
About a week ago, i received an email of compliment from Mr Tan Pheng Hock, President and CEO of Singapore Technologies Engineering, on one of the cases which got me crazy couple of months back. In his email, he said..."Elizabeth had been extremely helpful and professional in the processing and it was done in a much faster time frame than previously." *blush*
To be exact, he addressed the email to my CEO and she graciously forwarded to me and all the management staff.
On top of that, i received compliments from my bosses directly too.
I was overjoyed and felt so blessed by the favour and recognition. :)
God is so good to me! :)

Good night world. ;)

Tranquility in the midst of a storm

It's sad that i lost the momentum to blog.
The reason i could think of is the computer-resistance i'm suffering from. As long as i'm off-work, i wouldn't (want to) log on from any terminal. My pc at home has been dormant for almost three weeks, except the times when Mum uses.
Simply because it reminds me of work and work, has become the most detestable component in my life.
I hate to say that as for the past years, i've been the proudest among my peers for having the most desirable working condition.
Things took a 180 degrees change since months ago and i could almost draw the conclusion. Confidential of course. I is a gahmen worker!
So now i'm busy updating my friends that my work is as sucky as theirs.
Since i used to have low tolerance for people who lament about their work all-night-long, i shall try to refrain myself from doing so as much as possible.
But...i really loathe my job now!
Mid-life career crisis?
I realised the seven-years cycle is pretty contagious.
Between year one to three, life is like a bed of roses.
At year three to five, things start to get stagnant but still bearable.
At year sixth, things start to get annoying and every hiccup at work will get onto my nerves twice the impact. That's where i am now.
By year seventh, any other opportunity will seem to be better than the current.
Beng left at his seventh year of service too.
I is really quite sian. Sigh.
Have been seeking God for the revelation on the next phase of my life. Should i be moving on or not?
The last time i had career issues was six years ago and it's indeed more assuring now than then. Of course, the difference is with and without the existence of God in my life.
Oh wells, i shall be patient till He speaks.

Socially, it wasn't quite fulfilling as well as i didn't feel motivated to make any plans.
This also shows how much my friends rely on me to make the first move! Tsk tsk.
Had dinner and movie with Jac last Tuesday when i finally could leave office at 7.45pm.
n.y.d.c was comforting, even though Remember Me wasn't really engaging. I concluded that the problem lies on the actors, which is rare. Anyways...
Wednesday and Thursday were taken up by church and prayer meeting respectively. Seriously, i thank God for this community He placed me in. I believe it's His way of loving and supporting His children. =)
My mood picked up after i left office for physio on Friday afternoon, even when i didn't manage to complete my work and i had to continue at Mcdee (wi-fi friendly) after physio, before cell group meeting.
I simply couldn't wait for the weekend to arrive.
Saturday was spent the way i like. Met Wil for a quick lunch at Marine Parade Central, one of my favourite estate. I didn't realise the little malay store that sells good ayam penyet until that day.
Well, i would never realise since i've never gone further than the NTUC, and most of the time, i merely stayed in the air-conditioned PP. And immediately, i was labelled as a "princess". Fine.
After lunch, we headed to Kallang Leisure Park for Green Zone and i had a good lecture on US and the Iraqi War. A very manly (and shaky) show indeed. I think there were only two ladies in the half-filled theatre.
But i must say, KLP is a great alternative for movie if you want to avoid crowds on a weekend. However, make sure that you avoid days when there's a concert at Indoor Stadium. Otherwise, it might be worse than the malls in town.
After the movie, Wil drove me to Hairloom and Caramel at Shaw Tower as i needed to do some reading before meeting the girls later in the evening.
The CG girls were just gaga-ing the night before about this concept cafe, which later i realised it was opened by Wil's friend's friend. Such a coincidence.
Not too bad but it wasn't really a fancy.
We managed to spend over an hour in the cafe before we walked over to Raffles City when he went for his dinner and i met Joyce and the rest of the girls later at Kovan. We urgently needed to meet up for some serious discussion for a very exciting plan that's coming up! Heh!
Got home at 11ish after a fruitful 2-hour talk. Pretty eventful huh.

And then it was Sunday, and then...MONDAY which i've nothing much to talk about.
Till the next weekend...

The Reward

The reward of my 3 years of misery and hardship.
Praise the Lord!

Don't Think. Just do.

It was a ridiculous day at work.
I thought i would be happy in view of the after-work activity.
In any case, i've always made it a point to start off each day with joy.
I've planned ahead for my day....breakfast at 11am, gym at 12.30pm, snack at 3pm so on and so forth.
However, it just took a phone call to turn my plan upside down.

Two months ago, i took over a portfolio from a colleague who was transferred out. Even before that, i knew i would hate it to the core and i've proven myself so right.
Despite of that, i tried, with all my might, to at least squeeze something good out of the dump. So that's about 5%?
With simple math, you would know how have i been doing for 95% of the time in this dump.
The phone call was from a colleague in another division, notifying me of a complaint they received with regards to this portfolio.
The complainer wasn't happy about the delay in response from the Board. If it was me, i wouldn't be too. Two years (!!!) fyi. Previously when i didn't receive a reply from HDB after eight months, i lodged a complain with the MP at a meet-the-resident session. Hmm now i know how would the HDB officer have felt then.
Anyway, now that i think back, i could have regarded the call like one of the 987 complaints i've gotten and chucked it aside. The number of complaints we receive in a day can be so irritating that my predecessor would simply hang up her phone. Of course it wasn't permissible.
I think i was too disturbed and it had went beyond my patience, so i decided to put a stop to the entire era of complaints.
Well, it all started from the root of the problem which was the backlog worth two years. Sigh, i know...sometimes i don't blame people for saying gahmen is forever slow.
Therefore, in order to stop people from complaining, we have to give them what they want.
After i've escalated the issue to LL, i got down to track the progress of my temp staff and drilled him like never before, down to specific instructions.
At last, i couldn't stand his slow-mo that i had to get my hands dirty i.e. to clear the dump.
In the end, i missed my gym regime and had lunch only at 4.30pm.
But i was determined and i managed to escape from work at 6.50pm as i've got a ktv date with Jac. I knew i would be uber bitter and turned the office upside down if i had to miss my ktv date because of the stupid dump.

Throughout the day, i was highly frustrated and felt uber unjustified.
For the fact that i had to clear the dump which others left behind. A utterly irresponsible and unethical act, i thought.
Jer asked if i have a choice to drop this entirely, i realised i don't. Sigh.
So no matter how i feel, work still has to be done. Unfortunately, by me.
I realised in order for me to move on, i had to change my mindset and stop looking back and keep harping on the unfair treatment.
But i also realised it's impossible coz it seriously has nothing positive to think about.

Last resort...Don't think. Just do!
咬紧牙根，勇往直前!!!!

T.I.R.E.D

Church camp was fabulous.
I told someone, it could be one of the best church camps for me. For once, i was hoping that it could last longer.
However, it was the most tiring of all.
Unfortunately, the tiredness persisted even till now.

It was almost 9pm when i left the Tourism Court.
Very dark outside. So dark that i could hardly recognize the person less than 200 metres away.
I dragged my worn out body to the train station, recalling what went on earlier in the day.
But i realized it would only make me even more draining. So i continued walking, with an empty mind.
I wonder what's the situation now. Or why has it transformed into what it is today? I didn't remember my life in Tourism Court can be this miserable. Not even when i had a difficult boss.
The misery is unexplainable.
Why, why like that?

When i thought i lost my quick fix of comfort at work, i'm glad that i wasn't left alone.
Who says that physical presence is crucial in a relationship? (Note: definition of relationship - connection between people)
It's just heartwarming to have a companion when i have to stay back at work.
Even if it's virtual.
Even if he is always 1 hour ahead of me.
But i know he is there.
That is why i love Jer so much. =)

一条漫长路经已走到这里。。。

And so the week has passed and i didn't know how did that happened.
I wasn't exactly busy busy but everyday were somehow occupied.
Yeah...getting a bit tired.
The many consecutive weekends of activities; camp comm meeting, the coffee appreciation event, BBQ, dinners, play...*shudders*, wore me out a lil.
Not that these were not fun stuff but i would prefer my weekends a lil low-key. Yeah you get it.
Finally had a PP Saturday with Jus, a date which were postponed for almost 3 weeks.
I slept to my heart's content before we met at PP for a late lunch.
Not kidding when i said late, coz when lunch ended, it was already 4pm.
Since i wasn't prepared to dine out for dinner, i decided to get some food from the supermarket before i sulk at the famine at home.
Got home at around 6ish and fell asleep at the couch and before i knew it, it was already dark outside.
Dinner was (self-made) ham sandwich, instant mushroom soup and papaya. Yeah you see, i was trying to go easy with my diet, considering the feast in the week ahead.
B.U.T, i thought the seaweed flavoured potato chips would go extremely well with my ham sandwich and to my surprise, the bag of Calbee was gone, in a wink. Oops...
A.n.y.w.a.y...

"Bonny had a parting day." was the status i updated on twitter yesterday.
It started at Tourism Court when i bade WY farewell after three years of comradeship.Three years ago when she first joined Planning as a uber fresh grad, i've to admit that she didn't impress me much. In fact, i was a lil turned off by her loudness. I had always wondered, "why this girl must laugh so loudly wan?" Haha...
Then, don't know what happened.....we became good friends. Perhaps Bonny is equally loud. =p
We worked together, we partied together, we sang together....awwww.... *sob*
I'm very happy that she has decided to pursue her dreams and i'm sure she will be successful one day.
We parted at the cross junction outside Tourism Court yesterday and cried ourselves silly with vehicles passing. I hope nobody saw us. =p
I'm gonna miss her very very much.

Later in the evening, we gathered in a lil function room at Pasir Panjang for our last cell group meeting.
After one and a half years, the cell group is finally arrived at a point of multiplication and by usual practice, a new cell group will be formed.
I am excited, as i've never been the "multiplicand" in a multiplication operation before.
As compared to the very first time when Persi and i wailed like crazy because we were separating (to different CG) at the Loyang chalet four years ago, this was managed much better.
I'm so gonna miss the fun and laughter we had.

Jason Wong is coming to preach again tomorrow! Have been looking forward to it.
I'm gonna try my very very best to listen and not think if he's exceeding time, when to play the three videos, screen up or down, got sound no sound.................................. ok i try.

Love Gift

I've got a love gift!


I think Arnott's should endorse me or something.
Bonny is a Shaper!

Thanks Jac dearie!!! =)
有感动到。。。

A Week's Worth

I seriously couldn't forgive myself for waking up before 10 o'clock this morning.
It was the rarest among the rare, other than the times that i was forced to.
And i knew i wasn't feeling comfortable at all.
Not for the fact that i didn't have enough sleep, but was due to the disturbing backache that has been bothering me for days.
I just couldn't lie down properly when it should be the most relaxing posture.
The tension on the back muscle was causing so much pain that i wished i had a meat tenderizer.
I need some pounding. Badly.

During CG last evening, God released a word - PURPOSE, to me nearing the end of worship and i had a flashback of what i've been doing for the past months.
Work, ministry, life...chasing deadlines after deadlines, completing tasks after tasks and packing my time with events after events.
God (finally) asked, in the midst of all these, what is my purpose?
I looked back and realised how rapid things have transited in every aspects.
To a point that i became so used to changes and emotions didn't even have time to set it.
In MBTI language, my T-ness has gone up and my J-ness has gone down.
Nothing negative or positive about it but it's good to be aware so as to keep a balance.
When i started serving in church, i learned how to do things for people without expecting any tangible returns, sometimes it could be the reverse. =p
I often asked why do i have to put myself through these.
I recalled once, when Angela and i were lamenting to each other about the loads and the difficulties we encountered during the drama production, she said, in a very casual manner "What to do? You and i have really experienced God, how not to love and serve Him and His people".
Sounds very abstract i know. I couldn't explain either. But the message was so loud that it through my heart and i was instantly recharged.
In the road ahead, i can't promise that i won't complain but i'm sure the joy i experience will weigh way beyond that.
I found my purpose, what about you?

Church camp is coming in less than a month! Can't wait!
Being in the camp committee this year made me even more excited about the yearly event, despite the crazy preparation.
In any case, all things well and i'm quite ready to go!
Erm, meanwhile i'm praying that the swine flu won't invade too badly across the border.
Don't leh...

Alright, something lighter.

Bengzy regretted big time for telling me that Dorothy Perkins was having a great sale when we had our usual dinner in the mid-week.
I just couldn't stop thinking about the pair of jeans and it's even harder to ignore when i heard about the sale.
He agreed reluctantly to a detour to the store after dinner and in less than 15min, i was out with the jeans, 60% lesser than the original price. Woohoo!
When i got home, i found a small transparent plastic bag containing a lil card and a pair of golden earrings, packed together with my jeans.
For a moment i thought if it accidentally dropped into my shopping bag accidentally or worse, i was FRAMED!
Until i saw the print on the card.
I was indeed shocked surprised. Very pleasantly in fact.
I thought the Marketing person was such a genius to think of such a gimmick.
Personally, the surprise was much more impactful that its content, at least to me.
Somehow the strings of butterflies reminded me of 《迷离夜》. Eeeyer... =p

The old Planners met up for lunch finally for...hmm...an ambiguous objective. Hmm ok...shan't disclose now.
I had so much fun that made me very sad as i really really missed the good old team. =( Especially in times like this. Sigh.
In any case, i volunteered to organise the housewarming for Evan and we are all going to have fun again! =)
The $1.10 chicken wings caught the eyes of some people but was brought to a disappointment when we were told that it was only valid for takeaways.
Then s.o.m.e.b.o.d.y bargained his way through (as usual) with the cantonese aunty and tada!!! Here's our six chicken wings in a takeaway box!

Introducing s.o.m.e.b.o.d.y! Heh.
Later we realised it was actually more costly for them, to serve in the plastic box than on a plate.
I didn't know Cystal Jade operates like the government. Oops...

Running for camp comm meeting now!
Oh oh last but not least...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Tecky and Ee-ly (i just have to end with 'y' lah, but you know it's you hor? heh).

A little Sunshine in the Storm

The week came and left and i couldn't be less thankful for that.
I had the toughest time at work, physically and emotionally, more for the latter.
The emotions involved would be disappointment, hurt, discouragement, unjust and the list continues along the line.
There were moments when i could feel my heart sinking literally, as well as moments when i almost could scream aloud in my cube.
As much as i didn't wish for the outcome to be the way it is, i have to repeatedly remind myself that i have no control in any aspects at all.
I could only commit to God and only His intervention can turn things round.
Meanwhile, i would rely on His strength and grace to brace through the season.

Putting work aside, the week wasn't too bad after all.
After weeks of discussions, plotting, lying (!!!), photographing and late nights, The Proposal finally happened and it was a heartwarming success.
And with that, the faithful dating couple of fourteen years will be exchanging their vows soon.
Come to think of it, i was fortunate to witness their journey, ten out of the fourteen years.
No wonder i couldn't hold back my tears when the Proposer mentioned about "going through ups and downs". I couldn't relate to it any lesser.
It was amazing on how God has worked in their lives, bringing them to where they are today.
The work is not going to end here for sure and i'm excited to see the new path laid ahead of them. =)

Just when Jer came to my mind last Saturday and i was kinda missing him, he left a miss call on my mobile the following day.
While waiting for him to call back (i is cheapo) and getting busy with The Proposal, i didn't realised that he was up in the air travelling miles over the ocean.
He finally returned the call at 10ish in the evening and i almost choked when i saw "Jer Singapore" appearing on my mobile screen and later let out a big HUH upon hearing that he was at Terminal One. Yes...the T1 at Changi!
It definitely caught me by surprise. A pleasant one of course. =)
It turned out that he had to come home for his visa processing and it was only decided three days ago.
We arranged to meet on Tuesday evening at Plaza Sing for a comforting Chinese dinner at Crystal Jade.
After dinner, we adjourned to TCC for coffee and he was reiterating his experience at the ICA when he was renewing his identity card.
I shan't elaborate on the details but the highlight came when he dished out two pink cards from his wallet. I almost fell off my chair.
I didn't expect myself to see the reality version of Benjamin Buttons.
I was utterly amazed on how he made himself look thirty years older at the age of 12.
I had to be frank to him. I thought he looked like a mechanic in a garage.
But in his latest photo, he turned into a suave university professor. Gosh...what happened man.
To protect the dignity of my friend, i shall seek his permission before i post the picture. I hope he agrees. =p
We tried to drag the time a little by taking a train home instead of a cab, but we ended up continuing our conversation at the playground beneath my flat.
Obviously we were trying to make up for the time we couldn't be with each other. Updating on our lives, our perspective of life and making sure we are both living well.
It's strange that even when we are apart most of the time, meeting not more than thrice a year, there wasn't a tad sense of awkwardness with each other. We didn't change much after all. Even if we did, it was for the better.
At 1am, i reckoned that i gotta get back before i had to call in sick the next day.
I bade farewell to Jer reluctantly at my lift lobby and i guess the next time we meet, it'll be a great day! =)It was a chilly night but the warmth of a dear friend was my instant comfort. =)

Comfort in Chaos

The fun thing about working in a big organization is that you will never know when you will meet a new friend.
I remembered seeing Jac her in the lift, at the bistro, but we never talked.
Until the media conference of "Worlds Within" last year, when i realised that she was from Corp Comms.
She's very friendly and we hit off uber well on msn thereafter. Not the usual "impression" i have of Corp Comm folks.
But the strangest thing was, we had never thought of meeting up intentionally until today.
Finally after a good four months, we had lunch for the first time.
We had so much to talk about, as though we knew each other for years but i guess by having a common "open" nature played a part.
It seemed that we have no qualms about sharing our lives to each other.
Her carefree personality put me at ease totally and i could just be myself.
I think we can be friends. =)
A side note...i realised a trend of meeting new friends who are YOUNGER than me. What does that supposed to mean??? Darn!

When i realised that i had to work late today, i was thinking of ways to make myself happier.
As i was pretty famished, i took a walk to Starbucks and got myself a mocha latte and a chipotle chicken puff.
The Starbucks at Tanglin Mall has an exquisite style of its own. Very Seattle-lish. I like.
The blue sky just before sunset was lovely. It has got "attitude".
I really like the evening laid-back atmosphere around the precint of Tourism Court.
It somehow took my mind away from work for a while. Even when i was dragging myself back to office.
In the end, i got off at about half past eight and the feeling of walking out from Tourism Court in the dark was uber depressing.
WY was also getting off work at the same time, and we decided to go for an impromptu quick bite at PS.
The healthy Taiwanese rice ball and Toast Box barley drink tasted so comforting.

I believe that's how God supports me in the midst of chaos. =)

All about Life

With the appointment of our new CE, the Board just had its major restructuring after the last one six year ago.
In a re-org, people will bound to be affected, whether positively or otherwise.
Most of the time, otherwise conquers the bigger fraction.
As much as i believe that my department is a 'safe' one, we didn't escape the consequence of the re-org.
The conclusion is that one of us is sacrificed.
Thankfully, not a retrenchment, but a mandatory transfer to another division.
F was the unfortunate one and i almost had the same fate as her as my name was mentioned too.
When LL broke the news to me reluctantly, i was pretty worked up but i managed to press it down.
I was more frustrated and disappointed with the decisions of the management than feeling relieved that i wasn't the one being transferred.
The whole thing was pure stupidity and uncompassionate.
Well, i shan't bore you with the details. Not worth my effort too.
As i was venting my frustration to Bengz, he had to remind me not less than six times that at the minimum, i'm blessed with a paycheck every month so that my standard of living need not be compromised.
Sounds bimbotic and i wouldn't deny a bit. =p
Therefore, i made it a point to give thanks every morning and it definitely make my day a lil better.
In any case, i decided not to be bothered by my job after working hours.
Life is not just about work alright!
I guess it'll just be a bill-paying-tool, at least for now. Before i find my passion and inspiration again.

***

Received a surprise call from Korea on Valentine's Day!
How not to love Jer??? =)
In Korea, the culture is for girls to give gifts and guys are the recipients.
He thought he would have the priviledge too, with a Korean girlfriend and living in Korea.
Unfortunately, she overruled the idea with the justification that her boyfriend is "international".
Hahaha...try harder, Jer.
Anyway, Jer really made my day with that distant Valentine's wishes and he hopes that he can save a call next year.
MmmMmmm........SO! I was saying......
This pic was taken during Jer's homecoming this CNY and that's my new Korean friend. =)
She's such a sweet girl. I like her. =)
Uber looking forward to their wedding.

***

Didn't quite catch the serial when it was showing on Channel U. Not even its repeat telecast.
But the couple of times when i managed to watch, i loved it!
Besides the interesting surgeries for the purpose of beautifying oneself, 《一切完美》 portrays the deep being of human nature and behaviour.
It talks about loving ourselves, forgiveness and of course the reality of the world.
Instead of the usual fairy-tale kind of story lines, i like the fact that it slaps people with the truth and acts as a wake-up call.
I often ended up in tears at the end of each episode. Sounds dumb, i know.
I'm trying to complete part 1 online, while getting ready to welcome part 2 of the series.

Did i mention that i was completely swooned by the charm of Thomas Ong?
Gosh...he has the face that i like! *hurhur*

Monday Movie

The approach of the lunar new year holidays indeed has helped people at work loosen up a bit.
At least i'm hearing conversations out of the formal work context and it includes the making of pineapple tarts and love letters.
With the commencement of the corporate planning exercise (it's NOT the organisation doing Singapore Workout as suggested by Persi), it kept a lot of people away from their desk, including LL.
And since the UAT has to go on even when she's not around, i had my very first meeting with the vendors ALONE.
It didn't dawn much on me at that moment as the meeting was called for in an impromptu manner.
I only laughed at my behaviour after the meeting as i reflected.
Subconsciously, i realised i was actually feeling a lil intimidated by my minimal IT knowledge and afraid that i would ask dumb questions in which might turn out to be a joke.
Hence during the meeting with the IT guys, in the midst of trying my very best to understand the technical terms they were throwing around and the scenarios they were illustrating, i turned the table around and confused them a lil. Haha.
I secretly heaved a sigh of relief when they paused and pondered and concluded with a "we'll check" after i rattled a chain of comments.
I almost got choked by the smoke. =p
As you can see, i wasn't quite bothered if i've convinced them or confused them as long as i get away.
I can imagine more of such situations happening in the near future, i think i better buck up.

Caught "Rachel Getting Married" with Ivana in the evening.It talks about a girl, Kym, who returned to her family from the rehabiliation centre, for the wedding of her sister (Rachel), bringing along with an unhealed and unresolved heart.
And...........................yah that's about it!
Well, yeah....it has a unique and atypical cinematography and insipiring theme but i thought they could work a bit more on the story development.
I was kept awake as i was eager to find out "what's next" but it never happened.
Disappointingly, the movie ended in a "that's it???!!!" note and five of the patrons didn't even sit through to see that.

I would very much prefer the factual "Australia" and 《赤壁之决战天下》.

I fell in love with the ingenious 孔明 and was reminded on the beauty of the Chinese language.
Now i really regretted for falling asleep in my higher chinese class at college.
Would a kind soul give me a quick tutorial of 《三国演义》 please?
Oh just one thing...i thought it was just a lil awkward with the existence of a taiwanese-accented character in the history of China. For goodness sake, please dub 张震's voice. =p

Chill

The start of the year took on a hustling mode which was pretty different from the previous.
I couldn't steal any opportunities to slack a bit as much as i wanted to.
The project which began eons ago, changed many hands, is finally rolling out end of this quarter.
We are currently into the user acceptance test (UAT) phase, to test out the possible scenarios and to catch as many bugs as possible.
Everyday, i would just stare into the screen and the only parts i moved were my index finger (on my mouse) and my eyelids. Maybe my lungs too since i had to breathe, i think.
Persi called it the uu-wet as it sounds like someone vomiting. I agree totally. It can be that gross.
Through this exercise, i could somehow identify how a typical IT man functions his brain.
It isn't by choice that most IT men appear blockish, when their only interaction is with machines.
It isn't by choice that they are over logical, when their communication language is codes.
No offense to IT men yeah. Just purely my observation. Heh.
So, i was saying, my time was almost occupied by the UAT, if not would be the daily operational tasks.

Church is getting busier too with my new ministries and it is nothing but excitement.
Really looking forward to the new season ahead.
Stay tune!

In the midst of the busyness, chilling became a reward and it definitely helped keep my sanity.
It has been a long while since the last Bonapers and we decided to have the first in 2009 at Brewerkz.
Having it on a Monday was indeed a good choice as the crowd was a good size and the ambiance was brilliant.
Great food, great beer, great friend and all these by the river. What more can you ask for?

We discovered a new chill out joint after CG and each had their fun at Happy Daze.

Who wants to chill with Bonny?

Randomness

It's gonna be quite random.

With the plunge of the tourists figures for the fourth executive month, i am experience a slowdown at work too.
Well, it could also be due to the festive mood that is creeping in. =) That's from the optimistic angle.
As people are fussing over the issue of retrenchment, it got me a lil worried as well.
Especially after hearing some sob stories in the board which were rather impactful.
The myth of the metal rice bowl has become legendary. Sigh.
Thus, i was trying to pull up my socks and be...erm...less nua.
Hoping that i won't see my belongings in my cube all packed up when i return. =p
I guess somehow, the economic situation got onto the nerves of some people and relationships among colleagues got a lil tensed.
It is extremely tough to manage colleagues who are also my friends, especially when we are not on the same side of the boat.
To be firm yet tactful, it is an art.
Writing emails to these colleafriends (sounds like cauliflower) will take me ages!

***

Life didn't seem to be less busy when classes were over. Of course it was due to the series of nuptial events.
I am glad that people who should get married, are married and everything did turn out well eventually.
It is time that i should spare a thought, maybe two, for myself and the theme of my thought(s) is JOY.
Suggestions are welcome, as long as the objective is achieved.
I need to get things going real soon. Coz i realised there isn't any concrete stuff other than work!

***

After a good three months worth of wait, Bonny is finally departing for Chiang Mai next Thursday.
I was always envious of people who went on mission trips and have always hope that i could experience the encounters myself.
Finally, after many years of struggling with leave problem due to my studies, my turn has arrived!
The preparation started as early as August when the team of eleven was formed.
As we get closer to the departure, there are more administration to be done.
It was then i realised that i kinda lost touch with admin tasks and initially it was really chaotic.
Especially in the midst of the wedding season. Thank God things are under control now as i got the hang of it.
Uber looking forward to be part of this new, yet strong, team.
Stay tune for exciting reports!

Hmm...

Hmmmm...

See... told you i need to find new stuff. Otherwise pinkbonny is closing down!

Uniquely Experienced

Bonny had a unique experience at the Singapore Visitor Centre (SVC) at Terminal 2!
Being in the back room for so long, it was time that we get onto the field and be at the frontline.
Frankly speaking, i was quite looking forward to it after hearing from those who have gone for their attachments.
Long standing hours, feeling lost and redundant. Ah-uh...not too favorable.

The day started when Rosie, the supervisor briefed us with the day's activities and dismissed us shortly to let us explore the SVCs in other terminals.

SVC at Terminal 1, the bigger and busier one.

SVC at Terminal 3, the smaller and scarcer one.

And this is the one we were stationed at.

The lady back-facing the camera is Rosie.

Then we started to get a lil more comfortable with the environment when we decided to pose for some shots.

The primary task of the SVC is of course to assist tourists in their travel needs the moment they step foot at the airport as some can be really lost.

Other than that, it is also responsible of inducing transit passengers to sign up for the Free Singapore Tours provided by the board, SIA and CAAS.

The tours will bring them downtown to the marina precinct as well as some colonial attractions around Empress Place.

The idea is to leave an impression in them and hopefully they would return for their next holiday.

Hence, throughout the two days of attachment, we boarded this bus three times, pretending like the transit passengers. Heh.

I've to admit that i had quite a satisfying nap after 4236 yawns when the tour guide was doing the commentary. =p

Trust me, i tried my best to look enthusiastic but to bear with the facts you could almost memorise, it's hard not to lose focus. =p

We didn't really have much contact with the visitors as we were pretty sheltered by the veterens.

But the encounter with an American was good enough to keep me smiling for a while. Guess not much explanation is required. Hurhur...

Other than that, we merely enjoyed ourselves in such a rare opportunity to work in a place of our desire.

At the end of the second day, Rosie left a note before she ended her day at work.

She's such a bubbly lady that when you see her, you know she's at the right job.

She wasn't at all stingy in sharing her experience with us and we were pretty engrossed in her stories.

I truly admired her passion in what she does which lasted her for a good 30 years. She joined the board even before i was borned! Try imagining that!

With passion, all things will last. =)

Ms Emo

Ms Emo loves to visit especially on days when Bonny is ill.
Perhaps it was due to the hectic weekend with two consecutive nuptial dinners plus some emotional burden, and also the franticness at work and elsewhere which started weeks ago, my body finally gave way.
I woke up feeling the dryness and soreness in my throat and sneezes started on my journey to office.
By the time i arrived, i could only greet LL with a hoarse "good morning".

Pretty bogged down with quite some stuff which are happening concurrently.
Tonnes of coordination, planning and have to be on the ball at most time.
To make it worse, work isn't a bed of roses at all and i reacted very much to some irky people who came in my way.
For one of the very rare times, i've to admit that work is getting a toil on me.
Many times, it's a battle of professionalism and explosion. Tough.

Just today, the moment i opened my mail box, i was irritated by a totally unreasonable request again (x10).
Again, a deep breath.
I flung my head backwards and tried to calm myself down.
But it didn't stop the tears from flowing.
I took another deep breath and went back to work.

God knows when to send the right people when i'm in need.
Just when i needed comfort and be transparent about my emotions, Bengz made himself available to have lunch with me.
I'm really thankful for that.
I was rather sick but it was nice talking to someone who listens and understands the context.
Someone whom i don't have to explain much into details.

However, right after lunch when i got back to that tiny cube of mine, Ms Emo came back again.
And when Jer started a msn conversation with a "What happened?", i started crying like a baby.
All i wanted to do was to whine and complain to him. Only he could endure this from me.

Ms Emo really hit me hard today.
But when rationality set in at the later part of the day, it came to my senses that it wasn't the case that i couldn't manage or deal with the situations and issues on hand nor i didn't have the abilities.
The main problem was that they gushed right at me all at the same time.
And the moment of overwhelming made me thought that i couldn't manage.
Apparently, all i have to do is to dissect them and handle them case by case.
One thing at a time. Jer reminded me once again.
So i felt better when i left the office.

But still, i really wish for a good break to rest my drained soul and body.
And again, God sends the right people when i'm in need!
Just this evening, i was offered a complimentary stay at a tranquil place over a weekend!
I'm so looking forward to it!

God is so good! =)

Break or Break

Just return from my weekly swim from SPE.
As a result of the rebonded hair, i stopped for two weeks and the impact seemed to be great.
Hel said that i forgot my techniques.
Gosh...it's time to buck up.
My aim is to able to swim decently by end of the year.

After my talk with LL that evening, things had improved quite a bit the following day.
She started by offering us tidbits at our work stations, which was a breakthrough for the past two weeks.
By Monday, she was 80% recovered and now, she totally regained her chatty self. Great.
Albeit that work didn't get better, at least the team is now taking it in stride. Well, at least for me.
Till now i still couldn't fathom why must urgent jobs gush in at the same time.
To make matters worst, the existence of some loathsome people, who like playing politics, added to my annoyance too.
Mr T was challenged once again and my working neighbour commented that loud breathings got more frequent.
I think i am stressed by work, which i never thought it would happen to me.

Have been experiencing sharp pains around my left chest lately and the paracetamols i took were countless.
Bengz suggested that i go for a full body checkup.
I think i need a break instead.

Quite badly.

When Mr T is short

My msn nick today read "mr T is very short today. beware.".
SLam took a while before she figured out who's Mr T and it was a spot on. So smart.
I took the morning off as i was hit by a nerve-wrenching headache.
But it turned into a giddy spell the moment i stepped into office.
Read: bad mood.

It was at this time when a manager from Finance had to call and test on my patience.
The request she made was really senseless and i was trying my very best to hold my tone.
You see the problem about civil servants is they can get too caught up with the procedures that they fail to see the picture in a holistic manner.
They follow instructions blindly without seeing the logic behind it and i'm not even talking about challenging the norm.
They do because it has always been done like this.
I speak for myself too.
For the fact that we are bounded by authority, it is difficult to be different.
We are always trapped in a situation of better-be-safe-than-to-be-sorry.
However, it is not entirely hopeless. It's just a matter of whether you can manage within your boundary and playing around with the procedures.
We do have people like this in the board and i thank God for them.
Anyway, after that phone call with the Finance manager, i had to inhale big breath to calm myself down. I wasted too much energy on that phone call.
When i finally managed to do so after returning from a walk to the bistro, she had to provoke me with a second stunt!
This time, she got an officer to represent her and i could see her anguish expression as she too, felt silly for doing what she was asked to do. Poor girl.
She somehow could anticipate my reply but she just had to hear from me in order to convince her manager.
You see you see!!! Duh!
Empathizing her position, i tried to be as corporative as possible so that we could quickly get over it.
But still, DUH!!!
It had to happen when Mr T was short.

Perhaps that was also why i had the courage to speak to LL, since i was in a confrontational mode.
Oh don't get me wrong, i wasn't that gungho to confront my boss.
It was almost two weeks since LL withdrew herself from us socially and the air was still since then too.
It was uber uncomfortable i tell ya.
Knowing Bonny, i'm just not one of those who sit and wait for things to move. I had to do something about it.
So since i'm on the right mode today, it wasn't hard for me to start a conversation with LL in the late evening when everyone had left for the day.
I was merely concerned and wanted to know if there're things that i could help.
After a one-liner of "are you okay? you have been rather moody lately", she started to rattle non-stop for a good 20mins.
Wah she must have been suppressed for very long.
At the end of talk, it left me feeling helpless as i couldn't render any help at all.
From her words, i felt so much of her agony, her difficulties and the injustice done to her.
It has been really hard on her and i applaud her perseverance.
She's a woman i look up to and i'm really blessed to have a boss like LL.
I hope she can overcome this trying period very soon.

Thank God the day ended well with dinner with the Lees.
I just had to be around with sane people to keep my sanity.