Cheers.. Everybody!!

Last week I heard some bad news about my last company..
Things are not looking very good there...

Many people told me that I am lucky to have been able to avoid the chaos.. Funny that every time people say this to me.. I would think that "Yeah.. I might have escaped from this disaster as of now.. but who knows how things will go here.." Well.. I admit that I am a pessimist...

A bit surprised by how the development over such a short period.. After all when I heard the news I have just left the company for 1 week... Anyway... life still goes on.. Very often things are not of our control.. and there's really nothing to moan over.. So just let it be..

Cheers! :0)

Changes..

13 Mar 2007.. It was the day when I left the company where I have been working for nearly 2.5 years... for a new career opportunity which I believe would be more promising..

I took one day rest and set off for the new challenges on 15 Mar 2007... It was a "not so exciting" first day though.. Apparently the HR and my boss has had some mis-comm and landed me in an awkward position... Although my boss had apologised over the chaos.. I am still not feeling very comfortable about it.. Anyway it's all over.. I should not keep dwelling over it..

However it is on the day itself that I realised that I am alone in the team and this situation is going to last for 1 to 2 months.. As my boss is not based in Singapore yet.. I am "adopted" by another team and should pick up my skills from there.. Working alone is not a problem to me at all.. But it's the office politics that I am worrying about... After I understand the situation better.. I foresee more politics coming in.. And it feels really lonely to face all these alone.. However this is my own choice.. There is no turn back and I am just going to endure with it and move on.. After all it's just 1 or 2 months.. I believe my effort would be paid off some day.. :)

Nice Japanese Buffet.......

Have you ever heard of a Kuishin-bo?
This is a restaurant located at Suntec City which serves very nice Japanese Buffet.. I have long wanted to dine there and finally.. I went there on last Thursday..

The price is a bit at the high side.. S$31.80++ during the weekdays and S$39.80++ on the weekends.. For ladies, you can go on Wednesday night because they have a special 2 hour promotion at a rate of S$25.80++ on that day exclusively for ladies only :)

However... even for the non-discounted price I think it is very worth... The spread is quite impressive.. Haha .. Can you imagine that with this price you can enjoy endless supply of the Atlantic King Crabs? Although you can't expect to get the top grades at this price.. such serving could have cost you a few hundred bucks in a decent restaurant......... And to me the quality is actually not bad.. (Maybe this is the first time i tried this type of crab and can make no comparisons.. hehe :p)

The meat is very sweet and juicy... And the restaurant is not stingy at replenishing the supply at all.. You will never see the counter empty.. On the other hand.. you keep noticing the chef topping up the crabs.. Yummy!

The next thing is the sashimi.. there are more than 5 different types of fish for you selection.. And most importantly is they are very fresh.... Wow.. It's a heaven for sashimi lovers... Other dishese included in the spreads are sushi, temaki, teppanyaki, kaninabe (the paper steamboat), and a lot more... Other than the main dishes, the restaurant serves a variety of japanese dessert as well... They even got the chocolate fountain.. although I don't find it attractive at all.. haha...Instead, I would recommend the Japanese desserts... Not all of them are nice..but I think it worth a try.. As the Japanese dessert is not cheap even when you get it from the Isetan supermart, not to mention from a Japanese Restaurant..

In conclusion, this is the buffet dinner that I think most worthy so far.. And I would love to go there again if I have the chance :)

珍贵的一堂课..

今天早上老板和我谈了一些事情..
我才突然发现原来我一直以为的与世无争的世界知识我的一厢情愿..
其实战火一直在我的身边点燃着.. 只是身份太过卑微而无法察觉..
老板对我的金玉良言是:
换了新工作要积极一点,别看别人和你打打闹闹,其实你的表现别人都看在眼里…
这项认知带给我很大的震撼..不得不承认自己的稚嫩与无知..
还真的要谢谢老板给我上了珍贵的一堂课..

新年快乐！！

猪年到了。。。。 在新的一年里主要的心愿就是：

1. 即将换新的工作。。。希望有好的发展。。。。
2. 生肖运程说今年桃花旺盛。。 希望能遇到我的如意郎君。。。。
3. 成功改变以往得过且过的生活态度。。。能变得积极乐观。。。。

希望大家也能心想事成。。。。 "猪“ 事顺意。。。。
恭喜恭喜！！！！

I am back!!!

Haha.. It has been a long time since I last updated my blog..
The reason being that I am very busy at work nd have no time to do it during teh office hour..
and I do not have internet access at home...

When I finally have time to do that today..
I found that I have forgotten the blogger username and password...
Haha.. anyway today is a good day..

I managed to recover the username and password..
and found a way to connect to the free Wireless@SG network at home..
But actually I borrowed this wireless network adapter from my colleague for 1 day only..
sigh.. think I have to get one soon...

TM's New House Part 3 - The Master Bedroom

TM's New House Part 2 - The Kitchen

TM's New House Part 1 - The Living Hall

江南行...Part3

短暂的抽离.. 瞬间的回忆…
当刹那的感动消逝..一切回到原点…

离开杭州后的下一站就是上海了.. 这是我们这一次旅程的最后一站..
抵达上海遇到的第一个困难就是如何带着我们沉重的行李离开车站..
上海地铁站的梯级多得要命,而且都没有站立式电梯..唉.. 没办法. 我们也只有硬着头皮,咬紧牙关,带着行李一步一步往上走…

好不容易找到了预定的酒店, 一进去我们的心又冷了半截.. 我们看到了一条很长的楼梯,而电梯就在着楼梯的上端.. 我们差点没晕倒…

不过说真的.. 上海并没有什么特别的.. 就是一个人多物贵的都市.. 我们住的酒店就坐落在上海市中心一条主要的购物街”南京东路”,很多主要的景点都在举步之遥.. 放下行李后我们就到外滩去感受一下昔日的上海滩..不过那天真的是冷的要命..

其实上海最好的地方就是逛书店.. 我在那里买了几本书.. 如果不是行李放不下.. 我想我会买多几本.. 可是现在那写书也只是摆着..都没有看..

元旦那天我们酒店附近的广场上有一场跨年演唱会, 到场嘉宾包括苏有朋与陈慧琳.. 可是我们却选择到外滩去吹冷风,等待一场不知道有没有的烟火表演.. 结果当然是白等了.. 还好在回酒店的途中刚好赶上为演唱会压轴的陈慧琳.. 总算弥补了一点小小的遗憾..

隔天早上我们起了个大早到机场去... 磁浮列车果然快捷.. 从静止状态加速到时速300公里也只需区区几秒钟的时间.. 只是旅途 有些颠簸...无论如何,这是非常难得的经验.. 谢了,上海市:)

**完结**

江南行...Part 2

短暂的抽离.. 瞬间的回忆…
当刹那的感动消逝..一切回到原点…

离开西塘后, 我们续程前往杭州.. 这次乘搭的巴士还不错.. 只是司机还是喜欢动不动就往窗外吐痰.. 说到吐痰,这又是中国人民生活的一部分…其实在中国随地吐痰的习惯真的很普遍.. 随时随地都能看到,听到,一个不小心就会踩到.. 每一回听到别人吐痰的声音我就会东张西望, 深怕他们吐到我的身上来..不过那边的人吐痰吐了这么多年.. 已经是如火纯青了.. 再加上有声可循.. 我所担心的意外事故并没有发生.. 是我多虑了.. 哈哈..

好了..回归正题.. 初来乍到.. 杭州这城市当真让我既惊又喜.. 在到达之前, SJ已经和他的朋友联络好抵达时间.. 那朋友说因为车站秩序很乱, 他要亲自来车站接我们.. 不过到了那儿以后, 觉得其实还好啦…只是在等的士时有很多乞丐来纠缠.. 很多都是年纪很大的老人家.. 只是杭州的交通还是一样只能用一个“乱”字来形容..那司机驾驶的技术更是了不起.. 把我们都吓坏了.. 连那位当地的朋友也说他是第一次碰到这么鲁莽的司机..

而我们抵达杭州后的另一个惊喜就是我们下塌的酒店.. 由于着酒店也是那位当地朋友代我们订的.. 我们原本还担心那酒店不知道好不好…结果我们又有一点被吓到了..那酒店应该有4星以上.. 还包括了3个人的早餐.. 一晚上只需200多人民币.. 其实那酒店的房价应该是500多人民币一晚的.. 是因为那为朋友透过关系预定才有这样的优惠价..总之我们是赚到了..还住了3晚... 呵呵..

杭州真的和想象中很不一样… 本来以为这里应该是很古朴的地方.. 其实并不尽然.. 就算是著名的西湖旅游区也标榜着”以迈向五星级景点为目标”, 在历史背景浓厚的西湖河畔建设了以现代化餐饮娱乐为主的“西湖新天地”… 不过那里的人倒是挺热心的.. 我们在西湖遇见了几位老奶奶,她们知道我们是从外地来的游客,还特地指点我们到一些原本不在行程内的景点去呢..

另外,杭州的公共巴士系统也非常的完善...而且还很先进呢.. 巴士里的流动电视信号非常稳定,一点都不象新加坡的流动电视.. 动不动就Hang,不然就是段段续续的..当然着这也可能是因为杭州市内的高楼比较少,所以信号接收比较好.. 不过另外一项设施就肯定是这里望尘莫及的了.. 有一些巴士车站的站牌不但也设有流动电视,而且还能显示巴士与车站之间的距离..让等车的人能预算巴士到站的时间.. 厉害吧...

杭州市里其中一个车站的站牌,有没有看到荧幕下方的巴士距离显示?

(待续)

江南行..Part 1

日期 : 2006年12月23日~ 2007年1月2日
行程: 上海->苏州->西塘->杭州->上海
人数: 3

这次的旅程感觉 还好, 无惊无险, 稍嫌平淡...对上海的第一印象是乱,然后是脏,再来就是上海人普遍都不讲礼貌, 交通情况更是混乱,司机的驾驶技术让我钦佩.虽然有什么交通协管帮忙指挥交通, 但对我们这种在"井然有序"的环境下长大的人来说, 还是有点措手不及...刚到那儿的头几天我们还真的不太敢过马路呢!

我们在上海呆了一夜, 然后乘火车到苏州去... 那火车内部还挺干净的, 也还很新...

乘火车到苏州, 沿途看到的景色还是乱与脏.. 到了苏州, 少了一点繁华, 一点傲慢,其他的似乎也没什么不同... 不过我们下塌的酒店倒是值得一提.. 以连锁方式经营的经济型旅馆.. 便宜,干净, 服务员态度也挺友善的.. 不错不错..

下一站是西塘.. 这是一个古色古香的小镇...这也是Tom Cruise拍摄MI3的地方.. 在这里我们遇到很热情周到的旅店老板娘.. 吃的,住的都很对味... 是顶不错的地方.. 在这里我渡过了圣诞节..在这么中国风的地方过圣诞节.. 感觉还挺新鲜的.. 不过这地方虽好.. 从苏州到这里的过程却非常吐血... 巴士司机的鲁莽驾驶,一路上的乌烟瘴气,同车旅客的骚扰.. 全都让我感到厌烦.. 还好最终西塘都没有让我失望... (待续)

Happy 2007!!!

Wow... It has been so long since I last updated my blog here..
I have been to Shanghai from 23rd Dec 2006 to 2 Jan 2007..
There I celebrated the X'mas, my bithday and the New Year..
The trip is not very exciting.. In fact I can't remember much of the details..
However it did serve as a short getaway from the dull routine life...

Hmm.. So what should I wish for the new year 2007??
I wish.. I can grow stronger.. both physically and mentally..
I wish.. I can be more generous..
I wish.. I will be able to find the very humble happiness that I have been longing for..
I wish.. I will be able to figure out the goal in my life...
I wish.. I will have a little bit more luck...
I wish.. I can forget and let go all the unhappiness in the past...

All in all... I wish I can become a much better person.. I sincerely hope that..

久违的晴天…

接连下了几天的雨.. 终于出太阳了..
今天我终于能在暖暖的阳光中醒来..
在睁开眼的第一刻见到阳光…
昨晚我还用Hair Dryer 把晒了两天没干而发出霉味的衣服”风干”..
没想到今天就出太阳了..

过去几天也许因为天气的关系心情也变得有点郁闷了..
无论如何..希望今天的晴天能扫去多日的阴霾..一切重新出发…
不禁想起一句话.. “太阳不会因为乌云的阻挡而消失…”
是啊.. 雨过总会天晴的..

Are you busy?

Have you ever encountered this?
When you are busy, you can think of a lot of things that you want to do.. But as you are busy, you are not able to do these tasks.. However, when you finally become free.. You just can't remember what are those things that you "planned" to do during the busy period.. And end up you do nothing.. And the cycle will just repeat itself such that you will remember those tasks again when you get busy..

Sound complicated? Yeah.. I guess so.. This is what I have been going through in my life..

What a busy week...

Well.. there were a lot of activities going on last week and there were so many things I wanted to share with you.. However, I was quite busy for the week and eventually gave up the idea of updating the blog..

So why were I so busy for the past week? Well.. My lead was on leave for the week.. She had asked me to take care of her projects.. And it just happened that two of the projects had came to their critical stages last week.. And I have my own project to handle as well.. so.. it's kind of overload for me.. Anyway I admit that I am not that kind of capable career woman :p..

My lead is back to work today.. And I am not better off.. Because I did not handle one of the project correctly and she just told me off for not managing properly... Now she is finding the alternative to solve the problem I have created.. while I am updating my blog here :-(

I am actually quite sad now.. Because it is really my fault.. Actually I didn't try to manage it at all last week becuase the event is on tomorrow and I thought I would just wait for her to come back and settle it on her own.. But.. it seems that she expected me to handle for her as well..

There is another thing that add on to her bad impression on me... I was supposed to start a new project last week.. This project has to be done by mid of Jan 2007... As I was so busy last week.. I thought I can finally start it today.. However this morning when my lead asked me about the project status and I told her that I have not started it because I have no time...She immediately made the decision to pass this project to another colleague of mine.. Surprisingly I have no strong feeling this time... Just let it be.. I try not to upset with such things any more...

Honestly, I have thought last week was a good time for me to show my capability and impressed my lead.. However it seems that I have messed it up.. And last Saturday there was some issues on the software and my QA colleague had requested me to come back an dsolve it.. But I just told him and my lead that I am going back home and I asked my colleague to stand in for me.. Our performance appraisal was coming in this 2 weeks.. I guess all these events would summed up for a bad mark for me.. I don't want to think about it now.. Just let the nature takes the course.. Anyway I have asked for it myself.. What else can I expect... Haha..

知足常乐...

知足自然无欲..
无欲自然无求..
无求自然无烦恼..
无烦恼即是快乐...

知足常乐.. 是我今天的领悟.. :-)

无奈,无助…

最近我很努力地在做一件事..
尽管我已经很努力了.. 却还是无法挽回既定的结果..
似乎已经走到了尽头.. 在怎么努力也是徒然..
所做的一切也不再有任何意义…

已经很累了.. 却还是不舍得放弃. 是不甘心吗?
还是真的不能割舍呢?
我也很想知道答案…

说真的.. 长这么大还是第一次有这么无奈与无助的感觉..
讨厌这种努力了却不能得到想要的结果的感觉…

YEAH!! JLPT is over!!!

Hurray!! My JLPT exam was over yesterday..
Although it’s only level 4 but I am glad that it’s over…
Phew…

The result should be out in March 2007…
However I have no absolute confidence to pass the exam…
There were 3 parts in the exam: vocabs, listening and grammar...

The first paper, which was the vocabularies, looked fine… out of 40 questions there were only about 3 to 5 questions that I was unsure… It was about the same for the grammar part… The terrible part was the listening… The questions were played from a tape recorder and we were supposed to listen to the questions carefully and answer the questions… Although the tape condition was much much much better than what I had expected (I had expected a very noisy and speedy conversations), I was still not able not able to catch the dialogue contents. Out of 17 questions, there were only 3 questions that I know what I was listening… terrible right?

Of course it is the best if I can pass since I have put in so much money and efforts on it… And I don’t think I want to sit for anymore exam (not even the next level)… But even if I failed, it doesn’t really matter… Because there is no requirement for me use the Japanese language in any way… unless I can save enough money to go to Japan… Anyway I would just keep my finger cross and hope for the best outcome in March next year.. :-)

To the very special YOU..

This is a simple and short poem specially dedicated to a good friend of mine..
This is a piece of advice, as well as my best wishes for you..
Hope that you will find your way someday..

"It's not easy to meet someone you love
Be grateful when you finally found one..
Do cherish if you really care..
Don't do things that hurt people who love you..
Define your goal and hang on to it..
Be truthful and focused..
You will eventually be getting whatever you deserve.."