Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Back to Work

After 6 days of pure leisure, I'm back in the office today.

Need to complete the process flows for SGP papers before I start my leave again on Thursday till 2006 comes. Of course, there will be much of documents to review and the sort but at least, I don't have to drag my sorry ass to the office. Yey!

Have finished my process flows but need to wait for Doorbell's portion before I can safely say it's done. This is one boring day! No yey for me at the moment!

Am planning to catch some movies with Deli, with no Monsters Inc in tow. Quality time for the love birds, or so they say. Do people actually say that? No? What the heck, it's my blog and i'll say anything I want. Yey for me!

Tok Mak was here with Natasya last week. Somebody must have said something to them coz they were here at the same time I started my leave! No biggie coz I love having them around. Benefits all of us coz we had super duper time shopping, measuring the malls from end to end, trying our hands and tummies on great food and a trip to Petrosains. Didn't get to go to Aquaria just yet. Next trip perhaps. They left for BP on Christmas eve.

Was thinking of doing some makeover to my bedroom. Not that major, just maybe a touch of framed pictures, rearrange the furnitures (or buy some spanking new ones)or maybe a new shade for the night lamp. Maybe.

By the way, Amoi has started her new job at HLA and today's Giggsy's last day. I saw a lady with an umbrealla during lunch today and it reminded me of Amoi. She would carry an umbrella no matter where she goes, rain or shine. We went to UOA for lunch and i remembered how Amoi used to take dessert instead, and not stuffed herself with real food like the rest of us. I'm not ashamed to say that I missed her. I miss her company and her antiques. Sobs.

She smsed for my email address and I gave her makcik_cun@blablabla. Amoi being Amoi, she actually sent me an email using that address to later complained that it bounced and asked if that was really my email address. This is definitely the joke of the year. Exactly the reason why I missed her a lot.

Ops. Just remembered that we're meeting Amoi at 6pm today. Starbucks, here we come!

Monday, December 19, 2005

Hoping for more fun to come

Ah. Another week to live through – just hope it’ll better than the last one.

I’ve made peace with the wise guys. I will floss religiously and take good care of all three of them. Yes, all three of them are still there, partially surfaced in 3 odd ways. The triple forces of wisdom. I should be getting wiser by now. Triple of that, right?

Saturday was great! VF and Giggsy picked the kids and I at 1pm for the Dutchman’s Christmas party. He’s spending Christmas in Jakarta so we kinda arranged for an early celebration. Reached his pad half an hour later to find him stirring soto on the stove. We ended up cooking for him – under his so-called strict supervision and instructions. The Dutch chef brilliantly cited recipes for spinach and mushroom in cream cheese, beef and snow peas (Vietnamese style) and spicy ‘labu air’ (what do u call this in English?) with prawns and petai. The dishes were amazingly yummylicious! Especially the last dish – it’s to die for!

Not too bad for a single guy who doesn’t have the guts to drive. Hahah! I just have to bring that up.

Deli joined us by dinner. He had to work on that day. Not to make him feel uncomfortable eating on his own, we decided to have our uncountable round of stuffing ourselves with mouth watering, scrumptious, lip smacking food. Cakes and drinks were served afterwards while some of us watched soccer game between Man U and God knows which club.

Kids were the happiest when uncle Dutchman got them 2 presents each. Hey, what about the parents?

Adik was the center of attention when he diligently completed his 96 pieces jigsaw puzzle the Dutchman gave him in less than 45 minutes. Everybody clapped and cheered for him and he glowed with pride. Am very proud of my boy!



Kakak on the other hand was totally absorbed with her coloring gadgets. She too, received praises after completing a beautiful picture of a parrot. Nice work kakak!



Left Mont Kiara after the soccer game. Adik and kakak dozed off within 10 minutes of the ride home. Poor babies.

Si Belang asked if I have any annual leave to clear. I didn’t keep track of my leave anymore (very unlike me) so I had to check it in the Intranet and found that I have 6 days to utilize before 2006! Weehuuu! We’re not allowed to carry our leave to the next year so I’m starting my leave on Friday till Jan 3rd. Now we’re talking – I like!!

Hmm. Tok Mak is still in Singapore. She might be coming to KL to see her beloved son who’s having trouble in paradise with his fiancĂ©. Deli is starting his leave on Dec 29th. We’ll have fun, fun and more fun before 2006 comes!

Just hope I’ll survive the coming 4 days.

Latest news - am scheduled for an interview with IN* tomorow morning. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

In Pain

Am at home today. Have been on medical leave since Monday. Yep. Suddenly my wisdom tooth decided to show up. Problem is - there’s no more space for another tooth. I can only see half of it and to make it worse, it slants by 45 degrees. The pain is killing me and don’t get me started on the swelling. It’s as big as a golf ball. I maybe exaggerating on the size but what the heck, the painkiller is causing the hallucinations. Point is, I looked ugly. Funny too. It hurts a lot. Even yawning hurts. I’ve been living on instant noodles since then. Except yesterday when I tried on some pasta. It still hurts.

Before all that, my weekend was great.

Registered Kakak to CK. She was against the idea at first coz she wanted to go to another kindergarten with swimming pool. We managed to reason with her, so she’s okay with CK after that. After all, she’ll have a friend from TF going to CK as well, so at least there’s a familiar face. Both the teachers at CK and TF know each other – it made things easier for all of us.

Went to Sogo after that to get Kakak some school stuff. We bought shoes, bag and the whole thing. It was centuries ago when I had to wash my white school shoes every weekend. Now it’s my daughter’s turn! They grew up so fast! In a few weeks, she’ll be starting kindergarten! Sobs. I’m just glad that she’s really into going to KC and not afraid to explore and learn.

Adik on the other hand, was so excited to see Kakak goes to CK. He knows he’s younger than Kakak and he knows his turn will come next. He’s all excited and wanted a new bag as well. We bought him one so that he won’t feel left out.

Went to City Square’s Toys R Us for jigsaw puzzle and strawberry shortcake stuff. Adik can now do a 60 pieces puzzle so we wanted to see if he’s ready for the next level. Bought him 104 pieces of Mickey Mouse puzzle and he managed to pull it through! We’re so proud of him!

Kakak is now going ga-ga over Strawberry Shortcake stuff. Managed to find some SSC stuff but they are so overly priced. Browsed through Amazon.com for SSC stuff, which I found a lot and Kakak was jumping up and down with joy. I told her it’s USD10 per dvd and she immediately ran off to the kitchen, took a spoon and was literally making Deli dig her moneybox for ten bucks. I asked, what was the spoon for? She said, it’s to open her moneybox with. It was so cute! Heheh.

Urgh. The pain is back and I’m hungry. Not a good combination.

I hope everything’s gonna be okay so I don’t have to go for a surgery to remove the tooth.

Think I need to visit Anedra’s blog to get some pointers on how to deal with the pain!

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

It's Only Wednesday *sigh*

Okay. Somehow i can't seem to manipulate the entry dates. So here's the compilation.


Entry for Sunday, Dec 4th
Amoi and Giggsy have resigned last Tuesday. They were summoned by Jesse the CEO the next day and were shot from all angles. Unlucky Jesse coz he messed with the wrong people. Giggsy and Amoi defended themselves and threw him questions that he can’t even answer. Good going girls!

As if that wasn’t enough, the functional team was summoned to see Jesse at 5pm last Friday. The whole of functional team along with the directors, including the IT director but somehow, not the IT girls. Weird - but true.

To make it worse, I was wearing a Man U shirt to work! I didn’t wish to initiate small talk with Jesse – yuck!

The meeting was ugly. Jesse was screaming and yelling like a mad middle-aged, elite club soccer coach losing a game to a bunch of school kids. Not to mention the swearing and cursing. The air conditioning worked fine in the boardroom but my ears indicated otherwise. Everyone sat still. Nobody dared to move.

By the end of the meeting, a team member was kicked out of the project. I can’t put it any nicer coz that’s what happened. It was mean. We didn’t see it coming.

Plus, I ended up with the whole SGP document and had to do quality review for the weekend before Jesse decides on the fate of the team on Monday. This is not good.

Just hope that I still have a job by end of Monday.



Entry for Tuesday, Dec 6th

I was stuck in the lift this morning! It stopped at level 6 and refused to move. There were several people in there and am glad to say that nobody panicked. Well, maybe because we're only trapped for less than 10 minutes. Heheh.

Then again, it stopped at level 6. Is that a bad sign?

I hope not.

Yesterday's meeting went well. It was not as scary as the ‘corporate nightmares’ I had all weekend. Jesse was a bit relaxed and no unnecessary swearing or yelling was involved. That’s a change (unusual?). He was in the meeting for a good 15 minutes or so; I guess that didn’t give him enough time to say much.

So for the rest of the week, I’m supposed to review the amended document and be involved in the discussions. To tell the truth, my heart is no longer with the project. I dread the day when Amoi and Giggsy leave. I worry about the technical support. I worry about the team as a whole. I am the only one left from the initial team. I am the only one (left) who is supposed to know all but I am only one person, I can only remember so much. How do I survive being the only one to depend on? How do I survive without the IT girls? I shudder to think about all these.

I thought that I’m standing on a firmer ground – being the only one left, but I know I can’t do this alone. I just can't.

Payroll is not my cup of tea. It has never been.

Given all that had happened, I am not happy with the current arrangement.

Maybe it’s time to make a move.



Entry for Wednesday, Dec 7th

Belang was on half-day medical leave so I took over the discussion with the team. We spent the whole morning discussing and identifying items that needed further clarifications and so on. We even arranged a conference call with the client to settle things.

Things were moving, open items were closed and we have better understanding of the client’s processes.

Despite all those, despite all the initiatives and despite all the work that we have completed, we were accused of WASTING our time.

I don’t know what else to say.

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Sick

I’m sick. Not of anything but simply sick and unwell. My throat hurts. I have blocked nose. Minor coughing. Bones aching.

I’m sick.

Maybe this is nature’s way of telling me to slow down. Take a break.

I have not been sick for quite some time. Except for food poisoning coz I get that a lot.

Anyway, Amoi and Giggsy are leaving. They have THE letter ready. In an hour or two, their boss will be reading the letters and will be devastated. If only I could join them. *sigh*

I’ll have to figure out some ways to survive without the both of them next year. This is just sad.

I wish I could leave too.

Sobs.