Sunday, August 15, 2010
Leniency
Sometimes I think I'm too lenient on people.
And once my patience wear out I would seem like a devil, when in the first place, if I didn't have that leniency, I wouldn't have all these problems.
And I don't get praise for the leniency and help I offer people, yet get all the criticisms when my patience run out and I complain.
I hate to sound like the person I don't aspire to be, but it really sucks to be taken for granted.
It sucks when people don't appreciate your good, and only know how to criticise your bad when your good runs out.
Maybe being an asshole will make me live happier.
To him, to you, and to everyone else.
(And why do I burn my pocket time after time to solve your irresponsibility, making me taking longer to clear my school debt, and saving less money. Others have __________ who give/lend money for them to travel, and now I can't even save up on my own to do it with all these drags. And why do I work so damn hard in school despite the troubles I have, to earn more every month, only to be able to spend/save less due to you again? Maybe I'm just too traditional, just too nice. And people whom I love, very sadly, take advantage of it. Good guys come last, it's just true)
lowtide blogged @
11:57 pm
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Something random
Yeah 2nd payday came! Hope to save more this month, have been spending too much after the last pay! Need to clear the study loan ASAP man, after that I then can slowly slowly save for my overseas trips. Too slow, too slow! Getting impatient.
Seeing George Yeo's facebook page is quite cool. He documents the various (very ulu) places he travels to, as part of his job as Foreign Minister. And random stuff like great views of NDP from his seat, his neighbourhood meet-the-people sessions, and taking photo with Jay Chou at the backstage of his concert!! Very smart move in my opinion, giving himself a personal touch while 'showing' people that he's doing his work. Why smart? His seat in Aljunied GRC is the most threatened amongst all the constituencies, and he's already started his vote-getting campaign in a very subtle way.
Kinda inspired me to chart my totally insignificant (compared to him) career in pictures. Helps me keep track of what I've done and what I'm gonna do, and a sense of journey rather than mundane slogging.
Alright, YOG opening ceremony laters! I'm not sure if I'm the outlier, but I'm extremely proud that my country is hosting this inaugural event. In an age where cynicism is seen to be cool, I chose to be immensed in it all. This is especially help by the fact I pass by the Toa Payoh swimming pool and sports hall every week for my run, and the bridge there every day where the YOG flags line along.
I was there at the Padang when the IOC president announced the result, and it was indeed a proud moment to savour. We might be small, cold, and madly efficient, but we always manage to pull off stunts like this. F1, YOG etc. The world might not really care, the attendance might be really crap, but well, at least we did achieve something by winning the right to host it.
This event might not be big now, but I believe it will be in the future. People will perhaps care about this event only after decades, but at least in every trivial quiz in the future, people will remember us as the first country to host it, much like we remember how the first country to host the Fifa World Cup to be Uruguay. The World Cup wasn't that big then too right?
Anyway, much like running a marathon, I'm pacing myself bit by bit in this long journey called the working life. Trying to enjoy the breathlessness of running, mentally slowing down and taking breaks from time to time, so that the run can continue. It's no point complaining how far the journey will be, as it will definitely arrive. Might as well be positive about it.
Ok so far so good, I hope to have a great time tonight at the floating platform!! :)
lowtide blogged @
3:14 pm
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Happy 45th National Day
I've been at the Esplanade open-air free concert for the past 2 nights.
It is to celebrate National Day this year, and it featured Singaporean bands from the 1960s, performing their own songs and songs famous from that era, e.g. by the Bee Gees.
It was certainly a nostalgic affair, hearing them perform some songs I've never heard of, talking about bands' and artistes' names I've never heard of either.
The 'boy bands', 'rock bands' are now 40-60 years old uncles and aunties, looks totally unfashionable and normal like the ones we see everyday. Even from the way they talked.
However when the music played and the voices came, the musical talent just transformed the whole atmosphere.
Amongst the crowd were similiarly-aged uncles and aunties, who clapped happily to the tunes, and nodded furiously whenever a familiar and nostalgic sounding name was called out.
They were reminising about the 1960s, aka 'the good old days' in their terms, when passion is what they followed, and the world a much simpler place.
It is so evident in the lyrics of those times, comparing love to moons, flowers, days and nights, rather than the dunno-whats nowadays.
There was just this sense of nostalgia around the place, seeing the uncles and aunties, both on stage and off stage, enjoying the times, as wonderfully hosted and guided by the local media veteran and legend who is Brian Richmond.
There was something very authentic, very Singaporean about the whole atmosphere. Talking about the old buses, old places, old music companies that ceased to exist. In perfect Singaporean accent. Every band a perfect imitation of the Elvis, Bee Gees era. Chinese singing Malay folk songs, cracking jokes using Malay phrases.
There was no sense of divide - races, religion, what? There was just a common feel, the sense of togetherness in living through that era, in Singapore.
To me, this is the real Singapore. The good old days where we had ample time in a stable population to build our own identity. Speak our own language. Have our own accents. Make our own music.
This kind of natural racial harmony, the sense of growing up together, the sense of commonhood. Nothing that the state can engineer. It just comes naturally, from the bottoms-up.
It's a pity that we don't have that feeling in our country anymore.
Thank you Esplanade for organising this concert.
And grateful to my luck I managed to catch it.
From here, I've found back the real Singapore.
The Singapore I want to serve, the Singapore I want to fight hard to preserve, and the Singapore I want to be proud of.
Happy National Day :)
lowtide blogged @
11:57 pm
Thursday, August 05, 2010
1 month at work
I won't say it feels fast, but quite suddenly I'm already 1 month at my workplace.
Well, I am kinda used to the routine already, the "early" sleeps, the early wakeups, long sleeves, 5 days work + 2 days rest.
Of course, all these under the big idea that I still think (the need to) work sucks. I'm just making the best out of the limited situation, rather than hoping the best situation will suit the limited me.
To repeat, YES THE IDEA OF WORKING STILL SUCKS.
However, I'm grateful for the work I'm doing:
1. No overbearing workload - there are things to be done, but all under my control
2. Great colleagues - they are helpful, and very willing to answer my many many (sometimes totally critical or dumb) questions
3. I am able to sit in many different kinds of meetings discussing very different things, learning a lot of real estate terms I've never ever heard or seen
4. Good seat - Even though everybody can see what I'm doing, I can see what's everyone doing too. I totally love it when the staff behind me talk about things totally irrelevant to work - e.g. about kids, food, travel places, and tv shows they watch. LOL
5. The ability to travel around. My buddy is a great guy, has a car, brings me around places and meet new people, and is willing to teach me stuff and explain to me patiently
6. Encouraging superiors -always smiling, and giving us a free hand to do things, as long as we can substantiate the reasons for doing what we want to do
7. Praised for a (IMO B+ standard only) paper which I did. No tangible benefits but ka ki song.
8. Drafted a 'big shot' letter even though it's quite simple
9. Being able (hopefully) to see the places transform after our efforts
10. Being able to see neighbours having a good time, bonding together at our events. Sounds cheesy, but I beam with pride when the host says "This fun night is organised by ...."
11. Having an exercise culture at this place, hence reminding and encouraging me to run at least once per week, with my convenient locker and shower rooms
Under the premise that one HAS to work to survive, this is really a great place for me.
But of course, somewhere deep down of me still hope to utilise the economics knowledge I've worked so hard accumulating. Yet after the rape of year 4 and thesis, I'm not so sure anymore.
I'm like a blank sheet of paper now, absorbing terms like a freshie in university.. not sure how studying economics in NUS helped me in my work, except that ability to write clearly.
So far so good, I'll keep being grateful, try to be friendly to everyone, be humble.
And...
2nd payday in exactly a week! WOOOOOOTS!!!!
lowtide blogged @
11:34 pm
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Inception
If I could go deep into people's subconscious and remove the 'escape from reality' thought, I would.
lowtide blogged @
12:37 am
