Saturday, April 30, 2011 3:02:12 PM
I've finally moved on from the public to the private sector after quitting my previous job and joining a pharmaceutical MNC, albeit only as a contract staff.
So far, the experience has been fairly good.
For starters, my work location has changed from the outskirts of town to the heart of town itself, at an office complex which houses the local headquarters of many major pharmaceutical MNCs. Working in town makes me feel a lot more alive, and though I'm not fond of humanity in general, I need to be be in an area where there's activity. That my work location offers good food and shopping is a big bonus, especially now that I generally knock about 1 hour earlier than before.
The learning curve is steep, but thanks to intensive support by my colleagues, I have been able to make do, and am now a functioning member of the team. However, there is much to learn as the HR structure is currently a sprawling mess of several systems thanks to a merger with a rival a couple of years ago. Unification work is in progress but there is much pain in the transition process, which all feels way too slow even though it is understandable due to its size.
In terms of work culture, colleagues are generally friendly to one another, despite the presence of factions. My department offers HR and system support to Asia-Pacific countries, so my immediate colleagues hail from Japan, China, Malaysia and even Korea. It is natural that those who speak a common language will gather, thus creating cliques that are relatively difficult for others to meld into because of the language barrier.
More to come
Monday, April 18, 2011 12:40:33 PM
I've been away for a really long while.
January was a hectic month trying to clean up whatever outstanding work I had left in "Egypt".
February was another hectic month trying to get my bearings at work.
March was particularly frustrating and demoralizing as I struggled at work.
Finally, April is the time when I get accustomed to my work sufficiently to float. And I can now find time to blog once more. So many things happened these few months, I'm at a loss as to where to begin.
More updates later. Virtual donuts and coffee may be served.
Monday, December 20, 2010 4:03:27 PM
I am finally leaving "Egypt" for good.
Not the country, but my workplace. My friends and I have nicknamed my workplace "Egypt" as a reference to the Egypt in the Bible where the Israelites fled from as written in the Book of Exodus. My last day at work is 31 Jan 2011.
In so doing, I lose up to $14,000 worth of bonuses, but I have no regrets. Since it has become all too clear that there is absolutely no future to be had there, every month spent there is a month wasted. I can earn $14,000 elsewhere, but I cannot earn 3 months. Management had thought to use the bonus to dissuade me from leaving so soon, and it would have been effective on most people.
I just happen to be an exception.
Besides the money, I was "encouraged" to try for a Assistant Manager position, though prior to this I had already learned that Management had deemed no one in my division worthy of the post, and it is a very lowly post anyway. I was also told that if I left in Jan 2011, my irresponsible subordinate would have her contract renewed, but if I could leave in Apr 2011, Management would immediately inform her that her time is up. My manager, whom I am fond of working with, is also due for a new posting in Jan 2011 and I know she has been wanting to leave. If I left in Jan 2011, her posting would be delayed for several months, but if I could leave in Apr 2011, she could be released immediately.
None of the above swayed me.
If I could stay till Apr 2010, then I could stay till Jul 2010 for a mid-year bonus, and I could also stay for the end-of-year bonus in Dec 2010. The process would repeat itself, I would look mercenary, and would get nowhere. The Assistant Manager post was too low to be worth my time and I would not try for the post knowing that Management had already deemed me unsuitable. Besides, if Management was sincere, they would have asked me earlier. I felt that the emotional blackmail pertaining to my subordinate and manager particularly underhanded. My decision should be based on career considerations and not because I wish to spite my subordinate or feel guilt towards my manager.
I would have none of this, so I insisted on leaving on schedule. I feel a little sorry for losing the bonus and wonder if I should stay on just a little longer for the bonus and to take home a high salary for a few more months. But I believe that my time is up and I need to go, and even though it is tempting to stay, career is more important than money. Like the Israelites in Exodus, I struggle not to look back at the land of plenty even as I move into a figurative desert. I would like to think that I would be moving on to the proverbial land of milk and honey, a new workplace that allows me to develop my career to the fullest, with material rewards to match.
So long, Egypt. May we not meet again.
Monday, December 20, 2010 2:47:17 PM
I just came back from a 15-day trip to New Zealand.
It was a wonderful experience in all. There were breathtaking sceneries, friendly guides, exciting attractions, and even the food was acceptable. Though I spent more than $7,000 on the trip, it was worth every cent. Especially considering that I was quitting my current job, it was a much-needed rest before the imminent job search.
Pictures and commentaries coming soon.
Friday, November 12, 2010 1:28:49 PM
So Obama's party got crushed during the midterms, or "shellacking" as he puts it.
A loss of 60++ seats in the House is huge by any measure, and even though the Democrats held on to the Senate, they still got their majority heavily trimmed and a major reason was because the Tea Party, in its misguided pursuit for ideological purity, nominated controversial demagogues who won primaries because they "sounded" more conservative. The Democrats suffered serious setbacks in gubernatorial races and were basically wiped out in state legislatures, which could weaken them during the imminent redistricting to come.
Still, it seems Obama doesn't get it, having insisted that his party's defeat was due to miscommunication by his team to the public on the virtues of his policies. And that comes from an alleged "Great Communicator", a "Unifier of Red and Blue America", and a "sort of God" who causes "tingles to run up on legs". Of course, anyone with the above epithets would crash and burn in elections if they tried to divide one race against another, pass unpopular policies against public opposition, and insulted the voters they are trying to appeal to. Duh!
A person with eyes that grow on top of his head cannot see what there is ahead of him. Neither can he see himself easily unless he bends double. Seen any such people recently?
Monday, November 1, 2010 3:32:26 PM
I just came back from a hell of sorts.
I moved house, set up my new room, prepared for an army exercise, fell sick often, and dealt with several crises at work. In ways more than one, I felt more zombie than human, and if human, more a dead man walking than not. Fortunately, I survived the worst (or so I think... I hope...), and here I am again.
In ancient Chinese mythology, various spirits arising from animals or inanimate objects aspire to be human. They absorb celestial energies, practise powerful magicks, invoke arcane rituals and so on for thousands of years before they become human, after which they lose their former identities and enter the endless cycle of life, death and rebirth. Then, if they retain the goals of their former existences, they will continue to do what they used to do in order to become celestials, after which they leave the aforementioned cycle to exist in enlightenment.
Seriously, I mean SERIOUSLY, is this still applicable today, even if true?
Although technology has advanced so greatly, we do not appear to lead happier lives. We are caught in the rat race, cutthroat office politics, unending piles of work, economic uncertainties, relationship upheavals... Even the fetters of daily life are a drag. If the Quality of Life survey could have been conducted years ago, I will hedge my bets on whether life now is superior than before.
If fantasy folklore and real-world mythology are true, I will choose to be a lich. I am more than happy to exchange my mortal life for acquisition of knowledge and power.
Ancient Chinese spirits of old, I call upon you. Do you want a trade?
Friday, September 10, 2010 2:17:51 PM
I'm a coffeehouse soft of person - as in, I love hanging around in cafés and coffeehouses, sipping tea (I dislike coffee) and while away reading books, surfing the Internet, listening to music or playing computer games. In fact, I'm writing this blog entry at a Starbucks outlets sipping my favorite jasmine orange green tea. In fast-paced Singapore, I can find no better way to unwind my body and rejuvenate my mind at my convenience for cheap.
Currently, there are two major coffeehouse chains in Singapore - Starbucks and Coffee Bean. I usually prefer Starbucks, as I feel that the Starbucks ambience is cheerier, the staff are friendlier, the drinks and desserts taste better, and it's quite a bit cheaper as well. Sadly, Starbucks also appear to be more popular amongst the locals, perhaps for the same reasons. So getting a seat, especially one with a power point for my laptop, is usually quite hard.
However, regardless of how good the local coffeehouses are, what I'd like to do is to visit a large foreign city and spend time at the coffeehouses there. I've always liked those open air coffeehouses where patrons can sit at the sides of walkways, sip their drinks, chat with friends, and watch the people go by. Some of my best inspirations and insights come to me when I was contemplating over a drink at a café, and I think I could do better in one of these places.
After my New Zealand trip at the end of this year, I'll save up money to visit one of those cities with rich history and cultural heritage, and enjoy an idyllic afternoon or two at a decent coffeehouse there.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 6:08:39 PM
Today is Teachers' Day in Singapore.
Not that I'm very fond of teachers in general, for reasons that I shall decline to elaborate here. Suffice to say, most teachers I encounter are outstandingly bland, insatiably greedy, or impossibly repulsive. But amongst the many teachers I've had, there were a few that stood out. They left deep impressions on me not so much because of their teaching (I've long returned what I studied), but because of their exemplary character, their forgiveness to me when I did wrong, and their care and concern for their students.
I have left school for many years, but I know that at least a few of them are still teaching today. Here, I would like to dedicate my thanks to the following teachers: Ms Sim, Mr Chong, Mrs Goh, Mrs Tan and Mrs Albar. Although I haven't lived out my potential and became a high-flier like most of my classmates on government scholarships, I haven't become a burden on society and I'm proud to earn my keep with my own labor. I have retained little of what you taught, but you have shown me how I should live.
No matter where you are, no matter what you do now, thank you. Happy Teachers' Day.
Saturday, August 28, 2010 1:42:49 PM
I think most of us are afraid of getting old.
With age, looks fade, faculties weaken, and we are wracked with all sorts of ailments and diseases. Many will die in pain from one malady or another, and to add insult to injury, what financial resources we have hoarded by slogging throughout our lives would be spent on going in and out of hospitals, being operated on, enter convalescence, and more, yet nothing will stop the ravages of age and the death that eventually sets in.
No wonder that people choose to devote time and resources to delaying the effects of age. There is no stopping it, but it might be delayed as long as possible given current knowledge and technology. From tonics to cosmetics, there is a huge assortment of products out there that purport to serve this function. It might easily be one of the biggest industries out there. Just the array of cosmetics alone is nothing short of staggering.
I would surmise that looks are the most important thing that most of us would try to preserve as we age. What goes on inside our bodies are typically unseen, and what cannot be seen is often left unattended. But fading looks are the most arresting sign of aging. Especially when life expectancies have increased greatly throughout the centuries, if people do not start preserving their looks... we will become prunes for quite a few decades! And who would like that?
Fortunately, we have cosmetics, tonics, botox and surgeries that help us in this losing fight. Sadly, although they are diverse in their mechanisms, they share one thing in common, and it is the prohibitively high cost. The rich and powerful have all the financial resources to enjoy these, but the rest of us will have to get by with whatever we can scrimp. Looks may not pay, but we surely must pay for looks.
I should start setting aside some money for investments in age-defying stunts that are surely needed down the road.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010 6:15:30 AM
According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, apathy is defined as "lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern". In the modern world where action, activism and involvement in various noble causes are often regarded as good things, especially by those who believe some action is better than no action at all. Ergo, apathy is considered a bad thing.
But what is so bad about apathy?
Apathy allows one to view things from a disinterested perspective, and the lack of personal involvement can actually be beneficial as it helps one contemplate matters neutrally and clearly, unadulterated by emotions and personal interests. It's a little unnatural as humans are emotional beings, but what is setting emotions aside for times when sobriety is called for?
No, if I could choose, I'd take apathy as a default mode, and apply emotions when needed. It goes against the flow, but why not?
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