The figures have finally spoken. I finally realized - with a certain amount of dread - the impact of the $200 reduction in my pay. Yes, we received our first reduced pay last week.
After setting aside a huge chunk of my salary for savings, family allowance, CPF loan, insurance and handphone bills, I have about $650 left for my daily needs. $650! That's like a few hundred lesser than what I estimated initially ($800). This sum includes transport, food, the occasional presents, going-out costs, entertainment, etc etc. How am I to survive on $650?!
It really is quite difficult to go back to the days when I was a frugal student who could survive on $0.70 sandwiches for the whole day. Especially when I've gotten used to being able to buy whatever I liked or fancied. :( So no more shopping for me, I have to cut down on eating out (I'm going to order the cheapest item on the menu from now on) and I MUST NOT SPEND MY OFF-DAYS GALLIVANTING OUTSIDE! (Gallivanting = spending more $$$$)
SIGH I FEEL SO POOR NOW. :( I so need my bonus.
Back from Bintan after a brief weekend sojourn. I almost melted there! HOT HOT HOT.
The Bee Sting swelled again, I'm not sure what triggered it. We had a bit of a run-in with the staff at Nirwana Gardens (but in all honesty it was our fault), I did a back massage (it was painful!) and some hair spa (my hair feels the same) and oh, my camera decided to break down. Quite an eventful short break, I must say.
Now half my long weekend is over. I still have a ton of things to do, like get a haircut, for instance.
The Bee Sting swelled again, I'm not sure what triggered it. We had a bit of a run-in with the staff at Nirwana Gardens (but in all honesty it was our fault), I did a back massage (it was painful!) and some hair spa (my hair feels the same) and oh, my camera decided to break down. Quite an eventful short break, I must say.
Now half my long weekend is over. I still have a ton of things to do, like get a haircut, for instance.
Haha, I just finished watching The Amazing Race and it was really amusing watching Tammy and Victor communicate in smatterings of Mandarin LOL. Like, "you have to communicate with the birds... in Chinese." And they really spoke to them in Chinese! Haha.
I think the Kisha/Jen & Margie/Luke conflict was really blown out of proportion! I kind of got bored watching them bitch about each other every other scene.
Shall end off with a Victor quote: "如果我们不赢的话, 爸爸妈妈会哭死的."
I think the Kisha/Jen & Margie/Luke conflict was really blown out of proportion! I kind of got bored watching them bitch about each other every other scene.
Shall end off with a Victor quote: "如果我们不赢的话, 爸爸妈妈会哭死的."
Today is another bloody hot day! I didn't do much in the afternoon except roll around the living room floor reading the papers, and it was still so uncomfortably hot with no breeze at all! Even the cool marble slabs don't feel cool after a while. When I went for a jog, I felt like I was radiating heat! I feel like locking myself in the fridge!
Yesterday too, when I stepped out of Orchard MRT station I felt a heat wave slam into me. I've always thought of April as one of the hottest months in the year, more so than June. At least I'll be back in the air-conditioned comforts of the office tomorrow... work is hardly appealing, but at least there's air-con.
Anyway updates on the Bee Sting - it's still a little red but it's terribly itchy at times. How long does a bee sting take to heal anyway?!
Yesterday too, when I stepped out of Orchard MRT station I felt a heat wave slam into me. I've always thought of April as one of the hottest months in the year, more so than June. At least I'll be back in the air-conditioned comforts of the office tomorrow... work is hardly appealing, but at least there's air-con.
Anyway updates on the Bee Sting - it's still a little red but it's terribly itchy at times. How long does a bee sting take to heal anyway?!
Jumping on the twittering bandwagon! I don't think there is much difference between blogging and twittering, except that twittering limits my rambles to 140 characters. I also once upon many moons ago dabbled with a "phlog", which also allowed for short updates from mobile phones. My phlog, sadly, died a rather unknown death. Still, I will try and make use of that twittering thing. It might come in useful! Like when I want to say, TODAY IS A BLOODY HOT DAY! (It is.)
But I think age is creeping in. I used to think I was quite tech savvy but I am having a bit of a hard time figuring out Twitter! What's all this "@username" things! At least I figured out how to send a tweet from my mobile. Accomplishment huh!
But I think age is creeping in. I used to think I was quite tech savvy but I am having a bit of a hard time figuring out Twitter! What's all this "@username" things! At least I figured out how to send a tweet from my mobile. Accomplishment huh!
I've been spotting the Wonder Girls and Nobody on Facebook recently, all posted by people whom I don't think are K-pop junkies. Korean pop is making it's way into Singapore! Or so I would like to falsely hope.
Thanks to that infectious song and their snazzy dance moves, JYP's doing quite a good job if people over here are starting to notice them. Then maybe those decision makers will realize that there are actually fans of K-pop in this tiny island! And they will bring in more Korean pop acts! :)
Thanks to that infectious song and their snazzy dance moves, JYP's doing quite a good job if people over here are starting to notice them. Then maybe those decision makers will realize that there are actually fans of K-pop in this tiny island! And they will bring in more Korean pop acts! :)
Got stung by a bee today! Because I've never had any experience with bee stings, I didn't even realize that it was a bee sting. I thought it was just a nasty piece of wood stuck in my flesh from a random falling tree branch.
Anyway my left index finger is a little swollen at the joint so I can't flex it too much. And YAY because it's Friday night! Friday nights are awesomeness. :)
Anyway my left index finger is a little swollen at the joint so I can't flex it too much. And YAY because it's Friday night! Friday nights are awesomeness. :)
Boss had to take many days of medical leave over the past 2 - 3 weeks because of her health, and naturally I ended up doing the bulk of her work.
So surprise surprise, today she returned back to work and offered me a curry puff, as way of thanking me for helping her do all her work during her absence. Being a socially inept species, I managed to stutter a thanks and wanted to say something along the lines of "不用客气", but suddenly couldn't recall what's the English equivalent of "客气". I ended up saying "You don't have to be so polite." HAHA. *head bang*
Maybe I should have said something along the lines of, "No problem, I'm paid to do all this nonsense anyway. Don't give me a curry puff, give me an increment!" Or maybe, "Boss, I am always very willing to do extra work." -__-" But something has been bugging me the whole day, and that is, for the life of me, I can't think of an English equivalent for "客气"!
Anyway it has just been another busy (and sometimes frustrating) at work especially when the systems are not in place and we are stuck in limbo. STUCK STUCK STUCK. There is this person at work whose sole purpose in life seems to be to annoy and aggravate me. Microsoft Word cannot print properly also my problem, daily newspaper not there also my problem, claim cannot submit also my problem. Contrary to popular belief, I am actually a very busy person so please go and stuff your face in the toilet bowl. It's a good thing I am kind, patient and tolerant. *sharpens claws*
Seriously, I swear that people are just getting stupider and stupider, lazier and lazier, because they always think there will be someone there to spoonfeed them with info, provide them with answers and solve their problems. Please bloody take ownership of your own work and your own problems.
OH, WOE IS THE LIFE OF A KAH KIA.
So surprise surprise, today she returned back to work and offered me a curry puff, as way of thanking me for helping her do all her work during her absence. Being a socially inept species, I managed to stutter a thanks and wanted to say something along the lines of "不用客气", but suddenly couldn't recall what's the English equivalent of "客气". I ended up saying "You don't have to be so polite." HAHA. *head bang*
Maybe I should have said something along the lines of, "No problem, I'm paid to do all this nonsense anyway. Don't give me a curry puff, give me an increment!" Or maybe, "Boss, I am always very willing to do extra work." -__-" But something has been bugging me the whole day, and that is, for the life of me, I can't think of an English equivalent for "客气"!
Anyway it has just been another busy (and sometimes frustrating) at work especially when the systems are not in place and we are stuck in limbo. STUCK STUCK STUCK. There is this person at work whose sole purpose in life seems to be to annoy and aggravate me. Microsoft Word cannot print properly also my problem, daily newspaper not there also my problem, claim cannot submit also my problem. Contrary to popular belief, I am actually a very busy person so please go and stuff your face in the toilet bowl. It's a good thing I am kind, patient and tolerant. *sharpens claws*
Seriously, I swear that people are just getting stupider and stupider, lazier and lazier, because they always think there will be someone there to spoonfeed them with info, provide them with answers and solve their problems. Please bloody take ownership of your own work and your own problems.
OH, WOE IS THE LIFE OF A KAH KIA.
My long weekend is over! :(
But I had a good long weekend meeting up with people, indulging in some retail therapy (Uniqlo and Tampines 1 were superrrr crowded, Iluma on the other hand was only half-filled), and in the spirit of cultivating my arty self, I watched Cats today. Meow.
I was plagued by the Z monster for the first half of the show, but the second half was not bad. Music and singing was good! Interaction was in the form of having the "cats" prowl around in the aisles, garnering squeals and amused looks from the audience.
All that's left after the weekend is an emptier bank account and lesser time for myself! Where do my weekends go to!
This coming week is a 5-day work week. :(
From the Boys Over Flowers OST - 알고 있나요 (Do You Know) by Someday.
This is one of my current favourite songs! The harmonization overpowers the melody sometimes but I am still in awe.
But I had a good long weekend meeting up with people, indulging in some retail therapy (Uniqlo and Tampines 1 were superrrr crowded, Iluma on the other hand was only half-filled), and in the spirit of cultivating my arty self, I watched Cats today. Meow.
I was plagued by the Z monster for the first half of the show, but the second half was not bad. Music and singing was good! Interaction was in the form of having the "cats" prowl around in the aisles, garnering squeals and amused looks from the audience.
All that's left after the weekend is an emptier bank account and lesser time for myself! Where do my weekends go to!
This coming week is a 5-day work week. :(
From the Boys Over Flowers OST - 알고 있나요 (Do You Know) by Someday.
This is one of my current favourite songs! The harmonization overpowers the melody sometimes but I am still in awe.
Short work week this week, and we had our first (unpaid) Day Off today...
But sometimes having a short work week isn't all that spiffy, because we all have to rush rush rush to meet deadlines. Everything is Urgent! Payment is Urgent! They're changing systems! We are all confused! They are traveling next week! They need approval for this! They need the deposit in! They demand their money! The higher up (a) wants to print this! The higher up (b) wants the key to his new office! The higher up (c) wants his presentation! The whole world is calling me! Stop calling me! Everyone is asking me questions! Stop asking me! My table is a mess! And I am an octopus with 10 tentacles!
I have been so swamped the whole week, and the whole of last week, and the week before that, and come to think of it, maybe the week before that too! I'm just busy doing different nitty-gritties and getting pulled in all directions!
And I have a presentation to complete at home. :( But I am really lazy to do any work outside of the office. :(
But sometimes having a short work week isn't all that spiffy, because we all have to rush rush rush to meet deadlines. Everything is Urgent! Payment is Urgent! They're changing systems! We are all confused! They are traveling next week! They need approval for this! They need the deposit in! They demand their money! The higher up (a) wants to print this! The higher up (b) wants the key to his new office! The higher up (c) wants his presentation! The whole world is calling me! Stop calling me! Everyone is asking me questions! Stop asking me! My table is a mess! And I am an octopus with 10 tentacles!
I have been so swamped the whole week, and the whole of last week, and the week before that, and come to think of it, maybe the week before that too! I'm just busy doing different nitty-gritties and getting pulled in all directions!
And I have a presentation to complete at home. :( But I am really lazy to do any work outside of the office. :(
On Tuesday, my boss called me into her room for my inaugural performance appraisal. This has got to be the shortest appraisal ever (not that I have had any prior appraisal experience). It lasted for all of... 1 minute?! Actually, I think that's an exaggeration. I think the actual time taken to review my performance for the whole year was around 1 minute and 30 seconds.
But surprise, I received a good appraisal. While I may complain a lot about my boss, at least she gives credit when credit is due in the form of emails stating "thanks for the effort" and "your notes are generally well-written". Finally! Some form of recognition! Good that she recognizes qualityshit work. (And it helps that the requirements of my job doesn't exactly challenge my limits much.)
I've had a really busy March thanks to the FY ending and all the new changes that the Higher Ups are trying to implement. Higher Ups love to take a system that's functioning well and tweak it to achieve... whatever it is that they want to achieve. Who suffers?! Us back-end users! We have to relearn everything, re-think workflow processes, disseminate instructions, make sure that the info filters down... etc etc. Very bo eng leh!
PLUS. I am now acting as a temporary secretary to 2 Higher Ups, on top of my duties of doing shit work and managing a 2nd Class Higher Up's calendar. I hate being a secretary. Good thing my boss is on MC these few days, if not I really won't have the time to entertain the Higher Ups and my boss's demands.
I heard that my ex-colleague, who left 2 weeks after I joined The Hill, came back again! She quit after working at The Hill for 27 years and in that short 2 weeks before she left, she tried to impart whatever knowledge she has to me. She's a lovely lady, but I do wonder why she's back, especially when we're all facing a pay cut. Is the grass on The Hill that fragrant?
But surprise, I received a good appraisal. While I may complain a lot about my boss, at least she gives credit when credit is due in the form of emails stating "thanks for the effort" and "your notes are generally well-written". Finally! Some form of recognition! Good that she recognizes quality
I've had a really busy March thanks to the FY ending and all the new changes that the Higher Ups are trying to implement. Higher Ups love to take a system that's functioning well and tweak it to achieve... whatever it is that they want to achieve. Who suffers?! Us back-end users! We have to relearn everything, re-think workflow processes, disseminate instructions, make sure that the info filters down... etc etc. Very bo eng leh!
PLUS. I am now acting as a temporary secretary to 2 Higher Ups, on top of my duties of doing shit work and managing a 2nd Class Higher Up's calendar. I hate being a secretary. Good thing my boss is on MC these few days, if not I really won't have the time to entertain the Higher Ups and my boss's demands.
I heard that my ex-colleague, who left 2 weeks after I joined The Hill, came back again! She quit after working at The Hill for 27 years and in that short 2 weeks before she left, she tried to impart whatever knowledge she has to me. She's a lovely lady, but I do wonder why she's back, especially when we're all facing a pay cut. Is the grass on The Hill that fragrant?
- Follow me on Twitter!
- "Join Us on Facebook!
- RSS
Contact