BKK Here I Come......

Hi All, its been some time that I went MIA. Haven't had much energy to blog these days but I'm flying to BKK (Thailand) next week for the first time so Im just looking forward to that. I know it sounds quite weird, why get excited over Bangkok and stuff, everyone is asking me, even my Thai colleagues and friends just said "oh , its just another city, its just another city with bad traffic jams, what's so special abt it ? ". Well, to me travelling is about exploring the city's culture, especially the people and the food that makes the trip special. Its not about the shopping, the sightseeing and what not. Everyone seems to connect BKK with shopping (Chatuchuck mkt, Siem Sq..etc) but for me I would love to seek out the shops in the alleys selling antiques, silk or something Thai-ish. 

Its going to be the end of 2007 soon, Im happy so far that I made some slight changes in my life, especially my career. I really did enjoy life for the first time with nothing to study over the weekends, no exams nor projects to worry about. Its such a relief. Im beginning to enjoy working, making the $$$ and spending it, that's life I figured and all that studying in college was worth it.  

Time and Tide waits for no man......

I hope everyone got some R&R over the weekend. Seems that my higher - paid job is zapping the energy out of me.  Feeling sluggish, unproductive and lazy now. It seems that my only goal every Saturday is to find time to slack, lie on my bed and simply do nothing. That's how I recharge, and its a very good way to increase my savings account.

This week and next week will be hectic, Thursday afternoon was bright and cheery, me the newbie buying tea for everybody on the desk. The others were either reading magzs, reading gossip columns etc. Thursday, was Singapore's national holiday, its a drag for me to come to work when most of my friends were on a break. Anyway, we tried to make the work place as relax as possible by dressing in flip-flops and stuff.

To my surprise it was 5pm when the London market started moving and it caught my attention that the boys on the USD desk started to get real busy. I thought to myself...*something must be going wrong*, the USD desk has been quiet for the last 5 hrs, why now, when all of us are knocking off work. On furthur probe, we found out that worries are looming over the sub-prime mkt,credit problems with some of the banks. So, that started my Friday, everyone got busy especially my co-workers in Korea, and I think next week will be my turn.

Also, I read my gal-friend's blog about her life. Her stress at work, at home and with the boyfriend. Looks like we busy working women have very little time for ourselves. I told Ben that some days I just feel like spending time with myself after a busy work week. Then again, I do feel guilty somehow not spending enough time with my family and the bf. School is starting for the bf next week, which means alot on MSN, phone calls and smses. Its not something we like but its part and parcel of coping with a hectic schedule. The fact is its hard to find time to date when there are another 10 things on your to-do list every weekend.

Life as it is..... slog slog slog

Its been another tiring week at work, as all of you working folks out there, you understand my pain. To deal with the stress from the job, colleagues, bosses etc. Its only 8 days at work but every day is a challenge, every day is a test of my ability. Yeah, tell me about it, somehow this job is just 5x more stressful then my previous job, its demanding and it gets you down and depress on certain days. I was talking to my fellow Thai colleague about our job woes and she told me that since we are young, it doesn't matter to get all the shit because we will take home an experience.

Apparently talking to short fuse traders go like this...

Me: Gd mrng

Party A: What mrng, can't you see Im F@#$ busy right now

Party B: Not interested in talking.....

So, Im sure after this job, Im able to tackle complain clients, people with a short temper etc. Seriously, its not an easy job, so perhaps I should try teaching? Screaming my lungs off with 40 kids is no easy feat either.

Apart from job challenge, its the challenge on life, to acquire that work-life balance. Some people are great in their careers but have relationship woes, family problems etc. I hope I will achieve a balance in life, finding the right spouse and not get a divorce etc.

Wonder how's everyone doing in Aussie? Steph is busy with med school, Ben and his family is helping his sister to settle down and be ready for college in Perth. Some of my other colleagues are posted to HK and London for work..... 6 mths down, I hope to see some interesting events coming into my life too.

 Steph's Farewell Party

Friday was a day of tears of joy for Steph. She's finally going to Australia to pursue her passion, her dreams of becoming a doctor. Somehow since the day I knew her, she is a person with lotsa dreams and I thought to myself, that's what a young person should be like,to have an ambition and dreams. I'm happy that she took this huge step to go into medical school after her completion of a undergrad degree in life sciences. July seems to be a month seeing many of my friends coming and going, I too am taking a step forward to think abt my life and search for that dream, that ambition.

Short term goal wise would be to find a job/career I truly enjoy (this is a very difficult task because the things I like to do might not be able to generate the same income Im getting right now). I know for Steph, its really not about the $$ that she is carving out a career in medicine. But Im not sure for the many grads out there like me soon facing a quarter-life crisis to balance "dreams vs reality". This quarter -life crisis is a hot topic among my friends, how to manage ur finances, to save or invest, to make sure you are debt free, to spend within your means.....frankly after close to 2 yrs of working, Im still struggling on this bit in life.

Good news too, Ben's sister might be flying off to study in Australia this year. I hope she gets a reply from a school she likes and take on that challenge. I would say living abroad on your own is no easy feat for a young girl but I survived and enjoyed my experience abroad... away from home, learning to be independent. This year is an interesting one seeing people around me taking on new challenges.

                           Left: Shan, Jacq, Me, Steph. Also, thks Dwi for lending ur house for the party

Resoultions... 2nd Half of 2007

Time flies, I'm starting on my new job next Friday. Just when I got the groove back into slacking at home, having so much free time to relax and do nothing, I was reminded of starting my new job next Friday. That means waking up at 7am doing the normal routine e.g. come home late -> have dinner -> watch some telly -> sleep.  I might have to live with this mundane work routine for a couple of years or should I say get use to it.  Wake up people!! time to start planning for retirement when the govt just raise the retirement age of work again.

Some resolutions I set for 2007

1) Get a higher paying job in finance  I'm happy for now, got a new job

2) Save more $$$ and start investing wisely

3) Meet up with old friends and make plenty of new friends Done deal, knew more people frm work

4) Sign up for a foreign language class. Doing canto with Dwi now.

5) Attend my cell group & church on a regular basis.

6) Spend more time with family, bf and friends. I'm better at doing this now

7) Visit a beach place. Ok, I went to Phi Phi island so not too bad.

8) Keep myself in shape and fit. 

This might interest you, "1000 places to see before you die" and here is my following list of places I visted.

New York City, San Francisco, Monetery Bay, Drive Pacific Highway 1, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Disneyland LA,Paris, Coney Island,Central Park,American Museum of Natural History, Times Square, Empire State Bldg, British Muesum, Harrods, Oxford University,Covent Garden, Picadilly Circus,St Paul's Cathedral, Hyde Park, Westminster Abbey,West End,Tower of London, The Lourve, Arc de Triomphe,Notre Dame,Ille St Louis,Saint Chapelle, Tullerie,Effiel Tower, Sydney Opera House..... more places to come I hope, so where have you been?