The Only One Who Ever Wanted Me Was You!

2009-02-14T09:01:00.000-08:00

Our Last Valentine's Day as an Engaged Couple

Valentine's Day Eve was a Friday. So it was easy for me to arrange flower delivery to dear's office and surprise her as she may have thought that I will only send on Saturday. But being very sweet, dear wanted me not to send any flowers to save money. However, she was too late in telling me that.

After work, I met dear and her sisters to catch Breakout - a Korean dance (Hip Hop / Breakdance) comedy. We went to eat at Marina Square and then walked over to Esplanade. We had great seats and the show was totally great.

The next day, dear and I tried something new for the first time in our almost 9 years relationship. We went to the HSBC tree top walk. We covered an amazing 14Km distance by walking there and back. After that, we had to reward ourselves with our favourite prawn noodles near my place.

In the evening, we went to Taste of Thailand in Yishun to have our dinner. Dear wanted to save money and thus preferred to skip those Valentine's Day packages which cost a bomb. How thoughtful, understanding and down-to-earth of her! Although that place was filled with people, we did not wait very long for the seat. Most importantly, we were able to eat our favourite dishes. We were enjoying the food so much that we forgot to take photos when they were first served.

Later after a sumptuous dinner, we headed down to Kallang Leisure Park to catch Bride Wars before we call it a night. Happy Valentine's Day and Happy 8 years and 9 months anniversary dear!

2008-12-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

The Month of Presents

For my birthday, my dear gave me 3 presents:

It was really thoughtful of her to find out what I need in a very subtle way and all these came as a huge surprise to me! Thanks dear for the hair conditioner, book on golf techniques and a brand new bracelet.

For Christmas, as dear knew that I will be travelling quite intensively in the next few months, she asked his dad to buy me a suitcase all the way from US. Thank you my love!

2008-12-25T18:22:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Christmas in the Green Way

This year’s Christmas season, if you realized, is a very wet and cold one. It was almost raining everyday in December and that was the closest we can get to have a snowy Christmas. Hence, there was no need to blast air-conditioners at home to simulate the Christmas feel. In Las Vegas, snow was seen for the first time and in China, the weather was exceptionally cold as compared to the past years.

My fiancée’s youngest sister showed me one trick to be green during this festive season and I am so proud of her. After she wrapped some presents, she took the scraps of wrapping paper to paste on those gifts that were meant for the family members. In this case, you literally fully utilized all the wrapping papers and thus avoid throwing the small and seemingly useless parts away. Moreover, you will save on the total amount of wrapping papers used and some trees too.

I once saw an episode on “Friends” when Monica Geller ironed the wrapping papers after opening the presents so that those papers can be re-used the next round. I think we may not need to go to that stage but it sure is an interesting concept.

2008-11-10T22:07:00.000-08:00

Sumitomo Chemical Asia Dinner and Dance 2008 - Retro Active

Being part of the organising committee of this event for the second time, I more or less have an idea of managing the expectations of our fellow colleagues. Of course, the committee tried our best to bring the best quality to the event with the dedicated participation of the hotel staffs and the event management company. We wanted our every segment to be as special as possible.

For the entrance, we had our MD sitting on a Vespa and being pillioned in to his seat. We had a MTV made using the song "Dancing Queen". The MTV captured a rather different side of all the staffs. We choose a "Retro" theme to get everyone to dress up and fight for the best dress award. We made the lucky draw as entertaining as possible but using balloons bursting and "Deal Or No Deal " style. As a whole, I think everyone was happy with the door gifts, food and activities that evening.

2008-11-02T19:04:00.000-08:00

Char Yang (Dabu) Association - Youth Group Charity Event

On the 2nd of November, some of us met at the association building in the morning before setting out to Singapore Flyer to meet the beneficiaries. At about 10.30am, most of the people had arrived and we made our way into the capsules. As some of them were wheelchair bound and the rest had difficulty walking normally, we had to be quite careful. Overall wise, it was quite a good experience doing our part for the less fortunate and it was really a meaningful event. Although there were moments of discomfort especially when the beneficiaries started to become easily agitated, we still try our best to provide a good time to them and care for them. I really respect and admire all those social workers who had to face such situations everyday. Salute to you all!

2008-10-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

Generosity

Mother Theresa was in Calcutta, India, when she met this Catholic widow who was requesting for some food as she had two starving children at home. Being kind and merciful, Mother Theresa brought food to the hungry widow's dilapidated house. Upon receiving the food, the widow was extremey touched but she refused to let her children start eating. Mother Theresa was puzzled and so observed her from afar after she left the house.The widow was seen taking some of the food and went away. Mother Theresa was wondering whether this widow was going to sell away those food meant for her family for alcohol or things like that. When the widow returned, Mother Theresa questioned her. The answer that the widow gave was that she was bringing half of those food to another Muslim widow who had four starving children at home. This is a clear illustration of "Love your neighbours" in the commandments.

This story made me ponder upon the definition of generosity. Who is more generous? A millionaire who donated $100,000? A poor man who earns less than $1000 but gives $500 to help the more unfortunate? A really poor guy who cannot fork out money to donate but spend every weekend volunteering in the old folks' home and donates blood regularly? It is really not for us to judge. Anyway, I just donated $2 to help in the fund raising of another church. Surely, that can be totally disregarded as being generous.

2008-10-19T00:19:00.000-07:00

Let God come to your office

Today the gospel was read by a visiting priest from St. Mary of the Angels Church. During his sermon, he related a conversation he had with an Indonesian lady who was working in Singapore. Despite being born into another religion, she came to the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) as an enquirer. She shared with the priest that the reason she was willing to explore Christianity was because of her Catholic employer and his family's good example. I really feel that despite that we are working and expose to office politics, the rat race and the realistic life of competition, we should always allow God to be with us in office. We need His advice, His guidance and His light to show us the way towards a honest, righteous and positive working environment. Many Sunday Catholics split their real life from a holy life. Maybe they can be combined just like the Catholic employer and his family. Time to reflect!

2008-10-09T21:20:00.000-07:00

Shanghai Trip

Day 1 – 27 September 2008

Our flight was at 4.00pm in terminal 3 of Changi Airport. In the morning, we went to help out dear’s aunt in organizing her Kumon centre’s ASHR 2008 award ceremony. This is to reward kids who have excelled in their Kumon work and achieved higher than their level in school. It was nothing tough for both of us as we were only assisting in ushering and taking pictures. Though in the midst we were delayed due to the meeting with Viki and lunch at home, we were able to reach the airport considerably early. We walked around in the duty free sections to take photos, find magazines, books and etc before we boarded a rather warm China airline plane to Shanghai Pudong Airport. The whole flight was quite terrible with much turbulence and uncomfortable seating. There is a reason why people pay more for SIA flight. Despite that, the food was actually quite exquisite. After 5 hours, we arrived in Pudong and were welcomed by Adeline (dear’s sister) and uncle (dear’s dad). Taxi was hard to find and so we took a bus to Longyang Maglev Station and then a cab to uncle’s apartment at Dingxiang Road and Jingxiu Road. It is a condominium developed by Yanlord Town. As it was late, we just had some supper and chit chat abit before we rested to prepare for the next day agenda.

Day 2 – 28 September 2008

The day started with our brunch at Bi Feng Tang in Da Mu Zhi Shopping Complex. Of course, we ate all their local food like dumpling, noodles and etc. Then we headed down to Lu Jia Bang Cloth and Tailor Market to try, collect and pay for the tailored clothes. We also made some new clothes there and went around searching for new stalls with better tailors and prices. It was all about bargaining in Shanghai. It would be easier if you buy more. We also aimed to find some gifts for our bridesmaid and groomsmen. At the same time, we tried to look out for items to give our families. In the evening, we travelled to People’s Square where there were many shopping malls. We had dinner in Ajisen Ramen before strolling all the way to The Bund. Due to the golden week, the sightseeing tunnel was closed and that place was filled with soldiers and policemen. We even witnessed an unfortunate event of a female hawker who was selling toys illegally being caught by a few policemen. As the area was quite crowded, the lady was not able to escape and eventually had to surrender all her products unwillingly. What a sad scene!

Day 3 – 29 September 2008

We woke up at 4.00am so as to catch the train at 5 plus. Uncle booked a private van to bring everyone to the train station. Before we knew it, we were already in Suzhou after a few moments of comfortable rest in the train. From Suzhou train station, we crossed over one huge road and a large river before we took a bus to the end station which was within walking distance to Tongli Ancient Town. The tourist attraction was expected to welcome loads of visitors since it was the golden week and people from other parts of China would take this chance to take a look at this place. Luckily, we were there early enough to avoid the crowd. The town was retained by the Chinese government as a tourist site and inside it stood the exact buildings, structures that people lived in since hundreds of years ago. It was a extremely nice place for sightseeing with all the lotus ponds, rivers, bridges, pagodas, koi, gardens and etc. I imagined the place to be very serene for people to stay. Everyone led a very simple life down there. After we had some snacks in Tongli Ancient Town, it was time to check into Bamboo Grove Hotel, one of the most recommended venues for accommodation in Suzhou. We had a short rest before exploring downtown area in the evening. We had a Cantonese dinner which served the most tasty soup ever! After filling our stomach, we walked a long long way to Guan Qian Street which held Suzhou’s main shopping malls.

Day 4 – 30 September 2008

Our train back to Shanghai was at 6 plus and so we had one whole day time to spend in Suzhou. We went to try their famous dumpling which turned out to be quite delicious especially as breakfast. Then, we had a short visit at Tiger Hill before attempting to hire a cab to fetch us to The Humble Administrator’s Garden. One thing not so endearing about China was that touting was almost everywhere and it could be rather irritating especially to Singaporeans. There would be people with private cars trying to get us to take their transport instead of getting a taxi. That reminded me of Vietnam! The Humble Administrator’s Garden was actually rather similar to Tongli Ancient Town but with more specific histories in relation to the previous owners of the place. The name was in fact slightly contradicting because to me, the garden was definitely not humble!

Day 5 – 1 October 2008

Back in Shanghai, we visited a really crowded place called Yuan Garden (or Yu Yuan in Chinese). There was a temple there and many people went there to pray during the holidays. We wanted to try the Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao but were discouraged by the queue. We were just too late. Down there, we managed to buy gifts for Jade and Brian, Adele and her fiancé, dear’s grandparents, my grandma and parents. We bought the paper cuttings. I think they were really nicely done and definitely suitable for giving our loved ones as presents from Shanghai. It would be quite representative. We then walked around in the Shanghai Old Street, scouting for any cheap deals as there were a number of RMB2 shops. Finally, we reached Shiliu Pu Cloth and Tailor Market where I made another suit for the wedding. All these while, we were constantly searching for the gifts for our bridesmaid and groomsmen. At the end of the day, after much walking and bargaining, we ended up in Da Mu Zhi shopping trying out the Korean BBQ food as dinner. Before we made our way back to the apartment, we stopped by Nike Factory Outlet to shop for stuff for my sister.

Day 6 – 2 October 2008

We thought there was no need to wake up early but by the time we reached The Science and Technology Musuem, it was already swarmed by tour groups. In the end, we took about 45 minutes to get our entrance tickets and all tickets for theatre shows with suitable timings were sold out. It was quite an interesting place to go with the exhibits showcasing advanced technological breakthroughs. My favourite was the World of Animals. The showroom on the environment was slightly disappointing as I thought the information presented could be enhanced with better structural design and layout. Some information would not easy to read and more things could be included to make the place attractive to visitors. By the time we were back at the apartment, it was already 3pm and we had a late lunch before setting out to Huai Hai Zhong Road. Down there had many shopping centres and boutiques but our purpose of visit was to try the renowned Beijing Duck in a certain restaurant there. It turned out to be good but not exceptional.

Day 7 – 3 October 2008

We went back to Yuan Garden to attempt to buy the Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao. We intentionally woke up earlier and this time we were fortunate. After about 20 minutes of queuing, we managed to get the steamy food and consumed them at a dirty corner – a true experience of local culture. The food was quite delicious but 16 of them would be too much to eat at one go. After that, we went back to Lu Jia Bang and Shiliu Pu Cloth and Tailor Market to collect the clothes and suits. Mostly, we were quite delighted by the output quality especially with the price we have to pay. More efforts were put in to scout our gifts for bridesmaid and groomsmen.

Day 8 – 4 October 2008

In the day time, we went to the downtown area of Puxi to do any last minute shopping before we packed our luggage for our flight at night. It was definitely enjoyable spending the 8 days with dear and her family and exploring more of Shanghai. Dear had been a wonderful daughter and fiancée all these time!

2008-09-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

Walking at Hort Park

Today is the first time dear and I took a walk at the Hort Park and the bridges. I think it was quite a good walk with all the surrounding trees. I think I just found myself a new place to jog!

After our short stroll in Hort Park, we went to Vivo City as dear had to buy something for her mother. At Videoezy, dear bought the 9 seasons (I have the first season already) TV drama - Friends for me. There was a promotion such that the 2nd purchase will be 50% off. Thus, after doing some calculation, we felt that it was definitely worth it to buy all. Dear insisted to pay as she wanted to give me this for my birthday. Dear, you are always so sweet! I love you and thank you.

2008-08-30T18:53:00.000-07:00

Spa in Bintan

Before I start putting up photos on our Bintan day trip, let me say how dear has always been so thoughtful and full of surprises. During Friday, when I touched down in the airport after my business trip to Hanoi, dear showed up to meet me. It was a surprise as she was supposed to go for her facial appointment. I really appreciate her sacrifice as I know how important a facial session is to ladies. Thank you baby! You never fail to love me so much!

2008-08-21T18:19:00.001-07:00

What Is Happiness?

Dear,

What is happiness?

Happiness is being with you, not only someone I can live with but also someone I cannot live without.

Happiness is putting in extreme efforts at work, knowing the money I earn is to be spent on you.

Happiness is rushing home from work to take the car, knowing the one who share the front seats later with me is you.

Happiness is spending lots of time with you and yet never enough.

Happiness is waking up earlier during the weekends to do my activities so that I can dedicate all my time and focus on you for the rest of the day.

In summary, happiness is the willingness to do something, small or big, for someone and only that someone.

2008-08-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

The Assumption

Yesterday, we celebrated The Assumption - The Glorification of Mother Mary. We celebrate the moments when the Virgin assumed her rightful place in heaven. And it is this kind of special occasion that made the protestants think that we, Roman Catholic, only worshipped Mother Mary. That would be a totally incorrect perception as Roman Catholics are God and Christ centered. We worship and believe in The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. We pray to God and Jesus directly. Sometimes, for many reasons, we also pray to Mother Mary and the saints so that they can intercede for us and pray with us and for us.

During the mass, Father Bosco mentioned how the Immaculate Conception brought him back from the lowest. His turning point was when he heard the song "Let it be". It goes like "When I found myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me. Speaking words of wisdom, let it be."

2008-08-04T19:17:00.000-07:00

SCA Teambuilding 2009 - Bintan Lagoon Resort

It has been slightly more than a year since the last teambuilding session in Phuket. This year, we went to Bintan due to a bigger crowd and thus a squeezed budget per head. Bintan was the best choice for the Fun @ Sumitomo Committee, which I am still a part of. This time, we invested more on the programme. We played two very interesting games amongst other minor energiser games.

CSI: A Hotel Murder Scene

Sticking to our own department, some members were the forensic scientists whom were responsible in collecting evidence from the crime scene. Some became the communicators and they were supposed to interrogate the suspects. Arbitrators' role was to visit the crime lab to obtain meaningful and relevant information like fingerprint analysis report, blood sample report and DNA report. Coordinators would look at all the information we had and lead the discussion to derive the identity of the murderer, his/her motive and killing methods.

Mission: Riau Hunters

Now mixed with colleagues from other departments, we were supposed to answer a list of questions and buy or get clues to help us. The answers pointed to specific locations in Bintan Resorts where we had to visit and perform certain tasks. The points awarded depended on how far away those locations were.

2008-07-19T09:34:00.000-07:00

PADI Open Water Diving Course - Tioman

2008-07-03T01:15:00.000-07:00

The Legend - 太王四神记

I just finish watching this show. Fantastic story plot in my opinion (fantasy that brings me away from the reality of life). Impressive visual effects (maker of The Lord of the Rings). Skilful actors and actresses (Bae Yong Joon and Lee Ji-ah are good!). Well balanced scenes (war combat, individual fighting, magical, emotional, motivational etc.).

2008-06-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

8 Days Go Green

This week’s issue of 8 Days has gone “green”! Like what the writer explained, the cover page photo of Zoe Tay was taken some time ago but it was not published. So, they re-used the photo instead of wasting resources to arrange for another round of photo shoot. Good job! Yet, I somewhat suspect the sustainability of such approach from the magazine creator. We shall see then.

Before I touch on some of the contents in the magazine, I like to applaud my parents for adopting a resource-conserving method when purchasing magazines like 8 Days and I-weekly. After we finish reading them, my parents will return them to the vendor in exchange for some discounts for the next issues. The vendor has her own way of disposing these magazines in an environmentally friendly way. Of course, I think this is vendor-specific. Hence, we are able to avoid magazines being piled up in the house. Cheers!

Flipping through the pages of 8 Days, I came across articles that displayed the carbon footprint of some celebrities. These members of the entertainment circle quite openly shared their “non-green” habits like using the air-conditioner all day long and driving around even when not necessary. Surprisingly, they also announced their monthly utilities bills as a result of their lifestyle. Most importantly, they tried to make a commitment in altering or improving their way of life to consider more for the environment in the future. I do have some uncertainty in their willingness to change but I shall give them the benefit of the doubt for the time being.

The magazine, like all campaigns by the government and NGOs, listed out some ways to conserve energy and be “green”. I am quite satisfied of my performance here.
1) Turn off appliances at power sockets - Pass with flying colours! I always switch off both the electric device and the power socket. Occasionally, like one in 50 times, I forgot.
2) Don’t use air-con - Just pass! I only switch on the air-con earlier in the evening to cool my room and will off it when going to sleep. I will have the fan working when I am sleeping.
3) Take cold showers - Fail! I bathe in warm water unless when I am doing my In Camp Training.
4) Don’t take plastic bags - Just pass! When I buy things, if it is within my ability, I will request not to have plastic bags. If I know beforehand that I am going to the supermarket, I will bring along the recyclable bag. For hygiene purpose, plastic bags may still be required to separate the different categories of food (e.g. meat, vegetables, fruits, canned food etc.)
5) Car pool or cab pool. Better yet, take public transport. Even better, walk - Just fail! I take bus or MRT to work and only use the car at night for short and necessary travelling. During weekends, I may cover more mileage even when not needed sometimes.
6) Go paperless as much as possible - Pass with flying colours! I am still using my university notes as rough papers for work and home administration. I graduated one year ago. I applied for e-statements, if available, for my bills. As much as possible, I maximize usage for a piece of paper.
7) Bring your own coffee mug and non-disposable utensils - Pass with flying colours!
8) Recycle and reuse clothes �C Just pass! I donate old clothes to the church or give them to someone else.

People who know me may wonder whether I have conflicts in my beliefs and values since I am an environmentalist and a sales person in the petrochemical (plastics) industry. To me, I see them as rather separate issues. As an environmentalist, I inculcate in myself a sense of environmental conservation. When I have the opportunity, I will promote such awareness. As much as possible, I practice what I preach except during times when the flesh is extremely weak. As an employee selling plastic raw materials, my job is to generate revenue for the company. Due to the nature of the industry, demand and supply is mainly controlled at a macro level by market players. I do not advise my customers to buy fewer materials so as to produce less waste. The customers have to cover their bottom-line by taking care of the demand. With constant worldwide population increase, demand for polymers is predicted to go up. As a sales person, I am not worried of the consumption of our materials and hence the performance of the company. I just hope that when consumers cultivate environmentally friendly practices, we will eventually reach a balance between supply and demand which is sustainable. Of course, that is the ideal scenario.

2008-06-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

Anniversary Presents

Thank you dear for the following presents:

1) Dr. Fish Spa - Dear brought me to Chinatown People's Park Complex for a 30 minutes session of Dr. Fish Spa. Each person were only charged $13.00 which I thought was much cheaper than the one at Singapore Flyer. The fishes here were actually quite big and the first few minutes were extremely ticklish. You really have to get used to it. Dear said that it worked very well for her and I was happy for her.

2) Customised EZY Link Card - Dear printed our photo onto two EZY Link cards and gave one to me. That was very sweet of her to think of such idea. I will definitely use the card everyday!

2008-06-08T04:16:00.000-07:00

SPCA Fun Run

Today, dear, her sisters and I took part in SPCA Fun Run at Bedok Reservoir Park. It was a chance for us to wake up really early in the morning to exercise and also to do some charity. The registration fee for the run was $30 per participant and this money will be used to finance SPCA in their operations. We are all dog lovers so it is natural for us to be interested in this.

I am very proud of dear today! Ever since the end of JC life, dear had sort of like stopped exercising and from her many years of non-sporty lifestyle to her completion of 4.3KM by jogging and walking this morning, I have to say that dear had put in alot of effort. Since we set our date on our wedding day, dear had been conscientiously trying to sweat it out at gym to get the figure that she desires. I did not put any pressure on her but I understand how important the wedding day is to her. Most importantly, it had been really fun exercising together with her.

2008-06-05T23:06:00.000-07:00

Aseanplas 2008 – International Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber

Between 26 – 29 May, I was involved in this trade fair. The major resin suppliers who were involved were TPC, Dow and Sabic. Other exhibitors were either the end-user, which 2 of them are my direct customers, or machine makers. Of course, if compared to Chinaplas in Shanghai, this trade show was of a much smaller scale and according to my experienced colleagues; this year’s turnout is quite disappointing.

First day was quite tiring as we brought our customers to Singapore Flyer and dinner at Oosh at Dempsey Hill after a day of engaging with inquirers and visitors at the booth. During the day, we also organized a seminar to update our customers, distributors and agents regarding the project progress in Saudi Arabia.

On the second day morning, my golfer colleagues had a game with some customers from the region. One of my colleagues even got injured from the golf ball during the game. He was given MC for the rest of the days.

The last two days were pretty ok as fewer crowds were coming in. I even had the time to visit other exhibitions at Singapore EXPO. This exhibition, though not impressive to many people, was quite fruitful for me. I met many potential customers and we shared many aspects of the business and industry. Everytime during such trade shows, it would be best to learn as much as possible. Aseanplas is once every 3 years and I will be looking forward to participating in trade shows like Plastindia, M-plas and others.

2008-05-23T19:20:00.000-07:00

Fight Climate Change, Conserve Energy, Save Money

While I felt that the campaign to promote fighting climate change had been dying down among the public as there were fewer media coverage, my family received a mail titled "Fight Climate Change, Conserve Energy, Save Money". I thought this is a fantastic way to educate the people in Singapore. I mean some seldom watch TV while some do not read the newspaper. This mail will reach out to every person in the country assuming that it is a countrywide initiative by NEA. The power of the government is that when they have the will, much more things can be achieved with much less effort.

Inside the package, they are brochures, stickers, magnets and a booklet that explains the whole concept of climate change in a layman perspective. It reminds me of the materials that CCO helped South West CDC during their campaign "Cool South West". What I feel really can connect with the individual household is the tagline "Save Money". While all the preaching may fail, I am quite sure the idea of saving money will be well received by the members of the public. NEA even designed the envelope with the phrase "Take the 10% energy challenge" at the bottom to state the possibility of cutting 10% of your monthly bills. The stickers and magnets can be displayed at "strategic" locations in the house to constantly remind the household members on avoiding using the air-conditioner (if necessary, fix the temperature at 25 degree celsius), switch off all appliances especially the television set and computer when not in use, switch to energy saving lightbulbs and purchase appliances with the green labels.

Now with this package of information which I think should be quite effective, I wonder what can be up next. I hope the government and other NGOs can think of even more creative methods to continue spreading this message. To me, seems like in Singapore, the issue of climate change has little hidden political agenda as opposed to other nations. If that is true, we are indeed fortunate. Cheers!

2008-05-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

8 Year Anniversary - Singapore Flyer

As dear had to attend her company's offsite in Bintan on 15th May, we pushed back the celebration of our 8 year anniversary to 17th May. I booked the Singapore Flyer for 9.00pm. The carpark for the flyer was full despite the late hour and so we got to park the car at Millenia Walk.

Overall, I actually quite like the experience in the flyer. I think there is slight chance that we may take it again. Of course, the next time round, we will like to try the food at the restaurants there, the Boeing flight simulator and the fish spa.

2008-05-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

Cyclone Hits Myanmar

I believe many of you have heard the news about how Cyclone Nargis had hit Myanmar's coastal areas including Yangon, its largest city and former capital. As of today, about 100,000 have died and many more are homeless or at the verge of death due to unavailability of food, clean water and medical care. I am especially concerned with the condition of Myanmar as I am in charge of entering into the plastic industry there.

In Singapore, I believe many organisations have step forward to raise funds for the pitiful Burmese. So far, my parish church has been calling for generous donations by order from the grace, Archbishop Nicholas Chia. I believe that all of the Catholic churches are doing the same since they are under direct jurisdiction from the Archbishop.

My company has also initiated a donation drive to raise some funds for the Singapore Red Cross, whom will bring aid to the people in Myanmar. Once again, it is during a time of extreme difficulties, when people disregard nationality, race and gender to offer some kindness.

I sincerely pray for the victims of this cyclone strike. May God help them.

2008-05-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

World Communications Day

During homily yesterday, Father Brian De Souza spoke of the Pope’s message in calling for ethical practices in the media industry. This is in conjunction with World Communications Day. Father Brian shared the true story of a normal person which I think is inspiring enough to share. A gentleman who owns an advertising firm incorporates into his corporate policy that his company will not accept business from any credit card company. He perceives these credit card companies as seductive loansharks whom entice the consumers with all the perks and attractive lifestyles that owners of their credit cards can have. Meanwhile, they put in the fine print the actual conditions of using these credit cards which most people miss out and thus fall into the trap of credit card debt. This happens to many young people nowadays. Though I feel that some faults should lie on the consumers who do not exercise control when using those cards, I applaud the advertising business owner who takes an impressive position as a Catholic businessman and puts his belief into practice. What is more amazing is that this gentleman is no saint. He is just as normal as anyone of us. Thus, the power of faith and the Holy Spirit can really guide a man to God’s glory instead of the devil’s arms.

2008-04-23T02:20:00.000-07:00

Photos from Chinaplas 2008

2008-04-21T01:23:00.000-07:00

Chinaplas 2008 - Shanghai

I just came back from Shanghai. I went there on the 16th to prepare for Chinaplas 2008– The 22nd International Exhibition on Plastics and Rubber Industries. The Marketing team went even earlier to make sure that everything from the booth construction to exhibition materials was ready. Of course, all these were with the help from our Chinese colleagues.

Day 1:
I took a morning flight from T3 and reached Pudong International Airport at about 1.30pm. Due to delay in the baggage claim and the wrong decision of having lunch, we managed to only leave the airport at 2.45pm. The fact was that we had to attend a pre-event briefing at 3.00pm at Four Points Sheraton Hotel. Because of that, we could not check in first and we were half an hour late for the briefing. Luckily, no one expressed any unhappiness at that. After the briefing, we checked into Sheraton Shanghai Hotel quickly and went to take a look at our booth in Shanghai New International EXPO. During the tour, my shoes got torn. What an occasion for that to happen! Fortunately, the company dinner that followed was quite short and I did not have much to drink. We were having Xinjiang food, which usually involved lots of mutton. I did not really like mutton but some dishes were much better than expected. I also tried the Xinjiang beer and stout and Qingtao beer. Later on, before going back to the hotel lobby to retrieve my luggage from the concierge, I quickly went to the shopping centre nearby (Paris Spring) to buy a new pair of shoes. I was shocked by the cost initially but was luckily informed by my colleague that there was a sale upstairs. Hence, I managed to get a pair for only S$26. Before I slept, I took a swim in the indoor swimming pool, which looked extremely nice and so was the gym too.

Day 2:
After breakfast and washing up, the whole team including Sales from Singapore, India, Vietnam, Belgium, Shanghai and Dongguan, Marketing, Finance, Technical and Supply Chain boarded the buses to go down to the exhibition hall. Everybody was excited and energetic on the first day. We took out all the catalogs, brochures, door gifts, namecards and blasted our sound system to attract visitors to our booth. It was estimated that about 24,000 attended the exhibition that day. We kept showing the corporate video in English and Chinese and thus, my ugly face kept appearing on the gigantic screen. On the first day, the neighbouring booths already complained that we were too loud. Then, they did the same with their performances, games and stuffs. I mean it was really a size (our booth is the 2nd biggest there) and volume game. Other exhibitors included ExxonMobil, Sabic, Borouge, Titan, Total, Samsung Total, Lotte Daesan, Sk Energy, Ticona, Equate, National Petrochemical Corporation, Qapco and many others. There were 5 big halls and some smaller ones all together. There were also manufacturers of plastic producing machineries like Sumitomo Heavy Industries. The first day was very busy for all as swarms of customers enquire about our projects. We stood from 9am-6pm to meet and discuss with potential clients. Those who could converse in Mandarin were able to engage more since many clients were from all parts of China. Nonetheless, we still saw some visitors from European, African and other Asian countries. The evening time was free and easy. We took the train to Xin Tian Di in Puxi. We wanted to celebrate my colleague's birthday there before we called it a day.

Day 3:
The 3rd day was pretty much the same as the 2nd except that the evening was our cocktail dinner party for our valued customers. It was estimated that number of visitors to the exhibition was 27,000. As for the dinner party, it was a very good chance to network and build relationship among the attendees. We were very satisfied with the turnout despite the fact that Dow, Equate and Bayer were also holding an event on the same day. However, only Bayer was in the same hotel as us.

Day 4 and 5:
The weekends were less crowded as customers aimed to finish their visiting during working days. We had more time then to chat with our colleagues and bosses. After the event on the 4th day, we went to celebrate our success in a restaurant. Everybody self-destructed with lots of alcohol. My bosses were very happy and we had a great time eating and drinking. We almost exploded ourselves with beer, hard liquors, wine and food. Though I was abit drunk, I promised to myself that I must try the foot massage that evening as it would be the only chance left. Therefore, I went back to hotel to rest first before going for the massage. It was 2 hours for S$16 only! I almost fell asleep there (which was allowed) but I managed to bring my exhausted body back to hotel to pack, as I had to check out early the next day. The 5th day at the booth was mainly packing as there were even less visitors. At 12.30pm, those scheduled to fly back went to the airport. My boss brought me to the business class lounge to relax before boarding. Due to Chinaplas, the crowd was too huge for the airport to manage. Hence, our flight was delayed and I reached back in Singapore one hour later at 10.30pm. My forever loving fiancee came to pick me up and I reached back home at 11.00pm. As I still have to work on Monday, I had no choice but to sleep early as my average sleeping hours for the past few days was 4-5 hours.

*Pictures will come later!

2008-03-30T07:51:00.000-07:00

"Earth Hour 2008"

The Earth Hour began in 2007 where 2.2 million of people and 2100 Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour. With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning off their lights, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective efforts of millions of Sydneysiders, many major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, turning Earth Hour into a symbolic event globally.

In Singapore, some environmentalists had taken on the initiatives to spread the message by encouraging corporations and individuals to turn off the lights on 29th March 2008, Saturday, 8pm-9pm. Earth Hour uses the simple action of turning off the lights for one hour
to deliver a powerful message about the need for action against global warming as an effect of rising energy consumption.

From what I know, companies like UBS AG and many other private financial institutions have committed themselves to this exercise. Miss Earth organising committee had also incorporated this action into their search party at The Arena. I believe such event had indeed created a certain level of awareness in Singapore.

As for me, at an individual level, I chose to approach this in a different way. Instead of doing the usual Saturday activities like staying at home to watch TV, my fiancee and I went down to Changi Village for dinner. After the meal, we decided to take a stroll down the Changi Boardwalk from 8-9pm. That means that instead of just supporting Earth Hour, I also made myself healthier by walking about 2-3KM with my fiancee. At the same time, we could enjoy each other's company and improve our relationship through undisturbed communication.

What really surprised me was that when we were completing the boardwalk, we noticed an Indian family sitting outside of their chalet which was in complete darkness. Then, a little Indian girl came to us and asked,"Do you know why we off the lights?". I replied "Why?". The girl then said in an excited and cheerful tone "It's Earth Hour!"

2008-03-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

My Goal

This is what I will like to inculcate in myself for the rest of my life:

1) Seek first to understand instead of to be understood
2) Keeping promises
3) Honesty and openness
4) Win-win thinking
5) Clarifying expectations
6) Loyalty to the absent
7) Apologies
8) Open to feedback
9) Forgiveness

2008-03-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

The First Few Steps To My Big Day

So since my proposal to dear, we have been busy with preparing for our wedding next year. Here are a few details that may be subjected to changes:

1) Wedding Day - 26 September 2009, Saturday

2) Wedding Dinner - Merchant Court Grand Ballroom

Really excited about this place as it is our dream venue. We especially like the buffet at Ellenborough Market Cafe because of its durian puree!

3) Bridal Studio

We visited 2 local photo studios in Singapore and went down to JB on a Saturday to take a look at the bridal fair. Eventually we chose one bridal studio in JB which was previously recommended by a colleague. Here comes VENUS!

4) Church Wedding - St. Francis Xavier Church

Of course, there are more things to prepare. As we have quite alot of time, we will take it slow and enjoy every moment of preparing for wedding day!

2008-02-17T06:22:00.000-08:00

Something To Reflect On

In vain do they talk of happiness who never subdue an impulse in obedience to a principle. He who never sacrificed a present for future good, or a personal to a general one, can speak of happiness only as the blind speak of colour.

- Horace Mann, the great educator.

2008-02-05T07:31:00.000-08:00

The Proposal

“My original plan was to let my proposal kick start the preparation towards our marriage”. That was what I told dear’s parents one evening. “However, due to a good opportunity of getting the flat we favoured during the last balloting round, the plan has to be changed. Now that my bonus has come, I like to, as per requested by Karen, ask for you two’s permission to marry your daughter.” Then I showed them the tax invoice of the ring that I bought as I had not collected the actual thing yet. Their reaction was “Wow, why so expensive?” When I first saw the ring, my heart melted. I thought that that would be the most suitable for dear. It was the Goldheart Celestial Trilogy (past, present, future) series. Original cost was about $6000 but I bought it at a 20% discount. Dear’s parents were very supportive and told me not to worry about house issue as they sure would help out. I am very grateful for their kind treatment.
Nearer to the actual day of proposal, I wrote an invitation email to her:
Dear Ms. Tay Huiyu, Karen,

You are cordially invited to the special day designed for us on 2 Feb 2008. Please RSVP to me via any contact means as stated below in my signature. Anyway, I will not take “NO” for an answer.
Kindly refer to the programme proposal below for more information or more confusion.

8.00am – Pick up at 51 Portchester Ave S(556333)
8.05am – Breakfast (location depends on your craving/mood)
8.45am – Travel to location A for activity
9.30am – Arrival at location A and start of activity
12.30pm – Activity at location A ends and travel to location B for lunch (location B depends on your craving/mood)
2.00pm – Travel to Location C and rest and relax
6.00pm – Travel to Location D for dinner (Location D depends on my planning. Your craving will not be entertained. J)
9.00pm – Any other activities are welcomed plus travel back to Location C
12.00 midnight – Lights off!

P.S Please bring some tidbits for Location A and bubble bath for Location C.

Best Regards,
Dan Lai (Mr.)
赖杭昌
Head of Royal Restroom Maintenance Team
Like A Rose Corporation
DID: 65120512
Tel: 65320532
H/P: 97491635
Email: may_fifteen@mailcity.com
Website: www.mayfifteen.blogspot.com

On Friday, 1st Feb, I took a half day off and I knew that dear might call me in my office and so I told her I would be visiting a customer for a technical trial in Tuas. She did not suspect anything! What I actually did was to go and buy her favourite flower, gerberas and check into Rasa Sentosa Resort. I did some arrangement there and then took a rest before I went to fetch dear after work. I brought my work bag along so as to prevent any suspicion. Then after the reunion dinner at home, we spent some time at my house before I sent her back. After that, I went back to Sentosa to spend the night there alone since I already paid for the 2 nights.
Early next morning, I had breakfast at the resort and then picked dear up for her favourite breakfast near her place. We then headed to Marina Country Club for a boating session. I remembered that was what we did during our first Valentine’s Day almost 8 years ago. So, I had not been driving a boat for a very long time. Nonetheless, everything went smoothly and safely and we enjoyed our time.

After boating, we went for lunch before I surprised her with next location. She was very intelligent to actually guess correctly the venue but she did not expect me to check in one day earlier. When she entered to room with nice pool view, I played our song “Like A Rose” and directed her to a beautifully set up sofa. On the sofa was a pile of sweet smelling potpourri on a box cover. On top of it was the gerberas and behind the flower was the magazine “Home & Décor” and a big anniversary card. I was extremely glad that dear loved those presents but I promised her that there were more to come.

After a few hours of resting, we got dressed to go to our dinner venue. We went to Jumbo at Stadium Waterfront. I chose that location because that was the place of significance in our relationship (our bridge). Dear expected a more romantic place for dinner but I rather choose somewhere where the food is enjoyable for us and we both loved seafood. After dinner, we took a stroll on the bridge and casually chatted about stuffs despite the light drizzling. Then at precisely 8.00pm, I said the following words, “Did you see the stars in the sky? I saw three in a row.” I took out the trilogy ring and told her, “I asked the salesgirl at Goldheart about the difference between a Celestial series and normal solitaire. She said the Celestial series is unique and special in terms of the facet and cut and no other jeweler could imitate. You are like this ring, unique and special to me. I know nothing I can say will be sweeter than the following words – Will you marry me?” Dear scared me by saying “see first” jokingly but eventually said “yes” before I slipped the ring onto her finger.

You might think that’s the end? Nooooo….. I had one more surprise for her. We went back to the resort and there, I took out a box. Inside were the certificate for the Celestial ring, a magnifying glass to observe the Starburst cut, a letter of proposal signed by both of us, “Brides” magazine, 2 sets of apron and oven mitts. The aprons and oven mitts were to tell dear that I will cook and bake with her next time.

2008-01-28T17:55:00.000-08:00

Wedding of Dave and Jaslyn

Last Sunday was my big brother's big day. He is now 32 and ready to settle down and set up a family. But it seems like my da ge and da sao are not so keen to have kids yet. Anyway, this is not for me to comment.

A few days before the big celebration, some of my relatives from Malacca came to stay with us. I moved to the shop to sleep while I let them have my room. Its been a long time since I last talked to these people. I felt bad for not having the time to bring them around. Well at least for Malaysians, they are still quite familiar with Singapore. So, they just go free and easyf around the island.

Then, just the day before my elder brother's wedding, my aunt and family from Hongkong came to stay with us. It was really nice to see them again after all these years. By then, we have 13 people including my grandmother squeezing into a 5-room flat. But I guessed they were so happy to see one another, they did not mind the cramp.

So the actual day came. I got to fetch my aunt the "Matchmaker" from Jurong to my place at 8am. Then, my brother brought her together with all the "brothers" to go and snatch the bride. In the midst, they must perform some traditional acts like giving red packets to the boy who opened the car door and throwing away the fan when the bride and groom got into the car. I saw the montage and I thought my brother's sabotaged scenes were pretty standard but I am glad that that will not be my consequence. Then, with all the elders in my house, we were waiting eagerly for the arrival of the couple for the tea ceremony. That was when I got my big Ang Bao and got to eat nice buffet food!

After the couple left for their new home for phototaking and then to the bride's place for tea ceremony, it was basically rest and relax for us before we headed down to Marriott Hotel for the solemnization ceremony. Dear and I were tasked to prepare the reception tables which I thought would be a good learning time for us. Hehe!

The wedding dinner followed the cocktail session and then the whole night just automatically rolled. The montages were quite creatively produced unlike the usual childhood and couple photos kind. The food were quite ok but not fantastic.

Sometimes, the question which people seldom have a good answer came from the relatives. That is "So when is your turn?"

2008-01-13T05:55:00.000-08:00

2 Big Steps In Our Life

Last Thursday, dear and I took half day leave to do a very important thing, an almost nerve-wrecking and sweat-churning affair. This round of balloting exercise which consists of Hougang, Sengkang and Punggol areas, has about 5000 applicants with only 316 flats available. After 2 failure attempts, dear and I were really anxious to see if we could get a better queue number this time. Our number was 363. It was not bad and not good enough too. So we prayed alot for God to reveal his will for us.

Everyday, we spend parts of the office hours to check the availability online. Days before our appointment. we crossed out those which were taken by other applicants and re-ranked our preferences. We even went down to the sites to evaluate things like the exposure of the flat to morning and evening sun, the convenience to MRT/LRT stations and the accessibility to hawker centres, church, grocery stalls and other facilities.

We really must thanked God for His blessings such that on our appointmeny day, we were able to book the flat that we ranked as our first choice after all the elimination. We were totally satisfied with what we chose amongst our limitations. So in a few years time, we will be moving into Fernvale Vista!

Another big progress in our relationship was our participation in the Catholic Engaged Encounter.We were the 388th batch since it started globally in 1968. During the weekend at ME House, we encountered couples with different issues. There were those who are getting married very soon, some who had no wedding plans yet, some who were married under the civil law but wished to have a church wedding and some others. We both think that the course is essential for all Catholics to attend. It is guarantee to learn something, either on marriage itself or from your partner. There were times when things could get very emotional when we honestly shared with each other. Someone even proposed at the end of the weekend causing not just girls but guys to tear unstoppingly. The whole weekend focused on 1-1 dialogue between the couples on issues such as sexuality, family planning, finance, morality, unity, values etc. It was very comprehensive and everyone came home gaining something precious. Now, I am more confident to be a good husband and father in the future.

We are thankful to Father Chusmi Jesus Maria Hernandez for his effort in linking all the topics to the Catholic context. We like to thank the Kwok family (Joseph + Terri with 8 wonderful children) for their sacrifices made and blessings this weekend. We appreciate Alan and Marie for their honest sharing of their married life. We also are grateful for the work that the house couples had done to make sure that the weekend went on smoothly. Thank you all for participating in this part of the journey in our life.

2007-12-15T22:41:00.000-08:00

Sumitomo Chemical Asia Dinner & Dance 2007 - Le Glamour

It's been a long 3 months with all the planning, discussing and coordinating to maximise the entertainment value of the event and to sincerely strive for a enjoyable evening for both the employees and the management. I am glad that the D&D flew up with a blast! I got to thank many people for that!

Although I am the project leader for this event, the rest of the Fun @ Sumitomo committee members had dedicated much time and effort to assist and support me. All of them had been great teammates. Without their commitment and diligence, I am sure that the event would not have been even half as successful. I like to thank Jackson, Ginny, Maeve, Emilline and Alice for that.

I also want to acknowledge the management of Sumitomo Chemical Asia for putting work life balance and family as part of their operation agenda. Without direction from above, all these activities would not even have existed. The event could be so successful partly because of the management's willingness to set an appropriate amount of budget for it.

I like to thank the event company, Inspiration, for their outstanding coordination to get a competent Master of Ceremony, Prem Lulla and an entertaining performer, Dan Thompson. Of course, many credits go to Mount Faber, The Jewel Box, for hosting the event. The venue was fine and the food was satisfactory. The ambience at the cocktail area was endearing. All of this fitted into our theme - Le Glamour.

Thanks to all the attendees whose sporting atittude created an atmosphere that was so heartwarming and wonderful. Thanks to all family and friends whom shared with us a memorable evening.

Last but not least, I really love to thank my dear who was there to support me and was so understanding with my frequent absences to oversee the smooth running of the event. Thank you dear for sharing with me my success in organising the D&D.

2007-12-05T07:33:00.000-08:00

Double Blessings!

Yesterday was double blessings to me. I was able to celebrate two important events of my life!

The first one was my confirmation in the company. It had been a long 6 months before my HR manager handed me the confirmation letter to me. I felt relieved knowing that my hard work had been recognised and the company benefits are now made available for me. I also felt hopeful while picturing my path towards the rest of the 2 years in this Graduate Trainee Programme.

To congratulate me on my confirmation day, dear was so sweet to arrange a nice-looking bonsai to my office. She also wrote sweet sweet words in the card attached. Some of my colleagues saw that and they were totally envious of me having such a wonderful girlfriend. Yes, dear 'teng' me very much!

My colleagues also surprised me with a present! A brand new pair of earphones from Sony! Haha! Actually, it was not a surprise lah. The person who initiated that idea actually asked me first and I just told him some of the items on my shopping list. Nonetheless, Jackson, Vincent, Julia, Vera, Eric, Popie, Jorene, Nicole, Sharon and Chen Wei, thank you guys!

Thank you dear for bringing me to this splendid heaven of dining "Asia Grand" at Odeon Towers. We tried the Beijing duck, roasted scallops, wasabi fried prawns and other many delicious dishes. I felt so full after that. I just hoped that I could enjoy them better without suffering from flu. In addition to the already fantastic gifts, dear gave me two more! They were one pair of heart-shaped cufflings and a series of Hongkong TV drama that I had been wanting to get. Dear, I love you and I can never thank you enough for your constant love and care.

Last but not least, allow me to thank all those who had wished me "Happy Birthday" on yesterday especially dear's parents who gave me a big angbao!

Thanks to: Dear's family - Adeline, Audrey, Penelope, Christine, Uncle Paul, Auntie Sharon and Auntie Doc. University classmates - Edmund, Aidah, Vivien, Meiying and Lindy. Old friend - Derong.

2007-11-27T07:03:00.000-08:00

One Day in Johor Bahru

Dear and I woke up early on Saturday, 24 Nov 2007, and we drove to Woodland Circle which was next to the Causeway. We parked the car there and waited for Sebastian and Daphne (Daphne is dear's colleague). They frequent JB as Daphne's dad is staying there. Hence, we wanted them to come to sort of like bring us around. They were late due to some reasons but in the end we managed to cross the Causeway to reach the other side. When we got there, we first took a cab to Daphne's dad's place for them to put down their belongings as they would be spending the night there. Then, we strolled to an eating house nearby to eat Wanton Mee. The food there was quite good and tasted quite unique. After our satisfying breakfast, we walked to the nearby shopping centre to take a look. There was nothing much there as it was still quite early. We only bought some chewing gums and admired the children there who were participating in a drawing contest.

Following that, we took a taxi to Jusco. The shopping mall was huge but it was just like another Jurong Point or Vivo City to me. We only managed to get a few stuffs at Harris for Christmas presents. Among the items were a map, which I need to use as I am already visiting customers in Johor, some books and the DVD of "Secret", which was about half price of the one sold in Singapore. We also bought those packets of coconut to eat and drink.

Just when we felt quite full after enjoying the coconuts, we decided to have lunch at a Bak Kut Teh stall. We endured an excruciating jam to arrive there! The Bak Kut itself was only average but the soup and the livers were delicious. Other than the warm weather and the pespiration, I had nothing to complain about. After the meal, we conveniently walked to a massage palour nearby to enjoy an one hour long foot massage. The massuese were from China and I would say that their skills were not bad at all.

After that, we headed to Holiday Plaza where dear bought lots of local delights to bring home. Down there was like a fusion of our Sim Lim Square and Far East Plaza. We managed to buy a few Christmas presents there but they were still insufficient to make up half of the list. Then came eating time again! We went to a Chomp Chomp look-alike place and we tried foods like Penang Laksa, which I did not like, Stingray, Sambal Sotong etc.

Before we burst our stomaches with oily food, we managed to set off to our final destination of the day. We went to City Square and it was there where we almost finished up buying the Christmas gifts. The reason was because there was a Factory Outlet Store! I swear I will be going back there to get myself Chinese New Year clothes. Haha!

2007-11-08T07:23:00.000-08:00

East Coast Park with Dear, Audrey and Dash

Dash had a great time with us!

Found a dead rat!
Dash swimming hard!
What a sunlight!
Audrey (Dear's youngest sister) and Dash spending some alone time

So tired! Poor dog.

2007-11-05T17:31:00.000-08:00

Anchorage - My Manager's Birthday Celebration

Too bad nobody brought camera, if not we could have taken photos of all drunk people. I was not one of them!

Jack and I went off on the dot last Friday to collect the lucky draw prizes for our upcoming Dinner & Dance. By the time, we went down to Circular Road and finished eating our dinner, it was already 7.30pm. Then we took a while to find the club.

Anchorage is an exclusive member's club. My boss and seniors knew the lady boss and that was why we could enter. If not, other members of the public will not be allowed to go in. There were 17 of us including my Managing Director and Deputy Managing Director. My Manager was the first Singaporean staff in the company. directly recruited by MD himself. Finance, Technical and Marketing teams also joined in.

We drank, sang and basically had a great time. Even another group of people who were there said that we seemed very close and that was quite unique between colleagues. My seniors and manager got quite drunk but my manager still could drive home. I always admire that but I would not learn to do that. During the tipsy moments of my seniors and manager, they started to praise me but I wonder the level of truth.

In total, we spent $706 with 4 bottles of Chivas Regal, 2 Heineken Towers, some soda and green tea for mixers opened.

2007-10-31T08:35:00.000-07:00

The Sacrament of Matrimony

It's been a few months since I last attended RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults). It is a 1 year journey for those who are called by God to go into baptism to be a Roman Catholic. I went through it last year and was baptised during Easter (April 2007). This year, I wanted to continue learning about the Catholic faith and at the same time, accompany the new batch in their jouney. However, I couldn't find the time till this evening.

During this session, we were discussing the Sacrament of Matrimony. In the Catholic doctrine, there are 7 sacraments: Baptism, Reconciliation, Matrimony, Confirmation, Eucharist (most important), Anointing of the Sick and Holy Orders. Basically, in the eyes of the church, divorce is not mentioned and recognised - Genesis: "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united with his wife, and they become one" - Hence, what God unites, cannot be separated. We view marriage as holy and when a couple divorce in legal sense, they are not considered as divorcees in the eyes of the church. However, their marriage then becomes invalid and is thus not sacramental (absence of the holiness of God).

3 criteria to be fulfilled to have a valid marriage:
1) Full consent and not compulsive. Marriage out of free will.
2) Couples must understand the properties of marriage - unity and indissolvibility.
3) Couples must be open to procreation.

Therefore, when you are divorced, your marriage though still exists becomes invalid. Yet, you can still celebrate Mass and receive Holy Communion. The problem comes when you are remarrying. Since you are still considered married in the Catholic doctrine though divorced legally, remarrying constitutes to committing adultery - Mark 10:11-12. Moreover, a Catholic cannot have a church wedding with a divorcee even if the latter is a non-Catholic. However, a widower/widow can get married again (till death do us part). Yet, if with valid reasons for divorce of previous marriage, the couple can appeal to the Catholic Tribunal Council. Then, the council will examine case by case and also seeks approval from Rome. In many cases, the Vatican did approve remarrying.

About homosexuals, the Catholic Church's stand is very simple. We must not despise or discriminate them. Instead, we must continue our friendship and help them to understand that they are not unworthy of God's love. However, gay marriages are not allowed still since they already oppose the validity of marriage in terms of procreation.

2007-10-27T02:09:00.000-07:00

Novena Church

It's been quite some time since I attended the last Novena session. Novena Church is quite a special church. It does not cater for Mass but only Novena sessions. From what I know, it used to be just like any other churches. However, whenever people sent in their petitions to our Mother Mary, many of them got answered in miraculous ways. Then, the priests started to convert the church and eventually only cater for Novena sessions.

A Novena session lasts about 30 minutes and it is dedicated to Mother Mary. The Catholics believe in God, the almighty, Jesus, the saviour and The Holy Spirit, the gift from God. We also pray to Mother Mary because with her intecession, our prayers will be answered. We also pray to all the saints who will help us to pray to God.

I always feel touched during every Novena session because of the presence of our Virgin Mary, the immaculate conception. The atmosphere of the session is filled with everyone's petitions, thanksgiving and prayers. That is the true power of faith.

2007-10-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

World Mission Day

Today, we celebrate World Mission Day. The priest told us about the matyrhood of Saint Issac Jones this morning. He is the true missionary, the kind of person that the world now lacks. For his faith and his mission, he sacrificed his life but he converted many. I admit that I have not had that kind of evangelistic and missionary zeal yet. I tried in my daily life to introduce my faith to my friends, family members and colleagues. I know I can do more.

I think to be a better person, they are 3 very important qualities which are not hard to develop:

1) Self-awareness = The ability to know that something that needs to be done or something is wrong with my own character.

2) Self-reflection = The ability to understand my own mistakes and think of ways to improve myself. At the same time, I should reflect on the less obvious stuffs and decide if I can improve on them.

3) Willingness to change = The attitude must be right. I must put the improvement plan into action.

2007-10-12T10:42:00.000-07:00

The Wedding Singer - Classic!

Have been wanting to rent this VCD but dear and I kept forgetting when we went to Videoezy. Finally got it today! It is a classic. I will always love this song in the movie:

"I will make you smile whenever you're sad
Carry you around when your arthritis is bad
All I wanna do is grow old with you

I'll get your medicine when your tummy aches
Build you a fire if the furnace breaks
So it could be so nice growing old with you

I'll miss you, kiss you, give you my coat when you are cold
Need you, feed you, even let you hold the remote control

So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink
Put you to bed when you have too much to drink
I could be the man who grows old with you
I wanna grow old with you

2007-10-07T00:24:00.000-07:00

Launch of Climate Change Blog

Dear all,

I am pleased to present to you the first ever blog in Singapore that highlights climate change along with many other environmental issues:
http://blog.omy.sg/cco-blogger

Today marks the launch of this new initiative between Climate Change Organisation (CCO) and Singapore Press Holdings. The guest bloggers for this blog are Dr. Geh Min, nominated MP and President of Nature Society, Mr. Howard Shaw, Executive Director of Singapore Environment Council and our CCO mascot, Snowball the penguin.Please feel free to give your comments in the blog. We hope that through this blog, we can further increase the level of awareness and even obtain contructive suggestions on how Singaporeans can fight climate change.

2007-10-03T08:15:00.000-07:00

Ode Ode To Dear (inspired by dear's blog)

Even after 7 years,I know i still love dear because:

1) She always support me in whatever I do.

2) She trusts me in everything especially in our money.

3) She always touch me with all her creatively made presents which she put in alot of effort to come out with.

4) She dreams about our life living together everyday.

5) She is proud of introducing me to her friends and colleagues.

6) She always says that I am not fat though I am obviously gaining weight.

7) We make plans and change plans together.

8) We eat alot together.

9) She will cater for my cravings even when hers is bigger.

10) She invested alot on me.

11) She makes her family treat me like family.

12) She always want to meet me everyday and was never sick of seeing me.

13) She is great listener.

14) I know I am on her top priority.

15) She gives in to me even though I am in the wrong.

16) She loves me for who I am.

2007-09-29T21:05:00.000-07:00

What is a "MASS" to you?

Some may answer "Oh, it is somthing that I have to go once a week" or "Oh, no choice. It comes with the religion." The more devoted Catholics may say "It is a time when the congregation gather and sing praises to God".

To me, Mass is something very special, definitely not something that is a part of a routine. With the correct and proper spiritual attitude when celebrating a Mass, you can see Mass as the following descriptions:

1) A meaningful moment that completes your one whole week of living.
2) The peak of the whole week in terms of spiritual growth.
3) The perfect end to the weekend.
4) The opening of a new door to another week of holiness and prayer.

2007-09-22T19:36:00.000-07:00

Dear's Birthday Celebration

My dear's birthday was on 8th of September. However, as she had to be in Barcelona and Lourdes for a family holiday trip, we couldn't celebrate on that day. Also, I went to Japan for a week and only came back on that day. Before she flew, I bought her a Fossil watch from a sale at Amara Hotel - Present No. 1.

Then, I knew dear was very into interior design as she yearned to design our flat next time. I bought her an interior design magazine for her to read in Europe - Present No. 2.

While dear was in Europe, I went to use up Lonsdale vouchers to ger a pair of slippers, a T-shirt for her non-working days and a pair of ankle socks for her aerobics lesson - Present No. 3.

Yesterday, we went for the final round of celebration. Her favourite flower Gerberas, dinner at Oosh (Yen Dining) and movie (I pronounce you Chuck and Larry). The dinner at Oosh was pretty good in terms of atmosphere. The food was delicious although portion was abit too small for the price we paid - Present No. 4. The whole place at Dempsey was like another world. Must go and explore more!

I hope dear is happy with what I planned this year. Time to start brainstorming for next year! Haha! Not so soon lah, it is not National Day Parade.

2007-09-09T23:15:00.000-07:00

Photos of Japan Trip

Sorry, I cannot upload any photos that show the plant. Hehe.

2007-09-08T06:31:00.000-07:00

Japan, Chiba - Technical Training

I flew the business class for the first time. It definitely came with better service as the stewardess addressed you by your name. They would keep coming to you to see if you need any drinks or a hot towel or some snacks. Sometimes, it got quite annoying when I was trying to enjoy the movies. The flight to Narita Airport was not too bad as I was sleeping half the time, only that the stewardess woke me up at 5.00am to have my breakfast. However, the flight back home was sometimes irritated by their much keenness to serve. I saw it as a good thing through. The food served on the flight back was much better. In fact, it was "Oeishi" (delicious in Japanese, not sure about the spelling though).

The weather in Chiba for the first 2 days were pleasant at about 21 degree celsius. It was cooling but not too cold as it was not very windy. The humidity was low though. Then came the rain which suddenly changed the humidity. That was when I started to feel abit sick with sore throat and flu. Luckily, my mum gave me panadol (cold relief) for me to bring. Hence, I could at least sustain the sickness to a controllable level. On thursday came the Typhoon. It hit Tokyo first, injuring quite a number of people, blowing down many street lamps and power supply erections. Some parts of Chiba in the suburb had black out. The eye hit Chiba around 1.ooam but I was already asleep. Before that, I experienced a little abit of the natural disaster when heading back to hotel. The rain was not like a heavy downpour but the wind was much stronger. You would have difficulty walking and also controlling your umbrella. My colleague's umbrella even broke!

On the first day, I went to Disneysea with Julia, a female colleague. Some wanted to tour Tokyo which turned out to be dissapointing according to them. Some others loiter in Chiba, trying to figure out how to play Pachinko. My dear was so cool about this and I love her even more now. Disneysea was nice with all the Disney characters and performances. The rides were not too scary like in Dreamworld (Australia, Brisbane) since there were lots of kids there. In Disneysea itself, even without getting any souvenirs, I already spent about 10,000 Yen on the train rides back and fro, entrance fee and dinner. I could only claim for the dinner. Generally, the stuffs in Japan are expensive. The cheapest meal costs about 10 SGD. I heard from the Japanese trainers that housing here was so costly that the people seldom have spare to save. Some rentals can go up to over 1000 SGD per month. Fortunately, the retired people are receiving pension to help them through old age.

Everyday, we would take the JR-East Line from Chiba to Nagaura or Anegasaki. Then we would take the company bus to Plastic Technical Centre for our training. We learnt about the specifications of the products we are selling, their applications and the processing technologies. Most importantly, we got to see the actual machines that processed these materials, although not all were in the industrial sizes. We also visited the laboratories to witness testing of materials for their physical properties. Now with all the observations, I have a much better idea of my products. The trainers were either Ph.d holders or had done research for many years. They were very knowlegeable. It was just that it was difficult for them to explain things to us in English. It was quite hard for them and they had to do it 3 times. Once last week for the people from Saudi Arabia, once this week for us and the third time for our China subsidiary.

The food here was fine but not all suited my taste. Almost every evening, the whole group would drink beer "beeru" and Sake "Sho Chu". I hope I don't become an alcoholic in the future. The people in Chiba were generally friendly and very polite with all their greetings and bowing. The girls and guys typically had better features and skin than Singaporeans. I presume that the genes, weather and the diet play a big part in it. Some of my colleagues who were already parents were quite disturbed by the short skirts of the Japanese school girls. They were really very short! A strong wind would not need much effort to blow it up. I wonder whether they wear any protections like shorts or tights underneath.

Anyway, it was a good learning experiences except that I will love to come with dear in the future. Will try to upload some pictures in the next entry!

2007-08-31T08:05:00.000-07:00

Happenings

Well these few weeks were quite happening. Last Friday was the SPIA dinner which I had to perform a duet with a female colleague. To our surprise, we won the third prize.

Dear just left for Barcelona and Lourdes 2 days ago. I am going to miss her so much. It will be a toturous one week plus before we can meet again. Hope she enjoy holiday there while at the meantime, stay safe from the notorious pickpockets.

Just came back from a party at St James Power Station. My company hired HSBC to handle our financial documents and other stuff and so the bank invited us down for this Asia Travel Night. Kanna sabo to play game!

I will be flying to Japan, Chiba tomorrow for technical training. Hope it will not be too xiong but rather an enriching experience as we will be able to see the machines and technologies used to produce our products. It will be beneficial for our sales next time. Will try my best to go Disneyland or Disneysea!

2007-08-28T08:39:00.000-07:00

SPIA - Karaoke Superstar - Contd

Here are some pictures of our rewards. Let me try to see if I can get some pictures of the night from the event organiser:

2007-08-24T17:55:00.000-07:00

SPIA Gala Dinner - Karaoke Superstar

Last evening was the gala dinner that I was all nervous about for a week. I had to sing a duet with a female colleague in the karaoke contest and although I had experience with the choir in my younger days, last evening was an entirely different experience. The most scary of all was the fact that 700 over guests turned out for the event. There were 9 contestants, all from the corporations that sponsored the dinner. Don't think it is wise to name their companies here.

Anyway, we had a fun time eating, drinking alot, chatting with colleagues and also counterparts from other plastic resin suppliers, customers and even vendors. It was a pretty good networking session and my bosses were trying to link us up to their friends in the industry.

Ok back to the karaoke contest. All contestants performed very well last evening especially in terms of their vocal ability. My duet partner and I thought we did quite well but not good enough to be top 3. So we were actually shocked to win the 2nd runner up award. Well, we won a trophy and some Robinsons vouchers. Luckily, we did not let out colleagues down who were so supportive during the event. Their cheering was the loudest and wildest!

I would like to thank, first and foremost, my dear whom was so understanding when knowing that I got to sing a duet with a female colleague. Dear is the best or what?! Dear, thank you for being so wonderful.

I also like to thank Yongwei for making the trouble to find me the karaoke VCD. Thank you man!

Thanks Jorene for your impressive singing power! You helped us to win this thing!

Thank you M.D, GM, managers and fellow colleagues of SCA. Thanks for your throat-destroying cheering! You guys gave us the support and confidence we needed.

2007-08-20T00:11:00.000-07:00

Singapore Plastics Industry Association Dinner - Karaoke Contest

This Friday, I will be taking part in the SPIA Karaoke contest. Yes, kanna sabotaged! Anyway, I will be singing a duet with a female colleague. I hope Dear will be ok with this.

Anyway, feeling abit nervous as there will be alot of people attending the dinner. Just cross my fingers and do my best lah!

2007-08-12T03:30:00.000-07:00

Eternal Life

I think the priests in my church are getting better with their sermons. It must be the generosity of The Holy Spirit. They always can link the different readings together to define a deeper meaning. They can relate the first and second reading to the gospel. Moreover, they can totally explain the gospel in a way that applies to the modern lifestyles of ours. They can do it such that we feel guilty yet not humiliated. I will especially feel that every mass is a wake up call. They bring me back from reality as defined by society to a state of true life in which only one thing is important. That is God. At the same time, it means that 2 other things are vital. That will be Jesus, the Son of God and The Holy Spirit, the grace and gift of God. That further encompasses more important things in our life. That will be family, love, faith and etc. These are God's will to me.

God's will is not about giving up all materials possessions. The God of love wants us to love our family, our friends, our colleagues, our neighbours and even our enemies. The God of love does not wish us to pursue things that will eventually end and forgo what is promised as eternal gift. This makes me ponder about Today's Straits Times article on teens' splurging of cash on their appearances. It is definitely nothing wrong to look good. This is a form of respect to others and also a way to boost up self confidence. But sometimes, if this kind of spending goes overboard, then it can be problematic especially when teens who are not even earning any income are involved. Like one counsellor mentioned in the article, parents are allowing their children to focus on so much on the outside and neglect what should be groom from the inside. Will the future generations be filled with pretty people who do ugly actions that totally go against God's will?

What we should focus on is the eternal life, the life after death. The priest mentioned purgatory, a concept that protestants did not believe in. It is a state of sin purging. It is a state when loved ones pray to rid off our sins so that we can be perfectly clean before we go to heaven.I believe in it as I am no saint. I believe that God of love has no intention to let anyone go to hell, unless you send yourself to the devil. This is the freedom the Catholic church is talking about. The freedom to do God's will or walk the evil way.

2007-08-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Money No Enough

During today's sermon, the priest said," All is vanity". This meant that all earthly things are like vapour. One moment they are here and the other moment they are gone. All glories on earth are transient.

I agree with him. In fact I am not a person who pursues the finest things in life. In fact, I am still trying my best t0 afford the neccesity. My salary is split into paying CPF, savings for wedding ring, wedding day, house and honeymoon. Moreover, I am giving my parents, grandmother and sister allowance, paying for my credit card bills, handphone bills, internet service bills and other necessary spendings on the household stuffs like tolietries. The leftover are shared among investment and insurance. Recently, I have suffered the harsh reality of using credit card. These cards are from hell as they suck your money month by month. It is still within control though.

I know people say that money can never be enough. I just wonder what will the feeling be like to have enough money.

2007-07-29T01:38:00.000-07:00

The Unexpected And Unplanned For

I think many people have experienced the same thing as me. Maybe you wanted to be a doctor, you end up becoming a teacher. Maybe you planned to be an engineer, you end up working in the banking sector. Maybe your ambition was to be lawyer, you end up running a business of your own.

The truth is when I was young, I used to help out in my dad's optical shop. I always see hard-to-please customers who picked on everything from spetacles price to quality. Hence since then, I decided not to go into Sales. At such a young age, I was not particularly naughty but just more interested in playing balls than studying. That was why my PSLE result was not all impressive and I was allocated to the secondary school of my last choice which I am glad now. Although I had some bad records of smoking and mixing with gangsters, I never really landed myself into too much trouble, at least not with the law enforcers.

From young, I thought I could just attend polytechnic and then find a decent job later on. That was also the expectations of my parents. Never did I expect myself to excel academically in my 'O' and 'A' level and go on to obtain a degree in Chemical Engineering of NUS. I was grateful that I got the bad experience and opportunities to learn multi-level marketing or direct marketing during my university days that prepared me to go into sales and marketing now. That was totally unplanned.

In terms of investment, I heard many horrible stories of people going bankrupt due to market crash during my early days. Hence, I told myself that I would never dabble in the stock market. Just a few years ago, I bought my first stock and got my first every profit through stock trading. Since then, I had been trading with stocks and as I failed to fully grasp the concept of investing, I had been winning small and losing big. Now I am shying away from the volatility of the stock market but keeping myself in the learning journey of unit trust investing which I am doing quite ok.

Golf was never my interest. I thought I would never have to learn it but looks like I am very wrong. I will most probably take up golf lessons before this year ends. This is so that next time I can use it as a way to connect to my customers. I hope the course fee will be worth it.

2007-07-10T00:37:00.000-07:00

Commencement Ceremony 2007

Thank you everyone for a magnificent 4 years. A period with lots of tears, sweat and laughter. Moments filled with stress, anxiety and joy. I salute to all of you for the friendships built and the bonds formed.

My graduation gift from dear - A business bag. Thank you dear for everything. Graduating will not be possible without you. You have always been my pillar of support.

2007-07-06T17:03:00.000-07:00

Sumitomo Chemical Asia Team Building Trip 2007 @ Phuket

Enjoy some pictures taken at Phuket. Hope we are a step closer in becoming a great team.

2007-07-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Crushed, Pushed, Tortured

Have you tried the feeling of being choked
Till almost going to faint
Or pushed to the edge of the scary cliff
with just a step more to death
Or pierced by a thousand rusty swords
Only to feel the immense pain

Why all the good I strive to do
Have never been enough
Why is it not that obvious now
That I have dried up all my blood
Why trust and faith have failed to form
Though I'm praying every night

I suffered, cried and sacrificed
Just to earn your smile
Yet now it seems that all I have done
Is nothing in your eyes
And what I need is more than words
The true meaning of love

2007-06-30T19:49:00.000-07:00

Graduation Photos

Before I get to collect the potraits, let's have a preview:

2007-06-27T03:41:00.000-07:00

Letter From Management

To all Employees:

Effective January 2007

Dress Code

1. It is advised that you come to work dressed according to your salary. If we see you wearing Prada shoes and carrying a Gucci bag, we assume you are doing well financially and therefore do not need a pay raise.
2. If you dress poorly, you need to learn to manage your money better, so that you may buy nicer clothes, and therefore you do not need a pay raise.
3. If you dress just right, you are right where you need to be and therefore you do not need a pay raise.

Sick Days

We will no longer accept a doctor's certificate as proof of sickness.
If you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to come to work.

Holiday Days

Each employee will receive 104 personal days a year. They are called Saturday & Sunday.

Compassionate Leave

This is no excuse for missing work. There is nothing you can do for dead friends, relatives or co-workers. Every effort should be made to have non-employees attend to the arrangements.
In rare cases where employee involvement is necessary, the funeral should be scheduled in the late afternoon. We will be glad to allow you to work through your lunch hour and subsequently leave one hour early.

Toilet Use

1. Entirely too much time is being spent in the toilet. There is now a strict three-minute time limit in the cubicles.
2. At the end of three minutes, an alarm will sound, the toilet paper roll will retract, the cubicle door will open, and your picture will be taken.
3. After your second offence, your picture will be posted on the company notice board under the "Chronic Offenders" category.
4. Anyone caught smiling in the picture will be sanctioned under the company's mental health policy.

Lunch Break

1. Skinny people get 30 minutes for lunch, as they need to eat more so that they can look healthy.
2. Normal size people get 15 minutes for lunch to get a balanced meal to maintain their average figure.
3. Chubby people get 5 minutes for lunch, because that's all the time needed to drink a Slim-Fast.

Thank you for your loyalty to our company. Remember we are an employer of choice and we are here to provide a positive employment experience.
Therefore, all questions, comments, concerns, complaints, frustrations, irritations, aggravations, insinuations, allegations, accusations, contemplations, consternation and input should be directed elsewhere.

Management

2007-06-23T19:39:00.000-07:00

Gift

I wanted to write this entry quite some time ago but it seems that now it is more spontaneous with the works of the Holy Spirit within me. On my office desk, I placed a verse from St. Matthew in front of me, to guide me in my work. "Anyone who wants to be great will be humbled. Anyone who humbles himself will be made great"

Some people say that the ability to communicate coherently and confidently is a skill that will help you to succeed in life. Others reckon that the ability to adapt is crucial for survival. But as a 2 month old Catholic, I have come to realise the power of praying. It is a gift from the almighty, an invitation to be his companion and a skill that ones must have at all times. The truth of living in a secular world is that religions are not involved in our daily lives. We avoid discussing it and thats why we become Sunday Catholics. The book "God Is My CEO" clearly illustrates how successful people put God ahead of everything and how they involve their faith by living everyday as Christians. With our education, our status, our achievement, humans are starting to believe that we can handle everything ourselves. It is only when things go wrong then will people surrender to the gentle calling of God.

This few months have been wonderful for me after coming out of 4 years of darkness. Yet, there were so moments of despair and uncertainty. Inner peace can be easily attained when I prayed. Like a cathechist said before "Praying is not me setting aside time to talk to God, but me accepting the invitation of God's companionship." I am still working on my morning prayer but so far have not failed praying before sleeping. I pray for the people whom I care for. I pray for the world and I pray for myself. Praying is an antidote to any pain and disturbance.

The cathechist also posed concerns on the people's attitude towards the sacraments of the faith. The worst of all is the receiving of the holy communion. The truth is that now many Catholics treat the receiving of the body of Christ as a routine. In fact, as we take in the host, there should be a transformation. We should become closer to our saviour in heaven. We should become a better Catholic. The Catholic churches in Europe are facing the crisis of the loss of faith now. Many failed to understand the doctrines that are essential for the foundation of faith building. In Singapore, many people claimed that the Catholic mass failed to inspire them or it is too boring. Many had left the only religion passed down by St. Peter himself and joined other denominations. To me, every rituals, every word and every songs performed during the mass are full of meanings. The question is "HAVE WE MADE AN EFFORT TO LEARN WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW AND TO APPRECIATE WHAT WE HAVE? HAVE WE BEEN PROACTIVE IN BELIEVING OR DO WE JUST EXPECT THE CHURCH TO DO EVERYTHING FOR US?" WHILE GOD HAS HIS ARMS WIDE OPEN, HAVE WE TAKEN A STEP FORWARD TO LOVE HIM MORE?"

Maybe before we blame anyone or anything, we should reflect on what we could have done more. Sometimes, it is this kind of self-reflection that separates the successful and the ones whom always taste failure and never learn.

2007-06-19T22:35:00.000-07:00

What is Sumitomo Chemical Asia

Looks like many people are quite blur about my company so allow me to explain once and for all:

350 years ago, Sumitomo house of family founded many companies from their first fertilizer manufacturing factory that coped with environmental problems. Companies like Sumitomo Chemical (SCC), NEC, Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals, Sumitomo Metal Mining, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Sumitomo Metal Industries, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Sumitomo Warehouse Corporation, Sumitomo Osaka Cement were originated from Sumitomo house of family. Although now they are all operated independantly but the business prinicples from the founder are still adopted.

SCC was formed in 1925. Under its umbrella are also many subsidiaries like Sumitomo Chemical Asia (SCA), Sumitomo Chemical Singapore, The Polyolefin Company, Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore and Sumitomo Bakelite. These are the subsidiaries in Singapore only. They are alot more in other countries.

SCA was established last year. Its primary purpose is to sell and market petrochemical products manufactured by Petro-Rabigh. Petro-Rabigh project is a 50:50 joint venture between Saudi Aramco (a state-owned refining company by the Saudi government) and SCC. So SCA has the exclusive rights to market to all around the world outside Middle East. The Petro-Rabigh project will only begin full operation next year. Hence, now SCA is involved in stabilising and starting up internal system like SAP, forming business networks and also doing premarketing to collect intelligence for long term marketing strategy. SCA will also take part in marketing campaigns like trade shows in China and other places to advertise on our company and the future products. So far, under SCA, we already establish offices in Shanghai, Dongguan, Europe (Belgium) and India. Up and coming ones may be Vietnam and Latin America.

2007-06-15T07:32:00.000-07:00

2 Weeks of Work Have Passed

So as I commence the 3rd week, I have some thoughts about the past 2 weeks at work. The colleagues are quite ok. Most of them are friendly, helpful and we work together amiably and peacefully. Jackson and I were split up into different sales team while Chen Wei is in marketing. My manager is a person with loads of experience in the field and yet he is extremely helpful in teaching me new things. However, too bad that he is very busy as he is one of the important staff during this stage of business development. I also learn quite some stuffs from the seniors who had the relevant sales experience in the polyolefin industry. Some of them were from Exxon Mobil and also other chemical companies like our affiliates The Polyolefin Company and Sumitomo Chemical Singapore.

These 2 weeks we had been involved in a heavy amount of administration like data entry of customer profiles. It was not just the entering of information but also sorting them in a way that makes marketing sense as the marketing and sales managers will use them to derive short and long term marketing and sales plan. Then, supply chain will make use of our plan to forcast their own shipment requirement. The worst time was when I worked till 8 plus in the office and then still had to bring work home and only finished it by 2 plus. Luckily can claim for dinner. The next day was shiok!

The other task we were also actively involved in is the conceptualisation of the website. We are drafting out ideas, meeting up with vendors and doing some brainstorming to create our own website. Hopefully things will run smoothly if not our heads will be on the chopping board! Ok lah, not so serious.

The more higher level planning that we are learning and observing is the SAP system that will be implemented soon. I am very excited to be involved in this as I think this is a great opportunity to learn the state of the art business system. Although alot of linguistics like incoterms (international commercial terms) and accrual are alien to us, we are slowly picking them up.

Ten Things I Love About My Job:
1) I love my office venue as it is near tp dear's.
2) I have nice colleagues.
3) I love the view from my office. I can see dear's tower.
4) I love my seat as it is near to the pantry.
5) I love my lap top as it is small and nice.
6) I love my workplace as it is full of different places for lunch
7) I love the pace of learning. It is just right.
8) I love the way the management involves us in some stuffs.
9) I love the distance from home to work.
10) I love my namecard as it got my photo on it.

Next Monday will be welcome dinner for newcomers and I heard there will be lots of drinking. Hope I can pull through that night. Haha.

2007-06-10T05:35:00.000-07:00

Corpus Christi - The Body of Christ

This morning, I went down to St Anthony Church with Dear's family because it is The Feast of St Anthony. We took quite a while to find since we were not familiar with the area. I even called Meiying to ask for direction and I was really guilty to wake her up. Sorry my friend! There were fun fairs but we did not stay long. St Anthony is the patron saint of lost things. Therefore, I prayed to Jesus through St Anthony so that he could help those Catholics who had lost their faith.

Then in the evening, I went down to St Francis Xavier Church to attend the mass. The reason was that there would be a procession after the mass and I was tasked to carry the banner for the Lector ministry. Lectors are people who go up to the sanctuary during mass to read the 1st and 2nd reading. Today's theme was Corpus Christi - the Hebrew translation of the body of Christ. During the priest's sermon, he mentioned how Catholics receive communion when they are not in the state of grace. As we, Catholics, view the holy communion or the eucharist as the exact body and blood of Jesus Christ, many of us fail to experience transformation in our lives. The reason is sin. I felt really guilty when the priest said that. In fact, as we go through our lives, we have sinned many times. During these times, we did not have the consciousness to re-examine our behaviour and only act holy when we go to church. Let us be aware of how we think, feel, talk and act, so that we can be worthy to receive the body of Christ in the state of grace.

2007-06-09T00:46:00.000-07:00

My 1st Car Accident In 4 Years

I was travelling on Jalan Nira, a small road linking out into Chartwell Drive before going down to Serangoon Garden Circles. Just as I was driving straight across a T-junction, a pickup came from the right and banged my car on my right rear portion. The impact caused my rear side mirror to be smashed. Clearly, the fault was not on me since I was going straight on the main road and he was turning out from the side. He was supposed to give way to me since there was a stop line on his lane. But I guess I still should exercise caution when I drive around there next time.

I took down his pickup licence plate number, his contact number and took some pictures on our vehicles. Forgot to check his IC and take down his particular. Luckily, they are not that necessary.

So I went down to Honda workshop with my dad to report the accident and they will get the insurance company and lawyer to settle the negotiation with the third party. For now, other than the repairing of the car, there will investigation to ensure that my statement was accurate. I will just have to wait for another week for the car to be ready for collection and another few more months to clear the insurance claim.

I must thank God for protecting me for any possible injury. I also want to thank Dear's dad for providing me some advice on the necessary procedures to deal with this accident. I also like to thank Dear for being so understanding now that I have no car for a week.

2007-06-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

It All Begins!

For the many years before today, I have experienced my 1st day of school, my 1st test, my 1st exam, my 1st day of BGR, my 1st day of holiday, my 1st failure, my 1st success and many other 1st times.

Today is my 1st day of work. Although it is not my 1st time working, it matters alot now as my career starts today. It matters because i can now search my meaning and value in life. I can use the money I earn to build a future, one that consists of Dear and me. I can grow as an adult and I can learn as a professional. Of course, I will lose some things which are only entitled to students. I have no more holidays in terms of months. I have to face a different kind of stress and pressure. I have to ensure the well-being of my parents and my family in the future. To gain something, others have to be lost. I guess this is the concept of balance.

Today went very smoothly. I was the last one to reach office but we were all on time. In the morning, we had an orientation briefing conducted by the Managing Director. He elaborated on the company mission, core values and other important information. He also gave us an overview of the company's operation, business and future plan. Then, the baton was passed on to the HR executive who briefed us on the code of conduct and ethics and other administrative matters. Went to eat lunch with our superiors. So far, they are quite ok but it still early to tell. My Key Account Manager just asked us to attend his wedding!

The afternoon was spent learning the IT stuff after the IT Support Executive set up our laptop and taught us how to book meeting rooms and check our colleagues calendar and etc. Then we took some time to read through the orientation kit and also browsed through the public folders. At 4.30pm, the company driver gave us a ride to Suntec for corporate photo taking that is required for our name cards. It was quite expensive but was paid by the company. Then we went back to office to show face and packed up before leaving at about 6.15pm. Tomorrow, there would be another briefing session with the General Manager of Admin. Then, I guess it is on the job training already.

2007-05-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

National Weather Study Project (NWSP) 2007

Venue: Singapore Science Centre – The Annex
Time: 9.45am

It has been a long time since I last stepped into Singapore Science Centre. Now, it is filled with visually pleasing exhibitions and since I did not have the opportunity to take a closer look, I did not know what are scientific topics being displayed. Yet, there was not the issue.

The award presentation ceremony to reward the primary, secondary and JC students who participated in NWSP 2007 was this morning. Many guests from the private sectors and government bodies were there to witness the ceremony. Mr. Ng Meng Hiong from NEA, Mr. Howard Shaw from SEC, Mr. Fabian Foo from WWF were among the people I spoke to.

The presentation given by the winning team of the secondary school category was simply impressive. They did a thoroughly researched project on “Sky-rise Greening” which I perceive is very relevant in Singapore. The winning teams from the different categories were awarded cash prizes and overseas opportunity to showcase their projects. I hope this NWSP can continue for the next few years so that more students can be influenced in their mindset. When time comes for them to lead the world into a new era, they will hold with them a consciousness that the earlier generations lack.

2007-05-24T18:54:00.000-07:00

Another Unofficial Graduation

Today is the release of the results of my last examination in NUS. Surprisingly, I am quite satisfied with it and this semester's results is one of my better ones. Now I am considered a graduate. It is only that I haven't attend the commencement ceremony. Being a graduate is not something to boast about but something to appreciate. I appreciate my parents' sacrifice in making my tertiary education possible without much hurdles. I appreciate the gift of studying from God so that I can use what I learn to help other people. I think instead of being proud, I shall stay humble so that I can learn more when I start working in June. Hope God will guide me in this spiritually.

2007-05-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

Happy 7 Year Anniversary

Yes! Dear and I are together for 7 years. It was a very rewarding period of time when there was alot of giving, caring, sharing and receiving (Joey's lines in Friends). I am sure that the path ahead will once again be filled with excitement and hope. There will be new things in our life with me starting to work and plan for our future. I am prepared to wear my armour suit and fight against all obstacles that will hinder our love and I am sure God will look after us.

So Dear planned the anniversary dinner at this nice and cosy place called New Majestic Hotel. Here are some of the photos:

This dessert is very special, just like my dear.

Dear made me a wonderful gift which she stayed up almost all night to prepare. Really touched by her sacrifice of sleep when sleep is very important to her. This is the photo:

After the sweet dinner, we headed down to Suntec to catch Spiderman 3. Felt so bad to drag Dear down to her workplace even when she was on leave. But no choice, Suntec was the nearest place.

2007-05-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

Birthday Party - Maybe The Last For @Ease Events Management

This is a 5 kg cake!

2007-05-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

An Enduring 4 Years of Hell Has Ended

2nd of May marked my unofficial graduation as I finished my final examination in NUS. I may go back there to do a Master's degree next time but as of now, I am released. Rongjia asked me how I felt after my last paper. The truth is there was no exceptional hype but an acceptance of my status. I did feel like having a little celebration since the past 4 years had been tough for all of us. This bachelor degree is surely something earned through lots of pain and sorrow. I am sure all Chemical Engineering students will agree with me.

For me, the 4 years were particularly challenging and depressing. To be more precise, they were the worst years of my life. The only enjoyable time was during industrial attachment when I discover my self-worth. People said students lead a carefree life with just our academic results to worry. To a certain extent, I agree that we are able to have more freedom in arranging our time while working people will have more restrictions due to work commitment. However, we cannot actually compare the kind of stress because they are different in nature and that does not mean one is less than the other. Moreoever, we also have other things to worry about and not just studies. For me, I constantly worry about my sister who is mentally unwell. I worry about my parents' and grandma's health and also my parents' business performance. They had been losing money since 10 years ago. Only until last year then they started to make profits again. Small but reasonable. Fortunately, business was thriving in the earlier days and because of my parents' effective use of money, they were able to cover losses without going into serious trouble. That was why I graduate without any debt as my parents could afford to pay my school fees. For that, I am sincerely grateful to them. Sacrifices that parents made could never be repaid but they can be examples of how you can love your own children.

During these 4 years of despair, living in an extremely competitive environment, feeling so underachieved with all the people getting better grades than you, there is only one reason why I survive till today. It is dear, Karen, my girlfriend. She stood by me, consoled me, encouraged me, shared joy with me and bore pains with me. Life would be impossible without her. Her constant love and support gave me strength to carry on with my daily tasks and challenges. If one day she told me that she is an angel, it is definitely not hard to believe. She is the angel sent down by God, the Lord who loves me so much.

Also, very importantly, I must thank God for giving me such a great bunch of friends who supported one another during the tough moments. Life will be much more unbearable without you all. To my closest friends, Edmund, Rongjia, Vivien, Aidah ......, thank you all for everything and also may our friendship lasts forever!

The few achievements that I am proud of are:
1) Celebrating our 7th year anniversary this month. It has been a long ride but every year with dear is a new beginning, a new chapter of life.
2) Baptised as a Roman Catholic and become in full communion with God, the Father, Lord Jesus Christ, the son and the Holy Spirit.
3) Co-founded Climate Change Organisation and actively participated in activities that educate public about climate change and touch base with reputable corporations and goverment bodies. Really an extraordinary experience.
4) Other learning experiences like MLM, flea market and party planning that help me grow into a better person.
5) Unofficially graduated with an honours in Chemical Engineering. That means not letting my parents and grandmother down.

So now is the time to grab hold of this free time to fulfil some tasks like rearranging my room to make space for future stuff and other spiritual enhancement. This will be a good break before I step into a new world.

2007-04-29T06:21:00.000-07:00

My Speech in Church

My RCIA facilitator asked me to share my experience in this one year journey during mass this morning. Here is my speech:

"Good morning Father and good morning to you, my brothers and sisters in Christ.

I stepped into a church for the first time in my life about 5 years ago. That time, the parish was celebrating mass and I was just observing. A weird feeling came over me as I heard the congregation reciting prayers in one voice. I thought that I was in an army camp where there were specific ways of answering and saying things. To be frank with you, I felt that it was silly to follow the responses in the Sunday missal. I found it ridiculous to control people’s responses to certain prayers as I perceived that faith should be more spontaneous than that.

Fortunately, the Holy Spirit had been guiding me as I attended mass more and more frequently. My girlfriend and her family’s display of faith in their daily lives prompted me to ask questions about the catholic religion. Even though, every year when the announcement was made to invite enquirers to attend RCIA, I was reluctant as I felt unprepared and found it even disturbing to think about it. While going through life and experiencing love, pain, joy and sorrow, I slowly realized that I was starting to open up to God. The readings and gospels were of great help to me in developing my faith. I started to pray to God and Lord Jesus and every time when I did that, I felt immense peace.

So came last year, when RCIA was inviting enquirers, I signed up for it. It was a clear and almost spontaneous choice. I felt prepared at last. During the enquiry phase, we learnt about the teachings and doctrines of the Catholic Church. Father Ho and Father Gerard helped us understand concepts like the holy trinity, the sacraments and many more. The facilitators also took turn to teach us about the faith and religious practices. The weekly sharing sessions allowed sponsors and Catholics to share their experiences with God and that really helped me to believe even more. The priests, facilitators, sponsors, Catholics and even my godparents are wonderful helping hands of God. It is through them that I see the possibility of being close to and loved by Jesus.

After the rite of acceptance when the enquirers accepted God to be their guiding light, the mood of the course changed. It was not so much of lessons anymore but faith development. It became a stage of transformation. Each and every Sunday, after our breaking of the word, all of us were transformed because we were touched by the words in the gospel. We started to embrace the homily put forth by the priests as we captured meaningful words that guided us in our life for the rest of the week. From then on, every mass is a kind of replenishment, nourishment and a re-building of faith as we understand more and more the meaning behind each action and word. Of course, there were times of fatigue and lethargy but the sponsors were all very supportive and encouraging. In my opinion, I think they are the best examples of good Catholics.

On a more personal level, I felt that I experienced a kind of growth and transformation in me and that certainly made a difference in my life. I noticed that I am becoming more patient, more understanding and more loving. By the way I incorporate my religious belief into my daily life, I am slowly influencing others when I prayed before meals and when I expressed my care and concern to those around me. My brothers and sisters, it is believed that the highlight is not during any of the other moment in mass but when leaving the building. That is when we go out to be the church.

So, by being church in your daily life, you can help others see and feel the wonder of believing in God and let them know that the door of RCIA is always open to anyone. Invite them so that they can experience the transformation that will give them peace and joy. We, as Catholics, are also encouraged to participate and I can guarantee you that your faith will definitely be strengthened.

Thank you and God bless everyone."

2007-04-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

Sign My Life Away?

So, after the "interesting" experience with J**, it seemed pretty clear on which job offer to accept. I think what is wonderful about the offer from Sumitomo Chemical Asia (SCA) is that it allows me to work in the petrochemical industry and yet not in the technical functions which I feel I may not excel. The other thing is that it is actually a newly established company under the parent Sumitomo Chemical. It is also affiliated to Sumitomo Chemical Singapore (SCS) and The Polyolefin Company (TPC). Being a new organisation, it also means that there will be alot of rooms for growth and development. It was actually incorporated about 10 years ago but because of some overlapping business functions with SCS, SCA was made dormant. Now they re-open it to cater for the new business function of selling the product from a new petroleum production plant in Saudi Arabia. It would be an exclusive distributorship due to a joint venture with a Saudi Arabian petroleum company. So SCA will be exclusively distributing this product to Europe, Asia and emerging markets. Only thing is that SCA cannot sell them to Middle East which will be handled by the partner company. So being one of the 3 graduate trainees (sounds nice only lah, in the end also become salesman :) haha), we are supposed to do the necessary pre-sales preparation before the plant becomes operational in 2008. It will be like developing a business. So cool! Actually, SCA is now at its phase 2 of development, so I think it is already pretty stable. Judging from the way they hire people, I feel that they are very sincere in making this business work.

One concern for me is that when the production actually begins and the performance is found out to be unsatisfactory like poor sales results, there is a chance of downsizing. Of course now, everything seems so optimistic with positive projections of company size and revenue in the future. Sometimes, things may just happen. So, I must always be alert to detect signs and move on when necessary. However, because SCA is soley owned by Sumitomo Chemical - Japanese MNC, transfer across board may be possible when undesirable dynamical situations occur.

Wish me luck!

2007-04-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

HR = Human Resources or Hell Raiser?

Don't get me wrong. I have come in contact with many HR people who are the nicest people on earth. My girlfriend is definitely the nicest of the nicest (sincerely). My IA company's HR staff are very caring and understanding. The HR in Sumito** Chemical Asia are very professional and friendly. My lecturer for "Human Relations in the New Economy" is a very experienced, motivating and thought provoking teacher who was successful in HR at a MNC before he retired.

Today, I met the worst HR manager ever existed in the small realm of my world. It was during a 2nd interview at J** Singapore Pte Ltd - an engineering, procurement and construction company. I was offered the position of process engineer.

I shall not go into details what he said but some of my friends would have already know the details. I just wonder what blow did he suffered such that he had such negative opinions on Singaporean especially the fresh engineering graduates from NUS. It is weird that he is also a Singaporean. I mean there is nothing wrong with putting a certain emphasis on our starting salary. It is essential to provide a motivation to perform. It is a reward of effort and it is undoubtedly important. Yet, the HR manager made it sounded like we, the NUS graduates, thought too highly of ourselves. He labelled us as "bloody money grabber". This was exactly what he said. He started to blame the government, the education system, the society and even our parents. He tried to tell me that we are beyond hope and are victims of materialism. He talked about compassion and passion being the vital core values of a person and not money-mindedness. Well, by being so mean, I don't think that is compassionate.

Then he started stating his achievement as a reputable person in the industry and he knows and also offends many ministers before. He criticised NUS boring system of focusing on technical knowlege and mentioned how NUS graduates are poor in soft skills. Well, that might be true before but not neccessary anymore. He was dumbfounded when I informed him the diverse levels of modules we now take ranging from business to arts to science. What disturbed me was the fact that he downplayed the purpose of a good salary so much. Also, he generalised all NUS engineering graduates as one single characteristics which was definitely unfair.

A company that gives a low starting pay while many others offer more shows one thing. This company, although it promises all the intangible benefits like skills, experience, good career advancement and long term status growth (which are also attainable in many companies that pay well), have no interest to be competitive to recruit and retain talent. If this is so, how much do you think you can grow in the company? How much effort do you think they will put in to groom someone?

2007-04-07T19:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our Family

"Welcome to our Family" is a song that dear's family and relatives sang to me last night. I was reborn after the cleansing of my sins with Holy Water. Yes, I was baptised last evening. The baptism was held in the midst of the celebration of the Easter Vigil. For me, it was an addition of excitement because the whole congregation was witnessing the baptism ceremony. The whole rite was actually not so much of a affective experience to me but I was indeed happy. It was only during the moment when I was about to receive the Holy Communion (Body and Blood of Christ) of Jesus then I felt the spring of joy in my heart. I was very eager to be in full communion with the Lord. It was very joyful and loving atmosphere especially when everyone was celebrating Jesus' coming back to life on the third day after his crucifixion. After one year of learning and practising the faith, this day had come to give me a new life.

After that we had a celebration at dear's house and I was truly touched by the effort and time put in by her and her family in organising the celebration. It was a very heartwarming moment and I am glad that dear's family treat me well. But of course, I did my part to earn it also.

Thank you dear for being understanding when I had to attend RCIA every Wednesday evening and could not accompany you to shopping and watching movies. Thank you dear for introducing me to the faith 5-6 years ago and then on started my journey of getting closer to God. Thank you dear for supporting me during my days of worries amd anxiety. You are like the angel sent down from heaven.

Here are some photos!

2007-03-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

Some Affairs Concluded

A few things just concluded last week. Some big and tedious affairs while some more relaxed and enjoyable.

1) Design 2 Individual Report - After staying overnight in school and working my body off to meet the deadline yesterday, finally the 1st nightmare is over. But now I am left with lots of "injuries" and fatigue. Still recuperating before I gear up to face the 2nd and hopefully last nightmare - Design 2 Group Report. What is exam stress after all this - chicken feet?

2) Watched the long-awaited "The Phantom of the Opera" on Sunday. It was a classic, totally marvellous and splendid. Love the colourful props and powerful vocals of the casts. The waiting and paying was worth it.

3) Finished a series of interview with Sumitomo Chemical Asia, The Polyolefin Company and Achema Pte Ltd after rejected by Shell and Credit Suisse earlier. The interviewer at Achema actually looked at my grades and told me that those deserved at least a 2nd class upper in NTU. He said that the candidates he interviewed earlier from NTU obtained many Cs, Ds and Es and had a 2nd lower. I am a B average. Anyway, I am crossing my fingers for an offer from Sumitomo. It seems like a good company to work for.

4) Watched TMNT last night with dear. It was not particularly funny but I liked the whole feeling about the graphics. It just looked nice and relaxing. Brought back alot of childhood memories indeed.

Although a couple of things are over but relief is still far from here. 2 tests are coming up with still 2 more projects to finish. May God give me the strength to fight with all this.

2007-03-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

Final Year Project Poster Presentation

The time came for us to showcase our research projects. About one week before the actual day, Ed and I went to print the posters. We met on sunday at Tanjong Katong Shopping Complex. We were extremely fortunate as there were no shops open except for one. Furthermore, this shop was actually closed on Sunday but because the owner had to deal with a rush job, so it was luckily open for business. Praise to the Lord! Somemore, the price quoted was quite reasonable and the owner was very nice. So after that, I actually recommended my classmates to go there for their printing.

So here are some photos on the final day of poster presentation:

2007-03-05T20:36:00.000-08:00

God Is All Around

A few recent experiences that assured me that God sent down his angels to look after me.

1) The night before an interview at Shell (Pulau Bukom), I bought some things and hence got a one dollar coin as change. The usual me would put it into my Bomberman piggy bank when I got home. However, that night when I wanted to do that, I could not find the coin. The next day after my interview at Shell, I was boarding a bus home and realised that my EZ-link card did not have enough credits and so the machine rejected my card. I was thinking "Oh no!" Somehow, when I looked into my wallet, I was able to find the one dollar coin which I did not see the night before. It was just enough for me to reach the Harbourfront bus stop so that I could top up my EZ-link card and carried on my way home.
Thanks be to God.

2) Final Year Project Poster Presentation started this morning and it will last till Thursday. As I had to attend lesson yesterday, I told Edmund to help me put up the poster. This morning when I reached school, I heard a voice calling me to go and check my poster and so I did. To my dismay, my poster was on the floor with the double-sided tape stuck to the front page. After I eventually pulled it off, there left a somewhat obvious mark on the poster and I was really disturbed by that. Yet, I must thank God for the prompting because if I had not went to check, it would be still on the floor now and I would probably be penalised for not putting up the poster.
Thanks be to God.

2007-02-27T07:04:00.000-08:00

Thank You Baby

Thanks dear for a wonderful gift! Now I no need to buy Smart Investor every month and it will be delivered straight to my house. That is super sweet of you. You are the best!

2007-02-24T02:04:00.000-08:00

Rite of Election

Thank you everyone, I am promoted! I had conscientiously climbed my ladder of faith from an enquirer during the first 3 months since Easter last year to a cathechumen till today. Now I am officially an Elect, the chosen one by God. 2 months of rites of scrutiny and I will be baptised during the Easter Vigil. Then, I will be part of the St Francis Xavier Church (disciples of Christ hor, not the building) and the catholic community. I am proud to receive the direct teachings passed down since the time of St. Peter, the 1st Pope in the Christian history.

Today, I attended the Rite of Election (ROE). With 15 churches participating, there are more than 500 cathechumens and 27 candidates (christians of other denominations who wish to follow the cathlolic faith) present in the Church of the Holy Spirit. Tomorrow, there will be another 17 churches doing the same thing at another venue. It was a pity that Archbishop Nicholas Chia was not present due to poor health. May the Lord bless him. Yet, the celebration hosted by Monsignor Eugene Vaz was equally significant and meaningful. The hymns were nicely chosen to suit the event and the whole celebration was full of holiness. Although I was not able to receive the holy communion (Eucharist - The bread(body) and wine(blood) of Christ) yet, I know that the time will come soon and I will be in total reconciliation and communion with the Lord.

2007-02-24T01:55:00.000-08:00

Final Semester - The Peak of All Toture

I was having a project discussion with my classmates at my place and we were talking about how we cannot wait to graduate! While many other NUS students feel the insecurity and fear about the few months left before graduating (there goes their rather carefree, full of ECAs, BGRs, R&R life), we the chemical engineers yearn for that day to arrive faster. We are so packed with our research project cum design project which really exploded many heads and broke many hearts. Blood is already flowing down from the E5 level 3 comp lab to the 2nd level, seeping into the professors' offices in the hope of drowning some of them. Time seems so insufficient and life seems so full of work. Humans become running horses, always rushing from meetings to meetings, lectures to lectures and yet no one runs to this place we call rest. I think some have already burnt out and I am on the verge. So hand in hand, we all must strive to survive through this dark storms to ride out as victorious individuals with the degree scrolls on our hand. These scrolls are keys to the greater tomorrow or maybe even the darker nights. God bless all year 4 NUS chemical engineers!

2007-02-18T02:15:00.000-08:00

Luke 6:27-38

"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly.....
Do for others just what you want them to do for you.....
If you love only the people who love you, why should you receive a blessing?
Even sinners love those who love them!
Lend and expect nothing back... you will then have a great reward....
Be merciful just as your Father is merciful."

2007-02-13T23:04:00.000-08:00

FYP Report Is Back

Yes! Finally my final year report is being marked and handed back to me. The comment from my professor was "Generally ok but not particularly fantastic". Well, what does that mean? I think he was trying to tell me that if he was in good mood when he marked the report, maybe I could ger a A-. If not, I can try my luck for B+ and B. I sure can say goodbye to A and A+. Anyway, I already lost them since year 1.

I sure hope it is not too low since poster presentation usually will yield lower marks. It is not easy to do well for that one since moderators and industry people will come down here to shoot you with super many questions about your research project.

So now I have to make some amendment and give my professor a final copy which he will store on his cupboard to collect dust.

2007-02-11T07:13:00.000-08:00

Jeremiah 17:5-8

A blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord, with the Lord for his hope.
He is like a tree by the waterside that thrusts its roots to the stream:
When the heat comes, it feels no alarm, its foliage stays green;
It has no worries in a drought, and never ceases to bear fruit.

2007-02-04T02:21:00.000-08:00

Work Trip in Bangkok

My dear is now in Bangkok. Maybe doing her shopping, maybe relaxing in the hotel, I am not sure. Got to do all these before her work starts tomorrow which according to the itinery, her schedule is so packed that sometimes will have no time to eat. Really miss her alot and hope that these 3 days pass by quickly.

Just bought her Valentine's day present. No money now so have to scrimp and save to buy it. We will be celebrating Valentine's day on the 15th instead so that we can celebrate our 6 years and 9 months anniversary also. Plus, on the 15th I have a dedaline to meet. Hehe. Don't worry, my girlfriend is very understanding one.

2007-02-01T03:26:00.000-08:00

3 People to Congratulate!

1st - The most important person in my life. My dear is getting her bonus which is a handsome amount. At least all her hard work pays off.

2nd - My elder brother most probably will be getting married this year December. Finally, he is settling down with his long time girlfriend. Hope they will have a blesses marriage.

3rd - My buddy is being pestered by his supervisor to further his studies in either Master degree or Ph.D. I think he must have done his research project very well for his professor to do that. Heh man, I think if you are really keen, you have to grab this opportunities. But if your interest is not there yet, then no point choosing that path and miss the pursuit of your career. For Masters, you can always do anytime. Ph.D wise is abit tricky. Although, it may land you high paying jobs in 3 to 5 years time, your field will be so specialised that it may not be easy to get employed, unless you go into the teaching profession which you told me you do not want.

2007-01-26T06:07:00.000-08:00

Congrats My Love!

Wah, Dear's bonus alot leh! Shall not reveal here but to me is alot leh! I think she deserve it especially now she work until so late everyday. She also has salary increment! Dear jia you, our dream house will be coming soon. We are on the way!

I recently answered some interview questions from a reporter of Today newspaper. Here is the link: http://www.todayonline.com/articles/167216.asp

Was almost interviewed by Channel News Asia. They wanted to film an interview session with me and the issues they wanted me to address was climate change and weather patterns. But it was cancelled as they had gotten the info they want from NEA. Whoever was interviewed made no difference, as long as the message was effectively brought across to the public.

2007-01-25T08:06:00.000-08:00

Singapore Compact CSR Review and Gathering

It was not really a dinner like the Singapore Compact-ACCA luncheon. There was buffett provided before the actual session. It was also a time to network and know more people who share the same belief in CSR. I happened to talk to some members from SNEF, a founding party of Singapore Compact (SC) and also the management committee of SC.

The session started with Ms Claire Chiang, President of SC and also owner of Banyan Tree, welcoming all of us. She mentioned about the conversion of CSR to CSI (Corporate Social Integration) which would be more relevant now. She also announced the setting up of their office in Keppel Tower with Jeffrey now holding the full-time position as Deputy Director. Then, the Executive Director went on to present a review of what SC had done in 2006. Activities involving the varsities and various stakeholders were organised to promote CSR and I think they had done a great job.

After the review, everyone was given some time to introduce our own company and/or organisation and also inform to others what we have contributed in terms of CSR. So it was a good way to let people know about CCO and the things we do.

After that, the gathering was wrapped up with 3 ideas being proposed.
1) SC will set up task forces by linking related organisations and companies together to work towards more precise objectives.
2) Website can be set up to integrate everyone's solution towards CSR. ECO 4 The World has one of this kind at www.ecobuzz.net.
3) Education methods like speeches, seminars and talks in insitutions or companies will be encouraged.

A free and easy networking session at the end helped to link everyone up with interested parties.

Parties involved: 1) Singapore Compact 2) Singapore National Employers Federation 3) Singapore Business Federation 4) ECO 4 The World 5) AISEC (2 NUS members will be joining SC for internship) 6) NTU students (I talk to them about volunteers)7) Toyota 8) Hitachi 9) National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre 10) British High Commission 11) NTUC 12) Banyan Tree 13) Capitalland 14) ABN- AMRO 15) CSR Asia 16) Other SMEs and NGOs

2007-01-12T21:50:00.000-08:00

Does Anyone Know What You Want To Do?

I was watching "Friends - Season 1" and Chandler, played by Matthew Perry, just quit his job although he is getting a promotion. The reason is that he is not truly passionate about what he is doing. He does statistical analysis and data processing for a MNC. After that, his boss keeps raising his salary and then finally he cave and accept the offer. The truth is he does not know what he wants in his career and seeing a career counsellor does not work for him. That is like totally relevant to many of us now, I perceive.

Those who followed the whole series till season ten will know that he eventually got a job in advertising which is really what he wants. That happens like 10 years later when he is about 38 yrs old. In the meantime, he was able to get promoted time after time till he reached the position of vice president before he became a junior copywriter in the new and unfamiliar advertising environment. Sometimes, it is just funny that people can beome so good in what they do without any passion but sometimes when it is your passion, you cannot perform.

I really am passionate in managing a business in the future though I am not sure exactly in what industry. The least possible is technology and I am very fond of retail and fashion. However, I am open to areas like management consulting and stuff like that.

But it is now, just months before my graduation, that I am clueless. Alot of people said the first job is not important. It is just a lesson to learn before you advance in your career and finally choose something that you love doing, something that suits your personality and something that you can excel in. But to me, I thought the right start is pretty vital to save time and minimise unnecessary hurt or stress. At least, I did narrowed my focus on engineering and banking. Engineering wise, I am not considering semiconductor, pharmaceutical and construction. I am pretty excited about environmental, energy and chemical. As for banking, I really want to try out risk management.

So here it goes. God help me!

2007-01-10T22:37:00.000-08:00

Great Service Will Be Rewarded

So those who read my old entry at http://www.xanga.com/may_fifteen would have known that I wrote in to Pioneer Electronics to compliment the customer service officer for her great service. A few days ago, she called me to inform me about the collection of the DVD player and she also thanked me for the compliment. That means my email was considered and she got her rewards from her boss.
Yesterday when I went to collect the item, she thanked me again. I did not ask her how she was rewarded but I thought it must be good since she was all smiles when I met her.
To those who work in the service sector, please learn something from her!

2007-01-08T00:03:00.000-08:00

Phuket R&R - The Land Far Far Away From NUS

Woke up at 4am on 4/1/07. The flight to Phuket was at 7.10am and so we had to reach the Budget Terminal earlier to have breakfast and possibly take some pictures since we have not been there before. It was really budget alright with simple design, though clean as expected but not as posh as Terminal 1 and 2. Here are some pictures at Budget Terminal.

Reached Phuket International Airport at about 7.45am Thailand time. Our hotel was quite a pleasant place with some interesting stuff like pictures of the place after the strike of Tsunami and it was pretty near to the beach.The beach was great though the sea water was not blue like in Maldives or Krabi. It was like Singapore sea but with lots of water sports like jet ski and banana boat which I did not try since I did those things in Bintan already.

Our couple shadows

Pictures of the hotel after Tsunami attack

This is Do-Not-Disturb sign

This is Make-Up-The-Room sign

Our research materials

Green curry and Tom Yam Goong - Yummy!

Dear and I did white water rafting which was quite cool and also parasailing which was awesome. For water rafting, it seemed like the passengers did not do much but our front and real guides were the one doing all the steering. Our guides were the only one who did not wear helmet. They must be expert! For parasailing, there would be a local who did the controlling of the parachute and he also did not wear any harness. I think these people are really daring.We were too broke to do snorkelling and ATV so I guess we can do them next time.

The small dam they open to create the rapids.

Oh by the way, for those guys who wish to see some top nudity, you will see it quite frequently at Phuket with all the elderly caucasian baring themselves to tan. Of course, if you are lucky, you can see some hot young chicks going topless but be prepared to see otherwise. What really astonished me was the number of Europeans/Americans/Australians having their holidays there. There were really shockingly few Asians. Moreover, you will be challenged to identify the transverstites from the born women which the former seems to be much prettier.In Phuket, there were 2 models of car that were very commonly seen on thr road. One is the Toyota Altis and Honda Jazz. Very seldom would I spot a Mazda or even Nissan.

We also watched their local performance at Fantasea. It was awesome. A total display of their culture and history. It was really breathtaking seeing all the acrobatic and elephant stunts!

Seafood night!

2006-04-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

Heh Friends!

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