Office X'mas Gathering

Thanks to Miss Molly who again led the organising efforts, we had our annual X'mas Gathering, albeit a more quiet affair. Besides the usual bunch of people, this gathering saw a number of new recruits who had joined the organisation progressively in 2007.

This year, the gathering was held on X'mas Eve itself and we only needed to work half-day so we gathered on 10th floor at noon. Food this year was Old Chang Kee fried finger food ordered via phone.
Some of our new colleagues.
Gifts for the gift exchange. The gift at the foreground was wrapped using our organisation's newsletter. The owner has explained that this was in line with the eco-office policy.
Besides myself, I have discovered another double-chin.
Happy with the exchanged presents.
Till next X'mas. Next year, Wui Seng will be back from his studies so we will be expecting him.

Roti Prata cooked using Olive Oil

To cater for the health conscious, even the humble and traditionally oily roti prata has turned healthy, at least for the use of oil. Notice the large poster hung across the front section of the coffee shop and the large wordings at the bottom "1st Shop in Singapore using Olive Oil Roti Prata". There is an interesting indian chap there who speaks fluent mandarin called Simon who took our orders.
Where is this place? It is called the Thohirah Restaurant and situated along Jalan Kayu and just beside the public car park. Prices are not cheap and it is suggested that you go through the bill before you pay to make sure that you are not 'slaughtered'.

Talk: Really achieve your childhood dreams

Ah Keong sent me the link to this inspiring talk over msn this morning. Although the talk is more than an hour long, it is worth taking the time to listen. Why? When a person is close to dying, you would expect nothing but the honest truth from him and that is the situatioon facing Dr Randy Pausch, who at the time of the talk, had another 2-3 months life as he was diagnosed with cancer.

There are many nuggets of wisdom in the talk and I think I would dilute the essence if I would to summarise anything here. But rest be assured that this is no end-of-life self-pity, instead it is a positive look back on one's achievements and the realisation of the goodness of life and people, if you do things the RIGHT way and wait LONG enough. Enough said, enjoy the trip.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=362421849901825950&pr=goog-sl

Friday Nite at Marina Square (14 Dec 07)

It was an enjoyable night out with a few friends from the office. Dinner was at Spageddies followed by dessert at Secret Recipe. Thereafter, after another round of drinks at Coffee Bean, this uncle could not last the night anymore and called it a night. Only the still young at heart Cheeko Keong wandered into the night to another appointment of fun and drinks.








Cheeko Keong:"The night is no enough!"

My 1st post on this blog...

Ello Everyone,

This is the very first time I’m blogging and yea, decided to post something after reading Miss Molly’s posts about working. Haha…ok just to introduce myself a little, I joined the organisation in June 07 and I’m in the same division as miss molly, which is GB’s ex-division…so I noe them!

Just some reflections about how I feel after working here for the past 6 months. This is my first job upon graduation and I’m glad that my colleagues are, in general, nice pple and I’ve got a bunch of really good friends here, which makes life here pretty fun !! ~^^~ Regarding work itself, I’d say that whatever I’m doing now is totally new to me because of my educational background, but yea I’m relieved that there are some v experienced and cooperative people around to help me, so well I guess I'm fortunate to have such supportive and helpful colleagues and that makes working life less undesirable…(by the way, I still think schooling is much better than working, haha).

Referring to Molly’s post titled “Things to improve at work”, I guess I can add on to what she has written…I totally agree that we should have shorter meetings! I just attended a 3.5 hr long meeting yesterday morning, but still we didn’t accomplish much. I suggest to limit ALL meetings to max. 2 hrs. I remember hearing this during a talk back in my JC days: Maximum attention spent for humans – 15min. After 15min, the amount of attention spent diminishes exponentially and when 45min is up, attention spent = 0. This is why we all need a BREAK after 1hr, albeit a short one. So, no point wasting time on LONG meetings which are not going to get us anywhere.

Sometimes, I think it’s the nature of what our division is doing that makes things a little unpleasant; we’re the so-called FIREFIGHTERS of our division, got to be alert 24hrs..I remember waking up a few times in the middle of the night because of incoming SMSes about emergencies. I used to be really excited whenever I receive an sms, wondering which friend has messaged me! But now, I think SMSes are a nightmare. >_< Because we are at the frontline, our bosses esp. are under quite a lot of stress, and this translates into a rather high degree of kiasu/kiasee-ism in terms of the way our division works. Maybe this is something that I have to get used to..?..

Oops I guess I’ve written too much crap…that’s all I want to say! (Hmm or rather, that’s all I can say because something that I learnt after working here: anything written in black n white is dangerous!! LOL~)

Molly at Taiwan

It has been months since I returned from my Taiwan trip.... Suddenly got an urge to post something on this trip.

Briefly, I enjoyed the trip to Taipei (4D3N) and it was R&R. Though I didn't go to many places in Taiwan (just ard Taipei), I had an enjoyable time feasting on the local food. To me, this is the TOP LIST... pls try them if you are going to Taiwan... Hehe!

1) 阿宗面线 (avail at Shilin night market and ximenting)

2） 豪大鸡排 (avail at Shilin night market and Danshui)

3） 胡椒饼 (avail at Raohe night market)

4） 香肠 (any night market... their squid one is yummy, though it looks black. HAHA)

5） 阿给 (at Dan shui.. it is actually tau pok with dong fen in it.)

Awww... missing the food already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Things to Improve at Work

Hmmm.... after reading Yuwen and Giin Bo's comments on my previous posting, here are my comments which I think shd be improved working here:

- SHORT meetings, plssssss.... loooooooong meetings are ineffective and a waste of many pp's time!

- If really need to have Looooooong meetings, nevermind... but pls DECIDE and CONFIRM an outcome. What's the action to be taken next? Sometimes, I leave the meeting even more confused without conclusion. You may think, if dunno then ask lah, Yah ASK LOR, but sometimes more questions just led to more confusion. @*$&@*><

- Pls direct comments to the matter/issue NOT the person. Many a times, I am quite surprised to hear comments from older officers during meetings, finger pointing or rather implying it's someone's else fault. Let's be more objective.

- Lastly, and most importantly, think my attitude needs to change too... these trends (which I have mentioned) are probably quite common in other organisations. So it's really up to me to manage my feelings at work. It's really a challenge but luckily, I have FRIENDS in the organisation who share the same thoughts.... of course they are the reason which I "look forward" to work. (My Friends, are u touched? Hehehehhehe!!!!)

TGIF! YAY!

Marathon

Tomorrow is the day of the marathon. To all the marathoners, good luck to you all, the end is not that far away. I've been there before too in 2004. That was my first and last marathon. haha. To spend 5 1/2 hours running from dawn till noon is really quite an experience and one I would not want to go through again. For the record, I beat Chee Keong keke....

Are we measuring the right things?

Staff suggestion scheme. Every person and every NSmen knows this. Before you can finish your ICT, you are ask to fill in the SSS or NSMS (for nsmen) form before you can be out-processed. And so every in-camp, every one submits his suggestion. My question is what happened to the suggestions? Did anyone actually evaluate them?

Taking a step back, what is the SSS supposed to do? I suppose it is to encourage innovation. Therefore, is the KPI of measuring the no of suggestions really indicator that tells us how innovative we are???

Long and ineffective meetings

This seems to be the norm rather than the exception. We really must think of ways to change this. Perhaps one of the ways to explore this is to look at the fundamentals of the meeting, be it for discussion, for decision, for information etc.

Ask the 5 whys

The post by Molly is a very significant one because we all experience unhappiness at work. And it seems like as the organisation (on the external) gets more successful, happiness at work seems to be decreasing. During our course today, we discussed a little of this and we used the 5 whys concept to find out the underlying reason.
The 5 whys is actually a simple process to continue asking "why" until you hit the root reason of the phenomenon. This is neccesary because the phenomenon we observe is probably just the symptom, and not the real cause. For example, if a student always comes late to class, the obvious think is just to think that the student is not disciplined and punish him for that but is that really addressing the cause?

Work

Just wanna share abt how I feel this very moment. Just read an email from a colleague. Though the email wasn't directed at me, it was not a pleasant email to end your day for sure. I know that the Division is not the most favourable place to work in. Maybe everyone here in the Dept knows that. I do have my share of complaints too always. After complaining, we continue to work and move on. But to read it from a senior colleague, I feel quite saddened and somehow it made me think back... the past organisation culture and people.

Probably the Department where I first started was "simple". It was not too big and my peers colleagues were like sisters to me. We "had fun" working together, no politics. Life was simpler then. I was definitely happier then too. Everyday, we looked forward to work. Hmmm, why can't things be the same, in terms of culture and our attitude.

Now I know why some people reacted in certain ways (negatively) when they were asked to do work. Perhaps, they used to be enthusiastic too. But as things changed, most people may feel that they were short-changed by the organisation. Their attitude changed. It's always a challenge to manage people and our feelings. I just hope that we can have more new and young blood into the Department or maybe our Division who can add the motivation and the difference. It may be short-lived but at least it can be a chance to transform the Division?

星连心_STARRY HEART

I would like to recommend this blog to all teachers and parents. The author of the blog is a teacher who calls himself denglaoshi or Teacher-Deng. I got to know Mr Deng from a book (see photo below) he published with the support of his school. His book is a collection of his blog entries. What is valuable in his blog is that he shares his personal stories and experiences of educating his students and children and how he learnt from them. Particularly insightful was how he dealt with the so called problem kids in his classes. Through his blog, his students (past and present) respond by commenting.

One of the stories Mr Deng shared was how he was told by his corporal after BMT that he (Mr Deng) despite good performance was unable to go to OCS because of his poor command of English. Mr Deng subsequently became a regular and went to OCS and graduated as a sword-of-honour recipent.

Wayne Siew

Met my 1st year engineering classmate and fellow Hall 11 mate Wayne Siew at Suntec on Friday. I recall Wayne always introduced his surname "Siew" as in the Siew in Char Siew Bao during 1st year. As we both stayed in NTU's Hall 11, we would sometimes go jogging together with his roommate Hide. Its good to meet him again and see that he is doing well. Wayne is now in the IT services industry.

《外科医生奉达熙》

This is my favourite TV show at the moment. Korean TV shows have really progressed leaps and bounds these few years. Not only are there new actors and actresses for almost every new show (although the incumbent famous celebrities are still around), these newbies have very, very solid acting skills. They are so good in their acting that you do not even realise that they are acting; they are so believeable in their roles. This is unlike our local artistes who, after all these years, still seem so fake and contrived in their roles.

This show "Surgeon Feng Daxi" revolves around a few interns in a korean hospital. Serials revolving around hospitals are not new. Hongkong's "Healing Hearts" have had their parts 2 and parts 3 broadcasted over the years. However, "Healing Hearts" to me is more a play on the lives and emotions of the main actors but glosses over the medical details.

"Surgeon Feng Daxi" goes in depth on the trials and tribulations of not only the interns but the senior surgeons as well as they lead the team of interns. Real medical terms are used and, I suspect, real case studies of surgical incidents. I always watch the show with my laptop on, and continually search wikipedia for the medical terms used. In the episode shown yesterday, a very experienced surgeon Dr An Zhongjin accidentally cut off a throat nerve of a opera singer in an operation to remove cancer cells -- the singer will never sing again. The doctor standing beside had already warned Dr An to be careful. The look of disbelief, regret and shock flashed through Dr An's face in that one or two seconds as he held the removed nerve in his hands. That was powerful acting.

The actors are not the pretty faces like the earlier korean shows. They are quite presentable and believable as doctors and real people (like you and me) facing up to the obstacles in life like everybody else.

The last episode will be shown on Channel 55 the coming Sunday. If you had not watched the serial, the is the last chance to catch it (replay of last episode on Saturday afternoon) or you will have to get the DVD.

The New Kallang Leisure Park

Since this new mall was very near to my place, decided to pay it a visit before all the shops opened and the place becomes too crowded for my liking. But the thing is it is still very bare of shops and shoppers now and really not much to see and do. However, I liked the feeling of spaciousness and the sense of emptiness of the building now .
Even in such a mall devoid of shopping opportunity, I managed to spend $115 on a new badminton racket which was exactly the same as the one I had. Probably because of my long lay off, the timing of my strokes were off when I played yesterday, the badminton frame broke (see photo below) when a shuttle hit the frame. Anyway, I know the owner John of the racket shop (he was helping out at the Bras Basah shop which I frequented) and he gave me a good price for the racket which came with Yonex BG66 strings, a racket handle grip and a sports water bottle.

The mall also has a bowling alley and ice skating rink which are already opened. If you are a fan of either, this is a good time to go as the place is not very crowded. I was thinking of trying out the ice skating rink, but at $14 for 2 hours, it is money better saved for something else.

There is also a Cold Storage in basement which is very cold....haha. I had a very enjoyable shopping experience there.

Chee Keong

Chee Keong came by my cubicle and asked me to take some photos of him. He said someone needs his photo. Could I say No? sigh....

See Chee Keong having fun posing.

Here's a more normal photo of Chee Keong with Jeremey.

Talk by Sir Ken Robinson

A wonderfully witty and insightful talk which argues that current education models are flawed and do not fully exploit the natural creative instincts of children. Worth listening. Please do.

Images of Singapore - Airing laundry

Hog's Breath Challenge

The challenge appended below was extracted from the Nov/Dec 2007 NSman magazine for the benefit of Poh LY. I told him of the offer over breakfast today and he said he will get his big-eater friend to take up the challenge and get a free meal.

Day off (9Nov07)

Took a day off today for a long weekend but still went back to office to have breakfast with Poh LY. And since I was there, went to office to discuss some work with my colleague before going home. I also arranged to have lunch at Margaret Drive with my colleagues. Since they were nearer to Margaret Drive than I was, they reached earlier. By the time I arrived, this was what was left of the food.
Of course I refused to eat this!

Anyway, there is an excellent program in our company called the Staff Well Being time. Every Friday, staff can leave work and engage in any sports activity at 4pm. For a few colleagues of mine, we frequently play badminton at our company's recreation club. Since the program is so pro-staff, the wonder is that the take-up is so dismal. Many claimed that they are too busy, or because their boss do not participate, so they do not participate. Some say other colleagues will gossip behind their backs -- if they have time to play sports, they cannot be busy enough! What do you do with such people???

But I have never believed in all these petty politics and I always go for my staff well being activity unless there is a hot-potato-case on my hands and urgently needed to be solved. I would like to argue that those who can afford to go to such activities and still get their work done are the efficient ones. Hah!

Here are the four of us after our game. We had a very good and sweaty workout. Don't ask me why the girls look strange...they seem normal if you meet them everyday.
Dinner time. Wife and I went to Fish&Co at Suntec as I was yearning for some fish.

Wife, ever camera shy, had the sambal fish ($18.90) and I had a new dish which was called Wrasse Picatta ($16.90).
Taste was quite standard. The only grouse was that the portions could have been more generous.

Code of Practice

This was something my former colleague Michael and I printed and displayed on our unit's notice board just to have a laugh at our destiny and to remind ourselves of our creed. Both Michael and I have since moved on from that particular unit; I spent a good seven years there.

Vertical Challenge 2005

Have you signed up?

Rahman & Ayu

Today was my primary school friend Rahman's wedding. When I reached the venue (which incidentally was the block next to my brother Ben's), a ceremony was going on, or so I think. The bride and groom were sitting in a elaborate setup in gold and a "dancer" was going through some moves in front of them. Maybe my malay classmates would care to clarify :)

A few of my primary school classmates also attended the function. Here they are.

We also took a photo with the bride and groom. The twins Azhar and Azhari are the ones sitting down and someone joked they looked like guardians -- both are doctors. Standing from left is Narkoosha who is a lawyer followed by Kalam who works in the police force. On my right (in the photo) is Gary who works in sales and finally Yessir who has recently joined NUS as a lecturer.


The wedding cake.

Wishing Rahman and Ayu a very happy marriage.

Yimin's first born Xuanle

Visited my old friend Yimin and his wife whom have recently become parents. Their baby girl was peacefully asleep throughout my visit. She really is a calm baby. Even when Yimin played with Xuanle's hands and feet whilst she was sleeping, Xuanle did not wake up or cry at all.

The doting and playful father
Sleeping peacefully

Clean & Green Singapore

Finally, the day is here. I mentioned my role for this event was a point-man. If you are wondering what this means, I am one of those people in front of the VVIP entourage who clears the path for the entourage. And there are many people doing this role as I found out subsequently. Besides the four points-men (including me), there were the security command officers (the professionals) and also other crowd control personnel. See the pics below and you will see how many of us were there. The entourage was incredible, the size that is.

Some pictures of the calm before the storm.

The bomb squad performing the bomb sweep. This is quite standard procedure. In fact, in the latter stages of the event, even when PM was touring the exhibits, the bomb squad officers were a few steps ahead of him, looking under chairs and other furniture for any suspicious objects. What was interesting here was the use of a Golden Retriever as a sniffer. This used to be done by spaniels.

The registration counter -- trying to get organised.

Waiting time again. So why not take a photo. Notice I was equipped with a ear-piece linked to a walkie talkie -- enhances the "security" look.

At this time, PM will be arriving soon. The welcome party converges at the car park. You can spot ministers and MPs in the midst.


And then he's arrived and the show begins. Being a point-man for the first time, I was a little lost in the beginning so I took my cue from the security command officer who was walking in front with us. He was very relaxed so I became relaxed as well. Soon, I understood my role. Actually, I did not have to do much clearing of the way, the photographers did that role! You see, they will always be in front of the entourage, and whenever they backed away as the entourage advances, the wave of humans (entourage + photographers) was very effective in clearing the path -- you don't want to be in the way! To get a sense of how many people there were surrounding PM, see the photo below. Can you spot PM?

The photo below shows PM giving his keynote address. PM is a very good and effective public speaker. He has a good voice, good tone and conveys feelings and conviction into the words. Another reason of his effectiveness is that he does not follow his script word for word. He normally has his key points printed out and he fleshes out his speech off the cuff. I noticed that his closing remarks were made all off the cuff as he has folded away the printed script.

PM touring the exhibits -- a good 30 mins. See the huge crowd.

PM meeting the award winners at the reception.

PM meeting his men.

PM's leaving and this cues the end of my work. Off to the reception for my dinner!