Boxing Day, Nostalgia and Illness

Spent this morning cleaning up my CD archive. The time spent during my university holiday at the computer center collecting anime episodes and mangascans. Wow - what amount of time spent labelling, copying, downloading, and burning those CDs. After 15 years, most of those CDs are corrupted. Thanks to my prodigious labelling (with color-matching markers!) I was able to skip through the CDs after my dear bro reminded me "Why?" and after the initial batch of copying and failing reading.

I also found some nostalgic files, such as, lame 90's songs belonging to A1 and Backstreet Boys. Songs which I lamely still adored, by the way. Also faded cringe-worthy photos of my awkward youth. There is one particularly memorable during bad make-up Indonesia prom-nite in 2003.

Most of the time, listening to mom complaining about, or rather commenting bluntly about her relatives. We are so worried these days about 4i's eldest son, Jensen. He was diagnosed with cancer stage 4, already attacking his nerve. Avoiding chemo, he was now seeing the shaman who is my cousin in the family, and there was a conflict when he recently discovered blood in his urine... So worrying. His health is an example of period of realization for me, when I was busy travelling for work, jeopardizing my health, but also made me unavailable to my family even when they were in Singapore. Imagine the regret if I never ever see him again. He is so young, 5 years younger with 2 very young sons and such a world ahead of him.

So there, my true feeling. Like speaking to myself, when I felt this way when peeking on diary that I found through those disks, of myself talking in the diary in 2003 at SMA, around fourteen years ago.

Christmas Eve 2017

Tonight is Christmas Eve 2017.

This year so far.

I started my new job.
Started new relationship.
Had a wonderful bonus and start of new career from August.
Getting to know new business and new team.
Stretch myself and my capability.
Getting to know so many new people.
Southeast Asia new market team in SE job.
Went to holiday onsen in Japan in December and January.
Seeing new dawn of new year in January for good luck.
Traveled so much.
Had this on my computer Wallpaper.
Fell ill twice already with my current boss.

August, September, October, November 2017

Oh my gosh Christmas 2017 is approaching. From late October, the Christmas trees were up at shopping arcades, and decorations started appearing. Looking back, I am happy that 2017 had been a joyous year, and a fruitful year. I had a look at the "fortune-telling" website which advised me that this year would not be a good year due to influence of bad factors. However, thanks for hard work, planning, good heart I managed to navigate the year with superb outcome.

They say that life is 80% hard work versus 20% of destiny. I am the living proof of that. So if anyone reading this blog feeling down, trust me that destiny will turn. The wheel of fate means that when  you are looking down, things will turn up soon. The more down you are, the upside is most likely at the corner. It means you will have to work hard, and continue to persevere.

Looking back, I had tough year full of uncertainty. My work was full of re-org and having to navigate business performance at the start of the year, and quell the noises were hard. My management had shaken-up and it was hard to see how I would be successful this year. I looked out and had one conversation about an interesting role in Business Strategy that is aligned to my passion, and a role that will stretch my muscle in business management and people managing up. I had conversations to try stretch role in a emerging market subsidiaries with people that really worked hard and had to navigate an organization like this. I grabbed opportunities to play dual role, even when I had to build my network and brand within AHQ, but I worked very hard to double up. The result was being able to grow in a subsidiary role, while adding value and impact by providing clarity of execution and focus, was immense. and very satisfying.

After a very discouraging conversation (and after verifying people that were close to me did not go after the role) I approached the hiring manager of this role. I went through interview loop, still went through a period of uncertainty, and finally were offered the role and a promotion. I was so happy and blessed.

Even then, my journey continues to promote this role and my new business unit. I had multiple conversations with my manager, skip, and skip-skip about my decision to move. It was very tricky conversation. I think the loyal part of me wanted to stay but the opportunity the new role offered with the promotion, interesting scope of responsibility, in business applications that is close to my heart, and new areas of learning made this a "no-brainer" in crude manner.

So here I am 4 months in. I had settled in the role. Period of adjustment of this support role versus owner role. Starting to build my network within and outside the team. Continue my connection. Build business management structure. And reignite the passion for business growth. My new manager is a good person to work with. Yes he has a lot of things to adjust to.... nobody is perfect. But I spent a lot of time making adjustments and pushing back to influence adjustments on my manager's side - because it works both ways.

I was out this week for illness. I contracted shingles, again. Luckily doctor gave me medication antiviral that contained the outbreak and the pain. Need to avoid "heaty" food, or in scientific terms, food that contains amino acid arginine vs lysine. That means avoiding nuts, chocolate, oats, and try instead to have more fruits and fresh unprocessed food: vegetables, red meat, and fish.

I dropped by in office on Friday, after being out on Wed and Thurs - missing December 360. It was stressful missing out. I was in for LT meeting, and All Hands, and quickly ducked out again to rest. I saw TCM uncle on Thursday, and I did risk my health by having a period of taking both the antiviral and TCM concoction that were crafted for my shingles. Hope I'm okay.

12-Hour Work day

It used to be that 12 to 14 hours work was normal. I used to build my life around work. I enjoyed my weekend to recover and catch up on my sleep, so I can start another week of rigorous work week. Wow what a life. I have changed my perspective sooner and slowly but surely. In particular when I hit 30 and start to learn more about life, learn more about human behavior, and more importantly, learn more about myself. I think self-help expert called this self awareness, the top quality for EQ (Emotional Intelligence).

Anyway, I digress. I just finished a Monday, an another 12-hour work day, when I swore to improve. But, there is no point beating yourself up about it. I have learnt that although I make mistakes and still trying to learn to take care of myself, the most important thing is to love myself and forgive. Forgive.

This is what I am reading today.

Me in Singapore Egg hunt Easter 2015

Happy Mother's Day 2017

This Mother's Day, the Singapore version falls on the second weekend of May. I signed up for an exclusive Shiseido photoshoot with mom that took place at Park Royal hotel Pickering, Presidential Suite at 14th floor. The Shiseido team was pretty professional and thorough to make the experience enjoyable with mom. Upon arriving, we saw that the line to reception is very long, so we called Shaz a lovely lady from Shiseido who went to lobby to pick us up. The concierge of the hotel was very helpful too, so upon knowing that we have been waiting, he took us to the lobby - and because of this we passed each other with Shaz.

Upon arrival, we had our make up done and hair. Then photo shoot for 6 to 7 shots and then proceed with our lovely canapes with sweet and savoury decked in a 3-tier hi-tea arrangement.

Here is the result!

Spring 2017 update

A lot has happened in spring. Mostly related to acquiring new experiences. I went to see play "Normal" a Singapore play with Edrina today. Last night spent on binge-watching Netflix "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" Rachel Bloom is so good in acting, a great show.

I am mostly recovering from QBU plus the week-after of my 21k run with 2XU. I am somehow plague with issues on my digestive system lately. Maybe the lunch today (with free-flow Prosecco and Bellini, whoohoo) at Aura was too heavy. But who cares, I do need to recover soon though.

As for life improvements, I did improve on cooking. I had an improvised omelet, with asparagus, bellpepper and grape with 3-yolk worthy eggs this morning. And, I made carbonara with green peas and bacon last weekend for my carbo-loading. I am definitely psyched about restarting my run training again, and eager to do well in JP Morgan later this month on 26th.

Oh, I had also booked my birthday trip to Krabi. Checked all the resorts, and decided to stay with Holiday Inn Resort Ao Nang beach, than Rayavadee this time round. Let's see.

Tallulah

today is the first Sunday after Chinese New Year 2017. A sleepy Sunday morning started with netflix movie, Tallulah. Grabbing on some connection to the earth. It has meaningful story headlined by a story about women connection, between the drifter Lu (Ellen Page) a young woman finding meaning in her life who wants to take care of the baby she then inadvertently kidnapped, Margo (Allison Janney) who is grasping at the life after divorce and loneliness that follows, and Carolyn (Tammy Blanchard) the trophy wife trying to get her sense of dignity back from her pre-baby look and sense of being a new mother.