My day job vs My Passion
A few weeks ago, we had a vision sharing day where we heard the vision of a few of my cell members. At that point in time, I shared another vision that I had which was for the short term and when FT shared about her dream of opening her own cafe store, it brought back memories of what my ultimate dream would be.
Actually, I've had many "dreams" over the past few years. My first dream was when I was 15. I wanted to own my own resort/hotel - yeap, the WHOLE thing. Pfft, yeah right! Not going to happen. I think at the time I couldn't conceptualise how much it would actually cost if I didn't have the capital to begin with. haha. But that dream died within 5 years when I discovered that hospitality wasn't for me. My next dream was to become an Events Planner or perhaps, if I dare say, open an Events Management Company. That would have been around 2006... until now, when I realise that I don't want to be doing events for the rest of my life. Despite being told I'm meticulously organised - which if you look at my desk at work - it tells another story - but events in general is just too stressing and will probably give me high blood pressure in the long term because I know I'm too much of a nazi when it comes to events.
A dream that I've always had in the back of my mind is to be financially secure and have a property portfolio rich enough to continue buying run-down houses and properties and spruce them up like they do in better homes and gardens and then sell them for mega bucks! It'd be like going on-site to your mini project everyday and I think that's exciting! You work at your own pace, wake up whenever you want (which is the most important thing) - and clock off at whatever time you want. You can continuously teach yourself how to make and do things and continuously learn new design trends, technology and sustainablity stuff to make the world a greener place! And everyone knows I love green. (oh by the way - I got a free green smiggle pencil case from O-day! w00t)
Now, to get this dream rolling down the green hills, all I need to do is buy a darned piece of land... or house...
today...
@9:31 pm
Sunday, 15 February 2009
The big V Day
We were up that early to shoot a video for Freshies. It was actually quite fun despite not having breakfast and going straight into filming... at 7AM. Except for Chris who decided to have Maccas without us! rarh!
Our first stop was the petrol station because we needed to get red bubble gum which was supposed to be part of the script. Raphael, our videographer was shooting all the way and we decided to impromptu shoot at the petrol station to see the reaction of the lady working. But she said that we weren't allowed to film. Respect. So we didn't... we bought our gum and left - but I think she was a little amused. She wished us luck on the way out.
So we were supposed to go to Lesmurdie to shoot - but decided it was too far, so in the end we went to the bushlands of Waterford! haha...
Sorry no further pictures from hereonin, because I left my camera in the bag, in the car - and was pronounced the headphone girl thereafter. So we did a few impromptu skits in the bush being Australians! Jess is so funny! The final product of the video will be shown during Freshies week - I'm pretty excited. My hand makes a cameo appearance! hoho~
We met some people on our journey in filming - had a chat with the locals in the Waterford area. All very chummy bushland people.
Once we finished filming, went back and dropped all the gear off and me and Jess went to Maccas to finally have breakfast around 10am! So hungry by that time. Went home at 10:30am... was wanting to check my eyes with mum - because my eye sight has gone pretty bad recently - due to over exposure of looking at the computer screen at work and home. Anyway, my optometrist is booked out for the next month! Whattt!! So I made an appointment in March - I wanna get new specs and sunnies! =)
Then straight after that, went out to Carousel again to settle some stuff with mother. Was so freaking tired shopping and running errands.
Came home, and tried to sleep for about 2 hours. But my mind was a whizz and constantly thinking about ZFF and then camp... and then ZFF... and then camp, mind whirring, heart palpitating - cannot sleep! Amidst all that, Diana called me in the first hour of my "sleep"... and then Luthanial called me in my second hour of "sleep"... until I couldn't take it anymore. All these thoughts in my head, things I have to remember, memos ETC ETC ETC - I just got up, went to check my mail and do some things.
Then showered, because my cousin was going to bring her cousin and her Aunt to come visit - from her side of the family. We never met them before. The aunty is quite nice la... but I didn't get much time to talk to them... because... I had to leave and go for graduation!
For those who might remember, V day holds a special place in my heart because it was 1 year ago that I graduated! 1 year ago - oh how time flies, and I could get so emo right now (but I won't), oh how time flies...and I would be back on the graduation grounds on the same day 1 year later - for Usha, Joanne and Zheng Yi's graduation! *heart*
(My favourite picture of Sha - *tee hee*)I was assigned official photographer *tee hee* and I just finished editing the photos and burning the photos onto disc for her. They are awesome pictures if I may say so myself - because the people in the photos look GREAT!!! haha and it was blooming hot ok - even for a drizzly overcast day! We were all sweating - and even the waiters looked like they had a waterfall running down the back of their necks.
Anyway, we took some pretty nice pictures. Was hoping that Miss Tay would make her special secret appearance at her graduation - but *gasp* no...she didn't come. Besides, the secret's out *WINK* 
Okay - like... Joanne's family is SO cute! Her mum holds the video cam everywhere... just constantly filming. She's so cute - and you can tell the dad is so proud of his daughter, he keeps wanting to take pics! I helped them take pics as well, they are such an adorable family - and most adorable-est is the youngest sister! SHE'S SO CUTE!!!! XD
Sat in the graduation with Cheah Yen, May and Usha's mum - it was pretty long and there were some suprise people I didn't expect to be graduating like Tim Chang from my previous church, Cherie Seah from ISC last time and Someone Sfreddo (who looks exactly like my primary school class mates sister! - but I can't remember her name)!!! Suprise Suprise!
At the end of the night, we met at the top of the walk way - there was so many people, but somehow, everyone managed to find everyone. I think Chin Seng was the flashing light house from afar. Everyone could spot him from a distance! Anyway, congratulations to the 3 graduates!!! You deserve it after all your hard work - you pharmacists!
Didn't get home till about 11pm+ and was freaking tired... I just dropped on the bed. zzz.
On a side note: digi suckzors.... you all should get a DSLR! Taking so many photos for people during graduation with their little digi camera's - nup, nothing beats the click and sound of the DSLR.
today...
@8:12 pm
Saturday, 14 February 2009
Happy V Day!
today...
@2:26 pm
Saturday, 7 February 2009
a picture that made me smile =)
today...
@10:36 pm
Thursday, 5 February 2009
the comedic life of me
So that's why they call it Morning Sun...
Recently, I discovered a GREAT cereal that keeps you full and cleans your bowels, NO FAIL, every morning when you eat it. Some of you may know that I have digestion problems... huhu - and I do love to share about toilet stories/humour - one of my favourite past time. =)
So anyway, the brand of the cereal is called Morning Sun and I eat the 98% fat one which I have found to be the most tasty. Basically, the cereal is made up of lots of oats, fibre, pieces of fruit and other things. You just need to eat a small bowl with a little milk and you've got it down pat. Sometimes, my bowels don't even move for 5 or 6 days straight! - so you can imagine the sewerage tank building up inside my body right?
So I did a trial run of the cereal. I ate it for 1 whole week, every morning, ever so faithfully like my life depended on it. True to it's name, "Morning Sun," it has faithfully released the sewerage from my tanks every single morning. No qualms. I would even have it down pat to the dot. I usually have breakfast around 7:30am. By the time I get into the office at 8:30am, turn on my computer - I'd have to make a quick dash for the lavatory to make my "morning sun."
There was even once, I was so inquisitive - since I have been making morning sun every morning, what more "sun" could possibly come out. Am I eating that much junk? SO, one day, I decided to check in the bowl - and you know what I saw? I got the absolute shock of my life, because never in my life would I have ever thought I would see what my eyes lay on in the bowl. I saw the perfect formation of my waste - exactly as it would look on your McDonalds ice cream cone!!! I couldn't believe it. I thought "morning sun" only looked like that in the movies. I was so proud my "morning sun" was so beautifully shaped =) Made my day!
I'm fully giving Morning Sun a double thumbs up!
The benefits of being an Admissions Officer at the International Office.
I have a colleague, her name is Esther and there was once a student who had come from Melbourne and bought her a whole box of 12 Krispy Kreme donuts!!! HULLOOOHHH!!! What kind of student does that?! How kind of him! So Esther shared all the donuts with the Admissions team. *nom nom nom*
Then I thought to myself, wah lau... what if a student ever did that for me
*dreams*
Oh well, today my dreams came true. Last night, I got an sms from my colleague, she wrote this: "Hi sis, Tomorrow, will have lasagna for you from your secret admirer... if u want don need to bring lunch n u can eat that =)"
My colleague Titien and I always tease each other. She's forever winking at me and poking me - she's lots of fun - so when I recieved the sms from her, I just assumed that she thought enough of me to make me lasagna. Aww how sweet of her.
Then when I got to work, she told me that her guy friend actually made it for me! I got the shock of my life - "Errr what guy friend?" I don't even know her circle of friends. I was thinking thinking thinking - did I ever have lunch with any of her guy friends that they would make me lasagna?!
Then she said, it was a student that I had helped with his letter of offer, COE etc etc etc. Actually, it wasn't the guy who made the lasagna for me - it was his MOTHER!!! HOHOHO.... WHAT THE!!! And actually I had corresponded a lot with her via email regarding her son's application, which is my colleague's guy friend. So anyway, the Aunty got a bit annoying towards the end because we didn't have all the documents etc etc etc - but it all worked out well in the end and the lasagna was super yummeh to the max!
Like...duh?
I have a Chindian friend, her name is Usha. Today, I asked her the most stupidest question you could ever ask - like I have totally no common sense in my brain or something.
I had dinner at her place last night with her two cousin brothers - who were Chinese-looking. We chit chat chit chat... then, for a period it went quiet... so I decided to ask the brightest question I could think of.
"So, how are you guys related?"
Usha said, "My mother's side... like duh..."
*silence... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 seconds had gone past...
Me, "Oh, like duhhhh!!! Why am I so slow... *smacks head*"
(Side note: Usha's mother is clearly Chinese, and her father is clearly Indian, so her cousins are clearly from the mother's side! - like DUH!)
Why you little!
For the past week or so, every single time I shower there is a flea in the shower with me. Even with my blindness, I can still always manage to spot the flea. It just likes to sit on the walls of the shower while I'm showering. So anyway, I always try to counter-attack it because I just want it to drown and die. I get the shower head as close to it as possible before springing the attack onto it and spraying hot water all over it - but every single time the little weener moves so fast to another position on the wall. I try the same tactic and AGAIN it flies away. I even tried to cup a handful of water and throw it at the flea - but miraculously - it escapes and finds another "safe" landing spot somewhere else of the shower walls.
This has been on-going for the past week and it's been really irritating me that I can't beat this flea. How can this flea be so quick to act!!! RARH.... well I'm going to get it real soon! Watch this space!
The little smiley face
Usually when I get an email from my manager, it usually means something good - or something bad.
On the 15 January I got an email from her which read:
"I would also like to notify you that I have approved for an increase in your salary to a Level X effective today."
As soon as I read the email, I was like wow-ecstatic, what did I do to deserve this?! It must've been all the helping out in all the departments perhaps? or maybe it was because I just completed my work development plan? or my annual increment? - I emailed back and asked her what was the reason for the increment so she gave me a call back and explained the level (because I didn't understand what it meant).
When she explained it to me the first time, I didn't understand it so she had to explain it to me again. By the time the conversation ended, she had forgotten to tell me why I got the pay raise in the first place?! garh! Oh well, I shouldn't bother her with such petty questions.
Then she went on 2 weeks leave... ladidaaahh.... I was waiting for my pay raise to go into my bank account and to show up on my payslips. It didn't happen that week - nevertheless, Staff Services are usually pretty darn slow with things and always do things wrong.
When my manager came back, she sent me another email. Would it be an email of more sunshine and rainbows or doom and gloom? This is what it read:
"Hi Sue-Anne, I'm sorry to bring you some bad news upon my return … :) Just got the email that the request to increase your salary to a X has been rejected, as Staff Services has refused all additional salary increments for this year due to the dismal financial situation. However your normal annual increment will still apply towards the end of the year."
When I read the email - after having two weeks knowledge thinking that I would get a pay raise and thinking what I would do with the extra money - I was a bit shocked and disappointed to say the least. I don't understand why Staff Services have to approve it when technically the money should be coming out of the International Office's cost centre - which if you can imagine if we've got 10,000 International Students on campus - how much money that would equate to in the bank account. NEVERTHELESS, what's said is done - I'm not getting the pay rise. I didn't reply to the email for a while... because I just didn't know what to reply. Thanks?
15 minutes later, my manager emailed me again. This is what she wrote,
"I just realised that it is not meant to be a smiley face…. But a :(.. sorry.. "
Ok, the smiley face ordeal just totally made me laugh! haha
today...
@10:19 pm