Alyssa got angry when K and I chided her for playing with the shoes in our shoe rack. She was rubbing the soles of the shoes on her face and body. She was throwing the shoes around as well.
She threw a shoe down in defiance and stomped on it.
When I chided her again for doing that, K chimed in as well. She got more upset and threw a smack on his face. I think she narrowly missed him but she immediately turned to me and took a swing at my face as well. I was at that point in time kneeling on the floor to be at her level. My glasses were hit. Luckily they were not damaged or she would have gotten it from me BIG time.
Both K and Nadya know that I am very sensitive about my glasses. I do not allow the girls to touch them at all. Alyssa will need to learn this. I'm sensitive because I used to only have a single pair of glasses. If that gets broken, I'd be blind as a bat. Given my high myopia, I'd only be able to see things clearly if they were like 10cm from my face. Anything further than that and it would just be blobs of colour in my vision.
Anyway, I digressed.
After Alyssa hit both K and I, I was furious and brought her to my room, away from the "crime scene", away from Nadya and away from our neighbour who happened to be standing near our doorway taking to us. That 5-10 second walk back to my room helped calm me down a little. I spoke to her again and explained what she did was wrong.
She refused to listen to me and walked away whenever I got within 1m from her. Her tiny lips were fully pursed and she stomped her feet while getting away from me. I guess she made sure to show me that she was not happy about the whole situation as well lol.
In any case, I managed to speak and explain to her after she had calmed down abit more. She then came over to hug me.
On hindsight, I realised I forgot to get her to apologise for hitting K and I.
Opps.
Monday, September 11, 2017
Oh the arrogance
Met a conceited and arrogant taxi driver this morning.
The proud cuckoo rejected my route (PIE/KPE/MCE) and confidently told me that "PIE got jam". "Anyway, your route is so long. Go one big round also. Uncle show you a shorter way."
He thumped his chest when he said "Uncle show you!"
If he were a peacock, he would have been fluttering his plummage in my face by now.
In my heart I was thinking that I've tried out all routes before and I think my route is still the most direct, even if there is a jam. But well...the usual doormat-that-doesn't-like-conflicts me just said whatever, we'll go your way if you're so confident about it. I was tired and couldn't be bothered to talk much.
My eventual fare of $25 ended up being $4 more than the usual $21 or $22 in the morning peak traffic.
When he stopped the car, he conceitedly asked me: "How??? Uncle good or not? Good or not?? Good right??!!" He said it with a straight face. It wasn't a simple proud moment. He was just being arrogant and downright egotistical.
I told him: "No. Not at all. My usual fare is just $21."
I still paid him $25 but left with no pleasantries. I usually wish the driver a good day before I exit the car.
He shut up as well.
Anyway, I didn't quibble with him over the extra $4.
Let that be a lesson to me not to give in to conceited taxi drivers in the future. I had no time anyway as I was rushing for a meeting too.
Just that I started the workday in a not-so-good mood. Bah.
The proud cuckoo rejected my route (PIE/KPE/MCE) and confidently told me that "PIE got jam". "Anyway, your route is so long. Go one big round also. Uncle show you a shorter way."
He thumped his chest when he said "Uncle show you!"
If he were a peacock, he would have been fluttering his plummage in my face by now.
In my heart I was thinking that I've tried out all routes before and I think my route is still the most direct, even if there is a jam. But well...the usual doormat-that-doesn't-like-conflicts me just said whatever, we'll go your way if you're so confident about it. I was tired and couldn't be bothered to talk much.
My eventual fare of $25 ended up being $4 more than the usual $21 or $22 in the morning peak traffic.
When he stopped the car, he conceitedly asked me: "How??? Uncle good or not? Good or not?? Good right??!!" He said it with a straight face. It wasn't a simple proud moment. He was just being arrogant and downright egotistical.
I told him: "No. Not at all. My usual fare is just $21."
I still paid him $25 but left with no pleasantries. I usually wish the driver a good day before I exit the car.
He shut up as well.
Anyway, I didn't quibble with him over the extra $4.
Let that be a lesson to me not to give in to conceited taxi drivers in the future. I had no time anyway as I was rushing for a meeting too.
Just that I started the workday in a not-so-good mood. Bah.
Thursday, September 07, 2017
Insurance
Met up with our insurance agent during lunch today near my office. K was there too.
Glad we finally met with her to get the edu plan settled for Alyssa.
So now H&S and edu plans are all settled for both girls.
Time to relook at my own stuff...
I hate these $$ and number issues because I simply cannot understand them.
Guess that's why the first D I ever got in my life was for Financial Management back in Uni year 1.
I'm spending a fair bit of $$ each year on these things...I'd better buck up on my understanding!!
Glad we finally met with her to get the edu plan settled for Alyssa.
So now H&S and edu plans are all settled for both girls.
Time to relook at my own stuff...
I hate these $$ and number issues because I simply cannot understand them.
Guess that's why the first D I ever got in my life was for Financial Management back in Uni year 1.
I'm spending a fair bit of $$ each year on these things...I'd better buck up on my understanding!!
rant
When I travelled frequently in the past, I cleared my work while on the go. It was only the rare minor task that needed my physical presence which I couldn't do and needed someone to help cover.
I wonder why I'm covering 2 person's job when they are travelling next week.
FML?
I wonder why I'm covering 2 person's job when they are travelling next week.
FML?
More questions
10 more days on 17 September, I'll be hitting my 10th year anniversary in this place.
I think my brain synapses have stopped forming or slowed down alot, given the long years spent doing almost similar tasks.
A part of me is content for things to be status quo. Afterall, family and the kids are of a greater priority to me now. And I'm also mighty afraid to try something new.
A smaller part of me is also wanting to transfer out and be in a new department to do something new. It has been at the back of my mind for the last few years.
In fact, I was due for a transfer when I found out I was pregnant with Nadya. I held back and did not go ahead with anything as I wanted to focus on the pregnancy first. And then after that, adjusting to life as a new working mum. The transfer thing just took a back seat. And then Alyssa came along and things just became as such...
Part of my fear of transfer is that I won't enjoy as much flexibility as I am having now. The flexibility to be able to leave on time to go home and spend maybe 30mins or an hour with the girls before they go to bed. The flexibility to work from home if needed. The flexibility to arrive late at work and not get chewed on by the boss when I get held up by the girls in the morning.
And then there's this other option constantly at the back of my mind.
Part-time work? Maybe work 3 days a week? Axe the helper and do all the chores ourselves? Will finances be affected drastically? What else can or should I do? Should I explore this now or when Nadya gets older and goes to primary school? So I can spend time with her on her primary school foundation studies as well?
Will I get myself into more of a fix with part-time work? Will I end up multi-tasking too much and not achieving anything in both work and home?
What gives?
What should I do?
I think my brain synapses have stopped forming or slowed down alot, given the long years spent doing almost similar tasks.
A part of me is content for things to be status quo. Afterall, family and the kids are of a greater priority to me now. And I'm also mighty afraid to try something new.
A smaller part of me is also wanting to transfer out and be in a new department to do something new. It has been at the back of my mind for the last few years.
In fact, I was due for a transfer when I found out I was pregnant with Nadya. I held back and did not go ahead with anything as I wanted to focus on the pregnancy first. And then after that, adjusting to life as a new working mum. The transfer thing just took a back seat. And then Alyssa came along and things just became as such...
Part of my fear of transfer is that I won't enjoy as much flexibility as I am having now. The flexibility to be able to leave on time to go home and spend maybe 30mins or an hour with the girls before they go to bed. The flexibility to work from home if needed. The flexibility to arrive late at work and not get chewed on by the boss when I get held up by the girls in the morning.
And then there's this other option constantly at the back of my mind.
Part-time work? Maybe work 3 days a week? Axe the helper and do all the chores ourselves? Will finances be affected drastically? What else can or should I do? Should I explore this now or when Nadya gets older and goes to primary school? So I can spend time with her on her primary school foundation studies as well?
Will I get myself into more of a fix with part-time work? Will I end up multi-tasking too much and not achieving anything in both work and home?
What gives?
What should I do?
Wednesday, September 06, 2017
Reminder to Self
Sometimes, things may seem common sense to you.
But others can't see it. Nor do they understand it. They need to ask. And ask again if need be.
Before they can comprehend and see the whole picture.
That staff has been around for the last 10 years.
And has worked for at least 15 years more than I have.
Nevermind. Patience. And understanding. And empathy.
Patience, understanding and empathy wins the day.
Another reminder to self.
Frown less when being serious.
But others can't see it. Nor do they understand it. They need to ask. And ask again if need be.
Before they can comprehend and see the whole picture.
That staff has been around for the last 10 years.
And has worked for at least 15 years more than I have.
Nevermind. Patience. And understanding. And empathy.
Patience, understanding and empathy wins the day.
Another reminder to self.
Frown less when being serious.
Wednesday
Wet, weary, woeful, withering.
Dreary day.
Bad back.
Nasty nose.
Woe is me.
Dinner engagement this evening at 6pm.
Hope I can tahan!
*sniff sniff*
Telfast D to the nose's rescue?
Dreary day.
Bad back.
Nasty nose.
Woe is me.
Dinner engagement this evening at 6pm.
Hope I can tahan!
*sniff sniff*
Telfast D to the nose's rescue?
Staycay
We had a staycation last Thursday & Friday. It was a 2D1N thingy at Rendezvous Hotel.
I'm not sure who enjoyed it most though lol...K and I were deadbeat tired.
We had room service for lunch on the first day. Nadya enjoyed it pretty much and fed herself quite okay but Alyssa was a handful. She was playing with her food and cutlery and climbing all over the sofa more than eating. Eventually, Alyssa vomitted her lunch out on the first day and we brought her to the PD clinic near our place in the evening. She had also vomitted the previous day and we were getting worried. Doc eventually diagnosed her as having stomach flu, on top of the cold that sh was already nursing and fighting.
So much so for a staycation hahaha....We dabao-ed dinner back to the hotel room to eat in the end.
When it was bed time, the girls' rejected the hotel's cots and they ended up on the queen-sized bed. K got relegated to the floor and he slept on the cot mattresses. I was on the bed with the girls and didn't sleep much at all because Alyssa woke every hour for the first few hours. Then Nadya threw a hugeass tantrum at 3am in the morning. The girls had also slept later than usual because they were not used to the room.
I'd always known that Alyssa slept in a "chor lor" manner. I didn't know she was THAT chor lor. Nadya pretty much slept within a particular area. At the most, her arms were spread wide. Alyssa on the other hand...rolled from left to right and then back to the left. She got up to a yoga child pose position, twisted herself, lay flat on her back and then lay flat on her tummy. And on and on. And of course, amidst all these "action sequences", she was sometimes on me, on my arm, on my thigh, etc. Plus I was punched by her a few times. Chor lor. Really chor lor. Lol.
Breakfast was pretty ok. Alyssa, after taking medication, managed to keep her food in. There being not much around the hotel in the morning, we just took a leisurely stroll to SOTA and Cathay and then back. Along the way, we ran a little, we took pictures, we played some games, we looked at trees and flowers and we took more pictures :)
Will we do another staycation anytime soon? I don't know haha...maybe not. ;p
I'm not sure who enjoyed it most though lol...K and I were deadbeat tired.
We had room service for lunch on the first day. Nadya enjoyed it pretty much and fed herself quite okay but Alyssa was a handful. She was playing with her food and cutlery and climbing all over the sofa more than eating. Eventually, Alyssa vomitted her lunch out on the first day and we brought her to the PD clinic near our place in the evening. She had also vomitted the previous day and we were getting worried. Doc eventually diagnosed her as having stomach flu, on top of the cold that sh was already nursing and fighting.
So much so for a staycation hahaha....We dabao-ed dinner back to the hotel room to eat in the end.
When it was bed time, the girls' rejected the hotel's cots and they ended up on the queen-sized bed. K got relegated to the floor and he slept on the cot mattresses. I was on the bed with the girls and didn't sleep much at all because Alyssa woke every hour for the first few hours. Then Nadya threw a hugeass tantrum at 3am in the morning. The girls had also slept later than usual because they were not used to the room.
I'd always known that Alyssa slept in a "chor lor" manner. I didn't know she was THAT chor lor. Nadya pretty much slept within a particular area. At the most, her arms were spread wide. Alyssa on the other hand...rolled from left to right and then back to the left. She got up to a yoga child pose position, twisted herself, lay flat on her back and then lay flat on her tummy. And on and on. And of course, amidst all these "action sequences", she was sometimes on me, on my arm, on my thigh, etc. Plus I was punched by her a few times. Chor lor. Really chor lor. Lol.
Breakfast was pretty ok. Alyssa, after taking medication, managed to keep her food in. There being not much around the hotel in the morning, we just took a leisurely stroll to SOTA and Cathay and then back. Along the way, we ran a little, we took pictures, we played some games, we looked at trees and flowers and we took more pictures :)
Will we do another staycation anytime soon? I don't know haha...maybe not. ;p
Tuesday, September 05, 2017
Questions
Do well in a mediocre school or do mediocre in a good school?
Be in a mixed race school or in a school dominated by Chinese and whose curriculum is heavy on the Chinese culture?
Be in a mixed race school or in a school dominated by Chinese and whose curriculum is heavy on the Chinese culture?
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
audit period
My team is in the midst of an internal audit. Definitely not the first time we've been audited by the internal audit team.
But erm....it's the first time ever in our 20 years' history and in my 10 years tenure here that my area of work is being audited.
FML!
I have a feeling I will receive quite a few audit observations. Just a matter of whether the lapses are severe, moderate or minor. :( I admit I've not been the most compliant....but hey, I started out with no process in place ok...and I slowly built them up over the years....
*fingers crossed*
*toes crossed*
Hope I don't kena too many observations....
But erm....it's the first time ever in our 20 years' history and in my 10 years tenure here that my area of work is being audited.
FML!
I have a feeling I will receive quite a few audit observations. Just a matter of whether the lapses are severe, moderate or minor. :( I admit I've not been the most compliant....but hey, I started out with no process in place ok...and I slowly built them up over the years....
*fingers crossed*
*toes crossed*
Hope I don't kena too many observations....
Friday, August 25, 2017
Of careers and jobs and progression? Or the lack of...
My current boss is a nice guy. A people person. He's more of a "get everybody involved and everybody discuss together" kind of boss. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty and muddied in operational matters and he is rather independent in terms of admin issues. He has a PA but doesn't rely on her much.
He's a techie and he's also experienced, having assumed several different managerial and leader roles over the years. He's quite lor sor though and can be quite abit of a broken record at times. He was even seconded to Brunei and led their government tech agency as their Director-General for a good 5 years.
Despite his experience, when he returned to Singapore, he remained a Deputy Director and was not promoted to a Director. And I wonder why. At his age (he's in his early 50s)and in his current role as our boss, I doubt he has enough key and strategic responsibilities to be promoted to be a Director.
I see some of his traits and work style in me. And I wonder what my path would be if I am still in the same agency 5, 10, 15 years down the road...
Of course, from my current SM position, I still have many years to go before I hit an Executive Manager or Assistant Director position...and only thereafter will I hit a Deputy Director position. In the current team where I am comfortably at, we are already quite top heavy and I am fully aware I won't progress anymore.
We spoke last week again. On the possibility of some role switching and some restructuring of our team. He mentioned he did consider putting the marketing function or customer service team under my care. Let's see how that goes...talk is just talk sometimes.....
人，大，小，天，口
These days, Nadya's scribbles and drawings include Chinese words and characters...
她长大了...*emo wail*
她长大了...*emo wail*
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Number 2
Alyssa is progressing at her own pace. Slowly but steadily.
She's finally starting to speak in slightly longer sentences. "Mama, jie jie where?" or "Dada there. I want."
She can sing Twinke Twinkle Little Star fully though her diction is still rather unclear.
She is able to self-soothe a little. Sometimes when she gets upset over something, she wails and then runs into her room and grabs her blanket and her favourite teddy bear. And then she's okay, even if her lips are still pursed. :)
She is still our happy pill...Cheerful and happy and smiley and charming.
She's finally starting to speak in slightly longer sentences. "Mama, jie jie where?" or "Dada there. I want."
She can sing Twinke Twinkle Little Star fully though her diction is still rather unclear.
She is able to self-soothe a little. Sometimes when she gets upset over something, she wails and then runs into her room and grabs her blanket and her favourite teddy bear. And then she's okay, even if her lips are still pursed. :)
She is still our happy pill...Cheerful and happy and smiley and charming.
My firstborn
It started raining earlier tonight.
Nadya woke and said to me, "Mama, I think it's raining. Did you bring in the clothes?"
My heart melted. I felt touched that she actually remembered that this is what I do when it starts to rain.
It's at times like this when I don't feel like I have a soon-to-be 4-year-old girl. She seems so mature for her age sometimes.
Nadya woke and said to me, "Mama, I think it's raining. Did you bring in the clothes?"
My heart melted. I felt touched that she actually remembered that this is what I do when it starts to rain.
It's at times like this when I don't feel like I have a soon-to-be 4-year-old girl. She seems so mature for her age sometimes.
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Nadya
She's gotten a lot braver compared to before. At the goat farm a few weeks ago, she fed and petted the baby goats on her own.
And at the Animal Resort, she fed the horse, the rabbits and guinea pigs on her own! She used to either cower behind me or I had to hold her hand to feed the horse!
She's growing bigger day by day. *beams*
And at the Animal Resort, she fed the horse, the rabbits and guinea pigs on her own! She used to either cower behind me or I had to hold her hand to feed the horse!
She's growing bigger day by day. *beams*
Monday, August 14, 2017
Nosebleed...
Nadya has always given me middle of the night shocks with her nosebleeds. It happened more often when she was 1 & 2 years old...then it slowly tapered off.
Thereafter it was only once in a blue moon. For a long time, like maybe 6months to a year, she didn't get a nosebleed. Then suddenly 1-2 weeks ago she had an episode. And last night again. :(
I hope she grows out of it soon. And I hope she stops picking at her nose!
Thereafter it was only once in a blue moon. For a long time, like maybe 6months to a year, she didn't get a nosebleed. Then suddenly 1-2 weeks ago she had an episode. And last night again. :(
I hope she grows out of it soon. And I hope she stops picking at her nose!
Wednesday, August 09, 2017
...
Seeking affirmation for my frigging whole life.
When will I ever be enough? For myself and for others?
Monday, August 07, 2017
Patches
I did a patch test on 1 Aug to determine if there were any allergies which might have caused my lip dermatitis. I had to put on the patches for 2 full days before removing them. I couldn't wash my back and even after removing them, I still couldn't wash my back till after I saw the doc on 4 Aug. So the entire process took 4 days.
The result?
I'm allergic to Fragrance Mix and Cinnamyl Alcohol (which is found in Fragrance Mix as well). Fragrance Mix is a combination of 8 of the most commonly used chemicals used to create fragrances. Any combination of these fragrance chemicals can be used in a wide range of products like toiletries and toothpaste.
When I heard it, I wondered if I needed to change all of my toiletries and cosmetic products to something fragrance free. Thank goodness the doc only advised me to switch my facial wash and toothpaste to a fragrance free brand since it was only my lips that were flaring up.
Managed to grab some Simple products yesterday. Using paraffin wax and steroid gel on my lips too.....
Here's to better and more chio lips in the days ahead!
The result?
I'm allergic to Fragrance Mix and Cinnamyl Alcohol (which is found in Fragrance Mix as well). Fragrance Mix is a combination of 8 of the most commonly used chemicals used to create fragrances. Any combination of these fragrance chemicals can be used in a wide range of products like toiletries and toothpaste.
When I heard it, I wondered if I needed to change all of my toiletries and cosmetic products to something fragrance free. Thank goodness the doc only advised me to switch my facial wash and toothpaste to a fragrance free brand since it was only my lips that were flaring up.
Managed to grab some Simple products yesterday. Using paraffin wax and steroid gel on my lips too.....
Here's to better and more chio lips in the days ahead!
Thursday, August 03, 2017
Pek Chek
...is when you try to help a colleague with a piece of work to improve herself and to minimise customers getting back to her with questions because they simply don't understand what she is trying to say in her emails.....
....but the colleague doesn't get what you're doing and doesn't want to improve...
Feel like I'm talking to a wall.
Sigh.
Wednesday, August 02, 2017
$$$$$
One of my business partners is a young guy. 4 years younger. But heaps richer lol.
He started his business with another guy, who is maybe 1-2 years younger than him. That makes them 33yrs old and 32yrs old this year.
They started their business back when they were 21 or 20. Built it to an impressive size....and yesterday, the first guy, who's on pretty ok terms with me, updated me that they'd sold their controlling shares to a publicly-listed company in Australia. I did not ask what the transaction value was. Nor did he share with me.....
After our conversation, I googled about it. And my jaw dropped.
The deal was valued at S$30million.
OMG lah. When will I ever see such an amount of money? Gosh.
Rupee and rupiah maybe can haha.
As it is they already came from well-to-do families, now their coffers are spilling over. The rich get richer.
But I don't deny as well these 2 guys are smart, entrepreneurial, hardworking and absolute go-getters. I know they worked their assess off in the early days of their business, pulling in 15/16 hour days or even more...becoming their customers own 24/7 technical support (their in the hosting and domain name business) when they couldn't afford to hire enough staff.
Hats off to them for pulling this deal off. :)
He started his business with another guy, who is maybe 1-2 years younger than him. That makes them 33yrs old and 32yrs old this year.
They started their business back when they were 21 or 20. Built it to an impressive size....and yesterday, the first guy, who's on pretty ok terms with me, updated me that they'd sold their controlling shares to a publicly-listed company in Australia. I did not ask what the transaction value was. Nor did he share with me.....
After our conversation, I googled about it. And my jaw dropped.
The deal was valued at S$30million.
OMG lah. When will I ever see such an amount of money? Gosh.
Rupee and rupiah maybe can haha.
As it is they already came from well-to-do families, now their coffers are spilling over. The rich get richer.
But I don't deny as well these 2 guys are smart, entrepreneurial, hardworking and absolute go-getters. I know they worked their assess off in the early days of their business, pulling in 15/16 hour days or even more...becoming their customers own 24/7 technical support (their in the hosting and domain name business) when they couldn't afford to hire enough staff.
Hats off to them for pulling this deal off. :)
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