A wise girl kisses but doesn't love, listens but doesn't believe, and leaves before she is left.
-Marilyn Monroe-
seeking the simple joys in life
live ❤ laugh ❤ love
live ❤ laugh ❤ love
Tuesday, February 11, 2014 @ 4:55 PM
Leave a comment: 0 comments
http://100happydays.com/
I think this is an interesting campaign to get people to start recognizing the little things in their lives that matter. While uploading a photo a day on something that makes you happy is a good way, I personally feel that photos are not able to capture everything. It might be able to capture a rainbow, your pet, your home-cooked dinner, but what about instances like receiving a phone call from a friend living in another country, a stranger smiling at you, or getting into a taxi just before it started pouring? Sure, I can upload a photo of my friend, a smiley face, or the rain, but it just doesn't capture the moment as well.
Hence, I’m going to do it my way by keeping a small personal happiness book that will keep track of the little things that make me happy every single day. Hopefully this will serve as a reminder for me to appreciate the people in my life, and to give thanks for the little things that go my way.
“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” - Frederick Keonig -
Tuesday, December 31, 2013 @ 2:08 PM
Leave a comment: 0 comments
2013 has been a year of many firsts, and the top 10 moments being:
- Hiking/camping on the great wall
- Travelling with Wendy
- Travelling alone
- Being a bridesmaid
- Getting a tattoo
- Losing a phone
- Skiing
- Attending a party without knowing anyone but the host
- Being slapped by a horrible Chinese man and splashing my drink at him
- Going on a themed date
Hello 2014! (:
Tuesday, November 26, 2013 @ 11:23 AM
Leave a comment: 0 comments
For some reason, I'm starting to get homesick, perhaps it's the weather, or the upcoming festive season, or perhaps it's the small group of people left in Beijing. I don't know... Perhaps it's a little of everything.
I miss my life 6 months ago. I used to hate being the only girl in the group, having nobody to turn to for some girl talk and doing girl things together. Now, I really miss that feeling. Everyone just hangs out with everyone, without any emotional shit like "I feel that I'm no longer part of the group" or "I don't really like her" or "Do you think she's pretty? Hmmm, I don't think so, I think she looks weird" Really hate dealing with all this shit.
NEED. TO. FIND. NEW. FRIENDS.
Monday, September 09, 2013 @ 4:10 PM
Leave a comment: 1 comments
This time last year was all about meetups and farewell parties. I can’t believe a year in China has past just like that. The year has been nothing short of amazing. I've grown so much, as a person and in my career, and these made all the sacrifices I have made worth it.
CAREER
Last week, my senior asked me to prepare for an informal review session with her since we do not have a formal performance management system here. That set me thinking about my growth as a consultant the past year.
In the past, I pride myself for being able to deliver quality work in the shortest time possible. Perhaps that’s what the SG work environment is like. Time is short, workload is heavy. Hence, when clients want A.B.C, we deliver A.B.C that is aligned to our firm’s quality standard before the deadline, and that’s that. We do not stop to think if whatever the client requested is useful to them, or how we can deliver A.B.C is the best possible way to provide them with the greatest assistance.
China is a totally different playing field altogether. Initially, when I was negotiating my contract, the bosses told me that the adjustment period is 6 months, I didn't believe them. I honestly believe that I could adjust within a month or so. True, I did that, but that’s just for my personal life. Work wise, 6 months was just about right. That was the time when I really learnt the business here, understood the way we work, and is able to take on projects and communicate with clients confidently and with minimal reliance on fellow colleagues.
People here are not as sophisticated and rely on us greatly. They look up to consultants, and strive to be on our side of the table. Delivering work like I used to in SG just doesn't work anymore. I have to slow down my work pace and put more thought into every piece of work I deliver. It takes 3 times more time, but the end product is so much more satisfying, and just an appreciative smile or a word of thanks from the client is more than sufficient to keep me going.
Right now, the challenge is to slowly integrate the thought process into every project I undertake, be it internal or external, such that one day, it becomes inherent. Only then will I start working to shorten the turnaround time.
PERSONAL
Me
As a Singaporean, we've been forced to grow up way too soon. Embarking on a career and having all sorts of responsibilities at 22 years old? That’s just far too soon. The twenties is a time to experiment, make mistakes, and find the direction in life. It’s a time to do all the things you want to do, without having to deal with the burdens that comes with marriage and kids and whatever else. I’m not saying I’m giving up my career in exchange of fun, just that I've realized that there’s more to life than slaving away in the office 24/7. What’s the point of working so much OT, spending your nights and weekends in front of the computer? You will miss out on the other more awesome things in life that you will only get to enjoy when you’re in your twenties.
This past year, I've learnt to appreciate the sun and outdoors. Perhaps it’s because I’m in a temperate country now, and summer is only 3 months long, thus making the heat more precious. A year ago, if someone asked me to go hiking, I would probably think the person is out of his/her mind. Now, it’s become part of my life. As much as I enjoy an afternoon in a nice little cafe, I also enjoy a day out at a park, with booze, snacks and a frisbee.
I've also discovered the joy of doing things alone, especially travelling. There's no need to consider what others want to do, whether you and your travel partner has the same travelling habits, etc. You just go where you want to go and do what you want to do. You have loads of time to reflect, to think about your life, and meet new people. Having said that, I still enjoy travelling with friends. Both are enjoyable in their own unique ways.
Before leaving for China, I was determined to make friends. After a few failed attempts, I gave up and decided that I was happy to just stay home alone and be a couch potato on the weekends. After the home trip during CNY, the weather became warmer and staying at home doesn't feel like such a good idea anymore. I decided to turn to the Beijing couchsurfing group and that was the best idea in my life.
The first event I attended, I met Justinian. He is the best person a newcomer in Beijing can ever meet. He finally succeeded in dragging my ass for a hiking trip after several rejections and the rest is history. Since then, there were many people I've met, some through hiking, some through partying and who were subsequently introduced to the hiking group. The ones who made a considerable impact this first year and whom I will never forget are:
- Justinian – The persistent one who played a major part in starting my awesome life in Beijing! His energy and friendliness is just so infectious.
- Daria – An awesome cool Polish girl, who happens to be my favorite girlfriend here! Life’s never complete without someone to do girly stuff together!
- Tsoa – My favourite black guy from the exotic island Madagascar. Forever annoying the shit out of me, but always being there for me whenever I need him.
- Sam – Another one who is always annoying me, but the things he says always cracks me up.
- Berns – Fellow Singaporean!! My first surfer in Beijing and thankfully, he turned out to be a really cool and fun guy.
- Remy – The French guy with such a strong accent that I have difficulties understanding, but we somehow managed to communicate in our own way.
- Jen – The only local Chinese girl I hang out with outside of work. That explains a lot.
- Heys – Our fatherly hiking leader who is always taking care and looking out for us during every hike.
- Andrew – Reminds me of Bass. Quiet at first, but loads of fun after you get to know him better.
- Tom – Witty American guy with an ULTRA HOT girlfriend. The irony? He’s an American teaching Math, and she’s a Chinese teaching English. HMMMMM…
- Mans – Everyone’s favourite ginger who seems to be always bouncing around. Fondest memory of him was fighting through the insane crowd at the David Guetta concert.
- Semih – Turkish guy with the cutest mustache ever. Apparently it curls higher when he’s in a happy mood :p the things he can do with his camera is AMAZING!
The friendships I've forged here, though some may be really short, have impacted me some way or another. Friends back home are like committed relationships, while friends here are like summer flings: short-lived, intense and memorable. There's no comparing which is better; both are magical in their own ways.
Tuesday, July 02, 2013 @ 6:08 PM
Leave a comment: 0 comments
Recently, a friend and I were on the topic of marriage. So many friends are getting engaged, getting their flats and getting married. At the same time, there are also several stories on how people bail from their wedding like a month before, or even a day before.
Marriage is such a scary concept to me. It adds one person to your life permanently, but yet causes you to potentially lose many others. As much as people don’t want to admit it, friendships change after one gets married. You will tend to spend more time with your partner and less time with friends.
Most of us will want to stay in our own place after marriage, without parents or parents-in-law. This means that if your partner is out with friends, you will be home alone. Sure, having some alone time is nice once in a while, but not every other day. If being alone is what one wants, then the logical thing is to live alone, not get married. You can also argue that your partner can join you on your gatherings and vice versa. Whether you like it or not, your partner is still an outsider. A girls outing will not be the same when partners are there. A double date with a best friend is definitely not the same as a one-on-one bestie meet up.
Sometimes, when I see friends getting engaged or married, all the fanciful proposals and glamourous wedding shoots, I’ll wallow in a little self-pity and for a moment, feel like I want that as well. Well, for a couple of minutes anyway. After that, I'm glad that I'm leading my current life right now, doing whatever that makes me happy without thinking about how my actions will impact someone else in my life.
Maybe one day, I'll be able to fully embrace the perks of marriage. Now, it's party time! WOOHOOOOO ;)