Familiar stranger's thoughts

I guess we are all like that...thinking that we have the worst job in the world...when actually there is someone out there who has a worst job then us...

Feel very blessed to have such a caring boss..who flew down especially (actually he had another agenda in another part of Asia) because of all the unhappiness / dissatisfaction at work recently...

Over 2 days, we discussed all the outstanding work...list down priorities...and areas where he could help...at least I now know when I cannot breathe (now actually)..and when I can.

While discussing a point of unhappiness...he used a French saying "You cannot turn a monkey into a racehorse"...it had me and JT in stitches....hearing him describing her in such a way...I never knew he felt the same way as us about her...Who is this "her"? Read about "her" in my blog of 12 July 2008...

Each time when I feel that I have already reached the pits...it seems that he can really help to improve the situation...hopefully now...the bunny would last longer...

Because of my boss coming into town...we brought him out to dinner....technically, I was also another invitee...cause I am not familiar with this part of Singapore. :P We went to Ubin Seafood restaurant and had chilli crabs, mee goreng and salted egg prawns. Found the review & picture at http://www.soshiok.com/articles/25


After that, we went for durians & mangosteen....JT suggested going to Four Seasons...a few streets away. This place was actually featured in the papers recently...hence was not surprised that it was quite crowded on a Tuesday evening ... the review can be found at the same site http://www.soshiok.com/articles/10326 ...burp...really too full to go to sleep now....

In this hot summer afternoon, we went to Wuxi...the heat was really unbearable! But we now have some nice pictures...

Wonder what happened in the 5 seconds when I closed my eyes...and opened to find that I was sitting on the ground.

Wonder whether things would be very much different if Jul was not beside, preventing a free fall....

It was a lovely full moon when we reached Shanghai...However, it seems to be blocked by clouds in this picture....the weather forecast predicted rain and storm...however, all was fine that evening until the next afternoon....and we could do a quick run of the shops...I would say that this trip was the trip that I spent the least amount of $!

Today is my last night in Nantong...my presentation is finally over! :P

Tomorrow we are going to 无锡 for our Team Building Trip! No more work issues! Yippee!

Our Hotel & Office is in 通洲, which is in Nantong...However, for the 1st 2 nights here, we had dinner @ Nantong Town...& today is our 1st time having dinner in Tongzhou....the restaurant was a typical China restaurant...so vastly different from the place we had dinner yesterday...After today's dinner, we strolled back to our hotel...exploring Tongzhou and also getting some local shopping...getting lost a couple of times...but managed to find our way back after asking some locals.

It seems funny that we returned to the hotel the earliest on our last night...and finally I got those "nuisance calls"...it seems that the well known knocking of doors by Ladies of the Night is now replaced with telephone calls...

Although the hotel is 3 stars, it is extremely well-equipped. See the display in the bathroom.

Although I woke up at 5am yesterday morning and only went to bed after 12am...I still woke up at 5:30 this morning...when I was supposed to wake up only at 7am...wonders of wonders...I can always wake up when I am not staying at home...when I do not need to wake up so early....

Think I forgot to draw the curtains...hence was woken up when it was daylight.

My room on the 8th floor is the highest in this hotel..see the scenery from my window.

I am back in the Land of Horns...every driver has one hand on the steering wheel, and another on the car horn....

I've forgotten the headache that this gave me while I was in Shanghai 4 years ago...

This time...we are in 南通 for the Greater China Finance Meeting...we flew in to Shanghai taking the 8:05am flight...however, we only touched down at 1:40pm....about 5 1/2 hours later. The flight was only supposed to take about 5 hours!!!

Then, we were drove to the town of 通洲......finally reaching our hotel Asia Hotel at 5pm. What a long day!

The Hotel is a 3star (Chinese standard) hotel...so think they don't have gym nor pool...many of my colleagues are staying at this hotel.....since it is supposed to be only a short distance away from the office here...my wonderful room? 8008!

I wonder how many people dare to tell their immediate boss that they felt so angry that they thought of emailing their boss with these 2 words "I QUIT!"?

I wonder how many people dare to tell their more senior colleague that "I don't want to spoil my evening any longer! Bye!"?

Perhaps she really 不想混了！

一直以为自己经常想太多。。。原来别人比我更会想。。。看来我要多学习！

档案一：
先用无薪假期，以后如果需要赔还时可能薪金已增加！

档案二：
要加入公司之前要先问清楚几时加入才会得到年终奖金！

1. I am misunderstood to be unwilling to check. Just because I am not at Ground Zero and do not have the actual figures or knowledge on the complicated flow.

2. I am misunderstood to be unwilling to challenge. Just because I know that nobody would take note of my little voice + I believe in checking our figures thoroughly before challenging.

3. I am misunderstood to be putting the company in a bad position. Just because I am unfamiliar with the foreign laws and asked about the requirements of the law.

4. I am misunderstood to be a tattler. Just because I was concerned and wanted to help.

It seems that things can never go right. I guess my consolation is that Person 4 bothered to clarify the issue with me. Hopefully Person 4 understands now and do not get upset. Perhaps things can only go up from here, since it can't go any worse.

I always thought that I should give others the benefit of the doubt because of different cultures and different interpretations of the words used. However, it seems everybody is defensive and not trusting enough to give the other party the benefit of doubt.

Well, at least the weekend is near! :P

In my blog of 16 April 2008, I wrote of Uncle who just found out that he was in the last stage of cancer. Today, he is now safe in the arms of the Lord. It is around 3 months since he found out about his illness...

I nearly turned into the red eyed monster when I heard this news...but with all the things happening in the office, I think I have grown just this teeny bit stronger...especially in the office...

Although we may miss Uncle, it is comforting to know that Uncle is no longer in pain