Secretarys' week

I've been busy so have not been able to update my blog as often as I would like to.

Boss is finally back from Miami but was out sick and returned to the office on Wed, but only for half a day - he looked very sick still plus his concall coincided with the fire drill so decided to take it from home. In my last 2 companies we were given the rest of the day off during a fire drill, not here, but we kept ourselves occupied with food (consultant bought a cheesecake for tea) and info exchange. You can't be productive with the alarm ringing above your head so gotta seek alternative... not skiving for sure.

Ok. As the header suggests, it's sexy-tarys' week. First thing first, I dun look forward to this week because I find it overly commercialized and benenfits only the retailers. And I prefer prac$ica$ rewar$ lor. Anyway, for this year and first time ever every secretary in my office received a nice bouquet of flowers from the office and was treated to a nice lunch at The Melt, Mandarin Oriental. To top it up, boss decided to give administrative professionals (including receptionist, IT, research) half a day off. How sweet of him hor. And I did the most exciting thing... studied in NLB... and managed to nap for a good 20 mins too... hehe.

Long service award

Today I was told I've been arrowed to organize one of our colleague's 10th year long service award. I asked for the budget and was told to keep it under $3K. I thought, "wow, so generous...". Then the shocker came when I asked what is she getting as a "token" of appreciation for the loooong service... $3k - $5k (to be decided by boss) *gasp*. Geeez! What did I get at my ex ex ex company?? An atrocious looking gold clock made in Taiwan, that costs US$380 on paper and didn't work a second, and I was taxed for something I can't even use... how nice. Maybe that's their message to me; time to leave before I become part of the furniture. Anyway, true to the Chinese taboo of not giving away clock as gift (song zhong aka send off, in cantonese) I left for greener pastures the very next year.

Exam Blues

I've never studied so hard in my life and I swear it's true. So, to those who think you can try to get by with min studying, please drop the idea.

2 out of 3 subjects have NO 'tips to pass'. OT (organizational theory) because the lecturer has perpetual PMS and is a saddist who thinks "highly" of her students as she claimed on the last lecture... she said she resisted the temptation to peep at the questions... can you believe it? As if this is not bad enough, I just logged in to the portal and there was this "useful" advice from dunno-who-wrote-it saying, section 1 covers only topics covered in the 2nd half of the sem but should still study everything anyway because must apply and link... This is how I feel now #@*&(%$@!$^% . As for HRM, the lecture is exceptionally nice but the stupid campus lecturer who set the paper doesn't want to disclose info

On a high note, it's secretarys' week and we are heading to Mandarin Oriental for makan at my fav cafe, The Melt. Let's hope the sweet buttery smell of freshly made waffles with raspberry ice-cream will chase the blues away, even if it's only for that moment I'm contented. Yum yum.

Weekend highlights

This weekend has been hot, hot, hot, and it was even HOTTER on Sat night coz moi and friends were at the long-awaited David Tao's concert. Must admit I was a bit skeptical if he could actually deliver although I have no doubts about his musical talents. Boy! Not only was I not disappointed, he took my breath away, song after song... he delivered the songs beautfully esp the love ballads. He saved 2 of my fav songs, Sha(1) Tan(1) and Ai(4) Hen(2) Jian(3) Dan(1) for the ending. But the highlight of the evening was I got to shook his hands.... *drools*.

Had dim sum at Swee Choon along Kelantan Road. Steven said they've been around for 40 years now and still going strong. We were lucky to get a table as the restaurant was packed and some of the diners had to settle for a table in the back alley which is a NO NO for me. It was Christine and Ann's first time at Swee Choon so I was tasked to order. Their mee sua kueh, chicken feet and golden fried tofu was still as good but I was disappointed with their siew mai, it tasted funny.

Cleo is collecting her new Lancer next week and she's thinking if she should pay $100 to retain the current car plate as it's coincidentally her birth year, I think. Hmm... maybe I prefer to have a new car plate, dun ask me why, just my preference. Hubby told me if I ever have a car to call my own he'll bid for EL1M... It's going to cost him an arm and a leg but he's saying it only because he knows the day will not come - me owning a car. He is what you call in hokkien, giam kah nah, aka scrooge .

Bidded farewell to our freedom last Fri with a sumptous breakfast in the conference room. Tomorrow, the consultants will be back in the office. Moi's boss returns on Tues so you can imagine I will be busy 'touching up' tomorrow.