The Eve of all Eves

Today was rather a tiring day for me. Tomorrow i predict will be a crazy day as Boss did not give me half-day!!! Tomorrow will also mark the end of my testing and the evaluation of the software i have been trying and testing. Lots of documentation to do too. I think i will give it to my partner to complete it while i finish up the documents that i need to ammend. It is alot and i hate to do it. Sometimes i do not understand... The Boss wants us to have things to do, but please give us something that will let us learn. Moving tables?? Drawing up floor plan?? Spring clean the entire office?? Today i even plan out the telephone wiring and the telephone points. Man... I do not think i am paid enough to do such chores. Even the part-timers do not do that much. The only thing i learn now is the new software. Even though the time given is short, but i still got the chance to learn something. I hope that tomorrow will be a better day. The last day of the year, hope everything will turn out fine.

This year is a year full of surprises... I got my ups and downs. It is because i did some things that caused me to have some things today. What i usually believe in is this theory, cause and effect. It is because of the club, i have made so many friends and found my organising skills back. It is because of friends from this club, i have enjoyed this year more than the previous one. It is because of my deciions that made me felt this way. I have felt like this and this sense of belonging last time. There was once i lost it and felt so homeless, so lonely. But now... I realise that i have found my second home. To me, having one home is never enough. To me, a home for family and a home for friends is what i need. To all my friends and family out there... Let us carry our hopes and happiness to the New Year and forget all the troubles we have for this year.

Time to Party...

Can this be complained...

Boss just gave me a tantamount task. Ask me to plan the telephone wires and sockets for the company, out of the job scope again... He wanted two new lines and Boss Wife did not plan out nicely. So i have to take over. The telephone company workers are here and no plans is out. Have to think of a plan at the spot and quick. After 30mins, i draft a floor plan and let Boss take a look. He discuss with me and made some ammendments. Now i am holding the final draft of the telephone floor plan. I have to wait for my lunch to be bought back as i have to wait for the workers to come back from their lunch. Man... I have not eaten lunch and i have to wait for people that have eaten lunch, ready to do work. Hope that the worker comes before my lunch comes, so they will not disturb me.

2 More Days...

Everyday at work, the boss will ask me to do things that are out of my project scope. Even out of my education scope. I shall briefly explain later. I woke up late in the morning and i had to rush everything. Well, not my first time so it was a rather 'calm' rush. I took everything and got everything done correctly. I arrived at the office on time. Man... What a close shave. I don't know what will happen if i arrive late to work one day. But i sure do not want to know it soon. So as usual, i had to read up and test the new software the company is implementing. The software had alot of problems. Even though it is a Microsoft product, it is still alot of unsolved problems. As an Administrator, i cannot do alot of things. There are alot of things that is said on the website which my partner and i tried and could never get it work. So i heck care and my partner also kind of heck care about it. We even had to sit through an 1 hr web broadcast lesson on how to use the useless software!! It is so boring, feels like im in the lecture theatre listening to the lecturer. Well... After lunch was better... Boss came up to me and told us to stop work on the software. He told us about the new table plan and ask us to deploy it at that momment. We had to squeeze in with four of the permanent staff. Boss say, so all six of us had nothing to say. Now we have to just accept our fate. It is a very tight squeeze... I even had to test two old computers. I guess the computers were as old as me. It was really a headache to test the computers as i had no experience in old computers. Do i look like i operate on old computers?? So i just carried those heavy PCs, set tem up and tested them. In the end, the newest of the old PCs are all spoilt. What a waste of time... Ended work soon after and got home to sleep as i was too tired.

Another year will be over soon after. A new year will step into our lives soon. Somethings we should plan is what will we accomplish next year? There are alot on my mind going now. One of them is completing my tertiary education and get my Diploma. After that, i will shave my head and serve the nation. During that time, i may miss out on a birthday or two, but i promise them... I will get them a big gift each to compensate my absence. A few months down the road and i will get my key to freedom. I do not know how big that event will be but i know it will be the biggest event i will ever hold in my life. After that, i will celebrate a festival that is celebrated not long ago. Hope i can have it like this year. Hope that every year would be like this year. And a few days more, it will be another year. Well... From what i summarise next year. I forsee that its a good year. Always a good year when you have just finished one. Now for a New Year's wish... I wish that my friends and family would be happy and healthy, everyone not to have financial problems and lastly... A year without disasters or mass deaths.

Happy New Year...

The Aftermath

Today was so damn tired. I slept less than six hours. The mind was a total blank when i woke up. Than something hit me really hard. Something non-materialistic. I remembered that today is staff meeting day. I must be 15mins earlier than usual!! ARGHZ!!! So everything was rushed. Clothing, just grab and go. When i was quite near the bus terminal, the bus i was suppose to take left. Right infront of my eyes, it left. I felt that the bus gave me a smirk before leaving. MAN!!! IM GOING TO BE LATE!!! So i hailed a cab and went down to office as fast as possible. To my surprise, i arrive earlier than most of the employees there. Wasted my six bucks. So i attended the meeting and went on with the day. Near the end of the day, with 10mins left to end work time... Boss came over and asked me to do a table plan for the company. He is buying three tables and wants me to adjust the seating plan. Why can't the bos just le me go home?? Ask me do the floor plan... Do i look like an interior design student?? Im an IT student for god's sake... Last week ask me repair lights, this wk ask me do floor plan. Next wk?? I cannot imagine what the Boss will ask me to do next. Clean the company windows?? Fix kettle?? Polish his shoes?? ARGHZ!!!!! Oh, and i started doing something educational. Im beginning to learn a new software.

It was a very sadening Christmas this year. Last week i just told about the King who killed all the babies as he is afraid that the baby would take over him. The slaughter of the innocents... This year the slaughter of the innocents came through. It came, it killed all of them and it left silently. The earthquake that caused so much death and so many missing in South East Asia left everyone shocked. What an enormous earthquake and it killed so many people. Furthermore, we had just celebrated Christmas. Is that a sign or is it just another normal natural disaster? I would not say much... I feel that the lives taken by natural disasters are really sad. Normal people like you and me are taken the right to live in just a few seconds. I suggest that we give thanks to our fortunate lives and say a prayer for the victims, both direct and indirect, that have suffered in the quake.

Bless the dead...

Eve of Christmas Eve

The Eve of Christmas Eve... Some people find it special, some people just take it as another day. For me, its just another day at work. I went to work with a feeling that i should not work tomorrow. It made me feel that Christmas comes earlier than it should. Maybe it is just me... At work, i had to do the most boring office job; Data Entry. I had to sit there for four hours to type data into the computer. Well... Somebody is going to do it. But why me... Why must it be poor me... Since Boss said must be me do, than i had to do it. At some point i almost fell asleep. When all the data entry had been done, my mind is totally exhausted. After that, the lights went out. Not all of them, but three lamps. Boss called me to take the ladder and check on the lights. WHAT?!?! DO I LOOK LIKE A STUDENT FROM EEE??? Since it is orders from the Boss, what can you say?? So i went up and did the lights. After some twitching and stuff, the lights worked again. Boss wife said i have magical fingers. Im like... Huh... Ended work at the same time. So my partner and i went to take the only bus out of the place. We waited for like 15mins. No bus came. Out of nowhere, came this mini-bus. A private mini-bus. The bus stopped infront of us and asked if we wanted a lift. A trip to the train station will cost us 50 cents. A quick trip to the train station at only 50 cents. I don't mind!! We took the claustrophobic bus and squeezed in. I wonder... Each trip to the train station, the driver will earn $6. I wonder how many trips can he make in a day. 10 trips a day would earn him $60. No matter how you see it, it is still quite profitable. After arriving at the train station, i crossed the overhead bridge and took a bus home.

Every Christmas, there would be a Christmas story. Every year the Christmas story would be different. This year, the one i read about was the birth of Jesus Christ that made Christmas... Well, Christmas. It is recorded that when the birth of Jesus, came 3 wise men or wise kings. They knew that a newborn king will lead humankind to freedom. They travelled long and far, days and nights. When they arrived, they each brought gifts to give to the new lord. But in the area where Jesus was born, a greedy king rule over the lands. He heard about the three wise mens coming and also their gifts for a new king. So he invited them over before they met Jesus. He thought that this new 'king' would fight for power over the land and take over him. So he told them to lead him to the new 'king' if they ever find them. But after three days, they never returned. The King was angry and frustrated. So he set out his army to the city and kill every newborn or few days old babies. Luckily, Jesus was informed by an angel. They fled before the troops came to slaughter everyone. This is the day where we call it the 'Slaughter of the Innocents'. An extremely sad day just a few days later of the Lord's arrival.

Merry Christmas Eve...

1 day to Eve, 2 days to Christmas

The year has ended and its the time to celebrate and enjoy. A time of giving and a time of sharing. This is the Christmas spirit. For the past 19 Christmases, i am having holidays so it did felt like Christmas. But now... I am working and the feeling is not there. I even had to ask for a half day during eve. I guess boss is the kind that fully untilise the 5-day week. Now he kept giving those jobs where most of the staff hate to do. Im like the odd job worker, not an intern there. It is damn funny... The company will be having Christmas lunch in the office. The best part about this is... It is not a buffer, it is not a a-la-carte dinner. It is packed lunch. Packed lunch from a caterer... I heard it and im like totally stunned. What the hell... What kind of Christmas lunch is that?? Just eating lunch together is the celebretion?? Maybe the worse has yet to come...

The Christmas spirit... It is the topic on today's radio show. They feel that Singaporeans have lost the spirit and change the meaning totally. They said that the Christmas spirit is about shopping and going Orchard to spend money. I think it is not the truth. Those that are shopping are mostly buying gifts for friends and family. It is no wonder that the city area is extremely packed. Some times the buying of gifts are for the less fortunate. I suppose giving them is the greatest example of showing the true Christmas spirit.

Merry Christmas everyone...

Daytime in Davidson Business Systems

Just finished lunch with a few more minutes to spare, so i decided to make a secret entry in my blog during office hours. Till date, i have not learnt anything useful for the future. All i know is i have to wear formal to work and get ready to do manual work for the boss. 'Move this to here' or 'Do this by (insert time)'. These are the sentences i get everyday. Well... I guess they must be wanting me to learn something from all the jobs they give me. Anyway, the boss sometimes is friendly. You can say he has split personality. But i guess i like the strict one better... As the friendly boss is bit...... Eh... Too friendly i guess...

One Week has passed

One week has passed and i have only 15 weeks more to endure. Today was really a boring day. Boss was around most of the time, so i had to do things a little more productive. Well, i must say i put a very nice show today. He gave me the most boring job of all. I had to amend the alignments and header of 50 plus forms. All on word document. I'm like staring at the screen for more than three hours non-stop. Man, I was so afraid that it might kill my eyes!! Well, my seat faced one of office's windows. Once awhile i took some time off and stared at far away objects. What made it worse was my window is actually facing the Singtel building that is located just next to it!! It made me think of school and my friends... What a saddening momment for me... I also took physical breaks in between. Go toilet more often, drank more water and refill more often. Today is even worse... My partner was given a outdoor task! Man, he left the office at 2 plus. He was out sending corporate gifts to other clients of the company. I envy him. Able to leave the hell hole and go out enjoy the scenery. How i wished it was me who was outside giving the gifts. But as soon as evening approaches... I wasted time by going to the toilet slowly, took my cup and wash it in the pantry slowly. When it was time to leave, i pack my stuff, grab my bags and leave the hell hole totally. I met up with my ex-VP. I was really tired but how can i miss a dinner with her. So i went on and met her for dinner. We ordered a couple meal. Haha... In the end, it was like me eatin the couple meal and her eating the side dishes... After that, she got herself dessert by eating frozen yoghurt. We walked about while she slowly finishes her dessert. I can see that she is enjoying it with glee as she gobble down so fast that it freezes her mouth. I think its also due to the dessert that made her hiccup while i sent her home. Seeing her arrive safely at her home lift lobby and watching her go up, it gave me peace that she is home without a scratch. I headed my way to the busstop and took the long journey like i use to towards home.

I read an article about our language used by our children of Singapore. Some said that we should have a good grasp of the English language. While others supported aggressively on the importance of the Mother Tongue language. But i am wondering, we are Singaporeans. We are the multi-racial country that other countries admire. It is definitely we have our own culture of language. I totally support that. So if we are jacks of all language, but master at none. I personally feel that it is a good thing. Once awhile we may get mis-communications and mis-pronounciation. But what communication's goal is to get the message across. As long the message gets across to the desired party, it doesn't matter if the language spoken is not understandable by both parties.

Speak your language...

Microsoft Seminar

Today i attended my company's Microsoft(MS) Seminar. Man... It was a big event, i was not one of the important people so i did not know most people. I do not know who is our competitors, who are the MS people and who are the attendees. My duty is to give out free gifts to attendees. But how i know who is who?? In the end, i just gave out to who i see... Also, Boss have printed namecards for me. I took a small stack and went around giving my namecard to people. I do not care who is it but just give the namecards out. In the end, i like gave out almost 10 plus cards. Now what i am afraid is that clients will call and find me. By then, i do not know what to say... Think i will know what to say, what to do by then... I woke up damn early for the event and was totally tire out. We went back to office and continued to work. Boss did not give half day off to us. Man, i woke up at 6am to arrive at the place on time!!! I think that is why he is the boss and i am the intern. After work, i went to find my ex-VP. We had dinner together. We chatted and talked about everything. I sent her home as it was late. We ate near her home but it was dark and i could never let a girl walk home alone at night. So i sent her to her lift and said our goodbyes. I learnt this phrase in a camp when the camp chief closed the camp, 'Goodbyes are such sweet sorrows.' I believe i felt it all over again at that momment...

School: ITP is a good way for students to learn the working life outside. They will experience what is the working life and find that it is a tough world outside.

Me: ITP is a good way to see cheap labour. Companies get interns to do all kind of crap and pay them the minimum sum given by the school. So we find out that the real world treat interns as if they are paid to work but at a cheaper price.

My comments on my ITP till now. Maybe it will change, maybe it will not. But all i know is... Will my ITP change my thoughts and views about the Microsoft company?

Personal views noted...

2nd Day

Day two of torture. Nothing much was done, nothing much was learnt. I learnt that printing labels can be really troublesome. Aligning and test print, i like took 1hr to adjust the stupid thing. After that i still had to trim the labels. I practically spend the whole day using a razor and ruler to cut the labels up. In the morning, my partner and i both took tests. The company had these tests to determine your IT knowledge and stuff. In the end, none of the tests we passed. I expect my partner to do better than me, but he failed all of them too. Guess we are both on the same boat. There are still somemore tests for me to take. It is so dead boring, almost fell asleep doing the tests. But the office had some biscuits so i took a packet and ate while doing the tests. Perk me up a little to finish the tests. The tests are not what you learn in Poly. Those tests ask questions that are posed for the professionals. Maybe the company think too highly of the both of us. We left the company late and i joined my sis for dinner. She accompanied me to buy clothing required for Thursday. I got what i wanted but i ran out of cash and she did not bring her card out. So i had to reserve it and got my Aunt to pick it up tommorrow. Guess i owe her one. After that, i ate dinner at one of the stalls in Takashimaya. At first i wanted to eat fish & chips. But the store is fully occupied. All the customers were just arrived and just started eating. In the end, i just settled my dinner at some Japanese stall. I ate and chatted with my sis. It has been a long time since i met up with her. I can see that she is fine and healthy. Hope she stay this way all the time. After dinner, we walked across this fun fair to take bus. I joked to her that she can go up on the bouncy castle as she is below the acceptable height of 1.6m. She laughed and laughed. As we walked about, we talk about everything. At the busstop, i decided to send her home. Its pretty late and to let a pretty lady walk home alone is definitely not me. Especially she is my sister. After seeing her arrive safely at home, i embarked on my journey home. Sis home is just 1hr away from mine.

Life is beginning to feel boring. 3-4 days ago, i felt that going to work or going for my ITP should be fun. It should be different from studying in the Poly. I was right and wrong. Nothing much was learned while there. Difference is definitely felt. Instead of jeans and tee, im wearing long-sleeves and straight pants with leather shoes. I report to work 9am sharp instead of always going to lesson late. I had to eat faster than usual. I had to report whatever i do to someone. It is like im a cheap labour in a high earning company. I can see that the boss is very rich and he can afford high class stuff. Maybe that is why he is so successful now. Hope one day i can be like him and become rich. But he is not my role model, my role model would always be my Dad. He will be my life model. I will learn what is right from him and use his faults to learn mistakes. One thing that i must crack before anything bad happens to him... How did a primary 4 dropout married a degree holder???

Learning everything possible...

ITP Starts...

Today marks my first day in ITP. I have officially started my ITP. Man, woke up at 7am. The sky was still kind of dark here... I did things a little faster than usual and i ended up arriving at the company earlier than expected. I met up with my ITP partner, first impression was that he take the office job a little too serious. What's with the tie and blazer?? I almost broke out laughing. But i held back. The office staff let us in and introduce themselves to us. The whole office is made up of a couple of consultants, marketing and executives. Led by a very smart couple. One word to describe the entire office; strict. Lady boss was really strict, she is really adamant about what she wants and what she means. The boss is a very anology guy. He likes to use military stuff and action stuff to describe the situation to everyone. Every Monday will be meeting day, durin the meeting today, he came out with something of a military vehicle and stuff. Makes me think of Metal Gear Solid. The whole day in the office was rather bland. We did nothing much. The entire morning was orientation and some office skills training. I still not used to the printer. Guess i will make it a point to win over the printer. Now the office is gearing up for a seminar this coming Thursday. When i am on my way home, one of the staff called me and told me about the attire on Thursday. Blazer, white shirt, spotted tie, black pants and black leather shoes. Man... That looks so much like some gangster attending another gang's funeral. That leave me no choice but to get what is required.

A day has passed and it have left some nice feeling on me. I feel that the honeymoon time is ending. As soon as i step onto Thursday, i can start to accept crazy stuff. Im trying my best to adapt into the company and learn whatever they are willing to teach me. I do hope i can make the best out of this four months. My ITP partner is doing his best to do what he can. I have not seen his true power yet, a few weeks more and maybe his knowledge of IT will be passed over to me. Hope the company pay me a little more than what the last intern get. I have alot of bills to pay!!

Breathing for air...

Final Three Days...

Time has come... It has finally come. My ITP nightmare is starting to begin... Time to prepare for the final stage of my life as a Polytechnic student. The company gave my Liason Officer(LO) a couple of things to note before i went start my ITP. For example... I have to work on certain saturdays. Maybe that will mean alternate saturdays. What the heck... I have to work on these saturdays... And they are really under paying me. Sometimes i do wonder, why do they call it internship? More like getting cheap labour to work in the company. It is another pair of hands but paying lesser. Well enough of that... Today was rather a simple day, nothing exciting was done. Morning i had the ITP briefing followed by a photo-taking session for the yearbook. Later i joined my juniors for lunch. We chatted and joked around. It was really enjoyable. After that, they went back to the club to clean the stuff and sort the things they used during camp. I did not stay as i want them to interact with the year 1s more. I met up with my ex-VP and we went shopping. I wanted to watch a movie as it was a long time ago since we watched one together. After movie, we went for more shopping. We kind of wasted so much time walking about stores that does not intrest her at all. In the end, we rested by having something to drink and a couple of snacks. Actually all i wanted was to dump some rubbish after our snack time, but something caught her eye. A jacket from Fox:Women. She tested one of them but shop ran out of her size. We went over to another shopping centre to look for the same item, but it was also out of stock. At the 2nd shop, they were playing a song; Blue - Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word. She could not get what she wanted so she sang along with the song!! After that, we went to a store and she bought a cute bag. It looks to me like a grocery shopping bag but to her another bag to put stuff. She paid for it and we went back home. I sent her home personally as she was not feeling well. After that, i went home and bought some instant noodles on the way home. Man, it was really good. I ate two packets while my brother ate one. Really spicy really delicious...

Updates! Updates!! UPDATES!!!

Does this consider an update?? It is just a few days only. Im like just blog not long ago and im blogging again. Sounds like good news ya? But not actually... Nothing much happened these few days. Yesterday i went driving, the results were rather bad. Got quite a scolding from my instructor. I was a little nervous and stuff so i did badly for it. Especially parking, i can't park a car. Man, i really sucked at parking a car. I think the near future, car mechanics must invent a kind of device in cars where the car will auto park for you. Then... Then the parking system for the world will be a better place. Haha... Must be dreaming too much le. A few hours later i am going for my driving revisions... I do hope i can get a test date as soon as possible. One more day and it will be SAT day. Praying hard that i will do well and my ex-VP will do well too.

Pray for us...