In the clouds

"Do you want to work in London?" "For how long?" "Permanent."

It was just a casual question by my manager during lunch but it triggered a reality check in my mind. 

It will be a really bold move. London is a totally different world. At least Shanghai is still an Asian city, cheap and convenient to live in. So I answered, "Depends on the package."

I hadn't realised I have been living in clouds. I have to put my feet firmly on the ground.

Evan is right. I don't have a solid option or plan as of now. I should be patient and continue looking, instead of thinking too much. Wait and see which option opens up first.

The dog days are almost over.

Things I will do when I get a more permanent job

Things I will do when I get a more permanent job:

1. Use my Jack Spade messenger bag
2. Continue my golf class
3. Sign up for gym 
4. or gymnastics 
5. or have a fitness plan
6. Wear my new shirts
7. Buy insurance
8. Pack my books and notes
9. Pack my clothes
10. WORK HARD

New money keeper

I bought my white wallet in Japan, which was about 4-5 years ago and used it until I went to Shanghai, I used the other brown Renoma wallet for a year before changing back to the white one when I returned. So far I have been looking for one has a special design like my white one but was unsuccessful, even though I went Japan to look for a wallet twice. My Japanese wallet design had rave reviews once upon a time but now it had been too seasoned and the whole thing looks like it's going to fall apart soon.

I had bought a backup Jack Spade wallet and I told myself to change my wallet and everyday working bag when I had an exciting change in my life, like a totally new job or moving to a new office, which is sort of signifies a fresh start. When I saw the Mismo billfold wallet that day when I stepped into Kapok Sg, I was like yeah finally a unique one and if I get into the job I wanted, I will get it.

I bought it today, even though my job is still pending, and because I had some extra income. Hee.

Mismo is a designer brand from Denmark, great design, great material and coin pocket like my previous wallet. The strong healthy calf leather smell greeted me when I unwrapped the wallet from the box and I just can't resist opening up and start using it.
Sorry, Jap wallet, thanks for the 4-5 years but I have a new money keeper now.

I also had a great frozen yogurt sundae from 313, probably the best value for money for such a huge cup, with 1 crunchy topping, 3 fruit toppings and 1 sauce.

The queue was long but really fast. So when you walk away like a total bitch, you don't get tasty ice cream/froyo on a hot Saturday to enjoy.

Holding tight

What an exhausting week.

My mind was on my phone the whole week I was working. I have to touch my phone every hour to make sure I didn't miss any calls and check my emails if there are incoming new mails. I had to bring my phone with me all the time, even when I'm photocopying some stuff or packing the files or going to the washroom or talking to somebody and make sure that it is fully charged all the time.

I am waiting for some calls that will determine my future.

That's what made me so jumpy whenever I hear or feel something vibrate or something reflects off my phone screen.

A few days ago I returned to my fav app again - DBS trading. You know, just shopping around spotting some deals and all. The data reception at CBD is incredibly fast and smooth, as compared to the no-reception-at-all Joo Koon area, but nothing still beats live-feed on the internet.

I'm counting on my phone for the next few weeks too. I'm so glad I got an Iphone.

Lessons to be learnt

The worst feeling in the world is coming out of an exam hall, knowing that you did not do your best or give your all. That's why in my school days I don't bother to check my results because I know that I have already gave my best. Not even a sliver of regret. That's confidence.

But knowing that you are given that opportunity and did not give it your all, the feedback is even worse than not having it at all.

Lessons to be learnt:
1. Never schedule 2 interview in one day. If you have to, always do the more important one first.
2. Do not lose focus of the interview just because the interviewer was really friendly
3. You have only one chance. If you don't show your everything, nobody will know your everything.

10 ways to get more followers in instagram

1. You need either a good face or a good body

2. Use those filters and be an expert at it

3. Post lots of selfies, the more skin you reveal, the more popular you get

4. Wear nice and tight clothes

5. Have clear, bright, non-shaky pictures that emphasize yourself

6. More organic stuff (like living things/food/human etc)

7. Happy face most of the time, sad face once in a while

8. Hashtag thingsyouwanttosaybutdontwanttoputincaption

9. Post a picture of the sky once a while with an emo caption

10. Post at least 3 times a week

2 interviews in a day

I scheduled two interviews yesterday, one near my old office in the morning and another near my old school in the afternoon.

The first was G company, which was really a breeze. I knew how to answer everything without hesitation. I think most industrial companies are like very standard and easy, having the same set of questions. The moment I walked out of the office I knew I had the job in my hand.

After lunch I prepared for the other interview at U company, which came as a surprise because I thought I did badly in the first phone call. I knew this one was gonna be tough so I had spent extra effort reading about it online and preparing myself for most situational questions. I really did my homework for this one.

I didn't know what came over me. Maybe I relaxed after the first interview. Maybe I was too tired and stressed out from the first interview. Maybe the amazing office overwhelmed me a little bit. Maybe the interviewer was too casual. Maybe the questions were too tough. Maybe there's always a mental barrier in me that stops me from working in such an amazing place. Or maybe I just wasn't cut out for it.

I knew I did badly for this one. I couldn't answer some of the questions properly. I paused for a long time and still didn't answer one of the question. I almost wanted to ask the interviewer if we could restart the interview but it was too unprofessional for me to do that but I did recap one of them after the interview ended. But I could really tell that the interviewer wasn't really interested and I walked out of the office really disappointed.

A GOTG Sunday

What a beautiful Sunday! The weather was nice, the air fresh and clean, the world still revolving.

I was so excited for this movie that I couldn't stop thinking about it, even after watching the trailer for so many times. Marvel meets Star Wars meets Indiana Jones meets Back to the Future. Unlike the previous film Captain America which was more grounded in action, this space epic is really out of this world (literally). The characters, the way they talk and interact and the music are all really unconventional and you can't really tell what is going to happen or what to expect in a crazy world like that, like Nebula getting blasted in the middle of a battle speech is really funny. Groot is obviously the attention stealer in the movie.

I guess some parts of the show might be confusing for non Marvel fans because it included a lot of background fun facts, like Knowhere being a dead celestial head or Cosmo the spacedog.

I didn't like how they depicted Nova Corps because I loved the comic. They are supposed to be one of the most powerful police force and their suits are supposed to be more sleek. And they didn't need a spaceship. Nova prime is supposed to wear the uniform too. Well my guess is Thanos is going to take the infinity stone in Xandar and destroy the planet in the process so that they can start a Nova movie with Richard Rider etc. Another flaw is how all the aliens look like human, or how they are able to communicate in English, unless all of them has a universal translator installed but Korath said some alien language. 

The awesome movie is accompanied by a good high tea at Mariott and a good haircut with Chloe. 

The day would be most perfect if it ended in a relaxing bathtub and stay in a luxury hotel. Such life.

The food in CBD

The food at Raffles place is doing something to me.

Within two week I had the most unhealthy lunch in almost 2 years: Fried beehoon and mee with fried chicken wings and fried egg and fried vegetables. Twice. I had iced teh tarik thrice.
The oil and sugar content of my meals are going to shoot up my bad cholesterol levels.

It's either the caffeine in the tea or the heightened pace that made my brain go into hyper-drive every time I step inside my office. Or maybe it's the stress that every mistake I make it's a potential million dollar loss. Like the extra 0 I accidentally added to make a 1 million payment into a 10 million payment, or the 0 that I left out that made a 8 million reporting into a 800K reporting. Lucky for my colleague who checks my work everytime, I have a safety net but it's really crazy to make even 1 mistake. It's really out of this world crazy.