Own Time Own Target

all the happiness of fitting into a size 24 waist jeans has evaporated in the face of an emergency...

i've just found out that the staff that i'm covering for had made an error in the formula of payroll calculation since Jan 07, and upon further checking since Jan 06 too...

ALL because she had not used (+CELL*12)/(5*52*8) but had used (number*12)/(5*52*8)

AND THEN copy and pasting the that (number*12)/(5*52*8) for other staff. Since the number for each staff is different, the resulting amount is gonna be wrong.

IF it was copying and pasting (+CELL*12)/(5*52*8) to other staff, there would have not been any problem since +CELL would have pointing to the right number.

worst still, the worksheet was used for all subsequent months, and the formula copied and pasted to all new staff.

Since i was the one who found out,

i'd be the one to have to
- comb all entries in 2007 and recalculate the correct amounts
- rectify
- issue memo
- explain to all affected
- apologise

but only for 2007's

SHE will have to comb every entry for every staff for every month of 2006 when she comes back. maybe 2005 too.

Labels: to Despair, to Work

Labels: to Shop Buy, to Work

Dropped by SgRunners during a multi-tasking-break and saw a thread on a unique women-only triathlon event and even training programmes.

my heart skipped a beat.

September 23.

Is this my chance?

- to learn to swim the front crawl properly and swim in the sea
- to learn to cycle on the road in a group
- to attempt my first triathlon?

i could start small, the Sprint at Swim 750m, Bike 20km, Run 5km seemed doable until Ade reminded me that the length of a pool is only 50m, i.e. 15 lengths...

But Super Sprint is "only" Swim 375m, Bike 10km, Run 2.5km, gotta be doable IF i can master open sea swim and conquer my fear of road cycling, right?

worst case scenerio i do the breast stroke right?

but i have no worst case scenerio for the cycling leg, not since i flew down a steep slope on a borrowed bike too tall for me, into the side of a parked car when i was in my early primaries.

Especially not after i may have misjudged a junction today, making a right turn on clear on-coming traffic except a lone cyclist who was going straight. I went for it, and he passed by just behind me. I dont know if it was safe, even on hind-sight which is supposed to be 20/20.

was it divine intervention to say "nobody died, go for it" or "see what could have happened to you"?


i dont even have a bike.

i've never owned a bike


but oooh to dream, just a little longer.

maybe the dream will turn into reality too.

Labels: to Sweat

It is the Monday Blues...

2 bombs dropped on me with deadline due last week and the first i'm hearing these requirements is TODAY, and it is ALREADY my fault that these are not out yet.

my boss's favorite phrase "EVERYBODY'S WAITING FOR YOU"

with already TWO staff away (1 stiiiillllll on maternity leave and intending to take extended leave, and another for a holiday to USA for almost 2 weeks)

i'm dying.

Managed to fire-fight and clear those 2 bombs, but that meant no time to do the real work that has been piling up on my in-tray. literally, the in-tray has papers 17cm thick.

dont even have time to go to the pantry for a refill of coffee/ tea (i'm living on caffeine now) which is just as well, since i also dont have time to go to the loo

ARGH.

I so need a break.

A REAL break, not just a weekend or a public holiday.

I need to go AWAY and conveniently leave my phone behind.

Labels: to Despair, to Work

Labels: to Read Think, to Shop Buy

Just another work trip so not going to blog much about it.

Whats interesting is one of the guys who was on the same work trip.

A millionaire. He drives a SLK 350, but took an MRT to make the flight out of Changi Airport. He says it was no hassle since he was travelling light, and no point driving only to park at Changi and pay parking fees.

wow. I'm going to rethink my spending habits.

I know he comes from old money and made his from his various ventures, but STILL~!

Music & Lyrics

Finally caught the movie flying SQ to BKK. What a great little movie! It was not earth-shatteringly brilliant with science, or serious thought-provoking drama, just a warm comedy for us oldies who grew up in the 80s.

The throw back to wham, the hip trusting POP! moves,

THAT video (and the very funny VH1 spoof of what happened to them at the end when the credits rolled),

the witty dialogue, the chemistry between Drew Barrymoore and Hugh Grant (great casting includes Kristen Johnson from Third Rock from the Sun as comic relief)


that song that just grew on me, i could go on...

I've just found the new feel good movie for me. is the DVD out yet?

Labels: to Laugh, to Read Think

After SEVEN months of hiatus, SPUG is back.

Restored to its original glorious forum settings but address at www.spug.sg

no more temp forum!

Many thanks to RiverDance and JeromeZ getting the server alive and kicking. Oh yes, not forgetting Apollo who contributed $500 to purchase new HDDs for the server to replace the bad ones.

Welcome back! i've missed you so!

was contacted by a fellow SgRunner from out of the blues, very Blue becos i've not been active in the forum since my last race, and even more BLUE cos we've not spoken before

courtesy msn back.

turned out he is looking for subjects to do a marathon special...

with ME as a subject?! there are so many younger/ older/ faster/ way faster marathoners out there...

he must be desperate, very desperate. to the point that he tried to sell the idea of pp want to read about "down to earth pp doing marathons".

Riiiight. cant get more DOWN to earth then me who finished a marathon in 7:48

good grief.

and oh, did i mention that it was for a MAGAZINE?

what have i gotten myself into?

Labels: to Sweat

The GST increase from 5% to 7% is imminent, and I was reminded of it more so when I received a letter from CPF Board last night called the "GST offset package S********"

I had read the earlier media reports of the package and had expected to receive $400 (conservatively) to $800 (most likely) like everybody else.

So i was bummed when i read that i was eligible to receive a total of $200 and that i should sign up to receive it by 25 Jun 07 to receive the payout by 1 Jul 07, otherwise by 31 Dec 07.

E fared better by being eligible to receive $300, an additional $100 from his having served NS.

but still! $200 out of an expected $400 ~ $800.

*#(%#@&*

$200 is only enough to offset additional GST payable for purchases of $10,000. $500 enough for $25,000 in spending for our household. Per year. I guess we will hit that sum in spending within 6 months. I dont get to save much in income tax too...

After talking with my colleagues this morning, i found out that the payout is in equal instalments over 4 years.

oops. I do get $800 after all.

and oh, i signed up already.

but i'm not rushing out to buy the latest gadget.

Not YET, anyways.

Labels: to Read Think, to Shop Buy

Labels: to Read Think, to Shop Buy

My first COACH bag

and the most expensive bag i've ever owned because this is in season and no discount!

Thank you dear mei mei *muwah*

only another week or so till i get it ;)

Labels: to Shop Buy

It is just not my day.

Already encountered a bully on road in the morning, and almost another incident during lunch.

Decided to have vegetarian (to rid myself of any lingering bad luck that may have contributed to the incident in the morning) but the 2 aunties were busy serving 1 young chap with his single helping and didnt notice me.

The 3 of them chatted while serving the food slowly, and i waited just to the right and beside the chap.

Then in sashayed an indian man who proceeded to the left of the young chap and signal to the aunty for eating here.

AND then the aunty nodded at him and starting to scoop rice for HIM!

SHEESH.

I starting calling out to the aunty "Hello Aunty, I was here first hor, why are you serving him first?" and I continuous repeated myself and louder each time

"Hello Aunty, I was here first hor, why are you serving him first?"
"Hello Aunty, I was here first hor, why are you serving him first?"
"Hello Aunty, I was here first hor, why are you serving him first?"
"Hello Aunty, I was here first hor, why are you serving him first?"
until she "Huh?" at me at the 5th repeat.

At this time, the indian chap had already automatically moved to the proper queueing sequence, behind me.

"I SAID I WAS HERE FIRST, AND I WAITED VERY LONG ALREADY, WHY ARE YOU SERVING OTHER PEOPLE FIRST?"

"ohhhh...." then she passed the plate of rice to the other aunty who had just finished with the young chap, and FLED into the kitchen.

and then i was served.


GOOD GRIEF.


Do i have "Bully me" tattooed on my forehead today?

try it and be sorry.

Labels: to Despair, to Eat Drink Party

Was running late and rueing every traffic light, but luckily since i travel mostly on expressways there werent many along my route.

But i had to out from BKE to Mandai road then back to KJE as it was a shorter (and easier) route.

Nothing new as I hit the slip road from Mandai Road into KJE. 2 lane merging traffic into the long filtering lane. As i was up 1/3 into the slip road, i saw a black BMW coming up behind me and anchoring to the right. I hated being overtaken on merging traffic. Dont these people know COURTESY and to take their turns according to their place in the queue?

Without thinking much, not even the fact that my little march is going up against a BMW (3-series?), i hit the turbo button and sped up the upslope into the filtering lane.

I filtered 3 lanes out to avoid the slower heavy vehicles and and spied the BMW doing the same. My heart skipped a beat as he was closer than necessary on the medium flow traffic. I was being tailed-gated!

I filtered left quickly to the connecting BIG C road between BKE and KJE , and keeping my fingers crossed that the BMW was continuing onwards on KJE. nope.

He filtered left into the connecting road too, and took my left quickly and tried to overtake me. But there were cars in front of him, not enough for him to speed up enough to overtake me safely. He slipped back RIGHT BEHIND me. I couldnt filter left and let him through since there were other cars on the left.

We were going 120 on a 50 limit. sheesh.

Heart in mouth as i tried not to brake and have it taken further as a challenge, and fought the march from flying out of the curve.

I tried to look for an opening to filter left once we were on KJE and let him through. But there were too many heavy vehicles with little long stretches for me to filter into without applying heavy brakes.

Still being tail-gated.

I had to slow down into the bend as there may be speed cameras on bridge near Corporation Road exit.

Then i saw the BMW swerved quickly to the left to exit Choa Chu Kang

i heave a sigh of relief went on my way.

but i cant help but wonder, was i wrong for not yielding and giving MY right of way to the bully on the slip road out of mandai?

No. definitely no wrong. but my loss if i had lost control of my car. He could probably afford his loss if he ran into any problem.

Will i yield the next time?

I honestly dont know.

Labels: to Drive

The most irritating spiel from a so called official from the embassy trade office of our largest neighbour urging my company to support their latest copy of an endless stream of trade books.

It started off with how they need our support and how they appreciate that Singapore are always the first to rush to their aid in tsunami, volcano eruption, bird flu, earth quake, all types of disaster.

Then how ASEAN members must support each. The country has seen very good growth everything very potential since leader took over 3 years ago, and how even now the Singapore ministers sign the documents with their leader's daughter.

And it ended with money cannot buy everything. Because Singapore have no oil, no gas, no water, no sand and no granite. Even got money people dont want to sell also no use.

So now it is good opportunity to put the good name of my company in their trade book, and can they put us down for a beautiful full color full page advertisement ah.

Had to endure the whole thing while trying to push that we need to get budget approval and ask for their rate card, while trying to make my handpone ring to end the 4 minutes non-stop self-congratulatory narration with a heavy breathing halt to each pause in a sentence.

i can even smell the stale cigeratte smoke over the telephone.



now i feel like i need a bath to cleanse all that oily smugness out of my system.



i'll settle for a disinfecting wipe-down of my desk phone.

Labels: to Read Think

i cant stand it.



another 56 days

36 working days

before boss's secretary returns from maternity leave.

2.5 persons job crammed into each 24-hr day. (Her job plus my currently 1.5 men workscope inch'ing towards 2 men scope)

but with each day stretching from morn to 9-10 in the evening, each day feels like an eternity.

IS an eternity.

with 10,919 things to do, do, do, do, do.

i'm tired just LISTING the things i need to do

all due yesterday, last week, last month.



oh God give me the strength.

Just to do

each

ONE by ONE.

Labels: to Despair, to Work

Gave Kiddie J a rap on the hand for misbehaving.

She ran away to a corner.

"I dont like MaMa!"

"i like PaPa"
"i like 姐姐"
"i like 爷爷"
"i like 奶奶"
"i like 公公"
"i like 婆家"
"i like 姨姨"

"i like Barney"
"i like BJ"
"i like Baby Bob"

"NO MORE!"
"hmmmph!"

only 2 yr 7 months

but oh so 绝

Labels: to Despair

omg...

as if i'm not multi-tasking enough

i've just discovered widgets

although the first that i've loaded is a simple Date (Day) Hh:Mm:Ss counter that stays on top

i've afraid that this begins the descent down a slippery slope

.
.
.

er... any interesting widgets that you might want to recommend me?

Labels: to Read Think

Received 2 book offers via email today.


From Borders:


From Times (for members Only):

1 is open to public 35% on one book only (but can print many times and pay many times right?)

The other is for members only, and 20% only.

Aiyoh, like dat how to fight?

Labels: to Read Think, to Shop Buy

First, the Good:

More parking lots conquered!

- Wheelock Place
- Paragon
- Center Point

:)


The Bad

Never ever go to Shenton way aread in the evening after 6 and leave at 7.

Had to pick up documents from Capital Tower at by 6, and I reached there just before. Unfortunately i couldnt just leave as i had to rearrange all the documents into proper sequence in proper folders for Boss's meeting that evening. Which i managed in 30min (big mistake number 1) while sipping coffee at Starbucks.

And then to deliver the documents. Since I had no idea how to get from Capital Tower to the other side of town, i sat in the car studying the road directory for 5-10mins (big mistake number 2). Alright... Cecil Street - Cross Street - Eu Tong Sang Road - River Valley Road - Hoot Kim Road - Paterson Road - Stevens Road - blah blah blah.

I drove out of the lot and smack into a long queue of cars trying to LEAVE the car park. And was stuck for 10min on my floor trying to get into the downward spiral. Then another 15 min in the spiral before turning out on to Cecil Street, and then another 10min to filter left and get to the 2nd traffic light that is Cross Street. Good grief, almost 30min to travel a distance of 100m.

The only bit of good, i didnt get lost. Not until i had delivered the documents and on my way home anyway.


The Ugly

Had to reach office darn early, much earlier then usual.

Which meant that traffic patterns were different.

No prob on all the highways, until i hit Mandai Road.

I usually keep to the right most lane, filtering to center lane before the zoo junction, and filtering left 50m after the junction to get in lane to turn left into slip road to KJE.

well, this time, it was heavy traffic on all 3 lanes, and i didnt manage to filter to center lane until just after the zoo junction, at which point i was alredy in a mild panic since i saw that the queue to KJE had started BEFORE the zoo junction.

Checking the rear view and left mirror I took a chance and tried to slip into a small gap that had opened. But had to jam brake when the car in front stopped suddenly, the car behind him wasnt moving since i was half way into the gap, BUT the car behind me had to jam brake too, with a good blast of the horn for good measure. I waved my apologies and made a hasty escape when the car in front moved.

I could still feel the flush on my face from the sheer embarrassment.

Thank goodness, nothing and nobody was hurt.

Labels: to Drive