last post of the 2010

2010 has been an interesting year. i remember the same time last year i was getting ready for a brand new job in the brand new year. history is repeating itself so quickly. 2 more weeks to another new job. after this episode, i learnt that job stability is important. finding a stable company and not having to worry if we will have sufficient cash for payroll.

and so. next company i'll be joining is definitely stable. but of course i am psyching myself up for a challenging time; given the kind of business and organisation.

another year done for dearie's studies. with just another half year ahead, the finishing line is visible now. persevere on dearie! all the hard work will be worth it.

i try to make it a point to see mummy once a week. i feel bad our korea holiday plan will have to be put on hold for a while.. i promise i will realise it once i settle into the new job. =)

with the kindle dearie bought me, i have been able to read more. this has always been something i want to do more and the kindle has helped me achieve that. i also make it a point to read news twice a day - once in the morning, once during lunch time. it helps us understand market movements a little better.

we traded 8 months of equities and have pretty ok realised returns. we have bought in some close year end. let's hope for a rally next year!

training has taken a back seat in our lives this year. while we still do run to stay fit and keep fats away, we no longer train intensively. i still want to make it a point to continue to run as it helps me clear my mind.

i took up exercises recommended by pa and ma. although i have not seen any significant weight loss like pa, but i do find my arms toned up now. it has helped me upkeep my tummy flatness to some extent, although i've been skiving on my core exercises. so my verdict? it works!!

i have done fairly well in terms of my savings this year. i have budgeted forward for next year and hope to save more!

and so my resolutions for the coming year:

1. work hard in my new job
2. save more
3. continue to run and stay fit
4. continue to do 强身操daily
5. bring mummy on a holiday by 2nd half next year
6. keep up with my reading
7. play the piano more?

happy new year everyone!

30/12 minigoals update

1. summarise 2010 expenditure - DONE. gathered interesting insight into my spending. did the pie chart and it all looks clear and colourful.

2. budget 2011 - DONE. expecting to earn a bit more. expecting to spend proportionately more due to higher transportation and food expenses.

3. clear emails - Gmail is down to less than 50 recent emails. yahoo hovers around 240 emails. not much more which i can delete. most of them i am retaining for memory's sake. i'm a good housekeeper.

4. summary list - DONE. not much status update till now. will have to send this out on Mon, let's hope i can close more outstanding issues on my list.

5. plan rest of week - i have more or less listed the things i want to do over fri to sun. wonder what time will i get to leave work tomorrow. hmm!

6. go through accounts - might have to kiv till tomorrow as i need to check the gp report.

7. go home at 6pm - ought to be able to go home at 6pm. dinner for tonight is something light. chicken and egg mayo sandwiches. dessert is passionfruit yogurt. yum yum.

minigoals 30/12

setting some mini goals for today

1. as the year draws to an end very soon, i want to tidy my year's expenditure and tabulate them by categories. i found this good read http://www.investmentmoats.com/budgeting/how-to-budget-with-envelope-budgeting-to-save-money-easily/ in the morning and i want to explore this further. categorising expenses into different envelopes sounds like a great idea. i have the past 1.5years expenses as basis to start from. so long winded. minigoal 1 is to categorise 2010 expenses by type. calculate my annual savings and expenditure.

2. budget for 2011. with 2010 historical i want to forecast the year ahead. i never had a very concrete budget to work with and i think 2011 should be the time to start being more disciplined.

3. housekeeping personal emails. i have cleared up my emails at work. time to sort out personal ones so i start the new year with my bins emptied.

4. update my weekly summary list so that it is ready to be sent out tomorrow. i am taking dw's suggestion to send a summary of updates to my bosses, so they are informed of the status of the various outstanding issues under my care. the point to make is to let them know delays are not caused by my tardiness.

5. plan for tomorrow and weekend. what to do. where to go. what to cook. it is interesting to observe the change in myself. i used to be a person who did not like to be bounded by plans and timetables. in contrast, now i actually like to plan ahead. planning makes me define where i want to get to and how i want to get there. this ought to be a change for the better.

6. look into the dec accounts and ensure we have all the provisions, accruals etc made.

7. finish my work promptly at 6pm. get home. cook dinner. go for my run.

kl foodie galore

we are at the famous fatty crab!

fatty crab's crabs!

fatty crab's good friend - fried rice

these are great starters - fried chicken wings

foodcourt delights are not bad too. this is lam mee

dearie says this is michelle yeoh endorsed lou si fan

dearie had this microwaved terriyaki burger.

crossing the river

I’ve done the interim handover yesterday. Following that, I sent out to my boss (cc the person taking over) the handover list which we discussed on and a list of items I will be targeting to do in the next 2 weeks. I am trying my best to do a good handover. But it takes 2 hands to clap; the incoming person will have to do her part to learn up whatever necessary.

Sent an email to hr to verify my understanding of the repercussions from early release. I hope she understands I want a reply in writing, not phonecall.

My boss said I have to tie up all the loose ends. The matter of fact is, not everything can be completed because it involves external parties whom may not respond at your will. Despite sending numerous emails to follow up, I am just not getting any response. Perhaps it’s the year end when many go on leave. I hope my boss will be understanding enough that I have already tried my best to follow up, but if I am not able to obtain response, she shouldn’t use that as the reason to deny my leave.

We step into the new year on Sat. It is hard to be celebrating because I am still crossing the river to the opposite bank now. Will there be currents which will make the crossing difficult? I don’t know. I only know my goal is the reach the opposite bank and I will do anything to get there.

old and new

i am counting down to the last 17 calendar days at this company. cleared 4000 emails from both inbox and sent folder. now i'm left with less than 50 recent emails.

did housekeeping with the files. my in tray looks fairly empty.

compiling the handover list. it's about 3 pages now.

i have plan A and B for the early release. the final straw is to flash mr m.

i hope i can leave on a good note. i hope she doesn't make things difficult for me.

new year. new things to look forward to.

christmas shopping

christmas weekend has been a blast! dearie and i were up in kl with pa and ma. lots of shopping and eating. hohoho!

will post up photos in a jiffy. in the meantime, i grabbed some graphics off the internet to sum off the highlights of the weekend.

i finally got to try the famous fatty crab!

we stayed at pa's service apartment (fairlane residence), which was just next to lot 10.

dearie bought me my first ever clothes from zara. 1 skirt, 1 pair of pants and a top. i have roamed into zara outlets in singapore countless times but i have never bought a single thing (obviously it's the cost i was concerned with). now i know why so many ladies adore zara..because they do make pretty clothes.

we went into raoul at pavillion too. dearie and i said one day we will dress in raoul! pa looked at a jacket, flipped the price tag and was appalled to find it priced at "RM1,199"!

will share more photos in my next entries. yawn. time to start work now!

baskets full of it

to some it may be measly but it is enough to make me feel good! received my 1 month bonus today! yay! i don't think i want to make myself miserable to compare with peers who may be receiving 3-6 months bonus. i think for my ailing company to payout bonus itself is a miracle. for my boss to actually pay me bonus when i have tendered ahead of 31 dec, is something i am thankful for.

wanted to treat dearie to a good meal tonight and he suggested economy rice. i ended cooking a simple plate of noodles for him.

the plan is to spend a small proportion of it and save the rest. get some new things to pamper ourselves with. and yes, a nice meal with ma and pa when we meet for christmas! it's on me! =D

it's always nice to have a little more to go around.

bend in the road

just when i was feeling despondent, i received a call that i will be getting an exception. wow. i'm thankful that my hard work is appreciated by my bosses.

feels like a bend in the road. so apt. i am reading that nicholas spark novel right now!

finish it up & go

i tried not to expect but i still feel disappointed. i do not think they will be kind enough, hence i don't have to be kind either. that is the reality, isn't it?

it is just another 23 working days. it cannot be that bad.

going the extra mile doesn't seem too worth it any more. i just have to complete the distance and then say goodbye.

the next lap on i am going to do it well. i must make the most of it and justify to myself that this is the best choice i have made for my career. it is a do or die thing now. no more looking back. it's forward, forward and forward!!!!!!

dreams into reality

i have neglected my ivories for a while and starting tinkling them again yesterday. whenever i start playing, i would wish i had a new piano. i wish so much i even dreamed of visiting a cousin who owned a warehouse full of grands, uprights and digital pianos! we were running around the huge warehouse looking for the steinway grand.

i have had several dreams about visiting piano showrooms. i would either find myself running in one or walking around one.

in the last dream, i played a jazz piece on a yamaha. but i really wanted to try the steinway.

i think i don't play well enough to deserve a grand but i wish i had one. i don't have that much to afford one as much as i would like to. it's like a luxury item, which i can only look in envy outside the window showcase. how nice if i had the space to house one. how nice if i played well enough to deserve one. how nice if i have the spare cash to afford one. how nice if we all appreciate the piano as an investment not a white elephant.

feels like a distant dream again.

at least some other dreams are slowly coming into better reach. from the windowless seat i dreamed of having a seat with window. achieved.

i made a pact with a peer that one day we will meet in shenton way and chop our seats with tissue paper. achieving real soon.

i dreamed i would one day hand out my namecard with pride. give me another 3-5years. i will get there.

maybe the grand might be easily be within reach then. but perhaps i would no longer desire one then?

i am working to hand over my work in another 1 month's time. listing them all down. sorting them out. trying to finish whatever i can.

at least some things are getting more real now.

sambal & pattaya

today beehoon sambal scored 9/10! dearie cooked the sambal (can u believe it?! haha)

pattaya yesterday didn't turn out too well. only got a 7 i think. the rice was a little uncooked as i was trying to get it cooked in quick cook mode under 30mins. egg looks dark because i used soy sauce instead of salt. i think my standard fried rice tastes better.

domesticated

dearie likes noodles dishes so i scored 8.5/10 for my stir-fried udon yesterday night! i only remembered that i should have taken photos of it after we wiped out everything. =P

will be attempting to cook nasi goreng pattaya tonight. not too sure if i will be able to get a fried egg big and thin enough because i don't have a pan at home. it might be a little tricky with a wok. but i will try anyway..and remember to take some photos to post.

i managed to accomplish tasks on my to-do list last night. mostly domestic chores: clearing my waredrobe, cleaning the fan and ironing clothes. so that brings me to the advantage of morning runs. i have more time in the evening to cook a meal, do my chores and get to bed by 10.30pm.

it seems like things at home are breaking down at the same time. first our dining table gave way. then our phone too. the chairs in our study room look like they may want to give way anytime as well. we have been wanting to get a replacement battery for the olympus camera for a long time..but never got around buying one. thankfully, my mum blessed us with a canon camera. but of course, we will still need to purchase a charger for it. spending is like a plague. once it strikes, it can be pretty hard to shake it off. ok, it's the scroogey side me blogging here again.

ohohhh..my reports are almost fully in. time to start reporting soon. i do want to go back at 6pm this evening. that's something to work towards for me!

what is good

i am starting to reorganise my life to welcome a new career in jan'11.

running in the morning is good. if i do have to work overtime, i'm not worried about not getting my exercise. the only tough part is getting out of bed at 5.30am. which brings me to the next good thing.

sleep at 10.30 pm is good. it gives me a decent 7hour sleep before i go out for my morning runs.

not buying a grand piano is good. it saves me the guilt of splurging 11k on a grand and not having time to play it once i start a new job.

simple exercises in the office is good. though i am not too sure if i can continue to do so in the new office. i may not have the luxury of my own cornered and partitioned seat in the new office.

having dinner at home is good. it is a pity i may not have as much chance to cook coming jan'11. i will certainly be expecting alot more overtime than now.

spring cleaning our place periodically is good. we may not have to do it only close new year. clearing away junk frequently helps unclutter the place. i am hoping to pack my waredrobe this week.

starting on work early is good. i am looking to knock off on time!

sweet sour pork

today's istimewa: sweet sour pork with rice

dearie rated it 0.8/1. a few things i can do better next time: marinate the pork for a longer time. add more flour into the batter. fried the pork longer so it's crispier. maybe add some pineapple too!

tomorrow's dish: stir-fried udon =D

tresses

i am dying for a haircut! i feel like a doggy again.

i never found a stylist good enough to stick with for long. perhaps it's because i'm such a scrooge so i am always hoping to find cheap and good haircuts. apparently, good haircuts don't often come cheap. when i was younger, i used to splurge on hair colouring and cuts at reds. these days, one neighbourhood salon hair cut can last me half a year.

the recommended stylists i am reading off forums charge about $40-60/haircut. why am i finding it so hard to part with that amount to get a decent haircut?

getting a haircut this month is an big no no. no budget no haircut. i will have to carry my doggy hairstyle around for another 3.5weeks! argh. how about a complimentary haircut for christmas present? =D

made up with money

before the day gets too busy..i thought i should blog my thoughts.

the kindle has made my life more interesting as i can read in all pockets of free time. currently reading memoirs of a geisha. googled on that and found another book which i can proceed next to: geisha of gion. written by a real geisha!

there'll be no safra runs this week and since dearie's classes had officially ended for this semester, we'll be running around the park connector. i've got quite a few new dishes i want to try out..dinner this week will be interesting. will post up photos if possible.

there are many reports to fulfill at work. i think the toughest is trying to make out those system generated ones, which i have little idea how can i possible reconcile the figures back to GL.

dearie's skin is visibly much better today. the pores have somewhat shrunk. i think this is more miraculous than miracle water! hoping to see more improved skin in months to come.

i spent quite abit of yesterday's evening watching 女人我最大 over youtube yesterday. i find watching beauty tips entertaining, though i have little idea how i can put them into practise. so for a start, i have put on some make up this morning. to dress and make up well helps boost confidence. these are definitely areas i have alot of room to improve on. as i move into a job located in the cbd, i must start to dress and present myself better. i think it reflects good of my company too. time to save up more so that i can buy myself more decent working clothes. i do have quite a couple of working shirts which cutting makes me look more auntish than modern. ought to get rid of them and get more professional looking ones.

i need a haircut badly too, but i am hesitant on where to go. good salons charge a lot for a simple hair cut, but of course you worry lesser as the stylist snips your tresses off. neighbourhood ones? you get some misses sometimes. i intended to get a haircut during our holiday in korea..but as the korea trip is kiv-ed along with my new job.. i am a little cornered to where i can possibly get an affordable and decent haircut. probably delay it till jan'11 since i busted my budget big time this month.

the buy list seems long. to look good does come with a price to pay. or maybe should i just remain status quo?

new table & dinner

our new table! we think this looks better than the previous one.

tapioca cake for dinner..

i baked them instead of frying. turned out very crispy and not too sweet.

abandon the wrecked

haven't had time to blog alot of things happening.

and so i decided to abandon the leaking ship. the unpaid leave portion is still fuzzy for now but i will rather channel my energy to handover than worry.

what will be nice for a farewell gift? maybe a mug with lid.

i have been told that my skin is dry but i could never bear to spend more on the basic skin care. yesterday i splurged on serum for dearie and i. my skin never felt so pampered before. we do deserve to treat our faces better!

december is the month of spending. just renewing acca membership is close to $400. icpas membership should be due for renewal soon. plus the addition to skincare. i am feeling alot poorer! =( with the christmas week off, that means lesser earnings from part time too. not forgetting the bonus which i forsook when i hopped off the ship. our dining table gave way and we just bought an ikea one yesterday. another small hole burnt. oh dear, anyone has free lance job for me to take up? the goal for the rest of the month is to minimise spending. eat at home as much as possible. tapao lunch. no shopping except kl weekend.

just made dragonfruit enzyme. bought this huge air tight container from ikea..so i can mass produce my enzyme. =D

i am trying not to think of work as i spend the last bits of my weekend. there is alot awaiting to be done. i want to clear all that i need to. prepare way ahead for audit. i want to do the handover well, so my boss has no reason not to allow me to go on unpaid leave.

christmas is coming soon. haven't got chance to travel back to malaysia in a while. i am so looking for the weekend in kl (albeit the crazy traffic). pa says we will have turkey. i am treating! because i found a new job.

next year will be exciting. time and tide wait for no man. i can opt an easy life or go for a challenging one. i think the latter will definitely be more rewarding.