Hammering our way towards 911

The rainy season has finally come. It's come a little late for many farmers in Thailand, whose baby crops have already died before the heavens opened, but at least it has come. It's been raining mostly at night though, so I would like to call this a rainy-after-sunset season.

Unfortunately, my business is seasonal, and the lowest season arrives when the rain comes. Therefore, while being happy for the farmers, I am struggling to make ends meet for the company as a result. Thankfully, there have been small but consistent orders coming in, so the blow isn't catastrophic-YET.

Back to the main point. Though I am physically in Bangkok, my heart and mind are well and truly elsewhere these days, because I am tying the knot (I know, many "finally"s are ringing in your minds) soon and I am frantically trying to put together as good a wedding day as I can though I am not in Singapore and Malaysia, where I will be holding 2 separate banquets during back-to-back weekends. It's been mission impossible so far, but I have to make it work!

As a countdown to the big day, I shall bother my readers by preparing you guys towards the wedding itself, including some important information, pictures, updates and all. Come on, it's once in a lifetime for me, share this joy with me for the next 7 weeks ok?

Firstly, yes, my wife-to-be is the lady who has been supporting me through thick and thin for the past 11 years, Li Li, still her, and will always be her.

Secondly, for those who do not know, we have had our ROM on 14 November 2009. It was a simple ceremony and lunch shared with immediate family and close family friends, so it was quite a low-key event.


Thirdly, our wedding in Singapore will be held on September 11 at Peony Jade- Keppel Club this year (yes! 911! you can't forget now! you have to come if you receive my invitation card!), followed by another one in my hometown, Kuching on September 18 (the following Saturday).

So, we're well into preparations and I am sure it September 11 will be a great day for us and all involved. That's all for a start, more to come!

Because we're hammering our way towards 911!

Wedding trivia of the post:
My banquet location in Kuching is called Bangkok-Thai Seafood Restaurant, really apt man!!

Be Strong

Kelvin, I hope you remain strong, and pull through this unexpected ordeal. I am in Bangkok now and I cannot do anything, but you are in my mind all the time and I will give you moral and prayer support until you recover.

Everyone who knows Kelvin and is reading this, please pray with me for Kelvin's health, and for God to lay His healing hands onto him. Amen.

The Stranger in Bangkok becomes the HR-Guru

I am only in my second full-time job now. I really can't be considered an expert to advise you whether your job is suitable now. But trust me, I've been through my ups and downs in my short career so far.

Though I am definitely not the most outstanding, talented or brilliant employee a company can find, I always pride myself as one who gives more than 100% in everything I do, focusing only on the desired results.

Hence, having been through a series of mental and emotional roller coasters through the last 6 years, I shall share with you some pointers which I feel can help you identify whether you are happy in your job or not. Some points might look cheesy to you, so ignore them if they are, but if some points hit your heart or remind you of something, do know that you might need to do something about it soon.

There is something wrong if you:

- wake up at 9am and jumped out of your bed in panic, afraid that your superior might screw you up cos you are late, but at 0905 realised it was an offday when your pants are half-zipped, then pop back into bed realising you can never go back to sleep again

- dream of your boss/manager's wife smiling at you (come on ex-colleagues, you know what I am talking about)

- try to book the most expensive hotels and eat the most expensive meals when you are on a business trip, just because the company does not give you allowance but allows you to claim your receipts

- take the taxi to 5 (ok, 5 is ridiculous, 3) different places before going home, just because you think the company is not worth you saving money for

- report to work everyday only to look forward to 5/6pm, and do monthly reports just to get your paycheck after submitting them.

- can no longer summon the enthusiasm to do anything else after work, your life becomes overwhelmed with work, work, WORK, WORK!

- see loads of emails in your mailbox but just don't feel like replying them though you know you should, and they end up un-replied

- knock off, go to the supermarket to buy a can of beer, go home, sit on the sofa, open it and drink it all up without saying a word (this is not cheesy, I KNEW IT WAS THE END OF THE ROAD FOR ME WHEN I DID IT)

- only think about how to effectively train your replacement

- think that you are the most badly treated staff in the entire world when you are asked to return to work on an off-day without any additional renumeration, when you know deep in your heart that either there's no one better for this job, or really, this would all have been avoided if you had been more efficient the week before this.

- can't help saying names and negative things about your manager or your company when you are off-work (or on-work too, if posting negative statuses on Facebook counts), and can't think of anything good to say, no matter how hard u try.


Ok, I do not know whether I have hit the jackpot, or managed to pass myself off as a ridiculous idiot who thinks he's a job guru, I only know that I have a sudden urge to share this to my very few blog-readers. Remember, if you are not loving your job or respecting your management, you will not be effective and therefore it's a lose-lose situation. No job is perfect, neither is yours. If something can be done to rectify the situation, be sure that you go about doing it and not let it manifest and make your life miserable.

Sorry for the lack of activity guys, the World Cup is killing me, I'm so glad it's gonna end soon. Go Uruguay!