Latest update

Just received the “daily connection” email. This is an email sent by my company to keep us updated about the daily activities in all the office around Americas.

The title of the first article in today’s email reads:

Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach Offices Close

Oh my goodness, hope Marvin and Celia are safe in Florida.

Where are my friends?

It’s only the 3rd day since the 2 dodo couples are gone and I can already feel that part of my life is missing. I feel a sudden sense of emptiness.

Marvin and Celia are now fighting the hurricane in Florida Keys. They are supposed to be in Key West now but a tropical storm warning has been issued for the Keys. There is now a hurricane watch which means that hurricane force winds are possible in the next 36 hours. The emergency management has ordered a mandatory evacuation of all visitors and non-residents!

The timing couldn’t have been worse! They have been looking forward to this trip for a while. Hope everything will turn out fine and they will be able to have a fantastic time frolicking in the sun on one of the world’s most famous beaches.

As for the other dodo couple, they are now enjoying themselves in New York City. How fun! I missed the chance to go NYC the other time, how I wish I can be there with them right now! After their tour of NYC, they will return to Singapore for the first time. Well, that I am not envious of because Tim and I will be back in September too!

Well, you see, I am so used to meeting them almost everyday and we will definitely plan to do some activities together during the weekends, be it just practicing our culinary skills, washing our precious cars, window shopping, watching movies or gossiping. Even though there is really nothing much to do in Houston, we have managed to keep ourselves entertained pretty well weeks after weeks with our nonsensical blabbers and companionship.

This weekend, I had none of these. In fact, I spent most of the time at home. Weekends are really different without them around. It is so quiet. In fact, too quiet for my liking.

To make it worse, I am so used to receiving daily “rubbish” emails from all of them. During office hours, we will always email one another to “chat”, complain or gossip. We do discuss about serious stuff over the emails too. My evil twin can vouch for that. We always include Peiwen in our daily newsletter whenever she is in America (both North and South).

Now that they are not around, I am not looking forward to receiving the message “You have a new mail”, bcos once it pops up, you know it must be work related and nothing else. No bo liao messages to brighten up my day.

To think that I already start to miss their company when they have been gone for only just 3 days. What's more, they will be back even before I know it. I believe it will be worse once everyone starts leaving Houston. So for now, we must really treasure the time we have together in Houston!

Life overseas without family is already bad enough. Without friends, it’s really pathetic!

Blessed

It’s been a while since I wrote my last entry. I have been extremely busy during this tax peak season. Having to write reports definitely squeezed dry any creativity that I might have left to blog. And it doesn’t help that writing has never been my forte. But today, I felt so strongly about what happened that I have to write it down.

For the first time, I felt truly blessed. Things could have turned out otherwise….

2 weeks ago, I was told that I have been promoted to senior. Well, being the typical me who doesn’t show much emotion to any kind of news, I naturally did not have a very big reaction. Neither was I extremely excited. In fact, Tim was more elated than I was. Nevertheless, I was pleased. It was only when one of my managers asked me how I was going to celebrate this happy occasion that it suddenly dawned on me that celebration has never crossed my mind.

However, today for the first time, I felt that I should have seized the chance to bask in the good news. It is not everyday that one has a reason to celebrate. I found out that not everyone from the Singaporean gang would be promoted to senior come the new fiscal year.

I have always thought that everyone will be promoted especially the auditors since the department is in need of seniors. Furthermore, these people were already seniors back in Singapore and they are definitely a capable bunch that deserves the promotion. As for me, since I am totally new to transfer pricing, I thought my chances were slim although I was hopeful.

So when I heard the cold hard news, it was shocking! Not one that would easily be affected by what is happening in my surroundings, I suddenly felt sorry for those who were not promoted. They definitely do not deserve such treatment.

The truth is always a bitter pill to swallow. It is made worse by the fact that we are so far away from home. We took the chances to move out of our comfort zone to strike out in this foreign land, but yet it turned out to be a not so “wise” choice. Well, one could say at least we learned something out of this venture to the unknown and not everyone would have had the chance to work overseas, But being a typical Singaporean, isn’t success always measured by how far and fast one can climb up the corporate ladder?

So for now, I am counting my blessings and maybe or just maybe, I should buy a Coach bag to reward myself….

Floor-It-Ah!!!!!

Stupendous. Ridiculous. Insane. Unbelievable. Amazing.

All of my oft-used adjectives just aren't enough to describe the state of mind I'm in. Now... WHY would I be in such a state? Even I don't know... but lemme think....

Maybe it's the fact that I'm staying in the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale Florida?


"Where are all the babes?"


Maybe it's coz they upgraded my room to one with an Ocean View for free for being so handsome? (of coz being an Elite Member counts too)


"How to wake up for work like dat!?!?"


Maybe it's coz I woke up this morning to the sound of splashing waves outside?


"My natural Alarm Clock."


Maybe it's coz I can still hear nice jazzy music outside my patio now... and waves splashing outside still?

Maybe it's coz I am in a team with 2 Blondes who keep chatting and chatting about funny stuff all day long?


Well ok... maybe not the last one... but yes. NOW you know the state I am in. Where the hell does work come in the middle of all this!?!? I don't know... but I'm looking forward to Sharon joining me over the weekend... woohoo!!

See you soon baby!! And MONDAY BLUES my ass!!