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April 29, 2008

being a better person

What makes a person different from another? In the good sense.
It has to be a person's ability to respect another person.

It could be at a formal meeting or even a social gathering - but sincerity and honesty must be the order of the day. People like me, see through the fake airs and dry grey matter and the harder they try to impress, the worse my opinion gets.

I do not make it a habit to ignore people, blame people for my ignorance or even try to outdo them in a conversation. I try my best to accept people for who they are - after all, many of us have hang ups which we do not wish to address or even know about. I can play along this pretend game, until it weaves itself into the personality of a person. When that happens, that's all you remember about that person - unpleasantness.

We should strive to become better people. People who respect others because each an every single life on this earth matters. Forget about the haves and have-nots - see beyond that. There are have-nots who are better people than all the haves. When they do not have, it doesn't mean they failed in life - it simply means that they are larger people - to be able to cope with putting food on the table. We do not trample on them - we should take our hats off to them for having the strength to do that. They are the CEOs of bitter life - the reality of it all.

We may feel like we made it materially - but when we are on our death bed, it wouldn't be our liquidity that we worry about.

April 21, 2008

earning money, loosing elsewhere

The best thing about leaving a 9-6 job is getting more than enough sleep. I used to sleep by 10.30pm and up by 5.30am, but these days, I can manage sleeping around midnite and waking up around 7/8am. It's amazing - not that I deliberately chose to sleep late, my brain just reverted.
Although it's about the same number of hours of sleep per day, I wake up better rested than before. Perhaps it's the type of work that has caused me so much of stress. Although the main vocation did not change, the environment certainly has, and I cannot say it's for the worse.
Sleep is crucial to our well being, because that's when our body repairs itself. Yet, that same number of hours did nothing for me before. People I have not met in 2 years are shocked that I looked so different - not necessarily in the better sense. Apparently, I have lost so much of weight and my cheeks are not as chubby as before. I have lost the sparkle in my eyes.
For the salary I was paid, this was not worth it.
My life may have lots of stressors, but I was never this way.
We must always remember that when the job doesn't suit us, move on.
Sure, it's always about money, but at the end of the day, money can be made, but our health cannot be recovered after the damage.

April 18, 2008

open book sharing

A gf called me yesterday. Haven't spoken to her in a year and a half. Haven't even conversed over the email. She just called. In between laughter, she asked me how was my bird....
That was the warmest question ever, because Frisco is very very dear to me. To think that someone, who isn't even in my inner circle, appreciated how dear he is to me, is simply amazing.

We have friends who represent different facets of our life, and what amazes me most, is that she took the trouble to understand what's important to me, although I do not even share a cup of coffee with her. Most times, we have always talked about work.

Perhaps that's why it's important that we do not assume to be someone we are not. When people know we are straightforward, there is some value to that acquaintance-ship. I like to think that I don't beat around the bush about work or anything that mattered. It doesn't make me an extrovert - I am not an extrovert - so the personality tests tell me. BUT I believe that when we are sincere, we sleep better. There will never be a need to be different.

As people walk in and out of our lives, we should try to be ourselves, and if they remember, then we know that we did make some impact in our meets. After all, life is not about pure enjoyment, it's about what we shared and what's to be remembered, by whoever that shares that moment.

April 16, 2008

being consistent

The best thing about 'doing your own thing' is, the opportunity to excel to limits only you can set for yourself.
The reason why some of us continuously move forward to explore different pastures, is boredom, but the driving force for such boldness is challenges.

It's never wrong to be content, but for a person like me, contentment is like brakes. I know there should be some slowing down with age, but for me, it will kill my interest to make a difference.

When I decided to leave the social services, it was because I found the task endless with a lot of solutions buried in the system, with no bridging answers. It was too huge a problem for a single person like me to solve and counselling was never something I enjoyed. I may have been trained to do that, but we are the authors of our life and whether we get out of the rut, depends very much on how helpless we think we are.

Today, years later, I still know it's the correct decision to have left.
That's the important thing for each one of us - to know what we are doing and to understand what we are doing. Once that is clear, we can move forward without looking back with regret.

To be blessed, is to know where we are and where we are headed.
That's the most important bit of all. I have left jobs for less valid reasons.

I may seem to have regressed - back to my 'throw in the towel' stage, but actually that's not it.
I have remained consistent in my behaviour - I am back. Good or bad, I'm happy, that matters the most.

April 09, 2008

no more salary

This morning, is the first morning in a long time, when I wake up and actually look forward to the rest of the day. Its' my first OFFICIAL DAY after my resignation. I managed to plod along for so very long, that being this free is such a welcome change.
I can actually get things done, without thinking about whether I should take leave or not.

I think that's the telling thing. If waking up for work means sighing and just forcing yourself to get it done, then it's time to move. The worst thing that could happen to anyone is to be burdened with having to go to work and facing the bunch of colleagues who are supposed to be helpful, but fall short in many selfish ways. Perhaps this applies to the Type A personality - but generally, I think it's dreadful for anyone when the job scene gets this bad.

Yes we all need a salary - but never in all my working life, have I tolerated so much for so long. I have left for much lesser reasons. Perhaps, I have grown older and become more patient. BUT the bottom line is this: If it's not working out, and all new measures are just making things worse - don't look for greener pastures - look for challenges that will make us more successful as people. The money will take care of itself. Money can buy a whole lot, but it cannot buy my book of ethics.

April 06, 2008

waking up

If anyone out there is thinking about moving on, this would be a good piece to read.

I have been toying with the idea of leaving my job. For those who know me well, it's been going on for at least 2 years. It wasn't the money, because for the work I do, it's pittens. What got to me over time was the Management's zest to keep us all in the office daily yet gunning us down for sales income. In my opinion, sales people should be out there, wheeling and dealing, bringing in the bacon, not gossiping in the office.
Then there are situations where ball-carriers get away with inefficiency. It doesn't matter if you screw up, just be an expert in sucking up and you're all set.
Then there are people who are followers. Doesn't matter if the journey will end at the tip of the land, falling into the nether-world!

I threw in the towel because staying would mean insulting my intelligence.
Before, I was a slave to my gross salary, always thinking that every job will be the same.
After I started 8 weeks of post-grad school, I know what is more important, my future.

Perhaps after not reading (school) for sometime, I became complacent and comfortable. I wasn't an achiever anymore. I opted to have my professional ethics bashed over and over again. Waking up for work became a chore.

I'm more alert now, back on track to me, the way I know myself to be.

I have sent in my resignation and finally, I am really laughing and happy again.
We need money to survive in this world, but when our integrity is being compromised, then draw the line. Money can buy a lot, but never us, in totality.