Chiox | Life

Making my way into advisory =)

2011-12-18T11:09:00.002+08:00

So anyone who knows me knows how depressed I was as an auditor. Like seriously. Since my first day out at client's I've already been complaining about work. And wanting to resign.

But I still hung on for close to 3 years. Despite being treated like dirt by PwC. Everytime I tell people about how unfair the March 09 batch of people are treated, I somehow get the response that if you're so unhappy, why are you still there? If you can't accept how they're treating you, stop complaining about it and go somewhere else.

So I did.

(A little background about what shit we had to go through. First they said economy is bad so they had to scrap the Dec '10 promotion. So our whole batch had to wait till Jul '11 to be promoted, Which is 2 years and 3 months since we joined. Normal people get promoted in 2 years, good people in 1.5 years. The only people who gets delayed are those who can't perform. Our whole batch of 100+ people were all delayed. We're retarded it seems. Then they didn't promote us but we still had to take on the role of seniors. Leading jobs and stuff. So we were doing senior job getting associate pay. Crap. And that year they had peak period allowance. We didn't qualify for the senior allowance. Coz we were associates doing senior job. Crap. And when they finally promoted us, they brought back Dec '11 promotions. So people who joined one year later are now same level as us. !@#$#!@##@$!@##@$#@%%^&^&*. And then they had salary revision for second year seniors and the executive seniors (a.k.a. assistant managers). We would have been second year seniors had we been promoted in Dec '10 but we weren't. CRAP)

So anyway, I was on the verge of depression so I tendered my resignation on 6 Dec. Which was the day right after my exam. =P Study leaves are withdrawn once you tender so I waited till the day after exam lo. Hehe.

When I tendered I had no job offer. I only sent out one application. I took a great risk. But I still did it anyway. I couldn't see myself going through another peak period.

And about 3 weeks after I submitted the application I finally got a call for interview. I took a half day EL and went for it. BOY HOW STUPID THEY MADE ME FEEL IN THE INTERVIEW.

So you're familiar with consolidation?
No. I don't do much consolidation at all.

Have you done many listed companies before?
No. My industry doesn't have any listed companies at all.

(I work in the middle market & growing industry so all our clients are not listed yadayadadyada had to explain to them about how my industry group deals with all the ciku clients)

Are you familiar with the new MFRS?
Urm. No. My clients mostly report using PERS. Rarely do FRS stuff.

So do you know any high profile KPMG cases?
Not that I can recall reading. (I was like crap.....!)

How about some high profile cases that PwC handles? PKFZ?
Err. I know we handled that, but don't really know the details about what happened.

Have you heard of what happened at Olympus?
I only saw some news about Olympus on CNN at the reception area. No details =S

How about local news? Proton? Sime Darby?
No. No idea at all.

What do you know about Enron?
(I read up about Enron a few days back out of curiousity but I REMEMBERED NUTS FROM IT UGH). [insert random blurt about bits and pieces that i remembered]

No not really. So you don't read the newspaper.
Err. I do. Just not so much the business section I guess.

Are you familiar the Anti Money Laundering Act?
Err. A bit.

How about the Data Privacy Act?
If I'm not wrong in Malaysia they're still trying to push that through right?

No. Data Privacy Act has been around for about 2 years now. How about the Whistleblowers Act?
I know that's effective in M'sia already. But details about the act I'm not sure. Haven't read up the act.
(But seriously, who in a right mind reads the act for leisure purposes?!)

So the interview went on. They gave me case studies and I totally screwed them up. Proposing something that is a total no no in an investigation. I'm like. SHIT.

Then they asked if I could commit to them for the next 5 years. FIVE YEARS. ZOMG. I told them honestly. No. Coz I have plans to further my studies in the next 5 years. So no.

Then they saw my current salary in the application form. They said I might have to take a pay cut. I sorta saw that coming. Coz a friend of mine had to take a pay cut moving from audit to forensic. So I told them I'd still consider it even at a lower salary.

And before leaving the interview, they say they would get in touch with me coz they are also considering other candidates. I'm like. CRAP.

So I walked out of the interview thinking like I achieved peanuts in my 3 years of audit. And possibly live under a rock. I felt they were SO unimpressed okay. To the point that they have to tell me they're considering other candidates.

So ok whatever. I'm going to be jobless soon and I just screwed up the only application I sent out. Great job Chi Yao *pats myself on the back*

So I was gonna get myself ready to send out more resumes when I'm on leave. Historically I have been very blessed. I only send out ONE application before I graduate and I got the PwC job. I sent out ONE application to SC and got the job but turned it down. So I thought I was gonna fail this time around. Gotta send out more applications.

Then on 16 Dec, 2 days after the interview, while leaving my client's place, I saw 2 missed calls from the number that the HR person normally calls me from. I'm like. CRAPPPPP. Why I didn't hear that call one. ISH. Called back, asked for the HR person, asked if she called me.

And she told me I got the offer, Senior Associate, Forensic and matching my current salary. I'm like HALLELUJAH. Dream job. No pay cut. God is definitely to thank for this.

So that's my story. Second real job. =)

2011

2011-11-11T20:05:00.001+08:00

Roughly 1.5 months left for 2011.

Which means I have roughly 1.5 months left to complete my new year's resolution.

*evil grin*

Roadtrip to Melaka...

2011-08-08T01:45:00.002+08:00

Went on a roadtrip to Melaka with a few of my colleagues. Awesome stuff stuffing ourselves silly with food.

One of my colleagues said that I'm someone who can't be stuck somewhere working all the time. I need time to myself. Like playing the piano or doing something that I like. Long hours just don't go well for me.

I think while this probably applies to everyone, I think it's especially true for me. I mean, I'm upset when I don't get time to myself. When I do sit down and play the piano I often play for a few hours. It's like I just get lost in my little world. Though I don't get much of these moments, I really miss them, especially my piano moments.

And not to mention, I still play the violin like I'm killing a pig. True story.

My thoughts

2011-07-24T16:04:00.003+08:00

In the past, during my student days, everytime I fly and they play something introducing Malaysia (be it Malaysia Airlines or Singapore Airlines), I secretly feel proud of my country. It has so much to offer and I was dying to come back. I wanted to come back so badly, I missed being in Malaysia.

But now? I'm ashamed to admit I'm a Malaysian. I sometimes wish I could say I'm a Singaporean instead. Yesterday on the flight back from Shanghai, the same video played again. Promoting Malaysia and stuff. And instead of beaming with pride, I was filled with disgust, embarrassment and bitterness. I couldn't bear to watch it, unplugged my speakers and stuffed my ear with songs from my phone. It's like a reflex.

I really don't know how long more I have to stay in this country. I'm really hoping to get out. Go somewhere less stupid. My ancestors migrated from China here in search of a better life. And we did get to enjoy a better life. Now it's my turn to do something for a better life for my kids.

Even AirAsia is moving their corporate HQ to Jakarta. Malaysia, I really don't know what to say.

I have decided

2011-07-09T00:58:00.003+08:00

I may be writing this out of frustration due to the stupid road blocks tonight. But I am even more convinced that I need to leave this stupid country. I don't care what you say about the grass is greener on the other side.

Yes, it may not be greener. I may be worse off by migrating somewhere else. But seriously, with the direction our nation is heading, I seriously don't want to be here 10 years from now. Don't tell me to stay and fight. Don't tell me there's hope. Don't tell me change can happen. These may happen. But I do not care if they happen or do not. I don't want to be here to see the nation crumble or rise to glory. I seriously don't give a crap anymore.

I once thought coming back to Malaysia was a good decision. I was at peace with the decision when I graduated. But not anymore. I've turned into this bitter old hag that turns to the newspaper everytime I need comic relief.

I guess my greatest regret now would be my decision to come back here.

So don't tell me to stay on and fight. Don't ask me to pray for the nation. Don't tell me the nation needs me. Don't tell me you're better off in Malaysia. Seriously, everytime I talk to someone working overseas who says they are considering coming back, I ask them a big WHY. But perhaps you will never believe me. What I say may be something you do not agree with. Fine with me.

How about you just come back to Malaysia for a couple of years? Come and have a taste for yourself. Then decide if you really want to stay in Malaysia for good. Maybe you do, maybe you do not. Maybe you like the vibrant town and the good food.

I'm willing to give up good food. I'm willing to pay more taxes. I'm willing to start from scratch. I'm willing to take the risk. I need to migrate.

Time and time again I'm reminded of the need to relocate somewhere. Today just pushed it way overboard. Now just need to fill up the application forms and submit it. I seriously don't give a crap anymore.

Ugh

2011-06-30T21:55:00.002+08:00

Dear blog,

I'm incredibly annoyed at employers who do not stay at the forefront of technology. I'm still stuck using Lotus Notes 7.0.2 which was released in 2006. OH MY GOODNESS.

And believe it or not. We only switched to Office 2007 when Office 2010 was available.

And I'm still using Windows XP.

Can you please make all the machines running Windows XP crash tomorrow so that everyone is forced to move to Windows 7? It's so much faster, makes so much more sense and I feel much better. Kthxbai.

With love,

Disgruntled employee.

Still

2011-06-21T01:10:00.002+08:00

Driving back from work I had a million things on my mind. Today two people told me things that I really wanted to hear, assuring me that I am somewhat at the top of my game at work.

I've always strived to be the best. I've always been top most of the time. Not to boast or what but sometimes I do well without even putting in any conscious effort. And though today I was told that I'm doing awesome at playing auditor, somehow it didn't give me what you'd expect me to feel.

Instead of being happy, overjoyed, appreciated, I somehow feel the opposite. I've wanted the assurance that I'm doing fine at work, but when I finally got it somehow I feel depressed that I'm doing well at something I hate. Something I despise.

It's not about the doing well part. It's probably because I've made up my mind. To leave auditing this year and find something more human to do. But somehow these two comments just struck me off tangent. I don't know what I want anymore. I don't know if God is subtly telling me to stay in my job.

And perhaps some of you might think, what an idiot I am. People compliment you also complain. Am I too stuck up with myself? Perhaps I am. Perhaps you think that it's unfair for me to complain about one of the better things that's happened to me. Maybe I'm an ungrateful soul. I'm not sure why, but I'm feeling bad instead of being happy. Don't ask me why.

While driving back tonight some thoughts crossed my mind. Thoughts that shouldn't be there in the first place.

And when I turned on my computer the first song that played was Hillsong's Still.

Totally what I need. Be still. Know that He is God.

Be still.

p/s God, if You're trying to tell me something, please use the megaphone...

=(

2011-06-19T19:39:00.003+08:00

It's back to work for me tomorrow

I dread going back to work SO much. But up till now I have not actually done anything about it.

That's why I'm making it my only mission this year: Get out of audit

I got the second half of the year to figure something out. I'm done playing auditor and working long hours. Ugh.

Taxation Exam

2011-06-14T00:17:00.002+08:00

Ehjam on Wednesday.

Taxation.

Me is panic.

Covet your prayers.

Kthxbai.

Back to books now.

The week that was

2011-06-09T23:51:00.002+08:00

So what happened this week:

Allan melon came back from exile. Good to meet up with him over lunch yesterday.
My liddle niece popped out. Is cuteness overload.
I am busy nerding as usual
I bought tickets to Universal Studios Singapore. OK find it's nothing huge or what. But still....
My dad came back from Singapore all excited about the iPad 2. And as much as I want an iPad 2, I told him to think about it. HAHA. Like how he's made me think about everything I wanted him to buy in the past. =P
I dumped some money into Public Mutual. The second form of investment I've gotten into. =) ~~I would buy a house, but I would have to survive on sunshine and rainbows for the next 50 years~~

On another note, I have done a lot of thinking career wise. I am pretty sure I wanna leave what I'm doing at the moment. The hours are crazy. The workload is insane. The people are alright. But the hours are crazy. I seriously think audit in Malaysia is meant for robots not humans. Seriously. Anger k. But hopefully I find something good real quick.

OK la I shall stop ranting here. Tadah.

Last fortnight before my Taxation paper

2011-06-01T22:10:00.002+08:00

So. I'm 2 weeks away from my Taxation paper. UK tax law is seriously mind boggling. And everything is taxed. And taxed super alot.

Just for example, anything you earn above £37,400 a year you pay 40% in taxes. That's like. Half to me, half to inland revenue. Sharing is caring.

And people who die also get taxed. When you die, everything u own (that you don't pass to your spouse, coz anything inherited by spouse is tax free) is half is yours, half is inland revenue's.

So I have officially decided that I'm not going to go to UK and work anytime soon. It's just crazy. Haha.

And VAT / GST at 20%?! Seriously.................

That's all from me for now. Back to mugging...

Get a life...

2011-05-29T21:10:00.002+08:00

My last post was back in March. Now this is seriously unacceptable. Haha. But aih. No more blogging mojo going on. My blog readership has also dwindled. Like o.O. But there's still like. 11 people on average who still comes to my blog on a daily basis. Haha. So that's cool.

Anyway I guess a quick update from my last post. Survived yet another peak period at work. But GOSH. Get me out of auditing already. Being a senior totally sucks. BIG time. I need a new job. I have come to a point of "enough is enough" and I hope it happens this year.

Talking about less depressing stuff, remember some time back I said I decided to stay in Malaysia and fight? I've changed my mind. Screw it. Haha. I seriously cannot take it anymore. Gomen deciding to build a mega tower, emails for everyone. Everytime I decide that this is as dingdong as the gomen can get, I am proven wrong time and time again. So that's it. I'm praying real hard and hoping that I get placed somewhere else. I guess it's not coincidence that I wake up one day and have the words 温哥华 floating around in my head all morning. (No seriously. I never knew Vancouver is 温哥华 in mandarin, neither do I wake up and randomly have names of countries floating in my head all morning). Then few days ago a migration agent called me asking which country I'm thinking of migrating to and whether they can help. Bits and pieces here and there. Methinks it's signs. But my fren is saying it's a test from God. O.O

But I guess I'm gonna meet up with the agent and see how things goes.

I've got an exam coming up in 3 weeks' time. It'll be my 11th paper. Then I'll have 4 more paper to go before I complete my ICAEW exams. It has been a good 1.5 years and I actually can't wait to complete my exams. I've been getting lazier and lazierer by the semesters and having a lousy job isn't really helping. And in the midst of loathing my job I have been thinking of alternative things that I can be doing instead of auditing.

Like perhaps I could start a business. Selling Snowflakes, for example. Or milk tea. Or Boost Juice (but I think I'll consume half the Boost Juice if I did that -.-). Or perhaps I can go start a tuition centre or something. Do something that makes a lasting impact.

There's so much I think I want to do. But at the same time I can't do them all. I'm busy auditing 15 hours a day -_-"

I want to continue violin lessons too. Hrm.

OK I've definitely lost my blogging mojo. I think. Oh wells. Till my next post, Tweedledeedum.

Updates

2011-03-06T10:37:00.002+08:00

My blog is seriously almost dead. Hmpf.

Had a rather lousy week at work. Working with this impossible manager with unreasonable expectations. She gives you work after work after work. And it's impossible to finish.

But I also don't blame her la. She just got back from secondement to HongKong. And she's bonded with the firm for 2 years. And when she came back the managers transferred clients that they don't want to her. So her portfolio is full of shit clients. Summore plus we're severely understaffed this peak. I think she also stress like what. I email her at 3.04am and she replies me at 3.54am.

Oh yea. I've been hanging out at office last friday night. So that's Fridays a row I'm in office till 3am and 4am respectively. Workaholic much?

OK that's all for now. I need to go unwind my brains.

I heart teaching

2011-02-20T22:23:00.002+08:00

It's been a long while since I updated my blog. I've been rather busy at work and the last thing I wanna do when I come home from work is bitch about my client on my blog. So I guess blogging kinda takes the backseat till off peak comes.

Anyway I started volunteering at my church tuition club yesterday. It was heaps of fun. Gosh. My students are so cute. Most of them are still quiet. Except one boy who talks a lot and tries his very best to avoid having to write more words than he has to. And I must have told him a hundred times short forms are not acceptable as answers.

At the end of the class they were all busy rushing off and before they handed in their work I noticed they all forgot to write their names. So I asked them to write their names la. And he asked me "Teacher can write short form ah" and seeing that it was only his name, I said ok la.

So he wrote "LKH" on the paper and zoomed off.

Kids. And I have this boy who's super guai. This girl who's quite funny. This other boy who is super quiet blur. And one who didn't turn up, probably because she has replacement class on Saturday.

So yes, I absolutely LOVE teaching.

On another note, my stupid Dell totally gave me problems. I was finished with a piece of work and before I could hit save, it hung. And after sorting out the excel hoping I could save a copy of the files that were autosaved, the whole machine hung so I had to force shut down the piece of cheap plastic. So there you go. My office laptop sucks. GTS better swap the laptop real soon. They said end of March. And if they swap it to another Dell I'm gonna resign straight away.

OK that's all for now. Till I update again.

Wise words

2011-02-09T22:12:00.001+08:00

It is impossible to enjoy idling thoroughly unless one has plenty of work to do. There is no fun in doing nothing when you have nothing to do. Wasting time is merely an occupation then, and a most exhausting one. Idleness, like kisses, to be sweet must be stolen. -Jerome K. Jerome, humorist and playwright (1859-1927)

Updates....

2011-01-03T23:18:00.004+08:00

While walking pass one of my managers today she held up this orange box and smiled at me. I recognised the logo immediately and knew what she was implying. I'm in charge of this hub for the job next week. With our new audit software and all, bigger teams have to rely on these hubs for us to replicate our work with each other and stuff coz we can't use pen drive to replicate.

So I feel privileged that my manager trusts my responsibility enough to let me be responsible for the hub. =)

I'm trying to complain less about work and be more positive. It's damn hard most of the time, but at least I try.

And today we had this Peer Group Learning (PGL) thingie. Basically it's like a group discussion as a continuation to our Assurance training we had back in August. And in my industry group, out of 12 experienced associate, 11 are from my batch. So we're kinda close la all 12 of us. And recently we've been quite unhappy about our remuneration. Coz we're supposed to be eligible to be promoted in December 2010 one. But coz we changed to single promotion a year, we have to wait till July 2011 to be promoted. So like we don't get senior pay and senior allowances and all. So like most of us not too happy la.

Today so happen everyone from my batch is back in office for PGL and this topic was brought up at the end of our discussion. Someone suggested that if we all leave our industry gone la. Then my manager was like "OFCOZ LAAAA". HAHA. Funny moment. OK not so funny for you people reading this, but it's sorta in the moment kind of joke la.

Then she was like so sweat already. Ask us not to resign first, go and talk to the partner and all. And that's what we're going to do. Not threaten to resign, but voice out our dissatisfaction. After all, we're expected to do senior stuff already this peak....

Ok that's all for now. Going off to bed....Hopefully my iPhone alarm will ring tomorrow...

2011 is here. Oh poop.

2011-01-01T02:31:00.003+08:00

I was expecting a horrible start to 2011.

I was half expecting that I'll miss the XYZ appreciation dinner coz I was scheduled for a stock count. I even thought I was going to have to miss watchnight if the stock count went on forever and ever.

But thank God our PM declared a holiday, my client rescheduled the stock count to 30 Dec so I had the whole of 31 Dec to catch up with friends, attend appreciation dinner AND watchnight. Without having to worry about work. =)

And Pr Daniel shared a message right before the clock struck 12. There was this big word on screen: BETTER

Basically, better workplaces. That was what's most important to me this season. Better work life balance got its share of mention too. So I'm gonna cling on to this and by faith, it will be for the better.

So it's the beginning of 2011 and I'm starting it by thanking the Lord.

Thanking God for a wonderful 31 December. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be THIS free.

Thanking God for a good start to the new year. Though the first 10 minutes or so was spent consoling my pastor's kid who was sulking and using inappropriate words. It did make me think of how I would handle such a situation if he were my own kid. ~~I hope I'll be a cool father~~

I should go sleep. Hopefully can board game tomorrow. =)

2010 at a glance

2010-12-25T23:48:00.004+08:00

I've read this quote a couple of times in the past few days.

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.

-Soren Kierkegaard-

Another year has passed and it is the time of the year again where I look back on the year that was. 2010 was the start of a new decade. Though this is exciting for many, thinking back at the year that just passed me by, I really do not know what to feel about 2010. It felt like I just drooled throughout the year and either I was working, studying or thinking of quitting. At the beginning of the year, when looking back at 2009, I ended saying that 2009 was a pretty bad year for me. It felt like 2010 wasn't any good either.

I don't recall much of what happened in January. It was the peak period, it was all work and no play all the way into February. One highlight of January would probably be January 28. The day when my contract with JPA lapsed. And I am now a free man.

Along came Chinese New Year. This year's CNY was spent a little differently. Instead of sleeping in the middle of LDP, we decided to spend it in Singapore. It was a good couple of days away from work and immediately after that it was back to work for me. I guess one of the highlight would be me inheriting my brother's iPhone. That was exciting.

March came and went. April came and went. As usual, the highlight was work. Long hours crappy job lousy pay. And yes, I hear you going "tell me something new". The peak period of 2010 was alright for me working hours wise. I didn't really have to stay past 12am most of the time. ~~Gosh I'm considering that sort of working hours alright?! In some countries I believe it is illegal to work that many hours~~ But I had a few challenging clients. Clients who are unreasonable, clients who get upset at you for doing the right thing because the right thing was an inconvenience to them. Come on, not everyone is willing to bend the rules. Certainly not me.

April was also the month that I got rid of Streamyx and switched to UniFi. Having my internet and phone delivered through fibre optics was a pleasant change and it has also changed the way I perceive free public internet. Now, when I step into Starbucks or something, I get a little annoyed at the speed of their internet. Coz sometimes it doesn't even work at all! But thank God for technological advances. =)

It was also some time this month that I received news that a former schoolmate jumped to her death in Singapore. It seemed like she was at the top of her life - doing well in studies, had great friends, right on track to be the next best dentist. But she decided to end her life just like that. It certainly made me pause and think for a while.

May and June were months filled with much thinking. There was Change Your World Quests and Tour. It was a challenge to do something to change the world we live in. Though till today I haven't given much thought about how I can do that. I was determined that I could stay in Malaysia and change Malaysia, but few months down the road and I'm checking out my options for migration again. Much thinking also included thinking about career. About whether to drop everything I'm doing now and pursue my childhood dream.

And yes, I started taking French lessons as well. Though I would really hope to continue taking them in the near future. Bonjour isn't gonna take me around France. Or Canada.

July and August were probably the lowest points in my life. For a few factors. The biggest hit being getting an average performance rating while people who did worse than me got a better rating. And not that I'm thinking too highly of myself or what, but even some of my bosses think that I did a better job than my rating. But nothing much could be done coz they tried to push me up to the next rating but in order to do that they have to justify that the people ranked above me are worse performers compared to me.

It was really difficult to accept that fact and till today I'm still not really alright about it. I was close to giving up at that point in time, but one of my managers sat down with me and explained the whole situation and asked me not to be discouraged. But seriously, being ranked lower than people who are seriously tidak-apa in doing their work is seriously a hard pill to swallow.

On top of that, July is usually a pretty relaxing month for auditors. Not many deadlines and stuff. And while most of my colleagues were sitting in office with nothing to do, I was reporting to up to 4 bosses simultaneously. It felt like I was the only one working like hell. Coz the rest were playing games, reading newspapers and doing anything but work in office. Do all this and still get lousy performance rating.

Then right after that I was assigned the worst client in my industry. It was quite a torture, having to juggle what happened with my performance review and this seriously crappy client with a backlog audit. I must have complained so much these 2 months. But I'm glad that it's all over now. Though I might have to go into this client again this year coz the client requested that I be in the team for the next audit. *faint*

September saw my first overseas assignment. I was sent to Shanghai. =) Worked like crazy for 2 weeks, but thank goodness it was their Mid Autumn festival and National day period so I managed to squeeze in some sightseeing while I was there as well as pop by the Shanghai Expo. Shanghai was an eye opener and I actually adore that place. Wouldn't mind working there a couple of years too!

October, November and December were pretty much occupied with studying. Subjects got more difficult and it was kinda stressful wondering if I was going to pass the tests I sat for, since I seriously had no idea what the question is asking most of the time. I shall wait for my final results in a few week.

I also spent a bomb on an iPhone 4. Best luxury item bought thus far. Now I don't have to spend days waiting for stuff to load on my phone.

Then along came December. Usually the best month of the year, but this time around it was filled with uncertainty and dread. Knowing that I'll be back at work real soon, lots of seniors have resigned and us experienced associates will have to fill in for them. Doing senior stuff and getting associate pay. And also with so many people resigning, the firm hired mostly fresh graduates. Which means we have to coach them a lot during the peak period. Normally the peak period is a time where you just go in and audit without thinking. Coz you don't even have time to think. Now we have to get familiar with a new audit software AND coach the newbies at the same time AND handle some jobs without seniors. Gah.

So that pretty much sums up my year. As I said at the beginning, 2010 wasn't exactly an awesome year for me. I see people around me moving on in life, progressing and stuff. And it feels like I've been stagnant for the past 2 years. I hope 2011 will be a better year. I hope that by the time I do this next year I will have a brand new job doing something I'm actually passionate about.

And I seriously hope the job related frustrations of the past 2 years will be worth it in the future. I'll never know now, since life has to be lived forwards but will only be understood backwards.

Here's to a (hopefully) better 2011.

Exam timetable

2010-12-13T17:16:00.002+08:00

Exam's tomorrow. Consolidation! *faint*

Yo this is cool

2010-12-04T01:26:00.004+08:00

Just found out how cool QR Codes are. If you don't know what they are, you can check them out here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_Code

All you need to read this code is a phone (I suspect you probably need a smartphone) with camera and a QR reader. I'm using this free app Bakodo which not only reads QR codes but also other bar codes.

But anyway, I'm not gonna decipher my secret message. If you wanna find out what I wrote in this chunk of black and white blob below you've gotta go get a QR code reader. ~~Or you could bug me for it. All you need it fill up Borang "A", Borang "A" pindaan 2010, Borang "Orang Gila" and Borang "U banyak mafan".~~

But hey, this is cool okay. And seriously. If you don't have a QR code reader ask me la. I'll decipher it for you. I'm nice. *evil grin*

WHAT?!

2010-11-30T23:26:00.001+08:00

I think the picture explains my panic.

THEY ARE BUILDING A HIGHWAY OVER MY HOUSE (OMG hopefully it's OVER not ON my house).

Guess what

2010-11-12T12:13:00.002+08:00

Guess who

Guess when

OK I'll tell ya. 22 November. Says DiGi.

(No I've not switched to DiGi. It's a promo. Check it out here).

Blog FAIL

2010-11-10T15:12:00.001+08:00

Financial Accounting is quite hard.

Financial Management is also quite hard.

That's all for now.

7 down 8 to go...

2010-10-30T15:37:00.001+08:00

OK the following picture is totally unnecessary.

But I'm happy. So I can haz anything I wanna do.

Almost halfway there. Aikenduit!

Charlie Chaplin - Smile

2010-10-21T21:58:00.000+08:00

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
you'll get by

If you smile through your pain and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun shining through
For you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

Such is life

2010-10-03T23:44:00.002+08:00

In my life You're all that matters

In my eyes the only truth I see

When my hopes and dreams are shattered

You're the one that's there for me

Have you ever stopped and pondered

The hopes and dreams you once had

The once positive and optimistic outlook toward life

Thinking you could conquer anything that comes your way

Then as you walk down the road of life

Slowly, you get tangled into the business that is life

One by one, these hopes and dreams you once had

You keep them into nice little boxes

You tell yourself

One day, I'll come back to these boxes

I'll open them one by one

And see them turn to reality

But days turn into weeks, weeks into months

Before you realise it

Years have gone by

And these boxes are stil sealed shut

You see these boxes

You know what's in them

You want to open them badly

But you can't

There's work to attend to

There's bills to pay

There's someone in need

And there's always something more important

Till now, these dreams are tucked away

In a little corner somewhere out there

You tell yourself one fine day I'll get to it

But the clock keeps ticking

Sometimes you get so close to getting what you hoped for

You thought you were that close to achieving it

No doubt you were so close - perhaps too close for comfort

It's then that someone comes along and shatters your dream

You look down at your shattered hopes and dreams

You pick up whatever's left of it

Bits and pieces of what could have been

But all you can do is ponder

You try to put the broken pieces together

You look at where you are right now

And you realise that you're nowhere near

But you cling on so tightly to these shattered dreams

Life is full of surprises, no doubt

You were so close to achieving it

You've worked so hard. You were almost there

But you look down and all you see is the broken pieces

You look at the road ahead

You wish you could at least open a few boxes

But the road ahead is uncertain

And time keeps ticking on

You hoped, you dreamed

You were so close

But you weren't actually there

Such is life

Boring....

2010-09-26T23:30:00.002+08:00

Breakfast, Tuesday 21/9:

Chinese fried noodles
Fried rice with eggs
Fried vegetables
Egg and tea egg
Pork ribs in soya sauce and vinegar
Grilled sesame chicken
Pork sausages
Veal sausages
Baked beans
Grilled bacon

Breakfast, Wednesday 22/9:

Chinese fried noodles

Fried rice with eggs

Fried vegetables

Egg and tea egg

Pork ribs in soya sauce and vinegar

Grilled sesame chicken

Pork sausages

Veal sausages

Baked beans

Grilled bacon

Breakfast, Thursday 23/9:

Chinese fried noodles

Fried rice with eggs

Fried vegetables

Egg and tea egg

Pork ribs in soya sauce and vinegar

Grilled sesame chicken

Pork sausages

Veal sausages

Baked beans

Grilled bacon

Breakfast, Friday 24/9:

Chinese fried noodles

Fried rice with eggs

Fried vegetables

Egg and tea egg

Pork ribs in soya sauce and vinegar

Grilled sesame chicken

Pork sausages

Veal sausages

Baked beans

Grilled bacon

Breakfast, Saturday 25/9:

Chinese fried noodles

Fried rice with eggs

Fried vegetables

Egg and tea egg

Pork ribs in soya sauce and vinegar

Grilled sesame chicken

Pork sausages

Veal sausages

Baked beans

Grilled bacon

Breakfast, Sunday 26/9:

Chinese fried noodles

Fried rice with eggs

Fried vegetables

Egg and tea egg

Pork ribs in soya sauce and vinegar

Grilled sesame chicken

Pork sausages

Veal sausages

Baked beans

Grilled bacon

I'm pretty sure there's more ways to cook chicken than grill it with sesame.

Hilton

2010-09-24T21:02:00.002+08:00

The housekeeper who cleans our room these 2 days is super scary.

Me and my senior have been in the room when she comes for housekeeping so normally she only cleans the toilet replenishes the water bottles replace the towels and leave.

And since we're sitting on the bed she can't clean or tidy the bed.

But yesterday we went for the expo at about 1pm and when we came back at night the bed was made. =S

Then today, my senior was in the room all day long until we went out for dinner about 6pm. When we were back at 8.30pm, the bed was made.

I suspect the housekeeping staff either has OCD and cannot stand not tidying up someone's bed or she hides in the housekeeping closet door and stalks our movement. And once we leave the room she BOOMS! come and make the bed.

Scary....

Shanghai Expo

2010-09-23T22:43:00.003+08:00

I cannot feel my legs. Let me bring u back to earlier today.

I slept at 1.30am coz I was busy working on my day off (while my senior continues working - I duno wat time he sleeps seriously). Then suddenly my senior's alarm clock went off. I'm thinking inside my heart. Why you go and set alarm clock. It's not a working day (client is holiday wed - fri).

Then I check the time.

IS ZOMG NINE THIRTY A.M.

One hour left before they close the buffet breakfast. ZOMG. Jump out of bed and fasterer washup and go eat. Breakfast was as expected. Refer to menu here.

So after brekkie me and senior sat on our bed and worked. Then this lady came and knock our door. Housekeeping. And since we were slothing on the bed she couldn't tidy our blankets and all. So she said if need anything just call her.

Then about lunch time me and senior went out for lunch then go expo. (Please remember the housekeeping story till later). At lunch there was nothing around so we ended up at Subway. I'm like. How hard can ordering Subway be la. I eat that in Aussie like all the time. I eat it in M'sia all the time.

But boy was I wrong. This time I was stepping NOT into Subway but 赛百味. So I thought they got put the england words on their menu. They should be able to understand english la. Sub of the day was Spicy Italian. So I Spicy Italian. He looked puzzled. Then 意大利香辣是吗？Hearing 意大利 I just said yes.

Then he asked what bread. OMG how am I supposed to say Parmesan Oregano in chinese. I din noe how to read the chinese word so I just pointed.

Then came the salad part.

生菜

西红柿

黄瓜

酸黄瓜

青椒

洋葱

黑橄榄 (how do you pronounce this?!)

So I ended up with a sandwich with olives. EEW. Then came the sauce. All the sauce had english and chinese wordings. But none of them understands the english word. My senior said Thousand Island and it was as though he said something in Greek while visiting Tunisia. Or something.

I tell you. EVERYTHING has to be in chinese. Even something famous like Hilton.

Took the metro and ended up at the right station. But the right station is at the wrong gate. My cowsense of directions is damn awesome I tell you. So we had to walk forever and ever and take the ferry to the other side of the river to get to our beloved Malaysia Pavilion in the expo. Zomg alot of ppl. Zomg took one hour to get to the other side. 45 mins queuing, 10 mins loading the ferry, 5 minutes travelling time.

First pavilion we went to was the Australia one. (Mostly coz of me. Australia is like a big part of me). So queue up for more than an hour. Thank goodness the weather was awesome. Got in. Heard the Australians speak Mandarin with very funny accent. I mini McLaugh secretly. Then went into this ANZ Theatre. Watched a presentation thing. That was like nothing you ever seen. It was AWESOME. Coz the screens moved. And is very cool la. Wait till I post pictures. And the OZ pavilion was the best among those I visited today.

Then walked around a bit. Look see the various pavilions. Went and queue up for Czech Republic. Don't ask me why. Just because the queue was short. But totally not worth it. So lame. Then went to Poland. Coz I read somewhere Poland is good. But mana tau it's actually the exterior that's awesome. The interior is. Again, lame. Then went to the Algeria one. Coz no queue. LAME.

Wanted to go to the M'sia one but we were too far away and it was probably LAME too. Lots of ppl say that. Oh well.

I wanted to visit the that Je sius the francais one. But then the queue so so so so so so so so so so so so so long. Long until the cows come home. So didn't go. =(

Anyway, came back. Some old-ish man gave up his seat to this lady carrying a kid. Showing ppl in shanghai isn't as jakun as I thought.

Was impressed by the metro again. It's like so awesome. Shanghai has a cool metro network, Singapore has an almost equally awesome MRT network (though nothing compared to the shanghai network). And the LRT we have. ZOMG. NOTHING compared to what they have. I think shanghai's one is about twice the length of Singapore's MRT in terms of the number of cars per train. Ours have 4 cars per train. That's like. A toy. Hmpf.

Anyway, to finish up the housekeeping story, when we came back our beds were made. I think the housekeeping must have a list of things that were done and things not done. Then they stalk you and see what time you leave your room. Then FASTER FASTER come and tidy up your room.

OK I can't feel my legs from all the walking. I shall go snooze now. Ta.

Boring.......

2010-09-23T10:59:00.002+08:00

Here's what the daily buffet breakfast spread looks like at Hilton Shanghai (from left to right):

Chinese fried noodles

Fried rice with eggs

Fried vegetables

Egg and tea egg

Pork ribs in soya sauce and vinegar

Grilled sesame chicken

Pork sausages

Veal sausages

Baked beans

Grilled bacon

I've got another week here. OMG.

I'm surviving Shanghai

2010-09-22T19:23:00.002+08:00

Shanghai is awesome.

People are actually more civilised than I thought.

Their metro (subway, MRT, LRT, rail, whateveryouwannacallitdotcom) is so extensive and awesome. It's like anywhere you go there's a metro station. And each station has like a gabajillion exits so you end up exactly where you wanna be.

There are 2 polices at every metro exit and almost everywhere u turn there's a police of some sort.

The people drive like crazy nuts so even though it's green light for the pedestrians you might still be banged down coz I think people in China haven't gotten used to the concept of traffic lights. I wonder when was traffic lights introduced in China. Hmm...

Oh and everything you say here has to be in Chinese.

I was tryin to ask how's the best way to get from the airport to the hotel. So I asked the info counter xiaojie:

Me: 从这里怎么去Hilton啊？

Xiaojie: (very puzzled look) Hew turn?

Me: 对，Hilton.

Xiaojie: (as though she's never heard of Hilton before) hiu thern?

Me: (You sure you're not a terrorist in disguise) Hilton 酒店

Xiaojie: 哦!希尔顿酒店是吗?

Me: 对对

Then same thing happened with the taxi.

Hilton.

Hilton 酒店

??????????????????????????????????

希尔顿酒店

OOOO!

ZzzZzZzZzZzZzZzzzzzzzzzz

Anyway that's my blah for the day. Allan please stop laughing.

Me's off!

2010-09-19T00:49:00.001+08:00

Me's off to Shanghai for 2 weeks.

Will be working working working. Hopefully will have some time to playing playing playing too.

Will be back on 1 Oct. Till then...

I have but one voice

2010-09-18T00:04:00.002+08:00

Praise belongs to You
Let every kingdom bow
Let every ocean roar
Let every heart adore You now

Praise belongs to You
What can I do but sing
The greatest joy I've found
Is to lay a crown before my King
Before my King

I've come to worship
I've come to lift up Your name
For You deserve this
Life laid down like the one that You gave
I have but one voice
One heart and one sacrifice
So won't you take this
life laid down and be glorified
Be glorified

Praise belongs to You
Let songs and children rise
You silence all Your foes
You set Your glory in the skies

Praise belongs to you
Creation calling out
For the King to be revealed
Oh King of Heaven come down
King of Heaven come down

Cause I've come to worship
I've come to lift up Your name
For You deserve this
Life laid down like the one that You gave
I have but one voice
One heart and one sacrifice
So would you take this
life laid down and be glorified
Be glorified
Be glorified
Be glorified

I've come to worship
I've come to lift up Your name
For You deserve this
Life laid down like the one that You gave
I have but one voice
One heart and one sacrifice
So would you take this
life laid down and be glorified
Be glorified
Be glorified
Be glorified

Jared Anderson - Glorified

MyConstitution

2010-09-10T11:12:00.004+08:00

If you have some spare time, how about you head to www.perlembagaanku.com to learn about the federal constitution.

They do have some rather entertaining videos about the constitution. Check them out by clicking here.

I've put a link on my sidebar. Go checkitout!

Give them a break yo!

2010-09-05T11:10:00.003+08:00

We all love our public holidays don't we? 52 Saturdays in a year, 52 Sundays in a year and on top of that, about 15 public holidays in a year (maybe more depending on which state you're from). This is excluding your Annual Leave, which is another 14 or more days.

That's about 133 days a year for each workaholic out there, unless you're a teacher or a student. In which you totally skew the average. =)

But those of you who have maids, how many off days do you give them a year?

They get paid a fraction of your salary (I would assume so, if not you wouldn't be able to afford them in the first place) but are expected to work 365 days a year? In my home it used to be so. My former maids got no off days or rest days.

If you think of it, they are human. We are human. If we love our public holidays and weekends so much, don't you think they would also crave for breaks every so often?

So maybe you could consider giving your maids a day off a week. You don't have to let them go out if you don't want them to. But maybe they don't have to mop the floor 7 days a week. I'm pretty sure fungi and mushrooms won't grow if your floor isn't mopped in 2 days. Neither will your house be covered in dust if your maid don't wipe down every surface in the house 7 times a day.

Think about it. We get paid much more but we get so many more day offs than our maids do. How about we treat our fellow human the way we want others to treat us? A day a week isn't too much to ask for.

Change Your World: The Aftermath

2010-09-05T00:57:00.003+08:00

If you weren't at Change Your World Tour, it's alright. You're still cool. You can still change the world.

In the short 30 minutes that YB Hannah Yeoh had to share a word with us, she totally blew my mind away. In some ways she is like a lot of us. Gone overseas to study. Found that life there is much better (and easier). But unlike many, instead of running away (and taking the easy way out), she chose to stay in Malaysia.

But on top of just merely staying in Malaysia, she took the stand to do something to change it. And I believe lots of people will agree with me that things haven't been the same since she became the assemblyperson (I just don't like the word assemblyman coz it's...sexist...) for Subang Jaya. To be fair, there are surely many more awesome assemblyperson, but Hannah Yeoh is one whom I've heard of lots of times and Subang Jaya is just next door neighbour to where I live.

Which is very inspiring.

And if you didn't attend the CYW tour or forgot everything you've heard tonight, here's a few things that you can do to make Malaysia a better place:

Register yourself as a voter. And please VOTE on election day. Registering but not voting is like ordering a buffet and watching people eat it.
Join a political party. And in the spirit of 1Malaysia, equality and neutrality, join a political party that fights for the rights of Malaysians, not a particular race.
Assist in ensuring a clean and fair election. Volunteer yourself to be counter / registration etc on election day.
Reduce crime! Help out the police. Practically, join rakancop or something.
Speak LIFE over this nation. Stop saying "cannot change la. Change what change". ~~Guilty as charged =S~~
Read the news. Read mainstream media. Read online media too. Don't just be busy reading facebook!

In the words of Margaret Mead,

Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.

Dumber or Dumberer?

2010-08-30T23:39:00.002+08:00

I seriously don't know what's going on with this stupid client of mine.

I don't normally call people stupid, neither should I call anyone stupid.

But this client memang asking for it one. Normally people will prepare confirmations at the beginning of the audit fieldwork so we can send it out and receive the replies earlier. But this client. The confirmations. Kena tendang balik HOW MANY TIMES already. OMG.

First it was the related party relationship wrong.

Then it was the figures wrong.

Then the figures were STILL wrong.

Then they forgot to include some transactions.

Then we discover some transactions need to be included.

Then the latest one, they got some of the nature wrong. Like come on. Who doesn't know the difference between "Amounts owing to you" and "Amounts owing from you".

Some more the confirmations are prepared by one person and reviewed by another person. WHO USED TO BE AN AUDITOR FOR 5 YEARS.

OMG LA. 5 years audit experience don't know these things?! Audit potted plants izit?!

WAH. Pek chek. Seriously can die. I wonder how my manager tahan such client.

Thank goodness my manager say I don't hav to go in this week. Let them get ready the outstanding items before we go in again. Hopefully it won't be me la. I will death if I hav to go in and ~~pick up other people's shit~~ follow up.

Stupidity has no bounds...

2010-08-27T00:14:00.003+08:00

And my eyes they look unto You always

And I am captured by Your majesty

All of my days I will sing of Your greatness

All of my days I will speak of Your ways

All of my days I will tell of Your wondrous love

Your love in my life

______________________

It's been truly a roller coaster 3 weeks at my current client. So many issues to handle. So much time spent in discussion with fellow associate, seniors and manager.

And I realise how stupid some people can be. I'm not sure if they fell from the sky or what, but they really know nuts about accounting BUT are doing the accounts. Oh God.

And how annoying some people can be. Tell you bits and pieces of the story, of which 87.3% is made up. Then you you spend time trying to figure out how that shit actually makes sense. Then you go back to them and ask them. Then they tell u another story. Then you go back and continue to think. And the cycle continues.

And being asked "Why do you need the management accounts?". HELLO? Are auditors supposed to help you draw up your accounts? And I don't think we are psychics. We obviously need your management accounts to do the audit.

And then how some people nods when talking to the boss as though he fully understands what the boss is saying, and after that secretly come and ask the auditors what the boss meant. SWT. Or secretly ask different auditors the same question hoping that we don't talk in the audit room. We share notes and we especially share stupid questions that client ask. Refer to "Why do you need the management accounts?" as an example.

I'm not complaining. I just can't comprehend how some people are allowed to be accountants when all they know how to do is screw it up and make the auditors go hunting up and down your crap.

But I must say. It's a good learning experience on how to deal with stupid clients. It's so stupid it's funny most of the time.

I've seen better days

2010-08-12T20:28:00.002+08:00

Seriously. What did I do wrong.

It's like shit's been happening one after another lately. Just when I thought there's no way things can get any worse, I'm proven wrong over and over again. Before I can climb up, before I can stand on my own two feet, I get hit and I fall again.

No one said life would be easy. They obviously forgot to tell me how hard it can actually get. Though I don't think it's going to get any easier.

If I'm really doing just alright at least let me know. Give me a heads up. Don't tell me I did well. Don't say I did a good job. Don't put me in this disillusioned state, thinking that I did well. Don't give me the hope of a good performance rating, then take it all away.

I think that's the worst form of punishment - to give someone hope and grab it away from them.

Did I really do worse than some of those who get better ratings than me? I don't think so. Maybe I did do worse than them, but how would I have known? I was told I did a good job. I was told I did well.

Will tomorrow be a better day? I'm not sure. If history repeats itself, I might be looking at darker days ahead.

It's like I reach the end of the tunnel and find that someone sealed the tunnel shut.

FML

2010-07-29T18:14:00.003+08:00

Overworked
Underpaid

Had a really crappy day today. Why do I always get the shitty samples. Why do I always count the shitty stock. Why can't my colleague's samples be as shitty as mine? Ugh. One reason why I dislike stock counts.

On another note, I've been seriously reconsidering what I'm doing. I thought I was doing pretty well at this audit thingie. My managers have commended me. Sometimes they say I did a good job at the end of the audit. The book me on their jobs over n over again. And sometimes way in advance.

But when I got my performance rating. It was AVERAGE. Well there's nothing wrong with being rated average. What I can't accept is being just AVERAGE when people who clearly did worse than me gets rated better than me.

Given my best but obviously it wasn't best enough. Maybe it's coz I consistently worked with people who have ridiculously high expectations.

Some others work with more lenient people, make more booboos than I did but still get a better rating than me.

Life's unfair, live with it.

Now I just feel like taking a whole month off and go sit in a deserted island somewhere. And hopefully the road opens up, swallows me and sends me for recycling.

Someone hand me some Prozac please.

Randoms

2010-07-20T22:46:00.002+08:00

I just found out today that the chargeout rate for my level has increased from RM150 to RM155.

Which means I cost RM40 more per day.

That's RM920 more per month for my boss.

And I hear my increment is like RM100? I'll so flip the table if my increment is really RM100. When I'm bringing in RM920 more per month.

Ish. So much for us charging our clients twice the fees compared to our competitors but we get paid water and salted fish.

Really makes you wonder where all the money is going....

Despicable Me

2010-07-11T01:42:00.002+08:00

I watched Despicable Me two nights in a row.

One in 2D and one in 3D.

Gosh I must say, it's so bloody worth it.

Please go watch it if you haven't already.

And for those wishing to start an Agnes fan club, please let me know so I can join.

Kthxbai.

Change Your World. What About Now?

2010-06-27T17:30:00.003+08:00

I was at church today for this Change Your World Quest. It was very thought provoking. Like what can I do to make a difference in the world.

There's slavery. There's human trafficking. There's the thing about how Malaysians treat refugees, calling them illegal although they are given refugee status by UNHRC. How we treat foreigners among our midst.

And I was reminded of this story. One of my favourite stories of all times.

The quest was quite a lot to process, but I'll definitely be thinking about what I can do to change my world. Hopefully those that went for it would also actively think about what you can do to change your world. I'm sure it's what God wants us to do.

Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little. ~Edmund Burke

While walking along a beach, an elderly gentleman saw someone in the distance leaning down, picking something up and throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, picking up starfish one by one and tossing each one gently back into the water.

He came closer still and called out, “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”

The young man paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”

The old man smiled, and said, “I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?”

To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”

Upon hearing this, the elderly observer commented, “But, young man, do you not realise that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”

The young man listened politely. Then he bent down, picked up another starfish, threw it into the back into the ocean past the breaking waves and said, “It made a difference for that one.”

Horror stories

2010-06-24T23:14:00.003+08:00

My slimy sister got her driving license today.

She did the most natural thing. Dragged me out of the house and shoved me into the passenger seat.

1. She sit so in front it's like she's pregnant with the steering wheel.
2. We sat in the car and laugh laugh laugh at her sitting position.
3. She was about to drive off without adjusting any mirrors. Including the one in her handbag.
4. After I reminded her to adjust the mirrors she adjust and plan to drive off.
5. Without turning on the lights. She must have infrared vision or something.
6. Coz she was going to drive off after turning on the mini lights not even the full proper lights. =S
7. And she forgot to put on her safety belt.
8. -__________-"
9. Almost got banged by a car when cutting out into the road. Coz she didn't see properly ke it was raining ke i not sure. Thank goodness nothing happen.
10. She sits so in front it's like she's pregger with the steering wheel.

OK la. She can drive me to church. I think?

There is still a dream...

2010-06-13T20:51:00.002+08:00

Heard this in church yesterday, sung by the CES choir.
Probably the most appropriate song this season of my life.
Still praying about it. Counting the cost.
There is so much to lose.
But also so much to gain I'm sure.

______________________

When will we open our eyes
And finally discover
We are united by one blood
When will we realise
We're sisters and brothers
And what the world needs now is love
There's a dreamer inside each one of us
Who wants to believe

A brother down on his luck
Falling to chances
We could pick the brother up
A sister down on her knees
Praying for answers
Why don't you show the sister love
All over the world
Life isn't just
But i do believe

And everyone needs one
Cause no one is free from
The worries of life
That drag us down
If you can make it
My hands can take it
We'll stand together and pray

There is still a dream to believe in
There is still a hope after hope is gone
We could be the father's hands
And give peace a chance
And show the world
There is still a dream to believe in
There is still a hope after hope is gone
We could be the father's hands
And give peace a chance
To show the world
There is still a dream
There is still a dream

Rachael Lampa - There Is Still A Dream

The leap of faith?

2010-06-12T21:57:00.002+08:00

Sometimes I really want to drop everything I'm doing right now and take a leap of faith. That leap of faith.

I don't want to walk down life's road and regret 20 years on for not taking this bold step.

But that would take me out of my comfort zone. Something I would rather not leave.

I've been praying about this for some time now. I get very passionate when people talk with me about this. I get all touchy feely whenever I think about this or read about it in the papers. I'm impressed by people who choose this road less travelled. Maybe it is my calling. Maybe I was made for this (although I have NO idea how I'm going to survive it sometimes). But God doesn't only call the able. He enables the called.

Maybe I should. God, I need confirmation!

No UK for now...

2010-06-02T01:41:00.003+08:00

I got a reply from Deloitte yesterday. It was an outright no.

That kinda did not make my day. For one, I was hoping to at least go through some sort of assessment or interview. But it was an outright no.

And this being the first company that turned me down outright. The only other time I wasn't successful in my job application was when EY UK froze their recruitment. And when I turned SC down to stick with PwC.

I've got to deal with this like a big boy I guess. Can't expect that every employer will employ me.

I'm craving red bean drink thingie at Paparich. Was there just now and ordered soyabeancendolredbean. Though it'd come with the red bean thingie with cendol and soy milk. Turned out to be a whole glass of soya bean with a bit of cendol and red beans. Ugh.

I need my comfort food.

On another note, exam is 2 weeks away and I am dooms.

I hope Singapore will employ me. Hopefully.

Will try KPMG UK when they open their recruitment for 2011 in July I guess. Then resign + apply for PwC Sg and UK. Sounds like a plan.

Finally

2010-05-31T00:05:00.002+08:00

Wow. I just submitted my application to Deloitte UK.

And since lots of employers are doing online searches on their potential employees, I couldn't take the risk. I've moved my blog, locked my twitter, increased privacy settings on facebook.

I tried to do a Google search on myself and OMG. Some things from the last decade popped up. Like I totally forgot I had a friendster profile that is visible by the whole world. And I forgot my email and password i used to sign up for friendster. So took some time to figure out which email I used to sign up, reactivate that email, go to friendster and request that they send password reminder to that email.

That was for friendster alone.

Then there was Xanga. Repeat the whole process.

But I hope all is good. I've covered up my tracks the best I can. Whatever spongebob pictures they dig up on random profiles of mine, I'm not gonna do anything about it d.

So I'm crossing my head and shoulders knees and toes. Deloitte Glasgow....

Bored at home

2010-05-25T10:32:00.002+08:00

I've been neglecting my blogS lately. I guess there's nothing really interesting worth mentioning happening lately. It feels like i'm just trodding through life aimlessly.

Had 3 tests back to back over the weekend. Progress test 1 on Friday, Foundation Truths 1 test on Sunday, progress test 2 on Monday. I tell you this Sunway college is weird. They put us through 2 progress tests to "test our progress" but we didn't even get the results for the first test before we sat for the second one. Which is quite pointless. So whatever mistakes I made in the first test will be repeated in the second.

So I'm expecting to fail both. Or even if I pass it'd be marginally passing only. Bleh. Seriously not cut out for Business Strategy.

Starting to meet people in college. Bumped into Darren last Friday and bumped into Jonathan yesterday. They all have that OMG-what-you-doing-in-college look. So funny.

So anyway, will be back to work in about 3 weeks. SO not looking forward to it. And currently working towards tendering by August. Hopefully UK won't take too long to process my application so I'll be in UK be the end of the year. Fingers crossed. Or Singapore's good too.

I get lots of people telling me that the grass is not greener on the other side, or that Malaysia needs me and I shouldn't leave. Or that I'm put in Malaysia for a reason and God makes no mistakes in putting me here. All I can say is that the hope I once had for Malaysia has died. I had so much hope while in Australia, how I could change the country, how I can make a change. But coming back here and seeing how things unfold, that hope slowly died away.

I know Pr Daniel always has a dream of changing the nation. And how our church is emphasising the transformation of society. If you told me that 2 years ago I would bounce with enthusiasm. But now? I'll just smile at you and tell you why I can't run with that dream.

I know Malaysia will change. I already see some positive changes happening. But I just can't bring myself to be an agent of change. And if I'm not an agent of change I'm just a stumbling block. And I don't want to hinder change. So maybe it's better off if I stepped aside and let change happen.

OK enough about this. Off to dig for some food....

Trip to the optician...

2010-05-17T22:35:00.003+08:00

Me is a go to the optician because me is thinking that lately me is very see things blur blur so me is the go and checkitout my eyeballs.

Then the optician is a chick check chuck and me is wearing funny specs. Pictured above by my slimy sister.

Turns out that my power is goes down down down. In 2006 it was 275. Then 2007 is 250. Now is 225. So funniness. But I is pretty sure late my eye is more blurer. Is a weird.

So since I is no has to get new specs me is a just bought contacts and go home slept.

By the way does u knew that your right eye sees horizontal lines and your left eye saw vertical lines? (Or is it the other way around)? Is a COOL I tell you. Is like there this test. Got a + on the thingie. Then when he close my right eye to my horror I only see the horizontal (or was it vertical? hmmm) line. Like cool!

Je parle un peu français

2010-05-14T01:18:00.002+08:00

Le français

Les Français

La France

Ok enough. =) Me's happy.

Rejults out yo!

2010-05-10T16:22:00.004+08:00

Sat for 2 exams last week.

I passed both of them.
So it's officially 5 down 10 to go.

Currently doing my really difficult Business Strategy paper. The study manual is as thick as a ream of A4 paper. And omg so many models to remember.

Porter's 5 forces
Porter's diamond
Porter's generic factors
Ansoff's matrix
BCG matrix
GE matrixPESTEL analysis
SWOT analysis
Ohmae's 5Cs
Industry life cycle
Product life cycle

OMG. That's the few I can remember. And we've to remember each of these models. *faints*

Gotta buck up or I'm going to so fail this paper.

Btw I watched Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It's SO AWESOME.

Ice kacang puppy love was not too bad. But not as good as Kar How says it.

Taking a nap and going for my French class later. Bonjour!

Introducing bite sized updates

2010-05-05T01:41:00.003+08:00

For those of you who stalk me on Twitter, you probably realised I was testing out this new thing on Tumblr.

I stumbled across tumblr and thought it was a really good platform for me to finally start something like a Project 365 kind of thing.

The good thing about tumblr is it is really simple to use. You just choose what type of content you'll be posting (text, photo, quote, link, chat, audio or video), type what you're going to type and it appears nicely.

Very handy for sharing bite sized updates. And it works from an iPhone too.

So I'm going to try to update that site on a daily basis. Something that made my day. Or something interesting I came across. Or maybe just a silly chat with a friend on MSN.

And if you're interested, just click here to go to the page, or look under "Chiox In Bite Sized Pieces" under my links.

Hopefully I'll get something going more regularly there.

Thoughts for thought...

2010-04-29T15:31:00.004+08:00

It's not always easy to see someone's true colours. Sometimes you must look beneath the masculine veneer to find that fragile ego. You must ignore the sparkle of the jewel to know you're looking at a fake. You must bring the truth out of the shadows to see the beauty of its smile.

Yes, people hide their true nature from us everyday
And sadly, we only find out when it's too late.

Desperate Housewives, Season 6 Episode 17

Of life and death

2010-04-23T23:38:00.002+08:00

You might have read in the news today. About this Malaysian girl studying in Singapore who jumped to her death.

I only know her as the assistant head prefect in school

The news said she did very well in uni

She was going to be the next up and coming dentist

She appeared cheerful to her friends.

For someone with achievements like her, I'm sure many would covet a life like hers.

But for her, all these was obviously not enough. It probably didn't matter much to her. She probably had pain and sorrow hidden behind the mask she wore around everyday.

It's probably an act put together so well that none of her friends noticed what she's going through. Most of the time, what we see is only what people choose to show us. We often forget that we're all actors on a stage, and it's only when we're backstage that we take our masks off.

Life is truly a stained glass masquerade.

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles that hide our pain

Ranting again...

2010-04-22T23:23:00.003+08:00

I left work slightly earlier today. 8.30pm. Yes yes I see you go "you call that early?!". Coz I wanted to come home and do some studying.

And my senior didn't seem too happy with me leaving earlier.

He didn't voice it out, but was certainly hinting that I am irresponsible, I won't be able to finish my job so he will have to end up doing it.

Come on la. You ask me to choose between a job I dislike and studying, obviously I'll choose studies.

Just found out my friend got offered PwC in Singapore. He applied for EY Singapore and got an offer within a week. So he tendered his resignation and at the mean time applied to PwC Singapore. And today he saw me in office and told me he got offered PwC Singapore. Like COME ON. The whole thing took less than a month?! SERIOUSLY?!

I hope they're still hiring come August. Coz I'm going to take my bonus and run. Run away from Malaysia. ~~Forever and ever amen~~

I'm so glad my study leave starts next week. Hello UniFi.

Anyway a while ago Lydia Minjoot sent me this link. Take a read and take a peek into my work life.

Are Big 4 employees nothing more than a modernized form of indentured servants?

I think so.

Over the past month, I've had the pleasure of sitting on a floor full of accounting employees and consultants. Some of them internal, but most are from PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, and KPMG. For some reason, my employer hires all of them. In massive quantities. They literally have 15-30 of them stuffed in what used to be conference rooms.

Here's what I've witnessed thus far:

1) 90% of them are chicks under 24.

2) 60% of them are hot.

The two items above help paint the picture but are not purposeful to my argument.

3) 100% of them eat lunch together, in the office. While working.

4) 0.2% of them are the lucky souls that got to leave the office to go pick up lunch for their 30-50 coworkers. This practice allows the Big 4 employers to fully utilize their staff. They would prefer that no one ever leave the office, but for brief moments, they will allow select employees to exit the building. Upon release, these employees must only leave to quickly pickup food and return promptly.

5) 100% of them appear to live at work. When I arrive to work at 8am, they begin filtering in. Morning seems to be the only portion of the day with any flexibility. Some of them appear to have the same clothes on as the previous day and I'm fairly certain many of them shower in the corporate gym locker room. Their hair is always wet, like Kate on the television show Lost. Which happens to be a show they've never seen, because they work late into the night. To tell you the truth, I have no idea when these people leave. The latest I've ever stayed at work was 6:30 (sickening). When I did leave at 6:30, I saw two frat boys returning from their 10 minute release with a gigantic box of Chili's To-Go. Apparently dinner has the same routine as lunch. So I know they are at the building until at least 8, and I know they have time to hit the bars because some of them smell of Virginia Slims and Mojitos. Best guess is 11pm.

It is based on these observations that I started to wonder if they are a new breed of indentured servants. The definition of indentured servant is: a form of debt bondage worker. The laborer is under contract of an employer for usually three to seven years, in exchange for their transportation, food, drink, clothing, lodging and other necessities. Unlike a slave, an indentured servant is required to work only for a limited term specified in a signed contract.

Big 4 employees are not necessarily under contract, but there is an invisible contract keeping most of them employed for far too long. Normal human beings would not agree to working 70-115 hours per week, but they see the carrot dangling. They see the Partner pulling down huge figures and sitting in meetings where other executives do nothing but pretend to be busy, shake hands, and exchange millions of dollars.

In regards to their pay, it looks good on paper. They might be flaunting the fact that they make "big bucks" compared to their friends, but most of them haven't considered how much they make per hour. Consider the fact that the majority of them make $45 - 100k and work an average of 60 hours per week (over the course of a year, 100 during busy season) and you've got yourself a job paying $15 - $34 per hour. And that may even be an overstated figure. Not chump change for some, and by no means am I attempting to offend those who make less. But I know for a fact that roofers made $15 an hour in 2001 and they don't treat their employees like servants. I know this because many of them smoked massive amounts of pot during lunch and also enjoyed wearing their wife's undergarments (but that's neither here nor there).

However, there are a fortunate group of people who escaped from the Big 4 Truman Show. They call themselves "alumni". Many of them have been kind enough to provide definitions of what each of the Big 4 companies mean to them via UrbanDictionary.com:

Deloitte definitions:

1. "A modern form of prostitution where eager, young minds sign on with the most reputable "practice" (pimp) in hopes of success and fortune but end up being sold to the highest bidder while partaking only a minimal share of the profits. "Partners" (pimps) are noted for reprimanding personnel that do not perform every and all requests of the client (john).

2. "The last form of slavery in the US. This is where many young people begin careers and work 115 hours a week until they either quit or die from exhaustion. Former Deloitte employees often have scarred backs from the whip marks."

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Definitions:

1. "A big 4 accounting firm which hires bright young college graduates and converts them into arrogant, stuck up, lifeless souls who are proud of the fact that they are working eighty hour weeks, despite being paid at an hourly rate lower than the average McDonalds toilet cleaner."

2. "An environment/hell, in which the term 'work-life balance' is used to convince bright, young professionals to accept jobs. Once on the other side, it becomes apprent very fast that it doesn't exist, but the majority of employees stay, because the partners continue to say they are "working" to improve 'work-life balance'."

3. "PwC - People Working Constantly"

Ernst & Young Definitions

1. Essentially a pyramid rip-off scheme Amway would be proud of, the accounting firm Ernst & Young (aka EY) stands as a shining example of why people are willing to accept communism as alternative to a market society. The EY meat grinder is powered by recent college graduates looking for a door into upper-middle management. At the top of the food chain sit the partners and senior managers who glut themselves on the labors of their staffers. Typically, the best staffers are quickly offered more palatable positions at other companies, while others grow tired of the abuse and leave. The unimpressive few that remain are eventually made partners only because they lack the emotional maturity to handle a leadership position in any other industry...

2. A stepping stone to bigger and better things. It doesn't matter where you go afterwards, because it can't get any worse.

KPMG Definitions

[Apparently KPMG employees are the least creative of the bunch because they just repeated what the other companies said.]

These are the words of abused people. They need our help. It's time to put a stop to the unfair work practices.

=)

2010-04-17T22:34:00.002+08:00

Speaking of God's perfect timing.

I'm just glad things worked out the way it did.

I'm glad that I was allowed to continue SAM on my own, so I graduated one year earlier than my batchmates.

I'm glad that I didn't stay on to do the honours year despite being invited to do it, and knowing that once I passed this opportunity I will not be able to do honours year anymore.

I'm glad that I didn't wait till March 16 to fly back, and reported in January instead of April.

Coz if things didn't work out the way it did, I might be stuck in some government department pushing papers and eating pencil lead.

God's timing. Impeccable.

Ranting

2010-04-15T23:12:00.003+08:00

I hate it when I get scolded by my client for doing something right.

Sigh.

At what point do I stop following the book. At what point do I bend the rules.

I'm sorry, but I can't do it for you. Even if it's trivial. Or something that's common sense.

Just because it's convenient for you doesn't mean I should bend the rules for you.

I've got standards to live up to. I've got ethics to consider. I've got the public interest to hold up.

So I'm sorry for doing the right thing. Maybe next year if I do your audit again I'll try to be more careless. So I don't have to be scolded by you for doing the right thing.

Or maybe you can hide the evidences. Fake documents. I don't know, don't want to know, don't need to know. I seriously don't care if you give me a forged document. Just a note, if you're going to fake the evidences, please try to do the best you can, coz I don't want to burst your bubble, find that it's fake and get scolded by you again.

So honestly, if you can't agree with the adjustment just because it's convenient for you, go talk to my manager. I'm in no position to decide if it's really trivial.

I'm just doing my job. I want to do the right thing. And if doing that steps on your toes, that's just too bad.

Coz I'm not lifting my bloody foot.

Gosh give me my study leave already.

UniFi yo!

2010-04-05T16:36:00.002+08:00

Client can't give us the management accounts necessarily means that we can't start our audit work.

So here I am blogging. While waiting for the client since 2pm.

So excited about UniFi. Can't wait for them to come and get it installed so I can zoom zoom zoom on the internet.

And switching over to fibre optic with TM meant that we have to change our phone number as well. In this day and age, where technology is so advanced and Mobile Number Portability is a technology of yesterday, we are still forced to change our home phone number when switching to fibre.

Meh.

2010-04-02T17:32:00.001+08:00

I'm getting fibre optic on 28 April.

OK it's weird. Coz everytime I have a compulsion to announce something to the world, I will post it on Twitter, then Facebook, then my blog.

So people who stalk me on all 3 networks will read things 3 times.

How awesome of me.

But yea, I'm getting fibre optic. Wooh. Fast internet. New phone number. And more channels to watch on my tv

May the price war begin...

2010-03-31T23:02:00.002+08:00

The iPhone prices offered by DiGi is obviously an improvement to those offered by ~~ahem~~ Maxis. Unlimited internet. Slightly less expensive monthly commitment. Even the iPhone price is slightly lower.

Maxis better pull up their socks. Or I'm going with the yellow man...he will follow me...follow me wherever I may go...

Gotta love competition...=)

Maxis retaliated with giving RM200 off for new iPhone buyers...That's like...peanuts...compared to the savings with DiGi...

Ayam Knot Bye Ink Ant Eye Font

2010-03-31T00:29:00.001+08:00

To clear the air, it is only a pre-order. Not a purchase.

~~In accounting terms, it's not a liability, not even a contingent liability. It's also not a disclosure item~~

I'll at least be waiting until Uncle Jobs release the new refreshed iPhones probably some time in July/Aug and then only decide if I have enough spare cash to dump into a new refreshed iPhone.

But iPhone is like awesome can.

Ken ken dance. I should sleep.

I've got mail!

2010-03-29T23:22:00.002+08:00

Congratulations! You have been confirmed to be one of the first to purchase the Apple iPhone from DiGi.

Your DiGi iPhone pre-oder number : [blablabla as though i'm goin to let u see]
Name : Diong Chi Yao
NRIC Number : [yadayadayada]
Email Address : [gobblegobblegobble]
Mobile Phone No : [munchmunchmunch]
Current Service Provider : Maxis
Requested iPhone Model : iPhone 3GS 16GB - Black
Collection Point : 1Utama, Oval Concourse, Bandar Utama, PJ
Collection Time : 3 April 2010, 10AM ~ 4PM

Humpty Dumpty

2010-03-29T20:27:00.004+08:00

Time for another obligatory post.

Client came today at 6.13pm and said they're leaving at 6.30pm.

We obviously just dilly dally coz normally won't be so on time one.

At 6.30pm they are already screaming lock the door.

And stand at the door to the audit room watching us pack up.

Aijorma. I curry in a hurry nia.

Tomorrow following up previous job at Subang Parade there.

MUST. RESIST. TEMPTATION. TO. GO. BOOST. JUICE. Coz I just went today.

Wed at Subang Parade there as well.

Thurs stock count at Nilai.

Friday on leave.

Saturday Management Information test (which I'm so going to fail coz I just untied my textbooks tonight).

Sunday Business Finance test (which I'm so going to fail coz the textbooks are still tied up like a present).

Oh boy oh boy oh boy.

What I'm Thinking

2010-03-23T23:11:00.002+08:00

On my way here
Where I am now
I've learned to fly
I have to want to leave the ground
I've fallen hard
But I've been loved
And in the end it all works out
My faith has conquered fear
On my way here.

I've seen the best
I've seen the worst
I wouldn't change what I've been through
I've touched the sky
I've hit the wall
But I did what I had to

I've been a fool
I've been afraid
Yeah, I've been loved
I've been lied to
I've been wrong
And I've been right
I stood up when I had to

No guarantees
I believed that I would find
An open door or a light
To lead me to the other side
I guess that is why

Illegally posting from work omg

2010-03-18T10:00:00.002+08:00

My friend just sent me this message:

I feel like I'm swiping my life's credit card and using all the overdraft facilities.

And I wish to violently agree.

Kthxbai

p/s Btw allan please faster come back. Then we can board games forever and ever amen till the cows come home. I'm on study leave in May woot. Maybe we can camp at Kar How's place and finish up everything edible in his fridge.

Random fact of the day

2010-03-14T15:08:00.003+08:00

I was reading random stuff from this random facts about the human body app on my phone and there's one like this:

It is not possible to tickle yourself. The cerebellum, a part of the brain, warns the rest of the brain that you are about to tickle yourself. Since your brain knows this, it ignores the resulting sensation.

I thought that was very funny, how our brain is so cooperative. Hmpf.

Wikiend is here. Time to be jolly.

2010-03-12T21:16:00.002+08:00

It's finally friesday.

I had a really nice client this week. Like the best so far. They drop everything at the sight of you, scramble to find you the documents you request for and ask you to evacuate the building at 6 something coz they want to go home.

Boy oh boy. And their documents are all chop and signed by the appropriate person, all their delivery orders are acknowledged, all their payment vouchers are reviewed and approved, all their invoices are approved by the MD. Everything they do they follow the procedures. No short cuts.

It's like an auditor's heaven. Too bad the previous auditors were not reappointed this year. A win for PwC I guess. Hopefully I get asked to go into this client again next year. It's like so nice to work there.

Funny story happened today. We have to change into their slippers before we can go in the client's place la. So like instead of having to take off socks take off shoes then wear socks wear shoes everytime i wanted to go for lunch or go home, I decided to wear slippers to work (YES I KNOW IT'S MAJOR FASHION FAIL. Long sleeve shirt, black slacks, and slippers).

It's not a problem at all. Coz when I reach, the client is already there. And when I leave, the client leaves like few minutes after coz they have to lock up and all.

So they don't actually see me in my own slippers. Coz in their office I wear their slippers anyway.

But today the finance manager came in and said today we go out for lunch.

My senior went O.O

Coz she wore slippers too!

And my manager was coming in.

CRAP.

So I walked into Tai Thong as a major fashion disaster.

I think my manager must be thinking who the heck said I could wear slippers to work.

Ranting

2010-03-04T23:20:00.002+08:00

Last day at my current client tomorrow. Hopefully I can clear up everything. I don't want to work on Saturday. Gosh.

Seriously. I need to start going to church. It's been like. A month since I went for church celebration. Work. Away in Singapore. Work. Away in Langkawi. Can't go on Sunday coz there's DBS class.

So anyhoo. Hopefully I finish everything la. I've already made my client headache just by chasing for my outstanding items the past 2 weeks. I think they are going to explode soon.

And I'm going to come back with 24 bars of Hersheys dark chocolate bars, 36 packs of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. And 24 packs of Hersheys Kisses.

Like seriously. I'm going to look like such a chocolate freak.

Good night world.

Humpty Dumpty

2010-03-01T23:12:00.002+08:00

I just got my timetable for my next exam sitting today.

I can't wait.

6 weeks and 4 more days of work then it's off to another wave of study leave.

WHEEEE.

I've been working far too hard.

~~Time to resign perhaps~~

Yang ni best giler

2010-02-22T22:28:00.002+08:00

A happy end to my one year wait.

And the very top secret thingie I said was happening on 28 January 2010? Is this one la. My application lapses on 28 January 2010. And now that the website says that I have to resubmit, I'm pretty darn sure it's final.

So french lessons, anyone? Seriously. I need to get out of Malaysia.

Munchkins

2010-02-20T21:00:00.002+08:00

Left office at 12am, reached home at 1, slept at 2, woke up at 7.20, left home at 8.15, arrived office at 8.30, went lunch with Allan and David at 12.30, reached back at office at 2.30, worked till 7, picked sister up for dinner, got home at 8.30, blog at 9 and do more work till I'm done.

Sorry for the lack of updates. I barely have any time at all this week.

For someone to blame, please ask me for my boss' number.

Grumble

2010-02-17T22:52:00.001+08:00

For those auditors out there who understand what I'm about to say:

Where got people SUD RM870 one?!

See Ant Why?

2010-02-15T22:37:00.003+08:00

Here's a recap of my CNY.

Arrived at Sing Jia Poh at about 11 on the eve of CNY. Then headed to brother's place for steam boat lunch. Stuffed myself silly with fish tofu, meat balls, chicken wings and all the other thingiemajigi.

Then at night, went to Tampines for a walk. Realised that it's SUPER sad here in Sing Jia Poh. It's sort of like Christmas in Canberra. No one's out, everywhere's closed. So we ended up eating fast food when most other people are feasting with their families. Quite sad, but Caryn said look at the bright side. I can tell people I ate fast food on the eve of CNY.

That's cool too. In some ways.

Then on CNY itself went to my grand uncle's place. Sit. Talk. Eat. Eat some more. Talk. Eat. Eat. Talk. Eat. Eat a lot. Eat. Talk. Did some obligatory hand shakes and "Happy new year"s. But was cool to find out some of my unknown second cousins whom I don't remember meeting.

Then that night went to my koo mah's house to sit talk sit talk and eat eat eat.

omg

So much eating.

Then came today. Went to Sentosa. People mountain people sea. We drove into Sentosa and walked around. Saw the Universal Studios (but cannot go in coz not open but I so gotta come back for the roller coasters). The casino. The hotels. The merlion. And stuff like that. So big. So hot. So sweaty.

Then took the monorail across the ~~ocean~~ water to Vivocity. Stepped out of the monorail and went O.O ZOMG SO MANY PEOPLE. The queue for the monorail to Sentosa started from ~~Johor~~ outside the monorail, down the escalator (which is so far away), out the doors and into the outside world. It's like so omg a lot of people la. I think the whole Singapore was queuing at Vivocity that day.

OK la then came back slept like a pig then at night went over to Chin Ling's place for a massive family gathering. I think one of her cousins brought ~~the United Nations~~ his uni mates from NUS and there were people from all over the world. Like 50 of them or so. So omg as lot.

Played Zooloretto. Saboteur. Some obligatory hand shakes and "Happy new year" later, here I am blogging.

Will be heading back to Malaysia tomorrow, and starting work on Wednesday. GAH!

Tiger Woohoo

2010-02-11T22:06:00.003+08:00

I just have to slug through one more day and I can enjoy the long weekend. I'll be heading to Sing Jia Poh this CNY woot.

My personal trainer said yesterday he gives me permission to big eat big drink this CNY. Then go back and get tortured the next time around. Hmmm...

I was just thinking. The average charge out rate for Audit Associates is about RM100 - 170 per hour. Assuming it's RM150 la. Means on average, an 8 hour day the firm charges the client RM1,200. In 2 days they charge the client RM2,400. That's my salary one month. What happens to the other 18 working days in the month?

We slug it out like idiots and still get paid peanuts.

Sigh.

Uhoh.

2010-02-08T22:25:00.001+08:00

Australia just changed their migration rules again.

Now I have to apply for an Aussie PR by 30 April 2010 or risk not having enough points later on if they decide to remove accountants from the list. Uh.oh.

Think quick....

And get rich quick...

Woot!

2010-02-01T22:41:00.000+08:00

Me's

getting

my

brother's

iPhone

this

Friday!

WOOT!

Such if life...

2010-01-31T20:27:00.003+08:00

It's probably good to update my blog. It's been eons since my last update. Let's see:

The past week I got one of my client into trouble. It all started with this issue I noted. And it was a rather big issue on the local level, which requires an adjustment to the accounts. But to the group accounts it is immaterial and does not warrant an adjustment to their reporting to the holding company.

So actually all they had to do is accept the audit adjustment in their local statutory accounts. And leave the accounts they sent to the holding company unchanged.

BUT.

The financial controller. Wanted the group reporting and local stat accounts to be exactly the same.

SO.

They had to make this big fuss. Call up the holding company. Which was overseas. And then they had to get the permission of each of the brands punya permission to make the adjustment (they have 14 brands in total and all are overseas) so they had to call up one by one.

JUST TO MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT.

And I think the FC was very upset about it and scolded the finance staff for showing me what they showed me.

And that staff involved didn't turn up for work the next day.

I FEEL GUILTY CAN. And the staff look at me going to the finance room all like stare at me one kind. Then like super scared.

Coz the next day I noted another issue. Then the staff like omgomgomgomg need adjustment or not I admit this one memang I made a mistake how how how need adjustment or not can don't adjust ah aiyo.

HAIH. Until that level. What did I do la....

It wasn't my fault. Auditors are supposed to note any exceptions that we come across.

The staff was supposed to show the auditors the truth.

And the FC didn't need to be such a pain in the ____.

And they even warned the finance staff next time show auditors anything please show the finance manager or FC first.

SIGH. Need or not. You got something to hide is it now?

Such is life...

Yum.........

2010-01-23T01:42:00.003+08:00

I passed with flying colours. =)

Fart Fart.

No world prize for me, but still jumping for joy ~~(in my heart)~~.

OK off to bed now. Going to dream happy dreams. =)

'Nuff said

2010-01-21T22:34:00.001+08:00

Sourced from The Star online. Link can be found here.

KUALA LUMPUR: To ensure it stays in control and in power, the Malaysian Government has turned its back on promises to protect people’s rights, said Human Rights Watch.

In its report released Thursday, it said that when Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak took over as prime minister in April 2009, he promised to respect the fundamental rights of the people but his government has failed to undertake the systematic reforms needed to fulfil that pledge.

It said the Government harassed the Opposition, improperly restricted the right to peaceful expression, association, and assembly, and mistreated migrants.

When it comes to human rights, Malaysia is more about rhetoric than reality, it said.

“The Malaysian Government appears to be more interested in pursuing short-term political advantage rather than safeguarding rights,” said Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Phil Robertson.

The 612-page World Report 2010 reviewed human rights practices around the world over the last year.

It said the release of a number of Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees early in Najib’s term was a positive development, but stressed that Parliament should repeal the ISA and other repressive laws including the Police Act 1967, which it said, was used to justify a “violent crackdown” on a citizens’ march against the ISA.

The report also said that following the impact of the Internet on the last general election, the Government has tried to rein in non-traditional media, putting them and bloggers under closer scrutiny.

It also voiced concern over continued government control of the traditional media and called for the Printing Presses and Publications Act to be rescinded.

The report also criticised the Government for failing to distinguish refugees and asylum seekers from undocumented migrants and for its use of an “ill trained, abusive civilian force” (Rela) to crack down on undocumented migrants.

It said detainees were kept under inhumane conditions causing several of them to die last year while dozens were infected with leptospirosis, a disease spread by animal faeces in unclean water.

“How many more migrants have to die in detention before Malaysian policymakers wake up?” said Robertson.

The report also criticised Malaysia for continuing to crimininalise adult consensual sexual behaviour including sodomy and said it is about time the government brought its criminal code into the 21st century.

Lolcats omg

2010-01-16T08:22:00.003+08:00

It's a Saturday and I'm up at 8am. =( I'm supposed to sleep in until lunch time lo. =( My biological clock is programmed to wake me up early in the morn. Sigh.

Read something interesting on my colleague's facebook today. She posted this:

"worked 15.5 hours today. Left client's place at 2am. Arrived home at 2.45am. Had dinner at 3am (instant noodles)..."

And one of the comments was this:

"oh my. I feel this is retribution for only having 12 contact hours per week in uni...."

I never thought of it from that point of view. Haha. Lolcats.

OMG Daniel stop giving me new weird words to say. Lolcats omg.

Weekend's here. I'm going to watch movies this weekend. Even if it means I'm going alone. I don't care!

I am slept

2010-01-15T22:33:00.003+08:00

ICAEW exam results will be out in 6 days. I wonder if I even have a chance at the world prize.

Then the week after that something exciting happens too. 28 January. I shall not blog about it in case some people read about it and decide to take action and screw me up. So I'll blog about it after 28 January. Patience.

It has been a long week for me. Staring at my computer screen from 8am till 8pm. I feel my eyes have aged 2 years over the past 2 weeks.

Maybe I should go and sleep now. It's only 10.45 pm. But I really need to catch up on my beauty sleep.

Next week is a new client. New challenge. Hopefully I get some sort of staff benefits. Woot.

That's all for now.

I want an iPhone.

Or an iPod Touch.

Like really really want.

OK toodles.

Imma

2010-01-13T22:11:00.000+08:00

Busy!

2010-01-06T23:25:00.002+08:00

My GPS windscreen mount thingiemajiki spoilt. So I had to spend a lot of money on another one.

Now I'm broke.

Bleh.

Today the finance director brought the whole audit team on a factory tour. It was SO awesome. Seeing how they made the packaging for medical equipments (the pouch thingie they put syringes one and many other stuff). And the plastic packaging for Dutch Lady chocolate milk.

How they print one colour by one colour until the final product. Then laminate it with aluminium foil on the inside.

So omg awesome.

It rox.

And we also had to dress up with safety gear coz like the packaging has to be sterile and making food packaging and yada yada so have to be clean la. So we went around wearing what looks like a ~~space suit~~ bee catcher's suit. Will post pictures when I get it from my colleague.

OK time to sleep. Nights.

McUpdates

2010-01-06T00:07:00.002+08:00

My client was funny today.

At about 7 something my colleague went out to take water. Then on the way back I overheard (from the meeting room we're sitting in): "Mr Auditor, 还不要走啊？浪费我们的电吧了。。。" (Mr Auditor, still not leaving ah? Wasting our electricity only)

My colleague, obviously stunned, replied "哇！你这么说我不是没话讲了咯" (Wa! Say like that, I'm speechless lo).

Then the client replied: "我们 layan 你们到五点吧了，过后就不管你们咯" (We layan you all until 5 o'clock only, after that we don't care anymore).

Me and my senior in the room wanted to laugh but cannot laugh. And my colleague was obviously speechless. And we got the hint. And left soon after that.

So funny.

Then went for leader's meeting. Pr Daniel gave everyone a book. Then 2nd tier time Pr Foo also gave all the leaders a book. And a CD. Left church tonight with a handful.

Then went to the gym. Only to realise that there was no water when I wanted to shower. So cannot shower lo.

Then went to Kar How's place to pick up Tau Sar Pneah. I accident ring his bell so many times. Only to realise that his parents were around, and I woke them up. O.O

More work tomorrow. This client is going to be very rushed I think. So don't think I'll get to come home much.

Oh wells....

2009 at a glance

2010-01-04T10:16:00.001+08:00

It is a brand new year and time for a customary blog post reflecting the year that just gone by. Coincidentally, it is also my blog's 1,000th post. What a meaningful way to commemorate my 1,000th post, one reflecting the ups and downs of the past year (or even better, the past decade).

In case you haven't realised, we have stepped into a brand new decade. The past decade, dubbed the Noughties (80s - eighties, 90s - nineties, 00s - noughties), was really a time of growing up for me. I remember when we were crossing over into the past decade, the world was panicking about computer systems crashing coz it was a new millennium and the computers would not be able to process the new date. Thank goodness nothing major happened. There was a serious amount of unnecessary scare as even the air cond in my sister's room had a "Y2K Compliant" sticker. Seriously, what's the worst that could happen with an air con? Blow up in flames like a dinosaur and swallow anyone in that room?

But everyone panicked at the potential outcome of the computer systems not being able to go from year 1999 to year 2000. People updated their bank passbooks fearing that the systems will reset your bank balance to zero. Everything you buy you'll be looking for the Y2K Compliant sticker. And on that night itself, people stayed up to hear news on whether our counterparts in the other parts of the world (New Zealand I think), who would be crossing over before us. And it soon turned to be an unnecessary scare.

With the crossing over to the new millennium, I also crossed over from primary school into secondary school. I was still young and carefree that time. The world was in my hands (or so I thought), all I had to do was open my mouth and I'll be fed, stick out my hand and I'll be clothed.

Looking back on the past millennium, I finished high school, survived college, breezed through uni and joined the corporate slaves. What people say is true, that your time in college is the best year(s) of your life. Of my 15 years of formal education, the most memorable would be my year at college. It was a good thing Taylor's put you into classes and the teachers come to you instead of you going to your individual classes. We say each other for all day everyday, and grew to form a bond so strong we did silly things.

I'll never forget the time when we celebrated our class mentor's birthday. The monitor somehow managed to get hold of her car keys, and we filled her car with balloons. I don't know how she managed to get into her car or what she did with the balloons, but it was great fun committing that crime. Or how we would discus our assignments in an MSN chatroom with crazy amounts of people, agree on what points to write and surprising our lecturer with similar answers. She came in the next day and said "I realise that you all discussed or something, coz all the statistics you gave me were all the same, and the ideas and points were similar".

That was fun....discussion in an MSN chatroom. With 10+ people in a chatroom, you imagine la. Chaos.

Anyway, back to the original purpose of this post.

2009 was another significant transition for me. The year started off with me counting down at Civic square with a couple of close friends and watching really awesome fireworks. And to celebrate the new year, I received news that I wond 500 Canadian Dollars from this game I play on facebook. It was unexpected, but I eventually did receive the money from the guys at MouseHunt.

A lot of packing and a couple of farewells later, it was time to say my last goodbyes at Canberra airport. Being a rather small airport, anyone and everyone could go to the waiting area, not just passengers. So my friends stayed with me until the moment I hopped onto the plane heading for Sydney. Had my last meal at Sydney Airport with Kar How and left a piece of my heart in Australia. As much as I wanted to stay, it was time to come back to my tanah air.

Then came the uncertainty of which job to take up. I had an offer from PwC before I graduated, but also put in an application for the Securities Commission. Back then, I wanted that job in SC so badly. But in hindsight, it was probably better that I rejected the offer from SC. If I did take up that job offer, I'd be stuck there for 6 years, and I'd have close to no friends in there taking ICAEW with me. I might even be the first student to pursue ICAEW from SC, since none of my lecturers had students from SC.

It was also in February that I bought my first fully functional car. ~~The first ever car I bought would be the one I crashed and had to buy over from my friend to dispose as scrap metal back in Aussie~~. It was so exciting getting a car, and together with the bank loan the bank threw in 2 credit cards for me. It's like buy one free one.

Then came March where I started work. On the first day you feel all glamorous and proud, joining one of the world's largest accounting firm. You're treated to a two day one night stay at Port Dickson where they ~~brainwash~~ introduced you to the firm, followed by two weeks of audit training before you're released into the real world. And it just went downhill from there. I've read so many emails about auditors and work in the past year that maybe I should post up a few here in the near future. Like comparing work and prison (with prison life turning out better than work) and stuff like that.

Soon, May came by and I turned 22. My sister had a fabulous surprise dinner planned out for me. It was also on my birthday that I added Power Grid to my collection of board games. It was good celebrating my birthday back home again, after celebrating my past 3 birthdays in Aussie.

The week after my birthday, I got baptised. (I hear some of you say "it's about time"). I've been with DUMC for so long, but I never really went for the classes and got baptised. It was a significant milestone for me, publicly declaring my faith.

Soon after that came the LOUD concert. It's the one time I'm back in Malaysia and able to attend LOUD but I had to fracture my ankle and miss it (again). It was my first time having to go to the A&E section of the hospital. My first time doing an X-Ray on my left ankle. My first tie doing a CT Scan on it as well. First time using crutches. First time having a fibreglass cast applied to my left ankle. But many X-Rays later, I am able to walk again. But it hasn't fully recovered, like sometimes I squat down and it just feels weird and a bit painful. Or how if I cross my leg then it's a little painful. But good thing nothing more serious happened.

It was also in July that I got my work published by a famous local radio station. I Gotcha-ed my bestest bestest bestest bestest best friend. It was hilarious. It was also a good thing that I broke my leg, so I could stay home and stalk the radio every morning waiting to record the gotcha call.

August passed by pretty slowly coz I was stuck at home most of the time. I was on hospitalisation leave and had to stay home most of the time since it was too troublesome to go out with a fractured leg.

I also started my ICAEW course in October. It was such a great feeling being back in uni, carrying books and having little to worry about. It was BLISS. The exams were fine, the classmates were crazy. It was a good time studying and playing during my study leave. But it all soon came to an end and it was time to go back to work.

Then recently, Christmas came and it was time to usher in the new year. This Christmas celebration was somewhat different. It was not something major, just that I didn't get my usual gingerbread man. It's somewhat significant coz it was always Enoch and Rachael who made them. And this year Enoch wasn't even around to bake it. Also, this year Allan and I were not around during Christmas eve to do any sort of baking at all. I guess I can't expect things to remain the same all the time. =(

That sums up my 2009.

Overall, I'd say 2009 was a rather bad year for me. Ever since I started work, there was technically no time for me at all for other things. Staying at my client's place until 10pm sometimes 12am, there's hardly any time left at all for anything else. So most of my time is spent at work.

It was also in 2009 that I decided that I'm going to try migrating. I have my mind set on leaving the country in the near future. I've checked the immigration websites of Australia, UK and Canada so many times it's not funny. Soon I'll have my one year working experience to get my additional points for the application and it's time to submit and wait...

My 2009 was a pretty bad year, hopefully 2010 will be better. Although I doubt it since I'll be stuck at work most of the time. But if I start the year off expecting it to be a bad year, chances are it's going to end up a bad year. So maybe I'm going to make the most of the year, however bad it's going to be. I'm going to see my work as positively as I can, and make the most of it while I can. And hopefully I'll be able to make a visit to Canada some time this year, so I'll have something to blog about other than work when I review 2010 at the beginning of next year.

2010, I've been expecting you...

Singapura...

2009-12-22T10:43:00.002+08:00

I is in Sing Jia Poh!

The land where escalators are in a hurry, people walk so fast and even the MRT run much faster.

~~And the land where iPhones are much cheaper, their internet actually works and food is much cheaper~~

Anyway I'm off to Body Worlds later. And the Science Centre. It's going to be fun I think.

Will update when I update. Toodles.

A-tissue.....

2009-12-13T19:37:00.003+08:00

It's only my first time working over a weekend and I'm already sneezing like a madman. I feel a flu coming. Oh wait. Does that mean I can take MC for 16 and 17 to go camp? Hmm.....

A-tish-oo...

I will bring praise

2009-12-11T23:40:00.002+08:00

You know how if you pray for patience God doesn't give you patience but instead lets you cross path with the top 100 most annoying people in the face of the earth?

Someone must have been praying for contentment on my behalf ~~or maybe I was praying for contentment in my sleep...i'm not sure~~. Coz there's just SO many things that struck me lately. If I'm not careful I'm going to turn into the most bitter person in the world. Hmmm. Time to be contented with life and stuff.

But it's really hard....

This is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on its way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

I will bring praise, I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice, I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

All of my life, in every season
You are still God, I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

Such is life.....

2009-12-11T21:43:00.002+08:00

I'm trying to be positive about work. Ever since MissLydia commented on my post here, I think I have been subconsciously choosing to be positive about what I do. I mean, when I talk to people I still tell them how much I loathe my job, but the past few days of work has flew by quickly, and I haven't had the heart to complain about my job. Well, I still think of life outside Malaysia, but as for now, I might stay on till 16 March 2010, but not sure how long after that I'll actually stay.

Depends on how long more my subconscious mind continues to pump out serotonin to keep me happy enough to not hand in my resignation letter.

Or maybe it's because of the people I work with. I scared my colleagues actually read my blog so I shan't elaborate much about the people I work with. But the team I'm with now is actually bearable. Or slightly fun. So if you want to know more, talk to me personally.

My friend just got his Aussie PR today. I very jealous.

I was so jealous I was almost bitter. But then I thought to myself. Being bitter doesn't change the fact that he's got his ticket to leave Malaysia, but it's only going to eat me from the inside. AND I can actively choose to be happy for him. So I did that. It's REALLY difficult, but I think someone's character really needs building up. And so while he's still around I'll hang out with him more often lo.

And I was also thinking. Why bother to get to know someone and get close to them. When you know that eventually you're going to go separate ways. Ending up in different parts of the world (hopefully). But then to once have a great friend way trumps never having a great friend just because you know that in the end you're going to go separate ways.

I'll choose 5 great awesome possum wonderful friends over 1,000 so-so friends. Any day. So those who want to apply to be great awesome possum wonderful friends of mine, take a number, fill up the Form 1A, Form BFF234 (amendment 20), Form Friends-for-Sale 2.1 and throw it into the dustbin. It'll reach my imaginary secretary who will forward the application to me.

And wait. My imaginary secretary will call you if you're shortlisted for the interview.

I can't believe myself....

2009-12-09T18:06:00.002+08:00

I just did the stupidestest thing at work today. It was 5 o'clock. And I was packing to leave the office with my friend. ~~Well I wasn't the only one leaving early, and neither am I the earliest to leave early~~

So anyway my friend had a claim form to submit, and he didn't bring his staff tag so I had to go with him to the 9th floor to submit the claim la (I was sitting on 15th btw).

So okay lo. Quick stop only ma.

And when I walked out of the lift, on the other side of the glass door was one of the Senior Manager in my industry. OMG. Then while trying to avoid detection I walked to the other side of the lift lobby. OMG OMG MY CAREER COACH WAS STANDING THERE TALKING TO ANOTHER MANAGER. (Both are managers in my industry group).

And in my heart I was like [insert friend's name here] it's all ur fault!

Haha. Then while trying to make as little movement as possible, my career coach walked out and ask us "going to client ah?" And we jokingly said yea. And she said go take the stairs down one floor and wait for the lift la. Don't make it so obvious.

=S Like. ZOMG. Reminder to self: Never EVER ever EVER go to 9th floor WITH my laptop bag at 5pm to submit claim form. Ugh. Or be meaner to my friend. For potentially getting me into trouble.

HARH?!

2009-12-08T23:04:00.004+08:00

Today was my exam. Everything went well. I finished each question ahead of time. I was having a good feeling about it. Having some time to think and structure my answers was good.

Until it was about 2 minutes before the invigilator will scream "Time's UP!", I decided to read the instructions to candidate.

And happily sitting on number 4 was this:

"Answer each question in black ink".

I stone there for a milisecond.

I'M SUPPOSED TO ANSWER IN BLACK PEN MEH. HOW COME I DIDN'T GET THE MEMO.

And it all finally clicked. Right before the exam started the invigilator babbled about an announcement from the Institute that in future sitting we have to answer in black pen. He did say this sitting blue pen is fine. BUT HE IS FROM BRITISH COUNCIL, NOT ICAEW.

Sigh. Hopefully I don't ruin my chances for world prize la. No heading no world prize. Don't answer in numerical order no world prize. Not that I'm actually going to get it, but hope is a good thing to have...

And as for me, I am officially going to disappear from the face of the earth. Work is going to swallow me, I'm going to be worked like there's no tomorrow. Wait. There is a tomorrow. It's just that all my work I receive today are due yesterday. So I'll have fun.

~~And maybe by the time I sit for my next ICAEW papers I'm in BDO Binder not PwC~~

Simple words I bring

2009-12-07T10:53:00.003+08:00

It's been a roller coaster week for me. Don't wish to elaborate much. And this morning I woke up thinking of this song written by my church youth group. So I'm keeping this post short and simple.

Simple words I bring
May they touch your heart
In the secret place
Majestic you are

I will sing of your mercy
And tell of your love
I will open my heart and proclaim

You alone are God in this place
I will sing my praise to You
Sing my praise to You
You alone are the maker of my heart
You're the God who reigns
Forever I will sing your praise

Beautiful One
Love of my life
With You I'll soar again
Mercy unending
Love unfailing
Glory to you

Me Myself and I

2009-12-05T00:05:00.002+08:00

Everytime I see my managers update their status on facebook, it's probably something to do with work.

Stresssss

Why am I so busy at this time of the year (and they post this all year round)

And everytime I see such updates, I tell myself, I hope I never become like them.

But that's at least 5 years down the road. And I'm only bonded for 4 years with PwC. So at the end of 4 years, if I'm still in PwC, please remind me to resign alright. March 16, 2013.

Hopefully by the end of 4 years, IF I manage to stay that long and haven't died from working too much, I hope I'll at least have a girlfriend. Maybe even a family already. Who knows. Audit will NEVER be my profession when I have a family. Coz it's just wrong. If I ever be a dad, I wanna be around to watch my kids grow up, coz they only do that once. NEVER an auditor when I start a family. Ever. Amen.

Unless, of course, if the world ends on Dec 21, 2012. As predicted in the movie 2012. Then it's a totally different story.

Chi Yao --> Monster

2009-12-04T00:52:00.003+08:00

I was up cleaning up my room coz my brother is coming back tomorrow. And I have things everywhere.

And I stumbled upon the little autograph book thingie from my form 5 days. It was kind of a shocker to me, coz reading through it, I realise that who I was back then is definitely not who I am right now.

People said I was jovial, cheerful, funny, talkative, only had positive things to say. Some even wondered if I ever get angry at all.

Now, half of what they mentioned is no longer true. I somehow have become so much less talkative, only responding if you ask me a question. Talking to people has since become a chore, and most of the time I have nothing to talk about. I only respond, hardly initiate conversations. And only having positive things to say? Gosh. When was the last time I had something positive to say.

It feels like I've turned into this ugly, bitter, lonely, quiet man-witch trolling the streets...Did Australia change me? Maybe. Or maybe audit has changed me. I often put the blame on audit. Me having no life? Audit. Me being paid peanuts? Audit. Me can't go for camp? Audit. Me having to ask silly questions and annoy clients? Audit. Me becoming negative? Audit. Me not being social? Audit.

But half of it is probably true. I'm definitely turning into someone whom I'm not proud of. I should seriously consider a career switch. I can't go on being such a negative person. I can't go on in life hating my job, wondering if I'll ever get any life at all. Even my spiritual life has taken a hiatus.

O God, I'm afraid of this person I've turned into. I'm not sure what You have in mind putting me through this, but do show my Your way Lord. And do show me when I should write that letter, seal it and hand it to my boss.

Gym Beam

2009-12-01T00:30:00.002+08:00

So right, I was at the gym today at about 6 something. And OMGBBQ the gym was exploding with people. Treadmill all full. Baikicker also full. So I decided to go swim instead.

The Jaya33 pool totally rocks. It's like at the rooftop so you can actually see half the city. And it's different coz normal pools are on the ground floor and you can't see much coz your view is blocked. But being on the 4th floor, you can stalk people walking in and out of McD. And stuff like that. It's just plain awesome.

Me hearts Jaya33 pool.

Reminder to self: Don't go to gym at 6pm.

Rah rah rah

2009-11-29T20:48:00.003+08:00

Happy Wedding Anniversary
Kor Kor and Dai Sou. =)

Yesterday I became a member of True Fitness. For the next three years. Time to lose some weight and get healthy.

Found out today that my church is recording a live album and it'll be released on 31 December. =) Can't wait. We sang one of the song at church today. It was so awesome. Better than Hillsong. =) Che wah.

Final week of study leave. Back to work next next Wednesday. Sigh.

No more leave till next April. Sigh.

Anyway, I should go swim at Jaya33 someday. The pool is cool!

Dumb much?

2009-11-24T08:10:00.002+08:00

I was in Penang having lunch one day, and I overheard this conversation from the Koreans on the next table trying to place their order:

Lady: What is the soup of the day?

Waitress: Grean peas soup

Lady: What colour is it?

Me: ??!???!!?!!?!!?

The waitress was obviously dumbfounded but replied: Green

Updates

2009-11-20T23:09:00.002+08:00

I guess it's about time for an obligatory blog post.

I was at the gym today. Newbie gets a free training session or something like that. So the trainer got me working on all the major muscle groups. Chest. Shoulders. Back. Hands. Leg. Abs. And omg I'm so out of shape my hands like jelly d. Driving also can't turn the steering wheel properly. =S

Penang was good. Ate so much. Still missing the Pasembur I ate there. OMG la so good. It would be totally worth it to just drive all the way there just to eat the pasembur and come back. Yumm.

And I decided to open my office email today. Only to find 28 new emails. And found out that I have been requested for stock count on 31 Dec and 1 Jan. Poor me. (Not like I didn't see that coming anyway). So there goes my New Year's Day. Hopefully I can still make it for watchnight service.

On the bright side, I'll be counting Vitagen and Marigold products on 1 Jan. OMG maybe I'll like. Steal some and tell them they counted wrongly. =P

Pondering

2009-11-15T22:11:00.002+08:00

I want to boast. I want to boast about this great God I have.

Today our lecturer finished marking our answer scripts. And all I can say is that he said the answers of a few parts of the question was perfect, but he refuse to give me full marks for those parts. Like 5.5/7 although I memang get 7/7. And how there's this 13 marks discussion question that is just pure crap that he just gives marks to people who writes anything and everything, but mine he said he decided to slash my marks coz I got enough marks from elsewhere d. So he gave me a 5/13 for that part. -.-"

But it's good to know I'm actually doing well. Coz I thought I'd die in ICAEW at some point in time. But all's good so far. Thank God for giving me brains that can write things that I think is nonsense, but still makes sense and therefore get marks.

It's a good way to start the day. That though I've been pretty down lately, knowing that I did pretty alright in the test gives me enough happiness to last the day.

It's another day of class then I'll be off to Penang on Tues - Thurs with a friend. Hopefully I'll get to clear my head a little bit, hopefully do some soul searching. My friend has his agenda so I think I'll get a bit of alone time to ~~sit by the beach and ponder about life~~ have some personal time to think about the future.

And Pr Foo just had a leader's meeting over dinner tonight. About things that will be happening next year and how we are to set goals and stuff. There's this template thingie we get that helps us set our goals for next year and there's this section about "New Ventures" that we might consider venturing into.

And that got me thinking quite a bit. What exactly do I want to do with my life? Definitely NOT audit. I have considered opening a board game cafe. Or pursue my lifelong passion of teaching. Things that are definitely not what the general public does.

Well Loy Yang was random yesterday and he asked me "Chi Yao, if there's 2 roads in front of you which one will you take?". And my answer to him was "The other road". Except that all my life I've been taking the road that the general public takes. I've never had the guts to venture out and take the other road. But there's just so much risks involved.

And so I was thinking about the CG goals. Hmm. I just got back from Aussie, and then it was CHS CG. With 1 regular member. And then when CHS and PJDU combined, I went on study leave. So I know no one from the PJDU CG, so how should I set the goals for CG? Not sure. And I'll disappear 6 out of the 12 months due to study leave, so I'm not sure how I'll be leading a CG. Hmm...

Well. There's a lot I've been thinking through lately. But ministry hasn't really been top of my pondering list. Maybe in Penang I'll get some enlightenment.

But for now, it's just me and my ICAEW text. Enjoying every bit of it before peak period comes and I decide whether to resign or not.