Hiding place

I am a walking zombie today, thanks to the mere 4-hour zzz. My work scope is never stale and hinges a lot on newsflow and what’s happening in the industry, bla bla bla… My day could start off slow and easy with long breakfast, manicure during lunch but turn 180 degrees south after market close. Checking for announcements on the SGX website before I sleep has become a daily routine for me (and Marcel), even as applying my night moisturizer... As soon as there's any relevant news, I start working again.

So what is the aftermath cure to stay awake the following day? I head to the office library for a power nap. My usual quick fix to a zombified day. I have a yoga mat and pillow hidden among the books at a corner. The kind and understanding librarian would signal to me when I can ‘check in’ after she’s done with her filing.

I lock the door, off the lights, lay my mat on the floor, take off my shoes, set the alarm and there I go, onto my condensed dreamland... After 20 minutes, I subtly walk out of the library, passing my colleagues and back to my desk with a fresh face. Erm.., I think my boss sort of knows the quirky practice but has been kind to pretend ignorant.

*My pillow is orange & brown in colour, the white & red ones belong to my collegues

Big sun room

Recently SL introduced me to Café Beviamo, Paragon. The small hideout is located along the corridor of level 5 (Marks & Spencer end). I must say, it serves one of the best and affordable café latte in town, much better than PS café on level 3. Don’t be misled by the ‘ang moh’ crowd because the prices are not expensive. Go during the day and enjoy the sunlight shining through the big window panel against the greenery landscape outside. It feels like a big sun room.

SL, Aleve and I made a pact to return in December on our “Pretend-to-be-tai-tai” playday. We will dress up nicely, stroll along Orchard Road on a weekday, shop for Christmas presents, stop by Café Beviomo for a cuppa, foot massage, high tea... Can't wait!

*Café Beviamo has another outlet in Tanglin Mall.

Heavy heart

Sometime May this year, I sent a string of sms/emails to people in my circle asking for B+ blood donation for my colleague’s 2 year-old niece, Jill, battling cancer. To my pleasant surprise, the response was overwhelming and my colleague was touched and impressed by these forthcoming people... I’m not sure if any of them got called up by the hospital for the donation eventually.
Every now and then I would get updates from my colleague on Jill’s development and how she's coping with the chemo...

Today, I received news that Jill has passed away last Thursday.

I’m sad though I've not met Jill but it's like I know her from far... Her obituary reads, “(She) followed Jesus to the heavenly playground after a valiant battle with Malignant Rhabdoid Tumour”, with a photo of her in a big happy smile.

She has fought a good fight in faith and will be remembered as a tough cookie by a lot of people whom she’s never met.

My prayers go to her family… and thanks to those who have courageously availed themselves to help Jill...

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful” -2 Tim 4:7

*image from chookooloonks.com

Market talk

My supposedly-free 2nd half of November is now packed with reports lining up to be written...Marcel commented that he can't do what I do for a living. Neh, I disagree. Anyone can be an analyst. All you need is a healthy body to strive through some late nights, read up and good human relations to talk to the right people. The rest is up to divine intervention :) Don't get me wrong, I'm not belittling my job. It feels really good when a stock under my coverage moves in the direction in my favour. If it doesnt, sorry! Over a longer-term, I would be right - whatever that comes down will go up and vice versa :)

A market analyst is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn't happen today!

Project rainbow

OUR recent daily breakfast conversation topics at work have been surrounding retrenchment and pay cuts like a broken record. So and so from XYZ, this and that person from ABC. Job cuts are happening at a breakneck speed in my industry. Some of my peers in other firms are not spared. Being too junior, one could be the first to go and being too senior, he or she could be considered as a "heavyweight" and targeted as the sacrificial lamb for the team. It's not about competence or loyalty anymore but a number game. It's sad but there's no point living in fear or constantly expecting judgement to happen like some around me...

Well, I've got nothing to hold on but on His grace. I'm going to start a project for myself called Project Rainbow - wear a rainbow on my head and not be a follower of the crowd with dark clouds over their heads... Ok ok this is a pure SK monologue, don't roll your eyes.

*image fr www.the6thdimension.com

He loves me, he loves me not

When I ask my husband: why do you love me. His answer is always the same- because you’re my wife (sigh, rolling my eyes).

Well, I have 22 things (today) that I love about my husband.

1. Jesus is his hero
2. He is my no. 1 fan
3. His wisdom
4. My friends can confide in him
5. His stamina to wake up at 6am every morning just to send me to work
6. Staying up till late (watching TV) to accompany me finish up my work
7. I can count on him at all times
8. His great photography skills (eg. pix on right)
9. He quietly clears all the hair that I dropped in the shower
10. Kids like him
11. His passion for laundry
12. He doesn’t leave his dirty laundry on the floor
13. He loves my cooking
14. He doesn’t nag at my chronically messiness
15. Good in planning holidays and excellent traveling companion
16. He writes well
17. He is efficient at work
18. Half-Hainanese convert
19. He has sexy calves
20. Handy man in the making
21. He downloads Chinese songs for me
22. He loves coriander & BCM
    
    
    

Sisterhood

They say that good girl friends tend to have their menstrual cycles coincide... Synchronous menstruation has been observed among mothers, sisters, daughters and friends who live together, and sometimes among women who simply work together. Hmm how about coincidental- syncrhonised attire??

2 days (in a row) of unplanned-synchronised-chopsticks-sisters attire