Crisis point

Spent most of last night's sleeping hours fretting about career directions in 2008. Having a family to support limits the options available. Irregular paycheck but exciting stuff? Probably not.

Had a minor epiphany when looking back at my working life. You know how some people put more energy into a second career (hobby?) than their day jobs? I'm exactly like that. Somehow, an after-hours job generates more passion. Maybe I'm highly unsuited for a regular 9-to-5 life. Unfortunately the pay from such work sucks, big time. It wasn't that much of a problem living as a bachelor. Perhaps this is what they mean by family life.


Photo credit: www.collider.com

We will see how things unfold in 2008. I'm keeping my cards close this time.

The first day of the year

New Year's Day and we have to deal with two fussy kids. I wonder how the rest of the year will turn out as Faith goes through a year of change. It will be a sore test of my patience. I wonder how Wifey and I will handle the demands of parenthood.

On the bright side, I am looking for another job this year. Somewhere that pays less but definitely less stressful.

I wonder how will I feel in 365 days' time?

Only God knows.

On the last day of the year

I would like to thank Wifey for 4 years together.

Starbucks Parkway Parade

Holland Drive Hawker Centre

Westin Stamford Lobby Lounge

Toa Payoh MRT Station

915 Fried Chicken

IMM Loading Bay

Dragon View Park

Ikea Alexandra

St. Bernadette's Church

Rose Garden Eatery, Melbourne

Old Airport Hawker Centre

Thomson Medical Centre

FAITH!!

Wee First Infant Care

Kowloon

Mt Alvernia Hospital

JOY!!

National Library Board (??)

Geraldine, I love you

Y2K + 7

Had a thought-provoking chat with a friend who's making a successful second career out of career-counselling friends. She had a convincing case for me returning to a vocation that I abandoned some years back.

I remember the day I stepped into the formalin-impregnated hall with 149 other hopefuls. Taking an oath of respect with our ungloved hands on the cadavers.

I remember the night I gave up it all up along the quiet lonely corridor in the pre-war building at Kampong Java.


Photo credit: www.cebam.be

I hear your advice and will keep it for the future. Thanks.

TV Mobile

So I was on the public bus these past days for one reason or another. The car being out of commission until the weekend. What hit me while on the bus was not the sardine-like conditions but the incessant noise emanating from the TV Mobile console.

For those not familiar with TV Mobile. It's the brand name of a free-to-air TV station on most public buses in Singapore. Commuters get to watch news and re-runs of local TV programme while on the bus. Not a bad idea until you realise that the volume is perpetually turned up to drown out the engine noise. I suspect this is done so that the advertisements may be heard regardless of traffic and crowd conditions.


Photo credit: www.coverville.com

TV images I can ignore but it's really hard to even think properly when I have the equivalent of someone shouting into my ears for the entire journey. I don't need to know, for the 101st time, that MacDonald's is giving away $10,000 dollars in a lucky draw. And I certainly don't need the entire cast of Phua Chu Kang teaching me the finer points of Singlish.

There is absolutely no private space on public buses nowadays. Not even private space for personal thoughts. I'm very sure that there are laws against such things in enlightened countries.