My blog lacks photos. Everything's on facebook. I would really love to blog, but obviously I haven't got the hang of managing my time well enough to find time and energy to upload photos onto blogger and sort and arrange and write.
But yeah it's been one interesting tail-end of a week. First hormonal, then emo, then drama, then sian, then antisocial, then ponder, then remorse, then emo again.
All in a span of 2 days, of which one was supposed to be my big day. I won't count the day completely ruined though. But it could have been a better, happier, brighter day. I feel somewhat sore for missing out on the enthusiasm, the photos, the smiles and the goofs. Blame it on myself.
The rest of the week shall be great, even though I've not read up for tomorrow's session and touched saturday's case and I'm heading straight to bed to rest my tired, puffy, sleep-lacking eyes and silly mind.
Parry says sure first to be eliminated. Tsk. Horrid horrid sense of direction and recognition ability. For the first time, I didn't have Parry in the passenger's seat. I had Lian and she helped read the map and look out for signs and exits while I was the bad driver getting high beamed and horned at for last minute indecisive swerves and cuts. But we are safe! Protected in the anointed car. (: To and back from Little India in 2 whole pieces.
Ok I definitely need more time and experience on the roads. I'm still the inconsistent, unknowing, unaware, apathetic, but sometimes undaunted driver on the road. I've thickened my skin and started becoming immuned to the horning and impatience of other drivers towards me. I figure that's the only way I can gain experience on the roads. Initially apprehensive and averse to taking the car out without Parry to an unknown location, I decided there's no way I'm gonna be able to drive by myself if I don't get out of my comfort zone of just driving us to church and back home on Sundays. All my life I've been driven around and either I'd be stoning, reading or sleeping on car rides, so much so that now I've got a horrible sense of direction and I can't even remember the way to places that I've passed by a million times.
So if you see a P-plater on the roads, give chance la. Good drivers are not born right?
Also, my experience today told me I should learn to be more patient with others too, especially if I want people to be patient with me.
But of course I had a fun night doing Indian things and driving around trying to figure stuff out. I hope I didn't give Lian too many heart attacks. Thanks for the company!
Entering week 3. The busyness doesn't really stop. Not that the store's bustling (I wish it would a lil more!!), but it's the going home to more work part! Just had a mind-numbing session with this week's assignment on diagnostic test kits. I give up!! Shall finish up tomorrow.
I think I had a pretty faboo weekend. Saturday was spent at the PSS opening ceremony. Some kind of opening ceremony it was. I just wish I could be spoken to like I'm an adult. And one more wish that I can stop forking out so much money even before I start earning a proper pay! Was nice meeting the rest of the class though, after not seeing everyone for about 2 weeks!! Catching up, transferring photos and collecting our smelly new grad gowns. I was supposed to get Parry to do it for me and head back to the store first, but since the opening ceremony ended so early I decided to join everyone else for an extended chitchat session! oops.
In the end, all the people promoting cert laminating and photography services took up the time that I initially wanted to use to rush back to the store. So Parry drove us to work, but horror of horrors, we had a minor accident with another Nissan Latio some place in Tampines. We didn't catch the full details of the accident, but we had a feeling the car in front of the one we banged braked suddenly, causing the domino braking effect and us hitting the dude in front. The front-most car stopped for a few seconds, the driver didn't even get out and he escaped scott-free. -_-||| But really thank God that the guy we hit only suffered minor scratches and an unnoticeable bump and he wasn't the type to slam doors, yell and swear. He told us to decide ourselves on how we'd compensate him so we just gave him some cash. He even gave Parry his name card hah. Parry's car suffered a dent at the front but we were grateful it was really nothing major even though I thought the bang was loud. Why? Cos our car was anointed and hence protected only by God.
Then it was a rush to work, a tiring afternoon and then botak jones for dinner. Now that school's over, the only time we sit and talk is the weekend, short conversations over msn and if we happen to go home together which will probably be rarely the case since he finishes work an hour earlier than me and there's work to go home to and we all don't want to waste weekday time so that we can relax using weekend time.
Sunday saw us at first service in the morning with Lian and then unplanned shopping with her. I finally got down to checking out new makeup for myself. Decided that I should take greater care of my skin, what with all the zits and all and I was getting stronger and stronger nagging feelings that my previous makeup usage was inappropriate. Popped by Sephora, Body Shop and MAC to try their mineral stuff. Made a decision over lunch on yummy long-time-no-eat tako balls and shopping around Mango and Zara which didn't have anything I want. Or maybe it was more like I knew I was going to spend a bomb on makeup so I shouldn't be looking at clothes. So Body Shop seemed too light and non-lasting, while Sephora's kit had things I didn't need or want and would be wasting my money. So MAC it was, since I fancied the primer and concealer and the fact that the pressed powder compact would minimize wastage as compared to the powders which had to be poured out and swirled and tapped and then byebye to stuff landing on the floor. So byebye more than 150bucks!! Faints, but thank God for GST credits today. Perfect timing after all that bank account bleeding activities. So verdict? Past 2 days of MAC has been pretty ok - we'll see how the rest of the days go!
Popped by Far East to try on Kanye West shutter shades. It was so damn hilarious cos there were a million other types of goofy specs too and we were just trying them on and laughing our minds away. Too bad we couldn't take photos cos there were no photography signs everywhere. I want Kanye West shutters for grad dinner!!!
Okie pokes, just a little update of my busy life. I think my time management is getting a wee bit better. I came up with a plan to work from 8pm to 12 midnight when I get home from AM shifts, then sleep til 8am the next morning. For PM shifts, I wake at 730-8am, work from 830am to 1230pm, then get ready for work, get home from work and sleep til 730-8am. Been doing quite ok so far. By the way, my mum thinks my job is too damn crazy. She doesn't get the work, come home, work some more. What to do? No license yet mah. Wait til I start something!! Hor, business partners?? ;)
Right bed time, it's past the stipulated 12midnight limit.
Stall: a booth or stand in which merchandise is displayed for sale, or in which some business is carried on (sometimes used in combination): a butcher's stall; a bookstall.
Store: 1. an establishment where merchandise is sold, usually on a retail basis. 2. a storehouse or warehouse.
I kept thinking store is like storage space, so for the past few posts I've been using stall when talking about my shop. Confused la. So now I'll just use shop.
2nd time in 1 day that I'm back here blogging. What a rarity. So first discussion over. Nice, relaxed, easy-going atmosphere. I like. Still got donuts for tea. Woots, I like my work, workplace, colleagues. Then it was back to the shop. The morning shift folks were hoping the discussion would end ASAP so they could go home, but the afternoon shift peeps (ahem me!) were fine with sitting around and listening to our boss talk about some new happenings in the pharmacy world.
Shall be professional and not put my judgment and opinion online for the world to see, but by saying that, obviously I can't see eye to eye with what's going on. Or more like what's being planned out. Out to work already, need to practice some ethics yar. But whatever it is, it's nice knowing that at least my company stands up for its people.
Ok enough said.
Shop's been doing only ok so far. But it's good in a way cos my boss has time to talk to me about certain stuff that the others in busier shops don't have the time for. And I've been doing lots of standing-squatting-standing-squatting while learning stuff about merchandising, especially during the change of promo items. There's also in-store marketing ideas that we help to think of and carry out and it somehow feels rewarding to see myself in the process. Then there's being in charge of 2 shelves and their stock level. (Note to self: stock take tomorrow again!) I've also been getting a little more independence for dispensing and counselling, although most times I still have to get back to the boss cos I'm never fully sure of my stuff. Slowly but surely haha.
Besides, the company in the shop is good. Floor staff are patient with teaching all the money stuff - scary stuff and I feel terribly bad cos I still fumble about with change and the various procedures and then I slow everything/everyone down. Boss is pretty chatty and friendly. And the preceptorship juniors are easy to talk to as well. 3 of them have already finished batch 1 preceptorship, but they're staying on to work part time, so the shop's never quiet.
At the end of work today, my man showed up to fetch me home. How sweet is that, I didn't even ask. For the past few days on night shift, he's been picking me up from Buona Vista MRT and sending me home cos it's a lil dark and scary to wait for the bus by myself next to a construction site. Anyway, I didn't really get fetched home cos I drove!!!! YAY!!! I realised tonight that I'm one of those women who actually like to drive after a tired day at work, especially if the journey is long. I somehow feel free and uninhibited. Haha oops yes the expressways again. I was going at 110km/h - what I really need would be the top of the car down. Haha so much for once saying that I would be happy being fetched around.
Ok I'll be meeting the rest of the class in 8 hours' time!! Shucks I better head to bed cos there's still work after that. But yay!! I'm excited to meet the rest of the clique, now that all our schedules are such a jumbled mess and organising something would probably be difficult. Gonna hit the bed with semi-wet hair now.
Ever since work at the stall started, I haven't been eating proper meals. For one, the culture at the stall is that the pharmacist packs food and eats behind the counter, so I followed suit. For two, I guess I'm just being stingy with myself. No paycheck yet, but already gone shopping, need to pay for grad dinner and gown and I guess I won't be able to bear watching the bank balance dip any further, so I eat whatever stuff my mum saved me for breakfast in the morning, together with a drink as one of my main meals. So the other day, my stomach screamed and even though I went out to buy a proper meal to eat, the stomach didn't stop whining the rest of the night.
So yes, aim to eat one full main meal from now on. At least yesterday, being the 25th meant that first paycheck for half a month's work in June should start coming in soon! WHEEEE!!!!
Night shift is starting to feel tiring, although I still think I'm more productive than day shift. This morning I refused to wake up until 9 and I refused to do any pre-reg work and now it's time to head out for our first discussion session. I hope I can be as meticulous and efficient next week!
It seems as though night shift days are more productive than day shift ones. Wake up bright and early - sit down and work on my homework, check mail, play restaurant city, maybe blog - get ready for work - head out - work - home - concuss.
Whereas for day shift: wake up bright and early - take my own sweet time to get ready - head out - work - home - dinner - check mail - sleep i.e. no work done.
But I don't wanna do nights forever!! It's super no life. Only good for when there's work to be done. Obviously I still haven't found the skill of sorting my time and life out. I haven't found time to run, relax, blog, read or just vegetate - something which is so far far away now that the real work has start.
And I just realize I totally forgot about the MIMS job. RIGHT. Meh. I should aim to run on my day shift weeks and maybe pop by the Tampines Adidas office or Safra for exercise since I'm gonna be an eastie for the next 3 months.
Travelling up and down on the MRT isn't that a bad thing actually. It's not terribly troublesome and it gives me some time to breathe and stone. Ok maybe I do have time to vegetate actually. Not that work is super duper busy or what, it's just that at the end of the day, whether the stall was crowded or not, you'll still feel tired from being up on your feet, from trying to learn the operations stuff and remember the clinical stuff, while being nice and friendly to all. But I must say the people where I work are nice and friendly too and now I'm called xiao3 mei4 by one of the older PAs. Maybe it's just the company. Whatever it is, I like my choice and I hope to like it still at the end of 9 months.
The printer, that is. I'm trying to control my temper now and not be the one that's down and out. I just need to print my homework for the week. It's ok if the printer's cuckoo, I can do it another time. CHILL.
So this is what studying and working and doing another part-time job feels like. Not that I've started the studying bit though. Well, at least I'm not going cuckoo, although I still want time that I can use to do absolutely anything without a care. It's so strange that my weekends from now on have to be cut by half because I've always practiced a "no studying on weekends" policy since I was a teen. And now I've gotta work on either a Saturday or a Sunday every week. And for the first week, I've been coming home from my full-time job to my part-time job. There better be time second week onwards for all of these. Ok no moping please.
Things on my to-do list: 1. Pharm law session questions 2. Part-time editing for MIMS 3. Read up on Tamiflu 4. Do up 2 Rx, 3 minor ailments, 1 DI
I need to start setting goals for myself. There's a million boxes on the million checklists and evaluation forms for skills and knowledge that I need to dig up from somewhere in the recesses of my brain or pick up really soon. The past week has really flown by quite quickly. 2 days of orientation, 4 days of being on the shop floor. I've learnt basic cashiering and tallying sales, which by the way is quite nerve-wrecking for a noob, what with all the money involved. As for clinical knowledge, can I say that sometimes I feel like I never really went to pharmacy school. Each time a customer asks me a question, I feel so unsure and terribly rusty and most times I've got to refer the question to the pharmacist and even the year 2 preceptorship students!! SO LAO KUI!! And in the instance I have the answer, I have a hard time looking for the product on the shelves. Need super-duper huge memory space in the brain! Or maybe like photographic memory. And now I've gotta make space for the operational part. I've only been tallying and keying in sales, stock receiving and ordering, price-tagging etc but I still forget where to click on the online database and stuff like that.
Orientation is over. Tomorrow is where we're thrown into the deep blue sea, but it's nice knowing we won't sink. Well, that's according to our boss here at Unity. It's been a positive 2 days of orientation, albeit the crazy information overload. There's this and that to do, this and that person to remember, this and that date to take note of and most of all this and that relationship to build. Yeah I know it seems endless.
Yesterday was nice and easy and it saw us sitting and listening to the various departments' introduction of themselves, followed by an introduction to merchandising, layout and some operational stuff at the outlet at Tampines 1, which is the outlet that I'll be posted to for the next 3 months. Yes, far but I guess there's better things to do with my energy than to complain about it, but when the going gets tough, I hope I don't ever forget about what I just typed.
Today was about looking at the longlonglong list of what a retail pharmacist at Unity is in charge of. I felt crazy overwhelmed for a moment, but I paused and realized that I am in for a learning journey of a million things that will most probably be really useful in my other future possible career(s). You know, think along the lines of boss of some business someday haha. Then we headed down to the Suntec branch for roleplay with the pharmacist and floor staff, with each of them playing Mr. Nasty and Ms. Unreasonable and we, of course none other than the pharmacists. I got a totally different type of case though. While everyone else got nasty customers, I got a case which tested my probing skills, which by the way have super alot of room for improvement. And when I needed to bank on my clinical knowledge to carry on the roleplay, I was completely stumped. I searched my brain but it's like byebye all 4 years of mugging. And what was the topic? Allergic rhinitis. Haha I don't even know whether to laugh my mental block off or to get scared and buck up. But, comfort of comforts, the other 10 of my fellow pre-reg warriors (as named by our training executive) had some stumped faces too. Phew we've got a lot to learn!
The people here seem nice and seemingly fun-loving when there's no need to be firm and serious. Of course it's only the first 2 days and we only had time to barely scratch the surface of the people we meet. But you know first impressions so far, to me, are quite great and I really hope I'll be doing this with an open mind and heart to learn and not be scared and apprehensive. I'm sure we all have our strengths and weaknesses and I really do hope to find out some of my strengths and have confidence cos I've always got this thing about being terribly unsure of myself. And now that we're out to work, it's no longer funny when it comes to being unsure about things. BUT I think and I believe I should go in happy, like what the boss says about the sunshine disposition. Although there'll be rain and storms even, the sun will eventually still shine.
I think the past 2 Sundays of sermons by Pastor Brian Houston and Pastor Prince placed a lot of emphasis of the kind of attitude that I must carry these 9 months. Actually and forever at work and everywhere. The attitude that believers are not just nobodies and anybodies floating around the world, but we're somebody because we're Christ-like and that each talent and skill we have are God's ministries and our day-to-day lives and jobs are God's platforms to use us. It's great to hear Pastor Houston say that it's not like only full time church staff hear "Well done good and faithful servant" when they get to heaven, but everyone else does too cos everyone else is being used some way or another, whether is it the cleaner auntie or the student or the CEO of some mega company or the housewife. And I felt encouraged when he said let whatever little that we have be opportunities and not restrictions to be and to receive blessings cos most times I really feel like I have very little. Not the smartest, not the prettiest, not the savviest, not the etc. SO WHAT. It's time to live and see that His grace is really sufficient for each day.
And Pastor Prince's preaching was the most apt I've heard to gear me up for work and the unknown. He talked about adversities and how they're bread and food for growth. I can barely see adversity as a good thing because I always see it as me, myself and I and then wonder if God will show up, although time and again He never fails. Pastor said that things are not meant to be fought for by ourselves, but if we can learn to see God in them, even in the adversities (NB: not that God gave them, but He uses them), that's where we appreciate that even if it gets tough, there's some good that's eventually gonna come out of it. I'm starting small, by seeing that even though I'm gonna spend 6 months in the unfamiliar farflung places called Tampines and Marine Parade, it's still all good cos maybe I'll learn to manage my time which I've never quite done all this while, or maybe I'll get to shop at Uniqlo and the nice stationery shop at Tampines 1, or maybe I'll meet my eastie friends like Agnes. Whatever it is, let's not spend time and energy moping over the small things.
Cos God says a merry heart does good like medicine and even medical science has proven it. And one more powerful thing to catch is that nobody can ever make you mad. It's about what you believe inside. Easier said, but we all start somewhere with baby steps, especially for a person who's terribly impatient and short-fused.
It's just the first day of the first week of work. I start positive and if I turn negative and complain-y somewhere along the way, people who see the point of this post, please nudge and remind me again that I'm backed by Someone bigger and there is no condemnation, but I just start again. Okok? Boleh. (As often used by the boss.)
Signing off with something else my mum sent me. Another very apt thing for work and every other thing for that matter. Bold ones should have extra importance. 1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's ok to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's ok to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.
Written by a 90-year-old columnist. I hope I don't learn all of these only when I hit 90. Better to start now and save the bitterness.
There's not even a hint of moving air on this warm, still night. Can we go back to rainy Decembers please?? The weather is such a killer these days that sometimes after a shower, I feel like it was pointless anyway.
So I'm nearing the start of work. Before I head off to crash Lian's place in KL for a couple of days with the rest of the 4 delinquents, here's a short run-down of whatever that's happened so far in my simple plain holiday life.
There was my first run event of the year at Sundown. Did the women's 10km with Joy and Agnes. All was good except for the pretty narrow route without full road closures and the general lack of running etiquette in the participants. The good thing was, the organisers did a feedback survey at the end of the event, so I could write all those down and maybe they could take action next year. Speaking of next year, I think I shall attempt the full marathon. I think it was a spur of a moment inspiration in the morning following the run when I went to get Parry from the finishing line after his 42km. I thought since I could finish half last year without too much problem in the day, maybe I could try a full in the night. No full in the day yet - the thought of heat for 6-7 hours turns me off.
Before.
At the start line.
After.
At the end of it all, I think I haven't lost my stamina to hold up for 10km, but what I think I've lost is the muscle strength to keep me going on. I ached after 6-7km and the rest of the way was just willing myself to finish it ASAP. In the end the timing wasn't too bad.
Distance: 10km Time: 1hour 15minutes 2seconds
Thereafter, it was lazing around on the grass, sipping warm 100plus, taking silly photos and then off to supper at Changi Village market.
Agnes forgot to shave.
Agnes decided her arms could take the place of her legs.
Red jelly longan! The thing that the whole world queues up for at Changi Village.
The following morning, when I went to get Parry after a couple of hours of sleep and catching the earliest bus and train, I went to get a man who for only once or twice a year lets me do everything for him. His legs were so gone and my inspirational jolt disappeared for a bit while I was wondering what will happen to mine if I were to do a 42km next year, but the thought of satisfying pain sort of excited me a little. So masochistic, but we shall see if I will really get down and train for it. The rest of the day was spent napping, then churching, then Parry getting sabo-ed for a Blackberry roadshow game, then chatting with Randall Tan at the roadshow (nice guy by the way!!), and then Parry getting hooked onto the Blackberry. That's another story for another time.
Then, there was an eye for detail after catching Angels and Demons (it was only so-so). The 4 delinquents were heading for dinner at Yoshinoya at 8.55pm. There and then in the queue, we spotted a promotion signboard that was placed on a not-so-obvious side table. It was free beef bowl day with a free beef bowl with every set purchased. Most of all, the promotion was ending at 9pm!!! Good deal indeed!
That week also saw me attending one of the most torturous courses I've ever attended. I though it'd be fun with hands-on lessons judging from Joy's Red Cross photos, but turned out the First Aid course at St. John's was such a drag and a bore, the only thing I looked forward to during the 3 days was the end of those 3 days. We learnt quite little and there was barely any hands-on. Granted, the old man was experienced after his decades of First Aid practice, but he had such a horrible penchant of calling people bloody fools, in the course of 3 days I think I actually started to feel like one. Besides, he had a tendency to talk about things that have absolutely no link to First Aid. Sex education for students was an example.
And way back some longlong time ago, before the whole world flew away, there was steamboat at Joy's to celebrate hers and Yi Xuan's birthdays. Lots of veggies, mushrooms, balls, prawns and spoilt sotong and a totally to-live-for Bakerzin cake. Lots of chatter, photos and strange dinner table topics too.
I miss my old fringe. Long and irritating, but nicer than short and toot. Hurry faster grow!!
Playing with leftovers.
This marks the near-end of my holi-holis. Off to 5 hours of sleep and 5 hours of bus to KL!! WOOT!!
