Prime Minister Lee shed figurative tears last week,saying that he and his ministers are underpaid: the floor rate for a minister should be S$2.2 million,but currently they're only getting S$1.2 million.
"Low salaries will draw in the hypocrites who sweet talk their way into power in the name of public service, but once in charge will show their true colour, and ruin the country." - Minister Mentor
Since I joined this company, I've encountered one after another. Ever so eager to please the boss and turns up only for work when the boss is around.
I like to call these people 'big heads' for the fact that they are really pretty egoistic. And if they see you as 'lower' or 'less crucial to their development', they treat you as an inferior. While the bosses are the supreme beings.
Please, just because someone is an admin, doesn't mean he or she is any less important.
Its pretty gross really. Watching all these happening around me. And for those who are truly working their butts off, not bothering to PMP, they just don't get appreciated as well.
Probably what has digusted me is not the fact that these 'big heads' exist. But the fact that the 'horse' himself can be so blind and deaf.
True, you may not be around all the time, and these 'big heads' try their best to put up their best performance in front of you. But it becomes too much when you believe an intern more than your entire army of staff who only has negative feedback on him.
However, thanks for helping me learn how not to be the type of boss that you are. I will always remember this... to treat those who are of value, better and to appreciate them more.
I'm not working because of you. I'm only working for you. This culture is just not me.
For now, at least what makes me happy is the great colleagues I have. The pool sessions that we have. The bubble teas that we drink. The long walks back and forth to the toilet together. All the times that we say we want to go karaoke, but never manage to find time to. The BSBH work that we do as a team. And the fact that we are always looking out for one another. I love these people. I love the sula 4 =)
Yet, its us whom I know will not be there forever.
The typhoon came and went once again. Nothing exciting really happened. But they somehow still left their mark in my life... no matter how many times they have come before, I still suffer from the same withdrawal symptoms.
Maybe its not them, but rather a weekend of having fun and late night suppers.
But after Sunday was over, Monday came again.. And it was back to work.
Didn't turn out as bad as I was worried it would be...
Boss' mood was very good today. Maybe when he discovers the things I have not done, or not done right, his mood wouldn't be this good =P
But as expected, I was flooded with loads and loads of work after the predicted meeting we would have each time he returns from overseas. The amount of stuff I have to chase for, the people who are chasing behind me..... its pure chaos.
I should feel honored that he believes I can handle this amount and variety of work.
production, release, admin, personal asst, marketing, event, design, video, backup singer, plus nanny-to-intern.... its me all rolled into one tight ball. No wonder I'm getting fatter hohoho.
Worked on till about 2am, played pool in between, before we went for prata. Yes, supper again! how many suppers am I to have within a span of just 4 days?
Whatever it is, working like a bull certainly got my life back on track.
I made a commitment to myself yesterday that I would make full use of what I have now. To achieve a little short term goal for myself. Its not a very big thing, but it would satisfy me great enough.
It'll definitely mean more to me than going to the airport just to wave bye to them.
When I finally achieve it, I will let you guys know about it =). Not in this blog for sure, but over our meals (for the mafia) and over our jam sessions (for hx & yj).
Just after i posted that previous message, I was staring at this photo and it suddenly felt so peaceful... so uplifting.
I don't know why, but they just have that power. It has been 7 years... the feeling only gets stronger.
It doesn't matter if they really are a rock band. It doesn't matter if their music got better or worse.
What matters is, their spirit never died. Their laughter never ceased. What matters is, they have always been and still is my greatest source of motivation and inspiration. The fire rekindles itself the moment I hear the ring of the distortion guitar and the pounding of live drums.
How I wish to find their passion in music that keeps them going for so long. How I wish I had even a third of one of their talents to make me better than I am right now. How I wish....
I want to find the joy and freedom I see in this photo (whether or not its self perceived)
So many thoughts on my mind right now, that I don't really know what I'm feeling.
Happy? Confused? Excited? Lost?
The 5 guys are in Singapore now. But the excitment I had in the past is no longer there.
Don't get me wrong, I still admire them lots and crave desperately for every live performance there is. In fact, I crave more for a chance to work with them in the studio.
Maybe thats what got me where I am. But right now, I'm starting to feel tired again. I love where I am, I love the people around me. But its a culture that I don't really like, its working ethics that I sometimes don't agree with, and its a conservative chinese hierachy that I find it had to adhere to.
I need to be able to make my own choices. I need to be able to control what I am doing. Rather than depend on the opinion and ok of someone more superior.
Its not something that can be solved even if I try to adapt. The very fact that I'm a girl... I've already lost out in many many many ways.
Do I leave? Do I stay? If I leave, where do I go? Is there another place like this, in Singapore?
I realise I tend to feel real down, whenever my boss returns from overseas.
I know i've already put in more than 100% of my energy into working. And should he ever even doubt me again, I know its time for me to go.
The industry is scary. It changes people. Not into the person I want to be.
I prefer to stay as I am. Maybe thats why the 4 of us sulas can get along so well.
How I wish I could just leave without feeling so unsure. I can't bear to leave, for so many reasons. Yet, I'm tired of being abused and taken for granted. Tired of doing so much, yet to get a rainfall of lectures and scoldings.
If I leave, its your loss. Not mine.
I have a new dream. I want to join their production company. Is that possible? =P Anyone has ways of finding info on their company, please tell me ya?
Not of a mosquito... I'm talking about humans. Singaporeans in particular ;)
Did this some time back, just for fun. Thought it'll be a nice idea to represent ideas graphically rather than always purely in words (although it has quite a lot of words still of course haha).
This is a life cycle that I've been stuck in, only till the stage where I left Uni to find a job. I'm out of the cycle now, because I don't want to follow it any longer. I hope I don't.
I'm not implying I'm an elite. I don't even like that word. I'm just a normal regular plain Jane ^____^ who earns below 2 thousand dollars a month despite having 2 degrees (a total loser to our garmen and the true elites)
Once in a while, a message pops up on msn and a friend whom I haven't met up or chatted with for some time will always ask this question, "how's life!?"
erm... busy.
Its a somewhat acceptable answer to give. Whether or not you really are that busy.
By saying that your life is not a busy one, would indicate that you are in working environment that is too relaxed; or that your work is too mundane.
Likewise, it could indicate that you have a boring life outside of work; that you have no interesting hobbies/activities or other goals and aims to keep you occupied.
What are we constantly busy with then?
Here's a sneak peak into my busy life:
Work: Now till september, things will just be moving very quickly project after project, big and small. My brain's loaded everyday, thinking about what I have to do today, tomorrow, or what I need others to complete for me within the week.
In a nutshell, its always about me chasing people to meet deadlines so that other people don't chase me instead.
But no worries, I've recently updated my brain RAM to 2gig. It has helped me in rattling off schedules and updates of projects off the top of my head.
However, I do need an upgrade in my antivirus program to be able to constantly debug the problems that are hitting me all the time.
And firewall would be good too, to block off "tai chi" from others who are not doing their jobs, but expecting me to do it for them (when I don't even belong to their department!).
Work Part 2: I've got a 2nd job at home now. No, I'm not moonlighting!
Not that I haven't had it all along, but things have picked up lately with our greater determination to have the mdmdnet website up once again (after 2 looooong donkey years).
So its back to the compilation of information, all the writing, all the jargon of codes that seem to float across my eyes when I try to look at them, and our little discussions over meals or on the train.
To cut this grandmother story short, yup! mdmdnet will be back..... soon.
Home: Today happens to be my mum's birthday!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUMMY!!!!!!!!!!
We had a nice Japanese a la carte buffet dinner on Friday. Expensive but definitely worth it. Had my lifetime's worth of salmon sashimi, plus lots of salmon in grilled form/fried form. You could say, we were 'fished' out. But I'm glad mum enjoyed it =) Its all this lousy daughter can do for you, to celebrate your birthday.
And thats just about it. So does my life sound busy enough to be considered 'busy'?
I'm just looking forward to October now, for our planned trip overseas, where we will implement the plan towards the next step of our lives, as we begin our field research.
If you are thinking that we're getting married. Nah, don't kid yourself. Its absolutely the last thing on our minds.
Our plan, we'll just keep it to ourselves first. So nobody will be able to laugh the top of their heads off if they know about our silly plans =P
Maybe the next time someone asks me how my life has been? The answer should be, trying hard to save money.
Why? In future, the truth will unfold itself. May the force be with us.
From time to time, I remember this movie that I loved ever since I first saw it in Secondary school.
The first time I saw it, it caught me and prompted me to borrow a tape (yes, those were the days when you could actually rent tapes) of the movie.
Then, I watched it not just once more, but a total of 4 times.
There is just no other movie that has influenced me that much And no other movie that teaches us so much about life and how to think differently, in order to find our true selves within.
Sorry, the video doesn't allow me to embed. But its worth watching... it just gave me goose bumps again. simply inspirational
my favourite scene for sure :)
I actually met a 'professor keating' in my own life. He only taught me for 4 months, but it has been strong enough to constantly remind me of what I should do: ... to always look at things from a different perspective ... not to do things out of obligation if there are better things for you to do out there ... to always question what you see, what you read, and what others tell you (and not accept blindly or take others' opinions as the bible)
He doesn't know, but I secretly recorded his lectures haha. And I still keep them till now.
A few years ago, I read a book called "Tuesdays with Morrie". It reminded me of professor keating and of my lecturer as well. I read it cover to cover, non stop.
Carpe Diem, sieze the day! We are humans, and we live because we have passion. Because we have our own minds and only by discovering ourselves within, can we attain our full potential.
Rhetoric and theory is easy to speak about. Putting it to practice is harder.
Nonetheless, a great movie like Dead Poet's Society never fails to get me going again and again.
Admist the glare of the shiny exterior our country portrays and the distractions we face from popular culture, is a whole can of worms lying to be uncovered.
And unless you bother reading the blogs of many excellent bloggers (I'm not talking about myself of course, I just don't have the commitment that these people have), you are never going to find it in the mainstream media.
Well, there may be at times a mention in the local media, but details are selective. They choose what they want us to see or read.
Why are we always looking towards the glimmer of foreign shores - more concerned about what's happening in those countries.
How much do we truly know about what's happening in our own country? Do we choose to be so blind about everything by simply giving the excuse that: 'aiya, Singapore is like that, what to do?' and then change the topic of the conversation to the hotest korean drama or taiwanese idol drama on television right now.
Why do we not love our own country?
For the benefit of those interested (I hope I can inspire at least one person to read further), here's a list of good blogs to read. These are definitely bloggers who deserve a lot of respect for their commitment in writing and raising awareness on local issues that are controversial.
Yawning Bread - http://www.yawningbread.org/ Mr Wang - http://mrwangsaysso.blogspot.com/ The Intelligent Singaporean - http://intelligentsingaporean.wordpress.com/ Molly Meek - http://mollymeek.livejournal.com/
And if you really can't take reading... here's a good one full of insightful comics: My sketchbook - http://seijieiga.blogspot.com/
What inspired me to post this, is a recent article SH and I came across online. This is something which happened right under our noses. But how many people truly knew about it? Take time to read this (it affects both you and me): =============================================
Note: this source is from http://matrixisland.blogspot.com Actual source, I cannot verify but read on to see other articles on this same topic.
Here's the report by our nation building press - ST
Personally I'm 'impressed' by the very defensive title of the article.
Feb 23, 2007 ORGAN DONATION AFTER BRAIN DEATH Medical team maintained constant contact with kin
WE REFER to all the Forum letters and reports in The Straits Times on the late Mr Sim Tee Hua's organ donation.
We would like to express our regret at the unfortunate incident and the trauma the family went through.
To our nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists and intensivists who have chosen the difficult and challenging career of saving lives, every life is precious. To all patients and their families, they give the same level of commitment and compassion.
Families on the verge of losing a loved one go through emotions of deep grief, a sense of desperation and yet hope for a miracle. This is especially so when the death is untimely and the patient young and seemingly healthy.
Naturally, effort is made to extend counselling and comfort to the family. We understand that the consolation of being able to save other lives through organ donation does not assuage the loss for these families.
We fully sympathise with the shock and pain the family of Mr Sim went through. Our medical team had maintained constant communication with his family from the time his condition worsened on Feb 3, two days after he was hospitalised for the sudden illness.
The team also informed the family about his poor prognosis, and pending the results of tests for brain death, the possibility of organ donation under the Human Organ Transplant Act (Hota).
When his condition deteriorated further, the transplant coordinators from the Ministry of Health's National Organ Transplant Unit (Notu) met the family and explained again the implications of brain death and the organ donation process. The family acknowledged and accepted the information.
In every organ donation situation, the process is extremely time-sensitive. Beyond a certain period, after brain death, organs may no longer be suitable, and the opportunity to save patients with organ failure lost.
In Mr Sim's case, the Notu transplant coordinators readily acceded to the first request to postpone the procedure for 24 hours, after brain death.
However, subsequent postponement would have jeopardised the organ recipients' chances.
The Notu transplant coordinators and hospital staff who were directly involved with caring for Mr Sim were deeply affected by this unfortunate incident as they had been torn between empathising with the emotions of his inconsolable family and the need to save organ-failure patients.
Nonetheless, both MOH and SGH will continue to find practical solutions to minimise the emotional distress of families and staff in such situations.
Dr Arthur Chern Director (Integrated Health Services) Ministry of Health
Professor Ng Han Seong Chairman, Medical Board Singapore General Hospital
=============================================
This is the report by Reuters(definitely more attention to detail).
So why was the part on the police taken away from our local media?
Scuffle for organs sparks donor debate in Singapore By Koh Gui Qing Wed Feb 28, 9:55 AM ET
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - As members of Sim Tee Hua's family sat at his bedside to pray for his recovery, they were horrified to learn that the hospital staff were about to turn off his life-support machine and use his organs for transplants.
The scenes that followed have shocked and upset not just Sim's family but many other Singaporeans, sparking a debate over the country's organ donor policy, which assumes that all citizens are willing donors, unless they have registered with the government that they wish to opt out.
Doctors at Singapore General Hospital had declared Sim brain-dead and said they could not delay switching off life support any longer because of the risk of damage to Sim's organs.
Sim's family had no objection to his organs being used for transplants but wanted doctors to wait one more day before turning off the life support machine.
But as Sim's 68-year-old mother and about 20 other relatives knelt weeping before the doctors, begging them to wait, nine police officers entered the ward and restrained the distraught family while Sim's body was quickly whisked away.
"The hospital staff were running as they wheeled him out of the back door of the room. They were behaving like robbers," said Sim Chew Hiah, one of Sim's elder sisters.
The Sim family's experience has prompted a wave of letters to the local media, with some people saying they would opt out in protest, and added fire to a debate about organ trading.
Lee Wei Ling -- a prominent doctor who is the daughter of Lee Kuan Yew, the first prime minister of modern Singapore -- last month urged the government to legalize organ trading, or the buying or selling of human organs for cash.
"Organ trading is frowned upon and usually not allowed in countries where political correctness reigns," said Lee in a letter to the Straits Times.
"If monetary incentive makes a potential living donor more willing to save another life, what is wrong in allowing that?"
Her views have some support from the public.
"If I can sell my organs, give my children a better life, and save someone else's life too, why not? Not everyone drives a Mercedes," said Khalid, 32, who gave only his first name.
Currently, anyone caught buying or selling human organs in Singapore may be jailed up to a year or fined up to US$6,500.
POOR DONORS
Those who oppose the trading of human organs say it promotes greater social injustice.
"To trade it and sell it for a 100 pounds, 200 pounds, or to the highest bidder, that is to prostitute your organ," said Dr Choi Kin, president of the Hong Kong Medical Association.
Such donors are likely to be the poor and uneducated people from countries such as Brazil and India, who can sell a kidney for as little as $1,000, the World Health Organization
And they are usually exploited by organ traffickers, who can charge wealthy clients up to $100,000 to $200,000 for a new organ, according to the WHO.
The chronic shortage of organs available for transplant is a global problem. In the U.S. alone, more than 6,200 patients die each year while waiting for an organ, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing, a U.S.-based non-profit medical group.
The shortage has forced doctors and governments to look for alternatives, such as the use of pigs' kidneys, hearts and lungs, or the purchase of human organs.
Many patients have also traveled abroad for transplants, notably to China, which has been accused by rights groups of harvesting organs from executed prisoners.
Since 1995, more than 270 Singaporeans have gone abroad, mostly to China, for organ transplants, the Health Ministry said.
DEFINITION OF DEATH
To ease the organ shortage, Singapore amended its Human Organ Transplant Act in 2004 to expand the pool of organ donors and the type of organs that could be donated.
Hospitals can remove the kidneys, liver, heart and corneas of all non-Muslim Singapore citizens or permanent residents when they die, unless they have objected.
Muslims can choose to donate their organs, as in Iran
Iran and Malaysia, although many believe that the dead should be buried with all their organs intact.
Doctors say a system which assumes all citizens are organ donors is necessary because even though many people are in favor of donating their organs, few actually come forward.
While many European countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, and Spain, have laws similar to Singapore's Transplant Act, it can still be a sensitive issue.
When Brazil passed a similar law in 1998, it triggered a public outcry. The Federal Attorney later conceded that families could prevent the removal of organs for transplant.
Critics say laws which assume all citizens are organ donors are inadequate because the definition of death is debatable. Others are concerned that life-support may be turned off prematurely or that people may be unaware of the opt-out option.
"It should be up to the citizens to decide. These are their bodies, their organs, and therefore their decisions," said Dr Choi Kin. "If an accident should occur, it would be too late for them to opt out, even if they do not agree to donate."
In Singapore, some doctors had urged amending the Transplant Act, giving families the right to block such donations.
After the outcry over the Sim family's forced donation, the hospital and health ministry said in a statement that they would "continue to find practical solutions to minimize the emotional distress of families and staff in such situations."
Sim's kidneys went to patients who had waited six to eight years for donor organs, the ministry said.
His parents were offered five years of subsidized hospital fees -- and his family received a thank-you letter from the ministry for their "generous organ donation."
- Every Singaporean (except Muslims) is automatically opted in for organ donation. - You will need to go fill in a form in order to opt out (more details from the MOH site).
I honestly admit, I didn't know about this at all till now.
I believe that there is no point keeping my organs if I'm really near death's bed. However, if this system makes it compulsory for everyone to be opted in, without the family having the right to give a go ahead as to when the organ donation takes place, then its called an abuse.
Now its not a matter of taking away a substantial amount of your hard earned monthly salary for country investments. Its taking away what your family believes could be the slightest hope for you to return to them.
Now its not a matter of the police surrounding Dr Chee and his sister who are trying to march to the IMF meetings at Suntec City. Its police surrounding family members who simply wish to give one more day of life to the one they care about.
Personally, I was really stunned by this news. I hope those who read this now, will be too. Question what you read in the main media, and take time whenever you can to read up what's on the blogosphere.
If you are a Singaporean, know the place you are living in.
