Unspoken

There's too much unspoken between us.

It's been so long. And still,
when you spoke to me that way
you brought an ache to me.
.

Miss My Weekend Already

I miss my weekend already...Last weekend was so much fun it passes by too fast.


Catch up with my frens at Timbre and i really enjoy myself chilling out there. The pizza was superb and the band was cool. I heard a song which somehow caught on me. It's called I'm Yours by Jason Mraz. It's such a cheerful and uplifting song i just feel happy listening to it. :) Actually, i tried to purchase the song through iTunes but wasn't allowed as they restrict purchase for US resident. Dunno why.


And i'm inspired to improve my golf again! Went to jb for a round of golf with my uni frens. Set off in the late morning to have a good lunch there before going for the golf. We purposely choose the afternoon timeslot as we reckon the good golfers go in the early morning so we'll be less stressful if we play in the afternoon slot. Anyway, the weather was cool and the scenery was wonderful. It just felt so relaxing and for me, it's like an adventure. haha. And of course, it was great i didn't have to drive. I really prefer to be chauffeured.


And we managed to catch the Madagascar Escape2 Africa and it didn't disappoint. I love the penguines!


And here's me at YF's symphony concert on Sun: Music in Harmony.

If I'm Retrenched

If i'm retrenched, i'll take it as a sabbatical for a year to catch up with ME myself.

1. I'll work on my web project which is currently on stall.
2. I'll spend time on options trading
3. I'll complete the remaining modules of my post grad dip in Global Marketing
4. I'll take more dance classes and learn how to dance really well.
5. More vacations and travels and drag mom for a vacation. She's always turning me down.
6. Books!!!
7. Learn to speak French really well.
8. Take up a professional photography course. And more travels to take more photos. :)
9. Spend time with important people in my life
10. Volunteering
11. Take up tourist guide license.
12. Go to the beach, park, rollerbade, tennis, write, movies... wow :))


Think i'll be totally broke by the end of it. But i'm really excited just by the thought of it. Heehee. Suddenly, one year seem a little short. Time is the greatest luxury!


Oh yes. And a colleague has a good suggestion to me the other day. He was telling me " ... luckily you are single. Still got chance to find a rich man. Lifelong career. Next time dun need to work liao. Must focus!.."

Haha. We all had a good laugh over this and everyone chipped in on all the things one can enjoy if one is a rich TaiTai and started offering all sorts of suggestions on ways to find a rich man. It was so funny. We all can afford to daydream and joke a little during bad times like this.

The US Recession

Someone sent me this article. The article's a little long but it's a great analogy explaining the idea of how the credit crunch develops.

Once there was a little island country. The land of this country was the tiny island itself. The total money in circulation was 2 dollars as there were only two pieces of 1 dollar coins circulating around.

(1) There were 3 citizens living on this island country. A owned the land. B and C each owned 1 dollar.

(2) B decided to purchase the land from A for 1 dollar. So, now A and C own 1 dollar each while B owned a piece of land that is worth 1 dollar.

* The net asset of the country now = 3 dollars.

(3) Now C thought that since there is only one piece of land in the country, and land is non producible asset, its value must definitely go up. So, he borrowed 1 dollar from A, and together with his own 1 dollar, he bought the land from B for 2 dollars.

*A has a loan to C of 1 dollar, so his net asset is 1 dollar.

* B sold his land and got 2 dollars, so his net asset is 2 dollars.

* C owned the piece of land worth 2 dollars but with his 1 dollar debt to A, his net residual asset is 1 dollar.

* Thus, the net asset of the country = 4 dollars.

(4) A saw that the land he once owned has risen in value. He regretted having sold it. Luckily, he has a 1 dollar loan to C. He then borrowed 2 dollars from B and acquired the land back from C for 3 dollars. The payment is by 2 dollars cash (which he borrowed) and cancellation of the 1 dollar loan to C. As a result, A now owned a piece of land that is worth 3 dollars. But since he owed B 2 dollars, his net asset is 1 dollar.

* B loaned 2 dollars to A. So his net asset is 2 dollars.

* C now has the 2 coins. His net asset is also 2 dollars.

* The net asset of the country = 5 dollars. A bubble is building up.

(5) B saw that the value of land kept rising. He also wanted to own the land. So he bought the land from A for 4 dollars. The payment is by borrowing 2 dollars from C, and cancellation of his 2 dollars loan to A.

* As a result, A has got his debt cleared and he got the 2 coins. His net asset is 2 dollars.

* B owned a piece of land that is worth 4 dollars, but since he has a debt of 2 dollars with C, his net Asset is 2 dollars.

* C loaned 2 dollars to B, so his net asset is 2 dollars.

* The net asset of the country = 6 dollars; even though, the country hasonly one piece of land and 2 Dollars in circulation.

(6) Everybody has made money and everybody felt happy and prosperous.

(7) One day an evil wind blew, and an evil thought came to C's mind. 'Hey, what if the land price stop going up, how could B repay my loan. There is only 2 dollars in circulation, and, I think after all the land that B owns is worth at most only 1 dollar, and no more.'

(8) A also thought the same way.

(9) Nobody wanted to buy land anymore.

* So, in the end, A owns the 2 dollar coins, his net asset is 2 dollars.

* B owed C 2 dollars and the land he owned which he thought worth 4 dollars is now 1 dollar. So his net asset is only 1 dollar.

* C has a loan of 2 dollars to B. But it is a bad debt. Although his net asset is still 2 dollars, his heart is palpitating.

* The net asset of the country = 3 dollars again

(10) So, who has stolen the 3 dollars from the country? Of course, before the bubble burst B thought his land was worth 4 dollars. Actually, right before the collapse, the net asset of the country was 6 dollars on paper. B's net asset is still 2 dollars, his heart is palpitating.

(11) B had no choice but to declare bankruptcy. C as to relinquish his 2 dollars bad debt to B, but in return he acquired the land which is worth 1 dollar now.

* A owns the 2 coins, his net asset is 2 dollars.

* B is bankrupt, his net asset is 0 dollar. (he lost everything)

* C got no choice but end up with a land worth only 1 dollar

* The net asset of the country = 3 dollars.

************ **End of the story; BUT ************ ********* ******

There is however a redistribution of wealth.A is the winner, B is the loser, C is lucky that he is spared.

A few points worth noting -

(1) When a bubble is building up, the debt of individuals to one another in a country is also building up.

(2) This story of the island is a closed system whereby there is no other country and hence no foreign debt. The worth of the asset can only be calculated using the island's own currency. Hence, there is no net loss.

(3) An over-damped system is assumed when the bubble burst, meaning the land's value did not go down to below 1 dollar.

(4) When the bubble burst, the fellow with cash is the winner. The fellows having the land or extending loan to others are the losers. The asset could shrink or in worst case, they go bankrupt.

(5) If there is another citizen D either holding a dollar or another piece of land but refrains from taking part in the game, he will neither win nor lose. But he will see the value of his money or land go up and down like a see saw.

(6) When the bubble was in the growing phase, everybody made money.

(7) If you are smart and know that you are living in a growing bubble, it is worthwhile to borrow money (like A) and take part in the game. But you must know when you should change everything back to cash.

(8) As in the case of land, the above phenomenon applies to stocks as well.

(9) The actual worth of land or stocks depend largely on psychology

Season of Retrenchment

My friend sms me this morning that his company is retrenching lots of people. It will be a massive cut, 30% for now and another 30% if they are still losing money in Dec.

As he put it "..we close down Philipines, Malaysia and Thailand, it's really bad...first time having this experience since i came out from the force. scary.."

Another friend who was undergoing training at Utah, USA told me earlier last week that their company was retrenching 100% of them from Singapore plant. At first i still have doubts that he could be exaggerating a little. 100% means shutting down the multi billion wafer fab! But the news came the next day : 800 workers retrenched after wafer fab plan collapse

Few weeks back, at a baby shower, friends in the manufacturing industry were already sharing the same sentiments, news that all point to the inevitable. A fren working in a wafer fab said they were running production without orders. Another, working with one major global manufacturer, lament that they were not seeing new projects coming in and the company is not renewing contract staff and had been quietly letting people go. Yet another one who was doing very well in his job but quitted to go on a 6 months break after working too hard for the past 7 years expressed that he was really worried now and has lowered his job search expectation.

A good friend working in the Human Resource department of an oil and gas company was also telling me she has just been tasked to update the company retrenchment policy in their company portal.

In fact, we read it in the news everyday.

In reality, this is happening all around me, including me.

Wow. We are entering a season of retrenchment.

Downsizing

Miscellaneous Update

Jasmine asked why i have not been updating my blog. What have i been up to. Well, things has got a bit busy over here.

Lots of situations, changes and activities in the company. In between the busyness, managed to squeeze out some time to go for a vacation to Shanghai and Beijing with a fren. It was an 8 days trip, an impromptu decision. Just suddenly felt like going away for a break.

The Great Wall of China

Me. :)

The Forbidden City

At the Tiananmen Square facing the entrace to the Forbidden City.

Then it's back to office and the beginning of a new quarter. More things cropped up and the numbers which was supposed to have been achieved now seem bleak. Some frustrations... but 受人钱财，替人消灾. What's there to complain? Just try my best and the rest 听天由命. So was in a frenzy and a few more weeks passed.

My yoga membership has expired this month but taking a new dance class this month. Hip hop Salsa. I learnt salsa before but this hip hop salsa really makes you feel clumsy. But i'm not complaining cos it's fun and i'm looking forward to the next lesson.

And then, there's a couple of weddings and baby shower and mom's birthday. Whatever time left is meant for sleep and tv and more sleep.

When the inappropriate gift troubles more than pleases

Someone i do not know well (but had known for many years) gave me a diamond pendant on my birthday.


I didn't realise what it was until much later as i had met him at my place carpark and had to rush off to meet a friend. It was much later when i met my friend that i had a chance to open the gift and it was too late to return him. I felt flattered for the thoughts but more so troubled.


It was an expensive gift and i do not know him well at all to deserve this.


Thanked him for the gift and chided him that it was too expensive and that now i have to buy him lunch.


I know gift giving is an act of kindness and it's rude to reject a gift when people meant well. Yet, i truly feel uncomfortable. I asked if i can return or pay him back which he refused. This is actually my first diamond pendant but i don't feel excited. Perhaps if it's from someone i like, i will be like over the moon. But it will not be because it's a diamond.


I found a bouquet of flowers when i reached home that night and it was from the same person. But I love flowers and it brought a smile to me.


Anyway, now this guy is asking when's our lunch and somehow i'm just feeling totally sianz. Sigh.