I can no longer resist not blogging - so I'm now using my company's network to blog. >.< Filing taxes are such a pain. They're taking forever...and all these forms (e.g. Form 1099-SA & U.S. Form 5498-SA) don't make any sense to me. I'm going to let my Deloitte tax planners take over - I guess they're here for a reason.
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SMU friends from the Business Case team are here to compete in the Case Competition at USC (University of Southern California). ATAS school, seriously pretty & super expensive. I have to go back some time to snap photos on a weekend or something. For now, these friends are keeping me really busy. Since moving to LA, I've also gotten to know a whole big bunch of Singaporeans! - most are studying at USC (grad sch mostly), some are working. We've been hanging out, doing what Singaporeans do best- EATING!!!! almost every day!, so that's really really cool!! :) It's a super welcoming, refreshing change from my somewhat lonely Orange County OC life.
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I have moved into my new place in Korea Town and I'm LOVING IT!!!! It's really nice & spacious, cool and bright. And I'm having alot of fun doing it up since it came completely unfurnished. But given that I'm here for only 4 months, it's a personal challenge trying to make it nice without burning too much holes in the pocket. :) I've been taking photos faithfully to all the day-by-day improvements/ additions to the house but I have no internet in the house yet (USD$79/mth just for basic Wi-Fi!!!) so maybe photos will come later...
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SIA tickets to LA are just SGD$1500 round trip!!! (all surcharges included). China Airlines is charging SGD$1200 from what I hear. Craziness!!! So if you're thinking of coming up, let me know! I am going to buy 2 more Queen size beds tomorrow since my family is coming up in June... so you are always invited to come visit! (with a nice comfy bed for you!) ^_^
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Back to filing taxes... :( Jeremy's driving down from San Francisco while my sister is having her layover up in San Francisco this weekend. So near yet so far. Till later, take care -
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Out of action
I've been seemingly out of action but really, it's just been too much action. Was in downtown LA / korea town over the weekend checking out apartments after apartments. The week was then spent wrapping up by current project work, completing numerous reviews: rotational review, accounting class review, annual review...
One key component of the program I'm in is really in the self-awareness/ review piece. Reviews seem to be endless! But beyond the professional reviews, there have been many times when the personal piece comes into play. I've been in situations that test my perception of myself and others. They rebuild my understanding of life with foundational blocks of self and people awareness.
Ok, it's 12mn now and I need to get up at 4am to head to LA.. More packing to go. Will update again soon! Fyi- I have finished my 1st rotation in Finance & Accounting and will be moving to Downtown Los Angeles for my 2nd rotation in Legal- hence, the need to relocate all over again...
One key component of the program I'm in is really in the self-awareness/ review piece. Reviews seem to be endless! But beyond the professional reviews, there have been many times when the personal piece comes into play. I've been in situations that test my perception of myself and others. They rebuild my understanding of life with foundational blocks of self and people awareness.
Ok, it's 12mn now and I need to get up at 4am to head to LA.. More packing to go. Will update again soon! Fyi- I have finished my 1st rotation in Finance & Accounting and will be moving to Downtown Los Angeles for my 2nd rotation in Legal- hence, the need to relocate all over again...
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The New Jumping Shot
I'm going to try this the next time instead of the usual jumping shots I do.. :p
Thursday, February 12, 2009
PIMCO
Met up with T for dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant before he lives for Taiwan & China tomorrow. Also took the chance to visit his office in PIMCO - the world-class fixed income manager right here in Orange County. Emmm....it didn't feel special and when I asked about the company's culture, he told me they were only a bunch of extreme workaholics.
They laid testament to the oft-repeated, "Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration"; and once again, reaffirmed my believe that I am really lucky to be working where I am- a place where people don't feel like they're machines. Feels like this is a company with a soul.
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I'm going to spend Valentine's Day apartment-viewing! I've got 12 viewings scheduled over the weekend in Korea Town (less than 10km from Hollywood) so hopefully I can find a nice place for myself! :) I hope they allow me to paint the walls...I'm already thinking of all the ways I can make my new home truly mine.
They laid testament to the oft-repeated, "Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration"; and once again, reaffirmed my believe that I am really lucky to be working where I am- a place where people don't feel like they're machines. Feels like this is a company with a soul.
- / -
I'm going to spend Valentine's Day apartment-viewing! I've got 12 viewings scheduled over the weekend in Korea Town (less than 10km from Hollywood) so hopefully I can find a nice place for myself! :) I hope they allow me to paint the walls...I'm already thinking of all the ways I can make my new home truly mine.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Back Home
1 day before I came back, my manager asked me, "So are you all ready to come home?"
Funny. He meant home as in Los Angeles. But as I wondered about it, I'm not quite sure where home is. They say, home is where the heart is. But where is my heart exactly? I don't know the definitive answer to that. Thoughts that bounce in my head include:
- Professionally for now, it could really be in Los Angeles where I have my independence. In the short 2 weeks that I was in Singapore, I've constantly felt overwhelmed by the working class with the trudging feet and clicking heels that swarmed Raffles Place. It made me feel like a part of my individuality was lost.
- Personally, I'd definitely like to go back to work/ live in Asia. And of course, family and friends matter so much! It was definitely therapeutic just to be back, soaking in the comfort of familiarity and relationships.
- But another thought entered my head. If home is where the heart is, maybe anywhere can be home if I find the love of my life. A friend recently told me, "Women are like Christmas Log Cakes." He left me to guess why.
I have the supposed answer - "Nobody touches them after the 25th" - ugh, great. This is my year.
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Am swamped with catching up with my Finance class, wrapping up my current project, packing up and looking for a new place to live as I have to move out by next Saturday 2359 hrs! If I don't blog that often, you know why!
Funny. He meant home as in Los Angeles. But as I wondered about it, I'm not quite sure where home is. They say, home is where the heart is. But where is my heart exactly? I don't know the definitive answer to that. Thoughts that bounce in my head include:
- Professionally for now, it could really be in Los Angeles where I have my independence. In the short 2 weeks that I was in Singapore, I've constantly felt overwhelmed by the working class with the trudging feet and clicking heels that swarmed Raffles Place. It made me feel like a part of my individuality was lost.
- Personally, I'd definitely like to go back to work/ live in Asia. And of course, family and friends matter so much! It was definitely therapeutic just to be back, soaking in the comfort of familiarity and relationships.
- But another thought entered my head. If home is where the heart is, maybe anywhere can be home if I find the love of my life. A friend recently told me, "Women are like Christmas Log Cakes." He left me to guess why.
I have the supposed answer - "Nobody touches them after the 25th" - ugh, great. This is my year.
- / -
Am swamped with catching up with my Finance class, wrapping up my current project, packing up and looking for a new place to live as I have to move out by next Saturday 2359 hrs! If I don't blog that often, you know why!
Friday, January 23, 2009
No Photos?
Btw, if you're wondering why there's not been much photos posted lately, that's because my wonderful friend misplaced my SD card reader and I can't get the photos out from my camera to the blog. :( Hopefully there'll be some photos when I get back home. YES! Home is Singapore!!!! In 30 hours' time, I will be in the plane. I am super duper mega ultra excited!!! :PpPpP
My life's first WALTZ!
I had my life's first Waltz class today. We did a re-cap of Swing first, and I'm already the "model student" - always being asked to demo for the class. It's just amazing because I've always thought of myself as having legs and hands that can never synchronize well.. guess this whole experience has taught me a little bit about self-confidence.
For Waltz, this was exactly what I did in class today (minus the box tape on the floor):
Fun fun fun!!! It's sooooo much easier compared to Tango! Got me thinking about my first dance in 2005...I wished I had learnt this earlier! :p
The folks today are similar to that of last week- 5 couples and me. Everyone is in their 50s-60s- probably semi-retired and it is just so sweet to see old couples dancing together and learning something new at their age. It's funny how I keep getting asked the same question, "Are you getting married?" People find it incredible that I'll come alone to learn ballroom dancing just to unwind, relax, toggle some bones and learn some new stuff. I think I do the strangest things. :)
For Waltz, this was exactly what I did in class today (minus the box tape on the floor):
Fun fun fun!!! It's sooooo much easier compared to Tango! Got me thinking about my first dance in 2005...I wished I had learnt this earlier! :p
The folks today are similar to that of last week- 5 couples and me. Everyone is in their 50s-60s- probably semi-retired and it is just so sweet to see old couples dancing together and learning something new at their age. It's funny how I keep getting asked the same question, "Are you getting married?" People find it incredible that I'll come alone to learn ballroom dancing just to unwind, relax, toggle some bones and learn some new stuff. I think I do the strangest things. :)
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Sexy Piece of Work!
Just got done with doing the entire deck of Accounting presentation. I am very exhausted. And now I have a 30 page report to write - which is terrible... because division of labour doesn't apply here. It's not like 1 person is in-charge of the presentation, while the other is in-charge of the report. When you're the one analyzing & preparing the entire deck, it also means you'll do the bulk of the report- on the implicit assumption that you know what went into it. What a good deal right? Don't buy 1, get 2 free!
The strange thing is, I don't feel sore about this. In the past, despite all attempts to be cordial, the pent-up emotions of injustice would inevitably infuriate me. But now, I genuinely feel ok- as long as my beaten body can take it (after 4 nights of not sleeping!). Maybe that's because I've learnt empathy- that others are having a hard time dealing with such a fantastic topic like accounting. Maybe that's because I've learnt that it doesn't matter who gets the credit as long as the work gets done. Maybe that's because my partner also burned his time next to me. Maybe it's just the excitement of going home in 4 more days!! :) that is keeping me alive. :P I can't wait!!!! :)
The strange thing is, I don't feel sore about this. In the past, despite all attempts to be cordial, the pent-up emotions of injustice would inevitably infuriate me. But now, I genuinely feel ok- as long as my beaten body can take it (after 4 nights of not sleeping!). Maybe that's because I've learnt empathy- that others are having a hard time dealing with such a fantastic topic like accounting. Maybe that's because I've learnt that it doesn't matter who gets the credit as long as the work gets done. Maybe that's because my partner also burned his time next to me. Maybe it's just the excitement of going home in 4 more days!! :) that is keeping me alive. :P I can't wait!!!! :)
Monday, January 19, 2009
Martin Luther King Day
It's a national holiday today- and I feel so bad that I'm not out in the sun! :( Stuck at home working on Accounting... The pain shall be over in 18 hours, whether I like it or not.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
When you wish upon a star...
Saw my life's first shooting star today! I am more than 110% sure it was a shooting star because it looked something like that below:
It was soooooooooo bright- with almost a fireball trail behind it but alas, so short-lived. The one I saw disappeared in like 2-3 seconds! So I made a wish...hope it will come true.
It was soooooooooo bright- with almost a fireball trail behind it but alas, so short-lived. The one I saw disappeared in like 2-3 seconds! So I made a wish...hope it will come true.
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