Update (8) - "Team building" - World cup 2014

I always call this team building, not betting, ha!!

This is the first time, and also the last time that I organise a game for the Jabil colleague. It wasn't as much fun as organising for GF.  Could be cos this group is more diversified, less common interest. Some of those who are usually participate actively in team events are not keen to join this pool.

Here's a picture of the score board. In the end, 5 other colleagues and I won $26 each!

Update (7) - Changing Job

[Tues (9/9), 820am in office]

Changing job again.  Time to say goodbye again.

I kept asking myself if this is the correct decision.  Or I should say, I kept telling myself this is the correct decision; until I try, I will not know the answer.  As I kept repeating, too young to stop marching forward.

2.5 years exactly in Jabil, not a long time, but felt like quite a lot happened.  The most significant take away (professionally) is that there are many talented, driven and competitive people, and that I will not be always at the front of the pack.  A humbling experience.

One lunch time conversation kept coming back to me these few days when I wanted to write this post - KW ask if we ever wonder what is the legacy that we will leave behind when we leave this world.

I was quite touched by his question, but my answer back then was, it doesn't matter, cos life's a joke (ha!).  Now, I know the legacy that I will leave behind in Jabil.  I knew I made a difference, I knew I am appreciated by my team.  I participated, I organised, and I inspired too.  A difficult time we had come through, hearts were won along the way.  There are regrets, but can't be helped.  I tried my best.

Time to take up a bigger challenge.  Time to pack up and get ready to push forward.

840am

Update (6-1) - Another gathering

Suddenly occured to me that I should drop a line about a visit to Yvonne's house in Aug.

Yvonne had moved to Duxton for 5 years already.  We kept saying that we (me, Lydia and Yvonne) should do a gathering at/visit to Yvonne's "new" house, but never materialize. 

Finally, it was me who organise again.  In the 2nd weekend in Aug (WK's still in US), I took Lynn, and Lydia and Chow Long brought their 2 kids to Yvonne's place for dinner.

As I arrived much earlier, I had quality catch up time with Yvonne and her 2 kids.  They grew up beautifully.  I remembered her boy when he was a clingy kid at 3+, and now he is a friendly and thoughtful P3 boy.  And her gal was a fragile looking baby, and now she is a chatty and active K2 gal. 

Lydia got there quite late, and so I did not get to interact with her kids much. 

At close to 9pm, we went to visit the 50th and 26th floor roof top.  The kids "came alive", and started running wild.  It was a pity that we started late, else the kids would have a much longer time to play.

We left at 10pm, which was way past our bedtime.  I sent a whatsapp message to Yvonne the next day, to thank her for opening up her house for this gathering, and apologize for not being able to stay to help clean up. 

Hopefully, in another 5 years' time or so, we can have another gathering which the 3 of us can have some quality catch up time.

Update (6) - Meet up with GF colleagues

There was a gathering for ex-chartered finance staff, organised by George Thomas in June. It had been more than a year since I last met some of my old gang, and the GL folks. Most of my gang and the GL folks turned up, with the exception of Geraldine, Janice and Grace.


At the gathering, I managed to speak to George and Sherman each for close to 5 minutes, which was something that I did not expect. But I didn't get to catch up with HT. Got to know that Grace just gave birth to her first kid, and that Sherman downgraded his house (in preparation for retirement, we speculated).


Subsequently, Shirley organised a mj session in July. When TH and James arrived (both of them about 5 yrs older than me) we immediately got into a conversation about reaching middle age, about white hair, long sightedness, and cpf!


Then I organised a hi tea for the ladies in my gang in the month of Aug. The 6 of us are 39 to 42 yrs old. Come to think of it, I should had taken a pic of this "aunty" gathering, ha! As we always did during lunch back then, we talked mostly about maid, a little about moms or MIL, and kids of course. Altought our age gap is close, amongst us we have kids in JC (LH gave birth to her first kid at age of 23!), in upper to lower primary school, in pre school, and one not born yet (Carol is pregnant with her 4th kid at age 39)!! 2 and half hour of the Sun afternoon just flew by; there was much catch up achieved, but then there are still so much more that can shared.


When will the next session be and be like? Looking forward..


Here are some photos of George's gathering in June.

Update (5) - Mid autumn 2014

Had been celebrating mid autumn for the past many years with the same group of kids. We came home with Mabel, who came for stay over, as it is term 3 school holidays tomorrow. It had been a long day, feeling very tired now. Time to end tonight's (Sunday) update. Going to schedule this to publish tomorrow night.

Update (4) - Baby Clara's birth and full month

(Written: Sunday, 7 Sep, scheduled to publish Monday, 8 Sep).
Baby Clara celebrated her fulll month today; she is exactly 40 days old today. She is Lynn's number 8 cousin, and is 8 years younger than Lynn. It had been 4 years since the family has a new baby. Nowadays when Lynn see new borns, she will whisper to me "Another hors-see", meaning a baby born in the year of horse.

I will remember Clara's birthday better than some of the other kids', cos she is born on the last day of the month - 31st July, which is the same as Lynn (31 Oct).

Today when I observed the 6 cousins, with ages spanning from 4 to 14, interact and play with each other (mid autumn celebration too), I think Clara will not get to play much with the rest due to the large age gap. However, she will always be special to the Aunties and Uncles, like all the other 6 of them are to us!

The pram that Clara is in is a hand down from me, to Winny to Juin. When I told WK that I don't remember who handed it down to us, he reminded me that it was Lili. I sent a message to Lili, to tell her to look at the pic on FB. She replied with heighten expression that she vaguely remembered it.  It was a wonderful feeling, knowing that another woman is going to experience the joy of motherhood, like the rest of us do!

Update (3) - National day 2014

This is the 2nd time that Aunt Cindy organised national day parade viewing from her office unit, which is on the 37 floor of Singapore Lands Tower. The first time was about 4 to 5 years back. I remembered that time Lynn ran around excitedly, so much so that I was asked by a cousin of my mum if Lynn is a hyper active kid, ha!

After watching the fireworks, we drove to the airport for WK night flight to New York.

Here are some photos.

View of MBS and the floating platform at various time in the evenings:
View at about 7

View just before the fireworks

The crowd at Merlion park

Lynn's view

"I love Singapore" T shirt

Felt proud of my country when I watched the flag flew by

See in between the 2 towers, and spot the holicopter with the flag flying away

The lights are coming up

Finale