Facing the Boss

I woke up this morning feeling a little depressed over my job situation. I have been having such moods frequently of late ever since the team I was working in was absorbed into another department headed by a lady boss using top-down management style.

The lady boss is a practitioner of every aspect of what we typically learned from management studies in using negative motivational tactics to get staff working in fear following a hierarchical structure. Her personality and disposition is generally fierce, and she constantly breathes down the necks of her staff every weekly department meeting. Words from her are like fire—hot and fiery, and like storm—cold and harsh, filled full with regular reprimands. The way her staff is handled is similar to the way elementary school teachers treat the kids. It is as if every of the staff owes her a living, and any difference in opinions finds trouble for oneself. Few are willing to put their jobs on the line to practice the freedom of speech.

Such is the depressive moods I faced these days, which similar feelings have once faded from my past many years ago. No such negative feelings existed when I began working in this corporation some six years ago. Things have been fairly well with everyone doing their part as a team, working with each other to resolve issues rather than being driven from top-down. When I woke up this morning, however, the first thing that came to mind was the urgent need to calm down and seek God. I knew in my heart there was a verse that express well how I felt and therefore desperately searched for the Bible verse to calm myself and cry out to God. I knew I was already late for work, but felt the need to read the verse I was seeking to express myself, and eventually found it.

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence. (Psalm 42:5 NAS)

I then read the entire Psalm 42 and realized the cry in verse 5 ended with the same starting words in verse 11, but with a different ending.

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. (Psalm 42:11)

In my desperation I cried out to God. Yes, I shall call upon the Lord and seek His face in my time of difficulty.

Spanish n Portugese Delicacies

Chicken Drumsticks

Barbeque Pork

Spanish Paella

Mussels

Portugese Tarts

HappY Lunar NeW YeaR 2011!

Happy holidays, everyone!
Wishing all of you a Prosperous
and Happy Chinese New Year!

I'll be away from Singapore,
returning February 17, 2011

Pre-CNY Seafood Lunch

Long Beach Seafood Restaurant
Jurong East St 21
Level 3 IMM Building

Chinese New Year
Prosperity Lunch
Salad Prawns, Ngoh Hiong,
Chicken Cubes and Jellyfish

Gift for New Born

Disney's Gold Pendant Gift with
Plush Toy by Poh Heng Jewellery

T-Shirt Collectable

One of my favorite T-shirts ...

Atlantis Submarines @ Oahu, Hawaii

Faith and Livelihood

Many people seem to think if a person is of a particular faith, he or she should do or not do certain things. This is like telling someone to live lives separate from the crowd if one believes in a faith that requires holiness. Such thinking, in my opinion, is unrealistic and very much mistaken because one cannot live a double life or live a life with an alter-ego identity in the real world.

As a former journalist, I used to have to cover entertainment news of and mix around with people in the entertainment circle—people who spend more time at the clubs than in the offices. Even after I have moved to writing more serious stuff, I continue to keep in contact with these people I know from the so-called 'unholy' side of the world. I also maintain a blog and a Facebook profile where I write about and promote entertainment stuff—including things that are primarily focused on women’s interest—as well as keep abreast of what's happening in the entertainment circle.

Recently, while writing on my other blog about things pertaining to my belief and faith, one of the readers, who knew about my entertainment blog and Facebook profile, send me and email. In it, she told me the things I wrote in my entertainment blog and posted at my Facebook profile do not reflect well of my testimony as a believer of the faith. This feedback upset me a little, and in wanting to please and not hurt anyone in the same faith, I did a thorough cleanup to remove some information and pictures of commercial value from my entertainment blog and Facebook profile. Some days after that, seeing no value in continuing with the Facebook profile, I terminated the account.

Now, my entertainment blog contains only stuff like movies’ synopsis, pictures of food dishes and the likes, minus anything specific pertaining to women’s apparels, fashion goods or other similar stuff. Long before this, my blog was a place of happenings where pictures of night spots and entertainment world, beauties and models, along with related advertisements stood out as information and what men and women want.

With the demise of the less serious stuff from the entertainment world and in its aftermath, my thoughts at times wonder whether I have made the right decision. Should one believing in God not live life as the bridge between the real and spiritual worlds? Can one really separate between living a holy life and living a life of commercial worth? How is anyone going to survive by living among the good with no earthly value instead of making a living mixing around with people that provides the bread and butter?

In a sermon I heard years ago, a speaker said if we are so holy to the point of living our lives (ascended) above ground, we are of no earthly worth to human life. I tend to concur on this frame of thinking. If we are not worth much in this world, then we are of little value in bridging the gap to bring people to the spiritual world. Life before death and after is just a thin line between the two and if we have no livelihood in this world, we need not hope to draw people to desire the other.

May all of us realize that life is not one that can be separated between the real and the spiritual world. Both the real and spiritual intertwine to form one life—that which is physical or eternal. We ought therefore to live our lives wisely and not be deceived by people who believe in living life separated one from the other, between the holy and the worldly. The correct way for us to live is to be in the world, yet not of this world, to be among the crowd and unbelievers, yet not going along to participate in sin. Beyond that, believers and unbelievers can live harmoniously to do things together and establish our earthly worth along with the spiritual.

Season of the Witch

Release Date: January 7, 2011
Studio: Relativity Media
Director: Dominic Sena
Screenwriter: Bragi Schut
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Stephen Campbell Moore, Robert Sheehan, Claire Foy, Ulrich Thomsen, Stephen Graham, Christopher Lee
Genre: Action, Adventure, Supernatural
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for thematic elements, violence and disturbing content)
Official Website: SeasonoftheWitchmovie.com
Review: 5/10 rating
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: View here
Production Stills: View here

Plot Summary: Oscar winner Nicolas Cage ("National Treasure," "Ghost Rider") and Ron Perlman ("Hellboy," "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," "Sons of Anarchy") star in this supernatural action adventure about a heroic Crusader and his closest friend who return home after decades of fierce fighting, only to find their world destroyed by the Plague. The church elders, convinced that a girl accused of being a witch is responsible for the devastation, command the two to transport the strange girl to a remote monastery where monks will perform an ancient ritual to rid the land of her curse. They embark on a harrowing, action-filled journey that will test their strength and courage as they discover the girl's dark secret and find themselves battling a terrifyingly powerful force that will determine the fate of the world.

Happy New Year!

Wishing all my Blog Followers and Friends
a Blessed and Fruitful 2011! (",)

Déli Lunch Today

Délifrance
2 Jurong East St 21
IMM Building
Singapore

Chicken mayonnaise croissant sandwich
with Twinings' English breakfast tea

Post-Christmas Lunch

Thai Express
930 Yishun Avenue 2
#02-55/56/57
Northpoint Shopping Centre
Singapore 769098
Green curry chicken set with fried breaded
appetizer and tapioca dessert
Tom yam set with fried beancurd appetizer and tapioca dessert

Christmas Lunch Today

Rendezvous Restaurant
(formerly at Rendezvous Hotel)
The Central #02-72/73,
6 Eu Tong Sen Street,
Singapore 059817
Nasi Padang Christmas lunch with korma chicken,
fried chicken, begedil fried potato and sayur lodeh

Christmas @ Orchard

Mandarin Orchard Singapore





Paragon

Lucky Plaza

Tangs

Hostile Work Environment

Ever since the department I worked in was dissolved after a hostile takeover by another, I have had a hard time adapting to the new top-down management style of my new boss.

Just yesterday, I had an intellectual argument with my new department head (stationed at another country) about the importance of the media when writing press releases and news feature story in an email copied to my new supervisor as well. After several to and fro email correspondences, I decided it should end, so I thanked her and signed off.

All I need now is calm in my heart, and I'm not asking for more. In a few days time, my current new supervisor will be leaving the organization and her position will be replaced by another. My prayer is that everything will turn out fine, but for now, it's wait and see.

Thrilling Ride at Disney World

The sign states ‘WARNING! Tower of Terror is a free-fall type attraction with sudden high-speed ascents and drops through darkness,’ but I did not heed the advice and went ahead with the ride. The consequence was a once in a lifetime experience—a scare of my life—even though to some people it may be fun. That was years ago when I visited the theme park at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida.

The Tower of Terror is an attraction at the theme park, a thrill ride featuring a visit to a 199 feet tall fictional Hollywood Tower Hotel adapted from the television series ‘The Twilight Zone.’ Upon entering the elevator and going up to the 13th story, a free-fall drop sequence takes place in the dark—with all the guests in it! This drop sequence has changed over the years from one to two drops to a pre-programmed multiple drop sequence, and today randomized drops.

Pre-Christmas Sales

Pre-Christmas Sales @ Causeway Point

Asian Set Lunch

Just Acia
#B1-17 Dhoby Ghaut MRT station
Set lunch with free-flow drinks and ice-cream

Fried chicken with rice and miso soup

Teriyaki chicken with rice and miso soup

Happy Thanksgiving!

"in everything, give thanks"

Christmas Decor in the Office

Christmas Decorations @ My Office's Workdesk

Thai Delicacies

Thai Express
Northpoint Shopping Centre #02-55/56/57
Singapore

Prawn omelette with rice

Green chicken curry rice set
with seafood toast appetizer and tapioca with coconut milk topping

Crispy pancake with chicken and prawn appetizer

Red ruby with coconut ice cream dessert

Sweet gluttonous rice and fresh mango with coconut milk topping

Toilet Manners

Having seen the worst of human behaviors and the things within a flooded toilet bowl, it's only fitting that all office toilets should have the following sign ...


Here's another way of putting across the same message politely ...


This is found in a toilet of TheStrategy@IBP.

Train is Coming ...

Many people I know are getting very irritated by the constantly repeating chant at MRT station:

Train is coming … train is coming … start queuing! Love your ride!

Here’s a suggestion for a change of words:

Life is challenging … life is challenging … enjoy it! Love your life!

Narnia: Voyage of Dawn Treader

Release Date: December 10, 2010 (3D/2D theaters)
Studio: Fox Walden
Director: Michael Apted
Screenwriter: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Richard LaGravenese, Michael Petroni
Starring: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Ben Barnes, Will Poulter, Gary Sweet, Bruce Spence, Arthur Angel, Shane Rangi, Liam Neeson
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy
MPAA Rating: Not Available
Official Website: Narnia.com
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: View here
Production Stills: View here

Plot Summary: This time around – Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their pesky cousin Eustace Scrubb – find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to a fantastic Narnian ship headed for the very edges of the world.

Joining forces once again with their royal friend Prince Caspian and the warrior mouse Reepicheep, they are whisked away on a mysterious mission to the Lone Islands, and beyond. On this bewitching voyage that will test their hearts and spirits, the trio will face magical Dufflepuds, sinister slave traders, roaring dragons and enchanted merfolk. Only an entirely uncharted journey to Aslan's Country – a voyage of destiny and transformation for each of those aboard the Dawn Treader – can save Narnia, and all the astonishing creatures in it, from an unfathomable fate.

Breakfast @ Wendy's

Breakfast @ Wendy's
next to Northpoint
Yishun

Help Needed: Dogs and Cats Shelter

As some of you may have read in the papers, a kind lady by the name of Mdm Yap has spent 3 million dollars in the past 6 years to maintain the shelter by herself. However, due to the high expenses, she has been owing the landlord rental for a couple of months.

Another animal shelter, Mdm Wong's Shelter, is willing to take over Mdm Yap's Shelter to provide love for these animals. However, this is a long-term commitment that requires lots of manpower and financial assistance. The following is a rough breakdown of the monthly expenses:

Food: S$2,000
Manpower: S$2,000
Utilities: S$1,000
Rental: S$3,500-S$4,000
Medical: S$1,000*
Shampoo, misc, etc: S$500
Total: S$10,000-S$10,500

*Not including vet visits, hospitalisation fees

Mdm Wong's Shelter is currently facing financial difficulties as well with the possibility of closure if not enough funds are raised by end October 2010. This means some 30 dogs and 60 cats are facing the danger of being put to sleep, getting killed or abused.

A colleague of mine who has been a volunteer there for the past two Sundays, said some of the cats and dogs are strays while some of them are abandoned. Nevertheless, they are always very friendly and loving towards every volunteer. Some will jump up, grab her waist and look at her with loving eyes, and some will run and hide with fears in their eyes.

If you are interested to find out more, you can read the news and visit the following sites:

The Straits Times

Blog

Facebook

You can also email to mdmwongshelter@hotmail.com. Thank you for your support.

World Animal Day - Oct 10, 2010

Volunteers needed for this Sunday's World Animal Day event.

Event Name: PAWS AT THE BEACH
Where: East Coast Park, Area D1 – Dalbergia Green
Date: 10 October (Sunday)
Time: 10.30am-6pm
Buses: 16, 31, 36, 55, 76, 135, 155, 196 and 853 to Marine Parade Road
Service 401 to East Coast Park Service Road available on Sunday.
Parking: Car Park D1

For ore information, click here.