Back to work, in SG!!!

Yep, my employment pass has been all sorted out, and I am working in good ol' Sinjapoh. Can't talk too much about the job as the project itself is still confidential.... suffice to say that my ex-boss from CapGemini Singapore days found out that I am coming back to Singapore, and called me to find out if I would be interested in working with him again, managing the Singapore Project Management Office for a major project that CapGemini have running globally. Of course, I said Yes! He is a great guy to work with, and I have to say that I have been incredibly lucky with my bosses, with EVERY SINGLE JOB I have ever had, EXCEPT the one that I was working with in 2005.. but the less said about him the better!

The team that I am working with, both from CG and from the local client are a great bunch of people. The drive to work is easy too, as I am going against the flow of traffic. Just as I get to the part of the CTE where the traffic jam starts I get off :-D so it is a pretty smooth drive for me. Coming back the only hassle is just getting on to the CTE, but after that it is fairly easy. There is another minor bottleneck where people from the SLE are sliding off onto the BKE, but even that is easy compared to a 'serious' traffic jam (like those I used to get stuck in, in Jalan Ampang in KL!!).

I am still getting 'into' the job and understanding what is required, but the best part is getting people talking to each other that never used to communicate before. That is also the challenge! Anyway, I am enjoying the job, the challenge, the new experiences, etc. The BIGGEST headache is that I cant be contacted on my SingTel phone, as there is no SingTel signal at the project site. Instead I have to switch on my Malaysian phone so that, as a roamer, I get the M1 signal. Ironic, isn't it? So, if you want to contact me during office hours in SG, just sms me on my Malaysian mobile number and I'll call you back when I can. After office hours, of course, my SingTel number is contactible.

For now, take care, and more later when I have any exciting news.

I voted!!!

Yep, for the first time in 20 years I ACTUALLY VOTED. Made sure I went and got my registered address updated in the EC records (did that in December 2007), and, for a change, the address changed was DONE ON TIME! I voted in Kelana Jaya (PJ Utara, I think), and I am SO VERY HAPPY to have been one tiny part of the major change that has rocked our nation.

Now we have 4 - 5 years ahead of us, for the opposition to get its act together properly and PROVE to all of us that they are a truly viable government. If they can do that, well, people power will put them in power!

What is my wish list for the future?
- that meritocracy is the order of the day!
- that the NEP policies are truly used to the benefit of those who need it most, regardless of race!!
- that immigration rules, esp pertaining to foreign spouse (regardless of husband and wife) application for PR, ARE MADE CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT TO ALL... not changing as the wind blows.

Enough said for now.

Still to-ing and fro-ing!

A lot has happened since my last update - not least of which is that I am still to-ing and fro-ing. OK, let me start from the beginning....

My friends from office came to SG to stay with me the weekend of Feb 22nd - Aley, Ruku, Mercy, Helen, Ursula - and we had a GREAT time in SG. Didnt have ENUFF time to gallivant together, but we shall make up for it next time. It was absolutely great having you gals here - please dont leave it too late for the next one! Drove back with Mercy (our wonderful chauffeuse) and the gals on Sunday 24th Feb in Mercy's absolutely gorgeous (AND comfortable) BMW. Smooth drive allllll the way. 25/26 Feb was mostly in office, but had an extra appointment on 25th - to PICK UP THE KEYS to our condo unit in Hijauan Kiara! Yay!!!! They did a great job - I handed over the cheques for final payment (not even cashiers order, but personal cheques) and got the keys and was taken on a full inspection. The keys were presented in this lovely zip up portfolio type leather case with individual hooks for each bunch of keys, and all presented in a solid wood box with a house rules hardback book in it, and 3 personalised Bukit Kiara Properties (BKP) keychains! Very nice.

The interesting thing was that even though I got everything on 25th Feb, the defects period only starts on 7th March, for 18 months... and between key pick up time to 7th March we are given the opportunity to sort out where we want BKP to put fan hooks in each room and other simple 'requests' (not defects!). In the process of doing the inspection, if we identify any defects, they also take care of that. In fact, they even identified to me where there was one defect, and what they had done to fix it, etc. I was most impressed and will recommend BKP to anyone looking for a sound, solid, quality developer!

Anyway, that done, I was in office on 27th Feb to hand over all my office stuff, and then I headed back to SG, with my sis and her friend, who were going to NUS to do some research for a paper they are writing. Husband had left SG for Dubai the day before, and had driven to the airport and left the car there, so when sis (Sue), I and friend flew in on Wed, we had the car there to head back home in (MUCH cheaper to pay parking for 1 day, than to pay 2 way taxi from our place to the airport in SG!!).

We had fun in SG, relaxing, took them shopping, etc. Husband arrived back on Friday morning and I picked him up from the airport. After taking a short break at home he headed back to the office!!! Then the hi-tea gang from KL drove into SG on Fri afternoon, arriving before 4pm, for a weekend in SG. It was interesting, to say the least, as we had a total of 8 visitors - Sue, Carol, Suja, Gigi, Beena, Liz, Joanna, and little Jonathan - and not quite sufficient space to have a bed (or equivalent) for everyone. Fun!

Went for hi-tea at the Shangri La's Rose Verandah (AGAIN, as I had taken the office gang there the week before), and stuffed our faces - the food there is excellent, and the service is great too. My favourite hi-tea place! After hi-tea, Sue and Carol hopped a cab to the airport as they were heading back to KL, while I took the rest shopping and then, from there, home again home again, jiggety jig. It was tiring I have to admit, but good fun.

The hi-tea gang left on Sunday, after breakfast - coffee/tea, toast, lots of bacon, etc. Husband was working on both Sat and Sun, so they didnt get much of a chance to see him. He came home around 1pm, and we headed into town to go to the SingTel centre and get a SG SIM card for me. Would you believe, as part of getting a new line (for me) and upgrading Husband's line, we got TWO brand new Sony Ericcson phones - one a bright red colour, and one chocolate colour. I shall be giving my Mum the red colour phone, and I shall keep the chocolate colour for a backup phone - always useful to have :-D

Since then I have been having major clean up operations at home - bedsheets, towels, major vacuum/dust/mop, etc, and I still havent finished with the laundry yet! Still got 3 queen size duvet covers to wash :-p

Today should be a peaceful day - though I am out this afternoon to meet up with another good friend for tea at 4pm.

Enuff updates for the day. Will update again when I get details on my job!! Till then, have a great day everyone.