Baby Steps

What's the best way to mark my one year anniversary in legal recruitment? A placement. This is one placement that i pushed for it, i did all the job handling both the client and the pile of candidates. It helped by knowing my client well and to give her the sort of person she really wants in her team. I have to say this role is unique and this candidate is really special. Not that she's crème de la crème. Nonetheless, she's great but her personality is not the typical lawyer and neither is the hiring manager. Both of them are like match made in heaven.

On this day, I'd like to thank all of you who believed in me and walk the walk no matter how tough the going gets. I'm feeling a little Grammy's so please allow me. My bosses who trusted my ability, ex-colleagues who encouraged me and friends (including cousins, nieces & nephews) who stood by me.

Lastly, I wish my Grandma can see this in heaven (in amidst of catching her Teochew opera) knowing that I've not grown into a mercenary monster but am enjoying my job while genuinely doing my job the best known way, morally. Missing her...

Gotham & 90% Naked Hot Bods

Gotham - One of those places that you're generally wary of because you don't know what you're heading into and even when friends raved about them, you just go like, "Oh, i should go someday." but never ever got around to do so.

When i went for drinks the night before with some friends, they were talking about the the hunks and the stripping dances. So we decided to check the place out.

As soon as we arrived, we saw some hot guys taking fabric off their body till they reveal this little hot shorts. The show "abruptly" ended when they pulled down the back and revealed the top end of their thongs.

When they announced the next show was coming up in an hour's time, we were hyped up again after all the groaning and sighing.

During this hour, i had a great time catching up with the bunch and filling them in with stuffs in my life. Well, since Tubby was there as well, there wasn't much to fill them in really. Had a little drink and went onto the dance floor. It's been some time since i last got down to a dance floor and they actually had space for me. We have received several lessons from St. James and unfortunately, we never seem to learn.

The show came back on at 12 and we couldn't stop blushing, screaming, raving... Now, i've lost my voice but i had a great time. I think when the crowd is right, you can simply have fun anywhere, everywhere.

Black Tie?

This is going to be real exciting! I'm gonna meet up with some people whom i haven't met for some time and they have people who have left some footprints and has taught me lots of things regarding various aspects of my puny, insignificant life. We are so gonna have so much fun. I just feel bad about leaving out someone but due to unspecified reasons, i had to do just that.

Went for a meeting this morning and that was an excellent client. The likelihood of a much bigger job lies awaiting some sort of attrition. This week is going to be really busy but i rather busy than too free and i have nothing to work on and log. One of my likely offer has fallen through and i feel like trash now. On another hand, a candidate of mine will be attending her final round of interview so i really have to be good and keep my fingers crossed. I need more placements to prove myself! Besides, the first and only one was painfully puny and probably even smaller than i earlier anticipated it. Damn it!

End of this month, there will be a corporate function that is a black tie event and i have no idea what i should be wearing. Any suggestions?

Happy Back At Work

I can't believe i'll ever say this but i was looking forward to come back to work and really happy to be doing something on a supposedly, Blue Monday. It was pretty eventful for a Monday. "Comedy Boss"'s computer broke down so we were all trying to fix it. Well, with the exception of "Elitist Money Grabber" who sat, stuck on his chair all the time. Mind you, he was still sitting where he was even when sparks were flying and "Gorgeous Eye Lift" almost got electrocuted. The only time we managed to get him slightly concerned was when the computers all shut down, including his. There was partial blackout and he couldn't quite work for the time being. Being ultra concerned with the billions that he's not earning while the computeres were down, he suggested to get an electrician to get things fixed. WE DIDN'T NEED TO BE TOLD TO KNOW THAT! Duh!

My new colleague, a.k.a "Gym + Work Buddy" isn't quite in shape today so she's not in the office. Have i told you guys that she's actually really nice and i like her. I think we're gonna have a blast working together.

I know it may sound weird but i've just gotta say this for my own record. Work to me is like taking baby steps, it's slow and you fall but you've gotta bring yourself to get up and walk again. Right now, i'm moving and walking and learning how to walk efficiently so i can run. Some things are getting finalised now and my work is getting recognised and paid off. I'm glad things are working well for me now and i've just got to put in that much more to be able to run the marathon.

Changes...

The office seems so different without Ah Joo Dee today. Apparently, we can expect more changes to come during the span of this week. "Long Lash" is in town and he proposed a new seating arrangements for us. So before close of business today, we're going to be moving tables again. I roughly know where i'll be sitting but trust me, nothing is firmed up, even after you're well-planted in the new seat.

My career is going on a very different path. It's going to be major. Very much make or break. Sort of. Nothing has been announced so i shall keep it hush hush until concrete announcement is being made.

Today is the last day of peace and order. Back to chaos tomorrow... Right now, i only wanna work and be super efficient today.

Ah Joo Dee

Finally, you have left us in search of greener pastures. My emotions are mixed. You were my bestest colleague, someone who has taught me how to register candidates and polite no. You will remain one of the best people i'll ever work with. It's inevitable sad and tears just flow down uncontrollably when i had to say bye. I know i'll see you again but i also know, i won't walk into the office with a sugar roll on my desk anymore or have anyone i can buy them for when i feel like giving someone a small treat. I wish i can make you stay by buying you a SME every morning. But i also know, you'll be happier from today onwards. I can only wish you all the best. Have fun in Sydney and do come back to lunch with me. We also had to cover each other during lunch. Now that i don't have to cover anyone, i also don't get to eat myself poor with you. This bottomless pit will miss you. Thank you for everything you've done for me. You mean alot to me in my little insignificant life. I'll miss the team of Babooshka boss, DGJ and you, Ah Joo Dee. Not forgetting comedy boss who completes the team. I'll really miss the old office. I understand the need to grow into a bigger office and expand but i'm sure, time with you guys will always be very important part of my life.

Big Fish Small Fish

"Long Lashes", my big big big boss, says that he's going to rearrange the seats today. I wonder if that's good news for me. I have my doubts. As you guys know, i'm not someone with the best luck around and i always end up getting the worst so it might be worse than what it is now. Well, i'm getting used to this and it's not as bad. Guess it's blessing in disguise. I'm putting in so much more effort into what i'm doing, not so much that someone is looking at me but i'm not so easily distracted by other things.

Keeping my fingers crossed, i might just have made my first ever placement all done by myself. Beginning from the search to the calling and the crazy arrangements of interviews and organising flights and hotels, meeting with the candidates and client, the worrying if i'll ever get an offer... Now it's all coming together. Albeit it's not big, but it was way bigger than it actually was intended to be and i've made one guy possibly the happiest guy on earth. And also, it's a first for me.

I did one together with DGJ sometime ago but without her help pointing out to me, look this is a perfect candidate, i wouldn't have been able to place that girl. Then again, i must say that i've learnt a great deal from DGJ and my Comedy Boss through these two placements. Yippee!

I know these are peanuts little placements compared to those astronomical once my colleagues are placing but i'm happy because this actually shows that i'm doing the right thing and it's paying off. Good Lord.

Keeping fingers crossed until i see the cheque, and oh well, and also for the whole year while the guy is in the company.

Work Stress or Irritating Colleague

Generally, people at work will know me as the happy, cheeky girl who's willing to do whatever she told, well if it falls within my job scope that is. I rarely reject people unless i'm overwhelmed but i'm no pushover. I'm lucky to have understanding colleagues and such but recently, some people are just getting on my nerves. I feel that i was pushed back to the starting point and the whole torture peocess has to start all over again. When people can't handle their stress and treats you like a trashcan, you'll be as upset as i am. I was almost breaking into tears but i remembered "DGJ" told me one last thing before she left this company. In order to gain respect in any working environment, i have to be alot more serious. Life is such, you're being judged for who you put out to be and not who you really are and what you can do.

I needed to vent the frustration out so bad that i emailed my bosses and told them in quite an angry tone that i was being "mentally abused" and being thrown PA jobs which were totally degrading for me. I'm like a heavy train going uphill, it seems like you're getting there and it's taking a long time and you're glad you're moving but when someone in the train keep jumping and kept the train from moving any more forward, instead pushing it back to base point, it's really vexing and dangerous. Well, it's all over. I just hope that i can have more of a poker face next time and learn to be more plastic.

New Seat - Bad Bad Bad

My seat has changed again.

Now I'm not facing the sun nor is my big boss facing my screen but it's far worse. The whole world is facing my screen now. I can't even check my emails in peace now. Having the largest screen in the office is not helping either. My privacy is all gone. They are unwilling to put me in my favourite window seat for stupid reasons and now taking my away from the other seat but even more silly reasons. I'm feeling miserable. The sun in my eye was bad enough, now i have a reflective UFO looking thing in my eye. It's not making things any better though. From where i was, at least the sun wasn't that strong. Now, it's right in my eye. How clever. Was just telling "DGJ" how interesting it is to tell them I'll be resigning one day and the reason being "I'm stuck in a bad seat".

Seriously, it's not because I'm fussing about it, now can you work while seated in the most uncomfortable place in the whole wide world? Besides, your loud colleague is just right in front of you. With his voice amplifying your face, I'm almost sure i can't hear myself over phonecalls nor think and type properly in my emails. If you've heard the corny remarks he makes, you really wouldn't wanna be laughing to them.

Office Expansion

Guess it's good that my office has just doubled in terms of size over the weekend. That will also mean that I'll be doing real recruitment jobs and more people will be hired doing the support work. Frankly, I'm not exactly enjoying this. My back is facing the door, extremely bad fengshui, not that it matters but that will mean that I'm actually looking at the nice view with the sun in my eyes and after a while, i keep seeing stars. It's really bad for my eyes and i should be like wearing sunnies or something while I'm working. I hate it. I feel miserable. My big boss happen to be sitting right behind me as well, and really, haven't got much to hide just superbly uncomfortable to have everyone looking at your screen. It feels invasive and i feel bare. My heart is constantly beating real hard with fear that someone might just pounce up on me of a sudden. Now i know what it means by bad fengshui. You're so emotionally affected, you can't really work. I genuinely hate it. I never hated something so much for a long time. I'm risking my damned life to be blogging this but i don't care because this will be the last time I'm doing this. If I'm doing to be pinned for taking 5 mins doing what i want, I'd be out of the door sooner than you think.

JJJJJJeeeeggggiiieee Dai Gah Jhe

When i first came into my current company, i was the happiest camper ever. The best ever colleagues, the best ever boss, the best ever Dai Gah Jhe. "DGJ" used to be a practising lawyer and has always struck me as a superbly intelligent person, fun to be with, excellent cook and a great mentor only second to my ex-boss, "GooLeeEr". "DGJ" is like the big sister whom i've never had who looks after me, shoosh me when my untame mouth leaks, brings me yummy pavlovas and pull me to meetings simply to help me pick up stuffs i should be learning but am not.

When i found out that she was leaving, my tears just came down like a running tap. The office is going to be so different. "GooLeeEr" left and the office has already evolved to a form i can't even recognise and on some days, dread coming in. Now that "DGJ" is going leave, don't think the office will change vastly but to me, my world will be altered. I don't want her to leave but i know she'll be much happier somewhere else. I can see myself running down to Boat Quay to whine and wine with her.

"DGJ" has got the nicest dress sense. She's one of the best cook i've ever come across. But most importantly, she's my "stairwell" buddy. Without her, my world will just lose the "it" in stuffs. Who can i bitch and complain to when i go to the stairwell in future? I guess life just has to move on but one thing i'm sure of is, "Once a DGJ, always a DGJ"