Robert H. Smith

The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with will. Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still.

Monday, August 29, 2011

No more academic books for a while

Was supposed to go for french classes but the thought of traveling to newton after work was damn turn off for me coz it means that I would have to leave office at 6 sharp to be on time for class. Really don't wanna go for weekend class coz it means having to wake up early, spoiling my plans for the Saturdays.

Was suppose to do my GMAT this half a year but boy.. now I really do hate studying. Wondering if its got to do with failing my CFA L3 with band 10. Pretty tired of studying with no real results. Even if I pass what does it give me... nothing much really (to be honest) other than the impressive title.

Right now, I'm just too happy savouring the free times we have - without the need to study, and just enough time to place priority in learning the finance business. Well... I think I pretty much like having my life back so much that I can't bear to let it go.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

My homework

I find that the biggest challenge in my life is to be able to constantly be better than the current me. Everyday is a test for me to showcase how I can be a better person, a better employee, a better sibling, a better lover.

Whenever I am sad, or angry, I do not stay so for long. Instead, I spent my time thinking how I can make things better.. in any way possible and how could I have prevented things from happening the way it did? If I knew I could do something to make things better, I would. Even if it's just one small thing because they still count for me.
 
In simple terms, I would rationalise my emotions and align them to reality. Face the music, learn from past mistakes and move on... never to make the same mistakes again. When I see the flaws in others, I also see the gem in them. Learning from them is my everyday supplement to becoming a better person. Not everyone has the same learning capacity, same level of adaptability, patience and maturity. Sometimes, we all fall short of our goals because of pride and anger management issues.

Life is too short for regrets, too short to stay unhappy and too short to upset the people whom I care and love around me. More time should be spent to improve yourself, to exceed your own limits.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Life at BNPP

Having worked for a week, my entire team participated in the move to the new office building at Ocean Financial Towers level 33. View from the top is great, reckon will be able to watch some fireworks from here ha. Office is very open with nice amounts of light brightening our workspace.

Compared to my role in previous firm, where I was more like a trainer, business expert adviser. My role now has somewhat transformed into internal business consulting - gathering inputs, analyse, present, evaluate etc. It's quite interesting at first but now I got to the part where it's more challenging - mastering this new business with as many as 14 segments.

It's not really that big a change. It's a change that I needed, that I know I can cope with and make the best out of this opportunity.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Celebration of our love

The National day parade was ongoing at 7pm while we caught it live and on screen from the executive lounge of Fairmont Hotel. During this period, Fred made many trips to the toilet. Nearing the end of the parade, I was there alone anxious that he would missed the fireworks we watched 2 yrs back so I called him.

"I'm downstairs, can you come down to the room in 5 mins?" I said ok and stoned for a good 1 minute, and I walked really slowly to the lift lobby to take the lift down. But 5 mins was not up yet, what should I do? I don't wanna miss the perfect moment with him. Indeed, I went there too early. While waiting outside the door, I noticed something "fishy" was going on in the room. When he finally open the door, the room was perfectly decorated; our photos were attached to the many balloons in chronological order and on the carpet flower petals made out the words he meant to say. Beyond the window, the fireworks was blasting away while he proposed the very moment. Indeed, I was overwhelmed with happiness that a happy tears filled my eyes.

We spent the remaining time at Fairmont that night.. and continued with gym in morning before we checked out from our stay. In the afternoon, we told both our parents the very good news. :)

I'm extremely happy that I can remember this happy day also as the day we got engaged. Double celebration, double the happiness in years to come. Happy anniversary to us!