Happy Birthday Celine!

My director, Celine,  celebrated her 40th Birthday last Monday, and we gave her a $100 Tangs voucher, a bouquet of flowers and a small Chewy Junior puff with candles for her to blow out. Upon receiving the voucher, she laughed and quipped that she would be able to get us our Christmas presents using that.

Remembering that she still owed us a Christmas present for last year (she was busy with personal stuff, so didn’t have the time to get us any), I retorted “For this year or last year? HEHE.“, which raised a few laughs (and a few eyebrows as well).

Erm, rude meh? Hahaha. I thought it was pretty funny… and I hope my director thought so too as well hur hur hur (Dah takot dah ni actually).

Department Lunch @ some Balinese restaurant.

My company’s biggest client had a stopover in Singapore the past few days and we were treated to lunch at some Balinese restaurant a good twenty minutes walk away from our office (by the time we got back, we were hungry again HEHE).

Because my director and him were caught up shopping at IKEA, they only arrived after everyone had finished their food (which was rather terrible hurhurhur) and thus we could not chat around with him like we did last year whilst having sheesha at Arab Street together.

Nevertheless, I have to admit that I am ever so happy because he bought every one in our department the perfume of our choice (heh heh beli yang besar lah apa lagi!), and because upon seeing me, he went “Faddy!“.

Finally, he called me “Faddy” and not “My Sheesha Friend”, which he he has always been calling me during our e-mail correspondences hahaha :)

P/s. Comments from colleagues after seeing me wear the above,

“Woman, you should have more skirts in your wardrobe! You look like a girl!“

Then now I look like boy is it? Chicken McNugget!

April’s Fool.

This is my Manager. On April’s Fool day, she got punked yo! Summary of what had happened-

• Including my Manager, there are 10 people in our department.
• 2 are already on leave, which leaves 8.
• The day before April’s Fool,  Safa and I applied for leave for the day, which leave 6.
• On April Fool’s morning, Siti sent her a message that she will be taking urgent leave as her son is sick. Headcount? 5.
• Zarina then smsed her that she was not feeling well and will be taking MC, which leaves 4.
• This was followed by Theresa and Alyssa applying for MC as well, which leaves just 2 little ducks in the office, including my now fuming Manager.

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How To Make a Mini-Book.

There may be many other ways to do it, but this is how I did MY version. So I don’t care if your milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, because I am contented with the way mine is (HAHA I just felt like inserting that lyric because I am bobbing to that song now).

So anyway, all you need is (love):-

• Drawing blocks (depending on the number of pages you want in the book)
• A harder stylo-er piece of white paper
• UHU glue
• Binder clips
• Standard stationery (scissors, ruler, black marker, penknife etc)

Using the standard stationery set, cut the pieces of drawing blocks into the exact size and number that you want. For me, I chose to do a credit card sized book as it is not too big, not too small, just the size of Singapore!

Stack the pieces of cut paper like how you would envision a book to look like, and use the binder clips to hold the stack together. Personally, I sleep safer at night when I know I had clipped along the running edge of the top and bottom of the book. The point here is to make sure that each paper is right next to the papers next to it, macam kita solat then kene rapatkan saf haha!

Once you’re happy that it’s a tight fit ala-ala seluar tapered and it’s mat, reach for the UHU glue, and spread a THIN layer along the edge that is supposed to be the spine of the book. They key thing here is to use the glue sparingly – if you pour too much, the glue will make the book soggy (learnt it the hard way).

So once the glue has dried up, add a couple more layers till you’re satisfied. I did three and it holds up fine :)

Remember the harder stylo-er piece of white paper that was sitting in the corner, well while the glue is drying, just cut the paper according to the proportions and this will be your hardcover. So for mine, it’s – credit card size – spine size – credit card size. Can understand? Haha.

So when your stack of papers have been awesomely glued together, put a final layer of glue (a tad bit more then thinly) and paste the glue-d edge to the inside of your hardcover’s spine. Take your binder clips and clip the book all around to make sure it’s snug and tight.

Put it in a corner, clean up your workspace and give yourself a pat on the back. You’re almost done!

The next day (yes, leave it to dry overnight), retrieve it from your corner, open the binder clips and flip through the book! At THIS point, then you can start writing in stuff or doing borders and drawing cute little stick figures hehe.

Ok that’s all for today. Please come back tomorrow for another D-I-Y session with Faddy Fingersdontfing *LIKE REAL* hahahahahaha.

And oh yes, as a sidenote, the cute doctor at Raffles Medical did a double take when she took my temperature using her ear thermometer earlier today:-

“What? You said you had high fever on Monday? And it’s gone right? Wait I think this thermometer is faulty, cannot be you still have high fever what.. Haiyah.. *places a thermometer in my mouth, minutes later it beeps* Eh you still have high fever lah sayang! Its 38.something you know! Want MC not?“

“Don’t want lah, I MC 2 and a half days already you know. Give me my medicine can already!”

I should be awarded best worker HAHAHAHHAHAHAH. K I am starting to be high on those little yellow pills. Good night kids!

Company Treats!

Isn’t Mr Bely (top right of picture) the cutest?!

Alhamdulillah, in the financial year of 2008 my company did very well in our sales and aside from the 13th month bonus as well as the >3 times performance bonus coming in soon (so exciting!), the management also went ahead with our annual Chinese New Year lunch at Hyatt’s Straits Kitchen.

Actually Mr Bely (my Biggest Boss) asked us to choose between Scott’s Carousel and Hyatt’s, and it was unfortunate (on my end) that most people preferred Hyatt’s. Personally, I favor Carousel due to the range of cold dishes and dessert available. To me, Straits Kitchen’s food are just like any normal Asian food in the open market.

But in any case, it was a good lunch filled with story telling and picture taking, and may I recommend that anyone doing the buffet start with the Indian dishes as they are the best in the whole range of food available :)

I think that I am very fortunate to be in my company, because amidst these troubled economic crisis, all of us save one* are still sitting comfortably on our normal salaries and the bonus was even bigger then the years before. On top of that, we don’t have to take forced leaves and I think the HR’s going to organize another R&R trip soon.

The directors have drawn out a projected sales amount for 2009 which is even bigger then 2008’s, and seeing the gloomy forecast by everyone else in the market, I was rather apprehensive at first but seeing the amount of work waiting for me when March arrives (shit, that’s tomorrow!) I hope we’ll be able to pull through with flying colors like we did this year.

Because well, then next year Siti (my assistant manager) and I can bully our manager into treating the department at Amirah’s Grill again! hahaha…

More pictures from my flickr set:-

*The only reason why one person was fired because he was pretty much a redundant cost to the company – a guy who played games in the toilet cubicle, watched movies and fall asleep at his desk, refused to help with anything not within his job scope, and practically told everyone he wanted to quit after receiving the big bonus. Smart move, big guy.

Zarina’s Birthday.

On the 21st of January, my colleague Zarina (not to be confused with the ‘perfect’ blogger) turned 31. As she is one of those in the office who always has to put up with my daily out-of-tune singing, my tears when I was down, and my not-funny jokes, I decided to do something more for her…

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Realistic?

4 months of no bonus just because I was labeled under ‘temporary’ staff as opposed to ‘permanent’ during that period? Did you not count the fact that I worked  full time, did all the things that the permanent staff did, and that I was there even longer then a couple of the other colleagues?

As the Mats would have said, “Buat darah aku up!!!” All these ‘official terms’ are just ways to swindle their way out of things I tell you. I mean, come on man, if you look it from the bigger point of view, I really think it is justified that I get paid the full bonus, seeing that I have been working in the company for over a year!

Sigh, I am so disappointed! Gone are my plans to buy my first whole life insurance, or invest in a better wardrobe etc. Tolak duit mak, tolak duit adik, tolak duit skola… tup tup habis bonus aku. Nabeitengteng >:|

Oh well, on the bright side, at least I still have enough to pay for school and have a bit left for Bangkok (although now I have to save some more during the next few months to complete the budget). And at least, it is still a war not lost, as the manager and director are trying to talk some sense into the HR head for me.

Drop a prayer for me everyone. I really need the money, sigh.

We Play Paintball.

In a bid to have some department bonding, I decided to organize a Paintball game for the whole gang. The initial plan was to have everyone turn up with their partners, but due to reasons like ‘family events’, ‘partner busy’ or people who just have no sense of team spirit *roll eyes*, only  12 of us (3 partners inclusive) could make it.

We booked a game with We Play Paintball and was amazed (not in a good way) to know that the $35.90/person we paid for which gave us a 90 minutes slot in fact only had less then 10 minutes  of game time hahaha!

We were split into two groups and basically the winner is decided when one completes the objectives or runs out of paintballs.

For the first game, the objective was just to retrieve a brick and a flag lying in the middle of the field. As Anim, Safa’s fiance, had played the game before and the rest of us were screaming girls running about aimlessly, the game finished in less then 3 minutes wakakaka! And since Anim was in the other group, my group lost :(

For the second game, however, with all of us getting a hang of it and me guarding Anim like a hound (he was my only target), my group won! Huhuhu! For this round, we had to

1. Shoot down a cone on our opponent’s side (I shot it down hehehe)
2. Retrieve the brick and the flag (Baby did it!)
3. Place our group flag in the middle of the field (which I as the captain did hehe).

However, it was all due to pure teamwork that we won, because without Cik Yati, Pak Busu, Theresa and Alyssa assisted in shooting the opponents, guarding our items and covering our back, Haikal and I would have never got the objectives done.

Some of us went home with nary a paint on their body, some with splotches of paint everywhere and some even with bruises! Nevertheless, I can vouch that all of us had so much fun playing the game because after the session, calls of having a rematch (this time with the $49.90/person package) echoed through the air.

So yeap, head over to We Play Paintball to book your slots (book early!). I recommend the place as even though it’s pricey, the staff are all very friendly (one is even super hot) and it is a damn load of fun.

Any friends wanna organize a match? Kekeke I am addicted!

Xmas Gift Exchange.

Unlike the previous year where everyone in the whole department bought everyone else a gift (resulting in Bodyshop getting a 150% increase in profits), this year due to the recession we decided to cool it down and play Secret Santa instead.

At everyone’s prodding, I got down to creating a Christmas Tree for all my colleagues to jot down their wishes so that everyone gets what they want instead of something which will probably end up being a recycled gift for someone else.

I think the best Christmas wish on the whole tree comes from my Sales Director, Celine (see picture below).

Hahahaha stopitsey. Nevertheless, in true Department 2 spirit, my colleagues and I brainstormed a couple of ideas to make her wish come true and the following was what we did at last in 10 easy steps.

1) Google up images of the Aston Martin DBS V12, as well as the Aston Martin logo. Crop to size and print.

2) Cut both images to shape.

3) Paste the appropriate sides together, as well as the cotton stuffing to make the keychain look more 3D.

4) Laminate the paper so that it won’t look so cheapo, and to add that glossy effect. Aston Martin, okay!

5) Paste Aston Martin logo on black box to cover the words “Maybank” (which was printed on it). Giggle at how budget the whole project is.

6) Insert keychain ring into whole punched on car image.

7) Make whole package look nicer with ribbons and padded tissues etcetera.

8) Eat a fantastic cake from Cadele at the pantry with the whole department. Make small talk about the cake containing oil and not butter.

9) Laugh our asses off whilst Celine opened the gift and laughed her own head off.

10) Laugh again as she put on her real christmas gift (which was a pair of Guess sunglasses) while exclaiming, “Wow! It’s so pretty! I look better then Paris Hilton!“

The End.

Haha as you might have guessed, work was rather unproductive today. Everyone was busy going through the hundreds of pictures from the party last Friday, laughing at those who got so pissed drunk that they don’t recall anything which happened that night or opening Xmas presents and comparing them :)

As for me, I finally got my own Gorrilapod! But the only available color was yellow, so I think I might have to make that trip down to Artfriend to get some paint and paint it red, so that it will match my other camera accesories. Yes, I am anal like that haha!

Have a good week ahead everyone!

FAE Xmas Party ‘08.

Unlike last year’s party which was an Xmas lunch in the office itself, this year the celebration was held at The Rupee Room. Overall, what I remember is that I had so much fun dancing and hollering the night away with my lovely colleagues (Disko Papan!), that my department has the most sporting people around, and that some people become extremely – to put in a polite way – hyper when drunk (free flow mah).

I saw sides of my colleagues that I have never seen before (all my higher management have MOVES), and it was Awesome with a capital A when my two of my besties at work finally loosen up as the night progressed, that we even ended the night with a series of impromptu coordinated steps to the song Superstar hur hur hur.

‘Twas a great party, even though I admit the part that I had to run to the toilet at the shopping mall next door more then 3 times in that few hours due to my diarrhoea and when I saw looks of disdain from a certain someone kind of tarnished it a bit :/

Stopitseh, the only men on the dancefloor were the two directors (who were busy dancing with each other haha!) and we were only dancing within our colleagues whom we are close to what? To top it off, the whole area was exclusive to our company, which means there are practically only WOMEN in the whole damn room!

Where’s the fun in the party if we sit down and sip drinks (non alcoholic ones at that) when the whole motive of the night was to dance the night away to corny 80’s songs and whatnot whilst relishing each others’ company?

So anyway, even though I walked back into the night short of the 37″ Toshiba LCD, I did walk away with an invitation to hop aboard the Director’s private plane for breakfast at Tioman. COOL OR WHAT? I think that’s way more exciting then a television set! Haha…

Now I need to rope in 3 more colleagues who wouldn’t mind hopping aboard the plane with me cuz silly besties say they are scared because they wouldn’t know what to talk to him about -.- Nak kene taplek satu-satu.

P/s. I cannot emphasize enough how cool beans my bosses are. Mr Bely for the plane invite, Celine and Cyrille for dancing kao-kao the whole night, Cik Yati and Siti in their gypsy fortune teller get-up and motivating us to get up and go mad. I LOVE MY COMPANY!

P/s/s. Note I did not say job. That one is debatable. hahahahha!!

P/s/s/s. No nice pics as I was too busy having fun hehe. Have a good weekend everyone!