last day at work

Today is my last day at work. I am officially part of the jobless statistic number in Singapore from tomorrow onwards.

I planned to have at least an hour to pack my stuff and say good-bye to my colleagues. But was so busy with all the work that I sent out my farewell e mail at the very last minute. And spent the next twenty min or so throwing all my stuff into bags. Close colleagues ( or more like friends ) dropped by and gave hugs and encouragement while I was packing. Some expressed their regrets and grief?!! BH, a very close one was saying that she needs to get out of the office before she cry… KT refused to stay on and witness my packing! Deep down, I feel flattered that I could evoke such strong emotions from them!! M asked whether I am sad that I am leaving. I really wished that I am, but truthfully I am not. I had given my 12 years to the same company. From a young fresh graduate ( sweet young thing, they used to call me?!) to now a senior auntie, I think it is enough. I may even have outstay my usefulness in this company, i feel. Some colleagues put together a card which I will keep. A card, only you may say. But to me, I am touched and it is enough. Parting is part and parcel of life. I had refused to be attached to anything or anyone in the company. People come and go. Things are always changing. In fact, someone said that the only constants in the World are change, and of course God!

Tomorrow is a brand new day for me. A brand new start. Farewell is not the end of the road. It is the start of something, somewhere…. And I shall look forward a a new chapter of my life.

The jealousy monster

It was a nice quiet evening.  Paul was still at work and Kyla was doing her Kumon homework.  Ariel was busy doing some colouring and I had a chance to talk to Elkan.

“Elkan, do you love mommy?” I asked.

“Yes, I love you mommy.”  he gave the correct answer.

“Elkan, when you grow up and have a girlfriend, who will you love?”  Now the trick question.

“I love my girlfriend and mommy,”  another politically correct answer. 

“No, you can only choose one.  Mommy or girlfriend?” I pressed on..

“Girlfriend!”  Arrgh!!!  So is there any point in loving him when he is planning to ditch me once he has a girlfriend?

But then Kyla asked,”Mommy, when you married Daddy, do you still love ‘po po’ grandma?”

“Yes,”  Oops, I think I know what is coming.

“And do you love daddy?”

“Yes,”

“So mommy, if you can love po po and daddy at the same time, Elkan can also love both you and his girlfriend, right?”

Yes, darling.  I guess so.  But I better treasure all the time I can spend with my dearest son before I am no longer the most important woman in his life.  Before he discover girls, that is!

Is she ready for P1?

I know I shouldn’t compare among my kids but somehow they are so different.

Kyla is the “bo-chap” one that can’t be bothered whether she is doing well or not.  But she is vain enough that we can use that to get her to eat more veg.  Like, if you want to have beautiful skin, you better eat your spinach/broccoli/carrots/etc..  And when it comes to school, she is more concern about her dance steps for the year end concert than the weekly spelling. 

Mid this year, I found a set of chinese worksheets in her bag and asked,”Kyla, do you need to do this for homework?”

“I don’t know”, she shrugged.

“Did teacher say the day you must hand in?”  I asked.

“I don’t know”, another shrug from her.

“Do you know which page you have to do?”

“I don’t know, don’t ask me.  Ask my teacher, can?”

I had to call her Chinese teacher and get the full details, like which page to do and when to hand in.  And then every Saturday, I need to nag and nag at her to finish the chinese homework before school on Monday.  Sign!!

But when it comes to Ariel, it is so different.  One Friday evening, she suddenly ran to her bag and took out one page of colouring for chinese. 

“Mommy, I got homework today.  Can I do it now?”  Of course I am more than glad to let her finish it before the weekend starts.  There was one Friday when we went out and came back late.  And she was so distraught that she could not do the homework before her bedtime.  I had to convinced her that she will get the chance to do it the next morning. 

So looking at the two gals, I am worried for Kyla.  At the way she is now, is she ready for P1?

I quit!!

Work is not so smooth with a new GM on board.  So after much consideration, I handed in my letter.  Finally after so long!  I spent 12 years here, starting as a managment trainee back in 1995.  Looking back, I had learnt much and grew with the company in the 12 years old.  Deep in my heart, I know I still can’t bear to let go especially when I had made good friends here.  But I guess change is inevitable and I will need to let go and try something new.

I will do part time teaching in a poly for a while ( about six months) before deciding to go back to full time work or not.  So will just pray and see where God leads!

Grandma???

On the way to her Kumon class one afternoon, Kyla asked a very interesting question.

“Mommy, can you help me to look after my children next time when I grow up?

“Huh??  You can look after your own kids, darling!”  i replied.

“But I will need to go and work so that I can provide you with money next time.” said Kyla.

“Well, you can ask your hubby to give you money if you need it.”

“But what if he has not enough money?”  asked the smart gal.

“Then get one that has a lot to spare lor!”  I said..

“Hmmm…  OK!!” said my gal.

 My goodness, she is planning so far ahead!  That is like 20 years ahead of time! 

Balloting for primary school

It is the stressful time of the year again when parents need to register their 6th year old kid for primary one.

There is one quite famous girls school just beside my home ( I mean so near that we share the same carpark!!)  I checked with the school admin people, I was given the info that usually there was no balloting except for last year because of the higher birth rate 6 years back due to dragon year and millenum year.  So I happily do nothing except waiting for for my phase (2C) to come so that i can register for Kyla.  Most of the people I know had successfully gotten in due to connections such as old gal or church membership. 

Imagine my horror when I went on the designated afternoon to register and was told that there are already more applications than the available places.  So they will only accept applications for balloting if I stay within 1 km from the school.  I stay less than 100m away!!!  So I place the registration and waited for the day of balloting to come.  I prayed with Kyla every night that she will get a place in that school.   Hubby was super calm and told me that God will take care of that!!  Meanwhile, we started to look around for other schools as alternatives.

On the day of balloting, it was 85 applications for 61 seats only.  Thank God her name was drawn and she is given a place in the school.  Phew!!