I am not feeling exactly happy this weekend. Not angry, not resentful, just a feeling of void.
I know I should be contented. I do not face problems some people are facing about losing jobs, financial problem, family problems. I have an attentive husband (despite my moodiness this weekend) and an adorable daughter who is always the centre of my attention.
Maybe it is because I am taking weekends for granted. I let it passes by every week without making the effort to do something meaningful. Except that we brought 'Tian'to McDonald's yesterday and she had a great time!!
Since I will be having a 5 days holidays this Hari Raya Puasa (a festival celebrated by Muslims in Malaysia after fasting from morning to evening for 30 days), I hope to use this time to relax and reflect what I should in my life. Another thing that makes me jealous is that my husband is having 2 weeks Hari Raya Puasa holidays in a row. Huh!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Learning Curve
Tian has been able to recognise words that we read to her and point at the pictures on books a few months back. Her understanding of words has expanded. She has been pronouncing words like 'apple', 'au-au' (dog), 'car', 'lorry', 'key', 'sh' (fish) while recognising the objects when she sees one up to 'to-to' (tomato), 'lion', 'co-co' (coconut), 'papa-ee' (papaya), 'baam' (van), 'bum-bum' (motorcycle).
We have been trying to teach her new words lately but she does not seem interested. Only then, I realised that she is now learning to listen to us rather than learning how to talk. We will ask her if she wants milk and she will respond with 'yao' ('want' in mandarin). If we tell her we are going out, she will get her socks and shoes for us to help her put on. When she hold a food container and wants us to open for her, she will say 'key' to indicate 'open'.
These few days, a few nouns that she could point correctly at the pictures are 'duck', 'egg', 'moon', 'orange', 'rabbit', 'xylophone', 'zip'.
This evening we told her to bring her 'apple book' (books containing apple and other pictures) from a basket at the corner of our living room, she really walked there and brought the book for my husband to read for her. After reading, we told her to put back to the basket and she really did it!
We have been trying to teach her new words lately but she does not seem interested. Only then, I realised that she is now learning to listen to us rather than learning how to talk. We will ask her if she wants milk and she will respond with 'yao' ('want' in mandarin). If we tell her we are going out, she will get her socks and shoes for us to help her put on. When she hold a food container and wants us to open for her, she will say 'key' to indicate 'open'.
These few days, a few nouns that she could point correctly at the pictures are 'duck', 'egg', 'moon', 'orange', 'rabbit', 'xylophone', 'zip'.
This evening we told her to bring her 'apple book' (books containing apple and other pictures) from a basket at the corner of our living room, she really walked there and brought the book for my husband to read for her. After reading, we told her to put back to the basket and she really did it!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Crossroads in My Career
An asistant manager from Engineering Department asked me last week if I was interested to be a Product Engineer. I asked him 'Why?'
He mentioned that he saw me doing my job well that includes stepping into technical details and co-ordinating among departments. When he found out that I was from engineering background, he told me to let him know anytime I would like a switch in my career.
His offer really made me think hard. Should I go back to a career involving technical requirements again? If this is really what I have wanted, I should have stayed to be a QA Engineer 2 to 3 years back and I would be in senior position by now. If I make a career change, have I wasted 2 years in Business Unit department in my current company?
I am trying to analyse the reason why I would even consider this.
1) I was not given an upgrade/ promotion during my last performance appraisal although my superior has been recommending but it was disapproved by top management
2) I just found out the salary increment/ promotions for executive level is far too low/ slow as compared to engineers
3) Being a Product Engineer is also a right career path to achive my goal in my career. It is more high profile and noticeable to top management so reason no. 1 will not happen
However, I like the job I am doing now but am I under-achieving? Although I am very busy in my work that requires for me to stay back until 7:00pm some days, can this be done by anyone else? Is my job easily replaceable?
If I stay at my current job, how soon can I reach my goal?
If I switch to engineering department, will I have to start from scratch again in terms of positions and grades but will this allow me to get promoted faster?
Nothing is decided, I will just wait for another performance appraisal end of this year and see how it goes.
He mentioned that he saw me doing my job well that includes stepping into technical details and co-ordinating among departments. When he found out that I was from engineering background, he told me to let him know anytime I would like a switch in my career.
His offer really made me think hard. Should I go back to a career involving technical requirements again? If this is really what I have wanted, I should have stayed to be a QA Engineer 2 to 3 years back and I would be in senior position by now. If I make a career change, have I wasted 2 years in Business Unit department in my current company?
I am trying to analyse the reason why I would even consider this.
1) I was not given an upgrade/ promotion during my last performance appraisal although my superior has been recommending but it was disapproved by top management
2) I just found out the salary increment/ promotions for executive level is far too low/ slow as compared to engineers
3) Being a Product Engineer is also a right career path to achive my goal in my career. It is more high profile and noticeable to top management so reason no. 1 will not happen
However, I like the job I am doing now but am I under-achieving? Although I am very busy in my work that requires for me to stay back until 7:00pm some days, can this be done by anyone else? Is my job easily replaceable?
If I stay at my current job, how soon can I reach my goal?
If I switch to engineering department, will I have to start from scratch again in terms of positions and grades but will this allow me to get promoted faster?
Nothing is decided, I will just wait for another performance appraisal end of this year and see how it goes.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Reading the Correct Way
I came home from work not as late as usual and found my 13 month old daughter, Tian having her evening stroll with my mother-in-law. She was examining my neighbour's balsam plant (by plucking the flowers) and looking at their pet dog.
I brought her into our car to reach home faster than her usual pace. If we would let her walk home, she would be stopping halfway to pick up stones, twigs, leaves, insects or make a U-turn to go further away from our house.
Sometimes, I do wonder how much can a 13 month old toddler understand about things around them. As we were watching TV and in order to keep Tian occupied, I just absent-mindedly took her book containing picture of fruits, put in front of her and read to her some fruit names. When she took the book away off my hand and turn it up side down only I realised that I had put the book in the wrong orientation for her. I was so proud and told my MIL. She asked me to try again just to confirm. I took the book away from her and put in front of her upside down. She removed it from my hand and turned it into the correct orientation again. It was not a coincidence! Real proud of her!! She must have remembered how my husband and I hold the book when reading for her.
I brought her into our car to reach home faster than her usual pace. If we would let her walk home, she would be stopping halfway to pick up stones, twigs, leaves, insects or make a U-turn to go further away from our house.
Sometimes, I do wonder how much can a 13 month old toddler understand about things around them. As we were watching TV and in order to keep Tian occupied, I just absent-mindedly took her book containing picture of fruits, put in front of her and read to her some fruit names. When she took the book away off my hand and turn it up side down only I realised that I had put the book in the wrong orientation for her. I was so proud and told my MIL. She asked me to try again just to confirm. I took the book away from her and put in front of her upside down. She removed it from my hand and turned it into the correct orientation again. It was not a coincidence! Real proud of her!! She must have remembered how my husband and I hold the book when reading for her.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
First Blog
Hi All,
Finally, I have managed to start a blog. I have been comtemplating with this idea for a long time but did not have the initiative to really sit down and create one. Today is a good day to start one, though. According to Lunar Calender, today is Mooncake Festival as well as my ROM anniversary 4 years back. Happy 4th ROM Anniversary, LK! You have been a perfect partner as well as a confidant to me.
Finally, I have managed to start a blog. I have been comtemplating with this idea for a long time but did not have the initiative to really sit down and create one. Today is a good day to start one, though. According to Lunar Calender, today is Mooncake Festival as well as my ROM anniversary 4 years back. Happy 4th ROM Anniversary, LK! You have been a perfect partner as well as a confidant to me.
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