.: asylum for the sane :.

I quit my job today. Very shocking to many considering that I am actually one of those people who can look you in the eye and tell you, “I love my job” and actually mean it.

I’ve never considered my job as work because I found it fun. Sound like crazy talk to you? Well wait till I tell you I actually enjoyed going to school when I was a student. I guess the good attitude followed me through my working life.

I started this job as a nobody who knew literally nothing about web development. I started off as a catalogue writer for the sister-company of the company that dealt with flowers and gifts. Then slowly, I got roped into my ex-company (omg it’s so weird to refer to it as an ex-company).

Whatever I know today, I learned on the job – picking the skills up along the way. I guess, my passion for the work played a part in ensuring that I learned everything pretty quickly. I literally became from zero to hero over the past 2 and a half years most of which were spent talking to programmers and designers: making decision for what’s best for the site. And the project I dealt with are often major projects with major and long uploads.

I’m never a technical person, but now when I go for job interviews, I am told that I am “too technical” – which is always pretty funny to me, hehe. But that’s a clear indication of how much I’ve grown personally and professionally and I am proud of it. It’s a personal achievement.

I know I had a lucky break with this job. I was given the time, the guidance and the trust even though I was practically a “clean slate” in the industry. For that, I am forever thankful to my boss – who has been awesome 95% of my time there.

I made fantastic friends and got to work with some of the most amazing and talented people I ever known. It’s an experience that would be hard to forget even if I tried.

It’s amazing how friendships formed and work get done despite the fact that the people that I work with the most (and got close to) are in fact in Jakarta, Indonesia. Everything was communicated thru email, msn and phone calls – and everything got done done done.

I loved my job so dearly which is why I was in tears throughout the day today. My leaving sudden (with no notice, mutual agreement and it ended amicably – please don’t ask) and everybody was shocked and sad at my leaving. Doesn’t help that I know everybody and have always been well-liked. It made it even harder to leave when I thought about the design team that I had built from scratch.

But I had to, it’s time. I had a good run in the company. I’ve given my best, I’ve done it all and have gained so much experience and knowledge that I never thought I would have. I am thankful for everything that I’ve gained within the past 2 and a half years – no regrets.

My only hope now is to find a greener pastures that has people who are just as awesome and a boss who is just as easy to work with and has faith in me.

So this is me signing out, no more tears I hope. Memories will always be memories but that’s all they’ll ever be.

xoxo.

I feel exhausted. It’s as if the accumulated exhaustion of this entire year has decided to ambush me at year end.

2009 has been a very long year to say the least.

Health

I’ve been a complete klutz this year. Awfully accident prone and oftenly sick. Who could forget my week long MC as I lay in bed thinking I was gonna die from food poisoning? Drama Queen, that I am

Or the time that I sprained both ankles (which led to both entire legs hurting so much) just because I took a wrong landing as I jumped over a ditch? And I came back from the hospital with both legs bandaged? Haha

or what about the time I sprained my hand and arm from slamming a door really hard?

Yes a cam whore never misses a chance to cam whore. Even if it means taking the photo with her sprained hand. Tsk.

I think this year I took more MCs than I would annual leaves haha. Let’s hope for better health next year then. Maybe I shouldn’t mention here that I’ve been having chest pains. But oh well, I just did. Shh.

Career

I worked so damn hard this year. Looking back on my accomplishments at work this year, I feel a tinge of pride. It’s truly a lot of work to have come thus far. I’ve learnt so many things, gotten to know so many new people, people come people go.

My teams in Jakarta grew by leaps and bounds and suddenly I have 2 incredibly big, capable and talented teams there that I can rely at any given time or day. And these two teams practically make two out of many firm foundations of the site.

And for the first time, I’ve started growing a team in Singapore too. Incredible. Even though it is something very new (less than a month), it has been incredibly exciting and fun to have my own team here.

More powers indeed come with extra responsibilities, as I’ve learned this year.

Of course with success come haters, which I totally do not give a shit about. 2009 has been an amazing year at work, despite the fact that I came close to giving up completely once or twice. I really am glad I didn’t. Here’s to another long, exciting and rewarding work year in 2010!

Personal Achievements

This is where I wish I can that I’ve learned how to ride a bicycle, or completed a marathon or won awards. But I didn’t achieve any of that. But what I did achieve (on a personal basis) are:

1) I finally got a domain. Thank you Toni, Nico and Indra for helping with the set up. and thank you FP for teaching me how to change my own theme, lol. Yes I work for a website but I can still be a tech-idiot at times.

2) I survived an earthquake. Even though I couldnt sleep for 2 weeks after that.

3) I learned how to bake! First for FP’s birthday cake (hehehe) and then for my own pleasure. Which reminds me, I haven’t baked in months!

4) I survived levels 3 and 4 of crazy spicy buffalo wings, despite sweat, tears and crazy internal heat. and the runs.

Part II still in the works. Be patient!

I didn’t know what to jot down when I first thought of this topic. And then, everything came crashing and the crashing made me smile.

March has been an unexpectedly fantastic month. I said unexpected because it looked from a sheer glance that it could jolly well be a bad month. I went almost completely broke this month. But that turned out to be a silver lining. I also got injured plenty. But there were more pros than cons to the month.

It has been a month of many firsts:

1) I went ahead with my instincts and got my this lovely domain

2) I visited a dentist for the first time in years due to gum inflammation and bleeding

3) I started to bring food from home. And it actually felt good to be eating home cooked food that has been packed with love by mum

4) FP and I started a fabulous and wonderful (hehe) project called 50 Weeks of Her. I’m really excited about it as not only will create special memories with each coming week, it will make us even more closer because now we have a commitment to fulfill

5) I sprained both ankles. This must be the worst fall I’ve ever experienced, and that is saying a lot.

6) Today FP and I took the train to work together. This may be our new morning routine because it was just really nice haha

7) Also, a project that my colleagues and I have been working so hard on since December, finally came to life today. It feels really great to see a masterpiece become a reality. Looking at every inch of the site, I beam with sheer happiness because it really is a wonderful thing and I do know just how much effort was put in to make it possible. It’s really the best thing I’ve ever worked on, and I won’t be ashamed to say that I am darn proud of it and that I deserve to be proud of it

Love it!

Well if you are curious (and feeling a bit hungry), you might want to drop by Foodeditorials. Maybe you could pick out a recipe or two. You might even want to start cooking if you don’t know how to in the first place!

Part of our wonderful and totally beautiful mainpage:

Our Pastry Category Page:

Our Cooking Category Page:

Hungry for more? Hehehe, do go and explore more at Foodeditorials.

We launched the site today, and needless to say: it completed my already perfect month!

Here’s to April, which is with every deserving reason – a month of celebrations

I had a strange dream really early this morning.

It seemed that I was in another office, for another company starting all over from scratch. The thing is I had not exactly gotten the job. I was just either trying the job out or waiting for the big boss to decide whether or not to hire me.

It’s hard to tell in Dreamland, you know? So you make do with what you know and try to piece the jigsaw together. Whether or not it makes sense, is another story altogether.

So anyway, somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew I had to be at work soon.

Coincidentally in Real Life, I was going back to work today after my long absence thanks to my injured ankles.

Back to my dream. It was for some entry level job that requires little skill and hardly any regard! What in the world was I doing there when I am still happy with my job? And even if I wanted to switch jobs, why this job? – I thought to myself.

So I waited and waited in the office space that was nicely decorated though somewhat void of warmth. I even had a desk if I remember correctly. Throughout this waiting time, in my head I was still planning to go to work and hoped to myself that I won’t be late (or that late) for work.

In the end, I think I decided that I do not want this new job (clever girl!) and left the office. I really can’t recall if it’s because I didn’t feel comfortable, or I feel seriously demeaned in that environment. But I left and hurried to work.

And when I checked the time as I settled into my comfortable, lived in cubicle it was 10.30 am. Late, but still not too shabby – I thought to myself. I had thought I would be much later.

Afterthoughts
This is a pretty weird dream for me to be having. It’s the first time I’ve ever dreamed of work-related stuff, what more of such a context! Perhaps I was subconsciously looking forward to go back to work after being away for most of last week.

But I haven’t even thought of switching jobs. I enjoy my job too much to be wanting a job change at this time. The whole thing is just messed up the dream.

Is it a sign? Am I supposed to be prepared for something? Is this one of the dreams whereby the opposite is true? Or is this purely psychological?

I’ve not really lost touch with dreams interpretations but this is something new for me.

Please advise