我是workaholic

　　既然说新加坡人是workaholic，那么我肯定是typical Singaporean了。
　　因为知道自己手脚慢，所以不介意早一点进office，也比别人迟离开，一天至少工作12个小时。英国的朋友说，他睡觉前听我说要去上班，晚上当他准备下班时，我才刚下班回家，真的太不可思意了。
　　工作时间长，产量又不比别人多，这样看起来好像我没有效率。可是我有很多东西要学习，要适应，而我也很清楚这世界不会等我长大。没有时间的luxury，也只好这样了。
　　话说回来，我这个人注定是劳碌命，一闲下来就会闷得发慌。忙忙碌碌过日子，反而我觉得更满足，更开心。可能我还年轻，从来没有考虑过要退休。如果真需要退休，我会选择去念书，重新当个全职学生。
新加坡人不想退休，不是因为钱不够用，而是想继续做些有意义的事，保持身心活跃：正如我意。如果真是为了monetary gains，我不会当记者。
何况，工作狂不一定就no life。我的生活宗旨是work hard, play hard。周一至周五，我努力工作。到了周末，我会和朋友出去玩去逛街，和家人吃饭，去陪祖母。我觉得没有亏待自己，生活中也没有缺少什么。
　　我不否认there may be much better things in life other than working，但如果这能给我最大的satisfaction，管人家怎么去说。我生活，我主宰。
　　喜欢当个workaholic，有错吗？


I'm a workaholic & proud of it ;)

workaholic or workaholics?

今天下版前，副总走过来问我，“新加坡人是workaholics”这个标题正确吗？

很instinctive的，我说：少一个s会顺一点。

过了不久，老总走了过来问：为什么不是workaholics？

和身边的同事讨论后的结果是这样的：
如果以华文mode思考，翻译成英文，新加坡人是工作狂=Singaporeans are workaholics，是个形容词，有个s。
不过，如果以英文mode思考，工作狂＝workaholic，是个名词，没有s。
后来，我们决定选择新加坡人是workaholic，把中英两方中西合并。

我曾经在一个blog entry里谈到不知道应该用英文或华文写blog，原因之一是不知道要以哪一个mindset来写。
As much as we like to say that we are bicultural & bilingual，西方和东方世界很不同。写英文时，会很自然地adopt a Western viewpoint, 写华文则会比较传统保守些。

那么中文掺杂英文，究竟会塑造个折中的观念，还是产下不伦不类的歪理？
以目前美国和中国争夺龙头老大位置的纪元里，要生存就必须熟悉两国的语言和文化。那么这种中西合并的新观念是不是将因此成为现代人应有的观念呢？

如果真是如此，希望〈我报〉可以是那个走在思想尖端的那份报纸，在达到idealism的当儿，也顾及到生存的realism。

我又心动了！

　　看样子，我的这个blog很快就会从心情日记变成Shopping blog了。
　　早上上网一贯阅览我常上的fashion blogs时，看到以下这双鞋子，款式像极我已经eye很久的Nine West Rebecca Shoes，价格也便宜很多，只需$30(后者叫价$150)。真恨不得今天不用工作，可以赶下去Orchard Rd把它带回家。
　　
Dorothy Perkins Peep Toe Flats （$30)

Nine West Rebecca Shoes ($150)
　　过后上了美国的Nine West网站才发现以上这双鞋已经on sale了，想买的白色，售价是US$39.99。 要等到这双鞋在新加坡“掉”到这个价格可要等久久，甚至是没有机会的。难怪新加坡人总是说外国是shopping heaven。
　　虽然我国目前正在举行大热卖，可是总觉得没有什么真正的discounts，感觉更是厂商在清货，好的东西。也许就是因为这样，我在新加坡的大减价什么也买不到，过去两个星期去逛街都是空手而归，反而是在英国求学的时候扛了一大堆回家。
　　还记得最得意的战利品是一条FCUK的花裙，原价是120GBP。耐心等待后，三个月后我在Summer Sale时只以25GBP把它带回家。非常非常满足　＝）
　　Enough of shopping for today...需要回到reality去赶稿。Till tonight!

Bags = me?

Read this randomly on the net: "A bag is sort of like a portable house. It represents you."

How true is that?
Take a look at my all time favourites:

Chanel 2.55

Fendi Denim Spy

Dior Saddle Bag

Dior Wicker Bag

Luella Bag

Not gonna say that the above are 100% representative of who I am but at least they are what I appear and wanna be....I won't deny that I'm high maintenance and I love colours & details but at the same time I'm aiming to be classy and timeless =p Oh, I love big bags and won't feel secure without lugging the world along with me....gee this is random...

Got enough of computer crashes over the last 2 days and some ppl have said that my blog is too serious ... so here you go....Bimbo post!

发现美的眼睛

　　目前正在努力地“生”一篇有关整容的一篇Hot News。写着写着，针对这个专题，有些想法不吐不快。
　　我不否认，世界上确实有些人因为相貌方面的一些缺憾带给他们无限的困扰。这些美中不足在打击他们的自信心的当儿，也进而影响了他们的前程，考虑通过医学手段做点改善是理所当然，无可厚非的。
　　不过，我坚决反对那些盲目追求外表美，把希望全寄托在整容手术上的人。这些人往往希望越大，失望更大。
　　整容只能塑造一个人的外表美丽，却不能构成一个人的生活和工作的基础。那些希望整容能直接给自己生活带来巨大改变的人，比如找到好工作或求职升官、挽回破裂的婚姻、又或者希望他人的目光等，往往结果是适得其反。
　　曾听人说，人是因为可爱才美丽，而不是美丽才可爱。外表美是昙花一现，心灵美才是一辈子的。与其无谓地追求外表上的完美，何不多发现自己的心灵美，自信美？这些才是竞争激烈的职场和生活中能够让你屹立不倒的气质和美丽。
　　追根究底，大部分的人选择整容的理由很简单，因为他们认为自己在别人眼中不够美。
　　其实，世界上并不缺乏美，而是缺乏发现美的眼睛...这才是问题所在。你说对吗？

Smile Campaign

Have been itching to blog about this today but have been super tied down by work... didn't help that my computer crashed just when I completed by stockpicks and had to retype them all over again.

Not sure how everyone feels about the newest campaign that has hit the town but I was totally baffled when I watched on the news yesterday that there is going to be a new campaign called the Smile Campaign.

It was even more amused when I read this in the Straits Times today: "Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wants Singaporeans to give a beaming welcome to visitors for September's World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) meetings, so they will have a 'positive, unique and unforgettable 'Singapore Experience'".

The first thought that hit me was: Are Singaporeans such a sad bunch (forgive the pun) that they actually need help to teach them how to smile through a campaign just like our speak mandarin campaign, courtesy campaign or even our flush the toilets campaign in the mid-late 80s? Isn't smiling a natural, instinctive reaction that people have? Is life in Singapore that bad that there aren't enough reasons for people to smile about in Singapore?

Althought I'm very satisfied with our government and am glad to be Singaporean but I've never been a supporter of their campaigns. The Smile Campaign is the last straw that just confirms how overboard our paternalistic Singapore government can go in terms of teaching Singaporeans how to lead their lives.

A smile can break a million barriers but this has to come from the heart and shown through the eyes. It can't be done just because it's being advocated by the government or it's critical for Singapore's future. Even if everyone were to smile at the delegates and travellers that stop by our shores, if it's mechanic and not genuine, everyone will definitely remember this unique Singapore Experience, but it'll be the memory of a plastic, fake and unpleasant experience that will leave with them.

Perhaps it's time to rethink the meaning of having a campaign and whether Singaporeans actually need one. I think Singaporeans are mature and world savvy enough to know what to do. I doubt anyone of us will ignore or pull a long face when we have guests at home. Similarly on a national level, I'm confident that Singaporeans will be able to conduct themselves well enough as hosts when friends from abroad drop by for a visit.

The Perfect Guy

Met up with different groups of friends over the weekend and somehow we ended up with the same conversation topic - The Perfect Guy.

Most of my friends have a long list of criterias that they'll like their prospective boyfriend to fulfill for eg. taller, good looking, must be a christian, family-oriented, good career etc.

When I was younger, I also had a list of my own. Can't quite recall what the items on my list were but I do remember that it changes quite often. Looking back, I don't think the people I went out with actually met all or most of my criterias. That probably explains why I don't have a list now and don't think i'll ever come up with another one.

On the topic of the perfect guy, I can't help but question: Is there such a thing as a perfect guy in this world? Does ticking all your boxes make a guy perfect for you? Will a person that you think is perfect for you now, be forever perfect in your eyes?

Getting a boyfriend/future husband is not like buying a computer where you look out for the specifications that suit your needs at that moment in time and can choose to upgrade after a few years of usage or when he becomes outdated.
One's needs change over time and once you embark on a relationship, it isn't fair to dump the other half after a few months or years if one is sick of them or that another person is able to tick more boxes at that point of time.

Although I've always dreamt of being in a love-at-first sight-and-happy-ever-after relationship but I prefer to get to know the guy better before taking the plunge.To me, even if the guy doesn't fit the bill very well but if we get on well and are good companions for each other, it doesn't make him any less perfect. Besides, no one is perfect in this world, so why look out for that perfect someone?

Let nature take its course.