… in real life, that is. It’s quite pointless talking about a low profile in the blogosphere, cos’ if you really want to do that, you wouldn’t have blogged in the first place.

Many of us are familiar with the publicity that comes along with being a (super)-star. We are talking along the likes of Stef Sun, Kelly Poon, Weiliang, and the local winners from the superstar/campus superstar competitions. The best singer may not always win because there is a 30% component to the final votes, with 70% being accounted from the judges. (Ed: I feel compelled to clarify that Stef Sun didn’t emerge from a competition) However, regardless of who wins, everyone somehow becomes a target of public curiosity. People would want to know more about them, what they do, how they are doing, and probably, uncover some scandals in the midst of it.

We are all too familiar with it - the news and scandals that tabloids can bring. However, we are not talking about your street tabloids today. We are talking about the tabloids amongst us.

Do you recall the last time you met your ex-classmates who have made it to the top? Who has became a celebrity in his/her own rights? Or someone who is seemingly moving faster than the most of you, or creating an unbelievable phenomenon?

I’m not sure about you, but after meeting some really phenomenal people, I googled their names - not because I want to find scandals or things that would bring them down, but because I want to find out what’s behind their success - the things they did, the opportunities they had. Sometimes, unconsciously - and probably effortlessly, we dig out some scandals; not from paparazzis or the likes, but from people who know them, closely or otherwise. Instantly, their friends become their paparazzis - be it in work or relationships.

Of course, if they are someone who have no skeletons in the closet, there’s probably nothing to be afraid of. What they should be afraid of are people who are out to put them down - people who are red-eyed of their success, who would go all out to make a mountain out of an ant-hill.

So, my golden answer to my question - do I have a skeleton in *my* closet?

I don’t think I have any, unless mocking at my neighbour’s dog when I was a small kid counts. I hope I never will have, and neither am I rich and famous now. But I realised that the more I advance (in my studies or work, in future), I have a tendency to downplay my role. Probably, instead of a lecturer, I’d say that I’m in the “education services”, or instead of a “flight stewardess”, I am in the “service industry” - something to that extent.

So, why am I blogging? Isn’t the Internet not that anonymous anymore? Well, yes. It is not that anonymous anymore and hiding behind a moniker isn’t really going to help much. But… (can I be contradictory?), there’s an exhibitionist in everyone (oh, this is a sweeping statement, and I beg your indulgence) and blogging allows me to share a restricted part of my life to those around who may be interested (frankly, I don’t think anyone is), and to a certain extent, is something that is controllable (?), unless of course, I cross the line and make remarks that “breaks the peace of the nation”. Read (without implication and prejudice): Wee Shu Min (here and here) and Chen Jiahao (here). Personally, I don’t think Chen Jiahao created much of a brouhaha. It’s more about the entire episode that’s troubling/puzzling/whatever. Of course, the other big no-no is spelt “S-E-D-I-T-I-O-N”, which I have no interests ever to even say it.

Having said that, I see my name searched every now and then in google. Perhaps they are really looking for someone else, but sometimes I get a little paranoid about them really looking for me. Call me buay hiao bai *, but I’d rather keep a low profile in real life. Life is already complicated enough, I hope not to add on to it.

* it’s a local slang for shameless

My partner and myself met up with the MD of the company that I was supposed to submit a proposal for. However, because of some miscommunication, we ended up not talking about work, but about himself and his success in setting up the company. Due to the non-clearance from the MD himself, names will not be revealed here and this entry will be a scaled down summary.

Apparently, this company is the 3rd that he has set up, after having sold 2 of his previous companies. The 3rd is doing quite well, with expansion all over the globe. Morevoer, he’s just in his mid-late 30s and is probably earning amongst the top 5% in Singapore.

I was thoroughly impressed with his business acumen. For me, a product is a product is a product. For him, he is able to view various aspects of a business proposal or product and is able to value-add into almost any possible product. He graduated from a local university, and wasn’t keen as a young adult in studies. He eventually graduated with what he called a normal degree and proceed to set up his first company dealing in electronics and selling it off soon after.

In fact, he was so successful that he had problems communicating with his peers. Spending his afternoons at a popular country club, he realised that he was going to go crazy if he didn’t have anything else to do, hence his 3rd company.

After the meeting, my partner and I looked at each other and wondered why we are not earning our first million now, at this present moment. There was something that the MD said that struck a cord - FOCUS. My partner and I realised that we don’t really have a focus. For myself, it’s worse. Not only do I not have focus (which is apparent), I don’t have any sense of business acumen, and that’s bad. It was also agreed that I should just be a farmer *.

The other comment that he made was that not many Singaporeans want to be entrepreneurs. Personally, I felt that being an entrepreneur is a pretty business. When you do great, the world exhauls you. When you fail, you become a statistic under the Bankruptcy Act. For me, I’d rather migrate elsewhere and contribute to the statistic of a brain drain; unless there’s compelling reason for me to remain here.

Frankly, I like Singapore a lot, but I don’t think Singapore likes me. Haha… Of course, I have to secure my own future and all, but it’s tough being a researcher in Singapore. I’m not afraid to work hard, but working hard and getting censured or going nowhere is totally senseless.

What makes me think that going overseas would be good? I have no answer for that too. I think I’m just one confused kid now.

* a farmer is someone who has to slog his/her way through the ranks; usually a slang used in the armed forces.

Woohoo! Happy Independence Day, America! Way to go!

What is independence to *you*?

Today’s the auspicious day of my friend and I helped out as a jie mei. Again. Haha.. I heard that people who helped out too much as jie mei or xiong di will end up being left on the shelf. *gasp* But this really doesn’t bother me. Yet.

We arrived at her place at about 10am, nearly losing our ways through the pyramid of carparks. We met her mum at the lift, but we didn’t quite recognise her. Sorry aunty! She wasn’t 1/2 way through her makeup when we arrived and we started planning the tekan session. Muahahahaha!

There’s the usual suan1 tian2 ku3 la4 for the brotherhood (xiong di). The suan1 was peeled lime and lemon, tian2 wasa banana with wasabi, ku3 was standard cut bittergourd and la4 was chilli with extra wasabi. I heard that someone teared after eating it. *shiver*

As usual, there wasn’t enough time to execute all the “punishments”, and because we need to watch out from missing the auspicious hour. At least this group was more sporting than the previous group from the previous wedding that I attended. However, the red packet was kinda pathetic. Oops!

After the groom picked up the bride, we went over to the groom’s place, where the tea ceremony is first held. Following which, we had a quick lunch, and it was time for the jie meis to catch the flowers. Guess who got hold of the flowers? Nope, I didn’t. In fact, most of us wanted to siam the flowers and were watching closely at the projectile of the flowers. Congrats to the girl who got it!

Following which, it was back to the niang2 jia1, where the 2nd session of the tea ceremony is held with the bride’s parents. There was supposed to be photo taking at the Botanical Gardens after that, but with the hot, scorching sun baring itself at us, all the jie mei xiong di decided to give it a miss.

The dinner will be this Saturday… but there’s ping.sg anniversary celebrations! Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to drop by ping.sg and move on quickly to the dinner.

Woken up by my roommate’s phone this morning, I realised that her dad got robbed in Foshan, China. Apparently, this is not your regular bum-and-rob or snatch-thief robbery. Not only was it done in daylight, it was done in the open, in front of everyone, at a packed and crowded place.

It was raining and her parents were walking in the shelter when her dad got pinned down by more than a few persons, who forcefully removed his wallet before making their run for it. It amazes me on how they can escape in such a crowded location. More importantly, I am amazed at the audacity of them pinning down a tourist in their coutry and robbing him in broad daylight.

While pickpocketing and snatch thefts are well-known and common in China, this is the first time that I have heard of such execution. They were not walking in some dark alleys, mind you, but in the open where people are amassed. Perhaps too many people, I guess.

This brings to light the social-economical status of China. From a personal observation, China is going through what Singapore went through - where the rate of social maturity is not catching up with the rate of economic growth. Singaporeans speak of the lack of social grace but this is gradually improving with increasing social-mindedness. I am quite sure that if you got pinned down at Orchard Road today, chances are someone *may* just help you. But from what I learnt of the robbery in China, everyone either gawked or moved on as it’s none of their business.

Very typical Chinese mentality - not minding in other people’s business.

I am not sure if the robbers are armed, and I am definitely alarmed. Could this be a result of not being able to address all the social issues in a fast-growing economy? Does the recent China stockmarket hype have a role to play in this?

Looking into the recent China stockmarket hype 

In the midst of a fast growing market and efforts from the China government to curb speculation on the stockmarket, it would be of little surprise that many people would want to jump onto the bandwagon before the market cools off. In addition, I have heard of instances where people sold off their house to speculate on the market from the proceeds of the sale. Because of recent market growth correction, and the inability of the speculators to hold on to their stakes, many have sold of their shares at a lost. This entire stockmarket hype could have given rise to 2 possibly scenarios:

1. People who are not on the bandwagon of speculating in the stockmarket would not want to miss a piece of the big pie; and if they do not have enough money, they would need to get some quickly - and the quickest way? Rob.
2. People who have lost substantial amount in the stockmarket and are driven to poverty. To get back some amount of “survival money”, they rob.

Of course, they likelihood of someone robbing you just to speculate in the stockmarket may sound preposterous, but this is said baring in mind that the stockmarket to the Chinese are no better than a legalized gambling den.

At the end of the day, the obvious reason is undoubtedly because the robbers want your money. They could have been doing so for the past donkey years and this is just another target for them. What I am more worried is if these robberies have greatly increased because of the expeditious growth of the China ecnonomy.

Moving on

At the end of the day, a robbery is a robbery is a robbery. The gong1 an1 (inland security) is working on this matter now, but I doubt it’s the first time that someone has been robbed in this manner. Back in Singapore, we quickly called the banks to cancel the credit and ATM cards. Yes, we know that the ATM cards are useless unless they have the PINs, but you can never be too sure. With iPhone and iPhone clones being launched on the same day, you need very little imagination on what they can do to your card or how they can circumvent the PIN.

For now, I am making additional plans to protect myself (read: travel insurance and stun-guns) on my unplanned trip to Shen Zhen soon. They will probably have to strip me first to get my money I don’t think I will be bringing out too much cash nor stashing it somewhere in the socks. Just remember that it’s not like Singapore, where it’s relatively safer. Sometimes, such incidents make you rethink about your options of moving overseas for good.

Update: More robberies here (or here if link is down). slkf also commented elsewhere that with a modern China and modern citizens, eventually people will at least call the gong1 an1 when someone gets robbed. My toes are laughing. Right. No so modern now as yet, if you ask me.

Ed: Apparently all the operators at the bank call centres are engaged “at the moment”. Did everyone just got robbed yesterday after their pre-GST-hike shopping?

This is not a rant… but I am feeling a little tired today. It’s another case working too late into the night and getting woken up by the cats one after another. Sigh.

Oh, I met a new intern today and he’s actually just back from Glasgow for his summer holidays. But instead of whiling it away, he decided to write in for an internship opportunity; and this is only his second year of studies. He intends to finish his studies and then stay in Scotland, UK, or the EU to get some work experience because he feels that no one in Singapore would hire him.

This is quite a surprising statement - the part about him feeling that no one would hire him. He is going to be an honours student (and probably a very good honours) but yet he feels that Singapore would not want him! In addition, he feels that the employers here would prefer local graduates than local graduates. I might agree if the university that he is attending is a less known university, but it’s Glasgow!

Oh well, that’s grass on the other side for you.

We talked about what I want to do in the future, and I told him that I would like to get back to medical school - to do my medical studies and residency overseas, and yes, staying overseas to work. For me, coming back to Singapore probably means that I have to slog through housemanship for at least a year before I am granted a licence to practice. Since I am probably going to do my residency overseas, there is very little reason for me to penalize myself by coming back. Of course, I would like to be patriotic and serve Singapore, but not at the expense of my time and future.

Of course, there may be some allowance in recognizing the residency that I have completed overseas, but until that time comes, I am keeping my options open. The only reason that I would return to Singapore is because of my parents. They are rooted here and I don’t want to leave them behind. However, given an opportunity, I might move them out as well. Looking at the balance in their CPF, they probably have assets (at least a HDB flat) with no retirement capital. They can probably work till 80 and they will still not have enough to retire. Raising the retirement age to 65 and upping the minimum sum to SGD 120,000 is probably not enough. We need 80/250,000. (right, period.) How about 85/300,000? (sure)

Anyway, why am I talking about such sad stuffs? It’s supposed to be a “tired” and random post. Oh well.

Update: I just cut my finger in the kitchen and lost lots of blood. Probably around 100ml to 150ml of blood. Boy, am I feeling giddy or what?

Met my friends from HK on friday evening at Clarke quay for a drink. They were on a 3-day visit to Singapore and was to return the day after. I’ve never really brought my overseas friends around Singapore before and frankly, I didn’t quite know where to bring them to.

Since I am not a nightlife person, I didn’t know which pub to go when they were looking at me for directions. Clarke Quay is notoriously a crowded place on Friday night, and I wasn’t sure of making them wait for MOS since I have never been them before. Would have asked Xiaxue along if I knew her better, but nope.

My friends like cocktails, so beer places were out. Merchant Court is probably going to be very expensive, and so that was out too. In the end, we tried Clinic, some Indie place, and Geographic (?!) but they were all crowded (or looked crowded). In the end, we ended up going to CHIJMES because I been there once and it looked pretty decent.

So, off we went on a 15 mins walk. There were 7 of them (which later became 5 because 2 were exhausted) and 2 of us (my friend and I) and we managed some small talk. 2 of them are medical students now while the rest just graduated from school. It’s really nice meeting long lost friends because many things would have happened in the interim and it’s really interesting how people you know change as well.

We settled for Bobby’s (any URL for this? Bobby @ CHIJMES Basement 1) because they had a very friendly staff at the entrance and it was 50% off all Cocktails and Spirits and house pours, which went down very well with poor students. It was surprisingly quiet for a Friday night at CHIJMES, which is in stark contrast with Clarke Quay!

Most of us had either Cocktails or Mocktails. I prefer Shirley Temple cos it’s soothing to the taste. The rest of us had Gunners, S*x with the Captain, Long Island Tea and some other cough mixtures non alcoholic drinks. It was nice doing some catch up and finding out how different Singapore is from HK.

Soon after, we had to leave the place. Because there were 5 of them, we had some problems convincing some taxi drivers to break the law to fetch all of them. In the end, we decided to just get them to take NR7 from City Hall MRT. They had a packed schedule ahead of them on the next day - Sentosa in the morning, Chinatown in the late afternoon and Night Safari or shopping in the evening. It would be quite a pity if they were unable to visit the Night Safari (actually I am not too sure about that, I’ve never been to the Night Safari and am currently waiting for people to volunteer to take me there ) but it’s the Great Singapore Sale now, and they might miss some fabulous buys. Ya, it’s quite ironic on how some Singaporeans think that HK is a good shopping paradise while the HongKongers think likewise for Singapore. :S

So, what did I learn from my friends’ visit? I realise that I don’t really know Singapore that well to promote it to overseas visitors. Probably it’s about time I get my facts right. Especially on food - I don’t even know if HK sells Fried Kway Teow (apparently they do) and I have problem introducing Roti Prata to them verbally.

Really, what are the places that I should recommend them?

Actually, to be more exact, it’s investing in liquidity. According to my friends, it’s somewhat of a higher risk than other investment options such as bonds or unit trusts, but it probably has the highest ROI in the shortest possible time.

So, a few of us pooled a sum of money and passed it to one of my friend’s financial advisor who is supposed to help oversee the entire investment profile. The money that is pooled from individual is probably “affordable money”, in that, cash that we are prepared to lose in the event of an investment failure, but I supposed that’s how it’s supposed to be.

Of course, the optimists will think that we are supposed to expect good returns when we invest, but I would rather prepare myself for the worst. Of course, the returns, if good, can give us approximately 24% returns on capital, which makes out to be 2% p.m. - definitely better than our 0.025% (yes, that’s a fraction of a percent point) p.a. from our savings account. I don’t even have enough for a fixed deposit, much less talk about investments.

Since my portion in the pooled amout is so little, I’d not be expecting a lot of returns in absolute values, but at least it’s better than nothing. We are all supposed to meet the advisor this evening, but I think there are some changes. So it’s going to be this weekend.

Keeping all our fingers crossed

There has been a recent brouhaha regarding the dismiss of a relief teacher, who had been dismissed for unknown reasons. I wanted to blog about this earlier, but thought that I should wait until it becomes clear on why he was dismissed.

Apparently, there is no further progress.

So, here’s my own take about blogging about work. Short of writing on superficial stuffs, I don’t really think it is advisable to blog about work, and this includes blogging under the “privacy of protected categories” because in the Internet, nothing is really protected.

So, here’s what an entry should not contain:

8:30am: Reach lab

8:31am: Key in password at door: 99405993

8:32am: Log into windows domain: staff\scientist, ty60q00tg

8:33am: Check email

8:34am: Reply to my supervisor Dr Tihs Folluf and told him that using cell line E95 is not a good thing

8:45am: Enter wet lab WL05 and used cell line E90 for Aikon experiment (restricted)

8:50am: Added Drac D.S. to E90

8:51am: Centrifuge

9:00am: Performed cytotoxicity tests

9:10am: Target reacting

9:15am: Good results!

Before you get up the next morning after blogging, your work will probably be repeated by rivals (colleagues or fellow workers) and the next thing you know, they will claim your works! Moreover, I don’t think it’s nice to let people know that you don’t get along with Dr. Tihs Folluf. So how would I have blogged?

8:30am: Reach lab (Ed: only if you have a habit or reaching work early or on time)

9:15am: Good results!

2:00pm: Start patent filing

5:00pm: Celebration!

Yup… leave out the details. In fact, the 2:00pm might already be a giveaway on where you are working and what you do., unless, of course, your supervisor doesn’t really mind about you blogging. For me, because of the confidentiality of what I do, I’d rather just stay clear of mentioning anything to do with work, be it as a student or as an intern. You’ll never know when you will be called up for “disciplinary actions”.

Ed: Just as I have finished condemning comment on blogging about work, Geek Goddess has her own opinions on how blogging can help you get your dream job.

Happy Papa’s Day to all the father readers out there! Hehe… especially to my friends who have just fathered new borns. Today’s a day when everyone start going out for lunches and dinners as if it was given out free but it’s probably not as crowded as mother’s day How do I know that? I am a mother We tried getting a table at Crystal Jade during mother’s day and the queue at Bugis Junction seems as if it started from the gates of the Bugis MRT station!

However, I feel that our display of love for our papa and mama should not be restricted to just their respective days. Well, I do agree that these days are special days, but I think we should really treat our pama as if it were pama’s day everyday - and this does not mean that we should “celebrate” every day, but rather to appreciate their love for us and the fact that we are here because of them.

For me, I intend to do the dinner buying tonight because… I can’t really cook and I don’t the A&E load to increase by another 2 or 3 today.