For hire!

Going into the 4th month of my job search and I am still unemployed. Man, I didn't know graduating with an honours in mechanical engineering is so jialat. Looks like I have to start considering being a permanent tuition teacher...

free sms?

I didn't know about the free unlimited sms for local students till today, when I extended my contract by getting a new Sony Erisson phone. Well, technically, there are still 5 days before my convocation student, although I tried borrowing books from the library today and failed. But at least I could still enter the library. And I didn't know they stock Reader's Digest there! aiyoh. I just love reading magazines when there is nothing else to do. It was raining, and my tennis balls were all wet after a 2hr relaxing session at Charle's place at Yew Tee. (Super far from my place) OK, my Tues will be spent in school doing up the preparations for Race 7, and Wed will be spent at a spa, then bible study in the evening. Thurs, was asked to help drive van for odac orientation camp. Fri - tentatively free for now. Hmm...Sat will be briefing for Race as well as, yeah, my convocation. I may come back to NUS on Sunday for julie's convocation (depending on weather also) So much travelling this week. Remind me to top up fare card again.

strange

Sometimes people like to ask: "Are you elder or younger?"
"Elder."
"Really?"
And I am tempted to reply, "Yah, got kicked out by my brother."

Peace

"When you are at peace with the decision, you have made a good choice." OK, so now I am still waiting for options, then can I make a decision. Well, I was deciding between joining up with my friend in Shanghai for another short trip, or to stay behind and wait for news (about my job). I thought that a trip away would be good, to recharge my batteries, to explore places, to see things, to do things. Rather than staying home all day and trying to fill up my time. I am glad that friends have been accomodating - Serene asked me to teach her tennis, so I am taking time to learn how to coach tennis (being a coach and a player is completely different). My climbing friends will climb every week on Wed or Sundays, so I am never short on climbing buddies if I need them. I am grateful also for Desmond, who tries to arrange weekly runs, in training for his IPPT, although his work takes a lot out of him and usually I end up running myself. My final event in helping NUS odac, RACE 7, is taking place this July, 17-19, all around singapore, so you might find me zipping around the island over this weekend. So many stuff to do. Well, I am thankful for these friends. July promises to be a good month, but for today, I shall end off with this wonderful song by the late Michael Jackson.

waiting

It is coming to the end of June, and I am still waiting. Waiting for job offers, interviews. Sometimes it can get really depressing when you check your emails, mails and realise that there are no interviews. I guess I just have to keep trying, and keep trusting in the Lord. Oh man, I feel like I am in the wilderness now. Not that I don't enjoy being in nature though, for those who know me, I love travelling and trekking in rural places. But as the bank account gets depleted, I feel an urge, to just accept anything that comes my way. IT really is the employer's market now.

Look at the map again...

I spent the morning figuratively looking at the map. What map? My career map, that is. As some of you know, I really wanted to try out in the engineering field after graduation, but from the look of it, that is not going to happen. So, reassessing my strengths and my interests, I realised that the job of the OBS instructor fits me well.
1. I love outdoors.
2. I love teaching people
3. I love outdoors. Wait, did I just repeat that point?
OK, so why didn't I just go for it right from the start? In Singapore, for those of you who do take part in adventure races, you will know that the outdoor industry, meaning those people who teach you kayaking, climbing, abseiling etc for a living, actually do not earn much. Companies that organise trekking activities also do not earn much. I guess its more of a pragmatic population. Local people simply do not see the value in paying so much to go on trekking expeditions, to do kayaking activities and to climb professionally. Hobbies, yes. Make money? No. Just take the sport of climbing. Over the years, 1 company providing climbing services has closed, and 1 is barely breaking even. 1 is, of course, SAFRA Yishun, so they have more financial backing. The biggest is doing well, but compared with the choices available in Malaysia, the climbing community pales in comparisons.
Actually, this is also true for sports in general. Looking around your own peers, how many parents would support their children's dream to become "a professional bowler, sailor, cyclist, or soccer player?"

adding fuel to the fire

Reading blogs is a parttime hobby of mine (ie. I read blogs when I have nothing else to do online) and sometimes I realise that there are blog readers who offer their unsolicited advice/comments even though they do not truly know the whole pictures. To put it bluntly, they criticise certain bloggers and leave nasty comments sometimes. Their motivations vary - some may truly believe that they are right, and the blogger is wrong; while others simply have nothing better to do. Either way, I feel that these people lack the sensitivity to bring across their own point in a non-inciting manner. When you read some of these comments, you can feel the injurious intent behind those words. My friend, the pen (the computer) is sometimes mightier than a sword. So dear readers, if you do have an issue with the blog contents, you should engage the blogger/writer privately and not openly leave inciting comments. Sometimes, adding fuel to your fire and anger is only going to cause a bigger flame to consume the entire discussion, burning everyone in the process and leaving behind soot-covered mess.