Mel told me I should try applying for a job with the UN. Im sure you could get it, she said. Not that Im terribly keen, but today was a slow day at work, so I popped into the UNs...
My brain is not working too well today because I slept at 6am and woke up at 9:30am. Three-and-a-half hours of sleep does not an awake person make. Thank God for flexible office hours most days I walk into...
This morning's sermon was on spiritual gifts and my pastor said something that made a great deal of sense to me. Each of us has at least one spiritual gift. (No, that's not it - I mean, yes, he said...
At cell group last night, we did a spiritual gifts inventory test. Teaching came out top of the list. If I were still in denial or doubtful about having the gift of teaching, this would have put paid to all...
Two things, both directly connected to this blog, have happened this week - one concerning workplace ethics, the other concerning professional conduct. They've made me wonder what kind of impression I'm giving my colleagues and my bosses at work. What...
I think I might be naïve about money. I know, I know. It sounds really weird for someone who has such issues with the thing. But someone asked me the other day, "How much would you like to be earning...
Difficulty getting out of bed may be common to many people, but I bet difficulty getting out of the house is not. And I'm not talking about agoraphobia either. So the alarm clock rings in the morning or rather...
I've been talking to Dad about career direction and about wanting to make a difference in people's lives through my work. It's a bit scary coz as you might have noticed, he has this tendency to have, err, shall we...
It has been nearly 21 months since I first started thinking about a change in career direction. And guess where I am? Still right here where I've always been. Although I do feel the time's not right yet to make...
Somebody recently asked what I'd dreamt of doing after graduating from university. Some people dream of making their first million by the age of 30 or building their own corporate empire... well, my only dream was to find a job...
I assume, if you are reading this blog, you are sitting down in front of your computer. Which is a good thing, coz -- brace yourself -- I RESIGNED FROM MY JOB TODAY. (Did anybody faint??? ) Yes, I'm leaving...
I got my first paycheque this morning. Hard to believe I've been in this company for a month already -- feels like I joined only last week! People keep on asking me how work's going and I keep on telling...
My day started out quite badly. I woke up still tired, and for some reason feeling unhappy. It's been one of those days then life just feels too overwhelming. On my way to work, I told God I feel like...
Yesterday I had a major breakdown: I cried on & off throughout the day while sitting at my office desk, cried on the bus home, reached home and cried on my housemate's shoulder. Today, I tendered my resignation. I'd already...
You know how people like to ask you where you see yourself in five years' time? I hate those kinda questions. I can't even see where I'll be NEXT year, let alone in five years' time! Looking into the future...
I received a text message on my mobile phone from Jobstreet.com while I was at cell group on Friday night: JobStreetAlert: ABC Recruitment Agency requests you to apply for Journalist. Check your email. When I duly checked my email, I...
After what I wrote two days ago, I was hoping this career thing wouldn't get any more complicated, but it has... I'm an exco member of the Graduates' Christian Fellowship, an NGO that aims to encourage graduates to live out...
Mom was telling me yesterday about a teacher friend of hers who said that there is a teachers' training course available in Universiti Malaysia Sabah for graduates who want to teach. Obviously, I need to find out more about this....
I have an interview tomorrow morning for a teaching job. Teaching kindergarten, to be exact. All along, I've been seeing myself teaching youths, so I don't know whether I should hold steadfast to that idea or whether I should be...
Janelle, my best friend, said today, "Some doors you can't fit into. Those are easy to say no to." The interview went well. If I were to accept the job, I'd be assisting a teacher with the class of 3-...
I officially started my new job last Wed but only yesterday managed to meet my predecessor to collect the computer plus all the files & paperwork from her. Not to mention get briefed on my duties and responsibilities. To recap,...
It has taken me two years to move from "I'm thinking about teaching" to "I want to teach". But life seems to be conspiring to get me back into the writing/publishing line. And I don't know which side God has...
I was offered the writing job this morning. I think, because I write so well :P And a former colleague called today. "There is a vacancy for editor of a children's magazine. Are you interested?" *Sunflower is speechless*...
I hate getting emotional in public (except when I'm in church and somebody is praying for me -- then it's okay to start blubbering). But sometimes these things creep up on me and I don't see them coming until it's...
Remember the writing job? Well, they are no longer impressed with my writing. *rueful smile* I recognize that you are not familiar with the manufacturing industry and I respect that you have your own style of writing. But most of...
I tend to not handle pressure or stress very well. When too many things start crowding in and life starts getting a bit overwhelming, I start going into escapism mode. This means eating, shopping (retail therapy! Yeah!!!), and... reading romance...
At times I think we should be singing "Our God is a wasteful God" for he seems less concerned with efficiency than we are. Read this when I got up today. I could wish I lived in a world not...
(Courtesy of cartoonist Dave Walker, as seen on Connexions) And I think I'm buried under that last pile, too. Somebody please dig me out!!...
Just came back from an overnight trip to Kudat with the family. It's about a 3.5-hour drive from Kota Kinabalu, the state capital. We went through narrow winding roads, sparsely populated areas, paddy fields and mildly mountainous terrain. And saw...
There's nothing scarier than to be in a meeting with your boss, hearing him describe the kind of person he's looking for to do your job, and realising that nothing in his entire description points to you. Nothing at all....
I've been called to sit for the entrance exam to the Education Ministry's teachers' training course. The exam's tomorrow morning. Blink has been called for it too. If I get through the exam, there's still the hurdle of the interview....
I have never had a problem acknowledging that I am a Christian... except in the workplace. It's not that I'm ashamed of God; it's more like I'm ashamed of myself. Somehow saying, "I am a Christian" automatically raises the bar...
I find myself torn between my desire for work to be meaningful & purposeful and a nagging sense that it is God who gives meaning to work, that work is perhaps not meant to have any intrinsic meaning in itself....
We long to find and do work that is meaningful, that makes a difference and needs to be done.—Gordon T. Smith, Courage & Calling This has been my struggle, and, I'm willing to bet, the struggle of many others. In...
It's 5:20pm and I've yet to eat a thing all day. I got hungry at 3:30pm, then I reminded myself I had to go to the post office to get a thousand stamps, because this group of volunteers are gathering...
Sooooooo tired. August is a crazy month at work -- many events back-to-back. The spiritual retreat during the last weekend of July, our AGM and two discussion group meetings this weekend, another seminar next weekend -- the National Congress on...
I realise now why admin is so difficult. It's coz you have to do 20 things at once. In journalism, I only did four things, which were so much part of a whole that they merged into one: conduct research,...
Teachers' training application: the shortlist is out. I've been called for an interview at one of the teachers' training institutes on Sept 4. I'm nervous. Why does the interview have to be four weeks away?!?...
In the case of applying for the Education Ministry teachers' training course, I've been telling God, "If You want me to get it, let me get it. If You don't want me to get it, don't let me get it."...
Tonight I had dinner with a former college classmate. Every year, around the time of my birthday, she calls and invites me for dinner. Every year I forget her birthday. I still have no idea when it is and have...
Mom is in town, so I had dinner with her and she was conveying to me something one of my uncles had said: "Tell Sunflower that she must persevere and not give up too easily." The thing is, one...
I am officially jobless from tomorrow onwards. It's the second time I have done this -- quit without something else lined up -- and it's scary, but this time I am more prepared and didn't make this decision on the...
When I was a journalist, I used to wonder what was the point of my work. People used to tell me, "Oh, you write for a newspaper! Just imagine all those readers reading your articles... you have such influence!" I...
I dunno about you, but whenever I've thought of heaven I've never thought of it as a place where I'd have to work. Although if you asked me what we'd be doing in heaven, I really couldn't tell you, apart...
I'm starting work tomorrow. Yes, I got a temp job! Yay! Thank you, God!! -- and thanks to a certain blog reader of mine... ;) After I wrote about quitting my job and looking for a temp job, one of...
After nearly nine months mostly working from home, I had forgotten how little time you have when you work outside! Started at the usual 9am -- skipped out during lunch hour to get my car insurance renewed and then dashed...
Bob keeps on trying to push me back into writing. It frustrates me. I asked him why he's doing this and he said I should go back to doing what I'm good at. I think he's afraid I'll find out...
I'm starting to wonder what people REALLY do at work. I mean, like we know lawyers go to court to argue cases, or draft agreements and affidavits or see clients; we know teachers teach or prepare lesson plans & examination...
Somebody in my friend's workplace lifted $200 from her purse when she wasn't looking. It's terrible to have something like that happen, and realise that you can't trust the people around you. Worse still, you don't know whom to trust...
Sometimes I sit up straight in my chair, as if I've been jolted, and wonder where on earth my career is heading. I'm a law graduate who never practiced law, a once-upon-a-time journalist, a wannabe English teacher (or so I...
Contemplating change is very scary. Anybody who's been reading this blog for any length of time will know that I hate change. I don't like change that comes upon you suddenly... I think because it reminds me that I'm not...
I always knew I couldn't sell anything to save my life. Now I am sure of it. I can't even sell MYSELF. What is this must package properly lah, must dress things up lah, must phrase it attractively lah, must......
I tendered my resignation today, giving one month's notice. Feel free to deluge me with job offers *grin* It's called living dangerously. Isn't one supposed to secure another job elsewhere before leaving? Perhaps... and yet I somehow just feel that...
Last night someone was talking to me about a 1.5-month temporary job when I leave this company; the night before, someone else was discussing the possibility of offering me a 4-month temporary job which will last till April next year....
Job interviews are rather bothersome. I've decided that I want to go back into writing, as it seems to be the greatest strength I have and the one thing that I know for sure I can do well. The fact...
I came into this industry not knowing anything. Now, a year later, at least I know enough to answer basic queries over the phone. And, as I keep on getting the same questions over and over again, I might as...
Tomorrow's my last day at work. Tonight, I'll be calling Dad to talk to him about studying full-time for one semester. Meanwhile, I have been tanking interviews right and left (mostly on purpose) and turning down job offers. O.o A...
I have great good awesome amazing wonderful news. I'm going to do what I've thought of doing and hoped to do for the last three years -- I am going to teach!! Woohoo!! I signed a six-month contract this afternoon...
*phone rings* Friend: "What do you mean, you don't know how your resumé ended up on his desk?!" Me: "I really don't know!" Friend: "You emailed your resumé to me two weeks before that. I TOLD you there was an...
I think clothing sizes in Malaysia are shrinking. I cannot even fit in XL clothes -- what's up with that?? I give up on department store clothing. Had to go to Dorothy Perkins to get slacks that would fit me....