Babywyx and music

When yx saw us singing into the mics, she took over:

And then she started swaying. So cute!

Last month or so, yx started humming songs. First it was a few notes here and there; gradually she began to string them together into an entire song! And she would even be singing a few words correctly.

Today she can hum & half-sing these songs:

- Alphabet song

- Twinkle twinkle little star

- If all the raindrops

- Rain rain go away

- Baby shark

- Happy birthday

- Put on your shoes
- Humpty dumpty
- If you're happy and you know it
- Jesus loves me yes I know
- liang ge xiao wa wa
- nv wa wa
- I'm a little teapot

- the lullaby my mom sings to her (yx pi juan liao, yao shui jiao...)

- the Mandarin train song (hong long long long long, wuu!)

- Wheel on the bus 

- Doraemon theme song

She's learnt so much speech and music the last few months. Now, we are introducing nouns/verbs to her in both English and Mandarin. For example, she knows these in both languages: turtle, bread, ostrich, parrot, dog, cow, milk.

She has finally learnt how to play with this book!

She can also now count to 20!

She still adores Barney; but we learnt that her favourite character from Barney is PJ! Because my parents and sis brought her to the store, and she chose PJ ahead of Baby Bop. 

Her bday is coming up soon and we would really love to buy a Barney themed cake for her!

But this would costs $90! :(

Disappointment

Some took leave from work
Some took time off from work
Some had to sit through couple of hours while pacifying young ones.

A suitcase of cash he won
Like a small windfall bestowed
"See, I brought a pork knuckle!"
Haha, he stuck to his promise!
To spend the first dollar!

It isn't about the quantum
But in the manner he explained,
"I figured it'd be difficult to arrange dinner."
 When he hasn't made effort to try at all.

Every 6th July...

I celebrate my working anniversary.

6 July 2009 - I jumped out of bed feeling very excited. I put on my 'lucky' striped purple work shirt, geled my hair and happily joyfully gracefully hopped into $MRT Corp office at North Bridge Road. Met my batch of fellow 19 MTs in that room. Were introduced to our "mummies", Lee Keng and Jenny, and went through an unexpected gruelling first day. 

So today is 6 July 2017 and I have unknowingly worked for 8 years!! Time really passed by in a blink of an eye! 8 years is not long. but long enough to have built up a decent career progression for oneself, acquired some technical skills, picked up some soft skills, and perhaps enriched with sufficient knowledge to be apt at making small talk with peers from other industries/professions.

Back track to a few days ago to the start of the month, 1 July 2017, my good work over the last 2 years saw me start work holding a new designation of Senior Engineer. I find it funny that this title was exactly the same as 6 years ago - in 2011 I was upgraded from Engineer to Senior Engineer (Bus Workshop, Auto Svcs), haha. Of course, Senior Engineer at my current organisation is more respectable and the expectations will be definitely more demanding. The next climb will not come easy. Jiayou!!!

CCAs at work

U know what people say about taking up CCAs at work - additional workload, more paperwork, little recognition, under-appreciated. Understandably, there are some CCAs which are more "sai kang" than others (and which people avoid as much as possible); some CCAs which put members under the limelight (provided you don't screw up); and there are CCAs which provide opportunities to present to senior management (if you want to, that is). Regardless the nature of CCA, I think whether or not they value-add to your year-end appraisal is how well you plan and execute them. For example, some people are just really brilliant at 'marketing' their job and can pitch a monotonous, labourious job into a glamorous one, and staking part credit along the way. On the other hand, there are people who shy away, prefer to be behind their desks and inadvertently fail to make their presence felt.

If you have worked or are working in a MNC or big corporation, inevitably you would have taken up some CCAs before. Perhaps organising a team bonding session, taking minutes for monthly meetings, being an emcee at an event, to name a few. I have had (I still do) my fair share of CCAs, too!

(Fit & Fun)
(Auto-Taxis dinner)
(SSTA workshop)
(Auto Retreat)
(Board Retreat)
(Go-karting)
(EES coordinator)
(Green Comm)
(Countless Secretariats)
.
.
.


Everyone will agree to the fact that CCAs take time away from your primary job tasks. However, from my experience, bosses appreciate the CCA work done and view these staff in higher regard, for they are seen as to be contributing more than beyond their job expectations. So they are associated with "having better time management", "having more energy" and "ability to multi-task"? Of course, the underlying principle to receiving recognition for CCAs is that one's primary job is not impacted!

I digressed. I meant to share that, if you have the luxury of choice, take up CCAs which are of higher profile and gives you opportunities with senior management (cause you can gain more mileage). And do the job to the best of your abilities! :)

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Update (6/7): Arrowed to be MCM Secretary for 1 year!!!

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