Tired from work...

Feel so tired from work recently... work is busy and very taxing on the mind. It is not the very stressful type (there is some stress, yes) but the events and action items are dynamic and plentiful and it's taking a toll keeping up with the pace, all of these amplified by the numerous meetings day in day out. I have at least 2 meetings EVERY SINGLE DAY! I'm annoyed by the fact that I hope to be able to make better use of my time during the meetings...

Yes just hired a capable staff to assist me with one workshop but the Engineer position at the biggest workshop is still vacant... wonder when I can let all of them run independently for me to really take a step back to strategise, plan and act on the more important items. Am planning to train up my guys to level up and align them to my standards and expectations, think work will be more manageable with them managing the ground and me can focus more on managing the business.

Being away on leave adds to the stress level as at the end of the day when I log in and discover there are 100+ emails to go through... is this the way to work, really?! Sigh...

Well, let's try to think of the positives, I do enjoy working with my colleagues and we're trying to play badminton regularly! I'm very rusty and hope to be able to rediscover the techniques.

On a side note, am really looking forward to taking a short break away from work... wish for the days when I can not think about work at all and just let my mind relax!

In a month's time!!

81-year old Primary School to go down into the history books

The headlines isn't very eye-catching and true enough didn't capture my attention until I caught sight of the name of my alma mater.

With disbelief I read that it has a rich 81-year old history! I read on and was disappointed to hear that only 20 odd places were filled up, not even enough students to complete a classroom.

However, the final straw was when I learn that Qiaonan will be merged with Griffiths to form .... Angsana Primary. Seriously?! I was like ARE YOU KIDDIN ME - ANGSANA?? It's like the worst possible name ever to name a school!! And I don't even want to start debating how its uniform will look like.

Anyway. No doubt Qiaonan was a lesser known neighbourhood school, I always felt proud to be a student because I had dedicated teachers and an enriching primary school education. Vividly recall the hike in Macritchie Reservoir during my Primary 5 school camp, tuition sessions where I went to school early twice a week to teach juniors how to read, the achievement of "I am a Young Zoologist/Physicist/whatever" badges... 

Am arranging to gather with my primary school classmates and form teacher at our dear school compound. Been many years since we met up... looking forward to relieving the childhood memories one final time! 

On our Lion City Qiaonan School stands
Reaching up to the sky and looking grand
Where-in we are nurtured
to be learned and cultured.
Ever keeping up with time
so we won't be left behind.
With one another we will share,
for each other we will care.
With the spirit that is Qiaonan
working mind and heart as one.
And with the same unity,
we will serve the country
as loyal citizens should,
For all Singaporeans good.

------------------------------

Read more about Qiaonan here (from http://mothership.sg/2014/03/bye-bye-qiaonan-bedok-west-griffiths-hong-kah-primary-schools/)

Qiaonan Primary’s history has deeper meaning
Qiaonan Primary was founded by the Wenzhou Clan Association. It was previously known as Kiau Nam School. It has more than 80 years of history, making it far older than Singapore has been independent.
In 1933, 20 pupils started classes at a rented unit in the now-defunct Lorong Koo Chye.
In 1940, the director of the school board donated his house at Paya Lebar Road to be used. It was closed during World War II, but reopened after the fighting was over.
In the late 1950s, there were 480 students with makeshift classrooms added and classes were purportedly conducted within the confines of a Chinese temple to fit more pupils.

Random pic

Some things never change. For example, Jx's favourite is still the chocolate cake.

(Hmmmm this was some 2 and a half years ago, our looks hardly changed, have we! :))