Things We'd Tell The Boss

Ok , I got this on the Internet. Just thought it is good to share :

12 things We'd Tell the Boss

As employees, we are told to be diligent, to follow through, to be "self-starters," to have a good attitude, to be flexible and patient and dependable and loyal and respectful. We're told there is no "I" in "team." We're told, "You should just be grateful you have a job." But surely bosses have obligations to us just as we do to them. And surely one of the biggest of those obligations is to seek out their employees' point of view.




Of course, not all employees feel free to say what they're actually thinking. You know who you are! That's why in today's column, the employees of the world get to speak up. What would you say to your boss if you could say absolutely anything at all? This is your chance, people.




Here are a dozen to get you warmed up:






1. "Give me the tools I need to do a good job." If you're unsure, ask me. But, basically, time, materials, information, maybe even a little authority--these are what I need to succeed.


2. "Admit it when you make a mistake." It shows you're not afraid and is the best way to earn my respect. Whatever you do, don't act as if you never make mistakes. That's just ridiculous.


3. "Don't treat me like a cog on a wheel." I'm an individual. If I screw up, tell me. If someone else in my group screws up, tell him. Don't blame the whole team.


4. "Ask for my opinion from time to time." I might be able to offer some good ideas if you listened to me even half as much as you expect me to listen to you.


5. "I truly need frequent feedback." Please don't wait till the year-end performance review. I can do a better job for you if you let me know what I'm doing wrong, and what I'm doing right, on a regular basis.


6. "Don't leave me hanging out to dry." When things go south I need you to be a leader and back me up. If you are not loyal to me, it is impossible for me to be loyal to you.


7. "I can't hear you when you shout." Maybe someone once told you intimidation is a good management tool. But seriously, yelling at employees just makes you look weak and ineffectual.


8. "Don't make me work with idiots." I realize it's not easy but if there's a problem person in the group it's your job to resolve the situation. Don't let it drag on and on. It poisons the whole workplace.


9. "Have a clear agenda." If you don't know what you want, how do you expect me to? I need you to understand your own goals, and communicate them to me clearly.


10. "Don't lie about deadlines." There is no better way to lose the trust of your people than to set "fake" deadlines. Trust me enough to be honest with me and I'll do a good job for you.


11. "Be predictable." If you behave erratically I will spend more time and energy worrying about what you're going to do next than working.


12. "Mentor me." Ask me my goals. Give me projects that help me develop and grow. I will do a fabulous job for you if you take an interest in me and my career. And that's a win-win.


Hmmm...I have had my fair share of very nice and the not-so- nice bosses. .I would say I 'll go for 2 , 6 and 9. How about you? :)

I SURVIVED!

I survived my first day in school today!

It is the start of a new semester for students and teachers alike. On the contrary, teachers do not enjoy a full June holidays... usually, we get a week off, either in the second or third week.

But still, I was like a baby last night , lamenting to the husby that ," I don't want to go to school tomorrow!".

Heh...does this sound familiar to any students out there?

Anyway, yup, I survived the whole of today. It was super hectic, I tell you... what with the attire check , new timetable, class admin matters and many else.

I have straight lessons from 8 to 12:30 pm... after which , I met up with my new trainee to brief her of rules and expectations till about 2pm. And then, a student (whom I do not teach at all) wanted to talk to me about her problems.....

I finally sat down at my table close to 2:45pm! Sigh... only then could I grab some lunch and finally start on work.

Since it was only the first day, I didn't want to go home late ...there'll be many other days for that. So, I quickly prepared for tomorrow's lessons , looked at the new pile of worksheets to be marked and just left it at that. There's always a tomorrow ! :P (Bad example, don't follow.)

Haha... Still, I reached home close to 7pm.

And there's a meeting tomorrow afternoon. Bless me!

Lady Gaga - BALLET!

Now who says ballet must remain conventional and hiphoppers can't do classical?

This is a brave and splendid attempt.



I find this unique choreography intriguing ... Kudos to the choreographer!

SIMPLE Eye Make-up Remover

I used to get irritated whenever it was time to remove my eye make-up, especially the waterproof mascara.

Have you ever experienced persistent tugging that results in your one or two (or three, four if you are that unlucky) eyelashes falling off, while trying to get rid of your eye make-up?

I did... and it is frustrating because eyelashes take forever to grow back. I wouldn't want to have uneven , sparse eyelashes... hehe....
 
As I have sensitive eyes, I had to go through several trials of various brands for that perfect eye make-up remover. Many were not suitable for me - they are either stinging to the eyes or they leave behind oily residues.

Until I tried this ......

There was no tugging involved and everything came off in just two swipes of the cotton pad. Eyelashes saved!

However, it is rather pricey ... especially for me who use it everyday, sometimes even twice a day. I am not rich lah ...so I am always on the lookout for easy-on-the-pocket bargains :P

And then , I tried SIMPLE (Kind to the Eyes) Eye Make Up Remover......

True to its slogan , it is kind to the eyes yet, very effective in getting rid of all the make-up. It is really easy peasy too!

Ready for cleansing.

On eye: L'oreal Undereye Concealer,

Clinique Crystal Beige Eyeshadow,

Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner, Cover Girl Lash Blast

Waterproof Mascara, Face Shop Pencil Eye-liner

The easy - peasy steps to be taken :

Firstly , just soak a cotton pad with SIMPLE Eye Make Up Remover.

After that , press the soaked cotton pad onto your eyelid. Let it stay for about 5 - 10 seconds and just swipe it across your eyelid. Your eye make-up will instantly come off - eyeliner , mascara, eyeshadow, all at once!

If you are wearing heavier make-up, you might need

an extra sweep.

TADAH! No traces of make-up at all!

 For this, I swiped twice. NO TUGGING!

See how simple it is? Truly effortless.

This SIMPLE (yet effective) eye make-up remover is also voted as "Best Value" .

Well, it only costs $9.90 so it is definitely

great value for money!

I still use the Clinique eye make-up remover when I have heavier eye make-up on. But for an everyday use, I would definitely say SIMPLE is the way to go!

Hopefully, this helps you ladies out there ! :)

Power Over Cervical Cancer 2010

Althought there are many news about natural catastrophes, wars, diseases and illness, most of us probably think that we would not be 'lucky' enough to be hit by any of the above. Yes ,we read and hear about them all the time but I am pretty sure most of us are rather complacent with life.

Or rather, I was like that. Until cancer hit my beloved daddy back in 2004.

It was the bleakest period for my family. Besides the fact that it financially drained us, it pained me to see my daddy go through the painful effects of chemotherapy and other treatments, to see my mother stay vigil by his side... energy sapped.

My dad was really a fighter . I have no idea how he did it but despite his painful ulcers, fallen hair and weak immune system, he remained strong and positive at all times. I think that helped him in the healing process.

Lately, I have noticed many advertisements at various places warning ladies of cervical cancer.

Are you aware that cervical cancer is one of the most common cancer affecting Singapore women?

 In fact, it seems to be more common in the younger ladies. However, if you are diagnosed and treated early, you are more likely to recover.

 

Are you disgusted by the pictures? I sure am!

But how do you know if you are suffering from cervical cancer?

Here are some of the symptoms you can look out for:

1) Abdominal bleeding

• Between periods
• After menopause
• After intercourse

2) Watery or Bloody Vaginal Discharge - even if it is just a little, do be on the precautionary side.

3) Lower Abdominal Pain during intercourse

But there are also symptoms that will only occur at the later stages... these are even more scary as they are undetectable earlier.

WHO IS AT RISK?

• Women who had sexual intercourse at an early age ( 12 ++ yrs old)
• Women who have had multiple sex partners somewhere in their lifetime
• Smokers (You have 10 times more chances if you are a smoker. It is not worth it!)
• If you suffer or have suffered from STDs

Any type of cancer is sure to be a painful affair and may even lead to death.

If you know anyone who mayhave the above symptoms, do advise them to go for a check-up. Who else will look after us women, if not we ourselves?


Power Over Cervical Cancer (POCC) is doing their bit in raising awareness for this only vaccine-preventable cancer. You can do your part too, by pledging your support for this heartfelt movement.


Power Over Cervical Cancer is a campaign that aims to make Singapore the country with the lowest incidence of Cervical Cancer and they need your help to spread the word. Pledge your support for this cause and protect those you care about by telling them about Cervical Cancer. Together, we have POWER Over Cervical Cancer. Click the button below to begin!





Do not take it lightly if you have any of the above symptoms. Get yourself checked at the doctor's a.s.a.p!

Spread the word ... together, we can fight it! Go Girl Power!

ANGSANA BINTAN RESORT - A weekend of Bliss!

And so , off we went to Bintan!

The last time I went to Bintan was in 2005. That was with my sister and bestie . We stayed at the backpackers' lodge - Mana Mana Resort - and did lots of water activities. It was really fun.

However, I was in great anticipation for this trip as it was with my crazy other half a.k.a soulmate. :)

We had an early ferry and reached ANGSANA BINTAN RESORT at about 11:30 am. Obviously that was too early for a check-in .

This was where they handled the logistics and paperwork for our check-in. I had no idea why but I felt peaceful already in this small room... it must have been the aromatherapy scents and soft Indonesian music.

Since we had time to spare, we decided to tour around the place before having our lunch at Lotus Cafe.

The sandy beach - just like on a postcard

Friendly companion?

Lotus Cafe

I must say that these Indonesians have totally great manners and hospitality. Just like the time when we went to Bali, we could really feel the sincerity in their greetings and smiles! Not some fake-and-forced-to types that we sometimes get here. Every single worker at the resort - be it the manager, receptionist, garderner, bellboy, butler, waiter, cleaner etc - greeted us with their biggest smile and sweetest voice whenever they saw us, and wished us a great stay at the resort. How's that for service with a smile? I think they really believe in their job, which is to make hotel guests as comfortable as possible. In my opinion, they score a perfect 100% for that!

We finally managed to check in at 2 pm. Yeah!

 Our One-Bedroom Suite

Party?

Totally unused!Well, we might have if we had stayed longer.

Entrance to the bedroom.

Bright orange bathrobes...we looked a bit

 funny in them though.

And they are environmental friendly! Bonus points!

Since our aim for this getaway was to laze around , that was exactly what we did!

The first thing we did was to book our spa appointment. We had a difficult time deciding on the treatments that we wanted as there were sooooooo many to choose from. A little on the expensive side though... and it was made worse that everything was in USD. BUT, everything was seriously worth it!

ANGSANA SPA

We could choose which scent we wanted for our noses :)

                 

I have been to some pretty good spas in SG but I honestly feel that Angsana Spa beats them all. It could just be me on a holiday mode though ... the therapist really managed to ease away all the tensions in my body  with her soft yet firm hands. And she was very skinny some more - where did she get all the strength ??!!! At the end of my 3-hr session , I felt sooooooo good..... as if I could continue with work now with no complaints... (yah, right! I don't want to work ah... )....

The other places that we hang out at ......

PANTAI GRILL AND BAR

Seafood dinner by the sea

                                

                                  

                             

THE POOL

We were there by 7:30 am the next morning. Haha!

THE BEACH

See that huge boulder? That is an indication that we are not to go beyond that point. Why, you may ask? Because the other side is only for guests of the luxurious Banyan Tree Villa. Jealous, ok!! 

LUNCH AT PASAR OLE OLE

Chilli crab and Red Garoupa.

Look at the way the carrot was carved! I was impressed!

We left Angsana (and Bintan) with a very heavy heart. The minute we touched SG grounds, it meant back to reality :(

It is pretty obvious that we enjoyed our stay tremendously. Thank you Angsana for making it memorable!

Now, must save money for Banyan Tree!!! Anyone wanna sponsor? Daddy? :P

Best!

OMG!

I just came back from Bintan ... and that was one of my best holiday experiences EVER!

I wished we had stayed longer.

Ok, update will be in the next post ! With photos, of course!

Stay tuned.....

I am a city girl at heart :)

I have always loved going back to my grandaunt's kampung in Muar, Johor.

She has since rebuilt the house but I am still very fond of those days when the house was made of wood and each time you go up the steps or run around, it makes lots of noise. Visits back to the kampung used to be an annual event and I looked forward to it each time.

I still like to go back now although it is definitely less frequent. Looking at the chickens and roosters, chasing after cats and picking fruits straight off the trees are among my favourite activities.

We made a short stopover at his aunt's kampung in Sedenak on the first day of our KL trip and I got to enjoy my short moments of nature delight.

However, I know that deep down , I am a city girl. And so is he :)

Yah , it is nice to spend 4 - 5 days in a village, living the village life. But I know I will get bored very soon after that .Heh... it has happened a couple of times. The pace of living over there is much slower than here and thus, a short getaway would always be appreciated. But a getaway is all it can be.

On the 3rd day of our KL stay , we went to book into a hotel in Bukit Bintang Area. Just us. The rest of his family stayed on at the aunt's place. Since it was only a short span of time , we could just manage to venture to Mid Valley Mega Mall , Berjaya Times Square and Pavillion Mall. Boy, did we feel rejuvenated with all the shops in sight!

Hahhaa.... I am serious. We got energetic once we saw the shops , the cafes, restaurants, cinemas etc etc. I guess it is due to the place we were brought up in. Fast-paced and all. Whenever we are on holiday and there seems to be nothing to do , we get restless and immediately think of activities to be done. LOL.

So much for relaxation.

Anyway, we stayed at Piccolo Hotel for the night. The exterior has a very rustic and old feel to it , in the middle of all the majestic hotels around. I have no idea why I settled for this hotel but I am glad I did!

Ok, pictures time!!!

Taken from passenger seat in the car

I love hotel rooms with couches :P

I always have a thing for island-concepts , be it for

 sink or kitchen. Too bad my own house is not big

enough for that.

Hotel beds are always sooooooo comfy.... why ah?

That orange arm chair is so adorable , I wish I could

pack it home!

We managed to do some more shopping after we checked out although time was really tight. Put two shopaholics together, nothing is impossible :)

I, or rather , he, made an impulse personal indulgence (for me). But totally no regrets!

What did I get?

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Pretty? Cute? I think it is both pretty and cute!

I have always liked the bags from Che Che New York.

This is definitely a favourite already!

Alright , end of KL post. I really need to pack for Bintan now .... though I feel like doing it only tomorrow morning. Sigh...I hate deciding on what clothes to pack.......

Enjoy the rest of the weekend , people! I know I will enjoy mine  :)

Nights!