Fastforward to 2014
The new year always bring a lot of positive vibes, new hopes and new beginnings. We can always set new goals or simply revisit existing ones and check to see how close we are to achieving it.
Morning Pages in July
30 June 2016 – Radio Traffic
Throw in a new radio so the car won't be as boring for the
occupants. I just realised how lonely it can get when you're stuck in traffic,
and not sure what time you'll reach home. For such a short distance, I do feel
the symptoms of Manila's traffic here in Auckland.
01 July 2016 – Trolling Along Park Road
Biting
cold’s giving me a headache
As I walk along
Park Road
Mechanisms
wheeled through
I see the
road where I have gone before
Looking at
myself inside out
Not much have
changed yet I have changed so much
I am now an
everyday JAFA
Slightly
better off than some
Definitely
no longer fresh off the boat
11 July 2016
– A Screaming Oven
Cheerios!
Cheerios! Yelled the big hot oven as the cheerios were ready.
Wouldn’t it
be nice to hear what’s cooking in the oven instead of the timer going
RRRRRRiiiiinnngggg! It gets me all rustled up as I finish a nice cup of tea.
Rosalin
agreed that the oven was saying Baaaked Fiiiisssh so she did not bother asking
Mum what’s for dinner.
12 July 2016
– Peanut Butter Morning
It’s a mad
rush. Quarter to eight and the kids are finally awake.
Come here
and I’ll give you a wash. No, it can’t wait for after breakfast.
Go put on
your clothes. Here’s a slice of bread, with a spread of peanut butter on.
Oh no, it’s
quarter past eight!
Hop in the
car, no time to brush.
5 minutes
and drop off for the boy is done.
Should I
wait?
Nah, I might
as well be late.
A quick
drive to day care and drop off is done.
I sat in the
car, and dialed to the conference.
Seven
minutes through, I didn’t miss that much.
Glad to have
made it and for my voice to be heard.
At quarter
past 9, I am in the office and my day has already began.
Birthday Thoughts
I'll be 38 soon and how time flies. I have accepted my role in the family as a mother, wife and breadwinner. I think I'm getting used to it. And I think I'm getting used to being a foreigner in this land of the long white clouds.
I have become hardened by the experience. I treat myself to food and wine as often as needed. I try to put things into perspective. I think at the end of the day, it will always feel better to think about those wonderful moments that I spent. Pockets of happiness. The more I have these, the better it is for my own well being. I hope that my kids will just grow up with lots of happy memories so they get to be confident and happy adults. I'm sure things will be better for us.
Why Don't You Draw It?
I find it easier to put people on the same page when it comes to discussing software behaviour by visualising it. Confusions and assumptions are surfaced. And by discussing this on a whiteboard or even just on paper, it helps them focus on the task at hand.
It's tough being a Scrum Master.
Public Forums: A Learning Experience
I struck a chord when i used the word "short-changed" for lack of a better choice, coz what i really meant was that i felt like we have lost the progress made from the previous school and now, in a new school where we are paying more, that progress seems to be overlooked. One response did answer my questions but also triggered something else. The message came across to me as me being ungrateful for being here. And it did take me a while to process how they all got mixed up with the original intent of the question that I've posted.
Note to self: Be careful with the choice of words in public forums. Best to look dumb, or simple. Avoid sharing how you feel on the situation and just focus on the question that you want to ask. Adding any context into it will put you at risk as readers come from various backgrounds and who knows how they'd interpret it.
It was a learning experience and I did get more from the post than what I have hoped. I think that is enough for me.
So Many Questions
I'm still trying to get used to the idea of being on my own. I'm not exactly alone right now coz I have my husband and kids with me but that's pretty much it. We're migrants and I still don't have a support system which really sucks. I think I'm trying hard a bit sometimes to try making friends with colleagues, or with the friends of friends, or even folks that my relatives would refer to me. Does it hurt to do that? I'm still cautious of course as these are complete strangers but hey, who knows if I might actually meet some great people.
I'm stuck. I'm often demoralized at work but I need to be practical in putting my family first and myself last coz there really is no other choice. I don't want to put everything at risk just because of me. I still want to give the best that I can to my kids so they grow up happy and be better than me.
So what if I switch my career. Do I need to consider timing? How long do I need to wait and how would I know if it is the right opportunity for me. Yes, I will scour through the online world again and figure out if I can actually find something that i like. I need to get my confidence back. I'm not growing here and it feels like they're just sucking the life out of me.
Just what exactly is that Kiwi lifestyle? The perks, an 8-5 job, and parks/ beaches on the weekend. My work is still crazy but the people do not work themselves to death. It is family oriented here and I like that the most. Do I need to care about climbing the corporate ladder? I never really made efforts on that. It usually just happens.
Won't it be nice to be able to chat with someone who can advise you about career moves and just about anything else about life. Someone's who's been in my shoes. Someone like my Mom I guess. Can't wait to have her here soon.
