24th December 2008

Been quite some time since I last blogged. Had been busy with work a couple of weeks back and only had a chance to take a break since last Friday. Had rather happening pre-Christmas programs over the past week, like the annual mentor group BBQ last Friday night where I got to catch up with people I haven't seen for ages as well as a cruise trip from Saturday evening to today morning.

Mentor group BBQ was fun and I really enjoyed hanging out with those guys and girls (both people that I have known since internship as well as people I only got to know the past year) that have been there for me over the past two and half years of my work life. Although a significant number had already left the firm (some for more than a year), the bond was as strong as they had been before they left and that was a real heart warming thing to see in face of a gradual change in firm culture, new firm policies and personal job roles and responsibilities over the past year. Really enjoyed these sessions where we could just sit around, enjoy some food and talk and complain about all things under the wide world. I guess JC was right in saying that peer support is really important in the line that we work in and things probably won't feel as bad if your peers are around to support you through tough times, even if it meant only listening to you complaining and complaining and complaining. Am really grateful to each and everyone of them who have accompanied me over my past two and a half years of work life. I really couldn't imagine how I would do and where I would be if they had not been around for me.

Cruise wasn't too bad except that it was a little boring during those times where the cruise liner is travelling on the high seas and there is simply absolutely nothing to do except to watch satellite television, eat, sleep and be fat. And trust me, it gets really boring when HBO starts repeating blockbusters like twice in a day. Can you believe that HBO screened "Transformers" four times and "Mr Bean's Holiday" three times over the course of just three days? Gosh. Can you imagine the anguish when you switched on that square box and see Megatron screaming "I am Megatron!" for the fourth time in a row? That aside, food and service was really nice and commendable. I wonder what training did the staff go through to maintain such a high standard of service. You can practically expect a friendly greeting coupled with a warm smile every time you pass by a staff of the cruise liner and that goes from house keepers all the way to the captain of the ship. You probably need high staff satisfaction as well as absolute pride in their work to achieve that kind of service standard. I guess my current firm probably could take a leaf out of the cruise liner company's book in learning to satisfy its employees and instil more pride in them.

Got a couple more programs lined up for this Christmas, including a small dinner gathering and a Christmas gift exchange with the same group of people this coming Friday. I hope it would be good.

(PS: I don't usually pray for Christmas and even if I do, I usually pray for just my family. However, I will pray from the bottom of my heart this year. And my prayer this year will not be for just myself, nor only just for my family. My prayer this year will go out to each and everyone of you around the world. You might be my family, my friend, my enemy, a person I do not yet know, a person I might never get to know or even, a person I hated all my life. You might be a common person like me, or a president of some country, or even a terrorist of the Al Qaeda. Whoever you are, I wish you safety, peace, health and most importantly love. Afterall, Christmas is all about love. And love is all the more important in times of turmoil these days, in face of terrorism, elections, sub-prime financial crisis, credit crunch, wars and what have you. All the more we should unite and support each other in difficult times like these won't you say? For as what a performer on board the cruise liner says - "I do not believe in different nationalities, religions, languages and races. I believe that there is only one race. And that is the human race." Once again, I wish you love this joyous season. Merry Christmas!)