Overcoming the barrier

Today was the last day of training and I will be back at the branch tomorrow. It feels as if it is my first day of work again. Frankly speaking, I wished I hadn't passed all my CMFAS and I would be at Direct Banking at Cisco Centre tomorrow.

All my colleagues said I was crazy to even harbour such thoughts; those who hadn't passed wished they were in my position!

My thoughts are so contradictory. One part of me is happy I am one of the "privileged few" to be able to be deployed to branches; the other part wishes to be at Cisco Centre.

I guess I still haven't been able to overcome the personal barrier of doing sales and hitting targets yet. I better overcome that asap.

Attended a "Personal Relationship Banking" course modeled on Cohen Brown earlier this week and this phrase really struck me.

The behaviours that make the most money are those you least want to do.

How many of us are truly happy and enjoying their jobs? True, most of my friends, including myself, are just starting up, we are still low down in the learning curve so everything seems interesting and fun.

Five years down the road, would we still be feeling the same? Enjoyable job + good money. This combination is perfect for me; but how many jobs are there out there that can fulfil this criteria?

Now I know why my mum can stay at her job for thirty years. Nobody wants to work, but if that is where the money is, why not? True, we have far more choices now, but in every job, there needs to be a mindset change.

I don't like sales, but this will be my bread and butter for some time to come. After all, the behaviours that make the most money are those that (I) least want to do.

Memories

Next week is the last week of the six-week "intensive training" that all of us has to go through.

The honeymoon period is really coming to an end.

All the new friends I have made are a wonderful bunch of people, and instead of dragging my feet to work, I began to look forward to each new work day. The bonds are made all the more tighter because all of us have gone through the horror of Wealth Management, and the ultimate killer: a six-day intensive Mortgage training program.

We gave each other the encouragement and tips that were so essential to helping us pass the CMFAS exams.

In between the monotony of all this training and stress, we had the pleasure of one-and-a-half hour lunches plus morning and afternoon breaks, thrown in with good albeit a little too oily finger food.

I am so going to miss Plaza by the Park and the people on the 10th floor - OL and HR dept. I will miss the long lunches the whole group of us had - Crispy wanton mee and authentic Indonesian food at Parklane Centre Shopping Mall, various food at the Paradiz Centre food court, Sushi Don and Pickles at Hotel Rendezvous, Ajisen at Plaza Singapura, also wanton mee at Sunshine Plaza, where I am, according to my colleagues, the owner. And that small little dessert store at Peace Centre which serves really yummy and creamy mango sago. "Waterloo" - the eating place along Waterloo street and Kopitiam - right on the ground level of PBTP deserve some mention as well, although these are the last resort we would ever turn to (read: only if it is raining or we have to pia CMFAS).

Thank God most of us made it through all the internal assessments in one piece. Now I just hope everyone passes their M1 and M6 exams asap, by spending the least possible time in DB so we can start going to branches and earn big bucks!

Yesterday's lunch was one of the best ever - nearly three hours! Parklane wanton mee followed by "insightful" conversations over good chocolate fondue, cheesecakes and mudpies at Coffee Club Xpress.

And one last thing. Although I don't think I will use this name, I will miss the manner in which you all address me as Sunshine Baby Pan. ;)

It's the "last leg" next week. I pray all of us would pass the PFC Proficiency test with flying colours although I think some cooperation from everyone divine intervention might be required given my personal progress :(

Jiawen Terelle Aity Alice Sylvia Annie Rieky Kelvin Lex Joey Janice Marc Donny Rizal Steve Shawn Wendy Pearl Valerie Vinson Jen Elizabeth Daryl Juwei Bernard Hazel Carol Norman Felicia ...

The grass is always greener elsewhere.

Right.

I should just be contented with whatever I have now and quit moping over what I don't have.

The grass can be green over here too.

Seven things

I love Saturdays! It is such wonderful pleasure to be able to wake up after 8am and while the whole day away by doing no-brainer leisurely stuff like blogging and random blog-browsing, and study for my last CMFAS exam on Monday (well.. that's a different matter altogether.)

Got the "invitation" by Shunmei to do this "Seven Things" meme. Yay! Thanks girl! -_-

Seven things that scare me...

1. Being in poor health or stricken by illness.
2. Losing my loved ones.
3. Losing my job.
4. Being alone.
5. Not having enough money and sufficient financial protection and insurance coverage. Occupation hazard. I must be going nuts after studying M9. But this is very true. Are you sufficiently covered?
6. Moths.
7. Putting on weight. Yes, girl! Me too!

Seven things I like the most...

1. My family.
2. Friends.
3. Spending time alone. A bit contradictory, I know.
4. A very pampering and relaxing facial. Throw in a body massage and spa session and everything would be oh-so-perfect!
5. Talking.
6. Food glorious food!
7. Sleep.

Seven things important in my room...

1. My bed (plus my smelly pillow!)
2. Air-con/fan.
3. The never ending collection of skin care products.
4. My makeup.
5. My wardrobe.
6. My magazine and novel collection.
7. The TV.

Seven random facts about me...

1. No sense of direction. Still...
2. I look best in spring and winter colours.
3. I speak too fast.
4. My new nickname is "Sunshine".
5. I like to dilly dally.
6. I have short hair, which is a very suitable hairstyle to portray professionalism! Yay!
7. I usually cry when I am angry, not sad.

Seven things I plan to do before I die...

1. Go traveling around the world.
2. Learn driving.
3. Get CFA qualifications. This is really one big hurdle man!
4. Get married.
5. Have kids.
6. Be more tech-savvy.
7. Learn to cook a decent meal.

Seven things I can do...

1. Rope skip 1,600 times in half an hour.
2. Roll my tongue.
3. Play the tuba.
4. Repeat the same exercise routine 7 days a week without seeing visible results. :(
5. Play a mean game of badminton.
6. Laze around.
7. Remember faces.

Seven things I can't do...

1. Maintain my attention span for more than an hour.
2. Remember names.
3. Go without meat for more than a day.
4. Drink alcohol. It must be "flavoured" to be able to entice me.
5. Finish singing a song without first going off pitch somewhere.
6. Count the "tai" when playing mahjong.
7. Play computer games that requre a lot of coordination.

Seven things I say the most...

1. Shit.
2. Pardon?
3. Huh?
4. Ya lor
5. Piang
6. Damn
7. Is it?

Seven celeb crushes...

1. Louis Koo.
2. Brad Pitt.
3. Shawn Yue.
4. Tony Leung Chiu Wai.
5. Takeshi Kaneshiro.
6. Lin Feng.
7. Angelina Jolie.

Seven people who have to do this...

Hee.. I don't know enough people with blogs to do this, so anyone free enough, just go ahead!

Simple rules

Does the keeping left while on escalators at MRT stations apply to all stations? Or is it just the select few at strategic locations like Orchard, City Hall, Raffles Place etc.?

I think it applies to all MRT stations right? Correct me if I am wrong. Then when can't some commuters understand this simple rule and keep left instead of jamming up the way and preventing people who are in a rush to move off first?

This is such a simple rule and it doesn't take much to display some consideration right?

I don't understand people sometimes.

The "Conspiracy"

This is one big fiasco.

Although I had known the result would turn out like this even before before the finals started, I just hoped I would be wrong.

And every time the judges praised Kelly for her wonderful performances and criticized commented on Kelvin's not-so-good performances, I worried even more. Because the negative comments would only serve to spur Kelvin's supporters to vote all the more for him!

Even the most fervent supporter of Kelvin must admit that he didn't do well in the finals; and Kelly did way better, but he still emerged victorious with 64% of the votes. If this is not sympathy, then what is? Someone please tell me. Does Kelvin have more superstar appeal than Kelly? I don't think so. Well, maybe he may have, because he is unique.

True, he has a soothing voice, though not enough to bring tears to me because I don't have the habit of paying close attention to the lyrics and music and its underlying meaning as I find it too much of a bother. And his genre is limited - it is harder for him to sing catchy tunes, but his diehard fans would probably be just as contented to be enjoying his shen qing kuan kuan songs.

No sympathy votes involved? Like real. Yes, he has a good voice, but don't tell me there is not a single tinge of sympathy involved whenever someone cast their vote votes? Because, at least in my opinion, people might listen more intently to Kelvin's voice since that is about the only way he can connect with the audience. With Kelly, they are more distracted, because they need to listen to her voice, watch her stage presence and dance moves all at the same time.

In any case, I trust the producers at Play Music, I believe, are known for transforming unique individuals like Ou De Yang and are willing to experiment with all things new, would carve out a successful music career for Kelvin.

Call me a case of eating sour grapes. But Kelly, in my opinion, probably got the better deal, ironically a prize for second place: a singing contract with the more established (IMO) Universal Music, renowned for creating stars like Jacky Cheung, Energy, Evonne Xu etc.

Yes, perhaps the "conspiracy" is working, at least for now.