22nd June 2007 Friday

marked my last day...with Credit Suisse.
only a short total of 14 mths and 7 days here....
Looking forward to a new start. But nevertheless looking back at the fond memories with my dear frens here with longing....Enuf to drop a tear or 2 on Friday.....

Still remember my 1st day in Credit Suisse.
My maiden sniff of the air in the office of an investment bank at One Raffles Link, fresh from audit, wandering into the Banking wilderness. Greeted by friendly faces, Brenda, Eddie, Cindy, Gillian, Shub and Alex.
Will never forget the 3rd or 4th day of work, where I tripped and fell down Bus 70! Right in front of ORL. . . Hurt my knee cap pretty badly against the pavement and ended up hobbling around for 2 weeks. Thanks to nice colleagues, who packed food for me, asked me whether I needed help etc etc... ahhh...Those days were pretty fun. Being a newbie is always fun....till the real work sets in! Still remember working till the wee hours...midnite...alone! (as my immediate team was in HK!!) Though the learning process was tough, life was so fun in the beginning with 'THe Originals' around......Wei Mei, Pei Pei, Ann, Nic and Edwin....Will never forget the paper ball fights (esp during month end when every1 was stressed)...how we all supported one another at work..how we all had soo much fun...how we all were never colleagues..but FrIenDs.. =) Really thank God for bringing me buds at both my work places so far... =) (prayerfully it will be the same at JPM! =) )

THings changed drasticlly after the big saga..and subsequently a change in mgmt..
we had a temporary female boss for about 2 months, and then a permanent boss again in Jan 2007......Well......the dynamics of the team changed greatly....no longer fun...but just complaints all day long .... THank God I still had Pei Pei and Wei Mei around!....All our lunch chats surrounded issues faced about our boss.... It was really terrible....I came to the realisation of what a fren told me before 'If you cannot respect your boss, resign!!'

From being such a happy gal at work...I became more withdrawn....Many startedto ask me 'Frances are u alright? We no longer hear ur voice/laughter much at work'..It was then that I realised how unhappy I had become at work...Serious sunday nite blues...n everyday blues at work........But well..its all over.. =)

Nevertheless, I still thank God for bringing me into CS, without which I wouldnt have known the many true frens I know...

Presenting 'THe Originals ' in the very beginning.....
(they represent my best times in CS)































N some farewell pics on Friday itself

THanks guys for the big big card...lovely notes...cook books (yes I will use them!) and the vouchers!! =)





My Team




























THe London cash Guys

























My desk!
Only the kangoo and piggy are mine.
THey have been playing with the rest of their frens for the past year...
But I brought them home on Friday...
I think they are gonna miss their frens in our CS farm!
as much as their owner misses her frens...

Cheers...to the end of a good race in CS. I would have loved to go on...but sometimes, when things doesnt seem to be going right, a change in route might be better......

Photos Galore

Havent posted pictures for a loong time! So just a few random pics taken in the past 3 weeks!
Too tired to blog now.wil write more about farewells and last day at CS sobbb..

Met Lynnie dearie for lunch! Thanks for bringing my 20kg luggage all the way to HK!!
Muckas!




















The CS London cash guys....Had a mini farewell dinner
at Waraku PAsta!
YuUmmm


















I miss u DOWERS!!!!!!

































WIth Dani, Daisuke CY and YIlin at Pump Room

















COOOKING!
2 weekends back...Telli and Pin Xin came over to my place with one mission:
TO MAKE ME A CHEF! hahaa..taught me how to cook 4 delicious dishes and a soup!

Menu:
SOup of the Day" Corn Soup
1) GOng Bao Ji Ding
2) Jiang Cong cao Niu Rou
3) Cabbage + mushrooms
4) Eggie + Prawn

We were really privileged to have guests flown in from Japan just to try our cuisine!wahahahaa!!
It was good ok! ALmost every dish was wiped out!

Watch out guys..gonna whip up a good meal for u all after my stint in HK


Chefs of the daY!

Happy Customers!

Good nite everyone....Tom is my FIRST day unemployed...

N .. the packing begins...................

YawN...at Work on a Monday Morning!!

I am at work now...N I actually have time to blog on a sunny Monday morning!!!!
Last 5 days in this place. Handed over most of my work responsibilities already. So now enjoying a bit of 'Shaking leg' days!!!! Never had that before..in my past 14 months in CS....

Wow...really had a tired but fulfilling weekend!!!!

Started with Friday nite..Met Justin at PS Cafe (finally got to eat there!! Always full!!) at Dempsey.. Really nice ambience, Ok food but yummliciously fine and delectable desserts..You got to try the Brownie with Ice Cream. Undeniably one of the best I have tasted.
Had a great catch up with Justin...then off we went to Billard Bar at Fort Canning-The Legend to meet Lydia and Carrie. Carrie's fren performs there every Friday nite, so tot will just hop by to take a look! Like that place. Quiet and hmm..abandonded? For a Friday nite, thats a great place to hang out with ur frens cos its totally uncrowded!!! N...they are gonna ban smoking at the bar from JUly onwards! Kudos!! Another great place to add to the already small list of 'Places to bring ur overseas frens to'.
After that, left the bar to Kovan to met up with the rest of the gang, Jon Leb and Quan! Was really fun! The gathering of the 'Indecisives' (well, Leb named us that as..we can NEVER ever decide quickly where we want to go!!!!) is always peppered with laughters and non stop banters. That's gonna be one of the tops on my 'Things I will miss back home' list. Guys...take care of urselves here in Singapore. Must meet up even when I am not around ok! Keep that spirit going...Love u all...and thanks for all the crazy fun memories we had in the past years........ =*(

Friday nite ended at about 2am!! By the time I showered and slept..it was about 3 plus already! Had to wake up in the next few hours to be Jie Mei for Raine's wedding!!!!! Yes..Raine and Ronald got married on 16th June 2007. I am so touched to see this union. Still remember those days in Yellowtone where Raine kept asking Carol how to pray for a good husband! hahahaaa. Gal...Praise the Lord that you found that perfect man!! Ronald is a great guY! Take care of her ahhhhhhh!!!

The wedding, held at Shangrila was really grand but sweeet. The theme was..'Cheena'! hee..but of cos really done tastefully. I am totally in love with how the ballroom loooksss!!Very unique... (will try 2 upload pictures sooon!).
To me, the highlights of the wedding were the heart rending speeches and of cos, Raine serenading to Ronald in a surprise performance with a song written by her. Raine u r such a brave gal to sing such a looong and touching song in a ballroom of 50 tables! Im proud of you....
May the Lord bless their union with love joy and peace always.....n looking forward to playing with Babies R&R!! =)

Saturday was totally exhausting! All that haggling in the morning..then rushing off for practice in church then rushing off to Shang to prepare for the nite!

Sunday was great..played for English service (i think for the last time in the next __ years? =( ). Caught up with Yilin and JOn over Dim Sum..then off to Yew Tee!!! Visited Wei Mei's new home ! The decor was clean and neat. N I totally adore her dining area. The light and chairs were matching!!! Thanks Wei Mei and Josh for tea!! We had a look at her HAwaii pictures too... Awed by the volcanos (so embarrasing I didnt know Hawaii had so much volacani land) and beautiful sunsets at the beach! Hawaii is definitely in my 'to gos' now!!

After that..rushed off to Swensen's at Bishan to meet my family for a Daddy's Day Celebration!!!
HAPPY FATHER"S DAY PaPa!!!!! Although it was a simple dinner, and simple present and card, I think he was touched by the words in the card... =)....Love u Dad!!

Ok ok....its 12.08pm...Time for LUNCH! byeeee

DECIDED!

It feels GREAT! To be decisive.



And yes...I have DECIDED.



Official Annoucement: (I realised that I have not officially blogged about my new 'life'!):



I will be working in HK for the next __ months? years? with JP Morgan.

Yes I have resigned from Credit Suisse and last day is on 22nd June (tts NEXT FRIDAY!).

N flying to HK on 1st July (prob the 3.25pm flight) and then, starting work on 3rd July.



Excited, nervous, jumpy, thrilled, worried, exhilarated. Its all coming. Can't describe how I am feeling but relocating is well..the next big thing in my life. Not that big, but quite big!



It is a dream come true for me. Since young, I have always wanted to live overseas, be it working or studying. The dream came true a little about 4 years back, when I went to Yellowstone for this work and travel program for about 3 months. Tt was definitely a milestone in my life. Although it was a short 3 months, it changed my perspective about this world a lot. There is just so much to learn, to experience, to see, to hear, to just simply soak in in this big big world. So I told myself, one of these days, I HAVE TO work outta this tiny island (which nevertheless I will always still look up to as my home of cos. Im patriotic ok!). N the opportunity came.....Thank God for that.



It all happened in a whirlwind. Sent in resume, 1st phone interview about 3 days later and then 2nd phone interview within the next 3 days. N BAM! I got the JOB!



The whole decision process to relocate was a tough one.

So many considerations, so many thoughts, so many opinions, so many yes and nos and nos and yes.



Finally, decided the answer is going to be to GO! here's why



1) Since Im still young...I can afford to take the risk. Whats the worst that could happen? I don't like the place, just fly back n job hunt again! The market's hot! Tts the worst I could think of. But of cos, perseverance finishes the race. I will persevere in all circumstances

And no risk no gain! N its a dream...n desire..since YOUNG!



2) I have the 101% support of my parents. There was this point in the decision making process that I nearly didnt want to go. Cos after doing all the serious calculations, it seems financially I am not any better off cos of taxes and rental (rental is like 1.7k SGD per months FAINTS). But my Dad smsed me like a 5 msg long sms that read:



"Mum amd me think that the new opportunity to work overseas may expand ur social n personal horizon and to network with pple in the foreign land. MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING and CANNOT BUY TIME. My main concern is that you do not know how tot ake care of urself sometimes. We support your decision. If you tink that it is good for your future, take the initiative n go for it! We are all behind you.....JPM bank may have a rep office in Spore in the future?"



Wahaha! Tts Daddy Dearest..Fully Supportive, yet have a tinge of worry that I cannot take care of myself....and a worry that I will never come back to spore (look at that classic last sentence!) hahaha!! But FULL SUPPORT from my parents now mean a lot to me....



3) There was this morning, I woke up feeling really confused abt HK, n I prayed. Lord, please let somethign happen today that will convict me to make my decision according to your will. N well..what happened was, I was really upset about the package as JPM did not want to offer a relocation deal. (i even have to pay for my flight myself! faints) and frankly, I had asked before to no avail, n i always tot all hope is lost. But on that day, that very afternoon, amazingly, they agreed to pay for my ticket and a lump sum for relocation. Well, the amt is really not a lot...but I just felt that it convicted me that the Lord is telling me to place my trust in Him in this decision.



Well above are seriousresons...



Some beee baa booo reasons...HK is fuN and exciting! HK is a food (dim Sum!) and shopping haven. HK is easy to live in. HK is fast paced (yes I like a fast paced life. Leave the cow grazing days to old age!). HK is polluted buahaha.



N guess whaT? One of my uni frens, Freddy will be there till the end of the year and another ex DT colleague Stephen will be in Macau for 1.5 years!! So HAPPPYYY!!!!!



Thank God for my dear frens, a few of em have introduced me to their frens over email already!!! Looking fw to meet em in exciting HK!!!



N well..there was another saga the past 2 days...which explains my entry yesterday...

Well, basically, my director came to speak to me on Tuesday, counter offering me a role in CS HK. Offering better products, and higher pay, n brain washing me with all the good reasons to stay on in CS...so I was thrown into great confusion!!!



But last nite, I decided, I am leaving CS. Time to move on to JPM. Cant afford to disappoint those pple whom I have made a committment to in JPM. To me, signing a contract is a promise which I cannot bring myself to break!!!!!Unlike my director who told me 'I have signed 3 contracts but did not join the company in the end!' haha.



There are many pple, food, smells, noise that I will miss. That familiarity..That warmth..That closeness. But well, one must learn to leave his comfort zone for greater things I guess...

N I WILL BE BACK!!!!!

Smiles,
Fran

Decisions Answers Why?!?

Why is life shrouded with Decisions?
I dont like making them.
I rather I have no choices.
N do not have to consider anything else.
N just go with that 1 choice.

a new...........

LABTOP!!!!!! yes yes yes..finally.....
This is really an entry worth entering!! hahaa....many of u have heard me mumuring n mumbling non stop abt which labtop is good, value for $, nice looking etc etc...........

I finally settled for........ACER.........as said in my previous entry.............hahaa..many of u will scold me i know..but hai..no choice..no $ need to get the best specs at lowest price. Dun care abt quality. Just praying this ACER will last me thru at least hmmm...3 years?

Ok..im going to play with it now.........haven opened it yet!!

As excited as a lil one opening pressies!
Franny