8 posts tagged “work”

Men's Health May 09

I feel a lil guilty for neglecting this blog. Haven't had much time to update here. the last month or so has been crazy with work that actually brings in money for me. Such as working on the Men's Health Singapore website.

Sk6

i imagine it must be frustrating at times for people who go out/hang with me. They might think I'm a little indecisive when it comes to picking a place to eat/coffee or something to do. it's not that i can't make up my mind, it's really because i don't care.

It's National Day today. Went to catch The Mummy 3 which was like a Subway sandwich IMO. You kind of anticipate it, it looks good, tastes great while you're eating it but still doesn't make you full eventually. To me, it's the new Indiana Jones and I think I have a man-crush on Brendan Fraser. At just under two hours though, it was still quite entertaining though the Yetis part made me go wtf? Plus what's up with Michelle Yeoh and all these period costumes? She doesn't even pull off any of the accents properly.

Anyway I missed the Parade. I watched the Olympics opening last night at Gavin and Nadia's place (I might need to housesit and catsit for them next week) and we were all saying today's parade organisers are gonna be mighty inadequate after China's plentiful pyrotechnics pwnage last night. I still wish they'd unleash the dragon they've kept in hiding so it could swoop in and light the cauldron. I know they have it somewhere. So, where am I going with this?

You see, I can't remember how last year's NDP went. For someone who often forgets what he did yesterday (srsly) or last week, that comes as no surprise but I do know that it feels like the year just zipped by.

Seems it was just yesterday I took a paycut and left the haven of the civil service to cut my teeth in a cutthroat industry and a job I had no experience for. Have I regretted that move?

Sometimes, yes. Mainly when I think about the money, although my new place is taking care of that way better. I still feel that I might return to corporate marketing when the time comes. I don't think our local media industry will ever achieve equity in terms of pay scale, something I've often voiced out to my ex-employers in the gahmen. But it's probably the only industry that doesn't discriminate because of paper qualifications which I appreciate.

In general though, I'm glad I jumped. I came in with zero expectations and the past year has definitely surpassed those zero expectations!

I don't think I've ever been happier working because it just doesn't feel like work. I've really had some shitty work conditions in the past, so whatever this job throws at me isn't all too bad at the moment. Although earlier on, it wasn't easy trying to get started on stories and the pressure of wrapping up 2 or more features in a few days was horrible. Trust me, a splitting migraine at midnight, alone in the office, is le suck.

I enjoy a lot of freedom in my work, which suits me fine because I am notorious for my time-keeping and aversion to rules.I used to saunter in at 11 at the last office, imagine that! Now I come in about 9 or so but I wish I could go back to the 11 o'clock days! I may be tardy but I always make sure I meet my deadlines. I admit sometimes I try to be a perfectionist but have since learnt to take things a lot easier nowadays and it's at least something I can be proud of.

My streak of awesome office mate continues. It really helps to work with people who share the same interests, sense of humour and dashing good looks (kidding, that's just me.) Life has never been boring.

Beyond the office, I've met a lot of wonderful and interesting people. Some are more famous than others and sometimes when I zone out at a presscon, it does hit me like wow. I'm not the sort who gets starstruck which is quite lucky because a gushin fanboy makes it hard to get any work done but I know a lot of people would kill to be in my shoes.

Besides celebs, there've been some folks who've become big parts of my life nowadays. The fact that they bear with me speaks a lot about their immensely dodgy taste and the fact that I bear with them tells you all you need to know about how awesome they are.

There are various other reasons I'm enjoying my current gig of course but to list them all would just make people even more jealous (which is why I always tell people it's not as great as they think it is. But I'm just trying to make them feel better.hahah joke!)

Well, it's been an exhilirating one year. Who knows what the next year will bring?

Thought I'd just upload some pics of the dudes I worked with at my old place. Erm, yeah I'm switching to another men's magazine soon.

I'll miss these sons of bitches. Will try to put up more pics if I have them.

Lastmen

(L to R): Me (the Kolorproofz), Gene (everybody's bitch) and Shahril (guitar hero from one of Singapore's veteran metal band, Ossuary)

Me and Gene are writers while Shahril is our designer. Not everyone was around that day so we were the only dudes from the team around.

Pinoy playa

Marlone aka Pinoy Playa.

Don't be fooled by his erm, odd choices in headgear. He's a babe magnet. It's either the giggle or the accent.

"Working"

(L to R): Shahril, Marlone, Pete and Raymond the photographer

Finally a shot of us sort of at work. Pete's our ex-editor. Raymond's a photographer we used for shoots now and then.

This was taken at the lovely Hotel Naumi, a gorgeous boutique hotel smack in the heart of town. Great view of the city too.

Erm, I was just chilling on the sofa, trying to watch the soccer game that was on. Moments after this shot, I tried the bed.

So comfortable I tell you.

i've only slept 3 1/2 hrs last night and in 4hrs time I have to be at the airport to head to Bali. I'm feeling the strain but i'm valiantly fighting the z-monster in case i miss my flight later. i'd go down early to eat some Popeye's but I have no clue who the other journos are and well it's quite an unearthly hour too.

must.stay.awake.

i'm looking forward to the trip. it's a work thing really, hosted by Lion Air so it's all good. It'll be my first time on Lion Air and to Bali. Have heard lotsa good things so I think it'll be worth the wait.Haven't figured out what exactly I'll be up to there though we have an itinerary lined up for us. Lotsa free n easy basically. I look forward to taking lotsa pictures, speaking of which I am looking for a camera. Borrowing Pete's Canon G9 for this trip - one of the cams I'm actually considering. I am so biased to Canon really.

I've realised i need a trip every year because i tend to slide into this general phase of underperformance from May to August. It's inevitable really and I've noticed it for the past 2 years at least. Hope this recharges the system a bit. Then again last year after I came back from Cambodia and Vietnam I slipped into a general mood of sian from Feb to May haha. Damn I confuse myself. But ok, there were other factors involved with all my good friends leaving the department I guess. That really sucked and probably hit me more than I realise.

Whatever.

Can't wait to check Bali out and then come back and catch up with all my mates. Take care peeps.

it's been a rather long and weary week for me. Especially coming on the back of the massive Chinese New Year holiday where I slacked like never before and was utterly hooked on Lost Odyssey, that xbox 360 reincarnation of Final Fantasy, for hours on end. Oh sure I did some intermittent reading in between and a little bit of writing too but I hadn't slacked like that since...well...the first few months of 2007 when I was at my last job. HAH! Oh btw, I think Lost Odyssey is bloody brilliant except it's one daaaaaaaaaaamn long game lar.

Ok back to my um long week thingy. Well I was suffering from a massive migraine. You know the head-splitting, brain throbbing sort that just makes you wanna go for a power massage (or head transplant)? It was bad for me. The last time I had it was in November when I had to produce 4 features in 2 days. I did it then but near-fainting spells at 1am in the office made me reluctant to experience them again. Must be this growing old business.

I'm not quite sure what caused the headache this time around. It could be I'm thinking too hard about our upcoming magazine revamp or...how to pull off my stories before my deadline next Friday. Then as mysteriously as it appeared, my headache dissipated as of yesterday. Not quite sure why or how but I was conscious to relax as the days went by because it was really screwing me up at work and during my cover girl shoot on Wednesday. I'm glad it's gone now, finally I can power through whatever's left of my days to deadline.

On top of the blasted migraine, I'd also been quiet this week because my mum was admitted to the National University Hospital (NUH) for observation. She'd been suffering from fluid retention in her leg for the past week or so and it was pretty swollen. Our doc recommended her to a specialist who asked her to be warded cos he suspected some weak heart problems and kidney issues. I wasn't too surprised about the kidney but the heart thing was rather discomforting. My mum has mild diabetes and a cholesterol problem which are both under control as far as we all knew but eh, heart? So my bro called me on Tuesday afternoon, said that our mum was to be warded at NUH. They put in an IV on her for medicine to reduce the swelling, which really made her pee a lot apparently and did some scans and an X-ray (at 3am!).

I can never understand hospitals and why they like to wake you up at ungodly hours to do stuff. What the heck happened to rest? I have to say I've been lucky in the sense I've only had one hospital stay experience (touch wood!), when I caught pneumonia during my army days. The doctor said I could go home after 2 days. He lied. I stayed a week. and was so bored outta my skull cos I was surrounded by ancient people with no chio relatives or friends to ogle at. Luckily the nurses were ok but anyway back to my mum, well ok so past 3-4 days of this week I'd been shuttling between work and the hospital to check up on her and it's been rather tiring, compounded by the dastardly headache! I've ignored everything but work (i know's it's ironic that i'm griping bout not doing work and here i am blogging).

And the night before last, they transferred her to another ward, a 6-bedder. After two nights in her own room, the difference was stark and I was immediately reminded why I dislike hospitals. The air's just heavy you know. With sorrow, despair and stench of disease. Im a medic and I'm used to it having seen crushed feet and OD cases myself but still have that initial aversion I guess. Go ahead and scold me, it's a hospital dude wtf do you expect? i'm not expecting what la. it's just stating the vibe i get from hospitals, that's all. Then again I know a lot of hospitals take the effort to make the environment cheerier to alleviate the whole gloomy and morose atmosphere. Maybe cos it was dark and I was tired and couldn't be arsed I couldn't really tell. Oh I did realise though that those bloody Delifrance sandwiches are kinda expensive. Subway gives way better value though I do love the seafood sandwich on ciabatta from DF. And also, in hospitals, everyone walks so much slower. Even the healthy folks.

r e a l l y  r e a l l y  s l o o o o w w w w w w.

annoying sial.

sleepy cat sleepy cat

Anyway the good news is my mum's out but has a minor op next Thursday cos they want to run some tests on her kidney. Details on tuesday when they let her know. Hope it's nothing too serious la. I'm glad she's back home now. My cat is too. He'd been pining for her past few days too so I had to sub and entertain him more than I normally do. This involves lotsa scratching of my feet and hands. Very painful. He doesn't realise his claws are damn sharp now.

More updates when I feel like it. Have a good weekend while I try to write about stuff and pretend to sound intelligent.

p.s. shameless plug, our NewMan march issue is out now, go get it! it comes with an F1 special and several giveaways inside like a trip to Phuket, sunglasses, fragrances and other cool prizes. One of our better issues methinks. Go go go!  Check it out - www.newman.com.sg

whoa.

it's been a while. lots have changed...where do i begin? eh, i suppose the key news to share is that i've left my cushy job in the government to venture into the wonderful world of writing. yeah, i know, you're probably thinking, what? kaz is gonna get PAID for writing?? He doesn't even do it that well on his blog. Are they blind??

And then you're probably wondering, that mad fool left just before his mid-year bonus?? Moron.

Erm, yeah I did. The hesitation lasted about 6seconds before it passed cos my heart was set on leaving (well it's been that way a long time honestly), I really couldn't see myself turning this opportunity down.

I'm covering music, movies and games for a local men's lifestyle magazine. It's pretty sweet so far with free CDs, movie invites, some interesting events and of course I get to meet some really beautiful women. If you're based in Singapore, you might already guess which publication i'm at but if not, well no biggie. I'll probably share some of the stuff I write on Vox if I can.

It's been over a week since I started there.Nine days of non-stop action. In fact, I just came back from a full-day photo shoot today.There were semi-naked girls and me with a video-cam but ya know, what goes on in the studio, stays in the studio. Except for the choice bits we choose to reveal la. You gotta pay for those homs.

I've been mainly trying to adjust to the information overload really and I think I had a mild panic attack when I realised my deadline is next Friday. And I have so many things to write!! But I think I should survive. Got my major feature out of the way already and I figure my reviews shouldn't be too difficult to complete. The challenge is to overcome the fatigue so I can get the rest of my shit together.

So yeah, that's about it. There's so much I wanna share with everyone but ya know...soon I hope. Hope everyone's cool in Vox city yo.

peace.