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Last Day at Convertium

PM to SPM to PD

Today marks my last day at Convertium, an independent Singapore based full fledged internet agency.

I joined back in Feb 2006 and my interview period took several months. The strange thing was that back then, i was not looking for a job, but for some reason, i sent out just 1 job application impulsively. Convertium got back and i went to have a chat. After 3 interview sessions across about 4 – 5 months, i joined Convertium as a Project Manager.

Looking back, it has been 3 years and 4 months already, but somehow it feels like i have been in Convertium my whole life. Chalked 877 weekdays, clocked 8263.5 hours (we had to fill in timesheets, so i know.), sent 20770 emails (yes i don’t think its neccessary to file sent mails), so on average i sent at least 23 emails per weekday and on an average clocked about 9.4 hours a day (i really wanted to know, so i calculated).

Last Day Lunch

12 Jun 2009, I now leave as a Projects Director with solid industry experience all thanks to my Boss who unreservedly mentored me and shared with me directly from his heart and from his personal industry experience. I’m especially appreciative of the enlightening insights, the management skills, the revelation of my blind spots and the need to always back things up with facts.

When lunch time approached, just like normal, the mass MSN group chat happened and everyone got ready to go for lunch. Little did I realise, there were more than 15 of us. We headed down to Far East Square area and had a nice Pasta-ish lunch.

MacBook Air from Convertium

I was asked to give a speech. lol… I feel super old, like someone getting a life time achievement award or something. lol… So i obliged. I shared that bosses / superiors are also humans. Bosses don’t have all the answers, bosses also want things to be better, bosses are looking for people who will be part of the solution and not part of the problem. People who are part of the solution will definitely be valued. So with that in mind, i hope everyone can cut their bosses some slack and face work life with more vigor and RAWR!!!

MacBook Air from Convertium

The big surprise of the day was when i got to my desk in the morning. There was a MacBook Air sitting there. There were signatures and scribbles all around. There were words of well wishes, there was lots of love. I’m speechless. Very speechless.

Thanks everyone its a HUGE parting gift and trust me, i’ll make good use of it.

MacBook Air from Convertium

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Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak

“What do you want to eat today?” is the question my wife asks me all the time. The fact that she can cook almost anything (from what i can see) the options are really wide open. Pasta, Nasi Brayani, Jap food or maybe something simple, she can cook it all. I can cook too, but my standard is on another scale altogether.

I can see that she takes pride in her cooking. Not only must the taste be good, but the ingredients must be fresh. Being a stylish individual, the presentation is also super nice too. Just look at how the eggs roll up nicely. And not to mention, she actually bought banana leaf.

Nasi Lemak

The kids don’t go for the spicy stuff, hence they did not get to enjoy the Sambal Long Bean or Kuning fish. I simply love it. My wife knows what i like. We were missing chicken wings, but thats fine as there was lots of food already.

Nasi Lemak

Nasi Lemak

Even the chilled cucumber sticks and cherry tomatos were fantastic. It made the whole table nice and beautiful. Everything was in harmony.

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Flowers

Lily

We went for brunch at PS.Cafe today and its one of the nicest way to start a no-plan type Saturday.

But why is PS.Cafe so nice? I seriously think its not just the decor, but the whole clanking of ceramics in the foreground with chattering of relaxed people in the background, the non standard chairs and cups, the beautifully served food. All these niceties out weighs the little paper that you stare at while walking back to your car while you leave.

Seriously i do like my under $2 breakfast at Maxwell market too. lol…

Ok, the flowers are simply cool. I know my wife likes big flowers, hence i suggested to drop by the Thomson area to go grab some flowers.

Flowers transforms the bathroom

We got white lilys and pom poms. My wife did a simple yet beautiful arrangement when we got home and it simply transformed our whole bathroom. Its beautiful. Yes, guys can think flowers are beautiful too. A happy wife is a happy life.

Kids bathroom with flowers too

The kids bathroom had pom poms too. So super cute. Oh we had diffusers for sometime already as well. They make the whole bathroom smell great.

I think flowers might slowly become a permanant feature in our home.

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Verner Panton

nickpan and dezzo

Dezzo brought us back to the 50s & 60s. He brought us to the Singapore National Museum to view works by the man who created an era of furniture design. Its none other than Verner Panton, the innovative designer that brought us the Panton Chair and many other funky stuff.

Vener Panton

Panton Chair

The design of his items might seem flashy, but the though and process that comes before the product is where the real magic is i feel.

Panton understood injection moulding and made a product that could be mass produced and this is none other then his Panton S chair. So the design process was not mearly an aesthetic one, but one of substantial technical knowledge and with an end product that also makes money sense.

Verner Panton Ring Lamp

Verner Panton Flowerpot Pendant

Vener Panton Visiona

As a web practitioner i feel its the same. There needs to be substantial knowledge in the technology, usability, best practices, etc. in order to come up with a good end product. Ok i shall leave this for another post.

It felt like we’ve time travelled. It felt like we’ve gone into another civilasation. The exhibits felt so strange yet brilliantly inspiring. A few things never change. Attention to detail and sheer smart and hard work.

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Charlene Duncan – I’ve Never Been To Me

Hey lady, you lady
cursing at your life
you’re a discontented mother
and a regimented wife
I’ve no doubt
you dream about the things you never do
but I wish someone had a talk to me like I wanna talk to you

Oh, I’ve been to Georgia and California and anywhere I could run
Took the hand of a preacher man
and we made love in the sun
But I ran out of places and friendly faces
Because I had to be free
I’ve been to paradise but I’ve never been to me…

Please lady please lady
don’t just walk away
Cause I have this need to tell you
why I’m all alone today
I can see so much of me
still living in your eyes
won’t you share a part
of a weary heart that has lived a million lives

Oh, I’ve been to Niece and the isle of Greece
when I sipped champagne on a yacht
I moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo
and showed them what I’ve got
I’ve been undressed by kings
and I’ve seen some things that a woman ain’t s’pose to see
I’ve been to paradise but I’ve never been to me…

Hey, you know what paradise is?
It’s a lie
a fantasy we created about people and places
as we like them to be
but you know what truth is?
it’s that little baby you’re holding
and it’s that man you fought with this morning
the same one you are gonna make love to tonight
that’s truth that’s love

Sometimes I’ve been to crying for unborn children
that might have made me complete
but I, I took the sweet life
I never knew I’d be bitter from the sweet
I spent my life exploring
the subtle whoring
that costs too much to be free
hey lady I’ve been to paradise
but I’ve never been to me…

I’ve been to paradise but I’ve never been to me…