My life in Pictures

Ah ... How life has changed.
Doing my hair at 1 am because it is the only time I have some 'me time' while the lil man and BF are asleep. Plus I do have to look presentable for work.

Between full time work and home, I find that I just do not have the time or the energy most times to do anything else!! Have been slacking off on the friends part as well. At this rate, I might not have any friends left at the end of this.

Love is ....

You have to love a man who is able to read or cheer you up when you are feeling low.

So Thursday last week was a low point for me, it involves some work issues which I can't quite discuss here but basically someone was trying to boss me around and I wasn't up for it (unlike my usual feisty self) so I kept professional but it annoyed the hell out of me.

I did vent to BF, and the next day to my mentor at work but it still gets to me.

Anyways, I come back home and BF has got my flowers to cheer me up.
I am a lucky girl indeed to have someone to support me indeed.

Playing tourist VIC - Docklands

One of the advantages of my work is being able to see or go to places that sometimes you just don't get too much of a chance for.

Now ... I know that Docklands is in the CBD but how often do you get to get these views while you are at work? Too bad that it was for a few days but it was still a refreshing change.

Work Trip - Auckland, NZ

I am now in Auckland, NZ - work trip, not pleasure. Will be here for a week and even managed to get a later flight back on Sat so at least it gives me a day of sight seeing before heading back home.

Still unsure whether I want to do a bridge bungy jump.....

Home project - Office/Bedroom 2

We have been doing a home reno project for nearly 1/2 yr now - slow and painstaking but then again, it is not that we are in a rush.

The lounge, dining, kitchen, powder room has been repainted. Am doing up the pergola from the yucky beige to white to freshen things up and my small space under the stairs has been repainted and redone to a nice coat/shoe cupboard. *Am quite pleased with the coat cupboard project too as I did that!*

In the meantime - the office/bedroom 2. Ah.. where do we start? The rooms were all a yellow-white which BF's commented looked like "A smoker lived here". It has been replaced with Dulux "Natural White" for the whole house except for the kitchen and dining areas.

I've been working from home for the past week or so and seeing that the office looks like a tornado has gone through it, where is a girl to work - the dining room!

Project HOME - Status - In Progress

Unfinished Office/Bedroom 2
Skirting boards - Sanded down and repainted
Wardrobe doors - Sanded and repainted
Walls - Sanded and repainted
Tidying up - Undone!

"Current" office.

Laptop woes

Fine, the blasted laptop (work one even!) had to get all virused on me, giving me a near heart attack just thinking of all those lost data and what not. To make matters worse, I was in Cairns that week ( I plugged into the hotel net and hence my problem started) and had no time to go back into the office to get it fixed by IT!

So with a rush of drama, arrived in the wee hrs of the morning, dropped the laptop off with the Facilities Manager (who is fortunately a friend and I asked a favour of from) who kindly dropped it off with IT while I worked without a laptop for the morning appointment. Fortunately, it was salvageable but it apparently needs a serious case of rebuilding.

Oh well, I haven't lost my data at least - and we ARE up for new laptops soon :).

Will update on Cairns once and Falls Creek once I get my head sorted.

Upcoming work trips this month-

1. Brisbane, QLD
2. Wagga Wagga, NSW

Upcoming fun trips

1. Falls Creek, VIC - to catch the last bits of snow before the season ends.

Spring is a mere day away.. I love my winters, but I do like spring. It is summer I dislike :)

Townsville, QLD (work trip)

Townsville (am)

Townsville (pm)

Well, off I go again on another work trip, to Townsville, North Queensland this time around. I must admit, this quaint lil town is actually bigger than I expected it to be ~ most likely due to the Australian army base located nearby.

As always, have not had much time to look around but my hotel room does have this gorgeous balcony from which the above snaps have been taken (off my camera phone no doubt).

The journey from Melbourne takes approx 3 hrs and flying Jetstar (co-share with Qantas) was an absolute nightmare. Flying cattle-class is fine, but even for me, I found the lack of leg and moving room a tad uncomfortable. Virgin flights are definitely more comfortable, that's for sure. Thank God I will be flying Qantas via Brissy on the way back to Mel.

Just a quick one, I think I should start documenting my trips (work or otherwise) just as a jot. Hey, I might even want to use this to remind me of what a workaholic I am at some point!

Sydney, NSW (work trips)

View from my hotel room (taken on the phone hence the poor quality)

In Sydney, NSW for the week - work travel so it is pretty much more "work makes Jill a dull girl mode".

Fortunately it is internal training, getting the new consultants up to speed on roll outs so that they are able to roll out implementations within project timelines and constraints.

Just a quick one, blog has been neglected. Can't believe it is already August. Time is definitely zooming by.

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p/s: Happy birthday to my "baby" brother.Have a good one!

All work makes Jill a dull girl..

I have all these things that is playing in my mind and I do want to put it down on paper ..or on the blog but I am in want of time. It is now 10:32pm and I am still working. Yes, I might not be at the client site but I am still replying to my many numerous email correspondences that all seem to need attention like ASAP. I have been away from home for the past few weeks barr the weekends and boy aren't I glad that this is the last working week before the office shut down for the yr.

We are at the last yr to this decade *gasp!*

I am also very much looking fwd to our trip to Japan next week.. its a pure snowboarding trip, we are not spending any time in Tokyo at all, just a quick arrival into Narita, catch the train to Tokyo station and then catch the bullet train to Nagano. Then catch the bus to Shiga Kogen for 10 glorious days *whoo hoo*. Which reminds me, I need to get travel insurance.

I have my yr end performance review this Thursday. Will be interesting to see how they rate me this time around. I did very well last quarter but whose to say how they rate each person? We'll soon find out wont we?

Lots of gettogethers and parties this weekend - this Thursday is the office Kris Kringle and Xmas party, Friday is the company Xmas party and then on Sunday a mate is having a spit-roast party which he has already said will turn into a sleep-over *yay*

Ok, break finished. Back to work emails - 3 days more to go... *ohm*

Adelaide - again!

Uhuh - I am in Adelaide - a.g.a.i.n.

Awake at 2:10 EST - not good.

ETA to wake up time - 4 1/2 hrs.

The implementation isn't going as smoothly as expected - which isn't really surprising really. Having a site that has directors arguing and treating their own staff members like sh*t ~ shouting at staff in front of visiting consultants (i.e. me) - what type of impression does that leave me? What more, very embarrassed staff members.

Have already been told off by a senior partner due to no fault of mine - extremely frustrating.
Just have to grit my teeth and go through 2 more days of it.

I can, I shall, I will

Stuck...STUck...stUCk...StUCK.. sTUCk

• Having to catch the red-eye to Adelaide at 7am - bleh!
• Having to wake up at 530 am to jump onto a cab at 6 am to get to the airport at 630 am for the 7am flight - double bleh!
• Seeing your flight being marked at CANCELLED when you arrive at the airport at 620am for the 7am flight - triple bleh!!
• Being told that the best available flight they can put you on is the 100am - quadruple bleh!
• Being stuck at the airport for 4 hrs (when you are suppose to be at the clients at 9am) - infinity bleh!

Can the day get any worse???

How is it going?

There has been lots of new going on's and I have not been updating as regularly as I should. Call it a writers block, or perhaps I have just been plain uninspired. The bottom line is, I have not really been in an update blog mood and it shows.

To start it all, am in a midst of a very difficult project. The clients are very demanding and to top it all off, I am having to deal with some internal red tape which entails having a "Project Manager" who doesn't know what she's doing. Most projects are taxing as it is but compounded by the fact that the PM is making the consultant do her job, well - any time I have for other client related work really becomes non-existent time. I have thankfully managed to get this under control after I had a meeting with my manager but still, the project is still ongoing and I have 3 or so months to go.

Work aside, the situation in VIC is rather dire with the bush fires making it all the more depressing. A death toll which currently stands at 180, total demolition of country towns - it is true what they say, it is during bad times that we can see human courage and empathy. I must say this about the Aussies tho, they really are generous - first during the tsunami appeal and now with this. I am amazed - for I know that it would never happen in Malaysia where ppl open up their already thin purses to help other ppl who are very much more in need than oneself.

As for Valentine's Day - seeing that BF and I were never were romantics anyways, we decided to donate to the Victorian Bush Fire appeal. The amount might be small, but it is our way of helping out to those who are less fortunate than us.

Out of my mind

Working from home can be such a bore at times.

I had some time to do paperwork scheduled this morning and this afternoon was a phone pre-implementation meeting but the client postponed the meeting to this Friday which leaves my whole day with paperwork!

Now - some might take advantage of the situation but seriously, there is only so much one can do before you go out of your MIND with BOREDEM!

I need to find something to do....

*bleh* update

This issue from work has really spoilt my weekend.

Even picking the Top 2 winners from yday's Caulfield Cup did nothing to cheer me up *yes - it was a facade - that update I had on FB*

*bleh*

In Adelaide, South Australia for the week.. and it has not been one of the good weeks. Unsolved server issues, deadlines and wrong expectations set by the CM's to the clients set the tone for the rest of the implementation.

Can't wait till I get back to Mel and for some decent time out.

Why I still am doing what I am doing..

SEPTEMBER marked my 8 yrs working for this particular company. Over the past yrs, I have seen it being taken over (the term used was "merging"), moved roles, taken up responsibilities, worked with and reported to numerous team members, lived out of a suitcase and even moved to another country!

I wonder sometimes why I do what I do, why I am still here despite knowing that I am able to get a lot more (financially) if I had/have moved.

What I do know is that I find myself constantly challenged in this role, my manager gives me enough leeway to do what I do, I work flexi-times when possible and am still motivated despite the yrs and I enjoy what I do. It is not all about the money - it is also the lifestyle choices it allows one to do.

And when you do get appreciated and recognised not by your peers but by your clients - it is no wonder I am still here.

The large bouquet above was sent by a Brissy practice I have been doing this project work - and definitely put a cheer and a smile on this girl's face for the weekend.

Just practicing

50 words

Click here to test out your own ...Speed Test

I tried this online speed test just to see how well I am should I need to leave my job and perhaps take more of a PA role perhaps?

Hmm... would I get a job?? Any takers??

Work whinge pt1

Let me tell you this, travelling on a Sun ESPECIALLY when it is not for a holiday is NOT fun. Business travel that eats into your personal weekend time is a pet peeve and I am definitely looking forward to the end of the project and when life gets to back to some resemblance of normalcy. BF has fortunately been supportive; but it is more sooner rather than later when he is going to be whinging of the fact that I am more away than around. After all 80% of my time this month has been spent AWAY from Mel and 1 day (2 nights) in Mel this week and off I go to Queensland this time around.

There is 1 silver lining to all this travel tho; it has taken me away from the extreme heats currently hitting Victoria. Sydney only experienced at most the highs to 30' last week and Brisbane is currently at a mild 27' - and when it has been all around min's of 30-32' all of last week (high's up to 40') in Mel - I am not complaining (as much).

Well, am taking advantage of the good services of the Qantas Club whilst I await my connecting to Rockhampton (aka Cattle capital of Australia). Plenty of others also waiting for their flights away. I am filled with some envy at those exotic names such as Nadi (Fiji), Noumea or Port Vila (Vanuatu) and if time permits, I am already thinking of taking a long weekend getaway for a bout of snowboarding later on this few months ( I am not really a beach bunny).

Time for happy thoughts .. a mere few weeks...that's all there is... a mere few weeks to bliss ..*or here's to hoping*

My life thus far..

Lol.. I am on a roll aren't I..*not!* 3 post in 3 months does not a blog make.

Well, lets start with the lil things..its now March...eeeks! How quickly do the days fly by. Oh dear... It has been a constant stream of flying, meetings, collateral updates and then some.

Basically, my trips for this past few weeks were or are looking like this:

• 27 - 29 Feb (Syd)
• 11 - 14 March (Syd)
• 16-19 March (Brisbane/Rockhampton)
• 20 March (Syd)
• 25 - 16 March (Syd)

Am starting to detest the airport now. Furthermore April is likely to have some trips to Perth. Oh well.

There has been several new developments on the social and work front for me. It is all looking rather positive and 2008 has been good to me so far. Mind you - my hol back home over new yrs all seem like a distant memory now. Not to mention this absolutely fab fab trip to Tokyo in Jan ...

Yeah, its been good.. thus far...