Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Can planes go in reverse?

Apparently, they can. I'm getting used to yahoo! answers, i think its a good way to get some of the answers to my absurd-est questions. In those instances, it works better than Wikipedia :)

Mrs Brightside at 2:15 pm (0) comments

{xoxo}

Thursday, January 24, 2008

I'm in my Doing Business in China: Communications and Business Approaches course now. It's like a weekly 3 hour dose of current affairs in China. The class is taught by a knowledgeable and fluent professor, always starting with the week in news about China (aptly called ChinaWatch); followed by the day's topic but always in chronological order. Modern history (1950s) up till today, the development and growth touching on not just economic issues, but also social issues, problems and China's foreign policy.

I like this class :) Probably one of the most useful courses and enjoyable ones I've taken so far.

Mrs Brightside at 2:33 pm (0) comments

{xoxo}

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

It was great meeting so many of our peers, and in my opinion some of the brightest minds in SMU 2005, all gathering in one place today for the Citibank Case Challenge briefing.

It's good to take stock sometimes of our fellow peers, and be reminded once again of the proverb: one mountain is always higher than another, thrusting you with Kanchenjungas, K2s and Everests. These very same people will be out there with us, competing for the same jobs, wanting the same high lifes, possessing the same networks.

And it also served as a kind of reminder that I can never be a Janice or a Wan Yong or a Hilda. It's just.. not my style. Laid back, casual, roll-up-my-sleeves and take-off-my-tie-and-jacket when work is over is more my type. Haha.. I dont know how to describe myself. Maybe I'm still trying to find what works for me, and what doesn't.

Mrs Brightside at 9:33 pm (0) comments

{xoxo}

I was at a congress yesterday, and I brought away with me some very important insights:

1) Networking is a thick-skin skill that needs to be honed, practised and developed.
How do you walk up to a stranger and strike up a conversation? I don't know, you tell me. Because I can't do it. Maybe it's immaturity, naiveity, culture, upbringing or a whole host of all factors but the bottomline is that I just don't know what to say, and how to start saying, to these people.

2) You want to know him, but he might not feel the same way (and the same goes for love, eh?).
For a student like me, the power imbalance is tremendous. What can I offer to the bigwig exec in exchange for the precious insight, valuable contacts and possible opportunities presented the other way around?

3) What do people actually DO at such conferences?
The main purpose is to network. A lot of industry insights are actually part of the general sentiments - few other businesses will probably reveal their "secrets to success". So why do companies blow a fortune sending their people to these meetings? Furthermore, contacts established are between people, not companies. When you're meeting other people from the same industry instead, your networking might even translate into a new job offer (so the company essentially paid for your finding a new job? Haha.)

Mrs Brightside at 9:26 am (0) comments

{xoxo}

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Bits and pieces for the day:

Death Note 3 is coming out!
yay omg my favourite all time movie. Which means I have to re-watch DN1 and 2 to recap the good plot. :)

Other Events:
KT Tunstall, Singapore Airshow, Dim Sum Dollies and Beauty World. Any takers?

Mrs Brightside at 10:55 am (0) comments

{xoxo}

I was going to write something emo (something about seeing Calvin being so happy with his girlfriend... and me thinking that if i were to see pictures of you now being happy with someone else how devastated and shitty I would feel) but nah, let's skip it.

On another hand, I found out just recently that 2 girls our age are getting married/have already gotten married. wow. time flies and suddenly we're all grown up. I remember when i was young i used to hate reading the news or watching CNA because it repeats, but now thats the only thing i do when i find the free time. How we're all forced to "grow up" once the time hits.

Another thing. I think I have an illness. It's called the superwoman syndrome. I am currently clocking in about 27 hours worth of classes every week (a typical SMU week consists of at most 15 or 18 hours max), plus I'm choosing to take on other endeavours. It seems like i never know when to stop picking up all these additional workload. I must be mad.

Mrs Brightside at 1:38 am (0) comments

{xoxo}

Thursday, January 10, 2008

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I'm back, and finally. I know, readership on moleland has dropped; I have lost vital eyeballs due to my absence. I am truly sorry. But I do come back with a great quote, as well as pictures from the biggest adventure of my life so far :)

This is by Theodore Roosevelt, from his speech in Université Paris 1 - Panthéon Sorbonne in 1910 entitled "The Man In The Arena". Read it, because it's meaningful:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

I kept a nice little diary while I was in India to document the OCIP trip and also the travels after; am still considering if I should transfer all those words into my blog online. Do you want to read about it? If enough people want it I may just type it out :P

ps. pictures are up on facebook!

Mrs Brightside at 9:41 am (0) comments

{xoxo}