Career Choices

Compilation of some job descriptions which I have done at P, difference being? Pay, scope and depth.

• sourcing from multiple vendors/ OEMs;


• introduce new and innovative products in the market which complement the existing products;


• work closely with the regional product / sales team to drive sales of products 


• and to identify new product requirements 

• including timelines for the development of new products, features and services.


• research vendors /suppliers in the region to identify viable new product ideas


• on the ground to gather market intelligence and requirements for new products and


• provide contents for product descriptions and marketing collaterals.


• maintain specification sheets, documentation and presentations


• and provide support to local customer base on product related enquiries as and when required.

Specific Knowledge/Skills
* Bachelor's degree (Engineering Degree is preferred) with 8 - 10 years of related experience in hardware sourcing/ product management /product development cycle
* Established track records in 2-way radios / mobile phone hardware sourcing and product management
* Vendor management experience is an added advantage.
* Good understanding of business operations and business financial analysis
* Warm personality and outstanding relationship management capabilities with strong analytical and interpersonal skills
* Good communication (Mandarin and English is a must) and project management skills
* Flexible to work across different time zones
* Able to produce results both independently and as part of a team.
* Desire to work in a fast-paced, intensely deadline-driven environment with rapidly shifting priorities

OTHER OPTIONS

Senior Sales & Marketing Executive (Aviation/Fuel industry experience required)

Portfolio Management
Analyze market opportunity and compare to current state of portfolio. Make decisions about growth opportunities by reviewing customer segmentation mix, and prioritizing sales execution activities (sales plays) accordingly. Monitor progress towards revenue targets adjusting portfolio management strategy accordingly.

Account Management
Optimize account penetration by winning additional business opportunities. Identify opportunities to increase contract fuel, ITP services, and card usage and execute appropriate sales plays to win the business. Monitor customer activity, ensuring that business awarded is realized assisting with exposure and collections activities as necessary.

Raise awareness of Company/ BaseOps within Asia.
Visit all the major airports, Fixed Base Operator’s suppliers, vendors for development of new accounts within assigned region.

New Customer/Supplier Opportunity Development
Leverage professional relationships to create a strong presence for Company in the region, seeking and developing opportunities for growth and converting them into new accounts.

Customer/Supplier Relationship Management
Ensure healthy business relationships between customers/suppliers and Company. In addition, collect and maintain a data store of contact and profiling data as well as other business intelligence information regarding customers/suppliers, their positions in the market space and their relationships to others in the sales/supply value chain.

Maintain good relationship with vendors, local airport authorities within the region

Operations Liaison
Ensure accurate data setup regarding negotiated contracts. Assist in resolution of transaction processing delays, fuel/fee disputes, account/inventory reconciliation, and any other issues that require out of the ordinary or complex communications with customers/suppliers.

Liaise with other sales person on customer requirements for fuel and international trip planning services.

Revenue/Risk Management
Collaborate with Supply, Credit/Collections, and Middle/Back Office to examine and match advantageous supply plays to profitable sales plays, balancing risk against performance, and monitoring profitably of related transactions from front to end to ensure highest return on working capital.

Company Expertise
Acquire sufficient Company expertise regarding usage of internal systems, positioning of products/services, and collaboration within the internal organization to complete tasks and objectives.

Sales Excellence/Focus
Proficient in ability to manage portfolio, accounts, and revenue effectively, maintaining client profitability at desired levels.

Sales focus on all Company’ products

Relationship Management and Networking
Builds, manages and leverages relationships at highest levels of customer organization to win/influence deals. Utilizes network of industry professionals to identify business opportunities and win/influence deals.

High Performance and Leadership
Sustain high performance against targets. May be assigned team leadership role of one or more Sales Executives in a specialized or discretionary market approach.

Requirements

• A minimum of 5-6 years experience in the aviation and/or fuel industry
• Experienced in sales to Asian business aviation customers.  Ideally fuel and international trip planning services, but could be something related.
• Well connected
• Complete fluency in English (oral and written); other languages a plus
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills.  At ease working in multicultural environment and able to interact effectively with individuals at all levels
• Professional presence and absolute integrity
• Broad international experience and an international mindset

Analyst

Report to the Creative Technology Director.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Analyst is responsible for driving strategic thinking and economic insight across multiple client engagements, specifically: discovering new paths for growth by uncovering and developing new segments, products, and channels; optimizing budget and communications programs through test-and-learn, discipline, innovation and analysis to get the best possible return on the marketing investment; laying the Strategy foundation for companies just starting to develop relationship marketing capabilities; and collaborating with creative, media, marketing and technology to build a robust digital communications strategy for the client.

Clients:

* Develop and maintain the trust and respect of key client contacts
* Work with client teams to understand business challenges and devise analytical programs that aid in measuring and solving those challenges
* Present and rationalise program insight and analytics.
* Deliver analysis and learnings for all projects
* Develop understanding of the client marketplace and their overall business
* Understand and deliver the client analytical requirements


Analytics:

* Develop analytical processes and templates to aide Planning and Buying teams
* Develop client reporting templates and executive summaries
* Develop new revenue streams through analytical projects
* Applying various quantitative methods to analyze and interpret information from multiple data sources
* Preparing analysis and tracking of marketplace, technology and consumer demographic trends both within and across multiple industries
* Developing and maintaining functional expertise in one or more of the following disciplines; database marketing, integrated channel marketing (including web), analytical tools, techniques, and other infrastructure requirements
* Work with planning teams to ensure realistic KPI setting
* Work with internal teams to develop and/or activate strategies

Management:

* Contribute to creating and maintaining a culture in the team which enables innovation and proactive delivery of client expectations
* To ensure that strong communication channels exist between all parties involved on an account, creating the necessary forums, processes etc. are put in place to make this happen
* Workload management and prioritisation for self and the rest of the team


SKILLS AND BEHAVIOURS:

* Experience in program measurement (online and/or offline), test design and financial modeling a plus
* Media tools and techniques (research & evaluation)
* Understanding of digital communications channels
* Basic understanding of offline media channels
* Analytical skills – evaluation of key trends in client & market media dynamics
* Financial/numbers awareness & understanding
* Workflow management
* Organisational skills
* Time management
* Planning and implementation
* Prioritisation
* Project management
* Effective delegation

Other Notes:
U M is an exciting place to work for the right person. We have a young and dynamic team that work on big and diverse clients. Our culture is one of play hard – work hard!


Your peers are:
Account Managers within U M and Media Owners (Ad Operations & Sales Execs) Representatives of relevant third parties


Other details:

* Years experience: 1+ years of business experience working in Management Consulting, Marketing, Advertising, or Interactive/Technology Consulting
* Academic profile: Bachelors degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Statistics, Marketing, or equivalent experience
* Language requirements: English written and oral essential (other languages) desirable
* Technology skills: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Access, Business Objects, Crystal Reporting and other data manipulation tools

Executive - Sales Support & Projects


Job Responsibilities

* Support Global Account Managers on projects to produce sales oriented presentations and key customers' quarterly business review
* Conduct and analyse customer profile, industry, and financials to create presentations or reports to assist Global Account Managers/APAC countries to plan business strategy
* Conduct and analyse countries economic and business environment for strategic planning
* Support in provision of corporate information for customers' RFI
* Implement multiple projects successfully using project management skills of communication, presentation, time management, risk management, cost control/ budget management, organization and planning
* Conduct and evaluate customer/market research, market conditions and competitor data
* Support marketing plan implementation, sales tool kit creation, corporate gifts management and event management for the organization
* Maintain the department intranet site


Job Requirements

*Degree or Diploma in Logistics Management, Industrial Engineering, Marketing or Business Administration
*1-2 years sales/marketing working experience in the freight forwarding/ logistics/ industrial engineering
*Strong project management know how
*Ability to work under pressure
*Excellent Interpersonal/communication Skill
*Strong analytical skill / problem solving / resourceful
*Eyes for details and resourceful

*Strong computer literacy especially Microsoft PowerPoint skill

Executive Assistant

Job Responsibilities:

• Manages and coordinates the daily operations and logistics for the department.


• Directs the work flow and supervises the necessary administrative paperwork, records and complex filing systems to support the department.


• Initiates actions that improve the efficiency of work, reduction of costs, and/or improvement of quality of services.


• Schedules departmental meetings, prepares agendas, maintains meeting minutes and develops reports as requested.


• Assists Program Director in development of faculty process, departmental goals and objectives.


• Compiles, tabulates and reports data for surveys, questionnaires, census reports, accreditation reports and other forms and documents required by internal and external agencies.


• Provides other administrative assistance to Director and Manager as directed.


• Receives relevant training as required.


• Assists to set up the intranet.

Job Requirements:

• Degree with at least 3 years of revelant working experience.


• Ability to multi-task and work independently in a fast-paced environment.


• Proficiency in MS office application.

Regional Product Marketing Manager

THE JOB

This is a high profile product management position driving our client’s mobile product marketing and go-to-market relationships with partners with revenue impact in the millions of dollars.

You'll own the relationships with the alliance partners and roll out the marketing programs as agreed. In addition, you will have to co-ordinate the product requirements with product teams. You will also be responsible for the analytics of partners subscriber base and incentive programs.

You’ll in put in charge of marketing activities and co-ordinate the rollout of mobile products (XO and P2P) in APAC. You are also required to analyze markets trends and customer needs through extensive research and quantified studies, supporting business development teams and articulate value propositions with the regional marketing teams.


THE REQUIREMENTS

• Degree or Master in Marketing


• 10 years of working experience in the telecommunications industry


• 5 years of product marketing and partner management


• Technically inclined in telecommunication operating systems, carrier network, etc


• Dynamic and aggressive in driving marketing programs


• Ability to synthesize and drive products’ roadmaps based on industry trends and customer needs


• Ability to drive coordinated action through marketing, alliance and field organizations


• Rapid response to competitor positioning and strategies
  Excellent written and presentation skills

Business Projects Executive - MNC - Healthcare - Rebranding

Responsibilities:

• Pivotal role in the Rebranding Initiative for Asia. Work closely with the global and regional teams to manage the conversion of existing products to new branding and product packaging guidelines.


• Assist in the implementation of the Logistics and other cross-functional projects. Responsibilities include working with different departments to define requirements, map processes and implement the system to the region with proper training and documentation.


• Lead the Call-center projects for Customer service and Technical Service departments in Asia.


• Drive process simplification and streamline and document new procedures for the Planning, Customer Service, Logistics and Technical Service departments.


• Maintain and update Logistics standard operating procedures for the Asia region


• Prepare business propositions on new initiatives and technology to influence and gain acceptance from key stakeholders.


• Monthly Analysis of Logistics Key Performance Indicators.

Requirements:

• Education required/ preferred:    BA/BS required.


• Experience: 5 years professional experience.


• Prefer experience in Planning, Manufacturing, Customer Service, or Warehousing.


• Preferred Skills/Qualifications:   APICS certification or equivalent desired.


• Skills/Competencies: Good computer skills (especially Microsoft Office) required.


• Other Skills:BPCS experience a plus

Interesting Careers

• Intermediate level, highly trained Paramedic and Flight Paramedic personnel to fill vacancies in a fast expanding health care provider in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Characteristics & Habits of Successful People

Success in this sense, to me are people who are motivated, happy, driven, and don't allow themselves to get down easily especially with negative thoughts.

Exposure
These people are well travelled, lived abroad for a period of time and are very independent.

Mindset
- if you've noticed, they are always very positive and look at what can be done, what can be, the good of things.

Mindset on Money
- to them, opportunities are everywhere, having a minimum income, which may be a lot for a lower income family, is actually easily achievable for them.

Knowledge
- It seems that they know everything, in fact they know a little of everything to sustain interesting conversations.

Interest
- They have knowledge of their area of interest and like talking about it.

Activity
- They are constantly engaged in activities of their interest.

Being in the right company
- They surround themselves with like-minded people


The Top 10 Traits of Highly Successful People

1. They work hard! Yes, they play hard, too!

They get up early, they rarely complain, they expect performance from others, but they expect extraordinary performance from themselves. Repeated, high-level success starts with a recognition that hard work pays off.

2. They are incredibly curious and eager to learn.

They study, ask questions and read — constantly! An interesting point, however: While most of them did well in school, the difference is that they apply or take advantage of what they learn. Repeated success is not about memorizing facts, it’s about being able to take information and create, build, or apply it in new and important ways. Successful people want to learn everything about everything!

3. They network extraordinarily well.

They know lots of people, and they know lots of different kinds of people. They listen to friends, neighbors, co-workers and bartenders. They don’t have to be ‘the life of the party,’ in fact many are quiet, even shy, but they value people and they value relationships. Successful people have a rolodex full of people who value their friendship and return their calls.

4. They work on themselves and never quit!

While the ‘over-night wonders’ become arrogant and quickly disappear. Really successful people work on their personality, their leadership skills, management skills, and every other detail of life. When a relationship or business deal goes sour, they assume they can learn from it and they expect to do better next time. Successful people don’t tolerate flaws; they fix them!

5. They are extraordinarily creative.

They go around asking, ‘Why not?’ They see new combinations, new possibilities, new opportunities and challenges where others see problems or limitations. They wake up in the middle of the night yelling, ‘I’ve got it!’ They ask for advice, try things out, consult experts and amateurs, always looking for a better, faster, cheaper solution. Successful people create stuff!

6. They are self-reliant and take responsibility.

Incredibly successful people don’t worry about blame, and they don’t waste time complaining. They make decisions and move on. Sometimes they are criticized for taking this to extremes — Jimmy Carter carried his own briefcase and a President ‘shouldn’t’ do that! Extremely successful people take the initiative and accept the responsibilities of success.

7. They are usually relaxed and keep their sense of perspective.

Even in times of stress or turmoil, highly successful people keep their balance, they know the value of timing, humor, and patience. They rarely panic or make decisions on impulse. Unusually successful people breath easily, ask the right questions, and make sound decisions, even in a crisis.

8. Extremely successful people have a gift for living in the present moment.

They know that ‘Now’ is the only time they can control. They have a ‘gift’ for looking people in the eye, listening to what is being said, enjoying a meal or fine wine, music or playing with a child. They never seem rushed, and they get a lot done! They take full advantage of each day. Successful people don’t waste time, they use it!

9. Living in the present gives them a unique ability to ‘look over the horizon’ and see the future.

They observe trends, notice changes, see shifts, and hear the nuances that others miss. A basketball player wearing Nikes is trivial, the neighbor kid wearing them is interesting, your own teenager demanding them is an investment opportunity! Extremely successful people live in the present, with one eye on the future!

10. Repeatedly successful people respond instantly!

When an investment isn’t working out, they sell. When they see an opportunity, they make the call. If an important relationship is cooling down, they take time to renew it. When technology or a new competitor or a change in the economic situation requires an adjustment, they are the first and quickest to respond. These traits work together in combination, giving repeatedly successful people a huge advantage. Because they are insatiable learners, they can respond wisely to change. Because their personal relationships are strong, they have good advisors, and a reserve of goodwill when things go bad. And finally, none of these traits are genetic! They can be learned! They are free and they are skills you can use. Start now!

Bernice L. Ross, Ph.D. and CEO, Author, Trainer, and Speaker, couples her expertise as a Master Certified Coach with over 30 years of real estate sales experience. She is the author of “Waging War on Real Estate’s Discounters” and “Who’s the Best Person to Sell My House?” Both are available online.Her new book, Real Estate Dough™, Your Recipe for Real Estate Success was the #1 selling book at the 2008 NAR conference. She is also the creator of an exciting new real estate simulation game, called Real Estate Dough™-Negotiation. Players have repeatedly reported that: “It’s way more fun than Monopoly®!”She can be reached at bernice@realestatecoach.com or visit her blog at www.LuxuryClues.com

How to Decide How Much to Reveal About Yourself

A Penelope Trunk Article

People ask me all the time how I can be so honest about my life in my blog. They want to know how I can write about marriage, sex, abortions, or running out of money over and over again. It’s an endless list really, of the stuff I write about that people can't believe I’m writing about.

But each of you has a list of things in your life similar to that, it's just a list you don’t want to talk about. I’m not special—I don’t have more stuff that is difficult to talk about. I just have more difficulty not talking about difficult stuff.

This is why.

I'm going to start by telling you that I was at the World Trade Center when it fell. I was in a post-traumatic stress support group afterward. People were divided into groups of ten based on their experience at the site—how bad things were for you that day. I was in a group comprised mostly of people who narrowly escaped the building before it fell and, as they were running out of the building, were splattered by body parts from people who were jumping out of the building.

We had individual therapy as well. Here’s what my therapist said to me: “Your childhood was so terrible that your experience at the World Trade Center was nothing compared to what you experienced as a kid. Your post-traumatic stress therapy needs to focus on your childhood.”

That was the first time I really had a sense of how bad my childhood had been. I knew everyone in the world thought things at the World Trade Center were terrible. So this must mean that my childhood was really terrible.

I was 34.

When I was five, I knew something was not right. That’s when I started therapy. I was never totally sure why my parents were sending me.

When I was seven I knew something was not right because the neighbor came over to our house when my parents were smashing picture frames over each others’ head. The neighbor said to me and my little brother, “Come with me.”

Then my memories get blurry. The next thing I remember is my high school homeroom teacher. I skipped a day of school and then came to school with a black eye and a note from my dad that said I had been sick. She said that she was not accepting notes from my dad anymore. She said I could not come back to school the next time I miss a day unless I called the police.

I don’t remember what I thought when she said that. Except that I thought, “Does she know what’s going on at my house? How does she know? I never told her anything.”

I remember the next time my dad beat me up though. I called the police and they came. Like always. And my dad said nothing was wrong. Like always. And then the police started to leave. Like always.

But then I said, “Hold it. Wait. My teacher won’t let me back in school unless I get a note from you that says I called you.”

I don’t remember what else happened. I remember the police asking me if I want to leave. I remember my mom saying, “Yes. Please. Take her away. Please.”

I went to my grandma’s to live. I spent all of high school living at my grandma’s. The school social worker spent the rest of high school trying to convince me that my parents did something wrong. My grandma spent the rest of high school telling me that my parents were completely irresponsible. Except at family gatherings. When my parents were there, with my three brothers, and everyone pretended that everything was normal and that I did not live at my grandma’s.

I don’t remember very much. I went to college and spent my time trying to sort things out: abusive boyfriends, bulimia, anti-depressants, and cutting. Getting nearly straight-A’s for a lot of the time. I sorted very little out.

I went to a mental ward the summer of my senior year. My parents visited me. They told me they were happy I was in the mental ward. My extended family visited me and they did not mention my parents. No one talked about why I might be there. My parents were anxious and loud in the family meetings: Begging the doctors to keep me from going back to their house. But even the doctors could not quite figure out why I was there: I worked on my senior thesis, I was a model patient, and I started dating a doctor right after that.

After I graduated, I moved back to Chicago, where he lived and so did my parents. I couldn’t figure out how to support myself and there were so many opportunities for me to try nude modeling jobs. The doctor thought it was ridiculous. He thought I was too uptight to model. I said I probably was, but I wanted to try because it was such good money. I said they first test you out in a swimsuit.

He said, “Don’t you need some sample photos?”

I said, “Yeah. I have some,” and I pulled them out of my bag.

The doctor looked. He smiled. He said, “Who took them?”

I said, “My dad.”

The doctor flipped. He went nuts. He couldn’t believe it.

I was mostly surprised. I had no idea that my dad taking the photos was weird.

That I didn’t know it was weird made the doctor even more upset. I remember trying to figure out why I thought it was okay. Or why he thought it was not okay.

I was 22.

I didn’t tell anyone about the pictures. I started having nightmares about having sex with my parents. I started not being able to sleep. I didn’t tell anyone though. Because I thought I was crazy.

Then my dad visited me a few years later, when I lived in Los Angeles. He wanted to go camping. I went. I was so nervous about being alone with him that I read almost all of One Hundred Years of Solitude before I went into the tent.

Then he took off his clothes, down to his underwear, and snuggled up next to me, with his arms around me and his penis up against my back.

Then I knew.

Or I thought I knew.

I slept outside the tent. I didn’t talk the rest of the time. I don’t think he even noticed.

I know the street in Los Angeles we were parked on when I finally asked, “Dad, did you do sexually inappropriate things with me when I was younger?”

He said, “Yes.”

I had no memory of what, exactly, he did. I still have no memory of it. And I was scared to ask him more. I asked my mom the same question. She gave me the same answer.

Both parents have said they were sorry. But that is not my point. My point is that my childhood was ruined by secrets.

In hindsight, so many people kept the secret: my family, the police, teachers before my freshman year. Decades later, when I asked my high school friends what they thought of me in high school, two of them told me that everyone thought I was nuts coming to school beaten up so often.

I’m not kidding when I say that I thought I was keeping that a secret.

So what I’m telling you here is that I’m scared of secrets. I’m more scared of keeping things a secret than I am of letting people know that I’m having trouble. People can’t believe how I’m willing to write about my life here. But what I can’t believe is how much better my life could have been if it had not been full of secrets.

So today, when I have a natural instinct to keep something a secret, I think to myself, “Why? Why don’t I want people to know?” Because if I am living an honest life, and my eyes are open, and I’m trying my hardest to be good and kind, then anything I’m doing is fine to tell people.

That’s why I can write about what I write about on this blog.

And when you think you cannot tell someone something about yourself, ask yourself, “Really, why not?”

The Road Less Travelled - A Life of Passion and Interest

from Channelnewsasia, 20 May 2010 1400 hours

Documentary: The Foreign Disciples

• of European guys going over to Henan, China, Shaolin Monastery to pursue their lifelong dream of learning the Martial Art.


• An Austrian guy, Hai Long was interviewed.


• His life: Waking up at 5am every day to run about 100 miles up the mountains,


• His inspiration: A Chinese girl he met in Austria


• Girl eventually left him as she felt there was no future in martial arts,


• Hai Long perservered on with his training as a dedication to his girlfriend and to prove himself,


• 2 months later, she called him, she hasn't forgetten about him.

On Being young:

• After the phone call, he was inspired that he could meet up with his girlfriend soon and trained very hard, so much so it became an obsession


• which conflicted with the Shaolin mind of a calm and composed mind,


• Being a quiet guy, he finally spoke to his master Heng Shiyun on why he did not impart 'real martial arts' to him,


• and his Master explained that the basics and fundamentals were very important, for eg, the leg stance, is a basic fundamental that must be firm (just like Wing Chun).

• Unknowingly, he was ''rushing into it'', thinking he ''was there'', when, to his Master, he had no understood the basics at all.

Contentment : ) 這封短信，實在很好!

這封短信，實在很好!

錢多錢少，夠吃就好
人醜人美，順眼就好
人老人少，健康就好
家窮家富，和氣就好
老公晚歸，回來就好
老婆嘮叨，顧家就好
孩子從小，就要教好
博士也好，賣菜也好
長大以后，乖乖就好
房屋大小，能住就好
名不名牌，能穿就好
兩輪四輪，能駕就好
老板不好，能忍就好
一切煩惱，能解就好
堅持執著，放下最好
人的一生，平安就好
不是有錢，一定會好
心好行好，命能改好
誰是誰非，天知就好
修福修慧，來世更好
天地萬物，隨緣就好
很多事情，看開就好
人人都好，日日都好
你好我好，世界更好
總而言之，知足最好
講這麼多，明白就好
這條短信，真的很好
不發給你，是我不好

~~如再轉發，當然最好

10 Ways to Start Living a More Meaningful Life

Too many of us live like goldfish, swimming in the same orbit day in and day out feeling uninspired, tired, bored and sometimes worse. Life is much too precious to waste that way.


Every person has a unique purpose in life. I implore you not to waste your days berating yourself for what you don’t know and don’t do well.


Instead, discover your strengths, passions, purpose and build your life on those.

Photo by Martin Gommel

Here are 10 ideas about living a meaningful life, as I understand them. Embracing even a few of these will help you begin the exciting journey of self discovery.

1. We are all here for a purpose

Your being here makes a difference. Your purpose may be obscure to you and a challenge to discover. Start now. There are many resources, coaches and books to help you with this endeavor.

2. The secret to fulfillment is self knowledge. Start the exciting journey of discovery.

3. The second part of the secret to fulfillment is to apply your self knowledge to what you do and how you live.

The more you know, the more you can actively pursue your true purpose.

4. Don’t waste time lamenting what you don’t do well.
Concentrate on your strengths. Those reflect who you are. Leave the other things to people who do them well.

5. Build on your strengths.

Do more of them and give yourself recognition for doing the things you do well.

6. Pay attention to the small details that you enjoy in your everyday life. Do more of them.

7. Pay attention to the small details you don’t enjoy.

Find ways (such as delegation) to eliminate as many of them as possible.

8. Keep a journal and put particular emphasis on the things about yourself and events in your life for which you are grateful.

9. Make an effort to release the negative aspects of your past.

Try not be imprisoned by your past. Do not define yourself by your past.

10. Jumpstart your self-esteem by giving back to the community.

Volunteer in a meaningful way that suits who you are and your interests.

Enjoy the journey.You will get to know and like yourself in a whole new way.

Work with a friend, hire a coach, and use the resources out there, to help you with objectivity.Have someone point out the good things about you that you have a tendency to overlook. 

As soon as you stop doing what you hate and start doing what you love, you may find your life more meaningful and fulfilling.

Article on meaningful, life by Dr. Dorene Lehavi, Ph.D.

Checklist of Things to do When Your Bored/Uninspired

Other things to do in Singapore

Hello Mandy

I have a few suggestions to make.  You can pick whichever one sounds interesting to you.  Since you are still  schooling, I'm selecting places that won't cost much money.

Have you been to the Esplanade?

The promenade facing the sea is lovely.  Lots of cool breezes, benches to sit on and lots of people to watch as they go strolling or jogging in the evening.  Also, you might want to check out the underpass just before the Esplanade.  There's a large underground "cavern" with many teenagers hanging out there doing breakdancing.

A cheap place to eat around there is at the Marina Square Food Court that's right at the end of Marina Square.

Did you know that quite often, there are weekend concerts at Fort Canning Park.

That might be something different to do. Also, just beside the large field at Fort Canning Park is a spice garden.  There's a large table and bench under the Assam Tree that I think is a great place to hangout if you just want to chat without distractions.  Just bring your own food and picnic there.  Every 4th Saturday of the month in the afternoon, there's a free tour of the park - regarding the history of Singapore based on the the archeological digs there plus interesting snippets about the spices you see.

Another place you could check out is Far East Square (near the Raffles Place MRT).  It is an area with spruced up pre-war shophouses that are now cafes and shops.  Really unique. There's a Spinelli somewhere in there that's really quaint! It's just behind the Fuk Tak Chi Museum, with comfy armchairs, cool aircon, exposed brick wall and the sky just above you, but covered in glass!

There's a great new cafe selling fantastic fish and chips, pasta, mushroom soup etc that's just beside the Water Gate. It's called Rib... something.

Or straight ahead at the Metal Gate (or it could be Fire Gate), is a push-cart trolley Indian coffee stall that sells great coffee / tea / iced-milo-dinosaur.  If you're there on Friday, come before 7pm to get a seat and watch the line-dancing program that's a free for all.  Even if you don't dance, it's great country-western music and you can see how good (or bad) the dancers are.  If it looks easy enough, you can join right in.

Have you been to the Discovery Centre at Jurong?

I've been there once and what a place!  There's so much to see and learn.  I loved trying my hands out at the Rifle Shooting in a gallery with a make-believe scene. Ended up with the highest score after shooting down guys from the rooftops, through doors and windows.

Even though you said you've been to the East Coast Park, have you been right to the end (near the airport)?

It's way past the Bedok Jetty and you need to cycle to get there.  It has a beautiful beach and a lovely ambience.  Sometimes I'll see people in hammocks reading, one guy playing the flute and once, a lady sunbathing topless!

But a warning, there are no food kiosks there.  If you want to go there and spend some time, you'll need to bring you own food and drinks.  If I'm not mistaken, I believe bus no. 36 goes there.  Please double check.  This bus will also take you to Changi Airport which you could go to for something to eat after a morning at the beach.  From there you can take the train back to town.

Sentosa's entry is cheaper now so you might want to try exploring the island. Personally, the attraction I like best there is the Images of Singapore.

If you can get a hold of the IS magazine (Delifrance should have free copies), there are lots of events going on in Singapore which you can check out, especially the free events. Like music, theatre, skits, etc.

Finally, since you have 3-4 months more, why not take up a course?  Either by yourself or with friends.  Do something that is not related to your studies - something frivolous but enjoyable for you.

Something just for fun eg belly dancing, lindy hop, line-dancing, candle-making, cake baking, batik painting, languages like French, Spanish or German.

Who knows, you might find a hidden talent.  Years from now, you might say, I learnt this during a 3 month break from school.  Many courses are held at community clubs.  They usually lasts 3 months and don't cost much.  If you want to learn something near town, then the YMCA Orchard Rd (next to the Museum) has some interesting courses too. If not, the CC nearest your home will do fine.

I hope some of my suggestions have appealed to you. It's been a long time since I was a teenager but I hope I have not lost touch with the child in me. These are the things that I would do myself if I had some free time to hang out with friends.

Warm Regards
Joanna  :)


Other Links: www.discoverahobby.com