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6 weeks into work and it's the start of 7th week tomorrow.

Feeling? challenged absolutely.

I wouldn't think myself a fresh graduate, shirking responsibility.

I enjoy being ambitious, absorbing and learning all the time.

Programming, finance, people skills, etc.

I'm adapting to the pace and environment.

Knee deep in code.

Weekdays pass in a blink.

Weekends too.

I like Friday evenings.

I make it a point to dine and catch up with friends.

Friday is a "how're you doing?" day.

If we haven't yet met, please let me know :)

Tentative projections/plans:

- Start a long term investment

- achieve CFA level 1 by next year June

- Get a ebook reader (damn, why doesn't Amazon ship Kindles/ Kindle content to Singapore?)

- Ceteris Paribus, stay frugal !

Recently I started a black book.

I bought a black leather notebook, hence a "black book."

I realized no matter what i read, nothing sticks.

So it dawned on me that i needed to capture the essentials which could be useful.

The inspiration came from a friend whom i attended a weekend course with.

He used a notebook to jot down the subtleties while he was learning C++.

So far, this way has worked well for me.

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For the past few days at work, I went through any documentation I could find.

It was quite disappointing having no direction. I wanted to get ahead but I was getting nowhere.

The worst thing is not knowing what you don't know.

And I wonder why things are fragmented.

On my own, I am still using weekends to catch up.

it's almost 2 weeks into work.

i miss my days wearing t shirt, shorts and slippers,

although i readily embraced the experience of swimming in a big firm.

it's a boundless sea of systems & procedures. terms & abbreviations.

likewise, there is no dearth of new skills and knowledge to pick up.

team meetings were often. there were overseas visitors too.

emails came in hundreds every day. 2 weeks of email can easily beat my one year's worth of personal mail.

the corporate world surely exposed the chinks in my armor.

i was a wet blanket at recent social occasions because i was afraid to speak up. i couldn't articulate well at meetings too.

Certainly it's a high paced environment.

but i believe, slowly but surely, i will bridge my weaknesses.

I secretly wish time wouldn't pass so fast.

I want more time to get ready.

Finally the lazy man has new blog design templates to choose from.

It's been a while since I truly did my own blog template.

I've always emphasized simplicity, clarity and all about being a minimalist.

That has some truth. But the other side of the coin is that I've gotten sick of custom designs.

This blog finally had a makeover. But it has fallen to disuse. Heck.

Recently, I have been doing things I never believed in.

First, I registered for corporate photography. I actually enjoyed the process. I didn't have to bring anything. The folks at the studio had the blazer, formal shirt, and tie. A makeup artist did some light makeup for me. It did for a moment felt quite fun.

Secondly, I tailored more formal shirts with bold colors. And I visited the tailor a few times. Each time I gathered more fabric knowledge through casual conversation with the store owner.

Thirdly, I signed up for a weekend course and went in for the first lesson in slippers and shorts. The material are a bit dry though. A few people looked drowsy after lunch. There were group work and presentations. My group members either ignored what I said or spoke so fast that I stood no chance to pick up any meaningful idea of what was said.

4 more days to end of national service.

I can already see in my mind's eye my pink identity card.

Thanks to a friend, I found a job. I'm excited about starting work, probably because I have been a workaholic all these years. I want to learn new skills and make new friends.

2 more weeks to the end of NS.

The nearer the date, the further it seemed.

I just applied for 3 days of leave followed by Saturday and Sunday which effectively bailed me out from camp for the past few days.

I had good reasons for doing so, for I attended a job interview on Friday and took prior 2 days to prepare. If the interviewing game is not my nature, then nurture be the way.

I revised my Java topics wholeheartedly and researched the company. I felt the interview was okay. It all depends on them now.

Five more days and I would know if my research paper has been accepted for conference. I hope it does. Then, I would get a chance to travel and to present.