Busy Bee

Friday is finally here, and its the end of my very short three day working week already! Thank goodness for Chinese New Year. Although I only started work on Wednesday, its starting to feel like I've been at this agency forever. I have to admit, when I first started, I thought the job would be dead boring and predictable. Fortunately, it is nothing like I imagined, and each working day is different from the next. The best part is, most of the staff are surprisingly women, so there is always gossip and laughter filling the office from 9-6 :)

So far, in the space of three days, I've been lucky enough to spend most of my office hours tagging along with my boss to various locations meeting developers, interior designers and architects. Yesterday alone, we visited over six different show suites so that I could get a better idea of what luxury living in Singapore is all about. Believe me, what they define as "luxury" property here, are places I could only ever DREAM about owning. Even the smallest studio apartment will cost me a cool million and much more! *sigh*

Planning the marketing materials for all these properties is not an easy task either. Just think how hard it is to convince someone through a silly brochure to part with more than $4 million of hard earned cash on a not-that-fantastic condo! My notebook has never been more full of nonsense words and adjectives I jot down to use on upcoming projects.

Overall, things are definitely looking up. Funny how working your butt off can magically boost your confidence and inflate your ego (in a good way hehe). Even though there are is a lot of running around with this job, getting mud on my shoes, and meeting corporate-type intimidating strangers on a daily basis, it looks like this could actually be something that suits me...and that is always good! In the next two weeks, I'll continue to visit new developments here in Singapore and soon... good ol' Johor Bahru! Haha. More on all of that very soon!

I do?

I have never been so glad to start working, because I've just been reminded how humiliating life can be, for a single woman in her 20s! Tonight, one of my aunts asked my mother if the reason I haven't snapped up the first job that came along, could have anything to do with the possibility that I may want to get married sometime in the near future...(and she was dead serious!)

Whoa! Someone press the rewind button FAST! I had absolutely no idea, that the desire for a suitable husband could somehow be a legitimate excuse for not wanting to work. I suddenly feel like I'm in Pride and Prejudice, or better yet, A Suitable Husband! *gasp* I wonder if there are women out there, fresh out of college, who prefer to spend their days contemplating life as somebody's wife. Hmmm...I wonder what my days would be like. I guess I could hit the clubs, search match.com, brush up on my cooking, or maybe go for daily facials so that I'd be 100% ready and gorgeous when prince charming comes along!

Don't get me wrong, I would L-O-V-E to get hitched one day - but not just yet. I've got to see the world, scour the streets for hotties one last time, and put those degrees to use! Besides, it looks like the one guy I would absolutely without a doubt give my heart to, may soon be shifted to the friends ladder (more on that next time). *sigh* but fear not my loved ones, when it does happen (and it WILL, because I'm fabulous), it will have been worth waiting for. Till then, my heart and head remain open to possibilites. If you know someone available and purrrfect for me, do give me a buzz :) muah!

You're hired (finally!)

After a long and arduous search, I have finally found steady employment that I think I will be very happy with.

I answered an ad in The Straits Times recruitment section on Thursday for a position as Account Executive at this independent agency called Hagley & Hoyle. I had never heard of this agency in the past 1.5 years, but I figured it must be doing ok since it has been around since 1969. That night, I got a call from them asking me to come in for an interview the next day!

I made my way to Middle Road on Friday morning in my nicest outfit, armed with my portfolio. I was kind of surprised that the office was very simple, neat, and not very in-your-face creative the way JWT or Ogilvy is, but what I did notice was the very flash computer the receptionist had: a flat screen white Mac desktop - very nice indeed! There were also some impressive artworks in the meeting room.

The interview went well. The MD is a woman, who was very pleasant, not like the last arrogant bastard I met up with (who shall remain nameless for legal reasons!). We talked about a lot of things. Turns out she has a love for abstract works of art and Frida Kahlo as well! What are the odds! :) About an hour after the interview, I got a call from her Account Director, and she told me the job is mine! Yeehawwww!

The best part is, they are going to hire me for a permanent position, and not as some rubbish intern/photocopy girl. Plus, they will pay me the amount I am asking for! Fabulous!

The tricky part is, this agency doesn't do work for consumer goods or mainstream brands. They specialise in working with property developers. In Singapore, there are plenty of new condominiums and office buildings shooting up all the time...god knows why! I guess it has something to do with the new Integrated Resort being built. I was told some of my responsibilities will be to communicate with clients, talk to architects, interior designers, landscape artists, etc. There may even be a chance to visit building sites to take photos of the area, and get an idea of how we can integrate marketing communication tools. It all sounds very technical, but still very challenging and exciting!

I start on Wednesday. The first thing they are going to teach me is to how to read an architect's blueprint. Woach!

Wish me luck :)

Tagged!

Agh! I've been tagged by my ever so lovely Nina! In the world of blogging, apparently to be "tagged" means I have to reveal 6 habits/quirks people don't know about me...so lets get rolling!

1. I think I have a very strange white food phobia

That's right, there is something about white coloured foods that grosses me out. I'm pretty sure it started out with my absolute disgust with milk. I can't stand everything about it - the look, the smell, the creamy consistency...yuck yuck yuck! This gradually extended to other white coloured foods (i.e. yoghurt, mayonnaise...) I have to be at least an arm's length away from the stuff when it enters a room!

2. I've been told I have very unconventional taste in men

I'm always attracted to, or drawn to men that other girls don't usually find very appealing. The classic handsome guy doesn't do it for me. I guess obviously handsome guys are somehow too predictable, or apart from their looks there isn't usually much else to them. I have a weakness for shaved heads, great smiles, someone who isn't afraid to look me in the eye and make me weak in the knees! I love how guys smell too! Great after-shave? I'm all yours.

Men I have swooned over in my recent past include David Caruso/Horatio Caine from CSI:Miami, Vin Diesel (of course!), Keanu (he is not gay) Reeves,...sigh, and of course plenty of non-celebs too! Guys I want have to have MORE than their looks...maybe I have ugly-sexy complex...hmmm

3. I'm the person who rearranges someone else's cutlery AFTER the table is set

One thing that bugs me when I go to restaurants is cutlery that is set in the wrong place. I don't like seeing forks and spoons misplaced, or having to eat dessert with a soup spoon. Ugh! When my host/waiter leaves, I am the one who sets everything the PROPER way

4. I am an expert prawn peeler!

I love ordering prawns when I am eating out. I get a secret thrill being able to peel a prawn in one go ever so neatly with a fork and knife while everyone else struggles with their fingers!

5. I keep all my old SMS-es till my phone gets all clogged up

At one stage there were at least 130 useless messages, but my sentimental side loves to keep a special folder in my phone where I can keep all my *special* msgs..hehe. Enough said!

6. I am an avid horoscope reader+follower

Some people say they are into astrology, but what they really mean is that they only read it in the morning papers. Unfortunately, I have this really annoying habit of having to read my horoscope online on ALL my fav astrology websites (there are at least 6 of them). If I don't do this the night before, I have to do it the following morning. It's a very time-consuming routine, but it HAS to be done or the day can't progress!

Crazy about Bill

One of the nicest things about being at home is the fact that I get to do all the things I love without the pressure of time, deadlines, or the constant beeping of my phone. It does sound kinda cheesy, but these past few weeks I've learnt to better appreciate the simple things in life, most of which revolves around my extended family, who are almost always here every weekend! When they first started coming around, I thought our little gatherings would soon prove to be a massive headache, but surprisingly, they've turned out to be the people I can't wait to see when Friday arrives!

There are usually about 10 of us in total at these get-togethers, and in true Singapore fashion, what we love to do best is come together for the sake of a good ol'fashioned meal. It is not uncommon for someone in our family to arrive on our doorstep with a big pot of rendang, chicken rice, nasi lemak, sambal goreng...whatever has been rummaged out of the pantry, for everyone to share. Of course there are times when zero cooking has been done, and my cooking skills have been put to the test. I'm a self-proclaimed amateur foodie, but when it comes to cooking traditional Malay food, I definitely need a lot of guidance! Who knew frying chicken could be so technical, or that preparing pulut hitam required so much patience! With each weekend I am exposed to more and more secrets of our family's cuisine that I had no idea existed.

I may not be the best epok epok sizzler, and I know for sure my udang is never goreng-ed to an entirely crispy state, but what I do know is that simple, good food (with maximum flavour) speaks to everyone's palate. Without a doubt, this has to include Bill's famous Chocolate self-saucing pudding.

My all-time fav foodies is Melbourne-born Bill Granger.
A self-taught cook who is so gifted and passionate, his food speaks to people from all walks of life. As the owner of three restaurants and four books, his work has become HUGE in Oz, the UK, and the US. I was pleasantly surprised to also find his fame has reached Singapore, with his show screening on Ch.5 every weekday at 12.30pm. His food, including this choc pudding is guaranteed to please even the fussiest auntie snooping around your kitchen. Do give it a try:

Chocolate self-saucing pudding

125 g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

a pinch of salt
120 g (1/2 cup) caster (superfine) sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
250 ml (1 cup) milk
85 g (3 oz) unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping
185 g (1 cup) soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
250 ml (1 cup) boiling water

To serve
thick (double/heavy) cream

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4).

Sift the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add the milk, butter, egg and vanilla extract and mix with beaters until combined. Pour into four 250 ml (1 cup) greased pudding moulds. To make the topping, stir the brown sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl to combine, then sprinkle it over the pudding batter.
Pour boiling water carefully over the puddings, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with thick cream.

Serves 4