All I Can Say Was...

..."AIYOH!!!!" Yes, that was all I could say or express when I saw the TV advertising for my boys' concert. Once again, AIYOH!!!!!

So, I'm going to the concert with my long-time, crazy buddy (who loves me because we're going together). Oh my, I didn't know there's someone out there like me, who have passionately loved the boys for nearly a decade. Yap. That's how old faithful we are. It's about a decade for her and nearly a decade for me. :D

I'm hap...hap...happy!!! Tickets are open for sale tomorrow and yours truly is going to grab them. I'm aiming the top seats leh!!

Oh, I'm so hyper-happy!!

Is Creativity Stifled Here?

I wrote a long entry yesterday but it was gone with the wind. Anyhow, here's the crux.

I cannot agree more that creativity is stifled here, locally. Firstly, clients are their own designers. They dictate the creatives that we present and propose. Why did you, in the first place ask us to propose new ones then? You want this in this colour, want that placed there. Aiyo, how to make it like that?

Local clients often take designers (and AEs) & ideas for granted. On the contrary, western & Japanese clients respect your every single idea and if you've proposed to what they wanted in the brief, then you've got it. Hardly any major changes. I don't know how true this is because my agency doesn't have any international clients. Only chau locals.

Point 2, bosses also like to become their own Creative Director (CD). Many a times, when both my boss & I go take a new brief, I will jot down every single detail and then come back brief my creative team. Along the way, boss likes to value-add by asking the designers to do what I term as "extra" work because client never asked for them in the begining! To qualify for that, client rejects whatever extra ingredient that was given.

One of my aim when entering the industry was to create or to assist in an award-winning piece of work. Now, I realize, it's hard because creativity is stifled, here. Have you seen a local advertiser clinching the Cannes Lion Award or the Clio Awards? Answer: Hardly.

What do you think?

This Weekend.

I had a short MSN chat with teo yesterday (I was too free at work). Only then it dawned to me that she was having holidays. Apparently the martian started her holidays a few days ago, too. In Singapore and Malaysia, students are having holidays!!! Ever since I started work, I've lost track of (school) holidays. I only have Public Holidays in mind. Sighs! So pathetic.

These few days I could scoot off at 6.30pm. Yesterday was no exception. Everyone was still in office. He gave me a grin when I left (quietly). Haha! Yes, I could leave early. So? :P The creative team, minus him had to go back office today to complete the presentation on Monday. Poor things!

This weekend, I've planned to spend in the home, lazing and sleeping. Trying to catch my missed winks. Think too much rest before this had "nua"-ed me too much. No good, no good. I'm now missing the minimum 12-hour sleep I had whilst on MC early this week.

Oh yes, I was watching the Champion League highlights and noticed that the were using a yellow ball. What's the difference between the normal white and yellow soccer ball? Anyone cares enough to tell me?

See, the above has fully illustrated that if one has too much free time, one tends to think about meaningless issues. Sheesh.

ZZZzzz

How else better to start your day with yawns continuously? Don't know why but I'm feeling superbly lethargic at work today. So tired I can sleep anywhere, anytime.

Colleague j is on leave till Monday. That leaves me covering her work till she returns. I'm supposed to be busy like a bee but no, I'm not. As you can see, if I can blog during office hours, I am F-R-E-E.

Anyone has cure for tiredness? No coffee, please because it will be worse as I will have sleepless night and tomorrow, I'll turn into a panda.

In any case, I think I'd better find something to entertain myself. Tralala~

Boring.

Two days at home spells boring. There's nothing that I did & do & am doing except eat and sleep concuss. Fever came back yesterday morning in office so I cabut off to the doctor to have a blood test.

The results? "Not dengue. It's just bacteria infection. When antibiotic kicks in, you'll be fine." Yeah, sure I'll be fine. But when? Not immediate right? Anyway, the medicine is really, really powerful. Knock me off to slumberland almost immediately.

During these 2 days, I had dreams of all kinds. No kinky ones, though. :P The dreams are work-related. Yeah, scold me. Thinking of work whilst on MC. Not like one can control one's dream, can I?

Ok, I sense the effect of the medicine already. Going to concuss now.

The Road to Success & Wealth.

The road to success & wealth starts tomorrow. Bosses said they see the potential in me (?!?) and wants to groom me to become a Business Development person. They asked if I was willing to take up the challenge. After much consideration, I gave a "Yes". Weighing the pros & cons, I've nothing to lose. I get free training, I get to learn more stuffs, I might get to multiply my earnings (commission-based). So yeah, why not?

And tomorrow marks the first day of the training. Nope, I'm not deviating from my account servicing job. I still love my work as an AE. Just that being a Business Development person has been a challenge to me because:

(1) I thought ALL Biz Development Exec has to reach a certain quota.
(2) I was afraid I wasn't up to doing sales. (Biz Dev means garnering sales)

BUT, they made it clear that I've no quota to reach. (YAY! YAY! HOORAY!!) and the incentive aka commission is rather attractive, no doubt it goes by accumulation system. Of course, to get the minimum 1% is hard, looking at the figure. But, I like challenges.

Things that are too easy are boring. Plus, the adrenaline rush isn't there if there's no challenge in whatever I venture in.

Ok, do you understand what crap I just wrote in the last sentence? Neither do I because I can sense that the effect of the ultra drowsy medicine has set in.

In any case, I hope tomorrow's a better day for me and my flu. I hate running nose!! Why do they call it running nose when they don't run away from you? BAH!

Suspect Only!

I left office at 6.05pm yesterday and raised many's eyebrows. But hey, I have nothing to rush, nothing to do. I didn't even receive a total of 30 mails for the whole of yesterday. Makes me wonder if the mail server is spoilt. But no, colleagues' emails are fine. It's just during some times, I've nothing to do. So free that I fell sick.

Body ache today and could not make it to office. Went to doctor and he suspects me of dengue fever. *raises eyebrows* DENGUE FEVER?!!! If it's true, I'd probably won't be here, blogging. In any case, I've to be kept under tight observation till Sunday morning. If fever persists, I've to go for blood test.

Sighs, I pray that nothing's wrong with me and this is just another virus attack, due to my late nights and inconsistent rest. During the SARS outbreak, it was narrow escape for me. I hope this time, too.

Something meanest said that I think is funny. "You are not young anymore to be as havoc as last time." What has this got to do with me and my age?? Bleh! :P meanest must be referring to herself coz she's older than us!

In any case, get well soon, me!

Hot Date? Bleh!

Boss G asked if I had a hot date yesterday evening. Please lah....it was freaking cold yesterday night ok?? Plus, you held the meeting at 6.45pm when it was supposed to be 5.30pm!?! People had appointments, ok?

Anyway, it was movie session with zhiggy. The movie is damn boring ok? I paid 7 bucks to fall asleep and [to quote zhiggy] "2 hours of free advertising about" (shan't say coz it might be sensitive). Sighs, the courtroom session brought me snores. Sianz! I feel cheated, man. Ok, i rest my grievances.

The dude bought me a boomerang (?!!) from his trip to OZ. Boomerang!? Can use here meh? And the funny thing is on the packaging, it states "Guaranteed to return when thrown correctly." On first read, I sniggered to myself. Fab, the dude owes me his present. Hiak hiak hiak!!

I've been very careless in my work. Very. Last time, it was spelling error and now it's the logo!! Alamak. Hurh!!

New Leash of Life.

3 days ago, I was counting down to this day. 3 days later (now), here I am.

Before.


After.


Cut, dyed (can't see clearly here, though) and treatment. Hmm, good pamper for myself after a hard week, yeah! On top of that, I went on usual therapy with tracy.

Bought hair styling product, some facial products and inner beauty. :)

Tomorrow's shopping for a hair dryer to style my new HEAD. I'm a happier person.

Wish Granted.

Why did I want to be in the advertising line? For something that perhaps no second person would wish for - the fun and thrill of working overnight for pitches, projects. Yeap, got my wish granted. BUT only then I realize it's such a bad wish!!

We were rushing the 28pp collateral till 4am this morning just now. A lot of "Fuck" and "Shit" were going round (bad karma, I know). So much so that the designer and I pondered on what could be worse than shit. He said soft shit. I think hard shit. We couldn't help it!! So "Duh!" right? We were trying to entertain ourselves.

Client delayed: changed number of pages, change information, and 4 of the pages were so tedious that we can spend one whole day doing it. I swear! I went into office at 8.30 am yesterday morning and only completed my part at 10.00 am before passing it to the designer. 4 pages that can make or break us!!

Anyway, I shan't complain too much either because client was nice enough to stay on with us till 3.30. After which, we wrapped up the job and backed up the file for printer. Whoa, I tell you, brain dead, brain freeze, brain malfunction. Same goes for body.

All we could do is curse and swear (without client's knowledge, of course!).

3 More Days...

...to Saturday. 3 more days to a revamped me. 3 more days to a more energetic me. (Bleh, I'm yakking too much).

3 more days before I go on my therapy (again). I hope I can. One of my heels giving way, I just discovered on the MRT this morning. The strap is snapping soon. I reckon, it has a maximum of 2 days, judging by the way I wear and tear them.

Workload has been getting heavier and nothing seems to help. I have damn lot of things to do but I don't have even 30 minutes (undisturbed) at my workstation. Every now and then, is a phone call. One particular client just loves "spamming" my email with whatever materials they want into an on-going collateral we're doing. I call it spamming because they simply adopt the "Nah-do-and-give-me-the-revised-ASAP" attitude. Dump everything to us so that if we delay giving them, it's my fault. BUGGERS!!

But really, I cannot wait for Saturday. I hope I get to hang out with tracy or ex-housemate. Nowadays, hang out = shop, shop, shop till I drop and pok.

On a happier note, [:))] he commented, "You look different today. Maybe it's the specs. Your top suits you. *signature smile of his*" Of course I look different today 'coz the stupid last pair of my contact lense was torn! WTF! In my history of contact lenses, I've never torn them! And because it's the last pair and I won't get my next supply till this Sunday (Gramps are going to bring them back for me), I've to don on my specs. Luckily I changed specs some time ago. Else I'll be a blind bat, in my scratched, old and not-so-powerful specs.

Anyhow, I'm still happy over the lil' comment. I now feel so high, high, HIGH after chomping a bar of Cadbury's Crunchie. I meant to have a lil' bite but ended up biting the entire bar off!!

Post Holiday Mood.

Back from holidays. Was it good? Was it fun? I'd say good, for it's different experience for me. Why? I didn't swim, I didn't go all out and be a wacko and have fun as I would last time.

Instead, all I did was to eat, sleep, eat and sleep. Oh of course, I have to thank my daddy for the pampering spa experience. Mummy and I had an aromatherapy massage. As usual, all good things don't last. Before we knew it, 60 minutes was up. Cheh!!

In any case, the past few days were good. Eat, sleep, eat, sleep, be happy! :)

On the other hand, I dread tomorrow. For many hiccups happened whilst I was away. Is it due to my bad handover? I don't know. I hope not.

Like what tracy said, "Don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry for itself." Well said, well said.