Praying and Planning

Today went to the temple nearby my workplace to pray to Tai Sui. Apparently today is a lucky day thing cos there were quite a number of people at the temple all praying, burning joss paper. So I followed my mum's instructions and my sister and I whom clash with Tai Sui did our pray thing. Hope for things to be smooth and good, for health, work and personal also. After that we ate lunch at the nearby hawker centre and took a bus home.

Reached home, was so tired, I fell asleep watching Japan Hour. Its a good source of seeing the sights available in diff areas though I am not familar with the areas yet. (Should borrow a travel guide too) Woke up around 4.30pm, surprised that I slept and also effectively missing gym cos the gym closes at 5pm.

Watched the Chingay on tv cos my collegues are involved in it, so I told them I would watch it. In case they ask me tomorrow, I can say I did watch it. Even recorded it using the cable box.

Made last batch of tiramisu using a modified way of mixing the coffee into the cream.... ended up with very watery cream... Just made it and chuck into the fridge. Hope it will be edible and less liquidy... Man a waste if its ruined.

Then I proceeded to clean up the dishes, made a fried egg-white sandwich from the leftover egg white of tiramisu-making plus ate 2 fingers soaked in alcoholic coffee, and mixed the alcoholic coffee with some milk and drank that. Erm think overshot the calories.
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As long as I still havent sign on the dotted line for another year of contract. There are still uncertainities; whether I would be renewed (cos they might take the clarification plus compromise as troublesome) I have been wondering... whether this can be a career. Seems not much of prospect. I do know that my financial target if I am renewed is to save up to $50k as personal reserve. Also this can be helped by the use of extra share investment gains this year. On both ends, I hope to target $20 put aside. Cos I am not getting younger. This job is not stable. Even if I am renewed this year, no one knows for the next or the following. The lack of security is there. Also I would appear as an older worker then already. So job-search also not going to be easy...

In order to focus on things that I can influence and do; Save up extra for personal reserve, pick up new skills, build up current strengths into more marketable skills. All these take time and effort on my part. These would be the work-related things-to-do once I am renewed.

If I am not, I have thought about backup. But as have plans to travel, so would have to take place after I come back. Would use the time to do some stuff like getting new IC, medical health check. Things are not fixed in stone. Some plans depends on the next step before re-action can be taken. Have to see how things play out in less than a month's time.

At least I am more motivated and not plagued by so many ambiguities and concerns on my part. I've asked about the ones that I am most concerned about. Whether that was a wrong step to take, good step to take, I just wanna be clearer on what I am getting into. Cos its not continuing my current position, but a brand new position and stuff. Hence the big confusion. Plus they werent clarifying at all. So it was really messy if you think through the implications, work scope and responsibilities and own concerns plus some basic treatment. On the whole, I dont regret asking. The ball is out of my court.

I shall just focus on getting through the next two weeks, eating 'tiffin lunch' ordered in from a vendor serving our area. I miss the change in environment, really. Also making sure I remain thrifty and continue saving up, managing my stocks, being productive at workplace doing my job. Also to continue my personal pursuit.
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Tom would have to run some errands to fix up the Taipei trip. More or less settled, just need my sister to check whether she can get her leave approved. Its her first time there. I have to make sure things go well partly cos I suggested it to her. She is noob, she is family and I am the elder. So have banking to do to transfer money to my debit card account, enough to pay flight and hotel. Things which I am doing for the first time.

So quite looking forward to it cos went there in 2006. That time on a shoe string budget. Now have deeper pockets. Dunno if a budget of $1k spending money is too little? Hmm still have quite a bit of research to do about the Taipei city itself maybe library for travel guides. But we are not the museums type. So good enough to be shopping around, eating, walking around, bookshops, comic shops, cd shops... those sort of stuff. I did look through travel packages and decided... nah I am not a "You Shan Wan Shui" type of person. The itenary to the mountains of Taiwan and the remote don't appeal.