Yesterday, I woke up early this morning at 6.45AM, as my alarm went off. No snoozing or lazing in bed. I’d wanted to start my new job right. So I went to brush my teeth and headed downstairs to make breakfast for the husband and myself.
Yes, I actually made breakfast. Although it was just oats (for him) and ham sandwiches (for both of us), it is probably already more than what I can say I’ve done in the last 9 months or so as a domesticated wife. Heh.
Well, this just tops off my past few days of domestication at home. Spent the last few days of my holiday frantically catching up on housework and learning – rather belatedly, I might add – recipes and just how to freaking cook from my mother-in-law. This, coming from the girl who is still terrified of raw meat and won’t touch any raw stuff even with gloves on. Looks like husband and I are set for a lifetime of vegetarianism and eggs. :P
Today, I did the same thing - jumped out of bed at 6.45AM with as much energy as I could muster. (Okay, maybe rolled out would have been a more accurate descriptor but I did try jumping.) I'm trying to shed all the slothy habits I picked up at my previous job, just cos it was so damn cushy and comfy. So having a total mental overhaul here, which is tougher than it seems. Mental attitudes stick, so I need to consciously act against what has begun to feel instinctive.
Slothiness aside, the other attitude that has stuck is the thinking that someone else's job is more glamourous, more fun, provides more opportunities, and is just generally all-round better than my own. I don't know if it's some tiny chip on my shoulder or what, but whatever it is, when I found myself starting to think that the International Relations or even the Librarian job sounded a lot better than my current job a mere 24 hours into this new position, I thought to myself oh crap, not again!
Upon closer reflection, I think the problem may not lie with my job per se, or wrong job fit.
The problem may be myself.
See, I'm only attracted to certain aspects of those other jobs, whereas the all-round job scope of my current position appeals to me immensely. For example, International Relations appealed to me because it seems like it would afford me travel opportunities to places I wouldn't ordinarily have the luxury of time or money to visit. The Librarian role appealed to me because I would get to physically handle and be surrounded by books (squeeeee!!), and also give me opportunities to write book reviews for publication.
Having reflected a bit, I realized that there's nothing stopping me from doing all these, even if it's not part of my salaried work. I can write book reviews - it's not like I haven't already been attempting to do so, anyway - and publish them on my blog. I can make a trip to the library to surround myself with books one lunchtime a week or so. The travelling to exotic places bit, I'll have to think a bit more on. Hee.
So here's to doing what I love, both on and off the job, always.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be
I've left my job at the Ministry of Defence. So the last two weeks have been days of rest and relaxation for me, spent with loved ones and doing things that are important to me, along with the redefinition of what is important. After all, where my treasure is, there my heart will be also.
I'm both excited and apprehensive about my next job. It would most probably require a lot from me work-wise, a lot more than I've been putting in the last year and a half, for sure. But my main reason for switching jobs was actually to ensure that I don't stagnate, both mentally and career-wise. My deep interest in learning has and always be a great asset of mine, and I didn't want to get too comfortable where I was. Yes, life was definitely good at my previous job, affording me awesome work-life balance and a more than decent take-home salary. I loved my colleagues and genuinely enjoyed passing the time of each work day with them. Many people could not understand my decision to leave my job. Why walk away from a good thing? But I believe that there are good things, and then there are good things.
I've made my choice to expand my knowledge and learning opportunities, so here I am, waiting.
In the meantime, I've spent a lot of my time expanding my mind, reading and reading and then reading some more.
One of my favourite reads this break has got to be Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus.
It is immensely magical and beautiful, and her prose has painted such an exquisite circus, replete with the burnt taste of caramel popcorn and the wonder of a room full of clouds. I loved every minute I spent in her circus, relished the time I spent wandering among the fantastical tents of each act and wondering at how all my senses took flight, and I never wanted it to leave. But leave, it must, for the book had to come to an end, and it left me wanting yet more. It has been a long time since my imagination has been so captured by a read, so much so that even my soul felt gripped by the subtle undercurrent melancholy. I loved that the way the plot was weaved into the tapestry of the details; I'm personally a fan of books high on lyricism and exquisite style, probably because that's how I like to write.
How I can tell when a book touches me particularly is when I feel moved to pick up my own pen and write again - and I felt stirred to write days and days after I'd finished the book. Something in me just wants to recreate the magic in my own way.
Anyhow. Other than reading my eyeballs out, I've been trying to become more financially literate in earnest. It's been tough going, that has. Reading up on concepts and financial products aside, this journey has made me come face to face with all my bad habits, and forced me to acknowledge them for what they are. It's made me a whole lot more self-aware. While I'm on one hand still reeling from the magnitude of my ignorance, I am also very grateful that I've started now rather than later.
Clem and I have also started running again in a bigger way. Longer distances, a bit more frequently (trying to up our frequency from twice a week to thrice, but it's not easy to find the time!), more exciting and beautiful running locales... All in our bid to be more healthy all-round.
Tomorrow is my last real day of holiday, since the weekend doesn't really count! I shall try to be as productive and savour every single minute of tomorrow. I will try to be back again with a picture post from last week, but I'm really not too hopeful, given my lousy track record!
I'm both excited and apprehensive about my next job. It would most probably require a lot from me work-wise, a lot more than I've been putting in the last year and a half, for sure. But my main reason for switching jobs was actually to ensure that I don't stagnate, both mentally and career-wise. My deep interest in learning has and always be a great asset of mine, and I didn't want to get too comfortable where I was. Yes, life was definitely good at my previous job, affording me awesome work-life balance and a more than decent take-home salary. I loved my colleagues and genuinely enjoyed passing the time of each work day with them. Many people could not understand my decision to leave my job. Why walk away from a good thing? But I believe that there are good things, and then there are good things.
I've made my choice to expand my knowledge and learning opportunities, so here I am, waiting.
In the meantime, I've spent a lot of my time expanding my mind, reading and reading and then reading some more.
One of my favourite reads this break has got to be Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus.
It is immensely magical and beautiful, and her prose has painted such an exquisite circus, replete with the burnt taste of caramel popcorn and the wonder of a room full of clouds. I loved every minute I spent in her circus, relished the time I spent wandering among the fantastical tents of each act and wondering at how all my senses took flight, and I never wanted it to leave. But leave, it must, for the book had to come to an end, and it left me wanting yet more. It has been a long time since my imagination has been so captured by a read, so much so that even my soul felt gripped by the subtle undercurrent melancholy. I loved that the way the plot was weaved into the tapestry of the details; I'm personally a fan of books high on lyricism and exquisite style, probably because that's how I like to write.
How I can tell when a book touches me particularly is when I feel moved to pick up my own pen and write again - and I felt stirred to write days and days after I'd finished the book. Something in me just wants to recreate the magic in my own way.
Anyhow. Other than reading my eyeballs out, I've been trying to become more financially literate in earnest. It's been tough going, that has. Reading up on concepts and financial products aside, this journey has made me come face to face with all my bad habits, and forced me to acknowledge them for what they are. It's made me a whole lot more self-aware. While I'm on one hand still reeling from the magnitude of my ignorance, I am also very grateful that I've started now rather than later.
Clem and I have also started running again in a bigger way. Longer distances, a bit more frequently (trying to up our frequency from twice a week to thrice, but it's not easy to find the time!), more exciting and beautiful running locales... All in our bid to be more healthy all-round.
Tomorrow is my last real day of holiday, since the weekend doesn't really count! I shall try to be as productive and savour every single minute of tomorrow. I will try to be back again with a picture post from last week, but I'm really not too hopeful, given my lousy track record!
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