It's all about the glam!

Most of you might have read my previous entry on my last day with URC, the company that I have spent 2 years with. When I think of chinese food, I think of my life in URC - a journey that contains all elements of sweetness, sadness, bitterness and sourness in my heart. But life has to go on, and I have to move on.




If one thing that I am grateful of, it is the things I learnt and in the end I know I got a certain value in the market for my portfolio and good results :) Yes, indeed my GM were trying his best to ask me to stay a few times personally but I passed for I know the direction that I would wanna head for. Even if the company offers me a salary of 10x more, I will still make the decision to leave.


So where do I head for after URC (Jack n Jill)?


Nope. It's not FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) anymore for I am tired for how things are done. I'm sick of churning out figures from Nielsen. I'm sick of doing analysis for nationwide, digging every single corner for info. I'm sick of going market visits sitting in unconditioned vans, following people I do not know, going to filthy and smelly sundry shops and carrying 30 over boxes all by myself.


I'm joining the world of prestige Cosmetics & Fragrances baby!



I know it's kind of random from doing such a low value mass product to such a high end niche product right? It has always been a dream of mine to get into the Beauty Line but just that I think it's wiser/ better to get into a FMCG to learn a broader pic, to touch on every part before going for a niche job. It was a great move because I was offered the job by all 3 large beauty companies I applied for :) I shall not reveal yet which company I'm working for right now but a very famous veteran in the beauty industry cum MD interviewed me for THREE hours! I rejected the job offered by the direct competitor of theirs for 3 times since last year while the other one I had to reject for they came back too late to me eventhough the GM called me personally to offer me the job and to reconsider :) Yay I'm wanted!!




Though it is a dream job, perhaps a dream job for most ladies out there to be surrounded by all the luxurious skincare, cosmetics and fragrances from all around the world, there are also sacrifices to be made. For example, waking up at an unGodly hour of 6am+ EVERY MORNING to get stuck in the jam heading to KL, changing my entire wardrobe to fit into their culture, freezing every day in office for their air condition is so damn cold, spending lot more on expensive food, and staying late EVERY NIGHT.


Yes, it is indeed a No Day, No Night job. It means going to work early, gome home late. Just imagine my workload is already very heavy just after 2 weeks in there. I wake up at 6am+ and only goes home at 8.30pm EARLIEST and a few times till 11pm at night. I averagely spend 12-14 hours at work everyday. By the time I reach home to have dinner, it's already 9.30pm the earliest and there have been many times I only get to have dinner at 11pm. Tiring huh?


Well, if you want something, you gotta forgo some other stuff. While my life in URC was stressful as well, I had much leisure time doing things at work and only staying till 9pm the latest at work. But it was not something that I want.



Eversince joining this new company, I hardly have time to spend time outside office and even at home. I didn't have the time anymore for catching ups, for SMSing or talking on the phone or even doing a facial mask at home! Sighhhh





But I'll work hard!


:)

Astro Gempak & Emperor Q @ Pavillion

I don't love my job but at the same time I don't hate it either. For a girl my age with zero experience in the corporate world (this is my 1st job), I dare say I am holding quite a big portfolio for a person with my background. Many times, an exec like me are not really invited in big media events because we are "just not there yet" to go for events like this.


That's my new Zara dress hehe. I bought 2 colors somemore


However, good thing about my company is that they give us Execs, opportunities to meet and network cos we are the people that do most of the work anyway. If you are still studying, always remember that networking and relationships are very very important. And always remember, in FMCGs, a lot of times, Execs like me are the ones that take care of a brand so a lot of things gotta go pass us first. If someone is to Lanci at us, bye bye to you even though our boss would wanna buy from you, as a brand owner, I can object kao kao until u go out from our door!

Anyway I was invited for Astro's Gempak Universe Screening yesterday @ Royale Chulan Hotel, KL. I missed the Media Prima's one a few weeks ago due to the heavy workload so this time we were all very readied for it.



Was introduced to the manager of international channels.... He told me I was too late in asking him for free Man U match tickets :(


Before we left the place, we managed to talk to model and actor , Alan Yun. He has a normal day job btw.



Good thing about working is that u get to exchange business cards and to explore on future working opportunities. He's from an agency, I am from a client company so duhhhh of cos got chance ler :)


After the event, we moved on for dinner at Emperor Q @ Pavillion.



I've patroned this place a few times and I quite like the food here so I brought my colleagues an ex colleague here for dinner. They serve Jap- Chinese food.



Current colleague , Soon-to-be-ex-colleague, Ex colleague


Current colleague, ME



Jasmine Tea @ RM 5 per pot


Free cup of coffee for all VIP card holder (me)


The waitress serving their famous hot stone rice


Crispy pork Hot stone rice @ RM 12.80


Salmon Hot stone rice add egg @ RM 14.80


Minced pork Noodle @ RM 16.80


Shrimp Porridge @ RM 16.80


As usual, I have no complaints on the food. I love this place especially the food and the pictures of the food too! Next one, I would wanna try Dain Tii Hill but right now, i'm broke from all the shopping so not gonna splurge on food for the moment.



I've always like to keep in touch with my ex colleagues but when will be the next time we can all come out together for a meal and chit chat again.....?


Btw, it has been 3 consecutive weeks I've been to Pavillion. In fact I go to pavillion every month for shopping. What is so nice to shop there I also donno but I always like to shop there and also feast my eyes on those designer bags :) :)

Till then.... great weekend ahead!

Finally....

There's always a saying - Becareful what you wish for, you might just get it


After so many nights of heartbreaks, tears, dilemmas and arguments, the thing that I've been wishing for has finally came.

The official memo was out finally



Boss broke the news to me personally in her room for me 3 days ago but I'd prefer for the official memo to be out before opening my mouth. Actually it was my boss informing the whole world -.-"

But wait. There's always a catch when good things come your way.

It did come with two big blows. Three days passed, I still can't sleep well at night worrying about this issue. I won't talk about it because its P&C and it was a personal request from the management for me. Sigh.


No wonder my animal sign indicated 'increased stress especially after a promotion' after attending a talk by Joey Yap. I've been going home every single working day after 8pm for almost 3 weeks already. One night, I decided to leave early at 6pm because I was too frustrated with working I felt as if I couldn't "breathe" anymore.

My colleagues were shocked,

"Wah! I've never seen you going home so early for so loooong already!"



Buahahaha I'm so hardworking leh! Anyway Happy Chinese New Year yo!

Tiring Week

Gonna depart to Johore at 3pm today and to come back on Saturday for a meeting in Johore

I don't enjoy going to Johore for meetings because they will last for hours and hours and hours and we never get to go out for lunch =( Always trapped inside the factory and have to eat take away pizzas from Pizza Hut everytime.


So Sad.


Somemore now half Thursday, full friday and half Saturday gone.


Sigh


On the other hand, guess who went clubbing in Zouk last week? (considering I don't club)



Yeah man. Ziling went clubbing at new Zouk !

4 Computers in 1 Year

When I first joined this company, I used to use this dinasour because of my rank and a newbie

When Jane left in September, I took over her flat screen PC



Too bad it didn't last very long because it got stolen almost 4 months later. Then, the company got us some rented laptops before getting us new ones.




Super old and heavy HP laptops


Few days ago, we got our new Dell Vostro laptops, which is our permanent ones....






Not exactly the best but better than nothing...


Now I gotta carry the laptop from and to work everyday.


Sigh.

You Know Times Are Bad When.....

...... You gotta work on a freaking Sunday (2 sessions somemore- morning & afternoon)!

Sometimes I also don't understand.... Sunway University College approached us to sponsor and participate in their open day. Already said 'sponsored' right? Not only I sponsored products, I need to hire promoters and pay them for 2 days and I gotta bear responsibility for the props.


If you were in Sunway Uni last weekend, you would have noticed this booths.


And in return what did Sunway University offered us?


A pathetic non-traffic location in their cafeteria when the crowd were all at the entrance! Goodness!! If this is my project, I would have 'scrubbed' their people in charge for giving me pathetic location +FOC beverages everywhere! Dahlah only tell us Nescafe and C2 will be the only sole beverages, they actually put orange juices everywhere for their visitors!! Not only WASTING my MONEY, my TIME and my PRODUCTS, I also felt like killing the people from my company + from Sunway for even agreeing to this term!


Why?


Because it's not their money so why do they care?




If you have ever been to Manila/ Vietnam, C2 (flavored green tea) is so popular that they are even more sellable than Coke at certain places!


Everything beside the own brand's stocks and props are all BORNE by my brand! That means I freaking almost PAID for the whole thing okay! I hate it when people take money from my budget and not fully utilising it!!


Even my own boss also don dare to touch my money because I will question and prohibit until she vomits blood! Everytime she wants my money, I will 'jeling' (glare at) her. Hehe.




Somemore we gave away big pack samples.... try estimating our costs for this sampling activity.


It was a busy day for me on Sunday as I need to helped out and be a part time unpaid promoter for the first 2 hours.


And the worst part is.....



I only managed to get myself a cup of hot coffee for breakfast after working for 2 hours @ 12.30pm. Sometimes I also wonder where did I get all the energy to carry the stocks and cases whole morning.


Recession mah so cannot simply complain or demand for pay rise! Don't fire me or cut my salary also good enough. Haih.

Burglary at Office!

I was as usual late to work and when I exited from my car, I heard some knockings on the window thinking it was my colleagues knocking from the pantry at my department. Then, when I approached the main door, I saw 2 of my colleagues knocking it from inside and I was thinking to myself,

"Walao 2 fellas also didn't bring the tag down to open the door??"


Mana tahu when I opened the door, they said to me,


"Today no need to do work. Our office got broken into and all computers gone! Not April's Fool joke!"


I was like Errrr..... but still I went up to the department with my bags and all as usual, and MY GOD!






The guard said he didn't know a thing!


My Place




My cubicle was the messiest after the break-in and my CPU and Flat Screen are gone!


They broke a hole to get in because the Manager locked her room


Coincidently, all the Managers did not bring back their laptops that night! A lot of out documents and information are all GONE!

We called the police and they came shortly after. Then, my colleagues went to the police station to do a report because she came to the office earliest and noticed something amiss when she saw papers lying around and the department's door was left open (which is normally closed). Then, to her horror, all the computers were gone and everything was so messy!



The window we all suspected the burglars went in from



Everyone followed the police to find the bukti


The GM whom was scheduled to fly to Manila for the Regional Meeting came back to access the losses and to see for himself the burglary that took place ONLY in the MARKETING department (so weird).


After about 1 hour, the CSI a.k.a Forensic team came to look for fingerprints



The CSI guy told me that those black powder are imported from U.S and contains materials from the Volcano!


The news of our office got robbed was spread really fast until Thailand, Johore and Singapore offices were all aware of it. I am sure all regions will know about it soon when my GM attends the Regional Meeting!


The GM has also made arrangements to get us a BRAND NEW LAPTOP each but it might take a while so meantime, he has gotten us RENTED COMPUTERS so that we can start work immediately -.-" because once Marketing is down, almost everything is at a stand-still.


VERY SMART because in the future, we need to work 24/7 even at home and weekends!


AHhhhhhhhh!!!!

Dorsett Hotel @ Pasir Gudang, Johore

After the Branding Seminar at 6pm, Alton (Group Product Manaher), Chanttal (Candy), Lam (Biscuits) and I (Snacks) travelled to Johore for a meeting at the HQ, which is situated at Pasir Gudang. Lam and I are under the same boss and apparently, our Boss was not free to attend the meeting hence sent a representative from each division to represent her during that meeting.

I was the chosen one from Snacks Team (Donno good or bad also?) but was a little nervous because the meeting is meant for all Heads of Departments while I was the only junior there. Well, I was the lowest rank of all, even worse!


Anyway, this time, the company arranged four of us in a different hotel instead of in JB. We were to stay at Dorsett Hotel @ Plentong, which is 15 mins away from the HQ. Armed with a GPS, we managed to locate the place at 10pm.


Dorsett Hotel

The reception and cashier counter is decorated in shiny black.

Alton and Lam checking in

Chanttal manning the MPV while I was busy taking pictures

The hotel is a small one, hence the small lobby

The ladies stayed at the Business Suite while Alton had the Superior Twin.

The sofa bed at the living area

Very professional-like business table and chair with LCD TV

The bedroom partition consists of a Queen sized bed and a working table, together with a bedroom LCD TV

If you stay at the Business Suite, there will be 2 bathrooms. One at the living room while the other one at the bedroom.

Though there is no bathtub, they provide rainshowers! OMG I love rainshowers!!!!



We did not want to waste the room just like that since we checked in at around 10.30pm and had to leave the next day at 8am, the three of us watched TV till almost 1am before dozing off.



Lam at the living area enjoying the LCD TV. Errr actually that was my bed that night....


"Someone" ironed her clothes and made 2 holes at the ironing board by accidentally burning it with the iron


This hotel is pretty new because they only opened their doors for business 3 months ago! Their service is REALLY GOOD because they were so efficient and they SERVICE WITH A SMILE!


Complimentery Buffet Breakfast @ The Checkers (Coffee House)


I am expecting myself and the rest of the Marketing team to be staying at this hotel for the future meetings. Honestly, I am actually praying for the company to send us to his hotel in the future! Hehe


For more information, click on their website Dorsett Hotel



PS: Btw, the meeting was not bad. My latest discovery is that not all Head of Departments are "GHOSTS"!