Thailand is not just about Siam Diu

Image from HWZ.

So this happened the other day. One of my friends brought his new girlfriend to meet us for dinner.

All names have been changed to protect the guilty and also the innocent.

Tom, “Hi guys, this is my new gf - Penchan.”

Me, “oh hello hello.”

Dick, (In mandarin) “Wah bro, which Thai club you went and find this siam bu (Thai Lady, commonly used to describe Thai Ladies who work at a Thai-Disco). Quite hot leh!”

Penchan, (Apparently understands mandarin), “You Singaporean men are so typical and full of yourself. Just because I am an attractive Thai lady means I am from Thai-Disco!” #offendedaf

Tom left the scene chasing after Penchan. It was very very very awkward. Although I did not verbalise it loudly like Dick did, it did somewhatcross my mind too. We are such horrible people. In Dick’s defence, Tom could have given us a warning. Not exactly good enough an excuse but probably the only way Dick could make himself feel a bit better about the whole incident.

So apparently Tom has been traveling within Asean quite a bit for work recently. He met Penchan when he was working in Thailand and they soon fell in love and got into a relationship. I cannot believe this man is in a long distance relationship. Like seriously, I cannot even handle having a girlfriend who stays in Bukit Batok.

Talking about working in Asean did bring back quite a bit of memories for myself. Although I was never exactly an expat living in any of the Asean countries, I do have good working relationships with many business partners in Thailand, Philippines, and obviously Malaysia over the last few years of my career.

Working in Asean

Media Trip to the Philippines with Bloggers and SPH.

Media Trip to Bangkok with Bloggers and AirAsia. (Also don’t ask me why I was the only guy there.)

I know how it looks. The pictures does not say much about me “working” overseas. But hey, who take pictures of themselves working in front of the computer anyway?

Stronger currency

Working overseas and going overseas on a holiday are so different. I mean for starters, I managed to save so much when I was working overseas. I would eat the cheapest crap I could find and go to places the locals would for work meetings. And given that I was being paid in Singapore dollars, working overseas wasn’t bad at all ya’know. It is really one of those moments that you will feel so good about being Singaporean because of strong currency.

That cross culture thing

Understanding their market and target audiences might be one of the most important things for a marketeer, but that is not all. The style, the culture, the way that the people work in other countries can beso different.

Even something as simple as the choice of Instant Messenger could be so different. I had to use LINE just to talk to the Thais, and of course WeChat when talking to my counterparts in China.

You know I once spent hours talking to this potential Thai partner whomt I was trying to work with but we did not even discuss anything related to the project at all? It is always relationship first for them. And the actual work meeting took a real short time. LOL.

That whole language thing

It is really not impossible. My ex-biz partners survived years working in Thailand without actually mastering the Thai language. A huge number of people in Asean can actually speak and write English pretty well.

Why Asean?

What I’ve mentioned earlier are obviously the smaller and more trivial stuff. I believe that gaining experience out of Singapore is always good. It is a valuable experience and one shall never say no when the opportunity is served on a silver platter. Such experience makes you grow, makes you understand the world and yourself better, and last but not least, you will grow to appreciate Singapore a lot. You will realize the beauty of your once hated bureaucracy in Singapore. HAHA.

From a bigger picture, you may have forgotten about this but this was the speech made by our PM Lee Hsien Loong during the 2019 Shangri-La Dialogue

“Singapore cannot afford to adopt the same point of view. Being small, we are naturally disadvantaged in bilateral negotiations. We need to reform and strengthen multilateral institutions, not cripple or block them. More fundamentally, confining ourselves to a bilateral approach means forgoing win-win opportunities which come from countries working together with more partners. We need to build a broader regional and international architecture of cooperation. When groups of countries deepen their economic cooperation, they will enhance not just their shared prosperity but also their collective security. With more stake in one another’s success, they will have greater incentive to uphold a conducive and peaceful international order. This will benefit many countries big and small.”

In a very blatant manner, the bigger countries can effectively live without you and they will probably not miss you at all. However, it is probably a better idea for smaller countries like those in Asean to stick close and forge a strong bond.

LIT Asean


This picture, like my mirror, is a constant reminder that I really need to lose weight.

I was part of LIT Asean earlier this October. I was there for the ASEAN Mentorship.

In official words: The ASEAN Mentorship is an expanded version of the existing Young NTUC Youth Career Network (YCN) programme. The ASEAN mentorship will connect 400 youths with ASEAN Career Guides who have had work experience in the ASEAN region. Career Guides includes young Singaporeans and young professionals from ASEAN countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam. Participants will also be given the option to be matched to a career guide for a 4-month mentorship after the networking session at the event.

Partnering Temasek Foundation, Young NTUC launched the Temasek Foundation - NTUC Workforce Programme: LIT ASEAN Careers. The programme’s objective is to raise awareness on the growing opportunities in the ASEAN region and to encourage more youths to progress their career in this region.

In my words: I was there to kaypo and talk to youths again.

It was quite an interesting experience. It might be the law of attraction and also the natural filter of the event. The youths I spoke to at the event show great interest in working out of Singaporean and in Asean for experience. I do not think the online narrative where “Singaporeans are being driven out of their own country while we are welcoming people from overseas.” is true at all. Most of the youths I have spoken to understand the importance of gaining experience out of Singapore’s market. I think this is especially important for people in the marketing industry. With digital and social media being used widely by the industry, you need to know how to work with people outside of our own country and culture. And with the small market size, there is no surprise here when brands choose to consolidate their marketing efforts.

I am glad that our government knows better and is supportive of us venturing into ASEAN countries to gain experience and return to add value to Singapore.

And also, in case you find this article really boring, here is a picture of me as Siam Bu in trash bag taken during my DnD.


P.S. I am still a respectable person at work.

I think.

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I choose working late over spending time with my kid, because I choose to.

42: The answer to life, the universe and everything. If you are nerdy enough you will get the reference.

However, real life is not as easy as that. There is no “one size fits all” solution. We all have our own backstories, limitations, and priorities. We can’t change what has happened but we can play our cards right forward.

Is it impossible to be a good worker and a good parent at the same time?

Mothership recently published an article by Steven Chia, a Presenter and Senior Editor at CNA, titled - “I won’t choose working late over spending time with my kids, because why would I?”

I would not say the article went viral but it got circulated a little within my social circles. Most of the people I have spoken to supported the narrative with both hands up. The conversations did not stop there. It was unboxed a little more and many friends ended up concluding that life is so tough in Singapore and it is difficult to be a working parent. Regardless of gender.

“At home I have to be a mum as if I am not working, at work I have to work as if I am not a mum. It is almost impossible.”

“I feel very bad when I do not spend enough* time with my kid.”

*I question, what is enough?

“I choose to be self-employed because I do not want to go to the office. I want the flexibility to spend time with my kid.”

“I hate it that I have to handle my kid at night and my boss feels that I am not committed to work. I mean I am already doing my best during office hours. After office hours event should not be considered as an obligation or considered into my appraisal right?”

Steven too gave an example on this.

"So, for instance, it’s your daughter’s birthday and your boss asks that you join him at a client event that same night.
Will you be able to say, “Sorry boss, I can’t because I promised my daughter I would take her out tonight as it’s her birthday” or will you bail on your daughter and attend the work event? What do we put as a priority?
Some may say, “But it’s my boss!” Honestly speaking, if I were the boss, an employee who puts family first would have actually earned some brownie points from me.
Because with that, it’s clear where their priorities lie and what is important to them."

It is not just about brownie points. There are intangible gains too. And yes, I agree with him. It is about priority.

So what’s yours?

Who are you to your children?

Coincidentally I was also talking about my attitude towards work a few days ago on Instagram story. The series of stories was inspired by a friend who asked why I am always working late. Why do I put myself up to so much work and evening work events when I am not required or paid overtime to do so. In his words, “No OT what.. Why work? For what?”

First of all, I think we gain something at almost every good* (can be very subjective) networking session or when working on different projects. The output might be what the bosses want but the outcome and any extra learning or goodwill or relationship goes to you. The value of meeting new people and learning new things will be yours to keep and no one can take that away from you even if you leave the organization. These outcomes might make a difference in your life. In fact, this is my secret to life. I would not say I am successful now but I would say that I probably will not be where I am today if not for all the extra hours I have put in my life that no one made me do. It may not pay off immediately but I believe that one day it will. And I have been benefiting from my “investments” from years ago quite a bit these days.

What about spending time with my son? It is about what you want in life.

“You can’t have the cake and eat it too.”

We can’t have the best of both worlds. I choose to work hard on weekdays and spend quality time with my son on weekends even if it means that I have to work late and not see him at all for 5 days in a row .

I’ve shared this more times than I can remember at various talks as well as with friends who have come to me for advice.

I want to be that father whom my son is proud of. That role model. That guy whom he is proud of.

“My dad is the so and so of the company. He has the resources to help our project.” - My son at age 16.

“My dad did this before. Let’s ask him for advice.” - My son at age 24

“Your dad is so cool. I heard he is the so and so right?” - My son’s future friend, Samantha.

“Omg, is that your dad on TV last night? (not crime watch)” - My son’s future friend, Siti

I do not want my son to love me because I can cook for him or bring him to school. I am not looking down on or putting down people who do that. That is just not me. And I am lucky that I have a wife and a family that supports my way of life.

My helper can cook for him, my helper can bring him to school too. Can my son be proud of my helper the same way I want him to be proud of me? Probably no. It might not be a very popular opinion, just like me pulling off my favourite red boots.

I do not want to be the father who tells my son that I used to do this and that for fun but no longer doing them. I do not want to be the father whom my son looks at my old photos and asks me how come I used to be cool but not anymore. I do not want my son to be the reason or excuse for me to stop being myself. I want my son to be the reason I am the best version of myself. Like in every relationship, we make each other better. Not slow us down.

It might not be what my son wants at the end of the day, but what if it is? He does not know it now either. It is the chance I will take.

Quality time vs Quantity time

Steven pointed out that quantity time is important.

"For any kid out there, I believe it is all about the quantity of time.
Any time with their parents is quality time. A child cannot differentiate between quality time and non-quality time.
To them, they just know whether you are there or not there! What would your kids say if you asked them that today? Are you a “there” or “not there” parent?"

I beg to differ. It is all about the balance.

There is no way I can be a happy dad or good dad if I am not happy with my own life. There is no way I can love others if I am unable to even love myself. How can a dad be happy at home just to spend quantity time for the sake of being there when his mind is thinking about work or how poorly he has been performing at work?

It is why I choose to be the best worker I can be from Monday to Friday and when I am with my son, I try my best to keep communication devices away and to focus on him. I am still not very good with this but I’ve set a goal and I am working on it. It is not about just being there physically. There will be days that I am not there. But when I am, I REALLY am.

It is about the process of sharing and nurturing. I am not saying that I am an expert in parenting but this is what I am doing for my son. I really do not see a point of me just being there but be on the mobile phone most of the time. I want to be present.

We all want to be the best worker at work and the best parent at home. It might be easier for some who have already achieved what they want in their careers. It might be a lot tougher on those who are struggling just to bring home the bacon. Whatever our situations are, more importantly is that our heart is in the right place. Take responsibility towards both family and workplace. Nobody says it is going to be easy, but we all try.

If politicians can do their part as workers, parents, and parents to their citizens, I am sure we can. If celebrities can do all the things they are doing and still be an amazing parent, I am sure we can. I do not think I am less than them just because my job is less “important”. I believe we all can as long as we are clear of what we want to achieve and work towards it.

We must find a way to put family first

The only reason why I work so hard IS because I put family first. I want my family to be proud of me. I know I am not there 5 days a week. But hey, you still have 2 days right? LOL.

It is not an excuse. I clearly know if it ain’t because I care about my family, my wife, and my son. I am dead sure I will be somewhere out there in other countries living from pay cheque to pay cheque if it was not because of them. I might not look or sound like one but I probably am a hippie inside.

As employers or even co-workers, we need to understand that everyone has different priorities in life. I cannot expect all my staff or co-workers to work like me simply because of my own choice. But we should not penalize anyone for choosing to spend more time physically with their family.

As a leader, we need to lead with wisdom, take risks and make tough decisions, but above all – exercise compassion when compassion is needed.

The answer to life…

No one has the answer to YOUR life. You fight for what you want. Make the decisions that no one else can make for you. Take your stand regardless of the consequences. Take charge of your own life.

I’ve made mine for now. I am not telling you that my way is the right way for you. I might be wrong, I might regret it, I might grow old and bite my words. Isn’t that the beauty of life? We get to write our own stories and it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

This guy just ain’t giving up. Did you watch his recent Rambo last blood? CRAZY. HE IS 73!

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My First Meet-The-People Session

Me and Minister Ng Chee Meng at my 1st ever Meet-The-People Session.

I’ve heard about the whole Meet-The-People Session (MPS) thing for the longest time but it was actually my first timing being part of it. What did I know about MPS before this? Basically a place for you togo and bang table when you want something lor. 

1. Want your driving offense to go away.
2. Need help with your HDB application.
3. Need help to get your son into a good school. LOL.

That was about all that I knew about MPS. I guess I am one of the lucky ones who does not need help from MPS. Sadly, not every Singaporean are that lucky and privileged. During my observation at MPS, I noticed that there were actually a fair numberof Singaporeans who need help on day-to-day stuff that might not even cross my mind that anyone would need such help (That’s how privileged and ignorant I am. And also kinda guilty). From looking for jobs, getting help with citizenship/PR, getting financial help, complaining about disruptive neighbours and others. 

Truth be told, I was quite beaten emotionally by the end of the day. I was affected that despite Singapore being an advanced society, there are still many people who need help. Of course, at the same time, I also saw a few cases where I would classify them as Singaporeans being entitled. However, when I voiced out my thoughts to some of the more senior helpers at the MPS, they told me that this is what they are there for. To listen and try to help, not to judge who is right or wrong, or even who deserves help. I guess I still have a long way to go in that area. It is amazing how these volunteers can be there every week helping the residents. They also told me that it takes time and they did not start off being all ready and compassionate too. 

I was also quite impressed with how Minister Ng remembers all his volunteers as well as some of the residents. I can hardly remember the people in my own classes or organization but yet as a minister, given the number of people he meets on a daily basis, he makes an effort to remember them. It goes beyond just names, mind you. He even remembers their personal details, family situation and their last conversation!

The rationale of having MPS makes a lot of sense to me after sitting in one of these sessions. It really gave me a lot more understanding of the problems that different Singaporeans are facing and not just via reports but face to face. To look at them in their eyes and to feel for them. 

A conversation I had with my son before heading for MPS.

Why was I there?

Many friends asked me if I was there because I am going to be part of the coming GE LOL. I thank you guys for your support and faith but I don’t think I am MP material now, or anytime soon. I have met many different MPs because of my line of job previously as an online journalist as well as my current role in NTUC, I really do not think we are on the same level.

This is actually part of our induction programme at NTUC. All new staff are encouraged to check out our Labour MPs in action by signing up to observe them during MPS. If this comes as a surprise to you, don’t be. As a Singaporean, you should know the special relationship between NTUC and PAP. Although I am not a part of PAP as an individual, these two organizations have a long running history of supporting each other.

In a recent speech by PM Lee made during NTUC National Delegates Conference, PM Lee described the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and PAP as “twins” and that the system has allowed workers to have influence and interests within it.

From the same article,

“PM Lee said that one of the PAP’s core missions is to advance the well-being and future of workers, a goal that it has shared with NTUC since the conception of both organisations more than 50 years ago — when the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew represented the postal workers’ union as a young lawyer in the early 1950s before he became Singapore’s first prime minister.”

In fact, I remember watching an old video where our late MM Lee mentioned that NTUC and PAP was ONE. At least that was how it was back in the 1950s. It was the same people in the unions who had supported him when PAP was first formed. So the people behind both organisations back then were effectively the same people with the shared vision of fighting for workers. 

Regardless of what naysayers disagree about this system and argue that the system would be more robust if it wasn’t like this, we have seen how both NTUC and PAP have worked together over the years to tide over difficult times and testing the symbiotic relationship. 

This is nothing unusual for unions around the world, you know. Unions either partner political parties, or they form their own. So that they can win seats in the parliament to have a voice for the workers, and so that they can be a part of the nation’s policy-making process.

Like the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL-CIO) supports the US Democratic Party and formed an alliance while some unions form their own political party like the UK Labour Party and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

What is NTUC National Delegates Conference (NDC)? 

So what is this NTUC National Delegates Conference (NDC) that our PM was speaking at? 

It is an event held every four years where delegates discuss issues facing the labour movement and also elected a new central committee. 

The central committee is the planning, policy and executive organ of NTUC.It is essentially the highest decision-making body in the labour movement.

More than 400 delegates from NTUC's 59 affiliated unions elected the new central committee by secret ballot, for a four-year term of 2019 to 2023.

So yup, even as a minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Ng Chee Meng had to win enough votes to be elected into the committee and then nominated and voted to be the Secretary-General of NTUC. As much as we “borrow” the talent from govt, it does not mean that NTUC and the unionists must die-die just say yes to whoever govt allocates to us. Whichever minister the Govt “loans” us, he or she will still need to win votes to get the mandate as our Labour Chief.

So before NDC, there was also a Pre-NDC which is somewhat a retreat format kinda event where unionists come together and let their voices be heard by sharing common problems their members face at work. So a lot of people like to complain about their voices not being heard or our govt do not know the ground, so besides MPS, joining the union is another good platform to be heard. Not everything also need to go to Hong Lim Park lah hor. 

Talking about membership, it was also one of the things that was brought up by Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng. In case you are confused, yes, I am referring to the same person. Mr. Ng Chee Meng, Minister Ng Chee Meng, and also Secretary-General (Sec-Gen) Ng Chee Meng. LOL. 

He pointed out the harsh reality of declining union membership around the world. Most unions around the world are losing their relevance and losing mindshare, especially amongst the young. Worker profiles are changing, we now have more PMETs than rank-and-file workers while it was the reverse in the past. Digital disruption is impacting businesses and the nature of work as well.. How can we as a Labour Movement keep up with the times and face all these new challenges while still continue our core mission of helping workers? Here are some of my takeaways from our Sec-Gen’s speech during NDC.

3Is and D

Innovate, Innovate, and Innovate.

1.Innovating Union Model

Unions have been around for very long. There are a lot of practices that are no longer just simple practices but also known as traditions or even rules if I may. With the changing landscape of workers and times, is it too much for us to look into possible ways to restructure it to help more people according to their needs? Can we have more all-collar unions since it is clearly inevitable that we are just going to have more PMEs in the industry? (For the uninitiated, traditionally unions wereto protect blue collar workers.) Can we innovate and have digital unions? And besides structure, can we have new ways to protect our workers? Instead of just helping them after they get retrenched, how about a taskforce to work upstream by partnering employers to help them in the pre-retrenchment phase? 

As much as unions have been around for so long, there are still a lot more room for us to innovate.

2.Innovating Membership

Like many out there, I never knew what union membership was all about until I started working closely with NTUC some years back. I never saw the importance of it. Nobody ever told me why it is important and more importantly, I never saw the value of being a member.

NTUC’s social enterprises that focused on things such as cheaper groceries, household items, insurance were started in the 70s with the workers in mind. Some 50 years have passed and the focus remains unchanged; workers. However, the needs and wants of workers are no longer the same. So can we reinvent the NTUC membership model to meet today’s needs? How can we bring in new value and privileges that matter to our members across life cycle and even their families? 

The Labour Movement will have to think about these and see how we can partner our Government to ease the issues of an ageing population, ease the burdens of the double-sandwiched Singaporeans and hopefully, encourage more babies as well

3.Innovating Training

This is one thing that I personally feel a lot for. If not because of how kaypo I am by default and how I enjoy attending training and workshops, I will probably not be where I am today. Like I mentioned earlier, I guess I am a lot more privileged when it comes to knowing the right people, doing the right things, and with the right support. Not everyone is that lucky to know what kind of training to seek or even where to start. One of my favorite lines in life, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” 

So NTUC has started Company Training Committee (CTC) implementation earlier this year and we are beginning to see some results. 

The critical pace of technology changes means more disruption and continual learning is required to keep up and hopefully, upskill to maintain a good trajectory of wage increases for workers. It is no longer just about keeping them at their current jobs but also to ensure that there will be career progression for them and also being ready for future job placements as well.

4.The “D” for Digitalisation 

Digitalisation is not just a buzzword to make the organisationn sound cooler or feel sexier. It’s effectively a means to an end. It is about exploiting digital technologies to enable the innovations mentioned above. It is about better serving NTUC’s members and giving them the value they want and deserve in terms of protection, privileges, and progression/placement.

The Journey So Far…

It has been 9 months since I started working with NTUC. The journey has been amazing. I’ve seen things happening on the ground with my own tiny eyes and I’m very fortunate to be able to meet some of the most amazing people who take time out of their busy schedules and volunteer to help others. I might just be a small fry in a big pool of people but the strength of the labour movement is not based just on my personal capacity but what we can do as an organisation. 

There are a lot of things to be done, and there are so many people out there who can benefit from our work. Someone from the organisationasked me recently, “Smith, what drives you?” 

I know it might come out as a bit of a cliche but what drives me is really knowing that what we do as an organisation is helping people and shaping our future. You can laugh at me saying that what can I achieve alone, but the truth is I am not alone in this. We need to have a Dream… We need to be brave and Dare to believe that it is possible… And more importantly, we need to DO IT! 

In case this article is overly boring for you, here’s a nice video by the team – DREAM . DARE . DO.

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Do Good, Do Well, Do More, Do Together.

Me and my mentees monkeying around on HATCH demo day.

Life has been good to me. I've been busy. The good kind of busy. I've been talking a lot. (Not like you guys don't already know.)

What I have been preaching the most these days is this 1 word - Ikigai.

What is ikigai? (It is not a Japanese dish. please.)

If you can read venn diagram, this is IKIGAI.



Image: Toronto Star

Being able to reach the stage of Ikigai is not easy but yet at the same time not impossible.

There are people who obtain Ikigai by picking up multiple roles. Meaning to say that on top of their day job, they will probably have a hobby, volunteer somewhere, perform in public, or maybe have an extra part time job. I think, I believe, I hope, I guess, if I'm not wrong, I am at this stage of my life now. I mean I have a lot less time for myself or just to do silly things but I am happy.



I got involved with this group of youths from HATCH. Who are they?

From their Facebook page:

Hatch is a training and job-matching enterprise aimed at empowering the next generation of youth and companies. We believe that young people from all walks of life have immense potential and can be properly nurtured to enter high growth careers.

I was mentoring 2 of the youths and at the same time friends to many of them. I might not be a trained career mentor or life coach per se but I've a rule that I work with and it works for me.

"Build relationships 1st." 

They will share with you their problems and accept your suggestions once trust is built. That is what friends do. You don't go in and start the session by asking them what problems they have and immediately try to solve their problems for them. As a mentor, I am not a GP. I am not there to just give them medicine and the MC that they want. While the program might be over for now, the relationship stays.

Many people like to ask me why am I so kaypo. How do I find so much time and energy to do all these things that "doesn't matter" (their words, not mine.) I guess doing good is a hobby for me? Like some people likes to go and get a massage, or read a book, or watch a tv program as a form of hobby and feel good. I guess helping others make me feel good? So if you wish to, you too can say that me doing good is really more of a selfish act too since 1 of the objectives is to make myself feel good. I'm not putting anyone down (I am a huge fan of NetFlix) but 80 hours in front of tv only benefits you but 80 hours helping people can mean a lot to others.


From top left to bottom right. Some of my activities in August.

1. My friend Melissa invited me to help out at sunlove home. Actually it was really nothing much. We were there to give out some food as well as interact with some of the residence. It was like for just 2 hours. They were so happy to see us!

2. That's one of my new best friend Cassh. Being friend with him is like sleeping with the devil. You will have the best time with him drinking and clubbing but you will feel guilty when you end your night puking your way home. This picture has almost nothing to do with this article. I just put in there because I want to show you guys that I do have other activities besides working and doing good. LOL.

3. My 1st selfie with our PM LHL. Although it was a work event but it is one that I volunteered to help. (Kaypo again lor.) It is our MS50 ReUnion exhibition launch. A bit shy to ask PM Lee for a proper selfie lah.

4. This last picture is a picture of me and my co-host Pam. In this case, we were both volunteered to be the host for our National Day Observance Ceremony. Fine, we were selected to help. I am glad I said yes though. We took some hours out of work for rehearsal and all but it was so fun! #NoRagrets And if you look closely you can see quite a few ministers and MP in that picture. Always wanted to do this selfie thing with all these people behind me! Bucket List checked!

So I wrote this post halfway since August, but I did not have the time to complete it. And now we are already heading into October. LOL. #productivity

Since I'm at the topic of doing good, I would also like to give a shout out to Maybank's #inspiregoodsg campaign. Nope, this is not a sponsored post. I'm just sharing it because I thought it is a pretty interesting campaign. Like you know, they are obviously a bank and we don't usually associate doing good with banks. LOL. #truestory

So what is this about?

From their official website -

#InspireGoodSG is a social initiative powered by Maybank Singapore
to inspire a wave of good deeds across the country.

As good deeds shouldn’t go unnoticed, we want to
recognise and reward those with a small token of appreciation.
You can choose to redeem your reward or donate it to a charity.

How to join the #InspireGoodSG initiative?

Visit MSpace at Maybank, Orchard to collect your #InspireGoodSG card!

Address: MSpace at Maybank, 321 Orchard Road #01-01/02, Orchard Shopping Centre, Singapore 238866

Date: 27 September 2019 (Friday) to 18 October 2019 (Friday)

Time: 11am to 7pm, Monday to Sunday (Closed on Public Holidays)
1. Pass the #InspireGoodSG card to another person who has done good
2. The recipient scans the QR code on the card
3. Recipient redeems a S$5 reward or donates it to a charity
IT IS THAT SIMPLE! Tell your friends about it and let's scan more and donate more without actually using your own money! HAHAHA..

They also have this livefeed thing which I thought it is pretty cool!



Check out their site for more information - http://www.inspiregood.sg/

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Time Travel Weekend.

Durian Party

Life works in a strange way. Not too sure about how it works for you guys but very often I feel that my life works in full circles. To quote The Oracle from the movie, "The Matrix", (The amount of "the" in one sentence is too damn high.)

"Everything that has a beginning has an end."

I used to visit some of the block parties around my neighbourhood with my mum when I was a kid. Not because I especially like to socialize and meet new people at a young age but maybe more of just accompanying my mum. My mum is very sociable within the community and she always get such invitation. Not to mention the tickets are really cheap and affordable. I used to ask myself how does this "RC" guys earn money when their tickets are so cheap. Of course now I know that they are heavily subsidised for the residents.

So I started the weekend by visiting one of such events with my colleague. In fact I was crashing one of my colleagues' event. Fine, is it weird that I call him a colleague when he is actually also the MP of my mum's GRC? But technically his office is just less than 30 steps from my desk, so....

Technicality aside, Desmond Choo (DC) and I have kinda a strange relationship. Nope, don't worry, we ain't dating. I really don't think I am his type. So DC was 1 of the 1st few MPs that I started working with when I first got in touched with NTUC years ago. To be exact, it was 2 years ago. And then I realised he is the MP that took over Mah Bow Tan and became my mum's MP. To make things even stranger, our kids used to be in the same swimming lesson. Yes, life is strange.



As usual, I digress. So while our good friend Miss Yeo was munching down her durians and mangosteens like a glutton, I got hit by this wave of nostalgia. The party reminded me of myself some good 20+ years ago being at such parties with my mum, sharing a table with some 7-8 other strangers talking, making friends, talking to the MP, and having my fingers crossed hoping to win some lucky draw prizes. I mean the activities and setting reminded me of the whole thing, not because Miss Yeo felt like my mum of course. LOL.

"I can't imagine being an MP." I said.

"I can't imagine YOU being an MP either." She said.  LOL. #BEECH.

I mean the fact about my caliber aside (FML), I cannot imagine the amount of work/time/commitment they need to put in. Can you imagine when everyone was spending time at home with their family on the weekends or weekday nights, the MPs and the ministers are actually out and running about telling people about who to find if they need help with find jobs, with their CPF, with their HDB units, where and when to find him at his MPS, and etc etc.

And besides being an MP, they have their own day job, (In DC's case, like me, he works at NTUC and that is his full time job.) they are also someone's father/mother, son/daughter, hubby/wife. And to make things worse, very often they just get slam by people online right? And I don't even think it is nice of them to visit like siam diu or any nightspots to chill like a normal person.

I mean it is not that they are not allowed to (I think?), but I would imagine if they get spotted at such places, netizen might just go crazy and say shit like, YOU SEE!!! TAKE SO MUCH PAY AND COME HERE DRINK BEER ONLY!. LOL.

OEI!!! MP OR NOT OR WHAT, THEY ARE ONLY HUMAN LAH!!!

I guess it is the kind of satisfaction that one cannot really explain. Like how my friends always ask me why I do voluntary work with some students and youth when I'm already so busy working most of the time. I guess it is the kind of calling in oneself. You got to have it to know it.

NetFlix and Chill

I spent a lot of my rest time in front of the TV. NetFlix and chill is currently the most therapeutic activity for me. Besides watching some of the newer shows, I love how NetFlix will air some classics from time to time. Last weekend's watch was actually this Tim Burton's classic, Edward Scissors hands.  Seth was watching with me and he could not quite wrap his head around this.

"Papa, why are the scissors stuck on his hands?" 

Regardless how old this show is, it is still one of those shows that are so strange but yet an instant classic. I do hope no one is crazy enough to remake it anytime soon. At least not when I am still alive. Please. Thanks. 

Fast And Furious 

Thanks to Carfeels... I picked up my camera once again to shoot some stuff. This is probably one of my favourite pictures from the set. The good people from carfeels no longer just service vehicles but also selling some of these very exclusive Mercedes Benz. Check them out if you are a fan!

This picture looks like some wallpaper right? #professional

Theme Park

Last but not least, of course it has to be family time! We got our USS card some time ago but we were not too confident with Seth being on roller coasters. We have been taking the same old family rides. However, we finally got enough courage to put Seth (It is funny how we got the courage and not him. LOL) on a roller coaster and he actually enjoyed himself! I was so worried that he might start to cry in the middle of the ride but I guess my concern was not necessary after all.

Well I guess that's the weekend for me. How was your weekend?

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Quick and Dirty July Updates - I got a new tattoo!

I know July is hardly over but I just wish to pen down some thoughts so far. And also to show off my new tattoo!

Nope. The image about is not my new tatt! HAHA. That's actually a rubber stamp from the rubber stamp station at the ReUnion exhibition which I shared previously. The rubber stamp was meant for notebooks and tote bag but me being me... I thought it blended in really well with my real tatts. 



This is my real tatt! The millennium falcon! It is probably my favourite movie rides of all time! Followed by DMC DeLorean from Back to the Future and of course the Pussy Wagon from Kill Bill. LOL.

I got this ink for myself as a birthday present!

YES! JULY IS MY BIRTHDAY MONTH!!!!


One of those random pictures taken at one of my parties. I know. I'm 35 this year and birthday shouldn't be a big deal but I guess I'm a lucky man. My friends still make effort to catch up with me for celebrations and it has been going on since late June. You have no clue how much weight I've been putting on just from the food and drinks. Besides my birthday I also started writing again. I haven't been writing much for the last few months. I've no idea why either. So recently I contributed two different articles for two different sites and you can read them from the link below. Will My job Still Be Around in 5 Years Time?THE “STRAWBERRY GENERATION” MIGHT BE BETTER THAN WE THOUGHT.Hopefully I can find my mojo back and write more. Besides that, my life is mostly about work. I haven't been playing much basketball or video games as well. And also shooting. I think I'm quite done with Instagram at the same time. I feel the shift of content once again. In summary - Memes are the in thing and travel pictures are already on the way out. (or already out.) No, I do not have studies on that to show but you read it here 1st. (I think.) Anyway, HAPPY JULY EVERYONE!(August.. I shall get back in shape in August. I think.)  

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ReUnion - An Exhibition by NTUC.

I told myself to blog about something else out of work for my next blog post. Like my current favourite food or the shows I've been watching on NetFlix, (Stranger Things 3 is reallllly good!!) but as I sat down in front of the computer in the middle of the night thinking of what to share, my mind can't help but wander back to something work related. 

ReUnion - An Exhibition by NTUC. Although I'm relatively new to the organisation (as a legit staff), I felt a sense of pride when I stepped into the exhibition for the very first time.

Of course, the intention of this post is not to tell you the full history of NTUC and why we played an important role in Singapore's history. The intention is to show you some of the nice pictures I took at the ReUnion exhibition. Yeah, it is always about me LOL. The exhibition commemorates the 50th anniversary of our watershed event - THE Modernization Seminar.   

So what exactly is the exhibition about? Is it just to talk about NTUC's contribution in/since 1969 and stroke our own ego? I wish I could say yes and just sum the article up now but it is far from that. The exhibition takes you back to the 1940s and through to the current day, and explains the role trade unions played then and now.

You will also get to see some of the interesting artefacts. 

So what exactly happened in 1969? In short, after Singapore's independence in 1965, (you SHOULD know this HARLO!!), many workers felt that trade unions were no longer relevant with the new labour legislations so union membership declined from 120,000 to 90,000. There was a need to re-examine how the Labour Movement should exist to better represent and help workers. And the rest is history. (That you should know and can learn by visiting the exhibition.)

Besides learning about our history, there are also other interesting activities that you can be part of.

Augmented reality application where you can put on Mr. and Mrs. Lee's watch. Why the watch? You gonna be at the exhibition to find out!

A little customized "slide show" showing you some of the very interesting archive images.

Also a GIF Photo Booth! 

Interestingly I've also signed myself up as a volunteer guide with the museum for this event, so if any of you want to visit, DO LET ME KNOW!!!

Details: 

Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Glass Atrium, Level 2. 

Date: 4 July to 10 November 2019. 

Time: Opens daily from 10am to 7pm. 

Fee: Admission is free.

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Smith Leong's 100 Days at NTUC

Who wore it better? My colleagues said that I look more like a chef from 18 chefs.

For those who are unfamiliar, 100th day is an important milestone for the new secretary general (SG) of National Trades Union Congress (NTUC). And no, I’m not the new secretary general (yet) LOL. Current Secretary General, Ng Chee Meng reached that milestone last Sept and got interviewed by Straits Times. Nobody interview me so I own self write own self lor. What to do? 

This article marks my 100th day at NTUC and to say that the journey has been great is probably an understatement. And no, I’m not saying this just because I am with NTUC, or my boss made me do it. I’m truly saying this from the bottom of my heart.

Missing in action 

Now you know this is probably one of the many reasons that I’ve kinda been missing in action on this space. Not because NTUC is overworking me but my focus in life has shifted. For now, more than anything else, I need the headspace to think about my work in the organization. It is not that I am having a writer's block (pfff.. Come on. Writer’s block. Me?) but more so that all I think about is probably just work these days. And maybe you. (Generally, if you think it is you, it is you lor.)

How it happened?

Remember these 2 readers of mine? One of them Whatsapp’ed me and jio’ed me to work at NTUC lor. KIDDING!!! Met these 2 ex-SG during a dialogue some time ago. Yet to have the chance to take one with the current SG despite seeing him often enough during union visits.

If you have been following this space, you would remember reading loads of my adventures over the years, including adventures of me on the ground covering NTUC’s activities such as Project Refresh, Todo Todo, which got me started volunteering as a Career Guide, Job Shadowing a NTUC Health health care worker, and even to visiting a Nursing Home. And no, it has nothing to do with my NTUC Fairprice wedding photoshoot.

Those experiences taught me a lot and got me feeling a lot. (Yes, I am a very emotional cancer so no one should be surprised.) So when my NTUC point of contact aka current boss aka my “jiejie” from NTUC approached me and told me there was an opening that I should apply for, I asked myself why not?

What is my role at NTUC?

I joined the organization formally to do Social Media Training and Community Engagement work. Yea, part of my work is about educating people on better and smarter use of Social Media. The work spans from Social Media literacy to championing staff to play his or her part together with the organization to share the labour movement’s work, to creating Social Media contents to recruit, retain and engage members. You may be surprised by the number of people out there who don’t follow mainstream media. So despite NTUC’s best efforts to push our messages to the public through mainstream media, some people still have no clue what NTUC really does. Many thought we’re just a supermarket (that’s FairPrice btw). Like my friend once told me, SINGAPORE GOT UNION MEH?

The journey so far…

In one word, eye-opening.

One big pull factor for me to join the labour movement is the opportunity to be a part of something bigger. Much bigger and more impactful than my past work in the private sector. It is not just about chasing numbers and closing sales, or pairing social media influencers with clients so that they can selfie themselves holding some face cream next to their prettily made-up faces. It’s about what we can do to help workers.

I can’t be an effective trainer if I don’t know enough. So since I joined NTUC 100 days ago, I’ve always been that kaypo new staff who tries to gate-crash other people’s events so I can see more with my own eyes, feel it, and then advocate it. How can I sell something that I do not believe or feel right about? Actually given the way I tell story, I kinda think I could but that’s not the point. LOL. #shameless I know.

So what have I learnt about the labour movement’s work in these 100 days?

In a nutshell, we are fighting for 3 things that are the basics of what every worker needs - Wages, Welfare and Work prospects. Simple concept of fighting to give every worker a better job, better pay and better life. It is a simple concept that everyone can understand, but yet at the same time it’s something that is not exactly easy to achieve alone. There are different reasons why people have jobs. Some say they work for passion but more often than not how many people can say that? So the most basic reason why people work is for Wages. You need to be fairly compensated for your work, your experience, and of course the value you bring to the company.

What about Welfare? Some of you might be thinking about your bonuses, medical coverage, or whether you get to fly business class for work trips. Sometimes we lead a life so comfortable that we take things for granted and not see the smaller things that matter? For example, some months ago, Labour MP, also my ex-teacher, Mr. Zainal Sapari highlighted the importance of having proper rest areas for low wage workers. For most of us who have worked at an office building would probably have seen it before. How some cleaning aunties and security officers are given tiny rest areas with bad ventilation, if any. In fact, I’ve even seen some who have to resort to eating at stairwells or even on the steps of MRT stations. Have you considered the fact that they work at the same office building for as many hours as we do? But while we have own workstations, most of these low-wage workers do not even have a proper place to put their bags, let alone a space to rest and eat. They may be blue-collared workers but they are no lesser than any of us. If we don’t champion for their rights, who will? Believe, you, me, small changes like this can go a long way. The workers will rest better and be less prone to falling sick with a better working environment. They’re likely to be more motivated to work too. This too will benefit companies from lower absenteeism and lower staff turnover. That’s a win-win, isn’t it?

Work prospects. We all want better jobs, but how do we do it? Yes, the government has given us SkillsFuture Credits, and I’m a big fan of this initiative. But let’s be honest with ourselves here, how many of us actually did use the $500? Even for those who have utilized your SkillsFuture Credits, how many of you spent it on something that actually helps you in your employability or with your work? I recall moderating a dialogue and someone asked what was the point of training. He went for a course and HR did not increase his pay anyway. But do we only upskill and upgrade ourselves only if a pay raise comes along with it?

We live in a VUCA world now and digitalisation is disrupting every industry with lightning speed, and there is also economic uncertainty brought about trade wars and geo-politics in the region, we cannot bank on our companies and our jobs to be permanent. No one can guarantee that the lifestyles that we’ve been enjoying will be here forever if we are not prepared for disruption. The more versatile and multi-skilled we are, the more adaptable we will be. Property market, stock market, and job market… any or all of this might crash one of these days, and we can’t just be waiting for government handouts to stay afloat. To quote the House Stark, winter is coming.

Our best and only chance of staying afloat is to be prepared. We have to make sure that we are ready for all the future jobs so that even if we lose our current jobs, we will be ready for the next job immediately.

One of NTUC’s recent initiatives is the Company Training Committees (CTCs). CTCs is a joint effort that comprises management staff and union leaders, to help nurture "Worker 4.0". It is not just about going for courses to fulfill HR’s KPI. It is a joint effort to identify what is best for workers and the organization to digitalise and transform to Industry 4.0. CTCs are so that workers can stay updated, acquire skills, earn better pay, when they effectively help their organizations to increase their productivity or revenue. It is one of those things that I tell my mentees a lot before they go for job interviews, “Before you ask what the organization can give you, why not first ask how you can add value to the company?” The only way everything gets better is when it is a win-win situation. NTUC believes in this, and advocates understanding from both employers and workers, and help to facilitate such that all the stakeholders come together to win together.

One of my favourite activities since joining NTUC has gotta be our Secretary General’s union visits. Yea, He visits all of the unions, one by one, spending time to listen to their concerns and challenges and he also takes the chance to update the unions what NTUC has been working on. During these union visits, I get to hear concerns from a diverse group of workers of different demographics from different industries. Most are very real, and some are really very interesting. 

I’m not at liberty to share the information, but all I can say is that what we read online ain’t always the true representation of what the ground feels. cough* statutory cough* retirement cough* age cough*.

In my short 100 days here at NTUC, I’ve come to understand that regardless of your life stage or career stage, as long as you are willing to be helped, you will get help. Simply because #everyworkermatters.

My new family

I can’t stress enough the importance of having good co-workers. We work hard and we play hard. Life is no bed of roses and there are some days that are not as good as others. I would be lying if I am telling you that I’m feeling 10/10 on a daily basis at work. These people make life a lot enjoyable. My boss would ask me on a weekly basis, “How happy are you?”

I’m a social animal and I need my dose of social activities and these guys are giving me what I need. Considering the fact that I’ve known some of these people for more than 3 years now, it is actually not difficult for me to settle in comfortably. Regardless of whether they’re from my same team or not, everyone has been very helpful and ever-ready to offer support and opportunities.

Erm… I do strange things in office sometimes. Sometimes only, I swear.

I know I’m kinda a creep, I’m kinda of a weirdo who sometimes does kinda strange things in the office. I would like to thank everyone for accepting me for who I am. Or at least ignore me for the times I break into dance at my desk for no reason at all. LOL.

I don’t want this to sound like one of those blog posts I write when I am leaving the company, hurhur… But hey, it is what it is, and thank you, everyone! I really appreciate everyone so far. Those random after-work dinners, coffee runs during office hours, silly little texts during the day (and NIGHT, LOL!), daily lunches that are filled with laughter, all the pointless office shenanigans, and even work events in the evenings or even over weekends... I enjoy every bit of it. I guess I am pretty lucky. I’m a STAR! But, no lah, I do not cry cry cries in my lonely heart. (Get the reference? Congrats if you do not. It means you are pretty young. Still.)

Challenges

I also teach people how to play with their food during lunch time.

I’ve been self employed for a very big part of my life and there is a slight curve when it comes to the transition. Not exactly a big one but yes there is one. MY OFFICE OUTFIT. SERIOUSLY GUYS!!!! You have no idea how many people who knew me from before were laughing at me during my first week at work. “LOL! WHY ARE YOU IN SHIRT AND PANTS!!!” Because I need to uphold my professional image and also because it is in my staff handbook lah!! OIE!

Many of my friends have asked me if the red tape is killing me. Guess everyone knows and assumes that bureaucracy is inevitable in big organizations. Looks can be deceiving. Many people assumed that I’m the sort who cannot live with rules and systems. But hey, I actually am the guy who enjoys systems and proper processes. If there is no system in place, how can I know what boundaries there are and where my playgrounds and sandboxes are? LOL. Jokes aside, I suppose I’m also very lucky to have very open-minded boss and boss’ boss, and they have both given me more freedom than I’d expected to explore and do things my own way. No, it’s not like I just go in and smile and I get things my way (I know I’m cute but life ain’t THAT easy). Of course I justify my actions and why I want certain things certain ways.

Moving Forward.

I know it is kinda fast to ask any girl to marry you just after dating for 3 months but I do see myself being part of this for a long time. I know it is too early to say but the truth is I am really enjoying my time there, my work, the opportunities given, and of course the people. Whatever may come, I am ready. (I think?)

I really hope that I can do more for the organization and the people. I also hope to see everyone taking more pride in being part of the organization, care more about our work, and share more of NTUC’s work with their own friends and network so that more people knows what is happening and more people will come forward to both help and receive help.

I may just be one of the many workers in the organization but I sure hope I wouldn’t be just another face in the crowd. And also not screw anything up. LOL.

And If this article is too boring for you, here’s some OOTDs to make your time worst worth.

xx,

Smith 

( I promise I will try to update this space a little more from time to time.)

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