My very first dog

His name is cookie. A real bundle of joy

Tipping point

Let him run

The Right Job

Find it and you will never really work again

So, I believed

If there is a defining characteristic of a man compared to a boy, maybe its patience

I believed in belief, for its own shining sake. To believe in the face of utter helplessness ,every article of evidence to the contrary, to ignore apparent catastrophe - What other choice was there? We do it every day, I realized. We are so much stronger than we imagined, and belief is one of the most valiant and long-lived human characteristics. To believe, when all along we know that nothing can cure the briefness of this life, that there is no cure for this brief mortality, that is bravery.

To continue believing in yourself, believing in the doctors, believing in the treatment, believing in whatever I chose to believe in, that was the most important thing, I decided. It had to be.

Without belief, we would be left with nothing but an overwhelming sense of impending doom, every single day. and it will beat you. I didnt fully see, until the cancer, how we fight every day against the creeping negatives of the world, how we struggle daily against the slow lapping of cynicism. Dispiriedness and disappointment, these were the real perils in life, not some sudden illness or cataclysmic millenium doomsday. I knew now why people fear cancer; because its a slow and inevitable death. It is the very definition of cynicism and loss of spirit.

So, I believed

Lance Armstrong, Its not about the bike; My journey back to Life

Reflection on my career

I thrived on praise more than most and so I sought to please. But was also willing to take greater risks than if I had felt deeply properietary about my career. For e.g. I disobey superirors, which made them sit up and take notice more quickly than if i had been a good soldier...


Liar's Poker

Marshall's Law

From a interview with the late David Marshall (Lexean: The Chauvinism Issue)

"If ten men tell you your head is not on your shoulders, shake it and make sure. Dont accept it. Just shake it and make sure"

"We have lost sight of the joy and excitement of public service, helping our fellow men. We have lost the taste for heroic action in the service of our people"

"Our lives are empty. We dont understand the joy of living is not in the gold coins. It is not in the bank account. The joy of living is in human relations. We are not in the appreciation of this miracle of life"

"All youths, no matter what race, no matter what country, goodwill flows from their hearts. THey want to help the world, but by the time you reach 30, your goodwill, like good wine, turns to vinegar - the vinegar of crabbed egoism"

"If you are totally engrossed in self-promotion, at the end of the day, you'll find its dead seafood. Try and give up yourselfs to others"

A New Beginning

Part II of my life?

再別康橋- 徐志摩

This poem kept appearing in my mind as I was leaving...

再別康橋- 徐志摩

輕輕的我走了，

正如我輕輕的來；

我輕輕的招手，

作別西天的雲彩。

悄悄的我走了，

正如我悄悄的來；

我揮一揮衣袖，

不帶走一片雲彩。

The Loss of a Great Player

This is not good.

Henry insisted Arsenal had a bright future. He told the club’s website: “I don’t believe what everybody is saying about the club collapsing, having a lack of players
and everyone leaving. “The team here is growing and there is some amazing
talent.” “I do think this is the right time for Robin van Persie, Emmanuel
Adebayor and Nicklas Bendtner, who is coming back from Birmingham, to shine,”
Henry added.“I would like to say to you that you have been tremendous for me and I really do appreciate it,” he explained.“I am shaking as I say this. I will always remember you and I will have you in my head and my heart.”

Stay Hungry Stay Foolish

I have been thinking what I have learnt in the past year. I have indeed learnt a lot in the technical sense, about Black Scholes model, about Greeks, about Vasicek Model etc. These are indeed very important and will be extremely important in my career.

But I have been thinking. I think I have learnt much more in the non technical sense than from the books. We have great professors here at LBS. Great classmates. Great school. But what they taught me is far more than that. I have learnt, by coming to London alone, that I can be alone. Overseas. And be happy. This is a personal breakthrough for me. And I think I will benefit greatly from it. To venture into the unknown, To do things I thought I could never do. To take risks. Life is all about risks isnt it?

The second I learnt is what is life all about. I have not figured out the answer yet and I figured I will never know until the day I die. But I do know I have the courage to find out and to enjoy the process of life much more than before. No longer is each test just a paper to me. I realised I actually enjoy the process. I want to enjoy the process. Cos isnt that what life is all about?

My professor just sent us the last email for exam preparation. Inside it was a speech by Steve Jobs which was indeed inspiring...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3014637678488153340

"Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

"I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life."

"I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle."

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

The Day I have been waiting for

1st July 2007.. but yet I have mixed feelings...

When to quit

Thats a gambler's problem: when to quit.

Just watched a BBC commentary on gambling. Interviewed a couple of people and why they gamble. A doctor lost over USD4 mil over 7 yrs and she is still there at the slot machines as one of their most valued customers. Another salesman was up USD15k in his first night boasting its all about discipline but lost that and another over 20k and then admitted he lost his (discipline). His mate who seemed to be enjoying himself said everyone will be alright if they stick to his limit. You win 4/5k this time but may win the same amount the next; although logic will tell you everyone will lose over their lifetime (quoting "just look at the tall buildings". Another high roller came in and said life is all about taking risks. We dont have to lose, stop that self defeating attitude!

Gambling makes perfect sense, when you are winning. Where else can you make 15 hundred dollars in an hour? The casinoes play a seduction game that most people cannot resist.

Strawberry Picking in London!

The strawberry shrubs were much smaller than I thought. But it was great fun..and really fresh and sweet too...

http://www.parksidefarmpyo.co.uk/

Power of the tongue

Power of the Tongue
TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. - Proverbs 18:21

Words have the power to motivate or destroy, energize or deflate, inspire or create despair. Many successful executives can remember the time their father failed to give affirmation to them as a child. The result was either overachievement to prove their worth, or underachievement to prove he was right.

Many a wife has lost her ability to love because of a critical husband. Many a husband has left a marriage because of words of disrespect and ungratefulness. Stories abound regarding the power of words. There are just as many stories of those who have been encouraged, challenged, and comforted with words that made a difference in their lives.

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004)

How happy is the blameless Vestal’s lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot;
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray’r accepted, and each wish resign’d.

The joy of guanxi

Smart moves from China (breakingviews.com)

China's economic strategy may be outsmarting Hank Paulson
and his US colleagues. Tariffs on steel exports will disarm critics
in Congress. But they will also make Chinese steel products
more competitive. Meanwhile its stake in Blackstone, while
questionable on investment grounds, buys Beijing more
influence in Washington. This looks like a good example of
guanxi, the Chinese technique of using connections to achieve
one's ends, in action.
Conventional economic theory holds that to maximise economic
growth and raise the living standards of its people, a country
should allow free movement of capital, permitting the exchange
rate to float upwards, while removing subsidies and tariffs,
domestic and international, which distort the price mechanism.
China is not doing that. Instead it keeps the renminbi exchange
rate artificially low. Although the currency has climbed
somewhat against the dollar, its trade-weighted exchange rate
has devalued in recent years. That has caused an excessively
large trade surplus, which would normally bring retaliation from
trading partners. China is now engaged in a two-pronged
strategy to lessen the chances of a sharp US response.
First, Beijing has imposed tariffs on steel exports. At first glance,
this move looks as if it is intended to disarm the lobbying of the
politically powerful US steel industry. The effect will be to raise
world steel prices. But this could actually advantage China's
domestic manufacturers which will enjoy lower steel costs. This
should benefit its fast growing automobile industry.
Second, the Chinese government is engaged in a "strategic
dialogue" with Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson. This dialogue
should reinforce Paulson's own anti-protectionist beliefs.
Moreover, Beijing's substantial stake in Blackstone could turn
out to be a smart move. The buyout firm's partners are major
donors to New York Senator Charles Schumer, who is the
strongest advocate of tariffs on Chinese imports. Neutralising
Schumer is well worth $3bn.

Notting Hill

"For June who loves this garden,
From Joseph who always sat beside her
Some people do spend their whole lives together"

Some old movies are as nice as ever.

The aim is not just to win this trophy...

Not a big fan of Liverpool but they seem to have a good manager at the helm. Benitez. Impressed.

I feel we are going in the right direction but this final is just a stopping point on the way to where we want to be.

'A second Champions League final in three seasons shows what can be done but we want to achieve even more.

'This is going to be an important summer because we want to maintain our progress and keep going forward next season.

'Another European Cup would be very welcome but the aim is not just to win this trophy, it is to be stronger all round, so we can make a better challenge for the Premiership next season.'

I followed my heart today

Oh boy, I did the unthinkable today. Right after I woke up, I use Skype to inform the person. Never thought I have the courage to do that. Didnt sleep well last night because of that. And to my horror, I felt even more lost after doing that. But strangely, after a beer with my classmate this afternoon, I felt a sense of relief. I am almost certain I made the right decision and I am proud to say I did it!

Checks and Balances

Under communism, Ukrainian firms were run along autocratic lines. An individual director might be good or bad, plodding or inspired, but what he said was law for the firm. Firms in America or Europe are, in contrast, coalitions, prducts of the 18th century political theory of checks and balances that underlies the American Constitution. Standing behind the inspired inventor is an accountant asking what it will cost, a marketing director asking how pple will be persuaded to buy it. These are frustrating voices for the creative thinker or investor to hear and its sometimes tempting to think that the modern society would be better off without them. Inventors and entrepreneurs can often be seen on television bemoaning the pettifogging constraints of bankers, accountants and bureaucrats who prevented them from taking their creativity to truly great heights. They deserve as much skeptism as the politicians who bemoan the constraints placed on them by advisors, bureucrats and voters. A look at the mess made in the factory in Kiev in enough to dispel this fantasy

- Excerpts from The Company of Strangers - A natural history of economic life
by Paul Seabright

How will you go on when the applause dies down?

The Mountain

Why Climb? - Beyoond the Summit - Todd Skinner

We cannot lower the mountain, therefore we must elevate ourselves.

We climb the mountain not to stand on top, but to gain from the ascent. Choose your mountains according to what you desire to gain, and how that gain will contribute to your further ascent. True success is not defined simply by how far you go, but by how much farther what you have gained will allow you to go.

Success is often defined externally by traditonal currencies: money, fame, prestige, applause. But there hallmarks of success are frequently by products of true success, of doing something very well anbd to pursue the reward while trying to bypass the solid foundation of enduring success often results in a bad ending, as illustrated by the number of bankrupt companies in the news.

If you allow your success to be defined solely by a consensus of merit, your choice of mountains will be limited to only those others recognise and find valuable. You will be the thousandth to be carried up the easy route on Everest, rather than the first to climb some unnamed spire in outer Mongolia that will truly further your lifelong ascent. You will be applauded more for climbing Everest, but applause can be one of the greatest saboteurs of aspiration. To gain applause, all you need is to satnd a little higher than your fellow peers. You are given a sense of arrival, bringing your climbing to a standstill, while your lifelong ascent is asking for departures. And if all you seek is accolodes, how will you go on if the applause dies down?

Ceiling Leak

My attempt to divert the drip which is falling directly on my bed to the side of the World. Seems to be working. The leak is supposed to stop by the end of the day so lets hope it is the case

My very first Premier League Match

At the Cottage. Fulham vs Blackburn Rovers. 21 April 2007. Great atmosphere!

My very first green bean soup

Green Bean Soup

Green Bean SoupIngredients:

* 300g Green Mung Beans
* 1.5L Water
* 6 Pandan Leaves
* Rock Sugar to taste (approx 75-100g)

Method:

1. Wash the green beans in running water.
Remove dirt and discolored beans.
2. Place beans and 1.5L water in a large pot (cover with lid).
3. Bring water to boil then reduce heat o simmer.
4. Wash pandan leaves, cut off dead edges and tie into a bundle.
5. Place pandan leaves & rock sugar into the boiling water.
6. Simmer for 60-80 minutes until the beans have expanded out of their skins and are soft & fluffy. Add more water if needed.
7. Add more sugar if desired.
8. Can be served hot or cold.

Barbarians at the Gate

Some snipplets from the really good book "Barbarians at the Gate"

"What we've did is the best thing, not the right thing; Its the smart business thing to do"

"He wanted to shout "you bastards!" but held the tongue. He had always told his partners that once you lose your temper, you lose the deal"

"We are not comparable. When I started this business years ago, I said I wanted to be the best. I dont care about being the biggest. If you think the biggest is the best, go away. You belong with Kravis. Our returns are three and four times the returns they lie about getting."

"There is no deal with those guys. That was something we had to do. It had to be done and now we're finished. We need your help. We'd like to work with you."

The importance of a reputation

Ruttenberg told Forstmann something the younger man will never forget. " I have a reputation, its all I have, and I don't wannt to lost that reputation," he said, and Forstmann embraced that principle as a creed.

- Barbarians at the gate

My back..

Hurt my back again without knowing, how, where or why...Argh... Was it my backpack in Scotland, the long train journey back on those not so comfortable seats? Or was it the one day computer game marathon I spent on my bed? I dont know, I just hope it gets better soon, going to the pharmacy to find something for it later...

Getting patriotic, in London

Today is my last day of my exams and I was having a really relaxing lunch with some of my classmates until one of them, from China, actually challenged Singapore's democracy. I was kinda surprised and of course, put up a strong defense (hopefully not too strong to offend!) of my beloved country and my french classmate actually told me he was really impressed by my short speech :> But the whole issue did get me thinking. Why is the perspective of Singapore a bit tainted? esp from a foreigner perspective? It also got me thinking about whether I should do more for my country. Becos the fact of the matter is; If I dont, as a citizen of my small island state, and continue to be politically indifferent. Then who will? Perhaps my efforts at charity should also focus on just my country too. Am I getting overboard?

The dawn of freedom

Finally, its the night before the final paper of the exams. Gosh am I looking forward to it. Its been such a hectic semester. Hmm.. now what am I going to do during the holidays besides finishing the lousy project... Should I take the really quant electives and make my life miserable next sem..Loads of things to think about.. after tomorrow..

I am really impressed

I dont get impressed easily and I am usually not a big fan of public figures in high places. But I think she is really impressive. A really good article which touches on what is important. Some really good old wisdom in there.

MANY PERM SECS, JUST ONE MUM ...
It is a privilege, says this
high-flying career woman, to be
a part of her son’s cancer battle
As the first female Permanent Secretary in Singapore,
Ms Lim Soo Hoon was named Her World Woman of the
Year 2006. The 49-year-old was honoured early this
month not so much for her high-flying job but largely for
how she coped with, and her poignant sharing of, her
older son Samuel’s battle with Hodgkin’s disease, a
cancer of the lymphatic system. The mother of two teenage
boys published “Sam: A Mother’s Journey of Faith”, a
compilation of her letters to family and friends, last July.
In January, two weeks after Samuel encouraged her to
accept the award, the 17-year-old had a relapse and is
undergoing treatment. Ms Lim talks to JASMINE YIN
(jasmine@mediacorp.com.sg) about motherhood and
says she is privileged to share in his ordeal.
Why ask Samuel if you should accept the award?
The first two things about the award that came to my
mind were vanity and pride. I felt I could not accept
it for those reasons. I needed to ask Sam for his goahead
because he is a key reason why the award was
given to me. After I thought it over, I felt this would
be a good opportunity to share how I feel about God’s
love. Sam said: “Mum, go for it.”
How would you describe your journey as a mother
since Sam was diagnosed with cancer in 2004?
It has been a frightful journey and I was quite devastated.
There were days when I wallowed in self-pity,
like when I saw kids around Sam’s age out and about,
happy-go-lucky, I’d think: “Oh, Sam is not doing that
today.” It’s dangerous to do too much of this. It is important
to count your blessings.
During a visit to the National Cancer Centre in
January 2005, we were reading newspaper reports
about the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami while waiting
for his blood test results. There were signals that
maybe treatment was not progressing as well as it
should. But when you read about the tsunami victims,
it dawned immediately on me that God is so
good to me. There are people going through worse
situations and at least I still have Sam. We felt
privileged in the journey because we got to know
God and to feel the love of so many people around
us. It brings home what is really important.
During a radio interview for the book, Sam said
it took cancer for him to realise what is important in
his life. He said: “I wish you all won’t have to go
through cancer to realise what is important in your life.”
Why do you say you defer to him a lot more now?
He was 14 when he was first diagnosed and I really mothered
him. Now he is 17, a young adult. I have to learn
to let go and give him space.
I think other parents in a similar situation need
to take into account their children’s views. I sometimes
feel they are more mature than we think because
they have to grow up very quickly.
In your acceptance speech, you said support
from your workplace has been a big help.
I share about my situation quite openly with my office,
because of the times when I need to take leave to be
with my son for treatment. So, they won’t have to wonder:
How come this Perm Sec always disappears now
and then? (Laughs) People have told me not to worry,
that they will take care of things for me. Support has
been tremendous from my colleagues and bosses.
I hope this will encourage people with similar
personal problems to share them because such support
is necessary. For me, at least I don’t have to
worry about the financial part. But you never know about
your more junior staff. If you keep it to yourself, the
burden will be very difficult to handle.
How do you reconcile work and family?
I think it’s crazy to try to be a supermum or superwoman.
I always tell people I can’t do certain things
and I don’t pretend that I can. So, I outsource. When
my children want food, they won’t come to me, unless
it is, “Mum, buy (food)!”
I never sent my two boys to all kinds of classes
when they were younger. Some people I talked to gave
me the impression that I was a bad mother. But I find
it hard to make them do something they don’t like.
There is no single prescription for everyone. It
depends on the individual. I try to spend as much time
with them as I can, like going to bed when they do
and waking up much earlier to do my stuff.
There can be many permanent secretaries but
only one mother for Samuel and Russell Chan.

Capacity to help others

"I will never starve;And maybe even the capacity to help others. Thats a comforting thought" Msg from a friend

Homework is hard

You know your homework is getting harder when no information can be googled off the internet any more...

End of Winter

A lot of people talked about the days getting longer, getting warmer, specific dates that the winter is coming to an end; but these views kinda differ from people to people especially on the temperature bit which can swing from day to day. But someone just pointed out something which is not that subjective; Nature; Green green buds have started to form on trees and that is the best way that nature is telling us that the cold cold winter is finally drawing on an end

Wow (again)

Its been five months since I arrived in London in Sept. How time flies. Looking back, its been a good five months, seen and learnt so many new things, especially about myself. I have reached the half way mark of my course. In another 5 months, I will be on the way home. Better treasure it while it lasts, instead of complaining how heavy the workload is.

Wow

Every so often you experienced something so new.. so delightful.. there is only one word for it

Wow.

Snowing in london

Its snowing in London!! Just a bit though. No wonder its so cold!!!

So cooold

You know its really cold when your ears ache when you stay outdoors

A job, the job, your job

We often hear people say I took a job I hate in order to make a lot of money, so someday I can quit and do what I love to do. Thats a big mistake. Dont waste your life on a job that doesnt expresses your heart. Remember the greatest things in Life are not things. Meaning is far more important than money. The richest man in the World once said "A simple God fearing life is far better than a rich life with a tonne of headaches."

Why are we here?

We were put on earth to make a contribution, to make a difference with our lives. We are healed to help others. We are blessed to be a blessing. We are saved to serve, not sit around and wait for Heaven

================

Hank Paulson's decision to give away almost all of his $800m fortune is one of the most powerful philanthropic messages in recent years. Sure, it is dwarfed by the fortunes given away by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. But this is one of the most dramatic donations by somebody who made his money in the heart of Wall Street. And that's symbolic given that financial markets are where many of the world's biggest fortunes are currently being made. Paulson's donation - which has heightened visibility because he is now US Treasury Secretary - is a welcome antidote to the greed that is still predominant on Wall Street and in the City of London. Not that Paulson's gift would have surprised the founders of Goldman Sachs. They believed that: "Wealth creation for your clients and yourself is good, ostentation is appalling and philanthropy is expected." Paulson, who is a devout Christian Scientist and a keen environmentalist, took this mantra to heart. His fortune is reportedly being channelled to Bobolink, his environmental charity. He memorably said that he loved his two children too much to give them all his money. Nor is Paulson's decision to give generously unique in financial markets. Many hedge fund managers who collectively constitute the fastest-growing group of super-rich in the world have given generously to charity. But, for every philanthropist, there are many more traders and bankers queuing up to spend their bonuses on the latest Ferrari. There is also the conspicuous consumption of Russian oligarchs like Roman Abramovich, who has reportedly commissioned a 550ft yacht to add his existing flotilla. The name, Eclipse, seems almost designed to ram home how rich he is. Recent years have seen a widening gulf not just between the rich and the poor but between the super-rich and the ordinary middle classes. This inevitably creates envy and social tensions. Philanthropy isn't the only answer to the problem. But it certainly helps.

Refuse to give up

Be patient and persistent. Let the process goes on until your endurance is fully developed and you will find that you have become men of mature character..with no weak spots. Character building is a slow process. Whenever we try to avoid or escape the difficulties in life, we short circuit the process, delay our growth and actually end up with a worse kind of pain- the worthless type that accompanies denial and avoidance.

Sympathy

Another great excerpt

Sympathy neets two fundamental human needs: the need to be understood and the need to have your feelings validated. Every time you understand and affrim someone's feelings, you build fellowship. The problem is that we are often in so much of a hurry to fix things we dont have time to sympathise with people. Or we are too preoccupied with our own hurts. Self pity dries up sympathy for others.

What matters most

Excerpts from "The Purpose Driven Life"

"No matter what I say, what I believe and what I do. I am bankrupt without love."

- I Corinthians 13:3b

"Its not what you do, but how much love you put into it that matters"

- Mother Theresa

"When life on earth is ending, people dont surround themselves with objects. Its not about your medals,your awards or the gold watch you were given. What we want around us is people - people we love and have relationships with."

The most desired gift of love is not chocolates or roses or diamods. Its focused attention. Love concentrates so intently on another that you forget yourself at that moment.

Whenver we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone. Never tell your neighbour to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now.

Why is now the best time to express love? Because you dont know how long you will have the opportunity. Circumstances change. People die. Children grow up. You have no guarantee of tomorrow. If you want to express love. You had better do it now.

And my favorite part:

The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love, is now.

Managed to dig up my farewell email

My dear friends,

How time flies. I came in as blur blur trainee officer 5 years ago and now. I will be leaving the organisation in a couple more hours time. In Sept later this year, I will be going to London to pursue a postgraduate degree in finance. Its been great knowing you all and thanks for all your patience and guidance. It will be a lie if I say I dont feel sad leaving this place. Shall we stay in touch pls? Do let me know if you drop by in London or anything..I am always good for coffee (will prob be hanging around in Singapore for the next 3 months...Do you envy me??)

Cheers and take care



I will leave you with this note on Happiness
'For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one.'

I am so touched by a passage written by a good friend

2006 年5月26日是庆和在金管局工作的最后一天。他给同事们发了一则充满感性的告别电邮，除了感谢他们的提携及合作，还谦虚地说：“数小时内，我即将离开这栋大厦了。回想五年前初来金管局，我还是只懵懵懂懂的菜鸟。。。”

五年前庆和刚从大学毕业，就申请到金管局工作。当时新加坡的经济不景，金管局聘用员工人数不但很少，条件也非常严格。庆和能够在那时进入金管局工作，证明他具有一定的实力。

庆和的第一份差事，就是加入Adeline 带领的稽核小组，对某家银行进行现场检查。他积极地学习并勤奋地工作。旁人都可感受到他对工作的热忱和喜悦之情。可是不幸的事情却突然发生了。

有一天早晨，他接到家里的电话，立刻脸色大变，泪水纵流，声音喑哑。Adeline 等他的情绪稍微纾缓之后，才问明缘由。他哽咽着说：“我父亲刚去世。。。”他再也说不下去了。之后我们全队联袂到他家吊丧。他说：“父亲多年卧病在床，家境不是很好。如今我有了工作，原以为可以减轻家里的负担，哪知父亲却在这个时候撒手西归。” 言下不胜唏嘘。我们从他的话语中体会到他的孝心和遗憾。

他后来加入 Kek Tin带领的稽核小组。她对这位衣着朴素，格子高瘦的年轻同事的办事能力和工作态度也颇为赞赏。有一次，庆和与Jee Meng 同组共事。前者好学不怠，后者则诲人不倦。两人凑在一起，正是如鱼得水，后来都成了好友。

其时，中国人民银行派遣第三批代表团来新加坡学习银行监督业务。庆和与Lau Lee Chin 受委负责接待事宜。他们尽心尽力把既繁重又琐屑的接待工作办得很好。

不久，金管局改组，庆和被派到综合机构部（CI）负责信用风险的管理事宜，Kek Tin，Adeline 和Jee Meng则去了银行监督部(BD)，从此各有所属。数年后，他成功申请转到储备管理部负责管理美国债券。他由于工作表现优异而被擢升为经理。

五年后的今天，他为了全面提升自己在财务管理方面的专业水平，于是提出辞呈，预备到英国去深造。菜鸟已经变为鸿鹄，准备展翅高飞了。他临走时，我去电邮赠以“自强不息”四字。那是他的母校华中的校训，就镶在华岗的山坡上。他立刻回复说： “多年没见到这个成语了。”其实，这个成语一直都没离开过他，而是存活在他的心中。