Sunday, September 30, 2012

Victòries


A Luis Suarez hat-trick and goals from Steven Gerrard and Nuri Sahin ended Liverpool's worst start to a season for 101 years as they destroyed Norwich City 5 - 2 at Carrow Road in the Premier League on Saturday. After drawing twice and losing three times in their opening five games under new manager Brendan Rodgers, Liverpool started the day in the relegation zone. Hopefully, better days are to come :)

Summer As


Retrenchment at Tesco Malaysia

Tesco Malaysia has made a surprising announcement internally today. CEO for Malaysia, Mr. SH Do from Korea announce a plan to restructure, standardizing job grading and transfer of jobs to Tesco's global outsourcing hub, Hindustan Service Center (HSC). These 3 moves are then translated into streamlining structure, demoting and change in benefits, and finally, redundancies. As expected, the announcement is not welcomed by the management level with not a single question being raised. This announcement was made in support of Tesco's regional Human Resource Director, Ms Ann Bell, which was present as well. “This move will transform Tesco Malaysia to be more efficient to deliver its customer promises” said SH Do. While most industry player sees this as a step backwards for Tesco Malaysia, SH Do remain positive with the move. "The savings and efficiencies created enable Tesco Malaysia to deliver cheaper and better products to its shoppers" said SH Do. There is currently no details being provided till now on the personnel impacted by this drastic move nor has there been a number presented on the numbers of impacted personnel. It is rumored to be within 150 to 200 retrenchment or demotions. “Further details of the structure and work leveling will be made available on next Friday, 21st September" said SH Do. It is also rumored that no senior members or expatriate is impacted in this exercise. 100% impacted parties will be local Malaysian.

When I heard & read this news – I feel so Blessed, so Blessed.
Thank You GOD, Praise To The Lord, Bless You GOD. This year, on a personal level, I think I have achieved a lot, what I wanted to do in my Bucket List…but when it comes to my career & work…somehow, a lot of things turn up unexpectedly, was not part of my plan and I didn’t seem to have a firm control over it. I thought the French will be my last Buying stop, I told Stewart that I wanted to do Planning & SDD work after this…which Stewart also agree and will let me take up the position in 2013…but plans changed :)

If I had joined the English; whether it was last year or the year before or this year, I could have been affected badly. I consider myself lucky. For that, I will always be grateful. I see that the English has too many staffs; consequences when they took over M13. They even created new positions to fit in everyone. They were also on a recruitment spree for the best buyers in town a few years back; using money as the bait, thus creating an unequal salary package between the newcomers and the existing employees. But I also believe that the Hypermarket Industry has reached its maturity stage in its product life cycle. It has remained stagnant and finding positive growth will remain challenging. And I also don’t want to be a Buyer until the day I retire. I will still look out for Planning, SDD, Development, Branding kind of job, flexible working hours…but for now, I just feel very humble this week :)

Full House, Full Heart


Work Tales - I am so busy lately. So much of work, one after the other. Things and to-do-list keeps on piling up like crazy. Suppliers & the Store Team are chasing me like nobody business. So many deadlines; until I don’t know which one to start and do first. Everything is a priority and important.

Nonetheless, today I want to share something that is special yet very significant in many ways.
Thank You GOD, Praise To The Lord, Bless You GOD. First and foremost, Leonardo has confirmed me. My probation is 6 months long…however, this week I have passed my third month with G13. This has taken me by surprise. As the time has passed by so swiftly, I feel like that I didn’t do and contribute much to the team. I think I have only contributed to the Assortment Review and the Re-Planograming project and that is also not perfect. There were many mistakes that were spot-on. Then the second surprise is that Leonardo has given me an additional increment. Well, in my offer letter; it has been stated that once I have been confirmed, I will get this X amount of increment but Leonardo gave me more. I am so Blessed. Baby Sis was right after all – Do What You Love, Love What You Do & The Rest Will Take Care Of Itself :) Totally unexpected. I thank Leonardo for this surprise package and for saving me. Before Leonardo interviewed me for this job, Leonardo actually has met at least 3 candidates. Matte – Marit and the Stationery Buyer. I don’t know who is the third candidate is. Leonardo was searching high & low for a replacement for Jonas and I was the 4th candidate. Looking at Matte – Marit and the Stationery Buyer's background…the both of them should have higher chances at being selected by Leonardo compare to me because their strength and portfolio have always been in Stationery after all. No doubt, I have done Stationery before but that was in 2005 and 2006 and a bit in early of 2008, still it was eons ago. Matte – Marit also has additional help from Alice. Alice straight away condemns me that I am of no use and have been lobbying hard for Matte – Marit. I don’t know what is the reason that Leonardo have chose me or what Leonardo sees in me, but Leonardo has save me from a capsize ship. I hope Leonardo have no regrets about it.

GOD – you make things Real for me. You have open my eyes to the work of your Mighty Hand. And I would love to continue to have your strong & spiritual presence hovering over me everyday, hold my hand and walk beside me for a journey that is full of many possibilities. I found my moment. I am so, so grateful for all of the miracles that You have made possible. TODAY, I'M HAPPY :)

Fashion 4 Development


Nuri Sahin admitted that it was a special moment to register his first goals in a Red shirt as his double blast helped Liverpool to reach the fourth round of the Capital One Cup after a 2 - 1 win over West Brom :)

Women Delivers

The other Friday, was having dinner with Miss Klein at Sunway Pyramid. So good to be re-acquainted with her again and catching up on our 7 years of beautiful friendship. It’s been 7 years, and I’m one lucky woman to enjoy such friendship. 7 years sounds like a very long time. But really, it felt like it flew by so quickly. We’re great friends and we’ll be there for one another. I always laugh the most when I'm around her. Today I'm just glad for a very supportive friend who has allowed me to grow and mature in this space. It was absolutely, a mouth-wateringly delicious dinner at Canton – I and light snacks at Ole – Ole Bali & what a nice Friday night outing that we had, if I do say so myself :)

Sunday, September 23, 2012

what can i do to get you there



:( We were leading and lost it all...all over again. Liverpool 1 - 2 Manchester United. 5 games played; 2 draws and 3 loses. We are going to be relegated if we continue to go downhill after this. Come on Boys. We are Liverpool after all :)

sure can win


Aeon in talks to buy Carrefour Malaysia.

HONG KONG/PARIS, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Japan's Aeon is in talks to buy Carrefour's Malaysian business, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, as the struggling French retailer exits non-strategic markets. Carrefour, the world's second-biggest retailer, is cutting costs under their new CEO Georges Plassat and exiting markets such as Singapore and Greece, raising cash to focus on reviving core European operations after years of underperformance. The Malaysian deal would be worth about $300 million, said the source, who declined to be identified because the discussions were confidential. Carrefour and Aeon declined to comment. Carrefour sold its Thailand business to French rival Casino Group for $1.2 billion in 2010 as part of a broader retrenchment. The retailer had tried unsuccessfully to sell its Malaysia and Singaporean operations at that time. Carrefour's two Malaysian hypermarkets generated 402 million Euros ($525 million) in revenue last year to account for about 5 percent of the group's overall Asian sales. However, the next day Aeon Tokyo issue a statement that denied the news.

GRATITUDE

That is how I feel throughout this week. I have been there when the English took over M13 in 2006. I know what it feels like. No doubt, it was a great experience to be a part of such a transformation process during the take-over period…nonetheless being treated like a stepchild, those insecurities & fear will grips you to the max. I was lucky during that time. I count my blessings and I thank GOD and for people like Juan Valentine, Haakon & Atticus who have given me endless opportunities. Since then, the world has been a big adventure for me. A huge part of that adventure has been understanding the retail work better, meeting new people, getting to know their work, realizing just how much people need other people, and how much we all stand to learn from one another. With this news, again; it’s given me an opportunity to contemplate on my work life, family, friends, hardships, blessings, love, promises, struggles and happiness.

Again - I’ve realized I have been planning so much for the future that I forgot to live in the now. This is good because it makes me pause for a while, take stock of my life, and then move again. Once in a while, it is crucial to have moments like this - because this is when you stop & breath, count your blessings, be humble and appreciate what you have. I just…have SO many things that I wanted to do. And I get carried away with how much other people at my age may have. A better car. A bigger house. A nicer kitchen. An improved wardrobe. A good looking spouse. Adorable children. That I forget how much *I* actually have :) And I’ve just been PUSHING and PUSHING myself to reach that level, reach that goal. Every time I achieve something I set out for myself, I quickly make a new one; more extreme than the last. Because I secretly feel that if I can’t succeed in it, I’ve failed myself or didn’t do as much as I could have. And…I totally forgot how to ENJOY THE MOMENT. I forgot how to enjoy my work. And love what I do. And LOVE my day. And EVERY day.

I’m not going to push for these 15-hour/17-hour days anymore. I want a balance. I want time for my family and friends. I don’t want to rush all the time like I will die if I don’t finish everything. So I’m going to cut down on my workload. I’m turning down jobs. I will try to be more efficient on the job. I don’t want to be one of these people who just work and work and forget about the small things in life. Like Baby Sis said: Do what you love, Love what you do, the rest (money, increment, bonuses, monetary & non-monetary benefits) will come your way.

"Don’t exist. Live. Get out, explore. Thrive. Challenge authority. Challenge yourself. Evolve. Change forever. Become who you say you always will. Keep moving. Don’t stop. Start the revolution. Become a freedom fighter. Become a superhero. Just because everyone doesn’t know your name doesn’t mean you don't matter" - Brian Krans, A Constant Suicide (via melodyandviolence)

the tiny & tall act



:) Liverpool twice squandered the lead, then trailed 3 - 2 and then scored three times in the last 25 minutes to win 5 - 3 at the Young Boys in an enthralling but blunder-prone Europa League tie. The Managaer took a gamble - effectively fielding a reserve team in Berne. Go Jonjo Shelvey :)

Monday, September 17, 2012

Humble Beginings


I've finished watching Season 7! :) Love it!

House & Cuddy finally got together and they attempt to make their real relationship work and face the question as to whether their new relationship will affect their ability to diagnose patients. House was so sweet throughout, trying to be the boyfriend that Cuddy expect him to be; probably House’s most challenging roles ever because right now he needs to be attentive, sensitive and care for another human being feeling. It’s a role that he never embrace before and now he is trying his very best to make things work. To court and to sustain that romance. I was so heartbroken when the couple broke up. Yes, House may be an idiot, a jerk but he was working so hard on the relationship and he does deserve that second chance which Cuddy have denied him from. As House is newly single, he’s back on the Vicodin again. I was horrified that when House discovers that the experimental drug that he has been using causes fatal tumors, he decides to attempt to excise them himself. However, as he cannot complete the surgery and ends up needing Cuddy's help. House finally deals with his anger over the breakup and lashes out by driving through Cuddy's dining room and escaping to a beach. The End :)

I was sad that Wilson broke up with his girlfriend. I thought it was about time that Wilson’s life doesn’t just revolve around House anymore. Foreman & Chase – nothing much to add on there. Oh, only Chase looks nicer in a shorter hair cut. The focus of this season is more on Dr. Chris Taub; the short & bold guy. But my favorite is Dr. Martha M. Masters; the new intern (played by Amber Tamblyn) – she is damn good. She is completely opposite of House and provide some healthy check & balance to the team. She strongly believes that Honesty Is The Best Policy while House is a firm believer that Everyone Lies. She challenges House in every way, tries her best to do the right thing all the time, only to be poured with cold water from her seniors. And her fashion sense – quirky and cute. Finally ‘13’ is back :) Season 8, here I come…

Command & Conquer

NEAT – that’s the one & only comment coming out from Leonardo. Duh! Of course it’s neat because we took out every single stock there is and re-arrange them back all over again. I guess I was expecting comments that are more precise, more tactical, more relevant…especially since Leonardo’s position is equivalent to my position as a Division Manager at the French. Even my Advisers & Consultants have given me good & reliable pointers to improve on the planogram moving forward. What needs to be group together, which merchandise that needs to be display first, whether it should be done on a horizontal or a vertical basis, which brand should come first, which area that can be compacted, thus free up more space for other categories – strategic observations with careful premeditated solutions. Not only a word of NEAT :( Sometimes, I feel that Leonardo doesn’t really know much :) Leonardo fully gives Jonas, Alice & Pietro the free hand to do whatever they want. If the sales drop, Leonardo just ask them for action plans such as; do more in-house promotions, when the stock value shoots up, just do some returning or markdown to bring down the stocks days. Leonardo just make sure that everyone and everything is in-line with the budget & target. Whereas for Jonas – when I was doing the planogramming, lots of dead bodies resurface :) And as I dig deeper, I find that even though I may not be better than Jonas, I actually feel that I am on par with Jonas. So…if Jonas decides to or does come back to G13, which I know everyone will be rooting for Jonas (including Leonardo) – no doubt, I will fight for my place in the team as well. I’m not expecting an easy ride. I’ll have to work hard to play my part and I’m prepared to do that. I’ve done it before and it will take me a bit more time to meet everyone and bed in but I’m looking forward to it. Obviously I should ask for help. And I know lots of people I could have called to help me…but the trouble with me is – I don’t like to ask for help. I would rather try and fix something myself. And I’d only ask for help once I have clearly established that I couldn’t fix it myself :)

Overall, I am glad that the whole implantation process is all done & setlle with. I was beside myself! I was floating with pride – it was such an awesome parental moment. Thank You GOD, Praise To The LORD, Bless You GOD. There are areas that I need to tweak and improvise on but that can be done later. I have to thank all of the store team and the suppliers who have helped me to complete this chapter of the department. I mean it, Thank You.

Be-Ready


This week is my Mom’s 59th Birthday :) Happy Birthday Mom!

As the years went by, I begin to be very afraid of becoming like my mother when I turn old :) My mom has several strong traits in her and also some negative vibes as well. It is the bad apples that I am afraid off :) I have a dysfunctional relationship with my mother since I was young. Yes, I love her to the max but it is a love that is fraught with tension and the baggage of years. Being her eldest daughter meant being the embodiment of all that she hoped and feared for. Her Jekyll and Hyde nature made it difficult for me while growing up. Nonetheless, growing up I am indeed truly and very lucky that she made sure I was never burdened with house chores and that I had all the time that I needed to study or revise.

But now, as I become an adult myself, I realize that she has weathered so much. Loved so much and lost so much. But she has never given any less than everything when it came to her heart, my Baby Sis & myself. She is both the good and bad parts of me :)

Sunday, September 16, 2012

The Young Pretender


Four matches played. No wins yet :( Liverpool 1 – 1 Sunderland. Arsenal has already starting to show some results and are beginning to build back their team bit by bit after the departures of several of their big, experienced & veteran key players. Robin Van Persie & Shinji Kagawa has also shown that they are very well integrated into the Manchester United squad. Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli, Sergio Aguero looks pretty settle down in Manchester City and are ready to do battle to defend their Premier League title. Robert Di Matteo has overhaul the Chelsea team with some new faces which I do not know such as Eden Hazard, Oscar, Marko Marin and have shown some strong tempo upfront. The Reds have also bought young & potential players – but where did we go wrong? The owners say that they only have 1 driving ambition at Liverpool and that is the quest to win the Premier League title; playing the kind of football that the Anfield supporters want to see. I hope that the American owners are not involved in this sport purely to generate cash. Chasing money is not wrong; anyway, the club needs to work everyday to generate revenue to improve the club. But, this club is bigger than that, this sport is more than that. I hope that they will deliver what every long-term supporter of Liverpool Football Club aches for. Do absolutely the right things to build the club in a way that makes sense for the supporters, for the players and for everyone who will follow them.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Brothers Of Pearl


Former England, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle & Manchester United striker Michael Owen has joined Stoke City on a free transfer. Owen has signed a one-year deal with the club. Sigh, during the peak of his career, he was the golden boy of his generation. But the 32-year-old's career has been blighted by a series of injury problems that have prevented him from finding the net for both club & country. Should have hanged up his boots, retire with dignity a long time ago. Nonetheless, hopefully, with Stoke City, he can revive back his career for one final time and hang up his boots for good after this season. Quit when you are at the top of the game :) I never like Owen in the Devil's shirt :)

singgah di KL


Guess who is coming to town this week? Yup, it’s the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge who will be in Malaysia from the 13th to 15th September; in conjunction with their granny (Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee). It is indeed a privilege as it is very rare for Malaysia to play host and being so up close & personal to the boy who will be King one day; who’s childhood & the whole of his adult life will always be played out in the glare of the media. With a visit to the steel and concrete skyscrapers of Singapore & exotic Malaysia – both Prince William & Kate will embark on an adventure of a lifetime. Sigh…brother Prince Harry will not be in the picture. I am sure he will be light things up :)

Sunday, September 09, 2012

Soul Meets


GOD is good, very good, and I pray that I will continue to learn to put my trust in Him every day, giving my very best in everything I do for His glory, and becoming a blessing & inspiration to many. Below excerpts were taken from http://oureverydaythings.com. These Ten Biblical Verses – I hope that I can understand them well, embrace them & pray unto me.

(1) Salvation - “Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory”.

(2) Self-Control - “Help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all they do”.

(3) Purity - “Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions”.

(4) Contentment - “Teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through YOU who give them strength”.

(5) Passion for God - “Lord, please instill in my children a soul that ‘followeth hard after thee,’ one that clings passionately to You”.

(6) Self-Discipline - “Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair”.

(7) Gratitude - “Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

(8) Respect (for self, others and authority) - “Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as Your Word commands”.

(9) Honesty and Integrity - “May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection”.

(10) Love - “Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit who dwells in them”.

Think.Dream.Explore.

When I first read the news that the French is closing down their Singapore operations, my heart ached. I am worried about the Malaysian operations :( I have friends there, it was my learning playground, memories were made, characters were built…I prayed to GOD that each one of them will be safe. I have played some of my best games there. I fought and gave it my all. It is a place that has inspired me. This also feels like the perfect place to retire – but my time is not with them. It’s been a great adventure :) Each day I feel as though I am discovering something new, and each day I am beginning to realize just how much there is to know. It’s all been worth it but I’m looking forward to the next part of my life. No official announcement yet but I hope that things are for the better. Now, its merely public speculation. 

Perhaps, I worried too much. Maybe, nothing will happen at all. The French, I believed has been mis-managed at the highest level, they have too much debt, costs that are too high; particularly at its head office, wrong strategies were taken, did not adapt well to the changes of the economic climate and an inefficient organizational structure. The new CEO; Georges Plassat will have an uphill task as he have to reverse the errors of the previous regime especially on the Planet Stores. It has been compounded by previous mistakes in a difficult first two years under Lars Olofsson. I am sure it was a harsh education but since Mr. Plassat have did wonders before, make no mistake, I am sure the French will be healthier than when he took over. They will need to build & grow from within, change their culture, buy prudently & cleverly and never again to waste resources on store re-modeling, going up-market and unrealistic projects. They must have no fear of spending & competing with the very best by balancing sales & volume for Groceries and margin for Non-Food. Do not overpay unnecessary for site acquisition where the new store opening is unable to generate sustainable income in the long run. With that, they can and will generate the revenues to achieve that aim. Most important of all, the French must get back to their 'We Want To Win' mentality. That ambition drives every decision. It is the French way. The only thing that is constant is Change. Change We Need, Change We Must.

kisses from Heaven


Work Tales - Unbelievable – Leonardo is the only boss that I have so far that always informs me at the very last minute about going on leave. What the…and Leonardo practically and literally just abandon me like that when Leonardo knows very well that I am going to do the planograming for my department this week. I told Leonardo about my plans since last week. And Leonardo couldn’t be bother or the very least to act decently by informing me about it last week. I am not asking Leonardo to be like me; getting my hands & knees dirty and doing the adjusting, moving & shifting of the stocks…but the very least that Leonardo could do was to be physically there to give me some moral support. Leonardo just let me swim in the deep end of the ocean. Some more, Leonardo is totally crazy, expecting me to finish everything in one day’s time. This is a major construction project. I feel like a stepchild at times. It’s like I will never get that kind of love & sense of belonging from Leonardo. That was reserves for Jonas. Leonardo only inspected the site on the first day after returning from holidays, that’s it. After that, no more. It was so different from all of my previous Bosses who like to be updated and visit as frequently as possible. Strange, Leonardo just doesn’t seem to share the same enthusiasm as I do. And then, there are issues that I think that Leonardo should be worried about, Leonardo is not worried and act casual. Issues that Leonardo should not be concern about, Leonardo worried like nobody business. Damn!

Nonetheless, Thank You GOD, Praise To The LORD, Bless You GOD – I would not say that it is a perfect and fantastic set of planogram, but I would say that this is the first step, there will be some fine-tuning along the way. This is a work in progress. It will take time for me to instill my kind of philosophy into the department and build exactly what I need for the long term so that we can build both quality and depth. I’m grateful, humbled, relieved and still very driven & focused to make a big difference. Overall, I also feel the sense of achievement, pride and victory :)

I also missed both of my William & Henry. Last time, we used to do this together. Now, I am all alone. But I thank GOD because I can feel His presence, He is holding my hand and walking beside me every single day. Thank GOD, for all of the suppliers and my store people who have helped me a lot too. The message here is to keep the faith. I hope as time goes on there is progress and improvement.

I am only worried that the suppliers will inform Jonas of my current up-to-dates. I figure out that there are certain suppliers who like to ask me certain questions, as to see what will my answers be and inform back to Jonas; it’s like to see whether I bitch about Jonas or not. Sigh. I have nothing bad to say about Jonas, only the good stuffs & the compliments. There is no right or wrong here. What have happens, as a matter of fact, already happens. It’s the past. I have inherited it and I have to bring it forward. Why Jonas is being so cautions here? There is no such thing as a perfect handover or a job being done well. For sure, there will be minor shits here and there. I respect Jonas’s decisions & wisdoms at the point of making them, only time will tell whether it was right or wrong. Jonas is a mature adult – age wise. Jonas was doing Stationery for 8 solid years – that must carry some weight somehow. I am here to bring something different. I don’t have the pretension of saying that I will replace Jonas because I have every respect for Jonas as Jonas had an enormous season last year. I wish Jonas good luck for the future with the French but I need to bring what I can bring without being pretentious to say that I am here to replace Jonas. That would be very bad. I feel ready. Absolutely ready to assume the responsibilities and make people say “Yes, we have J___ here”. That’s how it is. Now I have the chance as Jonas has left and I have to take it. So I will get more exposure to be better and I need to assume the task. In fact, I must. The ball is in my court and the show must go on. I can’t get too frustrated about that because Jonas was good. I have to respect that. I just have to bide my time. My mentality is to do well as I can.

I also have limited myself, publicly at least, to diagnosing the department’s shortcomings and hinting at possible solutions. I am going for the Divide & Rule, Consolidation and Capitalizing strategies. I don't want to make promises and then fail to meet them. Excellent results, it will not happen overnight. It will not be easy, it will not be perfect, but there is a clear vision at work here. There will be short-term setbacks from time to time, but I believe if I have GOD, the suppliers, the store people, the Top Management & my fellow Colleagues; all the right people in place – it will surely bring more glory to the department. It's something you continually work on all the time.

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Suatu & Ketika


Hola Nuri Sahin :) the Turkish midfielder from Barcelona



Adios to Charlie Adam & Andy Carroll where the former is sold to Stoke City and the latter joining West Ham on a season long loan

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

blame-worthy



Liverpool 0 - 2 Arsenal :(
Long way to go boys! Only 1 point from 3 games. At the bottom 5. But Keep Going, Be Better.