He Will Reply

Hearing what I want to hear…hahaha…
Stewart held a briefing for Celtic & me on last week Friday.
Stewart mention that I am currently very heavy with my workload, pesan Celtic to get Wayne to help me out with the daily routine paperwork and instruct Celtic to jaga the Home Upkeep category for a little while first. Stewart say only lah…whether can be trusted or not…whether Celtic got follow or not…not sure lah hah…I shall see how. One thing for sure…Stewart does notice…

God is loving and kind enough to care about our smallest concern and faintest whisper.
Lord, it’s amazing to me that You – the God who created the universe – care about me and want me to come to You in prayer. Thank You for loving me so much. We always have God’s attention.

On The Wing

God – Papa Ham, Mama Ham, Big Ham & Small Ham is very tired, weary & burden lately. Too many errands to run – Papa Ham have to follow-up on the Shelter 101 Project, Mama Ham have to take turns to take care of our 5th Aunty which have been diagnosed with cancer, Small Ham have to work…I also have to work…mentally stress over money & work.

When we face difficult circumstances, fear may cause us to wonder if God is aware of our situation.
Jesus’ teaching assures us that God cares deeply and is in control. His tracking of our lives will never fail.

Father, I’m putting my longings and burden on You at the end of this year because I know You care for me and can work powerfully. Thank You that I and my loved ones are in Your care.

Like Shooting A Fly

G13 have open its most recent outlet at Setapak on last week Friday. So, I was very kepo and went to kacau Marcus via WatsApp.

Me: Morning Marcus, congrats on Setapak opening. How r u? Btw, when is The MFT Director last day?
Marcus: Hi! I’m good. Now in Setapak. The MFT Director stays.
Me: Hope u have a good opening. Tats good news.
Marcus: U come back la.

I also wish…believe it or not…I really want to. Sigh…ya mah…back in G13…I have Comix; an assistant to help me with all of the paperwork. Sure, G13 have 100 and more of the number of outlets compare to The Japanese, therefore every buyer in G13 needs an assistant…but the daily routine paperwork of forms submission such as block item codes, release item codes, promotion purchase price, promotion selling price, TTA, Buying Income etc…really eats into my time…in G13, I just hand it over to Comix and I will have more time & energy to plan & drive the sales. Now, with The Japanese…I have fallen back into the old rhythm of doing paperwork only :(

Worry Free

The MFT Director tak jadi to resign…staying put for now…yay!

Starting Upstream

Matthew 6:5-10 >> Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
God – I received another letter from the Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri – I owned them another RM556.02! What the…
First it was RM1,859.62…and now this…total now is RM2,415.64! Pengsan!

Rare, Old, Special

Another sweet picture - The Queen with her five great-grandchildren and her two youngest grandchildren. The photograph was taken in the Green Drawing Room, part of the castle's semi-State apartments. From bottom left: Mia Tindall (holding The Queen's handbag), Viscount Severn (aged 8) and Lady Louise (12), Savannah (5) and Isla Phillips (3), Prince George (2) and, in the Queen's arms and in the tradition of Royal portraiture, the youngest great-grandchild, Princess Charlotte (11 months).

Peanut Cookies

THANK YOU GOD, PRAISE TO THE LORD, BLESS YOU GOD! :)
I indeed have a very good life back in G13. I have my own room and internet access. When there are many things to do, I just close my room door for 2 hours or I will put up a Don't Disturb sign - and I will have some peace & quite in getting my work done. Here, Celtic distracts me a lot...Celtic talks a lot. Stewart notices it too. That is why I didn't want to sit next to Celtic in the first place...but Captain Johnson insists that I do. When I get bored and I need a break…back in G13 - I can doodle, I can read the newspaper, I can go online to read the news, check out the competitor’s catalog, finding inspiration…but here…no such luxuries anymore…I cannot pace myself well…I get worn out easily. Even when I was doing nothing aimlessly…at least…when I recover, I was more productive. Here…I get more tired easily.

French 5 Onion Soup

I think this Celtic have brainwash Stewart to the max already…or Stewart have no choice but to layan Celtic because Celtic can control the suppliers. Stewart also quite sayang Mrs. Simon because Mrs. Simon was there to provide the needed companionship when Celtic & I left for G13. They went through many ups & downs together.

Angus Beef Cheek

Another Celtic celaka betul event…yes, both Stewart & Celtic decides to park the Home Upkeep category under me…to ensure that my salary scale is balance up…but I don’t think that many people in the office knew about it…so when today Mrs. Simon ask a question…the Home Upkeep category now refers to who…Celtic pointed it to me…Mrs. Simon appear to be in shock and mention that I cannot juggle so much and ask since when the movement take place and why does it takes place…this Celtic answer…to match my salary scale…then Celtic corrected it…is to follow the sales scale…indicating that I draw a high salary lor…everyone in the office heard it :(

Kaffir Lime Tart

When I first arrive, Wayne was ok…but when this Celtic start to come in into Wayne’s territory…parking Home Upkeep under me unofficially…actually it’s a very good thing because Celtic can train up Wayne…but Celtic is not doing that…plus with the sarcastic remarks…I am very afraid that this Wayne will leave eventually…because Wayne cannot see what is Wayne’s role in the whole team anymore. Plus...listening to such unkind remarks is certainly not a pleasure to the ears and confidence. Nevermind, I take this opportunity to sharpen up my skills in coaching, mentoring & teaching.

Orecchiette Duck

This Celtic, another celaka betul…Celtic did some claims on my behalf…which I did not ask Celtic to do in the first place…I don't even know that Celtic was actually doing it, not until Celtic ask me to sign on the paper...then Celtic went and submit the documents to Stewart…jokingly say…but good enough for everyone to hear…that Celtic have to do such menial work for me…luckily…Stewart was on my side…stating that I was busy doing other things. Thereafter, when I had the opportunity…I also jokingly ask Celtic what is Celtic doing…so free…Celtic is memang free one…I see the work that Celtic does…only a few task each day…talking on the phone all the time; entertaining the store people and suppliers, playing game on the phone somemore…all the workload just drop on me…which I don’t mind, it's my responsibilities too…but the system here is absolutely like donkey years behind G13 for me to crunch…plus with so many paperwork…I am also frustrated! Doing paperwork only...I cannot do more on planning my Trade Plan, Range Plan, Supplier Plan and Exit Plan. Cannot...I must take back the control. 1 day...only allocate 3 hours to do paperwork, the rest...have to start to do planning already. Otherwise...I don't feel fulfilled!

The Ordinary & The Elite

This picture is so cute. The two-year-old Prince George holds hands with his father Prince William in this family portrait, which also features the Queen and Prince Charles to showcase the four generations of the House of Windsor, in conjunction with the Queen’s 90th birthday. It sees the senior royals all dressed in co-ordinating tones of blue and white, the third-in-line to the throne was asked to stand on four blocks of foam to ensure that he was at the right place within the frame.

The Importance Of How

THANK YOU GOD, PRAISE TO THE LORD, BLESS YOU GOD! :)
I indeed have a very good life back in G13. I have Isla, Mimi and then Comix to help me to do all of my paperwork…from forms submission to issuing Buying Income to TTA preparation. Here...adoi...at first I was delegating it to Fify, then both Stewart & Celtic sounded me…now I have to do everything by myself…sigh…and now I am very angry with myself…feeling very frustrated with myself…not with anyone else…but with myself. Somemore, now the procedure is more leceh than before…want to release back an item code, have to submit release form & normal selling price form. I want to row away from here.

I think it’s the pride thing as well and also I feel…you all always keep telling me that I am highly paid…yet I am here today filing up forms and doing paperwork…and not doing the actual work of driving the business. Feel under utilized.

I finally understand why previously Stewart commented that the team has so much of work to do. Paperwork is one of them and also no discipline. No one want to make the time to do a 1 to 1 session…1 hour a week…not that much mah…I don’t know lah…I think I am more suitable with The English’s working culture of doing things. I am more comfortable in such a working zone.

Celtic also…spotted one of the weaknesses…bad PR…the choice of words and that tone of voice…if continues like that…I won’t be surprise that Wayne will leave. Celtic is also the one who hires Wayne in the first place. Treat people with respect. Teach. Show how to do it. Explain the whys. Otherwise, Celtic will forever have 1 staff only…which is me. Celtic is an excellent buyer, but not a good leader…Celtic’s current position now require Celtic to share knowledge & experience, coach and teach. Communicate and coordinate.

Many times we don’t get to select the work we do. But all of us can choose our attitude toward the tasks we’re given. How we do the job God gives us is the measure of our service to Him.

Father in Heaven, our work in life often causes us to wonder if we are accomplishing anything worthwhile. Give us eyes to see the importance of the tasks You have given us so that we may honor You by the way we do them.

Humble work becomes holy work when it’s done for God.

Sekeping Victoria

MT is Stewart’s proxy…a proxy that only attends meetings on behalf of Stewart when Stewart is not around…by right…I think lah…Stewart should have delegate more responsibilities to MT…can help to lighten up Stewart’s work load. MT can help to supervise certain projects as well. Celtic said that Mak Tiri kerja is very senang now…only taking care of Tin Min & Henry – DIY, Gardening, Auto, Bicycle, Camping, Sports & Nautism. Even the Batteries category have already remove from MT and park under Appliance.

Celtic got mention this before…Captain Johnson felt that MT got perform because MT’s department are all positive…anything Captain Johnson will find MT directly…until at one point of time, both Stewart & Celtic feel that Captain Johnson want to grow MT. Then, as usual…this Celtic go and api-apikan the keadaan…ask Stewart to ask Captain Johnson directly…which Stewart did…thereafter…Captain Johnson did not go and see MT that frequent anymore.

Sometimes…I feel that this Celtic is really the trigger of all the situations...is not that thing...but Celtic go and think is that thing.

Awesome Canteen

I was at the store today…bump into Snow Petrol & Singrid. Snow Petrol…was without makeup…kind of look old, like Aunty leh…hahaha...Singrid…slim down a lot leh…but the both of them is still very dynamic, self-assured and bursting with energy.

Spacebar Coffee

Rakuzen, Empire Subang – dinner with My Source, Mr. Horton’s Secretary, Uncle Andy & Selene. It was a good catching up dinner session…one that brings me so much toe-wiggling, eye-sparkling, ear-to-ear grinning joy :)

The latest gossips from G13:
(1) Mr. Horton and Mr. Ernest have been terminated with immediate effect.
(2) The both of them have been replaced by Mr. Smith & Mr. Joe.
(3) Kakak came back from Vietnam and is now the General Manager for G13 Grocery Division.
(4) The MFT Director resigns :( OMG!
(5) Marcus is feeling sad and lost and insecure on the overall G13’s direction.
(6) Selene has been transfer to the Grocery Department, managing the Snacks category. Finally, manage to free herself from Albert.
(7) Many people are leaving G13 too…Haz & Kevin (Marketing), JeeNee, Yap & Collin (Grocery), Jade (Health & Beauty), SomYan (HR).
(8) On the Tesco VSS matter – Juan kena…apparently Juan Valentine cannot get along with Juan…Atticus also have to leave…Haakon got demoted 1 rank below.
(9) Emerson is under a lot of stress lately. The Textile Department is at a minus 8%...sedang kan, the rest of the division is on a positive trend. No wonder...the other day...Lionel WatsApp me...enquiringly whether there is any job vacancy in The Japanese or not.
(10) Miguel is away - sourcing trip at Guangzhou.

Om paramar mainamar

Tesco offering VSS to HQ staff

KUALA LUMPUR: Tesco Stores (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is in the midst of offering a Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) to staff at its headoffice. Internal documents obtained by Business Times noted that staff have been given time from March 24 until next Tuesday to decide on the offer. “Going forward, our structures will be focused on having fewer and broader jobs. This means, there will be an overall reduction in the size of our head office team,” Tesco Malaysia’s recently-appointed chief executive officer Paul Ritchie said in the memo. “This process is vital for our future success. We need the right skills in the right place to transform the business and lead in the changing world of retail,” he added. Ritchie noted that all Tesco Malaysia’s head office managers and staff would have the opportunity to apply, but he did not indicate whether the offer would be extended to the rest of its staff at other offices or branches nationwide. Ritchie, when contacted, said the VSS was just part of a bigger plan to transform the company’s business and withstand the ever-changing retail landscape. “We have recently briefed our colleagues on a major transformation programme, which is designed to improve the performance of Tesco Malaysia,” he said in a written response to Business Times. “The first step is the adoption of a leaner head office structure and colleagues have been briefed on what this means for them and their roles. The transformation that we are undertaking is not only timely but necessary to ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of the business for the long term.” He noted that the firm was unable to confirm the exact number of staff who would be affected as the process was still ongoing. Tesco Malaysia is a joint venture founded in 2002 between the United Kingdom-based Tesco PLC and conglomerate Sime Darby Bhd. It currently employs 8,000 staff and operates 55 stores nationwide through two formats, namely hypermarkets and Extra. Its parent, Tesco PLC, is one of the world’s largest international retailers with operations in 12 countries and is currently employing over 480,000 staff worldwide. British media had in February, however, reported that the group was considering cutting store staff by 39,000 over the next three years, as it attempted to reverse a slump in profits. The potential job losses, according to the reports, would be the equivalent of Tesco PLC shedding one in six employees, either by cutting jobs or reducing hours. These reports closely follow the group’s announcement of statutory loss before tax of £6.4 billion (RM35.97 billion) for the 2014 financial year ended February 28 last year. The group’s Asian sales declined by 4.1 per cent mostly due to foreign exchange, while its trading performance in Malaysia has been impacted by protests against some Western-owned businesses and a challenging economic environment.

THANK YOU GOD, PRAISE TO THE LORD, BLESS YOU GOD – that I still has a job.
I heard that Boss kena…Wendy also…Tommy is safe…Christine is also safe…but what about Atticus? Juan Valentine? Juan leh? Haakon ok?

Big Breast & Wide Hips

Adoi…I don’t know whether this Mak Tiri (MT) is scared of Celtic or don’t even bother to look at Celtic at all.

And this Celtic…I don’t know whether this Celtic feels proud about it or get offended.

What happen was…today…Stewart was not around, therefore MT as the proxy needs to attend the weekly meeting on behalf. During the meeting…MT apps me…need a particular item code…I was in a supplier’s meeting…this MT didn’t apps Celtic directly to ask for the item codes…instead went and ask William, Fify & Tin Min to help to retrieve it. What the…complicated people...

Reaching Out In The Darkness

Pening! First it was my mobile phone and then yesterday…I receive a letter from the Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri…thinking that I will get my refund for 2015…mana tahu…the Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri did another thorough check on my income tax declaration for 2013 and I have to pay them back at the excess of RM1,859…in the next 30 days :(

God – I am already so broke this month :( The money is flowing out so quickly than what I am earning. Urban poverty…now I know how it feels like…the cash flow is flowing out so freely, it dries up your savings or leaving no room for savings at all. God – help me to bounce back.

Lost in the darkness? Grieving, fearful, guilty, doubting, discouraged? Not sure of God? The darkness is not dark to Him. Though unseen, He is at hand. He has said – Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you. Reach out your hand for His. He is there.

Lord, You promised never to leave us or forsake us. We know Your word is true, but so often we see the obstacles and the challenges and lose sight of You. Help us today to see more of You and less of our problems.

ARE YOU HAPPY?

The happiest people don’t just necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have!

3 (Science – Backed) Ways To A Happy Life

Some people struggle to find happiness. Perhaps, it’s due to how people perceive happiness is, instead of actually letting themselves experience pleasure or feel content.

Practicing Gratitude Can Help You Lead A Happier Life
When you’re thankful, you’re more likely to be a more joyful person. Expressing gratitude has also been proven to generate a more optimistic outlook on life and can even help lower stress levels. Life is a series of problems that has to be solved – and a lot of times those problems cause stress. Gratitude can be that stress buster.

Get Up & Get Moving
Setting some time for a sweat session may not cause happiness, but it can contribute to it. Besides working out for a more toned physique, physical activity helps our bodies produce disease – fighting proteins and our brains release endorphins. While antibodies boost happiness by keeping illness at bay, endorphins are feel good chemicals that improve your mood while promoting feelings of euphoria.

Let It Go
It is vital to detach yourself from negativity such as mistakes, worries & regrets. Holding onto resentment and hurt can bind you to the past, and it marks a decision to continue suffering. So, it is important to make the choice to be happy by forgiving people who hurt you, and moving away from your past that brought you down.

Putting The Spotlight On Spotlight

3 Lessons We Can Learn From The Film

Spotlight, based on a true story, charts the journey taken by a team of journalist from The Boston Globe newspaper to uncover a child sex abuse scandal involving Catholic priest in Boston.

Leaders Introduce New Perspectives With Courtesy & Respect
The idea to pursue a story about the Roman Catholic Church was actually mooted by Martin Baron, a newcomer to The Boston Globe who was hired to lead the newspaper as its editor. As the outsider, he brought in a fresh pair of eyes to news that had been circulated for years but were not followed-up on. The existing writers and editors were capable but they were complacent and did not want to rock the boat too much.

As the new leader, Martin was not afraid to propose new ideas but he did this in a calm and diplomatic manner. Rather than tell his team to do as they were told – Martin instead made a polite request: would you consider taking this case? Martin was always civil and courteous to the members of his team, even in the most stressful situations. He never raised his voice and never spoke without carefully considering the impact of his words. This was Martin’s way of respecting his colleagues, even though they were also his subordinates.

Leaders Lead With Courage
Martin’s courage to pursue a sensitive and potentially explosive issue rubbed off on his colleagues. His team was encouraged and Martin praised them when they were persistent and dauntless, he understood that courage is not innate but needs to be fostered and appreciated. As a result, the team excelled at their job and refused to be hampered by setbacks, regardless of how serious the situation could be. So yes, courage is infectious. When more people become brave, they then become emboldened by their mission and are indefatigable.

Leaders often want such passionate and dedicated employees, but the former forget that they need to be the first to lead the charge.

Leaders Foster Team Spirit By Occasionally Doing The Grunt Work
One of the best moments in the film was when Martin joined the rest of his team to sift through years of the Church’s annual directories to locate and identify priest suspected of child sexual abuse. The task of spending weeks going through old and dusty stacks of directories, spending long hours poring over thousands of pages of names in tiny print, collating the information and then keying them into spreadsheets, is nothing but pure tedium. But Martin never pushed the boring and mundane tasks to his subordinates only to reap the glory of their results for himself.

Teamwork involves every member of the team and a leader never forgets that he or she is as much a part of the team as everyone else. By sharing the grunt work, Martin was able to not only better appreciate what his team did on a daily basis but he was also able to propose solutions to problems based on the kind of details he discovered during the process. Martin may not have regarded his subordinates as his equal in rank, but he valued their contributions as being equal to his. He knew that the story could only be told with everyone on board, working hard as a cohesive team.

Experience Never Gets Old

4 Lessons To Learn From The Intern

It is a movie about a 70 years old retiree working as an intern in the fast paced world of online retail, Ben Whittaker (played by Robert De Niro) and the hardworking founder of About To Fit, Jules Ostin (played by Anne Hathaway).

Dress Your Best
First impressions make a big difference. In the movie, Ben wears a suit to work every single morning in spite of his co-workers telling him that he does not need to dress up all the time. The subtle message here is this: it is important to look your best whether or not it is in a casual or formal setting. Looking good makes you feel good and when you feel good, you will be more likely to better focus your mind as you work; like meeting clients or attending meetings.

Observe What Needs To Be Done And Do It Without Needing Recognition
There was a table filled with junk at the office that keeps piling up and constantly bothers Jules each time she walks past it. It bothers her yet she is not able to find the time or person to clear the mess. Ben notices this and arrives early one morning to clear the entire desk without being asked. Jules finds out – and a huge smile of relief spreads across her face – and the whole company commends him for doing so.

At work, we may feel the extra pressure or expectations to impress those above and around us in hopes that they may recognize our efforts. But what we should do instead, is to focus on doing our job well, not for the glory or recognition, and the rest will take care of itself.

2 Generations Can Learn From Each Other & Work Together
Initially, Jules was hesitant about having a retiree as an intern. She soon realizes how much she could learn from his experience and some of his old school ways. On the other hand, Jules starts a FaceBook account for Ben & teaches him the modern ways of working in the industry.

You may feel completely new to the working world and it is easy to lose yourself and what you may know. As you learn to adapt to your new environment, don’t forget that you can contribute what you know as well. You may be able to provide a daring & unique perspective on how the company is run, so don’t be afraid to share your fresh insights when necessary.

What Is Important & What Is A Priority Can Be Very Different
Jules started a great company that is excelling at an extremely rapid pace, but in the meantime, her personal life is falling apart.

Life may feel out of balance as you transition from college or university to the working world. It’s not about getting good grades now, but excelling at work instead. Being able to distinguish what is a priority and urgent from what is important, will help you during hectic times. You will be facing new challenges, now and for the rest of your working life, so be kind to yourself and use your time to learn & grow from mistakes made along the way.

Have a go

Hahaha…Stewart sounded Celtic the other day, in front of me somemore…so, thus lately…Celtic’s pace at work have quicken a little.

I am currently doing the Category Fixers…my assumption was…since Celtic is already with The Japanese for the past 1 year…I assume that Celtic have already fix up all of the categories in D31…and I am here just to assist Celtic in strategizing the business. Mana tahu, this Celtic also didn’t do much. Only do the Disposable Category & Celtic's favorite - storage boxes & plastic drawers. So when Stewart start to question Celtic about it…Celtic’s reason or excuse was…Celtic delegate it to the buyers…and trust them that they will get the job done. Yes, trusting the buyers is very crucial, allowing them the freedom and trusting that they will get it done & get it right is also important…but Celtic is also the Division Manager here…you got to lead the buyers, you have to teach them, you have to coach them, you have to supervise them…Celtic is good at the buyer level…but to move a level up, I think it is going to be difficult for Celtic. Celtic have lots to learn. Delegating yes...but the work accuracy must be there as well...not only to biar there only. I think Celtic only wants to do; driving the business part only but very malas to do the nitty gritty part already. If Stewart have not sounded Celtic, I think Celtic would also just let it be.

Just look at the Cloth Upkeep Category Review - Celtic can get it done within 1 week. Why didn't Celtic do it when Celtic first arrive? Why only initiate now? Afraid that the Buyers don't agree with the plan? You are the Division Manager, you have to ensure that everyone toes the line. Since when Celtic becomes so slow and complacent?

Celtic is arrogant too and I am afraid that Celtic is already developing a destructive behavior. And this behavior stems from pride. When we are proud, we become arrogant. Arrogance blurs our sense of reality and we go into denial mode. When we see ourselves as better than others, we fail to seek ways to improve.

Leadership In Unfamiliar Territory

Personally, I believe that God has a way of changing our plans and re-directing us to paths He may feel suit us best. We just have to take the first step with FAITH.