Tag Archives: Office work

Downward Slide, Part 2

26 May

After several days of rest, I hit the golf course yesterday. It has been too hot to stay home and be a sloth. The heat and humidity bites at the skin, making it very uncomfortable.

But it was an afternoon game, and I was expecting the worse. Luckily, there was enough wind to cool down the body. Anyway, it was the company and camaraderie that I wanted to have instead of staring at the computer and having designer’s block.

Sometimes it is not the game but the people and friendship. So there wasn’t too much walking and golf, but rather, laughter and chatter.

Separately, I discovered a possible problem with my game. My driver has a gap at the joint between the head and the shaft. My goodness! It is a miracle the club head is still intact upon contact for the past several games.

A loose driver head!

Could this be the reason for my recent downward slide? Most of my tee-offs have been short lately, thus, making the subsequent shots harder. I did notice this gap some time ago but took no heed of it. However, with my recent slide, I questioned everything, and this came to light.

So I used a different driver for yesterday’s game while the problem club was being fixed and recalibrated. Hopefully, after the adjustment, I can tee off well again with my regular driver and subsequently play better golf. Keeping my fingers crossed on this. But until then, more rest to manage the plantar fasciitis on the foot.

Relish the Break

10 Oct

I think we have too many public holidays. While it’s nice to have a break now and then, having it too frequently disrupts the momentum and routine. Today is a replacement public holiday, and as such, it is a four-day work week ahead.

This month alone, there are two three-day weekends – this week and another in two weeks. I shouldn’t complain and instead should relish the four-day work weeks. We are more productive when there’s a shorter time to get work done – house chores or design work because then we are left with more time to play!

Holiday No More

7 Feb

Somehow I don’t feel the holiday spirits of the Lunar New Year even though we are at Day Seven of the 15 days-long celebrations. We are not visiting anyone, nor are we having guests over.

Better to stay safe at this point because yesterday, the Covid-19 cases spiked up to 10,089, a five digits figure again after a few months below this threshold. Not a good sign.

It is back to work today for all three of us, although I have to admit it’s slow for us. I most likely will spend time working on my miniatures to pass the time.

The Year That Wasn’t Again

31 Dec

The never-ending year 2021 finally concludes today. I look back, and what a year it has been! I feel history has repeated itself, with the year being another year that fell short of expectations like 2020 because the pandemic has dragged on.

When the nation went into lockdown again in May, we were short-changed for several months to have a good year. And the lockdowns implemented under the Movement Control Orders (MCO) had so many versions, I lost track of it all.

But life goes on. With what we had experienced in 2020, we handled 2021 a little better. We became more accepting of the situation and were more productive, and the hobbies picked up in the year before continued. We also got vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus, and it was our passport to venture out (if needed) without hassle.

Towards the end of the year, I picked up another new hobby – felting. What fun this turned out to be! Felting is immensely enjoyable and therapeutic when I am not carving or crafting miniatures as it is a short and fast activity to complete.

Looking back, being home this time around wasn’t so bad because there’s so much to do at home, and I love it. There is no rush or fear but simply comfort and ease. As long as there is good time management, the days go by quickly.

M2 came back for her Summer holidays, and it was great to have her home. My cooking skills improved from last year, and there were many great mealtimes together at home as a family since we couldn’t go out at all.

Then M1 came home for good after completing her Master’s degree, and both of us are very blessed to have the family as a complete unit. But soon after, M2 returned to Ireland, and M1 started working. By the third quarter, we were juggling work, albeit not much, and playing golf when the country reopened to more activities.

But just when we thought things were improving with vaccination and economies opening everywhere, the world saw a new virus variant! The Omicron. The pandemic management globally was sucker-punched with this new development. Travels, activities, and economies were restricted once more, and many countries faced fresh lockdowns. When will this onslaught of the unknown ever end?

So we start 2022 with uncertainty again. I see no point in toasting the New Year for better fortune and goodness. Just brace yourselves to stay negative (Covid-wise) in a positive way, stay healthy, and stay safe. Goodbye 2021, I wouldn’t say it was the best, but we survived. Happy New Year, folks!

DIY Project #13 or 12A, Part 3

28 May

DIY project number 13, otherwise known as 12A, to avoid superstition, is finally a wrap! Yay. This project took a long time, almost three months. Typically I would take about five weeks to finish a DIY miniature but not this one. Jinxed from the beginning, I encountered a lot of hiccups and distractions to stay focused.

But I’m glad I managed to complete the set during this lockdown. With no golf and hardly any work to do at the office, heck, we don’t even physically go to the office anymore; I had all the time in the world to work on it.

Carl’s Fruit Shop became The GrocerGie

I customized a lot on this set, changing it from what it’s supposed to be, and it has turned out very different. I like it very much as it is now my little masterpiece personalized right down to the name!

Lots of tiny details!
A lovely finish in the end!

The next day, without sitting on my laurels, I started on DIY project number 14 or 12B, as 14 is also a superstitious number. Let’s hope the timeline to work on this one will be better.

The next project!

Breaking 90

18 May

The past year I played so much golf, I improved by leaps and bounds. It was during the CMCO phase that I spent more time on the golf course than ever before. And that was because there was hardly any design work in the office, and outdoor activities, like golf, were allowed.

Towards the end of last year, my handicap came down, and there was a sense of achievement. I was also breaking 100 for the gross scores now and then. At least something good came out from the lockdown phases last year.

This year, there is further improvement! I have almost broken 90 as far as the gross score is concerned. I had two excellent games recently, returning with a score of 92 and 91 at two different golf courses, respectively. But this was before our latest MCO lockdown. While I am thrilled about my vast improvement, I wonder if I can reach this level again when the MCO is over. Only time can tell.

I Think It’s Jinxed, Part 2

3 May

I figured out why progress has stalled for DIY project number 13 or 12A – it’s my time management. I have been going to the office daily as well as playing a little bit more golf. As a result, there’s hardly any time to sit down to work on the project.

However, it is also procrastination to get going because of the stage where I am. I’m supposed to put stems for all the fruits and vegetables from the itty bitty beads. And it’s not easy, so I have been putting it off.

Look at the itty bitty pieces! Twirling the paper to make a long stem, then cutting it to make tiny stems. Crazy.

I keep telling myself it is not the superstitious jinx of the project number but simply my time management. As of now, I have set a new target for myself to get the job done. The other DIY sets have collected too much dust already.

I Think It’s Jinxed

13 Apr

Whether I like it or not, subliminally, I think DIY project number 13 or 12A is a jinx. I have not sat down at my little workstation to work on it for almost two weeks. Then again, I have been busy with house chores, office work, and of course, golf games.

Four more DIY sets are waiting in the queue, and it’s a long wait. Thank goodness I have stopped buying more DIY sets from my favorite online shopping site. I have to be more disciplined and forget the superstitious number attachment. Otherwise, I may hold off finishing the set, horror of all horrors to even think this, and jump straight to DIY project number 12B. It will be a first for me to abandon a project midway.

Let’s hope it won’t go this path. Jinx, begone!

DIY Project #12, Part 2

5 Mar

Lately, I can’t find the right opportunity to get going with DIY project number 12. Maybe because I can play golf again with the MCO relaxed, the need to kill time at home is not so essential. After all, a round of golf will take up almost half the day, whether it is a morning or afternoon tee-off.

Also, there are things to do in the office, and I have been going to the office. By the time we head home, the usual evening dinner routine and chores leave hardly any window for me to sit down at my little station to work on the miniature. Oh well, I am not rushing to complete it.

Almost done with this

But luckily, towards the end of last week, I had time as I did not play any weekday golf, and work at the office was complete. So I think the project is at the tail-end, and I should complete it soon.

The remaining decor items to complete
Project #12, a wonderful piece

MCO 2.0, Part 2

18 Jan

It’s coming to a week already that we are under lockdown in the MCO 2.0 phase. I must say this time we are better prepared. There was no panic-buying for grocery on our part because it feels normal, like what we have been going through. The only difference being no golf outing and no need to be in the office.

We have been good staying home this time because there are things to keep us busy. Hubby baked while I worked on my DIY project. There is also much to catch up on as far as house chores are concerned. I even washed all my golf shoes to the point of removing all the laces to bleach them white.

Giving the shoes some sun to dry!

Before this latest MCO, I did not have time to clean my golf shoes. I just rotated them because I was playing so much. Now, with this two-week break, the shoes are getting a makeover. Other than this effort, I am, of course, working on DIY project number ten. It’s coming along swell. I reckon I can complete it before the end of the week! Yay.

Almost done with project #10!