A Day In The Life 2018

This is what today was like for me.

Which is probably the most average day ever.

Woke at 0645. It is the first day of school for the boy after the mid year holidays and the rest of us need to get up early so we can drop him and everyone properly to where we want to be. The girl is putting on her sulky morning face again. Things will be alright in maybe half hour for her. Must be a 6-year old thing. We leave the house at 0710 and it is raining. I am still on the second lane past the traffic junction and I am thinking of cutting queue only at the final minute of the turn into the road leading to the boy's school. Instead I have been warned once, so I do like most obedient parents of the school - we queue like all other obedient parents on the left most lane after I managed to cut in past the bus stop. Even though it is raining and we can drive into the school gates to drop off the boy, we choose the regular drop off at the foyer instead. Said our 'I love yous and goodbyes and have funs' to the boy and then its time to make that big loop back to the main road.

It is 0745 and we reach our next destination, which is the girl's kindergarten. Here I drop off as well and walk the girl to school. As always, I kiss her on the top of her head and say my 'I love yous and goodbyes and have funs'. I see her walk all the way in. She knows that and she turns around about 3 times in total to way another goodbye. I know that too, and I wait for her to turn around each time until she turns the corner and is out of sight.

0755 is time for Pokemon Go. I hold three Gold gyms in total near the area, so it is time to go spin for some Pokemon goodies. Today my favourite gym is owned by Valor (Red) which means it is easy to take down. Something about it being so early and no one is awake in time to defend the gyms. After that I walk to the next two gyms for a quick spin as well. There isn't much to catch today because a huge Pokemon event has recently ended. 0820 I'm still walking around spinning Pokestops and catching normal Pokemon when I am notified that my Pokemons have returned. Someone had taken over the gym I just beaten down. No matter, I can't be bothered going back to fight. That can wait another day. It is 0830 and I should head to the office.

I reach the office at 0845, the most normal time that I reach office. My team is rather huge now and I am greeted by a raft of 'Good mornings' while on my way to my desk which is right in the middle of a very busy aisle. My first task of the day is to assign all the new leads from the previous day to all available team members as well as to clear my emails. I tend to get about 150-200 emails on any given day, aside from Monday, when I have maybe 300-350. So today I am particularly busy in this front. Something about the weekends where people clearly have more time on their hands to sign up for a trading account I guess.

There is a new girl in the office (two in fact), and one of them sits right beside me. I have my fierce and no-nonsense face on. Also better to start with a stern impression when it comes to new colleagues. She's introduced to me and I keep my sentences and greetings short. She's not from my department so there is no need to be nice. Yet. Youlong is also back in Singapore from Shanghai for the next two weeks. Already locked in lunch with him.

I'm in luck. I have no meetings this morning. A client meeting I was supposed to have also cancelled. I have time to chase for reports and prepare my own reports as well. It still keeps my super busy, but at least I am in my own comfort zone if only for now. It is 1130 and lunch o'clock beckons. We have Eugene and Victor joining myself and Youlong.

We decide to lunch at Mansion, at Far East Square selling $6 chicken/mutton briyani lunch sets, which we like quite a lot. Thereafter it is catch up time at Cha Tra Mue, our favourite chill place. We don't chill so much anymore because everyone is so busy in their individual roles. Me in particular. Today is slightly different as we have Youlong.

1245 and it is time to head back up and continue with our busy schedules. 1330 is my first weekly meeting. This one is about onboarding and how to make it more digitalized and more efficient. It is crucial in our organization's transformation towards STP (straight through processing). Already we have made great strides this year and this committee in particular has made some instrumental strides towards digitalization. So much so that I can feel we are doing something great here. And the 2018 YTD results are already proving that what we are doing is far more successful that so many years before. 60 minutes well spent here.

1500 is my first client meeting of the week. I love meeting clients with huge potential. Even if 9/10 end up disappointing me.

I decide that I have sufficient free time to conduct some sales training for my newbies. It is 1600 and the newbies look enthusiastic. I like this batch of newbies. They suit the mould of the enhanced new role transformation which I have a hand at directing. I spend a full hour and I can only complete two out of five basic modules of platform presentation. I am somewhat disappointed with myself for taking so long, but the newbies say it was very enlightening. Hmm.

It is 1700 and I have the final meeting of the day, but a very important one. I have been drafted in for a top secret global project. Yet another one I supposed.

1800 and now I want to have a beer and catch up with staff that I have missed, what with all my travelling. We head down to Beer Factory where Jan the bar manager always touches me a wee bit too much and asks why I hardly go down anymore. I am joined by almost half my team, which is nice. A lot of conversations and catch ups can only be had during these after work sessions. We are always too busy in the office after all.

I decide that it will be a very long night tomorrow and the day after due to a flurry of events the next couple of weeks. It is 1900 and I take a taxi home. This is after three bottles of beer. It is refreshing and relaxing. Wait. What about dinner? I shall go dabao Thai minced pork rice from this little joint nearby.

I reach home around 2000. The wifey and kids just got home too and are having dabao-ed dinner of their own. It is homework time for the kids after that, and I make like a mouse and try not to create any attention that would distract the kids, which in turn pisses off the wifey. This includes turning the TV on. It is time to catch up on my games like Pokemon Go and Clash Of Clans. I have 3 PG accounts and 3 COC accounts so that really keeps me busy.

The kids go to bed around 2145. It is off to their own room now and they are somewhat automatic. The boy needs a lot of nagging and he is starting to practice selective listening now. The girl is still super obedient, especially when she is in a good mood, which tonight she is. The World Cup in Russia is happening right now but I didn't subscribe to the channel (almost $100!). What a pity.

I take my bath around 2230.

And now I am blogging about a day in my life this year in 2018.

To better days ahead!