It has been 20 years since we left secondary school. A friend, together with some others, got together to organise a reunion this Saturday for the different classes.
I have informed the organisers I won't be attending. Such an irony, considering I was the organiser for my own class' 10-year reunion.
I was told the attendees number 50 adults and 50 kids. Sigh. Guess what will be the most popular topic that night? And some of these people that are going, I bump into them on the streets once in a while. It's either I have good memory or they have poor memory - they don't seem to recognise me! Don't see how a reunion will help.
Most importantly, why I'm not going, is because most of my kakis are not going? Why can't they make it, you ask.
Why, to look after their kid(s), of course!
Whatever lah. Going to CommunicAsia 08 later after lunch.
Post Date: 20 Jun 08
Friday, June 20, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Sianzzzz
Slept an additional hour this morning, but it still didn't help with the 偏头痛. Knew that it wasn't going to be a good day. Even my colleagues asked what was wrong.
Decided that I had enough and left for home at around 4.30pm.
On the way home, I tried to rationalise my sian-ness. I think it's a combination of factors, a perfect storm of emotions:
1. Office Work
Work has been really intense, and I've been kept on my toes. I'm not trained in my current responsibility, and I have no prior experience nor knowledge. Everything has been learnt on the ground. Because of this, I move very cautiously, poring over every detail and (try to) cover every angle. The buck stops with me. One wrong move/decision could send me to jail, incur the company a fine, or worse, send the whole structure down. It's not so much the pressure, but rather, the responsibility that's weighing me down. I need a break from months of scolding contractors, complaining to customers, spot checks and approving drawings/plans. And just before I left for home, another person was prepared to inconvenience us so as to get whatever he wanted. I was too tired to fight back.
2. Volunteer Work
Heard from a friend yesterday that the current case has been put on accelerated path. It's back to the good old days. We haven't been approached yet, but it might just happen. I really don't mind helping, but I always get the feeling our help is taken for granted, that it is 理所当然. Sigh. I may be over-worrying. Maybe the existing group can handle ... ?
3. Kids
Went to see the chinese physician again after another month of red marks. This time around, he diagnosed that the problem may lie with me. Sigh. Why is it so hard to conceive? Other people don't even need to try to get pregnant! And we just came back from dinner with a couple friend who brought along their 18-month-old boy. Guess what was the main conversational topic throughout the dinner?
Photo credit here.
Post Date: 20 Jun 08
Monday, June 16, 2008
BizTimes: Global IPO market still solid, thanks to BRIC
It's reassuring to be reading this in the Business Times. I really hope I made the right choice.
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/news/story/0,4574,283651,00.html?
Ernst & Young report says Brazil, Russia, India, China will pick up slack
By MICHELLE QUAH
(SINGAPORE) Despite market volatility and the credit crunch caused by the US sub-prime crisis last year, global initial public offering (IPO) markets continued to see a healthy flow of activity, fuelled mainly by emerging markets.
Ernst & Young's (EY) fifth annual Global IPO Trends report said that global IPO activity soared to an all-time high of US$284 billion raised in 1,979 deals. And the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China - were responsible for over 40 per cent of the proceeds raised.
Going forward, investment bankers and stock exchange executives interviewed by EY predict a healthy pipeline of global IPOs in the year ahead, especially from emerging markets.
This is despite a drastic slowdown in almost all global IPO markets in the first quarter of this year. There were 236 IPOs in the first quarter, generating US$40.9 billion - a 38 per cent drop in volume and a 15 per cent decline in capital raised, from the first quarter of 2007.
EY's report blamed the market turmoil triggered by the credit crunch, which led to a sharp deceleration in most IPO markets around the world. 'Faced with more scrutinising investors and stringent valuations, record numbers of businesses withdrew or postponed their IPO plans,' it said.
Notably, however, eight out of the top 10 IPOs last year were companies from the emerging markets - which were bolstered by robust economic growth at a time when developed markets had to endure a slowdown.
Overall, Greater China raised the most capital and launched the most IPOs, drawing in US$66 billion in 259 deals. The US took second place with 172 IPOs generating US$34.2 billion. The third spot was taken by a second emerging market - Brazil - whose IPO markets produced US$27.3 billion in 64 IPOs.
Investment bankers and stock exchange executives noted that soaring global liquidity and flourishing local economies have kindled emerging markets growth.
'It's a combination of the economic, fiscal and currency strength within these local markets, combined with massive global liquidity,' said Lisa Carnoy, managing director and co-head of equity capital markets at Merrill Lynch in New York.
Noreen Culhane, executive vice-president of the global corporate client group at NYSE Euronext, said: 'As these emerging economies develop so rapidly, there is both a need and an opportunity for new entrepreneurial businesses. These businesses need capital to fund organic growth and to gain a currency for acquisitions.'
And global investors with an appetite for risk have been shifting assets to fast-growing emerging markets where higher returns can be achieved. 'It's a little easier to achieve the alpha or high growth that investors seek in the emerging markets, given their generally greater underlying economic strength,' said Jonathan Grussing, managing director and head of equity corporate finance at Credit Suisse in London.
......
Post Date: 16 Jun 08
http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/news/story/0,4574,283651,00.html?
Ernst & Young report says Brazil, Russia, India, China will pick up slack
By MICHELLE QUAH
(SINGAPORE) Despite market volatility and the credit crunch caused by the US sub-prime crisis last year, global initial public offering (IPO) markets continued to see a healthy flow of activity, fuelled mainly by emerging markets.
Ernst & Young's (EY) fifth annual Global IPO Trends report said that global IPO activity soared to an all-time high of US$284 billion raised in 1,979 deals. And the BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China - were responsible for over 40 per cent of the proceeds raised.
Going forward, investment bankers and stock exchange executives interviewed by EY predict a healthy pipeline of global IPOs in the year ahead, especially from emerging markets.
This is despite a drastic slowdown in almost all global IPO markets in the first quarter of this year. There were 236 IPOs in the first quarter, generating US$40.9 billion - a 38 per cent drop in volume and a 15 per cent decline in capital raised, from the first quarter of 2007.
EY's report blamed the market turmoil triggered by the credit crunch, which led to a sharp deceleration in most IPO markets around the world. 'Faced with more scrutinising investors and stringent valuations, record numbers of businesses withdrew or postponed their IPO plans,' it said.
Notably, however, eight out of the top 10 IPOs last year were companies from the emerging markets - which were bolstered by robust economic growth at a time when developed markets had to endure a slowdown.
Overall, Greater China raised the most capital and launched the most IPOs, drawing in US$66 billion in 259 deals. The US took second place with 172 IPOs generating US$34.2 billion. The third spot was taken by a second emerging market - Brazil - whose IPO markets produced US$27.3 billion in 64 IPOs.
Investment bankers and stock exchange executives noted that soaring global liquidity and flourishing local economies have kindled emerging markets growth.
'It's a combination of the economic, fiscal and currency strength within these local markets, combined with massive global liquidity,' said Lisa Carnoy, managing director and co-head of equity capital markets at Merrill Lynch in New York.
Noreen Culhane, executive vice-president of the global corporate client group at NYSE Euronext, said: 'As these emerging economies develop so rapidly, there is both a need and an opportunity for new entrepreneurial businesses. These businesses need capital to fund organic growth and to gain a currency for acquisitions.'
And global investors with an appetite for risk have been shifting assets to fast-growing emerging markets where higher returns can be achieved. 'It's a little easier to achieve the alpha or high growth that investors seek in the emerging markets, given their generally greater underlying economic strength,' said Jonathan Grussing, managing director and head of equity corporate finance at Credit Suisse in London.
......
Post Date: 16 Jun 08
Friday, June 13, 2008
Life's simple pleasures
Parked at Rochor Centre for a conference at Raffles City.
Had a leisurely breakfast at the Kopitiam coffeeshop. Watched the people going to work past me by.
The breakfast was nothing to rave about, but the me-time did me a world of good.
WARNING: crappy video quality ahead
Post Date: 16 Jun 08
Had a leisurely breakfast at the Kopitiam coffeeshop. Watched the people going to work past me by.
The breakfast was nothing to rave about, but the me-time did me a world of good.
WARNING: crappy video quality ahead
Post Date: 16 Jun 08
Monday, June 02, 2008
Time for a break
These past 6 or so weeks have been quite intense, for both work and personal. I'm happy to report both have crossed the critical stage and now should be the stable, routine season.
In anticipation that we need to reward ourselves for the hard work (hehehe), Wifey and I booked the package at NATAS some 3 months ago. When it was still months ago, we lamented that it's still so far away. And now, we are wishing we had some more time to pack!
Indian Ocean, here we come!
Image credit here.
Post Date: 2 Jun 08
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