Spring Cleaning (Welcome Year of the Dragon)

It has been my annual tradition since 2001 to end the year by reminiscing the significant events and milestones of the year that was about to pass... to meditate on what lessons were reaped and embrace the new year with optimism and enlightenment.

When re-reading my so-called Yearenders, I observed that some years were not as bright and salutary as the rest; although thankfully, these years were few and far in between.  I was not able to finish my 2011 Yearender.   I started the draft but I never got even halfway.  I decided to abandone it altogether and not force the issue.

In place of my traditional yearender which is lost by now, let me instead redirect my tradition to a slightly different theme.

Chinese New Year or also known as Spring Festival is being celebrated here in Singapore today to welcome the Year of the Water Dragon. It is said that days before the Lunar New Year, Chinese families clean the house in a major kind of way (spring cleaning) to sweep away bad luck and bring in good fortune. I was even told that furniture sales skyrocket during this period because some families even go to the extent of replacing old furnitures with new ones during spring cleaning.

We did our own spring cleaning earlier today but it didn't include any throwing-away-of-old-furniture. Apart from the usual daily cleaning, I rig the cabinets for old stuff that has outlived its usefulness and I do this every so often. We have a boxful of stuff waiting for the next donation. I got better at letting go of possessions as opposed to hoarding it until the day I die.

Personally, spring cleaning should not only apply to our physical environment but also to our state of mind.

There are so many negative forces around us today and no getting away from it --  it's in the news, the papers, on TV, in every random doomsday prophet near you. But it doesn't have to be this way. We certainly cannot runaway from the so-called "harsh realities" but then life is too short and too precious, to allow such forces to ruin what beauty life has to offer.

What better way to face this world's gloom and doom forces than to soak our minds with positivity!

Look at the brighter side of events... Believe in the goodness of every person... Cultivate and speak positive thoughts... Let heaven and nature take care of what's not. These are not rocket-science learnings isn't?  But when I made a renewed commitment to embrace these, it's all too liberating! We ought to make mental and spiritual spring cleaning a regular habit!

I am ready for you, 2012!

Priceless!

I couldn't believe my eyes!

Last December, my mother-in-law gave me a most humbling and wonderful gift.

Enclosed in a pink and gold trinket was a gold medallion. I took a close-up picture to see the details.

When worn, it actually resembles a scapular rather than a necklace. There is a butterfly detailing close to the medallion. I find it very meaningful because this is my personal symbol. This is also the icon of metamorphosis (if you noticed). The rather long chain is actually series of individually fashioned big and small gold crusted beads.

I am not expert on jewelry or gold-things but I can just tell that this isn't your run-of-the-mill gold necklace. The chains have a pale-gold sheen to it and so does the medallion. Not too bling-bling-y gold but almost a supremely regal gold. I thought this must be an antique piece of ornament.

The trinket where it was placed also have a gold butterfly adornment.

I first saw from Daphne Osena-Paez' blog/website the medallions that she designed and crafted herself and sold only in specialty boutiques as limited edition necklaces or bracelets. The central piece of the medallion is usually the Mother and Child painted replica which she sources all the way from Europe. I actually wanted to have one but I had to buy it from Manila. It's a limited collection. And knowing how sought after it was, it'll be tough luck.

This medallion though had a central glass piece. Nanay told me that this was once owned by Tatay's mother. Since Tatay had no sister, his mother (my Nanay's mother-in-law) gave this to Nanay eventually. Tatay had two other married siblings, so for her to chose Nanay must have meant something.

It is truly an antique piece according to Nanay. Handed down from generation to generation. Nanay had no daughter of her own, so she said she is now giving to me, and she did say that so that much later, Kyla can have it as well.

Both my husband's and our side came from middleclass Filipino familes. We were always told by our parents that the only riches in this life that can be handed down to us is our education. To use it well and live a full life.

To be bequeated and be entrusted this rare piece of art is simply humbling and priceless!

Thank you Nanay!

India On My Mind

I have been to India twice so far... the first one was in 2006 when we were qualifying a packaging supplier and I came with a bunch of colleagues from the Plant and from the Regional HQ. We also took the opportunity to attend the Packaging Expo in Delhi, one of the biggest of its kind in the country.

We flew in earlier to be able to spend a weekend side trip to Agra which is the home of the historical Taj Mahal. Seeing the Taj Mahal in its full glory is a one of a kind experience. I was deeply in awe being able to see it up close and personal -- the precious stone detailing in precise execution is a wonder! We had a local acting as a tour guide around the Taj Mahal grounds- the whole time he was sharing the story behind how the Taj Mahal was built.

The Taj was truly majestic!

Its gonna be a bumpy ride!

Come and get me...

Our colleague Anirudh Dutta also brought us to see the Light and Sound show at the Red Fort. On the way to the fort, we were distracted by the sighting of this intricately beaded bag which we could not resist buying.  We had a weekful of sampling of various Indian cuisine. My favorites were the Tikka Paneer and the Gulab Jamun. We also went to this under-the-ground shops in Delhi were we bought Indian Pashmina and bracelets made from precious stones. I still have all those with me, including the beaded bag.

My second visit was just last month, a few days before our annual home leave last December. Having worked with the India Team for quite a while, meeting most of them for the first time is of course something I looked forward to. This time our destination was Bhopal in the Madya Pradesh state. We landed first at the (new) Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi where we had quite an adventure, running for life along the departure halls after a long security check only to find out the gate closed five minutes ago.

Having visited 5 years earlier, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that International Airport already relocated to a modern/posh looking airport looking much like Changi. Brings back to mind the embarrassing NAIA, no wonder it is the world 's worst :-(

Bird's Eye View of the Indira Gandhi Int'l Airport

You will find Yoga Poses dominating the airport's Interiors

We were housed in this Jeha Numa Palace Heritage Hotel, which I learned, was indeed, a Palace! It is nestled in the serene Shymala Hills of Bhopal.  It was built in the 19th century and was converted to a Heritage Hotel in 1983, while keeping most of its original structure. The facade was simple but I learned that the rooms were intricately located. There were sepia pictures around the palace from the British India days. I love looking pictures from the by-gone era. There was a small race track around the palace and one can have sightings of horses running around those tracks.

It was a chilly month which gave the Palace a mysterious air-- as if the spirits of its previous inhabitants were lurking amongsts the shruberries, but not in a creepy kind-of-way (besides which, scary stuff doesnt exactly give me the creeps so I am fine with the lurking scenario). I wish I had a long gown and I can have a photograph of me sashaying around the castle. Haha.

The Palace Lobby by Night

The interior design of the room gives you this old world feeling.
I love old world.

One of the many stairwells leading to intricate lobbies.
Sepia pictures lined across the walls. I had a good look of those pictures.

India - with its rich history and culture is more than meets the eye! I will always remember this as one of the memorable places I've visited!

Happy New Year, Welcome 2012

After celebrating New Year's Eve last year in SG in total silence, we decided that we will definitely extend our holidays in Philippines to lasts until the New Year's Day is over.

We spent the holidays shuttling between my parents' home in Rizal where I spent half of my growing up years, and visiting my in-laws in Cavinti, Laguna via Manila East Road's Rizal-Laguna route which saves time, gasoline and exorbitant toll fees. Plus, I have always enjoyed the countrysides.

View of Laguna Bay from Rizal-Laguna Border

The sleepy town where we grew up.
I came to love the countryside despite being raised in Cubao til I was 13. 

On new year's eve, we were in Rizal together with my sister Jeni and nephew Justin. It is one of those few opportunities where we could bond for some time and have the kiddies play together. We spent the earlier hours singing with the videoke although I must say that this time, the younger ones stole the show!

We normally have the family dinner earlier rather than waiting for 12 midnight-- so that we just pass the time after dinner waiting for clock to strike midnight and welcome the new year. In between, the kids busy keep themselves busy with the sparklers - even Kevin had fun! My sister also bought this colorful plastic horns- definitely sturdier and louder than the usual torotots (paper-trumpets) which are usually broken-down before midnight.

We are no longer keen on having any firecrackers around and I noticed that neither did the neighbors spent any on firecrakers as well. We were all content lighting up a few fountain fireworks towards midnight, but that was about it. Or watching pyrotechnic shows courtesy of nearby residents.

Waiting for 2012 while the Thunders stay away from the haze

We spent the first day of the year visiting again my in-laws and bidding them adieu before we travel back to SG the next day.

Another year have passed and a new one has begun. The holiday season is officially over and  we return back to the daily grind. I thank God for these moments in between where we can be reunited with our loved ones and enjoy togetherness while it matters.

Here's to 2012!!!

Tears

My tears meant that I am too weary.
I may be at the end of my strength.
But it doesn't mean that I surrender.
"Weary loads are meant for shoulders
 Strong enough to carry them."

My tears meant I am frustrated.
Over people. Events.
Twist of events. Events that get twisted.
But there is redemption in knowing
That fate has its way of righting wrongs.
It always does.

Love What You Do and Do What You Love

This blog is in celebration of my upcoming 15 years anniversary with P&G. I finished the blog earlier than my anniversary date though. This is also dedicated to the men and women of P&G that I have worked with, from R&D to Product Supply to SGO/AAIK. Our challenges and stretch goals will always be there but you have made each day at work a little better, brighter and lighter. Your stories at work are forever linked with mine. -- Armie


We have a bunch of new hires in the SGO organization this year. New hires make you realize how old you are in the company and all that drama. Newbees were asked to introduce themselves and say something (witty). We were amused how most new hires exclaimed that P&G is their dream company. But I had to smile. It was my dream company too. During my 3rd year in college, a keynote speaker from P&G was our guest. It was a very impressive and inspiring talk and it got me to aspire to work for P&G as well. Rest is history.

One of the new hires in our team asked me, quite innocently "Armie, if I want to be promoted to Band 3 does that mean I also have to work until 2AM?" (This was because they get emails from me written between 1-2AM in the morning.)

I had to laugh. Not at the new hire but at myself. Who indeed, would be up at 2AM? Me and someone else I know. And we are at same level. Thus, the new hire's conclusion.

So I answered quickly, "Oh no, no, no, no (and some more "no's")... it's just me and "this-someone-else" (not sure if being identified in a blog will be appreciated. or not.). I quoted examples of SNO folks who can be better role models of work-life balance. I obviously do not and have never belonged to that circle. And quite frankly, I had to say that with perverse pride.

And I continued explaining.... "I have been this way since I was a new hire like you. So its not a big deal."

Which got me thinking. That is so true indeed. And my mind went ahead to auto-rewind the memories. Tales of the workaholic is more like it.

When I was new hire in R&D, I spent one weekend prowling the libraries of University of the Philippines College of Science for magnesium soaps because we didn't have internet access then at the R&D G.O.

We did not have laptops back then too. We had this very slow desktop PC that eventually got upgraded to Pentiums and Internet was made available. You have to work beyond 8 hours to finish a report in case you needed more time unless you have a PC at home (I don't). We usually needed more time. In my case, I came back on weekends to work at the office to finish my technical reports and manual data tabulation. And it was not charged to O.T. (overtime) by the way. We called it O-TY (Thank You).

I even experienced spending overnight of Dec 23rd (going to Dec 24th which is Christmas eve in the Philippines) at the Makati office by myself. I was waiting for a shipment of powder samples from Belgium, due to arrive after midnight. I had to conduct an odor testing for the 3 samples (this was past midnight), and call my supplier's technical contact's home number in Belgium to confirm which sample passed the odor test, which they should be preparing to send for airshipment in time for my Plant EO (trials) after Christmas. We didnt have a lot of time then because CPS (project schedule) was well... accelerated as usual.

While still in R&D GO, I spent many EO days at the Plant that lasts 24 hours or more. Spent long hours at the hot and humid Plant Warehouse taking and measuring samples, lifting and moving the cases from the pallet by myself. Today, they have contractors who does that for them. I spent forever in the Plant if an equipment broke down during an EO and we decided not to go home until we produce something.

When I eventually moved to PS, my first engineering project was handed over to me in the middle of massive delays. My first day on the role, I had to be the messenger (to this big meeting) of the bad news of its delay. Needless to say what happens to messengers (yep, they get massacred). I took it as a challenge and brought the schedule back on track without resorting to crazy short cuts.

I started up a new making and packing line for this new product, in my 9th month of pregnancy, completed Q-run and close out one day before I gave birth. The AAI GM even visited us at the line during that 1st production run. I should have had my picture taken with the GM! At the hospital, while labor started, I was still on the phone speaking with the Making engineers while the pain started kicking in, on how to troubleshoot a batch with borderline color. They even suggested to name the baby after that variant (!) when they learned I was on the brink of delivering while they were speaking with me!

The most challenging initiative ever was the so-called EDSA project. All brands, all variants, all skus undergoing changes at the same time at a super accelerated CPS. We had to qualify and start up new machines, we had to do formula upgrade and packaging changes, had to qualify and start up an external contractor, had to modify machines etc etc. All the technical changes in this world. We did not have the luxury of time either. The technical teams were really fragmented then but this project brought everyone together. It brought out the best of everyone because nobody wanted to be the cause of failure.

If I add and narrate my operations-days experience we will never see an end to this blog. Suffice it to say that it was an assignment I tried to avoid, but it ended up to be one of the most fulfilling and rewarding of all. It wasn't the results and records that I missed most or was most proud of. Records are meant to be broken. But the road to get there, how I saw that it brought the best out of people, how the teams broke barriers and gave their best - were most inspiring for me.

As my mind made the involuntary mental rewind, all I can say was that "well, those were the days".

Many years after those episodes, it made it difficult for me to understand why folks surrender at an EO after 8 hours, why folks shy away from hard dirty work. Or why people dread writing issue sheets (my theory was because of this messenger-thing). I couldn't understand why they think an accelerated CPS will bring a nervous breakdown. Believe me, I've worked against the worst CPS of all time. Try launching four initatives in one quarter.

I also thought, our working style will never really change much in the course of years. This is true to me and after observing many people I have worked with, this is generally true. It is like your study habits. Or sleeeping habits. The difference at work is you actually get paid for it. Your work habit stays with you for life. It's in your DNA.

Where I am leading to from all these musings anyway?

It is true we choose how we work. We can work smarter. Or work harder. Sometimes both are necessary, really. We chose to have work life balance - we chose how we define balance and what we ought to do to achieve it.

My definition of balance really sucks, hahaha. I have to finally admit that I comfortably live a life of imbalance. With perverse pride. If it were not for a super supportive and understanding spouse, I would have been separated by now. When we were talking about favorite things, my little girl told me that she thinks my favorite thing is my laptop (I have two). She said this in a matter of fact tone. I am not offended or worried. And she does not say it with that make-you-feel-guilty tone. We have an extraordinary understanding of each other. She understands that my love for my laptop is the same as her love of soccer, scooter, monkey bars and bikes. It doesnt mean I love them less.

But one thing also stood out. I loved what I did all these years. I am a Process person by heart but I also took an adventure into the world of engineering, project management, packaging, operations and even some bit of QA and IWS. Time will tell what I think of Planning.

Loving what you do made everything far more easier.

You have to do what you love. And at some point, you have to love what you do!

 

The Weekly Ops Board Review. Becoming #1 is a daily commitment.



Believe me when I say we've done a lot more crazy stuff ... usually involved lots of dancing. arrrggh.

Our early years at the Plant. The original PD&A team from R&D.

 

My team organized and hosted the 1st Asia Packaging College.
Becoming Asia's best include paving the way for others to also succeed.



WPI Pillar Masterplanning Event
From invisible to invincible! Doing more with less effort! 

 Group Picture from the Last Ever R&D Offsite

Honoring the unsung heroes. The 1st Granules Golden Suds Awards Night.
An R&D tradition which I brought to the Plant. 

The self-funded Supply System Christmas Party

My Last Day at the Plant. Didnt want to say "Farewell" really.
You never know in this life.



Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice

Chicken Rice is best known for being the national food of Singapore. Of course, not to be outclassed, the Chili Crab is the national seafood of this island-nation.

I immediately loved Hainanese Chicken Rice. Love at first bite is more like it. The dish is downright simple - steamed or roasted chicken served with rice that has been cooked in tasty chicken broth, with siding of kailan leaves and ginger/soysauce/chili condiment to finish it off. My kids also love Chicken rice!

I learned that one of the famous landmark for Chicken Rice in Singapore is actually a stone's throw from Novena Square Office Towers (where I work) and from where we live. So it is quite downright ridiculous that it took me one year before I can finally savor the original Wee Nam Kee Chicken Rice at Novena's Thomson Road.

Why? Because WNK is always packed with customers! The tables are always full and there is almost always a handful of locals and expats waiting in line at any time of the day. At first glance, WNKwill defy expectations -- that is, if you are geared to see a posh and polished, upbeat, airconditioned, dainty dining place in Singapore. It's not. Quite the opposite.

I had the chance to dine at WNK when friends from the Cabuyao Plant visited us last October. We arranged to have dinner with colleagues who have also worked from the same plant and given its proximity to the office, WNK was the place to be. It is a typical small-town, non-airconditioned cafe a la street-style with it's sidewalk dotted with round tables and plastic chairs so you can dine al fresco under the hot Singaporean sun (or humid nights). The roasted chickens are on display. in our country, this place is comparable to what we call as eatery, canteen or carinderia. As in.

I learned that while they are famous for the chicken rice fare, they also serve a variety of local food like deep fried baby squid, carrot cake (which is not a cake), chili crab (yum!), cereal prawns, etc. The chicken rice was divine and so was the sizzling tofu! We ordered whole roasted chicken served into bite sized proportions. I personally like the steamed chicken better because its flavors blend well with the generous condiments. I like to dab a dash of soy sauce and chili sauce and sprinkle bits of ginger onto the chicken.
Interestingly, Wee Nam Kee has a Philippine franchise which opened last year at upbeat Makati City. I saw the pictures of the oriental-themed interiors of WNK Philippines and I could not help but be amazed stark constrast versus the hole-in-the-wall ambience of its mother branch.

When in Singapore, or any other place for that matter, I recommend trying out local food fare from the small towns for that genuine local cultural vibe.