29/5 Ink Culture
Started the day off in #CasualMonday style. No rhyme or reason as to why we were asked to be dressed in casual wear. After the morning goal-setting/ coaching session, I assumed it was for the benefit of those who ran the Sundown marathon during the weekend; comfort for those who made it through the race.
0920, we were asked to bring a bottle (with a lid on) and told to assemble arnd the boxing ring. Then came the surprise.
“There’s a bus downstairs, cmon let’s go”
No wallet/money taken. Grabbed my phone in one hand, my water bottle in another and we gathered by the lift. It was only until we were outside of the ofc did I realize that I came down in my ofc slippers. How lidat. :I (but it was comfy though!)
In the bus, no instructions given, no foreword of what’s going on, so we had our wild guesses amidst chitter chatter, and Kenneth’s and my random singing/rapping to Rishi’s music playing from the phone. Word was that, we were going to play Paintball (I swore my reactions was like Egads! :O bc I wore a dress. How to play paintball in dress?!) / we were going to the turf club / I guessed we were heading to the Kranji Cemetery. What else was there really in Kranji?
True enough, ended up in Kranji War Memorial. Beautiful place really. Serene, peaceful.. sun was hot though. And then the big boss explained his rationale for bringing us there; that it was Memorial Day in the States, and we should remember and respect those who sacrificed themselves during the war. It was also the starting point to our team challenge (we were split into 3 teams) to have us “think on our feet” and “to be resourceful with minimum resources”. Which was true; we had no money on us, and phones were surrendered. The challenge was to get from Kranji War Memorial to The British Club at Bukit Tinggi, using our own methods and ways, medieval methods if you could say so, no help whatsoever from technology etc. We had to PCMC (Probe Match Confirm Close - Selling metrics) to earn some money from the GPs (Grp Publishers) - 50 cents for every point scored. Max of 10 points. We earned $4. Way to go Ponco, our PCMC hero!!!!!
To cut the story short, we were extremely lucky to have flagged a van right outside the memorial. The kind Chinese and Indian uncle drove us alllllllllllllllllllllllll the way from Kranji to Bukit Timah even though it was out of their way! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?! What acts of kindness! Makes me believe that kind helpful Singaporeans still do exist. It so happens that the uncles thought one of us was injured and so they dropped by the roadside to offer help; little did they know we needed a ride, that’s all. But still, I think we were all so very touched for the uncles driving us there. Primeval methods of using a road map to get to our destination though, no google maps at all. Jackie was awesome finding the shortcuts to get to the destination, way to go Jackie!
We ended up reaching FIRST. Even though it was team 2 who got onto their van first. And the kind uncles.. despite risking getting caught by the police for having more than 6 passengers at the back of the truck, despite the route being out of their way.. they drove us allllllllllllllll the way to the very entrance of The British Club, and they even turned down our $4 (that’s all that we had!). In exchange, all they asked was for a mere photo on their phones , and that was it. Payment done. Just a photo. Unbelievable! (We got their namecards though, definitely going to send some praising /word of thanks email to them soon)
Being the first team had its perks. I think the best prize was giving every member of the team an extra 2% of KPI for our commission. Even 1% is hard to achieve these days, and all the game playing in exchange for 2% KPI. How many companies out there would do such a thing? How many companies out there actually do play games during work hrs?
Lunch was good. We were absolutely famished by the time we sat down. Ordered so much food, the rest teased that we had a 4-course meal. And that’s the amazing thing about INK; even as the losing teams came strolling into the bar, they weren’t bitter about it. They were happy that they came in 2nd. Even the last team came in good spirits. Then food came, and every hungry team mate from the other groups flocked one - by - one to our table / all tables for some food and everyone just went around trying each other’s food, from one table to another. It feels so warm and bonded. And everyone can strike up a conversation with absolutely anyone over there. I love that.
Shortly after, I found out that this was in preparation of the Sales Conference to be held in June. Apparently more of such activities are to be anticipated, and honestly, I cant wait for it! :D
Had a really long lunch, laughter and chitter chatter across all tables. Then we walked down the long hill, scattered like school children on an excursion trip, and we made it back to the bus for a sleepy ride back to the ofc. I dont think anyone really made that many calls this afternoon. Everybody was fighting the food coma and the z-monster, and most of them had their thoughts on their overseas trips (they had brought their luggage with them, and I suppose some went straight to the airport after work)
Everybody was in high spirits by the time work ended. I have tons of emails and proposals to send tmr. Aiyai. Dunno how I’m gna do it, but I will. Then the day ended with a short trip to Golden Mile with Jan, Sisca and Abel. I feel very touched knowing that we are surrounded by very helpful colleagues who are more than willing to share their sales tips and tricks with you, and to share their experience and offer help to you when you need them to. I want to start my 45 mins with some of them soon. (45 mins is a session where you can just choose any colleague to sit down and have a chat with them for 45 min on any topic you’d like)
And now I’m back home. Tired, exhausted, after meeting my two lovely girlsssssssss Evon and Charissa, after so long :) Catch - ups were good! A pity The Orange Thimble wasn’t open today :( but we had fun taking photos, eating yummy food, exploring yong siak tgt :D
What a day. Herein lies new experiences I’ve added to make life better than it was before.
(via frigginviat)
Never waste your time trying to explain who you are to people who are committed to misunderstanding you.
—
Unknown (via areyouhappyenough)
That’s right.
(Source: trulyquotable, via eletheowl)
(via theballaddove)
What horrifies me most is the idea of being useless: well-educated, brilliantly promising, and fading out into an indifferent middle age.
— Sylvia Plath (via belongingness)
(Source: fractured-self, via eletheowl)
27/5
Stranger’s reunion is such a lovely little kooky thing. I’d love to go back for lunch next week. Or maybe just an evening with a book and a cup of magic (their special concoction) again.
