Like Running Scared? Get Into The Dead

It's been awhile. Time to play with dead things again.. this time by running away from them. Oh, if you get lucky, you'll have the chance to put them down for good by pumping lead into their lifeless, albeit reanimated bodies too. One doesn't have to feel guilty about putting zombies down, since they just need to die all over again.

Gotta save what remains of humanity during a zombie apocalypse and all that, right? So you start off by making sure you stay alive and remain on both feet. In this case, you gotta constantly keep one foot in front of the other.

Well, I'm talking about this new Android game 'Into The Dead'. To be more factual, it's not exactly new as in 'Just released to the world' kind of new, since the game already existed for iOS devices for some time already. Better late than never and better off dead & playable than dead and left wanting, me think.


You can get the game here and read more about it on this article by Android Police.

Just keep running and stay alive.


-De Lion Speaks

My Last Working Day

So this is it, today is my final working day with my company before I start clearing my annual leaves all the way. My official final day of employment is the 17th of March and I'm actually left with more annual leaves than days of employment left, which the company will compensate me with monetary payment.

Michelle from HR tells me I can opt to either be given a cheque on the spot or have the money banked into my account some time around the 28th. I opt for the bank-in which seems more secure and convenient for me but when she tells me after some hesitation and biting of words that it is actually more hassle-free for her to issue me a cheque, I begin to change my mind and tell her to go ahead and issue me the cheque instead. I don't wish to make things difficult for her since she's always been helpful.

I've planned to go for a month's break after today to re-energize myself and get my off-work life back in order (like updating this blog site and clearing the backlog blog entries I owe myself here, as well as restringing my guitars I've been putting off for some time already, can you believe that?). Gosh, I really need the rest and get my shit together again. One of the precious lessons I've learned is that if you don't get your personal life in order, it's gonna spill over and affect your working life. Since I have a mind to change jobs, I'll have to take the down time to straighten my personal life matters back into shape.

So here I am at the office clearing my cabinet and going around bidding farewells and snapping photos of the premise and my colleagues for the memories, since I know I'm gonna miss this place and the good people after I'm gone:

Jason's farewell gift for me

My manager Jason has typed out a really nice testimonial for me of which I'm thankful for for his kind gesture. He then hands me a farewell gift he has personally bought for me and wishes me all the best for my future endeavors. He tells me he will be happy to be my referral for any potential employer on my behalf.

Thank you Jason, God bless you and your loved ones too. An average person would have cracked down the middle many times over under all the stress and pressure you've been going through but you've been holding your ground and keeping it all together all these while. I'm honestly astounded by your strength.

Those of us in the Sales division have our official reporting-in days on Mondays and Thursdays but Jason has asked everyone to come in today instead of tomorrow. That's nice of him. It's a pity that l can't see Jess on my last working day though, since she's gone on a few days of leave for some matters.

Fact is, l was supposed to already have started clearing my remaining annual leaves all the way from some time last week but Jason asked me if l could extend my working days till today in order to give further guidance to Queenie in the field, of which l have no problems with, so l gladly obliged. Speaking of which, even though I'm happy to let Queenie tag along with me in the field these past few days, part of me still wish that l could have spent my last remaining working days alone with my customers instead, since there could probably be things or issues that some of them wished to confide with me in private.
Between myself and those of my customers that are close to me, we do share secrets. l suppose it's still ok since they have my number and my ears are open to them any time, any day. Even so, my dear Pharmacists customers are the hardest factor for me to let go of this job of. They are wonderful folks. Dear reader, when you go visit the Pharmacists, please treat them kindly. You have my gratitude for that.

My official last day of employment with the company is the 17th of this month and like I've mentioned, I'll be clearing my leaves from tomorrow onwards till then. I'll be taking a month's break and use the time to get my personal life back in shape while I catch my breath.

Well, l suppose I've reached the end of the line here and it's time to seek a new adventure for myself. All these years I've spent with the company will remain as fond memories with me, since this has been the best job I've ever had thus far and l consider myself fortunate and blessed that l'm able to say such a thing.

Had to swallow that lump in my throat though.


-De Lion Speaks

My Farewell Lunch

I've tendered my resignation on the 18th of last month and it's customary for the Sales & Marketing division to have farewell lunches for their troops that are leaving, though not necessarily on their final official working day (as in my case here). Well, it's my turn now and admittedly, it's making me feel.. how shall I put this.. drifting away? Getting detached? I'm still part of the Sales division but now that the day for my farewell lunch has come, I'm beginning to feel like I was an umbilical cord slowly being cut away from the body it's attached to.

It's not a very pleasant feeling - it feels liberating but alienating at the same time. l think that's the closest l could describe it accurately in regards to how I'm truly feeling towards the whole matter.

So lunch happens to be at the Yum Cha Garden restaurant in Serangoon Garden Country Club. "Hey guys, thanks for coming to my party" is how I'm greeting my colleagues already seated at the table before me as l walk towards an unoccupied chair. For some reason, they all started looking kinda surprised and dumbfounded at me and nobody is responding to my greeting. Everyone just seem to freeze for a second there. l think l can also spot some rather confused gazes here and there.

I guess my twisted joke of a greeting a second ago was either in bad taste or they don't realize that l was actually poking fun at my own situation. It just so happens that if you have to be politically correct every single time, straitjacket boredom will inevitably set in and I never liked boredom. I figured that since I'll be leaving, I might as well tickle some funny bones in the process. It's just too bad that funny just became bewilderment instead. I guess I would suck at being a comedian. Anyway, after that split second of time-freeze, everybody snapped out of it and the table chatter continues.

It's just too bad that Jess is on medical leave today and can't attend my 'party' (though she WhatsApped me later halfway through the lunch to apologize and chat with me a bit, how sweet of her). And it's too bad that Jace can't attend my 'party' too since she has already gone through this phase for herself on her last day with the company before I'm going through mine now. We take turns feeling like umbilical cords.

When I was told that we would be having lunch here at Yum Cha, l couldn't bring myself to tell my colleagues that actually, just two days ago, one of my customers already brought me to another Yum Cha branch and treated me to a farewell lunch. I'm not complaining, mind you, I'm still grateful for this farewell lunch courtesy of my company. Even though I'm eating the same dishes again, it's the gesture of goodwill that counts. Yours truly doesn't happen to be an ungrateful spoilt brat, so pass me the Har Gow.

Yum Cha is a chain of restaurant outlets that serve Dim Sum (点心) dishes that look like these:

My farewell gift

It's also customary for our Sales & Marketing division to give their departing troopers a farewell gift and I got a Fossil watch that I think looks nice. Now I know how the troopers who have left the company felt during their farewell lunches. Despite the lunch, the well-wishes and the farewell gift you receive, there is a palpable sense of loss in the mix.

Queenie

My bubbly colleague Queenie will be the person I'm handing my torch over to. She has been sticking with me after my farewell lunch and is taking the train with me now. Giving her all the tips and advice I can think of, as well as encouraging her to hold the fort for our department, the train finally reaches the stop where l have to alight.

I'm walking towards the escalator but l suddenly stop in my tracks, whip out my Note 2, make a quick about-face and run back towards the cabin where Queenie is in and takes a photo of her. The sporting girl makes a peace sign and poses for me. As the train doors start to close, l give her the thumbs up and watch as the train speeds away. We both smile and wave at each other until we disappear from each other's field of vision.

l just did what I did because I've always been telling myself all these years that should l leave the company one day, whoever takes over my post is a lucky person and I've always wondered who that person would turn out to be and what his or her story in life is like. So take good care of yourself and God bless, Queenie. It makes me really glad that you told me just now that I've been a good guide and source of encouragement to you. I'm really grateful for that and it encourages me in kind too :)

Well, I still have 2 official working days left before l start clearing what's left of my annual leaves. I actually thought this morning that today would be the very last time I report in at the office, so l went around the office compound snapping lots of photos for the memories since I know I'll miss the place after I'm gone. Turns out, my manager Jason would like me to report in again this wednesday, which will be my very last official working day. I'm actually grateful for that.

So see you again this wednesday. You'll get to see how my last working day will be like then.

Burp.


-De Lion Speaks

A Little Update

The time now is 02:24 in the middle of the night and I'm in Taipei with my Lioness. In fact, it's the last night of our 7 days, 6 nights trip. 2 days before our Taipei trip, I flew home from Seoul (company incentive trip).

I have quite a load of blog entries backlog I owe myself here.. and I've tendered my resignation with my company. Yeah, there are loads of happenings to update and since I only have a few working days left before I start clearing my leftover annual leaves all the way, I should be able to catch up with myself eventually and by the time I get to the blog entry regarding the last day of my current Taipei trip (which is the date of this particular blog entry), this little update will vanish and be replaced by it.

Yup, things have been interesting from January till this month - lots of heartaches, nerve-wrecking decisions and all the drama. But there have been some little gems too. You know what they say: Life is like a kitchen which sometimes produces yummylicious food and sometimes, it produces food that leaves a bad taste in your mouth on a bad day.

Actually, nobody said that but you catch my drift. Stay cool, stay tuned.

Greetings from Taipei

- De Lion Speaks