Work schedule woes

Woke up early yesterday & couldn't get back to dreamland. Instead of idling around, I started researching for information on hot-springs around Nagoya. Most are quite far & expensive, so I settled for an amusement park that has hot-springs in there as well. Did a simple proposal & sent it out to the guides... wonder if they’d be keen to go...

It's still early after the above was done, so I went to explore my surroundings with another member. We went to a park nearby... quite ulu but nice place for hiking. Tempted to start hiking immediately but didn’t wana risk falling coz we were wearing flip-flop slippers. Hmm... maybe I should organize a group hiking trip there!

We were on afternoon shift, so cooked lunch at home. My roommates cooked fried rice ~ delicious!! I’m trying to lose weight so had to resist eating too much of it, but I can’t resist cheese and wine. Craved for it 2 nights ago & bought it from a supermarket after work. The Japanese red wine was a disappointment but I love the cheese!! I wanted to get another bottle of red wine last night but everyone wanted to go home early so I dropped the idea. Settled for the remaining Jap red wine, followed by Umeshu (plum liqueur). Think I drank too much last night, my face turned very red and there were red patches all over my arm & legs… still have a bit of hangover now…

There was a fireworks outing last night, but I didn’t join them as it’s windy & cold. Didn’t want to take unnecessary risks with fireworks. Stayed at home to drink & surf net & chat with my roommates…

After work, we were informed that the shift schedule has been changed according to suggestions by Team B. I knew things were bad the moment I saw one of my team member’s face turn black when she saw the new schedule. She remarked loudly that the new schedule is unfair. I tried to calm her down a little and told her we’d discuss it at home instead. At home, she said “Team B’s members had better not step into my room today...” Hahahaa…

Back home, a few of us studied the schedule together. Compared to the first 2 schedules, this new schedule is quite unfair towards us. I don’t ask for a schedule that favors us only, but at least one that is fair to both teams as far as possible. The original schedule by the manager was taxing for both teams. The 2nd schedule suggested by Team B but misunderstood by the manager was a little taxing for them on a few days, but I had suggested that we can switch the shifts during that few days to make it better for them, but they weren’t keen on it. Instead they went to push for this new schedule which seems to make life better for them only.

I’m very disappointed with Team B’s leader for not discussing this issue with my team before proposing it to the manager. This schedule not only affects them, but us as well. We are 2 teams working separately but what we do will affect each other. Don’t they get the point? How can I teach them to get out of their “I, me, myself” mentality? The world doesn’t revolve around them. To say they are still young isn’t a good excuse… I’ve much younger members in my team but I’m very impressed by their level of maturity & team community spirit. We are a team, we have to be united & care for one another. Whatever we do, we must consider how it would affect the rest of the members.

A neutral party has suggested that we trash this issue out with Team B. In my opinion, if this works I’d definitely do so. But from what I see, no matter how the schedule is changed, there is bound to be one team that will be affected unless we can do slight changes during that few taxing days. This, I’ve suggested when the 2nd schedule was out but Team B wasn’t receptive to my suggestion. Our manager isn’t too pleased with the request in change of schedule as well.

I plan to do a lunch meeting with my team later to discuss on this matter. I’d suggest leaving the schedule as it is and look at June’s schedule to see if it’s fair to us. I wish to encourage them to persevere on, take things in our stride ~ we are short of manpower but we will not to let this fact affect us. We’d try to make do with this shortage & help cover each other if one gets too tired.


1 comment:
OMG! It's getting political manz! Lata beta Be prepared to bring some parangs, beer bottles, chairs, wooden planks etc. in case negotiation fails! ahahahahhaa....Ok, juz mi crapping again!Anywayz, it's like tat one...duno why some ppl so selfish...wonder in their previous life are they fisherman or something. My office now oso got 1 gal...so f**k-up! Same mentality..."I, me, myself". Duno wat's their problem hor! Kaoz!

Do you hear the people sing?

Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!
Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Then join in the fight that will give you the right to be free!!
Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!
Will you give all you can give so that our banner may advance
Some will fall and some will live will you stand up and take your chance?
The blood of the martyrs will water the meadows of France!
Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes

This song from the musical "Les Miserables" has been running thru my mind the whole day... and i've been crazy enough to be singing it at work. Come to think of it, it fits the mood of the guides here! Remember we are the S'pore Pavilion slaves? hahaha...

I used to be crazy over this musical. Learnt the songs during my secondary school choir days. Watched the musical twice. Bought the cassette (CD was too expensive during those times), later bought the LD, then DVD. Tried to play the pieces on piano as well. This is how crazy i was over it! Wonder why my craze for it started today... straight after i reached home from work i started searching for its mp3. Failed, but managed to get Realplayer version. Not of good sound quality, but at least i still get to listen to it! Do listen to it if you can... i'm sure you'd like it too!


2 comments:
Heya Princess BaoBao! So glad to hear from you... Les Miserable indeed! The Phantom of the Opera (theatre) is coming to Columbus, OH this August! Whooot! ^o^Aiyoh, I'm so very guilty of losing contact! Sumimasen!!! (^^;) Oh yah hoh... when you are planning your little trip back to the Land of the Rising Sun?! Let me know, 'k? And do KIT, sweetie, thanks! Lurve ya, *smoochie* Edz

Oops. Typo in my previous comment... what I meant to say was when did you plan to stay (for _good_?) in the Land of the Rising Sun? ;)Hahah... Ok, seeya around! I think. Maybe. Errmm... well, I probably won't be going back to Singapore anytime soon, so if you can (ever) spare some time to fly about, let me know and then mabbie we can meet half-way the Pacific... in Hawaii, ok? OK... ^_^Luv,Edz

Off days....

Like the new look of this blog? Since my team usually do not go out before & after work when we are on afternoon shift, I have lots of time to update this blog… so happy to find this sunflower blog template… This week’s off-day was spent doing nothing much. Together with another team member, I went to search for a particular big shopping mall but failed to find it. However along the way we found a nice park & areas with beautiful greenery. We’d probably plan a picnic session there one day! Went shopping at a small shopping mall ~ bought a pair of cheap shoes specially for work at the pavilion. Did grocery shopping as well. Spent the rest of the day doing household chores & cleaned up the van with 2 other members.Hmm…. the next off-day’s coming soon… what shall I do then?

Golden week nightmare

This week’s the Golden Week in Japan ~ week of consecutive public holidays. It’s GW to them, but Nightmare Week to us. Working hours are extended & the crowd increased tremendously. My team’s the “lucky” team that did a full-day shift when the extended hours were implemented. It’s just an extra hour of work, but it has a great impact on us psychologically, esp. since we dread full-day shifts (usually 12.5 hrs).

On that full-shift day, one team member was down with flu and left early. So it’s just 5 of us on duty, stretched to the limit. Meal times had to be shortened and break time was cancelled to cope it. We had to depend on our “hero” ~ a general worker there ~ to help us during those times.I'm so glad the shift schedule has been changed such that we don't have to do the morning shift the day after the full day. After the crazy full-day, today's afternoon shift ended early coz there wasn't much crowd. Another 3 more days of GW holidays to go...

Escape route found?

Escape from what?? From life of a S’pore pavilion slave!Life sucks as a guide at the S’pore pavilion. I’ve not been more miserable about work than this I think. I’ve been writing about this on this blog, of which my sis is a fan of it. She cares a lot about me and felt that my parents should be aware of what’s going on in Japan now, so that they can find a way to help me. I didn’t tell my parents what I was going thru as I didn’t want to worry them.

I was very surprised when my close friend told me that my mum & sis told her to persuade me to quit this job. “Oh no, now my parents know about this!” I spoke to my sis online and was told that my parents are sad that I’m going thru this s*** in Japan and wants me to go back to S’pore. They are very serious about it, with my dad asking me to send my contract back to S’pore so that he could get his lawyer to check the contract, whether I could break the contract without having to pay any compensation to the company.Take the escape route? Or carry on with life of a slave?

I really wish I can quit this job. I knew this job has no relevance to my career plans, but it could help me brush up on my Japanese. However I ended up with duties at the pavilion that allowed very little interaction with the Japanese visitors ~ mostly menial work of distributing & collection of umbrellas. I thot “if I work in Singapore, what I learn in a day there would prob be equivalent to what I learn here in the whole 6 months”. When I thought thru this deeply, I realized that it’s not the quantity of what I learn that matters, it’s the value of what I learn that’s important.

No doubt I learn nothing from menial tasks at the pavilion, but I learn how to interact with people from different walks of life, manage a team, improve my interpersonal skills. I learn how to manage my emotions as well. I still go thru extreme mood swings occasionally but I’m trying to control it better in order not to affect other people.

When I knew of this escape route home I was both happy & troubled. On one hand I can’t wait to quit, on the other, I didn’t want to leave the team. If this was right in the beginning when we first started, I’d have jumped at this chance to leave. But after having worked together for a month, going thru all the s*** together, I can’t bring myself to just leave like this.

Think of the implications… we are already short of manpower, if I leave & no replacement is found, the remaining team would suffer, esp. if some others follow suit. If I quit, what would happen to the morale of the remaining members? As it is, morale is pretty low now & I don’t wish to make it worse by quitting, leaving behind people who wish to leave but can’t do so due to various reasons. Unless the whole team leaves together, my departure would not be a show of battle against the management, but start of an additional workload nightmare for the remaining team. I love my team of guides and want to be there for & with them. We will survive thru the remaining 5 months together.

Although this job is physically taxing & frustrating, I’d try to find ways to cheer myself up. I guess this is the most important lesson I’ve learnt here so far ~ to take things in stride and be positive. And I would say that being with a great team helps.

I’m a happier person ever since I knew of this escape route. It’s not knowing this route that I’m happy ~ it’s knowing that my family is behind me, supporting me that I’m touched and happy with. I’ve learnt to appreciate my family more, not to take them for granted. From this matter, I’ve also learnt to consider beyond my own needs & to think about others. Being able to care for & share with others is a joy. Trust me! To all at home, thanks for the possible escape route. Thanks but no thanks, I’d persevere till the end. I’d not be a quitter!