Lisa “B4by-G” Mok

Happy new year everyone! I know it’s 17 days late..but I’ve been very busy like hell..

So, here is the recap for the past 17 days since the 2007 start.

31 Dec 06.. when it almost midnight, my auntie passed away. She was diagnosed with cancer in Feb’06..but when she found out about it, the cancer is already on the last stage. When i first informed about it, i felt so helpless..like there is nothing i can do about it (except maybe..just pray) *thanks chu for remind me of it*

2 Jan, I can’t go to the funeral..coz i need to go back to sg…and 3rd Jan, was the first working day.

and then the busy season begins..

1st thing that get me excited is the call i had from "uncle Sam". Think that the conversation went well, but i hasn’t heard anything from them again.

other thing is ..since the new year start, i’ve been working almost 24/7.. well not really 24/7 though, it’s more like 20/7. First saturday in Jan, I was working until 6 in the morning - the next day (a.ka. sunday), slept for only less than 2 hours, then went to church with my friend. Church finished on around 12.30..i was extremly tired and hungry. Accidently bumped into one of my cell group members, they are having lunch together.. but i decided to go back home and get some sleep.. i think the last thing i want is to socialize with ppl, while i don’t even have enough time to sleep..(can forget about time to pamper myself). ><

Monday was even more crazy.. the client gave the TB on last friday afternoon, the partner want to review on Tuesday, the work must be submitted to HK on Thursday..which translated into extreme long OT hours. I ended up worked until 5 in the moring for 3 consecutives days!

Good thing is my team member are all very supportive, even the new assistant who just join the firm is also willing to ’sacrifice’ his time. Usually after we left the client’s office on around 2 a.m., i continued doing work at our office. On Wednesday, the day before the deadline, I asked the new assistant to go back home while i continued working at office ..but he insisted to stay and helped out. (Thank God, I know You not just send anyhow person for the job). We managed to send the things on Thursday, left outstanding matters from client.

Thursday I went to another client, can’t really think effectively, because i didn’t get enough sleep.. plus I found that the US GAAP adjutment to SFRS is very confusing..with all the carry foward adjustment which never been adjusted in the book.   I wonder why the company that is going to shut down (effective 1 Jan 07) still need to be audited. (btw, this is the first and also the last time we are doing the audit for the Company). so can you imagine that…after all the process of understanding the client business, walkthrough and test of controls  to ALL the documentations (and confusions), the working papers are not going to serve any purpose in the future. Worked until 3 in the morning on Friday. Saturday, I went to office after lunch and worked until 5 in the morning. Monday, the review notes came out, so need to follow up the things with client.. and I only have 2 days booking for this client, so again..need to do the OT to finish it, and that made me worked until 3 in the morning last night and managed to submit the files to the manager.

This morning, when i just woke up..i met my landlady at the pantry when i was about to get a shower. She asked me why i’ve been going home very late lately.. she tought that i was going out with friend? so i told her that i was working and doing OT at office. And i asked her whether her son (who also work in the same firm with me, but he is in the IT-audit line) also back very late? (whenever i reached home, he already slept..so i don’t know when he reached home). and this is what my landlady said " my son also work until very late, that time he went back at 8 p.m."  and there i was..stuned..speechless. (hello…8 p.m. is early!?!?!?). Oh well, i think different people have different ‘fate’. >_+

Today, I went to another client. This time the job is not that crazy..because ‘unfortunately’ the accounting staff is on leave..so there is nothing much we can do at client’s office. I reached home on 9 p.m. THIS is what i called going back early. =D

And tomorrow is another day..

*God bless me*

I thank God for all the things He has done in my life. 2006 has been a great year for me.

Despite of the never ending work story, i grateful for co-workers and friends that help me get through all the ups and downs @ work. in the end, i still really love the auditing things I am doing. =P

I surely miss my friends back in Jakarta, but i also make some new friends here . Thanks girls for visiting me (en udah bawain g indomie, teh sariwangi and mie sedap. hehe…), Thanks buat dame and lusy yang udah gosokin semua baju g on ur last day here!! Thanks for erika, antonia, deisy for staying at my place..I have a great time accompany you girls shopping until 3 a.m. midnight!

Thanks buat selly, mely, putri for ur encouragement. (Sel, semoga resolusi 2007 loe tercapai! *amin*)

I also had a holiday (finally) to HK  with my brother, eventhough we broke after a couple of days staying there..but we survived somehow..and managed to find nice and cheap places to eat. hehe..

There are so many things I am grateful about..

they said some people come into our life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. For whatever reason it is, thank you for being a part of my life…

I hasn’t make a new year resolution yet, I think my first new year resolution will be: "to wake up early in the morning" <– this is a real challenge! >_+ 

I believe 2007 will be a better year for me and I thank God for all the things He is going to do in my life.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Last Thursday..went for the firm’s d&d (dinner and dance). It was really fun..took pics with some of the colleagues i worked together with in the audit engagements. It’s so nice to see them again. ^^ Anyone who wonder why..it’s because eventhough we worked together in the same office, we rarely stay in office (a.k.a. work at client’s place). I have co-workers in one of my previous engagements that i haven’t met (again) for more than 1/2 years until that d&d night!

And I saw my housemate also ( he is my landlady’s son who also working at EY)..so we took picture together. Again, eventhough we share the same roof.. we rarely see each other at home! >_+ It’s either he came home late or i came home very late, and he is a morning person.. always left home to office on around 7 in the morning.. whereas, i am still in my dream island (alias..still sleeping. hehe..)

The EY d&d theme is Red Carpet. It was really nice to see the ladies wearing glamour dress, some of the guys wearing tuxedo. =)

Got some performances from each of department done by the first-year assistants (who else!? =P). I like the song the RAS department sang.. it’s a parody song of "i will survive" version. the lyrics start with "at first i was afraid when i joined EY"..and  something about "then i spent so many nights working at my client’s place"..and "for as long as i have my friends, i know i’ll stay alive! I will survive, hey hey"  *lol*

yeah right..it think it’s a bitter-sweet of auditor’s life. (my friend called it auditor blues). =D

The d&d finished around 11 something..and guess what..the next day (friday) we still need to work at client’s place! *hiks*

They don’t allow us to go to office (when saying office.. i mean EY’s office) because they are moving things out to the new office building. (this Monday will be the first day we are working in the new builidng and will have a breakfast ceremony).

So, I went to client’s place on friday.. the client gave the TB (trial balance) on wednesday..but until friday afternoon, the figures still change. now with me is the TB - 3rd version! Deadline is on next Thursday to submit to Hongkong’s office which means only 4 working days left. Just when I thought anything can’t get any worse.. the accounting manager told me that ALL the accounting staffs will be on training next week..and can only available to ‘entertain’ us during lunch hour. >< OMG….

That’s why they said..at EY, we play hard, work hard and pray hard!

*wish me luck, people*

Oh mi God, udah jam berapa ini?!?!?..hampir jam 2 bo! en g belon keluar kamar dari tadi pagi.

Hari ini g bangun jam 9 pagi! (itu tuh termasuk pagi buat g, terutama krn hari ini hari sabtu, which is libur..biasanya hari sabtu g bangun jam 12 siang gitu..if possible (maksudnya kalo nga harus lembur gt lho))

en hal pertama yang g lakuin begitu bangun adalah sms manager g, bilang ‘i already put the working papers on ur desk for your review. thanks. -Lisa-’ trus g balik tidur lagi (rencananya).

trus nga berapa lama sms g masuk, manager g bilang ‘thanks, have a nice weekend" (emang penting yah, g tulis disini. hehe). trus g baca, trus g balik tidur lagi (rencananya).

trus nga berapa lama sms g masuk lagi, temen g abis stocktake di batam , trus mo dtg ke sini hari ini (instead of hari minggu), so g bakal jemput mereka sore ini..sebelum kegereja. sms..sms…udah ok..trus g tidur lagi (rencananya)

nga berapa lama sms g masuk lagi, temen cg g nanyain kenapa g nga ke cg kemarin. anyway g kemarin lembur ampe jam 2 pagi di kantor buat supaya mgr g bisa review wpnya hari ini. trus g sms…sms… udah ok.. g tidur lagi (rencananya)

gitu deh..jadi tidurnya nga tenang. (emang nga boleh bangun siang kayaknya)..hiks…hilang sudah hari sabtu pagi g and waktu tidur g yang berharga!

Can i have some sleep please??!?!

Today at office, my cell phone rang! (So..!?? =P)

So, the thing is it’s an unknown id. my mind was thinking who’s calling? can it be the call from US of A that i’ve been waiting for?! but it’s 3 p.m here.. means it’s around 2 a.m. there. and who the heck working until 2 a.m. in the morning (well except maybe the auditor)…but HR!? (for some of u who might know what i am talking about)

anyway, my phone was low bat, so it died after the phone fibrated. And I switched it on again, and got the call again..and it went off again. ><

turn out it was my brother. And the first thing he said was.. "Ce, ur brother got Kanker"..my first reaction was, "which brother!??!". My mind was a little bit blur. =P (I was busy doing the work and i was talking on the phone with my client when my brother called.)

and my brother was like..kanker (english=cancer)..Kantong Kering (a.k.a. broke). haiya…this brother!! i already thought when he said cancer, he means he is broke, run out of money. but my mind was hang.  Anyway, because i am going back at the last week of December (hopefully my leave is approved! -_-), so he asked me to bring him some $$$ home. He said he’s broke because of the hongkong trip (my thinking: but it was 2 months ago!!). I seriously don’t know how he spent his money.

btw, speaking about phone call…just got my phone bill..and it’s crazy expensive this month. i think it’s because i called back to Jakarta ‘pouring all my stress doing the SOX thingy at BRS’. 

But i want to say thank to all my friends who’s been ‘faithfully’ listening to my ‘complaining’.  ^^

Thanks buat Selly, atas suntikan ‘jia you’ nya..hehehe..

Thanks buat Dias yang udah dengerin curhat2 g.. g sudah kembali ke ‘jalan’ yang benar skrg. hehe

Thanks buat Jimnot and lusy atas chatting2an nya (kayaknya nga usah disebutin semua namanya, ntar ada yang mikir nih orang2 nga pada kerja yah..chatting ‘mulu.heheh)

Miss you all….

who let the dogs out (woof..woof..woof)

but the lyrics was changed to who the let the bulls run (woof..woof…woof…) =P

*Friday*

Last friday, EY team (incl. me) went for the SGX bull run in the CBD area. I left office around 5 p.m. to gather with other team members to take group picture. Do you believe that there is a charge code created for the 0.5 hours we left office earlier?!!

it was raining that afternoon, so we were standing near the bridge waiting for the rain. At the end, one of the partners decided to take to group picture at our new office building, the ORQ (one raffless quay). Got caught out by some partners who surveying the new office, and she said to us.. aren’t u guys suppose to be in the fun run? oops…anyway, she took us to have a new office ‘orientation’. I can say that the new office building is much nicer, got window .. can see outside and also got more space and cleaner (for sure).  Took some group pictures and then went for the run.. (btw, i found another 2 indonesians working in the firm) ^^

The run was actually only a short distance, but i almost faint when i finished it. so darn tired.. got some freebies in a goodie bag from the event sponsors..and then i head to office to get my stuffs.

Can’t go home yet, coz i still have a cell group meeting…

Can’t get cab to go for the cg (typically friday night, all the cab is on call, and the phone operator is busy), finally decided to take MRT. when i reached cg..it’s already started. The cg was finished on around 10.30 pm…

took bus home (and it’s freaking long just waiting for the bus to come), when i reached my place it’s almost 12 at midnight. Good thing they got McDonald that open 24-hour. I bought my dinner and walked home. (with my laptop, the goodie bag and my dinner).

*Saturday*

Woke up at around 11.. my legs were aching, i think probably because of the run. It was raining again.. studied some sign language lessons for the exam on sunday (forgot most of the words i learnt before in the class). Went to church and when i got back home it’s around 9 p.m. Bought my dinner and started study on 10.00… until 3 a.m. in the morning

*Sunday*

The exam day! Felt so stressed…good things i studied all the lessons  the last night. Went for lunch and head to the Sg Deaf Association, the teacher went through all the lessons again. And then came the exam. I think i did it well! so happy =)

after we finished the exam, my classmates and i were having a chitchat about the exam and what the instructor signed and all that… one of the word in the exam is ‘understood’, but my classmate was like.."yeah..i know the word is ‘understand + past tense’, but i can’t think what the past tense for understand..so i wrote understanded." hahaha…

anyway, will know the result next week.

I am so happy that another ‘burden’ is off from my shoulder and also that the BRS job finally finished. Thank God… <3

Now need to focus on my CPA exam, coming up this Feb’07. ^^"

*Wish me luck*

Picking the right man for the Job

LET’s take the 100 bricks test.
Place 100 bricks in a closed room with an open window. Send candidates in and close the door.

Come back after six hours and analyse the situation.

~ If they are counting the bricks,
put them in the accounting department.
~ If they are recounting them,
put them in auditing.
~ If they are arranging the bricks in some strange order,
put them in planning.
~ If they are throwing the bricks at each other,
put them in operations.
~ If they are sleeping,
put them in reception.
~ If they are sitting idle,
put them in human resources.
~ If they have already left for the day,
put them in marketing.
~ If they are staring out of the window,
put them in strategic planning.
~ And if they are talking to each other and not a single brick has been moved,
congratulate them and put them in management.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was seriously thinking of recounting them. hehe…. =P

This Sunday i’ll have a sign language exam. Hasn’t started study yet. was planing to study this week… but, let me see…

Monday.. i did study lesson 7. =)

Tue.. i had practical issue forum at office until 9 p.m.

Wed.. brought some stuffs from office and work until 2 a.m

Thur.. which is today.. got some ‘homework’ again

Fri… which is tommorrow.. got to go for SGX bull run (a fund-raising charity run), after that.. cell group @7.30 until 10.00 p.m ?!?!

Means..’die die’ must practice on Saturday… hopefully can remember all the words and sign them well !!! (^_^)v

Counting the day…

2 more days until I go back to AABS!

stress berat!! :’(

October is a breast cancer awareness month. I just signed up to be a volunteer as a drink station staff in the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon to support the cause.

”Somewhere, someone in this planet will do something that will change our world. Why not you?” 

I know I can make a difference. Simply Run for a Cause. (or is it just my another way to get busy over the weekend ?)