Two weeks' no pay leave

After many conference calls with American and European customers at night for months, i am finally diagnosed with stomach ulcers in early March. And after taking the medicine which is very expensive for 2 weeks, i cannot see much improvement. Although i do not feel nauseous anymore, i can still feel the pain every day at 11 am and between 4 to 7 pm punctually. And it so happens that i am always engaged in conference calls with those customers from 6 to 10 pm. Till yesterday, the gastric pain is still killing me sometimes while my customers were blabbering over the phone, and i cannot stop them from going on and on about the issues they were unhappy about.

This has been the case for months, and finally i decided to give up and force the management to give me 2 weeks of no pay leave. I am not prepared to negotiate as i know it is what i should do at all costs to take good care of my health, even if it means I have to tender my resignation on the spot. The management certainly will not pamper me and tell me to rest more and that I do not have to do anymore concall after 5 pm. I have to press the emergency button myself. I was quite upset that i have to convince the management that I need this recuperating period when i raised my request. I certainly do not owe the company my life, and neither do they have the right to stop me from taking emergency leave after i have damaged my health because of work. I am quite happy that i finally woke up and have stopped doing harm to myself.

After getting approval for the leave which i fought for firmly, I immediately arranged for an interview in Shanghai next week. I am quite disappointed with my current department and decide to resign for good, although there is another job offer from the manager of my ex department (who is quite close to me) after she heard about my case through "tabloids". I know i should recover first and i rejected her offer, and was grateful. It is not that bad, for this company and for my past performance.

Darby

Mr Wong Kar Wai

I went to Hongkong during the weekend last week to do a medical check up on my stomach and was diagnosed to be suffering from stomach ulcers. After the check up, i have some spare time to move about in HK island itself to explore more from Central to Shang Huan.

I went to H+M at East Queensway to see if there's any ongoing sale and was disappointed to find there's nothing I fancy this time. Actually i did not spend much time in this boutique before either , but I just find that it is rare to have a medium range boutique this large in Hongkong.

I then went to TaiCheong Bakery, the famous egg tart house on the Island for a bite and passed by the Din Tai Gai (Elevator Street ), where Wong Kar Wai shot Chungking Express featuring Faye Wong sneaking into Tony Leung's house.

As a passer by, I find that Hongkong Island is always full of exciting moments. There are plenty of good food from the ever popular dim sum in teahouses to more exquisite food in restaurants, good shopping from local to international brands, and uniquely Hongkong building and public transport such as Din Chey (tram ), night life at Lan Kwai Fung. People in general live in a small match box like apartment but they are full of creativity and emits lots of energy to give this city a buzz and keep the excitement going on everyday for the city. The pace in Hong Kong may be stressful and hectic, just like Singapore, but Singapore is lacking in excitement. There is only 1 director who is able to capture the real Hongkong people successfully with an artistic touch and he is Wong Kar Wai. I will think of Faye Wong everytime i pass by the Elevator street, and God knows I might stop buying CD once she ends her singing career for good.

I got a call to attend an interview for the Shanghai job tomorrow, and when piggy learned about it, HE COVERED HIS FACE WITH HANDS. I know he is in a dilemma. With my presence in Singapore, he will not be able to play mahjong , but without my presence he is lonely in Singapore. Let's see how things go from here.

Darby