Upset to joyful

I am joyful today because my staff decided to stay. It is a good news to the existing staffs and can boost the team spirit. Hope she is happy and everything alright in the coming months. Don't know why, I just don't wish to see the staffs working so thorny though it is no longer my business.

See some picture during lunch, a good day to celebrate. I also have quarterly gathering at Times Square with my friends, paid by Boss Mr Chan. I feel envy because they are planning to Hokkaido in early Dec, I can't join definitely.

Staff retention

I feel upset today because I failed to retain a staff. I nearly convinced her to stay but my fellows refused to do some arrangements for her. You could say they are tough at management but it's rather due to selfishness because she is not their key team member. I feel upset because I can do nothing on this staff and other remaining staffs as I'm leaving soon.

To think positively, the lessons I've learnt are :
1. Don't get irritated even the staff don't like to work for you
2. To sharpen people management skills and make people happy to work for you
3. Sometimes need to make tough decision
4. Pray for the staffs

College Accommodation

Just received a license agreement for my college accommodation. I am allocated with a room in staircase 19 which is adjacent to the liabrary. I suppose it is a silence zone with spacious garden in front. May be it is convenient for me to visit the library (hopefully no need to stay there overnight) and print the documents there. Let's have a look at the floor plan, it looks great, like living in a castle. Hope no disappointment on 24 Sept.

One of my staff has resigned somehow due to uncertain job portfolio after my leaving. I will try to convince her staying although it is irrelevant to me. Just don't want the junior staff to make a wrong decision hastily though also don't wish seeing them being treated unfairly. Hope to have good news tomorrow.

Resigned

I expressed to my boss that I may stay in UK after study thus turn down his offer to keep the post for me. I struggled over the past month because somehow I treasure the partner title and the good pay. Anyway, better to have a clear cut and will decide one year later. Today is Joyce's last day in KPMG, I am quite surprise on it because I guess she will get promoted next year. Ha Ha, I am the last St. Marian stay here, feel proud!

Some leaving and many joining, there are many freshman joining our department recently. Many new faces but I didn't say hello to them, just meaningless to say hi then bye.

I tried to pay the GBP 27,000 tuition fee through internet banking but failed because there is maximum transaction per day. Fortunate that I do not leave it at the last minute, will call the bank to fix it tomorrow.

Cyrus & Tyrus

Lovely twins from Angel. Born in Toronto on 1 Jun 2007. Unfortunate that I will miss the chance to hug them during x'mas in Hong Kong. The loveliest twins that I've ever seen. Angel, I am proud of you! See u when I return in autumn 2008.

Bangkok trip I

Just back from 4-day Bangkok trip. We spent all day shopping, spa, message, eating, sleeping and laughing. Feel very relax, just like sleeping at home. We lived in Siam@Siam which was newly renovated in Jan 2007. Let's see the video at Vertigo of Banyan Tree.

Bangkok trip

I will be to Bangkok over this weekend thus I won't write diary for a few days. I haven't gone for a trip for a long time (excluding the Singapore Cambridge interview in Mar) especially because I've spent last year x'mas in studying GMAT and writing essay. Daddy will drive me to the airport at 6:45am tomorrow, need to go to bed now. I used to reject my daddy's offer in the past but I allow him to drive me tomorrow because there won't be any chance in the coming year. Goodnite!

Close friends in the firm

I don't have many close friends in the firm because colleagues of same batch left the company gradually while new joiners are young subordinates. Real friends in the firm are precious and I treasure meeting with Mal and LuLu today.

Mal is my U friend and we belong to the same batch during orientation class. We went shopping during office hour because he needs to buy 10 ties to his PRC clients. It is fun at the beginning but we finally feel exhausted because we don't really know which brands the clients like. Anyway, I have learnt many new brands and I enjoy buying gifts in particular it is not spending my money.

LuLu helped me a lot in the past two years and our friendship grows quickly. I wish to say a BIG THANK YOU to him therefore invited him to have dinner in East Soho. He is my first friend drive my mini, I trust him because he is very generous and he will definitely compensate me if there is a bump in my car! Time flies quickly, we count the days six years ago when we worked in Huizhou Wong's and Vitasoy. I like this little brother because he has strong analytical skills, strong people management skills, always remains calm and wears a smiling face even facing disaster. I love working with him because he can share much work load and worry. Good luck after my departure.

人山人海擁抱綠色和平音樂

I watched 黃耀明, At17, 聯同人山人海 concert called "人山人海擁抱綠色和平音樂". I am not an environmental friendly people, especially auditors always waste paper as we produce numerous accounts with client's sensitive financials printed so that we seldom use them as recycled paper. It is not a good show because there are many new faces with songs that I am not familiar with. However, Anthony is really an attractive vocalist for life show.

I have successfully access UK internet banking today after I opened a UK bank accounts months ago. It is very convenient because I can freely transfer money from HK bank accounts to UK bank accounts or vice versa. I don't need to worry how much should I carry to UK because I can draw money with my new UK debit card. Just knowing that students normally need to take 4 weeks to open a UK bank accounts there, seems I have overcome one more difficulty in advance. Thanks for Fred's advice.

Initially I found it annoying to do so many administrative things because I am not a very organised people at household stuff. However, I have satisfaction when seeing the tedious admin things gradually get into place. I guess this is what I have already gained/learnt from this trip.

Many SM will go to Disney on Thur and Fri for people manager training, I am envy on that. If I were not resigned, I will be there and am going to meet many old friends from PRC office. Should be fun because I expect to have many role play, soft skills learning, group discussion, presentation, etc. Sigh............

Mega Box

It's my first time go to Mega Box. It is spacious but no good stores for shopping. Our car parked at 15/F which sounds ridiculous but still not too tired to drive back to the ground floor.

I have browsed pre-course website where draft time table is available. I can smell the tight schedule i.e. 08:30 to 17:00 nearly every day. Writing CV sessions already started in Week 1 which I personally dislike because I don't want to start a job search immediately after the recent resignation. I will probably continue to work in finance sector but no detailed idea yet. I expect the course material of Michaelmas term is not too challenging to me, at least Financial Reporting is my piece of cake. However, still a little apprehensive for not enough leisure and sleeping time.

It is my first time to use webcam, a good invention, can help me to save a lot on IDD.

Jeffrey's Birthday

I nearly forgotten today is Jeff's birthday until reminded by daddy. Wow, he is already 27 but he is always a kid in my eye. I started to understand why parents viewed their children as never grown up. Thanks for taking care of mini when I am away, really helpful to me.

My two bosses will come back in this week after their home trip to UK for the past few weeks. I need to work hard again, hope everything alright. These two bossess are very different i.e. one is an audit machine/audit robot while the other is very humane. I need to speed up the work in particular I need to go to Bangkok on this weekend. I've been to there for four times but it is always a convenient & inexpensive place to eat and relax.

Postcard

Eric asked me why don't I write something about him. It is just because he hasn't involved in my mba preparation stage and was just notified when I went to Singapore for Cambridge interview. Anyway, he is nice and passed me an Oxford postcard so that I could look at it before reaching there. He also tried to help me source some Olympic "Folk Wah" from Beijing as souvenir to my classmates though I doubt whether I can carry them due to limitation on luggage size. All in all, thanks for all the care!!

I have already received my IRD tax assessment form. As I have applied hold over 2007/08 provisional tax when I return the assessment in Apr 07, not much need to be paid this time but still need to clear it and obtain a tax clearance before department HK.

Confirmed College Accommodation

Wadham Accommodation Manager, Susan Sharp, confirmed my allocated room in the College. Hurray!! Overcome one more obstacle! As I am Round 2 applicants, there are still plenty of hostels when I applied. I opt for staircases in College which are closer to SBS rather than the newer complex in Merifield which are six bedrooms with shared common room. I would like to stay alone in the College and have more private time rather than need to share the household work with the 6 flatmates. Please click below for more details.

Accommodation fee is GBP812 + Dinner GBP133 per term (59 days per term). Quite expensive compared with student hostel in HK.

http://mcr.wadham.ox.ac.uk/accommodation.htm

Today, I have also received email from SBS event manager re Speaker Seminar: George David, Chairman and CEO of United Technologies Corporation followed by a drinks reception to be held on 28 Sept 07 which is even earlier than the orientation date. Seems we will be busy with various seminars and drinks. Also, an invitation email for Business English course, I am quite interested to join.

New Generation

Many of my friends are pregnant, Mark, Miranda, Ann & Clara, while May, Karen, Angela, Catherine and Lesley have already delivered their babies. 6 girls vs 1 boy vs 2 unknown, a serious gender imbalance in Hong Kong. It is fun if their kids all go to study in SMCS and become classmates. I feel quite disappointed for missing the chance to witness Clara's new born baby, it will be 1/2 year old when I return in Sept 08.

Prepare for final payment

It is expected that I will receive the final payment debit note soon. Fortunate that GBP is dropping in these few weeks from 16 to 15.68, I regret I did not buy some when I first paid the deposit at 15.4. Anyway, can't be too greedy, the devaluation trend is already good enough.

Kurt said that they will arrange a farewell dinner for me, probably on 7 Sept, I feel very happy and look forward towards it. At least someone caring about you and are going to miss you. I am afraid that I will be shy for being the star of that night.

I still not get used to Vista, hope I can overcome it soon.

P.S. Thanks for Abhijit being my audience of this blog, you are probably my first guest.

Wadham College

Alex told me that Wadham is one of the three colleges with the best scenery. Another advantage is that it intakes limited number of SBS students, thus, I will have good chance to borrow business books from its 24 hours library. I will try to ask the library buying the text books for me when the book list for Michaelmas term is available. I am proud of being Wadham member and look forward to seeing it.

I probably won't cook because dinner is offered if I stay in the college hostel. The food reflected in the menu sounds edible. You can click "Hall Menu" from the below link if you worry about my diet.

http://mcr.wadham.ox.ac.uk/documents.htm

I haven't gone to Uk yet, it's just a picutre with parents at Madame Tussauds yesterday ^.^

New Laptop

Thanks Stanley and Joshua for their assistance in buying the new laptop, it is a white color Asus, with Vista. Hope I can manage it, actually I am an IT idiot.......

Several achievement over this weekend:
1. Buy a decent laptop
2. Complete year end accounting close out for my church
3. Visit Madame Tussauds in the Peak with family
4. Finished reviewing Beautiful Group working paper at home (still need to work OT, sigh..........)

My church friends are very nice to me, many uncles and aunties ask me when will I leave and my fellowship friends may consider to farewell me at the airport. I think I will cry if I need to say goodbye to many friends there.

One more blessing thing, my classmate Melody is also a Christian and we will probably find a suitable church in Oxford together. I feel very happy to have a know a sister, feel more secure to have someone to be my companion in Lord.

Typhoon

Today I left office at 3pm because of typhoon signal no. 8. We rarely have such chances, thus, i went home early to have a nap, also to escape from the heavy work load.

I have pressure recently due to USGAAP accounting treatment on merger, church year end closing, problems on sourcing of a decent laptop, packing household stuff and planning for a short trip before heading to UK. Seems a lot to do within this four weeks count down period. I feel a little bit frustrated because of insufficient helping hands at work. I am okay to share department work load but not want to take more responsibilities due to unfair job allocation. Fair and integrity are essential attributes of a leader, just wish to learn more on management skills during the mba.

Turn to some positive things. Seems it is not easy for some classmates to obtain student visa and locating for an accommodation, I am fluky relatively.

Luggage

Flora helped me to select a nice trunk today. We drove to Tung Chung outlet to see if Samsonite offer nice trunks at favourable prices. However, there aren't any big one and we went to Whampao Jusco eventually to source the green giant. I will rehearse packing things and see if I need to ship anything to UK. Anyway, my last resort is having two volunteers to carry lugguage to London for me. One is Ming who will go to Paris / London for business trip in Sept. The other one is Angus who is a CX pilot and flies to Heathrow monthly. Good to have nice friends around me.

I used to use Gmail Talk but just registered MSN yesterday as it is more commonly used. Could definitely facilitate me to chat with friends more often in the future.

Exchange Rate

Very busy on USGAAP in this week. My boss is in Scotland, thus, I need to handle things more independently and report to him through email at the same time. Fortunately, everything goes well including meeting client's US legal counsel and directors.

Sterling goes very strong, up to HKD16/pounds which is the highest level during these ten years. Hope it will drop a little bit before I pay 28,000 pounds in Aug very soon.