At a crossroad yet again

The year was 1995. Seen here with my lil sis, I was preparing my report for O Level Design & Tech

Do you recall when you’ve just completed your studies in any tertiary institutions, well came these letters of ‘opportunities’ for a career in Navy, Police, blah, bla, bla. Well its the time of my life yet again when such ‘opportunities’ filled my letterbox

Here’s a flashback; of such letters

In my secondary school tshirt. Damn I look young, skinny and masam …

The first letters arrived when I’ve just completed my O’s in 1995. The letters was so promising and colorful. Aside from my penpals, I never get such letters. Wah they’re offering schemes of getting paid while studying. Sounds promising right. Well back then, I wasn’t really much into books and revision, and my O Level result reflected that. I had hope that my other subjects other than Math & Science can pull up my grades, but it didn’t lah. So I didn’t sign-up … it was to the ITE, where I can ‘play’ some more

One of the days I missed school (ITE) and stayed home … doing nothing

Two year have passed and I just completed ITE in 1997, still a slacker but I’m beginning to worry about my future as you can’t really go far with a vocational certificate. The next best thing is to join one of the many ‘opportunities’ that again came into the letterbox. Well I nearly signed up with the Police.

Yes I really did. Mr Policeman Sha. I know the ladies love men in uniform eh. Nothing bad or wrong with such a job, but I’m glad I didn’t. The thing is, I had doubts the very last minute when I was about to sign it. Despite being young and naive then, I somehow foresee my future. Should I sign up because I feel insecure. There’s a big difference between a “job” and “career”. I want the latter, and not regret being stuck in a rut of a job few years from now with no career advancement

From slacker to Best Trainee in NS. Quite a drastic change

So I kept my options opened and went to National Service. If it has come to that, I can always sign-up during NS. But for now, I’m trying to find better ‘careers’ opportunities while serving my nation, and hopeful getting a credible educational cert than the one I had during ITE.

One of those Poly study trips. I’m the moron with my tongue out, in All-Blacks tee

And indeed luck was turning for the better when I successfully applied for Polytechnic the second time round. Yes the first time, it was a rejection by Ngee Ann Poly, but I never gave up hope and S’pore Poly accepted me in 2000. On one hand, I was happy that I got in, now at least with a diploma in three years time after National Service, my payscale will be far better compared to ITE graduates. And on the other hand, it will be three years of studying … and you know how I hated Math to the core, and I was about to enter an engineering course which requires computation and calculations

Close friends in Poly

And you know what, three years flew by, and I was indeed a happy lad during my Polytechnic days. Somehow it was the bunch of great friends that made the ordeal of studying much more fun and bearable. Again the letters of ‘opportunities’ came again in 2004 and I was at a crossroad yet again, so basically its either join the workforce or … well yeah the dot dot dot very much sums it all up.

I was in a relationship then and I had to think of my ‘future’ too. Would my gal be contented with me being a student still while furthering my studies, ruining my chances of settling down or would she rather want the luxuries of a boyfriend who pampers her if I got myself a job

Well I chose the former and I’m glad I did. At the end of the day, I learned you need to do things for yourself and not for someone else’s. My girl didn’t stick with me anyway, so in a way the decision wasn’t that hard to make.

One of the many boring brain-draining lectures

I applied to NUS and NTU, and the latter offers sounds more promising knowing that I’ll be directly enrolled into the second year. I’ve always wondered if I took up the NUS offer, would it different. As you all know, NUS has more chicks lah, muahaha. And you know how cheekopek horny this Uncle is, keke … Well now I’m at a crossroad yet again. Once again, now in 2008 my letterbox is filled with such career ‘opportunities’

There was one from the gahmen, a PDGE program to become a teacher. I just received an invite for the seminar, should I RSVP. Indeed one of my earlier blog entries, I did say I wanted to become a PE teacher. Now to think of it, it has gone down my list of careers. For one, it just doesn’t appeal anymore

So far here’s my three ‘serious’ options in my career I’ve thought of so far …

1. Alternative #1: Freelancer

   
   I bought the stereo, soccer ball and my 8 Days magazine with my own hard earned money. Look at my proud sememek face that need some jetus. I thought I was Donald Trump with my ‘power’ purchases … haha

   I’ve been able to say proudly that I’ve hold so many part-time jobs in my life that I’ve lost count. And its these jobs that got me through my schooling years. I remembered the first part-time job I created myself. I was a poor but ‘industrious’ kid. I couldn’t understand why my parents can’t afford to buy things I wanted in life, so instead of crying spilled milk over it, I took on odd jobs and created my own ‘fortunes’.

   I remembered catching and selling spiders or iguanas for a few cents. I drew wrestling championship belts on collected old cardboards and sold it for few bucks. There was a daily wrestling matches between kids behind school compound. Hulk Hogan belt was my bestseller.

   Back then my nickname was Din Coli, yes you heard it first here. I would fold your handkerchief into a shape of a bra for a fix price of a few cents. In return, you’ll get a priceless giggles and a bra you can play with. I even self-serviced bicycles at cheaper price than the ahpek. I was cunning, I bought tyre bicycles from him, and stole the ahpek customers by offering tyre pumping and replacement at slashed prices.

   
   I do have a boss at home. My Art Director, Missy. She vely fierce tau

   Well after awhile I learned that I am what I am, and quit trying to follow the popular and rich kids in school, but the good thing, I learned an invaluable lesson in work ethics, that money doesn’t grow on trees and never to ask money from my parents unless given. They’ve endured so much and I don’t want to add my problems to theirs

   I was also fortunate not to get caught with some of my more ‘illegal’ jobs. It was a small time, street corner thing and looking back I was foolish enough to be tempted to work such vices for the money. It was good money for a small kid then, but I got out of it when it got too risky

   Now that I’ve more free time on my hand, I could seriously go into ‘full-time’ for my freelancing job. It does have potential, as I’ve done ok so far on a part-time scale. Basically there’s no bosses to report to most of the time, its directly related to my interest, which is the Internet and designing but importantly you can work from anywhere as long there’s Internet. I guess that’s the main appeal. The world is my global office and I’ll probably go where the work comes. As much as I’m a Mat Singapore, I want a change in scenery

   Well the more successful freelancers out there, are reported to earn big bucks. Of course these people are usually the high earners making up the Top 5% of the overall industry cohort, so to get to this point, it will take time, effort and being unique, but i believe I’ve the stuff for it

2. Alternative #2: 9 to 5 jobs

   
   Typical slack day at the office

   This is my fall-back job. I’ve made enough friends in school who could hopefully recommend me to their bosses. I’m a perfectionist and a workaholic if I put my mind to it, so it shouldn’t be a problem working such jobs. I’ve been exposed to office jobs, project management and all those boring meetings.

   The downside, there’s the confined spaces issue of being restricted to your desk kind-of-job which I hate; especially data and number crunchers jobs. Also if you’re assigned to terrible colleagues and bosses, like that hor you’ll dread going to your job everyday lah. Always black-face every morning till the end of work day.

   But I do love the office chicks however, haha. I always flirt like there’s no tomorrow. Previously, even the office aunties sayang me you know. Hey I’m single what …

3. Alternative #3: Be someone’s bitch

   

   Similar to Sweet Young Thing, if you got it, flaunt it. Maybe some rich auntie will take me in as their boytoy. Hahaha, I’m just kidding here. The only thing I can think of from this, is body modeling on a part-time scale (Face cannot make it lah, haha). I’ve had offers and took some (sporty ones). It’s more of a passive extra income rather than a career. Still its money wat … no nudity, no indecent proposals and no touching please

What do you think … Uncle Sha should be

• 
  Freelancing
• 
  9 to 5 job
• 
  Be a boytoy
• 
  Further my studies
• 
  Become teacher dei

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Well wherever work takes me, I’m packed and ready to go … Yippee kay yay *beep *beep