Book characters | 9 Years

Reading with Clarissa

👶: (Points at brown curly hair woman) Mama!

👶: Baba! (Bends over to kiss truck driver)

👧: Erm so where is Clarissa?

👶: (Points at her own nose and smiles) Baby!

👧: Where is Ah-ah?

👶: (Flips page and points at..

A blue bird.) 😅

👶: Ah ah!

👶: (Points at old lady sitting on an alligator and declares excitedly) YAYA!

And apparently the barber here is "Ah-guem" (her Ah gong). 😂

👧: Where is the sun, Clarissa?

👶: (Ignores the book, blocks her eyes with one hand and squints) Sun!

👧: Haha yes the sun shines on you!

👶: (Points to the hubs' cap) Baba! Kup!

👧: Oh you want papa's cap?

👶: (Takes cap, puts it on and pulls it down to cover her face)

Yep, to hide from the sun. 😂

#thingsclarissasays

We snuck out and drove all the way to Novena Square for a hair treatment (me) and haircut (us) while the little boss took her nap.

We have a shared package with a hair salon near our place, and we go to the same hair stylist.

I used to frequent another hair stylist (since my university days) but it became a once a year affair since I got pregnant. No time or energy to travel all the way to town just to cut my hair. I still think she's the best and reserve my CNY hair transformation for her. 😁

Long story short, our regular hair stylist moved to another own salon and we got to know that the package is transferable.

We are such creatures of habit so we are just sticking to him, when in fact, there are numerous hair salons near our place.

I think this is what some famous person (I learned in Chinese literature class) used to say:

"走老路好过走冤枉路。"

😅😅

So here we are!

9 years

Today marks my 9th year anniversary with my current company!

(And Im celebrating with a hair treatment and cut, how nice! 😆)

It seemed like yesterday when I asked the boyfriend (currently the hubs and the Baba), "Do you think I can do this?"

It's my dream company to work for and I almost couldn't believen it when I got accepted.

I took the offer without hesitation but I was also worried about not being able to do well.

But it was the kind of work I knew I'd enjoy doing (I still do), and for a brand that had intrigued me since I was young.

It was intimidating to work in such a big and complex organisation with lots of smart and outspoken people from different parts of the world.

Yet at the same time, it was extremely fulfilling and amazing, learning about consumers in different markets, and being given the autonomy to recommend what is right for them and for the brand.

There has been ups and downs, as with any other job and life in general.

But I'm mostly happy and extremely grateful for all the great managers and coworkers I have met along the way.

Indeed, people, are this company's best assets. Management and working style might differ, but fundamentally most of the people here have a good heart (and brains) for the consumer, the company and its people.

I cannot say more about the things I have learned, guidance I have received and the guardian angels who have helped me so much along the way, cheering me on and giving me a lift when I needed it the most.

I am also very grateful for friends like @babyruth I have made along the way.

Nine years seem like a long time, but there is still so much to learn and so much to do.

It is definitely not the most perfect company (but really, which company is?) but for as long as the good outweighs the bad, I'm looking forward to the journey ahead. 😊