Night Owl Chatterboxes - Part LV
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Originally posted by Rhonda:
Easy. Most of you have nowhere else to go to, even if you're pissed and unhappy.
FT's, they can uproot themselves and leave anytime, but Singapore needs them, therefore, you kinda have to appease them and keep them happy.
Or, on a level that most males would be able to understand, your wife has no choice but to tolerate your nonsense unless she wants a divorce, but you have to work hard to keep your mistress happy because she can leave you for another man anytime.
thing is, if people want to, they can.. anyone can...
i find it stupid, short-sighted and arrogant for the ivory tower-dwellers to think so...
it's kind of sad that the fact that people value their country enough to want to make a go of it get penalised..
still, hey.. ultimately, karma catches up
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Originally posted by Rhonda:
Yup yup!! I almost wanted to go down on my knees and thank God when some living human FINALLY answered the call and I didn't get booted out of the queue and get automatically hung up on!
Everything's in order. Think by July or so, I should have my PR.
I'm thinking of postponing my Deakin course because the current batch says that their income drop by about 40-50% when they take up the course, because working hours are cut by lecture time.
I'm more concerned with assets acquisition at this stage. Either delay enrolling for an entire year to save up for the drop in income and to learn driving and maybe even, purchase a car first. And if property prices fall enough, get into the market quickly and secure my very own apartment and pay mortgage instead of rent. So... see how... too many variables at this stage. So what are your plans now that you are a bona fide American?
Hey, cool! Congrats! The next logical step after PR acquisition is, of course, citizenship. Is that the path you'll be following? How long do you have to remain in PR status before becoming eligible for citizenship status?
I think it's a good idea to hold off on the Deakin course until you've had time to build up some financial reserves to weather the drop in income when you do enroll. What are the chances of the fees increasing next year, though?
Hmmm... I don't feel that much has changed now that I'm naturalized. Blame being a PR for 15 years for that! I'll probably travel a bit more, now that I have more vacation hours accumulated on account of my seniority with the organization. Not that I need to be a US citizen to do that, though!
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Originally posted by Kuali Baba:
I wouldn't be surprised, especially if there are lots of dickwads out there like the one Ferret met today.
Oh, dickheads like that have an international presence, unfortunately.
Over here, I'm really scared of the cucinas and the over-anxious, dramatic Greek men and women, and the Italian families.
Really over the top! Quite often, we meet attention seekers, who are like leeches who wanna cling to you and suck the lifeblood out of you! These days, whenever I meet prescription drug addicts, I don't care and just give them the bloody drugs they are so keen on. I give up on them. The govt is so soft of them, there's nothing we can do except be like some kind of waitress serving prescription drugs to them. If you deny them their drugs, you're infringing on their 'rights' and what-not. I wouldn't bother fighting with the druggies... just let them get their high and continue in their messed-up ways. Hopefully, Rudd will enforce stricter laws to stop prescription drug abuse.
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Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:
Hey, cool! Congrats! The next logical step after PR acquisition is, of course, citizenship. Is that the path you'll be following? How long do you have to remain in PR status before becoming eligible for citizenship status?
I think it's a good idea to hold off on the Deakin course until you've had time to build up some financial reserves to weather the drop in income when you do enroll. What are the chances of the fees increasing next year, though?
Hmmm... I don't feel that much has changed now that I'm naturalized. Blame being a PR for 15 years for that! I'll probably travel a bit more, now that I have more vacation hours accumulated on account of my seniority with the organization. Not that I need to be a US citizen to do that, though!
I'm looking forward to a regulation to be enacted here that allows us to transfer our vacation days in terms of years of service to be transferred to our new employers if we choose to work elsewhere. That way, we won't lose any vacation benefits from a change of employer!
Once I hit the 15 - 20 year service mark, biangz... I think I get almost three months of vacation days a year!!
Happiness, sia!! My colleague, who's a Ward Clerk, has been with the hospital for 25 years, and she only works 2 days a week, choosing to retreat to her beachside home for the rest of the week in her fully-paid-up home, tending to her newly-bought chooks, gardening, reading, taking hikes, etc! What a life! I love the work flexibility here too! I can choose to cut down on my workdays with my current employer, and work the remaining workdays in another hospital or with a nursing agency! Or I can choose to work X no. of days in one ward, and Y no. of days in another. Or X no. of days as an RN, and Y no. of days as an administrator or trainer or clinical specialist or what-not!
Good, innit? I'm not worried about the fees increasing... I'm holding out because I have a feeling the hospital might improve their sponsorship scheme because the current batch of students are living a hand-to-mouth or a deficit situation and if there are dropouts or if more are discouraged from taking this up in future, then they will HAVE to improve the conditions. I'm biding my time and playing my cards right because afterall, I become a fully-certified ICU RN upon completion of my course, which ends before November. I don't really need the Post-Grad Dip to find work in any ICU then!
Learning how to drive and owning a car is pretty much the top priority after my course because with a car, I can consider moving to the outskirts, where I can purchase a larger property for less.
So what are your plans now? You already have your car and house! What next? A second property for rental? House prices are so hot there right now, they are good investments... or maybe wait for it to drop even further. I am!
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Just finished penning my thoughts.
It's exactly 6 months ago I was posted to my ship.
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Hmm... one day I must revive our Welcome thread and include 'new' Club 30 members like you and add you to the list.
Someday... when I'm not feeling lazy! Hehehe!
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PRISON BREAk on Channel 5 now..
after
Selamat Toilet Break ..!
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Originally posted by Rhonda:
Hmm... one day I must revive our Welcome thread and include 'new' Club 30 members like you and add you to the list.
Someday... when I'm not feeling lazy! Hehehe!
he's just the evil bus
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Originally posted by Rhonda:
Hmm... one day I must revive our Welcome thread and include 'new' Club 30 members like you and add you to the list.
Someday... when I'm not feeling lazy! Hehehe!
No need lar.....In the first place, I wasn't exactly new here.....
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Originally posted by the Bear:
thing is, if people want to, they can.. anyone can...
i find it stupid, short-sighted and arrogant for the ivory tower-dwellers to think so...
it's kind of sad that the fact that people value their country enough to want to make a go of it get penalised..
still, hey.. ultimately, karma catches up
Not true. Not everyone will satisfy the criteria for immigration because some countries are very strict in their criteria. Australia has already stepped up the criteria since last year. You'll find that if you try to apply now, you might not even meet the minimum points required to be eligible. I myself barely made it... and mind you this is after I've worked here for almost two years and have a guarantee of a steady job. And my occupation is listed under a priority list.
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Originally posted by 16/f/lonely:
No need lar.....In the first place, I wasn't exactly new here.....
OK ah! You say one ah! Don't later when I don't include you you kpkb ah!
Hmm... who's the other chap who goes sailing on his job too?
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Originally posted by Rhonda:
OK ah! You say one ah! Don't later when I don't include you you kpkb ah!
Hmm... who's the other chap who goes sailing on his job too?
I never kpkb lor!!I don't know.
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Originally posted by 16/f/lonely:
I never kpkb lor!!I don't know.
Haiz... just teasing you nia!
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Originally posted by Rhonda:
Haiz... just teasing you nia!
You bluffed me about the weather. -
Originally posted by 16/f/lonely:
You bluffed me about the weather.You wanna be kicked in the mouth izzit?!
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Originally posted by Rhonda:
You wanna be kicked in the mouth izzit?!
No thanks.You're violent.
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Originally posted by Rhonda:
Not true. Not everyone will satisfy the criteria for immigration because some countries are very strict in their criteria. Australia has already stepped up the criteria since last year. You'll find that if you try to apply now, you might not even meet the minimum points required to be eligible. I myself barely made it... and mind you this is after I've worked here for almost two years and have a guarantee of a steady job.
uh huh.. but if they want to, they can...
that's the thing...
a lot of countries are desperate for new immigrants.. even when they say a lot of things, it's political grandstanding for their locals, then they let people in eventually...
Singapore.. is just heck of a lot more overt.. and way too many perks for immigrants.. way too many for locals' comfort...
all you got to do is to look around.. and look beneath the surface...
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Originally posted by Rhonda:
I'm looking forward to a regulation to be enacted here that allows us to transfer our vacation days in terms of years of service to be transferred to our new employers if we choose to work elsewhere. That way, we won't lose any vacation benefits from a change of employer!
Once I hit the 15 - 20 year service mark, biangz... I think I get almost three months of vacation days a year!!
Happiness, sia!! My colleague, who's a Ward Clerk, has been with the hospital for 25 years, and she only works 2 days a week, choosing to retreat to her beachside home for the rest of the week in her fully-paid-up home, tending to her newly-bought chooks, gardening, reading, taking hikes, etc! What a life! I love the work flexibility here too! I can choose to cut down on my workdays with my current employer, and work the remaining workdays in another hospital or with a nursing agency! Or I can choose to work X no. of days in one ward, and Y no. of days in another. Or X no. of days as an RN, and Y no. of days as an administrator or trainer or clinical specialist or what-not!
Good, innit? I'm not worried about the fees increasing... I'm holding out because I have a feeling the hospital might improve their sponsorship scheme because the current batch of students are living a hand-to-mouth or a deficit situation and if there are dropouts or if more are discouraged from taking this up in future, then they will HAVE to improve the conditions. I'm biding my time and playing my cards right because afterall, I become a fully-certified ICU RN upon completion of my course, which ends before November. I don't really need the Post-Grad Dip to find work in any ICU then!
Learning how to drive and owning a car is pretty much the top priority after my course because with a car, I can consider moving to the outskirts, where I can purchase a larger property for less.
So what are your plans now? You already have your car and house! What next? A second property for rental? House prices are so hot there right now, they are good investments... or maybe wait for it to drop even further. I am!
Being able to transfer vacation hours from one employer to the next would be nice--I wish they had legislation here that would allow that in the private sector (the civil service, where I work, does allow hours transfers to a limited extent, though). The only drawback I can see would be if an excessive number of accumulated vacation hours might act as a disincentive for a potential employer to hire you.
The vacation policy in my organization allows employees to carry over a maximum of 275 hours of vacation time per fiscal year. However, during the year, you can accumulate as much time as your position/seniority permits--you just have to ensure your balance drops to or under 275 hour by the end of the f/y. Definitely not as generous as what you're getting over there!
I'm amazed you've gotten by this long without a driver's license in Oz. Didn't you have one back in SG? I can't recall.
Right now, fortunately, my cars and house are paid off. I'm getting a little tight on space in my townhome, and might move to a larger house within the next couple of years, depending on how the housing market swings.
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Originally posted by the Bear:
uh huh.. but if they want to, they can...
that's the thing...
a lot of countries are desperate for new immigrants.. even when they say a lot of things, it's political grandstanding for their locals, then they let people in eventually...
Singapore.. is just heck of a lot more overt.. and way too many perks for immigrants.. way too many for locals' comfort...
all you got to do is to look around.. and look beneath the surface...
Actually, the truth of the matter is, I won't even bother looking around, because I've successfully gotten myself out of there, I'm a happy camper now. I can't imagine that I set the wheels in motion as far back as in 1998. It took me years of blood, sweat and tons of tears to get me where I am right now, and I'm mighty proud to have done it.
My next long-term plan is to be able to offer my niece the opportunity of studying here should she choose to when she grows up.
Give her the precious gift of choice and a headstart in her adult life. -
Originally posted by Rhonda:
Actually, the truth of the matter is, I won't even bother looking around, because I've successfully gotten myself out of there, I'm a happy camper now. I can't imagine that I set the wheels in motion as far back as in 1998. It took me years of blood, sweat and tons of tears to get me where I am right now, and I'm mighty proud to have done it.
My next long-term plan is to be able to offer my niece the opportunity of studying here should she choose to when she grows up.
Give her the precious gift of choice and a headstart in her adult life.
So.....wei da.I wish I have parents who know what I want to study.
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Originally posted by Meia Gisborn:
Being able to transfer vacation hours from one employer to the next would be nice--I wish they had legislation here that would allow that in the private sector (the civil service, where I work, does allow hours transfers to a limited extent, though). The only drawback I can see would be if an excessive number of accumulated vacation hours might act as a disincentive for a potential employer to hire you.
The vacation policy in my organization allows employees to carry over a maximum of 275 hours of vacation time per fiscal year. However, during the year, you can accumulate as much time as your position/seniority permits--you just have to ensure your balance drops to or under 275 hour by the end of the f/y. Definitely not as generous as what you're getting over there!
I'm amazed you've gotten by this long without a driver's license in Oz. Didn't you have one back in SG? I can't recall.
Right now, fortunately, my cars and house are paid off. I'm getting a little tight on space in my townhome, and might move to a larger house within the next couple of years, depending on how the housing market swings.
From the look of things, hang in there first, because I think prices will plunge further...
Petrol prices here are crazy right now. Public transport here, whilst not exactly the best, is pretty alright. At least it gets me to most places and I'm used to walking by now.
I'm pretty good at figuring out how to get places via public transport now too. I feel very independant and confident now. I want to beef up my savings first before getting a car. I want to pay for my first car up-front. But once you buy a car, you have to be prepared for sudden mishaps and stuff so I want to be sure I can handle all the contingencies first. I don't intend to start building a castle only to run out of bricks halfway. I've picked out the car I'm going to buy too! Most likely the Toyota Echo, or if I'm feeling indulgent, or if the prices drop, the Toyota Yarius. I don't have a driving licence yet, but I don't foresee any difficulty in getting that out of the way.
Someday, when I have my own house, I'm going to consider buying a scooter as well so I can vroom vroom to the neighbourhood grocery shops and restaurants without having to fret over parking space. Hehehe!
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was watching e news
goodness... one managed to fiinsh his poly course even w/ muscular dystrophy... touching stories
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Originally posted by 16/f/lonely:
So.....wei da.I wish I have parents who know what I want to study.
Ah well, I don't intend to have my own kids, so I'll just play the role of a good Aunt to my niece lor! Hehe!
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Eh, where's LF?! Long time never see her!!
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Originally posted by Rhonda:
Ah well, I don't intend to have my own kids, so I'll just play the role of a good Aunt to my niece lor! Hehe!
You might just change your mind.