Wednesday...

Hello??? Anyone out there? Any human being still reading my blog?
It's been almost a month since I last blogged. I thought it was much longer.

Anyhow, I'm not in a good mood. I guess that's one of the reasons why I'm blogging now. It's the old, nice, familiar feeling of being able to 'confide' via this blogging avenue which is one of the most reliable avenues (it only fails when the server is down, which doesn't happen often). I just finished some work, I felt like talking to her but she said she was heading to bed. Before I could say that I wanted to talk, she said she needed to wake up early to go have breakfast downstairs. I stopped short of typing out 'Can we talk?'.
Sighz, and that is why I'm here now. But it's not her fault. I am just grumbling because I feel like hearing a human voice now, the voice of someone who can soothe my nerves.

My mum is already in bed. So is my sis who might not have been the best option for this purpose anyway. My dad is reading his news and we don't usually talk about such stuff. I don't want to disturb any friend at tis time.

So, I am here.

I just realized that I have spent such a huge chunk of words just to say why I'm here. Crap.

So what has been going on? Since the last update on the exclusive IBTEC competition and the reason why I had to give it up, many other things have happened. A LOT.
Let's go to the exciting stuff first. The stuff that makes me grin.

I was awarded the NUS Student Achievement Award for the Enterprise Category. This was by nomination only.

I represented the Faculty of Engineering and NOC to join a lunch networking session with the NUS Board of Trustees, the top management of whom many are very successful.

Not sure if I mentioned this, but MOE asked me down to Ngee Ann Sec to give a speech on entrepreneurship and NE; I did eventually and it was a pretty interesting experience.

My professor nominated me for an opportunity to be interviewed by EDB to feature in one of its advertisements or interview specials as part of its publicity efforts to launch some scholarship which I won't reveal here. Only 1 or 2 students were required and I thank my prof for remembering me and assisting me in my career path.

I went for various rounds of job interviews already. Done pretty well. So far so good. Am keeping my options open. I have formed several informal groups to explore the opportunity to startup a company in the clean energy industry too. It has always been my wish to do so and this was a concrete step in picking the brains of many of those who are interested and increasing the chances of forming a great team.

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Seems pretty rosy, doesn't it?
Yah, certainly, and I was personally even amazed by all the achievements. It was not just my hard work over the past year but also the recognition given by many of my mentors.

George Sprenkle, my former CFO, friend and fatherly figure back in Philadelphia.
Professor Jan, my consulting professor and fatherly figure back in UPenn.
Gean, my former program director in NCBV and my good friend.
Prof Liew, my current FYP supervisor who encourages me all the time.

My mum said that they are my 'gui4 ren2'. I totally agree. Without the opportunities given by them, I would be a lesser person today in terms of my achievements and potential achievements.

I was glancing through the business plan that won awards for me this year. It looked impressive. It didn't seem that way when I was working on it. Perhaps I was looking at it everyday and way too often. But now it looks real impressive.

But that isn't the point I'm trying to make here. The point is; I felt very touched when I glanced through it. What I saw were not the words but were the memories.
I recall the arguments we had, the celebrations, the hugs, the cheers when we got through each round, the perplex moments (many of them), the frowns, the smiles, the grins, the ecstatic shouts, the endless nights I was working at 3am on the business plan after having worked in the office the full day and an evening lesson at Wharton, etc etc etc.

I am still feeling very touched. The most unique phase of my life just flashed through my mind.
I miss it sometimes, and I certainly do miss it now.
I was busy like crazy but I was happy being that busy because I loved what I was doing.

I can't say the same these days. I wanna get out of school. I want to be doing what I am best at;
Business Strategizing and Development.
Devising best strategies, executing them, achieving best results.
Developing new markets, penetrate viable ones, become the best in the world.

I love school but I do not exactly love what I am doing now. I have to and I will complete it nevertheless.

Before NOC, I wanted my First Class Honors. I was and am still on track to get it.
But it no longer is important to me now because I have much more than the benefits it can give me. Was it for the pride? Or did I used to really think that it is important? I guess it's more of the former.
I find it hard to get the motivation back to achieve this goal which I believe is not necessary anymore.

I am grumbling a lot, aren't I?

I still want to contribute to Singapore's economy in a great way, I want to be a great leader, I want to make this world a better place for everyone. I will do it and I will get there.

Trust me.
I can and will do it.

Feeling much better now...
=)