I made a sudden decision last month to make a job switch, barely a year into my current (previous from tomorrow) job. I was feeling stagnant at the workplace despite the short time I’ve been there.

No doubt there are still skills and knowledge for me to learn and pick up and my boss is more than willing to teach, but things just ain’t moving fast enough and I’m not getting any younger. Prospects ain’t any good.

It helps that my new company in the private sector is willing to hire me despite my lack of experience, with a bump in the paycheck no less and seemingly promising prospects. *fingers crossed* Such opportunities don’t come along often so it doesn’t make sense for me not to take it, and thus I did.

The only down side is the location; it’s all the way in Changi while I’m in Jurong. It’s gonna be like those years when I was in Temasek Polytechnic, except that I now drive and I can’t just skip work like I skip classes when I feel like it. Need loads of discipline to get up early and arrive on time.

I’m starting tomorrow and the usual jitters and apprehensions are getting to me. It’s self-doubt phase all over again. I hope I’ll be able to keep up with the pace in the private sector. I’ve been too comfortable in the public service. No culture shock, hopefully.

Good luck to me!

There is this very old cleaning lady in my office building; I reckon she’s in her 70s, slightly hunched but doesn’t walk too slowly. Everyday at about 12 noon, she would knock on my office door (e-passkey system and she doesn’t have access), come into my office and collect our trash. On Mondays, she would come in twice; once more in the early morning at about 9.30am to vacuum the office.

Initially I was pretty friendly, like I always am; stopping whatever I was working on, making small talks, asking her if she needs any help. I mean, considering her age, it feels like it is something that I, as a younger person, should do. Probably out of respect.

I suppose she felt some sort of a connection and decided to talk to me about everything; ranging from my education background, my pay (!!!), her complaints about her terrible management and how stupid they were (don’t we all?), her grumblings about inconsiderate people whom she collects trash for, all the way to whether my boss is hei-gu (Hokkien dialect for asthmatic).

All is fine to me, really (maybe not the hei-gu part, because, HOW THE HELL WOULD I KNOW??), but my gripe about her is: SHE DOESN’T KNOW WHEN TO STOP!

I can be working hard on a file and giving her monosyllabic answers to whatever she’s talking about after I have said my usual “Hi” but she just couldn’t get the hint. I can be at the lift lobby running an errand for my boss, or trying to get to a lunch appointment, or on my desperate way to the loo and she would chat me up. I have tried giving her the awkward “I don’t really have time to talk to you” smile and look but nope, she can’t take the hint.

There was once I even bumped into her in the men’s loo!! She was getting toilet supplies (somehow it’s stored in the men’s loo) and ain’t she glad to find someone to talk to. I quickly hid myself in a cubicle (I use the cubicles for everything because I don’t like to use urinals – don’t ask) and she went like “ok, ok, you go 大便 (shit)”. =,=” Like I would when she’s around! (Well, I wasn’t going to, but that’s besides the point, ha ha).

My politeness had become annoyance.

Now, I have to say that I had no problems with the cleaning ladies in my previous office. I would very gladly wave and greet them whenever I see them along the corridor. They’ll talk to me, yes, but briefly. They know when is the appropriate time to do anything, which is very nice.

So, at some point in time, say, 2 months ago, I decided guiltily with restitute that I shall avoid and ignore this cleaning lady at all possible circumstances. By avoid I mean not meeting her gaze to encourage her to talk to me, greeting her hastily and quickly focusing on something else, or, simply, avoid her literally.

You don’t have to tell me I’m rude, but really, there are times where you just can’t stop yourself from being annoyed, however you tell yourself not to.

That worked. She finally got the hint and since then, we’ve only been nothing but cordial to each other.

I appreciate the work the cleaning ladies are doing. I have all the respect for this old cleaning lady, doing such a laborious job at her age, but I think I want to draw the line at just that. Silently.