Exuberance All Around

Mom and Dad are here.

Yankees are within a game and half of the Red Sox.

The weather is perfect.

I Hate Food Courts!

They seem to exist only to make and serve bad, unhealthy food! I just had a pretty bad experience at Boston's famous Quincy Market.
I have heard great things about the food courts in S'pore - general cleanliness, lots of variety, fresh fruits stalls, reasonable prices, etc. I guess they are not going to be very veggie friendly. Oh well! A new journey of discovery awaits. But right now, I want dal bhaat!

It's happening! It's happening!

HR is going start processing the transfer...
It's time to buy furniture, make reservations at Daniel, stock up on Crema di Balsamico and plan a farewell party!

Bring out the Kleenex!

Cause and Effect

I am volunteering for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure this weekend. I’m neither running nor walking the 5K race. When the race starts on Sunday, I’m either going to be asleep or I’ll be enjoying chai and NYT (something I haven’t done for some time now). I’m helping with registration. I register those who haven’t and help get bibs and t-shirts for those who have. I also answer questions as simple as "Is it a rain or shine event?" or as absurd as "Do board members have connections with the Bush administration?".

Interacting with participants and survivors as well as organizers and other volunteers has been a powerful experience. It’s a great example of individual initiative and of ordinary people uniting for a cause. Most participants and volunteers are middle-aged women from in and around the city. Some are from farther away. I heard at least half a dozens accents today. Some registrants didn’t even know what Komen was or did until they walked up to our table. Everyone had a story. Everyone had an aura that comes from knowing you are doing something good.

What kind of volunteer opportunities are available in S’pore? Are individuals encouraged/allowed to take an initiative and devote themselves to a cause they believe in? Can I organize a bake sale or a bike race? What about a community development project? What do I believe in? What will I fight for? HIV/AIDS (battle of our generation)? Premature babies (celebrate my sisters and my nephew)? Cancer? (in memory of my grandmother?) Or as Meg says – do something positive and don’t get involved in the negativity of the fight against this or that. How about a movement to plant community gardens in urban areas? Or teach kids to cook? Or bankers to breathe? Or bring Vaishali back to NYC. Now that is a cause worth fighting for!

Events and Milestones

RF is now Mrs. Brackner. My annual performance review results brought some cheer. I met Reshmi after almost two years. Nisu-bisu celebrated another b-day. And Baby O turned one.

Moving to S’pore doesn’t mortify, terrify or horrify anymore. I’m ready.

A Premature Goodbye (August 17, 2007)

I said my first goodbyes this week when I had to roll-off my project very very unexpectedly. All this time I’ve been thinking about how difficult this is going to be. This time I felt it. And it hurt!
When you have worked with a group of people for ten straight months it’s not easy to just pack up your electric kettle and leave!

Thankfully the week went by very quickly. I had to transition out of my role, cancel hotel reservations, plan for my next project, make new hotel reservations, work on the transfer to Singapore, etc. etc.

It was a great experience both professionally and personally. I have formed some solid friendships and I take more than project management skills to Singapore. For example, I will always have Mcnally’s Laws.

Law #1 – You can never communicate too much
Law #2 – You can never communicate too much
Law #3 – You can never communicate too much
Law #4 – No surprises
Law #5 – Work-Life Balance is the gift you give yourself
Law #6 – Pay me now, or pay me later
Law #7 – Collect fingerprints
Law #8 – It’s not about control, it’s about influence

The laws were created by my friend and colleague Tom. They are absolutely critical for project management and are pretty applicable in life as well. Here’s to McNally! I will drink a pint of ale for your health and continuing wisdom.

The Furniture Saga Continues

Milind finally conceded that buying furniture in NYC and shipping it along with all our other stuff was a better idea than trying to buy furniture locally. I didn’t exclaim ‘I told you so!’ at that moment. So here it is - I TOLD YOU SO!

Anyway, I set about looking through my 20,000 Crate and Barrel catalogues and found a bedroom set and a sofa. I then called CB to ask for an international delivery quote. It took them about 48 hours to get back to me with this:

Merchandise: Ellis Queen Bed, Ellis Dresser, 2 Ellis Nightstands and a Rochelle Sofa

To ship the order to Singapore will cost:
$883.21 USD via Freight Forwarder to Port only.
Please add $1,088.00 USD for Import Documentation, Customs Clearance and Door Curbside Delivery.
Please add $365.00 USD for Inside Delivery.
The quote is for shipping only and does not include the cost of the merchandise, nor any tax and duty the order may incur.
Tax and duty fees are the customers' responsibility, and are to be paid when the order arrives into port.
The transit time is approximately two weeks after leaving Crate&Barrel, baring no hold up in customs.
The order is insured and traceable

That’s a total of $2336.21 not including tax and duties and of course the cost of the furniture! I guess there is going to be a lot more furniture shopping when I move to S’pore!