This Is A Really Bitter Pill To Swallow

My second interview
The lady boss herself interviewed moi. Before this big day, she telephoned moi and asked me "what kinda salary would make me happy". I wanted to rebutt this. It isn't about "what kinda salary would make me happy kinda thingy" but rather a minimum wage that would at least ensure me a comfortable enough retirement, given today's prices and accounting for inflation.

Yes I can work NOW. What if SOMETHING happens? Like when I fell the last time. Shouldn't I be insured against something like that?

Maybe foreign talent ain't that cheap after all
When I spoke with Patrick, he told me he was on a 3K odd salary for the marketing job he was doing at NKF. A nurse would be worth some 2.5K. And a nurse with 8 years experience doubles that figure.

Seems like the healthcare industry is really paying very well (because of the critical shortage I guess) but not the education sector. But I think my kinda education isn't the kinda education being proffered here. I think I am worth 5K or more (maybe even 7K-8K) but I can settle for less. A minimum 3K would be nice. 4K even nicer. Is this too much to ask?

The NKF saga
What Patrick told me was an eye-opener of sorts. As a hypothetical scenario, for every $1 that is collected from the public, it is reinvested which yields $10. So donations are always kept at a dollar. The rest goes to operating costs and to the CEO (let us say $5)

But since this is a charity, shouldn't it be the case that the $1 could be reduced to $0.20 even and the reinvestment profits ploughed back into helping patients defray the costs of their dialyses? ( I remember this is something patients were complaining about, that despite everything, they still haven't got their dialyses' costs reduced very much) Rather than so much going into the CEO's pockets. And other expenses. What expenses constitute a large amount? Entertainment? Staging extravaganza?

I admit I wasn't really following the reports back then, like I am not with the Israel-Lebanon conflict or even the acts of terrorism.

Two people fell here today - could it be that the smooth tiled pavement has turned into an ice-skating rink on a rainy day?
It suddenly rained hell at this place where I am blogging now. A boy who was basketballing, slipped on the tiled pavement and fell on his back, hurting his head. As I had fallen and hurt my spine before, I can imagine the pain he was in and tears were welling up in his eyes. I went up to him to comfort him.

A lady in her fifties who was delivering a Teacher's Day buffet, also fell and sprained her wrist. I helped her call her boss and to have him pick her up, send her to the Chinese physician and drive the van back as she was in no condition to do so.

After all, an employer just can't be all profit-driven without caring for its employees right?

A few things you should know about my work ethics and ethos
A job to me is just a job. I do it and I do it well. But I don't think life can just be job-centred without regard to a life outside a job - like a social or sport life. After all, isn't it a good thing we keep healthy, what with healthcare costs and all?

I believe that at work if I had done wrong, you can always correct me. But stop shoving stuff on my lap to make me look like a scapegoat. Or if you aren't confident about yourself or your abilities, don't try to make me look like you. Or if I wanna do the best for my students, you wanna deter me.

You work your way, I work mine. If I am passionate about teaching and I wanna do a bit extra, that is my problem. You don't have to tell me that I should just ease up. None of your business.

I am not looking for thanks or gratitude or whatever from my students. I just wanna give my best in whatever I do. Is that so wrong?

I keep quiet even though I may not necessarily agree with you on many things. Just don't take me for a fool. Or you try to shove your opinion on me or that I have to do the things you do.

I may not share the same kinda vision you have for education. I have my vision and you have yours. You may wanna work with me, but I may not. Coz our ethos are different.

Can you understand that?

Why I am in the predicament I am in now
At first, I had wanted to start a tuition centre. I am glad I didn't. The location I picked was actually where I am now. Just walking past block after block in this estate, I realised that for its very small size, there were a disproportionately large number of educational institutions.

The MPS I attended last year didn't help matters either. I thought of just focussing on the foreign student segment but the CASETRUST accreditation precludes me from even trying. I wanted my MP to write to CASETRUST to help wave this requirement until I got my students in and then they could start assessing me. But my MP wrote to MOE instead. My request didn't come through and I had nothing on my slate to feed me.

So it was delay after delay. Till they are like wanting to see me dead before they can get things moving.

Every day I wait out for a project with the public sector like the government agencies and the schools, my finances dwindle. They just don't realise this. One project for a whole year can't keep me going. A handful could. So what did I have to do? Sell my place and look at the kinda shit I am in now!

All that chatter about litter
I have had a student who accused moi once of littering. This guy is like the gahmen sometimes, just accusing without really finding out the whole truth. Fact is, sometimes, the tissue paper in my hand just kinda slip through or it gets blown away by the wind or something.

And tissue paper at hawker centres is an offence? What do we wipe our mouths with? Our bare hands? So please, gimme a break.