30th Birthday

The dreaded big 3 - O.

It's finally here.

20 years ago, I've always wondered how I would be today at 30. Like any other dreamy-eyed child, I wanted to be a million things - soldier like my dad, teacher, doctor, vet (I have always loved animals), etc. Of course only a handful will end up being in an occupation known to a 10 year-old child. I always thought it was stereotypical to only teach children occupations such as doctors, teachers, soldiers, policemen, scientists. It's like other occupations don't matter or don't even exist. Anyhow, I thought I can be one of those wise characters in textbooks telling us all about what they do for a living.

Nothing, as we know, can be further away from the truth.

10 years ago, I had a diploma in business management and I thought I would be in business development or human resource. Most of all, I imagined myself to be a high-powered executive working in town. HA! Fact is I never worked in town in my 6 year career to-date.

And here we are, 3-O. My friend said 30 is the new 20 but I would like to think I'm much wiser and a better person.

Looking back at my 30 years of existence, what are the most interesting and proudest moments? Here I will list them down lest I forget 10 years down the road:

- Won 3rd prize in Chinese handwriting contest in Primary 5 (from entire school)
- Performed in a choir playing the recorder to Chirstmas carols in Primary school celebration in Primary 6
- Broke the school record for 1,500m in 5 min 35s for under-15s
- Came in 20th in the Secondary 3 cohort in cross country in 21 min 29 s
- Topped the cohort in English Literature in Secondary 3 (The River Between)
- Came in second in District B's Junior First Aid Competition
- Was Best Commander in District B's First Aid Competition
- Was youngest Captain in SJI's Inter-Unit Football Competition 1996 (was sent off in debut)
- Selected for inter-diploma debates for International Business and HR Management, semi-finalist
- Topped the cohort in presentation test
- Selected to represent NYP in 800m, 1,500m and 3,000m steeplechase for IVG
- Elected as Treasurer of the Student Ambassadorial Team in NYP
- Nominated Best Soldier of the Month (November 2003) during National Service
- Scored 9 goals in 4 games in inter-depot beach football to win the competition for HQ team

Career milestones:
- Created the Friend of IFFS loyalty programme that continued until today
- Created CordLife 2010 Calendar and new collaterals
- Created the first-ever electronic annual report within all PA divisions

Hmmmm, I must have missed out a few others. But here's to the next 30!