And they think replying emails are so easy...

Just to share only an area of my work with you. The most easiest task among the rest of my job scope is replying general emails, as easy as it is spelt out by the two words. I was given this task (replying general enquiries) since the 1st day I joined. The manager (ex) told me that that is to let me familarise with the procedures and operation of our dept. Previously this email account was handled by her, then passed on to another new colleague, and when she thus became a "seasoned" worker, this was pass down to the then new comer, Me.

There were ways of standard replies, standard styles, follow ups, even if it means to forward the email to someone else, you must firstly know who or which dept to forward to.

During the super peak period, we could be receiving 50 to 80 emails per day, among which are direct enquires, a handful needs more attention, some are written in foreign languages, some enquires need answers from all over the office before I could reply the enquire. Besides trying hard to clear this incoming emails, I may just cleared one and then received another new one. This could go on and one if one do not know when to stop and make way for other pending work on the table.

Recently during the appraisal, my senior manager told me that this area is not going to help me in my career advancement and perhaps, another person could be roped in to share this task with me. I am more than happy to agree. So one is tasked to reply in the mornings, another (me) is tasked to reply in the afternoons. And that's when more problems arised. Because the other party thought she is only tasked to reply those emails timed MORNING and she left the rest unanswered. Then there was a rise of read messages in the inbox but when I checked if they have been replied, surprisingly, no.

This could get quite out of hand if the emails accumulated and roll like a snow ball. Hence, I came to a halt and took this matter up by writing a mass email to everyone:


Dear Colleagues


This is to inform you that if you have the assess to the Generic Account, please do not unmark the incoming emails as read messages if no action/s were taken to replying the email.

Usually, a read message is assumed to be action/s has/have been taken and should also be dragged away from the inbox and transfer to the deleted folder. Some read messages which require follow up action will be flagged and retain in the inbox folder until case is closed before they were dragged into the deleted folder.

Currently, there is a mixture of read and unread emails and I have to tally them with the emails in the sent items to check if actions have been taken or if follow up actions are needed.

May I propose the following in order to standardize our SOPs and to avoid missing out replying or overlapping of replying to the same email?

SOPs to replying emails in the generic email account:

• Delete any advertisements (eg seminar, workshop advertisements etc) or junk emails from the Inbox.

• Reply email that came in first (first in, first out) regardless of the date/time we received them.

• Drag the replied email to deleted folder once action has been taken.

• Our email addressis listed under the website http://www.xxxx.com Therefore, there are general enquires forwarded to us via the http://www.xxxx.com/ with the subject head “RE: xxxx”. These emails are not junk emails (they may be found under the “Junk Folder”) and has to be replied as well. Once the email is replied, please drag it out from the “Sent items” and drop it into the folder named “xxx”

• Check “Junk Folder” for any enquires that requires action/s, if there is/are, “Unjunk” them and drag it back to inbox

• Emails that are forwarded to other colleagues to follow up, please flag it out with their names and mark as “read message”. (Dear all, if you have received a forwarded email via the xxx, please cc your reply (to enquirer) to xxx so that we know action has been taken and we could delete the email from the inbox).

• Emails written in mandarin, I will reply (in English), written in malay language, xxx, please assist (reply in English as well).

• Emails written in other foreign languages, reply back in English to request enquirer to write back again in English so that we could help them with their questions.

• Email replies by enquirer with further enquires, relevant staff has to do the follow up work until the case is closed.


During the peak periods (eg the period nearer the opening of application exercise to the closing date), in order to expedite replying to these enquires, emails from this generic account may be directly forwarded to relevant staff to follow up (xxx and I will try to minimize this forwarding unless there are really a lot of emails to be attended to, so please bear with us if you receive couple of emails forwarded to you from xxx).

Please let me or xxx know if there is/are any better suggestions in order to efficiently reply those general enquires.


The funny thing is, I am replying these general enquires not related to my work area but my colleague's area and to think some of them thought replying emails are so easy...

红豆

I never really like this old ballet song from Faye Wong named “红豆”(although the lyrics are beautiful) until I heard the 方大同's version over MTV.

Here's the 方大同's R&B's version from youtube:

THE 5 LEVELS OF DISCLOSURE

Before marriage:

(Before courtship): Cliché conversation (Jiak bah buay?)

(During courtship): Reporting facts (Jiak bah liow)

(After courtship) Ideas and Judgment (Jin hor jiak)

(Dating) Feelings sharing (Jin hor jiak, Hor lee jiak)

After marriage:

(1st year...): Feelings sharing (Jin hor jiak, Hor lee jiak)

(3 years later...): Ideas and Judgment (Jin hor jiak, hor wah jiak)

(5 years later...): Reporting facts (Jiak bah liow)

(10 years later...): Cliché conversation (Jiak bah buay?)

Deep thoughts...

It was my second day of my two days course. Baby has just touched down and came in a cab with his luggage and all to meet me for lunch. We went to Crystal Jade for a quick lunch and had a speedy updates for each other before grabbing the luggage and all and to the nearest taxi stand for me to rush back to continue with my course. While walking to the taxi stand at Holland V, someone caught my attention.

He was about 70 years old, holding a walking stick in his left hand, and seemed hesitated to take a step down from a kerb. I observed him, thinking that he should be able to take a step down since he was so careful. And he did. But seconds later, he slow lost his balance and fell onto the grass patch with his back landed on the ground lst. I panicked and rush towards him, dropping the bags of chocolates and cans of beers (Baby bought from DFS) onto the ground knowing that they are well protected by their packaging (and I know baby will forgive me for doing that). I quickly held his arms and slowly helped him up while asking “are you oke?”. He replied in English and said “ah, yes, yes, I am ok” Then he went on to explain to us that his right leg is weak. I was thinking of letting go of his arm when I realized that his hand was gripping tightly into mine.

It was that moment when I felt that he is not really that ok because from his grip, I could tell that he needed another support besides his walking stick. I asked where he is heading to and he replied that he needs to go to the taxi stand. We were just about 10 steps away but the walk seemed long. I held his hand and assured him take his time to walk no worries and we (baby and I) are heading to take a cab too. “You wait here” I said to him. Then I went to a cab and open the door. Then I returned to his side and helped him towards the cab. I let go of my hand and he sort of threw his walking stick into the car, and with careful moves, he slowly managed to move himself into the seat. I closed the door and was about to rush off with baby when I saw some blood stain on my blouse. “He is hurt!” I surprisingly let out. I open his taxi door before the cab move off and told him “I think you are hurt!” He held up his elbow and true enough, his skin was broken. I panicky searched my pouch for some plasters (thanks to my paraniod nature) and passed him three and a new packet of tissue paper (thanks to my unrecover flu). He insisted one is enough and return the balance to me and thanked us once again.

We went off to take the cab and rush to the institution to continue my course. I couldn’t pay attention right after that episode. “Where are his children? Does he have children? Where is his maid (Assuming he has)? Why he has to go out alone (he has a little plastic bag from Guardian Pharmacy)? Why so urgent he needs to buy and has go out alone despite knowing his own condition?"

Then I thought, I should have helped him to plaster his wound instead of giving him the plaster. I thought I should have done this, I should have done that. I thought I have not done enough.

Looking at that old fragile frame, it made me realized that no matter how authoritative, how successful, how educated, how rich you maybe during your prime years, neither of us could escape from the true hard facts that we still have to go through loneliness, helplessness, dependence, weakness, fear at our later stage in life. Only the youth, vibrant life that was colored on strangers’ faces, capture our attention and admiration. No one really pays attention to an old man/woman who looked like a black and white images in a busy street. Sometimes we even treated them transparently among the crowd.

How will my later years be I wonder? Will I even get through to those years??.....

I cant' sleep

I just cant sleep. Was it the coffee? Or the stomach that do not get enough food still? Or was it the hundreds of tiny ants massacre I was guilty of?

I just cant sleep and browse thru a couple of friend’s facebook. I am happy for all of them. Attached, or getting married, or happy leading a fulfilling life. Its all about being happy with the life we lead. Be it plain rice for three meals or sumptuous meals. As long as all of you are happy, I am happy for you.

Panick attack returned again since monday. The flu which never recovers by itself and resulted in a terrible headache which got better on tues morning.

Changes at work again. Another manager leaving. Not really a surprise for me. My colleague under that manager was very demoralized. I was too, or I pretend to be, becos I am numb about such things already. Ppl come and go, no one is indispensable. The only way to be indispensable is to learn as much as possible and be the pioneer of new policies or procedures and impart only the very surface details to others. Maybe that’s how the insecured ppl will resort to.

Colleagues thought I have been quietly doing my stuff and less complains and therefore my job scope seems to be quite an “easy job”. It has always been this impression since day one. I dun know why. Was it really I am holding a easy job scope as compared to others? Or I am better managing my stress and work? I don’t know and I don’t care. All I know is to prioritize and get things done and going. Problem came and solved and gone. I have no time to ask why there is a problem. Such questions are left to be resolved when time allows. I am not leaving my job no matter how tough it seems to be. Be it the tougher challenges, the haughty acad staff or the help-less colleagues around me. I always wonder, why others have so much complains and problem with their areas and I will step in and help where possible and I am always the only one helping my own self with my own area of work?

There is an opening in the Visual Arts dept which some of them has encouraged me to take on. But can I just leave like that while its so short handed now and low moral in my team? No one is dispensable I know , but I just cant bear to be a irresponsible person and leave my team like that. Complain will not get things done, action will. I just hope we could go through this rough time again just like how we did last year.

Baby is out for working trip again in UAE. Out in the desert and under the hot sun. I hope he has done enough to shade himself from the scorching sunlight else he needs to change his race to Indian soon.

Its 2:45 now. I still cant sleep........

Tiring but fulfiling!

It is a tiring but fulfiling day today. I shifted my bookself and repack my room again. This time, I could hang up a big painting in my room. I had my lunch at 3pm and continue with the packing again till 5pm.

Its been so long since I last painted something I really like. This time, I painted one for the family. Though its not a big portrait, but its good enough to fit the space dad wanted.

So voila! Another work completed...... 3 hrs....

Happy New Year...

A brand new year started with a stomach of anger and reflection of the past, and event unable to erase and repeated to my ears again. A stomach full of anger and detest. A distasteful chap and an arrogant female goblin.

Looking at the passing sceneries, there was a sudden urge to sink my nails into her skin and ripped apart her rib cage, pouring lotion from her head slowly to erode every inch of her skin and witnesses every strand of her hair falling off from her scalp.

An indescribable wrecking emotion which cannot be contained and felt like the powder waiting to be ignited and explode into the sky into a flare of thousands sparks.

A blanket of love and comfort wrapped around my shoulder to subside that anguish anger which was boiling earlier, bringing it a lukewarm temperature. The long ride and cool breeze made me feel even much better. That little evil thought became smaller and smaller and eventually went back into that tiny gloomy corner, waiting to strike again.

Then a pungent exotic smell hit my nose. Another one joined in and this time I smelt vomit on him. I nearly vomited on him too. Then a young lady dropped a handful of coins and others just looked on. I picked up the coins, as much as I could and hand it back to her.

Then we rested our feet at the café and took a long stroll. The street was still as busy and does not look like it’s 1am. A sweet flower scent filled the path we walked. I smelt it before you said you dislike it. It’s a forbidden scent not to be mentioned but just to remain silent and quicken your steps away from “it’s accompany”. That’s a taboo, Baby.

2 hours past 2009 and into 2010. A series of challenges completed and new ones are awaiting me. Let’s hope it will be a great year, worth embracing by the world celebrating.

Happy 2010…