Life of A Young Banker

Some of my blog readers asked me, how is the work of a banker?

1. I wake up at 9, have an enjoyable breakfast at McDonald while reading newspaper.
2. I knock-off at 5 with the last hour of work spent gossiping with colleagues.
3. There are some parties and high-tea on the company's budget.
4. The company not only allows MSN usage, it encourages it because it's good for employee's mental health.

I WISH.

The fact is...
1. I wake up at 6.45, reach home sometimes by 12 midnight.
2. I don't have time to sit down and have my breakfast. I walk while munching my bread.
3. Sometimes I even don't have time to eat lunch... I just grab some snacks like fruit or milo.

SAD huh?


Well, everything has a price. For everything else, we have UOB Platinum card. Joking... :)


I know in this job, I have to maintain a super high level of energy... super positive and cheerful attitude. Whether I sleep 7 hours or 3 hours the night before, I have to look as if I get enough sleep the night before and have just got spa treatment. Easy? You bet.

The less sleep I get the night before, the more I need to eat the right stuff. My tips:

Breakfast: fruit juice and banana and 1 can of Red Bull if I sleep less than 5 hours
Lunch: Apple / strawberry and wholemeal sandwich (think of Subway)
Snack: yogurt and coffee
Dinner: milk and some dessert


In the past, I eat healthy stuffs because I want to. Now, I eat the right stuffs because I need to. The same rule applies for hitting the gym and facial regime I do every night. I also try to jog 2 or 3 times a week around my block.


I tell you a secret, I can put a tie properly only a few days ago because of this job. I am actually a T-shirt/polo and jeans kind of person. Now you will see me dress very smart in shirt, tie, jacket.. with polished pointed shoes... yes, with specs and carrying a briefcase.

It's amazing to see how I change to a completely different person. More polished in appearance and words.


However, I am still the person that you know last time... A very straightforward single who will never be popular among girls because if a girl asks him "Does this dress make me fat?", He will answer "Honestly, it's not the dress that makes you fat. It's the cake, chocolate, and the Geylang lorong 9 Beef Kway Tiao." Understand why I am still single?

Time can change a person. It really can.

A young, handsome, promising..... and SINGLE Banker =P

Singapore government is damn good. Not long after they announce romance incentive$, bigger baby bonu$ etc etc, some of my good friends terminate their singles club membership.

Don't get me wrong. Of course I am happy for them. They finally find someone who is only a few steps away from being their number one person. As for me, ehmm... you know me well enough :)



There are two ways to look at being single:

1. You are the leftovers. Noone is going to "buy" you even at 90% discount (ouch..)

2. You are branded item. Super high quality, super high price. Noone can afford except the super rich.

Well, you decide in which category I am in =P



Anyways..

Today, I received the result slip of my last exam... and Thank God, I cleared the exam. Now I am a so-called full-fledged Personal Banker with UOB. If you need a service on how you can make your money works harder for you, I might be the person you are looking for. I may not be the most experienced banker, but I can assure you that I am the guy who will not recommend a product unless that's the best solution available. Well, banker is not exactly associated with kind heart, but we all know, everything has exception... and I am that exception.

If you need my service, feel free to drop me an E-mail at pan.benny@yahoo.com or drop me a sms or call me at 98186924. Satisfaction guaranteed :)

Ah yes, if you want to have a chat about a career in banking industry, feel free to drop me an E-mail also.


Lastly, I am also looking for a gym buddy or a running mate in the west area (preferably Bukit Batok area)... :)

I gotta have faith!!!

First of all, thanks so much for being one of my readers. I know, that's not the most prestigious title in the world, but still it's worth mentioning :)

It's very touching when I saw my blog statistics. Over 1000 readers last week! That's not even among the highest, and to be frank, it's not that important.

I want to touch lives in whatever way I can. I am not a Saint, 1000 miles from that. But I try to live my life to the fullest. Because we simply don't know what will happen tomorrow. So my advice, live everyday in your life as if it's the last day. If you die tomorrow, and God ask you...

"Are you satisfied with your life?"

I hope you will answer: "God, good question! My life is just perfect."

Nothing is perfect in this world. My life is nothing =P




OKAY, let me stop being so philosophical.

Yesterday, I took an exam which is part of the required exams for my job. I studied hard for the exam. Well, as someone who has little business and finance background, I was struggling. But thank God for giving me such a positive attitude to never give up.

And there I was, ready to go for the exam. HOWEVER.... I couldn't find my passport. GOSH. I searched around for about 20 minutes, but still couldn't find it!!! I know I have many choices:

1. To take the exam another time. Afterall I was not very prepared. Even if I take the exam now, I am not sure if I can pass.
2. To cry and blame God for "placing" my passport in an undeserving place.
2. To go to the exam hall, make a good confession, and bear the consequences.

I chose the last choice.

They let me do the exam but they will suppress the result until I bring my passport.

My colleagues asked me...

"Ben, so you will leave the room without knowing the result??"

"Ben, I pity you. You can't enjoy the weekend because you haven't known the result."




Thanks for the concern, but I think I am enjoying my weekend. If you ask me whether I am confident to pass, I will confidently say.. I am not.


But I know one thing. In life, you gotta have faith. When everything else fails, there are even more reasons to have faith.

I believe everything is going to be alright. I have faith.

What I learnt from the greatest STARS in Beijing Olympics

Beijing Olympics 2008 has given birth to some of the greatest stars in sports - some of whom will be given a title - LEGEND.

We can't have enough of Michael Phelps, can we? I was doing my morning exercise in front of TV while listening to news, and WHAT THE HECK. Phelps... Phelps... Phelps again. Well, that's better than news about the most famous Malaysian "sport star" at the moment, Anwar Ibrahim. We know what kind of sport he is playing (Hint: men only).

Lesson learnt: Impossible is Nothing. Before the Olympics started, Phelps told the media that he was going to win 8 gold medals (Thanks to Lilyana for the correction), and a lot of people laughed at him. It pays off to dream BIG.


NADAL!!!! Yes. His time has come. Roger Federer, don't worry, everyone has their own time. 4 years plus as world's number one is a long... long time.

Lesson learnt: It sucks to be forever world's number 2. However, some things in life are worth waiting, and worth working hard towards. Everytime I see Rafael Nadal playing, and everytime I see his positive attitude, I know his time would come one day.


Singapore has finally grabbed a medal. I listened to Gold 90.5 FM this morning and laughed during my way to workplace. If you have a child, name him/her Feng Wang Li. That's the surest way to make him future Singapore table tennis player. Btw, Feng Wang Li comes from the three wonder women that just did Singapore proud, Feng Tianwei, Wang Yuegu, and the most famous of all, Li Jiawei. Well done Singapore!




In badminton, Zhang Ning has become the only player who grabbed consecutive 2 gold medals in women's single. Mind you, she is 33. Too bad Xie Xingfang lose, otherwise she and her bad-boy boyfriend Lin Dan will be the Olympics' gold-medal couple just like Indonesia's Susi Susanti and Alan Budikusuma in 1992. Indonesia grabbed 1 gold medal from Markis Kido / Hendra Setiawan and a silver from Nova Widianto / Lilyana Natsir. I was dissappointed that the last pair didn't win gold.


Taufik can fly kite. Well, not to worry Taufik. You have everything already. Famous name, beautiful wife, kids, and most importantly, rich in-laws. You can buy not only 1 "gold medal", 1000 also can.

Lesson learnt:

Sometimes, winners are not always the most talented ones. They are the hungriest persons in the stadium. In 2004, Taufik Hidayat had to prove himself as world's best and he won. Now he has nothing to prove. He has everything. He lose. And by the way, lose very badly.

Kido / Setiawan told the media before the Olympics even started, THEY WANTED NOTHING BUT A GOLD.





They wanted bad enough. They got it.

I know I am repeating myself, but good things are worth repeating.



Steven Jobs said, "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish". Michael Phelps was hungry. Kido / Setiawan were hungry. Singapore's table tennis team was hungry. Lin Dan was hungry. Rafael Nadal was hungry.




When we fail to reach our dream, take a deep breath, close our eyes, and ask ourselves.



"AM I HUNGRY ENOUGH??????"