Happy New Year

Today is the beginning of 2018. In Johor, today is not a public holiday. People go to work as usual. However, my feeling is very different. Beside being excited by the beginning of the new year, I am glad that I could accomplish my long-term plan today.

In the second half of 2012, I felt fed-up at work. The reason was because the boss's vexatious. After careful study of my financial status, I decided to resign. Before tendering, I heard that there would be a huge reshuffle. So I waited. Fortunately, I was transferred to other departments. Although I had to take care of two departments, the workload was greatly reduced.

Everything went fine until the beginning of 2014.  The department director suddenly told me that I had to take care one more department because the then head was unable to meet the company's performance requirements. The most ridiculous thing is that I did not know much about the operation of this department. I asked why I was chosen. He said he was very sure that I would perform better than the then head. This department is the Logistics Department. My company is a multinational company and you had no idea how big Logistics Department was. Staff management alone is already a big headache. The worst part was that there was not even a penny added to me. Even though I was reluctant, I thought positively by taking this opportunity to learn more.

At the beginning, I observed the Shipping Section had only one staff.  So, I requested the management for one more staff. When the new employee was about to join us, the existing crew  tendered her resignation and gave a short one week notice. The chaos soon coming and I & my new staff busy day and night to clean up the mess. The most ridiculous thing is that my department director not only did not help. On July 8, 2014, I first tendered my resignation. At that time, the director of the department was shocked. So he put down the posture and tone and asked me to stay and promised to work with me to solve the problem.

After 4-month effort, chaos were finally settled down. Until now, I still can feel the pressure when I recall the situation then. However, since then, the departmental director was still occasionally vexatious. Meanwhile, he is also the director of the HR Department, but he did not effectively retain talents and decision-making is also twilight changed.  Employees are complaining but he just ignores. Disappointment makes me to think of tendering again in September 2017.  My target was on January 1, 2018. At that time, I also observed my "chaos settler" was not quite right. After talking to her, I learned that she felt the same as mine and she is expecting to leave on January 1, 2018. We both intend to leave 2017 bonus. The only difference is that she will give 24 hours notice because her new employer is compensating for her while I need to give two months notice. Of course I can also pay off immediately. But I have been working for more than twenty years, just go away like that is not my style. In fact, I also had inform the director in October 2017 for staff arrangements but he ignored again.  So, that is it.  I have done what I can do.

The leaving of capable staff  means that the Department of Shipping will experience a mess again. But I was not as nervous as before but the director of the department.

Today, for me, it is a big day. I am free, finally. I no longer need to work for others. I am the owner of my time, do what I want, including learning Japanese (because I would like to watch Japanese drama without read the subtitles), doing stocks research, gardening and having road trip.  In short, it is the beginning of to meaningful life. 

p / s: I have more than 10 years to attain the legal retirement age.  What I would like to share here is that what kind of life you want to have is totally up to you. With targets in mind, there must be a viable action plan and regular review to reach your final destination. This requires unremitting learning of money management and investment. In this new year, I hope all of you to make things happen.