Saturday, January 10, 2009

the day dark clouds hovered...

I walked into office with a letter from the HR addressed to me sitting on my desk.

"Strictly private and confidential. To be opened by addressee only." It stamped in red.

My colleagues looked wearily at me, with slight worried looks in their faces.

"We're all going to get a pay cut," one said, "look." And she handed me a printout of the email that was sent out just that afternoon from the CEO.

I took a glance. It was 2 whole pages long with a 4 page attachment of FAQs to the new measures in place.

"Quick open the envelope and tell us what's in it," another colleague said.

I took a closer look at the envelope and my heart sank slightly. I opened it and took out the letter carefully.

It read, "This is to certify that Lin Hui is employed in the company as a part time broadcast journalist..."

*WHEW*

It was the employment certification letter I requested from the HR for my brother's university financial application. NOT the dreaded "goodbye" letter.

Upon realizing that, I could feel the tension ease around me.

"Chey! We thought your letter was part of the cost cutting measures the company is undertaking! Since you are a contract staff... "

Yeah, you guys made me worried for a while too. But then, I feel loved. That everyone cares about my presence. Hah.

I've just past the 6 month mark on the job, and the fear of losing my job already hovered. What an eventful start of my career.

But well, I'm still employed, tho there'll be approx 10% pay cut with corresponding less work days. It's going to be a 5-4-5-4 work day month. I'm going to have much more days off, forced leave days and more long weekends.

So do ask me out more often. But please restrict to asking me out for cheap activities and budget meals as I'm gonna be earning less! *yikes* (not like I'm earning a lot now)

How about teaching me to ride a bike for a start?

Thursday, January 08, 2009

《小娘惹》疯

虽然来的有点晚,但我还是决定转贴。

原发布与958网站的新闻室日记栏目

***



娘惹疯席卷本地,势不可挡。

最近同身边亲朋戚友聊天,总是离不开《小娘惹》话题。要是你没追看,不知道剧情发展,就很可能被冷落啦。

一)谈身边有多少人中了“娘惹毒”

本地电视剧一向不受太大好评。嫌编剧没新意、演员阵容大同小异、演员演技不突出是最常听闻的批评。但这次却发现,平时不看本地剧集的一些朋友,如今却要天天追看《小娘惹》。而“中毒”程度也有所不同。为了确保能追看,一集也不错过,一些人在这期间的生活规划便围绕着《小娘惹》的播映时间。出门一定要在8、9点以前回到家,吃饭不要去太远的地方或干脆只在周末出街。另一些则特地去买了硬碟录影机,把时间预设好,天天把戏录下来,就不必担心错过任何一集精彩剧情。更有一些人干脆买下有电视功能的手机,就可以无时无刻,不论身在何处,在干什么,一到播出时间就能第一时间看到《小娘惹》。

二)谈剧情、人物

宣传打得如此响亮,而越令人期待,人们就越看得仔细,剧情中的破绽与不合理性便成了大家茶余饭后的话题。在承认自己有追看这部剧后,接着总会先数落剧情一番,但最后还是不得不同意自己仍然会追看下去。而《小娘惹》剧中人物众多,“坏人”令人恨之入骨,“好人”让你从心坎里怜惜,因此成就了不少经典人物。投选“最令人讨厌人物”更成为一项不错的活动。

我曾出席一个国际纪录片影展,而一位影展筹划人说,他到影展去不只为了看戏,而更主要的是谈戏。有越多人谈论、越有争议性的影片,对他来说就是一部好片。

新颖的娘惹题材、漂亮的戏服、浩大的演员阵容加上大力的宣传让《小娘惹》的收视率节节攀升,还成为新传媒15年来收视率最高的剧集。在当下的经济低迷环境中,当各大媒体都只有负面新闻时,能让人抽离现实,投身进入一个好坏分明的世界中的机会异常深得人心。与其谈生活如何艰苦,倒不如把《小娘惹》评头论足一番来的痛快。

Thursday, January 01, 2009

新的一年=新的开始?

热烈欢迎... 2009年的到来。

不因为今年将有什么重大事件发生,而只因为它来了,就欢迎一下吧。

又是回顾过去、展望未来的时候,而我想2008年对我来说应该是我人生当中最“重大”的一年了吧。

完成毕业制作、从大学毕业、到日本毕业旅行、动手术矫正鼻子内部结构、进入社会工作、到阿姆斯特丹参加纪录片影展 - 每一项都是大事。经历了这么多,真不敢相信全都在08年这一年内发生。似乎把一年当3年用了。

正式开始到新闻室工作,是兴奋的。它让我的08年过的格外充实、精彩。08年对全世界来说都是“重大”的一年。全球多个国家举行大选或总统选举,政治轮替一个接一个发生。国际和本地的重大事件,都让我犹如置身其境。振奋人心的北京奥运会和本地F1一级方程式车赛;令人悲痛的四川大地震、中国毒奶事件、孟买恐怖袭击、全球经济风暴 - 这些都让我在半年内对世界改观不少。加上自己制作的菲律宾肾脏买卖纪录片,真的是让我看尽人性,感受到自己的渺小。

面子 让北京奥运会不惜代价、寻求完美 (F1 也一样吧)
贪婪与自私 让婴儿受罪、经济体系垮台、损人利己的事不胜枚举
怨恨与不平 让更多人无辜受害

这世界总有那么多的不完美,但却因为如此,凸显出完美的可贵。08年结束之际,制作了个温馨的节目,体会到拥有善心的人还是存在的。

09年起步艰巨,我期待“改变”。