I am now a FTWM after a long stint as a SAHM.
The days start at 6.30 am to Booker T & The MG's BBC theme for the cricket coverage and get ready and organise Leelwan to get her in the nursery at 8.00 am. Yes she starts earlier now... but somehow waking up is easier than before. I was asked what do I expect from my new job. My answer was simple... JOB SATISFACTION. Then they asked what would be job satisfaction for me. Besides the compensation and package (if anyone tells you that that is not number one... they are lying!!!)... I want to be able to wake up cheerful... despite the late night... and the body aches (getting old!) and ready to face another day. And that's what I have so far... into my first week. But they didn't mention the (absolutely brilliant!) subsidised canteen (90p for a venti Starbucks Tazo tea anyone?), cheap drinks on Friday evenings on our private terrace and Wii with colleagues and a mad team who likes to play silly pranks to amuse themselves! Touch wood the feeling I have at the moment will last until... retirement? And I hope to Wii until then too!!!
Then there's the coming home bit. I am so used to staying back late after work. But not here. Here there's no pressure to actually leave when the office is quiet. No more "my you are leaving early" when you have stayed for more than an hour of your usual time... instead a "your hubby and daughter are hungry" when I am still there half past five. Everyone has a child under 4 so they understand what I have to go through... or their wives have to go through. Today at 6.45 pm I have made dinner from scratch -- opor ayam... (very chuffed that I managed to make the way kampung Ipoh does it!), telur dadar and timun with sambal belacan... and now waiting for Sayang to finish his hour hitting the books and allowing Leelwan to have her TV session... she gets 2 DVDs and that's it!!! Then it's my turn!!!
This time round... I was choosy. I made sure I chose the right one... with no surprises (touch wood again!) or things/issues/stuff/people who I have to close a blind eye to enjoy the big part of my waking weekdays.
If only we could do that with everything in our life... have everything perfect. How sweet would it be!!!
