Persecution

This was a bad week for the whole office, mainly because there was an internal mail sent by our new pointy haired boss trying to restrict our freedom. Needless to say, it caused us a lot of grief. We're still griping about it.

Here's a small sample of the oppression of the bourgeoisie upon us. (Yes, if you know me well enough, I swore for 1 hour straight, and drowned my sorrows in very bad Johnny Walker the rest of the night, bitching to a largely unsympathetic industry guy who laughed at my plight).

Office Timings - Monday to Friday: 0900 hrs to 1800 hrs (inclusive of 1 hour lunch break from 1245 hrs to 1345 hrs).

9am?!!! Who in their right mind comes to work at 9am in this industry?! On a regular day, there is very little or no market until after lunch. And then the market starts, and ends at around 2am, when US closes. How about those of us who watch the night market? Who pays our overtime?!!

On working days, staff coming in office after 1000hrs or leaving office before 1600 hrs, will be debited half day leave.

What are we? Mcdonald's?!!

An attendance register will be available at the reception and all staff must enter their signature with time at entry & exit on every working day. The receptionist will make a daily attendance list and send it by email to all supervisors before 1200hrs.

No, actually we're a farking factory!

The manual filling up of attendance slip will be replaced in due course by a computerized system currently under construction.

Argh!! Oppression!!

Under Part IV of the Employment Act, an employee is entitled to 11 public holidays a year. Following are the 11 gazetted public holidays and 2 half days:

Two days for Chinese New Year.

One day for New Year’s Day, Hari Raya Puasa, Hari Raya Haji, Good Friday, Labour Day, Vesak Day, National Day, Deepavali, Christmas Day.

Half day for New Year’s Eve and Christmas Eve

Acceptable in theory, but our operating days should be governed by the operating days of the oil market assessment agency, because if the agency isn't working, nobody quotes, and there isn't a market, and then we're just sitting on our asses doing jackshit. Case in point: today.

All staff going on leave must give ample prior notice on their planned leave dates (preferably 3 months).

In that case, in theory, I should be planning my leave for APRIL next year now! *cry*

This should not coincide with the leave dates of his/her immediate department colleague. Every department has to be properly manned/attended at all times. The criterion for this is that each department has to be manned by at least 50% staff at all times.

If the trading department has 2 traders, 1 analyst and 1 risk, can the 2 traders go on leave?

“Proper notice” [pertaining to leave] means that you call and obtain approval from your supervisor unless a verifiable emergency makes it impossible for you to do so.

A robbery is not a verifiable emergency. Certainly is an emergency though.

If you fail to give proper notice of absence, as explained in this policy, you may be subject to stern disciplinary action, which may include immediate termination of employment.

Ooh. Scared!

All supervisors and managers are advised to make themselves available to attend such calls.

Instead of going for business meetings to negotiate multi-million dollar cargo deals.

For a planned half day leave application from Monday to Friday, working schedule will be as below:
• AM leave - begin work at 1.45 pm*
• PM leave - leaves at 12.45 pm*
• Leave application emails for half days must be stated clearly whether it is for morning or the afternoon period.

In which universe can you get more anal than that?

Today, in frustration, the traders brought the whole team down for a meeting in Conrad Hotel, and made the company pay for it. After the meeting, we all trooped back to the office, to find the pointy haired boss sitting around the trading area, pretending to have a conversation with the Indian chap, though we were sure he was there checking to see if we would return or if we'd gone off work early.

I wish someone would tell him it's not how hard you work; it's how smart.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

I got this from the broker's report. I think he very free.

Twas the Night Before Christmas when all thru the trade house
Not a screen was illuminated, no one at his mouse

The traders were gone
The P&L was sorted,
No risk of big VaR
No markets cavorted

The bankers were weeping about their Q4 results
Showing falling values, fractional bonuses & general tumult
The M&A business was dead & wealth management gone
Who knew that to be long was oh so so wrong?

The principals were off down in Grand Cayman drinking
While I was alone in the office alone but still thinking

With what burst, which was a big massive bummer
This major event that we saw expand in the summer

Despite Paulson's efforts and the many central bankers
The markets tanked, thanks to insolvent wankers.

I thought of the oil market's previous problems
like Aerochem, like Metro, and Amaranth & Enron
with created past trouble, and bad debts to send on

But this was the new Recession I saw, right here on my lawn
That gave us this volcano & pushed devaluations on
Down from the roof, at the end of this year
Making more danger than global warming to reindeer.

Who can know what the next year will hold?
Bigger busts, bigger doom & lo and behold,
Bigger government, more rules & sovereign investment
More dollar excitement & probable divestment

Out the office I walked into the December night,
Wishing all Amerex customers thank you,
Merry Christmas,
and to all a Good Night!

Insomnia

That's right. I can't sleep. For the life of me, I've been trying!! Until yesterday I've never had insomnia ever in my life, even in the thick of exams. And now, 2 days in a row, and quite out of the blue, I can't sleep.

It isn't that I'm stressing out about anything in particular, nor that I did any sort of vigourous exercise just before bedtime (yeah it's the truth, stop winking already). It isn't even because I'm upset about anything. I do have quite bad cramps right at this moment though, but it isn't close to being all that bad as to keep me from sleep.

I am stressing out a bit from not being able to sleep and hence not being able to wake up for work tomorrow, or being not so sharp, or whatever. And admittedly my rib bone is hurting a bit from somehow jutting out against the springs of my bed. And I am hungry despite eating dinner at 11pm.

I'm rambling!! I desperately need to sleep!!! HAAAAAALLLLPPPP!!!!!!