End of a Journey, Farewell my Good Colleagues and Friends, Farewell

The day is finally here. A day that I will look back and remember, my last day in Motorola.

Anyway, I woke up as per normal like any other working days and took my 5 boxes of chocolate with me to the office (yes, the chocolates are for all my colleagues). I reached the office around 7:40am and I get to work immediately by distributing the chocolate to all the people I know. I never knew that I know so many people as the chocolate is hardly enough for all. The best part is, I even give it to the cleaner auntie as she will always come to talk to me once a while and chat with me when I see her at the hallway. And also, I got a total of 5 Thank you cards which I gave out to the 2 Engineering Managers and 3 Mechanical Leads.

The next thing I did was to have breakfast with Neo, it has been our daily routine to meet for breakfast and talk over coffee, but I guess this will be the last. After breakfast, I send out my Farewell email to my colleagues in Motorola which I have been drafting for the last few days. I will include my email content later in this post.

At around 9:30am or so, I started to do my clearance already. First on the list was my direct supervisor who is my Mechanical Lead. He came over to take a look at my locker to ensure that I clear everything and I told him that I have handed over my stuffs to LooPing and upload some of my data on the web already.

The next clearance I have to do is the return my Car Park Label to the Administration side followed by Finance side which I have to submit my manual timesheet form and give back all my card issued by the company.

My next stop is the Security department whereby I have to tell them to deactivate my card badge access by the end of the day. That sort of took me half a day and I have lunch with my team and also a Staff Engineer, Joe from the US team who is leaving Singapore today to go back to San Diego. Joe is a very nice guy, he kept talking with me for the last few days and share his experience. Great to have him to join me for my farewell lunch.

After coming back from lunch, I only left the last 2 signatures which is IT and HR for clearance. I am really hesitant to get these 2 signatures (in fact, it should be only one signature because the HR personnel who is handling my case is on leave and all I need to do is to drop my clearance form and badge into a HR pigeon hole for her). As much that I wanted to leave the office early to go back and rest, I can't bear the fact that I am leaving my good colleagues whom I fought together with over so many challenges and hurdles. Farewell just seems so hard. All I can say is, it is the people, friends and co-workers who make my departure so difficult and hard.

At around 4:30pm or so, I procced to the IT department do my final clearance. After that, I came back down to the office, but to my surprise, my card access was void already. Luckily, Shum was there and he open the door and let me in. Talk about efficient, the Security department is really fast.

I wanted to meet CK and Neo for a coffee break before I leave, but they all are too busy. Maybe other time, we can always come out for coffee. Anyway, I bid farewell to Neo and I proceed to Level 6 to drop my clearance form and badge. That really closes a chapter in my life. A short one, but really memorable because of the people who make it so.

Anyway, just like to say, farewell to all my Friends and Colleagues in Motorola Electronics Pte Ltd. Thank you all for been my Co-workers for the last 1 year plus. Thank you and Good bye.

Here is the content of my Farewell note which I send out to all in Motorola.

Hi All,

As some of you may have heard, today (30th June 2006) will be my last day in Motorola (SDC).

I will just like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude, thanks and appreciation to all of you.

It has been a truly satisfying and memorable 1 year plus experience to be working with all in one way or another and I hope that I was able to leave my footprint behind in the heart of those whom I worked closely with.

In short, a very Big Thank-You to all for the guidance, support, friendship and also patience as well. Not forgetting to thank Motorola for giving me a chance to be part of this big family and dynamic team.

As the saying goes "A journey of thousand miles begins underneath one's feet". Every thing in life has a beginning, and indeed, a new chapter for me is about to unfold. Guess the same applies to all of you, for everyday, there maybe something new waiting for you to be explored. One part of my journey has ended, another will begin. Hope that in the near future our path may be able to cross again, so till then take care and keep in touch. Good luck & All the best!!!

Life is like a series of banquets, people are always getting together, and dispersing again. I really treasure the friendship I have with each and every one of you and will miss you all. Saying goodbye to all my friends here is the hardest thing for me to do but still, all I can say is Farewell to all, Thank you very much, Farewell.

My Contacts:
Mobile: remains the same
Email: *I have remove my email addresses so as to prevent spam*

PS: Please send my well-wishes/regards to those that I may have forgotten to include in this email list especially those in Kyoto team and the LV team that I worked with in the past. Thank you.

Cheerz and Best Regards!!!

Regards,
Francis Goh Young Koon



(PS: I guess the photo looks really familiar because it was taken during the last IR Outing)

Finally, Answers to my Previous Question...

After 2 long weeks of waiting and anticipating, the long awaited answer to the question in my last post came to me without any warning. It really caught me unprepared as I thought of helping out with my previous team with some of the work maybe until mid of next month or till my University side give me the confirmation for the project that I am going to undertake.

Guess there is no turning or looking back now. Friday is the day, Friday is the day. It will come, it will come.

Sigh... So many unfinished business and work that is on my mind and my last wish to make my final contribution to my ex-team was kind of turn down really sadden me. I hate to say farewell, but I guess this is what I must accept as this is the path that I choose and I must bare the consequences and responsibilities.

When thy last day?

Not sure if I got the title correct. Anyway, I have to give my Mechanical Lead my decision on whether to withdraw my resignation or to proceed on. He gave me throughout the weekend to make a decision. I didn't think much about it throughout the weekend as you can see that I am really busy with the photography outings and such.

Early in the morning, my ME Lead ask me to a room and talk with me. He wanted to know if I have given a thought as to whether I want to stay or leave, but my answer to him is that my decision will stay (my decision as in to resign). He respect my decision and say to send in a soft copy of my resignation to him so that he can forward to HR and advice on my last day and I did. I just email to him my resignation by the end of the day and looking forward to see when will be my last day.

At around 10:15pm, as I was on my way home, my Engineering Manager who is in US, message me and told me to attend a conference call. I was very stunned as this notice came so sudden. But still, I rush back home to attend the call, thinking that it will be related to the things I'm working on. Much to my surprise, my Engineering Manager said that the conference call is just between me and him. He very much like to know my reason for leaving and will like me to withdraw my resignation as we have worked together before and he appreciate what I did.

I was still recovering from my shock (yes, didn't expect him to talk about my resignation) so I just said I'm tired and thought of studying and so maybe it is time for me to move on. He requested that we talk face to face when he return from US next Monday and will like me to hold on to my resignation for now.

I guess it will be better for me to talk with him in person and I also like to offer my apologies to him for leaving at such a timing. Anyway, I guess all I can do now is to hold on to my resignation and look forward to my EM's return so that I can confirm when will be my last day.

Ninth IR Outing @ Bedok Reservoir Park

Today is the 9th IR outing and we are all going to Bedok Reservoir Park for our IR outing. By right, I got some family matters to attend to in the afternoon and was thinking that I may not want to join this outing. But, today is Karfee last day in Singapore and this is his final outing with our IR subgroup in Singapore, so I decided to join the outing, maybe for a couple of hours just to join in the fun and to see Karfee and wish him well before he return to his homeland.

The weather started off quite bad as it was raining and we waited for Teerex's order to either call off this outing or proceed on. Teerex, Bobby and Ark decided to make their way down to Bedok Interchange for breakfast and also to see if the weather is any better there. So, me and Poh decided to go there as well because worse come to worse, the outing will be cancelled, but I still can meet up with the rest for breakfast.

Luckily, the rain managed to clear in time, but the weather isn't very fabulous for IR, but still we proceed on with the outing. Here is a list of people who signed up for this outing.

1. Photoexpress - Bobby
2. Teerex - Teerex aka Lee (IR Moderator)
3. hweechwee - Miss Poh (Thanks for the ride again. Guess you will have one less photographer kaki in the company after I leave, sigh...)
4. Qazwer - Leslie
5. Ark19 - Ark
6. u2nofear - Still never get his name, maybe will call him u2nofear from now on
7. kevdead - kevdead (is that really his name???)
8. Karfee - Karfee (Today is your last outing in Singapore, going to miss you when you are gone, still can remember our first IR outing in Sentosa, hope to see some IR photos from your hometown)
9. Incastasman - Andrew (Our dear friend here is really great fun to have him around)
10. thl - Tan
11. Dennis - Dennis
12. Francis247 - Me, yes, the humble me
13. Pandaong - Jonathan (Glad you can turn up, really MIA for a long time, great to have you with us)
14. quekky - Quekky (We thought that quekky won't be joining us as the weather is quite bad, but out of sudden, he still manage to turn up, great to have him to join us)
15. eawtan - Edmund (Did not turn up as he thought weather is going to be bad for quite a while)

Anyway, I didn't take much of a shot as I have to leave by 11:30am to make it for my afternoon appointment. Even though this is a short outing for me, I very much enjoyed it as I can catch up with the rest and bid farewell to Karfee.
Alright, enough of that, here are a few shots to share with all. Hope you will like it. Enjoy and Cheerz.

ESPN Fun Outing II at the Zoo

Michael (aka espn in Clubsnap) organise a Fun Shoot Outing at the Zoo today. It has been long since I been to zoo and so I sign up for this outing. We met at Ang Mo Kio MRT station at 8:15am and took Bus 138 down to the Zoo.

I was very fortunate that one of the person who sign up for this fun outing got 2 Friend Of the Zoo card and can sign in 4 persons per card. The remaining few who have to pay for the ticket split the cost who those who didn't pay as it is more fair this way. In the end, each of us only paid $6 per person which is really cheap as compare to a single ticket of $15.

Anyway, the outing was cut short due to the poor weather. Despite that, I have really enjoyed myself that day as I have not gone to zoo for more than 15 years if I remember correctly. Thanks to Mike, Phil (the person with the FOZ card) and the rest who turn up for this outing. It has been great fun and an enjoyable day.

I took quite a few shoots there, but I haven't post-process yet. Hope to upload a few to share with all. Cheerz.

June 9th 2006, A Day of Farewell

Today is my official day that I worked in my company for 1 year 1 month. Times flies and my bond has already been served finished. Maybe it is time for me to move on.

Early in the morning, I handed over my resignation letter to my Mechanical Lead, I didn't hand it to him personally but more like left it on his desk. To tell you the truth, I have not really secure the new job that is awaiting for me. Why not secure it first then tender some may ask. Two simple reason, it is exactly 1 year 1 month that I was employed in my present company which is easy for me to remember. Another reason is that I simply can't stand it anymore in my position. Quite a few reasons as to why I can't stand it anymore, but I will not want to name it out.

Anyway, today is also one of my close colleague and lunch kaki last day of work. He tendered last Thursday and as of again, he need not to serve his one month notice because the nature of the project that we are handling. He has been a good friend and a good colleauge. Going to miss him. But anyway, I am next on the farewell list I guess. So, we all have a farewell lunch for him and wish him well for his future. All the best to you my friend. Hope to meet up some day to talk.

In the evening time, I was down at City Hall to meet up with Karfee (my IR group kaki) for his farewell dinner. Karfee will be leaving for Holland this Sunday and we organise a farewell dinner for him at a Korean restaurant at the Excelsior Hotel. The IR Group was present there for his farewell dinner and here is the list of people who turn up for the dinner.

1. Teerex
2. Bobby
3. Dennis
4. Ark
5. Andrew
6. Jonathan
7. Poh (She got a wedding dinner, but she left the dinner early to join us, very on)
8. THL
9. Andy (Vortex)
10. Stan (Hosea)
11. Francis (Me)
12. Karfee
13. Nancy
14. Airin

Anyway, it has been nice knowing Karfee, I still can remember the time when we attended to first IR outing together at Sentosa. How time flies and he is going back to his homeland again. I like to wish him well and do shoot more IR. All the best. Cheerz.

Another has join the Outplacement Force

The news of this old staff (Working in Motorola for the last 11 years and 4 months) leaving my team is a real surprise to me. Today is officially his last day even though he tendered some time last week. Our company policy states to give one month notice but it seems that people are asked to leave almost immediately these days.

I am not really close to him even though his cubicle is just next to mine. Anyway, just like to wish him the best of luck for his future.

Couldn't help but to bring this up and ask myself, When will my time come? Well, all I can say is, something is brewing.

1st NUG Gathering at Peninsular Spinelli

This is my first time joining the Nikon User Group (NUG) Gathering which is at the Spinelli's @ Peninsular Hotel. Quite a few people turn up but I couldn't get all their names. They are all real professional photographers and I did learn quite a few things today. Hope to be able to drop by more often and get to know them better. Cheerz.