At a CrossRoad

My immediate boss dropped a bomb onto me - I have a high chance to be removed from my comfort zone and transferred to work in Changi.

Many would say "count yourself very lucky as you are still holding onto a job". Yes, I agreed totally but to be transferred back to HQ in Changi is the last thing in my life.

All along since I was transferred to work in the west about 10 years ago, I "vowed" not to return to Changi. My office is in the west, I live in the west, J works in the west, Isa studies in the west, ... I spend much more time in the west than at other parts of Singapore. Why drag me out from the west?

The management has been dangling carrots - better chance of promotion, make me a more rounded person being exposed to different departments in an organisation, time to return to HQ since I have been out-stationed for close to 10 years, ... all sorts of reasons sensible to the management but did not make much to me.

The management is likely to have 2 approaches on this job rotation. Maybe I can first negiotate or bargain to be transferred about 2 years later since Isa would then be in the sec school. Second, I choose to be ranked last ie no promotion, no increment, ..

If worse comes to worse, I may have to pack up and go!

Retiring at age 42? What am I doing to do for the next 20 years or less? I have never thought to work beyong age 60 and in fact, I plan to tender my big letter once I collect my CPF at age 55. (BTW, are we still able to collect our CPF at age 55 after so much changes in the policies and I can never managed to keep up with).

Find a second career? What can I do? Where did I last place my U-cert, A-level-cert, O-level-cert? I thought I would never need them since the current job is my first and last job.

Life is never a bed of roses.

My immediate boss is understanding and caring. He thinks more humanly than the previous ones who have placed work on top of everything and anything. I have been working with him for the past couple of years and why can't such good days continue till I retire?

This mid-life crisis is going to dampen my mood for the rest of this year until it has settled its dust.