Zenith and Nadir

Zenith : a highest point or state; culmination.

Nadir : the lowest point; point of greatest adversity or despair.

Life it seems ,is full of ups and downs.I had my fair share of those,I assure you.I returned to Singapore in 2001,full of hope and promise.However ,if you would recall,that was a very difficult period for many.It was a time of uncertainties,plagued by economic recession,SARS,post 911,2nd Gulf war,lay-offs.As a young graduate without experience,I found it hard to land a suitable job I remembered vividly an interview which I attended.The prospective boss asked ,"Why should I hire you,when I can have a foreigner with more experience that asked for half your pay?"I stumbled for a while,cleared my throat and answered,"Well,I can speak better English for one and I could always get my ideas across."Apparently,I should have left my wit at home because I didnt get that IT job.Finally,after months of staying at home playing computer games(i.e being unemployed),I decided to work for HP as a Technology Assistant(TA).I was assigned to a school in a third-world-country that has no budget to buy expensive IT equipment.As such,I have to push a dim-sum trolley which also double up as a portable projector,when the need arise.By no means was the job degrading,but I felt that I was somewhat underemployed.You see,my job scope involves recording audio,burning CDs,troubleshoot printing problems.Heck,I dont want to boast but with my IT training I should actually built a software for a corporation,not solving trivial computer problems.It was akin to telling a Chemistry professor that his job scope is just washing test tubes,you get my drift.The people however were very nice to me and coupled with my meek personality,I got along well with everyone.

Soon,complacency and comfort crept in.I was so comfortable with my TA job that I ignored other opportunities when they came-a-knocking.Even when the economy got better,I didnt even bother to look for better prospects.My family must be really dissappointed in me,as they have always associated me with these delusions of grandeur; Shenton Way yuppie job,posh condo,7 series BMW.I cant explain why I was so comfortable back then just pushing that goddamn dim sum trolley.

2007 was a cruel wake up call for me.There was a change in the upper echelon,who wanted a complete change in the IT infrastructure.My late-mother was first diagnosed with cancer.I could not cope with the amount of work that has to be done with a very disturbed mind.That was the nadir in my life.After taking two months of unpaid leave, I decided to switch to a job that does not require me to be at a specific place all the time,so that I could make trips to the National Cancer Centre.

Fast forward to the year 2008.It seems ironic but God giveth and God taketh.When my mum passed away,she left me a considerable amount of cash and property.My career had taken off,and I am now a level 3 engineer.Coupled with my side income and house rental,I am within the median income for degree holders,a vast difference from my TA days.Look at this statistic from MOM:

• Age group 25-29: $3,250 (males $3,270)
• Age group 30-39: $4,880 (males $5,130)
• Age group 40-49: $7,000 (males $7,580)
• Age group 50-59: $7,500 (males $7,930)
• Age 60 & above: $7,250 (males $8,170)

So have I reached the zenith in my life??Has all these monetary gains made me a happier man??The answer is a definite no.No amount of worldly possesions can replace what I have lost.And it pains me to see my father suffering in silence everyday.I am now without a mother,someone that is significantly missing in my otherwise picture-perfect life.