Colors of Deepavali @ VBPO Kuching!

Beautiful kolam by FMCC floor members

KOLAM is as much a part of the Deepavali celebrations as muruku and delicious curry. For those who don’t know, kolams are motifs drawn on a flat surface using chalk, rice powder or rice grains, with touches of colours and other enhancements onto it.

Many Hindu families paint kolam in their homes during auspicious occassions such as festivals, weddings and birthdays. Kolam is believed to bring blessings to the homes.

As part of their Deepavali celebrations this year, FMCC Kuching, recently made few KOLAMs. Made from colored rice grains, tt was all the more challenging as their were given only limited time to conceptualise and create the kolam.


Colorful kan? :)

Deepavali Greetings & Cheer

On behalf of all of us at VBPO Kuching we would like to wish all Happy Deepavali and may the day bring you great joy and cheer. Remember to be careful on the roads if travelling and in the spirit of 1 Malaysia visit one another and spread the cheer!

Keeping up with the Joneses

"Keeping up with the Joneses" is a catchphrase in many parts of the English-speaking world referring to the comparison to one's neighbour as a benchmark for social caste or the accumulation of material goods. To fail to "keep up with the Joneses" is perceived as demonstrating socio-economic or cultural inferiority.

:)

Ten Top Things That Make for a Great Employee

What exactly makes an employee great? These ten top things are guides to bosses looking for greatness in a new hire and for employees trying to get noticed in the workplace and be the kind of employee who has the potential to move up in the company chain.

The first thing that makes an employee great is that they are always dependable. Great employees do the job they are supposed to do every time, and no one has to worry that they don't deliver the goods. A great employee can be counted to always have their work done right, when it is supposed to be done - it is a forgone conclusion that they will, and no one else has to spend any time worrying about it.

The second thing to look for in a great employee is that they are a team player. A great employee isn't one who is constantly looking for attention or hogs the spotlight. Instead, a great employee works with everyone else to make sure that the things that need to get done do get done, for the good of the company.

The third mark of employee greatness is that they know how to take direction. Great employees know how to take criticism, direction and advice gracefully and make it work for them when doing their job.

Fourthly, a great employee can be trusted. They don't spread office gossip and they don't dish company dirt. Likewise, they always tell the truth to their employer, even if it lands them in hot water. The fifth sign of greatness in employees is linked to the fourth - a great employee always guards the confidential nature of their business dealings and protects everyone's privacy.

The sixth thing that makes an employee great is that they participate in the day to day life of the office. They don't bow out of meetings or skip the office birthday celebrations. These things may not be a fun part of working life, and everyone involved knows that everyone else has some place they would rather be - but a great employee wouldn't be any place else.

In seventh place comes the fact that a great employee gets along with other employees. Every office has one person that is in everyone else's business and talks to loud on the phone and generally stirs things up and gets under everyone's skin. This kind of employee zaps office morale - a great employee is a good co-worker to everyone.

The eighth thing a great employee has is good working skills. It may sound obvious, but a great employee has the abilities needed to do their job, and they constantly seek ways to improve, like going to training seminars or seeking further education. Great workers have great skills.

The ninth thing that leads to employee greatness is tact and decorum. If there is a problem in the office, a great employee doesn't make a scene in front of everyone else. A great employee will deal with such issues with privacy and diplomacy. Further, a great employee doesn't tell tasteless, political or religious jokes, nor do they send emails that tell these kinds of jokes.

Last but not least, a great employee has a great attitude. Bad attitudes bring everyone down. A great employee helps make work great for everyone else by having a good spirit about their job.

Selamat Berpuasa!

The Editor Team wishes all staffs,friends, patrons and clients, Muslimin & Muslimat 'Selamat Menyambut Bulan Ramadhan' in this holy month.

Semoga anda dapat menjalani ibadat puasa dengan penuh berkat.

Wassalam

C'mon, Get Happy: Tips for Staying Positive at Work

It's a lot easier to put on a happy face at the office when things are going well. But in lean times amid hiring freezes and an unpredictable future, it can be difficult to remain optimistic when you're on the job, especially when bad news about the economy is prevalent.

Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of "The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want," has pinpointed several strategies to help anyone become happy. She claims, "Everything I say is based on science. The strategies I've chosen are supported by studies that have tested them."

To start seeing your morning cup of coffee as half full, Lyubomirsky recommends that workers:

1. Embrace Gratitude. "Focus on really appreciating what you have at work. Maybe it's a valued colleague or your boss. Or maybe it's merely the fact that you don't have to drive very far to get there," she says, adding, "You can also express gratitude directly to people in the workplace, which can really strengthen your connections with your coworkers."

2. Commit Random Acts of Kindness. Lyubomirsky recommends doing things to help your coworkers without being prompted. "Give a colleague a ride to the airport. Or offer up one of your own sick days to someone who doesn't have any left." She points out that the benefits of committing these acts are good for both parties. "It's a good thing to do -- and it also makes you happier in the process."

3. Be Optimistic. Instead of getting bogged down in the challenges of today, she urges, "Think about the future. Think about your goals. Imagine your dreams coming true." If you don't think about things in an optimistic way, you could fall prey to a self-fulfilling prophecy, in which you've set yourself up for failure.

4. Reach out to Others. Don't isolate yourself from your office mates. Instead, reach out and engage people. Lyubomirsky, who is a professor of psychology at University of California, Riverside, says, "Social support is very important. Being around other people boosts positive emotions. It's almost like a miracle!"

5. Refuse to Ruminate. When engaging with others around the workplace, focus on problem solving -- not stewing. Says the researcher and writer, "Rumination is just going over and over the same thing and dwelling on it. It doesn't go anywhere, and it just makes you feel worse. You think you're going to get insight, but you're really just going from A to B to A to B. Avoid going in a circle and try to problem-solve together to move forward.

There are also other practical and simple shortcuts to happiness, as discovered by a group of researchers in the U.K. and discussed in the BBC documentary "Making Slough Happy," which aired in 2005. They recommend any of these office-friendly tactics to help buoy your spirits:

* "Plant something and nurture it." There are plants that will thrive in even the lowest light, and caring for one can add a bright touch to a dreary workplace.

* "Give yourself a treat every day and take the time to really enjoy it." Whether it's a chocolate after lunch or a cup of your favorite tea, a rewarding ritual can help you feel positive.

* "Have a good laugh at least once a day." Find your funniest coworker -- or head over to Sling.com or YouTube.com -- for a chuckle on your lunch break.

* "Smile at and/or say hello to a stranger at least once each day." Perhaps it's during your commute or in the company cafeteria, but take time to spread some goodwill to someone you don't know.

SOURCE: www.google.com

Haze Blankets Kuching!

Sarawak is in an unusual but enviable position these hazy days.The state is usually the worst affected by the haze but not this time.

All 11 divisions registered an Air Pollutant Index of below 100 yesterday.“We are spared from the severe effects of the haze. Favourable wind directions prevented the haze from enveloping the state,” Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam told The Star yesterday.Sarawak experienced the worst haze in 1998 when the Federal Government declared a state of environmental emergency for 10 days after the API level recorded a reading of over 900.

Three months ago, Miri was badly hit by haze, which lasted about a month.Sarawakians know exactly what those in some parts of the peninsula are going through now.Dr Chan, who is also the state Disaster Relief Committee chairman, said 13 minor “hotspots” were detected in Sarawak but none caused severe damage to the air quality.Nevertheless, the state is not taking any chances.“The state Cabinet has issued a total ban on all forms of open burning throughout the state,” Dr Chan said.He said Sarawak was watching with concern the severity of the haze that has enveloped parts of the peninsula.“What we can do here is to ensure the locals do not make it worse by starting fires,” he added.

~Courtesy of The Star~

NOTE: VADS-ian in Kuching are able to monitor the latest AIR POLLUTANT INDEX at:

http://www.doe.gov.my/apims/