Gap-Year

Recently I’ve started to brew my own beer - I’m on my third batch now. I got the urge after wanting to make a game about managing a pub. That got me to discover another game via Steam called Beer Brewing Simulator. Then after playing that for a while, it seemed easier than I thought - so I decided to give it a go in real life! Several things put me off doing this before, but I realised they’re misconceptions. That’s something I’ve learned during my time off work: if there’s something you want to do but think you can’t for whatever reason, chances are you probably can (and should!). Challenge whatever assumptions are holding you back! In my case, these assumptions were: ...

I meant to write about how my sabbatical/gap year is going much earlier - it’s been almost 4 months now - but never got around to it. I’m definitely enjoying my break so far, but I didn’t realise how much I needed a break until it started. When I wrote about leaving my job I did mention I wanted rest, but also liked the appeal of having more time to spend on hobbies and other things too. I think I underestimated how much rest I needed. Now that I can actually rest during the day (well, sometimes), it’s clear how much rest/sleep I must have been sacrificing in order to work full-time. If I had continued to work over the last few months, it would have really taken a toll on my health. I’m glad I left when I did. ...

As I write this, I’m one week away from leaving my role at Grab and embarking on a career break of (most likely) 6-12 months. Although I’m not looking for employment again yet, I thought it’d be good idea to note down my criteria for a future job now, for future reference. Type of Company My ideal company would be an already-successful startup or medium-sized company. I’ve worked for very large companies before and find earlier-stage companies to be more enjoyable and rewarding, although I have had negative experiences with startups that didn’t do so well. ...

This post is 100% written by a human. (me, obviously.) After just over 8 years at my current job, I’ve decided to leave. I don’t have another job lined up. In this post I’m going to try and put down some of the reasons behind my decision. It’s a personal decision, so if you’re expecting me to go on about my employer or some workplace drama, prepare for disappointment. I will be trying to avoid mentioning my employer here. There’s certainly a lot of stories to tell, people to thank, and yes, perhaps a few things I could rant about if really pushed, but that’s not why I’m leaving, so it’s not going on my blog! ...