Budgettime

[Big Boss: Why did you ask for so much last year when you only use so little?
Nafsu besar ni, guna tak habis pun.]

Yes, it's that time of the year again, when figures fly more than usual all over the place, and phones in the Finance Department are ringing off the hook. Me? I thought going down the two flights of stairs and meet a particular finance officer in person would be a better option, but haha was I ever wrong! Ended up spending almost 20 minutes waiting as she entertained the many desperate, last-minute phone queries ("Yes that budget needs to be keyed in by 5 pm, no the system do not allow for automatic carry forwards, yes the allocation should be itemized in the attachments, no your children’s school fees do not fall under the department’s general expenses") before she could entertain me and my eleventh-hour query (The procedure to carry forward unused budget from this year’s projects how?). Hey, I’m still new to this, okay, and the matter was only brought to my attention at 4 p.m. when tomorrow is the day to table the whole thing to the head honcho. So sue me.

Aiyoh, redoing a whole year's projects budget with the deadline a few hours away is NOT a fun thing to do.

Thank God (and the management as well) for half-year reviews.