coffee with
Elaine
Elaine is the Finance and Operations Manager at Synthesis. Her role is to make sure the company is on track with its business goals business is aligned with the plan and that it runs like a well-oiled machine.
The last song I listened to
Treasure by Bruno Mars. My son plays the electric guitar and he’s currently practising this.
The last series I watched
You are What You Eat on Netflix. I’m obsessed with documentaries and health-related topics.
A book I’d really recommend is
The Book of Ichigo Ichie by Hector Garcia. It tells us to be present and value each moment like a beautiful treasure as what you are experiencing right now will never happen again.
My favourite place to read is
On my bed, lying down. Super comfy position as it allows me to rest my back after a long day.
The podcast I’m listening to
BRAVE by Jeremy Au - a podcast where he talks to tech founders about their learnings and journey.
My favourite quote
Life is a journey, not a destination.
The last thing I bought and loved
Denman hair brush - because it’s the best hair brush out there!
The thing I cannot go on holiday without
My Crabtree & Evelyn toiletry bag, which was gifted to me during Christmas many years ago. It’s cute and I still use it after more than a decade.
The place that means a lot to me
My hometown of Kuala Lumpur - home sweet home!
When I need to feel inspired
I go for my morning run. Something about dawn that makes me feel so alive.
The best gift I’ve received recently
Marine Layer sweater - sooo soft!
The best gift I gave recently
Roblox gift card. Does that count?
In my fridge you’ll always find
Cheese - can’t live without it, something about the umami taste.
I have a collection of
The Best of Sentimental Hits. This was a collection of piano pieces with all the best hits during the 90s era. I wanted to play pop instead of classical.
I recently discovered
I have a fear of heights! It’s probably due to old age 😂
I daydream travelling to
Somewhere in India, to discover new things. I like going to places that are off the beaten path.
The things that I couldn’t do without
Making my bed first thing in the morning. It sets my day right.
The best bit of advice I ever received
Pause and smell the roses because you might never smell it ever again.
As a child my dream was to be
A teacher - still not too late!
A memory I’d like to relive
Going back to college and enjoying the carefree days.
An instance where I felt genuine fear was
Doing a free fall jump recently.
A sport I’m secretly good at
I’m yet to discover this.
My hidden talent is
No particular talent, but I guess if there is one it would be house-keeping ;-)
My proudest achievement is
Reading > 5 books last year, considering I’m time-starved.
My ideal pet would be
A robot dog, no mess to clean.
If I could live in a fictional universe, I would pick
Smurf.
I hope for a future that
Is kinder - no more wars and blood
My favourite movie is
Parasite. It’s so real.
I want to be remembered for
My authentic self - nothing to hide.
What surprised me the most this year
How much I’ve grown and can accomplish if I set my mind to it.
What do you find meaning about the work you do
Creating and driving new milestones.
I am most looking forward to
Learning new things from different folks, be it professionally or personally.