minor gripes about life for now

exam's just over. i'll praying hard that i've managed to answer enough to get a pass. i'm contented just to pass and get it over and done with. the assignments marks has given just enough marks.
i've just got a new project manager. now i'm answering to a fresh grad who not only doesn't have any work experience, he's also very much younger.
now, suddenly i feel like getting a diploma is not enough. you're still a white collared worker, but it can only take you up to a limited level. you still have to report to somebody with a degree. that piece of paper gives the person more responsibility and not to mention a very much higher salary scale. i've been working for almost 10 years and now i've to report to somebody who just got their first job.
talking about jobs, i'm now a little aprehensive in trying to apply to new jobs. although i did mention that taking a degree was just to see how far i can go, i think i'd still like to see what value that piece of paper would give me. in this economic downturn, you hear news of people losing their jobs and i'm grumbling about having to report to a newbie.
(ok, i realise that i'm contradicting myself in the second and third paragraph)
graduation from poly in 1998 pushed me right into the asian economic crisis. i spent almost a year looking for a job, landing into some temporary jobs along the way.
then came the minor downturn in 2001/2002. i missed getting affected since i was still new to this job. now the downturn is here again. this time, i got burnt a little more but i know i'll still survive.
i put in a huge chunk of my savings into some investment stock only to see the value drop like stone in water a few weeks after buying it. then came the american investment company going bust causing myy cpf investment to drop in value too. the melamine case in china simply 'helped' since part of the investment was linked to growth of china. i hope that i'll get at least my capital value back even if i don't get much or any profits.
yesterday, i did something i didn't expect i would do. an early morning sms resulted in a trip to the Singapore Expo Exhibition Halls. there was an MPH books sale, Crocs sale and some other offers.
when we first looked at the queue to enter the Crocs sale, we decided not to enter the sale at all. but an encounter with a very satisfied purchaser of the Crocs footwear convinced us to queue up. well, the line to enter the hall was moving and we finally got into the hall in an hour. but the next queue really tested my patience and strength. i stood for four (4) hours to pay. by the time i'm done paying, i was so hungry and my body was just telling me to shut down.
but after looking at the result of the ordeal, i'm very happy with what i did. would i do it again? maybe if the products are really worth it. no pictures cos i didn't feel like taking them.