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Independent Singapore
01-07-2025
- General
- Independent Singapore
Social worker, lab officer, speech therapist, librarian: Singaporeans who love their jobs share what they do for a living
SINGAPORE: A local Reddit user asked others on the platform who love their job what they do for a living — apparently in a bid to counter the usual negative talk about work, though that may be legitimate. In a post on r/askSingapore on Sunday (Jun 29), u/ piopiolink wrote, 'I love hearing people talk about why they enjoy doing what they do… makes me feel like being cynical or jaded is not the only way to be.' In 2022, when the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) conducted a survey on which careers are the most meaningful or fulfilling, it found more professionals, managers, executives, and technicians (PMET) tended to find purpose and meaning in their work than clerical or service workers and cleaners and labourers, Channel NewsAsia reported at the time. Most of those who commented on u/ piopiolink's post, however, did not necessarily fall into the PMET category. The most upvoted comment came from a laboratory officer, who wrote, 'Essentially, one of my duties includes preparing baby-sized blood bag for a newborn!! I enjoy doing it knowing it's gonna save a baby!!!!' Another came from a funeral director, who wrote that 'the thank yous and appreciation from families are always a feeling I hold close to my heart.' A social worker who admitted that their job comes with 'ups and downs' wrote, however, that they are 'still loving it,' complete with a heart emoji. In response, another social worker who works in the mosque sector added, 'I love what I'm doing too.' One chimed in to say they are a speech language therapist and that they 'absolutely love' what they do. A third agreed, writing, 'Social worker, I love my clients, and there's really no other job I'd rather do. The only thing I'd change about my job would be that we had more manpower to serve our clients; the need is much greater than what we have.' A Reddit user who also helps others weighed in to say, 'I help persons with disabilities to find jobs/internships, and I also conduct training workshops for companies that are keen to hire inclusively. I am a PWD (person with disability) myself, so I feel it's my calling to help build and contribute to a more inclusive Singapore :).' Another commenter who loves their job is a librarian, who wrote, 'I wake up each day and can't wait to get to work and be with my books muahaha.' Unlike in other parts of the world, some Singapore teachers say they love what they do. 'Taking pride to mould the next generation of SG!' wrote one, while another agreed and added, 'Hi-five! Honestly, one of the very best things is to really see and hear kids' perspectives on things. So refreshing! Love seeing the 'eureka!' moment light up their face when they understand a concept.' Another teacher, albeit one who works at a tuition centre, wrote, 'All the fun of teaching without too much admin work. Watching students actually improve and learn things that their schoolteachers neglect is very rewarding.' There was at least one commenter who works in a corporate setting who said they enjoy what they do. 'Business Analytics and Intelligence for a bank. More on the discovering insights side. It's like solving puzzles and finding answers that no one else can. I'm on the spectrum, so it fits me perfectly. I gladly work late and on weekends, cos it rejuvenates me.' /TISG Read also: Burnt-out S'porean looks for recommendations for jobs that are 'low-stress, not demanding or exploitative'
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Funeral Director and Former Mortician Reveals the 5 Things She'd Never Do After Years of Dealing with the Dead (Exclusive)
Annie Owen is a funeral director and former mortician She talks with PEOPLE about what inspired her to share her mortician series on TikTok Owen says it's an "honor to learn the stories of the dead"Annie Owen has a morbid job - literally. When Owen was in high school, she was interested in pursuing a career in funeral service. Her dad initially told her that it wasn't a job for women, but that didn't deter her. After studying to get her bachelor's degree in funeral science, she took a job as an apprentice in her hometown, later becoming a mortician and funeral director. "It was difficult because a lot of the cases or the families that I worked with, I knew since it's such a small town," she tells PEOPLE exclusively. "You don't know what to expect when you get a call. I focused on the thought of helping families and people, but you have to be prepared to see a lot of things that you're not prepared to see." "One night, my best friend's father had a heart attack in front of me, and he died," she continues. "I was on call, and that was one of the first times ever I realized how difficult this job was, but it turned out to be a good lesson for me. I was glad that I could be there for my best friend, and I was able to walk through that journey with her." Being there for others in their time of need is fulfilling, but can also be emotionally draining. Owen shares that you "learn very quickly how to suppress your emotions so you can take care of other people." "It's not about us, it's about their feelings," Owen shares. "Whatever we can do for the family to make things easier for them. But, over time, it got to be a lot for me. The older I get as a funeral director, I feel like I take it home a lot more than I did in the beginning." While working in funeral service, Owen has "braced herself for solemn moments," and there have admittedly "been a lot" of them. Still, she is always amazed by how much "joy there is in celebrating someone's life." "I had so many families over the years that have wonderful stories. I get to hear the stories of the person's life. I have so many funny stories that people have told me," Owen says. "When the families come together, they're able to do that in a way that's not as depressing as you think it would be." Owen hopes to quell some misconceptions about those working in the death industry, including the belief that they are "shady" and "unhappy." "There are some bad apples. But most of us have such integrity. We strive to have integrity in this business," she shares. "There's a misconception that if one director does something illegal, we all do it behind the scenes." "The majority of funeral directors strive to follow the law, and morally, you want to lay your head down at night and know that you did a good job for the family and respectfully for the deceased," she adds. Owen shares that the HBO show Six Feet Under is the "most realistic behind-the-scenes show that you will ever see." She says the movie My Girl, for the most part, also represents funeral directors "in a good light." Some of these misconceptions, along with her desire to share stories about the people she has encountered, inspired her to start her series, "5 Things I Won't Do Because I've Been A Mortician," on TikTok. Owen shares lists of things that she refuses to do because of what she's seen — such as swimming in lakes, joyriding in the back of pickup trucks, taking other people's medication, riding motorcycles without protection and cutting people off in traffic. "I believe we can learn a lot from the dead, that they have a story to tell, whether [or not] that's a cautionary story," she says. "That was when I started my TikTok, I thought, 'What are some stories that I can tell that people will learn from?' When I started the series, those are real events that have happened, that I have seen, and I've seen the devastation." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Owen shares other stories, including personal accounts of people who have passed away, to remember them and raise awareness about their deaths. "When I retell the stories, I sit down and think about the families I've met over the years. I miss many of the families I met. I had a close relationship with many people when I worked with families," she shares. "This process has allowed me to sit down and go over all the memories that I've had, and a lot of them are heartwarming and wonderful because I have met so many wonderful families, and that's what keeps us going." While the topic of death can be uncomfortable for many, Owen encourages people to find the beauty in honoring those who came before us. "People who don't think they can do this job miss such a beautiful part of life, even though it's death. Celebrating someone's life is a truly wonderful experience, and it's an honor to be there alongside the family," Owen shares. "It's an honor all these years to get to know these families and learn the stories of the dead, of the people that we've buried." Read the original article on People
The Independent
25-06-2025
- The Independent
Man appears in court charged with 63 offences after funeral home investigation
A funeral director has appeared in court charged with 63 offences spanning more than 10 years after a major investigation into human remains found at his premises. Robert Bush, 47, faces 30 counts of preventing a lawful burial and 30 counts of fraud by false representation relating to bodies found at the firm's Hessle Road site in Hull in March last year. The charges date from between April 2023 and March 2024. He has also been charged with one count of fraud by false representation in relation to human ashes between August 2017 and March 2024, and one count of fraudulent trading in relation to funeral plans between May 2012 and March 2024. Bush is also accused of theft from 12 charities; the Salvation Army, Macmillan Cancer Support, CHIEF, the Dogs Trust, Dove House, Help for Heroes, Maister Lodge, Oakwood Dog Rescue, RNLI, Sailors Children's Charity, WISHH and Hull Fishing Heritage Charity. Wearing a dark grey three-piece suit with a purple tie and pocket square, Bush spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address during the five-minute hearing at Hull Magistrates' Court. He sat behind his solicitor in the courtroom and was not asked to indicate any pleas as the charges and names of 30 alleged victims, some of whose families attended the hearing via video-link, were read out. Bush, formerly of Kirk Ella, East Yorkshire, but now of Otley, West Yorkshire, was told that 30 of the charges could only be dealt with at crown court, and his case was adjourned until August 13 at Hull Crown Court. District Judge Daniel Curtis bailed him with conditions to attend Bridlington Police Station every day from Monday to Friday. Bush left court by the back entrance, wearing a baseball cap and dark glasses, with a police car driving in front of the car he was in as it left. The 30 charges of fraud relating to named victims allege that he dishonestly made false representations claiming that he would 'properly care for the remains of the deceased in accordance with the normal expected practices of a competent funeral director', 'arrange for the cremation of those remains to take place immediately or soon after the conclusion of the funeral service' and that 'the ashes presented to the customer were the remains of the deceased person after cremation'. Humberside Police launched an investigation into Legacy Independent Funeral Directors across three premises in Hull and East Yorkshire in March last year.
CBS News
19-05-2025
- CBS News
Victims of funeral home cremains case hold memorial for lost pets
Pet owners who say they are victims of funeral director Patrick Vereb gathered together at a memorial in Latrobe to share their collective pain and find healing in one another. Everyone came with their own story of a pet they lost, who'd they thought they had the ashes of. Instead, they said their pets were among the thousands who prosecutors say were simply thrown out in a landfill. "I was like, 'Oh, my God, oh my God, he took my baby, and threw him away.' It's not right, how could somebody do that, how could somebody do that," said one woman who spoke during the event. Patty and Jason Patrick were grieving what happened to their dog, who came from an abusive family. "[Vereb] threw him in a landfill, kind of like his life began, forgotten and abandoned, and it just tears my heart out," Jason Patrick said. Patty described her dog as their "cuddle buddy" as she fought cancer. Patti Levay organized the event. She said she sent multiple deceased pets to Vereb's Eternity Pet Memorial. He's charged with eight counts of deceptive or fraudulent business practices plus other felonies. "I live with the nightmares of my animals in landfills, being bulldozed over and over again, and hearing them scream in pain," Levay said. Father Justin Matro blessed many of the pets in attendance. "The fact is, no matter what has happened with their own bodies, the love you have for those pets is a sign of their ongoing life with you," Matro said. Rather than close by releasing balloons, Levay said they blew bubbles, sending a message of love to their pets in heaven.
