I was spacing out in front of the PC one day, couldn't wait to get my ass off work. My 23 year-old colleague next to me was humming to a tune from the radio. A tune which I like too. I mumbled something about the song was cool.
She turned and stared at me, 'You are the coolest oldest woman I have ever known!'
I looked at her and replied, 'Should I laugh or cry at your comment?'
We both burst out laughing.
Inwardly, I was, 'Oh goodness, I didn't know I am so ancient in their eyes!'
Which reminds me the big Four O will be approaching soon in a matter of few years. Somehow the idea of getting that old freaks me out a little.
No, on second thought, the idea really scares the shit out of me.
Indeed the wheel of time halts for no one. Sigh...
But on a consoling note, my colleague did mention 'coolest' in the same breath as 'oldest'.
Heh.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
It's about time
After 8 long years, McLaren has finally made it to win the F1 World Championship this season.
The hero is of course none other than Lewis Hamilton. All owing to his winning formula of staying calm till the very last second and his brilliant racing technique.
He is certainly not one to be reckoned with.
The big fan at home is exhilarated. What a smashing race for him!!
The quest to beat arch rival Ferrari is at long last quenched.
The hero is of course none other than Lewis Hamilton. All owing to his winning formula of staying calm till the very last second and his brilliant racing technique.
He is certainly not one to be reckoned with.
The big fan at home is exhilarated. What a smashing race for him!!
The quest to beat arch rival Ferrari is at long last quenched.
Kiss my ass
Someone kissed my ass. Literally.
The ass of my car, I mean.
It was stop and go for the vehicles to turn right (it's left-hand drive here). My turn finally came but my engine stalled as I forgot to shift into the first gear. Before I was able to start my engine back on, a huge jerk hurled my colleague and I forward. The jolt stunned me. I wondered out loud to my colleague, 'What happened to my car??!!!'
In my confused state, I didn't realise the van behind me has just kissed my car. Until my colleague enlighted me.
My immediate reaction was to proceed to a carpark nearby to access the damage. The whole time, my mind was in a turmoil, 'Fuck! My car got smashed up after just 4 months! Why am I so stupid and forgetful and didn't change to first gear when I drove off!!! Damn! Damn! DAMN!!!'
I heaved a heavy sigh and could not bear to imagine how bruised my bumper would be.
The injury was however very slight. To my inexperienced naked eyes, at least. A slight dent on the number plate. The young driver apologised and we exchanged contact numbers for insurance claim purposes.
Later the workshop had a look at the damaged ass. Apparently, the mechanism on the bumper has absorded the force of the bump. Despite the unseen injury, this mechanism might not be functioning properly as it should now. Hence a repair like this would cost approximately 800€. Bloody daylight robbery!
The details have been communicated to the van driver. And for 2 days now we've been waiting for him to give us his insurance details. He hasn't been in touch.
We will call him tomorrow or else a visit to his bike shop will be inevitable.
Meanwhile, my fear has made a full comeback. Sigh.
The ass of my car, I mean.
It was stop and go for the vehicles to turn right (it's left-hand drive here). My turn finally came but my engine stalled as I forgot to shift into the first gear. Before I was able to start my engine back on, a huge jerk hurled my colleague and I forward. The jolt stunned me. I wondered out loud to my colleague, 'What happened to my car??!!!'
In my confused state, I didn't realise the van behind me has just kissed my car. Until my colleague enlighted me.
My immediate reaction was to proceed to a carpark nearby to access the damage. The whole time, my mind was in a turmoil, 'Fuck! My car got smashed up after just 4 months! Why am I so stupid and forgetful and didn't change to first gear when I drove off!!! Damn! Damn! DAMN!!!'
I heaved a heavy sigh and could not bear to imagine how bruised my bumper would be.
The injury was however very slight. To my inexperienced naked eyes, at least. A slight dent on the number plate. The young driver apologised and we exchanged contact numbers for insurance claim purposes.
Later the workshop had a look at the damaged ass. Apparently, the mechanism on the bumper has absorded the force of the bump. Despite the unseen injury, this mechanism might not be functioning properly as it should now. Hence a repair like this would cost approximately 800€. Bloody daylight robbery!
The details have been communicated to the van driver. And for 2 days now we've been waiting for him to give us his insurance details. He hasn't been in touch.
We will call him tomorrow or else a visit to his bike shop will be inevitable.
Meanwhile, my fear has made a full comeback. Sigh.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Jack Frost visits
A hurdle crossed. Another awaits.
I woke up to a lovely morning, with warm sunrays streaming into our pad. Only to find Jack Frost has left his prints of frosty crystal patterns on the car windows.
Which means very soon his infamous prints will be found on the streets.
Great.
Anyone care for a sleigh ride in a car?
I woke up to a lovely morning, with warm sunrays streaming into our pad. Only to find Jack Frost has left his prints of frosty crystal patterns on the car windows.
Which means very soon his infamous prints will be found on the streets.
Great.
Anyone care for a sleigh ride in a car?
Friday, October 17, 2008
I was in a fog
6:30am. Outside, it was as dark as the night. With a dense fog enveloping the suburb.
I warmed up the engine and waited for the fogged up windows to clear.
I drove off. There was a constant urge to wipe the blurred windscreen clean. Of course it had nothing to do with the windscreen. The visibility outside was very low.
Everywhere was hazy despite the street lights and car lights. How harzardous it was to drive in such conditions.
And a rather heavy traffic already at this hour did not make things any easier.
In spite of the biting chill, there were some who chose to cycle to work in a foggy weather like this. They certainly added challenge to my driving.
I wondered briefly if they cycled to keep fit or to save on transport cost. Surely, taking a bus is not that expensive and much more comfortable.
As I pulled into the carpark at the workplace, I was finally able to sit back and relax and heaved a sigh of relief.
Phew! A hurdle crossed.
I warmed up the engine and waited for the fogged up windows to clear.
I drove off. There was a constant urge to wipe the blurred windscreen clean. Of course it had nothing to do with the windscreen. The visibility outside was very low.
Everywhere was hazy despite the street lights and car lights. How harzardous it was to drive in such conditions.
And a rather heavy traffic already at this hour did not make things any easier.
In spite of the biting chill, there were some who chose to cycle to work in a foggy weather like this. They certainly added challenge to my driving.
I wondered briefly if they cycled to keep fit or to save on transport cost. Surely, taking a bus is not that expensive and much more comfortable.
As I pulled into the carpark at the workplace, I was finally able to sit back and relax and heaved a sigh of relief.
Phew! A hurdle crossed.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
His middle name is Control Freak
The media is relentless in its reports of the financial crisis. Headlines of a looming recession are on every press and every news channel. Every single day and hour.
It does nothing but unsettle the common folks. And they actually try to take advantage of such uneasiness.
A meeting was called for in the early week. The main agenda was to address the imminent crisis and how we can hinder the possible decrease in sales.
Shortly into the meeting, the topic was steered towards some other mundane problems. They rattled on and on.
My patience was wearing thin since these problems did not concern me. I asked if I was needed in the meeting. You see, I had better things to do than listening to these thrashing out. My request to leave was being turned down however.
Two and a half hours later, we left the room with no concrete plans or solutions whatsoever to the anticipated problems on the agenda.
What a perfect waste of time.
One thing they did achieve though. To instil fear in us. So that we would work harder and longer in order to secure our jobs in the company. With a recession, retrenchment will be on the cards.
My young colleague was totally out of sorts and fidgeted during the rest of the day. Till she went to clarify with one of them if her job is safe. It is. She is assured.
Devious scheme, I call it. Instead of ensuring a sense of security in the company, they rather have us operating in fear and panic. Just so to generate results. These results, if any, will not be long-lasting, I am very certain. Because no one can perform productively for long under the dictationship of fear.
Shortsightedness? Oh yes, it is in abundance over here.
And then they went on to hire 2 new staffs.
I don't understand these people.
It does nothing but unsettle the common folks. And they actually try to take advantage of such uneasiness.
A meeting was called for in the early week. The main agenda was to address the imminent crisis and how we can hinder the possible decrease in sales.
Shortly into the meeting, the topic was steered towards some other mundane problems. They rattled on and on.
My patience was wearing thin since these problems did not concern me. I asked if I was needed in the meeting. You see, I had better things to do than listening to these thrashing out. My request to leave was being turned down however.
Two and a half hours later, we left the room with no concrete plans or solutions whatsoever to the anticipated problems on the agenda.
What a perfect waste of time.
One thing they did achieve though. To instil fear in us. So that we would work harder and longer in order to secure our jobs in the company. With a recession, retrenchment will be on the cards.
My young colleague was totally out of sorts and fidgeted during the rest of the day. Till she went to clarify with one of them if her job is safe. It is. She is assured.
Devious scheme, I call it. Instead of ensuring a sense of security in the company, they rather have us operating in fear and panic. Just so to generate results. These results, if any, will not be long-lasting, I am very certain. Because no one can perform productively for long under the dictationship of fear.
Shortsightedness? Oh yes, it is in abundance over here.
And then they went on to hire 2 new staffs.
I don't understand these people.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
While dusting our crib
Saturday. A day which we sometimes allocate for dusting our crib.
Mr R was cleaning the glass coffee table with a clean rag. Afterwards, he proceeded to the store room with the rag and I didn't see him coming out with it.
Me asked pointly: Where is the rag you used to clean the table? You put it back???!!!
Mr R: Well, it's not as if it is very dirty...
Me: NOT VERY DIRTY??!!! Hello?? The table was dusty and fingerprints were all over! And you used detergent too! Please, put it away. Thank you very much.
I sighed loudly and rolled my eyes at him.
He often whines to friends that ever since I moved in, I repeatedly pick on his ways of housekeeping.
Please tell me how not to when his idea of keeping our pad neat and tidy is to bring a used rag back to the stack of clean ones. Now you see I have all the reasons to do so.
Men! You can never trust them to do a woman's job!
Mr R was cleaning the glass coffee table with a clean rag. Afterwards, he proceeded to the store room with the rag and I didn't see him coming out with it.
Me asked pointly: Where is the rag you used to clean the table? You put it back???!!!
Mr R: Well, it's not as if it is very dirty...
Me: NOT VERY DIRTY??!!! Hello?? The table was dusty and fingerprints were all over! And you used detergent too! Please, put it away. Thank you very much.
I sighed loudly and rolled my eyes at him.
He often whines to friends that ever since I moved in, I repeatedly pick on his ways of housekeeping.
Please tell me how not to when his idea of keeping our pad neat and tidy is to bring a used rag back to the stack of clean ones. Now you see I have all the reasons to do so.
Men! You can never trust them to do a woman's job!
Friday, October 10, 2008
A special knack for language
In the midst of a telephone conversation with a Japanese one day:
Hoonie: Oh, by the way, I didn't get your name?
Japanese: I am Watanabe (pronounced as Wa-ta-na-bee and he went on to spell it for me).
Hoonie (subconsciously): Mr Wata-nabey... Okay, I will drop you an email and let's keep in touch, Mr Wata-nabey! Goodbye.
I burst out laughing after I hung up. How did I even manage to sound so crude in this neat language? I am such a bloody chow ah lian.
Hoonie: Oh, by the way, I didn't get your name?
Japanese: I am Watanabe (pronounced as Wa-ta-na-bee and he went on to spell it for me).
Hoonie (subconsciously): Mr Wata-nabey... Okay, I will drop you an email and let's keep in touch, Mr Wata-nabey! Goodbye.
I burst out laughing after I hung up. How did I even manage to sound so crude in this neat language? I am such a bloody chow ah lian.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Living in a material world
I take comfort in my worldly possessions. Perhaps it's got to do with me being an earth sign who, at their worst, are highly materialistic. I am not ashamed to admit there is some truth in it. Well, let's face it, who isn't in this time and age?
I do not fear being labelled as shallow and superficial just because I pay more attention to my physical well-being and material things. The state of my intellectual and spiritual well-being is only reserved for close ones.
Anyhow.
I recently got hold of an item which I truly heart. Even though it's an unintended buy. Murphy's law came into play that day since the very thing I was searching high and low for was in nonexistence. Bloody typical.
Nonetheless, the newly acquired article makes up for it. Each peep of it fills me with great glee and I can't wait to put it on.
Clothes make the man.
Naked people have little or no influence on society.
- Mark Twain
I do not fear being labelled as shallow and superficial just because I pay more attention to my physical well-being and material things. The state of my intellectual and spiritual well-being is only reserved for close ones.
Anyhow.
I recently got hold of an item which I truly heart. Even though it's an unintended buy. Murphy's law came into play that day since the very thing I was searching high and low for was in nonexistence. Bloody typical.
Nonetheless, the newly acquired article makes up for it. Each peep of it fills me with great glee and I can't wait to put it on.
Clothes make the man.
Naked people have little or no influence on society.
- Mark Twain
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Super Licence to race
The man is a huge avid fan of the Formula One race. If he can help it, he will try to catch each and every race which takes place. On TV, that is. Therefore, imagine his enthusiasm when he got wind last year that Singapore would be hosting the first ever F1 night race. He was over the moon!
I could tell his mind gears were turning when he came to me. Hardly able to conceal his excitement, he proposed to schedule our trip back to Singapore in September. In order for him to catch the race. To which I gladly obliged, knowing this is one of his dreams to be there physically and watch the race with the roars of the engines ringing in his ears.
However, as luck would have it, our trip was brought forward to May instead.
Nonetheless, that didn't dampen his excitement about today's race a wee bit. Already on Friday night, he was calling for me (while I was in another room) to watch the training with him, while gushing on about how cool the tracks, the lightings and the tunnel were.
Today, he made me sit down with him and watch the half-hour documentary on Singapore before the start of the race. Right in the midst of my housekeeping! I complied as I didn't want to be labelled as a wet blanket.
Though the documentary was nothing to shout about. It's more like a tourism effort to promote the sights and attractions of Singapore.
After which I promptly got back to my housechores while the man rooted himself in front of the TV screen for the next 4 hours.
I heard him curse when I was doing the ironing. It must have meant that McLaren didn't win the race. He is a faithful fan of the team although they have not won the championship for a long while now.
Despite the hiccups, he enjoyed the race thoroughly. And I am glad for him.
I could tell his mind gears were turning when he came to me. Hardly able to conceal his excitement, he proposed to schedule our trip back to Singapore in September. In order for him to catch the race. To which I gladly obliged, knowing this is one of his dreams to be there physically and watch the race with the roars of the engines ringing in his ears.
However, as luck would have it, our trip was brought forward to May instead.
Nonetheless, that didn't dampen his excitement about today's race a wee bit. Already on Friday night, he was calling for me (while I was in another room) to watch the training with him, while gushing on about how cool the tracks, the lightings and the tunnel were.
Today, he made me sit down with him and watch the half-hour documentary on Singapore before the start of the race. Right in the midst of my housekeeping! I complied as I didn't want to be labelled as a wet blanket.
Though the documentary was nothing to shout about. It's more like a tourism effort to promote the sights and attractions of Singapore.
After which I promptly got back to my housechores while the man rooted himself in front of the TV screen for the next 4 hours.
I heard him curse when I was doing the ironing. It must have meant that McLaren didn't win the race. He is a faithful fan of the team although they have not won the championship for a long while now.
Despite the hiccups, he enjoyed the race thoroughly. And I am glad for him.
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