Friends

You who lust for luxuries and despising mere necessities, falling prey to consumerism and chasing the culture of materialism. You who brand yourself with the labels of what you wear and the price of the accessories you adorn on your priceless body that worths as much as those you look with contempt. You who value your life more than others despite all your cheap talk of equality and egalitarianism. You who live the high life of New York City, or any urbanized places so far away from these rural slums in the peripheries. Open your eyes to the world, you who live sheltered lives where money is never an issue. And maybe you'll realize why people are doing what they're doing and committing acts you define as wrong and unlawful.

On another note,

After 4 days, I'm back to a home made so unfamiliar by the place I feel so attached to - the outrageous jammed roads, the nice and friendly faces all around, the wonderful food and the messed state of everything.

The next time I step into their soils, I'll make them feel more appreciated than they deserve. I will make a difference.

 

Current Mood: calm
Current Music: yesterday once more - the carpenters

The battle rages. I am at war. I am at war with myself. I have fought the battles I thought was right. I am the truth! I am the lie. I will suffocate you down to your last breath. Will there be hope? The many soldiers from different armies are fighting within me.  My heart and mind conflict with each other. My toes and fingers are throwing bombs at each other. To whom do I betray? My heart or my mind? My toes or my fingers? Now now, what is the deal with this, my dear robot? Even the Queen needs God to save.

so i don't understand why the big hoo-ha about the dude who became singapore idol. i didn't watch the show or remember him singing anything except that he looked so closely like a friend. haha. i decided to check him out on the net and found his website with of course, songs sang by him. i like his voice and well, his style.

so i mean if the guy is good, he deserves to win right? just because the previous singapore idols were malay, it doesn't mean that this time round, it shldn't be? then would that be fair? either way, i believe he is in a lose-lose situation. no matter how good he is, he'll always be criticised and slammed because that's what detractors and the local media do best. so get over it already.

i wish him all the best in what he does and await his first album. :)

p/s: i honestly don't know why i decided to type this entry out to begin with.

Current Mood: blank

I'm back at work again after yesterday's sorry attempt to drag myself out of the house landed me back at home after lunch. Today, I'd be researching on the Japanese Occupation in Singapore. And it's been 30 mins since I started. I'm trying very hard not to fall asleep. The internet is so misleading and is completely lack of information (by this I mean, good solid unbiased information). Everytime I type "Japanese Occupation" in Google, all the websites shown always end with "gov.sg" HMM.

Random ramblings of the morning.

I don't get how NTU doesn't have Japanese Studies. Sigh.

Current Location: office
Current Mood: sleepy
Current Music: nothing compares 2 U - sinead o'connor

Most of us spend a good part of our day in the office, everyday. We wake up early each morning just so that we can drag our sorry a**es to work. For the lucky ones who truly love their jobs, its a blessing. For the rest of us, its just a life that we have learnt to accept.

As I reflect on my 4 years of being immersed in the working world, I realised that I've learnt alot. More importantly, I've noticed peculiar types of workers in the office. And really, I always get amused at the mere thought of them.

Some of these typical employees are as follows: 1) The Young And "Enthu" Grad, 2) The 3-to-7 Years Dude, 3) The 20-30 Years-Of-Experience Auntie 4) The 10-Years-Or-More Junior Manager

The Young and "Enthu" Grad
Yes, we all know them. Why? --- because we were all once like that. Fresh from the sheltered and loving environment called "UNIVERSITY", we were thrust into the jaws of the working realms with a massive dose of a drug called "ENTHUSIASM". Unfortunately, nobody told us that the effects of this drug wore off as quickly as the time it took to spend the 13th month bonus. Nobody also told us that this drug quickly morphed into "IRRITATING" when attempting to administer to The 3-to-7 Years Dude.

One thing that The Young and "Enthu" Grad needs to learn is to Chill-Lax. No point trying to change the world that does not want to be changed. Attempting to rewrite decades-old procedure is ultimately fruitless and worse, irritating and annoying. They need to learn who really calls the shots, who are the people that gets things moving and, more importantly, how to please these people. And these people may not, and usually are not, the MANAGERS.

Remember the last time you attended a presentation by one of these Young And "Enthu" Grads? Yes, they are now so sophisticated with Excel and Powerpoint that the sheer amount of animation can leave you breathless and naseous. They present an immense amount of suggestions and proposals which most people know are unworkable and impractical (if not, someone would already have implemented it, DUH!). The few useful and novel suggestions, though endorsed by the manager (who will immediately forget it when he/she leaves the room), will ultimately go down the drain, because The Young And "Enthu" Grad fails to recognise the movers-and-shakers in the room... The movers-and-shakers who can give them the appropriate guidance to move the proposal along. Given a few years, The Young And "Enthu" Grad degenerates to the 3-to-7 Years Dude.

The 3-to-7 Years Dude
These guys think they've seen it all. Actually, they don't. They just prefer not to see anything at all. These are the ones that have tried to revolutionise the world but failed miserably and are now thoroughly jaded. These guys are unlikely to stay beyond official working hours unless absolutely neccessary. They spend their lunch with fellow 3-to-7 Years Dudes, mostly complaining about the stupid and redundant projects that their managers have "arrowed" them to take on. Many of these guys have bought their first car by now --- and thereafter end up coming 15 mins later to office each morning.

Actually, these guys are the best to work with, because they have the neccessary experience, and yet have not reached a "chao kuan" stage (unlike The 20-30 Years-Of-Experience Auntie and The 10-years-or-more Junior Managers). But there is one problem, they really can't stand The Young and "Enthu" Grad.

The 20-30 Years-Of-Experience Auntie
These usually, but not always, do the administrative jobs. They are the ones who talk the loudest in the office, who spend an inordinate amount of time in the office pantry gossiping, who take the longest lunches and who is all packed up to leave the office 15 mins before time.

They have seen it all, done it all. They've seen The Young and "Enthu" Grads degenerate into 3-to-7 Years Dudes and other unrecognisable lifeforms, witnessed the implementation of the company intranet which they are still learning to use after 5 years, and been through 3 CEOs and 5 Recessions.

They know EVERYONE and probably their deepest secrets too. Ally with them and you have a good chance of getting your job done (well). However, spurn them at your own risk. They are unshakeable and indispensable to the organisation. They are the primary fabric of the company, the threads that bind all departments as a collective working force.

Tip: though most of them are pear-shaped ugly b***ches, but a kind (though untrue) compliment on their hair once in awhile has not been known to hurt anyone.

The 10-Years-Or-More Junior Manager
They are easily recognisable with the yellowish business shirt that once had the potential to look sparkling white. Their hair (if any) is usually ruffled and sometimes greasy. Their face show signs of battle-weariness and years of neglect. Strands of nostril hair might stick out once in a while.

All the years of toiling for a more senior position has exhausted them. As they approach middle-age, they just want to take it easy and avoid unneccessary trouble. Their mantra is live and let live, "arrow" whenever possible.

Don't expect them to back you if you screwed up. They have seen far too many Young And "Enthu" Grads come and go, under their charge. They are just concerned with making sure the director is happy and this could sometimes come at the expense of their subordinates.

My advice: If you get one of these as your boss, get out as soon as you can.

*****************************************************************************************

Disclaimer: the stereotypes above were meant to entertain with a dose of sacarstic humour, there is certainly no intention to denigrate nor condemn if you happen to fall into any of these categories.

if you had asked me two weeks ago, what this Christmas wld be like?

I would say "the usual"

two days past Christmas, and it has been nothing like "the usual" since Christmas eve - in a positive way, of course..

:)

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

Current Location: 1.3505,103.7473

なぜ小鳥たちが集ってくるの
いつもあなたとすごす時

私と同じね
あなたのそばに居たいのは

なぜ星が空から降ってくるの
いつもあなたと歩く時

私と同じね
あなたのそばに居たいのは

あなたが生まれたその日に
天使たちが集って
決めてくれた贈り物は
月のしずくをあなたの髪に
星の光りをあなたの瞳にちりばめること

だからあなたが行くところ、
少女たちがついて行く

私と同じね
あなたのそばに居たいのは。

Current Music: goodbye to love - the carpenters

Current Mood: apathetic
Current Music: the chain - fleetwood mac

Hohoho, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

credits to Abduzeedo.com

 And here it is, once again. :D

Dear Santa... Dear Santa, This year I've been busy! In January I caught a purse-snatcher who stole mightytomato 's purse (30 points). Last Wednesday I helped jeannetteyeo see the light (8 points). In November I helped ckris hide a body (-173 points). In September I bought porn for chasingheartss (-10 points). Last Monday I gave thirteenstops a wet willie, then I took it back (-5 points). Overall, I've been naughty (-150 points). For Christmas I deserve a spanking! Sincerely, freespirit-dom

i'm suddenly super excited about christmas - more so than yesterday! :) i've finally done ALL OF THE PRESENTS with the help of my mother! hahah.. so all you lucky ppl out there going for midnight mass at st mary's tonight, you'll get something - i hope!

now onto christmas cards!

and i have to say, god is very efficient in answering prayers. :)

alot of things are taken for granted till the status quo makes for change. so here's sincere deep gratitude for all the years of change you have tolerated and accepted. strangely, looking back, i didn't realise how much you must have accepted till i'm placed in your position now. in retrospect, i see the times where on a conscious level, i never noticed how harsh i must have sounded. so again, thank you, my dearest dearest friend, for being "the wind beneath my wings" all these years, and now, i think it's my turn to take a step back, and accept your status quo and it's make for change.

Current Mood: thankful
Current Music: for you blue - the beatles

15 mins to the eve of Christmas.
:)

It's been a great year, full of unexpected twists and turns. Last Christmas, I'd never have seen myself being where I am this Christmas, all thanks to God :)

Gloria in excelsis deo

I suppose I'm quite a temperamental person. Surprised? I think I am myself - it is a kind of revelation, or maybe discovery, or heightened awareness.

People who bear the brunt of it would be left wondering why the sudden change in atitude, or the lack thereof. Is it really just a case of wrong buttons pushed? It is disturbing to know there is little tolerance in me for those who have stepped on my toe. This happens to this a group of people between the I-do-not-know-group and the we-are-close-friends-group. They can be classified as colleagues, aquaintances, ok-friends etc.

I met a lady whom I needed help with a booking of a venue. My, was she testing my patience with her high and mighty attitude, sneers and even the lack of acknowledging her mistake, perferring to question me in return "Wu ngia boh?" The incident left me smiling (and a little seething), but I brushed it off, and it was not because I needed her help that I looked beyond her mannerisms. I smiled because once again, I realised that such people do exist and you do cross paths with them, and I shouldn't be affected by such isolated incidents.

On the contrary, people in that in-between-group are the poor sods (at least in the way I react towards them). Maybe I do not know them well enough, and because there are more interactions (take for instance, colleagues), the chances of conflict are higher and due to proximity, the less chances to let things cool off. It is by no fault of theirs that they keep pushing the wrong buttons since they are ignorant of it (damn if they aren't), but the constancy at which I have bear with it must eventually reach a limit, or escalated/worsened by an unrelated unpleasant experience.

I wear my heart on my sleeve, and the changes in mood are apparent, and if you know me well enough, downright obvious. I can't hide even if I want to, and sometimes I wished I could. I want to remain cordial when the temperature is rising so as to avoid an awkward moment. (Disclaimer: Close friends can and will never piss me off) We are supposed to love everyone, but I honestly do not think I can give the same (not even close) level of love, patience, acceptance, understanding to others other than my loved ones.

So what's left? I do pray that I can be a better person to these group of people. They probably deserve better or if not, at least I'm trying to be a little more like Jesus.

God bless and Merry Christmas!

Dexter: I wonder if Rita is looking at the same moon, at the same moment...

It's finally the damn holidays, but I keep on thinking about what I have to do. I can't really seem to enjoy it properly!

I spent the last 2 days with people I really like... I acted for the FSV (Film, Sound & Video) kids on Monday, they had to endure an hour of my fake sobbing and sniffing, cheers to them ahaha. Then slept in til really late, got a haircut and my specs done. Bb and I discovered a rly nice (but cold) rooftop in NTU with the tuas harbour as a background view, talked for 3 hours or so, thinking about what 2009 meant to us and what we were grateful for this year. I think 2009 was a good year. :)

Gotta head down to the east for Ju's partyyyy, it's going to be a good night!

Current Mood: happy

I give up.

I just spent the past 2 hours putting the past year, since last Christmas, into words. The first time i ever did something like this, actually. Maybe it was just such an exciting year. So many significant events, so many significant people, so many many many significant experiences. I had a great year thus far. Tomorrow 12pm will be results, and that is probably the last chapter to pen down before, well, Christmas finally arrives.

Current Mood: thoughtful
Current Music: goodbye to love - the carpenters