mf is back!

It's unfortunate but I suspect I'm fated to suffer flight flu for every working trip :( Too cold? Allergy to the blanket? Lack of proper sleep?

So took a hot bath on arrival to warm up and clear up my nose. Didn't help much. Downed two Panadols and napped for an hour before lunch, which was at a Chinese restaurant hidden away in an alley not far from Regent.

Speaking of Regent, I like my room, especially the huge bathroom! It reminded me of Frewin 2-4, my room in third year, nice :)

This intern Agnes who came along with us had Panadol for cold relief so I took two after lunch and napped while they were out sightseeing, since there was nothing to be done before the tech team arrived.. Took two more when I woke to start work, and in a short while, I was feeling wow! Continued to feel so for the rest of the day.. I was high on Panadol!! :p

Had dinner with the team at a nice restaurant where they persuaded me to try a sauteed whole chilli. The effect was like wasabi, clearing my nose and making me cry, but smelled a lot worse - it's the smell you get when making gong bao ji ding *.*

Agnes had one more year in Warwick and ask what I missed most or found most difficult to adjust to when I came back for good. I didn't take long to respond - my privacy (have to share room with the mother and the sister) and an enforced sense of dependence (I would prefer to wash my clothes and cook my meals myself but old infrastructure treasured by old-fashioned mindset forbids).

After a peaceful Thursday, Friday was horrible. A lot of waiting and a lot of tech mishaps. Worse, the Panadol dam in my nose broke down. I thought many people must have been quite frustrated, especially in the other cities. I was lucky to be able to find a power source and work on my laptop when I wasn't needed/nothing could be done.

Half the team stayed up that night to oversee the setup of the ballroom and run small-scale rehearsals. The rest of us left at 11+. Dropped dead in bed that night, but not before I saw an email exchange between Siok and Dorcas, which made me feel so loved!

"hands up for those who doesn't love mf!! (then siok will go over to thump them on the head : )"

Oooh :)

Work commenced right after a very early breakfast on Sat. Dry runs had to wait while the tech issues on the webcast were being sorted out. Finally a chance for me to stand in front of a video camera! I could have played hosting or comedian but I sang nursery rhymes instead :p

Then I was suddenly informed that I had to go for lunch if SF couldn't make it. She couldn't =( So I dashed up to changed into something presentable. Lunch turned out ok, and in fact, quite amusing.. You see, we had Chinese security with us at the next table as the boss was in China for a G2G event. When he got up to use the bathroom, he barely stood up fully when the men all jumped up at the sound of his chair! At the drop of a pin indeed.. Our floor was also super safe with the hotel and/or security - didn't matter cos they were all quite cute :p - guarding round the clock.

The event was over in a jiffy. Some tech issues but the webcast saved the day. The usual melancholy after the adrenaline rush set in; we had put in so much and also had some fun in the process. Posed with half the team cos key personnel had already left for supper with the boss; there was a lot of food at the event but organisers seldom got near the food, especially for such a big event like this - we had 800+ guests!



Went out with those in the pictures after that. A Shanghainese from the event company's Shanghai branch brought us out for night shopping but it rained! So there weren't many stalls. Still, we all managed to get something. I'm not for fake LVs but got myself a pretty pendant :)

Went back to Regent to drop the shopping troop and meet the supper people to go to some pub where we met WY's friend and his friends, all Singaporeans. The dance floor was too crowded so we stepped out into the crisp post-rain air, drank quite a bit and played some beer games.. But you know - or at least those who party with me would know - I prefer to boogie!

Then a guy in the group offered to go check out the dance floor with me so we left the group but only for less than five minutes. This para (and its language) has been moderated since, well, though that was a leisure party to me, I was advised that people would still see me as wearing the working hat. Good advice to bear in mind, especially since I don't blog anonymously!

And guess what, when we rejoined the group, I found that WY had gone in to look for me! Ah.. She's a mum indeed :) mf is no sheng you de deng too but I appreciate that :)

Slept for only three hours before meeting the shopping group for breakfast at 730am.. Cos they wanted to do more shopping! I wasn't big on shopping (really!) but since I was there, why not explore the place?

Went somewhere near Zhong Shan Gong Yuan subway but it was too early and nothing was open except for Carrefour, where I found my fave mascara at 60% of my usual price! Bought two :) Oops, that counted as shopping, right? :p

We split to do our own things so I popped out of the mall into the bookstore across the road. Not a bookshop person in Singapore but hey, it's Chinese books here!

Roamed all four levels and found an interesting book on Shanghai. Also stood for a long time in front of a whole shelf of classics and chose two: San Guo and Shui Hu (Xu?)! I've read an online version of Hong Lou Meng before and I am one chapter into online Sun Wu Kong. The online versions of the two I bought come in what I term "four characters, comma; another four characters, period" format which I don't understand!

Packed the books into my bag and I was all ready to return to Meh :)

But got back at almost 1am cos flight was delayed for 4.5hours cos of a flat tyre that needed tools not readily available, or something like that. It was horrid now that I think about it.. I tried to distract myself with movies that were frequently interrupted by various announcements on takeoff time, too tired to make small talk but not tired enough to sleep.

Woke at 9+ the next day. Actually I was rudely interrupted in the middle of dreaming about Carfax Fish & Chips; Mother wanted to wash the clothes in my luggage! Unlike the rest in the house, I seldom sleep past 8 or 9, which means I was super tired that morning. Couldn't she just wait?!

I know this is long but I've no time to write since I got back so indulge mf! :)

So now, flooring warming on Wed! Dear Siok organised the first division lunch in the new office and it was great fun! Though after everyone got their food, there was a clear gender divide.. Just as well, cos the girls had a jolly good time with small talk..

Names protected..
A: I want to do Brazilian wax..
mf: You sure? Painful, and friend said it's like fucking a 10-year-old to some..
A: I go ask my husband.. Maybe 2-year plan for 3rd kid will be brought forward..!

*** *** ***

LY: Someone asked me when I was temping at a department store, "How do you wear this?" Men's g-string!
Siok: Cover the back la..

(mf didn't understand)

WY: No, you cover the vitals!
Siok: Ya, for guys what..

(mf understood *.* Do you?)

*** *** ***

Siok: Ms O, what did the mollusc say to the sea cucumber?
TO: My shell is harder than yours *wink*
All: Wow..

That night, I fell during dance class. A couple from another class crashed into Shifu and me. First fall in dancing :( And after years of no kneeling or scrapping of knees or falling into drains, I once again suffered abrasion on my right knee. Just found a bruise on other leg too..

Dancing six days this week, even took pm leave to dance! Still feeling insecure about competition tomorrow..

Last anecdote before leaving for dance lesson..

Sito and I were walking by this restaurant and looking in at the people sitting by the glass windows.

Sito: What if we stand here and look very hungry?
mf: You do it!

And he did! The girl inside looked shocked while the guy gestured that the food was so-so :p

Had dinner with Sito's Jap class classmates. One knew Kel, and LH and her brother, and the other was one of the founding members of the Cat Welfare Society. Siok, she keeps many cats (11) but still loses to your mother (19 last count?)! :p It was a hilarious evening with them - and we didn't even speak Japanese!

One day late, but Happy Teachers' Day to my teacher friends! :)