Was in a long toilet queue today but managed to jump ahead two women cos the latest available cubicle had a squatting pan.
Why do people prefer the sitting pan to the squatting pan? Some possible reasons:
1) Too old to squat - that's why Grams has a sitting pan after using a squatting pan for 70 years
2) Floor is usually wetter in a squatting pan cubicle - I try not to think about the nature of the liquid..
3) Some people read while shitting - and it's difficult to hold a book while trying to balance!
4) Simply habitual - I guess many younger people these days grow up with only a sitting pan at home
I have one reason for preferring the squatting pan to the sitting pan in public toilets - I'm not letting my bare silky skin touch something unsanitised for the last 100 s(h)its! And wait a minute, are those spots of water or urine on the seat?!
So, what do you prefer?
Our holiday has been shortened by 30 minutes cos the flight was delayed re-timed..
So we're challenging each other to word twist in Facebook! :p
But before I play, a random observation by Sito:
mf looks like Li Bing Bing..
I could just hear various exclamations of disbelief or wow or puking sound, but I'm happy :)
Reference picture? Her side profile for Mont Blanc..
It seems only not that long ago when we were squatting in Thomson, moving from one building to the next, adding staff slowly - two in January, one in May, one in June. And now, we have our own office, renovated once for expansion.
In terms of staff, SF came and left, DC came and left and came back again, and just yesterday, LY left. For SF and DC, perhaps it was only one year each, I didn't feel quite sad but this time, with LY's departure, it really felt like a bit of the original troop was just..gone..
LY said she wouldn't cry. But I did =( How embarassing since I'm such a tap..
Looking back, we had a lot of memorable - good and bad - times together. Actually, the bad times for us referred to mostly two paricular weeks in April 2007 :p Even COS was great fun! Last year, even though there were only so few of us, we worked and played hard, laughing over things I should not mention here (:p) and celebrating LY's birthday the night before the speech, inevitably staying past midnight.
We were saying at the farewell lunch yesterday that next COS, we wouldn't be celebrating LY's birthday anymore.. No COS for her, no birthday celebration for us, and for me, no more familiar "小妹妹!"..
But I'm glad for her cos this is what she wants - to go home. I want to go home too but I have delayed the trip for another year cos I also want to finish my pet project.
I do like this place. Supportive bosses, nice colleagues, good environment, exciting work. But I don't think I can stay here for too long. My pet project will finish and I'm not sure I'm as keen on the maintenance part. Work, no matter how exciting, can also lose its lustre after a while, as I just realised this week for one particular issue..
Was at a course one day where we were asked to place money, recognition, job satisfaction, work-life balance.
1) Money: Enough. I don't need more though I wouldn't mind more :p
2) Recognition: Happy. In fact, I don't really care except that it has an impact on my bonus :p
3) Job satisfaction: Yes but this is odd cos I've not yet seen any major work of mine come to fruition.. But that'll happen soon - that's why I'm working so much...
4) Work-life balance: Not too happy. I mean, I can take leave as and when I need, and I have a life outside work. But I'm afraid I'm getting rather hassled by and even pre-occupied with work. Sometimes, I have to make myself go home; other times, I want to leave while there's still some daylight but I just can't. Recently, I'm unable to go out on Saturdays and Sundays without checking my emails in the morning in case I miss anything, and at night, I'll take a look too. I believe that work-life balance is a personal choice, but I'm feeling like I'm losing the ability to choose.
Not difficult to guess that I placed (4) as most important to me. For now, guess will make do with whatever work-life balance ratio trade-off I can get - I have been working my ass off so that I could hand things over nicely when I go on a holiday next week. I'm sure when I come back, it's going to be worse. I always find it such an irony that the holiday is not really a holiday. There is always work; you don't end up doing less work cos you're just cramping the work within a shorter timeframe before and after the work blackhole so that there is also life.
Anyway, I've digressed too much. I should really go do some work while I have some time. Be back in June..
I like public holidays :)
This May Day, I had a nice brunch with LS, G and SX. Jon was held up but we managed to meet him when he came down to meet LS and this interesting junior of ours.
I like brunch. It always has this leisurely feel to it.. You know, not waking up early enough for breakfast, and yet after brunch, there is still time to do other things :p
Went to find Sito to go to Istana for the open house. This was my second time in Istana during open house. First time was some years ago, also on May Day and damn hot..
BUT, the guard at the queue refused to let us in cos Sito was wearing slippers.
Now, we understood why - proper attire for respect for the official residence of the head of state, etc. Fair enough. So let me rephrase the above: the guard at the queue refused to let us in cos Sito was wearing slippers even though some guy just walked out of Istana wearing slippers - why could he go in?!
The guard remained nonchalant even when we pointed out the guy to him. Well, fine, we accepted the rules. So we went to Carrefour and got a pair of shoes of the wrong size at $20 just so we could go in. And guess what? There was no guard when we returned! No one enforcing the so-called rules!
The best part was when we saw other guys in similar get-up as Sito - tee, berms, slippers - in Istana grounds.
(left edge, camera was slow :p)
What's with the inconsistency with the attire rule?!
We don't like unfair treatment and inconsistency in the enforcement of such rules. In fact, before we went, we had checked the website to see if there were any dress code and there was no info on that =(
Nonetheless, we had some fun going around - even though it was so damn hot.. We even bought Istana collar pins! Oooh...
I like collar pins. I have a duffel bag stuck full of collar pins - plus one now :)
(Warning: Gross story ahead..)
SF gave birth only six weeks ago and she looked like she never did. On the other hand, Mother once commented that 19-year-old mf looked pregnant *.*
Anyway, the ladies met for lunch recently. With a new mother among us and four experienced mothers (and three of them pregnant) around the table, there could only be one main topic - childbirth and etc.
I must admit I was quite interested! All the talk about epidural, watching the doctor do a caesarean on your through a mirror (!), breastfeeding, types of breast pumps etc. I must say it was very enlightening and fun when they were recalling their experiences.
BUT someone mentioned cutting, sewing, tearing for not caesarean but natural birth...
My burning question: what and where do they cut? And why?!
Of course I have a rough idea given the context but when LY explained, I was like o_O (not going to go into details here but you may like to google for episiotomy if you feel up to it..)
(My next burning question: can you still have good sex after that?! TO said it would depend on the birth itself, if it was well sewn up and healed, confounded by the possibility of incontinence etc..)
I couldn't help it and did some googling just now, stopping short at actual photos and videos. I don't think I have the stomach for those after reading about the process. It is true that many women have gone through it. And, our mothers' generation didn't even have epidural! But SF is right - it would have to be caesarean comes my turn! Now I shall reconsider my ideal of having four children :p
On a lighter less scary note, I had something funny (and gross) the other day - I called it "poop of my dream" :p
It was a gloomy day. Two strangers sat down at a roadside tavern and helped themselves to some morsels of food. Sebotino was heavy-built and moved about steadily, carrying with him an aura of seriousness. Baloda, on the other hand, appeared nervous and restless, and kept looking around him for unseen danger.
Sebotino had walked a long way and yearned for companionship. He didn't think Baloda would be a likely friend - they seemed too different. "Well, at least he looks like an unlikely foe," he though wryly to himself, recalling the nightmare that he had just escaped from.
"Hey!"
Startled from his thoughts, Sebotino looked up and found himself staring into a pair of shifty eyes. It was Baloda.
"You, you are not from around here," Baloda said cautiously.
Sebotino nodded wearily, "That's right. I just came from the Blue Isle."
"The Blue Isle? My people have lived here in the Marble Plains for more than a hundred generations but I have never heard of the Blue Isle."
"Oh, it was a wonderful place, bright and sunny in the day, and quiet and peaceful at night. There was no need for my people to venture here. We had a good life there, we did..."
A couple just arrived and sat near the unlikely friends. Sebotino noticed their shifty eyes and figured that he was in a strange land of strange suspicious people.
"But you are here," Baloda was now looking more curious than uneasy, if that was actually possible.
Sebotino leaned forward a little and paused. He was not sure if he could confide in this stranger but he decided that the truth must be told.
"Disaster struck the Blue Isle yesterday. I believe I am the only survivor of my kind. There was no sight of my people after the disaster."
Baloda turned pale. The big guy didn't look like he was lying.
"What could it be that wiped out an entire population?"
"It was a monster! An atrocious witch she was! If I hadn't hid under a drain, she would have found me and killed me like she did the rest! I saw her do it - with poison! So many of them, all dead on the streets!" The terror of the recollection was showing in Sebotino's eyes and reflected in Baloda's.
"I was trying to run home to safety and just as I was reaching, I saw her killing more of my people right outside my door. I had to wait until nightfall before I could reach home. But the door was locked and I couldn't pry it open. No one came to my help - I supposed they were all dead."
Baloda gave Sebotino a shaky pat. "You are a very lucky man to have escaped alive," he said, and after a pause, "If you do not mind, I can introduce you to my people, find you a home."
Sebotino was surprised at this offer. He did not expect this kindness coming from a shifty little fellow. As he stretched out his hands to thank Baloda, he saw Baloda's eyes widening in fear. Suddenly, a great shadow fell over them.
"The, the witch..?" Baloda could barely whisper now. Sebotino turned around...
"Ahhh!"
His scream trailed off as the witch flattened him with a piece of tissue paper. Baloda and the couple, always on their feet, had taken the chance to run away.
The legend of the witch would continue among the people of the Marble Plains...
PS: Yesterday, I found ants crawling in and out of a hole in the bathroom wall, and Baygon-ed them all. This morning, I sealed the damn hole. Stupid ants were still crawling about the sealed hole looking for a way in after that. I picked them up and flushed them away. I hope all these ants have vacated the Blue Isle. My Blue Isle :p
Haven't felt like this for a long time.. This morning, I woke up fresh, and stayed fresh the whole day!
It must be the long hours of sleep last weekend, and what a leisurely weekend it was! Made spaghetti bolognese for three although there were only two of us :p We ate the whole lot *very proud of ourselves* and threw in dessert, which was Japanese pancake topped with flakes of Ben & Jerry's chocolate chip cookie dough - flaky cos it was too darn frozen to scoop *.*
A very simple and stress free weekend, I like and so, I am happy :)
My colleague sent me a link to a clip from Oprah on Randy Pausch's last lecture.
I like it.
I guess what really strikes a chord with me are all the positive vibes from a dying man. Btw he is still alive as of today.
What would you do if you know you have only a few months to live?
Some may see me as a positive person now. But I did - still do - have negative and even morbid moments, especially when I was a kid. I remember trying to suffocate myself in a pillow when I was a kid cos I felt so abandoned when upon coming home from a cousin's place, I heard that my father had brought my siblings to the pool. Yes I couldn't swim at all and to this day still cannot claim that I can swim but I loved going to the pool!
Other instances, I just wasn't happy about my family, my friends in secondary school, the way I looked, the behaviour of some people, repetitive homework, the weather, the smell of the air etc... And because of these, I was grouchy a lot of the time. Although, to the credit of my genes or a forgetful mind, I cheered up pretty easily too.
Over the years, especially the last ten years or so, I have let go a great deal. I realise how there is no point being bothered by all these trivialities, especially when these are things I have no control over; what I can control is how I react. If I can better things, I will try, otherwise, I live with it or walk away for more able people to deal with it. There is really no point dwelling on unhappiness if that makes me even more unhappy.
Back to the question, if my body gives up on me, I wish my spirit doesn't so that I could still have a positive impact on my loved ones. I mean, I don't need to change the world, make it a better place. If I can effect something positive on people around me, I think that is enough.
Thinking about the lecture, I think we should live life such that we can answer to ourselves and not shortchange ourselves - that sounds weird in English.. 做人要对得起自己! 前阵子听到一句 “活在当下”，意思应该是不要活在不愉快－ 甚至是愉快－ 的过去，也不要太幻想着未来而疏忽了现在、错过了眼前的一切。但我想加一句 “明天会更好”，因为没理由活在不愉快的当下啊！应该开朗一些，带着过去的人生经历、抱着积极的态度展望未来，不是吗？
Sure, cynics roll their eyes but well, it doesn't matter cos I'm happy the way I am! :)
So, am I Tigger or Eeyore? :) I prefer to be a cheerful Tigger but who sometimes likes to curl up - and not necessarily in a corner - to play with her (this one's a she!) tail and reflect on things..
But I think I am actually more of a Pooh.. You know, all the digging into honey and stuff :p
Links to the lecture:
1) Full version - in six parts including an introduction and ending speeches but you can just watch parts 1-4 (90min or so)
2) Single version of the lecture sans intro and ending (76min)
3) Condensed version on Oprah (11min) - this is what led me to google for the original lecture
Happy holiday :)
Two Saturdays ago, we took off to KL on Aeroline - quite a comfortable ride. They had movies - watched Transformers and a bit of Tokyo Drift - and served food and hot drinks. Took us just under five hours to get to KL via Tuas. But we almost lost our bags cos we didn't realise we were supposed to take them with us at the customs!!
Anyway, we found our way to Shangri-La, checked in and went to the ballroom to check out the floor. It was big! But we didn't practise until we got ourselves some food at TGIF across the road and even then, we practised in street shoes, just walking through our routine really.
Had a grand eight-hour sleep before we went down for a quick breakfast at a cafe. When we tried to get our number, we realised that we were supposed to get that at 8am - it was past 9am already!! But luckily, Aleena got it for us already.. We were quite blur :p
Did more routine in the room and changed for some real practice in our shoes. My hair took 25 minutes to set! But it was good; not a strand came off for either tango or quickstep :p
The morning segment just ended and the floor was free. We did a few rounds to try the floor for all four dances. Spent some time swirling outside until it was time for the afternoon segment - our segment..
OUR SECOND COMPETITION!!! :p
Nerves.. The chill.. Even hunger started to creep in..
Then it was our turn.. Waltz, quickstep, tango and foxtrot, with some rest in between.. We didn't do great for any of them =( Especially tango =(
Prepared for the worst, we were surprised to see we were brought back for finals for the first three dances! Must give our best shot! Foxtrot was apparently a direct finals though there were quite a number of couples, which meant we might not be placed..
Finals for waltz and quickstep went better than the heats, but not tango, unfortunately.. And not lest cos it was right after the quickstep, which left us out of breath - I blamed the music cos I could not "feel the tango".. But anyway, we tried :) We were placed 4th for waltz, 5th for quickstep and foxtrot, and 6th for tango eventually. A fellow dancer told us that he had seen us do way better in the studio, sighs.. And of course, Shifu was like, "It could have been better!"
Anyway, time to relax! I like this picture :)
We bought standing tickets for the evening events cos the sit-down was really expensive.. Went to TGIF (again!) for a quick dinner before returning to the ballroom - in casual clothes and nice hair :p
As the evening passes, my nose turned from bad to worse and we returned to the room to rest a couple of times while the judges were tabulating scores.. But it was fun and very motivating to see the professionals dance! So beautiful - we must work harder! :)
Woke really late the next day. Nose was still bad, and I'd developed a sore throat as well..
Sito was very hardworking ok.. He was working his brain cells..
.. While I slept :p
Then I got hungry..
So we went to Shang Palace for some dim sum. That helped my throat a bit but the soreness returned to haunt me for the rest of the day whenever I had no food going down *.*
Spent a lazy afternoon just reading his Jap text while he carried on working... Still not feeling well and so cancelled dinner with Jo in case I passed the germs to little Lucian.. But we decided we should go out and headed off to this Restoran Oversea - yes, not Overseas - for what was supposedly the world's best char siew. And it was indeed good! And that coming from someone who doesn't really eat char siew, I suppose it's really good? :p
Wandered off a bit and found a shopping mall next to a monorail station. It was somewhat surreal.. And we found a couple of those old weighing machines that used to dot the old Emporium!
I got tired very soon and we went back to watch TV. Rather, I watched TV while Sito continued to work! I refused to think about my work. In fact, my head was too full with mucous to think *.*
*repeat the hotel photos here*
And the very next morning, we left. Not quite sure what to make of this trip. The competition results were a bit disappointing no doubt but it was a good experience, which I think we need. The rest of the holiday... Well, I was ill and Sito was working. A pseudo holiday then, like he said.. Time to plan for the next one! :)
There's no doubt about this - by the time I'm 50, I'm going to be flatter than pancake *.*
Read this article for why..
Separately, hope to put up some pictures later - from our weekend trip to KL..
Just finished the last one - yummy :)
I always like tu tu kueh. Sometimes I think I like the flour more than the filling - I asked for one without filling! Looks like I won't survive on any carbs-free diet...
Haven't had it for years.. Good feelings came back while eating it.. Not about anything or anyone in particular; just the simple pleasure of having a simple snack :)
Moving on to Yakult, another childhood delight :)
