The River

Recently alot of things have been going through my mind.

One being that I'm wasting my time. And I feel that I should be doing something else.

Today is my off day. Unusually, I'm not in office working the OT shift. I was so pre-occupied with so many things that I forgot to apply for OT. And hence, on days like this...when I'm at home slacking. I feel that I'm really wasting my time. All I do is eat, sleep and watch TV the entire day. And the problem is, I don't know what to do with all the time I have. Somewhere in my mind, I feel that this is not what a successful person should be doing.

Normally for people who are capable and successful, every minute of their time is invested in some self-improvement course or planning and startegising their future wealth making ideas. For me......I'm plain lazy. One day I guess....laziness and procrastination will be the death of me.

Subsequently, I also don't know where my job is leading me. Been thinking alot about my current job. The prospect seemed bleak and uncertain. But sometimes I kid myself and start to give myself false hope. I always tell myself....if I don't get out of this job anytime soon....I'll have to see it through to the end. If I put in 100% into it...maybe one day I can make it big in the call center industry. Then again, I also think that with the kinda of 100% effort I put into it....I can achieve so much more in another job.

Still, I keep on telling myself life is full of surprises and unexpected twists. I believe there are better things in store for me if I'm patient. And all things will come by itself and fall into place. Somebody once said this to me, "Only worry about how you are going to cross the river when you get to the river. Only then, you will know what to do." Complacent as it may sound, I find that its a good advice. When the time comes, I'll know what to do.

Oh yeah....and finally my articles have been published in the company newsletter. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised with a complimentary letter for one of my articles. Apparently, I was told that the article I wrote was bold and humorous..... I was really happy about it.

A friend even joked to me that I should quit my current job and start my career as a columnist. Sheesh...must say that the thought of that has never really entered my mind. I have never taken my writing seriously and I write for the fun of it. And also, I know for a fact that I'm not that good. I know my own level of writing and I still have a long long long way to go~~~!

So, for now...I'll continue my struggle with my current job. And when I come to the river, I will then face the problem of crossing it....and I know a solution will soon present itself.

A year older

Its been a while...

Ever since I celebrated my 24th birthday, haven't updated my blog at all. Been so caught up with so many other things, I didn't have the time to write anything constructive for the past few days.

Still, as for my birthday celebrations? Happy to report I had alot of fun.

It was a relatively peaceful birthday I had. On the eve of my birthday, I went quitely in to the night. There wasn't any fanfare, there wasn't any countdown, there wasn't any big party or drinking. There was just....me, at home, surfing the net.....chatting with some friends online. I kinda liked it.

The next morning, I woke up early to do some grocery shopping and marketing. I needed to buy some fresh stock of poultry and vegetables for the "small" steamboat dinner that I was organising for my colleages. And after that, throughout the day.....I watched TV, slept, ate my lunch...and slept some more.

And then finally at around 5pm, I started to get ready and started cooking.

Sigh =)

Preparing for steamboat really brings me back to alot of memories. Always have alot of good memories when it comes to steamboat. Nevertheless, Chun and Marcel came around 7pm. We started off first; when later Miki and Alan came around 9pm. And next, I had an unexpected visitor. A pleasant surprise really. A friend of Marcel, Shu Lynn came to visit me with the insistence of Marcel I think. But it was really nice to see her. The more the merrier.

It was really nice. Being around friends, having a quite dinner seemed like a really good way to spend my birthday. Later, Cassie, Jeo and Alzari came to join in the fun.

Hehe.....I was kinda happy that we manage to finish off the food that I bought earlier. And for the first time in all my life...I got 3 cakes for my birthday! Thank god all of them were different types of cakes. So I didn't mind it at all. There was a Tiramisu cake (compliments of Shu Lynn), a ice-cream cake (compliments of Alan and Alzari), and finally....a cheesecake that I ordered myself!! And all I can say is simply......deeeee-leeeee-shiiiiii-ussssssss!!!!

All in all, I really enjoyed my birthday this year. It was alot of fun just having dinner with friends and chatting the night away. Hmmmm....things have seem to change over the years. I used to be so excited about birthdays and usually I would like to celebrate it with a bang. I would be out with friends on the eve, I would have grand ideas of going out, clubbing, spending the entire day shopping or something like that.

Oddly, this year, I celebrated it differently. Either I have lost the magic of celebrating birthdays....or I am simply....getting old.

May the force be with you...

*Grins*

Guess what? That's right.......I've watched Star Wars III : Revenge of the Sith!!!!!!!

WoOoOOooOOOhOOoooOoOO!!! Call me a nerd! Call me a geek! I'm proud to be one!!!!

All the geeks and nerds around the world rejoice as the Star Wars saga came to an end. And it did...with a bang.

The 3rd installment of the Star Wars saga was simply fantastic. No doubt that the pace of the movie was really frantic; and I'm sure that many fanboys and film critics will have their words about the show...but I loved it. The movie might have its minor quirks as it actually tries and rush through, tying up as many loose ends as possible. Still, if you look at the bigger picture and see it as a whole, together with all the other 5 movies...then you'll see a masterpiece at work.

I guess, the best part of the movie for me was when Anakin Skywalker donned the Darth Vader costume. It was simply nostalgic to see the costume back in action after so many years of absence from the silver screen. And the moment that black shiny helmet was put on......there it is.....the mighty, the evil, the dark, the malevolent....Lord Vader. And everything else falls into place.

However, enough about Star Wars. I actually wanna dedicate today's posting to a few special people which really made a difference in my life. They are Rena, Carmen, Kerwynn and Marcel.

You see, I was going to organise a small get-together at my place on the 20th. And unfortunately, Carmen has to go back to KL a day earlier to attend to her father's business. So, she invited a few of us to her place last night for dinner. Just for the sake of good old times and also give us a chance to catch up with one another.

To my surprise, when I got there...Carmen actually took the time to cook quite a majestic meal for us! The food was excellent and we really enjoyed ourselves catching up on our lives.

But what happened next almost broke me down in tears. They surprised me with a birthday cake.....

Sigh.....

I was so happy that I just couldnt believe I had such good friends. I don't know what I had done to deserve such wonderful friends. And I really wanna tell this to all of them. I will never forget them. They have helped me through rough times and was really there for me. Through think and thin. Through good and bad. They have always been there.

When I blew the candles, they asked me to make a wish first. Silently, I kept quiet....and made my wish.

And I later on just told them one thing. And wish...for simply nothing. Cos, I have all the things I wanted and I could not ask for more. You see, last year was really a bad year for me. And sometimes, I just couldn't believe how things have turned around. From utter sadness and torment....to sheer joy and happiness. Things are so different.

I told them that night....I might not have alot of money. I might have alot of the things I want. But one thing I am happy to "not have"....is sadness and problems.

Life is so carefree these days though I have a few qualms. But I could never be happier. I'm just so grateful that I don't have issues and problems in my life now. That's enough for me.

What I do have....is great, great, great friends.

An Uneventful Day

Uneventful. That would be the word I'd describe my day. And that's exactly the way I like it.

Had a really late night sleep last night. Went over to Holland V with Cassie, Angela, Marcel and J-Jeo. We spent most of our time at Breko after Wala-Wala had to close at 2AM.

From Wala-Wala to Breko, we really had a good time. We shared alot of info and gossip since that now most of us are being seperated from each other. Me and Cassie were in the Buddy System, Marcel's in the Corp Hotline, Angela's with the rest of the CSO's on the floor and J-Jeo in re-service.

We left around 4.30AM and when I got home, I was so tired I immediately went to bed after taking a shower. And then....I woke up today around 1PM.

Woke up today feeling really good actually. For the first time in weeks, I had a Sunday off and I wasn't working OT. The idea about not going to office for 1 day puts my mind and ease and I just wanna stay home and relax. And that's what I did.

Initially, I thought of going out the get lunch when I woke up. But then, suddenly I had the urge to take a whack and continue my Jade Empire. And you know what?

As I continued to play........the next thing I knew....it was already 7.30PM!!! I was playing Jade Empire for 6 and a half hours straight!! The problem was, every level that I manage to overcome, I thought it was gonna be the final level. But it wasn't. Still, I was so determined to finish the game that I ignored my grumbling stomach and presevered!!!

And Ladies and Gents...I'm proud to say I've finished the game!!! I conquered the Jape Empire in just 3 days!!! Wahahahaha!!!! Man, it was satisfying.

Alas, I went out to get some dinner (finally!!) and came back to do some spring cleaning. Took some time to re-arrange my book closet and clean up my room seeing that I'll be having some guest over in a few days time.

All in all, the day was uneventful...but still satisfying and productive. Manage to get alot of rest and also clean up my house which I have been procastinating for some time.

Now, only if the day would last a little bit longer.....

Start date: 1977, End date: 2005

Long, time a go, in a galaxy far far away......sounds familiar?

Well, this introduction line has its resonance in history. And it all started from a movie that began almost 20 years ago....

STAR WARS.

Finally!!! The 3rd installment of the Star Wars saga is now here and I have already bought the movie tix to the preview sceening on the 18th!!!!!! Star Wars fanboys, eat your hearts out!!!!!

I seriously can't wait. As a fanboy myself, I have always loved Star Wars. From the very first movie, Episode 4: A New Hope, I have been watching and hooked on to Star Wars ever since. I must admit, at that point of time, I feel that Luke Skywalker was a bloody sissy....and the only character that was on everyone's mind is Darth Vader a.k.a Anakin Skywalker a.k.a Luke's dad. And this guy really has mental issues. I mean, this guy is pure evil personified. Just think about it.....there has never been another villian like him in history of movie making. This guy could scare the shit out of you just by the the sound of his breathing!! And you don't even have to see him yet! I'm sure every Storm Trooper knows what I mean. With his infamous Death Choke, many many Imperial Officers or Storm Troopers will shiver with just the sound of his breathing. This guy really give asmathic patients something to cheer about.

Here's the chronology of the Star Wars Saga.








Looking back at Episode 4, 5 and 6, you will notice that sometimes the costumes and digital effects are kinda corny....but from the help of the illustrious George Lucas, he has re-released the box-set of the first trilogy in all its glory. Then again, some would really ask...why did he start the saga from Episode 4? Isn't that stupid? Well, I'd say George was a genius. He started off Episode 4 for the primary reason that he simply didn't have the cinematic technology to start filming Episode 1. Instead, he started Episode 4 off so brilliantly that you didn't realli need the first 3 episodes. And when you get to Episode 6, you're just dying to see the first 3...cos you want to know how it all began.

From a broader perspective, Star Wars really have its inclinations with the world today. We can learn many things about it. Ultimately, its a fight between good and evil; the Jedis and the Sith Lords. The Force and the Dark Side. And its a story of only 1 man to be exact. Luke Skywalker? No. Anakin Skywalker.

Many enthusiats initially got the wrong idea that the whole saga was all about Luke Skywalker. But actually the story revolves around his father. From episode 1, it has all about how Anakin was found, joined the Jedi Order, succumb to the Dark Side....and at last found his way back with the help of his son.

Man oh man....I'm really damn excited about watching it on this 18th. I simply can't wait!!!! Everyone knows Star Wars. Its a household name. Its a religion (Its true! have read in a forum that some people think that the Force actually exists!). Its an epic. Its a way of life. And the lightsaber? Up till today....the coolest weapon ever fictionalised!!!! There is non other like it! Whenever you see a Jedi whip it out on screen with that zhhhaauuuuuu sound effect, sheer excitement! You know for sure that they're gonna do something cool with it.

But if you haven't heard of Star Wars before....please, I beg you. Shoot yourself. In the head. Twice.

Soon! Soon! Very Soon!!!

My, my, my....look at the date.

And I know exactly what that means.......its just another day.

Hahahaa....well, actually it means that its only 8 days away from yours truly's birthday!!!!! And to be honest, I am looking forward for this year's birthday.

I really had a rough birthday last year which is filled with sorrow and sadness. I was thinking seeing that it was my first year in Singapore and I had my own place and all...it would be a great birthday. However, it turned out differently. Very differently. You see.....I had my heart torned out last year on my birthday. The images of what exactly happened still burns in my memory and it still leaves a scar. Some would say, it was all just a co-incidence that my ex broke-off with me on my birthday....and other's would say its just plain cruelty.
I would say......

Nothing.

It happened in the past. It should be left in the past and I have nothing to say at all.

So, this year's gonna rock!!! I have stock up my supply of booze and its gonna be one hell of a birthday this year. I have my bechelor pad....and I'm inviting some frens over for steamboat and some boozin'! In retrospect, I'm really happy this year. Everything's going well, I don't have many worries weighing on my mind, and I can finally truly be happy with the company of close friends. I could not ask for more.....

Hehe...I'm actually in a feel good mood. I have just finished watching The Amazing Race. And believe me, I was at the edge of my seat the entire time! It was really nerve-wrecking to see Uchenna/Joyce and Rob/Amber battling it out till the finish line. There isn't any secret who I'm rooting for....Uchenna and Joyce!!!!!! Uchenna basically has been a stand up guy from Day 1. He believes in goodwill and faith to pull him through to the end. Also, he has morals, values and most importantly; integrity. Something which many people are lacking these days. Not to mention, he's a real good husband to Joyce.....it was so touching to see how supportive of him when Joyce has to sacrifice her hair for the Fast Forward challenge. He's a good man with a good heart. He deserve the victory.

On the other hand? Rob has been a total prick. I must admit that he and Amber played the game well, and they have been extremely lucky. But what I can do without is that damn arrogance!!! Who the F*ck does he think he is? Throughout the whole race he was dissin' people off and steppin on people's shoes. This guy needs to attend Humility 101.

Anyway, I guess all's well, ends well. I'm really happy to see this time.....the nice guy finish first. Truly, an Amazing Race.

Java-fied? C.S.I-fied!!!!!!!!

Ever heard of the term java-fied? Well, its the term used when someone had too much coffee to drink. Well, I'm C.S.I-fied.

I managed to got hold of the latest C.S.I episodes and have been watching C.S.I nonstop for the past few weeks. You name it, I have been watching C.S.I: Miami, C.S.I, and even the new series, C.S.I: New York. On average, I have been wathing almost up to 4 episodes a day. I can't get enough of it!!! Episode after episode, I just wanna go on and on!!

Oh...for the uninitated, if you haven't heard of C.S.I before....go shoot yourself. C.S.I is short for Crime Scene Investigation. Its about these kick-ass forensic experts that solve crimes with their heads and uses science in an ultra cool fashion.....rather than go guns blazing, whack everyone in sight and ask questions later. These guys put doctors and GPs to shame. They can use any tool imaginable to solve a crime. From a speck of dust, to a wad of spit...they can solve the crime in seconds.

One thing I love about these shows is that....you learn something. It teaches you to think logically and cross-reference facts to solve puzzles and mysteries. And also, its educational to a level that its scary! At the end of each episode, you would go...."OhhHHhHHhhhh,....I didnt know that!"

After so many hours of C.S.I.....my head is now full of forensic jargon. After so many episode, I know exactly what they are talking about...things like, sub-dermal hemathoma, cranial hemmorhage, high velocity blood splatter, APHIS, CODIS, ballistics analysis, modus operandi, and many many more. Heeee....did I mention I'm mad about this show?

Sigh....at the end....I would also go like...."when i go up...i wanna be just like that" =)

But seriously...these guys put coolness into geeks and nerds all around the world! Who knew that cinematically a guy looking into a microscope would look so stylish. Still, I guess C.S.I has been really keeping me up all night for the past few weeks.

Can't seem to get enough of it. Have to make sure I watch 1 episode before I go to sleep. Hmmmm...come to think of it....I think I'll go watch it now!!!!!!!

Post-morten injuries, lacerations and blunt force trauma...here I come!!!!!!!

Happy Mother's Day

It's that time of the year again. And being so far away from home, I'm felt kinda guilty not being able to celebrate this special day with me mum.

Honestly, I consider myself to be the luckiest guy on Earth to have a mother like that. She has sacrificed a lot for the family and I guess she has guided me and taught me to be the person I am today. As a son, the last thing I would ever want to do is to dissapoint her. I do not even know am I able to ever pay her back for all she has done for me.

But for today, I just wanna tell her....Happy Mother's Day. =)

*smiles* had another good night sleep last night. Working the afternoon shift really have it perks. I can sleep late and wake up late feeling refresh! Haha....even though I might not have a social life, but I guess afternoon shifts gives me more time for myself. So, I guess its all about striking a balance between morning shifts and afternoon shifts. In some ways, this is one of the advantages of working by staggered shifts.

Was playing my new Xbox game last night.....Jade Empire. Must say its really really good! It was from the makers of Star Wars: Knights of the old Republic - Bioware. I could really relate to it as the story line lies to something close to heart...chinese mythology. I was so immersed in the game last night I ended sleeping around 3am! One thing that I find kinda hilarious is that the names of the characters in the game is really cliched. I don't know why, but these western game developers always think that Chinese people must have a "title" to their name. The was....Furious Ming, Dawn Star, Sagacious Zu, Sun Li the Great Strategist.......funny right? Still, the game entertained me alot; especially with its though-provoking story line. It kinda surprised me as there were many twist and turns to the plot, somewhat of a Chinese serial drama! Anyway, I guess this game will keep me company until I get my hands on my new PC and the PS2 Slim......

Yes! You heard it right ladies and gentlemen! I'm getting a PS2 as well!!! Wahahahahaha....been thinking about it for quite sometime now and really excited to get one.

Oh, one thing I just remembered.....was working OT yesterday morning and I had this really......surreal call. A prepaid card customer called in. She wanted to check the balance on her card. And after advicing the card balance she had....

Me: Is there anything else I can do for you?
Customer: *giggles* well, not really...but can I know how old are you?
Me: *stunned* errr....well...
Customer: You have a very sweet voice. You sound really nice on the phone.
Me: Oh...thank you. Err...I'm 24 actually.
Customer: I see, you sound very sweet and boyish.
Me: (not knowing what to say or how to react) Thank you....... I appreciate it.
Customer: Welcome. Anyway, nice chatting with you. Bye!

Trust me.....I was left staring at the PC for a while. But after I recovered....I started laughing to myself. It a really funny moment as for the first time working in this line, a customer actually said anything of the sort to me. As a CSO, I guess we come across all kinds of people. The good, the bad and the weird.

Still, then again....for the call from that customer? It was really a pleasant surprise.

People....sigh

This is bad.

I haven't been updating my blog as religiously as I want to. Been seriously busy past few weeks and I can even see that the quality of my writing has deteriorated.

I was kinda happy that finally I was schduled to be working in the afternoon shift this week. I noticed whenever I worked in the afternoons, I tend to have more time to myself. Whenever I worked in the morning, I tend to sleep late and wake up early. However, as unfortunate as I can get, I was scheduled for a day of traning...and I had 2 days of morning shift. Shit.

Still, finally I manage to get some sleep last night and feeling abit more refreshed today. Kinda dreading to go to work. Used to be enthusiastic about it in the past....but I guess, the fire has died down. And not to mention, its not a motivating factor when you get wind that someone you know is resigning soon. It gets....dissapointing.

I find myself in the same dillemma months ago when another colleague resigned. When they break the news about resigning, they just seemed to happy and cheerful. On one hand, you are happy for them and wish them all the best. On another, you really feel sad and don't want them to leave. In the end, I usually find myself dumbstruck and don't know how to react to it. I never seem to find the right words and most of the time I either just keep quiet, smile....or I just go on repeating..."oh, thats good. happy for you. all the best".

Sigh, what can I do right? As poetic as it may sound.....Parting is such sweet sorrow.

On another note, work has been hell. I have a few troublesome cases that really keeps me up at nights. The other day I only answered 60+ calls in a day! On average, I would hit around 100+. It was really frustrating as I was chasing to hit my quota and target, while all these really idiotic customers keep on calling in. One thing I would like to highlight is that.....I can handle rude customers, I can handle arrogant customers, and I can even handle the screaming and shouting morons....but I can't handle plain STUPIDITY. I mean, I can't believe anyone can be that stupid and it just occurs to me that these people have totally no grey matter in their cranium.

Sometimes I feel like telling this customers....I can help you. I can help you if you can't calculate, I can help you if you can't read, I can't help you if you can't understand your bill. But I can't help you if you're just simply stupid. It gets really frustrating when you spend 30 minutes just to explain the dialling sequence of making an international call.

Then of course, there is this lady. This is one of the toughest customers I have came across. Why? Because she is simply too stubborn and too arrogant to accept any alternatives that I can provide. To put it bluntly...she was a BITCH. Cutting the long story short....she wants me to do the impossible for her own mistake. On my side, I have already bent the rules as far as I can go and I have also went over my head to assist her. But she simply just wasn't satisfied and wanted things her own way. I was on the line with her for more than an hour. And there was a point in the conversation I told her, "Ma'am, about your dispute, when you did not hear from us, why didn't you call in to enquire on it?". All she said was, "No news, is good news." I was like..........*&%$@%*!!!!! I took a deep breath.....and I just said to her... "Ma'am, by saying that; you're just trying to be difficult."

Some people just don't get it do they? I mean, its not like we as CSOs wanna make you're life difficult. We're not some sadist that enjoy getting scolded at or listening to customers rant. If we can do it, we would already have done it. No need to escalate it to a dispute. Plain logic. If we can give you what you want, we're happy, you're happy.

I was reading this article previously and it explains why humans are complicated and difficult to handle.

1. People think they are smarter than they really are.
2. People are intelligent, but not very honest.
3. Prone to trial and errors, but never admit to error.
4. People in general are helpful, but knowingly messed things up.
5. People are lazy, they try to invent shortcuts innocently.

In short, people are screwed up.

What makes us smile

Smile. A sincere, honest smile.

To smile is one of the most sacred and simple things in life that people take for granted.

Long have people asked my why do I used to love my ex they way I did. For almost 1 year after our seperation, I still loved her. My feelings for her are still as strong as the very first day I fell in love with her. It never wavered.

Yet, I could not find the answer to the question, "Why do I love her so much?". However, as time passed me by; as I started learning to let go, and carry on with life. I think I know the answer now......its the way she made me smile.

Have anyone ever touched you or made you feel like that? Sometimes, when the world all around you could be falling apart, but just knowing that one special person loves you, its more than enough. And just being who they are....makes you smile. The thought of her, the sight of her....will suffice. She did not need to do anything special or utter any sweet words to me... just being herself made me smile.

In many ways, what I want to say is that; we love the people we love because of how they make us smile. They make us feel good deep down inside and we let our guard down just for them. The feeling of being in the person's arms.....or just strolling around holding hands.....would set your mind at ease. The part I love about my ex the most was; whenever I were to give her a surprise, the look of joy in her face is simply precious. Up till this day, just thinking of how excited and cute she gets whenever I suprise her...brings a smile to my face.

Still, in regards to my ex....I can only bring myself to love her this much. It was really a wonderful time in my life to have been with her. And I am grateful to have atleast once experience such a wonderful feeling. I was deliriously in love......so I thought. In the end, she brought out the best in me, and also brought out the worst in me. She built a wonderful world around me.....only to bring it down.

Sigh....but thats not what I want to talk about today. What I am trying to put across is.....the weightless feeling of being in love. Deliriously in love. Sometimes when I see how much in love certain people are, I envy them. Just the look in their eyes tells how much in love they are. They always seem so cheerful, happy and there is always this bright aura surrounding them. And they can never seem to get enough of each other. They always want to be by the side of their loved ones.

To me, I feel that these people are so lucky. Personally, I don't want to get or find a girlfriend for the sake of having one. How I wish, I can also be as lucky and fall deliriously with love.

For now, I guess I only have to wait, and maybe one day I have something to smile about.

Balls, Balls, Balls

(clears throat) *ahem*

Now kids....what did we learn from what that happened in the past few days? There's a limit to how much of sleep you can do without. TRUST ME.

I just woke up. And its 11.30pm on a Saturday night. And what does that tell you? No, I'm not getting ready to go out. I just had a seriously stressful day and I have to work tomorrow morning. I have a SAD SAD life......AND......I have to start writing my articles for the company newsletter. Its due tomorrow.

For the past few days, I haven't been sleeping too well. Ever since I started back on the morning shift, my body haven't adapted at all; and every night I find myself sleeping around 3am and waking around 6am the next day for work. And to make things worse, I have been working OT non-stop and working around the clock.

I guess the prob started when I "joined" the pool competition. Everyday I would stay back in office and practice around 2 to 3 hours. Then, finally, when it came to the tournament night yesterday, all hell broke lose.

Already striken with sleep depravation, it was my rest day yesterday, but I was in office working OT at 8am (I slept at 4am the night before). So, I was planning that I can quickly breeze through the OT and get home ASAP and get some shut eye before the pool competition. BUT, as things didn't go as planned, Marcel and I decided to go catch a movie after work. We saw xXx 2. Must say that the first movie was wAAAaaAAaaaaAaaaay better. This one seems kinda.....fake.

Anyway, after the movie we didn't know what to do. Ultimately, we decided to go straight to the pub where the pool competition was held. We started to practice our game....from 4pm....straight until 7pm - thats when the competition started!!! Then from there on it was downhill....from the time we started practice at 4pm...we played all the way until 11pm!!! 7 hours of pool!!! You can be sure I was striken with tunnel vision and all I can see was balls!!!

The game was alright. Marcel eventually won the mixed double category. And as for me, I lost no doubt....but I wasn't slaughtered! I was really pleased with myself. For a person who started to learn the game 4 days ago....I manage to win a few games before I lost the match. Will be posting up some pics soon.....damn myself cos I forgot to bring my digicam.

After the competition, later a few colleagues and I went for a late supper at a mamak stall. Again, being sporting at all....the Director of CS was also there. There are very few managers his level would even consider sitting at the same table eating with a bunch of low level officers. But here he is....THE MAN, the biggest of the big...sitting with us...eating prata with his hands. My hats off. I seriously RESPECT this man.

Still, even after supper, the night wasn't over. A few colleagues had a bright idea of playing bowling...and it was almost 1am!!!! Due to persuasion from a few certain people....I agreed for a few games. Seems to me like the entireday was all about BALLS. From playing small and shiny balls....we went on to playing huge and heavy balls. And I'm talking about pool and bowling ok!?!!?!? There isn't any other type of balls to play with!!!!

At the end, I got home around 4am again....and I woke up at 6am and took a cab to work. And finally, that will bring us back to today. Talk about a long day huh?

What can I say? Eventhough at the end, I really had a lot of fun, but it came to a sacrifice of sleep. Well, atleast I know I'm living my life to the fullest. I always tell this to my friends...... We can always sleep anytime, when we die, we can sleep all we want. But the time we spent with our loved ones and friends are limited...we have to cherish them and make the best out of it.

Looks like I stand corrected. Even so, we want to make the best out of our time.....all things must be done in moderation.

So the morale of the story? We have to practice moderation even when playing with balls.

Training Day

Its training day boys and girls. And its a whole lotta fun! And no, I'm not Ethan Hawke and I didn't go on a car ride with Denzel Washington (one of da coolest man on earth!!!!!)

Yesterday, work went by at a flash. Had to attend some training, so for atleast 1 day I was spared from answering calls. Still, life have been so hectic lately, training actually gave me the opportunity to take some rest, lay back and listen to the trainers. Though, sometimes when they switch off the lights for the slide show...let's just say I close my eyes and switch off my mind too. But hey...don't get me wrong...the training was not boring at all, we really had some great trainers, its just lethargy I guess. These days, no matter how much sleep I get, it never seems to be enough.

But who could blame me? Its my off day today and I still have to go back to office today for the second day of training!! Arrggg!!!! Anyway, atleast they compensate me by paying me OT. And if its anything that will boost my income level? I'm game for it....kachiiiiiiiiig!!! $$$$$ God knows I need the money for my new PC.

Moving on, something even more interesting happened after training yesterday. As usual, Marcel and I decided to play a few rounds of pool after work. I needed the practice and I must say....I'm getting the hang of it. It has been my 3rd day learning how to play the game...and there's slight improvement. Still, atleast I'm starting to enjoy myself. What happened next.....I would never have ever imagine happen in my lifetime.

The Director of CS stepped into the pool room....and decided to join us for a game! I was like....huh?!?!?!!? I mean, you never see this guy around at all....he is one of the biggest fish in the company. The only few times I ever interacted with him was when the bowling team went out for supper and he treated us for it. And now, he just casually join us for a game.

Anyhoo.....it was actually kinda fun and he's a great guy to hang out with. Initially being an amateur (oh yeah, BTW, he is actually a good pool player...he has his own pool stick and all), I was reluctant to shoot some pool with him...so I let Marcel play with him, since Marcel is a seasoned player.

After a few rounds, then suddenly the dude asked me for a game. Dumbstruck.....I didn't know what to do, and I didn't want to offend him...I agreed. However, I did tell him I was still learning and I was definately going to be slaughtered. To my surprise? He was fine with it and he ended up teaching me a few moves!! Is this a great guy or what???

Haha....well, it has been and interesting day huh? After pool training, me and Marcel manage to even catch a movie...Sahara. Its a pretty ok show...not too great, not too bad. It has its hilarious moments.

Well, I better make a move now....gotta rush to work and don't wanna take cab again today. Need to save some $$$!!!

Troubled Times

Life as I know it is coming to an end. The sun's not shining so brightly, food doesn't seem to taste good, time slows down to a crawl..... My precious wife is ill.

Every night I come home from work, I try to turn her on with my moves, but all she seem to do is sit there with slow response. I spend hours trying to stroke her with my fingers softly but to no avail. All she does is take her own sweet time and gives me.......error messages. Sigh.....my laptop is down.

After 4 faithful years, my wife finally starts to show signs of old age and I suspect her hard-drive's gonna crash soon. It takes me so long just to boot it up that it gets friggin frustrating just to load up Windows!!!!

Ultimately, this will bring me to my dillemma. Time to get a new system. Initially I wanted to get a new laptop. But one thing is that, I'm have a urge for something more powerful! I still love the sleek sexy exterior of a laptop, but what I need now is absolute raw data-crunching power! So, looks like I'm gonna blow my wad on a desktop.

Been looking through the online price list at hardwarezone.com and will be assembling my own desktop pretty soon. Still, one thing worries me is that its gonna be a problem when I go back to Penang. Too much to carry and too much hassle compared to a laptop. But what the heck!!! I'm tired of slow and clumsy systems.....I wanna get a killer PC that will run like the wind and gives me fast and furious processing power!!! When I'm through, my PC's gonna make my old laptop look like a calculator!!! WahHHAhHhHahAHhahAHHHAhahaHAh..(errr...no hard feelings darling...she has after all served me for so many years)

=) the thought of it turns me on.....*slurp*

Oh well, but for now....time to get to work and more pool practice after that. All my PC woes will need to be put on hold.

Pool Impaired

*yawns* Been sleeping non-stop for the past few days...and I'm still feeling exhausted.

I literally slept through my Sunday waking up around 3pm. After that, got up to get some grub....and then, went back to sleep. Further, work on Monday didn't help at all too. Sheesh....need some serious R&R.

Still, time flew by on Monday. Was stuck on so many cases and at the same time, I was logged out for about an hour to jack on a call of another fellow officer. So I guess, for me it was a brief break while I did some QC work. Its kinda fun actually. I had to jack on other officer's calls from time to time to ensure the officers sounded "professional". I mean, in terms of data, information and procedures, most of the officers in my office knows what they're doing. But I guess after a while in this job, certain officers tend to take short-cuts....they become lazy and complacent. When this happens, the quality and the professionalism of the call deteriorates. And further, some officers are just plan rude.

But the best part of the day is actually what happens later. Apparently, when I signed up to be the Vice Captain of my Rec-Comm house, I didn't know what I was getting into. Initially, as I was reluctant to take on the role of Vice Captain, I was in-charge of rallying officers to take part in various competitions. Seeing I was really into bowling, I took part in it instantly. But now.......comes the pool competition. Seems like nobody was interested!!!

Ultimately, guess who was "selected" to join the pool competition? ME. And boy am I pissed about this. I mean, just because I'm the Vice Captain of the house; now I have to be the sacrificial lamb to the slaughter. I seriously can't play pool! Let's just put it this way, if all the pool players in my company came together in a village....I'd be the village idiot. I'm born naturally bad and impaired to the cue stick and ball. I have no co-ordination at all.

Sigh....so, at the end, I have to stay back in office everyday to learn how to play pool. And its gonna be a really tight crash course seeing that the pool competition is only 4 days away. Talk about pressure.

One thing for sure, I think its gonna be damn humiliating. All I'm hoping for is that atleast I can shoot a straight ball.

Disclaimer: This is not a Visit Singapore Tour campaign

I'm back! After a brief hiatus, yours truly is back for more bloggin!

The past few days has been seriously hectic. Just finished a poker session with my managers and my god-sis Mellisa and her friends came down to Singapore for a short visit a few days ago; and I had the role of local tour-guide. Though a few of her friends are already pretty familiar with Singapore as they travel here often.

On day-1, I meet up with them at the Chinatown MRT station and I was introduced to Chee Mun, Pei-Jet, Yee Leng and Wai Ling. They're a seriously fun bunch of people that I got to know and it was really a blast hanging out with them.

After settling down their luggage at my place, we then took a quick dinner at Marche in Suntec City. Then, after that....the holiday begins!!! And the first item on the agenda, The Night Safari!!!

So far being the best and my favourite tourist attraction in Singapore, I didn't hessitate twice on taking them there. It was my 4th time there and I still think its a really great place. The animals, the shows and the feel of nature all around me still gets my adrenaline pumping everytime. Every visit is a different experiece....*ahem*, not trying to promote the place!

Then later on day-2, we woke up kinda late after a late night of poker. We went on to Cafe Cartel for a hefty meal and then we went on to....Sentosa, a.k.a Sien-tosa. Still, in the end I really enjoyed myself and was pleasantly surprised by Sentosa's Musical Fountain. It was one of THE best displays of pyrotechnics, hydrotechnics and laser lighting I have ever seen. Truly a sight to remember.

Later that night, we then headed on to Newton for some supper. Haven't been there for quite a while and I still enjoy the seafood there. I know....its kinda expensive over there, but if you know what to order.....lets just say you get to avoid the chopping board.

On day-3, while I had to go to work, Mellisa and her friends visited to Science Center. While they were enjoying themselves at the wonders of science and astrology, I was stone-ing away in office. I was practically brain-dead from sleep deprivation. However, sometimes the funny thing is....the moment you hit out that punch card, suddenly you feel the surge of energy back into your system!!! Apparently work, sucks the life out of you....trust me. It does.

Moving on, being their final night in Singapore, I took Mellisa and Pei-Jet out for dinner at one of my favourite restaurants.....Crystal Jade La Mien Xioa Long Pau!!!! I really like the place alot. I find that the quality of the food is superb and the price is reasonable.

And at last, we reach the final leg of our race (smirks). When in Singapore, the one place that you can never miss, is the Esplanade and the Merlion.

In the end, it was really a great time to have spent the past few days with such a nice group of friends. We spent the rest of the night last evening chatting and watching some TV at my place. The next morning, before I left for work, I took sometime to chat with my god-sis and wish her all the best after her holiday....I guess, she's been thru alot.

Now, if you can excuse me, I think I can go collapse on my bed now. Seriously tired....can't feel my hands........

Insider's Report

Well, its official folks. The government has gave the greenlight to establish a casino here in Singapore after almost 1 year of deliberation. For the past few weeks, there was really a big hoo-haa amongts local Singaporeans whether or not it is a good idea to have a casino in Singapore. There were debates a plenty regarding moral standards and economical impact of having the casino. But in the end, it was decided yesterday in Parliament to go ahead with the casino project.

Eventhough the decision came after hours of serious comtemplating among the Member of Parliaments (MPs) and the politicians, thankfully I knew an insider who exactly what happened and how they came to the decision. Below are the excerps from what transpired yesterday afternoon between 2 MPs behind closed doors.....

MP1: Eh, the ka-shi-no issue an cua ho?
MP2: Absolutely not! Having the casino will only result in social and moral decay!
MP1: Aiya....mai thu liau.....we got no more time....people want this issue solve fast fast.
MP2: Buts its perposterous! Just think of the social impact. Gambling has always been a bane to society and we should not encourage our younger generation to indulge in gambling! (tucks his wallet into his pants with a 4D ticket sticking out)
MP1: Don't kau peh, kau bu la....You keep on think of the negative nia....You got think of the positive meh?
MP2: Positives? Rubbish! No such thing as anything good coming out of having a casino.
MP1: Hai.....kambling cannot control wan...You see, every day also people buy 4D. And how many kena? We government earn also wat....
MP2: But...but...
MP1: Then you think la... if many many people go ka-shi-no, Singapore can get money and also attract tourist right???? Hai...kong ka liau....we win wan. Some more, now Singapore difficult find job. This ka-shi-no can train people pun pai....maths can also improve wan....You got play chor ti or not? I count until siau you know? But in the end, we gerenti Huat ah!
MP2: True....it does have its benefits, besides its idiosyncrasies.
MP1: Hamik eng si?!??!!?!? Walau! Your mouth si beh suay! But heck care la....how?
MP2: Erm.....well, in a way....what I'm trying to say....ummm...ok la, ok la....On! On!
MP1: Steaaaaaaady!!!!

So, there you have it. An insider's report and the rest is history. Personally, I have no idea what may come about having this casino in Singapore, only time will tell. Still, its good to see the government taking a risk once in a while and invest in pop culture. The whole idea of high society with perfect morals and values are getting kinda stale. Everyday, you can see in the papers sensationalizing drama, classical music, arts and culture; which is fine by me. But seriously, after a while? What the?!?!! Enough is enough!!! How much of this I have to take!?!?! Bring on the money!!!!!! Bring on the sleaze!!! Bring on the fun stuff!!!!!! Wahahhaa....bring on the best things in life.....its fun doing bad stuff.

Anyway, I better get going. Its getting late and I wanna go clean up abit before my god-sis arrives tomorrow. =)

Oh ya? I didn't mention? My god-sis and her friends are visitng me from KL tomorrow!

Big Brother I.R.A.S

Enough of procrastination. I have finally filled my income tax with Big Brother IRAS. I know, i know, I'm late. But trust me, half the time, I didn't know what I was doing at all. Erm....make that, all the time. Had really no clue or any idea how to navigate around IRAS's e-filing website and all I can do is pray hard that amongst all the random clicking, I did it correctly. For my first year filling my income tax returns, you can literally see all the question marks popping around my head.

God please show me the light!!!!

Oh well. Whats done is done. Anyway, went to catch a movie today. Was pretty spontaneous actually. Marcel and I got off work around the same time, and we thought we would just go have a quick dinner before we went home. But as we got to Jurong Entertainment Center, we realized that we were just in time for a viewing of The House of Fury. And to be honest? I enjoyed the show!!! I know alot of people will think that this movie is really some B-Grade movie, and in some way, its true. Still, for me, I think the whole idea about watching movies is to enjoy yourself. The movie doesn't have to be deep or realistic, it just have to be fun! I just luuuurve popcorn movies.

I have to admit, the whole concept of the show is pretty corny, but the choreographics was really impressive and the dialogue was really well written. And of course, can't complain about the purty purty actors and actresses.

Especially Gillian Chung!!!! PheeeEEEeeEEw-WeEEEeeEt!!!!

Sigh =)

Errr....okay, concentrate. Back to my blog.

Been checking on my weblog traffic lately and I'm really surprised by it! Never would I have thought that anyone would take the time to read the crap I write, but I even have readers leaving comments! Geee....I would really like to thank all my friends who have supported this blog site of mine (hmmmmm, why suddenly I am getting this really lame feeling like I'm giving an Oscar winning acceptance speech?). Hehe...anyway people, keep the comments coming!!! Really appreciate them!

And oh yeah....to Jan. To answer your question about my preference in music genres? Well, I love almost all genres of music I guess. But of course, all things must be taken in moderation. And a large part of it also depends on my mood. I really love listening to music that I can associate with...and reflects the way I am feeling.

Don't you ever feel that sometimes when you're listening to this one particular song...it describes so perfectly the way you feel??? It has so much depth and feeling to it, its like the song, music and lyrics is expressing your emotions.

And I think, the flavour for tonight is.....the smooth soothing sounds of R&B. Feel good music....Johnny Gill - My My My

Mediocrity

Life is a chance. Life is a risk. Life is a gamble. And the stakes are getting higher as you're getting older.

I always believe that our youth is our most precious commodity. Why? Cos, if you think seriously about it, this is the time in our life that we really have nothing to lose. And if we lose, we still have time to gain back what we have lost. Time is on our side.

And that is also why, I always tell my friends, "While we're still young, take all the risk."

Was chatting with a friend the other day, and we're contemplating on starting our own business. I guess, when you have something that you can call your own, it really means something to you. A sign of success; or an achievement you may call it. But at the end, you're your own boss and make or break, you only have yourself to answer for it. While we're still in our prime, we have no obligations, no wife, no kids...this is the perfect time. And hey...if we lose and fall, we just have to pick ourselves up and try again. No harm done. And in the process, we learn something.

Think about it, can we afford to take the risk when we have house mortgages to pay, tuition fees for our kids, bills and installment payments? Definately, that would be a resounding no.

Now, you would also ask, why take the risk. Ask yourself, why not?

We can always play it safe and lead a mediocre life. Then again, what's the fun in that? We are put here in this world to do something. To achieve something. Day in and day out, people go about their lives. But do we want to be like everyone else? By all means, make the best of it. Take life head on...and take all the risk....while we can afford it. Be someone. Be known. Be remembered.

Do or die, nobody knows. All I know is that, we will never make it big if we stay complacent. And the older we get, the more complacent we become.

Deep inside of me, I have the strive to do something about my life. I want to come to a point, where I can proudly say....this is where I want to be and I am contented. Everytime, when I head back to Penang, my friends always tell me, "Seems like you're doing well for yourself. Bet you must be happy." But honestly? I'm not. Eventhough I am financially comfortable with where I am; still, this is not the level that I want to be at. Hence, in many ways, sometimes I tell myself that I'm not happy because human nature is like that, when we're comfortable, the drive, the fire and the determination wears down. We have to constantly fuel our hunger for success and self-fulfillment.

We only have one life, one youth, one chance. Our lives should never be mediocre. It should be unforgettable.

Therapy

Ever so often, some people ask me....why do I blog?

In many ways, having a blog allows people to have a sneak peek of your inner psyche.....and in a blog, you voice out your deepest feelings, moods, opinions and beliefs. And at the end of the day, people might think differently of you, or even sometimes you end up offending someone unintentionally. So, why do it?

Due to popular believe, there are 2 definitions of a blog.

The first; a personal Web site that provides updated headlines and news articles of other sites that are of interest to the user, also may include journal entries, commentaries and recommendations compiled by the user.

The second; an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page; also called Weblog.

I prefer the second definition. The keyword? Thoughts.

No doubt that a blog serves like an online diary, a journal of somewhat, that records our everyday life. A testament to our existence. But however, it is also more than that. For me, it also records my thoughts, beliefs and how I feel about things. Not just what I did today or what I did yesterday.

And the best part, I think its a form of therapy for me. Over time and tide, I always have alot of things going through my head. I have so many issues, ideas and thoughts that keeps on churning in my mind that its diffifucult for me to focus on anything.

But with a blog....when I start to pen down each and everyone of my thoughts and ideas, it all starts to make sense. My mind starts to organise itself and then I slowly work out each issue and thought chronologically. And at the end, I understand myself better. I can work on my on feelings and emotions. I am able to focus and identify what that is bothering me if I'm sad, or I can formulate solutions to problems I am facing.

Like I said, its therapy.

Anyway, been delaying posting the 2 pics below. Had a little re-union last Saturday....woah...has it been a week!!??!!?!? Sheesh!! I can't believe it!!!!

Ok...back to the point. Met up with my favourite pals Rena and Carmen last week over dinner at CafeCartel. Been a while since I saw them and I really missed them alot. Work hasn't been the same since they resigned. But I guess they're headed for greener pasteurs. Still, for those few brief hours, we manage to catch up on each other's lives and the good ol' times. Being around the same old gang is always a great thing. Never a dull moment.



Sigh =) Looks like a bunch of really nice people huh?

Wait a minute, oh, gee.....Saturday night, I just remembered. Its laundry night.....again.

The Joke

2 unemployed Punjabis in UK saw a poster at a police station: "2 White Men WANTED for RAPE". One Punjabi says to the other, "Bloody whites always get the best jobs!!!"

This is the joke that really made my day.

Today kinda started out seriously bad. Alot of complain calls and mentally-challenged customers as usual. And of course, the network failure in the morning and the cutover of the new system didn't help at all. Had so many complain calls that I lost track of time. When a long winded fool calls in, I just refuse to listen and just put him on mute. 10 mins later when I un-mute him....he's still blabberin away. This guy should have been a CSO. I was about to offer him my job.

And then there was this Auntie. She called in....

Auntie: Oh yes, I need your help.
Me: Yes, ma'am. How may I assist you.
Auntie: Well, I haven't paid my bills yet. When can you reconnect my line?
Me: (akward silence)........ When you pay your bills.

CRAP RIGHT??!!?!? Maybe I should offer my job too! What goes on in the heads of these people??!?!!? Sigh....Ladies and gentlemen, this is the kind of nonsense we get on a daily basis. Like Don always say....a daily dose of shit.

But I guess later the day took a turn for the better. Had this little girl on the line who called in. My God, she was so adorable. I'm guessing she should be around 3 to 4 years old. She kept on saying, "DaddeEEeEeee" this, "DaddEeEeee" that...and she sounded so unsure and uncertain. Really, really cute. I kept on asking her, "Where is your daddy? Go and call your daddy." Then later on, her dad took over the call and apologised as his daughter was playing with the phone. It was really something that warmed my heart. =) I wish next time I had a kid like that.

Anyway, I did see something that caught my eye. Being a Star Wars fan, I found this ad to be really hilarious. Its the new M&M ad campaign and it really tickled my fancy.

And to my surpise.....I saw this in today's Newpaper. Geeeee...I wonder if they're talking about the same person. But I remember she betted $800 on a match night... $200.
Hmmmmmmmmmm......

6th Sense - The heart

"An angel's smile is what you sell. You promise me heaven, you put me through hell."

~Bon Jovi~

Bon Jovi is a genius. There's more truth to that phrase than we'll ever know. And I found out the hard way.

Was browsing through some of my old pics with my ex. And until today, looking at her; I can't help to feel a certain softspot for her in my heart. But then again, I also can't believe a girl like that is also capable of doing the things she have done. Again, I shall not go into that.

Still, I guess this teaches us the valuable lesson; and true to the cliched tag line, "never judge a book by its cover"......or, "beauty lies in the eye of the beholder." My ex was the epitome for these two phrases.

Its really unbelievable. She is indeed a really beautiful gal. And I must admit any guy would fall to his knees with the sight of her angelic smile. No boubt about it. But when I found out what lies beneath all that exterior, I couldn't not believe even an ounce of it. I could not believe a person's looks could be so different from their personality.....One could not stop to wonder, how is this ever possible; a person who looks like that is incapable of doing those things. Its simply ridiculous.

However, in the end, I guess one could not run away from the truth. I am constantly reminded of the things she has done....things I can never forget. And to think I even thought there was a time she has changed. Little did I know how foolish I was to have thought of this. That's why, I guess it makes things better if I just close my eyes and see her through my heart but not my eyes. That way, it won't be inconceivable to accept the fact that she is......perfect outside, "different" inside.

Even so, to a certain extent, I do not blame her for being the person that she is. There was even a point in my life, I accepted all that and I loved her for her. In the heart of it, people's personality are molded by their past personal experiences, peers, and influence from all around. My ex had a tough past...though that's what she told me so. Consequently, in a way thats why she has become the person she is.....to a certain extent.

You see, the human conciousness is very powerful. Most of the time I feel humans in general knows exactly what they are doing. When come across a dillema, we always have a choice. And my ex either chose poorly, or she is just simply committed her wrong doings because...she conciously wanted to. Make sense?

Anyway, I guess the lesson for the day is.....the world would be a better place if we can see others with our heart, but not what our eyes tell us. Sadly, not many people can do this. Humans are very superficial beings. Nobody can deny that. Our eyes only want to see the sight beautiful things.

Sigh.....think its time for me to get lunch and then get ready for OT later.

Bad hair day

I hate bad hair days. No matter how you comb your hair, it never gets into shape and the way you want it to be. Unfortunately, its not a dress-down day, or else I'll be covering my stupid hair with a cap.

Despite that, today actually proved to be quite an interesting day. The calls we had at work today was fast and furious. Within the first half of the day, I already attended to more than 60 calls. Imagine that. And at the end of the day, I chalked up an all time high of 150 over calls. Madness!!! Can't ever imagine why so many morons decided to call in on the same day. Sigh....with my job, you'll start to realize how many morons are there in Singapore. Take my word for it, the numbers will baffle you.

Still, with the amount of calls pouring in, the day went on pretty fast. I was seated next to a really nice colleage which made the day a lil' bit more bearable. And I felt so comfortable with the pace of the calls; for the first time in my working career, I "volunteered" for OT after shift. So, all in all, I worked a total of 11 hours straight today. Serving and talking to Singapore's best morons and idiots. Bring it on....

Moving on, I was then approached by another officer to join the editorial committee for the department's monthly newsletter. Initially I was pretty reluctant and hesitant.

You see, when it comes to writing, I only like to write stuff that interest me. I don't really have the spark to write articles that I have no interest at all. Normally I find myself with writer's block and I would end up writing crap. Literally CRAP.

But oh well, at the end; I agreed to it. I guess I'm game for anything so long as it takes me away from my day to day work, engaging the limits of the intellect and mentality of Singapore's "finest".

In a nut shell, it was a pretty good day. Now lets just hope.....my hair straightens out tomorrow.

PHS (Post Holiday Syndrome)

Ok......I admit. I have a problem.

I'm suffering from PHS. Most of the time I daze about Hong Kong; I cant get it out of my head and I dread going to work.

And all I can think of....HK's FOOD!!!!! Wahahhaahahah....I love it, i love it, the glorious food!!! I love Hong Kong!!! =)

Anyway, I am on MC today. Must be feeling "lethargic" from all the travelling and walking around. Couldnt really get myself out of bed and stomach's been acting up too. The doctor said its indigestion...and its a sign of stress. Hmmmm...to me, I think its PHS. The worse kinda illness there is. Its true you know...when you come back from holiday, and when you have to work the next day and at the same time I'm thinking of all the same old shit I'm going back to. ShEeEeEeEeeEEEeeEEEt.....

When I was on the plane, and when it touched down at Changi, the Captain said, "Welcome to Singapore. Ladies and gentlemen, we hope you had a wonderful flight with JetStar Asia". In my head; all I can hear was, "Welcome back to Hell. Ladies and gentlemen, we hope you have a wonderul time and burn and slog over work till your next holiday". But still, I guess the flight wasn't all that bad. Saw a really cute stewardess!!! Sigh... =) her name was Amanda. And throughout the flight, I was thinking of ways to get to know her. But balless as I am....I ended up....doing nothing. Oh well, oh well. Still, could see she was really young. And she was one hell of a kapster. I was seated behind, and when she was at the galley at the back of the plane...she yakked non-stop!!! And the worst part...she was loud! Sheesh....

Moving on, I was reflecting on my Hong Kong holiday this afternoon...looking through the photos I had taken. And suddenly I feel so satisfied with myself.

You see, when I was a schooling kid; I always hear some of my lucky classmates going on holidays during the mid-year term break or the year-end term break. And when they come back from their holidays, they would talk about how wonderful their holidays was...in Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, or the States. All I ever did during my holidays was work part-time as a pirate at a DVD Shop.

But now, within 1 year alone, I manage to bring my parents to China and also went on tour to Hong Kong. All in the same year. And the best part, I paid for everything myself; nobody paid for me. I didn't relied on anyone and it all came from my own hardwork. In a way, I guess this is what they mean by tasting the sweet fruits of your labour.

The sense of satisfaction that I feel is truly a rewarding one. Indeed I have came a long way from my school days. And in a way, I am proud to be where I am today. Atleast for the current point in my life right now.

Satisfaction - Guaranteed

Well, I'm back people.

With all the anticipation, preparation and excitement....it was all worth it.

Ladies and gentlemen, hear me right. 3 DAYS IN HONG KONG ISN'T ENOUGH!!!! We really had a blast in Hong Kong and I enjoyed every single minute of it. I love the country and especially the FOOD~!!! And coming from a Penang guy who loves food...its a definate compliment. I literally spend most of my cash on food rather than shopping. Everything is simply delicious and mouth waterring. And you can take Marcel's word for it too. Apparently, that guy has some facination with Hong Kong's Portugese egg tarts that he'll literally kill you if you stand in the way between his egg tarts. This is a man with a mission. You can see the fury in his eyes. For all the 3 days, he was chow-ing down egg tarts like there's no tommorow. And of course, he couldn't leave before buying some home. HEhehee...but its really no joke people....the food is excellent...and the egg tarts too.

And oh yeah...for all the guys out there, porn magazines are legal. Everywhere you go, every newstand you see....its all sold in broad day light. God bless liberalism....I can already hear the sweet sound of all the guys cheering...

Anyway, the trip started off from the airport to Siew Chi's place. We hopped on a bus and we crossed the famous Tsing Ma bridge on the way to Siew Chi's.

Once there, then the adventure begins.

It was a real whirlwind tour around Hong Kong. We went to Mid-Level Soho....a hilly shopping and dining district which really wow-ed us. The Hong Kong governent literally built an entire escalator ascending the hill!!! It the bloody damn longest escalator I have been on!!!

Then after that, we manage to visit The Peak where I have only one thing to say....Miki-chan!!!!!! Hahahah...we manage to bump into a group of Japanese tourist, and there was this Jap gal which is simply adorable!!! She has such a cute demeanor that you can't seem but to have a soft spot for her. Thankfully, Marcel manage to take a pic of her. Sigh.... :) the best pic of the tour.

Then moving on, we then took the Star Ferry and manage to get a fantabulous night view of Hong Kong island and Victoria Habour. It was seriously a sight to remember. Then, we made our way along the Walk of the Stars, which is something similar to Hollywood's Walk of Fame.

Finally, we then rested ourselves for the day after visiting Tsim Sha Tsui briefly.

On day 2, we manage to cover alot of areas....and manage to also do some shopping. We went to Mongkok (definately my favourite shopping area), Tsim Sha Tsui again, Sham Shui Po and Wong Tai Sin (where I got my fortune told....err...or rather, my fortune "tweaked")

And finally on day 3, we slowed down our pace and and went to re-visit the few shopping areas that we rushed thru the day before. Did some last minute shopping, visited the popular Goldfish Market, Flower Market and Ladies Market....and then finally, back to Tseun Wan -Siew Chi's place.

This pic was taken just hours before we left for the airport. (Thanks Siew Chi and Kiat for being such wonderful hostess and being so accomodating!!! We really enjoyed ourselves and we really appreciate it)

All in all, Hong Kong is the perfect blend between Penang and Singapore. The place has a natural raw and grit to it...but at the same time have a feel of proper organisation within its chaotic state. Still, I wouldnt mind working in Hong Kong at all!!! Hehehe..

The place defintely stole my heart. Before the trip, I joked to my friends, with all the babes there, I wanna fall in love in Hong Kong.

But little did I know, I fell in love with Hong Kong.

Hong Kong. E.T.A 10 hours

Talk about a slow day!!!!

When especially you're travelling the next day, your heart is full of anticipation.

Work today was slow, crawling, lame, boring and irritating!!! Call after call after call, it gets more and more difficult to utter the words. "Welcome to.....How may I assist you?". Sheesh, feels like its a life and death situation at times.

But anyway, all that is behind me now. I'm finally off work and in a few more hours to go I'll have to check into Changi Airport. Alas, the day me and Marcel have been planning has a arrived. And at good timing too. We're about at the edge of our sanity when it comes to work...and when to comes to other "stuff"...we just wanna get OUT of the insanity!!

Anyway, Marcel is now at my place (dunno SMS-ing who; always so busy) and we're getting a cab together to the airport. From there on, we'll slack around the waiting area and hopefully we can scope out some stewardess!!! PhhEEEEEEeew-WeeEeEEEt!!! Coffee, tea...or me, baby!!!!

HAhahhAHhHAha...well, going on holiday is always a fun thing. The sense of adventure and excitement just keeps your heart pulsating non-stop.

Still, ever wonder why when you're going to Hong Kong, suddenly all the guys in office are suggeting we get them porno mags?!?!? Is Hong Kong that famous for their....errrr....literature??? And apparently every guy in office is an expert on Hong Kong red-light districts (Mongkok Road and all those "hot spots")....and the best thing? Some of them haven't even been to Hong Kong before!!! Talk about well-read. Good effort guys! Keep up the good work! And...errrr...thanks for all the info.

Oh well, I guess I better get some rest now. Still have some last minute packing to do.

Hong Kong! Here we come!!!!!

Moving On

What a day....

With all said and done, I've finally come to the end of a long and winding chapter of my life. And I am.....glad.

Today, I've done something I might be punished when I am judge before the gates of Heaven. But still, I feel no remorse and no regret. Indeed, maybe one day I will look back on all this and just simply laugh at it. And maybe, it wasn't such a big deal after all.

But for the first time in years.....I am at peace with myself. Relaxed. Its the feeling like you have all your troubles behind you.

I guess, I have changed. Some people might scorn me for what I have done. But in the end, I know my own actions. Justifiable as it is questionable for me to have done the things I have done, I know no matter how bad it is.....I have done the right thing.

What ever may come; may come. I hope I never have to open this this chapter of my life ever again; but only to look forward what many wonderful things that lie ahead of my life.

The perfect song that will describe my feeling is "I Can't Make You Love Me" by George Michael. Its so smooth...so calm...so peaceful. I can now close this chapter in my life and put all this matters behind me.

I guess, at long last....this is what they mean by.....moving on.

Peace

Its been a peaceful day. Woke up today, and the thought of not having to rush to work really satisfies me. For the first time in a long time, I'm not working on a Sunday.

Life in Singapore is nothing but a rush. We rush to work, rush home, rush our meals. People here spend more time travelling on MRTs and buses rather than doing anything else. Of course, its different for people who drive. Sigh....I miss my car back in Penang. And I also miss the pace of life there. Oh, Home Sweet Home.

Anyway, other than a peaceful day...its been a productive day as well. Manage to settle some stuff that I have been delaying, and also manage to do some spring cleaning around the house. As unbelievable as it may sound, i kinda like stuff to be neat and tidy - people, not all bachelors live like pigs!!!

Later on the day, things started to get even better. I went shoppin'!!! Went to Bugis initally to get a pair of Converse sneakers. And as particular about shoes as I am, I manage to find a pair i really liked. The moment I saw it....hehehe, knew I had to get it.

Next...then I.....I.......hmmmm.......

Wahahaha....man, I love my Zen. No regrets!!! Have actually been contemplating of getting a mp3 player for quite some time. Did some research on the net and was comparing it to the iPod Mini. No doubt, the iPod has a killer look, but seems to me like alot of the online reviewers prefer the Zen. One review that really opened my eyes, is at http://www.mp3.com/iPod+Mini+vs.+Zen+Micro/stories/1149.html. For the same price, Zen really kicks iPod's ass!!! But of course, there is no fight if it comes to the normal-sized mp3 players. Saw really really good reviews for the 30Gb iPod Photo. Still, its the personal preference.

Anyhoo....its been a good day as I have even manage to suppress some of my inner demons too. Will be taking the proper steps to eradicate these demons that haunts my heart and mind. But as for now....I just wanna go enjoy some sweet tunes on my new.....Zen.

P.S, the definition of Zen is - A school of Mahayana Buddhism that asserts that enlightenment can be attained through meditation, self-contemplation, and intuition rather than through faith and devotion and that is practiced mainly in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Also called Zen Buddhism.

So I guess.......peace for the heart, peace for the mind.

Mr. Nice Guy

Mornings... something I haven't woke up to in a while. Just woke up....and seems to be a cold, wet and miserable morning. Another one of those days...

Had another bad day at work yesterday. Damn freaking customer complaints. And some are dead stupid. One customer called in and says, "Can I sign up a new line?". I replied, "No sir. You have an older account with us that has an outstanding of $2000. You'll have to clear that first." And he said, "So, I can't get a new line?". What the F*CK?!?!!?!?!? I felt like telling the idiot...WHAT DO YOU THINK?!?!? Bloody morons never use their brains. Apparently sometimes common sense is not that common. There was even a classic case...this guy called in and says...."My girlfriend is in Thailand and she forget to bring her handphone charger, can you guys charge it for her??" IMBECILE.

Anyway, to my friend who added the comment in my previous post.....thank you so much. I really have great friends that understands how I feel. Alot of people have also advised me on what I posted yesterday, and I'm glad to see all the different point of views they had.

But honestly....sometimes I wish I could be alot meaner and cruel in life. I feel that there is no point being such a nice guy all the time. I should more cold-hearted. Still, the thing about me is...when I do something mean or cruel, I start to feel guilty. Thats the part I hate about me. I can't seem to make up my mind and do the things I really want to do and not feel guilty. I guess in many ways thats what have been holding me back.

Sigh....with this kinda "Mr Nice Guy" attitude, I wonder how far am I able to go in life. Everyone knows that this world is all about survival of the fittest. Especially in the corporate world. With this kinda modus operandi, I'll be backstabbed, bitten, chewed and spit out in seconds.

OK.......new resolution.....start learning to be Mr Bad Guy.

Hmmmm...just realised its another Saturday again. Must say time has been passing by pretty fast. I was chatting with a friend earlier on. And I guess both of us are equally hopeless. She was complaining that she's gonna be home on a Saturday night and thats a pretty sad thing to say. And the I told her, "I'm a 24 year-old income earning bachelor with a place of my own. And I'm doing my laundry on a Saturday night. What does that tell you?"

Then she commented, "Well, it could be worse. You could be an unemployed single guy who's doing laundry on a Saturday night."

Well......I guess for a miserable day like this...I'll take that as a good and pleasant start to the day.

To err is human, to forgive...divine

If the above is true, then I'm afraid that...I will never have divinity.

Its 6.30am, and its one of those nights...or shall I say mornings, that I can't sleep. My thoughts have been filled with anxiety and confusion that I don't know what to do anymore.

What does one do when he/she is hurt, wronged and taken advantage of? Would we pick ourselves up and just consider it a lesson learned? Or do we get even? Deep inside my heart, I wanna get even. However, that would be an irrational thing to do. I've tried telling myself, let bygones be bygones and forget about the whole matter. But I guess the problem is....I can't forget the matter. It lingers in my mind like a disease - a constant headache that will never go away.

The question is...is it alright to feel vengeful? "An eye for and eye, makes the world go blind", thats what they say.

To me, its one of those big freaking laws of the universe that is so cocked up. On one hand, we're taught not to be hateful and vengeful and to forgive those who have wronged you. But on the other hand, the world has taught us, when someone pushes you...you push back! Don't take shit from anyone, and when it comes to survival of the fittest.....people need to be taught a bloody good lesson.

Sigh.....the problem is, if someone have wronged you, and eventually they repent and knows the error of their ways, then I guess we should forgive...but lest not forget so easily. But what if that someone don't even know what they are doing is wrong? And they worst part? They are arrogant about their actions. All they care about is themselves......their own happiness. Then....should we be the one to teach them a lesson? But risk being condemn as a vengeful person? OR, should I be just a nice guy and forget about it? Then again, nice guys always finish last. Realistically speaking, nice guys in this world never gets anywhere. As far as I'm concerned, nice guys always ends up as a door-mat. They're pushovers, they let everyone else step on them. Maybe its time to be the bad guy, huh?

I asked a person before, why did she do the things she does.....without thinking of the implications of her actions. All she could say was..."I just want to be happy". I can never once thought of an answer good enough to reply that statement....until now. You know what I think of that statement? That is an answer of a selfish child.

I wonder how many people in this world are able to forgive and forget. How many people in this world, can just take all the shit and injustice and just sit down and believe in karma? How many can just find peace of heart when he/she has been screwed over and over and over again. HOW MANY?

In this world we live in, people can sometimes get away with everything. They end up happy and getting what they want by screwing everyone over. Does the thought of that pisses you off? And when you have what it takes to get even....do you do it? These people seem so happy......and would you deny them that happiness and teach them a lesson?

Sigh.....I'm ranting and crapping again. The thing is, when someone hurts you, you just get this feeling that you wanna get them back....where it hurts the most.

I guess, divinity eludes me.

We men are wretched things.