One

1 more day :)

Mean-ness

Everyone has a mean boss story.

Mine is pretty different. I think mine is the mother of all mean bosses stories. This, is the story of what my manager did to me today.

What did she do? No, it was not to write an entire report in 5 minutes. Nor was it to check all of the company's sales invoice. Nor was it to run down to the local Safeway to get her sanitary napkins.

No, this was wayyyyyyy worst than all the above and anything that's imaginable.

I think words alone can't describe the pain that I had suffered.

So here it is in picture:

Yup...she said I had to eat the entire large piece of chocolate cake before we can go home. And I already had so much chocolate over the weekend, what with my colleague's birthday cake and some Lindt chocolate over dinner last night at Number 8.

So in the end, I only ate like a quarter of that and said I can't eat anymore else I'll puke when I go to the gym later. Thank goodness she bought that. The cake was fantastic. She baked it herself and it was moist and soft. Yummm...evil manager!!!

Mistaken Identity

Had my firm's Coles dinner at Number 8 in Crown tonight. By that, I mean the team that was working on the Coles Myer job that recently completed.

Anyway, I had a bit to drink during dinner. And mind you, in my terms, a bit really means a bit. I'm a cheap drunk. I had a glass of whatever sauvignon, which is white wine I think with my half a dozen oysters. As the glass continued to empty down my thirsty throat, I felt the world around me spinning faster and faster, and everything in my world just coming into perspective (or perhaps it was going out of perspective...who knows!).

Anyway, very soon, I was pretty red. And as I had steak for my main, I decided to order a red wine to go along with the red meat. Oh, after half a glass, I was a red as a tomato.

I was calling my colleague, Tony. But the words "TOMMY!! TOMMY!!!" slipped from my mouth. He didn't answer. Then I called again. And he finally turned around. And he's like...are you calling me? And I was like...oh shit. I meant to say Tony!! What's up with that??

I had to cool down a bit after dessert (which was a delectable Number 8 homemade ice-cream - chocolate and something else...vanilla? but didn't really taste vanila-ish, and sorbet) before I drove home. Thank goodness I only stay around the corner from my office. So it was a pretty safe drive home. No knocking of old ladies or hotting at hotties passing by (not that I saw any anyway).

V for Vendetta

Watched V for Vendetta on Tuesday and there was this line that V said that made Quan and I look at each other and go "Charles!":

V: Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-à-vis an introduction, and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.

Evey Hammond: Are you like a crazy person?

Who the hell says things like that? I hardly understand what he's saying!!

I'm not playing Scrabble with someone who can make so many words with "V"!!

Luna Park

Had a firm social day outing at Luna Park today.

It was fun!!!

As we could bring "family members", I decided to bring my dear housemate with me.

Ok, before I continue, I have to disclaim that I am acrophobic. Which basically means I have a fear of heights.

So was I scared of the haunted house ride? Well, yes, coz I am spectrophobic as well. Ok, it's beginning to sound like I'm a panophobic as well.

But yeah. I was scared of the ferris wheel!!! Coz it kept stopping on our way up. I was holding on to the rail so tightly, my housemate said my knuckles were turning white. But once it started going smoothly, I was feeling more calm and could let go of the railing...a bit.

Roller coaster was good. Not that many high drops. Just a lot of turns at high speed. Which isn't too bad really, since I do that when I drive too. Same for bumper car ride.

Played this Daytona-like game where the car actually moves as you move. So embarassing. I was against 3 other pre-teen girls. And I got last :( But my excuse is that my car could not start during the beginning. Which made me lose my top spot. Oh well...

After that, went for coffee with my friends at Jackie O. It was pretty cool. Not many people there, but the posters that they had around was of drag queens. Apparently, they go there after their shows for breakfast. My colleague's boyfriend who works there says he sees some very colourful characters come in then. And they are very friendly. I almost came out to him when I asked "Are they queeny or are they straight-acting?" I think a straight guy wouldn't really know the term queeny. They'll probably just say "Are they fagotty?" But I hope he didn't catch wind of it.

Goodbye

Music thump-a-thumping
People screaming as the DJ played that song
Hands flailing around the air
Hands all over you
Smile on your face
My heart breaks.

Shouldn't feel this way
You're no longer part of me.

No! I can't take it
Walk over to you
"Hi, how're you?"
No, I didn't come to check on you
Here with our friends
See you and take care.

Wanted to walk you to your car
You go home with him
Shrug my shoulders.

Music thump-a-thumping
People screaming as the DJ played that song
Hands flailing around the air
Who cares about you?
I'm gonna dance till kingdom come.

Holiday

5 more days till I return to KL.

That's another 2 weeks of my annual leave.

1st week: Shanghai
2nd week: Kuala Lumpur

Was thinking of going up to Bangkok or down to Singapore during the 2nd week too, since I did spend close to 3 weeks in KL when I was back in December. Will decide closer on.

Lontong

Will be collecting lontong with my manager later. I put through an order of 15 lontongs. 10 for myself and 5 for Quan. I can't wait for it!

The lontong is some rice-cake served with curry. You have beef and chicken at the side too.

During the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, I had went over to my manager's place to collect my 2 lontongs. And at home, Lynn, Quan and myself just devoured it up. The beef and chicken was just so tender! The moment you popped it in, it just melts in your mouth.

Will take some pictures and post it up here later.

Going blind

I printed some material for my manager and myself to read yesterday. We were both to take it home and come back the next morning to discuss on it. I was in a rush printing out the materials as I had to head off to another client's place. In my rush, I did not notice how small the fonts were!

This morning, when I came into the office, I quickly put my stuff down and looked for my manager. Phew..I wasn't that late. She was on the phone. So, I sametimed her, "Hey, I'm going to re-print the walkthrough documentations. The one I printed out last night was too small!!" To my not-so surprise, she replied "Yes! I was trying to read the whole night but couldn't!"

Apparently, she had tried to read the walkthroughs till 12 the previous night. She thought her eyes were playing tricks on her so she went to bed. She later woke up at 6 am, attempting to read it again. Then she realised that it wasn't her eyes that were playing tricks on her. It was the font that was too small. For example, try reading the following:

BANGKOK : Senior officials in Thaksin Shinawatra's party have insisted that Thailand's next prime minister would not be his puppet.

"No one would allow themselves to be prime minister in name only. Everyone has dignity, honour and self-esteem. The next prime minister will prove himself through his actions," acting prime minister Chidchai Vanasathidya told reporters amid growing concern over the influence of the outgoing premier.

Thaksin chose his top deputy Chidchai to take the reins of government while he takes a "political break".

Thaksin shocked the nation Tuesday when he announced that he would not take the post of prime minister when the new parliament convenes, even though his party took 56 percent of the vote in last weekend's elections.

Chidchai also dismissed concerns about the power Thaksin would continue to wield as leader of his party and as a parliamentarian.

"He clearly announced that he had withdrawn and will not play any significant role," Chidchai said.

The top candidate to become the new prime minister appears to be Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, a business heavyweight and friend of Thaksin.

Somkid has emerged as the top choice of Bangkok voters and of business leaders, and he has been mentioned by Thaksin as one of the leading contenders to take his place.

Finance Minister Thanong Bidaya urged the public to trust Somkid if he takes the job.

"It would be very hard for him to become anyone's puppet because he's a technocrat and he's very straightforward," Thanong said.

The new prime minister would be charged mainly with overseeing political reforms -- a key demand of the opposition, which boycotted last weekend's polls, leading to a strong protest vote that undermined Thaksin's win, Thanong said.

Anti-Thaksin protesters who led two months of demonstrations against him plan a new rally Friday to demand that he leave politics entirely.

The People's Alliance for Democracy, which led two months of protests to pressure Thaksin to resign, also plans to lay out new demands to minimize his influence at a rally in central Bangkok.

The billionaire turned politician announced Tuesday he would not accept the post of prime minister when a new parliament convenes, even though his party won a majority of votes in last weekend's election.

But he said he would retain his seat in parliament and keep control of the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party, which has led his rivals to fear that he will continue to exert a powerful role in government.

"I think Thaksin has a lot of power in Thailand, especially over the economy," said Suthatip Puangket, a 31-year-old student who supports the protests.

"I don't agree with his politics. Protests are tools for the situation, or else no one could stand up and fight Thaksin.

" Many of the activists that joined together to form the Alliance have already announced a new campaign, ahead of Senate elections on April 19, to urge the public to vote against candidates with links to Thaksin.

They also say they want stronger checks to reign in the powers of the new prime minister.

"Checks and balances mechanisms have been distorted," former senator Jon Ungphakorn told the Bangkok Post in announcing the new campaign.

Polls have shown that Bangkok's population is growing weary of the demonstrations, with some 87 percent in a survey Wednesday saying the protests should stop.

Mass protests against Thaksin began in early February after his family sold 1.9 billion dollars of shares in Shin Corp, the telecoms firm he founded before entering politics, without paying taxes.

The events have left Thailand in uncharted political waters and raised demands for constitutional reform to limit the influence of the prime minister, strengthen the legislature and introduce more checks and balances.

By-elections are scheduled for 39 seats on April 23 and the opposition Democrat Party has also threatened court challenges over election irregularities.

The Democrats have again refused to field candidates in the by-elections, creating a hurdle for Thaksin's party because unopposed candidates must win at least 20 percent of the vote to take office.

The tactic casts doubt on whether the seats will be filled and a parliament will be in place by May 1.

Ok, now imagine you have about 100 pages of that to read. Insane isn't it?

So I was like.."Omg...yes. Sorry, it was so hard to read, I just read 1 or 2 pages and gave up."

But she had already read about 6-7 pages as she did not want to appear unprepared for our meeting.

Oh well..must remember to check my prints before handing it to the manager or anyone else in the future.

The Bed

Our Bed
2 bodies intertwined
Heated under the doona
Arms wrapped around each other
Kisses all around
Fall asleep.

Wake up
Cold
Damn you!
You stole all the doona
Wait for you to turn
Snatch back my portion of the doona
Cover you so you don't get cold.

My Bed
Pull up my doona
Look across the bed
Emptiness
Cold
Fall asleep.

Fish

Go fishing.

Catch a fish.

What do you do with it?

Options:
a) Throw it back into the pond?
b) Eat it.

Option b selected.

Fish lying there…begging to be eaten.

Can’t eat fish. 2 reasons:
a) Don’t have frying pan and utensils.
b) Have not eaten fish in a long time. Not sure how to eat.

What do you do next?
a) Buy frying pan and utensils
b) Ask for help on how to eat fish.

Tries to eat fish.

Waited too long - fish rolled back into pond.

Remaining Chapters

The end of a chapter.

Still a lot of chapters left in the book.

Cupid

Kermit: Why did you want to see me, Ms Bootylicious?

Ms Bootylicious: Well Kermit, I have a friend I want to introduce to you. Will you be going for the Royal Ball on Sunday?

Kermit: Why yes Ms Bootylicious. I will be in fact. I will be bringing Posh Spice (Kermit's best friend) along with me.

Ms Bootylicious: Oh, thats great. By the way, look here. I have a picture of Snow White here with me.

Kermit: Wow, she is rather...cute.

Ms Bootylicious: Yeah, she has a voice like honey. My friend, Bert Newton said she sounds like she has honey in her voice.

Kermit: Oh really, well, then I would like to to hear her sing then. Hope she doesn't put my dwarf to sleep.

Ms Bootylicious: What was that?

Kermit: Oh, nothing.

Ms Bootylicious: Thats excellent. Ok, we shall see you at the Royal Ball then.

Kermit thinks to himself...what about Ms Piggy??