Jealousy

Becks hasn't been herself lately. Not smiling as much, more snappy, more glum. I notice it gets worse when Mong goes "hug hug Mommy!". Now he's even more cute, having progressed to "kiss kiss Mommy!" I see the effects of the 'extra verbal stimulation' on Mong. It's really a lot of hard work though.

I should know jealousy being the 1st child. It never struck me as that when I was younger why I LOVED torturing my younger sister. That seeing her cry was my biggest achievement. I think my mom made it worse by being convinced that I was born with a 'black heart' (direct translation from Cantonese).

Anyway it's gonna get tougher. To NOT focus on one child. How do couples have more than 2? Speaking of this, I'm reminded to visit the Lims. 3rd child, Matthias was recently born.

PS: For those who know me well, my relationship with my sis is actually pretty good now. :)

Zoo...again!

Airport or....zoo?

We let Becks make a decision and she chose the latter so we found ourselves going back there sooner than expected. Heh. This time we took a different route - to the Children's Zoo. The whole trip was about 2 hours or less. It was cut short by the heavy rain.

Nonetheless it was pretty nice cos again we saw something new. The entrance was much improved and there was a new addition (or more?) - mountain goats. The landscape was beautifully done.

I suggested to :B that she ought to visit it one more time - understand it's been 4 years for her - before her job stint in Japan. She isn't expected to return till at least 2 years...

Kids Experimental

I woke up at 4:30am to go to the loo and couldn't fall back to sleep afterward. I found my mind spiralling to find some reason, some excuse NOT to go for long-distance business trips, mainly the upcoming one to Brazil. My heart was even beating with anxiety.

I finally got a 'taste' of it. If I were to seek for any new job, regardless of better pay and position, if I'm required to travel, I'll definitely be VERY miserable. So I really cannot compromise on this part.

The day didn't start well with Becks screaming that she didn't want to go to school for her Children's Day celebration. I literally had to drag (with coaxing of cos) her up the bus. When I fetched her back in the noon, she was all smiles again.

We had our usual time together, having lunch and tea at CP with her favourite coin-pieces of barbeque pork. I swear being with her will make me fat. The food...and the wonderful company.

How nice it will be to have a long weekend regularly...but 'twas the last company holiday for the year. Sigh.

Anyway what I saw on the way to CP was appalling. Maybe I've been too good a kid *heh* or it's been so long for me that I can't remember how adolescents can be. 2 secondary schoolboys, walking along the street shouted at 2 secondary schoolgirls whom they know apparently. They turned back and one of the boys flung an half-empty mineral waterbottle at them. The bottle smashed at the impact of cos, water spilling and they left it there, on the ground. Damn them LITTERBUGS! Then my judgement was cut short when one of the girls screamed back: "You! Chao Ch** B**!" (THAT top-notch obscenity) And the boys laughed, both couples walking in opposite directions.

I think Becks was too busy looking at something else cos she didn't comment on the scene. Luckily. I was just too stunned for words.

Then further up, I saw a group of restless students seated on the floor, passing a ciggie around.

I wonder if I'm prepared for parenthood. It's definitely not for the weak-hearted.

Brazil...do I really need to???

Agenda drawn out, dates fixed, Thai counterpart has agreed to go, Boss has given green light....now to check with the customer.

Here's the flight route and schedule from Singapore to Brazil.

Connection: SIN- Frankfart - Paulo - Manaus
SIN Frankfrat : 1350- 0830hrs
Frankfart - Paulo: 1035 - 1715hrs
Paulo - Manaus: 0900 - 1150hrs

Upon arrival, it'll be a 11-hour time difference. I'm gonna be so jet-lagged. It would definitely take more than 100 cups of Brazilian coffee for me to survive.

*Cross my fingers (that the trip will not materialise!)*

The (Wo)Men Just Dun Get It Too...

I understand why people go for Botox, I understand why people go from Cup A to B, or B to C, etc. I dun understand this!

Thanks to :B on her Social Studies education, I only learnt about ganguro yesterday. I swear the Japanese amaze me more and more by the day.

With :B's approaching departure for Japan (to work), I've requested for her to source for the sick and twisted horror Japanese movies which I've seen in the past and dearly missed now.

Therapy Session...again

I am on half-day leave this afternoon. Finally the day has arrived for Mong to see another speech therapist. It is just behind my office building and this therapist apparently offer weekend sessions. Whatever the outcome, thanks to DDD for helping.

He has been showing signs of improvement, however, maybe being his mother, I am not satisfied and believe he is still behind his milestone curve. I only hope sending him to a playgroup next year can accelerate his progress. This becomes my mission on top of my list - to source for a suitable (big key word) playgroup. It may involve busting some buckeroos. :P

I need to make a conscious effort not to get lost in the whirlwind of events and neglect Becks. She is growing up fast. While I cleared the drawers, I found some digital photos of the troops 2 years ago. They have grown so much. I really miss them A LOT, being babies, being toddlers...but then that was a really very tiring part of my life so most of all, I'm just glad it's moved on.

Nesting Instinct

It's been a long long time since both troops slept by 10pm. Last night, with so much time on hand (and a firm believer that I shouldn't watch TV after 9pm for fear of 'visual stimulation' which can lead to insomnia), my nesting instinct naturally kicked in.

I opened up all 3 burstin drawers and started clearing them. Very very satisfied.

Next stop: wardrobe and troops' toys.

Senseless

Does it make sense? 2 people in a section. 2 of them "Assistant Managers".

1 of them is already seated here for 2.5 years. The other was here for an interview. We have been having difficulty finding the 'right candidate'. Maybe like the 'right man', it doesn't exist but Boss is not convinced.

So after 1 hour of arduous questioning and another few (draggy) minutes of discussion, Boss' decision was not to hire. YAWN! What is new????? Actually is there really a need for another one? Or are we just going through the motion...for the past 9 months?

Do you work for a boss whose vision you do not believe in or worse, cannot see?

xoxoxoxo

Lunch was with Jennifer who had her usual truckload of interesting theories to share.

I have been lunching with friends from 'outside'. Since my 2 kakis left the Shenton Way/Tanjong Pagar scene, I haven't found a regular colleague to lunch with who would not stop talking about work or other colleagues. Shallow conversational topics tire me.

Innovative Mooncakes

I found out today that TT without the right company is not as sweet.

I had the craving right after lunch so I ordered one for myself. I was alone....
I found myself hurrying through it, cursing that it cooled so slowly and gulping down to make my 60c worth. NOT the way to savour a cup of heaven.




'Tis the lantern festival soon. The Division has been receiving many boxes of mooncakes from vendors. The latest comes from Raffles Hotel. Snowskin with chocolate-and-wine filling. Colleagues swear it's expensive, it's good. I just tried one...my skin crawled. GROSS. Call me boring - I seriously still prefer the brown skin with lotus paste (with or without yolk).

*Feel like puking now...*

Spam!

Monday mornings are worsened with 50+ spam mails in your office account. The IT GM once commented to prevent it is "very difficult". Bah...! Simply incompetent.

So going through the usual routine of deleting senders whose names are not close to familiar, I read the remaining official ones. I dealt with a Brazilian customer by the name of Letitia a few times so I didn't expect this when I opened the email.

If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain.. There's always a deep breath before a plunge. If three people tell you that you are drunk, you better lie down. Politics makes strange bedfellows. Pain is only weakness leaving the body. U.S. Marines proverb Law is the solemn expression of legislative will. CODE NAPOLEON Purely bluster and no substance. Don't take any wooden nickels. Possible Interpretation: Accomplishing two things with a single action. Interpretation: If you are going to do something, do it right. Two's company, three's a crowd. See also Dorothy Parker: You can lead a horticulture, but you cannot make her think. Don't remove winter vests (undergarments) until summer arrives. A woman's work is never done. Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. The head and feet keep warm, the rest will take no harm. Meaner than a junk-yard dog. Clothes make(th) the man. Christian New Testament All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Honesty is the best policy. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Funny as it is, yes, it did not have paragraphing. Argh.

Promise fulfilled

M and I didn't forget to bring extra clothes....so we did spend quality time with the troops in the pool :)

Sunday evening after dinner was spent as usual at MPH, at Becks' (or mine?) favourite section - Dr Seuss. So you figured, I didn't get to watch Singapore Idol Finals. Heh. So how ah, who's gonna win?

Saturday - let's recap.

Breakfast was with Ichiro and Dad at MacD's. The kids had a wild time playing with bubbles.

Exhausted and 2 hours later, we met up with sis and Say for lunch. It's been a long time. Good ole company I can always count on. It almost didn't materialize cos the minute sis picked us up from our place, some light came on. Not the engine light, not the fuel light. Some light...which was shining bright and WARNING that you'd better do something.

So luckily, there was a petrol kiosk nearby with an Autoserv. The gracious mechanic, despite many many cars awaiting for service, came over and checked for us. He said it was basically OK to drive 'not long distances'. Tampines seemed fine...luckily Say didn't have to take another bus to meet us at CP (still Say, thanks for not minding if you had to).

And yes Say, CONGRATS for finding a new job in a completely different line. For better or worse, at least it's a shot at a brand new beginning. Good luck!

Mentos

I forget how addictive Mentos , the fruity flavoured one, can be.

I bought a tube, knowing that Becks love them but succumbing to temptation...and boredom, I ripped it and ate 5 dragees in less than 5 minutes. Dun blame me, the top 5 happened to be in my favourite colour/flavour - yellow.

*5...and counting...*

Black Coffee

I wish Boss will quit drinking his black coffee.

At about 10am every single working day, you will hear him sorting coins from his wallet, putting them in his pocket and heading out. To Starbucks downstairs.

These Japanese must really be highly paid. They cannot seem to bring themselves to consume the 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 available in the pantry. They must have this atas coffee costing an insane $5 per cup.

OK, I've digressed. Anyway, my concern is, his breath freakin STINKS! I swear I hold my breath each time he comes over and talks to me. It is a stunt - doing that, smiling and nodding all at the same time, trying to look like I am understanding every single thing he says when all I can think of is - wahlau, it really smells.

Obligations

I fulfilled 2 today.

I am clad in a considered-very-formal-by-my-and-this-office-standard formal long-sleeved shirt to meet and greet some big shot from Japan. I also sat through an hour-long presentation in JAPANESE without looking bored and stifling yawns in-between.

Talk about 1st class EMOTE. :P

And so the story goes....

No, I'm not blogging from the airport. I'm back in my (shit?)hole...in the office.

Early in the morning, I missed 3 calls from Boss. I knew it must be urgent so I returned it and was told to cancel my flight because NO, I DID NOT KNOW that Thailand has been declared a 'state of emergency' under martial law at 3am!!! Trying not to sound stupid/ignorant (can they be mutually exclusive?), I thanked him and said I would report to office as usual.

Personally, I'm glad. Becks has 'ordered' me to come home every night yesterday. I told her to please speak with my boss. Now, I dun have to disappoint a soon-to-be-4-year-old. :)

Professionally, I'm anxious. Cos there is a truckload of issues to discuss and settle with the Thai counterparts! Whatever they are not doing is creating this negative and intolerable spill-over effect on us. Looks like we have to grit our teeth and endure it a while more.

To places I (don't want to) go?!

I used to love travelling...with my family. Then I started working and the yearly holidaying stopped completely with them. I miss my dad's spirit of adventure, superb planning skills and generiosity.

Now, travelling is all about business trips. I just ended a discussion with Boss. He told me to 'travel more soon' as the Travel Budget for 2006 is under-utilized! Suggested customers in Vietnam, Indonesia, Taiwan, India...and Brazil!

Rewind 6 years, I would have jumped at the chance. To see the world which I would otherwise not have been willing to part my own money with to see, to escape from the monotony of daily operations...BUT.

No thank you. Simply bad timing.

PS: To Bangkok I go tomorrow! Till Friday...

That 'Dreaded Dinner'

Oh, I didn't mention about the dinner I had on Friday. It wasn't so bad. :P We went to Hot Stones at Clarke Quay. Wonderful food except that I was smelling like barbecued beef (or how do you call it on hot stove - grilled?) all over in a matter of few minutes. My hair and skin got really oily and I was trying to shift my focus on the 2 nihon-jin in front of me (guest and Boss).

Luckily the guest didn't look and sound like she came from the mountains. She had her own sense of humour and could speak decent amount of English. And Boss, surprise surprise, was all charming and was striking up interesting enough conversational topics.

Still......let's not do it again lah. Not so soon.

Paranoia

I could really use more of impromptu lunches. Just now, I had another one with RJ again (we met last Monday).

She should be much busier than her current situation except that her partners are absolutely paranoid with her spreading the disease to them (and their babies) so she's 'isolated' from the new shop and can only run errands. You see, her 2 sons just contracted HFMD.

I know 1 of her partners had great difficulty conceiving and carrying the baby for 9 months...but to strap yourself with paranoia for the rest of your life, it's not gonna be an easy ride...for herself and those around her. Then my imagination started wandering to the cutlery we use in hawker centres, seats (ANY seats) our asses lay on, the poles our hands cling on for support (bus, MRT), THE HANDS WE SHAKE WHEN WE MEET NEW PEOPLE AT WORK, etc.

We can run but we cannot hide.

Water!

We accompanied the kids to play with water at the in-laws'....yes, 'accompanied'...cos we weren't playing the main role (actually M & I bumped into them at the lift landing)...and yes again, 'play with water' cos the troops weren't exactly swimming; we adults were not clad appropriately and did not even bring extra clothes to change!

So they had fun, all in about 20 minutes...only. I promise I will play a more active role next Sunday. :P

Of course my weekends aren't completed without 'my personal time', i.e. DVD Time. Rented The Descent for lack of new releases.

Did you know I absolutely cannot watch horror? Yes, I will be scared chicken shit. After The Ring (please....the Japanese version one) which left me traumatized for months, I no longer long for the thrill from watching horror movies. I had to ask M many times for assurance that the movie would leave me with no nightmares and also sms the opinion from my '2 crazy galfriends'. OK, nothing horrifying so I proceeded to watch. It turned out to be entertaining. Phew.

A Dreaded Dinner...tonight

I can't bear the thought of spending an additional minute with the company. Friends who know me know I live very hard by the "OTD* Policy".

My boss has to squash my TGIF mood by requesting (and assuming I am free. I RESENT THIS SO MUCH!) that I join dinner with a guest from Japan tonight.

Luckily Nat is joining too. She is one of the very few in my team whom I like and believe whose company I can enjoy.

*OTD=On the dot