first day

So today was my first day on the internship. The office isn't that big, and the people were unexpectedly quite warm. Of course there were grumpy faces (it's a Monday), but most of them were middle-aged women so they knew how to treat people well. Like making dessert from the rice cooker in the pantry and fussing over my broadband connection.

Surprisingly I got quite a lot of work on my first day! Not that I'm complaining; in fact I think it's good, at least they trust me to do the work, and it's good training as well. My boss asked me to vet some bank insurance policy contracts and format my comments into letter form. And I'm so relieved he was quite happy with what I did. Thank God! He had to do very little editing, and zoom, off they were sent.

And I already know I have work waiting for me tomorrow.

Now if only the food was good.

Eating escapades...!

Ok so recently I met up with K after a long, long three months for dinner. Basically, the whole later half of last year I didn't really have the chance to sit down and have a loooong talk with her, so the dinner was to make up for that, I guess. Well, the busy lady kept me waiting for I think 20-25 minutes at the reception where she worked, because she had some last minute stuff to rush out, so I finished up two business magazines and now am a whole lot smarter about SMEs and renewables. And K looked very professional, impartial and just in her get-up; even I was fooled. We went to this restaurant/eatery that served savoury and sweet crepes, which was also the place the class gathering that I could not turn up for took place, and the food wasn't that bad at all, surprisingly! Changed my perception of crepes. Shared the tiramisu crepe dessert, which was crepey in an unexpected way. The meals weren't exactly value for money, but not bad either lah. At least rats didn't drop out of the ceiling.

OH WAIT OF COURSE NOT, because there wasn't any ceiling; we were surrounded by the rest of Basement 1. So much so I bumped into a cousin (yes, while sitting and eating in a restaurant) and she bumped into a primary school friend (yes, while sitting and eating in a restaurant). But, despite that, we talked. About legal liggles and school-life giggles, and my evidently non-existent lovelife (and hers as well, equally evidently non-existent...?).

Here comes a point where I realise, and soon after am confounded as to why, people keep on asking, "Ooh what's going on...?" or "What do you see in your future partner?" and things along that line. I mean, don't stop asking, it's actually fine by me to discuss these birds and bees that I have yet to chance upon (sad urban world I live in), and I don't mind, I think. In fact, I guess it's in a way oppositely interesting, to get a feel of what kind of a person who doesn't really have crushes, infatuations, objects of affection or any of the sort really is like, especially in the hormonally-charged circumstance of the teenage mindset. So for now, I guess, that is a mainstay conversation topic.

Then we went to get the MOTHER'S present, which was a piggy pencilcase. The next day, we celebrated HER birthday! And I'm so glad K and I didn't go for Japanese cuisine in the end, because the FAMILY went for Momoya ala-carte buffet! Stuffed myself so much. Waiter kept giving us more than we ordered but who cares, we ate it all in the end, hahaha. I think I still managed to order for more than its worth, and that gives me a fuzzeh feeling.

And then, I went to teach Indian migrant workers. I did a conversational thing with some of them today to encourage them to speak in proper sentences, because at the moment they do not. So you know, we were exchanging questions and replies. I then asked them what they intended to do in the future, what they had planned for. And then the same question got thrown right back into my face, and I got stumped for a second.




Then I remembered and said NS.

AND THEN AND THEN I was on my way back, and I bumped into an SC junior and we went back home together. But that's not the point. So we were on the bus. And I now understand why they have those signs about how it's illegal to harass/abuse/assault the bus captain or something.

AND THEN AND THEN go figure.

We are all skinny people

Ok so went for dinner with SY and YX around six or seven hours ago, at NYNY (of all places right, but we're still subsisting on a teen's budget, so). And apparently I was late.

Well that doesn't matter because SY has YX to entertain/disturb him. Hahaha.

First impressions: It's not as if I don't know them or anything, but I hadn't seen YX in three months. I recently met up with SY, so he doesn't count. Though he's apparently been working out, but I can't really tell yet. Not to worry, it'll show in I think a few more weeks? Skinny people are like that lah. So anyway, YX all of a sudden looked quite mature, possibly because of the hair, and the contacts. I think that's good (it's about time), but she didn't behave very much differently compared to three months ago, hahaha. It's good. I guess.

A few things. We sat at this table, which was very awkward for three people. Basically, none of us faced each other. While that may be a good thing FOR ME, it made it difficult to converse and all. Though it was basically me and YX just yakking away. And pointing knives here and there to make our point. SY, most of the time, did a HB and stuffed himself silly with his food, and some of YX's and mine. Skinny people are like that lah. Ok basically I'm what people would call a slow eater and YX was struggling with her food, which in itself is a strange phenomenon.

Before that, when the food just came, I took the liberty of squeezing all manner of ketchup and chilli sauce on the perimeter of their plates. (I always do that now when there're bottles of those, and a proper plate.) And after that the waiter found it hard to clear our plates; I must be one of the more problematic diners one could come across.

Then after dinner we walked around aimlessly, while talking about random stuff and throwing random insults at each other. Actually we had an aim, of getting something cold and sweet. But after that our stomachs told us otherwise. Skinny people are like that lah.

OW MY BUTT

So I went cycling with G yesterday from around 11.30 am onwards. TILL LIKE AROUND 6PM. We basically cycled A LOT, and considering I hadn't even touched any kind of bike since I think one and a half to two years ago, I think I did pretty well for myself. Can you actually believe that G actually can average an actual 30 km/h on a bike?! Crazy, hahaha. I previously thought it was 13 km/h, so you know, I was like "Oh ok, that's actually alright to handle" but NO, it was 30 km/h because of my previously messed-up hearing. But obviously I cannot handle such supersonic speeds, so for the first part of our entire adventure we only averaged 15-17 km/h, but on the way back it was more of 20-23 km/h. G kept on saying "Feel the burn...". OH YES I FELT THE BURN. Hahaha.

But it was very enjoyable, because I got to see parts of the country I don't often see, or even at all. Parts of the country where they don't resemble Singapore as well. Or it's probably because I'm not that outdoorsy. But still. And then also because cycling wasn't that boring because we could talk about quite a lot during cycling. I totally empathise, when G pointed out the place of a horrendous fall. The ground looked like it could cause a lot of pain.

We stopped by McDonald's for lunch, and later on at Changi Village for bandung. Come to think of it, those were awful choices for F&B when you are cycling, but that's done. When we were cycling back, on the home stretch, within reach of G's house, it rained. No, it POURED. And we were caught in it. So I had to bathe at the house and all. Then we played Wii after dinner, where I played a game that makes you go "What?!", and where I sadly lost at tennis for two games after I first Grand Slammed G.

But now my butt feels Grand Slammed. All because of the tiny bike seat that only supported like, what, one-third of it?! (G's seat got cushion sommore leh.) My poor butt, and sunburnt arms.

Awww

The SISTER just gave me an angpow with a five-dollar note and some chocolates inside. So nice right. If you are human, say "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww".












Maybe she's already thinking of marriage (?!). Hahaha.

Ratatouille

So finally I met SY today (actually, make that yesterday, considering the ungodly hour I'm typing this at). We went over to T3 (my idea, again) to have lunch. If it isn't obvious enough, I love food and every appointment I have with people MUST revolve around food. I cannot live without food, and I don't know why skinny people must diet. But I tell you, having a rat (even though it's a baby one and SY thinks it's cute, I have no idea on earth why) drop down on the table beside you, WHILE EATING, is freaky. I mean, I'm sure plenty of people have had such unpleasant encounters before, and it's definitely not impossible or anything. But when it happens to me, it feels surreal... and later on my legs felt itchy. This is all because of the slow service staff.

"Ahem, I think there seems to be a rat under that table over there, on the chair." *Points to said piece of furniture* SY just looks on nonchalantly, and apparently develops feelings for the rat.

Waitress looks befuddled just for a second. *Eyes follow my irritated finger* Her face unleashes an expression of constrained horror (so as not to further freak me out). And then she continues looking befuddled, and surreptitiously whispers to fellow waitress.

They go behind the counter, and then another waitress comes out with a wipecloth to clear up the sawdust mess on the table that the rat had conveniently left after dropping down from the ceiling (which was tastefully done by the way). But.

The rat was gone. WHAT. Come out with wipecloth catch what.

Restaurant manager comes out and offers to change our seats. All this time SY and I acted as if nothing happened; it's not nice to spoil other customers' appetites. SY said actually it wasn't the restaurant's fault, but I said (and rightly so) that the customer is eating in the restaurant, and if there is any inconvenience caused to the customer's dining, the restaurant must first claim that responsibility, and then after that shift the blame elsewhere. That is then truly the pinnacle of good customer service. Anyhow I don't blame them; if anything it's T3 I'm sure.

So we continued eating. Our appetites fortunately didn't become victims. But we didn't know where the rat had gone to. Everyone knows that if there is a bee in the room, it is better to see it than not, because even though that would freak you out, not knowing would freak you out more. Likewise in my case.

Then SY spied the rat. Running in the MIDDLE of the restaurant. WHAT. WHAT.

A waitress rushed out with broom and dustpan in hand. Couldn't catch it. SY told me not to move my feet. I freaked. Manager took over. He caught it, but not before it toured the entire restaurant. But I think all the customers deserved commendations for not raising their voices or complaining to the restaurant staff about the supposed lack of hygiene, even though they didn't know where the rat came from. Everyone basically continued eating. An SIA stewardess even spied the rat but merely looked amused, according to SY. I think she and SY share the same brain.

But I still felt itchy.

Anyway we talked, ate (Thai food, I'll never think about it the same way anymore), talked some more, and ate some more (muddy don't-know-what pie and lovely shortbread biscuits). This is basically what I do when I meet people. But the fun is in the talking. I found out things about SY (hahaha) that are so out of character for him. Like how he actually ******** **** *** ******* and even ******* *** ** *** ****. Wah so unexpected.

Thank goodness I don't have tastefully done ceilings at home.

jogging!

Nowadays I exercise. I go jogging around the neighbourhood, following the road, all the way up to Expo, maybe go a few rounds around the Max Pavilion when it's empty except for this security guard whom I now am acquainted with by sight and through silent nods of greeting, and then around the Changi Business Park for a little while, and maybe circuiting the Expo carpark a few times. I used to run all the way to the Newater plant and back, but figured that change is good.

I'm not supposed to be like that. I'm supposed to be sedentary, and I'm supposed to be the kind that does not voluntarily exercise. But I guess things are different now, especially with enlistment looming, as well as the need to get off my butt. And it's refreshing, getting to enjoy the little things you never quite notice when you are in the car, on a familiar road, back to home. I've realised that where I live is actually quite ulu in Singaporean terms; there are huge plots of empty land waiting to be developed, but until they are, they are good jogging trails, because of the road network there that as yet, does not serve any building. Sometimes I do see those big white birds standing in the field (I thought those were herons, they look like them, but I doubt so), and even wild dogs further off. I usually run for about an hour, from five-plus to six-plus or seven, managing to see the sun set.

I guess things really are different now, where I'm in this limbo, where I don't really have to do much, and have the luxury of time, to do things I've never really seen the point in doing last year because of the opportunity cost. Taking things slow is a lot more fun than I imagined. The education system here really does something to you, but I choose to see it another way - it allows us to appreciate the little things more.

double-duty

That's my favourite word of the week! Haha I have an affinity with alliterations. Lookie that.

The Lunar New Year has been pleasantly uneventful thus far, and surprisingly, not that it matters plenty, but hongbao takings have not dwindled but have actually increased. That is pleasantly surprising, considering the recession.

I've spent some time with the Indian migrant workers so far, and it has been very amusing and interesting. Apparently, in the Tamil language, there is no such word that connotes 'is'. So this reflects a difficulty for them in grasping the English syntax. During student demonstrations, they always end up saying things in front of the class like, "My name... Bala" or "This... a book", even after repeated corrections and all. I brought over some English picture books last week that were associated with certain parables, and they were all very interested in it; just goes to show how hungry they are to learn.

And to walk to the place where we teach them, you have to walk an entire lorong, complete with seedy atmosphere and all. Pimps cat-whistle, and sex workers mingle and patiently wait for their catch outside an imposing Hotel 81.

All in a day's work I guess.