Second event for Mr K is over! Phew!

As expected, he has feedback. Bleah. Waiting for his email. But I am happy to have successfully pulled off my first two events!

I want to jot this down because it marks a turning point after one month of unhappiness and whininess. Today i resolved to be positive, not to let my mood swings take over. At the end of the day, I decided to reward myself with Ratatouille. It was good delicious fun! In my opinion, better than Finding Nemo. I actually laugh out loud and laugh a lot throughout the whole show and I was watching it alone. Go watch Go watch!

Hmm.. they make the rat soooooooo adorable the merchandising sure to be success. But after the hype is over, can you imagine a toy rat in your kid's house??!

Yesterday, Mr K snookered us. Today, Mr K played politics. *rolls eyes* I am learning the tricks of doing business.

Interesting customer is at it again. Let's call him Mr K. I initially thought he was Korean. He's not but behaves like the traditional Korean guy anyway.

Incident #2 - Day of event
Mr K: Why don't you remove it?
Me: My mole?
Mr K: Ya, you look more beautiful without it.
Me: I checked with the doctor. It would leave a scar. So it's either mole or scar.
Mr K: Now got lasik wat.
Me: Er. Lasik is for the eyes.
Mr K: I mean the thing they use for lasik. What is that? Ah, laser.
Me: Er, I never check what my doctor would use. But there would still be a scar. Anyway, my parents don't want me to.
Mr K: Aiya, go get married. Then your husband would have the final say.
Me: (trying not to roll my eyes) What if my husband don't mind?
Mr K: (ignores what i just said and continues his spiel) But if your parents don't like then you also cannot do anything lah.

I look beautiful with or without it and it's not polite to point out to someone you meet for the second time that they have a facial disability. Even if you think you are like my father, you aren't.

Incident #3 - The day after the event
Mr K calls up. " Let me give you some tips for the next event. Blah blah blah." After he finishes spilling, he hangs up. I can't even get a word in. Now, who is the rude person?

Life is a cig. The first drag tastes horrible. It makes your eyes water and irritates your throat. But you persevere and get used to the bitterness. You still don't like it but have become used to it. Occasionally it gives you relief and you feel better.

I met a most interesting customer lately. He is apparently a fan of the carrot/stick approach. After slamming me left right up down, he tells me he just wants to teach me like a father would. When he was done, I left his family to eat in peace.

After what I thought was a reasonable amount of time to finish a meal, I came out to check on how he liked the meal. He was very pleased. Score. To make up for his earlier tirade, he decides to compliment me.

Him: "I like the gold."
Me: 'Gold? Oh, you mean my earrings?"
Him: "No." Reaches out to touch my hair. "Your hair. I like the gold colour. Looks very good with the sun behind you."

Right.

dai lo,

True story. It was my taxi driver telling me about horrible passengers. After hearing this story, I told him that he was too vindictive. After all, it happen 4 years ago lor. He still can tell me "I am Buddhist. Buddhist don't do such things wan. But the lady was too much. I never do anything, she still complain me. That's why 4 years later, I still remember her."

Moral of the story: Be nice to everyone who serves you. You never know if you are kena cursed front back up down.

He just got his taxi not long ago. One day he was driving along Chua Chu Kang when he saw a lady flagging his cab. He picked her up and was told a destination. As he set off, the lady added that he had to wait 15mins at the destination because she was picking her mum up. The driver rationalised to himself that he would missed the opportunity to add to his income for the day if he waited so he refused the lady. One word from each and it soon escalated into a verbal war. The lady said in Mandarin, "You got no right to tell me what to do. I will only talk to the operator. I tell you wait means you wait." That fired up the driver and he shot back "You cannot talk to me like this. I as old as your father, must show me some respect!"

They reached the destination eventually. Thank goodness her mum was already there. The lady got out and told her mum to get in. She then stood outside apparently waiting for something. Her mum saw and asked what's going on. Lady replied "The driver was so rude. I asked him to wait but he won't. So I will make him wait." The driver heard the exchange but there was nothing he could do. The lady leaned against the taxi for a good 15 minutes before getting in. The driver was damn pissed but he drove them to the destination. When they reached, the passenger was still lamenting to her mum in English on how rude he was. The driver turned around and sprang a surprise of his own You don't anyhow say, think i don't understand." After she got off, she promptly lodged a complaint against him. But the company found nothing wrong with his conduct and he was not charged.

4 years later.

He was driving along Chua Chu Kang and a couple flagged down his taxi. The husband got into the front passenger seat while the wife got into the back. They then rode in silence. It was strange and the driver peered into his rearview mirror to peek at the lady. Gasp! She was the same lady who lodged a complaint against him 4 years ago! The driver immediately turned to the husband to strike up conversation. "4 years ago here, i pick up a girl who want me to go pick her mum out. She made me wait 15mins even though her mum arrive already. Then go complain against me. I hope she is dead now. I hope that even if she is not dead, she has cancer. This kind of person don't deserve to live. When she dies, she definitely cannot enter Heaven... " The cursing went on. While the girl in the back sobbed away...

finally i know why 8Days was so obsessed with House. they were shooting a 3 cover special. that figures.

dinner tonight was like a huge friendster meeting. we were all connected to each other via some friend. amazing how small Singapore is.

I also found out that Boss is Christian and from the same church. That inspires me. Living a Christian lifestyle can be fun.

I am moving into new waters but I do not believe I need to start from ground zero. Because I am better than that. But I need to meet the right people who believe in me and will guide me.
Lesson#1: Smarts and hard work is only effective when it's pitched to the right audience and guided by the right mentor.

I had dinner with my boss's friends tonight. They are young but lead such colourful lives. It makes me a green monster until the thought pops into my head "Why can't that be me too?"
Lesson#2: It is important to work hard but as important to play hard.

I met a happy cab driver at midnight. Coming from a high fliers' dinner, it is refreshing to hear a cabby who works hard but doesn't earn as much, expound on how much he enjoys his job. One passenger even told cabby that he was lucky to have only one job unlike executives who have to Bao Ka Liao for a little more pay. My cabby agrees wholeheartedly.
Lesson#3: Happiness is a state of mind.

I have been depressed about my job status lately and that has unfortunately seeped into my behaviour. I am sour and whiny.
Lesson#4: Thank God for supportive family, patient friends and a boyfriend who always listens and encourages!

dai lo,

thanks for texting to make sure i am ok from the swimming experience. haha, i like your comment about seeing girls bounce. *giggles*

maybe there comes a time to get past celebrating birthdays.

*****

i knocked on the door. half an hour earlier, i had called to make sure you would be up. i wanted to surprise you. but there was no sound. when i let myself in, the house was quiet. you had gone to bed. so i put the un-open, un-sung, un-cut cake into the fridge. it's your day after all and you can celebrate or not. but why do i feel disappointed?

Source: http://www.frontier-i.com/shop/crocs-sandals/crocswomensgirls/crocs-shoes-cayman-sandal-yellow-401507

vy, xi and i decided we needed exercise so we headed for the swimming complex. If you are someone who has sunk a float before like yours truly, swimming is a dangerous activity. Yes, floats can be sunk. So remember, only hold the sides of a float even if your natural instinct is to plop yourself on top of it.

the pool was teeming with kids having swimming lessons. all that was left was a small square that we each covered in one stroke. so we did as vy said "pretend we are in a cafe chatting". Then the kids began doing laps and we had an empty lane to ourselves but not for long. So I gleefully kicked off.

sometime later, i ran out of breath. thinking i was neared to the 1.2M part of the pool, i stood up to catch my breath. To my horror, I found myself submerged! I had unknowingly swam near to the 1.8M section. Running out of breath, I jumped on the floor so that propelled me through the surface for air. Soon I was back down and gasping. So I jumped again and breathed. But it got tiring and my lungs were expanding painfully with lesser and lesser air each time.

I knew I had to make it to the edge of the pool. So I started a new rhythm - bounce, breathe, kick. bounce, breathe, kick. All around me, I could see tiny legs gliding by and adults swimming past me. Why didn't anyone stop to give this girl who was shooting out of the pool and gasping for breath a hand??!

By sheer desperation, I made it to the edge. Thank God. All I could do was just gulp in large breaths of air. When I slowed down finally, I saw a pair of yellow crocs before me. They then walked nearer to ask if I was ok and then in a tsk tsk tone, "Next time don't panic. The more you panic, the more you sink. And if you cannot swim very well, don't swim across. stick to the 1.2M end." I was so malu I wanted to just let go and sink again. All I did was nod meekly at the lifeguard, bending my head so the people around me couldn't see my face.

Now wasn't it written on the job description that a lifeguard is suppose to save lives? Then why wait till the fella has rescued herself from near death and proceed to reprimand her? Or are they waiting for the fella to lose conscious and sink before diving in? I don't understand.

mok, i never got a reply from Sinda. not sure what happened to the indian guy. in any case, thanks for sharing with my friends what you call me. :p

I heard a whispering behind me. Turning my head slightly, I saw no one so I walked on. Then i heard it again. This time a distinct "excuse me...". I turned around fully and an Indian guy was walking towards me. Since i was outside raffles hotel, I thought he might be a lost tourist.

"miss... i haven't eaten for days.. can you give me some money ..." I gave a tiny smile and shook my head. Yet as I walked on, guilt crept in. Images of his bloodshot eyes and red gums flashed in my mind... the more I walked, the more guilty I felt.

These days we are bombarded with tissue sellers, music playing buskers or beggars. hawker centres, bus-stops, underground passes, mrt stations etc, they are everywhere. not to mention, flag donations every sat. i give when i can but there are days when i buy tissues from one auntie only to encounter another a few feet away. what makes one auntie more special than another? i have a choice of buying more tissues or walking away. but when i choose to walk away, inevitably guilt sinks in. I start feeling worse and worse about myself till I comfort myself saying I can give to the auntie the next day.

My priorities and motives are not be right all the time but surely there is a better way of helping. people tell me about syndicates who sell tissues through disabled people and pocket most of the cash. if this was so, how do i give knowing the auntie gets to keep the money and not some gang? sending money to organisations requires research to make sure all donations go to the right places. This is how it gets when some black sheep help themselves to public kindness. then there are the smaller charities that do not take government funds, how do they survive if donors become numbed and turned off by the numerous buskers, flag donations and embezzlement? really, i don't have a solution to it all.

as for the indian guy, i sent a mail to SINDA. I hope they can help. If not, to pass the information along to someone who can. There is my contact number if anybody needs to verify details. I hope the Indian guys gets medical help and food. sighs.

A family friend asked about my relationship status. My mum recounted the conversation for me.
Mum: I told her I didn't know who you were dating.
Me: Why leh? Can tell her wat..
Mum: I told her I don't know because you never brought your boyfriend home.
Me: Why?
Mum: Donwan lah. When you get married then I say.

After I brought my guys home, mum would always spread the word. To her, they were THE ONE. kind of ironical I know. I hated when she blab because deep down, I wasn't so sure we would last. It's kind of 'don't jinx it by saying something good!'

Things changed around the last guy. We were dating for a while and my parents were convinced this was finally THE ONE. Alas, things didn't work out and mum told me she was sorely disappointed in me. Which is when I realised that ever since I broke up with the first guy, she had always thought of me as flippant. That really tore out the last piece of my heart.

Now that I actually don't mind her telling people I am dating or any more details she wants to reveal. But she has gone the opposite and denied it or portrayed me as the mysterious baddie. That really upsets me since I really want this to work out, it's hard as it is being a long distance relationship and I don't want this to be jinxed! Sigh.