Interesting aspects of Warren Buffett

There was a one hour interview on CNBC with Warren Buffett, the second richest man who has donated $31 billion to charity. Here are some very interesting aspects of his life:

1. He bought his first share at age 11 and he now regrets that he started too late!

2. He bought a small farm at age 14 with savings from delivering newspapers.

3. He still lives in the same small 3-bedroom house in mid-town Omaha, that he bought after he got married 50 years ago. He says that he has everything he needs in that house. His house does not have a wall or a fence.

4. He drives his own car everywhere and does not have a driver or security people around him.

5. He never travels by private jet, although he owns the world’s largest private jet company.

6. His company, Bershire Hathaway, owns 63 companies. He writes only one letter each year to the CEOs of these companies, giving them goals for the year. He never holds meetings or calls them on a regular basis. He has given his CEOs only two rules. Rule number 1: Do not lose any of your shareholder’s money. Rule number 2: Do not forget rule number 1.

7. He does not socialize with the high society crowd. His past time after he gets home is to make himself some pop corn and watch television.

8. Bill Gates, the world’s richest man met him for the first time only 5 years ago. Bill Gates did not think he had anything in common with Warren Buffett. So he had scheduled his meeting only for half hour. But when Gates met him, the meeting lasted for ten hours and Bill Gates became a devotee of Warren Buffet.

9. Warren Buffet does not carry a cell phone, nor has a computer on his desk.

(Hard to believe eh? I have heard this before and I happen to see this in one of the western food menu. So I thought I can reproduce it here. Perhaps reading about Warren Buffett on the internet will provide more insight!)

PS: Upon reading some of the links, I came across this article which seemed to suggest one of the points above 'not very true' leh. Know which one?)

30 Dec 2007 (10.05pm)

End of year mood

This is usually the period of the year where one would feel really joyous and most relaxed. And this was usually the case for me. But this year, I felt somewhat different. On one hand, I am happy because of the holidays we get to enjoy. This is definitely a good break from work! But really, there is no feeling of any joyful festive mood as I used to have. Is it age or is it the reality of living has finally set in? There is also a fear of this period passing and the arrival of a whole new cycle again.

No matter what, the holidays are real and I keep reminding myself to treasure every moment and enjoy! It only comes once a year. No point worrying and wasting this precious moment!

So....YIPPIE!!!

30 Dec 2007 (10.25am)

Christmas Cakes

This fruitcake was actually a Christmas gift. First time celebrated Christmas with a fruitcake.







How does this logcake look? It tasted really yummy. It's actually a soft chocolate cake. From my usual bakery, Pine Gardens.








30 Dec 2007 (10.20am)

Prawning

Found a new place for prawning at Sin Ming Road (I think that should be the street name), opposite the Salvation Army at Bishan. We tried prawning at this new place today for the first time. Costs $15 per hour. It's opened 24 hours. Mmm...definitely will go back there again. But alas, today's achievement is miserable. Only one prawn in one hour! :)




Here it is. Was still jumping in the carrier when we took it home. Lying motionless on our washing basin. Kind of felt sorry for the prawnie. I am hopeless.








Moments later, landed on our bowl of noodle. Kind of sad. I've got a feeling of contradiction. Though I have enjoyed the prawning process but the same process has caused me some 'sympathy' for the catch. On our way back, I kept wondering how the prawnie was :( Finally, I dared not eat it! Heehee..... I felt so silly but couldn't help it! Sigh....





29 Dec 2007 (8.25pm)

Is it a blessing to be 'blessed'?

For one thing I am unhappy about, I have to be thankful to a dozen things I am 'blessed' with.

But, doesn't always sound logical leh. Does it?

25 Dec 2007 (6.50am)

Merry Christmas Everyone!

May I wish all my friends a very Merry Christmas!

24 Dec 2007 (12.50pm)

This is what I need

23 Dec 2007 (9.33am)

Light Moment

Sandra called Jason on his phone on a Sunday evening and asked, "Jason, I need a favour. I need to scan an article for my project but I do not have a scanner at home. Can you help?

Jason: Sure. I can do it from my scanner at home. But how do you want to pass that article to me?

Sandra: Oh, that's a problem. I need a article on Wednesday but I won't be meeting you till next week. Tell you what, I will try to have it scanned and email it to you. Sounds good?

Jason: ???????

23 Dec 2007 (9.30am)

What are the sums?

What does anger and guilt add up to?
Torment

What does obliging and tolerance add up to?
Torn

What does unhappy and anger add up to?
Unreasonable

What does unhappy and truthful add up to?
Unfeeling

What does 1+1 add up to?
1.7 + disincentive

What do you and I add up to?
Uncertain

21 Dec 2007 (8.20am)

My Butt-dies at work

Ok, ok, my spelling is bad. These beautiful ladies are my BUDDIES at my workplace. Another beauty is missing. The missing one is now a newborn, I mean, new mummy who is now enjoying the fruit of her LABOUR at home. We would probably be able to update the photo in about 2 months.

Our Butt...Buddy Committee holds almost daily meetings. The agenda is what time for lunch, where to lunch, what to eat, etc. These meetings can sometimes cause some hair-pulling incidences. Thank goodness, we always leave safely for lunch in one piece.

Now the introduction, from left:

1. Sugar Cane – Sweet and tall, hahaha. Really fun to be with, no doubt. Love to hear about the stories she tells, with animation. And because of her funny nature, she is always subject to ‘brutal’ teasing. I don’t think we feel apologetic about it cos we have ‘counselled’ her that we do that because we LOVE her. She, er....UNDERSTANDS. Look, we even 'sacrifice' ourselves to remove our glasses to complement her when we took this photo. Wonder why she wants to remove her specs whenever she takes photo leh. Aiyah, we should have placed our four pairs of specs together for a separate shots. Buddy masters, buddy specs. Her other buddies include the two 'living' creatures on our hands, one more is held in captivity somewhere else.

2. Eiffel Tower - Another tall one! No wonder my neck's been aching lately. A latest member to the group. Another funny gal. Now off to enjoy herself on another island. Both she and the sugar cane can keep us entertained. hahaha. By the way, she is my first Singaporean friend who does not understand Hokkien?? So funny!!! But I bo pian li leh, she really buay hiao tia and gong Hokkien!! Gi Guai hor?? Anyway, WHERE IS THE GROUP PHOTO WE TOOK AT THE HOG'S SOMETHING CAFE??

3. Forest Guuum - Cool and steady. I wish I have half of that trait. Dogs and cats lovers. One who love cats more than dogs, but actually has two dogs at home. *scratch head* A sleepyhead, just like me. hee, no wonder we click. Other than dogs and cats, our closest topic is sleep!

4. Maomie lah - Another sleepyhead. Glad to have this folks on board and to associate with. Otherwise, life can get a bit dull and intolerable. Hey, don't be mistaken. I don't have a pointed left ear hor. I was just standing in front of a hanging cushion decor!

Just wanna say, including the missing mummy, 'thank you gals for your friendship'. I hope we can upgrade this friendship to blossom even outside the workplace. Can we?

Have a MERRRRRRRY CHRISTMAS!

20 Dec 2007 (8.00am)

Who has been reading my blog?

I have started this blog for four months now.

It would be wonderful to know who has been reading my blog over the past months. If you are one of them, would you drop me a message? If you are too shy, you may also send me an email to: valtantan@hotmail.com.

Please oblige my curiosity, will you? Pleeeeeease.....

Heh heh heh...

19 Dec 2007 (9.50pm)

Housekeeping of my accounts

It’s end of year and I am trying to tidy up some account matters. Here are my compilations:

Bank Account
An account where $$ goes in and out; forever hoping and wishing (and sometimes madly praying) that the contents grow as quickly as weed grow in a field, and blooms like sakura in winter Japan. J Hard work and good sense of $$ management may help in growing this account a little bit. A little depends on luck.

Time Account
An account with an unknown value. Each person has a different value to start off. This account does not grow. You can’t make any deposit. It moves with a reduction mode. Nothing can make its value increase and nothing can be carried forward. Anything not utilized is being wasted. The interesting thing is that no one knows the value beforehand till it reaches the zero value.

Love Account
An account which gets credited or debited depending on the efforts you make and the amount of love you give to the people around you. Of course, the efforts may not grow in direct proportion to the value in this account. Sometimes may cause disappointment when the investment does not reap any growth. However, when an investment is well taken care of and not taken for granted, rest assure the value will continue to blossom.

Luck Account
An account that is circumstantial. From my knowledge, it can’t be chalked up. It may even be negative (a term often known as ‘suay’). No one knows when it will be credited or debited or by how much or by what means.

Personal Account
An account which stores personal information, depending on how much you deposit. I have this account long long time ago, but didn’t really check the balance. It has probably grown. It may come in different mode. Mine comes in a form of a fellow homosapien where I deposit occasionally with information which I cannot deposit elsewhere. It includes sensitive complains, grumbles, grouses, etc, etc, etc. Perhaps this personal account would be revealed when the time account reaches 0.

There could be more accounts which I have not accounted for! So I will continue to look out for them. I should be a very ‘rich’ lady, don’t you agree?

19 Dec 2007 (9.30pm)

So can I ask for anything at all?

I can’t ask for more because I have more than the average;
I can’t ask for less because that’s not what the normal people has;
I can’t ask for the normal because my circumstances are unusual.

19 Dec 2007 (8.15pm)

Don't start abusing the concept of 'Worklife Balance'

Why must every good intention be misused?

Have you ever come across employees being forced to take or clear leave for a specified period, and the 'good reason' is that it is an opportunity for employees to have worklife balance and spend time with their family?

If the real intention is for the staff to spend quality time with their family, isn't it supposed to be up to the staff which days or period they would like to spend, instead of forcing them to take leave, say 1 to 10 December?? It needs to be planned for! And what if staff has already made plans for 11 to 20 Dec, for example?

So please stop using such 'noble reasons'. It really irks me!

16 Dec 2007 (8.10pm)

Taxi fares going up again!

Ouch!

I thought we just had a hike not too long ago? Or have I lost track of time? In the past, I used to disregard such news. But nowadays, I get very 'pissed off'. Perhaps age plays a big part. :)

When you get older and have been hearing such things so very often, it's no wonder. Isn't it? Every now and then, you hear this price going up, that price going up, etc , etc. Why are we so efficient whenever price hikes are concerned? They make some people happy and a lot more unhappy.

I am put off by the reality of the business concepts where people seem to define profit and loss in a way lay people really cannot understand.

Organisations want to earn money and it is natural that they want their earnings and profits to rise and rise and rise (just like parents want their kids to score higher and higher each time). It seems most are not willing to accept a lower profit, and I mean lower profit, not a loss (I know, I am crazy for even commenting about this). Yes, yes, they are responsible for shareholders, stakeholders, etc, etc, etc, otherwise the investment will flop......

I am not referring to cases where organisations make a loss which cannot cover their costs. That's what I call a LOSS! But for some, even a lower profit seems to be a loss for them. Is that a real loss? So when organisations see a lower profit, red lights flashed! Then what? Cost reduction or price increase.

So when time gets tough, the consumers get the punch! At a time when prices of all sorts (including petrol) rises, the only solution is to increase price.

But I wonder, in the case of taxis, do the cab drivers ever get their rental reduced in good times? I really don't know. But one cabby shared with me, that when they requested their organisation to reduce their rentals, the answer they got was that if the rental was cut by $1 per cabby, it would reduce their earnings by 'dunno how many of thousands'. How disappointing, the answer.

Sigh, so much for sharing woes.

I am going to be 'pissed off' whatever the reasons are given for the taxi hike. I hope I can refrain from taking taxis unnecessary because it is really sickening just by thinking about it! The meter is going to tick faster! Even taking the cab now is like playing stocks and consulting a lawyer combined! The similarity is that every minute counts! The difference of course is....the rate lah!

Having commented on the above, I am sure there are organisations that are more 'humane'. And I really hope such 'humane' organisations continue to survive well and be well publicised to prove that doing businesses don't mean just take, take and take everytime!

For those that only think about the 'BIG PICTURE' of their balance sheet, please also try to reflect that survival of the fittest doesn't only mean you win in terms of the tangibles things you have achieved and the most intelligent reasons or excuses you give. Sometimes winning the debate doesn't put you on top, it makes you more sickening.

The true winners win the tangibles and the goodwill that comes along with the moral values (or whatever good you do).

Haha, no wonder I am not in the business world, otherwise I would be a laughing stock for being so naive! Well, I am just a citizen.

16 Dec 2007 (3.10pm)

Worries, worries everywhere

I worry about a lot of things under the sun.

At work, I worry about things I have no answer to and do not know which ‘wise man’ to approach. To add on to the frustrations, questions get piled up much much quicker than answers get uncovered. Where are all the ‘wise men’ when I need them to be around. Questions drop from the sky, answers get locked up in safe!

I worry about things not being completed on time. I worry about delaying people. I worry about the equally important and urgent things that fall on my lap. I feel like a debtor getting numerous reminders from my banker to repay my debt or face bankruptcy! If everything is urgent, then it may be better off for me to kill myself and be incarnated as a ‘thousand hands’ creature.

I worry about not catching bosses on time or catching them at the wrong time! This potentially affects my other worries above.

What I wonder about is this – the few companies that I have worked for are not new organizations. They are established organizations. But why is it that things are still not in place? What happened to the past 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, 100 years? Do the same problems surface over and over again? If so, why?

What is the concept of work? Did or does god meant work to be this way? No one knows. What I do know is that this has to do with the composition of human characteristics and personalities at work! Workplace is probably a good place to study the ‘outcome’ of different personalities put together. It’s a web, it’s a cycle, it’s very complicated.

I once met a boss to consult him on some matters and shared with him my worries. He said: “Why worry about Step 6 and 7 when we are at Step 1 and 2?” Ok, point taken. Second time, about another matter, he commented: “We worry about this and worry about that, but the problem is still here. So, how do we resolve this?” Ok, another point taken.

Outside work, I worry about the health of my loved ones, I worry that I do not have enough time for myself. I worry about being tired all the time (actually more frustrating than worry). I worry about not having enough time for socializing. I worry about losing all my friends. I worry about being insensitive to others’ feelings. I worry about being viewed as not a good individual. I worry about expressing my true feelings for fear of consequences I do not want to face or need not face, otherwise. I worry about the suppression which will make me a potential cancer, cardio and/or mental patient!

How will I ever get rid of worrying unnecessarily?

I want to be a ‘warrior’, not ‘worrier’!

11 Dec 2007 (8.45pm)

Quote of the Day

I thought this is a nice quotation:

"I suppose I have a really loose interpretation of 'work', because I think that just being alive is so much work at something you don't always want to do."
Andy Warhol Quotes - American Artists

8 Dec 2007 (11.10am)

2nd Wedding Anniversary

Come 10 Dec (1012), I will be celebrating my second wedding anniversary (customary). How time passes us by. It seems just like a recent event.

We have our ups and downs in the two years, we are still trying to adjust to our different lifestyles (even till now), we argue, we joke, we have fun....That's our marriage. We are still talking about how unbelievable both of us found each other, our circumstances seem....just unbelievable. That's fate, I think.

Wish me and hubby many more good years to come by….:)

PS: Had wanted to add a pic, but as usual, it takes donkey hours! Sigh, another time, perhaps.

8 Dec 2007 (9.50am)

A little note to my loved ones

1. Forgive me for making you worry about me all the time, even now.

2. I know you are always so accommodating towards me and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I have not expressed it well, but I know it deep in my heart. Really.

3. I might have flared at you but it was usually the situations I was angry about, not you.

4. If it was you I was angry with, I had already done my self-talk. I am not angry with you now.

5. I might have my moments of mood swings, and I thank you for putting up with me.

6. I might have acted kiddy-ish and foolish most times, but my heart and mind were conscious of the real things that I had kept away from my mouth. Believe me.

7. Many things were left unsaid because of the fear of hurting and offending – though sometimes I wish I could just spit it out. Other times, it was just plain laziness.

8. Regardless of the things we had faced, the good times and the not so good times, the happy and the not so happy moments, I still love you. Don’t forget that.

9. Even when we don’t meet, I still think of you, wondering how and what you are doing at the moment.

10. I may be naggy (and noisy) at times. So, forgive me if I need you to start reading from 1 again.

Despite the above, I still hope I have been a good part of your life.

29 Nov 2007 (5.15am)

Graceful Swans and their way of life

I visited the Singapore Botanic Gardens on Sunday after thinking and thinking and thinking about it for months. The last time I ever stepped foot onto the botanic gardens ground was when I was still in primary school, I think. Couldn’t remember anything else except the monkeys and the swans.

The walk took me slightly more than 1.5 hours. Could have been longer if not for the fact that I was more interested in the swans than the plants!

This time round, the monkeys were gone (at least on Sunday when I was there). But the Swan Lake is still there (probably bigger, I cant remember) and as before, a pair of swans can be seen in the lake. And that's my main purpose - to visit the swans.

How amazing! Boththe swans followed each other and moved around together all the time. One followed the other, without leaving each other at any moment. What a couple! Whenever one stopped to drink or rest, the other followed. Whenever one stopped to eat, the other follow suit. Whenever one had finished eating and decided to move on, the other followed.

Even as I was snapping away pictures, I had to make sure both are captured in each shoot. I felt ‘morally wrong’ to even take a pic of just one of them.

How many pairs of the homo sapiens couples can beat the swans? For me, I sure haven’t quite reached there yet. At least on the Sunday, I was at the botanical gardens and my hubby was somewhere else. So well…..

Share more on my visit to the botanic gardens next time.

28 Nov 2007 (10.20pm)

Sing with me - The Twelve Days of Christmas!

Have been trying to memorise this lyrics but never seem to get round it. Might as well put it in here so that it can be available any time!

(The Twelve Days of Christmas)(Lee Greenwood)

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Seven swans a-swimming,

Six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Eight maids a-milking,

Seven swans a-swimming,

Six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids a-milking,

Seven swans a-swimming,

Six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Ten lords a-leaping,

Nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids a-milking,

Seven swans a-swimming,

Six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Eleven pipers piping,

Ten lords a-leaping,

Nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids a-milking,

Seven swans a-swimming,

Six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me

Twelve drummers drumming,

Eleven pipers piping,

Ten lords a-leaping,

Nine ladies dancing,

Eight maids a-milking,

Seven swans a-swimming,

Six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings,

Four calling birds,

Three French hens,

Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree!

Christmas is round the corner (in a month, to be exact), but why am I not feeling excited and eager leh?

25 Nov 2007 (8.13am)

Quote of the Day

"When you are unhappy, is there anything more maddening than to be told that you should be contented with your lot?"

- Kathleen Norris

23 Nov 2007 (8.27pm)

"I have a Dream" - Martin Luther King

I think it was in the poly or uni days when one of the lecturers played the famous speech of Martin Luther King in 1963 on his desire for a 'future where blacks and whites would coexist harmoniously as equals'.

I didn't know what came over me then, got so engrossed, went to search for the speech, and memorised one section of the speech, that goes:

"I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."

And if America is to be a great nation this must become true.

So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!

Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!

But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!

Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

I cant believe I really did that! That's why must put this down on record. But I really thought, and still think it is a very wonderful speech...:)

I should be so crazy to redo it all over again!! For those who know me, I may......

I found the website with his full speech, and if you are keen, click here. You can even do a test.

23 Nov 2007 (10.36pm)

Happiness is....

Just came across this quote by Albert Schweitzer and thought it worth sharing:

"Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory"

Not sure if I have a good health, but a bad memory.....sure have. But then, sometimes my brain remembers things selectively.

23 Nov 2007 (10.22pm)

黄莲好吃吗？

终于能够深深体会到“哑子吃黄莲，有苦难言’的利害！往往会吃出一堆气。

可怎么这堆气却又不会让人相气球似的马上升上天。它只会在内心的某处堆着，堆着。。。好象慢慢的在让沉睡中的火山。。。死灰复燃。

(PS: Wonder if my Chinese characters are correct. :)

21 Nov 2007 (9.55pm)

Choice or No Choice

It is really frustrating when people tell me ‘you have a choice’. They may not be wrong but their simple-minded statement, when made to complicated minds like mine, is like pouring water into a pot of boiling oil!

So when is ‘having a choice’ really ‘having no choice’?

Here’s one simple illustration:

A) If you are ask to visit someone, the straightforward choice is

- Go
- Don’t go

B) To the complicated mind, the consideration is

Go -> I really don’t want to but I will not cause any unhappiness
Don’t go-> That’s what I really want but so-and-so will be upset

C) So, to the complicated mind, the choice is really

Go -> I really don’t want to but I will not cause any unhappiness -> I won’t be happy, others won’t be upset
Don’t go -> That’s what I really want but so-and-so will be upset -> I will be happy, others will be upset


If I am more afraid to upset others, my ‘CHOICE’ would be to GO. But that’s not what I want. So where has my choice gone to?

Complicated?

21 Nov 2007 (9.35pm)

Don't take away my space!

I am a very private person.
I need my own space.
If my only hiding place is taken away from me, what does that leave me with?


19 Nov 2007 (8.20am)

Is this me?

One of my greater assets to people:

Making myself do, for people, things that I do not wish to do in the first place.

One of my greater liabilities to myself:

Making myself do, for people, things that I do not wish to do in the first place.


19 Nov 2007 (8.15am)

Dilbert's Law of Work

Found this on a blogger's website (whiskoffee) and thought it's interesting enough to share (have always like to read Dilbert's quotes):


1. If you can't get your work done in the first 24 hours, work nights.

2. A pat on the back is only a few centimeters from a kick in the butt.

3. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

4. It doesn't matter what you do, it only matters what you say you've done and what you're going to do.

5. After any salary raise, you will have less money at the end of the month than you did before.

6. The more junk you put up with, the more junk you are going to get.

7. You can go anywhere you want if you look serious and carry a clipboard.

8. Eat one live toad the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.

9. When the bosses talk about improving productivity, they are seldom talking about themselves.

10. If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. No use being a fool about it.

11. Keep your boss's boss off your boss's back.

12. Everything can be filed under "miscellaneous".

13. Never delay the ending of a meeting or the beginning of lunch.

14. To err is human, to forgive is not our policy.

15. Anyone can do any amount of work provided it isn't the work he/she is supposed to be doing.

16. If you are good, you will be assigned all the work. If you are really good, you will get out of it.

17. You are always doing something marginal when the boss drops by your desk.

18. People who go to conferences are the ones who shouldn't.

19. If it wasn't for the last minute, nothing would get done.

20. At work, the authority of a person is inversely proportional to the number of pens that a person is carrying.

21. When you don't know what to do, walk fast and look worried.

22. Following the rules will not get the job done.

23. Getting the job done is no excuse for not following the rules.

24. When confronted by a difficult problem, you can solve it more easily by reducing it to the question, "How would the Lone Ranger handle this?".

25. No matter how much you do, you never do enough.

26. The last person that quit or was fired will be held responsible for everything that goes wrong.

17 Nov 2007 (8.23am)

Just me again

Curiosity kills the cat;
Obligations kill me!

17 Nov 2007 (8.17am)

Animals Road Show!

Finally there is an animal roadshow coming to town!
I think it's organised by the AVA, something about abandoned animals, during this weekend at Ngee Ann City.
Really hope I can be there and would be perfect if I can play around with some doggies!!

(Btw, my hammie MaoMao is jogging away happily on his wheel while I am posting this!)

16 Nov 2007 (10.20pm)

Just me

I can be obliging, but I also protest in my own way.
But the pain can only felt by me alone.

16 Nov 2007 (9.00pm)

猜猜看

木目在心
西下美女
手扶下巴
人在尔边
心早已死
言及自己
十件家具
白色勺子
儿女双全
又住一起

<每句猜一字共十字>

16 Nov 2007 (8.33pm)

Bloggers’ World – Introducing Old Beng (A Pro Blogger)

After I started blogging, I realize one could easily get absorbed into reading other bloggers’ posts. I have been reading some other blogs and believe it or not, I actually spent one whole afternoon trying to finish one of the blogger’s posts!

And, I would like to introduce you to another blog which I think is interesting, esp the ghost stories! Here it is: http://oldbeng.blogspot.com/

I find it really relaxing when reading Old Beng’s posts, but ahem, of course not the ghost stories (they are more like, scary!). Avoid reading at night if you can. Hahahahaha….

10 Nov 2007 (9.20pm)

What a rainbow I saw yesterday!

Hey folks, first of all, I haven't seen a rainbow for a longtime. Secondly, I can't remember anytime in the past seeing a rainbow that clear and sharp just outside my house. And finally, this is definitely the first time I see double rainbow!

Can you see the 2nd rainbow to the left of the clearer one?? It was clearer seeing it live, but if you care to look carefully, you can also see it here.

Happy day!!!

10 Nov 2007 (8.55pm)

How to include sufficient exercise into my routine?

My doctor told me that my backache is due to lack of exercise. Told him I am targeting weekends. He said not sufficient. And that swimming would be good.

He suggested that there is a gym at my workplace where I can work on my back, but I told him I won’t want to stay back after work as the traveling time is very long. He smiled.

I have nowhere to slot in the exercise regimes, I know it’s lame excuse but it’s true:

Mondays to Fridays

Between 6 to 7.15am: Wake up, clean up, change, get back to bed till D-Time arrives.

Between 7.15am to 7.15pm: Work (including traveling time of about 2.5hrs to and fro, on my company transport)

7.15pm to 9.30pm (10pm at times): Dinner, clear dishes, bath, wash clothes, sometimes play computer games, sometimes read. Then I will start watching the time when I should go to bed. On Fridays, this time period will be stretched.

9.30/10.30pm to 6am: zzzzzzzz

Especially on weekdays, I have no mood to do anything later at night. The thought of having to wake up early for work ‘haunts’ me every night.

9 Nov 2007 (6.10pm)

人造的问题可真多！

不是吗？有啥事儿不是人造的呢？当然除了天造之灾祸吧。

政策照理是一种给于指导和方向的工具，可是偏偏它又制造了另一堆问题。怎么解决这新问题呢？不就再立一道新的政策吗？很快的，我们所要了解的政策越来越多（有些还挺无理头的）。同时，要应付的麻烦事也越来越多。可能吗？

另一种情况者是：政策不清不楚，说一半没说一半。当被问起一堆处于灰色地戴的问题时，没人能给于指导因为政策也一样的灰。那有怎么办呢？只有照着自己的判断力和解读能力。解得对，过关。解错，那就是捣大霉，自己付责。可笑的是，既然都灰了，那来的对或不对呢？那还真得靠老天保佑喽！只要’当家’的说你对你就对，说你错你就成了牺牲品。

这不是人给人制造出来的问题是啥呀！

难到就是因为如此，我们才有俜用的价值吗？

Oh my god.

9 Nov 2007 (1.06pm)

Bonus Bonus on the way

It’s the time of the year again! Festive seasons, shopping, food, vacations, and BONUS!

But there is something about the organization policy which I simply cannot understand since the first day I joined the workforce.

The Oxford Dictionary defines bonus as ‘a sum of money added seasonally to a person’s wages for good performance’ (er…don’t really understand why ‘wages’ is in plural).

So it is about paying for performance right? Performance for when? My coconut brain reminds me that we are appraised by our organizations annually for performances for a period, say from January to December 2007. Then based on our performances for this period, we are paid certain amount as bonus. Ah, so for our case, it's performance from Jan to Dec yah?

But the payout can be in December, some in January, February and even March, for whatever reasons. The part which doesn’t gel really well with my coconut brain is the question – if the bonus is for my performance from Jan to Dec 2007 and the company makes the payout later, why am I penalize if I were to tender my resignation after the period of assessment and before I receive my bonus?

Supposing the company credits bonuses to our bank accounts on 15 Jan 2008 and I tender my resignation on 10 Jan 08, my bonus will be forfeited. Some companies will even recover the amount paid if I tender on 20 Jan because I have not served the whole month of Jan 08. (And I just realized that for some companies that do not recover the amount, it’s not because of their compassion or goodwill, it’s because of the hassle of recovering!)

Why ah? Isn’t the bonus made to me for my performance from Jan to Dec 2007? And I have stayed for the whole of 2007. Have I missed something? What has it got to do with me staying or resigning in 2008?

Policies are made by humans to serve the humans. But some policies, like this one, simply appear illogical to my coconut brain.

Maybe it has nothing to do with logic after all. Perhaps some big brainers can tell me why and enlighten my coconut brain.

If I owe the company money and tender my resignation, do you think my debt will also be forfeited ah?

8 Nov 2007 (7.25am)

Have I told you lately that I love you?

I had recently attended a wake while a christian service was in progress.

In the midst of our chatting, I seemed to hear something familiar and so I paid some attention to the speaker. He reminded us that if we love somebody, let the person know. Do not wait till it's too late to do so.

This is not a new message yet we don't seem to remember it all the time and need to be reminded. It's not only about saying 'I love you' but also to do things you have always wanted to do for your loved ones. We procrastinate, we delay, we forget.......and then we regret.

I have been reminded and if you are reading this, let this be a reminder to you too.

In case I should leave this world tomorrow, next week, next month or next year....please start saying 'you love me' too! :)

7 Nov 2007 (9.53pm)

Nostalgic......Fishball Noodle

I used to stay at a one-room flat at Pipit Road (near Circuit Road) with my parents when I was a toddler, up to the age of about 6. Next to the block was a market and hawker centre (it is still there) where mom and I always patronise, especially the fishball noodle stall. And so far, I cannot find another fishball noodle stall which I prefer to the Pipit Road stall.

That was the place where I started eating fishball noodles with mom's influence, I believe. During those times, I usually share the noodles with mom. Whenever we went there, it was the standard 'mee pok cheng hiam' (meaning the flat noodles with only chilli, ie no vinegar and ketchup).

This was close to 30 years ago.

I still miss the stall once in a while and I still do go back there once every one to two years, sometimes more. I will bring dad with me everytime.

I went back there again yesterday morning. I had been thinking about it over the past week. The craving was back so I was determined to make a trip back for a bowl of dried noodles when I was on leave on Friday. I think the last time I patronise was about 2 years ago. The seller uncle probably cannot remember me, but he remembers dad. Each time I go with dad, they will chat for a while (cant for too long cos boss has continuous orders).

The boss looked obviously older than those previous visits. His hair and moustache was apparently more grey (or rather all grey).

As usual, after dad ordered, I will sit there, waiting anxiously for the noodle to be served. I noticed something different this time. In the past, there was a bowl of red cut chilli, a bottle of light soy sauce and a bunch of chopsticks on each table, for self service. I thought that was pretty generous as stalls nowadays are not so generous with their chilli.

But yesterday, I saw there were nothing on the tables. Was wondering if it was the boss' decision for some reasons, or he is unable to do that now due to whatever regulations. I kinda miss the chilli.

I do not know if standards has changed or my taste is different, I feel that the noodle did not taste like before. Though it is still nice compared to a lot of other fishball noodles I have tried, the feel is somewhat different from the previous time I ate. The noodle didn't feel as tangy as before for one, and perhaps boss gave me too much chilli which affected the overall taste.

In any case, I am sure I will still miss it again after a while. So while I had fulfilled my taste bud yesterday, I am looking forward to my next opportunity to go avisiting again.


Haha, got a bonus yesterday - we saw MediaCorp artistes Fiona Xie and Aiyoyo Chen Liping and another old-timer whose name I cannot recall. They were doing some outdoor filming.

3 Nov 2007 (10.30am)

Share a Moment: Do Not Worry

An extract from "How to overcome your difficulties" by Ven.K.Sri Dhammananda:

"The secret of happy, successful living is to do what needs to be done now, and not worry about the past or the future. We cannot reshape the past, nor can we anticipate everything in the future. There is but one moment of time over which we have some conscious control and that is the present.

Many people just worry about the future. They have to learn to adjust themselves to the circumstances. Whatever castles they may build in the air, whatever dreams they may have, they must always remember that they are living in this world of constant friction and change.

There are no stars which we could trust, There is no guiding light, And we know that we must BE GOOD, BE JUST, BE RIGHT!"

28 Oct 2007 (12.55pm)

My Vacation on Star Virgo: Special Dedication

My hubby had wanted this picture to be taken to remind him of how fortunate he has been to be able to enjoy a wonderful meal as we sail on the ocean. The view of the moving waters, the blue sky and the sparkling ocean is not something we get to enjoy everyday.

We feel so blessed for the opportunity.

Psst, see the 2 kids? We think they are twins. :)

28 Oct 2007 (12.45pm)

My Vacation on Star Virgo (Final): The Before and After Disappointments

From the bottom of my heart, I have nothing to complain about the cruise. Everything was good and enjoyable from the point I stepped onto the gigantic ship.

Perhaps the nature’s way of conveying that nothing’s ever perfect, our almost perfect vacation was marred by the procedures of checking in, boarding in and immigration clearance.

To me, the whole process was chaotic and it seemed like the cruise centre was not designed to cater for the over 2000 passengers. Can you believe it took us about 3 hours to get into our cabin from the point we reach the cruise centre?

But strangely, when I spoke with friends about this, they seemed to be surprised with my encounter as their own experience were not so bad. Frankly, I couldn’t remember such bad scenario during my previous trips too.

Or was I so ‘suay’ (unlucky) to the core that day?

Here’s our experience:

About 7.50pm: Reach Singapore Cruise Centre at Level 2. There were already long, long and still long queues (apparently more than 1 queue). I did a brief survey and found the queue for World Cruiser (our booking category). We started queueing.

(It said Boarding Time was 8.30pm so we just stayed in our stationary queue)

About 8.30pm: I noticed some movement somewhere in from of the queue, so I went forward to check things out again. I got more confused as there seem to be more queues. Saw a staff who was on duty and asked (apparently lots of people was confused as everyone seemed to be asking the same question – WHICH QUEUE?). Finally I got it – first, queue for the checking in, then moved to another queue for the boarding in. (I almost freaked out)

Anyway, I went back to my father and hubby and told them we were in the wrong queue and ushered them to the correct one. So we waited……

Close to 9.30pm: I think it was around this time (or later) that I finally reached the counter for the checking in. I was starting to feel tired. After checking in, we went to the queue for boarding, and gosh, that queue snacked through one pillar after another. We decided to go for dinner at the food court first. We were dead hungry. ( We had earlier thought we could board the ship by 9pm, and have our dinner on board thereafter – how naïve!)

About 9.45pm: We went back to the queue for boarding. The queue was long but we could see we were among the last passengers in the queue.

I thought once we get pass the boarding in gate, we were saved! But wow, I was wrong!!! And how wrong!

After we passed through the board in gate, there was this usual luggage scanning which we need to go through. The crowd was already packed up to where the scanning equipment and sensors were.

Looking further in, we almost fainted. The queue was a queue no more. It was just crowd!! It was like a 3 lanes converging to 2 lanes and people started messing up the lines.

The worse was at the peak as we need to get clearance from the immigration counters. God knows how long we spent here because I had totally ‘switched off’. We couldn’t see the front anymore, and were just moving along whatever space was ahead of us.

Close to 11.30pm: The last I did a check on the time was when we finally got into our cabin and well, it was about 11.30pm!

How frustrating. But the time we spent on the cruise made up for it, until we return, again!

The checking out part was fine. Again, the bottleneck came from the customs. I really wonder what’s wrong!!!!

28 Oct 2007 (12.20pm)

My Vacation on Star Virgo (Part 3): Really Cruise for the Soul

At one point, the sky turned dark, with strong winds blowing. It was a little scary but only for a while. It did rain a moment later but who cares. We did our indoor walk. The rain stopped after a while.

I think this was the first time I encountered dark clouds on cruise. Another experience...

If it rained outside, we could just step indoor to fill our tummies! Eat while we looked at the weather outside. Whatever we did, they were enjoyable. :)







Even the library provided a cosy environment for relaxation. It wasn't too crowded and the sofa were very comfortable. Even when there is really nothing one can do, just pop into the library and read or just sit and stare and the moving waters.





Finally an opportunity for us to step out of our cruise at Port Klang, Kuala Lumpur. We did not join the city tour but just ventured out to look-see-look-see. We managed to buy some tidbits (finally a chance to spend some Ringgit).





How fast time flies when one is enjoying....We are getting closer and closer to Singapore again. The mood tend to sink a little. Haha, I was busy visualising our next trip. What to do...got to motivate myself a little. Good thing, my hubby was still happy. Looked like I was the more discontented being!

Finally finally, the familiar places and icons were within our sight. Getting nearer and nearer. Wish I could carry on with the cruise...

So much for this trip (but not quite the end yet. I have yet to make my complains which will come in Part 4!) and looking forward to another one soon!


For now, I just have to look back at the 300 plus photos I had taken and salivate from time to time. OK, BACK TO REALITY!!

24 Oct 2007 (9pm)

My Vacation on Star Virgo (Part 2): Still Soul Good

A luxurious setting for a good meal. What more can I ask for? We had our first lunch at the Chinese restaurant, The Pavillion, which is of course included in our package.

We went in, sat down and food was automatically served. There were 6 dishes (incl one chicken soup). I was pretty satisfied with the meal but of course, one of the reasons for the good appetite was the environment we were in. Just watch the view behind me!




A good form of therapy for the mind. Even when there is really nothing (and I mean activities) I can do, I can simply stare out into the open space and relax. Seriously, it's one of the great enjoyment for the mind, and in my 'cluttered' life.


If you love the sea, this is perhaps one of the ultimate things, other than diving and fishing in the open sea. At least, that's what I think.






You can get a similarly good view of the ocean and the breeze and the sky while sitting or lying on the resting 'couch'. Also a good idea to do some reading and then dozing off.

Look how 'shiok' dad was. I would do that too!








A gigantic screen of the sunset. Even the camera couldn't take all of it!

If you care to spend some moments to observe, you would see the amazing things from natural settings. The sky changed - from darkness to sunrise glow, to the clear blue sky, to the ever changing clouds (and most of the times you could see interesting pictures forming above), to the setting sun. Every moment was unique.

One moment it's a piece of gold, and the next moment, you see a field of glittering diamonds.

If you are a person who go for natural phemonenon, then this is one experience you shouldn't miss......

Part 3 coming up!

22 Oct 2007 (9.35pm)

My Vacation on Star Virgo (Part 1): Soul Good

It has been a long wait! We had booked for this trip about a month ago and had been waiting eargerly for this day to arrive. It's both an agony and excitement having to count days for the trip to materialise (17 - 19 Oct 07)! Hahaha....

This time, I went with my dad and hubby. Dad was with me on the previous cruise vacation. This is the first time my hubby had a vacation on a cruise. I was worried he might not enjoy, but he ended up feeling 'high' too.


I had been on the Star Cruises about 3 times before this one. And no doubt about it, I still enjoy cruise each time. It is not an everyday affair that you get to be so near the ocean and what's more, we are in the middle of it! I feel so peaceful and calm. The ocean, the sky, the sound of the waves, the sunrise, the sunset, the breeze. I feel so blessed to be able to enjoy these all at one go!


We were so fortunate to have a cabin which faced the front of the cruise. Each time we pulled open the curtain, we would enjoy the scenary as the cruise sailed forward.


Imagine sleeping on the upper deck of the bed with the curtains opened. The moment I opened my eyes, that's what I see (window view in the left pic).





Couldn't help it, folks. The breeze was simply intoxicating. One tends to get euphoric with just a dose of the whooshing wind. Wish I could fly like the swallows...










What's more enjoyable than having a meal (or meals) surrounded by the great ocean. The view and the feeling cannot be described in simply a few words. Eating onboard the cruise increased one's appetitite at all-time high.



We enjoyed our meals both indoor and outdoor. The most importing thing was, everywhere we were eating, we could see the sea and the clear blue sky.

PS: Looks like Blogger is giving me problem downloading more pics. Continue with Part 2 when I resolve this.

21 Oct 2007 (8.50am)

Snapshot!

Another proud picture I had taken off my Star Virgo. I love this one, though would be somewhat better if it is a little closer.But well, I am satisfied!

20 Oct 2007 (8.30pm)

Share a Moment: A Happy Married Life

An extract from "How to overcome your difficulties" by Ven.K.Sri Dhammananda:

"In a true marriage, the husband and wife think more for the partnership that they share than for themselves. Marriage is a bicycle made for two. A feeling of security and contentment comes from mutual efforts. Impatience and misunderstanding are responsible for most family problems. A wife is not her husband's servant. She deserves respect as an equal. Though a husband has the breadwinner's duties, helping out with household chores does not demean a husband's masculinity. At the same time, a nagging and grumpy wife is not going to make up for shortages in the home. Neither will her suspicion of her husband help to make a happy marriage. If her husband has shortcomings, only tolerance and kind words will help him to see the light. Right understanding and moral conduct are the practical aspects of wisdom.

Marriage is a blessing but many people turn their married lives into a curse. Poverty is not the main cause of an unhappy married life. Both husband and wife must learn to share the pleasure and pain of everything in their lives. Mutual understanding is the secret of a happy family life."

13 Oct 07 (9.00pm)

A blissful marriage wish

17 Oct 07: A special day for the couple. Here's my niece, finally tied the knot! May their new life be filled with love, joy and happiness.

Congrats, Peter and Yvonne! You've just started on a new chapter of your lives. Cherish each other forever.

A sisterly pose. Aren't they cool? So, er....when's your turn, ladies?

In my confusion, I thought this is a 3 generation pose. But actually only 2 generations here. Haha.

Another sisterly pose...By the time their turns come, I wonder how many strands of grey hairs (or perhaps uncountable) and wrinkles I would have!

13 Oct 07 (12.17pm)

The 'Infiltrators' in our lives are making me VERY irritated

Most of us must have been so used to and perhaps immuned by the weekly flag day when students, young adults, senior citizens volunteer (or for some, being volunteered) to seek donations from the public, with their little donation cans and stickers, for some charitable organisations. Yes, this is for a good cause but I am also guilty of having developed a feeling of frustration - frustrated of my way being 'obtructed' every Saturday.

But as I have mentioned, that is for a good cause and will not dwell too much on that.

In the recent years, I realise that I have been faced with more frustrations with other infiltrations, like:

The money solicitor:

The dunno real or not real monks and nuns seeking money at the hawker centres. And I wish to also include, under this category, the occasional 'beggars' who literally ask you for money, and some even tell you specifically how much they want! They seem to be everywhere and everytime you sit and eat, they appear in front of you, mumbling something which I do not understand. A friendly no, once, twice, thrice, and gradually the irritation sets in.

The Sales Persons

On a few occasions, some sales persons target my table at the food centre, persuading me how good their 'whatever-products-they-are-selling' is and please get one of two. A friendly no, once, twice, thrice, and gradually the irriation sets in.

The 'Litterer' (I wish I can find a way to deal with them!)

There used to be junk mails that are delivered into our mailboxes on a daily basis. Most of the time, I picked out a stack of papers from the mailboxes with only less than 10% of the contents being important letters. Since some years back, the mailboxes are locked with access given only to the postmen (I THINK so) who delivers the real letters and some official newsletters.

But what happens now? The ads and commercial leaflets are now 'littered' right at our doorstep!!! This is very ridiculous. Even when our door is opened, the worker simply walked past your unit and shaft the leaflet into the grille door or even throw the leaflet into the house! Wah, how rude and they think they have a right to do that. Well, I have no chance to say no yet, but I am definitely very irritated enough to throw the next leaflet back at the person when I next witness it again.

The Leaftlet Distributors

I am not sure if this is also the result of the unavailability of our mail boxes that I noticed and increase of people standing at MRT stations and along the streets- in fact anywhere and everywhere, distributing promotional or advert leftlets to passers-by. This has also become one of the irritations I face when I am out on streets, especially on crowded places and especially when I am rushing for time.

Out of nowhere, a hand will suddenly stick out in front of me to pass me the leaflets. At the beginning, I will entertain them by accepting the leaflets very politely. But I realise that there are more and more and more! Along the same streets, you will probably see 2 or 3 different persons distributing different leaflets!

And the thing I really cannot tolerate is that the hand sticks out like the gantry that blocks your vehicles when you enter or exit a carpark! It really obstructs your way. I wish I can bring a cane out with me and if that hand sticks out, then a whack it gets!

The Can-Collectors

And most recently, there is this thing about collecting drink cans (I wonder if they earn better than the traditional rag-and-bone man, but I believe it's definitely easier). You will see some elderly folks who scouting the hawker centres and coffeeshops for empty cans, collect them, flatten the cans at the foot and place them in the carrier they carry with them. And I thought, wow, I think I salute them for making the effort to make some living with the earnings and might as well, the cans can then be recycled. Isn't that good?

But good things are always marred by some black sheep. More and more, people start appearing again at these food centres looking for empty cans. At one particular hawker centre at AMK I went to (the most recent was just last night), you will see at least 5 different faces (within less than 30 minutes) walking past your table and ask if you have finish that can drink you have on your table. A friendly no, once, twice, thrice, I almost few in a rage.

Last night was especially atrocious, with one of them sitting next to our table, just waiting for us to clear the contents of our cans into our cups. He was about the 3rd person who had asked us for our cans in less than 15 minutes. My temper was rising to near boiling point as he started to sit at the next table (through my peripheral vision), eyeing for our cans which we have yet to empty. It made me so uncomfortable with someone sitting and watching you...eyeing anxiously for my drink can. I stubbornly refused to empty my can and I was on the verge of throwing my chopsticks and slamming my hands on the table to ask what was he waiting for!! From something I thought was a good sign to something that has already started to irritate me. Has can-collecting gotten so competitively now?

Has our world become so stressed that one can even enjoy a simple meal at the food centre anymore?

I definitely do empathize with the situations these people I mentioned above are in and for most of them, this is one of the ways to earn for a basic living or one way to earn a decent living. I feel bad about ignoring them, turning them away, or rejecting them, but the frustration has also gotten to the extend of me trying to avoid them and silently praying they won't approach you.

So, when things are overdone, they really drive us crazy, and that is what I see myself facing now. I wonder what's the next irritating thing that is going to appear.

And I am not sure if I will slowly become a 'colder' person.

30 Sep 07 (9.55am)