Toxic

One of the basics you look out for in a friend is the ability to listen. Even if they can't give you good advice or actually care about your problems, what you want is someone to just listen and, at best, make you forget what made you have to vent the first place. 

So there's this one person who has been telling me about her issues with life and people around her. Then one day, I get quiet having my own things to mull over and she says "if you ever need to talk, I'll be here". The offer is genuine, I'm sure. 

However the day came when I wanted to talk about a certain idiot we both know, and when I told her that he'd pop up just as suddenly as he left, she just replied "I'm done with him, he played me", and that was the end of it. No room for anything that I might have had to say. 

So what if I wanted to talk about the idiot, even if you got played by him, you can't even let me say what I wanted before cutting me off? 

Well, won't be bothered with all your crap anymore really and I'm not bothered this time around when you're being played again. 

Bye Felicia!

She’s Out Of My Life

Once in a while, I come across an article such as this and it brings back memories of a person I would rather say I only have good memories of. However, actions and choices have decided that the final memory would be of her turning her back to me. An action done with such dramatical emphasis that another colleague could notice, and I still do not understand the point of it.

Almost everyone who knows us wonders what happened, and sometimes I wonder myself. I can only tell my side of the story and speculate on her actions. I dare say only one other person would know all the drama as she got the blow by blow reports when the mini drama series happened. Then possibly another 7 that know why the friendship ended.

When I looked back on the "reports" I gave to another friend while the drama queen was having hissy fits, they were probably the little cracks that lead to the big break. However, after a little sharing session at work, it became clear that I had only half of the iceberg. Seems that for years, she was hiding her issues behind her title and privileges. Then with a new job and position, with the lack of opportunity to pull off the tricks she did while running her own show, the cracks started showing. Throwing hissy fits at a very specific time of the month, with nothing to do with PMS. Then finally, the pressure got too much and apparently her mind blew up.

I have always wondered why her attitude changed. If it was the people she now had in her life, her new job position, her slight demotion in job position, the lust for power or some other luxury, or just ego. There was a time when we would just tell each other about anything, even try to figure out other friends by talking about them to each other. She got my back, I got hers.

Then I saw the quote below and realised perhaps the relationship was a little dysfunctional on her end. Also realising that perhaps telling her that I used up my savings for my grandfather’s funeral trip might have been the trigger that set it all off. 

“A healthy relationship is one where two people feel fulfilled by their individual lives and let that joy and sense of fullness spill into their relationship. They each bring something to the table and can comfortably give and receive. A dysfunctional relationship is when one or both people believes the other person can “give them” something or that there’s something to “get” from the other person.”

Strangely enough, I was not sad, but slightly amused at the drama. I was disappointed and frustrated, but her actions took care of making us happy to have her leave. What I cannot believe is her gall at still being friends with my mom, but my mom has her own agenda. 

I Will Use My Gut Feeling

I do not understand why some people seem more interested in other people's lives when they should focus on their own. Even more so when it seems like they are projecting their own desires onto what is predicted as my future.

As I told my cousin yesterday, reading tarot cards is partially about your own interpretation of the cards. No matter how the cards fall, or what the cards can mean, you can always twist the meaning to suit your desired answer.

Predictions aside, you first have to get your story straight. If you tell me about this "prediction" or "premonition" you have about me, you have to make sure that the story is consistent. So it was said that there is a person in my life who is in love with me for (1) quite some time, but he is not brave enough, and will never be brave enough, to tell me. This guy was also someone from (2) my school days. I (3) would not have noticed the guy since school and he was of (4) mixed race.

So it seems that perhaps they might have got their wires crossed when communicating some things about this person, because it ended up as 2 guys in the end. One of which will be the person I already know, and the other will be the one who is mixed race, whom I will meet in the future (I'm sure). So, in that case, person that I know SHOULD be from school, and whom I've never noticed before.

Later on, it was mentioned that the person I know is actually someone I met through work. He has only been in Singapore for the past 3 years, or maybe less. We have never been in school or a class together. From all the clues originally given to me, I am very sure that the first 3 points do not fit him. I think I should confirm point 4 just to make sure.

Anyway, up to now, I still have not understood one thing, and I think it is the most important point to fortune telling, tarot reading and all that, and that is I did not ask for my future or future love life to be foretold or read.

If it is a message to be passed to me in warning of some danger, of course I would appreciate it. However, when there was actually a warning given, the person involved was not mentioned for the fear of distrust. Then, if you look at the inconsistencies that has been presented, I would not really trust everything 100% either.

Seems like my gut feeling is a better option at the moment.

Walk A Mile In Someone Else's Shoes

I've been irritated by something for a while and it's only after I've talked it out that I realise why. Then I found a few quotes that actually helped put everything in place.

It was actually about some things that transpired between two people with very different views of the world. One giving a whole load of advice and suggestions, albeit uncalled for. "Advice and suggestions" that would be considered rather narrow-minded, self-serving and sometimes rude, if considered by anyone of the listener's position/status.

It was after talking to some people that I realised why I was irritated by the "advice and suggestions" - the giver has never even come close to walking in the listener's shoes, yet to have to audacity to "give suggestions" as to how someone else should do something like they have had years of experience.

"INSULTING OTHERS IS NEVER A WAY OF CORRECTING THEM. 

INSTEAD IT CAUSES MORE DAMAGE 

& PROVES THAT WE NEED HELP OURSELVES." 

- MUFTI ISMAIL MENK

Now the only question is if I should tell the listener the following quote:

"DON'T BASE YOUR DECISIONS ON THE ADVICE OF THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE RESULTS."

Your Logic Does Not Make Sense

Sometimes I really feel like I should just take my eyeballs out and let them roll from the highest slope in the universe.

These were quotes from the "marketing genius" I was working with last night that made me switch my brain off and walk away:

• "I rather just throw away than offer it at a lower price"
• "Better to throw it away than someone else who give it to other people for free"
• "Obviously selling it is better than throwing it away"
• "You put on offer, I'm afraid people might come back and expect the same offer"

 - It is not written in black and white, if you do not want to sell it cheaper, just say there is no discounted price.

• "I think it's too early to put it on offer when everyone else is putting their items on sale"

 - And when everyone has bought everything on  sale and left the building...

• "Eh, you want to put it on offer? No one buy leh"

 - Of course no one bought anything because you did not discount it when everyone was in a buying frenzy.

• "You put on offer still no one buy ah?"

 - Yeah, because there is no one shopping anymore!

Destructability Tester

If any company needs to test how easily their toys can be destroyed, and how fast it can be done, they can hire Barkley. This was a snorting pig toy made for dogs that originally looked like this. It's a rather big toy, yet it lost its head just minutes after Barkley got hold of it. Worst still is that the head has a slight rip in it and can no longer fit nicely back onto it's body. It still snorts though. 

Hot Topic

Read this article (originally by Ruby Browne) and reposted it on Facebook and it ended up being one of the quickest reposted link, and possibly the most reposted one on my feed. Other than the fact that I do have a lot of friends who are or were in the coffee industry, the real reason is that the article definitely hit every nail on the head. Although the article is written by someone who is basing the ten points on the culture in America, the issues seem like a worldwide problem, or perhaps a problem with people in first-world countries.

Point #5 and #7 are usually by people who try to act like they know everything about coffee as they transition from traditional coffeeshop-style coffee (kopitiam kopi). Kopitiam coffees are definitely cheaper as they firstly use cheaper beans, and they basically leave a giant sock of coffee that is slowly thickening in a pot throughout the day, diluting the coffee with scalding hot water when you order a cup. That's how you get your extra hot coffee at a relatively low price starting from one dollar. However, these set of people go into espresso-based coffee joints and hope they get the same thing but don't realise that even the milk used is different.

Point #10 is obviously something that has gotten worse in recent times. I understand sometimes someone happens to call just as you need to communicate with the counter staff, what I don't understand is why you can't ask the other person to wait for a minute. If you know what you want to order, you would have it down in less than thirty seconds, with only the staff asking for your name. Another way would be to tell the other party that you'll call them back or just let it be a missed call. You are taking a break with coffee, take a break from your phone too.

Point #6 is very common, and even though Starbucks is one of the bigger names, why would you think that Starbucks' drinks menus are copied by everyone. I did have fun when people came in ordering like they would usually do in a Starbucks and I'd just act like they were talking alien. There is a reason why every coffee joint has their own blend, and their own menu of drinks. Other than the standard coffee drinks, specials are suited to the cafe's own signature coffee blend. Even coffee shots are made differently and that is why some people are die-hard fans of only one coffee joint.

These are the few that got me giggling while reading the article, and I bet most of my friends as well. Every repost had a discussion as to which point was the most irritating, and it brought back loads of memories. If I ever get to start a cafe, I'd definitely print this article out really big and stick it on the wall.

Stressful Internet

There have been a few people on Facebook that have "disappeared" occasionally for their own reasons and then, all of a sudden, they decide that they should make a come back. Some come back with a stage name, and some create new accounts to hide their real identity. Some even create the second account before they disable their first. I really don't understand these people.

If you find that you can't handle what happens on the social media site, how about just deleting everything and not coming back? There are options to block people you dislike, hide stuff from people you don't trust, and even the option not to follow the ones that post too much crap. There's always the button called "unfriend", which should be used for people you don't actually know. The whole site gives you options on how you want it to work for you and yet some people have to "take themselves away from the internet". 

Seriously, if you need to get away, don't come back. You'll end up having to get away again. Plus if you need to "get away", starting a new account before you leave isn't exactly getting away. 

Networking Interests Or Social Stalking

Ever since little "apps" were available on our mobile phones, and almost everything was linked to Facebook, I sometimes feel as though some people are either lost sheep, stalkers or nosy.
For example, my sis got me to join Facebook as it was a social networking site, and it would help our family get quicker photo updates through it rather than emails which had a bit of a limit. This was just as they launched Facebook to the world instead of just universities. Then came the fun of getting updates about friends you've lost contact with for a while, some for about 20 years!

What I didn't understand were the request from strange people whom I've never heard of or met in my life. We might have a common friend, but that doesn't mean I know you, and I don't particularly like to give such people access to my photos. One might argue that it is called a Social Networking site, and so adding people is a means to socialising. I would then say I think I'm rather well socialised with over a 100 friends, excluding family. However, out of these friends, it seems that 90% of them act more acquaintances. So really, the social bit isn't exactly what Facebook is all about. Therefore, if I don't know you personally, I won't add you. And if you're dumb enough to put a cartoon photo with a made up name, then don't even bother asking. No one will know you really.

Then comes the weirder requests, which are on Twitter and Instagram. So the option available on these two sites are to follow someone you're interested in. For those who might not know, Instagram is a photo and short video (added recently) sharing sight with options to link to Facebook and Twitter should the urge arise. Twitter is a place to do shout outs - short and simple posts with photo addition options.

One of the strange things about this 2 sites is when a request to follow you is by an account for something that probably will never be in you search radar. Personally, I think these accounts are hoping that by following you, you'll follow them back, increasing the interest to their account. I honestly don't think I have posted anything so interesting for anyone to follow me. All I see is "attention whore" stamped all over their profile.

The other issue is actually with the friends/acquaintances who join sites such as Pinterest and Instagram. They send a request to follow me, and they would not post or pin anything on their account. This is where I wonder if they are following the flock and getting lost, nosy buggers or potentially creepy stalkers. What is so interesting about my pictures, posts or pins that you have to follow every account I have? How fun would it be if you decide to follow me and end up looking at no pins or photos on my profile? 

I need an Antisocial site. 

Arrogance Versus Intellect

Someone's post on Facebook the other day didn't seem right to me and so I asked for some clarification. Instead of getting clarification, it seemed like the person was just twisting things to make their statement a fact.

After writing a few papers for the short course in Applied Psychology, Amy and I learnt a lot about digging for evidence and support for the points we were attempting to put across. Each bold statement or conclusion usually meant we had to quote someone or cite examples. 

So when a statement is made, especially one accusing another of being wrong, I tend to itch for proof. But it ends rather disappointingly when one decides that the world is wrong, and yet can't produce any points to back themselves. Then it just leaves me to conclude that the statement they made was wrong, and that the person is just really arrogant and possibly, an attention whore. 

Therefore, I find in favour of the defendant and ignorance for the plaintiff  is ordered.  

Just A Bulletin Board For The World

After a certain celebration, I decided to post something on my blog to show my appreciation and commemorate the event. At the same time, I decided to send the link to the person involved with the intention to show her how I really felt about it all, as I was rather tired during the whole ceremony as I had to work, and might have been a little concerned that it showed unknowingly.

What got my rather irritated was the message sent back, other than saying thanks, the person asked why I didn't put it up on Facebook. At that point, all I could think of was how special it would have been on that networking site. Personally, I don't think that it would be nice to put congratulatory messages for someone to be lost in a sea of other messages. Maybe it would have been in a sea of congratulatory messages, but looking at what transpired for the day, I think it would have been lost in the list of other people's gripes, moans, and also postings through games being played by everyone. Post on this blog are all done only by me, no-one and nothing else, can take up any space on it unless I want it to (save for the blogger logos).

What I am trying to say is that I think writing on my blog is much more personal and sincere compared to a message posted onto Facebook. So maybe Facebook is updated rather quickly, but it is only as fast as the user wants to be. The blog might be updated erratically, but what I write here comes from the heart, or at least a lot more thought goes through a post before it's published.  In comparison, the things I post on my Facebook profile is mainly brain farts, song lyrics, and quotes I like - in one word "RUBBISH". So if you feel that my commemoration of the even was 'rubbish', then do tell, so that I can remove it from my very personal blog.

I guess some people need to learn how to show more appreciation when others make space in their lives for them.

Hitch-Hikers

"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down." - as posted on Adi's profile. Personally I'd want someone who'd walk with me when the limo breaks down, head to the nearest cafe, and have a nice cuppa while we try to get someone to come pick the piece of crap limo and get it fixed.

Joking aside, the quote got me thinking about how people seem to enter your life (the limo) like hitch hikers. There are ones that you trust enough to stop for (friends and acquaintances), some you don't trust at all to even give a 2nd glance (the type of people you really can't gel with). While for the ones you chose to stop for, there are the ones who you end up helping a little bit more than just to give them a lift, some who will just disappear after you drop them off, some who turn around to rob you and your limo, and the ones that end up helping you fix the limo if it breaks down half way.

Thinking through my list of friends, I do have a few people in each category, yes even the ones who robbed me. The ones that end up helping you are really rare, and so are the ones that just disappear after you've dropped them off. The ones that are rather problematic are the type that need your help even after you've reached their destination. I sometimes wonder if these people do realise that you're already veering off course to help them, and yet some just don't know how to say 'thanks' and be on their way. At times, I really feel that some of them are better off being robbers. At least the robbers take a bit off you, but they rarely come back to haunt you as they probably would think that they next time you see them, you'd run over them with your bus instead of stopping to pick them up.

Getting Help Or Just In For The Free Ride?

Was watching a few shows that have been airing on weekdays between 1 and 6 in the morning, and an episode of "Food 911" that got me wondering if some people got themselves on certain shows because they truly needed the help? On this particular episode, the couple being helped seem to be more interested in eating than learning how to prepare it. It just happens that the host of the show brought them out to see how the masters of the trade created their pieces of work. What was disgusting to watch was that instead of taking notes on what the masters were doing, they showed more enthusiasm when the food was presented to them to have a taste. Worst bit was how they devoured the food like such gluttons, stuffing it into their mouths to the point their nostrils flare up just so they can breathe. And that was even before they tried their hands at making their own food. Maybe it's the strict hygiene practices that I've had to follow at work, or it's just the way this couple turns me off, but the way they did things just had me complaining to Amy about it.

Following this show was "Oprah", and it just shows the other end of the spectrum. The people featured on this particular episode desperately needed some help with their homes. Maybe they couldn't afford the home make-overs that was given to them, but the gratitude shown for what they've been given at least gives you an inkling of how much they have wanted, and needed, the help.

Well, if I was to be a bit more skeptical about people, I'd say that some people are really good actors who know how to win over people's hearts and tug at their pursestrings. However, it is not really hard to see the difference between someone who really needed the help, and someone who wrote in, hoping that they would get some freebie off a show. There are many shows that seem to be giving out help to people these days, especially after the economy took a turn for the worst. At the same time, you can see a few people who are writing in just to try their luck to get something. Maybe it's the 5 seconds of fame, or just tickets to watch a recording of the show, but creating a rather lame sob story isn't the best way to do it when there are a lot more people who really deserve the help.

I guess at the end of it all, it's how these people show their gratitude for the help they've been given. Some just take it for granted, as if they deserved to be helped. While the deserving ones always cherish the moment and whatever else that has been given to them.

Love Your Work, Not The Company....

I got back to working again, but I've got a change in location. Well, a new outlet means I've got new people (other than my best work buddy who brought me there in the first place) to work with. After the info I got about what some people were doing in the other outlet, I guess learning to work with a new group of people would be less challenging, stressful and frustrating, until I worked with a certain slowpoke in the group.

So this outlet is a lot tinier than most outlets and has only 4 permanent staff on the floor, 2 in the kitchen, and 2 part-timers with a possibility of more coming along. So with all the leave entitlements and compulsory days off, there are days where I'm bound to work with at least one of the 4 permanent floor staff. While the pace of the people at this outlet seems to be really laid back compared to the previous outlet, Slowpoke takes it to another level, hence the nickname.

Slowpoke is the kind of person that is a waste of your time and energy to have to work with. Not only can you not count on this person to help you run the show, you have to actually double-up your efforts to end the shift right. The very first time I worked with Slowpoke was on a saturday afternoon and noticed that Slowpoke didn't seem to pull their weight and also disappear somewhere for long periods of time, too long to just send orders in.

Then I had the opportunity to work with Slowpoke one night to close the outlet. At first I just went about doing what was required on my part and then I realised that I seemed to be doing all the work while Slowpoke just had the cheek to sit in the corner and have a plate of pasta. To top it off, Slowpoke started nagging and telling me to clip receipts to one corner. How anal is that? The second day came along and this time I slowed down my pace to suit Slowpoke's so that Slowpoke had to cater to all the tables. Well... I didn't start working in this line just a week ago if you actually know my history.

After grumbling about Slowpoke to my buddy, I found out that Slowpoke's attitude might be because of the promotion that didn't happen. Instead of getting promoted (after 10 years with the company), Slowpoke was left with the same title, and to top that off, my buddy (a rank above Slowpoke) was brought to the outlet to help run the show. So maybe it explains why Slowpoke has such a bad laid-back attitude. However, I got a feeling that Slowpoke didn't get the promotion because of the crap attitude and the slower-than-a-snail's pace. Working with any other permanent floor staff would see us sending out the last order at 9.30pm, start closing procedures, and finally leaving the place about 10 minutes after closing (unless some idiots stay beyond closing). Working with Slowpoke, you will notice that there will be no one around by 9pm, where the cashier is closed, leaving me to clean up what's left while Slowpoke takes the whole hour to count the money and do paperwork. Most times, I never stay long enough to know when Slowpoke actually finishes the work, I just leave at 10pm.

I don't know how old Slowpoke is, but it doesn't look like Slowpoke is in the 50s range yet. What I'm getting at is the question of how some people seem so passionate and dedicated to the company they work for. The thing that brought up this issue was actually an email that I got the very same night I found out about Slowpoke's issue. In the email, the first of many slides stated "To love your job but don't love your Company, because you may not know when your company stops loving you". Unless it's a company that you founded, I don't see the point in staying in the company till you die. There are companies which are fun to work for that you would like to stay with as long as you can, but there comes a time when you either have to leave to find greener pastures or just realise that there is no future within the company for you.

Personally I love my job. I love what I do, and I've done it with different companies. The reason I came back to this company wasn't that I liked the company. No... in fact, I find the company can be a bit fickle-minded, and needs to be a bit more protective of their staff. Plus all the trouble they had me go through just for a simple letter to state that I've worked with them had me thinking they aren't really as nice as they portray themselves while right in front of you. The main reason I came back was that I missed the smells and equipment. The second reason was the people at the old outlet. They were fun to work with right until the end of last year when all hell broke loose. Now, at least I know who I can trust, and who I can work with, a bunch of people I know I can actually hire if I ever started my own place. Well maybe it would be better to have these people invest themselves in the new place so that they would love the company as it's partly theirs as well?

So anyone wants a Company to love?

Vanity VS. Sanity

How is it that some people are so vain they can shut out other people's opinions or advice? I wonder how much are they willing to shut out? Would they shut out advice that go against their vanity even if it meant that they either lived or died?

I guess if I really looked, there are some people who would rather listen to themselves than heed the warnings of others. There's probably a few people who died trying to get the perfect look with one last cosmetic surgery that could answer my question, but then they're dead.

Then there's the bunch of celebrities who would admit that they did go for a little lift or boost, but they are alright. So they need to keep up appearances sometimes, or look a little younger for a role... but then I'd say there's always make up & latex things to add to your face.

One example for someone I would put under this list of the 'insanely vain' would be the one who had so many procedures done that the nose actually fell off, telling this person to stop. The things is, this person has gone into hiding and most of us won't really know if more procedures have been done. So even if the person stopped after the nose incident, it was quite early on that the world had asked the person to stop with all the cosmetic procedures being done. Although it started out just to even out skin tone, it should've stopped at that if the person was honest and confident about looks. However, I guess the person wanted to look like someone else and continued with cosmetic procedure till the body could take no more. Is this person lucky enough to have their own body telling them to stop? Or would the person rather have died during one last procedure?

Well on to the less dramatic people that are closer to home, the people who I know, and I would call friends. So compared to me, I guess everyone of my friends, maybe except one tomboyish girl and my straight guy friends, would be listed as vain. Well, I'm not talking about people who like to use make up to cover up flaws, or have such a huge love for make up they won't leave the house without it on their face. I'm talking about people who have such big vain egos that they can't live without people lying to their faces that they look good.

What actually got me pissed off was the fact that a friend asked me if I noticed if they've lost weight, and if their skin-lightening treatment seems to be working. My answer was no to both, which somehow got this friend pissed off enough to say that I was blind. Saying that out of everyone that was asked, I was the only one that disagreed. So somehow, because I'm going against everyone else with MY OPINION, I'm blind. Well I obviously didn't let that comment go down without a fight, and I obviously haven't really let the issue go.

After talking to a mutual friend of ours, I put up the same questions to which she answered no, to both. So I guess I'm not the only blind one? But this mutual friend did bring up the short version of what I was trying to say in my 'closing statements'. We knew, and saw, the bugger for quite a few years, and almost everyday during certain periods of time. With that fact, it's hard to say if someone has really lost weight, or if someone's skin tone is lighter if you see the person almost everyday. Thing is, I haven't really seen the bugger for almost 2 years, but from the image kept locked in my mind, I didn't see the change when we met up either.

So maybe within the last 2 years you did gain and lose a bit (or a lot) of weight. However, if we didn't bother to meet during the 2 years, how am I going to say that you lost weight when u look that same from 2 years back? As for skin lightening, I would say whatever money u spent on it was a wasted effort. If ur race had darker skin tones, stick to those skin tones and not try to be someone you're not. I seriously wonder who was asked about both questions and what they were comparing the 'new image' to.

Why wonder who was asked? Well if the person was asked was under my friend's management, then maybe the answer could have been twisted to stroke the ego of their boss. I guess in the first place, people ask for opinions about themselves to stroke their own egos. So maybe some (or most since I'm the only 1 of maybe 3 people who would do otherwise) people would be tactful, yet DISHONEST, enough to say nice things so that this vain person can feel good. Stroke ego, get into good books, job safe.

Well, maybe lucky for me, my friend is not my boss, but even if that was the case, I wouldn't change my answer. The reason is that I honestly believed the question was asking for my opinion, and not as some big ego booster. So according to my opinion, the thousands you have spent on lightening the correct skin tone has been all a waste of time and money. Furthermore, a thousand (or more?) a month is such a stupid amount to spend on creams. For just 10% of that amount, there are products that promise to do the same... so why not try that first? Then again, I'd say stick to the skin tone you were born with.

Well the 2 issues weren't the only things that got me irritated. Because of the 2 questions, it got me thinking about an incident that happened a day before. It was about t-shirt sizes, and the big ego that caused blindness. So we saw this really cute shirt while shopping and they had put up two of the available sizes up for show. One looked like a kid-sized shirt, while the other looked like the adult-sized shirt. After inquiring about sizes, we found out that it was a Large and a Small on display. Looking at the shirts, I decided to get myself an XL, thinking that if it was too tight, at least I could give it to mom. My friend, however, decided to get the small as "I wear size S for all my t-shirts". Even after questions put up from me about it fitting, and even suggestions from the vendor and myself to get a medium-sized shirt instead, the decision was made to get a small-sized one. So the t-shirt ended up not fitting and is now a souvenir for my 14-yr-old cousin.

Well so maybe this seems like I'm stroking my own ego... and maybe in a strange way I am... but I'm saying that if you want my opinion, don't expect my opinion to always paint the same perfect picture in your head. For one thing, people that know me well, know that I will tell you quite straightforwardly if something doesn't suit you. What are friends for if they can't stop u from making bad choices? What's the use of letting someone try/buy something and fail/look horrible? However, if you do decide to go against an opinion, and fail... then don't get angry if I turned around and said "Well I told you so....".

Cruel Intentions

I think my colleagues have gone a little too far with some of their antics, and some need to rethink their attitudes towards the new trainee.

Even though the trainee might have done something which all may not be too happy about, I don't think there is a need to boycott the person in general.

If we're sharing food, why are you being so mean as to leave her out? The main thing is that we share the work load... so why bother leaving this person out, it'll end up with u taking on more because u're all well fed, while the trainee's energy is depleting fast. Don't act like she's got some disease either. Share work, share joy, share food, share drinks.

And checking the person's belongings when she's on her break is going a bit overboard too. Seriously... you can check her apron, but don't go to the extent that you want to open her locker!

Somehow I'm Disappointed.

My First Time

Sent my mom for a massage appointment my cousin made today and because of some miscommunication, only one massage session was booked for 11am instead of 4. I wasn't involved with the original booking for 4 and so just went in expecting to read a few magazines while they had their massages. However with the mistake, somehow I got a massage booked for me as well.

Since I've never gone for a massage, it seemed rather exciting and yet I dread the part where they would have to massage the part of my back that was a little extra sensitive. Oh well, I'll just let the masseuse know where not to touch.

First problem I encountered? Disposable undies. They were waaaaaaaaay too small and even my mom had problems getting hers on. Imagine me trying to wear them... they at least got past my knees? Well after telling my masseuse that I had to wear my own undies or go naked, it was time to get on the bed and get myself oiled up... OOooOoooh... sexy. Hahaha!

The room was small yet it didn't feel claustraphobic and it greeted me with some gingery smell from a burner. The lady puts on rubber gloves and gets a big bowl of oil, supposedly infused with green tea. She starts with my legs and it's a really nice feeling especially since my calves seem to be sore these few weeks, but I didn't get why she kept pressing the back of my knee. It kinda started hurting but was still tolerable. Furthermore, the rubber gloves just made it weird, but I guess applying oil would be much easier. Then at one point she puts a little pressure on my butt and it actually felt good. I ought to take a chart and cross out points that matter!

Next bit was my back and I told her about the super duper sensitive area before she did anything. But what did she do, go right to that spot and knead her way up my spine! Hello aunty? Didn't I tell you that it hurts there? Just move up, don't touch the base. My shoulders need more attention. Yes! Yes! Use your whole weight on my shoulders but leave the base alone.

Once she was done torturing my lower back and trying her best to get the knots out of my shoulders, she whispered something and I thought that was it. My hour was up and .... oh wait... she said turn over. Turn over? Oh My Boobs! Hmmm... how do I do this? I'm also kinda stuck to the plastic sheet on the bed. Ok... quick plan in mind... I flip to the side and then on my back, and in one quick motion she covered me with the towel. Now why the hell am I afraid she'll see my boobs when she's been massaging my arse? Ok lady, just do your thing...I'm not bothered no more.

This time she starts with my shoulders and work down my arms. Feels good but not as good as my calves... that's until she got to my fingers and gave them a much needed yanking. POP POP POP... all of them releasing their tension. MMMmmmm.... what's next? Exposing my tummy? Hmmm... I haven't had my tummy rubbed since I was a kid... I was wondering how it would feel... and what did I feel? I felt TICKLISH! The whole time she massaged my tummy I held in my laughter until I couldn't, almost knocking her bowl of oil down in the process.

Thank goodness she was done and moved down to my legs. Once again it felt really good but I realised that I was more ticklish than I thought. Everytime she massged my thigh I wanted to start laughing again. Worst of all was when I got a cramp from holding in my laughter... what a waste of her efforts. Hahaha.... Then the final bit when she was almost done with my legs was to press some areas near my crotch. OH NICE! That was a giant shocker!

Then she walks behind my back and I'm wondering what other surprises she has for this massage virgin and then she removes the towel over my eyes to give me a head massage... OOOoohOOhoOHooh that was the best part. Now if only she massaged my head at the stsrt, I would've told her to just do my head and shoulders for the whole hour. Finally she asks me to sit up and does a final attempt on my tough shoulders before she gave up and left me alone to get dressed.

So the verdict? I think I would consider having a head and shoulder massage but other than that, I don't see a point in getting massages on a regular basis.

Buttcracks and Arse Drivers

Just found pictures in my phone and realised there were a few I took of people (or their things) that got me irritated for the while.

One was just before I had the exam for my last module, probably why I couldn't remember the answer to the question and even read one wrongly. Heck... I'm not blaming the fact that I haven't slept for more than 24 hours... nooooo... it's the horrible sight of someone's crack infront of you that makes you forget everything you've learnt in the past 11 weeks.

Can you please get better jeans or pull them up before you sit down? It might be comfy to you airing your crack out when u sit down but the person behind you sure doesn't appreciate that.

Wish I had ice to throw down the valley.

Next one was this dumb guy who was either damn lazy, stupid or just ignorant. He drove in, against the flow of traffic, and parked his car just so he could grab a bite with his girl.

Is he just stupid, ignorant or just plain lazy? If you know there's food at this corner, you must've come here before, which means you know the flow of traffic on this one way road. So it's down to lazy or stupid. I honestly don't know how he left the place. It would have determined what I ought to call him. Maybe he's Lazy to the point of Stupid?

Whatever the case is, you know there's a dumb arse driving the Mitsubishi with that particular license plate.

.... and driven by A GUY!

Discriminating Against Her Own Guests?

Watched an episode of "Tyra" and noticed that she seemed to have some sort of bias against this one guest. This episode happen to start of as being the war between the weight categories, between this girl who lost weight and became a size 0 (basically due to fear of having medical problems that come with obesity, as well as part vanity), and a size 20 girl who hates the thin (because of discrimination and derogatory remarks through the years).

The episode goes on with both girls living each other's life for a day, starting with eating each other's daily breakfast. More importantly, they "exchanged bodies", or body sizes. However Ms 0 is actually turned into a size 32, while Ms 20 stayed the same size but had make up done so she looked like she was wearing a fat suit and has a album of doctored photos to prove her "real size". Now what I don't get is if they're supposed to live each other's life, then why is Ms 0 changed to a size 32 instead of a size 20. If you look at the size 32 girl and the actual Ms 20, there's obvious differences and it's easy to understand why she got disgusted stares walking down the street. Furthermore, the make-up done was CRAP! Like another guest commented, Ms 20's "face was falling off her face". The make-up for Ms 0 wasn't that much better either and maybe some of the stares were for the ugly face they painted on her.

Anyway, after the whole unfair experiment, they were brought to the studio to talk about their experience and Ms 0 commented that fat people, along with SOME thin people, do get a lot of discrimination. At this point, Tyra butts in and asks if she really thinks that thin people actually get discriminated against. To put her point across, she goes and states her case, interrupting Ms 0 almost to the point that she's not allowing her guest to talk.

Then when Ms 0 says that thin girls do get comments about protruding bones, and Tyra goes to the aid of all thin girls saying that all they have to do to reassure themselves is to open a magazine and realise they look like the girls in pictures. Good point there. But what about girls who aren't anorexic/bulemic who are labelled as such? Or basically girls who are thin because of their metabolism and are labelled as having eating disorders just because of the way they look? It's just as devastating to a girl who is discriminated against for being fat. For someone who isn't fat nor really thin, I don't think she's in the position to comment or throw out Ms 0's remark.

Later on, you realise that the show isn't really about a war among different weight categories, (what the hell was her audience sectioned by weight/body shape for anyway?) but rather a show on fat people, the problems they have and losing weight for the right reasons. Oh, and the reason why Ms 20 was there seems to be to teach her a lesson that losing some weight can be a good thing.

Talk about veering off course. It's just as bad as the "So What" Campaign she started, but that's another thing.

Lack Of Creativity

Basically, I can't tolerate the latest McDelivery ad. It's a crappy, lame attempt of an advertisement riding on the coat-tails of the hype of Daft Punk's "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" and Kanye West's "Stronger". Are creative juices running out? With the best advertisements of 2007 being advertised recently for their annual competition, this ad seem like a corny joke. Then again, McDelivery's advertisement have always been one of the most artificial to me. If anyone can remember the time when they held their weekly contest to give away something to the winners, the winners all seem to have scripts to follow, and some of them even try their hand at acting and having fake accents.

Stick to kids just enjoying your fries.