Ipoh

"travel, travel, travel"

Yours truly is AWAY for the weekend to Ipoh. Actually, before the weekend since yours truly is leaving tomorrow or rather, tonight. *Peace, *Doormat, *Snappish & yours truly are going to visit *candid in Ipoh. It is actually a pseudo-pampering-female only-trip. In other words, we are going to all go to the hair salon & do our hair and do other pampering activities like road trip, seafood indulging, BBQ, etc, etc.

Am somewhat looking forward to it. =)

Speaking of travelling to Malaysia, *Starry's gallant actually sms-ed to wish moi a happy new year. Am surprised but pleasantly so. What is noteworthy is that he actually said maybe we will bum into each other in Malaysia. *arched brows* when we don't even accidentially see each other in tiny red dot? what a tall order. *whistles*

In any case, here's my thoughts for the new year: if you aren't happy with 2006, well, 2007 isn't likely to get any better, but we can all pretend that it will be. Happy New Year.

In other news, *Eccentric has invited yours truly to go *backpack to Russia in 2007 on the *mistaken assumption that eastern europe is more affordable than western europe....*doubtful look*. In any case, yours truly would love to go along, provided that yours truly doesn't go to Europe with *Starry, her gallant and her fren. Yours truly will be delighted to go Europe with either group, so long as someone is doing the planning, I'm just going along for the ride. Since there is a possibility that *Starry is going to have a career switch, the May trip might be off the cards, so to speak. Well, moi will be happy if *starry does manage to secure her dream job, so its ok to trade off Europe in May.

Having said that, it would be nice to go visit Europe in any case. Oh well. *shrug* We will see.

Ok. Yours truly should rest to go indulge, pamper and have fun in Ipoh.

Envious?

*grin*

See ya in 2007!

=) Sheer

Christmas 2006

Happy Holidays, dear readers.

Your truly had a wonderful Christmas' eve at *Candid's sister's condo. Truly, the food was wonderful, the company was great, the films were acceptable ("Miracle on 34th Street" & "Something Gotta Give" - good looking lead men!)

Here's the menu:
1. Appeitiser: Mango Salad with red/yellow peppers, carrots, cucumber & fresh lemon dressing served with cocktail drink
2. Starter: tomato in potato jacket with fried shrimps & mushroom with baked mashed pumpkin & grilled eggplant
3. Main Course: Black pepper roast beef with thick gravy and mashed potato with pumpkin
4. Dessert: egg nog & baked cinnamon apples with full cream

Pure Utter bliss.

Great ambience, close friends, fantastic food.

What more can one ask for?

:::

No experience is ever truly wasted
We all learn and grow
But differs only in extent
~ Moi

Christmas might perhaps seem to be a strange time for reflections. But truth is Christmas means more to yours truly than new year, if only because yours truly usually have a christmas gathering with friends. So every christmas gathering, it is like a ballpark point for reflection. After all, at the very least, yours trul y can look back to the year and also compare the previous christmas party.

2006 is a relatively landmark year. Not only has yours truly given her first ever resignation letter, yours truly has embarked on a new career and is seriously planning her future graduate school education. In terms of family, yours truly has constantly been reminded of how lucky moi is for having supportive parents. In terms of friends, yours truly is fortunate to have my exclusive clique even though some might have driften away, yours truly's core clique remains and has indeed expanded to include *Candid. Also, yours truly has grown closer to *starry, and also gets along with her *gallant, which is all-round-good news.

So when yours truly look back, I have to concede that dear evilness has indeed been good to moi this year. Even though sometimes, it seems *dumb to have wasted 2 years with yours truly's previous company but I firmly believe that no experience is truly wasted. Everything happens for a reason, and having gone through the experience, that experience will only become the fertilizer of moi's future growth. Yes, I might make different choices if I get to choose again. But life is not like that . There is no NGs or RETAKES.

So learn from experiences, no matter good or bad, it will only and can only add depth and nuances to one's character.

People who believe in that will definitely be happier, if not also stronger.

I firmly believe and live on that belief.

Do you?

Sheer

Ramblings

The Uncertainty of the Poet
~ Wendy Cope

I am a poet.
I am very fond of bananas.

I am bananas.
I am very fond of a poet.

I am a poet of bananas.
I am very fond.

A fond poet of 'I am, I am'-
Very bananas.

Fond of 'Am I bananas?
Am I?'-a very poet.

Bananas of a poet!
Am I fond? Am I very?

Poet bananas! I am.
I am fond of a 'very'.

I am of very fond bananas.
Am I a poet?

:::

The past few weeks have been, for lack of a better word, complex. Not complex good or bad. Just complex. Yours truly have been feeling a bitsy out of sorts. Not that anyone could tell. Many different stuff are happening with yours truly's various frens/acquaintances/colleagues, etc. Am not sure where to start, how to start and whether yours truly even want to start relating.

In any case, lately, the theme is "everyone should have a raison d'etre. What's yours?".

*Wallflower seems to be obsessing about hers. Well, raison d'etre is something that only you can find for yourself I suppose. But if you want to discuss existentialism, I'll be glad to. *grin*

Yours truly been doing some self reflection. Or more to the point, the reflections sorta came on with a wham rather than dawn on slowly. Not that its really important, or in any case, not something that yours truly wanna blog about. *dryly*

Sufficient to say, yours truly is somewhat amused to discover how positively calm and rational I can be - any more so, and *Candid claims that yours truly will be cold-blooded. Honestly, it is really in relative terms. After all, it is really because some people are always on an emotional rollar coaster that yours truly is really by contrast, calm?

But in any case, if yours truly is looking for a significant other, rest asssured that HE can only be more calm and rational than moi. Otherwise, yours truly would cringe to think of the amount of stomping around he would have to do. Imagine us having a fight, and being unusually cool-headed, yours truly has minimal reaction. He demands to know if yours truly was paying attention and yours truly says "of cos, want me to repeat what you just said?". Dear evilness. Wow. Can you imagine that poor guy's reaction? *arched brows* I rest my case.

Yours truly's HIM can only be calmer and more rational. Yours truly is not equipped or more to the point, refuse to handle some emotional guy stomping around. Too exhausting. Yikes. So if someone wants to apply or help someone else applies, please don't bother unless you guarantee the above stomping will not occur. *roll eyes*.

Hmm...though it is alright that my frens are emotional. I don't mind. I can handle them......hmm...even though sometimes, even I get tired from just merely watching their emotions rolling. So if even I find it exhausting, how much more draining for them? *arched my brows*

So perhaps, it is unfortunate that yours truly's sexual orientation is completely straight as yours truly would probably make some girl a perfect boyfriend or should yours truly say that it is unfortunate that yours truly isn't a guy? *pause in thought* Oh well. *shrug*

Not that yours truly wants my gender or orientation any other way. *grin*

:::

PS: Someone has been really disturbed (or freaked out more likely) by Mrs Craddock by Somerset Maugham. Said someone is actually worried that someone's someone is too like Mr Craddock. *shake head* It's just a book, really. :p

Work's been fine. Yours truly been enjoying herself so far. Or at least, I like the nature and the job scope of my current job. So far. =)

In other news, yours truly had a great Sunday with *starry and her gallant knight. *Candid might be moving in with *starry, so we dropped by for lunch and a chat, which dragged or lasted all the way till late at night. In other words, they clicked. So yes, if all things go well, yours truly foresees staying over more often at *starry/*candid in the year ahead.

Oh yeah, THANKS FOR A GREAT LUNCH! No one died of *bad cooking. *grin*

Besides, *Starry pulled out all stops and had nice table setting. For that, yours truly might conceivably put up with not-so-good cooking.

Or not.

Fortunately, yours truly's conviction on aesthetics over taste buds was not put to test.

:::

Believing in Fate
~ Hal Sirowitz

I don't have a telephone, she said,
so I can't give you a number.
I'm not a great fan of planned dates.
But if I happen to bump into you
on the street I'd be willing to go for coffee.
Let's leave it to chance. It brought
us together once. It could work a second time.
You could help fate along by hanging out
in Chelsea. That's where I live.
If I gave you any more information
I'd be cheating.

(via Writer’s Almanac)

:::

Monday morning again.

But today started off a little maudlin and mushy cos *witchy sent moi a somewhat mushy sms. Oh well. That's *witchy. She seems to be somewhat having a rather complex problem at the moment. Complex, such a convenient word. *deadpan* In any case, everything will be fine. That yours truly have no doubts. *wink*

Am looking forward to Christmas. An authentic xmas dinner prepared by *Candid. How nice especially since yours truly just have to turn up to have fun and eat. Yours truly would have written to Mr Man-In-Red - who by the way, yours truly have doubts about Mr HoHoHo's sexual identity. Either he is a she or he is one "guy really in touch with his feminine side" (to borrow the phrase from *Starry's Gallant) - but yours truly sense of fair play and all came in play and I didn't. After all, 2006 was a year that yours truly felt (a) she hasn't been good and (b) she has been given plenty to be grateful for and so (c) she shldn't be greedy and ask for more?

Or perhaps, yours truly is just lazy to write.

Ah well. Christmas is just round the corner, so it's a little late to worry about writting to Mr/Ms HoHoHo (gender unknown).

So if I don't happen to see you before Christmas & New Year, which is probably the case seeing that yours truly will be visiting *Candid's home in Ipoh for the new year, here's yours truly's good wishes.

So what if moi is too cheap to get a card?

Sue me.

In my defense, yours truly doesn't like giving cards, unless I have the urge to make cards, which again, is another of those activity/mood that comes around once a blue blue blue moon. *shrug*

Merry Christmas. Have a fantastically evil year ahead!

Your evilness.
Sheer

Words

Words

You say
Thank you

You say
Sorry

For loving you
For making me love
You

You say
Thank you
Without considering

You say
Sorry
Without thinking

Words to you
Are mere
Sounds from
Your mouth

Words to you
Means nothing
Once spoken
Are forgotten

But not
To me

I do not
Forget

I do not

Shall not

Forget

So
Say what you mean
To me

Or say nothing
At all

Preferably
The latter

Since the former
Is beyond all men

At least it is
Definitely

Beyond you.

Kel. 5 December 2006

Everything's Greener on the other side

Stick Boy's Festive Season

Stick Boy noticed that his Christmas tree looked healthier than he did.

~ Tim Burton, The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy

:::

One is never contended or more to the point, the grass always looks greener from the other side. Simple unchangeable fact in life. What is changeable are (a) whether you give in to the temptation to go to the other side, (b) stay put but continue to look longingly at the other side, (c) convinue thyself that your side is better and (d) is really on the greener side already. In other words frens, every now and then temptation comes along, but it doesn't necessarily follow that the other side is really greener...even though from one's perception, it just seems so.

With that opening, let's announce a few facts:

1. *Doormat has RESIGNED! (pause for gasp of breath). After working merely 1 month plus, she is going to jump ship. In other news, she has accepted the position of assistant curator for the Singapore Zoo (which btw, is unionised, in case you are interested, which yours truly doubts but hey, it is always good to gain knowledge. *deadpan*). Yours truly feels that it is certainly a more appropriate jobcareer for *doormat. No wishy-washy. She was so resolute, she accepted the job offer on the spot! Way to go!

2. *Eccentric seems to be bitten by the resignation bug too and has been thinking and waiting desperately anxiously for the call of a production company that specializes in documentary for Discovery Channel *gasp*. Dare yours truly suggest that someone should take the initative and if offered, to seriously decide to job hop again? As of now, yours truly offers no advice. Ask me again if and when the offer really comes. But then again, if the offer really comes, yours truly would hazard that *eccentric would decide without any inputs necessary from moi, after all, if she is excited enough to CALL me immediately after the interview....that says so much already, doesn't it? *laconic*

To *Doormat & *Eccentric, please don't attempt to pretend to be rational, after all, yours truly is sure that when the opportunity or more to the point, when the offer comes, all the previous tedious rationisation was completely useless.

3. Apparently, most people (all readers of this blog who calls themselves my friends are exempted from this) feels more than they do & have more complex feelings but because they lack a vocabulary, they are left with mere polar descriptions such as "cute" or "hot" - the gospel according to *eccentric. *roll eyes* Such tragedy.

4. *Starry is "eye-ing" yours truly's job enviously merely because she works really late really frequently. Ah. Another case of grass being greener syndrome, but really, yours truly has just completed my workplans for 2007 and trust me, the number of major projects that yours truly is put in charge of, including putting together the Corporate Governance for the whole group and the group branding, etc, yours truly doubts that envy caused merely by my normal working hours is sustainable in the long run. *wryly*

In other un-related news, apparently yours truly inherited intutition from mom. Yours truly was certain the moment I saw my *future sister-in-law that she was my bro's gf, and guess what, yours truly wasn't the only one. Momsy speculated to Dad too. *grin* Someone should teach yours truly's bro the art of discretion. *shake head* tsk tsk.

Oh yah, have mentioned the possible backpacking trip to Europe to mom and surprisingly, she is quite supportive. Or perhaps, not so surprising, since as yours truly has always known, I am one spoilt brat with very supportive parents. In fact, my colleague speculated that I must be an ONLY child or the youngest because I seem very carefree. Right. That means, translated aka spoilt brat.

Roger. I know. I am. Indeed.

And proud of it.

Won't you want to be too?

I dare you to say no.

Bratty Sheer

Eye Candy or lack thereof

"Life isn't weird: it's just the people in it."

This is not a work related post.

This is a frivolous post in response to yours truly's friends who have been asking about eye candy(ies) or lack thereof.

Yours truly is sad to report that as of now, there has been no eye candy to ogle at work.

And for those of yours truly's friends who are overly nosey about yours truly's social life or more specifically, about potential possibilities at work. Unfortunately, the answer is still negative.

Yours truly have met several nice earnest chaps but that's about it. Quite mild and bland guys. And knowing yours truly, can you imagine moi with mild and bland guy? *cringe* But yours truly have also met several interesting attractive girls. Alas, yours truly's orientation is unfortunately within social convention.

But if you are interested, yours truly can relate an amusing anecdote from a seminar yours truly attended yesterday.

Skip this entirely if you don't happen to be one of yours truly's nosey friends.

:::

Yours truly met someone from a particular ministry. As we were exchanging name cards, he informed yours truly that he is expecting major changes in a few months and will keep yours truly informed.

??!! (yours truly's immediate train of thought)

Er…why keep me informed? Yours truly's colleague threw me an equally bewildered look.

And so yours truly asked why keep us informed unless….*pause* unless logically, you are going to be seconded to my organization?

Said guy nods and gives more details.

(pause for your reaction)

Disappointed, aren't you? *roll eyes*

Yes, nothing more interesting or scandalous to relate. *grin*

He was probably just trying to get to know a few people from yours truly's organization before he gets seconded over.

But in any case, yours truly and colleague had a moment of mental connection in bewilderment. *grin*

:::

Another irrelevant fact from yesterday:

Two acquaintances separately complimented yours truly on looking "hot". Both were of the female gender in case you are wondering, as I am sure you were. Yours truly is flattered by the compliment, but puzzled too.

Hot does not connotes official work attire to moi. Yours truly certainly won't classify myself as being remotely on the "sexy" index. Stylish, maybe. Groomed, hopefully. But hot? *pause in puzzlement*

And before you ask, yours truly was dressed in a black wool long sleeved turtleneck with a knee-length black pencil skirt and white belt with strappy stilettos. (Oh yah, I was wearing a nice striking necklace that *eccentric gave me). What's hot about that? Or have I lost touch with the current conception of hot? *arched my brows*

In any case, it is always nice to receive compliments. *shrug*

Europe

"Travel feeds the soul, or probably we just need an excuse to go"
~ Me

Evil. Yours truly's brother has returned from his EUROPE backpacking trip and caused yours truly to turn green with envy (note to self: green is not a flattering color for skin) after seeing his photos. All 2,100 of them, excluding 1,800 from his fellow travellers....*whistles*

The 2 or possibly 3 positive things from his trip are:

1. my new smart double breast buttons coat with shoulder buckles (and a perfect fit! yours truly is impressed);

2. my new earth tone shades of color cashmew shawl; and

3. my new sister-in-law (no, yours truly's brother didn't get married on a whim in Europe, but he did get attached and came back as part of a couple with his travel mate.)

While yours truly have quite a nice positive vibe about said sister-in-law but really, its 1 & 2 that has me glad that he's back. *deadpan*

As a result of evil brother's backpacking trip, yours truly is now dying to go to Europe. Sigh. Think of the money. Sigh.

In other news, *Starry is planning an Europe backpacking trip with her *gallant and has invited yours truly along. Yours truly has initally turned them down, since yours truly is not inclinded to be a third wheel, but now that (a) yours truly's evil brother just came back, causing yours truly to really want to go Europe and (b) *starry already has a 3rd person going, so if yours truly go, she won't be going with a couple and so (c) Europe trip is now in the works.

Yours truly will leave the majority of the trip planning to *Starry & her knight and if the ititernary fits yours truly, given that money and timing is not a problem, then yours truly will probably go along.

Hopefully.

Afterall, it is tough to find companions for an Europe backpacking trip.

But on the other hand, yours truly is hestiant about whether *Starry & her knight & friend constitutes frugal backpackers since knowing them, hmm....should I say they are used to certain *luxuries in life? Or at least, *Gallant seems to be and from what I understand....the friend as well. *whistles*

Ah well. We shall see. Let's leave the budget control to *Starry. Presumably she would be able to keep the 2 of them in check. *grin*

Europe aspirant Sheer

New Blog

"I don't want to work for a living. I want to live" ~ Oscar Wilde

Yours truly has an alterego. Or more specifically, yours truly has a blog that serves as working life ranting.

You are spared the agony of reading about working life quirks @ this space. Be grateful.

Sheer

Revisiting Emails

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go. "
~ Oscar Wilde

Yours truly was re-reading her emails from the past few years, specifically those of thesis agony days and came to the following conclusions:

1. that we have all (yes, yours truly included!) left incriminating evidence in writing. *grimace*

2. *Snappish writes her best emails when she is (a) overworked & on adrenaline rush, (b) stressed and in denial, needing an excuse not to work resulting in (c) an outburst (more like verbal vomit) of words.

3. *Witchy writes very kinetic & animated emails that is really awashed with mushiness

4. *Private actually wrote some somewhat *mushy & *emotional emails. shame on you! *giggle*

5. *Eccentric is a *terrible email corresponder & she rarely writes long emails. To quote *Witchy: "where is my mi mi? (looks ard forlornly)".

6. *Ms Evil writes *amusing emails that are pure exaggerations with superlatives & hyperbole like her *giggle*

and

7. Sadly, we seem to be writing less and less entertainingly long emails *hang head ala *witchy's style*

which leads yours truly to wonder whether we are all - horrors of horrors! - becoming (a) less interesting (b) more busy (c) too grown up or (d) drifting apart?

This could get depressing.

It is already tragic.

Don't you think?

Or maybe

it is just yours truly thinking too much.

Shrug.

Maybe the lesser number of emails are the result of being less in need to whine because we no longer have to suffer agony like thesis writing and are able to meet up with friends whenever we want instead of being *chained to desk and computer typing frantically ala *snappish as deadline looms?

Maybe.

Let's hope so.

Shrug.

Or maybe, just maybe, we just have more entertaining illicit msn conversations during office hours...like today, yours truly had a really *amusing 3 way conversation with *Ms Evil & *Wallflower. They are really quite *weird but at least our sense of humor aligns quite well....at least it did today...no guarantees on other days....*grin* and even though *Ms Evil insists she is *normal, (if she is *normal, wat shld the poor conventional souls call themselves? extreme super normal?) but yours truly insists that she can't be. Really. *solemn look*

Besides, all my friends are weird.

You didn't think you were even remotely normal, did you? *archly* Oh dear. Didn't realise you were delusional. *shake head in sympathy*

But if it makes you feel better, *Wallflower says "normal is the average of deviance" but really, yours truly thinks that normalcy is more the lack of deviation from the average than the average of deviance.

But heck, what do I care?

It is my prerogative to call you weird.

Normalcy is really, in the eyes of the beholder. *deadpan*

Gotcha there, haven't I? *arched my brows*

Sheer

Nobody's Perfect

It has bothered me all my life that I do not paint like everybody else.
~ Henri Matisse


People need trouble -- a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it. Artists do; I don't mean you need to live in a rat hole or gutter, but you have to learn fortitude, endurance. Only vegetables are happy.
~ William Faulkner


no matter who we are, where we're going, or where we've been, we all struggle. everyone has battles. everyone, at one time or another, faces the every moment, to day, to year, trials of existence. such is life. sometimes simple. sometimes complicated. when we wake up with challenges, we wake up with choices. to either overcome all that holds us down by going against what opposes us - or to continue sitting quietly in the foul stench of our own shit, while at the same time surendering ourselves to fear and failure. life shifts, spins, and relocates. as we do. we all have the ability to switch our fear of failure into an energy to overcome any trial. just as sure as we all have a spine.
~ Hot Water Music

:::

To a *good friend

Yours truly would like to believe that she is (a) not a vegetable and (b) has a spine and (c) that you are subjected to (a) and (b) above as well. In other words, no one's perfect. Hey, everyone's born deficient in some areas (although arguably some more than others) but let's not argue about anomalies here. What's a small setback or even a few tiny setbacks along the way? We all live and learn. Besides, it is self-defeating and delusional to imagine that your friends would necessary do better in the same situation. Of course, being friends, they shld thank you for your confidence in them, assuming and provided that the confidence is not an excuse to wallow in self pity.

So get a grip on yourself. Move. You either swim or you drown. And as yours truly's self-proclaimed *good friend or more so, because you have self-proclaimed yourself as so, you are only allowed to SWIM. *deadpan*

No other way.

Enough said. *dryly*

Sheer

Phenomenal Woman

Phenomenal Woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

~ Maya Angelou

:::

I like.

Never settle for less

An Argument

I've oft been told by learned friars,
That wishing and the crime are one,
And Heaven punishes desires
As much as if the deed were done.

If wishing damns us, you and I
Are damned to all our heart's content;
Come, then, at least we may enjoy
Some pleasure for our punishment!

~ Thomas Moore

******

Yesterday marked yours truly's parents anniversary and they went to Bangkok for their celebration, returning yesterday. Guess who's been "asked" to drive to pick them up at the airport? *deadpan*

Nothing else very much significant, other than the new Toyota WISH 7 seater MPV that yours truly's dad bought for mom. *whistles*

As a testimony of yours truly's parents as a splendid couple, they went and purchased the same *sports bag of the same design of the same brand at different department stores separately for yours truly. Holy. Either yours truly is really really specific in taste or they are one compatible couple. And since your evilness is well aware that I am not remotely easy to predict in terms of taste, as all yours truly's clique will testify, especially since they have an headache trying to buy moi's bday presents every year (and resorting to CASH this year), yours truly assumed that it's the latter.

Should I be envious? Is it too much to ask for if yours truly won't settle for anything less than what my parents had?

But won't you want the same?

Why would anyone settle for anything less?

Oh wait.

Lotsa couples do.

Settle for less, I mean.

Is companionship really worth so much, enough to settle for less? I think not.

But then again, yours truly is comfortable in my own skin and happy. So maybe I have no grounds to judge. But then again, its not tat yours truly is against the idea of finding someone special, its just that I refuse to settle for anything less. So that actually should qualify moi to judge more than it disqualifies me?

Are you lost? Shrug. Not that yours truly care. After all, you must be truly bored to even read this. Besides, who are you to demand rationality from moi?

In gist, my worldview says one should wish for more while tempered by reality, but never never settle for less, reality nonewithstanding. Its a fine line of distinction but there is a line.

If only there were more people who believes and behaves like that.

Alas.

Sheer

Kingdomality Test

The Kingdomality Test:

"Many years ago there was a period of time that is often casually called "Medieval." It was a time, so the story tellers tell us, of tiny kingdoms, brave knights and ferocious dragons.

Transportation and travel were both crude and difficult, usually necessitating that each kingdom be as self sufficient and self reliant as possible. So it was very important that within each kingdom all the major crafts and professions of the day were ably represented to insure the survival of the kingdom. In the English language we still see remnants of some occupations in the familiar surnames such as Carpenter, Miller and Baker.

Interestingly enough, beyond the specific title the vocation also took on its own greater personality. This personality preference can also give a broader understanding of the basic complementary style and types necessary to the kingdom's survival, or perhaps any organization's success. Although the specific vocation influenced the name, it was no accident that certain personality types and styles gravitated to certain occupations. The personality of these jobs suited the inclinations of the job holders, and the predecessor to modern day job descriptions was born. The successful matching of a job-holder's personality to the personality and unique requirements of the job was necessary to the kingdom's survival, or perhaps any organization's success. The successful kingdoms more than likely were able to blend the differences into a powerful and formidable entity. With today's diverse workforce, the corporate kingdom that acknowledges and nurtures these personality preferences could become an organization as successful as the Camelot of old.

Even though we now appear to have the freedom to explore many different career alternatives, we still have a medieval vocational personality within each of us. This personality, properly identified and understood, can motivate our success but, if ignored, may set the stage for our ultimate failure. Since times appeared to be simpler then, let us return to the kingdoms of medieval Europe and see what we would have done then, regardless of what our names are now."

Yours Truly...

"Your distinct personality, The Prime Minister might be found in most of the thriving kingdoms of the time. You are a strategist who pursues the most efficient and logical path toward the realization of the goal that you perceive or visualize. You will often only associate with those people who can assist you in the implementation of your plan. Inept assistants may be immediately discarded as excess baggage. To do otherwise could be seen as inefficient and illogical. On the positive side, you can be rationally idealistic and analytically ideological. You can be a bold decision maker and risk taker who can move society ahead by years instead of minutes. On the negative side, you may be unmerciful, impatient, impetuous and impulsive. Interestingly, your preference is just as applicable in today's corporate kingdoms."

Try the test

Sheer

Snapshots

For *Starry

Acquaintance, n.: A person whom we know well enough to borrow from, but not well enough to lend to.
- Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary"

Splendid party, but really, yours truly have to point out that 2 girls with 6 boxes of stuff including alcohol to carry to Sentosa & down stairs is beyond ridiculous.

You really need more acquaintances, specifically, male students, not to borrow from, but to impose on.

Alas, yours truly happens to be more than your mere acquaintance. *deadpan*

:::

For *doormat

Whenever you're called on to make up your mind, and you're hampered by not having any, the best way to solve the dilemma, you'll find, is simply by spinning a penny. No - not so that chance shall decide the affair while you're passively standing there moping; but the moment the penny is up in the air, you suddenly know what you're hoping.
~ Piet Hein, poet and scientist (1905-1996)

Only if you are really really desperate. *laconically*

:::

Most modern calendars mar the sweet simplicity of our lives by reminding us that each day that passes is the anniversary of some perfectly uninteresting event.
~ Oscar Wilde

Tomorrow marks another perfectly uninteresting event - yours truly's first day at work.

But hey, it's my blog, so I'm entitled to mar it by marking such an uninteresting fact. *arched my brows*

Won't you agree?

Like I care.

grin.

Sheer

Moody

moody

sheer

Don't take for granted

Taking for Granted

Should I reflect?
Is it my fault?
Am I doing too much?
So much
So naturally
That you no longer notice
That you take me for granted

Perhaps I should reflect
Perhaps it is my fault
Perhaps I am doing too much
So much
So naturally
That you just accept as your right
That you forget that it is not so

I think I know
It is my fault
I am doing too much
So much of what I do
So very naturally
Is just being taken
For granted

You take me for granted
Am I being too nice
Am I being too amendable
Just because I am capable
Does not mean
You can take me for granted

Remember that
Just because I do
Everything
So much
So naturally
It is not your right to expect
It is not your right to take for granted

I owe you nothing
Just because I can
Just because I am capable
Just because I am me
It does not mean
You can take me for granted

You have no right
To take me for granted

Bear in mind
That I do what I do because
I can
Because I want to

Yes I can
Yes I am able to

But

Bear in mind
That I can

Stop

If I want to

And I will

If you carry on
To take me for granted

Because

Really

You have no right

To take me for granted.

~ Kel. 2 October 2006

Ramblings

Man is only a reed, the weakest in nature; but he is a thinking reed. There is no need for the whole universe to take up arms to crush him; a vapor, a drop of water is enough to kill him. But even if the universe were to crush him, man would still be nobler than his slayer, because he knows that he is dying and the advantage the universe has over him. The universe knows nothing of this.
~ Blaise Pascal

Every existing thing is born without reason, prolongs itself out of weakness, and dies by chance.
~ Jean-Paul Satre

***

Yours truly is in a queer frame of mind. Too much going on for the past week and somehow, I seem to be missing some "me" time. Ironic, really, for a person who has yet to start work.

*Peace is going through a bad patch, or rather, a worser patch. Her father has recently passed away. Yours truly is truly sorry for the death of her father, although at least he went in peace and is no longer suffering. Amazing, how someone can be here today and gone the next. *grimace* But I suppose, death comes to everyone and life is really fleeting and transient in nature.

Unfortunately, the timing of his death couldn't have been worse, not that there is a good time for a death, but surely, as *peace's circumstances show, there is such a thing as a really bad time, or some would say, bad karma. *solemnly* In any case, yours truly is sure *peace will pull through. Her group of supportive friends and her inner core strength will definitely help. As *Wallflower says, what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.

:::

Met up with *Wallflower and *J today. Haven't seen *J in ages, years really. Anyway, had a comfortable lunch with them. Talked abt nothing in particular, but interestingly, we had a topic that is recurrent of a conversation yours truly had with *doormat on supporting one's parents. I am glad to report all of us feel that it is only right for us to support our parents, correct myself, we don't even have to discuss it, the underlying premises of our conversation is based on that fact. Anyway, seems like both *J's and *doormat's parents are planning to retire. So pretty heavy burden for both of them, especially since they are still looking for a job.

Guess it is more of a reality check, yours truly must also start to plan or at least put aside some funds for my parents, not that they would expect me to support them. Heck, they will probably be very amused at my audacity to even imagine that I can support them. But as I told *doormat, any amount that one can provide to one's parents will be appreciated even if it is insubstantial or insufficient to support them, provided that one's parents are self-sufficient and financially independent.

Another recurrent topic was the big Q "what do you wanna do with your life". *Wallflower was bemoaning the fact that she is clueless about what she wants to do. Frankly, there is nothing at all wrong with temping or part-timing your whole life, so long as its what you want. Of course, there is a trade-off, a part time job doesn't pay that well and has no benefits. But hey, you get the spare time to do what you want. It's a matter of weighing what you really want or value in life, I suppose, unless you have dependents. If you have to support your parents, let's be sensible here, you can't afford to work at something that you really love but pays you peanuts. So its down to weighing one's priorities and responsibilities in life.

Such is life, I suppose.

According to *J, it's either get yourself a career or find a rich hubby and be a tai-tai. No prize for guessing which is yours truly's preferred choice. *arched my brows*

:::

On other news, went to INSEAD's MBA talk with *eccentric today. Am glad to report that the school gave me a fairly good vibe. Will seriously consider applying for it in say, 5 years time. The cost of the MBA is horrifying. There is no way yours truly can afford the MBA without taking a loan or getting a scholarship. But at the very least, I should save up enough funds for my living expenses.

Money, money, money. *grimace*

But at least it looks like a good school to go, assuming I can get in, of cos. *grin*

Ok. It's a few hours to the TREASURE HUNT. Bad timing for *Peace, but we are still going ahead. After pre-planning for almost a month, there is no way yours truly will change the date. *ruefully*

Now I just have to decide what BLACK attire I shld wear.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. *deadpan*

Evil me

How Dare You

How Dare You

You say
Things should be orderly
Like the way roads
Should be straight

You say
People should be impartial
Like the center of
The world

You say
The world should be dependable
Like the unyielding
North Pole

You say
You are moderate
In the way you behave
Towards everyone

You say
One can be perfectly neutral
In the way you believe
You are

But dear,
Haven't you heard
That no one is perfect?

But dear,
Haven't you heard
That no one is truly neutral?

Our hearts are never
In perfect symmetry
In perfect balance

Towards everyone
And everything

My dear,
The roads can perhaps
Be straight

But not so the heart

Not so
the heart that is a map
Of twists and turns

Not so
the human whose heart
cannot help
but judge

Not so
My heart
That judges
In your favor

How dare you
Claim to be
Impartial
And neutral

How dare you
Forget that
You aren't

Not in regards
To me

You aren't

You won't
Dare.

Kel. 20 September 2006

Disclaimer: Yours truly must apologise to *Wallflower if any sentences above happen to be similar to any of her scribblings. Suddenly in the mood to scribble something on the myth of being able to be neutral and impartial. I seem to recall that I have read something of *Wallflower that has something on the heart being full of twists and turns but can't recall exactly what it was. So if I happen to use the exact phrasing (gasp! I hope not but drat, you never know with my brain being able to remember stuff I read ages before), let me know and I'll modify my scribblings above.

It takes two

"It takes two to tango"

~

Today, yours truly received (or was one of the receipent of) a *mushy and *forlorn email from *witchy asking for a show of friendship by sms-ing her "mushy msg and lovey words promising nevery dying devotion and adoration" for her birthday. *grimace*

Oh please. *roll my eyes* Can anyone remotely imagine yours truly sending such a message? If yes, you have one great imagination. *dryly*

Fortunately, most of my very few friends are not that delusional. So too bad to *witchy, but NO, sorry, you won't be getting beyond a simple sms wishing you happy birthday. *shrug*

(Fyi, yours truly's clique has 3 birthday gals in September and we have an exciting Treasure Hunt planned)

***

Anyway, yours truly will be starting work in October, after 2 months and 2 weeks of slacking. To be honest, I am actually looking forward to starting work. *whispers*

Pause for gasp of surprise

Yes, how dare I insult the eternal fraternity of slack-dom by admitting that I actually like working. I suppose yours truly have never understood the supposed joys of an idle life. After about 2 months, I am getting or in fact, am bored. Alas. I have to concede that yours truly is unequipped to be a natural slacker and bum. Sorry to brotherhood/sisterhood of slackers and bums. I am probably destined to be a workaholic.

While it is very beneficial to take a break, but yours truly needs to have something to focus on and to do. That plus a career is important to me. So maybe it is just as well that I start soon. *ruefully*

In other news, yours truly is thinking about taking ballroom dancing. Obviously, yours truly would need to find a partner. *sigh*

*Candid says that if she is staying put in little-old-boring-Singapore, she would join me. More importantly, she said she would scout around for a partner. I was semi-thinking about just signing up and partnering any odd guy in the class, but *candid says, no way. She doesn't wanna be part up with some *strange guy. *grin*

*Starry said the same. She says it's better to have a permanent partner, just so that one have someone to practise with if so inclined.

Fine. Point taken. Yours truly will attempt to find a partner or at least ask around. *sigh*

I didn't realise that more preparation beyond finding the dance school, scheduling, getting shoes and paying school fees are required to learn waltz and tango. *deadpan*

Oh well. Yours truly has always been quite taken with the waltz and the tango. Such seductive and beautiful dances. So perhaps the search for a dance partner would be worth it? *grin*

Everyone deserves to learn ballroom dancing at least once in their lifetime if so inclined, won't you agree?

Your evilness

My meditation

Reflection

Look at me
You may think you see
Who I really am
But you'll never know me
Every day, is as if I play a part

Now I see
If I wear a mask
I can fool the world
But I can not fool
My heart

Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?

I am now
In a world where I have to
Hide my heart
And what I believe in
But somehow
I will show the world
What's inside my heart
And be loved for who I am

Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me?
Why is my reflection
Someone I don't know?
Must I pretend that I'm
Someone else for all time?

When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
There's a heart that must
Be free to fly
That burns with a need
To know the reason why

Why must we all conceal
What we think
How we feel
Must there be a secret me
I'm forced to hide?
I won't pretend that I'm
Someone else
For all time

When will my reflections show
Who I am inside?
When will my reflections show
Who I am inside?

~ Artiste: Christina Aguilera

:::

If you were stuck in a dark room where you cannot move and the room gets hotter and hotter for 30 mins. What would you do? Would you panic? Freak out? Get claustrophobic? Or focus your attention on something else?

This morning in the wee hours of my meditation (not that I meditate at any other hour but wee hours ) before yours truly slip into the plane of spiritual and mental clarity, yours truly's brain was strangely persistent on the above scenario. Strangely enough or not, if you know me I suppose, is that yours truly's immediate response is that if I can read and focus on reading, I can live with the 30 mins of heat and no movement. Unfortunately, if you cannot move, you obviously cannot be reading. So my answer is, that yours truly would focus on recalling lyrics to songs, not recite poetry (I probably can't remember that many anyway) or make up stories, yours truly would focus or concentrate on words. I suppose this tells me that (a) words are important to me and (b) that I can deal with pain, fear and what not, so long as I can divert my attention or focus on something else. How typical. *deadpan*

Anyway, back to my meditation - disclaimer: yours truly doesn't meditate regularly and to be honest, I have no training in any school of meditation whatsoever and when I say meditation, I use the term loosely to describe the inner mental reach towards a calmness in an absence of emotions, a certain sense of clarity and serenity I suppose. In any case, this is just something that I do sometimes. As usual, yours truly was going through my life, you know, the usual questions of who, what and how I wanna go on. Then, I conclude or more like realise, that I like who I have become and who I am. Obviously, yours truly has always been comfortable in her own skin, but this time, the results of my meditation is surprisingly 'wholesome', for lack of a better world. I mean, of course, I like myself and who I am, but I really like myself more or rather, the person I am growing to be.

This is sounding like an eulogy to myself, and I assure you, this was not yours truly's intention, not that I dun have the right to praise or flatter myself in my own blog any time and how ever much I want, but that this reflection is something more.

In the wee hours of this morning, yours truly took time to really reflect and look at myself and I realised that the person I am is different from the person I was. Of course, this is not physical, yours truly looks mostly the same (although I suppose I should give myself some credit, and say that perhaps with just a more developed sense of style) but inner and deeper.

I see myself now as less green. I won't flatter myself by saying that I have developed a quiet confidence or poise but that the person I am today, is just a tad more self-assured, just a tad more comfortable in my own skin and perhaps, just a tad more poised. I think I have grown up. Surpise surprise surprise.

I am or I think I am less loud and feel less need to be so. Not that I was ever deliberately loud or gregarious, just that I was more so previously than now. This is somewhat difficult to put into words, but really, essentially, I think I am just a tad more sure of who I am now and perhaps, this assurance translates to a sense of well-being and that is reflected in a quieter presentation of myself? *shrug* Yes, yours truly admits that I am probably merely off green but there is a difference and I realise, I never really took time out to see the person I have grown up to be and will hopefully continue to grow to become.

I mean if you asked me before today, yours truly would have said I was just more adult in the working sense, so my abilities were merely transferred from the school form to the working form. But this is not so, at least, I think not.

Within myself, I have grown. I don't know how this translates outwardly, but yours truly has little by little changed or matured over the years culminating in who I am today, and I don't know how or why, but thankfully, I do like the person I am today. *ruefully*

All these doesn't imply that yours truly is perfectly happy, after all, how many or can anyone claim to be so? I seriously doubt it. But my point is, and I do have a point here(!), is that these little imperfections in life, doesn't affect how I am.

I like myself. It's as simple as that.

I think if you like, and I mean truly like yourself, you will simply be happier. How can you not be?

I just find it is sad that so many people go through their lives being unhappy with themselves. They are not pretty enough or rich enough or worse, not as pretty or smart or rich as "So and So". Yes, I would like to be slimmer or prettier, as do most women, but how I look is not the defining essence of me and certainly I don't see the need to judge myself in comparison to others. After all, they are who they are, and I am who I am. Yes, comparison might be inevitable and everything is in relative terms. But my sense of self-worth is not based in comparison to someone else. I just like myself, not because I am better than someone else but because I am me.

I mean, life is really short and it seems such a waste to go through it not liking oneself. After all, you have to live with yourself your whole life, why make yourself miserable by not liking who you are or who you can be or who you simply am?

Why not be happy?

It is as simple as that.

Like yourself.

I do.

Sheer

I'm feeling jerky

Yours truly is feeling like a jerk.

It happened thus:

I have accepted the job offer from NTUC to do corporate development. Immediately, the next task is to turn down MHA, which I assure you, yours truly did not handle it well. I should have damn well think about if not rehearse what I should say.

Instead, I had to just call and blurt out that I have accepted another job offer. Again, horrifying the MHA HR lady, who is very nice and who exclaimed that MHA is at the last stage of seeking approval. OMG. That means she has processed all the paperwork and she was puzzled that I wasn't aware that it was a formal offer and the department has already selected me. Sucks.

So what if they did skip the formal offer stage and assumed that I would take the job, nonetheless, it is utmostly wretched of me to turn down now at the last stage. Yes, yours truly is drowning in self-imposed guilt.

I had, of course, apologised most abjectly for the trouble I put MHA through. But still, I am feeling bad.

To top off the day, after yours truly accepted NTUC, turned down MHA, the Singapore Administrative Service, which is a MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATE PROGRAM, which on a whim, I sent my resume about a month ago, called and shortlisted yours truly for a series of tests.

It is just about the premier management associate program in town.

This could turn out bloody.

It is already messy.

grimace.

Sheer feeling shitty

Fishbowl

Look out
And around
We live in a fishbowl

The world is out there
But trapped
We are
In a tiny fishbowl

Isn't it amazing
How utterly how unsuited
You and I
Are
In the fishbowl

Yet in the fishbowl
In the water
We dwell
In the water
We met

Isn't it amazing
How queer
That we
So unsuited
Chance to meet
In the fishbowl

Trapped
Yet we met
So in the trap

Should there be
Gratitude for the
The knowing
The ties

Or hatred
Or disdain

For the fishbowl
For the smallness
For the pettiness
Surrounding
Us

Perhaps
Both

Perhaps
None

Perhaps
Absolute neutrality

The fishbowl
Traps no longer

Let us leave the
Fishbowl

Let us
Thank the meeting

But

Let us
Hate the location

Perhaps.

Kel. 10 September 2006.

Quotations

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond imagination.
It is our light more than our darkness which scares us.
We ask ourselves - who are we to be brilliant, beautiful, talented, and fabulous.
But honestly, who are you to not be so?

[...]
It is not in some of us,
It is in all of us.
While we allow our light to shine,
We unconsciously give permission for others to do the same.
When we liberate ourselves from our fears,
Simply our presence may liberate others.

~ From Akeelah & the Bee (Quotation by Marianne Williamson)

.:::.

On all hilltops

There is peace,

In all treetops

You will hear

Hardly a breath

Birds in the woods are silent.

Just wait, soon

You too will rest.

~ From Immortality by Milan Kundera (poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

心计

Please ignore this blog.

This is really just for yours truly to note down 3 lines of a song that I like. If its on my blog, yours truly doesn't have to scribble it down somewhere. *ruefully*

Anyway, I found a new song with lyrics that I like, namely Xin Ji sung by Li Ke Qin, but very specifically, I like the last 3 line:



A very rough (and bad!) translation (some stuff are just not meant to be translated) would be:

"I try all the tricks, all my strategies and deviousness but I am unable to hide because I have discovered that only you
I cannot bear to give up and I am unable to lose
At the moment when I have won the entire universe, I find myself only thinking of you"

I like.

:::

As an aside, yours truly have just seen Akeelah & the Bee. My god, the words that they are spelling in the movie. I think I barely know what each one means, let's not even think about spelling them.

Anyway, I enjoyed the movie but somehow, while I did like it, it was flat in some ways. It's hard to hard to describe, but it was more of a feel that something is missing. Perhaps, it could be because the film was not as touching or inspiring as I expected and the pace is not tight enough. I dunno. *shrug*

Nonetheless, it is still a film worth watching, at least, I think so.

Sheer

Dilemma

The Choice

The intellect of man is forced to choose
perfection of the life, or of the work,
And if it take the second must refuse
A heavenly mansion, raging in the dark.
When all that story's finished, what's the news?
In luck or out the toil has left its mark:
That old perplexity an empty purse,
Or the day's vanity, the night's remorse.

~ William Butler Yeats

Yours truly is in a quandary. Should I take a safe and stable job at MHA or should I take a risk and accept a job offer that is of sales component with HSBC? Both jobs are obviously good additions to my resume, but each has pros & cons. For MHA, being a civil service career, yours truly can expect bureaucratic red tape and slow promotion, especially because I am of the wrong gender. But it does offer a reasonable pay with bonus and a good start in a new job function that I have not tried. Of course, another benefit is that there is no bond, so if I dislike the job, I have the option of jumping ship.

For HSBC, it is obviously a great organisation to add to my CV. It is an extremely difficult organisation to get into (yours truly had to do both a verbal and maths test, and than a 3 hrs long test centre), it offers the opportunity to learn about investment (which is of personal benefit and helps my MBA application) and it is a sales job, so it is conceivably the only job that I might be able to earn enough to go do my MBA in the US in 3 yrs time. The cons are the facts that it is a sales job with sales targets to meet and yours truly is bonded for a year.

What's a girl gotta do?

Different people are offering me different advice.

*Sheer's supportive parents argue very convincingly against HSBC and for MHA. Being parents, they would prefer yours truly to take a civil service "iron rice bowl" job and of course, not bond myself down again. *Sheer's dad also mentioned that yours truly is not up to the pressure of sales. He said that yours truly won't be a cut above the rest in a sales job and MHA is a very good addition to my CV. Again, yours truly have to concede that he might have a point.

*Eccentric says that both are not perfect jobs for me, but she concedes that I have a point when I say that HSBC is a good break into the financial market and helps when I apply for MBA. But again, it's back to - DO I WANNA DO SALES? The answer is, ambivalent.

Maybe in light of the ambivalence, yours truly should turn down the job. Because its a full 12 months. So I shldn't start the slate on ambivalence?

*Wallflower says just to wait for a more ideal job to come along. But yours truly is keen to start working. Other than being broke, I'm also getting bored. So I am actually quite ready to start work.

*Peaceful and *Candid both says it is really up to me but *Peaceful says she would personally take MHA for the stability and *Candid says she would personally not take a sales job. Again, they are not exactly helpful, but comments appreciated nonetheless.

*007 who is in banking gave the most direct and perhaps useful advice (bascially cos yours truly assumed that since he is in banking, he would know best) - he said that HSBC is an okay organisation but if the position is personal wealth banker, I won't like it, and it can be pretty stressful. And that, seems to say it all.

So here I am. With barely one day left to make my decision (for HSBC anyway). As of this moment, yours truly is more inclined to take everyone's argument against HSBC. Afterall, dad is a great sales person and he comes into contact with bankers. So if he says I won't be outstanding in the job, I have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Yes?

In a perfect world, one can work at the perfect job.

Oh well.

C'est la vie.

Sheer

On the Goodwill of Frens

You were born an original. Don't die a copy.
~ John Mason

.::::::.

A Continuation of the *DOLLAR NOTES that appeared for yours truly's B-Day:

On the goodwill of yours truly's clique - who are obviously growing more sensible with age cos they very practically decided to give me what a jobless in debt slacker would need most (yes, CASH!)- yours truly bought (1) a cutsy black vest with 3 big buttons matching with a white top with cute puffy sleeves and (2) a halter sailor shirt-dress.

Yes, yes, yours truly should put aside the CASH from my frens for rainy days or really, just because not having a job = no income = running out of savings, but still, it's my birthday, and while I appreciate the money, can you imagine if I just used it on say food or something? I mean, yes, I will enjoy the food, but there's nothing tangible left as a token of my bday present (other than the black feathers, etc, of cos,and oh yah, the video tape. *cringe*). So I bought clothes. Cute non-work wear clothes. *ruefully*

In yours truly's defense, the halter shirt-dress is really flattering and the cutsy black vest has a very unique cut behind (it's layered with planes of cloth). And the white puffy top can be wore under my suits.

Who am I kidding here? *dryly* Yours truly bought the tops because I CANNOT RESIST. But how nice to have my clique and my bday as an excuse to splurge.

Okay. Enough about my tops, let me also add that I received a very dainty starfish with vibrant colors(glass-like material) necklace from my cousin.

Yours truly really likes it.

Ah. Bdays are such nice events, especially if its your own.

Of cos, not having to do any organising at all, has a lot to do with it. *archly*

Sheer

Birthday

Yes, today marks yours truly's quarter life.

I guess century life is indeed a time for yours truly to pause and count my blessings. I guess the little things in life, the simple gestures and consideration shown by others are heartening.

Yours truly have to concede that bitch wannabe that I am, I really lack the necessary temperament and background. I guess, it's easy for me to be sarcastic and tough, but to reach the standard of being a bitch, oh no, I even lack the proper ability to screech in the right pitch and tone. *ruefully* Alas. Maybe I should just focus on being the cold-hearted sharp and demanding career woman that I am and will be more so? *archly*

Okay, tat aside, yesterday's surprise party was fun. There were BLACK FEATHERS (Ooooo...), DOLLAR NOTES, a LION HEAD, a tennis racquet, lotsa red and gold sakura flowers, food, drinks, cake and chocolate.

Most of all, there were lotsa of effort on the part of my clique, so SPECIAL THANKS to

*Private for organizing

*Candid for loan of her great place for BBQ (we even managed to see the fireworks yesterday!) and the salad and the music.

*the other bday gal for her help in preparation and rolling the appeitzers. (I'm sure it was
appreciated, even if most of us only liked the ham.)

*Wicked aka *Ms Evil for her help in everything but especially for BBQ the food.

*Peace for loan of her pretty scarf

*Maid-Wanna-be for just being there and of cos, for serving me when she remembered *wryly*

*Snappish, *Wicked and *Eccentric for all efforts expanded, but really, especially for the lion head

*Witchy for her help with the sakura flowers even if she was ABSENT for my party.

Yes, indeed, yours truly has friends.

How strange *ruefully*

But how very

Fortunate

Thank you.

Yours,
Evil Me