Travel Bangkok

What! No star, and you are going out to sea?
Marching, and you have no music?
Traveling, and you have no book?
What! No love, and you are going out to live?
~ French Proverb

Yours truly can't comment on the sailing, the marching, the music and the love (assuming its the romantic kind) but moi firmly believes that travel feeds the soul and one simply can't travel without a book.

In any case, yours truly has just returned from Bangkok. And yes, moi brought tons of books in my trusty handy PDA, not that I had much time to read, given the amount of shopping moi did. *grimace.

Another eat, shop, spend and sleep type of trip with mom, aunt and 3 cousins. I must have done something bad, that or someone out there hates me. *deadpan* Obviously, yours truly enjoyed the food and the shopping (OMG. THE SHOPPING!) and going with mom dear means that it is almost all expenses paid for (yes yes, we have covered that yours truly is one-fortuante-spoilt-brat. so let's skip this or go sue me) - but the cousins. *rueful look*. It's not that yours truly is judgemental (although I probably am, and anal to boot) but still, did they have to be (a) so noisy (b)so quarrelsome and (c) so awkward?

When someone asks "do you want to eat this or that?" If you have a preference, say so. Don't pretend to say up to you, when you actually have a preference. As you can tell, yours truly prefer frank and confident people who knows what they want. More importantly, moi likes people who can be frank and gracious (think chinese "da fan") in expression, gestures and personality.

Maybe if more people can be more genteel, gracious and frank, yours truly will have more friends.

But then again, maybe not.

On the other hand, yours truly has lately been in a rare mood of sociability, so maybe moi might just possibly expand moi's scope of acquaintances, and hopefully, maybe one might become a friend...dubious...but you never know. I suppose. *laconic*

And in case you are wondering, yes, there is a significant difference between an acquaintance, a friend and a close friend. If you can't tell the difference, you shouldn't even be reading yours truly's blog because really, you can't possibly be the latter of the 3.

But then again, most people are fools, even yours truly. So perhaps moi just over-value words and the distinction between each expression.

But then again, it's my right to do so.

shrug

:::



Rustic house along the river taken in Bangkok.

Probably many people might dream of such a home? I mean, I know some women who would kill to get married and live in a quaint house with flowers and along the river but alas, yours truly is not one of them.

I would love to live in such a house for say, maybe a week, a month, max, especially if it means setting up house with a man and bum around at home while HE works so I can spend. But moi will be bored pretty soon. So I guess the home and hearth gig isn't really for me? *deadpan*

But then again, never say never? After all, if *Ms Evil can change so alarmingly since she got attached. Who can say what's possible or not? *grin*

Mind you, this is not to say she has changed for the better or for the worse. After all, who am I to judge? But imagine, *Ms Evil! Its *Ms Evil and now suddenly, yours truly can see her with the home and hearth and 2 kids hanging ard her skirts. She's even giving out a different aura. And she's now helping the boyfriend to sell his IMPORTED candleholders online. *whistles*.

Isn't she domesticated and so much a couple. *roll eyes* And because she ASKED and really, because she PLEADED, here's the addy. Please help *Ms Evil's love efforts and visit her site.

*Ms Evil and domesticity. Wonders never cease. *whistles*

So perhaps anything is possible.

Maybe some day yours truly might just want to settle down and play house?

But then again,

For that to happen to yours truly?

No way.

Thank you very much

But no thanks.

sheer

Review: Paris, I love You

Paris Je T'aime

Immediate note to self: Darn. Can I fly to Paris tomorrow? *dryly*

Yours truly went to catch a film yesterday despite the rain and the fact that Orchard road was closed for Chingay Rehearsal. And fortunately, it was worth the effort.

It was a film that yours truly felt, was rightly named as Paris, Je T’Aime (aka Paris, I love you).

A collage of short films by known directors on the topic of - what else from the capital of lovers – love. What made the film enjoyable was the fact that love can be shown and seen in many different ways. Many different people with many different cultures in the many different districts of Paris.

It showcases the works of numerous directors and cast, who really, are filming this out of goodwill. After all, given the number of directors and cast involved, common sense alone would tell you how little each member must be paid. In fact, yours truly read that they are all paid the same wages from the highest to the lowest member of the production, more like a token of appreciation rather than paid work. I guess it highlights how proud the French are of their capital and how many people around the world are entranced by Paris?

The spirit of the film focused on a specific moment of love and given the numerous directors involved, it was rightly a multi-faceted interpretation of love. This is the point when yours truly have to salute the director that put everything together, because the pace, the rhythm of the stories and cohesiveness was unexpected. Yours truly was prepared to like the various stories as it was shown, but I expected a slightly more “patchwork” feel when different pieces are randomly put together. What I was not expecting was a certain central rhythm and of course, the underlying fondness for Paris.

The result was a quaint look at Paris and at love through a kaleidoscope of stories that touches on the search for love, the finding of and the losing of love. It started off with a Frenchman looking through the windows of his car at all the couples and wondering why everyone is attached but him, perhaps like the way we are looking at him, and perhaps, just perhaps, also wondering the same? His segment ended with him meeting someone. The film went on to the other aspects of love but the final short film ended with an American woman going to Paris on her own. She is not looking for love. Instead, she fell in love with Paris. At her age, she concedes that romantic love might not be for her, but she accepts it with grace and optimism. There are other things in life other than romantic love. A nice touch.

Of course, an even nicer symmetry to the opening story of the Frenchman. So the whole film had a certain symmetry and tempo. It is like a spiral that unwind yet end on the starting point with a twist.

For a film on love, yours truly understands why it was largely based on our generation’s obsession on romantic love, but some short films in the collage touched on other types of love such as a mother’s love for her child, which serves to make the idea of love more encompassing. I like.

Of course, this is not to say that the film was perfect or to mislead you into thinking that the threading of all segments was logical and seamless. That in itself is an impossible task. After all, the number of celebrated directors and stellar cast listed in the credits alone reflects the magnitude of the production. But it was a credible attempt to blend the short segments filmed by celebrated directors such as Wes Craven, the Coen Brothers, Gus Van Sant, Gurinder Chadha, Walter Salles, Alexander Payne and Olivier Assayas into a whole. And for that, even if some segments or stories seem rather….for lack of a better word, uninspiring to yours truly, it was still enjoyable as a whole.

Yours truly particularly liked the poignant story on an unfaithful husband who took care of his terminally sick wife and fell in love with her all over again; the humorous/witty story of the young engaged couple visiting Oscar Wilde’s grave; the quaint and somewhat fiery story of an aging couple who attempts role playing to ignite dying passion and of course, the witty yet somewhat bittersweet story at a divorced old couple who are both “cradle snatchers” since they are dating/marrying man/woman much younger than themselves.

In gist, fly to Paris, failing which, at least watch the film. *laconic*

Sheer

CNY

Life is either cookies or rocks.
Lately, it's been only rocks.
Maybe it's time for cookies?

:::

It's been a really hectic two weeks or so.

If yours truly is superstituous, I would imagine that my karmic guardian has decided to throw all rocks at moi at the same time. What with two friends having a serious falling out such that they don't even talk or see each other anymore, and *Candid going through a tough situation, other pressing work stuff, going for MPS, etc, been so busy that I barely had time to pause and reflect. Oh well enough said.

Yours truly is *ashamed to say that lately, I have been so busy or tired mentally that I have been barely present at work. Too many things happening I suppose. Oh well. CNY is here soon. Will have a good rest over the long weekend, hopefully will feel recharged for the PIG year.

Btw, yours truly has to forego EUROPE, other than the fact that my MAY event has been postponed, the real reason is because I don't wanna go with a couple. No way. *shake head*. In any case, *Starry should have a romantic trip with her *Gallant. Yours truly will likely make a few short trips within 2007 but just not a long backpacking one. *grimace*

On a brighter note, yours truly now have more leave to travel with different groups of people. =)

PS: I'm really looking forward to watching "Paris, I Love You", "Man of the Year" and "Happily Ever After". *wink*

PPS: *Witchy & *Ms Nice are getting HITCHED this year. There's a pool reception, wedding dinners at Hyatt and Meritus Mandarin to look forward to....also to the LARGE hole in moi's pocket.....*wryly*

Ok. Have a great LUNAR new YEAR, my friends!

Sheer

Me

My Personality

Neuroticism	28
Extraversion	43
Openness To Experience	49
Agreeableness	44
Conscientiousness	75

You are neither a subdued loner nor a jovial chatterbox. You enjoy time with others but also time alone. You are generally calm and composed, reacting moderately well to situations that most people would describe as stressful. A desire for tradition does not prevent you from trying new things. Your thinking is neither simple nor complex. To others you appear to be a well-educated person but not an intellectual. You have some concern with others' needs, and are generally pleasant, sympathetic, and cooperative. You set clear goals and pursue them with determination. People regard you as reliable and hard-working.

Test Yourself Compare Yourself View Full Report

Dinner Celebration

Food, Friends, Fun

What else do you need
For a perfect Sunday?

Except maybe
You?

~ Kel. 28 January 2007

Yours truly had a nice afternoon/evening.

First, there was an entertaining afternoon of TABOO fun. If you haven't ever played TABOO, try it. Yours truly likes the game precisely because it allows moi to learn more about the wavelength of friends. After all, the game forces us to describe words and one's association and choice of description reveals much about a person.

In any case, the game was followed by a great steamboat and desserts. Of course, there were alcohol (how can there not be?). A friend of *Starry actually bake a LINDT 70% dark chocolate tart. All present were duly impressed by the tart. More significantly, yours truly's mom *approved of the tart. High praise indeed for *starry's friend.

Anyway, we obviously had way too much food. *Starry had to bring back the cake she brought along, unfortunately. grimace. But really, there was no way we could stuff ourselves with anything else. Sorry, *starry, but gesture appreciated nonetheless. *grin*

Envious?

I would be too, that is, if I weren't present. smirk.

But hey, yours truly contributed the venue and the steamboat and borrowed TABOO from *peace, so moi's sorta entitled to be smirky.

In gist, nice Sunday night.

Perfect way to welcome *candid as my roommate for a month.

Won't you agree?


sheer

Resignation Finally

I haven't got the slightest idea how to change people, but still I keep a long list of prospective candidates just in case I should ever figure it out.
~ David Sedaris, "Naked"


You-know-who has finally taken the plunge.

She dumped lotsa glue (such a waste of glue!) on the envelope and *stomped into the director's room and tendered her resignation in a "i-dun-care and this-is-final" tone. No discussion. No more wavering.

Good for you, my friend!

Thumbs up.

Moi's first reaction....CONGRATS. FINALLY. *arched brows*

Yours truly didn't wanna unduly influence moi's friends, so I usually refrain from giving my decision if I were you type of answer. In other words, I try to give rational and logical "advice" on both sides of the picture. But in this case, yours truly can only say, good riddance. The grass out there is really greener. *dryly*

Yes, finally, the end to a long tedious process of wanting to quit and wavering here and there and never taking the final plunge.

Imagine the patience and endurance yours truly had shown when in reality, yours truly prefers decisive firm and logical decision/action. *roll eyes*

Oh well. Better late than never. Yes?

Perhaps its time you did something about something in your life?

Change isn't necessarily bad.

Or necessarily good.

Only you can decide for yourself.

Maybe its time we all reflected.

Won't you agree?

:::

News Flash: *Candid is moi's soon-to-be ONE month roommate!

Films

Everybody's Hell is different. It's not all fire and pain. The real Hell is your life gone wrong.
~ What Dreams May Come

There's tons of films lately that yours truly would like to watch, will watch and those that moi wants to watch but dun dare to watch.

For a start, yours truly will likely watch the following:
~ Sione's Wedding
~ One Last Dance
~ Babel
~ Painted Veil

Yours truly would really like to watch the following, if and only if, moi gets my stomach and guts in order:

~ Requiem
(why is the sub-heading "the last exorcism in in Germany"? The plot looks very interesting but the sub-heading makes moi worried abt the contents of the film....any takers to watch with moi?)

~ Big Bang Love
(yours truly probably can gather my guts to sit through the violence but not the sad ending whereby one protagonist dies. *sigh*)

Thinking of watching:
~ Perfume
(do I really wanna watch a film about a murderer especially since yours truly didn't particularly love the book?)

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Yours truly need more guts, a stronger stomach and probably more friends who wanna watch such flicks?

How about you?

Stranger than Fiction

Yours truly watched “Stranger than Fiction” on Friday.

It was a great flick, despite having to cramp into a small awkward dusty smelling cinema on the 9th Floor of Cineleisure (which tells you how un-advertised the film is) and being late by 15 mins and thus, missing the start of the show (which I hate but shall forgive *Ms Evil for causing moi to miss the opening since she (a) recommended the show (b) bought the tickets and (c) braved the traffic on a Friday night).

Yours truly liked the film, the cinematography and the narrative running through the film. It was a worthy film to watch, not always the case in many films. To be honest, yours truly hasn’t seen that many films lately that grab my imagination so well. Imagine if one is the *poor writer who kills off your character at the end, writing “Beautiful Tragedies” and then, you find out that what you write is actually real. Imagine the guilt and the horror of knowing that you have killed off, not one fictitious character, but many fictitious characters, and they are perfectly nice, decent people (otherwise, they won’t be your heroes of the fiction). In other words, you find out that you are a MURDERER and yet, and yet, you didn’t know. Is that an excuse for killing? More importantly, you have given the main character’s life meaning; their deaths are a masterpiece. They are immortalized forever in beautiful prose.

First and foremost, yours truly was *scandalized and *bewildered when the professor in the film told Harold Crick (the main character) that there is no way out, that he has to die. The novel is a masterpiece and only if he dies in the end, can the novel remain a masterpiece. But what is even more bewildering, is that Harold, after reading the novel, agreed with the professor. He actually went to the writer and told her that he loved the novel and there is no other way. Heck, he just agreed to die. How weird is that?

It is not that yours truly feel that one should cling onto life at all cost, but then again, why shouldn't one cling onto life? To me, life isn’t complete. Only if you are alive, can you feel, experience and change. If you put a full stop to your life, accept the narrative of your life, then how do you know whether you can do more, make more of yourself? How do you know that you can’t make life better? How do you know that your existence can't change someone else's life?

Having said all this ranting, yours truly concedes that I love reading, I like literature and on hindsight, perhaps even agree with the professor that literary masterpieces are so because there is no other way the novel/writing can end but in that beautiful moment.

However, if I was the writer, and I have the choice of a masterpiece and letting my main character live because he is real, how can I choose otherwise but to let him live? I mean, I develop a fondness for some of my writings and of all things in the world, I hope that I can claim I understand words. If a guy is my main character and he is alive, how can I kill him, even though it ruins my writing?

Perhaps as the writer (Uma Thurman) said in the film, how could she knowingly kill a person who knows his fate and goes knowingly to his fate? Isn’t such a person precisely someone worth saving? (paraphrased since I can’t remember the exact words).

Particularly, yours truly enjoyed the scenes where Harold gets a guitar and the scene where he ticks off in his notebook on whether his narrative is a tragedy or a comedy.

Anyway, in gist, a film to watch.

At least yours truly feels so.

:::

On other news, yours truly watched the film with *Ms Evil, her boyboy aka *XB and *doormat. Yours truly could of course, describe *XB and my perception of him. But heck, *Ms Evil reads this blog and apparently, not only are there no secrets among her friends, there aren’t any from the boyfriend. So what I say, will very likely be repeated to *XB so let’s skip this. *grin*

For nosey readers who happen to be my close friends, ask me. And I might just tell you. *laconic*

On an additional note, yours truly went to *Starry’s place for dinner with *Candid and *Starry’s friend aka *Fongky. Anyway, it was a pleasant dinner despite the very cold war going on with *Starry and current *housemate. Btw, did you know that East Malaysian men are rich and very gallant? *arched brows*

In any case, *Fongky summed it up very nicely: “I would like an East Malaysian bf but not an East Malaysian son”. *laugh*

2007

2007 sneaked in
January flying by
Woe be me
That age is catching up

Woe be me
That time is losing out

Alas.
~ yours truly

Yours truly wish she has better or more fun reasons for having not blogged for a year, but alas, other than a really great Christmas party, a comfy relaxing trip to *candid's hometown for the new year and a happy bday celebration at Sentosa last weekend for *candid (photos might conceivably be ideal. But alas, *photographer-wannabe eccentric's PC is down....), there has't been much to report.

Well, I suppose nosey readers (yes, you!) might like to know that *candid is going to move in with *starry, but then again, that's their news, so yours truly shall skip the details, except to predict lotsa great meals at their place, sleepovers and such. In the spirit of reporting irrelevant news, let me also inform thee that 2, not one but two of yours truly's clique are going to get hitched this year. Tragic, that alone tells yours truly that age has and is indeed catching up.

On happier news, yours truly might potentially be able to go to europe with *starry and her gallant in May, subject to yours truly's boss' approval and of cos, that my only other colleague doesn't decide to go on her honeymoon in May. Let's keep fingers crossed.

Yours truly can report more news about my frens, such as the *mushiness of ....., *the life changing-I-wanna-break-scholarship-bond of....., *the breakup fiasco of ....., *depression of....., *happiness of schooling of ....., *possibly office gossip with tinge of elitism at work...., but what the heck. Yours truly dun feel up to it. Fill in the blanks yourself. Or better yet, challenge your imagination .The reality is probably not as fun as what you can imagine.

Such a mundane blog. Such utter banality. tsk tsk. *hang head*

Yours truly should get a life? Yes?

Do you need one too?

Sheer

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.