Lately I have been pondering again about love equating to being exclusive. Does loving one means you have to be exclusive to each other? Sometimes, I heck it. Because of the freedom to do so many other things, even things that I should not do. But it’s a double-edged sword.

When you ‘commit’ the crime hoping for some no-nos and it does not happen, you sometimes wonder this may not be what you want. To some guys and some gals, this may be a woo-hoo! You can have your cake and eat it! To tell you the truth, I have this problem.

I enjoy the freedom ya, no doubt about it. But it cuts when you can’t spend time with the one you love, especially on festive seasons and birthdays. It cuts further when there is no calls, no sms. I start to wonder maybe I am a spare tyre after all.

I don’t mind, really, about arranging my time to meet up. Just the other day I was sharing with a friend that I am prepared for such things. I thought I could just heck it and accept the last-minute calling off of dates because so-so is unwell, etc. I thought I could accept no nothing during festive seasons. I guess there is a limit and a certain level of reciprocity one expect in a relationship no matter how much hecking there is by one party. I am not the self-sacrificial kind.

Lovey dovey during meetings is not good enough. I want more. Maybe this is not it and maybe I am just not suited for the four-letter word, L-O-V-E.

Happy New Year my love.

When I was a boy, I always admired my Dad for being able to do anything!

He could pay for all the meals and get money from a machine! He was able to keep my baby sister quiet by pacing up and down the hall with her in arms, to lure her to sleep. He was able to keep a family of nine going (of course my mum helped too). He always woke at 5 plus in the morning to get to work. He drove and parked his car so well, I thought he must be the best driver around.

I wanted to be my Dad when I was growing up. The idea faded as I entered my teens. We had very different ideas about my education and career. I wanted something to do with design but he objected. I did not follow my heart and followed his head. On hindsight, he probably was right and had my interests at heart. At that time, I argued with him and talked back. I was rather harsh and I dare say, unfilial.

However, being the good Dad he was and still is. He always sent me back to camp during my Basic Military Training (BMT) days. If he could not do so, he got one of his friends to do. He brought me to have my favourite food after I passed BMT.

He drove like a F1 driver to my graduation as I dilly-dallied and almost missed it. He would buy my silly gifts from his China trips. But I know these white elephants are his way of spoiling me.

Though he rarely called me when I was in the Middle East, I knew he was always concerned about me. Whenever I called, he told me not to worry about him and if I needed anything from home and he would send over. That was then I decided I have to accompany him back to his hometown in China (something he wanted me to do for the longest time) and pay respects to our ancestors. I finally did it this year.

Now that I am back in Singapore, I sometimes, still let the daily grind get to me. I rather sleep in than have a Sunday lunch with him. Other times, I cut him off. I remind myself not to.

Yet, he is still the best Dad! Last week, I was down with fever. He came home and the minute he saw I was unwell, he asked what I wanted to have for dinner and went out to get my favourite “unwell” food. Last night, when my room was invaded by a huge six-inched mantis-cum-grasshopper lookalike insect at midnight, he helped me removed it with his nothing more than his bare hands and a piece of cleaning cloth. That saved me from sleeping in the living room.

Dad, thanks for everything. You are the best.

1. My folks and family who, although drive me nuts at times, are still dearest to me.

2. My friends who are like family. Some may not be in Singapore but I know I can reach them when I need to.

3. My LP

4. My job. Love what I am doing mostly!

5. My work team. Fab people who support one another.

6. My ex-colleagues. Thanks for helping in every other way I can imagine.

7. My health. More rest and exercise required.

8. My car.  Badly tortured by me but still able to transport me all over the island.

9. My clothes!

10. My Dell Laptop!

It’s never easy to say goodbye. Not even for the one who initiate the parting. At least it’s true for me. I keep seeing images of the happy times. I wish you well.

….continued.

Receptionist has left company for more than a month but she still ‘lingers’ around. She calls up the New Receptionist (NR) and instigates her to go against her bosses. She calls to distort the truth and spread rumours.

Supervisor can’t help to think that she must be recovering from her day surgery and is under some kind of stress.  Or maybe she is not working as she does not need to. Or maybe she can’t find a job and is too free and has not friends to go out with or relate to. Or maybe she is suffering from menopause.

The supervisor really wishes to spell out her name her so that others can be warned about her un-professionalism but then that would be a tad unprofessional. So next time if you are hiring a new receptionist or administrative stuff, please check with me. I have the name from the supervisor.

And if you are reading this, the New Receptionist is way better.

Basic receptionist duties: Greet employees and guests

Basic requirements: Cheerful disposition and punctuality

Scene 1

Receponist is late for 15 minutes. No call nor sms. Supervisor helps to start the receptionist computer and console. Called receptionist (XX) but no answer.

XX walks in.

Supervisor: XX, please on your mobile on your way to work next time so we can get your password and help to startup if you are late.

XX: The password is abcd.

Another employee (A) walks in and greets them,

A: Morning!

Supervisor: Morning!

XX keeps quiet.

Supervisor: XX do you greet employees in the morning?

XX: Yes, I do.

Supervisor: Why didn’t you greet A when she greet us?

XX: I thought she was only greeting you.

Supervisor finishes setup and prepares to leaves but stops and turns around.

Supervisor: XX do you have anything you want to say to me?

XX: No.

Supervisor: Do you want to say you are sorry that you’re late?

XX: No.

Supervisor: No? You do not want to apologise for being late?

XX (shouts): OK! I am sorry!

XX stands up and is visibly agitated:

XX (shouts): Why do you have to pick on me?

XX throws her pen into the recep area and starts crying.

Supervisor: What is wrong? Are you ok? Why don’t you go outside to cool down?

XX walks out.

Supervisor gets another female colleague to go talk to XX. After 10 minutes, they come back in to the reception area.

Supervisor: Did I do something wrong? Let’s talk things out.

XX does not look at supervisor and looks at the female colleague.

XX (while looking at female colleague): I have nothing to say to you. I don’t want to talk to you. I want to talk to female colleague. She is more understanding.

Supervisor is angry and does not think he has done anything wrong and uses harsher tone to insist on talking to XX.

XX (while looking away from Supervisor): You have ruined my mood for the day and I have nothing to say.

Female colleague brings XX out and talk again while Supervisor takes over as receptionist!

After five minutes, both come back in. Female colleague asks Supervisor to talk inside of the office and leaves XX alone.

Female colleage: She does not want to apologise because she does not like you already. And no matter how nice you are to her, she still doesn’t like you.

To be continued…………..

Yesteryday I had an allergy attack. It never happened before when I took tiny bitsy amount of seafood like one or two prawns. But yesterday was bad. It started with the top of the feet and the itch worked its way up to my ears and scalp!

I was never diagnosed as allergic to seafood by any doctors. The allergy was probably developed over the years instead. Family members and chinese sinsehs advised me against taking seafood due to marks left by scratching when I was a kid. So I never took seafood until recent years.

I tried with one prawn. No effect. Two prawns. Slight discomfort on top of mouth but manageable. One small mouth of  soft shell crab. No effect. Two small mouths of soft shell crab. Same.

I thought I might not be allergic to seafood after all. Or so I thought. When I gamely or rather, greedily ordered a small soft shell crab bento set, I never expected the attack.

I managed to drive back to office before the big bad itch descended upon me. After three minutes or so, even my ears were itching and I had to see the doctor. I received a jab and was sent home to rest.

Luckily, when I woke up I was feeling much much better. No stuff and runny nose but still felt hot. I took porridge (again) and slept early.

Today, I am swimmingly well but no more seafood for moi!

When you have to think twice about talking an issue to someone close, are you still on good terms? Or when someone did not rely an important piece of information that he/she should, does that mean you are not important anymore?

Should I tell them how I feel? Or will talking to them result in a backlash? People, including myself always advise others to ‘talk to’ the other party. I guess it’s not as simple…..

Unwell since Tuesday. Probably too many late nights. Have not recovered fully. Must be age catching up. No more sleeping at 4am and waking up at 6am without any ill effects.

Yes, I can even if you are rude.

I think I have hearing problems. You know how the gogglebox always tend to be louder during explosions and softer than an ant when characters whisper or mumble. I am one of those who want to hear everything or at least most of it. So I turn up the volume a little louder and I may not be aware I am disturbing others in the same space.

I try to be as un-deaf as I can when I know others want to rest. And when they ask me to turn it down, I always do so without any hesitation. The more so if they have been polite cos I will feel guilty. Hence, when shot with a murderous “Can you lower the volume?” plus a you-ask-for-it look by someone else whom you thought will defend you, tempers could really fly.

Well, I did not cos I was not at my home and it was almost 1 a.m. I turned the volume down till only ants could hear and I read the subtitles. I guess I will only be watching TV at home from now on.