Kenya declares holiday for Obama (Because i can't think of any witty title for this post)

So what with Lewis Hamilton winning the F1 championship and Obama now president, all seems to be well and happy and hopeful in the world and everyone thinking its gotten a little more 'equal' now.

Meanwhile, Kenya has declared Thursday a public holiday to celebrate the election of Barack Obama to the US presidency.

There was an official memo sent out by our Kenyan office today :
"Please be informed that all XXX Kenya offices will remain closed tomorrow, Thursday the 6th of November 2008 as it has been declared a public holiday following the phenomenal victory by Barack Obama in the US Presidential Elections."
So, all ye shippers, let your cargo rot for another day while they celebrate in Kenya the victory of a coloured man becoming president of a country that is not Kenya.

Does the US have a holiday today as well?

More proof about the Quickly-Dying-Unused-Brain cells

So last night I had a shower, put my glasses back on and went downstairs to watch the rest of the Heroes Season 2 Marathon
Only I couldn’t see as clearly as before.
I kept closing one eye at a time and trying to see if I could read the Star World logo on the TV and it was blurry.
I tried wiping the lens hoping that would solve it but it still wasn’t any better
I kept wondering what on earth could have happened after I had that shower that would made my new spectacles weaker in power. I mean, my number couldn’t have just increased just like that.

Me (to mom and Lil Sis) : You know its funny, suddenly I can't see clearly with these glasses. I could see properly before I had a shower
Lil Sis: Maybe that’s because you're wearing MY glasses

We don't have any SUSU drinks

I almost forgot this story until Mom bought it up just now
She just opened one of the boxes of chocolate that has been lying in the refrigerator for a couple of months, and was reading the label n stuff on the box.
One of the ingredients read as Susu Krim which means Cream Milk or something like that

She stared at it for a lil while
Mom: Erm, so what does Susu mean.
Me: What?
Mom: What does Susu Mean. It is written on the box
Me: Oh. Susu means Milk.
Mom: Oh. Heeheehee (and then all break out into hysterical laughter)

See. where i come from, Susu means Urine. So its one of those cultural differences things that has come up here.

When i moved to Singapore, Mala n me decided to have lunch at a food court we'd not been to yet. It was our first month and we were still in the adventurous and exploratory stage of our new lives here in Sin city.
So we order some food and find a table.
Singapore has a lotta food courts which are a bunch of food stalls bunched together. They're self service and there's some tables and chairs thrown around which you literally have to fight over since they're so many people always eating and you're always searching for a table to begin with the meal
There'll also be a drink stall with some folks who'll walk around and interrupt you every 2 mins till you order something to drink.

So, there we are sitting at our table just about to begin eating, and the Drink Guy (DG) walks over.

DG: You want something to drink? what you want to drink?
Mala: Can i have a diet coke
DG: OK. Can. One diet coke. What for you?
Me: Do you have any watermelon juice?
DG: No No. No watermelon juice
Me: ok. What else do you have?
DG: No juice. You want Susu drink? No Susu drink. Only canned Lah. No Susu.

This was followed by 30 seconds of silence between Mala n me. It's not that we were just stunned and completed blown away by those last lines, we just didn't know how to react.
So apparently they didn't have any fruit juices or milkshakes. Only canned drinks Lah

I ordered a diet coke as well
We never went back to that food court.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Part - II

Not quite Zombie killer, but hey i'm getting there.
Yes, i know.. i seem to be on a roll with the quizzes

58%

Created by OnePlusYou

May The Force Be With You

20

Created by OnePlusYou

Heehee...Now this is something to think about.

Of Apartment Stories and Bird Droppings

This day a year ago, i moved into this apartment.
Feels like its only been a couple o months.. In fact i think this past week is the first week that i've spent this much of time in the apartment now that Mom and Lil Sis are here. In fact, in the past one week, i have walked up the stairs to the bedroom and down and up and then all over again more than i walked the whole of the last one year.
Went to Jurong Bird park today, these are some of the Birdy pictures....
The more "artful" flowery pics are posted here

Pelican Cove...

I'm not a Parrot person, but...

This one is called Shoe-bill

T'was a red party out there.. (ok, ok, SAD joke)

The One Year Anniversary

It has been one year that I've been in Singapore. And I never thought I'd say this but time does fly by and Thank God for that.
I realised it last night and told the Boyfriend during my atleast-thrice-a-day long distance call to India.


Me: So you know its been a year I've been in Singapore

Boyfriend: Oh yes, 22nd October. It has been a year.

Me: you're supposed to say something about it

Boyfriend: Well, lets see. In the one year you've been away, you've come back home visiting 3 times. So its not like its some big achievement you've spent a year away. When I was in Dubai, there was a time I didn’t come home for 16 months, and then after that I didn’t come home for 2 and a half years.

Me: What does that have to do with any of this? You're supposed to say 'congratulations' or 'its been a year you've been away from me, I miss you' or some rubbish like that.

Boyfriend: Oh. Ok. Hmmm



Well, other than that lovely conversation that put a lotta things in perspective (not!), these are my other accomplishments for the year gone by. Since so much of my time is spent at work, I thought I'd start with work related accomplishments first. (I know. You were expecting me to say sleeping. But Sleep comes in at no. 2. No way I sleep enough for a growing healthy human being)

Work related accomplishments:

• Yesterday, while at work, I finished the really long crossword in 20 mins. And then continued doing various other similarly names crosswords to while away the day.


• Successfully able to keep up with all activities on Facebook and responding to all the challenges on Text Twirl, scramble and all those other games.


• My collection of awards playing bingo on Facebook. (Yes, that IS how boring it gets.. I stoop to these levels to stay entertained)


• Have finished reading 3 novels in the confines of my small cubicle (if you can call it that). Am now on my fourth.


• Been on time at work 5 times in the last year. (Wow!!! 5 times)


• Ensured the my mobile service provider will definitely be in business for a while considering my phenomenally LARGE monthly mobile bills.


• Ability to go home during office hours for a short nap. If timed correctly, I usually pick up a subway go home and eat it while watching The Ellen show and then have a post-lunch nap. It usually is always timed correctly.


• Have bitched about the rains in Singapore atleast 3 times every week.


• Extraordinary ability to show I care about the goings on at the workplace.


• Most posts made on this blog have been made while at the office - So that is all the testimony you should require.


• Organised office trips to places like Thailand and Malaysia so that I can see those countries and not pay for the flight myself.


• But THE Main Accomplishment: Refined the ability to bullshit my way through all situations, ensure the whole lot loves me for my wisdom and the hard work I put in while at the same time still being able to do the crossword of the day.
  

Non-work related accomplishments

• Collection of shoes which I have spent more money on that I used to make in India. It also needs to be highlighted that once I move back to India, I might need a room only for my shoes.


• Same goes for the book collection. The 61 books you see in the pic are less than half of it. Most look like library books because I got them from a library sale. I see no shame in buying second hand books when they are for 2$ each. (and yes, that is an Arsenal banner above it)

• I will shamefully add my trips back to India in this list here. It takes money to travel - money I've been earning and spending away like there's no tomorrow.


• My Lovely collection of Whisky and Wine and other things divine. I really should take a pic.


• The renewed ability to sit for countless hours in front of the idiot box at home while all around me things lie waiting to be picked up and put in their right places.


• The constant reduction in brain cells - the ones that are dying away for lack of being used to do anything constructive. Other than make lists like these

Oh, and by the way, this post was also written at the workplace where I am otherwise employed to change other peoples' worlds and make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race...

Why God made Moms

I called dear ole Mum to see how much the excitement of getting to Singapore on friday had gotten to them. That and i also wanted some things from India

Me: Ooh you'll are coming this friday. Damn, i need to start cleaning the house
Mom: What? why? you don't need to clean especially for us. Its only us who are coming. And its not like you live like that pig and its very dirty (wait till you see it mom)
Me: No but still. i should
Mom: Don't worry. I'll come there and clean it for you
Me: (looking gift horse in the mouth) What? you're going to come to Singapore on holiday to clean my house?
Mom: Ofcourse i'll clean it. I'm your Mom after all


Yippeeeeeeeeee
(while doing the Chandler dance)
But like a good daughter should, i will make sure the house is decent looking by the time they get here. I'd feel a lil guilty if i didn't.

I think this might be one of Murphy's Laws

"It may take a whole day to clean your house. It takes all of 30 seconds to mess it up again."

Moral of the story: Wait for Mom to come to Singapore next week

Hurry, the guests are almost here

No. No guests are coming
But Mommy dearest and Lil sis are coming to Singapore for a holiday

I was quite excited about their one week trip here, until Mom let it slip that they're here for 21 days. Don't get me wrong, its not that i don't want em here. But there's not that much to show around here in Singapore to make it interesting for 21 days in a row. Also, now that i', used to living alone, i'm not so sure about having people over for 21 days - Even if it is family.

They're expecting a red carpet treatment at the airport - so i promised sis that i'll have the Prime Minister come welcome them. Mr PM, if you're reading this, do try to make it
She also wants me to run a ribbon around the door to the house so that when they come home they can cut the 'red ribbon' an enter the house.. i told you i had a weird family, didn't I.

Some goods things from this trip

• Its their first trip abroad, so i am excited for them
• I get a refill on Hot and Sweet sauce, which you dont get in Singapore
• Hopefully Mom will oblige with the cooking - so there'll be something besides Maggi noodles to eat
• I get to pretend to fall sick some of the days, so i can show them around
• Hopefully Mom will oblige with how to make the place look better

Some not-so-good-things:

• Dad couldn't make it for the trip
• The boyfriend is worried i wont be calling him as much as my non-work hours will be spent with the family
• Need to remove all the contraband stuff from the house - pics of the boyfriend, ashtrays, cigarettes
• Won't be able to smoke
• Need to clean the house

Well, they're here next saturday, so i have a week of sanity left

A day in the life of a wasted bum

11:13 a.m.:

- I came in at 9:15
- Its 11.13 now. I've been surfing the net since 9:23
- I changed things around on the blog as I had nothing else better to do
- My fingers are frozen. I cannot type. Its that cold in the office
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer does still play on TV. On AXN Beyond at 23.00 SIN time on weekdays. - In the last episode, Angel has just left her to go to LA.
- I'm waiting for lunch
- Pianoman is playing in my head
- My last google search was on the US presidential debate - for lack of things to do
- I'm thinking on mint chocolates
- Yes, i am still awake. I haven't dozed off to sleep yet DESPITE the lack of things to do

12:32 pm:

- Just smoked 3 cigarettes
- Discussed the lack of things to do at work and the need to find another job with Mala
- Arguing with self that this job will pay for new Bose speakers, new study to house all books and one room for all my shoes when i finally do decide to go back to India. So i need to stick around and work and save money
- Just won argument with self since, well, lets face it, I'm never gonna actually save any money. So i might as well leave now
- Its 12.35 - LUNCH TIME IS HERE !!!!

02.00pm

- Just back from a nice Indian Lunch
- Wondering what to do next - there's 3.5 hours to go
- Aaaah yes!!! Facebook!!!

02.14 pm:

- Realisation has just dawned upon me - many moons ago, I had prepared for this eventuality for complete worklessness. I have movies on my iPod - Transformers - here I come

02.39 pm

- Lateralus to the rescue. iPod movies will now be kept for a rainier day (God forbid such a day ever comes.. but it will. Probably tomorrow) Have a new site to explore now. I quite like these Black cab sessions
- Listening to music and drinking green tea now. I might as well get used to this.

02:45 - 05:00

5:00 pm:

- Finally doing some work now. Making a powerpoint presentation for the team however i think it may be a tad too fancy for their liking (i.e. they may not understand) I'm wondering if i should just stand there and talk to them and if needed draw stuff on chart-paper on the spot - that might make a better impact. But due to lack of better things, i will continue with the powerpoint for now. There's something to be said for coming down to the level of the masses so they may understand you.

- But hold on, i'm not giving the presentation. The perks of being a manager - DELEGATION !!!

5:30 pm:

- Yes!!! 5:30 is FINALLY here. I need a drink. Or two. Or more.

The Office Productivity Index - Astrology is an exact Science

In light of the upcoming changes in the company organisation structure and the fact that, if at all it is even remotely conceivable, i am very soon going to be even more workless. (or as normal people would say, i'm going to have even less work to do) So i have decided to stop working from today onwards.
I mean, hey, its gonna take a while for me to adjust to the additional lack of work, so i'm just going to use this time now to slowly begin adjusting myself to this new lifestyle.
For those who i haven't grumbled about this to already - tis a bit like this

Life as it is now:
I come in to work at 9, and by 10 i have finished my work for the day. Between facebook, this blog, chatting with other folks who have nothing to do, making long distance phone calls on the company account, and surfing the net for random things, i spend the rest of the day (i.e. 10 am to 5.30pm) looking for work - new ideas, ways to make things better. There's only so much of talking and surfing you can do in a day. And that gets mind numbingly boring if you do it everyday. A girls gotta have something to do - even if it is actually working, and earning my keep, so to say

Life as it will be come mid Nov:
The astrologers have predicted that supposedly more responsibility will come my way. My translation of this awesome prediction is i'm going to have lesser work to do. While Lateralus has tried convincing me that "they'll give you more work" i have a theory on this as well (its a bit strange calling you that, by the way, you might want to consider changing it maybe? Denny Crane?)
Theory: The new "more " work is no work at all, atleast for me!!! Its what others can (and will) make a day out of and i'll still finish by 10 am. (Yes, I AM THAT GOOD AT IT) Therein lies the problem, my friend.
With the new fancy changes, 'new ideas for improvement' isn't supposed to be what i should be doing. And the idea of sitting here from 10 - 5 twiddling my thumbs is no longer appealing, even remotely.
Strange thoughts have been cropping up in this idle-mind-which-is-a-devils-workshop lately.
Like:
- I wonder what it feels like to actually have work to do
- Should i abandon my no work but all pay job and look for something else?
- Does Buffy the Vampire Slayer still run on TV?
- I wonder what it feels like to actually have work to do

I'll be back!!!?

You know how you go on holiday or wherever and then you come back after a couple of days
And then you meet friends or other people you know
And they look at you and go "You're back !"
Why do they do that? I mean its kinda obvious when you're standing in front of em that you’re not in Kathmandu any more.

DEBT FREE and loving it.

1 down and 33 to go from my list of things to do.
As of October 5th, i am now DEBT FREE!!!
Yes ladies and gentlemen.. unbelievable but surprisingly true !!!! That final 85 thou has been paid off and i happily owe no one now. Nice birthday gift this was to myself. Next one to target might be learning to swim.. seems like an easy one to do right now.

I'm back !!!!

And still sick :(
And it hasn't yet sunk in that I'm back from Bombay. Got back yesterday morning. But this morning, i forgot i was back in SIN. So i didn't get up. Then i got up and wasn't feeling well, so i went back to sleep. That makes it 2 days in a row I've been late to work. This could be the beginning of a trend, in fact i hope it is.
The being sick isn't helping. I'm not sick enough that i can take leave and stay at home in bed all day, but sick enough that its getting annoying. I hate having a cold - break my hand and i can come to terms with it, but a cold i cannot live with.
Spent my whole holiday back home with a fever and almost no voice - no way to have a good birthday - or as someone said the other day - I've spent half ** a century on this planet now. That does put things in perspective

----Update--
Ooops.. My bad.. she said quarter century, i think in my excitement of typing i wrote half instead of quarter... it may have been because i was wasted, or it may have been because half has lesser letters to type out than quarter.. Thanks Lateralus