Baby Eyes

Chest Expander

2009-02-28T19:54:00.002+08:00

My chest has been overflowing with anger since noon today. It is getting tighter since then as the minutes passed. Unless the issue is quickly resolved, I may just explode anytime. All I can say is stop touching my personal belongings and placing them elsewhere!!!!!

Job References!!

2008-10-13T16:06:00.000+08:00

Doing Business

Okay, I am trying to set up my own business. I gave myself 6 months to make it happen. Evaluating progress so far, I would probably need another 6 months above the 2 months I had already spent ...

Risk Taker??

In face of the economic downturn, I am still trying to make this business venture happen. Giving myself 6 months is already a significant risk. It is a good time to manage my risks.

Looking for Jobs!!

Therefore, I am "officially" looking for a job. If a job offer comes first, I will put aside the business venture. I am now appealing to my "audience" to let me know if you have any jobs available in your company, or through your contacts!

Drop me an email please if you do :)

Continuation of Suayness

2008-05-22T18:49:00.000+08:00

Salvation Army vs. Rain

Well, I thought I should do some good deeds to improve my Karma, so my wife and I decided to donate the speakers to the Salvation Army. I managed to move the 2 boxes of speakers (the heavier huger and weighing 22 kilos) into my car. The day was bright and sunny as I headed to Praiseheaven branch of the Salvation Army. When I reached the place, I stepped out of my car into the warm sun in my face. Then I opened my back door to remove the huge speakers. Suddenly, it rained heavily - continuation of yesterday's story ... in the rain I moved the other speakers to the donation corner, rushed into the car and drove home. It was raining heavily still when I reached home but the moment I stepped into the house, the rain stopped completely.

So I visited the "Four Horse" Road Guan Yin temple to pray my streak of bad luck away. I strongly look forward to better days ahead!!!

Never Been So Suay & Stupid In My Life

2008-05-22T00:14:00.001+08:00

Stupidity and Suayness

Why suay? I went to Suntec City today, and was stopped by a couple of fellas in a van asking me about purchasing a home theatre system. The claimed thattheir China worker loaded extras into the van thanthey were supposed to deliver. Normally, I would just say "No" and walk away. Today, I was stupid enough to see the goods and make a ridiculous offer of $400 bucks for a system supposedly worth $3000. Before I agreed, I tried calling the 2 "audio experts" I know, but Paul was overseas (so I hung up), while I could not get hold of Shawn. Anyway, thats my maximum tolerance of being conned and they took it. And yes, I know it sounds dumb to have a maximum "con threshold". So, I was conned of $400 bucks for a system that is probably worth about $250. Probably it was because I was rushing for a dinner appointment, but again its a dumb excuse ... anyway, my phone hung on me during dinner - it was only after dinner before I got it running again ...

After dinner, I wanted to tell my wife about it and be scolded for my stupidity. I never felt so dumb in my life before. However, I had to send my dinner partner back to office before I could call my wife to remonstrate my idiocracy. And so I did, and was given a deserved lecture.

Then I reached home, thinking forget it, how bad can things get. The moment I stepped out of the car and moved the smaller speakers box out, it started to rain extremely heavily on me!!! Nevermind, I ran in the rain with my laptop and speakers back home. Guess what, the lift at my block was stuck at the 2nd floor and refused to come down for me so I had to walk the flight of stairs back home ... bad luck again ...

My luck was so good that Shawn called me just as I was opening the door and rushing into my wife's warm embrace. That call delayed my hug for a good 30 minutes ....

As I was changing, my Hugo Boss belt buckle broke into 2 pieces. Excellent! My favorite working belt died on me ... Then the phone rang ... bad news on the phone I should not mention here ... The day did not end here, I had to drive off somewhere to address the bad news and got home almost midnight. Guess what, I forgot to take my new book out of the car ...

This day of suayness and stupidity is 21st May 2008, the day that I was supposed to be getting my pay, but it was delayed until the following week because 26th May would be my last day of work in my current company. Neverthesless, I know this day of stupidity and suayness will allow me to grow a little smarter, and the incense between my eyes from my mother-in-law would have ridden me of the streak of back luck hounding me

Do You Want To Know Anguish & Disappointment?

2008-01-31T12:01:00.000+08:00

Predictions

I took 2 weeks leave until the Chinese New Year so that I can finish up the Chinese New Year shopping and stuff. I had plans but yet I know that she will find a reason or some circumstances will occur that will end up having her disrupt my plans.

My first suspicion - she will be sick for some reason and stay at home during that period.

My second suspicion - she will take leave out of the blue, and at the last minute to stay at home.

My third suspicion - she will come up with some stuff at the last minute and ask me to do despite already knowing that I will be on leave weeks in advance.

All of my predictions came true!

Sick

She woke up with a neck ache and headache on Tuesday and cannot head to work on Wednesday. I told her to see a doctor and get it fixed and she said okay. I ran some errands, came home in the afternoon, and she told me that she did not see a doctor. She said she is feeling better now, so she will just take leave for the day. It is utterly dumb in my opinion to take leave because you are sick, refusing to see a doctor to get medication (so that you can recover) and of course, get sick leave that you thoroughly needed. Moreover, she is studying part-time, and she needs all the leave she can get for her exams. Well, later that evening, she started complaining about her neck ache and headache again. I offered her advice to see the doctor now but she refused. Would seeing a doctor and getting medical leave earlier in the day or even right now completely resolve the problem already? Yes! I do not know how to describe this - stupidity or just plain laziness??!!

Sick Again

On Thursday, I woke up to find that she is again not at work. She said she is still feeling bad and needed to rest another day so she took another day of leave. There goes another day of leave for her exams. I asked her to see the doctor and she refused, claiming that she will again feel better just sleeping at home, without the aid of medication from a doctor. Again, seeing a doctor, getting the right medication and taking medical leave makes more complete sense. I am extremely disappointed to say the least ...

Disruptions

She needed to visit the ATM machine to get some cash. In the last many days, I offered her at least half a dozen times when we were near or going to pass by an ATM machine, she will refuse citing reasons such as it is very late already; I have no time; I do not feel like going there now. Similarly, she wanted her jeans altered, and I offered to send her there when we have the chance to pass by the tailor on umpteen occasions, but again, she cited the same reasons, which to me, are just plain and lame excuses.

Today, I had plans to go cut my hair and then catch up with some friends I have not met like forever for lunch or drinks. As I went for my haircut, I woke her up and reminded her to take her jeans to the tailor because Chinese New Year is just around the corner, so do it before it is too late. Incidentally, the tailor is just across the road from my house. She said, "I do not want to walk there, later I want to go to the ATM to get cash so drive me to these 2 places." Thats after offering the chance to send her to these places so many times already! Very incidentally again, the ATM machine is also at the market where the tailor is.

Conclusion

Laziness, over-dependence and chao keng! I do not know what else to say!! I am extremely angry, disappointed, frustrated and sad. You are going to fall down and pick yourself up from now onwards - I am not going to give you a helping hand again.

Know Thyself Best Is Thyself

2007-12-04T00:22:00.000+08:00

A few minutes past midnight, I asked my wife "Do I look any different?"

She stared at me for a long time and said "You looked pale ..."

"What else?" I asked inquisitively ...

"Your face is a litle oily ..." she remarked.

Wiping away the excessive lard on my cheek, I tried again "Anything else?"

"Nope, I think thats all ..." she concluded.

"I thought I had aged. I am 1 year older than I was 3 minutes ago." I sighed.

I think I know myself best!!

Her Little New Hope

2007-11-20T16:09:00.000+08:00

You always believe dramatic sob stories appear only in movies, but the devil is as real as the air you breathe. These are things you do not really see, but intangibles that you can sense somehow. Check out My Little New Hope ... so depressing ...

This is one side of the story, but when 2 hands clap, you hear thunder. Its like some people - the moment you see them, you sense something about them that pisses you off, without knowing the person or hearing anything about them from others. On so many occassions, I wil get this 6th sense about a person that either makes me dislike him/her straight away, or want to hum dum the fella. That guy in the picture has a certain look that is so inviting, so begging people to hum dum him when you see him - and thats even before reading the chain of events. I even thought that it was a happy blog until I read on.

Anyway, heres the link again: http://mylittlenewhope.blogspot.com/

A Pair of Virgins!

2007-11-20T16:00:00.000+08:00

How many virgins can you find amongst your friends in their 30s? Not many really ... you can try checking for the little red dot on their forearms to find the symbol of virginity, but the closest you can get to finding the red dot is likely between the eyes of some of your friends.

The good news is I have just found my virginity! And a pair of pure, untouched, innocent virginity even!

Take a close look at the picture - those are my big toes, with the nails freshly removed. If you examine even closer, you can notice an extremely thin, virgin layer of nail beginning to form. These are my double virginities that were borned to me!

Excuse me, are you a virgin??!!

The Emergence of a Rock Legend

2007-11-09T14:48:00.000+08:00

Guitar Hero III

Yes, I have the Playstation3 version of Guitar Hero III in my hands. I got it last night and managed to get the guitar synchronized to work with my console. And yes, I feel exhausted after jamming through a number of songs! I feel I am getting the hang of it bit by bit!

Whats So Great About it?

Quite frankly, if you have never thought much of Guitar Hero III, you might as well continue to do so because you DO NOT have the blood of a rocker running through your veins. The impulse to swing your body to the beat, bang your head to the strings, immerse yourself into the beads of perspiration through vigorous pumping for the crank bar, and pump your fists in victory at the end of a decent performance - thats the making of a ROCK LEGEND!!

Who the Hell is Axel Steel?

Copyright sucks! You get to choose your lead guitarist in the band you formed. I found my lead in a character called Axel Steel, which I thought might be a distant relative of Axel Rose. If I progressed further in the ladder, I might end up with Smash, probably a distant relative of Slash; perhaps I may find Aussie Osbourne, father of Ozzy??!!

Crash

Guitar Hero III has an integrated online ladder, where you can find rankings of players from WII, Xbox and PS3 in the same place. I have not tried it yet, but I hope the multiplayer online mode can accommodate players from different consoles collaborating to beat the King of Rock! My band, Crash is just beginning, but give it some time, you will find me somewhere prominent on the ladder rankings soon! Hopefully its prominently near the top as opposed to some distinguished bottom spots :p

Yeah!!!!!!!!!

The Impossible Quiz (Hints Provided)

2007-10-16T17:09:00.000+08:00

Try this! I have died doing this quiz. In fact, I am going to give you the hints somewhere below. If you can complete this first time with my hints, I salute you!

The Impossible Quiz

1 - Four
2 - No, But a Tin Can
3 - K.O
4 - Click "The Answer"
5 - Press the button then without releasing the mouse move over to the next button.
6 - Shallots
7 - An Elephant
8 - Below the E is a green check mark that says OK. Click it
9 - Top right box ("That One")
10 - Teeth
11 - n
12 - Click the dot abobe the i in the word "Click"
13 - F'TAANG
14 - TORCH
15 - Spell HORSE
16 - H
17 - Click the level number (17)
18 - Hammer
19 - Blue,Orange,Green,Green,Yellow
20 - Seal
21 - Top left box
22 - +1 Skip
23 - BRAN
24 - Click the "V" in the word "lives" (bottom left)
25 - Shoe Polish
26 - Arsefacey
27 - Go to 28
28 - Abundance
29 - Egg mayonaise
30 - (See Q5)
31 - Woof. Woof. Woof.
32 - Babycham and human feaces
33 - 7
34 - Move your cursor off the screen until all 3 elephants are in
35 - Wait. Click the button when it appears
36 - A walk
37 - Of Course Not
38 - Mary Rose
39 - Cylindrical Adventures
40 - (See Q5)
41 - Click on Afro
42 - Click the 42nd 42 (Bottom row second from the left)
43 - Tom Cruise
44 - Complete the puzzle. Click in the little circle in the arrow, top right.
45 - Top right
46 - Bottom Left
47 - Click the button
48 - SNAAAAKE! (Top right)
49 - SPLAPP-ME-DO
50 - O.K.
51 - Keep clicking on the left monster (blue one)
52 - Second from the right (3rd from left)
53 - But PA might not.
54 - No, about 20cm off the ground
55 - QUICK! Top right. A game console for wholemeal biscuits
56 - Click the blue dot, then red, then blue then yellow
57 - Erm one?
58 - Shepards pie
59 - Repeatedly Click on the bottom left thing
60 - Yes
61 - Thumbs up (top left)
62 - Click the moss
63 - Tasteless white filth
64 - Egg > 28
65 - Click on the word "Largest"
66 - QUICK! Click the ! at the end of the question
67 - Big hairy arsonist
68 - Click and hold your mouse from the top of the back of his neck, down his back to his tail and then, let go. Do this over and over until the green bar is full.
69 - Lol, 69!
70 - Using it's anus
71 - Click the top left when it's green
72 - Below the question number
73 - Top-right
74 - Know one knows that
75 - QUICK press the escape button below the level number
76 - Sugar, Honey, Honey
77 - Question 77
78 - Four
79 - Click the "u" in "what do you mean".
80 - Filthy Romanians
81 - Move mouse up and down pole repeatadly
82 - Click all the nails
83 - National Dislexic Association
84 - Move over the button. Right click. When you see the star. Click on it.
85 - I loved it!
86 - The Prince
87 - In the circle 87 click the invisible dot
88 - Click repeatadly on his foot as fast as you can
89 - Blindness
90 - Nonce
91 - Tear paper from left to right. Start about 2/3 way down on left. You don't have to click. Just find the start of the tear and follow it across the page with your mouse
92 - Click in descending order... 194, 27, 26, 14, 9, 3, 2.5, 1, 0.4
93 - Drag the bomb away from the upper right corner. The arrow is under it.
94 - Do Nothing. Bomb is a dud.
95 - Move mouse off-screen. When the cat chases the bug, click the button
96 - A right mess
97 - +10 Times
98 - The WORDS Blue, Red, Blue, Yellow (Be careful)
99 - Click the sign when the lights turn green
100 - Two
101 - Type chihuahua
102 - Touch the circles but not the squares, when a small square appears, don't touch anything.
103 - Find the tomato. Before everything vanishes, put your mouse between the top of the letters "C" and "H"
104 - Click on the sad yellow moon. Bottom right corner
105 - Mouse over and type Banana out of the "B" in gooseberry, the "A" in apple and the SECOND "N" in nectarine
106 - Complete the game and DONT use a skip.
107 - Move your mouse over "I am ignore u" but don't click it, it will come up with game over. Ignore this and wait.
108 - Type in the missing numbers WITH SPACES. (4 8 15 16 23 42)
109 - click the monkey as quickly as possible, click it's poop, click the arrow in the poop.
110 - You must use ALL the skips in the game. Make sure you got the ones from the space level.

Chao Keng

2007-10-08T22:48:00.000+08:00

If you begin saying things about your colleagues who go on MC often, make sure you are not someone who does the same thing. When you take MCs like 5 or 6 times a month, especially on Mondays, you are in no position to criticize others. Because when you do, you become a hypocrite, and I think lowly of hypocrites!

If you have a few ailments when you visit the doctor, yet only remembered to consult the doctor for only 1 ailment, you are a waste of time and money. You waste money by having to go to the doctor again. You waste your company’s time, the doctor’s time and your won time. When you do this, you are basically hoping to save your ailments for future MCs.

If you are really unwell, you visit the doctor first thing in the morning. You do not lie on the couch watching TV, and eventually visiting the doctor in the afternoon or evening. When you do this, you are not really so sick that you need to see a doctor.
If you visit a doctor to get MC for minor cases of migraine, a little pimple on your body or some strains, you are basically a “Chao Keng”. Lazy people who do not like to work will tend to do this.

If you belong to the categories above, count yourself lucky that you still have a job; because if you are ever my staff, you will be gone before you know it. I easily give away off days and time off for my staff whenever they need it, but when they like to go on MC for the above reasons, they will get nothing from me except the cuttle-fish!

If you do not know what kind of a person you are, the tables below will provide some guidance:

If you belong to the categories of Chao Keng or a bit Chao Keng, you can be sure you do not have my respect, and I am sure you will be talked behind your back by your friends and colleagues. Being in these 2 categories affect not only yourself negatively, but will also implicate you friends, colleagues and relatives. Importantly, your colleagues have to clear your shit because you do not come to work as you please; your relatives have to worry about you losing your job because of your bad behavior; your friends will be put off by your Chao Keng attitude whether they tell you or not.

SO, DO YOU STILL WANT TO BE A CHAO KENG??

Rant & Rend

2007-08-13T12:07:00.000+08:00

Done!

The Things I Do For Free Tickets

2007-08-06T21:33:00.000+08:00

http://www.nuffnang.com.sg/public/event04.php

I would usually not have done this, but a series of events created this impulse that would last just for the few minutes I spent writing this.

Firstly, I got huge bills to settle from my business trips abroad last month. Thats a very big hole in my pocket for August.

Then, I got my road tax renewal from the garment. Another hole in my pocket ...

Most unfortunately, I opened my letter box after I paid my road tax to receive my income tax form, which requires another big hole in my tiny pocket.

In a nutshell, I am broke! I will give the garment my Ang Pao after the garment's birthday.

Very nicely, garment day falls on my broken month, so I have nowhere to go and nothing to do during that pubic holiday. So here I am, writing some cock stuff, hoping to gain sympathy for tickets to entertain myself on others' expenses!

Thing No 1
I will remember to pay the garment Ang Pao before the end of the month so that I will not end up paying more.

Thing No 2
I will wear red on garment day to hopefully win some prizes to spruce up my movie day (if I win anything at all).

Thing No 3
I will drive to work after peak hours so that there will be less jams on the roads; in other words, so that I do not have to pay unnecessary Ang Pao.

Thing No 4
I will continue to find jobs outside of the CBD so that there will be less jams in the city; also so that I do not have to pay Ang Pao.

Well, a few minutes' up! I just lost my motivation to write corny stuff. Give me my tickets and I will grant you 3 wishes for free!!

Yawns ...

2007-07-30T11:37:00.000+08:00

When you get ready to go out in the morning, you wear clothes that match the occasion, and most likely to match the weather conditions. I will wear something thicker on a cold and rainy day; probably something more revealing on a hot day. My body and mind interprets the conditions and the appropriate course of action is taken.

Similarly, when I order a cold cup of soya bean milk, I expect to be able to stick in the straw and enjoy the drink straight away. If the vendor gives me a hot cup my mistake, I would hurt myself when I stick the straw in and slurp. My body and mind is conditioned for a cold drink, not a hot drink; so its natural to get hurt if conditions do not match.

When you are riding in someone else's car (someone you are not very close to), you would almost always ask before you turn on the volume or turn up the air-conditioning. However, you take in for granted when you are riding in your father's car, you mother's limo or even your hubby's cheap car. Isn't it sad that you are more concerned towards someone less important to you?

At night, or rather anytime when you want to take a nap or go to bed, you consider the conditions and you prepare to rest in those conditions. If you are expecting someone to murder you while you are sleeping, you would probably be wearing some protectvie vest, hiding a weapon below your pillow and half awake all the time. Well, if you are just expecting to rest under perceived conditions of tranquility, of certain temperature etc, you condition and prepare yourself to sleep at ease under those conditions. If the perceived conditions changed while you are sleeping, you will get hurt (murdered, sick etc). How so? If you are sleeping in cold conditions, you will naturally remind yourself to wake up more to cover yourself if you are afraid of cold.

So the next time you try to change a person's sleeping conditions when he/she is already asleep, consider these points. Do you really want to change them when they are already conditioned to sleep in certain environment? Have you considered waking them up and telling them you are changing their sleeping conditions (you might get yelled at of course); or would you sneakily change these conditions and hope nothing happens to them?

Lynn's Wedding Dinner

2007-06-15T16:34:00.000+08:00

Left Work Late

Walked past the local General Manager's office looking for one of the Business Manager and noticed her in the GM's room. Its 5:30pm, so might as well turn away and walk off. A hand waved at me feverishly - its was the GM. I left office at 6:30pm that day.

Fast and Furious

No drifts but I reached home before 7pm to pick my my wife and ZL. Not surprisingly, they were not ready, so I had to wait a bit before they believe their makeup is perfect.

Slow and Furious

Black Mitsubishi Lancer, slowing down and trying to turn right at every junction along the road behind Funan Center. Idiot! The only place you can turn right is very far down! High beamed him lots during the 15 minutes of traffic.

I reached my U-Turn only to realise that idiot is making a turn too. Too bad ... After the turn, he tried to turn left into a small lane, so I took this great opportunity to overtake him on the right lane and make my left turn at the junction ahead to Carlton Hotel. Idiot suddenly braked and dashed ahead into the left lane. Horned the shit out of him ...

After turning left at the junction, I was prepared to make a left into the hotel, but the idiot stopped in the middle of the junction before suddenly jerking left into the hotel too. A dozen high beams from me followed that incident. Along the route into and within the car park, he signaled "right" at every turn (its a one way road!!). I think I scared the shit out of him. Well, he deserves it thoroughly!

Parked my car and walked out in the company of 2 gorgeous ladies ... err one prettier than the other of course. Turned back and glimpsed the idiot driving the black Mitsubishi Lancer. He is a young lad in his twenties - a terrible driver nonetheless. I gave him my killer stare and walked off ... He ended up in the same lift as me, attended the same wedding dinner as me and sat on the same table as me. Whenever he tried to talk to me, I gave the killer stare and he pissed his pants.

The Groom

I prefer to talk about the bride, but women always look their best at their wedding so nothing much to say here. The groom is the complete opposite - another idiot. At their church wedding the last weekend, just because the caterer mistakenly prepared food for 50 people instead of 70 people, he refused to pose for any photographs that that. On the morning of the Wedding Dinner, he purportedly arrived more than 30 minutes late so that he can avoid playing games with the Bride's sisters.

He desperately needs to be described. In the simplest words possible, he has a steam chicken face that beckons a beating. He has a figure of Humpty Dumpty. He has an extremely lousy sense of humour, especially from his speech at the dinner. And he obviously does not know that he lacks style to be acting all cool and romantic, dancing to the crowd at whim and trying to sweep the bride off her seat as he went about his disgusting dance routine.

His name is Bernard.

Oh my god! I killed Kenny! Part I

"Are you still teaching?" I asked.

"Not for a while now", she replied.

"So you are being taught now?" I dumbly asked.

"Yes, I just came back from my studies in New Zealand", she says.

"Ah, me and my wild guesses!" I exclaimed!

Oh my god! I killed Kenny! Part II

"I took a loan for my studies and will be bonded for xx years, so I will be teaching again 6 months from now", she explained.

"Thats dumb! I would have taken a loan from a bank if I don't get a scholarship!" I grieved.

"yeah ..." she sighed.

"You reap what you sow", I sighed in agreement while I put my hand over wife's shoulder to play with her earring.

"Why do you have to put your hand over her when you say this?" she suddenly asked.

"Err ... to play with her earrings of course!"

"ah ... just kidding" - she looks away in embarrassment.

Oh my god! I killed Kenny! Part III

"New Zealand is a wonderful place! It would be great to grab a man there and settle down!" I advised her.

She looked me in the eyes and said, "Yes, when I came back and saw you, I know I should get a man in New Zealand."

Born Days

2006-11-03T11:48:00.000+08:00

I am a little late, but better late than never.

Considering she got a miracle for her birthday, sumptuous Chong Qing steamboat buffet, as well as the prettiest heart-shaped tiramisu cake (with just 1 candle to hide her age), she is a very lucky girl (her lucky hands picked 4 lucky numbers that won us some cash on her birthday)! Moreover, I sang for her; nothing poetic but its still a birthday song sung in tune, unlike many other poor chaps out there who can never do it.

Right, imagine its 21st October 2006 today, and its your birthday ...

Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday to Rena!
Happy Birthday to You!

To ease myself into a less vulnerable position, I am giving my best friend of 20 years early birthday wishes:

Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday to You!
Happy Birthday to Alvin!
Happy Birthday to You!

In case you are wondering, I did not do a Cut-And-Paste. It was just Copy-And-Paste with minor editing.

Gossip can harm your soul

2006-09-26T10:39:00.000+08:00

Gossip can harm your soul
by Dr Pam Spurr

Psychologist Dr Pam Spurr explains why gossip is not always harmless, how to avoid being drawn into a group of gossipers, and what to do if you're a victim
It's human nature to wonder what's going on in other people's lives. We speculate and surmise about them, wonder about their personal life and work success or failure, and so on. We then discuss our thoughts about them, and the titbits of knowledge we might have about their lives, with other people. Gossip is in essence discussing someone else's business when they aren't present.

Harmless gossip
Gossip has many functions for the people doing it. There are both harmless and harmful types of gossip. One of the primary functions is social inclusion and bonding that's essentially harmless. This type of gossip is less about the person being gossiped about and more about the people gossiping. They use gossip to bond together into a mini-social group. This type of gossip is about mutual sharing of information and is a form of relating to others. By gossiping with them you show a certain level of trust and the development of a social connection.

The gossip tends to take the form of little bits of information being shared, for example: 'Did you know Sarah's dyed her hair red?' The information's usually something that might become common knowledge or is something that the person wouldn't object to becoming 'public'.

Harmful gossip
However gossip spreads faster than wildfire and can cross over into harmful territory even when not intended that way. And it can be of the intentionally malicious type. This form of gossip is meant to harm the person who's being gossiped about. The harm intended can be at a personal level or about their work and reputation.

Malicious gossip excludes the person being gossiped about from the group in a negative way. It becomes a form of bullying. The person becomes an outsider. Some people get a source of malicious satisfaction from this type of gossip if they have a manipulative-type personality. Others use unpleasant or nasty gossip to enhance their own social value and make them seem like the dominant member of a group - one that's 'in the know'.

The harm done by gossip
Apart from celebrities who want to be talked about, there's a lot of harm that can be done by gossip. Even when no harm's intended, the problem with gossip is what starts as 'harmless' can sometimes develop into the harmful type. Like 'Chinese whispers' the gossip can alter in form as it moves outward from the initial gossips. By the time it's moved to another group of people it might've morphed into something negative and hurtful.

Also it may simply be private information the person wants to keep secret. Let's go back to 'Sarah' with the newly-dyed red hair. Discussing her hair colour is one thing but saying, 'Did you know Sarah's boyfriend cheated on her?' is another. It discloses something that 'Sarah' probably wants to keep private.

Gossip is also harmful because untruths and half-truths are told as if true. It doesn't give the person a choice about whether or not they want to be discussed, it can spin out of control, and can create an atmosphere of cliques particularly in the office, and this facilitates bullying.

How to avoid gossip
Set your boundaries early when someone starts gossiping. Say something clear like, 'I don't really want to get involved in someone else's business' and suggest an alternative topic of conversation.

Use a clear and confident tone of voice so the 'gossip' understands you don't want to be drawn in. This is a perfect example where being assertive works well.

If in the middle of a conversation someone starts gossiping simply refuse to be drawn into it.

If you hear others around you gossiping you don't have to give credence to their gossip by getting involved.

If you hear gossip that's untrue, set the record straight. Tell the gossips you know that what they're saying is untrue. Again done with a confident and clear tone you get your message across in the best possible way.

Check yourself - it's easy to let a conversation slip into the realms of gossip. Put yourself in the person's shoes that you're talking about - how would you feel if you were she? Would you be happy to be discussed like this? Is it something you'd say to their face? That's always a good mark of where to draw the line.
What to do if you're the victim of gossip

Depending on the nature of the gossip sometimes the best policy is 'the least said the soonest mended'. Only you can judge if some gossip about you, your life, work or relationships is worth facing head-on. If appropriate then 'letting it go' and moving on could be the best solution all round. It shows that you're not prepared to make a mountain out of a molehill, not interested in general gossip and in getting involved in it, and have enough self-confidence that you don't mind friendly, non-malicious gossip.

Deciding whether or not a gossip/group of gossips are worth facing depends on a number of factors. Factors like whether or not the gossip was malicious, whether it's completely unfounded, whether it's 'self-contained', and most importantly whether or not it's hurt, upset or angered you. Consider these factors before taking action. Consideration will help you judge accurately and then plan action if necessary.

If you decide to take action then planning is crucial for your success and well-being. Get your facts straight on the gossip you've been told about. Write these down if it's helpful. For example, you might want to make notes on who told you, when they told you, and what they told you about the gossip involving you. Although you may feel deeply hurt, when confronting the gossips it's important to be calm.

Now you can plan what you want to say about it. Practise what you plan to say, as rehearsing gives you the confidence to tackle the gossips in the most beneficial way.
In the most serious cases of work gossip you should go to your manager or human-resources department to discuss it rather than tackling it on your own. Again, this is a personal decision and only you can decide whether the gossip is of such a serious nature that it should be handled by management.

Whichever way you decide to tackle it, you must never forget that you have every right not to be gossiped about and certainly not in a malicious or harmful way. Every person should be treated with respect both at work and within their peer group.

For My Karma; For Job Seekers Out There

2006-09-18T09:05:00.000+08:00

Eight Résumé Editing Tips

By Jennifer Anthony, Resume Expert

Depending on how it's written, your résumé can make or break your job search. A professional, well-written résumé can have employers banging down your door; but a sloppy, mistake-laden résumé can turn off a hiring manager in a split second.

Proofreading is a must. Neglect doing it and you could send out a résumé with simple mistakes that could have been avoided. Before you send yours to an employer, follow this checklist to ensure it is the highest-quality representation of yourself.

1. Grammar and spelling -- Use the grammar and spell check function in Microsoft Word. When you are finished with that, print out your résumé and read the document word for word. Spell check won't know that you meant to enter "manager" when you actually typed "manger."

2. Capitalization -- Use a manual such as the "Gregg Reference Manual" or "Strunk and White's Elements of Style" if you do not know capitalization rules. The most common capitalization errors are with job titles. You capitalize a person's job title only when it precedes his or her name. (Example: President Peters) You do not capitalize a job title when it comes after the name as a description. (Example: Mr. Peters, the president of XYZ Corporation...)

3. Punctuation -- Check for proper and consistent use of punctuation. Again, if you are unsure, refer to a reference manual. If you don't own one, there are many accessible for free online.

4. Run-on sentences -- Check to make sure you do not have run-ons: They are difficult to read and comprehend. A run-on sentence is defined as two or more sentences that have been joined together without a conjunction or the correct punctuation. (Example: I produced strategies for growth management and market contraction and identified profitable acquisition and diversification opportunities and facilitated negotiations for sale of software division to Fortune 500 company.)

5. Consistency -- You must be consistent with your number usage (dates, money, numbers), plurals and abbreviations. For example, don't list one date as "8/2004" and then list another as "3/15/2004." Also, be aware of listing software consistently (abbreviation use). MS Word and Microsoft Outlook are both correct, but not consistent when used in the same document.

6. Education section -- When you have a degree, list only the year that you obtained your degree. When you list your dates, (i.e.: 9/1998 to 1/2002) many résumé-scanning systems will not recognize that you obtained a degree, only that you attended college for a period of time.

7. Ampersands -- Ampersands (&) generally do not belong on a résumé. There are a few exceptions. One exception is a well-known company name (AT&T). Another exception is well-known industry terms (P&L). Overuse of the ampersand indicates laziness when repeatedly substituting it for "and."

8. Hyperlinks -- Sometimes, your e-mail and Web addresses may be automatically hyperlinked when typing your résumé and will need to be deactivated. The reason is that many spam filters treat links of any kind as potential junk mail. You don't want your résumé destined for the recycle bin before it's even read.

To deactivate hyperlinks in MS Word, highlight the link, go to the "Insert" drop down menu, scroll down to and click "Hyperlink", and on the lower left-hand side of this screen there should be a little button that says "Remove link." When you find it, give it a little click and, voila, the hyperlink is gone. Or, just highlight the link, right click on it and scroll down to "remove link" to deactivate the link.

Jennifer Anthony is the owner of ResumeASAP, offering professional and affordable résumé writing services. You can contact Jennifer Anthony via e-mail at jenn@résuméasap.com.

Male depression: Don't ignore the symptoms

2006-08-22T13:33:00.000+08:00

Interesting article I found:

Are you irritable, isolated and withdrawn? Do you find yourself working all the time, drinking too much alcohol, using street drugs, or seeking thrills from risky activities?

If so, perhaps you're being chased by what Winston Churchill called his "black dog," a depression that at times became debilitating. Churchill attempted to ward off his black dog with compulsive overwork and massive amounts of brandy. Your coping strategy may be reckless driving, casual sex or shutting yourself off from the world.
But none of these can keep the dog at bay for long. Even if untreated depression isn't exacerbated by alcohol and drugs, it's a serious medical disorder. It darkens your thoughts, undermines your personal and professional life, and places you at increased risk of other illnesses. Most disturbing, the risk of suicide is four times as great among depressed men as among depressed women.

Male depression: Often undiagnosed
Each year, depression affects about 6 million American men and 12 million American women. But these numbers may not tell the whole truth. Because men are generally less likely to consult doctors, a great deal of male depression may go undiagnosed.
Many men learn to overvalue independence and self-control during childhood. They're taught that it's unmanly to express pain, weakness, uncertainty, helplessness and sadness. They tend to see illness — especially emotional illness — as a threat to their masculinity. So they deny or hide their problems until an intimate partner's insistence or a catastrophic event, such as job loss or arrest, forces them to seek medical attention.

When they do go to doctors, depressed men are more likely to focus on physical complaints — headaches, digestive problems or chronic pain, for example — than on emotional suffering. So they and their doctors may be unlikely to make the connection between such symptoms and depression. Even if their doctors recognize the problem and say what it is, depressed men may resist mental health care, partly due to fear that the stigma of mental illness might damage their careers, jeopardize their health insurance benefits and cost them the respect of family and friends.

Characteristics of male depression
Most men are trained to focus on achievement and success, so they feel under constant pressure to perform well. But if they experience setbacks at home or in the workplace, they may keep their distress to themselves. Women — including those who focus on achievement and success — usually feel free to seek help. This may account for the lingering perception that depression is primarily a "women's disease."
In both men and women, common signs and symptoms of depression include feeling down in the dumps, sleeping poorly, and feeling sad, guilty and worthless. Depressed men, however, have bouts of crying less often than depressed women. Instead, depressed men are more likely to:

• Become angry and frustrated
• Behave violently
• Take serious risks, such reckless driving and extramarital sex
• Avoid family, friends and pleasurable activities
• Complain of fatigue
• Lose interest in work, hobbies and sex

A history of alcohol or drug abuse is common among men with depression, although there's debate over whether substance abuse is a cause or result of being depressed. Substance abuse can definitely mask depression, making the condition more difficult to diagnose.

Swedish researchers have identified a "male depressive syndrome" that includes increased susceptibility to stress, sudden spells of anger, lower impulse control, anti-social behavior, indecisiveness, and feelings of being burnt out and empty. But standard diagnostic tests may not detect these atypical signs and symptoms. So if you notice these characteristics developing in yourself, you should bring them to your doctor's attention.

Conditions associated with male depression
Depression is associated with many life-threatening medical conditions that are likely to shorten men's lives. These include heart disease, stroke, cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes and Parkinson's disease.

Depression is also strongly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a debilitating condition that can occur after a traumatic event such as a personal assault, natural disaster, accident, terrorism or military combat. Men are more likely to be victims of criminal violence and accidents, which are leading causes of PTSD.

Loss of libido is a symptom of depression in both sexes, but it seems to have a greater impact on men, particularly if it's accompanied by erectile dysfunction (ED). In fact, ED from a physical cause may take such an emotional toll on a man that it causes depression. Additionally, because many depressed men have low testosterone levels and ED, it has been proposed that underproduction of testosterone may be a cause rather than an effect of depression. Men with depression, ED and low testosterone may become less depressed after treatment of their sexual dysfunction and low hormone levels.

Job stress a common trigger
Everyone is susceptible to depression in the wake of a major life stress, such as the end of an important relationship, the death of a loved one, relocation or financial problems. Men, however, may be more vulnerable than women to depression triggered by job-related stresses such as:

• Having no control in decisions affecting responsibilities
• Unrelenting and unreasonable demands for performance
• Lack of effective communication and conflict-resolution methods among co-workers and employers
• Lack of job security
• Night-shift work, excessive overtime, or both
• Excessive time spent away from home and family
• Wages that don't reflect the level of responsibility

Men may feel more threatened than women do by rapid social, political and economic change. When such change affects traditional male roles in the home and workplace, men may experience a profound loss of identity, status and dignity, which increases their risk of depression and other mental illnesses. In eastern and central European countries where poorly regulated capitalism replaced communism almost overnight, stress and mental illness took a serious toll in men. Their life expectancy decreased as much as 13 years while the life expectancy of women did not change. Similarly, male suicide rates soared during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when vast numbers of American men were unemployed.

Consequences of untreated male depression
Depression may have a profound impact on every aspect of life. It may directly affect your health by keeping your stress response continually activated, a state that can damage many organs, including the heart. It may even shorten your life. In a given year, depressed men are more than twice as likely as nondepressed men to die of any cause. Depressed women also have an increased risk of dying, compared to nondepressed women, but the difference is not as great as in men. Although the reasons for this difference are unclear, depressed men's self-destructive behavior — from excessive drinking to reckless driving to suicide — may contribute to it.
Depression also increases your risk of divorce and your children's risk of becoming depressed themselves. At work, depression makes you less productive, limits your earning potential and increases your risk of losing your job.

Men, depression and suicide
Although women are twice as likely to have depression, men are four times as likely to suffer its worst consequence: suicide. More than 90 percent of people who commit suicide have a history of depression, or another mental or substance-abuse disorder, often in combination. Starting in adolescence, men are far more likely than women to take their own lives. Older men, particularly white men over age 85, have the highest suicide rate. Although women attempt suicide three times as often as men, they are far less likely to complete it. Men's greater likelihood of using lethal means such as firearms accounts, in part, for the difference, but other factors also are involved.

One such factor may be men's tendency to move from suicidal thoughts to suicidal actions faster than women. Months or years of thinking about suicide typically culminate in the development and enactment of a plan. Men take an average of 12 months to go from contemplating to attempting suicide, compared to 42 months for women. During this process, men are less likely than women to show warning signs such as suicidal threats. Because the window of opportunity is so short, doctors and mental health professionals may have little chance to recognize and treat a man's depression before he commits suicide.

Getting treatment
If you or someone close to you is considering suicide, seek help immediately from your doctor, the nearest hospital emergency room, or emergency services (911).
If you suspect you have depression, schedule a physical examination with your family doctor. Conditions such as a viral infection, thyroid disorder and low testosterone levels can produce symptoms similar to depression. If your doctor rules out such conditions as a cause of your symptoms, the next step may be a depression screening.
Treatment may include short-term psychotherapy, antidepressant medications or both. For severe depression, especially if it's recurrent, a combination of psychotherapy and medication may be necessary.

Two forms of short-term psychotherapy (10 to 20 weeks) have proved beneficial in depression. One form, cognitive-behavioral therapy, helps you change negative thinking and behavior. The other, interpersonal therapy, helps you work through troubled relationships.

Antidepressant medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (Prozac, Zoloft and others), tricyclic antidepressants (Norpramin, Pamelor, and others) and mixed reuptake antidepressants (Wellbutrin, Effexor). Any antidepressant can cause sexual side effects. In men, these side effects may include problems achieving and maintaining erections. Work with your doctor to find a medication that effectively treats your symptoms while causing a minimum of sexual side effects that may worsen your depression.

If antidepressants don't work, you may respond to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which uses electricity to induce brain seizures that relieve depression. Today's ECT procedure is safe and effective, and its side effects are usually mild.

Self-help strategies
With appropriate medical treatment, you may notice that your sleep and appetite improve before your mood improves. But feelings of worthlessness, helplessness and hopelessness may gradually fade as you realize that they have more to do with your depression than with your actual life circumstances. Meanwhile, here are some things you can do on your own to speed your recovery:

• Set realistic goals in light of the depression and assume a reasonable amount of responsibility.
• Break large tasks into small ones, set priorities, and do what you can as you can.
• Spend time with people in whom you can confide.
• Engage in pleasurable activities such as mild exercise, going to a movie or ballgame, or participating in religious or social events.
• Let your family and friends help you.
• Avoid making important decisions such as changing jobs or getting married or divorced until after the depression lifts.
• Remember, positive thinking replaces negative thinking.

For men and women, aerobic exercise can improve mood by raising brain levels of mood-enhancing chemicals. Aerobic exercise can also boost self-esteem by promoting weight loss and improved muscle tone. Yoga — which involves rhythmic stretching movements and controlled breathing — may help relieve men's depressive symptoms by reducing tension and anger.

Looking ahead
Researchers are discovering important genetic differences in the way depression affects men and women. For example, only three out of a group of 19 different depression-associated regions identified on human chromosomes are common to both sexes. The other 16 are specific to either men or women. Also, a recently identified gene associated with both depression and alcohol dependence may partially explain why the two conditions often occur together. These discoveries may lead to the development of antidepressant drugs that target the specific aspects of brain function linked to different symptoms of depression. One such drug may control the irritability, compulsive behavior and social isolation that typify depression in men. Another may quell the hopelessness, guilt and feelings of inadequacy that overwhelm many depressed women (and men). Specialized drugs will make it easier for your doctor to select the one that's likely to work best for you.

Remember, you don't need to suffer depression silently or alone. If you can muster the courage to admit you are depressed, chances are good that your family and friends will applaud you. Appropriate treatment can help you regain the outlook you need to enjoy life and meet its inevitable challenges.

Content by Mayo Clinic

© 1998-2006 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "Mayo Clinic Health Information," "Reliable information for a healthier life" and the triple-shield Mayo logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Sins of Hurt, Anger and Pain

2006-08-01T14:12:00.000+08:00

Least brashness
Of time on senses
Veiled beauty
Everlasting youth

Heinous desires of misled wrath
Acrimonious rage
Taints the being
Enduring qualms

Sins of Pain, Hurt & Anger
Ashes of Pandora’s
Dusty weary road trodden

Walk as the crow flies

Commercial Break - My Passion Sign

2006-04-13T10:18:00.000+08:00

Your passion sign: Gemini

Mars in Gemini brings almost insatiable curiosity to the those of you blessed with this placement. You are extremely versatile and your many interests are ever expanding. You are always open to new experiences and intellectual challenges. You would make an excellent lawyer or critic, as you are observant and communication is infused with your clever wit. You excel at asserting yourself through language, enabling you to talk your way into and out of any situation. As a lover, you are experimental, interesting, energetic and fun. An intellectually active partner would be perfect for you.

http://www.ivillage.co.uk/astrology/features/passionsigns/articles/0,,160722_162640,00.html

Err ... Episode V ...

2006-03-27T22:54:00.000+08:00

Episode V: The Armpit Strikes Back

Its not even remotely related to cysts, doctors or old female virgins. Rather, its an account of how much depression old virgins can cause people, especially their employers. My earlier stories were of the negative things old virgins can cause their colleagues and subordinates. I thought I should tell the story of my friend who runs his own pharmaceutical company, the agony he went through after employing 2 categories of old virgins.

He began to source for an accounts person when he realized he needed someone to manage his accounts full-time. That probably meant that his business is going uphill pretty fast. After some searching, he got himself an old female virgin to handle his accounts. She is experienced, and seemed a confident and likeable person to work with during the interview. Everybody loves working with a friendly and obliging other. That’s before she started work.

When she began work, her true colors permeated her wrinkled skin that’s covered with a thick layer of moisturizing lotion. All her backsides (err... bad sides) started showing, and my friend began to have a hard time with her. She has to be correct all the time, and can never lose any debate with her boss. Plus, she’s just too unstable emotionally, and difficult to work with. Anyway, my friend was fortunate to be rid of her eventually …

Determined not to make the same mistake twice, he went for a guy this time. Typically, guys have better temperament than woman, and are less emotionally wrecked. However, his mistake this time was that he got an old virgin man. This new accounts person has a very thick skull, and is extremely difficult to get anything into his brain. Plus, he has got this sense of inferiority that causes him to over-sensitive and insecure. Although not as bad as the old female virgin before, this old virgin man is still a PITA to work with. Luckily, my friend was rid of him eventually too.

Bad luck usually comes in threes, but my friend refused to succumb to fate’s mockery. This time, he went for a younger (early 30s) lady, single (but getting married soon) and “genuinely” pleasant. She is going to start work soon.

I wish my friend the best of luck! He is a really nice person, and I hope he gets a really nice accounts person this time. Its really partially my fault he had to go through this agony – I should have warned him about the pain involved working with old virgins (females especially). But then again, what better way to learn is there than to experience things first hand!

If you have the pre-requisites to become an old female virgin, please work hard against it. You are unlikely to turn back time, neither is it very feasible to change gender. The most convenient way to get out of this vicious trap is probably to lose that red spot on your hand – my pig fri dog ends might be willing to make that sacrifice. Personally, its better to get hitched, married and emotionally secured for the rest of your life.

Remember this, I have never had any pleasant experiences with old virgins, with the exception of one lady who chose to take care of her illness-stricken mother. Don’t become an old female virgin – May The Force Be With You!

Back to the gist of this post. I have seen women with unshaven unpits, and unsightly bushes. I could have sworn they look like wings when they spread their arms as they take flight to grab the hand-holds on trains and buses. Either its the fashion now, or shavers are getting too costly to own. As far as I can guess, it seemed the hairy armpits are striking back!

PS: I think I am getting a little mixed up right now, haha!!

Episode IV: A New Hope

2006-03-24T14:46:00.000+08:00

Away from the Fiendish Old Virgins

Things are really looking up for my new job. It has been a teeny weeny bit more than a month since I started here. I was so damn busy for the first 3 weeks, working late nights until 2am in the morning sometimes. However, I enjoyed every single minute of it – my idea of work exactly! I always thought that I was seemingly lightning fast because I was working in the garment previously, now I realised that I am truly a quick worker in every sense.

After those 3 weeks, things slowed down to a crawl. The adrenaline rush is sorely missed as the pace dropped to almost that of my previous job. I am beginning to wonder if I am moving too fast for everybody else to follow, or is everybody else too slow for me to ease towards. Finishing stuff at break-neck speed is my forte; having lots of work to do keeps me alive; using my brain keeps me awake; and being piled by work makes me feel useful. I really hope work will pick up again pretty soon, not necessary at that pace of my first 3 weeks, but at a speed that can keep me occupied at least 70% of my time at work.

Whatever happens next, this new job had started on the right foot, providing me the sense of excitement I love. I daresay it symbolizes “A New Hope” for me! When the going gets tough, the tough gets going …

Episode III: Revenge of the Cyst

2006-03-15T22:07:00.000+08:00

Hey Cyster Hey Cyster ...

I could make a franchise movie out of this story. Its really simple, the cyst returned and exacted revenge on the puny woman, namely my wife! To add a little more spice to it, she became a spice girl. Err ... no, to add a little more spice to the story, I brought her to the doctor, spent 2 months and couple of hundred bucks, and shes completely cured. Well, almost ... she still has to go on medication for another 4 months, so thats couple hundred more dollars gone.

Worcestershire Sauce

This has got to be the worst tasting sauce ever. Salty, weird, lacking pleasant flavours ... who invented it anyway??!! Well the puny woman just told her friend over MSN Messenger, "I am going to enjoy this Friday man!". I peeped over her shoulder and saw those words. Who is Friday man? Such crude audacity that man has to ask my puny to enjoy him this Friday!

Anyway thats one good reason why this was much shorter than my usual posts. The greater reason was basically work. I write for a living. I review people's writing for a living. I might consider writing longer if I get paid for writing here. Maybe my mood swings will get the better of me, and I will write a little more.

Die Friday man, die!

Episode II: Attack of the Virgins

2006-02-07T15:36:00.000+08:00

Breath of Life

It was a fine Thursday morning. I woke up early to grab a taxi to work. Yeah, it sounds dumb - wake up early to catch a cab ... This fine morning, I was supposed to be having a phone interview with a potential employer between 8:00am and 9:00am. Now, waking up early to catch a cab sounds more logical - theres no way I can get a proper conversation talking in the train!

The Early Bird

Right, the early bird catches the worm! I reached office at 8:35am, really early by company standards. I used to hit work at 8:00am but circumstances altered my schedule. Firstly, I am always alone in office at 8:00am since official work hours begin at 8:30am. Secondly, almost nobody comes into office until 9:00am or later. Thirdly, if I reach work so early, I can be almost sure my wife will be late for work since she usually goes back to sleep a little after I had awoken her and left for work.

Once Upon a Time in Boston

My potential employer is based in Boston. Shes a nice Australian lady, and shes taking some time off her very busy schedule to speak t me. The head-hunter got his time wayward, and I got no calls until 9:30am. I was about to either try my luck at the jackpot in the gents, or pick up a hot coffee when my phone rang.

More than 30 minutes later, my mood lightened. Helen is one of the nicest person I could wish for a boss, but I can sense that shes not one who tolerates incompetence. In a way, I felt glad. Finally, challenges I can look forward to if I get the job. My last 6 years at my current company had been nothing but a breeze. While everybody is struggling to get their work done, I am more than always waiting for my next assignment. Weird thing is that I tend to be having more work than many of them - figure it out :)

The following day, I would have to pay a visit to the Singapore office and meet up with the local lads. Thats my second step to having more work to do. Helen likes me, and now I have to let the local lads scrutinise me.

The Local Lads

I took the morning off on Friday so that I could pay the folks a visit. Khim from HR welcomed me and brought me to meet Kien, who was covering the position I applied for while they were looking for the right person. Apparently, they had been searching for quite a while now. Kien was a fine person, and we had quite a conversation going. I really hoped he liked me too. Personally, if I was an employer looking for a potential employee, the most important thing was not his/her qualifications, but how much we could connect.

After the conversation, I grabbed a bite and hurried back to my old job. The following Monday was supposed to be the day when I get the news!

The Long Wait Goodbye

Monday passed, and I heard nothing from my potential employer. On Tuesday, like every interested and ethusiastic applicant, I called to remind them of my existence.

"I will call you back as soon as I get confirmation", Khim told me.

Wednesday was another quiet day. I had a few offers on hand, but this company seemed the most attractive. The sense of belonging was instinctively real compared to the other companies. Patience is a virtue, and I usually have loads of them, so I waited longingly.

It was Thursday afternoon before I got the call I longed for. There is one more person I had to meet on Friday before a decision can be made.

I styled my hair proper as I could on Friday morning before I set off to work. After much work, I managed to get the afternoon off so I could meet that final important person. As much as I expected jitters, I was calm as a meditating monk.

Alan was a fine man! We had a nice conversation going pretty quickly, although he did most of the talking. I am a better listener than a speaker, but you'd be surprised how much I can say if I have to :p

After the chat, I was made to wait 30 minutes before I was ushered into a grand looking room. The room belonged to the President of the company, Khim whispered to me. Yes, a magnificent room indeed!

Khim brought out stacks of documents and asked the important question. I asked for time to consider initially, but 30 minutes later, I decided to sign on the spot. Khim's sincerity and honesty touched me loads, and I got the feeling that everybody else here could be equally nice or better!

The XXX Letterxxx Show

My letter was ready for submission on Monday moning. I managed to find older virgin in office and handed her my resignation. Everything went fine, but it was sadly the peace before the storm.

Bam! Wham! Slam!

Within days, I was forced to clear my remaining leave en bloc. Perhaps its my own undoing that I handed over my work so swiftly to colleagues. But I have always been a fast worker, and I do not intend to change that!

Less older virgin was supposed to be helping with my clearance but she feigned ignorance. Older virgin is doing likewise. Before my last day, I approached older virgin to discuss the handing over, just in case theres something else she wants done, but she insisted to see me only on my last day.

On my last day, old virgin refused to sign my clearance form. She cited that I should have more files handed over to her. I had done my due diligence and archived all my files into our company's designated storage warehouse after every project closure. No physical files are in my possession. Soft versions of documents for my projects are safely archived in the Division's shared disk. Less older virgin was supposed to ensure that all these files are indeed in the storage facilities but again, she feigned ignorance.

I had to come back to office the next day upon HR's advice to get old virgin's supervisor to sign my clearance. He signed it after hearing my circumstances. Next, HR and I got less older virgin to counter sign on my clearance so that older virgin will not be able to create any further issues out of nothing.

I survived the first onslaught of the old virgins, but will there be more to come? I know more of my colleagues are going to follow my footsteps and leave the company. Then, would she focus on them instead of me? Stay tuned for Episode III: Revenge of the Cysts