Course – Day 2.


Today was not much different from its predecessor except that it was only half a day. Which meant that I could go shopping for the rest of my afternoon. I heard from Ms T that Dr A was very stressed out lately and I think that he’d probably suffer a heart attack soon if he does not loosen up a little.


We were discussing what “Enduring Understanding” meant when I felt a poem rising within me and stretched for a pencil to jot it down in my lecture notes.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 11:27 PM ~ ~ ~
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Course – Day 1.


I got sent for a one-and-a-half day course by the company together with three of my colleagues and went there on my own. I had to take a train from my station and alight at Toa Payoh for a bus that would take me to the venue. See, I was happily standing there waiting for the bus when this person came too close to my right, and suddenly tuned to smile at me. Then I realised that it was Jos! Hahaha! She was waiting for her bus to go to school today and I didn’t even notice her standing, hiding away behind some pillar or person.


It was held at a place that I haven’t been to for a very long time. I felt like I was back at IJ when I stepped into that place. It just felt so right to me. When I registered at the counter, I was delighted to see that a few of my tutors would be conducting the course. It felt like I was back in school again! Even the design of the PowerPoint slides and handouts were so characteristic of the tutors in that department.


Ms T, my SS tutor was there, together with Ms C, my History tutor and also Mrs H, Mdm K and the department’s secretary, Ms A. Too bad Dr I-don’t-have-Bluetooth was absent. Otherwise I would have had fun joking with him. I met some of my ex-classmates too and they are still as funny as ever. I wished that An’s company could have sent her along too, then I would be able to see her again. I haven’t seen her ever since after our convocation as we were both stuck with having to adjust to our job.


My attention started to waver by the time the third speaker took the stand and I entertained myself by taking photos of my surroundings, the people around me and of course, my favourite subject, ME! No, I wasn’t guilt-stricken that I did not pay attention because the speaker was never my tutor and read off the slides most of the time. But being a female, I was perfectly capable at multi-tasking. I could listen, take notes, SMS, take pictures of myself and even write poems or just verses. Though the people around me and probably the guy sitting behind, all thought that I’m some idiot.


Here’s one that I wrote during that speaker’s presentation:

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 8:12 PM ~ ~ ~
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Citibank Paragon Platinum Card.


We went shopping today, Jos, Xue and I, along Orchard Road. It seems like we are forever going there lately. Anyway, I had to pick up my shirt, as it was ready and buy a pair of cuff links for the top. So back we went to Raoul and I somehow bought TWO more shirts again! Steven told me that he would be transferring back to Millenia Walk in December because his regular customers have been looking for him. Too bad, but Lisa and Celine will still be attached to the Paragon outlet. So I’ll still patronise the store there.


When Xue and Jos saw the bag that he put my shirts in, they started giving each other and the bag, looks. Being the ever intelligent me :0), I asked Steven for some more bags so that they could have it. Ha! You should have seen the number of bags that he gave us from under the counter! Big bags, medium bags and small bags. Standard design and the limited Christmas design. He gave us so many bags that we looked like we went there only to collect the bags!


We went to Heeren after that to collect my Levi’s jeans that I had sent for alteration some time ago. On our way back to Takashimaya, we were stopped by this Citibank roadshow promoter, who asked whether we would be interested to sign up for the Citibank Paragon Platinum Card. I told him outright that my salary does not hit S$70,000.00 at all, but he said that it doesn’t matter. As long as I’m a Singapore Citizen above the age of 21 years and my income is above a certain amount, I qualify.


I was laughing inwardly when he said “above the age of 21 years” as he had his eyebrows raised while looking at me. So sue me if you think that I’m under the age of legal capacity. It is certainly not a crime to look way younger than my age. There are many females out there who spend thousands of dollars trying to look young, with some even going under the knife in their bid to do so. I count myself lucky that I have such wonderful genes which I inherited from my mum and maternal granny. The people on my dad’s side had an overdose of the ageing potion, unlike my maternal side, which was smart to take the youth potion instead.


Come to think of it, the people on my mum’s side seem to be better in their studies! It’s not that my dad’s bad in his studies, he’s better compared to the rest of his siblings. It’s just that he’s more of the logical-tactile-kinesthetic type of person. I know that I am definitely NOT tactile-kinesthetic. I am the linguistic-slightly musical-intrapersonal type of person. I love to read and write. It’s pretty fun, for me, at least. I even enjoy writing essays and examinations, resulting in me being labelled as “mad” by many people. To be fair though, I have to admit that my father’s side is more adept at doing business.


God, I give Thanks to You everyday that I take after my mum’s side and not my dad’s. I’ll probably kill myself if it were the other way round.


Hey! I’m perfectly fine with people thinking that I am an inept hoyden incapable of doing even the simplest of tasks. I find it extremely funny when they discover that I am actually not what I seem to be. Weird but true.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 11:09 PM ~ ~ ~
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Shopping with mum.


I didn’t have to show my face at the office today, so my mum got me to accompany her to Suntec City’s Carrefour to buy the ingredients that she needed to cook for the night’s dinner. It wasn’t very crowded probably since it was a weekday and it was kind of early too.


We were walking towards the Duck Tours counter when my eyes spied an HSBC roadshow! So I did what any sane person would do – walk towards the promoters and indicate my interest either by way of a lingering glance (as I did for my other card) or catching the eye of the promoter. The former worked again this time and soon, I was filling up forms and told to dip my hand into the box for an instant “sure win” lucky dip. I didn’t want to put my hand into the box filled with tiny foam balls, so my mum became my proxy. Imagine her delight when she found that the counter which she picked entitled her to a free coffee maker!


Me? I was ambivalent as I didn’t mind the thermos water bottle.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 6:15 PM ~ ~ ~
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Meetings galore.


This whole week of mine until the 30th of November is packed full with meetings until I hardly have the time to take a breather. We have to review what have been done thus far for the year, and also, to plan the strategies to be implemented next year so as to have a better profit margin for the company.


Thank God that I will be sent on course next Monday and Tuesday! Otherwise, I would be stuck in the office listening to all the sermons from the different big shots and praying for the day to end fast.


I will be meeting Jos at Junction 8 tomorrow to collect the toilet for my hamsters and have dinner with her. We’re thinking of buying more stuff from Body Shop, since she has 30% for most of the products there. Which reminds me of something. I received this S$20.00 voucher from Luxasia to spend at Tangs today. I can’t think of anything to buy there and I wonder whom I can give it to.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 10:10 PM ~ ~ ~
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Card crazy!


My mother brought me to visit this relative of mine, who got admitted into Changi Hospital because she was unable to eat, in the morning. After that, we headed for town because I was in the mood to sign up for credit cards. I wanted new ones and since there are always roadshows in town every weekend, why not? Especially since they give fee waiver for the first few years.


I must have signed up for like FIVE cards during the time there! Heeheehee! I can’t wait for my new cards so that I can use them!

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 11:55 PM ~ ~ ~
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ONS.


I went out with Jos and Xue this afternoon so that Jos could buy her shoes and I could send my blouse back to Raoul for them to shorten my sleeves.


Of all the Raoul Ladies outlets that I’ve visited in town, the one at Paragon is the best. Why? Because of Steven, the salesperson. He never fails to smile warmly and greet you when you enter the store. These are certainly lacking at the stores at Suntec City and Millenia Walk. Even when I was wavering between two blouses, he would offer his views on which blouse is better suited for me and offer advice as to the type of material and designs available in the store without appearing pushy. Steven is extremely knowledgeable about the products he is selling, right down to the feel of the blouses and even the design of the cuff links.


But the most important thing about his service attitude is that he does not look at me and give me the feeling that I am too young to be frequenting the boutique, or worse, that I cannot afford to buy the things there. These are precisely what I was made to feel like when I stepped into the other two outlets. So I’ve told myself that I’ll only frequent the store that he is at. Nothing beats a good service attitude!


After sending my blouse for alteration, we went to the Coffee Club Express for a drink. Someone asked what we each wanted for Christmas and I said that I wanted an ONS with Panda, after which, I want to MR The Gag. I think that my response was pretty unexpected and Jos and Xue seemed to have choked on their soup when they heard it! Hmm, I mean, why not? I have never had an ONS before and if I ever do, I would prefer it to be with Panda or at the very least, The Gag, and no one else. Okay, I would not even mind if I had an ONS with The Gag first before MRY Panda. Either way, I still come out tops! :0)

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 11:59 PM ~ ~ ~
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A mad rush.


It was as though I were at a fish market these days. Judging by the look of the office this past two weeks, I am not that far from my impression of the place.


We were all rushing to get things done for this major event this Friday, and judging by the looks of it, we still have loads more to complete before everything can be ready by then. Everyone’s stuck at their computers and the printers throughout the office have been running low on toner. And if that wasn’t enough, curses were liable to escape from someone’s mouth at one time or another.


The different departments have to liaise with one another and ensure that things run smoothly on Friday, that there will be no hitches for the duration of the event. Otherwise, all of us would be given a earful come next Monday. Thank God that I’ve finished all that I was supposed to do yesterday. Now, I’m just putting the finishing touches to my stuff and helping others with theirs.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 9:53 PM ~ ~ ~
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一切随缘，从何谈起？


今天，我见到了一个我根本没想到会见到的东西。它的出现完完全全使我整个人给愣住了。出现在那么一个平常而又是我经常去的地方，真是让人感到有点不可思议。


我究竟见到了什么呢？我，看到了熊熊的车。


当我的车经过他那辆的时候，眼前熟悉的车牌使我情不自禁的念出了那些号码。 就是那么几个号码而已，就足我永生难忘了。不， 我没错。那辆的的确确就是熊熊的车。就连他吊在镜子的那个玩意儿也是没变的。


看到那辆车时，我就知道他在我附近。但是，我又是那么的不愿意和他碰上。因为我不晓得碰上了后彼此的反应会如何。虽然心里是一直盼望能够和他相见，但相见的时候，他身边的会是什么人呢？倘若他的身边有了一个“她”，我感觉会如何？我是否接受得了吗？虽然双方都了解，自从那次后，见面的机会会是渺小的，但事实总是难接受的。


到了最后，我们俩都没相见。


就是一切随缘，但这缘又能从何谈起呢？缘啊缘，咱们俩可真是有缘无份啊！自从那次的离别，我已告诉自己甭想再见到任何有关他的事跟物。怎料，今晚就出现在我眼前。就是他那么一辆较小的车把我整个人给愣住了。


我知道，没有了你， 我照常能继续我的生活。没有了你， 世界还会是旋转着的。失去了你虽然是我终生的痛，但这感觉会渐渐的消失，渐渐的离去。直到有一天我能摆脱你的阴影，能够勇敢的对大家说我已经把你给忘了。


在我把你忘记之前，我先对你说一声“恭喜，恭喜”和“生日快乐”。


你终于得到你想要的东西了。这些年来的努力和心血都是值得的。在你生日期间获得这么一个礼物，真是喜上加喜。身为你的朋友，我也为你高兴和骄傲。


If you CANNOT see the Chinese words above, click 'VIEW', then 'ENCODING', then 'UNICODE (UTF-8).

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 11:33 PM ~ ~ ~
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Innovate! Be Enterprising! (Yeah right!)


I’m on medical leave again, since yesterday. And the doctor’s medical chit was sufficient to cover me until today. But poor me had to drag myself out of bed to attend some stupid workshop on Innovation and Enterprise (I & E), which I think, would have been better off without me.


Firstly, I am NOT in the I & E department or committee, or whatever it is called. Secondly, I am STILL NOT feeling well. But did anyone bother to inquire as to my health? NO! So I had to go for the stupid thing very unwillingly and I looked bored out of my mind there. If it weren’t for the Flying Fox, Abseiling and other sports segments which I had fun in during the last two hours of the workshop, I would have been dead!

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 8:48 PM ~ ~ ~
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Back, but still sick.


I went back to work today and some of my colleagues commented that I sounded very gentle and feminine. They said that I sounded better this way and I definitely do not agree with them! I feel that I sound way too gentle and weak. Yucks! Two characteristics that I do not want to be associated with me at all.


I think that I’m still not feeling well enough to be working yet, but there are lots of things waiting for me on my table, so I had no choice but to return and slog away. Methinks that me will be on medical leave again sometime this week.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 8:18 PM ~ ~ ~
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Tutor’s site.


I was so bored that the only thing to do was to plonk myself down in front of my computer and surf the net. Oh yah, I also had to check the multitude of emails that were in my inboxes. Sigh… I haven’t been checking my inboxes for more than a week and I really hate to do so.


I utterly dislike having to go through those emails in my work account. It’s a waste of time to have to read them when most of it doesn’t even concern me. But I still have to do so, just to keep myself in the know about what’s going on in the office.


When I opened my other account, the one I use to keep in touch with my friends, classmates and tutors, I found that it was bursting to its capacity with funny attachments and whatnot. I was about to delete this email from my ex-classmate when the title caught my eye: “Tutor’s site exposed!”


You should have seen the number of people that the link had been sent to! Er, some of the content in the mail was very strongly worded and I shall not repeat what it said, on my blog. I was actually mortified by it. I wonder why they wrote such things about this ex-tutor of mine, who actually seems quite okay except for an overdose of sarcasm at times. I think that such behaviour like my tutor’s is really quite mild, compared to what I have to endure in my work.


Sometimes, people just prefer to keep certain things private, away from their professional life. I know, because I’ve kept my sites out of the eyes of the people associated with me in a professional capacity. How can a person work when every single detail of that person’s life is scrutinised by all and sundry? I, for one, know that I can’t work under such pressure.


I like my tutor’s pet! It’s so cute! Wish I had one like that too, but my folks will never agree to it. What to do? Parents are like that anyway.


I unreservedly apologise to my tutor for having trespassed on the site.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 3:20 PM ~ ~ ~
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Sick, ill, unwell, dour etc…


I lost my voice yesterday and was down with fever, sorethroat, flu and headache. I still don’t feel well today, that’s why I’m staying at home and not going to work. Alleluia!


It sure is time for me to be ill as the work and stress of all the things to be done at the office takes its toll on me. How wondrous it is to be able to stay at home and just relax without worrying about work. If only I could be in this state whenever I choose to.


So what did I do at home apart from sleeping and taking my medicine? I went on a Lord of the Rings marathon, and watched the entire movie for the day.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 10:14 AM ~ ~ ~
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All Saints Day.


I went to church, finally! After all these years, I’ve finally gone to attend Mass. I miss it so much! Ever since I left IJ, life has been a blur without the Masses to look forward to. I love to sing the hymns especially during the times when I was feeling really depressed. I feel that singing the hymns and just being present at Mass really helped to improve my feelings and other state of affairs.


After being in a Catholic school for ten wonderful years of my life, to have to go without Mass can be a very painful event at times. Someone, I can’t remember who, suggested going to church on All Saints Day and I was like, sure! So, Jos, Xue and I went to Jos’ church that evening after hanging around town for the day.


On our way to the MRT station later on, I received this really weird stare from a guy who walked past me. He was staring at me with eyes wide open, as though he had seen a ghost. It was not only after I’ve turned the corner to the station that I realised that it was someone from work. Sheesh! It would have been more polite to have smiled and say “Hi!” than to stare at me.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 11:18 PM ~ ~ ~
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