Few more days to the end

Few more hours to the end of 2006.
Few more days to the end of my temp contract.
Few more months to my departure.
Few more sems to my graduation.

Jus a few more days to the end of my job. Just spent the whole day trying to set up the newly bought notebook for Auntie Irene. Think there's something wrong with the wireless settings for Uncle Michael's wireless router. Even his own notebook is unable to get an ip address from his own computer.

So happy. I just received news that naruto manga is out again. But even so, I really wish the last episode of Shin Ankyo Jushin will be out before my departure. And I really wish that I can see my EVisa when I log into my email account later. Its being so long and its causing a delay to my plans for booking the air ticket and the accomodation for my stay. Also, Huihui made me really disappointed today. I was considering getting a digital camera, and she advised me not to get one 1st as her friend could get it at cost price, now she's telling me that her friend finds it a bother and told me to get it myself, and hello, I just came back from Sim Lim Sq after browsing thru the cameras. Sian.

A CPF Memoir

It just takes a single grammarical error to cause a communication breakdown.

I'm refering to the various articles posted by the Strait Times with regards to the Progress Package. To the educated Singaporean, it's just another reminder for the signing up of the package. But for the iliterate average Singaporean, especially the older generation, it was the cause for total havoc at my workplace.

People of all ages, young and old, all came down to apply for what they thought was an up and coming new Progress Package, which in reality, was just a simple reminder for those who have not signed up for their package. What result was the many disappointed faces for those old folks who thought there was cause for joy for money was rolling freely into their pockets.

For the young, it was obvious they weren't keen on reading the article, but instead just followed with their older relatives to claim their thought-money. A simple case of monkey see, monkey do. Only after further explanation did they realize their folly and left empty handed. There were even others who went to the extend of making further enquiries, but unhappy with the explanation of not getting money, decided to try their luck queueing.

Why then, may i ask, the reason for the further enquiries, if you are unsure of our professionalism? There were even others who blindly filled up forms and tried to collect the forms for future use. Others who wanted to queue their whole day away just for the chance that there might be a mistake, to the extend of going to the various counters time and again?

Others who really rocked, were those who blindly joined the queue, and once they reach the counter, would just sit there, and ask, "What am I queueing for?", or "I don't know. I see people queue, I queue lor." Sometimes I really have the urge to ask them whether did they check with their children regarding the information, but yet, I have to keep my mouth shut, and keep inside the box.

A minute of condolence for the people who died in the taiwan quake. I hope Tan Hui wasn't there.

Merry Christmas!

Just had lotsa turkey today. Really loved eating the meat.

But well, I seem to be moving to a less food phase. Cuz I don't wanna waste my money in Australia and become a glutton. I need to trim off the spare tyre and hopefuly gain a few muscles?

But all talk doesn't do much. I've to tell myself and get down to the problem.

Anyway, got 2 sweaters for my xmas gifts. One was a suggestion from auntie irene, the other was a present from auntie dorothy. Well, whats left is just my choice for the winter jacket. which i have not found a suitable place to buy from. If anyone has any recommendations, please feel free to inform me k? Now I'm also considering whether should I go ahead and buy my prescribed text from the clementi bookshop. Its cheaper here anyway.

The Aikidoist.

Oh well, I've decided that I will not post my pics here after all, but probably will be posting them in my photo album. The link's located on the top right.

As for the rest of the information on the CPF ppl I've yet to written about. Well, I won't be writing about them. No point actually. Juz 2 more weeks to the end of my contract. Hmm, to put it shortly, I really enjoyed working there after all. Maybe when I return back from Melbourne, I might consider taking up a job there. Well, its just food for thought.

Back to the topic..

Today we were discussing about the type of people learning aikido. There are basically 3 types of people.

1. Those who take great care in training themselves together with others.
2. The lone wolf.
3. Those who train up on the expense of others.

I admired those who are willing to take the extra step to help those around him/her improve, but I absolutely depise those of the 3rd kind.Why, Aikido is about training yourself and taking care of your partner, you do not treat ur partner like a rag doll just for the benefit of yourself.

Hi, Selamat Datang Malaysia.

Hi, I just came back from my trip from KL, just missed seeng the Petronas Towers. Bought lotsa goodies, will be uploading the photos on the very next entry.

Sorry for the delay.

Anyway just 2 new additions to the members of the CPF community.
1. The mouse transform to hp guy.
2. The lady waiting for the Singpass from the sky.

There's this "mud crab who wants my website." Should I give it to her?

Working in the CPF Arena.

Life working in the CPF Service Centre has its ups and downs.

There's a variety of "heros" there, talking about it in a DOTA context. Haha.

1. The Never-Say-Die Auntie
2. The "I'm from OVERSEAS!" Guy.
3. The "IT Savvy" Dude.
4. The "I can't find the submit button" hero.
5. The "Govt got give free $$?" Granny.
6. The Cash-and-Carry Guy.

(There's more to come..cannot remember all.)

1. The Never-Say-Die Auntie
Bio: She the best Singpass user I've ever met, reason being she just refuse to admit that she has forgotten her password and is lazy to queue up. She will just keep trying and just "camp" at the booth, until finally her account has been locked out. Even after persuading her to go queue, she has the tendency to come back halfway just to continue wacking the wrong ID.

Tactic: Juz tell her try some more, and she can forget about getting back to work on time. :)

2. The "I'm from OVERSEAS!" Guy
Bio: Classical Phrase. Some people just got the misconception that as long as they studied overseas, they do not need to queue up in the queue. Spare a thought for other people in the queue, staying overseas doesn't give u any priority to jump queue. Somemore with ur altitude.

Tactic: Juz carry on queueing and shuddup. If you think u can do cut and see what the other people will do to you.

Juz 2 for today, I'll continue tmr. Zzzz.

The 4th MVG Awards, after a long hiatus.

Time for the next award.

Its not the least of them all, but much actually, is the most beautiful card I've ever received from someone and also the 1st birthday card I've ever received from someone special. Nothing can replace the affection I have for the card and the person who gave the card to me.

And so I present:


The 1st Birthday Card I've ever received.

The person who gave me this card, well, her name's Cindy. I juz love calling her "ball" or "goldfish", cuz she's someone who has the biggest "windows to the soul" that I know. She's an adorable person too, both in the looks and the character department. Juz what any guy would want in a girlfriend. Seems I'm doing some advertising here..But oh well, she's attached.
:(

Shasha!

Went down to Esther's and Ivan's place yesterday. In case no one here knows, Esther is my aunt, and Ivan is my future uncle-in-law. Don't knw why, from the 1st time I saw them, I realized that they were more or less a perfect match for each other.

On this Sunday, its their wedding. Aiyah! where's my wedding gift?! Actually I haven't got one. but I really hope to get one for this aunt of mine. What should I get?

Pei chek ar. Working with Clara is making me so fed up, she can be so bossy at times, and she can don't feel so. We are helping esther, not your employees.


The Wedding Couple.


The Best Mate? Shasha..

4th MVG Awards: Millie's Birthday Card

Juz wanna write this.

I find this card really meaningful, cuz one look and you can see its self-made. Though the look of the card is rather cheesy, I really do like it alot. And do believe me, the card was given to me in the 2nd year of poly. :P


Millie's Card.


Her Cute Card.

Ugly Singaporeans..

Just one more day before the Workfare Bonus ends and I think I have already gotten a look at the true colors of the average Singaporean.

5 Simple Ways to define a average Singaporean:
1. Gian Ben
2. Kiasu
3. Gian Lui
4. Care only for themselves.
5. Act Smart

Why do I say this? Cuz of the different types of people I met throughout the course of work these 2 days. Working in the service centre is alot different from the call centre. Life in the Call Centre is much more sheltered and the customers can't identify you. But down here, its different, they can do that.

Strangely enough, I just don't really give a damn whether will the CPF Board fire me there. Maybe cuz the work down there is plain rubbish, seeing the number of jokers that keep appearing there. Juz today, there was this lady who seeked for my help, but wouldn't let me help. And there were this bunch of customers eager to ask their various queries to get CPF statements, but for GOODNESS Sake! There are 8 booths and 1 helper only. So please be patient and not act like you own me! Saying things like, "Oei!, Hello!, Uncle!" Those words certainly aren't going to make me give you any priority in serving you 1st :P

The random idiocrsy there is even more rubbish, especially from the non-IT savvy group. I respect that the elderly might not know all these, so I do my best to aid them whenever I can. Still I can get them shouting at me to help them get their paper. "Look at the queue, please understand." The younger generation group are even worse, asking questions like, "Eh, the screen says Submit, but how come the keyboard no Submit key?"

Help me! or Rather, FIRE ME!

3rd MVG Award. By Lovable Kai li

Decided I should put this in the MVG awards. Kai Li was my 1st girlfriend when I was in poly, though it was only for a short period of six days, it was comparable to my most recent relationship. Why so, I don't know.

Maybe its because of the feeling, or because of how they gave the gift to me, for her, she made them herself, and seriously, any guy would be touched by the extend their gf went to make them feel special.


The Car Card


Contents of the Car Card

Haiz. I just started work today at the Tampines Service Centre. Not saying I don't like the job, but to stand for 7 hours straight is TOTURE! Furthermore, the guy whom I dislike is there. I hope I can get transferred back to the call centre due to my leg injury.

A slight defer from the MVG. The Sport and Fitness Expo at Suntec

Sorry to all viewers for the slight deferment.

Today, was quite Jialat. I watched my Sat earnings of 27 Bucks grown wings and flapping away. Reason was I felt sick and overslept. Will have to apologize to Tan Hui for this.

Went down later to the Sport and Fitness Expo later to help out with the aikido booth recruitment. Got alot of free stuffs, Probably I'll be going down tomorrow to videotape the demostration again. There was this rather irate joker at the booth, talking to everyone in the vicinity, really thought of telling him to scram, but couldn't since it was a recruitment booth. However, the Chief Instructor and Bernie were less subtle, blatantly hinting him to get lost.

Took a very nice pic from the K800i. A prized shot.


My Cool Shot. Yay.

Had my 1st taste of Turtle Soup today. I liked the soup, but didn't really like the chewy meat. Erk.


Torture Soup.

What am i?

You are The Magician

Skill, wisdom, adaptation. Craft, cunning, depending on dignity.

Eleoquent and charismatic both verbally and in writing,
you are clever, witty, inventive and persuasive.

The Magician is the male power of creation, creation by willpower and desire. In that ancient sense, it is the ability to make things so just by speaking them aloud. Reflecting this is the fact that the Magician is represented by Mercury. He represents the gift of tongues, a smooth talker, a salesman. Also clever with the slight of hand and a medicine man - either a real doctor or someone trying to sell you snake oil.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

The MVG: 2nd Gift.

This gift was given to me by my very good friend, Joy. Believe it or not, I used to have a crush on this cool muay thai tomboy in the past. But now, we are still very good friends, though we hardly contact here and there. She's someone who can be relied upon and you will know that she will be there when you need her. I actually went to look for a penguin for her.


This cool Giraffe was from her.

The MVG Awards: Most Valued Gifts Awards.

Keep coming across alot of wishlists of things to buy recently. So now I got this idea to set up this list of gifts which I really treasure deep down in my heart.

Alright. The 1st on the line is this really cool "turtle" card that was given by Guojiu and friends for one of my birthdays. Think it was the 20th one. You know, birthdays are important. There's alot of people out there who think that all these thoughts are utter rubbish, but I beg to differ. Birthdays are a celebration of your right to be alive, and to be a complete different image of the homosapien species. You don't really find someone out there in the everyday world that looks like an exact carbon copy of you out there right. In other words, U are special.


The front cover of the "Card".


The contents to behold.

So who's gift is next? :D

My Cool Colleagues.

Today's work was pretty boring. Just got this crappy call from a Mr Ding that almost spolit my weekend if not for Gavin. Thanks very much. I really have got a good impression of him.

Now for some pics!

I decided to take this pic of my desk. Looks pretty cluttered, should have packed some stuff before taking the pic on impulse. :P And well, I'm next to the door.


My own desk. Hope the day of my own office will come someday.

My colleagues, Sarah and Faizal, really a funny bunch, from a certain angle, he really does look like Hady Mirza, this year's Singapore Idol. Ya know what's the best thing? This guy was from TP and my course mate, and during BMT, when I'm in Whiskey Coy, he was in the rival Scorpion Coy. What a small world.


My Scorpion Friend.

And here's another pic of the day, with our Hady Mirza lookalike and Ms Sarah Kim. Sarah ah, she's a really funny person, rather cute too. Her concepts on "How drinking soya milk makes you look beautiful...", "This is my concept of Body Art..." Basically, she's kinda gonna rock some guys world, if you really do meet her, that is. Please too, don't judge her by her appearance, she might look rather lian, chor lor, china girl etc. But please, don't be fooled. She's actually just your sweet and innocent 18 girl-next-door babe in the making.

New Pics this week.

Was passing by the guardhouse at my condo yesterday, took a pic of the two cats the guard keeps. Cute Cats. Always when I get a fish for them, they don't come.


Meow.

Was chewing on some Gummi Bears in the workplace, when i remembered my hp screensaver. haha.

Fair Weathered Friends.

Went down to meet Shimin today. Realized what a fair weathered friend she can be sometimes. I used to agree with her in the past, regarding her troubles at the workplace. Now, while I'm working, I beg to differ, and what does she do? She starts throwing her kiddy tantrums at me in public, stamping her feet when I disagreed with her on something. You gotta give and take. Don't expect your colleagues to treat you like a queen just when you're new. I'm not saying of the expectation to be ill-treated by them. It's great that you fight back, but please, don't keep complaining to your boss about them, thats gonna make them dislike you more.

Don't bother matchmaking your "friends" to me. I was just trying to sound interested. Its' not as if you really had that in mind, come to think of it. Probably its just to show to me that you are way better circumstances than me, but from last time, I've always thought of your wee little ambition to find a rich guy to marry just a little off-keyed and absurd bullshit. You think just about every guy juz wants to find some hot bimbo to marry? Yeah, you got brains, but you do lack PR skills. We men too, most of our kind thinks that the hot bimbo just here to get laid, and F-off when they have their fun. I hope you understand having so many boyfriends isn't cool, its just some motivation by some childish needs leading to total crap.

I hope you caught your superstar show, since its way more important than friends, and only when you need me to chat, I tried to be there, but say the truth, as a friend, I doubt you have really shown an existence to me.

(I may be a nice guy, but certainly, every guy does have his darker side. And my darker side is not liking people who take me for granted. )

Facts of Life.

Working at the CPF Board Service Centre has been a great lesson for me.

Juz from answering the numerous calls the whole day, I get an overview of how life is like to the lower-income half of the Singapore people. Their life is where a single dollar counts in every part of their lives. A single call resulting in a single bonus can lead to them living with hope for another day. Sometimes listening to the old folks telling me about their lives really pains me. I do hope the G-Men can do what they can to help them. Everyone must play their part.

Also, the old folks rely very much on hearsay, some ignorant people might completely distort the real deal, thus making them confused, and us CSOs even more blur in processing their requests. Some examples include, "Put $50 into ur CPF A/C to get $400", "Don't work, money will come on its own." There's no free lunch in this world, everyone's out to work, earn their keep. Even for myself, its the case.

But there are really some kind souls out there, who are willing to help these old dudes out, doing them a unconditional fav. God bless them.

Once, this old auntie was telling me about her job, I needed to know her job scope to better provide her with an answer.
She said in Hokkien, "I cook curry chicken, when there's a funeral or wake. I'm there to cook. Do you need any?"
I was like, " Er. no (...), then i went on to explain how she could get her bonus.

Another case, this old man was telling me his family background, he screwed/complained/chat with me for whole 30 mins about it. He sounds so down. No $, only able to rent a place, but then can't really read well, jobless. But due to the address he stated, he could only be paid 200 bucks, since it was located in a high-end area. I did my best to be professional, and give a caring ear at the same time, but it wasn't easy. Both ends are really far apart.

Sometimes I wish I can do more. I do wish that these old folks are happy, everytime I hang up the phone after the conversation.

There's also those filthy rich, who also want such gains. I depise them, since their pockets are already lined up with cash, why still seek the government?

I'll dedicated the time i'm gonna spend at work to making life better for them in anyway i can.

Blessing are needed.

The 16th is coming...

The 16th day of the month is finally coming, then in 5 more days i'll shall be able to get my pay for the past 2 weeks work. Yippee. Crap, yesterday got my arm injured due to Ian's shiho-nage, guess it was "revenge" from another point of view. haha.

Things I might do with the money,
1. Maybe plan a farewell.
2. Bring the money overseas.
3. Treat my family members to dinner.
4. Get a digital tv USB Adapter.

Still considering whether I should work for Sky in the incoming IT Fair. I can't say that he's a very good boss either.