Animal Planet: Birds

Had our annual planning session. I felt it was an OK event, albeit initially complaining about having it at the Birdpark.

Being in a different environment, many of those present seem to let loose and allow their inquisitive nature to take over. One came over to our table during lunch and asked us why flamingos stood on one leg. In reality, it really still is a mystery. Some people think that it helps blood circulate through the flamingo's long legs. Others suggest that it turns part of its brain off when it sleeps. The leg that is up is hence linked to the part of the bird's brain that is asleep. Well, if you spot a colleague with two legs off the ground in his or her cubicle, chances are, they are asleep.









During the break, we rushed off to make the best out of our visit to the park. We managed to catch a macaw show just before it ended. There was one macaw who could sing, one who could pull a bucket tied to a rope, one who could draw like picasso, one who could differentiate paper from plastic bottles to be recycled etc. Perhaps, the only one that really caught my attention was this one, who took the liberty of doing a number in the beckground while the performance was still on.



After a couple more sessions in the function room, we came back out to watch birds again. We started off at a place with nocturnal animals.









While we were at this section, someone queried on how the owl turns its head completely around. Owls have both eyes in the front. This gives them good depth perception. Unfortunately, it means they can’t see sideways or backwards. To deal with this, owls can turn their head almost all the way around. Management are often like owls. People, unlike owls, can't turn their heads 180 degrees. Most guys at the top can only see one view, the view ahead of them. Sometimes, they really can't see whats happening to people beside or below them...haha.

Also, we visited an area where there were tons of penguins seperated from us by a glass panel.



Some people just loved looking at the way the penguins waddle. Heck we even have a Head named after it! The waddling motion adjusts for limitations of the size of their legs and their weight which actually conserves energy. This really explains why people waddle to our cubicles to share work so very often.

Dim Sum....

Yumm... Dim Sum at Ritz Carlton...

The siu mai and har kau is so so.... but the other dim sum like the lobster roll, the glutinous rice and pork porridge is..... (drooling)....yummmm

Mojo..

Keeps moving around...difficult to get a decent picture of him..

Bookstore!!!

We went over to Suntec today... and spent a couple of hours at the bookstore. When I was younger, I used to be able to hang out like for hours at the book shop. My dad would drop me at the shopping center.. and I'd hide in one corner reading.

Now as we grow older, I guess I'd rather buy a book and sit at home reading it at my own leisure. Hehe, got myself "The Catcher in the Rye". Yup yup... haven't read it. Though it sounded popular.

Oh well... there goes a couple of hours the next few nights! Haha...

Mood swings..

I guess life is really a journey. A long one that connects many winding roads. Some of these roads are bumpy, others are smooth. When we ride along a smooth road, we never notice how nice the ride is. But when we reach a bump, we lament how hard life is to us.

Perhaps if we spent a minute or two counting our blessings, we’d be less consumed by the little things that seem to affect us that much. Sometimes, it feels like the road reaches a dead end. And things keep going wrong along the way. But after some time, if we looked back, we’d laugh at why we were so affected by it at that moment.

It’s just that life is ironic. And it’s the irony that makes life interesting. It’s like winning something, but losing it the next second. I won a lucky draw, 15th prize of a $100 voucher, and lost it the next instance. It’s like making a new friend, only to find out that the friend is leaving the company in a week’s time. I guess without the downs in life, the ups would never be as sweet. Winning a prize is much better than not winning. Making a friend is better than not having known one.

Perhaps what I need is another dose of positive thinking.

Old friend..

Was at a meeting today. Don't really like to attend meetings where the average age is 50, but sometimes at work, we really have no choice. But I guess the redeeming point is that my old friend is there. Well, he used to be my ex-boss, but unlike other bosses, he has totally no airs. This is the kinda boss that I really do miss. Haha... ended up spending most of the meeting catching up with him instead.

Fooling around with the piano..

Have to admit, I'm not very good at this..

For drivers in Singapore...

Buddy just sent this to me.... new price list from TP...

The penalties for speeding:
Exceeding by 1 to 20km/h = 4 dp + $130
Exceeding by 21 to 30 km/h = 6 dp + $150
Exceeding by 31 to 40 km/h = 8 dp + $180
Exceeding by 41 to 50 km/h = 12 dp + $200 + Court
Exceeding by 51 to 60 km/h = 18 dp + $200 + Court
Exceeding more than 60 km/h = 24 dp + $200 + Court

Careless driving = 6 dp + $150
Inconsiderate Driving = 9 dp + $170 + Court
Dangerous Driving = 24dp + >$200 + Court + Vehicle impounded
Illegal Racing = >$200 + Vehicle confiscate + Court

Fail to put seatbelt = 3dp + $120
Crossing double white line = 4dp + $130
Phone and Drive = 12dp + $200 + phone confiscate

Drink driving:
1st offence - $5000 + Jail term + Licence suspend + Court
2nd offence - Jail term + Fine + Court

Illegal u-turn - $70
Fail to signal when changing lanes - $70
Driving at night without headlights / taillights switched on after 7pm - $30
No number plate - $70
Obsecured no plate - $70
Number plate of unapproved type - $70

Hand sized!!

One thousand and one...one thousand and two..

Started once again on my regime of 4 sets 10x push ups and 4 sets 10x sit ups. Managed to maintain this for two months. This is perhaps my longest streak since high school. Now I only have 11 months to go before the next new year resolution!

I hate haircuts..

Was driving home, when I decided it was time to get a haircut. As usual, I'd hop by QB House for a quick cut...and then head home. Forgot the previous haircut I had there, they had this trainee walking around, and they unleashed him on me. That was history.
This time, I went in and saw two older aunties that looked like they can cut hair. The moment I sat down, I noticed something wrong. The both of them shouted in unison "suai ge". I know I am a bit good looking la, but I didn't think hairdressers could be that brutally honest. Then, after 2 seconds, I recall seeing a flash of light and out of nowhere, a trainee appeared and dawned upon my head like a vulture searing flesh from a corpse. My first observation was that he is nowhere near the term "suai ge". My second observation was that he seemed too young to be able to cut hair.
He started off saying "ni yao zhen me jian?" (how u wan to cut?) and his verbal language seemed to indicate that I might be mistaken after all. When he finally finished asking, he started off with a razor on the back. At first cut, I knew I was going to regret letting him touch my hair. Then, he attacked my hair like they were the culprits who murdered his family. Half way, I wanted to ask him to stop. But I decided it was already too late. So, silently, I mourned for the death of my folicles and hoped that they had a good life on my head while they were alive.

Oh Crab!

Mom came down a couple of weeks ago. When she reached, my second sis gave me a call to go out and have dinner. Having no idea where to go to, I gave her a suggestion... to have crab at Let's Clap. Yup, its one of the places I always go to. My other sis and her family just made it back from a trip, so they were also pleased that we were going somewhere close by for dinner. We had a simple dinner, and when it came to paying, my elder sis as usual fought me for the bill. At times like this, being a guy has its advantages. After paying, she insisted that the next dinner would be on her.

A week passed, and again, during the weekend, I received a call from my second sister. This time, we were supposed to go somewhere West... to have crab!! My second sister insisted that she treat us this time. Count my blessings, I was down with flu and couldn't go for dinner. I guess the rest of the family made it there and had their share of crab for a second week.

A day later, I receive a call from my elder sister, telling me that she wants to treat us to crab at No Signboard. That's crab 3 weeks in a row!

A few days later, I get a call from my mom, saying that both my sisters are not feeling well, and that we'd postpone the dinner till next week. Its not like I dislike crab, but I sincerely hope they'd decide on something else other than crab.

Next time, remind me not to suggest any ideas that'd spark a chain reaction.

Mojo..

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the latest addition to my landlords family.. Mojo. Having a dog in the house kinda adds some joy to the family. But of course, there are pros and cons to everything.










Mojo is the kind of dog that loves to hang around others legs. No he doesn't free himself while clinging to you, but he does have a little problem. He can't seem to recognise anyone. The moment you reach the door, he barks incessantly. The barking only stops when you get in the house, walk close to him and either give him a pat or let him smell your legs. That's not much of a problem, except when I'm out late. I came back one day at 2am, and before I could whip out the keys, the bark alarm sounded sending signals to everyone in the house that I was back late. I opened the door only to look sheepishly at 3 torchlights shining at my face. Staying at a rented place means that I have to be considerate and come back relatively early.

Just a few days ago, I left something in the car. It was about 12am. I got downstairs, ran towards Mojo and pat him to make sure that he doesn't bark. I escaped the house, got to the car and got what I was looking for. What I forgot was that I still had to get back to the house and pass Mojo a second time. By the time I ran in the house, it was already too late. My hand touched his furry head as my landlord came out of the room. I looked at the landlord sheepishly and slowly made my way back to my room.

Predictions..

"The big picture isn't always important, so long as you know your place in it. Embrace a narrow scope that gives you great depth and a strong understanding of each project in your vicinity. You'll be successful." - Yahoo Astrology Daily Career

As though my scope here is not narrow enough...haha...

Deja Vu...

We went to a hokkien porridge restaurant today, and as we were going in, a waitress greeted us 要吃粥吗? (Do you want to have porridge?). She escorted us in, waited for us a moment, took our orders, then served us drinks. Then she brought the food we ordered. She even thanked us as we left the restaurant.

After food, we left the restaurant to go next door to look at some biscuits. Then as we passed by the same hokkien restaurant, the same lady that served us just a moment ago looked at us and said 要吃粥吗?

A story...

Heard this some time back from a chinese radio channel on the way home in a bus...

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A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, and took a nap under the shadow. He loved the tree. Time went by, the little boy had grown up.

One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad.

"Come and play with me", the tree asked the boy.

"I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees any more" the boy replied.

"I want toys. I need money to buy them."

"Sorry, but I do not have money, but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money."

The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

One day, the boy who now turned into a man returned and the tree was excited.

"Come and play with me" the tree said.

"I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?"

"Sorry, but I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house". So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted.

"Come and play with me!" the tree said.

"I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax. Can you give me a boat?" said the man.

"Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy."

So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.

Finally, the man returned after many years. "Sorry, my boy. But I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you", the tree said.

"No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite" the man replied.

"No more trunk for you to climb on".

"I am too old for that now" the man said.

"I really cannot give you anything, the only thing left is my dying roots," the tree said with tears.

"I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years," the man replied.

"Sit down with me and rest." The man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.

Eh look! The steering wheel fell off...

One day, after parking the car, I got off and something fell out of the door. It was a rubber piece of the car door. Don't ask me which part. Up till now I still can't figure out where it came from. Another day, after eating at Ivins, the number plate fell off. The lady at the dry cleaners beside the restaurant was kind enough to find a rubber band and some rafia string for me to temporarily hold the number plate while I drove over to cold storage to get some adhesive stickers.
I mean, yah, the car is three years old, and I am one of those who believe that the car can self maintain, but fallen parts is really something that shouldn't happen rite? Especially for a Jap car. Oh well, the bearing problems are gone, but the suspension is creaking. Perhaps one day, the steering wheel really might come off... hahaha..

The new place... almost done

Nut...

Have to share this...

My colleague came over one day and placed a nut on my table... then he shouted at it saying "You dumb nut, you small idiotic nut"......

Instinctively, I picked up my waste paper basket, put it beside the nut and started scolding the basket... "You stupid basket, you big stupid basket"

I shall not continue to tell you what comments we made for the small paper ball and the dog calendar that was on my table... haha

(Psst.. if you think those people working in the government are 'seow', you're probably right)

New Year Wishes!

I'm always one of those suckers for new year wishes... ya call me a softie.. but there's nothing like receiving an SMS from a friend wishing you the best to start off the year.

This year, I got a couple... not much considering that I really don't have much friends, but I guess having quality friends are much more important than quantity don't you think?

Here's some,

Before the year ends, before the sms get jammed, before I get too drunk and lost my handphone, wish you all the best and Happy New Year!

Bro for life! Happy New Year!

A message from my 'little heart' a place where I keep a special friend like 'YOU'! Happy New Year!!

And this one probably cuts the cake.....

Happy New Year! Every sixty seconds you spend upset, is a minute of happiness u'll never get back.....life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, never regret anything that made u smile. Life may not b the party we hoped 4, but while we're here, we should dance. All the best for 2008!