Ironic..

Buddy reminded me of this song from Alanis Morissette, which we used to hear when we were teenagers..


An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
Isn't it ironic, don't you think

 [Chorus]
It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought, it figures
Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids good-bye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought "Well, isn't this nice."
And isn't it ironic, don't you think

 [Chorus] Well, life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out
when you think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up in your face

 A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic, don't you think a little too ironic, and yeah I really do think.

Health screening...

Just got mine done today. I usually opt for the basic package. But today, I took the courage to ask the malay aunty what happens if I choose a package with more tests than the basic package? Do I need additional sessions? Or different tests to be done at the clinic? And phew, all they needed was a payment, and an additional tube of blood. One word to sum everything up.. "Suaku". So it's 55 tests instead of just the basic ones this time.

I paid up, went to the various counters and told the aunty at the fourth counter that I needed 3 tubes at least and that I could then tell my boss that I feel dizzy. She told me "Drink milo then can aredy, no problem wan." pointing at the free biscuits and milo at the end of the table. Spoil sport!!! There goes my excuse for taking the day off...  

Ghost on a ship...

There was an accident the previous day on board a ship. After that a colleague told me that they had sent photos of the ship over, and there was something weird about those photos. Every photo seemed to have indications of some apparition hidden in some part of the photo. Someone made a comment that every one of those photos could be explained with engineering judgement, like flickering lights, shadows being misinterpreted, a cloth looking like something else... but imagine every photo turning out like that. And these were taken by the security camera that was on board the ship that night. Spooky...

Odd one out..

There are times when you know you're just the odd one out. Went to a meeting today with a visiting doctor from UK when the participants were from our various departments. In the presence of directors, I guess the norm is not to speak up too much, but given the role at work, and being the only rep there for my department, sometimes it's just inevitable that you have to speak up. When we finished, the cameraman told everyone that they were going to have a photo shoot with the directors (mind you, I am the only non-director there). So I stood there in the edge, with 4 directors and the visiting doctor, wondering how weird the photo would look when it comes out. Hope I didn't spoil it for the organisers with my presence.

Bye bye Clermont, Hello some funny coffee shop and Subway...

Long time since I've been back to HQ, and Clermont is gone for quite some time. Used to be one of our hangouts. The coffee was no where near OK, but the food was not too bad. Good thing was that the aunties who mended the counters had distinct personalities. Those that would remember you when you patronise them and throw you some banter when you enter the shop. Since they had closed down, I recalled meeting one of the aunties at another coffee shop along Macpherson road, beside some prata place. And for sure she remembered us when she saw us, and came over to tell us Clermont is no more and that she now works here. Had a subway sandwich instead today, and it sure felt like any other shopping center subway, nowhere near the good ol Clermont we used to visit.

The Garden of Words

Previously watched 5 Centimeters Per Second (Byōsoku Go Senchimētoru) by Makoto Shinkai and loved the way the piece was portrayed. Was on a SQ flight back from Peru, and during the trip, had to watch loads of movies before we touched down. I saw the description on this anime, mentioning the director of 5 Centimeters Per Second. Interesting anime, if you have the time.




Insomnia...

My dad gave me a call and told me that he had insomnia. Well, normally I'd listen and lend an ear, but when he mentioned insomnia, that was my domain!! It was like just the topic I had much more experience on than anyone else could ever have.


Dad, are you on sleeping pills? Not a good solution? Why don't you try:
a) Vitamin B complex from Guardian... serious, it really helps! You'd feel a bit relaxed. Don't bother about the label saying that you should take it in the morning as it gives you energy. You'd be relaxed instead, since we share the same genes;
b) Didn't work? Tried melatonin? The 500mg ones does miracles! And its a hormone based natural remedy. Since its natural, shouldn't have any side effects, except for maybe a bit of memory loss? Don't worry, I only forgot to dress up for the external meeting at 10am today and missed the 2pm discussion entirely today,,, no big deal, everyone forgets things occasionally right..
c) Still not working? Ok before you go for the cough mixture, and assuming you have a sudden allergy (If you don't, just pretend you do), just go to the pharmacist and ask for the drowsy version of antihistamine. First time taking it and it might knock you out a day or two.
d) Ok, since its drastic... here's the cough mixture...
e) I give up... go eat your sleeping pills.

There you have it... my personal remedies for insomnia. I am so successful with it that I no longer have normal insomnia. I now only get those anxiety based complex insomnia problems. The simpler ones that can be treated with the remedies above, well they're gone for good. Which is why I am still typing this in the middle of the night!!

Ugly people

Some days in life you just meet ugly people. No I don't mean looks. Oh well, looks too. But not in the way you are thinking.


Just a few examples of recent encounters... just days before...

Example 1:
We were in a queue for a Bus ticket, when this Perusian bully just went to the front of the queue and asked the first person in the queue to move aside and let him buy his ticket. We told him off, that there was a queue line, and he answered "Yes I know", then stood there till the queue ended. Thinking he had learned his lesson, again when boarding the bus, he ignored everyone in line and tried to barge his way on the bus. The conductors told him off and he embarrassingly moved toward the back. But when he saw someone he knew, he just cut in the line. 

Example 2:
I was judging on a panel, when my fellow panelist asked what was my vocation. I told him I was with the inspectorate, and he then told the other panelist beside him that contractors like him hated inspectors. Well, to all their own. I am ok with him having his personal dislikes. But then, he had to point at a picture and ask me if it is safe and required supervision. I looked at his picture and politely gave him my opinion. His remark to me was "You never work in construction before how you know?" and my answer "6 years in construction and design and another 6 in safety... is that good enough??" which instantaneously shut him up for good. 

Sigh, sometimes I really don't understand why some people are like that. Life is already difficult enough without the need for bullies and nasty remarks. It's bad enough if you can't appreciate people for who they are and what they contribute, but going all out to be nasty, that really isn't something that anyone would respect or appreciate, no matter what explanations you may choose to give. 

Old songs...

Combing through my old documents to find something, then decided to on some music to listen. Nowadays, it's mostly korean songs and ballads... then clicked on some old songs.. nice la! Not too often, but once in a while listen to older songs quite good feel... ;)

 

Rurouni Kenshin: Movie 2!!

After the 1st movie on Rurouni Kenshin, the sequal and final movies will be out soon! Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno and Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends.



Coming out in Aug and Sep this year I guess. Hope it comes out sooner online.

Scent of a Flower



I smell a flower, where is it coming from?
There are no flowers here, there’s only you
I feel good, my heart is at peace
Keep looking at me like that
Like me, I want to see you smiling
Although I haven’t smiled yet
Please teach me, I want to learn
You can’t learn how to love from books
Please help me because that person is you
I need you to know love
I hold a pencil and I draw you out
There’s nothing I can do but this
Is there something else I can do for you?
I want to know, please tell me
Please teach me, I want to learn
You can’t learn how to love from books
Please help me because that person is you
I need you to know love
Please teach me, I want to learn
You can’t learn how to love from books
Please help me because that person is you
I need you to know love

꽃향기가 나요 어디서 나나요
kkochyanggiga nayo eodiseo nanayo
여긴 꽃이 없는데 그대밖에 없는데
yeogin kkochi eomneunde geudaebakke eomneunde
기분이 좋아요 마음이 편해져요
gibuni johayo maeumi pyeonhaejyeoyo
계속 나를 그렇게 빤히 쳐다봐줘요
gyesok nareul geureoke ppanhi chyeodabwajwoyo
이런 나처럼
ireon nacheoreom
그대가 웃는 모습 보고 싶어요
geudaega utneun moseup bogo sipeoyo
아직 한번도 웃지 못했지만 난
ajik hanbeondo utji motaetjiman nan
가르쳐 주세요 배우고 싶어요
gareuchyeo juseyo baeugo sipeoyo
사랑하는 방법을 책으로 알 수는 없는 거잖아
saranghaneun bangbeobeul chaegeuro al suneun eomneun geojanha
날 도와 주세요
nal dowa juseyo
그 사람 바로 그대니까
geu saram baro geudaenikka
사랑을 알려면 나는 그대가 필요해요
sarangeul allyeomyeon naneun geudaega piryohaeyo
연필을 들어요 그대를 그려요
yeonpireul deureoyo geudaereul geuryeoyo
이것 밖에 아는게 할 수 있는게 없어요
igeot bakke aneunge hal su inneunge eobseoyo
또 있을까요?
tto isseulkkayo?
그대를 위해 내가 할 수 있는 일
geudaereul wihae naega hal su inneun il
알고 싶어요 내게 알려줘요
algo sipeoyo naege allyeojwoyo
가르쳐 주세요 배우고 싶어요
gareuchyeo juseyo baeugo sipeoyo
사랑하는 방법을 책으로 알 수는 없는 거잖아
saranghaneun bangbeobeul chaegeuro al suneun eomneun geojanha
날 도와 주세요
nal dowa juseyo
그 사람 바로 그대니까
geu saram baro geudaenikka
사랑을 알려면 나는 그대가 필요해요
 sarangeul allyeomyeon naneun geudaega piryohaeyo