The Future?

I had lunch with Elizabeth today at Steak Expert in Wanchai. While I was waiting for her, I couldn't help eavesdropping a conversation between 2 men (aged around 35-45) beside me.

Man A said he was already overwhelmed by work of the day, that he did not have good mood or patience at home, that he felt guiltiness lingered around him. Man B nodded his head severely as if he could not agree more. Man B went on to say he is trying to change his lifestyle by waking at 7 o'clock; then shower; then breakfast with children; drove them to school; go to work; back home at 5pm; watched TV with children; went to bed. Man B said it as if these are great achievements in life. I could not help but wonder why they are proud of keeping up the routine of share times with children and leave on time. Honestly I do not wish / permit myself to become one of them, it is too miserable....

My boss had a small talk with me, he started to mark the budget for the young expat. He mentioned I am in a 'safe bed' now, while somwhow meaning I will not be so comfortable any longer. Well... I had to do some thinking now....

Home Sweet Home

Visited Eric's new home. It's tidy, clean & cozy. I have the same comment as Billy that the study room is the best, with floor to ceiling bookshelf on left side and working desk on the other. Simple design & light colour tone just make up his new spacious new cave.

During Scrabble & Uno game at night, we discovered that I am a '思考型' kind of person. For I scored the highest in Scrabble (which you can think as long as you want), and the lowest in Uno (quick reactions are demanded).

A strange feeling kept occurring to me during the whole visit. I felt the place would be warmer and more complete with a touch of a........ CHILD. Dunno why this occurred to me, maybe in my subconsciousness that a complete home should include the element of children.

p.s. I kept writing coz I want to keep myself from dozzing off. I raced through "Memoir of a Geisha" untill 4am this morning. Trust I can finish it this week and start a new one.

This is the closest thing to crazy I have ever been,
Feeling twenty-two, acting seventeen,
This is the nearest thing to crazy I have ever known,
I was never crazy on my own.
And now I know that there's a link between the two,
Being close to craziness and being close to you.

The Closest Thing To Crazy - Katie Melua

P.S. this idea haunted me as faint as colour of this font

Childish Act

I kept chuckling this morning as I did something childish. It sounds ridiculous but I just can't help doing.

Today the office is again half full as yesterday, since people are clearing their annual leaves of 2004. I am not really in the mood of working (as usual). After I have answered some calls from customers, I take out my make up bag (small and handy one). Poured out all contents into my handbag (as my neighbouring colleague is on holiday, so no one sees me doing this).

After applying some force, my target has been fitted into the make up bag just perfect. It even makes the bag more into shape -- a rigid rectangle. Then I casually carry it with me, and I believed I have swung it while I walked.

OK. When I arrived my destination, I had a 10-minute self enjoyment in reading 'Memoirs of a Geisha'. It is a bit 無聊, but I am rather amused. ^0^

English Accent

Just finished a phone call with our British colleague, and I just LOVE the British accent!! It is so much more gentlemen-like than US ones. Have read an article, it says Americans should take language class to re-learn the skill of mastering a language. As you can hear over 27 times of 'like' and 'you know' in a short conversation.

He said this while searching a file, "Would you bear me a second while I look up this for you.." Hmm.... I felt like speaking to Hugh Grant... hahaa~

P.S. We have a cleaning lady who comes in to empty the paper bin and vaccuum the carpet every day. Maybe Thai people are born to be optimistic, she obviously tries to get the most fun out of her job. She will say she comes to collect presents every day; when her garbage bag was overloaded, she says she received lots of gift. Just now a tiny paper laid beside my paper bin, she had to bent over to pick that up, she said "做咩你蝦我呀? 明知我個肚腩咁大."

No matter what we do, attitude matters.

A Mirage...

I have been thinking a lot my status quo lately. Apparently I have a nice job, with handsome salary (at least I feel so), helpful supervisors, lots of exposures & opportunities, not-too-bad colleagues and more importantly, a foreseeable promising prospect. These are what graduates hope for their first job.

I am not sure whether it is human nature that they do not treasure too much on things offered to them?? or that I am not really interested in my job?? or that I simply do not like working??

Even so, I cannot quit my job due to :
(1) Financial Concerns
my bro will go to university in 3 years time and we have a mortgage to repay

(2) Job Replacement
insecure feelings pilled up that the new job might not be better off than this one

(3) Self Uncertainty
I am not sure the real reason for not wanting to be here

My heart wants to quit, or at least change the job, but various objectivities show no support to my idea. I want to back to campus full time and study for Arts and History and Psychology and Literature... no matter this crazy thinking is originated from my yarning to go back to the shelter of schools or my pursue of true knowledge. This is only a mirage in the air, what you see might be real, but its existence is much farther than you pictured.

Sudden Discovery...

Idling on Sat morning, browsing through friend's online diary... then friend's friend's diary... and then friend's friend's online album... then I found familiar faces in this photo album.

The pictures were taken about 2 years ago in Cebu. This was probably their post childbirth honeymoon, and their baby was around 5 months old. They are my 'sugar' brother and his wife!!! They were in the same tour with one of my university-mates. I confirmed this with my university-mate, he recalled that my 'sugar' brother was kind of wild and funny.

Actually I should not be so surprise at this, as some researches had been done that we are somehow connected to the person who sat by us on a plane. Just that various conincidences happen at the same morning, that I have to admit that 1) the world is so small, 2) the world is round, 3) so we are going to meet face to face sooner or later, but we definitely will.

Milan Kundera

I have finished the book of "Laughable Love" by Milan Kundera. I prefer his short stories more than novel, since they are more compact. As short and intense as they are, Milan can still successfully described human's inner feelings with simple events or just a small paragraph.

It is definitely entertaining to read his books and you will be greatly impressed by his keen observation and understandings on human nature ( specially in a relationship ). I feel rather sad if what he portraits is the truth, but truth is always bloody disturbing, eh?

To Equally Adorable Someone

I have promised a talented and gorgeous someone to post the below pictures.

P.S. some of the 'sentences' & 'phrases' are assembled by my brother.


Magnetic Poetry Board

Feeling a bit jumpy!~!~

I can't help replaying the same song: Kelly Clarkson - Since you've been gone.

Feel a bit jumpy... feel like yelling... wantta go dancing... maybe it's time to go dancing with Nancy. Ha~ Promised her to go with her on her birthday last year. Missed the time when I can go dancing every tuesday night without fearing school on the next day. Hmm... can I go for another exchange before my brother finishes University... before I got married... before I feel too old to dance in tight tees.

Sudden Thought...

If I ever get break up with him, I know what to give as a break up gift.

But then I prefer to keep it with me forever.

Absent Day

I did not show up for work today, as my face is allergically red. And I think it is finally for me to tackle my skin problem with proper medication. After I have seen my Doctor, he said I better have an injection... Oh... again? Aside from blood donation, I did not have any injection for over 10 years. The last time it was also him who asked / forced me to. But that time I had a fever. Feeling a bit stupid to have an injection coz of skin allergy.

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At 6 o'clock, I am going to have my first proper Insurance Class. I hope it is interesting enough to keep me going. Afterall, this is not what I voluntarily chosen.

My Grandma's Birthday

I dunno how old is my Grandma, and I doubted whether she knew her exact age. For every you asked her, she got a different answer. Anyway, I felt rather bad today for having a small argument with her. Later I knew it was not her fault in being so rude.... well... it maybe no one's fault. Just years of misunderstandings again.

At the dinner, my bro and I were the the only grandchildren sitting in the table with my grandma. A clear preference has been displayed.

Looking at my grandma cannot help to relate to my grandpa. He is still the subject I cannot openly talk about up till now. For I have not forgiven myself and some other parties yet.

A Day in Zhongshan

Travelled alone to Zhongshan to meet a few client, afterthoughts are as follows :-

1. China is really booming. Irrespect of how sloppy they are, they are making huge sum of money. And, Chinese people are definitely smart in many ways, though their manners are sometimes not sophisticated enough.

2. 關係 plays an important role if you want to do business in China. This term is always mentioend by foreigners, but they can hardly master the skills. The relationship is being cultivated via small chat about each others' children / family, being helpful in both business and more in personal side. You feel that you are not meeting a client, but a friend.

3. Speeding on the highway back to Shenzhen was like playing a computer game.

What is nice: someone waits for you to have dinner until 9pm tears off whatever tireness you have.

What is not nice: why can't you speak freely and loudly that we are going to a birthday dinner on saturday?? why have to close the door and whisper softly... seems like you are committing crime.

My introspection...

My introspection...

New Books

3 new books added to my collection :-

Love in the time of cholera
- Garcia Marquez

It is not the Author which makes my buy this book, a brief storyline is about a man was being rejected by a woman he loved. He then spent the coming 51 years in another woman's arm. But when he knew that the husband of the woman he loved had died, he would like to pick up what he had left 51 years ago.

Memories of Geisha
- Arthur Golden

Just want to have a look at the book before going to see the Movie. Zhang Zhiyi has been critizied of being too immature and not sophisticated enough to take up the role. It is my first time ever want to know more about the Japanese Culture, as I am always not a big fan of Japanese stuff.

Laughable Loves
- Milan Kundera

It is a short stories collection of Milan Kundera, which was once banned in the first publication. This is a step further for collection of all his works. But it is indeed rather expensive... specially with large prints. Though I had all these complains, I wish to possess the entire collection.

Kuehne + Nagel Annual Dinner 2005

It was the second time I joined the Annual Dinner, this year's theme was "KN Hollywood Dream 2005". For Hollywood, I expect to see International Stars, though it is imitated by staff. But what you saw is 黑玫瑰2005, 黃飛鴻... no wonder the Gweilos dunno what's going on. Apart from that this year's setting and performance are very original & innovative.

They decorated the dinning hall as a cinema, and served pop corn and marshmellow on the sides. Marchmellow~~ the pink and silky one, I haven't had it for years. Boards with movie posters wereset up, they tried to replicate some of the famous posters by the staff. Like 007 Golden Eye, Charliz' Angels, The Matrix..etc. Again, I forgot to bring my camera... >.<

We got door price every year, last year I got a water pot with Winnie the Pooh. This year I received a HKD100 CASH!!!! Thinking that I was extremely lucky, but nearly half of the people got either cash or cash coupons. Hahaa, I am not the person with the luck in any luck draws. So I saw the air tickets and cash prizes being given away, my job was only to clap.

They got a dance floor right in front of the stage, when the music started, my colleagues ( female ) all fleed away. But it was too late when I realized this, my boss already tapped on my shoulder and asked me to dance. Oh no... regardless of my reluctance, I went out. When I spotted the girl who joined the company same day as me, I talked to her just to ease my uneasiness. She was the same, being asked by her boss to dance. Haaa~ how come all the middle aged men love to dance so much?

One funny thing, our Indian-Singaporean colleague went up to the Macau manager, and said "If you fcuk with Carmen, you better fcuk with me" 'O' p.s. Carmen is our only insurance staff in Macau. My mouth went wide open for at least 5 seconds, and the Indian explained he dunno why but he just want to say it. Hahaa~ Ridiculous things happen when people are drunk.

Ok. I am now in the office and only back at 10am. ( Noraml time should be 9am ). My boss has just came back, so I better end here.

Testing Page

testing testing~

my annual dinner is scheduled tommorrow, pray that I can win an air ticket from Lucky Draw!!!