Saturday, May 31, 2008
manicure
yea, i did it myself.
i bought myself a pair of cuticle clippers and groomed my good self. trimmed my nails and buffed the edges, followed by a layer of gloss.
and it makes me feel like a million bucks. with lipgloss on, of course.
i bought myself a pair of cuticle clippers and groomed my good self. trimmed my nails and buffed the edges, followed by a layer of gloss.
and it makes me feel like a million bucks. with lipgloss on, of course.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
cardboard
i don't know about you, but i absolutely resent having to wipe my butt with paper that feels like cardboard.
i know the butt is a place where the world doesn't see unless you're at the beach, that it spends majority of its time being covered up and sat on. but if you've ever had to endure through an episode of having to clean up after you're done in the loo, you will know how unpleasant it is to have what feels like rough cardboard being used on the rump. well, your rump. my rump.
oh, heck. our rumps.
our office block has that issue.
now, i know i don't have a butt of gold, neither do i insure it like a certain missus lopez did; i know you don't, neither. and neither are you someone to speak about things as such when it happens to you, because you are too polite. i know.
fortunately (or unfortunately) i am precisely the kind of person who will mention this to anyone who would pause and listen - it is an act against humanity to give us rough loo paper.
for the magazines that pelt us with images of impossibly smooth skin and pert boobies and high backsides (g-string adorned, no less), can you imagine the feeling of having eaten lunch then sitting down on the butt the whole day? that has just been rough cardboarded??
i mean, i've just had breakfast, i just had lunch, my ass's going to swell to the size of canada with cellulite and i have to paper my behind with that? hello?
a little perspective here?
alright alright. seriously, paranoid fat jokes aside - i think that having cardboard-like loo paper is honestly ineffective. it is, more importantly, not cost-effective.
why?
because when it's tough and hard to bend, it doesn't get to the places it needs to get to. so what happens is that we use more of it. so when building managers make the decision to buy cheap loo rolls, they're actually doing themselves a disfavour, simply because it's ineffective and therefore people use more of it. because it doesn't get the job done.
and we don't like to exfoliate our pretty behinds any more than we need to neither, especially if we can't really see what's going on when we're doing that ourselves on a loo break. the only way we judge if we have a clean arse is when there's no more er, colour on the paper.
and we won't know if the paper has missed the spot if it refuses to conform to the shape of our derrierres. the way nature intended it to be.
and by the time we find out that we had indeed missed something, it's too late. by and by we will learn that we can't be safe enough and we use more paper. capisce? only then it'd not just be "bye-bye utility savings", it'd be "bye-bye environment" as well. so do you see that there is actually a direct relationship between tough loo paper and money and more importantly, the environment??
do you have any idea how much loo paper each building uses? every day? save the earth, people! if not then at least save the utility budget, sheesh! i'm trying to help you, here!
now there's a lot more i'd like to say about how the provision of softer, better loo paper will improve the economy (employees less worried, less grouchy, confident employees, workrate improves - the likes), but i'm sure you get my drift. because, well.
y'know. it's rough on the muff. and muffs must never be roughed. never. not if you want your economy to collapse on you.
so.
i don't know about you, but i prefer soft loo paper. because i prefer to have my economy intact.
i know the butt is a place where the world doesn't see unless you're at the beach, that it spends majority of its time being covered up and sat on. but if you've ever had to endure through an episode of having to clean up after you're done in the loo, you will know how unpleasant it is to have what feels like rough cardboard being used on the rump. well, your rump. my rump.
oh, heck. our rumps.
our office block has that issue.
now, i know i don't have a butt of gold, neither do i insure it like a certain missus lopez did; i know you don't, neither. and neither are you someone to speak about things as such when it happens to you, because you are too polite. i know.
fortunately (or unfortunately) i am precisely the kind of person who will mention this to anyone who would pause and listen - it is an act against humanity to give us rough loo paper.
for the magazines that pelt us with images of impossibly smooth skin and pert boobies and high backsides (g-string adorned, no less), can you imagine the feeling of having eaten lunch then sitting down on the butt the whole day? that has just been rough cardboarded??
i mean, i've just had breakfast, i just had lunch, my ass's going to swell to the size of canada with cellulite and i have to paper my behind with that? hello?
a little perspective here?
alright alright. seriously, paranoid fat jokes aside - i think that having cardboard-like loo paper is honestly ineffective. it is, more importantly, not cost-effective.
why?
because when it's tough and hard to bend, it doesn't get to the places it needs to get to. so what happens is that we use more of it. so when building managers make the decision to buy cheap loo rolls, they're actually doing themselves a disfavour, simply because it's ineffective and therefore people use more of it. because it doesn't get the job done.
and we don't like to exfoliate our pretty behinds any more than we need to neither, especially if we can't really see what's going on when we're doing that ourselves on a loo break. the only way we judge if we have a clean arse is when there's no more er, colour on the paper.
and we won't know if the paper has missed the spot if it refuses to conform to the shape of our derrierres. the way nature intended it to be.
and by the time we find out that we had indeed missed something, it's too late. by and by we will learn that we can't be safe enough and we use more paper. capisce? only then it'd not just be "bye-bye utility savings", it'd be "bye-bye environment" as well. so do you see that there is actually a direct relationship between tough loo paper and money and more importantly, the environment??
do you have any idea how much loo paper each building uses? every day? save the earth, people! if not then at least save the utility budget, sheesh! i'm trying to help you, here!
now there's a lot more i'd like to say about how the provision of softer, better loo paper will improve the economy (employees less worried, less grouchy, confident employees, workrate improves - the likes), but i'm sure you get my drift. because, well.
y'know. it's rough on the muff. and muffs must never be roughed. never. not if you want your economy to collapse on you.
so.
i don't know about you, but i prefer soft loo paper. because i prefer to have my economy intact.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
sale!
sale sale sale the great singapore sale!
i feel so lucky i work right in the middle of town, i feel so lucky i can hop on across the street no matter rain or shine and use that lunch hour to go shopping when there are no crowds; oh my maninni goodness i feel so lucky i could bust a vein.
but seriously.
great proximity to great singapore sale = goooood
i feel so lucky i work right in the middle of town, i feel so lucky i can hop on across the street no matter rain or shine and use that lunch hour to go shopping when there are no crowds; oh my maninni goodness i feel so lucky i could bust a vein.
but seriously.
great proximity to great singapore sale = goooood
Friday, May 23, 2008
conditioned and booked
i recall having wanting a brand new air-conditioning machine just a few days back (last week?) and this week, my landlord told me to leave my room door unlocked so the air-con people could come and fix a new one!
wow, how cool's that?? : ))
also, i'd given a book i'd bought (millionaire mind by t harv eker) to someone i thought needed it when in my mind i was like, don't give it to her, don't give it to her - and what did i do? i went and gave it to her.
BUT. the next day, literally, a package came for me. and in it, hey! there is a copy of the very same book, in hard cover! imagine my elation and surprise!
yes i'd ordered it, from the self-same t harv eker, but i'd expected it to be another book, another programme, but wow, look! isn't this great? : ) it's odd how the things that you give away simply comes back to you. reaping what you sow, eh, pei?
thankfully you'd sowed good seeds!
wow, how cool's that?? : ))
also, i'd given a book i'd bought (millionaire mind by t harv eker) to someone i thought needed it when in my mind i was like, don't give it to her, don't give it to her - and what did i do? i went and gave it to her.
BUT. the next day, literally, a package came for me. and in it, hey! there is a copy of the very same book, in hard cover! imagine my elation and surprise!
yes i'd ordered it, from the self-same t harv eker, but i'd expected it to be another book, another programme, but wow, look! isn't this great? : ) it's odd how the things that you give away simply comes back to you. reaping what you sow, eh, pei?
thankfully you'd sowed good seeds!
Monday, May 19, 2008
oh, yeah
oh yeah.
i found out, today, during the two-and-a-half hours worth of waiting, that i am famous amongst the japanese media in singapore, thanks to my boss. -_-
i'd exchanged my namecard to this japanese gentleman, who upon seeing my name said "ahhh, you are famous, loren-san!"
O o whaat??
followed by, "fujimoto-san is very proud of you!"
i still cannot make head nor tail out of it. was it something i said??
i found out, today, during the two-and-a-half hours worth of waiting, that i am famous amongst the japanese media in singapore, thanks to my boss. -_-
i'd exchanged my namecard to this japanese gentleman, who upon seeing my name said "ahhh, you are famous, loren-san!"
O o whaat??
followed by, "fujimoto-san is very proud of you!"
i still cannot make head nor tail out of it. was it something i said??
press conference
i was at this ASEAN press conference today for the myanmar situation and what ASEAN's going to do about the nargis situation and the impasse that the junta's been putting up – suffice to say, there was a lot of waiting.
the conference was scheduled to begin at 3:15pm but the media were to register at 2:00pm. thus we waited. till 4:30pm.
it was only then that the ministers of ASEAN arrived in full. many burning questions were unanswered by the ASEAN committee, though these things are for sure:
1) ASEAN (ministereal level) is coming up with a mechanism to handle aid and quickly and efficiently distribute aid to affected areas.
2) myanmar's very first step in rectifying the situation is to accept medical personnel from ASEAN into affected regions to dispense medical assistance.
3) foreign aid will only be accepted under the condition that it will not be politicised.
4) how the mechanism works or what it is, has not been established yet, but they are going to talk about it. in fact, surin (ASEAN secretariat) will be headed over to myanmar to get the ball rolling in the next two days.
perhaps the perceived avoidance of the burning questions are practical, though it can be seen as a shielding of myanmar and therefore raise more questions and eyebrows. questions like, "is the junta going to get away with leaving so many people to die while aid waits outside of its doors?"
ASEAN almost kicked myanmar out, but did not, having been persuaded otherwise by an internal member. perhaps it did not understand why myanmar's this touchy about certain situations initially, that maybe it was afraid of political strings attached to the aid that hovers right before its nose.
dangerous, i'd agree; and equally dangerous to do nothing while your own people die and the world watches on with you. perhaps that was why myanmar hesitated for some time, not quite knowing what to do about the disaster with the poll in tow. it's easy to make murderers out of the junta, regardless of whether they are or are not, if they meant to or otherwise.
personally i think there must be sufficient reason that ultimately ASEAN did not haul myanmar's butt out the door. for today it was with a united front that ASEAN spoke, though i foresee that myanmar will continue to draw sharp questions from the media. to answer them truthfully may spell myanmar's own admission to its fear of being seen as weak, or that the junta is indeed well, militant, to say the least. or both.
it can avoid questions, saying that they need to look forward and the issue here is to save the people and report on the current developments instead of pursuing the past while they come up with palatable reason as to why the delay during such a time and situation. perhaps, perhaps. then again, that's my take.
well, now that they've thrashed it out on the ASEAN table, let's hope this works out better quickly, that people won't have to die slow diahorrheac deaths. here's praying the "mechanism" gets worked out quick (hopefully even faster with indonesia's input) and that it will quickly get implemented.
the conference was scheduled to begin at 3:15pm but the media were to register at 2:00pm. thus we waited. till 4:30pm.
it was only then that the ministers of ASEAN arrived in full. many burning questions were unanswered by the ASEAN committee, though these things are for sure:
1) ASEAN (ministereal level) is coming up with a mechanism to handle aid and quickly and efficiently distribute aid to affected areas.
2) myanmar's very first step in rectifying the situation is to accept medical personnel from ASEAN into affected regions to dispense medical assistance.
3) foreign aid will only be accepted under the condition that it will not be politicised.
4) how the mechanism works or what it is, has not been established yet, but they are going to talk about it. in fact, surin (ASEAN secretariat) will be headed over to myanmar to get the ball rolling in the next two days.
perhaps the perceived avoidance of the burning questions are practical, though it can be seen as a shielding of myanmar and therefore raise more questions and eyebrows. questions like, "is the junta going to get away with leaving so many people to die while aid waits outside of its doors?"
ASEAN almost kicked myanmar out, but did not, having been persuaded otherwise by an internal member. perhaps it did not understand why myanmar's this touchy about certain situations initially, that maybe it was afraid of political strings attached to the aid that hovers right before its nose.
dangerous, i'd agree; and equally dangerous to do nothing while your own people die and the world watches on with you. perhaps that was why myanmar hesitated for some time, not quite knowing what to do about the disaster with the poll in tow. it's easy to make murderers out of the junta, regardless of whether they are or are not, if they meant to or otherwise.
personally i think there must be sufficient reason that ultimately ASEAN did not haul myanmar's butt out the door. for today it was with a united front that ASEAN spoke, though i foresee that myanmar will continue to draw sharp questions from the media. to answer them truthfully may spell myanmar's own admission to its fear of being seen as weak, or that the junta is indeed well, militant, to say the least. or both.
it can avoid questions, saying that they need to look forward and the issue here is to save the people and report on the current developments instead of pursuing the past while they come up with palatable reason as to why the delay during such a time and situation. perhaps, perhaps. then again, that's my take.
well, now that they've thrashed it out on the ASEAN table, let's hope this works out better quickly, that people won't have to die slow diahorrheac deaths. here's praying the "mechanism" gets worked out quick (hopefully even faster with indonesia's input) and that it will quickly get implemented.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
newspapers-gone-away
earlier this week, i found out that hey, our saturday and sunday papers are not there. so i called our paperboys and told them about our missing papers and they dutifully sent them over.
then i took a day off on tuesday as i needed to see the doctor. when i went to the office on wednesday – hey! our papers are missing again!
i smelt a rat. the paperboys aren't that careless nor lazy. in fact, they're pretty efficient. and good-looking, in a newspaperboy-ey kinda way.
ahem.
so feeling a little incredulous about having our papers stolen, i sought out the cleaner lady and asked if she'd taken it or seen it or seen anyone taking it – nope. she saw it, but she did nothing with it, left it at our doorstep. alright, so i looked around, poked about in dustbins, walked past glass doors several times and if the doors were wooden crouch down to trodden-carpet level to try to spot ravaged remains of my poor weekend papers through gaps under the doors – no not really. but suffice to say, i looked around... and since i didn't take it upon myself to barge into offices swinging my corded office phone like a morningstar while unleashing a warcry* – i figured it's going to be hard to get my papers back.
i was miffed. i needed my papers. so i asked if the building overseer might help me out with this, we rely greatly on newspapers, we can't do with people taking our newspapers! we are all upright citizens of singapore, honest inhabitants of the building! nobody should be taking anybody else's papers! i mean, what am i going to torture my boss with???
these people! they need to go to craftyhands school**.
* it would sound strangely like "OVERTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!!!"
**they'll teach you to steal valuable items, first. not that i've been there.
then i took a day off on tuesday as i needed to see the doctor. when i went to the office on wednesday – hey! our papers are missing again!
i smelt a rat. the paperboys aren't that careless nor lazy. in fact, they're pretty efficient. and good-looking, in a newspaperboy-ey kinda way.
ahem.
so feeling a little incredulous about having our papers stolen, i sought out the cleaner lady and asked if she'd taken it or seen it or seen anyone taking it – nope. she saw it, but she did nothing with it, left it at our doorstep. alright, so i looked around, poked about in dustbins, walked past glass doors several times and if the doors were wooden crouch down to trodden-carpet level to try to spot ravaged remains of my poor weekend papers through gaps under the doors – no not really. but suffice to say, i looked around... and since i didn't take it upon myself to barge into offices swinging my corded office phone like a morningstar while unleashing a warcry* – i figured it's going to be hard to get my papers back.
i was miffed. i needed my papers. so i asked if the building overseer might help me out with this, we rely greatly on newspapers, we can't do with people taking our newspapers! we are all upright citizens of singapore, honest inhabitants of the building! nobody should be taking anybody else's papers! i mean, what am i going to torture my boss with???
these people! they need to go to craftyhands school**.
* it would sound strangely like "OVERTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!!!"
**they'll teach you to steal valuable items, first. not that i've been there.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
polite as pie
"Well, Ben Rogers, if I was as ignorant as you I wouldn't let on. Kill the women? No – nobody ever saw anything in the books like that. You fetch them to the cave, and you're always as polite as pie to them; and by-and-by they fall in love with you and never want to go home no more." - Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
brr
wow, look at the rain.
the office's cold enough as it is in this air-conditioned nation - and still it rains. cold!
the office's cold enough as it is in this air-conditioned nation - and still it rains. cold!
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.
When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
T'was Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares...
we have already come.
T'was Grace that brought us safe thus far...
and Grace will lead us home.
The Lord has promised good to me...
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be...
as long as life endures.
When we've been here ten thousand years...
bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise...
then when we've first begun.
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
falls
i fell.
i fell twice in three days - once on the staircase going up (thank heavens it wasn't when i was coming down) and once during a mad chase of an errant sparrow in the house. i was chasing it with a frying pan and believe me, i'd've smacked it one if i caught it.
hm. i suppose my knees are showing the bruises.
i wonder if i can ever catch a sparrow.
i fell twice in three days - once on the staircase going up (thank heavens it wasn't when i was coming down) and once during a mad chase of an errant sparrow in the house. i was chasing it with a frying pan and believe me, i'd've smacked it one if i caught it.
hm. i suppose my knees are showing the bruises.
i wonder if i can ever catch a sparrow.
Friday, May 09, 2008
foreign press conferences
so i attended these two press briefings yesterday and today at the japanese embassy, and both briefings were completely in japanese - a language that i only recognise a few highly-utilised words.
like "udon". which was not mentioned.
so the talk was about myanmar and the aftermath of having a tornado dance on it just six days back - i've been reading about the disaster and i couldn't help but curse the military junta for being idiots about international aid. you accept supplies yet keep your well-meaning neighbours at the door when your own people are dying???
talk about sticking one's head in one's own arse!
so the japanese embassy called us journalists to give us the latest updates for japan's latest moves with regards to myanmar's situation – japan is pledging US10 million to myanmar, and that myanmar's to make necessary arrangements to receive it on their end. of course, there are mentions of warming ties between japan and china....
so if you're wondering how on earth i understood all of that mentioned above – there's this wonderful lady mayuko-san – also a reporter, who translated the main points of the entire briefing to us three non-japanese speaking people and made sitting there listening to a language i could catch no word of worth it.
sorta.
well throughout the half-hour briefing, i kept having the urge to giggle. simply because it was very tempting to do so. i mean, here are officials in solemn gray suits seated behind serious-looking wood-topped desks in a brightly-lit room with a cream backdrop, speaking solemnly in a language i couldn't quite understand – how can anyone not have the urge to laugh in such a situation??*
anyways. i wondered if they'd call me an anti-japanese heathen then proceed to howl me out of that place.
i wondered if i would have an ally mcbeal moment, and i fought it. i possibly shouldn't have, for the more i fought it the more i wanted to giggle. when they're talking about a disaster-swept myanmar.
that would probably spell the end of my japanese reporting career - possibly until i explain that i understood no word of japanese and that the speaker's rhythmic scratching of his sleeve made me think of a geisha strumming the strings of her whatever it is that they strum. ...somehow i don't think they'd be charmed by that.
the more i contemplated it the bigger the giggle became, oh my goodness me; i'd've stuck it if hadn't focused on how it's not funny, how it's not funny, how...
thankfully, i was able to dissipate the giggles and was straight-faced and poised throughout so the half-hour passed without incident. then the briefing ended and we left the building.
and i went to harry's and congratulated myself with half a pint of kilk's. perhaps i'll encourage acts of willpower with a nice gin-and-bitterlemon next. ;)
* it's like hiding from someone and suddenly having to sneeze just as the person is walking past you.
like "udon". which was not mentioned.
so the talk was about myanmar and the aftermath of having a tornado dance on it just six days back - i've been reading about the disaster and i couldn't help but curse the military junta for being idiots about international aid. you accept supplies yet keep your well-meaning neighbours at the door when your own people are dying???
talk about sticking one's head in one's own arse!
so the japanese embassy called us journalists to give us the latest updates for japan's latest moves with regards to myanmar's situation – japan is pledging US10 million to myanmar, and that myanmar's to make necessary arrangements to receive it on their end. of course, there are mentions of warming ties between japan and china....
so if you're wondering how on earth i understood all of that mentioned above – there's this wonderful lady mayuko-san – also a reporter, who translated the main points of the entire briefing to us three non-japanese speaking people and made sitting there listening to a language i could catch no word of worth it.
sorta.
well throughout the half-hour briefing, i kept having the urge to giggle. simply because it was very tempting to do so. i mean, here are officials in solemn gray suits seated behind serious-looking wood-topped desks in a brightly-lit room with a cream backdrop, speaking solemnly in a language i couldn't quite understand – how can anyone not have the urge to laugh in such a situation??*
anyways. i wondered if they'd call me an anti-japanese heathen then proceed to howl me out of that place.
i wondered if i would have an ally mcbeal moment, and i fought it. i possibly shouldn't have, for the more i fought it the more i wanted to giggle. when they're talking about a disaster-swept myanmar.
that would probably spell the end of my japanese reporting career - possibly until i explain that i understood no word of japanese and that the speaker's rhythmic scratching of his sleeve made me think of a geisha strumming the strings of her whatever it is that they strum. ...somehow i don't think they'd be charmed by that.
the more i contemplated it the bigger the giggle became, oh my goodness me; i'd've stuck it if hadn't focused on how it's not funny, how it's not funny, how...
thankfully, i was able to dissipate the giggles and was straight-faced and poised throughout so the half-hour passed without incident. then the briefing ended and we left the building.
and i went to harry's and congratulated myself with half a pint of kilk's. perhaps i'll encourage acts of willpower with a nice gin-and-bitterlemon next. ;)
* it's like hiding from someone and suddenly having to sneeze just as the person is walking past you.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
cheese
oooh yes. oh yes yes yes yes – nothing beats an after-dinner snack like a small sliver of onion-and-chives cheese on ritz biscuits.
nope, i'm not your traditional/elegant cheese-eater. table water is for when you have some prized buffalo cheese imported from switzerland. then i'll go for table water. otherwise.. .ritz. yum!
hmmm. i want to have someone to share all of these with. i want a fellow mouse :)
Sunday, May 04, 2008
korean traffice police with wonder girls
hahaha you can watch the original one here at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQTIsi0IlZc. for best results, view the original first, then view the spoof.
groceries
i went grocery shopping today, and am delighted to find out that hey i can make myself an udon dish! like, a proper udon dish with miso soup and veg and plump, juicy shrooms! :))
i would've loved to cook and share it. haha! pioneer-woman-but-not-quite - she did spaghetti and i'm going to do udon LOL
but since marlboro men aren't readily available in this part of the globe, all the glorious udon and shrooms will be mine!
mm. that is a thought fit to cheer a destitute up! :) yummm
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