Biscuits as a Centrepiece on a Conference Table
You can hardly stretch beyond half the width of the conference table unless you lay your body on the table and make a reach, like a tired secretary cavorting with her boss.
Yet, the biscuits are placed right at the centre of the table, out of the usual reach of the meeting participants.
It's like a gesture of fake friendliness, a rhetoric open invitation (if such a thing exists).
The biscuits, coated in their luscious cream and chocolate, sit safely, losing their crispness in the humid surroundings.
Like a centrepiece, it sits looking pretty, wiling not a bit under everyone's eyes but becoming less savoury with time.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Spaggeddies (Marina Square)
Spaggeddies (Marina Square)
They are having a 1-for-1 for Mamma's Specialties to celebrate their opening.
Valid till 31 Mar.
They are having a 1-for-1 for Mamma's Specialties to celebrate their opening.
Valid till 31 Mar.
Imperial Kitchen (Marina Square)
Imperial Kitchen (Marina Square)
Pu'er Tea - F (God! There was only colour, and no taste!)
Nanjing Duck in Brine - D (Tasteless thin slivers of duck breast.)
Li Bai Drunken Chicken - F (Honestly, there are better wine out there. Chicken was quite tough, even though it's the leg - Drumstick and thigh)
Deep fried pork ribs - B (Succulently cooked through with a sweet-tangy sauce topped with chopped spring onions and served with sweet chilli)
Wanton in Chilli Oil - A (The wantons were great!)
Wonton Soup - A (See above)
Shanghai Tan-tan Noodles - A (For noodles), C (For sauce - too much peanuts, the cheap alternative)
Beijing Dumplings - C (The chef innovatively tried to pack in the soup into these a la xiao-long-bao, but they didn't impress)
Deep Fried Egg Whites with Red Bean Paste and Banana - F (For god's sake, how could any one use high gluten flour to hold up the egg whites and expect the resulting dessert not to taste like rubber balls?!)
Service - B
Ambience - C
Decor - C
Number of excuses for less than good food - A+ (They never seem to run out of them!)
The meal came up to under $60. Forgettable.
Pu'er Tea - F (God! There was only colour, and no taste!)
Nanjing Duck in Brine - D (Tasteless thin slivers of duck breast.)
Li Bai Drunken Chicken - F (Honestly, there are better wine out there. Chicken was quite tough, even though it's the leg - Drumstick and thigh)
Deep fried pork ribs - B (Succulently cooked through with a sweet-tangy sauce topped with chopped spring onions and served with sweet chilli)
Wanton in Chilli Oil - A (The wantons were great!)
Wonton Soup - A (See above)
Shanghai Tan-tan Noodles - A (For noodles), C (For sauce - too much peanuts, the cheap alternative)
Beijing Dumplings - C (The chef innovatively tried to pack in the soup into these a la xiao-long-bao, but they didn't impress)
Deep Fried Egg Whites with Red Bean Paste and Banana - F (For god's sake, how could any one use high gluten flour to hold up the egg whites and expect the resulting dessert not to taste like rubber balls?!)
Service - B
Ambience - C
Decor - C
Number of excuses for less than good food - A+ (They never seem to run out of them!)
The meal came up to under $60. Forgettable.
Different lives
Different lives
A friend is getting a 25.5% pay increase to jump ship and he's wondering if he should.
Darn!
I'll be lucky not to get 25.5% more work without extra pay...
A friend is getting a 25.5% pay increase to jump ship and he's wondering if he should.
Darn!
I'll be lucky not to get 25.5% more work without extra pay...
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Just a little more...
Just a little more...
Just a little more turned out to be too much. But you gave your life for the organisation you probably loved. Still, the question is, Had it been worthwhile?
I hope you are in a better place.
This post is dedicated to the SAF officer who died suddenly during the biathlon on Sunday. His name is Bernard Tan Cheow Han. I know of him, but did not know him personally.
Just a little more turned out to be too much. But you gave your life for the organisation you probably loved. Still, the question is, Had it been worthwhile?
I hope you are in a better place.
This post is dedicated to the SAF officer who died suddenly during the biathlon on Sunday. His name is Bernard Tan Cheow Han. I know of him, but did not know him personally.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Brokeback Mountain
Brokeback Mountain
Took a quick browse of the Annie Proulx's short story, Brokeback Mountain. Was not very long, about a few tens of pages.
Read it at Times Marina Square when my dinner partner went to negotiate some major business deal.
It was well-written. Something like a porno story out of a internet gay-porn site. The words were used in a very succinct and cutting manner.
Annie wrote in a very masculine way. It did not feel like a woman's work at all.
Still, it was quite electrifying to read the concise story that became a hit. Lee Ang left nothing to imagination - he fleshed out the suggested portions of the story.
But he did it in a tasteful way. Small wonder he is an auteur. We are mere movie buffs. Anyway I must say that the movie was great and so was the short story.
Someday, I'll get the book.
Took a quick browse of the Annie Proulx's short story, Brokeback Mountain. Was not very long, about a few tens of pages.
Read it at Times Marina Square when my dinner partner went to negotiate some major business deal.
It was well-written. Something like a porno story out of a internet gay-porn site. The words were used in a very succinct and cutting manner.
Annie wrote in a very masculine way. It did not feel like a woman's work at all.
Still, it was quite electrifying to read the concise story that became a hit. Lee Ang left nothing to imagination - he fleshed out the suggested portions of the story.
But he did it in a tasteful way. Small wonder he is an auteur. We are mere movie buffs. Anyway I must say that the movie was great and so was the short story.
Someday, I'll get the book.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Should Teachers Blog?
Should Teachers Blog?
Life in the Sunday Times today explored this question.
I am just reminded (yet again) of my run in with my principal when she told me that what I blogged can be used against me.
I wonder what is so damned great about a teacher that s/he must trade off his or her privacy and private life to do the job.
I sold my time to the education ministry to do my work. I didn't PROSTITUTE myself to my job.
So why am I deprived of my rights to do what I want?
Even though I can agree that back-biting and politics should not be brought open into cyberspace, the fact remains that teachers NEED A PLACE TO VENT. And if everyone can be venting on the internet, why can't teachers?
Why not regulate when teachers inhale and exhale their next breath as well?
Life in the Sunday Times today explored this question.
I am just reminded (yet again) of my run in with my principal when she told me that what I blogged can be used against me.
I wonder what is so damned great about a teacher that s/he must trade off his or her privacy and private life to do the job.
I sold my time to the education ministry to do my work. I didn't PROSTITUTE myself to my job.
So why am I deprived of my rights to do what I want?
Even though I can agree that back-biting and politics should not be brought open into cyberspace, the fact remains that teachers NEED A PLACE TO VENT. And if everyone can be venting on the internet, why can't teachers?
Why not regulate when teachers inhale and exhale their next breath as well?
Bug Problem Solved
Bug Problem Solved
Finally located the source of the bugs which had bothered me for a long enough period of time.
It originated from a packet of unopened bow-ties (pasta).
I won't go on any more.
Finally located the source of the bugs which had bothered me for a long enough period of time.
It originated from a packet of unopened bow-ties (pasta).
I won't go on any more.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Snow White
Snow White
Just thought this was very funny, but I couldn't remember where I had seen it.
The gist of it goes:
After umpteenth times that Snow White failed to get the pictures she had sent in to develop, the counter lady told her, "Some day, your prints will come."
Just thought this was very funny, but I couldn't remember where I had seen it.
The gist of it goes:
After umpteenth times that Snow White failed to get the pictures she had sent in to develop, the counter lady told her, "Some day, your prints will come."
Bliss
Bliss
Bliss is currently broadly defined as:
Eating a bowl of piping-hot self-cooked porridge with fermented beancurd and preserved olives while watching in succession 2 hours of television programmes.
Go figure.
Bliss is currently broadly defined as:
Eating a bowl of piping-hot self-cooked porridge with fermented beancurd and preserved olives while watching in succession 2 hours of television programmes.
Go figure.
Zap Zap
Zap Zap
Never failed to be damned irritated by the massager advertisement that goes "zap zap" here, "zap zap" there. The advertisement markets the massager as a vibrating belt which reduces the size of parts of the body.
I think it goes:
"Zap zap hips, zap zap hips.
"Zap zap thighs, zap zap thighs..."
So irritating.
Maybe it is also time to
"Zap zap breasts, zap zap breasts",
because oversized ones were thought to cause bimbo-ism.
But it is definitely time to remove it from the copywriter's head:
"Zap zap brains, zap zap brains"
Small (pun intended) wonder there isn't much intelligence left.
Never failed to be damned irritated by the massager advertisement that goes "zap zap" here, "zap zap" there. The advertisement markets the massager as a vibrating belt which reduces the size of parts of the body.
I think it goes:
"Zap zap hips, zap zap hips.
"Zap zap thighs, zap zap thighs..."
So irritating.
Maybe it is also time to
"Zap zap breasts, zap zap breasts",
because oversized ones were thought to cause bimbo-ism.
But it is definitely time to remove it from the copywriter's head:
"Zap zap brains, zap zap brains"
Small (pun intended) wonder there isn't much intelligence left.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Class Gatherings
Class Gatherings
My lunch partners spoke of class gatherings today. One looked forward to meeting his ex-classmates while another hated the fakies and bragging that came with these gatherings.
I personally don't like gatherings. At least I did not like what happened to those gatherings that my class had. They were oblique bragging sesisons.
Now that I had my own form class and I meet them regularly enough, I try to keep those gatherings apolitical. We talk about everything under the sun. Everyone is equal. In your group of friends, it does not matter who earns more, who holds a higher postion, who is more influential... The group congregates because there is a common, shared life between them.
Simply meeting and appreciating that your friends are around and they still care about you is the best thing that can happen. And that is what is important.
My lunch partners spoke of class gatherings today. One looked forward to meeting his ex-classmates while another hated the fakies and bragging that came with these gatherings.
I personally don't like gatherings. At least I did not like what happened to those gatherings that my class had. They were oblique bragging sesisons.
Now that I had my own form class and I meet them regularly enough, I try to keep those gatherings apolitical. We talk about everything under the sun. Everyone is equal. In your group of friends, it does not matter who earns more, who holds a higher postion, who is more influential... The group congregates because there is a common, shared life between them.
Simply meeting and appreciating that your friends are around and they still care about you is the best thing that can happen. And that is what is important.
Housewarming
Housewarming
Visited an ex-colleague couple who had their housewarming on Sunday. Didn't expect that many other ex-colleagues are also staying in the same estate as them. In fact, they were close neighbours.
After that, went to another ex-colleague's house and bitched till the roof nearly collapsed.
It had been a long time since I left the school and many things have changed.
Fortunately, we are still us. Stronger, more steely determination, more resilient, but also more haggard, less cheerful.
It was a good chat on Saturday and things have changed a great deal. But the enduring friendship remains strong. Fortunately, some things in life remain constant.
Visited an ex-colleague couple who had their housewarming on Sunday. Didn't expect that many other ex-colleagues are also staying in the same estate as them. In fact, they were close neighbours.
After that, went to another ex-colleague's house and bitched till the roof nearly collapsed.
It had been a long time since I left the school and many things have changed.
Fortunately, we are still us. Stronger, more steely determination, more resilient, but also more haggard, less cheerful.
It was a good chat on Saturday and things have changed a great deal. But the enduring friendship remains strong. Fortunately, some things in life remain constant.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
My daily breakfast
My daily breakfast
1. 6 types of cereals and muesli
2. 12 types of different berry mashes, rhubarb compotes, yogurts...
3. Fried pancake
4. Grilled tomatoes
5. Hashbrown
6. (Steamed) poached eggs
7. Beef sausages
8. Bacon (those that were freshly made had so much fats attached to it, those which were leaner were tougher - they were reheated leftovers)
9. Sunny side ups - with the yolks raped
10. Boiled eggs
11. Breads
12. Spreads
13. Danish
14. Weak coffee - a tiny pack of sugar would have sweetened it
I can recall all these because the same items were served every day for breakfast in Canberra.
Sydney? No breakfast provided.
1. 6 types of cereals and muesli
2. 12 types of different berry mashes, rhubarb compotes, yogurts...
3. Fried pancake
4. Grilled tomatoes
5. Hashbrown
6. (Steamed) poached eggs
7. Beef sausages
8. Bacon (those that were freshly made had so much fats attached to it, those which were leaner were tougher - they were reheated leftovers)
9. Sunny side ups - with the yolks raped
10. Boiled eggs
11. Breads
12. Spreads
13. Danish
14. Weak coffee - a tiny pack of sugar would have sweetened it
I can recall all these because the same items were served every day for breakfast in Canberra.
Sydney? No breakfast provided.
Size matters
Size matters
Those who know me know that I am big. Fat. Round. Whatever.
So I flew to Australia on a Boeing 747. I typically dislike flying on 747s. The last time I took a 747 a few years ago, I found the seat small and tight and the pitch was hardly enough for me to stop my knees from knocking into the row in front.
This time around, the seats were wide - comparatively, I could wriggle my bum in the seat and adopt a couple of seating leaning positions.
There was this woman who is probably 5 feet flat at most (1.52 m) and her hips were 1.5 times mine.
She first complained that the seats were so small.
Then she went to the toilet midway during the flight and when she returned, she told her friends that the loo was so tiny.
The toilet design on a plane beats some of the toilet designs in Canberra hands down. Rydges Hotel, where I stayed in, had a ground floor gentlemen's room with a door that opens into a pillar. It would have taken a gymnast or an acrobat to get past that door to enter the toilet. I nearly couldn't manoeuvre myself out.
I wonder what would have befallen Miss Big Hips.
Those who know me know that I am big. Fat. Round. Whatever.
So I flew to Australia on a Boeing 747. I typically dislike flying on 747s. The last time I took a 747 a few years ago, I found the seat small and tight and the pitch was hardly enough for me to stop my knees from knocking into the row in front.
This time around, the seats were wide - comparatively, I could wriggle my bum in the seat and adopt a couple of seating leaning positions.
There was this woman who is probably 5 feet flat at most (1.52 m) and her hips were 1.5 times mine.
She first complained that the seats were so small.
Then she went to the toilet midway during the flight and when she returned, she told her friends that the loo was so tiny.
The toilet design on a plane beats some of the toilet designs in Canberra hands down. Rydges Hotel, where I stayed in, had a ground floor gentlemen's room with a door that opens into a pillar. It would have taken a gymnast or an acrobat to get past that door to enter the toilet. I nearly couldn't manoeuvre myself out.
I wonder what would have befallen Miss Big Hips.
Royal Highnesses
Royal Highnesses
Her Royal Highness The Queen and His Royal Highness The Supreme Bitch were in Sydney at the same time.
Unfortunately, they didn't see each other.
But the Supreme Bitch met the Queen on her birthday in London in 1999.
Interesting how things in life go.
Oh yes, when the Supreme Bitch came home, it seemed that the Queen followed. :-)
Her Royal Highness The Queen and His Royal Highness The Supreme Bitch were in Sydney at the same time.
Unfortunately, they didn't see each other.
But the Supreme Bitch met the Queen on her birthday in London in 1999.
Interesting how things in life go.
Oh yes, when the Supreme Bitch came home, it seemed that the Queen followed. :-)
SQ 222
SQ 222
Took the flight back on 16 Mar 06. Departed Sydney punctually at 1655 h.
Sat at the end of the plane. Good choice cos the seat cushions were still firm. Or at least still existing. When I flew down to Sydney earlier, the cushions on the seat was almost worn out, giving me a freaking painful butt.
But what stood out was the INCREDIBLE level of service. I never knew you could feel on the top of the world in economy class. Just two cheerful, responsive, meticulous, proactive stewardesses and a steward made the entire section properly fed, well hydrated throughout the entire flight.
When we hit turbulence, they simply calmly walked out of their rest areas and cheerfully but firmly got everyone to belt up and helped whoever was fiddling with their seatbelts.
One of them was from Korea. It is amazing that the recruitment programme was so successful. Imagine the Singapore Girl coming from Korea - if it were not for being loyal to the company and committed to the job, who would have bothered?
The girls epitomised what the Singapore Girl ought to be. The premium is worth it. And they have set new service standards against which the rest of the crew has to live up to from now on.
Took the flight back on 16 Mar 06. Departed Sydney punctually at 1655 h.
Sat at the end of the plane. Good choice cos the seat cushions were still firm. Or at least still existing. When I flew down to Sydney earlier, the cushions on the seat was almost worn out, giving me a freaking painful butt.
But what stood out was the INCREDIBLE level of service. I never knew you could feel on the top of the world in economy class. Just two cheerful, responsive, meticulous, proactive stewardesses and a steward made the entire section properly fed, well hydrated throughout the entire flight.
When we hit turbulence, they simply calmly walked out of their rest areas and cheerfully but firmly got everyone to belt up and helped whoever was fiddling with their seatbelts.
One of them was from Korea. It is amazing that the recruitment programme was so successful. Imagine the Singapore Girl coming from Korea - if it were not for being loyal to the company and committed to the job, who would have bothered?
The girls epitomised what the Singapore Girl ought to be. The premium is worth it. And they have set new service standards against which the rest of the crew has to live up to from now on.
Where you stand
Where you stand
Where are you from?
Singapore.
Oh, when did you arrive?
Sunday, 12 Mar.
So, when are you going back?
. . .
They are just so intent to see you go home. It's so clear you are not welcome here.
Where are you from?
Singapore.
Oh, when did you arrive?
Sunday, 12 Mar.
So, when are you going back?
. . .
They are just so intent to see you go home. It's so clear you are not welcome here.
Food Down Under
Food Down Under
1. Kangaroo Meat
2. Oysters
3. Bugs
4. Nectarines
5. Raspberry tart
6. Savoury pizza bread
7. Turkish food (exceptionally high class food and surroundings, courtesy of our wonderful hosts)
8. Flat whites (cafe latte)
9. Pork two ways (belly meat and fillet)
10. Semi-skim milk (smooth, like full cream milk)
11. Cheese
12. Bread (savoury pizza style, pesto with ham rolls, cheese bread)
13. Yogurt
14. Tuna sashimi
15. Salmon sashimi
16. Korean kimchi
17. Dinners which cost in excess of $75 for 2 people, excluding tips.
18. Australian wines
1. Kangaroo Meat
2. Oysters
3. Bugs
4. Nectarines
5. Raspberry tart
6. Savoury pizza bread
7. Turkish food (exceptionally high class food and surroundings, courtesy of our wonderful hosts)
8. Flat whites (cafe latte)
9. Pork two ways (belly meat and fillet)
10. Semi-skim milk (smooth, like full cream milk)
11. Cheese
12. Bread (savoury pizza style, pesto with ham rolls, cheese bread)
13. Yogurt
14. Tuna sashimi
15. Salmon sashimi
16. Korean kimchi
17. Dinners which cost in excess of $75 for 2 people, excluding tips.
18. Australian wines
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