Hougang Case VIII

Wed night / Thu: 4am, but went to bed at 6am.

The. Case. Is. Finally. Over.

I. Am. So. Farking. Tired.

I have also heard disturbing news, once again demonstrating the fallibility of men. Sigh.



Post Date: 30 Nov 2006

Hougang Case VII

Tue night / Wed: 2.30am

Thank goodness the job is finally done. Summary tomorrow.



Post Date: 29 Nov 2006

Hougang Case VI

Mon night / Tue: 1.30am

Just got back.

I've just realised the differences:

Helper / 死党
- someone that helps you with your work
- someone you clown around with
- someone that you show extraordinary patience and forgiveness towards

Helper / 亲信
- someone that helps you with your work
- someone you confide with
- someone that you have a soft spot for

Helper / Senior
- someone that helps you with your work
- someone more senior than you
- someone that you discuss the obligatory issues with

Lord Buddha, are all these part of your divine plans for me?
(Update: I checked, and the response is ... yes.)



Post Date: 28 Nov 2006

Hougang Case V

Thu night / Fri: 1.30am

Fri night / Sat: 7am

Sat night: 11.45pm

Sun night / Mon: 1.30am



Post Date: 27 Nov 2006

See, the superficiality of society!

I so believed in it that I even wrote a GP essay on it!



Post Date: 27 Nov 2006

AMW

I abhor:

• not being able to control my own time
• being pushed beyond my limits
• being torn between personal life and "greater good"
• being held ransom (when it happens)

I miss:

• chilling out at home with Wifey, at our own leisure
• spending quality time with my family, without having to watch the clock
• going to bed at the time I want

I wish:

• to have my time back
• I can go to work everyday morning feeling FRESH
• my boss will not detect the drop in my productivity and efficiency
• I don't have to lie anymore

Post Date: 23 Nov 2006

Hougang Case IV

Wed night / Thu: 1.45am



Post Date: 23 Nov 2006

Hougang Case III

Sun night / Mon: 12.45am, but to AMK first

Mon night / Tue: 1.30am

Tue night / Wed: 1.45am



Post Date: 22 Nov 2006

Hougang Case II

Sengkang → AMK → Jurong
Jurong → Yishun → Hougang → Jurong
Jurong → Lornie → Jurong
Jurong → Hougang → Jurong



Post Date: 22 Nov 2006

Mystery of the missing catalogues

When we went over to Mum's 2 nights ago, and saw the very inviting red-coloured, Christmas-themed Ikea catalogue, that was it.

"I'm going to call Ikea and Sony tomorrow to complain", I told Wifey.

Where is my bloody Sony catalogue? I can't even remember the last time I got one, but I keep seeing them pop up at Mum's. And where is my Ikea Christmas catalogue? I mean, I've been holding my breath, waiting for the Tampines store to open - how can they do this to me??

The call to Sony yielded some answers - the catalogue is not distributed island-wide. While the girl told me it's the management's decision where to send them to, methinks it's based on some profiling, and my area falls out of the crack. She was nice enough to offer to send me a copy, but I would still have to call her to demand a copy everytime I don't get it. TMD.

The call to Ikea was an angrier one. Although I remembered later that I have been receiving their catalogues (just later than Mum), the total inability of the customer service person to give me a straight answer put me very off. After saying she'll check with Singpost, I asked her why she never asked for my name and number. She grudgingly did. The case was subsequently resolved amicably after a Marcom lady Cassandra called to say she has checked with Singpost, and all delivery will be done by 22 Nov. Told her she has better customer service skill than her customer service team.

I definitely jumped the gun. Last night, in the mailbox, was the very inviting red-coloured, Christmas-themed Ikea catalogue.





Post Date: 17 Nov 2006

Mazda CX-7

Sent Elliot for servicing this morning and walked past the showroom.

Got attracted to the CX-7, so I walked in. It is a real beauty.


A 2.3l with direct injection engine, 9-speaker Bose sound system, keyless entry, electric sunroof, and many, many more features.


I am only $100,000 away from owning this baby.



Post Date: 17 Nov 2006

Not very happy

An ex-boss together with an ex-colleague coincidentally brought their customers to our place just now. After the customers left, we had coffee together.

The first comment thrown my way when we were just about to sit down was: "Wah, ler see bare pui leh! So much fatter compared to last time!"

Basket. Yes, I know I've not as skinny as before, yes, I know both of you are vain gym fanatics. Not that I'm angry with them, cos that's the frankness of our conversations over the years. It's just that ... the truth hurts. I'm also angry with myself for being such a King of Procrastination. It's my own body, for crying out loud!! Next 2 months' RT should correct all this.

Our friend was driving the Lexus RX300, albeit the older model. This reminded me all over again how different I was from them (and some others back from where we came from). Definitely flashy, they lust after the good life, believe in club memberships, chase branded goods and are regulars at night spots. Not that they can't - they can well afford all these.

By comparison, the regular Joe on this side of the fence hadn't had life that well, regretfully. While considerably more subdued than them, let's face it - I also cannot afford their lifestyle lah.

But herein lies the crux: I want to have the choice NOT to lead their lifestyle even though I can, and not that I cannot afford to lead their lifestyle!

Sigh. Maybe I should stop feeling sorry for myself.



Post date: 15 Nov 2006

Blink blink

Wifey and I were at a particular outlet of a jewellery chain last evening as they were having 50% off. Wifey went through a few items, and some she really liked.

I have always wanted to buy her a second solitaire diamond ring after the 求婚戒指 from years ago. This second one should be 1-carat, although she has protested it will be too big.

I checked out the prices - the 0.5-carat ones were already in excess of $5000. That would mean the 1-carat ones would be more than $10k??

Gulp. 老婆, it is still my wish to get you one, and I know I will get you one. I just don't know when!




Post Date: 13 Nov 2006

3D2N Holiday Chalet ... Not

It was another weekend spent in Jurong, from Fri night / Sat morning till Sun evening. This Hougang Case seems to be trickier than initially thought.

I sincerely hope whatever Wifey and I are doing now, we are paying it forward.

It was also this weekend that we learnt of another team member displaying signs of weakness - greed. How come people over the generations always 追逐名和利 leh? I'm not going to say I'm a saint and proclaim I'm indifferent - I still am looking for the proverbial pot of gold. But why should it matter SO MUCH to them??

1. Is this the norm?
2. Am I just abnormal?
3. Does this qualify as "fighting for what you think you deserve"?
4. Why am I so averse to the concept of 毛遂自荐? Maybe I'm in this current predicament because I never self-advertise enough?
5. Is the concept of 默默的耕耘 dated?
6. Or ... am I just not as hungry as them?

The truly dangerous thing about desiring fame, fortune or wealth is the perceived associated power and the always-not-enough syndrome.

At the same discussion, I also heard that this person might be thinking of overtaking me. While I am (well at least I think I should be) flattered, my response is: go ahead and be my guest.



Post Date: 13 Nov 2006

Which is your choice?

Our involvement in Hougang Case started on Saturday at 4plus in the morning. Aside from that one trip home for fresh clothes, we stayed until last night, at 10plus. We almost had to leave at 2am this morning (we were initially told 1am).

Which got me thinking:

1. Would you sacrifice today for tomorrow's good?
2. How many people believe that they actually would be there to reap the good tomorrow?
3. What are people's views on the intangible good versus the visible bad?
4. How much is too much? How far is too far?
5. How easy is it for people to keep ploughing without the signs, indications or motivations that the good is coming?

And finally,

6. How far is tomorrow?

Post date: 6 Nov 2006

Serangoon Case II / Hougang Case I

It. Is. Finally. Over.

We completed it this morning. Very, very tired. At least the work is done.

Thinking we can finally properly rest, our happiness was shortlived. We have just been informed another case is coming up.

Sigh. I really, really would like to know how much we have to put in this time.

Post Date: 6 Nov 2006

"Get out of my elitist uncaring face!"

Some ill-bred smart alecky you-know-what-JC kid who thinks the world of herself has incured the wrath of netizens and subsequently that of society. She who wears the elitist tag so ostensibly around her neck is but another product of our "give the best to the best" system.

Uncaring, unsympathetic and definitely elitist, her remarks show disregard for the real trappings of the other parts of society, or even the realities facing the common man. Mind you, her generation will be running our country in 20 years' time.

This just serves to further entrench my disrespect for people of that 'level'. I honestly don't think all they've done are 101% for the common good. I have reached the point where I'll just flip the damn page if there was a newspaper article about some elites saying something that they claim is good for us.

Call me a loser, a whiner, whatever. But limpeh is damn pissed.

Trisha wrote a very insightful piece on this fiasco, and I reproduce it here with her permission.

There is no glory in being an elite. No honour in trumpeting one’s own success. For if not by a fortunate roll of the dice of life, any of us could end up like Mr Y or Mdm C. Any of us could be born into a family visited by sorrow upon sorrow, where circumstances work against you and fate tosses you around like sand, so that you can’t get out of the shit even if you want to. So for those of us in which life has been unbelievably kind to us, a good measure of gratitude and humility is called for. Survival of the fittest is the rule for the animal kingdom. Surely we are above the beasts? Surely we are meant to rise up higher? Instead of dashing to be the first, perhaps it is far nobler to slow down, and give a hand to the downtrodden, the unfortunate, the unskilled, the retrenched, the slower, the old, the sickly and the poor. When we can restore even a modicum of dignity to our fellow beings who have no hope, surely that makes us more human.

Post date: 6 Nov 2006

The Waverley Blog welcomes its first public visitor ...

... Janise!

This blog is meant as an online diary, so its really personal, and you don't really want people prying into your private life. But I've been following Janise's blog (rather kapo-ly), so I think some reciprocation is in order.

Just a quick word, Janise dear. I tend to post- and pre-date my entries, making them as chronologically accurate as possible. Do bear with the quirks of this diary owner.

Goodness, I've been wanting to keep this blog under the radar for so long, and now I'm (sort of) making it public ... it's almost like Ting finally deciding to post pics of her face.

Sony DSLR-A100/B

Wah lau eh, can't wait to lay my hands on this mean-looking entry-level DSLR. While this is Sony's first foray into the DSLR market, I have faith in them, and have read good reviews of this model.

All I need now is $2100 to buy the body plus 2 lenses.

Post date: 6 Nov 2006

Sailor Moon!

I used to watch it every week. Religiously.