Steamboat and CNY blues
Funny things happened during admin work - like YiZong's hilarious translation of Malay and Indian names. For me, it's the most Chinese I've written/typed since graduation from chinese classes (sec 4). Memorable things - going to the place opposite my house, for the first time, with chief clerk for despatch.As part of CNY celebrations, our company went to Marina South to eat steamboat today AT 2PM WHATTHEHECK. No aircon, and it was damn hot.. angela was saying that we eat steamboat and steam bath at the same time. Hot until not much appetite. The variety of food impressed me for something this cheap, but other areas which SHOULDN'T BE COMPROMISED WERE COMPROMISED. For example, HYGIENE. Bowls weren't washed properly, ala m'sia roadside hawker. The black-rimmed plates and bowls, minus the black-rimmed fingernails because we had to take the food ourselves. Think Yeo found it dirty too coz he was walking around looking a bit lost. We were given disposable chopsticks and plastic spoons to steamboat and BBQ?!! Is the boss trying to poison us because we paid too little.. grr. The fish tasted of fossil fuel.
Finally rescue came in the form of chartered buses to Marina Bay MRT. We ran and seeked refuge on the bus, away from the tropical weather. Then we realised our clothes, hair, every part of our body reeked of the tzu-cha smell. I made my way home, and by the time I reached home, it was POURING outside. plus lightning. what insane weather.
So much about army life. I checked the South Park ORD counter... absolute days = 263 as of 15Feb. Working days = less than 188 (more upcoming medical appointments heheh). Somehow I already have the I'm-gonna-to-miss-army-because-I-don't-know-what-to-expect-after-I-ORD kinda feeling. Sign on? No thanks. I'm reading management books and scolding less vulgarities for SMOOTH transition back to civilian life.
CNY eve is tomorrow. In my office I don't realise that CNY is round the corner because we're tuned in to English radio channels, but the adjacent office is chun1 qi4 ang4 ran2. CNY cards pasted on the door, CNY songs broadcasted on 933FM. However CNY is my most feared festive season for the following reasons:
1) CNY songs aired over neighbourhood shopping centres
2) You have to entertain relatives, ask and worst of all ANSWER cursory questions - why can't we just exchange ang-pow, eat and f*** off?! In fact many people wish this were the case, for my family and close friends, at least.
3) The cleaning-up before and after the relatives leave - in such a case I'd prefer not to have any ang-pow
4) Going to Chinatown for a squeeze - which I told my mum to excuse me from this year, and she has thus promised
5) Eating new year tidbits, which I don't like
6) Eating leftovers - macdonald's seem to disappear during CNY... Why??? I've also been excused, by mum, from eating leftovers. I told her I wanted to make CNY 2007 seem like any usual holidays as far as possible. She conceded, saying that she hates CNY as well, because of points 3 and 4.
Man, I do hope this CNY turns out to be not like one.
