ludicrously speaking

Apologies for the lack of tact and discretion for the title of this entry. I had it worked out in my head a couple of days back thinking it would be rather amusing to share this piece of information, but now… i’m not that sure. I began this week reporting for reservist all the way at Chua Chu Kang at the new vicinity of the Home Team Academy - the training institute for various organisations of the Ministry of Home Affairs in Singapore, including the Police Force, the Civil Defence Force, the Central Narcotics Bureau, the Prison Service, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, and the Internal Security Department, amongst other agencies. Too much information? Too much agency in one place if you ask me. And, having to wake up early enough to travel halfway across the country consecutively for 4 days is not something i’d appreciate. Yes i’m a city spoilt brat, nice to meet you too.

At the end of the first mind-numbing, self-worth depreciating day, i went out for a binge having authentic Chong Qing Hot Pot along Beach Road. We chose the medium spicy soup base and practically cleared the stacks of ingredients gorging ourselves to death. The result was a satisfying, unrivalled feasting experience that would see me burning the linings of my intestinal walls thus giving birth to the ramblings now.

But there’s more blood to be spewed.

I am recalled this time for the BIG event coming in Sept, and we were under a course to prep us for the necessary things to know and to do. Nothing practical, just (very) plain theory. Leaving nuts to the imagination, we were treated to an overdose of PowerPoint slides. I hate it when the trainer reads straight-off the slides as though to affirm our stupidity, but i hate it more when he attempts to further elaborate a certain point urging us to respond to his lame interpretations.

“Men can only search men, lady can search both sexes. So don’t you think it’s better for the ladies to search all? huh huh huh… Then no need men officers liao la…. huh huh huh.”

*drip drip*

On the third day, we were tested on what we’ve learned via a computer-based questionnaire. I scored 26 outta 30. Not too shabby but only because it was freaking obvious and logic driven. But i could be wrong. 9 outta 27 people in my cohort failed.

*drip drip*

Today being the last day had to be screwed up because i forgot to bring my uniform. I had to take a cab back home to retrieve it as there was an Access Pass attached i had to return for my attendance to be recorded. Due to that, i chalked up the highest cab fare ever in my 25 years as a blur fuck.

$30! *sprays blood all over*

I need tonics.

My eyes are under duress. They’ve been very puffy these couple of days, eye-lids feel heavy and are more distinct than ever before. I have people asking me if i’ve had a late night even though i slept enough.

In light of things, i bought something to make myself feel better.

It costed me quite a bit but i “A-ed” a cleansing foam and a deep-cleansing scrub to offset the price a little.

I’m 25. It’s time i look into some form of anti-aging skin care products, i wanna have a head start. I hear that by the time you hit 30 (for guys) fine lines will start showing. Particularly for me, considering the hazards of my profession, i need to sayang my computer-strained eyes as early as possible.

Plus, i’m such a sucker for sleek packagings. It’s hard to resist.

You haven’t been blogging frequently, are you very busy these days?

Yes. Right after the completion of the Garden’s project, there are several things lined up for me to work on. I’m finally heading somewhere after bumming around for half a year. I’m grateful.

Are you earning loads of money now that you are working so hard?

I wish! I’m still working on a project-based salary. But i’m in the midst of securing something permanent so i hope that’ll lead me to the money pot at the end of the rainbow! Haha!

You are seemed to be very uncontactable these days, are you avoiding people?

No. The pace at work is so hectic these days, sometimes i dun even have time to go to the toilet. So do understand if i choose to get back to you when i’m available.

Do you even have time for yourself anymore?

Yes i do, but i rarely know when i’m free until the day itself. Freedom is a matter of luck these days.

Any chance of you getting out of this blog block?

Yes, after 3rd August hopefully. The madness should end by then and normality would resume for a week or two. I guess i could still blog if i wanted to but there were just so many mind-boggling details at work that just weren’t interesting enough to share. Isn’t it strange that there were so much more crap i could talk about when i had nothing to do? Hmmm…

At first I was afraid,
I was petrified.
Kept thinking I could never do the work
and completed it in time.
But then I spend so many nights
working my butt off to proof me wrong.
Then I grew strong,
and I learned how to get along.

So now I’m back!
From a big project!
I’ve done the deed and excelled the tasks
with a smirk on my face.
Did I think I’d crumble,
did you think I’d lay down and die?

Oh no not I, I will survive
Oh, as long I keep my faith and cool
I know I’ll stay alive.
& I’ve got all my life to live
& I’ve got all my love to give
I’ll survive, I will survive
Hey, Hey!!!

The wall clock has stopped moving. An undelivered package reminded on a slip of advice. My niece drew me a card filled with hearts without me able to reciprocate it. It feels like I’ve been a coma for the longest time, on the contrary I’ve never been so conscious … so long.

The past weeks were spent pushing boundaries like never before. 25 sets of 200+ page book and 15 presentation boards that encapsulates the creative processes of architects, landscape artists, economic analysts and strategist, mechical engineers, lighting specialist, botanist and more. The extend of this project is the worldwide competition to create Gardens by The Bay – the Marina coastal areas that would see our garden city living up to its name and complementing the new Integrated Resort in 2015.

I began collating all the relevant information two weeks back and right till the last moment, more were added, amended, improved and stripped in. For the whole of the last 3 days, we went on without any sleep and churned out pages after pages of layout for submission of the document. All the key players stuck with us throughout the nights and even slept on the carpeted floor of the studio as we worked through the days and nights. I didn’t even realised i missed two meals trying to meet datelines…wait a minute, make that DEADline. The situation was so manic we only had the last 2 days to get everything done and printed – at every 3 hour interval, the printer would show up and we had to give him completed file pdf-ed and ready with printed samples, if we missed it, the printer will be stuck with an overload at the next interval and we would not have made the submission.

It was a race to the finish as we worked till the last hour before the presentation printing CDs and waited for the last batch of things to be delivered to the spot for submission. There was no sign the intensity ever came close to ending. My heart was just burning with anxiety till we reached the competition grounds and saw our work of labour arrive in trucks and vans. There was a triumphant moment in air (I could almost hear the soaring trumpets) as we brought our materials into the competition grounds and saw everything in its place.

I clocked a 12-hour sleep after all the frenzy came to a halt. It was a phenomenal experience. I’ve never seen a more drastic leaning curve during the course of this project. I am sure I impressed the shit out of everyone involved after hearing praises from all sides. I’m happy and proud but more importantly I feel empowered by my achievements.

I can’t wait to take on a new project.

A little part of me died this morning. Ok, i’m being a little over dramatic. Afterall, it’s just the demise of a well-loved pastry, Tong Heng’s 咸水饺 (Hum Seoi Gao). I just found out that they have stopped producing it for a couple of months already, during which i still constantly enquire about when i bought my egg tarts. I was still raving about how delicious it was with my colleagues the other day.

Finally, someone let me in on the truth. It was gone…forever. The sweet and salty taste that lingers in my mouth after each tantalising juicy bite will no longer be attainable.

A moment of silence for food connoisseurs all over.

Sitting at my work station next to an on-going conference amongst the big-players, I realised i must still blog. I need an outlet to breathe and snap outta work before i get too absorbed. Yes, detachment is utmost neccessary when you are dealing with things that might potentially be stressful! Haha, i figured if i’m commited in my work i deserve an equally relaxing break….lalalala…

I recently tried out PIXART. They are a KL-based digital-photo printing company that allows you to personalised, i quote “high-quality single edition” Photo Book. I decided to give them a shot even though it cost quite a fair bit to ship the printed product over to Singapore. Figured it was worth it if the results are good.

But as it usually turns out, shit happens.

Initially, i had trouble trying to export my iPhoto book document into a format they could print and contacted them via email for technical support. They replied promptly and resolved that problem. Then I proceeded to upload a huge 925MB (almost 1GB!) to their ftp site that took half a day to transfer! Just when i thought i got the bulk of issues out of the way, they threw over an order form that required me to fax my credit card number over due to confidentiality issue.

Now faxing across to Malaysia is not as simple as i’d thought. It’s not just entering the country code and sending as per usual. According to very unreliable resources (haha!), normal land lines without IDD will not be able to fax to other countries. I don’t know if that is true but indeed i did not succeed in my mutiple attempts from different fax machines to send the damn form over. I finally gave up and told the guy to call me up to retrieve my information instead.

I now wait anxiously to see the results… in another week or so.

Hmm… hope it turns out nicely, or not my efforts will be in vain.

Ok, it has finally begun.

I’m starting to ease into this humongous project with a state of clarity (thanks to the ga-zillion amount of meetings and discussions i was involved in). I think i might have a chance to do well this time. I hate to dissapoint so i’m gonna give it all i’ve got. If i’m uncontactable for the next few days, it’s because i’m slogging day and night pushing myself to the limit trying to prove that i’m not a worthless piece of shit. 

So there, i off to sleep. ZZzzz..