How to...

Today I had four bylines in the paper. In a layman's terms, that means I wrote four stories yesterday, and they are by no means chop-chop jobs.

So yesterday was one helluva tough, long day - aside from a 30-min run with Joyce and Sivan at MacRitchie in the evening - it was just one job after another. It doesn't help that I have somehow woke up with a bad cough on Tuesday which seemed to have developed overnight. How strange.

In any case, Baby had to stay late too so we managed to leave the office at the same time yesterday and we got home and shared a beer and we spoke of the current state of our jobs and Shanghai.

I could tell he was tired and down and frustrated with certain things, but he was the trouper that he is, supportive and encouraging and excited for me.

So now I need to be the same for him, but I am not sure I know how.

So girls, tell me what to do.

Black hair = Fa Cai

Listening to: Hooverphonic

Last night, I decided that I have had enough of roots and went out to buy myself a pack of Revlon.

So now my hair is black again.

It also looks shinier, healthier and like my own.

I like it.

Kids teach us...

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, "What does love mean?" This is what they said...

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love." - Rebecca, 8

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." - Billy, 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other." - Karl, 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs." - Chrissy, 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired." - Terri, 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK." - Danny, 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss." - Emily, age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen." - Bobby, 7

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate." - Nikka, 6

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday." - Noelle, 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." - Tommy, 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore." - Cindy, 8

"My mommy loves me more than anybody . You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." - Clare, 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken." - Elaine, 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." - Chris, 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day." - Mary Ann, 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." - Lauren, 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." - Karen, 7

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross." - Mark, 6

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." - Jessica, 8

Spam-a-lot

Ok, how weird. I logged on and saw something like 8 comments overnight from people/companies I don't know...then I realised what they are.

Comments spam!!!

So I've turned on this thing which requires you, if you want to post comments, to prove that you're "human".

Bear with it, my dear friends.

Names

Listening to: Beck's Guero

Jeannie
God's gift (Hebrew)

Energetic and courageous, you stand up for your beliefs and what you desire. You are independent, strong-willed and fiercely competitive when needed although your ambition is tempered with patience. You maintain a positive attitude and with a more organised or practical approach to life, material success is very likely. Your immensely loving and generous nature brings joy into people's lives and ensures your happiness.

Daryl
Little dear, beloved one (French)

With your charismatic personality and persuasive powers, you naturally attract all the good things in life you could want. Kind, generous and sincere, you are a good friend and partner with strong attachments to home and family. You are ambitious and have sound business acumen. This, together with a natural love of life, ensures that you enjoy success financially and in your relationships.

I'm amused. Try yours here.

For me

I don't feel so hot and he scampers upstairs to rub my shoulders and give me a hug and I immediately feel better.

I don't feel so hot and he comes over with chocolate ice cream and a DVD and we hold hands while watching a funny movie and he kisses my cheek every 15 mins.

I don't feel so hot and he takes the bones out from the fish fillet before putting it on my plate and I gobble it up.

Pain vs fun

After packing in what seems like three days' worth of work during the day, I promptly fell sick at about 9pm.

At about 9pm, my neck, shoulders and upper arms started aching and I don't think the pain was due to the previous day's session at the gym. I also got a bad headache, and I don't get headaches. I just couldn't stare at the computer screen anymore but the paper had a big hole that had to be filled.

So I gamely filled the hole but was so exhausted and sickly by the time I submitted the last story that I just couldn't drag my carcass to meet the girls at Club Street.

That was such a bummer coz it's getting harder and harder to meet up now that all of them are married and all of us are busy with work and other commitments.

So I decided to go home, which turned out to be a good thing coz I was totally sick by then and had to chuck down a couple of Panadols before collapsing into bed.

I felt the better for it by morning.

Lesson - sometimes you have to forgo one night of fun in order to last the mile.

This makes my day

Let me just say that I don't have the typical love life.

My boyfriend is not the stuffed toy-giving, compliment-dishing, eye-gazing sort.

He tells it as it is, demands nothing but the best of me and gives it to me when I deserve it.

In other words, we're not soppy.

But what do I see when I walked into my office 15 mins ago?

A bouquet of flowers...for no reason at all.

And that suits me just fine.

"KL-ites, not KL-ians"

Being away is good - all the makaning, shopping, partying at the beach and trying to get the Heineken girls to give us cold instead of warm (ucks) beer, hanging out with mates - but being back home is just as good.

And this is the way I want to feel, always.

Pissed and happy

I'm not drunk 08.05

What a D--K

Just so there is no misunderstanding, Reverend Sugartastic has this to say.

SHE DOES NOT WANT YOU.

Is that clear?

And number one...her not choosing you does not mean there's something about her.

Her not choosing you means that there's something about you that makes her know for sure that she cannot be spending a lot of time with you without going fucking nuts in some way. She is no masochist; she wants to spend her time with someone who makes her happy. Maybe it's the way you smell, maybe it's the way you talk. Go examine yourself.

Number two...what gives you the right to put her choices down? Who the hell do you think you are? Do you get every chick you want, so when someone actually turns you down, you go "What nerve!" and make snide remarks? If that's the best you can do, I pity you.

Number 3...You already have someone you're sleeping with, you fuckhead. And she knows the girl. So if you want someone to fool around with, go somewhere where people are easy about stuff like that...say, Geylang.

If I think of more stuff to say, I will. In the meantime, go expose your scarred psyche to those who actually givva shit. We don't have time for your trite one-liners.

Over and out

One of the longest weeks of my life is over - work was blah - and I can't wait to go away for the weekend!

Here we come, Port Dickson, KL, shopping, makan and general nothing-doing....!

But before that, there is the Esplanade, Blue Bar and Momo. Phew! And I haven't packed!

See you guys in 5 days!

Quote of the day

""I hope it never happens to us.''

November 1

Remember this date.

This weekend, I...

...got drunk. A bit.
...sang at the karaoke.
...had breakfast in the North.
...shot.
...ate at Sunset Grill & Pub at Seletar Airbase while the sun set.
...watched Seven Swords.
...bought books at Borders.
...checked out the not-that-new-anymore National Library.
...read a lot of Harry Potter.

I think I'm getting lazy.

30 Questions before I get drunk

I'm done for the week and waiting for my colleagues to finish so that we could go get drunk together. I don't usually go boozing with colls but today just feels special.

1. LAST TIME YOU WANTED TO LAUGH BUT COULDN'T?
Think it was just a couple of days ago when someone important said something silly, but I can't remember what.

2. WHAT IS THE WALLPAPER ON YOUR CELLPHONE?
I don't do wallpapers.

3. DID YOU GET ENOUGH SLEEP LAST NIGHT?
Yes! For the first time in days!

4. FIRST THING YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS MORNING WHEN YOU WOKE UP?
How blessed I am.

*C-O-R-N-Y!!!!!!!!*

5. WHAT DO YOU HAVE HANDY AT YOUR BEDSIDE?
Framed photos, a clock which has stopped, postcards and the latest copy of Harry Potter.

6. EVER TRIED TO SKIP MEALS?
Yes, the last time I went on a diet...which was about 10 years ago.

7. GRILLED OR FRIED?
Grilled.

8. WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE FROM OTHERS?
I do what I want.

9. ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?
No. Not really.

10. FAVORITE HANGOUT?
Does home count? I am very mucha homebody.

11. 3 THINGS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT?
Family, old friends and laughs.

12. FIRST THING YOU WILL BUY IF GIVEN $1,000?
Probably shoes. argh.

13. FAVORITE SONG WHEN YOU'RE SLEEPY?
Something but Stacey Kent.

14. WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?
Of losing my family all at once.

15. ARE YOU A GIVER OR TAKER?
Used to be a taker, but now I'm trying to do the other more.

16. WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES?
Jeanie beanie (don't ask), Babe, Baby.

17. WHAT IS YOUR DAD'S MIDDLE NAME?
Some Chinese name.

18. MOST RECENT MOVIE THAT YOU WATCHED?
Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle.

19. INVISIBLE FOR A DAY, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
I'd steal secrets.

20. STUCK ON A DESERTED ISLAND & COULD HAVE ONLY ONE KIND OF FOOD FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Fried noodles.

21. FAVORITE T.V. COMMERCIAL?
The Nokia "Will you Mary me?" one. Yes, Mary.

22. IF YOU'LL DIE TOMORROW, WHAT WILL YOU DO TODAY?
Spend time with my loved ones.

23. FIRST THING YOU'LL SAVE IN A FIRE?
My handbag, which usually contains my purse, my mobile phone, my iPod, my passport.

24. YOUR EYE COLOR?
Very dark brown.

25. WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU ALWAYS BRING?
My purse.

26. WHAT DID YOU WANNA BE WHEN YOU WERE A KID?
A writer or a singer.

27. WHAT DO YOU USUALLY DO WHEN THE CLOCK TURNS 10 AM?
Walk into the office.

28. THE COLOUR OF YOUR BEDSHEET?
White.

29. WHO DO U WANT TO MEET?
My favourite writers.

30. HOW'S LIFE NOWADAYS?
Mostly pretty good.

I've entered The Twilight Zone

What a funny 'ole week it has been.

I've learnt that no matter how put together people look, everyone's got his/her quirks, issues and insecurities. I guess I've always known that but everybody appears to have somehow chosen this week to reveal unwittingly or share these things.

As a result, I am tired and want to run to an ashram retreat in Tibet.

That's also, incidentally, the imaginary place where D says we will live in perfect peace when we retire. *LOL*

P.S. Reverend Sugartastic is furious and would like you - yes, YOU! - to cease putting strange ideas into my head. This instant.

Or she'll use her freshly manicured nails to poke your eyes out.

Blast from the past

Today I received an email from a person in my recent past with whom I almost had "something".

It was a bit surreal, very weird and totally unexpected.

But I'm glad that we're talking, that I have one less person I may wanna avoid meeting in the streets, and that I have one more gatekeeper.

So all is good.

Where did the weekend go?

Someone help me find it, please.

*big smile*

What have I been missing?

A friend surprised me the other day by saying that I deserve to be happier...to which I said, "Everyone deserves to be happier.'' But I know what the person was getting at...

If you're reading this, I just wanna say that I am happy. This is the happiest I've been in a long, long while, and perhaps it's coz I've found something amazing, good for me, and makes me wanna shout from the top of a building and go whoooooooopeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Work has always been satisfying in a not-too-frantic sorta way and I've always been contented and cheerful and able to be happy doing my own thing, but this just makes everything so much better. Yes, it's been under four months and things look real rosy and pretty now, but I know we can only get stronger and better. I don't know what will happen to us or if we'd be together in six months - when I'm freezing my ass off in Shanghai - or six years - when, oh, whatever - but we're going to die trying. That's all we're promising each other.

And that's enough, ain't it?

Crazyhouse aka newsroom

Mad? Who? Me? 08.05

I'm so going to miss my colleagues when I go...what fabulous, smart, funny, dedicated, caring people who take up such a thankless job coz they see the worth of what they do.

Please...

...don't let me fall sick.

I don't wanna spend the National Day weekend feeling crummy.

*pops Vitamin C tabs into mouth*

Love...

Restlessness

Listening to: Erykah Badu's Worldwide Underground

I'm itching for something different but I don't know what. I'm not really bored; I'm just feeling...indifferent to most things.

fuck it.

And before I get an answer, here's what I'm asking myself: Am I just totally pessimistic, or is there something I don't know?

fuck it.