Some Days

I feel like wearing my AC uniform and heading out to Sogurt at 2:45 p.m., just as if I was in JC and we got let out early and there was really nothing else better to do but eat expensive yogurt and talk cock until it was time to go home and take a nap before dinner.

I don't really know what it is that I feel wistful about, but I've been feeling wistful the past week (which was also the week after my one measly week of year-end leave, where Jon and I, among other things, went cycling in Malaysia for a day and came back sunburnt but full of good seafood). Or, to put things more accurately, I think I'm just sian.

Jon thinks (and I agree, really) that I'm too involved with clients' lives.

I tell everyone that I'm more detached than I thought I would be, doing family matters - and it's true. I never thought I'd be able to listen to the sad facts of other peoples' lives and go on to draft affidavits about these things so matter of factly. But there you have it. I don't think I've become unfeeling, or unsympathetic - you've just gotta do what you've gotta do. And more importantly, I believe in it. I believe that family lawyers can genuinely help people achieve what they deserve, the "just and equitable result".

But once in a while you find out something about the people you're working for (the law mandates that they have to share the boring, mundane details of their lives with you, like, for example, what they bought for breakfast for the whole of November) that makes you sit up and wonder at how random all our lives are. And you tell yourself that God knows the details of all our lives, and He's got them all in His hands so you shouldn't get so involved or concerned about it because they are just clients but you still can't shake off the niggling feeling of Randomness.

I think that about sums up what's making me feel so sian (wistful) - because I think I'm feeling wistful (sian) for a time when I didn't know Just How Random life really is.

Also, there are some things one can't blog about, the things that are driving me up the wall. Some days I feel like screaming out loud and going for a long lunch and looking at pretty things in the shops because it's Christmas after all and everyone's going for long lunches and looking at pretty things in the shops.

All that being said, I don't know what 2011 will bring, but I'm looking forward to it. Planning for the wedding, buying a house, BSF again (really).

Thank You, God, for the Good Book and the encouragement it gives to my weary soul.

***

Everyday at 0103 hours Microsoft Exchange sends me an email to tell me that my Inbox is almost full.

Much Good, Part N

Best part about last Monday:

REMARKS: ORDER-IN-TERMS. ATTENDANCE IS DISPENSED WITH

(i.e. no need to go court take queue number and wait very, very, very long just to see the AR for, oh, less than 10 minutes)

Worst part about last Monday:

Being snubbed by the mee tai mak auntie again when I brought my trusty eco-friendly container and got in the queue at her stall. Really, I believe she has something against my eco-friendly container.

Study so hard for what right, still cannot get what you want to eat for lunch.

***

In other news, I'm less bright-eyed and bushy tailed than I was when I first started this job (which explains the lack of posts), but I'm doing alright I guess. I just wish there was more time for everything, especially sleeping, watching TV, watching movies with Jon.

I will miss these days - the talking nonsense with D1 day in day out (which reminds me alot of JC with Jon Wrong and Bryan and Quents et al except that it is really day in day out) - like I told him, macham JC lah talk alot and work very hard but everything still very fun; talking nonsense with ON, with my good and faithful secretary, the smell of a cup of tea with just one teaspoon of condensed milk (22 calories). Still being relatively care-free.

We're moving soon, and D1 won't be sitting in the room next to ON and me anymore. We'll also be on a different floor from the Ps and JdS, and in a different building from D2. I'm not sure how this will change things. The only thing I'm sure of is that I will, perhaps, be more efficient in the day.

***

For the first time in what feels like months (it has been months, about two months I think) Jon and I managed to leave the office at 7:30 p.m. on a Friday night. It felt really good being out when the shops and restaurants were still crowded, actually seeing peple we knew around town. Being able to have a decent conversation without feeling like we were going to nod off to sleep while talking to each other, therefore being able to talk properly about the Things That Matter.

Not having to go for dinner at Hong Kong Cafe because it's the only thing still open which serves decent Chinese food at 10 p.m. Actually being able to take a bus home.

I love taking the bus, when I can get a seat; don't you think the feeling of being on a bus and knowing you have nothing pressing and you can get caught in all the traffic jams you want is Simply Awesome? It's liberating, really, having time to just do nothing at all.

I don't know what it is in Singaporean culture which makes people feel they have to work so darned hard.

***
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

- Leisure, by W.H. Davies

A Long Long Time Ago

I was really touched when Jon told me recently that he still checks my blog to see whether I've uploaded the picture of us at mass call which I promised in my last post some three or so months ago.

I've hijacked PoBe's computer for tonight (read: uploading will not take eons like it does on Lenny), so here it is:
And, for those of you who didn't already know, we got engaged on National Day this year when Kit Chan was singing Home. During the second verse, to be exact.

As if I needed another reason for Kit Chan and Dick Lee to be on my list of all-time favourite musicians.

***

It's also fitting that I blog today - further to D2's pink toothbrush escapade, at Cold Storage whatever building it's called (it's not China Square; it's right opposite my office and I don't even know what it's called) I had the following exchange with him today (D1 was also a party to the same, but he didn't make any comments. Oh the wonders of BBM).

D2: I told me mum my toothbrush was bad
She said ok, she will buy for me
She went out and bought me a pink toothbrush
Now I have TWO pink toothbrushes

Chloeeeeeee: U can't hide from them la its your destiny :)
Hahahaaahaahaaaa
Betrayed by your own mother.

***

My favourite Meiji biscuits made a comeback in the office pantry recently. The tea lady has showed me the locked cupboard where they're kept, but not where the key is stashed, unfortunately and for good reason.

***

My BlackBerry is named Barry.

Email Exchange of Two Weeks Ago

Right, I know I promised Mass Call pictures of Jon and I, and it's been almost 3 weeks since it occurred (do you actually care?).

Well, here is the Email Exchange of Two Weeks Ago to make up for it, I guarantee it's worth it. And I will upload at least a picture of Jon and Me at Mass Call, soon.

D2, to D1 and me:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a1Rw9iT.CkZA&pos=9

Japanese men let their wives dole out pocket money to them every month

D1: absurdity. pussies!

Me: I think it's a marvellous practice (although jon holds the only atm card to our joint account) [aside: yes, we have a joint account!]

D2: At this point, [D1] will say that jon is a worthy example of all men :)

D1: what about me? I sub [my girlfriend's] credit cards. HAHAHA

Me: PUSSY

D1: [D2].. pls defend me. chloe called me a pussy!

Self-explanatory.

**
In other news, I lost Phoney!!! Left him on a cab, and when I called the cab company one hour later to find out if he was still around, they couldn't find him anymore.

I'm using PoBe's 2100 now, which he couldn't use for army because his fingers were too fat for the buttons.

My father's comment on it all?

Phonesey, dotz. Why wasn't his name Phonesey?

This, from the man who sent me about 3 Internet SMSes during the week (he was in KL, and he doesn't have a handphone) asking me how Mazzie was (please tell me you know who Mazzie is). I told him to have some respect for the departed.

"Phonesey" actually looks pretty cool though, on second thought. Kinda like you can pronounce it "Fou-Ne-See".

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

(By the way, Mazzie is our MAZda. He used to spell it "Muzzie," I don't know why he's suddenly bent on getting the names more accurate.)

I've already thought of a name for the BlackBerry we will be getting soon. Stay tuned.