Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Say Cheese!

Hi. It's been a while...

School's started and "busy" is now a word that can be used to describe me, contrary to my extremely carefree life a month ago. School has also got me thinking. I have very interesting classes you see. But what I would like to touch on today, is not about my whole schedule and preparations to drown everyone in the sorrows of student life. This is simply an observation of people and, of myself.

This was contrived when I was waiting at a bus stop, fearing that I was moments away from receiving a phone call that I would rather not get. I was going to be late for my appointment. But it turned out well and that's another story. Anyway, the topic of "smiling" popped up in my head and I was thinking about that and all that comes with it.

I have observed and heard, the latter more often, friends and people around me relating stories about how someone smiled at them and they found it creepy. The someone can be anyone, the lady or gentleman walking down the street, of any age, wearing anything. People would give each other looks and cringe and walk away briskly. Our society is so narrow that we assume that if someone smiles at us, they'd have to be hiding a motive, which brings to mind the story mummy always told you. Don't accept sweets from smiling strangers, or something like that. We walk around expecting danger at every turn; the ladies bring personal alarms with them; the elderly bring walking sticks and brollys.

People are scared. We fear. We have been taught to fear. Our reactions betray our upbringing. Even myself, if someone smiles at me, I'd be wondering if the fella's gone wonky in the head. Lets face it. We don't advocate smiling. We think it's weird. The "cooler" bunch would think that it betrays their image. And yet, we wonder why we have such an ungracious society. We hate it, we condemn it, when the sales assistant does not smile and display friendliness. We call that being rude.

The only time I hear positive things about smiling people, is when the subject is an extremely dashing man or woman. Here's the joke. The people who talk about being creeped out earlier, suddenly embrace the gesture as a compliment and lo ho! Let the flirting begin.

All these, I find extremely funny. I don't know if you can detect the humour behind it but I'm having so much fun writing this piece and just thinking of it. There are so many ironies in life and this is one of them. But a word of caution, since I laugh at everything, you might not catch my drift. Even so, I'm just saying...

Cheers! I'm feeling so frisky! Here's a smile for you. :D

Saturday, September 5, 2009
Things that annoy me...

Hello!

Happy September everybody!

It's the last weekend before I start school, last twenty days till I sit for my basic theory test (for driving if y'all don't know). It's also one of those weekends that I feel inclined to stay home because of a large (very red!) zit sitting right smack in the middle of my face, on my nose. Right now from the side it looks like I've got two bumps on my face. The tip of my nose and the tip of the evil pimple. My brother said I looked like Rudolph. But I'm going to take that as a compliment. I choose to believe that he was trying to say I looked cute.

I've got two days left to sit around; after which I will be immersed back into the whole school, study thing. In the meantime, y'all are in luck! I'm in the mood for entertaining. Fun. Joy. Laughter. Hooray!

So I've been a little more irritated these few days (month?), and I think I've finally figured out why. I was going about my chores this morning and I looked at the rolls of toilet paper in the bathroom. It suddenly struck me that I really disliked the current brand of toilet paper the family was using. It broke easily, was thin, looked really crappy and cheap. The kind of thing my mother buys when she is in the whole nevermind-as-long-as-it-works-and-is-cheap-who-cares moments. This is why I have to constantly remind her, if I go shopping with her, to do quality control.

Besides toilet paper, I was also thinking of what other things annoyed me, or have been annoying me. Bear with me. In no particular order;

1) Cheap, low quality toilet paper (already explained)

2) People who turn off the air-con in my room whenever they like (my parents and brother when they think that it is time that I wake up, when it is not time!)

3) My computer's speech recognition software not responding to my voice (only since yesterday)

4) Norton's software help and support (they are slow in responding)

5) Call centres with foreign staff or are based overseas (am I suppose to understand their Indian accent? Not that I have anything against their race. I just think that companies should be more considerate and provide us with locals whom we can actually communicate with. The things people do just to save money.)

6) The concierge of that hotel in Austria. (how vould I know vad he's saying? von bedsheet? von room? vad are you saying? The guy implied that I didn't know how to speak English! Slow service too. Vait vait I'm busy. Come to Singapore and I'll give you von lesson on how to speak ze proper English.)

7) Staff in restaurants who are foreigners and can't speak fluent English (they don't know that I don't know how to speak fluent Chinese. We end up going "Huh?".)

8) People who try to kiss me. Sorry let me re-phrase that. People who try to kiss me and I'm trying to back away; forgot there was a metal cabinet behind and end up banging my head against it. (oh the pain! Oh the realisation that I don't know that person very well and that the person still managed to kiss me. Twice! Oh my modesty! I've been outraged!)

9) Birds outside my window. (I like animals. Birds are fine. But but! They leave their poop and feathers around everywhere! They should see my Mom for a lesson or two on personal hygiene and social responsibility. It is not cool to leave one's defecation everywhere! It's like a poop-and-run.)


Well that's all I can think of right now. Actually I was thinking of making a video on this topic. But, I'll see how the response is and then, decide if I should start video blogging. Reading text is not as personal as watching a video.

So anyway, just in case y'all are interested. I've got six more rolls of crappy toilet paper here. If any kind soul wants to help me finish them up. Come over; we'll have a toilet roll party. Alternatively, I could always encourage my family members to use the toilet more. "It is good to clear your bowels and pee as much as possible Dad!" Of course, he already knows that. If going to the bathroom was like Pokemon, he would be a level 100 pooping-machine with straight intestines.

Ciao!