This auntie blogs too

I wish had something happy to announce, but no, work had been rather depressing!

The title of this post is meant for this picture I took a few weeks ago while traipsing around Chinatown:

If ever there was such a thing as a happy shop, this must be IT!!

It contained a mind-boggling array of 双喜 (double happiness) merchandise and brought back memories of my wedding.  Sigh!

I still have a 双喜 box which was part of my dowry.  In fact, the rolls of threads I received for my wedding fifteen years ago are still in there!

I think it’s time I pulled out my wedding photos to feel the rush of double happiness again!

After struggling through three weeks of work, a public holiday finally!

Now, isn’t Deepavali a Hindu holiday?

I took this picture of a sign at Tanglin Community Centre (CC):

It wished all Indians a Happy Deepavali; and I thought a COMMUNITY CENTRE should be wiser?!

Ah, well, I’m just gonna have a very happy holiday!

Watch this ad on water conservation:

Looks like we could be heading back to how toileting was done in the Stone Age?

Finally!  I can turn on my PC at home and do this!

I’ve started on my new job and this week, the first working week (after taking a break for a year), had been tiring.  No real work was done yet, as I’m still settling down and getting myself familiarised with how things are set up there.

The week was tiring because I had to get used to being cooped up in the cubicle the entire day.  I had to endure the terribly quiet office, the freezing air-conditioning, the getting-to-know-yous, etc, etc.

And my poor feet, my poor toes are still aching from being squeezed into those pointy shoes of mine!  Ouch!

After padding around at home bare-footed, with the radio blaring almost the whole day, in my comfy home clothes for a year, this back-to-work change will surely take me some time to get used to.

I miss the music from the radio, I miss the warmth of my home, I miss the sun shining through my windows, I miss my 3 km walks, I miss my blog!

I’d better stop whining and move on, adapt quickly before I have to do some real work.

I’m sure my boss is expecting me to prove my worth soon.

Wah!  Stress!

I’ve just finished watching the Biden-Palin Vice-Presidential debate.  I had tuned in, like millions of other people around the world, not because I’m interested in what they will debate about, but to catch Sarah Palin fumbling (if she was going to).

But I suppose millions of us were disappointed – nothing much of that sort happened.

As my concentration drifted between thinking about what to cook for dinner and what was happening in the debate, I heard these phrases many times:

• John McCain the Maverick
• Change is coming
• Reform
• Energy independent
• Job creation

Now, I’m not sure if it’s because I wasn’t really concentrating hard enough, or is it that Palin took every chance she had to talk about or just throw these terms in whenever she answered a question?  And why did she keep looking down (at her notes, I assume)?

I think she did ok because of all those notes, but I do think that some of her answers were not relevant.

I’m neither a supporter of Biden or Palin – Biden’s voice couldn’t get my attention.  It’s difficult to sit through a debate or speech with someone who has a voice like that (Zzzzz…).  But I did notice that Biden referred less to his notes and that Palin did not answer his questions on what McCain will do differently from Bush. And she was allowed to get away with that, due to the format of the debate (lucky gal!).

After the debate ended and her family went on stage, Palin was shown carrying and patting her baby son, Trig.  Now, all mothers would go ‘Aww…’ and vote for her (??).

Well, for me, as a mother, I would advice that Palin spend more time with her young family rather than take up the VP job.  Looking at the very vulnerable little baby Trig, who was born with Down’s Syndrome, I believe her family needs her more than the people of America do, right now.

Many working mothers find it hard to cope with the demands of home and work even when they hold nine-to-five jobs.  I can’t imagine how much time a mother working as the VP of America will have for her family.  And any parent of a special needs child will testify to needing lots of extra time, love, help (and other extras) to look after that child.  Pity her family should she and McCain win the elections!

That personal opinion aside, I think she does make a good saleswoman, selling a product called John McCain the Maverick!

I mentioned in the previous entry that I witnessed a rather disturbing incident at Giant today.  Here’s what happened.

I was at the check-out counter on the upper level at about 4.15 p.m. when I heard an exchange going on, between the customer just behind me and a Giant staff.  I’ll refer to the customer as Dog Woman (sounds mean, but read on, and you’ll know why).

Dog Woman:     It’s ok now. I’ve put it in the bag, … blah, blah… (short pause)
                               Make so much noise over a small dog!

Giant staff:         Sorry M’aam, I’m just following orders.

Dog Woman:     I’ve been here before to buy some things and nothing has
                               happened.

Giant staff:         I’m just following orders.

Dog Woman:     Then you’re a dog who only knows how to follow orders.

Giant staff:         Excuse me, what did you say?

Dog Woman:     You’re a dog, you only know how to follow orders.

Giant staff:         (Raising her voice)
 I’m not a dog!
 I’m a human being.
 How can you call me a dog?!

Dog Woman:      You follow orders.

Giant staff:          I’m a dog lover too but I have to follow orders.

Dog Woman:      I don’t want to talk to you anymore.
You’re wasting my time!

Now, I did not turn around to look when the exchange was going on. I only did so after it stopped, when the Giant staff walked away.

I turned around to see a rather short Chinese woman (a Singaporean, I presume, from her accent), dressed in black, carrying a large bag. As I was much taller than she is, I could look into her bag, and yes, there was a small-breed dog inside! I think she must have been carrying it in her arms earlier, and thus got spotted by the Giant staff.

Dog Woman looked to be in her early forties or late thirties, with overly mascara-ed eyelashes and thick eye make-up. I wouldn’t call her a tai-tai, but more of a tai-tai wannabe type.

I couldn’t believe my ears when she called the Giant staff a dog!

In retrospect, I should have turned around there and then and said something. But I didn’t! Shame on me! I guessed I was too shocked – I probably would have ended up blabbering – I’m not good at all at catfights.

And Dog Woman looked like one of those seasoned catfighters.

Huh?! Dog Woman a catfigher?? Told you I’d probably blabber!

I’m going back to work next week, after taking a one-year break. 

I’m feeling a little apprehensive – new job, office, colleagues, etc.  I hate the feeling of having to start all over again.  Got to crank up the rusty old work engine and also adapt to a new culture and environment.

Having dressed casually the past year, I thought I had better update my wardrobe.  Tangs was having a sale, so I headed to VivoCity, leaving Big and Little Guy at home.  I prefer to shop alone when I have some serious shopping to do.

The crowd at VivoCity was incredible.  Perhaps I’ve got used to shopping during off-peak hours this past year, I found the Hari Raya holiday crowd unbearable.  There were people everywhere. 

I managed to buy two very nice dresses for work at Tangs for a total of less than $100.  I haven’t been so satisfied shopping for a while now.  As the crowd thickened at Tangs, I headed to Toys ‘R’ Us to get a toy for Little Guy who had clung on to my legs at home, refusing to let me leave him.  That clever boy sure knew how to blackmail me!  I thought, ah well, it’s Children’s Day, I’ll spoil him a bit!

Toys ‘R’ Us was super-duper crowded – I believe all the kids in Singapore must have been promised either a trip there (like to a playground) or a toy as a gift for Children’s Day.  The place was like a madhouse, a circus, or whatever other words you may have to describe it.

I grabbed what I wanted and made a quick exit.  Curiously though, the queues at the counters were rather short.  People were probably there just to fiddle with the toys and not buy them.

I stopped by at Giant next, to grab some stuff for cooking dinner.  The crowd was bearable, but I witnessed a most disturbing incident there (will write about it in my next entry).

Feeling tired and harried after a few hours at the mall, I made my way to the bus-stop.  It was brimming with people, people and more people.  The bus I boarded was also packed with people, 80% of them foreigners.

I think I’m going to have to find a better time to shop in future.  Shopping on public holidays and weekends just wouldn’t cut it for me!  Too crowded!

And whoever said we should target a 6 million population?