R & R

TGIF... Thank Goodness, It's Friday! Time for relaxation and recreation...

but before I head off to de-stress, this post's about a different kind of R&R : race & religion which happen to be touchy touchy matter that can turn any race mad. When people get touchy-feely, the world needs no mother nature a la holocaust, tornado, tsunami, you name it..erh.. her rather.

So it came as no surprise to read in last weekend's Sunday Times of a Singaporean Public Service Commission Scholar who came under rabid, i mean rapid fire for penning racist remarks in his private blog which 'inadvertently' became public. His scholarship sponsor is currently looking into the matter (to take appropriate action?? even after he had already issued a public apology). So touchy is the issue that even his parents had to step forward to defend and apologise on his behalf as well.

Isn't it 'safer' to watch, talk or partake the adrenalin-pumping Formula One. Racer or racist....you decide, just don't leave behind skid marks on your race track that's sure to raise hell.

Coincidentally, one of Asia's most popular weblog belonging to the opinionated profanity-spewing blog-gal Xiaxue, had her ire raised to epic proportions in her Monday's no-holds-barred outburst on religious representatives' handling of eulogies & evangelism at a friend's wake. It was submitted as her article for her weekly column in a Sunday tabloid, but for obvious reasons, the editors vetoed it.

So there, the 'touch-me-if-you-dare' twin Rs. Boo! you two are too taboo.

Bring on all the Bling

Like to share a snippet from some past week-end Business Times. (Hmm, why m i forever behind time, no time, making time, taking my time.. ..& every time i tell the garang guni man when he comes by to clear my ever increasing stacks of newspapers, i have no time to finish reading 'em......see, my weakest link is time, time & time again.. but i digress, blog time another time).

Here goes ...and be dazzled...
" How many diamonds can a gal have? Never too many, apparently. One top jewellery company is said to have a customer who chalked up 56 unique transactions at its stores in just a year. That's more than one transaction per week. And to top it off, the number only reflects transactions, not items bought. So the customer could have bought many pieces of jewellery each time. Such a feat could only be accomplished by a woman. As they say: "the men don't get it". "

Filthy Rich, or some say Nouveau Riche..
Whatever le envy..envy..

Murphy's Law

Had a run-in with the law ... hold it, don't gasp yet...not the law of the courts but that of a person by the name of Murphy! Have to go dig up his story later & figure if there's any link with this ez-link card story...

Here's how it started..on that eventful star-struck afternoon on the way up the bus, couldn't locate this card that I should never leave home without. Took the seat just behind the driver & continued flipping thro' the stack of cards in my foldable Converse wallet. Then dug into my haversack for that Ferragamo wallet where I keep the rest of my cards in a less haphazard manner. No ez-link card in sight! Haiz! No easy task riding a bus.

Ah, can pay by coins, but how much? Asked driver. 80cts. Shucks..counted only 75cts in my wallet, where to find extra 5 cts coin...panic button still on...how can say 'lend me 5cts, pay you back another time' to strangers. Thinking back, someone might have just given me five worthless cents if I had asked but then, it never occured to me to go a begging.

Driver realised my dilemma & asked 'how much you have?' 5 cts short. Instructed me to throw whatever I have into the coin box. In the process, one coin slipped out of my fingers onto the floor of the driver's seat. Oh golly! butter fingers. The ever cool & patient driver just punched the ticket console & I hurriedly collected my ticket (after some fumbling) from the old fare box where previously, the commuter inserts his card & manually punch the correct fare button & out pops the ticket.

On my way back, while musing over the day's experience, missed alighting at the usual stop. Arghh, gotta walk an extra bus-stop distance back, cos' not enough coins left (I changed just a dollar at the supermarket earlier, enough for the bus-ride home). So began a long walk under the scorching sun back to Dorset (via Essex, Derbyshire, Carlisle) from U.S. (United Square!) lugging a couple of bags of groceries...haiz..

Back home, turned my shorts' pockets inside out but no ez-link card! $30 worth of fares missing...sigh...
checked wallet to see if enough dough left to buy a new card. Surprise, surprise, as I flipped thro' the cards once again, there was the ez-link card, snuggled between my name cards. Case of cards fraternising too much..ha..

Star-Struck

For the first time in my life, I took the trouble to go to a local celebrity's album autograph session just to show my support for local talent.

Was a little hesitant to join the queue of mostly young fans moving forward on the make-shift stage to get their idol's signature. So just stood by to marvel at the hopelessly devoted fans screaming or rather synchronising their screams.

Finally plucked up enough courage to grab a copy of the album nearby & walked through the unblocked passage at the front of the stage but was promptly told by security to go another route instead to join the queue. I swiftly headed the direction they pointed but ended up behind closed barricades. Bleah... session over, the policeman on duty told me. However, he was kind enough to signal to the event personnel on stage that there was still one more to go. Was told to crawl under the zig-zag pattern barricade to get through. I rather jump over but my tight jeans didn't allow the flexibility. So I did the unthinkable, & crawled under that small triangular opening just to get up close and personal with the star......

Just hope no one I know saw what took place...or they would have raised their eyebrows at this overaged 'teen' struck with star-struck syndrome .......... hmmm ...kinda reliving a second teenhood.....time regression...mentally ....why not the physical body......ha..ha..hallucinating..........

Mid-Life Crisis

The start of a new dawn heralds a new beginning for most mortals. Not for me. I dread the dastardly drudgery of daylight living. The daily grind of office work & perennial housework slowly extinguishes whatever tiny sparks that keep this jaded being from totally wearing out.

Thankfully, I managed to slip away for that long overdue weekly swim at the Aranda Club's tiny 'blue lagoon', followed by a steam-bath in scorching temperature that burns your skin like hell, but then some bearable sizzling not only revives your senses, it does good to near-arthritic joints so long as your epidermis does not end up like a roast suckling pig's!

On way home, decided to go punt for a better tomorrow. Went to the Toto outlet next to the Bedok Interchange to pick up Monday & Thursday draw tickets. This Indian shop is listed among the top outlets that have sold most winning tickets. Placing my bets at this outlet should mathematically increase the probability of hitting that jackpot, knowing full well that the odds of winning still remain as slim as ever. But dreams do sometimes come true.......with L-U-C-K.