It was an evening of the new, and the old yesterday.Well, alright, perhaps the not-so-new when it comes to me(used for more than a year).

And then, there were the people of new, and of the old.

***

I just came back from lunch, and was pretty peeved by the neighbour who closed the lift doors on me when I was just standing right before the entrance as the doors were closing.

The basic courtesy would be pressing for the ‘OPEN’ button since her hand was evidently on the panels pressing the ‘CLOSE’ button before she saw me.

The doors were not even a quarter closed.

And for that 3 seconds, she just stared at me as the doors slowly drew to a close. I didn’t press the button cos I thought she would have done so cos I was just right before the doors and she was looking at me, with her hands still on the panel.

When the initial 2 seconds passed, I knew she wasn’t going to hold the doors for me, and I was darn tempted to call out ‘BITCH’, but I was too ahem, nice, to do that.

Bitch stays either on the 11th or the 16th floor.

Hmphf.

***

I finally have a day of break to myself.

Though I am still sifting through documents to work through some proposals and such.

The job is not easy, and I have been to almost all corners of Singapore in the past week, exposing myself to the sun, and most scarily of all, people.

Yes, I don’t have to emphasize how I used to, and still, fear people.

Yet, the irony of how I am now in a trade that would push me to the frontier of meeting all sorts of people, forcing me to put on my best social self and the mock pretense of self confidence that had eluded me for the longest time.

I remember having a conversation with a colleague who was helping me out these days with joint-field work, and I joked(not laced without a tinge of self-ridicule) that I am all but an actress.

I do adore people whom I meet, and I do feel that I do treat them with genuinity, but then it was more of me coming up with the confident, smiley self that would mask my tiredness, fatigue, and 1001 other things running through my mind. Not forgetting my number 1 enemy – fear, and low self-esteem.

And at the end of the day, I just shivelled up like a limp balloon, and back to the lifeless self.

Ah well, I can finally manage to watch more than an episode of CSI without falling asleep with my glasses on today, do some blogging, read through some notes, surf some sites, catch up a little with friends, and perhaps, do some nifty finger(or magical) work over the mahjong table.

Ho ho ho.

***

I am still glad that I have been meeting people well within my comfort zone this week.

Or even when I met some people whom I thought would not fall into this category, I myself am surprise how the turn-out was.

What can I say? I met a lot of amazing people this week.

***

Monday – After my previous post of what-have-I-been-up-to, SBB dropped by later that evening and we cuddled up in bed to watch Eight Below, starring 8 fabulously beautiful canines.

Hey, come to think of it, it was the first movie we watched together. Hurhur.

I refuse to admit that I teared during some parts of the show, I cooed, I whimpered, I clung on tightly to baby pillow, and I buried my head into his shoulders for occasional comfort.

Me no like shows with sad snippets. But at least the ending was a pretty… joyous one.

But I didn’t think he liked the show. He was pretty quiet thereafter.

Post effect of the show? I ended up sniffing his face, and rubbing my nose onto his face like the doggies did, and he would most likely to agree that I am indeed his bitch.

I fell asleep soundly(I believe) in his arms pretty swiftly after we had jostled over the space ‘marked out’ by him, and he had pulled me over to sleep in the centre one-third of the space(oh, you guys won’t understand).

***

I chilled on a pretty Tuesday, and met my ex-colleagues from Playworks for lunch on a hot and sunny Wednesday.

Bernice was there too, and we caught up with the latest gossips with the rest. It was fun, and this bunch of lovelies never fails to brighten my day.

I returned to the office and had some coaching from fellow colleagues before leaving to meet up with, supposedly Nick, who was held up last minute, and it then turned into coffee-session with Brian and Mindy, until my next appointment with Weiqiang.

Weiqiang was my ex-NPCC schoolmate and had suggested doing dinner together.

Much were talked about as we did some catching up at NYDC Wheelock, and later, coffee at Coffee Bean.

It was then an excruciatingly long wait for cab(darn the wait! Darn the cab fare!) at Shaw House, before we shared a cab back.

Speaking of which, here are the pictures I failed to upload the previous time round at Rosemary’s engagement!

Me with the lads. You know, they don’t look a day different from 12 years ago.

The gang of us at Rosemary’s engagement party.

Us, with the blissful couple in the centre.

Oh yes, I know how cheesy this is. But it was the photog’s instruction.

***

Thursday was truly.. bizarre.

I had thought I would be late for my meet up with my colleagues for the donation drive, and had panicked into taking a cab down to town.

Argh. The blardy cab driver took a longer route, exited far beyond the correct exit, and then headed towards City Hall, when I had clearly instructed him to go Raffles Place MRT.

It would have costed me 10 bucks, but the fare ended up to be 12.70. He charged me 12 bucks, and as if it would have made a big difference.

Blardy hell.

Me no happy with cab services these days. Nor the fare.

When I reached the very hot Raffles Place, I realised none of my colleagues had reached. I waited for half an hour at the plaza, and bumped into a couple of my old friends – a pair of twins, Xiaoqing and Xiaohan.

Alas, Xiaohan failed to remember me and it was a short chat with them before they went on with their lunch.

Finally I caught a couple of familiar faces in the crowd, and we started our donation drive.

It was quite intimidating you know? Especially those stone-cold unfriendly faces the executives put on when they wave you away.

Since we were raising fund solely for the purpose of charity, it wasn’t that much pressure on me, and it is always good to see how locals do have pretty hearts afterall.

A couple of us went for lunch together, and my feet were already badly blistered.

I realised how heavy yet small my bag is, and I do have a need to get myself a decent bag, big enough for me to lug on my shoulders and put documents in, yet not too heavy.

Right after lunch, we rested for a while and I approached a very kind man for donation.

‘Just for you,’ he said, and he whipped out a blue note.

Though my colleagues had plenty of generous donations, and it was not surprising that people do donate generous amounts, but it was the first for me.

I don’t know, but raising fund is a weird little thing. Though the money doesn’t go to you, it always feel good that people are willing to help. Perhaps because with the time and effort we had put in, it did mean more to us.

Eventually I did recognise him as we had met briefly on one encounter, and he does read this space.

We sat down to chat for a while, and what had transpired later was a little out of the norm, but nonetheless, heartwarming.

***

I had another appointment to rush to from Raffles Place, and the walk from Bugis to Sim Lim in the heat was…. tiring.

I think I need another new pair of shoes cos I doubt my boss would like to see me in slippers.

I was slightly late in meeting Nick, and we hung out for a while at Sim Lim before we made a move to Orchard to have coffee with Ferris, his girlfriend, and Max.

Nick got braces on at the tender age of 29.

Had dinner at Scotts, and I got myself something to wear for work within my budget. For that, I think the bag and shoes have to wait.

Anyone could kindly recommend me some comfy yet affordable shoes? And a lasting working bag to lug around.

***

It was an intensive MSN chat with a new friend for the night.

It kept me thinking.

It kept me wondering.

How much inner demons are there for us to exorcise.

***

I tossed, and turned. Tossed, and turned for the rest of the night.

It wasn’t until 4 plus when I finally got to sleep.

I had an early appointment on Friday morning, and it had taken quite a while because the girl I had scheduled to see was a little to the cheeky side.

I guess I bored her out. There was a point she put her hands over her head and yawned. She couldn’t keep still either.

I guess the appointment was a tad too early, cos even I was trying to keep myself awake throughout.

I rushed down to Plaza Singapura in the intense heat, and I was surprised that I was still early.

Fund raising was even more difficult though I did bump into a couple of friendly people.

One of whom commented I reminded her of her step daughter, cos she is fair and that I sounded like her.

‘Oh she’s 35 and she talks really sweetly.’ But she did state that I am the younger version. Ahem, not that I look 35. Or do I?

Another guy had praised us for doing a good job, which I guess brought upon a satisfaction that what we were doing is right, and appreciated.

We wrapped up to go for lunch, before my colleague sent me down to Great World City to meet up with Berlinda.

I haven’t seen her for almost 2 years, and yet, she is one of my closest girl pals around.

It was coffee, then dinner, and we picked up my colleague’s girlfriend before he sent me home.

It was a loooong catch up session.

So much things to catch up on, and so much familiar feelings to get reacquainted with.

Beautiful.

***

I got back, tried to watch an episode of CSI, but fell asleep 10 or 20 minutes into it.

10 plus.

I woke up with my glasses on when it was close to 2.

I woke up at 10 the next morning.

I must be really, really, tired.

***

The next morning was excruciating.

Friday was Tampines day!

Gosh.

Who the hell goes to Tampines?

Oh well, let me rephrase. Who the hell who stays in Jurong would go to Tampines?

Thank God, my colleague stays in the west and I have a free ride to the dreadful place.

I haven’t been there in ages, and quite frankly, I got myself lost in the malls quite a bit yesterday.

There were few of us on a Saturday, and for a starter, I bumped into my senior from NPCC, who also works in the company I worked for couple of years back.

He is doing really well with Prudential, and I had dread a little meeting him.

Yet, I felt really good after talking to him, and put me at ease when handling people from the past.

Spoke to another old friend over the phone regarding the gathering next week, and it was a pleasant and encouraging phone call too.

The day was getting a tad too harsh for my liking and my energy level seemed to dip a little.

I could hear the buzz in the ears, and the little drag in my gait.

I made a few calls to arrange for appointments, and then went for a drink with my colleagues.

I decided to give my easterner friends a buzz to see if anyone of them was in the area.

And my benefactor of the day came in the form of Eugene, my ex-colleague from Playworks when he told me he just lives across the street.

Whee!

Somewhere for me to rest!

I leeched around, learned more about him as an individual, and irritated him to no end.

Eventually, he still nicely loaned me his old phone, cos he had just changed to a sleek, new phone.

I am touched, really.

***

I was supposed to meet Nick, who told me he was going to shop at Marina and would meet me thereafter.

Mindy called around 6 to say that she and Brian would meet me at Tampines Mall cos Brian had wanted to shop for a new phone.

I met up with them and we helped Brian to make up his ‘life-and-death’ decision of either getting the Sony Ericsson, or the Samsung.

As he agonised over his decision at Coffee Bean, I took out my ‘new’ phone and tried to work the darn thing without smashing it to the nearest glass panel.

I think I am getting old. I am not used to new stuff.

It is a Siemens phone, a Canada model, and I am starting to wonder what’s with the Canadian affiliation since I am not working for a Canadian company.

Anyway, me no like the new phone cos me no know how to use it.

Mindy spent a great deal of time figuring how to work the thing for me, and inserted the SIM card for me when I was too clumsy to do so.

I didn’t even know how to transfer my address book to the new phone.

Brian then fished out my Nokia’s battery from a pool of water(condensation from my Sunrise drink) and I brushed it off and commented how my trusty Nokia had been drown in the bucket some 2 years ago.

The drama then happened.

I had decided that I would use back my old phone. You know how sometimes you stick to the old becos of that undeniable familiarity, and you do feel affections for it?

And what’s more, my phone book was largely stored in my old phone.

The horrors hit me when I couldn’t switch the old phone on AT ALL!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They jinxed my phone.

Mindy tried. Brian tried, and we couldn’t revive it.

The adventures of Ting, they named it.

Arghhhhh!

And I couldn’t call out to many many people cos I simply didn’t have their numbers.

My colleagues, and much of the people whom I knew over the last 2 years.

The horrors!

So I had no choice but to use the phone Eugene passed me.

And the 2 of them then eagerly decided to bring me to the showroom to entice me with those pretty and slim mobile models on display.

We realised Nick had fallen asleep. Bugger.

I like the maroon Motorola v300i. And the other phones on display(especially those would have cost me nothing if I sign on a plan) didn’t charm me enough. But I am one who stands firm against temptation.

Apparently, Brian isn’t.

He happily lugged his new Sony Ericsson phone with him and the 3 of us sat down at McDonald’s, indulging in our new gadgets(since Mindy’s had recently gotten a new phone, say, a week ago?).

We snapped up the one and only smoking table at McDonald’s after Mindy had approached the ladies over at the table to exchange seats since they weren’t smoking, and Brian gave a death stare to 2 ladies who had wanted to take the seats just as we were sitting down.

Nowadays, when there are smoking tables, people flock to it like vultures, I tell you.

Speed dial, taking each others’ pictures(oh yes, I finally own a camera phone!), attaching pictures to caller, change settings, exploring the cool functions.

Now people call me, I got their pictures flashing, you know?

My camera doesn’t take nice pictures of me. Their phones got 3G. Mine no have. Initially I wasn’t tempted to get a new phone until Brian set up the 3G function and called Mindy and I thought it was fun when I saw my pretty face on the screen as I chatted to her.

I want a 3G phone too! So I could chat to people when I am bathing, you see. I told Mindy if I get a 3G phone, I would call her when I am in the showers.

But I guess the image is still pretty fuzzy.

The couple of hours as we sat at McDees seemed eventful.

Since we were sitting at the entrance of the mall, there was a great deal of people watch to do.

Suddenly, this chap in his 20s sat down right before the entrance, with his mobile phone on the floor, with his eyes closed.

As people strolled past him, and gave him funny stares, he was just sitting there, as if he was relaxing on the beach.

It was.. rather weird.

We joked about going over and picking up his mobile phone(well.. somehow the evening was about the obsession of phones), and whether he would finally react.

I received a call from Raf, and walked away for a slight bit, and when I got back, the next thing I knew was that my dinner was on the table(Brian was gentlemanly for once and took the order), and the man was then lying flat on the ground, with security and people crowding around him.

Someone tried to check his pulse and was contemplating on whether to do CPR for him. He didn’t.

Did he collapse? O.D.(watching too much CSI here)?

I half-imagined Catherine Willows and Gil Grissom would suddenly turn up with their medic kit.

We sat at where we were and fed french fries to ourselves as we were intrigued by the drama.

The crowd started to build up, and our ‘front row seats’ were then blocked.

The ambulance came, and the man didn’t once come round, nor open his eyes. Was he okay? What went wrong? Hmm..

I still… am puzzled.

***

Mindy built up a small crowd too, and we deduced Tampines’ residents are a curious bunch of people.

It happened when she had spilled her Coke onto herself(eh! For once, I am not the one doing so!), and we all scattered to get this, get that(and I even forgot my phone was on the table, and it was nearly drowned by Coke. Drowning 2 phones in a day would be an achievement).

Er… and then, people were standing around to look as we wiped the mess.

McDee’s kindly got us more napkins, replaced a new drink, and mopped the floor.

People were still lurking.

As we were eating, someone walked behind us and dropped something. I think our magnetic fields or something were causing things to drop. Even a man.

Gasp gasp gasp.

Alas, no money dropped down for us.

And we still couldn’t get Nick despite countless phone calls.

Mindy had suggested that I could go over to her place first to wait for him so we could head down to Changi together.

The plan was that I would take a train to Kembagan, and then Brian would send her home, and then come to the station to pick me up to her place.

Somehow the sleepyhead didn’t answer his call, and my feet grew roots to the train.

I decided home was the way to go, and it took me just an hour to reach home(we’re talking about Tampines alright?), and the ride didn’t feel that long.

My phone was in a state of comatose all the way.

I actually felt handicapped cos I couldn’t contact most people.

I survived onto the 2nd episode of CSI before I fell asleep in my glasses again.

***

Today, my phone didn’t work.

I tried sweet-talking to it, and said how much I miss it.

And suddenly…………. it came to life!

And yes.. I am now back with the old.

I think I will stick with it until I think of a way to extract all stuff from my old phone.

And amazingly, my camera phone doesn’t have a single picture of me though I had loved to take pictures of myself with other people’s phones.