I am beginning to wonder what my real occupation is. Definitely not what is written in the Job Description. Have this vague sense of potentially being screwed hanging over my head the whole day.

Learned also that if you need to delay your part of the project, just send someone new to the progress meeting EVERYTIME. Thus if the Chairman ask for the update, the poor sod can just claim not having much info on that and will get back next meeting. GET BACK TO YOU NEXT MEETING. The phrase is the same but the speaker changes. Repeat ad nauseum ad infinitum.

Am resolved to try me best not to get entangled into the web of politicking and espionage (huh? espionage) ummm...i mean, backstabbing and the likes. Note to self: Focus on moving the damn project forward. Move!

On a brighter note, had lunch with WL. A cheerful bubbly girl overflowing with enthusiasm and innocence. Reminds self of time, long long ago, in a distant galaxy, when life is simple and love is free (no, not the Woodstock kind of loving)

colon-minus-close parenthesis | :-)

Am not making this up. A colleauge, well sort of, emailed back to me asking whats the deal with the "colon-minus-close parenthesis" at the end of my e-missive to him today. What a Luddite! (an e-moron would be stretching it a bit). Was trying to be helpful by telling him its a "Smiley" but got back a reply, "A What?". Decided not to pursue the matter and personally concluded that there are pockets of email users on this island who are not into, or rather, have not come across the ubiquitous emoticons.

Which brings to mind an arguement somewhere that the use of emoticons robbed us of our ability to express emotion via writing. I have not come across any emails consisting entirely of colons and minus and open or close parenthesis but the possibility is not remote, considering the proliferation of "bastardised" SMS messages. One day we will just draw faces on paper to express our feeling, just like how our ancient ancestors drew on the walls of their caves.

Wrote back to friend (after all) with a bit of emoticon history. How it was conceived by one Dr. Scott E. Fahlman, a computer scientist at Carnegie Mellon University. The Father Of Emoticon wrote, " I propose that the following character sequence for joke markers:

:-)

Read it sideways. Actually, it is probably more economical to mark things that are NOT jokes, given current trends. For this, use :-(

Nowadays though, emoticons come in bright, beautiful, cute-cute animated gif acting out everything from a simple smile to violent outburst of emotions.

;-)

Today me cubicle seems to attract a lot and all kinds of people, streaming almost every few minutes asking for either this or that and at least three came not knowing what they wanted. P'haps they like just wandering and you know, telling themselves, "hey, lets go into this cubicle here and TALK A LOT and waste his time listening to us even tho we can actually talk somewhere else!!". Am feeling quite agitated with self and others around.

But there is a learning point here. Am wondering if this is just a sweeping generalisation or if theres some truth in it, but women folks came and really talk business, got to the point and scurried away delighted at being an efficient corporate stooges, while the men will pop in just to...TALK. About everything and nothing else. Talking COCK to be precise.

Am really hoping to move to new office fast, where it is really an OFFICE with DOORS to keep distraction out. Work is coming in steadily but fast, cannot afford to let it pile. Really hopes for a distraction-less workday tomorrow.

(Calories burn talking today - 16000)

Stomach Flattening Program Day One

Stomach Flattening Program started off on a promising note when self refused to eat lontong with rich coconut gravy but chose light sandwich instead. Which proved to be a mistake, as by 10am self was feeling terribly hungry at the cube farm. And especially when Lynn at next cube was munching something so aromatic (nose said it was tuna). By 1015am managed to devour a tuna sandwich and a packet of Doritos plus a cup of latte. So much for stomach flattening program.

Lunch plan was supposed to be a 20-minute-punishing-abs-regime at the gym but was no where near gym as self need to attend to finding a missing laptop (calories burned looking for missing laptop - 600). Then rushed to HQ to attend an Education Seminar (something about Principles Of Governance) expecting an eye-torturing regime as these kind of talks would put one to sleep within the first 3 minutes. On the contrary, talk was truly an eye opener, followed by an interesting discussion from the audience and invited speaker. Self felt like experiencing some kind of "political epiphany" and am resolved to read up more on things concerning local politic (yes, am political apathetic)

Quiet National Day Weekend

Hmmp. Spend the weekend with a lot of very-nothing-to-do moments xcept for the brief visit to brother's house to see newborn baby. For once feel very old as even 2yrs old Mikail looks much bigger than tiny baby. Was hoping to suddenly turned into a baby and spend entire waking moment trying to eat own toes.

Brother's house, at 12th floor, provided clear view of the then impending fireworks for the National Day Celebration (oh yeah, Happy Birthday Singapore) but am not so motivated to stay and see colourful pyrotechnics lighting up the night sky...neway, Lena was already nauseating (morning sickness - and yes, it wasn't even morning) and so left Bro's house just before Marghrib (that's sunset for you). Spend the National Day evening in front of telly watching the on-goings passively like a couch potato (note to self: next year, book da damn hotel earlier, Swisshotel would be a good idea)

Tomorrow will start Stomach Flattening Program. Aargh! Telling self to be more positive and visualise flat, 6-pack abs of steel. Go me go!

Colors That Will Cause Your Visitors To Hate You

Didn't realise that there are colors that will make people visiting your webby HATE you. Yeah, hate as in want to shove painful things up your body where-the-sun-never-shines. OK, I'm exaggerating. But I am not making this up. This interesting website explains what colors to avoid in designing your webby, unless of course if you are designing roadside caution sign on the internet.

In the back of your eye there is a thin layer of tissue that contains millions of tiny light-sensing nerve cells called rods and cones. Cones respond to specific wavelengths of light. Your eye is filled with color decoding cones. When you looked at the red box the cones that detect the red wavelength become tired and fatigued. When this happens the opposite cones in your eye start to kick in. Hence the bluish green color you saw. Now that you know there is a scientific reason behind eye fatigue you should apply it to your web site...

...You should use yellow and red colors sparingly in your web site itself. Only use them in areas where you want the visitor to focus on. Do not make large parts of your web site with bright color. It might get your visitors attention but they will either consciously or subconsciously notice their eyes getting fatigued. This will make them not want to look at your web site for long periods of time. There are enough reasons why a visitor would leave your web site. You don't need to add to that list by using irritating color.

Truth be told, I can't even stand ANY color on the monitor screen...will get dizzy, nauseated ,horny and pukey just after 10 minutes....

Song stuck in my head

Daniel Bedingfield's, "If You're Not the One"

If your not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?
If your not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?
If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call
If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all

I never know what the future brings
But I know you are here with me now
We will make it through
And I hope you are the one I share my life with

I dont want to run away but I cant take it, I dont understand
If I am not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?

If I dont need you then why am I crying on my bed?
If I dont need you then why does your name resound in my head?
If your not for me then why does this distance maim my life?
If your not for me then why do I dream of you as my wife?

I dont know why your so far away
But I know that this much is true
We will make it through
And I hope you are the one I share my life with
And I wish that you could be the one I die with
And I pray in your the one I build my home with
I hope I love you all my life

I dont want to run away but I cant take it, I dont understand
If I am not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?

Cause I miss you, body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away
And I breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today
Cause I love you, whether its wrong or right
And though I cant be with you tonight
And know my heart is by your side

I dont want to run away but I cant take it, I dont understand
If I am not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?