Post Easter Day

And so, the exam for the ladies passed by just like that. Days of hard preparation and eagerness dissipated with the last ring of 5pm that day. A good dinner at COCA was followed by a movie of the Passion of the Christ since it was Good Friday the next day and always I felt perhaps a visual to remind us of the sacrifice that Jesus went through so as to bridge us, man to Father.

Friday was also another fun filled day. While we didn’t manage to get into the Futureworld exhibit due to the phenomenal crowd and the ‘generosity’ of the Art Science Management to give a 1 for 1 offer, we had our fun dining at the DC Heroes Restaurant. A real restaurant and it just sort of gives me the Dean and Sam type of restaurant u see at times in their shows. The food was nice but the drinks not only look avant-garde but taste nice too. Nevertheless, the one behind to bring this to the Lion City is after all, Chef Eric, one of our own home bred celebrity chef.

Dinner was quickly followed by a visit to the I-Lights, which in my view was pathetic. There was nothing much to view although a big crowded could be seen jostling and walking towards the Winged area. Hardly any specimens caught my eye and even if they do, it was probably to look towards some source of light in the Mordor like surroundings of the area where there was insufficient lighting in a place where all sorts of activities roam around.  People with prams, narcissist joggers, cyclists pedestrians.. Times are like these when you wished you were an Edward Cullen or Voldermort to bite or kerdava those obstacles into obscurity.

The much anticipated Batman vs Superman didn’t get good reviews. Sometimes, even before the story unfolds, you would know whether this actor can pull the act off. You would know if Christian Bale was suitable to be the Dark Knight or Edward Cullen. Why are there many stereo typed actors these days? Because not every actor can look good in any roles.. Try putting Edward Cullen as Iron Man. I think you will get constipation from over-iron just by seeing Bella kissing Iron Man..

While it probably appears that we ain’t going to the movies for this show, but was glad that the DC Heroes restaurant trip was fun and enriching.

 

HOPE

This picture was chosen not because today is the late Mr LKY’s death anniversary nor the anniversary where I had officially MR from Army.  It was simply chosen because my wife loves to peer out of the window whenever she travels on planes and although I can’t really guess what she would like to see but I know that she would similarly have a wide grin and happy look if she sees this for real which of course would not happen.

While I have not had much fun with balloons when I was young, I liked the feeling of carrying the ones filled with helium gas, where they will stand upright. I remembered that I would hold on to the strings tightly and wouldn’t let go no matter what. Looks funny now but back then, it would be a horror if I let it slip away and let the balloon escape to the sky. I have seen a few occasions where the child looks dumbstruck after letting it go accidentally and I wouldn’t want to be like that. I treasure what I have and perhaps seeing something important going away from my grasp is something I find it very hard to accept from a very young age.

But well, a long weekend beckons and the ladies are having an exam tomorrow!. Let the balloons give them a lift!

alloons give them a lift!

It's Stiff Friday(at least for the morning)

Although some people were already in party mood last night at the stroke of 12, my mind was far from it. Due to the absence of my boss and manager, it meant that I was like David Ospina, a third choice goalkeeper who goes into every game thinking that he will hardly play a game whole season due to 2 reasons:- 1) goalkeepers are hardly injured; 2) because of the first reason, being 3^rd choice makes it even more difficult to have a game.

However, last minute arrangements meant that my director had little choice but to send me into the meeting with the high echelon of our client’s management.  Fortunately, I was spared the display but nonetheless was required to answer several questions about our operations. It was stressful prior as you wouldn’t want your top boss to be disappointed. Before our client reached, I received about 5 calls from him in 5 mins than the whole of my decade with the firm. He was worried, and asked again if I required more backup or even a lawyer to sit in. I was glad that my answer to him was swift and quick: I don’t think we need them. I can answer operations questions.

However, quickly, after putting down the phone, I was under even more intense pressure. There was no way I can blow this up at all. No cock ups like the train delays or track faults. In other words, just like our beloved late LKY said: WE WILL SURVIVE!.

At the end of the meeting, I was glad that things went on smoothly and I was able to answer several questions posed by our client. Of course there were some ‘did I say the name of the Ms Universe winner correctly” moments when my director would look at me for answers several times. I was glad, especially towards one of our clients who came today as I would like to think that I have not shown myself to be of inferior quality after all. What had seemed like the surrender chambers had turned out none of anything like that actually.

Touching on the topic of children, the kids from the SCC are at West Coast Park today. In what should have been a more fun time interacting with animals at the zoo, the kids are left without much alternatives after a sponsor had botched it big time by calling up and sponsoring the wrong scc….. Sour at first as that meant several kids could no longer go there as many are from low income families and would not be able to afford the tickets. Sore as the lack of integrity ensured that there was bound to be no recourse from the sponsors to cater to BB. However, I’m sure that due as long as company is fun, it doesn’t matter where you are. If company is strict and rigid, does it matter even if I send you to the moon? Unfortunately I was not able to accompany Mrs Ussenal there but a chemical servicing of the prized aircon would go some way for comfort at least. =p

It is already about three quarters of March. How time flies..

Beautiful Thursday (Drink up!)

It has not been a very smooth couple of weeks for Mrs Ussenal in terms of health. Firstly, in February there was a root canal tooth that had plagued her with pain , followed by a bout of flu that had us so anxious that she had to go to the A & E at NUH to conduct tests to ensure that it was not the heart that was beating for help. A flu could be just so loosely used but I had’nt imagined that a flu without proper medicine and rest catered to fight it, would implode to something that can pull a man down to his knees. It was frightening to watch but again, a timely reminder that sickness and ever new flu viruses are no longer the same 10 years ago.

Followed by a suspected case of food poisioning last night, it was another horrendous episode. I remembered the last time I had food poisioning too, I was literally so weak and tired that I couldn’t go home even after the MO in army had given me the permission to go home. I had to stay in bed, rest a while before I could determine that I could at least walk out to the gate to wait for my father who would come later to pick me up.

Well, I am sure Mrs Ussenal will be fine soon enough. It’s just a pity that the work she does for the kids are not in measure to what her body’s health demand for the job duties. It is no joke, I repeat, to be anxious and in constant worry over a loved one and in an area where we have no trained expertise, it can play with your mind and is in no way less daunting than any other stress related issues where we can only wait.

Yesterday, despite being the midweek where it is traditionally slow everywhere, I received a piece of news that I have been waiting for so long – that my firm has paid the invoice for my Law course and although I’m unsure if there are more hiccups along the way(as there were regarding my application since last year), I am glad that it appears all paper work should be done and settled. I have no doubt that I will need to call upon the discipline I had been taught in Army and also the previous study experience I have had in the Sports Management  to gear me up properly for the next 2.5 years. While part of me is concerned about the paper stuff since I live in Singapore, I am more interested in the vast knowledge that I will get to learn and absorb, in a topic that not many peers nor people have. It is an area which one day, I hope to be able to contribute back to society and help the needy.

The picture again depicts a thousand words. Can you guess in 2 words what does it represents?

Midweek

It is Wednesday, the midweek optimists look forward to while pessimists detest. It could either act as a motivation that end of the week is approaching or swing downwards to act as a mood depressant that it is midweek, where we are at our weakest since traditionally people only feel better once Thursday comes.

            I had originally written a long piece but deleted it all away. A slow moving day and the move to sell some of my betta collection was going nowhere. Some enquiries baring 2 sentences were the maximum I had to go to end the conversation.

            1) Hi

            2) How much is it?

            3) Price is $40.

            4) So high ah? Its ok.

            3) You are welcome.

            Maybe some of them were used to goldfish where they can get 20 pieces for $2… It’s difficult to see how hobbyists can sell off their older betas when the market has already crashed with desperate breeders trying to do some mini whole sale.

            Keeping silent instead of shooting off too easily with our mouths does seem to have its perks. It’s like checking your work thoroughly before submitting the final draft. We also make better judgment and  by the time we hold on to the extra few seconds, we might have avoided a situation where hurt and misunderstandings could easily all fall in together. In this world of today, people get angry or unhappy without even moving a finger. Not really.. because all you need is just a finger to block some people off in Facebook or Instagram.

It is indeed difficult to write at this time of the day for reasons obvious… so just a painting. I can’t draw well.. so a picture in exchange for a thousand words I may write. Expressions and words often draw the wrong sword at times and the amount of time we humans spend just to warrant that it is not going to:

1)      Give wrong impression or lead to a misunderstanding;

2)      Said something that someone finds it offensive;

3)      Hurt some glass heart

4)      Invites more questions

IS TOO TIME CONSUMING sometimes. A picture could be better; just like the shape of water, it takes after the shape of the container it’s in.  A picture could mean anything to the passerby, but it would only mean something to the person who drew it or posted it.