Eeeww, that thing is so ugly!!

So said people I know about some animal or other... but to me, somehow, I find them cute, appealing even!! And it's not a "thing" to me; it's a living creature, just like you and me. Just coz it's a different species and doesn't conform to our so-called definition of beauty (which is highly subjective and debatable, by the way) doesn't relegate it to a "thing" status in my books.

I'm more drawn to animal babies than to human babies. Human babies look so... umm... boring. But animal babies are so full of life and from the moment of their birth, a lot of them have to fight to survive. I just found out that hippos normally give birth to one baby and if a mother hippo happens to give birth to 2 babies, she'll only nurse one and abandon the other one to fend for itself (and this baby would most likely die without its mother's care). Survival of the fittest, yes, but imagine in a human's case, both babies would be equally well taken care of.

But that's not to say I hate human babies. I just don't fawn and squeal all over them like most females do. Human babies just don't impress me as much as animal babies do.

**********

I'd like to visit Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo one day. I've recently watched a few of his Croc Diaries program on Animal Planet and I liked what I saw, and would like to see more of his conservation efforts in real life.

One of the main reasons why I dislike going to our local zoos and animal parks is that the animals are not always well taken care of and the condition of the place is sometimes deplorable. The last animal park I had been to was the Animal Safari at A'Famosa Resort in Malacca a few years ago. I hated it coz:

1. The trucks that took visitors around the large wild animal enclosure (where the lions and such animals were housed) were sooooo loud that even a normally placid animal would get stressed, what with a few trucks going round and round the enclosure numerous times every single day. And the trucks released huge amounts of exhaust and kicked up a lot of dust as well. Tell me how an animal, who's used to the sereneness and tranquility of the wild, would not get stressed in these conditions.
2. There were pathetically few shelters/shade for the animals to shade from the sweltering sun in the large animal enclosure.
3. In one of the enclosed buildings called the Chicken Farm (no surprises what I was expecting to see here but wait!), here was what I saw:

• A pair of hornbills (or similar looking large birds) in a cage that was only big enough to fit the both of them, without any room to fly around. There was also a piece of paper brochure that the birds were pecking at, which some visitor had probably thrown in the cage, which could endanger the birds if they were to ingest it.
• A cage containing an aquarium of hedgehogs in the middle of the cage, with a litter of kittens surrounding the aquarium. There was no litter pan in the cage for the kittens to perform their toilet duties. But why were there kittens placed in the same cage as hedgehogs in the first place?????
• A few cages with rabbits, where the rabbits were sleeping/lying in their food trays because presumably it was too uncomfortable to lie on the floor of the cage since there was no towel or padding placed at the bottom of the cage and the spaces between the wiring was about 1 inch x 2 inches and probably cut into their flesh when they laid on it.
• What was most saddening was that the animals looked listless, desolate, and helpless. No properly cared for animal looked like this and IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A CHICKEN FARM! What are non-fowl animals doing in the same facility????!!!

That experience was quite depressing and what was supposed to be a fun outing turned out to be a traumatizing one and I vowed never to step foot into any local animal park again.

That was a few years ago. I sincerely hope that the Animal Safari at A'Famosa Resort is much better now in terms of the animals' living conditions. Maybe I should brave myself and go back there and have look...

**********

Petstores should know that people are generally ignorant or too dumb to read signs. So if they don't want people to touch their animals and stress out their animals, they should just keep their animals enclosed and not leave their animals out in the open and put a sign saying "Please do not touch the animal as it will cause stress to the animal" and expect people to adhere to it coz they just WON'T!! Not when an interesting-looking animal is tantalizing them right in front of their eyes. Doesn't matter that if they (people) are in the animal's position, they wouldn't like being poked and prodded like what they were doing to the animal.

I seriously and honestly think that sometimes, people have no concept of common sense at all!!

**********

Yes, I've been ranting a lot about people's attitudes towards animals... but this is one subject that is close to my heart... and I shall continue ranting and WILL do my best to make people aware of animal rights & welfare. An uphill struggle? You bet. But someone's gotta do it.

Disoriented, maybe??

Haissshh... I'm quite tired of going for interviews for now. Not that I've been to many (me being so picky and all with my applications)... but each interview session just about saps the energy from me coz it takes quite a bit of effort to impress people who may be my potential bosses.

After all is said and done, a lot of times we cannot determine if a place or person is right for us until we've actually tried it out. No matter how much interviewing/evaluation is done prior to getting into the situation, we can only get the actual picture when we've actually tried out the place or person with both feet in.

Sometimes the outcome is not as good as what you'd expected (as what I'd recently learnt) but other times, it could be the opposite. At the end of the day, it's all a learning process. Never try, never know, rite??

Why am I talking about this??? Haish, I dunno! I think I'm just a bit disoriented from an interview I had today. I don't think I was in my "interview mindframe" so I'm rather dazed, haha... also coz I'm having to evaluate some rather important questions about myself, that may or may not result in a positive outcome... sigh...

BUT some things will return to "normal" (if I can call it that) starting tomorrow!!!!!!!!! :-D

Happy Feet!!!

I wanna watch!!!!! I wanna watch!!!

Suntanning

Aaaaaaahhhhh... I lurrrrvvve the sun!!!

Oooo oooooo... gotta turn over and get my underbelly tanned too!

Like-Minded People

I read this article in Sunday's NST, with some sort of deja vu, coz I could identify exactly with what she said about her feelings towards animals as well as towards people's attitudes to animals.

And we both share the same dream! Although she's definitely accomplished more with the publishing of her book (no, writing a book on animals isn't one of my dreams since I can't write to save my life!).

**********
I'm currently reading this book by Sy Montgomery, "The Good Good Pig, the Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood", which is a pet memoir about the author's pig named, well, Christopher Hogwood :o)

In the course of the book, the author also talks about her history with animals and also her interesting relationship with animals. And I find that I identify with a lot of the things that she talks about coz I have a similar attitude towards animals as well.

It is not that I disliked people; some of them are interesting and kind. But even the nice ones were no more compelling or important to me than other creatures... to me humans are but one species among billions of other equally vivid and thrilling lives... Humans seemed to me a rather bullying species, and I was on the side of the underdog.

That just about describes how I feel about people.

I know that I'm different from other "normal" people in the way that I 'see' animals. I don't see them as nuisances with diseases (in the case of stray animals), I don't see them as objects that we can choose to discard or kill at our pleasure. Basically, I think the difference between me and 'normal' people is that I actually take the time to THINK about animals (but whether or not I have any control over what happens to the animal is another different story altogether). Many a time, when people choose do something, they don't even realize that what they do can have an impact on animals and it can ultimately, the result could affect our very own selves.

For example, development is fine and dandy if there is proper planning. But indiscriminate development causes so many adverse effects, one of which is encroaching upon land where wild animals live and obtain their source of food. So the land is cleared and where does that leave the animals? Well, without a home, obviously, as well as their source of food. People get new homes, but the animals get forced out of theirs. And when they can't find food coz, well, their food source is no longer there, what do these animals do? They are forced to go forage for food in people's homes, the very homes that their (the animals') homes were cleared for so that these people's homes could be built. And then when this happens, people cry bloody murder coz they don't want wild monkeys going thru their garbage, and God forbid, somehow find a way to get into their homes! See, cause and effect and in the end, nobody wins.

That's from the aspect of land/property development. Let's talk about pet ownership. As you can see, pet shops have virtually sprung up overnight at every corner you can think of. Everywhere I go these days, I see at least one petstore. A few years ago, if I wanted to find a petstore, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack!

So that means something right? That there is demand for pets and normally, I would take this as a positive sign coz that means people are becoming more aware of the benefits of having pets but I'm not. Why? Coz a lot of people buy a pet just the sake of having a pet. They think having a pet is cool (especially a pedigreed one or an exotic one) or they feel it's a status symbol or they're just giving in to their children who've been pestering them for a pet. But a lot of people don't understand the amount of work and commitment involved in keeping a pet. I liken it to having a child (albeit one who doesn't scream and throw tantrums like a child) but requires almost as much effort and time. So, they get a pet and after a while, they 'suddenly discover' that having Rover or Fluffy or Blackie isn't as much fun as they'd thought it would be. The daily walks and regular attention, not to mention training, that the pet requires is too much for them to handle. So poor Rover or Fluffy or Blackie will find that their human, who'd lavished so much attention on him/her at the beginning suddenly doesn't want to spend any time with him/her anymore. The story usually ends with the owner surrendering the animal to the animal shelter (if they are even kind enough to do that) or the owner might just decide to release the animal on the streets for it to fend for itself.

And don't get me started on petstores selling exotic pets! If people can't even learn or commit to taking care of a common domestic animal like a cat or a dog, how can we even expect them to be able to take care of an exotic pet, which requires a lot more care and specific conditions for the animal to thrive? This is one of the main reasons why I detest pet stores that sell animals (especially exotic ones). I know selling pets is a good business and all, but I feel that a lot of them are just bringing the animals and selling them for profit without finding out whether potential owners are even capable of taking care of the animal.

To me, a lot of this is just common sense. However, a lot of people I know will not understand when I tell them how I feel about animals or when I start talking about animal issues. A lot of them have the "It's just an animal. No big deal." attitude. It's really frustrating when people (especially friends) don't understand the issue, and more importantly, WHY it's an issue. I don't really blame them coz our society is not one that places importance on animals, which I think is such a shame coz animals are such delightful and intelligent creatures and we can learn so much from them, if only we take the time to observe them. I've been brought up with animals all my life so I believe that's where my foundation was built. It is NOT just a phase, as some would like to call it. This is one of the things that make me who I am.

But at the end of the day, sometimes I feel so isolated and alone coz I know very very few people who feel the same way I do about animals that I could talk to. Sometimes there're so many things on the subject that I just wanna talk to someone about, someone who understands, but there's no one to talk to.

So, it's very heartening to come across like-minded people once in a blue moon, people who have the same affinity towards animals as I do. And also people who are doing something for the betterment of animals. I'm trying as well, the small ways that I can. I wish I could come across/meet people like these more often.

Ah well, at least I know I'm not alone... nor am I just a weirdo who seems to care so much about animals rather than her fellow species.

Oh, and I quite enjoyed the ending scene in Open Season, where the animals memberontak-ed against the hunters. Kinda wished that would happen in real life. But then again, knowing humans, they'd get angry and burn down the forest with the animals in it just coz the animals DARED to stop them (the hunters) from hunting them (the animals).

Bloated and Stuffed

I have overeaten and am now too stuffed to go to sleep.

o_O

Darn... must've been the Odissi workout that I had this evening. Used so much energy that I could've eaten a whole vegetarian cow! :-p

*Buuurrrrrp*

Am looking enviously at my kats who are fast asleep on my bed... hmph... lucky critters...

Sleeping Furball #1

Sleeping Furball #2

Note: The 3rd furball is noticeably absent coz she's made herself cozy in the parents' room.

More Odissi and Kats!

Aaaahhh... nothing beats a good Odissi workout. Total concentration and focus so that everything else is blocked out... err... except for the beads of sweat dripping off my hair into my eyes, haha...

Feels like forever since I last went for class even though it's only been a week and last Sunday was a holiday so we didn't have class. I swear, I miss one class and my stamina just plummets like nobody's business :o(

Ramli and the gals will be performing for the gala dinner (by invitation only, I think) for the opening of the movie "Don - The Chase Begins Again" here in KL. Am sure everyone has heard the contests on the radio (forgot which station) where they're giving out invites to the event. Among the audience will be Shahrukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra, the main stars of the movie. So cool!!!!! *drool*

**********

Nessa Mugshot

Misty Mugshot

Hehe... yup, I shamelessly posed my kats for their mugshots. Eh, u know it's quite difficult to get a kat to stay still long enuf for u to take a close-up pic of his/her face????? :-p

Things I Don't Understand

I've said this once (or more) and I'm saying it again...

I absolutely detest it when ppl who have a problem with me, they dun come to me and tell me the problem that they have with me straight to my face. Instead, they go and bitch about it to someone else. Someone else who won't be able to do anything to rectify the problem. And the only one who can rectify the problem (if any rectification needs to be done) is, oh wat d'ya know, it's ME... coz well, the problem that they have is with ME rite??? Why waste your time bitching about it to someone who can't do anything about it when you can go straight to the source and resolve it once and for all???

THAT never fails to puzzle me...

I guess the human nature to bitch about someone else is stronger than wanting to resolve any conflict.

Hhmmm...

**********
Maybe I've got an idealized view of RIGHT and WRONG.

But I've always expected ppl to admit to their mistakes and apologize for them... and if I were the one who did something wrong, I'd be more than happy to apologize. To me, it's that simple.

But I've come to realize that a lot of ppl are not very giving with their apologies. They either dun want to apologize or they feel that they didn't do anything wrong.

THAT just irks me to bits.

I expect the same from everyone... no double standards, no exceptions. And I expect no less from myself. Do unto others and all that, y'know. Doesn't matter if you're a stranger, family, friend, or colleague. If I'm wrong, I will apologize and we'll get on with life. And I expect vice versa from others.

Sadly though, a lot of ppl dun see it this way. We've got the egos and the "faces", as wat the Chinese call it, to deal with.

I MUST to learn to be less idealistic about human behavior. After all, we'll most likely be the source of destruction of the human race.

WHAT transplant???!!!

Geez, when will ppl ever be satisfied with what they have???

I guess never, from the looks of this.

What have ppl become???????

Oh wow... I dun even know how to start describing wat I felt when I witnessed this incident earlier this afternoon.

Was stuck in a traffic jam along Jln Dang Wangi when I noticed these 2 men, at the side of the road on my left, having a heated argument. Apparently, this Merc had hit into this Camry from the back. The damage wasn't bad, probably just some scratches, there wasn't even any noticeable dent. But these 2 men were damn angry.

So the driver of the Merc (Driver M - casually dressed) got back into his car and I thought the "discussion" was over. But the driver of the Camry (Driver C - decently dressed in office attire including tie) seemed to get even more upset and started yelling "Bodoh" at Driver M. Then he opened his car door and got out his umbrella and started rushing at the Merc threateningly. He looked like he was going to smash the Merc's windscreen with it. He didn't but he gave the Merc a hard kick near the front headlight. The damage from his kick was worse than wat the Merc did to the Camry.

Naturally, Driver M got pissed, got out of his car, they started arguing again with Driver C brandishing his umbrelly like a weapon and then Driver M tackled Driver C in a throathold (or neckhold, or watever hold it is where someone has his arm over another person's neck from behind). Then another driver, this lady in a car beside mine, who was obviously witnessing the scene as well (we were all caught in a traffic jam, we couldn't NOT notice wat was happening in front of our eyes)... she started yelling and get out of her car with a baton-like stick and charged towards the men to break them apart (so brave... and rather foolish, I thought. The men could've turned on her, seeing that they were in such a rage.) After which another passerby also stepped in to break the fight. Driver M let go of Driver C but both were still very upset. Driver M slammed his fist on Driver C's car before going back to his car. By this time, the traffic was moving so I left the scene with Driver C getting out his handphone.

Wat was so scary abt this scene, to me, was how upset the 2 men were over such a SMALL thing! I mean, it wasn't like Driver C's car got smashed to bits. I'm assuming that Driver M must've said something to provoke Driver C into such rage but seriously, if ppl can get so upset over such a SMALL, TRIVIAL thing like a scratch/dent on a car, can u imagine wat would happen if something really big had happened? Like, wat if Driver M had hit into Driver C's car and caused real damage to the rear end of the car???? Are they gonna bash each other up with umbrellas and sticks, or take out guns and start shooting at each other?????

Seriously, a car can always be fixed, let alone some surface damage like a dent or a scratch on the body of the car. But imagine if Driver M had a gun and he'd shot Driver C out of self-defence (Driver C was wielding the umbrella like a weapon and looked like he was gonna smash Driver M's windscreen with it)... even if the damage to the car was worse that wat it was, is it really worth it for u to potentially lose ur life over it?????

I have no idea wat ppl have come to these days. I was internally shaken after witnessing that incident and I think if I ever hit another car (God forbid!), I think I'll admit I'm in the wrong (unless it's 100% obvious that it wasn't my fault), pay the damages and move on. It's not worth it to deal with ppl who can't control their rage and who are a danger to society as a whole.

Oh wait... I dun even know wat type of crappy society I'm living in nowadays. Now I'm so paranoid that I feel like every single person out on the street is a timebomb waiting to explode.

o_O

So touching!

This is such an adorable ad... got it off a friend's blog... he prefers to remain anonymous, hehe...

Small, small world...

So last Friday, was asked to help out at a salsa workshop at my "most favorite place in the whole wide world" (excuse me while I go choke now)...

Naturally, the person who I "really liked" recognized me... so I had to put on the "real" smile and go "Oh hiiiii!!! Yes, it's me... no no, I'm not an instructor. Just helping out coz the main stars are out of town...blah...blah...blah"

So anyway... they had us standing there (no chairs for us, mind u) for about 1 hour before we started. And no, they didn't want us dancing on the wooden floor coz they didn't want us to scratch the floor.... waaaaaa, ok lar, so we dance on the tile floor.

Next thing I know, I was walking pass the staircase and this girl walks by and says "Hi Ai Ling!!!" and I do a double take and think to myself "Shites! That's my classmate from primary school!!"

That's the second "It's such a small world" incident at that place. Their former asst. manager there was also a schoolmate, one year my junior. Geez, talk abt being in teeny tiny KL, man.

So anyway, after we were done with the workshop, naturally had to do some small talk with the "long lost friend", exchange of numbers, "oh, we must meet up for drinks one day ya", yada yada yada...

Sometimes, I really dun like being in such a small world.

Bleecckk...

A Lil' Bit of Silliness and Fun

My friends are funny, hehe...

SL has been wanting to try out YM's voice call for some time. She's been bugging me for a few days and I keep telling her that it won't work coz I dun have a mic. But she goes "Never mind, try anyway" so yesterday I gave in and said, "ok ok, u call me"... and she went "haha, we're so sampat. I said "U lar! So sampat! :-p"

So she called... and the woman ended up talking to herself while I typed out my replies coz while I could hear her, she couldn't her me coz I didn't have a mic! Duh!

Then I said I'd go look for my old old mic while she tried to figure out how to get Steph to join our conversation so we could have a 3-way conversation. Found my mic and it was actually working! :-O Was so impressed! Hehe...

SL managed to get Steph conferenced in but the way YM worked was more like a walkie talkie. It was quite funny when we were talking all at once coz it seemed like we were talking to ourselves, haha! And we kept repeating ourselves "Hallo hallo, can u hear me???" and burst out laughing each time...

Hehe... it's cool how the simplest things can make us laugh... like a short-lived voice conversation via YM.

:o)

1st Corinthians 13:4-7

Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

More Holy Matrimonies

Two weekends ago, it was Chien Li's wedding...

Highlight of the dinner was when the groom declared to the bride that he was "addicted to her". Aaaaawwwww... so sweet! (She's my former colleague from VS)

Yesterday was Rachel's wedding...

There was a garden ceremony where the priest conducted the nuptials, followed by a sit-down dinner in the resort ballroom. I liked the slideshows that they'd put on. Highlight of the nite was probably the part where they made the guests all go up and do the Scottish dance (the groom's Scottish). After some confusion, I think the M'sians finally got the hang of it... haha... (I've known Rachel back in the Buffalo days... we were in the same faculty and took some of the same courses).

Come December, there'll be another wedding... of my oldest friend, someone I've known since my pre-school days. Wow, I feel quite ancient o_O

This year's a good one for weddings, eh????

;o)

Animals in My Life

Here are some of the animals who I'd had the good fortune to be associated with throughout my life...

Sandy, brindled boxer... the very first dog we had that I could remember...

Sylvester & Bandit

Sandy and I-can't-remember-his-name... my aunt's dogs in Ipoh

Sam & Rufus - boxers, who we'd hand-reared when they were newborns after their mother died of complications from their birth

Frisky, our very first cat! Dad wanted to dump her when she came into our house one day but me and sis protested madly. Dad & Frisky eventually became best of friends... but she ran away when we moved to our current home :o(

Patches/Patchy - our second cat who came one day and never left. She's all of 9 years now and still going strong *touch wood*

*Ppbbttthhh!!! Stop taking pics of me! Else start paying royalties!*

Vanessa/Nessa - adopted in the States, relocated to M'sia. Lost a tip of an ear to frostbite and almost had a leg amputated when she was a stray on the streets of Buffalo.

*Ssssshhhhh!!! I'm hiding!!!!*

Misty - adopted with Nessa in the States, relocated to M'sia. Has a short-haired version of a brother back in the States.

*Oh hello... would u like to rub my tummy???"

These are only some of the animals who I'd had the privilege of growing up with. Others include Prince, Ginger, Kimbo, Bobby, Max, Fred/Tiny... I couldn't find pics of them.

RIP to those who're already in Doggy/Kitty Heaven...

Random Thoughts on a Thursday Afternoon

Gaaahhh!! I'm having this persistent cough that just won't go away!! All coz of the stupid haze... gggrrrrr...

Last nite was bad... was coughing and coughing till I couldn't get to sleep...

:o(

Feels like a perpetual itch in my throat... so agonizing!

*cough cough* I'm coughing my guts out... blurgh *pieces of unidentifiable gut comes hurtling out of my mouth*

o_O

**********
What makes a person determine whether another person could be a potential partner???

After going thru the checklist on the usual physical and personality traits, the next criteria on my list would be to see if being with the person would make my life more positive i.e. at the risk of sounding cliched, someone who'd make me a better person and who'd bring more life to my life, so to speak.

My logic is, if a person with whom you're planning to spend the rest of your life doesn't have that sort of impact in your own life, then the relationship wouldn't be very meaningful and the possibility of it lasting would likely be low.

Another criteria would be to see if the person would stick by me, not only during the good times, but more so during the bad times. This story was shared by Bee Suan during her 'interrogation' session when we organized her hen nite. We'd asked her what was one of the nicest things that her future hubby had done for her (or some similar question)... and she'd replied that one of it was that during the early days of their courtship, he'd driven all the way to Johor (she was studying there then) on her birthday and brought her flowers. Naturally, us gals went "Awwwwww..." when she told us that story. But what really touched me was what she added after, that he'd been there for her during the tough times when her father got ill and eventually passed away. She teared up when she was telling us this, and I could see that it really meant a lot to her that he'd stuck by her, encouraged her and motivated her to move on with her life. She'd said "U wanna know if a guy's really good? See if he sticks around when things get tough"... and that comment has stayed with me since then. And I think it's a fair criteria for anyone to expect of their potential life partners. Who would want a partner who'd take off as soon as things get tough?

**********
Hhmm... I think my cats need a shower...

Sunny weather today so they can dry themselves off on the balcony.

:o)

Who Do We Think We Are???

I totally agree with his/her views on how our so-called wildlife experts handle human-wildlife conflict.

You can refer to the hardcopy of The Star, 10th October 2006, Page N45 to see the picture of the said crocodile, with all its limbs and head bound in such indignity... just coz it was following its survival instincts.

Yes, it's tragic when human lives are lost to these wild animals but do we ever stop to think why the animals are driven to attack humans? Do we even stop to think, whenever we clear forests and swamps to build our bungalows, apartments, and link houses, that we're encroaching on the land that they depend upon for their survival?

Oh no, we don't ever think that far. We just clear land and build and build, and when the inevitable happens i.e. these wild animals are driven to attack humans for their survival, we get angry and condemn these animals to their death.

Remember a few years ago when some govt. official put out the order to have any tiger shot and killed after it attacked a human? Even though tigers are extremely endangered animals? And the order was apparently approved by our very own wildlife dept, whose very existence is supposed to be to provide solutions to manage human-wildlife coexistence and NOT just send out orders to kill any wild animal that happens to attack a human for its survival. Heck, if that's the case, we dun even need a wildlife dept!

See, animals' minds dun work like us humans. They attack for survival; we, on the other hand, are capable of premeditated murder. So if that's the case, why dun we kill each and every human who's murdered another human being instead of spending tax payers' hard-earned money to rehabilitate these criminals?

If we really wanted to, if the relevent officials really wanted to, we can find solutions to manage human-wildlife coexistence. It's been proven to work in other countries. But see, our relevent officials are just too busy with making money from building this development and approving that development. So whenever something like this happens, they just need to send out an order "Bunuh saja semua buaya/harimau/gajah/[insert a wild animal] kat sana tu." Easy peasy... and they dun even need to do the work themselves.

It just makes me sick. Each time an innocent animal gets killed coz it had to do something to survive and another stupid Mat Rempit is loose on our roads, makes me even sicker. Who's more dangerous, u tell me now.....

Stupidity and What-Nots...

In this day and age, I'd like to think that I have enough common sense NOT to make silly and careless mistakes.

But sometimes, I do slip up and then can't help but worry about the consequences of "What if...?", the worst-case scenarios playing in my mind endlessly until I feel like hitting my head against the wall, not that that's gonna help anything.

And sometimes, the fear that comes with it is so terrifying to the point that it almost suffocates me.

Sigh...

Note to self: Must.Not.Make.Stupid.And.Avoidable.Mistakes

**********
I broke our mop yesterday... but it was old and the wood was rotting from the regular usage.

I'm not THAT strong... hehe...

**********
What is your biggest fear? I think one of my biggest fears, in addition to being a failure (at anything), is to be a disappointment and failure to my parents, the people who'd brought me up to be the person I am today and to whom I'm eternally grateful for all the opportunities and support that they've given me throughout my life. Therefore, must work hard to ensure this doesn't happen.

Another fear that I have is to lose control of my life (can't imagine how yet, at this point in time) and an irrational fear of worms and any creepy-crawlies that are slimy. Yecckk... *shudder*

**********
Managed to get thru Week 1 of Unemployment without driving myself or anyone else crazy

:o)

*Nudge nudge* Are U Alive???

Got this in my mailbox some time back...

Common Courtesy & Unemployment

I've heard employers complaining about how candidates that have been shortlisted for interviews just dun show up for interviews and never bother to call.

Now, I feel that this is really disrespectful and inconsiderate of them. I mean, if you dun wanna attend an interview for whatever reason, just call the employer and give some reason (lie, if you have to) that you won't be able to attend. Dun just NOT call and make them wait for you like they've got nothing better to do.

Which then brings me to the employer's aspect. If you've already filled in a previously vacant position and you're still receiving resumes from potential candidates, just drop them an email with a one-liner saying "Sorry, this position has already been filled. Thank you for your interest." instead of making them send follow-up email after follow-up email, wondering whether their email got thru coz they haven't received any reply. I know employers are REALLY busy ppl and all, but is it that difficult to keep a template and copy-paste the same response to multiple ppl just to inform them of the current status of their application?

Now, is that SO difficult to do on anyone's part????? A little courtesy goes a long way, u know...

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I've been unemployed for a total of 3 working days now, going to 4. And I'm already starting to get restless, hehe. I dun think I can ever stay unemployed for long, mainly coz of the interruption to my income stream *gasp!* Unless I happen to strike the lottery (100% unlikely seeing that I dun even buy lottery tickets) or happen to have an extremely generous benefactor (also 100% unlikely)... then I can afford a little luxury of relaxing a bit.

So, now on to more job hunting. And I'm being quite picky coz I wanna make sure I'm ok with the work and also the environment so that I can stay there for as long as possible. All this switching jobs is not very conducive to productivity or morale. At the end of the day, I've gotta be realistic. I dun have to love the job. As long as I dun hate it and it pays the bills and allows me to have some sort of a life, then why not???