Unexpected day

Quite a few unexpected things happened today. To start with, we got off work real early, so my colleagues and I went for karaoke, which was totally unplanned for. We really need to hang out more often. Most of the socialising that happens among colleagues is only during lunch break, which isn't nearly enough and largely centers around babies, marriage, shopping, COEs and petrol prices. Anyway, my singing was awfully terrible, but P2 and AK were absolutely fantastic! They should be signing up for Singapore Idol!!!

It just so happened that karaoke ended just about the right time for me to head to the Esplanade for dinner with the Cal dudes. And just as I walked out the Esplanade into the courtyard, I saw fireworks! What a pleasant surprise! I think it must have been for the River Hongbao festivities or something. Anyhow, it's cool to be so close to fireworks just when you least expect it :D. Just by the bay there was this local band playing 70s music. I was never a big fan of 70s music, but these guys were soooo good! The lead singer was a young lady, and she not only sang but played the flute once in a while too! This reminded me of a friend of mine who plays the flute. I always thought the flute had to go along with a whole orchestra or something, guess not. Maybe I shld request a solo performance someday ;).

Dinner with the Cal dudes back home is always an interesting occasion. Especially now that we have some juniors joining our ranks as the working class. It's funny how just about 2 years ago we were pretty much all the same, worrying bout the same issues and things in life, such as midterms, finals, moving house etc. Also funny how most of us never really talked bout the future when we were in school. I guess since most of us are bonded there wasn't really much future to talk about huh? But now everyone is doing a different thing, operating in a different environment with different aspirations, different experiences, different outlooks on life. And it is at this point that I start thinking bout all the what ifs. I mean signing on the dotted line (ok signing on 120 dotted lines, I counted!) on that one fateful day made me what I am today, what if......

What if, what if, what if? Well, the what ifs don't matter anymore. We live for a better tomorrow, not a better yesterday, so the best is yet to be!

"Signs" has a boo boo!

Have you watched the movie "Signs" by M. Night Shyamalan? Well, that was one show that I liked a lot, but unfortunately, I just discovered a boo boo....

I just read from my book that "In patients with asthma, the trouble isn't with getting air into the lungs; it's with getting air out". In the last scene of "Signs", the alien tries to poison the little boy by putting something up his nose. However, the little boy at that moment has an asthma attack, so he survives and doesn't get poisoned. Except that in reality if he did have an asthma attack, the poison would have GOT IN and not been able to GET OUT!! Oooops....

Well, if the boy didn't survive then the father wouldn't have put on his robes and become a pastor again and that really would have ruined the story huh? So lets just pretend we missed that boo boo, though I really hate it when people get scientifically incorrect....

By the way, somebody in today's papers wants to have huge parks in Singapore that emulate's New York's Central Park. Can somebody tell me what's so great about Central Park? Sure its a nice patch of green, but it's totally unsustainable, requiring vasts amount of watering and constant returfing. Has anyone gone to central park in the winter? Go see what maintenance needs to be done during the "off season". Nice green area? Yes. Ecologically sustainable? No. We already have a great park right here that I'm so proud of, and that's East Coast Park. Although its entirely artificial (sits on reclaimed land), it requires no watering, little maintenance (except clearing the leaves and branches from the tracks so skaters like myself don't trip over), and looks au naturel! That's the kind of park we need for a greener city! Save on water and taxpayer's money too! (Though with the new $160mil makeover we don't know if ECP will ever be the same again....)

Eclectic cuisine

Had a real great dinner tonight! Foie Gras followed by tenderloin stuffed with mushroom and cheese washed down with Sangria and Limoncello, whoa! U all need to go check out Naxos "eclectic cuisine" down at China Square! It's basically Mediterranean and real good!

Btw, Limoncello was on the house! ;)

Matrix

...matrix structures "led to conflict and confusion; the proliferation of channels created informational logjams as a proliferation of committees and reports bogged down the organisation; and overlapping responsibilities produced turf battles and a loss of accountability." Nigel Nicholson, a professor of organisational behaviour at the London Business School, called the matrix structure "one of the most difficult and least successful organisational forms."
- The Economist

And one wonders why some local companies are so eager to adopt the now obsolete matrix organisation structure.....

Sunday's recessional hymn: Lead Me Lord

Blessed are the poor in spirit longing for their Lord,
for God's coming Kingdom shall be theirs.
Blessed are the sorrowing for they shall be consoled,
and the meek shall come to rule the world.

Chorus:
Lead me Lord, lead me Lord by the light of truth,
to seek and to find the narrow way
Be my way, be my truth, be my life, my Lord,
and lead me Lord today.

Blessed are the merciful for mercy shall be theirs,
and the pure in heart shall see their God.
Blest are they whose hunger only holiness can fill,
for I say they shall be satisfied.

Blest are they who through their lifetimes sow the seeds of peace,
all will call them children of the Lord.
Blest are you though persecuted in your holy life,
for in heaven great is your reward.