:-(

Sick of international meetings. Need to watch personal manner more. Or do I? Been working well for me, so far. Have been told that I need to stop saying "I don't have long-term career ambitions here anyway". I wonder why. Ha. Pirates schmirates. Russian women really dig Indian men. Canadians really do pronounce the word "about" like "a-BOOT". Hee hee. Apparently I am the point person for the French language. One-eyed leading the blind. I have three months to brush up. Great. Can you spell I C-A-N-'T B-E B-O-T-H-E-R-E-D? Still haven't figured out if the seemingly gay chef was checking me out. Maybe he too sees the gay man trapped inside me. Or maybe he was just horrified at my skin. MY SKIN. I should stop boozing for so many reasons. Is it just that I'm getting old that the men I'm attracted tend to be married? Or is it just that the stable-family-life-seeking sort of guy tends to work in the government sector? PROBLEM: NEW JOB MEANS ZERO INTERACTION WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. It's just as well hey seeing how I have to re-acquaint myself with a language that I was not so hot at to begin with. Plus one more, if the new proposal goes through. Apparently there's no point to Japanese since it's not an official UN language. What a waste. Where was I? Oh yes. I AM BORED. I haven't eaten dinner in the past week simply because I AM BORED OF FOOD. Fortunately lunch has been catered so I could be on autopilot for at least one meal a day and not think about what I actually wanted. Not that it has made any difference to my waistline. If I wasn't so damn bored of it all I might feel a sense of panic brought on by the thought of getting OLD. OLD OLD OLD. I've been having weird dreams. Very different settings but the same plot: I end up having to live in the same house as an ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend; who is short, kinda-plump, not particularly attractive, but apparently very nice. And I'm totally OK with it, even a little perplexed at my lack of jealousy, totally cognisant of the stark reality that is I-was-dumped-because-I-wasn't-a-nice-enough-person, and weirdly supportive of the set up/ glad that so-and-so have found each other. They are such anti-climactic dreams, I wonder why I even remember them. Have I become politically-correct even in my subconscious? That is fucking scary. My right eyebrow itches and I've found the perfect red lipstick. It's from M.A.C.. London guy insinuated that he's not likely to want to stay there longer than two years and that he only accepted the position because he felt he had no choice. So maybe I get a go in 2012. But will I want it by then? I've been spending too much and maybe re-learning French will help me stop. I'm even bored of painting. All execution, no completion. Story of my life.


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On speaking and writing.

A good read. And, no, I am not suggesting that it is deliberately targeted at the frequent visitor to this blog, who has a firmer grasp of the English language than most.

There are some typographical errors in the speech that I would forgive, as I doubt that it is an official transcript. It's an excellent speech otherwise; I really must hand it to the old man.


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I'm just too good at what I do.

AAANND to show just how much I deserved that "A" grade and "supremely versatile" comment on my mid-year performance review; today, my impromptu gig taking real reporters' questions on a crisis situation during a mock press conference, was described as "outstanding", "excellent" and "are you sure you haven't had media training before?".

I still look terrible on TV though.



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Another diversion.

Environmental Grafitti.


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Bob

is really the sweetest most amazing-est cat in The Entire World. He's also the most vocal cat I've ever met and surprisingly brainy for the owner of such a tiny (but cute!) head.

And he smells of poo.


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No signs

of swine flu yet. I might however catch whatever it is that my little brother is down with.

Tried on the Reiss suit I got from Heathrow duty free at half-price. Still lovin' it! Wish I had more time for shopping in London.

My ears are still recovering from those meetings. I really should bring earphones the next time round. The headphones provided don't have those nice cushiony things, for hygiene (and cost) reasons. I actually have a bruise on my right ear.

Translators get paid a lot of money.

I wonder if the Lipsy black zip-up dress I bought at half price is suitable for the office. Or Singapore. It needs to be worn with a pair of kick-ass black knee-high boots.

I need to buy boots.

I hate summer collections.

I have eight bars of soap and three bottles of shower gel. I have in total 2.25 litres of shampoo (and, surprisingly enough, only 0.5 litres of conditioner). I have two tubes of leave-in conditioner and two tubes that promise to make my waves wavier than before. I have two unfinished bottles and one newly-opened tube of face cleanser, and three bottles of toner. And two bars of soap for cleansing the face. I have one large pump bottle of body moisturiser and two tubs of body cream. I have countless bottles of perfume and a fridge full of hydrating / balancing / brightening / rejuvenating / anti-aging products many of which are used only once a month. And I have a drawer full of make-up.

I have a tube of silicon gel that I'm supposed to use religiously on my foob scars. Guess when I last used it (actually, don't).

I need to buy more tops. And dresses. From the fall collection.

I also need mascara. What I have isn't finished but it's gone all dry and clumpy. I would also like to try out falsies at some point.

Eyelid tape has sorted out the fold of my left eyelid. I look somewhat more symmetrical now.

I AM SO BORED. Self-quarantine sucks ass. Cancelled my painting session and hair appointment today, boo... We've been asked to work from home over the next two days but I think I'll go in on Tuesday if I'm still feeling fine. I have mixed thoughts about Kazuo Ishiguro.

I think the Bobster has gotten used to his mummy going away all the time, as long as she devotes all her attention to him for the 24 hours from when she returns. Aw sweet little Bobbly-boo. Have your claws always been this long?

Bored bored bored bored bored. I accepted a "friend" request from my former chief executive (after some spring-cleaning and privacy re-setting of my profile). BORED.

Tick tock tick tock.


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London.

Just spent the past five days in a series of full-day meetings and receptions in London, completely tired out but ridiculously happy just for the opportunity to return HOME for that small while. Because it was very much like that; by the second day it felt as if I had just come back from a tour of duty in the Pore when in reality it was very much the opposite. I suppose the sun helped.

The London post has been given to a much more experienced dude who left the organisation to pursue his Masters. If all goes well for him, it means the next time the post is up for grabs again is for the term starting 2014. That's a REALLY long way from now. But perhaps by then I'll look old enough to be taken seriously.

I have to do something about these cheeks. You'd probably have realised how much I LOATHE having my photo or video taken; in 2-D, my fivehead goes Total Klingon, my flat eyes and puffy lids become reminiscent of a floater's, my jawline screams out its Chinese-peasant heritage and overdeveloped triangularsis muscles dramatically display a look of permanent disapproval.

So when my face is being projected on giant screens at an international diplomatic meeting, it's just not pretty. It is in fact rather horrifying. Fortunately most delegates are busily taking notes or cooking up interventions to notice. But it must come as a bit of a shock to those who glance up every now and then.

In 3-D, the same features that give evoke images of a clay model in its very initial stages, give me a rather... cherubic appearance. Few people looking at my naked face alone would hazard to guess that I was a day over twenty. The acne scars don't help. It's rather disadvantageous being female and looking like a fresh graduate in an industry that's mostly male and aging. I'd never get treated seriously.

I did make an appointment with the plastic clinic, but decided to cancel it in a moment of guilt over the potential cost. I'd better make that appointment again if I want results by November.

Not seeking opinion here, just needed to commit myself to it.



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