My Trusty Honda Died On Me Today

The ride to makan place after every soccer session on sunday mornings started off bad enough. I was riding straight into the storm clouds gathering at furious pace as I entered into the TPE-SLE from Pasir Ris.

The sky began to open up which started off with trickles at first before suddenly turning into peltering raindrops. I had to seek the comfort of shelter under the overhead bridge at Bedok North Flyover when I cannot take the rain any longer.

Already half soaking wet, I got down from my bike & waited for the rain to stop. It was a good 20mins wait and my dear friends already started having hot steamy chicken rice at Katong mall. Upon seeing the rain lighten up, I tried to start my bike and voila! Crank, sputter and died! The ignition just won't start! Siao liao, must be the battery flat. I should have heed the warning signs few weeks back earlier. I figured I must have spent about 10min trying to revive the bike, but to no avail. The other bikers who were stranded together with me left one by one. So no choice, I called the guys up to inform that my bike died on me and I can't join them for lunch already. So after that, I called "Bikebulance" - a towing service. Lucky I saved the number just in case. So it came in handy afterall. Hehe.

I was quoted S$35 for tow services which I reluctantly had to accept after I tried calling up other biker friends for alternatives, but to no success. The guy who picked up the call told me to wait another half an hour.

Wah sipeh sian, stuck on PIE in the cold shivering rain, stomach hungry and almost wanted to faint already. I called the gf to let her know also, and chat with her to kill time. I also called the guys up to ask them to ta-pao some chicken rice for me and wait together with me until the bikebulance comes. So nobody gave a shit about me. So damn sad, my dear friends then entertained me for a few minutes talking crap. Deep inside, I really hope someone would come to accompany me and maybe ta-pao that very nice chicken rice for me. Seems that I was asking too much. Hahaha...

Anyways, long story cut short. Bikebulance came, loaded my bike & off we go to the only (?) bike shop that was open on sundays. There, I had my battery replaced for S$70 before I hopped onto my revived bike to look for food. It was almost 3:30pm. Hungry like a wolf man. Gobbled up everything before heading home for a nice shower!

Here are some pictures below... I thought it was pretty funny to see me "carrying" the bike, and not the other way round!

Crossroads of life

Suddenly I'm standing at the crossroads of life again... The same feeling I had when I flunked my 'A's & had nowhere to go with that shitty piece of result.

Only difference now is, I had a job which I think I like & I can stay, but recent results show otherwise. Or maybe I'm not cut out for my current job afterall.

I have to say, it was not entirely due to her that I began to think like this. In fact, she is slowly coming to understand my career objectives. I don't blame her. I blame the society we live in.

To begin with, I think my pay is shitty but I think I can still bear with it for a year or two.

But when you think about the future, with all the financial burdens that comes along with it, something inside your head tells you it is high time to move. Because if you can't even fulfill your basic needs, how can you even perform for the company?

Having said that, finding a new job with "good" pay seems to be the next logical step. But finding a job that combines both elements of good pay & interest is like trying to locate a needle in the haystack. Sure you can get lucky sometimes, but I'm not that blessed. In fact, most people work to live, not live to work. Who am I to argue against convention?

I have lost the initial drive I had when I first started out, but I will still put in my best. Because the experience I gain, nobody can take that away from me.

Trust me when I say sales is not easy to do, especially in my line of work where technical knowledge I had to learn from scratch without much help. Being in sales expose you to a lot of things business management textbooks don't teach you. You end up being bruised, but I'm sure I can come out of this a lot more streetwise & business-savvy, and can learn faster than people who grow up in a comfortable working environment where the only instruction you get is the only instruction you follow. One is one, and two... is obviously two.

Just follow law, they say.

Anyways, I'm still torn between finding a job I like & finding a high paying job. What if the new job which pays me good money but I don't like? What if the new job which I like but doesn't pay me good money? Wah this really sucks man.

Right now, my head is telling me to conform by societal norms. Most people work to live afterall, using the money they earn to pursue a "happier" life & fill up the black hole that is sucking their very life away. I once heard this phrase which I find it very interesting: "You spend your youth chasing money, but once you found money, you will spend your money chasing youth". Which perfectly explains why filthy rich grey haired senior citizens are buying themselves posh feraris & harley davidsons.

But hor, have you ever thought, if you don't start to chase money when you are young, how are you even going to spend it when you don't have anything to begin with?? Unless you are born a fucking useless "ah sia kia", that one don't say lah...

Now that's the oxymoron in life.

A walk in the clouds

The gf & I finally had a chance to go on a trip abroad. Okay not that far, Genting in Malaysia to be precise. Nonetheless, it was a first for us to travel abroad with each other.

The day started out with both of us waiting for the coach beady-eyed at 6am, most probably due to lack of sleep from the excitement of going overseas together.

As we reached Tuas 2nd link, was shocked to see the long, I mean really long line of trucks queuing to go into JB. Lucky for us, it didn't affect travellers like us on social visits. Customs (or Kastam, like my mum & dad always say) was a breeze despite all the big fuss about letting mas selamat got away (with a limp in his feet somemore) but maybe because it was not even 7am when we reached. But bloody big joke it was, I tell you. Wong will surely kenna kan seng. LOL.

First stop was Ayer Hitam. Different from the usual stop point at Yong Peng other bus companies would stop tourists for a break of half an hour to have their meals. The food there sucks, I mean really cannot make it type. Somemore damn expensive. I had prata that costs twice as much compared to Singapore but didn't taste half as nice, and the gf had noodle soup which was so bland that I have to literally empty the soy sauce to get some taste. Disappointed, we went back to the coach clutching some comfort food from the mini-mart to tide us through another 4 hrs of journey. The gf couldn't sleep on the coach, or so she claims. But heck, I could sleep anywhere. Heh.

Just before ascent into Genting highlands, we were let out for a pee break. Due to the long queue of women waiting to go relieve themselves, some very daring Chinese aunties I must say, cheong into the guy's toilet to do their business. Wah muslim country still dare do such a thing, I thought to myself. I was thinking what might happen if they get caught by religious polis? Actually in the first place, is it a crime or not? As I was about to enter the toilet after them, I was half expecting to see them peeing against the wall like Bridget Jones in the similar titled movie "Bridget Jones' diary". When I found out otherwise, I don't know whether to be disappointed or relieved. Haha.

Mr.Energizer does a Borat thumbs up!

As we meandered round the nice roads of genting, we finally reached the peak. Ok lah, not that cold. Maybe still can "tong" in the open air wearing singlet & burms. We proceed to the reception to get our room keys. "Deluxe" room we remembered. "Deluxe" room we did not get. It was on the first floor. About the size of normal NTUC, I mean now is called downtown east chalets. Worse thing is, our outside view was staring opposite a rust-filled ventilator located in a narrow alleyway with scant light scampering in. Wah look already is really sian half. So the gf pulls a long face & worked up a storm, we went back to complain... & we got an "upgraded" room which was really the same room but located on 16th floor with a much better view of the vegetation that surrounds genting city! Better than nothing lah.

Me looking very happy with my hotel (First World Hotel;background)

So first day was spent walking around the vicinity of First World hotel. Followed by free buffet dinner at the hotel cafe. Not bad actually, the spread of food. Or maybe was it due to the sucky food back in Ayer Hitam? Anyways... wanted to go casino after dinner one. But who was to know a short rest back in hotel room turned out to be a satisfying sleep well into 9 the next morning? Crap, people go holiday is make full use of time one, but we go holiday is go sleep like pigs. How can??

Day 2 thus began with a flurry of activities, started with hearty breakfast of I-forgot-what. I went to Starbucks to work with my laptop for about an hour and the gf was very obedient to stay there and read magazines quietly. After that, we bought a day pass to the amusement park to try to relieve our childhood memories. Took on some challenging rides and in some instances, either the ride was too scary (the free drop) or they have a weight restriction (not more than 70kgs). Tamade! Discrimination against fat, I mean big boned people like me!

Ah kiat was screaming like a little girl playing this.

After all the excitement & exhilaration, we tested our guts further by taking the scary cable car ride down to Genting midway point.

The auntie behind us just stared intently in front of her, too scared to even make a sound that might rattle the cable car that would send us plunging 400m into the ravines below.

Then we walked past a horse ranch searching for hot pippin' steamboat but ended up smelling horse shit & urine. It was nowhere to be found, so damn far down the road lor!!! We made a U-turn back to the cable car terminal for the return back to the peak. On the way, I told the gf that a stallion's penis is damn long & only the elephant can beat that. The elephant's penis when erect, is so damn bloody long that it has to literally drag that schlong along. I saw it on discovery channel. :D

Nightime came, we do not want to miss the chance to try our luck at the gambling dens. After observing a few tables, we settle down for the roulette. I paid for 100 ringgit in chips, followed by the gf who followed me. In the end, I coughed out another 100 trying to recoup my losses, but the gf got lucky and won 140. After that, she went shopping big time. A skirt & a top at Mango, plus a handbag at Padini's. She was very kind to even offer to treat me supper. Bah!

Ahhh... we realised it was getting late, and was the last night before we need to make our way back to Singapore. It is exactly the same feeling you get on sunday night. Haha. But lucky still got sunday to go before its back to the drudgery of work!

Last day in Genting was spent with buffet breakfast at hotel cafe. The food I must say, is pretty good, with a wide selection of stuffs. The 2 uncles sitting behind us, attacked the steam buns (tao sar paos) by the dozens. The gf & I figured, those plates they carry can hold enough paos to fill my stomach for the rest of the day. And the funny thing is, all they had on their table was paos, paos, and more paos!!! WTF?! And there was this fat bastard who stole an entire plate of omelette right under my nose, then he gave me a cheeky smile before he retreated happily with his spoils of war. Nabeh, so fat also don't wanna give me some. These bloody kiasu people, behaving like hungry ghosts, dunno whether they know the word "paiseh" or not.

As the time nears to 3pm, we reluctantly made our way down to the bus terminal. Posed for some more pictures before we headed back to Singapore with a heavy heart.

Malaysia conquered for her, on to the next! Bintan or Bali? Hmmm...