"Derrick! Come into my office!"

"Yes boss!" I walked briskly from my table into a room just for the boss. His table was messy, scattered with books and papers. A mere facade. On top of it all was an open newspaper. Why am i not surprise.

"Boss, you called?"

"Yes. What have you been doing lately?"

"Well nothing much... people around aren't giving me much work so i'm taking the time to read the SGX listing manual and things about the market." When i say "arent giving me much work", i actually mean "aren't giving me any work at all."

"Hmm... Alright. In that case, you're fired! You are no longer of any use to us. You don't even make us coffee. Tomorrow will be your last day."

I stood there, stunned by the news. I just got fired...

Okokok i know.. its too drama to be real. Wanted to make it sound more exciting... so anyway what actually happened was that the secretary came up to me and whispered to me, "Hey derrick, boss say tomorrow your last day. Pass me the time sheet so you can get your pay. Thanks so much for helping us out." That was it. The whisper that made me jobless.

Actually i was expecting it to come already. If they weren't firing me, i was going to quit myself. There was really nothing for me to do. Everyday i report to work to surf the net and go for lunch. And im paid to do this. Not bad ah... hehe... i feel abit guilty from eating into their year end bonus but oh well!

So im unemployed again. Back to enjoying DA LIFE! Sleep late. Wake up late. Watch Oprah and Ellen. Exercise/Gyming.(new programme added in to reach target weight before leaving for NY) Sun tan to get rid of the name "white boiled chicken". Free dinner at sis place. Hong Kong serials. Dota. Sleep late. And the cycle goes on and on and on. This is DA LIFE!

But then again, i dun grow money tree so im back to looking for a job... sigh... anyone got an offer poor me?
Signing out - 3/28/2008 02:14:00 PM

Remember that really creepy thai film 'shutter' which everyone was raving about? I didn't manage to catch it... my bad... but recently i found out that hollywood was doing a remake and its going to be in the cinemas soon. And i happened to stumble across this HILARIOUS remark on the movie.

"The main problem is that they spelled the title wrong. The first vowel should be an I."

Hahaha... that totally cracked me up.
Signing out - 3/25/2008 10:19:00 PM

Kudos to KFC in US! They are trying out their new grilled chicken in certain cities, hoping to attract the health conscious people. What a great idea! I hope they will come to Singapore soon! Yah yah so what if they are called kentucky FRIED chicken? It's not like they are taking away the fried chicken from their menu.

Anyway, I'm sick of feeling immensely guilty after ripping off a chunk of an extra crispy chicken thigh that is overflowing with juice with the skin still on. Honestly! I hate going to KFC. But for some reason, all my friends LOVE to! Friends who happen to be slim and lean and eat alot and yet not get fat. People who are blessed by God with amazing metabolism rate. I, on the other hand, have come to a conclusion that God is unfair. There is just no other reason to why i eat less than them and yet GAIN WEIGHT! It's seriously depressing... I feel like i have been cursed by God...

So the addition of the grilled chicken will be absolutely fantastic. I can hang out with my friends in KFC without feeling like i have just committed adultery after indulging in a meal there. The next thing they should do is introduce DIET COKE. They should scrap the crappy tasting pepsi and put in diet coke. So what if diet coke is filled with chemicals that is cancer causing and will probably reduce your life by a week after each can? I will take my chances. I rather die goodlooking than die FAT! I don't want my tombstone to read "Here lies Derrick, a customized coffin had to be made for him as he was too large to fit into the standard one."

Just to let you guys know, im starting on my diet and exercise program because i can't believe that in the one plus month that i started working, i have put on weight at an insane speed even when i eat moderately 2 meals a day. It's absolutely ridiculous. And i want to look like FANTASTIC when i get to new york. Like absolutely great body kind. A new life there. Must have a good start. Got plenty of ang mohs to compete with... sigh... stupid asian genes... so please support me in my goal to be 60kg by end July! So everyone! Put your nicks as "xxx supports derrick's goal in reaching 60kg by end July!" If we won the youth olympic bid like that, im sure it has some magic in it. hehehe...
Signing out - 3/25/2008 05:02:00 PM

On easter sunday, i went with my caregroup to batam. So 6 of us met at harbour front early in the morning to take a ferry there. I think we went batam... or was it bintan... or was it bali... i just know its some island off singapore... is it malaysia... or is it indonesia... anyway, we went there to learn wakeboarding! Yes i know... im so adventurous... i cant believe it myself. In fact reality only hit me when the instructor started explaining what do to prepare yourself before the cable pulls you off the shore. I was having the "omg what am i doing here" moment.

So as we gathered around for a safety briefing, i was like so depress... More than half the people there were caucasians. Like people with nice color hair, chiselled face, mesmerizing blue eyes and lean muscular defined bodies... So so depressing. But thank god everyone had to wear life jackets. I quickly chose a black one which gave a slimming effect so i didn't feel so out of place. I seriously need to exercise and diet... How am i suppose to compete with the guys when i head to newyork...

Anyway back to the story. We started easy. We did the knee boarding which means we knelt and held on to the cable with our dear lives as it pulled us for 800m around this fresh water lake. Aaa at least thats what they told us it was... it looked a bit dodgy but i decided to pretend i was in a clear blue water like those found in the beaches of maldives. And i got to say, it was exhilarating! So so fun! Besides the fact that my neck was aching the whole time, it was so fun to be skiing on the surface of the water. Anyway after 2 rounds 3 around the lake, we felt as if we conquered mount kinabulu so we decided to go for the next level which is wakeboarding. Little did we know, wakeboarding was a mount everest!

I have no idea how those who wakeboarding do it. They have absolutely no difficulty in starting off while the beginners kept being thrown off the boards. After trying for god knows how many times, i still could not glide across the water... my arms were aching and i was developing a bad case of blisters. My blisters finally burst and i decided to give up as they were bleeding quite badly. Not to mention i drank alot of the 'fresh water' from the lake, and i swore i ate one of those small little ikan bilis fishes swimming in the lake. Yes... there are fishes in the lake... I know this because i felt something weird went down my throat and look into the water to see a school of small ikan bilis swimming pass me...

So of the 6 of us who went, only matthew could wakeboard at the end. But that's because he already knew how to in the beginning! While the rest of us could barely stay 25 metres on the board...

I have to say i really did enjoy myself. We were telling each other that this is a once in a lifetime experience. For me, i don't think it is. In fact, i plan to head down to east coast sometime next month to attempt to wakeboard. Anyone interested to try this "once in a lifetime experience" can join me. Hopefully those blisters will heal fast...
Signing out - 3/24/2008 04:05:00 PM

I feel like starting my own online magazine to kill time in the office. Hehe...

Anyway here we go! A quick update of the world!

That nasi lemak guy who escaped from the clutches of our highly efficient Singapore Police Force is still at large. Apparently authorities still believe he is in Singapore. I think the chances of him paddling on a sampan to some off shore island is higher. Maybe he is in Pedra Blanca.

Taxi drivers are confused about the new rulings governing them in the CBD area. Apparently Singapore decided to adopt Hong Kong's policy of using taxi stands only. My opinion: Why change and confuse our taxi drivers... keep to the old policy. Anywhere also can. We don't want to change the wonderful impression most of us have on taxi drivers. The james bond drivers who can cut lanes in the midst of heavy traffic. Seriously, it's a skill. They are all trained stunt drivers.

The Dalai Lama(hehe everytime i say "dalai lama", i break into a chuckle. Dalai sounds so nirvana and Lama sounds like Llama. So what you do you get when you put them together? A enlightened donkey. Hehe... okok that was bad of me. I apologise to those who respect the Dalai Lama deeply) is apparently very hot now. The religious leader of Tibet is apparently asking for more autonomy from China but China seems to be ignorant of Tibet. Which makes me wonder, why on earth does China want to hold on to Tibet so tightly and eat up Taiwan?! Are they trying to increase their overall population or something? Your country so big already still want more land and people. Sheesh. At least govern your current land properly first before asking for more! Macham Malaysia like that. Fighting for a small piece of land when they already got SOOOO much unused land.

US market is spiralling downwards. One of the top investment banks, Bear Stearns, has been sold to another investment bank,JP Morgan, at a ridiculously low price to prevent bankrupcy. It's a really bad omen... A depression might be coming our way. But on a lighter note, rush to do online shopping at US online stores! Because of the drop in exchange rate, things are SOOO MUCH CHEAPER! So start clicking and making online payments! There is no better time to do online shopping than now! And guess what, my school fees at NYU are dropping by the thousands for each drop in cents! Whoot!

Some entertainment news. Daniel Radcliff, also known as Harry Potter, is addicted to smoking! He smokes a packet a day and has been puffing on the movie set. So don't be surprise to see cigarette butts on the floor of hogwarts when the new movie debuts at the end of the year.

Ok thats all you need for now to seem intelligent in front of your friends or people you just met. Use words like 'subprime' and 'credit crunch' like the reporters on Channel News Asia, and i assure you people will be fascinated at how smart and well informed you are. Wiki those words if you want to impress them even more. Oh wikipedia... my best friend...
Signing out - 3/20/2008 04:06:00 PM

It official. I'm a certified workaholic. Apparently all my time in National Service doing nothing all day and waiting for time to pass has made me a workaholic.

Currently i am working at Hong Leong Finance. Don't ask me doing what! What else can i be doing?! JANITOR?! Of cos admin work lah. Anyway my current job is pretty much the dream job of many people. I am paid 7 bucks an hour. I got my own computer with internet access. And basically im paid to do almost nothing. Everyday i come to work, turn on my comp, read the papers, eat my breakfast, serve the net, go for my 2 hour lunch break, more surfing the net then go home at 6. I will get one or two assignments a day. An example of one is to photocopy a file. End of day. Or sort out financial statements to file. End of day.

You are probably thinking right now: Wahhhh so lucky... i also want this kind of job... Seriously people, i would switch jobs with you anytime! (With the exception of non aircon jobs) I NEED WORK! It makes me feel accomplished. It makes me feel useful. It reassures me of my existence!

It's weird but everytime someone ask me to do something, my eyes sparkle, my heart rate increases and i start to get excited. I miss those first few days where i had to data entry the entire day till 10pm just to meet the deadline. (Omg! i finally spelt it right on the first attempt. I usually spell it as dateline.)

So you see what i mean. I'm a workaholic... i will make such a good employee... sigh... if only the people in my office will realise that...
Signing out - 3/20/2008 03:46:00 PM

I apologise for the lack of entries the past week. It's just that i have been so busy after working hours. With all the mini gatherings with friends to celebrate my birthday. It has been a FANTASTIC week. I am so happy i chose to celebrate my birthday with my different clique of friends over the week. Instead of throwing the usual 21st birthday bash where you invite your entire facebook friends list and spend the whole evening hopping around trying to entertain numerous groups of friends, i decided to forfeit that and do something out of my character. And i have to say, it has to be one of the best decisions i have made in life. Because of this, i will remember my 21st birthday for a looong loong time as i spent it with the people that matters most in my life: My rafflesian classmates who supported me so much during JC, my CG who i love so so much, my family who is always there for me, and my closest clique of friends who i plan to spend eternity with. I thank all of you for making my 21st absolutely memorable.

So first up, im gonna talk about my wonderful birthday dinner. My sis brought me to this place called Morton Chicago Steakhouse at Oriental Hotel. I had the best dinner ever! Not only was the food OMG tasting, the service was OMG outstanding, the experience was OMG unforgettable. But of cos, it came with an OMG price.

As i was getting seated, i realised that the menu had a message on it. It said "Happy 21st Birthday, Derrick!" I was stunned! Then the waiter came and introduced himself. He is probably the friendliest waiter i have ever met in my life. It's a world of a difference compared to the usual china waitresses you get nowadays. You know what im talking abt. The impatient tapping on the notebook as we browse the menu, the insane long time it takes for us to get a glass of water, and the constant bad mood they are always in. Anyway this guy was all smily. He gave us the famous morton speech where he recited the menu. He introduced the various cuts of steak, the side dishes, the seafood etc. It was so so entertaining. Especially when he was going at bullet speed and i had no idea what the hell he was talking about. But his bubbly attitude put a smile on my face.

For starters, there was a warm fresh onion loaf. It was the best tasting bread i have ever tasted. In fact, i would have finished the whole bread if i could... but i knew i had to save my appetite for their famous steaks. Onion wasn't overpowering and it was crispy on the outside and nice chewy soft on the inside.

I chose my steak to be medium rare. Read some reviews that their medium rare was absolutely fantastic. When it came, i was shocked to see the sheer size of it. IT WAS HUGE. I shared it with my sis and it was absolutely fantastic. Medium rare was probably a bad choice since both of us didnt really like raw but it still tasted FANTASTIC. The meat was so tender. It was like eating sashimi without the overwhelming beef taste. It tasted so fresh and it wasn't oozing with blood. The side dishes was awesome. I had the best mash potatoes ever. Did you know by mixing your mash potato with sour cream and bacon bits, you get the best tasting thing EVER! I mean yes its high in calories and will probably lessen my lifespan by a year but who cares! It tasted so so good.

And the finale! Soft warm chocolate cake with chocolate fudge filling with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. After seeing the birthday song morton style, me and my sis immediately attacked the cake. All i can say about the cake is that it was ORGASMIC. You know how sometimes people post the question of if you had to forfeit food or sex for the rest of your life, which would it be? For this cake, i would say forfeit sex! I happen to be a dessert lover. My motto is "I am never too full for dessert." In fact, im quite sure i have 2 stomachs, one for normal food and one for desserts. It has to be the best dessert experience of my life.

I would highly recommend this place for birthday celebrations of small groups of 2-4. Their attention to the smallest details makes the entire experience so so memorable. A steak cost about 80-120 i think but it serves 2 people. Side dishes cost about 15. We ended up spending about 100 a person but that was because we ordered a lobster which i have to say was amazing. The cake was on the house since it was my birthday. I don't think i have ever smiled so much in a restaurant before. It was just the best dining experience ever. Thanks for the treat, Sis! Oh wait, the money came from my bro in law... hehe... thanks Sam!
Signing out - 3/20/2008 11:46:00 AM

It seems just like a month ago i was in ACSI having the time of my life. Every day was a joy to go to school. Where the principal was known as the CEO, where the only place that isn't air-conditioned in the school is the corridoor and the toilets(yes, our canteen is airconditioned!), where toyota corollas and any japanese cars were directed to the HDB carpark to give way to the fancy european cars(haha kidding kidding. But seriously, you will hardly see any japanese cars entering the school.)

It seems just like a week ago i was in RJC coping with life. Every day offered new challenges and surprises. Where students walk out of the school in bright day light at 10am to go to the thomsom area to play DOTA yet still manage to score their As, where the library was 'open concept' that the girls feared climbing the stairs and desperate hormone ranging boys camped below the staircase to sneak a peak, where everyone mugged damn hard till the wee hours of the morning as the exam approached.

It seems just like yesterday i was in army wasting my life away. Every day was a dread to wake up to. Where i was exiled into the God forsaken island of Pulau Tekong to go through Hell, where i had to work with brainless idiots who used their rank to force me to do things the inefficient way, where i almost teared upon receiving back my pink IC on my ORD day.

Now i sit here, 6 more hours till 1258am, the exact time i was borned if i can remember correctly, pondering about the first 21 years of my life. And all i can say is wow. I may not have achieved much in this 21 years, but what's life with achievements when they will wither away one day.

So much drama. So much comedy. It has been an amazing journey. To all the people who know me and have contributed some way or another to my life, I thank you. Thanks for being part of this wonderful life of Derrick See.
Signing out - 3/12/2008 06:11:00 PM

I go to work during the weekdays by bus. I go home by bus. Whenever i travel to anywhere more than 100 metres from my house, i take a bus. And recently, there has been this bloody annoying horrendous advertisement that keeps playing on TV mobile.

When i say that it keeps playing, i don't mean like Rihanna Umbrella every half an hour on the radio. This bloody advertisement was playing EVERY 10 MINUTES. And the advertisement is like 5 minutes long lah! Or at least it felt like it.

"There was a time not long ago when Singapore ......"
"There was a time not long ago when ........"
"There was a time not long ago....."
"There was a time not long ago....."

Omg... HOW CREATIVE CAN THIS BUNCH OF STUDENTS GET?! Firstly the animation was TERRIBLE. Secondly, the lines are so cliche! Thirdly, i know they are trying to drive a point about there was a time but did they have to repeat it like 100 times. And they sounded so solemn as if someone died! I felt like i was at a funeral listening to a Eulogy.

"There was a time not long ago when Henry was alive"
"There was a time not long ago when Henry was a boy."
"There was a time not long ago when Henry went to school."
"There was a time not long ago when Henry scored his As."
"There was a time not long ago when Henry went to U."
"There was a time not long ago when i met Henry at the U."
"There was a time not long ago when Henry met Michelle."
"There was a time not long ago when Henry married Michelle."
"There was a time not long ago when Henry became a father."

ARGH!!! There was time not long ago when i can freaking enjoy my bus ride. There was a time not long ago when my blood pressure didn't increase even if the bus was packed. There was a time not long ago when propaganda messages were not forced down our throats until National Day which is a LOOONG way to go.

Seriously... it better soon become "there was a time not long ago when this iritating advertisement was shown repeatedly on TV mobile."
Signing out - 3/10/2008 11:47:00 AM

The other day i was at Plaza Sing GV. We(that would be me, shirls, livi and freedie) went into the cinema to watch "There will be blood". Wanted to see what's the big deal about Daniel Day Lewis who won the Oscar for Best Lead Actor.

We went in on time so we could watch the 20 minutes worth of trailers and advertisement before the movie starts. Anyway there was a movie trailer and i was commenting about it to freedie. And the person in front of me. This man of about 40-50 turned around and shush me! He went shhhh! And i was totally stunned.

Firstly, this was the first time i was shushed in the cinema! I'm a rather considerate person and love to enjoy movies so i tend to keep as quiet as possible during movies by not talking to the person beside me. But this was BEFORE the movie! They are just TRAILERS! Can you believe it?! I was shushed during a trailer!

Secondly, it wasn't as if i was shouting. I was talking at normal volume. Not to mention the rest of the cinema were talking as well. After all, the movie hasn't started!

So anyway, i decided to ignore this person since i didn't want this "oh im of a higher class than you" old man to spoil my day and movie. Then the trailer of August Rush came on and we all got excited. We all wanted to watch that show so we started throwing in comments like "Isn't that the boy from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?" and "Oh The felicity girl!". Then when John Rhys Meyers came on screen, i wanted to share the funny joke about him.

So i started telling shirls and livi how this guy told reporters that he dislike people like Brad Pitt who got into the movie industry and rose to fame because of his looks. I was like "seriously? And what about you? Did you think you got into the industry with your acting skills? Get a mirror dude." All of us started chuckling.

Then that old man turned back again and this time he actually shouted:"Can you keep quiet! Save your commentaries till the end of the movie!" And that totally pissed me off because the movie hasn't started! So i thought ok maybe this guy has no idea the movie hasn't started yet. So i politely told him, "Sir the movie hasn't started yet. These are the trailers." He then replied "I want to watch the trailers!" and turned back to the screen, shaking his head.

Save my commentaries of the trailers till the end of the movie?! My goodness. I never knew there was a rule where we weren't allow to talk before the movie! And save my commentaries till the end?? It's like asking me to eat my popcorn after the movie! I was so tempted to kick his seat throughout the movie to destroy his movie experience for spoiling my day. But of cos i didn't.

Come to think about it. I should have.

Btw the movie was great. I enjoyed it and it should have won the Oscars instead of No Country for Old men which was a rather pointless show. Daniel Day Lewis indeed deserve the best actor for his wondering portrayal of a rich oil tycoon turning evil. It's a literature film worth watching.
Signing out - 3/10/2008 11:23:00 AM

Don't worry! I have not given up blogging yet! In fact, i really love blogging these stuff. Apparently it entertains many of you and it makes me happy to contribute to that. Anyway the reason why i havent been blogging the past 2 days is not because i ran out of material to write about. In fact, i got so much to write about! There is that malay guy who ran away during a toilet break still at large. There is the stupid new rule which prevent cabs from picking up passengers at any location. There is much fear as people predict a slowdown in the US economy.

But all these pales in comparison to my experience on my first day at work. When i reported to work, i was told to wait in the conference room with another person. I ended up spending 4 hours with him in that room and pretty much spent the rest of the day with him. It was the worst kind of person you would want to be with ALONE. Can you guess who he is?

A clue: You usually spend about 15-20 minutes with this person whenever you meet him.

Still can't get it? He is a TAXI DRIVER! After 5 minutes of ranting when i first met him, he announced he used to be a taxi driver. I sighed and muttered under my breathe "Why am i not surprised..." Seriously. What kind of training do cab drivers have to go through before they are qualified to drive? The ability to make small conversations and ask stupid questions when all i want is to be left alone? It totally pisses me off everytime when i step into a cab and meet this kind of cab driver.

"So where you want to go?"
"Orchard. Plaza Singapura"
"Nicoll Highway?"
"Yes please"
"So you go orchard for what? Meet girlfriend ah?"
"Nope. I'm single." *fumble bag for my mp3*
"Ah howcome? Then meet friends for movie is it?"
"Yup." *omg.. where is that stupid player...*
"So what you doing now? Student?"
"Nope i just finished my NS" *OH THANK GOD! I FOUND IT!*
"Oh NS! Tough anot? What you do ah? Officer ah?"
"Nope Im a military police" *Damn earphones... quickly untwine*
"Wah MP ah! Good life right?"
"Ok ok lah" *Stuff earphones into my ears*
-oh sweet music-

Seriously. They should install a button for the passengers to press when they enter a cab. A "DO NOT DISTURB" button. I seriously have no idea how to politely tell the cab driver to shut up. The best way i feel is just to listen to your music player and close your eyes to pretend you are sleeping.

Ok back to the office. So i was in the conference room with him. I had a newspaper and a book and seriously wanted to be left alone. But no... this 50+ year old malay can't keep his mouth shut. In fact, he kept trying to start conversations. Conversations to proof to me how highly achieved he is.
Topics he covered:
1) I used to be a taxi driver. Very popular in Comfort. See! *Takes out a taxi driver manual* Recognise this person on the cover anot? It's me! They usually get the best cab drivers to do this kind of things.

My reply to him: Wow...
What i was actually thinking: OMG... He carries that manual around to show this off... is that like his biggest achievement in life... To be on the cover of a cab driver manual...

2) You here temp job is it? From agent? Why you go through agent? They take alot of money you know. How much they pay you? 7?! So little?! Next time must ask for more! I also got this job from agent. But i didn't know they agent until i went there! Hai...

My reply to him: hmmm ok.. understand.
What i was actually thinking: You are here giving me career advice when you are jobless and have to take a temp job as a driver, probably getting the same pay as me...

3) Aiyoh this terrorist escape from detention. Confirm something wrong. How can escape? I think the government purposely let him out so that can shoot him when they try to catch him and he try to escape. Shoot already then he die then no longer a problem.

My reply to him: hmm interesting.
What i was actually thinking: Seriously lah... would our government do something so stupid and cause Singapore to lose face in the international community. Even the interpol has been informed... By letting this masa... what is his name again... Aiyah i know its something like nasi lemak... So anyway by letting this nasi lemak escape, it shows how pathetic our country's security is. We are like a joke now lah... Watch too much tv drama already... Think he in Alias ah? Oh wait he probably doesn't watch that... Didn't know malay dramas so creative one.

I have no idea how i managed to survive that day. If it wasn't for the book which i constantly read even as he was talking to show him how disinterested i am to talk to him, I would have ran and bang my head against the wall as a way to politely tell him to shut up. Not to mention he was such a slacker. Kept asking me to stay in the pantry with him to avoid work. I know most of you think im quite a slacker, but staying in the pantry vs endless pile of paperwork and data entry.... The latter was so much more appealing...

So anyway he is no longer around. Thank God. The boss finally decided to dismiss him since he spent most of the day sitting in the pantry reading the papers. Oh did i mention that when i was reading the book, he was scribbling down numbers. At first i thought he was playing sudoku. Then i realised he was looking at previous 4D and TOTO numbers and writing down various combinations. I think he was trying to find a trend and crack the code. Hah! Good luck with that, mr cab driver. Stick to your manual. It's much more impressive.
Signing out - 3/05/2008 10:28:00 PM

"Derrick! Come into my office!"

"Yes boss!" I walked briskly from my table into a room just for the boss. His table was messy, scattered with books and papers. A mere facade. On top of it all was an open newspaper. Why am i not surprise.

"Boss, you called?"

"Yes. What have you been doing lately?"

"Well nothing much... people around aren't giving me much work so i'm taking the time to read the SGX listing manual and things about the market." When i say "arent giving me much work", i actually mean "aren't giving me any work at all."

"Hmm... Alright. In that case, you're fired! You are no longer of any use to us. You don't even make us coffee. Tomorrow will be your last day."

I stood there, stunned by the news. I just got fired...

Okokok i know.. its too drama to be real. Wanted to make it sound more exciting... so anyway what actually happened was that the secretary came up to me and whispered to me, "Hey derrick, boss say tomorrow your last day. Pass me the time sheet so you can get your pay. Thanks so much for helping us out." That was it. The whisper that made me jobless.

Actually i was expecting it to come already. If they weren't firing me, i was going to quit myself. There was really nothing for me to do. Everyday i report to work to surf the net and go for lunch. And im paid to do this. Not bad ah... hehe... i feel abit guilty from eating into their year end bonus but oh well!

So im unemployed again. Back to enjoying DA LIFE! Sleep late. Wake up late. Watch Oprah and Ellen. Exercise/Gyming.(new programme added in to reach target weight before leaving for NY) Sun tan to get rid of the name "white boiled chicken". Free dinner at sis place. Hong Kong serials. Dota. Sleep late. And the cycle goes on and on and on. This is DA LIFE!

But then again, i dun grow money tree so im back to looking for a job... sigh... anyone got an offer poor me?

Remember that really creepy thai film 'shutter' which everyone was raving about? I didn't manage to catch it... my bad... but recently i found out that hollywood was doing a remake and its going to be in the cinemas soon. And i happened to stumble across this HILARIOUS remark on the movie.

"The main problem is that they spelled the title wrong. The first vowel should be an I."

Hahaha... that totally cracked me up.

Kudos to KFC in US! They are trying out their new grilled chicken in certain cities, hoping to attract the health conscious people. What a great idea! I hope they will come to Singapore soon! Yah yah so what if they are called kentucky FRIED chicken? It's not like they are taking away the fried chicken from their menu.

Anyway, I'm sick of feeling immensely guilty after ripping off a chunk of an extra crispy chicken thigh that is overflowing with juice with the skin still on. Honestly! I hate going to KFC. But for some reason, all my friends LOVE to! Friends who happen to be slim and lean and eat alot and yet not get fat. People who are blessed by God with amazing metabolism rate. I, on the other hand, have come to a conclusion that God is unfair. There is just no other reason to why i eat less than them and yet GAIN WEIGHT! It's seriously depressing... I feel like i have been cursed by God...

So the addition of the grilled chicken will be absolutely fantastic. I can hang out with my friends in KFC without feeling like i have just committed adultery after indulging in a meal there. The next thing they should do is introduce DIET COKE. They should scrap the crappy tasting pepsi and put in diet coke. So what if diet coke is filled with chemicals that is cancer causing and will probably reduce your life by a week after each can? I will take my chances. I rather die goodlooking than die FAT! I don't want my tombstone to read "Here lies Derrick, a customized coffin had to be made for him as he was too large to fit into the standard one."

Just to let you guys know, im starting on my diet and exercise program because i can't believe that in the one plus month that i started working, i have put on weight at an insane speed even when i eat moderately 2 meals a day. It's absolutely ridiculous. And i want to look like FANTASTIC when i get to new york. Like absolutely great body kind. A new life there. Must have a good start. Got plenty of ang mohs to compete with... sigh... stupid asian genes... so please support me in my goal to be 60kg by end July! So everyone! Put your nicks as "xxx supports derrick's goal in reaching 60kg by end July!" If we won the youth olympic bid like that, im sure it has some magic in it. hehehe...

On easter sunday, i went with my caregroup to batam. So 6 of us met at harbour front early in the morning to take a ferry there. I think we went batam... or was it bintan... or was it bali... i just know its some island off singapore... is it malaysia... or is it indonesia... anyway, we went there to learn wakeboarding! Yes i know... im so adventurous... i cant believe it myself. In fact reality only hit me when the instructor started explaining what do to prepare yourself before the cable pulls you off the shore. I was having the "omg what am i doing here" moment.

So as we gathered around for a safety briefing, i was like so depress... More than half the people there were caucasians. Like people with nice color hair, chiselled face, mesmerizing blue eyes and lean muscular defined bodies... So so depressing. But thank god everyone had to wear life jackets. I quickly chose a black one which gave a slimming effect so i didn't feel so out of place. I seriously need to exercise and diet... How am i suppose to compete with the guys when i head to newyork...

Anyway back to the story. We started easy. We did the knee boarding which means we knelt and held on to the cable with our dear lives as it pulled us for 800m around this fresh water lake. Aaa at least thats what they told us it was... it looked a bit dodgy but i decided to pretend i was in a clear blue water like those found in the beaches of maldives. And i got to say, it was exhilarating! So so fun! Besides the fact that my neck was aching the whole time, it was so fun to be skiing on the surface of the water. Anyway after 2 rounds 3 around the lake, we felt as if we conquered mount kinabulu so we decided to go for the next level which is wakeboarding. Little did we know, wakeboarding was a mount everest!

I have no idea how those who wakeboarding do it. They have absolutely no difficulty in starting off while the beginners kept being thrown off the boards. After trying for god knows how many times, i still could not glide across the water... my arms were aching and i was developing a bad case of blisters. My blisters finally burst and i decided to give up as they were bleeding quite badly. Not to mention i drank alot of the 'fresh water' from the lake, and i swore i ate one of those small little ikan bilis fishes swimming in the lake. Yes... there are fishes in the lake... I know this because i felt something weird went down my throat and look into the water to see a school of small ikan bilis swimming pass me...

So of the 6 of us who went, only matthew could wakeboard at the end. But that's because he already knew how to in the beginning! While the rest of us could barely stay 25 metres on the board...

I have to say i really did enjoy myself. We were telling each other that this is a once in a lifetime experience. For me, i don't think it is. In fact, i plan to head down to east coast sometime next month to attempt to wakeboard. Anyone interested to try this "once in a lifetime experience" can join me. Hopefully those blisters will heal fast...

I feel like starting my own online magazine to kill time in the office. Hehe...

Anyway here we go! A quick update of the world!

That nasi lemak guy who escaped from the clutches of our highly efficient Singapore Police Force is still at large. Apparently authorities still believe he is in Singapore. I think the chances of him paddling on a sampan to some off shore island is higher. Maybe he is in Pedra Blanca.

Taxi drivers are confused about the new rulings governing them in the CBD area. Apparently Singapore decided to adopt Hong Kong's policy of using taxi stands only. My opinion: Why change and confuse our taxi drivers... keep to the old policy. Anywhere also can. We don't want to change the wonderful impression most of us have on taxi drivers. The james bond drivers who can cut lanes in the midst of heavy traffic. Seriously, it's a skill. They are all trained stunt drivers.

The Dalai Lama(hehe everytime i say "dalai lama", i break into a chuckle. Dalai sounds so nirvana and Lama sounds like Llama. So what you do you get when you put them together? A enlightened donkey. Hehe... okok that was bad of me. I apologise to those who respect the Dalai Lama deeply) is apparently very hot now. The religious leader of Tibet is apparently asking for more autonomy from China but China seems to be ignorant of Tibet. Which makes me wonder, why on earth does China want to hold on to Tibet so tightly and eat up Taiwan?! Are they trying to increase their overall population or something? Your country so big already still want more land and people. Sheesh. At least govern your current land properly first before asking for more! Macham Malaysia like that. Fighting for a small piece of land when they already got SOOOO much unused land.

US market is spiralling downwards. One of the top investment banks, Bear Stearns, has been sold to another investment bank,JP Morgan, at a ridiculously low price to prevent bankrupcy. It's a really bad omen... A depression might be coming our way. But on a lighter note, rush to do online shopping at US online stores! Because of the drop in exchange rate, things are SOOO MUCH CHEAPER! So start clicking and making online payments! There is no better time to do online shopping than now! And guess what, my school fees at NYU are dropping by the thousands for each drop in cents! Whoot!

Some entertainment news. Daniel Radcliff, also known as Harry Potter, is addicted to smoking! He smokes a packet a day and has been puffing on the movie set. So don't be surprise to see cigarette butts on the floor of hogwarts when the new movie debuts at the end of the year.

Ok thats all you need for now to seem intelligent in front of your friends or people you just met. Use words like 'subprime' and 'credit crunch' like the reporters on Channel News Asia, and i assure you people will be fascinated at how smart and well informed you are. Wiki those words if you want to impress them even more. Oh wikipedia... my best friend...

It official. I'm a certified workaholic. Apparently all my time in National Service doing nothing all day and waiting for time to pass has made me a workaholic.

Currently i am working at Hong Leong Finance. Don't ask me doing what! What else can i be doing?! JANITOR?! Of cos admin work lah. Anyway my current job is pretty much the dream job of many people. I am paid 7 bucks an hour. I got my own computer with internet access. And basically im paid to do almost nothing. Everyday i come to work, turn on my comp, read the papers, eat my breakfast, serve the net, go for my 2 hour lunch break, more surfing the net then go home at 6. I will get one or two assignments a day. An example of one is to photocopy a file. End of day. Or sort out financial statements to file. End of day.

You are probably thinking right now: Wahhhh so lucky... i also want this kind of job... Seriously people, i would switch jobs with you anytime! (With the exception of non aircon jobs) I NEED WORK! It makes me feel accomplished. It makes me feel useful. It reassures me of my existence!

It's weird but everytime someone ask me to do something, my eyes sparkle, my heart rate increases and i start to get excited. I miss those first few days where i had to data entry the entire day till 10pm just to meet the deadline. (Omg! i finally spelt it right on the first attempt. I usually spell it as dateline.)

So you see what i mean. I'm a workaholic... i will make such a good employee... sigh... if only the people in my office will realise that...

I apologise for the lack of entries the past week. It's just that i have been so busy after working hours. With all the mini gatherings with friends to celebrate my birthday. It has been a FANTASTIC week. I am so happy i chose to celebrate my birthday with my different clique of friends over the week. Instead of throwing the usual 21st birthday bash where you invite your entire facebook friends list and spend the whole evening hopping around trying to entertain numerous groups of friends, i decided to forfeit that and do something out of my character. And i have to say, it has to be one of the best decisions i have made in life. Because of this, i will remember my 21st birthday for a looong loong time as i spent it with the people that matters most in my life: My rafflesian classmates who supported me so much during JC, my CG who i love so so much, my family who is always there for me, and my closest clique of friends who i plan to spend eternity with. I thank all of you for making my 21st absolutely memorable.

So first up, im gonna talk about my wonderful birthday dinner. My sis brought me to this place called Morton Chicago Steakhouse at Oriental Hotel. I had the best dinner ever! Not only was the food OMG tasting, the service was OMG outstanding, the experience was OMG unforgettable. But of cos, it came with an OMG price.

As i was getting seated, i realised that the menu had a message on it. It said "Happy 21st Birthday, Derrick!" I was stunned! Then the waiter came and introduced himself. He is probably the friendliest waiter i have ever met in my life. It's a world of a difference compared to the usual china waitresses you get nowadays. You know what im talking abt. The impatient tapping on the notebook as we browse the menu, the insane long time it takes for us to get a glass of water, and the constant bad mood they are always in. Anyway this guy was all smily. He gave us the famous morton speech where he recited the menu. He introduced the various cuts of steak, the side dishes, the seafood etc. It was so so entertaining. Especially when he was going at bullet speed and i had no idea what the hell he was talking about. But his bubbly attitude put a smile on my face.

For starters, there was a warm fresh onion loaf. It was the best tasting bread i have ever tasted. In fact, i would have finished the whole bread if i could... but i knew i had to save my appetite for their famous steaks. Onion wasn't overpowering and it was crispy on the outside and nice chewy soft on the inside.

I chose my steak to be medium rare. Read some reviews that their medium rare was absolutely fantastic. When it came, i was shocked to see the sheer size of it. IT WAS HUGE. I shared it with my sis and it was absolutely fantastic. Medium rare was probably a bad choice since both of us didnt really like raw but it still tasted FANTASTIC. The meat was so tender. It was like eating sashimi without the overwhelming beef taste. It tasted so fresh and it wasn't oozing with blood. The side dishes was awesome. I had the best mash potatoes ever. Did you know by mixing your mash potato with sour cream and bacon bits, you get the best tasting thing EVER! I mean yes its high in calories and will probably lessen my lifespan by a year but who cares! It tasted so so good.

And the finale! Soft warm chocolate cake with chocolate fudge filling with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. After seeing the birthday song morton style, me and my sis immediately attacked the cake. All i can say about the cake is that it was ORGASMIC. You know how sometimes people post the question of if you had to forfeit food or sex for the rest of your life, which would it be? For this cake, i would say forfeit sex! I happen to be a dessert lover. My motto is "I am never too full for dessert." In fact, im quite sure i have 2 stomachs, one for normal food and one for desserts. It has to be the best dessert experience of my life.

I would highly recommend this place for birthday celebrations of small groups of 2-4. Their attention to the smallest details makes the entire experience so so memorable. A steak cost about 80-120 i think but it serves 2 people. Side dishes cost about 15. We ended up spending about 100 a person but that was because we ordered a lobster which i have to say was amazing. The cake was on the house since it was my birthday. I don't think i have ever smiled so much in a restaurant before. It was just the best dining experience ever. Thanks for the treat, Sis! Oh wait, the money came from my bro in law... hehe... thanks Sam!

It seems just like a month ago i was in ACSI having the time of my life. Every day was a joy to go to school. Where the principal was known as the CEO, where the only place that isn't air-conditioned in the school is the corridoor and the toilets(yes, our canteen is airconditioned!), where toyota corollas and any japanese cars were directed to the HDB carpark to give way to the fancy european cars(haha kidding kidding. But seriously, you will hardly see any japanese cars entering the school.)

It seems just like a week ago i was in RJC coping with life. Every day offered new challenges and surprises. Where students walk out of the school in bright day light at 10am to go to the thomsom area to play DOTA yet still manage to score their As, where the library was 'open concept' that the girls feared climbing the stairs and desperate hormone ranging boys camped below the staircase to sneak a peak, where everyone mugged damn hard till the wee hours of the morning as the exam approached.

It seems just like yesterday i was in army wasting my life away. Every day was a dread to wake up to. Where i was exiled into the God forsaken island of Pulau Tekong to go through Hell, where i had to work with brainless idiots who used their rank to force me to do things the inefficient way, where i almost teared upon receiving back my pink IC on my ORD day.

Now i sit here, 6 more hours till 1258am, the exact time i was borned if i can remember correctly, pondering about the first 21 years of my life. And all i can say is wow. I may not have achieved much in this 21 years, but what's life with achievements when they will wither away one day.

So much drama. So much comedy. It has been an amazing journey. To all the people who know me and have contributed some way or another to my life, I thank you. Thanks for being part of this wonderful life of Derrick See.

I go to work during the weekdays by bus. I go home by bus. Whenever i travel to anywhere more than 100 metres from my house, i take a bus. And recently, there has been this bloody annoying horrendous advertisement that keeps playing on TV mobile.

When i say that it keeps playing, i don't mean like Rihanna Umbrella every half an hour on the radio. This bloody advertisement was playing EVERY 10 MINUTES. And the advertisement is like 5 minutes long lah! Or at least it felt like it.

"There was a time not long ago when Singapore ......"
"There was a time not long ago when ........"
"There was a time not long ago....."
"There was a time not long ago....."

Omg... HOW CREATIVE CAN THIS BUNCH OF STUDENTS GET?! Firstly the animation was TERRIBLE. Secondly, the lines are so cliche! Thirdly, i know they are trying to drive a point about there was a time but did they have to repeat it like 100 times. And they sounded so solemn as if someone died! I felt like i was at a funeral listening to a Eulogy.

"There was a time not long ago when Henry was alive"
"There was a time not long ago when Henry was a boy."
"There was a time not long ago when Henry went to school."
"There was a time not long ago when Henry scored his As."
"There was a time not long ago when Henry went to U."
"There was a time not long ago when i met Henry at the U."
"There was a time not long ago when Henry met Michelle."
"There was a time not long ago when Henry married Michelle."
"There was a time not long ago when Henry became a father."

ARGH!!! There was time not long ago when i can freaking enjoy my bus ride. There was a time not long ago when my blood pressure didn't increase even if the bus was packed. There was a time not long ago when propaganda messages were not forced down our throats until National Day which is a LOOONG way to go.

Seriously... it better soon become "there was a time not long ago when this iritating advertisement was shown repeatedly on TV mobile."

The other day i was at Plaza Sing GV. We(that would be me, shirls, livi and freedie) went into the cinema to watch "There will be blood". Wanted to see what's the big deal about Daniel Day Lewis who won the Oscar for Best Lead Actor.

We went in on time so we could watch the 20 minutes worth of trailers and advertisement before the movie starts. Anyway there was a movie trailer and i was commenting about it to freedie. And the person in front of me. This man of about 40-50 turned around and shush me! He went shhhh! And i was totally stunned.

Firstly, this was the first time i was shushed in the cinema! I'm a rather considerate person and love to enjoy movies so i tend to keep as quiet as possible during movies by not talking to the person beside me. But this was BEFORE the movie! They are just TRAILERS! Can you believe it?! I was shushed during a trailer!

Secondly, it wasn't as if i was shouting. I was talking at normal volume. Not to mention the rest of the cinema were talking as well. After all, the movie hasn't started!

So anyway, i decided to ignore this person since i didn't want this "oh im of a higher class than you" old man to spoil my day and movie. Then the trailer of August Rush came on and we all got excited. We all wanted to watch that show so we started throwing in comments like "Isn't that the boy from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?" and "Oh The felicity girl!". Then when John Rhys Meyers came on screen, i wanted to share the funny joke about him.

So i started telling shirls and livi how this guy told reporters that he dislike people like Brad Pitt who got into the movie industry and rose to fame because of his looks. I was like "seriously? And what about you? Did you think you got into the industry with your acting skills? Get a mirror dude." All of us started chuckling.

Then that old man turned back again and this time he actually shouted:"Can you keep quiet! Save your commentaries till the end of the movie!" And that totally pissed me off because the movie hasn't started! So i thought ok maybe this guy has no idea the movie hasn't started yet. So i politely told him, "Sir the movie hasn't started yet. These are the trailers." He then replied "I want to watch the trailers!" and turned back to the screen, shaking his head.

Save my commentaries of the trailers till the end of the movie?! My goodness. I never knew there was a rule where we weren't allow to talk before the movie! And save my commentaries till the end?? It's like asking me to eat my popcorn after the movie! I was so tempted to kick his seat throughout the movie to destroy his movie experience for spoiling my day. But of cos i didn't.

Come to think about it. I should have.

Btw the movie was great. I enjoyed it and it should have won the Oscars instead of No Country for Old men which was a rather pointless show. Daniel Day Lewis indeed deserve the best actor for his wondering portrayal of a rich oil tycoon turning evil. It's a literature film worth watching.

Don't worry! I have not given up blogging yet! In fact, i really love blogging these stuff. Apparently it entertains many of you and it makes me happy to contribute to that. Anyway the reason why i havent been blogging the past 2 days is not because i ran out of material to write about. In fact, i got so much to write about! There is that malay guy who ran away during a toilet break still at large. There is the stupid new rule which prevent cabs from picking up passengers at any location. There is much fear as people predict a slowdown in the US economy.

But all these pales in comparison to my experience on my first day at work. When i reported to work, i was told to wait in the conference room with another person. I ended up spending 4 hours with him in that room and pretty much spent the rest of the day with him. It was the worst kind of person you would want to be with ALONE. Can you guess who he is?

A clue: You usually spend about 15-20 minutes with this person whenever you meet him.

Still can't get it? He is a TAXI DRIVER! After 5 minutes of ranting when i first met him, he announced he used to be a taxi driver. I sighed and muttered under my breathe "Why am i not surprised..." Seriously. What kind of training do cab drivers have to go through before they are qualified to drive? The ability to make small conversations and ask stupid questions when all i want is to be left alone? It totally pisses me off everytime when i step into a cab and meet this kind of cab driver.

"So where you want to go?"
"Orchard. Plaza Singapura"
"Nicoll Highway?"
"Yes please"
"So you go orchard for what? Meet girlfriend ah?"
"Nope. I'm single." *fumble bag for my mp3*
"Ah howcome? Then meet friends for movie is it?"
"Yup." *omg.. where is that stupid player...*
"So what you doing now? Student?"
"Nope i just finished my NS" *OH THANK GOD! I FOUND IT!*
"Oh NS! Tough anot? What you do ah? Officer ah?"
"Nope Im a military police" *Damn earphones... quickly untwine*
"Wah MP ah! Good life right?"
"Ok ok lah" *Stuff earphones into my ears*
-oh sweet music-

Seriously. They should install a button for the passengers to press when they enter a cab. A "DO NOT DISTURB" button. I seriously have no idea how to politely tell the cab driver to shut up. The best way i feel is just to listen to your music player and close your eyes to pretend you are sleeping.

Ok back to the office. So i was in the conference room with him. I had a newspaper and a book and seriously wanted to be left alone. But no... this 50+ year old malay can't keep his mouth shut. In fact, he kept trying to start conversations. Conversations to proof to me how highly achieved he is.
Topics he covered:
1) I used to be a taxi driver. Very popular in Comfort. See! *Takes out a taxi driver manual* Recognise this person on the cover anot? It's me! They usually get the best cab drivers to do this kind of things.

My reply to him: Wow...
What i was actually thinking: OMG... He carries that manual around to show this off... is that like his biggest achievement in life... To be on the cover of a cab driver manual...

2) You here temp job is it? From agent? Why you go through agent? They take alot of money you know. How much they pay you? 7?! So little?! Next time must ask for more! I also got this job from agent. But i didn't know they agent until i went there! Hai...

My reply to him: hmmm ok.. understand.
What i was actually thinking: You are here giving me career advice when you are jobless and have to take a temp job as a driver, probably getting the same pay as me...

3) Aiyoh this terrorist escape from detention. Confirm something wrong. How can escape? I think the government purposely let him out so that can shoot him when they try to catch him and he try to escape. Shoot already then he die then no longer a problem.

My reply to him: hmm interesting.
What i was actually thinking: Seriously lah... would our government do something so stupid and cause Singapore to lose face in the international community. Even the interpol has been informed... By letting this masa... what is his name again... Aiyah i know its something like nasi lemak... So anyway by letting this nasi lemak escape, it shows how pathetic our country's security is. We are like a joke now lah... Watch too much tv drama already... Think he in Alias ah? Oh wait he probably doesn't watch that... Didn't know malay dramas so creative one.

I have no idea how i managed to survive that day. If it wasn't for the book which i constantly read even as he was talking to show him how disinterested i am to talk to him, I would have ran and bang my head against the wall as a way to politely tell him to shut up. Not to mention he was such a slacker. Kept asking me to stay in the pantry with him to avoid work. I know most of you think im quite a slacker, but staying in the pantry vs endless pile of paperwork and data entry.... The latter was so much more appealing...

So anyway he is no longer around. Thank God. The boss finally decided to dismiss him since he spent most of the day sitting in the pantry reading the papers. Oh did i mention that when i was reading the book, he was scribbling down numbers. At first i thought he was playing sudoku. Then i realised he was looking at previous 4D and TOTO numbers and writing down various combinations. I think he was trying to find a trend and crack the code. Hah! Good luck with that, mr cab driver. Stick to your manual. It's much more impressive.