Balls and the VR Man

I did some shopping yesterday and at the golf sale, i saw james lye. He was checking out some golf balls and i, of course, have done some homework on balls but was mulling which was the most affordably best.

Then i saw which one he took.

And i did the same.

After all, i heard that the former inspector mike chin plays great golf, says great jokes and is super charismatic at presentations. The closest i can be like him is to use the same balls as him.

Too Much Info!

Much has been said about losers facebooking and twittering too much about their lives and with too much inconsequential information.

Im sure many of my friends have cringed at some of my FB updates too. ;)

But the one who takes the cake is really one of my friends who has just given birth and her updates in the last three weeks have been:

X managed to hit almost 80ml on left B alone! hooray!

X only managed 50ml today...

X only managed to latch 9am-10pm yesterday. not so good...

X has managed to provide direct latching & EBM exclusively from 11am till now! a good 12 hrs! best record ever!

X managed to pump out 75ml after latching bb jus now!!! hooray!!!

*shudder*

How?

I gave this email from a colleague after lunch today.

“I had a huge serving of yogurt today cos the girl was really generous.

Recommend you get a yogurt fix too!”

How to lose weight like that? HOOOOW?

I was pretty stressed over my presentation last Saturday. Largely, it’s because my chairman was going to be there and he was somewhat of the guest of honour of that event. Plus it was to a group of veterans of the industry.

My friend asked me out for lunch on Saturday but didn’t get to enjoy it much cos it was on my mind.

I had earlier gone to this Australian Trade Commission dinner and found out some of the people there would be at the Saturday thingy as well! Damn, the industry is so small. That also means I could wear the same suit I wore for the Australian thing to the Saturday thingy as well. Damn.

The presentation kinda started off on a silly note cos the dumbass AV tech didn’t switch on the power to my laptop when he set it up before the dinner and by the time I went up, the laptop’s battery was flat and we had to restart the stupid dumbass Vista machine. I had to break the ice with some IT jokes. Haha.

The presentation itself was pretty decent although on hindsight, I realised that I forgot to say some things. I also decided to keep it chill and go without a script and intersperse it with my jokes.

After the thingy, my chairman came up to me and said that it was good and he liked it. PHEW!

Then he told me to ask the organisers to charge his dinner cost (S$60) to his account.

Three things immediately hit me:

1. Why does he have to pay?
2. What account??
3. Does this mean I have to pay too???

Without a moment to bask in the glory of my presentation, I went to find out how to pay. I found the payment lady and she went, “ What account?”

Damn.

I went to find my chairman to pay and after digging his wallet, he only found S$50 cos he “lost all my money at golf this afternoon”.

Then, he dig into a secret compartment in his wallet and pulled out a S$1,000 note and passed to the lady. The lady totally just stared at the note, flipped it back and forth and gasped. She’s angmo so I don’t think she ever saw such a big Singapore note before. I was just flabbergasted that he thought that she would have change for that with her little table which was set up outside a hotel meeting room.

One would have wondered how come I didn’t offer to pay for him. That’s cos my wallet was in my car and I was too lazy to get it. But on seeing this, I said I’d pay the $10 difference and for my share too.

The fine dining dinner was too small a portion for me even on an ordinary day and certainly so on a night like this. I went home and whacked some leftover dinner (braised pork and egg and rice), angie mango roll, iced milo and some wang wang.

My chairman just literally came to my desk to return me my S$10 (YAY!) and praised me again. I was happy he said it loudly.

How to Talk to Girls

I love the last paragraph.

............................................................................................

Dating tips from 10-year-old
Best-selling writer schoolboy Alec Greven has never had a girlfriend but talks to girls all the time
By Rachael Boon
American schoolboy Alec Greven may be only 10 years old, but he has already written a book that shot to the top of the New York Times bestsellers list last December.

In his book How To Talk To Girls, he dishes out simple, precocious advice that resonates far beyond the schoolyard.

Nuggets include 'Comb your hair and try to look clean. But whatever you do, don't act desperate. Girls don't like desperate boys' and 'Pretty girls are like cars that need a lot of oil. The best choice for most boys is a regular girl'.

While Alec has never had a girlfriend, he believes he knows enough to write on the topic.

'I talk to girls all the time because they are my friends,' he tells LifeStyle via e-mail from Denver, Colorado, where he lives.

The book, which has sold more than 150,000 copies and is licensed in 17 languages, started as an assignment in his school when his teacher asked the pupils to write about something they observed around them in everyday life.

'I saw a lot of boys in the playground having trouble with girls so I wanted to write a book that would help them,' he says.

His essay, which took one week to write, impressed the teacher so much that it was turned into a book and sold at the school's book fair.

Then, a local TV station picked up the story and it soon snowballed into an appearance on the highly rated Ellen DeGeneres talk show, a book deal with HarperCollins in New York, spots on news network CNN and even a promotional tour to Italy which was 'so awesome', says Alec.

Now, he is promoting two follow-up books, How To Talk To Moms and How To Talk To Dads. His fourth book, How To Talk To Santa, will be out by Christmas this year.

Asked for his reaction when Girls hit the bestsellers list, he replies with typical boyish animation: 'I screamed tons because I was so super-duper excited.'

Alec's mother Erin never thought his book would be published, let alone sell so well.

She says: 'Alec didn't write much when he was very young, but he talked to everyone about his thoughts and ideas. He has always had opinions about things and likes to share them.'

Alec, who has two younger siblings, Tyler, eight, and Keira, four, insists he is still a 'regular kid' after being catapulted to fame. But he does enjoy being an inspiration to others.

'Some fans have written to me. I think it is really cool when they say they like my book or they are writing their own book now.'

He has even started a writing contest in school where more than a third of the pupils took part.

He says he is still too young to have a girlfriend.

But when asked which particular tip he would use himself when he is old enough to have one, he says with a flourish: 'I think it is good to remember not to tease and not to show off. Also, if she ditches you, remember life is hard. Move on.'

Idolatry

For the first time ever, the person I supported won the American Idol.

The person I usually support always seems to lose.

This year, I thought the winner’s eyes looked a little too devilish for my taste.

Balled Over

My sister came back from Sweden and got me these.



This proves what my golf instructor said about people giving you golf gifts from now on till the rest of your life.

Fab

Seen on my friend’s MSN:

“Looking fabulous is the best defence”

Nice one there.

Smashed

After my day-off at the golf course yesterday, which was so tiring cos it was just so hot in the last 5 holes, I decided to go cut my hair and also re-string my racquet. Whilst walking around the badminton stadium (wonder if it’s the right word) to get to the shop, I heard lots of cheering inside and decided to peer in. Turned out to be the ‘A’ division badminton championships. I thought since I had some time, I could hang around and check things out.

The atmosphere was somewhat electrifying as I looked around to see where my former JC was playing.



Turns out we were playing against JJC. As my beloved alumni was getting hammered by JJC (pretty embarrassingly ,I might add), I also noted that JJC had like 25-30 supporters sitting in a square shaped formation and they were cheering like mad. My JC only had like 8 to 10 supporters and they were scattered here and there. Tsk. These JJC students probably are just happy to stay away from homework and sit around to cheer and yell while the rest of my school were busy mugging at home.

We lost that match. I stayed for the doubles match and we were also outplayed in the first 11 balls.

As I left, I took comfort in the fact that in 10 years’ time, the JJC students will most likely be working under the students from my JC. WAKAKAKAKAKA

Arrowed

Man, I was suddenly "nominated" to do a presentation on my company THIS SATURDAY evening at an AGM dinner (Not that kind of AGM) for some powerhouses in the industry. Usually Im fine with presentations but this time my Chairman will be there, which means i cannot do my free-flow, witty, carefree, fluid, charismatic, smooth, cool, magnetic, witty, free-flow style.

Damn.

Which means i need to go get my hair cut and maybe for a facial. I was hoping to do it a little later for my emcee gig at Yokie's wedding!

Wasted saturday some more.

Broken

This is what happens when you play too much badminton.

Phew.. strangely i was planning to go change my strings yesterday but was pulled away to lunch. And then today they snapped.

Roomed

I have only 3 colleagues in my office. One is my boss, one is his father and one is another colleague. Even though I was promoted, I’m still the smallest fry cos they’re VP, Chairman and SVP.

Our office is in the office of my Chairman’s other business which has much more people. Obviously I don’t have a room but my three other colleagues have their own rooms.

Now, they’re deciding to move VP and SVP and me into one room no larger than 50sqm. All in one room. Gulp. How can I come in at 9:45am in future? How can I leave at 4pm to go to the range in future?

The only silver lining is that my boss and I just went to the room and were deciding how he wanna decorate it. He was like wanna do a coffee korner, sit down area, everyone has a view of the Singapore river. (that’s really fab frankly), fabric finishing on the walls, parquet flooring. I don’t drink coffee. I’d rather a bubble tea machine and maybe an Aeron chair! W00t!

Recession Blues

The effects of the recession is hitting the two recurring powerhouses in my life – SIA and my tailor.

Due to my reduced travel schedule (YIPPEE!!) of late, my air miles are declining which means my Elite Gold Krisflyer status has now dropped to Elite Silver. (I love how they call it Elite Silver too. Silver is not elite!)

Anyway, they sent me an email to say that they can bump me up to Gold status again if I can take a qualifying flight before 30 June 2009. I think I can manage that. It’s such a bargain.

In good times, my tailor takes two-ish weeks to finish my shirts and I usually have to call him to find out when they’re ready. Usually they aren’t and I just have to wait. These days, the expected dates of completion are 10 days and that day my tailor even called me to come collect my shirts. I wanted to space out the number of new shirts in my cabinet so I didn’t go collect. Then he called again!

Gosh… times must have been bad for my beloved tailor. I hope he doesn’t fold, although even if he does, he doesn’t crease easily.

WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Bipolar

I play two diametrically different sports – badminton and golf.

Although all I’ve done in golf is mostly on the range and just 36 holes on the course, I’ve come to realise the amount of mental energy and concentration needed to be good in it. It’s a very solitary game. Range is a very solitary thing. Weekday nights and weekend afternoons you see many people going to the range on their own, carefully examining their stance, posture, position of the ball, grip and head and a whole hosts of things. If you hit a good shot, you smile to yourself and maybe pretend to take a break but really you’re looking around to see if anyone saw you hit that great shot. If you hit a bad shot, you curse and also look around to see if anyone saw you.

Edward Murphy correctly observed that when the latter happens, someone would surely have seen it.

On the course, you’re playing against yourself. No one’s giving you evil stares, no one’s standing on the opposing side. You and your club against the holes. And your objective is to get the most negative score than the others.

Badminton is very different. It involves smashing and trickery. It involves looking at your opponent in the eye, with the implied desire to smash hard and fast or drop a shot so delicately.

Badminton is one of the fastest racquet games in the world. Simply because the “ball” doesn’t need to bounce on the ground like tennis, table tennis or squash. Golf is painfully slow at times.

I think many would be bewildered by this post, bordering on obsessive. But well, it’s my blog.

Regressive

Looks like there's a new place the ex-new guard of AWARE can go to do their good.

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Saudi judge: It's OK to slap spendthrift wives

* Story Highlights
* Husbands allowed to slap their wives if they spend lavishly, Saudi judge says
* Women in the audience immediately and loudly protested his speech
* Newspaper reports judge was trying to explain increase in domestic violence

By Mohammed Jamjoom
CNN

(CNN) -- Husbands are allowed to slap their wives if they spend lavishly, a Saudi judge said recently during a seminar on domestic violence, Saudi media reported Sunday.

Arab News, a Saudi English-language daily newspaper based in Riyadh, reported that Judge Hamad Al-Razine said that "if a person gives SR 1,200 [$320] to his wife and she spends 900 riyals [$240] to purchase an abaya [the black cover that women in Saudi Arabia must wear] from a brand shop and if her husband slaps her on the face as a reaction to her action, she deserves that punishment."

Women in the audience immediately and loudly protested Al-Razine's statement, and were shocked to learn the remarks came from a judge, the newspaper reported.

Arab News reported that Al-Razine made his remark as he was attempting to explain why incidents of domestic violence had increased in Saudi Arabia. He said that women and men shared responsibility, but added that "nobody puts even a fraction of blame" on women, the newspaper said.

Al-Razine "also pointed out that women's indecent behavior and use of offensive words against their husbands were some of the reasons for domestic violence in the country," it added.

Domestic violence, which used to be a taboo subject in the conservative kingdom, has become a hot topic in recent years. Groups like the National Family Safety Program have campaigned to educate the public about the problem and help prevent domestic abuse.

Saudi women's rights activist Wajeha Al-Huwaider told CNN that Saudi women routinely face such attitudes.

"This is how men in Saudi Arabia see women," she said in a telephone interview from the Saudi city of Dahran. "It's not something they read in a book or learned from a friend. They've been raised to see women this way, that they're less than a person."

Al-Huwaider added that "I'm not surprised to see a judge or a religious man saying that - they've been raised in the same culture - a culture that tells them it's ok to raise your hand to a woman that this works."

Another Saudi judge, in the city of Onaiza, was the source of a separate recent controversy: he twice denied a request from the mother of an 8-year-old girl that the girl be granted a divorce from her 47-year-old husband.

Last month, after human-groups condemned the union, the girl was granted the divorce.

Oh Gee

My sister is in Goteborg, Sweden for a work trip. First time she travelled so far before, i believe. She wrote back today on the weather, food, etc.

I showed my mum the email she wrote. She laughed at some parts of the email but was quite serious when she said "How come her 'goteborg' got no capital 'G' one?"

Diao.

Movies Galore

There seems to be so many movies to watch of late:

1. Wolverine
2. Star Trek
3. Angels and Demons

It’s been 3 months since I stepped into a cinema. The last movie I watched was Inkheart and it was super boring and before that it was “You don’t mess with the Zohan”.

Who wants to ask me out for a movie?

MC-ing

Yokie asked me to be the MC for her wedding banquet.

It’s my first time and I was frankly a little excited yet a little apprehensive.

Within 15 minutes, I already decided what to wear.

The downside really is that the banquet is on a Sunday afternoon which means I’ll miss my badminton.

Vintage

I felt like dressing up today so I wore this new gal-ly pink shirt.

It helps that the girls in the office today decided to go vintage today and my shirt is sufficiently vintage.

I think it didn’t help my cause with my mum and the escort thingy with this shirt and that I actually left my house at 915am today.

Just what was all that big fuss about?

I read this article on Business Times today. Super funny. I especially liked the fifth paragraph. I wrote to Jaime Ee to thank you. She was also the one who wrote this article.

THE AWARE SAGA
Just what was all that big fuss about?

Whatever people hated about the ousted new guard, its stand on women's rights was still the same as Aware's: pro-women

By JAIME EE

FINALLY, it's over. I would say, 'Thank God', but then I wouldn't want to be accused of, you know, trying to start something.

Yet as the old guard of Aware celebrates its triumph, and the ousted new guard slinks off to lick its wounds, one can only step back and ask: What the heck was all that fuss about, really?

For the past three weeks, women were fighting with other women over something that had nothing to do with what Aware was created to do 20 years ago: celebrate women, uphold and protect their rights. After the feminist equivalent of WWE Smackdown at Suntec City on Saturday, I'm not sure what there is to celebrate about being a woman.

Yes, we can raise our collective hands and say, yeah, we made sure those self-righteous newbies can't shove their ideals down our throats. We're a multi-religious society and no one religion has the right to take over a secular organisation to spread its own doctrine.

All well and good but in the highly charged process, did every negative stereotype of women have to be laid bare for all to see and cringe at? That is, that hell hath no fury like a woman (or ex-co) scorned; women are over-emotional, territorial and prone to hissing when angry; no (straight) male in his right mind would intervene in a fight between women; the world's wars would be a lot shorter if all soldiers were female.

What I'd like to know is, apart from proving that women can be as nasty as men when they fight, what exactly did this battle achieve? Did we come away from this saying, 'Yay, this has been a great milestone for women and Singapore?'

Sure, we can all agree that the old guard of Aware well deserved to get their organisation back simply because we like them a lot better, but did the whole country have to get pulled into the fray?

This is not some moral victory for women or society in general. While it was the leadership of a women's group in question here, women's rights were never at risk.

Whatever people hated about the ousted new guard, its stand on women's rights was still the same as Aware's, ie pro-women.

Rather, people see the victory as one against steeplejacking - a term used to describe churches which infiltrate secular organisations. Did we stop some rabid religious group from infiltrating our multi-religious society and planting anti-gay thoughts in our minds?

Ego vs ideology

Are we seriously that impressionable to think that a group of anti-gay lobbyists who hijack a women's group can singlehandedly change our social order?

Somehow, I don't think so. Maybe we should just look at the battle for what it really was: a 20-year-old women's group, well-respected for its work and good intentions, but somewhat long in the tooth and suffering dwindling membership and interest. With just 300-odd members, it had been cruising contentedly in its comfort zone. Suddenly, it gets hijacked by a group which doesn't believe in voicing its concerns about sex education programmes in the normal way, ie, complaining to the relevant authorities.

So what do you get? A struggle between ego (the old guard caught unawares) and ideology (the newbies) that should have stayed internal instead of turning into a national issue. Makes you wish the newcomers had just taken the old guard's advice and started its own group. But being corporate women who know a thing or two about back-door listings, they probably knew it would have been easier to push their agenda as Aware rather than as Women Against Gays.

One of the ousted exco members said that she didn't think the 3,000 women at Saturday's event represented the views of some two million Singaporean women. She was right. There are women who think this went way beyond reason and that the self-righteous label isn't restricted to just the ousted newbies. There are women who think that parents should know what their kids are being taught in school, and if they don't like it, they can jolly well campaign for it to be changed. You don't play Christian Militant Ninjas and mount hostile takeovers.

And there are women who think that with its new lease of life, Aware can go back to what it does best - being for women, and about women.

Love for Sports

I was at a family function yesterday when i found out that my cousin met her husband at the driving range. I couldnt decipher who tried to tackle who but WOW! Driving range!

Just a few days before, T|ny told me she got a boyfriend and she got to know him on a diving trip! WOW!

Shitfong introduced his colleague to me cos she plays badminton and she joined us yesterday. She was super good but i ended up whacking her nose. No luck for me there. :(

At the said family function, my cousin in law gave me a 5 wood cos he said he didnt need it anymore and he promised to give me a Titlelist 60* wedge the next time we meet cos he said hes no longer using it. And i took home a Callaway driver from another cousin. The driver was given to him by my dad almost 10 years ago. I already have a driver but decided it should come back to where it really belongs.

I have always been a huge proponent of "Su lang mai su sey", roughly translated as "Lose people but cannot lose style". And with this news of meeting beaus at driving ranges, badminton courts, sea, etc, im more determined to dress up while sporting.

Wahahahahahaha

Entertaining Again

After five days out of office, I found that I have 14 items on my To-Do list and one voice mail.

It was from the Australian Trade Commission inviting me to a networking event after my boss nominated me for it. So much for hating networking events. Bleah. I hope no one forces me to drink.