Realized I have very little patience and tolerance for stupid questions, repetitive questions, and questions that people ask because they are just too lazy to google for the answer. Seriously. *waves smart phone* Information is supposed to be at your fingertips no? My friends are generally awesome people but sometimes they fall into these categories too!

AND I absolutely cannot stand my boss's incessant tapping on the table. He has this annoying habit of tapping the pen/pencil/his finger/whatever unfortunate thing in his hand REPETITIVELY to make a point. You. Do. Not. Need. To. Tap. CONSTANTLY. To. Make. A. Point.

Imagine how annoying it is:

Boss: Yada yada yada yada
*taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptapTAPTAPTAP
TAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAPTAP TAP!*

Me: *trying to remain zen and willing for some emails to come in while mentally throwing rocks at him*

Boss: *Throws pen/pencil/whatever unfortunate thing in his hand on the table with a flourish and a grand gesture after making his point*

Me (in my inner goddess voice): such yayapapaya behaviour *ROLLS EYES*

"Now, we tend to just fall into relationships with whatever is close to us, convenient, or has already been conquered. Friends will incestuously date within their group of friends, over and over and over. Friends with benefits whom people are not particularly interested in will become de facto boyfriends or girlfriends because, well, we need a date to a wedding. We will exist in a nebulous state of “sort-of dating” our “half-boyfriends” for years on end because it’s better than being single. And of course, if you ask these couples if they would ever consider settling down with said significant other, most would give you a resounding “no.” They would even justify with a “I don’t need to see a serious future with someone I’m dating, it’s just to have fun.” But could anything be more selfish, more unfair, more an insult to the both of you?
 
First of all, how do we know that the other member of this couple feels the same way? Perhaps what is just a game for you–something to pass the time until something better comes along–is something serious to them. How many couples exist on two planes of commitment, completely unaware that the other doesn’t share their intentions. And even if you are both completely indifferent about the other in the long-term, why become a couple? Why give your time, romantic energy, or half-hearted commitment to someone you don’t see yourself ending up with–for what are likely completely valid reasons? Why stay in this limbo?

It must be tightly interlocked with our deep, gnawing fear of being single. We just passed Valentine’s Day, and think of the hordes of people who used the occasion to spill out their hearts about how incredibly lonely they felt, how left out from a society they imagined as coupled-up, how less-than being without a significant other made them feel. And you don’t need to have a holiday to see this kind of behavior — even on a Saturday night, you’re bound to hear a friend complain about how they just wish they had someone to go out with — as though friends, family, or just themselves is not company enough. Sometimes I would see these kind of sentiments during the long periods of my singlehood, when I was going out on dates here and there but not feeling anything magical, and feel like the only person my age who didn’t care that I was single. I liked being single! Some of my best memories are walking around my city completely alone, doing everything I want to do in the day and not having to consider another person’s itinerary — seeing sights and being alone with my thoughts. Just sitting by the water with a glass of iced tea and a book was some of the most wonderful pleasures I can recall. Of course, my memories shared with significant others are just as beautiful — though in a different way. And loving running hand-in-hand with someone in the rain doesn’t negate an afternoon-long stroll by myself on a warm spring day."

- Extracted from Thought Catalog

Haha I have been reading way too many articles on Thought Catalog lately!

This post is because I feel the need to add more posts to the "Arty Farty" tag (it looks lonely with only one post categorized under it).

Anyways, I've been wanting to go for the Harry Potter exhibition at the Art Science Museum and since there was an Andy Warhol exhibition going on, might as well go see see look look. $24 to visit two exhibits is not too bad.

Unfortunately they were pretty strict on photo taking so all I managed was a photo at the entrance:

There was a looping video showing how silkscreen printing was used to create those colourful pop art paintings that Andy Warhol was famous for and I thought that was quite cool. And yes there were also a lot of Campbell Soup cans. I wish I can say that I can appreciate the nuances of art a lot better but I guess art isn't really not my thing. Music, maybe.

Then it was down to Basement 1 for HARRY POTTER!!!!

The flying car in Chamber of Secrets

 

Yay! Harry Potter fangirl

Unfortunately again they were very strict on photo taking sooooooooo although I dearly wanted to take some snapshots, I didn't :( I rented an audio guide for $6 but I didn't find it very useful, but I did manage to shoot some Quidditich hoops (I suck at all ball games, magical or not) and sit on the chair that Hagrid sat in. Was expecting the exhibition to be much bigger and grander though. And the merchandise were so expensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $6 for a Chocolate Frog (contemplated whether to buy but decided $6 for a piece of chocolate was not worth it) and $6 for the Every Flavour Jelly Beans (the box stated several disgusting sounding flavours which interested me but not enough for me to buy it).

OK almost time to knock off! Spent most of Friday afternoon at the Long Service Award ceremony because I wanted to eat free food and the reception did not disappoint!!! The laksa was yummy slurps~

But really, 人生有几个四十年？So many of my fellow colleagues have spent decades of their lives here, this place is like a second home to them. Like our CEO said, how do we measure the 525,600 minutes of our lives each year?

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee?

Haha yah that is from a song that the CEO played at the ceremony. But like I always like to tell people, 我把我的青春献给这个公司了! 

If by some misfortune I'm still hanging around here next year, it will be my turn to go shake hands with some MD and get a certificate for 5 years of service! Eeeks. Really 佩服 those who have worked here tirelessly for 30 or 40 years.

Yeah you can tell that I'm pretty bored and free at work recently with the sudden increase in blog posts. Haha.

Anyway I just remembered that I've wanted to try baking Rose Cupcakes after trying one from Twelve Cupcakes a few weeks ago.

 

Nah this is not from Twelve Cupcakes

Photo credit: The Curvy Carrot

 

This is the one from Twelve Cupcakes, taken in a totally non-appealing fashion.

You can also see half of a salted caramel cupcake

So that's another on the baking list! Now I'm just sitting at my table and waiting for the minutes to pass..... and I've got class later at 7pm sigh. :(

Oh and I went for a lunch time express manicure/classic pedicure (had to utilize almost expiring voucher) and I have successfully managed to ruin my manicure within minutes of stepping out of the salon. Useless fact of the day!

More baking inspirations... Forget rainbow cakes, these ombre cakes are so pretty!!! *glassy eyes*
 

Photo credit: Glorious Treats

Photo credit: The Idea Room

 

And of course my favourite colour hahahaha

Photo credit: Better with Butter

I hope I have some time to bake this weekend, just started my Project Management course yesterday and I have class from 9am to 4pm this Saturday! X___X

And it's like being a student again after 4 long years, it feels familiar yet foreign, having to deal with projects and presentations and assignments all over again... This is a pretty intensive course, like the university special term, cramming 13 weeks worth of classes into 3 weeks. Le sigh.

I think I'm not cut out to further my studies. I'm simply too lazy. Ahahahahaha.

Kinda lost the mood to bake for a bit, been wanting to bake Nutella Banana Bread (need ripe bananas but don't have any) or a layered rainbow cake (overpaid for a super expensive cake leveler that I have not put to good use yet!) but was simply too lazy or didn't have time over the weekends.

But ah-ha! Now I've found some inspiration after chancing upon this:

 

Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes

Photo credit: http://gimmesomeoven.com

Nutthin' like a good droolsome photo to ignite the baking mood. Don't they look oh-so decadent and delectable? Drools!

I've also been contemplating signing up for a baking course in the community centre... but can't seem to fit their timing :(

Session #7
Distance covered: 13.85km
Time: 1:52:20
Average speed: 7.40km/h

Quite a difficult run. Probably coz it was very warm when I started at about 5.30pm and I felt so tired just after a few kilometers. The Punggol Waterway was so crowded at one point that I felt like just bulldozing my way through. Really breaks the pacing while trying to dodge human beings.

I think this is the maximum distance I can go before I start hyperventilating (need water!), but hey at least this covers about 2/3 of the half marathon. Yay! :D

I happened to read certain stuff from a forum about a week back that disturbed me greatly.

Basically it was a forum where people (especially men) go to boast about their "conquests".
And the shocking thing (to me) was the number of people out there who cheat on their partners!!!

Cheat liao, never mind, they still find lame excuses to justify their cheating, saying that they get bored with their wives, it's just for the sex, at the end of the day they still return home, they still love their wives because their wives are the ones who have gone through a lot with them and are the providers of comfort and mother of their children. Or that nature has made them such that they have the urge to sow their seeds and screw as many people as possible, for variety perhaps?

Bullshit I say. Totally unacceptable.

People have increasingly cavalier attitudes towards sex, to them it's probably nothing more than an act in which you indulge in to gain pleasure. I think people probably don't even expect their partners to be virgins nowadays. But this has raised my awareness and brought me to the attention of the fact that men think with their dicks. This has never been more glaring or more real to me till now.

Maybe I have always been safely cocooned in my little bubble and have had very little exposure to all the lusty, lecherous wolves out there. After reading the forum I realized there really are a lot of sick people out there, out prowling for their prey.

Of course, the internet population is not representative of all men and I half-suspect the good ones won't be even posting in that forum. There are probably a small handful of good ones out there, but right now I have kinda lost faith in humanity and especially men. (And besides, at this age the good ones are probably all taken.) Maybe, 8 or 9 out of 10 men would cheat IF opportunity presented itself. It's hard to resist temptation. If I unfortunately marry someone who turns out to be a lying, cheating scumbag who can't control the blood down south, then I wonder, really, there is no point in getting married and opening yourself to so much hurt and betrayal. Maybe I won't even want to know and would prefer to be kept in the dark. Because being the loser that I am, I may love the fella so much that I would just take him back. (and/or castrate him. Hmmm.)

I'm aware that ladies cheat too, and increasingly more of them do. I don't get this. If you are gonna vow to be together through thick and thin and all that shit, is it so difficult to just stick to your vows? If you know you are a player, then don't bloody get married or commit to someone.

Then again I'm not married, can't walk a mile in their shoes. Maybe they are trapped in a loveless marriage but can't leave because of the kids. Shrugs. There can be thousands of reasons. But I still stand by the fact that cheating is wrong. I really hope this will not happen to me, or any of my friends and loved ones. Can't even start to imagine the crushing pain this would bring man.

Session #6
Distance covered: 6.92km
Time: 00:50:00
Average speed: 8.30km/h

A storm looked imminent when I started my run, and pretty soon it was raining heavily.
Couldn't really see well thanks to rain splattered glasses and was soaked while Adele warbled about setting fire to the rain. Very apt. LOL.

Decided to cut the run short, but soon after I got home, the skies cleared. Bah!!!

“What are we doing?”

“We’re” – I thought for a moment – “Sitting by a fire in your backyard.”

“Yeah, but us. What are we doing?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are you going to be done with me in like five days? We just started dating, I mean we just met, I hardly know a damn thing about you. Just-” She always had a problem finishing sentences, I would learn.

“I’m not going to be done with you in five days.”

“But how do you know?”

“I don’t. In all likelihood we’re going to break up. You’re right. I don’t think that we’ll end up getting married. I don’t think that will be our ending. But between right now and that breakup we have so much to experience together and so many opportunities, it’s pointless to think about the end right now.”

- extracted from Thought Catalog

I like that sentence in bold, only because I can identify with it.
If I allow myself to give it some deep thought, I think I agree with it.
I agree with it because I'm very much a in-the-moment type of person. I don't worry about the future if I can help it. Heck, I don't even like to think too much about stuff. I live for the now! Carpe diem! Yoohoo!

(Of course, not thinking things through often results in bad execution, and that doesn't bode well at work, but that is another topic of discussion for another day.)

Then again sometimes that spontaneity goes away and the worrywart enters. Little voices talk to you.
Sometimes you think it's enough, sometimes you think you want more.
Sometimes, sometimes not. Sometimes, yet not quite.

Hurhurhur. Maybe? Not quite?
Ah-hah, life is full of possibilities ain't it.

But let's not let the mind wander into that infinite dark hole of life and its endless possibilities; what lies beneath that dark hole is too heavy a topic to contemplate right now in my rather shallow and superficial state of mind.

For the night is late and we must bid goodbye. Tootles!

Session #5
Distance covered: >10.4km
Time: >1:12:39
Average speed: 8.?? km/h

Estimates here because my phone died right after the 10km mark, so what I know was based on the audio cues. I think I managed 11km at most.

Oh! Finally bought the arm band so that my hands can be free while jogging, but honestly it looks ridiculous to have the Note strapped to my arm simply because the Note is huge. -__-

And then there is the issue of tangled, flapping wires which are kinda irritating. I tried to look for a wireless headset at Comex but the only model I found (a Creative which had Bluetooth capability and was within my budget) didn't fit comfortably and snugly around my ears. ああ、そう. The hunt for the wireless headphones continues.