TV is the best thing in my life

Kidding.

Though in all earnestness, having dinner away from the TV is one of the best things that DL and I have decided. It is not living together till you have to look a person in the eye and have a real conversation (yeah, conversations are not pink tailed unicorns) for about an hour, or as fast as you can gulp down your food without chewing heh.

Coming home, sitting in front of the tv while having dinner, then sleeping together is just co-existing. Having a presence, having a warm human being to feel less alone, talking about what the last episode of Simpsons you watched is not a conversation. If you are looking to begin a life together, doing all those things above is just not it.

I have to confess, initially the temptation to watch tv while eating was great, very much like what No Impact Man experienced. Talking and eating at the table was strange. How, my day was so mundane, or the only thing I have are complaints. Die lah! But dinner time conversation is like having sex, foreplay is important. That foreplay is probably cooking together, cutting up fruit, or even him sitting down in the kitchen while I prepare dinner. Once the conversation sputters itself into life, it will cruise itself onto the dinner table. And it is NOT because I'm female and use more words in a day! I learnt to listen to him as well.

Today's dinner showed how much we have progressed, WL wanted to watch TV and we stayed behind to eat our sandwiches...and whaddya know...asked about each others day. To me, I feel we showed each other that the other person was important enough to spend time away from doing other 'stimulating' activities.

Now, I have to grudgingly admit, my mama knows best when she told be at 13 years old to "stop watching tv and eat at the table!"

You're not a gold coin that everyone likes - can't please everyone, especially me

For the past few weeks, work has not been the most inspiring experience. I find myself discontented and distorted by:

1. China phenomenon of high pay, despite ambiguous experience.
2. Being out of control of own time due to boss being a little disorganized e.g. no clear deadline, then all of a sudden "I want it done by tomorrow."
3. Banished to detail hell of re-checking a colleague's work 7 times in 2 days.

And more, but you get the idea. And I think my solution is to get more pay!!!

Obviously because I will feel guilty for not working more, which now I feel guilty for getting off work on time *rolls eyes* and to make up for all the interruptions from questions and checking. But I shouldn't be held responsible just because I do not want to work over time this week! As long as project is eventually running smoothly and time spent training juniors have a large chunk; I should be allowed to GO HOME ON TIME!

And why did I develop that payment sheet for my account only to have you ignore it! It is damn irritating to chase for accounts all the time!

Seriously, I don't care about developing new business when juniors can't write proper screener, speak/ write proper english; boss has no comments about my reports or help developing a client (well, only if you consider sitting in a presentation support).

There. Feel so cathartic.

To be fair, it's hard to fully blame my boss cos I know he's also trying his best to manage a big team and probably has his own stresses. He did also buy me Twister from Japan. Heh.

Will have to catch him at the end of this year and be honest. My deadline for patience is probably till then.

Sojourn at Shanghai MOCA

This brief sojourn to the MOCA during lunchtime on Thursday was green tea for the soul. Cleansing and refreshing departure from all the pressure cooker feeling I had been feeling but unable to articulate.

But unlike me, all these Hong Kongese artists were able to articulate how they felt about 10th year Anniversary of the handover back to China.

For more explanations and exhibits, find them here.

Guess the number of smiley faces and get a prize!

My love affair with soba

Wintermelon soup with soba. Yum! Deliciously light soup with a hint of sweetness of melon coupled by earthy fragrance of soba.