[About this blog] Inspired by local soccer player Mike Lim during my rookie reporter days at Singapore Polytechnic, I set up this blog in August 2002. I feel that blogging is a novel platform to document interesting facets of my life and my thoughts on certain issues. [Email blogger] ephraim@singnet.com.sg

Tuesday, April 29, 2003

[lazing at home]
i have got two days mc (yesterday and today) coz got flu... then there is a parade on wednesday... holiday on thursday and long weekend from friday to sunday.... work begins next monday! which is so cool.... such a long break... maybe can go sentosa...

Monday, April 28, 2003

[crazy office policy]
DRESS CODE: It is advised that you come to work dressed according to your salary, if we see you wearing $350 Prada sneakers and carrying a $600 Gucci bag, we assume you are doing well financially and therefore you do not need a raise.

SURGERY: Operations are now banned. As long as you are an employee here, you need all your organs. You should not consider removing anything. We hired you intact. To have something removed constitutes a breach of our employment contract.

PERSONAL DAYS: Each employee will receive 104 personal days a year. They are called Saturday and Sunday.

VACATION DAYS: All employees will take their vacation at the same time every year. The vacation days are as follows: Jan 1, July 4 and Dec 25.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: This is no excuse for missing work. There is nothing you can do for dead friends, relatives or co- workers. Every effort should be made to have non-employees attend to the arrangements. In rare cases where employee involvement is necessary, the funeral should be scheduled in the late afternoon. We will be glad to allow you to work through your lunch hour and subsequently leave one hour early, provided your share of the work is done enough.

OUT FROM YOUR OWN DEATH: This will be accepted as an excuse. However, we require at least two weeks' notice as it is your duty to train your own replacement.

RESTROOM USE: Entirely too much time is being spent in the restroom. In the future, we will follow the practice of going in alphabetical order. For instance, all employees whose names begin with 'A' will go from 8:00 to 8:20, employees whose names begin with 'B' will go from 8:20 to 8:40. If you're unable to go at your allotted time, it will be necessary to wait until the next day when your turn comes again. In extreme emergencies employees may swap their time with a co-worker. Both employees' supervisors must approve this exchange in writing. In addition, there is now a strict 3-minute time limit in the stalls. At the end of 3 minutes, an alarm will sound, the toilet paper roll will retract, and the stall door will open.

LUNCH BREAK: Skinny people get an hour for lunch as they need to eat more so that they can look healthy, normal size people get 30 minutes for lunch to get a balanced meal to maintain their average figure. Overweight people get 5 minutes for lunch because that's all the time needed to drink a Slim Fast.

Thank you for your loyalty to our company. We are here to provide a positive employment experience. Therefore, all questions comments, concerns, complaints, frustrations, irritations, aggravations, insinuations, allegations, accusations, contemplations, consternations or input should be directed elsewhere.

Have a nice week.
Management

Sunday, April 27, 2003

[been to south africa]
i've been to south africa and back in one day... haha.. no lah it's just my new assignment for a south african cultural party organised by the school of mm.... well, not bad to actually experience a little about the culture of south africa and also try their kind of food... mmmm delicious man... especially the snoek fish... there was also a presentation on the kingdom of zulus... nice place for a hoilday.... but dunno wether cheap or not.. haha...

any sponsors wanna send me there?

Friday, April 25, 2003

[i need a break]
really i do need a break... maybe a full day off? oh yeah... lotsa hoildays coming soon...

Wednesday, April 23, 2003

[here we go again]
new assignment received.... it's on a saturday evening though... some mm function with dinner included... more details soon...

Monday, April 21, 2003

[nkf charity show 2003]
the nkf show on sunday night saw more than 35 mediacorp artistes calling out to the public for donations. in a four hour extravaganza, the artistes put together a wide array of items ranging from death defying to light hearted entertainment. the show itself had many firsts. it was the first time that items were performed at an outdoor location and also a first in the ratings department - a total of 6.6m of donations with a whopping 1.2m viewers tuning in, making it the most-watched programme this year!

the highlight of the evening was a nail-biting tightrope walk by Fann Wong, Christopher Lee and Allan Wu. beamed live from Parco Bugis Junction where the stunt took place, the trio walked across a 24 m rope, five storeys above ground. while the audience at home was at the edge of their seats, those watching the event live at the mediacorp tv theatre were filled with oohs and ahhs with the occasional words of encouragement for their favourite artistes.



other items included a light up my life story with artistes Shi Bin, Priscelia Chan and Carole Lin balancing on light bulbs, daredevils Chen Hanwei and Jeff Wang riding bicycles perched in a funnel shaped 15 meters high and Gary Yap, Florence Tan, Qi Yuwu and Calvin Soh in a ball juggling act.

the finale had 28 artistes running up a ramp and attempting to jump onto a swing not more than two metres apart - all working hand in hand to garner more support from the public.

said mediacorp artiste fann wong of her impromptu participation in the finale: "even though i did not rehearse for this, i went for it just to get a few more phone calls from donors."

what you didn't see on tv was a prize presentation after the live telecast complete with the various scene changes during commercial breaks with the stage crew racing against time preparing for the next item. very heart throbbing indeed!

Saturday, April 19, 2003

[death defying]
somewhere in bugis tomorrow night, three mediacorp artistes will risk their lives... all in the name of charity... christopher lee and allan wu will walk on high wire five storeys above with fann wong perched on their shoulders....

Friday, April 18, 2003

[holidays are for]
resting at home... was so rainy today.... went to seletar gardens for lunch then headed to thomson plaza for coffee at starbucks... rumba frappacino is delicious....

back home now... just slacking...

Wednesday, April 16, 2003

[you make me wanna]
You know you make me wanna.
You know you make me wanna.

To start it off I know you know me
To come to think of it, it was only last week.
That I had a dream about us, oh.
That's why I am here, I'm writing this song.
To tell the truth you know I have been hurting all along,
Someway let me know, you want me girl.

Everytime you see me what do you see?
I feel like I'm a poor man and you're the queen.
Oh baby, you're the only thing that I really need.
Baby that's why?

You make me wanna call you in the middle of the night.
You make me wanna hold you till the morning light.
You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall.
You make me wanna surrender my soul.
I know this is a feeling that I just can't fight.
You're the first and last thing on my mind.
You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall.
You make me wanna surrender my soul.

Well I know that these feelings won't end no, no.
They'll just get stronger if I see you again.
Baby I'm tired of being friends.
I wanna know if you feel the same
And could you tell me do you feel my pain?
Don't leave me in doubt.

Everytime you see me what do you see?
I feel like I'm a poor man and you're the queen.
Oh baby, you're the only thing that I really need.
And baby that's why?

You make me wanna call you in the middle of the night.
You make me wanna hold you till the morning light.
You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall.
You make me wanna surrender my soul.
I know this is a feeling that I just can't fight.
You're the first and last thing on my mind.
You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall.
You make me wanna surrender my soul.

I'll take you home real quick
And sit you down on the couch
Pour some Dom Perignon and hit the lights out.
Baby we can make sweet love.
Then we'll take it nice and slow.
I'm gonna touch you like you've never know before
We're gonna make love all night.

You make me wanna call you in the middle of the night.
You make me wanna hold you till the morning light.
You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall.
You make me wanna surrender my soul.
I know this is a feeling that I just can't fight.
You're the first and last thing on my mind.
You make me wanna love, you make me wanna fall.
You make me wanna surrender my soul.

Tuesday, April 15, 2003

[memories part 5]
[41] Your friends considered you lucky and rich if your parents gave you $3 or more for pocket money everyday.

[42] During class gatherings, parents always tag along in case someone gets lost at Orchard Road.

[43] You freak out when the teacher tells you to line up according to height and hold hands with the corresponding boy or girl.

[44] Handkerchiefs were a must for both genders

[45] Collecting notebooks and all kinds of stationery was a popular thing.

[46] Autograph books were loaded with "Best Wishes", "Forget Me Not", and small poems like "Bird fly high, hard to catch. Friend like you, hard to forget".

[47] Class monitors and prefects loved to say "You talk somemore, I write your name ah!"

[48] There were at least 40 people in one class.

[49] Large, colourful schoolbags were carried.

[50] You brought every single book to school, even though there was one thing called the timetable.

this is the last of the five-parter series of memories....

Monday, April 14, 2003

[memories part 4]
[30] Who can forget Ahmad, Bala, Sumei and John, eternalized in our minds from the textbooks. Even Mr Wally.

[31] You did stupid exercises like seal crawl and frog jumps.

[32] Every children's day and national day you either get pins or pens with 'Happy Children's Day 1993' or dumb files with Happy National Day 1994'.

[33] In Primary six you had to play buddy for the younger kids like big sister and brother.

[34] Chinese teachers were always old, boring and damn fierce looking.

[35] Your form teacher taught you maths, science and english.

[36] The worksheets were made of brown rough paper of poor quality.

[37] You went to school in slippers and a raincoat when it rained, and you find a dry spot in the school to sit down, dry your feet, and wear your dry and warm socks and shoes.

[38] Famous Chinese singers were only Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok and Leon Lai

[39] School dismissal time was normally around 1 pm.

[40] There would be spelling tests and mental sums to do almost everyday.

those were the days.....

Sunday, April 13, 2003

[laughs all the way]
the show opens.. and before you know it, you just start laughing when you see rowan atkinson..... starring as MI7 agent johnny english, he gets his first case when he is asked to solve the mystery of the queen's missing crown jewels.... and it is not because he is a well known agent but because all the other agents have died in a bomb blast.... watch out for his hilarious antics in this slightly over an hour movie....

if you liked bean: the movie, then this is for you....

Friday, April 11, 2003

[memories part 3]
[21] The most vulgar thing you said was asshole and idiot.

[22] Catching was the IN thing and twist the magic word.

[23] Your English workbooks were made of some damn poor quality paper that was smooth and yellow.

[24] CDIS was your best friend.

[25] The only computer lessons in school involved funny pixellised characters in 16 colours walking about trying to teach you maths.

[26] Waterbottles were slinged around your neck and a must everywhere you go.

[27] Boys loved to play soccer with small tennis balls in the basketball court or play something that uses tennis ball to hit other players known as "HUM TAM BOLA" during recess/after school

[28] Hopskotch, five stones, chateh and zero point were all the rage with the girls and boys too...

[29] Science was fun with the balsam and the angsana being the most important plants of our lives.

[30] Who can forget Ahmad, Bala, Sumei and John, eternalized in our minds from the textbooks. Even Mr Wally.

Thursday, April 10, 2003

[latest news]
mmsp has been postponed as sp wants to minimise contact with large groups of people...

meanwhile, i'll be going down to khatib camp tomorrow to prepare for our sports meet this saturday....

Tuesday, April 08, 2003

[fullStoP april]
read all about the sp open house....
rui en's concert exclusive...
poly 50....
sars....
mulit-layered gold...
and more...

coming soon... april 15....

Monday, April 07, 2003

[memories part 2]

[11] You were there when they first introduced MRT here. You went for the first ride with your parents and you would kneel on the seat to see the scenery.

[12] Movie tickets used to cost only $3.50.

[13] Gals are fascinated by Strawberry Short Cake and Barbie Dolls.

[14] You learn to laugh like The Count in Sesame Street.

[15] You longed to buy titbits called Kaka (20 cents per pack) and Ding Dang (50 cents per box), that had a toy in it and it changes every week not forgetting the 15 cents animal crackers and the ring pop, where the lollipop is the diamond on the ring.

[16] You watched TV2 (also known as Channel 10) cartoons because Channel 5 never had enough cartoons for you.

[17] All that you know about Cantonese is from the Hong Kong serials you watched on TV2.

[18] Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, The Three Investigators, Famous Five and Secret Seven are probably the thickest story books you ever thought you have read. Even SweetValley High and Malory Towers.

[19] Civics and Moral Education was "Hao3 Gong1 Min2".

[20] KFC used to be a high class restaurant that serve food in plates and let you use metal forks and knives.

Sunday, April 06, 2003

[fun at church]
have been playing with my 6610 camera attachment.... took some pictures at church todae...

*cool*

Saturday, April 05, 2003

[memories part 1]
got this from jonathan's email....

[1] You grew up watching He-man, Transformers, Silver hawk and Ducktales, Care Bears, Gummi bears, Voltron, Centurions..... Not to forget, Ninja turtles and Smurfs too.

[2] You grew up brushing your teeth with a mug in Primary school during recess time. You will squat by a drain with all your classmates beside you, and brush your teeth with a coloured mug. The teachers said you must brush each side 10 times too. They even gave you a pink tablet to chew that made your whole mouth pink.

[3] You know what's Bin(1) Fen(1) Ba (1) San(1) is all about.

[4] You know what SBC stands for.

[5] You were there when the first chinese serial, the Awakening was shown on TV.

[6] Internet? What the hell is that? So you thought a decade or more ago.

[7] You find your friends with pagers and handphone cool in Secondary school.

[8] SBS buses used to be non-airconditioned. The bus seats are made of wood and the cushion is red. The big red bell gives a loud BEEEP! when pressed.There are colourful tickets for TIBS buses. The conductor will check for tickets by using a machine which punches a hole on the ticket.

[9] Your favourite actor and actress is Huang Wenyong
and Xiangyun. Next is Li Nanxing and Zoe Tay and the Aiyoyo woman.

[10] You've probably read Young Generation magazine. You know who's Vinny the little vampire and Acai the constable.

now, do you remember all these?

Friday, April 04, 2003

[national day website]
following lotsa reports on the national day website... me being a reporter decided to check it out... though it is somewhat incomplete, it's still quite nice.... try visiting it one of these days...

i've been lucky to have been able to go for the ndp twice.... in 2001, i got a seat at the grandstand... a wonderful experience... and in 2002, i went for the preview where it started raining heavily....

so what's new for 2003? well, i'll probably be involved in ushering this year.... but details are not finalised yet... anyway, it'll be a different experience this year i guess.... i'm very much looking forward to it!

Tuesday, April 01, 2003

[fullStoP exclusive]
red hot and brand new taiwanese boyband Ray will drop by sp for a gig! Comprising Red Hong, Alpha Lee and Yagi Lee.... these dancers turned singers are sure set to drive the crowd crazy..... want to be part of the fun? come down to mmsp an annual event organised by spsu.... it's all happening on 11 april! for ticketing details, please contact spsu....

fullStoP members who want to attend can email me.....