Apathy

So there is this lady who works in the same place as me. Not in the same area or field of work but the same employer.

I see her every morning on the way to work. We would take the same route and bus services. We both get on the same bus at different stops. Alight at the same stops. But we don't talk. We don't acknowledge each other's presence.

There was a time when I first started the route and I recognise her and I thought of smiling. When I did, we got to chatting. And then I realised why I choose not to socialise with known parties in the morning. Same conversations, same sad answers.

Somehow it got to the point where I would quickly get my iPod running and my eyes shut to catch a wee bit of snooze in the morning. She got the point really quickly. And we stopped talking. We stopped acknowledging each other's presence.

A little sad ?

I still see her most days, chatting up random school kids on the bus. Kids who lived far from their schools, kids who were unfortunate enough to smile and acknowledge her presence.

We don't that do we ? We don't chat up random strangers on the bus unless we experience a commonality. We don't open up to strangers like the older folks do. We prefer to keep to our company, blasting our music devices, playing on our smartphones.

What a state of apathy we had embraced.

But whatever said and done, I would rather have my apathy than having to chat incessantly on the different ways to get to work.

A Very Fine Scare !

My iMac just gave me a little scare earlier.

I had not been "playing" with it in quite a while and so since the aircon maintenance fellas are coming round for the quarterly year checks.

Dear had moved the iMac from the main bedroom to the other room with its clean and spacious table. So there I was utilising my Mac in full when I noticed a wee bit of fuzzy spot over some of the news articles. Weird. Earlier, the screen was also flashing white light and there was intermittent lapses in the movement of the mouse. Initially I thought it was the webpage refreshing, so I didn't pay much attention to it.

Anyways, it seemed to me that the blurry, fuzzy spot had grown in size and the Mac was like super hot !

I told my Dear and he touched the area on the screen with the fuzzy spot. We had thought it was just a smudge on screen but wiping away didn't help. Then Dear said it could be condensation behind the screen. He viewed it from the side and there was gap in between. Oh no !

My new iMac !

So Dear told me to shut it down and call the Service Centre. And then we went on a search of my Apple Care Protection box with the receipt. He kept saying it was a good thing that we had listened to my Boss who advised us to get the plan when I bought the iMac. Where was it ? I remember I had registered it here but I could have done it in the office. Oh, where is the darn box !!!

I called the Service Centre after searching my email on the TouchPad. Finally, a number to be called for help for my poor iMac ! Meanwhile, Dear said it'd be better to get some photos of the fuzzy spot. Once the machine had shut down, there was a misshapen shape of white on the black screen.

Waited 15 minutes to speak to a service operator, panicking if my iMac is doomed for life ! While waiting on the line I searched for similar incidences online via the TouchPad. Thank you for the mobile devices and wireless network (courtesy of the Dear !) !

Eventually spoke to someone with an American accent and he assured me the heating up of the machine is quite normal. Seriously ?!?

Well. I am glad to say, as per advised by the service guy, it is a one off thing. I got my case number and was told to call again if the condensation happens again. I've been advised to switch on the machine and use it as per normal. So far, so good.

But. What a very fine scare to be had !

:-)

Google Forms !

I have graduated from an ignorant of Google Forms to creating two online forms in a week ! I know the forms are simple to complete and even simpler to create but the idea behind it is so clever ! All thanks to my Boss !
 :-)

A Gift for him

I went about town yesterday to get a gift for the Dear one for our anniversary on Thursday. Got home, left it and went out to West Mall to return my library books before meeting him for dinner. We had junk food again ! But the junk food was nice. I went French and he had Italian. Hahaha .. If you hadn't guess it, yes, we went to BK. I love the French chicken sandwich ! Gimme, gimme more. Writing about it is causing me to produce additional saliva. Hahaha ... It is breakfast time, anyways. :-)

On the way back, I asked Dear if he wanted his gift now or on the day itself. He said now so I had to make him "work for it". Gave him clues as to where the item was. He had a bit of a hard time looking for it in plain sight !

When he unwrapped it finally, I am just glad he liked them ! Thanks, Babe ! I love you, mostest !

End of the first week

What a week this has been ! All the trauma of going back for class and exams albeit a short one is something you will never forget. You go to school, you try to learn what was being taught. You deal with friends and non-friends. Hahaha. Kinda like now. Life lessons, never leaving you until the day you die. If you learn.

Moving on, I met the Boyfriend last night at VivoCity. Finally a dinner out after a long while of packing food from home ! It was a quite frustrating wait because I spent more than 1.5 hrs journeying to the meet up place and then to have the Boyfriend saying that he's "leaving work now" at half past six ! So as usual, I went on a mini tantrum while waiting for him to arrive.

All is well after getting what we needed to get and walked over to HarbourFront Centre for dinner. Went on a mini shopping spree at The BodyShop before heading home. Whoever can resist a bottle of Moroccan Rose eau de toilette ? Not me, apparently...

The Boyfriend had gotten a new mobile in the day and he was "not playing" with it when we got home. A HTC Sensation, which he had wanted to get prior if not for the cost. And now, he's eyeing the HTC Sensation XE. If not for the initial price, he would had gotten it. Anyways, he is using his new mobile today since all his contacts had been "magically" imported from his HTC Magic to his HTC Sensation. Hahaha ... HTC Magic-Sensation !

As for me ? I'm waiting to get the Galaxy Nexus. Ice cream sandwich, wait for me ! :-)

I am at a better place

When I think of where I was last year at this time, I didn't think I could have a great work place and a supportive Boss. Where I was last year at this time, I had just settled down after a painful couple of months starting over at a new place. Ian was on hand. Elin had come on board and I had friends. I had people who can commiserate and understand how things work there.

Now. I am settling down again. I have friends who are only a phone call away. I have colleagues whom I had finally allowed to see some of the real me. I have a boss whom I can work for without having to question my conscience and morality every day.

What a difference a whole year make !

I really, really enjoy my work and the kids. I didn't even mind that much the lapses in service and grief the IT department had given me earlier. I am also so darn glad that I do not have some know-it-all trying to micromanage the way I work.

Thank you for giving me the strength to move forward. Thank you for giving me a chance to face the fear  of change.

Peace, out.

Passed !!!

Full score for the theory paper and I didn't screw up too much on the practical component !

Woo-hoo !!! First Aid, trained ! :-D