Oopsie



Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo......

A cute picture from Val.

I've been tied down with work for the last 2 days, it's amazing to have some spare time alone.

Spiderman 2 movie premiere is today, will be catching it fervently. Been waiting in anxious anticipation since it's getting rave reviews as the best 5-star comic book movie adaptation.

There's still Superman and Batman install of course but for this year, Spidey will rule. I hope that it lives up to my expectations though.

Been so busy all day that I can't even sit down and blog (until now). I deserve a breather anyway.

I need to start my workout session again after wasting my weekend fighting with ferocious queing tai-tais and my weekdays is wasted running around in the office chasing artwork and flying around catching progressive briefs.

I need to be fit. I'll do an evening run tommorrow. I will not procrastinate.

Back to work,
Benjamin

Weekend Spree

I'll be brief.

Shagged after two whole days of being out. Mahjong & Shopping. Meeting up with friends and a joyful movie.

Had some minor hiccups there that is unresolved (aka a broken 42" TV) and some that is resolved (aka army specs).

I'm seeing my bank account deflating. I hope I have enough to survive till the next pay cheque.

Note to self: Bet in soccer or Toto or horse racing or cock fights in your own limits. Because you might end up lending $$$ from people close to you who will lose all respect from you.

Then again, you might think the people who lend $$$ are your true friends and those who didn't are scoundrels. If you think about it, those who DIDN'T lend you is doing you some goodwill.

It'll teach you a lesson that there is a limit to friendship and your insatiable hunger to gamble your life away.

Shagged out,
Benjamin

The loner & the needy

Emotions and moods.

These are the very spoilers to what destroys a relationship.

Essentially, the mood of just wanting to be alone and the mood of just having someone there to accompany you, pamper you and just lay her head on your shoulder for comfort.

Sometimes, I just want to be by myself. The selfish ol' guy with no concerns in the world but just plain narcissitic and every move I make is for my own benefit. I call it freedom, people call it bachelorhood, mother-in-laws call it inability to initiate a marriage proposal.

Then, theres' times where I just want to be next to somebody. To hug, carress or hold a hand. Affection and warmth. Just to be cuddly.

It's like hot and cold. Sometimes you want to be left alone with your wits and let the wind blow your hair. And times where you just wanna share the love with someone close.

Okay, maybe it is my lack of action in the dating scene which has led me to blow hot and cold.

I don't think I have a personality disorder, more like hormones going awry due to lack of activity.

Too much work all day makes Jack a dull boy blowing hot/cold.

I need an activity besides training for the army. I need shopping. Or a shopping partner. =)

Amen to discounts and marked-down prices,
Benjamin

The loner & the needy

Emotions and moods.

These are the very spoilers to what destroys a relationship.

Essentially, the mood of just want being alone and the mood of just having someone there to accompany you, pamper you and just lay her head on your shoulder for comfort.

Sometimes, I just want to be by myself. The selfish ol' guy with no concerns in the world but just plain narcissitic and every move I make is for my own benefit. I call it freedom, people call it bachelorhood, mother-in-laws call it inability to initiate a marriage proposal.

Then, theres times where I just want to be next to somebody. To hug, carress or hold a hand. Affection and warmth. Just to be cuddly.

It's like hot and cold. Sometimes you want to be left alone with your wits and let the wind blow your hair. And times where you just wanna share the love with someone close.

Okay, maybe it is my lack of action in the dating scene which has led me to blow hot and cold.

I don't think I have a personality disorder, more like hormones going awry due to lack of activity.

Too much work all day makes Jack a dull boy blowing hot/cold. I need an activity besides exercise. I need shopping. Or a shopping partner. =)

Amen to sale,
Benjamin

Discpline

In preparation for army, I've started an exercise regime most of the people would call "siao".

I'm gonna run 4km for 4 days/weekly at either 6pm in the evening or 6am at Dawn.

I hope to at least get in gear for Tekong and I'm pretty much impressed with my own resilience in accomplishing this strenuous schedule.

It's already a week and approximately 8 weeks more to go.

In addition, I got my pay cheque!

Been thinking what should I get first. I have a shopping list but I can't splurge on all now. There are 5 essentials that I wanna get though before I head over to shave my head.

Glasses, Contact lenses, Discman, A good pair of jeans and a soccer jersey.

By the way, I fully expected England to win the freakin' match, as they were tactically stronger but they were AWFUL at set pieces.

Good thing I didn't bet on my hopes.

I digress, my shopping trail will include Zara, Adidas & Flash n Splash. And I'm gonna get a jersy on Sunday.

Have a power packed weekend installed for me. Can't wait.
Meeting the SB folks tommorrow & best friend on Sunday.

I wonder how can I squeeze in mahjong. Hmmm...

Sale Searcher,
Benjamin

Big Whoopsie

I scampered off work early yesterday to catch the premiere of Spiderman. Rushing home and getting back to Bugis.

As I awaited for the 9pm doors to open, I looked at the tickets again. "29th June"

"Doofus"

Wendy mistaked the date for today. And I wondered why the media premiere was so quiet and dandy with nobody lurking around.

"Doofus"

I wasn't pleased of course as I grumbled to Wendy who declared me as the "Worst Whiner she ever met". I take pride in that accolade.

We settled for "Windstruck".

Comments. Don't watch it all if you want to have an excruciating headache during the movie and an excruciating after-headache after the movie.

The plot was so cheesy and they used the rotational camera so much, spinning the viewer around and around that I was tempted to leave early.

1 star. Max. For its initial humour and build-up. For the stars= Zero for plot and Zero for directorship.

Espcecially when she committed suicide and fell on a big fat yellow ballon hand.

I will only watch blockbusters from now on. Period.

Regards,
Benjamin

P.S. If anybody thinks i'm a heartless fool because I have no sentiments to shed my tears for the cliche movie, you are so right.

In Perspective

There are different way looking at things at I'm amazed and tickled by how I.S. magazine, a local free-tabloid-looking magazine adopts theirs.

Especially this particular section of "News from Planet Singapore".

Some excerpts.

May 28th - A group of Secondary 4 students at Dunman High discover that the best way to make shoes odour free is to infuse the insoles with green tea. (Wtf ? how ya do that, wear green tea induced socks?)

June 1st - A matchmaking agency introduces a woman client to five man. She doesn't fancy any. The agency decides the woman has a problem, and stops further introduction. (Nods...)

June 5th - The LTA hires traffic wardens to note the particulars of cars intruding into bus lanes. It says this is cheaper and better than bus cameras (in use since 1997). [I didn't know our bus backs had cameras ?)

June 8th - Three policeman chase a man down Koek Road. According to The Straits Times, Orchard Plaza security guard Mr Mohammad, 29, sticks out a leg, the suspect fals into a bush, and is arrested. (dumb)

You all may not find this funny but it's tongue-in-cheek, slap in the face news is rather brief and contored such that it is just plain funny.

Just needed to share this. I will not look down on free things anymore. I agree with the philosopher or kiasu ah soh who claims that the best things in the world are.

Wacky weirdo wednesday,
Benjamin

The bright light

A quick blogpost before I muddle deep into work.

When you're advertising, you're expected to swim through lots of shit all through the night. That's why advertising executives have no life.

From 9-5pm, I had little or no work on my desk, as Client is busy attending to other stuff.

From 5pm, onwards, they torture the rest of my evening by giving me last minute work.

I absofuckingloutely hate that.

Reason: I work from 9-6pm; not beyond that. Especially not beyond hours that I don't get paid overtime. Correction. I'm not EVEN paid for overtime.

It's one more month to go and I EXPECT to see my cheque today. Cashflow has been tight lately and being in the workforce made me see the light of a few things.

A. I'm better off studying
B. I'm better off unemployed
C. I'm better off in the army

On the bright side.

A. I get experience
B. I get money
C. I like soaking in the exuberance of being in the CBD area with all that hustle and bustle

Everyone needs to head to the workforce one day soon. I jumped into the pool TOO quickly. I still have my youth to celebrate =)

I need a break. BADLY. Enough of the bureaucratic work flow from Client to Agency.
It's a Wednesday and I want it to be OVER. NOW.

Cubicle-d Work-ed Slave,
Benjamin

Have you ever wondered?

Have you ever wondered?

What if you were rich?

What if you were successful?

What if you were disabled?

What if you were blind?

What if you were schizophrenic?

What if you found out strangers reading your blog are stalking you?

What if?

I wonder....
Benjamin

10 Reasons not to shop

Why should people NOT shop during the Great Singapore Sale?

1. You will empty your wallet and credit card account for 1 month and spend the other 11 months earning it back.

2. A Sale is not a sale when they MARK-UP the prics and then give a discount and it turns out to be an original prices.

3. Who wants last year's fashion which have been worn and tested by many shoppers during trial and taste test in the changing room when you can get it off rack.

4. There is always a queue. And you need to wait. Shudders!

5. You can't have a refund. Even though you did nothing wrong. It's just that you came in the wrong month.

6. There is always a traffic jam and you spend an hour finding a car park space and another hour queuing up to pay your car park ticket.

7. You emit more pollution with unneccessary cheap "sale" plastic bags when you could cut down more Amazon trees and take their branded paper bags.

8. Your credit card gets maxed out by another person.

9. Screaming aunties who are buying the same underpants for their husbands.

10. There is the Great Malaysian Sale during August.

Your helpful shopping assistant,
Benjamin

Immature Monday

With school out and army in, friends fade into oblivion as the transitional stage of me working for my own upkeep has recently turned me into a boring fella.

9am - 9pm, cooped inside the work cage with no life on weekdays and weekends spent recuperating, it's easily summarise-able on how low life my life has suddenly become.

1 more month to suffer through it all = ) glee

Anyway, back to low life me.

My life has turned to a confused hazy crystal ball, stuck in limbo where you don't know what to expect next and you just "hang in there".

It's hard to spend time with friends when most of your friends are already in heaven (Australia studying) or in hell (in Tekong slogging) or in a similar limbo like me.

I'm just waiting for the cash cow to flow, my pay day is due anytime later this week.

A brief incident on what happened on the MRT hours ago.

A Chinese lady in her late 30s was on the train sitting down. As usual it was the office hour and it was packed like lap cheongs on sale on Chinese New Year.

There was this Indian lady who decided to squeeze and step into the boundaries of the seated lady's "space".

A scuffle of words broke out. You know how awkward it is if you made "noise" over such minor things but the quabbling duo went on yakking on "how you step my foot" and the other argued with "it's an accident".

It came to an awkward silence 3 stations later with the seated Chinese lady folding her arms with fireballs in her eyes and fumes emitting out of her nostrils.

The Indian lady then went to "talk" to the lady beside her and standing next to her, all seems not related but they were all Indians.

At City Hall, both of the other 2 Indian ladies alighted except for the two quabbling duo and with more space the Indian lady went to stand at the exit, obviously heading for Raffles Place.

The Chinese lady used her handphone and called whatever and MAKE A BIG FUSS on how her "space" was violated and how she got fucking cornered with people of that "kind".

End of story.

Recalling the immaturish incident of ladies twice my age, it was a little amusement to tide along my monday misery.

Being as a multi-racial country we are, the argument standpoint changed from space violation to racial discrimination.

How sad is that. Such a minor incident after all. "Sorry" or "Excuse Me" is enough.

Fine, you may argue I do not fully understand the crux of the incident but I do understand one thing.

It's a Monday and everybody is on the edge. As accidentally if we scratch someone, be nice and apologize like I will, who knows, I will screw you over next time by slapping you with a free tabloid or slam my laptop bag on your toes.

Mondays. Bah!

Your friendly commuter,
Benjamin

Shoppy Shopper

The entire afternoon was spent splurging on the decadence of shopping.

At the expense of my brother's credit card of course.

Ignore the fact that I DID spare a thought but since I haven't been out in the malls for the like what, 3 MONTHS?, my sis-in-law scour shops after shops.

Pauline (my sis-in-law) almost bought every item she laid her hands on, but for those that escape her grasp, she finds it icky, eew or just plain tacky. She has a refined sense of taste, an odd one may I add.

I'm a more discerning shopper. Discounts don't deter me from my goals, I know what I want and stay eagle-eyed until I swoop down to the rack and grab that hanger and thrush it to the changing room. For those that escape my grasp, I find it expensive, expensive or just plain too expensive (note: no discount).

I'm satisfied with my less than zealous purchases, I have successfully complete a shopping tour without an impulse buy, even though Pauline encouraged me to "take, just take, don't worry".

Not that I have to worry, I worry more for my brother and her, since they have an impending wedding bill to foot with 60 tables and more at some posh 5-star hotel, I would say that would amount to more than $50,000.

Hence, I try not to overload them with any extraneous debts aka my shopping indulgence.

Also, I have a horrible discovery, I am officially a "black hole". My account are left with 3 digits, including a decimal point after the first digit. I'm simply incorrigible.

Anyway, I swam past Adidas, Sportslink, Metro, Isetan, Samuel & Kevin, Royal Sporting House, Timberland, U2, G2000 and Starbucks. Save for a Strawberries n Cream Frapuccino Blended Cream (It tastes heavenly and fattening), I've avoided all the cashiers except one.

I got some good bargains from one new store at Tampines, called Fox Men and it's from Israel. Not that they were priced too cheap but the designs were my cup of tea (Although my best friend begs to differ).

Back home on a Saturday evening, blog about my typical shopaholic day and watching series episodes of Smallville and The OC. What more can a guy want?

A girlfriend? Nah.........

Note the freedom I'll get, I'll have to face less opinions on decision making process, especially during shopping =)

Shopaholic ahoy!
Benjamin

Sleepy workday

Today is Thursday. Also known as sleepy day at work.

My body is aching from sporty exertions, especially my neck from cramps. And no, I don't have a sex or exercise buddy, I just do it alone.

Notice how strong my wrist are =)

Okay bad joke.

After all the negativity (refer to previous posts), it got me thinking awhile on the way home today.

Have I already planned how I'm going to lead my life? After all, the remainder of it left is just get a degree, get a job, get a family, get kids, get the 5 C's, get CPF and get a cemetry place at Kranji.

Can't see how differently I will lead it though. Nobody is different, so why should I be an exception.

Indirectly, I have manage to revert some of the Q&A back to me and got the conclusion.

"In Life, everyone is searching for solace to feel they fit in to somewhere, a purpose to lead their life. Somehow, I, myself have conceptualize the meaning in my life to find a meaning in life. To comprehend in simple terms, it means I have come to fear, fear itself.

Life is what I make out of it. And it seems, I should not put a definition to my existence. Not everything can be place into mere thoughts or words like Love or the Newater distillation process. Some things are just suppose to remain unsolved. unbroken. unanswered.

Nevertheless, life will always be a mystery, and will remain that way, because life is like falling down an abyss and you can never know what will break your fall be it a pillow, a tree branch or an anvil on your crotch."

Okay, end of brainiac thought of the day, time for some blonde boggling records of my life.

I probably will get fired if any of my superiors sees this but HECK! I have been slacking in the office because the Client has been slow in reverting any response on any creatives.

I just feel like a piece of driftwood and my solitude in my cubicle has brought about some sleep disease which inevitably wants me to snooze.

I catch a few winks here and there. Just a diaster waiting to explode. Hence, Sleepy Thursday title came about.

I'm shagged. Worn. Aching. and sick.

Feel like going to the doctor to get a MC, I need a well-deserved rest or just some good ol' company at the mahjong table.

I need my medication fast.

Pong, Chi or Hu
Benjamin

Positivity

After writing that cynical post about myself, I just thought how negative I can be about myself and my life.

I've always been aware that life is always unfair and how you want to lead your life is determined by the choices that you make.

When I decided to head to poly and diverge off to a new diploma that seems exciting, it's a total divergence and I started to be independent and make decisions.

I was an optimist. Bright of all the opportunities that crossed me.

But after 3 years of exposure, it seems I've seen it.

Seen what you might ask? It means I've seen how my life path will end up. Down the advertising industry and die.

It seems to go down with the perennial question "What do you live for?"

It seems rather mundane and boring, not that I want to climb Mt. Everest or live on the Moon but I need to find a niche.

Like getting high over drugs or getting high over my excellence over certain achievements.

Not that I'm not proud of what I'm doing but I just feel there's something more out there waiting for me and I can't wait to pounce on the opportunity to change my life.

A Dream job? A Dream lover? Or a dream change of environment?

I somehow ask that question which I have always failed to answered.

I've become cynical, jaded and rather depressing of late.

I've lost shades of my humour and you only can catch it in bubbles of sacarsm or during rare positive moments.

"Slaps myself"

I've been telling myself to live for the moment but I have failed to accomplish that.

I NEED EXCITEMENT. I NEED EXHILRATION. I NEED SOMETHING MORE. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT.

The trials and tribulations of my youth. No wonder young people are so confused of anything and everything.

Trying to be positive,
Benjamin

Delirious n Cynical

With a tad boring weekend past, the only delirious event was resting at home.

When news broke yesterday that National Service is reduced, I was naturally delirious, with the fact that I don't need to waste my time anymore when inducted onto boring jobs like counting the number of axles on a tank.

Downloading Alias finale, The OC premiere episodes and Smallville series 3 is what makes up most of my life now.

I rather enjoy ALL of them, coupled with the fact there is no irritating Singapore ads in between and my laptop as my sole companion, I can watch it anywhere I want, when I want.

"I sound like an ad already...."

I foresee myself as a lifeless soul with no significant events happening to that spirit for like the next 4 years. Maybe once in a while, there is something interesting like 4 weddings or a funeral to attend.

1 week more before I earned my well-deserved pay. Work sucks when you've stopped learning and started slogging.

I've adopted the policy of leaving at 20 minutes after 6, as I'm not even paid overtime. Who wants to work till 9 anyway?

No wonder Account Executives are rumoured to be slaves and have no life of their own. At least I have a life watching downloaded American teen mini series to reflect how uplifting their lives can be and mine isn't.

Isn't it a wonderful world we live in?

Self-mocker and cynical
Benjamin

Perky

There are some days which you find yourself rather chirpy and looking forward to work.

Rather ironic for a Monday.

I think the matter of the issue lies that by the end of this week, I would have officially finish my 1st month of hard labour lugging around Client's balls and will get a pay check to substiante around all that "support".

I haven't really put much thought into how I should spend it, only just a few shortlisted items like contact lenses, glasses, a universal long-lasting jeans and a CD player.

I'm sure I can do much more. I just do not want to waste the eventful Great Singapore Sale month of June.

Speaking of which, I think I'm going to adopt a new policy like all kiasu Singaporeans. Stock pile all the neccessary items like toiletries and household goodies during this sale period form Watsons, Cold Storage and what-have-you.

It's such a steal with some costs reduction like 40% or even more, I'm so tempted to get it to last till more than next year. (i.e. The Body Shop - Oceanus shower foam, 67% off !!! and I got meself 1)

Then again, I'm looking forward to the paycheck. I just need to survive a relatively slow week since my client has a stack of quotations to approve before we can proceed and he/she will probably bargaining for lesser costs or ask ME to justify why this/that.

Lots of saliva is gonna be wasted again.

This made me realize one issue.

To achieve something, people always lose focus and execute redundant stuff like talking unneccessarily and going around the loop. Life would be so much simpler if people just come straight to the point.

For example, instead of "Why is the colour separation so costly?", just be direct and say "Why is it so bloody fucking expensive?".

My reply instead of "Well, we use a good external third party which we trust which can provide us with quality proofs instead of run-of-the-mill quality" to "Well, it is so bloody fucking expensive because we only use premium external third parties to accomplish your tasks or else you will nag like my mother and say this and that and don't want to pay so we charge high high so that you can bargain a bit and we will still earn some measly amount to verify my worthless existence"

"end of rant for a perfectly slow sweet Monday"

In other words, if you want cheap, expect lower standards. It all boils down to money and time. Just like life.

You only have roughly an average of 70 years to live where you will slogging your ass off like a horse for 35 years just to have enough money to survive your lifetime. Simple as that.

In the meanwhile, I will be conjuring up a simple equation like E=mc(2), but instead for relativity, the equation is for life.

Something like this:

"Quality of life = (Time)^3 x (Average of PSLE, "O", "A" Levels") + (No. of future children) / (Usage of CPF) + (Ugliness of wife/Usefulness of wife) - [(Penis size^no. of sexual partners you have) x pie(income level for the first 5 years of your pathethic working life)] - (Cost of placing parents in foster care/ maid care)"

My life is just so full of crap and numbers.

Your mathematician,
Benjamin

Absolutely shocking

What the hell?

Coming in to work this Friday, I was all bright and dandy. Then, my new colleague came up to me and said:"Hey, do you know about that ?"

Me:"About what? Oh the sudden change of menu text?"
She:"No.... Don't you know?"
Me:"About what?"
She:"J, he ...!"

Barely before she finished her sentence, A, my production manager was bringing this new guy around, who just joined our Traffic department. I was then wondering, now the Traffic department has the manpower of 3.

After A and the new guy was far away from conversational distance, my colleague spoke again. "J has left."

Now, you must be thinking. Who's J?

Well, J is the company's traffic production executive who manages work flow and he and me have an okay working relationship.

The fuckingloutely shocking issue was he left adruptly. Apparently, after digging around(I'm an office slut/biatch/gossip), reason was he was underperforming.

Hmmm... you can understand if you are underperforming if you have been working barely a few months and they sack you but J has been working like close to 6/7 years here.

I'm shocked. Horrified. Terrified. of the management here.

At least he should get 3 months pay in lieu for his adrupt departure.

But still, (slaps myself) at least tell us that you are leaving.

Just as of yesterday, I approached him to send him a progressive brief to brief him on details of the ongoing job but he revert me to A.

I was thinking, he looks sickly. In fact, he had a mortified expression. He left work early so I presume he went to the doctor.

Never did I know he was leaving the company. I could have said something. The working world is real tough.

You never know when you have to go. Much less, you are told that you are underperfoming.

Blogging hard at work so that I won't underperform,
Benjamin

Update (10.47am): Apparently, J was marked down for a rather long time, our finance head has been seen interviewing the new guy for the last 2 weeks. Source: Receptionist. Comment: I'm such a gossip whore.

Self reflection of my blog

I really adore my blog.

Not that I'm narcissitic or downright arrogant or easily satisfied but my blog helps me to reflect.

Before I start sounding like some yoga-practicing zen-affluent guy, I really have to confess that my blog has essentially kept me sane.

It records my daily thoughts (sometimes 2 or 3 days, give and take lah) and helps me to refresh and reflect.

I was bored at work and was reading some past entries and I tried to view my blog from another persepctive.

My consequential analysis is if someone was to describe me with my blog as a basis, it would be that I'm damn self-critical and to a certain extent,a frank person.

Tact and run-of-the-mill guy is what I am. Since I sometimes practice self-censorship to lest insult anybody, I also will go out all the way if I really have to fume at something/someone/some issue.

In retrospect, I'm an average guy with an average life, nothing too exciting but someone who's pretty opinionated. I won't be suprised if I join politics.

JUST KIDDING.

Puh-lz. I look bad in white and I will only ask people to renovate/upgrade MY OWN house, not yours. I also don't like to meet people who will complain to me about stray cats and their rusting window grill.

I digress.

I think this blog is essentially me. With garbled thoughts and loads of complaints about anything under the sun including myself, I guess there is no where you can be true to yourself except your own imagination and your own blog. At least I've made this two my own arena to stamp my say.

Since my life revolves around me, work and me getting fat, I won't go create some bullshit lame story to make me sound better in front of blog readers or whichever unfortunate soul that stumbled to a wrong URL.

I'm just ME. Frank. Honest. Down-to-earth, I guess and somewhat judicious. And maybe that's why people want to read on. Right? Right?

Self-depreciating-underpaid-workaholic-and-soon-to-be-Army-stud,
Benjamin

Listless

I'm listless. Lethargic. Zoned out.

Too many things in my mind to clear. 3 Contact reports, unsigned quotations and media schedules to handle. I wonder if I really foresee myself working like this for the next 20 years.

After almost 4 months here, it's time to instill what you call "ownership" in my cubicle.

Today, I FINALLY got my own hole puncher.

Now, what's the big deal you might ask?

Well, considering I have to file and archive all documents, I ALWAYS have to run to my superior's desk to borrow it. Not anymore.

A more homely office desk. I've cleared the stack of newspapers and althought it doesn't look sparkling clean, it's the taste of "where I belong".

Another equally boring news, both Eric and Ivan are officially bald and being barked at by strangers who are in tacky green outfits.

Will be going through the same trauma as them. The thought of it stinks now. Although it's a underpaid-exercise regime to keep us fit, who would bother after that?

Just go look at all the pubs, bars and HDB flats. Those with lights still on are lying on their sofa or leather armchair with a six-pack & remote control within a finger's grasp away.

What's the point of wasting 2.5 years when we will just weaken ourselves in 2.5 weeks of undulating pure passionate joy of watching soccer mateches 25,000 miles away?

And the government has SO much sense.

Pffft,
Benjamin

Hmmm...

Thoughts I have during work.

1. If bacon is pork, why isn't Turkey bacon pork?

2. When is my boss leaving for India?

3. What should I work as in advertising?

I manage to clarify Q1 with my copywriter. Turkey bacon is use to resemble a slice of bacon (pork) so that Muslims can eat. By the way, my copywriter is a Muslim. Then, I have a question which left both of us stumped. Why isn't there chicken bacon?

With regards to my boss, apparently I sit in a precarious place where 3 big bosses offices are situated in my proximity and hence, I can't do other stuff (eg. non-work related stuff) but it seems by the stroke of luck, one is heading back to the United States, one is heading to Taiwan HQ and the other will battle it out in India.

Waiting for liberation at work. I'm working too hard =P

Last question. This question has been bugging me for a LONG LONG TIME. I can write a 10,000 word thesis argument on what job opportunities in the Advertising arena should I make my name as & of course, where the big moolah lies.

I shall not go into THAT. for now.... but it seems I can be a one agency man. Maybe I shall go open an advertising agency. What an ambition.

Hmmm....
Benjamin

Transmutation

The reconstruction has finally been concluded.

I have redressed to incorporate what I REALLY want unlike the previous ones which had so many constraints.

So welcome back to more OBVIOUS links like my guestbooks and my friend's blogs. Additionally, the Chatbox is now at my blog page which is MORE practical.

Some of you might think it's too blue. Well, I don't give a fuck. I like blue and nothing is about to change that. I like orange too but I don't want people to go blind.

See how considerate I am ^_^

You can also see at the bottom side of the right bar are loads of pictures. 10 pictures to be exact.

I'm elated. I guess the colour of Teal and Dark Blue suits my current life now.

Subtle. Classy. Concise. and Intellectual.

Like I'm any of that right? I can hear you snort...

Nonetheless, I'm elated.

Life is mundane. I'm beginning to enjoy work as sardonic as I sound. I just loathe the gear shift on Mondays n Tuesdays, but I'm slowly progressing to "habitual mood".

I know I'm sounding gibberish but holding back and not blogging for the past few days while tweedling with satanic html code has been a pleasurable torture.

Full steam ahead.

Blog-aholic,
Benjamin

P.S. Later, I'm going to Tampines. AGAIN (For the last 2 days, I was there...). To rejoice and make merry of Eric and Ivan's early entrance to BMT. No worries, I'll join them soon enuff...

Metamorphosis>

I'm 50% done with the entire blog re-dressing.

Maybe I'm bored of being plain, or it just feels too holistic for me but change is always for the better.

Just don't commit the same mistake twice.

Hence, I'm gonna put up the chatbox back and I'm done with the layout, I just need to tweak the html links and some minor colour changes.

I'm pretty happy. Yes a simple generic word to describe the lethargic me at 12.37 still frantically trying to play with the tags.

A breather would suffice for now and I would be tweaking more of it at work.

Speaking of work, my role is everpresent as I roam everywhere to let them know my client is pressing me for meeting the deadline so I hide a cleaver in my back pocket if is ever a need to use it.

I have successfully completed 2 weeks of torture, and survived a Monday ! I deserve a pat in the back, coupled with endeavours with the bizzare html language.

My next post would most likely be the barbie/ken doll makeover.

So bid farewell to this zen-looking confused-blur-cock face of mine on the left hand side of the blog.

Any comments on my picture warrants my hand shifting to my back pocket.

You know what to comment below.

Parang wielding lunatic,
Benjamin

Layout

Going to change my blog layout.

This layout is just NOT ME. Hence, I'm going to take sometime like 3 days or so before a proper layout is more ME.

Peace out,
Benjamin

P.S. Harry Potter show wasn't as wowsy as I expected but it made me want to read the entire collection of J.K Rowling's books.

A mini-series

Yesterday when the 6 out of went out, an idea struck me. The other 5 found it lame but I found it rather interesting.

The thought was a mini series on our lives, like the show "Friends", with a hint of "Sex and the City" humour and some "Light years" thrown in.

Like "Friends", the show will revolve around the 6 sterotypes of us.

The show premiere will be about us all 6 heading different routes after graduation and what we aspire to do.

Me - Benjamin (Ross). The perpetual anal retentive person who is very particular on details, time chronic and basically, a geek. Tech geek, book geek, blog geek, Loser. Whatever.I would mimic Ross in the show, only thing is I'm not a entomonolgist (anyhow piah one but the occupation studies dinosaurs) but I'm a boring account executive.

Ivan (Chandler). The funny guy who always find it a hard time to get laid. Although he doesn't say alot of lame jokes like his show persona, he is laidback and cool about getting things done and will get easily flustered if things don't go his way.

Eric (Joey). The "blonde" guy, but in real life, Eric isn't that blonde but he is a "looker", somebody who you commonly label as a skirt chaser. The typical good looker who has his way with girls and find understanding girls a challenge.

Then, the girls.

June (Rachel) - the chio gal that has it all. Nice hair and style, wants to strike it out on her own. An independent woman who is confused of how to make it big. Also, looking for love in wrong places.

Clara (Phoebe) - the perpetual blur queen who is deluded. Takes some time to understand jokes and laughs at nothing but she is so likeable by everyone because of her goofiness and the ability to make everyone feel smart.

Wendy (Monica) - Like Monica, Wendy has a certain way of doing things and want people to agree with her no matter what. She will always want to get her way and is also as confused as June where she wants to head.

The first season would revolve around the following topics:

- Clara and Ivan fall in love
- Eric, Benjamin, Wendy and June gets into a confused four-way relationship
- Clara gets a job and gets fired
- June picks up all the wrong guys and is in need of love.
- Ivan and Eric head off to Army and their different views on national service
- Benjamin loses his virginity

Note: All items listed here are purely conicidental and it is NOT TRUE .... If Channel 5 or Channel i wishes to buy the copyright of the show, please feel free to do this at your own risk. Any drop of viewership or increase in drop of television of high storey buildings is entirely not my fault.

Copywriter,
Benjamin

Glee

The consequential pictures of last night rendezvous by the steamboat as we fooled around in Bugis.

Memories....

Happy Birthday June!

A Vesak day stuck in the midst of the working week. What a pleasure.

Needed a break from those strangling deadlines and what better way to spend it with friends.

Tuesday night = Mahjong night where I fanatically played like a mad man as my bad luck drove me insane with the crazy tiles I was drawing. In the end, it came to a stalemate for me as I managed to recuperate =)

Barely 3 hours of sleep later, I woke up to an anxiety attack of missing a GREAT sale at Expo. The Metro sale where I wanted to go get some decents shirts to wear as an a/e.

A bit embarrassing lah but I only have lik 6-8 shirts that I rotate every week and a bit paiseh when you think that people see you no up wearing the same attire everyday.

Anyway, the sale SUCK big time because of the QUEUE to park the frigging car and the sales item were still the SAME items that was at the Marina Square sale.

Pretty much NOTHING to buy but just Metro clearing old stock. After which, I headed off to assist my fren's bro in tuitioning him English.

Yes, Ben is now a part-time tuition teacher. Before you slam my credentials, I think I'm pretty decent to educate the primary four standard for this matter.

I think the best part of this post is the night activity which I just came back from.

Coursemates whom I'm closed to congregrated to celebrate June's birthday. (Photos pending.... please be patient).

Me, Ivan, Clara, Eric, Wendy and June. Feels like a triple date outing. We talked cock, sing song and rock the steamboat at Bugis which was fairly cheap but it isn't like a 5-star chinese gourmet when everytime we had a request to the "Auntie", she would show a scornful face.

We teased, we laughed and we mocked. Gossip and banter. What a great way to spend Vesak day. We also pondered and deliberated abit regarding our futures.

Will we ever stay in contact? How life would be different when the guys head to Army? What would become of myself? What would life be then?

A bit saddening that reality has finally bite us back as we head off to different roads. The gals are still unwary of what they would like to see come ahead. The guys (me) will just suffer in silence under military pressure.

All that said and done, we took neoprints which made us all break into laughter as we "photoshoped" ourselves and it was DAMN amusing.

What a group of us would be if we stayed like this forever.

Me, Ivan, Clara, June, Wendy and Eric.

Sigh....
Benjamin

Whoopee!

Before you thought that was an shout of exhilaration for the death of Monday blues, you were HALF right !

That's because I had the suckiest Monday at work EVER.

Coming in to work on Monday is like igniting an engine to start purring after a long hiatus from burning tar.

The jobs that came in suddenly were outrageous, Client just drop an email and says

"URGENT ADS TO BE OUT!"

A soft and subtle email headline to destroy my entire day.

It was half a day gone and 4 ads were due on Tuesday morning.

Pretty sucky deadlines because the procedure is to write a Creative brief, send it off to Traffic to get a quotation while the Creative starts work on the Ad.

Getting costing for approval from client, they will then revert on the Visual that the Creative has finished and after umpteen changes, they will then only start on FA (Final Artwork) where high resolution images are used.

After which, we get a sign-off and we ET (electronic transmission) over to the media owner. Not forgetting I have to plead the Media department to call for media bookings.

As I'm also involved in the ASEAN campaign of my client, I have to also get translation for Bahasa Melayu before proceeding to FA.

That's the entire ad process above done in 1.5 days and it's practically impossible to breathe since you have to guide this from start to finish.

Not forgetting that there are other preceding jobs like clearing invoice of earlier jobs with Finance and that I have 2 more clients that I'm assisting with.

Okay, it seems that I have loads of balls to juggle and I've just learned that being an account executive means that you have DOZENS of things to know and remember. You have to be on your toes !

With the entire process squeezed into one day, the only way of de-stressing is through blogging. The electric current streaming through my fingertips at the touch of the keyboard has an accupuncturic effect.

The only redeeming thing on Monday was when I reach home.

The comforts of a home that welcome my aching knees and shoulders and I only came face to face with the news that my final poly semester results were OUT !

ARGH ! SO FAST ! - As I opened the envelope, I trembled because I knew I placed lots of effort for my last semester.

And I reap my rewards!!

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'M DAMN HAPPY !

I had 2 A's (Internship & New Communication Technologies) and a distinction (Professional Preparation).

I smiled like a Chesire cat for the entire night because I'm proud (or you could even say arrogant) of my results.

This good news supersedes 10 hours of bad office work.

What more can I ask? Maybe news that our government has decided to reduce our military sentence from 2.5 years to 1 year.

Hopeful,
Benjamin