Colour me puzzled

I don't get it, why oh why?

Three years old son who doesn't give a rat arse about having higher than 39°C fever, who defaults to "I don't want" and crying non-stop when it comes to medicine, doctor checking him, and the mere sight of any nurse.

Eight months old son who doesn't care one way or another as long as he is with his mommy. Else the house comes down. Father is included in the "else".

Wifey who wants to change to another hospital because the current hospital ran out of room in the pediatric ward and places the boys in a room one level higher.

Doctor who doesn't bother to check for hand, foot and mouth disease despite the current outbreak in the state. Who only did so after being prompted by me on the second consultation. Er... watch news much? At least the doctor had the grace to look apologetic, rightly so as now both instead of just one of my sons are suffering.

Hospital system that's so inefficient, both sons discharged from the same room at the same time under the same doctor, yet the documents are readied one hour and three minutes apart. Also one would have thought the account and billing department would be the most efficient, yet wanting to pay the bill is also such a drag.

I also wonder whether it's just coincident that each time there is a bonus payout, my family ended up in the hospital? It has happened three times consecutively now.

You know, if there were higher beings and I was destined to never able to enjoy my bonus. Could you burn my bonus in another way and not make my family suffer for it?

Seriously, can things change for the better already?

When the children fall sick...

...the parents suffer.

First the younger son, fever. Some kind of viral infection. He also has sore throat.

Baby boy became super clingy, refuses to eat, and cries randomly.

Poor baby is feeling discomfort, we know, but we can't really do anything.

Doesn't want yogurt, glucose, any food at all. Got us really worried. At least he is accepting breast milk now.

Wifey's back must be aching. I know mine is. Both of us with panda eyes.

Just as the younger son is getting better, we found our elder son hot to the touch.

A quick check and yup, he has fever. Could hardly tell since he's so lively and acts as usual.

But just like his younger brother, giving him medicine is as if feeding him poison. The house is coming down.

We end up using the rectal medicine. Seriously "up yours" in this case.

Tired but refuses to sleep. The "it's not sleeping, just resting" trick doesn't work on him anymore. Sometimes having a smart kid is troublesome.

Looks like the sleepless nights will continue for us. Ditto the back ache, and the disruption of our meal and appetite.

Get well soon my boys, papa and mama are burning out.

Sorry

Sorry to Ubud Hanging Gardens in Bali, I guess I won't be paying you a visit any time soon, if ever.

Sorry to wifey, for asking you the "useless" question of when we can have a holiday on our own, without the kids.

Sorry to myself, for working like a slave for the family and never able to treat myself.

Maybe, just maybe, when I could get a real answer instead of question in respond to a question, or answer that doesn't answer anything, that I might finally have my getaway to the secluded place to rest, relax, and rejuvenate.

Heaven knows I deserved that.

I can always dream, as sometimes, that's the only thing left that keeps me going.

Go Away

Why do you have to give me a surprise visit?

You are not welcome.

Wifey asked what triggered your sudden appearance.

Beats me.

Was it the gloomy rainy weather?

Was it the uncomfortably cold office?

Was it the hopeless and helpless shits at work?

Goodness forbid, was it the wedding photo of two colleagues whom I couldn't even recognise?

Just what the fish and duck was it that triggered you?

It's tiring to act normal when depressed. I hate it.

Go away and don't come knocking again.

Really, you are not welcome. Ever.

父亲节

给全世界负责任和疼爱孩子的父亲们
祝你们父亲节快乐！

给我的两个瓜瓜
虽然你们…
…都是叫妈妈先
…总是不睬我不听我的话
…有事时不要爸爸只要妈妈
…还不懂父亲节是什么
没关系
爸爸还是一样爱你们的

当你们懂事时
记得爸爸在父亲节时只想要…
…可以不被干扰的睡到太阳晒屁股
…可以清闲的在床上看书、喝冷饮料、吃零食
…一个叫爸爸先、听话、粘爸爸的可爱女儿

人是可以有期望和梦想的 =P

Attitude

There is this group of people, who directly or indirectly caused a major oil leak that impacted many lives surrounding the leakage area. This group of people stood up and bore full responsibility for the unfortunate incident. They made formal statements and apologies on the media. They set up funds to help the affected community, funds to repair the damages, basically funds to help make things right again. In addition, they would not be giving out dividens to their shareholders as a token show of their commitment to their course of making things right.

On the other hand, there is this group of people, who directly caused the collapse of the global economy that impacted the whole world. This group of people pointed fingers and blamed others for the incident. They made suggestions and accusations of who or what to blame on the media. They sat and waited for countries to initiate economy recovery plans and relied heavily on the East. To top things up, they gave themselves big bonuses using governmental funds for their handiwork of collapsing the global economy.

Same species, yet so different in attitude.

meh!

Many things floating in my mind...

Young not calling papa. Job satisfaction. Hsiang's goodbye kiss and wish. Departmental shake up. World Cup. Ju's mood. Friends leaving. Young not crawling yet. Job security. Office plant. Hsiang's clumsiness. WoW subscription. Improving English. Dull life. Book reviews. Monthly report. Gaming mouse. Missing sock. Thermal data collection setup. Shuttlecock reviews. Time for a change? Vibrant vocabulary entries. Career path. Yann coming back and birthday soon. Hall of Shame for idiotic drivers. PhD? Cars washing. Could use more love and caring. Harly Potter and the Heart-shaped Stone. WotLK? Chocolate, yummy... Mountain of letters to sort out. Ron97 versus Ron95 data. Change to...? Cancel the medical appointment. Blue.

...and more.

But at this very moment, I just want to say... MEH!

Random Thoughts

From From Backyard to Battlefield on Discovery Science today:

"Engineering is about making something poorly, then making it less poorly."

-----

Here's one of the reasons why gamers spend hours and hours playing games:

Link to movie clip

World of Warcraft is a big, beautiful virtual world.

Really it is.

-----

Manager and friends, the two major deciding factors.

I have opted to stay with the presumably sinking ship. I will hold it out with my manager, who is really a good manager.

This means I am going to lose some close colleagues, whom I treat as my friends. They are going to jump ship.

Even if I jumped ship, I would likely end up being in a completely different ship to my friends who jumped anyway. A mechanical engineer in a predominantly E&E and Computer Science based company has limited options. Worse if you were a sizzling hot and tantalising cool thermal engineer.

Not all colleagues are friends, so it's really saddening that soon I will have to part with a big portion of my rather small number of work place friends.

Me is sad.

-----

World Cup has started.

I highlighted the few matches that I like to watch. Basically if any of these countries is against each other, it's worth watching in my humble opinion:

France, Argentina, England, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Brazil, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal.

Not really interested in the other countries.

Problem is, I have no Astro sports channel subscription and RTM1/RTM2 only airs the those crappy* matches.
*just my opinion, don't kill me.

Guess it's just the semifinals and final for me then. Oh well.

Nelson's Voucher

Nelson doesn't know what to get his wife for their first anniversary, so I suggested the "Joey's coupon".

Fear not if you have never watched the famous TV series: Friends, and have no idea what a "Joey's coupon" is, bacause being a good friend that I am, I have taken the liberty to create a "Joey's coupon" for Nelson.

Of course since it's for Nelson, I renamed it to "Nelson's Voucher" instead.

Behold!



I think a few clarifications and cautions are perhaps in order:

- the title options of Mr/Mrs/Miss were included since this is Nelson we are talking about. You know lar, his sexual preference is... =P

- I have no idea where his favourite location is so I simply tembak something.

- caution adviced for selecting the anytime option for voucher redemption. Are you absolutely sure you can cabut during your 1:1 meeting with your boss' boss' boss, or something like that? Just how sex-crazed dedicated and committed are you?

- remember to select one in the small prints at the bottom right!


So there you go Nelson, perfect present in your point of view for the anniversary. No need to thank me too much.

Just thank me a little will do and you are welcome! =P

Toddler's Talks

Various snippets of His Royal Highness King Toddler Hsiang.

-----

boy: Papa, open the (car) door! (in His "I am the King!" tone)
dad: Is that a command?
boy: Yes.

-----

boy: Mama, what's inside that (pot)?
mum: Nothing.
boy: I want to see nothing.

-----

boy: You are not incredible!
(I have no idea what he means)

-----

dad: *kisses Hsiang goodnight*
dad: *kisses Young goodnight*
dad: *walks towards the door*
boy: Papa, *shaking index finger* you have to kiss mama, remember?

-----

dad: take care of mama and didi okay?
boy: okay
mom: you want your nen nen (milk) yet?
boy: yea
(I just find this funny)

-----

dad: *hands over refilled water bottle*
boy: You filled my water bottle! Good boy.
dad: ...

-----

boy: mommi, what happened to your toes?
mum: I put on nail varnish, do you think they are pretty?
boy: *pouts and shakes head*
mum: what colour are they?
boy: pink.
mum: *tries again* do you think they are pretty?
boy: *pouts and shakes head again*
mum: you want me to take them off?
boy: yea

-----

mum: Good night baby, I love you.
boy: Silly mama, I am not a baby.

-----

(While passing through the state mosque)
boy: mama, there is a big mosque and a baby mosque!

Ahoy Skipper

Y'arr!

Shiver me timbers, 'em mist ain't clearin' up, I be sailin' blind here.

Arr matey, 'em scallywags be placin' the black spot and me think ship ain't be survivin'.

Time to abandon ship b'fore we be put to walk the plank?

I be sad to part with me hearties. Ain't no fun swashbucklin' and plunderin' without you lot.

You jump I jump matey, b'fore there ain't no booty left, aye?

Y'arr!