The Day I put it to an End

[Friday, 2 April, 2010]

Into the deepest silent of the early morning where everyone was still sleeping, I continued to battle with my farewell letter. A sudden creativity came into my mind that since I had been designing things for the ITE, including websites, I might as well put the farewell letter into a website like what I did previously for my ex-company. Moreover, I had a web design nearly done some months ago, which could be put into good use.

My younger brother finally logged in MSN after 4am and I woke my mum up to chat with him using webcams since I knew my mum would not sleep well if I did not do that.

I finished off my work at around 7am, feeling quite proud of the amount of work I had done, even though I knew I could have done much more – http://sillydumb.com/iteclementi.

I woke up after noon. While my mum was on her way to get my lunch, my younger brother called her. I was fixing the pathetic internet connection when she returned and soon, I got everything fixed so that she could use the webcam. My empty stomach stalled for one and a half hour before my mum left the house.

The day went on fast. Moments of tiredness marked the time on my bed and I finally got to release some of my stress over the past few days by playing game.

After 8pm, I went to Chinatown together with my family. We headed for the usual chicken rice stall at the hawker centre but it was closed and we decided to try the stall at the shophouse nearby but it was badly packed. We went to the famous Holland Village XO fish noodle by the side of the food street instead. Twenty bucks per bowl of fish noodle could hardly fill our stomachs. In the end, we went back to the hawker centre to get some thirty satays with two rice.

.

Full Day of Typing

[Thursday, 1 April, 2010]

On this day that everyone was working, I woke up late. In the afternoon, I went to see the Chinese physician before going to Burger King to meet Peh. It was an awkward afternoon and I was supposed to be helpful.

The afternoon killed me with the continuing of my farewell letter. The typing got more boring and it started to drive me crazy, and almost caused me brain damage.

.

Last Day of Work and Farewell to my Younger Brother

[Wednesday, 31 March, 2010]

Early in the morning on this special day, I was thrown to recall about one good reason for me to leave – the extra worthless stupid shit. While trying hard to settle the remaining of the MTRC, I was being arrowed, together with Weitat, to the lab to do some checking. It reminded me of the past when I was too soft to reject, while everyone else tried to act deaf to the nuisance, ending up that I was the only person to help out in all the chores. By the end of these two years plus, I had already turned smarter by asking my boss of the work allocation. Since my boss spoke up to request me and Weitat to help out, I left the pile of documents on my table.

It was supposed to be random checking of five stations in each of the three labs for the installation of MS Office 2007, until the quality check had failed. It turned out that the vendor which took up the maintenance of the computers had earlier sent two interns over to do all the work; and instead of restoring the entire system before installing the new software, they simply did the easy way out. Many of the computers in the lab were having problems. That guy wanted us to screen through all the computers and note down the serial number of every failed system. I suggested that since the quality check had failed, we could just ask the company to send someone over to see, and make them double check all the computers, and after which, leaving all the MS office opened for us to check – he turned a deaf ear to my suggestion.

I was supposed to meet up with Faris together with Jingkun. While I was doing the shit, I tried to contact them as Indra rang me up as he wanted to join in as well. When I got back to the office, Jingkun told me he would be going out with Magdalene for lunch instead and I was very turned off for the last minute changes. Since it was no longer a meet-up of the “disciplinary team”, I asked the bosses along for a great gathering. When Faris was already on his way to the hawker centre, the two bosses were still busy inside the office and both Indra and I went down to the administration office to wait for them. After quite some time they arrived but there was a guy who came for course advising, which further delayed us. I was taken aback when I realised that they asked another colleague along. During the meet-up with Faris, I did not speak up much and there were some jokes that I was not very interested in.

Back to office, I started clearing up all the remaining mess. Weitat continued to help out in the checking of the computers even though boss had already stepped in to agree that it was not necessary to go through each and every one of them. I was quite worried for Weitat because he might be taken for granted by the same person who did it to me in the past if he did not reject the stupid craps earlier.

I felt quite embarrassed when Hasnah and Eunice passed me a little gift each because I did not prepare anything physically for them. Joy came back to the office and I shamefully told her I had not finished my farewell letter. In the late afternoon when the office was almost empty, she sent me to the Clementi MRT station. On the way, I was telling her that I had not felt anything yet and it was as though it was not my last day of work yet.

After reaching home, my younger brother’s friends came over soon. The house was messier than before since my younger brother was still packing his luggage for his student exchange trip to Germany. My aunt came over as well and I dozed off for around an hour before we set off. Since the luggage was big, we walked to the lift to squeeze with many working people. They were very disgusting for the lift was supposed to be taken by the needy or people who were carrying bulky items like us, and some of them who arrived later than us even fought to squeeze inside.

We waited for the second train since the first one was packed. My younger brother started to search for his camera’s cable and realised it was not inside his bag. Therefore, I made my way back home from Cityhall MRT to fetch it, which was actually left on my table. I took along my laptop and was glad to find a seat soon on the train to continue typing my farewell letter for my colleagues.

It took me quite some time to find Poppye after taking the Skytrain from Terminal 3 to Terminal 1. I had a feast with the ready-served food. My elder brother and his girlfriend had arrived long before me, and together with my younger brother’s friends, sitting together at the combined tables. My younger brother’s ex-girlfriend arrived next with all the university friends and I still found it very pity that they were not together anymore. I did not question him about it before.

When my younger brother went to check in his luggage, I went to the toilet after holding the shit since before I left my house, but to my disappointment as the toilet was not as nice as expected. While we were at the departure hall to take photos, my mum teared as expected.

My younger brother’s ex-girlfriend said she was going to Germany in a month’s time and told my mum to call her if we had anything to deliver to my younger brother. When she questioned about her number, my mum was at a loss and I had fun rubbing in before I explained to her that my mum’s phone was spoiled some months ago.

On the train, my mum hinted me badly to send my aunt home like usual, which my aunt did not like it. Then she suggested that she would send my aunt home instead and I found it stupid that my mum had to go home by herself after that in the darkness, and thus I followed. In the end, my mum decided to stay in my aunt’s house and thus, I took the opposite train home at Tiong Bahru.

It was not the day to grief and miss my colleagues for the departure of my younger brother was another big blow to my usual life, which I managed to get away from by working hard on the farewell letter. My head was heavy and I could not really think properly.

.

Lunch with Alvin and Indra

[Tuesday, 30 March, 2010]

On Tuesday, I had a weird lunch combination with Alvin and Indra. We went to West Coast Recreational Centre’s Jack’s Place. The grilled fish was nice. Nobody would believe Alvin would give a treat since they always thought he was a miser but I had actually helped him a lot during my stay.

After lunch, I continued to rush my farewell letter for my colleagues.

Hirman offered me a ride at around 5pm. Since he was going home and would be passing by Keppel Road, I felt lucky. He was stressed and exhausted but I could not help him.

After reaching home, I spent my time playing game instead of continuing with my farewell letter, which made me feel guilty afterward.

.

Bed Frame for Three

[Monday, 29 March, 2010]

On Monday, I had my lunch together with Weitat and Mei Hoe at IMM. We went back to the Taiwanese restaurant. While Weitat was at the AXN machine, I saw a furniture shop and was deeply attracted by the double decker bed frame with a sliding platform at the bottom. The side was shelves such that my mum would really love it. After lunch, we went to the Giant for a while before hanging around Popular Bookstore for quite some time. Next, the Mini Toons shop attracted our attention.

Back in office, I started typing my farewell email but it took me very long to finish not even half of it. In the evening, I took a lift from Hirman together with Joei. It was a very enjoyable journey. They went to Bar Stop to meet up with Jenne. I was tempted to their invitation to join them but I had told my mum I would go home for dinner.

I walked to Somerset MRT station and while transiting at Raffles Place MRT station, I was disgusted with the big crowds.

.

Lorry to ABC Market

[Sunday, 28 March, 2010]

On Sunday, I woke up and started searching for the green bean soup my mum claimed she would prepare but all the pots were empty. In the end, I took cereal.

After noon, my brothers and my elder brother’s girlfriend went to the MacDonald’s with me and after which, my younger brother stayed there to study. I rejected not bringing my laptop along since I had always wanted to stay away from home in order to concentrate on my work.

I dozed off in the late afternoon. I woke up to get myself prepared and suddenly my younger brother announced the meeting with his friends was postponed for half an hour. After that, we walked to Cantonment Close and took his friend’s dad’s lorry to ABC market at Queensway. It had been quite some time since I sat at the back of the lorry.

I had a plate of half spring chicken rice and my younger brother’s friend’s auntie bought chicken wings and satays, and I was stunned over the tables full of dishes. I was very entertained by the cheerful auntie.

After dinner, my younger brother left with his friends while the rest of us went to IKEA to walk around.

.

Saw Familiar Faces at Marina Barrage Finally

[Saturday, 27 March, 2010]

I finally went to the Chinese physician again in the afternoon. My stomach’s condition had improved a lot.

In the late afternoon, I dragged on before taking off to the usual spot at Shenton Way to start off my jog after missing it for weeks. The pain in my shoulders was irritating, which was one excuse that I hesitated. The sky and cloud were far too beautiful to give a miss though.

I actually set off earlier than usual. The paths were blocked by blockheads and I witnessed Chinese construction workers spitting on the road. The bad pollution was a major turn-off.

I started off with the sides of my knees hurting, especially at the right one. My timing had dropped but I was quite satisfied with it.

Marina Barrage was more crowded than ever and I hardly could find any empty space to rest. It was warmer than usual while the sun was setting. I strolled to the lift where there was shade and stared at the bridge where the usable water was separated from the sea. The wind was strong and I felt happier when each gasp of them seemed to penetrate through my entire body.

While I was taking my leave at the side facing the Singapore Flyer, someone tapped me and it took me a few seconds to realise Shuhui and Kenneth were there. Besides them was another couple and the girl was extremely cute. I stayed there for quite some time to look at the kite.

The return trip was faster as usual. I lost to the bus by a large margin but managed to overtake the alighted passengers before they passed by the tunnel towards Marina Bay MRT station.

It was an extremely boring night. It seemed like nobody was able to spend time to entertain me.

.

LANs Gaming

[Friday, 26 March, 2010]

I finally had a more carefree day with most of the stuffs settled. After preparing the office laptop for handover, Andrew still did not want to take over my station together with the barcode scanner to think that I rushed to clear the system days ago.

I had lunch with Hirman, Kelvin Tan, Wee Lian, Eunice and Sharon at the “duck place” coffee shop. Hirman footed the drinks bill while Sharon settled the food. Luckily, I did not order expensive stuffs, otherwise, I would feel more embarrassed.

On the way back, Hirman suggested mobile teaching, which was an excellent initiative but seemed too far to work on. His drive towards enriching the youths was remarkable and commendable.

The afternoon was one of the best ever. It was the day for gaming, the first time in my life that I played in the campus. In the evening, Kevin sent David Chin and I to the MRT while David accompanied me till Outram Park MRT, thus my journey was almost fully occupied.

.

Lunch with Christine, Eunice and Kevin

[Thursday, 25 March, 2010]

I started off the day with regarding the PowerPoint slides with Alvin again.

I had lunch with Eunice, Christine and Kevin finally since Christine suggested it months ago. Kevin took us to IMM in his cute green van. We went to the Swenson but the queue was long and hence we decided to take up Cafe Cartel instead. I ordered the set meal for the day and it came with a soup, drinks, small cake and roasted chicken with carrot, corns and tomato. Kevin’s special order was served after rather long time. Christine refused to collect the bills from us.

In the afternoon, I almost finished up the checking task for my boss, except that some could not be collected back and hence I could not really do anything.

I hopped on to Joy’s car to the MRT station.

.