Decapodan Flash
Original Post Date : September 06, 2005
Colorful nostalgic week indeed.
I came into contact with some of the ‘long time no hear’ friends, met my ex boss and even met my dentist who saved me from swollen face and 10/10 painful rate with his surgery knives a year ago. All of these above I regard as good friends, but other than that, I also had and still have unwanted visitor. Oh well...anyway, dun want to talk about that.
This time, Singapore is in the running of Yellow Ribbon Project. Exactly the same meaning with 70-s song, this yellow project is meant to educate people from giving ex-convicts a second chance. Honestly, I think, this is a good project but not an easy one. Even somebody without history can’t earn trust easily, so someone with history of course need to work harder and do not blame society instantly for rejecting them, but keep trying.
About the song, I think the title is Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree bla bla or Yellow Ribbon or Oak Tree? I miss seventies song :”( from Romacle Magic Music and Kiss FM if I’m not wrong. Radio in my office never plays seventies song, and now they keep advertising Cirque de Soleil. It’s very tempting, but the ticket can easily burn a hole in the wallet. Their theme this time is Quidam, means anonymous passerby; I think it’s interesting.
Go, not, go, not, not, not, go, go, go, not, neeeeeahhh…better save for other thing. But favorite song from Josh Groban’s has the same title, Cirque de Soleil, gotta avoid that for a while.
Anyway, back to Sinciapo, Sunday, Hubby, both mothers and me visited Sentosa Island, the only Singapore getaway, but not a satisfying one. We were desperate, didn’t know where to go. So, stricken by diving sickness, we bought the expensiveee Underwater World ticket again. We’d been there before, but mil hadn’t, and we were trapped in the rain, unable to go anywhere else. We thought it would be more interesting now since we could identify the fish.
But then again, it was disappointing. Now that we know, the only huge sharks they have are nurse sharks, those huge but friendly and loving type, and they live in far less than ideal environment; botak, tiny and shallow aquarium, poor sharky and friends.
The Musical Fountain was also so so. I remember it was better, maybe because that time we watched the late at night one.
But the important thingy is, of course, to be together, and at least it was better than those typical malls around the island, no wonder people spend money on travel, it’s too stucky in here.
Sigh…,just finished with dead line and again, I’m bored in office. Sometimes I remember my old office days back then in Batam.
My ex colleague knew that I spent a year in Batam, when she asked about living condition there, I told her I barely made it, which was true. I thought since I was working, I would be able to save and enjoy life, apparently, other than struggling with zero account at the end of the month; I also spent my entire savings from young to pay rent and food. But she told me it must be good to have those kind of worry-less freestyle life.
She was super right. Ten strangers, seven males and three females stuck in two houses, we went through thick and thin together. Our life was so simple; we only worried about the, ehm, laundry, everyone else in the office, Batamnese, could hear terrible groans from up stair every time it rained, because we washed every morning and left it to hang outside. We washed it manually of course, we had the collection of buckets and we pulled lines enough for ten people’s laundry. :)
It was more fun in the office; we were busy at times and had nothing to do more often. Then we played games, from Uno cards, sticks to even imitated TV quiz to pass through times, other favorite pass time was to play multiplayer games.
Holidays and Sundays were the most unwanted days (can you believe that?), because we didn’t know what to do or we know what to do but didn’t have money to do that. So sometimes we just visited the beach (free!) and played, posed as stranded whale or being buried in the sand. I can’t forget seven adults hung on a truck wheel and floated happily in the ocean, or rode the wooden boat and fought for the front seat. We were happy and childish. Or when we were luckier, we spent weekend in the nice resort outside the town, Nongsa and had barbeque, every little event, we could make it happening. That was why I tried my head out to have my wedding there with old friends for old time sake. Mhehehe..
We were close then, we almost always had meals together. The dinner ‘journey’ was beautiful because of the starry nights. It was much better than Jakarta and here of course, the sky was almost always clear and starry. We loved to sing while looking at the stars, remembering those we left in Jakarta. We had this front yard where we could build up a bonfire and roast (not marshmallow – expensive :)) sweet potato and corn.
Living together, every month we would gather some money and spent it on household. Ten of us shopped together at the market and bought household items like broom, mop etc. We led simple life, we didn’t even have TV in the beginning, so every night, we would sit together and chat, busy spanking mosquitoes or did some ironing. We played cards of course and grew quite expert with that. We played by millions, so at the end of the night, sometimes we earned or lost ten over millions, hehhehehhe..
Every Friday, four would go to mosque, and every Sunday, six would go to church. After church, we would gather together again for a lunch or went home and did heavy-duty wash: bed sheet, towel, jeans :).
I always knew that our time together wouldn’t be long; I could sense it since the beginning, when we held birthday party for three people together. I love that moment, and believe it would be the last, somehow, we couldn’t always be like that, we met by fate and stayed together, but would go separate way in the matter of times. It came when we had to move, the free lodging only lasted for two weeks, then we had to pay high prize. There came our problems, and there burst our savings. We didn’t lead luxury lifestyle, the most was we visited café few times, paid the entrance fee and held on to a drink until it closed, we loved listening to the live music and there was a great band from Bandung. Other luxury, of course, long distance calls for those in Jakarta. Made extra efforts to stay late or woke up early to get the discount rate, it paid off when connected but hit twice as badly when we failed to reach the person. It would be nice of course to receive calls and letters, which I hardly have. Anyway, I chose wake-up early method, because stayed up late could be quite creepy in the big house. We had numerous real horror stories around, and one of my friend indeed saw things under the stair (When I liked to spend time arranging the shoes on Sunday…oops..).
But we experienced the real scary story also. One night; a group of gun-armed robbers broke into our only neighbor's house, in that quiet estate. My friend woke up and went out to check what was wrong and he was told to head back to the house under a gunpoint. We just gathered whatever we had for weapon, and it was only a small thin kitchen knife. My girl friends were so frightened that they curled together and prayed. Four guys stayed around us, the other three slept in next-door house and had no idea about the robbery. Armed my self with wire hanger, aimed for eyes as taught by one of the guy, better than nothing, although I couldn’t imagine myself digging somebody eyes, but I was prepared to do anything for defense, as we didn’t have much choice. Gulp. With that we kept watching the windows. Lucky they never bothered to visit us.
The day after, we went to supermarket and I bought a big can of Baygon, it should make a good weapon, like those tear-sprays and although pathetic, vitorinox. I wonder why, instead of scared, I was angry with the robbers for traumatizing my friend. When we moved out, months after, I heard they kept coming back for the same house.
Sadder time, we moved house, almost ended up sleeping on the floor because basically we didn’t have anything but clothing. Through hard and soft way, we managed to bring out our bed and TV. The rest, it was depend on us, we made curtain out of bed sheet. Parents donate fan and traditional stove (kompor minyak tanah) when they visited. We ended up poorer and poorer at the end :). I don’t recall any unhappiness about lack of luxury though, but unhappiness of losing friends who thought and went different ways.
Although the company didn’t treat us good, I still thank them until today for meeting us together and landing us here. Anyway, we had chance to learn quite a lot of things. :)
PS:
Visit dentist again last night. I thought I already cool with dentist since my last year brutal experience, but I'm still afraid!!! Especially with the sound of the equipments. Maybe dentists would go to heaven instead of preachers. Old joke with little modification; because when the preachers talk, everybody sleeps. When the dentists work, everybody prays. :)
Colorful nostalgic week indeed.
I came into contact with some of the ‘long time no hear’ friends, met my ex boss and even met my dentist who saved me from swollen face and 10/10 painful rate with his surgery knives a year ago. All of these above I regard as good friends, but other than that, I also had and still have unwanted visitor. Oh well...anyway, dun want to talk about that.
This time, Singapore is in the running of Yellow Ribbon Project. Exactly the same meaning with 70-s song, this yellow project is meant to educate people from giving ex-convicts a second chance. Honestly, I think, this is a good project but not an easy one. Even somebody without history can’t earn trust easily, so someone with history of course need to work harder and do not blame society instantly for rejecting them, but keep trying.
About the song, I think the title is Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree bla bla or Yellow Ribbon or Oak Tree? I miss seventies song :”( from Romacle Magic Music and Kiss FM if I’m not wrong. Radio in my office never plays seventies song, and now they keep advertising Cirque de Soleil. It’s very tempting, but the ticket can easily burn a hole in the wallet. Their theme this time is Quidam, means anonymous passerby; I think it’s interesting.
Go, not, go, not, not, not, go, go, go, not, neeeeeahhh…better save for other thing. But favorite song from Josh Groban’s has the same title, Cirque de Soleil, gotta avoid that for a while.
Anyway, back to Sinciapo, Sunday, Hubby, both mothers and me visited Sentosa Island, the only Singapore getaway, but not a satisfying one. We were desperate, didn’t know where to go. So, stricken by diving sickness, we bought the expensiveee Underwater World ticket again. We’d been there before, but mil hadn’t, and we were trapped in the rain, unable to go anywhere else. We thought it would be more interesting now since we could identify the fish.
But then again, it was disappointing. Now that we know, the only huge sharks they have are nurse sharks, those huge but friendly and loving type, and they live in far less than ideal environment; botak, tiny and shallow aquarium, poor sharky and friends.
The Musical Fountain was also so so. I remember it was better, maybe because that time we watched the late at night one.
But the important thingy is, of course, to be together, and at least it was better than those typical malls around the island, no wonder people spend money on travel, it’s too stucky in here.
Sigh…,just finished with dead line and again, I’m bored in office. Sometimes I remember my old office days back then in Batam.
My ex colleague knew that I spent a year in Batam, when she asked about living condition there, I told her I barely made it, which was true. I thought since I was working, I would be able to save and enjoy life, apparently, other than struggling with zero account at the end of the month; I also spent my entire savings from young to pay rent and food. But she told me it must be good to have those kind of worry-less freestyle life.
She was super right. Ten strangers, seven males and three females stuck in two houses, we went through thick and thin together. Our life was so simple; we only worried about the, ehm, laundry, everyone else in the office, Batamnese, could hear terrible groans from up stair every time it rained, because we washed every morning and left it to hang outside. We washed it manually of course, we had the collection of buckets and we pulled lines enough for ten people’s laundry. :)
It was more fun in the office; we were busy at times and had nothing to do more often. Then we played games, from Uno cards, sticks to even imitated TV quiz to pass through times, other favorite pass time was to play multiplayer games.
Holidays and Sundays were the most unwanted days (can you believe that?), because we didn’t know what to do or we know what to do but didn’t have money to do that. So sometimes we just visited the beach (free!) and played, posed as stranded whale or being buried in the sand. I can’t forget seven adults hung on a truck wheel and floated happily in the ocean, or rode the wooden boat and fought for the front seat. We were happy and childish. Or when we were luckier, we spent weekend in the nice resort outside the town, Nongsa and had barbeque, every little event, we could make it happening. That was why I tried my head out to have my wedding there with old friends for old time sake. Mhehehe..
We were close then, we almost always had meals together. The dinner ‘journey’ was beautiful because of the starry nights. It was much better than Jakarta and here of course, the sky was almost always clear and starry. We loved to sing while looking at the stars, remembering those we left in Jakarta. We had this front yard where we could build up a bonfire and roast (not marshmallow – expensive :)) sweet potato and corn.
Living together, every month we would gather some money and spent it on household. Ten of us shopped together at the market and bought household items like broom, mop etc. We led simple life, we didn’t even have TV in the beginning, so every night, we would sit together and chat, busy spanking mosquitoes or did some ironing. We played cards of course and grew quite expert with that. We played by millions, so at the end of the night, sometimes we earned or lost ten over millions, hehhehehhe..
Every Friday, four would go to mosque, and every Sunday, six would go to church. After church, we would gather together again for a lunch or went home and did heavy-duty wash: bed sheet, towel, jeans :).
I always knew that our time together wouldn’t be long; I could sense it since the beginning, when we held birthday party for three people together. I love that moment, and believe it would be the last, somehow, we couldn’t always be like that, we met by fate and stayed together, but would go separate way in the matter of times. It came when we had to move, the free lodging only lasted for two weeks, then we had to pay high prize. There came our problems, and there burst our savings. We didn’t lead luxury lifestyle, the most was we visited café few times, paid the entrance fee and held on to a drink until it closed, we loved listening to the live music and there was a great band from Bandung. Other luxury, of course, long distance calls for those in Jakarta. Made extra efforts to stay late or woke up early to get the discount rate, it paid off when connected but hit twice as badly when we failed to reach the person. It would be nice of course to receive calls and letters, which I hardly have. Anyway, I chose wake-up early method, because stayed up late could be quite creepy in the big house. We had numerous real horror stories around, and one of my friend indeed saw things under the stair (When I liked to spend time arranging the shoes on Sunday…oops..).
But we experienced the real scary story also. One night; a group of gun-armed robbers broke into our only neighbor's house, in that quiet estate. My friend woke up and went out to check what was wrong and he was told to head back to the house under a gunpoint. We just gathered whatever we had for weapon, and it was only a small thin kitchen knife. My girl friends were so frightened that they curled together and prayed. Four guys stayed around us, the other three slept in next-door house and had no idea about the robbery. Armed my self with wire hanger, aimed for eyes as taught by one of the guy, better than nothing, although I couldn’t imagine myself digging somebody eyes, but I was prepared to do anything for defense, as we didn’t have much choice. Gulp. With that we kept watching the windows. Lucky they never bothered to visit us.
The day after, we went to supermarket and I bought a big can of Baygon, it should make a good weapon, like those tear-sprays and although pathetic, vitorinox. I wonder why, instead of scared, I was angry with the robbers for traumatizing my friend. When we moved out, months after, I heard they kept coming back for the same house.
Sadder time, we moved house, almost ended up sleeping on the floor because basically we didn’t have anything but clothing. Through hard and soft way, we managed to bring out our bed and TV. The rest, it was depend on us, we made curtain out of bed sheet. Parents donate fan and traditional stove (kompor minyak tanah) when they visited. We ended up poorer and poorer at the end :). I don’t recall any unhappiness about lack of luxury though, but unhappiness of losing friends who thought and went different ways.
Although the company didn’t treat us good, I still thank them until today for meeting us together and landing us here. Anyway, we had chance to learn quite a lot of things. :)
PS:
Visit dentist again last night. I thought I already cool with dentist since my last year brutal experience, but I'm still afraid!!! Especially with the sound of the equipments. Maybe dentists would go to heaven instead of preachers. Old joke with little modification; because when the preachers talk, everybody sleeps. When the dentists work, everybody prays. :)
posted by aping | 12:09 AM
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