Life has been ... frustrating, I suppose. Well, just an update. Tata.

The Beauty of a Four-legged Friend.

Spent a Wednesday afternoon watching 'Hachiko : A Dog's Tale' with Jane. It's disappointing to not see her crying out freely when I have a pair of real swollen eyes exiting the theatre and she had the guts to laugh at me. Argh... COLD HEARTED!

It's surprising that the one thing that left a strong impression on my memory wasn't anything about the dog. I am weird. I remember when the daughter of Richard Gere's character (funny how I couldn't remember his name - perhaps it's due to the people around him keep referring to him as Professor) brought her boyfriend home and when the 2 men were happy grilling the slices of meat, Richard Gere wasn't interested in anything the boyfriend was saying and quickly stopped his blabbering by asking him, "Do you love my daughter?". He was stunned but he answered, "Yes." And Gere went on to say, "Good. That's the only thing you need to remember when you two are going through rough patches" (not quite the exact words from his dialogue). I was taken aback and was amazed at how true and witty that line was. I wonder if my father would ask the same thing to my boyfriend. I remember reading an article whereby the author said that we do not measure how much we love someone but by measuring how much we love someone when we do not love him/her. That line was confusing but the statement by Gere was enlightening.

Okay, let's get back to Hachi, the dog. Yes, that's the dog's name, not Hachiko. It did beg the question in my mind, why would they name the movie, Hachiko not Hachi but I guess that doesn't quite matter. The film wasn't that interesting until ironically, Richard Gere died. But I think they built the story perfectly to draw the degree of compassion out of the viewers to its optimum level. I like it also that they didn't put Hachi in the limelight throughout the whole film. For instance, during the wedding of Gere's daughter, Hachi was only sitting on the couch (or was it a chair?) observing the celebration. His life and his surroundings were viewed according to how Hachi would observe it. Everything happens naturally - nothing that an owner and his dog wouldn't do.

There was however a bit of a gap there that I think can be filled up. Like, the ball Professor was squeezing with. It got out of his hand when he collapsed. The writer could have had the ball returned to either Hachi in some way or just do something with it. They built it as it was a first for Hachi to fetch but didn't make anything out of it. I thought that wasn't tied up nicely. I also hated to see Hachi sleeping under a container on the railway line when the Professor's daughter could have done something about it. That was when I cried the most. I know the characters kept insisting that is what's best for him and we should let him do that blah blah blah... to show that human beings know what a dog wants but if we, humans do think we know what's best for him, it should also have come across our mind that he needs a shelter to spend the nights at and the dark and cold railway line isn't the best place to lay our heads on. Nobody seems to care where he would go in the night. They were all just amazed and moved by the fact that he waits outside the train station at 9 in the morning and 5 in the evening. That part to me, was a bit unrealistic. If I love my dad so much, I am pretty much sure that I will treat his precious stuffs like they're precious to me as well let alone, it's a living creature.

But all in all, it's a one hour and a half worth spending in the theatre. Many people claimed that they want a dog after watching this. Nah, it didn't inspire me in doing that at all. Maybe I've witnessed the downside of having one (or worse, more) right before my eyes hence the apathy. And it only goes to show Hachi's case is a one in a million. So don't put your hopes so high when you get yourself a dog. I remember once foreseeing my hamster will do all the same things like Hamtaro did in the famous Japanese cartoon but he didn't. Guess that gave me a lesson.

Wouldn't you want your dog to wait for you by the LRT station when you return home from a long day?

Blogging here when I have a very important thing to do tomorrow. Should be gearing myself for it. But have been feeling lazy-ish all day long. This must be due to inertia.

The newly bought coffee-maker sucks! Next - an OVEN!

She's Not Around

Sigh... If you're thinking of going to Borders in Times Square and savour its relaxed environment along with the opportunity to abuse the free-reading facility, drop that plan. Cause they're going to be relocated and are currently busy conducting this relocation sale and hence, the shut down of Starbucks, in my personal opinion, the only perks of Borders. Oh well, life sucks. It dashed my hope of studying there cause it's pretty quiet and the best is, I can take any law books off the shelf in case I need some reference. My school's library sucks. Most of the books I want have been taken by others for plagiarism purpose and it's packed with hordes of hard-workers (props to them).

Ended up at the other Starbucks in Times Square and let's just say it wasn't the best option for studying.

Damn it, should have gone to Kinokuniya in KLCC as I had initially planned yesterday.

If you're thinking, why am I writing such an insignificant story here - the answer is, someone whom I've always shared my itsy bitsy stories with is now on an msn sabotage plan and has sort of determined to duck out from social network. Hence, here I am, hoping that she will read this and return to where she truly belongs.

I grew up thinking, I need no friends, want no friends and that friends mean nothing more than a live stage to signal to others that you're leading a normal life. But I guess I was wrong. At times, friendship is that one zone which you're looking to step onto no matter how many times you were given a chance to make a detour. It devours not only of your discomfort and pressure but also your dignity and strength. It's the only place you don't have to hide your inner feelings and the only place you feel you can share your world with. It's the place you can stage your story, no matter how lousy the plot and acting may be. It's the place where no one else but true friends can provide you.

Good Morning, Heidelberg!

Working in Heidelberg has been rather an eye-opener for me in the past weeks. But it just did not feel fulfilling for me. I would complete my daily, morning routines - segregating the newspapers and letters, make myself a cup of coffee, log into the intercom system - all within minutes and I'm free afterwards. Sitting there, waiting for phone calls is honestly speaking, has never been the ideal job I've always imagined myself to be doing.

There is no sense of accomplishment for me unless, - managing to figure out the names (imprecisely) pronounced by the incoming correspondents, "pampering" (I quote my superior) the secretaries by delivering the letters right at their cubicle steps, inserting letters into envelopes swiftly and arranging invoices/documents according to their serial numbers - sound like an accomplishment to you.

Despite all these - my admiration and affection towards the need to swipe my card whichever region I enter, the hot beverage maker, the glass doors and partitions - remain unchallenged.

The initial two days, I dreaded reporting myself to work knowing that questions will be asked over my competency in handling the given workload. Nevertheless, in no time at all, going to work seemed fine to me, In certain days, I, in fact, looked forward to it ... but for the wrong reason. I was looking forward to reading what's happening next in Gokinjo Manogatari, a manga scanned online.

Don't I make a pathetic receptionist? The free time I used not only to read manga online which seems to no longer surprise the rest (they might have found out about it long time ago), I twitter and email (to Sylvea, who seemed to have become my pen friend), log in to websites which are not blocked by my company's network system and even blog (yes, this entry was typed during working hours). And the time left after these, made me paint images of the staff laughing behind my back. Although, most of the staff here (most as in most of the staff whom I know), have been treating me fine. One or two were really nice. But the Whites don't seem to be fond of me. One of them even greeted the receptionist of the other company occupying the same building but not me.

In my third week now, panic no longer is the case in answering calls. I could still remember how I performed in my first phone call. The phone rang way before I could even manage to warm up my chair - "Hell0 ... *shivering* Heidelberg. Co .... urm, errr". *while staring at my boss, begging her to tell me what to do next* My boss' feedback was well, let's just say, she was honest about it, verging on being blunt. But I sucked it up. Had to. The next day, this call came from my own colleague but she was as unforgiving as anyone else. She stimulated tears in my tear glands. This, also I had to suck it up. Had to.

As time starts gaining pace, the names issued by the incoming correspondents no longer sound strange to me. Very rarely do I find myself asking the callers to hold on in order to allow me to check the name list. Faces starting to get familiarised with my sight. The colleague who elicited tears in me, started carving wide smiles to me. Few could remember my name. Even fewer could utter my name with sufficient accuracy.

But never once, I looked like an old-timer here. Never once I could gather courage to chat with my colleagues about the World Cup or juicy gossips. Never once my superior seemed interested in my personal live. Never once they want to know me.

Besides the wages, I really don't know what other positive feature of working here I could give myself as a reason to stay put in this company. Being a receptionist doesn't add value to my portfolio, neither does it allow me to boast around - the post itself sounds shallow and futile. I am wondering if I am truly making full use of my 3-month break.