Singapore is full of nice people, except one. He happens to be a colleague in training, and sits next to me. He is in his mid-forties, gossips endlessly, and calls people names. There are only 6 of us in intensive training, and he just absolutely must call people names. How childish and stupid is that?!
I happen to be quite good at the coding we're all learning together. I happen to like our trainer a lot, and share his sense of humor. I happen to have a young-girl/child's voice. That annoying man mimics my voice and my gestures. And, he calls me the "teacher's pet".
Golly.
May I repeat his age? Mid-forties! It gives me the creeps.
And, you know what he says when he sees me browsing through cats' pics? "Cats have no loyalty, sister. Get a dog instead".
What extent of discrimination, ignorance and stupidity is this?!
I'm just waiting for him to somehow find out my childfree lifestyle and choice, and shout idiotic "advices" at me. I'm sure these would be classic.
Had dinner with my 2 new colleagues (fellow trainees) and the regional manager here in Singapore. One of my colleagues noticed that I like spicy and sour food/drinks. Everytime I order something spicy or sour, she said something about it (sidenote: most of Singapore's famous dishes are spicy). When I was savouring my lime juice, she commented, "Oh, but then, when you get pregnant, you'll need something even MORE sour!"
(*Blink*).
Lime juice is not really all that sour.
And, she said, "when", not "if". She does not consider it even an option.
*sigh*
I said, calmly, "That won't be a problem. I'm not going to have kids".
Perhaps I'm too sensitive, but the manager, whom I remembered (alas, much too late), has at least one daughter, talked mostly to my other 2 colleagues throughout dinner after that.
I'm in Singapore for intensive training. Really intensive. Won't be back till late November. I'll still try to write every week, but don't miss me (too much).
Rock on, my fellow childfree comrades! Convert more to our side!!!!!
One good thing that came from father's illness and his 6-week stay at the hospital: he seems grateful to my mom for abandoning her work to come labour over him. I saw him say thank you after she wiped him clean and fed him his meds. Perhaps it is possible for people to change, even late in life?
Another good thing is the revelation of the true nature of my eldest sister. At least, now I know what she's really made of. I have no illusions of her.
One more thing: guess what I saw on the list of regulations at the hospital ward? Children under 12 years old are NOT allowed. No. Not even for visiting.
I had tea with my boyfriend and 2 of his colleagues. One of them kept asking me about my piano-teaching days. She apparently regarded it as a very relaxing job, and said she wished she could do it. The only problem was that she couldn't play the piano. (*Blink*).
No. She did not mean it as a joke. She was dead serious.
Silence engulfed us. A crow or two probably flew through the cloudless sky above us.
I said what I thought would close the conversation forever: Most children are forced to learn the piano. They are not fun to teach. And, 99.99% of them are so stupid, you spend the whole lesson restraining yourself from chopping their heads off. Not an ideal pass-time.
My boyfriend and his other colleague laughed. Precisely the response I anticipated.
But this lady was still supremely serious, and said the following:
But that's why you should teach them! They'll become clever if you teach them!
My boyfriend and his other colleague exchanged a look. I kept perfectly still. It's useless to convince her that stupidity is inherent and can't be changed. Because, she is one of these unchangeables.
childfree