Baffling Shopping Habit

I really need to learn how to shop better.

Great Singapore Sale from June to July.
I bought nothing.

Over the weekend, Friday to Sunday: Storewide Sale at Robinsons.
I bought nothing.

Walked past O.G. on my way to lunch, with "Storewide Sale up to 70% off" screaming at me.
I bought nothing.

During lunchtime, I trodded along the departmental stores and bought my Renoma's at full retail price S$14.90 for a box of 4 at Robinsons.

Walked past O.G. on my way back from lunch, with "Storewide Sale up to 70% off" screaming at me.
I slapped my forehead and screamed at myself silently.

I really need to learn how to shop better.

Where's my mojo?

Not wanting to sound like I am tooting my own horn, but when it is crunch time, I inevitably can turn on my charm and impress the person I am engaging to tip things in my favour. It can even be considered being flirty (with women... duh!!!) when prudes are judging me.

This is especially important for my job as I am in the business of selling.
I sell my company, I sell my company's services, I sell trust and assurance, I sell an image, and very importantly, I sell myself.
Who makes the difference between your competitor and the company you work for? You.
Simply put - People buy from people they like even if it costs slightly more, even if there is a cheaper alternative available.

At my best, I have successfully charmed both men and women who vary a great deal in terms of their background, age, positions, and character. When I don my "power" shirt (you must be crazy to wear a suit in the hot afternoon in sunny Singapore), I am focused to show the various sides of me that would sit well with the person I am in contact. That is not to say that I am being hypocritical. I am just emphasizing certain aspects of me more to make things happen, but if I don't have, I NEVER fake it.

But I think I lost it today.

Being at one of the most important interviews in my career till date, I was prepared to answer any questions thrown at me...
I performed my due diligence on the company
I put on one of my favourite outfits that made me look sharp
I styled my hair to my satisfaction
I sprayed a refreshing scent that sits well without being too strong
I wore a smile on my face even though the interviewer was 30mins late
I brought on my "A" game to batting cage
But somehow I got the feeling that I batted out
It was as if she had already decided against me without giving me a chance to speak and impress her
My death sentence had already been meted out
Sentenced to death without any reprieve

The interviewer's body language was limpid
Her voice and tone was cold and harsh
Her facial expression was non-existent (maybe she just botoxed her face 10mins before seeing me? haha I wish it was so simple)
Even light-hearted banter elicited nothing out of her

Not willing to give up, I asked her, "Based on the short interaction that we had, how suitable do you deem me for the position?", "Do you think that I would be a good fit for the culture here?" Still I got nothing from her but diplomatically correct answers.

If only I could read her body language to know if I had stood a chance for the position that I really want.

This woman is the Mother of all Ice Queens I have met.
This is the one Ice Queen that I didn't manage to thaw... and that feeling sucks...

I think I struck out. Damn, I may have just lost the job that I really want. I need to find my mojo.

Can I please pee in peace?

Working in a firm that is occupying an office space on the same level with one of the world's leading make-up company obviously has many perks, so I'll just list out the top 10:
1) You get to gawk at countless models walking in and out of their office daily
2) You get to gawk at countless models walking in and out of their office daily
3) You get to gawk at countless models walking in and out of their office daily
4) You get invited to their private sales where products can go as low as 10% of their actual retail price.
5) You get to gawk at countless models walking in and out of their office daily
6) You get to attend free make-up lessons (generally for ladies only)
7) You get to gawk at countless models walking in and out of their office daily
8) You get to enjoy discounted haircuts (not that it really matters to me since I cut my own hair... seriously)
9) You get to gawk at countless models walking in and out of their office daily
10) You get to gawk at countless models walking in and out of their office daily

Unfortunately for us, there was a peeping tom incident on our level in the ladies toilet, so the building management decided for the safety of the ladies, they would install a lock on the door to the ladies toilet for this level only. This effectively kept out all visitors (ladies) who needed to relieve themselves as only tenants got hold of the the key to use the toilet.

Herein lies the fundamental problem.

The make-up professionals conducts countless of seminars, workshops, classes, and training to hundreds of ladies (and a few gays... bleah...) on a monthly basis, of which NONE of them hold the key to the toilet. So the next best alternative for the girls?

Sneak into the Gents while nobody is looking.

Well, these girls who sneak into the Gents must think that:
1) they are very Intelligent to choose such an alternative rather than going to the Ladies on another floor
2) they have the ability to pee with lightning speed, where they would be in and out of the Gents with a blink of an eye with none the wiser
3) men enjoy having women walk in on them

In an effort to feel more safe when I am at one of my most vulnerable states (where my privates are exposed and I am temporarily immobilised until I finish peeing), I have already been relegated to having to pee in the cubicles rather than the urinals so as to avoid unwanted attention from the wanton gays who have their eye on me... being tired and sleepy at work, so you can imagine the shock and confusion I have in the first 5 seconds when I exit the cubicle to wash my hands and have the person next to me at the sink being a WOMAN!!!

The first fear that springs to mind is that I mistakenly entered the Ladies and my immediate reaction would be to dart out of the toilet and pray that the security doesn't handcuff me at my desk with great embarrassment in front of my colleagues.

When the realisation sets in (actually, it is because the girls nonchalantly apologised for being in the toilet), that is when I feel violated. What if I was at the urinal instead?

While there isn't any great mystery to the male anatomy, it does not mean that I enjoy having FEMALE strangers look at me naked, especially when I am peeing.

Come on, can I just be left alone to pee in peace!

2 years of my life... like hell it is!!!

Any able-bodied Singaporean man would definitely have to go through National Service... unless they declare (with the help of doctors, if necessary) that they are:
1) Gay
2) Jehovah's Witness
3) Physically disabled
4) Mentally impaired

Seeing that I am none of the above, I, like many others, surrendered to my fate and went about my National Service... a full 2 years and 4 months of my life...

Throughout the course of our Basic Military Training (BMT), we were always required to sing songs during our route march with one particular song stuck with me since then... and one line in the song goes... "2 years of my life"... depicting the length of our National Service...

It is a bloody lie... it is not 2 years of my life... NO!!!! Rather, it is 12 years... yup, 2 full years of National Service and 10 years of reservist!

Since I have just completed my first reservist call-up, I still have bloody 9 more to go...

Sigh...