Ysunny days go by
There are days at work when we (the four interns) are really productive, and there are days when noone seems to get anything, or want to get anything done. Today is one of these days.
Evangeline's the exception; she's off having classes at NTU. She took half the day off. The other two are playing pool. I said I'd join them but at that point of time I had been working--well, trying to look like I was. I was compiling all the research into an excel document, which in effect is just copying and pasting and brainless enough to do in my frozen, back-achey, slobby-feeling state--and told them I'd join them later. Instead, after I'd finished my work I'd talked to Zhen (actually, Zhen and I carry on whole conversations on gmail throughout the day--I love gmail smileys :)), blogged and surfed the net for your recommended daily calorie intake (in general, it's 2000 calories but I probably need less than that).
The place I work at is quite fun. I won't mention its name just in case someone from work finds out I have a blog and I get into trouble. My supervisors are nice, on day two they took us out for a 2-hour tea. The pay is crap, but then again I'm on an internship. And bugis is a nice place to be in; so much food and shopping and food and shopping! I've been very good though; haven't bought anything yet. I just learnt there's a Kinokuniya here--I've been craving for a new book.
The problem with working full-time is that your life gets completely messed up. Or rather, work takes precedence over everything. I can just feel the adults reading this post rolling their eyes:"Like duh, tell me something I don't know." I've been trying to exercise but it's a bit tough because I come home so late and wake up so early. There's actually a treadmill in the recre room and last week we (the interns) ran there, but that means we have to shower in the handicapped toilet, which is uber creepy because it's so bright and you keep feeling like you're being watched by a security camera even though you know logically that they don't put security cameras in toilets.
Anyway, today I was going to go running during lunch, like last week, but in the mad rush that ensued after I finally shook myself awake, I forgot to bring my towel. And I didn't relish the thought of being sweaty and sticky throughout the afternoon, even if it was in the office (that makes it even grosser, actually), so I decided to run after work so I can shower when I get home. I hope this plan works.
Today we had "bring your own food day". We interns, being all girls, organise these cute little primary-school like days where we do stupid stuff like coordinate outfits and exercise and bring food. Makes things fun :). Last week we had a "Little Black Dress" day and exercise day, and this week, because we were going to spend so much on food (we're going to Miss Clarity's cafe to see one of the interns off--her intership's ending) we brought out own food for lunch today and shared. So one of us brought salad, I brought ham sandwiches, and another brought fruit.
It's pretty fun working, despite the backaches and the trauma of having to decide what to wear every single morning and realising every single morning that you don't have enough clothes but you don't have enough time to go shopping, because of the people. Yeah. Normally girls don't always do this sort of thing (surprise surprise). You have to get a good mix of personalities or things will either get bitchy, boring or you'll just feel left out. Seems like we struck the jackpot this time.
There are five of us, but four of us work on the eigth floor. The fifth works upstairs and tells us all the gossip about our supervisors. Obviously the gossip isn't juicy but, well, they're our supervisors so it's still sort of interesting. Three of us are loud and two of us are quiet. Sometimes we're joined by a few other interns from the other departments, but I kind of like it when it's just the five of us. Four of us on the eighth floor have grown pretty close, even though we've only known each other for 2 1/2 weeks. I guess it's because we all click, and everyone's very nice (ie not bitchy or closed-up).
So on days like these, we sit in one cubicle (we share two cubicles), all four of us, and talk about school and boyfriends and sunny days gone by.
jac was here with you
1/24/2007 06:10:00 pm
Gmail conversation between me and Zhen in the middle of designing a magazine cover (her) and sourcing out Israeli innovative technologies (me):
me: i'm having an oreo
Zhenhua: oo that reminds me
I have cookies
me: you do?
where'd you get them from?
Zhenhua: my mummy made me take them
go to subway
they're giving free ones
me: WHAT??? REALLY???
WHY??
Zhenhua: you have
18 minutes more to get
me: shoot
Zhenhua: they stop at 6
birthday
me: ther'e sno subway in bugis
their birthday? today???
ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Zhenhua: you cookie monster too
I mean you
me: i love subway cookies!
Zhenhua: hahaha give it up lah
just work another hour
and you'll earn one cookie
ahahahah
me: do you have the white chocolate ones?
shut up i'll earn TWO okay. $2.20 an hour
Zhenhua: no
iut's not subway
it's just my mummy's
that she stole from dbs
ahaa
OKAY
me: wait, i dont' understand
Zhenhua: SO INSTEAD OF POOL
work another half an hour
ahhaha
me: how come you get free cookies?
Zhenhua: sigh
sigh
I mean
there are cookies for free at subway
just letting you know
me: yeah
Zhenhua: and I have cookies because my mum gave me
me: how come? is it their birthday today or is it this week or what?
Zhenhua: today
just today I think
me: how did your mum get them?
Zhenhua: dbs
she stole them from there
me: huh? i thought they're from subway
(Loooong pause from Zhen, who's probably alternately knocking her head against something very hard and laughing at my sheer stupidity.)
Zhenhua: ARGH
you're not reading properly
I explained just now
(and the conversation continues)
In the middle of the conversation, Dan calls me up. The first thing I say to him (in hushed tones because the office is so quiet and I'm a lowly intern so I have to look like I'm doing work or else) is, hysterically, "Are you near a subway? Get cookies! Subway's giving out free cookies!"
Naturally, he asks me, "Are you all right?"
But it's cookies, and it's subway cookies, and they're for free :( Maybe my mummy got me some too.
jac was here with you
1/24/2007 05:52:00 pm
YTime
Shopping at urbanoutfitters.com makes me so happy! I like seeing all the pretty dresses. I want to get Darrell to convince FJ Benjamin to bring in urbanoutfitters.
Had a Yale alumni interview today. It was so funny; I'd been worrying about what to wear. Zhipeng (who got into Yale) advised me to wear something not so casual, but "something you wear to coffee bean", which was where we were meeting. I ended up wearing my black work pants and a long-sleeved magenta top, since it was pretty cool out.
The interview was nice--it seemed more like a chit-chat session you'd have with an old friend than a real interview. We talked quite a bit--for 2 1/2 hours, in fact! I kept trying to analyse how I was doing while holding the conversation, which became quite tiring after a while so in the end I stopped and just decided to pretend this was just an ordinary conversation with an ordinary person. Which it was, just that the person was from Yale. Which isn't very ordinary at all.
Halfway through the conversation when I was telling her about the dance competition I organised I realised I was using the word "good" in every sentence. So while I'm talking I'm running through all the synonyms for "good" but my mind is blank and my mouth keeps racing on..."It was good, y'know, cos everything fell into place and seeing the groups of dancers so excited and keen on dancing and knowing that I had helped them do something I was equally passionate about...it was...("Jac, think, Jac, quick! Another word!")...good."
Anyway, nothing I can do about that now and the alum was really really nice anyway so I'm just gonna get on with my life.
I've been interning at IE Singapore--for peanuts. But the work is interesting, and the people are nice, and I've had a pretty good first week so far. The office is at Bugis, which is pretty accessible, and though I've had to wake up at 7:30 (or thereabouts) every day (which means I have to sleep by 11), I've found it...er...(thinks of another word for good)...enjoyable. Elg and this dance girl Yanling are interning in the same department as me so we have quite a lot of fun talking before (and during) work and going out for lunch together.
Working really takes up a lot of time. I have from 6:30-11 to chill out or go out etc after work, which actually isn't a lot when you factor in travelling time, dinner, QT and everything. Thinking of going for some dance classes but first have finish up these scholarship apps. They're coming along, but I really don't know what the chances are. Anyone who's not in this scholarship game would think I have a good shot, but those who have been in Hwa Chong with me and are applying for scholarships know that unless you are as brilliant as Charmaine or Wen or Debbie, chances are low because the PSC earmarks those whom they want.
Well, like my mum and Zhen say, if God wants to get me there, He will get me there. However He does it. And His ways are a lot higher than mine, thankfully.
Tomorrow...I don't get much rest time because there's this Mindef talk and I'm wondering why I'm going for it. At least there's dinner with Zhen and the rest to look forward to. And maybe I can sneak in some time with my favourite person :)
jac was here with you
1/13/2007 09:56:00 pm