Coolcat's Jottings

I think I've got a few things stamped invisibly on my forehead. Counselor is one. Birthdays and farewell organiser is another.

The former cannot be helped. I'd blame it on Elijah House, only I had virtual strangers pouring out their deepest and darkest secrets to me even before I was barely out of my diapers. Kidding about the diapers, but the latter is a newly developed phenomena.

One of the challenges of organising such events is that you get 'helpful' comments like this:

"Eh, is Ms. X going to be there? If so, I don't want to go."

"Oh, it's a big event ar? With plenty of tables? Then make sure you don't place Ms. X and I at the same table. While you are at it, make sure we are not in the line of sight of each other."

"Aiyo, RM30 per pax?? Too expensive lar. Find a cheaper place can?"

"Why you choose that restaurant? I can't eat anything fried and spicy wor. How???"

Gah. Case in point:

A few days ago, I organised a small farewell lunch for a dear colleague. A couldn't stand B. So we decided to have TWO farewell lunches to cater for both A and B. The thing was, B was not aware of the first farewell lunch. And just so happens that the place we decided to have that farewell lunch was the exact place where our bosses brought B and a few other colleagues for lunch on that very same day!

B got a start when she saw us and we all waved awkwardly back at her. The next day, my boss asked one of colleagues and I on why B was not included in that small farewell lunch since he thought she belonged to our particular batch/clique. How does one explain about the on-going tension between A and B? One can't, especially not to the boss.

And when I think about it, I've also been guilty of hyperventilating at the thought of going to a function where someone who gives me the hives would be in attendance as well. That's just human nature, I guess - to avoid uncomfortable encounters of the second kind. As long as there are humans and with it the complexities of relationships and skewed communication, this shall be the lot of an organiser - to bring everyone relevant together for the event and to do so in the best possible manner so that potentially embarrassing/hurtful/awkward moments will be minimised while maximising the FUN factor.

Disclaimer: The following story is fictitious. Any resemblance with persons dead or alive is purely coincidental. Any action written here is not to be re-enacted in real life. In short, please do not try this at home.

Lonnie and Klyde are not only a pair of fun-loving friends, they are mighty tight-fisted too. And not ashamed of it.

After a typical cheap night out together - they had crackers and butter that Lonnie smuggled out of her office pantry and watched the latest blockbuster movie by holes that Klyde drilled through the cineplex walls with the Bosch power tool he borrowed from his brother - Klyde suddenly realised that he had lost his parking ticket!

They frantically searched his car thoroughly for the dratted ticket, and he even ransacked the trashcan where he threw some bits of paper into - but no ticket was to be found.

The thought of paying the ticket fine was too distasteful for the two cheapskates to contemplate. And so, with evil glints in their eyes, they decided to beat the system. Lonnie paid her parking ticket duly. Then Klyde and her did their research by observing how long it took for the barrier bar to lower itself after a car has deposited a paid parking ticket into the machine.

Satisfied that the barrier bar took a sufficient amount of time for TWO cars to pass through, Lonnie got into her car and drove to the exit with Klyde following very closely behind her with his car. Upon reaching the exit, Lonnie inserted her parking ticket into the machine.

Both hearts were racing in anticipation and they waited with bated breaths as the barrier bar lifted. Lonnie wasted no time, the minute her car was clear to go, she stepped on the accelarator and zoomed like a bat out of hell. She looked at the rear view mirror and saw that Klyde got through, too!

He drove alongside her car and shouted, "Lonnie, we did it!!! Yee-hah!!!"

And with exhilirated whoops of joy, the partners in crime went on their separate ways home.

With their penchant for danger and thirst for adventure, there's no telling what further adventures lay ahead for these two. Even this author has no clue. Stay tuned, just in case.

Do this cute personality test.

Then take a peek at my results by clicking the Continue Reading link below AFTER taking the test. No peeking before that, ya?

I think mine is pretty inaccurate lar

Yesterday began like any other day. I opened my wardrobe cupboard. Chose a black work shirt. Grey skirt. Tied my hair all up so that it won't get in the way of business. But the day did not turn out as I had thought it would. People I planned to meet had other plans. Instead I ended up having dinner with a person I didn't expect to meet. This person is kinda like my muse. I'm lucky to have a few of them.

What's a muse, you may wonder? Well, it's someone who:

1. Inspires and sparks off the creative juices in you


2. Opens your eyes to see all that's positive and good in the darkest of situations


3. Lightens your soul with every encounter so that you can see and reach to draw out the sweet songs within

This person doesn't look like a muse at all. Meaning he doesn't have an ethereal look nor blonde hair like Sharon Stone (refer to pic below). And yet, every time I meet up with him, he unleashes something within me that makes me want to grab a pen and WRITE. I can basically write whole stories based on just a twinkle from his eye or a wise word uttered. And it's mostly always a refreshing experience talking with him.

He, too, thought he would have a most ordinary day. But something wonderful happened to him in the morning. And he saw meaning and hope in spite of all that he had been through.

"God never takes things away from us, Ariel. He only wants to give us something better. We may feel that it's a great big loss but in the bigger scheme of things, it actually isn't. The sooner we let go and move on, the better it is for us," he said with peace and a hint of excitement for the future shining in his eyes.

That kinda peace, that kinda excitement - well, it's just darn contagious.

That's what a muse does to you. And that's why everyone should have at least one in their lives.

Sometimes, you don't even have to look very far.

Yesterday, Pebbles gave me a pen. A very nice pen indeed. What I did next came naturally. I proceeded to test it out by writing on some blank pieces of paper.

I'm sure that was what you do when you are out shopping for a new pen. The store would have thoughtfully provided a notepad near the arrays of pens for you to test them on. I've never given much thought to what people actually scribble on those notepads. Until yesterday.

Pebbles had just read this glorious book which talked and illustrated what people normally would write when they test out their pens. Here are the most common examples:

1. They write out the color of the pen's ink - My Take: People like these must have a talent for stating the obvious.
   
   
   


2. They squiggle - My take: People like these either like the ocean or their minds are a total blank at the point of writing.
   
   
   


3. They pen down their names/signature - My Take: People like these must have severe narcissistic tendencies.
   
   
   

But me being me, this is what I wrote:

My Take: The writer is a blank-minded optimistic Malaysian.