Christmas is here again.

Which means the holidays are going to end soon.

The thought of going back to school lurks behind my mind like the ghost of Christmas past, even as I am stuffing my face with turkey and honey-baked ham. When I think of the killer traffic along Bukit Timah road during peak hour, I feel very sian.

Plus, I'll be getting back my contracts paper in the first contract tutorial, according to a credible source. That's the paper I did not finish and will probably get a crap grade in. I am sooo NOT looking forward to getting it back.

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to deal with it as it comes. In the mean time, I'll just try to enjoy the festive cheer without worrying too much about the first day of school.

Went to vik's party on Friday night. Great food, smooth drinks and very cute chicks. I loved the party except for the horrid Tenacious D soundtrack that he was playing in the background.

You know that Vik has put in alot of effort to make the event successful when he greets you with a clean-shaven chin. and a decent shirt. The man finally decided to shave! He looks so much better without The Black Forest growing out of his face. He was starting to look like Jack Black, but I never had the heart to tell him that.

I spent most of the party sandwiched between two blokes who were flushed from too much Hoegarden. No prizes for guessing who those two guys were. Suffice to say, I was a bit worried about the state of events, considering that one of them was the D.D. for the evening.

The following evening, I went to Mingwei's house.

We dined alfresco in the soft glow of scented candlelight. Micheal Buble was singing "The Christmas Song" in the background. The girls cooked fabulous fettucine Marinara...The best part must have been the wine and cherries! And the other gorgeous desserts which the host plied us with!

It was a wonderful Christmas dinner...Definitely one which I will remember for many years to come.

I'll be throwing my own party this evening. I've discharged most of my obligations and delegated most of my duties. The food should meet the standard of the reasonable man. I'm crossing my fingers that there would not be a shortfall in presents and that my guests would enjoy this evening's event.

After the party, I hope I have some time to spare to go for drinks with Ken and the rest.

Anyway, here's wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Let's hope that everyone has a meaningful and fulfilling Christmas:)

Mistake and the D word

Talk about mistaken identity!

Was at Orchard yesterday when I mistook someone else as my sister. Really embarassing situation. Especially since the person was a guy with long hair.

This mirrors an incident that happened a couple of months back when I mistook someone else for Galvin. The person I did not intend to contract with was a Caucasian man with a haircut that was similar to Galv's. Worse, I actually said something instead of simply mumbling an apology. If I don't recall wrongly, what I said was,

"Eh? How come you're ang moh?!"

Or some other question with no simple answer.

One of my 897,546 New Year Resolutions for 2007 is to avoid subjecting myself to similar incidents of public ignominy in the future. Such incidents seem to occur with alarming regularity, especially at the most inconvenient times (e.g. when I'm busting my veins trying to portray myself as the suave, uber-cool hybrid offspring of George Clooney, Rain and William Shakespeare in front of some random girl in a public place.)

Recently, I was strolling around VivoCity when a kid's stupid balloon burst. My friend insisted that I had, quote and unquote, "screamed like a girl", even though the only thing I recalled doing was drawing a sharp intake of breath. Having said that, I admit that I may have let loose a minor expression of surprise while inhaling. After all, a sound similar to a TIME BOMB GOING OFF is the last thing you would expect in a family mall. Luckily, the occasion did not require me to apply what I learnt during BMT...

Oh well, we all have our weak moments...

And moments when we feel that we are getting old...

Like last night, when I was having dinner with Junyi. You know you've grown up when your dinner time discourse revolves around gender issues and financial management. After spending considerable amounts of time debating and distilling the issues involved in these extremely broad topics, we emerged triumphant with two brilliant hypothesises (is this the plural of hypothesis?)

1) There are a lot of Chio bus in Orchard.

2) We are short of money.

Sometimes, it takes much thought and analysis to come to a simple and logical conclusion. Anyway, I think the both of us are really getting old lor. Especially me. Because I keep on repeating what I have already said. It's a bad habit lar. It stems from my belief that the more you say something, the more likely the other person will agree just to satisfy you and stop you from repeating what you have previously stated n times...Not too sure this would work in court though.

Actually, there were really alot of chio bus in Orchard (Here I go again!). Unfortunately, most of them were either too young or were walking with their boyfriends. Junyi claimed that he saw this damn sexy babe at Wisma...

Who was talking to her friend about her O level results.

Gosh...O levels...that's young enough to be my...erm, sister la! Even my sister is not that young. Or maybe I'm just getting old (got to make a conscious effort not to repeat used points). On the issue of boyfriends, there is an age-old adage,

"even if there's a goalkeeper, that does not mean you cannot score!"

Or in the warped logic of an ex-army buddy,

"stead can break, married can divorce!" (sounds like iambic pentameter to me)

Maybe that's what's eating Britney Spears these days! The D word.

I actually read the Straits Times this weekend.

On Saturday, The Straits Times featured a special report on the plight of middle-aged PMEBs who were retrenched during the structural economic changes that occured over the last couple of years. Some of these poor guys can't find a job because they are over-qualified and too old. The lucky ones settle for jobs as taxi drivers, security guards or MLM salesmen. One of the interviewees lives out of cardboard boxes in a one-room rented flat because he has been jobless for 12 years.

The next day, the front page story was about young private bankers who earn hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. These dudes are on call 24/7 and handle millions of dollars worth of transactions (that's alot of contract law involved le!) on a daily basis. However, banking is a crazy profession that is fraught with pressure and tension (like LAWR binder season). One of the guys talked about how he was back at work two hours after undergoing nose surgery.

Usually, I try not to think about serious stuff in my free time. I reserve my RAM (and you can bet it is random!) for stuff like "what's eating Britney Spears these days?" and "If you eat antipasta and pasta do they cancel out each other?"

Nevertheless, reading these two articles really set me thinking.

From the top of my head, I can think of two issues.

Firstly, why are we discriminating against workers on the wrong side of forty?

Secondly, why are we glorifying the success of a group of people who obviously do not lead healthy and balanced lifestyles?

It appears that age is a liability in our society. Despite Life Long Learner Awards being periodically "bestowed" to deserving senior citizens, ageism remains a very real evil in our society. Employees above forty are perceived to be slow, rigid and inflexible. In a "dynamic" (I hate this word!) and increasingly globalised world, this adversely affects the competitiveness of the business. Moreover, many of these employees are perceived by their employers to be "overpaid", to quote the Straits Times. When the company is undergoing re-org or streamlining, HR never fails to notice this issue, to the detriment of these employees. As a result, they are usually among the first to go in a retrenchment exercise. Even government scholars and senior civil servants are not spared. Reading The Saturday Report, it seems that the Iron Rice Bowl is not so solid after all.

To its credit, the government has recognised this problem and has taken active steps to engage older workers in the workforce. Subsidies, training grants, Life Long Learner Awards, Senior Citizen Of The Year Awards, you name it, we've tried it. At the same time, the media has been extolling the virtues of older workers through newspaper articles and TV programmes. The older worker has been portrayed as a mentor figure who is able to add value to an organisation through his years of experience.

Unfortunately, businesses are not buying that. Ironically, there is little the powers that be can do to solve the problem except doing what they are currently doing. Seriously, anything else would hurt our competitiveness in the long run. Can you imagine Parliament passing legislation to make it mandatory for firms to hire older workers? I can't.

In reality, firms tend to perceive the older employee's ability to add value through experience to be overhyped. I'm not suggesting that experience counts for nothing. Yet what is the worth of twenty years of experience if everything that has remained constant for the last twenty years has changed completely in two years?

In the last decade, the roles of various professions have expanded drastically to meet the increasingly sophisticated demands of clients in the global market. Lawyers have to do arbitration, accountants do financial planning...even engineers have to be actively involved in business development, sales and marketing. New modes of communication have also emerged. Consequentially, working life has encroached into the personal lives of employees. Today, an employee is expected to be contactable, willing and able to solve the company's problems 24/7. Even as he or she is playing his role as a parent or friend after office hours. Sadly, loyalty to the company is seldom rewarded. When the company is forced to cut costs, older workers face a higher risk of being given the golden handshake. Often, retrenchment has less to do with their performance on the job and more to do with changes in the economic cycle. For instance, many middle managers in IT firms were retrenched in the dotcom crash in the late 1990s for reasons that were not related to their individual job performance.

Sometimes, a supervening event that happens without the default of any individual can lead to much frustration.

Is it fair to expect each and every older worker to keep abreast with all these changes? Even if so, how many actually have the means to keep up? What worries me is the fact that many of these retrenched workers do not even have the chance to find gainful employment because of their age and last drawn salary. In Singapore, it is dangerous to be on the wrong side of forty. Worse, if you were formally a PMEB who previously earned a respectable salary (I don't want to get bogged down defining this...) From what I observe, many middle-aged ex PMEBs were willing to take a pay cut when they were hunting for a job. Yet many employers refused to take this into account when considering the job application.

Frankly, I'm worried. After all, I'll be forty some day. What happens then?

Do I have to earn my keep by collecting empty drink cans from the dustbin? Simply because I am overqualified and too old to sweep the streets?

One hour and fifteen minutes later...

We parted one hour and fifteen minutes ago.

I shan't lie to myself and tell myself that I won't be missing her.

I missed her the moment we said goodbye.

Nevertheless, dinner tonight was simply great. We've known each other for a long time. Yet each time we share our thoughts, she never fails to teach me something important about life. From her, I've learnt so much...

I've learnt not to take myself too seriously, and to let go of the heavier things.

I've learnt not to take the people around me for granted.

I've learnt the importance of being sensible.

I've learnt that you can be true to yourself even as the world around you compels you to change with it.

Tonight, she taught me to be patient. In the months ahead, patience is something that I'd need.

There's something wise about her words that makes you look at yourself and try to change for the better. But I don't think she realises it.

When she leaves, I'll be both happy and sad. It was not easy for her to earn the opportunity to live her dream. I pray that God lights up every step of her journey. I'm sure she has the courage and faith to overcome the obstacles that stand between her and her dreams. She has always been strong and sensible.

At the same time, I'll stay right where I am and wait.

Not for her to come back quickly, but for her to fulfil her dream.

Went Christmas shopping today.

Bought presents for mum, dad and the sister.

Foolishly charged dad's present to his credit card account. I'll have to think of a way to clear up this mess. I swear it was unintentional. Don't stone me.

As usual, Takashimaya was crawling with people. The season of caring and sharing is also the season of bargains galore. Not that I'm complaining though. Arguably, consumers like yours truly are the real movers and shakers of our economy.

Without us asking for more, would there be any production?

Without us raising our expectations, would there be product innovation?

Without us demanding to be served, would there be any jobs created in the sales industry?

The answer to these three questions would be a resounding no. Thus, I'd like to think of myself as an economic crusader playing an active role in keeping the retail industry bouyant. Through my humble purchases, I contribute to the growth of the Singaporean Incorporated and help to create jobs for thousands of young people. It's touching, really. How a small action by consumers like me and you helps to create a better future for all of us:)

Okok, enough of the materialistic bitch personna.

Today, I got my hands on a sleek and chic corduroy jacket at Wisma. Really proud of my latest purchase. When it was but an invitation to treat at the store display, I was already drawn to it. The cutting was excellent, stroking the satin lining the interior was a sinful pleasure...Plus, it was available in my size! I was very cool about the price. It was destined for me!

After placing a reservation, I went around town to see if I could find anything that could match this bargain. When shopping, I rarely buy something without comparing it with similar items from other shops first. Perhaps because I was so biased towards the corduroy jacket, I found fault in everything else.

"Too loose!"

"Too tight!"

"Too brown!"

"Too blue!"

"I don't like the fact that there are 3 buttons at the sleeves! I want two buttons!"

"I don't like this brand! Only Europeans can carry this brand well."

"This one is so expensive but it makes me look cheap!"

"This one looks horrible under diffused lighting!"

etc. etc. etc.

A legal education trains you to justify your decisions, even though some of the justifications may seem a bit...weird. And rather illogical.

Eventually, I bought the jacket. It was a choice even the store assistant approved. She said I looked really good in the jacket. Besides, she thinks it makes me look taller:) Have to trust her right? After all, she is a professional with superior knowledge. She has a duty to ensure that she had reasonable grounds to believe that her statement was true.

I believe her. Like totally.

I must have pissed off a legion of sales assistants. It's not easy earning my money you know! I won't let you earn a single dollar from me unless I feel that you deserve to! haha.

Haiz...too bad I lost ten dollars on my way home. super sad.

I had lunch with my bestest gal pal, Steph, at the Taka food court today. Due to the crowd, we had to share a table with a middle-aged couple. It was quite surreal, really. A casual observer might be tempted to conclude that we were one family. Having said that, it was an extremely awkard experience sharing a table with a pair of strangers. For starters, I could not try their food even though the woman's mee pok looked quite nice. The guy's fish soup seemed quite tasty too!

Worse, Steph and I had to stick to safe and boring topics. This meant we could not:

1) Talk at the top of our voices.

2) Whine about shrinking allowances and lousy dates.

3) Bitch about people we both knew.

4) Laugh at all the embarassing things I've done since sec 3.

5) Cluck our tongues, shake our heads and wonder what's eating Britney Spears these days.

Wow...now I know why we were so quiet during lunch! But Steph was a chum as usual. So nice to talk to.

To me, girlfriends come and go. A gal pal stays. Especially one whom I've known for nearly six years.

After shopping, I caught a movie with some friends from school. Watched Flag Of Our Fathers. *snores*...'nuff said! It was an agonisingly slow movie with zero plot development, one dimensional characters and lots of fake blood. And one of the soldier's girlfriends was an absolute bitch. That's why I hated the movie.

Hmmm....does anybody know how I can spread some of the holiday cheer to the less fortunate? Missed the Christmas charity thingie. Darn! It seems that I don't have an affinity with events organised by my school. I was really excited about being in the Law Camp Committee and being involved in next year's Freshman Camp. But then I've got ICT!!!

Well, the army is one organisation that would not be getting any Christmas cards this festive season!

Holiday Plans

Nothing much has happened lately.

Basically, I've been leading a retiree's lifestyle. Getting 8 hours of sleep everyday...taking the effort to eat 3 meals and chew my food slowly...not snapping and arguing with other people...dressing like a slob and letting my hair grow long.

Oh, and I've banned Red Bull from my household, considering that I nearly consumed the entire output of their Malaysian plants during the examination period. Nescafe stays though. Can't live without my daily 5 cuppas.

It's three days into the hols and I miss school life already. A wise man (me, if I don't recall wrongly) once said that the law is a selfish mistress. Once you start reading about the rules and the system, you get hooked. Life in Law school is like a drug. Once you stop experiencing it, even for a couple of days, the withdrawal symptoms kick in. I feel lost and hollow without the punishing deadlines, the demanding schedules and the crazy workload...and of course, the people. Good, bad or ugly.

Vik and the rest are probably gonna tell me what a geek I am and how I should just get a life and let my hair down. At least for the next couple of days. After all, there are friends to catch up with and new people to meet. Besides, Christmas is coming and the last things you want to think about in the season of caring and sharing are lawsuits and paying damages.

Life without stress is meaningless and boring. There is nothing challenging or exciting about spending the day tanning on the beach or reading cheap paper backs at home. The adrenalin rush of a 10km run is fleeting and transient. Watching a movie or chilling with friends is too sedate. I am so bored doing holiday things!

Oh well, will have to endure this kind of lifestyle for a couple of weeks before spring comes by and we can all enjoy its beauty in the air-conditioned comfort of the CJ Koh Law Library.

Thankfully, fate has thrown something exciting in my way. I've been arrowed to plan my family's Christmas party this year. My parents will be taking a holiday in the far North, somewhere near the Sino-Russian border this Christmas.

The success of this party is important to me. The annual party at my place is probably something that my grandparents, aunts, uncles , cousins and their Filipino maids look forward to for 364 days each year. I figured that it's not too difficult to achieve a successful outcome. I just need to make 15-30 people happy at the same time. Not too difficult right? In fact, I'm starting to think that it's remarkably easy!

My grand vision for the event involves a full-grown sixty lb Turkey roasting in its own juices and a foot long Yuletide Log. The six-foot Christmas tree is already in position with a sparkling array of miscellaneous stuff dangling from its fake branches. It seems like the only thing left is the faux fire place!

And the mistletoe.

And the little lights on the Xmas tree.

And I have to settle the skirting for the tables.

And the menu.

And the invites. I'm thinking handwritten ones. A telephone call seems so...impersonal.

And presents for everybody. Wrapped nicely, of course.

And games for the little children. Can't expect them to play strip poker right?

And the budgeting.

And some small logistics issues...

Like shopping for all the stuff.

I guess it would not take me more than a day to settle everything! After all, legal education trains you to get things done! All I have to do is draw some mind maps to crystallise all the plans! Once things are organised and recorded in black and white, I'll do some delegation here and there and supervise the execution of the whole event. Muahaha!

Better get started on the mind maps soon.

My parents would be so proud. I just know it.haha!

Con-Tort-ed No More!

Finally...the time has come to flush my torts textbooks down the cistern!

No more sleepless nights (yar right)...No more heart palpitations...No more waking up in the middle of the night screaming "snails in beer"!

No more worrying about medical negligence, pure economic loss, nervous shock, statutory authorities, omissions, private and public nuisance, trespass, medical trespass, battery, assault, false imprisonment, wrongful birth, wrongful life, wrongful death, conversion, Advanced Medical Directives, vicarious liability, personal non-delegable duty, calculation of damages and of course, Mr. "The Reasonable Man"!

So long Rylands v. Fletcher! Ciao Wilkinson v. Downton! Adios Amigos Anns v. Merton Borough Council! Nice knowing you Donoghue v. Stevenson!

*Muahaha*

I hate taking law exams...I always feel like shit after every test, mainly because I (a) studied the wrong topic or (b) studied the wrong subject for the exam. Today's test went relatively smoothly. The only thing force majure that threatened my sense of equilibrium today was a raging stomach upset. I wonder who the twit who came up with the dainty metaphor "butterflies in my stomach" was...it seemed like alligators were wrestling and kangaroos were having a mass orgy in my gut. Nevertheless, I managed to soldier on like the tough, old warrior that I am.

After the exam, I confronted a moral dilemma of epic proportions.

I had to choose between going out with Group A, comprising close friends who have gone through thick and thin with me; and Group B, comprising close friends who have gone through thick and thin with me.

The difference was, Group B had girls.

At this point, I proclaim my undying love for both groups of friends. However, in the ensuing melee outside the MPSH post the torts exam, I ended up leading Group B to Harbourfront. This outcome was not the result of a conscious, informed choice but a snap decision made in the fog of war...Will you forgive me dear Group A?

I'm sure you would:)

Went to VivoCity for lunch. Hordes of children were running around. Sorry, I retract my statement. They were not running around... more like running amok.

Battalions of frantic Filipino maids struggled to restrain these juvenile delinquents-to-be while their "anxious" parents/legal guardians "anxiously" scrutinised the array of consumer goods stacked on the shelves. One of the little tyrants was pulling his maid's hair and screaming his commands into her trembling ears. Another tyrant wasted a 5 buck ice cream by pelting his friend with it.

I shook my head and sighed, having witnessed the perfect upbringing.

I hope these parents blame themselves at some point in the future when these naughty children turn into angsty teenagers who slam doors, listen to Rage Against The Machine and scream "You don't understand me!" when their parents tell them to pass the salt.

My friends and I went Thai for lunch. I had a pretty good basil beef with rice. What was not so good was the sudden realisation that the same meal would cost me 2 per cent more next year. At this point of time next year, the actual price and the make-believe price in the menu would differ by a whopping SEVENTEEN PER CENT.

Oh dear.