Ex-boss

Last weekend, I was basking in the comfort of my loo with the newspapers as my reading companion when a picture in the obituary page caught my eye. My ex-boss had passed away. My first instinct was to want to call my ex-colleague to ask if he would join me in attending her wake. But as I sat staring at her picture, I asked myself if I really had any inclination at all to attend her wake. I had none.
I tried to think of any kind deed she had done to me. Any kind word? Any kind actions? I tried to tell myself that it's been donkey years since we last met. I should just go pay my respects even if she'd not know it for a fact. Was there anything she had done to show she was a boss with a heart? Again, I came up with nothing. I realised, I didn't really want to go at all. So I didn't.

Truth be told, she'd been a tyrannical 'boss'. One from the old school of thought where the top down approach was the only way to go. She'd shout angrily at someone if she felt like it. She'd tell you off in front of anyone, if she felt like it. When we saw her approaching in our direction, my colleagues and I would quickly find a way to turn left or right, as long as we didn't bump headlong into her. Everyday, I wondered if today would be the day I'd get shouted at. It was not a way to work.

A week before my wedding, she'd rostered me for a few days of outdoor activity which included me working in the sun. Some colleagues were indignant and one guy even approached the tyrant and offered to stand in for me. But oh no. Ladyboss was adamant that I should and could go. Why? She countered that since it was only days to my wedding, I should have gotten everything ready by then. So I went and needless to say, I came back to be a pretty sunburnt bride that weekend. I've always wondered that if it had been her own daughter accorded the same duties days before her wedding, would she have ruled any differently? Suffice to say, I didn't stay in her employment too long.

I eventually bumped into her again in the course of my work and not being directly under her management made her seem a little nicer. But I wasn't going to hang around to find out anyway.

My point of relating this is not to enforce the idea of not forgiving or not forgetting. It's to reinforce the idea of how we all affect people in our lives, especially at the work place where we spend so many waking hours every day. As far as bosses are concerned, I've not worked for that many. But enough to know which one has or has not touched my life. Quiet, firm yet unassuming. Those are qualities I admire in a boss. It's something I hope to emulate.....eventually.

I've had my fair share of lashing my tongue out at people too in my mere 40 odd years and I wonder if one day, seeing my obituary in the papers, if he or she will see me too in the same light as I saw my ex-boss. Food for thought.

Twins

My brother and his wife, who live and work in Perth, have just had twin girls. Premmies actually; they had to be delivered via emergency C-section before their due date. The older twin, who's actually tinier, is still in hospital as she is underweight.

Here's a pic of them : (picture by Michele Smit)

Every now and then, the 'I want a baby' feeling overcomes me. Of course, Mike is quick enough to douse any urge before it gets out of control! He often reminds me that our younger kid, being already 12, allows us to enjoy family holidays together (without carrying a nappy bag along) or allows us to actually get away without the kids. In fact, the kids are old enough to help us carry luggage! More importantly, he doesn't fancy being a 50 year old bringing his kid to Primary 1.

Okay, okay, I get it (or maybe I don't). Probably only mummies will understand what I'm talking about. A nice little bundle to cuddle..... someone you can watch crawling about and doing funny things around the house. Nowadays, even just holding your teen's hand in public will get you that 'what the heck are you doing' glare back from them! Teens and babies just aren't the same!

But wait....I've never had a good memory and I've probably forgotten all those months I'd spent with my head in the toilet bowl throwing up or the pain of the stitches whilst walking and carrying your baby right after your C-section delivery. (It is said that a C-section delivery is one of the worst operations a woman can go through because you do not have enough recuperative time. You have to look after your baby almost immediately after the operation. How true!).

How about sleepless nights carrying a colicky baby or waking up almost as soon as you have fallen asleep to change feed or change the baby. Wow! Memories come flooding back.......the sore boobies or the sterilisation of milk bottles. The packets and packets of disposable nappies. The crying nights preceding the appearance of the milk teeth. The doctor visits. The immunisation shots and the fevers which follow. Okay, guess Mike's right after all. What am I yearning for? As it is, I'm already short of sleep and that's just from sitting beside my kids whilst they cope with their copious amounts of homework. Wait, the ultimate....to go through the PSLE with another kid? Hmmmm......

Right. No more babies for me. Remind me again, Mike, won't ya? He's probably right. We really do not mind having a third child, provided he or she comes already old enough to help with the dishes. I've always wanted a third kid but for the moment, to get over the maternal itch, I'll just borrow local babies to coo over for a few hours (then happily return to their owners) or get ourselves some budget airline tickets to visit the twins! Meanwhile, my biological clock goes a tickin'......will probably 'prevent the urge to have another one' until I run out of batteries. Sigh.

Winner of Cartoon Lagoon Contest

Congratulations!

Here's the winner of Cartoon Lagoon's Name the Fruit Contest!

Nur Baizura Roslan

of Tampinese Central

I/C : SXXX4623X

She correctly identified the fruit in the pic as the "NONI FRUIT"

(this fruit seriously tastes better after being processed to be sold over the counter)

and wins for herself, her desired pair of Cartoon Lagoon hand painted shoes........"Happy Girl, CL2802C!" Baizura, we'll be in touch soon with your new pair of shoes!

To the rest of you, thanks for trying!

We vandalised Jack's Place!

Went to Jack's Place Ang Mo Kio; the kids, Mike and myself. Mike and I reminisce about how we used to patronised this same outlet since before we were married.

Prices still decent but think the tables are getting too close for comfort, place getting noisier (either that or we are getting older and less tolerant of noise), the jacket potatoes too dry and the signature cauliflower / french beans have been slowly but surely replaced with cheaper varieties of veg. (Yes, we've noticed!) Yesterday, we got corn bits! Hmmmph!

Anyway, Mike paid the bill and asked if we could write on their decorative wall with all the wooden pieces stuck to it since they were already filled with graffiti.

Cashier handed him a fat, green marker.

Well, of course we vandalised the wall at Jack's Place with their permission. What were you thinking?!

The fruit begins with 'N'

Ok, just because I happen to love Fridays (despite the fact that I am down with the flu) and because my brother and his wife just gave birth to twin girls yesterday Down Under, which puts me in a good mood, I'm going to be extralicious nice and tell you that the fruit in the contest picture begins with the letter

'N'.

Contest Tip again!

Ok, ok.....here's another tip for those still scratching their heads.

The name of the fruit sounds a bit like 'money' or 'honey'.
Yet another tip = it's not a jackfruit.

Why you all so scared to send in entries with wrong answers, huh? Just try, lah!
I've only got ONE CORRECT entry so far!
And no, you don't have to be a customer to take part.

Tomorrow if I'm in a good mood, I'll tell you what letter the name of the fruit starts with!

Contest Tip

So what fruit is that in our contest pic?
Some of you have asked for a tip.....


Well, the fruit is really smelly when ripening. Those which fall to the ground and are smashed open give off a repulsive odour. The fruit is used for many purposes. I myself have taken it although the first time I tried it, I had diarrhoea (did I spell that right?) for two whole days. It was supposed to have a cleansing effect and boy did it!

Remember, contest ends 9 February midnight!

email your details (as listed in my previous entry) to:

fiona@cartoonlagoon.com.sg

We will never compromise your details. They will be kept private and not redistributed or resold.