Date: 18 Dec 2009
Time: 1137 hrs
Place: salt mines
(sorf) I'm sitting at my cubicle clearing copy and some girl with long curly hair and wearing office wear came up to me to say, "Excuse me, how do we get out of here?" She was with a bespectacled dude carrying a laptop bag. I pointed her to the doors to the bubble lift.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
It's where they store, um, cold?
Date: 22 Nov 2009
Time: 1945 hrs
Place: Selegie Road
(sorf) Just got asked for directions again! Was crossing Selegie Road and got to the MR Bean side where this skinny Chinese girl dressed in black tank top and jeans said, "Excuse me is there a Cold Storage around here?" I pointed at Pomo and said, "in that building in the basement." She said thank you and smiled. Had American accent. At least she was polite!
Time: 1945 hrs
Place: Selegie Road
(sorf) Just got asked for directions again! Was crossing Selegie Road and got to the MR Bean side where this skinny Chinese girl dressed in black tank top and jeans said, "Excuse me is there a Cold Storage around here?" I pointed at Pomo and said, "in that building in the basement." She said thank you and smiled. Had American accent. At least she was polite!
Go West
Date: 22 Nov 2009
Time: 1833 hrs
Place: Braddell MRT
(sorf) Got asked for directions coming down stairs at Braddell MRT to platform. This skinny girl in tight jeans and long hair threw out her arm to get my attention and asked "Is this the train to Bukit Batok?" I said that's in the West so you have to take this train to City Hall and change to East-West line. Silly girl didn't even thank me. Just looked blur and went to look at signboard and asked another woman then climbed back upstairs.
Time: 1833 hrs
Place: Braddell MRT
(sorf) Got asked for directions coming down stairs at Braddell MRT to platform. This skinny girl in tight jeans and long hair threw out her arm to get my attention and asked "Is this the train to Bukit Batok?" I said that's in the West so you have to take this train to City Hall and change to East-West line. Silly girl didn't even thank me. Just looked blur and went to look at signboard and asked another woman then climbed back upstairs.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Card blanche
Date: 17 Nov 2009
Time: 1547 hrs
Place: the salt mines
(sorf) Was at my desk typing furiously when some woman came up from behind to ask where is Helen. I said she's not in today and she asked me to pass Helen a bag so I said just leave it on her desk, pointing to the desk. So the woman goes and 5 secs later she's back asking to borrow a stapler. I pass her one. She staples a name card to the bag and goes off then comes back again, to ask for Helen's name card! I told her "I don't have." Yeesh. Such a rude woman, not even a thank you after all that!
Time: 1547 hrs
Place: the salt mines
(sorf) Was at my desk typing furiously when some woman came up from behind to ask where is Helen. I said she's not in today and she asked me to pass Helen a bag so I said just leave it on her desk, pointing to the desk. So the woman goes and 5 secs later she's back asking to borrow a stapler. I pass her one. She staples a name card to the bag and goes off then comes back again, to ask for Helen's name card! I told her "I don't have." Yeesh. Such a rude woman, not even a thank you after all that!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Fit for a queen
Date: 14 Nov 2009
Time: 1150 hrs
Place: Cold Storage, PoMo (ex-Paradiz Centre)
(sorf) We were queueing at the cashier counter when three clueless goth kids (two boys with tattoos and a very over-dressed and booty high-heeled tattooed girl) came in to the Cold Storage and were muttering between themselves and to a friend on the phone something about "coronation". Then the skinny boy went up to a Cold Storage staff and asked him whether the sad stalk of red flower he picked out was a "coronation" flower. We didn't catch what the staff said. Later they went back upstairs and the boy came down again, still on the phone, saying things like "it looks like a sunflower" and "red petals and black in the middle" and insisting that "it's a carnation" and Sorf couldn't take it any more and told him that it was a gerbera daisy. And he looked at her and asked "so do they have carnations?" and Sorf looked around and found a bag of very sad tiny orange carnations and both thought it was very sad. "Are there any carnations" and Sorf said "that's it" and then he asked "are they okay for a Goth photo shoot?" and Sorf looked at the roses and he insisted he did not want roses and so she told him "yes they are okay" and he went to pay. He told his friend on the phone that he went to ask a complete stranger for advice (though it was actually Sorf who initiated it because she was so annoyed by their lack of basic flower knowledge.)
Time: 1150 hrs
Place: Cold Storage, PoMo (ex-Paradiz Centre)
(sorf) We were queueing at the cashier counter when three clueless goth kids (two boys with tattoos and a very over-dressed and booty high-heeled tattooed girl) came in to the Cold Storage and were muttering between themselves and to a friend on the phone something about "coronation". Then the skinny boy went up to a Cold Storage staff and asked him whether the sad stalk of red flower he picked out was a "coronation" flower. We didn't catch what the staff said. Later they went back upstairs and the boy came down again, still on the phone, saying things like "it looks like a sunflower" and "red petals and black in the middle" and insisting that "it's a carnation" and Sorf couldn't take it any more and told him that it was a gerbera daisy. And he looked at her and asked "so do they have carnations?" and Sorf looked around and found a bag of very sad tiny orange carnations and both thought it was very sad. "Are there any carnations" and Sorf said "that's it" and then he asked "are they okay for a Goth photo shoot?" and Sorf looked at the roses and he insisted he did not want roses and so she told him "yes they are okay" and he went to pay. He told his friend on the phone that he went to ask a complete stranger for advice (though it was actually Sorf who initiated it because she was so annoyed by their lack of basic flower knowledge.)
Thursday, November 12, 2009
A little bit of both
Date: 12 Nov 2009
Time: 2056 hrs
Place: Near Bugis MRT
(sorf) Walking toward Bugis and plugged into earphones, and at the traffic light 2 husky guys who looked a bit Caucasian and a bit Chinese walked over to me clutching a map and asked where Rochor Centre was. I looked around and pointed them towards the building, and they thanked me.
Time: 2056 hrs
Place: Near Bugis MRT
(sorf) Walking toward Bugis and plugged into earphones, and at the traffic light 2 husky guys who looked a bit Caucasian and a bit Chinese walked over to me clutching a map and asked where Rochor Centre was. I looked around and pointed them towards the building, and they thanked me.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Looking for a signal
Date: 11 Nov 2009
Time: 1219 hrs
Place: Inside Sunshine Plaza
(sorf) At the Sunshine Plaza lobby near the wanton mee stall, and a girl dressed all in black with long hair walked over to me to ask where's the GSM Building. I said I didn't know.
Time: 1219 hrs
Place: Inside Sunshine Plaza
(sorf) At the Sunshine Plaza lobby near the wanton mee stall, and a girl dressed all in black with long hair walked over to me to ask where's the GSM Building. I said I didn't know.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Great Leap Lostwards
Date: 09 Sep 2009
Time: 1733 hrs
Place: the salt mines
(sorf) Some dude practically leaped over a cubicle divider as I was walking back to my desk to ask me directions to a colleague's cubicle.
Time: 1733 hrs
Place: the salt mines
(sorf) Some dude practically leaped over a cubicle divider as I was walking back to my desk to ask me directions to a colleague's cubicle.
Monday, September 07, 2009
Late break fast
Date: 07 Sep 2009
Time: 1858 hrs
Place: Dhoby Ghaut MRT exit
I was outside the MRT exit when an Indian man asked me for directions to the mosque. I walked him to the Bencoolen Street Mosque where he was going to break fast.
Time: 1858 hrs
Place: Dhoby Ghaut MRT exit
I was outside the MRT exit when an Indian man asked me for directions to the mosque. I walked him to the Bencoolen Street Mosque where he was going to break fast.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Shiny! Purple!
Date: 26 July 2009
Time: 1805 hrs
Place: Braddell MRT station
(sorf) Sitting on the bench waiting for the train and plugged into the iPod and reading, and this well groomed Ah Lian with short red hair, wearing makeup, striped shirt, denim shorts, and shiny purple stockings and white sneakers, sits down next to me and asks "小姐你的鞋很美 Xiao Jie Ni De Xie Hen Mei". I said thank you. She asked me where I got it. I told her I got it at Tangs.
Time: 1805 hrs
Place: Braddell MRT station
(sorf) Sitting on the bench waiting for the train and plugged into the iPod and reading, and this well groomed Ah Lian with short red hair, wearing makeup, striped shirt, denim shorts, and shiny purple stockings and white sneakers, sits down next to me and asks "小姐你的鞋很美 Xiao Jie Ni De Xie Hen Mei". I said thank you. She asked me where I got it. I told her I got it at Tangs.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Buddy can you spare a buck?
Date: 23 July 2009
Time: 0831 hrs
Place: Clementi MRT near the bus stop
An old Indian man with a white beard, very skinny and fidgeting, asked if I speak English. I was plugged into my iPod and it took me a few tries before I understood that he was asking me if I could lend him a dollar so that he could take a bus to Jurong East Interchange. I said he could walk but he said he was already late. Luckily my bus just arrived and so I told him I had to go.
Time: 0831 hrs
Place: Clementi MRT near the bus stop
An old Indian man with a white beard, very skinny and fidgeting, asked if I speak English. I was plugged into my iPod and it took me a few tries before I understood that he was asking me if I could lend him a dollar so that he could take a bus to Jurong East Interchange. I said he could walk but he said he was already late. Luckily my bus just arrived and so I told him I had to go.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Seventh Food Heaven
Date: 20 July 2009
Time: 1933 hrs
Place: Orchard Central
I was about to enter the lift at Orchard Central when this auntie in a black skirt and orange t-shirt, carrying an OG plastic bag, complained to me that the lift was very slow. I guessed that as the lift lobby is quite wide, she might not have realised when the lift doors opened as they are rather quiet, and so I showed her to the other end of the lift lobby just as the lift doors opened. Once inside, she started asking me as we were going up, whether there was a food court on the seventh floor and I said I wasn't sure but I think there are many restaurants there.
Time: 1933 hrs
Place: Orchard Central
I was about to enter the lift at Orchard Central when this auntie in a black skirt and orange t-shirt, carrying an OG plastic bag, complained to me that the lift was very slow. I guessed that as the lift lobby is quite wide, she might not have realised when the lift doors opened as they are rather quiet, and so I showed her to the other end of the lift lobby just as the lift doors opened. Once inside, she started asking me as we were going up, whether there was a food court on the seventh floor and I said I wasn't sure but I think there are many restaurants there.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
No union here
Date: 18 July 2009
Time: 1103 hrs
Place: Bugis Junction
I am in the Bugis Junction Basement, next to the escalator where JCo is, just standing there waiting, when a middle aged man, wearing a pink t-shirt, bermudas, and slippers, with slightly greying hair, carrying a huge bag and holding the hand of a hyperactive kid, asked me whether there was an NTUC here. I told him no, there isn't an NTUC here.
Time: 1103 hrs
Place: Bugis Junction
I am in the Bugis Junction Basement, next to the escalator where JCo is, just standing there waiting, when a middle aged man, wearing a pink t-shirt, bermudas, and slippers, with slightly greying hair, carrying a huge bag and holding the hand of a hyperactive kid, asked me whether there was an NTUC here. I told him no, there isn't an NTUC here.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Waterloo! Couldn't escape if I wanted to!
Date: 13 July 2009
Time: 1000 hrs
Place: Bus stop on Bencoolen Street near NAFA
(sorf) An old man with a cane and wearing bermudas and his bus pass on a chain around his neck, asked me which bus goes to Waterloo Street. I told him that he could walk since it's just around the corner.
Time: 1000 hrs
Place: Bus stop on Bencoolen Street near NAFA
(sorf) An old man with a cane and wearing bermudas and his bus pass on a chain around his neck, asked me which bus goes to Waterloo Street. I told him that he could walk since it's just around the corner.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Salt mines really labyrinthine
Date: 09 July 2009
Time: 2035 hrs
Place: the salt mines
(sorf) Just got asked for directions at our lift lobby door. Indian Pizza Hut delivery guy wearing crash helmet asking "Is there another way to reach?" Told him to go around.
Time: 2035 hrs
Place: the salt mines
(sorf) Just got asked for directions at our lift lobby door. Indian Pizza Hut delivery guy wearing crash helmet asking "Is there another way to reach?" Told him to go around.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Popular Pat
Date: 03 July 2009
Time: 1646 hrs
Place: the salt mines
(sorf) Some blur block from help desk just asked me, "Excuse me I'm looking for Patricia Hee." So tempted to say "I'm not Pat!" but pointed him to her room.
Time: 1646 hrs
Place: the salt mines
(sorf) Some blur block from help desk just asked me, "Excuse me I'm looking for Patricia Hee." So tempted to say "I'm not Pat!" but pointed him to her room.
I say Patricia, you say Jessica
Date: 03 July 2009
Time: 1033 hrs
Place: The salt mines
(sorf) Elderly delivery man asked my where Jessica Hee is and it turns out he can't pronounce Patricia Hee.
Time: 1033 hrs
Place: The salt mines
(sorf) Elderly delivery man asked my where Jessica Hee is and it turns out he can't pronounce Patricia Hee.
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Fire station re-direction
Date: 02 July 2009
Time: 1343 hrs
Place: Outside the Fire Station, Coleman Street
I'm at the junction with Hill Street, about to cross the road, when an Indian man, with an oversized blue and grey checked shirt, linen pants and slippers, asked me how to get to Raffles Place. (Yes, 2nd Indian man within an hour!) I told him to walk down the street until North Canal Road and then to turn left and head down Boat Quay.
Time: 1343 hrs
Place: Outside the Fire Station, Coleman Street
I'm at the junction with Hill Street, about to cross the road, when an Indian man, with an oversized blue and grey checked shirt, linen pants and slippers, asked me how to get to Raffles Place. (Yes, 2nd Indian man within an hour!) I told him to walk down the street until North Canal Road and then to turn left and head down Boat Quay.
Tech hunter
Date: 02 July 2009
Time: 1333 hrs
Place: Junction of Bras Basah Road and Victoria Street
I'm just outside the SMU administration block, walking down, minding my own business, when an Indian guy wearing a red t-shirt and jeans, asked me where Sim Lim Square was, so I told him to walk down the road and turn left at the next junction and then turn right at the next. He had a piece of paper sticking out of his back pocket.
Time: 1333 hrs
Place: Junction of Bras Basah Road and Victoria Street
I'm just outside the SMU administration block, walking down, minding my own business, when an Indian guy wearing a red t-shirt and jeans, asked me where Sim Lim Square was, so I told him to walk down the road and turn left at the next junction and then turn right at the next. He had a piece of paper sticking out of his back pocket.
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Taxi Driver - the blur version
Date: 01 July 2009
Time: 1700 hrs
Place: Near Tanjong Pagar MRT
Just as I'm getting out of the cab, a booking comes into the taxi's little computer. The cab driver asks me, "Where is Anson Place?" And I told him I had no idea and left.
Time: 1700 hrs
Place: Near Tanjong Pagar MRT
Just as I'm getting out of the cab, a booking comes into the taxi's little computer. The cab driver asks me, "Where is Anson Place?" And I told him I had no idea and left.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Point to point
Date: 27 May 2009
Time: 2143 hrs
Place: 313 Somerset, traffic light
(both) We're in the middle of a conversation and looking across the road to what used to be Orchard Emerald (which is now a big hole since they tore it down), waiting to cross the road, when a man in a suit and lugging two laptops comes up to us from behind us and asked where Orchard Point was. I pointed down the road, told him to go to where the OG sign is, and he went on his way.
Time: 2143 hrs
Place: 313 Somerset, traffic light
(both) We're in the middle of a conversation and looking across the road to what used to be Orchard Emerald (which is now a big hole since they tore it down), waiting to cross the road, when a man in a suit and lugging two laptops comes up to us from behind us and asked where Orchard Point was. I pointed down the road, told him to go to where the OG sign is, and he went on his way.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Indian Expatriate Part 2
Date: 20 May 2009
Time: 1757 hrs
Place: Junction of Bencoolen and Middle Road
(both) We had just crossed the junction when an Indian lady came up from behind us and asked us where the NTUC was. We told her that the one that used to be at IOI Plaza but it's gone and we told her she could go to Rochor which is a bit of a walk and we told her that she could get groceries at Bugis or PoMo's Cold Storage. When we said the selection is limited because it is for people who don't cook she laughed, and she walked off in the direction of Bugis.
Time: 1757 hrs
Place: Junction of Bencoolen and Middle Road
(both) We had just crossed the junction when an Indian lady came up from behind us and asked us where the NTUC was. We told her that the one that used to be at IOI Plaza but it's gone and we told her she could go to Rochor which is a bit of a walk and we told her that she could get groceries at Bugis or PoMo's Cold Storage. When we said the selection is limited because it is for people who don't cook she laughed, and she walked off in the direction of Bugis.
Indian Expatriate Part 1
Date: 20 May 2009
Time: 1755 hrs
Place: Junction of Bencoolen and Middle Road
(both) We were at the traffic junction waiting to go over to IOI Plaza, and we were looking at a Chinese sign on a lamp-post, when an Indian man came up to us from behind and asked us with an American accent, "Where is Sim Lim Square?" and we pointed him down towards LaSalle. He's probably going to get ripped off...
Time: 1755 hrs
Place: Junction of Bencoolen and Middle Road
(both) We were at the traffic junction waiting to go over to IOI Plaza, and we were looking at a Chinese sign on a lamp-post, when an Indian man came up to us from behind and asked us with an American accent, "Where is Sim Lim Square?" and we pointed him down towards LaSalle. He's probably going to get ripped off...
Sunday, May 10, 2009
No chicken
Date: 10 May 2009
Time: 1108 hrs
Place: Killiney Kopitiam at PoMo (previously Paradiz Shopping Centre)
(both) We're eating laksa at the Killiney Kopitiam when a fifty-something grey haired lady in blue jeans bermudas and a black striped top, wearing pearl earrings, asked us if the laksa was any good. We said it was ok and she asked what were the ingredients. So we started listing the fish cake, cockles, bean sprouts, etc. and then she asked "Got chicken?" and we said no. Subsequently, she didn't buy it.
Time: 1108 hrs
Place: Killiney Kopitiam at PoMo (previously Paradiz Shopping Centre)
(both) We're eating laksa at the Killiney Kopitiam when a fifty-something grey haired lady in blue jeans bermudas and a black striped top, wearing pearl earrings, asked us if the laksa was any good. We said it was ok and she asked what were the ingredients. So we started listing the fish cake, cockles, bean sprouts, etc. and then she asked "Got chicken?" and we said no. Subsequently, she didn't buy it.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
BYO Blur
Date: 03 May 2009
Time: 1335 hrs
Place: By the pool
(both) We're sitting at the poolside and minding our own business, reading a book or working on cross-stitch, when we heard a voice saying "Excuse me!" and we looked up and saw and Indian man with slicked back hair and a guitar, wearing t-shirt and jeans and carrying a bottle of wine, and he asked us how to get to the eleventh floor. So we asked him which tower and he said the unit number is 11-21 and we told him go to Tower C by going back to the lift lobby area and heading to the comm panel on the left to call his friends.
Time: 1335 hrs
Place: By the pool
(both) We're sitting at the poolside and minding our own business, reading a book or working on cross-stitch, when we heard a voice saying "Excuse me!" and we looked up and saw and Indian man with slicked back hair and a guitar, wearing t-shirt and jeans and carrying a bottle of wine, and he asked us how to get to the eleventh floor. So we asked him which tower and he said the unit number is 11-21 and we told him go to Tower C by going back to the lift lobby area and heading to the comm panel on the left to call his friends.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Mmmm skyscraper
Date: 28 Apr 2009
Time: 1830 hrs
Place: Springleaf Towers
I was talking to a friend (and fellow snowboarder) who I happened to bump into outside his office when a guy in a red football shirt and a red bag came up to me and asked where "M Hotel" was. I pointed him down the street and he went off.
Time: 1830 hrs
Place: Springleaf Towers
I was talking to a friend (and fellow snowboarder) who I happened to bump into outside his office when a guy in a red football shirt and a red bag came up to me and asked where "M Hotel" was. I pointed him down the street and he went off.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Bank in the City
Date: 19 Mar 2009
Time: 1900 hrs
Place: Junction outside Bugis near National Library
A tall, bald Indian man with a slight American accent, wearing a white shirt and black pants and two laptop bags asked me "Where's the Citibank?" I told him there was a small branch in the Bugis MRT. He said that was supposed to be the meeting location where he would meet someone and thought the branch was at street level, and walked off briskly.
Time: 1900 hrs
Place: Junction outside Bugis near National Library
A tall, bald Indian man with a slight American accent, wearing a white shirt and black pants and two laptop bags asked me "Where's the Citibank?" I told him there was a small branch in the Bugis MRT. He said that was supposed to be the meeting location where he would meet someone and thought the branch was at street level, and walked off briskly.
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