Ee-Poh

Ee-Poh.
Is what I call my grandaunt.

THE BACKGROUND
It happened quite unexpectedly and over just a short period of time. I guess it took everyone by surprise.

My grandaunt was hospitalized on a Thursday morning, 20 May. She was discharged by the same evening and given medication to expel excess liquid from her lungs and legs. She went home and all was fine.

Come Saturday 22 May, she had a panic attack, couldn’t control her bowels, couldn’t breathe properly and was sent to A&E. She was warded and had to go for an immediate heart op the next afternoon to clear a blockage they found in a major artery. They did the operation but right after it, they realized it wasn’t working and wasn’t doing much for the blockage.

And so they performed a second consecutive bypass surgery immediately after the initial heart op. She came out and was put into ICU and was doing okay up till the next day. She could speak. But on the second day after the op, she suddenly deteriorated. Organs started failing. Bowel, spleen, kidneys all stopped working. Body couldn’t get rid of toxins. Liver was failing as well.

And at 320am 26 May, she passed on. At the age of 86.

It was a sudden affair. I remember I had trouble sleeping after I received the SMS shortly after at 345am that morning.


THE 4 OF THEM
I was close to my grandaunt when I was in primary school. She came over every Saturday or Sunday to play mahjong at my place. She was fortunate enough to have had education when she was little. Girls of those days rarely had the chance to go to school.

There are four of them siblings. My grandmother, the eldest at 94 now, followed by a brother aged 91 now, followed by my grand aunt who was aged 86 and then the youngest granduncle who is 82 now and still plays tennis regularly.

The 4 of them. Now minus one.

My Dad mentioned before that once the old folks pass on, much of the CNY visiting won't happen anymore.


SIGH
The thing that hits me the most during this whole episode is that we cannot tell my grandmother of this. Don’t think she can take the news.

As it is, I think my grandmother felt it on the night my grandaunt passed on. Call it sixth sense or what. I don't know.

Apparently she woke the very next morning and started crying alot. She was crying the entire morning. The nursing home folks told us that she insisted on going to see her younger sister. She even told them that her younger sister has passed on.

How could she know? When none of us told her? When none of the nursing home folks even knew what happened?

I was in the midst of arranging a lunch for my grandmother and my grandaunt. I thought it would be a good idea for them two old sisters to sit down and have lunch together, with some of us grandchildren around. I’d already contacted my cousins and brother and we'd even settled on a date already….30 May.

But alas, the lunch was not to take place.

ARGH

Frustrated.

Boss asked The Coll to liase with a partner for a joint promo. The Coll, by the way, is as flexible as a slab of concrete.

Partner is vomiting blood dealing with The Coll and her restrictive ways.

Partner comes to me for help and says they do not want to deal with her. They have half a mind to tell the boss they do not want to work with her.

Partner pours out their frustrations to me. I understand totally. I try to help out a little but maintain that The Coll is the point of contact for this promotion.

To me, a joint promotion should be a win-win situation for both parties. Not a one-sided affair.

I speak to boss and suggest some things. Boss agrees with me and says he will get The Coll to do the necessary to get things done.

Partner emails The Coll and cc-es me in the discussion.

The Coll is not happy and told me. “They should be dealing with me, not you. I am the one writing the approval paper.”

Sigh.

I am not giving suggestions for personal glory. What the hell. I’m just trying to get things done and moving. Promotions should be done on the ball and quickly. Not sat upon and incubated for weeks when things can be settled within 4 days.

Sigh. The boss of the partner company just told me “I hope she stops making a fool of herself.” Strong words. Such strong words. And I am caught in the middle.

How to work like that? Fragile grounds on both sides.

So interesting haha..

Straits Times Article

Wow, even this gets a mention in the papers. Gosh. Don't they have better things to report???

=======
Travolta's 2 dogs killed

BANGOR (Maine) - A SERVICE vehicle at Maine's Bangor International Airport has struck and killed two dogs owned by John Travolta.

The city says the accident happened after an airplane carrying members of Travolta's family landed early last Thursday and the dogs were being walked. The city issued the statement after the Bangor Daily News newspaper confirmed the accident through an e-mail from the city manager to the City Council.

A Travolta spokesman hasn't returned a telephone message left on Monday seeking comment.
The Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction actor is an accomplished pilot who often flies to Bangor while en route to his home on Islesboro, off the Maine coast. It's unclear whether he was in the cockpit the night his dogs died. -- AP

Of foam and bristles

I was brushing my teeth after lunch. An auntie came into the washroom, did whatever she had to do and then came to wash her hands next to my basin.

She started talking to me.

Gosh. Do I look like I’m in a position to hold a proper conversation? When my mouth is filled with foam and toothpaste?

She: Oh you do this everyday ah?
Me: *smiles a foamy toothpaste outlined smile and nods*
She: Wah really ah? You’re very well-kept hor! So hardworking!
Me: *think for a split second* (well-kept? Is this the right phrase to be used to describe what I am doing? I’ve heard of well-kept secrets and well-kept mistresses who are well-kept secrets but hmm…..)

Me: *another foamy smile*
She: You use something special issit? Some kind of creamy thing?
Me: ?????????
Me: *picks up the tube of COLGATE toothpaste on my basin and shows it to her*

She: Oh okok. Only Colgate ah? I thought you’re using some special cream or what….
Me: *gives a foamy grimace*
She: Ok lah, I’ll go back to office first.
Me: *continues brushing*

Counsellors & Controllers

A personality survey I did in March last year left quite an impression on me because I found it rather accurate. According to that theory, there are 4 types of people: Controllers, Counsellors, Engineers and …blah, I cannot remember the fourth type but it doesn’t matter in the context of this post…

Counsellors. Softer in nature, more approachable. Mediator. Concilliatory. Avoids conflicts. Tends to internalize thoughts. Generally the peace-maker.

Controllers. Wants to be in control and be seen in control. Tend to impose their views on others but not always in an uncompromising manner. Speaks up, speaks out, speaks more.

Engineers. Straight and less flexible compared to the other types. Rigid and unyielding at times. Less creative. Everything by the book.

It’s easy to tell which of the above I am. I am a “Counsellor”. I had a little of the other traits, but the test indicated that I was mainly a Counsellor. At least 80-90%.

It’s a little difficult. Working in a team where there’s a majority of Controllers and some Engineers around. Each having their ways of doing things. Each insisting on their views. Each wanting things to be done this way and not that way.

Recently, another Controller joined my team. He’s now the dominant Controller because he’s had more experience and greater knowledge. Loud voice too. He can be quiet and contemplative when mulling over an issue but when he wants to make a point known. He’ll talk the whole room down. And he sure can probe as hell. His questions strategically placed in conversations. One of those whom you know the mind is on a constant whir of activity. And one of those whom you find it hard to tell if he has a hidden agenda or not.

But, he is smart and very capable.

The team’s been plagued by MCs, reservists, child sick leave and blah blah. So we’ve been operating on a half-strength from time to time. When it gets back to the days when all are around in the office, I wonder if there’ll be more work discussions and disagreements on how to move forward.

Come to think of it, I think I actually am surrounded by a lot of Controllers. Whether in work or personal life. Haha…do Counsellors attract Controllers?

Mind Over Body!

I share a close office environment with about 4 other colleagues. 3 of them have taken turns to fall sick with high fever and cough…another one sitting slightly further away is away on long MC with chicken pox.

I hope I’m strong enough! Can’t fall sick with an exam in 3 weeks and my house renovation stuff happening!