Tag: friendship

Categories
Diary From the Attic

Let There Be … War?

Spent the whole day composing my status report.  This time I am sure I will start a war between the Technical and Functional Team.  Knowing that there will be a big meeting between the bosses of the two teams, I don’t want to know the result.

Just too much tension between the team.  And Michel is a truly racist.  Look at Claude, I feel heartbroken.  That guy was suffering with the report.  What have I done?  I never mean to cause anyone unhappiness.  And just today, everybody wanted to work with me for a few hours.  But I just didn’t have the time.  Shame.

I dined with Claude tonight.  He took me for a very long walk and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  He has shared a lot of his thinking with me and has truly enlightened my life.  The French restaurant was a very family type and the food was okay (although Claude really enjoyed it).  I will miss him for I will only be able to see him one day when I will be back in May and he will be heading to Cairo.

We smiled, shook hands, I stepped out of the Metro at Concord.  I looked back, smiled at him and gave him a final wave. Friends …

Categories
Diary From the Attic

Kids, More Kids

Called up Annie this morning and I think that her personally life is not a lot better than mine.  Think about all the loneliness.  She commented that the new friends she made in Singapore is nothing compare to the old ones.  Yes, I agree.  In that case, doubt if I can get a girlfriend better than … oh no!  Not again!

The people around me in the office, so many of them are having kids.  Small kids.  That makes me really long for a family of my own.

As for the new guy Federick, don’t think I know him well yet.  Maybe one day.  And today, I can feel that Aurore may dislike me.  Probably because of the result of the status report.

Come to think of it, it could have been very nice if JP and I actually work out.  My house.  My house.  And that’s lost.  Think about the physical separation.  With her, we are complete.  Without her, well …

Today, I have received the study version of Revelation from Athena.  She is really nice.  Really nice.

Categories
Diary From the Attic

Love is Strong?

Today I was totally immersed in boredom.  Think of what to do was really a pain.  Therefore I decided to write the weekly status report instead.  Really couldn’t spend the whole day doing it and hence, spent the rest of the day reading the VTF menu volume one.  Kind of a daft thing to do but hey, what the hack!

First thing in the morning, I called up Ginger.  Thought I have given her enough nightmare.  Just an apology.  This whole thing is a total bad experience.  Guess one has to go through some tough time (and decision) from time to time.

Received an email from my sister this morning.  A bit worry about whether George and her will work out.  I mean, I don’t really know that guy that well.  And he doesn’t like taking photo with my sister.  As said by her, probably only less than 10 photos.  Kind of sad.  I think I should write her a nice email explaining some sense into her mind.

From next week onwards, I will be working like a refugee (hey, today was spring cleaning).  As there will be a new guy coming in especially for the MUE project, I will lose my crappy working place.  And I have to work in another office.  Pretty sad again.

I knocked off at 5:45 and Claude took me for a nice walk showing me all the nice places.  Somehow I started off the topic about girlfriend and he told me that he has lost his girlfriend after his Sydney trip.  Pretty sad (again), isn’t it?  I understand that he has been with this girl for 1 year and she told him that she is not good enough for him and so on.  And she has been avoiding him lately.  Very similar story.  How come when it comes to the breakup, the girl is always the gentle one?

As for Laurent, few days ago, he told me that he was married.  He looked kind of young and I was in shock.  He then told me that his marriage has only lasted for a few months and he wife has left France.  What is love?  Kind of fragile, isn’t it? (As quoted from my sister)  But now, Laurent is with another girl.

These strike me really hard.  Is it really so hard to maintain a relationship, I am asking myself.  Does it mean that love never conquer distance?  I always think that love should be strong enough to withstand just anything.

As for Aurore, she once had a boyfriend but he lived very far away from her.  In the end, after influenced by the people in the office, she has broken off from her lover.

Distance.

Back to what I have done tonight.  I went out with some of the BNP team and had dinner near the Sacred Heart Church.  Very impressed by the way I talk.  I mean I could never make any decent long conversation before.  Munchie (nake name) told me that I am very different from HK guy and Singapore guy.  In the end, he told me it is the value that is different.

Went to Champs-Elysees, Virgin Mega Store and bought the new Depeche Mode CD.

Categories
Diary From the Attic

If Only Life Works out Differently

Last night I slept very late having online chat with a lot of great guys.  Somehow we went into the topic of writing literature, and this UK guy “Dead Calm” and I was talking about Swan Lake (one lady elegant, educated with American culture called Swan).  And we wrote a lot of stuffs online.  Finally I posted one of my message “Death Marriage” out and some guys even chatted with me privately and asked me who is author and so on.  I was so thrill and was really in joy.

Towards the end, I was chatting was an American woman and she suggested to have phone sex today.  And I didn’t call.

Therefore, I woke up feeling pretty bad.  Logged onto Notes and found that the office rejected my holiday plan (of paying).  Even I was worried that I do not possess a valid visa to USA.  What a bad day!

One more thing, a very bizarre dream.  I dreamt of visiting my ex.  I knocked onto the door and found two women inside her room.  It was kind of an authentic place.  Small room with wooden furniture.  A small bed with bed light.  A table and a very decent window.  It must be evening.  I asked for my ex.  One of the women asked another one to leave the room and vaguely she (the one who remained in the room) told me that my ex had left and would not want to see me.

Then she told me I can sleep on the right side of the bed while she would talk the left side.  And suddenly a drop dead beautiful (white) lady who dressed like an angel came into the room.  Talked to me but I hardly remember what she said!  All I could remember was she was very pleasant.

And she left the room.  My ex walked in.  She looked so thin!  And she sat down by the bed.  I sat next to her and began to chat.  And she looked darker as well.  I touched her fingers and all a sudden, I found that she was actually me!

And I woke up.

I asked Mohamed and he has no answer for me.

Today I told Mohamed in a very convincing voice: I want to go home.  Really, I am tired of being in Paris.  I miss JP a lot.  Tonight after a dinner at my favorite restaurant, I thought of buying my friends presents (budget FF1,000) and I want to buy JP one too.  Oh, I miss her.  If only life works out differently.

Categories
Diary From the Attic

Friends to Confide In

This morning was such a good start.  Francis called me up at 8 and I had a nice good chat with him.  Basically, his advise was to remain in VTF until promotion.  He is currently into J P Morgan project doing some Year 2000 enhancements.  He would love to bring me in but he is thinking about my future as well.  Nice guy.

Had enough sleep, that’s the key to start a good day.  This morning, I had nothing to do so I went up to see Lionel and discussed with the Functional Team about MUE.  I think “New Sophie” is quite charming.

Had lunch with Mohamed and we ate pizza.  Had dinner with him again and ate Tunisian food.  That guy is seriously thinking of quitting the firm and I do not object his doing so.  I mean he has not been treated correctly.  Screwed up management, that is. 

Categories
Diary From the Attic

My Partner of Life Would be Ideally …

Woke up at ten.  First time in history because Cecile invited me for a lunch at her place.  I mean Cecile is quite a woman.  French woman and truly feminine. I  have never seem someone as feminine as her.  Wow!  She is slim with 2 kids (and not married!).  Her boyfriend come home once in a week (I guess) and she has to take care of 2 kids of theirs.  Quite incredible.  And she reads a lot of books as well and she knows quite a number of poems.

That makes me wonder who shall be my partner of life. She would be ideally:

  • Feminine
  • Love children
  • Have strong opinion of her own (and clever)
  • Like to read and appreciate literature (hopefully be artistic)
  • Give me security and love me
  • Get along well with my family
  • Love nature

Cecile’s friend is a civil engineer and he has got a wife and a kid as well.  Hence throughout the whole Saturday afternoon, I was with three kids.  Do I like kids at all?  Maybe I do love to have my own kids.

And in the evening, I met up with Alvin and Pui (from HK).  I seriously think there is something going on between those two.  I hate to go out in threesome.  I swear I shall try to avoid this in the future.  We had Mexican food before the movie (Dante’s Peak).  I kind of like the visual effect but I don’t think they appreciated it at all.  Too picky.

I suggested to take a walk to the Eiffel Tower but it was not lit up at all.  We wanted to have a drink but there wasn’t any at that area.  We then went to Rue Montmartre (near their hotel) and had a drink.  It was a Karaoke Bar and I had a beer.

Too much alcohol nowadays and I do have craving for alcohol.  Kind of scary, isn’t it?

Categories
Diary From the Attic

Remembering the Small Details Is Not Pretty

Today, everybody in the office felt like Friday, except today was not Friday.  It was Wednesday instead.  Had a long phone conversation with Grace last night and feel kind of a little bit better.  I do need friend.  And today, I received one message from Erica (Sam’s wife) and she is ever so positive.  I definitely feel a lot better.

Didn’t know that Grace had a 5 years relationship with an Irish.  Went to a Jewish restaurant with her and the food was not very impressive.  As always, had a very long walk with her.  Really lost track of time.

What else?  Busy sorting out the bills for the time report.

Do I still think of JP?  Yes, from time to time.  Sometimes remembering the small details is not pretty.  I really miss her.  Is it love due to obsession?  I think so.

Categories
Diary From the Attic

There Won’t be Any Life Form Beyond Earth

Something really goes wrong with Mohamed and he is offending everybody in the office.  Just this morning, Michel was trying to talk to Mohamed (in a very angry way I suppose) asking him why he never talked to any body.  And asked if he had done any wrong.  Finally he said that he couldn’t work in this office anymore. I really didn’t know what to say but tried to keep quiet.

Wherever I go, I seem to be able to bring joy to people around me.  Today, Aurore was laughing in tears.  But me?  I believe in joy depletion.  On the surface, I may seem very joyful but deep inside, well …

SIR progress was going so well and I am so happy.

Tonight, I went to Michel’s place for dinner.  His brother (John) and sister-in-law (Diane) was there and one of his friend (Ariane) was there too.  John is a painter and he was showing us all the photos of his great work.  Got to say that guy is artistic and we went on and on about inspiration.  They have a dog as well.  One day I may convert into a dog lover.  But one thing about dogs is, it can be very frustrating as their intelligent level is very limited.

And Ariane, that guy is unbelievable.  He is actually a PHD holder and he is now working as a geologist.  And during his university life, he was studying Martian Volcano through satellite images.  Wow!  And he believes that their will not be any life form beyond Earth.  He said that we will not be able to find any life as our perception on life.  Interesting thought.

Categories
Diary From the Attic

An Unexpected Dinner Invitation

It was Monday morning and I was so glad that I was back to work.  At least there was someone I could talk to.  Miracle happened and I woke up at 6:30 am.  And I couldn’t go back to sleep.  Therefore I replied a few emails to my friends and sister and went to work at 8:30 am.  Anyway, I had a very important status report to write (to all the SocGen big bosses this time).  And I promised to give Nicholas and Willie a SIR to work with.  Spent the whole afternoon doing the BG transaction advice SIR and probably will spend the next two days doing the BG reversal advice.  It’s so boring, but that’s work.

Unexpectedly, Michel invited me to have a dinner with his wife.  Initially, we were talking about Chinese Food and I told him that I can never find a good Chinese restaurant in Paris.  And he told me that there were quite a few good ones near where he lived.

So I said, okay I would come with you if you don’t mind.  By the time we arrived at the train station near his place, his wife was already waiting in the car.  And they drove me to their place and had aperitif (whisky for me).  And we drove down to a Chinese restaurant.  That waiter didn’t speak Cantonese at all.  What a disappointment.  The food was good and we chatted quite a fair bit.  Michel was a good translator (as his wife, Mirela, doesn’t speak English at all).  We talked a bit about Romania as well (where they are from).  They planned to take me out one weekend.  How nice! (And they played Mylene Farmer in the car, just perfect)

One of the happiest night in Paris.

Categories
Diary From the Attic

What Can We Do Without Friends?

Today was probably the best weekend I had so far.  My good buddy Mohamed has come out and met up with me.  He rang me up at midday (as promised) and told me that although Claude would not be able to join us tonight, he would be able to join me for the evening.  I was so delighted as I was expecting that he would say no.  And it took us 5 minutes to decide where to meet (as I don’t know Paris that well). I n the end, we decided to meet up at Chatelet FNAC.

We then took a walk to Saint Michel and in the end, we agreed to have Italian food.  At first he told me that’s up to me and I replied him that I have been deciding where to go for food for the past don’t know how many nights, I would not decide tonight.  And there you go, we had Italian food.  The meal I would say was nothing fantastic at all but hey, I have a company.

And surprisingly, he didn’t want to go back home immediately after the meal and he even suggested going for a show.  Wow! And this time  I chose to watch Al Pacino’s “Looking for Richard”. (I asked Mohamed after we have been seated, “When was the last time you watched a movie.” He replied, “5 years ago”.)

I am a big fan of Al Pacino so to me, the show was great.  You could really sit down for 2 hours simply appreciating his acting.  Shakespeare’s work may somehow sound boring, but not this one.  One may think that it is a documentary more than a film.  I agree that there is certainly some element of documentary but without doing so, I don’t think more than 90% of the audience will enjoy it.  The switch between the play and real life dialogue was fantastic.  Everything at the right moment.

So what have I done today?  Well, bought some fruit and actually seriously hunting (shopping) for a scarf and a pair of gloves and couldn’t find anyone I like.  Maybe next weekend.