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What they never taught you in school

1. Verbal communication.
Manager 1 at work, is very fond of picking up the phone and answering it with a 亲爱的... in that ultra ultra whiny tone.
And the stuff that she says.. its as if she is perpetually horny can?
(fact: she is close to 50)

Manager 2 loves to scream on the phone. When I say s-c-r-e-a-m. I meant literally scream.
Excerpt of the conversation between manager and vendor:
Manager 2: HELEN LOH (note name is fake), WHERE IS MY SAMPLES
-silence-
Manager 2: I DON"T CARE. I WANT THEM TODAY. YOU WANT ME TO DIE? #*)$(*#@)($*)#@(% (insert hokkien vulgarities)
-hangs up with a LOUD SLAM-

What I cannot understand, is the stuff exchanged during the conversation. As managers shouldn't you really have some standard?

2. Dialects

I am not huge on dialects. They never really allowed dialects in school. And worse, in my school, we hardly even hard mandarin along the corridors, let alone dialects of any kind. (except vulgarities)
In fact, the only time you hear me speaking hokkien is when I am alone with my grandma. I won't even speak hokkien to my grandma in front of others. I don't know. I just feel too self conscious.
But at work.
Everyday, I am boggled with dialects.
Be it hokkien or cantonese.
I have colleagues speaking to me, relating their tales to me in hokkien. And though I understand.. I just cannot reply in hokkien.
So its ultra weird, for me to reply in English, whilst they speak in hokkien. In fact, I never speak to my colleagues in mandarin (except for the lady from China).
But our vendors are mostly Malaysians. So I have no choice but to learn mandarin from them.
But truly, I can't write for nuts.

I think, they should teach dialect in school.
Really.
At least, then I think I can communicate better with my colleagues and the folks in HK.
Either that, or I am working in a truly auntie-ish environment.

3. Emailing

Sometimes, I get so frustrated reading emails, I swear I truly want to slam my head on my table. Its tough understanding emails, and its tough trying to conceal anger in emails. You push everything to the in-between-the-lines.
THAT is definitely never taught in school. How we try to be sacarstic, or conceal meanings within statements.

--
We have been very free at work lately.
So much so, boss and I have indulged in gossips, discussions, snacks etc.
In fact, we have been competing, on who can leave at 5:30pm sharp everyday.
Went out to a factory today in Lower Delta.
I love factory visits.
Cos I get to leave office for that 3 hours or so and time seemingly passes faster thereafter.

Oh boy, the owner of the factory is a couple, who have been together for a mighty long time.
You should see how lovey dovey they are.
Together for like close to 30 years already.
And they are still holding hands can.
How can?
Life is unfair.

Everytime, I see those old couples.
Greying hair, strolling really really slowly on the streets, holding hands.
And the guy still watches out for the girl, making sure she watch that stone in her path.. pointing it out for her.
It just warms my heart.
And I wish someday, I will find that someone who will point that stone out in my path for me when I am 50years old.

Then again, I might not even live till 50.
Sigh.

On a different note altogether, I heard a horror of all horror stories today from my colleague.
I was soooo upset.. I nearly lost my appetite during lunch.
Apparently, her girlfriend's husband walked out on her.
Ok, I fumed at that. But its so bloody common these days.
BUT, this girlfriend of hers just gave birth can..
The baby is only like 2 months old, and he cold heartedly walked out on her.
And he left her for a younger girl.

Its so damn sad can.
How can any responsible guy do that to a girl?
What happened to commitment and responsiblity?
And that poor baby.
Oh boy.

I can imagine just how devstated I would be.
I would surely gas myself and the baby, should my husband, and the father of my baby ever do that to me.
DIE DIE DIE.

Men.