26 December 2006

Near miss

There must still be many things I and a busload of people were meant to do in this world. That's why I am still here in this world, along with all of them...

For our big day out last week, our all-work X-mas lunch, we travelled on this bus....to our destination – a bowling club.




After the fun and all that, when we were returning, the bus we were seated in, being a double-decker and far too tall for this sort of fun and games, ploughed through the power/phone cables. And caused a wooden pole to snap off and do this.....





...and this...




No one was hurt except the car and the pole that snapped right off to fall on the car.

And we learnt later that the only reason that all the people in the car and the bus walked away unscathed was that it was the phone cable that had snapped off and fallen on both the vehicles (assumption). Had it been the power cable, we were told, we would have been totally fried....or something similar.

As I said before, there are many things I still haven't finished doing in this world. There is a purpose and reason I still haven’t fulfilled - that is why I still haven't shed this mortal coil.

Too often, we long for adventure in our mundane humdrum lives. Probably have to exclude adventures of this sort. Getting far too old for all this.

In the meanwhile, here's wishing you all a very happy new year. I've got to run - Boxing Day sales on everywhere and I still have to pick up many things - don't quite know where I'll fit them all in the house....
And sparing a thought for all the Boxing Day tsunami victims on this second anniversary....
Cheers, everybody...

19 December 2006

Sillly season

That means lunches, eats, and SOCIALISING!!! with a vengeance.

There are about a 100 people where I work. And so far, I've had 3 x-mas lucnhes. Luckily not with all the 100. I am planning on skipping the next one (tomorrow).

The first was only with our immediate team and we were wined and dined @ one of Wlg's (arguably) finest restaurants - Logan Brown. Of course, being vegetarian and teetotaller might hamper some people's style ;-) This was really nice as it was only five of us. That was in late-Nov. And the amount of wine was moderate, as all of us were 'mature' beings well aware of the limits (ok, the truth was that we had to go back to work after that lunch). And I remeber it for mainly good food and a detailed discussion on what deja vu actually means.

Then, our whole 'unit' (whatever that means) that has about 20 people in it, went out for the 'unit' lunch a couple of weeks ago. This time, there were a few youngsters and the likker was flowing. Bring it on, they said, and every five minutes, the decibel level and number of risque jokess kept going up. And I never said it was only the men. Those who laughed loudest and made the dirtiest jokes were young and female. I was ok with this lunch too and actually found something to veggie to eat.

Then came our 'all-office' lunch. I was petrified to say the least. Going out to lunch with 100 people, 75% of whom I don't even know. Way out of my comfort zone, even if I am quite good at pretending to 'do' the social thing. And at a mystery location. Luckily, it wasn't a formal setting - it was a bowling club. And by virtue of sticking to known and nice mates, I managed.

In fact, quite enjoyed seeing other people get a bit sloshed and acting quite silly. Of course, I didn't hang around long enough to see anyone get really and totally pissed. Thankfully this year's compulsary socialising is over. And the reward? Time off from Friday afternoon (Dec 22) till Jan 3 morning.

Of course, had a near miss too. That shall be the next post. Have a great holiday season and all that...

11 December 2006

Retail-therapied till I dropped, over the weekend....what fun!!
Although I am drowning in a deluge of guilt now at the spending....

7 December 2006

My good deed for the day

Putting up all the X-mas decorations at work single-handedly.......well, maybe not single-handedly, but I did do my bit.
And it all looks so nice and festive with reds and greens and the tinsel and the fairy lights and x-mas trees...not to forget the carols.

4 December 2006

Christmas carols

I can hear them - they are just outside work now at lunch time.
Although there is no snow only rain now....never mind that it is offcially the 4th day of summer here......

And homeward-bound
AT least half the set of freinds and acquaintances are in the process of, or have already, gone to India. Things kind of quieten down now..and as ever, the urge to go is there. Only have to keep reminding myself of totally unimportant but necessary things like money, leave, and that fact taht I got back only this Jan from India.