| Go green, totto-chan |
[Jun. 15th, 2009|12:23 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  peaceful | ] |
I woke up this morning feeling tired, loved and young. Tired because 7 am is a tragic time to be awakened post-beach holiday, loved because God is love and my friends are pwnage, young because I know I'll be eighteen for (at least) another two years :')
Right now I'm sitting at the front desk of Toshiba Asia-Pacific as their superheroine receptionist, approximately the time I first saw this world nineteen years ago. The Japanese are everywhere, seriously, all the heads and shoulders and armpits (the vital parts) of the organisation are nihonjins. And what I'm basically being paid to do on my birthday is answer phone calls, distribute letters/courier mail etc, make car reservations. It's not fun at all, alone at the front desk getting a tad too stressed over phone calls, people who speak Japanese (I should never have quit 3rd lang), taking the temperatures of visitors; but at least they greet me the way I think everybody should greet each other. The suzukis are really quite an admirable race, as I've discovered thanks to wikipedia. They are so loyal to other members in their keiretsu and allied keiretsu that it extends to even their personal lives, as far as the beer the employees consume, which in Toshiba's case is Asahi.
Today, I got to welcome apple-cheeked Japanese people today. The men, put in a zealous manner, are mostly rosy, extremely attractive people. And I got to take their temperatures!!!! (Almost as exciting as Piong's Mr Darcy) But what I like best about the Japanese people, men and women alike, is how they treat everybody with grace and bows. They bow when you open the door, bow until the lift doors close then bow and bow and bow and bow. Furthermore, their pretty names put a smile about my face.
There is an environmental policy plaque hung victoriously on the wall. Victorious, I'd say, especially for Toshiba. Many companies pledge to be "green", but few wholeheartedly dedicate their ways, convenience, working environment of their employees to conserving resources. Toshiba is one of 'em. It isn't just about the plaque, for words are but empty if not acted upon. They have international procurement offices all over the world, "let's go green!" bins every few desks, and an active effort to reduce the reams of paper used by the employees. I am very, very impressed. I would definitely want to work in an organisation like Toshiba.
Point is, I quite liked how today turned out, even though I was previously whining about accepting this stint. Stuck behind this desk all alone, with people who don't really care about me except the aunty that makes coffee in the pantry, hiding from daylight instead of chasing it. It's mostly the alone part. But now that I've spent the day in solitude, I guess I'm quite happy that I had myself for company. It is befitting as we spend most of our lives alone anyway. Who says we're all in this together?
What I've concluded is that my birthday should not be all about me. Ideally, I'd love to be doing something that made someone else happy. Give my friends cards, be somewhere with someone who needs somebody. I did that in 2004 but was too young then to appreciate what birthdays should be all about. It's about the miracle of life, as every day is, and knowing that this breath I have is from God and my friends and family are here for me to love and treasure them. Sure I have made mistakes this past year, neglected things and people and admittedly, I have not celebrated Life and Love as much as I would like. The past few months have been spiritually exciting for me; the downs all there to elevate the highs. I cannot begin to imagine what the next twelve months are going to be like. Much much change that I anticipate and dread. Friends leaving, many friends leaving, new school, 750, worship. I think I'm gonna be a sad sad girl when both Denny and Piong are gone.
Hanniway, I wanna thank God for this life these shoes that He has destined for me to walk in. For me to be here, as Bill Bryson cleverly puts it, trillions of drifting atoms have somehow assembled in a curious and obliging way to create me. And I'm ever so thankful because I get to experience this universe, this world and see the things that so many other atoms never got to see, not that they know what they're missing out on. |
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puddleofredwine's journal
gloomy
accomplished
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contemplative
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exhausted
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