Suntec

Last Friday my workplace successfully relocated to a temporary office in Toa Payoh. I was supposed to be the rep overseeing our department's relocation but I had to be at Suntec for a series of IMF briefings on the same day. Hence I had no choice but to ask my colleague to cover for me. That sucked as I hate to inconvenient people. INTJs all over the world hate to do this and being a control freak virgo, that made it more unbecoming.

Some of my colleagues who are involved in the IMF took the time to return to the office after lunch time for some photo-memories opportunity. The whole building will be torn down and in about 2 years time a new spanking building / HUB shall be in place. I'm not so attached to the physicality of the building to warrant a photo-op, I guess as a new officer who had joined April last year I see much impermanence everywhere in that place to imbue sentimental reasons. For me it's the company of people that you keep and the various artifacts and memorabilia which resurfaced during the housekeeping that tell a great story.

And today there was yet another final briefing, which I totally forgot to inform the office until about 10am when a colleague called me up to inquire if I was coming in. I felt rather lame. I think I'm giving INTJs a bad name. Plus I thought I was not helping matters when I did not carry my old phone or divert its number to the Nokia E-70 which the S2006 had issued us.

Security at Suntec is tight as you can expect good old Singapore preempts everything in order for the events to go clockwork. Stepping into Suntec, I was awashed at the sight of so many security people miling about the place. Is this all necessary? I thought.

Already the roads leading to Suntec and Esplanade were blocked, plus you won't be expecting any road demonstration, because all elements the government considers as irksome and a threat to security did not get any permit or had been banned from entering the country. My mind wandered to the movie Aeon Flux. It was far too sanitised, though I can understand the national interest in protecting public property and lives far outweighs any criticism. In the meantime I had to get use to seeing all the policemen, army personnel, security in plainclothes, and gurkhas carrying big long sachels stationed at each meeting rooms and sensitive areas. No Charlize Theron in sight.

There was a final briefing, a quick check on our mode of communication and its server load, a group chat and consolidation with our supervisors, lunch, a tour of Suntec and recce to respective hotels. All systems go. The jacket I sent for alteration better turn out good.

An ex-colleague and his wife 'blanja' M and I dinner last Saturday. Terimakasih eh... Some quality time with M followed naturally. Hehe.. She just finished 9 straight days of work. Yeah, one of those crazy rosters in the name of resource management. Poor luv. I could feel the stress she's been going through, then again what do I know?