In Print

Many moons ago, on the night (yes, night ~ don't ask) that my high school results were released to me over the phone (again ~ don't ask), some of the statements made by the family as we gathered around the white board against the phone in my grandfather's house were:

1. Hey - those science subjects scores would net us a bundle at the Genting casino!
2. Awww.. a couple of points shy of Grade 1
3. Don't worry - I can get you a job as a cashier at the bank

Sure I'm not the booksmart type of person. And if the high school year book went by the American penchant of listing a section of "Most likely to..." I would have bagged the one that said "lead a quiet, unassuming and unexciting mediocre life." IN ALL HONESTY - coming to where I have come today, professionally, no one would have dared dream of it back then (and perhaps even along the way not in the distant past!)

These are really bags of potatoes that I should cast and abandon but I choose to remember them today, of all days. For I have, against the odds stacked against me, reached another ambition that I have always held dear. Cos you see, back then, choices of higher education were limited to you if you were not a distinction scholar. And my choices of mass communications at a polytechnic in Singapore were written off automatically with my results.

I have in my last employment reached one of the ambitions - to be in the hospitality industry, and again, if not for an employer who wanted someone without any industry background, I wouldn't have gotten that opportunity. And heck - I dare say I did well. Pretty darn well, in fact.

And today, I have reached another with Man Gone Down.

It may be a small thing, in an insignificant section of the weekend papers. But as bff Mandy says: I would beam with pride today. And indeed I am, considering that once, my only option of earning a living as to be a bank teller, a position that would have only begotten with strings pulled.

No one pulled any strings to see my name in print today. And it's really a long way from that dark night back in '93.

It sure is something when you see your signature Loaded lines become acceptable and appear in print!