Talk about first impressions

Sadly, I'm back in the office at such hours again. Ended up listening to my manager's plea that she doesn't have enough time to plan for another person to replace me for the midnight shift. I could have insisted that I didn't want to, but then I start to think about the damn PSP that I lost back in May and that the pay for this 4 days will come in handy as a form of compensation to the PSP's owner. Hardly motivating, I know. But I've worked more days for nothing before. (my $600 debt) Enough about that, it's one of those "memory lanes" that I do not wish to walk into again.


I was purchasing some stuff at 7-11 right before heading off to work today and there was this not-so-friendly looking guy in his early 20s, dressed in singlet and bermudas and had his body filled up with tatoos. I overheard him asking the cashier if she has any idea where the super glue was. The cashier then pointed it out to him where it was and he had that relieved look on his face.


And it's amazing how fast and possibly inaccurate that I made an assumption about him. "He must be a glue-sniffer" was the first thing that popped into my mind. Makes me feel guilty how I stereotyped him. Tatoos + unfriendly looking + glue = glue sniffer.


But to my credit, I started reasoning with myself that he might not be a glue sniffer. Firstly, isn't super glue a tad too expensive to be used for glue-sniffing? Secondly, he might have broken something in his house and it needs to be fixed asap? And thirdly, he might be using it to fill up somebody's house's keyhole because the fella didn't pay up what he owed? He might be a loan shark instead! Tatoos + unfriendly looking + glue = loan shark harassing people.


It's indeed not easy to not stereotype people.

Speaking of first impressions, I personally do feel that I do not impress people upon the first time meeting them. I've gotten that I look like a smoker a lot. (which is so untrue because I will never smoke, sumpa kuajikualampa). I've gotten I look like a slacker too. (somehow I find this hard to deny) and a lot more negative stuff. Even my ex-boss said I wasn't presentable enough to meet clients. But presentable enough to do an awful lot of sai gang. Ouch.


But hey, it's just that these people haven't got to know me yet. Those who got to know me afterwards all say the same thing about me. That I'm the nicest, sweetest, and possibly the most deluded person on Earth.


However, it's true when they say "How many people do you think will give you the opportunity to show them the real you?" Not many, I'm afraid. Which is why first impressions is so important. And besides you feel good when you look good.

I can't remember the last time I felt good looking good though. It doesn't help when you have to wear a helmet that flattens your hair so much so that it makes you look ridiculously stupid. It doesn't help that my sleeping patterns is so varied that it leaves me looking as though I haven't slept for days. I swear I have that not-enough-sleep look in all my photos in Facebook.


It's amazing how easy I can achieve that "get out of bed" look. Unintentionally of course.

And I'm getting skinnier by the minute, so much so that Wei Jie has been reminding me that I've failed to finish my food even when I leave a crumb behind.


With that, I've identified three key areas that I should work upon. My hair, my sleepy look and my physique. But with National Service looming so near ahead, who needs to impress girls and bosses when all you need to do is to hang out with some insects and ghosts in the forest?

Guess first impressions has to take a backseat for now.