Another late night! Just got back from Sun Plaza, finally getting June to watch Troy with me. We were supposed to go last night, then she remembered it was the last episode of the HK serial she's been following on cable TV, so we postponed it to this evening.

No regrets watching Troy a second time. Very humanistic, aethiestic portrayal where the main theme is not to trust too much in the Gods or reality will hit you smack in the face. Achilles says, "The Gods envy us... because we are mortal." I guess so, and all the heroes go off to seek immortality on their own terms, in death and death-dealing. Ironic but how else, if the Gods are not on your side? That says a lot about the kind of wars we face especially today, if you think about it.

Have a blah workshop to attend tomorrow morning. Something about the new, improved job appraisal system. Hmm... I joined Education to get away from this industrial rating system, but I guess there's no getting away from annual assessments, tests and appraisals even when you are this close to your 4th decade. If ever there's a course I would have to attend with a bad attitude, this would be it. If the tests were more real or realistic, then I would be just fine, but I suspect this series of tests will only reward those who show more agreement and support for the Emperor's new clothes. I wonder if our students feel the same way about the tests they have to take? Probably.

Lunched with Anthony and Cara at Katong Laksa, located at the junction of Boundary and Paya Lebar. The outlet is smart enough to keep the sambal on the side so patrons can choose how much of the deadly toxin they will add into their own dish. With my delicate stomach, I kept the sambal completely at bay and had my laksa totally mild. Thus I had the best of both worlds, the potent lemak flavour without the eventual regret of having flaming innards and a case of the runs. Today I wimped out, so sue me! We went whole hog with an unhealthy lunch, washing down our laksa with a whole coconut each including both the water and the meat. Not being used to opening my own coconut (even though it's been commercially packed and pre-cut) in my struggle to get the top off I succeeded also in getting my shirt front splashed with coconut water. I also wasted quite a bit of water pouring it into my cup of ice. Anthony learns fast from other people's mistakes. Thinking laterally, he poured the ice into the coconut instead. No wonder Dad always told me never to be a doofus (do-first). Watch. Observe. Learn. Oh well, Dad can always adopt Anthony if he wants.