Just Another Day in the Office

I just grabbed a bottle of Coca-Cola that boldly claims to have the "original taste" with less sugar. Now, let’s talk about how I got it. This bottle has actually been in my possession since last week, during which I consumed approximately 45% of it. (Yes, I did the math.) I acquired it from a meeting room in my company, previously occupied by my US colleague. Classic American behavior—there were McDonald's wrappers, a Coca-Cola bottle, and even a Starbucks cup. If that doesn’t scream “American starter pack,” I don’t know what does.

Now, about these less sugar or zero sugar claims—yeah, I don’t buy it. I’ve tried them all before. “Less sugar” might be a thing, but “zero sugar”? Nah. It’s still sweet as hell. No sugar? Probably just some sneaky sweetener they don’t want us questioning too much. And yes, I fully subscribe to the belief that sugary drinks mess up your skin. It’s not instant, but it’s a slow, inevitable betrayal—wrinkles, dullness, a slight yellowish tint. Basically, this Coca-Cola is likely the first and last bottle I’ll have this year. Gotta protect the skin.

Speaking of skin, I’ve noticed that being stress-free is also the secret to clear skin. Coming from someone who had battlefield-level acne during puberty, I can confirm. There were exactly two times in my life when my skin was flawless:

1. During my internship—zero responsibilities, no stress, just vibes.

2. During my first night shift job—also zero stress, just a weirdly peaceful time in my life.

Ah, the good ol’ days.

Tomorrow, the ultimate American big boss is visiting our company for a grand tour of all departments. Naturally, today was dedicated to staging the perfect workplace. Everyone was scrambling to clean up, organize, and pretend like we operate at this standard every day. The internal team even held a rehearsal—yes, a full-on practice run—just to prepare for this guy’s visit. It’s basically a Broadway performance, except the audience is just one very important American man. Honestly, why can’t they maintain this level of organization every day instead of turning the office into a film set once a VIP arrives? The Oscars should be handing out awards here:

🏆 Best Actor

🏆 Best Actress

🏆 Best Supporting Role in “Pretending We Have Our Sh*t Together”

Not everyone’s participating in this charade, though. Some of us (me included) simply do not care.

On a different note, I ran into my casual lunch buddy, LB, at the MRT station today. She hit me with, "Hey, how’s it going? Have you resigned yet?" Because yes, I have told her about my resignation plans, and her lack of surprise was truly impressive. Plot twist—she is also planning to quit soon. Apparently, she’s waiting until after her holiday. She’s taking extended leave for Qingming Festival since she missed going home for Chinese New Year. And get this—she’s even planning to bring gifts back for her colleagues. She said, "My colleagues are good people. It’s just the environment that makes me want to leave."

Girl, same.

My colleagues are great (excluding my lousy manager, of course), but the work environment? Toxic. Hopeless. The ones who stay the longest are the ones who adapt, blend in, and accept that change is a myth. Me? I’m just a small fish in this messed-up pond. If I can’t change anything, then I’ll be the one who leaves in search of better waters.

Side note—another friend of mine, K (not K from New Zealand, but K from our River Wonders trip), is currently in Japan. She spammed me with pictures of Snoopy merch because she knows I have no self-control. Obviously, I had to get one. After much internal debate, I chose this adorable guy. The moment I saw him in the picture, I knew—it was love at first sight. He looks so soft and cuddly.

I seriously cannot wait for K to bring him back.

Come to mama!