Titled “4.6 Billion Years of Love” in Japanese, the metaphors felt very out of place. There was an ancient pyramid (that signified the pathway to heaven) that oddly sits next to the prison, which was the central stage for the whole movie. There was also an inexplicable giant space rocket sitting in a nearby gantry (that signified the path to space). I don’t really get the whole movie actually. I could tell it was a mystery thriller that unfolded before my eyes, but I just wish it was unfolded in an easier way instead of unfolding a little, folding again, and then unfolding the same spot, and then folding another corner. Watching the movie was akin to watching a stage play, only more tiring and less enjoyable.

And what’s the deal with the half-naked tattooed guy performing modern dance? If it was meant to tantalize using homoerotism, I hope it worked on the half-filled theatre filled with 90% of men of dubious sexual orientation.

Maybe I just can’t appreciate this sort of artistic flick. I’ve googled the movie and read reviews but don’t blame myself for not appreciating it. I still think it’s crap despite it having been screened at Toronto’s International Film Festival. What’s the point of adorning something so much when you don’t get your message across clearly?

16.5 hours, 100 over items, and 26 transactions at 30 degrees celsius. With a salary of less than a dollar per hour, it was a test of patience, self-entertaining skills, and the limit of our stomachs (overload of snacks, teh tariks, and teh chinos) over the last 2 days.

It was great, and we thank all supporters (albeit few). Cheers to my fellow CEOs of the business and I’m glad sales was more than anticipated.

Flea markets are worth a look-see once in a while, for you can really find plenty of miscellaneous stuff and possible good-finds. Try selling the barang barang from your home too if you have an afternoon’s worth of time. You never know what kind of transaction you might get. Try not to sell gifts from friends though, because you never know when your dear friend might suddenly pop by. A friendship is not worth being jeopardized by a few dollars.

Our little space was rented from Far East Square, which is manned by a rather gungho and easy-to-talk-to Auntie, Mrs Tan, contactable at 91099055. You pay 10 dollars for that 5ft by 5ft space for 12pm-10pm, complete with funny anecdotes from this stylish lady boss.

Although not a very lucrative business, it was a memorable experience of setting up and tearing down of the stall, and the attempts to sell the items to customers. Screw-ups were inevitable — inaccurate quotings of prices after declaring a half-price sale, and desperation was exhibited — the strive to convince a customer to buy a fortune-god-design pen by singing the cai shen dao song. I’ve also caught the flu, but it signifies a close relationship between us sellers and the dedication we had towards what others look at as just a mat on the ground. Now I can tick it off my list of ‘Things to Do/Try Before I Die’.

Far East Square Flea Market, every weekend, from 12pm - 7pm (Rent is till 10pm, but no one really stays till that late)


The 3 CEOs looking damn sian from low sales in the afternoon.

Time to call it a day!

We resorted to using this remote control car to attract customers to our stall on the 2nd day.

The thing about working in an environment where most of your colleagues are more than a decade older than you is the risk of realizing your auntie potential.

I postponed my prior appointment with the HR officer who hired me simply because I wanted to join the Auntie gang. I spotted a value-for-money promotion in today’s Today, whereby one could buy a can of New Moon Abalone for an offer price of $36.80, and even receive a free 1kg pack of New Moon rice at Carrefour.

The Aunties in my department most naturally spotted the advertisement before me, and were excited about going there during lunch. Somehow I didn’t feel bad about cancelling my appointment with the HR officer, even after confirming it with her just this morning (it was first discussed on Wednesday morning), because I fancied shopping at Carrefour more.

So we hurriedly left the office at 12pm (the usual lunch hour is around 12.30pm), and took the shuttle bus to Suntec City and started queuing up for the cans of abalone. Knowing that we didn’t have enough time to sit down somewhere to have lunch, a colleague and I went to buy lunch for the rest of us whilst the Aunties were queuing. When I rejoined them in the queue, somehow the aunties behind us and I started discussing about the offer. The thing is, I didn’t exactly want the abalone, I was just enjoying myself helping my colleague with my presence since each person could only buy a maximum of 2 cans.

If you saw me in the queue for the shuttle bus back to City Hall MRT, you would have identified me as a bona fide Auntie, carrying a bag with cans of abalone and a pack of rice on one arm, a takeaway container of laksa on the other, and eating ice-cream (my colleague’s treat for helping her being able to get more abalone) at the same time whilst waiting for the bus. You would also have been able to confirm your classification of me as an auntie if only you saw how I was as kiasu as to stand at the front of the bus to alight before the bus halted.

Have I found my niche?