Sigh. PEOPLE.

People. People. Human beings. All high and mighty like indeed they are the most superior creature to ever walk the Earth. They simply cannot get enough of their old royal-ness and glory can they?

This rant comes as a result of all the people that have been giving their certain 2-cents worth ever since the first CatCafe in Singapore popped up. Really, do you think your 2-cents worth is worth even 2-cents? Even a dust mite might be worth more. At least it makes things dusty. Your comment? Doesn't even leave a mark.

I can't help but get quite cynical here because these people really drive you nuts with their comments. It's astounding how they can carry on with their lives like they know everything and have an "everything they say is right and best" mindset and not have someone parang their noses off for being so pokey and annoying. Maybe Singapore is too safe, that's why everyone thinks they can do and say as they like. Sad thing it is, because it's so nice to be in a safe country, yet people turn nasty because of their sheltered lives.

I mean, saying a load of 'helpful comments' is real helpful when it just involves punching some letters and having them appear *Poof!* on the screen. And wala! They think the situation instantly resolves itself that way. No, my friends. It takes more than that. Did they even stop to think  how much effort and thought went into developing the whole cafe and what considerations they had put in for the customers, and the organisations that would be hot on their heels if anything went wrong? Did they even consider how you can't just compare two places that seem to offer the same services but at different prices and think they should be the same anyway? There's more to it than just saying put a monkey and a lion in the same cage together because they are both animals. Hey, everyone has their own situations to deal with. Sure, they can say anything they like and think it's real helpful because when anything happens, they don't have to lift a toenail anyway.

I just can't believe there are still people who believe in a free lunch in this world. They expect everything to be free! Free! So they can enjoy everything! Because they are entitled to it! Because they are worth it! Unfortunately, they ain't no Loreal ambassadors. They think they should be entitled to pay any amount they want rather than a fixed price. This is no charity. This is a place crafted and developed for people to enjoy to company of finely cared for animals, with specially selected artisan desserts and drinks. The CatCafe owners stated a price, and this is a price already way below what their furkids are worth, because they are truly treated and thought of as their own children, so how can people still complain that the price is not reasonable? They also try to compare it with Korean CatCafes and whatnot, where they have 30-odd cats and maybe only make you buy a drink instead of pay an entrance fee. But having more cats/charging a different fee doesn't make it a better establishment. Like how your math teacher will give you zero marks for the answer without the method. Actually I can't and don't want to comment further without having visited the places. But, as mentioned earlier, why compare when everyone has their own situations to deal with? And what of the "everyone who visits are cat lovers anyway! Just let them leave tips! They will!"? Then why even complain about the asking price? If they really loved cats and really wanted to visit, nothing will stop them from visiting, not the entrance fee to say the least.

Have they been to an animal shelter? Anyway, don't they think if the shelters started collecting an hourly rate for people visiting them, they would be able to provide a great deal more for the animals? They would be able to give the all the animals an air-conditioned environment perhaps, keep all the animals that are sent their way, treat all their illnesses that can be treated. Give them good food and nutrient supplements. Never have to put any of them down. They are also doing the best they can on what donations they receive. Still, countless people come and peer at the cats and leave nothing but footprint and a lost hope upon a little kitty wanting to be brought to a good home.

The Catcafe owners actually went through the effort of sourcing for premium grade drinks (imported) and desserts(all handmade by local bakeries) for the customer's enjoyment and still keep them at low prices. They even made sure to utilize only certified non-VOC emitting paint for their walls, the same for their wooden floorboards, even their vacuum cleaner and air purifier are from certified models that keep dust out of the air as properly as can be proper.

And about the phone. There is only one phone in the shop. And it had been ringing non-stop since reservations were open. So, if you didn't get through, it is because another call was being answered and not because the staff were ignoring calls or lazing about. And also, the human staff do not sleep in the shop, so please do not call after operating hours. Calls came in even after 10:30pm and who knows what kind of unearthly duration they continued calling for.

Having worked in various cafes, I've come across a myriad people, many of which are self-entitled kinds, thinking that you should still serve them even after the shop has closed, sometimes knocking rapidly on the glass walls to get your attention while you're frantically trying to settle the cash reports and hoping to go home on time... sometimes giving black faces because you've already closed the cashier and you can't take anymore orders as if you owed them for their missing dinner... sometimes giving suggestions like "oh just key in the amount tomorrow nevermind one!", like their grandfather owns the shop... sure, say we're not being flexible, but the part-time staff aren't the bosses and we don't go around doing what we like and acting like we own the shop, so why do some customers act that way? Give us a break man, everyone wants to go home sometime.

I seem to have drifted a little off-course. But I guess I've released what troubles I had in my mind. I certainly feel like one of those now who say what I wish and what I think makes sense. But with no other intention than to come to the defence of this humble little start-up because they are being bombarded with accusations left and right yet they have done nothing to deserve it.

Thank goodness they are still some good people in the world who are doing their best to reply those strange people as well.

I dreamt

of what it felt like to be obliterated by a nuclear bomb. That's the only part of the dream i remember. The part where everyone starts looking to the sky. I'm distracted, so by the time i look up, I just see a flash. Something angry and bright hit the land. And then I see the rolling smoke engulfed by waves of fiery hell. I probably only thought of trying for a second. Holding on to what i had. Pomelo was beside me. But we kinda knew there was no running. Within that crack in time where we glimpsed the crashing blaze, bursting upon the land, we knew it was the end.

I saw myself disintegrate in the wildfire. I was a shadow in the sunlight. 

Like a mistake in a halloween carving, broken shell, empty insides. 

Pieces of me scattered with the wind. That was my dream.

So, what does it mean? To have an apocalyptic dream? Usually when I dream of looking at the night sky, I see a sparkling sequinned velvet sky. Nebulae in iridescent hues and stars a plenty like spilt shimmer. This time, it was devastation.

Sigh.