Don’t know how to describe today.  A roller coaster ride of sorts.  I recd good news, sad news and also 1 shocking news. Detailed in the 3 paragraphs below:
 
1st thing in the morning, recd great news that an old classmate from 2ndary sch, now residing in Ohio (hope i got the state/city right), has just given birth to a healthy baby boy.  I’m extremely happy for her knowing that she and hubby had been trying for a baby for a while now.  I felt great knowing that now, she too will experience the joys (and pain) of motherhood, as I have in the recent years and many more (years to come).  Congrats dear Florence! 
 
But then, just before 10am, I recd an sms fr a fren that the father of a another good friend of mine has just passed away.  The news deeply saddens me knowing how close he was to his dad.  They play ball together n join triathlon (the real thing) competitions together.  He always spoke of his dad with great pride and enthusiasm.  I searched my hp but his #'s no longer there.  I remember now, it was in my old phone before I was robbed and lost it sometime ago.  I wrote a couple of emails and by noon, got his # fr an ex-boss.  Was told that he also took a mth’s leave fr work to be by his mother’s side during this sad time.  What a wonderful son!  And he was a great friend too, I remember how he used to lift my spirits during a time when I wasn’t feeling too happy (back when I was single lah).  Always the perfect gentleman.  I’m never good at consoling ppl, so instead of calling, I just smsed saying “I was deeply sorry abt the news”.  I really am.  God bless your dad, your family and you, BI.
 
I also recvd a very offensive telling-off by someone I know (it wud seem really silly to use the word "friend" now).  Definitely a first for me.  What happened was, (let’s call him A) did something he thought was fun.  Frankly, at first, I too din think (actually I wasn’t thinking) there was anything wrong with what he did.  And then I keep hearing all these ppl saying behind his back that what he did was unprofessional, that he’s actually betraying the trust of the ppl who asked for his help.  I realised that these ppl were right (dare i say for sure?), and someone mentioned maybe A just isn't aware of  the seriousness of the situation and somebody should just hilite it to him.  What worried me was that ppl said A could get into trouble for what he was doing. I thot about it over the wkend, and finally took up the courage to tell A – very very subtly and politely – that he may want to consider not continuing what he was doing.  I said it on email, 1 on 1, bcos I wasn’t good at handling talks like this.  Next thing I know, he tells me - in public - to “mind my own business”.  Needless to say, it was a nasty surprise to me.  Another friend told me, “now u see why we kept quiet!”  OK, now I know.  That sometimes an act of loyalty and honesty can have awry outcomes.  In the words of Hotchick - "Yikes!"   :P    [So tell me - if u were me, wud u have done the same?]