You know how you are sometimes determined not to rant? Then someone comes along and, with just one word or a phrase or a sentence, they force you to give in to your earlier urge to rant until you turn purple?!

Well, that's what happened to me today. I was having a reasonably good day. I'm mentally exhausted and physically just there. Then I got an sms from an old classmate about a meeting we're having this Saturday. She goes on to tell me how she's sick and have been on sick leave for 2 days and might not make it to the meeting. So I told her that I've not been feeling my best all week but I still had to go to work to prepare my students for their exams.

Her reply? "Oh, you're a teacher. I'm working in a bank." I was WTF?! Just because I'm only a teacher I have an easier time than she does?! I'd like to see her try my work for one week and see if she even survives. Heck, banks are getting less and less work hours nowadays and they've got load of lunch and break time. Besides, they get paid overtime! I work overtime everyday and it doesn't get me more money. My holidays are barely holidays because I'll be marking papers and preparing reports. Like this year, during Hari Raya even, I've got students sitting for a Cambridge exam for my subjects!

I'd like to see her try and be a teacher and see if she can stay alive. Then she tells me I should lose weight. Just because she started worrying about her weight (she's half a foot shorter than I am!). And she's only worried about her weight because she finally got herself a guy! And this is the same person who told me that I need to get a life. When I tell her I'm involved in various associations for the sake of self-improvement, she says I don't know how to have fun!

How superficially shallow!