Why In God's Name Would Anyone Jump Off A Bridge?

Please spot the (a) insanity and (b) stupidity in the following exchange:
Person A: "Hey, I've got a great idea. Let's jump off a bridge."
Person B: "That sounds like fun. I'm in."

Sitting here, looking back, analyzing with the benefit of hindsight, I am astounded and confounded that anyone intelligent (meaning me) would think bungy jumping a "fun" activity. It is an act against nature. It is an act defiant of logic. It is a crude mean of entertainment and with utter clarity I scorn at its imbecility. I don't think I shall ever understand why I was so eager to participate, so happy to throw myself off the side of a bridge and have enjoyed the event so much.

But the brevity of the jump does make you ponder whether it was worth it at all. Within minutes I was back on top of the bridge, all endorphins and adrenalin evaporated. Yes I flung myself off a bridge. But I'm back now aren't I? Nothing to show for the seconds of exhilaration I'd experienced except a certificate stating so. Only by reviewing the videos and the photos later, did I begin to appreciate more of what had happened. Thankfully these replays fed my recall and helped crystallize the many stages my emotions went through in mere seconds.

Interestingly, I received this article in my inbox just two days after my jump, from a friend who had no idea I had bungy-ed over the weekend. It purports a list of "Must Dos" before one turns 30. This article, in my opinion, is written in the foulest, patronising, band-aid waving fashion, by some young barely-20-just-graduated-from-university- this-is-my-first-real-i-am-clueless-yet-i-tell-those -about-to-turn-30-something-about-how-to-live-life-even-though-i-haven't-lived-my-own-yet kid!

Let's see what it says. The idea of obtaining a fake ID (#30) doesn't appeal to me very much. Attempting to convince someone that you are younger than you are is just really,really sad. It was fun to do when you were under age, not the other way round. How about #25, showing up at a gay bar when you're not actually gay? Oooooh that's scandalous! I'd hate to think any gay people were hanging out in non-gay-designated areas.

I like #6. It's my favourite. It instructs you to "move out of home and live in a share house", like it is something you do off-hand, for fun, without a thought any sense of responsibility on either side. Akin to your best mate challenging you to jump off a bridge. And you do.

Correct answers: (a) Person A, (b) Person B

I Jump Off A Bridge

Watch me jump off a bridge.

Life As a Minion

Just read a friend's blog entry about a her recent work load. As a project manager for an electronics company, she would start her day in the office at 8am, be in and out of meetings through out the day, then go out and entertain overseas clients who are in town. Working over 12 hrs a day, this girl is worn out by the time she gets home. Each day's emails await her reply and only until they are answered does she turn in for the night. She writes that she's feeling the effects of stress, bad eating habits and little sleep.

I feel for her. She is describing my life to a certain extent. At my work, we are experiencing a hailstorm of stress, with a pressure front that has been building exponentially across the last two weeks. I clocked in a 60 hrs working week last week. Plus a full Saturday. Plus Monday just passed, which was officially declared Typhoon Day by the government as a warning to citizens to stay home away from work and school.

Currently I am sitting at my desk on a Friday night. Most of the office is empty except for a couple of suckers. I am waiting. Waiting for the bosses to come out of their mind-bending meetings so that we can forge ahead with their supervision. We will probably start work at 8pm tonight.

We are minions to our mortal gods.