haphazards & profound contemplations: October 2011

The moment you're asked to name one thing you can't live without, what do you answer?

I'd say Google. Without any doubt.

I work in a company where i'm referred to as the "IT person".

~~ Say whaaaaaat?? haha well yeah, I'm computer literate, had a few certifications here and there.. But when it all comes down to basics of what I previously had zero knowledge of, I give my shoutouts to Google.

Google's my F1, my homepage, my call-a-friend, my nine lives, my doctor, my security blanket.

As a student in the 90's, whenever I was hit with a random idea or homework, there'd be a mischievous grin pasted on my face as I excitingly anticipated to get home to my books.

Being blessed with parents who supplied us with the latest Encyclopaedia versions, Archie Comics, and volumes from Aesop's fables to Carpentry to the Mitochondria, I was quite the confident lil' kid as I knew I'd find the answer somewhere, somehow.

Then came the Dot Com Era.

People started investing in gadgets, all phone lines came with an internet package, and copy-paste became every student's best friend.

My Google addiction (or should I say dependence) started when we got our first internet connection hooked on our giant computer unit. Ah, memories flood back as I recall the then high-tech dial-up modem sound. Mmmmm, year 2000. (- -,)

So there, life happened, I worked my way to where I am now, then one day:

2 search words:

"Google Singapore"

Result:

8 Shenton Way, 068811

( * *, )

Just a single pedestrian cross and a quick lift to the 38th floor of our neighboring building... Hello, Google! :)

My heart pounded in disbelief.

The first time I went to the Google office was at night, after office hours. Haha

Stalker-mode switch: ON.

No purpose whatsoever, I just wanted to catch a glimpse of a childhood friend.

One day, while having our Subways at the ground floor of the same building, I was telling my colleague of my hush-hush random visits to Google's front door.. So I brought her up for a quick look.

Some Googlers were walking in/out the door and one of them invited us in for a tour.

( * *, )

"SUUUUUUURE!"

Now my heart REALLY pounded in disbelief.

I had ACTUALLY stepped foot into Google. (this was on my bucketlist, by the way... Check!)
I bet Neil Armstrong felt the same way when he stepped that left foot on the moon.

Everyone inside was busy packing and clearing their tables. It so happened that was their last week in Shenton Way. *Oh, lucky day!*

Google was and is expanding so they needed to shift to a more awesome office.

All the Googlers so friendly and accommodating and each room we stepped into was even more amazing than the other.

I felt like a toddler touring Disneyland. (yeah, you know what i mean..)

We couldn't spend forever there since *o0ops* we had our own office to return to. haha back to reality.

It was a short yet very memorable experience. Thanks, Google.