You will have to forgive me if you’ve ever found me anti-social or aloof.

I can’t help it.

I just dread talking to people. Really heart-palpitatingly, hair-raisingly, with goosebumps-and-cold-sweat-dotting-my-entire-body dread.

Person A: Oh, you’re an actress is it? With which company?
Me: I’m a freelancer.
Person A: What shows have you appeared in?
Me: Here and there. Ch 5, Ch 8, in the cinema, corporate videos, commercials, independent stuff.
Person A: Oh, you act for MediaCorp? Part time?
Me: Yeah, you can say that.
Person A: Why don’t you join them full time?
Me: (inward duh) They don’t take you in just because you want to join them.
Person A: Why don’t you join Star Idol/Singapore Idol/Everyothershit Idol?
Me: I have in the past. Never succeeded.
Person A: Why don’t you try again?
Me: I’m a bit old for those things.
Person A: Why don’t you just tell MediaCorp you want to join them?
Me: Uh….
Person A: If you don’t try, you won’t know, right?

WHAT IS WITH THESE PEOPLE?

Maybe they get everything they want in life. Maybe they think life is simple.

Maybe they can just walk into Microsoft and say to Bill Gates, “I want to be a CEO in one of your offices,” and Bill Gates will give it to them.

Maybe I should start talking like them.

“Oh! You work as a HR executive at Lim Ah Seng Ltd? Why don’t you go work for Bloomberg instead? I heard they have an amazing pantry there.”

Here’s another one, which I also encounter way too often.

Person B: What’s your full-time occupation?
Me: I’m a freelance actress.
Person B: Oh! With which agency?

At least 50% of Singaporeans do not know the meaning of “freelance”.

There are also people who are either downright rude or just insensitive.

Me: Yes, I’ve acted in MediaCorp shows.
Person C: Oh, as a care-leh-feh (extra) is it?

And then, I was at this acting workshop attended not just by actors but also directors, producers, scriptwriters, or basically anyone aspiring to work in the industry. This person comes and strikes up a conversation with me.

Person D: So, are you an actor or director or do you work in the media?
Me: I’m an actress.
Person D: Ah, good, good. Have you acted in shows before?

*vomit blood*

It’s like, say, you meet some random dude at a cocktail party:

Person E: So, what do you do for a living?
Doctor: I’m a doctor.
Person E: Oh, awesome! Have you treated or cured anyone before?

Can I boycott people, please?