lousy customer service.. pt 2

After almost 10 days, my laptop has been repaired and ready to be collected.. Alas, the lady from the shop made another big boo-boo when she called me for collection..

Actually, it was my sister who took the call.. and this was what she recounted.. they were conversing in Mandarin/Chinese, so I shall provide a translation below.


“喂？”       “Ya?”
“Ms. G 吗？”       “是的。”
“你的laptop修好了，等一下你来拿。”       “今天没空，明天啦。。”
“哦，那你明天来拿。”       “Okay。”

"Wei?"      "Ya?"
"Is that Ms G?"       "Yes."
"Your laptop has been repaired. You come and collect it later."
      "Today not free. Maybe I come tomorrow.."
"Oh.. then you come tomorrow."       "Okay. "

The thing is my sister was quite pissed.. because of the way the lady spoke.. It was as if she was ordering us to collect MY laptop..

Think about it.. They DELAYED sending my laptop for repair by 2 weeks, cos "my boss was very busy", to quote the lady... when it was repaired, she ORDERED me to come and collect it immediately... what kind of customer service is this??!!?? But then, as I come to think deeper, if she has good telephone skills, she won't be working for a small PC repair shop in a small town, right??

Anyway, I went and collected my laptop the next day. I had wanted to use sarcasm to express my dissatisfaction, but I then decided against it.. What is the point of telling her her fault when she is so clueless about it.. I am not going to waste my time/energy on people who do not deserve it..

One thing I realized is that most people has lost their sense of empathy and compassion.. People has become more inconsiderate and less conscientious... people do whatever they like, whenever they like because they know they can get away with it.. People are getting better educated, but it doesn't mean that they are becoming more civilized.. being rich doesn't mean you are a better person.. holding high post doesn't mean respect will be given unconditionally.. being a university graduate doesn't mean you are smart.. People are getting all their priorities wrong.. 

Maybe that is one of the reasons why I wanted to lecture.. I want to teach or "preach" to the younger generations.. unveil to them their seeming ignorance and unmasked their incivility.. things that they are so oblivious about.. things that they are supposed to know and take on.. for the past 20-30 years, way too many parents spent their time trying to make as much $$ for their family as possible that they neglect to teach their kids the right values.. of course, all I can do is to share with them my experience and my thoughts.. I can't make the horse drink the water, but at least I can show them the Five Ws of Life.. what they do with my 'advice' is entirely up to them..

In my opinion, many educational institutions, local and foreign, have lost sight of what they are supposed to do, which is to educate the next generation to be productive citizens (of the world), instead they got caught up in a ranking race.. there is no use of churning out thousands of graduates each year and most of them being unemployable, as majority of them lack even the basic business etiquette and self-discipline.. I am a firm believer that the world, as a whole, needs to embrace a new type of world order.. one where people are encourage to go for less, rather than more..

going under the knife... update III

Met with the ENT specialist/surgeon yesterday..

He looked at my CT scan and told me that my tumor was bigger than he thought.. instead of just the size of a thumb, as seen externally, it is actually the size of a golf ball.. :x The specialist/surgeon (let's call him Mr. A*) was kind enough to allow me to take a photo of the CT scan.. so here it is..

I've circled e tumor in red..

He explained to me that although the tumor is benign for now, the chances of it turning malignant gets higher (starting from 10%) the longer it stays inside my body. He then proceed to inform me of the 3 risks if an operation is to be done, namely risk of facial nerve damage, Frey's syndrome and scarring. So the worst case scenario will be having an ugly scar, can't move the right side of my face and sweating and/or redness on the affected area. Compared to the possibility of that tumor turning malignant, I take those 3 risks anytime..

I told Mr. A about my move to Taiwan for my PhD, and requested for the surgery to be done in July, if possible. After intensely scrutinizing his packed schedule, he was kind enough to squeeze me in.. so I was to be his last surgery patient on July 12. I were to be admitted the day before for all the necessary checks and dieting.. the surgery is to take about 2 - 3 hours..

In short, I will be admitted on July 11, surgery on July 12 and hopefully be discharged on July 13.  Not too sure exactly what time my operation will start (and end).. so I hope you all can wish me the best of luck and give me your prayers on July 12 for a smooth uncomplicated surgery.



A trivia about surgeons: They are referred to as Mr and Ms, instead of the usual Dr.

Singapore 2011: food

Other than USS, my sis and I were pretty excited about the food in Singapore.. contrary to many Msians, we both prefer the food in Lion City.. it is hard to explain the reason why, but both of us simply fancy the food there more..

Anyway, we went around Resort World Sentosa and VivoCity and tried a few restaurants there.. and here are some of the photos.. :)

Marche, VivoCity
We went there for dinner on our first night.. Been craving for their Rösti since I knew we're gonna spent lots  of time in VivoCity.. :p

So no surprise that I ordered Rösti with garlic sausage.. with Bundaberg Root Beer..

My sis had mushroom crepe.. which was really very tasty.. and Bundaberg Ginger Ale..

In Marche, you order your food at the prep counter and have your order recorded in these cards. You present these cards and pay at the counter when you leave.

Bill: SGD$ 37.90
Tastiness: 4 out of 5
Value for $$: 3.5 out of 5 (slightly on the pricey side)


Palio, Resort World Sentosa
Due to cancellation of the show, Voyage de la Vie, which was part of my hotel package, we were compensated with vouchers worth SGD$ 150 to be spent in USS and several restaurants within Resort World. Thus I decided to take my sis to an Italian restaurant for a change.. also I've been wanting to relive my Italian experience almost 2 years ago.. :)

I had free-flow of sparkling water, since I didn't feel like having juice or hot drinks.. while my sis had pineapple-orange-lime juice.. a sour drink that I won't touch.. :p

We had a very helpful waiter who gave us recommendation and explanation of the dishes available.. so we managed to order food that we like to have..




First for the appetizer, we had prosciutto e melone (melon wrapped in Proscuitto ham)  which was recommended by the waiter.. I liked the sweet and salty combination a lot while my sis was nonchalant..

and the bread served was simply delicious.. crusty outside and tender soft inside.. we almost wanted finish the entire loaf.. :p but we didn't as we wanna save our stomach for the main course and dessert..

I ordered linguini carbonara as I had a craving for creamy pasta.. it was creamy and full of flavor.. very good...

while my sis had the restaurant's signature pizza, Michael Pizza.. lots of cheese and a fair amount of seafood..

finally, we shared chocolate crostata (Italian dessert tart) with mint ice-cream, which rounded up the dinner very nicely...

Bill: SGD$ 98 (we used our voucher so didn't really feel the pinch.. :p)
Tastiness: 4.5 out of 5
Value for $$: 4 out of 5 (a bit on the expensive side, but worth the $$)


Pu Tien Restaurant, VivoCity
A close friend of mine took me to this restaurant more than 5 years ago and I wanted to bring my sister to try.. we decided to have lunch there, which was a good choice as the Kopitiam at VivoCity was packed with people..

As both of us are very hungry we decided to order 3 dishes to share.. with a pot of chrysanthemum tea..

Fried "Hing Wa" Bee Hoon - nicely fried, fairly delicious.. but nothing fantastic..

Pu Tien Lor Mee - lots of ingredients.. good soupy noodle dish..

Braised Pig Intestine (at my sister's request) - chewy but tender.. nicely braised..

Truth be told, it wasn't as fantastic as I remembered.. and my sister made a comment that stupefied me, "wah, pay so much for Mian Fen Gao 面粉糕 (Anchovy Flat Noodle Soup)" which was fairly true, in some sense...

Bill: SGD$ 40.84 (too expensive for such 'common' dishes)
Tastiness: 3 out of 5
Value for $$: 2 out of 5


Carl's Jr, VivoCity
My sis loves fast-food.. McDonald, KFC, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Mos Burger, etc.. so I had to bring her to this fast food joint in VivoCity..

I ordered an original ThickBurger set meal.. the fries were very good.. winner among all fast food chains, in my opinion..

while my sis ordered a garden salad as she was having indigestion.. :(  but she did taste my burger.. well, there is always next time!

Bill: SGD$ 17
Tastiness: 3.5 out of 5
Value for $$: 3.5 out of 5



Other than the above, we also patronized Burger King, Mr Bean Soya, BreadTalk and Boost Juice Bars.. some of the restaurants/food we wanted to try but didn't get the chance includes Mos Burger, Ajisen Ramen, Yoshinoya and Swensen's. Didn't realize that both of us missed Japanese food that much.. :p

Next and final blog entry, shopping! :) :)

Sunday Serenade: battle cry

Prefer this song to her more 'famous' song, Impossible.. like this song's lyrics better..

You give me hope (hope)
You give me strength (strength)
I'd give you better than I could ever give myself
Always know that (that)
I got your back (your back)
Don't matter wherever
As long as were together (we've been through too much)

and I like the first part of the music video too.. I shall dedicate this song to all my friends! :)


Battle Cry
performed by Shontelle

Yeah
Hey Hey Hey
Hey Hey Hey
Hey Hey Hey

We've been deep in the trenches
Ain't that friendship
Its not always roses (But)
Everybody knows this
We stuck in this battle field
I know just how you feel
Standin up for us (Yeah)
I'ma be a soldier

You give me hope (hope)
You give me strength (strength)
I'd give you better than I could ever give myself
Always know that (that)
I got your back (your back)
Don't matter wherever
As long as were together (we've been through too much)

[chorus]
We've been through too much
Time for us to group up
Come on and lets stand up now for us
This is our battle cry
Promise you that I'm certified
All we gotta do is stand up now for us
This is our battle cry
[end chorus]

Hey Hey Hey-hey
Hey Hey Hey-hey
Hey Hey Hey-hey
This is our battle cry

It's so hard when the night falls
And I don't get your phone calls
Your everything to me
You heal me when these bullets go through me
And if i had to retreat
I know you'll fall back with me
And if you got problems
You already know whose going to solve 'em

You give me hope (hope)
You give me strength (strength)
I'd give you better than i could ever give myself
Always know that (that)
I got your back (your back)
Don't matter wherever
Because we'll always be together

[chorus]

(Hey)

Now its time to get focused
I ain't saying nothing man
You already know this
So when called flow, then flow this
And if you need to swim
I'ma bring a boatless floatless
Now i don't need to sound so manotnis
If you need something from me
Call me I got this
And I don't give you what you need from me
And I'ma be right there when I need to be

We've been through too much
Time for us to group up (C'mon)
Come on and lets stand up now for us
(As long as were together we've been through too much)
This is our battle cry
Promise you that I'm certified
All we gotta do is stand up now for us (Standing up for us)
We've been through too much
Time for us to group up
Come on and lets stand up now for us
(Standin' up for us)
This is our battle cry
Promise you that I'm certified
All we gotta do is stand up now for us
This is our battle cry

Hey Hey Hey (This is our battle cry)
hey Hey Hey
hey Hey Hey (This is our battle cry



Have a great week ahead! Stay safe and cheery!

how much... (V)

Telecommunication..

We need to communicate, that's why we created language, written words, letters, telephone, mobile phones, emails, text messaging and many other tools/applications that allow us to contact and be contacted. Just a few weeks ago, UN declared that Internet access a human right. 

Yet, the cost of telecommunication in this country is by any means cheap..

There are 3 main companies offering mobile services - Digi, Maxis and Celcom, and a fourth lesser known provider, U Mobile.. The usual prepaid and postpaid options are available.. Here, I can't decide for you which provider to subscribe to nor will I tell you to get a prepaid or postpaid plan.. You have to decide for yourself, based on your usage pattern and call volume. But beware, that with the "addiction" to social media (like FaceBook, Twitters, Tumblr, etc) and online video games (like Angry Birds, etc) on "smart" 3G/4G phones, it is very easy to go for unlimited data plans which you don't need (unless your work .

All 3 main providers have a basic (monthly) MYR$ 50 plan.. you can check them out here, here and here.. Monitor your usage and cut down on unnecessary calls because it is very easy to lose track while chatting and rack up hefty phone bills.. Your plan might be MYR$ 50, but it will usually come up to around MYR$ 60 - 100 per month.. Of course, if you are using a 3G/4G smart phone, your phone bill will definitely be more.. Each telco has provided a comparison chart for their 3G Internet packages to illustrate their competitiveness.. Maxis's, Digi's and Celcom's..

Then we come to broadband internet services.. you would need to decide if you want to use wireless broadband or wired one.. For a comprehensive chart of pricing and services of both wired and wireless broadband in Malaysia, check out this website.. 

So in the end, you would most probably have to fork out more than the MYR$ 90 per month that I've listed in my earlier post for telecommunication..

Next, other miscellaneous expenditures..





Disclaimer: I am not an economist nor am I (formally) trained in finance.. The figures above are my own estimation which are based on data gleaned from my family/friends and the Internet. I am just stating my observation, experience and thoughts, as I had lived in 3 different Asian countries/cities in the past 20 years...

going under the knife... update II

Went to the hospital for my scheduled CT scan Monday morning...

Before the appointment, I had to fast for at least 6 hours and take 8 5mg prednisolone tablets at 2 intervals (each), at 12 hours and 2 hours prior to the scan.. Those little tablets tasted bitter.. and they are water soluble..

Got to the CT department before the scheduled time with my sister.. She told her boss about my appointment and he was kind enough to let her off work for a while to accompany me.. we were early so we waited.. the department, or should I refer it as a 'clinic' as it is a medium-sized single storey building located within the vicinity of the hospital.. anyway, the clinic was already pretty crowded with people, most of them old folks..

Waited for about 10 minutes before my name was called by a nurse. I was ushered into the CT room.. was told to change into a patient robe, which I wore backward.. :p then I was led to a machine.. much like the one you see on TV..

I lied down on the bench and my sister came over to insert a cannula into a vein on my left hand.. much like the image on the left.. I must admit that she is good with such procedures.. :) I felt a pinch, which is slightly painful than a normal injection and the cannula was in..

Then the nurse strapped me in, put 2 pieces of foam to stabilize my head and told me to stop moving and just breath normally.. then she and my sis left the room..

The huge machine start churning.. A consistent and constant sound of 'vook, vook, vook, vook...' from the rotating X-ray tubes and detectors..  I was 'left' outside the machine for a couple of minutes so that the radiologist could calibrate and adjust the machine (my sister explained this to me after the scan).. Then the nurse came in and injected some contrasting agent into me through the cannula..

First my left arm, then my head, finally my whole body felt warm as the agent cruised through my body.. Then  I was slide into the CT scanner until my entire upper torso was through the big hole of the machine.. I was motionless for a minute or so.. then I was slowly slide out as the scanner took images of my head, neck and shoulder.. think the whole process was less than 10 minutes.. and just like that I'm done! :)

Next Monday, I will be seeing my ENT specialist with the CT result.. and hopefully, he will be able to arrange for an operation in July.. then I will be able to go off to Taiwan with a clean bill of health in mid/end August.. :)

Singapore 2011 - USS

Iconic rotating sign around the Earth..

Since we live in Resort World Sentosa, we walked to USS from our hotel and got there in less than 5 minutes.. It was almost 9.30am and the crowd was growing steadily.. Lots of people taking photos and the ticket booths were already opened..

I went to exchange my printed tickets for actual USS tickets at one of the customer service counters.. being kiasu, we went to queue at the gates 15 min before opening.. A staff then came down the queue, scanned our tickets and asked for our nationality as part of their statistic gathering..

We took a brochure the day before so that we'll be able to plan and maximize our day..

Here are my reviews on the attractions we went to:

Battlestar Galactica roller coaster rides
BG: CYLON and BG: HUMAN

view of tracks from afar..

These two rides were on top of my list of must-try rides in USS.
CYLON coaster tracks are blue in color, while HUMAN coaster tracks are in red.

We went to the CYLON coaster ride immediately upon gaining entry to USS, but it was not open yet! Same goes with the HUMAN rides.. so we went to Revenge of the Mummy instead.. It wasn't until around noon that the rides were open. Happily, we went to queue again for CYLON.. after queuing for 30 min, the rides were stopped due to "technical concerns".. the HUMAN rides were still opened, but my sis and I decided to go get lunch instead..

entrance to BG: HUMAN

It was around 2.30pm that we decided to give it a try again.. luckily the queue was very short and we got onto the coaster fairly quickly.. :)

We did the HUMAN coaster ride first. My sister didn't really like it as it had a few free-falls which I didn't mind at all.. I like the feel of free-falling.. :p kinda reminded me of my tandem-skydiving 2 years ago..

entrance to BG: CYLON

My sister preferred the CYLON ride which has several inversions. We were being thrown around - zero-g roll, cobra rolls, corkscrews and vertical loops - while being strapped on with our legs dangling . I don't like inversions, yet I would want to take the CYLON ride again as it was more thrillingly adrenalin-inducing than the HUMAN ride.. :p

Thrill rating for BG: HUMAN : 4 out of 5
Thrill rating for BG: CYLON : 4.5 out of 5
Remarks: In my opinion, these two attractions are the only saving grace in USS.

Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride

entrance to Rev. of the Mummy ride

My first ride of the day in USS.. the usual indoor roller coaster ride.. Capitalizing on darkness and some visual effects to wow riders..

Nothing scary.. except fellow riders who kept screaming for no obvious reasons.. :x felt more pissed than scared..

Riders need to store their bags in the lockers next to the entrance before allowed to take the ride.. Lockers are free for a fixed time.
Thrill Rating: 3 out of 5

Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure
Kinda knew what to expect since my sis and I have taken a similar one in USJ.. We knew we would get wet so we bought a SGD$2 raincoat at the entrance to protect my bag.. I did get drenched (entirely) when we plunged 40 feet down at the end.. I took most of the water from the splash while my sis was fairly dry.. :D it was more fun than exciting.. It is a very good way to cool down in a hot sunny day..

Thrill Rating: 2.5 out of 5


Canopy Flyer
In fours, we were taken on an aerial 'tour' of The Lost World themed area. Nothing fantastic and kinda short.. It was like "Here we go.. huh? we're back?". More for kids or those who just want a simple ride..

Thrill Rating: 1 out of 5

And we went to only 1 show, Lights! Camera! Action! Hosted by Steven Spielberg which was okay.. Again, maybe we've been to too many themed parks (actually, just 3 in Japan), but the effects aren't really that impressive.. we had hoped for more.. in this show, we were just looking AT it, and not being IN it.. It would have been more fun if we could be made to experience the hurricane, with strong wind messing up our hairs, rain drenching us, etc.. The long queuing time did not justify the show, in my opinion..

More photos of USS:

shops in 1950s New York

castle in Far Far Away-land

Mel's Diner Waitresses charming the crowd..

Madagascar Boogie! with characters from e movie

Hang Ten Hipsters performing...

B-Boyin doing their hip-hop moves

Outside Sci-Fi City's only merchandise store

stroller parking area in Far Far Away-land

one of very few cute signages..

lots on offer but none caught my eyes..

park map..

entrance to the main merchandise store..

castle in Far Far Away-land from afar..

The main purpose of this SG trip was to visit the new Universal Studio Singapore. Yet, compared to Universal Studio Japan, personally I think this themed park was quite a letdown.. The two experiences were worlds apart.. we left USJ reluctantly after spending almost 12 hours there while we were bored within 4 hours of entering USS..

Atmosphere:
We don't or couldn't feel the "mood" within USS. When we got in, the place was as silent as a cemetery.. there are speakers everywhere, yet there was no sound, music or even noise... This is supposed to be a theme park where everyone is hyped-up ready for a good time and everything is larger than life.. Yet, it seemed like we stumbled into a big open-air library!! It was only around 3pm did we start to hear music.. maybe technical issues?? 

Road Shows:
There was no road shows, more like 'roadside' shows.. The singing was not too bad, the dance choreography was good, etc., yet overall the performances were nothing to shout about.. there was very limited interaction between the performers and the crowd.. Granted, it is hard to arouse excitement (or spontaneity) in this part of the world but they should at least try harder..

Souvenirs/Merchandise:

Another BIG let-down... Both my sister and I are big-suckers for souvenirs and we were prepared to spend at least SGD$ 100.. yet after seeing what was on the shelves, we had to try very very very hard to find something that we were willing to part money with.. The souvenirs were either not cute/unique enough (simply boring design!) or looked like they were some cheap knockoffs you can get from those 3-for-$10 souvenir shops... It was totally the opposite when we were at USJ, where I had to stop myself from spending all the money I had in my wallet on souvenirs.. 

Food:
We went to Oasis Spice Cafe in Ancient Egypt for lunch. The food was fairly tasty and filling.. I think this is the only element in USS that is better than USJ.. after all, Singapore is a foodie's paradise.. :) 

Overall Experience:
There was just not enough excitement to warrant spending an entire day here. Darn! I didn't even take as many photographs as I normally would.. took less than 200 photos as opposed to 500+ in USJ.. we got into USS at 10am sharp and got out before 4pm.. even my sis, who is less critical and more forgiving than I am, wanted to go some place else.. 

All in all, we were pretty disappointed.. a 2.5 out of 5 for enjoyment.. 1 point each for the Battlestar Galactica roller coaster rides and 0.5 for the food..

For more details on USS, you can visit their official website or read the write-up in wikipedia.

Sunday Serenade: the lazy song

A perfect song for a Sunday morning... :) Just sit around... enjoying the day without having to rush for anything.. have a simple breakfast.. sit down with a nice pot of tea and read newspaper.. or cuddle up with that someone special and just watch Sunday TV.. or go to the parks/countryside to enjoy the greenery..

Ahhh... that's life.. don't you agree?


The Lazy Song
written by Keinan Warsame ;Bruno Mars ;Ari Levine ;Philip Lawrence II

Today I don't feel like doing anything
I just wanna lay in my bed
Don't feel like picking up my phone
So leave a message at the tone
Cus today I swear I'm not doing anything

I'm gonna kick my feet up and stare at the fan
Turn the TV on
Throw my hand in my pants
Nobodys gon' tell me I can't

I'll be lying on the couch just chillin in my snuggie
Click to MTV so they can teach me how to dougie
Cus in my castle I'm the freakin man
Oh Oh

Yes I said it
I said it
I said it cus I can

[chorus]
Today I don't feel like doing anything
I just wanna lay in my bed
Don't feel like picking up my phone
So leave a message at the tone
Cus today I swear I'm not doing anything

Nothing at all
Woohoo ooh
Woohoo ooh hooh ooh ooh
Nothing at all

Woohoo ooh
Woohoo ooh hooh ooh ooh
[end of chorus]

Tomorrow I'll wake up do some P90X
Meet a really nice girl have some really nice sex
And she's gonna sream out 'this is great' (Oh my god, this is great)
Yeaaah

I might mess around and get my college degree
I bet my old mam would be so proud of me

But sorry paps you'll just have to wait
Oh Oh

Yes I said it
I said it
I said it cus I can

Today I don't feel like doing anything
I just wanna lay in my bed
Don't feel like picking up my phone
So leave a message at the tone
Cus today I swear I'm not doing anything

No I ain't gonna comb my hair
Cus I ain't going anywhere
No No No No No No No No No
Oh

I'll just strut in my birthday suit
And let everything hang loose
Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah...
Ohh ohh

[chorus]



Have a great week ahead! Stay safe and cheery!!

Poetry Solace: Of love, night and live..

I thought I would start sharing some poetry that I've read in this blog too, other than just songs on Sundays.. Good things are meant to be shared, no? :)

Most of the poems that resonate with me are often about 3 L's - Life, Love and Loss.. I love to read poetry and like to dabble in writing them, especially when I'm feeling down.. Reading poems helps, as I realized that I'm not the only one who is feeling/felt these emotions.. and writing them provides me with a medium to channel all my pent-up emotions.. It is a way for me to keep in touch with my emotional self..

So for today, I shall start with 3 poems from poet Francis William Bourdillon.


The Regions of Love
Who knows the deeps, where the water sleeps
Leagues from the light away?
Who knows the heights, where myriad lights
Fill heaven with endless day?

The earth goes on—seeks and loses the sun,
And men in the changes delight;
Love whirls us away into changeless day,
Or whelms us in changeless night.

Night
The night has a thousand eyes,
And the day but one;
Yet the light of the bright world dies
With the dying sun.

The mind has a thousand eyes,
And the heart but one;
Yet the light of a whole life dies,
When love is done. 


Only to Live
Only to live! There nothing is more sweet.
Only to live! There nothing is more bitter.
Only to live, when flowers are at the feet
And overhead the happy swallows twitter.
Only to live! There nothing is more sweet.
Only to live, when flies the angry sleet,
And the head bows above a dead love’s litter.
Only to live! There nothing is more bitter.


Have a good weekend!

slave to technology.. (II)

When was the last time you used a pen/pencil to write? Do you (still) remember how to write with a pen/pencil? For those who knows Chinese, can you (still) write with a calligraphy brush/pen? Can you do simple arithmetic, like adding and subtracting, in your mind without any help from calculators? Can you remember telephone numbers without referring to your mobile phones?

You might have the opinion that why do we need to know how to spell when there is spell-check function? Who needs to write those 'complicated and confusing' Chinese characters when knowing their Pinyin is good enough (to allow the computer to print them out)? Who needs to remember anything when there are thousand and one devices out there that is gonna help us with almost everything that involves mental activity??

Yet we have to 'exercise' our brain with these basic and simple tasks before moving on to more (mentally) engaging activities.. How can we hope to produce a new generation of thinkers and scholars when they couldn't even figure out simple logic and reasoning??! It is one thing to utilize technology to help us with daily tasks, but quite another to be so utterly dependent on them that we lost our basic abilities. Writing is one of the things we human have developed since civilization that sort of defined who we are. Arithmetic is the basis of technology - everything is built on addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of numbers..

There have been articles on the fear of losing one's ability to write Chinese characters/caligraphy. And I think this is only the tip of the iceberg.. How can we explain and justify to the younger generation that they should learn how to write using their hands (with a pen/pencil) when they are exposed to keyboards and touchscreen at a young age?? People used to say that your handwriting tells a hidden story about your personality and it could provide a glimpse into your subconscious.. How to do that when everyone types?? I personally think that the structure and physiology of human brains will change (neuroplasticity) when we stop writing.

I am not saying that we should all go back in time and start carrying ink bottles, quail-feathered pens and parchments.. but we should at least try to use a pen/pencil and write something once in a while, whether it is your grocery lists, greeting cards, memos or just some scribblings..

I have always had a habit of keeping a diary and I still do, although not as often as I would like to.. And I must admit that I had to rely on an electric dictionary, more often than I like, while writing.. I had forgotten how to write some of the words, especially Chinese vocabulary, although I could easily recognize them when shown.. My writings are still fairly legible, although depending on my mood they tend to vary in sizes and neatness.. ;) I like the feel of a smooth pen rolling on paper, producing words, sentences, paragraphs and then an entire article.. :)

Here is another thought: when everyone is able to "carry" an entire library in their 3G/4G/xG phones or other IT gadgets, ready to access any type of information/data anytime, anywhere, will anyone still wanna learn?

Singapore 2011 - lodging

Had wanted to stay somewhere around Lavendar/Kallang, my usual lodging area, but since we wanted to spend as much time as possible in Sentosa I decided to look around that area..

Then I found a great hotel package from MasterCard, in conjunction with Great Singapore Sale 2011, which offers 2 nights stay in one of the hotels within Resort World Sentosa, 2 1-day passes to Universal Studio Singapore and 2 Cat.5 tickets for Voyage de la Vie for a net price of SGD$ 598. I just jumped on it.. :p

The hotel that we were given was Hotel Michael, a boutique hotel inspired by and named after American Michael Graves, the primary architect of Resorts World Sentosa.

Here are some photos of our room..

key card for the room.

twin beds..

flat screen TV... mini fridge inside the right bottom cupboard..

toilet... with marble flooring..

wash basin..

separate shower 'cubicle'..

All in all, the room was big and comfortable.. the deco concept is my only pet peeve.. all the bright colors, especially orange and yellow, made the room feel 'cheap'.. you might not notice it from the photos as I've already toned down their saturation.. those 'loud' colors just don't appeal to me nor does it exude classiness/stylishness in my eyes.. also, there is no FREE wifi.. I had to pay SGD$ 5.35 for ONE hour of access which was just ridiculous... anyway, we didn't come all the way just to admire the hotel nor to surf the Internet.. so enough said..

Next, Universal Studio Singapore..

Sunday Serenade : soak up the sun

Heard this song over (and over and over and over) the radio when I was in the US almost 10 years ago.. It kinda "stuck" and became the song that will always remind me of that 3 weeks I spent in Atlanta, Georgia.. I was there during the 4th of July holiday season.. that trip gave me a very brief taste of summer.. of long days where the sun still lingers at the horizon 3 hours before midnight.. of hanging out with friends, drinking and chatting away after work.. of good life and great time..

Ah.. can't wait to experience those beautiful seasons again... :)


Soak Up the Sun
performed by Sheryl Crow

My friend the communist
Holds meetings in his RV
I can't afford his gas
So I'm stuck here watching TV
I don't have digital
I don't have diddly squat
It's not having what you want
It's wanting what you've got

I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna tell everyone
To lighten up (I'm gonna tell 'em that)
I've got no one to blame
For every time I feel lame
I'm looking up
I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna soak up the sun

I've got a crummy job
It don't pay near enough
To buy the things it takes
To win me some of your love
Every time I turn around
I'm looking up, you're looking down
Maybe something's wrong with you
That makes you act the way you do

I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna tell everyone
To lighten up (I'm gonna tell 'em that)
I've got no one to blame
For every time I feel lame
I'm looking up
I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna soak up the sun

I'm gonna soak up the sun
While it's still free
I'm gonna soak up the sun
Before it goes out on me

Don't have no master suite
I'm still the king of me
You have a fancy ride, but baby
I'm the one who has the key
Every time I turn around
I'm looking up, you're looking down
Maybe something's wrong with you
That makes you act the way you do
Maybe I am crazy too

I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna tell everyone
To lighten up (I'm gonna tell 'em that)
I've got no one to blame
For every time I feel lame
I'm looking up
I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna soak up the sun

I'm gonna soak up the sun
Got my 45 on
So I can rock on



Have a great week ahead! Stay safe and cheery!!

感。觉

籠罩許久的不確定 終於
煙消雲散
未知、坎坷是必然
但至少已曙光隱現
不再日暮途窮、霧暗雲深。。

現實理想的不對稱 依然
知易行難
灰心、失望偶爾會
但至少已目標確立
不再心煩意亂、庸碌歹活。。

身經百戰的不倒翁 始終
傲然挺立
挫折、阻擾少不了
但至少已沉潛反思
不再矢志落魄、自哀自憐。。

找到了留人處，安撫了彷徨心；
尋獲了一片天，驅走了無力感；
覓得了用武地，重拾了戰斗力。

going under the knife.. update I

Okay, some updates..

Went to get the result of the FNAB that was done almost 2 weeks ago.. the result showed that the lump is indeed a pleomorphic adenoma.. non-malignant.. *whew* a big relief.. :)

An appointment has been made for me to do CT scan on Jun 20.. I was given 2 sets of pills - T.Prednisolone (a type of immunosuppressant drug, according to the doctor) to be taken 12 hrs and 2 hrs respectively before the scan..


Also, another appointment with the specialist was made for Jun 24 to discuss about the surgical operation.


So that's about it for now..

Singapore 2011 - in a nutshell

Been more than a year since I last visited Singapore.. My last trip was for several job interviews that fell through.. this time round, my purpose was pleasure.. :)

It was quite a last minute trip as my sis could only confirm her leave just a week before.. but I savored the opportunity to plan for it nonetheless.. knowing my need to have everything under control, my sis gave me a free hand in planning everything.. in her words, "You plan everything la, I just follow you.. " :)

It was a short 3D2N trip.. we took an express bus on the night of Jun 01, arrived in Singapore the next morning.. and we left the Lion City on Saturday night and arrived on Sunday morning.. The bus tickets for the trip down cost MYR$ 100 for 2, while the trip back was SGD$ 120 for 2 (on a much sophisticated bus with individual entertainment TV sets).

The 'theme' of this trip was to visit Universal Studio Singapore and to do some shopping.. so I didn't plan much activities.. just 1 day at USS and the rest for shopping and eating.. :p Both of us really missed the wide variety of (good) food available in SG.. however with such a short period of time, we couldn't manage to satisfy all our food cravings.. anyway, there's always next time.. :p

Had a couple of minor irritants along the trip.. stepped on some poop and got all smelly, wasted time waiting for shops to open, blistered feet due to tight/new shoes, attraction rides canceled due to technical problems, took extra long route to get to several of our destinations, etc.. nothing serious, just small annoyances..

Although we were kinda disappointed with USS (shall talk about it later), the shopping 'saved' the trip for us.. :)  So all in all, it was not a bad trip..

lousy customer service

Let me paint you a scenario:
You sent your laptop for repair about 2 weeks ago. As it was still under warranty, the shop had to send it to the regional service center for parts replacement. You called the shop to inquire about the status as you were told that it will done in 2 weeks. Due to some reasons, your laptop were only sent to the service center (by the shop) 2 days ago!

Which version of the 'truth' would you want to hear from the shop?

"Sorry, your laptop was only sent to the service center 2 days ago as our boss were too busy." "But I passed it to you 2 weeks ago!!" "Yes, but my boss was very busy so he only sent it 2 days ago.."

Or

"Sorry, your laptop is still not back from the service center. Let me check with the service center again. I will give you a call immediately once it is back.."

Yes, the first version is the (ugly) truth.. but in good customer service, you don't tell your customer the truth when you know it will anger him/her. You want to make sure your customer is happy so that they will be back and give you more business. If telling them the truth doesn't help with the situation, then DON'T! Customers don't want to know if you were busy/sick/dying, they just want to know that you are doing everything you can to serve them and satisfy their request(s).

There is no falsehood in the 2nd version, just that an important information was left out. The fact is that my laptop is STILL with the service center and all I can do is wait.. Why pissed me off by telling me that the shop owner procrastinated for 2 weeks in sending my laptop to service center?? Is he implying that he is so BUSY with OTHER businesses that he had no time to look into my 'problem'?

Anyway, I didn't raise my voice at the lady who picked up my call nor did I scold/shout at her.. to me, she was just plain clueless and had no idea what a terrible blunder she had made.. But do rest assured that I WILL make my annoyance known (to the shop owner) when I go and retrieve my laptop from them in a few weeks time..

last 7 days..

what a crazy week it was last week..

Earlier in the week, I went to see an ENT specialist about that tumor under my right ear.. still waiting for the lab test results and my appointment for CT scan.. as it is a government hospital, it might take (quite) a while..

Then my sis and I went on a quick 3D2N trip to visit Universal Studio Singapore to celebrate the end of her 5th rotation.. she has 1 more to go and she will be "promoted" to a medical officer :) :) the trip was a mixed adventure with lots of minor irritants/incidents... anyway, I will be blogging about it over the next few days/weeks..

Finally, I got the result of my PhD application to Taiwan Universities.. Although I didn't get the government university that I wanted, I did manage to get into the Graduate Institute of Management Sciences of a top private university... This time round, I will be paying for my own tuition fees and living allowance since I didn't manage to win the TWN government scholarship.. but anyway, I am pretty sure that I will be able to support myself, first with my savings and then by working part-time/freelance.. :) :)

Still awaiting more details before I can share anything further, but nonetheless it looks like I am heading to Taiwan after all.. ;) ;)

luck luck (6.6)

Today is the 157th day of the year and there is 208 more days to go.. in a way today is both 6.6 (the 6th day of the 6th month on the Gregorian calendar) and 5.5 (the 5th day of the 5th month on the lunar calendar)... 

Today is also Duanwu Festival (aka Dragon Boat Festival).. unlike last year, my mum decided not to make rice dumplings this year.. so nothing to show and tell here..

For those who don't know, the number six is pronounced as 'luck' in Hokkien and since today is the 6th of June, that means it is doubly lucky today!! ;) :) "luck luck want want".. :) :)

This time last year, I was pretty depressed as nothing seemed to be going my way.. I was having self-doubts.. I was fairly pissed with the government, and still am.. I just feel down... It is time for some silver linings or just a tiny sparkle of light at this unbearably long tunnel... Hopefully, my luck shall be turning for the better from this day onwards..

Sunday Serenade: what do you got ?

Bon Jovi is one of the few bands whose songs I liked since my adolescent years.. Never quite tried singing their songs during karaoke sessions, although some of the songs are a real good way of venting frustrations or making a statement when sang out loud. :)

This is a song of theirs released last Sept.. which once again resonates with me..


What Do You Got
written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Brett James

Everybody wants something, just a little more
We're makin a living, and what we're livin for
A rich man or a poor man, a pawn or a king
You can live on the street, you can rule the whole world
But you don't mean one damn thing

[Chorus:]
What do you got, if you ain't got love
Whatever you got, it just ain't enough
You're walkin' the road, but you're goin' nowhere
You're tryin' to find your way home, but there's no one there
Who do you hold, in the dark of night
You wanna give up, but it's worth the fight
You have all the things, that you've been dreamin' of [end of Chorus]

If you ain't got someone, you're afraid to lose
Everybody needs just one, someone... to tell them the truth
Maybe I'm a dreamer, but I still believe
I believe in hope, I believe the change can get us off our knees

[Chorus]

If you ain't got love, it's all just keeping score
If you ain't got love, what the hell we doing it for

I don't wanna have to talk about it
How many songs you gotta sing about it
How long you gonna live without it
Why does someone somewhere have to doubt it
Someday you'll figure it out

[Solo]

[Chorus x2]

If you ain't got love, it's all just keeping score
If you ain't got love, what the hell we doin' it for
Woahhh, I ain't got, if you ain't got
What do you got if you ain't got love
What do you got if you ain't got love




Have a great week ahead!! Stay safe and cheery!!

how much... (IV)

Food..

Whether we live to eat or eat to live, we all need food.. and as with everything else, it is getting much more harder to have a good meal without having to burn a hole in one's pocket nowadays.. Most of the time, you might be able to get the same food/dishes for the same price, but its quantity and/or quality suffers.. Your roti canai might still be MYR$1 but it definitely is smaller in size, and a couple of years ago, you could have had 2 glasses of teh tarik with the price of one these days..

Food in this country is no longer cheap.. And it has been rising since a few years ago and had kinda gotten worse these past few months that even the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism's website has stopped displaying the price list of controlled goods since March 2011!! Makes me wonder how the Ministry is gonna "enforce" these prices when they themselves can't even list out the prices of these controlled goods!!

Here are some food prices* :
1 loaf of bread (white, Gardenia) -> MYR$ 2.50
10 eggs (M size) -> MYR$ 3.20 - $ 4
1 liter of fresh milk -> MYR$ 4 - $ 5
1 kg of chicken (fresh, uncooked) -> MYR$ 5 - $ 7
10 kg of rice (local, non-fragrant) -> MYR$ 21 - $ 30
1 glass of teh tarik -> MYR$ 1.20 - $ 2
1 piece of roti canai -> MYR$ 1 - $ 1.20
1 plate of wan tan noodle -> MYR$ 4 - $ 5
1 plate of nasi kandar -> MYR$ 4.50 - $ 8
* prices taken from several hyper-markets and might not be up to date.

So your breakfast could cost between MYR$ 2.20 - $ 3.20 if you were to have a glass of teh tarik and a piece of roti canai. Then your lunch, assume that you eat with your colleagues at a kopitiam, will be at least MYR$ 6 (average of $4.50 for rice/noodle dish and $1.50 for drinks) and MYR$ 4 for take-away dinner (assume that you don't want to eat alone at the shops). In this case, you would spend around MYR$ 12 a day eating out, which will come up to MYR$ 360 a month..

sushi.. a luxury in Bolehland..

If you were to patronize fast-food restaurants (like McD, KFC, etc.) or other non-fine dining restaurants, you will definitely have to spend more per meal. A McDonald meal cost at least MYR$ 10, with the cheapest set being  Filet-O-Fish McValue Meal at MYR$ 9.50.. Step into any restaurants, one would easily have to pay between MYR$ 15 - $ 20 per person.. so my estimate of MYR$ 12 a day for food is in fact grossly too low.. and what about the occasional chocolate, biscuits or potato chips?

Prices for fresh fruits and vegetables here are disproportionately more expensive, when compared to countries like Thailand and Indonesia.. Produces, like fresh vegetables, tropical fruits and rice, are supposed to be affordable as we have so much arable land, yet we import most of our food.. Why is that? Cos everyone wants to work in air-con offices, wear tie and shirt to work and be a professional, instead of a farmer.. We are importing 30% of our rice needs currently, and are stockpiling rice due to fears of world food shortages and looming grain crisis in China.. There are several well-written articles on this predicament of ours, you can read them here and here..

Global food prices are rising steadily... and it doesn't help that global warming is playing a huge part in driving up food prices world wide either.. thus one very good and healthy way of saving is to cook at home more often.. You can opt to cook more during weekends and freeze the extra portions for lunch or dinners in the coming week. You can be creative and try out different recipes.. You can cook using produce/items that are on sale thus save further on cost. By cooking at home, you control what you eat by making healthy choices of consuming more vegetables and fruits, and less oil and sugar. And with the savings, you can indulge in good restaurant foods occasionally.. it is definitely a win (save $$) - win (be healthy) solution..

Next, telecommunication cost..



Disclaimer: I am not an economist nor am I (formally) trained in finance.. The figures above are my own estimation which are based on data gleaned from my family/friends and the Internet. I am just stating my observation, experience and thoughts, as I had lived in 3 different Asian countries/cities in the past 20 years...