It is NOT His fault....

Today I was driving back from town in the afternoon, heading home and I stopped at this traffic light at the main junction of Sg Dua (where N Park/Sunnyville is on your left and USM is on your right?)

The lights soon turned green for our lane and I was surprised to see that I am not able to move yet (the car in front did not move)
There was a honk and I noticed that the two cars in front of me; a Citra and a CRV moving out towards the right.
I followed pursuit and I noticed the main reason we are held back, a car put on the hazard lights and just stopped there.
I think it broke down or something.

Now, the astonishing part was this; this Citra honked at the car, and that's not enough. The driver rolled down his window and just rudely waved his arm at the broke down car, like the sign language of saying "What the hell"

I think otherwise, "What the h*** is wrong with this Citra driver?"

I mean, who asked to break down in the middle of the road?
Do you seriously think that the driver really enjoyed not being able to drive off when the light turned green?
It is enough that he had to endure and to figure out how to get his car out of there and fixed.

It is really NOT his fault!

Sometimes some people can just be so inconsiderate and insensitive....

THE Traffic Jam last night....

Here, I finally got these photos out from my phone....if you didn't believe me, look at the photos of the massive traffic jam on Penang island last night.


The traffic jam which landed me 3 hours on the road, inching from one tiny weeny point to another and not close enough to hit the bumper of another car (thankfully)
I had a skilled driver next to me anyway ;)

The traffic jam which resulted in me having dinner at almost 9pm, and having to go to sleep later than usual because I had to digest the food!

This reminded me of the same traffic jam I got caught in at the Penang Bridge 4 years ago when there was this overturned truck/oil tanker on the bridge and I was stuck there for 4 hours!

Look at this, I am not on a new road; still the same old road, just that the car in front of me is not the one from the first picture because the poor frustrated driver made a quick U-turn to get out of this horrendous traffic predicament!


I seriously thought I was going to be stuck there like, forever (a bit exaggerated), but it really felt like that!

*Shudders at the thoughts of the traffic jam last night*

Thank God I got home before morning, right?

Stuck for 3 hours!

Can you believe what just happened?

I was stuck in a crazy traffic jam which lasted for almost 3 hours!
The cars are not moving; I am not even in a bumper-to-bumper kind of crawl....it was a stationary; as if time has stopped and all the cars just stopped moving!!!

Wow, I doubt even one with most patience can bear to watch how one's car move an inch in every 10 minutes!

I am glad I finally got home, I thought I'd never make it....it seemed so far away....
Thank God for finally reaching home.

I still don't understand what caused the jam; but I am attributing it to the fact that tomorrow is a public holiday, and I heard that those states observing this holiday tomorrow are facing the same predicament in the traffic condition.

So, sometimes holidays are great and cool, but not the days before the holiday huh?

Serving the (right) customers

Customer service is not for everyone and if you are ever going to go through this field, be prepared to brace all the triumphs and challenges that will come with the package.

I have always thought that serving the customers require a lot of patience and perseverance as we are dealing with people from all walks of life, and with money involved (they PAY you), we have to put on our best behavior to treat them the right way.

My first job upon graduation was involved with software, engineering and also applications support in a very conducive company; a company that I will live to remember my enjoyable working experience.
Back then I remembered having to work with internal customers as well, understanding their requirements and I had to do cross-site support which meant dealing with people from different countries; namely China, India, USA, Philippines, etc.
It was not easy although we were all in the same company as it was also across different divisions and reporting to distinctive umbrella organizations.
I recalled some technically demanding customers who had to have whatever they asked for there and then and whether you know it or not.
I knew it was not easy then but it was fun during the learning curve and you just enjoy challenges especially when you are a fresh graduate.

Dealing with internal people are different from external customers; I don't think we need an encyclopedia to detail the differences here.

It is definitely much harder and stressful to face some of those demands and unreasonable deadlines or risk being reported by the customer to your management.
Escalation is a usual process and customers cannot even accept it when you are away on vacation or even if you are on sick leave, bla bla bla.

My recent experience with a multinational company was horrendous and I feel really battered out of my wits by their demands.
I am not saying that I am fully perfect and provide the No.1 service and support, but headcount/resources were really low on our side and I have tried my very best, I really mean it.
It is not easy juggling between completing your already increasing workload and at the same time, entertaining every single request and demand that comes from the customer's end.

Of course, understanding from the customer's end, I do not blame them for getting frustrated with us at as well as they too, have their requirements and deadlines to meet. However, from my side, I have tried my very best, to every extent possible to help to work for them and coordination job is not entirely within my control.
It was hard working with the internal team when they are not cooperative as well, and yet you cannot expect the customer to understand this.

It will come back to us being the problem statement.

I feel really tired and exhausted out of my own wits to meet every single expectation from everyone.
(Or perhaps I am trying to meet my own expectations too much, and I feel that I am just useless when I don't do things right?)

I am worried about my own performance, sometimes I feel I am not doing everything perfectly.
Is that all to life? My work and in meeting everyone's expectations?

My boss told me this, "You can't please everyone. You could kill yourself trying to make everyone happy"

I am glad that my boss trusts that I am doing my job right and that the customers are the unreasonable or demanding ones.

However, why am I still not feeling at peace or happy with myself?
I just don't understand myself sometimes...

Missing the weekend...

Come Monday morning and the first thing that you think when you open your eyes is, "Darn, it's Monday again, the weekend is over"

How superficial we all are, we know we need a job to sustain ourselves and we need the money to pamper ourselves with little luxury items, and we are always so earnest and doe-eyed during our job interviews to convince others to hire us and yet we can't even cajole ourselves out of bed to get to work on most mornings.
Worse is, we can be bitching about it in our heads and yet we can walk into the office, and look like we were looking forward to work so much.

Haha, that's life; the same scene will put itself on forward and rewind every single week.
Like the sea, there is always the high and low tides sweeping up to the sand and after all, without complaining and grudging once in a while, where would we get the happiness on the other end, right? (a little nonsensical, I know)

While we have a long list to rant about what we don't like about working weekdays, I have decided to just preserve the weekend in my mind and tell myself about things that I really love about the weekend; so that everyday would seem like a weekend
(Self-psychology works most of the time to preserve our sanity in this mad world but if it doesn't, there is a book out there with the same title, 7-Day Weekend)

Weekends...everything about it is nice, even the word itself is comforting to the soul and what do I love looking forward to...

1. Waking up to birds chirping softly and the skies are still dark, and you know you are NOT working =)
I love to wake up early on weekends, being the opposite of the majority to enjoy that fresh and cool crisp air (the weather has changed, finally)

2. Having a cuppa hot Chinese tea during one of those dim sum breakfasts and sipping it slowly while you sample each bite of the delightful (and sinful) dim sum and knowing that you still have all the time in the world and not having to rush to get to the office before the meeting starts.

Besides enjoying the food, I get to do my people observation and it is fun seeing people of all walks of life and each with their own unique style and behavior.
(now I feel like a retired person sitting in the dim sum shop, talk about people watching!)


3. No meetings or business calls or any demeaning emails popping up in your Outlook

4. Not having to follow any schedule and doing everything at leisure

5. Having the time for me-session (my solitary time)

6. Cruising around the island in the car, taking in all the view and snapping pictures wherever I go


7. Pampering myself from head-to-toe

8. Going shopping or watching movies

9. No traffic jams or long queues at restaurants/eateries (except at the cinemas and the malls' carparks)

10. Time to relax and just RELAX!

I really missed the weekend....well, just close my eyes and count to 5 days...and then it's weekend all over again! =D

Honked a Police Car

I left my Kulim office at a good time yesterday to avoid the traffic on the bridge and the whole journey was smooth.
Even the bridge was really clear when I arrived at the toll booths and keeping to the SmartTag lane on the right with all the cones to disintegrate this lane from the other lanes, I was breezing past until I reached the bridge and there was this black jeep which swerved itself into my lane (on its left is another car) and this black jeep just tried to swerve in without heeding the danger of banging my car.
Needless to say, I honked at the driver and turned to look at the driver or the car when I saw these words on the driver's door
"POLIS BANTUAN"

@_@...Oh NO!
I honked a Police car!!!:O (BIG O)

Anyway, he got in after that and kept to his left lane driving slowly and obediently behind the other cars.
I took down his number plate in case and even another car's number behind me in case of anything (you know, at least, I have an eye-witness)

Sighs.....I had to start the new year with a LOUD HONK...and at the country's law enforcer nevertheless....UGH!
Do pray for me...

Not a great day

Sighs...today doesn't seem to be so great after all...
Actually it was supposed to start out great...haha, at least my allergies' not that bad anymore :)
But then stepping out of the house...everything seems to going the other way round....like a twist of Just My Luck:p

First the car incident...slow driving and blocking and my car was this close to being clamped by the barrier!
2nd, I was trying to update another blog of mine and took so much effort and time to write that post and then when I click Publish, BAM!! Siao Siao Blogger just didn't save it for me!!!
SOBS!!!
Oh my....what happened to the blogger's auto saving feature????!!!!
Nothing, no drafts....so down!!!!!

Then....somebody mistook that something happened and I was the cause when I was totally doing it right....work jargons:p
Great...and I am going down for lab tour later...let's hope and pray that I don't get sucked into a machine or eeee.......stop cursing myself!
It will be better....
What's that...Today will be better than yesterday...can I change it to afternoon will be better than this morning? :)

Back to KL....

News...one of my friends here in Penang; or rather, my ex-housemate from uni who was also here working for about a year will be moving back to the city soon.
Yeah...am happy for her....we had a great talk yesterday and I was glad that we still had this bond and trust with each other...
Thanks gal, for asking me....I appreciate that you still trust me to share your doubts and stuffs with me:)

I guess she did manage to come up with a decision and it was to go for it, proud of you gal!;)
How did I find out?
I received a message from good ol' friend from KL...
Hey, your good friend is also packing her bags to come back down south dy...when's your turn?
Haha....
I will, as soon as I get a BIG FAT offer as well....:D
Great....and we Kepong-ites will always welcome you back:)

Hehe...thanks...and I won't quote your name...otherwise, you will say I am like a paparazzi again:p

But 2 good things in a day....all courtesy of my good ol' pals in KL....which made me felt really cared and remembered all the time...
Despite the frustration yesterday at work, etc.....I must really say that you guys have made my day...

Thanks for making me feel cherished and remembered when I was feeling slightly blue....
And reminding me that I am still loved and on your minds....
THANK YOU...and I love this word, Kepong-ites...haha:D

Maybe it's time I should head back to my KL life...hehe...back to Civilization....
ERMmmm.....I meant, back to City Life...hehe:D

Gotcha!!

It's Monday (AGAIN!) and my Mondays were never better....double the blues since it usually means Kulim day...SIGHS!
Haha....yet another sigh for Kulim day....guess I should start a fund for my sighs:p

Anyway, each time I drive to Kulim early in the morning, Hitz.fm never fails to entertain me...haha, maybe I should request for advertising fee from the radio station.
Okay, one of my favourite session was the Morning Crew; Rudy and JJ (I have met him in person before...hehe:)
They host the morning show and one of the highlights of the show?
Of course, the Gotcha session.
Haha....actually, it's a real meanie:p

A couple of times I have heard a few mean tricks; mostly friends enjoying the wicked laughs over their friend's reaction whom they preyed upon.
One very patient guy was last 2 weeks where he was actually waiting to hear about his job search results and his friend got the DJs to call him up and pretended to actually offer him a job; with a slightly lower pay and also his immediate response.
Then they told him that they would like to do a quick round of spontaneous interview and got him to act on the job. This job he was applying for was the Helpdesk; helping and answering technical questions from customers.
The DJ hit it off by asking him how to setup a computer and then email and this guy was really patient and did really well in answering all the bozo questions; what is an email; how to send an email.
Then after some time, the DJ asked him about getting on the web
DJ: What will happen if I type www.hitz.fm?
Guy: Oh, it will bring you to this website with the similar name and you can browse through the contents.
DJ: Ohhh...I see this icon; what happens if I click on the Gotcha icon?
Guy: Oh, it will launch a mini window or probably another page where it contain details or anything that is related to the icon...
(He still doesn't see the light...and he was really very amiable throughout the session)
DJ: What happens if I tell you your friend clicked on the Gotcha icon and sent your details to the radio station to call and play a fool on you?
Guy: (Paused) That would be.....very funny....
Guy: Ohhhh....
DJ: I gotta tell you, you are really a very patient guy.....but on behalf of Hitz, I gotta say ..."GOTCHA"!!!

Haha.....I am impressed by his patience too and I am sure he will definitely get a great job, so hang in there dude!

Another time was this husband playing a prank on his pregnant wife waiting for her medical examinations results and telling her she failed. Strong woman that one; haha...disbelieving, skeptic and wanted to check things out...but was hysterical when she found out and kept calling them mean...hahaha

And this morning was one; where they called this guy about his flight arrangements and offered more than a couple of absurd flight schedules. The guy was gettting flustered and so angry that he wanted to call the manager when the DJ...hey, it's me, Jake...haha...Gotcha!!
And he couldn't stop laughing...hahaha:D

It's really stress-free listening to these folks and also....I do missed my deejaying days when I listen to them talking all those in a free flow:)
I miss all of you DJ guys back there in RMMU......

And...I must say, much as it's funny and a meanie, the Gotcha programme was definitely innovative and fresh....haha...and a good laugh:D
Have a great day everyone!~

Near escape

Wow....this morning, I came into the office early and I was thinking to myself;
Hey, the weather looks like it's gonna rain today....(as I gazed into the dark and black skies - usual at an hour 0f 6am)....hehe...
I know, sounds absurd that I can predict rainy weather...it's still dark at that time:p
Anyway, I always can sense rain..don't ask me how, I just can...sometimes, can even "smell" rain.
I walked slowly into the building, past the guard and security scanner post and made my way into the elevator all the way to my floor.
After filling my water bottle with water from the dispenser and walking towards the cubes, I heard the loud shattering noises; really noisy...and my colleague linked it to the air-conditioning.
Somehow, I don't think so and I mentioned that it was the rain....and if it really is rain, then I am really lucky that I missed it by seconds:)
And then, as I walked down the long aisle of corridor leading to my cube, I can really confirm it is rain!
Haha...lucky me!!
If I was at the car park any longer, I am gonna be drenched...even with my umbrella sheltering me... wow, to think that I just escaped the downpour....
The minute I was in the office premises (inside the building, it poured like anything out there...haha, a true depiction of raining cats and dogs:)
It's still raining now...such a beautiful weather...
It hasn't been raining during the day for the last few days.....hehe, maybe also having fever like me:p
I love these rainy seasons:)

Effects of the word "Delay"

Hmmm... I noticed that this word has a profound effect on people...or to be precise; working people....haha....
If you mentioned "Oh, this was delayed because...."
Or if you position it in a way that they were the cause of the delay.."This was delayed because you haven't...."
Aha...that'd get their attention!
Been there, done that..and trust me, it works!;)

I Give up

I waited to get home yesterday; anxiously and worried about the reaction from my housemates..hehe, being the worry wart me:p
And they were all home late (I was wondering whether they were mad and avoided me?...)
Then we didn't really speak to each other; perhaps it was awkward to talk about it and then, I went to bed early.
I woke up this morning; and was in for a shower and I stopped, right in my tracks in the bathroom; as I saw there were hair...or should I put it; a bundle of hair...a massacre of "self-suicidal/kamikaze" cells from the top of the head on the floor in the bathroom particularly near the drain area.
Okay, I spare all the visual details...
Seems like they don't get what I was saying.....and then, I saw that rubbish were not thrown (the other housemate) and etc.
So just a brief morning (less than 30 mins as I prepare to get to work), nothing practically changed.....
I start to wonder; did they get/read my email?
Maybe they did for the former; but for the latter, I doubt it now...
Or another way, maybe they did both...but the latter latter, maybe they ignored and deleted it...
OR OR.....they totally didn't understand....it was too long....they were too lazy to read it...
OR OR OR....simple, they didn't understand English!!!
Man....should I be learning some other language?
I thought this was a civilized language and I have put it in the mildest manner possible...still too hard to comprehend?
Hmmm.......maybe I should do the following:
1. Learn some native language which can be helpful (Balinese, Javanese?) and try it out again?
2. Just ignore and participate in the remake of Hideo Nakata's movie with the effects of hair massacre in the house!
3. Continue to do my own stuffs and perhaps, spot an opportunity to be featured in an episode of Kim and Aggie's "How Clean is your House?" (I will get a house makeover for free then:)

Sighhhhhhhhssss......you guys tell me what to do next.....

P.S.: Maybe I should wait for weekend, they may be just too tired after work yesterday....and I should go sign up for Balinese 101 in the meantime....in case...

An email to housemates...

I did a crazy thing today; okay, maybe not SO crazy...
But I actually typed up an email to my housemates (the main tenant and also the bf of the other gal - we are all in the same company anyway) ...
I know you may think that this is crazy...why can't we talk in the house?
Haha...well, apparently, everyone is kinda busy and somehow our schedules never seem to meet anyway thus the minimum time we get to see everybody in the house and me, I sleep so early and get up early; while theirs? The total opposite...so, since there's so much to say and no time to meet, I decided to finally write this email...
Wanna know what I wrote about?
Okay; just a gist...
I was actually talking about the condition of the house and mainly housekeeping...
Recently the house has been quite dirty and well, pretty messed up; despite the empty halls without any major furnitures. But key thing is; nobody has been making the effort to contribute to keeping the house spick and span.
Previously the other housemate only worked on weekends (part-time) after her graduation and she was the one maintaining the cleanliness.
The master tenant; she rented the house out to us and she told us to take care of the house.
Anyway, I was in silent observation for more than a month and I am not the cleanest person; but sometimes I can be quite fussy about cleanliness...but not compulsive type:p
I can be a freak and I hate untidy situations...
And so, I have been trying my best to keep the house clean...
You know, keeping your own room clean is one thing; but if the external is sticky, you may chance upon bringing it back to your room, get what I mean?
Anyway, so, I have been doing minor things; sweeping, cleaning...and now, I feel tired; coz I also have to work...all of us have our own schedules and tiring days after work...
And when you have been doing all the work, you feel tired.
I don't really mind; but the very least is; maintenance is a joint effort; I am only 1 person...
It was beginning of a bad situation; the floor has come to a state where you feel that the grounds are "sticky" and you sort of have to walk on tiptoes...okay, maybe not THAT bad yet...but you get what I mean.
1. Floors were not mopped nor swept...I came back from KL and cleaned up the hall on Sunday and by Tuesday, they are all dirty and "sticky" again...sighs...
2. Bathroom
3. Kitchen and washing area....not wiped after I threw away my old ragged cloth...:(
4. Laundry area - near the kitchen...also messy sometimes with puddles after using the washing machine.
Sighs...

I put it in the mildest manner to list out the stuffs I noticed around the house and shot the mail to both of my housemates (and bf to convey) and I haven't received their replies yet.
Do you think I am too nosy?
I felt awful now; have I offended them in the process?
I don't know; but I do hope there's an improvement...it's pretty bad not to take care of others' house (we rented it) and it's our responsibility to maintain the house's good condition...
And most of all, don't everyone want to live in comfort?

I HATE Durians!

There was this Durian lunch organized by the department team and it was in Kulim (that's why most of the people turned up in Kulim yesterday!)
Anyway, I of course declined the invitation which was sent out a week ago through email (Outlook).
And I was surprised by how many colleagues actually asked me whether I am joining yesterday as the whole office disappeared by lunch hour.

My Big Boss: Hey, you're not joining the durian lunch?
I HATE durians!!!
Big Boss: I know....I remembered:D
*Haha...just pulling my leg!

Colleague 2: You're not going for the durian lunch?
I HATE durians!!!
Haha....
What's so funny? *hmmm...

Colleague 3: You're not joining the durian lunch?
I HATE durians!!!
Haha...you hate durians? It's a Malaysian fruit!

And so, I was greeted by the same question by more than 5 colleagues whom I bumped into at the corridor walkway.
And this was the funniest one; coming from one of the highly qualified PhD holders...
You're not joining the durian lunch?
I HATE durians!!!
Hey, it's okay...you can still take the mangoes...
And there's other fruits there like mangosteens, rambutans what....

*Mutters to myself, I dislike them too and I am kinda allergic to mango...

Sighs, I should probably hang a banner on myself; on top of my ID "I HATE Durians"...considering the number of times I am repeating myself in one day:p

** NO Offense to Durian fans/lovers out there:)**

Techno-tized

A colleague of mine IM me this morning, telling me that he helped me to straighten some of the posters on the notice board in the Kulim office.
(Remember I was part of this GPTW organizing fun activities-for-the-dept team in which I assume the PR role to publish communication posters, emails, designs, etc?)
Well, it was my task to maintain and update the notice boards (just like my secretarial job back in Prefectorial Board in Form 5..haha!)

Anyway, he took the liberty of doing me the favour (or so he says) of straightening the posters!!
I almost fainted...haha....
Isn't it meant to be straight? I thought it was disorganized?
.................
Or was it meant as an artistic twist?
Oops...
Not everything's meant to be straight; it't not ultimately artistic...there's factors like space, alignment, patterning, eye comfort....and also the attraction factor so that not everything in the office looks like some technical symposium poster out of Einstein's lab...
Ohhhh....
Then should I align them back to their original positions then?
It's okay, I will in Kulim tomorrow; I will remedy that..haha :D

I bet he's pulling my legs actually...but he sure is funny about it...
But it is a side of technical community; engineers, scientists, everything is either black, white, straight....sighs!
Thank God we have colors and also artistic people :)

Yeah...that's my colleague...the bunch of techno people I work with....:)

New car on the tow, and I am driving behind his row

I was driving home after work yesterday(well, duh, common:p) and I hit the bridge at a good hour - at least I don't see any major crawl.
Anyway, while I was on the bridge; traffic was a little slow and I was traversing/breezing through some of the cars when I end up behind this metallic green Toyota Avanza.
Okay, Avanza is not like a new Batman gadget that is so amazing and I have never seen it before; so that's not the point of my story:p
What struck me was that this was a new car....yeah, brand new and obviously being sent over to the island to the customer with the number plate hung loosely at the rear of the car.
So, while I was trailing behind this car; putting on my brakes whenever necessary since the driver in front of me was definitely doing so and driving rather slowly...I start to think...haha, usual me, thinking all the time.
What came to my mind was kinda funny; I was just wondering; what happens if someone hits the rear of this car?
I mean, may not be me; but you know everything is prone to accidents and with the constant braking and trailing behind all the cars on the bridge/road, what happens if someone bangs into the rear of this car?

Common scenario is the drivers get down and negotiate and you know, settle it man to man.
But in this case; this is not the driver nor the owner of the car but the middleman assigned to send it over.
Don't you think it's gonna be kinda complicated?
Furthermore, how do you explain to the customer who is eagerly waiting for his new car?
"Erm...sorry, I just crashed your new car?" (and he hasn't even set his hands on it yet!)
Haha....just food for thought....
or a penny for my thought...so that I can be rich!:D

Bloggers' blog

Beware of what you blog!
It seems that blogging will be a scrutinized activity from now onwards... according to sources published in the newspapers on Sunday.
Our Malaysian government is viewing blogging seriously now and will consider to take action against bloggers who criticize others openly in their blogs; subjecting them to the clause of defamation of others. In fact, quoting examples from their Western counterparts, they claimed that bloggers over there have been brought to court for publishing their thoughts which insult or in any way cause any damage to another's reputation.
What has come to the world of bloggers now?
Blogs were meant to be a private space for thoughts and opinions; a journal for our minds to speak as they think...but no, now, blogs will also be subjected to the law.
I wonder whether my food reviews and stuffs I talk about the food tastes and restaurant environments are defamation?
Anyhow, do beware....let's hope that all of you out there will not be as unfortunate as Jeff Ooi....
Blog.....but with caution:)

There is a thorn within every flower

I just had lunch with 2 of my group colleagues after a lab tour this afternoon and initially our topic revolved around work and all about technology stuffs, etc.
Then it came to job scope, environment, lifestyle etc.
I heard their whinings and sarcasm about some of the things which they feel were unfair and unjust.
Well, seems that not everyone's having a smooth ride in their lives huh?
Life is just like that; there is a thorn within every flower...just need to learn how to deal with it; your choice of the positive or negative way....
*Winks*

Busy Bee countdown...

This week I was really busy with lots of preparations for work...I know, nothing's new:p
I am in the midst of preparing agenda for an external meeting; worked to complete and compile lots of presentations...busy busy busy bee....
Hehe....and yeah, I love honey too!