Driving blues

Instead of being sucked into the familiar aura of the blues surrounding the moody Monday, I stepped out of the zone to share with you on some of the other blues faced.

Take for instance, driving.

I know we have a lot of crazy (or insane is a better word) drivers here in our country; fantasizing their dreams of being a Formula One driver and unfortunately unleashing their fantasy on the road.

Well, there are a lot of negative things which irks us when it comes to being on the road and I am sure each of us has our certain levels or tolerance (or intolerance) when it comes to dealing the other behaviors on the road.

1. Swerving in and out of the lanes and dashing back into the line in a nick of time
2. Driving really slowly on the fast lane and not moving to the left/slow lane even with repetitive flashings/honking (maybe they don't even know their left or right)
3. Tailgating even when you are on the left lane! (yes, again, guess they didn't know their left vs right)
4. Driving with their high beams on
5. Installing those bright, white blinding lights which just momentary blinds you when coming from the opposite road
6. Attempts to race you with even when you have no intention to (i.e.: revving up their engine loudly and exhuming the toxic gas when you are both stopping at the traffic lights and then speeding off in their ultra-modified car which looks like a sports car but is actually Proton/Perodua beneath all that metal shield)
7. Not putting on their signal when they want to turn into the lane, making last minute turns
8. Emergency brakes screeching behind you
9. Talking on the phone and crawling the WHOLE way on the single lane
10. Throwing rubbish out of their window (UNCIVILIZED!)

However, there is one thing that irks me the most and simply cannot be tolerated are ..............

QUEUE JUMPERS!

I simply have no room of tolerance for these folks who can't just wait in their line.
But that is not the worst yet, as the real monsters are those who try to cut the queue by forming another line and steering their cars CLOSE to your car on the LEFT side.

Yes, LEFT...and that was exactly the same monster I faced this morning while driving to work.

I was in a good mood and was driving especially slow and careful this morning (not that I am reckless every other day though) and then when it came to this junction where we had to make a turn at the traffic light, I noticed a grey Proton Wira just right next to my car on the left.
I did not even see him before that, and I've driven on the road every day to work for the past one year or so and it's a one-lane turn at the junction and the space is simply just limited for a car.

He kept steering his car dangerously towards my position and I refused to give in as well!

I won, but it's not a victory of winning another car in a bid to race, but rather, an effort to keep these reckless and inconsiderate drivers at bay!

I cannot tolerate people like these who just budge in from an already narrow lane, so be there!

I shall not let him spoil my working Monday...but to the Proton Wira who almost "kissed" my car this morning (I know your car plate), I hope you will consider others' safety when you drive around please....

Absurd telebanking verification

Recently I have a rather unusual and annoying encounter with a telebanker for one of my credit cards whereby I was calling to update on the mailing address.

I will not elaborate further in paragraphs but in the following conversation excerpt.
I called the bank and after going through the annoying computerized version of "Press 1, For Credit card, press 2...etc" (I wonder why they have to keep this computer-talk for so long that they left me wondering sometime whether are there humans working in the place), I was put on the line to talk to this telebanker.

First of all, it was not that I had anything against him since I did not know him in the first place but there is one thing that irked me the most; people trying to speak fast and in a faked and highly accented English language.
I don't mind the natives of the different countries doing so, since it is their language accent after all, but when Malaysians or Asians do that, it is just unnerving, isn't it?

Alright, brush past the annoying part, now I explained to him about my intention and he of course, asked for my credit card number and then the next part is the verification process..

Annoying telebanker: May I have your ID please?
Me: XXXXXX-XX-XX
Annoying telebanker: Thank you, ma'm, now may I have your mother's maiden name please?
Me: XXX
Annoying telebanker: Thank you very much, and now for the final question, when was the last time you charged the card?
Me: Okay, I cannot remember as I have not used this card for a year or so now

At this point, the Annoying telebanker starts to read in some kind of script but because his English was so strong in the faux accent, I really could not hear a thing except this few sentences:
"It is very important to have answer all verification questions correctly....blah blah blah....advise you to go to our nearest branch...blah blah blah"

I just went, "HUH? what did you just say again? Why do I need to go to the nearest branch and what is the telebanking for?"

Believe it or not, the guy did not even explain anything but proceeded to read the above script again!!
He was like some kind of gramophone record which was reset and then played again.

I tell you, his English really got on my nerves and I just asked him, "What went wrong? I thought we have just done the verification, which question was wrong?"

HE told me, "You were unable to tell me the last time you charged the card"

Greeeeaaaattt.....I could steal this card from someone and could give the P&C information of the owner's IC and mum's name and I must know where he charged the card.

That is the darndest thing I have ever heard!
If you tell me that I am unable to get my IC correct or my mum's maiden name, I am fine, but last time I charged the card?
Great, just great and I just told him off and hung up

Yeah, for the first time (or maybe second) in my life, I hung up on someone on the phone, which is pretty unusual considering that was pretty rude in my perception.

Anyway, after that phone call, I proceeded to the nearest branch and got all my stuffs done and just out of curiosity, I decided to ask the banking officer to check my last payment/usage of the credit card.

This is the best part; he showed me the data on his LCD; there was 0 data.

Get that, there was nothing displayed and he asked me, "You must have used it a year ago?"

I nodded and he said, "Yeah, that's why there was no data stored anymore"

I thanked him and I walked out, telling myself, so the answer to my last verification question was, "None, Z-E-R-O and I would not have to come to the branch"

Hahahha...great....I shall remember that and if you happen to that telebanker who talked to me on the phone, please contact me because I really want to know your name (i forgot it during my annoyance), and also, you forgot to wish me a good day after your "pleasant" conversation...

When the lights go out...

No...I am not talking about Earth hour here nor an attempt to support the noble campaign but the lights really went out in broad daylight when you are your peak office hour.

It was a power supply termination from the national energy provider and this someone just walked into our office (sub-contractor) and handed the admin a red notice and muttered, "We are going to cut your electricity due to bad payment" and the moment he walked out, so did the lights.

I was surprised at how this was handled as there was no previous notice (yellow: warning as the guy allegedly said) and the electricity was terminated immediately.
Furthermore, according to the admin, there was a secured deposit fee for the offices in TNB and there is no reason that power cut should occur just like that.

There was a lot of drama going on as our dear admin tried to check with our own Head office colleagues and it took about two days.

Get this, we were only late for one week and our deposit fee was definitely two to three times more than the amount due.

I don't know what went wrong anyway, but it was really tough sweating it out especially when yours truly has just recovered from a bad bout of flu.

Of course, the plus point was being able to relax and work from Starbucks with a cup of cappucino/frappucino/ice blended in your hand.

Sounds luxurious?

The funny part was, this incident actually touched me in a different way.

Funny how we don't seem to appreciate comfort we were exposed to each day and tend to take it for granted.
Each morning I step into the office, I just sat on my chair, turn on the power and begin to work on my laptop.

I fill my cup with the water from the dispenser; with a choice of either hot or cold or both and can brew a cup of coffee or tea if I want to (although I drink neither)

When the sun is hot outside, I don't even feel the heat nor sweat as I just tap away at the laptop.

Just one hour when the power supply was cut, and we start to curse and swear at how hot it is and how can we not have air-cond or electricity to work.
We don't even remember how our predecessors and ancestors survived without all these luxuries back then.

Fact: We have been spoilt by technology and the luxuries of modernization.

I am not complaining though; I simply cannot imagine how I could walk out of the door without my cell phone with me, or the Internet when I am bored.

I cannot imagine how could we not have TV/DVD player, not to mention books of DVDs to choose from; nor could I imagine life without the fridge to store my favorite fruits/veges/drinks, hair dryer, laptop, fan, lights, and yes, the best invention of all during hot weather: air-cond.

Can't say I am not glad I live in the modern times, and thank God electricity has been resumed today!
I am back to work on my desk and I must say, I am starting to appreciate the availability of power more around me right now =)

Yeah, of course, I will not let Earth hour slip my mind...but let me enjoy a bit more of the luxuries of the cool air and bright lights after living like a nomad and Paleolitician for a day...I do deserve some pampering before I fight for the earth =)

Tiring and exhausting week!

This has been a very tiring week for me; physically and mentally.

Although it was just domestic travel, I travelled twice this week and when I landed in the local airport on Wednesday night after two days of training, I was almost dropping on my feet.

I was so sleepy that I could barely feel my own weight as I traipsed around the airport with my extra heavy bags (somehow bags always end up heavier when you return from the trip despite containing the same amount of stuffs packed before departure)

I have been having muscle aches all over the body and heavy eye lids since yesterday and have been practically dragging myself out of bed and around the office.
It was quite hard to keep awake when I was driving too, I know, an extremely dangerous thing to do.

Things have been so crazy lately that I have again, lost touch with my blogs and it greatly upsets me, furthermore when I have so much to blog about.
I am still in high spirits, just not in high physicality..LOL

I am looking forward to more short holidays and vacations, despite being given the mandate that we are not allowed to take leave at the moment =P (shall blog about it separately)

It's Friday, and at least, there are two short days to look forward to for a break and rest...get away from all the crazy workload and emails and files/sheets waiting to be signed on my table.

Happy Weekend....and are we all looking forward to the long weekend next week? *winks*

Friday and a wedding!

It's finally my favorite Friday here again, and it's gonna be a really hectic and short weekend for me as well.

I am excited as I am heading down to KL (home again) for a very old and close friend's wedding and I am meeting up with all the good old girls whom I have known for more than 10 years (I shall update on the trip when I am back).

It is a wedding which we have anticipated for years and it is finally a reality.
I am going down to give the bride a peace of mind and a big hug and wishing her everlasting happiness with her husband-to-be.

At the same time, I am gonna be celebrating Easter with my family again..and then Monday, need to attend meeting in HQ....

I hope I have the time to log on and blog a bit, but if not, you will be hearing from me next week.

Till then, have a happy weekend....(I am starting to fill my weekends with lovely things to do to weigh down the stress on my mind!)

TGIF and HAPPY HAPPYYYY Weekend! =)

Earth Hour 2010 - Disappointing response!

On the 27th of March 2010, which was the designated date for the year's Earth Hour, the campaign was expected to spurn better responses compared to the previous years since it started.

I was excited that the yearly campaign is once again on and looked forward to being a part of a historic and meaningful event like this.

Last year, I took photos of the houses around my neighborhood and was quite disappointed in the response of the locals around my place.

This year, I was waiting in anticipation and decided to take it further from my place, to see the response from the island.

However, I was disappointed as I saw the raging and oncoming lights on the road and also the residential areas.



Scene from my condo carpark (close to 8.30pm)


Condominium


There does not seem to be any level of awareness from the public on the running of this event!
I don't know why, it seems that no one is bothered to even turn off the lights for only one hour to support this worldly cause?







I heard that it was the same for other states as well, now I think this is also probably due to the low publicity/campaign on the Earth Hour which led to such poor response.

However, the clear winner is this, Eastin Hotel Penang (and the PJ one too) as they truly supported the whole cause by turning off most of the unnecessary lights for one hour!
Brave and a round of applause to Eastin Hotel =)


This is a good start, to create awareness among the public and does not mean that you only observe this once a year.
If switching off unnecessary lights in joint effort can save so much in an hour, imagine if we were to individually practise it at all times and every day.

We are doing the Earth, the place where we live in a huge favour which in return benefits ourselves too! =)

So, start by making it a habit to turn off your lights when not in use, and remember to save the Earth by recycling, etc!

Thank you for the Palm!~

The past Sunday was Palm Sunday; the day which marked the journey into the holy week where Christians all over the world observe the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ before Easter.

It is considered the most solemn period of the year; and fasting and abstinence, penance are all practised during this time.

Palm Sunday was a celebration, a day where we celebrate the highest point of triumph in Jesus's life as a man on earth as he enters Jerusalem.
It was also well known as the Sunday of the Lord's Passion and palm trees were symbolic as a sign of respect from the people who lay it down before Jesus when He entered the city.

We celebrate the triumph of the Lord, praising him for his coming, and it was truly the event which marks his glory and power as a man.

It is funny how when one man reaches his peak of glory, the next path is the way down the drain.
This is true for all of us, and Jesus as well, as he was crucified within the same week; whipped and humiliated by all in public after such a glorious moment on this Sunday.

That was why Palm Sunday was also known as the Sunday of the Lord's Passion as it marks the beginning of the Lord's journey to his death, to fulfill our Father's will and to redeem us, sinners.
It was probably the last celebration before Easter; as we journey into a solemn period to observe what Jesus is about to endure.

I went to church on Sunday; and I did not have a palm in my hand.
I was a little sad, as I recalled how I used to go with my family and we used to have a few branches of palm leaves in our hands; happily counting where we would place the blessed palms in each area of the house.

My family left on Saturday, and since I was spending time with them, I had no time to look for palm leaves and furthermore, I don't own a palm tree myself.

I did spot a few palm trees on the road; and also in residential neighbourhood but come on, that is such a despicable and downright dishonest act and I don't feel that it is that glorious or respectable for such a happy occasion.
Yeah, I still practise what I learnt in Moral lessons back at school.

I felt left out when I was in the church grounds; where everyone was with their families or with close friends, and even a small boy holds a palm leaf in his hand.

Perhaps it was my little reward or perhaps the Lord did not want me to feel left out, as suddenly a middle-aged lady walked towards me and passed me a palm leaf, saying, "Sister, a palm for you?"

She just pushed the palm into my hand and gave me such a nice and sweet smile, that I was stunned for a while, before smiling in return and said, "Thank you" and I silently prayed, "Bless her kind soul, Lord"

I also prayed and thanked the Lord for his blessing as I truly felt lightened up.

I think He was trying to tell me, "You are not Alone, I am always here with you"

Perhaps I was being imaginative, but I always felt that the Lord is right there beside me especially when I have a tiny hint of sadness in me.

Then the priest went on to talk about how we should look around us, and make peace with people whom we don't like or do not like us during this week as it is a week of reconciliation.

It is a time to reflect and look into our very own family relationships and try to see in each and every one around us, the living Christ in them.

I think I have just found one; the lady who had given me the palm leaf; and many many more around me.

My parents who had cared for me since I was young and would never criticize or discriminate for anything that I have done

My best friends who will never give up their trust on me and have confidence in everything I do

My uncle who always believed in my capabilities and stand there supporting me all the way since I was a baby girl

Colleagues who have been helping me out when I am distressed or being taken advantage; who speak up for me in unjust situations.

Church members who smile at me even though I am new in the church and even introduced themselves to me

I am sure there are many more out there that although I do not list them out here, I silently thank God for their presence each day and also for their happiness.
There is a Christ in every one of us, we just need to be proud of HIM =)

Praise the Lord and may you be blessed with the Lord's passion this week, as we journey with him towards another triumphant celebration.

Have a blessed and meaningful Holy Week!~