CCXF Meets Bockie
The affair has always been a joyous one. I love his guy who's been in my life since I was 17.
I so thank him for going against his better judgement then, seeing through my outer superficial Ah Lian facade and taking that first step to talk to me, all the while taking caution not to go too near the pointed end comb in my pure white Espirit shoulder bag and ducking precariously when I flip my brown streaked long hair.
Bockie doesnt mind me calling him Bockie. Bockie doesnt mind me adding Pig to Bockie at times. Bockie doesnt mind me driving his car, which I will certainly consider now that it's a selfish Audi so unfitting of clumsy shortie (legged) me.
Bockie doesnt mind my loudness. Bockie doesnt mind my embarrassing chuckles.
Bockie doesnt mind my yawns, whines and public-cry.
Just like I don't mind Bockie's coining the tongue-twister initials CCXF.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Fly the Fiendish Skies - by Matthew Lynn, a columnist for Bloomberg.
This article was published in the Jakarta Globe on 12 August in the Comments Section. I am reproducing it manually because I love how it summarises how I feel in general about air travel, though I have not YET switched to budget airlines. But my full fledged airlines arent that much better either.
Caught a plane recently? How was the flight? If you're honest, it was probably a horrible experience.
The airports are packed to the rafters, now more than usual with the holiday season. The checkin desks are overwhelmed. The staff can be bossy and the rules ridiculous. The additional charges range from the baffling to the infuriating. Allocated seats have been abolished along with the meals. It is hell 30,000 feet above the ground.
There is no question that flying is a less pleasantexperience than it was 30 years ago. Economists tell us that most products get better over time in a free market. The airlines have managed to rip up that rule book. The question is whether other industries will follow the same path or whether the airlines will find a way to make flying fun again.
In the last decade, most carriers have stripped out just about everything that made flying a tolerable, sometimes even pleasurable experience. Cattle on the way to the abbatoir receive better care than most passengers do on the new breed of budget airlines. The North KOrean postal service probably knows more about putting the customer first than most airline staff.
People have noticed. Two of the biggest hits on the Internet this year have been from exasperated air travellers. There was a letter to Richard Branson, the president of Virgin Atlantic Airways, complaining about the 'culinary journey of hell' on a Virgin flight. United Airlines was expertly dissected by a country singer aggrieved that his carrier had damaged his guitar. His song, "United Breaks Guitars," has had almost five million views on Youtube.
The trouble is, it is about to get much worse.
Ryanair, the Irish budget airline that prides itself on not caring about service, is now thinking about charging to use teh toilets. It is already getting rid of check-in desks and the company plans to make passengers carry all their baggage onto the plane. They will probably get us to bring along a few liters of jet fuel pretty soon.
The Chinese carrier Spring Airlines is contemplating selling "standing-only" tickets to pack more people onto its planes, according to a report on MSNBC. Even British Airways, which used to boast about the quality of its service, is joining the rush down to cattle calss. Last month. the airline said free meals were being abolished after 10am for flights less than 2 and a half hours. It won't be long before they put you in your suitcase and charge you for breathing.
On one level, we know what is happening. The no-frills, budget business model has triumphed. Passengers always take the cheapest possible flight, forcing all the airlines to cut costs drastically.
Flying used to be an exciting, glamourous event. When I was a kid, friendly flight attendants would take you up to the cockpits to have a chat with the pilot and see how it all worked. These days, they don't even let parents sit next to their children unless the whole family runs like crazy onto the plane elbowing aside everyone in front of them.
Of course, it's true that flights are cheaper and there are more of them. Yet, that isnt quite the explanation.
In most industries, products are both cheaper and better. Computers are loads faster and cost less than they did 10 years ago. The same is true of cars and televisions and just about any consumer product you can think of.
NOr do consumers normally opt for such a dramatic decline in quality even if they do get lower prices in return.
Thank about what would happen if they did. We would all be staying in spartan hotels right next to the highway. Restaurants would be serving us ready-made meals from cans - awful but very cheap. The barber would just get out his sheep shears and give us a trim.
Only when it comes to air tickets have consumers decided that price is the sole thing that matters. The choice between price and quality in most other industries doesnt matter.
Airports may be giving us a glimpse of the future. In 20 years' time, perhaps every industry will be run ont the Ryanair model: Drive down prices to the minimum and tell the customer to take a hike.
Alternatively,perhaps the airline industry is still in a period of transition from old state-run monopolies to a free market. That process has gone crazy, allowing companies to a period of freedom in which they can be as rude to the customer as they like and get away with it. Over time, a better compromise between price and quality will emerge.
Something needs to be done about air travel. Otherwise, we might be tempted to chuck ourselves from the emergency exit, even if there is an extra 10-euro charge for doing so.
This article was published in the Jakarta Globe on 12 August in the Comments Section. I am reproducing it manually because I love how it summarises how I feel in general about air travel, though I have not YET switched to budget airlines. But my full fledged airlines arent that much better either.
Caught a plane recently? How was the flight? If you're honest, it was probably a horrible experience.
The airports are packed to the rafters, now more than usual with the holiday season. The checkin desks are overwhelmed. The staff can be bossy and the rules ridiculous. The additional charges range from the baffling to the infuriating. Allocated seats have been abolished along with the meals. It is hell 30,000 feet above the ground.
There is no question that flying is a less pleasantexperience than it was 30 years ago. Economists tell us that most products get better over time in a free market. The airlines have managed to rip up that rule book. The question is whether other industries will follow the same path or whether the airlines will find a way to make flying fun again.
In the last decade, most carriers have stripped out just about everything that made flying a tolerable, sometimes even pleasurable experience. Cattle on the way to the abbatoir receive better care than most passengers do on the new breed of budget airlines. The North KOrean postal service probably knows more about putting the customer first than most airline staff.
People have noticed. Two of the biggest hits on the Internet this year have been from exasperated air travellers. There was a letter to Richard Branson, the president of Virgin Atlantic Airways, complaining about the 'culinary journey of hell' on a Virgin flight. United Airlines was expertly dissected by a country singer aggrieved that his carrier had damaged his guitar. His song, "United Breaks Guitars," has had almost five million views on Youtube.
The trouble is, it is about to get much worse.
Ryanair, the Irish budget airline that prides itself on not caring about service, is now thinking about charging to use teh toilets. It is already getting rid of check-in desks and the company plans to make passengers carry all their baggage onto the plane. They will probably get us to bring along a few liters of jet fuel pretty soon.
The Chinese carrier Spring Airlines is contemplating selling "standing-only" tickets to pack more people onto its planes, according to a report on MSNBC. Even British Airways, which used to boast about the quality of its service, is joining the rush down to cattle calss. Last month. the airline said free meals were being abolished after 10am for flights less than 2 and a half hours. It won't be long before they put you in your suitcase and charge you for breathing.
On one level, we know what is happening. The no-frills, budget business model has triumphed. Passengers always take the cheapest possible flight, forcing all the airlines to cut costs drastically.
Flying used to be an exciting, glamourous event. When I was a kid, friendly flight attendants would take you up to the cockpits to have a chat with the pilot and see how it all worked. These days, they don't even let parents sit next to their children unless the whole family runs like crazy onto the plane elbowing aside everyone in front of them.
Of course, it's true that flights are cheaper and there are more of them. Yet, that isnt quite the explanation.
In most industries, products are both cheaper and better. Computers are loads faster and cost less than they did 10 years ago. The same is true of cars and televisions and just about any consumer product you can think of.
NOr do consumers normally opt for such a dramatic decline in quality even if they do get lower prices in return.
Thank about what would happen if they did. We would all be staying in spartan hotels right next to the highway. Restaurants would be serving us ready-made meals from cans - awful but very cheap. The barber would just get out his sheep shears and give us a trim.
Only when it comes to air tickets have consumers decided that price is the sole thing that matters. The choice between price and quality in most other industries doesnt matter.
Airports may be giving us a glimpse of the future. In 20 years' time, perhaps every industry will be run ont the Ryanair model: Drive down prices to the minimum and tell the customer to take a hike.
Alternatively,perhaps the airline industry is still in a period of transition from old state-run monopolies to a free market. That process has gone crazy, allowing companies to a period of freedom in which they can be as rude to the customer as they like and get away with it. Over time, a better compromise between price and quality will emerge.
Something needs to be done about air travel. Otherwise, we might be tempted to chuck ourselves from the emergency exit, even if there is an extra 10-euro charge for doing so.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Self pity is Despicable.
So what if you have no friends to watch movie with.
So what if you travel alone, carry luggage alone, sleep alone and eat alone.
So what if you go to a squat toilet with no hooks on the door and a wet floor and you are carrying a heavy laptop bag.
So what if you have to climb hills, step mud and travel in a car for 3 hours before reaching a destination.
So what if you have to wake up 5 hours before work.
So what if you have 7 datelines in 7 days.
So what if you work 18-hour days and 7-days week.
So what if the haze caused you swollen eye and the food caused you to laosai.
So what.
There are people with so much worse to bear.
They just don’t say and you just don’t know.
Think Again. Don’t be despicable.
So what if you have no friends to watch movie with.
So what if you travel alone, carry luggage alone, sleep alone and eat alone.
So what if you go to a squat toilet with no hooks on the door and a wet floor and you are carrying a heavy laptop bag.
So what if you have to climb hills, step mud and travel in a car for 3 hours before reaching a destination.
So what if you have to wake up 5 hours before work.
So what if you have 7 datelines in 7 days.
So what if you work 18-hour days and 7-days week.
So what if the haze caused you swollen eye and the food caused you to laosai.
So what.
There are people with so much worse to bear.
They just don’t say and you just don’t know.
Think Again. Don’t be despicable.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Home away from Home
Since it's raining heavily, i have nowhere to go for dinner except the mini resto at my hotel. Those who've been with me before will know my hotel. ;)
Again, they do not have the usual fare on the menu. This time tho, they offered me what the family is eating too. Duck Noodle Soup.
It tastes like home.
Since it's raining heavily, i have nowhere to go for dinner except the mini resto at my hotel. Those who've been with me before will know my hotel. ;)
Again, they do not have the usual fare on the menu. This time tho, they offered me what the family is eating too. Duck Noodle Soup.
It tastes like home.
Bobby Chinn Hanoi
It's raining cats n dogs here in Hanoi and I just returned from my first ever TV Talkshow recording. Could have really been more organised but it's over.
The taxi went the usual route around Hoan Kiem lake. It's the first time i see no crowd at its peripheral on a Sat night. The lights at the central pavilion shone so brightly against the rain. I see the little shadows and ripples made by the rain falling on the waters of the lake.
It really looked like the romantic Hanoi that Bobby Chinn described in that Sony Camcorder advert.
It's raining cats n dogs here in Hanoi and I just returned from my first ever TV Talkshow recording. Could have really been more organised but it's over.
The taxi went the usual route around Hoan Kiem lake. It's the first time i see no crowd at its peripheral on a Sat night. The lights at the central pavilion shone so brightly against the rain. I see the little shadows and ripples made by the rain falling on the waters of the lake.
It really looked like the romantic Hanoi that Bobby Chinn described in that Sony Camcorder advert.
Plastic Bag Philosophy
I have a plastic bag for my toiletries.
This morning, after breakfast and when housekeeping was done, I went into the bathroom and noticed my plastic bag had gone missing. The extra facial wash within was emptied onto the sink area. Damn the auntie to throw away my only plastic bag. Where on earth can I keep my toiletries in my luggage now!
Just as suddenly as I started to fume, I directed my thoughts in another direction.
Auntie must have thought I've been lazy to empty the contents. She must have noticed the dilapidated state my plastic bag, and the smaller plastic bags within have become and hence helped me to throw them away. That must be it.
The image of an uncouth and crude cleaning auntie was replaced by a kind wrinkled face woman, washing hard at the toilet.
I turned to leave the bathroom. And there it was. My plastic bag hanging on the door knob. Auntie had really meant to tidy up my bathroom.
Happiness beget happiness. Positivity attracts positivity.
To a wonderful day ahead. =)
I have a plastic bag for my toiletries.
This morning, after breakfast and when housekeeping was done, I went into the bathroom and noticed my plastic bag had gone missing. The extra facial wash within was emptied onto the sink area. Damn the auntie to throw away my only plastic bag. Where on earth can I keep my toiletries in my luggage now!
Just as suddenly as I started to fume, I directed my thoughts in another direction.
Auntie must have thought I've been lazy to empty the contents. She must have noticed the dilapidated state my plastic bag, and the smaller plastic bags within have become and hence helped me to throw them away. That must be it.
The image of an uncouth and crude cleaning auntie was replaced by a kind wrinkled face woman, washing hard at the toilet.
I turned to leave the bathroom. And there it was. My plastic bag hanging on the door knob. Auntie had really meant to tidy up my bathroom.
Happiness beget happiness. Positivity attracts positivity.
To a wonderful day ahead. =)
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
I recall the CRM class where we were asked to do a Checklist on relations in the company.
There was an item which asked for "I have colleagues who are friends".
Instructor said if we dont check this, it spells trouble.
I don't agree.
I may have mentioned not less than umpteenth times to friends to you to everyone to my blog that Friends and Colleagues constitute different definitions. Both enjoy different priviledges.
It's hard for me to mix. I keep a distance with Colleagues. purposely.
I am patient with colleagues but stern when a job's not done.
I am impatient with friends, but accepting when conflicts arise.
The above is of course non-exhaustive.
There was an item which asked for "I have colleagues who are friends".
Instructor said if we dont check this, it spells trouble.
I don't agree.
I may have mentioned not less than umpteenth times to friends to you to everyone to my blog that Friends and Colleagues constitute different definitions. Both enjoy different priviledges.
It's hard for me to mix. I keep a distance with Colleagues. purposely.
I am patient with colleagues but stern when a job's not done.
I am impatient with friends, but accepting when conflicts arise.
The above is of course non-exhaustive.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Darker with Lines
At dinner on Friday with the gang, Shyan says my face is not as smooth and fair as before already.
Indeed i admit.
Then again, while I strive to work against the elements of aging to the best of my abilities, I have to constantly remind myself not to become obsessed with it.
From the looks of things though, it's hard for me to get engrossed when it takes such effort just to rem to use the toner before my moisturiser every day.
I rem my goal to age gracefully. ;)
At dinner on Friday with the gang, Shyan says my face is not as smooth and fair as before already.
Indeed i admit.
Then again, while I strive to work against the elements of aging to the best of my abilities, I have to constantly remind myself not to become obsessed with it.
From the looks of things though, it's hard for me to get engrossed when it takes such effort just to rem to use the toner before my moisturiser every day.
I rem my goal to age gracefully. ;)
Talking to people
Went on a course on Communication and Relationaship Management for the past 2 days.
The class of 20 consists mostly of senior executives in their business for 10,20 and even 30 years. It was terribly interesting to observe their behaviour and response throughout the 2 days.Most were the Baby Boomers and X-Gen. It's really intriguing to note, decipher and interpret their actions.
The instructor was a very humble guy. In his early 50s but addressed me sometimes as Mdm. I know he was leading by example and also being polite, but I cldnt get used to it throughout.
There are things I do not agree with though for the course, especially when an absolute statement seems to be meted.
Communication is dynamic, relationship management diverse.
I recalled 1 thing vividly from my first Econs lecturer back in JC - humans are irrational.
To me, communication is a reaction. Yes there are patterns to generalise, to observe, to prepare for but not an absolution. By saying an absolute 'not' here, I am perhaps also stepping on irony.
To give an example: there was an exercise which was supposedly an indicative test on the phase of life we are at for the moment. Being the only Y-gen in the class, i was typed to be ambitious, seeking recognition, looking for self-esteem and job challenges.
The result was an astounding 40% leaning towards 'Time with Family' versus 20% equal weightage for Higher Pay, More Challenges and Job Recognition. My neighbour - an X-Gen older than me by more than 2 decades was surprised.
It seems baffling on the surface but was a simple explanation to me: my job requires such frequent travelling, i'm lucky to get a full month in Singapore. I was forced to view time with family and loved ones as very treasured. Therefore anything compared to that pales.
My character also traits me as emotional. I feel strong passion for people I love. And i expect it in return. I havent gotten to the "Love is kind...Love is Noble' stage yet. But this leaves another discussion for future.
Coupled with my upbringing on family-oriented values, the results are hardly unexpected.
For the record, Getting a Promotion scored 0%. You'll know why.
Went on a course on Communication and Relationaship Management for the past 2 days.
The class of 20 consists mostly of senior executives in their business for 10,20 and even 30 years. It was terribly interesting to observe their behaviour and response throughout the 2 days.Most were the Baby Boomers and X-Gen. It's really intriguing to note, decipher and interpret their actions.
The instructor was a very humble guy. In his early 50s but addressed me sometimes as Mdm. I know he was leading by example and also being polite, but I cldnt get used to it throughout.
There are things I do not agree with though for the course, especially when an absolute statement seems to be meted.
Communication is dynamic, relationship management diverse.
I recalled 1 thing vividly from my first Econs lecturer back in JC - humans are irrational.
To me, communication is a reaction. Yes there are patterns to generalise, to observe, to prepare for but not an absolution. By saying an absolute 'not' here, I am perhaps also stepping on irony.
To give an example: there was an exercise which was supposedly an indicative test on the phase of life we are at for the moment. Being the only Y-gen in the class, i was typed to be ambitious, seeking recognition, looking for self-esteem and job challenges.
The result was an astounding 40% leaning towards 'Time with Family' versus 20% equal weightage for Higher Pay, More Challenges and Job Recognition. My neighbour - an X-Gen older than me by more than 2 decades was surprised.
It seems baffling on the surface but was a simple explanation to me: my job requires such frequent travelling, i'm lucky to get a full month in Singapore. I was forced to view time with family and loved ones as very treasured. Therefore anything compared to that pales.
My character also traits me as emotional. I feel strong passion for people I love. And i expect it in return. I havent gotten to the "Love is kind...Love is Noble' stage yet. But this leaves another discussion for future.
Coupled with my upbringing on family-oriented values, the results are hardly unexpected.
For the record, Getting a Promotion scored 0%. You'll know why.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Cherelle n Her Animal Sounds
This cutest kid of all time learn things at an amazing speed.
At barely a year plus old, she's now able to recite the National Pledge, tell stories from "One Day" until "The End", sing the chorus of the hokkien opening song of the weekend "Love" drama on channel 8 and, make animal sounds.
"Cherelle, tell yiyi what sounds does a dog make."
Woh Woh.
"How about a cat?"
Miao Miao.
"So clever, a duck?"
Quack Quack.
"A hen?"
Cokcokgei!
"Wah.. and a horse?"
CHIKOBEIBEI!
This cutest kid of all time learn things at an amazing speed.
At barely a year plus old, she's now able to recite the National Pledge, tell stories from "One Day" until "The End", sing the chorus of the hokkien opening song of the weekend "Love" drama on channel 8 and, make animal sounds.
"Cherelle, tell yiyi what sounds does a dog make."
Woh Woh.
"How about a cat?"
Miao Miao.
"So clever, a duck?"
Quack Quack.
"A hen?"
Cokcokgei!
"Wah.. and a horse?"
CHIKOBEIBEI!
To laugh or to cry?
At AhMa's house 1 day in my usual visits to play with dearie Cherelle.
It was her feeding time and she's throwing tantrums about drinking the milk. I tried to coax her by pouring the milk into a cup and asking her to drink from it. It worked. All kids like to act grown up. Drinking from the cup gave her a sense of achievement, albeit the fact that her hands were still very unsteady.
When my concentration flicked for a sec, the cup pingpianged to the floor with a wondrous splash of the while coloured drink onto the floor, the sides of the sofa, my wallet sticking out of my bag and the outsides of my bag.
AhMa: ORH see la see la! ah ni pai si!
Cherelle looked at me with her innocent big eyes, glinting with a mixture of gulit, horror and amazement of a baby kid.
As I raced through my mind in those milliseconds thinking of ways to pacify her, this little tot cooed: IT OK, NEBER MINE NEBER MINE. IT OK", all the while waving her tiny hands at me.
She.Was.Pacifying.Me.
I laughed til I cried.
At AhMa's house 1 day in my usual visits to play with dearie Cherelle.
It was her feeding time and she's throwing tantrums about drinking the milk. I tried to coax her by pouring the milk into a cup and asking her to drink from it. It worked. All kids like to act grown up. Drinking from the cup gave her a sense of achievement, albeit the fact that her hands were still very unsteady.
When my concentration flicked for a sec, the cup pingpianged to the floor with a wondrous splash of the while coloured drink onto the floor, the sides of the sofa, my wallet sticking out of my bag and the outsides of my bag.
AhMa: ORH see la see la! ah ni pai si!
Cherelle looked at me with her innocent big eyes, glinting with a mixture of gulit, horror and amazement of a baby kid.
As I raced through my mind in those milliseconds thinking of ways to pacify her, this little tot cooed: IT OK, NEBER MINE NEBER MINE. IT OK", all the while waving her tiny hands at me.
She.Was.Pacifying.Me.
I laughed til I cried.
On MSN last week w Pumpkin
PK: Hey when are you coming back?
Me: 1 July lor.
PK: See, I told Mama. She say u coming back 29 June.
Me: no la, 1 July afternoon flight reach.
PK: Actually where are u now?
Me: Vietnam.
PK: See i told Dajie u in Vietnam, she insists u are in Indonesia.
the conversations at home must have been very interesting..ke. credits to Pumpkin for her good memory. maybe teachers need this prowess to rem all the names of their students..ha.
PK: Hey when are you coming back?
Me: 1 July lor.
PK: See, I told Mama. She say u coming back 29 June.
Me: no la, 1 July afternoon flight reach.
PK: Actually where are u now?
Me: Vietnam.
PK: See i told Dajie u in Vietnam, she insists u are in Indonesia.
the conversations at home must have been very interesting..ke. credits to Pumpkin for her good memory. maybe teachers need this prowess to rem all the names of their students..ha.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)