Sigh.. if only i had enough leave, I would have taken the the whole week off, since it's just 3 days of leave. But nope, I have to b decisive about my leave, since i wanna take some just before and after x'mas.
Anyway, I'm bored at work hence this entry. Hai... I wonder if I shld change job. I know this is like really early to think about this, but i'm dying with boredom. I feel I can't put in my all where there is nothing to do. Sigh... and at the look of my new work schedule. My charges arent all that exciting as well.
I mean it is good to be paid to do nothing.. but not everyday. I can foresee me struggling to find things to do this wednesday and friday. argh!!! I dont want to think about next week or even till end of the yr. Oh well....... one day at a time.
Well.. the only thing I'm lookin forward to is lunch, there's a farewell lunch for some of my colleagues; today is their last day. So, on the menu are satay, salad, chicken curry, fishball, etc. At least lunch will be long and so.. the time will pass by fast too.
another boo boo of the day, boss was suppose to be on leave today, he decided to cancel his leave and now he's in the office. ARGH! disgusting. He has like 30 odd days of leave, and he still wants to cancel! wassup with him! And today his mood isn't all that good and so.. must be careful. My boss's mood swings are worst than us females. Oh well...
anyway... it's halloween today. So happy Halloween to all! I want treats only.... chocos are the best!
Ye... not that there's not enough sad news around. I mean look at the world, we have natural disasters happening in the major areas, we have the dengue fever, and the new craze, the bird flu. Im wondering if mad cow disease will make its return again.
Apart from all things natural, we have the man made disasters too. The recent Bali bombing, and more car bombs and assisnations over at the middle east. The world is indeed in a terrible state.
On a personal level, I too have received sad news too or rather disappointing news. My dept just had a reshuffle of projects and I've been taken off a major project which I was actually very excited about. And this project was to take place in Vienna, Austria. Recently, in Elle magazine, a travel feature was done about Vienna, and the place actually looked really good. So cultured and rich in heritage. Now, no chance.
I received an angsty email from someone in Melbourne who refuses to co-operate with me and he still dares to point the finger at me and blame me on things that aren' happening. I have been very patient with him but he really abuses my trust in him. Even my big boss is in the loop in this. Argh.
I also heard news that RCIA might be organising a retreat on my Birthday. why??!?! Okay, to some it might not sound that bad.. but to me.... i guess i can rule out plans to celebrate my bday. Just spent it with church. But in all honesty, i am a bit disappointed that this year's bday wont be all exciting again. Maybe soon bdays are nothing great for me too.
It's almost to the weekend. I hope the disappointing news ends here. hai....
I guess the only thing im looking forward to is next week's holidays. Thats the only good news.
I'm quite bored at work now and so thought i do something productive by educating myself with the upcoming movies that will interest me. So here are some of them:
Pride and Prejudice: Starring Keira Knightly and Matthew MacFayden " Pride and Prejudice is a humorous story of love and life among English gentility during the Georgian era. Mr Bennet is an english gentleman living in Hartfordshire with his overbearing wife. The Bennets 5 daughters; the beautiful Jane, the clever Elizabeth, the bookish Mary, the immature Kitty and the wild Lydia. Unfortunately for the Bennets, if Mr Bennet dies their house will be inherited by a distant cousin whom they have never met, so the family's future happiness and security is dependant on the daughters making good marriages. Life is uneventful until the arrival in the neighbourhood of the rich gentleman Mr Bingley, who rents a large house so he can spend the summer in the country. Mr Bingley brings with him his two sisters and the dashing (and richer) but proud Mr Darcy. Love is soon in the air for one of the Bennet sisters, while another may have jumped to a hasty prejudgment. For the Bennet sisters many trials and tribulations stand between them and their happiness, including class, gossip and scandal." (Summary adapted from IMDB.com, and written by DOM)
Elizabethtown Starring: Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst "After causing the Oregon shoe company he works for to lose hundreds of millions of dollars, Drew Baylor (Bloom) is fired for his mistake, and promptly also dumped by his girlfriend, Ellen (Biel). On the verge of suicide, Drew is oddly given a new purpose in life when he is brought back to his family's small Kentucky hometown of Elizabethtown following the death of his father, Mitch, as it falls to him to make sure that his dying wishes are fulfilled. On the way home, Drew meets a flight attendant, Claire Colburn (Dunst), with whom he falls in love, in a romance that helps his life get back on track." (Summary written by yahoo.com)
North Country Starring: Charlize Theron "When Josey Aimes returns to her hometown in Northern Minnesota after a failed marriage, she needs a good job. A single mother with two children to support, she turns to the predominant source of employment in the region - the iron mines. The last thing the miners want is women competing for scarce jobs - women who, in their estimation, have no business driving trucks and hauling rock anyway. When Josey speaks out against the treatment she and her fellow workers face it takes her farther than she ever imagined, ultimately inspiring countless others, and leading to the nation's first-ever class action lawsuit for sexual harassment." (Summary written by yahoo.com)
Prime Starring: Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep "Rafi is a recently divorced 37-year-old career woman from Manhattan, and Dave is a talented 23-year-old painter from Brooklyn who falls in love with her. Part counselor, part Jewish mother, Rafi's therapist Lisa is gingerly helping Rafi out of her post-divorce slump and through the urgent alarm of her ticking biological clock. Although doubtful that Rafi's new fling is an appropriate partner in the long term, Lisa encourages her patient to enjoy it and have fun. But once Lisa accidentally discovers that Rafi's new boyfriend is, in fact, her son, Dave, she finds it increasingly difficult to act the good therapist while hearing intimate details of her son's love life. Soon, the secret is out and cultures clash, complications arise, civil arguments erupt and a storm of opinions swirl around the couple at the center of all this comic fuss." (Summary by yahoo.com)
Other movies in line and really anticipating for are:
Memoirs of a Geisha (opens 19 Jan 2006) Starring: Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li
DaVinci Code (Grand opening, 18 May 2006) Starring: Tom Hanks
The Producers Starring: Uma Thurman, Nathan Lane, Matthew Boderick
In today's Straits Times, there was an article on Singapore's Service Industry, namely customer service in the retail business. PM Lee ever spoke about the standards of service in Singapore and talks about who's the baddie (customers or service staff) have been around for awhile. In the article, it spoke about perhaps the person isn't rude or arrogant but perhaps the staff does not understand the language or articulate him or herself well.
Perhaps language is a barrier and a challenge for most of our service staff who consists mainly of Uncles and Aunties. I would assume only a small percentage of these sales staff are English educated or are able to converse in English, whereas the rest, rely on the mother tongue or dialects, which to my opinion, does not serve well in the service industry if they are targetting foreigners. English being the main language in almost every country, it is crucial for sales staff especially to learn and converse well in English.
It is unfortunate that not every educated person in Singapore would want to be sales staff, unlike in Australia (taking it as an example) educated students are rushing to get jobs at most of the retail outlet and they are proud to be working for them, even if it's like Kmart or Target. There might be factors that are hindering Singapore servive learning:
1. Low Pay Comparing it to Australia , despite high taxes, Australians or Casuals earn an average $12.00 p/hr and this is a minimum wage. Weekends, service staff might earn more perhaps up to $17 or even $20 p/hr. In Singapore, my knowledge is a sales staff could only earn an average $7 p/hr perhaps inclusive of CPF too.
I feel Singaporeans being an Asian country posses Asian mentality such as pride or 'face' value and perhaps because we being the slightly more educated society, snobbishness becomes apparant. Thus, we such mentalities and arrogance in the air, how would someone (educated for that matter) be willing to work at a $7/hr (or even lesser) job.
2. Degrading As I've mentioned, Singaporeans can be quite snobbish and arrogant, and so to Singaporeans, we might think being a sale staff isn't all that great and something to be proud off. It seems Singaporeans embraces the sayin "Customers are always right". Ugly Singaporean syndrome seems apparant in almost every service line. Perhaps it is with this mentality that many sales staff feel ashamed of but because they need the $$, they force themselves to work but of coz with shame and no pride in the work they do.
3. Lack of Professionalism To me, in everything you do, you have to do it well, even how much you hate it. That's professionalism isn't it? And so the problem of Singapore's service industry could also boil down to the lack of professionalism. As mentioned, sales staffs feel degraded or ashamed and so this might lead to lack of professionalism. They do not put on that bright smile with sincerity and genuinity. I guess this problem can only be solved from Management. Management has to constantly train their staff, investment on the human capital is crucial in Singapore's context and so management's no. 1 priority should be Training for staff.
The benefits are aplenty: 1. Staff will feel valued as they feel the company cares for them and are willing to invest time and money on them 2. Staff will feel loyal towards the company and thus lead to better service 3. Staff will be more well informed and educated about the products they sell. By possesing good product knowledge, a sale staff would then feel more confident to promote the product and will feel more accomplished if a purchase is performed because of their good product persuasion.
By building service staff self-esteem and self-confidence, the results will thus lead to greater benefits such as an increase in professionalism, better customer response and feedback, and definately a note-worthy mentioned as being the company that has the best service.
I guess the service industry can be regarded as a reflection of the human resource management of each company. I believe results will be fruitful if a company cares. If a company still feels sales is much more important than their employees, perhaps it's time to change that old school thinking and start moving ahead with the times.
Something must be done soon as the service industry is just too important for Singapore's economy.
I have been having problems with "pass motions" for several years. The healthy way for a person is to visit the toilet at least once everyday. Unfortunately for me, I dont have that luxury. Rather, if i can visit the toilet 3 times a week, I would say "Thank God".
And so over the years I have attempted on several remedies, such as fruits diet, taking cereal drinks (those loads with fibre), eat yogurt, drink LITE tea (meant to be for slimming tea) and recently acupuncture. Most don't work, but the LITE tea and acupuncture helped a bit. But the problem is that I dont wish to be reliant on these methods, because it's simply unnatural and of coz very costly.
Lately, in a couple of magazines, the topic of detox was mentioned. In it they either teach you what you should eat to go toilet or several methods which are proven effective. In this month's issue of FEMALE, three methods were mentioned: 1. Fruit juice diet 2. Oral cleanser (water) and 3. Colon Hydrotherapy.
The third method caught my eyes. It states that it'll put a tube in and pump warm water into the rectum. The water will then flow out together with the wastes (hard ones too), toxin and trapped gas. This sounded something I really need. A full cleanse of my large intestines or colon area.
This prompted me to research further on what is this Colon Hydrotherapy. After googling, I chanced upon a website that specifically breakdown the term Colon Hydrotherapy.
There are many parts to Colon Hydrotherapy which invloves several things. Of which one (I believe) was wat Female Mag was referring to, Colonic Irrigation.
So what is Colonic Irrigation: A Colonic Irrigation using the gravitational method is an internal bath that helps cleanse the Colon of Poisons, Gas, and Accumulated Fecal Matter. Unlike an ENEMA, it does not involve the retention of water. There is NO discomfort, NO internal pressure, just a steady gentle flow in and out of the Colon. At the same time, an Abdominal Massage is given to stimulate the Colon to recover its natural Shape, Tone, and Peristaltic Wave Action. No other system can equal this process.
How is a Colonic Administered? A person receiving the Colonic lies on a Special Colema-Board which is about 32" below the Temperature-Controlled water flow. A Sterilized Speculum is gently inserted in the Rectum. Water flow, which is always under the control of the Practitioner, flows into the Colon via a small water tube and out through the evacuation tube carrying with it Impacted Feces and Mucous. As the water flows out of the Colon the Practitioner gently Massages the Abdomen to help the Colon release its contents. It is possible to see this Expelled Waste Matter in the catch basin at the end of the process. The person is well covered and their modesty is given TOP PRIORITY during the procedure. The Colonic process takes about 30 minutes.
What are the benefits? Colonics offer relief from a variety of disturbances by cleansing the Colon of Impacted and Putrefactive Fecal Matter. Fatigue, Gas, Headaches, Irritability, Skin Problems, Cold Hands and Feet, Lethargy are among the problems people have found relieved by Colon Cleansing. Constipation, of course, is another as well as Chronic Diarrhea. Your sense of well-being is often dramatically improved with the Colonic Process or Colon Cleansing. You feel lighter, more energetic. The body can again assimilate food in the Colon and better defend itself against disease. Natural Peristalsis, Tone and Regularity are restored and many Serious Diseases may be averted through this gentle, sterile, scientific technique. Colonics are a key factor in the restoration of the body's natural balance or what we call good health.
Any Side effects? There are no side effects. It is not uncommon however, for some people to start to feel like they have a cold or headache after a Colonic. Toxins which have been lying dormant in the Colon are now being flushed out and a small amount may be Re-Absorbed into the body's system. This healing crisis passes quickly and the person will realize a feeling of well-being with further treatments.
I would believe this will be a nasty operation. It might have promised painless treatments, but i'm sure pain will be there and of coz looking at the bag or tank with shit all around... shld be quite disgusting.
But looking at the benefits from this procedures, it does sound good. I mean... right now solving my constipation problem is key and I believe it's affecting me. It makes one more lethargic, more prone to diseases, perhaps even PMS. On another note, I might even lose weight but of coz that aint the reason for this. I believe it affects the overal health, the quality of the skin, perhaps every part of the body, because all the stubborn hard waste simply refuses to clear out and the toxin remains. As for the trapped gas, it might explain my bloatedness and frequent burps and trouble farting.
This is a serious problem and it's been haunting me for years. I wonder if this is really the only way to cure my system.
Why relaying on LITE tea or medication from the TCM doctor is no good is simply because in the first place it cleanese the lower end of the intestine and does not clear the hard waste stuck by the side of the intestine including the upper area of the intestine. But Colonic actually cleanese the entire intestine.
However, I would believe this will be a very expensive treatment simply because it requires a few weeks of treatments, twice a week.
For other detoxing methods (for those with not so severe cases) you can try just a fruit and vegetable diet. Remember to try not to cut the fruits up and leave it in the fridge before eating, it will lose all its nutrients. In fact, best way is to juice it and drink it immediately.
For more information on Colon Hydrotherapy, please click here
In addition to my previous entry, I've decided to have 2 journals. One for general viewing, one for private viewing. Not that I have alot to say, but i feel certains just can't be said in my entries. Perhaps I just dont wish to offend or hurt others.
Blogger.com will be my general journal. Something else will be the private.
I feel like privatising my blog. Im not too sure if blogger has this function, but if comes worst to worst.. i'll shift my blog to another domain that has the privatised function.
Not that I've been receiving unreasonable comments or insults but that only deserving people who respects my blog shld read it.
This entry most probably has to do with the word RESPECT.
I think the whole issue of respect is very important. See what no respect has led people to? In the recent case of the 2 bloggers who were fined and jailed because of their racist remarks on their blog and forum. They had no respect and thus led them to where they are. People with no respect also gets criticied because they end up being called rude, unfilial, not courteous, unfriendly, arrogant and egoistic.
And when u have a group of people who has no respect for others... u get gossipers and backstabbers. In the end, a status of an innocent soul becomes a victim of this group of people's gossip and ill mentioned. Perhaps among themselves they dont have anything real to talk about, like, the recent bombing in Bali and its impact on SEA, the recent natural disaster that hit various parts of the world and it's impact or even local news about fear of terrorism, or even stuff like family values, work ethics, the economy. But rather than to talk about all these, people with no respect will like to take on the assumption role and just tell one another about someone else habits or character. But the funny thing is that it's only one person's views that spread like wild fire among the rest. This is what happens when u have a group of followers who just listens and agrees with whoever says something. I would like to call this group dynamics, because everyone suddenly is in agreement with each other. This will then lead to everyone having a similar impression of a particular someone whose thoughts might be true or might not.
I think the understanding of your fellow neighbours is so important. The virtue of "Love Thy Neighbour" is so simple yet so strong in meaning. Imagine if people respect each other, would we have hurt? Just because everyone is bitching about someone... it doesn't mean you shld bitch about that same person too simply because everyone is. A perfect example would be what's happening in the world now, If every country respects and love each other, you think wars and terrorism will prevail now? Or if everyone has respect for the environment, you think natural disaster will attack us now? Same thing for families, if parents respect their children and vice versa do you think families will break up or have trouble? How about between couples, if there's respect you think there's things like unfaithfulness? How about among a group of friends, do you think people will fall out with each other if all has no respect for each other?
The theory of "love thy neighbour" and respect may be very simple to understand, but honestly, it's the hardest to implement. We are too self-centered to even notice the other party or everything around us. Too self centered to bother whether we hurt the other party as well.
As Black Eye Peas rapped it very well, "Where is the Love?".
I guess there are times in life where u have you really mind your own business. I wonder if i should do the same for myself? In a week, and something happened. No.. not on me.. but on people dear to me.
I'm disappointed at how things happened this way. I'm affected by both parties. Though I'm not the one directed on but I'm sure the impact on me is great too. Being a middle person is no easy matter. I thought I had to facilitate matters and I did but I feel I really shouldn't, simply cos both sides dont quite care actually. It's like they have the "take it or leave it" or " dont want.. then dont want lor..." mentality. I hate such mentality but I have to live with the reality of these minds. I dunno if this is called giving up or being petty. I guess I have no say in this though I am quite affected by it.
I'm sad at how things have happened and fingers are pointing at every direction it can go. I wonder what happened to the foundation and the closeness? It seems like children playing and one day someone throws sand in someone's eyes and the person says.. "I hate you forever" and the child really hates the person forever just because of one act. Okay, I may be simplifying the situation (the situation is far worse). What I'm sadden by is the way how these people are taking it. It's like as though the use by date is up and it's time to throw away.
Do we have use-by-dates, that once times up... u just throw it away with whatever history both good and bad? Is it only with needs and wants should one's value continues and once that's gone... u throw it away as well?
I'm a little confused with the entire matter and how such mentalities work. I dunno if as I grow older I'll be enlightened or are these people just being foolish? Perhaps throwing away is a part of the easy way out... as part of the easiest solution as part of something convenient to do.
Perhaps it's pride too.... perhaps it's ego....perhaps it's selfishness. I dunno...
It was a rather nice night. My day started at work feeling bored as usual, but thankfully it was my company's office warming cum sports day and so the day passed by fast.
I had my hair appointment with Mahogany in the evening. The place was nice and posh, with tai tais roaming around the salon.
I had my hair cut (it's much shorter) and treatment.
I had dinner at Killineys and headed to Wala Walas after to meet Kevin's friends. I'm amazed how popular Wala Wala is after all these years. Kev and I queued for the 2nd floor live band for like an hour. It was crazy. After everyone finally arrived, we headed up and squeezed ourselves to the bar to collect our drinks. The crowd was a mixture. There was young and there was the old.
The night was meant to be a match making night for Kev's friend. One of his friends was introducing her colleague to him. It was quite funny to see how he tried to make conversation and how we tried to make them stand and sit next to each other.
But it didnt look like they had chemistry. Anyway, the band for the night was good. Never realy knew their band name but they were good. The songs they chose to sing were fantastic. It's really a different feel to hear a song live and on the radio. I tend to enjoy the songs more when it's sung live and when the crowd is enjoying it.
They played Green day, U2, Maroon 5 and much more... good songs... :)
Well the after round two of the band, we decided to head to Breko for supper. I really love their toasties, it's sooooo delicious. Sinful... but yummy!!
The night ended with the guy not sending the girl home. Ha! guess really no Chemistry la.
