Build "Repo"

I have been called into my boss room to have a chat yesterday.

Prior to this i have been warned by one of my colleague that i should be aware (in which i did) of my subordinate's "small gesture" and i actually see this coming.

My boss is of the opinion that i am not "approachable" and hence cannot work together as a team. He said i should spend some time to have a drink with my subordinates on a Friday night to build my reputation among my subordinates.

The fact is, i don't think having a drink with my subordinates on a Friday night is part of my work. This should never be the only reason why my subordinates are able to "gel" (as in my boss terminology) with me.

I always thought that a certain distant need to be maintained between superior and subordinate. We are all employees of the same company and we received salary every month in exchange for work done. We are just doing our work, nothing more.

Am i the boss who own the company? No. Do i get anything more than my salary if my department is able to do more files? No. Then i am of no different from them except that i might ranked slightly higher than them with a room of my own.

Does that mean i need to hang out with them on a Friday night to build up my so-called "reputation" among my subordinates? I don't think so. We are all, in fact, sitting in the same sampan whereas my boss is sitting in a cruise. I don't think i am very different from them.

With this, it really gets me thinking... am i being employed to do sales and marketing (even among my subordinates), as opposed to clerical work? I never believe in colleague = friend. Colleague can never become friend because tension and conflict in workplace will always come between colleagues.

Maybe next time my boss should ask this question during an interview for my post: Do you drink? Do you hang out at pub during weekend?

Then my answer would be: I drink and hang out at pub occasionally but only with certain people in which i am comfortable with and people that i called "friend".

With this, i am not going to change myself just to please my subordinates because this is not something that i believe in. Different boss might have different way of dealing with people but what my boss advocating is definitely not something that i would do.

你也不过是个旅客

有“紧张大师”之称的著名导演希区柯克有次在苏格兰山区迷了路。

不知走了多久才在漆黑的夜空见到一盏灯火。

他定睛一看：原来是一户人家，立刻兴奋地奔上前去。

“我家又不是旅店！” 屋主听到他所提出借宿一晚的要求后，立刻板着脸拒绝。

“我只要问你3个问题，就可以证明这屋子就是旅店！” 他笑着说道。

“我不信，倘若你能说服我，我就让你进门。” 屋主也爽快回答。

“在你以前谁住在此处？” “家父！”

“在令尊之前，又是谁当主人？” “我祖父！”

“如果阁下过世，它又是谁的呀？” “我儿子！”

“这不就结了！” 导演笑道，“你不过是暂时居住在这儿，也像我一样是旅客。”

结果，当晚他就在屋里舒舒服服地睡了一觉。

人生如白驹过隙，在历史长河中每个人都如匆匆的过客。

Nescafe

I have always like to compare products from different countries.

Here, you can see Nescafe can drinks from three different countries, namely Malaysia, Hong Kong and Korea.

The Korea Nescafe can drink was bought from Malaysia at a Korean Grocery Store whilst the Hong Kong Nescafe can drink was bought from Hong Kong which (if not mistaken) costs me double the price in Malaysia.

All of them tasted essentially the same, but i find that our Nescafe tasted slightly sweeter as compared to the rest.

Here, you can see Nescafe sachets from South Africa.

These were provided by some of the hotels in South Africa to their hotel guests.

You can see the word "special filtre" on their packaging.

The last two sachets are Nestle creamer, which are known as Cremora creamer in South Africa.

Noisy Wedding Dinner

One of our Indian neighbour downstairs is having a wedding dinner near the entrance of our block.

The tents have been set up one day in advance and the stage is extremely grand.

They have rented 2 BIG speakers and they have been very NOISY for the past 2 hours since 7.30pm.

Those songs played by the sound system is very LOUD and is akin to an EARTHQUAKE.

On top of that, they also play fireworks similar to those we see during countdown party in the town.

Although its of a smaller scale, the noise is ear-piercing as the fireworks were released in close proximity to my unit.

I cannot understand those people... just because they are having fun, the whole block of residents have to suffer.

I felt like i am in a club right now... the noisy bass is disturbing my heartbeat... WTF!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone... Ha Ha Ha!

Thrust or Trust

Every now and then, i would come across some correspondence with spelling errors all over the place.

This is just one of those silly mistakes which brighten up my boring day.

The person who signed this letter is a manager and he must have had a bad English teacher.

Benefits of Drinking Tea

By now you've probably heard that tea is a great mood booster, stress reliever and all-round master of making you feel Zen. Tea can improve some areas of life that mean the most - your job, your skin, your finances and your confidence.

Landing a Job

Tea obviously cannot walk into your job interview and force the Human Resource representatives to hire you on the spot, but it can increase awareness and alertness, without the jitteriness coffee often causes. The morning of your interview, sip on a cup of tea to perk up without suffering an energy crash mid-interview.

A Raise or Promotion

The secret of calmness could land you your own promotion or even a raise. Those who have a tendency to stay calm under pressure and not fly off the handle are often the first ones to be brought up when it comes to time for a promotion.

A Flawless Face

Tea is full of antioxidants that detox your skin and fight against free radicals (basically, the annoying factors that make your skin age). Tea also contains rooibos, which is full of Vitamin C, Zinc and Magnesium. These are three big factors known to improve complexion and promote healthy skin.

A Positive Outlook

Don't sneer at the bubbly girl at the coffee shop everyone is drawn to - become her. To reap the benefits of a mood-stabilizing tea, pick one with a high concentration of L-theanine. This little miracle worker also helps your body strengthen its immune system, which is why you never see the bubbly coffee shop girl with a cold.

P/s: The above Golden Pekoe Tea was bought from South Africa and was told that it's famous among the locals.

New Work, New Life

I have worked in this new company for 3 months now.

For the past 3 months, i am enjoying my work and my life very much.

On my first day at work, i was properly brief by the Customer Service Department on the working and practice of the company. No "first day start work, no briefing no explaining" (which happened to me in my previous company).

On my first day at work, i was properly introduced to all the colleagues. No one "gave me a sour face" nor "turned her face away" during introduction (which happened to me in my previous company that left me with embarrassment after the Boss "begged" the Account Manager to look at me).

All basic stationery were given to me up-front on my table. No "send in request and we will buy for you" (which happened to me in my previous company that left me longed for 1 week when i was merely requesting for 1 blue pen and 1 red pen).

Company driver will drive me to attend any outside appointments. No "you can take a cab and claim it by end of the month" (which happened to me in my previous company that i can only get all my claims once a month).

Company driver will accompany me to attend any outside appointments. No "there's nothing to worry about" (which happened to me in my previous company that include meeting clients in industrial area or rural area ALONE).

Cleaner will clean the office and clear the rubbish everyday. No "3 times a week is more than enough" (which happened in my previous company that left the office with bits and pieces of papers on the floor and stench of rubbish from all four corners of the office).

Cleaner will wash the toilet everyday. No "our toilet is clean enough, no need to wash with water, just mop will do" (which happened in my previous company that left the office toilet with weird urine odor every time you walked into the toilet).

All the staffs will discuss about their problems in a peaceful way. No "shouting and cursing" (which happened in my previous company that make the office sound like a wet market and one can hardly hear the voice from the other end of the phone).

Now, that's why you know why I THANK GOD THAT I RESIGNED from my previous company!

When I Feel Sleepy At Work

When i feel sleepy at work...

I'll just look out of the window and expose myself to bright light to try tricking my body to remain awake. I used to work in an office where the lights are extremely dim. At the end of the day, i feel very tired and my eyes goes blur. Now that the office that i am currently working at have brighter lights and lamps, the environment are definitely much better.

When i feel sleepy at work...

I'll try to keep myself uncomfortable by standing up as much as possible. Another way is to stay cold and chilly in the office. I used to work in an office where the ventilation system is terribly bad. The company is trying to save electricity by installing just a small air-conditioner for a large area of 8 staffs. The warm environment often make me feel sleepy.

Now that my current office is bright and chilly, i seldom feel sleepy at work and hopefully this will allow me to be more productive at work.

At 31, Hong Kong

Last year, i went to Hong Kong. Just like the slogan goes: LOVE IT! Loved the culture, food and architecture. I was there for 4 days and 3 nights, with a super hectic schedule.

We chose one of the Airasia Holiday Package on-line as well. With last year's "hotel horror" experience in Singapore, i called the hotel in Hong Kong 2 days in advance to confirm our booking. This time, the accomodation is confirmed.

It was winter in Hong Kong and i have never been to four seasons country. It was when i felt my face so DRY and was about to CRACK that i actually realized i need to apply moisturizer! Luckily i did applied lip balm. Otherwise, the condition would be worse!

I went to buy moisturizer at a Body Shop outlet which costs double the price in Malaysia. But look on the bright side, the moisturizer that i bought locally during that particular season might be more suitable than the one i bought in Malaysia... or maybe i'm just fooling myself...

Travel Pointers: Remember to bring along moisturizer when you go to places with four seasons. Never under-estimate the cold weather in those countries.

Weng Wah Lou Poh Beng and Lou Gong Beng. Just so-so.

Kee Wah Egg Roll. Very nice and soft. It literally melt-in-your-mouth.

Kee Wah Lou Poh Beng. Very nice. Soft and moist.

Kee Wah Assorted Biscuits. Loved all the biscuits except the Ginger Biscuits, but my mother loved it very much.

Kee Wah Lap Cheong. Err... it's a bit hard. Not to my liking.

A Hong Kong Post Office Box Coin Box. I've always fascinated by Post Office Box. I bought this at Temple Street night market in Yau Ma Tei. Oh ya! There is a terror story to be told about this visit.

Apparently two bottles of acid were dropped from buildings in a pedestrian zone at the Temple Street night market in Yau Ma Tei. Nine tourists and a child were among 30 people injured in the said acid attack.

We saw the news on television upon arriving our hotel room. We were shocked as the incident happened just half an hour after we left Temple Street. We just count ourselves lucky for not being one of the faces showed on the television.

Cute souvenirs. It was supposed to be souvenirs for my friends but at the end i decided to keep it for myself. Too cute to give them away!

Influencing People

These are five ways to win over others:-

1. Be empathetic. Having the perception to ascertain people's true feelings is at the heart of most successful relationships.

2. Listen. Listening is just as important - if not more - as talking in communication. To truly listen, you must derive meaning from what is said. Don't interrupt or finish other people's sentences - you may pull them in a direction that's detrimental to your cause.

3. Look approachable. Crossed arms and legs can make you appear closed.

4. Control your manner. The volume, tone and speed of your speech are all important. Use volume and inflection to your advantage - appear soft when appropriate but firm when establishing control.

5. Remember names. A name is the most important piece of information you can know about an individual. Make sure you attach a name to a face and engrain it into your mind.

Don't Work Too Hard

Gain Back Time

These are tenets we seldom follow (but really should) to liberate ourselves and gain back the gift of time:-

1. Get in early and go home on time.

2. Assumptions kill.

3. Trust your gut.

4. Know what's being asked of you.

5. You can't please everyone.

6. Every conversation should have a purpose.

7. Recognize when it's all been said.

8. Don't be afraid to hire people your're going to lose.

9. Don't confuse activity with accomplishment.

10. Take back the weekend.

Dressing At Work

As modern as we all are, the workplace still calls for some sense of conventional and conservative dressing. If you demand respect at the workplace, dress respectfully.

Although i truly believe in flaunting it if you've got it, in the office, we should do so in a more subtle way. I used to work with a sexy lady boss, Ms. L, who thinks that dressing super sexy is a fundamental requirement of her work. Tight shirt, short skirt, bare midriff or transparent dress is her code of dressing, which never fails to make us blush.

Maybe these more salacious girls are bad representation of the modern woman. There was once a client told me that Ms. L dressed like a GRO and on another occasion, a client told me that Ms. L looked like a Club Dancer. I felt truly embarrassed by such remarks. Would i pretend her sexuality doesn't affect the man she do business with? No, because it does.

It is said that a sexy woman in the office is as a symbol of power or an agent of seduction. I remember my ex-boss (who is a male) from another company once told me: "If you want to be successful in your career, wear short skirt." Initially, this sounded extremely sarcastic but after i worked with Ms. L, his remarks have unfortunately started to make sense.

Be it as it may, i always believe that there are definite dress expectations and a mandatory strict adherence to office clothing customs. More so if you are a professional, your clothing represents credibility. Unbuttoning your blouse to reveal bare skin will not only compromise your credibility, but also send a message that you are incapable and incompetent.

So when can you wear your new top with a plunging neckline? When you're not at work.

Old Post Office @ Kuala Lumpur

If one were to look for a building with the most distinguishing feature at Jalan Panggong (which joins the end of Jalan Petaling), it would have been this old post office. Sadly, it had been left idle for many years and seemed to be unable to withstand the devastate condition any longer.

The double storey building which combines Malay and Tudor style architecture was build in 1911. Squarish body with slanting door, the ground floor comprises of cement wall, whilst the first floor comprises of wooden enclosing rail. You can see the distinctive black and white wooden strip decor below the red tile roof at the front.

It is said that in the old days, when transportation is not convenient, each time when the steamship which carry mails arrives at Klang port, the authority will transmit telegrams to Kuala Lumpur. Thereafter, this old post office will raise a red flag signifying and informing the public that mails will be arriving soon.

It is also said that there were traders out there who proposed to the authorities to repair this old post office and transform it into a museum and antique store. However, nothing had been done on the site so far.

At 30, Singapore

At 30, the line of demarcation, i told myself that i must travel to oversea once a year. Be it for leisure holiday or enlightenment journey, i am willing to part with my money just to fly to another country.

My first destination was Singapore. I just thought that it was a wise choice as it is geographically nearer to Malaysia and culturally similar to Malaysia, albeit with a big difference in currency rate.

We chose one of the Airasia Holiday Package on-line, which is inclusive of air fare and accommodation. It's rather cheap for a 5 days and 4 night trip.

However, our nightmare began when we arrived at the hotel and ready for check-in.

We were told that the hotel do not have any record of our booking in their system even though we showed them our confirmation slip from Airasia on-line.

It was after the hotel manager (who came much much later) called someone at a company possibly related to Airasia for confirmation and we got our problem solved.

Travel Pointers: Always call the hotel in advance and confirm the booking before departure, especially if you place your booking on-line.

I bought this Samsui Woman Chopsticks & Spice Holder at Chinatown Heritage Centre, Singapore. It was not very expensive and not exquisitively made at all...

But the fact that my grandmother is also a Samsui Woman who hail from Kwang-Tung province of China gave me a "sense of belonging" reason to buy it as a souvenir.

Whenever i go outstation, i would normally buy local products (especially food) so that i can munch at home. But not for this Singapore trip. I found that a lot of their local food are very similar to Malaysia, but the price is double due to currency exchange.

To Have? To Be?

Many people spend their lives trying to

HAVE money and things so that they can

DO what they want, so they can

BE happy...

when it should be the other way round:

BE, then you can

DO, so you can

HAVE whatever you want.

Be who you need to be to fulfill your ambitions.

Go within, find your purpose, know your strengths and use your gifts to the full.

Then you will have.

Mad World

Eight Hong Kong tourists were killed in a bus hijack in Manila, Philippines, two days ago. My condolences to their families, and may the victims rest in peace.

This is a mad world. Most, if not all, hijackers are lunatics. It just saddens me that bloodshed cannot be prevented in this isolated incident which rarely happens.

Snappy Snapshot: Riverview

The condominium is called Riverview.

I'm just curious... what kind of river view are they referring to?

Snappy Snapshot: Vuvuzela

My friend bought me a Vuvuzela keychain as souvenir during a trip to Johannesburg, South Africa. Being the city which hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, i guessed buying something related to the said event would be something everyone would have thought of.

Although the major media networks tried to ban these brightly coloured horns for their unbelievable din, it was decided that the horns are an integral part of South African football culture and FIFA agreed to permit their use in stadiums during the said event.