PLAYing Catchups...

Finally i had Lunch with Angie.. Boy, she must be so busy lately cos we kept changing the appointments.. Toying with a few dates and guess today is the "auspicious" date for Luncheons... I was late for almost 30 mins.. had to settle with something fast and quicky.. so we decided to try Vientai Kitchen @ Great World City...

Supposely this "open-roof concept" eatery serves up a mixture of Vietnamese and Thai cuisine.

The cafe/eatry appeared to be quite cozy.. a condusive environment for your buddy luncheon catchup, especially in this glass enclosure with the light wood interior setting...

We did not go through the menu much cos our eyes caught a set Lunch offer of $9.60++. You can a choice of noodle or rice dishes + 1 sampler + 1 drink.. Not bad a deal we thought, plus Angie had to be back at office by 2pm cos there's a budgeting meeting.. Therefore we only have under 50 minutes to feed our tummy... we ordered our familiar favourites which was beef soup noodles.+ sampler spring rolls and Mango salad for side, not forgetting the ice-tea to wash it down... Plus the pictures on the menu looked pretty appetizing..

Guess it was mad lunch hour.. we did not really get our food quick.. items was served in individual instead as a set, we kinda have to rush through the meal...

The quintessential Pho Bo - beef noodles, served piping hot beef broth with the rare beef slices on thin rice noodles.. Very high expectation for this dish cos the bare minimum for a Viet restuarant is to serve good Pho.. No good Pho, u can forget abt the rest of the dishes...The beef noodles was just as normal and quite bland, guess the soup stock is not well done.... as usual for me... needed lots of chilli padi to "favour" it.. perhaps i should have tried the Tom Yam noodle soup which i was eyeing.. The spring Roll was very small and pathetic.. mango salad was appetizing though....

The consolation was that the food comes in generous portions.. Now i can feel a burch at my tummy.. seems like i need a tummy tuck... It was a little satifying meal overall and for a meal under $12 per head.. think it is still reasonable..

Food:

Service:

Ambience:

Price: Average

Within the 1 hour lunch, We kept each other posted abt the happenings in our lives.. things has been the same since i left.. ex-boss has been secretly adding more of "her friends" into her list of "business contacts" or "contracts".. something that i have been observing since last year.. basically she finds that they are suppliers that she can bull-doze and get the job done.. Well, quality of work was not exactly good lah.. all they did was just deliver within deadline and charge skyhigh prices... anyway.. it's not my problem anymore so i wish my "ex-company" gd luck lor..

Zoey's contract ending soon next month so ex-boss recommended her to work in Ambxxxxx... lucky she still have heart lah.. never ditched the small girl and leave her jobless.. They did a handover yesterday on the roadshow stuff to sales.. Not surprising.. and for obvious reasons, key account team had violently disagreed to take on the responsibility.. i can understand that cos when i was managing it.. it has never been easy and there has been lots of bad end work to be done... Key account team knew how extensive the work.. who wants to do this dirty job??.. only a sucker like me and Zoey will do it.. Only who think that it's easy?? everyone else except Marketing lor... And the GM is still so oblivious abt this.. hahahaaa... Now the sales team know how important i am liao right??? Enough for me lah.. Thank god i'm out of it...

Sales force is the same, they filled in Cindy's position and they finally got a lady recently to fill in mine.. Looks like they REALLY need someone that is VERY EXPERIENCED.... so they took sometime to get my replacement... i guess my position call for a guy to do it.. apparently my ex-boss choose the lady candidate.... Angie had seen her and thought she's quite okay.. Mayb my boss can't control "her man" well so she needed to get a more submissive character to manage...i wonder if she's one of my ex-boss "contacts" again?? ahhahaa

As for Angie, she is just going through the motion @ work.. nothing is exciting though.. Spoke to her about my job hunt.. there has been a lot of jobs available now and they need people that has experiences and expertise like Angie.. i tried to talk her out of her usual work regime and look out of "her cubicle", she seemed restless about getting another job.. i just thought she could have a brighter future out there instead of her current comfort zone.. at least her pay scheme will substantial increase.. With her caliber, she can easily command a better compensation scheme and a better learning experience than now.. she's at the end of her learning curve and unless she gets a new boss, she is not going to learn anything from her current boss.. and she agreed with me.. My Ex-Ex-boss was a fantastic mentor.. she has motivated me so much and both angie & i cannot agree more than we had so much of learning examples from my Ex-Ex-boss.. I was sad that she move on to a regional role but i always console myself that it is for her best interest and since this is a good opportunity for her.. y not?

I remembered she actually interviewed me abt how i feel if she were to move to another role and leave the current team.. i told her that i'm certainly happy for her and i don't think she owes anyone a living if she moves away from the team.. in fact it's good exposure for her and i think no one should dictates how you want your career path to be... especially not from ur subordinates...I guess she was more worried that we all will leave the company soon after she move up but i told her then that so far the environment has been quite condusive and managable.... i don't no intentions to move out, unless i get a Sh*tty boss... True enough my prayers was heard....

Anyway, i was hoping my encouragement has some effects and that she will really start thinking wat she want to do to her career now and looking out.. To be frank, if we both applied for a similar job portfolio, she will certainly be a better candidate than me... and if she gets the job instead of me... i will be truly happy for her and will really congrats her from the bottom of my heart... She is such a sweetheart since the day i know her and she really helped me a lot in my work.. so much to learn from her especially her level-headedness.. and her calm nature.. as opposed to me quick tempered nature and erratic mood swings... i have tried to mellow my out-spokenness nowadays... guess being a "home-maker" has changed the way i see things... hahahaha..

-- Spiritous Gal -- Jun.29.07

GST hike: R U affected?

Today MIL cooked a sumptuous Lunch for all..

Sambal prawns, Stired fried Longbeans and Lady's finger, Sweet sour onion stired fried fishes and vegetable Dhalcha... So Yummy and very Guh-dl-gahr... Everyone in the office enjoyed it...

...One's man food is another man's pleasure...

Thanks to DaDDy for the marketing he did the day before.. think is a good idea we eat homecooked food for lunch and even dinner cos we can really save a bit.. spend abt $30-35, we get seafood and vegetables for 6person and 2 meals.. per head is only $3 per meal.. and we can even monitor the oil and salt content.. quite healthy lor...

GST hikes also leh.. soon we have to eat at home more often cos eating in the restuarants will be expensive liao.. with the 7% imposed + 10% service charge... if the meal is average $70-80, then we paid additional $12-13 for nothing...cannot leh...

Yesterday read the news about GST hike implementing this weekend, so everyone is trying to grab chance to get the luxury items by this week... even some of the newly wed also tried to get their wedding stuff even they are not getting wed this year.. Now mid year already, so they only tied the knot next year....wahhh.. like that very KS lor.. Wat if make wrong decisions how... especially booking wedding dinner packages.... wedding jewelleries and the bridal shops.. cos i seen alot of the brides at the forum regretted for signing up the packages..

yeah, mayb it's good to plan properly for a wedding and avoid the increased in prices.. cos every dollar counts, especially if u want to maximize ur dollar to make sure u get the best deal since there's so much to prepare and lots of money involved.. between 5% to 7% is 2%... 2% for a $10-15K wedding dinner.... its about 200-300 dollars.. this amount not say alot lah but if u can use this savings for other misc expenses, then better than nothing...everything adds up wat.. like u have to buy furnitures and do house renovation.. so u may be able to save abt $1k or so..

But if u regret and later want to cancel is worst lah... like i saw some said the bridal houses which they signed up gave them lousy services after they signed on the dotted line.. Before u sign up, of course everything can.. cos they want ur business wat.. then later, they change their attitude liao cos u give them the deposite and U cannot get refund lor... so end up U have to transfer to someone else who is willing to take up the deal at a loss.. maybe $100-200 discount.. All waste of time and end up no savings.. either way, U still LL wat...

This happens so frequent lah.. i wonder why people still want to fall into the trap.. of cos the later u decide the wedding packages u may not get the dates u want cos they are full booked.. so in the end, it's still the consumers like us suffer... haiz...

But these brides still lucky leh.. cos only regret signing up the services, still can transfer.. wat if they regret marrying the GUY how huh... like that cannot transfer leh... ahhahahaha

It just goes to show that how people gets wrong perception over a small hype. The retailers are just chanting the same rhythm to hypnotize the public to grab a good offer now to get great savings.. Its a psychological carrot lah.. We always think we will get a good deal from the sale but maybe it will really impact certain high value stuff like household electrical and electronic items.. if its a items less than a few hundred, i think we don't really need to bother lah...

Now Travel agencies really benefiting from travellers rushing to book packages with a view to beat the hike.. but i heard it will only have very little effect on outbound tours since things like taxes are charged by the destination country.. anyway.. people are just purely KS lah.. i wouldn't fall for it.. even those travel fairs which offers discounted travel package.. not true lah.. prices the same! This year March, when i booked the package to Bali in May... it was the same prices at the travel agency even after the travel fair.. but they said the packages to far countries like Europe and US are really cheaper.. dun noe true or not...

I saw on TV that people rushing to make big purchases from Furniture and electronics megastore like Courts, newspapers was splashing with advertisement, enticing shoppers to get the flat screen TVs and entertainment systems.. They are trying to change the mindset.. Normal TV is so passe.. new age TV like high defination TV and flat screen is the "IN" thing... i think the only people they cannot convince is my parents, cos they are die hard traditionals..The old saying.. "if it aint broken, why fix it.." So u can imagine how old is our TV that is sitting in my parents' house living room!! hahahahaa....

I passed by the Jewellery shops the other day and saw it was filled with couples.. trying and making purchases too.. i wonder if my DaDDy will be influenced by the GST hike and get me a diamond piece in advance for my birthday in October, Xmas in December and Valentine's Day in February next year...That will be sweet!! hahahaha....

But there are some of the retailers not having the GST hike immediately after 1st July.. like the supermarkets such as Giant Hypermart, Cold Storage, Shop N Save, NTUC FairPrice and the Sheng Siong chain. Think they will absorb it for about 3-6 months.. But still.. when the prices goes up.. we have to go Msia to buy liao.. some stuff still cheaper there.. of cos meat, oil and rice cannot buy there lah... but whatever we can save then save lor... i think i better start to keep track of the prices liao.. now is the time to be KS.. reminds me of those days cutting coupons to buy cheap groceries... Aiyor !! So Auntie leh...

Oh yeah... think the government also prepared us the GST offset package right.. ok wat.. got money to take for the next 5 years.. not too bad leh... but i wonder if the salary also can increased every year by additional 2% on top of the increment... i think wait long long .. haiz...

Shacks.. i think i have not sign up for the offset package !! think the time to sign up was 26 June lah... i late liao.. which means that i can't get the bonus in 1st July.. haiz.. i better do it tomor...



-- complain queen -- Jun.28.07

BAD Hair Day

Uuuggg...I woke up today feeling so frustrated... cos my hair looked like Yūrei from the RING..which i think is high time to have a change of style.. I'm so tired with this straight hair...thought i should consider to have it permed and have a more sexy sassy Look... I had it DONE twice and i looked quite sultry in it.. but i think about myself waking up every morning with many lion King hair style and having to spend time on maintaining it.. naaa...

The rationale:

Cost of perming hair: $140

Time taken to style my hair every morning: 15 mins

Cost of hair styling pdts invested: +/- $50/mth (sculpting lotion+ hair spray)

Cost of additional color shampoo + conditional+ hair mask: $105

Cost of hair treatment to be done every 2 months: $45

Chances of myself looking like a super model: NOT POSSIBLE

I rather save 15 mins of my time to have breakfast or even sleep.. imagine how much time i "save": 90 mins per wk ( sunday off), 360 mins/mth, 4680 mins/yr, 78hrs in a year.. that's alot of sleep i'm sacrificing... hahaha...

Always wanted to cut my hair short for a change.. since the weather in S'pore is so hot and i hate sweaty hair and oily scalp.. i can save some money on water and shampoo as well.. but i think it is going to be a lifelong procrastination again cos my DaDDy will never let me cut them.. I always begged my hairstylist to shorten it but she is so afraid of my DaDDy cos she will surely get scolding from him.. Once my DaDDy was so mad with her for trimming 5cm off my hair, his face was as black as charcoal.. think he has his preference lah.. only thing hairshtylist can do was to thin the hair so it will not look so heavy....

Now i have another problem.. HAIR FALL!! so much hair i picked up this morning in my room.. i think i should just go bald lah.. No need to worry... Haiz...Die liao.. i need a hair Fall solution like they advertised the "SUNSILK" shampoo for Hair fall...

Lunch Time liao.. Long time haven't had soup for lunch.. used to like to have lunch @ the Soup Spoon when i was working.. Marche ones are not bad too.... anyway, I just made myself some hot Campbell Mushroom soup and Baked French Loaf.. Bon Appetti..

-- greedi gal -- Jun.27.07

COOKing Lesson

****************************

My Lunch: Ketup Mutton + Mutton Dhalcha + root vegetable (actually i not sure wat it was)

Decided to stay indoors today after a long week.. MIL was busy in the kitchen so i helped her to do some laundry and dish washing... DaDDy bought some mutton to be cooked for Lunch so she wanted me to learn how to make "Ketup Mutton".. Well not the kind of "ketup" as in with tomato style.. it is more like with black soya, chilli and onions.. She told me that many people had asked her for the recipe many times but she had never revealed it.. she said if u reveal your recipe, you will not cook well the dish anymore..

Now she is teaching me cos she wants me to learn to cook this dish which is DaDDy's fav.. she said is the simplest.. like stir fried the onion, the chilli, add the spices, the soya sauce, sugar, vingear, etc... and put in the meat... WAH... So easy what... but when u are cooking it, NO lor... need to get the right taste and amt is another thing.. She said there will be a test for this.. Aiyor...

After the dish was done.. i pretend i had a phone call and i ESCAPE!!

-- Noty gal -- Jun.25.07

FACE Painting

Lazy Sunday.. think it's Best to have a mini facial to perk ur day.. Realised that i bought this Orange Yoghurt Mask from Watson for some time.. Time to clear stock man...

..Nourishing + whitening + Moisturing = Face painting..

I wonder does it work on DaDDy??

-- funny gal -- Jun.24.07

TIPSY Dinner

Was invited to a dinner Deva sponsored last night.. It's the Hockey D & D @ IA so Deva paid for a Table space in support of the young Hockey Team.. He invited a few of us, included Robert and Uncle John and his brothers to come and have a night of fun and joy.. of coz not forgetting booze..

Interestingly the dinner was held at the soccer field.. Should thank god that it did not rain that nite..

The wives turned up, hoping to have a fun evening as well...

Food should be quite good judging how the guys enjoyed them.. personally, i tot the Curry Chicken was still acceptable.

Even Deva's Brother is enjoying himself, having a hearty evening.. of cos flushing down with lots of whisky water too..

Even DaDDy cannot resist and they looked like Father feeding the son.. how touching!! hahaha..

I'm more surprised to see Robert helping himself with the food too cos i have never seen him eating dinner eversince i know him...

DaDDy Showing me a trick with his Cigges.. Now U see it.. Now U don't !!?

The Boys looked like they were having a jolly good time !!

DaDDy just realised that Deva's Brother had a goatie.. he said he will certainly look at least 10 yrs younger if he did not grown it..

They had organised some adult games, belly-dancing and a lucky draw as part of the programmes.. but honestly speaking.. the event was not very well organised .. Kinda SUCK!!

( Mayb becos i did not win anything in the lucky draw..?)

DaDDy was "invited" in one of the games segment.. and BOY.. he can really be the Next James Bond... if not the next "JimBo"!! hahhaha....

Ok.. He's making funny faces and going more berserk.. i get it.. "TIPSY TURVY" has landed...

BIG HINT: He gets very hungry when he is intoxicated with alcohol... Time to hit the ROAD...

Thanks Deva.. for the enjoyable evening.. We Had fun..

(PS: nice photo there U have...)

- tired gal Jun.24.07 -

TALKative Interviewer...

Received a call from CRXXX company asking me for my 2nd interview... Actually it was a coincident that Uncle John knows the HR director.. They were at a picnic gathering and they happened to discuss abt their work...He gave her my mobile number to contact me for arrangement of interview today.. I was still in bed when she called me.. She said the VP of sales will be away next week again so they have to re-arrange the interview this afternoon.. A little rushed for me but i think it's worth it cos this is one of the 1st choice company that i'm interested to work for.. Anyway, the meeting was at Woodlands Regional Library as the VP stays nearby.. 3pm was the meeting.. i was told that i can even wear causal... yeahhh..

I'm not so ready today for the meeting so i asked DaDDY a few common questions that normally they will asked the candidates.. Guess Wat he responded >>

Question: So Why Are U interested to join our company?
DaDDy: I'm interested to join your company because my partner wants FREE samples of your products... ;-P

Question: What do you think your strength is?
DaDDy: I love to talk alot..

Quesion: What do you think your weakness is?
DaDDy: I talk a lot of rubbish ;-p

Aiyor.. So idiot rite?? Shouldn't have spoke to him.. only know how to answer me stupid things..

Anyway, DaDDy drove me there and i met the VP exactly at 3pm.. A tall and Big frame American, He and his family was here for only 9 mths only.. trying to adapt to the lifestyle here.. His kids are big already, all in their teens years and the family had just left to America for summer holidays...He travels alot for his work and hardly around the office in Singapore.. Understand that He carries many portfolios in which he manages the regional business in Asia Pac and Mid-East.... He seemed unsure that if this is really what i want to do as my background is entirely different.. I have more product management and marketing experience and this job is very much a sales force management.. i told him my intention and interest and that my job experiences actually complements well with the job requirements. Anyhow, he discussed alot on the challenges and difficulties he faced in his business... in fact he talked 70% of the 1hour conversation and i only answered like 4-5 questions? It was literally more conversational than most of the interviews i attended, i was then more comfortable...

Think my chances of getting the job is probably 70%/30%... I was told that from the HR that i was placed as one of the 1st priority candidates.. so chances of getting the job is pretty high.. hope that the HR is not giving me false hope..

-- CraZy gal -- Jun.23.07-

Like a STAR...

Just got back from Tuition classes with NanDy.. hoping that she can catch up her work quick cos her PSLE Prelims is coming soon.. Only 8 weeks to go.. She needs lots of assessment and practises.. haiz.. i worry for her leh...

Caught this on cam two cutie playing pizza baking.. So Yummy they said.. they actually tried to chew on the plastic pizza.. hahahahh...!

Bought a Lucky Star paper lantern from CF.. i saw it from the web which is sold in UK...Very interesting.. it comes in many multi-cultural designs, usually inspired from Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures. A simple yet affordable decoration item, especially for home interior and party lights, it actually shines in its own charming and unique way

Courtesy of www.luckystarlatern.com.

See how nice when they are lighted up..

I think its the eye-catching design really caught my interest... and so tot i can get one to brighten the room.. problem is i dun't noe how to get the power point connected... but on itself is quite cool too... their packaging is one cool unique triangular bag + the bulb and the switch with instructions stated on how to set it up...

it becames a star when u unfold it..... Now i need to find a place to hang this...

-- happy gal -- Jun.21.07