Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Went to Mrs Chua's

In the end there's visiting after all.

Before I go on, I would like to say that all of a sudden I realised that when I take a photo my head will be turned to the side. Oh my. What is becoming of me? Ha. Never mind.

Anyway, my mum went to a relative's place today by herself and she brought an army of relatives home and she didn't inform my brother and I. I wasn't done with my computer at that time so I continued working on it. And a specific relative was watching what I was doing from behind, I was chatting with Xin Hui, and blogging. And he kept asking me this and that. And he smokes! Argh. Hate this. And during dinner he always kpo at my food, said oh you want your satay to cook faster you put more butter! Please lo! I don't need it to be done fast! And adding butter is adding fat to me and the oil will spurt everywhere. Though I know he's trying to be helpful but whatever la. It's not as if I know him very well. When I left for Mrs Chua's, he was like, 'Wah! Go par-tor (dating) ah?!' Wah piang I'm not lo, and then other relatives began saying things like, 'Ya your age quite good to have boyfriend liao what' etc etc etc. Grrr.

Xin Hui asked me to go to Mrs Chua's place, in the end there was only XH, Cheng Huat, Hong Wei and me who went. Haha. Never mind la, a small group is fine. Nice chat with Mrs Chua, and she showed us some video recordings of the Japanese band competition. This elementary school one and the World Music Contest 2005.

I tell you, those kids don't play like an elementary school~! They were really awesome for their age, can say that even better than the secondary school bands here. One thing is I find that those girls don't sit properly. Why open your legs so wide when you're playing the horn? But anyway, it's music that is most important. Some players kept switching instruments throughout the piece, for example trombone players swapped to euphoniums during the piece. And trumpets to flugelhorn, to horn. The best part is the mouthpiece are also different, so it's like they have to adjust ultra fast! They also memorised their pieces. No scores.

And Mrs Chua showed us the top band, a Belgium band, for the World Music Contest last year. They were soooooooo good! Their transition very very nice. I hear liao very comfortable. Soo nice. And the band is very very big. However they played very precisely and you don't know that they're that huge! I think they have 40 clarinets as what Mr Chua told us. I don't know if he counted. And there are 4 oboes. They even have cellos. They sit in full six rows. You get the idea. They played Danceries, quite a nice piece.

Oh Wei Wen! The shoes gave me blisters! Like you were complaining about your shoes. Haha. I think the reason why I didn't have problem with it yesterday was because my father drove us around. I walked all the way to Simei to Mrs Chua's, it's about a 10-15 minutes walk though. On my way back the back part of my ankle, I forgot what it's called. Calf or sth? It bled! So pathetic hor. I must say the shoes not that comfortable if you gonna do a lot of walking. Can see that I won't be able to wear that shoes to go shopping. Yikes. Then what other use have I got for that pair? Haha.

And the pair of earrings I bought. I love them! In the end one side had to break. I merely shook my head and it came out. I think there was already a fault there but I didn't check la. Can see that the part broke before because you can see the signs of soldering. Sigh. So sad. $6.90 leh. And I hardly tend to like fancy earrings. It's always studs for me. Sighhh. So sad!

I'm so sian. Gotta work tomorrow. Sigh. Though it is $14 per hour... I just don't have the mood la. Have to pull myself to Compass Point tomorrow liao. I'll be slacking away anyway. ZZzz.

And I think my face is getting rounder. Haha. And and and.

And nothing else liao.

And I miss band! T_T

Financial planning, again

Hmmm. I just thought that I ought to do this. List of things I got to buy when I have enough to spare from my pay. And the fraction of whatsoever I gonna give my parents and savings and myself.

Taking my pay as a whole 100%:
Mum - 16.7%
Dad - 14.3%
Savings - 45.0%
Allowance - 24.0%
I seriously hope that the amount that I place aside for my allowance is enough leh. Eating out all the time is far too expensive. And of course hope that I'll still have some leftover from my allowance. Still going to depend on my dad for transport fares though, so going to give him more. Need to give mum more for groceries though I hardly will get to eat at home.

I need to buy
  1. A tuba mouthpiece
  2. An alarm clock, because the one I have now don't show the time, but some weird symbols. It doesn't give you alarm at all. Can't work.
  3. Eye cream to make my eye rings lighter and reduce the wrinkles that are coming out, whether it'll work or not
  4. Any hair treatment or something along that line to make my hair healthier, you people know how drastic it is
  5. A new calculator if I can enter university and if I need it
  6. Something for my mum
  7. Something for my dad
  8. Or both 6 and 7
  9. Something for my brother
  10. New clothes for myself, and more. Haha
And more money spending:
  1. I wanna go watch West Side Story, a musical. Interested?
  2. Recoup the losses to my savings due to the spending for prom. It's not a small sum, FYI

That should be it. That's a lot of money actually.

No visiting today

I'm not doing any visiting today! Hope people can come instead know, like give me more festive mood. And I've got to go back to work tomorrow already and I'm kind of dreading it! Just feel a bit awful to some information I 'retrieved' this morning and I need more cheering up. Wah really sian leh tomorrow gotta work. Argh.

I wanna watch I Not Stupid Too! Mum want to watch with me but I dunno when we can watch together. My off days you say? DuH. But she may need to work on those days. So I don't know liao lo...

Xin Hui gave me a website to go, it's the Hai Sing band alumni portal. Can see it's not working too well, because everything is so empty. Must wait for longer. Heh. Oh and all Hai Sing alumni if you're looking at this the website is this do register!

Monday, January 30, 2006

Chinese New Year visiting

Woke up at 9 plus in the morning today and was still tired. Chatted with my friends online and ironed my new year clothes and did my nails till near 4am. And in the end I woke up to find my nails ruined. Haha. They weren't exactly dry yet and I went to bed so you can see the impressions of my bedlinen on my nails. Never mind.

Made a trip down to the temple. I don't know where it was, but my family queued up to get blessings from this very famous reverend. And he gave us those sort of Buddhist bracelets that are made of beads..You know those sort la. I spotted a transparent bead one, it's very nice! So took it and wore it. Heh. I like.

Went to Yishun to my eldest maternal uncle's place, and after that we went to Telok Kurau to my cousin's place where my eldest paternal auntie lives. I thought of Felix so smsed him to tell him I was at Telok Kurau Road and asked where he was. He lives in Lorong K, which is just perpendicular to Telok Kurau Road. I suggested to meet, but then I won't want to go his place in case his parents think I'm some girlfriend. In the end I still went inside his house. His dog is...I dunno, annoying? Haha. 'Cos I was wearing quite nicely and I don't wanna spoil my clothes. Haha. I don't know the dog very well ma so I don't want to risk =Þ His dog kept crawling onto me and I just kept...well, squeaking. Or something along that line. Felt awfully stupid.

And so I went inside and greeted his mum and relatives. Stayed around only for a short while and when I wanted to leave by accident and my stupidity the dog escaped. And it ran all the way out and Felix and his sister had to chase him all the way to the junction which was quite far away. I just stood outside his house not knowing what to do. I'm so sorry Felix! Thank the guy up there that nothing happened to his dog. Uh, the thing is the dog belonged to his sister. Felt so bad! I keep getting others into trouble lo serious. First it's bring Yi Xin to the wrong direction, and now it's allowing Felix's dog to escape. Oh and the dog went to the junction to shit. Thanks. Though Felix said it wasn't my fault 'cos they cooped the hyperactive dog up for too long...I still feel very bad. It's a dog's life at stake!

Leaving Yishun
With my bro in my dad's cab
My pair of shoes! Looks like a pair of men's feet stuffed into ladies' shoes eh? Sad~!
Taking a photo of myself in the rear view mirror. The bracelet you see on my wrist is the one I got from the temple
Leaving Telok Kurau

And after that went home to another reunion dinner, with my sis and brother-in-law. Quite enjoyable la, more noise to make. And I got to suan my sister, that's the best part.

Looking spastic as usual
At home! Yi Xin said she wanted to see how I look like today, so here you go!
A closer look. Having big eyes ain't a problem for me, but big nose and big mouth, yes.
On the left, the first ever angbao my sis gave me. My bro-in-law works for Coffee Bean. On the right, the angbao I got from my parents. The angbao came from Yi Xin which she got from StarHub and I passed it to my parents. Sparky's on the cover!
Reunion dinner. Before...
And after! Just simple stuff la.

新年快乐!

Chinese New Year is here! Finally got a pair of shoes. Yea quite like that pair, though I must admit that my feet are huge and wide so when I wear those shoes I actually caused wrinkles to them. So heartbroken. It's a gold colour pair anyway. Got from Charles and Keith in Parkway Parade. Thanks to HOW YI XIN who nicely accompanied me there. Other than she suay suay got an awful drink, I made her go up the wrong bus! She was supposed to go the other direction and I didnt know. SORRY! Felt so bad.

Hiccuping now. So irritating.

Phone batt was flat, couldn't call home to tell them I'm going to be home soon and they waited like crazy and they couldn't contact me. I didn't pass by any pay phones so I didn't call back to inform them. Got scolded.

And I sms-ed Aaron to say Happy New Year and in the end I was told that the tuba choir that i've been looking soooooooooooooooo forward to may be reduced to only 10 players instead of 20. So it's like I won't get to play lo. Sigh.

Reunion dinner was alright la, quieter than the past years probably because my sister doesn't join us for it anymore. And when my sister and brother-in-law came to visit I got quite excited and began suan-ing my sister. She tried to snatch the box of Ferrero Rochers home though. I forced her to bring this gums that I didn't like home.

And then I watched TV just now, this uncle, a so-called fortune teller, said that for those born in the Year of the Rabbit will have 桃花运 this year, meaning they'll have more luck in love or something. Wah. Means those married will be having second affairs eh? Haha. CHOY! Well, we'll see if I'll have more luck, as well as the other Rabbits like me. Lucky months are the 2nd, 6th and 10th of the lunar calendar, and lucky number is 8 and 12. If I never take note of it wrongly. And the uncle said if I do things honestly, I'll have things going my way. From today onwards I'll try to promote i-mode as much as I can. Try. Boredom kills.

Oh and I didn't mention that Felix came down to the shop yesterday. To take the money I owed him. He said owe money past the new year not good ma. True. Thanks ah. And Jing Yi you still owe me $5!

Haven't prepared my clothes for tomorrow yet.. Gotta do it.

恭祝大家

,万,身,事
狗年旺旺
过个大肥年~!!!

Sunday, January 29, 2006

A funny email

Another email I got that I wanna share with you guys. About how tired you can ever be. Really, how tired you can get.

I really pity the kid. In a shoe! Oh my
A cat leaning on a radiator
This one really win liao. Play halfway can just Zzz there
So cute right? Look at her lashes!

My mum told me that I was like this girl above. I was this pathetic! She said I didn't like to take naps in the afternoon and will fall asleep during dinner time. Like eat halfway then sleep there. So paiseh! My mum so poor thing! And I didn't know that I can get this tired. I'm already complaining throughout school life and I've been like this since the beginning. At least things doesn't contradict.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Finally met some of the bosses

Today two of the bosses came down at different timings. One was super fierce and strict. The other still ok la. Haha. At least just when both came down I was working 'hard'. Because when customer flow is very few or zero I'll just sit at or behind the counter and stone.

Sian leh sometimes when I think of working. Haha. I think when Sam there then good, he got a sense of humour and can keep me entertained. Otherwise...OK lo. Not that the rest are not fun, but I enjoy Sam's company more. Got a bit of communication breakdown with the rest I guess. Must learn to know how I can talk to them better.

There were a lot of people at the shop today. There was a new full-timer, and Belinda, Sam and Jing Hong. So many people at the counter!

And I had dinner by myself. Chose a quieter place to go - KFC. And I brought my i-mode training manual along to accompany me if not I'd have died from fright. Ha. That's how lousy I am.

Yea. More or less for today. Sian right. Zzz.

Wednesday, January 25, 2006

My very first sale

FINALLY! Shall elaborate on it later.

Went to work in a down mood because I guessed that the customer flow into the shop will be as tragic as yesterday. Reached at 1050 and the shop wasn't open yet, so I roamed around B1 and when it opened I saw a guy and thought it was Sam. But it's a guy I've never seen before. And he doesn't talk a lot so I didn't really bother to talk to him too. Just brief intro-ed.

His name is Jing Fu, and Sam came later. When I returned from dinner Jing Fu's brother, Jing Hong came. JH is the blur blur type of guy. He damm cute one! He has a Motorola V3, like big deal right. It's a big deal when he's a guy and his mobile is pink. You know, that hot pink RAZR. He's friendlier than JF la, at least when I walked into the shop he still acknowledged me.

Sam was talking to this customer, a Malay couple, and the uncle wanted to get a good phone for his son. Sam then showed him the NEC N411i, promotion price at $48 and told him he could go onto the Internet with this phone and check traffic news etc. 'Traffic news', that's the keyword. The Malay uncle is a taxi-driver. Haha. Then he got so enthusiastic his wife couldn't be bothered and went to buy groceries. So I showed the uncle where and where to get to the site he liked it so much and I secured my first sale! At least is also Sam recommend first la, but he didn't tell alot. I did! Haha.

HAPPY. Finally. Today's my 4th day of work and I'm already considered slow. Compared to my other i-mode trainees, my sales still considered pathetic lo. Never mind. At least I know that I still got hope. Haha.

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

A thought

Actually starting from the end of last year I wanted to collect all my friend's addresses and make cards for them on their birthdays or when they are enlisting and wish them Happy Enlistment, or any other festivals or special occasions this year. I only did one so far this year. Another birthday is coming end of this month and I don't seem to have any inspiration on how to do the card. I just seem not to want to do cards anymore la.

Perhaps you also can put it as I find some people not worth it, that's why I can't be bothered to do the cards anymore. You can also say I regretted starting to make the first card I made this year, it's like friends can disappoint you badly too. Sometimes you just wonder if you can call some people friends and if they treat you as one lo. It's like... no matter how close or how 'unclose' you are from your friend you should treat them well lo. I also don't know how la. I also don't understand my situation well at all. Sometimes I can feel awfully lonely, like nothing can satisfy my thirst for more friends, more people for me to care about and more people who care for me. It's a give and take thing la. Sometimes I just think that I put in my effort for some friendships for nothing. I'm not strong enough to forget about things that so-called friends did to me but somehow I really need assurance that I have them, and not just say-say.

Am I a friend to them at all?

两个对的人 却在错的时候 爱了一回...

转身离开 有话说不出来

Seems like my contract will end very soon

Today's a damned day.

Really.

Not many people came into the shop during the day, and I mostly was sitting around doing nothing. Jenny who's posted to Toa Payoh came to visit me and told me her sales are good. ARGH. I've sold nothing today by myself. At least she need not worry that she will get her contract terminated ma. Sigh Sigh Sigh. Not that I don't really want to get to terminated la, but it's like if your contract is terminated it sounds as if you're sacked (though you really are). AIYA! At least if I sold a line or what not that bad ma. But seriously today very little people and I got very sian-ed even when people came in I didn't really have the mood liao. Sigh. What if one of them is the mystery shopper? Come and spot check on me while I was stoning there. Honestly, I only made a few presentations today. Like no chance ah. When there are families with children very hard to talk to the parents one. 'Cos the kids will be making a fuss or interrupt me by pulling the demo phone away from me. Cannot ok. Haha.

Sigh. I've been worrying about my sales and now I'm worrying even more.

T_T

Monday, January 23, 2006

Another shopping spree

Yi Xin accompanied me shopping today (as usual, thanks!) and so I bought a skirt from Mango at S$60 and a blouse from Forever 21 at $14.40, the latter is after the 20% coupon YX had and she gave it to me (thanks!). U.P. $18. Yea.

Saw Fiona when I was at Far East Plaza. She's also one of the trainees of my batch. Her shop is bigger than mine, but extremely empty. She told me that she got no sales, while her clique are selling like mad. OMG. I'm like selling nothing at all lo! Sigh. She also told me that her colleagues are like aunties and uncles to her. Honestly, I prefer this leh. Like they know how to look after you. Not that I don't like the younger people around me la, but then I feel like I'm not taken care of at my side. Haha. 算了啦。

A boring life if I don't do anything about it!

I think for the next 6 months my life will be very boring.

How?

No choice lo. May be intending to quit after 3 or 4 months and look for a proper office job. Those office hours kind. And hopefully not in town of course. Argh. I need my Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays in time to come.

There is a MJCband concert on May 19, I want to take part. There are practices on
February 4, 18
March 4, 18
April 1, 15,29
May 13 All these dates are Saturdays.

And there is a Tuba Choir by Philharmonic Winds that I wanna join too. On June 3. In order to play I need all my Sundays in May free.

Hai Sing has got a concert in late June, there may be an alumni band. Practices aren't confirmed yet.

Mus'art has got a concert in July I heard. Don't know how I am going to join. Practices are every Sunday.

And then there is a National Band Competition or something on July 15 and 16 and I wanna take part for Hai Sing or MJC or whatever. How to go for practices when my contracts end on June 31?

Work requires me to be around on Fridays, Saturdays and Fridays. How now brown cow?

I need band to spice up my life. Not really much of i-mode though.

Conclusion: Erina is bad (very bad) in time management.

Sunday, January 22, 2006

First and second day of work at Star5

Work is fine la...but you can say it can get boring. I seriously don't know how I am going to repeat all the stuff again and again...

Day 1
Reached the shop at around 1045 and it wasn't opened yet. I was wearing the i-mode shirt and standing outside waiting. And I got my first customer who asked me how much she could get by trading in her Nokia 7650 for N70 I think. I had no idea. So told her it was my first day! And that I wasn't trained in stuff in that area.

Excuses? Nope. The other phones aren't really my business la. Haha. I could help too. But I know too little to poke my nose around. Time will help!

When the guy came to open the shop, customers swarmed in when he just only opened the shutters and not the supporting stuff. He haven't even sat on his seat yet. I told him I'm the i-mode promoter, he actually gave me a blank look. 45 minutes later, when the shop was empty again, then I finally managed to talk to him. In the meantime I was introducing i-mode to the customers from the file. Which isn't sufficient.

That colleague's name is Sam, and he wasn't informed of my arrival. Hmmph. How could this be? But he's a nice person la, nice to talk to and easy-going.

Around 12 plus this girl came. She's quite ah-lian actually, but she's quite funny! Like was trying to re-enact the story of this irritating customer who came the night before, and asked me to act as the customer. Haha funny girl. She's the in-charge actually. Her name's Belinda. AND she also wasn't informed that I'm supposed to come. See? Hazel (she was the one who interviewed us last time and briefed us about this job of ours) prepped a list for us during training to tell us where we are posted to, and told us that they should even provide me with all the demo phones! But I only got the NEC N411i as demo and the N412i as dummy. Anyway, how now brown cow? I seriously don't know what to do lo.

Passed today quite quickly la. But customers are still interested in Nokia or they can't be bothered about i-mode. Or they think it is too high-tech. It's hard to convince them la, because they don't use the internet and whatsoever. Heartlander adults ma. Majority of them just do whatever is the norm. i-mode is too high-tech! How? No sales how? Terminate my contract lo.

Anyway later in the day this other girl called Golden came to help out at the shop too. Didn't talk to her much la.

Day 2
Just so sian to go to work today. Quite dreading to repeat what I said yesterday. 没办法. Other than Belinda and Sam, this other lady called Angie came to help out. Golden didn't.

By the way I didn't mention that my name is a difficulty to them. Belinda called me 小妹 yesterday though I'm a much larger size than her. And she called me i-mode today. Golden called me i-mode. I don't know if Sam still remembers my name. Sigh. So hard ah.

Not too long after the shop opened today this mum with a toddler in her arms and a 9-year-old came in. And the boy actually asked me about i-mode! His mum was like, just tell him, he likes this sort of thing. Really very smart and adorable, that kid. I asked how he knew about i-mode and he was like, on TV, the advertisement. That never ending 'i like. i-mode' ad actually was etched in his memory and he came to ask out of curiousity. He was the one who pulled his mum in. Kids nowadays.

Met customers with BO today. Not that I really mind, I just need to be prepared.

Overall...working there is still ok la. I just dunno what I am going to do about my time-table. Called Hazel twice today and she didn't pick up. I also dunno what to do, supposed to go shopping with Yi Xin tomorrow. I'm not done with my CNY clothes yet. And shoes too. Sigh. 伤脑筋。

Friday, January 20, 2006

Fourth and last day of training at StarHub

Today is the last day I'll see those girls and a guy at training, everyone will be split up to all over the island to carry on with what we came to Haw Par for. To promote i-mode for StarHub.

After today's training, I find that it's really stressful to sell this service! So many things to remember, must be able to persuade the customer well and not offend and a lot more things to take note, waH! I'm going to start work tomorrow and I'm super unprepared! So scared!!!!!!!

Had Matthew to teach us how to sell the product. Hope I can get the hang of things faster, everyone seems to be getting it! I'm only at the gist, whereas others who showed what they could do during role-playing today and I was quite impressed! Sigh.

I screwed up my role-playing today and it really affected my morale, like how come when I was so confident of speech in secondary school I lost all my skills totally. It seems like it's so hard to por people with my words now. It was so easy when I was back at Cartel, perhaps it's food so it's easier. Now with all these product...if you say the wrong things, that's it! A sale gone! ARGHHHHHH.

Yi Xin SMS-ed me today and told me she got posted to Blk 503 Tampines Central 1, Ju Ling got posted to Paya Lebar. I'm just glad that I didn't get posted to Tampines Central, it's the place I'm dreading to go to now. However considering the transport fares at only $1.28 a day for me, I'd consider. I'm paying $3.08 a day, that's more than twice.

After training today took a lot of photos with the girls.

I look spastic in this photo, but nevertheless we still looked like we had special effects of light. It's just reflection of the box that we put the cameras on
Tsz Ching, me
Cindy Chen, me
Me and Tsz Ching trying to be...well, I look at myself and think I'm cranky
Me, Jessica
Geraldine, me
Feng Ni, me
Cheryl, me
Chariene, me
Fiona, me
Me, Yi Ting
Me, Cindy Phua

There are only 17 of us in the group photo, because the other 3 of them left for Centrepoint since they are sent to the shops, as in the main StarHub shops. The rest of us sent to the retailers.

Pray for me ok. Hope my day tomorrow will go smoothly, make me have a good start to this job.

Thursday, January 19, 2006

Some animal personality test

Did another personality test, this time it's in Chinese. However I think my test results are so unreal though I answered as closely as possible.

It says I'm an antelope. Erina. Antelope. Come on la... I roar!

RAWRRRRRRR!!!



積極而友善是你最大的特色。在工作上你有著強烈的好奇心,而且積極地把握每個機會去學習及展現能力。你也是個友善的工作夥伴,是同事心中的模範teamplayer。在愛情方面,你勇於示愛,而且善體人意,是個不可多得的愛情EQ高手。

優點: 即使叢林的生活不時有些險惡,你仍不改心中那股生活熱情。面對周遭的人事物,你總是用正面而體諒的方式詮釋,因而你鮮少憤世嫉俗,更不易庸人自擾。你 的熱情活力感染了周圍的人,跟你在一起工作會是很愉快的經驗。同時,在愛情中,你很注意對方的情緒需求,也有著極佳的衝突處理能力,是個體貼而懂得尊重另 一半的好情人。

提醒:你對人總是心無防備,在你眼中,每個人都是好人,然而叢林中有時危機四伏,難免有人會不懷好意,提醒你在必要時也該發揮警覺心,嗅出異樣就該掉頭,用你優雅的羚羊跳躍,遠離叢林中的危險。

I'm like the total opposite of what it is saying. 差别好大!我个人觉得我根本都没有那么积极。<因而你鮮少憤世嫉俗,更不易庸人自擾> 好不对哦!!!

Here's the link!
http://cola.sina.com.tw/

Saw Joan on TV

Joan told us some time ago that she'll be doing line dancing, sort of a calafare, on Ch 8's Love Concierge. That serial at 9pm on weekdays. I don't watch it, but was online when Yi Xin called and told me the line dance group appeared at that moment and I ran to the TV and I saw Joan! =D So amazed to be able to see a friend there, because it's either my neighbour or auntie whom I usually see as calafares. Joan so cute she just kept smiling while she was dancing hahaha.

Reply from MOE

I forgot to mention that I received a mail from the Ministry of Education telling me that I am registered with them in the Relief Teacher's list or something. Like now then reply. Haha. 'Cos I applied for this Relief Teacher position through the Internet in late December. I applied for Primary and Secondary School Mathematics. Quite happy that they'll at least put me in la, but I think when they need people and call me I won't be around for them haha because of work.

Third day of training at StarHub

Today's the best hands-on experience I had ever tried! We tried i-mode phones! So COOL! i like. i-mode.

Before I rant on about it, I need to tell you people that i-mode is exclusively for StarHub subscribers ONLY. StarHub got the rights to be the sole distributor but I guess soon the other telcos will also be able to provide the i-mode service.

We were given an i-mode phone each to try during training today. It's really convenient! It's just one press of the i-mode button on the keypad you'll be at i-mode! After you'd activated the phone to i-mode you get to do a lot of things, like email, iMMS, websites, blah blah blah. i-mode can support cHTML content only, so there are sites that cannot be accessed properly because they are HTML.

But still, you can download videos, ringtones, pictures etc from i-mode, and surf around! Subscribe to the Straits Times at only $3/mth, and a lot more things you can do. Very hard to tell about this la, if I were to say more I'd be like working now. Haha. Enjoyed today though. Just can't get enough. I mean, soon I will la, but it's so new and I got to try it (usually I'm the last few to try out new technology in Singapore). I will definitely get an i-mode phone, but not now I guess, because the phones out aren't really my cup of tea and there should be functions that will become better and good for everyone to use. Of course there are disadvantages about it, but don't worry, costs aren't really a big problem if you use it well.

But anyway... Last day of training tomorrow, it's on sales! Scared leh. Haha. Like how to sell the i-mode service... Never mind la. I'll get the hang of it.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Second day of training at StarHub

Today's training session is more fun, it's more hands on to the StarHub services available like Gee! and 3G. Started off about the Gee! part, we went online to explore. We were also given phones to try out and Miguel taught us how to configure our phones for Gee! services online. Heh. Used the Sony Ericsson Z800i or something, it's a 3G phone. Shared with Jenny.

After break or something we were given phones again to try out (by the way the phones and their SIM cards belong to StarHub so the bills don't go to us) and we are allowed to download games and pictures and tones into the phone we were holding on to. I was holding on to this other Sony Ericsson phone, can't remember the model but it is some old models. Shared with Geraldine. Then because my Nokia 6220 phone can only hold polyphonic ring tones, I can only download those type of tones and perhaps send through infra-red into my phone. But due to complications I didn't get those Narnia tones that I wanted. Never mind... So I used the StarHub phone to send pictures to my phone. Heh. Sent 4 pictures.

We also tried Video Streaming, which is you get to watch channels like CNN and some fashion shows etc online! I saw the CNN news through the Sony Ericsson 3G phone which was clearer than the Motorola phone. Miguel also let us experience how it is like to video conference. After the call was connected and you can see each other through the camera we could see each other through the phones when they passed the phone around! Very fun! This 3G technology has not taken off though, due to the cost that we have to pay.

Had the 'Proof of Learning' today. It was fine la, open book one, and I think I got a few questions wrong though I don't know where because we didn't get our papers back. So I passed. And everyone else passed. OK la, no one ever failed before in so many batches.

Met Yi Xin, Joan and Jing Yi for dinner after which JY went home and the remaining three of us went for a haircut. My hairdresser doesn't seem to let me have a new hairdo leh. I mean, the problem is i want to change my fringe some way or the other, but then it is like I still want to tie my hair so that I'll look neater. Sigh. Never mind lo. But I have to think of new hairstyles asap if not I'll just be wasting my money for her haircut.

Shopped a bit, tried on a shirt, but still not quite satisfied though I quite like it. Yi Xin told me about it, she saw it. I'll keep that in mind first, then go shop again with her on Friday. Ya I'm very fussy and I hardly get sizes that fit because I'm too big. So I always take a very long time to find appropriate clothes that I like.

That's it for today, I'm super tired and I really need the energy for tomorrow. It's i-mode training tomorrow, which is very crucial to my job. Hope I can listen properly so I won't be wasting my time!

Tuesday, January 17, 2006

First day of training at StarHub

I'm so beat. My eyes are so red now. Haha. Very shagged after today's long training. It's not hard, it is just like a lecture... Except that the room only has 20 people plus the trainer 21.

I woke up at around 0630hrs and left the house about an hour later. Saw the bus at the previous stop and ran while holding my egg mayonnaise sandwich (I made it myself!) and a packet of HL milk. Bear in mind it's the 1L packet ya. Because just left a bit of milk left so I intended to finish the rest. When I reached the bus stop I was horrified. I hardly reach the bus stop at such a time, and I was taken aback by the many people there. When I reached the train, even more people there! Practically like squeezing. Some office workers were even sleeping while standing and holding on to nothing.

I reached the Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station at about 0820, and walked towards Haw Par Centre, where the training was to be held. It was 0830 and I was soooo alone. After that I saw this other girl wearing the same Giordano polo top as me and I reckoned she's going for the training too. Talked to Yi Xin, and a while later this other girl told me we could enter already.

Training started almost promptly at 9am, this RJC girl, Cindy, was sitting on my left and Jenny from VJC was on my right. Made friends with both of them. After a while I got to know Cheryl from TPJC. And many many others too, just that I don't know them as well. There are 20 trainees in my batch (we're so-called the 1st batch) and all of us are girls waiting for our A level results except for the only guy there who just came back from Perth and waiting for enlistment. Poor guy, so lonely.

Before training started the lady who interviewed us, Hazel, came in and gave us a piece of paper each printed with where we were posted to and the address. I saw the name of the company of the shop and it says Star5 for the outlet I'm supposed to go. I felt a bit sian because it felt like I'm going to some normal handphone retail shop instead of the StarHub outlet. I went back to the Compass Point website when I got home and saw the same address belonging to StarHub. So is that shop a neighbourhood-like handphone shop or is it really a StarHub outlet? I hope for the latter, but if it turns out to be the former, it's ok also la. I remember seeing a StarHub outlet there though.

Our trainer's name is Miguel. He's a real funny guy somehow la. Made the whole talk entertaining and not boring at all, because the sudden inflow of information about Starhub's international services etc can be very taxing. And there is supposed to be this 'Proof of Learning', in simplified terms a test, to be held tomorrow to test us on what we learnt during these two days. Miguel said it is going to be easy, just some MCQs and it is an open-book test. We're required to score 85%, if not, I don't know what will happen. I just do not want to spend too much time on flipping the book they gave us la. The book can't be accompanying me to work from Saturday onwards. Hope I can scrape through lo.

Throughout the training today I learnt of StarHub services (I'm a StarHub user) that I can fully make use of in the future. It is easier for me to understand too. Like those international services, now I know them better when they were like alien to me. Still, I am quite afraid of what will happen to me if I don't make it for tomorrow's test. Haha.

Anyway, when we ended I shopped alone at Plaza Singapura for my Chinese New Year clothes. Haven't got them yet, I have these few days left. If not when work starts I'll be dead meat. Wear old clothes to new year. Went to The Body Shop to look for Grace who has been working there with Yanni. Talked to Grace for quite long. After that I made my way back and chatted with YX over the phone during the journey home.

A second line interrupted, a call from home. My brother said my father wanted to try the Chicken Fantastic from McDonald's, though I'm already so tired I just went along and buy. Well, I wasn't expecting to wait. I joined the shortest queue and saw the manager using a calculator to calculate stuff on a receipt for this woman. The latter spoke English, and she seemed to be having a problem with money matters pertaining to the purchase. They took awfully long. The manager was like 'Ya you ordered this Chicken Fantastic meal, then you upsized it, ... ...' blah blah blah. Wah that woman damm kiam siap. Like that have to print the receipt out for her to check!

Finally it was my turn (I was jumping from queue to queue depending on which seemed to be the fastest), and I had to wait even longer because the burger wasn't ready. While waiting the woman came back with a packet of large fries and asked the guy who was serving me if the one she was holding is upsized. He took an empty regular fries container and large fries container and compared to her. In the end? She was like, 'How come so little?' when I thought the packet is satisfyingly full. She spoke fluent English for a middle-aged woman, and she behaved like she was so... I dunno, uneducated?

Anyway... I gotta go do some research on the StarHub website. And I need to sleep early. Seriously don't know when then I can settle down and read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince properly. Sigh. Ok. Hope I'll have the energy to blog again tomorrow!

Teh Glossary

This is the 4th post of today. Just post since I would like to share with you people part of this article I saw on the Sunday Times while reading it online. Don't know if you have seen it, but if you haven't, it'll be enriching! Especially because you are a Singaporean, proud of it or not. This article was regarding to teh tarik in Malaysia being a health hazard, causing diseases like stroke and the like. And the article ended up talking about teh tarik in Singapore, and introducing you the places where you can get teh tarik, some with roti prata around the clock too.

I reckon this teh glossary is also a small part of how you want to survive in Singapore, isn't it?

TEH GLOSSARY

Teh tarik
Tea added with evaporated and condensed milk, then 'pulled' to create a layer of froth. Other versions are kopi tarik and Milo tarik.

Teh halia
Tea is mixed with ginger juice, added with condensed milk and pulled.

Teh-si
Tea added with evaporated milk and sugar.

Teh-oh
Plain tea with no milk or sugar. A variation is kopi-oh.

Teh-cino
Pulled milk with a layer of tea on top, sprinkled with cocoa powder. Other versions are kopi-cino and Milo-cino.

Milo dinosaur
Milo drink topped with a heap of Milo powder. Other versions are kopi dinosaur, Horlicks dinosaur and Nescafe dinosaur.

Milo godzilla
Milo drink topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.

Milo eruption
Milk topped with a heap of Milo powder.

Neslo
Nescafe coffee mixed with Milo powder.

Almond susu
Milk added with almond powder.

This is Milo Godzilla
On the left is Milo Dinosaur and on the right is teh-cino

Optical Illusion

Aaron sent me an email, to do with optical illusion. It's really quite interesting, here you go.

You see, Mr Angry is on the left and Mrs Calm is on the right. Got it? Then you move backwards from your computer, about 6 feet or so, you'll see that they'd switched places!


See the point?

Monday, January 16, 2006

They changed their plans

Recruit Express called again around 11am plus, my agent gave me some instructions like to reach there earlier and when I reached there call her those sort of thing...

Ju Ling later on told me that her agent called her and told her she has been posted to Toa Payoh! Thats quite far, even if you have buses like 8 or 28 to take you there. However it's like the entire bus journey, either you vomit, or you pay an expensive bus fare, or both. And her training is not starting tomorrow but later and she don't know when!

And in the afternoon re called again, supposed to look for Yi Xin but she dialled the wrong number. Then I asked her about the training being split into groups, she said ya, and told me that Yi Xin is not with me for training too. I'm so sad! I actually thought of asking Yi Xin to give me a wake up call. I'm hopeless at waking up early. It's been so long since I wake up early!

Yi Xin called me and told me that they haven't even posted her to anywhere yet.. Sigh. And re told her they'll call her some time next week. It is only Monday today and Yi Xin has to wait another week when she could just start tomorrow.

Anyway, I'll be starting training tomorrow. Hope that I'll make full use of today to enjoy my last day available before the physical and mental torment of work.

A dream or a nightmare?

I keep having the same dream over and over... It's always about you... 一直都是你遇见了你的另一个,她叫什么名字我也记得...但这真得是事实,或者只是一场梦?我的某一部分希望这只是个梦,也很害怕这是事实。已经好几个夜 晚了,我都在看你们的进展,让我好难受...是真是假,我不知道...Can anyone tell me the truth?

Second Practice at Mus'art

Due to some circumstances Hwee Lee, Xin Hui, Cheng Huat and I were late for the practice. I met them ma, and in the end I didn't realise that I was on the most losing end. I had to walk past the whole band in front of everyone (I didn't know that I could actually walk behind the percussion section but I had mental block, anyway) and walk past them again carrying the huge tuba. So pai seh!! By the time I was ready Hwee Lee they all already settle down liao lo. Whaha. I felt so kuku. But nevermind la.

Then Yin Xuan disappeared for a while as there is this other new tuba player who came in and YX had to get an instrument for him. I was the only one playing and I was damm scared. Not as if I'm playing at Hai Sing or MJ. I'll dare to play at these two bands. Plus I haven't warm up. And we were starting on Carmen, there were very little long notes, or even none. A lot of bouncing notes all that, they are really difficult to produce if you have not warmed up. Ya la I stupid haha.

However after that practice was ok... seems like I can sight-read slightly better liao. Not as slow as always. Whahaha. Enjoyed the practice somehow, though I can't go there anymore till later.. Guess I will not have much of a chance of going back... Lack of instruments I think. Because I was using the remaining available tuba... Oh man. Sigh.

I actually quite dread take the train again. Like all the way back to Tampines from Jurong, and like I hoped Mrs Chua offered to give us a lift home. Yeay! And they dropped me at the bus stop at my place here. The ride home was quite fun la, a lot of things to talk about.

I saw the information booklet for the National Band Competition or something like that. I heard that Mrs Chua should be bringing all her bands there. I saw the score for Jupiter Rock Version, and also that for Dragonstea Din Tei. Mrs Chua said Anglican High played that for their encore. So that was the secret encore Mr Chua was telling Hai Sing.

Reached home about less than an hour after the practice ended! Haha. Felt great, if not I'd reach home at about 7 plus. Hope I'll still get to play after I finish the job on June 31.

I don't feel any mood for festivities

Can you all feel the Chinese New Year mood in any way? I don't. In fact I quite dread it coming... Some things that I planned cannot take place anymore... And the never ending CNY songs playing overhead in shopping malls irk me. Arghh. Never mind. Next next CNY will be better.

Saturday, January 14, 2006

Calculations

Because I'm using adult fare so I'm getting rather picky about the price of transportation. So expensive! I remembered a number of years ago adult fares were $0.55 per ride basically. Now it's $0.64!! Ya ya ya, call me auntie if you want. Heh.

I'm supposed to work at Compasspoint in days to come, assuming the buses I take are all air-conditioned buses, then since the trip from my place to the bus stop before Tampines Regional Library costs $0.64 as it is a TownLink bus (flat fare), and from that bus stop to Blk 240 in Sengkang (argh) takes a difference of 11 stages so that makes it to be about $1.15. Minus the rebate of transferring of $0.25 that makes
$0.64 + $1.15 - $0.25 = $1.54. WAH! So expensive!! Then calculating to and fro, it is $3.08 per day!! WAH! So expensive!! I could have a nice plate of chicken rice with that. and give the $0.08 to the uncle as tips.

I work typically 8.5 hours a day, and with $7 per hour, that makes $59.50 a day. I got a compulsory lunch break, so let's take it that I spend $5 a day for my meals. Then deducting the above, I'm left with $51.42 a day only!!! WAH! So little!! And CPF!! Then I'm left with $41.136 a day after deduction for CPF!! WAH! So little!! It's making me not wanna eat at all, or pack some sandwich instead.

I'm afraid to eat at the food court alone. Oh man. Never mind la, just don't eat those meals type of food. There's always Cold Storage. But I don't know if it has sushi there. Can't remember. And the hydroponics salad. But I can't possibly be having those everyday. There's Old Chang Kee. I'd die from eating it. Doing some research of the mall now. There's Breadtalk but it is expensive. To me. There's Mr Bean, I can buy tau huay from there. Either those quite high-end bakeries or fast food restaurants. Sigh. I shall do my own if I have the energy. Save costs!

Anyway, I work 5 days a week, and I get $10.50 per hour on the 6th day if I'm not wrong. OT also that amount I think. And on the 7th day if I'm not wrong I get $14 per hour! Public holidays too. Ok, I don't mind sacrificing all these if I have nothing on. Earn more, earn more!!

I'm becoming more like what I was during my days working at The Cafe Cartel. I can work the whole day from opening to closing and so that makes 16 hours a day and I pocket $120+ for that public holiday alone. To get the advantages of working on days that I'm not supposed to work, actually. Heh.

Hope I'll be a good employee. And have a good environment to work in. =D

Friday, January 13, 2006

CHEY!

Chey. I don't really know if this is that 'chey', but nothing very unlucky happened today. Unless you count that mocking from Felix during band practice today when he told the J1s of the tuba section that I'm MAN. The other 'chey' thing is that there aren't 9 new tuba players, there are 7. Still a lot though. I don't know what else to say, but the scores they read today were very interesting. I'm so jealous. I also want to play for the MJ concert in May. Sigh. After band practice I chatted with Ms Sia for a while (quite a long while actually) and then Felix carried my bag down (oh man) and we went to Whitesands for dinner.

Hmmm. I didn't mention that there's this J1 guy in my section who actually farted during practice. And you know, when you fart there'll be this vibration with the chair and so one 'poooooot' came out. I am so turned off by all these. Haha.

Hai Sing band practice was so-so.

No. It was more than just so-so. Because Mr Chua was talking to them in a way I'd never experienced him talking to us before. Maybe he did but I didn't remember. He was talking to them like they were small kids and that was worrying. He was like 'Do you all like this piece?' Oh man. You mean they had this sort of liberty? But never mind. Just that my juniors are really quite slow, or too slow sometimes.

Never mind again. They still have hope ma. They're hardworking. Heh.

Friday the 13th

Today is Friday the 13th and I got a pretty unlucky start to the day. Recruit express called me and told me that I'm posted to Compass Point for my Starhub job. I said during the interview that I'm fine with working at the north side of the island but I didn't think that the woman took my words for real. Actually I merely said that to secure a job for myself. Haha. But was prepared that if I were to get a position anywhere at the northeast then do lo. And really get ah!! I mean, it is quite ok since i can take bus 27 there...but the stop which I'm supposed to alight...well, unhappy memories and I'm going to live with it for another 6 months. Sigh. I prefer going further down to Hougang Mall, but I will still be passing by the bus stop. Argh. Too bad, can't change the location. An unlucky morning. Hope later when I go Hai Sing or MJ nothing bad happens to me, like falling off the stairs or something. I've never believed in Friday the 13th that much in my life anyway. Will post again later on I guess, going to have dinner with Hong Wei they all.

希望我不会在那里遇见你。不要靠近。

Thursday, January 12, 2006

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

Eons after the Chronicles of Narnia came onscreen, I finally went to watch it today with Yi Xin. Wanted to watch today because tickets are only $7. Yes yes, I'm cheapo. Whatever.

The pre-movie advertisements were awfully long. After that when I thought that the show started but instead I saw war fighter planes on the screen, I asked YX if we were in the correct cinema. The tickets were with me, I confirmed that we were in the correct cinema. Haha. Yes later on I saw the characters of the movie so I knew I was in the correct one. For a moment I thought I missed the show.

But anyway, the show was good. Visual effects blah blah blah, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Aslan (the lion) was soooooo handsome and charming and great I almost fell for him. Whahaha. The whole story...I'm not really sure what the moral of the story is, but I know it's quite a lot about loyalty or something, even to the bad people. The White Witch was...I dunno, cool? Yes she is because she caused Narnia to be in winter for 100 years. But the way she swung her staff (which works as a wand too) is quite cool. Like very smooth action. And the lion...waH! Can't stand it. Whahaha.

The war part was exciting! Like you see the army of both sides from the bird's eye view is magnificent. Doesn't look fake to me. And you get quite scared if the lead was going to die (even though you know he won't). A good show la, worth the $7.

I think due to the long while after it came out then I went to watch, there were very little people in the cinema. Very very little. So sometimes when there are funny parts I just giggled and didn't really laugh out loud, guess i'd have caused the cinema to have echoes. But anyway.

That pair of contact lenses

I don't use lenses, but there is already this quite new product which is making me sick. I cannot mention the brand in case I get into trouble, however I'm sure you all know about that product which enhances your eyes by making them look bigger and brighter. I know I'm being mean and bad and unrefined and perhaps going against the law now but I really want to criticise about it.

The thing is, it doesn't make your eyes really physically bigger, but it is that the lenses have got this dark rings on it that define your eyes so that your iris (the coloured part of your eyes) look bigger.

See?

However, I sincerely advise those with very small eyes (though you may be the ones who need it most) that you don't use it.

You see, because your iris will be bigger, it will be covering more of the white space (do you call it conjunctiva? I can't remember) and so if your eyes are small they'll look all black. Aren't you afraid that if you try it you'll look like 贞子 (Sadako, think The Ring)?

Seee? Sadako's eyes aren't really big.

Notice too that the model that the manufacturer used to advertise this product has got big eyes. Then why does she need more of this eye-expanding thing? And her eyes are nice enough. True?

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Big News

Kai Yan smsed me today and told me that there are 9 year 1 tuba players enrolling into mjc band. Oh my. That's a lot, when we only have like, 3 tubas? Including the j2s, there are 12 players in all. Even though it is only the 1st 3 (or less than 2) months, it's still something to manage about. Ratio of players to instruments? 4 : 1. How's that. Sigh. But it's great 'cos you get to know more about other players. However there is a lack of space for the tuba section in the band room and it's hard for KY to spread message around. Oh. And the number of mouthpieces...my darling PT-84!!! Sigh. I wonder how many girls there are in all though. I always feel I have the need to protect them from the pests (you know who you are=P) so I'm going down on Friday. Should be joining them for dinner afterwards, so it's fine. Yeay.

But...if I go down to college and KPO, well, that makes 13 players there (if everyone turns up). And it's Friday the 13th on...well, Friday. Are you superstitious? I'm afraid if I go means bad luck. Haha.

Why is the section so popular this year when we only had 3 players during the first 3 months last year? Must be because of me. Sigh. But KY isn't very attractive lo. =P I know...must be because as I leave, I left behind 福气 too. Whahahaha...

To refine myself

I decided that I want to type (talk) in a proper manner.

Why?

To make myself more 'refined'.

Does it help?

Well...

I suppose so.

'Yea right', you'd say.

It's ok. It's a great start!

And if you see any grammatical errors, do highlight to me by leaving a comment. Pardon the Singlish and the short-hand though. I can't wait to 'refine' myself.

Heh.

'Fat hope la, Erina!'

I'm already fat, so hoping fat-ly isn't that impossible. I don't refer this to everyone who is horizontally challenged.

Refine myself, yes.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

spent the day at home

spent today at home...my brother woke me up, and then i went to cook pasta!

appetising right?

then i read harry potter and watched 大长今 after that started to tidy up my comp and this blog. nothing much today la.

personality test

did a personality test. here are my results!

Extraversion

Some people like lots of stimulation; they want people around them, activity and excitement, whilst others prefer to be able to focus on things in a calm and quiet environment. Most people prefer a blend of the two extremes and your answers suggest that you are quite comfortable in either situation. You can probably cope with things being a bit hectic or a bit quiet but, like most people, you may find extremes in either direction uncomfortable or annoying.

Confidence

Some people make decisions very easily and tend not to worry about them before or afterwards while, at the other extreme, some people are so careful and cautious that the decisions never get made! Taking a cautious approach can be a good thing (do you want to fly with a pilot that is so free from worry and concern that she never checks her controls and instruments and doesn't bother to communicate with air-traffic control?) and you seem to have described yourself as someone who does tend to be quite cautious and careful. This can be very important in detailed work or areas were mistakes can have a major cost although you may find yourself avoiding risks and many cautious people wish they were bolder.

Openness

While some people like experimenting with new things and ideas, others prefer traditional methods and taking a very practical approach to problems.

Your answers suggest that you may be reluctant at times to consider new approaches and ways of doing things, but that you understand the value of tried and proven methods and of lessons that have already been learnt.

Agreeableness

Most people want to be able to get on with others but to some it is the most important thing in the world, whilst others are quite happy to upset someone else if it means that things get done.

Your answers suggest that you can be firm with people when you need to be but that getting on with others is still important to you. Like most people you would rather avoid conflict but are not prepared to put up with being treated badly by others.

Conscientiousness

Some people like everything to be well planned, tidy and organised, whilst others prefer to deal with things as they come up and appear to work in absolute chaos.

Your answers suggest that, like most people, you like to have a little clarity about where things are but that you would rather cope with some things as they arise than spend too much time sorting out every single detail. This approach may help you when working with teams and also when having to deal with those situations that you just can't plan for.

This questionnaire can't tell you exactly what you are like; it doesn't go into enough detail and only helps you ask questions about the way you behave and make decisions in your occupation. Don't rely on it to tell you what your personality is like but use it to think about the different ways that people go about doing things. Read each description, ask yourself if it sounds like you (and it may not!)

signed the contract today

went to recruit express (re) in the afternoon to sign the contract...cant really reveal much, but then the consultant only told us that if we need to have any days free must tell our future supervisor. you see, i need to have my sundays free in may for the tuba choir, and there's a mjcsb concert on may 19. if there's alumni segment or whatsoever i will need (or i want) to play. haising concert should be late june, my contract ends on june 31. how now brown cow?

but its ok la. nevermind. hope my future supervisor will like me enough.

Sunday, January 08, 2006

first practice at mus'art

quite worried to go for the mus'art practice because im afraid that i'll maybe provoke mrs chua a bit that i couldnt make it for practices due to that job (as if im such a big deal to her but whatever). went there with yixin and xinhui, and met a new friend cheng huat afterwards. quite a long journey..practices are at the jurong green cc and it was raining very heavily. we took a train to chinese garden and had to take another bus to the cc.

reached there and i was quite nervous la. first time into adult bands ma, a lot of experienced players there. actually the tuba section there quite dao. heh. yinxuan also never talk to me lo! only his tuba blaring at my ear that gave me a headache haha. he said they were like that too when he first came, but today they were like chatting non stop la. haha.

but i love the pieces! very challenging and its sooooooooo different from the typical pieces i played in my 6 years of tuba playing. oh this is my 7th year already. heh. i love you darling tuba. heh. anyway, i'll want to join and continue playing because i want to improve further! the pieces were really cool...running notes...etc etc etc. just not those typical scores you play in school la.

in addition, yinxuan's girlfriend is the stringbass player, and the other 2 male and female in the section are a couple. so im like so extra. but i dont care la. heh. just afraid that i'll get left out cos like so weird. never been in a section like this. heh.

mrs chua is suuuuuuuuuuuper nice! love her so much! i told her about my problem, that i cannot join mus'art till i grow a beard (ie a long time later which is till june). she said its ok, dont worry, just go and play. waH! so 感动~! haha. i'll be back after june most prob, but then they'll be having a concert in july and i think i cant join that concert.

i dont even know if i can join the haising alumni concert in june. and the mjc concert in may. all because of work. bloody hell. i should have waited for that admin job i was waiting for. damm. sighhhhh.

cousin's wedding

today is my cousin maria's wedding. i dunno how old is she. but then her wedding is soooooooo good lo! i will also want my wedding to be in that manner, those photos and planning etc. and i think her husband is good, she's fortunate!

woke up at 5 plus to bedok where the tea ceremony etc is held. spent most of my time watching tv la, i dont really talk to my cousins much. they also dont talk to me. whaha. oh what i wanna say is the part where the groom has to go through tasks to get to the bride. haha. the sisters really wanna torment the groom. he had to eat things that are sour, sweet, bitter and spicy (酸甜苦辣), also had to peel bananas hanging on a bamboo pole, blah blah blah. he finally got into the house, but before he could enter the room, he and his brothers had to sing a song, cant take my eyes off you. the newly weds took a nice photo that is made into a poster with the caption 'too good to be true' and the lyrics of the song beside the standing couple. and its really those poster material ya. so they sang. the whole thing was really lively and enjoyable la, like the rest of us just see see also can laugh. haha. i didnt get the chance to sabo my brother-in-law because of time was tight.

blah blah blah, time to go home and rest first before proceeding to grand copthorne hotel for the wedding banquet at the grand copthorne waterfront hotel.

my parents and brother took the mrt there. i was very reluctant to do it, cos you make up blah blah and then take train like what only lo...so my sis and i took a cab there. shhhh.

in the cab along the way to the hotel
these are the ice carved swans outside the ballroom. so nice right!
this is the table and the candle plus the menu

the menu is not those typical printed on good quality paper type. its a very good quality folder with clips top and bottom of the spine and they printed a piece of paper and ta daa! the menu.

this is the stage with curtains as background. a bit different from the typical ballrooms, but still nothing much to me

before i stepped into the ballroom i scrutinised through the wedding photo albums. they were good! like the whole thing, how they took, very professional. there were some single shots of my cousin, and there's this very nice photo of the silhouette of my cousin and cousin-in-law against the sunset and they were holding hands. very nice! like you're flipping through some magazines and see the pictures and think that they're some stars in those magazines. really, those photos make you look very...very professional too. like those high society people (by the way my cousin-in-law is rich i heard. but he's a friendly guy).

the whole wedding was really impressive! the music chosen was good. when the couple first stepped in, they had their solemnisation on the stage in front of everyone! like so nice lo. moreover they also had to pay more to invite the solemniser over.

the curtains behind the stage were like usual decorations to me. in the end they opened to reveal a garden inside!!! they even put fake wind like so the plants were like swaying and it looked quite real la. except that you werent eating the delicacies on grass.

they employed this good photography firm to help them settle photos and videos for the whole day. during the dinner, there was something like this mini episode of the morning's activities. a very interesting video. the part i mentioned about the groom and the brothers singing cant take my eyes off you; the producer of the video added an actual song as background music and like the brothers singing along to it one...timing very good also! this is the best wedding banquet i've been to so far, i have to admit.

this is one of the 2 screens that are flashing the photos of the newly weds. this photo is that one they used for the poster
bro and me
thats one of the photos...very nice right this picture
the ballroom
the solemnisation
ta daa! the curtains were drawn to reveal the garden
me and mum
family

Saturday, January 07, 2006

passed a job interview

an application & interview
supposed to go for a shopping spree with yixin for my new year clothes, and then i got a call from yixin in the morning telling me that recruit express called her and told her that they have a job for her...its for a position at starhub to promote i-mode...so i accompanied her to recruit express (re) to register. they didnt call me, i think its because of me having applied for another job with them and was still waiting for the call for an interview. but i waited for a few days liao still no news.

saw juling at re too. she came earlier than us and joined us, so i introduced yixin to her. they clicked really well lo. whahaha.

i was deciding whether i should apply too, then i asked my consultant there. she said can so she gave me a form and i was last in queue for the interview with the representative from starhub. after that my other consultant said i cannot apply because i didnt get the call and i couldnt be included in the queue. like sad lo. but he said he could help me ask if the lady will want to see me. she agreed! so i went inside and had an interview with her.

the interview was ok la, she merely asked what did i do at my previous job, and asked what i knew about i-mode. juling did research before she came and i got to know from her and yixin that i-mode is an internet service (rich content) for 2.5G and 3G phones. so i told the lady this. she added that i can do much more than wap if i use i-mode, cos if you go wap you cannot book tickets online those sort. with i-mode you can book tickets and even choose the seats. i was told that i have to promote this service along with the 2.5G and 3G phones to the public. ok la, im not afraid of talking to strangers.

there will be training sessions on the 17th to 20th. i work 5 days a week, but then i can only have the off days on 2 of the days during monday to thursday. compulsory to work on weekends.

so the 3 of us left to go shopping and waited for the call to tell us that we're in for the job. heh. juling had to go first, and she smsed me later in the afternoon at around 2 that she got the job! yixin and i were at katrina having our lunch and she was quite flustered, afraid that she wont get the job. a while later we got the calls! so we had to sign the contract on monday. so she was happier.

happy happy

a new problem surfaced
it occurred to me that i cannot join mus'art anymore. mus'art is an adult band i've always wanted to join, its conducted by mrs chua, my haising band conductor. moreover its her who asked me to join mus'art after my a levels. now i dunno if i can keep my promise that i will. mus'art practice is on every sunday and due to work i cant go anymore. also, in may, i have to keep my sundays free for this tuba choir. the condition is that you have to be available every sunday of may then you can participate. tuba choirs are quite rare in singapore, i've never heard of them anywhere and aaron already asked me to join, i promised him i'd. how now brown cow? moreover i wanna join the tuba choir too.

the contract for this i-mode job is about 6 months. sigh. i seriously dunno what to do.

shopped as planned
continued shopping with yixin, i tried everywhere and finally decided on this orange top and black skirt and yixin said they're ok on me, but they're not going to be matched together la. just that the more i look at that black skirt the more i think its so not me. whaha.



so i just have to wait till monday when i look at the contract, and ask around on what i should do because the problem is still bugging me.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

a long awaited call + cookies

i applied for this admin job through jobstreet.com...recruit express posted the advertisement. i got a call and they asked me to go down to fill in some stuff and the like. so i had to wait till monday to know whether i get the job or not. felt happy that i got hope to get a job lo.

after that i went to ntuc to get ingredients for cookie baking...this is what happened in the end. i made cornflake cookies by the way. those crushed cornflake type.

i didnt do the heart shape on purpose. i found it while storing the cookies
my work


then for dinner my brother cooked campbell soup to add on to the rest of the dishes. he didnt cook it properly. however i found this.

the heart shape coagulated thing in the soup

i have an affinity with heart shapes today.