Servicing

Omg... I have totally forgotten about sending my car in for servicing till 'A' reminded me to. Actually, I remembered, it's just that it's so troublesome in terms of the time taken for it to be done. I actually have to go down to Champion motors at Pandan Crescent and it will take me three hours at least.

Major issue, I have to spend money on taking cab from there to office and after work cab there again to collect my car so I can rush off for classes... Argh.....!!!!!

Travel Fair

In view of the up and coming NATAS travel fair, here are some tips that I have personally acquired throughout the years of listening to post-travel tales of my friends and a little small traveling myself:

1) Always pre-plan what are the kind of activities you would like to do before deciding on the destination. Example: shopping : Hongkong, Thailand, Taiwan. If you can't decide on the activities you want to do, decide on a few countries you would like to visit then borrow a 'Lonely Planet' book and check out the places in that country you wanna visit then decide.

2) Get a pair of walkie talkie that can go up a certain distance and of course some batteries so that you can get updated with your pals in case you got lost.

3) Do not bring your whole wardrobe or packets of instant noodles for your holiday and bring appropriate clothes for the season. It is not as if you are going to an isolated island with no shops that sell clothes and food. Besides travelling to a new destination is to soak up the culture and that includes the food and fashion of the country. The extra space is saved for your shopping 'trophies'.

Free & easy tours

1) Plan to go on a trip with no more than 4 people. The last thing you would want to do is to have a small squabble over who wants to go where and waiting for each other to arrive at the specified spot. Best part is you may have a partner going to this certain place with you (so you won't be bored to tears since you can only mumble yourself if you are alone) and chat or discuss about stuff. If you are alone in deciding to go this certain place, either go yourself or compromise to the rest of the group; later super persuade them to go with you.

2) Save on the expensive five-star hotel fees and check yourself into the cheapest and clean motel, backpackers' hotel. You would rather spend your hard-earned cash on visiting the 'always crowded' tourist attractions or shop. Besides, the only time you will spend in a hotel is to sleep; that is if you are not going to a resort like Bali just to get away from the 'human traffic'.

3) Budget your expenditure and bring cash and credit cards. Credit cards for emergencies and cash for daily use. You do not want to have to worry about how to pay your credit card bills or loans after your holiday break, in which case, you will regret going for this holiday and tend to forget the good parts of it. Why make yourself suffer when the well-deserved holiday break is to refresh you mentally.

4) Hit the anti-tourist routes aka the local places for food and clothes, they tend to be much cheaper and better tasting.

5) Some places for shopping in some countries do not take to bargaining very well so check on the net or your borrowed 'lonely planet' before attempting to get chased down the block by chopper waving vendors.

6) Make some friends with some locals who speak English and are generally nice (you will know who they are but do not trust them too much since they are your new-found friends). They will help you soak up the essence of the country and when you visit next time you will have a friend there to hang out with.

Package tours

1) Pick out the best bargain package as in you get to visit tonnes of places with that miserable amount of money you have.

2) Do not be an ass and embarrass yourself , get back to the group when the time is up.

3) Rest early after the long day since you have to wake up early for the itinerary that has been set for you the next day. Have a night cap at the local night spots before hitting the sheets to help you sleep better.

4) Do not buy stuff from the shops that the tour guides bring you to since the same things can be bought at a much cheaper price at other stores that you walk in yourself. They will 'chop' up your wallet. Unless you really like the stuff and you will not have time to shop by yourself.

5) Do not get typical souvenirs like key chain, stuff toy, mugs and stuff. Get something that is special and made in that country.

6) Help out other people in the group when they need, it's only nice. Who knows you might get yourself a new traveling pal.

Well... I think that's it for now.... ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAYS !!!!

Overuse of antibiotics

ScienceDaily (Jun. 21, 2006) — The heavy use of antibiotics in the rearing of fish could be detrimental to the health of the fish, but also that of animals and humans, a recent report says. This practice encourages bacterial resistance and could lead to the evolution of resistant strains of bacteria in animals and humans as well as the fish themselves. A more judicious approach to the use of prophylactic (preventative) antibiotics is necessary.

Dr Felipe Cabello and his colleagues at New York Medical College, reported these findings in the July issue of 'Environmental Microbiology'. It is common practice in the fish industry, particularly in developing countries, to use large amounts of antibiotics to prevent infection. The antibiotics used are often non-biodegradable and remain in the aquaculture environment for long periods of time. This encourages the growth of bacteria which can survive in the presence of antibiotics - antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Eventually this process could lead to increased antibiotic resistance in the 'disease-causing' bacteria (pathogens) of fish. The properties which make bacteria resistant can also be transferred to human and animal pathogens, leading to increased infectious disease in fish, animals and humans alike.

When antibiotics are mixed with fish food, residual antibiotics may be found in fish products and fish meat. People who eat these products will be inadvertently consuming antibiotics, leading to changes in their normal microbial environment, or 'microflora' and making them more susceptible to bacterial infection.

"If we don't curb the heavy use of prophylactic antibiotics in aquaculture, then we will ultimately see more and more antibiotic resistant pathogens emerging, causing increased disease to fish, animals and humans alike" said Dr Cabello.

A global effort to curb the over-use of antibiotics in the rearing of finfish is essential in preventing these detrimental effects to fish, animal and human health.

Adapted from materials provided by Blackwell Publishing Ltd., via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

This is like so scary a news to reckon with. There's no way consumers would know which kind or from where the fishes might have a superdose of antibiotics. We can't even taste it since the flavor of the fish meat has covered it. It makes those who do not like fish in the first place even fear to eat them. Wonder what effect will it have if the fish is raw compared to cooked ones. Maybe they should do a study on the amount of antibiotics present in fish meat raw and cooked so that consumers like us can have a better idea.

~

Hahaha... I'm done with my test.. despite the fact that I did not study for it... I gave the examiners a free mark as a gift... coz I don't know how to answer it... I just hope I get 2.5/5 since I could not do most of the calculations or I did just half of it.... sigh... nothing to blame since it is my fault for not studying.... just hope lady luck is on my side....

Addicted to online games

I have realised that recently, I have been absolutely addicted to PC games that require you to grow something or cook something and serve it to customers kinda of games, like Plant tycoon, Chocolatier 2, Diner dash and games like that. Bought the full version online, so now I'm on the lookout for more of these kinds of games since I've finished almost all levels of it with 'A'...

~

Die...

Just realised my test and exam is on the 25th Feb & 6th Mar respectively.. better start studying and do it well since this is my last module... Now got to go bury my head for it since it's lunch hour and is my own personal time.

~ Wonder if my last module results is out... *crossing my fingers* Wish me luck and hope I pass.....

Feb 30

Funny and embarrassing thing happened today....

'A' wrote a cheque that was post dated in a jiffy so that I can send it to the supplier. The supplier called and said that he could have never been able to bank in the cheque. It was puzzling till he told us the post dated cheque date.

Feb 30 2008

It was terrible, 'A' had forgotten that there wasn't 30 days in Feb, even 29 days happen once every four years. Best part is I did not check the date as well assuming it was right. Silly us....

'A' joked and said that it is supposed to indirectly tell the supplier that we are NOT PAYING them... but then again it was merely a JOKE that arose from 'A' 's forgetfulness and me taking for granted that everything is right.

Well that only goes to tell us that humans make mistakes and the consequence of this... was I had to make another trip down to the supplier just to pass him a new cheque... to ice it off... the terrible embarrassement...

Anyway... why isn't there a Feb 30 ???? make 'A' and me look so bad.... must go search for the answer...!!!

PSP

Must start saving up for PSP... two of them... as a gift... so A & I can have fun playing the same game together.... don't tell him ya... if you managed to guess who A is...



Think A will like the black one, or perhaps the white one... Personally I like the white one. We'll go together and choose, who knows we might not choose any of these two... Will buy them at my friend's dad electrical shop after my exams... hehehe... hope got free games or discount....

Can visualise how happy 'A' will be when he gets the PSP where he can put photos in, play games, watch his downloaded videos.

Must save up more so can get a bigger memory card to do all those things... *giggles* so happy....

Poll shows Singaporeans the biggest spenders in Asia for Valentine's Day (from CNA)

SINGAPORE : Singaporeans are the biggest spenders in Asia for Valentine's Day. This is according to a survey which found that 60 percent of Singaporeans would spend up to S$500 to mark this occasion

Besides respondents from Singapore, those in Korea and China are likely to be big Valentine's Day spenders.

50 percent of the Chinese surveyed indicated that they would spend up to S$500. 78 percent of Koreans who took part in the survey said they would spend up to S$250.

The survey was conducted by GE Money Asia, which had polled 3,115 GE Money Asia and Joint Venture partner employees.

Besides Singapore, China and Korea, the survey also covered India, Thailand, Japan and the Philippines.

The poll showed that 60 percent of Singaporeans used their credit cards to splurge on their loved ones, and only started shopping for the gifts a week before February 14.

Three in four Singaporeans felt that Valentine's Day is a commercial exercise.

90 percent of the women surveyed said that Valentine's Day is here to stay. 67 percent of men support Valentine's Day and do not think it should be cancelled.

Throughout Asia, the survey indicated that Asian women would spend slightly more than men for Valentine's Day.

In Singapore, all of the women surveyed said they would spend below S$500.

However, 19 percent of Singaporean men said they are willing to spend between S$500 and S$5,000.

63 percent of women in Singapore prefer to receive jewellery rather than cash as a Valentine's Day gift.

25 percent of the women rated a spa or luxury resort as their preferred activity for Valentine's Day.

39 percent of men here said they prefer travel packages.

Personally, I think if a guy spends a lot on V day for you and does nothing throughout the year, DITCH HIM then. I won't fall for the commercial and 'follow the trend' thing. If I don't have a choice but to celebrate V day, I would rather spend it at home, in a nice cozy way, cooking dinner for the other partner and cuddling together with a glass of wine each, watching some action or thriller movie.

It's cheaper than going to a restaurant and jumps the queue for food but does not lack the love and romance that is the commercialised definition of V Day. In fact it should be like that every day, not just V day alone.

If you love a person, it should be a celebration everyday by showing your love in many small ways; putting toothpaste on his/her toothbrush, making breakfast, cutting finger/toe nails, giving a backrub, handling him/her a piece of tissue to freshen up when perspiration threatens to become a shower and etc.....

These are like really sweet things to do... well I'm speaking for myself...It's not that I spit at money or hate bling (if you see me doing that, I must be dead!) I still love my cash and bling but there are times where these can't really show how much you know or care about this certain person, it's the smallest details that were taken for granted or being looked over that matters.

Diet-ing

Thought of a healthy way to diet which saves money too....

Given my low energy expenditure ( no workouts, spend time in front of Laptop or goggle box):

1) Cut down on Carbs
2) Minimal of fried and fatty stuff
3) lots of vege and fruits
4) try to workout a little or at least do some stretching exercise
5) Get some diet pills (when I have excess money)

~

Was actually thinking on just spending money on the diet pills but I guess it won't really work well without me looking scrawny and breakable, which has happen to me the last time I took them. Good thing is one can hardly pinch out fats from me and I look thin and can wear smaller sized clothes, but the worst thing is... even my boobs decreased in size, which is terrible..... *Whines*

Will start on dieting and replacement shakes soon... Yes, I'm a procrastinator... but I'll watch my diet starting from now. Minimal suppers, fatty foods and booze. Ok... I'll try cut down on booze but if I do take booze, I'll cut down on other foods then. hehehe....

Wish me success!!!

post CNY blues

Hi hi... Happy CNY to all!!!

It has been a boring day at work. Too much rest during the CNY break now feeling restless and can't seem to do my work very well. I overate on the CNY goodies and booze this year now feeling absolutely guilty and fat. Must diet and find a good and healthy way to do so....

~

Lost total about 50 bucks on festive gambling at MJ (Mahong) with family, full of experts. Well, treat it as 'giving school fees'. Sigh...

Spoil my day...

I am so so pissed just now... I feel like my face and head is exploding and my stance is ready for a huge fight.

I am not usually so easily pissed but that salesgirl is so damn rude I have to blog about it. It is not my nature to say anything bad about any shop but I feel I have the right to let whoever is reading this blog know about it so they will not experience the same thing that I have experienced.

~

The water in the pool had to be changed like urgently this morning and the adaptor for the switch was 'kaputt' due to my clumsiness. I went downstairs to this shop known as the 'ONE STOP SHOP' to get a new adaptor. It was cheap like $1.20 only so I bought some other stuff as well. I patronise this shop quite often to buy things for the Nibbles, since their goods are cheap and I don't really need to get the super high quality stuff as long as it is use-able.

It was disappointing that the adaptor did not work so I went back downstairs to get it changed to one that works (took me some slight complaining to get changed to another one that supposedly works). It's not the first time things like that happen whenever I buy items from this 'ONE STOP SHOP'. I tried using it again and it does not work again so I got irritated and went back there to see if I can get like a refund for it and get the adaptor from elsewhere.

I was telling the lady that it does not work again and she insisted that it works. Hence, I asked her if I could get a refund for this since she insisted that it does work when apparently it does not. She answered me in a damn bloody rude way that made my blood boil.

Me: " Hi, it does not work for the second time so I would like to get a refund for it. "

Salesgirl, who happens to be China Chinese, shaking her head vigorously & waving her arms in my face: " Sorry, you can't get a refund coz it is registered in the cash register and if the numbers don't tally, I would have to pay for it."
(no.... I am not a racist)

Me: " Can't you strike it off or note down somewhere that this thing does not work and you gave me a refund? I can leave my number and name and I am just situated above you in case your boss asks."

Salesgirl, did not even bother to look at me: " CANNOT! NO REFUND! "

Me, threw the adaptor in front of her and loudly exclaimed: " Fine, you can have this back!"

I was so so angry. It is not about the $$, by the way, that stupid thing is only $1.20 and it is not as if she is super duper busy and there is a hundred people in the shop.In fact there is only one customer in the shop excluding me and he was walking around.

If she had just like pretend to ask someone or called or something then answer me that she can't give a refund, I would not be so pissed. She did not even offered the fact that I can exchange for something the same worth. Either way, it does not matter whether I can get a refund or exchange for something, it more like the way she rudely answered me and her non-existent effort in bothering to even patronise my feelings that made me so very angry and irritated.

For a start I was not in a bad mood when I went there to get stuff so I did not scream at her first, rather she talked really loudly at me first. Then again, I am the customer and I am buying stuff from the shop you are working at, the least she could have done to appease my irritation is to pretend to walk to her other colleague and ask a question that she already knows the answer.

Anyway, after this incident I am never going back there to buy anything. I absolutely detest RUDENESS.

I do not normally say this but out of 5 stars, this 'ONE STOP SHOP' does not even fall into the category of being rated so it is -5 / 5.

For those of you who have bought or wish to buy items from this ironically named 'ONE STOP SHOP'...

I wish you good luck, hope the cheap things you buy don't crumble and if they do get destroyed upon touch, don't even waste your time thinking about an exchange or refund. Just a reminder in case you are thinking of getting a refund or anything, " IF THE NUMBERS DON'T TALLY, SHE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT!" so don't waste her time fellas, she is too busy staring into the air and day-dreaming.

Busy Busy Busy...

Well, one more week to CNY....

Definitely will be terribly busy this week with everyone rushing to getting their nails done for CNY. So I might be putting off blogging for a short while till the shop closes for a break during the first few days of CNY.

Just bought my clothes from one of my favourite shops, FOND, two of those dresses here. If i don't look terrible on camera, will post some pics.

Woo Hoo!!!

Another two more weeks to CNY. YEAH!!!!!

More 'ang bows' and good food and best of all HOLIDAYS!!!!

No school, no work.... All fun and can play MJ.... Woo hoo!!!

Can't wait for it to arrive...

Must start getting new clothes *Grin* so I will look nice during house visits and after that party the night away be it at a huse party or a club... wahahahaha....

Saw a few nice clothes on this webby and am comtemplating whether they would fit the FAT me now and of course not be too taxing on my pocket while at the same time looking good.

Women... hard to please group of people *shake head* I totally agree with my guy friends.... I belong to one of them.. the hard to please group... hahahahaha....

~

Really like this bag in the lilac color. Hope they have it in the stores so I can have a look at the actual thing before I get my friends who are going US to get for me.

TIME TO GO SHOPPING!!!!

CNY promo

Hahahaha...

So happy, found a fabulous way to give back to all our clients. Something worth it for them and be able to at least cover our cost. Giggles

Check it out at this webby:
http://www.nibbles.com.sg/promotion.html

Hand spa

There is like a major problem with the hand spa tank. Must quarantine and keep the tank under maintenance, observing it for a while. Sigh

Feel so bad about it since some of our regulars have signed up for the hand fish spa package as well. Anyways, a solution has been found for this and we will inform the members as soon as it has been deemed to be the best compensation for their disappointment.

At last my final module...

Exams for the last module is just over. Phew!

No need to ask me how I did since I do not know the answer as well. All I can say is that I am not very confident of this exam that I have written at all. Sad isn't it. Sigh

Anyways, am doing the new and LAST module now. The timetable is absolutely crazy. I have classes almost every weekday (which I intend to skip some... CHUCKLES...) and a super duper long class on sat like from 1-9pm. It's insanity. Then again to think of it I would rather it be a long saturday than to split it between Sat and Sun. At least I can have a life on Sun.

~


I think I have grown like super fat compared to the size I was previously. All Thanks to STRESS, LATE NIGHT SUPPERS !!!! (folding my arms and sulking)

I MUST change and cut down on all that supper and tidbits and fatty food and hopefully, yes hopefully.... despite my lazy bones and bed calling me, get some workout done.

Maybe I should set that as my CNY resolution hur... Hahahaha....

I'm still here...!!!

Hi hi... It's been ages since I have last posted.

It was terrible. The past few weeks I have been down with a cold on and off and deadlines at work are pilling up every other day. It was absolutely crazy. Even now as I'm blogging, my to-do list is lengthening and my stress level is increasing.

I have just had a hair cut that shock everyone I know. I practically snip my hair which used to be waist length to like shoulder length. People thought I would perhaps just trim it but I'm so tired of my long hair that I have decided to change my look in preparation for CNY and it was fun seeing people's jaw dropping reaction.

Anyways, back to work... will post more often when I have shortened my to-do list a little.
Cheerios

New year's eve

WOO HOO!!!

Happy New Year to all !!!!

Nope I'm not planning to party. Just wanna kick back, have a small drink at hand and watch TV with my family. Something different from the partying I used to do every year.

Cheers ! have a great night partying for all of you.

Don't want to work !!!

Today was the first day back at work after my super, duper long leave since 20 Dec.

I really don't feel like waking up to go to work so that I can clear the Himalayas mountain of documents on my desk. But then again, I still have to if I wanna keep my job and get paid. Sigh

Even now that I am at work, I'm worried about my doggie. Sometimes, I will have the illusion of something happening so I'll call home to check, to find out that nothing has happened. Another two more hours till I can actually pop by the shop and check if everything's alright. Yea.....

Then after I can go home and do the most important thing I have to do now.....

Play with my 'little princess' and beloved and dote on her. : ]

Botak girl

My heart ache just escalated. I brought my darling doggie to the groomers just now.

She was whimpering and screaming in pain when they got out the ticks on her, the old 'monkey' way (picking the ticks off using a tweezers). I really could not bear to see or hear it so I left to de-tick my room and house.

My parents and aunt has previously helped in de-ticking her usual places she sleep and hang out by cleaning with trusty 'Dettol' and spray with the tick removal dog spray I got from the pet store. I threw everything away, including her favorite toys since the groomers said that the ticks might have infested her sleep area.

Her whole face, including the corners of her eye was like red, sore and bleeding. I nearly cried looking at her. She had to have all her fur shaven till she was 'botak'. It's not like she looks ugly or anything. It's just that it hurts me to see her like that because of me. : (

In fact my parents like her 'botak', claiming she looks cuter and looks like a small little lamb. I have been instructing everyone not to tease her for her shaven fur in fear that she might not feed because she thinks she looks ugly. So the whole of tonight, I have been saying she looks pretty since she is kinda vain and look at herself in the mirror when I'm taking out my clothes from the wardrobe.

I just hope the tick infestation is gone or I will take drastic measures which will inconvenience everyone. My drastic measures would mean getting the Pest control people in to fume the whole house, which will cost me but save my pretty, little darling.

Meanwhile, I will keep a watch out for them disguisting bugs and of course keep my 'little princess' away from them.

Disguisting little bugs

It has been a sad day. Today I called the dog groomers and asked them about the ticks I found on my poor little doggie's body and the fact that I missed her dose of revolution for almost 3 weeks. She has been very scratchy and it breaks my heart to see sore bumps when I removed the ticks from her.

I will be sending her for a 'de-tick' session on Mon which happens to be Christmas Eve. On top of that, I have decided not to go out partying and will stay home with her since she might not be feeling so good mentally and perhaps physically after' de-tick-ing'.

It has been almost a month since she was first found with a tick after going to a dog run and she has not been feeding well since. That was the first time and will be the last time I will bring her to a dog run.

I have been observing her just to make sure she does not fall sick (aka lyme disease) due to the ticks, plus I did not go out for walks with her ever since her infestation with these miserable, disguisting, idiotic, blood sucking insects.

I feel so responsible for her plight now, I am like super self-blaming myself for her suffering.