CHEATED...

The last time I had this feeling was back then in Penang. 

The feeling of being cheated but then again, it is not completely the other party's fault. It's more like your stupidity together with the disability of business people in being completely honest.

Sometimes, it is really good to really really ask a lot of questions, just to be sure that when you pay the bill, you don't feel duped or cheated.

Today is supposed to be a happy Sunday for the whole family...oh that was until I felt cheated off RM150!

Okaylar it wasn't that bad but seriously, I felt really stupid after that meal because I didn't TRIPLE, QUADRUPLE confirm the price of the buffet. But then an extra RM150 out of my pocket is really not COOL!

The low-down:

I called 2 days earlier to book a buffet for my family of 5 for this Sunday - dinner. The operator told me it would cost me RM 49.25 nett per head after weekend discount. If we go for lunch, it'll then be RM 39.25 nett. 

So it is pretty clear that RM49.25 is not inclusive of all the taxes and everything, so nevermind. We're prepared to pay for the taxes. 

Later, we decided to eat lunch instead, cheaper and the timing is better for us too.

And so I called up again to re-book and I DOUBLE confirmed the price of RM39.25 for lunch. The lady told me yes, it's RM39.25 per head. 

MF!!!

The problem is, nobody told me that RM39.25 is actually a WEEKDAY PROMOTION. The dude who first told me that it was a weekend promotion was clearly wrong or perhaps I was bloody confused to have gotten the wrong message. But then the second lady I confirmed with should have also informed me that the RM39.25 is for weekdays only. I mean, if your customer booked for Sunday and ask about the price...isn't it common sense to tell your customer the price for the WEEKEND MEAL?? Why in the world did THEY tell me the WEEKDAY PROMOTION WHEN I BOOKED FOR A SUNDAY LUNCH??

I am not saying that I am not at fault but in some ways they are either bloody senseless or they are just purposely being dishonest right?

The Lesson:

TRIPLE and QUADRUPLE confirm the information because clearly, twice is so not enough.

Read whatever brochures and promotional slips PROPERLY before making a decision. I mean, like my dad say, we don't mind paying RM 300 for a bloody Japanese meal, but we would like to be PROPERLY INFORMED and not feel like we're being duped off money lar!

Sigh.

For now, I think I'm going to boycott certain Japanese restaurant for the time being. Not feeling great after the experience! Argh!

Anyway we had a good time generally, though the food we consumed is definitely not worth the amount of RM 60, which we ended up paying. I should have camped there or worst, bring a lunch box to pack those food home. I don't care what you say about my 'kiasu-ness' but that's my way of making up to my RM60. In times like these, one can't afford to not be calculative man! A few Ringgits is okaylar but this is me being indirectly cheated, so...!!

Oh well...

Let's put this behind us for now.

Moving on to another day...

Take care folks.

With Lotsa Love,

TammyC

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER

So this Saturday brought me to Kepong where I had mellow yet relaxing supper with a cool bunch of friends.

It was an eye-opener because we actually witness an uncle trying to auction off his crystal collection in the food court where we dine in.

Call me crazy but I never knew that people would actually spend money believing superstitions like these, but they do. 

"This crystal here will bring you luck with ..."

And people buy it. I mean though most of the sales are less than RM100, still I don't think money spent on superstitions like these are worth it, you know what I mean. Oh well, perhaps they really like the crystals. But some of those are just hideous balls, but no offense, I really have no tastes anyway.

What is ironic was the fact that we just minutes ago attended a talk on Chinese superstitions and voodoo practices and there we were at the food court, with a direct demonstration of those miraculous superstitions.

I guess today's talk on Chinese voodoo practices is really interesting, though again, my lacking in Mandarin was a disadvantage. I was able to grasp 65 to 70% of it (I mean, I think I understood what I understood) so the rest of the content was quite a blur. But generally, I think I was enlightened about those 'religious' Chinese practices.

Of course I've been exposed to those Chinese traditional voodoo-ish rituals - like summoning the dead, dancing and prancing around God rituals...not to say I believe in those bringing in any luck or anything but I wouldn't disregard the fact that those things really work sometimes, though obviously, like explained by the Reverend today, those miracles aren't exactly work of the Gods. It's more like some spirit out there doing its thing. 

I'm not here to write about what God I believe in or anything because if I were to write my thoughts on that, it will take forever and honestly, my religious views are in ways even confusing to myself so I'll leave it at that haha.

But generally, I'm to a certain extent superstitious but I'm not a fool to believe that drinking Talisman would help me get the things I want. I guess to achieve something you need 2 things - faith (which actually means you believe in your God) and hard work. 

Oh well, I think it's best that I sleep now haha.

Saturday night fever has mellowed down. By the way, the dude at the auction kept saying "Saturday Night Fever" and so I thought I'd dedicate this post to Saturday nights ;P.

With Lotsa Love

TammyC

To all wonderful things in Life!~

STORING STORIES

There are many stories to share sometimes but sometimes, I just scratch my head and can't think of anything.

I feel that I owe this blog some posts. It's not like I have nothing to share, I have loads of stories to tell about my life, just that I find myself constantly writing only depressing stuff but never the happy moments. Yep, I dunno why. One might think that I'm generally happy (which I guess I am) and would have loads of happy tales to tell. The truth is I guess when most the time you feel super on cloud 9, you forget to share those happy moments and then when something super bad happens, all your focus is on the bad stuff. And that's why, I usually only writes about my sorrows. I still have no idea why I want to immortalize my sadness, but well, that's just the crazy part of me I guess.

I took some time to wonder again...

*Do people even read this?

Most of the times, I really think people don't F care about what I write here. Perhaps they don't even bother reading. But then I can't disregard that there are surprises here and there haha. I've experience too many surprises - for example, my cousin printing out my blog to show my aunt so that they can use it as essay example '=.=

Should I even be happy? In some ways, but that was a posting about my problems with my mum...embarrassed! I remember my aunt called and talked to me about it. She was really nice and what she said I remembered til today and at that time I was super touched. I guess it was one of those times where I realized that people cared for me.

Anyway, I have no complains right now. I love what I'm doing now though sometimes, I still wish that I was a full time writer, with really nothing but just stories about life to share and meeting interesting people. Oh well, that is a dream I want to accomplish someday. If only I have all the money in the world, I'd travel and just pen about cultures. Okay...so let's move towards that! For now all I have to think about is...NOT SCREWING UP MY CURRENT JOB!

There are times when I felt out of place but I'm adapting and trying to learn asap!

But I'm grateful that I'm around people with experience and who guides me along the way. But sometimes I feel really stressed up because I feel that I'm just not picking up fast enough.

Okay F...enough about work lar!

I love that I can also come home everyday to chill with my Facebook pages and blog. It's a part of my life that I sorta enjoy the most. 

Then just now I was rummaging through a box of stuff I kept under my bed. I suddenly remembered that I love to keep craps - bookmarks, cards, ang paus...you name it. But I love the feeling in which you go through old stuff. You know, the memory those old things held within their physics, generates liquid memories. 

I wonder where my creative cells are now? I remember those days in which I love to draw in front of the TV. Yep, I made bookmarks and cards and stuff but now...oh well, I'd rather buy haha. I guess technology killed it. I'd rather spend time with Facebook than magic pens and all. Then there were paper dolls I used to play with my primary best friend. We love to design clothes for our girls...she now a fashion designer. Haha. 

Talking about rummaging through stuff.

There is a story I sorta wanted to pen about but was so friggin' lazy to for the past month. Or rather, I just didn't find the time between my full time job, farming, cooking and Glee-ing. 

Oh well I went back to Ipoh last month and stayed at our grandparents' old house. So it was super BORING there since there is no Internet connection (normal lar...we can't live without the Internet nowadays).

So my two siblings were so bored that their hands itched and they had to find something to keep themselves busy. So they went to this cabinet and then just sorta took out whatever there is in there. Boxes, papers and then...ta da, they found treasures...oh well, diaries!!!

It was our aunt's and oh boy, I'm not proud of what happened. Those two idiots read aloud what was in it. For the record, I told them not to okay but they did anyway and we found out certain stuff. Haha. 

Then LETTERS!! It was our dad's!!!

And he has a pen-pal...girl some more, from Singapore!! Who knew, my strict, super serious, dad...had a female pen pal and oh my God...flirting some more...!! OMG! It was really hilarious...I think he called her 'Hey Pretty Lady' or something...ahem...

And so my bro was like reading the first 2 sentence (all of us getting a bit excited) and then suddenly we saw a light...

My dad was back from his meeting with his friend. My bro panicked...(when in fact, he didn't have too cuz me dad don't have the key, we can take our time to open the door...that's why, we need to be relaxed when committing crimes or else...)

Both of them rushed to keep those letters and he brilliantly knocked my cup and that poor thing shattered into pieces. We can't control it but we laughed like hell although my mum, awoken by our shenanigans, came out from her room with a large frown on her half awake face. We got it good but we were still giggling like having our laugh nerve disoriented or something. What the hell....when we saw dad, we laughed some more. They were clueless about our giddiness.

This story tells us this...our parents were once teenagers, though it is super hard to imagine that, but YES they are. Though I don't flirt like my dad did ahem, haha...I learn that BOYS will be BOYS, even though when they can be super serious at the age of 50. Now imagine talking to dad about flirting...better not lar...I think he's more into unit trusts haha. 

Oh well, it was great to know something more about our parents. 

With that I leave you with a sweet dreams and good night.

Let's just pray that dad doesn't see this. Darn!

Let's also pray that my cousin doesn't print this out anymore (she promised me she wouldn't so...).

With Lotsa Love,

TammyC

THE OUNCE OF ENERGY LEFT IN ME

With the little ounce of energy left in me, I shall give the blog a few words so that can fixate my current emotions and may one day look back on this and perhaps laugh at the 23-year-old me.

I've been really really tired these few days, with work. It's the first time I bring home work and I kinda contradicted my own working philosophy. I remember telling me dad to not bring home work because we need to have balance work and relax time. Hmmm...but now I understand why he brings home his work. Because if the work is not finished, you basically can't sleep. Even if you finish, you might continue thinking about it because you'll be wondering if it's good enough etc etc. OMG, there were a few nights in which I practically dreamed about receiving emails from clients...wth haha...

Okay, I might sound like I'm super stressed and the expression on my face at work is definitely not as pleasant to watch as before, haha, because now the ingredients that make my face is a whole load of stress and worry. But to be honest, I'm really not unhappy or angry or anything. 

In fact I love the fact that I'm challenged with so many things to do. It reminds me of my college days in which I barely have room to breathe and it was assignments 24-7. 

But then college is different because though stressful, if you screw up, oh well, the worst case is that you fail. With work, I don't know why but I feel a heavier burden because if I screw up, I'll tarnish my company's name.

So it is really not so much physically tired, but I guess more like mentally exhausting because I feel like I need to mull over a lot of things and think real hard before doing the simplest things - such as composing an email because how you structure the email or even who you CC the email to has its own set of consequences. So yes, using brain is tiring! Haha...

I'm human and of course I am always going to be unsatisfied with things. So when I have TOO MUCH TO DO, I'll be like what the hell but I can't stand having nothing to do either. I guess at the end of the day, I still prefer having loads to do because at least I feel that I'm contributing some part of me to society haha. 

I love the fact that I'm given the opportunity to learn things that I never would learn by myself because at the end of the day, I'm not a corporate person. But my job opens me up indirectly to topics like business, economics and stuff - though I'm struggling like S%#@, at least these info are indirectly nurtured in me. Most of the times, I feel like a complete idiot (and that's why I keep quiet most of the times so that I don't blurt out even crazier stuff that would humiliate the crap outta me haha) but I guess I'm slowly getting use to that too. My dad, I believe, is the happiest that I'm getting exposure in this field haha. 

Oh and then there's the organizing of events and stuff.

Anyone who know ME *using index finger to make an air circle around my face* would know that I'm the most disorganized being on Earth. Erm...you can check out my table at the office, in my room or whenever spot  I deem as my space and you'll know what I mean. So it is definitely another challenge for me to ORGANIZE other people haha. But, well, we'll get there, we'll get there *fingers, toes & everything that can be crossed, crossed*. I just did a make-over for my office space and I put up organizers, calendars and to-do lists in almost all the empty space surround my cubicle. Hope that helps lar...lolx I need help getting organized man!!!! 

Anywayz...

I think I really need to try my hardest to balance my time to cater to all my other working needs - as you know, I do have a farm to run on Barn Buddy and a restaurant in Cafe World. It is painful to see my crops be stolen on the days I didn't manage to visit my farm. King Kong must be having a blast stealing all my stuff there argh! 

The good thing about technology now though is the fact that we can at least still linger on Facebook and do a little, what do you call that again, snurking? ...oh LURKING (the term constantly used when we were doing research in Liverpool) to see what others are doing.

So working is not really like 24-7 working lar...sometimes there are a good 5 to 10 minutes spent on Facebooking alone.

By the way, it's almost a year since Liverpool...I wonder how everyone is doing?

Hmmm....I wanted to do a tribute video for Liverpool but honestly speaking, I don't think I can do it in time now haha. 

Alright, my eyelids are barely making it.

I need to hit the sack!

Nitez

With Lotsa Love,

TammyC

PS: Let's hope that I accomplish what I set out to do tomorrow so that Sunday will be a breeze for me! Cheers~  

THE SIGHTS AND SOUND OF PEOPLE

Very fast summary of my life in a flash!!

Loads of exciting stuff happening for me lately, I'm beginning to enjoy life again haha.

Remember I had this moment of dullness after I came back from Liverpool - hating my job and all. Now I'm back and I love my new job and also my freelance job. 

I'm looking forward to many many more happening stuff!!! =D

*Chewing Coke Mentos*

So today was another great great day as I got to meet some super interesting people in the local film industry. We all had a discussion and I learned so much, not just about different film perspectives by really experience and professional people, but also a lot of insights about cultures and social problems. It was super great to meet one of the more famous directors in Malaysia, and also a bunch of other prominent people in the film industry. I can't really disclose the purpose of the whole meeting but I can tell you, it was one of the best experiences in my life; well, at least one that I feel super honoured and privileged to be part of. I'm not sure if I'd get another chance but it would be great if I get to be part of these discussions again. But I was really intimidated and I really really nervous when it was time for me to talk. I think it was pretty clear in my voice that I was shaking; I hear my own nervousness literally, but I really hope it all went well and I didn't make a fool of myself in front of these super cool, profound and intelligent people.

*gulping Rootbeer, Mentos finish already*

We diverted into discussing interesting topics like Korea - and how Korea is a great place for hiking and that there is this place known as the Suicide Cliff which is super beautiful, though many people commit suicide there. So in order to try to change people's mind about killing themselves, there is apparently a statue of a mother on the cliff, perhaps to remind people of their mother's love or their mother's sacrifice for them and how they should not just give up on the life that the mother had given them after painful labour. I guess it was really cool to think of putting a mother's statue up there - though just such a simple statue, it really gets people rethinking about their decisions.

Then there were discussions on "child trafficking", which is actually a problem in Malaysia, though not many knows it. One of the panel told us an inspiring but really sad story about the problems of illegal children along Chow Kit street. Seriously, it's so sad to know that such sad thing happens around us and ya, I really hope that I can take a leap and do something to help too. Though knowing me, I'm always procrastinating. =(

I just realized that when prostitute gives birth to children and then dumps them, some of those children are not registered and basically, they are considered "non-existent". So even if they died - murdered or raped, nobody, no one could or WOULD do ANYTHING to help them because it is claimed that there is NOTHING that can be done. Well, perhaps it's not really NOTHING can be done, it's more like, NO ONE wants to go through the trouble of doing something that really takes extra effort. Fighting for human rights is never easy and most of the times, is challenged by certain groups of people with authority. It really takes people with guts to go out there and fight. So sad that some part of the community choose to close an eye to such cases or situations.

So today was generally a very enlightening day for me and I feel so lucky.

Still got loads to do later and I might as well take a nap and prepare to go out to do my freelance editing work.

Till next time~

With Lotsa Love,

TammyC