Just a few posts ago I was complaining about the wet weather. I think the skies heard me and now they've responded with vengeance. It's suddenly become hot since last week. Really hot and dry that Caitlin's sensitive nose has been feeling the effects. We normally sleep without the air condition but last night, we felt like we were in an oven so the aircon came on.
It's good on one hand that I don't have to worry about going in and out with umbrellas and raincoats, driving in the blinding rain and stepping into puddles. It's bad on the other hand that I have to make sure we, especially Caitlin, are well hydrated with lots of drinking water, wear cooler materials and stay out of the sun.
Sure sounds like I've nothing more interesting to talk about other than the weather right? I guess it must be the weather getting me down, lazy, sleepy, tired....and irritable.
I've one grouse about customer service in Malaysia generally...or rather the lack of it. Three weeks ago, before the Hari Raya break, I requested for a cost estimate from one so-called renowned kitchen cabinet makers in the country. The guy sold his product and service very impressively but as they say, talk is cheap. He promised to get back to me within three days but took two weeks instead. And even then, I had to call his boss to complain after not being able to get him on his mobile several times.
His boss was not that great with being nice too. His first words when I told him I'd like to make a complaint was "Why?!" and in a rather antagonistic and defensive way. Their 'signature' kitchen designs are nice and they boast of quality materials but I believe other kitchen designers are equally good if not better.
The cost estimate finally came via email but only provided a total sum for my two kitchens (wet and dry). I spent another frustrating phone call requesting for a breakdown of the cost to get a better picture of where and how my money will be spent. It's almost two weeks now and still no phone call or email from them. I've not been holding my breath as I've moved on to other kitchen planners, but it just sickens me when people lack the courtesy to follow-up on their word. That goes not only for customer service people or professionals but even so-called friends I've encountered. Where is the integrity and sincerity?
For the price I'm to pay for their product, they'd well be giving impeccable service but no siree, not these people. Or maybe in their eyes, we don't look like the type who are seriously looking or can afford to purchase? No one even approached us when we visited their showroom in one of the largest malls in town prior to me calling for a meeting with the kitchen planner.
I wonder why they spend so much on branding themselves and paying exorbitant airtime rates for their typically-Malaysian-overly-exaggerated radio ads shouting out their customer service number if all I get is lousy service which they claim is second to none as one of their USPs? Little do they realise that the attitude and behaviour of just one staff can spoil their entire image and impact their business. More so with the power of word-of-mouth, SMS and the Internet these days. Or maybe they just don't care as they are arrogant and confident that their image and product can supercede their lousy people?
I guess I shall stop my rant here before I cross the line in bad-mouthing them further and naming these guys directly (though it doesn't mean I haven't done so indirectly...). Suffice to say that I won't be using these guys for my new kitchen.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Tattoos
What does the word "tattoo" conjure up in your mind? Military tattoo and marching bands? Not so common I think. It'd most likely be LA, London, Miami Ink? Gangsterism? Triads? Significant personal events, memories, relationships that have impacted your life? Positive or negative? Needles and pain? Traditional, cultural, current fad? Permanent or temporary? Dyes, henna or stickers?
If you were to get a tattoo, what would the reason be? What design? Children play with the sticker and washable paint types mainly for fun. Adults use henna, dyes and stickers for fun, cosmetic and other known or unknown reasons. If I were to get a permanent one, it would be of personal significance, not for body decoration unless it's a temporary one simply for fun or for a crazy party.
No, I'm not thinking of getting a tattoo. It's just that in my lifetime, I've known of people and friends who have got themselves one or more, for various reasons. And just a few days ago, I found out another friend plans to get one. Good and glad for him!
Autograph books
Never did I imagine that six-year-old kids would have autograph books to remember their classmates by. I guess I've been out of touch with friendship 'practices' among schoolkids in this century! My friends and I started collecting autographs only when we were in primary school around 7 or 8 years of age those days. Hmm, I'm tempted to dig them up from my boxes of old treasures to read them and have a good laugh....
School will be out for the year next Friday, 14 November. Come January, when the Malaysian school year begins, Caitlin and her kindergarten friends will no longer be together as they'll all go to different primary schools of their parents' choice.
One day last week, she came home with an autograph book of one of her classmates. That got the ball rolling. Thereafter, she has come home with a few more, all requesting her to pen a few words, provide her contact details and a photograph. I'm glad this century has given us digital photo and home printing technology. Otherwise, I'd soon be running out of photographs of Caitlin to supply to her friends!
And of course, Caitlin also asked to do the same. So yesterday, while she was napping, Eugene and I painstakingly did a homemade, custom-made autograph 'book' with personalised pages for each of her classmates and selected teachers to put in their two cents' worth. We had bought some fancy paper with Disney Princess characters earlier and printed a short request note at the top with a small photo of herself. She distributed the personalised sheets to her friends today.
When she gets them back, we'll compile them into a book. This way, chances of her getting autographs from all her friends are more or less assured, compared to passing one book around. Even if each child takes the book home for just one day to write something, we'll not be able to get everyone's autograph since there are 13 schooling days left from today, and 18 kids plus two teachers to cover.
Sigh, I sometimes am amazed at the lengths Eugene and I, and other parents too, go for our kids.
School will be out for the year next Friday, 14 November. Come January, when the Malaysian school year begins, Caitlin and her kindergarten friends will no longer be together as they'll all go to different primary schools of their parents' choice.
One day last week, she came home with an autograph book of one of her classmates. That got the ball rolling. Thereafter, she has come home with a few more, all requesting her to pen a few words, provide her contact details and a photograph. I'm glad this century has given us digital photo and home printing technology. Otherwise, I'd soon be running out of photographs of Caitlin to supply to her friends!
And of course, Caitlin also asked to do the same. So yesterday, while she was napping, Eugene and I painstakingly did a homemade, custom-made autograph 'book' with personalised pages for each of her classmates and selected teachers to put in their two cents' worth. We had bought some fancy paper with Disney Princess characters earlier and printed a short request note at the top with a small photo of herself. She distributed the personalised sheets to her friends today.
When she gets them back, we'll compile them into a book. This way, chances of her getting autographs from all her friends are more or less assured, compared to passing one book around. Even if each child takes the book home for just one day to write something, we'll not be able to get everyone's autograph since there are 13 schooling days left from today, and 18 kids plus two teachers to cover.
Sigh, I sometimes am amazed at the lengths Eugene and I, and other parents too, go for our kids.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Birth Story
Six years ago today, A&E became ACE! Caitlin was born at 8.31 a.m. on a Sunday in 2002. Last night at dinner, we recounted bits of the birth story to her while she listened with interest and what looked like a prideful smirk on that cute cheeky face. Generally confident and sometimes full of herself, Caitlin takes after Eugene mostly in her looks (the nose especially), her food choices (pasta and cookies), and inability to delay gratification and vanity. Ha ha, this says some, (although I could make it lots if I want to) about Eugene right?! But bashing the dear hubby is not allowed here, not in this post anyway.
Sometime shortly after 11pm on 26 October 2002, a gentle but rather distinct 'pop' was felt in some part of my lower body as I was lying in bed trying to go to sleep. It was puzzling. E was away in Genting Highlands for a company event. I wondered if I had passed gas or something, ha ha. The idea that C could be signalling her arrival crossed my mind but I thought to myself that she wasn't supposed to be due until some two weeks later. I continued wondering since nothing else happened after the 'pop'. No dramatic sudden tummy aches, groans of pain or whatsoever like what happens in TV shows (in case those uninitiated think that's what normally happens when one is about to give birth). I wasn't expecting that anyway since we'd been well-informed by books and pre-natal classes.
I thought I'd complete my half-packed hospital bag since I couldn't go to sleep somehow. As I was packing, I decided to call the hospital maternity ward to get their advice if the 'pop' was anything I should take note of. Following their advice, I decide to go there for a check. If my water had broken, I should have felt a slight gush when I stood up but that didn't take place... My brother and his girlfriend (now my sis in law) who were living with us then, drove me there. We arrived around midnight. After a check by one of the maternity nurses, it was confirmed that my water had broken. A call to Eugene sent him fleeing the highlands, arriving some two hours later. I was surprisingly cool about the whole thing so far, up to the very end when Caitlin arrived in fact! No moans, groans, tears of fear or pain or complaints as far as I remember, but who knows, maybe Eugene thinks otherwise!
Contraction pains started soon after. Since I had decided on using painkillers, I asked if I could get some. They jabbed me and told me to rest. The jab didn't work and they came again to check on me and told me to sleep. But how to sleep with some kid trying to stab her way out of me? So epidural please, I said, and that was a great help. No regrets on my decision to avoid pain so that I have energy for the greatest job I had to do in my entire life! I slept like a baby only to be awakened from my peaceful slumber just before 8.00am the next morning to be told that it's time to push.
The greatest job was very much like a tug-of-war in terms of the determined shouts from the midwife, coaching me on when to breathe, when to push, how to push....with the unsure husband holding my hand, not daring to be anywhere else other than beside me! Hee hee, the typical male who can't stand seeing or listening to 'gory' stuff!
Within half an hour, the obstetrician held up our slimy, purplish, scrunched-up face child who let out a cry. I think I would have been like that too if I had been upside down for some time and forced to leave my snug cocoon! It was a moment of mixed feelings and comically to me now as I reminisce, my first words directed at the doctor was "Why is she so purplish?". Ha ha! "They're all like that" she said. Phew....
A few hours later, we were handed a little papoose, cleaned and swaddled like a doll, her full head of hair nicely washed and combed with a side parting!
Hello Caitlin, tiny as a kitten, fragile as a flower. Her name is Caitlin Sophia. Caitlin means 'pure', Sophia is 'wisdom'.
Six years later today, Happy Birthday Caitlin, grown as a young, schoolgoing child, strong-minded, cheeky and mischievous, vain as her father, stubborn and short-tempered like her mother, lover of books, animals and all things fun, loved by all in the family.
Sometime shortly after 11pm on 26 October 2002, a gentle but rather distinct 'pop' was felt in some part of my lower body as I was lying in bed trying to go to sleep. It was puzzling. E was away in Genting Highlands for a company event. I wondered if I had passed gas or something, ha ha. The idea that C could be signalling her arrival crossed my mind but I thought to myself that she wasn't supposed to be due until some two weeks later. I continued wondering since nothing else happened after the 'pop'. No dramatic sudden tummy aches, groans of pain or whatsoever like what happens in TV shows (in case those uninitiated think that's what normally happens when one is about to give birth). I wasn't expecting that anyway since we'd been well-informed by books and pre-natal classes.
I thought I'd complete my half-packed hospital bag since I couldn't go to sleep somehow. As I was packing, I decided to call the hospital maternity ward to get their advice if the 'pop' was anything I should take note of. Following their advice, I decide to go there for a check. If my water had broken, I should have felt a slight gush when I stood up but that didn't take place... My brother and his girlfriend (now my sis in law) who were living with us then, drove me there. We arrived around midnight. After a check by one of the maternity nurses, it was confirmed that my water had broken. A call to Eugene sent him fleeing the highlands, arriving some two hours later. I was surprisingly cool about the whole thing so far, up to the very end when Caitlin arrived in fact! No moans, groans, tears of fear or pain or complaints as far as I remember, but who knows, maybe Eugene thinks otherwise!
Contraction pains started soon after. Since I had decided on using painkillers, I asked if I could get some. They jabbed me and told me to rest. The jab didn't work and they came again to check on me and told me to sleep. But how to sleep with some kid trying to stab her way out of me? So epidural please, I said, and that was a great help. No regrets on my decision to avoid pain so that I have energy for the greatest job I had to do in my entire life! I slept like a baby only to be awakened from my peaceful slumber just before 8.00am the next morning to be told that it's time to push.
The greatest job was very much like a tug-of-war in terms of the determined shouts from the midwife, coaching me on when to breathe, when to push, how to push....with the unsure husband holding my hand, not daring to be anywhere else other than beside me! Hee hee, the typical male who can't stand seeing or listening to 'gory' stuff!
Within half an hour, the obstetrician held up our slimy, purplish, scrunched-up face child who let out a cry. I think I would have been like that too if I had been upside down for some time and forced to leave my snug cocoon! It was a moment of mixed feelings and comically to me now as I reminisce, my first words directed at the doctor was "Why is she so purplish?". Ha ha! "They're all like that" she said. Phew....
A few hours later, we were handed a little papoose, cleaned and swaddled like a doll, her full head of hair nicely washed and combed with a side parting!
Hello Caitlin, tiny as a kitten, fragile as a flower. Her name is Caitlin Sophia. Caitlin means 'pure', Sophia is 'wisdom'.
Six years later today, Happy Birthday Caitlin, grown as a young, schoolgoing child, strong-minded, cheeky and mischievous, vain as her father, stubborn and short-tempered like her mother, lover of books, animals and all things fun, loved by all in the family.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Tainted food, this time in Japan
Tainted sausage, pizza
Sun, Oct 26, 2008
AFP
TOKYO - JAPAN'S second largest meat processor Itoham Foods Inc has begun recalling more than two million packs of sausage and pizza products possibly containing toxic chemicals, a company spokesman said on Sunday.
The company admitted on late Saturday that a total of 2.67 million packs produced and sold last month in the country could be tainted with toxic cyanogen compounds exceeding the government's health safety standards.
At a news conference, Itoham senior managing director Shinichi Yamada apologised for the possible contamination and a delay in its announcement of the case.
'Our crisis management was insufficient. We would like to deeply apologise to our customers,' Mr Yamada said, adding that the company, however, has so far received no reports of health problems.
Mr Itoham found the toxic substances in water from wells at its factory in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. It used the water for production of the packs.
Japan has been on alert after a series of health scares involving food, mostly made in China.
Earlier this month a woman fell sick after eating frozen green beans imported from China, which were found to contain thousands of times the permissible level of pesticide residue.
On Friday, Japan's Nissin Food Products Co said it was recalling half a million cups of instant noodles over fears of insecticide contamination in the latest food safety scare to rock the country's consumers. -- AFP
Sun, Oct 26, 2008
AFP
TOKYO - JAPAN'S second largest meat processor Itoham Foods Inc has begun recalling more than two million packs of sausage and pizza products possibly containing toxic chemicals, a company spokesman said on Sunday.
The company admitted on late Saturday that a total of 2.67 million packs produced and sold last month in the country could be tainted with toxic cyanogen compounds exceeding the government's health safety standards.
At a news conference, Itoham senior managing director Shinichi Yamada apologised for the possible contamination and a delay in its announcement of the case.
'Our crisis management was insufficient. We would like to deeply apologise to our customers,' Mr Yamada said, adding that the company, however, has so far received no reports of health problems.
Mr Itoham found the toxic substances in water from wells at its factory in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo. It used the water for production of the packs.
Japan has been on alert after a series of health scares involving food, mostly made in China.
Earlier this month a woman fell sick after eating frozen green beans imported from China, which were found to contain thousands of times the permissible level of pesticide residue.
On Friday, Japan's Nissin Food Products Co said it was recalling half a million cups of instant noodles over fears of insecticide contamination in the latest food safety scare to rock the country's consumers. -- AFP
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