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Sunday, April 30, 2006

The day before ken brought sc, my and I to a food outlet at lucky plaza which sells shark's fin soup for only 4.90 bucks. I was not convinced at the beginning but realised I really had to believe when I saw the menu.

After dinner, we went for a walk at paragon and as usual, we would stop by at Plaza Singapura so I can hitch a ride home with mum. Immediately after I bathed and rested on the sofa for awhile, I lulled myself to sleep in no time.

I was awoken after more than 12 hours of sleep on hearing the call for our support for the worker's party. Still in my semi-conscious state, I giggled upon hearing that funny recorded sound played so loudly throughout the neighbourhood. Before I could fathom what was being said, I dozed off again as the sound faded away.

After I finally came round and had a pee in the toilet, I heard the similar call again. I rushed myself out of the toilet and found myself standing at the window of my kitchen, this time I could hear: "Residence of East Coast GRC, the Worker's Party is here! Residence of East Coast GRC, you have a choice! A more balanced government! On May the Sixth, vote for the Worker's Party!"

At the same time I saw two men wearing blue shirt standing behind the lorry waving their hands as they tried to reach out to the people. I only saw 2 residents waving back. Many cars soon lined up behind the slow-moving lorry, and I was waiting for some impatient drivers to hit their horns. But there were not any. Wouldn't it be hilarious if one does so, showing certainly that Singaporeans treat politics like no business?

These few days I have observed some small advertisement boards hanging on some lamposts while walking down Bedok South Ave 3. The first thought that came to my mind on first sight: "The PAP's advert boards are bigger than the Worker's Party." This inexplicably explains the rise of Worker's Party to power, as they flashed out their slogan "Power to the People."

Will a change in government be a better prospect for Singaporeans? I am pretty complacent with what the current government has done for Singapore. If somehow the PAP were to be overturned and the Worker's Party were to rise to power, will liberty really ensue?

But somehow politics in Singapore weren't as much discussed or involved compared to countries in Taiwan or even Thailand, as evident in its recent political outburst as the Thais' demanded Phya Thaksin Shinawatra to get off the stage for practising nepotism.

Even though I am not much different from a typcial Singaporean who treats politics as anything to go by, it is not because of my lack of interest in politics. But because of the lack of interest for my country. If only emigration is free and without terms and conditions...

|Melvin Ng| 2:04 pm|

Thursday, April 27, 2006

My left foot hurts. Perhaps I've walked too fast from Hotel Asia to Takashimaya where I made a stop at Library@Orchard to borrow some travel guide books. Walking back from there was indeed limpy.

Next wednesday I'll be in KL, the day after my 21st birthday. Bosses would like me to work in KL for a few days, and I shall be back on Saturday. They said it will be an on/off kinda schedule, and sc and my will have their chances once they are familiar with the operations. It will be loner times at the hotel, hope I would not chance upon a headless soul.

Tonight I'm meeting my dar dar for dinner at City Hall area. Where shall we dine? I feel like going Merchant Court for buffet dinner. But then, I am on tight budget. The other party will hopefully pay.

|Melvin Ng| 3:30 pm|

Sunday, April 23, 2006

My off day wasn't really a relaxing one as I thought it would be. I woke up at 0930, the same time I normally does should I work late shift.

Then it was worshipping time at my grandma's place, before ken met me along ceylon road, where my grandma lived. In anyway, ken just live a lane ahead of my grandma, along carpmael road.

The weather was hot and the sun was shining brightly. After lunch, we met tl at harbourfront for our pre-planned suntan trip to sentosa. Just as ken and I walked nearer towards the subway's exit, we absorbed the smell of fresh rain unfortunately. Instead, we had a tiring walk in the city - Peninsular Plaza and Suntec City - where the sunday crowds seemed so overwhelming and I felt like shouting at the top of my lungs "GET AWAY!" But I know I am absurd, because why should I shoo people away when I can choose to stay home all day long.

Our last stop was at Parkway Parade, where we had high tea buffet at a thai restaurant for merely 7 bucks! But of course one couldn't expect much from the selection of food. Laksa, nuggets, fried toufu, kway teow, desserts were some selected few.

Reaching home at 7 plus, I bathed and started blabbering my day's nonsense here, and some day it will be a good reflection of my day well spent.

The next day's off to work again, customers are really a headache even though there are, sometimes, a few excellent ones - nearly one in a thousand perhaps...

|Melvin Ng| 8:02 pm|

Thursday, April 13, 2006

It was so 'shioking'! So shiok to have such a good nap after work from 6pm to 9pm. Even though I've been sleeping for more than 8 hours a day, that 'sleeping' wasn't really a sleep at all when I'm troubled with stress at work. I am so afraid of committing wrong bookings of coach tickets such that my passengers will be left stranded, or that of forgetting to reserve seats for a person whom I am not certain if he or she will pay up.

Gone were the days of heated arguments with the China ger. She was being transferred back to her own company, together with xm. I was elated on hearing that much-awaited promises from my KL and SIN bosses. But somehow, she became my agent from Luxury Tours instead. Many a times I felt so agitated on hearing her long-winded speeches that I hung up on her. But I have been telling myself to control my anger, since now she's my agent and there are many customers buying our coach tickets from her company.

This morning wasn't a good start as I hung up the phone on one caller seeking an inquiry as she 'yak' at my ears. My company - Airebus - started a promotion as follows, for more than a week ago:

From S$18 to Kuala Lumpur* One-way.
*Terms and conditions apply.

Yes, the "Terms and conditions" printed on Classified Ads are that tiny. So many readers responded with much enthusiasm, really thinking it was a bargain, but to find out it was a mere marketing gimmick at the end. Why many called it a marketing gimmick? Because one has to purchase our "KL-SIN" ticket priced at a glaring S$47 in order to qualify for the "S$18 to KL" deal.

And because of that, we (including sc and my) have been scolded for that "marketing bullshit," as remarked by one caller. I get so annoyed when they 'yak' over such advertisements. And I will be so rebelling when I handled such "cheapo" calls from the public. Sometimes I just feel like saying "there are many cheap buses to KL." Or you can even hop onto one in JB! I always remember boss telling me not to get 'personal' with such nonsense but this doesn't seem to work on me.

Tomorrow is my off day. Only for a day before work resumes on Monday again. It shall be paying respects to my dead grandfather on his 3rd death anniversary and sun-worshipping on Sentosa with tl and ken.

Time flies when filled with enjoyment, but slowed when filled with chores, cHoreS and chOrEs...

|Melvin Ng| 11:49 pm|

I'm off on Good Friday finally. I could stand the China ger no longer. Initially I thought I wouldn't want to blog it out because it's bad of me to do so, but NOW, I want to vent my frustrations out HERE.

Since the first day she was here, I have no peace. Before I met her, I thought my IT skills were the lousiest among all mankinds under heaven. I have taught her how to quote the rates for hotel and coach, but I do not know whether it is her mindfulness or my alienated speech is making her asking the same question over and over again like a broken down radio!

After I knock off I could not have my peace as my mobile rang as she called to ask me more even after I have instructed her many a times.

We have been at loggerheads since the second day she was there. Yesterday's argument was really a heated one. I was so busy preparing weekly sales report and the main line was ringing perpetually and she did not even want to pick up because she was not confident of handling it! So I no longer could keep my anger in my chest and let it out. And she, the oblivious kind, could rebutt saying "you do not know how to pick up?" And mind could you this China ger take a look at what I was doing all because of her mistakes of "Confirming so many seats" when no one even has booked a seat that I have to prepare a report for the headquarter in KL for good explanation! But of course, she does not even know what I was doing because all seem so foreign to her.

She got so agitated and left in a fury. I thought she had quit the job for good but she came back an hour later, just to realise she was taking a break.

The following dialogue shows our argument on her second day of work (translated to English):

China ger: When will the roster be out?
Me: I don't know.

And she's been asking the same question till I got frustrated.

China ger: When will the roster be out?
Me: I already told you I don't know!
China ger: But I need to know my roster ma.
Me: Aiya tomorrow you don't have to come for work lah.
China ger: [She got so angry and replied] You are not my boss why do you say I don't have to come to work!
Me: That's why I am not your boss so you don't keep asking me about your roster when I also do not know mine!

Whenever I see her, I feel agitated.

|Melvin Ng| 10:46 pm|

I'm sooooooo glad to be home! No more room with ceiling fan but aircon, and no more cold water bath but heated bath!! Yes, these are what my company - Airebus - provided me with during my 2 nights stay in KL! If this is how the company's treating their staff, I'm sad to say that sooner or later it will fold up as words spread from its staff to the public.

And the seats on Airebus were as hard as a rock, for S$47 one-way, the trip is simply overcharged! For my height, leg room on the upper deck was even a little limited. I'd rather pay a little more for the 16-seater transtar first class coach that comes even with a personal tv, and save on having to climb so many steps to get to the upper deck!

Anyway, I was taken care of by Karene (whom I stayed with at her house in ) and her brother who brought me for dinner on the first day when I arrived and yesterday for seafood dinner.

|Melvin Ng| 10:19 pm|

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

The day before was really a sick one! I thought I was supposed to knock off at 3pm, but adrean and big boss henry arrived from kl such that I had to work overtime for another 5 hours. But it was alright since I can earn more bucks.

I would not have off day this week until sunday comes. Every sunday is my off day. Since I have worked for the past sunday, I am able to claim 1.5 days of leave which is what my boss told me.

I am feeling so giddy now. And mr. boss is helping out at the counter from 8.30am onwards.

Even though I am tired, I have been telling myself "it is my wish to work." If I do not feel like working, then I shall furnish two weeks of termination notice.

This entry has been posted in Hotel Asia.

|Melvin Ng| 7:56 am|

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

It's another working day. Feeling so lethargic. The day before I saw pierre png at the hotel lobby. I went home at 3pm, at last so early. I slept from 4pm to 7.30pm. And later slept from 10pm onwards.

I had so much sleep, but I am still tired. Because I am not a morning person. If only there is midnight shift.

When I woke up this morning, I got a shock when I saw an enlistment notice. June 10, 2006 BMTC Tekong School 1. I am currently PES D until July. D for depression. Confused.

Boss came in with tall chairs for us so we do not have to stand behind the counters. And yes, it's two and a half more hours to going home should there be no last minute OT.

|Melvin Ng| 12:35 pm|

Sunday, April 09, 2006

Today's my third day of work, but it seems like Ive been working a week. Days are long and my legs are aching. But one thing great is I can claim 11 hours of overtime pay as of today. From tomorrow onwards I doubt there will be much overtime work.

I have been all alone in the counter throughout the day because the company is understaff. Even had to close the counter for an hour while I went Far East Plaza to have my lunch. So hilarious.

I almost got a shock today when I counted my float. I thought I lost a stack of 2-dollar notes but later I found it under a sheet of paper. I would be better off not working had I need to compensate.

I have been trying very hard to decide on which website to browse. In the end, what I typed in the "Google" search engine were "geography," "psychology," and "philosophy." But shortly, I closed them all because the passages were too wordy. At the same time I chatted on MSN. But a busybody bellboy kept looking at what I typed and even said "oh the girl in the display picture is your girlfriend huh?" And later he'll say the same thing again. Guests are already so noisy, so when I'm free, leave me alone lol.

The next day's schedule is 7-3 so have to wake up at 5.45am. Back to secondary school days.

|Melvin Ng| 5:30 pm|

Friday, April 07, 2006

I am so tired. I have been standing in the lobby of Hotel Asia since 7 in the morning figuring out the printer system. Jason from airebus (a new coach company plying SIN - KUL) has been helping me out all day long.

The hotel staff were friendly from the despatch man, receptionist to food and beverage manager and front office manager.

Later in the day eddie drove me back to T Konnections LLP where timothy had prepared a list of terms and conditions on employing me. I was delighted to see sr and ken.

Rotted in the office for over an hour before eddie drove me back to Hotel Asia again.

How about now? I am still standing, even though there is a seat behind me for my comfort. But I am sitting soon after I blog because the counter is so high.

Today I have worked 12 hours, so I can claim overtime. If only I can work overtime everyday.

My shift tomorrow is at 7am again, most probably 12 hours of work again.

15 minutes left.

|Melvin Ng| 6:36 pm|

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

I was not able to sleep well the night before for falling into a dilemma of whether to attend today’s walk-in interview at Hotel 81 (Spring). Since I have all the necessary qualifications and they do not require any experience, I decided to give it a shot.

At the interview, the very first question was “Why should I employ you?” I was thinking such questions couldn’t have been easier since I had them all prepared during my polytechnic years. I was being asked about my work experience and my opinions on hotel job and why I chose Hotel 81 (because I have the necessary qualifications, not because I want to see prostitutes).

The working hours are long; 12 hours each day; 1 day off every 7 days of work. Pay? Peanuts. I am already mentally prepared. If the job isn’t suitable for me, I will quit it at most. Who knows but God knows whether I will like or dislike the job.

I went for a haircut straight after the interview at 1.50pm before having lunch with sis at Raffles City’s Food Junction, and returned home after buying my contact lenses at Suntec City.

|Melvin Ng| 7:14 pm|