Simple act of customer service

I was trying my luck looking for a natralia product in nex when i step into Guardian@ nex, went into other shop previously without success. I spelled the product name to the pharmacist incharge whom quickly established from their online system that the chain do bring in the product.

She patiently leads me to the aisles, asking all the sale person if they have seen the product. None of them did but one did mention seeing it at other branch. The determined lady mentioned me to follow her and she make a call to hq to track down which branch carry the product. She manage to track it to toa payoh and even offer to place the order at nex if I can wait.

Granted the shop was not crowded at that time, but her action and similarly staff at toa payoh, totally up my opinion of guardian brand. The action are not forced but a genuine desire to help another.

It is the little things that makes the difference.

posted from Bloggeroid

Audio Book

I never listen to audio book until last week when I started on the Full Share by Nathan Lowell. I got the first two books of the series, Quarter Share and Half Share via kindle. I was looking for the third book when I realized that the series was completed as audio books first and only now being publish in paper and electronic form.

Eager to find out what happen to Engineman Ishmael Wang in the third installment Full Share, I downloaded the mp3 of the audio book from www.podiobooks.com in to my Nokia. The experience from listening to audiobooks is quite different from reading text (and very different from listening to the vocalized of text). The fact that the voice is that of the author I believe contributed to the attractiveness of the audios.

It is akin to following a drama series where I am compel to go on to the next episode and the next until the end. Pausing only to download the next book in the series. The feeling is different from reading text and more like listening to a story being told. The voice added additional layers of emotion and character to the story. The draw back is the speed of reading, when in the text form I am able to read much faster, in the audio form the speed is dictated by the reader.

Overall I think that audio book is a different experience that book lover should give it a try, the solarclipper series is a good start although I am afraid it may have set my expectation for audio book too high.



www.solarclipper.com
www.podiobooks.com

On Presenting Policy

The Straits Times publish an internal memo of MBS outlining the CNY manpower arrangement where noshow is given -4 points and MC given -2 points. Those that come for all their assignment are given +4 points. Outcry on the penalty on MC are expected and I do not blame the staff.

The management would have package the whole arrangement in a more palatable with a slight modification of the scheme. If the aim is to give staff who come every day of the CNY a +4 points bonus, then why not a daily points system and a noshow penalty. If a person can not come because of sickness, it can not be penalize, but a system that will discourage malingering by encourage positive values, role model, and good morale would do more for a company then a set of policy to penalize OB.

Social Harmony

Yesterday I attended a wake of my late uncle, and witness a truly harmonize family at work. My aunt and uncle are Christian, however their youngest daughter married to a Malay she is converted to Muslim. Some of the relatives are Taoist (like my mom) so certain Taoist customs are maintain, such as having red threads on the tables. The elder daughter actually married to a foreigner, but he is unable to come, else the global harmony would had been complete.

The three Muslim kid and their dad are busy helping out in the wake of their granddad/father-in-law, and I cant help but hope that the world could one day be able to mourn together irregardless of religion and race. It will take time, tolerance and compassion, but not impossible. Every little incident counts and cumulate to the goal. We need to keep doing it as my Aunt family have done. And no only in time of grieve but in time of joys.

Citizen CPR (National Life Saving Day) 16 Jan 2011 Expo Hall 7

On 16 Jan 2011, the Singapore Heart Foundation together with a couple of organizations (Including my employer, ITE), organized the mass Citizen CPR Event at Expo Hall 7.

I attended the afternoon session, frankly since my NS have not touch CPR and back then never practice on the mannequin, haha. Did not register online so I joint the walk-in crowd. We are group in 7-8 and was lead to a instructor.

  

The instructor go through both the theory and practical aspect of CPR. We take turn practice on the mannequin as well. The feel of the mannequin is not as tough as a real subject but all of us does have a good work out.

After that we have a theory test of 10 multiple choices questions and a practical test. The above is my test subject! It was quite fun counting 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 10.... but if you get the technique wrong it can be very tiring. Use the body weight and not the arm muscle, the tester continuing remind us as we pump along.

Finally, the tester declare that we pass the Citizen CPR test! I hope that if the need arise I will be able to put what I have learn to use.

植村花菜 : 《厕所神明》

Today, Zaobao have an article on a new creative singer from Japan and her song 《トイレの神様》(Goddess of the lavatory). A huge song at nine over minutes. When I read the lyric, it was so touching, much much better than the other toilet song from Andy Lau, haha.



Lyric from Baibu.

トイレの神様

小3の顷からなぜだか
おばあちゃんと暮らしてた
実家の隣だったけど
おばあちゃんと暮らしてた

毎日お手伝いをして
五目并べもした
でもトイレ扫除だけ苦手な私に
おばあちゃんがこう言った

トイレには それはそれはキレイな
女神様がいるんやで
だから毎日 キレイにしたら 女神様みたいに
べっぴんさんになれるんやで

その日から私はトイレを
ピカピカにし始めた
べっぴんさんに绝対なりたくて
毎日磨いてた

买い物に出かけた时には
二人で鸭なんば食べた
新喜剧录画し损ねたおばあちゃんを
泣いて责めたりもした

トイレには それはそれはキレイな
女神様がいるんやで
だから毎日 キレイにしたら 女神様みたいに
べっぴんさんになれるんやで

少し大人になった私は
おばあちゃんとぶつかった
家族ともうまくやれなくて
居场所がなくなった

休みの日も家に帰らず
彼氏と游んだりした
五目并べも鸭なんばも
二人の间から消えてった

どうしてだろう 人は人を伤付け
大切なものをなくしてく
いつも味方をしてくれてた おばあちゃん残して
ひとりきり 家离れた

上京して2年が过ぎて
おばあちゃんが入院した
痩せて细くなってしまった
おばあちゃんに会いに行った

「おばあちゃん、ただいまー!」ってわざと
昔みたいに言ってみたけど
ちょっと话しただけだったのに
「もう帰りー。」って 病室を出された

次の日の朝 おばあちゃんは
静かに眠りについた
まるで まるで 私が来るのを
待っていてくれたように
ちゃんと育ててくれたのに
恩返しもしてないのに
いい孙じゃなかったのに
こんな私を待っててくれたんやね

トイレには それはそれはキレイな
女神様がいるんやで
おばあちゃんがくれた言叶は 今日の私を
べっぴんさんにしてくれてるかな

トイレには それはそれはキレイな
女神様がいるんやで
だから毎日 キレイにしたら 女神様みたいに
べっぴんさんになれるんやで

気立ての良いお嫁さんになるのが
梦だった私は
今日もせっせと、トイレを
ピカピカにする

おばあちゃん
おばあちゃん
ありがとう
おばあちゃん
ホンマに
ありがとう

shou 3 no goro karanazedaka
obaachanto kurashi teta
jikka no tonari dattakedo
obaachanto kurashi teta

mainichi o tetsudai woshite
gomoku narabe moshita
demo toire souji dake nigate na watashi ni
obaachangakou itsutta

toire niha sorehasoreha kirei na
megamisama gairunyade
dakara mainichi kirei nishitara megamisama mitaini
beppinsanninarerunyade

sono nichi kara watashi ha toire wo
pikapika nishi hajime ta
beppinsanni zettai naritakute
mainichi migai teta

kaimono ni deka keta tokini ha
futari de kamo nanba tabeta
shin kigeki rokuga shi sokone taobaachanwo
nai te seme tarimoshita

toire niha sorehasoreha kirei na
megamisama gairunyade
dakara mainichi kirei nishitara megamisama mitaini
beppinsanninarerunyade

sukoshi otona ninatta watashi ha
obaachantobutsukatta
kazoku tomoumakuyarenakute
ibasho ganakunatta

yasumi no nichi mo ie ni kaera zu
kareshi to asonda rishita
gomoku narabe mo kamo nanbamo
futari no kan kara kie tetta

doushitedarou nin ha nin wo kizutsuke
taisetsu namonowonakushiteku
itsumo mikata woshitekureteta obaachan nokoshi te
hitorikiri ie hanare ta

joukyou shite 2 nen ga sugi te
obaachanga nyuuin shita
yase te komaku natteshimatta
obaachanni ai ni itta

( obaachan , tadaima ^ ! ) ttewazato
mukashi mitaini itsutte mitakedo
chotto hanashi tadakedattanoni
( mou kaeri ^ .) tte byoushitsu wo dasa reta

tsugino nichi no asa obaachanha
shizuka ni nemuri nitsuita
marude marude watashi ga kuru nowo
matte itekuretayouni
chanto sodate tekuretanoni
ongaeshi moshitenainoni
ii mago janakattanoni
konna watashi wo matte tekuretanyane

toire niha sorehasoreha kirei na
megamisama gairunyade
obaachangakureta kotoba ha kyou no watashi wo
beppinsannishitekureterukana

toire niha sorehasoreha kirei na
megamisama gairunyade
dakara mainichi kirei nishitara megamisama mitaini
beppinsanninarerunyade

ki tate no yoi o yomesan ninarunoga
yume datta watashi ha
kyou mosesseto , toire wo
pikapika nisuru

obaachan
obaachan
arigatou
obaachan
honma ni
arigatou

小学三年级开始不知为什么
和奶奶住在一起
虽然就在父母家的隔壁
但却和奶奶住在一起

每天帮忙家务
当然也有一起玩五子棋
但就是不喜欢打扫卫生间
奶奶这样对我说

在厕所里住着非常美丽的女神
所以每天都打扫干净的话
就能像女神那样美丽

从那天开始我每天都将洗手间打扫的干干净净
想着自己一定要变成美人
每天不断努力着

出去买东西的时候
会一起吃鸭肉面
还会因为奶奶把戏剧录像不小心洗掉
而哭着责备奶奶

在厕所里住着非常美丽的女神
所以每天都打扫干净的话
就能像女神那样美丽

慢慢长大的我
和奶奶开始吵架
跟父母也无法好好相处
开始不愿回家
放假也不回家
和男朋友一起出去玩
五子棋和鸭肉面
也从两个人中间消失了

人为什么总要去伤害别人
总要错失最重要的东西
就这样我丢下了一直照顾自己的奶奶
一个人离开了家

来到东京2年之后
奶奶进了医院
瘦了也虚弱了很多
我回去去看望奶奶

喊着【奶奶我回来啦！】
就像以前一样打着招呼
没说几句话
就说【我要回去了】，走出了病房

第2天的早上
奶奶静静的长眠了
仿佛就像在等我一样
等待这个
不求回报的抚养长大了的不孝孙女

在厕所里住着非常美丽的女神
奶奶的教导在我脑海里盘旋
可今天的我还能成为美丽的天使吗

在厕所里住着非常美丽的女神
所以每天都打扫干净的话
就能像女神那样美丽

我想成为美丽的新娘
揣着这个梦想的我
每天都把洗手间打扫的干干净净

奶奶
奶奶
谢谢你
奶奶
真诚的感谢您

From: http://lyricstranslate.com

Since the 3rd grade, for some reason
I was living with Granma
My parents were living next door
But I was living with Grandma

Every day I would give help her out
I would even play go* with her
But, as I didn't like cleaning the restroom
Grandma would tell me this:

In the restroom you'll find, you'll find
A pretty goddess
So, if you make the restroom look nice every day
Like the goddess, you'll become a beautiful woman

From that day on, I started
Brushing the restroom
I absolutely wanted to become a beautiful woman
Hence I would clean it every day

After getting the groceries
We would eat apricot duck together
Watching the last programme Grandma had recorded
Would always break her down

In the restroom you'll find, you'll find
A pretty goddess
So, if you make the restroom look nice every day
Like the goddess, you'll become a beautiful woman

As I was becoming an adult
I had arguments with Grandma
Everything wasn't going so fine with my family
And I had nowhere to go

On holidays, I wouldn't go back home
I would hang around with my boyfriend, instead
Go games and apricot ducks
Were all behind Grandma and me

Why on Earth do people hurt each other?
We lose sight of what's close to us
Grandma had always stayed there for me
And I left her at home on her own

I had moved to Tokyo for two years
When Grandma got hospitalized
She was gradually losing more and more weight
I visited her

"Hey Granny, it's me!", I said
Trying to act like before
We barely had the time to talk
But I told I'd come back; I then had to leave the room

The following morning, I came and saw
Grandma who was peacefully sleeping
As though, as though she'd been
Awaiting me
Her who took care of me so well
And me who didn't do the same
Me who had been a bad grand-daughter
All the same she had been awaiting me

In the restroom you'll find, you'll find
A pretty goddess
Will Grandma's words allow the one I am today
To become a beautiful woman?

In the restroom you'll find, you'll find
A pretty goddess
So, if you make the restroom look nice every day
Like the goddess, you'll become a beautiful woman

The perfect bride I was
In my dreams
Is today still on her own
Brushing the restroom

Grandma
Grandma
Thank you
Grandma
Sincerely
Thank you

From: http://lyricstranslate.com

Wiki of her in Japanese
MV (Jap Lyric)
MV (Chinese Lyric)

Information overload

Imaging a world where your thoughts, what you see and what you feel is broadcast to the whole world. Where you hear and feel the fishes thought about you, EAT.... That is the basic premise of the chaos walking trilogy by Patrick Ness. It was a good read, but it is not a book review per se, but what it meant to cope with information overload.

Too much information is Noise (that is what the immigrant from the Old world call it), where the effort require to filter the true and the false, and reality and fantasy is enough to drive people mad. When the first batch of colonist reach the new world, many are driven mad by the flow of information. The two extremes of how to cope with such information is to either embrace it (like Ben in the series) or reject it (like the mayor).

What kind of parallel can we see in our world? The Internet is overflowing with information, truth, half-truth and outright lies. People who are quiet and introvert are spilling their guts on blogs and tweet. People who jump on the first piece of news and spread it without even bother to think about the authenticity. People who opinion are the sum of the collective noise they are immerse in. People who constructs mis-informations to bury their true intend.

To not to connect to the flow of information is to deny one a huge asset, however to filter the noise required a strong values within a person. The more selfless one is in the the sea of information, the more self assertive one need to be.


The New World Prequel
The Knife of Never Letting Go: Chaos Walking: Book One
The Ask and the Answer: Chaos Walking: Book Two
Monsters of Men: Chaos Walking: Book Three