The Quarrel
Saw a big quarrel between a couple at a coffee shop.
Woman was hysterical.
Man was flustered.
Woman was persistent.
Man was less so.
Woman was loud, shrill and rapid-fire.
Man was loud, deep but muffled.
Woman was accusatory, demeaning and fiery.
Man was placative, acknowledging and seemingly subdued (he controlled his emotions well).
Woman claimed that she was not respected at the funeral wake.
Man denied.
I waited to hear more. (They were not clear enough in their speeches because I was seated quite far away. Damn!)
Woman claimed that she was treated as a baby-bearing machine.
Man denied.
I can't wait to hear more! More! MORE!
Woman carried on her battle cries.
Man tried to calm her.
They held hands.
Shit! It's too early to end!
Then woman screamed her head off and their broke their hand holding.
She then went on ad lib, SFz, ffff, allegro vivace duppio movimento, adagio grandioso, etc.
And then Woman wanted something back from the wake.
Man asked if she wanted it back.
She repeated her command.
Man said he'll get it. Walked off.
She sat down, stoned at a coffee shop table.
I'm sad it ended so quickly - 20 minutes.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Will it ever be the same again?
Will it ever be the same again?
S/he threw a fit and they broke up.
Then they patched up.
Will it ever be the same again?
I know my answer in my heart.
One quarrel and it is enough to know if the two persons are meant for one another.
I used to scorn at my GP tutor for proclaiming this truth: he's right.
S/he threw a fit and they broke up.
Then they patched up.
Will it ever be the same again?
I know my answer in my heart.
One quarrel and it is enough to know if the two persons are meant for one another.
I used to scorn at my GP tutor for proclaiming this truth: he's right.
Trouble shooting
Trouble shooting
A faulty water heater that I asked my contractor to change turned out to be working perfectly fine. The problem lay with a disconnected wire at the switch.
A faulty flushing cistern that I asked my contractor to changed turned out to be requiring only new parts for certain components.
I count my blessings.
I am thankful for the perfectly working systems so that I am spared from spending so much money for repair works.
I am thankful for my honest to goodness contractor who did not simply do as he was told. Instead he put me first.
I am thankful for my housemate who made sure everything was taken care of.
I am thankful for my cleaning lady who worked extra time (I'll compensate her for that) to ensure that I have a clean house after the works are done.
(Er... Am I healed?)
A faulty water heater that I asked my contractor to change turned out to be working perfectly fine. The problem lay with a disconnected wire at the switch.
A faulty flushing cistern that I asked my contractor to changed turned out to be requiring only new parts for certain components.
I count my blessings.
I am thankful for the perfectly working systems so that I am spared from spending so much money for repair works.
I am thankful for my honest to goodness contractor who did not simply do as he was told. Instead he put me first.
I am thankful for my housemate who made sure everything was taken care of.
I am thankful for my cleaning lady who worked extra time (I'll compensate her for that) to ensure that I have a clean house after the works are done.
(Er... Am I healed?)
People
People
People are always jealous of others who are smarter than, more privileged than, richer than, in better shape than, in better position than themselves.
Why not learn how to get there instead?
People always feel that proximity is charm.
Wait till you sit right beside a ticking timebomb.
If you are near god, you'll become an angel soon.
God (generic) sees far and wide and never near the self.
When you mingle around big shots, take heart if your status is not elevated.
You're at best sub-electronic particles.
Since you work in a position of prestige, things come by more easily.
For the record, good things hardly come by. I won't discuss blame, though.
Don't think that if you can't beat them, join them.
You'll still be beaten up - and likely by both the group you forsake and the group you join.
People are always jealous of others who are smarter than, more privileged than, richer than, in better shape than, in better position than themselves.
Why not learn how to get there instead?
People always feel that proximity is charm.
Wait till you sit right beside a ticking timebomb.
If you are near god, you'll become an angel soon.
God (generic) sees far and wide and never near the self.
When you mingle around big shots, take heart if your status is not elevated.
You're at best sub-electronic particles.
Since you work in a position of prestige, things come by more easily.
For the record, good things hardly come by. I won't discuss blame, though.
Don't think that if you can't beat them, join them.
You'll still be beaten up - and likely by both the group you forsake and the group you join.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Encouragement
Encouragement
To the A level candidates, especially from PRCS 4/6 2004:
This examination marks the end of your 12 years of formal education. It is the culmination and a measure of your past efforts. Your pilgrimage to elementary information acquistion and knowledge making reaches a significant milestone.
This examination is the final hurdle that stands in your way to the entrance of the university. Many of you are worried, apprehensive, and perhaps even scared. This is common. No one, not even the most prepared of candidates, can be sure that they will ace the examinations.
You have all come a long way. If I said that results were not important, I'd by lying. But remember, in this quest for knowledge, the process is as important as, if not more important than, the product. Unfortunately, the system we are in only recognises the product. Truly, a scholar (someone who pursues and makes knowledge) fails more than he succeeds. But each failure is also a learning process in itself.
Do not be cowed by the challenges ahead. Neither should you be raring to meet each hurdle head-on, like a raging bull. Instead, face each approaching task with intelligent equanimity. Do not lose your head if you are thrown off balance. Do not feel arrogant if you think you've aced the paper.
The past lessons should be drawn upon. Remember where you had fallen short in the past. Re-visit those tracks and make sure this time, you do not falter. Remember when you have done well. Re-work those sums and make sure this time, you still have it with you.
Completing the entire paper may not be always the best thing to do - humanities excepted. Above average all round scores will result in better outcomes than lopsided scores.
Write legibly and express yourself clearly. Where you are unsure, make a quick draft. Work through the sums before committing them to paper. Start each question on a fresh sheet of paper. More haste, more waste. Think clearly, copy accurately.
And remember, no matter what happens, enjoy the scenery along the way. You've come this far, so don't forget to do it. [Tackling an A level examination is likened to conquering Mount Everest - you simply try your best to reach the summit and you never take a second glance at the wonders of nature.]
The challenge is immense. You will rise up to the occasion.
Take care and good luck in whatever you do.
To the A level candidates, especially from PRCS 4/6 2004:
This examination marks the end of your 12 years of formal education. It is the culmination and a measure of your past efforts. Your pilgrimage to elementary information acquistion and knowledge making reaches a significant milestone.
This examination is the final hurdle that stands in your way to the entrance of the university. Many of you are worried, apprehensive, and perhaps even scared. This is common. No one, not even the most prepared of candidates, can be sure that they will ace the examinations.
You have all come a long way. If I said that results were not important, I'd by lying. But remember, in this quest for knowledge, the process is as important as, if not more important than, the product. Unfortunately, the system we are in only recognises the product. Truly, a scholar (someone who pursues and makes knowledge) fails more than he succeeds. But each failure is also a learning process in itself.
Do not be cowed by the challenges ahead. Neither should you be raring to meet each hurdle head-on, like a raging bull. Instead, face each approaching task with intelligent equanimity. Do not lose your head if you are thrown off balance. Do not feel arrogant if you think you've aced the paper.
The past lessons should be drawn upon. Remember where you had fallen short in the past. Re-visit those tracks and make sure this time, you do not falter. Remember when you have done well. Re-work those sums and make sure this time, you still have it with you.
Completing the entire paper may not be always the best thing to do - humanities excepted. Above average all round scores will result in better outcomes than lopsided scores.
Write legibly and express yourself clearly. Where you are unsure, make a quick draft. Work through the sums before committing them to paper. Start each question on a fresh sheet of paper. More haste, more waste. Think clearly, copy accurately.
And remember, no matter what happens, enjoy the scenery along the way. You've come this far, so don't forget to do it. [Tackling an A level examination is likened to conquering Mount Everest - you simply try your best to reach the summit and you never take a second glance at the wonders of nature.]
The challenge is immense. You will rise up to the occasion.
Take care and good luck in whatever you do.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
You MUST Ace the Math Exam
You MUST Ace the Math Exam
"Where's your working?" riled the exasperated mother at her young daughter. Poor little girl was attempting a set of poorly typeset mathematics questions on a stack of dull blue paper.
"How do you minus? How do you minus?" mother asked hurriedly.
I was seated in McDonald's and it was nearly 5 pm on a warm Deepavali evening. Looks like darkness still shrouds this little girl's world until the devil of her mother is annihilated.
"How you check? How you check? How do you know you minus correctly? How you check? How you know buy ... left from $100 is correct?"
All the while, I heard nothing from the little girl.
"Who says check like that?" mother raised her voice. "Another way of checking is this, isn't it? This and this, it is $100. Isn't it? Isn't it?"
Of course it ISN'T. For *fill in name of your preferred god*'s sake, it is NOT obvious. If it is obvious, then this is not learning mathematics.
Nothing in mathematics is directly obvious, especially at the entry learning stage.
"What's your method? What's your method?" mother demanded. "This is only your working. Teacher must see your method! What's your method?"
By then, I glanced her direction. Of course, long before this, I had already made some less than complimentary comments about such an oppressive mother killing her daughter's interest and confidence in the subject.
This poor girl knows f*cking nothing about methods and workings. The indefinitely ongoing syllabus has made even the teachers see stars. What the older woman knows was in the days long past, when students were drilled into doing mathematics the "correct" way. These days, if sh*t can be eaten, the syllabus probably would say, candidates are required to eat sh*t during the mathematics exam.
Everything has gone bonkers.
"Look at you! It's all wrong! What did you get here?"
Silence.
"How come come down it becomes this?"
Silence.
"Why here you get this and then here you get this?"
Students make mistakes. This is part and parcel of learning. Students are still trying to make connections in their minds. As they learn, their connections between steps will be stronger and they are better poised to remember how to carry down preceding information more accurately.
On my right, another mother was looking at two girls doing primary 4 mathematics practice. She was quiet and she let the two girls do their own work.
But by then, the sight of one parent trying to make her daughter fulfill the dream that she could not have and another parent who gave no hoot about her daughters' work, I've decided I needed to go out and get a breath of free air.
After all, the afternoon tea should be one where it is partaken with little stress, especially during a warm Deepavali afternoon. How is it that I begin to see the dark clouds gathering?
I had wanted to tick the naggy woman off (in my capacity as an ex-Math teacher) but I decided I knew better. Why equip her with more advanced thinking and strategies that she could draw on to further add stress to her girl?
Like I always told my ex-students: If you are really good, you'd have done well in your national exams. Maybe you didn't because something happened. As a result, you've been posted to some ordinary ordinary school with ordinary challenges. Surely, if you're good, you'd been able to excel in any of the past 3 years you were with us. But, in none of the exams you've excelled. What is that telling us?
If the girl is good, she'll make it. Why stress yourself excessively? Why turn the young one off learning and when she goes to some ordinary school, she excels only in ordinariness?
"Where's your working?" riled the exasperated mother at her young daughter. Poor little girl was attempting a set of poorly typeset mathematics questions on a stack of dull blue paper.
"How do you minus? How do you minus?" mother asked hurriedly.
I was seated in McDonald's and it was nearly 5 pm on a warm Deepavali evening. Looks like darkness still shrouds this little girl's world until the devil of her mother is annihilated.
"How you check? How you check? How do you know you minus correctly? How you check? How you know buy ... left from $100 is correct?"
All the while, I heard nothing from the little girl.
"Who says check like that?" mother raised her voice. "Another way of checking is this, isn't it? This and this, it is $100. Isn't it? Isn't it?"
Of course it ISN'T. For *fill in name of your preferred god*'s sake, it is NOT obvious. If it is obvious, then this is not learning mathematics.
Nothing in mathematics is directly obvious, especially at the entry learning stage.
"What's your method? What's your method?" mother demanded. "This is only your working. Teacher must see your method! What's your method?"
By then, I glanced her direction. Of course, long before this, I had already made some less than complimentary comments about such an oppressive mother killing her daughter's interest and confidence in the subject.
This poor girl knows f*cking nothing about methods and workings. The indefinitely ongoing syllabus has made even the teachers see stars. What the older woman knows was in the days long past, when students were drilled into doing mathematics the "correct" way. These days, if sh*t can be eaten, the syllabus probably would say, candidates are required to eat sh*t during the mathematics exam.
Everything has gone bonkers.
"Look at you! It's all wrong! What did you get here?"
Silence.
"How come come down it becomes this?"
Silence.
"Why here you get this and then here you get this?"
Students make mistakes. This is part and parcel of learning. Students are still trying to make connections in their minds. As they learn, their connections between steps will be stronger and they are better poised to remember how to carry down preceding information more accurately.
On my right, another mother was looking at two girls doing primary 4 mathematics practice. She was quiet and she let the two girls do their own work.
But by then, the sight of one parent trying to make her daughter fulfill the dream that she could not have and another parent who gave no hoot about her daughters' work, I've decided I needed to go out and get a breath of free air.
After all, the afternoon tea should be one where it is partaken with little stress, especially during a warm Deepavali afternoon. How is it that I begin to see the dark clouds gathering?
I had wanted to tick the naggy woman off (in my capacity as an ex-Math teacher) but I decided I knew better. Why equip her with more advanced thinking and strategies that she could draw on to further add stress to her girl?
Like I always told my ex-students: If you are really good, you'd have done well in your national exams. Maybe you didn't because something happened. As a result, you've been posted to some ordinary ordinary school with ordinary challenges. Surely, if you're good, you'd been able to excel in any of the past 3 years you were with us. But, in none of the exams you've excelled. What is that telling us?
If the girl is good, she'll make it. Why stress yourself excessively? Why turn the young one off learning and when she goes to some ordinary school, she excels only in ordinariness?
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
I'm Hard At Work
WHY YOU WON'T EVEN KNOW THAT I AM HARD AT WORK
"Asia is ... a region where modesty is a virtue. But the modesty is about demeanour, not about vision and goals. It does not mean the lack of commitment or leadership. Rather it is quiet determination in action to get things done without so much fanfare." - Ban Ki Moon, United Nations Secretary General (Designate)
"Asia is ... a region where modesty is a virtue. But the modesty is about demeanour, not about vision and goals. It does not mean the lack of commitment or leadership. Rather it is quiet determination in action to get things done without so much fanfare." - Ban Ki Moon, United Nations Secretary General (Designate)
Monday, October 16, 2006
A Wild Thought
A Wild Thought
Took part in a sense-making workshop after North Korea tested its nuclear bomb.
Was told to write a possible near term scenario.
I wrote:
The radiation from the test blast caused the cabbages within the 100 km radius of the test site to grow to epic proportions. This solved North Korea's famine problem. It also allowed North Korea to manufacture and export amazing amounts of kimchi, overtaking South Korea as the main exporter. North Korea earned enough money in one test to get out of poverty.
No prizes for guessing that the trainer rolled his eyes in exasperation.
Fortunately, I was not a test subject but an observer. Had a good laugh in the end.
Took part in a sense-making workshop after North Korea tested its nuclear bomb.
Was told to write a possible near term scenario.
I wrote:
The radiation from the test blast caused the cabbages within the 100 km radius of the test site to grow to epic proportions. This solved North Korea's famine problem. It also allowed North Korea to manufacture and export amazing amounts of kimchi, overtaking South Korea as the main exporter. North Korea earned enough money in one test to get out of poverty.
No prizes for guessing that the trainer rolled his eyes in exasperation.
Fortunately, I was not a test subject but an observer. Had a good laugh in the end.
Coconut Tart and Stupid Egg
Coconut Tart and Stupid Egg
The taxi driver on Saturday insisted that half the population of people will be wiped out in the next two years.
I'm sublimely delighted to hear that. Oooh, I love Deaths. I mean, I love the idea of alleviating the earth of so many unnecessary beings. Six Feet Under is one of my favourite shows, by the way.
Then he launched into the coconut tart and the stupid egg thing when I tried to get him to clarify.
Then I asked if coconut tart and stupid egg are one and the same. Either would have caused death in excessive quantities.
That really really really got him. :-)
The taxi driver on Saturday insisted that half the population of people will be wiped out in the next two years.
I'm sublimely delighted to hear that. Oooh, I love Deaths. I mean, I love the idea of alleviating the earth of so many unnecessary beings. Six Feet Under is one of my favourite shows, by the way.
Then he launched into the coconut tart and the stupid egg thing when I tried to get him to clarify.
Then I asked if coconut tart and stupid egg are one and the same. Either would have caused death in excessive quantities.
That really really really got him. :-)
NYDC - Suntec City
NYDC - Suntec City
Food - A
Service - F
I should start a new blog to chronicle these bad experiences.
I had to wait outside a less than 10% full outlet before someone would come and let me in.
The entrance sign said wait to be served. So I did. And even when the servers saw you there, they were reluctant to approach, as though I would turn into some monster and bite their heads off if they come near me.
No worries - with or without their heads, their IQs would have remained intact.
Finally, the guy at the cold kitched slammed on the service bells many times, someone looked at him and that someone came over to usher us in.
The restaurant was hot. It was at least not cool enough.
I know how long one has to wait for savouries at NYDC. So I took the menu and ordered a pizza first and said that my friend and I will now look at the dessert selections.
A while into browsing, the server came up and asked, "Can I have the menu back?"
WHAT?
And then friend gave back a copy of the menu.
WHY THE HELL DO YOU DO THAT?
Why do I have to give up a menu? The restaurant wasn't even 10% full and there were more than enough menus to tile the entire restaurant floor. What's the problem with us having a copy of the menu when we were, and we already have informed the server that we were, going to order dessert!
That's it. I don't really have especially long fuses these days. Not really my fault but I really don't take such nonsense well these days.
I filled in a customer feedback form and handed it in.
I wrote that "We have decided to forego dessert because we were pissed off." and that "Our menus were taken away from us."
Of course, the entire crew started their discussions and before long, the shift leader came to see us.
Unfortunately, he was too eager to cover up - he gave the excuse that their policy was to take back the menu once the orders are complete. Then why the f*ck did the server not ask for the menu when we were done with the pizza ordering?
Why ask for the menu back suddenly? You could wait till the food arrives before asking for that silly booklet back, no?
When I mentioned the tardy service, he said that the bell was to inform the crew that the cold kitchen had just placed out another dish to be sent to a customer. C'mon, I have eyes.
I am too jaded and too tired to argue with you d*mw*ts. [Need to buy a vowel?]
I'm just too happy to finish my pizza and go off.
Who cares about your desserts on the house? If you mean it, you'll take concrete actions to make sure I am suitably assauged.
And the final insult? 15% off the bill. Big deal.
But I'm already way past bothering.
Congratulations Singapore. S2006 is just over and we have slid to new lows in service standards.
What next in 2007? The Poor Service Excellence Award, to be given to the best server offering the worst service in a restaurant?
Food - A
Service - F
I should start a new blog to chronicle these bad experiences.
I had to wait outside a less than 10% full outlet before someone would come and let me in.
The entrance sign said wait to be served. So I did. And even when the servers saw you there, they were reluctant to approach, as though I would turn into some monster and bite their heads off if they come near me.
No worries - with or without their heads, their IQs would have remained intact.
Finally, the guy at the cold kitched slammed on the service bells many times, someone looked at him and that someone came over to usher us in.
The restaurant was hot. It was at least not cool enough.
I know how long one has to wait for savouries at NYDC. So I took the menu and ordered a pizza first and said that my friend and I will now look at the dessert selections.
A while into browsing, the server came up and asked, "Can I have the menu back?"
WHAT?
And then friend gave back a copy of the menu.
WHY THE HELL DO YOU DO THAT?
Why do I have to give up a menu? The restaurant wasn't even 10% full and there were more than enough menus to tile the entire restaurant floor. What's the problem with us having a copy of the menu when we were, and we already have informed the server that we were, going to order dessert!
That's it. I don't really have especially long fuses these days. Not really my fault but I really don't take such nonsense well these days.
I filled in a customer feedback form and handed it in.
I wrote that "We have decided to forego dessert because we were pissed off." and that "Our menus were taken away from us."
Of course, the entire crew started their discussions and before long, the shift leader came to see us.
Unfortunately, he was too eager to cover up - he gave the excuse that their policy was to take back the menu once the orders are complete. Then why the f*ck did the server not ask for the menu when we were done with the pizza ordering?
Why ask for the menu back suddenly? You could wait till the food arrives before asking for that silly booklet back, no?
When I mentioned the tardy service, he said that the bell was to inform the crew that the cold kitchen had just placed out another dish to be sent to a customer. C'mon, I have eyes.
I am too jaded and too tired to argue with you d*mw*ts. [Need to buy a vowel?]
I'm just too happy to finish my pizza and go off.
Who cares about your desserts on the house? If you mean it, you'll take concrete actions to make sure I am suitably assauged.
And the final insult? 15% off the bill. Big deal.
But I'm already way past bothering.
Congratulations Singapore. S2006 is just over and we have slid to new lows in service standards.
What next in 2007? The Poor Service Excellence Award, to be given to the best server offering the worst service in a restaurant?
The Price of Civility
The Price of Civility
Dear Singaporeans,
Your civility is worth a mere 15% of the total cost you incur at a restaurant.
Accept it.
Bad service from the waiters will at most get you a 15% discount. Never mind your entire evening is ruined.
Your civility is this cheap.
Face it.
Yours sincerely,
Another Singaporean
Dear Singaporeans,
Your civility is worth a mere 15% of the total cost you incur at a restaurant.
Accept it.
Bad service from the waiters will at most get you a 15% discount. Never mind your entire evening is ruined.
Your civility is this cheap.
Face it.
Yours sincerely,
Another Singaporean
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Ten Thousand Years Old
Ten Thousand Years Old
A man bought a tortoise and asked the aquarium owner, "This tortoise, how long do you think it'll live?"
The owner replied, "A tortoise can live for ten thousand years."
The man brought the tortoise home and the next day, the tortoise died.
He stormed back to the aquarium and demanded, "You said the tortoise will live for ten thousand years! But this only lived for a day!"
"When did it die?"
"It died today"
The owner calmly replied, "I believe it turned ten thousand years old today."
A man bought a tortoise and asked the aquarium owner, "This tortoise, how long do you think it'll live?"
The owner replied, "A tortoise can live for ten thousand years."
The man brought the tortoise home and the next day, the tortoise died.
He stormed back to the aquarium and demanded, "You said the tortoise will live for ten thousand years! But this only lived for a day!"
"When did it die?"
"It died today"
The owner calmly replied, "I believe it turned ten thousand years old today."
Hakka Tea Rice
Hakka Tea Rice
Someone fell in love with Hakka Tea Rice and ate it for meals on end for lunches.
Well, it is nutritious but it is an acquired taste.
I love it too, but I normally eat it when in Malaysia.
Somehow, the taste of the Malaysian version is more intense.
Personal preference, I guess.
Someone fell in love with Hakka Tea Rice and ate it for meals on end for lunches.
Well, it is nutritious but it is an acquired taste.
I love it too, but I normally eat it when in Malaysia.
Somehow, the taste of the Malaysian version is more intense.
Personal preference, I guess.
Lunch Meeting
Lunch Meeting
Met my army friends for lunch. It's always good to network and get updates.
Cryptic comment that people who need insurance most normally had no insurance.
So common everywhere.
And so sad.
Met my army friends for lunch. It's always good to network and get updates.
Cryptic comment that people who need insurance most normally had no insurance.
So common everywhere.
And so sad.
Mid-Autumn Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival
There was a mid-autumn festival mini-celebration in the office on Friday.
There were mooncakes, pomeloes and some tea.
Someone sneaked a mini-mooncake and ate it before the event. And HR manager went round trying to catch the culprit. So funny.
Tea was nice. Jasmine fragrance, heavy enough on the palate. Just wished it was a little more astringent - it'd have more kick.
Had a slice of ice cream mooncakes for the novelty. Not too bad. Skipped the rest.
And then I worked till almost 8 pm, only to find my favourite "auntie" back in the office before I left. The "auntie" was taking a bath in the toilet and a colleague and I wished him good night before we left.
"Auntie" apparently went to the gym, so that he can stem the horizontal expansion.
Real hardworking indeed.
There was a mid-autumn festival mini-celebration in the office on Friday.
There were mooncakes, pomeloes and some tea.
Someone sneaked a mini-mooncake and ate it before the event. And HR manager went round trying to catch the culprit. So funny.
Tea was nice. Jasmine fragrance, heavy enough on the palate. Just wished it was a little more astringent - it'd have more kick.
Had a slice of ice cream mooncakes for the novelty. Not too bad. Skipped the rest.
And then I worked till almost 8 pm, only to find my favourite "auntie" back in the office before I left. The "auntie" was taking a bath in the toilet and a colleague and I wished him good night before we left.
"Auntie" apparently went to the gym, so that he can stem the horizontal expansion.
Real hardworking indeed.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Is my ruined dinner only worth S$2?
Is my ruined dinner only worth S$2?
I just ticked off the manager of an Italian restaurant over dinner just now.
I refused to pay service charge and then I got so tired of his attitude, I demanded a discount on top of not paying the 10% service (which the restaurant has included in the bill).
So that fellow said, ok, I'll give you a discount and he promptly docked 15% off the total bill (before taxes) and left the $5.10 service charge there.
Well the waiters messed up our orders!
Could not even handle three items - ham and melon, linguine marinara, Hawaiian pizza.
Was it that difficult?
And we were seated in the smoking section because the manageress (some dumb woman) assured friend that we were in the upwind position and so won't be getting smoke.
So damned wrong - we were human air purifiers.
And then when we asked the waiter back to verify the orders, he came back with only 2 items.
After the orders were corrected, the dumb waiter left the order chit on the counter and it was not recorded.
We waited endlessly for the food.
When my pangs began, I asked one of the waiters "how much longer do I have to wait before my food arrives?" He said he'll check.
Then I saw him pick up the order chit, send it to the manager to get it keyed into the system.
And he went to scold the fellow who took our orders and never came back to tell us how much longer we had to wait.
Two eternities later, we asked another waiter and he said our ham and melon is coming. The dish was served and then the waiting game continues.
Finally we couldn't take it anymore; I made friend go up to the manager to tell him to cancel our orders.
But the manager said food is on the way up. And they did come up but by then the entire night was ruined.
When food was placed on the table, I had to ask for cheese and chili flakes as well as additional plates as we were sharing.
And all this while, food was being served to the others!
And most didn't have to wait for more than 10 min before the first dish arrived.
So when it came to paying, I told friend to get the manager.
We disputed the service charge and asked not to pay. He agreed and offered the discount. And when he came over with the 15% without removing the service charge, I refused to pay. I told the waiter to get the manager back.
So when he came, I asked him what discount I am looking at.
He said, 15% (of $51) discount. So I said, less 5.10 (or 10%) service charge.
So what is the real discount?
He said $2 lor.
And I said, is this an insult? Do you think I cannot afford $2?
I told him to jolly well put the $2 plus back if they so cannot absorb it.
And three eternities later, he returned without another bill showing 15% discount and $5.10 service charge removed.
I'd made it easier - I'd given the cheapest dish on the house and close the case.
Cheapest dish plus the offending service charge.
This would definitely assuage the anger of the customer.
Al Dente Trattoria - service F, food D
I just ticked off the manager of an Italian restaurant over dinner just now.
I refused to pay service charge and then I got so tired of his attitude, I demanded a discount on top of not paying the 10% service (which the restaurant has included in the bill).
So that fellow said, ok, I'll give you a discount and he promptly docked 15% off the total bill (before taxes) and left the $5.10 service charge there.
Well the waiters messed up our orders!
Could not even handle three items - ham and melon, linguine marinara, Hawaiian pizza.
Was it that difficult?
And we were seated in the smoking section because the manageress (some dumb woman) assured friend that we were in the upwind position and so won't be getting smoke.
So damned wrong - we were human air purifiers.
And then when we asked the waiter back to verify the orders, he came back with only 2 items.
After the orders were corrected, the dumb waiter left the order chit on the counter and it was not recorded.
We waited endlessly for the food.
When my pangs began, I asked one of the waiters "how much longer do I have to wait before my food arrives?" He said he'll check.
Then I saw him pick up the order chit, send it to the manager to get it keyed into the system.
And he went to scold the fellow who took our orders and never came back to tell us how much longer we had to wait.
Two eternities later, we asked another waiter and he said our ham and melon is coming. The dish was served and then the waiting game continues.
Finally we couldn't take it anymore; I made friend go up to the manager to tell him to cancel our orders.
But the manager said food is on the way up. And they did come up but by then the entire night was ruined.
When food was placed on the table, I had to ask for cheese and chili flakes as well as additional plates as we were sharing.
And all this while, food was being served to the others!
And most didn't have to wait for more than 10 min before the first dish arrived.
So when it came to paying, I told friend to get the manager.
We disputed the service charge and asked not to pay. He agreed and offered the discount. And when he came over with the 15% without removing the service charge, I refused to pay. I told the waiter to get the manager back.
So when he came, I asked him what discount I am looking at.
He said, 15% (of $51) discount. So I said, less 5.10 (or 10%) service charge.
So what is the real discount?
He said $2 lor.
And I said, is this an insult? Do you think I cannot afford $2?
I told him to jolly well put the $2 plus back if they so cannot absorb it.
And three eternities later, he returned without another bill showing 15% discount and $5.10 service charge removed.
I'd made it easier - I'd given the cheapest dish on the house and close the case.
Cheapest dish plus the offending service charge.
This would definitely assuage the anger of the customer.
Al Dente Trattoria - service F, food D
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Broken Ware
Broken Ware
Went to Mustafa's. As I walked around, I notice a large number of pieces of broken ware. It isn't a very pretty sight. It must be quite some losses each month.
Wonder why Mustafa's does not consider widening its aisle? What about employing its employees in a better manner? What about having retainers to prevent things from falling off so easily? Or not having fragile items on high shelves or too many items on any shelf?
A store that wants to be profitable must reduce unnecessary wastage. Some of the damaged items are not cheap.
I recall opening a bag of bathroom rugs ($19.90) and immediately a "security" guy rushed up to me. I checked the rugs and replaced them before he made any noise. But comparing the $19.90 rugs and the many pieces of chipped and broken crockery, pots, pans that cost much more than that, why are people deployed here?
Went to Mustafa's. As I walked around, I notice a large number of pieces of broken ware. It isn't a very pretty sight. It must be quite some losses each month.
Wonder why Mustafa's does not consider widening its aisle? What about employing its employees in a better manner? What about having retainers to prevent things from falling off so easily? Or not having fragile items on high shelves or too many items on any shelf?
A store that wants to be profitable must reduce unnecessary wastage. Some of the damaged items are not cheap.
I recall opening a bag of bathroom rugs ($19.90) and immediately a "security" guy rushed up to me. I checked the rugs and replaced them before he made any noise. But comparing the $19.90 rugs and the many pieces of chipped and broken crockery, pots, pans that cost much more than that, why are people deployed here?
Spoilt Music Player
Spoilt Music Player
Sat, 16 Sep
Ate at the Shanghainese restaurant where their music player was spoilt. It took an eternity to finish a song.
The waitress complained that the boss was such a cheapo that he had preferred to wait till the player is entirely damaged before replacing it.
I'm not going back there any time soon.
Sat, 16 Sep
Ate at the Shanghainese restaurant where their music player was spoilt. It took an eternity to finish a song.
The waitress complained that the boss was such a cheapo that he had preferred to wait till the player is entirely damaged before replacing it.
I'm not going back there any time soon.
50 Cents
50 Cents
Sat, 16 Sep
Went to Tiong Bahru Market for dinner and in the end, stopped at a roadside shop to eat Shanghainese food instead.
Shopped at an adjacent household store and found the floor wiper that I had really really wanted for the longest time.
My leg has been covered with nappy rash since I moved to the new place because the toilet floor never dried up fast enough. With this little rubber wiper, I could sweep away the bath water after my bath to aid the floor drying.
The entire contraption cost $6.50 and I didn't think it was worth that much. Perhaps $5.80 or so. So I asked the salesgirl if she could give me a little discount.
She said that she isn't the boss and she couldn't make decisions. She also said that it was very difficult to give a discount on such an item. So I asked her, what items can you give a discount then?
That was not altogether tongue-in-cheek because I do see things which I want to buy.
Then, in front of an earlier customer she was serving, she asked, "I can give you a 50-cent discount. You won't want it right?"
I went, "Huh? Of course I would take it. Who would argue with 50 cents?"
The other customer looked in disbelief. Who in the right frame of mind would not want a 50-cent discount? Never mind that it is not much but if you add up all the savings, you'd have some substantial amount!
So she said, "Ok loh. If it makes you happy..."
"Of course I am very happy. How much do you think I was asking for when I asked for a little discount?"
Sat, 16 Sep
Went to Tiong Bahru Market for dinner and in the end, stopped at a roadside shop to eat Shanghainese food instead.
Shopped at an adjacent household store and found the floor wiper that I had really really wanted for the longest time.
My leg has been covered with nappy rash since I moved to the new place because the toilet floor never dried up fast enough. With this little rubber wiper, I could sweep away the bath water after my bath to aid the floor drying.
The entire contraption cost $6.50 and I didn't think it was worth that much. Perhaps $5.80 or so. So I asked the salesgirl if she could give me a little discount.
She said that she isn't the boss and she couldn't make decisions. She also said that it was very difficult to give a discount on such an item. So I asked her, what items can you give a discount then?
That was not altogether tongue-in-cheek because I do see things which I want to buy.
Then, in front of an earlier customer she was serving, she asked, "I can give you a 50-cent discount. You won't want it right?"
I went, "Huh? Of course I would take it. Who would argue with 50 cents?"
The other customer looked in disbelief. Who in the right frame of mind would not want a 50-cent discount? Never mind that it is not much but if you add up all the savings, you'd have some substantial amount!
So she said, "Ok loh. If it makes you happy..."
"Of course I am very happy. How much do you think I was asking for when I asked for a little discount?"
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