Reviving my lust : Blackberry Pearl

I finally saw the Blackberry Pearl in real life! One of my clients uses it and it was amazingly lightweight, I like! I totally "heart" it. He was nice/kind enough for me to play with the functions but I declined. Don't really want to accidentally see things I'm not supposed to ;p

Read about my lust for it previously.

I have yet to see it in the phone shops. Then again I have been visiting M1 shops and M1 doesn't carry it :( Why oh why not?

As far as I know, it is only available at SingTel and possibly Starhub. Can some kind soul let me use their phone number to get the phone? And I am willing to swap :p Don't think I want to sign up for a new SingTel line just for that.

But I so want a Blackberry Pearl!

Heart-shaped Kitchen Ware

Any girlie chef worth her baking salt need to have this! This is so purrtyy!

I would want one in my kitchen. I do wonder if it really measures out accurately :p

I want this too! So sweet! Be perfect if it can cut out heart shaped pancakes too.

You can get them from Beehive Kitchenware.

Gardening, anyone?

This is so cute! Matchstick Garden Set from MoMA Store. Certainly makes one want to do some gardening and pottering in the back yard or lawn.

The seeds are already mixed and packed like matchsticks. Just stick it into the soil and you are good to go. I used to look at flower/plant/veggies seeds when I entertained thoughts of having a green thumb :p

But hey, I used to be in the gardening club. I liked trimming the hedges but it was a hassle pulling out weeds.

Finally Back!

The last few weeks (or June) have been extremely hectic for me. I know I was curt with people (friends, family) - stress level was high and no time to entertain non-work related matter. So sorry about that.

I hardly saw my family last week at all. It was spent working, weekends included. Finally the event proper ended last night. Today the guests will be departing Singapore and hopefully there are no problems on that end.

But so far everything went well. Thanks to the support of everyone who also worked on the event. Organizing or managing an event is really like the conductor of an orchestra. Everyone plays a part and they need to watch for the cues of the conductor. It can also be likened to a general leading a team of soldiers. It is definitely a team effort - from the venue side, catering, presenters, speakers, mic staff, interpreters, travel, accommodations, designers, printers, etc.

Not an easy task. Not everyone can do it full time. I will go crazy if I am doing it full time. Once in a while is still ok. Kudos to those who made event organizing their forte.

But now I am back - be catching up on posts and postings.

Your Love Style

Are you Giving or Taking?
You are Giving. You are a generous, unselfish person. This does not refer specifically to money, but also to less tangible things like your time, your help and your emotional support. You'll be best-matched with someone who's opposite to you in this respect, so look for someone who's a Taker if you want to make your life complete. You're best matched with a Taker.

Are you Committed or Free?
You are Committed. You have a tendency to seek a relationship that is close, intimate and exclusive. This can be a beautiful thing, but you should avoid making it too clinging or possessive. Committed people like yourself are likely to be happiest with a partner who is also Committed. You're best matched with another Committed person.

Are you a Boss or a Slave?
You are Boss. Your result indicates that you prefer to be the dominant partner in your relationship. The boss role in sex is often a reflection of this position in general life, but there are always exceptions. Some people who are tyrants in the office come home and submit totally to their partners. As a boss, you'll be happiest in a relationship with someone who is your opposite. Every boss needs a slave. You're best matched with a Slave.

Are you Quiet or Exciting?
You are Quiet. In general you tend to be a quieter, retiring, introvert personality and you'll do best with someone else who is similarly inclined. You could therefore share subdued interests such as reading or golf. You're best matched with another Quiet person.

Your Love Style is Giving - Committed - Boss - Quiet.

You are likely to be most compatible with someone whose Love Style is Taking - Committed - Slave - Quiet.


I'm Giving, Committed, Boss and Quiet. Lol. Quite contradictory?

Another quiz. So what are you? Share details :p

Lilfoot Cupcakes

I was one of the lucky ones to get to try LilFoot's Cupcakes over the weekend. I saw Lilfoot's post that there are free cupcakes to be given away. Usually I couldn't make it as the pick-up was on weekdays and I would be at work. This time it was on Sunday, so I PMed for a set.

Later I saw the cuppies for Saturday were still available so I asked for Saturday instead since it fit my schedule. I got my first set - Chocolate Banana cupcake and Strawberry Mousse.

They were so yummy! A bit soft by the time I ate them as I didn't keep them chilled as instructed and it was several hours before I had the chance to sink my teeth into it. The cupcakes were a bit different than others. It only has a thin layer of the cake bit (maybe 1/4 or 1/3 of the paper cup?). The rest was filled with mousse and banana/strawberries and covered with ganache (for the chocolate) or cream (for the strawberries).

The chocolate banana cupcake was really good! The chocolate was not bitter nor was it overly milky sweet at all. A nice balance. The cream for the strawberry was good too, but somehow I think I still prefer Sherie's version. I am not sure what LilFoot used. Again it was not sweet, which is good news for those who dislike sickening sweet stuff. It is light but not whipped, nor is it heavy with butter cream.

I got a surprise Saturday night when LilFoot smsed me about the collection on Sunday. I thought that was it. 1 set on Saturday. Turned out he (yes, LilFoot is a very talented male baker) rather give me the cupcakes for Sunday too. He said it was better for him to give to someone who appreciated them than to those who don't.

So I got my 2nd set of cupcakes. 1 chocolate banana again (but so delicious I don't mind trying again :p) and a rocky road cupcake. For the rocky road, there were mini marshmallows and bits of walnuts in them. Again the chocolate was to die for. Rich but not too rich. This time I chilled the cuppies and they were great. More weight to the mousse and ganache and they held better too.

Look at the generous cream on the strawberry mousse. Livia would love it!

Check out the cakes LilFoot bakes and sells. Cupcakes are not for sale.
Lil' Foot Patisserie

Fragrance Collection

My fragrance collection as at 24 June 2007

At last count, I think there are around 36 bottles. These exclude my miniatures or sample vials/sprays. I love fragrances, more so than makeup. I like how the different scents evoke different memories and feelings.

The cK BE leaked and some got onto me when I took it out. Somehow the cap was loose, but it is all good now. Managed to screw it back on. And smelling cK BE again reminded me of my apartment in Sussex Ave and the first time I smelled it. It was given out on campus as samples. So it brought back memories of Canada and somehow of my Perry Ellis sweatshirt and jeans too. Go figure.

Listing my collection:

Rounds

*Hugo Boss Hugo Woman (3rd bottle - used to wear it for work)

*Davidoff Echo Woman

*Ralph Lauren Ralph (2nd bottle)

*Nina Ricci

*Ralph Lauren Glamourous (discontinued)

*Tina & Tony (discontinued)

Squares

*Givenchy Absolutely Givenchy

*Vera Wang Sheer Veil

*Gap Blue No. 665

*Blvgari BLV

*Chopard Wish Pink Diamond

*Michael Kors Island

*Paul Smith Woman (2nd bottle)

*Calvin Klein Euphoria

*Ralph Lauren Style

*Ralph Lauren Blue

*Michael Kors Michael

Others

*cK BE

*Escada Magnetic Beat (my fave! - on 2nd bottle now)

*Beyonce True Star Gold

*Beyonce True Star

*Calvin Klein Eternity Love (almost gone. LE)

*Gucci Envy Me (2nd bottle)

*Guess

*Chopard Pure Wish

*Loewe I Love Loewe

*Escada Sexy Grafitti (previous fave. my 2nd bottle. LE)

*Escada Pacific Paradise

*Clinique Happy Heart

*Georgio Beverly Hills Ocean Dream (another fave - 2nd bottle)

*Anna Sui Secret Wish (fave - 2nd bottle)

*Liz Claiborne Lizsport (old fave)

*Giorgio Beverly Hills G

*Stella McCartney Sheer Stella 2006 (LE) - 2nd bottle

*Kenzo L'eau Par Kenzo

Minis (partial collection)

*Dior Addict 2

*Calvin Klein Escape (my fave for night)

*some other Dior stuff and MK Island

I realized I still have lots of minis which are hidden away.

White Water Rafting

I found my pictures which were taken when I went white water rafting in Cairns, way back in 2003. I was inspired to post the pics after reading Sherie's account of her experience of white water rafting and caving in Malaysia. I am still a scaredy cat on the caving part - sliding down in pitch dark and jumping down into the stream - no, I can't do it.

White water rafting on the other hand is exhilarating and non-stop fun. See the smiling faces of everyone in all the pics.

We decided to go for broke and went rafting at Tully River, 2 hours south of Cairns. The rapids are graded 3-4 and there are over 45 rapids in the 12km long river. The river itself is technically graded 4.

I don't remember much but we had to carry our own raft down to the river. The usual safety talk and then the grouping. It was a 5-hour thing, with a break for lunch (bbq food). That was when I discovered the lips can actually be burnt by the sun. Yes, I had sunburnt on my arms and lips. Painful! But I also discovered the sunlight actually "cured" my eczema on my arms too - so smooth, no more bumps. So the doc in Vancouver was actually right, he said to get out in the sun for the eczema (but being in Vancouver where you stayed covered up about 3/4 of the times, it didn't work).

The rafting itself was pretty unevenful. We navigated the rapids like pros, thanks to the experienced guide. There was one part when we were going down the waterfall that all (except 1) tipped over and into the river. The guide told us to lean back when going down the waterfall. So everyone did that except for 1 guy. And thus all of us girls fell. But I think the guy felt bad, so he volunteered to jump into the river too to join us. Lol. It was good to fall into the river as the sun was scorching and it was actually very cool in the river. Great way to bond and cool off.

Other than that, I think a few others fell in during the 5 hours, but for me, it was only that one time. Oh and Bee gave everyone a scare when she toppled into the river barely we set off. Need to see the video to refresh memory on why/how she fell.

Enjoy the pictures :)

Glimpse of Me

Ok I have nothing better to do. So decided to post this pic of a section of my bedroom. This is taken on 31 May 2007.

Welcome to my inner sanctuary. It is messy now as I keep adding more things (read = shopaholic).

Bedsheets - most would recognize it as being from IKEA. Quite common.

Clock - yes, I took the picture about 10mins to midnight. It is a clock shaped like an alarm clock and is an Alice in Wonderland design. I bought it in Canada, so I brought it back with me when I came back to Singapore.

Laptop - my new Samsung Q35. The ladies laptop which was featured in red previously. This is a newer version and only came in silver. So boring. But I like the small size - 12" only. I have on a chat window (not sure who I was chatting with - don't remember the pic) and the webpage is CC as some may recognize.

The bottom shelf is my mini alcohol "cabinet". I keep my stash there. It shares space with my essential oils and massage oils.

The top and middle shelves are home to my soft toys. Hey, at least I don't have them on my bed. They used to reside on my bed. Now only cushions and pillows are allowed on bed.

Soft toys - maybe I don't really have them when I was younger, so I kept these, which I got when I was 16/17 and older. Still a child at heart :p The frog (Hot Fudge) was a farewell gift from Ginger when I left for Canada. The mouse (Strawberry Sundae) was also a farewell gift from my cousins. It has traveled with me across the Pacific Ocean many times as I took it along in the plane every time I flew. Next to the Hot Fudge is a Care Bear (Tenderheart) which was a Christmas gift when I was 10. It was stored in its clear plastic bag and tucked into the closet. I only took it out a few years back. Hence its pristine condition. The pig next to it is a Christmas gift from my nephew a few years back too.

The dog is a gift from Yiyong in Canada, not sure if it was meant as a Christmas gift or what. The tiny bear with GUND attached is a graduation gift from Peter (probably lost in the wilderness of Peru, no one has heard from him in ages). Behind that is the Graduation Bear from SFU which I bought to celebrate. The bear in the center with a frame of yellow roses is a birthday gift from my sister. She went to Harrods in London and bought it for me and shipped it over. The cost of shipping actually cost more than the bear itself! The bear next to it with a scarf is a bear from

La Senza which I bought in Canada during the Christmas season. I think it was for a good cause.

The bear on the other side wearing a red sweater is a gwp for buying Giorgio Beverly Hills fragrance. The rest of the soft toys are miscellaneous purchases.

Phew! That is a long description of my babies. The figurines spelling out my name is my birthday present from a gf. The ceramic Angel jewelry container was a present from the Australian family whom I stayed with. Close family friends of my godma, and they owned a garden statues factory/workshop. They also own a farm up in the Adelaide Hills. Coolness.

There are my 4 Tocca candles which I ordered from Beauty Habit and the Decleor body lotion - a freebie and I have not opened it. You can also see my tower of CDs. Yes, I still buy CDs, then ripped them into mp3 to be played in my mini ipod.

Moving on to the low table, I like my Sony stereo which is tuned to FM Power 98. Music and Lyrics CD is inside. I like that it comes with a remote so I can switch it on and off as I like. The huge picture collage was a farewell gift from friends in Canada. Really touched by that as it contained pictures of us "Viva gang" and also my stay from beginning till end. Sweet. The picture just in front of that was taken at my sister's wedding dinner. And the one before it was my graduation picture with the Viva gang.

There are many candles and tealights scattered on the low table. They are lit when I want to chill. The "swan" and burner are used when I want to relax and breathe in the soothing vapors of the essential oils. The crystal tealight globe was a Christmas gift Norie bought for me on her first trip to Sweden with Stefan.

The frame containing the silhoutte was of me when I was 19. That was done in Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Look like me? No? The bigger photo frame was a Christmas gift during the "snatch Christmas gift exchange" at Norie's party in 2006. The very top was a pic of Jenny and I in Cameron Highlands. Below that was of Geri and I during our D&D in 2005. Next to that was the very first time I met the girls from CC - dinner organized by Agnes. Above that was at Via Mar, half the people from the 1st outing was there. My close friends :)

There is the turquoise case with the polka dot ribbon. I bought that only for the case. Inside it contained the La Source hand therapy cream, cuticle cream and gloves from Crabtree and Evelyn. All untouched. That was a Limited Edition case to celebrate International Women Day.

Behind the stereo is the vase I bought in Bangkok Chatuchak Market during my first visit. It is made of mango wood. Not meant to store water - I tried and it kinda became damp, and the white lilies I put in became stained with the woodcolor. So now it only contained the fake/dried flowers which I bought from IKEA. Peeking out from behind the big photo frame is a purple @ clock which I bought in Australia. It is no longer working, hence it is being chucked behind.

Ok, that is all I think. A very lengthy description of my little slice of heaven in my room.

I've no idea why the spaces between lines are not showing.

Gobi Desserts

I read about Gobi in the papers many moons back but as it was located at Katong Mall, which I hardly go to, I didn't have the chance to try its creations. Gobi serves desserts in bite sized pieces so you can try a little of everything. Wonderful idea!

You can buy them in either a box of 6 or 12.

With the opening of Central at Clarke Quay, Gobi has a store there, facing the road. Great location! Especially since the desserts need to be chilled within 2 hours of purchase.

It was finally opened when I was at Central on Friday. It was still under renovations when I was in Central the last few visits. I popped into there and dragged Davis in :p Literally like a kid in a candy store, I wanted to try everything!

In the end, Davis and I shared a box of mini macaroons. There are 4 flavors in there: mint chocolate, orange, strawberry and almond. Almond is the worst tasting of all, maybe it is the synthetic taste of almond? Strawberry is the tastiest, followed by orange and then mint chocolate. But overall, I didn't really like the mini macaroons. Too sweet.

For the box of 6 desserts, I chose the following:

Sweet Somethings, Oomph

Dark Angel - A must-have for all chocoholics. pure chocolate heaven embedded in moist rich chocolate cake.
This is really good! I like it, rich dark chocolate cake.

Sweet Somethings - Pink macaron shells encase fresh strawberries and cream.

I love this! The tart strawberries contrasted so well with the fresh cream and the macarons lent a right touch. Much better than the mini macarons.

Opera - The ultimate coffee dessert. The perfect blend of joconde, coffee cream, dark chococlate ganache with just the right crunch to top it off.

A must-have if you love coffee. Can't go wrong with it.

Between the Sheets - Malibu milk chocolate ganache sandwiched between delicate sheets of dark chocolate and feullitine praline sits on a meringue base.

Davis' fave! Not really mine, too milk chocolatey for me.

Cactus - Sitting on a cinnamon crunch, is chestnut nestled in a cone of dark and light sponge crushed with dark chocolate ganache, custard and rum-soaked raisins covered with a milk chocolate and roasted diced almonds.

I didn't like this at all. Only one not finished. The rum is definitely overpowering but perfect for those who like alcohol, I supposed. I don't like chestnut either, somehow the whole combination is just so wrong for me.

Oomph - Luscious cherry enrobed in raspberry chocolate ganache encased in dark chocolate crunch.

This is really nice! Raspberry or cherry with dark chocolate is fantastic!

Oomph, Between the sheets, Dark angel

Cactus, Opera

The service was good too. I wanted to take pictures of the desserts before they melted when the staff asked if we would like to eat them in the store. It is not a big store with only that lone table with 2 chairs. She also served us water without us asking for it. That is real good service. The decor is nice. I love the tiny tea service set, seemed to be meant for doll house.

Location:
http://www.gobi.com.sg/

Canele

I went to Canele at Robertson Walk with Sheryn for some tea and desserts. I like the place, cosy with fabulous desserts. I love the boxes - pink and black! I like :D

I was all chocolate out from the desserts I have been having the past few days. Bad me. So we ordered Strawberry Shortcake and a Rose Meringue to try. I had the Sweet Meadows tea (a fusion of camomile and thyme lemon) which was really good. Soothing, relaxing.

The strawberry shortcake was so good! Moist sponge cake with cream which was not too rich or buttery yet with a slightly heavy texture. The strawberries were a mixture of tart and sweetness, making it a refreshing change on the palate. Nice!

The rose meringue was super sweet. It reminded me of the icing on the small button biscuits which you could buy back in the good old days at the local bakery stores. We didn't finish the meringue at all as we just got that to try and taste.

The other cakes looked so tantalizing. I would definitely want to try other stuff some time and to try the macaroons too. I am on a macaroon hunt now :p

Location:

11 Unity Street, #01-09

Robertson Walk

Singapore 237995

Tel: (65) 6738-8145
http://www.canele.com.sg

Other branch

B1-25 Paragon

290 Orchard Road
Tel: (65) 6733-8893

Haircut!

I have not cut my hair in a long time. I am such a "low maintenance" girl for hair that I usually only visit my hair stylist twice a year. Once for color, and once for perm. No cuts in between.

Recently I noticed my hair has been getting all tangled up and got into my way when I sleep that it is annoying. The hot weather didn't help either.

So I made an appointment with my regular stylist at X-Trim to do a color and cut today. Despite making an appointment for 3pm, I was kept waiting till close to 4pm when I got the chance to ask my stylist about the wait. As I am meeting Sheryn at 6pm I told him I will just do a cut.

So finally I was led to shampoo my hair - Edward did a great job with the shampoo, I didn't have the heart to tell him he didn't really have to use too much strength (then again, maybe he wasn't using strength at all) as I was already all "relaxed" out with the massages I have been having since Thursday (3 consecutive days of massages ;p).

So shampoo, blowdry straight before cutting. I have not seen my hair poker straight for so long.

What do you think? So straight!

It still took some time to cut and I am not sure how many inches I loped it off. But from waist length, it is now slightly above mid-back, maybe 2-3 inches below the shoulders now.

After the cut, still slightly straight, but you can see the curls trying to get out.

I decided to keep it straight for the day, just for a change. My hair is not naturally straight, so if I want it straight, I will need to do a straightener. Not sure if I prefer straight or with waves. But it is definitely a weight off my head for now.

Wheel of Fortune

You are The Wheel of Fortune

Good fortune and happiness but sometimes a species of
intoxication with success

The Wheel of Fortune is all about big things, luck, change, fortune. Almost always good fortune. You are lucky in all things that you do and happy with the things that come to you. Be careful that success does not go to your head however. Sometimes luck can change.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Update on Customer Service Saga

Well there really isn't much to tell except that the matter has been resolved.

I sent the feedback/complaint to the company which handled the redemption program for Microsoft promotion late Monday night, cc-ing all the relevant parties (Microsoft SG and USA, Ingram Micro and SiS Technologies). The GM replied to my email on Tuesday afternoon apologizing and agreed to courier the vouchers to me that day.

He came and we talked about what happened that day and how the matter could be resolved amicably if his staff was trained properly on customer service. He agreed and said all staff was actually briefed to honor the timing stated on the brochure for Microsoft promotion since the brochures were already printed. He said I was the first Microsoft customer to encounter that, I am not sure how true that was since his staff said I was not the only one who dropped by after office hours.

In any case, he made a personal trip to my office to drop off the vouchers and he also gave me a $10 Tony Roma's voucher. Showed that he does know what to do to try to salvage the situation. So the issue has been resolved and I wish him luck in hiring staff who will be more pro-customer service. Other wise it will be tough for his business to succeed.

I'm a Dreamer!

Sheryn sent me this cool personality test. Try it out if you are free. It is quite fun to read what I am, and to a certain extent I think it is pretty accurate :)

Mood - Dreamer
Fun - Escape Artist
Habits - New Wave Puritan
Love - Nice N' Cheesy

Mood - Dreamer
You're a bit of the romantic and has the taste for the exotic. You love feeling the sea breeze in your hair, sun on your skin...Slip those shoes off...You like to kick back. When it comes to art, you appreciate natural beauty. You take time to soak up the nature favoring the coastline and countryside to the city galleries. As for music, it's the soundtrack to your world. You like to unwind and switch off: it gives you a break from reality. Your choice of treat shows you crave relaxation. Maybe you live a pampered life - or maybe you're so busy you don't seem to get any time to yourself. When you are tense, you need a little help to unwind.

Fun - Escape Artist
Life is exhausting and you seem to never get enough rest - poor thing! Working hard or playing hard, you just have to get more rest... For kicks nothing beats an adrenaline rush. You like to take risks and push limits, you're confident and brave - life is for the living. When it comes to holidays, you reckon they should always be indulgent - a very special treat and to recharge your batteries in luxurious surroundings as well as spending quality time with family and friends. What grosses you out? You like things to be clean, neat and smelling sweet - that's not too much to ask...is it?

Habits - New Wave Puritan
Even if you have a healthy approach to life, you still have your little vices to keep you going. It is all part of the routine, you're a creature of habit. Your choice of drink shows that on the whole you care about your health and make sure you're putting the right stuff in. As for the home, you have very cool and contemporary taste. You have a simple approach to style, but you like things to have their place.

Love - Nice N' Cheesy
You are a real romantic and a bit of a dreamer. OK, life may not be a movie, but what's wrong with thinking it is? When you think of freedom - you think of the opportunity in the city. Big enough to house all your ambitions, where people can be whoever they want.

Yep. That's me. Pretty true.

Other options:
MOOD
Dreamer - Always drifting off, their imagination takes control. They have big ideas, and a cool calm manner.
Go-Getter - Living life two steps ahead of the others, they are racing ahead. Sometimes they need to be told it's good to slow down.
Easy Rider - Always taking life as it comes, and living in the moment. They don't get fazed by life...they just breeze through.
Wild Cat - They live life to the full, take any opportunity as given to them. Always first to take the plunge, they are bold and sometimes a little wild.
Sofisticat - They like to live the high life; mixing in the right circles; always look their best; they like to impress and make an impact.

FUN
Conqueror - They are full of ambition, and energy - cavalier and always moving onto the next level.
Worker Bee - Their ambition drives them through life - work is their no. 1 priority. They are diligent and committed.
Escape Artist - They are forever slipping off, getting away from the rat race, and recharging those batteries. Independent, and thoughtful - they know themselves well.
Thriller - They can make the best of any situation - always a lot of fun to be around. They love to laugh, and have a bit of naughty side.

HABITS
Junkie Monkey - They don't have rules, and they don't like restrictions. They make their own choices, and do as they please. For them pleasure always comes first.
Back to Basics - They are striving for a simpler life, they do without disposable trends - they are inspired by nature and longevity.
High Time Roller - They are only seen in the best, and the finest, they love top quality, high-end glamor. Always adding a touch of sophistication to the proceedings.
New Wave Puritan - They are strict, organized and ever so neat- they practice the art of self-discipline. They like things done simply but with an eye to details.

LOVE
Touchy Feely - Love for them is about human contact - the nitty gritty. They are very physical - a high sex drive demands plenty of attention.
Nice N' Cheesy - Flowers and chocolates are the way to their heart. Chivalry is not dead, they expect to woo or be wooed - love like it is in the movies.
Home Soul - Their heart is always at their nest, they place real importance on friendships. They are family-minded, and forge strong relationships.
Love Bug - They are the type to fall in love a thousand times a day. Their feelings snowball quickly, and they are full of passion.

Sweet Thing

The first thing a colleague said to me when she walked into the office and saw me was - what happened to your cross? I never realized people saw and noticed what I wore and not wore. Told her I lost it and I had no idea where it was.

I had to pick up some pictures for a client's project after lunch. When I got back to my desk, there was a cake from Bakerzin. My colleague had bought that for me - she felt I needed some chocolate loving after the loss of my cross. That was so thoughtful and sweet of her.

She bought me Lavende - Lavender infused dark chocolate mousse cake. The lavender to calm and relax me, I supposed. It was good - dark chocolate.

Thanks, SA. It really made my day :)

The Cross I Bear

I chanced upon this pic and saw my cross. My precious silver cross - a plain creation, unadorned with diamantes or crystals or other stones. It is just pure silver, slightly tarnished at the sides - I tend to clean it once every few months. Next to it is the star - a blue silver star which paint has since peeled off - my baptism gift in 2000.

The simple cross has a weight which is hardly found in others. The pendants sold in the shops tend to be lightweight and filmsy. I am sentimental, I hardly throw away my things, especially those close to my heart.

This cross was with me when I first accepted Christ formally in 1990. It was with me when I went to Canada to study. It was with me when I first started working and all the way till now. I rarely took it off, unless necessary e.g. at the spa. I seldom buy necklaces as accessories as the cross was all I needed.

I have changed the clasp on the chain several times as it kept breaking. I never thought of buying a new chain either as I still love the current one. The last time I changed the clasp was just a few months ago. I went to many jewelry shops trying to change the clasp but it seemed like most do not use silver now. Finally I found one which could change it, and it was white gold. I would rather repair it than to buy a new one.

That is how much I treasure my necklace and cross, and how much the cross meant to me.

Bad bad day

Today is absolutely the worst day of my life - or at least in 2007. It started off average but took the turn for the worse after my session at Decleor at Raffles Hotel.

I finally bought the Microsoft Office 2007 today, and the SA told me there is a promotion running and I could redeem some departmental store vouchers for buying that. The redemption office is at Burlington Square and is opened till 6pm on weekends. He gave me the flyer with the contact details and opening hours.

As it was around 520pm when I left Raffles Hotel, I thought I would go to Burlington Square to redeem the vouchers as it was fairly nearby. And it is quite an inconvenient location so I didn't want to make a trip down purposely just for that another day.

I walked towards Bras Basah Complex and hopped onto a taxi. I realized I lost my cross and star pendants after I alighted from the cab. The necklace was hanging loose. I went back to the driveway to search and there was nothing on the ground. Felt real upset and sad about losing that, especially so since I didn't get a receipt, and so didn't have the cab license plate number. But I wasn't sure if I lost them in the cab or when walking out of Raffles Hotel.

I called Decleor and asked them to check if they were there, but nada. So sigh...really down about it as I had been wearing the cross pendant for close to 20 yrs now. I have resisted buying a new cross pendant as nothing can replace that, there is a bond for me. I always hold it, twiddle with it, and it brings me comfort in times of stress. I am grateful I didn't lose the chain too, that will be another blow to me. The star pendant was a baptism gift but the significance paled to the cross.

I will be calling the Lost and Found department of the cab company tomorrow as they are only opened from Monday to Friday. Keeping fingers crossed that I could get them but I know the chances are highly unlikely.

So that is 1 part of the bad day. It continued.

Finally found the unit of the redemption store for the vouchers and it was closed! WTH?! On the glass doors, it said opened till 430pm on weekends. The information on the flyer does not tally. Before reaching the destination, I called the store but no one picked up the phone at all. And there was no answering machine saying they are closed.

There were still people in the store and one guy came over to say they are closed and they can't give me the vouchers. With me losing the pendants, I was not in the best of mood and now I get this answer - sorry, no can do. come back another day. I was majorly pissed off with the standard spiel. I don't want that, give me some solutions, people.

I already wasted my time and cab fare coming down and you tell me sorry come back another day. Don't they make exceptions? Don't they offer other alternatives? The best they can do is the come back another day. I asked to speak to the person in charge. She was ineffective too. First we were having a conversation through the locked glass doors, plus there were some construction work going on. I could barely hear her. She said the same thing. Can't open the door, or get the vouchers cos they have done the closing and did not have the vouchers. Asked where they were, said in the safe and they can't open it. {not sure how true that is - i worked in retail before}

Basically I could barely hear her, and the guy came over again. I asked to speak to someone else, he said no one else. I asked for contact details of someone I can talk to. They dilly dally and deliberated before finally giving me a slip of paper with the company's name and same tel number (which I called and no one picked up).

Hello? That is the best they can do? I requested for an email address and someone to attention to. Then another girl came over and said to attention to her. I told her no point since she is standing there and doing nothing. She was so belligerent in her attitude and made it seemed like it is MY fault for going down to her office when it was already closed and not HER fault I wasted my time going down. And also MY fault for calling after office hours. I told her I called the office first before going down but no one picked up the phone. First she said oh they only have 1 line and that was why it was engaged. I said it rang and rang and no one picked up. Then she said oh, they turned off the ringer after 430pm. And again MADE it my fault that the phone was not answered at all.

Her attitude just infuriated me. The condescending tone and why bother me attitude was terrible. She just refused to empathized with the customers. Said it is the fault of the retailers for not informing customers of the change in operating hours. [blame shifter] And that many other people came down too, and they told them the same thing - come back another day.

So I asked her for the boss's name so that I can attention to him. I am not even sure if she gave me the right name cos she hem and haw before spitting out a name, and when I asked for a last name, she had to ask her colleagues. Errr.....wouldn't you know the name right off the top of your head? And the email she gave was a generic email - according to her it is the email for complaints.

So she knows I will be making a complaint. She wants me to blame the retailer too.

I am going to do research on the company and then I will be writing a formal letter of complaint to the company and to Microsoft and Ingram Micro (name on the flyer) on the promotion, as well as the customer service rendered.

Points to note:
1. Change of promotion informtion not communicated to customers or updated on the flyers.
2. Flyers still displayed prominently in the store.
3. If to blame, retailers...the advertising/promotion department should have brief all retailers and to provide stickers with correct information to paste over existing flyers or at least re-print new flyers.
4. Promotion only started from 19 April and is to run till 30 June. Where is the QC for promotional copy text? Microsoft has a huge marcom/pr department. What happened?
5. Attitude of staff from the redemption store. Can't even offer alternatives or solutions.

What made me mad was that I am in this line. I was in retail before. I ran promotions. I gave away store vouchers before. I briefed all staff on all promotions. I handled complaints from tough customers when they called the hotline when my staff couldn't handle it. I KNOW what it is like. It just galled me when someone tried to pull a fast one on me.

Plus now I am even closer to the media. I know what works. I know if I could, I could write in to the Forum page, to CASE. And I know people who work in Microsoft. Microsoft is very pro-customer service.

I spoke to them before regarding some other matters and they troubleshoot my problem and did not rest until it was resolved. They even called me back a few days later to check on my satisfaction on their service. Now that is what I called delighting the customer.

I just wanted the staff to empathize about my situation, not made it seemed like my fault for not knowing they are closed. If possible, they should have the empowerment to release the vouchers on the spot. If not, they should have the initiative to mail the vouchers over. I used to do that when I was in retail. We would either mail out to their home or leave it somewhere convenient for them to pick up. Or we would give some other vouchers for the hassle/trouble they encountered.

Instead I just got the come back another day. You are not the only one who came down and we told them to come back again. There is nothing we can do. No point complaining. I wonder what they would be if I do belong to THE "Lee" family of Singapore. And it was so damn rude to have the entire conversation through the glass doors.