Sofra Turkish Cafe and Restaurant

I must complain about my interview to W and J! J mentioned before that she has a discount card for a Turkish restaurant in Shaw Tower, so there it shall be, in spite of my self-inflicted mouth ulcer.


I was there first. Wanted to order the lentil soup as I was quite hungry, but better not lah, save space for later! I need water. I spied the table next to mine having Perrier. Er no tap water? None of the waiters offered water too, like in Taka's Ajitei. Weird, now offering water is not in anymore? Wait and see first T_T

Food!

A $11+ salad. There's a spread of hummus that we were supposed to use as a bread dip, but we just ate it like that since we are small eaters. Eggplant, shredded seasoned purple cabbage, 1 cherry tomato, a small section of 1 end carved off and stuffed with an olive, from what I remember. And 2 rolls of yaprak sarmasi:

Vine leaves stuffed with rice, pine nuts, currant and spices. The leaves are edible. And VERY salty.

J had tomato & cheese Pide, which is Turkish pizza, shaped like a lasagne bowl. I suspected they baked it in the lasagne bowl itself.

W had shish kebap. Two skewers of marinated cubed meats (beef/lamb/chicken) served with salad.


I had dory fish with melted cheese, $19.50 which came with its own light source in a carved onion bowl. Such a huge plate, that I got a shock when it came. I was expecting Botak Jones serving style lor. This is so grand-looking! No wonder it came only when J and W were halfway through theirs.

The tomato beside the tealight has been hollowed out. Lift the lid for a tomato soup with cheese strips. The black mass is beetroot cubes on a carved tomato plate. First time eating beetroot (I think). Very refreshing and good when my tongue is numbed by too much flavor. As you can see, it's not just dory and with cheese on top. Got prawns on it somemore! And that's not all! There is a layer of stir-fried chopped onions, green pepper and mushrooms beneath the dory wor! You won't ever feel 腻 eating this! I think I sound like a tv ad :P No need to introduce the other side dishes, no 乾坤, can see for yourself. It's a pity I left most of the side dishes untouched, too full.

Dessert is chocolate pudding with marshmallow. The waiter brought 3 spoons without being asked. So 自动!

Ended up that J didn't bring her discount card and the restaurant must see the card to let us enjoy the privilege. Total sum was $60+. Recommended!

Sofra Turkish Cafe and Restaurant
100 Beach Road
#02-42/44
Shaw Tower

Nightmare@National Cockup Schedules

An ex-colleague Mr R told me his company National Cockup Schedules is hiring after clinching a new project. When I heard they will likely offer a permanent position (he's perm too!), it was enough to entice me to submit my resume.

14 Jan, Monday
Their HR is really efficient. My resume was submitted in the morning and I got a call from them that very afternoon. They proposed that Wednesday and I agreed immediately. But it dawned upon me later that nobody was free to accompany me, so I changed the appointment to 21 Jan, next Monday, saying I was really busy this week and couldn't take leave. It wasn't true at that point of time, but later it came true. I even had to work on Saturday *$%^@%@. Should I say I'm heng?

20 Jan, Sunday
Haven't done anything to prepare for the interview. Did some last minute Java revision in case I was made to do a test again and read up on how to answer some interview questions. Another ex-colleague in National Cockup Schedules helped me stalk out my interviewer's photo and information. Thanks!

21 Jan, Monday
That morning was the formal introduction of the new DH, but I didn't give face :P At 9.50am, I was at their rival's lobby, wanting to change my future. Signed in at the reception and the receptionist helped me call him. Found a missed call from a number I didn't recognize, but decided not to return it in case it's a colleague wanting to know where I was.

10am. Looked around in anticipation.
10.20am. Mr R arrived for work (ya so late hor) and wished me luck. I whined that his PM was still not here.
10.30am. Should I ask the receptionist to call him again?
10.35am. A rotund man came towards me. Finally! But he's actually taking the place of the PM since he's not free. Ok fine.

He led me to the same room I went to 3.5yrs ago. Nostalgic. His name is R, a PL. Things were pretty normal. Quite a chatty guy. Asked me questions I could never answer, like what third party software, architecture I have used before. Only answered with much prompting. Never knew how to classify those things I have used before lor. I realized I forgot to prepare questions to ask ^_^;; Smoke lor.

***
Me: Which project I will be posted to?
R: I can't say for now, but it will be one of the projects in our department. It could be the new project too.
Me: (Reasonable answer)

***
R: What do you feel about OT?
Me: I am ok with it if I have to finish the task for the day.
R: Until what time?
Me: Usually if I OT, it's until 9 or 10pm. But actually, I'm ok with any time, as long as I finish the work.
R: How regular are you ok with?
Me: (Diplomatically) For as long as the project requires. But of course I hope it wouldn't be everyday.
R: Don't worry, we don't like to OT too. We still go back on time when there's not much work.

***
Me: Will you be offering perm?
R: It depends on the PM, but it's possible.

***
Me: When will I know the outcome?
R: I can't tell you now, but we will let you know as soon as we have a decision.
Me: (Huh... say until like never say lor)
R: Here, the first interview is for getting to know your skills and whether it fits our requirement. If we do call you for the second interview, it will mean we are interested, and we would know which project you might be going to. Can discuss more about the terms that time too.
Me: (Got 2 interviews? Last time got 1 only lor.)

Overall, I felt it went well. Yay.

23 Jan, Wednesday
Received a call from the HR to arrange for a second interview! She proposed Friday, but I have something up my sleeves! I said I wouldn't be free and suggested next Tuesday instead and was subsequently confirmed. Because I would be on MC that day. *scheming sotong rubs her tenacles gleefully*

Could my days in Ass See Ass be numbered? I must make it tomorrow! But should be easy lah, interview #1 pass already. What can be the challenge for tomorrow?

29 Jan, Tuesday
It has just stopped raining when I stepped out of the house. Reached on the dot. Signed in and the receptionist called the PM.
2.10pm. Waiting.
2.20pm. 等了又等...
2.30pm. Should I call him?
2.40pm. A guy came to me and said he's meeting me. Thought he's THE PM, but it turned out that he's not free to meet me again. Sigh.

Led me to a room and I gently reminded him to introduce himself (duh). He is A. He started, saying since he has not met me before and he didn't know he would be meeting me, he didn't have my resume and knew nothing about me, so I had to talk about myself and my work experience. He asked if I brought my resume.

I didn't. Hey it's interview #2 lor, still have to bring resume? And what was that about introducing myself? Go through an interview #1 again, for you? Why didn't they send R instead, then we could have saved all these trouble?

Totally unprepared. Didn't know what to say. Bad presentation of my skills. Dumbfounded by the same questions I can never answer. Worse was this guy didn't prompt me.

As I was talking, he scribbled on his notepad. Most of the time, his head was down, presumably think about what to say. Seconds of silence were common.

***
A: Do you have any other questions for me?
Me: (Err... all asked before last time lor. Nothing new today. But since it's all the same, I shall ask back the same questions) Which project I will be posted to?
R: It depends on the PM.
Me: Will you be offering perm?
R: It depends on the PM.
Me: ...

***
A: In your project, if there is a lot of OT, do you think it is poor planning on the PM's part?
Me: No. So far it's due to some glitches discovered during testing, so we had to fix them fast.

***
A: How late was the latest you went home?
Me: 2am.
A: How many times?
Me: Once.
A: (Grinned)
Me: (HOW DARE HE)
A: Stayed overnight before?
Me: Never.
A: Not even once?
Me: No.
A: How about OT? What time do you usually go home when you OT?
Me: 8 or 9pm. But I have stayed till 10 or 11pm when there's a lot of work.
A: How often is that?
Me: Usually towards the last 2 or 3 weeks of development.
A: Here, the development period is only 2-3mths, so might have to OT and come on weekends often.
Me: Is the weekend inclusive of Sundays?
A: It depends.
Me: Are there more late nights and weekends than normal days?
A: It depends.
Me: ... (Doesn't sound good)

***
A: I expect my team to overnight to finish work and go home late because project development time is very hectic.
Me: I am ok with working late to finish up work for the day or to stop at a logical stop. But if we are talking about everyday, it might be a bit too much.
A: I feel that it is important to be able to work overnight.
Me: (He didn't get what I said? Why does he sound like he want people to overnight even when there's no rush?) I won't like it if I have to do it on a regular basis.
A: We feel it is very important to deliver the project on schedule.
Me: Yes, it is important, but not regularly. I will be so tired that late and worse if the next day starts at the same time, 9am. It is bad to work after 11pm everyday. Not efficient.
A: O yes... and the support staff will not be around also.
Me: (Yes, you realized that too? But it's the least of my concerns.) I don't see the need to work overnight if there is no urgent rush. (Must emphasize...)
A: I am looking for people who are able to work late. Here, when we work late, we stay as a team.
Me: (HUH nothing to do also must stay overnight?? OMG! Ah! Is this why he asked about project planning just now? Weekends and overnights are part of the project plan?)
A: We work hard, but I make sure I give something in return to the developers.
Me: (What can compensate the lack of beauty sleep, social life, growing fat from eating Mac everyday? It better be something like a fat bonus and not just a treat.)

***
A: Do you come early, on time or late for work everyday?
Me: I come when everybody comes. I won't be the last few to come. In the middle lah.
A: What time do you go back? When the manager goes back, or?
Me: When I finish my task for the day. I don't peg my time to the boss or any person.
A: Your PL and PM does not state what time you should come?
Me: Just time myself to finish my task. My PL doesn't micromanage. Don't come too late also lah.

***
A: How many developers and mandays do you think is needed to make a portal like National Slavery portal?
Me: I am not sure, I was not around when it was first being built. (How would I know? I'm no PM.)
A: Just give me an estimate, based on what you have done for it.
Me: I have only done maintenance for 3 applications there, not the whole thing.
A: Based on that?
Me: So you want me to give an estimate on how long to build the 3 applications?
A: No, the whole thing.
Me: Including the content component and other applications?
A: Yes.
Me: I cannot give an estimation based on what I the 3 applications I have done, because I do not fully understand the complexity of the many other applications.
A: Just estimate.
Me: (Uh fine... efforts to ward off this irrelevant question is futile. Faster dig out that project with 20% similarity and use its schedule!) 3-4 developers, 2-3 months. Probably 3 months.
A: 3-4 developers, 2-3 months... not inclusive of PL and PM right?
Me: No.
A: So how many mandays is that?
Me: (Huh still must count for you?) 3 months lor!

***
A: Do you have any other questions for me?
Me: (Looking at the state of affairs, it's obviously a repeat of interview
#1, so I think I can save my interview #2 questions.) Not really. It's similar to the first interview.... actually it's the same. (Can't help it, I must say out! But still must come up with something to ask...) Will there be a third interview? I haven't met the PM before. (O shit I think I sounded like it's useless interviewing with him. It's true, but do I have to be so direct?)
A: That will depend on the PM. If he feels there is a need to meet you, there will be an interview #3.
Me: Can we make it after office hours if there would be?
A: O, you have difficulty?
Me: (Without blinking) Yes, I have difficulty applying for leave. Very busy these days.
A: I see. Yes I think that would be absolutely fine. He will most probably be around.
Me: (Of course you guys will be around, like to overnight so much right. Yes! I won't burn my leave for this crap anymore! Fly my plane again also nevermind!)
***

So the only new information I got today was the potential horrible working hours lor. Total waste of time. They spent 40min to find a person to do the dirty job of interviewing me, just to make me feel I didn't come for nothing. I would rather that they cancelled on me lor, for it rained the minute I stepped out of the building! Not keen about this place already. Its reputation is not that good to start with and I don't want to risk this overnight-obsessed person to be my boss.

LUCKILY I WAS ON MC, NOT LEAVE.

Out With The Old

去旧迎新!

Stationery, Anyone?

Went Sakura with some relatives from Malaysia.

Mmm~~

And my aunt brought back some paper clips -_-;;

Getting Drunk... I Wish

My New Year Day drink. Too blur :\

Don't Be a PM If You Can't Count

Back to work on 27^th when the original plan was 24^th, all lazy, engine rusting. PL was only free to brief me on my new task in the afternoon, so my morning was spent trying to read the boring specifications, 100% of which I didn't understand. Afternoon came, got briefed and tried to start work. Couldn't do much when my concept was still cloudy. Didn't help when there's a person who didn't have to work the whole of December MSNing me non-stop. Argh.

Friday was better, but not by much. Had an evil plan to skip work on Monday! Half day again, don't want to waste money on taxi, so I decided to ask the PL if I could work from home instead. That was when the PL revealed that the work has to be done by Monday, as SIT is on Wednesday!!

WTF! I thought the effort estimation is 5 mandays? I know I said I would return on 24^th, so 24^th to 31^st would be 5 mandays. But apparently the PM has forgotten about the 2 half days on 24^th and 31^st! So shouldn't the deadline be Wednesday instead of Monday?

Unless, it's like, on purpose.

How about the MC I took? Ok maybe a project plan can't be shifted on the whim because of something so unpredictable. How about the off day I took on 26^th? Dear PM, I told you about that already, right? Forgot?

Unless, it's like, on purpose.

In the end, we are still not encouraged to clear any off days.

What I Got This Christmas

As I mentioned, I have 2 gift exchanges this year. From my JC class' I got a screen cleaning kit. Useful! If my family bothers to take out and use lah. Got chance at CNY.

I wasn't present for my office's as I decided to take MC instead. Father cannot fetch me for half day on the eve mah, so I figured it would be more economical to take mc, for which $20 is claimable. My bill came up to $36, which is probably comparable to taking taxi :\ but that's beside the point.

When I went back to work, my relief driver passed me my gift. He told me some convoluted story about how I was supposed to get gift no 29 instead, but it disappeared so I got another one. Chim. Got people want to steal my present. This 1 not nice? O_O

Unwrapped it at home. It's a MÖRKER Work lamp in white from Ikea. Looks pretty!

W happened to tell me that Ikea put their whole catalogue online. Idea!


Ya $5.90 only. Somebody didn't play by the rules. $10 budget lor! Exclusive of bus fare! I shall not attempt to find out who gave me that. Preserve the person's image, whoever he is.

What's gift no 29? Better or worse?

A good thing about it is that Ikea's stuff look expensive. But actually, I won't be using it even if it cost $20. Table too small.

Does anybody need a lamp?

Edited 06/01/2008: Successfully given away to my aunt! Yeah!

Spree III + Food!!

My boss owes me uncountable (because I didn't count) off-days, so it shouldn't hurt to take one day to go SHOPPING! Not that I'm a spendthrift, but I honestly really do need some new pants and working clothes, ya?

Really!

With my entourage, we started off with lunch at Le Meridien foodcourt. Target Korean Cuisine at my brother's recommendation. Korean food cooked by real Koreans! It's a huge stall, 3 stalls long to be precise. This made the kitchen look unnecessarily spacious. I mean, cramp, harassed-looking stall-holders are the norm right?

I ordered the spicy prawn soup set, my brother got the tender beef sliced set and my sister had the spicy pork sliced set. Each set comes with a bowl of rice (which I didn't touch) and a small plate of kimchi/cucumber/ikan bilis. There's 3 of us, so we got 1 of each :D The servings are humongous! The whole hot plate is full of meat lor! But my soup is full of vegees lah, not prawns :\

More of the menu. To show the last 2 dishes on the extreme right. I almost wanted the ramen, but I thought it looks suspiciously like instant noodles. For what I know, it's the 辛 ramen.

Cannot see, I know. Put for fun. It got A, very hygienic!


O the ice kachang there is delicious too!

Japanese food menu for the interested.

Next, a spin in Heeren. In HMV, a glance at the DVD chart and I was awed to know I have watched almost all of the flicks! In the comfort of my home :D

On the way to Taka, outside Meritus Mandarin, Chen Hanwei and his gauy friend walked passed. Hmm more skinny than I thought.

Went around Taka lor. Someone's $10 note floated to the floor and honest me got my brother to return it. Bought 2 tops from G2000 for a total of $68.60. And 1 of them is with zebra stripes again -_-;; Dropped by the Anna Sui counter to smell the perfume I wanted to get, but no more sampler. Too bad, or I might have bought it had I had the chance to convince myself again. Went around more. Then 2 pairs of pants from G2000 good friend, G2000 Blu(again) for $82.60. I don't think any of my pants are NOT from there :\ So familiar I am with the cutting that I don't have to try them on anymore.

Dinner time! Ken's noodle house at Orchard Point! Authentic Japanese ramen cooked by real Japanese! Today is really an authentic day :D~~

The interior of the shop. I'm sitting at the counter. It's really tiny. No huge groups, or have to squat at the roadside, which is just 5m away. Really authentic huh. Even got person reading manga!


My stewed egg ramen. The soup looks yellow here, but I assure you it's not 碱水, i.e. not bitter. An interesting thing to note is I didn't find green tea in the menu.

I ordered it to see if there's runny yolk, and there sure is! But the degree of stew-ness is less than that of Tampopo's. The egg also slightly more cooked than Tampopo's. The pork is less fatty, hence less melty than Tampopo's. BUT the winner is the soup! It's so delicious, so didn't taste of MSG, that I could have drunk it all! But cannot lah, the serving is really big, cannot finish, so must save some soup for whoever's gonna mop up the remainder. My sister said the noodles are not Q enough, but I found it ok. More conveniently located than Tampopo, and I don't even know if Tampopo is still open, given Liang Court's state. Will come again!

BTW, I witnessed the cook do the following with his bare hands: pick raw noodles, peel off a piece of meat from a ham-like loaf, put dressing on the bowl, rearrange the contents of the ready-to-serve-bowl. Ya. I don't mind. Do you? So authentic! Must keep repeating the keyword. AUTHENTIC.

No shopping trip with my entourage is complete without a visit to the supermarket! PS now! But before going to the supermarket proper, we went to Daiso and grabbed nose strips and the Tohato snack. $14 gone like that! *faints*

Spotlight. Go for fun. Saw some accessories components. It said silver ley, but doesn't look silver to me. I think order from firemountain is still safer.

Dessert at Ice Monster! Had a mango-ish dessert. Freezing cold!

Then supermarket proper. Nothing to buy actually. Go for fun only.

Go home time. Next day must work T_T Saw human queue but no taxi queue. And who was saying the fare hike would help? Hmpf. Dialed Transcab and waited. The cab take very long to come lah! Meanwhile, empty cabs for hire streamed in -_-;; Our cab came and it waited outside Atrium *sigh* O I must mention this:
$2.80 flagdown + $3 CBD + $3.50 booking = $9.40 before we even moved off.

Ok I think I have fulfilled all my goals for my shopping. Except for the *totally* optional Anna Sui perfume. Afraid to look at my next credit card bill!

It's supposed to be a shopping trip, but I'm seem to be more excited over the food. *sigh*

Seoul Yummy

Met up with W and J for dinner! W recommended this Korean restaurant in Novena Square 2, Seoul Yummy, so here we are. It's so new that it's not listed on the shop directory. It's on level 3, at the side of nearer the medical centre lobby.

Nice and uncrowded on a Friday night so near Christmas. Good news for me, bad for the tenants.

No queue, a table was just clearing out when we arrived. The restaurant uses metal chopsticks. Peculiar. We have 2 small eaters, so it's logical to share all dishes. Can ask for empty plates and bowls. The restaurant supports sharing, unlike some.

Let the pictures do the talking!

Dry noodles with spicy bean sauce. Too dry for me.

Spicy seafood soup. Looks red, but I can tahan :D Comes with rice. Only a spoonful was eaten, by yours truly.

Pancake on a hotplate. I ate it when it has turned cold, so not nice for me.

Yoghurt ice-cream. We asked the waitress how big it is and she gestured a satisfactory size for the bowl. But when it arrived, I felt cheated. The whole bowl is filled with ice lor! And it's not fine ice like ice kachang. It's the kind you get in Seoul Garden. Unless it's the standard in Korea lah, you know, since Seoul Yummy and Seoul Garden serve this type of ice. And nobody in the right mind will let the ice-cream melt into the ice in order to flavor it, so the ice was pretty untouched. So unsatisfying :( But to give it some credit, the ice-cream is delicious. Desserts that melt must be eaten quickly, so pardon this sorry-looking toppled ice-cream.

I think I paid about $12 for all of the above finally. Ok overall.

Stupid Citibank Form!

Citibank finally woke up their idea and decided to offer annual fee waivers for supplementary cards. Well there wasn't any waiver when I first applied. I didn't know when they came up with the 1-year waiver and only got to know about it when they sent me a form promoting a 2-years waiver if I applied using it. I took the carrot.

Apply for both my cards now!
Checked the boxes for the cards to apply. Signed against them.
Filled in my particulars. But there's a problem when I got to the Card Account Number. Which of my 2 cards should I fill in?

In HSBC's case, 1 of the cards is the main card. But I looked everywhere in Citibank and found the same logic doesn't apply.

Or am I allowed to apply only 1 card per form? I don't think so. The form said "Choice of cardS". It didn't say "Please tick 1 only". It provided checkboxes instead of radio buttons. So can apply multiple cards what! So who designed this form?

Ok call the hotline. 6328 2488.

DIIII DEHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

WTF! O that's the fax number. Oww my ear! Dialed the number in smaller fonts below. Got through to the automated answering system. Pressed 1 for existing customer. Enter NRIC now. 8...

Shit. I pressed 2 instead. Numberpad for phone and keyboard are different -______- Cannot erase. Have to hang up and balek!

I did everything right this time. Waited a few minutes and got through to a CSO. He didn't understand my question. I know my card number is on my card lah aiyoh! It's only after us repeating ourselves a few times then he realised the specificity of my question. Apparently he has never seen the form before and couldn't help me, so he offered to get somebody more specialized to call me. Ok.

等了又等. My phone didn't ring the whole afternoon. After 6pm, I assumed nobody would call anymore.

Then I got a missed call at 8pm :\ So bloody hardworking.

And they didn't call back the next working day.

I give up. I shall write down my favorite card number and wait for them to call me to clarify.

Save The Trees, Save The World

Last year I wanted to save trees, but unfortunately it was prohibitively inconvenient. Now Singtel finally made it more convenient with this long overdued mybill thing!

Next? Any volunteers to collect waste paper in my house? So many letters nowadays.

Shopping Spree II!

The Johnson & Johnson sale was here again! Got my sister to do some stock-taking, came up with an order list and passed it to my father to restock. I think I made an error in the number of bottles of shower cream to buy. We bought 8 last year and still have 2 left, that means I should buy 4 instead of 6 right? Aiyah nevermind, next year buy 2 less lor.

Exciting day ahead! It's shopping time!

3 objectives:

• Mango sale. A few days ago, I happened to discover that the first day of Mango sale coincides with the start of my happy holiday! It's a sign!
• Buy gifts for my company's and JC gift exchanges.
• Use the Ben & Jerry's voucher given by mykrobe! Last day already!

Met with my sister at Suntec. Low budget lunch at the foodcourt. The beef noodle not bad ley.

Powered up! Chiong Mango sale now! Total damage of $60, consisting of:

• Red polo tee $15, original $30
• My sister's brown racer-back $13, original $19
• Zebra blouse $32, original $65

Refueled at Coffeebean. I wanted the Gingerbread Ice Blended, but my sister was afraid it would taste like ginger -_- so we had the Peppermint Ice Blended. Is the drink supposed to taste minty? Didn't detect any. Or supposed to suck the mint cane candy with the drink? $7.50 down the throat.

Started looking for Christmas presents proper. First stop, Friven & Co. Pretty useless candles. Coasters. Cutlery set. 3 for $10 towels. Will consider.

Royce. There's always the potato chips as backup if I couldn't find anything. I have called them up before and confirmed that they don't need refrigeration. On our way out, we were given a sample of their Nama chocolate. The whole piece, no less!

Stopped by a pushcart. 3 pairs of earrings at 1 go, now that I can change my own hooks. Total damage of $19.90, consisting of:

• Long necklace to match a new blouse, $9.90.
• 1 pair of zebra earrings $5. I didn't get it for the new Mango blouse in mind. Maybe just in a zebra mood today. Upon examination, I found none of the available stock is perfect. Took pains to choose the best one. So auntie.
• 2 pairs of earrings and 1 ring (my sister) for $5. Cheap!

Lift with a handle spotted:

Gift shop. Nothing suitable. The 捶背 stick looks fun, but $4+ only, must buy 3 to hit the $10 budget for my office. So odd to buy 3 of the same thing lor.

Walked around somemore. Finally I decided that I should get ________ from ________. Will fill in after the gift exchanges, in case got people drop in and see :P

Saw 2 loud hairstyles today. The first was a young lady in Mango. The style looked like she bleached the bottom half of her head white, shaved the top off and put a black wig to form the top half :O Too bad no photo. Next was a lao ah lian with purple pong hair.

Now to think about what to have for dinner. Should not be too filling to make space for dessert. How about a Subway footlong? Brother eat half, sister and I eat quarter each? I think my brother will flip. KFC? Too ex and filling. Mac? Just had for supper. Decided on Crystal Jade Kitchen.

There's free gift wrap service for minimum $80 spent. We decided we should get it done before dinner. Pay $2 for a Looney Tunes umbrella, but don't need lah. A lady borrowed our receipt to buy 1 more umbrella. The counter gave us a roll of gift wrapper, think it's for the gift wrapping service ba. Then we queued at the gift wrapping queue. The couple in front was taking a terribly long time. Or rather, the service staff was slow. A few regular cuboids only, so difficult meh? Started regretting... wait so long to wrap 1 gift for free? Later still have to wrap 1 myself :( When my turn came, I was pleasantly surprised that they wrapped both my gifts :D Didn't have to pass them the gift wrapper we had. So now got double free wrapping and 1 free wrapper!

I saw a lucky draw coupon collection box but no forms. The staff said the forms are at the counter at level 1. Form at level 1, but box at level 3? Win liao lor.

Last objective of the day!

Haiyoh wait until the last day to purposely come out and eat! And must purposely eat not-so-full also.

Phish Food, Chocolate Therapy, Jamaican Me Crazy

There was a ridiculous $88 item on their menu. It's the B&J version of earthquake, 20 scoops, 4 scoops of toppings and other stuff. Siao lor! Didn't know angmohs also into 发-like sounds.

Went Carrefour and then home, as usual.

Caution: Don't talk about sixth sense to strangers. You might get him started if he is a Christian.

Edited 23 Dec: I got the 24-piece plastic handle cutlery set from Friven & Co, 1 blue 1 red, with white polka-dots. Each set consists of six 4-piece settings (teaspoon, tablespoon, dinner fork and dinner knife). At first, I thought I wouldn't give cutlery, but it looks quite cute and it's good quality! Stainless steel and the metal extends into the whole of the shaft :D


全家福:

Such photos are really useful for keeping track of what I bought in what quantities. Must always do this in future.

I'm So Free

3/12 Monday
Surf net. Read papers online. Chat.

This can't go on. Can't keep surfing net all the time, wait somebody found out that I have nothing to do, and give me something to do, how? Decided to get started on a self-improvement ebook recommended by a friend, Getting Things Done. But I'm really not into such books lah, dozed off several times. I need something better for tomorrow.

4/12 Tuesday
Brought The Da Vinci Code in ebook! Now I can look busy with my eyes glued to the screen!

C shared with us some cakes and kueh for his daughter's full month birthday. I had an ang ku kueh. Haven't had such a delicious and big AKK for a long time. Prima Deli's salmonella fiasco just got round every corner, so I would rather not know where the food were from.

Later in the evening, A came round with an envelope to collect angpow money for C. The smallest note available in my wallet were $10s. Darn. Dropped 1 inside. Saw plenty of $10s, got $50s too. Very few $2.

So the AKK I ate cost $10.

DVC is an addictive read. Must slow down tomorrow to make it last longer.

5/12 Wednesday
Surf net, chat, read DVC very slowly. Aiming to finish it next Thursday when I go on leave. Read very slowly.

Went Tiffin Room with my team.

6/12 Thursday
Surf net, chat, read DVC very slowly.

Boss came by my table and asked if I have checked his email. I replied that I wanted to finish this chapter first :O 要死啊! But I think he didn't catch it haha. He came to tell me about a new CR I was to start on tomorrow. Sounds like something I can finish in 1 day, but he said something about handing over the work before I go on leave. Need so many days meh?

7/12 Friday
Started work on my CR. Finished it before noon. Now I have the whole afternoon to test my work. But testing was like so boring lor... I'm sure nothing is wrong with my masterpiece.

Test, surf net, chat, read DVC very slowly.

It's been raining non-stop everyday and I just hate to be on a motorcycle in wet weather. Why must the management be so busy now? It will be really nice to just relax in a car. He's not exactly a guai guai driver but it's still safer than a motorcycle and hell-driving cabbies in noisy cabs with non-existent suspensions.

10/12 Monday
Wrapped up my CR.

Discovered that my boss quoted 10 mandays for something I finished in 2 days, with lots of time wasted in between. Kaoz!

Surf net, chat, read DVC very slowly.

This is how life should be. No need for any coffee and tea too.

11/12 Tuesday
Surf net, chat, read DVC very slowly. I cannot take it anymore! It's not possible to make this book last till Thursday! Shall finish it off tomorrow.

12/12 Wednesday
Wrapped up some work in preparation for my leave. Finished DVC! Found it better than the movie.

After work was the department's Christmas buffet dinner.

13/12 Thursday
Surf net, chat, pack table. When the clock struck 1pm, byebye! See the office again on 24^th for a half day, then holiday again, with the option to extend!

Penang Place

Department Christmas dinner was held at Penang Place@Atrium, within walking distance from my office. But of course I was chauffeured there :P. The food was great!

I ate (those I can remember):

• Penang Laksa. Delicious, but too spicy for me. It was only a tiny bowl but I was sniffing before I finished it.
• Prawn mee. Not bad lah. The soup is the dark kind, which means dark soya sauce was added. I prefer the soup to be cooked entirely with prawns and pork.
• Nasi Lemak. No luncheon meat in sight. Not sure if it's affected by the recent China food scare, or it has been like that. Ikan bilis was a bit nuah already, but still nice because it's sweet.
• Steamed otah with chunky fish. Yummy.
• Char kuay teow. Only a small quantity was put up each time, so must chiong for it. Delicious! Got hum! But too spicy for me, especially when the penang laksa was still lingering.
• Chicken. Too tough.
• Beef. Ok lah, quite soft.
• 春卷. Too big lah! Skin is very crispy, generous with filling.
• Cuttlefish. Don't like.
• DIY shredded turnip wrapped in some vegetable leaf. Like that lor. Tastes like the 春卷.
• Nonya kueh. The kaya to go with them was delicious.
• Chendol. It's been a long time since I last had such good chendol. First of all, it's freshly shaved ice, not refrozen chunks like some other buffets. Coconut milk is thick, the sugar is of high viscosity! BEST!
• Mango pudding. No taste. Terrible.
• Satay. Limited quantities each time, must chiong for it. Meaty and tasty, but a bit cold ley. If limited quantities each time, how come it's cold??
• Ok to be fair, I put this down too. Free-flow coke.

Didn't eat (those I can remember):

• Rojak. No 油条 so I don't want.
• Fried chicken. Stomach no space.
• Curry chicken. Totally forgot about it.
• Fruits. C'mon...
• Ice kachang. Decent chendol is harder to find than decent ice kachang.

The CEO 赏脸 and joined us. But he left quite early.

The yearly department fund for such celebrations is $50/pax. With this dinner costing $21.80++/pax, the rest of the money was spent on gifts for each of us. Wallets! Ladies received a pretty Jane Shilton (retailing at $60 outside), but men's didn't look so nice :P How timely! I have been looking for a wallet!

Got a ride home. So 准 ley, my father couldn't take me home, and then there's this dinner! Can this luck persist after the cab fare hike?

Tiffin Room @ Raffles Hotel

My project finally rolled out and it's time for a celebration! Since an overwhelming proportion of the group was from country I and the leader was from country I too, it's natural that we have food suitable for people from there. Many of them were actually dying to try Tiffin Room @ Raffles Hotel for years, so Tiffin Room it shall be.

Curious, I googled. Indian food in a posh hotel. Expect attentive service. $49+++. OMG! So ex lor, no wonder the guys could only dream. I will NEVER pay $49 for curry, especially when I can't take food that's too spicy. It better be good!

On that day itself, I realised most people didn't know who's actually paying. Skarly go dutch how? Walau cannot lor! $49 for curry! NEVER.

Took the manager's car in the pouring rain, the cannot see the car in front kind of rain. Spent an eternity on AYE, no accident also, dunno how come so slow.

But there was a miracle. We did not pay any ERP to get to Raffles Hotel!

Yes, the horrible Raffles Hotel driveway. Instead of tar, it's gravel and I totally couldn't walk on it unaided. Trying to look colonial. As if it's not bad enough that it's raining! And there's no ramp, only kerb and steps. Sigh.

Tiffin room felt very spacious with its high ceiling. I'm sure the sparrows flying about felt the same way too. When we sat down, the waiter passed the manager the ala carte menu. Trying to trick him lor! Not all have arrived, so we sat there waiting, our glasses dry. Had to open our mouths to request for iced water.

I don't have much to say about the food lah, since I don't particularly enjoy Indian cuisine. But the spicines is acceptable to be. The curries and dishes are delicious, just that I couldn't eat a lot since they have to go with rice. Cannot just drink curry like that right.

Dessert was a mini cup of yoghurt with blueberries. Tastes good. My favourite is the ice-cream. It's not Walls (don't Raffles Hotel dare to serve Walls!), it's a home-made ice-cream with chopped walnuts. D, a 30-something commented that it's too sweet, but I downed 5 scoops. Got too sweet meh?

The ice-cream caught up with me soon. All of a sudden, I felt too full and could only drink water. Old already. 10 years later I will be talking like the 30-something.

D quizzed me on bt. Wa, how come he knows so much about my clandestine activity lor! Only 2 people in the whole place knows, and it's easy to guess who's the culprit. The management sure shares information. So close-knitted. Gossip about subordinates somemore! >_< Lower my profile now! *slithers into the darkness*

Hogged the place to chitchat. The evil waiters kept the coffee and tea a secret until somebody asked for it. I didn't mind, couldn't drink at this hour anyway.

Bill time. All bosses present offered to pay. Ya, good, I didn't bring $49+++ out lor. 谢谢老板!

Manager sent 4 of us home. We were rather quiet. Too full?

So I guess it's the country I dream come true. When can I go The Line?

Nice Candy

From Daiso. But it's very hard to find. Only found it in IMM before. Maybe loads of people like it too?

Double-sealed Rootbeer

No leakage, confirm guarantee + chop! Super hard to twist open too!

Blah Blah

Accumulated over a period in no particular order:

#1
My office was going to erect a new house for the manager of a project team that has moved over to my side. He was pleased to know that he would be getting a window seat and it's the only open-able window in the whole room somemore! When he returned from the weekend, his new house would be ready and perhaps we can have a house-warming party!

His happiness was short-lived. To his (and all our) dismay, the partitions essentially sealed off the windows because they must be positioned in a U shape.

__\ /___ wall with open-able window
+------+ dotted line is the new partition
|      |
|      |
Understand or not? Anyway, it means a few things:
1) No scenery. Haha Sotong the small fry still have scenery!
2) Cannot jump out of the window in case of fire. Fireman also cannot climb in to save us. Darn.
3) Someone who always hangs his wet clothings out when he's caught in the rain while on motobike, can no longer do so. Smelly!

********
#2
With my current project coming to an end, I was approached by a PM to do VB next year because "I am the person with the most experience in VB here".


I'M NOT I'M NOT I'M NOT!!! Can I erase VB from my list of competencies now? I so totally regret it. I'm supposed to be placing my future in Sun! KNS!

I could only give the huh look. As if she knew my concerns, she reassured me by saying I will still be doing some Java.

But optimistically speaking, it means I will have a job till May at least. Will I get a conversion?

********
#3
While walking with my boss to the car, he passed by a female colleague and they stopped to chat like super best friends. After they parted ways, he said, "这个人在背后捅我一刀。"

Wa O_O

At the lift lobby, there was another female colleague and they chatted for as long as the lift took to come. Not as super best friend-ish as just now. She was going up while we were going down, so I didn't have to stand around looking awkward for long. After she was gone, he said... I can't quite remember, something about she was quite a handful. And that in his position, everybody has to act friendly to everybody and talk to people they don't really want to talk to.

So does that mean the more you talk to the person, the more you dislike him/her?

I remember what he said about the politicking in this company. He better survive well so he can continue to take me home! I will always support him!

All this is so not for me. Isn't Sotong glad there's a pc for her to hide behind? Black face to all I don't feel like talking to!

********
#4
The secretary was busy photocopying stuff for the bosses' meeting over lunchtime. When lunchtime was almost over,
A: 你还没有吃饭啊？
S: 现在去吃！ (and she ran towards the photocopier)
A: 哇你吃纸啊？

-______-;;;

Crabs Again!

It's my project team's off day as well as back to Mellben day after 7mths! Slack the whole day and round it off with crabs, how's that!

The butter crab was good as usual. Unfortunately, this time the crab beehoon soup tasted somewhat diluted. But it was compensated by the crab shell, which had 2 biscuits of roe at each of the sides! Wa damn full after eating them! Poor potential crabs...

While we were eating, suddenly there was a voice repeating loudly over the speaker/loudhailer (didn't see what) "CARPARK LAI LIAO, CARPARK LAI LIAO". We spent a good moment wondering what is was about. Then we realized that it meant someone was coming to book illegal parkers. And yeah, the coffeeshop emptied by half ^_^'' So good ah, got special announcement service.

Sio Ah!

Move aside, 火舞黄沙 and Galileo! Heroes is here! Chiong ah!

The Reward For Working Hard

Boss: I will make sure we organize a BBQ for the team!

NO! Can he just make sure I get to go home at 6pm?

Rose Wine

Slurp~~


Dang! The cork broke.

When I Slack

Completed 山おんな壁おんな (Yama Onna Kabe Onna) last last week:

Very funny, yet not too low-class. Flying buttons, resting bosoms on the table, handbag with tits... >_<

Currently on 火舞黄沙.

Almost exactly the same cast as 金枝欲孽, also about people scheming against one another and revenge after revenge. Quite addictive lah. 32 episodes in all, I chiong!!! Because coming up next in the queue is...

Galileo.

I don't even know if it's nice, but I'll find out in due time *watches the % completed bar fill up*

Ajitei - Real and Fake Food

Met up with W and J again! It's been such a long time... and it's been a long time since I last saw open shops in a mall. Ya, lifeless, I know.

Carrefour@PS. Just stretch your hand in when you are thirsty. Wonder if there's a sensor above the entrance though.


Food time! Main course first.

My jaws were TIRED from eating this. It didn't help when I finished most of it. It's not soft like tofu by the way.

Raw salmon~~ *Slurp*

A slice of smooth and soft tofu covered in melted cheese. This dish is sinfully oily. We also had the potato version, which I preferred.

W had a bowl of salmon rice and J had some sushi with cheap ingredients, as we called it.

Desserts!


Really admire the Japanese for coming up with such realistic-looking fake food displays, which look better than the real thing sometimes. We wouldn't mind so much even if we had to queue for a table, can slowly think of what to eat! How come Singaporean restaurants don't do this?

Maybe because the portions we get change over time, cannot give us false hope.

A delicious-looking shop in Kappabashi Market, Tokyo.


As if all that weren't enough, we went to Daiso and looked at more FOOD! Bought 2 new Tohato snacks, but couldn't find the 黑糖 candy I had before... :( Passing criteria is a chunk of 黑糖 in the centre. Where... 在哪里 >_<

I'm *Almost* Affluent!

From the ST:
"Affluent S'poreans are mostly 'executive warriors'
THE affluent in Singapore are mostly 'Executive Warriors' - typically middle-aged male, like golfing, and travel frequently for business purposes, a survey by global research company Synovate has found.

The regional survey of 11 Asian countries, tracked 1,700 Singaporeans with a minimum monthly household income of $6,500 and grouped them under five main consumer segments - the Executive Warriors, the Work to Live's, the Gimme's, the HUMmers (Hungry, Urban and Mobile) and the Luxury Loyalists.
....
"

Minimum household income of *only* $6.5k is considered affluent? Their household got 1 person only right?

Time to Start Shopping!

Limited choices of overpriced earrings. Being ripped off by having to pay $2 PER HOOK (WTH!!!) for requesting to change the hooks to silver. A not-so-bad time when it's $1 per hook at SOC bazaar. Yes my ears have expensive taste, but I won't have anymore of this crap! Where can I buy cheap sterling silver hooks so I change them myself?

I came across a spree to buy jewellery components at Firemountain Gems.

The cheapest and simplest hook. USD1.49 for 5 pairs. If shipping isn't too ex, it would be worth it. *crosses fingers*

Browsed around and saw many interesting designs. Why not add more variety instead of hooks, hooks and hooks all the time?

Hinged earwire, USD1.60 per pair. Aiyoh so ex...

Hoop earwire, USD2.84 per pair. I dunno what I can hang on it, but for the sake of variety! Heartpain...

Decided against getting studs to save the trouble of working with glue.

$11.73 items + $1.44 shipping + $0.83 GST + $0.70 postpac + $0.50 postage = $15.20

Surprise #1: How come GST is 6.3%? How they count one? But since it's less than 7%, I'm fine with it heehee.

Surprise #2: Firemountain sealed the items very nicely in plastic packets. Must cut open one.

Surprise #3: After factoring the extra costs, my primary objective (the hooks) cost $0.61 per pair! Yay! But if anywhere is selling cheaper, I would like to know. And oh, fuck that pushcart in Bugis Junction for charging me $2 PER HOOK. Hope they have closed down already.

Should have asked not to use postpac. Don't think my items can get smashed since they are flat to start with. Unless they got twisted lah...

Can start expanding my collection now!

The I-Was-Here Evening

The HR organized a BBQ at a club near my office, commencing at 5pm. I think everybody didn't feel like going because they didn't enthusiastically reply "I'M COMING!!!" to the RSVP. I know, we get to get out of the office early, but we already have too much work to do and would rather not. What more, it's not for going home. I think our boss know us very well lah, he said we should recognize HQ's efforts and go if we can make it. What a subtle hint.

As much as I would like to be as late for the BBQ as possible, I had to leave for it at 5.30pm because I had to lompang my boss' car over. If I purposely missed the ride, I think it would be too obvious lah. Nevermind, I plan to leave at 8pm latest!

Food was not bad. Got mee siam, fried rice, fried beehoon, salad, packet Yeo's drinks, the usual fare like chicken wings, otah, marshmallows, and unusual stuff like sotong, salmon, crayfish, brocolli, lamb, beef.

It was really a show-face event. Almost everybody from a particular department has disappeared by 6.30pm. Some people want to lompang other other's car, so they left with the driver who happened to have to leave early. Some big bosses came and also left soon. By 8.15pm, there were probably not more than 15 people at the pit, excluding any who might be in the chalets.

Home-sweet-home.

Edited on 01/01/2008: That night, I was offered a lift home by a new guy claiming to be my new boss. Looks too young (and the car too beng, as I found out when I saw it XD). I was thinking "Are you sure you are my new boss? Do what one?" the whole time. Hope it wasn't written all over my face *whistles*

Sweets Review

Bought some candies from sprees recently. I dunno why, but each of the sprees were fraught with difficulties.

From USA, Tootsie Rolls and Brach's Root Beer Barrels.

From Japan, 王妃の白葡萄 (Ouhi No Shirobudo).

Tootsie Rolls
I originally order Tootsie Rolls Midgees during the period that I was super busy with work. So busy that I neglected to send the spree organizer my address, and this person also never remind me. Think I'm gonna treat you to candies? Wait long long! I emailed her about it and she took ages to reply me that my candies were no longer available (expected, I think they would have melted if she were so honest as to keep them for me) and she could either refund me or send me Tootsie Rolls in replacement. So I opted for the replacement.

So my sweets came via mail... the envelope broken. Apparently the postman tried to stuff it into my old-style mailbox, so hard that a wee bit of chocolate could be seen almost-oozing out of the wrapper. Got 20+ sweets for $3, inclusive of postage.

Review
Tootsie Rolls are chocolate flavored chewy candy, meaning I'm supposed to chew them, but they stick to my teeth, so I would rather suck. The chocolateness fell short of my expectations. Must put in the fridge or it will melt in my room.

Will I Buy Again?
No, I'm not that into chocolate-flavored candies anyway.

Brach's Root Beer Barrels
First, the supplier the spree organizer ordered from forgot her order. When he was reminded of it and sent out the candies, they got sent back to New Jersey because her address was written wrongly. It would cost USD73.50 to ship back. WTF!! But after investigation, it was found that the supplier was at fault phew~ They finally arrived, like more than 1 month later.

10 sweets*$0.20 + postage $0.50 + handling fees $0.20 + bubble-wrapping $0.30 = $3

Review
Brach's Root Beer Barrels are made with real concentrate from A&W Root Beer, to give you great old-fashioned root beer taste. It's a hard candy, melt-resistant. Yeah I taste the root beer, but it's a bit like Sarsi (which I don't like) minus the fizz.

Will I Buy Again?
No. Real root beer is cheaper.

王妃の白葡萄
Spree organizer emailed on 28 Aug (Tue) that the candies have arrived and said to give her till Friday (31 Aug) to mail out. But by 9 Sep, there was no word on whether she has actually done the mailing and nothing has arrived. I emailed her about it.

The very next day, I had a bulky package note on my table. Must be it already! It's my last outstanding spree. The postman had given up on stuffing it into my mailbox and no one answered the door when he went up to my house. Either my mum was out, or she couldn't hear the door (sometimes they "shout" like ants) or my sister was still sleeping (I won't be surprised). Anyway, I didn't want to risk the above 3 scenarios from happening again if I requested a resend, so I told my sister to collect from the post office.

Review
The brand is Kasugai, never heard of till now. Made from a mixture of chardonnay flavor and concentrated juice of highly prized white grapes. This is one special candy man! Upon opening the package, I could smell the wine-like aroma. This hard candy is actually FIZZY (funny that this is fizzy while those root beer candy makers cannot do the same). The strong flavor and fizz lasts from the outside right to the centre, where there's jelly. Chew on it! I love sweets with centres! It has 106g of vitamin C, but I don't care about this.

I left it on my table for everybody. My sister said my mum took one and later returned to grab a handful. Does she know it costs $0.38 per pcs -_-;;

$6.90 + postage $0.70 = $7.60. 20pcs in each packet.

Will I Buy Again?
YESSS! But not from sprees if I can. I think the organizer ripped me off. I googled a few websites and if I did not misunderstand the Japanese, each packet costs 180yen, which is approximately $2.40. The price disparity is so great! $4.50 for shipping? Yeah afterall, the organizer stated that the candy price is inclusive of shipping. But if shipping will not jack up the cost by 87%, I would like to import it myself. Is anybody going to Japan or has somebody in Japan?

Edit: The back of the package

Porte

Mmm~~ Light and airy cookie.