not my idols

animal conservation awareness - 2

animal conservation awareness - 1

Praises, give them out

I recalled many years ago when I used to work in a fast food outlet, I had several occasions where foreigners, making the huge portion of my customers, praising me for the food I served them. At the point of time, I didn’t know how to react. I seriously do not know how to react because I grew up in an environment where people do not praise you for things you do not know that you are good at.

When that fat bastard…I mean…the foreign guy leaves the outlet and he said, “The cappuccino was delicious”, at the moment I was surprised and very speechless. I never knew that I can make cappuccino that people would appreciate. If he hadn’t praise me for it I would never know because the management forbids service staff to drink cappuccino. All I get to drink is Lemon Tea or tap water.

Serving foreign customers made me realized that they are so different from Singaporeans. They do not keep praises to themselves; they give praises out to people generously. Unlike Singaporeans, we are mostly negative in our remarks. I have no idea why, but it is as though our society preprogrammed us to hold back our praises, compliments or appreciation and to only give negative remarks, thinking that it is constructive in a way. Though this social practice has a good intend at heart, it may be discouraging and disappointing for the receiving end.

How many times had you tried showing achievements to your friends hoping to feel elevated with praises and all you get is a dull face and a comment like, “mm…where have I seen this before?”

DISAPPOINTMENT. That is all you get at the end of the day.

Next time when you want to say something like…
“Not bad, BUT you can try a little twist here and there next time.”

You could make your comment more positive like…
“Wow I like this. You are getting so much better at it. I think if you were to add a little here, it will be PERFECT”.

Doesn’t that sound a whole lot more encouraging? By not keeping praises to yourself, pointing out what the person is doing good, suggest how he/she can do better and not using the word ‘but’. That is a negative word. ‘But’ means “Hold on, don’t get too happy about it yet”.

Ask yourself, wouldn’t YOU wish to be praised by your friends? If yes, you have to start from yourself. Give your friends a pat on their back when possible. Sing praises when you have the chance to and I’m sure good deeds will come around.

my struggle with paypal

I am right now suffering from the worst service experience I ever felt from the very well known Paypal which is a sub-brand under the even more popular Ebay.

This ordeal started somewhere in the mid of January when I needed to purchase online and Paypal seems to be my only option. I thought everything would be simple and convenient with our standard of modern technology and communication, but I was wrong. All that I have to do is to transfer an amount of money from my bank to Paypal and they would key that amount of money into my Paypal account and I would ready to purchase. So instead of a transfer through the bank counter, I chose to set up my internet banking because going through the bank staff would cost be an administration fee of $20 while the fund I’m transferring is only a little more than $60.

Later on, I successfully transferred the money and I realized it will take me 4 – 6 working days for a transaction between different banks. So I waited and waited, but yet the fund was still missing from my Paypal account (it is still currently missing). Then I called Paypal to check on this and I provided them with the date of transfer, amount, my account number and such for them to trace the fund.

Paypal Staff: I have checked our record and it seems like the money was reversed back to your bank.

Me: Reversed? Why?

PP Staff: It could be deal to some conflict or errors inbetween the banks. You may check with your bank for the reason.

…………….

Took two days for money to come back to me

Bank Staff: I am sorry as there isn’t any reason provided on why the money was reversed back to you. You may check with the particular company for reason.

Great! Both parties conveniently pushed the blame to each other. Ok I let it pass and I tried repeating the process again hopefully it would be successful. Then it happened again. After a week of waiting, I called Paypal again to check on the money I transferred to them and again they sent me an email telling me to provide the same information. Ok fine, I replied them with the information without knowing that I cant reply straight to the sender. Because the sender is a default email and it doesn’t go through to anyone. Yet I wasn’t informed with an auto-reply to tell me this and I was left waiting for another 4 days.

On Friday which is 20^th Feb, I emailed them through their website asking them on my request on 16^th Feb to check on the money.

Kelly email reply: I am sorry, there is no fund transfer on the 16^th Feb. Fund transfer will take 4 – 6 working days, so would you mind as to WAIT?

THAT EMAIL MADE ME FURIOUS! I said the request on 16^th Feb to check on the money. I didn’t say that money was transferred 16^th Feb. This obviously proves that either the company does not have proper contact history with their customers or the staff is just complacent with herself, stating the known fact to me and telling me to WAIT when I have already waited for a Week!

21^st Feb, I called them once again

Selina: Hi, Thanks for calling Paypal. This is Selina, how can I help you?

Me: *blar blar blar. This is my verification information. Blar blar

Selina: Ok. I will check on the money for you. Is there anything else?

Me: Good. Will I get a reply by today?

Selina: Yes. I will be sending you an email asking for the information of transfer in 10 minutes. (The same email asking for same information, again and again).

22^nd Feb, I called again.

This time round as I was talking to the operator, It suddenly appear to me that this operator may be the same operator I had talked to for the past several times. However, she told me a different name though the voice seems so awfully familiar.

Cindy: Hi, Thanks for calling Paypal. This is Cindy, how can I help you?

Me: Cindy? Errr….Yes, I called yesterday…..Your voice sounds like Selina from yesterday. Are you sure you are not Selina?

Cindy: No, I am Cindy.

Me: Ok. I was supposed to get an answer Yesterday, but anyway the story goes….

Cindy: Ok I would check the money for you and inform you through your email.

Me: Ok good. I have to tell you this, DO NOT REVERSE the money back to me. I mean, I gave you the date of transfer, the amount, my bank account and my name, you guys should know the money is from me and I am sure you guys got the money. So please, do not reverse it back to me.

Currently I am still waiting, after slightly more than a month with a process I thought was simple enough. Every time before I made a call to them, I would rehearse in my head on how am I going to screw them and make my point clear? However, every time when I hear the very “Robotic” voice of the operator, I just don’t feel like making that effort.

Not only am I suspecting that there is only ONE operator in the company, I am suspecting that she may not be human. She could just be a highly advanced, computerized, un-emotional, without any sort of personality, with a non-Singaporean Asian ascent and name changing answering machine. Then I thought, even if she is indeed a human being, why does she change her name on every call. Is the company trying NOT to Sound like they have a 4 X 4m office, with an empty table and a telephone?

*Shrugs

Injecting Microchips into Pets

The fine for keeping unlicensed dogs have increased from S$500 to S$5,000 !!! Thanks to AVA
Luckily, this rule doesnt go to all type of pets. My hamsters are safe.
Read more here

Come to think of it, this could be potential for a spying conspiracy. Monitoring every word you say and once you say something capable of a defamation law suit, you know what happens next. Or maybe i'm thinking too much.

back of my sketch book