Bee Stung Lips

It’s that time of year again… have you thought about what you want to do/achieve in 2009?

I resolve to:

1. Put my family above all

2. Exercise!… or use the uZap more frequently

3. Save more, spend less, invest wisely

4. Get my hands on the iPhone 3G

What’s your new year resolution?

We all know how the story goes. Tony Fernandes and a bunch of friends/associates bought over AirAsia and they managed to create such a significant impact in the local and regional aviation industry so much so that foreign me-too low-cost carriers are mushrooming in almost every regional airport, big and small.

In order to stay alive and afloat and have hands in all pies, big brother MH decided to launch similar warfare tactics even though we’re now comparing apples with oranges. And recently big brother launched ‘MH = Malaysian Hospitality”.

Here’s what I think… it really takes one bad apple to spoil the whole basket. I’m a frequent traveller who knows the consequences of arriving at KLIA less than 1 hours from departure time.

This morning as I queued at the counter for check-in bags (express machine doesn’t issue boarding passess once it’s less than 1 hours from departure time), this fat Indian MH employee came over and asked me for my boarding pass. I told her I’m late and I needed to check in asap. She took my e-ticket and asked me what time is my flight. Hello? You’re already holding and seem to be reading what’s printed on paper! Then she calmly told me to get into the normal queue. When I protested by saying I’m already late… she coolly said, “they will announce when the gate is about to close, then you can head to counter B18 or B19 for late check-in”.

Isn’t it more logical when your customer tells you the obvious = already late, need to check in now? Why ask the customer to wait till the last minute then run to the gate like a mad woman?

If I had the choice, I’d rather fly any other airline other than MH. The in-flight food sucks, the ground customer service sucks. So what if MH wins a category year after year, it’s the LOWER category… try competing with SIA or Thai Airways.

Malaysia is a great muhibbah country, so much so that we celebrate all festive seasons together regardless of ethnicity, beliefs and social ranks.

It wasn’t that long ago when shopping mall decors comprised of Hari Raya > Deepavali > Christmas elements. Now we have the traditional red festive decorative items like lanterns, posters, lightings, etc – all ready for Chinese New Year (next week!).

My Lunar New Year resolutions are:

1. Make more time for myself

2. Make more time for family

3. Work smarter – get more work done with less effort & time

4. Time to use Osim uZap to zap zap away my Michelin tyre

5. Pray harder – market don’t crash till I get my capital back!

6. Buy new car? – market don’t crash please…!

Here’s wishing all of you GONG HEI FATT CHOY, may CHOY SAN (God of Wealth) bestow tonnes of $$$ on you.

Earlier this year I blogged about the conman who lived next door, and how the long-suffering landlady might have learnt her lesson in not renting out her house to a certain group of the population.

Agent after agent, consultant after consultant, it seemed like that corner lot terrace house was collecting dust. The owner had repainted the house & trimmed the grass as soon as the previous tenant left. But she left it as it is and the grass grew into almost metre-high lalang.

We heard about the owner’s high asking price when prospective buyers surveyed the house. Then there’s the initial reluctance in renting it out to a certain group of people.

Recently we found the house occupied. Alas, after months of no passive income, the landlady has succumbed and … there we go again…

I wonder how long the new tenant will last this time…

Here’s wishing everybody a Happy Deepavali.  

Today I have a little bit of time to think and collect my thoughts. I have wanted to blog on many things but no time, how? 

If I consider October as one of the busiest months I’ve encountered this year, then November is worse. I just returned from a 4-day regional meeting-cum-training in Kiasu-land last night. It would have been longer but thanks to my Indian colleagues the big bosses decided everyone should celebrate Deepavali too.

Next week I will be away again… this time to “City of Cats” – try guessing.

The week after I will head to “Land of Smiles”.

And before I know it, December’s here… *sigh*

I finally got tagged with my very first meme by my friend & partner-in-crime, Not Just Another Pretty Face. Heck, I don’t even know what’s a meme or how to pronounce it. Hee.. hee… so my dear readers, I shall post 8 things you might want to know about me – but I can’t guarantee if you can believe them 100%.

Fact #1

I’m a fussy eater. You can count the different types of fruits I eat with your fingers. No strawberries on whipped cream, but I’ll take split bananas anytime.

Fact #2

Sentimental is my middle name. I find it really difficult to throw away things from the past. No wonder I need a bigger house!

Fact #3

I have undiagnosed Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – all my stuff have to be stacked up or arranged neatly. Yet my paperwork is just strewn across everywhere… Hmmm…

Fact #4

I like to play a bit before getting into action. ;-p

Fact #5

I dream of being a problogger like 5xmom. just need to find time and a sifu to learn from.

Fact #6

I also dream of striking it rich – either by my own hardwork (job/blogging/investing/trading) or a generous donation from somebody or maybe hit jackpot or strike 4D.

Fact #7

I like to dance. I used to have a dance partner but no more. I want to learn new dance moves, just need to find the time and a new dance partner. 

Fact #8

I hope I’ll grow old gracefully – wrinkles & all.

When living is a multiethic, multicultural society like ours, we’re bound to speak rojak (Malay for ’salad’) language. For this case study, we’ll look into the Malay word ‘contoh‘:

1. Contoh = example

contohnya = for example

sebagai contoh = as an example

2. Contoh = sample

contoh hasil = sample product

BUT when it becomes lost in translation, we get:

rumah contoh = sample house!! [read: show house]

JACKPOT!

That’s first thing to cross my mind when I see 7-7-7. So I wish all of you ”Happy Jackpot Day”. Wishing for all your 4D, horse races, stock market, MLM etc to hit jackpot, if not today, then tomorrow or day after! :-)

On this auspicious day, I paid a visit to my dentist. It’s my routine to visit him once every 6 months. And it’s very routine for him to tell me my oral hygiene is good, yet plaque still form in the crevice between my teeth.

Here, check out the photo taken with a new toothbrush-like camera used by my dentist:

See the dental plaque (white stuff stuck between teeth & gum)?

The moral of this story are:

1. use Listerine – it cleanses & removes plaque where toothbrush can’t reach

2. no matter how you floss plaque always grow back

3. if brushing your teeth twice a day isn’t enough to prevent plaque, then try brushing 3 times a day

4. use electronic toothbrush from Braun, Oral B or Colgate (the latest version has ultrasonic vibrations – potential use for something else?)

5. if all else don’t work, consider wearing dentures - at least all you need to do is rinse & soak them every night

… aging: When an eyelash at the end of your eye is actually crow’s feet

… weight issues: When your waistline changes alphabets twice a year, every year

… receding hairline: When you consider combing over

… blurr-ness: When you dial your own number while trying to call your other half

… laziness: When you get the maid to bring socks to you while you wait at the door

… greed: When you shove food into your mouth with one hand, while the other hand reaches out for more

… kiasu-ism: When you just have to have what your neighbour has

… low fitness level: When the missionary position leaves you gasping for air

Apart from lousy queue system, the KLIA taxi service does not welcome passengers!

Those folks at Hospital Kuala Lumpur couldn’t decide whether to use pure Bahasa Melayu (maksima) or English (maximum). So here we have Manglish (Malay + English).

 And if any of you watch the F1 Grand Prix, then you’d be familiar with this sponsor’s company logo. Hmm… it looks like something else, doesn’t it?