~Audi alteram partem~

You know your part of the story. Now hear the other side.
Cos everyone just want to be heard
.

A book and its cover

My Hush Puppies luggage has this glitch ever since I bought it last year: the handle sometimes won't go down all the way. It's stuck at medium height at random times, and so it's frustrating when I have to put the luggage in baggage or car trunk.
I've been meaning to bring it to the service centre, but as with most adults, I always loss my time doing I-have-no-idea-what.

Hush Puppies purple luggageFinally today my boredom reached its peak and I decided to drop by Hush Puppies main agent near Tai Seng MRT.
The complete address is:
Lohmun Leather Products Pte Ltd
153 Kampomg Ampat #03-04,
Jun Jie Industrial Building, S368326
Telp: 6282 8255

There's no easy way to reach there (except by taxi or personal vehicle, of course), I had to walk 15 minutes from MRT station. Even when I reached the building, I had to go through turns and trucks to reach the service centre.

But once I reached the building, everyone there was so helpful, it's almost comical. The security saw me dragging my luggage and immediately said, "Straight, to the left, take lift, 3rd floor." As I was walking to the lift, another person standing there said, "3rd floor number 4." When I reached 3rd floor, the lift opened up to another person and he said "Your left, to the corner." As if somebody knew I was coming and made the whole script for me. Just to piss-off my atheist readers, I would say it was God who planned the whole thing for me.

The service centre turned out to be not so much a centre, just a workshop. I expected to fill some forms, show my receipt etc etc. But I was only greeted by a technician with this stern looks about him. He merely said, "what happened?" I explained to him and he took my luggage, give it a few spins and a few drops of oil. And just like that the glitch is solved! Literally 5 minutes. He works so fast it's like watching an F1 technician at work.

Apparently there is nothing broken, the handle just needs some oil. I feel so embarrassed. I think it happens a lot to ignorant buyers. The technician merely said, "anything else?" while checking for other parts of the luggage. Amazed, I said "that is all". He then taught me how to do the oiling to my luggage and sent me off my way. I wasn't charged a single cent for all these. Such a nice guy! I want to take a moment to praise Hush Puppies customer service *slow clap*

Moral of the day:
Don't judge a book by its cover. It's not only talking about judging people from his looks, but also about addressing a problem. A problem might looks life-ending but the solution could be so simple. Or on the contrary, it may looks easy, but there might be invisible impacts to other aspects in your life.

The secret is, be honest to yourself. Like Steve Jobs said, your intuition somehow already know what's going on. Most of the time, it's our mind that wants a dramatic existence and  makes things worse than it really is.
In Syrio Forrell's words, see with your eyes. See things and people as they are. Is this an obnoxious person or just a nice person who's having a bad day? Is there really no solution to this problem or uncle Google can help you solve it? Don't let your feelings or memories or worries add cloudy filters to them. Otherwise, you'll end up wasting time and energy like I did.

Chef Ramsay said...

David Miller
"When you're good at something, it creates confidence.
When you're insecure about something, it creates an arrogance."


-to David Miller in MasterChef s 1 ep 1.

Interview with a banshee

I guess if you go to enough job interviews, you're bound to meet some strange people.

I went to my hundredth interview today (nah..not really; I've stopped counting after 80). Going to an interview is scary enough, yes? Trying to scram all the information on the company and great answers into your head. Well, imagine coming to an interview not knowing anything about the company cos you can't find any information in Google, and not knowing even who send you the email (whether it's a he or she) as the person did not even have the courtesy to tell you his/her name.

Actually, I did find some things about the company that can't help me with the interview: an abandoned website, a website on a free platform, another useless websitea blog entry saying how horrible the company is, and an MOM article mentioning salary payment problem. WHOA.. should I still go to the interview? Do I really want to join this company?

Well, I'm desperate and it doesn't feel right refusing a job interview invitation. Besides, the company has great location in International Plaza, Tanjong Pagar. On level 24, no less. So to International Plaza level 24 I went this morning.

I arrived 9.55 am, 5 minutes earlier that asked. But 10 seconds before me, there's another guy just stepped into the office. I saw the guy rang the bell and stepped into the office before I realise it's the same office I need to get into. So I reached the door as it was closing. I had to ring the bell again. The secretary (let's just call her the secretary) asked me to sit down and went to tell the boss. As I sat down, I heard the boss scolded the secretary "DID YOU OPEN THE DOOR?" That's when I figured the boss is a female.
Secretary: *assumed nod here*
Boss: "THEN WHY DID THE DOORBELL KEEP RINGING?"
*secretary explaining the situation*
Boss: "I CAN'T HEAR YOU WHEN YOU MUMBLING LIKE THAT".

There are a few things that are wrong here. FirstI can hear the secretary talking from the seating area near the front door (like 5-6 m away from the boss' office) and the boss can't? Second, do you have to scold your employee 10 am in a Monday morning? Third, the boss scheduled another meeting at the same time as my interview timing? I don't appreciate that.

What I appreciate even less? The guy was allowed to meet her first. Probably he's bringing business while I'm only bringing a potential employee *sarcasm sign*. And so I wasted about 30-40 minutes waiting for my turn.

When I finally met the boss, she did not so much introduce herself nor offer a handshake nor ask me to sit down. Just went to the questions straight away. All the while I was answering, she's doing something with her phone and PC. Ok, multitasking busy businesswoman, I get it. But the total turn-off was when I asked her "May I know how many team members in this office?" She's looking at me as if she doesn't understand the question. So I said, "Um, employees?" Then she snapped me, "What does it have to do with anything?!" What does it have to do with anything? Well, let's see, I want to know about the company I will work for; how many colleagues I will work with. MOM will want to know if the company has enough quota for SPass. So what does it have to do with anything? Nothing, just everything.
I was so shocked I managed only to say, "Well, I'm curious about your company." She cut me off again, "Well, I'm curious about YOU, so tell me about YOURSELF." GREAT human relations.

The interview lasted literally 5 minutes with the boss implying she doesn't have any other questions until I send her my portfolio (articles I wrote).

While I was walking out of the office, I remember I don't even know her name. So as the secretary approached me, I ask her whether there is any namecard I can have. The secretary went back to her office, asking the same thing.. and she just looked at her secretary with this killing look. I was stepping inside the office again, to answer for anything myself, but the secretary turn around and said "Sorry, so sorry.." along with a gesture escorting me outside. Then I said "None, then?" but she just keeps saying "Sorry, sorry." Wth?

Funnily, I feel better about myself after I talk to her. I am a better person than her, after all. At least I have basic human interaction skills, and I try my best at any time to make people good about themselves.

I wonder why these kind of people can have their own company? How? Well, assuming it's her company. I can't know, I don't have her namecard.

I don't usually mention names in my blog to protect both the guilty or the innocent. But in the spirit to protect all the innocent job-seekers out there, please take note (if you haven't figured it out from the links yet) the company is
Formula 1 Furniche Pte Ltd
If working for a female with strong personalities suits you, you can send your resume to wsheraton@gmail.com.

Update:

I promise the boss that I will send her my portfolio. So I did along with an email telling her that I'm not interested in joining the company anymore. I still tried to be as polite as possible:

I got the name of the boss "Ms. Shalini K. Sharma"  after further searching old files in Google. Then this is what I got. I assume I wasn't communicating with the boss, then, as the email was signed as 'Jim':



I was so upset I sent her back:

I should've just addressed "Dear Jim/Sharlini/whoever the hell this is". If they replied with anymore rudeness, I swear I'm suing someone.
"Every thought you have seeps into your blood."
-Anonymous.

"Is it a lie when you never ask for the truth?"
-Confused me.

Jay Chou - Shan Hu Hai

Jay Chou - Shan Hu Hai Lyric and English Translation (from his album November's Chopin).


珊瑚海 - 周杰倫 ft. 梁心頤

Shan Hu Hai - Chou Jie Lun ft. Liang Xinyi
Jay
海平面远方开始阴霾
Hai ping mian yuan fang kai shi yin mai
Clouds gather on the faraway (sea) horizon
悲伤要怎么平静纯白
Bei shang yao zen me ping jing chun bai
How can I keep my sadness calm
我的脸上, 始终夹带
Wo de lian shang, shi zhong jia dai
On my face, still holding
一抹浅浅的无奈
Yi mo qian qian de wu nai
A bit of shallow helplessness

Lara
你用唇语说你要离开 (情不在)
Ni yong chun yu shuo ni yao li kai (xin bu zai)
You silently said that you wanted to leave (The love's gone)
那难过无声慢了下来
Na nan guo wu sheng man le xia lai
The sadness slowed down silently
汹涌潮水, 你听明白
Xiong yong chao shui, ni ting ming bai
Listen carefully to the crashing tides,
不是浪而是泪海
Bu shi lang er shi lei hai
It is not from the sea but from tears

Together
转身离开
*Zhuan shen li kai
Turning around to leave
(你有话说不出来) 分手说不出来
(Ni you hua shuo bu chu lai) Fen shou shuo bu chu lai
(You have something to say but remained speechless) Unable to say it's over
海鸟跟鱼相爱 只是一场意外
Hai niao gen yu xiang ai zhi shi yi chang yi wai
The love between a seagull and a fish is only an accidental occurrence
我们的爱 (给的爱)差异一直存在 (回不来)
Wo men de ai (gei de ai), chai yi yi zhi cun zai (hui bu lai)
Differences had always existed in (the love you gave) our love (we can't go back)
风中尘埃(等待) 竟累积成伤害
Feng zhong chen ai (deng dai), Jing lei ji cheng shang hai
The dust that gathers in the wind (ends up) accumulating to pain
转身离开
**Zhuan shen li kai
Turning around and leave
(分手说不出来) 分手说不出来
(Fen shou shuo bu chu lai) Fen shou shuo bu chu lai
(can't say it's over) Unable to say it's over
蔚蓝的珊瑚海 错过瞬间苍白
Wei lan de shan hu hai, cuo guo shun jian cang bai
An azure coral sea, a missed momentary paleness
当初彼此(你我都)
Dang chu bi ci (ni wo dou)
Right from the beginning (you and me both)
不够成熟坦白(不应该)
Bu gou cheng shu tan bai (bu ying gai)
Were not mature and frank enough (shouldn't have)
热情不改
Re qing bu zai
The passion had not changed
(你的) 笑容勉强不来
(Ni de) Xiao rong mian qiang bu lai
(Your) Smile cannot be forced
爱深埋珊瑚海
Ai shen mai shan hu hai
Love is buried deep within the coral sea

Jay
毁坏的沙碉如何重来
Hui huai de sha diao ru he zhong lai
How do (we) rebuild the damaged sand sculpture?
有裂痕的爱怎么重盖
You lie hen de ai zen me zhong gai
How can (we) fix a broken relationship?
只是一切, 结束太快
Zhi shi yi qie, Jie shu tai kuai
Only that all has ended too quickly
你说你无法释怀
Ni shuo ni wu fa shi huai
You said you could not understand why

Lara
贝壳里隐藏着什么期待 (等花儿开)
Bei ke li yin cang shen me qi dai (deng hua er kai)
What surprises await in a seashell (Waiting for the flowers to bloom)
我们也已经无心再猜
Wo men ye yi jing wu xin zai cai
We do not want to play the guessing game anymore
面向海风 (面向海风)
Mian xiang hai feng (mian xiang hai feng)
The sea breeze caressing the face (the sea breeze caressing the face)
咸咸的爱 (咸咸的爱)
Xian xian de ai (xian xian de ai)
The salty love (the salty love)
尝不出还有未来
Chang bu chu hai you wei lai
Unable to feel any future (between us)
Repeat Together

Shan Hu Hai Scores and Sheets

Did you know?


  • The song is released in 2005.
  • It was written by Vincent Fang, a lyricist who wrote most of Jay Chou's songs.
  • Vincent Fang starred in the video clip (as the guy who got cheated on by the girl).

Harry Potter's characters birthdays


Source: Geek Tyrant.

January
9 (1960) - Severus Snape
30 (1960) - Lily Potter

February
6 - Arthur Weasley

March
1 (1980) - Ron Weasley
10 (1960) - Remus Lupin
27 (1960) - James Potter

April
1 (1978) - Fred and George Weasley

May
15 - Pomona Sprout

June
5 (1980) - Draco Malfoy
28 - Dobby

July
30 (1980) - Neville Longbottom
31 (1980) - Harry James Potter

August
11 (1981) - Ginny Weasley
22 (1976) - Percy Weasley

September
7 - Cho Chang’s mother
19 (1979) - Hermione Granger

October
4 - Minerva McGonagall
17 - Filius Flitwick
30- Molly Weasley
Sometime in the week before Halloween (exact date unknown) - Angelina Johnson

November
29 (1970) - Bill Weasley

December
6 (1928) - Rubeus Hagrid
12 (1972) - Charlie Weasley
31 (1926) - Tom Marvolo Riddle (Lord Voldemort)

Harry Potter Author's Dedication

JK Rowling always dedicated her books to certain people. Ever wonder who are the people whose names is written on the beginning of each book and why they get the honorary position?

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone

For Jessica, who loves stories, for Anne, who loved them too, and for Di, who heard this one first.

Jessica is JK's twelve-year-old daughter. Anne was JK's mother, who, unfortunately, died of Multiple Sclerosis on December 30th, 1990. Dianne, or Di, is JK's younger sister who she read Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone before Jo sent it off to be reviewed.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

For Sean P.F. Harris, getaway driver and foulweather friend.

JK met Sean at her secondary school, Wyedean, when she was eleven. "He was the first of my friends to learn to drive and that turquoise and white car meant FREEDOM and no more having to ask my father to give me lifts, which is the worst thing about living in the countryside when you are a teenager." JK said in her website, JKR.com. "Some of the happiest memories of my teenage years involve zooming off into the darkness in Sean's car. He was the first person with whom I really discussed my serious ambition to be a writer and he was also the only person who thought I was bound to be a success at it, which meant much more to me than I ever told him at the time."


Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban

To Jill Prewett and Aine Kiely, the godmothers of Swing.

Jill Prewett and Aine Kiely were JK's flatmates when she lived in Portugal. They used to visit a club/restaurant called "Swing" regularly. Because they spent so much time there, Jo called themselves its godmothers.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

To Peter Rowling, in memory of Mr Ridley and to Susan Sladden, who helped Harry out of his cupboard.

Peter Rowling is JK's father. Mr Ridley refers to Ronald Ridley, an old family friend of the Rowlings. This man's name was the inspiration for Ron Weasley's name. Susan Sladden could be the Susan JK once referred to in an interview as the woman who used to look after Jessica (JK's daughter) while she worked on the Harry Potter books.

Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix

To Neil, Jessica and David, who make my world magical.

Dr. Neil Murray is Jk's husband. Jessica, her daughter. And David, her son.

Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince

To Mackenzie, my beautiful daughter, I dedicate her ink and paper twin.

Mackenzie Jean Rowling Murray, JK's third child, was born on January 23rd, 2005. Mackenzie and Book 6 were being "made" (developed/written) around the same time, and were both finished (born/published) almost simultaneously, hence Mackenzie's "ink and paper twin".

Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows

The dedication of this book is split seven ways: to Neil, to Jessica, to David, to Kenzie, to Di, to Anne, and to you, if you have stuck with Harry until the very end.

The "seven-way split" refers to some of those with whom JK has shared her life while writing Harry; Dr. Neil Murray is JK's husband; Jessica, David, and Mackenzie are her children; Di is JK's younger sister, Dianne/Anne is JK's mother who died at 45 of MS (although JK's mother did not know of the books since she died early on, JK has said her death had a profound influence on how the series was written), and the final dedication is to all the fans who have made Harry's journey their own.

Understanding understand

The difference between hearing and listening; between watching and seeing; between experiencing and learning; is the understanding.

I've been feeling angry (again) lately. About the things I cannot have and I cannot have. Understand? Things I don't have the capability to have and things I am not allowed to have.

There are things I want that I can't get yet.
There are things I want I know I have the ability to have but somehow still don't have.
There are things I want that I know I will never have.
There are things I chose not to have but I want it now.


My brother said, wisdom is when you understand. And when you understand, you're wise, you won't be angry. So you have to learn to understand what you don't understand yet.
 But how do you know you don't know what you don't know?
Do we even understand the word 'understand'?
Confuse yet? Well, let it sinks. UNDERSTAND IT.

All the angers rooted from wants; is that even healthy? Perhaps I should just go and live like the Kalahari bushmen. Seems peaceful enough.

In another note..
atheism

First, God is both able and willing, it's people's stupidity that's always gets in the way.
Second, atheists are supposed to not believe in God, so why are we discussing this? Atheists, please understand yourselves. Decide, whether you're an atheist or an agnostic?

Daenerys Targaryen

All that Daenerys Targaryen wants

Daenerys Targaryen red door

Modern Myth

Myth are public dreams. Dreams are private myths. Joseph Campbell.