This is super entertaining. Don't try this at home.
America's talent
China's talent.
Apparently face changing is some national best kept secret passed down from generation to generation.
Thursday, 12 June 2008
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
Tuesday, 10 June 2008
Upgrading Blog
The blog is getting a facelift. Unfortunately the surgeon is not very skilled (me). So pls be patient...Will be back soon.
Friday, 6 June 2008
China's Pareto
The 80-20 principle usually applies to wealth distribution of a country, but i also realise today that it applies to another aspect of China.
80% of China's total common and good sense, is possessed by only 20% of the population.
The Brains (20%)
Enviromentalists can rejoice in the fact that China has banned free distribution of plastic bags with effect from June 1st. We either have to buy, or bring our own bags. That's 3billion shopping bags saved per day, 20% of the worlds plastic saved.
Read here for more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/01/09/china.plastic.bags/index.html
To quote premier Wen Jia Bao..."Any trivial matter multiplied by 1.3 billion will become a big problem;Any astronomical figure divided by 1.3 billion will become a tiny number....A little kindness multiplied by 1.3 billion will become an ocean of love;A great problem divided by 1.3 billion will become a trivial matter."
China gah-men has definitely dealt with the entire earthquake debacle with grace, sophistication and compassion. Soft propaganda definitely evoked feelings of nationalism and a sense of unity.
The duhs (80%)
There is no explanation for why we find ashtrays in non-smoking sections, grave translation mistakes on menus, and the million excuses we hear everyday.
Chinese are also extremely lacking in the department of proxemics communication (the need for physical personal space). This is why they like to push, squeeze into trains, or sometimes "touch" you in inappropriate places when they want your attention.
Once a touter tickled my back to get me to turn. When i did turn and found out he wasn't Lester, i glared at him, pushed him away as hard as i could and yelled, "who gave u permission to touch me? Who do you think you are? Are u trying to molest me?"
And today, i wanted to get a bra during lunch. When I was in the fitting room trying on, suddenly the door swung open and a very enthusiastic middle-age lady came in and wanted to help me adjust my bra. I don't think they even understood why i stormed out of the shop.
We change our minds everyday about this place. One day it's good, One day it's goon.
80% of China's total common and good sense, is possessed by only 20% of the population.
The Brains (20%)
Enviromentalists can rejoice in the fact that China has banned free distribution of plastic bags with effect from June 1st. We either have to buy, or bring our own bags. That's 3billion shopping bags saved per day, 20% of the worlds plastic saved.
Read here for more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/01/09/china.plastic.bags/index.html
To quote premier Wen Jia Bao..."Any trivial matter multiplied by 1.3 billion will become a big problem;Any astronomical figure divided by 1.3 billion will become a tiny number....A little kindness multiplied by 1.3 billion will become an ocean of love;A great problem divided by 1.3 billion will become a trivial matter."
China gah-men has definitely dealt with the entire earthquake debacle with grace, sophistication and compassion. Soft propaganda definitely evoked feelings of nationalism and a sense of unity.
The duhs (80%)
There is no explanation for why we find ashtrays in non-smoking sections, grave translation mistakes on menus, and the million excuses we hear everyday.
Chinese are also extremely lacking in the department of proxemics communication (the need for physical personal space). This is why they like to push, squeeze into trains, or sometimes "touch" you in inappropriate places when they want your attention.
Once a touter tickled my back to get me to turn. When i did turn and found out he wasn't Lester, i glared at him, pushed him away as hard as i could and yelled, "who gave u permission to touch me? Who do you think you are? Are u trying to molest me?"
And today, i wanted to get a bra during lunch. When I was in the fitting room trying on, suddenly the door swung open and a very enthusiastic middle-age lady came in and wanted to help me adjust my bra. I don't think they even understood why i stormed out of the shop.
We change our minds everyday about this place. One day it's good, One day it's goon.
Wednesday, 4 June 2008
I hate hotlines
Not so much the dating hotlines cos i've never tried them before. But i really really abhor the banking and service provider hotlines.
They are an international bank, claim to have worldclass standards, citi that never sleeps, so please why can't they just live up to their promises!
Firstly, let customers calling from overseas call-in a separate hotline, not the normal hotline. Obviously when you're overseas, circumstances would be far more urgent. What if you're really in a stranded situation, robbed, and ur cell phone has only 1 bar left... Or even worse you're borrowing cell phone from a kind passerby... Obviously you can't wait 20 minutes! It's absolutely plausible that conditions are dire and therefore you need to call ur bank for immediate rectification.
They also have this state-of-the-dumb CONTACT US system online which requires one to fill in options on the best time to call back. They have options for Monday-Sunday, but no options for anyday, or how about IMMEDIATELY. And options for best time to call back are between 0000-23:59, but no again no options for IMMEDIATELY. What if you put Tuesday 1200 and somehow the email only reaches the service officers at Tuesday 1201, does that mean i have to wait one week before the call?
Right now, as i'm writing this, i am STILL ON HOLD. The classical music is confusing my emotions, it puts me to sleep, but i am at the same time infuriated. I feel very sorry for the customer service officer I'm about to speak to.
They are an international bank, claim to have worldclass standards, citi that never sleeps, so please why can't they just live up to their promises!
Firstly, let customers calling from overseas call-in a separate hotline, not the normal hotline. Obviously when you're overseas, circumstances would be far more urgent. What if you're really in a stranded situation, robbed, and ur cell phone has only 1 bar left... Or even worse you're borrowing cell phone from a kind passerby... Obviously you can't wait 20 minutes! It's absolutely plausible that conditions are dire and therefore you need to call ur bank for immediate rectification.
They also have this state-of-the-dumb CONTACT US system online which requires one to fill in options on the best time to call back. They have options for Monday-Sunday, but no options for anyday, or how about IMMEDIATELY. And options for best time to call back are between 0000-23:59, but no again no options for IMMEDIATELY. What if you put Tuesday 1200 and somehow the email only reaches the service officers at Tuesday 1201, does that mean i have to wait one week before the call?
Right now, as i'm writing this, i am STILL ON HOLD. The classical music is confusing my emotions, it puts me to sleep, but i am at the same time infuriated. I feel very sorry for the customer service officer I'm about to speak to.
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
Our final weekends in Shanghai
Our days are numbered here. And that means, time to spend splurge on overpriced places we don't normally go!
Here's Sheng Jian Bao. Its like xiaolongbao but the skin is bready and panfried so the bottom is crispy. I think i shd change the blog name to loveshengjianbao.
Lester looks slim here. Maybe he has slimmed down from working non-stop after the wedding.
So we were at Xintiandi's Ye Shanghai for brunch on Saturday. Turns out, is RMB 98 for a buffet dimsum, and the food was reallly yummy! The portions served were quite small, so it's good for 2 people.
Here's Sheng Jian Bao. Its like xiaolongbao but the skin is bready and panfried so the bottom is crispy. I think i shd change the blog name to loveshengjianbao.
This is friend yellow fish with black beans. I don't know if yellow fish is the same kuning that we eat with Nasi Lemak. It's very more-ish.
Lester looks slim here. Maybe he has slimmed down from working non-stop after the wedding.
For Sunday brunch, we were at SLICE.
This branch is quite far in Pudong, we were there cos we were enroute to try out a new church. The environment is very expat. At the back of me, there were people playing Cricket!! So it really doesn't feel like we're in Shanghai.
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Anyway, we've survived our first month as Mr and Mrs Ng!
Les just bought a new iPhone over the weekend. As usual, Apple products are not compatible with any other non-apple devices. Les couldn't transfer the phonebook over from his N95, he was manually punching in the data all weekend.
At one point, i went through his new list and asked, "Who's Stella Ng?" It was a sudden moment of cognitive dissonance.
Last night i was watching Desperate Housewives Season 4. Gabrielle Solis became Gabrielle Lange when she married the mayor Victor Lange, and then became Gabrielle Solis again when she re-married Carlos Solis . Bree Van Der Kamp became Bree Hodge when she married Benjamin Hodge. Susan Meyers became Susan Delfino when she married Mike Delfino.
So, i wonder if i'm the only one who has problems adjusting. Or maybe it only happens on TV shows, especially one called Desperate Housewives. I think adopting a new role is easy, but having a different identity is not.
Like who is Stella Ng? What's her story? what defines her except for the fact that she's married to an Ng, or that she used to be an Antakusuma. But i don't used to be an Antakusuma, I still am!
So for now, I am back to being Stella Antakusuma on Lester's phonebook, but then i also readily respond to Mrs Ng or 黄太太. =)
Monday, 2 June 2008
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