Call Me YOUR HIGHNESS!

看到君伟's blog 的《武夷山：朱熹纪念馆》， ，对于文中的“接物之要”有很深的体会。

记得在念小学时，我买了一份礼物送给好朋友。小时候真是很好笑。你有我也想有，喜欢的不过是拆礼物的过程和拥有过的感觉。结果，我买了一份一模一样的礼物给自己，还把两份礼物都包起来。不知怎么搞的，我却在包礼物时错手在其中一个礼物的盒上留下一个凹。我很自然地想：“好的给自己，凹的给她好了。”爸爸知道后，谴责了我一番：“哪有人送礼是送坏的？”我依稀记得，我还反驳爸爸说：“只是盒子坏了，礼物没坏。”爸爸不以为然，说：“自己不要得东西，怎么能给别人呢？”

事过境迁，我已忘了买的是什么礼物；礼物是给谁的。留在脑里的只有“己所不欲，勿施于人”。我就是在这种教育下长大。

很久没有看到 Alicia，好想念在一起的时光。我们从14岁，念中二时便认识。老朋友见面，想笑就笑，想大声说话就大声说话，无需大鱼大肉，无需贵重礼物，要的是一份真心和一份心意。也没有特别的节目，只是闲聊，吃 Alicia 精心准备的晚餐和甜点，看了《小娘惹》和 Alicia 的 photo album，玩了我们的fav game —— 大老二，惯例是一定要玩到 Alicia 的分牌才能停。Alan 常说认识久了就会变成生活化。其实，我跟Lian, Xian 和 Alicia 早已经是一种生活化的态度，最重要是自然和舒服。

老伯：几楼？
Fenfen：十五。谢谢。

老伯：你是新加坡人吗?
Fenfen: 是。（要不然？）
老伯：对不起，对不起。你看起来很像……
（Fenfen: 像什么?)

老伯：你住这里吗？住很久了吗?
Fenfen: 对。
老伯：我没有看过你。你住25楼吗？
Fenfen: 这里没有25楼，最高16楼而已。
{Fenfen: 我在这里出生的，住了20多年，我才没有见过你呢！你连这座组屋有几层楼都不晓得，我看你才不住在这里吧。还有老伯，你的tag-on line已经out了！}

TAXI
Bad experiences. I always tell the driver where I want to go and I want to go on meter before I board the car. I was even more sure of this rule after 1 incident during the last trip, when a taxi quoted me 150 baht from MBK to Airport. Of course, I din agree, and finally got onto a taxi charging by meter which only reads 78 baht when it reached the destination.

This time I wanted to go MBK from Asia. Normally we walk (it's walking distance). A taxi driver approaches me, so I thought "nvm loh, give you business". He quoted me 20 baht only. Really 高兴得太早, I should know that 天下没有白吃的午餐. After we boarded the taxi, he wanted to bring us to some souvenir shops before going to MBK. We negotiate but in the end, 一拍两散。I decided not to take the cab and walk to MBK instead.

TRAFFIC
Worse than I imagine. Many places do not have a proper traffic lights control. As long as you can squeeze through, you can use watever ways you want.

POLLUTION
Traffic is bad and pollution is bad too. My face is ruined TOTALLY. I can really 体会 what is 灰头土脸. I really thought of wearing a mask on road. No kidding.

WHERE? >>> Fuji Japanese Restaurant
When I 1st ate @ Fuji, think they only have an outlet @ MBK. I was with my whole family then. We ordered a table full of food and nearly had problem finishing the food. But it's so cheap & tasty!

Now, you can see Fuji @ many places, such as Platinum Fashion Mall, Siam Discovery Center, Central World...

Tonni Katsu Set
(Deep Fried Katsu cut Pork chop w/ Salad & Miso Soup)
Yakiniku Set
(Teppanyaki Beef w/ Vege & Miso Soup)
Salmon w/ Tartar Sauce
Green Tea + 7up
575 baht (S$25)

Yummy! >>>
What we normally wat in Singapore for Teppanyaki is chopped meat, you can't really make out what you're eatng anymore. This Yakiniku is 一整片一整片的肉. Drool...
The salmon is rather special too. It's deep fried with a hole in between filled with tartar sauce.

WHAT?>>>Massage

It's most probably due to the recent demonstration, you don't have to bargain with the masseur. The price is already on promotion.

Foot Massage @ 200 150 baht/hr
Thai Massage @ 200 150 baht/hr
Oil Massage @ 450 400 baht/hr

My Massage Schedule in BKK>>>

Day 1: Oil Massage
Day 2: Foot Massage
Day 3: Thai Massage
Day 4 (just before I go airport): Foot Massage

WHAT?>>>Manicure/Pedicure

It's not standard pricing. You got to bargain you way out. It's around 200-250 baht.

WatchOut!>>>
Make sure you bargain with them before they start working on your nails. Standard of the manicurists is not even, so you got to be lucky to get a good one. Don't do French Manicure. You pay extra and get your hands ruined most of the time. However, you can get them to do nail art for you. Dun be afraid to voice out your unhappiness if the nails are not done to your liking, tell them and they will wipe off & re-do it.

Because they dun have a nail parlor. Go to hair salon to get your nails done. Avoid going to massage parlor.

不需要去 Chatuchak Market　。那里又热又远又有weekend 才有。I rather go somewhere with air-con and it's nearer...

WHERE? >>> Platinum Fashion Mall

A belt @ 80 baht (S$3.40)
2 OL blouse @ 360 baht (S$15.60)
3 Casual blouse @ 500 baht (S$21.70)

WHERE? >>> MBK
All time fav! If you need to buy gifts for your friends. THIS is the best place.

A guy shirt @ 99 baht (S$4.30)
A ladies T @ 199 baht (S$8.60)
A 5-pcs Winnie the Pooh baby clothing set @ 380 baht (S$16)
5 pairs of slippers @ 680 baht (S$29.50)
A pair of Adidas shoes @ 1790 baht (S$77.80)

Running out of gifts idea for relatives & colleagues? MBK 也有土产店，selling dried mango, dried longan, dried papaya, dried kiwi, cuttlefish, nuts and　“狗屎”, etc. Every packet is 80-160 baht. 经济实惠，价廉又物美。

Of course it's SEAFOOD! 有试过走到哪儿有海鲜吃就吃。这次，我有好介绍。

WHERE? >>> Sombun

Day 1 - Dinner
Fried Rice
8 Gigantic Steamed Tiger Prawns covered with garlic
Pork Ribs
Tom Yum Soup (with lots of ingredients)
Steamed Seabass with garlic + chilli + lime (Thai style)
875 baht (equivalent S$38)

Day 3 - Dinner
Steamed Rice
Deep Fried Ribs
25 Steamed Tiger Prawns with salt
Steamed Seabass with garlic + chilli + lime (Thai style)
804 baht (equivalent S$34)

Yummy!>>>
The fish is superb! Personally, I love the thai way of steaming the fish - the garlic + chilli + lime. It brings out the freshness and sweetness of the fish. The fish is then put on a metal tray with fire underneath. Wow..

Watch Out>>>
There are many 黑店 around．I would strongly recommend you to go SOMBUN @ CHULA 8 (it's at National Stadium, near MBK). Cheap and Good.

Search 了一下 COMMUNICATE 的 meaning ：
to transmit information, thought, or feeling so that it is satisfactorily received or understood

记得我曾告诉 Alan，communicate 简单来说就是，当你说时，我有在听；当我说时，你也有在听。如果我讲，你没有在听，而你讲时，我却一定的听，那叫哪门子的 communicate? 那应该是强逼，是命令。

今天我有新的领悟。我讲时，你不听。你讲时，我也可以不听，就当你在放屁。话不投机，还真是半句多。

Mich： 老板，我2月要请假。
老板：不行，给我一个好理由。
Mich：我要结婚了。
老板：你 sure 吗？要为了一颗树放弃一森林……

（如果是我，大概会说 MYOB 之类的话）

Mich：因为其他的都是 cactus?!?

一直想去尝试之前《抢摊大行动》抢救的西餐，当时师傅教了摊主一道很特别的 Pork Cutlet 。

What so good? >>>
它不是普通的猪扒。香脆的外表，内有乾坤，除了猪扒外，肉中还夹着 ham and cheese 。我本来就好爱吃猪扒、ham 和 cheese 。不过，只有吃过猪扒 with cheese 和 ham and cheese，从没吃过 3 in 1 。
老板很用心，火候刚刚好，外表完全看不出任何蛛丝马迹，一刀切下去，cheese 就开始流出来，不过又不会“一流无法收拾”，好兴奋喔！真是吃了还想再吃

What it missed? >>>
比一般的猪扒来的小了一点，而且以 coffee shop 的标准，价钱偏高(＄6)。
摊名取为 Prosperity Recipe 五福XXX ，真是俗得吓了我一跳，还以为找错了地方。

Where is it? >>>
Blk 23 Haig Road 一个小小的咖啡店

普普通通的酒楼内，传出阵阵的欢呼声和笑声。

姑婆和姑丈公在酒楼庆祝七十大寿。虽然姑婆已70岁，她却非常in。败妈妈所赐，我是午餐的司仪。姑婆给了我节目的流程，竟然全是用电脑打的！姑婆不止会上网，有一次，她还问我妈家里有没有 webcam ，原来她是为了和远在韩国的泉玲阿姨通话才有了 MSN 户口，学会了用 webcam。以前我曾试过教爸爸用internet banking，我只能说——失败。如今，姑婆是个active internet banking user！

菜色是普通了点，不过好在能和家人团聚。大部分的欢呼和笑声应该来自我们这几个“活泼”的孩子。Haha... 我们实在太捣蛋了，因为不想被“陷害”上台唱歌，也想搞搞气氛，别人唱歌，我们就充场，又拍掌又起哄。 Haha...一顿饭吃下来，真是忙死了。

食物真是棒！
通常结婚晚宴的水准都不怎么样，可是昨天晚上在Conrad Hotel吃的真是不错。结婚晚宴吃 Ostrich Steak ，昨晚是我的第一次。我们10人吃12人的份，不亦乐乎。尤其到了上鲍鱼时，我毫不客气的have a 2nd helping。Yummy!

Scenario: It's raining heavily outside. Staff crowding in the pantry, waiting for meeting to start... Boss walked in and announced that meeting is postphoned to the next day.

KC: Hey, it's no longer raining.
Tracy: Oh, so no more dogs & cats? only rats?

[...]

I know u're freezing too.

It's 9pm, we went to the Cheesecake Cafe at siglap area.
The cafe was introduced by my colleagues. I'd went there once, I would say the cakes are yummy! I din have dinner, so I was really looking forward to the yummy cakes.

When we hit the entrance, we bumped into a pretty waitress and was only greeted with "it's full house inside, pls wait a while". After a while, we were given menu and a seat outside. I saw the waitress ushering other tables that was waiting outside slowly... Thinking that it might be our turn soon. Then, I saw a couple walked directly into the cafe and gotten a seat immediately. Meanwhile, we are still waiting for a seat outside with the menu. The 2 waitresses walked in and out several times, but we were treated like invisible. And then, another couple walked straight into the cafe and gotten a seat immediately too! WAT THE HELL?!? Hey boss, your cakes cost $7.50 each! It's time to review on your service standards

So it's not difficult to imagine that we'd ultimalte left and went to Gelare instead. But of course, tat had spoilt my night totally. If anyone has got better suggestion of where I could get yummy cheesecakes, let me know, pls!

原来吃 dark chocolate 有很多好处。即可以降低血压又可以降低胆固醇。终于有licence，可以光明正大的吃chocolate 了！　

最近一直有人问我，market very bad，有没有想过经营什么副业？ha ha... 我前阵子是有想过开个甘蔗水店，又无需动太多的脑精，又无需太多本钱。也许以后失业后，可以想一想。

其实，好几年前，还在 GMP 时，曾经有个奇怪的念头。ha ha...因为每次午餐吃得太饱，午饭后都好悃，好想小睡一会儿，哪怕是 5 或 10 分钟，我也爽！我记得曾看过电视 documentary 说过午睡能够恢复精力，对集中精神工作有一定的帮助。所以，我想要在 CBD area 开一间专门让白领阶级的上班族能小睡片刻的地方。地方不需要太大，也不需要什么装璜，只要 partition 开10张床就行了。那里会以最少 5 分钟来计算，extension也是以每５分钟计算，不过 charge 多少我还没想过。Maybe 我可以成立一个 member's club，每光顾 60 分钟，就送 5 分钟。Hee Hee Hee Hee...　不过地点是个问题。

Michelle 抽中了 Pinnacle @ Duxtor，调皮的 Michelle 说要把房子租给 KC... KC 便打趣的说不然把房子租给 Evelyn 吧。Great idea! 有意者，请与我联络。

This book is by one of my fav authors - James Patterson.
I came to love his books after reading "When the Wind Blows", it's about 6 flying kids running from crazy scientist...

Back to this book, it's the 7th book of the Women's Murder Club series. The Women's Murder Club is formed by a homicide inspector, a DA, a medical examiner and a reporter and togther, they track the killers.

If you like Homicide or crime thrillers, try this one.

Ordered a clam chowder + garlic bread + seafood platter for 2 @ $50.20.

The seafood platter is a complete disappointment. The portion is shabby for its price - 1pc of fried fish + garlic rice + fried + small portion of calamari + 4 not very big prawns are given. To my great disappointment, there isn't mussels in the set. The garlic rice tasted like normal chicken rice.

Although the service was not too bad, I don't think it's worth spending at this restaurant.

My parents came back from China last nite.

Before the trip…
Fenfen: 爸~ 要换多少人民币?
爸: 换一点就好，没有什么东西买？

Last nite (at the airport)…
Fenfen: 你们不是说没有东西买，为什么行李这么多!?

And I spotted something… Mulberry silk blanket aka 蚕丝被.
Remember when I went to the Suzhou mulberry silk factory with my parents in my secondary school days. Can’t really remember the process of making the silk blanket, just remember the presenter say this blanket is make of 蚕宝宝, you can feel it breathing when you use it, it is 冬暖夏凉 and it’s good for 鼻敏感的人. So my darling parents bought one of those fascinating blanket. Singapore don’t have 冬 lah, so whether is it 冬暖夏凉 I dunno. But I really love the 蚕丝被! You can really use it on cool and hot weather. BUT…

Fenfen: 为什么又买蚕丝被？我们每个人都有了还买?!?
妈: 要给你当嫁妆

[…]

It's 15/11/2008, 6.30am in the morning, 原本很安静的早上，我的手机的铃声却在这时响起。原来是男主角发来的简讯--"Operation fetching Mrs Crab begin!" 想不到，Crab是第一个结婚的同学。我当然不渝余力，volunteer to be a "driver"。不过，有一点identity crisis, 不知道自己是“兄弟”还是“姐妹”。haha....

Crab其实是我大学的好“姐妹”，而我就是他的好“兄弟”。学生时期有学生时期的烦恼，crab一直在身边支持我，不晓得他还记不记得，他曾对我说过：“我不会做任何会伤害我们友谊的事。”老实说，我很感动，有个如此知心的朋友。谁说男女之间没有纯友谊？我俩就是最佳代言人！我们是rag n flag认识的，晚宴上crab请的NUS同学也都是rag n flag的“兄弟姐妹”。有可能是因为we have been thru a lot of shit together then,所以感情特别好。非常想念大学的日子....　不明白为什么我们当时不喜欢回家，每天不是就地而睡(in sleeping bag)，就是睡在arts club那个又脏又臭的couch上。记得我们以前常说：＂We eat together, sleep together, bathe together, and shit together.＂Haha...不知道内情的人一定会get the wrong idea！

Crab is always full of ideas. 这一次的求婚大计crab也下了不少功夫。He actually get people to take pictures from all over the world, and in the pictures, there's a msg saying "SAY YES TO WAI LEONG". So romantic!希望他们永远幸福！

Sometimes when our job gets too monotonous, it's always good to have colleagues like Ms Pang. She's practically the walking joker, bringing happiness to us.

Scenario: Customer came to branch to ask her son's name as mandate for her safe deposit box. Not too sure of the procedures...

Son: What if I lose my safe box's keys?
Ms Pang: I would strongly advise you NOT to lose your keys.

Ms Pang, you sure you call this an advise? [...]