NaNoWriMo 2008!

So I've decided to participate in this year's NaNoWriMo. Short version: it's a group writing exercise, where every participant attempts to write a 50,000 word "novel" within a 1 month timeframe. I found out about it last year through a friend, and gave it a shot. I barely managed to get to 10% of the target word count. Hehe. Quite miserable, I know. But I've decided to give it another go, to try to write freely, and not be so hung up on constructing everything so "perfectly". Wish me luck! :-)

Service with a smile – in Singapore

We – meaning Malaysians – have a long way to go.

I just came back from a week-long trip down to Singapore, and I have to say, I’m impressed. It’s been absolute ages since I’ve been down there, and I can’t really remember much of my previous visit, so I don’t have much to compare to. With nothing to compare progress to, it still bears noting the level of development they have achieved. The bizarre road-markings aside, downtown Singapore looks like any other developed city should. But it’s not the physical development that I’m most impressed with; it’s the human development.

I’m not sure where they picked it up. Maybe it’s part of their school curriculum, or part of their military service training, or their regular government announcements/indoctrination (seriously, look at all the signs, and even the announcements in the MRT!), but wherever they get it from, they’ve mastered the “service with a smile” attitude. At least, they manage a very decent job of projecting it to all tourists.

From the cab drivers, to the MRT staff, to store clerks, to the guys at the foreign exchange counters, to the hotel staff, everyone seems to put on a welcoming face and provide good, friendly service.

One anecdote I’d like to share was an experience at the lobby restaurant at the Hotel Re! (brand new chic hotel, opened just 6-months ago). We knew the hotel was new, cos even the (very friendly!) cab driver didn’t know about it, and we were curious how new it was. So we asked the wait staff, but he didn’t know. So he went to his supervisor, who then came over to our table, and then shared with us the brief history of the hotel (converted from an old school). That’s what I call friendly and helpful service! (Interesting aside: the wait staff was this young Chinese guy, young enough to be a student, and the supervisor was a not-as-young Malay guy, both speaking good English – no surprise – and interacting like normal in a work environment, which, frankly, you don’t see enough of in similarly multicultural Malaysia.)

Even Dubai can’t match this level of service, which seems to permeate every level of society. I don’t have to be some white-guy staying in 5+ star accommodations to get good, friendly service. Imagine that!

Friends...?

A random thought came to me, and it made me pause.

All of a sudden, I’m wondering about friendship. Specifically, about when the last time I could actually – comfortably – say that I had friends. Not someone else’s friends. Not acquaintances. Not co-workers. My own genuine friends. People who wanted to spend time with me, for me, and actually did. People I could talk to about shared interests.

I’m not ungrateful enough to think I’ve never had friends. Of course I have. I remember the times. But I was much younger then. The “world” was smaller.

And maybe I do now. Yet… I’m hard-pressed to think so. I mean, truly believe that I do.

This random thought reminded me of that quote:

”No man is an island.”

Which led me to think of the movie ”About a Boy” (no, it wasn’t Jon Bon Jovi who said that; it was John Donne). And that made me smile.

So not a pointless random thought after all. At least it didn’t leave me completely depressed.

Sneaky cybersquatting (of sorts)

In my earlier post on Azafia's art, I had mistakenly identified the website of the organizer. I had gotten this, instead of the real Expat website. Kinda sneaky.

Azafia's art

I just got back from Expat Expo 2008, an expo organized by Expat, where Azafia and a few of her friends from GIS were doing some paintings. They worked on it all day, from around 10am til around 6pm, and the artwork is supposed to be auctioned off with the proceeds going to charity.

Not bad. There were 4 collaborative pieces from the GIS students.

Convene the Council so I can get you kicked off the island

In some alternate universe...

DSAI: You have to get the group together. Call a special council.

AAB: Why?

DSAI: Well, I want to call for a vote to kick you off the island, and since you're the only one who can call a Tribal Council, I need you to get the group together.

AAB: Oh.

DSAI: And do it soon.

AAB: Uh... no?

DSAI: This just proves that you're scared to get kicked off the island.

AAB: Sure. Whatever you say. Why don't you just wait for the Tribal Council scheduled in a couple of weeks?

DSAI: No no. It has to happen on my terms. I've already got all the votes I need to get you kicked off the island anyway. It'll just be a formality. So, are you going to call the Tribal Council or not?

I wanna scream!

This is going to be cryptic...

I wanna scream. Scream, scream, scream!

I hate myself for hating my life. Because I know, I have nothing to hate about my life. Not really. Not if I were to be 'rational' about things. I mean, what more can I ask for? What more do I have the right to ask for? What more do I deserve?

Why is it that I'm so selfish? That's what it comes down to, isn't it? That I'm selfish, because I only think about what I want. About what makes me feel good.

Why is it that I can't make sacrifices, for others' sakes?

Why is it that I don't want to change myself?

Why is it that I don't want to adjust to my 'responsibilities'?

Even now, I have to use quotes around that word. I'm trying to distance myself from that word.

Why is it that I can't 'grow up'?

And even that phrase, I put in quotes.

Can I just go and scream now?

Laundry detergent

Item: Laundry detergent, 4kg
Brand: OMO
Price: AED 23.90
Date of Purchase/Survey: 19/12/2007
Place of Sale: Carrefour, Mall of the Emirates

Powdered milk

Item: Powdered milk, Milupa 3, 900g
Brand: Milupa
Price: AED 42.50
Date of Purchase/Survey: 19/12/2007
Place of Sale: Carrefour, Mall of the Emirates

Powdered milk

Item: Powdered milk, Milupa 3, 400g
Brand: Milupa
Price: AED 18.25
Date of Purchase/Survey: 06/06/2007
Place of Sale: Carrefour, Mall of the Emirates

A fair amount of savings compared to Spinneys.

Rice

Item: Basmati Rice, 10kg
Brand: Lehar
Price: AED 39.50
Date of Purchase/Survey: 06/06/2007
Place of Sale: Carrefour, Mall of the Emirates

Rice

Item: Basmati Rice, 5kg
Brand: Mughal
Price: AED 17.50
Date of Purchase/Survey: 15/05/2007
Place of Sale: Carrefour, Mall of the Emirates

Rice

Item: Basmati Rice, 5kg
Brand: Green Valley
Price: AED 17.20
Date of Purchase/Survey: 15/05/2007
Place of Sale: Carrefour, Mall of the Emirates

Chicken

Item: Chicken wings, 900g
Brand: Sadia
Price: AED 11.00
Date of Purchase/Survey: 14/05/2007
Place of Sale: Spinneys, Umm Suqeim

Chicken

Item: Chicken breast, 450g
Brand: Sadia
Price: AED 10.50
Date of Purchase/Survey: 14/05/2007
Place of Sale: Spinneys, Umm Suqeim

Paper towels

Item: Paper towels, pack of 4
Brand: Home Choice
Price: AED 8.25
Date of Purchase/Survey: 10/05/2007
Place of Sale: Spinneys, Umm Suqeim

Toothpaste

Item: Toothpaste, 125ml
Brand: Colgate (Maximum Cavity Protection, Extra Mint)
Price: AED 4.75
Date of Purchase/Survey: 07/05/2007
Place of Sale: Spinneys, Umm Suqeim

Chicken

Item: Chicken drumsticks, 900g
Brand: Sadia
Price: AED 12.25
Date of Purchase/Survey: 07/05/2007
Place of Sale: Spinneys, Umm Suqeim

Note: Looks like chicken is cheaper in Carrefour. This is the same brand, same type, same weight, but it's ~11% more expensive. It'll start to make a difference when you buy more than just a few packs.

Powdered milk

Item: Powdered milk, Milupa 3, 400g
Brand: Milupa
Price: AED 21.75
Date of Purchase/Survey: 05/05/2007
Place of Sale: Spinneys, Umm Suqeim

CD-R

Item: CD-R, 700MB, 52x, pack of 10
Brand: Imation
Price: AED 11.90
Date of Purchase/Survey: 03/05/2007
Place of Sale: Carrefour, Mall of the Emirates