This blog is all about me, and anything about me. Be prepare to be loaded with lots of food, movies, music, grumbles and even some foul language. This is the place for anyone who knows me, even on the most superficial level. Enjoy and hope you know me better each day. (please adjust your display setting to Unicode)
The Day sai-lou Came Back
Yes, he finished his Euro-trip, with only 4 piece of Vienca confectionary as souvienr for us.
But I think the day itself is more interesting than him coming back.
On my way back to lab, there's this PRC student approached me on which stop to get off the bus. Quite normal actually, but not till she asked if I am from mainland. My days in Beijing really had deep impact on me already.
Lunch time, asked my Shandong goodfriend along, and had western food. Nothing special, until his 2 other friends, one lost his wallet, one left it in hall, tagged along. They are actually people in my school actually, but how often do we talked to each other?
On my way to Jurong Point to meet lou ma zi, to wait for lou dao, to go down pick up sai lou, I met my Japanese speaking friend. He told me a very interesting story: He was at a eatting place for lunch alone when 3 Japanese ojisan join his table. They started talking about their extra-maritial affair, totally unware that my friend understand every single words they are talking.
Never realise how the side dish of a day can be more interesting than the highlight itself.
// sprinkled by wing_0 @ 5/29/2007 10:40:00 pm
Franchise = Entrepeurship?
One thing I hate about local business world is the embracing of franchise. As long as some Tom, Dick and Harry is moving his business to franchise, he is like the top story on papers, like some superstars on the gossip pages.
The problem is, often times it starts to franchise, which is very common among F&B, the quality goes down the drain.
In the so-called entrepeurs' mindset, to franchise is to make their business big, so they can earn more. In doing so, their concern shift totally from quality to quantity. This may be alright for other industries, but for local F&B, it is the begining of the doom.
I mean, go down to any Ya Kun for a cup of coffee or a piece of toast, and go back to the main outlet managed by the bosses themselves, the difference is so significant, you want to spit out the glass you get from the franchise outlet.
Some franchise owner may be better, where by the food taste good in one, but sucks in another, and spoil the branding all the same.
The thing is, what franchise does is suppose to sell a brand through more channel, managed by the people who is closest to the customers, let them decide the strategy, but not compromising the quality. Take Subway, which ever outlet you go to, you get the same fresh sandwich; the only things differs will only be the discount meal they have, which varies from each outlet.
Why can't the local franchise branding learn something from them?
I am not sure is it because purely the bad taste of quality of the owner themselves, or purely the corrupted idea of franchising, but I can be sure that if they decide to offset quality for profit, very soon, there won't be any profit left.
// sprinkled by wing_0 @ 5/27/2007 09:10:00 pm
1 year
And so, she will be leaving in less than 10 hours, and we are still at where we left off. This time, she will be away for more than 1 year, as she's going for internship under AISEC programme. She will only come back to Singapore to continue her bond after that. However, I did not even got the chance to bid her a proper farewell. Can't contact her on MSN, nor her phone. Though I may still see her online once she is back home, there is still something I had not told her face to face yet. But maybe, I am not ready to tell her yet This 1 year will be a great time for me to actually to think about it, cool myself. 1 year I will wait, and 1 year later, I will be readying myself to ask that question, and accept the answer which ever it may be.
// sprinkled by wing_0 @ 5/19/2007 09:49:00 pm
Ma-Cha Day
Hell lot of people celebrate Mother's Day. I sort of did it this year, but the money comes from her instead. The thing is, we went out to Liang Court/Mediya today, and it is a situ I will really ma-cha today. For the first time in my life, Liang Court's carpark exit is filled up by cars. The whole street out to the main street was jammed. The reasons are rather simple: 1) Audio House is having a promotion that day, and the biggest, most interesting outlet is at Liang Court. 2) It is, none other than, Ma-cha day, so every tom dick and harry is bringing the family out. I can't imagine how it is like on Orchard Road. On the road, it is another ma-cha matter. The number of bad driver on the roads is totally horandous. The tricks up these peoples' sleeve is unlimted. By the way, what the way is ma-cha? I think you all understand it after reading the brunch of rant above. Anyway, it's lou ma zi's idea to call it that way, simply because she don't really give a damn about it, and it icks her a bit when the booking of the dinner is timed last week, all because it was a week before the day. Happy Mother Day to your mum, and Happy ma-cha day to lou ma zi.
// sprinkled by wing_0 @ 5/13/2007 09:14:00 pm
Mezzaluna
It's Mother's Day this weekend, and after so many years, I decided to get lou ma zi something. After hearing her yearning for a mezzaluna (as shown above), that she saw Nigella Lawson use till so song on TV, I plan to get here just that.
Originally, I plan to fork out my own money and give her a surprise. But, I am so bad at keeping secret from her, that I told her about my idea during lunch outside today. And so, she pay for it when we buy it at her favourite kitchen store.
Afterall, be it she or me paying for it, it's their money. It's better off I save the money for my future.
Either way, she will be testing it out tommorrow.
And I forseen sai lou using it for his chocolate moose, and I certainly don't mind...
// sprinkled by wing_0 @ 5/09/2007 06:45:00 pm
Originally, I plan to fork out my own money and give her a surprise. But, I am so bad at keeping secret from her, that I told her about my idea during lunch outside today. And so, she pay for it when we buy it at her favourite kitchen store.
Afterall, be it she or me paying for it, it's their money. It's better off I save the money for my future.
Either way, she will be testing it out tommorrow.
And I forseen sai lou using it for his chocolate moose, and I certainly don't mind...