Friday, May 25, 2007 . 2:24 AM

Everyday I wake up to more surprises.

Sometimes, I wonder if the past 6 months have been a dream. Someone I thought I knew turned out to be someone I didn't know at all. It really throws me to be so wrong about someone.

I never wanted to feel so bitter about leaving a company. And I always thought that I can maintain good relations with past employers since all my ex-employers thus far having only good things to say about me.

So, this current situation really comes as a huge surprise.

First was the termination.

Seriously. How can you terminate someone who is already serving her notice period?

Secondly, how can you demand the same person, whom you have so callously terminated, to be on call 24/7 to settle some clients?

Thirdly, is it remotely sensible to demand accountability from someone who is no longer part of your company?

Fourth, is it right for you to keep threatening the same said person not to pay her so that she has no choice but to do what you instruct?

I am very hurt by the turn of events.

I have stressed repeatedly that I did not want things to turn ugly, yet this is precisely what happened. Amidst finger-pointing, accusations and threats, I finally realised how horrible it feels to be betrayed by someone you respected and believed in.

I used to admire his creativity and how much time and effort he put into his work. Now, I just want everything to come to a screeching halt.

I have tried my best to co-ordinate between the client and a very busy colleague. I have had enough of answering accusing emails questioning my integrity and work ethics. My conscience is clear. In the length of my employment, I did what I was supposed to, when I was supposed to. I may not be the best employee, but I gave my best in all I did.

I took my responsibilities seriously and I resent anyone who doubt that. Until that last day, I maintained my professionlism and never once let it slipped to the clients that I was leaving the company. I pride myself on my professionalism and he has absolutely no grounds to doubt me. None whatsoever!

He has given me the cold shoulder for the entire month. He spoke to me only when necessary. And when he talked to me, he refused to look at me. He did not reply my emails. Not unless he had specific instructions to give. Not a word of thanks when I did what he asked asap. He only has impatience for me.

I suffered everything without complaint.

But why should I take this attitude from him? Because he is paying my salary? Seriously, will he pay my salary this month?

I really have my doubts. With his track record (he dragged an ex-colleague's salary and owed another ex-colleague his CPF contribution), he is fully capable of refusing to pay or delay paying me for an extended period of time without reason.

I wouldn't be surprised. I have ceased to be.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007 . 2:48 PM

This week started on a very bad note.

It makes me scared to think what the rest of the week has in stored for me...

The latest bad news in the slew on bad news that awaited me (failing my basic theory exam, facing screwed-up people, falling ill, etc) is STB's rejection of my event application.

How can they decline my application for being TOO COMMERCIALISED?! That's the dumbest thing I've heard.

Come on people, Orchard Road is the Mecca of Commercial-ism (if there's actually such a word).

Open your eyes! You think the IR is for fun, peace and laughter? How can they have such... ridiculous double standards?!

Oh, I'm simply so mad!

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 . 11:00 AM

Apparently, marketers and publicists are fond of pulling the Midnight Launch stunt for publicity.

Yes, I've been attending class (IMC) and hey! I was actually listening in class! The lecturer just mentioned Microsoft having a midnight launch for one of their product launches and here I read that Harry Potter will be holding one in New York too.

Alright, I know this obsession with HP 7 is unhealthy, but I can't help it okay? I can't wait for all 784 pages of gripping storytelling.

To stay off the topic of HP, allow me grip about how I detest people over-using the phrases, 'You agree or not?' and 'It's a chicken and egg thing.'. Notice I said over-using as opposed to saying it once or twice.

I hear 'You agree or not?' about 2,000 times in lecture, so much as that I want to scream. His 2nd favorite phrase is, you've guessed it, 'It's a chicken and egg thing.'. I so want to tell him that the chicken and egg thing is passe.

Many afternoons ago, I was bored and was surfing Yahoo! aimlessly when I stumbled across the answer to the chicken and egg question.

The answer is: egg came first. The chicken is probably a product of evolution.

So Mr Chua, there you have it.

The egg came first.

Can we stop with the annoying phrase already?

Please?

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 . 2:11 PM

I was just searching for a picture of BreadTalk's famous Pork Floss Bun to put in my powerpoint (don't ask) and Google just spewed a whole slew of food review blogs at me. Isn't it amazing how obsessed Singaporeans are with food?

4 out of 5 blogs are about food. Even yours truly is guilty of trying her hand at food reviewing once or twice. No doubt my recent weight gain has got something to do with binging, but the most amazing thing is that I haven't been eating gourmet food. Nope, I'm just obsessed with Omelette sandwich from Highlander Coffee, this quaint little cafe at Kampong Bahru. I've consumed probably 10 sandwiches last and this month and I'm not sick of it yet!

I have got to lost weight man... Elsie and Alvin's ROM is less than a month away. I'm gaining weight, got not new dress and no gift ideas at all. I hope this month will zip by so I can enjoy my break. I'm not looking forward to having no income though. That will really put a damper on things.

But what I'm really looking forward to, and see if you can't guess:

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS!!!

I've got to pre-order the book, only I can't decide where? Singpost? Popular? I'm inclined towards Popular since I've ALWAYS bought my Potter from them. Besides, its convenient. Oh my Lord, slightly more than 3 months to the end of things. Of course, the hot debate is whether Harry will die at the end of book 7. I'm hoping not, but you've got to brace yourself for crappy endings cos if I'm the author, I'll definitely want to torture my readers like that.

Yes yes, I know I'm a sadist, so what's new?

Well, for the sake of argument, if he dies, I hope it's very very justified and not just to end things. That would be a really bad way to end a legendary series. Nothing I've read compares to the Potter series. The imagination, the creativity, the research, it all boggles the mind. Do I sound like a rabid fangirl? I hope not cos I can't claim that Rowling is my favourite author or that Harry is my favorite fictional character.

My favorite author would always be L.J. Smith. And my favorite ficitional character: Julian of The Forbidden Game Trilogy. The tale was (me and a million other fans suspect) inspired by the Greek tale of how Hades, the God of the Underworld kidnapped Persephone, daughter of Demeter and Goddess of Spring, when he gazed upon her brilliant beauty and fell desperately in love with her. Julian embodied Hades of course, just a gorgeous, moody, temperamental and oh-so-sexy version of the dour Greek God.

There is something very romantic about why Hades is so attracted to Persephone. She is everything that he craves, the light to his darkness, and he probably believes that she can save him from himself. Of course, in reality, no one should be responsible for saving anyone, but in fictional/mythical tales, I find the idea wildly romantic.

Which is why I fell in love with The High Lord series by Trudi Caravan and with Twilight series by Stephenie Meyers. But let it be known that I'm very, extremely disgrulted with THL's ending. It was crappy to the max. Why did it have to end like that?!

But the most pressing issue is this: I have no more books to read!

Friday, May 04, 2007 . 4:57 PM

My friend says that I should get another tattoo to change my 'branding'.

That came from nowhere, but not really since I 'asked for it'. Aaron and I were just mindlessly chatting (and sharing gossips - mainly me supply him with gossips since he was in the backwaters of the America continent) when it suddenly popped into my mind what I have been considering these past few days.

Getting a new tattoo on my ankle, left ankle. Why would I want to put myself through the pain again? Maybe cos people can't see the pain I went through for my first tattoo? Actually, it doesn't matter much cos the reason I got the last tattoo wasn't for cosmetic purposes. But now, if I do get a new one, it will be somewhere that people can actually see.

And ankle... well, it does sound a bit contrived, but it's better than putting it on my lower back. There is the over-crowing issue and also the pain factor to consider, not the ideal spot. Arm... nah, not ever! The back of my nape, I'll like to keep that place unmarked, thank you very much. So that doesn't leave me with many choices. The left ankle it is then!

But even before we go there, I have this branding issue to think about.

In my last class on branding, our lecturer, the sassy Ms Gen Woo, told us to think of ourselves as products. So that got me thinking. If I'm a product, what kind of positioning would I have, who are my target audience and what do I want to say to them.

As a product, getting a tattoo is akin to improving your product packaging. And if you'll only do that to reinforce your branding message or if there is any real improvement on the product itself. (Ha! I've been reading up on branding books, does it show?)

Let me see, what is my position? If I'm a type of pastry, I want to be tiramisu. Sweet, with a bitter aftertaste and the best part, it gets you high. I want to be the type of person whom you would never quite know what to expect. Unpredictable.

Sociable one moment and loner the next. Wild as a tempest in a teacup.


Now, my question is this: will my target audience buy my positioning? Do I have to offer promotion or incentive? I hope not! I'm a luxury goods okay? It's the intangible benefits that's pricey and that sets me apart and above from the commodities.

See, my $3.3k per semester school fees is paying off. I'm spouting branding/marketing theories like the best of them. My lecturers would be so proud.

Hence, in conclusion, I want that tattoo and I can have it cos it enhances my branding.

An event would be held (this is marketing comms) for when I get it, but before that, intensive marketing research would have to be carried out. Will keep you updated with my research report.

Meanwhile, adios!