Its my first time seeing such a long queue in the Post Office. Usually I go to the post office up Northumberland which is much smaller, but this time I went to the big one in Eldon Square. I actually lost my way on Saturday looking for the Post Office.
Luckily all counters were open to serve as it is PEAK SEASON when everyone's sending greeting cards & presents.
The British Post Officers were nice and I like the way they serve as they will do everything for you... haha... From sticking the stems and AIR Mail sticker... hehee... YOu dont even need to post the letter in the post box... hahaa... Or Malaysian too do that? Casue I dont do that stuff in Malaysia, so I m not that familar with the Malaysia system.. Haha...
I wanted to insured the letter thatn contains the bank draft, but guess what, PEOPLE DONT INSURE PIECE OF PAPER... haha... How silly am I... haha..

After the Post office, I went to the Royal Theater to purchase the tickets for Romeo and Juliet musical play which will be in the January. I did something really STUPID!!!!!
When I purchased the tickets, the nice lady asked me whether do I have any student card or what so ever cards that enables me to have any discounts. I showed her Veronica's student card and I got a 50% off my ticket!!! AH!!!! 50% off!!!!! I should have told her I got 2 studnet card, cause she didnt actually ask me to show her any IDs.... That way Dan's ticket will also be 50%!!!
Ah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW DUMB AM I !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AGAIN !!!!!

Something bad happened in the house, Brian met an accident last Saturday (sorry for the late update). His car skidded in the round about cause of the wet and slippery road. It was raining last weeek, and the temperature was horribly low, ice and fross were form on the road. Maybe thats the reason his car lost control abit... and bang on a huge tree. Thank God no one was hurt. Veronica was in the car at that moment and the car crash against the tree at her side * Ouch *
Cant imagine their feelings in the car? haha... Is it like in the movies, where it kept on spinning and spinning? haha...
Just thank god everyone's fine. ANd of course, God, please bless my Grandpa with a speedy recovery... * *

What a week. I have been working flexi since Tuesday to accumulate hours so that I will be able to have a straight 13 days off from 24th to 3rd Jan 2006.
I thought working flexi during weekdays will be more torturing than working flexi during Saturday. But to my surprise, its much easy to work during weekdays.
The past two Saturdays were HORRIBLE to me. Cause on Fridays during the morning, I got to work in PPA till 3.30pm, right after the first job I got to Royal China and work till 12.15am... then sleep at 1.30am. Then the next morning, got to wake up at 7.45am to work in PPA for my flexi till 12.30pm. Right after that I got go to Royal China again at 4.30pm. THIS MEANS I gotta stay awake for 18 hours and work for 13 hours!!!!!!!!!!! SHIT!!!!!!!!!!

Luckily for me, this Saturday is the last Saturday I got to work in the morning. I am just too glad to sleep in during the Saturday morning cause I think this whole weeek is just enough for me...
My eyes were like PANDA's eye.. with black circle and now I am having a severe headache (maybe not that severe la.. haha)...
Next Friday & Saturday will be much much much relax for me.. I hope.. haha..
Gotta sleeep now... Night guyss...

~ Christmas Spirit ~

ManDy

Pay Day in Royal China

The pay day was absolutely hilarious.
It was Saturday - PAY DAY!!! Everyone was happy... everyone but me... haha... sort of. I was more of anxious, not knowing what's my pay going to be =P.

When Lee handed me my envelope, it was so thin. Haha... From my experience of examining ang paos' during CNY... It tells me its LITTLE!!! I thought it would be rude & awkward situation to open that in front of the boss.
When I got into Alan's car I opened the enveloped... Dang Dang... £10 notes ~ !!! AH !! ~ Automatically my mind tells me that its £10 per day. WHy I had such idea? Cause before I left, he told me smiling - This is some money to MINUM TEA... NOT WAGES!!! What can you expect after getting such WARNING!!
I was too shock and sad to continue counting the exact no. of notes in the envelope. My mind sort of went blank.
Although I was prepared for the WORSE situation - NOT BEING PAI, it still struck me pretty hard. Spending hours there and not being paid.
I actually suggested going over to help up my brother as December month is the busiest month of all year. With tonns of holidays back to back, people just dont want to cook & I cant imagine how busy, exhausted & stress my brother will be. THerefore I sort of volunteer to go and help.

Dan told me his view of his boss. If he -

1. Pay me £10 per day - its so typical of him - super stingy
2. Pay me £15 per day - a okay boss who pay quite reasonable
3. Pay me £20 per day - it was a unexpected thing. If he does, he is really good TO ME.

It might look little to you guys, but to be honest, I am like a vase there... haha... doing nothing much.. haha...

As New Year's coming, we chinese has this calender thing which tells us all the important dates in the chinese calender. Lee has this idea to distribute it to all the takeaway customers. It would be very busy for my brother to check the list of customes & answer the phone & tie the bags all at once. Especially during Fridays & Saturdays which are the PEAK days of the week.
So here I am - to just tick and check whether have the particular customer received his/hers calender. Dang Dang... SO whats my job? TO TICK... haha.... Since I that freeee, of course I help up with my brother to tie the bags and write the house no. of every customer on the bags. And at the same time just CHAT... haha...
With such work load, what pay would you give? As we were pretty clear with the Boss's history, we were expecting a 10 or 15. So when we saw that £10 , we werent surprise at all.

I came home and called mum to complain about the pay. WHile talking on the phone, I sadly open the envelope and guess what - there is 4 piece of £10 note.... AHAHA>.. It wasnt 20 ... It was 40... lol...
It means I get £20 per day sitting there ticking, wrapping watching chatting... haha...
If I am not there 'working' I would be at home going online doing basically craps... haha... So its sort of a good way for me to spend my time cause this way I get extra ££££.. haha...

What a exciting PAY DAY huh ~ ~

Royal China

Its my first day for my 2nd job. I was really anxious and scared cause I heard so many neagtive things about the boss, Lee, how easily he get angry and scold you, all the high expectation etc.
But everything turns out to be pretty smooth and nice. The only bad thing might be the part I was dead tired after workin in the morning and then going there again for 7 hours.

Wondering what's my job there? I am not a counter(not fast enough), not a driver (no license) nor any asistant in the kitchen (not capable). So what's my job?
Sitting next to a table, check whether have that particular customer (the house no.) received his/her 2006 calender. Then when the order is done from the kitchen, I just tie the plastic bag and write the house no. on the bag for the drivers. Thats all I do in that shop. Haha...

I am greatful that I got this job with my brother with me. With he being there, I will not be bullied (only by him I guess) and if I cant handle anything he is there to help me. So basically I dont have much stress. Maybe at the beginning when everything is so NEW to me. I freak out at the first 30 minutes cause I just scared I done something wrong or what. He told me to chill and just dont do anything... haha... Just take it easy and everything is easy... and thats true... haha...

Besides my brother being there. I am greatful to be there to know how lucky I am.
Seeing the chefs in the kitchen cooking made me realised that even more. They have to stand next to the fire place for hours cooking non-stop. Carrying a heavy and hot wok and kept on stir frying the food. Then the other guy who is incharge of wrapping the food container with paper and bags is another pitiful guy. The chips are red hot from the oil and he got to wrapped them in a paper bag with his BARE HANDS!!!! ANd the food container which are made from aluminium.
I screamed throwing the stuff on the table whenever I touch them. How can you hold it for that long when its so hot? I can see from the window that their finger tips were all red and puffy cause of the heat and pain!!! I felt so sorry for them, but thats their job. Nothing can be said or done.
Everyone who thinks their life is like shit hell just because they cant buy branded, or own a car or any other small little matter, come and see for yourself what life is all about. How tough to make a living, and how greatful they should be.

There is so much more I want to write about my working experience there, but I am too tired to do so >,<...
Will update them later... when I get all my energy back... Till then... Good night =)

Embarrasing

Its soo embarassssssing >,<
I was dead hungry when I finished work, therefore I went to the Indian grocery shop next to the bus stop near my house. I wanted to buy a packed of chillie potato chips which cost 39p. I didnt have any small change but only a £20 note. That bang ga li refused to take my note and say he will only accept small notes and coins. I was like "SHIT?!!" It was an awkward situation, me standing there holding the bag of chips HELPLESSS and other customer queueing to pay >,<.
All in the sudden, a light shone down at me. A nice guy standing next to me gave me 40p to pay for my damn chips =) . Actually... I wanted to put back the damn chips and get my asss out of that shop... But that guy just offered me... and he sort of insist... haha...
I actually refuse to take the money and he (i think) did wanna keep his 40p back, but all in the sudden, I dont know what happen to my hand, I took the 40p from him!!! I didnt do it in purpose!!!! Haha...
The end, I got that bag of chips and had it on the way home... haha...
By the way, he is sort of cute & hot too!!

This is my very first super humilating situation. Couldnt buy stuff although you have MONEY!!!

TOday I got a quite surprising news from Stacey. It seems that Lisa had given the office a 2 weeks notice that she is leaving. Dang dang... Thats bad news to me, as the work load is going to be more and more. Stacey is also planning to leave when she gets the reply from TESCO.
If she too gone, I cant imagine the work load.
The current situation is bad enough for us. With only about 4 people doing the P2 work, we might not be able to meet the cut of on this Friday. Imagine loosing 2 people? haha.... I just cant imagine......

Wind Burn

Have you ever heard of skin burning in a 4 seasonal country, besides sun burn during summer? Now there is something NEW (at least its new to me) - WIND BURN. Whats wind burn? Skin burn is caused by too much sun and occasionally by too much wind. ANd guess who had that? ME!!!! Damn it... ANd it HURTs!!!!
The symptoms are red or redden skin that's hot to the touch, a washed out feeling, and mild dizziness.

My skin felt tense in the office and I thought it was normal as I had that sometimes, after having all the wind blowing from my way to work. But this time is much much severe. It all shown out only after I finish my bath after work. My cheeks were swelled. ANd the minute I applied my moisturizer, my skin STINGS!!!! AH!!!!!

Then when I checked the vaseline, I just realized there is something call WIND BURN!!! Damn it... Its a autumn 'disease' cause of the strong cold wind. THe wind is much stronger during autumn than winter's. Thats why I didnt have that problem when I just arrived in the UK.
Now I hope that it swells more tomorrow so that I have a good excuse to apply medical leave. Hahaha.... * finger cross *

SO friends who are in overseas and who is going to overseas... Pay note for that. Especially Chong'en in Switzerland.