The Licence to Pay

There's this customer who complained to my manager about me not being sentive enough on who should pay for the bill after a meal in a restaurant. After that, he still requested to talk to me personally.

Man:"Of course it's the men who should pay for the girls! If your boyfriend brought you out for a meal, SURE you'd expect him to pay for you right?"

Me (thinking): "WHAT?! No... Firstly, I won't EXPECT anyone (friends/dates/boyfriend) to pay for me at the first place, especially not at a high-end restaurant which serves fancy food, unless they tell me before hand that they're treating me for some reasons, like birthday or to show gratitude or something. Secondly, it'll be we-pay-for-our-own-meals policy, so-called A-A Principle. Or, we take turns to treat each other. Personally, I have no problem with my guy friend letting me taking the honor to pay, occasionally. And, if it's the girl who paid at the end, I strongly believe it's actually a humiliation to the guy(s) at the table if I hand the bill to them before that. I've seen equal amount of times women paying for the table with the presence of men and vice versa. Even if it's a bit insensitive of a waiter to do so, I usually place the bill on the table without facing anoyone in particular. Unless: If it's apparent that it's a family and who the father was, I'd hand the bill to him; if it's only one adult and some kids then to the adult; if it's unavoidable then slightly more often I'd place the bill nearer to a guy or anyone who expected/called for the bill. So what's the problem?"

But apparently I don't have much choice in this case. So my answer was:

Me: "Yes, sir, I'm sorry about that."

Happy Valentine's day =)

I Am Hired!

Went to debate training-cum-selection camp in Bangi during the last weekend. Spent great time there. Really *smile*

A lot of juniors turned up, and happy to be able to catch up with the seniors. Jokes aside, I also miss the time we went Al-Faris again for dinner, without the juniors, haha, and the cheese nan was awesome!

On another note: I just came back from interview in KLCC. I'm hired! Yay! First day of work will be on the morning of 24th Nov 2008, a Monday. Wish me the best of luck in this new job! But most importantly is my coming exam.

OK. Got to go. Take care, people.

Tried Anything New Lately?

YES!!

I've tried job hunting. Really hunting as in, even if there's no sign saying they have vacancy but I also asked them for it. Nah, not that I'm really THAT desparate. The reasons why I wanted to get myself a part time job after my final exam are:

1. I'm going to stay back in KL anyway, to continue with my lab work. I got to halt all lab processes for my thesis now because the exam is coming in two weeks time, I got to lock myself in the room and (hopefully) really push myself to study. To compensate the time lost, while others are having their full blast of holiday, I'm going to spend my time in a humble little lab and search for parasites in water sample - for one month ++.

2. I plan to visit my sis in Newcastle after I finish my final year. That'll be around May next year. By hook or by crook, I got to squeeze at least RM4700 for the flight ticket. My target of saving RM100 from RM600 motnhly pocket money is nearly reached for this month, but there're still rooms for improvement. Wish I can achieve higher saving during next month because it is an exam month hence I don't (and shouldn't) go out a lot.

3. If I were to stay in hostel during the semester break, I still got to pay the rental for my hostel. The amount will be around RM150. It'll be good if I can pay with my own means and don't always ask for money from dad.

4. I guess it'll be pretty boring if every morning I work in lab then come back hostel in the evening to stare at my wall and repeat the routine for the entire holiday. I'll go crazy in no time. I know it'll be a good time to do some readings, but if there're some cool jobs out there now, why not give it a try?

So, here are some restaurant I've tried:

1. Starbucks in Jaya Jusco, Wangsa Maju - Last weekend I saw that they're hiring baristas and walk-in interview was available. But as I reached there, there's no longer a sign for it. That's the thing. After Alison and I walked around the mall for a while she encouraged me to ask the person in Starbucks straightaway if the vacancy is still available. At first I thought it's very memalu-fying! Yet Alison said there's nothing for me to loose. So, yeah. And it turned out that the vacancy was acutally for Starbucks in One Utama. Dang~ Alison was right, I got nothing to loose :-)

2. Starbucks in KLCC - There was a banner saying they're hiring Baristas! I guess it's better I didn't make it to the interview in Jusco just now because from my campus to Jusco transportation wise is quite convenient but not quite so from Jusco back to my hostel after work late at night. I talked to the person in charge, who, *ahem* is a quite a cute guy. I filled a form and am now waiting for phone calls.

3. Chilis in KLCC - I actually planned to come here after I was rejected by Kinokuniya. Have I told you about Kinokuniya already? Never mind, it's been the past =) June told me Chilis pays well, and working there is quite fun. She may be working there for a week or two after her finals. The person in charged asked me to return there on next Tuesday afternoon, maybe because the interviewer wasn't in. Anyway, I guess it's good that the interview has to be carried out later because I wish to get an answer from Starbucks first and see what do they have to say about my job there. I don't want to say something like "I'll confirm with you later" if I can help it. It sounded very unsincere from me lah. And I'd honestly slightly more prefer working in Starbucks because I love Starbucks more than I love Chilis. I do love Chilis food, but not the the Chilis concept as a whole.

We'll see how things work out then :-) All the meeting-with-the-person-in-charge didn't give me the chance to know the salary yet, because I reckoned it's best I don't ask during the first time we meet. And I honestly do not really care how much Starbucks will pay me as long as they hire me =) Because,

It's something like:

And oh, after that, Alison and I went for Sakae Sushi! Camwhored as we got in:

And we both agreed that their Strawberry Daifuku worths second trying!

What a day!

how does it feel..

How does it feel, when you wished to have a gulp from the cooling tin of Pepsi, the way the liquid quench you thirst, yet you don't have enough money to buy it?

How does it feel, when your children pleaded you to let them have a go on the pony toy machine yet you don't have enough money to insert into the machine to let it go alive?

How does it feel, when you know you are working in a foreign country and have to post money back to family in hometown yet the boss you are working under cheated your salary by giving you less than you deserve?

How does it feel, when you had nothing to buy from the supermarket yet you purchased a tiny little lolipop just to have a conversation with the cashier?

How does it feel, when a boy who looked like below 18 came and bought cigarette from you, but you dare not ask how old is he for fear of offence and had to make the business dealed anyway because you boss is watching?

How does it feel, when someone ask which country you were from and how the country is now, all you can say about your mother land is.."Oh, it's no good.."

I've been feeling these emotions in just three days at work. I was working in a supermarket near my house which business cannot compare "hyper"market like Jusco (or maybe mine is mini market and Jusco is supermarket). Most of the customers are from lower middle class or third class consumers. Some of them can afford occasional satisfaction of desire like purchasing junk food, a bottle of beer, a packet of cigarette (and, ok, condom as well). Some of them make a huge purchase in one go, probably they open a smaller scale market too, hee. But some, have to make long discussion and serious struggle and consideration with their friends just to buy a RM65.00 rice cooker together. There are children who's plea, beg, or even wail at their parent to buy them candy, yet, receive a slap on their face in return.

My job seems to become easier as I learn more everyday. All i need to do is scan and collect the items in front of me into plastics bags, collect money and return balance to customers, end with a "Thank you". If all were done carefully and correctly, everything is OK. On the other hand, it becomes harder at the same time as I seen those scences and feel those emotions inside me. It's more real than a reality TV. They happen everyday.

Whenever a kid received a slap on his face from his parents and started to cry, I always pray inside me: "Lord Jesus, please forgive both the parents and the kid, for they do not know what they are doing. Let Your love bring away the pain on the kid's face and the wrath in their parents' hearts. Please be there for them, they need a Sheperd."

Whenever I received an extensively folded notes handed carefully from my customer, I pray that: "May Lord give them sufficient in their lives."

I'm also very willing to pray for those who came and bought cigarette from us. Aleast to reduce the size of purchase from 20 cigarettes per box to 14 cigarettes per box, then to targeting Hacks instead of cigarette and finally, not to see them living in crave for cigarette anymore.

And from now on, whenever I met a foreign worker, it's either I shut up and don't ask where they were from or I don't ask them how's their motherland OR, I pretend I don't know Sri Langka is in no good condition due to the Tamil Eelam issue.

wannabe a cashier?

Ha~ that's the question i got from my current boss Mr. Yap through a phone conversation on last Sunday, the Sunday when I just finished my debate training camp in KTSN.

Previously i went to this supermarket JMS near my house to be interviewed for a (part time)job there. Well, i was turned down because I can only work for him not more than one and a half months. Honestly speaking, it wasn't the first time I was turned down due to short duration of availability. Whenever i tried to look for a job during my semester break, i get this reason in return all the time.

The invitation however, seemed to come in the perfect, if not better timing. Come to think of it, I went for the interview before my debate training with a desperate heart. It could just be a slip of tongue for me to promise my boss that I can start work at any time, and leave the hassel to negotiate with my boss about taking leave for my debate training camp later. Or maybe I'd just give up the training-cum-selection camp? because I've felt the pressure when I read the motion list Ai Huey posted to me. Now, I've been through the training camp and was selected, then only come the call, hee! So I might just go to work obediently till end of June and earn myself some extra pocket money.

I've negotiated with Mr. Yap today regarding my departure in the end of June. He said it's fine, as long as I inform him 3 days before I leave. I started my work late (4/6/07) and am thinking of leaving early (not on the last day of June la), I can't help but to feel pai seh(guilty) la. Hence, I offer to work even on my off days. Dealed. I'll be working full shift during my off-days.

First day at work, as usuall, you got to ask for guidance and learn from "seniors" there. I was given the job as a cashier. So I'll be working with this cashier machine at the counter for most of the time. Other time will be spent chatting and lepaking around the supermarket when there is no customer or when I'm not on duty as a cashier, hee hee~ Hope this machine is willing to work with me also, as I have a kinda high level of technophobia. Things seemed to be OK for the first day because my "senior" who taught me about the machine said I learnt pretty fast, yay!

There are more things to be written about even it's just the first morning shift in my first day at work. Things about my seniors-cum-first friends at work who are ever so cheerful and helpful at the same time and my *ahem* handsome group leader who (disappointingly) is a smoker...NOOO~~ handsome guy should never smoke..smoking just spoilt their reputation and make me have to kick them out of my *ahem* list. sigh..

OK, got to sleep now, tomorrow I'll be working from 10am to 10pm(full shift). And I really don't want to be late for work.