When I'm at work, Friday can't come fast enough. But when I'm on leave, I wish Friday will never come! But it's Friday already! 1 week's gone and only 1 week left! Why why why does it have to be so fast?! Unfair!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Well deserved break
3 days of flea at Changi Expo. Not too good - the crowd was very thin. I think it was due to multiple fleas and F1. But anyways, I cleared a lot of polishes - I focused only on polishes this time round.
I am officially at the start of my 2 week break. Took unpaid leave. I really need this to take a good break off work and to concentrate on my business. Though it's not going to generate any income during this 2 weeks but they are the foundations of the business which I desperately need to lay.
I have been neglecting the business since I started work. My website's almost dead and apart from the shops, nothing's really riding so I need to focus.
I wanna write a proper business proposal as well and visit some banks to look at the possibility of taking a loan, be it business or personal to bring the business to the next level. I need to get serious about it.
So although it's a break from my everyday job, I will still be working.
I am officially at the start of my 2 week break. Took unpaid leave. I really need this to take a good break off work and to concentrate on my business. Though it's not going to generate any income during this 2 weeks but they are the foundations of the business which I desperately need to lay.
I have been neglecting the business since I started work. My website's almost dead and apart from the shops, nothing's really riding so I need to focus.
I wanna write a proper business proposal as well and visit some banks to look at the possibility of taking a loan, be it business or personal to bring the business to the next level. I need to get serious about it.
So although it's a break from my everyday job, I will still be working.
Monday, September 19, 2011
TheBlogShop Singapore SUCKS!
Long post - beware
For budding blogshop owners out there listen up!!! Please take this seriously as I am writing based on my experience and from what I hear/know from other blogshop owners.
If anyone of you out there is thinking of renting a rack space with TheBlogShop - STOP - honestly! I'm not joking. DO NOT SIGN UP WITH THEBLOGSHOP! The management crew and their way of managing the business will force you to vomit blood!
I signed up with them November 2010 - at that time, things were going very smoothly and I was happy with their service. As their popularity soared, their attitude and service went the other way, BIG TIME! It got even worse when the best employee they had left the company to start a shop of the same concept on her own.
Imagine this - I took up a space in Far East Plaza and ITE Chua Chu Kang. We are promised sales report at the end of every month and cheques are available for collection from 15th of the following month.
I signed up for 2 spaces in ITE because of fake promises made by Clarence (I totally have no idea who the hell he is but I guess he's the Master - owner's son). A young chap in his young twenties who drives an SLK new with an ugly plastic girlfriend with a bitchy attitude. ITE was supposed to start in March but it never did. We were not updated with the progress but money paid.
** Oh btw, TheBlogShop takes only full payment upfront for the number of months you want to rent plus 2 months security deposit ie if you are renting for 6 months, you have to fork out 8 months rent up-front.
Text messages sent but no replies. Phone calls always unanswered. Finally we receive an email saying ITE will finally start its operation by end April and told all vendors to start stocking up. We did but no sales. ITE still did not open. It wasn't until 9th June that ITE finally began its operation but SALES SUCKS!
Since it started operation in June, I have only received 1 sales report from ITE. I have been liasing with Clarence since Lili's departure from the company. I have been chasing for the report since early July but did not receive it until first week of August. That one done BUT I'm still missing ITE's sales payment!
Then came the big bang - my FEP sales payment bounced! A cheque of SGD600+ bounced! I contacted Clarence on 25th August to report this case. He only came back to me on 31 August 2011 asking for the amount and then quiet (I sent him a reminder SMS everyday). The next time I heard from him was 2nd Sept and he asked for my account number so that he may credit the amount directly. Nothing until today. How convenient.
Clarence ALWAYS makes excuses and empty promises. Never once was seomthing acted on promptly. What sort of businessman is this? And they say they are a big company with many offices overseas? I bet they are on their way into bankruptcy because I have spoken to many tenants of Far East Plaza and they have nothing but complains - chqs bounced, payments asked to be stopped, not chqs etc. All to do with money. It makes one wonder is this company in some financial problem?
Then I threatened to go to Tribunal Court. I want my goods from ITE back, I want my bounced chq to be reinstated, I want my sales reports for ITE and I want my sales payments for ITE (since JUNE!!!!). Again, I have to go after Clarence for all of these for weeks and finally he gave me a schedule to follow - in the end, disappointment. NONE was kept.
Tell me what do you understand from this sentence:
Your deposit chq will be ready on Monday. ITE chq will be with deposit chq.
My interpretation:
I can collect all the mentioned chqs on Monday from Far East Plaza.
Of course when I called Far East, none of those chqs he mentioned was there for collection. What do you expect me to do? Call Clarence right? After 10 calls, he still refused to pick up my calls. So I text him a super nasty SMS - he replied.
Clarence's interpretation:
I said the they'll be arranged today - most likely in the evening. Your goods + chqs delivered tonight as I had mentioned in the previous smses that they are ready today.
Hi Clarence, I know you said they are ready today so why is it I cannot collect them today? They are ready for you or me? Don't play with words and be more professional.
I have contacted a lawyer to see if there is anything to be done in such instances. Let's see what they come back with.
So girls/boys, please, I beg you, to save yourselves from heartache, stay away from TheBlogShop. Really. You can also help us vendors by stop frequenting their shop - stop buying at their shop!
For budding blogshop owners out there listen up!!! Please take this seriously as I am writing based on my experience and from what I hear/know from other blogshop owners.
If anyone of you out there is thinking of renting a rack space with TheBlogShop - STOP - honestly! I'm not joking. DO NOT SIGN UP WITH THEBLOGSHOP! The management crew and their way of managing the business will force you to vomit blood!
I signed up with them November 2010 - at that time, things were going very smoothly and I was happy with their service. As their popularity soared, their attitude and service went the other way, BIG TIME! It got even worse when the best employee they had left the company to start a shop of the same concept on her own.
Imagine this - I took up a space in Far East Plaza and ITE Chua Chu Kang. We are promised sales report at the end of every month and cheques are available for collection from 15th of the following month.
I signed up for 2 spaces in ITE because of fake promises made by Clarence (I totally have no idea who the hell he is but I guess he's the Master - owner's son). A young chap in his young twenties who drives an SLK new with an ugly plastic girlfriend with a bitchy attitude. ITE was supposed to start in March but it never did. We were not updated with the progress but money paid.
** Oh btw, TheBlogShop takes only full payment upfront for the number of months you want to rent plus 2 months security deposit ie if you are renting for 6 months, you have to fork out 8 months rent up-front.
Text messages sent but no replies. Phone calls always unanswered. Finally we receive an email saying ITE will finally start its operation by end April and told all vendors to start stocking up. We did but no sales. ITE still did not open. It wasn't until 9th June that ITE finally began its operation but SALES SUCKS!
Since it started operation in June, I have only received 1 sales report from ITE. I have been liasing with Clarence since Lili's departure from the company. I have been chasing for the report since early July but did not receive it until first week of August. That one done BUT I'm still missing ITE's sales payment!
Then came the big bang - my FEP sales payment bounced! A cheque of SGD600+ bounced! I contacted Clarence on 25th August to report this case. He only came back to me on 31 August 2011 asking for the amount and then quiet (I sent him a reminder SMS everyday). The next time I heard from him was 2nd Sept and he asked for my account number so that he may credit the amount directly. Nothing until today. How convenient.
Clarence ALWAYS makes excuses and empty promises. Never once was seomthing acted on promptly. What sort of businessman is this? And they say they are a big company with many offices overseas? I bet they are on their way into bankruptcy because I have spoken to many tenants of Far East Plaza and they have nothing but complains - chqs bounced, payments asked to be stopped, not chqs etc. All to do with money. It makes one wonder is this company in some financial problem?
Then I threatened to go to Tribunal Court. I want my goods from ITE back, I want my bounced chq to be reinstated, I want my sales reports for ITE and I want my sales payments for ITE (since JUNE!!!!). Again, I have to go after Clarence for all of these for weeks and finally he gave me a schedule to follow - in the end, disappointment. NONE was kept.
Tell me what do you understand from this sentence:
Your deposit chq will be ready on Monday. ITE chq will be with deposit chq.
My interpretation:
I can collect all the mentioned chqs on Monday from Far East Plaza.
Of course when I called Far East, none of those chqs he mentioned was there for collection. What do you expect me to do? Call Clarence right? After 10 calls, he still refused to pick up my calls. So I text him a super nasty SMS - he replied.
Clarence's interpretation:
I said the they'll be arranged today - most likely in the evening. Your goods + chqs delivered tonight as I had mentioned in the previous smses that they are ready today.
Hi Clarence, I know you said they are ready today so why is it I cannot collect them today? They are ready for you or me? Don't play with words and be more professional.
I have contacted a lawyer to see if there is anything to be done in such instances. Let's see what they come back with.
So girls/boys, please, I beg you, to save yourselves from heartache, stay away from TheBlogShop. Really. You can also help us vendors by stop frequenting their shop - stop buying at their shop!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Gotta be patient
I have been applying for jobs internally every now and again whenever I see something interesting - both expats and local positions - since end of last year. Nothing has come out of it so far - I have had a couple of interviews but none was successful.
A couple of weeks back, I don't remember when actually, I applied for a job which I really want (I'm actually applying only to jobs within this department in different countries - it is similar to the one I was in in Moscow and Genoa) - String Manager position in our sister company.
Was called up for an interview last Wednesday and though I won't consider myself standing a good chance but at least I was shortlisted. I gave up on the idea to move, IF i ever do get offered, when I met the head of department. A very difficult lady.
Anyway, to cut the long story short, I was called into a room by my current manager on Friday. The moment we were on our own, he said "I heard you applied for a job". He said this with a smile on his face - he didn't call this meeting to reprimand me or anything but just out of concern why I am thinking of leaving the department - his team.
I told him how I felt - how tired and frustrated I am. Most importantly I'm not happy being stagnant where I am. I told him that the new position is something I've always wanted and he knows that, plus it is a 2 job grade jump for me. I've been in my current position for way too long. I told him that by moving there, though a smaller company, I see room for growth which I don't currently UNLESS I take over his position. He said he'll try his best to push me up to that level of job grade but he cannot guarantee it since it will take management to agree. But I told him though it's gonna be a better job grade and better pay but it's still the same shit everyday. There still isn't anymore room for growth, unless I take his place.
At the end of a half an hour long conversation, his closing summary to me, in his own words "I always want my team to move up and improve. If it was others in the team who are applying to move on to a better position, I would give my blessings. But if it is you, let me tell you straight in your face now, I won't allow that. You are my shining star and best sales person I have." Don't be mislead by that sentence - he was smiling and can see he meant it.
That means I can stop trying to apply to any jobs anymore since any hiring manager who might potentially want to hire me, will not succeed coz current manager is able to stop the hiring process. I feel flattered but I am still not happy here! Damn!
A couple of weeks back, I don't remember when actually, I applied for a job which I really want (I'm actually applying only to jobs within this department in different countries - it is similar to the one I was in in Moscow and Genoa) - String Manager position in our sister company.
Was called up for an interview last Wednesday and though I won't consider myself standing a good chance but at least I was shortlisted. I gave up on the idea to move, IF i ever do get offered, when I met the head of department. A very difficult lady.
Anyway, to cut the long story short, I was called into a room by my current manager on Friday. The moment we were on our own, he said "I heard you applied for a job". He said this with a smile on his face - he didn't call this meeting to reprimand me or anything but just out of concern why I am thinking of leaving the department - his team.
I told him how I felt - how tired and frustrated I am. Most importantly I'm not happy being stagnant where I am. I told him that the new position is something I've always wanted and he knows that, plus it is a 2 job grade jump for me. I've been in my current position for way too long. I told him that by moving there, though a smaller company, I see room for growth which I don't currently UNLESS I take over his position. He said he'll try his best to push me up to that level of job grade but he cannot guarantee it since it will take management to agree. But I told him though it's gonna be a better job grade and better pay but it's still the same shit everyday. There still isn't anymore room for growth, unless I take his place.
At the end of a half an hour long conversation, his closing summary to me, in his own words "I always want my team to move up and improve. If it was others in the team who are applying to move on to a better position, I would give my blessings. But if it is you, let me tell you straight in your face now, I won't allow that. You are my shining star and best sales person I have." Don't be mislead by that sentence - he was smiling and can see he meant it.
That means I can stop trying to apply to any jobs anymore since any hiring manager who might potentially want to hire me, will not succeed coz current manager is able to stop the hiring process. I feel flattered but I am still not happy here! Damn!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Only in Malaysia
Traveled like we do everyday from JB into Singapore in the mornings. There is also 2 lanes at Malaysian customs which is open to traffic. How do we know the lane is in operation? Green light will tell us that is accessible and red means otherwise.
2 queus as usual. We noticed the lane on our left only has 1 booth open. The queue was pretty short - when the queue is short, avoid it. Rule of thumb. It only means that it's slow moving. Anyhow, I always prefer the right lane anyway.
Anyway, I stayed on the right and was surprised that all the cars zoomed past without much problems. And taa daa what a surprise! All the booths were closed! None was in operation so nobody stopped for passport checks at all! If you are Malaysian, that will not be a problem but imagine if you are a Singaporean. You are actually leaving the country without immigration checks? I promise you will be having a hell lot of problem trying to get back in the next time.
In fact, one car which was in front of me switched lanes. I was wondering why. Now I'm pretty sure he's a Singaporean.
Only in Malaysia!
2 queus as usual. We noticed the lane on our left only has 1 booth open. The queue was pretty short - when the queue is short, avoid it. Rule of thumb. It only means that it's slow moving. Anyhow, I always prefer the right lane anyway.
Anyway, I stayed on the right and was surprised that all the cars zoomed past without much problems. And taa daa what a surprise! All the booths were closed! None was in operation so nobody stopped for passport checks at all! If you are Malaysian, that will not be a problem but imagine if you are a Singaporean. You are actually leaving the country without immigration checks? I promise you will be having a hell lot of problem trying to get back in the next time.
In fact, one car which was in front of me switched lanes. I was wondering why. Now I'm pretty sure he's a Singaporean.
Only in Malaysia!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Happy birthday grandma! And happy wedding Joe + Yi Xia!
September 11th - a very different day for different people. Of course you can say that everyday is different for different people but to me it is a day of happiness and sadness.
September 11th 2001 - a sad day - terrorist attached World Trade Centre in USA. Many lost their lives. Terror cells made their presence known to the world in a big way for the first time. So big, all countries in the world, especially allies of the United States shook (you can even hear their knees knock!)
So far seems like a peaceful September 11th in United States to me.
September 11th is my grandmother's birthday - a happy day. She's 92 this year! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANNY! I wonder how she celebrated this day yesterday. I forgot to call mum yesterday.
Another happy day for another couple from this year on is Joe and Yi Xia who got married yesterday! Congratulations! I was the driver of the bridal car hehehe......bet you have never heard of a lady driver huh? I dressed up like a Jap schoolgirl. Unfortunately I don't have any pics of myself in that attire at the moment. Hopefully somebody with camera caught it and will post it up soon!
Here's how the groom, bride and the cronies looked like yesterday! Laugh it out!
September 11th 2001 - a sad day - terrorist attached World Trade Centre in USA. Many lost their lives. Terror cells made their presence known to the world in a big way for the first time. So big, all countries in the world, especially allies of the United States shook (you can even hear their knees knock!)
So far seems like a peaceful September 11th in United States to me.
September 11th is my grandmother's birthday - a happy day. She's 92 this year! HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANNY! I wonder how she celebrated this day yesterday. I forgot to call mum yesterday.
Another happy day for another couple from this year on is Joe and Yi Xia who got married yesterday! Congratulations! I was the driver of the bridal car hehehe......bet you have never heard of a lady driver huh? I dressed up like a Jap schoolgirl. Unfortunately I don't have any pics of myself in that attire at the moment. Hopefully somebody with camera caught it and will post it up soon!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Happy happy happy
Reminding myself that I have to live my life happily. Haven't been truly happy for a long time - since......I left Italy really. That is a long time for somebody to stay unhappy right?
Damn right it is!
I have made a conscious decision to be happy now! It might not come naturally since there is nothing happy happening in my life right now - I am NOT happy (so? sue me). Momentary and short-term happiness doesn't count - for example, happy coz I got the camera I have wanted - that doesn't count.
I have dedicided that this is going to end. No more unhappy days! I mean WTH we don't live that long and what's the point wallowing? If the marriage is failing, so be it. If job sucks so be it. If my business fails, so be it. So everything and everybody else goes against me, so be it.
But I will continue to live my life happily - I will move on. I MUST get out of this shit-hole.
Damn right it is!
I have made a conscious decision to be happy now! It might not come naturally since there is nothing happy happening in my life right now - I am NOT happy (so? sue me). Momentary and short-term happiness doesn't count - for example, happy coz I got the camera I have wanted - that doesn't count.
I have dedicided that this is going to end. No more unhappy days! I mean WTH we don't live that long and what's the point wallowing? If the marriage is failing, so be it. If job sucks so be it. If my business fails, so be it. So everything and everybody else goes against me, so be it.
But I will continue to live my life happily - I will move on. I MUST get out of this shit-hole.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Happy Birthday To me - Belated
Another year has passed - I celebrated yet another birthday on 31st Aug, which also happened to be 2nd day of Hari Raya + Malaysia's National Day.
Since in Singapore, only the 1st day of Raya is a holiday, I took leave on my birthday. Not much of a celebration - went out for extremely late dinner the night before and met up with 2 friends in a pub after that. Finally got home at 5+am..... :s
Woke up around noon and went for Bak Kut Teh lunch with a friend. Relaxed at home after that - not as if there was so much time left before the next working day loomed. Sian......
However, highlight of this birthday - hubby got me the camera I have been wanting to buy since March!!!! =p I couldn't decide between S95 and G12 (Canon) since March. Also, part of the reason is I couldn't convince myself to buy it since my ol' faithful Olympus is still very much alive and kicking. But whatever it is, I am happy :)
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