Who you are makes a difference to my life

the white beauty!

sounds great too!!! though i still cant figure out how to use the sustainer properly, but I swear it looks exactly like what is in the brochures and stuff, which is great. Though i was quite pissed when there was a made in china sticker on the back of the guitar. No i didn't pay 1200 bucks for a guitar made in fucking red china. Not being racist or inflammatory, but its just simply cause china-made guitars are total crap! Like, ok so maybe it is assembled in china or smth, i duno, or maybe someone decides to give me a scare and stick it on...

yea it sure is pretty, though the company is a bit queer... they gave me a user manual, which is entirely in Japanese, and it's a general Fernandes manual and doesnt feature my guitar inside -_-...

then they included tremolo arms and some springs which are generally used for tremolos when, gasp. There is no tremolo slot for my guitar! which is really, really really strange. and oh, for the guitar to work it is a must to have a 9V battery in the battery slot, even if you are not using the sustainer, because the whole guitar was converted into a freaking electronic circuit.

Yeap, we have a few songs written waiting to be perfected and recorded, so watch this space for the smashing debuts. With my gleaming new white angel. =D =D =D

otherwise, today was some kind of an adventure for me, passing off as a uni-grad facilitator/tour guide for xavier's company, for some secondary school in Singapore

Who you are makes a difference to my life

This of course, is something thought up to raise their morale, and through some disagreement some teachers just refused to give them to the students, claiming it's not sincere. I mean like what, you have your students and think they are that hopeless that you won't even say this kind of motivating sentence to your charges? Dumb shit teachers la. How to educate the future generation properly like that?

Anyway, so we had to give the students these ribbons instead so I did, and I told everyone I handed the ribbon that he/she really enriched my life today and made a difference.

Of course, one key difference they changed to my life was.

I've decided to never ever ever ever be a teacher, especially if I have to handle them

We travelled all the way to Changi Chapel for the learning journey stuff, and for such a small small place (it's a very nice place btw) to control 35 rowdy, mischievous and hyperactive kids was clearly out of my ability lah. We were told to be fierce and all but I really couldn't bring myself to scream at people, so ended up their teacher took it upon herself to barely manage to control all her students through a combination of threats/punishments/screaming while on the bus journey as well as in the museum itself. Which is kind of funny because I've never ever been to that place before, and I'd think I acted like I have been there for many many times with other groups, cause from the moment I stepped in I launched into a great narrative about the exhibits and told a lot of stories (half of them true) I scrubbed off the internet.

Of course most of them probably weren't listening to me but there were some who were pretty nice =) Yea but still I'd not be a teacher cause looking at their teacher, she looked like she was about to faint.

I mean, like SEC2 guys actually pierce their ears and wear diamond studs openly. Like he's obviously just a kid. And some girls, sec2 talking openly about sex and everything. Was kind of a culture shock to me, I mean yeah in Cat High we get it worse but I mean, its not when you review the situation as a young adult that you get the repercussions of what you are actually seeing.

I mean the teacher can casually tell the student that he/she should just quit school and don't throw the school's face.

Yea, sure was an experience... now waiting for my job applications to actually have someone replying to them... or is that a bogus webbie.

I fought the law and the.... law won!!!

Breakin' rocks in the ... hot sun
I Fought the Law and the ... law won
I Fought the Law and the ... law won
I needed money, 'cause I ... had none
I Fought the Law and the ... law won
I Fought the Law and the ... law won

I left my baby and I feel so bad
I guess my race is run
Well, she's the best girl ... I've ever had
I Fought the Law and the ... law won
I Fought the Law and the ... law won

Robbin' people with a . . . SIX gun
I Fought the Law and the ... law won
I Fought the Law and the ... law won

I miss my baby and the ... good fun
I Fought the Law and the ... law won
I Fought the Law and the ... law won

I left my baby and I feel so bad
I guess my race is run
But, she's the best girl ... I've ever had
I Fought the Law and the ... law won
I Fought the Law and the ... law won

I swear, this is such a kewl song! =D

weeeeekenddd.... i stiiillll lauuuggghhhhh uuuu!!!

Nah the only thing I love right now is dollar signs and my guitar! The best news that made my week, my long-awaited white beauty is finally in Singapore! Yea, and the second good news is the final price is the expected $1200 -odd before discount, which means I'm not short by a lot. Ok actually it's quite a lot, but I can manage that amount. The bad part is because of some very complicated transfers involved to bring the item in, the guy said he had to wait until next week to bring it down to his shop from wherever they keep it, and another few days to handle the paperwork before I can finally test it out and bring it home. Which means I have a few more days to wait. Well, at least now I know where and what exactly is happening to it so I can't complain.

To the Yamaha salesman, thanks a lot! I know I've been pretty irritating asking about the guitar these few weeks and stuff, but yea.

Anyhow there are really some things I can't fathom. The band kinda disbanded in the space of 30 seconds. Ah well, better than dragging such things along. But I've made other plans yea, and being put in a really tough spot doesn't help me one bit.

Either way, my contract at that god-forsaken call centre should have already ended but that fat bitch reminded us of our "Obligation" to finish the project, making us stay on till Tuesday at least. I don't mind, cause that's an extra 100 bucks for my paycheck, and I'm still looking for other jobs anyway. I applied for relief teaching so if I get it i'll really be quite happy, cause there shouldn't be any complications working for MOE, right? And they blatantly had a column "For student pass holders" so I guess I'm not ineligible.

Talking about ineligibility, I am rather depressed from my online job search... my most preferred job would be as a graphics designer, but even those temp positions for graphic designers insist that you have a degree or diploma in graphics design, and to make sure you're not some fucker with a bit of photoshop knowledge. Well, as of now the only cert I have is O levels, so I can kiss my employment chances there goodbye...

Also many jobs say for Singapore or PR only. Like makes me so lonely yaknow. Just cause some loser who can't find a job loses his job to a more skilled foreigner doesn't give him the right to deprive someone more suited for the job a chance. But fuck it, it's not my country anyway. Hence it is triple difficult for me to find a job in SG at least until I am halfway through University and interning somewhere, thereafter getting a work permit and slogging here for a few years.

Or of course, my other plans might just take off and we go touring =D

Right, feet on the ground.

Work tommorow, that's not too important. Arsenal Manyoo is more important. To say the truth I was extremely elated to see Chelsea play like a mid-table team against Liverpool, who incidentally -ahem- got trashed by Arsenal Reserves at Anfield. So I guess that's a positive for Arsenal and the rest of the league yeah? If there's a better time to beat Chelsea, now's the best time.

Hm, someone suggests that I open my own freelance graphic design service and undercut every other fucker in the business. What say everyone?

Hundred plus phone calls

That's how many phone calls I make a day, on average. If only I could make all those calls to my friends instead, that's how bored I am during the job... I am currently working in this telemarketing company as a temporary agent, and this particular assignment requires me to call people for this company called Symantec... It's a very boring narration but I thought I'd just give it a mention, yeah.

So I started work like last Wednesday, and went for a 1-day training session, and got paid about 30 bucks for 1 day of slacking. Thursday was my first full day, took a half day on Friday and worked the full day today. Dunch know how much that amounts to... about 190 I think, minus lunch expenses and travel fare, about 170? Anyways, it was an interesting job for the first hour of Thursday, after that it becomes so repetitive I usually close my eyes and rattle on whenever a call gets connected. And it gets even more boring because the chances of a person who picks up answering your question is about 10% only.

Number #1 cause of rejection is either he/she is busy at the moment, he/she is not in the office or there is no such person.

Number #2 cause of rejection is simply the wrong number/number not available/not interested

Number #3 cause of rejection is the most irritating one, which is answering the questions halfway when the person decides he/she isn't comfortable with telling a stranger about "intimately confidential details" such as my servers run on Microsoft Windows XP.

When #3 happens usually I'd curse some vulgarity when the phone is put down and complain to my next desk people...

And so, the max successful calls I ever made was today, with 39 calls, only behind one guy called Jacob who got 46. The quota per day --> 60. A number set by the fat obnoxious bitch of our project leader who simply divides the number of contacts left altogether by the number of agents. And she proclaims she can easily reach 35 calls in half a day so 60 should not be a problem.

Of course cause we are so shorthanded today she happily goes to call people. And she only managed 8 calls by the half-day mark.

I know I am boring people, but thats how work really is. Yea, and unless people want to know about how I spent my day sleeping, the only thing more interesting I can imagine posting is this:
THE GUITAR I ORDERED!

Damn those people at Yamaha, the guitar has been delayed for quite some time, and it won't be ready anytime soon......

Anyway I imagine I'd be pretty happy with the guitar cause Fernandes made it, and Fernandes is a pretty well-known niche brand for excellent sounding guitars, and the fact that they HAD to make it for me makes it even more special.

Yea. Next time/

two thousand and seven!

Within the blink of an eye 2006 is also over, as I remember it was being touted as THE dreaded year for us, with the A levels and some irritating SC projects to plan and undergo.

Review of 2006:
Despite all the negative things that happened, well 2006 was really an enriching year for me, particularly the experience of handling events and people in SC, which I am finding to be very useful when dealing with assholes and scumbags. Now I find that the meticulous detail that we plan our events for actually makes us better employees, because unlike others we scrutinize detail and hence produce better work, which endear us to our employers and secures us some pretty decent pay. Yea, whatever.

Anyway, it's time for the new year resolution(s). I have never ever made a resolution on new year and got it done with, and I don't think 2007 will be different. But I'll just say it anyways.

1. Have a fruitful 7-month break: Since I don't have to go to the army as all the other guys have to, this 7 month break before University life should not be wasted. Hence my plan is to find work for the first 2 or 3 months and then go on trips somewhere with a couple of friends.
2. Save enough money to buy a bass guitar, another guitar and effects: I think bass is really fun to play and lots easier than playing guitar. Hence I shall buy a bass guitar (very possible cause I just want a cheap one). The part about another guitar is just pure speculation, cause I suppose I would be very happy with my Burny Guitar, which is finally coming after all those waiting.
   
3. Go for singing lessons: Don't laugh, I think I might enjoy such lessons.
   
4. Work at at least 3 different places and environments: To open my eyes to more environments, know more people and update my views on life. Also to train a poker face which I can use to deal with assholes and hypocrites in future.
   
5. Quit being second fiddle-ed: I'm better, so don't try to put me down cause you're crap.
6. Be nice to people who are truly nice to me: I'm a skeptic at heart, so this will be hard. But I'm sure it'd be possible.
   
7. Be more appreciative of what I have: Many people are less fortunate, so I want to be appreciative of what I have (it's true ok , I'm not even complaining about my shit-broken laptop)
8. Deal with my A's outcome no matter what happens: Although I'm pretty upbeat about my scores there's that tingling feeling about my exams. So it'd be great if I could handle whatever comes out of it.
9. Meet up with old friends as often as possible: Singapore is damn small but let's not let friendships rot into acquaintances.
   

And I guess that's that for my expectations of 2007. The best part is, of course, as per every new year resolution, the odds of actually completing them are very low. But I'll try cause I have set really easy and achievable resolutions and not things like meeting Thierry Henry and being hunk of the year. But of course, any of the above 8 resolutions indeed make more sense than the last two.

2007 can also be a bad year!

10 grouses about 2007:

1. Adult fare: grrr........ forgot to tap my EZ-link once already. That's a freaking $1.90
2. Big fat obnoxious bitches as my superviso: What can be worse? But at least it's an experience...
3. Male coursemates who would be 2 years older: when I get to university it's gonna be damn awkward.
4. Everyone else going into the army: I'd feel sooooo alone. * sobs *
5. After these seven months of no-school, there will be no other long breaks in life before we step out into society.
6. With no canteen food to speak about, lunch and other expenditures will increase by a few hundred percent this year. Refer to adult fare.
7. Arsenal isn't gonna win the league. DAMN.
8. I'm actually backing Man Utd to win the league. WTF.

Ah, anyways, to all who still bother to read this blog, have a good year ahead, sincerely, from the bottom of this heart. Yea.