Things to do...

... when you have nothing to do. Introducing ...

Top 10 of Everything of 2008

Also..

Top 10 of Everything of 2009

And since it's only half way through 2010, i dont think there is one for this year. I'll update again once 2010 is over, but then again i might not coz i'll forget to do so. HAHAHHAHAHA!!

Enjoy folks!

Do you have what it takes to be...?

Interestingly on my off day, while i was plainly reading news feeds on Facebook (what's there to do besides this?), away from work, away from the service industry and all, i came across this article that's shared by a restaurant business (yes i "liked" their page).

It's quite amusing whereby the following 2 articles that i'm about to share has its own take from both sides. Be it you're a wait staff or a customer, read on to see if you have committed some of these do's and don'ts. I'd say i myself have made some mistakes here and there but hey, interacting with people is a way of growing up to become a better person (or a server), ain't it? :)

So here goes:

1) If you have been in the service industry for a couple of weeks or even years, some of the things that are listed on this article might reflect part of your doings. Hope it helps to sharpen your service skills.

2) If you claim you are a good customer, never make any fuss on petty things or whatsoever while dining in, read this and see if you really have what it takes to be a good patron.

However, i wont say that this is the standards for all service staff as you might have your own customs and do's and don'ts. This is a reference ONLY.

Happy reading!

Preparing Ahead

Based on my not-so-keen observation, i believe that most of my peers are about to graduate soon, mostly with a degree that they are proud to have wherever they got it from - unlike me, who is still stuck without it. HAHAHHA.

Anyway, i just read an article on Yahoo! news and i'd like to share it with everyone, whether or not you are entering the next phase of life - working. Looking for an ideal job you've always wanted is hard, but getting an interview for the job you've always wanted is no less easier, unless your parents own the frigging company or you're just too darn smart or anything. Haha so yea, i'm talking about people in general like me. So how do you secure an interview?

But of course, with polished resume, an awesome photo attached and with a dust of luck that the officer bothers to glimpse at your resume instead of chucking it into the nearby bin, do you get the interview for the company you wanna work for. However, the challenge is not over. How are you gonna survive the nauseating and stressful interview, where you are being confined in a closed room, and being evaluated by 3 pairs or more of stinking eyes, baring into your soul, trying to grasp who you really are.

Gosh kinda reminded me how i went through my trial interview in school. It was just a practise but boy, were my lecturers intimidating. *gulp*

Well long story short - the lesson is to do proper research and all (and hope that your school has a small session on preparing for interview when you're doing your degree and whatnot) and some tips. So here's the article on what are the questions today's employers ask before they hire their potential employees.

Read the article here and hope it gets your brain working! :D

And here's another article, incase you have a crazy boss. XD

Men Do Everything They Do In Order To Get Laid

This is why men throughout history have had to conquer foreign lands, win battles and wars, compose symphonies, author books, write sonnets, paint portraits and cathedral ceilings, make scientific discoveries, play in rock bands, and write new computer software, in order to impress women so that they will agree to have sex with them. There would be no civilization, no art, no literature, no music, no Beatles, no Microsoft, if sex and mating were a male choice. Men have built (and destroyed) civilizations in order to impress women so that they might say yes.

Women are the reason men do everything. Hahaha

Fascinating? Read more here.

However, i do not know how true the fact is. So you can have your say. I just find it very interesting by the way the author relate getting laid with such phenomenon.

The reason why i came across this article is because i subscribed to WebMD way long ago. They have alot of cool information regarding health, cooking and so much more!

The Scientific Fundamental Psychology Today Blog, as i just found out couple of minutes ago, blogs basically about hard truths about human nature - whether you like it or not. HEHE.

Go read up! You may find something rather interesting and can discuss among your peers. Hope you like it like i do!

Paraskavedekatriaphobia

A relatively cool word.

Definition: The Fear of Friday the Thirteenth, a form of triskaidekaphobia, the fear of the number thirteen.

Usage: The fear of Friday the 13th originated in two fears: the fear of Friday and the fear of the number "13." Why? Well, no one knows so we won't repeat any of the urban myths that have arisen to explain either. The fear of 13 is clearly much greater than the fear of Friday, since the 13th floor is regularly omitted from high-rise buildings, 13th Street and 13th Avenue are often omitted in street numbering, and no one would dare invite 13 guests to sit around the table for dinner--at least one would surely die within a year.

Skeptical? Supertitious? You decide.

Wanna know more cool words ending with -phobia? Click here to check out words that you never knew existed!


(source: dictionary . com)

Loyalty, Strategy, Teamwork

I was at a medical centre nearby my house late morning to get my Thyphoid vaccination for my second semester. Starting this semester we'll be handling food in the kitchen for 3 weeks. But mine doesn't start until June.

Anyway, as it was my turn to meet the doc, Dr. Lim, he gave me more than an injection. He showed me how enthusiasted he is at work and he is as concerned of a patient's education as their health. First he asked why i was getting one and I explained to him i am about to be in the kitchen service and do not want to poison any of my customers.

But my explanation merely satisfied him. HAHAHA. He detailly illustrated me about how the bacterias are passed through etc. He also told me to get vaccinated of Hep A&B and flu as well. No he didn't mean that i should get it NOW. He wasn't forcing me just so you know. And he also told me that this vaccination lasts for 3 years. So if i were to go out to workfield within 3 years and needed the same vaccination, I can go back to get an acknowledgement from him. =)

Then i told him that my friends experienced numbness on their whole arm after 1 or 2 hours they got the vaccination. He then again, explained to me that it's the body defense mechanism to react to the unknown agent and trigger the body to protect from certain bacteria. Maybe i learnt all these during high school but predicatably, i gave it back to my teachers. And funny how my left arm still function normally. kekekekeke.....

Later on, he also told me about these 4 keys - Attitude, On Time, Knowledge and Food Intake. He said it is important for people to have the right attitude when comes to taking care and preventing ourselves from getting hurt. Inevitably, when human reach their sixties, they can't fight certain diseases. But in our early years, we can equip ourselves with knowledge and learn about some medical information. He also explained that having priortise our health condition by giving more attention and regular checkups is crucial. So as the food we eat. He said i was lucky coz i still have an average body size. Not obese. HAHAHA. So i gotta maintain it. And i felt so guilty! I've been having alcohols for past 2 days!! =(

Anyway, there's still more. He also told me about some China history on 3 kingdoms thingy. Beat me, my chinese history subject merely passed. But he didn't kept me long by telling me the whole story. He only told me the essentials. Loyalty, Strategy and Teamwork. It doesn't apply only in the older days but also today. But (i hope) i know that tertiary students should've known about these 3 elements that makes a team successful. So i don't have to elaborate more.

You think this is the end? No not yet. He also gave me a website (http://www.cdc.gov/) saying that this is the only website that provide vital information on a variety of disease and not advertising any health products or drugs etc. He also said that this website is usually used by doctors to refer to so i can skip some info on the website. Unless i am a doctor wannabe in future. ^^ So visit it to know more. =)

For all these, i only paid S$30 and maybe some 15 mins in his office. I believed that his nurses wre abit impatient as there were patients waiting outside. Muahahahhaa..... I also got complimented too! Talk about a good day! Dr. Lim said that i was very receptive towards his educating session and was glad that i listened attentively. ^^

Maybe next time i would pretend to fall sick and visit him. :O

Just kidding!!

So my purpose of this blog is to share with you all about this useful website that might save your life one day.

So enjoy learning and have a good day!!


(Disclaimer: Dr. Lim is not a drop dead gorgeous McSteamy or McDreamy. He's just an average doctor in his sixties. So i am not boy craze after him. In case you guys wondering)

Kaffir Lime

Being a member in the citrus family, Kaffir Lime is an infamous spice used in Thai cuisines. Especially in something we're more familiar with - Tom Yams. yummmm~

Easily identified from its vast cousins in the family, Kaffir lime has rough zest compared to others. It is also important as it gives the fragrant aroma to many dishes, making it appealing to people who likes sour flavour.

But for me, i found another useful thing about this fruit.

Kaffir Limes absorb "dirty things", as in those paranormal thingies. *shudders*

To have believe in it requires personal excounters. Well not me though. How i got to understand this is thanks to my mom. She had few encounters with this fruit. Well not herself as well. Hehhh..

In our bushy backyard, mom has planted one Kaffir Lime tree long time ago. :D She never believed in its power until she experienced it. Come let me tell you some stories....

Some time ago, one of our staff working in our laundry factory had seen one when they went to send some linens to one hotel. As they were unloading to the housekeeping store, they went up to some floor to help distribute those linens. Then one of the workers, Lisa* bumped into one housekeeper and started talking to the lady. They happily chatted for awhile before they left. On their way back to the factory, Aisa* asked Lisa why did she talk to herself in the air for so long and Lisa insisted that she was talking to a middle-aged lady. But Aisa said she saw there wasn't anyone on that floor. And they were silent all the way back.

Overwhelmed by fear, Lisa burst to tears right after they went back to the factory. She couldn't accept the fact that she had seen it and not knowing it. Mom went to understand the situation and calmed her as Lisa described what uniform the lady was wearing. The lady was wearing a white uniform and also barefooted. Unfortunately the uniform of the hotel's housekeeping department is not white. And that was enough to prove.

So the next day, mom plucked one Kaffir Lime and handed over to Lisa and instructed her to put into her pocket when she enter the hotel. Just within 30 minutes going in and out from that hotel, the lime turned dry and when they cut it open, the inside was black in colour.

***

In another case, mom handed some limes to one of our chinese workers, Li* to make some juices as she didn't feel well. (The lime juice is good for the body but i forgot what it is again SORRY!) But the next day when my mom asked about it, Li said unfortunately her brother took all of the limes away.

As she further explained, mom came to know that her brother had encountered "things" in his new outlet that he rented to open up business with his friends (somewhere near the place i used to work back in my hometown :S). He placed the limes at a corner of the outlet in the morning, and by noon, those limes turned dry and the insides were as predicted, black as well.

So mom pitied them and gave them more the next day. Whether they had gotten rid of those things i don't know.

But it was really something to know how such a small fruit can influences us. For me, it's a total new respect to it. Too bad i don't have pics to show coz i forgot to take pic of it before i left home. Heh.....

As conclusion, i do not hold any responsibles whether anyone of you did not have the same outcome from what i've said above. So try it yourself at your own risk and feedback me if you don't mind? :D


*Names have been changed for confidential purpose.