C_Shel_L

2 stories:

1) i have 2 cards with this so-called reputable bank (think of 2 places near or about China) , then when i received my statement this mth…i realised they decided to deduct about 10,000 points which i had been saving to redeem cash vouchers. On top of that, they charge me annual fees! i was damn p*ssed and called up the bank today. Reenactment of the conversation (which i find to be quite funny esp the ending)

Me (M) : hello

Taufik (Telebanker, T) : welcome to H*** Bank, can I help you?

M : This is my problem, kenapa bank deduct 10000 points from my visa. This card I dah lama tak pakai, lepas tu nak tukar points tak cukup – sebab voucher kena untuk RM100 (about 22000 pts required)

T : Ma’am , your points have already expired

M : (started to speak in ultra fast BM mode and pretending to sound really pissed) Adik, I tahu la points expiry. I’m not happy bcos your bank didn’t inform me earlier. I dah lama tak terima statement sebab tak guna then mana I tau bila points expire. Today I terima statement, dahla deduct points, charge annual fee. Cancel card ajelah! Cancel my Master jugak! (soem parts of the conversation was removed as it was repetitive =D about the points la, annual fee la, etc)

T : sorry miss, how about we reinstate

ur

points, then we can waiver the annual fee. Or now I can arrange to redeem vouchers, ok? Your 10000 points can redeem for RM 50 voucher

M : ok. Redeem the voucher then cancel this card. I will settle the mastercard and cancel it too.

T : OK miss, I send voucher to your house address. You dont have to cancel card bcos we will deduct the annual fee also

M : OK. Thank you. Sorry Taufik I bukan marah kat you, tapi marah kat system bank!

What i dont understand is why does the bank have to impose rules such as minimum points reduction…how to redeem la. Then (i learned this from another friend who’s using the same bank), if you call the custoemr service make a BIG HUGE FUSS about some service dissatisfaction, or some other issues - the bank will promise you heaven and earth (like no need to pay annual fees). I suppose the whole ploy is so that ppl continue to use the card or at least continue to own the card and be charged annual fees whether you like it or not!

MY ADVICE : if u r charged annual fees, try calling the bank, make some complaint and if they treasure u enuff, u no need to pay fees (for one year lor!) so, SPEAK UP & u may just get what u r wishing for!

2) the fighting of marketing ploys in the air space.

Well, the 2 flight giants are really making it a field day for us travelers!

Here we have the national carrier offering RM 0 flights to various local destination (I’ve checked it out, they really do have RM 0 fares) with their large RED adverts in the local dailies…then the Low cost carrier decides to dispute the advert by showing facts that BETTER THAN RM0 FARE!

Obviously, the low cost carrier is cheaper…but if u really look hard enough and browse thru for certain flight dates, u pay a little extra for the extra orange juice and pretty MAS crew!

Then again, browse thru the LALAT API…u can get good bargains too! Last trip went to KT and the price was even better than the UDARA

ASIA

… Like I said, better for the passengers!

Hello Malaysia!

Finally back to HOME SWEET HOME after visiting Amazing Thailand with hubby & 4 other frens. Was supposed to be backpacking style…but if u saw us at the airport, we were busy pulling trolley bags & visiting shows (expensive shows) as well as luxurious hotels to view the beautiful skyline of Bangkok at night from SKYBAR! Definitely not budget style!

We had an amazing 6 days, 5 nights trip…so if you think u need help/advice on plannig your next bangkok trip…can contact me lar!

dont wanna write too much but will try to post good photos another day!

Hehe haha

Remember the Advanced Club contest i joined recently (part of my cult activity)…well won 2nd place at club level for the Humorous Speech contest & then advanced to the Area contest.

Firstly, humor is not my forte…it’s difficult for me to speak proper english & make ppl laugh. Frens usually laugh at my weird/animated antics, or funny sound emitting when i sing songs like Fast & Furious (think the chorus where the hanajuku japanese girls seems to be screeching at the top of their lungs!)    Plus i did it just to complete part of my advanced speech manuals.

From area level where there were about 6 participants including yours truly…won number 2 (again!!) then had to proceed to Division level (FYI, several clubs form an area - usually about 4 clubs. The about 4 areas will form a Division. Finally, several divisions form the great District 51 consisting of countries Malaysia, Brunei & Indonesia)    Well, the Division contest was last week & i won …again! but only numero threize - third place. Which i felt was a silver lining bcos i dont have to go to MEDAN for the District 51 convention. It’s not that i dont like Medan…i have another scheduled trip to Bangkok which hubby & frens have been planning for a long…long.. time!

Really cannot wait to go for a break in BangkoK!

Frens will know about my "cult" activity…(but then again, i wouldnt like to label it as a cult) =D

Anyways, took the chance to compete in the recent Humorous Speech contest @ my Advanced Club level, which is not my forte…i will think that i would have qualified for the evaluation contest better. Got 2nd place & ‘had to’ compete for the area level as well. This was a month ago…and also won a placing (not first la!) to continue to Division P level as well.  actually, i only wanted to finish my speeches for my own club & also my next advanced speeches.

Aiyoh…tension la. Let me explain why. The Division P is made up of mostly ‘older clubs’ i.e the contestants are probably Toastmasters members for several years (like > 5 yrs old) & also seniors in sense of experience, qualification, famous (in our arena, that is). =D

now, trying to brush up my speech so that got chance to compete in Medan, Indonesia for the District level instead…which consist of Malaysia, Brunei & indonesian clubs. But if cant win, also no problem bcos the Medan / District contest clashes with the Bangkok trip!

Wish me luck !

I’m so outdated & confused.

With Bookface or whatchacallit… and invites to join cause, compare, etc. it’s just so much work trying to keep in touch with ppl.

i still think frenster is easier . Especially for lazy ppl who only want to do want they want…=D and not too bothered to search for frens, or do too many things at the same time.

Its either that excuse, or i’m simple getting old! hahahaha

=D

just got back from a wedding - hubby’s good buddy’s wedding. didnt realise how small the world was bcos met up with ppl that may have crossed path some 10 yrs ago when i first started going out with my hubby.

reminiscing the old days when i was still young & "atheletic" as the ppl were mostly from Catholic High school & played during form 6 games. =D And then the form 6 t-shirt was created by none other than my kindie fren. =D

so small la this world…hubby snoring bcos drank too juch during the dinner hahaha

It’s funny…how when u get older /more mature you dont feel like making a big hoohaa on the birthday.

=D the final year that i can proclaim i’m twenny sumthing.

so, i’ve decided to write a wish list instead. similar to those gift list for weddings (since i didnt have one then & it was always easier to accept cold hard $$ for weddings…) Here goes my wish list:

1) Being accompanied by close friends and loved ones for makan, wine & fun! That’s the most important!

2) Cool looking Starbucks thermal flask thingy with changable wallpaper

3) A book : WINE ENTHUSIAST MAGAZINE-ESSENTIAL WINE TASTING KIT (ISBN #10-0762427507) from MPH

4) wine rack…ha,ha,ha, (That will definitely cost a bomb! or i can start building one =D )

5) Resolve to start getting fit & healthy in preparation for little me. HA HAH HA!

hope i dont sound too greedy!?!? maybe as i think of other things, i will add them later.

ok…it’s been almost a week since the HP craze. I’m not talking about computers or printers but u know la…Harry Potter 7 or HP7 (not to be mistaken for HPV, human papilloma virus , tsk,tsk =D  )

i’m guilty…of being one of the manyppl who went from carrefour to tesco & try my luck to catch the cheaper version of the book. No stock la! then the day that the 4 bookstores decides to un’boycott’ the sales of the book & give additional 20% discount - i bought one copy!

Heck! can claim form income tax & still haven’t reach my Yr 2007 quota so i went ahead & bought the book! =D

Bet now when japanese girl reads this, she’ll probably blast me about joining the craze…it’s really unlike me, i’ve never actually been one of those who will queue up for days or anything for SALE, concerts, first screening…u get my drift?!?! but just that i went into MPH, ask if they had the book & bought one!

then yesterdya, a fren sent me a soft copy-so those who dont want to buy but curious to know what happened in the end of the saga, buzz me la for the soft copy!

tsk,tsk, tsk =D Hahahahaha!

aiyoh…

when lar i’m gonna take another holiday? i think this yr i only got 6 days left (to begin with, i only have about 15 days) - luckily after the wedding went for so many trips (RECAP : langkawi, taman negara, tioman diving, china) =D one cannot be too greedy right?

anyone out there know when the next air asia / malaysia airlines special promotion to places like bali or bangkok?! now that hubby got passport we must try to travel outside malaysia!

the weekend that i was working (aka 2 days ago) my frens went to penang to visit another fren who will soon be relocated to KL (near my offis…so got more frens to makan lunch next mth onwards) & they went to makna, drink wine, Slippery senoritas & even heard my favourite soon - FAST & FURIOUS! cant wait to be back in Kl to meet them & see some of their photos.

see some preview of china photos (all my face of cos!)

me in airplane

bro & i ‘begging’ bcos the bus broke down =D

It’s ironic. I just read over the weekend from FACES (taken free from my usual watering hole …) how a ‘lovely’ country like Malaysia & how most Malayians who are said to be a polite lot can get so aggresive & reckless on the road.

I was travelling outstation for work (AGAIN! as usual lar…) on our North-south expressway & overtaking slower cars that travels less than 100 km/hr & some AS**HoL* sped more than 160 km/hr flashes his blinking lights and couldnt stop honking so that i move away from the fast lane. The idiot…even gave me the finger as he drove away!! bloody idiot! and it’s not like i came out of my lane at the last minute…or that i was going slower than 110 km/hr but i suppose he was in some urgency to get to… H*LL or somthing like that!

And to top it up, he belongs to an infamous type of drivers…johoreans! I’m not against johorean or even try to stereotype them (heck, my dad is a true blue johor boy!) but it seems that everytime some cars honk at me (for no apparent reasons) or even the last accident i had involving my van (when i was still in uni & it was not my fault at all) the drivers & car happens to be a johor number plate.

TO cut long story short, throught that 5 hr drive i notice the singaporeans (based on their vehicle number plate) was also travelling quite fast (mostly above 150km/hr) but they seem more curteous on the road. They may blink blink and seem to know how to gauge the speed of the car in front of them…maybe they are just smarter than johoreans!?!?!

p/s :to my johor chum who’s busy working in kuching right now…dont get offended by my story, ok? =D