Christmas

The traffic has been building up.  The malls are filled to the brim with people.  Many are clearing their annual leave.  Retail businesses are thriving with so many people buying gifts.

It is this time of the year again where gifts will be exchanged.  Many of us would have bought gifts for our friends and loved ones.  Let us hope that we have also bought for our parents.  They matter too!

During the hustle bustle of going around merrymaking, let us not forget those who are less fortunate.  They are the ones who need the gifts most.

This fund raising done by a particular hotel in town touched my heart.  I hope it will touch yours too.  While we rejoice in the celebration, let us put in a prayer for the less fortunate.  Their lives would have been changed if all of us set aside a dollar for each of the gifts we have purchased and donated it to a worthwhile cause.

Do not be disappointed if the gift we receive fall short of our expectation.  It is the thought that counts.  If we still are, think of how fortunate we are to be able to live and lead a normal life. 

To my readers, I wish you all a safe and blessed Christmas.

Hilarious

Out of the blue I received this text message from a fellow blogger:
Him: Do you have a brother XXX(my surname) something?
Me : What?@*$&($&@#*(In my mind, How can he get this close!)

So I sent him this text:
Me : You trying to say my mum has another husband?
Him: (He is) Not a doctor?
Me:  We both are!

I think he was a little drunk.  Probably his eyes must be drooling at the slices of pork being brought out by the waitress or maybe the waiter himself!

He was really funny. I never thought he would ask in that manner.  And it was probably my once of a lifetime chance to get even with this very witty fella.

Good on you mate!

Perception

Me:  U have so much clothes to wash?  Two washes per week!
        (I only wash at most once per week!)
Him: Yes. I change clothes all the time.
Me:  Even at home? ( I know his routine pretty well.)
Him: Everytime I don't like ady, I change.
Me:  (In my mind.) What kinda weird behaviour.

There was a long pause and the topic of conversation changed.  Feeling dissatisfied, I revisit the topic again.

Me:  I am a bit astonished as to how you can change your clothes like that.
Him: When I come back home, I change to my exercise attire.
        After a shower, I change again.
        Then when I wake up the next day, I change into a new set of clothes.
        Everytime I shower I change my clothes.
Me:  Ok. (I actually thought that he changes his clothes randomly every two
        to three hours!)

While the conversation was on how much clothes were changed in a day, there was certainly some lessons for me.  It could have been on other more sensitive and tricky issues. 

How many times have we made assumptions?  How many times have we come to conclusions?  How many times have we perceived things, actions and situations which we later found out to be untrue?

How often have we allowed these myopic perception of ours to hurt our loved ones? How many times have we questioned their unconditional love  because of our own norms and perceived notion?  How many times have we passed judgment only to find out later and sometimes too late that the situation is not such?

We think what we want to think and we behave how we want to behave because we decide to.  But the true picture out there may not necessarily be so.

All because of our mistrust, misconception and insecurity.

Feed your mind the wrong food and you see how it roams wild. Rein it.  Be mindful of its ability. Control it. You will see how it can move mountains.

Complaint

Chef,

I am writing to you because I was truly disappointed with the food served.  The long delay in between each dish and the final bill which was presented made the whole evening completely unpleasant.

I was at your restaurant on 17 December 2010.  We arrived at 8.15pm.  Prior to this I called you on Thursday and specifically told you that I would be bringing an acquaintance over to your restaurant.  I had great faith in the food you serve because I have had many pleasant experiences at your place.

He had an appointment that evening which he rescheduled because of my telling him that I had already booked his meal with you. I had bragged about how good your food is to the gentleman.  So we came all the way braving the very bad traffic jam from Bandar Utama.  There was a certain level of expectation from us.

The sashimi was a real letdown.  Save for the salmon belly, the rest of the sashimi was very poorly sized.  We were given half piece triangular shaped sashimi which was smaller than those found in the eateries elsewhere.  I was a little taken aback but said nothing at first.    I then noticed that there was no presentation at all except for the igloo and scallop shell.  I complained to the waiter when I finally came to my senses.  No effort was made to rectify the situation.

We were served three pieces of beef each.  I had always been served four pieces on all other occasions.  I did not pick a quarrel because your staff said that this was Kobe beef and that the price has escalated.

By this time, my friend was already getting fidgety.  The interval in between each meal was a little too long.  Between the sashimi and radish stew with king crab, there was a 25 minute interval. It was already 9.45pm when the beef was served.  I noticed that our dish was timed in such that it coincided with that of the other twenty over group diners who were having similar set meals.  Toward the last two courses, my friend asked for the dishes to be served simultaneously.  The whole 7 course kaiseki dinner took over two hours to complete. We were both restless.

When the additional tempura meal was served, I told him the restaurant must be  making up for the shortcoming.  I still had faith in your restaurant.  Maybe it was just a hiccup in the kitchen.

The bill came to RMXXX per person.  You told me earlier that it would be RMXXY each.  Last Friday my friend came over with his family and paid RMXXY each.  They had similar courses served but with the pregnant fish, which I had requested but was not served.  We were served baked salmon instead.  I find it unacceptable that the serving and food grade were reduced but price increased.      

Your staff informed me that the price is indeed RMXXX. The price of beef has escalated. (I was served less beef but paid more.) Furthermore we asked for an additional course. If I knew that I would have to pay for the additional course, I would have made a selection instead of allowing your kitchen to dish out what ever they pleased. 

At the end of the day I was RMZZZ poorer but still unsatisfied with the course meal served while having to apologize to my friend for having to get him to reschedule his appointment to come for this extraordinarily long dinner.It was a double loss situation for me.  I forked out RMZZZ to promote your restaurant to him but he was certainly not impressed because the portion of food served and presentation was completely different from that I had bragged about to him.

I am quite sure that you sense my disappointment from the tone of my letter.  I hope that you would do something to rectify the situation.  If the bigger portions are only reserved for specific customers, do let me know so I can act accordingly.

Yours Sincerely,
carpe diem

Disease and Death

This has been a month of disease and death.

This is only the second week of the month.  I already come to know of three deaths. 

My colleague's father passed away after getting a heart attack for the third time. 

My best friend's father in law passed on after a massive stroke.  That is after a tumour the size of a soccer ball was removed from the liver.  The cancer then spread to the backbone.  Another operation was performed.  The lung was infected and collapsed.  Then came the massive stroke.

I helped a friend put an obituary for his founding partner's death.  He lived up to the ripe old age of 80 plus.

On the disease side a close friend's mum was diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas.  The chances of survival is maybe 5%.

It made me think hard. Life is so fragile.  It makes me wonder what and why I am sometimes sulking, ranting and fussing about.  My problems seem so small compared to all that some of my friends and colleagues have gone through.  I am sure many more people are facing bigger challenges in their life. 

I thank thee for all I have.  I thank thee for protecting my family, friends, acquaintances and myself.  I pray that there shall be abundance for all.  I pray that there shall be nothing that is insurmountable for anyone that is facing the challenges in their life.

MIA

A few readers have been asking what has happened to my blog.  It has not been updated for a while already.

I have been a little busy with work as the year draws to an end.  Coupled with some shopping spree and meeting up with my friend, I have not been posting as consistent as I have been in the past. 

There will be some post coming up shortly.  I hope it will make interesting reading to you all.  But I must state categorically that my aim for posting is not to generate traffic and fans.  I am more than pleased if you people are following what I am writing.  I certainly am not clamoring for glamor.

Thanks for reading people and have a great week!