Saturday, October 09, 2004

This is not an infomercial.

There was a GLORIOUS rainstorm this afternoon. Lots of action: loud, rumbling thunder, lightning, hard, fast rain.. I was mighty pleased because it meant car-washing time – just drive out into the rain, ha!

The most exciting thing that I did this week was opening a PowerVantage account with HSBC bank. I’m not being self-deprecating – I’m really excited about this. It’s a long time coming. I should have done this a long time ago but was too lazy to actually go and do it until I realized that I should have an international bank ATM card with me when I head down in Bali, in about a week’s time (!!!!).

I also got an HSBC credit card, which I hemmed and hawed over it but finally figured that perhaps I should finally get a card of my own and not use daddy’s supplementary credit card that I’ve had for almost a decade. Yes, I have brat written over my face. I thought that I could use my new credit card in Bali but it takes about a month to have it approved so I’m still stuck with daddy’s supplementary credit card. But it’s all good. Dad won't mind (and before you ask, I always pay for my credit card purchases! I'm not that spoiled of a brat).

Yea to Marita who had to “introduce” me to the PowerVantage deal. I ended up getting the grad pack which meant no bank and credit card fees for three years which sounded good but I had to show them my degree and bank statement. And answer questions like “are you married?”, “do you still live with your parents?” It was like answering a nosy auntie’s questions but the bank officer was a young and hot female. All HSBC bank officers are, apparently; it’s probably listed on the job requirements. And they’re all really nice and professional – not like the grumpy staff at Bank Bumiputra.

My favourite thing about HSBC is that you can deposit your money through the ATM – you just put your bills in this slot and the machine counts the bills for you! It’s so cool! Yea, forget about telling me about your interest rates, whatever investment thingy – all I want to know is – can your ATM count money??

I know, I get scared about me sometimes, too.

I’m getting really excited AND nervous about the Bali trip. I haven’t booked any room reservations yet. I figure I’d just show up and check out the losmens so that way, I don’t get stuck in a dodgy hotel that I found on the internet. Good idea, no?

I also feel very guilty for taking so much time off when there’s so much work to be done, especially with big bosses coming down to Malaysia next month. I know that I should be stressed and very worried but right now, I think it’s the calm before the storm. I had a crazy impulse to bring my notebook computer so that I could work in Bali but I don’t want to put it in a risk of getting stolen or damaged. So that idea was nixed. I would probably put documents online and work in cyber cafes, as well as bringing work with me. It’s so crazy and I’d doubt that I’d do any real work but at least I’d feel less guilty about it. At least, my boss is supportive of my time-off and has been happy with what I’ve been doing so far. But calm before the storm, calm before the storm… arrghh, I have to stop feeling so guilty.

GlobeTrekker’s looking for a new travel host. Auditions this weekend in KL!!! I’m so envious of people living in KL. So unfair – to think that I’d be in KL NEXT weekend. Talk about bad timing. I’d love to host an episode of Globe Trekker. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime!! I’m sure though that there would be hundreds of people, LOTS of attractive people auditioning. And that they’d most likely pick someone Eurasian. In Southeast Asia, being Eurasian is a prerequisite to hosting a tv show. Because you know, most of us wish we were white. *rolls eyes* Stupid television people.


11 Comments:

At 8:55 PM, Blogger hyelbaine said...

you're going on a break/holiday, leave your work behind. i know there will be guilt but i don't think you're gonna enjoy it if you bring nevermind think about work ;)

Cheers!!! :D

 
At 10:14 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Bring your camera to Bali !

And take pictures ! And post them !

Damned you're so lucky...

 
At 10:48 PM, Blogger Dee said...

Forget about bringing your work with you!!Take a REAL holiday..heh,okay but don't skip blogging ok.Don't skip phototaking activities too.

About the GLobe Trekker audition-what bummer.Especially the Eurasian bit.I must say our tv "people" tend to go for that look-which pretty much must be the "hidden" pre-requisite.

Have a good week!

 
At 10:56 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

You deserve the break. Go, have fun, leave the guilt behind. Besides, we don't have the most conducive of offices to work in. The work will still be there when you get back.

 
At 11:16 AM, Blogger superkumquat said...

Leave your work behind! Please! You deserve this break and it's your first proper break since I don't know when.

 
At 1:13 PM, Blogger Cayce said...

woah - the consensus is overwhelming. thanks guys for alleviating my guilt. :-)

azreen - cowie or any other stuffed toy will be fine, as long as it's small and squishable.. heee. err, do you want it back in one piece/in original state? or at all? just kidding.

Speaking of Asha clones, the Malaysian episode of Six Degrees hosted by Asha Gill was terrible. I don't know what this girl was thinking - a polo game? visiting a rich girl's house? FERHAD? it was so awful that i wanted to write in to the producers and complain but then i forgot about it. but i recently saw the Mumbai episode that she hosted and that was ok. she's got rather an overwhelming personality that could work on tv but it could also get old. She lost major points for me when she starred in a Shell commercial!! For shame.

 
At 8:39 AM, Blogger Cayce said...

jordan, i wasn't rolling my eyes because of the idea of malaysians/ASIANS wanting to be white was preposterous.. I was rolling my eyes.. because this need to be white is so prevalent and obvious. Yeah, you're right - pretty much everyone here wishes they were a shade lighter. there's a commercial here that really rankled me - about this girl who was ignored by this guy because she wasn't fair enough, and when she started using this product, and became fairer, he was head over heels for her. it was so popular as a commercial that apparently, it spinned off into a tv series??!!!??

When I got back from Canada, everyone was ooh-ing and ahh-ing over my lack of tan because well, there's no tropical sun in B.C. (all that rain!!!!) Of course, subsequent years of living here have negated my fairness but give me someone who's naturally tanned from outdoor activities any day, than someone who's so concerned of getting dark that they won't go anyway without an umbrella. The former are always more fun and carefree to be with!

 
At 3:49 PM, Blogger Cayce said...

Jordan, I definitely agree with you about Malaysians/Asians fascination of wanting fair skin. I guess I should clarify about the eye-rolling :-) It wasn't because I found the idea of asians wanting to be white preposterous, it was because I know that there IS such a desire, which includes fairer skin, and wanting white boyfriends, etc..

I'm all for the naturally tanned skin myself (or if you're naturally fair so be it - I just think it's sad to actually go out and buy whitening products to conform to society's perception of beauty), and *not* wanting to go out with guys of a certain ??? colour/race just because of an idea (delusion?) that they're somehow better than asian men,etc.. people are just people, despite the pigmentation!

 
At 3:51 PM, Blogger Cayce said...

aiyah - the first comment never showed up so i thought it was lost - hence the two different comments from me!

 
At 3:53 AM, Blogger Beatrice said...

LOL. All these talk about the lack of melanin. Have anyone seen Michael Jackson lately?

 
At 8:31 AM, Blogger Cayce said...

ahh... but MJ's still a Thrillarrr..






(actually, not really. he scares me)

 

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