Aftermath of Travelling

It's been a week since I came back from travelling 2 weeks to the jungle.. well, logging camp. Me, becoming darker.. and thinner perhaps? haha..

It's not easy travelling to logging camps, it's extremely tiring. But, as from positive side, I gain a lot of experience from it. It's not my first time going, but this time I went to most of the camps of our company in Kapit area.

Dusty, like dessert, if there's no rain.. and really muddy if raining heavily. that's the condition in campsites mostly. I experienced nearly no water to bath, experienced dusty weather, car broke down etc.. good experience? probably..

Anyway, photos will be uploaded if got time later... cao..

Happy Birthday?? :/

I can't believe I'll be turning 23 in the next 10 days. This month is absolutely disastrous. Everything went wrong, so tired of working here... surprisingly... and my mood is really swinging because of everything.

I thought I would be better after changing my job as job description stated during my interview is only sorting out stores, helping 3 food sections to sort out their fridges so to make sure they have everything they need and after 12pm I'll be staying at the tills to help out. I am now doing everything that they ask me to do, more than I should be doing. It is not because that I am not flexible, just that all those tasks they ask is not in my working time period and description!! That means I am not PAID for that!! And I am always doing the wrong tasks at the wrong time because of them!! My timetable is crazy as well!! sometimes 11hours a day sometimes 6hours a day!!?!? Supervisor is crazy... manager is sometimes crazy.... WTF!! nuff said! I'm going nuts!!

Another thing, last night, I found out that the letters I kept in my room for that old lady who used to live in our flat are all gone!! She still have the bloody keys of our flat but she denied coming to get the letters!! It's not magic!! I searched the whole flat and I couldn't find it! If it's not her then who? She keep delaying to pay the bills remaining, keep saying that we kept her deposit for no reason but actually she moved out before contract ends, keep delaying in returning the keys, now came into my room for those letters... WTF!!

Again another thing! I have no money this month!!! As I change my job, I lost my weekly pay, so I need to wait until this end of month to get paid before I can do anything. Now I am living by basic food which consist of instant noodles and spaghetti with some veggies and a little meat. 2 weeks already eating like that!! I wanna PUKE!! I am even starting to buy bus pass from today. Taking a bus to go to work will need 1 hour while coming back from work using same route needs 1 hour 30 minutes at least due to traffic. Anyway, price of weekly bus pass is £13 while Travelcard which can be used on tube is £24.20.

Enough of all this external stuff, now my own inner stuff. If I really have somebody around me... eg. friends, partner etc to share my loneliness that is filled in me since long time... I think I will feel better. This month I felt more again. Am I too sensitive?

Enough complaining. I am too tired already. Never had enough sleep since I start this job. I am moody, tired, head spinning, start scolding people for minor reasons, getting frustrated for everything, stomach cramp, getting nervous easily... SHIT!!!!!

Happy birthday to me? see what's going to happen in the next 10 days.

I need a break.... seriously...

New Job Starts...

in 7 and half hours time from now. It's a 3 day trial but just a procedure... Back to the waking up at 4.30a.m life back then... and I'm still on my daily job which starts at 11a.m. so I'm gonna be working from 6 to 7 then.. it's a.m. to p.m.

Hopefully I won't brake down.. gee... life...

SLEEP!!!!

I QUIT!!!

Having disgusted by the way my shop's manager treats us. I made my decision!!

I QUIT!!!!!

Today the General Manager pissed off closing shift!! Even Team Leader!!! He's totally stupid!!! For God's Sake!!! Treating us like Superman or Power Rangers with super strength and speed!!! He totally has no idea of anything that we do. Asking us to bring 2 tables and 4 chairs from the other shop at a distance of 5 minutes walk. Tell you what!! The tables are more than 20kgs each and chairs are at least 5kgs each!! Telling that we can do it in 5 minutes!!! Is he STUPID??!???!? and the kitchen manager just dumped all her work which she started and ask us to clean up all her bloody mess then she just left!!! It took over an hour extra to close the kitchen.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!

I am going to write my resign letter later giving bloody 2 weeks notice (2 weeks!!!) and tomorrow morning I am gonna go to the shop just to stick my letter into the assistant manager's throat!! He didn't talk to me whole day today, not even asking me to make his coffee. Not even look at me at all. Now he knows. He wanna say that my attitude is bad. Look at yourself. Talking with fingers, treating employees like dogs. Being a manager, the first 2 things you need to do are RESPECT your employees and secondly, APPRECIATE!! not pulling employees nose here and there!!

I QUIT!!!

I am rebellious

Yes, I am a rebellious person. I have a rebellious character. It's not the first time I act like that. I just hate when people force me to do something, shout at me to do something which I know of what my decision is. I hate it when the manager treats us like dogs or machines, or just slaves, doing whatever they like to us until we are out of breath for their own pocket. I hate even more when the managers manipulate us but didn't show any appreciation for our work towards their pocket.

Recently, the business went better, we are all tired, I feel that I, as lowly team member, still get the same pay like we do a bit less job, is unfair. We get no appreciation, not even a sincere thank you from the manager. Out of 4 managers, I can only feel the sincere of the Delivery Manager, Dan, the only English working in our shop. I will serve him more than any managers, even if he ask me to run as fast as possible for deliveries like there is no tomorrow. I know I am gonna be loyal to him as he knows the meaning of appreciation.

The Ops manager, is a jerk. manipulating us like what I said before. Yet, adding more pressure and workload for the closing shift, me and other 2 colleagues. I once heard him saying to the kitchen leader, "I give you XXX (any colleagues), please make the most of him/her in the kitchen" It's like sending us to hell. Today, I am utterly disgusted by his doing during closing hour. Before today, he only called 1 nearby shop so we can send our leftovers sandwiches to them, today he called 2!!! that makes 3 closing people with 2 sending sandwiches for him to other shop while there is only 1 person closing. Why sending sandwiches to other branches? He claims that the waste levels are high!! I don't give a damn!! Cutting waste levels is only making his pocket fatter!!

My shop, 3 of 4 managers are ££ signed in their eyes and mind and everything. Short of staff, lack of communication between themselves, manipulating workers like slaves, ops manager ordering workers like dogs to do anything he wants, in the end we get screwed if our performance is not as good causing by too much work to be done, etc.

So much for that, I just slowly realized that the workers who work here are mostly stupid as well. Letting them do whatever they want then stabbing them at the back saying this and that. They just don't know their entitlements and rights as employees in this company and they don't give a shit about it.

Now I realize education in business area makes me think more advance than others, especially in management.

I am NOT gonna let him do like what he does to others. I am gonna be rebellious as long as he doesn't respect and appreciate me sincerely as his subordinate because that is my way of thinking and I am gonna stick to it!

~~~Gonna face him again in the office again for today's fiasco.~~~ See what's gonna happen.... He claims it's about my attitude. Go bloody look himself in the mirror godammit!! Go ask my colleagues how is my attitude!!! _)&@#@#&*&(*_)+_)*^%%$#$@(

City of Luxurious Cars

Yesterday, as usual, I went out on delivery when I start my shift at 11a.m. This week was surprisingly quiet. Not so crowded in Tube, busses, on the streets... but not on the road though.. Our shop is very quiet as well. The shop will be empty after only around 3p.m. which is a bit unusual.

Anyway, back to the main story. As I went out on delivery, I saw few quite luxurious cars around the shop area. I didn't take all the photos though. But to let you all know, I find some pictures to let you have a look.

First, I saw an AMG S55 like this one below, in light blue. It's just Mercedes S-Class right? No, it's an AMG tuned machine. Actually saw quite a lot like this one around the shop I work, but what I saw is AMG, not usual S-Class, most of them are just S350 with AMG rims.
Then after I came back from 1 delivery, I saw this. Another S-Class? No. AMG S65. Updated model of the one above. Again I didn't manage to catch a photo of it so get it on web. These cars are not cheap at all. I'm not a Mercedes fan but the quad exhaust really turn me on.

One more car I saw yesterday that is quite shocking but usual. Actually I saw 2 of those yesterday. I just took the one which is parked in front of my shop. O.O This in front of the little sandwich takeaway shop where I work??? Can't find a parking space at Hanover Square maybe?
Anyway, at 4th April, I saw the first Audi R8 in real. OMG!!! I saw it after I finish work and walk towards Oxford Circus.


The V8 roars.... Muscular.... You just feel the power only by listening to the sound of V8. Anyway, I saw another one 2 days later on the road which is of different colour, again I was on delivery so I can't take photo of it.

Other cars which I saw before.... Porsche Cayenne Gemballa GT. This is not my photo but I swear I saw the same one. This photo is taken in London as well. A real powerful SUV.
Well, apart from luxurious cars... I saw this. I don't have any idea what car is this. Maybe its a modified G-Wiz electric car?
Other than all the above, I saw with my own eyes, Ferrari F430, which I saw over 10 times, Bentley Continental, Lotus Elise, Maserrati Gran Turismo, Lamborghini Gallardo, Ford GT, SL65, Aston Martin and lots more. You name it, I saw it. Nearly all. I am still waiting for rarer cars to appear, like the McLaren, Ferrari Enzo, Bugatti Veyron, Porsche Carrera GT.

Ah... London, city of luxury. Give me some money...

Parking in Central London

*My computer is back to normal after 5 days suffering from Malware.. No reformatting needed all thanks to ComboFix software...*

Just some pictures which I took with my mobile phone (again) at work (again) to share with you all.

Well, it's just so difficult to get a parking space in central London yea. This car is the very famous electric car called G-Wiz. It cost a normal super mini's price, which is run only by electric, free of road tax, free of parking fees in London, free of congestion charge of £8 a day which is quite high. And, they can park like this. look at that Mercedes S-Class beside it... huge and expensive, taking up so much space... this tiny little car, a bit smaller than Smart fortwo (but uglier), just squeeze into this tiny space...

Well, just a picture sharing post... hehe... that's all...

Old Lift

Last week at work, I went out for delivery like everyday. It was a new office that I never been to and I think it is one of our new customers as well. When I arrive the building, it is nothing special, just like all other buildings around, but when I go into the office building, something interest me. A very old type of lift. Unfortunately at that time it was out of order so I need to use the stairs to go up... no chance to use it yet... gee....

The photos were taken when I reached the top floor where the office is located. This is the life which you have to pull the door manually... like what you see in the old movies...

When will I be able top try it... hehe... it's gonna be a different experience...

My Workplace - My Job

This is the shop I work. 18, Hanover Street, London. It doesn't look big and it really is not big but we are a bit different from other shops around our area. We do deliveries. This makes our shop operation different from other nearby shops. We deliver lunch to surrounding offices every weekdays and some weekends. We have an electric van which is small, easy to operate and environmental friendly, a flat tyre bicycle and a horrendous looking cart for deliveries. Because I am not eligible to drive here, I am doing walking deliveries, instead of pushing the damn cart in the middle of the fully tourists packed street or riding a bicycle with no air in the tyres.

I learned a lot for the past nearly 4 months. I make sandwich, I make coffee, I operate tills, I operate the huge French oven, I do deliveries, I start to learn to set-up the shop before opening, I close the shop, and I am looking forward to learn other new duties soon before I got my true job, if possible.

Accidents in the shop includes, knife cutting fingers deeply, slicer slicing off piece of the finger and cut fingers, burnt by oven's hot surface or coffee machine's hot water. I got minor burnts by the hot steam and hot water from coffee machine, hot soup spilling on my hand, cut by coffee machine's sharp edges and by thin crossaintery papers.

Nationalities in the shop includes Malaysian (me), Polish, Brazilian, Portuguese, American, Carribean, African, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Latvian, Moroccan and German. No British though.

There are good times and bad times like other usual jobs, just that it's ridiculous sometimes that how the American assistant manager loves money... which leads to us working like machines... until we are so stressful that some of us cut our fingers in the kitchen or burnt by oven and coffee machine. My break time was cut down before as well... duh... Interesting thing is when I am on the till. I collected many coins from the till as British coins has many designs. Got to know regular customers and having some chat with them. Lovely Stacey from Headmasters hair cut, some Japanese customers from House of Hanover next door, and Andrew from HSBC around the corner even gave me his name card!! Of course there are many daily customers, some even come few times a day for coffee and food!!

Anyway, it is a place which I earned my life in London and learning new things... and learning nearby street names and going to offices that usual people won't have the chance to step in to like MTV, Sony, Fallon, Total Gas, Barclays Ventures, etc.

In the end, this is not gonna be my job forever damn it!! I am an accounting and business graduate!! :P

Guilherme is leaving!!!

Last Thursday is Guilherme's last day in the shop as he'll go back to Brazil at 12th. We went to the bar next door to have a little drink and bid early farewell to him as he'll be going to Greece the next day to visit his friend.



Ahhh..... we're all gonna miss him damn lots... wishing him all the best in Brazil when he goes back...

First day of December

It's the first day of December and I'm having a bad day.... (again complaining in my blog...)

Well, basically, today Oxford Street and Regent Street is closed for transport, so there are only people walking around and lots of activities going on for the whole afternoon.... yet... I was stuck in the stupid shop for whole day..... bloody manager.... and i missed whole day's event...

my schedule today is 11am until 7pm, but Mark the damn assistant manager who is staying with us today told us that the shop will be closing at 7pm... So, is he trying to make a fool out of us? we usually took at least 1 hour to finish close the shop!!! when i asked him about it, he can't answer me at all then walked away... shame on him.... 

but, luckily and unluckily I am sick since few days ago... today gone worse... then i tell him that i'm going home at 7pm in any way as I'm really sick.

When at work, I had my break like 5 hours after start!!! Imagine standing at the counter for 5 hours with customers queuing up non stop since noon!!! i'm like half dead when on break... 

What a day... sick, tired, missed whole day's event.... going home now... 

Dinner

2nd November 2007, Brian, our manager brought us to a Lebanese Restaurant for dinner as we achieved Star Team Award worth £850.
Before we had our dinner, it was a meeting in the shop to understand more about the company and our shop's performance. Below are few of the photos to share with you all. As I am short of time, I just edit few of them.
My Colleagues: Svetlana (Latvia) - Team member Star, always arguing with team leaders; Usoa (Spain) - Team leader, very friendly, real profession is an artist; Ricardo (Germany) - Barista, Valerie (Bolivia) - Part timer, charming lady; Lilian (Brazilian Japanese) - Part-timer.
My Colleagues: Guilherme (Brazilian Italian) - Going back to Brazil next month, a great colleague who works hard and friendly; Mohsin (Morocco) - Barista, talking non stop all the time; me; Samy (Arab) - Dad Malaysian Mom Chinese, super noisy.

During dinner time.

Some of the main course food. Before it came out, we were all full already as the starters are already like main course.

My Colleagues: Julian (Colombia) - Part-timer, name pronounced as "Hu-lee-ann", me, Dagmara (Poland) - Hot-Chef, in short we call her Daga. She's lovely and only 19 years old.


Anyway, that's the photo update available this week. Next week I'll try to post the fireworks display 2 weeks ago.

Another Friday evening....

A week past and I haven't been writing anything here....

I'm now sitting in a 24 hour cyber cafe at Tottenham Court Road as I have no keys to go into the house again... haha...

This week at work... overtime again today as I'm only closing with Guilherme, usually 3 person. Yesterday overtime as well as the whole shop is a mess I don't know why... and there was a lady with her hand bag stolen with passport inside... gee... feeling so bad for her though... she keep crying as her husband is trying to sort things out for her....

Something I feel after working for nearly 2 months in the shop... English people sucks sometimes... they complain a lot... eat like babies... (we have to clean the damn floor full of food on de floor every evening)... everyday eating sandwiches only... I don't understand... and some customer's face is like shit... gee...

nah... finish with the complaints.... I really have nothing to write now... I got tonnes to update but I can't!!!!


I WANT INTERNET ACCESS AT HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! F*CK!!!!!!

Lousy Day....

Ah... A complain blog post again... 

Well... it's just another bad day for me since I start working.... the team leader trainer is just picking on me every time... I was not taught how to do some stuff but she insist she did and say i'm not following instructions and such.... And she say that I'm playing with her... Bloody Brazilian trainer!!! 

Another one is, I didn't get any instructions in some of the daily routine tasks ever before but she insist that she did told me before... again... Bloody Brazilian trainer!!!

Arh... and Guilherme is not working today suddenly... Closing with that Polish guy today... He's never friendly.... and rude... Bloody Polish.... like they say.... 

Haha.... I feel better after complaining... hope i'll have a better night tonight compare to last night.... geeee..... last night really is.... i don't know how to explain.... 

Last Week.....

Well, basically, interesting experiences happen everyday and I really don't know where to start. I worked in Pret for a week already, now moving into second week. I mastered some of the sandwich making skills and the team leader and manager were quite happy with my performance as I speak to the manager this morning. Glad about it. Life is interesting in Pret but really is tiring. I saved so much on food as I get to eat fresh and nutritious food from Pret every breakfast and lunch. Tomorrow I'll be working from 11am so I don't need to wake up at 5am to rush for the first tube.

Anyway, last weekend, me and Kevin went to a Chinese Restaurant to have ''dim sum''. It's my first time having 'dim sum' in London really. I took some photos of what we eat but I didn't manage to bring it here to the cyber cafe. I don't have time to edit the photos yet. We had a great time eating though. That's last weekend.

Yesterday when working, it's my first time going out for a delivery as out shop is short of hands. I did it as a substitute. It was raining so badly. The place I need to go is called Swallow Place, which was just 3 minutes walk from the shop. I went out for nearly 30 minutes as I can't find the damn place. The map shows it's next to Regent Street but I walked the whole Regent Street to find it and I even asked the street cleaner for direction which he leads me to Swallow Street. So, Swallow Place & Swallow Street, similar name but it's on different place. I didn't manage to deliver and my colleague did it for me. Everyone was laughing when I went back to the shop.... I was soaked wet as the rain was so heavy.... damn.... Luckily today, I'm glad that I made 2 deliveries successfully....

Anyway, just some happenings while I was away from my blog. Now I'm thinking of should I take days off during end of December period.... The shop only closes at Christmas day and New Year day. Struggling to make decision.....

Life in Pret

Ola (Spanish Hello)!!! So I worked for nearly a week already. How I felt for the past few days? I don't really feel lousy at all though... I feel that my time is filled up as I woke up at 5am, start shift at 6am and work till 2pm. Planning to work overtime as soon as I got permission. I thought it was very tired working from 6am but I was wrong, I felt really fresh though.

My shop's team member's nationalities... Colombians, Brazilians, German, Spanish, Polish, Taiwanese, and me, Malaysian. There are more than 20 team members including part timers who work different shifts, usually from 6am to 10am and 10am to 2pm. There are also those who work after 2pm of course.

Anyway, I just learned that Brazilians speak Portuguese, Colombians speak Spanish and Portuguese is similar to Spanish so they can speak to each other... =.='' I really need to learn Spanish from now onwards.... One more, among 6 Polish, 2 are girls... and I found out they are quite pretty and cute though. Haven't got chance to take photos of them yet... wait till next Friday Night Drink then I'll take some photos of them... :D Anyway, their names are interesting... guys names are like Leonardo, Ricardo, Karol while girls names were like Adriana, Lina, Justina, Diana etc...

Working here, I get free breakfast & lunch so I save a lot on food. Now I only pay for my dinner that's all.

Well, that's my first week in Pret. Nothing more special happen already. Update again when got a chance to online... Cao (Spanish Bye).

Pret A Manger

Have you heard about this shop before? Guess most of them who are not in England won't know about this shop as Starbucks is far more popular... What is the different? Starbucks is famous for its coffee while Pret A Manger is famous for its sandwiches and the use of all natural ingredients for its food produced everyday. Anyway, "Pret A Manger" means "Ready to Eat" in French.

This is a typical Pret A Manger where you can find in many big cities in England.So basically, here are some of the food from Pret... baguettes, soup, water.... healthy...

cookies... cakes... pies...
even crisps....
and of course, sandwiches.... which I don't have its photo...

So why am I writing about Pret suddenly? Well, I got myself an interview at Pret, and I will have my 'one day Pret experience' on Monday and get voted by the existing team members whether I can stay to work or not... Anyway, I will work in this shop...
18, Hanover Street, Mayfair, London. It is near to Oxford Circus. Click here for info.

Wish me luck people!!

More Info:
www.pret.com
Wikipedia

New Job?

*It's so cold outside this few days... that I need to borrow my friend's winter clothing already... Need to get back to Chelmsford to grab my own winter clothing this weekend...*

After a week of hard work gaining no money, I decide to quit the job even though I learned a lot. I need money!! That's all that matters to me now. I am really really poor and I need cash!!!

So what am I doing now? I am applying for more jobs again.... gee.... even Starbucks...

What the heck... over qualified for that?

Urghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's Saturday finally... still not Sunday.... I thought I will only be online tomorrow but, I can't hold on anymore. I felt so so so tired after whole week walking around... my feet hurts now... so I quit the Saturday optional team day session.

Anyway, I made my first sale yesterday and manage to make £30 out of that. Yesterday was my first day solo. Sadly I didn't manage to get 2 sales so I didn't get the £50 bonus. DAMN IT!!!!
Gee... I feel so not motivated today though... I went to the Team Day session but I lied to the manager that something happened and I need to get back so I got to go earlier... My trainer quit yesterday and I only get to know this morning when I called him... It shaken me a lot... and my team here, left only 4 people and 1 of them is going to change to another campaign starting Monday. 1 more newbie coming in on Monday and that will still be 4 person in the team, with no leaders. SHOOT!!!

I wonder how long can I hang on in here.... If I don't get any other job soon I guess my leg will break.... DAMN!!!! Why is it so damn difficult to get a proper accounts job.... It's just stupid. every single vacancy wants experience and damn it, if everyone wants experience then where are the newbies gonna get the fuckin' experience they wanted??

Damn tired now...

My First Week

I started my first week of training finally. It's basically a door-to-door sales job at the beginning and slowly climbs up the career ladder. It's really a damn tiring job which requires hell lots of courage and patience to do. Attitude is extremely important as well to keep myself going. It's so tough... Even after 4 days of training I still doubt that am I able to hang on to the training till I get to the next level in around a month's time.

But in the last 4 days I really learnt hell lots on my skills in talking to people and sales techniques. Pray for me that I will make some sales as I will be on the first day going out by myself to an area starting tomorrow.

Going to sleep now... tomorrow I need to wake up before 8a.m. as usual...

More updates this Sunday. I'm damn lucky today to get internet connection...