Customer Service MY ASS

So I called Verizon because I want to pay my outstanding bill...

For the past 3 weeks, I have been trying to call them because they don't have a 24 hrs customer service line make it really difficult while I am in a different time zone.

When I finally get through them after a long time of hearing the machine talking and talking, I finally talked to a human being. Then as usual, he transferred me to their billing or whatever department that can take care of my problem.

After the transferred me, and I gave all my information again, the person said they don't take care of business account only residencial, and they transferred me again.

The it was another section of machine talking...then:

"May I have your first and last name?"

"May I have the 10 digits number that you care calling about?"

"May I know which states are you in?"

"Sorry, we don't take care of California number, here is Pennsylvania."

You shouldn't even ask the last question when you get my area code......

Fine..after 3 transferred, I was still at no where to pay my bill.

Call again another day, same thing...

Call again another day, same thing...

Call again another day, I started yelling at the customer service and sent a nasty email to them about me will never pay my bill because they had been wasting my time and international calling money. And their customer service is sooooo screwed!!

And now, I am labeled as racist insane unprofessional caller after they wasted so much of my time and money just because I want to PAY what they deserved.

I don't know what's wrong with this world, and I am sure understand why the US is deeply affect by the recession now and how the US still so far behind in so many things can still consider themselves as developed country and proud about their service culture.

I booked a 3 days trip to Hong Kong the other day for USD 100 at the office, and they guy sent my booking details and bus ticket directly to the front door of my factory without tips and additional charges. I was only 20 steps by feet away from completing a transation.

Now THAT IS WHAT WE CALL SERVICE!

New year resolution

I have never done any new year resolution in my entire life.

But this year, I think I am going to make one because my life since to have more direction in this coming year...despite the economy recession, I am very looking forward for a brand new year!

I think the biggest thing for me next year is either buying a house in JB or start my business, probably with the help of my boss because he will never want me to leave him, aiks.

But it doesn't matter, I literally have no work to do everyday, so I have plenty of time to plan and generate ideas.

Next, my second resolution will be staying fit. I was so disappointing about myself that I can't complete any trail one shot in Mammoth on the first day of season...So routine exercise, meditation, skipping rope and yoga...I have to be really determine this time!

Third, I want to ski in another country in 2009, maybe 2009/2010 season? Target is China and Japan.

Fourth, cut down my shopping for clothes and shoes.

Fifth, read more books and news. Even though I pick up reading again this year but is not enough.

I guess that's good enough, now going back to pack for my trips.

Hongkong next week, home next next week, Singapore next next next week, Jakarta next next next next week, HEAVEN next next next next next week!

Dream a little dream

I start having strange dreams...

I dream that I was skiing on ground, on the top of a hill in Hong Kong, exactly the same hill I saw on a movie yesterday. With a good view of the city, long grass field across the hill, on a bright sunny day.

I was in T-shirt and shorts, wearing my ski and boots, riding down the rocky road in full speed without my poles.

I could feel the bumpiness, I can feel every single rock that scratches the bottom of my ski. Then I put on my helmet on the run (just in case some cars hit me), and here come a small hill, and I just jump off the hill with perfect landing on the grass.

This is insane and I think I am going crazy. I thought I can forget about the white powder after coming back to China. You got it, the white powder, like heroin.

I found myself wondering on the street on a Sunday afternoon, nothing at all interest me, the crowd, the yelling, the loud music from the store, the stalls that along the street with antique stuff, the fancy dress and sweater and this and that... until I saw a kick ass beanie.

How can I find excitement again when there's no snow? I think what's killing me now is knowing there's snow somewhere and knowing there's way to get there, be there and start riding.

I check my bank account and there's plentiful to spend...

Skiing is like my secret lover, so seductive and irresistible. I would really want to say my favorite quote to it everytime I put it on: " I wish I knew how to quit you!" But the addiction is hard to quit, because it makes me smile eventhough is just in my mind.

It is not easy to go to any ski resort here in China, and I don't count on meeting quality rider to go with me, it will be all by myself.

Maybe I can spend all these time practice loneliness and keep my training schedule, a lot of running, push up, yoga, make sure I am fit for the slope.

When I am fit and no fear of being lonely, I guess I can start my on journey of seeking the white powder.

(PS: I don't really know how to ride on powder yet, but I have an image about it... I guess when I get a hang on it, I will never ride on powder, I will be floating on it.)

Babies boom

So this year, there are 6 new born babies in my family.

Which is ridiculously a lot.

Plus my lovely nephew last year. There are 7 young babies in the Wong family.

Plus some babies from my friends...

The last time I check friendster, people are really busy getting married, lots of wedding picture.

The most recent time I check friendster..

I see babies.

I told my mom I want one too after seeing my sis and my bro have their own.

I suddenly get the rebellion feeling of being the youngest again. Whatever your bro and sis have, you want one as well.

But I do want a baby and I think my parents can't really disagree about that because their life is absolutely perfect by now. Anything that I will have is a bonus to them, they got a grandson and grand-daughter, anything additional to that they should feel very bless indeed.

But my mom gave me to cool look, she was like who you gonna have a baby with? A stranger?

Why not? All I want is just a baby...

So I have something to think about before I go to bed.

I have something to look forward to after I wake up.

I will look younger.

I will be happier.

I will start looking further than tomorrow.

I will be so different.

Anyway, is time to bed and start thinking what to think about before I close my eyes tonight.

Conclusion: I am a jerk

So today I did a video chat with my friends in OC, I have not done any video chat with a friend for a long time, the only time I do video chat is to see my lovely nephew and niece.

Then I make a statement that being single should have the most fun, which is a philosophy that I always believe in, but my friend thought that being single will make you more selfish.

Is a world about you, not anybody else anymore.

But what's wrong with loving yourself more?

You become more picky, and end up single forever become very likely.

Possible.

And he said I should ask someone what they think about me.

And I did.

Then now I am sitting in front of my computer feeling uneasy.

I don't remember when was the last time I ask someone what do they think about me. Not how do I look tonight, how's my dress?

So it turns out, I am a jerk after all, just like anybody else.

Maybe being by myself all these time really got into me, but I am still out there, not completely defensive about everything, not yet.

But for the first time in my life, I am in good shape when I am on my own.

Everybody grow up, eventually. People can't be energetic all the time, especially when they get older.

So I can't have someone to grow together with me and still keep up with my living style and pace.

I don't get tired, and I always want more than what someone can offer. I want to be still spontaneous and I want to take control over things. Is getting harder to do so when people around you are moving to another level. When people spend most of their time compromising.

Or I am moving to another level, they just stay on the same place?

Ok, I don't even know what am I writing about anymore but I think, in conclusion, I am a jerk in many ways.

And I never thought of that, that's amazing.

Leaving Los Angeles

I know I will come back again.

But it is good to pack everything and feel like you might never come back to a place that you can consider your other home.

After all these crazy days of packing, moving a lot, I mean GODDAMN A LOT OF BOXES, catching up with friends, meeting up with important clients... I just suddenly realize my 7 years of moving experience is still not enough. And I just found out I have never move out completely from a place before, there's always someone stay behind, because I always have a roommate and I am always the one the leave first (because I leave from place to place oh so very often)

This trip back to LA feel like a vacation trip, didn't do anything serious really. Mostly fun stuff. Going through some tough time as usual, a lot more of self-discovery, and a lot more confusion has been created in just 5 weeks.

I don't know is it because of me or because of Los Angeles or something else, I am always someone that not particular myself whenever I come back to LA. I still haven't figure out what goes wrong but I have come to a point that I don't hate LA that much anymore and I don't really mind that I have to come back again and live here.

But, I will want to live it differently. I need a good plan.

I am in LA on and off for about 2 years, it gave me 1 good year in 2007, but 2008 was almost the worst period in my life. So is 50/50, if I have a chance to stay longer, I would want a lot more than just 1 good year.

I am just a person tryng hard to live a life and take different opportunity, and I am very disappointed with my performance living in LA. I blame the place a lot but now I think I should move on from pointing figure and really take the challenge on how to live my LA life all over again and make the full out of it?

If chance is given, what would I do and what would I not do?

What will I keep and what will I leave behind?

That's a lot to think about and chances are, I might have to come back and give LA another shot.

But if I have an option to choose if I want to come back to LA or not, I probably won't pick LA anymore.

If I have a chance to come back to the land of freedom again to live one more time...

God please, send me to New York City!!!!

I am a cat, I have 9 lives

After a roller-coaster long night, I woke up with swollen eyes.

And I realize I really look like a cat instead of a panda.

Which is a good thing, because I still don't know why panda exist when it is not even a part of the food chain. It exists for only exotic reason and I wonder why the Chinese make it symbol of the country...(and now you know why the history of 5000 plus years left nothing good but bad habbits)

But cat is different, cat has 9 lives.

It has the strenght to survive and they don't need anyone to protect them.

And they never feel sorry for the mess they did, cat is the ultimate most selfish animals on earth and there's only "me" in their world.

So I want to be like cat, I want to have 9 lives, and I want to learn how not to feel ashame about me doing something wrong.

How to become more selfish and how not to say sorry anymore.

Survive another day

It only happens in movies... when a person pass out, they woke up in a hospital or in the arms of their love one.

In reality, you woke up and you are alone.

Is hard for some people to imagine the feeling of no one but yourself is within reach.

Is hard to imagine a situation like that when you wake up every morning, there's someone sleep next to you.

That's why people sleep together after they got married, is just a nature of having a certain level of protection.

Because you will never know what happen while you are sleeping.

Is amazing to think about we spend half of our life at the moment that we have no control over- sleeping. You can't really control your heart beat, your breathing, your dream... you have absolutely no control over anything. You just let your biological machine to do all the work and keep you alive.

And even believe in God doesn't rescue you when somethig happen to you while you are sleeping.

But there's one thing you can rely on which is your brain, your brain will never want you to die and you can absolutely count on it. I can't really count on my heart like most people, but I guess my brain will do an even better job on things to keep me alive everyday. Something to do with my major I guess, the power of your mind is no mystery for me anymore. I use it all the time, and it works everytime I use it right.

I tell my brain I want to be able to open my eyes and look at the beautiful world every night before I go to bed.

And my wish is always granted.

Taking pictures

I don't know why, I just lost interest in taking pictures.

I still smile though.

Blame the facebook, because you know you don't have to be the one that taking picture to own the pic.

You will be tagged anyway.

Simple

I guess a good way to overcome a bad mood day is to look back how you used to be happy.

I love to look at old pictures whenever I feel really down, those pictures always make me smile or laugh.

It also reminds me, things can be really simple, life can be really simple, to be happy again can be really simple.

Then I go to bed, sleepy through a bad mood day.

Tomorrow, when I open my eyes, it will be brand new day full of possibility.

Where to start...

Today, I got back from Dallas, from Heaven!

LA is burning like Hell, I can't imagine how is it like last weekend, I was just glad I made the perfect getaway.

Anyhow, the person that save my life told me I gotta at least make my house clean.

A comfortable living sure lead to a healthier living.

But my house is in a giant mess right now I don't even know where to start to make it look better.

I thought about bringing in new roommate, provides free room in exchange of room service.

And someone seriously thought I am serious, I mean seriously...

My priviate space in exchange of room service?

Actually that doesn't sounds like a bad deal, and I will need good company once in a while, drink beer or wine, chill and talk, play Katamari together...something like that.

We all get lonely sometimes, especially in Los Angeles when you usually don't see anybody if you have a job like my job.

But is not easy to have good roommate, and is not easy to meet people that click your life style.

This is my first time living by myself, I am ok with it, but I think I prefer roommates, at least I don't feel like so isolated sometimes.

Maybe it is not a bad idea after all eventhough it starts out completely like making fun of myself kinda joke.

But how long I will be in Los Angeles?

I don't know.

Today, I am the happiest person!

Coming back to LA already 10 days, still not get used to the life here, espcially the driving part, also, the fact that you can't get any shit done most of the time when all your time is wasted in your car.

And the broken dishwasher really ruin my day.

After a long long day, I finally got home in one piece, looked at all the crap in my car that I had no time to clean up, I just roll my eyes and carried all my stuffs head back home.

When I look up to my apartment, I saw a loooong package sitting in front of my room, then I was like "OMG OMG OMG~~~"

I can totally feel my tears in my eyes, I ran up to the stairs with 3 gallons of water, picked up the package, opened my door and started going crazy.

That's the ski that I ordered last week.

It brough me so much joy even it was still sitting in the box. I looked at the box for 10 minutes with smile on my face, look like a complete idiot. Called a few important persons that cares about how I feel or at least understand how I feel and spread the great news, then I started cutting the cardbox and finally took them out.

It is very very shinny pink color, I was surprised, it looked like dark red in the picture when I order it.

I threw in my outfit for this season with the ski and standing there for a few more minutes....

*wink*

I think I will look great! =)

Good Person, Bad Person

My friend said I am born to be a good person, because when I have any bad thoughts or bad intention, my body will react negatively and sometimes, trying to kill me.

Maybe she is right, after all, she is a lawyer, I will assume she has good reasoning. And I know because of that, I can never be a lawyer, no bad thoughts? Then how can I be a good lawyer?

But there are tons of reason for a good person to become a bad person. I think the main reason is usually the good person realize it is stupid to be so nice, they end up losing everything just to be nice and considerate. The world is full of selfishness and greed, it is contaminated, it is poisoning and it is unavoidable.

Can I really sue someone because they are being selfish ? Will judge rule in my favorite? Will judge sentence these people and ask them to return my dignity and pride?

I have problem to deal with selfishness, I try to gain my justice back by fighting really hard, by playing dirty, by being a bad person...

Then my heart try to kill me for another day, and I learn, there's no justice in this world afterall.

But today, the judge rules in my favorite, then I realize, because I won the case, now I have so many shit to deal with...

Sense of figure

My boss used to tell me that, how much money you can hold in your life, that's how much you can earn. If you can hold 1 million dollars, eventhough you earn 2 milllons dollars, you will definately lose half of it.

And how much you can earn define by how much you can spend.

Spending=Earning

That's why stingy people will never become rich. Because when you are nagging about spending 1 dollar extra on your lunch, your sense of money figure is only that 1 dollar.

It is kinda vague I know...but until you experience it, you will increase your money figure sense greatly.

I used to be a stingy bustard myself, never buy stuff before sales, spend hours and hours searching a better deal online, driving in circle to find a free parking spot, line up for hours to get something cheap or free...

Until one day, I have to spend somuch in one shot, my life changed.

So now spending on anything less than what I paid for that single event is not so much anymore. And I wouldn't mind to have something more challenging than this figure, because money doesn't buy you the truth of life but it certainly does help you realize evil and good.

Time, happiness, health, family and good friends are the source of earning money, there's no measurement to calculate just how much these things worth because you don't know what kind of opportunity they will push you to or help you to get in your life time. We all say that everyday, but how many of us truly understand just how much these things worth to make you a better person.

Without them, you will never earn a penny in your life. Even you earn a penny, that's totally meaningless.

I guess the truth behind being generous is really bringing more wealth to you. Maybe next time you should think about paying 10 dollar for that parking lot , because you never know the 10 mins time that you gain will open up what kind of opportunity in life.

For me, this is just a good reasoning for spending big on my ski trip, muahaha~~

First gear

I bought my gears for skiing.



Ski- checked

Bindings-checked

Ski boots- checked

Ski bag (for air travel)- checked

Ski poles-

Jacket- checked

Pants- checked

Beanies- checked

Skullcandy- checked

Ski guide- checked

Camelpak- checked

Goggle- checked

Sunscreen- checked

Ski Mask-

Ski socks- checked

Music-

bla bla bla-


Ok, I am surprise there's still a few more things to check!


But most important of all, my spirit CHECKED!

I am not at all a good skier, but I believe, spirit made up half of my skills.

3 months later

I left LA for 3 months, now I am back.

Nothing move in my apartment at all, everything sit still at the same position before I left. Good news.

If you never leave your house for this long, you are a lucky one. So you don't have to see what I saw and smell when I first entered my house yesterday. Is good to have roommates, at least to keep your space alive.

My apartment was completely dead, covered in dust, some stuff brokens, growing mole, bugs... I am gald I stored most of the thing properly in my closet, but some of the unfortune one will be tossed away.

I realize just simply living in will keep my apartment alive.

How strange?

I never really clean up when I live here, but somehow, I can feel everything is breathing.

Now I get the same feeling back slowly...and slowly breath in the city.

Start from Burton store today.

My shoes

I miss my shoes the most. Even I got new shoes in China, I miss every single pair of shoes sitting in my shoesrack sright now in Los Angeles. I count them each day and I was upset when I realize I can't remember all of them.

I miss all my party high heels, my hiking snow shoes, my killer boots, my comfy flipflop... I miss the feeling of putting them on because I am always ready to go, ready to move, ready to dance.

But what I miss the most is that pair of boots that I might never own.

The feeling of putting my ski boots on is the best, because when I am done, I am ready to ride in my favorite weather.

I was sad to miss out Radiohead concert, I was sad to miss out some good friends' birthday, but I am despair to realize my season will soon over after it just about to start.

On the other hand, I am more than ready to take life seriously, I might have to give up skiing one day, but what I will not give up is living with the same passion that I have for skiing.

Eventually, I will put my shoes on and leave the land of freedom for something new.

I just don't understand, why I always get chances to move away from my present.

"I am just a person from the present" quote by myself. But today I realize, it is too difficult to stay at the present.

I am good to go!

After China banned my blog

For no reason, I mean, I can't remember if I have written anything offensive in my blog before. Now I can't access to my friendster's blog anymore.

My thought and emotion need a new home. I guess it happens just on time that I can start fresh completely.

Since 2007 Memorial Day until now, I started with deleting some of the oldest memories to get myself ready for a new chapter in life.

If can see you again, I will never love you more and more.

I think, if you can't get over with the oldest stuff, there's no room for you to forget the newer memories.

We all try to forget things intentionally everyday. It won't work until you been through enough pain like me.

I had have enough pain, and this is just a tiny part of my life, a tiny obstacle that took my entire life of efforts to pass through it. My entire life, only 26 years.

So is good, China always treated me very well, because my blog is banned, I don't have to look back anymore.