Ever since I have completed my Human Development subject, I noticed I often curious how old are them. I was interested their age range and then try to understand the phases of life they are going through. I like to question like what sort of thinking they are going through at their age range, so that I could relate if the theories I have learned actually applied to them.
Just today I met a new mom who is expecting, and I started asking how many months, because I remembered each month there are growth of the babies in the womb. I would never pay attention to these in the past, but the course actually taught me to be more aware at every phases of expectancy.
However, I need to be more careful when I asked somebody's age. Certain people may feel offended when do they do not realize why I post that question.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Hanoi 6 years ago and today!
I remembered very well 6 years ago in Hanoi, it's one of the best backpackers' haven. On top of that people are humble and shopping has been very reasonable. However, that was 6 years ago.
I came back to Hanoi after 6 years. Immediately I could feel how capitalism has impacted this country. Since after Vietnam open the door to US and the world for business, the focus in life eventually shifted.
We went to one of the famous restaurant serving fried fish and vegies. I was told by the local few years back was not costly, now it has gone double or at least triple. When you speak to the vendor the moment they detected you are foreigner they will tripled the price before they sell to you. Many of them are coping with high prices in Hanoi these days and these vendors became vultures seeking for their prey. I don't recall this was a big thing 6 years ago.
However, people are generally still kind and nice, but what capitalism can do a place is pretty obvious to me here. People will tell you it happens everywhere, but I will say if you want to be part of it, then it will happen.
I came back to Hanoi after 6 years. Immediately I could feel how capitalism has impacted this country. Since after Vietnam open the door to US and the world for business, the focus in life eventually shifted.
We went to one of the famous restaurant serving fried fish and vegies. I was told by the local few years back was not costly, now it has gone double or at least triple. When you speak to the vendor the moment they detected you are foreigner they will tripled the price before they sell to you. Many of them are coping with high prices in Hanoi these days and these vendors became vultures seeking for their prey. I don't recall this was a big thing 6 years ago.
However, people are generally still kind and nice, but what capitalism can do a place is pretty obvious to me here. People will tell you it happens everywhere, but I will say if you want to be part of it, then it will happen.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
The Conflict!
I have started my 2nd term at college now and this term I am doing 'Conflict Management'. Basically conflict does not mean it's bad, it can turn out to be positive as well. Also, Conflict can be defined into 2 groups, Intangible and Tangible. For intangible, emotion, values and interest (EVI), while the intangible are position and behavior (PB).
So when you are confronting with a conflict, you need to find out which one are you encountering. The fastest solution is to deal with Emotion first, but the hardest will be Values as it will not change overnight.
On top of that if you deduced it comes down to interest, then you can verify, if you have compatible or incompatible interest and behavior.
Compatible interest and behavior = No conflict;
Compatible interest and incompatible behavior = False conflict;
Incompatible interest and compatible behavior = Latent conflict; and
Incompatible interest and behavior = Real Conflict.
What I am trying to say is, you need to assess first, and detect where do you stand. Once you aware, you have a better idea on how to tackle a conflict!
So when you are confronting with a conflict, you need to find out which one are you encountering. The fastest solution is to deal with Emotion first, but the hardest will be Values as it will not change overnight.
On top of that if you deduced it comes down to interest, then you can verify, if you have compatible or incompatible interest and behavior.
Compatible interest and behavior = No conflict;
Compatible interest and incompatible behavior = False conflict;
Incompatible interest and compatible behavior = Latent conflict; and
Incompatible interest and behavior = Real Conflict.
What I am trying to say is, you need to assess first, and detect where do you stand. Once you aware, you have a better idea on how to tackle a conflict!
Thursday, June 3, 2010
How did your parents affected you today?
Today I was running a class in Manila. Prior to this class I need the local manager in Manila to give a kick off to show our commitments and hopefully the attendees committed and serious about the class. However, in the morning I got a news that she is not coming over for the kick off and not even later. I became furious because the class was given free and there is no courtesy from the management to do a kick off to her own staffs!
Anyway, I was really upset and I told her staffs that she must show up. It's totally unacceptable! However, later I found out she worked till 3am hence she couldn't wake up in the morning. I calmed down a little, but I still insist she can drop by after lunch.
Later I traced back why I became angry, I wasn't sure why I was so angry. I remembered when young one of my parent is very strict to us. Indirectly this pattern passed down to me. According to a book I read, depending on our upbringing, we could be punitive conscience, weak conscience and benign conscience!
One will develop into punitive if your parents are strict to you. Some develop into weak conscience if family are too permissive towards you. And finally for benign, one are not trouble by authority but usually viewed as a 'decent sort'!
Well you can analyze your own past and decide which type you belong to. :P
Anyway, I was really upset and I told her staffs that she must show up. It's totally unacceptable! However, later I found out she worked till 3am hence she couldn't wake up in the morning. I calmed down a little, but I still insist she can drop by after lunch.
Later I traced back why I became angry, I wasn't sure why I was so angry. I remembered when young one of my parent is very strict to us. Indirectly this pattern passed down to me. According to a book I read, depending on our upbringing, we could be punitive conscience, weak conscience and benign conscience!
One will develop into punitive if your parents are strict to you. Some develop into weak conscience if family are too permissive towards you. And finally for benign, one are not trouble by authority but usually viewed as a 'decent sort'!
Well you can analyze your own past and decide which type you belong to. :P
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Getting into my nerves .. grrrr
Do you find sometimes while you are at home, you lost your patience when talking to your family members? Probably not you but it happens to me. I am trying to study why I am behaving like this. At the same time trying to recall any past experiences that influencing me.
Just last night, my family members told me to take a picture of them, which will be used to develop at a photo studio later. I took the picture with flash, naturally, the eyeball will show some white spot traces of the camera flash. When my relative saw it she didn't like it coz she think I should not use flash. Then we switched off the flash and turned the lights on, but later found the picture was a bit blurry due to night scene setup. A slight shake of hand will affects the picture sharpness. Anyway, we ended with one which was not so bad after more than 10 takes.
When we went to the photo shop, my relative again kept asking why the eye has white spot (with flash). I started losing my cool, I had already explained the theory but she still insist it's not the flash!!! And when the shop keeper told her the same thing then only she quit asking. Then the camera man start lecturing how to handle picture at night as it was a bit blurry. I guess I knew what happened from the beginning from the end, but it ended up the camera shop owner giving us a kind lecture of how to use a camera!! In normal days I would just be agreeable to all these things, but I couldn't agree with whatever I heard that day because, nobody is willing to listen!! Ahh I guess that's they key, when I could not convince my theory to others, I lose my patience. I would search on this further ...
Just last night, my family members told me to take a picture of them, which will be used to develop at a photo studio later. I took the picture with flash, naturally, the eyeball will show some white spot traces of the camera flash. When my relative saw it she didn't like it coz she think I should not use flash. Then we switched off the flash and turned the lights on, but later found the picture was a bit blurry due to night scene setup. A slight shake of hand will affects the picture sharpness. Anyway, we ended with one which was not so bad after more than 10 takes.
When we went to the photo shop, my relative again kept asking why the eye has white spot (with flash). I started losing my cool, I had already explained the theory but she still insist it's not the flash!!! And when the shop keeper told her the same thing then only she quit asking. Then the camera man start lecturing how to handle picture at night as it was a bit blurry. I guess I knew what happened from the beginning from the end, but it ended up the camera shop owner giving us a kind lecture of how to use a camera!! In normal days I would just be agreeable to all these things, but I couldn't agree with whatever I heard that day because, nobody is willing to listen!! Ahh I guess that's they key, when I could not convince my theory to others, I lose my patience. I would search on this further ...
Thursday, May 27, 2010
The customer is always "Right"!
I am in Mumbai this week staying in Novotel Juhu Beach hotel. It is strategically located at famous Juhu facing the Arabian sea. I was lucky as I was allowed to use their Premier Lounge for FREE drinks and finger food during happy hours from 6pm to 8pm. Last night while I was at the lounge to collect a room card at 8.30pm, an Indian and a Mat Salleh lady walked into the lounge. The checked into the Premier floor and they wanted to use the lounge. The staff at the lounge told them they can use the lounge however, happy hour is over. There are still plenty of finger foods which they could indulge in, but the ladies customer wanted more. They want the staff to fix them alcoholic drink. The staff refused because happy hour was over and she was not allowed to do it.
The soft spoken lady then started telling her problems from the flight delay, to bad traffic, to late car pickup. In the end she wanted to point out it wasn't her fault and the hotel should take this into consideration. She then became very demanding and wanted the staff to allow them to drink. The staff then commented "It was not my fault that you faced all these problems"! At that point, I was very sure, the staff made a very wrong comment eventhough she felt insulted by the customer. After all she is in service industry and the customer is always right. She can deny all the way, but she should not express her dis-contenment and emotion to the customer, I reckon! Anyway, the 2 ladies walked away and headed to the ground floor bar where they have to PAY for a drink!!
The soft spoken lady then started telling her problems from the flight delay, to bad traffic, to late car pickup. In the end she wanted to point out it wasn't her fault and the hotel should take this into consideration. She then became very demanding and wanted the staff to allow them to drink. The staff then commented "It was not my fault that you faced all these problems"! At that point, I was very sure, the staff made a very wrong comment eventhough she felt insulted by the customer. After all she is in service industry and the customer is always right. She can deny all the way, but she should not express her dis-contenment and emotion to the customer, I reckon! Anyway, the 2 ladies walked away and headed to the ground floor bar where they have to PAY for a drink!!
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The Ka-Cat (Cockroach) Story
I was sitting at a Hong Kong style 'Cha Chan Teng' (Cafe) sipping my 'Nai Cha' (Milk Tea) away. Suddenly I heard 2 ladies customer giggling and a waitress approached them. Apparently the customer found there was a dead KA-CAT in her bowl of soup noodle. The waitress then took the bowl back to the kitchen to inform the cook.
Few minutes later, the waitress came back and she said when we served we didn't see the KA-CAT was there. So it flew in while you were eating!!! The lady customer apparently didn't become angry to my surprise and she giggled. She said very loudly 'How can a KA-CAT fly around your restaurant and landed in my bowl?
The waitress kept quiet and very reluctantly told the lady boss behind the counter. Both of them looked very unhappy and asking how to deal with this. Anyway, I wasn't sure what happened in the end. But I do know, it's a bit ridiculous to accuse the KA-CAT flew into the bowl while the customer were eating. Does that mean the restaurant is dirty too? Whatever it is, I don't feel the cafe owner will win! But the only thing that really lost was the poor KA-CAT!
Few minutes later, the waitress came back and she said when we served we didn't see the KA-CAT was there. So it flew in while you were eating!!! The lady customer apparently didn't become angry to my surprise and she giggled. She said very loudly 'How can a KA-CAT fly around your restaurant and landed in my bowl?
The waitress kept quiet and very reluctantly told the lady boss behind the counter. Both of them looked very unhappy and asking how to deal with this. Anyway, I wasn't sure what happened in the end. But I do know, it's a bit ridiculous to accuse the KA-CAT flew into the bowl while the customer were eating. Does that mean the restaurant is dirty too? Whatever it is, I don't feel the cafe owner will win! But the only thing that really lost was the poor KA-CAT!
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