Jazz and blues

I love Jazz and blues. I even thought about using jazz as a background music in my Chinese style wedding banquet, but I gave up this idea as it is just like sport shoes with fish net pantyhose - you will embarrasse yourself if it doesn't look hippy but freaky.

Recently, Katie Melua is my favourite Jazz an blues singer. Her heavenly voice, double chin and hypontic eyes are stunning, and her childhood life in Geogeria, former USSR makes her more extraordinary. 19-year-old Katie is named as 'second Norah Jones', but I'm sure she wishes people perceive her as her ownself.

What is the music in your MP3 players recently?

Poet Time!!!

Get stuck in my cubicle from 9 to 8,
Let the air con to make me dehydrated,
Attach my eyes on that silly computer all the day,
With my little hand on something called 'mouse' sliding its own way...

How come I work so hard salary still not raised,
Every month I could make a buy list with only 3 little things,
If I decide to buy a pair of shoes I have no money left from a lipstick,
Is it what people call 'Pathetic'?
I bet there are many other things can still make me amazed,
Wear my sneakers and running to Kowloon Bay,
Hugging my family everyday,
I'm sure I will feel great,
I'm sure I will feel great!!!

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Alright, can anyone put some melody in it to make it a song??

Customer Loyalty – about beautifying yourself

Don’t know why skin care/cosmetic brands hardly develop customer loyalty among Asian customers. Is it because there are too many new choices and excitements bombarding them all the time?

I am quite a devotee of Clarins and Fancl, but I did not stick in any single product of these two brands more than two years. For example, I would shift using face cleansers within a single brand or among different brands – after finished the whole tube of Clarins facial cleanser for all skin type, then I will interest to use that Clarins grapefruit scent whitening facial bar, later on, I will go after Fancl cleansing powder. Currently, I am using Origins brightening facial cleaning cream. =P

Frankly, the consumption of cosmetic products is strongly influenced by advertising campaigns and those cross selling strategy. For example, I bought that Origins brightening facial cleaning cream just because I wanted to have a jar of Origins Modern Fiction face exfoliator; which print ad attracted me for awhile. So when I stepped in the store and decided to by Modern Fiction, I was influenced by the ‘stamp collecting’ policy’ – i.e. the shop assistant persuaded me that I could get one more stamp for extra $100 purchase, etc. Then I was convinced to try its facial cleanser which I planned to buy from other brands, say Clarins. As a typical customer, I feel that the whole strategy of ad campaign, cross selling and stamp collection is very successful. It surely could capture the ‘consumer surplus.

However, there is a hidden weakness behind. Supposingly those cross selling and stamp collecting policy aim to establish the customer loyalty. The more you bought from one brand then the more reward you could receive by the end of the year or by the time you get certain amount of stamps. Different brands offer various types of rewards, like offering VIP membership with benefit of 20% off of each time purchase, or redeeming products or cash coupon right after you get 10 stamps etc. However, I find that most ladies got at least 2 stamp collection cards from different brands in their wallets. And whenever there are any foreign brands or new products launche in Hong Kong, girls are gone crazy and rushed to try the products in the first hand.

Poorly the outcome of shifting skincare products frequently is having allergic skin, because you have to get used to different kind of products with totally different set of ingredients. Even though, girls are very adventurous of trying new things that supposed to make you more charming and radiant

Girls talk

Recently one of our secondary school classmates had to had an operation, luckily she recovered well and now is taking rest in home.

Such 'unfortunate' event ironically let all we young ladies stayed together again. We visited this friend and had gathering in the hospital, we had lots of girls talks, like what we did frequently during secondary school period. One of us teased that we just took this excuse (someone's operation) to meet each others.

Then I was updated that our classmates are working in various fields, like social workers, business, mass media, flight attendants, insurance, etc. Not many of us got married, some are having stable boyfriends, several of them are strugging in chaotic love affairs, quiet a number of them work quite well in their jobs, others decided to live or study oversea to explore the plaent. I feel so amazed that we were still schoolmates from the same school 10 years ago, now all of us are having diversified life path.

Ladies, hope you all the best. God loves you and have a wonderful plan in your life!!

Singing in the rain

It keeps raining for several weeks. I feel so hungry! (Yes, there is no correlation between the first and second sentence).

I love cooking. After we moved out from our parent's home, Jeff and I rarely dine out, especially during the weekends. We love to cook whatever we love to eat, for example, I always make soup with apple.

I just realize that I also have potentials to be a good mother, at least I know how to cook.
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People in different life stage will have different thought about life. A person in 28 years old could have endless possibilities. You could be surprised by countless things in this world because you are still very young and embrace curiosity. I want to think out of the box and act out of the box, I want to explore my endless possibility.
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Life is not dull, only what you think make yourself dull, remember that perception is actually a self-constructed subjective feeling, it helps you to understand the world, but it is not a reality or an absolute truth. Widen your heart and you could embrace the whole world.

Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering

~From Master Yoda, Star Wars Episode

Be faithful to myself

I supposed to have a really work-free and relaxing weekend, but a phone call from 'someone' almost ruined it.

She phoned me in the afternoon and told me to be careful as I had not signed up for an extra work. She sounded so helpful and caring, but I did wonder her intention. After I finished the phone call, I felt so upset and miserable, I wondered if it is my fault for not signing up that extra work.

Jeff saw that I was so depressed, actually I had been pressurized for quite a long time. I had my own thought and my own philosophy, but suddenly I started to think if my philosophy is not applicable in this real world. When I started crying, Jeff asked me to stop. He urged me to believe myself, to trust my talent, and to listen to my own thought, don't compromise with other's ridiculous expectation, otherwise I will lost myself, and people will torture me more.

And I know that job is not everything of my life. Rather, job is the least important things comparing with my family, my health and my wisdom. I don't want my family to be upset because I ignore him and only concentrate on my work.

I found that I discuss such kind of topic in this diary for almost a year, a bit pathetic, isn't it?

I should be faithful to myself, to believe the 'force', like what Jedi do.

Torture

Kelly had gone crazy today. Her emotion fluctuates like period, in monthly basis. Today Miss R offered her internal presentation, she got a conceptual mistake on a slide. Our flammable Kelly felt extremely frustrated instantly and scolded her in front of all colleague, then we all research executives were the next victims. Kelly commented that we are hopeless and 'bloody', yes, she used the coarse language to describe her employees. I wonder if a boss has the right to insult his/her employees and deprived their dignity just because he/she is the one who pays the bloody salary?! Could that limited amount buy the respect which we deserve to get?

Then someone just comments that among all regional offices of our company, research executives in Hong Kong are inferior comparing with other regions, it is because the education system molded us to be less competitive. Frankly, I do think this is bullshit. I don't think we are inferior, yes, we are different from colleagues from other countries, but each of us has our own talent and strengths, each of us is special.

We are so proud of Miss R that even Kelly screwed up her presentation at the very beginning, she could hold back her tears and managed to complete the presentation with strong confidence. Three cheers to her.

Can this case explain why the employee loyalty is so low among Hong Kong working class? I believe what happened in our company today is not an unique case.

Have a nice day!!

Feel that I have an obligation to contribute some positive energy to this cyber world. I wish to tell everyone that I enjoy today so much!!

Today, I boosted up my productivity to maximum and finished two work tasks. I could manage to leave office around 6:45pm.

I had a lunch with my friends this afternoon, we talked a lot.

I received a comment of last piece of diary from my lovely classmate Billie - she was the first classmate who sit next to me when we were in form 1.

Jeff and I had a very nice dinner in a Japanese restaurant, yummy!!

Then I sit on my bed and am writing this diary. A totally normal day but it is so cool!!

Stay healthy and young

As I had suffered from flu and cold on and off, I made up my mind to keep myself healthy and young. Herebelow are the tips from elderly wisdom, book and my experience.

1. Sleep well - both quality and quantity should be concerned. To have a nice sleep, I try to have a cup of hot chamomile tea with honey before going bed, the sweet aroma helps me to relax
2. Exercise - Practise yoga or other aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week, at least 30 minutes each time.
3. Taking supplement - I know that someone reject this idea so much because they believe the nutrients could be gotten from daily dining. However, my smart Daddy suggests Omega 3 fish oil pill does work.
4. Avoid make up if not necessary - frankly, someone could have make up everyday but still have fair skin, but unfortunately, it is not my case. Make up becomes a burden to my face when it lasts a day long. Seems that it is wiser to keep my skin breathes and glows naturally.
5. Pamper myself, facial treatment frequently.
6. Outdoor activities - Staying indoor with strong air conditioner only makes me dull, should absorb golden sunshine during weekend.
7. Reading and watching movie - beautiflying myself internally.
8. Be happy, learn to let go - don't be too serious for every tiny little things, it could just speed up the aging rate and deepen the fine lines on face.
9. And the most important is, having an open mind, accept myself and everyone, should love and care myself!!

Do you have any little tips to brighten up your everyday? Let's share!!