Saturday, October 31, 2009

Air-conditioning blues

One piece of advice before I continue... Do up your air conditioning system during RENOVATION.

As some of you know, we signed up with Creation Air (CA) at the Expo last week. We paid $4400 for a LG inverter system 4 and a Sanyo casement aircon. Thanks to our 25 yr old flat, we had the limit of 8.5amp and one outdoor unit only. So that limited our choices and made it easier for us to make a decision. We fixed the installation date on 31 Oct (Sat).

On Thursday (29 Oct), I received a call from one of the people at CA and the man told me about a promotion that LG was having. He said I could upgrade to the LG ArtCool series for a SPECIAL price. Since my parents LOVE white colour and picked this model because it wasn't fancy, I turned down the salesguy's offer. Then he reminded me about my appointment on Saturday. No hard-selling. I got home that day, googled and realised that the Artcool series seemed to be giving consumers quite a bit of trouble. So I was really glad I turned the guy down.

On Friday (30 Oct), I received another call from CA. The guy (different one) told me that my 18k BTU unit for the living area is out of stock. I have two options. The first is to have a FREE upgrade to the ArtCool 18k BTU unit... The second is to have a 12k BTU one installed first and they would replace with the 18k one when they have stock. I took the second one. The guy seemed disappointed that I picked the second one and kept asking... It's free you know? :P But I guess it's not hard selling either. Anyway he hung up after reminding me about the appointment on Sat. 2 hours later, a lady named KIWI called.. and you know what.... she sure sounds like JOJO (from the JOJO saga). Kiwi called to remind me of my appointment the next day. I informed her that I wasn't not going to pay in full the next day as the 18k unit is out of stock. I told her I would pay her 75%. She DID NOT listen carefully to what I said and kept interrupting me... Then she told me that she would call me the next day to tell me if I could do that.

Preparation... We spent a good part of Friday afternoon/evening preparing for the installation on Saturday.
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On Saturday (31 Oct), Kiwi called at 9am. She said... "Miss, If you don't want to pay today... I'm afraid we cannot install the aircon." URGH. I told her straight away that she had misunderstood and said that I DID NOT say I refused to pay. I told her i would make a partial payment as I didn't receive all the goods. I was going to continue by telling her the amount when she interrupted with "HOW MUCH?" URGHHHHHH I hate people who interrupt. Anyway that was settled and I got rid of her. Good riddance.

The people arrived on time (10am) and within 5 minutes...
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My dad (the fussy one) and the guy discussed on the trunking sequence and location of the units... and THIS resulted.
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They hacked off the wood above two bedrooms' doors and took out the metal slates to put the trunking through.

They continue all the way into the night. In the evening, it began to rain. The worker asked us for an umbrella. Thinking that he was going to the van to grab something, I lent him one... Then I saw what he was going to do...
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was going to climb out onto the air con ledge in the rainy night! My mom and I were SHOCKED. It's so slippery and dangerous!!!! Finally we managed to convince him not to do so... So he has to come back on Sunday to connect the Outdoor unit with the indoor ones...

So... after they left today (Sat), these are what they left behind...

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The unit in my room.


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The other rooms.


But the best part...
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The hole above my sister's door...

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Hole above the MBR door.

On top of that, My mother and I had been cleaning up... And I think most of you know.. my skin's ultra sensitive. So my hands and feet are cracked and bleeding now.

So off for some medication! :)

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Work-Life Balance

Here's an entry that would give those, who are clueless, what my job really is...

After replying to a comment that adrian made on the previous post, I reflected a teeny bit on how my life has been the past few weeks. Doing some mental calculation, I realise that I've spent more time working than anything else.

I haven't talked to my parents for more than half an hour. I haven't had a proper meal at a respectable restaurant with them for ages, till last Saturday. I don't even know what my parents like to eat anymore. I used to have an idea but now.... I'm clueless.

I think... this is probably how some parents these days feel. They don't know their kids because they spend so much time working that... they are like strangers. The only difference, probably, is that my parents are more understanding towards my plight.

I wake up early every day at 5.45am in order to be in time for work. Then I get home in the evenings and usually continue working at home. I do have long holidays but they are usually spent working or getting sleep. It has come to point where my mother helps me with some mundane tasks from time to time. She does all the cutting and pasting, packing and sealing while watching her korean dramas.

.... So I think I have to be more conscious of the time I spend on work and try to have some work-life balance to keep my sanity intact.

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Another thing....

Recently, I read some comments I made previously in a forum and was SHOCKED. I was shocked at the lack of punctuation, proper grammatical structures and the level of colloquialism. It was horrifying. Today, my boss asked,"So... how many of you can actually write a formal letter and know the format really well?"

*silence*

In my heart, I was feverishly praying. I seriously think I need to pray more these days. *not me not me not me* I guess breaking out in cold sweat would be a serious understatement. *move on to the next topic, move on move on move on* I was making a REAL effort in averting her gaze.

Sadly, I recently (yet again) learnt that a sizeable number of 12 yr olds could write better than I do. FAR better. I mean... WAYyyYYYY better. I reckon I am miles behind. I simply do not remember the last time I used words like gargantuan, garrulous, azure, agog, and phrases like a bolt in the blue, a stitch in time saves nine, red herring.... I do know these words... I just rarely use them. It was amazing to see how easily a child could use those words so naturally.

Thus, I shall revive my quest to improve.

I have to,

My neck is on the line.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

It's been so long!!



Since I've updated!!

Just received a message from someone who read my blog...

Reminded me that I HAVE A BLOG! haha

Anyways I've been thoroughly busy with work.

I have a teeny good news which scares the hell out of me... and that is... I've sorta been promoted.

Sorta.

More shitwork basically.

hahah What's new?

Another good news is that My Fave Blogshop WON at the Nuffnang Awards! YAY!

Ok ok... work is breathing down my neck at the moment.

I'll blog later in the week.