Travel Coolz!

To rent the snow chain

Great Alpine Road Fuel Stop
76 Great Alpine Road, Bright, 3741
Tel: 03 5755 1566 Fax: 03 5750 1911

3 days for $50. Requires $20 deposit

I was googling to research on the transaction costs about overseas transactions.. till I saw this latest news from UOB

quoted from UOB website

With effect from 1 June 2008, the Bank will implement a cheque book charge for all types of individual SGD
chequeing accounts (except UOB High Yield Account).

Charges will be waived for the first cheque book issued upon account opening. For subsequent cheque
books issued, a charge of SGD10 per cheque book will apply.

The cheque book charge will be debited from your chequeing account and reflected in your bank statement.

Now even prices of stable food are way high… I dont think the bank should increase the cheque rates at this time… Is it because they are trying to push up their profitability before the sub-prime effect starts to fall upon Singapore?????

I didnt watch 2nd season because i always think the subsequent seasons are pretty crappy, meaning that the contestants are not innocent anyway as they know how to play the game.

However this new season is different!! It includes contestants from USA, japan and Singapore!!!!

超级星光大道第三季 (02-01 /02-08 /02-15 /02-22)

超级星光大道第三季 (02-29 /03-07 /03-14)

超级星光大道第三季 (03-21 /03-28 /04-04)

2008-04-11 超级星光大道第三季

2008-04-18 超级星光大道第三季

2008-04-25 超级星光大道第三季

2008-05-09 超级星光大道第三季

2008-05-16 超级星光大道第三季

2008-05-23 超级星光大道第三季

2008-06-06 超级星光大道第三季

Credit to ykedwin

Hey.. this is a damn cool song… EnjoY!

I’m holding on your rope
Got me ten feet off the ground
And I’m hearing what you say
But I just can’t make a sound
You tell me that you need me
Then you go and cut me down
But wait…
You tell me that you’re sorry
Didn’t think I’d turn around and say..

That it’s too late to apologize, it’s too late
I said it’s too late to apologize, it’s too late

I’d take another chance, take a fall, take a shot for you
And I need you like a heart needs a beat
(But that’s nothing new)
Yeah yeah

I loved you with a fire red, now it’s turning blue
And you say
Sorry like the angel heaven let me think was you
But I’m afraid

It’s too late to apologize, it’s too late
I said it’s too late to apologize, it’s too late
Woahooo woah

It’s too late to apologize, it’s too late
I said it’s too late to apologize, it’s too late
I said it’s too late to apologize, yeah yeah
I said it’s too late to apologize, a yeah

I’m holding on your rope
Got me ten feet off the ground…

This is the question that i am often asked. Well.. i think you may have the same question when you are going to travel out of the country.

The answer is a BIG “NO”

According to the Singapore Custom website,

Eligibility criteria

You must be 16 years old or above at the time of purchase and must NOT:

- Spend more than 365 days in Singapore in the past 24 months before the date of purchase;
- Have exercised employment in Singapore in the past 6 months before the date of purchase;
- Be a citizen or permanent resident of Singapore; and
- Be a member of the cabin or flight crew of the aircraft on which you are departing from Singapore,
- If you are on a student pass, in addition to the above criteria, you are eligible only if you intend to depart and remain outside Singapore for a minimum period of 12 months. The Scheme also only covers goods that you purchase in the last 4 months to the expiry of your student pass. The goods must also be brought out within 2 months from the date of purchase.

I found out that Australia is different. No matter if you are an Australian or not, as long you bring the item out within 60 days after your purchase at the registered shops, you are allowed to claim the 10% GST. I think Australia’s ruling is fairer because the purpose of GST is to tax on consumption in the country. So if you buy for eg a camera, but eventually going to bring it out of the country, you are not considered “consuming” it.. right???

I am from a mid-tier firm and wanting to get better exposure and bigger clientele. I decided to apply the big 4 in melbourne. My agent, Steven was a very nice man. With a short turnaround after i met him, he had managed to arrange me an interview with Deloitte Melb.

I was interviewed by this lady looks pretty young and upfront she told me it would only take me 30 mins. Bit surprised by this because normally the interviewer doesn’t usually say that… never mind… i was asked to give an overview of my experience…which I did, I bent down to get my folder just to grab my CV as I want my CV to be in front of me as I am going down the list. She looked a bit unpleasant after I did that. As i went down to explain my experience, there were times where i paused a while to think further. She interrupted and asked me about my next job. Of course I brought her back to the job I was initially talking about and then moved on to the next one.

After this, she moved on to ask me some behaviorial questions, around 4-5 of them. Although i did not give specific examples for all the questions, hey…i did say 1-2 examples. Well feedback was i didnt give specific examples and that she gave me time to finish my questions (hmm.. given the fact she said interview only took 30 mins, bit contradicting..) i knew i didnt do well.. that’s fine…

Lastly, “any questions for me”, she asked. Looking at the awards, especially Employer of Choice for Women 6 years in a row! So naturally and being curious, I asked her what kind of flexibility the firm provides to the women for eg like me if I want to have kids or may have kids, given that recently a handful of females are promoted to partners in this very deadline demanding environment. She told me part time employment or to knock off at early time if i want to pick up my kids but pretty hard in the busy season. hmm.. that is not the answer i am actually after.. i believe all companies would have done that too but what is the main reason DTT won this award? Well I was given feedback that i doesnt fit into their culture as I asked questions about that i want to have kids and wanting to get the flexibility which is not possible in the audit. I was “WTF”. I was then simply asking general questions and whether i want to have kids or not, should not affect my interview. This is definitely not EEO.

Another feedback that i am only into 2 CA modules and in order to be senior, i need 3.. well they didnt even consider my past experiences, I am a ACCA… seems that it is a hardcore rule…

I told my peers and frens (ex-DTT) that they were very surprised about my interview and especially the feedback i have gotten. They all think highly about the firm which they strongly encourage me to apply. They also thought that it may not be the firm’s problem but rather it could be the HR (being on the front line) not projected the correct message or image to the candidates. One common conclusion, I was not being fairly assessed in that sense. Well I might not be performing that well during the interview so if that is the reason why i was rejected, fine. But to think again, being rejected just for these reasons didnt make me feel better.

well.. i decided to write an email to the CEO Aust, sent in the morning… and that very afternoon, I got the call from my agent… He and the HR knew about my letter and he kept on stressing that the reason why i was turned down was my performance on my answer and that DTT is the employer women of the choice for 6 years… I told him that he said the exact words that morning after my interview… he kept on denying and that i must have interpreted it.. I told him that i did tell him why i asked the questions about having kids because i was very curious on how audit in DTT can accomodate women with family and kids…. and i kept on stressing that i am quoting the exact words from him - “a feedback from HR that i couldnt fit into the culture because i want to have kids etc”.

anyway got the reply back from Mr CEO Aust.. and he will personally look into this matter but of course wish me luck in my search… Hope that i will not become “famous” and being discriminated when I apply for this firm or other big 4… you know audit is a small circle, such news can be spread…. but no regrets… since i feel that i am somehow unfairly assessed.

Bad new too that they are not going to look at my application again in this 12 mths as told by my agent, so that means I can’t apply to DTT.

well guys… wish me luck in my search!

Sad to say, I am flying off to Melb tonight. After staying back in this place where I have spent my 20+ years, I do feel unbearable to leave. It is not that i am very unwilling to go back to Melbourne but to go back to work and I will miss my frens over here. Miss those days when we could go for supper and not worrying that we cannot find food. Miss my kaya toast and teh beng which cost less than $4. Miss my bubble tea which is only $1.50 which cost A$3.50 in Melbourne!!! Miss the class 95fm and yes 93.3 fm. Miss the asian drama. Miss the cool breeze that blows into my house while having my nap. Miss my mom’s soups. Miss the “la and lors”.

So now i have to “switch” my moods back as I am going back to work. Really hoping to see friends coming over and drop by. Most probably i will be back for the next xmas. Hope that everything here goes fine especially everyone’s health (doreen’s)

Thanks Wilfred for this interesting couple keychain!!

SJ went to Netherlands and neighbouring countries for nearly 6 mths and this is the gift she brought for me.. so nice of her… Isn’t this chocolate interesting?? I have eaten half of it!

Oh… TCC is so nice.. This year, they sent a notebook to holders of TCC card. Look at the pictures… Too pretty to use them…

I am starting to get used to the life without Kein. Initially, I was still not used to it. I remembered I cried on the first night when he went back. Out of sudden, the room became so cold, no one to share a meal, talk with you…

So what I have been doing these days being alone here? hmm.. During weekends, I have been reading my CA tax notes (not very efficient) while watching a Jdrama called “Gokusen” and variety shows on youtube. Well… i guess that’s the way to keep me busy and occupied.

My exams are around the corner, ie 4 Dec. This week will be my last working week before I am on annual/study leave for a week before my exams. Well guess that i have to really pia during the week.. just find it hard to study at night while working in the daytime. trust me, the brain is exhausted by then i reach home. So i fully understand how hard is to study and work at the same time.. how you guys manage to do that??

Today, I have met an ex-colleague in the city for lunch and kopi.. He just reached here in April 07 and is currenty looking for a house to buy. He needs one because his wife is coming in Jan08 and his baby is due in Mar08. however, house prices in Melbourne are getting way beyong reach… so I am not sure how his plans are.

I am looking forward to home. In fact, I have packed Kein’s clothings in my “hong bai lan” bag (mine is orange, yellow, green and blue) since his clothes have dried up. Instead of putting in the wardrobe, i might as well pack them. After tonight, I can deduct 1 more day from my countdown to “24days”!!! Can see my dear lor!!