{Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008}
Shopping for business pants and a collared shirt.

I didn't tell ya, delibrately, but now I think it's quite fine to say so now. On wednesday, I had an interview with the boss of Friend's cafe, who is catering to the boarders at the hostel of NUS high (which looks like a block of apartments). Should be getting the results this weekend. There was no phone call today so I don't think I got that job.

On Thursday, I had an interview at BSS for another admin job. The nature of the job is different cos the former involves checking of menus and wine list for spelling errors, data entry, while this one involves handling computer, phone calls, teacher stuff and dunnowhat. I don't think I was and am fit to be a relief teacher there. They were looking for a relief teacher for one of the classes there. The problem is that I don't think I'm good enough for them, cos I seriously respect most teachers for what they do, and special education teachers top the list for they really really REALLY have the heart and the patience cos the requirements and nature of these children differ from child to child, and I believe these children ought to get the best teaching possible, as all children deserve, so I think I can't fulfill this role. So they recommend that I volunteer first to get a feel of it. Every class has two teachers. My mum's friend volunteers at RC nearly every morning. I think that if I find that the volunteer stint really suited me, then I have the heart and what it takes to be a teacher anywhere.

Anyway, I got the admin job, starting work on monday. Have to report early in the morning. So that means I have to wake up at 6am, again, as per normal school day. Now i'll be having breakfast with my family again. No more lying in bed to 11am and going to sleep at 2am, no more unfixed schedules, not bounded by anything such as work hours. I will miss these days. I think I actually dread the Monday that is approaching.

So, fortunately for me, I can wear sneakers and polo tee (must have collar, or a long sleeve round neck top will do too, but that I don't have) to work. Unfortunately, I can't wear jeans, it must be proper pants.

Hence, today, I went shopping, by myself because everyone else was busy, and I don't think the maids not my grandparents could follow, to buy those pair of pants. I have only one pair of business pants, and as I have said earlier, quite a number of my things are inaccessible now. I had to borrow MP's shirt to the interview, and I seriously felt overdressed after seeing what the other staff coming in and out of the Admin office, general office, GO, were wearing. Oh, by the way, I met a girl from SAJC there. she's working there already, as a teacher I think.

i went to AMK hub, and fann wong, jack neo and mark lee were there signing autographs on stage, promoting Neo's latest movie, the one where fann wong was a gangster and mark lee wasn't. no wonder that tune was so familiar, having heard it during the trailer in the cinema twice or more.

AMK hub was quite crowded. I figure about a third of AMK was there, knowing how populated AMK is. First checked out Giodarno. The only thing I don't like about giodarno is that they don't sell pants my size cos my waist is too big, so checked out the guys range. after discount it would be slightly more than $31. so i said, "ok, thank you," and proceeded over to G2000, which I avoided first because of the reasonably large crowd in there. By the way, they selling 30% discount at gio.

Inside G2000 was havoc. so many people everywhere. There was a long queue (which i later realised was due to the fact that only one cashier machine was working; the other's software was not working properly). There was a pile of clothes on top of each mid level shelf that displayed the ladies shirts. I was disgusted by the fact that people did not respect this place and dumped the clothes that they didn't want any old how like that, so messy, (and they probably went home and scolded their children for not cleaning up the mess in their room). And to think G2000 sells business clothes, and that the people who buy them should be mannered enough to know what, or what not to do.

Speaking of the fact that G2000 sells business clothes only, I did some evaluation and I conclude that people have been blinded by the branding, marketing campaign, the fact that it sells only business clothes, and probably the pricing, to conclude that G2000 sells very good quality clothes. My opinion is that G2000 is ok, that if anything is worse than the quality it provides, I won't buy it. The material sold is of a reasonable thread count (unlike some places like those stalls that sell really cheap low thread count shirts), and that they contain lycra in some pieces, which IS really helpful when putting the shirt on and makes it more comfortable, and that they stock basics and some nice designs. BUT, (ah yes the "but"), the cloth is still quite thin, that if you wear a white shirt, have to wear another layer inside for decency. Secondly, the pants pass, but not by much, the squat test. The squat test involves the tester (i.e. You) squatting to make sure the testee (i.e. the pants) allow one to squat and hence move around comfortably in those pants. I had to pull up the waist of the pants before I could squat down. Obviously G2000 makes clothing for smaller people (i.e. shorter arms or flatter bums). I have a pair of Hardy Amies pants, which really, is so well cut that I can squat down so easily and I reckon I can do a split in it, if I could do a split in the first place. I've been stiffening since i haven't done a series of stretching exercises for a long time. So I don't think G2000 pants are well cut around the bum area. Thirdly, the pants use those metal slip-on things to connect the waistband together. Buttons are the way to go because they are more secure than those metal things which can easily become undone.

Lastly, the average price of a G2000 item is about $40 onwards. I bought my Hardy Amies pants for $59 (there's a $49 version too but design not so nice, bought from John Little). For a price difference of about $19, I get a better quality product made in UK(I think) instead of China, that would probably last more years. I rather buy one and use it longer than keep following the trends (the regular collar is back, the "collarless" collar that supposed to resemble a mandarin collar is out after 1 year.)

I only bought from G2000 cos there was a sale going on where the tops can be $23 for ladies and the pants are $29 instead of $40.

The cashiers by the way don't know that the plastic film that is stuck on the screen of the credit card thing is to be REMOVED because the machine "senses" the signature of the card holder by TOUCH, so the film is making it difficult for the signature to be detected. Also, the reason that the lighting makes the signature difficult to see is not valid because the backlight of the LCD touch screen is supposed to COUNTER the lighting.

And, despite the obvious mess in the store, where the dressing room had many hangers abandoned in it, and later I saw a men's shirt on the floor, a whole pile of clothing in the reject pile, etc, what were the staff who were free doing? Joking around and playing with a customer's baby! They should be cleaning the mess because the store's mess really makes the shopping unpleasant. Fortunately, G2000 accepts all credit cards, unlike some places which accept Visa and Mastercard only, so it's really convenient for the customers, and that the cashier was a nice person.

In the end, I bought a pair of sand-coloured pants and a dark brown shirt, which I think I really look sharp in. One thing I hope to do when I earn quite a sum of money is to tailor a customized shirt from CYC tailors, which has been around for generations. I want a shirt that, finally, would be long enough for my arms and torso, and it will be pretty with stripes or maybe a flower!

Before going back, i bought one teriyaki chicken burger from MOS burger. I felt a bit hungry then. I made it the reason for me to walk home from the bus stop without strolling, especially since I was so tired from all the waiting for the queue and bus. The burger was nice. ^-^ It was the first type of burger I had from MOS, and it was the one that made me a fan of MOS burger. I remember I used to have an aversion to MOS burger because once my primary school served it to us on some outing, and it was a soya bean burger or something, and I didn't like soya beans. I still don't like soya stuff except tau hui, tofu, tau pok and yong tau foo, and soya sauce (but of course). Usually the MOS burger outlet at AMK hub gives poor quality burgers cos I think the worker there any old how put the burgers together, so the chicken looked a bit dry and all the mayo was on one side, but not as bad as when I had a MOS burger where they gave me the end of the tomato(?!). The one up the road, at AMK Jubilee, the worker there does everything with care, so everytime we order food from there, the food always is presented neately and always good quality. :) The worker there may look different from normal people, but that doesn't stop her from doing her job and providing excellent service that rivals most service staff, and definitely better than most British salespeople.

On friday, I went to collect eggs at my auntie's farm again. There is this one bridge where when we drive over it, on one side is the resevoir, and on the other side is the sea, and we can see Johor opposite. so cool!

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