Telco Analysis

My singtel bill is getting ridiculous lately, so i decided to study and analyse what the 3 telco has to offer once again.

Under my company's corporate plan:

1) Singtel iOne Plus
- $19.60/mth
- Free caller id for only 1 year and $5/mth subsqly (-2)
- Free incoming calls and 100 min outgoing calls
- 500 SMSes
- Per Minute billing (-5)
- Get to retain my existing number (+1)
- No need to buy new simcard (+2)
Score: -2

2) M1 SunTalk Plus 100
- $22.50/mth (-2)
- No free caller id (-4)
- Free incoming calls and 100 min outgoing calls
- 500 SMSes
- Charged for the 1st min followed by blocks of 6 secs (+3)
- Absolutely free weekend calls (+3)
- Get to retain my old but v nice M1 number number (+2)
- Need to pay new SIM card (-2)
Score: 0

2) Starhub PowerValue 100
- $19.60/mth
- Free caller id for 2 yrs (+4)
- Free incoming calls and 100 min outgoing calls
- 500 SMSes
- Per sec billing (+5)
- Must change to a not so nice number (-2)
Score: 7

So the choice is obvious. Without much doubts, I drove to i-hub centre to get a new starhub mobile number. My old number will be ported to the new one, so i am still contactable via the old number :)

Spoiler for Darkiee

Darkiee again~

17 march marks the birthday of my very first-owned car - a 1.5 litres Toyota Vios.

My driving experience started 7 yrs ago, and i have been driving almost daily since the day i got my license. However, all my previous rides belonged to my dad. Even the Peugeot Partner is under the company's name (and not my name) although i paid for it.

Finally i have a car that is registered under my own name - and it is the smallest car i have ever owned.

Although the car is relatively cheap, it has eaten away more than half of my savings, aww....

2000-2003 - Mercedes Benz E300 (3 litres)
2003-2004 - Hyundai Sonata (2 litres)
2004-2007 - Peugeot Partner (1.9 litres)
2007 - ???? - Toyota Vios (1.5 litres)

O Darkiee~~~

This morning, i woke up early and made my way to Borneo Motors. While in the garage, it took me quite a while before i finally locate my new Vios (which i name Darkiee now).

And before i even realise, the dealer drove my beloved Partner away (almost immediately after signing the papers).

With my Darkiee on hand, the first destination i brought it to is none other than its "shoe" shop, to buy him 2 new pairs of shoes (upgraded to bigger and sportier sports rims + tyres). Next, I went on to add on the fog lamps, solar stripes, 3M and plastic mats and blind spot mirrors.

Finally, i gave it a coat of protection wax. Black is hard to maintain.....

Trekking with ex colleagues

Last saturday, I led my ex colleagues for an exciting local trekking trip.

We started our route as follows: Bukit Timah Visitor's Centre -> Hindhele Quarry -> Singapore Quarry -> Diary Farm Quarry -> entering from Bk Batok -> piercing through the Central Nature Catchment Reserves -> emerging from Old Thomson Road.

The trek is fairly simple with 3 streams to cross - but the ladies were cool with getting their shoes and feet wet *impressed*

We ended the trek with delicious pratas at the Casuarina Prata House. Oh yes, i would also like to thank the lorry uncle who drove the entire bunch of us out from Pierce reservoir, cos we were basically too shag to walk out from the pierce reservoirs to thomson road!

TJC class gathering

We first met one another slightly more than 10 years ago.

We had pretty much fun and joy together skipping lessons, going v far out for lunch breaks, movie outings, mahjong sessions, gossip about teachers, play taidi and bridge in between lesson breaks... all the way till our A levels - and the guys headed for the army with their heads shaved, while the gals entered the universities.

We are back again after 10 years of 'separation'. We did have a gathering some 5 years ago but because i am SO free lately, I decided to activate everyone and organise a class gathering. The process of getting all their contacts was not easy, as i began to dig through whatever contacts i have available + ask around + google search for some of their names.

The response was very good, with 11 of us present + 4 of them last min fly aeroplane out of a total of 18 of us. Our next gathering is already fixed and in planning :)

NUSBS CNY 2007

Some pretty back dated pics I took with my NUSBS FOC2000 gang during CNY 2007. As usual, we took turns doing CNY home visits. Transport used to be a problem for our grp but nowadays, we have more than enough cars to ferry the group around.

Tmr one of them is going to get ROMed. We are ready to meet again for more photoshoots (which is their fave activity).

Farewell to HP (finale)

Today marks the end of my stay in HP after about 2 years. It wasnt a pleasant feeling as I really couldnt bear to leave this wonderful company (of cos not wonderful in all aspects but in most aspects). Unlike friends made in the uni, friends made in HP were even more hard to come by - especially after going through many work disputes, conflicts and disagreements and yet eventually nuture as friends.

It was easy for me to send out my final farewell email to all, but it wasnt easy for me to digest all the replies, many of which are very touching words and well wishings. The mailbox which i always dread to open almost everyday for the past 2 years has suddenly become something precious to me, to the extent that i couldnt bring myself to close it - knowing that forever i will no longer be able to access and read the mails anymore.

As i handed over my ID badge to my secretary, i took a last look at the office surroundings. Finally, i took my final step out from the office premise, driving out of the compound and know that i will not be coming back again, at least not in the near future.

Farewell HP, and all my dearest friends there.

Thanks for all the Farewell Lunches & Dinners

Seriously I am very touched by the nice gestures of my colleagues in HP. I have really never expected them to organise all these farewell lunches and dinners for me, most meals which have burnt big holes in their pockets.

Last Monday - Suntec (some v authentic western restaurant)
Monday - Queenstown Market
Tuesday - Thai Express @ Tiong Bahru Plaza
Thursday - Akashi Jap Restaurant @ Vivocity (Lunch)
Thursday - Steamboat @ Tiong Bahru (Dinner)
Friday - Asian Kitchen (Lunch)
Friday - Kotobuki Japanese Restaurant (Dinner)
Next week - a few more lunches

These farewell meals have indeed added on to the fond memories i have in HP. Sometimes I really wonder if I would ever get such nice and friendly colleagues ever again in the rest of my working life.

I would like to say a big Thank You to each and everyone of them.