Things have been...

...hectic and tiring recently. Over the last 2 weeks my schedule has been absolutely fucked because some of my managers haven't the faintest care in the world about their staffs well being (except when they take MCs, and even then it's only because they're sooooooooooo concerned about how often the staffmember takes a sick day).

On top of that, Nic and I have been working on our relationship issues, which involve lots of screaming, shouting, hurt feelings and bewilderment (on my part, anyway). On the bright side though, things are getting better (I think), and we're preparing to take our first trip together to Penang next week.

After such a hectic period, I want nothing more than to kick back and chill for the 3 days and 2 nights that we'll be there...however I have been otherwise informed that she wants to do stuff like...'tar siu yan' (Hitting little people? That sounds politically incorrect) and visit the Kek Lok Si (stairs! Stairs! STAIRS! *gurgle*). I'm not too opposed to either, because I've never done the former before and it should be entertaining to watch, and I haven't done the latter for several years already. It'll be fun to see the turtles sunning themselves and clambering on top of one another with their s-l-ooooooo-w motion movements, as well as to see what new crap the vendors along the way will be selling. That'll at least make the stairs a little more bearable. However, I have no idea what other tortu-*cough cough*-I mean adventures, Nic will have in store for me.

I do know we'll be going around eating though. I plan on checking out a few interesting looking restaurants I've found on the web. I'm also looking forward to driving in the crazy traffic again.

As part of the preparations for my upcoming trip, I serviced my car yesterday. RM200+! *silently screaming*. Despite the horror of yet more money leaking out of my pocket, it really is much more powerful and more responsive now. I got to utilize some of the power last night, when we went for a family dinner in Corus Hotel, KL. Btw, no photos because I really couldn't be bothered.

My mum had asked me to pass something to an aunt of mine who was visiting from Adelaide, AU. Being me, I was late for dinner and as a consequence, we rushed out of the house, got stuck in insane traffic along Federal Road (re: Highway - my dad likes to call it a road because highways aren't supposed to be jammed!), made a detour to Taman Jaya LRT, hopped on and LRT'ed all the way to town.

(And yes baby, I admit you are correct. It really does take only 2 minutes per station. 4 years of riding trains in my youth and I never figured it out. Whoopee.) :P

So we got to the hotel right as the food was being served (I am the master of perfect timing), and were happily gobbling down dinner when suddenly...

"Oh fuck, where's the package we're supposed to bring to pass to Aunty???"

*Flashback to memory of package happily sitting on dining table at home*

@#$%@#$%@#$%@

So after dinner, we LRT'ed back to Taman Jaya (and my motion sickness increasing exponentially as a result), zoomed back home, picked up the package, zoomed back down to Legend Hotel, where my aunt was booked into for the duration of her stay, dropped off the package, then zoomed back home again.

By the time I got to bed it was 1am. Though my alarm rang at 4.45am, I couldn't even drag my butt outta bed until almost an hour later. Thank god my manager didn't say anything when I walked in a half hour late. (As usual) :P

Argh!

Today has been a butt-fucking lousy-ass day.

One of the things that frustrates me the most is people who still don't listen even after I've explained myself several times. I experienced one such incident today.

I was trying to renew my road tax and insurance with AmAssurance, which is something I've been doing for the last several years ever since I bought my heap of junk (RE: my car). Normally, its a pleasant, hassle free task...but not today. After my initial call to them this afternoon, where I gave my car details, they said they would call me back in 10 minutes, to which I said 'okay'.

So I waited....and waited...and waited. The 10 minutes had passed.

About 20 minutes later, they called. It was a Malay girl on the line.

Girl 1: (In Malay) Hallo, my name is Zu. Your quote for insurance costs bla bla bla... (some bombastic amount).
Me   : (In English) Wow that's expensive, what does it cover?
Girl 1: (Again in Malay) Oh it has windshield cover for the front, back and sides. 
Me   : (Still trying to speak English) Okay, what else does it have?
Girl 1: (Doesn't this girl know how to speak any fucking English?) It has PA which is personal accident and covers driver, all 4 passengers, bla bla bla...(insert random $ amounts here that I wasn't really paying attention to).
Me   : (Gave up on speaking English to this kampung idiot) Okay, did I take this option last year?
Girl 1: Oh, we don't have your record for last year, only for 2008.
Me   : ......what??? You called me last year to sell it to me, which I did I purchase, and now you're telling me you don't have my records?
Girl 1: You didn't buy from us, we only have your record till 2008.
Me   : #@$%@#$%#@$^!!! (In my head only..still being polite). Please go and check.
Girl 1: Okay I will call you back in 10 minutes.
Me   : Fine.

*Twiddle thumbs twiddle thumbs twiddletwiddletwiddle thumbs....15 minutes later*

Girl 1: Zu here ah. No, we don't have your record for last 2009. You didn't buy from us.
Me   : Then who the hell has my money??
Girl 1: I dunno.
Me   : (Already steaming) Fine. Forget it. I have the insurance and road tax papers. You can say whatever you want. Anyway, if I don't take the PA, what does my basic insurance cover.
Girl 1: It will cover the driver and 4 passengers to the amount of bla bla bla...
Me   : Huh? No wait, I asked what I will be covered for if I only take the basic insurance plan. No PA, nothing.
Girl 1: Okay wait awhile ah, I count.
Me   : Nonono, I just want to know what it covers.
Girl 1: Ya, it will cost you...
Me   : No. Listen to me, do you understand my question or not? I want to know what it coverage I will get.
Girl 1: Yes lah! It will cost (insert random amount again)...
Me   : (Gritting teeth). Is there someone else I can speak to?
Girl 1: Okay I will get my officer to call u back in 10 minutes.
Me   : What's your officer's name?
Girl 1: ...erm....Doris.
Me   : Okay.

*Again waiting...and waiting...and waiting...sigh.*

Girl 2: (Still in MALAY!!!) Hallo, this is Liana calling from AmAssurance ya. My colleague gave me your details and said you have some problems?
Me   : No, I don't have any problems. I thought Doris was supposed to call me back? She's the officer right? Are you an officer too?
Girl 2: Erm...Doris assigned me to call you back...I am her colleague.
Me   : (Scratching walls) Fine. I want to complain about your colleague. She does not understand what I am saying even though I repeated it so many times!
Girl 2: (Politely) What is it that you were asking?
Me   : I just want to know, if I take only the basic insurance plan, what does it cover?
Girl 2: Oh, that means you can only claim for your car repair if you are in an accident.
Me   : (To the tune of angels singing HALLELUJAH in my head) Finally a proper answer! Ok I will take the PA but...bla bla bla...this is my card details, bla bla bla...
Girl 2: OK, we will bill this amount to your card tomorrow and will courier the policy and road tax to you provided you have no police summonses outstanding on your car.
Me   : (In my head, 'Uh oh.') Kthanxbye.

Scrambled to check my summonses online, and what did I find?

Ah fuck!