a thank you entry to my family!

Today, my aunt treated me to authentic Peranakan restaurant Keppel Club named PeraMakan.

No doubt, the food is best. But what I’m always looking for in a restaurant, to discern one league from another, is the dessert. I ordered Apom Berkuah – steamed hot plain kueh dipped with rich warm banana sauce and banana slices. The melted banana sauce was yummayy great!

Dishes ordered:

1 Ikan Garam Assam – Spicy Assam Fish

1 Babi Pontay – Pork

1 Otak Otak Makanan Laut – Otak omelette dish with prawns

1 Bakwan Kepiting Soup

1 Hee Peow Soup

1 Sambal Kang Kong

Can’t believe the Little Nyonya fever is rubbing some heat on us that I suggested for Peranakan food. However, my mom and auntie rose are true-blue Peranakans and both of them didn’t miss a single episode of the serial drama. We still have some Peranakan memorabilia at home, which are used for decorative and preservation purposes. Mom dug out Ma Ma’s old Sarong Kebaya sans the brooches and they were beautiful, just like those you see on TV..flowery, glittery and elaborate. My sis and I intend to wear them coming Chinese New Year to start “immersing” and “exploring” our roots! Some of the old traditional objects are now used as rice basket at restaurants apparently. The beaded slippers, which have always been sitting at the side of the stairs since decades back and overlooked, were never as apparent as now than before. They belong to my Ma Ma. Now that i think back, it all makes sense  on why i called my mom’s mother Ma Ma.

Maybe one day, i should head back to Malacca with my family once more. The last time i went, I couldn’t even remember who the hell i was; that was how young i was.

Anyway, much thanks to Auntie Rose & everyone for their advance birthday treats and greetings. Before Dad, Uncle & Aunt-in-law went back to Taiwan this morning, we had a mini-celebration at a certain hawker food centre last night. Thanks Dad for the red packet (albeit enough to cover 1/10 of my overall expenses this month)and uncle & aunt for the clutch bag. Deeply appreciate it. I feel happy that all the people I love are finally gathering together for a common purpose.

This cake hat is awfully cute! Thanks to cheryl, I trotted down Ikea to get one for myself. Couldn’t care less about what people think, I walked everywhere with this hat. It did bring some smiles and extra glances to our table, but who cares! Portie is happy and excited over Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

The Wisdom of Negativity

Extracted from Richard Edelman, Edelman

The Democratic and Republican conventions are upon us. In that context, I asked a few political experts about the wisdom of negative marketing, for candidates and for business. I had dinner on Monday night with John Quelch, Professor of Marketing at Harvard Business School. John has just completed a book titled, The Greater Good; How Good Marketing Makes for Better Democracy. He makes a strong case for “positive high ground marketing as an aid to democracy.” He contends that the recent McCain ad that compares Senator Obama to Paris Hilton is “distraction by juxtaposition, without merit in respect of informing voters on any issue.” He went on to say that any move by Obama to negative campaign ads would “contradict the high ground authentic approach established during the Democratic primaries.“ Quelch does acknowledge that negative ads can work “against new candidates who haven’t yet locked down their supporters firmly enough.” And this morning, Senator Obama is hitting back, noting that Senator McCain owns seven homes, which makes it difficult for him to understand the travails of working class Americans.

Meanwhile, Steve Grove, the director of politics for YouTube, sent me a link to his blog, www.citizentube.com, about John McCain’s sudden rise into “viral video stardom.” Grove said in a post on August 8th that the Republican candidate’s YouTube channel has “taken off,” with view counts on three attack ads on Senator Obama of between 430,000 and 1.9 million. This is a reversal of fortune, as McCain’s channel to that point had languished, with a couple of thousand views a day, compared to Obama’s “YouTube Machine that churns out 2-3 videos a day that draw tens and often hundreds of thousands of views.” But Grove challenges McCain to do even more than posting the negative ads then relying on news networks to multiply the impact. “His videos are clips pulled from TV or heavily produced web ads. He should be uploading direct-to-camera videos from the campaign trail every day…now that he has this new audience, he should seize that opportunity to connect in the genuine straight talking manner he is so well known for,” Grove contends.

What lessons can companies draw from the 2008 political wars? Quelch believes brands are ill-advised to run negative ads against competitors. “A tit for tat war of words would turn off consumers of both brands. Sales growth, not just market share is what puts money in shareholders’ pockets,” he said. The Pepsi Challenge, which gave blindfolded consumers a change to choose between two unlabeled brands, was a direct comparison that worked effectively. Similarly, GM is now running ads under the umbrella GM Truth which point out superior gas mileage and lower price points than key competitors (Chevy versus Honda). Healthcare brands with research on efficacy or side effects are touting comparative advantage. Corporate reputation can be damaged by allegations left unchallenged. But companies risk even more by casting aspersions against tormentors, whether non-governmental organizations or labor unions. It is far better to lay out your own set of facts, supported by third party experts, while creating an open forum for creative contributions from the interested publics. Even better is to acknowledge the need for some improvement, then to change company policy in a way that demonstrates progress against stated objectives.

Business is in the game for the long run, while politicians have a “winner take all mentality” which forces short term behaviors. Quelch has an interesting thesis, “Political brands are works in progress and consistency is not always their strong suit. Nor, based on past evidence, is their ability to deliver on brand promise once elected.” So counter the negative and establish your own narrative, rather than jumping into the mud with the mudslinger.

first day on val’s day

My first day of work. 820pm with my sis at tcc@house of eden.

Quite like my debut getup and how the picture looks. Except the sneak peak to my little belly.

Hehe

Bring it on

I’m ready.

Milestones of 2008

I realised that i didn’t set any specific milestones for 2008 and hence i hereby shall.

Job wise, I guess the best way of performance measurement is through verbal compliments and an identifiable pay-rise. This job is gonna be ultra challenging for me but since I made that choice, for better or for worse, I will stick to it and make the best out of it; I still stay put and strong about my personal credo -  never say quit and the more you say no to me, the more I’ll disprove to you. Yes, i will reign any adversity.

Also to see myself happier, really and genuinely happier deep down in the narrowest of corridors of my heart.

To get my engines rolling and sign up for some short marathon. I hate being lazy and i definitely judge lazy people. We just need to find that inspiration. And hopefully effects like being slim, tan and healthy would come along with the runs.

Do some good for the world – volunteering, playing a part in worldwide environmental campaigns, involving in human rights or social activism – and it will start from home.

To renew friendships that matter and maintain that, especially the Princess Gang – at least the active ones.

And lastly, to be more knowledgeable about things. It’s good to always be in the know and since I’m at it, Richard Edelman neatly sums up the latest breaking news and events that are dogging the US and just as well, the global economy, in his latest trip to Davos.