I’m super free. Finished all my X’mas shopping and I’m so free I even do up all those annoying pop-up online surveys. Non-paying ones, mind you.

The other day I did one for BizRate and I was promised I would be ‘compensated’ with great offers. After going through a few pages, I was thrilled when they told me I get 4 free annual magazine subscription of of my choice. Woot, those foreign magazines cost a bomb over here. So, I was super happy.

At the end, I was asked to enter my country in the survey and only then I realized the offer only apply to US citizens. Look, I think it would make better sense these surveys ask the country of origin at the very beginning to dispel any misunderstanding or high hopes. I don’t mind doing it for free but when when I’m told I get something out of it and in the end I don’t, it is really anti-climax to the max. You know what I mean?

Another few ones I did recently asked me about what food I buy. I was given 5 brand names and asked to rate each one. Other than one brand I can find in my local Tesco, I’ve not even heard of the other 4. I assume they’re local US brand that does no foreign marketing. Again, the survey should have asked for the country of the participant at the very beginning.

So for non-US residents, don’t get your hopes high about getting freebies doing online surveys. Do it only if you’ve nothing better to do like me. Or if you’re seriously into ‘helping others’ improve their product quality and make the world a better place.

What about the Terms and Conditions they put in the beginning?

Seriously, does anyone read them? I don’t. You do? Then I can claim I have more life than you..

You gotta be kidding me, right?

Obviously not. Time magazine named Russian President Vladimir Putin “Person of the Year 2007. ”

Well what do I know, right?

Like they say, you’re one minute on Time and the next, doing it. Not this guy though… it’s all his nemesis.

I’ve put my Entrecard for the past few weeks and so far I’m happy with it. Tons of visitors? Not exactly, but for something that is free, I think I got my returns. Heck, it’s free.

Now, for those who think their blog space is their commodity and every inch of empty space on their blog is as valuable as those Beverly Hills prime properties, OK, you can forget it. Please continue to blind your readers with countless paying ads by all means. For the rest of us who got plenty of blog space to spare and appreciate a little linky love and curious visitors, come join the cult.

The Coolest Girlie Geek from Ramblings of an Undisturbed Mind is having a little contest. She’ll be giving away 2000 Entrecard credits. Hey, don’t confuse credits with money, OK? You can read up more about the contest rules from her blog and feel free to join in.

Why would I want those credits?

Since when enough is enough? I’m only human….

You know when I first started blogging few years back, everybody was tagging everybody every other day. It was total madness and good fun. Then fine day, words like link baiting/PR leak and all came into the picture, coupled with the fact everyone started monetizing their blogs, the tag word got a bad rap. Most of my blogging friends no longer oblige and worse, won’t write anything unless they’re sponsored. It didn’t help either one big paidpost company don’t accept tags/memes as interim posts, so tags are so dead.

For me, it’s been a long time since I was last tagged. This reminded me of those good old days and dang, I feel brand new.

This is a tag from mcangeli…

Now, here are the guidelines for this meme:

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).
3. Pick your month of birth (see below).
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!

My birth month is October and I’m going to bold the attributes that fit me:

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

THE MONTHLY FLAVORS, WHICH ARE YOU?

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

OK, the sad part ahead…. I don’t take rejection that well, so I’ll play safe. I won’t tag anyone, but feel free to do this tag if you want to and let me know, OK?

Just got back from a great weekend doing everything except get connected to the internet. Honestly, no matter how passionate you are about blogging, it does help to take a break once in a while. For once, I do not have to get paranoid about not having free Wifi and not worry about checking my emails. I don’t have to go Starbucks this time just because I want to reap free Wifi access in the name of frugality.

Oh yes, I’m frugal. For the price they charge their coffee over here, I do expect to get compensated with internet access…

You know, blogging is only fun when it does not turn into a chore. It is just not fun having to do something for the sake of doing it. Like having to update your blog because you feel compelled to. This weekend I really enjoyed myself eating everything in sight and spending like no tomorrow.

I’ve not get the ‘morning after’ syndrome yet. Morning after? Yep, the realization that good times are over and I can’t get into my damn jeans no more! I’m now still wearing my yoga pants. Those pants can really stretch. Will only attempt to put on my jeans in another 2 days’ time.

Wish me luck. I need plenty… empty wallet and super tight jeans.

Love those colorful old buildings…

I posted about my relative being here and messing my routine. He just left and I got my life back for another 4 hours. I’ll be going down to visit my husband during the weekend this evening and will probably has no time to blog.

Honest, there will be plenty to do when 2 person who have not seen each other for a week get together in a sleazy hotel room all to themselves minus the usual barking pets and nosey parents. Yep, my husband is still staying long term in the sleazy hotel until his project is finished.

Have a great weekend!

Hubby’s project will be ending early February 2008 and honestly, it is the time we will go and spend some long deserved vacation. Working on project basis meant long hours and no leave so once it is finished, husband and I will definitely go all out with a vengeance. The only dilemma is should we opt for the safe route and join a tour, or for once, look up a city guide and go totally DIY.

Where would we go? I’ve always wanted to go Disneyland, the happiest place on earth. Getting a good USA Hotel Guide is easy and I’ve set my sight on Anaheim, LA. According to the guide, without a doubt Anaheim totally works for me with Disneyland, The Wax Museum and Sea World. I’ll pass on the shopping though. Hubby and I aren’t exactly going no holds barred financially unless with a twist of fate we strike lottery.

While at it, you can bet hubby and I will look for the cheapest accommodation around. At the moment, Disneys Paradise Pier Hotel sounds like our budget though according to the site review there are mixed opinions about room cleanliness and service. Thank God for those little customer reviews but then beggars cannot be choosers. For me the important consideration is if it suits my budget.

If I can go Disneyland, I won’t mind sleeping on the hotel floor. Yeah, love it this much.

There has been extensive coverage on the TV news eversince Al Gore won his Nobel peace prize for his part on climate change and global warming. Heck, he even made a movie called Án Inconvenient Truth.’ Well, credit given when credit is due, he probably did much to deserve the award though I am no fan of his during his vice President days.

I applaud Al Gore for the penguins. Love them. It is just sad the penguins’ existence are now being threatened by the climate change. Yeah, the penguins and I ought to be grateful to Al Gore for highlighting their plight and world global warming. Look, let’s be honest, nobody would have cared if the message is merely coming from some poor unknown scientist.

Provident Capital the Florida based licensed mortgage lender which prided itself on their dynamic professional team of mortgage advisers will have an uphill battle in view of the recent case brought forth by the Atlanta court against Mohamad Zein and the company.

The question will be of course will Provident Capital pull through and restore confidence to their clients? It is going to be an uphill battle but the final outcome will only be measured by future performance record and what strategy Provident Capital chose to adopt to restore public confidence.

I guess when you have something to prove, you will naturally try twice as hard. That could only mean a win-win situation for Provident Capital’s clients. Just hope folks will not write off the corporation that fast.

This post is inspired by an email I received this morning from an ex-colleague. This ex-colleague somehow still feel compelled to update me on the happenings in my old office. The truth is, I’m not interested anymore. There is a good reason why I walked away from the working scene and everyday I count my blessing I don’t have to put up with much of the nonsense I had to face back then. I faced head-on in the past because I am paid to do so. Now that I’m not, I seriously cannot be bothered.

The truth is, difficult people are everywhere. It’s not just one office, it’s all office. There are bound to be difficult individuals and no global warming is going to make this species go into extinction. So, live with it or understand their mechanics. Understand what motivates them to be difficult.

1 . Ego (I am important so please kneel down and worship me kind)

OK, everyone has ego but some more than others. Much more. Some people like to feel they are the central of attention and the world revolves around them. These are the ‘know it all‘ and will not hesitate to correct you should you make the slightest mistake. Most of the time these people are not stupid. They just have this massive need to prove they are important. So important they can create problems for others. Most people like to avoid confrontation with this type of individual and in the end, this just motivates them because they interpret other people’s avoidance as being ‘better than others.’ In their puny mind, they think they are the star and each time their star status is reinforced when people put up with their difficult behaviour.

2. Control (I need to exert some kind of control in my sad life to justify my existence kind)

People like to feel in control. While most people are not control freak, they do relish the sense of control. The truth is, many people are predictable and act certain way if provoked. A person being difficult and creating problem is in a sense controlling those around them. The difficult person like to create situation where it gives them a sense of manipulation and control. Say if you are a person who cannot hold your temper, the difficult individual will act on this and provoke you to lose your temper. That is a kind of manipulation and it fuels their sense of control. Oh yes, these people do not care whether the reaction is negative… any reaction from others will do.

3. Inferiority Complex (I am not great so I have lots to prove kind)

This kind is the opposite of #1, the ego freak. While the ego freak thinks they are the star, this no.3 thinks they are not and has this annoying need to prove themselves all the time. These people have this compulsive need to show themselves and others they are worth something. Personally, this kind is not really lethal, but then they’re just downright annoying.

Off hand these are the 3 common varieties I can think of. The bad news is, these 3 are not limited to the office environment. They do strive and multiply as well in the blogosphere. Having said that, it’s a whole different ball game when your encounter with these people happen in the blogosphere. Unlike in the office where you have to learn to overcome them for your sanity and livehood, you don’t have to care about them in the blogosphere. There is a vast difference encountering these difficult people in real life and on the net. The good news is, I can say they are 90% less effective in the vacuum of the internet.