Category: This Town

Posted on

Floor Closure of Hotel

The biggest/grandest hotel in this town has only 138 rooms and 4 story high but because of a “desperate” summer, the hotel is now considering floor closure to save on energy and manpower.

Yes.. yes.. my asian friends.. you can laugh .. all you want and can.. but this is how bad .. it is. Only 138 rooms.. .and they can’t sell the room in full force.. during the summer..! now that’s pathetic..!!! The last hotel i worked for in Singapore .. is consider a budget hotel.. under the Shangri-la arm.. and it has 546 rooms and it is fully booked all year round. Our occupancy at its lowest was at 92% .. ! all year round..!! Compare the two hotels and you’ll also see what i mean. And tell me.. what you think.?? and how can one attract tourist leh..?? *pengshan*

Continue reading “Floor Closure of Hotel”

Posted on

Business Cutting Prices As Loonie Goes Up

“Wal-Mart Canada and Zellers announced Friday they too are cutting prices.”

About time we are able to get movies from Zellers or Walmart at American prices.. eh..? Yup.. with the US$ going down, when one can get movies at say $17, we are still paying like $30 Canadian for ours. Strange as it is.. since loonie is higher than the US$ .. we are still paying alot more for a few weeks now..for our movies for the store. Hopefully what Zellers and Walmart is announcing is the truth, and will lower their prices. I will report more on this .. once i see the prices this weekend.

Posted on

Honory Citizen

“Citizenship Week in Canada runs from October 15 to October 21. This is the 60th anniversary of the Citizenship Act.Canada occasionally bestows an honorary Canadian citizenship to foreigners of exceptional merit. It is a symbolic honour and does not give the recipients any rights, privileges or duties typically held by Canadian citizens.As of 2007, Canada has bestowed the honour on four people, the latest being Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese pro-democracy activist. “

Heard something about the honorary citizen before .. many year ago.. before coming to Canada. And never in the life of me.. did i think that I myself will be applying for citizenship here. Strange as it is.. fate does take a funny turn in one’s life… and one never knows what your future will be. Which reminds me.. that even though i can plan alot of things for my brat right now.. but it’s entirely up to Him .. up there..and fate… what the brat will be.. and where she will end up. For all you know.. she might marry someone from Singapore..and move back to Asia. Now that would be ironic… eh..?

Posted on

Welfare Day

As expected .. today is welfare day.. so you know what it does for our business right..? i call it welfare day.. although it is the children’s cheque day… where Canadian government gives money to the mothers, depending on how many child you have and how much income you bring it.

Most mothers here don’t work.. and they have like 4 – 5 children.. and more if they can.. so that the welfare cheques can be higher than most. A child can get up to $500 each from the government.. and that’s not including the real welfare cheques they are getting at the end of the month. Some mothers are very smart.. because they work for about 800 – 1200hrs.. and then they quit their jobs.. to get full unemployment .. citing they have to take care of their kids.. and of course they get it.. and then for the next year or so.. they won’t have to work.. but get paid..! yup.. some do know how to work the system. It is a sad situation.. because my mother had 4 kids.. and as far as i know.. she never stopped working .. till she retired at 55 yrs old.

Posted on

Nova Scotia the costliest province

“On a province-by-province basis, the highest undergraduate charges for tuition only were in Nova Scotia ($5,878), New Brunswick ($5,733) and Ontario ($5,381). The lowest were in Quebec ($2,025) and Newfoundland and Labrador ($2,633).”

For those who are not aware of this.. Canadian students going to college gets a government loan for their studies.. before school term starts. Depending on what your parents make for a living, some gets a good $12,000 – $15,000 in loan for accommodation and all. Student loans are payable right after you finish your school.. or if you quit school. Alot of students here.. quit before they even finishes the first year, some because they are home sick and others, they are just not into it. I know that a majority of students who gets their loan from the government don’t even pay them back.. because as soon as they get the money, they actually spend it on things .. like a new computer or a new laptop instead of using it wisely. Therefore, they quit school.. because they can no longer afford the expenses for the rest of the year. Canadians are actually very lucky ppl .. they just haven’t been to asia..to know that we donch get as much welfare as they do.

Posted on

Networking Group

A few days ago, while in the store, a member of the local business organization handed me a brochure for the networking group for the women in town. For the last 7 yrs year, apparently i was invisible . . and only visible when a donation is required. I was invited to join in their activities.. on a monthly basis with luncheons and all. All these are not unfamiliar to me.. for once upon a time.. i too was actively involved with the networking of professional women in Singapore.

Unfortunately, if you have been following my blog, you would know my view of this wonderful town .. and the ppl running this place. We’ve attended one business meeting in town a few years ago and it was a total waste of our time then. Nothing was being down and everything just died a natural death after calling in a consultant to brain-storm the already bad situation in town. And for me to join something like this networking group for women..?? with so many “great” stuff happening for this town in this instant.. i’ll have to pass..!

Posted on

Once Again..! The Selling Is More Than Buying

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

As usual, more buying than selling in this good ole town. Running outta space in the store, we are having a big sale on again…! Buy 2 get 1 Free sale on all used DVDs and Video games for XBox, PS2, GameCube and Gameboy Advance. We have over 1000 DVDs and 600 games for sale. Those who are stocking up for Christmas, you should write to me and take advantage of our sale. Our selection are good, even though they are used games, they are in great condition. What you see is only one section of what we have.

Posted on

The Leaves Are Turning

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

The weather is turning colder right at this moment and I’ve always wonder in amusement when the leaves turn red in color. They are of course very beautiful. My FIL loved to show me.. the different colors of the trees.. when i first came to Canada. A few years back, we used to go on road trips.. just to see the trees. The leaves changes color because it need a break after being so busy during the whole summer photosynthesizing, using sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugar. And if a tree is sick .. it turns color way too early and that means it doesn’t have too long to live. Very interesting eh..?

Posted on

Donch Act Smart!

Donch you just hate it..! when someone try to act smart .. in front of you ..?? Yes.. i have some folks who are like that..! and it just tickle the hell outta me..!! you would too..!

A customer came in today .. and saw me feeding Chloe lunch. PB had bought me lunch from DEAR Mr Choo’s, and customer said to me.. “you should ask Wilson (dear Mr Choo) for those shio kau, when he gets it sometime in Toronto”. I didn’t really answer him because he was actually talking to PB. And then he had to turn around.. and say this to me.. “you know what is shio kau? right..?” I could really roll my eyes..!! a “ang moh” asking me.. a “cina-totek” whether I know what a “shio kau” is.. ???!!!??? HELLLOOOOO..!!!! my grandmother fed me “shio kau” before she fed me milky you know.. 😛

So just a friendly advice to all the “ang mohs” out there.. !! do not ask a chinese.. if she knows what “shio kau” is..!! Donch act smart ya..!

Posted on

Dismal Tourism Season

A large hotel chain with two properties in Yarmouth is taking a wait and see approach when it comes to this years dismal tourism season. Rodd Hotels and Resorts operates the Rodd Grand Hotel and the Rodd Colony Harbour Inn. Company president and Chief Operating Officer John Cudmore admits this summer has affected the company’s bottom line.Cudmore says the company will work through the difficult perhaps by closing floors. Cudmore says he believes community involvement in working with marketing partners is the key to turning things around.

If big hotel chains are suffering here in Yarmouth, what can I say about small businesses like ours..?? Truly it is sad to see this town in this state, something went wrong.. along the way.. and if business are suffering the way we are.. how can the town still justify spending all those money .. for building new offices..?? Perhaps the town is churning in money from somewhere..?? but i donch know where it is coming in from or not..?? But as for us .. small business in this town.. and now even a large hotel chain is saying.. “WE ARE BLEEDING!” , so someone please tell me.. what can we all do..?? instead of just whining non-stop..??