For the past week and a half, I’ve woken up to news updates, transmitted through my radio alarm clock, reporting on the aftermath of the 9.0 earthquake that hit Japan followed by the tsunami, followed by the nuclear plant meltdown. It felt bizarre and surreal when I looked at the 'before' and 'after' satellite images of the disaster zones that NY Times had juxtaposed/pieced together.
At times like these, I loathe myself for having forgotten to take with me the contacts of my Japanese home-stay family, the Sugayas, when I left home for school back in 2004. I visited home briefly in 2006 and 2007 and both times, I am ashamed to say, that I have forgotten yet again. I wasn’t able to locate their names on the ICRC website. However, since they reside in Tokyo, which was spared from the catastrophe that crashed the North Eastern coast of Japan, I hope that they are all safe and well. That being said, I’m keeping all fingers crossed that they did not relocate anywhere nearer to the disaster zones.
The closest that I could come to in delivering my concerns is through providing relief donation aid. Google has set up a CRISIS RESPONSE PAGE where you can make online donations. All received funds will be sent to the Japanese Red Cross Society which will then be distributed directly to the affected areas. Donate, if you can.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Mini Chapter with the Customer: Check Your Tickets
A customer arrived at a 7:30pm show half an hour late today. The chapter unfolds...
Customer: Your show started a half hour earlier. This is unacceptable.
Me: I'm pretty sure that it was scheduled at 7:30pm even before the tickets went on sale.
Customer: I don't believe you. Nobody told me that.
Me: The date and show time are printed on your ticket sir.
[Customer checks his ticket]
Customer: Listen, I'm a REGULAR, all your shows always start at 8pm. You expect me to check my tickets every time I buy them?
Me: (As a matter of fact, I ABSOLUTELY DO. It is a good consumer habit to check the product/service that you've purchased together with the receipt to make sure that you've bought the right thing for the consented price. I'm sure that most of the crowd who showed up on-time did. Furthermore, doesn't it makes perfect sense to check your lottery ticket when the winning combination is released, or your plane ticket before you head off to the airport, or your buy-1-get-1-free coupon to make sure that it's still valid before you go shopping for 2 items instead of 1?) For the past few years, we've played shows at 1:30pm, 2pm, 3pm, 3:30pm, 6:30pm, 7pm, 7:30pm, 8pm and 10:30pm. It is not something new that we've just implemented. I apologize for your distress.
Customer: Let me tell you how all this has spoilt the musical experience that I've been looking forward to tonight. GOODNIGHT!
Me: (Come back again with a blunder conjured up by your lack of common sense while trying to pin the blame on my donkey's tail and watch me kick your unicorn's behind by stating the obviously obvious.) Goodnight.
Customer: Your show started a half hour earlier. This is unacceptable.
Me: I'm pretty sure that it was scheduled at 7:30pm even before the tickets went on sale.
Customer: I don't believe you. Nobody told me that.
Me: The date and show time are printed on your ticket sir.
[Customer checks his ticket]
Customer: Listen, I'm a REGULAR, all your shows always start at 8pm. You expect me to check my tickets every time I buy them?
Me: (As a matter of fact, I ABSOLUTELY DO. It is a good consumer habit to check the product/service that you've purchased together with the receipt to make sure that you've bought the right thing for the consented price. I'm sure that most of the crowd who showed up on-time did. Furthermore, doesn't it makes perfect sense to check your lottery ticket when the winning combination is released, or your plane ticket before you head off to the airport, or your buy-1-get-1-free coupon to make sure that it's still valid before you go shopping for 2 items instead of 1?) For the past few years, we've played shows at 1:30pm, 2pm, 3pm, 3:30pm, 6:30pm, 7pm, 7:30pm, 8pm and 10:30pm. It is not something new that we've just implemented. I apologize for your distress.
Customer: Let me tell you how all this has spoilt the musical experience that I've been looking forward to tonight. GOODNIGHT!
Me: (Come back again with a blunder conjured up by your lack of common sense while trying to pin the blame on my donkey's tail and watch me kick your unicorn's behind by stating the obviously obvious.) Goodnight.
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