Saturday, February 27, 2010

Hello hello, testing one, two, three. 现在由我在金宝为你现场会直播上个星期四的经验。没什么,纯粹只是想要update以下东西。要不然

Shah Alam, one of the most unreachable places of the state is the destination for today's assignment. That's the same place where I got lost and spent almost 20 bucks on cab, KTM and buses.

I received the assignments around 11.30pm. At that time gua sudah playing chest with Mr Chou Gong. I mean playing chess. And this bad news just came disrupted my silent night. I began to send out chain messages to CC, Granny Ivy, Jun Ru Mei Zi and Suat Hooi to help me to check where on earth is that place.

Jun Ru Mei Zi's member dropped a bomb during my previous assignment there, telling me don't expect public transport in Shah Alam. My heart bled, echoed to Leona Lewis' Keep Bleeding Love (love for money).

I asked for direction from Suat Hooi because she has been there once to cover an event. And she would be there for the dialogue at 9 am too (but I attended the 11.00 pm session's press conference). She gave me very precise directions. For every sentence she said, I became more worried since there are so many turnings and ramps to look out for.

Finally, I have decided to put my bet on Chocolate. And she rang me up immediately telling me she was assigned for that assignment too! My heart just..resurrected from the sudden stroke.

The next day, I took a bus to the Kelana Jaya LRT station to wait for her. She decided not to take highways as she did not want to waste on tolls. We reached there an hour earlier because she wasn't sure with the direction too. The place was not as impression as it might sound on the paper. A lot of artificial trees. They called it a potential techno-city but what I saw was a lot of light bulbs hung on the poor shrubs and trees.

Since it was a state government event, we business reporters were not sure what to report on. We got our press release at the very last minute. I just briefly read through the Malay version they provided. Suat Hooi was already upstairs attending the dialogue, complaing how sien the dialogue was through sms, while we waited for that session to end.

The chief minister gave his speech and asked us is there any question for him. We all said no. But once he left, all the reporters flocked towards the CEO of the company which owns the techno-city. The process of investment was complicated. So we asked him to clarify again and again. Basically I just put my recorder by his mouth and went in a daze since I don't understand a single word he said. Then I asked just another question that popped out from my mind.

Elween: "How much revenue do you wish to generate from this programme?"

CEO of techno-city: "You see, it shows that you don't understand! This is an incubation programme for tech-preneurs. We are only getting the people in..."

And bla bla bla.

You think I am in wrong right? I tell you, no! He was just trying to make it sound like I have asked the wrong question, or as if I don't understand the whole concept. But he was just trying to avoid my question. For every investment made, there would be a certain target a company wishes to achieve, financially. It's impossible that they are helping newborn companies out of goodwill. Come on, there's no talk of charity in the world of business, okey, everybody understands that.

Anyway, for a thick-skinned person like me, to make mistakes is equivalent to enjoy spill a tiny bit of vanilla latte on my palms - wipe off, and memory deleted.

After the announcement and press conference, I went up to clarify details again along with Chocolate. I think she was lagi blur than I was. She kept pestering the poor BERNAMA reporter and the CEO. I guess I have learned that from her too.

Ms Irene wanted to ask me about the investment process but I asked her to hang on a while as I, too was not sure what was going on. At the end, I found out that she had left.

I felt very remorseful for ignoring her after all she was my first cinta in uni. I didn't expect her to be in such a rush. When I rang her up, she said she has gone for another event. I got back to the office, I wrote a summary to what the process was like and emailed it to her.

I completed the article in 400 words and sent in to the editor's mailbox. I informed him about it and asked if I could leave.

Editor: "Where are you going? This article would be a make or break for you."

Serious? I didn't expect this was going to be a big thing for me! I could have bullshitted 10000 words out of imagination. Joking only.

Since tomorrow is an off day, that is, no publication, this piece of BIG news would be embargoed on Monday's print. So, he said the lead (that is the main essence of the article, the first paragraph of the news) must be different from other news agency. I kepala otak totally blanked.

My editor asked me, what was my emotion when attending the event. I stuttered. What emotion? I can't tell him that all the while I was in a daze! He said I must have an emotion or thoughts related to the event. I was silenced by his words. Actually when he was talking, I was kinda in a daze too...

So he totally omitted the lead I wrote, and wrote a simple one instead.

So we went through the article, as usual, he basically cut off every sentence I wrote (ok he does that to every writer, not only me alone, ok!). A lot of cut and paste. I have to say being an editor is not easy. Cutting, pasting, rearranging, rewriting, reaffirming, restructuring the points could lead to madness and abundance in grey hair.

Towards the end, he scrolled the article trying to hint how much rubbish have I written and how much unnecessary information has he thrown away. Because in past experiences, he would slashed my 400-word article to become 200+. He wanted to mock me this time but he discovered that the whole article was actually 350 words long. He then spewed out few words unwillingly: "Not to bad..."

I stuck my tongue out and twisted both hands by my cheeks, closed eyes and raised brows, doing the 'ne ne ne pu pu' tune. In my imagination, of course. Kidding la, buddy. haha...

My editor is really a very cool guy. He does not really condemn me by shouting at my ear when I make mistakes but his sarcasm would result in the same effect. He must find me a nuisance all the time but I think he's enjoying my presence too! :p

But I am really scared of going to Shah Alarm again, as God would sometimes want to put me up for greater trials that I am reluctant to accept. Aiyo kidding la. Why, so, serious!

And NO, I was not in a daze. That was just to spice up this boring story a little. It is also something you all want to read right? Then I make up stories lo. I am not reporting news here also. No need credibility ba. haha.

结束。
昨晚在我脑海里不但浮现一个画面。。。

编辑:“明天xxx (另一位实习生)将正式成为本报为长期作家。”
所有人:“(拍烂手)好啊!好!”

编辑:“实习生Elween将延长他的实习期多三天,到四月二十一日。 ”
所有人:“(下巴跌到~)什么?!”


真是个可爱的人生啊,Jin se ne...哈哈。。。

Thursday, February 11, 2010

回到家乡,放下背包,我站在天台眑望周围的邻居的家园。突然一股声音从耳边传来,让我顿时如梦初醒,得到了一个启示:

为什么一个印度人能够把喷嚏打得那~么像华人?

Saturday, February 6, 2010

终于回到金宝来了。

这是一个疯狂的举动。突然间就有一股冲动想要离开城市,来到乡下喘一喘。所以就和housemate们建议就这个星期回来吧,我们可以一起吃顿新年晚饭。

我们为了这趟旅途可是历经波折。

先说cc吧。他明天本来有seminar的,可是为了回来却推掉了 。基本上他有一直抱怨他的工跟新闻记者拉根儿扯不上什么关系。每天做一样的工, nine to five job,没有什么可以在report里写。可惜啦。

然后是ivy婆婆。他牺牲了公司的新年庆祝晚宴以及背叛了对chye moi的承诺,直接大包小包从公司赶到火车站。她,是否会在回去后死在chye moi 手里?让我们拭目以待。谢谢大家收看!

而我。。。我的牺牲。。。就令人vomit blood.

一星期前我就email editor 们,叫他们不要再派我到山芭地区了,因为我没有自己的交通工具,每天走路一小时简直是走死我,向人问地方时也问死我!同时我也要求尽量派我morning assignment,至少我能够回公司一趟,完成我的news.

后来,他们都很听我的话。
驳啦,开玩笑啦, 奈按呐叻。

我都是早上的assignment. 就这样到了星期五了,我大概也是觉得应该是morning的event 了。谁知,我竟然被派去cover industry performance on trade! 3.30pm! 又是大型的,重要的!之前一个manufacturing and services sector的performance report 已经够我死了,一个event 3 news! 可怕的是,我根本不知他们讲虾米!还好一路上都是靠中文媒体记者解释我才安然度过。
英文报记者。。。算了吧。嘴巴很像粘了什么强力胶酱。要不然每个都急着赶回家牧羊,怕死分享他们scoop到资料。

回到现在的故事。 我得知后就立刻call U。 Joe。他是在4个editor里最最最照顾我的。他说,叫我不用担心,会有人去replace的. 我就sms 给编排assignment 的editor知 (他应该恨死我了吧,一大堆要求),然后直奔office玩facebook.

直到11点,U。 Joe 来了。他说暂时没有事让我做,叫我等着先。我就继续facebook咯。得空的空,就去烦烦sakina, 要不然就去泡咖啡喝,或去蹲马桶。然后,最大的editor突然叫住我。

最大的editor: "You want to go back to Kampar right?"
我:“Yes,sir."
最大的editor:"Then go la. (一副很不削的样子)"
我:“My...train is 9.00pm..."
最大的editor: "(假假提阿*驳)Next time if you wan to leave early or go anywhere, just tell la, don't need to come. (very the 不爽look)"

我就继续讲- 我以为他会给我早上的啊,他又没有sms我啊(我没有得上网,所以每晚他都会sms我,就那晚例外)。。。他根本听不进耳。算啦,他应该恨死我了。IA低分了咯! performance 都已经够低分了,现在attitude 应该也会很低分了吧。预聊的叻,business根本是我的坟墓!

编排assignment 的editor 来了,我跟他打招呼,他看都不看我一眼!又死多一次了!

我已经不像想那么多了。做完工就回家。
我在7pm就准备出门了。巴士竟然跟我7.30pm 才到。我想,一个小时应该回到吧。

我的确underestimated Friday的traffic 了。Jam 死了,整条路!

最死的是,我背着跟提着两大包包,站着给一堆人在那边挤到像什么鬼样!我脚根本就是垫脚环绕着那rubbish bin,和它跳贴身交际。最衰是那个巴士司机,平时都不见得它们那么有同情心,即使已经爆满还继续到每一站接客。这个司机今天跟我做好人,一直~收人。我的屁股根本就已经是坐在那个站在我后面indon uncle的腿上。

就这样我站足一个小时半。最衰的是看到那些坐着的人优哉闲哉地躺着打瞌睡和睡觉就很不得把他们一个个掐死 (存属虚构 - 免得有人报警)。这个巴士司机不只是好人,根本就是循规蹈矩到~。几乎我做过的巴士,不只是厉害potong jalan,而且还很喜欢在狭窄的马路驾上人行道去potong其他的车辆。这个嚟,乖乖排队,要出又不敢出。我们都被他顿了不知多少次!

看着时间一分一秒过去了,我很担心赶不上火车。我的脸皱到很像没有打过Botox酱。
还好及时赶上了。

跟他们meet up 后,就等火车咯。又迟到,ticket又是印错车厢编号的,又被赶来赶去。check票的check 了又check!

后来就一路用cc laptop 看电影咯。

到了金宝,感觉特别好。好像回家了。我们就在凌晨1am 提着大包小包,在乌漆black black的夜空下步行回家。走到巴刹哪儿,一只跛脚的狗竟然跟在我们身边,沿路保护着我们回家!那是一段多么远的路啊!我当时好感动。心里还想,应该是奈安呐的化身,来守护我们的吧。后来他就一直蹲在我们家门外。我又没有东西给他吃。后来才记得有奈安呐离开后,我们留下来大包的猫粮。就倒一点出来,喂它吃。没想到,他竟然吃了! 那饼干清脆的声音和它吃的样子,根本就跟咱家奈安呐是一个模样呀!噢买股呢斯。

驳变,最后还是得跟它bye bye 了。最后一幕看到它,还是坐蹲在我们家门口的马路旁。

隔天早上,它,离开了。Gone. Pergi.

Friday, February 5, 2010