Busy days ahead

No, I'm not dead. Just had been busy for the last few weeks to even blog here. It's been almost a month since my last entry, and well, things are going like a rollercoaster once more.

Concert's come and gone. One of the most stressed days this year that I've experienced. First time that I had to do sound setup from scratch, almost all alone. With the exception of setting up the drums, I had to wire up the guitars to the DIs we rented from Luther Music, test the bass amp, and set channels for the individual guitars. To me, it's a bit confusing cos I only had a 12 channel mixer to work with, and some guitars (like mine) had to be switched in and out. Mixer being fixed by the side of the stage didn't really help matters as well, as I can't hear the sound from the speakers most of the time so I had to run out to hear and run back to adjust. All in all, one big mess. But good learning experience I guess, from it all. Lunch at NP's alumni club house followed after for most of them, and I had to stay back to take care of the equipment and wait for Luther's pickup (since I was the one who emailed them, and received the equipment from them at the start of the day), which, by then, all of them were set to leave by the time I showed up for lunch. What's past is past, no point in digging up old bones now. Well, I've officially handed over, so I can now wash my hands off club matters. There's the open house to work at, still. Hope it'll just be a simple affair.

Sales of my roses aren't too bad, just a bit short of expectations. Did make a profit, but not a lot as there weren't many orders. As a result, I still have quite a bit of material left, enough to make a few large bouquets. Ah well, Mother's Day is coming up, maybe there'll be some interest. Apparently, I'm selling at a very low price as well, according to what a customer and fellow brother-in-Christ commented as well. Just wanted to test the market and see how responses were. Maybe I should really aim at what these are popular with. Guess I'll rethink my marketing after my exams. On the same note, bumped into an acquaintance in church on Saturday, when I was having coffee outside the Sanctuary. He was a wedding planner I've bumped into when I was doing my first wedding in church back in 2006. Really nice brother, gave me some suggestions for the florist industry and even offered to teach me about making bouquets. This is something Adrian and I were talking about of late, about setting up an online florist as a sideline. Hope to do this part-time first, then eventually full-time once there are enough clients.

Had a bad experience with Gramophone yesterday. Went down to the outlet at The Cathay last Wednesday, as I was there to watch Kite Runner with Dennis and Joyce. Was looking for The Lakehouse, region 1. Saw it on the shelf last time for $29.95, and it was out of stock when I went last week. I asked about it and the staff told me they can bring it over to the outlet from other outlets that have it in stock. Left my name and number and was told I would be contacted when it came in. Received a call on Saturday to go pick up, and I mentioned I would do so before Wednesday. Enquired about the price as well and was told it's at $29.95. Imagine my shock when I went to pick it up and was told it's $44.95, a 50% increase. Reason given was that the person who called me "gave the price from the system and not the product". Was about to buy that and Prince of Thieves region 4. So I just left without buying anything. Sent an email to the Feedback address this morning, still no reply from them. Really feel like boycotting them until I receive an explanation for this.

Well, time is really running out on me. I'm still looking for a company that has e-commerce operations in Singapore to do an email interview with (need to set the questions first though), survey to hand out (still need to finalise with my supervisor), analysis to do from the interview and survey, literature review to complete, conceptual frameworks to work with, and personal comments and conclusion to write for my mini-thesis. There's also my software engineering project to finish up. Sigh. Mocks are coming this Wednesday, and next Tuesday and Wednesday as well. Still not feeling the pinch and urgency as yet. Don't know why. I NEED to get going. Someone sit down with me and study, please.

" 'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,' says the LORD Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.' " Malachi 3:10