You Happy, We Happy

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I have heard a few friends rave about Botak Jones but did not have the chance to eat it yet. The recently, as I made my way to work, I saw a Botak Jones banner hanging outside the JTC Factory at Toa Payoh North and this got me quite excited; hahaha a new place to makan with my colleagues. So I told them about it and today, my colleague called me and said "codfishy, today's your day. We have decided to go makan at Botak Jones" Finally!

OK, I would say I really enjoyed my lunch. There's a few reasons why I like Botak Jones:

• The portion is big, really big! In the end, we all had to "da bao" the fries because we can't finish
• The food is good
• Their service is wonderful. I waited for a long time for my Botak Cheese Set but then they later came and gave me a slice of cheese cake, compliments from them for making me wait so long. Wow, seldom will you find such good service liao. In fact, when you can't finish the food and ask them for a bag to "da pao" the food back, they will willingly give you a styrofoam lunchbox with alumnium foil and a plastic bag. Talking about good service!

OK, that's about it: Good food, good serving, good service, oh ya and funny people... you can see how unique they are from the others. On the menu, it wrote:

"If you don't look good, we don't look good ~ Vidal Sasoon
If you don't look good, we don't really care ~ Botak Jones"

Then, as you queue up to order, you see this sign...


Simple message: Don't make life difficult for us and you! Use your brain and don't any-ol-how change table ah!

Makes me want to just put a similar sign up in our centres to let our service users and members of the public know that we mean business and will maintain that our volunteers and staff have the right not to be abused, threatened or harassed.

I Not Happy, You Not Happy
Talking about that, sighhh (i.e. I am going to complain so lend me your ears). Something at work really made my blood boil this morning. I know that sometimes it is not easy managing volunteers on the ground because some volunteers just come for the CIP hours and give you the "can't be bothered" attitude or even worse, treat our staff rudely. Recently, something like that happened. There was a miscommunication and somehow a group of 20 over students just turn up at one of my centre's doorstep to volunteer I think because one of our staff just told them that they can come. Anyway, that's a different issue which I have to find out who was the one who told them that. OK, so they came and found out that the group is too big and therefore have to be splitted up. So according to my volunteer coordinator, they were not happy and started to give her the "can't be bothered" attitude and went about their task rather with a slip-slop attitude. But frankly, I also do not know whether they may be like that because of how they were treated. Knowing my volunteer coordinator in that centre, I do know that she has the tendency to be rather abrupt with people also.

Erm, Big Picture Big Picture!
Anyway, my volunteer coordinator got so fed up, she wrote a long complaint email to me to tell me that they had tattoos and ear-rings and to say that she will no longer accept volunteers from this school. I hadn't the chance to respond and this morning, she sent an email to me and her manager saying that she has added a new clause to the instruction sheet given to volunteers; stating that they will not accept any volunteers with tattoos and ear-rings. Then, as if that was not enough, her manager emailed to say that he noted her concern and suggest that I come out with guidelines on the matter. My first reaction was "WHAT?!!" Firstly, she is blocking entry to volunteer opportunities for volunteers from this school on the basis of a few black sheeps (I have observed some other volunteers from this school work and they are OK) and secondly, she is specifying explicitly on a document that we will not accept volunteers with tattoos and ear-rings. There are implications on an organisation's image when such statements are placed on documents and policies statements such as this.

My Two Cents' Worth
I had to let myself cool down. I tried calling the manager but was told he is on leave. So I did not want to disturb him. In the end, typed a long email to "share my two cent's worth". Concerned that I might stir up some issues, I cleared the email with my boss. Thank goodness she concurs with my email. So sent a long email to say

1. I acknowledge the difficulty in handling volunteers at the ground,
   
2. agree that we have to protect staff and volunteers who are true to the organisation's mission and vision and who are diligently performing their role,
   
3. but I beg to differ about blocking access to volunteering opportunities on the basis of a few black sheeps,
   
4. proposing that we do not include statements such as those about tattoos and ear-rings in documents lest we be seen as discriminating people; that we should give others a chance to serve and not judge,
   
5. glad they are keeping communication channels open and proactive about providing feedback about operational matters so we can make things better,
   
6. my willingness to work together to explore ways to constructively address the issue.
   

Frankly, I do not know how my volunteer coordinator will react to the email but I have already spoken with her umpteen times on handling volunteers. I nearly fainted when she added the clause into the instruction sheet.

Looooooooonnnnnnnnggggggg sssssiiiiiigggghhhhhh...

Painful Throat
These couple of days, I am feeling a little pain in my throat whenever I swallow. It is like there is this sharp object there and when I swallow there is also a bit of burning sensation. At first, I thought it might be sore throat but I am getting worried as my mind start going wild... hope everything is OK. Will continue to see how's things.