Lame blog post title I know.

But guess what? At least my writing isn’t too lame for CNN’s new online guide to Asia.

Yeah, OK. It’s not CNN CNN but it still has the same logo, and to be honest, it’s nice to have this brand on your resume.

After three years of ranting and bitching and pissing off Bangkok’s sub-cultures of sexpats and most recently IT people, my blog somehow has given me more opportunity than shutting them out. Because that’s how my lovely CNNGo editor found me.

But now that I’ve met her in real life (yes we’d been working together already for months before finally meeting her. This is some real 21st century working environment we’re having) I now know why she got picked to be the woman behind Bangkok’s edition of this quirky, snappy, witty CNN website. And most importantly, why she picked ME.

She’s just like me. Only whiter and Canadianer. She swooned over my 3rd hand designer find (which she kind of funded), she gobbles down a Burrito like there’s no man watching, and best of all, despite indirectly coming into contact with my bitchiness daily on my blog and Twitter, she still considers me a valuable laborer. I love you, too, Karla!

The website rocks by the way. It offers the best in dining, drinking, eating, playing, shopping, sleeping, sightseeing in six different Asian cities–Bangkok, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Singapore, Shanghai and Tokyo. And we’re not talking about Jatujak and Wat Prakaew here. Instead of Bed Supperclub, it recommends Lollipop. Instead of Blue Elephant it recommends street food.

But one concern I have after digging through other cities on the site; Bangkok seriously lacks local writers.

When I say local I mean Thai. I’m not boasting here OK but according to Karla, I am the only writer with a Thai National ID. Other writers on board are established foreign journalists in Bangkok, I mean people who actually wrote/write for real magazines and newspapers like Bangkok Post, NYT and such. And I’ve met some of them and to be honest they know more Thai slangs and hole-in-the-wall places than I do so I’m not doubting their cred. I just feel bad being the only one with a 11-character lastname on CNNGo byline.

Out of I don’t know how many Thai friends I have growing up with, I only know TWO who like to write. And no they don’t do it for a living. Most of my friends are now either working for agencies, PR companies or hotels–you know fancy work places where you’re wearing jackets and heels to work. Just today I met a middle school friend on the skywalk. She was wearing a dress, with pearls, stilettos and face all made up. I was in an old t-shirt, old-jeans, a pair of sneakers and hair I haven’t combed in two days.

But then again I kind of understand. I’ve been writing for more than two years and my salary has only just recently matched a friend’s paycheck when she was still just a hotel management trainee.

One solution left for starving, designer-bag craving writer like me–multi-tasking.

I haven’t had much time for CNNGo lately thanks to the new mag I’m staff writer at and I’m feeling like I’m jumping ship but seriously, who’s that stupid to give up CNN(Go)?

Karla, give me more jobs please. I saw this 1998 Chanel the other day…

——

PS. How could Carrie Bradshaw afford all those Manolos?

Sorry for the two YouTube finds in a row but this one just had to be shared.

SCB or Siam Commercial Bank can be considered as one of the most respected banks in Thailand. It is known for their fast, reliable and quality service and it is obvious which niche of Bangkokians it caters to judging from their selection of premiums like a Fly Now (a Thai designer brand) travel bag instead of some crappy mascot plushies like my current back is baiting.

But what I, a self-proclaimed technology advocate, had the fortunate of finding out today is that SCB seriously needs to work on bringing their electronic banking system up to the same quality as they are currently advertising.

I was, and still am, a loyal Krungsri Bank user. Well only because it was the account I used to connect with ABAC tuition system and I’m too lazy to switch. But the job does require me to have an SCB account so they can transfer my salary so I don’t mind opening one, especially when there’s a gigantic branch right on the ground floor of my office building.

So today, too lazy to take elevators down to check my balance, I decided it was time to get one of their SCB Easy accounts.

“SCB Easy online banking. You don’t have to go to a physical branch with your documents. You’re only a few clicks away to setting up your online banking system!”, proclaims the website. Ooh goody. Finally a Thai service without a Thai system.

Boy was I wrong.

After only just TWO clicks, I was greeted with a static web page that doesn’t seem to take me anywhere. I clicked “Next” I clicked “Reset” nothing worked. My Firefox has been acting up lately, sometimes I can’t even click the Play button on YouTube videos so I switched to Safari. Same page and same thing happened.

A call to Customer Service Center was made. A nice sounding lady answered and I told her what my problem was. Almost automatically without needing any other information about the problem as if this is a common issue, she asked,

“Are you using Internet Explorer?”

“No. My computer is a Mac.”

“The system only accepts Internet Explorer. No other browsers.”

“Not even Firefox?”

“No.

“Safari?”

“No. Internet Explorer only. Or you can’t open your account.”

What a PC Nazi bitch.

Fine. I would just go downstairs then if they can’t work with Mac users.

So I went to their physical bank, who also confirmed to me that the online registration system only works on Internet Explorer. So I gave up and asked to do through the paperwork instead.

“If you’re registering via the bank, you will get your account in 7 days.”

D’ Fuck.

The clerk saw a spark of rage starting to flicker already in my eyes so she offered to register for me on one of their unused computers. Finally some humanity.

She sat down at the desk, and just before she moved the mouse to wake the computer, I saw the screensaver: “Windows 2000 Professional”. I’m sorry? Two friggin’ thousand? Then she did a double click on one of the icons on the desktop.

And the machine started to dial-up. Dial-up.

I told her it’s OK. I’ll do it some other time.

And I left the bank as fast as I could.

Our revered God, Google, has blessed upon us iPhone users the ultimate feature ever.

Over The Air Calendar and Contact Sync!

Do you know what this means? Finally iPhone users can enjoy life’s necessities like the rest of the world. We’re now one step closer to video recording, Flash player, and maybe *gasps* copy and paste!

I have been using the NeuvaSync service for quite some time. It works great, if you consider 50% down time great. Well beggars cannot be choosers. Until today!

Not only does this beta feature works perfectly, it syncs your info almost instantly. I didn’t try out the Contacts sync though as I don’t want random Gmail addresses in my phone but the Calendar so far it is instantaneous. And yes it syncs both ways!

OK. Enough geekness for today. Gotta save some for tomorrow when I jailbreak my boss’ iPhone.

Ironically, editing my Wordpress has stopped me from living my usual internet life. Upon opening Google Reader today, I was greeted with over 250 unread posts on my Mac feeds alone that usually accumulate to around 60 posts a day if I check it daily.

Every damn post in all the Mac blogs are either about the 25th anniversary or Steve’s health. But what I found very useful are all those posts about the history of the machines, from Classics to Macbooks.

I had just turned a Mac late last year when Windows disappointed me with the Vista. Though there are times when I wish I didn’t have to place two fingers on the trackpad to right-click, I still like the Mac experience better than Windows.

Before, I always hated Mac. I found the interface ugly, the keys clunky, and it felt like everything was misplaced. Until I started working at BK which forced me to use a Mac (Tiger) in the art room and I fell in love with it. The interface was very much improved from the last time I touched a Mac when I went to my mom’s office (the game I was playing was Shufflepuck Cafe). It had grown to look so much cooler, smoother, and more friendly for a geek-in-making like me.

And look at me now: A Macbook owning iPhone using, Wordpress blogger. Next geek creds I’m planning to obtain is a DSLR-er, and then if there’s time, an iPhone App developer.

I still wonder why the hell I didn’t get a computer science degree.