:: pembelian berdendam * ::

* means 'revenge purchases' (in malay)...i just like the way that sounds...hehe

Many months ago, yours truly decided to burn some good mollahs (in US$ mind you) to purchase Abercrombie & Fitch's preppy polos, attitude tees, jeans and cargo shorts via its website.

Few days later, when I checked my order status, I was shocked to see that they were cancelled.

Being a true-blue efficient and must-know-why Singaporean, I wrote them a mail to seek clarification (err..more like an explanation), and here was their reply:



So in order 'to protect their brand image', my US shipping address (via vpostusa.com) was not good enough for them - even though it was in a nice little district in the sunny Califor-n-i-a.

"Basket! Ya-Ya Pa-pa-ya" Abercrombie &Fitch (A&F) can kick my good tanned ass goodbye! It's not the first time A&F has created controversies and dissing aGentX was not a wise choice be-atch!

Two days ago, I had my revenge.

While doing my evening walks, I saw the same A& F t-shirts which I have tried (and failed!) to order before.


There it was: Panther Mountain V-neck t-shirt, selling at US$24.50, Supersoft, 100% sueded cotton, embroidered moose, Vintage Abercrombie Wash, Muscle Fit, Imported (yeah imported alright...from China)

And it was on sale, of all places, at at Factory Outlet Store at Sungei (sic?) Wang in KL!

I am someone who do not go for good bargains at factory outlets or reject shops. Nah, it has nothing to do with being a snob, it is just that the quality of the merchandise are more than often, well…rather crappy.

To be honest, Factory Outlet Store or FOS (its more glamourous-sounding name) has some bad quality merchandise (I would not buy A&F polo tees there coz they have micro-tears at the collars, for example) but on the other hand, like the t-shirt above, it was a STEAL....(scream cheap..cheap!)

FOS buys brands which are over-stocked and 'so-over-the-season' designs in bulk and sell them at a bargain. With some brand, like Zara, they are required to cut off the label name from the product in order to 'protect brand image-my-ass'.

Well, well....to 'protect A&F brand image, eh'...and you know how much that t-shirt cost there? Only RM39.90 (US$10.65)! With shipping costs and all that, I could have bought 3 t-shirts at the same price. And I did (well, and an additional tee) ** blush**



With that happy purchases, I am stuck with the discovery to find more good buys (that's why one should never go shopping after exercise which made me rather randy...hehe) , and I did (buying more stuff, not getting randy - although its rather easy to do it at Bukit Bintang, KL...but I digress)

I also found this shirt (Guideboard Brook,, US $69.50 Supersoft, 100% cotton, moose embroidery, interior grosgrain neck taping, straight collar with collar stays, colored bottom button stitching, Vintage Abercrombie Wash, Muscle Fit, Imported ) , the same one which I wanted to order previously.


And, it was only, get this - RM49.90 (US$ 13.30 per piece). I bought two, and still have enough left-over to buy a hearty meal with delectable gelato later on...



I guess being in different countries over the past few months has helped me to be more professional, what's the word....err...shopper.

Here's little tip for you (for the best places to shop) , based on my personal brand preferences lah and limited travel leh!!

• Zara = Singapore for regular priced items (but for sales & variety - Europe, especially Barcelona)
• Louis Vuitton = Paris (there is never a discount for this label, even the staff sale (for rejected or slightly defected items were only 20% less affair, exclusively only for their employees)
• Goyard = Paris and no where else!
• G-star = Amsterdam / Den Haag !
• Energie = Barcelona
• Hugo Boss = Paris for its collection, Singapore for its sale
• Gucci = Singapore is good for its price (especially DFS's members only sale), Europe for variety
• Dior = Paris for variety and sales items, KL is atrociously expensive somewhat...
• Duty-free cigarettes/alcohol = Singapore Changi Airport (irony for a country that does not allow cigarettes in, 400 sticks SG$38.40 (KLIA is RM90/SGD40.5)

I am a happy man again.

Massage is good, if the masseur knows what to do. Retail theraphy is good,if you know what to look for. That is my warped wisdom for today...

:: aGentX confesses ::

I have a confession to make.

Yes, I have been listening to Madonna's Confession on A Dance Floor non-stop since its debut. It became my ear-worms immediately [I had even conceptualised the videos for the whole songs!] I guess that has become almost a ritual affair for me...especially while waiting at the airport for my weekly travel ritual, the commuting between office and work [which is like, 2 to 3 hours to and fro) and while humping the err... threadmill at the gym **grin**.

The first time that Madonna had the same effect for me was yonkers ago, and that was the True Blue album. I remember having my Sony Walkman [with the original cassette of like SDG$7) and those Sony colourful earpiece (of like SGD$25). Well, in those days, it was considered a decadent for a 14 year old kid to have that kind of 'luxury'...sans the iPod era now.

After that, it became an addiction. It is no secret with all my close friends since High School, that Madonna is my #1 Pop Artist of all time.

Some things will never change....I know this is one of them. So Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you....my personal anthem [of the moment],

Jump by Madonna.

[Written by Madonna, Joe Henry and Stuart Price]

Spoken : There’s only so much you can learn in one place
The more that I wait, the more time that I waste

I haven’t got much time to waste, it’s time to make my way
I’m not afraid what I’ll face, but I’m afraid to stay
I’m going down my own road and I can make it alone
I'll work and I'll fight, Till I find a place of my own
[*]
Are you ready to jump?
Get ready to jump
Don’t ever look back, oh baby,
Yes, I’m ready to jump
Just take my hands
Get ready to jump

We learned our lesson from the start, my sisters and me
The only thing you can depend on is your family
And life’s gonna drop you down like the limbs of a tree
It sways and it swings and it bends until it makes you see

repeat [*]

(Spoken:)
There’s only so much you can learn in one place
The more that you wait, the more time that you waste

I'll work and I'll fight till I find a place of my own
It sways and it swings and it bends until you make it your own

I can make it alone(my sisters and me) (repeat 7x)

repeat [*] to fade....

:: hair crisis...'nuff said ::

:: Festive and New Year Greetings ::

I am back...well, just for this post.

Right now, I am on holidays...but strangely it is in the same place that I have been before for 4 months...you are right, it's the same old Den Haag in Holland.

It's winter now, means that the weather is not as kind as the summer and autumn previously, but then again, I am back here - not for work, but just pure leisure.

Well, the reason for this is to really find out if I could settle down here....to live and stay and work for a couple of years....Singapore and KL do not excite me - both socially and professionally.

I need to have 4 seasons, but then, perhaps it is just an excuse to get away and go on with life's new experiences.

To all of you...Have a Great 2006! May we be in touch again....cheers!

:: aGentX ::

aGentX says goodbye to holland : Jul to Nov 2005

the view from my office in the hague has changed from the sunny and green trees to yellow autumn skies...it was time for me to leave the hague and holland.



yes, i am going to miss all the life experiences there but the work got to continue and be completed in kuala lumpur and singapore.

then, it will be back to the beautiful dutch low lands...(again..i hope).

aGentX is also taking a rest from blogging, life has found many new meanings suddenly...until then, take care you all...

cheers and farewell.

:: blogging seems to be the hardest word::

it took me quite a while to realise it that i am really in the hague, holland.

and it really happened when i was helping a friend to move to his new home...while carrying stacks of boxes, fixing up bookshelves and mending doors.

while driving up to his place with other friends, i realised that there are so many things in holland which i have not ventured at all. i guess you could see it from my lack of photographs in my blog and the lack of posts to writewhat i did, saw and experience.

yes..there have been incidents - such as a colleague who discovered a dead man's body at her hotel room balcony, my bicycle accident which has left a bruise on my right knee, the weird noises at my hotel room, the fashionable frenzy when the weather gets cold, the dutch cheer until my throat went silly while watching a soccer match at a bar...etc

but i realised that i am not really into blogging those things.

it's simply because : i'm living the moment.

right now, these moments are dear to my heart and memory...i will recollect them in my thoughts and blog about them someday...but until now, it's off to living them.

yes, there will be pictures...of my dozens of new found friends, the street, my bicycle and the house that i am staying right now.

but bear with me with the lack of post, again!

as i will be back home for good shortly..by end of this month and will be in time for deepavali and hari raya puasa...in singapore.

Happy Ramadhan

It's refreshing to realise that almost everyone in Holland know that today is the beginning of the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadhan.

The Dutch reported it in the news, newspapers and even TV documentary.

Its also a good feeling to see fellow Muslim 'break-fast' together at the company's cafeteria, sorry for the small pic, it was taken using my mobile cam.



Selamat Berpuasa...

:: dating the hague ::

sorry for the long overdue post, i have been taking things the dutch way and i must say that i have changed quite a bit :D

i am taking things slow right now, no more weekend plans to paris, london or amsterdam...but i think i love it best when i am just enjoying the city that i am right now, that is, the hague.

i'm getting in love with this city, everyday means more new people to know and new experiences to discover. whatever stereotypes and prejudices that i have towards the dutch have disappeared.

now, i am even thinking of finding longer term projects so that i could stay here longer.

2 nights ago, i was watching the world-cup qualifier soccer - rooting for holland of course. since it was just at a cafe just opposite my hotel (yeah, i've shifted..no more opposite the nudist beach anymore)... it was fun...considering that i have known about 50 new people...people that i have no association at all from work.

i am cycling to work (no more trams for me), went to friend's birthday party, getting invites to people's home...friendships are very warm here, something which i have missed much in asia. we do not hug and kiss enough, i think..but then again, we are after all..easterners.

this is fun, its getting ever more fun everyday. sadly, i do not miss singapore that much now...except for my loved ones back home...including my cat.

where shall i end?...i can't see to be enjoying this life when i am eventually posted to kuala lumpur to work...once this beautiful dream has ended.

XxxX


:: indian summer at the hague ::