nom nom nom

Rarely do i chat eversince, but suffice to say, my knowledge about the chatspeak back when i was younger carried on to these days where technology like ym, fb chat and all those mobile chat apps are overflowing.

One time,  i saw this nom nom nom nom posted on a Facebook wall. I dared never commented on what the heck is that. So i made my own research.

But before showing off what was in store on my research, let me pour out my immediate thoughts upon reading that nom nom nom nom thingee.

I was on the verge of putting it as a profanity because it stirred a sudden clipped language of Ilocanos, which is heard normally from street kids doing word fights. (nam! nam! nam!). I seconded my thoughts that it isn't the case of cursing at all.

Maybe it's an onomatopoeia of sleeping? Agh! no it mustn't be.
Aha, it's like a call for being thirsty? As you voice out the words, it sounded like someone wants a drink, real fast. Nom nom nom nom. Ain't it? like when a toddler  badly wants water, he'd blurt out 'nom! 'nom! 'nom!

So much so for my guessing game works. I consulted the big G. And here are the results:

nom nom nom represents the sound made when someone is eating or chewing something and really enjoying it (from urbandictionary.com). 

I couldn't make the words out of it esp on how to describe, yet this nom nom nom thing seem like got stuck in my head for a while now.

It gives a kind of satisfaction on one's mind upon reading it in the head. And oh yeah, i tried voicing it out loud trying to sound like chewing physically while murmuring the sound of nom nom nom, it worked!!!  You really feel like eating, mixed with enjoyment and satisfaction, esp upon hearing the reverberating sound of "tsalap" "tsalap" "tsalap".

Honestly, while writing this post, i'm emulating the sound through my mouth with matching nom nom nom, and i'm really laughing out loud.

On the sidelights, this nom nom nom expression was actually sounded by the cookie monster from Sesame Street while eating his cookies. So it was maybe or exactly originated from Sesame Street huh?

Now my imagination is going far beyond, it could also be used by an all-male group to denote that the lady passing by is satisfyingly sexy and magnetic. (consider it non-sexist okay?) And oh yeah again, there's a pint of truth to what i've just said, it actually is the sound/noise one makes while performing the thing on a female.

And as the roll goes by from urbandictionary.com, it's also the sound made while playing the pac-man game. Relive it, it actually is real!!! nom nom nom.

This one would be the last definition, nom nom nom also the sound made when a cat is lapping down a really good food down on her bowl. Imagine it, or try to think of your pet cat when trying to chomp down a bowl of milk. Oh yeah, it's the  tongue that really makes the sound.

It maybe not obvious but at least, i'm at peace now with the clarity and meaning of this expression. A vast outline it is for the meaning of nom nom nom, indeed!






-mac

Dearest Mother (mother's day 2011)

Dearest Mother

i've always thought about you these days

for how long since we've seen each other?

months... years already.

i've forgotten the last spoken words

when we had our goodbyes

but your smile...

the last time i saw you

has been imprinted in my heart

Dearest Mother

i know, life has never been that easy

deep inside, and behind your grin and laughter

i could feel the weight and the tinge of forbearance

yet you never showed to us, the weaknesses

instead, you showed us how to care

you strove to show us the goodness in life

you instilled the virtues of lawfulness

you taught us how to survive

Dearest Mother

i missed you so much

that i want to bring you in my embrace

and hug you tightly in my arms

i may have not said those magic words all the time

you may have thought i never cared

yet in my heart i wish to be the best before you

to please and bring honor to you

albeit in little and subtle ways

Dearest Mother

I could never thank you enough

for your unending concern,

for the sacrifices you braved

despite the fragility

for the support in times of sadness

although we are only forlorn

for believing in our own capacity

yet we are only lowly

for the love

despite we're physically apart

Dearest Mother

Maybe your grey hair is now apparent

i could still remember when i was a child

that you'd ask me to pluck one of those

a lot more similar to those memories

made me realize suddenly

to be with you in your older years

to care for you

that it's now turn to serve

Dearest Mother

Worry not for i'd always be there

you may not see me as often now

but my heart goes with you nonetheless

that i've always prayed for your better health

that though we are apart

may you always take care of yourself

so that when the time will come

that we'll see each other again

i would say....

Dearest Mother,

i love you so much.

-mac

(dedicated to my mom)

Mother's Day 2011

iOS 4.3.3 (untracking your location)

Apple was quick enough to respond on the recent hubbub thrown at them from all angles of the technoworld - the buzz about "your iDevices are tracking you".

The news came to a wildfire last week of April and has intensified further when countries such as South Korea came up to Apple questioning why it's collecting location information.

The first wave of news about this tracking, spying, and storing the location information where you have been, made me a little freaked out. It has subsided and ebbed slowly as soon as i've set foot on the blogs of NYTimes' David Pogue and Scott Adams'. Their insights and perceptions at least have made me calmed down. (I'm an advocate of privacy, so despite the vastness of the internet, i'm kind of cautious on my online trails nevertheless)

As of this writing, my iDevice is currently working its guts to finalize the iOS 4.3.3 update. I'm glad Apple has immediately insinuated this update.

So, for all of you folks who have iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads... go and connect your iDevice to iTunes and update your software. (yun lang! unjailbreak na naman)

-mAc

5 Best Practices in Lessening Supervisor Calls (SUP CALL)

As a customer, you would feel insignificant or simply unserved whenever a prolonged loop of resolution is always thrown to your queries and complaints. It is best to understand what went wrong despite putting all the necessary efforts, reverse psychology and other strategic tactics just to straighten up the issues and get what you wanted. Assuming, most of the above points  were covered and you simply just doesn't want to give up in getting the perfect satisfaction; might as well ask - I'd like to speak to your supervisor!

That statement must be the dreaded level in a call for all service representatives in the call center industry. Yet, there are numerous ways on how to cut the rope before the heat gets in there. Below are 5 best practices in reducing sup calls.

1. Take ownership of the customer and the call.
Immediately provide assurance and obviously tell the customer that you're owning her case once the problem has been stated and established. This will add a factor of confidence from the customer of what you can do and beyond.

2. Set expectations
Probably this is always being overlooked by most representatives, but in most ways, this is actually a great equalizer. It's also an effective "cover your ass" strategy so long that you convey with utmost clarity and charisma. It's always a rule of the thumb to set expectations after you and the customer have  come to terms on what the problem is all about.

3. Always sound confident
Your voice is one primary asset when talking to the customer. Although, accent and fluency are all subjective, it's always a win win scenario when you can match the pace and mood of the customer. It'll always create a good vibe and a feeling of mutual attachment from the other end when you're confident on what you're saying.

4. Be professional but always personalize the call
This may sound contradicting but the formula is actually easy: Personalize your calls by simply being you (inject a thought provoking situation which  you think & feel that could lead to a great chit-chat) without red flagging your QA guidelines or policies.

5. Be Proactive to offer your Supervisor
It would be useless if you're fighting to the customer just so she will give up in getting your sup on the phone. It's the customer's right anyway to talk to a sup if she want to. From the deepest recesses of your mind, you'd feel it when it's coming, and to counter that, don't say "let me check with my supervisor" instead, "my Supervisor would be happy to assist you". That way, you'd be much more a pro in the eyes of the customer.


Don't ever feel guilty whenever a customer is asking for a supervisor. This oftentimes happen when you're trying to establish the rules and policies of which the customer wouldn't want to accept. As they've said, you can't always please everyone. To reflect and to think back what could you have done better in turning that sup call into a praise call, is a great tactic to improve. You will know and you will always analyze the two sides of the coin what went wrong with it and how you could have made it to be a satisfied customer.






posted by MAC

Departures (tv series)

When Romy, my buddy, introduced me to the show - Departures, i just shrugged and left it untouched in my external hdd, that was for a week. It's like i don't wanna feel like watching a series, yet, due to the impasse floating around during the holidays, i was mandated to browse the folders, then launched VLC player and started watching the show.

Prior to the first episode of season 1, i was already pre-empted by my buddy of what's the series is all about. I never thought to be so unique and so cool, i couldn't help remembering National Geographic Channel. I loved watching NatGeo when i was a kid but this travel-serial-tv really blew my mind, it was awesomely plotted and well-narrated.

Probably the biggest turn down on it was the non-girl casting, the starring roles go to Scott and Justin; while behind the camera is Andre -  he maneuvers the journey and travel thru his wisdom in lens and video. Despite the lacking of a girl character, i think it was far better off, than with a girl in it. As i moved on from the 1st episode to the next and to the next, it dawned on me that an inclusion of a girl as one of the main stars would definitely hinder the extremities of their journey. 

As entertainment and lavish-breathtaking scenes of natures rolled up on my screen, from the vantage point of a cinematographer(Andre) conveying it thru the realization of this kind on a serial tv, the inspiration to travel came rushing in through me like a mammoth arousal. I felt envious to Scott and Justin suddenly, their jobs to travel the world is downright an "i wanna be part of that stuff too".

Somehow, the profoundness and depth of the show invigorates every single nerve in me to jump out from the comfort zones in real life. While it's true that the show is funded, it's absolutely screaming on the audience to enjoy life to its fullest. This travel show may not depict a truly one perfect vacation, but it certainly plays the resolute wisdom that reality is as is, that "we are living in a strange world, don't be a stranger to it" (quoted from Scott)

Another epic character of the show is on being neutral, Scott and Justin could rant and talk about the negative vibes in every culture and country they've experienced but never did i hear any. Instead, the blackballs on certain cultures that was apparent (they didn't talk about it but it was shot thru) as the camera rolls, were turned to give an aspect of realization that indeed, everyone of us, every country and society have their own to offer and cherish from the perspective of a foreigner. Appreciation - that was what i learnt as my eyes feasted on the extraordinary, while the negative impressions on certain countries accumulated thru reading the news and watching CNN were suddenly vanished, rather, i was now more grateful and has intellectually widened my perspective on the people in all walks of life.

I couldn't describe much the enjoyment of watching the travels and adventure, i am neither promoting nor advertising but everyone of us must have an eye on this show. This goes esp to the upper upper class people who are so capable in travelling- it would be a superb experience in life. 

Travelling though is still relative, we might be stuck in one place - but it's still considered as a journey. I dream the day when i myself would travel around the different countries in this world, with the sole purpose to seek and experience adventure, doing a rendezvous from one scenic spot to the next. Taking in full the danger, thrill, adrenaline and bliss of trip to forevermore.

 PS: if you wanna know their facebook page, click here.

posted by MAC