WordPower at different venues

Published on: Sunday, February 16, 2020

By: Sylvia Howe

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MORNING! I have just been told by my computer that my hard disk is almost full and that I should do something about it. But what, dear reader, what? I use Dropbox and also the cloud, whatever and wherever that is, but I am old enough to like the sense that it is also on my desktop, and I can see the folder. One step away from printing it out, I know. I need to have faith that these cloudy things keep everything safe and accessible, but people do love putting the frighteners on you!

Service industry

I have just returned from taking another set of guests to Sepilok, and have an overriding impression of people not really giving a hoot about service. Again. Tourists are not just cannon fodder. If you are in the service and tourist industry, they pay your wages, send your children to school, put food on the table etc etc, so surely you could spare a moment to actually listen to an order or bring a meal so that the person who ordered it doesn’t age three years?

KK is not immune either – I ordered nachos and cheese the other day, for a quick snack before a meeting, and was told it would take 15 minutes. 15 minutes? For nachos and cheese? Were they milking the cow?

We stay at a hotel that looks lovely – lots of chalets with views on a lake, and big rooms and really well designed bathrooms. It entices you in with the way it looks, but our air con didn’t work in our first chalet, so (after unpacking of course) we were moved.

Then the remote control gave up in the second and we had to invite maintenance to do their stuff – which took a while. Not sure why. The smiles and the friendliness are very real – Sabah is so good at that - but a hotel needs a bit more. Our guests wanted to pay for our dinner, but the waiter charged them for the meal and us for the drink, which was not what they were told. Embarrassment all round. And it is the place I broke my wrist, in November. We asked politely if they had a proper First Aid kit yet. Apparently it is still on order…

Ben Uzair, KK 12 fm presenter and the best MC I know, is struggling single handedly to raise the standard of service in this town. He calls out bad service regularly, and I hope people are taking his sensible comments on board – he is right, you know. It matters.

Air waves

Air Asia is fast, efficient, not expensive, usually not uncomfortable. But who chooses the music they play on landing and boarding? I looked around on yesterday’s flight, and there were not that many teenagers who would, surely, be the audience for the songs they play. Loudly. I understand that canned music is supposed to be a crowd calmer, but wouldn’t something less intrusive be nicer for everyone, and indeed more soothing?

Another thing – the flight attendants are very keen on all electronic equipment being turned off. This is now unusual, as many of the other airlines don’t insist on this. I always put mine on flight mode, and my Kindle isn’t able to connect to the internet without wifi anyhow, but I am always told to put it away, which is a shame when I am in the middle of a chapter and longing to know whether the heroine gets her man… Perhaps this could be looked at, Mr Fernandez?

Peking Duck – without COVID2

I expect every KK-ite knows about King Hu in Tanjung Aru, but I have only recently found out about it. This is the place to learn about service, and enjoy delicious Peking duck. We have been a few times and are greeted in a friendly but not overenthusiastic manner – we are not their best friends. Food orders are taken fast, and the meal comes to the table very quickly. It is delicious, the price is reasonable, and what is more, between about 6 and 8, the tables are full. QED. They are doing a lot right.

The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

On Sunday 19 April WordPower Sabah is holding a fundraising event at Wisma Wanita: the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. There will be interesting stalls and English food available – delicious scones, yummy cakes, sandwiches, all sorts – with recipes. There will be a competition for the best hat, too so put on your thinking caps and start putting something together. Put it in your diaries and watch for more information. You are all welcome for a day out!

WordPower Sabah gathers momentum

WordPower Sabah 2020 is progressing apace. We have decided that it will consist of events (educational and otherwise) from July to December, at venues all over KK. There will be four poetry sessions of two hours each with Thira, for example, and presentation skills over three sessions, with Emily Barner and myself, spiced up with Susan Bansin’s wonderful drama techniques. The event calendar will soon be available – people, places and costs are being firmed up.

The theme, as you should know by now, is storytelling – in business, in school, in life. There will be PechaKucha, drama workshops with a performance by Christopher Ling’s theatrethreesixty from KL, music and lyrics, a film if we can raise the money to bring the director over here from Europe to give a talk about its subject and the making of it, and special events as they occur to us. For instance, we are working on a session based on the stories of a French cook, based on her travels in Asia. Recipes, tales, tastings. As usual, unique – WordPower is many things, but it is NOT predictable. And it’s fun too. The publicity for it will start soon – we will be at Jesselton Artisan Market sometimes, and our website is being revamped thanks to a generous donation. More welcomed with open arms – or coffers.

Check us out on You Tube: wordpower sabah 2019.

Oh, and hope you had a Happy Valentine’s Day!