Real life is overated

This is just so wrong and yet I can't stop looking at it. There's just something surreal and absurdly addictive about a hyper-realistic Mario World. Trust me, there's plenty more of these pics (this one's not even the most mesmerizing) but I'm not sure if you could take it without entering some Dali-like mindset. Doesn't normality seem a bit dull sometimes?

Now can you imagine how the creator of Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, must think? Apparently, the idea for the blocks Mario is so eagerly breaking in the picture above came to Miyamoto one day, as he was happily walking down the street, not a care in the world, and into his mind popped "hey, wouldn't it be cool if there were blocks floating in the air above me, just out of my reach, with some mystery prize inside?" That's the kind of happy randomness that's often imitated, but never duplicated. It's the kind of thing that no one would normally even think about, but once considered, would think is rather cool. Or maybe that's just me...

Nope, other people think so too! Just check out this guy's fun project. I'd love to see this hanging along my street one day as I walk home!

Not to be sexist but...

Perhaps it's just me, but it seems that when it comes to call centres, male customer service reps are generally nicer and more helpful than female ones. I bring this up because I just called my wireless service provider (that's right, no name-dropping here) to get a phone upgrade.

The first time, the woman refused to budge on the plan offered, though I tried mentioning the competitor's lower rates, did not recommend any other phone plans except when I asked for them one by one, and she was very unhelpful in recommending phones for an upgrade, so I didn't make any changes.

The second time I called, the man was able to throw in 6 months free local calls and text messaging with a phone upgrade when I mentioned the competitor's rates. He also recommended a cheaper plan more suitable to my usage, and waived the activation fee for my phone upgrade. He even sat by for a few minutes while I compared the phones he recommended on the website, then suggested that I hold off on the phone upgrade until I see the actual thing in a store. So I got the new plan, but visited a store to see the phones.

Called a third time to get the new phone, got a woman. I mentioned that I was told that the activation fee could be waived, but she was unable to waive it, which was fine (maybe she didn't have the authority), but then she later put a note on my account that the activation fee could not be waived and that this had been clearly explained to me. She was, however, able to offer me the 6 months free local calls and text messaging. I was getting the text messaging and voicemail in a special package already, however, and when I told her so, she said that I would still have to pay the full package fee, meaning the 6 month offer was pointless. She did not offer anything else instead. So of course I didn't get my phone.

Fourth call, got a man this time. Again mentioned the fee waiver, and he says that he can't do anything in that regard, and mentions the note left by the previous woman. But then, he offers to transfer me to his supervisor who would have the authority to waive the activation fee. His supervisor (also a man) not only happily waives the fee, but throws in the 6 months free local calls and text messaging, plus gives me the $50 rebate on the phone right away.

So, moral of the long and boring story: it's hard not to be sexist sometimes.

An informal survey within my family also shows that female customs officers and female examiners also tend to be more difficult. This is particularly true for early middle-aged (30-40 yrs old) females. Older (50+ yrs old) males tend to be most accomodating. Care to add your own opinion?