Money…why do you like rich people?

Money makes the world go round..

Money is not the main issue, but it’s still an issue..

金钱无耳，可使鬼神…

Everything has a price..

 

Sadly, everyday we look to relieve ourselves from the control of money. We look to rid ourselves of this superficial need and to emerge a nobler and more honorable person.. but the 4 example quotes above are just more true than anything else can be in this world. All the rules that govern this world can be broken, but money is the one golden rule that will stay eternal.

Who says blood is thicker than water? Bring in the element of the greenback, and gold becomes thicker than blood. Families can be torn apart by the mere hint of acquiring more money for one’s survival. Many times this is not an option. Many times, we don’t even have enough money to survive, and thus we morph into our primitive selves, only caring about our self interest.

On one hand you have the fresh graduate looking to make a living in a big city, striving to save as much as he can, while the lure and entrapments of the credit card is hindering himself to do so. He’s trying hard to give himself and his family a better life, but to do so, the current paycheck is totally disproportionate to his aspirations. He wants to free his family from the emotional and financial burdens in life by giving back as much as he can, but ironically, the will to do so and the money to do so are 2 very different stories.

Then you look at this other guy, who spends money like ever flowing water. Clothes less than RM500 just won’t do, and thousands of ringgit to him are just small change. And no, of course this person is not working, it all comes easy to him.. it’s just that easy.

I’m hard pressed to say that this sort of situation sickens me.. I have no right to judge, but I can’t help how I feel. The world is not fair..I’ve heard it millions of times when I was a student, but only when you really step into the world, do you realize how woefully and painfully true it is. Obviously, only those who are on the wrong end of the phrase ‘The world is not fair’ will complain so..

I always thought if I had 3 wishes, I would wish for noble causes. End world hunger! World Peace! But sadly, knowing how the world works have added cynical elements into my perspective… If i had 3 wishes, I’d wish for CASH, CASH and HEALTH for me and my family.

*Sigh* …Seriously….Money….why do you like rich people?

礼貌上，我想问候我自己

我该不该？敢不敢就这样一口气下去？这些问题只不过是我礼貌上问自己，好做个交待罢了。。

‘看不见你的笑我怎么睡得着   你的声音这么近我却抱不到

没有地球太阳还是会绕  没有理由我也能自己找

你要离开我知道很简单 你说依赖是我们的阻碍

就算放开但能不能别没收我的爱 当作我最后才明白’

这次，我想是没错吧？其实很早很早以前，我早已投降了。。 =)

My weakness

It’s another weekend and my weakness is cruelly exposed. What weakness you ask? Financial difficulties? Transportation issues? No my friend… my glaring weakness in this big city called PJ is my fear of being alone.

Some of my friends are able to go through the entire weekend alone, at home, doing their own thing. Unfortunately I do not have the emotional capacity to emulate that sort of mentality. I crave human interaction.. I can be alone for one day of the weekend max, but if you want me to stay the 2 whole days confined to my room, stripped from any real interaction (virtual interaction is good.. but does not count!) with my friends and family, I will go crazy.

The truth is, I lament the fact that my social circle closed down drastically after I came to work here. Leaving my old life back in Kuching, along with my dear family and friends, I knew i was in for a challenge. Make no mistake, it’s not that I have not met any new people, or hung out with a different crowd here, but it’s just limited to colleagues and a handful of new friends I have met outside of work.

I have my old uni friends around, and also a good old friend from my old SSA2000 days.. but in such a big city lacking in good public transportation, meeting up is not so easy. I don’t have a car, so it’s not for me to say “hey! we should meet up, or go somewhere…fetch me alright?” So in the end most of the time I just wait for something to happen, or someone to organize something to do..

I never thought I would dread weekends…. such is a fact, if I do not have any plans for the weekends… I would prefer not to have weekends at all.. Sleeping through the whole weekend is not an option as well. Is this just my weakness…or human nature..?

Someone…save me…Please?

桜

Part of the reason we chose to visit Japan during the spring (well..more like the whole reason actually) was to see the sakuras. And we were not disappointed!

One activity that the Japanese partake in during the spring season is picnicking at the local park under sakura trees, having booze, food, fun and just hanging out with friends and family.

Looks like great fun. If only the weather here were cooler.. then we could all enjoy a picnic once in a while, at a local park. Yeah.. I don’t have much to say, I’m just gonna distract you with the pinkish hued pictures.:P

ka-su-to-ma sa-ru-bi-su

The 1 week I was in Japan, I felt like a god.

Whenever I walked into a shop anyway. Japan’s customer service is the best I’ve ever seen (or heard for that matter) and I seriously think that we could learn a thing or two.

In Malaysia, whenever you walk into a Japanese restaurant.. typically you will hear the employees there chanting this same phrase ‘Irashaimase!’ (Welcome) to welcome you. More often than not they are quite shy and will only manage a feeble attempt, so far for the places I’ve been in Malaysia, the best ‘Irashaimase’ I’ve heard is Sushi Zanmai at 1U. So here’s the deal, take that effect, and multiply it by 10. That’s basically the welcome you will get in shops in Japan.

It’s also very typical on shopping streets that you see whole groups of ‘ushers’ in front of their respective shops, clad in sign or/and sandwich boards, attempting to entice you into entering their humble establishment. And the thing is, they’re not PUSHY. They won’t direct their hollerings towards you and force you into their shop, no. It’s basically up to you. I was surrounded by these ushers/promoters almost everyday in the streets of Tokyo, and I never felt intimidated or pressured to succumb to their demands..

If you love girls, you’ll love the LOVE GIRLS MARKET! @ Harajuku 

Here, I feel very awkward when I walk into a shop, knowing I’m only looking. I do not appreciate the fact that a ‘sales assistant’ is constantly orbiting me, monitoring my every move. Also, I will only like recommendations, IF I ask for one. In Japan, you’re basically left alone. It’s not that they completely IGNORE you, but they will be very happy to help when you NEED them.

So here’s the scenario. I walk into a shop in Tokyo, get greeted by a chorus of IRASHAIMASE and an army of store clerks bowing to me (I bow back sometimes.. it’s just polite). Most of the time if I don’t have anything in mind, I’m just window shopping. (In Tokyo..NOTHING is cheaper) So basically I’d spend 10-20 minutes browsing… Then walk out. Once I step out, I’m greeted by a very cheerful chorus of ARIGATOGOZAIMASU! + bowing. I (optionally) bow back and (optionally) smile, and walk away, a satisfied (window)customer, and everything is right in the world. Try finding that type of service here.

There was even an instance that due to language barriers, I had a hard time telling this particular store clerk that I wanted a previous Japanese National Football Team jersey. After 15 minutes of trial and errors, consisting of the store clerk going to and fro fetching various jerseys throughout the years, we came to a conclusion that it was not available. I felt so bad that I quickly apologized for the inconvenience, but the store clerk 1-upped me, and gave me an even sincere apology for failing to meet my demands. Now that’s customer service!

I think they will provide a different type of ‘customer service’ here… 

It was the same at Disneyland and DisneySea. They gave us the basic Japanese customer service coated with a sweet layer of Disney brand friendliness. (I think it took most cashiers there less than a second to switch to English when they noticed our blank stares in response to their Japanese questions.) For the 2 days I was in both Disney resorts, I was almost convinced that terrorists did not exist, war was just a myth, and that it was possible for everyone in the world to hold hands and dance to ‘It’s a small world’.

These kids don’t look too happy.. they were probably expecting Mr. Donald.

My travel buddy Jia Pei experienced it in a hair salon as well. Determined to get a haircut in Japan, we went to this reasonably priced salon in Ikebukuro Sunshine City. It took a while for the haircut to be done (I think I had a nice half hour nap waiting). And the afterthought? to quote JP in my own words: ‘The barber treated every strand of hair gently, and cut it softly but accurately, and he made a point not to tilt or force your head in an abrupt way.’ I’m very satisfied with the ppl at the hair salons in KL, but hey, I gotta try THIS someday. Too bad my hair was too short to be dealt with when we were there..

 

Sunshine City @ Ikebukuro

I was brought down to earth last weekend. Walking to an unnamed DVD shop with a friend here in KL, I took one of the DVDs off the rack, read the back jacket, and put it back onto the rack a bit tilted. Straight away, the fat clerk behind the counter stood up,  made a beeline to the DVD I just put back, and adjusted it about 0.5 degrees to the left so that it was perfectly aligned with the rest. He then lumbered back to his counter and sat down with a grunt. Looking at his obvious weight I suppose this was all the exercise he ever did. I was so disgusted that any ounce of buying intent was immediately vaporized. We quickly walked out.

Sigh… how I long for the days when I had the powers of a window shopping god…

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BONUS MATERIAL: How much FF Figurines cost in Akihabara..

Assuming 500 yen = RM20 , All the figurines in the bottom level (Sephiroth, Aerith, Yuffie, Tifa, Tidus, Selphie, Squall and Rinoa) will cost RM160 each.

The top level is not that affordable.. The Sora + Riku KH 2 sculpture will cost about RM620, while Cloud and his classic hardy daytona bike will cost about RM410. Whew..being an otaku is costly..