Modern World.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
blogging is so time-consuming, i don't know why people do it. i just realised i haven't been reading or writing a proper article for a pretty long time, thereby propelling me into writing something which probably is full of error and quite meaningless. hmm.. let's talk about something then..
Chinese New Year is really quite the same every year isn't it? you see the same people, do the same stuff, eat the usual dishes and every year, you have pretty much the same dialogues: how's work, when're you getting married, what have you been up to lately? ang pao money doesn't really mean much to me cos i don't get to spend it. so it all boils down to eating and watching tv. the only perk during cny is that i get to play MJ. but i do it so often it doesn't seem like a CNY-exclusive activity either. in other words, cny is nth but 2 days of break from work and life - because it cuts your momentum and sinks you into an anti-work depression. picking up again is just so difficult and cruel.
still, it's an excellent excuse to just overeat and overshop. pre-cny shopping is limitless and totally justified because in our tradition, it is mandatory to wear brand new designer apparels coupled with great shoes. so it only means compulsory shopping trips. besides, the sales everywhere are just relentless. you can't say no to marked down luxury leather goods; where else do you spend hard-earned money??? i practically saved money buying those stuff that i buy.
i kinda wanna get a blackberry now. for army use you see. i'm sick of those crappy non-cam phones in the market. so i rationalise the situation: buy something that's useful for even university studies in the long run. this will then justify a more generous budget. technology stuff are more worth the buy because i tend to last longer with them whereas bags just come and go - unless i'm filthy rich, i wouldn't spend thousands of dollars on a bag which i'll probably get sick of in a few month's time. but then again, resisting the temptation is like pulling teeth. overindulging in oneself needs just a simple reason.
budget budget budget. it's a concept that saves little but greatly diminishes happiness/ satisfaction. got this notion from a GQ article some time back. why did the economy have to crash now? it really makes it harder to spend because every dollar spent entails much consideration and in order to make a sound economic decision, often the answer is "put that thing back on the rack". then you feel like a slice of you is gone.
just something funny: i asked eric that day while shopping at DFS if i should cut my spending during the midst of a financial crisis. his answer was just hilarious and really cut-throat: "you should cut your spending even without the crisis". i can't believe he said that. i silently agreed and it was really funny.
my philosophy is this: if you want something that badly, you need to find a way to get it. it doesn't mean that you can only get what you need. because that's just a really sad notion (unless, really, it's too extravagant or you just can't afford it then it's a different case). economics theory suggests that a purchase is justified if the derived marginal utility exceeds the marginal cost. so if the cost is within reach, what's the big woop in buying something reallllly nice? most people are inculcated with the whole idea that saving is good, spending is less good - is this absolutely true? why do people ignore the benefits (emotional, or otherwise) of shopping? spending tells people and yourself that you have the ability to do so. this isn't flaunting but it's more of making a statement. it gives you the confidence from within when you use a nice bag or wear nice clothes. you can't swing a vuitton without knocking out 10 losers. and i suppose people who are anti-consumerism do not yield this satisfaction when they buy something. okie, maybe my view is slightly geared towards the acquisition of branded luxury items. i think there's nth wrong with it, so long as your means of getting them are legal and minimally, morally acceptable.
with that i rest my case. ¶ 12:08 AM 0 Comments
Chinese New Year is really quite the same every year isn't it? you see the same people, do the same stuff, eat the usual dishes and every year, you have pretty much the same dialogues: how's work, when're you getting married, what have you been up to lately? ang pao money doesn't really mean much to me cos i don't get to spend it. so it all boils down to eating and watching tv. the only perk during cny is that i get to play MJ. but i do it so often it doesn't seem like a CNY-exclusive activity either. in other words, cny is nth but 2 days of break from work and life - because it cuts your momentum and sinks you into an anti-work depression. picking up again is just so difficult and cruel.
still, it's an excellent excuse to just overeat and overshop. pre-cny shopping is limitless and totally justified because in our tradition, it is mandatory to wear brand new designer apparels coupled with great shoes. so it only means compulsory shopping trips. besides, the sales everywhere are just relentless. you can't say no to marked down luxury leather goods; where else do you spend hard-earned money??? i practically saved money buying those stuff that i buy.
i kinda wanna get a blackberry now. for army use you see. i'm sick of those crappy non-cam phones in the market. so i rationalise the situation: buy something that's useful for even university studies in the long run. this will then justify a more generous budget. technology stuff are more worth the buy because i tend to last longer with them whereas bags just come and go - unless i'm filthy rich, i wouldn't spend thousands of dollars on a bag which i'll probably get sick of in a few month's time. but then again, resisting the temptation is like pulling teeth. overindulging in oneself needs just a simple reason.
budget budget budget. it's a concept that saves little but greatly diminishes happiness/ satisfaction. got this notion from a GQ article some time back. why did the economy have to crash now? it really makes it harder to spend because every dollar spent entails much consideration and in order to make a sound economic decision, often the answer is "put that thing back on the rack". then you feel like a slice of you is gone.
just something funny: i asked eric that day while shopping at DFS if i should cut my spending during the midst of a financial crisis. his answer was just hilarious and really cut-throat: "you should cut your spending even without the crisis". i can't believe he said that. i silently agreed and it was really funny.
my philosophy is this: if you want something that badly, you need to find a way to get it. it doesn't mean that you can only get what you need. because that's just a really sad notion (unless, really, it's too extravagant or you just can't afford it then it's a different case). economics theory suggests that a purchase is justified if the derived marginal utility exceeds the marginal cost. so if the cost is within reach, what's the big woop in buying something reallllly nice? most people are inculcated with the whole idea that saving is good, spending is less good - is this absolutely true? why do people ignore the benefits (emotional, or otherwise) of shopping? spending tells people and yourself that you have the ability to do so. this isn't flaunting but it's more of making a statement. it gives you the confidence from within when you use a nice bag or wear nice clothes. you can't swing a vuitton without knocking out 10 losers. and i suppose people who are anti-consumerism do not yield this satisfaction when they buy something. okie, maybe my view is slightly geared towards the acquisition of branded luxury items. i think there's nth wrong with it, so long as your means of getting them are legal and minimally, morally acceptable.
with that i rest my case. ¶ 12:08 AM 0 Comments
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Past Perfect Tense?
You know sometimes it's nice to reminisce and all but mostly, for me, it's the past I want to dig a huge trench and bury them, then build a Taipei 101 over it. Seriously, looking at old posts/pictures, I just want to dash into the picture and slap myself for being such a pain in the arse. It's disgusting to have a past! And to think I was oh-so-confident about myself just disgusts me. Yikeees
¶ 12:30 AM 0 Comments
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Oh no, I lost in a rigorous session of Mahjong with Eric, Darren and Jenny. I was winning then I became the biggest loser. Sucks. Hah.
After so many days of complete freedom and fun, I'm really reluctant to return to camp. But I can't really complain! Cos I'll book out in less than 24 hours. Haha! I want to watch some movie this weekend. And I'm once again hooked onto Will & Grace - just loaded some episodes into MP5. Gonna watch through the night.
I've gtg, nothing much to say anyways. Bye. ¶ 8:55 PM 0 Comments
After so many days of complete freedom and fun, I'm really reluctant to return to camp. But I can't really complain! Cos I'll book out in less than 24 hours. Haha! I want to watch some movie this weekend. And I'm once again hooked onto Will & Grace - just loaded some episodes into MP5. Gonna watch through the night.
I've gtg, nothing much to say anyways. Bye. ¶ 8:55 PM 0 Comments
When I woke up in Michelle's living room this morning, I only had the urge to sleep some more and just totally be lazy but it is the first day of 2009, and it sucks to start off a day tired and wasted from a night of clubbing, and desperate attempts to get taxis. And dancing all night was just another excuse to indulge in supper; I'm ultra bloated now. So now, my eyes are puffy, my legs are aching, my tummy's hurting. Oh, what a way to start a year ahead. The only reason I'm still blogging and not sleeping *shrugs to open half-closed eyelids* is cos I'm air-con-drying my hair. Okie I think it's 90% there, good night, good day. Happy New Year.
¶ 8:28 AM 0 Comments
