All in the name of business

It's still early 2011 but I've learn big lessons.

In life, you gotta be thick skinned and fight for what you want, for what you feel you deserve. even if you have to let go a little of that pride, and act a bit like a whore. that's life for you.

Two incidents.

We were shopping for a grand piano recently. We fixed our eyes on a Shigeru Kawai 5'10, which goes for 41 grand. that is actually slightly above our budget but well, we don't really mind getting something which we really want. After speaking to the boss personally, he fixed the price on 40 grand. However, upon cross referencing to a friend of ours, we found out they bought a bigger model (intuitively, more expensive) at a much cheaper price of 32grand. the catch? it was Five years ago. Fuming mad, and slightly "almost" conned, we went to confront the boss again. And he gave us the only possible standard rebuttal and reasoning of "fluctuating" currency exchanges. It was believable, not until my dad checked the currency exchange rates five years ago and there were changes along the way, yes, but 2005 and now were roughly the same rate. We haven't gone back there to reveal our new discovery, but oh well, i wonder what he'll say next.

First he told us 30+ grand for that model was "brutally impossible". and the next time we went back we quoted our friends name and he checked the records and viola, it was there. 32grand for the one up model. So not so impossible anymore eh? either he is starting to get senile or he is just a crafty businessman who does not give honest prices. Pretty sneaky eh.

Thankfully my parents saw through all his tricks. I was there. trust me, he was super convincing. giving us sweets, talking a little cock and randoms here and there. HE almost got my dad to sign for the piano for 40 grand.

The lesson here is that we shouldn't be afraid to bargain, to negotiate, to 'whore around'. our pride ain't worth gold sometimes. true my dad could maintain his high nose and act all steady and as if that 10K in difference is not worth his time. But in tat case we actually should have gotten a 200K Steinway. Back to the point, I put myself in his shoes. I would be so tempted to just grab it and go. I realize I do not think much when making deals. Maybe I'm a little dumb on this side. I should learn more, get exposed more of such situations and maybe grow a little more business wits.

After all, that old man ain't playing dirty. he was playing businessman.

Second incident.

In camp whereby Off is the new generation currency for money. Controversial, but perhaps off is worth more than money. (you have to be an NSF to understand this situation.). Sometimes we have to keep bargaining, even shameless self promotion. the cliche ' i did this you know i deserve this '. and consistently bugging. some bosses already have this or that in mind, but they just need some pushing. I am totally unsure of how this will work in the working world, because they can just fire your ass. but other that that, being vocal (or being people smart) is actually important. but never overdo it. I got myself one day off today. Shameless self promotion, whether I really deserve it is another question. the problem is making people think you deserve it. especially the person who is giving.

I believe there are people who look into my life and think I'm immature. I'll just laugh it off and do it mature style. but for record's sake, let me defend myself right here right now. once and for all. I probably live in an isolated world, possibly away from most people. I live a sheltered life. but that does not make me immature. it just causes me to grow in a different way. I think of different things, expect different things, derive my happiness from different things. While people may grow up thinking about many things like financial security, I was wondering why I was not born richer, and into a more 'prestigious family'. Money cannot bring happiness. period. it's never enough. My taste, my lifestyle is very unique. I don't drink, I don't club and I never like going into dark and gloomy places where everyone is on drugs. that is what I call wasting my life away. and it is absolutely ironic how people who frequent these places think that me going home spending time with my family or simply alone is "no life".

Friends. I have some. or maybe none. but does that really matter. friends come and go. I don't believe in a BFF or whatsoever. I don't even believe in brotherhood. I can live alone for most of my life. I can talk to myself which is actually more entertaining than talking to like a whole lot of people out there. but I have to admit I need company once in a while. You can't play monopoly deal alone! Introverts should never be frowned upon. Introverts may be introverted by choice or by passion. It is natural that if your passion is being a social whore, you would be extroverted and extroversion would be an understatement. period. but for me, my passion lies in something so deeply introverted. music. piano requires many hours of lonely practice. you and those 88 keys. and a sheet music sometimes. I run long distances, which is also a solo thing because people never really end up running with someone else for maybe 20km or so. through all that, I talk to myself a lot. or rather, think to myself a lot. I am in no way inferior to an extroverted people. "In solitude, where we are least alone". Heard that before? our closest interaction can only be within ourselves because it is the only time you talk to someone and both of you really understand each other. this is so intricately interesting.

I am neither socially awkward nor a kid refusing to grow up in an adult's world. see the real world? this world is so big. To me, many people haven't seen to world. it's all about perspective man. So the next time, you people better not judge me for not going on to those pubs, or drinking, or living in a social whore's world. For the pride of introverts I speak. We do not sometimes hide in our 'closets' because we are afraid of the world. but rather, we are there because whats in ourselves interest us more than everything else the world may have to offer.

I love my house. my piano.

Definitely more than walking aimlessly on the streets with 'friends'.

sadest occasions

I would to say that new years is one of the most paradoxically confusing events of the year. Humans are after all, pretty contradictory beings capable of feeling multifarious and even opposing feelings at the same time. It is only when we examine ourselves, ask ourselves and search for that happiness within us that we wonder, are we really happy as we watch the fireworks, hang out with friends or do the epic drum roll. What I am trying to say is that, these things don't really actually make us happy right? For myself, for the past 18 years as a student I had to struggle with parting with my holidays on new year's day. And the following year's challenges never fail to make me sigh. For army boys, returning to camp. For working adults, returning to work. This event, doesn't really mark anything good. it marks the end of your blissful festive season and returning to your everyday meaningless life.

As we return from parties, countdown, hang outs of gatherings, how many of us are actually being plagued by this meaningless controversy. this unexplainable burst of confusion within us. Asking ourselves, what now?

For most, we are eager, excited because it is these events that make life "meaningful" and when these events actually end, it takes it's toll on us. I had sleepovers for many of my new year eves. And when I awoke in all that sticky goo of my own perspiration and sleeping in an uncomfortable position, I found myself feeling a strange bitter sadness kind of emotion. Something which was existing in the air, yet not exactly very tangible or obvious. What was it?

Sometimes, the thrill in life is not the things we look forward to but rather the looking forward process. We do not feel happy after attaining what we want, but in fact, we are banished to square one where it is the lobby where we search for which floor we want to go now.