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I just spent 160$ on headphones. Why so much money you ask? And when the heck will I ever use it? I always have to explain myself to people, but you just have to listen to Pogue's rant to fully understand:

Monocle > The Economist

Monocle people. I think I found a better magazine. Not necessarily better, but more suitable for my taste. You see, The Economist is great, but it's nearly impossible to keep up with it's weekly releases, repetitive middle east coverage, and not to mention the premium price. It's the perfect mix of business and culture without sounding overly pretentious.

This month's issue ranks the 20 most livable cities. Guess who's number one? Actually, don't bother guessing cause you probably wouldn't get it anyways: Munich.

But what was more surprising was that neither New York or London made the list. Two Canadian cities did, and neither of them start with a "T". Yep, you can certainly blame that on our poor infrastructure in public transportation.

Work Conversations - Payless

J - “You know where you could get dress shoes real cheap? The funeral home”

God bless Alaska

This is Ted Stevens. He is the Senator of Alaska. When speaking out on Network Neutrality, he referred to the Internet as "a series of tubes". During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Ted threatened to resign from senate if one of his many useless Alaskan bridge projects be used to aid Louisiana instead. Did I mention that he's republican?

On my 17 hour flight home to Toronto from Hong Kong, I had to pass by Alaska. All passangers got off the plane, checked into Alaska through security, hung around an airport the size of my house, then checked back onto the plane. I also read at the Alaskan airport that the threat level is high. I never knew that Alaska was such a sought after terrorist destination...

Plam reading truth?

Someone new at work claims to know how to read palms. Like every good ice-breaker, I show her my hand to pretend to be fascinated. Always knew palm reading was nonsense, and the validity to such general claims is impossible, but I might as well play along.

She tells me I will have no kids. She also tells me I will have a miserable love life with two divorces. Somehow, I started to believe in palm reading after all...

Work Conversations - Sunburn

None of this is fabricated. It just writes itself. I overheard this from the cubicle over.

L - “I think I’m getting sunburn on one arm from driving to work. Maybe I should take a different route”

And so it is...

Everyone develops a tolerance for pressure. We begin with school deadlines, to exams, to travel, to public speaking and now, in my case: interviews. I have always been decent under pressure, but to invest $2,000 on a plane ticket, purchase a suit, and set up two out of three interviews in a language I rarely use was quite the challenge. But yet, looking back, I have managed to develop a greater threshold for pressure, knowing that everything I have planned have come into fruition. Well, not everything... and I can say some turned out more unsuccessful than others, but at least the future challenges that lay ahead will be frivolous in comparison to the past week.

I cannot be more thankful for the people I hung out with in the city, and I apologize to those that I didn't have time for. Actually, I'm sure, there was always time, but you can blame my lack of organizational abilities. Oh well, there's always next time.

Hong Kong, Hong Kong.

Sorry for the lack of posts as of late. As you know, I'm in Hong Kong, and it's 100000 degrees outside, which makes typing really difficult.

So far, I realized that in only one generation, the difference between me and my aunts and uncles are very different. Try two generations. It's like speaking to people from outer space. I love them, but their constant badgering, and degradation just to solidify status is starting to take a toll on my patience. For instance, there is no such thing as creative suggestion, it's either you are with it, or you're a fucking idiot. I'm referring to learning the language, manners, or culture. They assume I speak English and jerk off the rest of the day. Time is so limited, it's hard to take up everything. For god sakes, I'm trying... please don't hit me over the head with it!

I met my aunt though, and all is well. It's like going to a cottage house with a family that gets it. Like I'm treated as a real adult! Wow! Thanks Wendy if you're reading this, and keep your head up.

My grandfather is also growing on me. He asked me why I don't have a girlfriend. He says meeting them is so easy there should be no problem. I had a response, but I just didn't know how to say "commitment" and "slut" in Cantonese.

Team Building Fun?

I used to despise it. In fact, even when I was having fun, I subconsciously knew the purpose of these lavish exercises is to meld you into corporate culture. Meet the team! Have fun! And come to work!

It is an HR ploy, aided by the backing of thousands of dollars in which they pamper employees with drinks, food and activities. You will soon high-five the most annoying co-worker just because he/she is on your team.

Well, I give up. Why be bitter when you can actually enjoy the moment? So what if the music is awful, the jokes are corny, the people are uncultured and locations are far away. If you are entertained, you are entertained, so long as you understand the context of why you are there and not buy into it. For just today, I have let my guard down, and it was great.

Specialist

Please listen to this Interpol song on my playlist. I still get chills from hearing it. I can't stress how great their chemestry is. The bass perfectly times all his double tapped notes, the drums rythmically drives the songs into breakneck pace, and the crescendo to its vocals will make you feel like you have just been enlightened. I'm really torn between them and the Stokes in claiming first prize on best New York band.

Apply some pressure

Got my ticket, set up my two interviews, and now I'm going to Hong Kong next weekend. There will be a tremendous amount of pressure, but this is what I enjoy. To be placed in a situation where something as spontaneous as this will be laughed at a few years down the road. I might not necessarily get what I want, but something good will come out of it. I'm certain. At least I tried right?

This upcoming week will be all prep. It will be Cantonese everything from now on until I am completely comfortable with the language. God I hope this works out. I'm nervous as fuck, and all rationale is thrown out the window but I know I can nail this... I just know it... I've waited an entire year for this opportunity to arrive, I can't give up now.

Work Conversations - Terrorist Treatment

I think this will be my weekly segment. The office is filled with enough bizzare characters (including myself) to keep us entertained.

We got off on the topic of 8 highly educated terrorists in England the other day:

J – I got an idea with what to do with arrested terrorists

Me – What

J – Cage match. Bare knuckles

Me – But what does the winner get? No terrorists are going to fight each other

J – No no, you pay to fight them

Me – But what if they outmuscle you?

J – I’d fight those doctors in England. They’re spindly little fucks.

Yet, I never disagreed...

Canaydia Day

What is ceremonious about Canada day? Thanksgiving's got turkeys, Easter has eggs, Christmas has gifts etc etc. And if you said Canada day has fireworks, you're wrong, because Victoria Day takes that one.

Well, I got a new one for ya. Parades! Loaded the band equipment on the back of a truck and played while it was driving for a few block. Nothing beats playing an instrument in the open air while moving at the same time.

No, we are not a "White Stripes" tribute band.

Argh, living is so difficult. How do you people do it?

I want a relationship, I want to be single, I want to fuck, I want sympathy, I want more friends, I want to love my family, I want to make love, I want to be left alone, I want to go back to school, I want a career, I want romance, I want acquaintances, I want to go out, I want to stay home, I want to leave this life, I want to start living, I want to be a trend setter, I want to ignore all trends, I want to get married, I want to be a bachelor, I want to be satisfied, I want to be ambitious...

The list goes on. And yet our time is only so finite, it is impossible to satisfy everything we want...