June ’07 Archive (from my spaces.com blog)

June 29

Don’t complain, it’s our own faults

It is true that we work harder than our (grand)parents. We complain about that. It is true that we work longer than our (grand)parents. We also complain about that. It is true that we have more stress working than our (grand)parents. We definitely complain about that.

But if we step back and thing about how this comes about, it is totally our own “fault”.

Let’s take selling pizza as an example. Long time ago, when our (grand)parents were working in the pizza store, it takes, let say, 30 min to bake a pizza, because they need to prepare the fire from charcoal, etc. Now, we can have a pizza in 10min, because we have a high-tech oven that can produce suitable heat within 5 sec. Back to our (grand)parents, it took them 1 whole evening to calculate their budget and losses. Now, it takes us maybe 15min with Quicken software, etc. Our (grand)parents’ customers had to walk/drive to the store to order pizza. Now, our customers use their cellphones and call for delivery.

So, you catch the drift? We are smart, that’s why we invent things that will help us do things more efficiently. Now, it is so efficient that it cuts down the time needed to accomplish many things, and we are left with so many free time. What do we do with the free time? If we’re employed, there will be no free time. Use the free time to bake more pizzas! And this is where all the “hard work” “more stress” come in.

If we look at broader sense, it also affects many other things. You must realized by now that children nowadays develop faster. The impact to the earth also progress faster (Hint: global warming).

So don’t complain and adjust or adapt to the situation!

4:41 PM

Now playing…

F.E.A.R [XBOX360]

This is based on popular PC first-person shooting game. Basically you are the first line of offense for paranormal case. In this game, it’s like playing with the “Ring” movie long hair girl cameo. Yes, it’s scary in few scenes and make your heart jumps. But, overall, it is still blasting away the other bad guys. I like the game because the control is firm and huge environment, meaning… long game. I think I almost reach the end of the game now and should be finished by 1 or 2 more days. I give it a

4:27 PM

June 19

Now reading… “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki

Ok, you either love or hate this book. Some say it helps them, some say it’s all bull. Me? Haven’t finished the book, I find this book honestly opens my mind. I am not a person who knows exactly how much dollar and CENTS in my wallet. This book helps open a door in my mind that has been locked and never opened since I knew numbers. I only wish I read this book 15 years ago, and maybe, just maybe, I will be financially happier now. For now, eventhough it is a bit repetitive, I say it is a good motivation book.

11:10 PM

June 15

Now reading… “Out” by Natsuo Kirino

“Out” by Natsuo Kirino

It’s suspense book that will keep you going starting from page 1. Reading half way through her book, I am going to get her 2nd translated book and she will be in my must read authors list. Very good reading!

This text refers to the Hardcover edition:

Four women who work the night shift in a Tokyo factory that produces boxed lunches find their lives twisted beyond repair in this grimly compelling crime novel, which won Japan’s top mystery award, the Grand Prix, for its already heralded author, now making her first appearance in English. Despite the female bonding, this dark, violent novel is more evocative of Gogol or Dostoyevsky than Thelma and Louise. When Yayoi, the youngest and prettiest of the women, strangles her philandering gambler husband with his own belt in an explosion of rage, she turns instinctively for help to her co-worker Masako, an older and wiser woman whose own family life has fallen apart in less dramatic fashion. To help her cut up and get rid of the dead body, Masako recruits Yoshie and Kuniko, two fellow factory workers caught up in other kinds of domestic traps. In Snyder’s smoothly unobtrusive translation, all of Kirino’s characters are touching and believable. And even when the action stretches to include a slick loan shark from Masako’s previous life and a pathetically lost and lonely man of mixed Japanese and Brazilian parentage, the gritty realism of everyday existence in the underbelly of Japan’s consumer society comes across with pungent force.

FYI: This novel has been made into a Japanese motion picture.

5:25 PM

Now watching… Music Station

Music Station [8-June-2007]

Here’s the line up for this week episode:

1. Seamo, singing Crayon Shin-chan movie theme titled “Cry Baby” = Not my type

2. Arashi = again? No comment!

3. B’z, singing “Flight Forever” = I know this is a popular duo group but never heard their songs before and it is quite good.

4. Wentz Eiji, singing “Awaking Emotion 8/5″ = just like his fellow band singer who sang few weeks earlier… sounds like a pre-puberty kid

5. Kuwata Keisuke singing “Will it be a good day tomorrow” = At last, the best of the show! He is a singer/songwriter for Southern All Stars and he sounds just like the CD (that’s good!). I like it, and I think I’m gonna get his solo CD.

6. UA, singing “Golden Green” = err… only one word can describe her, weird. Weird hair, weird face, weird song, weird lyric… totally weird.

5:17 PM

June 08

Now watching… Pirates of the Carribean “At World’s End”

Should have rewatch the first two before watching this one. At many parts, I was trying to recall the first two movies. This one is also not my favorite among all three. Is this the end? Watching the ending, they can keep continue to as many episodes as they like… I’ll give it a

1:33 PM

Now watching… Shrek 3

Watched “Shrek 3″ recently and it’s a bit let down. The jokes are old and predictable. Guess they ran out of ideas. Hopefully this is the last one if this continues. I’ll give it a

1:31 PM

Where am I?

Ahh, it’s been a while since the last time I update my blog. Well, I’ll try to summarize what’s happening since the last time in one paragraph.

Just came back from the Japan trip and currently organizing the 4GB plus photos and also try to write a blog on my trip. Here and there I play Resident Evil 4 (GameCube) and Samurai Warriors (PS2) yet again. Finally finished the Arturian saga and now reading “Out” by Natsuo Kirino. Watch bunch of anime, including the new “Lucky Star”. Don’t have any new manga to read… it’s a sign! Time to make a trip to Kinokuniya. That is it in short.

1:23PM