'End of the World' seems so different every time

It's the end of the year, Average Joe switching into a reflective mode...

I remember when I was in primary school, I used to think it's the 'End of The World' if I can't finish my home work,forgot to bring my textbook or comic confiscated by teacher.

After graduating from primary school and entering the next phase, these things doesn't seem to matter anymore. Time with friends, curfew, failing exams and tests or broke something damn expensive seem to be my "new" 'End of The World'. Would be in panic mood, thinking, pondering and losing sleep over these matters. It seems like "that's it! It the end of the world for me!" Flipping over bed all night, thinking of all the possible consequences and damages.

But now, looking back these things doesn't really matter.

Now after completing the education phase in my life, things that might caused me to feel 'End of The World' are totally different. But sometimes these things still cause me some sleepless nights and anxiety rush.

But realising that maybe after a few years down the road, when I'm more of a veteran, these things that caused me to feel that the world is collapsing; that it's "the End of The World" might be some small that I will laugh at myself for losing sleep over it.

Funny how the world seems to be ending every time but for different reasons; making the previous reason so insignificant to even cause a dent in the world.

There's a place in the ecosystem for everyone [AH Hock - the wanton mee man is Back]

It's been a while since I last blogged. Have been busying with alot of things since I left my wanton mee stall awhile back to find a new direction for my life. Life has changed alot and remain still at the same time. But most importantly, a recent trip to KL has provided some enlightenment to Ah Hock's life. Here's what happened:

A trip to the row of seafood hawker stalls in a road in KL, there are many stalls selling seafood with locals and tourists flocking to the place. Its a buzzing place with nice smelling food, loud shouting and touting, flash light popping up everywhere. Decided to eat at a particular stall and ordered seafood, grill stingray, soup and vegetable. At first, i thought the stall is the sole provider for all the food listed in the menu but nope, the actual physical stall that I sat in front of is only in charge of seafood with other smaller individual roadside stalls providing other food listed in the menu.

There is one person who is in charge of taking orders and touting potential customers to the stall. After taking orders from customers, he proceed to the various stalls and place the orders with them and inform them the table number. After which, the various stall owners will bring the dishes to the customers' table. When we finish eating, we just need to ask the person who took our order for the bill. No need to pay individual stall owners and I believed that they have a system in place already to take care how to split the money among the stall owners.

Looking at this incident, I'm amazed that these stall owners could come up with such a complex system that might took consultants and CEOs who are earning millions to come up with such strategy. For the stalls to combine their efforts with one major stall (the one with a physical shop), it gave them more "marketing" power and also provide the major player economics of scale in providing more variety of "products" without expanding their resources. The minor players could tap on the marketing power of the major stall (i.e. the person who is touting the customers) and have their dishes on the menu to provide them with greater avenue to promote their "products". Lastly, there is a system that is invisible to the end consumers that they only need to know the major player to enjoy the variety of "products" and save them the hassle with only a point of contact (for sale and billing process). Also, at the back end the major stall owner and the individual owners have an agreement of calculating the profit sharing at the end of the day.

I'm amazed that at such a place, I can find such a complex system. There is a place for everyone in this ecosystem. It's just at which part of the ecosystem you belong to. Sometimes it take a while for you to realise that you belong to that part of the ecosystem.

Ah Hock has been out of action for awhile... Time to head back to the wanton mee stall.

p/s: for those who do not know who is Ah Hock, please read his other blog entries:

The story of Ah Hock [Part 1]: http://averagejoeattaiwan.blogspot.com/2008/03/story-of-ah-hock-wanton-mee-man.html

Letter to Ah Hock [Part 2]: http://averagejoeattaiwan.blogspot.com/2008/03/letter-to-ah-hock.html

Letter to Ah Hock [Part 3]: http://averagejoeattaiwan.blogspot.com/2008/03/letter-to-ah-hock-part-3.html

Reply from Ah Hock [Part 4]: http://averagejoeattaiwan.blogspot.com/2008/03/reply-from-ah-hock-final-series.html

傻傻的我26歲了！

Remember a couple of years ago, I penned a self reflection on my 24th birthday in Taipei. First time ever that I was away from home that long, but I enjoyed myself tremendously then.

2 years have since passed, and I have started a new chapter of my life. Looking back again, I realized that I might not be the smartest, or even an average guy. I'm quite 傻傻的人。 But fortunately, 老天爺保佑傻傻的我！

When I was in Secondary school, many wondered how I got in to the top classes.

When I was in Poly, no one expect me to top the class in some modules.

When I was in the army, no one would have guess I would be accepted by local university.

When I was in the university, no one thought I could score above average CAP (and multi-tasking various roles).

And also, others unexpected happenings...

Not the smartest guy, nor in any way charming, I truly think 老天爺 have been watching over me and blessing me with things others thought were impossible (or at least unlikely) for me.

This year, 傻呼呼的我 have much to ponder about as I have left with not much years in my youth. There is so much to do, so little time (and of course money). Hopefully, this year I could widen my horizon, increase my knowledge and expand my experience of life and the world. Life is so short and this makes our youth even shorter and mine is seemingly running away at an amazing speed that I'm feeling hard to catch up with.

Also, hope that 傻呼呼的我 continues to be blessed by 老天爺 over many other things and living things that are unexpected of me. There is an old Hokkien saying: ‘人傻，老天爺疼’。Maybe that's explains why.

Happy Birthday， 傻瓜。

Stranger -> friend -> Stranger

Everyday hundreds, if not thousands, strangers walked past us. Not knowing who they are, where they from. Not even remembering the face. Just a faceless, nameless strangers walking past in the fast, hectic life.

One wonders if out of those thousands of faceless, nameless faces how many have ended become friends to you. How many are actually one of the thousands faceless strangers have become friends. From nameless to remembering the name, from faceless to tagging the name onto the face.

Human relationship is even more amazing. Even as sometimes, from nameless, faceless strangers to friends and under certain circumstances becoming strangers again. What the difference now is, the thousands faceless, nameless strangers, you walk past a familiar face, a vaguely remembered-name; but still a stranger.

From (faceless,nameless) stranger to friend to (face,name) stranger. It's amazing.

白发

A couple of years back, my new year resolution is to find someone I love, be wealthy and healthy. Now, looking back, its seem that one way or another, I have achieved or at least in-the-progress of achieving them.

Can't really consider myself to be wealthy, but at least for the moment, everything looks fine. No big health issue, except an increase in my waistline :p And I have found my love.

Now looking forward, what would 2010 and beyond means to Average Joe, as he sits in front of his Mac and ponders what's he should be looking forward to in 2010.

2009, itself seems to be a reality check for Average Joe as the world tries to show him its true nature and attempt to wake him up from his lala-land. But whether he will wake up, will depend on what awaits him in 2010.

Average Joe is a keen learner and 2010 should prove to be a year where he could take the opportunities to upgrade his software and hardware. 'The world is your oyster' and 'knowledge knows no boundary' shall be the catch phrases for Average Joe's 2010. The lala-land adventurer wants to explore the oyster and expand his knowledge as he fought his way through the year ahead!

2009 is a year of fashion, brand and metrosexual-ing. 2010 would be a year to cut the waistline, in order that justice can be done for all the nice clothes that Average Joe has bought in 2009. Sweating and keeping fit shall the latest metrosexual thing for Average Joe to conquest after his recent quest in buying up all the nice clothes :D

Lastly, the artistic nature of Average Joe is crying out loud as it thirst to explode in all directions and make its mark somewhere. Bought a trustworthy decade old camera, equipped new software and knowledge, 2010 might just be a year where the artistic cells in Average Joe start to be hyperactive and overflowing out of him!

The title: '白发' represent how with each year, one grew older but wiser (hopefully :P) and with more stories to tell. Hope that in the new year ahead, Average Joe would grow in wisdom, knowledge and experience to bring about another interesting chapter of his life.

Friends

"Long time no see my friend!"
"Graduated? Started working?"
"Want to meet someday?"
"Let's meet individually"
"Let me share with you some plan that my XXXX financial/insurance company has to offer"

Friends that I haven't met, seen, spoken to for years suddenly called me. Not one but two and it getting on my nerves. I am someone who treasure friendship and loves to gather with old friends, catch up with them, have a nice cup of coffee, exchange name cards and gossips but friends who never met or spoken to in the past how many donkey years called you up someday and one of the first question they ask is if you graduated and found a job. Why? Simply because then you have the spending power and hence they have another opportunity to sell their products to you.

I hated it. Simply because whatever is left in the friendship is broken. No longer can I know the true intention behind your every call/concern, is it real or is it for business? And what if I didn't graduate yet, so does that means you won't want to meet me? Cause its a "waste of your time"? Have I become your prey to help you hit your monthly target?

This is the main reason why I didn't want to enter this line of work when I graduated. Yes, with commission you can earn a healthy income. But I can't bring myself to do it. Even if I going to be one, I would be more patient, ask him/her out for a few times, get friendly and comfortable, then start to bring in the sales pitch. What I encounter this week is simply left me disgusted and piss. Till the point that I would not buy any of the products that they are going to pitch to me. I am not a prey nor a tool. And if any of my "long lost friend" suddenly called up and use this "untactful" method, I would not entertain any pitch nor consider any deal. If ever I'm going to buy any insurance or financial services, I will be pro-active and ask friends who are in these lines out. I did that before ( but didn't buy cause I haven't graduated at that time). So maybe next time if I going to buy, I might listen to these "long lost friend" to gather information and knowledge and end up calling another friend who didn't call me to buy from him/her. Since you guys deem me as a tool and/or prey, then allow me to do the same to you. A tooth for a tooth. A taste of your own medicine.

My girlfriend says that it is natural that these people will target their friends first because at least there is some contacts already establish but these two incidents that I encounter simply is not tactful enough. Like I mention earlier, sincere concerns, friendly gathering, more conversations, then slowly starts to bring in the sales pitch into the conversation tactfully, it will be better. Much much better.

Hopefully I will never need to enter this industry.

Remember me.
I'm not your "long lost friend".
I'm Average Joe.

Jeffery Poh