Okay, let me just be simplistic and quasi-quantitative. Let's imagine most of the world start working at 20 years old, work 5 days a week, retire at 60, live till 80, get married and have 2 children in each family.

So, you would spend 5/7 of 40 years of your live earning money, 2/7 of 40 years and 7/7 of 20 years spending money, while your kid spends 7/7 of his first 20 years, spending your money. So,

   (5/7)*40 : (2/7)*40 + 20 + 20

=>    200/7 : 360/7

=> (working : spending) = (5 : 9)

Say A and B have equal need. So A would serve B, and B would serve A. So when A works, B enjoys, and when B works, A enjoys. So A would work 7 hours in 14, and B would work another 7 in 14.

Yet here, you would work 5 hours in 14. So someone somewher is working 9 in 14 - afterall, someone's gotta give, rite? That would be 9/5 as much work as you. But if you work 5 days a week, how can that someone be woring 9 days a week?

Ah, that's because you can make more than 1 person happy at the same time. If you could make 2 people happy in 1 hour, then you can work 1/3 of the time and everyone will be happy. Ah, maybe that's the strength in numbers - and why personal service is so expensive...

okay, maybe this sounds like rubbish :P

Gray Machi

やっぱり、グレイ色の町だ。行くときあまり気づかなくても、帰る時はきっと、綺麗だな、シンガポールっては、と思うだろう。そのとき、シンガポールの緑さ、そして透明な空気や町の鮮やかさを感じる。ジョホールで吸い込むのは、まるで灰色の空気。なぜか、何でも褪せたようみ見えた。ビルも、道路の側の木も。これは、ひょっとすると、シンガポール人の醜さだろうか。毎週末ここに来て、この町を汚れやがって。シンガポール人のゴミ捨て場になっちまったのか、わが国の寸土のジョホール。

And now, the end is near, and so I face, the final curtain.
My friend, I'll say it clear,
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain.
I've lived, a life that's full, I've traveled each and every highway.
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Regrets, I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention.
I did, what I had to do, and saw it through, without exemption.
I planned, each charted course, each careful step, along the byway,
and more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

I had Keiko Lee singing that on my radio, and for that while, I really wanted to know if that's how he must have felt like lying on his bed at home. I recalled the stories that were told of him, how when he was young, he used to throw really wild parties that run into the night, with Tiger giving them all the booze they needed, and jumping into the pool running around drunk and all. The parties I remember weren't as wild anymore, but as I recall those evenings around the swimming pool, I can still almost feel the wood and brick under my feet and smell the Christmas air. The queueing up at buffet tables for food, and the chatter of half-familiar voices in the open garden. It seemed all so recent, though I can also recall the years when these parties stopped. And I also recall the year when i refused to change into clothes that were better suited for a party, arguing that it ought be me and not my clothes that were invited to the party - of course in the end, my parents won - but that happening that year became a beacon throwing light on how much in debted my family has been to them.

Imagine, a young doctor, not long after graduation, working for an established doctor - and spending the rest the better part of his life in the very same clinic. It's unheard of in this current society and time, but suddenly i feel linked to some old tradition. And just as much I feel linked to this family.

And it's like suddenly, so suddenly, something's that been there all this while is gone. So fast. I still remember how he used to drink throughout his party and walk around and talk to everybody. I can still hear his voice...

For many reasons, I suddenly feel like he's family. Especially when I think about how his family indirectly has provided for my family, I suddenly realise that somewhere deep inside, they have actually become a little part of me. Really. Family is not just about the poeple who are connected to you by blood.

実は、元旦の挨拶のカキコは、大晦日の夜１１時過ぎ書き込んだのだ。教会へ行かなかった。パーティーの誘いもなかった。カウントダウンの過ごし方も悩みたくなかった。逃避にしろ、なんにしろ、わざと早く挨拶のカキコをしといて、１２時の前に寝た。

正直、純粋に逃避していたじゃない。人はなんで２００４→２００５その番号が変わるのを祝わなきゃいけないの？大自然の中では、そういう感覚がないはずだ。人はみんな自分のなかで、「新しい階段」という時が来る、自分のなかの「時計」がある。そしてその時計は、世界中で使われてる「時計」とは別物だ。どうして、１月１日は、みんなの「新しい始まり」にならなきゃいけないの？それは、まるで理解のつかないことじゃないか。

だから、僕の時間はそのまま流れる。津波も予告なしに来るように、カレンダーは僕の生き方を決めない。本当に世界のタイミングを支配するのは、カレンダーではなく、人と人の間の相槌ではないか、と思いませんか？

あけましておめでとうございます。
いつも読んでくれる方、まことにありがとうございました、今年もよろしくね！

Happy new year!
To those who actually bother to read my posts, really thanks so much even as I don't know who has actually been reading; hope this will be a good year for both you and I!