News - Build And They Shall Not Come (Hopefully)

America is the third most populous nation in the world, having crossed the 300-million mark just over a week ago.

But, it was not exactly a cause for celebration. Because the population surge is partly due to an increasing number of illegal immigrants, especially from Mexico.

Now, Bush has approved a new measure to stem this inflow. But I seriously doubt his strategy will work. Not by 700-miles.

What I Don't Like About HK

So I was in HK last month. It was with my family; Mum said "You're jobless, so let's go". So we went.

But while my family came back to Singapore after 6 days, I stayed on. Afterall, why not, when there is free accomodation? I crashed at Jack's Place (haha). His company had seconded him to HK, and had put him up at a semi-hotel, semi-service apartment at the Midlevels, one of the more desirable addresses in HK. And the view!

Oops, wrong picture. But this does show how bleddy cramped HK is. Even at 11pm, on a weekday night, the streets are chockful of people! Its ridiculous! And that's one of my gripes about HK- too packed. Its stressful man. I can hardly find a place to chill out there (without having to like, take a ferry to some obscure island).

And, the pollution! I had read that its bad there, how people are protesting against the perpetual smog blanketing the territory. Well damn it, they should! Just take a look at this photo, taken from The Peak, to see how Central looks like on a particularly bad day:

Can hardly see anything, eh? Looks like its taken at night, eh? That's how bad things are over there!

Wait, what, you are going to get all picky with me and say that, technically, this photo was taken at night? Well, WHATEVER. I don't have the time to get all nitty-gritty with you. But my point is, the pollution there is bad, and unlike Singapore's perennial haze problem, it's a daily issue for the Fragrant Harbour.

Of course, there are things I like about HK too. But that's for another time.

Retirement Rant

So recently I was chatting with a friend over prata and teh tarik at Jalan Kayu on a hazy (damn you, forest-fire-setting plantation owners!) Thursday afternoon last week.

We were able to meet because he is a financial planner a.k.a. insurance agent, and therefore have very flexible working hours. And I am currently working on a freelance basis, and did not have/need to work that day.

And how am I making use of my free time right now, when I am not shackled to a proper job? Learning to play the guitar so that I can dish out Beyond songs when the urge hits me? Taking up an academic course to beef up my resume? Volunteering at the orphanage to make this world a better place?

Of course not.

I bum.

A lot.

Which is more boring than I would have imagined.

But back to my chat with this friend; he is getting irritated with me for digressing. He asked me how I would live my life after retiring. Afterall, isn't that what we are working for? So that one day, when we have achieved "financial independence", we can holler "screw you!" to the 9-to-5 routine, and do what we always wanted to do?

Except I had no answer. I have never actually imagined how I would spend my time after retiring. I don't know what I would do.

I guess I would want to meet up with friends for coffee, read, travel... erm that's all I can think about actually. Pretty much what I like to do now.

Gosh, I need a life. And not just after retiring.