Monday 28 December 2015

Urgh! I'm so mainstream...


I do pride myself for being a bit "different".

The last thing I want is to be associated with "mainstream"; it's just another euphemism for "ordinary".

OK, growing up during my childhood wasn't so fun as there were moments of self-doubt and wishing I could be more like others. Especially when being mocked or teased. You know how children can be...

The funny thing is once I started working, I find I have a slight edge seeing things and doing stuffs different from others. Especially when I want to stand out for the right reasons.


I thought the same applies when it comes to blogging.

Except...

Alright. I must not be in denial anymore. I'm as mainstream as anyone else. #@$@!@$^&*(%#@!!!!


I thought I'm different

Then along comes coconut. To me, he is the most interesting and weird character out there. Which makes him all the more lovable. Often I'll wonder whether is he for real!? No wonder they say insanity and genius is just separated by a thin line... LOL!


I thought I am quite open and transparent

That's until Sillyinvestor started blogging. I don't wear a brown paper bag over my head, but some of the stuffs Sillyinvestor shared makes me feel fully clothed at a nudist beach. Often I go ,"Wow! Did he really say that out loud in public?"


I thought I've eaten a lot of salt

All temperament and CW have to do is look at me and I'll go sheepishly into my shell. Sorl, sorli. Just playing with my little axe at their doorsteps...


I thought I'm in touch with my feminine side

Female jie-mei readers (I was going to give you all sweet sweet nicknames and then I remembered some of you are married. For my own personal safety, no can do) will come poke me that no amount of bra padding will make me a women. Shsshh. I'm just the great pretender... Well, it was fun nevertheless!


I thought I'm the free-spirit grasshopper

Its fun to chill out and watch the ants soldier on down below. That's until I looked up and saw the butterfly consorting with the flowers above. Idiot. And I'm down here playing with my lonesome self...


Exotic animals spotted at my watering hole

Got to know many interesting characters out there:

Sanye and Penguin are in the premier league and its so cool of them to come talk and say hello to a third division player like me. No airs! I must be wary of Penguin though. I suspect he/she is a sea slug - have both male and female reproductive organs... LOL!

I am aware of the emotions and biases I exhibit through my cultivation in awareness and living in the moment. Thank goodness for Andy! I often go after reading his blog posts, "So that's the proper name of the bias I'm displaying!" 

Yaruzi is not afraid to be different. Is unit trust investing so shameful?

Kevin invests like a turtle; lives life like the jack rabbit. Now that's what I call balance!

Frugal Daddy walks the alternative path. Who says there's only study then work? Work then study anyone?

SS is able to figure out my metaphors too quickly for my comfort.... The force is strong in him.

Jimmy? I must seduce him to the Light. Join us as Jedi trading warriors! Trust me. Girls prefer traders!



P.S.  Opps! How can I forget the oily man Rolf? Those of you a bit older may recall Orang Minyak from Ramlee's movies in the 50s. Evidently, this oily man not very good. Kenna caught by his wife and is now a doting father of an adorable girl. I guess his women terrorising days are over...



43 comments:

  1. Hi SMOL,

    HAHAHA! Good post :) I think we're all different as long as we stick to our own voices. Nobody is going to be as unique as ourselves, as long as we stay true and listen to what our heart says.

    I think your blog is the new tavern for dungeon dwellers to chillax before fighting dragons again. My one can close shop already, because all of them started their own taverns LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL!

      Holiday mood and feeling frisky. Fun post to remind myself not to take myself too seriously.

      Your tavern upgraded to Temple.

      I go there for healing of the soul and to "steal with pride" when no one is looking.

      Don't you dare install CCTV. I've noticed that now everywhere got CCTV! Dig my nose also kenna filmed :(

      Delete
  2. temperament,

    Wah! You England powderful leh!

    Just add a "y" and the meaning changes completely - "one needle sees blood"!

    Holiday mood hor. Don't mind me. No harm; no foul!

    ReplyDelete
  3. last but not least me! haha
    u mean dark side not jedi right? haha
    trader is so mysterious about their trading methods haha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Be realistic. Traders themselves are competitors to each other in the Buy and Sell Queue.

      Why should they give away their competitive advantage by sharing with us on their trading method and letting you jump queue?

      Delete
    2. Jimmy,

      No. Traders are Jedi warriors. We fight openly in the Light.

      Investors - and I mean real ones; not those who make transactions every other month - only enter the market every 5th to 7th year. They are assassins.

      Assassins lurk in the shadows; they thrive in the Dark.

      Don't believe?

      Just count the number of transactions you've made in 2015 and try convincing yourself you're an investor.

      Delete
    3. Jimmy,

      Simple understanding of human nature.

      You don't see business owners offering to "sell" their roast duck recipes to the public so that anyone and everyone can be as successful as them.

      You want that roast duck recipe? Pay a million dollars!

      How good can that roast duck recipe be if its just for the "low" price of $3,000?

      What edge do you have if anyone and everyone also know what you know?

      If only parents knew its an edge to encourage their children to take up Literature, especially when others are dropping it.

      Literature is about human nature.

      And human nature has not changed one bit for the last 5,000 years.

      No need to worry about obsolescence :)

      Unless machines took over :(

      Delete
    4. CW,

      They never notice coconut and me always keep our cards close to our chests.

      We talk about astronomy, lions and zebras, girls and babes, our feelings and frustrations, etc. Anything but our current positions ;)

      Maybe once in a while, we may share a past trade or two.

      The last thing I want is to have coconut take the opposite side of my trades! I'll be creamed...

      But newbies and white kambings are most welcomed!

      LOL!

      Delete
  4. Hi SMOL,

    I think you have a knack in blogging such that what you write makes me think...and you don't even have to write much! That I think is your skill and talent!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Greek goddess,

      Thank you. You are most kind. Now my cheeks redder than "ang ku kueh"...

      Only 有缘人 will pick up what I say between the lines ;)


      Delete
  5. There are lots of Jedi, But there is only Master Yoda. I am not saying that you are so old, but may be you are.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. GP Blogger,

      So very de lude!

      I only 48 years young OK?

      Old your head! LOL!


      There's no Master or Leader here at this watering hole.

      We are all fellow journeymen here. Only difference is that some are climbing up the mountain, while some are sauntering down the mountain ;)


      I don't do the Joan of Arc thing - "If you believe me follow me!"

      I'm more the wine, women, and song guy you meet at the neighbourhood kopitiam. Just pull a chair and join in!

      Drinks on you!


      Delete
  6. hmm... SMOL,

    I wondered what I wrote that made you go "Wow! Did he really say that out loud in public?"

    I thought I had many dark secrets...

    LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sillyinvestor,

      You where got secrets left?

      By the way, I am some what relieved at your recent responses to some of your readers.

      When one has a drinking problem, you don't encourage him on by saying be yourself and heck care what others think. Drink on!

      They don't mean any harm; just not as perceptive.

      You do have issues and inner demons that you may need to work out - the public arena may not be the best forum for the answers you seek.

      Delete
    2. Ah huh.. Got u. I knew it is not a pure compliment when u said that lol

      Remember when u blog about come down moubtain go up mountain, u said dun ask people coming down moubtain how is climbing up like?

      I said ask ask nvm, hear an opinon and make a friend. I still have that mentality when I blog. I seek inputs not answers. The inputs affect my decision. Lol

      Dark secrets of course have la. Everyone has a dark side, otherwise can upgraded to be Jedi liao

      Delete
  7. Sanye in the premium league? Wah lao you see me so up sia?

    I am just a ordinary investor. 棒打出头鸟! I don't want to be outstanding in the wrong way LOL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sanye,

      I am mud; you are the lotus.

      The mud acknowledges the lotus for not disdaining him.

      You don't reek of bronze smell (铜臭味), and definitely not crass.

      You have culture; you have religion.


      “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."


      I've noticed quite a few young followers of the cross are subscribing to the prosperity gospel.

      They seek to be outstanding; you seek to be ordinary.

      Interesting, no?

      Delete
    2. 世人都说"莲花出污泥而不染”,都爱莲花胜过爱泥。然而若没有泥,莲花能生长吗?莲花谢了,腐烂变成泥。没有莲花,泥还是泥。你说说看,莲花和泥,那样更实在?

      We don't seek to be outstanding. We ARE outstanding in one way or the other. I am, and so are you definitely. So why compare? Why 'want' to be outstanding? If you realise that whatever you are, however ordinary you are, God still love you as you are, then is there still a need to seek to be outstanding from the rest?

      By the way, I am impressed by your bible knowledge, which will put many Christians to shame. :)

      Delete
    3. 谢谢。 您的一番话就像早晨的露珠,好清爽。

      I'll occasionally attend church in Shanghai and Athens. Very interesting to learn the Church's history from the viewpoint of Orthodox Christians.

      I've got family members who are Catholics and non-denomination Christians. Just doing my part - seek to understand - even though I'm agnostic.

      I also did my Alpha course at the Blessed Sacrament Church near my Tanglin Halt place 4 years ago when I came back.

      I like History. And to understand History, we need to understand Religion too ;)


      I'm naturally curious like the cat. I dabble a bit in everything; but master of none...

      LOL!

      Delete
  8. smol, want to have copi? you will see i'm real or not!

    the reason why i hesitate is i don't want to lose a cyber friend, ofcos stay low is also part of the reason.

    you call the time, except trading hours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. coconut,

      I've deleted your mobile number to protect your privacy.

      You white kambing or what?

      Wait all the ladies of the night will call you out for "happy time". Already said girls find traders sexy.

      If your wife finds out make you kneel on bottle-caps don't look at me!


      Ofcos I understand your reasons for lying low. No worries. We 随缘 :)

      If we do meet up, I'm not going to wear that stupid big red rose on my lapel. You wear!

      Delete
    2. yap, if my wife know that i'm going to meet someone on the internet, guys or girl, does not matter, she probably will kill me before i can open my mouth.

      Delete
    3. and what do you mean "if"? give me your bloody phone number and we will meet tonight after trading!!

      Delete
    4. coconut,

      Is this how you ask guys out?

      I'll use the best reply I learnt from the girls, "再说吧."

      Ha ha. Coconut 怕老婆 !

      Good for you! Sure prosperous one!

      Delete
    5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZXlhSgq7us

      Delete
    6. if i'm afraid of my wife, we would have divoice long ago already, live by the sword, die also by the sword.

      Delete
  9. Hi SMOL

    Are you doing a fans-thank-you-party before the end of year 2015?

    Don't worry, you will still see me around in year 2016, if I am still alive and happy. *touchwood.

    Happy new Year to you and wish you be yourself truly. Hack the mainstream or not. You are the stream, so do I.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. more like a farewell party haha....

      Delete
    2. Frugal Daddy,

      I 绵底藏针 ;)

      This time of the year, all we see are "me too" blog posts thanking readers for their pageviews... I love you; you love me. Kiss kiss, hug hug.

      Cringe.

      Delete
  10. Jared, I think you could be suffering from the 'False Consensus Bias' and you definitely do not suffer from the 'Illusory Superiority Bias', but you should - at least a bit.

    You are so much different from the rest of us. And mind you, different can be a positive or negative thing, always depending on one's subjective perspective.

    I guess a clever guy named Heraclitus has established long time ago that there is no mainstream at all by uttering "we can't step into the same river (stream) twice".

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andy,

      Slow down now. My CPU is Pentium 386. Remember the IBM XT and AT PC days?

      Once upon a time, I thought I was Coca-Cola - The Real Thing!

      Then to my dismay, I discovered I'm actually Coke Zero - just a marketing creation; all fake :(


      It's all good! It's the holidays, and I'm happy :)

      Delete
  11. I just thought you wanted to know some more names of the biases you are displaying. lol

    You Coke Zero? Nah, minimum Cherry Coke.

    Happy is always good ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cherry Coke I like!

      Happy holidays and cheers to happiness :)

      Delete
  12. Hi SMOL, your post is getting 'cuter'- what a nice self-reflection cum bloggers reunion post. So what sweet sweet nick name I got? lol.
    Sometimes it's better to be mainstream, so won't become dart board. :P
    Happy New Year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 彩虹美眉,

      If other girls wear long hair, I'll cut mine short short.

      Others wear hot pants; I'll wear long skirt.

      大叔 not cute. 大叔装可爱 only ;)

      Wishing you a super New Year too!

      Delete
  13. last night went to see "star wars" with my son, he and i are big big star war fan haha...

    well very disappointed!! can see its a rush job and lack creativity! story anyhow come also can! CB. i told my son this gonna be the last one i seen, in another words stop being a star war fool.

    why don't they produce such great movie like this one anymore?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1PfrmCGFnk

    ReplyDelete
  14. 我想你是游走在主流和非主流之间吧 ^ _ ^

    不过你这里的留言都比较多,你抛出来的的问题都会激起比较多浪花

    新的一年,祝你天天开心

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. bk,

      我是潮州人 - 那里凉,那里坐 (地块凉,地块坐)!

      好一句“浪花”;多美的画面。

      您也是性情中人 ;)

      也祝你漂亮的过明年!

      Delete
    2. bk,

      请问您是入云龙,还是火凤凰?

      Delete
  15. Hi SMOL,

    Aye. Word-play again? Those of us who hang around here have learnt (or still learning) to read between your words and lines, and that you are mainstream .. NOT! Nevermind .. How about being unique, special, rare, uncommon or truly full of ink - Sui generis. I like this little nature reserve of yours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kevin,

      Ha ha!

      We all need a place where we can feel comfortable, let our hair down, unwind, talk "male chicken", and just chill.

      Thanks for joining in the fun!

      Cheers!

      Delete

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