... that's what my dad taught me today. he commented on how my lifestyle is changing, with the chase for designer labels (nope!), cosmetics, cologne, etc. i was aghast at the realization that he was mostly right. what happened to the good ol' jeremy who dons a random pair of jeans and t-shirt before rushing off to town to meet his friends, probably with his hair in a mess. life was simple then, no preparation, no hassle. vanity is the devil in everyone's heart.

maybe it's time to try the life that used to be. i'll put on my levi's jeans, ck tee, and rush off to meet my friends, with my hair in a fashionable mess. sounds about the same, no?

"i'm not complaining," Dad said. "but you got to learn how to earn more than what you spend in future."

"if you want to buy an average condo, it'll cost around SGD$750,000. that's SGD$2,000 a month, for 20 to 30 years. with the interest and all, you'll have to pay up around SGD$1,500,000 in the end. know what that means? it means you won't have financial freedom. it means that you'll have to fight to keep your job. it means that you'll have to do whatever your boss tells you. you will feel insecure, because of the SGD$2,000 you have to pay every month. to top it off, you will want to buy a car."

"you have to get into one of the top companies. that way, your track record will be good, and life will be smooth sailing. but the top companies only take the cream of the crop, which is why you must study hard, and excel in university. Nanyang Business School is not one of the Ivy Leagues, but it is still one of the top schools in asia. good results will take you somewhere."

work hard, jeremy. heard that? why does life already seem so bleak.

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fool me once, shame on you. fool me twice, shame on me.