Revelations

I returned from a weekend getaway yesterday night, exhausted. In short, I didn't have much time to think about my financial goals for 2015 (too much distractions, too much nonsense with my friends on the trip). There were a few things that I'd like to mention though: 

Last Friday when I was out for lunch (I do that 2-3 times per month) and I heard a loud noise when I'm walking on the pavement. A shop that has a ground floor and a first floor was under renovation. They put scaffolding (google it) with canvas and nets so the things don't fall onto the pavement as they renovate. Back to the noise. I instinctly knew something is falling, and for that split second I hesitated whether to move a step forward (which would be under the scaffolding-canvas-net cover) or backwards (without anything over head, a la normal pavement). My hesitation was due to the fact that even with the scaffolding-canvas-net something could still fall and break the layer and fall onto me. (Hindsight: I should consider dashing into the nearest shop) Then I gathered myself to sprint for a step or two, what I saw was a tile that landed next to my right foot. NEXT TO!!! It broke into pieces, of course. WTF, that was SO CLOSE! I was so close to having an object fallen from height and a big head injury! 

A few other pedestrians saw that and shouted to the first floor that something has fallen onto the pedestrian road. I of course was in shock and hurried away to meet my friend at another restaurant. My friend then asked if I had called the Police, I was unaware that whether I should / can call the Police. I felt extremely lucky that I survived and I'm like, wow, luckily I bought an accident insurance literally at the start of November!!!!!!!! Imagine if I was hurt and being without any insurance coverage. Of course I'd still be treated at the public hospital but it was just not a good feeling. Funny the other day I was just wondering if I need to spend another HK$800 on an insurance like this and I probably won't do reimbursements at all from it. It was a just-in-case decision really. Now I know why I need it. Phew.

Another revelation came in the trip, I went with a bunch of friends (10 of us), and I felt like I'm taking on too much risk, stress and damaging my health / mental well-being this time. They were a restless bunch, although we all grew older and would eventually lost that "energy", but for now, they are still a bit too much to handle. Let me put it shortly, I woke at 5:15 to catch the bus and train, then we started the trip following a tour guide in a coach, the night should end at 9 something. But our pack decided to go out for karaoke, of course the city we went to isn't a top-tier or second-tier level city, hence it wasn't that safe when you heard the tour guide saying something about thieves and mugging. The 10 of us took 2 cabs to went to the karaoke place, we asked for a big room (only the 10 of us) and they started singing away. Then what got me was someone started to smoke IN THE ROOM. I freaking hate that. This lasted until 12 something in the night and I went bonkers and yelled that it's time to head back to the hotel. I mean, I woke at 515, and they woke at 5 or 6 (similar)! Aren't they tired? Breakfast is at 8am the next morning! I'm not even counting the washing up before bed!

All in all, I felt I was taking up too much risk when going out with them traveling, they don't seem to know what 'danger' in a foreign place means...we know all the words, but it was not our land. As a pack, we don't have any significant advantage anyway...Then there was the late-night sleeping and reveling, and second-hand smoking that irritated me. I told myself I will not go next time. It just doesn't worth shortening my life by hours with the smoke just to be able to laugh silly with them and to be honest, I'm growing a bit tired (with the world, and most of its people) lately and I found this pack not as funny as before. We took lots of photos and surely they were great, I'm still debating. I just don't want to compromise about the smoke and late-night sleep thing. We'll see next time when a trip like this come around, for now I'd very much like to curl up in my PJs and snuggle the duvet, but I'm sitting in a bright-light office typing away...and it's a Monday today.

There's lots of unexpected shopping opportunity lately and I abhorred myself for not able to withstand the temptations. Though to be honest, we don't have Thanksgiving sales over here and prices are high after the bi-annual reductions, which is nothing compared to the Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals the US folks have! My SO told me to get a pair of sneakers (which I don't have) which can benefit my feet more than wearing flats, he has a major score point in this. I'm going to look at it after work tonight with my cousin since she has a 40% off coupon. Then there's another 35% off coupon for another sports store. I'll see if I can find the right color of sneakers tonight, if not I'll head to another store with the coupon on Wednesday. 

Later today I'll also be picking up a windproof and waterproof (Gore Tex!) outer shell as well, normally anything with that patented technology will cost HK$1-2k easily, but let's just say I'll get mine in a three-digit figure ;) With a bit of defects of course but they are nothing to worry about, some are fixed and some can't, and certainly I don't mind.

Come Wednesday I will also treat my folks for a nice lunch somewhere near my office (teppanyaki), I didn't expect this to come in November but well, it has to be done anyway in December so why not get it off my list when the time is right! On the food note, I received a HK$50 voucher from a survey I filled in earlier on, yay!