Q: Sending offs??

A:

There are reasons why people dislike “send-offs”. Unlike “goodbyes”, its usually more negative. If you put the farewells in order, the highest, the most positive one would be “See you again!!”. Then followed by “Goodbyes”.  The worst would be seeing your friends off.

It’s not the parting that marks it a sad and depressing occasion. In fact, it may even be a positive occasion, especially when you’re seeing off somebody-you-don’t-really-like-but-don’t-have-a-choice-of-not-sending-him/her-off. My point is, you can feel either happy and sad while sending someone away or even both at the same time.

But there’s always these at the end of every sending off. You’ll wonder: why aren’t you on that cab, train, ship, or plane. What in the world are you sending people off  repeatedly replays itself like a broken projector in your mind. You thought you had come to terms long ago that you are never going to get on that cab/train/ship/plane.

I can tell you, despite all those feeling, nothing would top this: the feeling of being left behind. In its strictest sense, you are being left out. You’re omitted from embarking the same journey your friends are taking. You’re one of the few, maybe even the only one, to remain stagnant at where you are.

That’s why people would rather not meet, for every meeting ends with separation. I would rather avoid “send-offs”, so that I’m spared this melancholic, self-denial, confession of a person in solitude, feeling left behind.

But then again, would there be “send-offs” without anybody being left behind?

Money Talk $$$$

Now I know there has been a lot of hype surrounding the “rental” issue. Now here's my thoughts. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. If you’re unreasonably unable to accept criticism, or unable to process my personal yet I think is legitimate reasoning, or simply because you can’t stand me as a person, PLEASE DO NOT READ.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

Now friends,

The Situation: Escalating Rents, Reduced Services

Rumours has it that its now up to 400 Pounds!! Hell yeah!! Cleaners no longer work on our god damn ever so dirty kitchen!! What do they work on anyway??!! All I see them doing (hear to be exact) is to vacuum the house then go outside having bedside-girl-talk with fellow cleaners about the latest X-Factor…Now I don’t remember paying that amount of money for them to sweet talk around the village….But well I must say, there are times where you hear spicy stuffs like This is your job and I had to cover your ass etc. Yeah, these cleaners DO know how to quarrel.

Well then, what’s the real problem??

Higher Rent means Lesser $$$

Now this is not rocket science; it doesn’t take the Bank Negara experts to figure that out. Student life is the peak of passion, passion for things and enjoyment. Let’s take a peek at my wish list:

1. I wanna own a Xbox, or at least a game console…

2. I wanna own a brand new laptop, for my assignments and games…

3. I wanna get a brand new Nike football boots…

4. I wanna go home for the summer!! It’ll be good if I can get a de- tour around Europe before heading back to the M’sian sun…

How on earth am I suppose to own all these stuffs (or achieve them for point 4) if I gotta pay more rent??!?!! No please Marjon, I need a happy young adult life since I’m deprived of a happy spoilt childhood.

As you can see, a student life can be depressing, demotivating, and dangerous. Dangerous?? Why??

This is why:

The Conspiracy Theory

You know how people can come up with crazy ideas/theories/hypothesis that there’s a conspiracy planned against them?? If you think you are different from the guy/girl sitting next to you, think again. PEOPLE ARE PARANOID. We keep thinking how people judge us, how they scheme to bring us down, to make us feel bad.

Back to the topic, there is a theory speculating that more locals are moving out the village, the halls, so to cover the high maintenance costs, ours are increased. You know how Malaysians always think that other people think Malaysians are like cash cows?? They like to think it that way; it makes them feel….what’s the right word?? IMPORTANT. Well yeah, the whole world MUST conspire against you if you’re important.

Okay..it’s kinda long-winded and tiring to read all this shit. So let’s take a break before we look at the arguments.

So?? What’s your point, Genius??

There are two different stands on this matter.  Most people (cause I don’t wanna make sweeping statements) take it as a Financial Tsunami. Why do I call it a Tsunami?? It all started with a deep sea quake, which people on land barely feel. Well, in fact they may be aware of it first time, but they’ll think, Ah, it’s nothing. The tidal wave then comes in. You don’t quite see it, because it gradually builds up.Then when it really gets near, say the shore, you’ll pee in your pants.

Likewise, nobody really gives it a damn in the first place. Then when one starts to talk about it, another gets hooked up. Like how hysteria spreads. A girl sees another cries or wail suddenly, they can’t resist the urge to get the same attention. It is INFECTIOUS. It spreads until nobody, literally nobody do not speak about it. It becomes such a grave matter that people resort to this ultimate ultimatum line: We need to talk. And there was a talk. It sound almost like God saying Let there be light.

You know nothing good comes from it if someone says that to you…

The other stand, which is my stand, is not entire opposite, but certainly different. Let me do it in point form, easier on the mind:

1. Higher rents = Less money. Which means less numbers on my bank account. But why Marjon didn’t provide an official statement???!!! And shit, I got a really really tight window to get a new place..Ridiculous.

2. Reduced service = I don’t see that much of them for me to like them. It’s okay if they’re there, if not, its not too big a problem.

3. Conspiracy Theory = I just think it’s childish. I’m not that full of myself thinking that people would wanna take advantage of me. I’m just a poor government sponsored student studying in a backwater Plymouth. If I’m not, I won’t be here.

4. Financial Tsunami. To be frank, I’m totally not worried about it at all. I can see a few outcomes of this matter. Either the KPM would be generous enough to give us an increment in our allowances (which I highly doubt), or Marjon would come to an agreement with the Ministry to sort things out. My point is, I don’t really carry much weight. Even if there’s 99 of me’s.

Let me just summarize my stand: I’m grateful for everything I have. (ring a bell, people??) Strictly speaking the chances of me to die on my travels to Europe or back to Malaysia is higher than my odds of dying of starvation, or being homeless. Yeah, yeah, our families poured millions of ringgit of taxes, but I would like to think that I’m always on the receiving end of abundant goodness which many could never have experience. I would like to remember that I’m far far more fortunate than those poor Plymouthians sleeping in the streets, the jobless hoping for food from the Salvation Army.

Not just Plymouth, apparently the whole world is going DOWN. It’s a economical ARMAGGEDON. Why do you think the cleaners service is reduced?? Why no more free tissues or free washed clean linens? You can do the math. People are getting lay off every single day.

Dear friends, before you even think that the rise in house rent is unfair, look at the streets. And don’t you dare yell at those officers that is just trying to do their best in their job. They deserve more than a speculation of your brilliant conspiracy theory you so wisely conceived. We have been blessed, don’t give God a reason to stop doing that.

Please, grow up.

p.s. Let me hear it from you!!