Money Money

A few days ago I was at the bank to bank in some cast to a friend. As Malaysian effeciency goes, one of the cash deposit machine at Rawang town's Maybank is offline, leaving a long queue of people at the other machine. Being bijak pandai, I drove a few kilometres to the only other Maybank around in Batu 16. Guess what, it's offline too! Murphy..

As I waited for my turn, there were a few kids running around the area, obviously impressed at these machines and started to pushing this and that button, much to their parent's distress. Thinking about it sent me off time travelling a few years back when I was still living in Kelana Jaya. Those days anything is fun, even a trip to the ATM ikut Abah. I remember this one bank in Damansara Utama (I think) where to enter the ATM area one need to swipe his/her card at the door to unlock it. Back then, I see it as something space age straight out of Robocop and just being inside while Abah draw money is really enjoyable. Sometimes, all three of us siblings went inside cramping with him. Tisk.. those were the days.

As I grew older, I started to understand that to most adults, a trip to the bank was nothing fun. Sometimes it can be nervewrecking. I know I feel that was, especially when I check the balance of my account and comparing it to the amount of days left in a particular month. I kept on thinking just how the heck am I going to survive this month. Thank God I'm still single but then again, if being single pon I feel that way, I wouldn't dare imagine how it would be like having three other human beings to feed.. working a 9 to 5 office job, living in the Klang Valley.. It reminds me of the song Carousel by Blink 182, a song constantly on my playlist to remind me of the future I'm heading:

Now as I walk down the street
I need a job just to sleep in sheets
Buying food every once in a while
But not enough to purchase a smile

A tank of gas is a treasure to me
I know now that nothing is free
I talk to you every now and then
I never felt so alone again

Well, I guess it won't be that hard but still, it's definitely tough. I don't need another adult telling me to think about the future, I knew it by heart though sometimes I tend to forget about it for pleasures of the present..

Earlier today I had a conversation with Neet which involve mentioning a few things I intend to buy, most of them for my camera. I love photography and when I purchased my first DSLR, it struck me just how expensive this hobby is.. I even thought for a while to go Lomo. Nevertheless, I did get myself an entry level DSLR and after a few while, the thought of upgrading the peripherals does conjure up my mind. Among other things, a polarizer (RM 200), a close-up filter set (RM 150), a very durable Crumpler camera bag (RM 200) and the creme of the creme, a 50mm prime lens (RM410). Add that up and you get the sum of nearly RM1000.

You must be thinking that I'm bloody rich or something to buy all this. Neet knew better about my spending and all that, so I got lectured by her in the car. Well, not lecture.. more of an advice, though it borders a lecture I admit. She was telling me to basically 'ukur baju badan sendiri' and really think about the things I want to purchase. She was especially against the bag since I already own a bag, albeit being oversized, mundane and stock. Though it wasn't quite what I had in mind, I think she have a point when she said to push the limits with what I already have and use it thoroughly first before planning to upgrade..

Hurm.. money just doesn't grow on trees do they? Thinking back about the future, I'm going to Maybank tomorrow to open a proper saving accounts for myself. A friend told me once to open an account in a bank that's not easy for me to reach in order to keep me from withdrawing th cash from my savings account but that would just hinder me from depositing in the first place. I'll just open an account without an ATM card.. If only there's a switch to turn of this nafsu of mine..