Business x Art

Stopped by a small shrine at the Fushimi Inarii. I'm not sure what the 'theme' of this shrine was but there were little kimono origami in baskets for visitors to write on and hang.

A couple of days ago two distant 'cousins' asked me to have dinner with them, knowing fully well that we were going to eat near LKF so that they could go clubbing/drinking later.

I think we all have a mutual fascination in how we live our lives that are completely different from each other.

They asked me what I did on a normal day in Hong Kong as if their choice in lifestyle was the best option. For them it would consist of going to work (or more like trading stocks), dinner and then straight to LKF for drinks and what we all call 'social networking' which can be summed up as getting drunk, grinding with girls and playing games of trying to hook friends up with random people at the bar.

Although I despise their behaviour, it also fascinates me. It fascinates me because I don't see why they find so much 'fulfillment' in their activities to have to constantly repeat five out of seven days.

They asked me how my Japan trip was, so I proceeded to talk about the Tadao Ando building (21 21 Design Sight, Roppongi Hills that I mentioned below), the architecture and the different shrines we visited in Kyoto.
They seemed to glaze over all that and proceeded to ask: how were the clubs in Tokyo?
To hear that I didn't go clubbing in Tokyo, one of them said one could only get the full local experience if one goes clubbing. For shrines, nature and art can all be seen in books, pictures that somehow serve the same kind of experience as being there.
------____------

I used to think I'd be attracted to people who were opposite me, specifically engineers and business guys, but people like them remind me why I so dislike guy in business.

If we did not meet on the basis of family, I would not be friends with you guys.
Yeah, I said that to them. Looking back, that was kind of harsh and mean.... but ARGH. Yes I can understand that you can experience Japan by going to clubs to meet people but you can do that ANYWHERE in the world and it'd all be the same. If they decided to take a good hard look at their lives to try to find a job in life that would give them a purpose, they wouldn't need to go out after work to find fulfillment in clubbing and hooking up.

They were surprised that I hadn't dated, thus advising me to go the a library or bookstore to meet people.
Sometimes I don't know if they're trying to ridicule me or are just kidding around.

Don't take this the wrong way, I enjoy their company and they're both really friendly as guys but... yeah our morals and values are so different that if I met them under different circumstances, I really cannot see myself holding them as friends.

To them, friendship is defined by what they can get out of one another, commitment to a girl relative to who else is available.
Argh why are guys either really fruity or really caveman-like!? Where is the inbetween?

To them, the definition of 'hot' is purely physical: a girl with curves. Apparently he finds HK girls less than 50% attractive which I think is highly not true.
Who says he's hot stuff anyway?
My definition of 'hot' is never one that solely runs on appearances. If I saw an attractive person on the street I'd think "he is good looking" but I would not say he's hot because I don't see it as an external thing only. The people I find 'hot', can extend to those who I maintain platonic friendships with. 'Hot', in my opinion, are those people who are comfortable with themselves and have the confidence to fully embrace their difference. These people I find really attractive purely because they do not conform themselves to what others think is good. They may just be my friends but I find them attractive because of their idiosyncracies.
No one says "she has a hot personality," my friend said.
No, but another way of perceiving people who are 'hot' are those who do something that makes them look 'hot'. I asked another friend who she thought was hot to which she answered "surfers and drummers." Perhaps the image associated with the surfer and the drummer is appealing (sandy blonde, golden tan, toned body versus scruffy, brunette hair, t shirt and jeans boy looks) but it is precisely what they do, that makes them so hot. Surfers surf, drummers drum. I think Quest Crew is hot (well certain members) because when they dance they have fun and their personalities just come through in their passion. They may be 5'3" but I'm a fan because they are 1)seem comfortable with who they are 2)love what they do.
Plus Ryan Conferido plays and composes his own piano compositions. XD
So technically hotness can be obtained by anyone and is not solely reserved for those who resemble Angelina or Johnny.

Whatever, perhaps I will venture to LKF next week with these dudes to see what the
whole fuss is about.

On Saturday hung out with an archi friend. Seriously there is nothing to do in HK besides shopping and eating. I miss all the artsy stuff to do in Japan and New York. What I dislike most about HK is the fact that when art IS displayed for all the public to see, it is usually used more as a promotional tool to encourage people to buy the souvenirs and products on display. It is never for art's sake and art's sake alone.
But art cannot exist with commerce. And commerce cannot exist without design.
Sigh.
Birdwalk: we ended up hanging around, went to Yau Ma Tei to watch this randoom French foreign film called 'Paris 36' that turned out to be a really great movie with a recognizable cast if you saw 'Les Choristes': an earlier french film that I love for its soundtrack and charming script. I highly recommend watching both. Then it was dinner at 12am followed by a mad dash to the bus because it was a Typhoon Signal 9. LOL. I didn't get home till 2:30am and was soaked to the bone but it was fun.
See that's the fun I like. The fun where I actually can spend quality time with someone rather than having to constantly feel like I have to check out other people or whatnot.

Anyway this was just a rant. A lot of useless babble. Nevertheless I wish people could see differently.