I like Chili's. The mid-range restaurant provides adequate service and simple, straightforward food which I appreciate. It is also a good place to think, especially when alone.
I like ordering the Oldtimer burger, nowadays without cheese and the fries swapped with grilled veggies (broccoli and carrots), washing all that down with the limitless grapeade (which I also ask to be diluted since it can be a bit sweet).
In the past month or so, I have been to Chili's three times, mostly to have lunch, but also to think.
I have friends who constantly pick my brain for ideas, which is good because I love exercising my brain. If it doesn't get enough action, my mind tends to create doomsday scenarios and I'd easily fall into depression.
We talk about how to make right this stupid country, or save it from the stupids, all the while factoring in how we could also benefit from such projects or programmes.
Some of the ideas we came up with were brilliant, such as how to turn Malaysia into a green-energy-based economy, several years BEFORE anyone even heard of Obama and his 'green energy jobs' economic solution.
Of course, no one ever saw that and 15-30 years from now, after the oil starts to dry up, Malaysia will hop on the green energy bandwagon by paying foreign consultants millions of dollars for some basic stuff that could have been prepared long ago.
We wanted to do another Air Asia, run a manpower business, create niche websites on certain cultural and/or religious activities. In our heads, we are the entrepreneurs this country sorely needs. And it's all so simple!
After a rush of considering new possibilities, we figure out the hows, and for those who have done business or any activity, this is the most important part. Anyone can have ideas, but execution is always key.
I like the possibility of doing good business, accompanied by good CSR and good communications. I love figuring out business extensions, variations and expansions of services, products.
And then, realising my drink is finished, I ask for the free refill.
I have no idea whether any of our plans will ever see the light of day. At this age, I know that I can't afford to have any expectations.
I have a job now, but who knows what tomorrow will bring. I go to work every day knowing full well that there is no such thing as job security. I might end up on the streets at any time, so I don't even expect to have my salary at the end of the month, and am pleasantly surprised when it appears on my ATM slip.
If you are truly free from expectations, you can just open your arms, your mind and say "bring it on, motherfuckers".
I am not free from expectations, though. I do have one - I expect to enjoy myself and find things I enjoy doing. For now, it's building castles in the sky.
