Shop

Recently, I've been thinking about what I want to do when I graduate. Strangely I don't find being an engineer very appealing to me, despite that is what I've been studying for for the past 24 years, minus the time when I'm not studying. (I guess that left only about 1 year. =P)

 

There are only two kinds of profession in this world - The first are those that maintain and improve our way of life, eg. engineers, doctors, accountants, lawyers, etc. The second are those that give life to our way of life, eg. actors, writers, musicians, artists, philosophers etc.

 

I feel that, in my blood, I belong to the second category.

 

And I wanted to be a shopkeeper.

 

My shop will be situated on a very stylish and lively street, or in a secluded and peaceful corner of a very lively shopping centre. The keyword is 'lively', the place doesn't matter. The interior will be either brightly lit, to give a happy and lively feeling; or dimly lit, to give a magical and mysterious atmosphere; or both. I've yet to decide. Outside the shop, carved artistically on a wooden board or an acrylic, will be the name of my shop: 

 

 

INTEREST(h)INGS

Ideas, Inspirations, Imaginations

 

 

And the things you find in my shop, you won't find somewhere else. At the left side of my shop will be the shelves, on which beautiful bottles of various shapes, sizes, colors are displayed. On the front of the bottles will be pasted with nicely designed labels:

 

|-----------------------------------------------|

|      Bottled Happiness       |     

|      (Just add hot water)        |

|-----------------------------------------------|

 

Of course there will be other bottles like 'Bottled Love' and 'Bottled Dreams' etc.

 

Actually what is inside the bottle is a piece of colored dry ice cube. For those who never play with dry ice before, I promise you that it will be fun. =) Behind the bottle will be a line from my year one hall production script -

 

"Whether you can hold it, or not, it is up to you."

 

=)

 

Bottled ? is just one of my pet products. There are other products also. The shelf next to the Shelf of Bottles will be the Shelf of Ideas and Inspirations. The shelf will be packed with A4 size envelopes, each level is differently categorized: Stories, Arts, Music, Inventions, Business. Each category will again divide into sub-categories, eg. Stories -> Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Triller, Love, War, Short Story etc etc.

 

Inside the envelopes will contain papers where there are ideas or inspirations for its respective category. Each envelope will have a different price, ranging from 50 cents to a few hundred dollars, depending on how inspiring it is. Let say you randomly take a $20 envelope from the Invention - Mechanical section, this is what you will find inside:

 

 

                                                                                   ***********************

 

Hi, You Who Are At A Loss Of What To Invent,

 

Have you ever thought about what is the most troublesome dish on a dinner table? That's right! It is a plate of prawns that have their irritating shells on! Imagine how much you will earn if you manage to invent some simple and elegant device to remove their shells! Here is what you need to get started - 3 possible ways how a Prawn Shell Remover could work:

 

*Some very hazy diagrams and very vague explanations*

 

Well, this is it! Hope that you will be inspired, and successful in inventing it, and earn big bucks! Btw if you haven't read the Terms and Conditions in small print at the back of the envelope, you might want to read them now. Good luck!

 

Regards,

The Shopkeeper

 

************************

 

Yup, behind the envelopes:

 

Terms and Conditions

1. Once opened considered sold. No refund.

2. Five percent of profits from the product inspired by information contained inside this envelope will be given to the Shopkeeper. Hehe.

3. Each idea will only sell to you and you alone. However, if the idea doesn't develop into a product in 2 years, the Shopkeeper reserves the right to sell the idea to another person. 

 

 

My target customers will range from primary school kids who don't know what to write for their composition, poly students who don't what to do for their project, to established artists, musicians, professors etc who are looking for inspirations for their next breakthrough. =)

 

 

Let me continue with the layout of my shop. Besides the Shelf of Bottles and the Shelf of Ideas and Inspirations, is the Shelf of Surprises. On the shelf will be boxes of assorted shapes and sizes, all wrapped up nicely. There will be a range of prices, but you will never know that is inside. It will be all random randomness. It may be a lucky clover leaf, or a little hand-made bookmark, or an art sculpture, or a brass puzzle, or a board game you have never played before, or a pair of tickets to a play you will never have thought to watch. All you know is that, the things inside will be an interesting novelty which can't be found easily elsewhere.

 

For people who wants a little surprise in their life. =)

 

 

And that's all for the shelves on the left. At the end of the shop, there will be a display counter, behind which there is a man, and behind which there are more shelves. Who is the man? He will be a magician cum trickster. In the display counter and on the shelf will be bags of tricks, magical devices, strange contraptions, poker cards, wands and books of magic. Here you will be able to learn the secrets of mind reading, spoon bending, levitation, misdirection, transformation of objects etc etc. ...little miracles that brighten up your life and the life of others around you.

 

On the right will be another counter, quite a big one, and that is where The Shopkeeper, which is me, will be. And guess what, I'll be selling coffee - mocha, latte, cappuccino, frappe etc etc! Haha! All coffees will be served with double shots unless the customer requests otherwise. At the center of the shop will be tables and chairs, for people to chill out, read magazines, chit-chat, relax, discuss, brainstorm, and think of world changing ideas (with the help of my double shots coffees, of course =P). And once in a while, when he feels like it, the in-house magician will go around and amaze the customers with his little walkaround magic. I guess pple in this stressful country needs to be amazed once in a while. =)

 

Yup that's all. So what do you think of my shop? Anyone wants to invest? LOL!