Sports Enthusiast

NOTE: $1 USD = ¥7 RMB

The following is a true story, that takes place in China, of one woman’s mission to get a deal and one shopper owner’s quest to NOT give a deal. Do not try this in America as it may result in embarrassment and possible arrest.

WOMAN: How much is this purse?
SHOP OWNER: How much you give?
WOMAN: You tell me how much you want.
SHOP OWNER: Okay, okay, okay. For you best price because you are first customer of the day. I give you good deal- no one else get this deal. Usually it ¥600 but for you only ¥350.
WOMAN (laughing): No, no, no. Too expensive.
SHOP OWNER: Okay you tell me how much. What your best price?
WOMAN: ¥50.
SHOP OWNER: ¥50??? You joking! I tell you give me best price, no joke price. Okay, I give you best price beautiful lady…¥300. This best price.
WOMAN: That’s okay- I don’t really need it.
SHOP OWNER: Okay wait, I give you good price because we friends. ¥250.
WOMAN: No, seriously, I don’t need it. That’s okay.
SHOP OWNER: Wait, wait, wait- you give me best price. More than ¥50. ¥50 I lose money. Serious price. No joking.
WOMAN: Maybe ¥60.
SHOP OWNER: ¥60? Only 10 more? Here is best price- ¥150. Serious- I lose money. No lower.
WOMAN: ¥70. That’s my final price because I really don’t need it and I don’t want to waste your time.
SHOP OWNER: ¥70? Okay, ¥100. Final price. You want?
WOMAN: No. Sorry- I can’t go higher than ¥70. That’s okay. (Walks away).
SHOP OWNER (Shouting): Okay wait…¥90!... ¥80!
WOMAN (Shouting back): ¥70- no more than ¥70!
SHOP OWNER: ¥75- only 5 more!
WOMAN: ¥70.
SHOP OWNER: ¥73!...okay, okay, okay…your price. Come back, come back.
WOMAN: Xie Xie!

Did I really just bargain over 42¢? Yup…and I’m proud of it! It’s taken me 27 years, but I finally found a sport that I excel in. It doesn’t involve balls, running, or special shoes; it is open to all ages, races, shapes, sizes, and gender (although females tend to excel more than males); and when played properly, you can win every time. In bargain shopping there are some basic rules and a few techniques that will increase the odds in your favor, but the game is easy to learn and many become addicted after only a few rounds.

Rule #1: Go Low or Go Home. Your first move sets the pace for the entire game. Aim to pay no more than 30% of the asking price for most items, meaning the first price you lay down should be between 10-20% of asking to allow you some wiggle room. Shop owners expect you to make a counter offer so do not be afraid to offend with a seemingly ridiculous low-ball proposal. Keep in mind that sellers will not sell an item at a loss, and your objective is to figure out just how low they will go.

Rule #2: Don’t Go Out of Bounds. You are playing to see how low a seller will go, and they are playing to see how high you will go. Prior to stepping into the arena, have a price ceiling in mind and then stick to it. Sellers will also try to get you to buy everything under the sun so be specific about what you are looking for. If you are only in the market for a wallet, only look at wallets. It is easy to get suckered into buying more than you intended because the deals are so good (and often you will be promised a better deal if you buy more). However, if you only wanted a wallet and end up walking out with the full series of “Alf” on DVD, Hannah Montana boxers, and an I-Pod that only reads in Chinese, the seller has won. Trust me; no one looks good in HM underwear.

Rule #3: Play the Field. In large bargain centers, every third stall is selling the same thing whether it is Paul Frank bras, Gucci shoe laces, DVDs and MP3 accessories, or Louis Vuitton magnets. Visit different vendors to test the waters and figure out price points. If two or three sellers let you walk away from a sale, you know your price may be too low and you might consider going up a few cents at the next guy (and only a few cents…let’s not go crazy here). Shopping around will also give you a chance to compare the quality of goods. Merchandise is not created equal and everything should be thoroughly inspected and tested prior to closing a deal.

Rule #4: Know Your Opponents. Maybe the sellers are having an off day or maybe they hit the jackpot with some poor, inexperienced sap the day before, but you will run into sellers who aren’t interested in playing the game. You will know the non-players because they will be unwilling to bargain, they won’t try to become your new best friend, and they may even ignore you all together. These are lame duck sellers and if you choose to engage, you will most likely not get a good bargain because it takes two to deal. The best people to play with are those that will run after you, yell to you from across the way, grab your shirt, and even bike after you in your rickshaw (the latter of which I scored my Mao watch from). It’s a little like the dating game in this regard, because you need to be aware from early on that if “He’s (or she’s) Just Not That Into You” it’s time to walk away.

Rule #5: Everyone and Everything’s a Fake. Bargain shopping is like poker- you need a face for it and you need to learn how to bluff. Walking away, making sad faces, and acting indifferent are all part of the game; techniques that will drive the price down. You may say “I don’t really want it” even though on the inside you’re peeing your pants over how perfect it is, and they will ask for ¥500 even though they bought it for ¥30 and are willing to take ¥75. As for the goods, “technically”, knock-offs are banned from being sold so you should “technically” not find them in an markets, and if you do run across any faux products you should “technically” not buy them. I say, what happens in China stays in China, unless that Prada bag unknowingly happens to find its way into your suitcase and you get the shock of your life upon your return.

Rule #6: Know Your Limit. Around the seventh hour I begin to fade and break down. Bargain shopping is a physical and mental game that requires stamina and vigilance. Do not let sellers take advantage of you in a weary state and do not allow the opponent see you crumble under the stress. The best athletes in the world know that when you are not at the top of your game it is important to walk away, because playing below par can be more detrimental than not playing at all. After a few hours of going back and forth with sellers, you may find yourself becoming soft and conceding too early in the deal. At this point it is essential that you cease all activity and either call a time out to rejuvenate or pack up for the day and reconvene at another time.

I’ll admit that I have pondered the ethics of the bargaining game and the values it encourages. Is it wrong to fight to save ¥5 RMB (71¢) especially when I know that the seller is much more underprivileged than I am? Am I taking advantage of the game and my opponents, or am I actually doing them a favor by supporting the economy? Is it a waste of time to spend the entire day cooped up in a crowded shopping plaza instead of exploring one of the oldest and most influential countries in the world? Will my quality of life really decline if I don’t buy those Dolce & Gabbana socks? I can’t answer a lot of these questions. Well, maybe I can and I just don’t want to. What I can tell you is that the Chinese are arguably some of the best business people in the world. Wheeling and dealing is in their nature, and if they can make a buck they would sell you the clothes off their back (literally). Maybe I’m just a product of my DNA; genetically inclined and naturally gifted at bargain shopping. If that is the case (which I like to believe it is) I don’t feel as bad for pocketing the 71¢ because if I didn’t do it, the other guy would; and besides that, a true sports enthusiast never gives up a point without a fight.

Aloha, Soap, & Guava

In this entry I have to give a shout out to Hawaiian Airlines. I'm not playing favorites, because I usually book flights based on price and price alone, but I have to admit that there is something very special about flying on Hawaiian, especially when returning to the islands. The seats are still cramped; the food is nothing special (a 7-11 spam musubi would be better); and they have as many fees as the other guys, but there are some unique touches that make them distinctly Hawaiian and why I continue to fly the friendly skies.

1. "Aloha" & "Mahalo". At 6 am in Seattle when I'm still half asleep and lugging 100# of baggage (that I will beg to not be charged for), it's nice to be greeted by the friendly Samoan guy at the check out counter. Hearing it again at the gate and then about a dozen times throughout the ride makes me smile because I know that I'm that much closer to home.

2. I hate going to the bathroom on a long flight, but washing your hands with the coconut soap on a Hawaiian flight makes it all worthwhile. It doesn't completely mask the smell of the lavatory as you near the 5 hours mark, but it certainly doesn't hurt and I consider it a little gift of aloha that you can take back to your seat. I can’t speak for everyone, but my seatmate certainly seemed to enjoy it when I waved my hands in front of her face and forced her to smell it.

3. Guava juice is a must on any Hawaiian flight. Whether it’s those 4 oz. containers you get on the interisland flights or the Hawaiian Sun that is available on longer trips this is your first taste of the islands. In fact, you would be better off skipping the turkey sandwich and pesto pasta that they offer (and try to pass off as local favorites?) and just drink Guava juice.

There's little speech that is given on most flights landing in Hawaii, especially on flights from the mainland. It goes something like, "If you're visiting the islands, we hope you have a pleasant stay. If you are returning after being away, WELCOME HOME”. Okay, perhaps the soap and the guava juice don't make the trip. Seriously…as if sugar water and artificial fragrances could ever beat coming home! Still, there is something about all the little touches that make the flight special- check-in agents with flowers in their hair, Na Leo and Willie K playing while I board, flight attendants that speak pidgin- and make me feel at home 5 hours and 38 minutes earlier than expected.

Normal

Let’s review some of my favorite Chinese traditions…

1) Hawking a loogey. If throat clearing was an Olympic sport, the Chinese would take gold. In fact, I’m pretty sure at this past Olympics officials witnessed the skill and fervor with which the Chinese approach the activity and are considering it for 2012. Clearing your throat and spitting is a national pastime. It crosses all social, economic, religious, ethnic, gender, education, age, and political barriers and is not bound by any rules regarding time, place, or frequency. Stand on a street corner in China and you will hear the “aaahhhhgggccccchhhkkkk….ppppttt” (sorry, my pin yin is not that good) more times than your heart beats.

2) Honking your horn. There are four rules when driving in China. 1) Bigger and faster vehicles have the right of way. 2) Reversing and coming to a complete stop is never necessary. 3) As long as you can fit, lanes and lines are irrelevant. 4) Pedestrians never have the right of way. Whereas honking your horn in America is often seen as rude and unnecessary, horn honking in China is a life vest for drivers and pedestrians alike. It is a communication tool used to tell unknowing elderly pedestrians and bicyclist that you will be careening around the corner; opposing traffic that you will be crossing the solid yellow line and are ready to win a chicken fight if necessary; and small children that you will be creating an extra lane on the sidewalk so they had better find somewhere else to walk. It is obnoxious at first, but eventually the blaring horns become their own symphony. Hearing horn after horn reminds you that the city is alive, and thankfully, so are you.

3) Squatting. No, this isn’t just a potty pose. In America we stand or sit and in China they squat. Eating, playing games, waiting for the bus, cleaning vegetables, washing clothes, talking with friends, picking your teeth/nose/ears, and people watching are all appropriate activities for squatting. You will see it on side streets in traditional hutongs as well as main streets in bustling Shanghai. Is it a tradition derived from the art of tai chi or just a habit formed out of necessity? I don’t know. I do know that everyone does it and eventually, if you can’t beat ‘em you must join ‘em.

Cultural norms are funny, because although you may think that “normal” is standardized across the board, it is actually very subjective. Traveling forces you to reconsider what normal is. You realize that your view is small and abnormalities as you see them aren’t that abnormal after all. In fact, after a little time away you may (and probably should) begin to wonder if perhaps the only abnormal thing in life is you. After a month in China, the things that made me flinch and cringe at the beginning of my journey became just another hum-drum whatever. They were commonplace; no double-takes, raised brows, or “what the…?”. “Normal” is just a state of mind, and if you are unable to get over your small-minded expectations of what should be, you will end up with a big, annoying headache. Stop living in what should be and get on board with what actually is. If you can’t get over yourself long enough to laugh at the world (yours, mine, and ours) with the rest of us, you might as well crawl back into the box you came out of weird-o.

$4 A Day

I am a self-proclaimed Food Network junkie. Some people like to window shop for things that they don't need and can't afford; I like to watch people cook excess amounts of food that I don't need and eat at restaurants that I can't afford. If you're familiar with FoodTV, you probably know the show “$40-a-Day”, where Ms. EVOO herself, Rachel Ray, shows you how to eat 3 meals on only $40 a day...you know, for the budget traveler.

EXCUSE ME? Since when did $40 become "budget travelling"? I hate to say it Rach, but in the real world your meals take 60-90 minutes to complete, and eating for $40 a day when you are on a budget is a luxury. Take it from a real budget traveler (and lifer); if I had a TV show it would be called “$4-a-Day” and this is how it would go...

BREAKFAST: If you believe in 3-square meals a day, you will have to stretch your pennies a little further than those of us who sleep until noon and only fill up twice a day. If you must eat breakfast, go to a grocery store. A box of 6 granola bars will cost you around $2 (~$0.33/bar), and if it helps, you can cut the bar into 4 pieces to give the illusion of plenty.

LUNCH: Lunch needs to be very strategic and is all about "Location, Location, Location". Because dinner tends to be the most expensive meal, you will want to save most of your money for later in the day and be very innovative at lunch. Here are my top picks for the budget diner (in no particular order):

1) COSTCO- The majority of Costco's red & white checked sampling tables roll out between 11:30am-1:30pm. Once you enter it is essential to come across as a serious consumer. The sample wardens have a sixth sense for “vultures” and when they sense an imposter they tend to be stingier with the product. On that note, make it appoint to strike up a friendly conversation with the demonstrators- ask questions; lay on the compliments (“You work that microwave with such ease…this is delicious!”); and of course, always load whatever they are selling into your cart (you can always put it back later). Costco does attract a lot of rug rats (a.k.a., children). They are your main competition, because the consolation prizes for being dragged unwillingly to Costco, when they would rather be idle in front of a virtual game console, are promises of treats and tasty morsels. Stand your ground and do not let any tiny grabbers take what is yours. On the way out, it is acceptable to stop by the food vendors and grab a fountain drink for $0.55. Stay there long enough to finish your beverage and fill up again before getting in your car; you may even consider saving the cup for your next visit.

2) WHOLE FOODS- Whole Foods is a horrible place to shop on a budget, but is a $4-a-Day dream because they leave samples out all day. And on days when the “buffet” is lacking, you still have the produce and cheese departments that will be happy to cut into just about anything so you can experience the full flavor of what others will buy. WF also usually has coffee samples, so you may consider morning visits to get your day started right. For those of you who are picky eaters, WF provides calendars of their special tasting events so you can pick and choose when you want to show up. And finally, WF bumps up their samples (quality and quantity) around major holidays and events; my favorites are Super Bowl weekend, Thanksgiving, and Easter.

3) GREAT HARVEST BREAD COMPANY- If you like bread, stop at GHBC where the options are plentiful and the sample slices are thick. It is tougher to fill up at GHBC because the stores are small and going incognito isn’t always an option (unlike Costco and WF where you can do 2-3 laps), but it is nice to have a full slice of bread to munch on instead of having to go back a dozen times for 1 cm. cubes of dried out crumbs like you do at other stores.

4) FARMER’S MARKET- The downside of farmer’s markets is that are not always convenient. They happen on certain days, some are seasonal, and they often rotate locations. However, when you find a good farmer’s market, the payoff can be huge. Farmer’s markets are great because they have a variety of goods (produce, meat, cheese, pastries, coffee, prepared foods, etc…), and they also offer a lot of organic products for the environmentalist out there. For those of you who are nutrition minded, this is the best place to get your “5-a-Day”. I will warn you that competition at these markets is fierce as they tend to attract all types of people. The upper echelon who wouldn’t be caught dead bulk shopping at Costco, will show up at the farmer’s market to sample local, award winning spring, grass fed, bottled burbed goat’s cheese, cave aged in imported lotus leaves; and raw, vegan, 15-grain, organic, soy-cheese blitzes with a flax-cocoa nib-raspberry chutney.

DINNER: If you’ve followed the game plan, by dinner you should have about $3. This is when you hit the 99 cent value menus at your favorite fast food. It isn’t the most nutritious choice, but when you’re broke and working late (because you took an extended lunch break to hit up Costco, Whole Foods, and GHBC), it’s there and it’s cheap. Feeding a family of 5 is easy, because at $3 a person you have $15, which right now will get you 2 medium-2 topping pizzas, 5 burgers with small fries, or a bucket of fried chicken. There is something to say about the connection between low incomes, affordability and availability of health foods, and obesity, but we’ll save that rant for another day. Instead let’s talk about dessert at Baskin n’ Robbins, which has 31 flavors that need to be tested for quality control purposes.

Of course, if you really want to eat cheap, move to China! You’ll live like a king (or queen) or pennies a day. The best part about it is that since you will inevitably contract some sort of virus that will have you visiting the squatty potty on the hour, you can eat whatever you want and never put on a pound! Now that’s what I call a real bargain.

Story Lines

4 weeks in China and no blogging. Sorry. Lots of excuses, but we won’t go into detail. I do plan to make it up and dedicate the next 4 entries to China. They won’t be in Chinese, but let’s just say that the tears and laughter from China still won’t let up.

There’s a song by Brandi Carlisle that goes,
“All of these lines across my face

Tell you the story of who I am

So many stories of where I've been

And how I got to where I am…”
I love the song, but the more I think about it, the less I can relate. “Lines across my face”? What lines? You mean that scar from where the plastic surgeon removed a mole? The black line that rims my eye? In the modern, western world, we don’t know what lines are. We think we do; but we don’t. When we see a line, a spot, a crease, or a splotch we are lightening quick to MAC, Estée Lauder, and Cover Girl it away (what’s your pleasure)? And if we have the time and the money, we’ll go one step further and zap, peel, plump, and laser anything that remotely represents…should I say, LIFE? I have 10 year old scars on my shoulder and leg from a battle I lost with the reef, and multiple burn marks on my arms from oil splashes while standing over a hot stove. I got cortisone injections at a plastic surgeon’s office for the scars, and put Vitamin E oil on the burns. What am I trying to hide? They are a part of my story.

Of course if you want real story lines, go to China where face after face has been brushed with scars and crevices. In fact, go anywhere outside of North America and Western Europe and you’ll see lines that will have you wondering, “If those lines could talk…” So deep…so many. Was is war? 40 years of working in the field? Hot blazing sun in the summer and bone-chilling frost in the winter? Financial worries? Political, religious, and social oppression? Violence? They are etched in my mind…

I can’t help but compare my face to theirs; ethnically the same, but vastly different. Of course, I spent 15 minutes putting on my make-up this morning and last night I did a 20-minute clay mask to pull all the impurities from my face. It burned like hell but beauty is pain, right? Or is it? What if beauty hides the pain? The real pain isn’t the chemical peel. The real pain comes from the events that cause the lines and the mortification we may experience should anyone figure out the truth. Worry, hurt, sadness, disadvantage, anger, resentment, regret, bitterness, deceit, selfishness, discomfort, sorrow, pain…we cover it up because no one likes to air their dirty laundry (or wear it on their face), and the painful TRUTH is often much less tolerable than the pain caused by waxing.

China was a breath of fresh air because no one hid (and the ones that did were just as disillusioned as us Americans). Every line, every wrinkle and scar, were testaments to their life. Their faces were rich with character and experience, and the deeper their lines, the more stories they probably could tell. I don’t claim to know how they lived, and if was a hard life (which I assume it was) or a walk in the park (which I assume it was not); either way, the lines were witnesses- furrowed brows, laugh lines, and all. And when I looked at their faces and deep into their eyes I saw them, beautifully and wonderfully made; every line crafted to perfection. There wasn’t a wrinkle out of place. Do you have a story to tell? Because from the looks of it- behind your botox, pressed powder, liquid eyeliner, and all-day lip color- I can’t tell if you’re always happy to see me, or if your eyebrows are just shaped that way. FYI, my eyebrows are just shaped that way.

China Embarkation

Here I am sitting on the floor of the Vancouver airport, my gateway to Asia; cringing at the decubitus ulcer forming on my coccyx, but thankful for the free wi-fi. Thus starts the beginning of my 5 week trip to the motherland, beginning with 2 weeks of medical aid in Inner Monglia at the Chengjisihan town hospital and then the Elunchun minority village. After the medical portion of the trip, I will spend a few days in Beijing to do the essentials: shop, jumpshot on the Great Wall, and Peking Duck. I have heard the PD isn't as good as you would expect-ducks too skinny, not good like supersize American kind (which explains the supersized Americans), but for the sake of research I will try as many ducks as necessary to get a fair sample size before making my final decision. After Beijing I will head down to Shanghai for the remainder of my stay where anything can and probably will happen (and will inevitably stay in Shanghai). Blog ya from China...

Flush 101

I've long been aware that technology has made us stupider. Much, much stupider. We can text 100 words a minutes, download music, skype, make online purchases, clip our toenails, and microwave dinner simultaneously. But ask me my sister's home phone number and I'm blank; ask me how to get from point A to point B and I'll throw my hands up in the air and scream, "What do you think I am, a GPS???" (never mind that A is the kitchen and B is the livingroom). Unfortunately technology has even infiltrated the most sacred space of all and made us complete idiots in what should be a very simple operation. What space is that? The bathroom stall (duh).

Females may relate to this more than the males...I don't think this applies to urinals (correct me if I'm wrong). Have you ever walked into a stall and found it unflushed with toilet paper from the last three occupants? We all have, and if you were one of those last three occupants, SHAME ON YOU! What really kills me is when I walk into a stall, find it filled to the brim, and then see that the toilet is an AUTOMATIC FLUSH. Apparently for some people, when they see a handleless toilet and a blinking red light, they not only let their bowels relax, but their brain as well, rendering the common sense portion of it useless.

Word to the wise...the cue to exit the bathroom stall is NOT a wave of relief and a zipped zipper. Those are actually bonuses in a successful trip to the W.C. The real green light to leave the stall and head for the sinks is the FLUSH. No flush, no flee. In case you haven't noticed yet, computers crash, GPS's take you on the scenic route, and sometimes, that sensor stops sensing and toilets don't flush when you're finished...time to use your head. The beauty of the automatic-flush toilet is that unlike a computer that may drop dead for no apparent reason, the auto-flush toilet has a little black button that actually lets you flush it manually specifically for those times that the auto-flush fails. I know its archaic and in a time of progress its a shame to move backwards, but for the sake of the next patron I highly recommend that you burn those extra 3 calories, lean forward, and PUSH THE BUTTON. Stare technology in the face and declare, "You will NOT get the better of me! You're my toilet, and I will flush you whenever I want. Boo-yah!!!". FLUSH.

Leaving without a successful flush is like going up to an automatic sink that doesn't turn on and simply walking out the door. I suppose if the sink doesn't turn on it means you are meant to have urine on your hands, right? Unless you pee out magic fairy dust I'd have to disagree. Wake up people; don't don't let your brains go to mush and allow technology to dictate your life. Technology should enhance our existence and I've got to be honest, your used TP just isn't doing it for me. If that stall isn't clean (and odor free) once you're done with it, than you should not be opening that door. And if for some reason the button is broken or the contents are too overwhelming, be curteous and make the next person in line aware of the situation; to allow them to walk into such a trap is just inhumane. Unless of course you hate them, then maybe they are getting what they deserve (and if this is the case you should also spread some toilet paper on the ground or try to use it all up before leaving).

On a side note, I always wondered how much money it cost to change a traditional toilet to an automatic-flush. Has anyone done a cost benefit analysis? What was wrong with the handled ones? Could the money have gone to better use--schools, education, the environment, hunger, healthcare, world debt, human rights, etc...? No, let's spend the excess budget money on toilets. Speaking of flushing something down...

Tearful Laughter

Step into my world of Tearful Laughter. It’s my take on life- things we love and hate; the questions that never get answered; and most importantly, the ironies that infiltrate every day in every way and never cease to amaze (and annoy). I will never assume to understand the world; its proven far too many times that it can and will get the better of me…too many variables, too many choices, and an overwhelming number of personalities; even statisticians are at a lost for explanation. Is it astonishing or frustrating? Is it liberating or stifling? Is it thrilling or pee-in-your-pants scary? Does it cause you to stop and think, or does it have you going so fast there isn’t a moment’s peace? Are you trapped in its stereotypes or are you fueled by its creativity? Are you living in it or merely observing? And most importantly, does this world have you LAUGHING TO TEARS, or THROUGH TEARS?

A word about this blog… Don’t like it? I don’t care. This isn’t for you; it’s for me. I mean, how else am I going to get a book deal by the time I’m 30 if I don’t start a blog? It’s my expression and a very cathartic one at that. Now thanks to my blog, I can move those voices out of my head and on to paper and finally get some clarity, even if it is “foggy clarity” (which, by the way, was what I intended to name this blog only to find out that I had been beaten to it by someone else; someone else whose writings pale in comparison…poor sap). Of course I hope despite my selfish intentions you will laugh occasionally (of course I have been told my humor is very dry so only an intelligent few may catch on) and maybe you’ll gain some perspective that you didn’t have before. Maybe I’ll gain some perspective like blogs are stupid and a complete waste of time, thereby making this my first AND last entry. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

I will make a few promises to you the reader, of which you can keep me accountable:
1) I’ll try not to offend, and if I think I will offend I will do my best to do it in a backhanded way to ease the sting
2) I will always be honest unless I feel that being honest will:
a. Get me into trouble
b. Make me less popular
c. Offend (See #1)
3) I will try not to use “…” unless absolutely necessary…

Until next time, if there is a next time…(absolutely necessary).