What's up with the asian writing systems??

Why can't these languages just be like everyone else and use letters. Why do they have to be difficult and use little picture things that all freaking look the same. I mean when you are learning to read as a child you can't "sound it out" like we tell all our kids. You just have to know what the symbol is. Granted I have never tried to learn Chinese or Japanese (and I would very much like to learn Japanese considering its half of what I am) but it doesn't seem as though there is much structure... or at least I can't imagine how there could be that much structure. Like how do you differentiate between verbs and nouns and such. Does the little symbol for run, ran, running, etc. all look similar, completely different, or are they the same? How do you write questions... or even sentences... cause I don't think I have ever seen any punctuation in Chinese or Japanese writing. It is just so foreign and weird to me. Most other languages have the same writing system. We have symbols (or letters) for a sound and then combine them to make or spell out a word. Why can't the Japanese be like everyone else and make it more simple so I can learn? Why does my culture have to be so difficult? If only I was spanish... french... or OOOOO Italian!! I've always wanted to know Italian.. its such a pretty language.. and they use LETTERS!! The same letters as english no less... not like the Greek letters. I mean really, what does delta sound like... or omega? But even the weird Greek letters are better than the Japanese symbols!