New year, new job but same old other stuffs......
Still reminiscing about the era past as if that is the only happy period in my life. Though it is unfair to my wife to keep thinking the past is better than the present but it is forever true that I really enjoyed my childhood and the simpler life back then.
The indulgence of today (boy, do I indulge in gadgets but that's another story altogether) cannot match the simpleness of nothing in the past. No internet, no LED TVs, no advance gaming consoles, no ipad, no MP3 players, no mobiles, no notebooks etc but yet I can still remember the joy of chasing a plastic ball with my friends. Sigh, time flies. Multiple decades have already passed me by and here I am approaching middle age. As an individual, am I happier than my childhood? Not really but I am blessed with my lovely wife, good health, a job, a roof over my head, and much, much more.
Given a choice, which year would I want to return to? Maybe I have thought about and blogged about the magical year before but now and here I would say 1976. How I wish that can come true once more, even in my dreams....
Looking more at the past than the future, guess I am officially "Old School" now....
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Dollars and Cents
My family used to be quite well-to-do. I won't say we were wealthy but I most certainly think we should be considered above middle-income. Some how, all that came loose and went away once my dad decided to let greed take over good business practices. Yes, it is nice to see assets appreciate in value but it is also important to keep a careful eye on your P&L. Too bad he didn't and all was lost. I really mean all....
I always tell myself to think positively and take things into my stride. Things happen for a reason and the closure of doors doesn't mean new ones won't open. However, no matter how much I have accepted that fact, at times I cannot but help wonder "what-if".
Nowadays, without a property of our own, doing business carries the additional burden of rental as an overhead for my brother and sister. I can understand the cruelty of this world i.e. no money no talk but seeing how the rich getting richer and the poor getting left behind, I cannot but think what I should do to generate more $ to help my siblings.
Basically, the Singapore business model (as far as property owners are concerned) is to raise rental at their own discretion and pass the burden of generating profit (or dare I say breaking even) to their tenants. Easy money, no sweat..... What will the tenants do in this case? They in turn will raise the prices of their goods and services, no? In turn, what will the buyers of their goods and services do? Suffer in silence or demand a higher remuneration package from their employers? Can this cycle go on and on? Maybe for the upper classes of the population? What about the rest? If this goes on and on, how much savings (and rainy day funds etc) can they accumulate before they retire? How much on average do people have in savings, I wonder? I always wonder to myself how do cleaners or food stall workers make enough to live life and NOT just to stay alive. Can they afford the luxury of a good meal, a night's out at the cinemas, a holiday trip, an iPod, a new mobile, some branded clothings? I really doubt it....
Because of the recovering economy, my siblings have in turn become victims of the burgeoning property market so much so that rental is expected to be more than doubled by the (new) landlord. So what do they do? They leave the market and say good luck to the next better person. Running a small business is no longer viable for our trade. Granted it was good while it lasted, I don't think they will generate enough revenue to cover the rent increase PLUS good earnings. This is sad as I know the quality of work is good but alas, the business didn't soar as fast as the burgeoning property market. As I said, to the new owner, it is fine just raising the rent to justify his or her investment in property but will there be a tipping point whereby prices will become too high and there are no takers? Everything is cyclic and I am sure there will come such a time....
To many people, everything in this world is about dollars and cents and unfortunately, I have to agree this is true because we were/are unfortunate victims of it.
I always tell myself to think positively and take things into my stride. Things happen for a reason and the closure of doors doesn't mean new ones won't open. However, no matter how much I have accepted that fact, at times I cannot but help wonder "what-if".
Nowadays, without a property of our own, doing business carries the additional burden of rental as an overhead for my brother and sister. I can understand the cruelty of this world i.e. no money no talk but seeing how the rich getting richer and the poor getting left behind, I cannot but think what I should do to generate more $ to help my siblings.
Basically, the Singapore business model (as far as property owners are concerned) is to raise rental at their own discretion and pass the burden of generating profit (or dare I say breaking even) to their tenants. Easy money, no sweat..... What will the tenants do in this case? They in turn will raise the prices of their goods and services, no? In turn, what will the buyers of their goods and services do? Suffer in silence or demand a higher remuneration package from their employers? Can this cycle go on and on? Maybe for the upper classes of the population? What about the rest? If this goes on and on, how much savings (and rainy day funds etc) can they accumulate before they retire? How much on average do people have in savings, I wonder? I always wonder to myself how do cleaners or food stall workers make enough to live life and NOT just to stay alive. Can they afford the luxury of a good meal, a night's out at the cinemas, a holiday trip, an iPod, a new mobile, some branded clothings? I really doubt it....
Because of the recovering economy, my siblings have in turn become victims of the burgeoning property market so much so that rental is expected to be more than doubled by the (new) landlord. So what do they do? They leave the market and say good luck to the next better person. Running a small business is no longer viable for our trade. Granted it was good while it lasted, I don't think they will generate enough revenue to cover the rent increase PLUS good earnings. This is sad as I know the quality of work is good but alas, the business didn't soar as fast as the burgeoning property market. As I said, to the new owner, it is fine just raising the rent to justify his or her investment in property but will there be a tipping point whereby prices will become too high and there are no takers? Everything is cyclic and I am sure there will come such a time....
To many people, everything in this world is about dollars and cents and unfortunately, I have to agree this is true because we were/are unfortunate victims of it.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Depressed
Sometimes I don't know how my brain works. I really don't have much to worry about but yet I feel depressed. Or is it due to the broken lock on the door? So why do I worry? Is it because I feel that I am the only one who cares about keeping things in good working order? Or is it because no one else cares about the house besides me? Is there something wrong with me? I don't know, just feeling depressed today. Maybe it is because of my aching back? Maybe? No..... Then what? This sucks.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Decades passed, lost, and new
I have not been updating my blog for the longest of time, definitely more because of laziness than anything else.
Come to think of it, I didn't blog about my new job even though it was a huge departure from my comfort zone after more than 10 years on the job.
Neither did I blog about the new year. 2010 was ushered in without much fanfare on my part but it represents a new decade after a disastrous 10 years which I will forever look back in regret and pain. People always tell me to look on the bright side of things and life but till now I just feel it left such a large blank in my both my family and personal life that I cannot but feel helpless whenever I think about the "Decade of Lost".
Hopefully, the decades ahead will be much better. Gotten married to a new wife and with that a new start. Nothing much to complain although the sex part can be more exciting....
What really prompted me to put some thoughts into words is music. Tonight, being alone again and with not much housework to do, I find myself drawn to my world of oldies again. When one starts to think back and reminisce about the growing up years with such fondness it can only be taken as a sign that one is really too old to term those years simply as "some years ago".... In reality, it has been decades ago since my childhood days. Maybe it was because those years were really blissful and meant too much to me that I keep thinking of how I was then and things that happened during that period. Maybe the pain of the last decade made me want to go back to the cosy years of past. Well, it is probably more than a maybe. Everyone wants to be forever blessed with a good and happy life, right?
Come to think of it, I didn't blog about my new job even though it was a huge departure from my comfort zone after more than 10 years on the job.
Neither did I blog about the new year. 2010 was ushered in without much fanfare on my part but it represents a new decade after a disastrous 10 years which I will forever look back in regret and pain. People always tell me to look on the bright side of things and life but till now I just feel it left such a large blank in my both my family and personal life that I cannot but feel helpless whenever I think about the "Decade of Lost".
Hopefully, the decades ahead will be much better. Gotten married to a new wife and with that a new start. Nothing much to complain although the sex part can be more exciting....
What really prompted me to put some thoughts into words is music. Tonight, being alone again and with not much housework to do, I find myself drawn to my world of oldies again. When one starts to think back and reminisce about the growing up years with such fondness it can only be taken as a sign that one is really too old to term those years simply as "some years ago".... In reality, it has been decades ago since my childhood days. Maybe it was because those years were really blissful and meant too much to me that I keep thinking of how I was then and things that happened during that period. Maybe the pain of the last decade made me want to go back to the cosy years of past. Well, it is probably more than a maybe. Everyone wants to be forever blessed with a good and happy life, right?
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Distant past....
I was triggered to write something tonight after a scene and number flashed across the television screen when viewing the 46th Golden Horse Ceremony. The number? 1980. The scene? A boy in cape running down an old alley. Why was I triggered to write something? Well, what I saw in that scene was probably not too far from my own childhood. As I always said, time flies. In a blink of an eye, a few decades have passed me by and frankly, I am getting old. A new wrinkle here, an ache there, and many other tell-tale signs that I am no longer the young kid on the block. I wonder will I really always be a child at heart? Probably yes......
Friday, August 28, 2009
Diarrhea II
Just when I thought things are going well my problem with diarrhea looks to be back again. Sigh.....
Diarrhea
Wanted to blog a little about my painful experience the last 48 hours with a bout of serious diarrhea but seems to have some problems with the blogspot webpage. I don't see the usual GUI in the past but rather just plain text type of hyperlink.
Anyway, just wanted to say sometimes it is a blessng to be sick. A blessing in the sense that it serves as a wake up call to never take good health for granted and never to be complacent in life. I felt so helpless and never so bad when the effects of diarrhea hit me hard and fast. Over the numerous trips to the toilet I was practically shedding fluid so much so that I apparently lost close to 2kg in body weight due to dehydration. Coupled with the loss of appetite and nauseous feeling, it really made the experience all the more painful.
Laying in bed the last 48 hours and looking at the streams of emails coming through my Blackberry, I came to the realisation that I have not been fair to my new job. Yes, compared to my previous job, it is probably more forgiving but that doesn't mean that I should just sit back and wait for the monthly paycheck. Looking back, I should really have spent more time learning about the role and taking up the responsibility to improve the daily ongoings rather than just following status quo blindly. To this, I am regretful and hereby make a commitment to take a much more proactive approach when I return to the office next week.
Thankfully, I am feeling much, much better now and would probably spend the rest of today recuperating. Hopefully, I can find some time to finish up the rest of the renovation for our new home and close that aspect as perfectly as possible. Till now, I am very pleased with the progress of the renovation and hope to see the fruits of our efforts in a month or two.
One thing was the call from CK prompted me to think and reflect on my attitude towards learning these few months. Yes, I may have been distracted by the ongoing renovations and the dangerously deceptive slow pace of the new job but I should not for a minute think that I have it "made" and thus can stop learning new stuff. As far as I am concerned, I am still far from the complete package and should continue to strive to work towards that goal/objective i.e. read more, learn more. Resting on my laurels will not do me any good whatsoever and in fact can destroy the good image that I have built up thus far.
Rest well, recover fully, and then move forward rapidly towards a happy relationship, successful career, and cosy home......
Anyway, just wanted to say sometimes it is a blessng to be sick. A blessing in the sense that it serves as a wake up call to never take good health for granted and never to be complacent in life. I felt so helpless and never so bad when the effects of diarrhea hit me hard and fast. Over the numerous trips to the toilet I was practically shedding fluid so much so that I apparently lost close to 2kg in body weight due to dehydration. Coupled with the loss of appetite and nauseous feeling, it really made the experience all the more painful.
Laying in bed the last 48 hours and looking at the streams of emails coming through my Blackberry, I came to the realisation that I have not been fair to my new job. Yes, compared to my previous job, it is probably more forgiving but that doesn't mean that I should just sit back and wait for the monthly paycheck. Looking back, I should really have spent more time learning about the role and taking up the responsibility to improve the daily ongoings rather than just following status quo blindly. To this, I am regretful and hereby make a commitment to take a much more proactive approach when I return to the office next week.
Thankfully, I am feeling much, much better now and would probably spend the rest of today recuperating. Hopefully, I can find some time to finish up the rest of the renovation for our new home and close that aspect as perfectly as possible. Till now, I am very pleased with the progress of the renovation and hope to see the fruits of our efforts in a month or two.
One thing was the call from CK prompted me to think and reflect on my attitude towards learning these few months. Yes, I may have been distracted by the ongoing renovations and the dangerously deceptive slow pace of the new job but I should not for a minute think that I have it "made" and thus can stop learning new stuff. As far as I am concerned, I am still far from the complete package and should continue to strive to work towards that goal/objective i.e. read more, learn more. Resting on my laurels will not do me any good whatsoever and in fact can destroy the good image that I have built up thus far.
Rest well, recover fully, and then move forward rapidly towards a happy relationship, successful career, and cosy home......
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)