I am the boss

I am the boss that believes that work should be fun.
I have read the book "Fish" and wants to turn my workplace to a fun fish market.
They can throw the fish around, but they jolly well make sure that someone can catch it.

I am the boss who is only interested in the end result.
I'm not interested in your journey, I just want to know what happens at the end of the path. But do notify me only if you encounter any problem.
Have fun with your internet in-between work, just get the work done.

I am the boss who believes that meetings should be kept short.
I seriously believe that draggy meetings are the cause of people doing unneccsary OT.
Coupled with doing meaningless follow-ups after meetings.

I am the boss who feels that happy people produces great work.
The day you wake up not wanting to work is the day when you should be quitting the company.
So why are so many of us still holding on to our job?
Can we deliver our best if we dislike the company culture and the people?

I am the boss who understand why I can never be the boss in my current company.
I am a lowly employee.

Adopted vs Natural Parents.

Malaysia is my natural parent. But due to certain circumstances, Singapore became my adopted parent. Though I spend most (as in 95%) of my time with my Singaporean, I am actually very much a Malaysian at heart.

I love the sight of fireworks all night long during Chinese New Year. Its a magical experience, I tell ya. And you can only get that feeling in Malaysia. I brought Wifey to Malaysia for the New Year, and I'm quite sure she likes it.
Though fireworks are illegal in Malaysia, our police are actually quite "flexible" about it.

(Side Note: For those unattached Singaporeans gals out there, theres still a chance to watch the magic if you are below the age of 26. My fellow Malaysian colleague, Mr HonestFace is still unattached.)

It hurts me when I see both my "parents" arguing, be it over the causeway, the waters, the train station etc... I try not to take sides because I only get to hear the Singapore side of the story from the local papers here.

(Side Note: In any quarrel, theres no one right and one wrong. Both are wrong in their own ways.)

In Malaysia, the kampung spirit is strong. When I was younger, I used to hear neighbours shout "Raining liao, please bring in your clothes" (xia4 yu3 loh4, shou1 yi1 fu2 le4). Try doing that in Singapore and they think you are cranky.

When I was in Malaysia, we are quite close to our neighbours. We keep a lookout for each other's houses.

How many Singaporeans here actually know their neighbours well?

Malaysia is relatively poor when it comes to money, but we are rich in culture and very bonded.
No doubt, it still has a long way to go in areas such as security and corruption, but comparing it to many other countries (I shall not state names), it is actually not as bad. Just not as good as Singapore.

I'm close to both countries. And I wished the competition will do both of them good.

Southern Malaysia (ie. Johor) is going to have another round of flash floods, and this will be worse than the previous 2 rounds.

Link: Kenny Sia's appeal for assistance to flood victims

Random Notes 11

(1) Finally met Joe's super agent for the first time yesterday. Its being a pleasure talking to him. One thing I learnt - In any service industry, be sincere and go the extra mile to help your clients out. The returns will come naturally.

(2) I wished my working hours were translated forward by 1/2 - 1 hour. I don't mind working early. I just don't like staying late.

(3) Better still, can I work 12 hours (including lunch) from Monday - Thursday, and have a long weekend?

(4) I like jobs that start in the afternoon and end at night. That seems to point to sales and service industries. But me as an insurance agent? Nah.

(5) I have lost 2 friends in my existence so far. One in secondary school, another in uni days. These few days, I am having recurrent thoughts about how the first one is doing in life. I wish him well, wherever he is.

Losing my cool.

He started by shouted angrily through the phone. A sudden burst of anger flow through me, and I gave him a piece of my mind.
Yes, I lost my cool big time yesterday at work yesterday, for the first time in my many years of working life.



Lets not dwell into the details. After a few minutes of cooling down, I gotta agree that I'm at fault too.

I couldn't understand why
(1) people never bother to reply when they have obviously read the email, leaving you to wonder if they have
    (a)missed the email.
    (b)choose to reply the email at a latter time.
    (c)choose to ignore the email.
(2) and why people have to lose temper. it is my belief that whoever loses the temper first start the fight.



I took the initiative to drop him an email later to apologise for raising my voice. Probably prompted by my gesture for a peace treaty, he apologised too. We dropped the childishness and started to be professional - to talk about what we can do to address the problem. And we had a compromised solution - which was his original solution. He has his point, but he failed to see mine.

I have no idea what got over me yesterday. Wifey says its Mr Ego fighting back to save me from humilation. Maybe she's right. The size of my Mr Ego is as big as Kenny Sia's coconuts.

I'm not a target board.
And I'm no wimp.

I have lost.
But I gained far more than I lost.

Patted him on the shoulder the next time I saw him after I dropped the email.
And we are friends again.

Jay Chou

The great Shingo T has sucuumbed to the King of Mumbling - Jay Chou.
(The nickname actually came from Mr Sniper, so don't hate me)



It all started with a car ride with a good friend, during one of the lunch. He was playing Jay Chou's music video on his car on his sophisticated GPRS/entertainment system. And I suddenly got the urge to start listening to all his tracks again.

My friend had passed me a compilation of his music some time ago, at my request for that "Initial D song". And now I have took it out from the spider's web. And into the office PC's CD-ROM it goes.

I like his Cheena-rock-flavoured style of music. And plus the fact that he actually writes his own pieces, he's pretty talented. Mum used to say "Everyone can sing, but not everyone can create his own music".

I have never been a big fan of "slow music" (slow = non-danceable) in general. But somehow, listening to his slower pieces this time round does kind of soothe me. Especially when they are so catchy. Part of growing up, perhaps?

Have been listening continuously to his tracks for the past week, which was kind of a record for "Most days without dance music".

Thanks to Miss Totoro for passing me some more of the tracks that I have missed.

So Joe, Miss J, Mr Hippo, Mr Cameraman, Miss Totoro, Mr Sniper's Wife etc... I'm at the same frequency with you.



For now.

Meet Merry Riana!

If there's anything more attractive I find about chiobus, its successful chiobus who suceeded well in life without sitting the boss's laptop.

So who is this Merry Riana?



She is an entrepreneur, an author and a trainer (which is what I want in life too).
She did what plenty of us could not achieve - Earning $700k after 4 years of graduation, despite her $40k study loan debt.

And she's a millionaire at 26, just like my idol - Adam Khoo.

Instead of going for the first job available in the market upon graduation like what I did, she turned to insurance sales immediately. Well, we all know how hard it is in the insurance line. As in most industries, only a few succeed (like Mr Hippo's Ah Lian insurance agent and Joe's multi-income, super agent).

If there's something I like about sales industry - its the unlimited ability to earn, unlike a fixed income jobs most of us are holding. Unfortunately, most Singaporeans find sales very unattractive, citing that "I can't do sales". The truth is, we are doing sales everyday, be it explaining why Katong Laksa is good, or getting your kid to eat the greens. Robert Kiyosaki has once told a talented Singaporean writer that she can write well, but may not go far without working on her sales skills.

Merry is the author of the newly released book "A Gift from a Friend", a book that talks about her journey about stepping into an industry unknown to her.

(Hey, same red colour tight-fitting shirt!)
She deploys layman language, and short stories to present her points.
And its only $12 (and nope, i don't get advertisement comissions).

And if you don't think her name sounds local, you are right!
She's an Indonesian working in Singapore.

And I'm a Malaysian working in Singapore.

Link: Merry Riana's home

Random Notes 10

(1) I'm faring badly with my "Sleep before midnight" resolution. =(
World of Warcraft proves too tempting. It doesn't help much that the expansion pack is coming on Tuesday. Need to level my Mage (and Wifey's Paladin) to level 60 quick. Both are now at level 56.

(2) My Cockroach shall offically be reffered to as Mr Hippo, by popular feedback from his real-life friends (yes, Mr Hippo has friends). It should be noted that Mr Hippo currently has a Hippo icon on his MSN, and thus the nickname. Not forgetting that he does kind of look like one too. And did I mention he used to joke about holding his future wedding in McDonalds? =p

(3) I had a good discussion with Wifey over the weekends. Given the busy schedule on weekdays, its really hard to spend much time talking to her. Will be getting my measurement for the groom suit in the coming weekends, and Wifey's getting her high heels.

(4) Why most people go honeymoon in Europe, but not USA+Canada? Wifey and I are considering either option.

(5) I know an affordable, humourous photographer, and a similar videographer for wedding, if anyone is interested. Seen both of them at work in my sister's wedding. And I'm glad they will be helping out at my wedding.

(6) I'm contemplating about what life will be like to step into a new industry, to start from zero again.

(7) Robert Kiyosaki: More people are afraid of sharks and murderers than driving up to a fast food restaurant and saying, "Super-size it." French fries kill more people than guns and sharks, yet nobody's afraid of french fries.

Importance of Networking

I have never realised the importance of networking until these two years.



Networking is like collecting lobang. Sometimes, the most unlikely people you got to know can turn out to be of great assistance to you, or even shape your life.

I was at Miss Totoro's wedding last year, and took the initiative to chat up with an old friend. From our casual chat, I ended up asking the contact number of one of his friends who solved something that I couldn't.

On another occassion, I went to Mr Sniper's house for Thanksgiving dinner. And that is where I first saw my broker whom I seldom contact unless its regarding payment. He handed me some very sound advice like "treat stocks like prostitutes" and mistakes I should avoid. That dinner ended up changing my investing strategy, and did worked for me to some extent.

Joe has recently spoken to me about his SUPER insurance agent. Someone who has suceeded in gathering multiple sources of income. I liked talking to successful people, they always have a new insight to offer. Hope I get to meet him someday.

Mr FlyAirplane and Mr WaterTap are well-known lobang kings in my department. They have plenty to offer about where to buy the cheapest furniture, good places to park your money, strategies for bank loans etc....

There are stock players who had the advantage by having contacts in a company.
And people who are introduced new opportunities by people they do not know.

Get to know more friends, and your life will get much easier.
Leverage on their expertise.
And let them leverage on yours too.

Wouldn't life be easier if you know at least 1 doctor, 1 technician, 1 entrepeneur, 1 designer, 1 computer expert etc.... personally?

Successful people are never afraid of building networks.
Expand your social circle today!

Chinese Customary Wedding Preparations

At the blink of the eye, my Chinese Customary Wedding is now less than half a year away.



It must have been Wifey's initiative on preparing early that makes me suddenly aware of how little time we have. I have pushed most of the preparation to her, using the excuse that she's a stay home tai-tai while I work from day to night. Kudos to her for lightening my workload. She compiled a long list of things we have to do. And by long, I mean really long.

- Shop for shoes
- Plan & book for honeymoon
- Groom go for designing + measurement @ ALW
- Shop for groom's attire (shirts, tie)
- Shop for tea dress
- Shop for PS casual clothings, if desired
- Shop for new furniture
- First Fitting @ Studio
- Check when to liase with florist, PG, etc.
- Choose invitation cards
- Select printer to print invitation cards
- Select & order wedding favors
- Shop for stationery, AP box, car deco, etc
- Compile guest list
- Choose songs for two march -in, over dinner, etc.
- Prepare photo montage
- Send electronic RSVP + get address
- Get family members to settle their outfits/suits/etc
- Prepare emcees' draft speech (if required)
- Meet Hotel Coordinator for menu selection, coordination, wine purchase, etc.
- Manicure + pedicure ($_$)
- Photoshoot (and need to decide on venue too)
- Food tasting & confirm menu
- Purchase wines + liquors
- Purchase/order GDL (thats guo4 da4 li3) stuffs, cakes, suckling pig, etc
- Book caterers for lunch at both homes on actual day
- Clean up our houses to make it presentable
- Mail out invitations + note # of special diets (I got plenty of vegetarian friends)
- Plan AD schedules & inform VG + PG
- Organise seating arrangements (Will have fun deciding who to sit with Mr Blinky)
- Assign duties to helpers
- Choose thank you gifts for attendants if not red packets
- Plan amount for red packets
- Arrange for increased credit limit approval (gotta chalk up points)
- Send RSVP reminders
- Chase late RSVP + finalise guest list
- Finalise headcount + seating arrangement
- Meet Coordinator to confirm details
- Reception Planning
- Discuss details with helpers
- Write our speeches

Mr Sniper/Mr Ghost: If there's anything I miss, let me know.

Wifey is very meticulous when it comes to planning. If I were to come up with the list, I'll probably only come up 1/4 of what she wrote and miss the rest out. =p

But I stick to my MCP views.
Girls should stick to what they do best - the small things.
Guys should still do the long-term planning.

She take charge of the wedding, I take charge of achieving finacial freedom.
So sue me.

For those who are getting married, you can take note of the long list above (which assumes u have chosen a hotel + engaged a bridal studio + Actual Day Photographer + Videographer)

And for the totally ignorant, here's a few links for ya.
Somehow, Mr Cockroach comes to mind, though his is still quite some time away.

A Chinese Wedding guide

And a Fetch the Bride Guide

I look forward to my Chinese Wedding. And the fun I will have sniggering at my friends busy preparing for their wedding after mine is over.
For now, I'll let you do the sniggering.

Now shoo, I'm busy.

Real entrepreneurs don't do MBAs

I normally don't post people's articles on my blog.
But this one is a MUST read.

It also support my previous post on my views of not getting a Masters if you want to get out of the Rat's Race.
How many rich pple do you know that actually have a MBA?
Not Bill Gates, not Donald Trump, not the founder of Genting, not Ivan (boss of Thai Express).

Have fun studying your Masters, it might come in handy when you work for me next time.

-------------
Dec 3, 2006
Real entrepreneurs don't do MBAs

Body Shop founder shares 10 lessons she says schools don't teach aspiring business owners

By Anita Roddick

ANOTHER SCHOOL OF THOUGHT: Ms Anita Roddick argues that the rigid business school model, which is obsessed with the status quo, actually inhibits entrepreneurial flair.

I NEVER went to business school. I went to the business school of life. And I did so from an early age. I was brought up in an Italian immigrant family with a work ethic that teetered on the verge of slave labour.

We got up each morning at five to make breakfast for the local fishermen in our cafe in Littlehampton and did not close until the last customer wandered home. The other cafes opened at nine and shut at five. This was a clue to me about what makes some people entrepreneurs and not others. Our cafe was owned by ferociously determined immigrants; the others were not.

This is an important difference, and the reason that I do not advise new entrepreneurs to submit themselves first to the rigours of an MBA is that business schools do not understand it. The conventional advice to budding entrepreneurs is that they should groom themselves to be the whizz-kid with a suit and a fascination for spreadsheets that bank managers like.

Actually, potential entrepreneurs are outsiders. They are people who imagine things as they might be, not as they are, and have the drive to change the world. Those are qualities that business schools do not teach. An MBA can give you useful skills that can be applied to a life in business. But they will not teach you the most crucial thing: how to be an entrepreneur. They might also sap what entrepreneurial flair you have as they force you into the template called an MBA pass.

I often get asked to talk about entrepreneurship - even by hallowed institutions such as Harvard and Stanford - but I am not at all convinced it is a subject you can teach. How do you teach obsession - because often it is obsession that drives an entrepreneur's vision? How do you learn to be an outsider if you are not one already?

In the business school model, entrepreneurs are most at home with a balance sheet, a cash-flow forecast and a business plan. They dream of profit forecasts and the day they can take the company public. These are just part of the toolbox of re-imagining the world: They are not the defining characteristics of entrepreneurship.

The problem with business schools is that they are controlled by, and obsessed with, the status quo. They encourage you deeper into the world as it is. They transform you into a better example of corporate man. We need good administration and financial flair, after all, but we need people of imagination too.

So here are 10 lessons that entrepreneurs need more than what they teach in business school.

Tell stories. The central tool for imagining the world differently and sharing that vision is not accountancy. It has more to do with the ability to tell a story. Telling stories emphasises what makes you and your company different. Business schools emphasise how to make you toe the line.

Concentrate on creativity. It is critical for any entrepreneur to maximise creativity and to build an atmosphere that encourages people to have ideas. That means open structures, so that accepted thinking can be challenged.

Be an opportunistic collector. When entrepreneurs walk down the street they have their antennae out, evaluating how what they see can relate back to what they are doing. It might be packaging, a word, a poem or something in a different business.

Measure the company according to fun and creativity. Business schools are obsessive about measurement. The result is vast departments of number-crunchers, but often little progress. What is most important in a company - or anything else - is unquantifiable.

Be different, but look safe. If you are different, you will stand out. But do not take risks with people who can make the difference between success and failure, especially if you are a woman trying to borrow money from the bank - which is how I came to be turned down for my original loan.

Be passionate about ideas. Entrepreneurs want to create a livelihood from an idea that has obsessed them; not necessarily a business, but a livelihood. When accumulating money drives out the ideas and the anger behind them, you are no longer an entrepreneur.

Feed your sense of outrage. Discontentment drives you to want to do something about it. There is no point in finding a new vision if you are not angry enough to want it to happen.

Make the most of the female element. Companies as we know them were created by men for men, often influenced by the military model, on complicated and hierarchical lines and are both dominated by authoritarian principles and resistant to change. By setting up their own businesses, women can challenge these models and will be welcomed by customers for doing so.

Believe in yourself and your intuition. There is a fine line between entrepreneurship and insanity. Crazy people see and feel things that others do not. But you have to believe that everything is possible. If you believe it, those around you will believe it too.

Have self-knowledge. You do not need to know how to do everything, but you must be honest enough with yourself to know what you cannot provide yourself.

Until they can teach these lessons, business schools will remain the whited sepulchres of the status quo.

The Financial Times

Me versus the Authorised Loan Sharks

My latest credit card bills has the following charges
(1) Annual fees
(2) Late charges
(3) Finance charges

And these 3 charges amounted to abt $110+.

So I made an important call down to the credit card Hotline.
Mission: To erase off these charges (aka save $110)

Background work:
Charge #1 was for the renewal of card. The reason why I got this card in the first place was because it was free for 2 years. I have asked for annual charges to be waived off after the free period was over, so think should be no problem.

Charges #2 was related to my late payment last month.

Unsure about Charge #3 though.
Credit card = Authorised loan sharks.



One of my friend has once said he never paid for fines, he always argue his way out.

Time to put my speaking skills to work.

The guy who picked up my call seemed to be a non-local. Indian maybe? I'm expecting a challenge instead of a walkover.

Round 1: Get rid of annual charges
Me: I have been a loyal credit card member of your company for the past 5 years. Can you waive the annual charges?
Guy: Sorry sir, we can't do that.
Me: : But it has been waived for me before.
Guy: Sorry sir, we are unable to do that. But you can use some of your points to exchange for free membership.
Me: In that case, shouldn't I just cancel my subscription and reapply for the free offer again?
Guy: Yes, you can do that, sir. But I will advise against that, as you will lose your points and restart your credit record.
Me: I will finish my points before I cancel. And the credit record doesn't matter to me at all. Please send me the form to cancel my credit card. Thanks.
*A short silence*
Guy: Sorry sir, I have viewed your records and realise you have been a very good rating with us. In that case, can I propose a alternative way for you to get the free subscription without cancelling your card?
Me: Ok, go ahead.
Guy: All you have to do is to make at least 3 purchases of any amount and charge it to your credit card between 15 Jan and 15 Feb.
Me: *sniggers* That should be easy. I like your suggestion.
Guy: Thank you, sir.

Charge #1 waived!

Round 2: Get rid of late charges
Me: So, what about the late charges?
Guy: Err.... they will be waived too. We might have processed the cheque after the deadline.

Charge #2 waived!

Round 3: Get rid of finance charges
Me: And the finance charges. What are those for?
Guy: oh, they will be waived together with the other 2 charges.

Charge #3 waived.

Guy: Is there any other things I can help with you, Sir?
Me: Waiving the 3 charges will do fine. Thanks for the help.
Guy: Thanks you sir, we look forward to serving you again.
Me: K. Happy New Year to you.

Initiative can earn you some money.

Call me a Hotline terrorist if you want.
But, I got $110+ for a 5 minute phone call.
How cool is that?

New Year Resolution 2007

It all started with Mr Photographer mailing us his list of New Year resolutions. Mr Cockroach followed soon after.



And then I put mailed them mine.
As you all know, the only way to get Mr Ego up and going is to tell the whole world first that you will do something, and then worry about how to do it. That's how I get things done, like with the Standard Chartered Half-Marathon that I prromised.

I have broken the list up to 3 sections, focusing on the 3 areas of Wealth, Health and Self.

I try to make my targets as SMART as possible.
S = Specific
M = Measurable (quantifiable)
A = Attainable (goals need to be slightly stretched to be meaningful)
R = Realistic (doable)
T = Timely (ie. by the end of year 2007)

There are some numbers I will prefer to keep private, so I will replace them with the letter X.

Wealth

1. Have 1 steady source of monthly passive source, generating X dollars per month.
2. Earn X dollars from stocks for this year, including proceeds from IPOs.
3. Have 1 more source of extra active/passive income.
4. Change job by this year if all the above 3 cannot be achieved.
5. Save X dollars a month.

Health

6. Take part in all local major running events that are between 10 to 21km, provided there is no rain.
7. Sleep before midnight for at least 6 nights a week (I'm aiming for Thursday to be the only exception).
8. At least 1 complete healthy meal a day.
9. Lose 3 kg. ie. obtain 65kg.
10. Complete Standard Chartered Half-marathon in 2.5 hrs.

Self

11. 1000 hits per week for Cup of Ice. (Currently at 200-250 hits per week)
12. Hit level 70 for all my characters in World of Warcraft.
13. Be able to conversate in basic (broken) Malay.



It doesn't mean that I will be able to complete all 13 resolutions. But I will print a copy of it and do a reflection at the end of every month. And see how it goes.

Completing some resolution > Having no resolutions.



And take a look at Kenny Sia's New Year Resolutions too.

Growing younger day by day

Some people mentioned how much tougher life gets as we grow up.
Read this article long time ago about what happens when our lives goes in a reverse manner. Here's what's gonna happen to me.

I am 80 years old, and dead.
I woke up, suffering from cancer, unable to move much and suffering in pain.

By 70 years old, my cancer is "gone".
I collected my CPF at 62. $_$

With this vast amount of money, I started working from a manager at 62 and slowly got downgraded to a officer at 22, with responsibilities decreasing with each demotion. ^_^

My Wifey grows younger and younger, until the day I didn't know her.

At 22, I studied at the local university, doing my honours years till my year 1.
And then i moved on to JC, Secondary school, primary school, kindergarden. Slowly unlearning everything but having more fun at childhood.
At 4, I stopped studying and started playing.
At 1, I started crying and lost all abilities to speak.

I crawled all the way, and grow smaller day by day.
I cried all night, and one day, there's an umbilical cord connected to me.
And before I know it, I'm in my mum's womb kicking.
I grew smaller ay by day till I become the size of an egg.

And poof!
I cease to exist.

Reversal of life is fictitious.
But is there any way to make our life easier day by day?

Go figure.

Random Notes 9

(1) Happy New Year, everyone!

(2) My one and only sister's Chinese Wedding is over. I was one of the main coordinator, and its fun. With great power comes greater responsibilities. Glad everything went on fine. And she's happy! ^_^

(3) Watched 4 episodes of "Heroes" with Wifey over the weekends. Makes me wonder what my destiny is.

(4) Some New Year Resolution (more to come)
- Be a active leader, not a passive follower (outside of my full-time job) <= ok, this is not a measurable target
- Lose 3 kg by the end of the year.

(5) I have had a long rest for the past 2 weeks. It's time to carry on where I left off last month, set targets and make an impact! And nope, I'm not referring to my full-time job.

Rock on, everyone!