Time to move on

It has been 4 years since starting the cybercafe business. How time flies! I still can remember the days when I had to sleep over at the shop so that I can get the extra income. The beginning days are tough, not enough to even cover the cost. Michelle's income had seen us through those "tight" times.

Really thank God for His faithfulness and providence. He has brought me through this 4 years and indeed I can confidently say that God has never forsaken me. As I made a deal with God that I would put my focus on the business for 4 years, I'm now open to what may come next for my future. It is time to move on.

The power of Words

Like her daddy, Belle's language of love is Words. And people who have this language of love are sensitive to the words spoken to them. They pick up certain words that they hear especially when it is about them. If they are very positive in their thinking, they would pick up the good words spoken about them and ignore the bad negative words. However, if they are prone to negative thinking, most of the negative bad words would affect them dearly.

What is unfortunate is when all the words spoken to them are negative. Then there is no good words that they can choose. And it takes maybe 5 to 8 times of good words to counter the effect of just one bad word. So please choose your words carefully, being considerate to others. It is easy to speak but it is not easy to nurse the hurts it can cause.

And Belle, with God's blessing, you will be clever and be a doctor when you grow up.

Investing in Kindergarten

My brother came back with mother and the maid last weekend. He asked me whether I have money to invest. Of course the answer is No. But God willing, He will provide all my needs as He has always been faithfully been providing. Anyway, my brother told me that one of his friend in interested in opening a kindergarten near his place. And she is asking my brother whether he wants to joint venture. A capital of RM10K to be injected into the venture. He is quite keen to join though he too has limited savings.

When asked about how the returns would be like, he is not sure at all. He has got a clue. So I taught him a bit on how to calculate the returns for his possibly RM10K investment. Also told him to ask his friends how much profits/returns would he get and for how long the partnership would last. Told him that it is better to invest in gold bullion if the returns offered by his friend is less than 10% of his investment. This is because the appreciation value of gold normally increases more than 10% a year.

Anyway, still waiting for the project proposal from his friend. If the projected returns is good and all other factors are positive, then I might contribute to the venture too.

Sickness is sickening

Yes, nobody likes to be sick. It is sickening to be sick. When I was sick, I want to be rest as much possible. But being a businessman this may not come as easy as I thought especially when there are not staff available to look after the shop. I can imagine those who suffer from various kinds of sickness including Mesothelioma Cancer or any types of cancer, would wish that they can have a complete rest.

How good it is to be able to rest until we recovered fully. How good it is if we can rest without feeling the pain, drowsiness, headache and whatever ache. It is good to know what are the pains that you will go through especially if it a prolong sickness. To be able to do that, we need to read more from books or do some research from the internet. For example, read more about Mesothelioma and the stages of Surviving Mesothelioma so that you can understand the causes of and the ways to handle this type of sickness.

Just remember that sickness is sickening and some type of sickness is really sickening to some people.

Coughing and cold weather

I was surprised that my cough does not deteriorate while I was in Genting. I was expecting that I'll be coughing and coughing until I cough out blood because of the cold weather in Genting. Praise God, that didn't happen. Yes, there are occasional coughing but it is rather mild compared to the cough in Melaka a few days before that.

Could it be the clean cool air in Genting that makes my body recovered slightly, compared to the humid polluted air in Melaka? Whatever it is , I thank God for the cold great time in Genting.

Having me for 24 hrs

After the trip to Genting, my wife said something during our conversation.

"You know, its been a long time since we (the children and my wife) have you for 24 hours for 3 days."

That really makes me think and reflect back. Ya, its been a long time since I've spent 24 hrs together with my family. Monday to Saturday, my children would only see me for a few hours, sometimes they won't see me at all throughout the day. Sigh... . Today's children generally suffers from lack of time with their parents. In our pursuit of monetary gains be it from lack of it or from the greed of wanting more, we have sacrifice essential valuable time with children. I don't want to wake up one day with lots of gold coins in my safe box but have lost all love, care and affection from my children.

When was the last time you spend the whole day with your family?

Different approach

We had one of our church members as our insurance in the past. She did a great job in terms of updating us of our insurance policy or if there's new good plans. Whenever we have a new baby in the family she would ask whether we would like to buy insurance or accident cover for the new baby. And the best thing is that we have the freedom whether to buy or not to buy. She does not pressure us to buy when we are not ready. And we appreciate her for that.

Recently there is another insurance agent who took over the task of giving us the same service. However, her approach is more direct, always wanting to secure a deal. Such approach does not bode well with us. After all, it is our money and our plans. We will decide when we are ready to buy a new insurance policy. She came the other day and introduced two new schemes to us, well at least it is new to us. She told us that we are entitled to buy the company's funeral cover and should we die earlier than our children, the guardian income insurance would ensure financial stability for our children. She insisted that we signed up there and then but told her that we are not ready for that yet.

Hmmm....all these huhas about insurance reminds me that at the end of the day, all men die. And it reminds me that I must be ready to meet my Maker anytime.

Not warm enough

My wife told me that I'm more reptilian than mammals. It's simply because my body does not generate more heat than hers. Most of the time when she touched me, I can feel the heat from her body... like really hot, almost like boiling water. OK...not that hot but she's hot. And to her, my body is icy cold. OK...not frozen cold but I'm cold to her. hmmm maybe like that character in Twilight...hahaha.

Must raise up my metabolism rate so that I can warm up to her...hehehe.

Mom have nothing to watch

Ever since the antenna for the tv broke down, we have not been able to get all the tv channels back on the screen. Yes, even after replacing the old with a new antenna, we are not able to get a clear reception for the main channel. It's a bit unfortunate for mother since she likes to watch that channel. It has lots of tv series that has become her favorites. A few of them are Indonesian tv series, which she will watch with the Indonesian maid.

Now we are thinking of subscribing to Astro again. In the past when we subscribed to it, the reception for all the channels are clear. However, when mom is not here for a long period of time, we decided to cancel the subscription and nobody has the time to watch tv. For now, the main factor is what mother wants to watch as she be the only person who have time to watch.

How to show to her that we love her and are concerned with her needs? Of course, most of us would prefer to buy gold for our loved ones. My mother too loves to buy gold as presents for her children. But to fulfill her needs of being entertained at night we might get a new LCD plasma tv for her. Let her enjoy the best when she watches her favorite tv series. A new home theater set for mother. Hahaha... maybe with a new home theater set, more will stay at home and watch movies. Spend time at home instead of going to the cinema.

Teaching them from small

When I was small, I would be delighted to find a coin on the road. Even the smallest coin at that time has value and I can buy at least 3 pieces of sweets. Even if the coins are dirty I would picked it up and clean it. The dirt on the coin does not diminish its value. I would put it in my piggy and once the amount is big, I'll buy something nice for myself. Of course that is a very rare occurrence. But to find coins is indeed a joyful experience.

Now, things are different. The value of coins have drop tremendously. I can hardly buy anything with the 5 cents coin. And even if I saw one on the road, I don't think I'll pick it up especially if it is dirty.

But I get irritated when I see coins all over my house. My children have their own pocket money and sometimes they play with their coins. I don't mind them playing with coins but I get irritated when they do not keep their coins after finish playing with it. They just leave the coins all over the house. Many times I had to scold and teach them to appreciate their coins. Yes, it may not be gold coins but if accumulated the value of their coins can buy them their toys. I think I must warn them that if I see any coins all over the house, they can't ask for any gifts for one year.

The world is shouting

Every time the match is on, the world is watching. At every mamak stalls or restaurants where the owner sets up big screen, the customers would flock there to watch their favorite team. And every time a goal is scored, the world shouted. Whether you are watching it at Madison Square Garden or Rose Garden Arena, the atmosphere is exhilarating. The adrenaline rush is worth spending the night out with other football fans. That's the effect of World Cup 2010 and any other WC previously.

It is not just the soccer fans that are shouting during the matches. Other sports fan like baseball, tennis, cricket and other games too would feel the adrenaline rush whenever a point is scored. Buy your baseball game tickets at Yankee Stadium and watch the game there and you will know the excitement of watching a live game. And when a point is scored, feel your adrenaline rush and shout your heart out. The world is shouting.

Economic uncertainties

I read in the paper today that many are protesting against their governments decision on austerity spending. France, Greece, Italy and a few other countries are facing economic uncertainties. Greece is already a "bankrupt" country. It makes one wonder on how solid one own country economy is. One thing for sure, investing in currency is very risky. The value of my country currency is definitely very "yo yo". I guess that's why those who play Forex trading make gains and losses everyday.

I would prefer to have a more certain increase of value in my investments. Instead of keeping your money in fixed deposits or buying shares, I would prefer to buy gold coins as an investment. Gold prices increased an average of 20% per year. That is basically 20% of interest for your investment which is more that your FD or shares dividend. Well, if you do not want to hold the actual gold coins, then go for gold saving accounts. That would serve the same purpose.

The weather makes me lazy

Last night I told myself that I want to go cycling in the morning. Yesterday, I managed to cycle from my house to Gedong Lalang, Taman Bkt Rambai, Tangga Batu, Pantai Kundor, Everly Resort, Lereh, Batang Tiga, Klebang Besar, Pulau Gadong, Solok Setulang Daing and back to my house. It took me about an hour to cycle the distance of about 20km. I was very happy with the exercise and hope that I could do it again today.

When I woke up this morning, there was this laziness that sticks to my body. I look out from the window and saw the weather... oh dear...hot blazing morning sun. Immediately my desire to go cycling disappeared. Kabussh. So there goes my exercise for the morning. Instead of cycling, I decided to cut down the jambu air tree beside Bro Chuan's room. Well, at least there's some physical exercise there.

Clean sunny day

Its been a long time since I saw clean sunny day. Last Sunday, while riding my bike to church, the air was fresh, the blue sky in the horizon with thin layers of clouds. There's no signs of air pollution. It was a new day, a fresh day.

The night before, it rained. That's the main reason the air was fresh in the morning. Ahh...I love the feeling of being rejuvenated just breathing in the fresh clean air.

Unfortunately, these "clean fresh air" days are becoming fewer and fewer in Malaysia. Sigh...

The Italian Job

No, it is not about an Italian guy doing a job or doing a job that is Italian. It is a movie title. The story is about a group of con men stealing a safe full of gold bars worth 37 million dollars. And these guys are Americans. Hahaha...American con men stealing gold bars in Italy. I like the creative plan they have to do the job.

So what would you do if you have 37 millions dollars of gold divided among six of you? One of them said, "buy gold coins" or something like that. Or maybe he advised his other team member to invest in gold. Kinda funny because they already have gold bars in hand and yet they still want to invest in gold. Anyway, if I do have that kind of money (cash and not gold bars), I too would invest in gold coins.

Total body workouts

So far my only form of exercise now is cycling. That is cycling to and from work. That too is not done everyday.This week, I cycled on Monday but had to drive to work on Tuesday and Wednesday because of bad weather. Today, the morning weather is clear so took the opportunity to cycle to work. I realized that though cycling is a good form of exercise, it is not a balance total body workouts. Cycling gives a good workout for the legs but not much for the upper body.

Maybe I will add in jogging in my exercise schedule. Hmmm....will time permits?

Cycling at night

Dangerous. More dangerous than cycling at daytime. Furthermore, the battery powered signal/blinking light that I bought for RM23 does not work. So I cycle at night for 11km from my shop to home without any blinking lights. Praise God that He has kept me safe thus far.

It is a different experience cycling at night. You can only see places that are lighted up. The things that you would not normally notice during daytime you will suddenly take notice. Places like hawker stalls or restaurants that are closed during daytime becomes alive at night. But you have to be careful when looking at all these places, just make sure you know what is in front of you. Small road holes are BIG danger to cyclist especially on a busy road.

One positive factor is the cool temperature at night. This really helps to cool your body down and you would not sweat as much as cycling in daytime.

Wishful thinking

Have you ever imagine that you will find a bag of cash along the road? Well, I do, lots of time. Usually I ride my motorbike to work. Many a times while riding back from work, I wished that I'll come across a bag or many bags of cash. And I would find cash in RM10 and RM50 notes totaling to thousands or even to millions of RM. So far, all have been wishful thinking. Never have I come across any bags with cash in it on the road. Garbage bags are plentiful.

What would I do if I come across the bags of cash? Well, one thing for sure, I would buy gold bullion with the money and save it for my children's needs in future. Hahaha...so bad of me, don't want to return it to the relevant authorities. Well, it is just wishful thinking, so let me imagine that I can use the money.

Fasting

I believes in the value of fasting. And before starting the business, I fasted regularly every week. However, when I started the business, I neglected it. My body's weight went up and down depending on the seasons of my life. Lack of exercise and sleep are major concerns. Everytime when the body is weak due to lack of exercise and sleep, I will fall sick.

I guessed it is the natural way for the body to tell me that things are out of balance. Now, my body is weak, my stomach is growing bigger due to overeating and lack of exercise. Looks like I will have to fast to cleanse my body. Will fast lunch at least once a week. Must get back my regular spiritual discipline of fasting.

High expenses

Sigh...I did not achieve my target of clearing my business debt by May 2010. Was really hoping that I could settle it by May, but that did not take place. With 2 weddings, additional repair to the photostat machine, renewing of insurance and road tax for the old car and motorbike, and many other additional expenses, all the income runs dry. Furthermore, the daily sales dropped as most of the college students went back home for their 2 months holiday.

Praise God we did not starve to death. Just that I was really hoping to clear my business debt as soon possible. Now praying that the daily income would increase and no more wedding cards to give angpau's to.

RM 1,000,000.00 question

"Dear, if you have RM1M, what would you do?" I asked my wife.

"Give people lah", came the immediate answer from her. After a quiet pause, she asked, "Can I use the money?".

Hahahaha... I guess we have always been thinking of giving to people but do not have much to give now. It would be wonderful to have RM1M in the bank account. Imagine how many smiles that we can bring out from people who receives monetary gifts from us. We want to bless the missionaries. They are always in our hearts and we hope finance would not hinder them in their work for God.

If you are thinking that we will be giving all of it to people, then the answer is No. We will use some for investment so that we can give more in the future. We might use some of the money to buy buy gold bullion for long term investment. Landed property would be another good choice. Well, let's see whether that dream will become a reality.

Which heart you would choose?

The preacher told this story to the congregation.

There was a man who needs a heart transplant. One day the surgeon called him and told him that he can be operated and have a new heart. The man was excited to hear the news. However, the surgeon told him that there are 3 hearts available and he has to choose one. One is from a young athlete who died in a car accident. The second heart is from a businessman who died in a plane crash. The third heart is from an old lawyer. The man without any hesitation told the surgeon that he wants the old lawyer's heart. The surgeon was surprised and asked him why. The man said, "Because the heart has not been used".

Okay, if you laughed, then you know the joke. I guess the reputation of lawyers are not so positive. Well, not all lawyers are heartless. The way they handle their cases may seem heartless but that shows that they are trying their best for their clients. Take for instance those who suffered from Mesothelioma Disease have found that their Mesothelioma Lawyer or Mesothelioma Attorney have a heart for them in their efforts to find justice and compensation. It is good to know that while we are suffering the disease there are people out there who are concern with our wellbeing. Whatever the perception may be, there are kind-hearted lawyers out there.

Rambling - Dreaming away

Day dreaming all the way. Can be very tiring too. Anticipating and hoping that somehow, in due time, in His time, things will change for better. But then again, how many of us can wait patiently. There's always the anticipation, the what if's, if's this, if's that. And time passes so ssssslllllllloooooowwwwwwlllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.

But then again, that indicated a heart that is not with the Lord. For in God we have peace, tranquility of heart. Remembered Peter when he walked on water. Everything is okay and fine when he focus on Jesus. But when he shifted his focus to the waves, his peace waver too and as one who has no firm foundation, he starts to sink. Imagine that Peter, a fisherman, cried out to Jesus to be saved. Hmmm...shouldn't a fisherman like Peter already an expert swimmer. An expert swimmer became afraid and cried out to Jesus to save him. Well, at least Peter has Jesus to rely on at that time. Who do you have when the waves of this world overwhelm you? I do hope you have Jesus in you.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

My boy Ezra

Its been a year and I haven't write much about him. I guess I was busy at the shop and left all the taking care to my wifey. Anyway, he has grown much, much to our surprise. Just at the age of 1, he can already recognize my motorbike sound and would want to walk out from the room and greet me when I come home. Once he saw me at the door, he will walk quickly and open wide his arms for me to hug him. It seems he learned that from watching his other siblings. And he is such a huggable baby.

Red eyes

On Saturday, I woke up with a dry eye. Didn't look at the mirror, just assuming that lack of sleep is the cause of it. Went to work and by lunch time, the condition became better. On Sunday, again I woke up with a dry eye. When I look at the mirror, I saw my eyes red and it felt dry. Even my pastor noticed it when she spoke to me. After church service, I went home and look at my home medical supplies to see whether there's any eye drops that I can use. I normally use Eye-Mo or Optrex as these are the more popular ones in the market. Unfortunately there is none in the first aid kit. In the evening, we went to the shopping centre nearby and bought one eye drops. Now my eyes are much better and improving.

Mother is coming back

Received an sms from Bro Chai saying that he will be back this coming weekend. And he will bring Mother back. It's been a long time since Mom stays at Bro Ann's place. Not sure whether she will stays back here until her next eye check-up or she will follow Chai back on Sunday. Do hope that she will stays back.

Set mindset

My wife hold up an advertisement of a slimming package and told me, "Haiya, this kind of women also can enter slimming advertisement." I asked her, "Why?". "Look lah... the girl is fat."

Aiyo, its not necessary to be so slim and sexy to be in an advertisement. As long as it is real and not exagerrated, then it should be okay to put the girl's picture in the ad. Just add a touch of make-up like the way they teach in the cosmetology school in Ohio, then it should be okay. I just don't like to see some pictures in the advertisement that are really not "real", where a lot of photo editing being done. It is just so unreal. A little editing is okay, not too much until the readers know that it is impossible to achieve such beauty.

Don't have a set mindset. And don't let your mind set according to the pattern of this world. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

My Annabelle entered coloring competition

I don't remember entering into any competition when I was 7 years old. I think I would freak out if my parents enrolled me for any competition. Why? Because at the age of 7 back then, I don't even know my ABC. Yes, it was the reality back then. No pressure from the parents for me to know my ABC. Just learn whatever the teacher teaches in school. Now, at the age of 4, the child is expected to be able to recognize ABC. Just too much pressure lah nowadays.

Okay, today 17 April 2010, my Annabelle entered into a coloring competition. Organized by Hong Leong Bank, Malim Branch and held at Malim Kindergarten. And to our surprise, she managed to get 2nd prize. Not bad. Wifey said that she could get first if only she takes her time to color the picture nicely. She said she don't want to waste time! Aiyo... my dear girl. Don't be lazy lah. It is not who finish first competition, it is who colored it best.

Oh ya... you want to see the picture...hmmm...I'm sure my wifey will upload it on her blog. Go there lah... if you can find her blog.

Death overcomes us all

As I drove to my MIL's place, I remembered my father. I told my wife, "One generation has pass us." She looked at me, her expression asking my explanation. "My father. His generation has pass away. All his brothers and sisters have passed away", I told her. She nodded. We are now the next generation, and we too will pass away.

My father was the second to die among his siblings though he is the youngest. I remembered that the village people come and donated for the funeral expenses. We never heard of Funeral Insurance before so we had to depend on the donations of others to cover the funeral expenses. And my father did not have any Life Insurance taken in his name. It was "unknown" for a farmer like him to buy life insurance. Maybe there are one or two who gave him Life Insurance Quotes but I'm sure he did not buy one for himself.

We would be the next generation to pass away. Death overcomes us all. Well, let it come for it would be the day I will see my Lord face to face. Oh, what hope and joy awaits me.

Must take care of health

The weather is erratic nowadays. It can be very hot and an hour later it rains heavily. This is not good for the body. Michelle is down with flu and so is Ezra. Praise God that the other children are still in good health. As for me, cough is crouching on my throat. Must make sure my immune system is operating smoothly. Body must be warm. Not to stay in aircond places for too long. Take a bit of wine for it is good for the body. And must have enough sleep.

Gold price going down again

For the past few days, the price of gold has been going down. From the price of RM122 it has gone down to RM119 per gram. This is indeed good news for people who wants to buy buy gold coins or invest in gold. I wish that I have the extra money to invest in gold. It has proven track records that the price of gold has steadily increase over time. And mind you, the returns that you can get is much more than putting your money in fixed deposits or in government bonds. So if you are thinking of long term investment, go invest in gold or precious metals. As for me, it is more as an investment for my children future needs.

Cross over to Malaysia lah

CROSSING THE BORDER

If you cross the North Korean border illegally
You get 12 years hard labour.

If you cross the Iranian border illegally
You are detained indefinitely.

If you cross the Afghan border illegally
You get shot.
If you cross the Saudi Arabian border illegally
You will be jailed.
If you cross the Chinese border illegally
You may never be heard again.
If you cross the Venezuelan border illegally
You will be branded a spy and your fate will be sealed.
If you cross the Cuban border illegally
You will be thrown into political prison to rot.
If you cross the British border illegally
You will be arrested, prosecuted and sent to prison and deported
If you are an Indonesian and cross the Malaysian border illegally
You will get:
- My PR (Permanent Residence)
- A driving license
- Voting rights
- Job reservation
- Special privilege to be consider as a bumiputera
- Credit cards
- Subsidized rent or a loan to buy a house
- Free education
- Free healthcare
Oh Malaysia ! What a great country!

"A Strong Woman Versus a Woman of Strength"

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape ...
but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape...

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything ...
but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear...

A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her ...
but a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone...

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...
a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them...

A strong woman walks sure footedly...
but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls...

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face...
but a woman of strength wears grace...

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey...
but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong...

- Marta S. Hardy

Caribbean Vacation

Yup! The all inclusive vacation. That is what I am dreaming about right now. I really dreaded Chinese New Year day. If not because of the hot sun, Chinese New Year would be more enjoyable. The nieces and nephews prayed that it will snow on Chinese New Year day. :lol: If it does not snow, let's make our own snow by shaving as much ice as we could, they said. I doubt it can be done because the ice will melt within seconds!

We must plan for a Caribbean vacation during the Chinese New Year one day. Or a getaway to somewhere cold during this hot festive season. It would be nice to break away from tradition once in a while. ;) Furthermore, the all inclusive vacation package isn't that expensive; if you earn in USD. :lol:

As for this year, we bear with the weather and pray for a cooling evening soon. Then maybe, we will go out visiting again.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis.

920212

Wifey drop by at the shop after sending Belle to her Art class. When she wants to go back, she asked me, "Where's my roses?". I was like "Huh?" with a blur expression on my face. She smiled. My mind did a one hundred meters dash, trying to figure out whether I've missed out something. No, Valentine Day is only in two days time. Hmmm...

Suddenly I remembered the date, 920212. The year 1992 in the month of February on the 12th day. No, it is not our destination weddings date. It is our official date of the beginning of our relationship. Today, it has been 18 years since then. Time surely has pass by so fast. 18 years of relationship....Wow!, I can't believe it. Seems like only a few years ago.

Promised my wife that I will send her roses...online... facebook farmville roses... hehehe... times have changed.

Dear, I love you always lah.

No room for CNY

The family members are coming back. It is indeed a blessing to have a large family. My mom have 11 children, 3 girls and 8 boys. And all of them except one are married and have children. If all of them converged in our house during CNY, there would not be enough place for everybody to sleep. Most of the time, the younger ones would pitched their tents at the house compound and enjoy the starlight sleep.

We did thought of using our apartments for the others to stay during CNY but most of them wouldn't want to go there. Firstly, it is quite a distance from our main house. Secondly, we want the closeness and togetherness during the CNY. CNY is the time to strenthen the family bond. It is also a time to catch up with one another. And we need big space for a big family like mine. An apartment would definitely be too small.

Talking about apartments, we bought the apartment because we want to rent it out to students. It is in a good location similar to University of Arizona apartments and the demands would always be there. Furthermore, the price of the apartment would appreciate when the surrounding areas are developed. So we figure it would be a good investment to buy one apartment there. After a year we bought another nearby apartments. So far we have good return for our investments.

So it looks like this year like previous years, many of my family members would enjoy the cooling breeze in their tents at night. Praying that it would not rain.

Business closed on CNY

CNY is the only time of the year when I'll close the business for more than 2 days. I guess it is one of the public holidays that I observes beside Christmas day. This year, the business will be closed for at least four days from Saturday till Tuesday.

To all my Chinese customers, Happy Chinese New Year. Time for me to rest.

Gold price going down

Last December, the bank clerk told me that the price of gold price will normally go down before Chinese New Year. I was abit skeptical about her prediction as I'm not sure of the basis of her prediction.

The gold price went up to as high as RM140 per gramme before it went down again. Now the price of gold is hovering at RM116 per gramme. I would say that if you have extra money to keep, now is the time to buy gold bullion. Or you can also invest in gold account with certain banks that provides such services. Who knows, after Chinese New Year, the price of gold might go up again.

Installing Husband

I received this in an email. Couldn't resist to post it for my own record.

ENJOY!

…

A woman writes to the IT Technical support Guy

Dear Tech Support,

Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and I noticed a distinct slowdown in the overall system performance, particularly in the flower and jewellery applications, which operated flawlessly underBoyfriend 5.0.

In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as
Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5, and then installed undesirable programs such as NEWS 5.0, MONEY 3.0 and FOOTBALL 4.1.

Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system.

Please note that I have tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail.
What can I do?

Signed,
_______ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________
Reply

DEAR Madam,

First, keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an operating system.

Please enter command: ithoughtyoulovedme. Html and try to download Tears 6.2 and do not forget to install the Guilt 3.0 update.

If that application works as designed, Husband1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewellery 2.0 and Flowers 3.5..

However, remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband 1.0 to default to Silence 2.5 or Beer 6.1.
Please note that Beer 6.1 is a very bad program that will download the Snoring Loudly Beta.

Whatever you do, DO NOT under any circumstances install Mother-In-Law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background that will eventually seize control of all your system resources.)

In addition, please do not attempt to reinstall the Boyfriend 5.0 program. These are unsupported applications and will crash Husband 1.0.

In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly.

You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance.
We recommend: Cooking 3.0 and Good Looks 7.7..

Good Luck Madam!

mere ramblings

in the shop now. mind not working much. so thought of letting my fingers do the typing of what come across my mind... which is not much.

Chee the new part time staff is at the counter, discussing his course lessons with a friend of his. There's only a few customers left, quite quiet now, except for the online Christian songs from the server computer. Chee Chung Ee is his name, from Johor and now studying in KYM. He said that he has a year before his practical assignment and he can work part time night time. As he is also a Christian, I feel a bit comfortable to accept him to work in the shop. So far so good.

the project paper has yet to be done. and I has yet to set the date for the final exam. and worst of all I have yet to do my revision. the Church from Reformation to the Present has a lot of facts to remember. too many until I pening kepala.

also still donno what to preach on 21 Feb. the HS has yet to whisper to me on what to share on. thinking of preaching in BM. hahaha.. maybe will use the word Allah. I pity the Malay Muslims who are so ignorant and becomes the victims of Umno's deceitful schemes. But I pray that many more Malay Muslims will come to realise that only Jesus is the only and true way to Allah.

will I be able to finish the project paper????.. hope so. arghhh... really don't like studying and exams. tensions habis.

a group of Indian boys came in... to play CS. Today a lot of Indians came to use the computers. Just now a group of Indian girls came to use the internet. Wish Ramesh was here... can hear more of the language.
Andy worked until 6pm just now. At least I got a chance to rest and spend time with family. Went to fetch Belle from her school for the first time today. Glad to know that she likes school.... not like me. I cried and cried every morning for the first few weeks. At times I refused to go to school... don't want to go up the bus school Patt Hup. still can remember my Dad had to forcefully pull me into the bus while I struggle to pull away from him. haha... those were the days.

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT

Do you believe in love at first sight? Some of you may disagree with me but I believe love at first sight is an impossibility. Why? Because genuine love is not simply a feeling of romantic excitement, or sexual attraction, or the desire to marry a potential partner, or the thrill at having captured a highly desirable social prize. These are the emotions that are released at first sight, but they are primarily selfish in the sense that they're motivated by our own gratification. When we feel this way, we've not fallen in love with another person, we've fallen in love with love. And there is an enormous difference between the two.

Real love is an expression of the deepest appreciation for another human being. It's an intense awareness of his or her needs and longings - past, present and future. It's unselfish and giving and caring. And these are not attitudes that one falls into at first sight. Indeed, there is a spiritual quality to the bonding of two unique personalities into a committed relationship that will last for a lifetime. And that does not occur on some enchanted evening across a crowded room.

-by Dr. James Dobson from Focus on the Family.

Invitation to set up a display booth

I received a letter from the IKIM (Institut Kemahiran Industri Malaysia). They are planning to have an expo in one of the villages. They want me to set up one trade show booths. Wah, at first I thought it is a good idea. I never have a chance to set up a booth before. I was imagining how my booth would look like with the tables, chairs, and banner stands all perfectly arranged. I would make sure the pipe and drape at the booth make the booth outstanding. It would be the most attractive booth in the expo.

The imagination burst when one customer came in requesting to use one of the computer. Suddenly, it occurs to me that I do not have much to display at the booth. I'm just operating a cybercafe. What can I put up on a trade show booths? Nothing. I have no computers for sale. At the most I can display is information on my business. You don't need a big booth to do that.

Maybe when I diversified my business into other types of business I would take up the offer to set up a booth. As for now, thanks for the invitation but sorry lah, nothing to show.

Diversify

Last Sunday, Pastor Goh Lee Neo preached on Ecclesiastes. Solomon advised those who do business to diversify as one does not know which business/venture brings income/profits. The message struck me as I too was thinking of diversifying my business. There are plans to takeover other cybercafes or maybe opening a new one in new area. At one time, I was thinking of doing agriculture but that did not materialized as the business demands most of my time.

People who says that doing business is easy are all ignorant and liars. Or maybe they just see the good things in a business but not the hard part, the beginning part of building up the business. They did not know that every fiber of the body and every thoughts of the mind have to be wired to plan and to ensure the business' success. And the most important thing of all is the principle that man can plan but ONLY GOD can bring success. No matter how clever your plans may be or how conducive the location and environment may be, surely one have to acknowledge God in everything. Not to do so is foolishness to the highest degree.

I have another year to go (or less than a year) before I'm planning to "move" or before my "transition" period is over. In the meantime, the business would be my focus/responsibility. Would I be able to diversify by then? Only God knows. In His time, not my own.

Patience

I reminded myself almost everyday. Patience and wait. Wait, wait. In His time.

There are times when I felt frustrated coz I don't want to wait. I want to do this, want to do that, and this and that. I want to get this and that and this and that. Haiyo... everything also I want but then cannot. Now, don't get me wrong here. Most of what I want (more than 50%) are legitimate i.e. for the business but then there is not enough savings to buy those things. So I have to make do with whatever shortage (lack of computer peripherals) until I have the means to buy them.

And worst of all is the lack of honest full time workers. They say "Once bitten, twice shy". In my case it is "Three times bitten, fed up already". So now, I'm very choosy in who is going to work in my shop. So I "sufferlah" coz nobody can replace me when I need to rest or there is emergency.

Patience, patience.

New Year Resolution

Didn't even occured in my mind about having New Year resolution until I read it in my wifey's blog. She decided that she would not make any resolutions as most of the resolutions are unachievable. I guess many of the people out there are experiencing the same. Excited when making new resolutions but end up in despair when it is not achieved.

I've given up on making resolutions long time ago. No point making resolutions especially when you are not accountable to anybody. I've substituted resolutions with prayer. I pray that the year 2010 would bring me closer to God, having a close intimate relationship with God, being a child and a friend to Him and fulfilling His plans for me.

Well, what do you want God to impact on you this 2010?

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Christmas come and Christmas went. Things went on as usual. To me, Christmas is just another day like any other day. In the words of Paul, "...one treats one day as special while another treats it as just another day...". What makes it special is how we treat it unto the Lord. Saying that, I guess we must treat each day as special. Be thankful to God that you can wake up every morning or evening (depending on when you go to bed)and see the sunlight or clouds.

This year Christmas was a busy one. Went to church in the morning and thereafter had lunch with Bro Daniel and family. And at night we had a Christmas party with Eastern types of food together with Asian desserts. The children would have their food and then watch their favorite show on tv. Wished that there is cable tv available. Maybe when we moved to another place we would be able to have direct cable tv. I know if you are in New York you can subscribe to Direct TV in New York . It was a wonderful time. The children enjoyed it very much especially when they received their presents. I don't remember receiving any presents. Well, that's okay as I too did not give any presents personally. My wife did all the giving. I thought of giving her a present but then due to busyness, nothing done.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this year Christmas celebration. With the Singh's family back and mother around, there were an abundance of food. Really enjoyed the delicacies and mouth watering gourmet prepared by the Singh's family. Till next year, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everybody.

ABC for Christmas

Bought one ABC machine through Mudah.my. No, not a machine that makes ABC alphabet. It is a machine that makes Air Batu Campur (Grinded Ice). The moment I saw it on sale in Mudah, I know I have to buy it, knowing that it would be useful during all the celebrations. I'm sure the other family members would enjoy a bowl or many bowls of ABC when we're together.

Well, I was right. The ABC machine was a hit during the Christmas dinner. (Though I had to fix it a few times before getting it really fixed). So for this Christmas we had icy cold bowlful of ice mixed with corns, jelly, and whatever stuffs they can think of.

Wedding invitations abound.

As expected the wedding invitation cards came. The months of November and December are so called "wedding months" because many couples decided to get married on these two months. I'm not so keen on receiving wedding invitations especially from those kampung people. They tend to plan their wedding dinners at Chinese restaurants where the place are crowded and the music is too damn loud. One can hardly talk to each other during the dinner because of blaring sounds/songs.

Okay, okay, I don't want to spoil the moods of those newly wed or going to get married. I'm sure most of the couples are anxious about their weddings. Some even plan to have cancun destination weddings as they want something extra special for their special day. I guess wherever they plan to have their wedding, both parties must be happy about it. Weddings are supposed to be a happy occasion, not a time to fight and quarrel about minor details.

To all those who are gettng married, "Have A Blessed Wedding".

Have time to rest now

Now that I have another part time staff, I can rest a bit. No, I still can't go back home and leave my new part time staff alone in the shop, at least not yet. Maybe in a few weeks time when she is able to manage the shop confidently without me being around, then only will I be able to go home and spend time with my family. Looking forward for that day to come. As for now, whenever there is not much activity/needs in the shop I can take time to rest and maybe update this blog.

Thank you Lord.

Missing wifey online

Wifey is not feeling well today. She vomitted a few times and was feeling dizzy when she walks. So she went to her mom's place to rest. So I didn't see her online today.

I miss seeing her online. Sudah lah I have to be at work the whole day, I'm deprived of communicating with my wife.