Kick off with some dessert (Taken with Instagram at Bakerzin @ North Point)
Mother’s day cake! D: (Taken with instagram)
On Sunday afternoon I got ‘bombed’ by a bird. When I got back home I told my girlfriend and she said that fortune is coming to me.
Yesterday I made a nice little profit playing the stock market. 30% returns in less than a month. Not bad. Hmm. It could have become 50% if I had waited just 20 minutes more before selling, but I guess I’m still happy. Afterall, one shouldn’t be too greedy.
Singapore’s stock market is at an all time high nowadays. A good percentage of counters are seeing their historical high prices. Everything’s overpriced nowadays.
I have been reading about Uncle Buffet’s investment strategy recently and realised that it’s not really possible to apply it to Singapore’s market these days. Nothing is underpriced. One has to be really patient to wait for a major market correction before having any good buying opportunities.
Which means that stock market play is more or less about luck nowadays. The local investment community calls it to “Tikam”, which means something like to take a random gamble.
Well, I guess I rather err on the side of safety and take calculated risks rather than random shots. Afterall, any mistake can be very costly (I’d learnt some hard lessons before). That’s how I missed out on probably half a dozen “good buys” over the past month, but I guess it’s OK. There are really lots of opportunities out there, it’s just a matter of timing and precision.
Anyway, hey, if I can get this kind of returns by getting bombed by a bird once in a while, I don’t really mind =) At most I’d just bring Dettol wet tissue where ever I go!
I’ve been searching hard for cheap airfares from Singapore to UK (Then follow by an europe go round plan.). However, so far I’ve met with much frustration, with all the fares w/ taxes for reliable airlines above S$2,000.
Probably the most ridiculous thing that I’ve encountered is that SIA’s airfares for SIN – YVR – SIN costs S$2,358 with taxes. However, a search on the reverse itinerary YVR – SIN – YVR on the same dates coughed up a fare of about S$2136 with taxes. These prices came right out of SIA’s online booking engine.
Why is it that flying SQ costs more from Singapore than from UK? Taking into account higher living standards in UK, shouldn’t fares cost more there? Also, being a flag-carrier for Singapore, shouldn’t SQ offer better deals from its home country? Grrrr
</rant>
Every year at the start of the New Year, I take a moment to reflect (lessons learned and knowledge gained.) on the past. Each year I ask myself a few questions. Do I have any regrets? Have I changed for the better or worse and things as such. Unfortunately I still don’t have the answer for all these. Maybe I should ask something different this time round right after this year. Frankly, I’m more interested with question like “Will it be a good year”? Will it be a year for me with exciting and joy filled, or will it be hard, streaked with depression or sorrow? I don’t know. Whatever it is. Right now it is a booklet of empty pages. What I’m going to write on the pages? What will I have to face in my daily lives this year? I don’t know. Right now stretching out before me is a new year, with unknown challenges and joys. I will have to await the unfolding of its days to know what life will bring my way in 2011.
I’ve been on a travel booking frenzy of late. Blame the economy and Air Asia for running crazy promotions. Plus the hundreds of dollars worth of hotel vouchers I have on hand to spend. And of course the ultimate culprit is my own love for travelling.
Just last night I booked 3 trips (for next year!) – to Penang ($7.50 per person return inclusive of taxes), Bangkok ($20+), and Langkawi (also $20+).
And last week me and my mom decided to go to Bali next month for a princely sum of S$75 for air tickets and 3 nights accomodation.
The GF is getting exasperated with my booking frenzy I suspect. OK, I think it’s time to stop already anyway since I’ve got trips lined up almost every month right till next April =)
Here’s wishing all my readers a belated Merry Xmas!
The truth is, power lies within the hands of a few people – get into these people’s good books and you’ll be bound to succeed. Once you fall out of favour it’s probably time to start packing. It’s probably time for me to do myself a favour and salvage what is left of my dignity. Dignity ain’t worth much money, but I guess I can easily find jobs out there paying more than what I have now and where I will get more basic human respect and dignity accorded to me. Kinda sad. I know there are many people around me in my organization who wish for me to grow and succeed for the good work that I do, however, power ultimately lies in the hands of the boss. No matter what everyone else says, if I’m not in the boss’ good books colleagues’ support, my competence, diligence and talent won’t get me anywhere. Time to wake up to reality. </rant>
It’s a cold evening with nothing much to do and I don’t feel like sleeping yet… perfect setting for the mind to wander again…
Thinking about the past, my online friends, how I get to know them and even ended up being friend with them. When I mean “Friends” I’m referring to those close ones – Yes, where I regard as my very good friends.
Those are very important people in my lives with whom we talk to, share with, laugh with and talk to about life.
Passionately Speaking - what kind of friend are you? Will you think twice before making a comment in pubic that you might later be sorry for concerning your friendship?
I always thought all my close friends should know what kind of person I am. Am I right to say that true friends should trust and believe one another knowing that they can mutually count on each other, no matter what. And when disagreements or arguments or unpleasant situations arise, they can withstand the difficulties without judging one another. Well, I was wrong…
I’m someone who value friendship very much and also one who cherish old moments more than anything. I dare say I always give in my 100 but never expect anything in return (but at least a little due respect in return?). Perhaps that was how I manage to preserve that close friendship with one of my then very good online friend for that many years.
I feel glad that I had him as one of my very good friend at some point in my life. At the same time, it’s quite sad to realise that I am using past tense to describe them now.
On the other side of the coin, I’ve been wondering to myself, why am I putting myself through all these shit? Do I really believe that this place is a meritocracy, where I will get paid and payrises for just doing a duty as what a friend should do in what I am doing? Should I believe in this in the first place?
What shit did I get myself in return for goodness’ sake. Yes, nothing! Should I be the hero to myself and fight all the way for what I believe in? I think the chances of roadkill are pretty high and I might not survive with an intact reputation at the end of the day though.
I am so freaking tired of these shit. And they are not getting me anywhere either. I wouldn’t mind as much if there is a clear end in sight.
However, I am no longer the same person today. I am less taking friendship too seriously. Some people might argue that I can’t condemn the whole human race just because of one bad encounter, but I am sorry to say that maybe it’s time for me to take a step back to concentrate on my Real live job to earn as much as possible for myself without caring much for friendship or whatever it be instead try to give myself more opportunities to relax, slack off and enjoy other things in life. That’s the stand I hold now, until a significant population can prove otherwise.
Of course I learnt many good things out of the negative experience. That’s a little consolation I guess.
Friends come and go… Nowadays, it’s really hard to find some who can really grow old with us. Not like in the good old days of our parents, many who still keep in contact with their childhood friends. Sigh.
Still trying to firgure out if there’s a way to import all my old blog posts.