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Tai chi master!

I am really amaze at the level of “tai chi” that i see recently!

Recently been “crossing stance” with S quite often since the first meeting. I must say i am really not good in this but after a year here I have learn to not accept certain things and maybe because there is a young one to “protect” so i am less weak and slightly firmer in certain stand.

But what i see today really disgust me, to think S ask me to continue to hold the fort … knowing I rotating away. Luckily someone came to my rescue hahah..thank you!

Though amazed and digusted, i think is a lesson learnt. Probably is a test to me in my life to stop being a Yes gal and say No and be firm at certain stand at time Testing if I have matured abit after a year ? ^^|

Enough of complain, lets talk about my new work Today finally started something more solid…learned how to verify the system and inject orders! hahah…is some operational stuff but at least saturday would be useful.

Still uncertain what I can achieve at the end of 6 months though…just try my best to learn as much and as fast as I can. Somehow I kept feeling that I am lagging behind, must chase back these 2 weeks of time.  Hope can have some solid foundation and contribution lah.

Enjoying the feeling of looking forward to work everyday! hahhahaa….so many people noticed that recently i look happier / more carefree. hahaha…i am just so easy to read!

Japan – day 1 + 2

in Japan, Nikko! had sashimi (still not used to it), very nice yakitori, my favourite “fan tuan” and first time i find soba also can be very nice enjoying the nature here, the cool temperature

No tennis for the week!

Had a great game yesterday … so much so that I don’t feel like stopping when I felt a bit lack of breath … or when I sense both my knee sending out signal that it is hurting. It is just a few more minutes i told myself, Mind over body!

Guess what? My body break again…sometimes when I mind over body … my body will break~~ Aiyo…at least 1 week no tennis!

Really feel like having some light tennis to crench my thirst for it! haha…but I know for my knee sake and I should rest properly at least for a week and maybe start playing next week earliest.

But yesteday’s game was a great one! I can felt that I am getting the hand on the top spin (actually i dunno if it is…maybe or maybe not…hahah). My backhand also getting not bad, starting to grip the drop shot and nice winner to the other side of the court at the net! I love it each time I get such winner! hahah.

Jumping and whacking each ball, feeling is fantastic!!! Omg…when can I play my next game?!!!

Managed to catch the 4th round of the french open, Justine Henin vs S.Stosur….it wasn’t that great a game for Henin, from the low number of winners it is pretty obvious that she didnt hit very well.

Sad that she loses…I was hoping to see her winning this french open for the 5th time! aiya…what to do … cant play tennis and no more Henin’s match to watch … hai … sad~~

Who to watch? Elena Dementiva? C.Wozniacki? aiyo……i wanna play tennisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss~~

Being Appreciated?

Today…a question came shocking to me, was discussing with L about sitting place for incoming juniors, and he pointed onto the screen and ask if it can be swopped. For a moment I am abit shocked and really dunno how to answer. At the same time I am happy someone appreciate me and wants me to help but at the same time I have committed and  interested in another area at TMD…

Hahaha….in the end I used some politically correct answer but was 揭穿 by my own boss …wahhaha. Should I answer it in a more candid way i wonder, really not sure.

But both places have interesting stuff in place, options are kept open, I really wonder. I believe it is a fun place there, but I have  committed to people, we been talking about past team, future team and that was heart warming to me

I sincerely thanks L for offering me the biscuit there and wanting me to work for him, but I guess coming week i must pluck my courage, kick my dunno how to say “no” habit and tell him where my heart desire is. hahhaa

A happy day, being appreciated is good, but i hope not for the wrong reason though

Hopefully i still get to experience work there lah…I know i might like to stay on for G…but i believe going else where would also be good.

I just lose it….

Was too emo today….but sometimes I really felt the chain of event is too =.=

I may not know what I want at the moment but I know what I don’t want. the never ending of such event is really quite demoralising….arggg… a moody afternoon and night. I felt so tired..I just want to sleep…

Different world

When i get into Uni…I felt I step into a different world. In my world, from young, it seems that getting into Uni is something prestidge and very hard to come by. It is such a glory to get into the uni. In my family, parents would be so proud if their children got into uni and graduate from it.

But in Uni, what i see and hear is people telling me … they should have gone overseas uni, what a waste to study local. Little did they know, there are people in this world who fought so hard to come. (not me…frankly speaking, am not really keen in entering uni at first…it was not until I was waiting for the result if i am entering). Nothing wrong with people thinking that way, because people come from different background so I don’t blame/mind people thinking this way, just that because I have seen two side of things I tend to think differently.

Then when i get into a big company to work (is not an MNC but is the first time i work in company of such size excluding KFC of course). People here are also from very good background, I won’t say I know all, but see…in my world people above age of 40…I hardly know anyone that get to study alot. From young, I always have the impression that for my parents generation, completing secondary is an amazing thing already. But here…I see people of that generation who are graduates or even master. what a great contrast…in comparison to those that hardly have any studies…struggle to brought up their children? And worst the cycle have the tendency to just continue … forming the proverty cycle.

When I was young, taking a plane seems so impossible, when people start having computer, my parents just manage to get a Hi-Fi from some windfall $$. A credit card seems to wow also….but now, in my circle, i see everyone armed with so many cards. A graduate seems so wow and rare in my neighbour sch, in my poly, in my family…now I felt u throw a stone u probably would just hit one.

I am a lucky one … to come from such background yet able to pursue my interest, fly overseas and experience lots of things. I thanks the friend who inspire me to believe that even with such  background I can still pursue what I want and the family that allow me to be so 任性 。Thus I always believe in working for things u want. However, there are times when things stuck me and I am helpless about the situation also. So before you start thinking your life is not that fantastic or you have a hard life…think again, there are many more out there with a harder life.

Suddenly I remembered this…

when i was 14-16 years old, i worked at KFC for $3.50 / hour, earning $17.50 / day.

Then when I completed my secondary sch, I worked at UOB data entry for $5 (or was it $5.50?) per hour.

Then in poly, i worked at sushi restaurant for $6 / hour  i think. And highest was $7 / hour for telemarketing but this period was quite jia lat because I worked 2 job, 7.45am – 4.45 => polyclinic ursherer followed by telemarketing at night 7-10pm.

Then after I grad from poly I was earning a mere $1300 / month … which after a year it was only $1400 / month. Now thinking back, am really serverly underpaid ^^|…

Then in uni, I got much better pay with my ex boss being very nice to me:

It starts off with $70 / day, but that time I worked 2 job again, so can only work 3 days / week, so my boss decided to tempt me and give me $100 / day for the 4th and 5th I work in a week…so guess what? Being me, i worked all 5 days, and worked my the other job every night and during weekend trying to hit the bare minimum target as well.

this goes on for about 2 months, almost “died” during this period, then when sch started i got $10 / hr … slowly it became $11 / hour -> $12 / hour and finally by the end of 3 years when i left the company my hourly rate was $15 / hour. which is pretty decent! In fact, there was a period of time when my pay was higher than what i am getting now! Thats why i felt so grateful to my ex boss and hope his company can pick up from the bad economy and start to do well again man!

In between I also worked many random things…and pay wise it was always about $5-$6….so thinking back….what seemed alot back then seems so little now…how ironic things can be at times…

very sleep…nite…

Working working working!

These 2 days…I been working too….apart from attending my Japanese class in the morning and tennis game this morning. Waking up in morning and the first thing that came to my mind is work work work~~

It is really abit…demoralising…when one have to work on both weekend. Worked late for many days…but usually i kept my work on weekdays only. Never like to bring work home. Just one day leave and i gotta bring work home this weekend >.<

But this weekend…really energy level low…doing research and etc at home. But thank god…for some information that all told me unlikely to find…I managed to find 1-2 examples…though it may not be good enough but better than nothing. Not sure if this worth the so many hours i spent on it though.

Now still gotta clear more work since next 2 weeks gonna be a battle with all the audits, budgeting and reporting!

Losing my temper at home abit abit..which is bad~~~ 疲れたね。。。おやすみたい!!! Everyone telling me need to prioritize…but some low priority work just keep haunting me…with people chasing me~~ How? I feel so bad for not doing it and kept delaying it…may be I need to overcome such feeling!

Gam ba te….if i cannot even handle whatever I am facing now then I think I sux ~~ 如何成的了大事?! Must work through it!!! and still play tennis

忍人所不忍, 能人所不能。

New year new unit!

Rotated to new unit! Well…not sure if this place will suits me but since I am here I should made the best out of it I guess

The past 2 weeks have been a reporting week, on top of my rolled over stuff to clear, I need to compile this thing call monthly report! And guess what? I at times really feel a lack of support but then now I feel i got the hang of it

At the same time I have been approached to join in some project…mmm…I am very keen actually, but is hard to bring this topic up to my big big boss. Especially the impression doesn’t seems to be good. mmm….

Gam ba te…hope I can get in but would I result in what happened last 2 months? Can I take it for such life to last another 3 months from Apr to July? Mmmm….I really wonder! but well if my big boss agree….I probably will take it up! This is how much I love to be involved in that project!

Opportunity? Can I handle? How should I raise it up? Would I miss out something?

Workaholic?

Been OT-ing for about 3 weeks straight….working abt 12-15hours / day.

Last wed worked 40 hours straight with 2hrs sleep..to prepare and conduct training!

went back over the weekend to work also…worked from last night till this afternoon abt 5pm! hahaha…………am I a workaholic? but then again…is all for the successful launch of the project

Am I like what my fren says? Having too high expectation of myself and kept thinking need to meet people’s expectation all because I am a TA. I really wonder!

Today my supervisor also emailed me after approving my 3rd week of consecutive OT transport claims..ask me to take care and don’t over work! hahhaa…

Today finally the project is launch…..still got lots of things to follow up but then I guess I should be able to eat and rest more regularly now!

Nonetheless..the day & night of rushing project with the team was quite an fun and interesting experience. Learnt alot..from zero knowledge of infra and sharepoint to now that I am able to contribute..am very happy

But then saying so..also need some distress, listening to linkin park recently and spent $54 playing UFO catcher~~

Have you got yourself protected?

Wanted to post this sometime ago but was too busy. This post is base on my personal view, from a pure consumer point of view and is just for sharing!

Since I have started working, responsible comes and the next logical thing is to buy insurance to protect my families and of course myself.

First lets talk about the basic type of insurance:

1. Hospitalisation plan
2. Accident
3. Life coverage / Income protection

Always get a hospitalisation plan above anything else. This is basic and similar across many companies so I won’t say much about this. A doctor’s pill can heal your illness but the bill can take your life!

Next, accident, this for I won’t talk much about it as I feel is not 100% necessary if you have 1 and 3, for me is a good to have. (provided you have savings to tide through, so regular saving is important)

Focus of the post is on life coverage / income protection. There are 3 main kind of life plan:

1. Term plan
2. Traditional whole life plan (WL plan)
3. Investment Link Plan (ILP)

There are many saying nowadays…some says buy term and invest the rest. Some say buy ILP…some say wholelife plan. Basically all plans have its own pros and cons and suits different needs. However, one should be very clear why he/she wants to buy insurance.

Firstly, most of us always like the idea that we can get back our $$. So many felt that term plan is throwing $$ into nowhere. But the truth is, whatever you buy, you have to pay for it! A WL plan or ILP cost alot more than a term plan, so the additional $$ is used for investment and insurance company will use that earning to give you the $$ upon termination.

So then why people still buy WL or ILP? Because not everyone of us is an investor! If you only put your money in bank with interest rate lower than 1% per annual, then you might not want a term plan if you can afford a WL or ILP.

Another thing is insurance don’t make you rich, so just buy enough. Enough can be 5 years of your income or 10 years depending on your need. For me I judge differently, I base on my dependents…which is very different.

Term plan
Cheap and affordable but no cash value. So you get nothing when you terminate. Term life plan usually covers till only 65 or 70 years old. (WL or ILP usually covers whole life).

So why buy a term plan? I think is good in the following situation:

- need temporary additional coverage
- you do your own investment or have better investment plan than mixing the investment with insurance.
- you don’t invest much but a WL / ILP is too expensive for your and yet you need the coverage.
- don’t need the coverage beyond age of 65/70. (Wondering why? is simply because your medical bills will be covered by your hospitalisation plan and by then you should have less/no burden of children / parents). So technically you don’t need to leave $$ for anyone.

WL Plan
This usually comes in limited years of payment, e.g. 15/20/25 years. I won’t advise getting unlimited years WL plan as I compared the premium before, I don’t think the differences worth it.

Why I think limited WL plan is good:

- have guaranteed cash value (but the ROI is very low for guaranteed portion)
- covers whole life yet I only need to pay for 25 years or less (strictly speaking you are just paying for future, but then I don’t like the idea that I have worry about so much premium after I retired).

Feel is a stable low risk plan (i won’t say risk free…as the guaranteed amount is only as stable as the company! if the company is gone….your $$ most probably gone too!)

ILP
It have higher expected ROI (but non-guaranteed) than WL Plan and the premium is cheaper when you are young. But many people may not have notice this, the mortality charges ( something like insurance charges) actually increases tremendously after you reach a certain age, e.g. 50).

when you will consider a ILP:

- when you intend to terminate the plan on or before age 65.
- you can take the risk that upon age 65, you might not have that much $$ in return. (If you buy it early, risk is spread across 40 years, so I wouldn’t say you might lose everything. But I prefer to be more prudent in things that are not guaranteed).

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Overall, in general I don’t really like ILP, because personally it feels like a term plan + buying mutual funds. So if I can do this myself, why do I get a ILP and pay lots of commission to the company/finanial planner? If you intend to keep the plan for WL, you can’t withdraw much of the $$ earned because the mortaility charges after age 65 is so high….that if you don’t keep all the money inside to continue the investment, your returns might not be enough to cover it. (for 100k coverage, per month can be 700 plus when you are old (@ abt 70-80 yrs old I think) so your monthly premium of 100-200 is not enough to pay for the charges required!)

So in comparison, I prefer WL Plan / Term plan over ILP. So next how to chose between term plan and WL plan? If you think you do not need coverage after age 65/70, I would think term plan might be better. As for myself, why I think is necessary to cover beyond age 65/70? Because a 100k now is only worth abt 1/3 of its value or even less by the time I reach that age. So I would take the basic 100k coverage beyond age 65/70 as $$ that is good to have for my important person / for my own funeral.

Also, Term plan wise..the claim rate is as low (i think 1%? ) thus meaning that your chances of claiming is low thus very likely your $$ will become nothing. Thats why I like a WL plan cos is almost guaranteed return.

But that doesn’t mean that a Term plan is not good. One would need more coverage before age of 65 in general? Why? For people who are dependent on you, e.g. your parents / kids. In my view, insurance is not so much for yourself, is to take care of those loved ones who are dependent on your and also not to trouble people when you become ill. So during this period when you are still taking care of someone, you might want more coverage but you know you won’t need it beyond age 65, this is when I think term plan is good.

I must emphasize, my view of insurance may not be suitable for everyone, so in my own cases…where I am part of a bread winner at home, I felt to be responsible for my parents, I should get myself covered. Thus I got myself a limited WL plan + term plan. Though I am covered for 200k, I still feel that it is not enough, but thats what my current financial capabilities allows only.

How do I deem enough? Is not by how many years of income I need. Is by how many years I think my parents can live and how much they need. I would think my parents can live for about another 30years, which I hope to give them 1k / month at least, thus i sum that to 12 k x 30 years = 360 k. And all these excluding any loan which we need to pay, which is about 100k. Thus I actually think I should get myself covered for  460k!

But I can guaranteed you, no financial planner will plan like that, just that I am not convinced enough with their way of calculating so I decided to do my own maths

But even till now, I still have some consideration abt Term plans ( well cos I grew up in a traditional family, so though logically i know WL plan is not free…I still find it expensive to spent few hundred/thousands away every year….without any returns/cash value on Term plan with chances of claiming is low….not that I wanna claim anyway!)