Category Archives: Business & Being Creative

Business & Being Creative, Simplify

Long Emails

Mom and I are good in keeping up with each other. Thanks to technology and the internet, we have successfully maintained close contact throughout the decades, despite the distance.

Lately, I have noticed that text messages via Signal tend to get overlooked and neglected, whereas our weekly chats are often filled with many distractions.

So in order to get my messages and information across to my busy and sometimes distracted mom, I have resorted to typing long emails when necessary. So far so good, I think. 😉

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Business & Being Creative, Malaysia

E-Connect

My parents are now registered onto an online platform, which will allow for remote management of their life insurance policies. Technology. Advancement. More work for the customer, and a definite reduction of human interactions and services. This is the future of things and no one can escape from it…

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Business & Being Creative, Numbers

The Thing About Inflation

I am not buying into the inflation panic that has been going on for months. Most of us are not really affected by it in the short run. Higher food price – consume less. Higher utility bills – use less. New clothes cost too much – wear that outfit which you have only worn twice since you bought it, buy second hand. The majority of us in this part of the world are very wasteful and mostly overweight. Maybe it is time to cut down on our mindless consumptions?

I am also not convinced of the idea of putting most of your earnings in the stock markets, properties or cryptos. What is wrong with traditional (old fashion) financial tools? Without the proper know-how, investing is actually gambling, whereas owning multiple properties comes with a long list of headaches…

On the other hand, strategically placing and diversifying a sum in reliable and insured savings products is like owning an invisible property and receiving rental income from an invisible renter. The best part is, there is no unwanted maintenance costs, no unforeseen people issues, no lame-ass taxes, and high liquidity.

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Business & Being Creative, Food & Drinks, Jibber Jabber

Ice Tea

D and I normally do bulk grocery shopping in the beginning of the month. But today is an exception because we are out of ice tea! I will just push the accounting of our household food budget to February. No biggie…

While out, we took a little detour to the bank, so that I may test out my new debit card. And, it works. 🙂

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Business & Being Creative, Malaysia

In Order…

How does one take care of matters that is across oceans and continents? How does one make sure things are in order in a different time zone and will remain so?

For me, the best way is to dedicate a few hours a week to look into these matters. Keep the communication lines open with trusted contacts in the other time zones.

One step at a time, one thing at a time. Before you know it, a property is sold, your life insurance is paid, the money is transferred, your dormant post box revived, and so on and so forth.

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Business & Being Creative, Flashbacks, Numbers, Travels

Fifty Two

My bank in Malaysia has a product called Golden Savers Savings Account. The advertisement goes: Embrace your later years with confidence. Created for senior citizens, retirees and early retirement. For individuals aged 50 and above only.

In Malaysia, I am in the same category as senior citizens. Well, I guess when retirement age is 55 and most of the population do not get to see their 60s, people in their 50s are considered old.

Then there is the US, where the gap between rich and poor is so drastic it is beyond words. The current taxation system tends to sabotage the economy rather than helping it. If things do not change, most working Americans today will probably not get to enjoy their social security when they retire. In this case, they are in the same boat as I. I have a build up of thousands of dollars which I probably do not have the right to receive when I reach the US retirement age of 65. Knowing this however, does not make me regret leaving and crossing the ocean…

My experiences and encounters of living in three countries in the past five decades, allow me to have very different opinions regarding education, work, life, identity, retirement, health, death and what really counts as a good life.

What makes us happy is answered by an article I read not too long ago. But that is another story. Another blog post for another time. 😉

Time to try out the moelleux.

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Business & Being Creative

Celebratory Dinners & Jumbo

This afternoon, D and I went to a restaurant of our choice to place an order for four takeaway Christmas Eve’s dinners.

With that done, we proceeded to a Jumbo grocery store. We have never been to one and our objective was to purchase a specific brand of sauces that we were not able to find anywhere else.

But who were we kidding… D and I are both notorious for finding interesting items and prompting each other with ‘why nots’?!

After we found the sauce we intended to buy, it really did not take long before the cart was filled with a variety of beers and bags of white label snacks. Before heading to the check out counter, we added some (guilt reducing) vegetables to improve the nutritional value of our grocery. Ha!

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