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January 2020
+ Do you still remember what it was like 5 years ago? January 2020?
+ I was still operating my tourism business in January 2020. Bookings coming in, driving the 14/25 seater buses while resolving a conflict with my business partner.
+ Being a non-confrontational person, it was very hard emotionally for me to look at the phone messages or attend the mediation meetings.
+ Family and friends got dragged along. Looking back, it was mostly trying to garner support, to get people saying “you are on the right side”.
+ At times it feels like war – you wake up trying to get the business running while putting out the fire from within.
+ I turned to books for my emotional outlet. Trying to make sense of things and looking for what did I do wrong.
+ “Profit First” & “Pumpkin Plan” by Mike Michalowicz taught me the unconventional way to run a business but made sense.
+ “Founders Dilemma” by Noam Wasserman taught me the basics of setting up a business. Not the usual boring ones (registrations etc) but the what and why. Easy to read and digest. Hard to implement if you are emotional.
+ I thank God for this tough period – it helped me grow and learn.
+ “Verily, with every difficulty there is relief”
Until then, stay hungry, stay sane.
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Re-writing again in 2026
+ If there was one thing in 2025 that I spent but did not make full use of, would be me paying the relevant subscriptions to keep this blog active.
+ My last blog post was on 19 Feb 2025. I realised this hours ago when I logged into WordPress and looked at the stats.
+ My mind raced back to that period and a sudden wave of emotions filled me up.
+ My beloved mother, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in Nov 2023, passed away in early Mac 25.
+ The automated emails from WordPress keeps coming regularly; to remind me to write something on my blog.
+ Then came more automated mails with the yearly bill – one for the domain and one for the WordPress service. I just let it be on auto-deduct; too lazy to write anything, too lazy to check the amount to be deducted. I was neither here nor there.
+ This “lazy” is not actually lazy; but just me, grieving deep down in my own way.
+ Days turn to weeks. Weeks then turn to months. If I waited just long enough I could say that it turned to years.
+ In keeping up with the spirit of coming into a new year (new year, new me innit?), I decided to pick up writing again.
+ I pray that this could be a consistent brain exercise. I can always stopped whenever I like, don’t I? The past 11 months have provide it so.
Until then, stay hungry, stay sane.
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The Housemaid – a simple, mixed review
Call them boring , but libraries are actually a fun place to be in.
Definitely did not have this sentiment in my university days. I only went to the Uni library once during my 4 years there, and even that was during the orientation week. I had a preconceived idea that because I was taking a course in IT, the materials in the library would be outdated. Don’t ask me how I came to this concIusion; at that age you just feel that you are always right and the world is against you.
I did try to join a study group at the library, but I kept feeling hungry and not 10 minutes into the session and I was already thinking of heading to the cafeteria.
Its only when we moved to Perth and start taking our kids to the library for their story telling session did I start to have a different view.
On the review now (no spoilers ahead, don’t worry).
I picked up “The Housemaid” from my local library last Friday and managed to finish it in less than a week (a record for me). I reckon i took me about 4-5 sittings.
Have never read Freida’s works before, so did not know what to expect.
It was an easy read – no fancy words, chapters are short and easy to digest. “Plot twists” was written on the book cover, so my mind was on full alert every time I read about a character.
Is this the actual bad guy – or are we only scratching the surface?
Things are not always what they seem to be.
Are all rich people this crazy? Like batshit crazy?My “mind-blowing” moment came nearly half of the book when the presumed antagonist character starts telling her side of the story. Now we are talking.
As some of the reviews on the book says it has some plot twists – definitely true especially towards the end of the pages.
Other review
There are other books in the series (The Housemaid’s Secret/Watching/Wedding) – looking forward to reading them as I like the simplicity.So I head to Goodreads to see what others are talking about the book. 4.31 stars was given at the time of writing.
As usual in this day and age, the comments section are not to be missed. I implore you to explore it as well – I find it fun and amusing.
Until then, stay hungry and stay safe.
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New found respect – airline crew
Something happened these past year or two and it changed the way I look at and perceived things in life.
For example; I used to dream of a jet setting lifestyle. Things you see in the movies or advertisements, like walking happily with luggage and kids at the airport, or enjoying meals before your flight, or a comfortable, reclining seats in the aeroplane.
Fast forward years later and added with a touch of reality, I found that the stress and calory burning of traveling with kids and luggage is maybe equivalent of a good workout session on the treadmill.
That the meals before your flight is actually lounge access, and its not cheap if you are not a frequent flyer or a lounge member.
That the reclining seats are available but would easily costs 5 times your normal, economy flight. Throw in additional tickets for your family and it all seems so out of reach 😀
Late 2024 I was doing airport transfer services for airline crews – shuttling them between airport and the hotel. During these trips I developed a new found respect for these busy bees.
Behind the pretty makeup, starch iron suit and nice perfume; it is HARD to be an airline crew.
Say I pick them up at 430am – they definitely have to be up and ready at least an hour before that. Shower, put the make-up on; you are expected to look good and smell good. At the airport after passing the security, then the actual work begins. You have to get the plane ready and with a wide smile welcome people onboard.You have to tell people to adhere to the usual regulations – seatbelts and all. While people are resting, you have to serve them meals or sell items onboard. You are pretty much on your feet most of the time. If the flight goes without any hiccups, then you are fine.
Come turbulence, or disgruntled passengers, or intoxicated , or the entitled ones; you really have to put a professional face and explain like you would do to a kindergarten kid , all while keeping a friendly face.
With this in mind, I put my hat down and say this :
“Buckle up and enjoy your flight”
Stay hungry, stay safe.
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DNF – movie
Once, I was on the “one-book-a month” path. I’ll scroll through Instagram and keep bumping to the posts that says “10 books you should read before you die”.
So I scoured Amazon/Kindle for these interesting books to read. If I am feeling a pinch in my wallet, I’ll head to my local library to check their availability.
Eventually I came up with a category – DNF (did not finish). I learnt later that it is ok, normal even to not finish a book if it doesn’t suit your reading style. No shame in it.
This year (2025) I have expanded this DNF category to my online viewing.
I scrolled through Prime Video and watched a few old movies; especially those tagged with “Leaving Prime soon”.
I watched ‘Me Before You’ which was not that bad (my lady colleagues were surprised I watched it). Maybe I looked like the “tough, buffed bloke who only watch gritty, gory movies? (:D) Emilia Clarke’s colourful fashion style and her childish, goofy laugh would be the thing I enjoyed most. I was asked whether I cried in any of the scene; fortunately I didn’t.
Then I rewatched Dexter – the original one that got me glued to the laptop screen back then. The opening theme song brings back memories.
And then, I started watching ‘Anyone But You’. oooohhh – emmmm – jeeeeee!
OMG!!!!I thought Sydney Sweeney cuteness would be the glue that kept me to the screen. Not the case. I kept pausing and coming back to the movie, hoping that it would get better…but it just doesn’t. I have watched 32 mins, and about 71 minutes left from the movie. Definitely not sparing my time for the rest of the movie, maybe on a 3x speed 😀
Sorry Sydney – anything but this movie of yours.
Until then, stay hungry, stay safe.
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Counting My Blessings – Dec 24
I came back to Perth last Sunday morning after spending nearly 3 weeks in Malaysia. (11 days of unpaid leave should do the trick:D)
Right now I am sitting in my living room; dressed in my kain pelikat (sarong) and tshirt; basking the warmth of today’s summer (38C) without fan or AC.
Either I’m too lazy to reach for the remote controller, or I just feel like I should embrace the weather, just like how the people back then did.
One thing for sure is – a glass of cold water would taste wayyy better now.
A few hours to go and we will step into the new year 2025 – how time flies.
I would like to thank all the people who contributed to our journey this year.
Whether you helped send/pickup/look after our kids when we can’t make it; or treat us food/companionship/laughter during our Malaysia trip, or those who helped looked after my ailing mother, or contributed to my business idea, or those who were patient with my antics, be it good or bad, I cherished them as blessings. Or I take them as lessons.
May Allah reward you more for your kindness, your thoughtfulness, your generosity.
Happy New Year 2025!
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Counting My Blessings – Oct 2024
This is my usual scenario as I got home this – I open the dilapidated flyscreen (not sure why it was there – Lisa, our neighbour said it looks like someone took it of somewhere and put it there. A nicer way of saying “It’s hideous!)
Next I’ll open the door, give Salaam and the youngest one would come and give me a bear hug; a baby bear hug as he’s only my tummy level.I’ll drop my stuffs at the kitchen table or anywhere it should be; head to room, swap to my track pants and shirt. All the work clothes goes to the laundry bag. I love doing this as it gives the mental cue that “work is gone…kapish. Now I am at my favourite place with my favourite people”.
I’ll sit at the kitchen table, watching the little one play games or watch some Skibbidi Toilet on YouTube, occasionally getting him to swap channel if it looks too silly.
Then comes the eldest, sharing what has happened at school or why he didn’t do well in his test/exam. All while omitting he spends more time on social media instead of studying.
Nice try, buddy.Then comes the middle child, who wants to tell her story at school as well but usually ends up annoying me as she tends to laugh non-stop before she could start, let alone finish her story. Once she stops laughing her usual sentence would start with “OMG Ba, my friend so and so got into trouble today…yadayada”
Occasionally I’ll get home before my wife. She could have arrived earlier but stopped to do groceries (I am practically useless in this department – wife usually sends a screenshot of the vegetable I need to get – and that’s only one!) Wife would then quietly proceed to do her magic in the kitchen. Once in a while I fell into a quick nap, only to be woken up to the smell of the beautiful dinner.
What about me, you might ask. What do you do to/with these beautiful souls to make them enjoy seeing your face day in day out? (Could not find another word to substitute “enjoy”).
I honestly have no idea. But I do know that these are huge blessings (nikmat) that Allah has bestowed upon me. I am always reminded by a preacher’s saying, that sometimes the blessings we received was due to the generosity of others, or because a someone made du’a for me without my knowledge.
Alhamdulillah – may Allah reward them tenfold for their good deeds.
Until then, stay hungry, stay safe.
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Receiving payments as a small business in Australia (via MYOB)
This is the second method we tried last month. Check out this link if you are looking for Paypal.
The past month we have had the opportunity to try out 2 methods of payment; Paypal and MYOB. The client was coming to Australia from overseas and we needed a way to invoice them and also receive payment in a quick and safe manner.
Invoicing through MYOB
With MYOB, as it is a fully fledge accounting software, you have more items to customised compared to Paypal. You can even add BPAY or Paypal to your clients.
MYOB charges are lower (1.8% + 25cents transaction fee) compared to Paypal (3%). You can opt to absorb the surcharge or pass it to the clients. (However, seller cannot pass the surcharge to client who makes payment through BPAY.)We tried absorbing the surcharge a couple of times for good friends – a $50 charge comes back as $48.85 and a $70 charge came back as $68.49. More details here at MYOB page.
It took at least 2 days for the transactions to appear on MYOB and the bank account. A bit slow but it kind of compensate for the low fee.Reminder
You need to register to have this option in your invoice; it it not an automatic option. It took us approximately 26 hours from applying to approval.Likes
1. Option to pass the transaction fee to client.
2. More option for client to pay besides Visa & Mastercard (+BPAY, Paypal, American Express, Google Pay, Apple Pay)Dislikes
1. Days to get the money into your bank account.
2. Need to subscribe to MYOB.Verdict
We prefer this method over Paypal. More options for the clients to pay.
The fact that it is also under the same accounting software makes it easier to manage and trace.Until then, stay hungry, stay safe.
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Receiving payments as a small business in Australia (via Paypal)
The past month we have had the opportunity to try out 2 methods of payment; Paypal and MYOB. The client was coming to Australia from overseas and we needed a way to invoice them and also receive payment in a quick and safe manner.
Invoicing through Paypal
We have had a business account with Paypal for years and this is our first time using the invoice feature.
As you can see, Paypal charges 3% on receiving the payment. Once the client makes the payment, you could see it instantaneously on your Paypal account, minus the fee.
You can then either use this account to make payment/purchases online. Or in our case, we opted to transfer it to our Australian bank account. The free option would take 2-3 business days, while the express option costs 1% (anywhere between 25 cents to $10).
Likes
1. User friendly interface – easy to create an invoice and customise the details.
2. Receive payment in real time.Dislikes
1. No option to pass the transaction fee to client.
Paypal (or at least their rep) believes that the fees should be absorbed by the business. You can see the response here.
2. Days to get the money into your bank account.Verdict
Although pricey, we would use Paypal again due to the ease in creating an invoice and how quickly the money goes to your account.Until then, stay hungry, stay safe.
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Be selective, be at peace
One of the “perks” at my current job is that they are subscribed to the local newspapers. I know it doesn’t sound much, but news are – as with most of the other things nowadays, “at the tip of our fingers”. The simple act of flipping through the newspaper while sipping a hot coffee is quite relaxing.
Any avid reader will tell you that it is a different feeling, reading from a paper material versus from your electronic device. As you turn the pages, your fingers running through the paper, the smell of ink, flipping pages after pages.
The main issue I have with the local newspapers in Australia, is how biased they are in their unwavering supporting Israel. Nearly all the contributing editors/writers will support the on-going 75 years genocide, under the pretext of “self-defense” – even when the ones mostly dying are Palestinian women and children in thousands. (Currently Israel has started to start attack its neighbours, Lebanon and also targeted victims in Iran).
But I still enjoy reading articles about the on-goings in the world.
Just this morning I read about the microfinance scheme in Bangladesh; or the husband -wife falling out of a Chinese property giant in Sydney (Aqualand), or about Richard Osman coming out with a new series We Solve Murders (take a break Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron & Ibrahim).
I occasionally enjoy doing the word puzzles. I definitely love looking at the fancy magazine inserts that shows watches more expensive than my yearly salary ($80k watch anyone?) or unique places to visit (icy cold places does not really entice me much). So how do I balance it?
Easy – as much as possible I just skip the articles. It is hard…very hard. Eventually you start to recognize the editors and your eyes would skip the headline, saving me headaches and annoying feeling in my system. As with other things in life, it takes practice.
Until then, stay hungry, stay safe.
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