I read an article in the newspaper today that put me in my thinking hat. Does more money makes one happier?
I remember my late grandmother stories when I was very young. Every night, I would crawl into my granny's blanket and asked her to tell me stories of her life. Every stories she told has a sense of hardship in it. Some of it were rather sad and frightening. She would tell me how she faced a lot of struggle for her family basic neccessites. Sometimes, her family went without food specially during the Japanese occupancy. In fact her stories during the Japanese occupancy was very interesting, at the same time scary for a 5-year-old. Maybe that's the reason why I like to read crime and horror novels. I also like to read about true-event and history related books. I will tell some of my granny's stories other time.
Nowadays, most of us didn't have to struggle for basic neccessities and life was way better than our fathers and forefathers. All of us are financially better. But are we happier?
Various survey were done to get the answer. Most of the people are satisfied and optimistic. However, there was a 10% or so revealed that they are pessimistic about the future and not content with their lives. This unveil that financial well being doesn't guarantteed happiness.
For most of us, except for the extremely rich, there are too many variebles that prevent the feeling of happiness. Low sense of security top the chart. In most asian countries, the saving rate is high compare to western countries. The lack of social security systems is the major reason for the public's reluctance to spend. The scenario is more prominant among the low and medium income group. The uncertainty regarding employment, income, medical situation, housing, education, politic and war in recent years were the main reasons. People can't be content if they have to fortified with the unexpected.
Ones has to save for rainny days. Unless government can provide a more stable environment, people will continue to save and reluctant to spend.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Friday, February 10, 2006
Never Give Up and Be Rewarded
Today one of my ex-colleague received what was due to him a long time ago. He finally received his 2 years 13th month bonus owing to him by a company. I believe he won after a long battle to get what was rightly due to him. If one has a will, he will always be rewarded. I was there when the cheque was signed yesterday and immediately I informed my ex-colleague. I am very sure he will be celebrating his victory today or over the weekend.
As a matter of fact, he was not the only one facing this problem. Since 2002, the company was in financial difficulties and all employees didn't get their 13th month bonus. Being the patient loads, we swallowed the fact unwillingly and hoping that the owner will keep his promise to pay us the bonus un due time. However, a year past and no news. Came end of 2004 and again, our 13th month bonus was no where to be seen. Besides that, I found out some of our EPF wasn't paid to the KWSP department. It was deducted from our monthly salary, but was never submitted. I filed a complaint to the GM and luckily he was professional enough that he order to get our EPF updated to date.
Coming back to 13th bonus, the company owe quite a few employee 2 months bonus. All has left the company expect myself. Well, I did left the company but I joined back again due to the opportunities the president promised me. I took the job knowing that they still owe me two month bonus. I still keep in touch with most of the previous colleagues who left the company after 2002. In fact, some of us became close friends and hanging out together monthly. All of them said they wanted to take legal action but I have doubt. There is a different between all talk and no action. In the end I knew they are not going to do anything and waiting for someone to initiate it. So when my ex-colleague told me about his hearing, I was very happy for him. He took the initiative and not waiting for the company to take their own sweet time to pay. To tell the truth, I don't believe the company will pay what was due to us without legal action. Unfortunately for me, I can't do anything at the moment because I'm still an employee of the company. I have cons0ulted many people and everyone told me I will be at risk of getting fired if I file a complaint at the labour department. When time comes, I will do it.
Being at a losing end and helpless due to my situation in the company, I promised myself that I will reap the most knowledge and gain from it. In fact, after returning to the company for 6 months, I was already building up my business from the experience I gained. I gained in terms of business, management, industry and work experiences. With that, I used it to my advantages. Team up with couple of friends, we build a business during the 3rd quater of 2005.
We started small because we believe in being prudent. We spend only what we can afford and try to make the most profit in everything we do. The cost was very low because we work from SOHO. In just a month, we managed to get a business contract from oversea. Using freelancers to save cost, we began to build business and customer relationship with our client. In the beginning, the work were fewer, never the less, it was a paid work. After trying us for 2 months, our client has more confident and began to past us more and more work to do. Mind you we are only in our 4th month! The amount of work has gone up over 100% but we maintain the total freelancers. I always believe employees should be an asset with high value. I will only increase staff when everyone is overloaded. I did this not because I want to overwork staff but in the frigile economic since 1997, it is important to create value so one will not be easily dispossed by the company.
Now we have one stable client who gave us more work, we also have a new client. Even though I have to put in a lot of hours daily and all my weekends, I have never been more content. Now's it's like having 2 full time jobs. I work for a company in during the day, clocking in 42 hours a week, After that I work on my business during the nights and weekends, clocking countless hours. All the hardwork my friends and myself put in are bearing fruits. Our second client is giving us full control, which means all work will be coming to us. We are a start-up business and we are constantly trying to improve our business and process. I would like to work together and along-side with clients so we can help each other to meet our goals and objectives.
All that I've learnt my my company, good and bad, I am using it as a reference in my business.
As a matter of fact, he was not the only one facing this problem. Since 2002, the company was in financial difficulties and all employees didn't get their 13th month bonus. Being the patient loads, we swallowed the fact unwillingly and hoping that the owner will keep his promise to pay us the bonus un due time. However, a year past and no news. Came end of 2004 and again, our 13th month bonus was no where to be seen. Besides that, I found out some of our EPF wasn't paid to the KWSP department. It was deducted from our monthly salary, but was never submitted. I filed a complaint to the GM and luckily he was professional enough that he order to get our EPF updated to date.
Coming back to 13th bonus, the company owe quite a few employee 2 months bonus. All has left the company expect myself. Well, I did left the company but I joined back again due to the opportunities the president promised me. I took the job knowing that they still owe me two month bonus. I still keep in touch with most of the previous colleagues who left the company after 2002. In fact, some of us became close friends and hanging out together monthly. All of them said they wanted to take legal action but I have doubt. There is a different between all talk and no action. In the end I knew they are not going to do anything and waiting for someone to initiate it. So when my ex-colleague told me about his hearing, I was very happy for him. He took the initiative and not waiting for the company to take their own sweet time to pay. To tell the truth, I don't believe the company will pay what was due to us without legal action. Unfortunately for me, I can't do anything at the moment because I'm still an employee of the company. I have cons0ulted many people and everyone told me I will be at risk of getting fired if I file a complaint at the labour department. When time comes, I will do it.
Being at a losing end and helpless due to my situation in the company, I promised myself that I will reap the most knowledge and gain from it. In fact, after returning to the company for 6 months, I was already building up my business from the experience I gained. I gained in terms of business, management, industry and work experiences. With that, I used it to my advantages. Team up with couple of friends, we build a business during the 3rd quater of 2005.
We started small because we believe in being prudent. We spend only what we can afford and try to make the most profit in everything we do. The cost was very low because we work from SOHO. In just a month, we managed to get a business contract from oversea. Using freelancers to save cost, we began to build business and customer relationship with our client. In the beginning, the work were fewer, never the less, it was a paid work. After trying us for 2 months, our client has more confident and began to past us more and more work to do. Mind you we are only in our 4th month! The amount of work has gone up over 100% but we maintain the total freelancers. I always believe employees should be an asset with high value. I will only increase staff when everyone is overloaded. I did this not because I want to overwork staff but in the frigile economic since 1997, it is important to create value so one will not be easily dispossed by the company.
Now we have one stable client who gave us more work, we also have a new client. Even though I have to put in a lot of hours daily and all my weekends, I have never been more content. Now's it's like having 2 full time jobs. I work for a company in during the day, clocking in 42 hours a week, After that I work on my business during the nights and weekends, clocking countless hours. All the hardwork my friends and myself put in are bearing fruits. Our second client is giving us full control, which means all work will be coming to us. We are a start-up business and we are constantly trying to improve our business and process. I would like to work together and along-side with clients so we can help each other to meet our goals and objectives.
All that I've learnt my my company, good and bad, I am using it as a reference in my business.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Festive Air
Since the begining of this year the weather has been terribly hot and humid. Blessed with sunny weather, it is beginning to be unbearable. Normally during the chinese New Year festival, it would rains and nice cozy weather all day long. Unfortunately this year it wasn't the same. For the first time in many years, I think for as long as I can remember, it didn't rain a drop during the 3 festive days. It was sunny and humid.
Sunny days should have been delightful for young children and teenagers during the festive season. It won't be a hassle when they go with each other's open house. No need to drive into a car pouch area, no need to run into the house with a shared umbrella, hoping the new clothes would stay dry. Movement is surely more at ease and pleasent too. Everyone will be able to visit more friends and neighbours, specially those who is staying just a stone throw away. It would be a good walking exercise after all the eating and drinking. Friendship is reinforce and strenghten.
For the boys, it means more fireworks! I live in a neighbourhood where most of my neighbours have sons and their favourite past time during Chinese New Year is experiement various types of fire crackers. Big and small, loud and colourful. Some of it, it felt like a boom exploded! It is also the worst time for my pets. Dogs are not used to all this noise and they tend to hide whenever firecrackers sound blasted into the air.
All the time I hear heartbreaking stories from friends about their pets ran away during this time and was never found. Pets tend to run for their life when they feel threathen that they forgot to look where they were going or leave their sense as trail. Every year during chinese new year, my pets in always in my bedroom. No doubt mom hates the ideas but she didn't say much. Mom knows how much I love my pets. They are very obedient too. No running around the bedroom or destroying my stuff. They would all stay quitely under my bed and stay close to each other. Whenever they are in my room, everyone feel calm and more relax. However, all of them knows how much I love them that they will show their 'horns' after the sounds of firecrackers died down. One by one will come out from their hideout and jump onto my bed. Since I never leave my pets along during their fear encounter, they will start licking me and group hugging me. After a while, all will sleep quitely all over the bed while I read. When I am ready to go down, all of them will wake up and follow me down. I always love to see everyone walk up and down the skills. Very delicate and skillful. The best rewards I get for acompany them. They are my angels.
Chinese new year is also the time I get to eat mom specialty food. Dishes that take long time to prepare during normal days, will always appear during Chinese new year. In fact all my favourite dishes are on the table during reunion dinner. Till now I never knew hoe to prepare all those dishes. I sometimes eat the same recipe at friends place or restaurants, but nothing bet moms cooking. Perfect touch to the taste. Chinese new year is coming to an end and soon we will be celebrating Chinese valentine on the 15th day.
Sunny days should have been delightful for young children and teenagers during the festive season. It won't be a hassle when they go with each other's open house. No need to drive into a car pouch area, no need to run into the house with a shared umbrella, hoping the new clothes would stay dry. Movement is surely more at ease and pleasent too. Everyone will be able to visit more friends and neighbours, specially those who is staying just a stone throw away. It would be a good walking exercise after all the eating and drinking. Friendship is reinforce and strenghten.
For the boys, it means more fireworks! I live in a neighbourhood where most of my neighbours have sons and their favourite past time during Chinese New Year is experiement various types of fire crackers. Big and small, loud and colourful. Some of it, it felt like a boom exploded! It is also the worst time for my pets. Dogs are not used to all this noise and they tend to hide whenever firecrackers sound blasted into the air.
All the time I hear heartbreaking stories from friends about their pets ran away during this time and was never found. Pets tend to run for their life when they feel threathen that they forgot to look where they were going or leave their sense as trail. Every year during chinese new year, my pets in always in my bedroom. No doubt mom hates the ideas but she didn't say much. Mom knows how much I love my pets. They are very obedient too. No running around the bedroom or destroying my stuff. They would all stay quitely under my bed and stay close to each other. Whenever they are in my room, everyone feel calm and more relax. However, all of them knows how much I love them that they will show their 'horns' after the sounds of firecrackers died down. One by one will come out from their hideout and jump onto my bed. Since I never leave my pets along during their fear encounter, they will start licking me and group hugging me. After a while, all will sleep quitely all over the bed while I read. When I am ready to go down, all of them will wake up and follow me down. I always love to see everyone walk up and down the skills. Very delicate and skillful. The best rewards I get for acompany them. They are my angels.
Chinese new year is also the time I get to eat mom specialty food. Dishes that take long time to prepare during normal days, will always appear during Chinese new year. In fact all my favourite dishes are on the table during reunion dinner. Till now I never knew hoe to prepare all those dishes. I sometimes eat the same recipe at friends place or restaurants, but nothing bet moms cooking. Perfect touch to the taste. Chinese new year is coming to an end and soon we will be celebrating Chinese valentine on the 15th day.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Tribute to Sheena
Recently various media is starting to take notice about animal rights and are fighting for our four-legged friends. In newspapers, TV and radio, many have take part in the Tribute to Sheena, who suffered an inhuman abuse from its 'family' and gave up in its battle to survive. The abuser was only fine RM100 for abusing and taking a live.
At the moment, SPCA Malaysia is collecting petitions from the mass to the Prime Minister. SPCA wants to raise the cruelty fine from RM200 to a significantly higher fine of around RM10,000.00. In order to do that, SPCA needs to collect at least 100,000 signatures from the public locally or internationally. Currently after the first phase, they only managed to collect 20,000 signed petitions. An insufficient number to change the live of Man's Best Friend.
I hope more people from all folks of life will drop by SPCA Malaysia site and take a minute of their time to sign the petition. This would greatly help our feline and canine friends to have a better protection from cruelty.
Have a heart.
At the moment, SPCA Malaysia is collecting petitions from the mass to the Prime Minister. SPCA wants to raise the cruelty fine from RM200 to a significantly higher fine of around RM10,000.00. In order to do that, SPCA needs to collect at least 100,000 signatures from the public locally or internationally. Currently after the first phase, they only managed to collect 20,000 signed petitions. An insufficient number to change the live of Man's Best Friend.
I hope more people from all folks of life will drop by SPCA Malaysia site and take a minute of their time to sign the petition. This would greatly help our feline and canine friends to have a better protection from cruelty.
Have a heart.
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