- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Laksa.



Alexandra bus stop.



Old Chang Kee.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

If I had my child to raise again

If I had my child to raise over again
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.

I'd finger paint more and point fingers less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.

I'd take my eyes off my watch,
and watch with my eyes.

I would care to know less and know to care more
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.

I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields
and gaze at more stars.

I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I'd see the oak tree in the acorn more often.

I would be firm less often
and affirm much more.

I'd model less about the love of power,
And more about the power of love.

Diane Looman "Full esteem ahead"

He completed this in minutes.

I wish everyday is a good day.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/7/14/business/11651578&sec=business

Leaders always execute and get things done

Science of Building Leaders
By ROSHAN THIRAN

THESE past weeks, I interacted with various Malaysian corporate leaders and observed a common thread among them they always achieved their goals, regardless of circumstance.

For example, Suhaimi Sulong, current HR leader at Proton, shared with me a personal story when he was a young sales person at IBM. He had a meeting with a potential client at the airport and was close to nailing the sale. Unfortunately, the client's flight to Japan was boarding but he had yet closed the deal. Suhaimi did not want to lose that sale. So, got a ticket to Japan, sat next to his potential client on the flight and convinced him to sign the deal. He took the next flight back with the closed sale in hand.

A man wipes the logo of the Dell IT firm at the CeBIT exhibition centre in Hannover. Dell’s business model and strategy is public property yet few have been able to replicate its success. The reason is no company is able to copy the manner in which Dell executes its plans. — Reuters

Mission accomplished

Datuk Lee Choong Yan, President of Genting, shared stories of numerous occasions early in his career, where he had to work hard and execute. His ability to execute was the determining factor on his performance and success. It sounds so easy, but the ability to get things done, is one of the most treasured acts in business.

Just like many of you, I battle distraction and am overwhelmed by numerous tasks and opportunities daily. There is always a torrent of attention-grabbing things tempering my curiosity. A rib-tickling YouTube video, a thought-provoking article, 500 emails a day and never-ending meetings. There is never enough time to do “real work”.

This battle for execution is one that I wage daily. And it never ends. Yet, it is this battle that needs to be won. Great leaders not only triumph over distractions, they succeed and get real work done. They understand that the art of getting things done.

A study from Fortune reveals that 70% of CEOs failure is the result of CEOs not taking action. What actions did these CEOs fail to take? By not getting things done, by being indecisive, by not delivering on commitments and by bad execution.

Charles Schwab rose from laborer to the executive ranks through his ability to execute. “Schwab was not an originator, he was a builder”, commented his boss Andrew Carnegie. Schwab once told a story of a highly talent mill manager who worked for him who just could not get his mill to produce fully. The manager tried everything he could but failed.

Schwab went over at the end of the day, took a piece of chalk and asked the day supervisor “How many heats has your shift made today?” The supervisor answered “Six”. He chalked a big “6” on the floor, and then passed along without another word. When the night shift came in they saw the “6” and asked about it.

“The big boss was in here today,” said the day men. “He asked us how many heats we had made, and we told him six. He chalked it down.”

The next morning Schwab passed through the same mill and saw that the “6” had been rubbed out and a big “7” written instead. The night shift had surpassed the day shift. That night he went back and the “7” had been erased, and a “10” paraded itself. He had somehow created a competition among the night and day shift without a single word. This went on for months until the mill, formerly the poorest mill, became the highest performing plant of all. He somehow managed to get it done.

The best leaders, like Schwab, know how to ensure work gets done. So, do great companies. In the 80s and 90s, Toyota produced better results than General Motors (GM) because it executed better.

Execution is critical

The number one enemy of any strategy is poor execution. Dell's business model and strategy is public property yet few have been able to replicate it. The reason, according to Michael Dell, founder of Dell, on why his “direct business model” continues to work, is because “we execute it. It's all about execution.” Southwest Airlines has been profitable every year for the past 30 years. Its' strategy is known, yet like Dell, no company has successfully copied its execution. Walmart won for years through the power of its ruthless execution, becoming the world's largest store.

Banking is great example of execution determining success. Most retail banks have strategies that are practically indistinguishable. Their strategies generally revolve around targeting and engaging the same customers, having world-class service and relationship management, innovative product development, and risk management. Yet, there are winners and losers in banking. The winners: Banks that distinguish themselves by the quality of their execution.

The windows of opportunities open and shut much quicker than ever before. Customers today expect everything from service to resolving their problems instantly. Delay is not acceptable, is costly and can destroy businesses. The best leaders never procrastinate. They possess an innate drive that values speed and action to complete a task.

Ideas are critical. Businesses get created through the development of innovative products that aid people, resolve problems, create value and are scalable. Yet, there will always be more good ideas than the capacity to execute them. Yet this capacity to execute will determine if a good idea ends up as a product in the market or dies an unlived life.

Having an idea is meaningless unless someone steps in and does some work. That separates an idea from an actual innovation. But taking action is pretty tough. It requires decisions to happen, products to be made, politics to be navigated through and budgets to fought for. It all boils down to execution.

Years ago, HP hired Carly Fiorina, as CEO to take the company forward with new innovative ideas and a bold new direction. She set in place the greatest merger in history and planned to have innovative new products from this merger. Seven years later, the merger failed and she was fired. New CEO Mark Hurd came in and pulled a great turnaround through ruthless execution and no-nonsense discipline. He cut expenses, improved efficiencies and put the right people into key roles, driving operating results in the process.

Learn to execute

Mark Douglas, an expert trader said, “The proper execution of your trades is one of the most fundamental components of becoming a successful trader and probably the most difficult to learn. Most traders find it is much easier to identify an opportunity, than it is to act upon it.” The same applies to all fields. Making opportunities a reality requires discipline and focus.

The key problem is habitual. Taking action is painful and forces us to do stuff, requiring discipline. Most of us hate discipline as prefer to remain in our comfort zones.

The trick is to start at the beginning stage of a task. Starting is very hard so start immediately. Start working on your to-do list the moment you wake up and don't procrastinate. Once you get one task done, even if it is a seemingly insignificant task, adds momentum to your day. This is first lesson on getting things done: Don't wait for a perfect opportunity. Just Do It Now.

Everyone can learn execution. There is no secret ingredient. It's all about hard work and discipline, but it can be mastered. Here are my top 10 ways on how to master getting things done:

1. Win the early morning battle daily. Resist the temptation to get sucked into checking email or wasting time in meaningless work. A quick win in the morning sets the right tone for determining how the rest of the day plays out.

2. Make a list of the tasks you need to accomplish. Assign realistic priorities to each task (due today, tomorrow, next Friday etc). Work on your MITs (most important tasks).

3. Work on small portions of each task daily. Don't wait till its near due date to complete the task. When you hit a wall, stop working on the task and work on another task. Don't watch TV or go on Facebook. Keep working on another task instead.

4. Eat the Cockroach: Do your most unpleasant task first. If the first thing you do in the morning is “eat a cockroach”, the day can only get better from then on.

5. Work in intervals and then take a break by rewarding yourself with a chocolate (or a healthier snack!) and then return to finish another portion of work. Make sure you decide upfront on your intervals to work and your timing for the break and stick to that decision.

6. During your break, reassess where you are and see if there is a new perspective you can bring to the work for the next interval.

7. Always keep track of your progress. Cross things off the list as they are completed. It will give you a good sense of achievement and motivate you to complete all other tasks.

8. Be Clear About your end goal. Reassess your execution list daily. Rewrite and reprioritise as needed. The clearer the end goal is, the easier it is to get moving. Always ask yourself “What needs to be done next to move this project forward?”

9. Leverage technology to complete tasks more quickly, efficiently or accurately. There is always a shorter and better way to get things done. Look for the fastest option which will give you the best results.

10. Be passionate about your work. Passion brings energy. If you don't actually care about what you're doing, it's very unlikely you will not do it.

Final thoughts

I love the African tale about the importance of running and getting things done: “Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up and knows it must run faster than the fastest lion, or it will be killed and eaten. Also in Africa a lion wakes up and knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle, or it will starve to death. It does not matter if you are a lion or a gazelle, when the sun comes up, you better start running.”

This same tale applies to us as individuals and as businesses. If we want to succeed, planning which shoe to wear for the run may be important, but never as important as the running itself. That is what great leaders do. They just get things done. As Nike would say, they “just do it”. Are you getting things done?

Roshan Thiran is CEO of Leaderonomics, a social enterprise passionate about transforming the nation through leadership development. He believes that everyone needs to learn to execute better and has devised programmes to ensure it is a skill that is mastered by all. For more information on Leaderonomics programmes, email people@leaderonomics.com or login to www.leaderonomics.com

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

http://www.parenthood.com/article-topics/perspective_on_motherhood_the_invisible_woman.html/page/1

By Nicole Johnson

It started to happen gradually …

One day I was walking my son Jake to school. I was holding his hand and we were about to cross the street when the crossing guard said to him, "Who is that with you, young fella?"

"Nobody," he shrugged.

Nobody? The crossing guard and I laughed. My son is only 5, but as we crossed the street I thought, "Oh my goodness, nobody?"

would walk into a room and no one would notice. I would say something to my family - like "Turn the TV down, please" - and nothing would happen. Nobody would get up, or even make a move for the remote. I would stand there for a minute, and then I would say again, a little louder, "Would someone turn the TV down?" Nothing.

Just the other night my husband and I were out at a party. We'd been there for about three hours and I was ready to leave. I noticed he was talking to a friend from work. So I walked over, and when there was a break in the conversation, I whispered, "I'm ready to go when you are." He just kept right on talking.

That's when I started to put all the pieces together. I don't think he can see me. I don't think anyone can see me.

I'm invisible.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.

She's going … she's going … she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:

• These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
• They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
• The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."

And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

http://kclau.com/wealth-management/money-raising-3-kids/

After reading the article above, I was curious to find out how much my kids cost. WOW...it's indeed an eye opening finding.

Per month for Joshua:
Babysitter : RM750
Milk + solid : RM500 *
Diaper : RM100 **

Per month for Lucas:
Babysitter : RM500
Pre-school : RM400

* Estimation
RM123 per 1.5kg
1 scoop = 4.5g = RM0.37
8oz x 5 feed average = 40 scoops per day = RM14.70
RM14.70 x 30 days = RM441

** Estimation
RM50 for 56 pieces, RM0.90 per piece.
4 pieces a day = RM3.60
RM3.60 x 30 days = RM108

WOW... RM2250 for the 2 little fella excluding tens of other thing like food for Lucas, injections, medical, clothes, supplements ( expensive! ), enrichment classes, etc.

WOW ...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm waiting for the day to come when they can play together with each other. :)



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Lately, Lucas wears his shoes like this everyday. Izzit something in lately?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mommy, is this your new panties?



Hahaha... So short meh??

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

How I wish I've the $$$ to play this game.

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2012/3/21/north/10956929&sec=North
THE cost of buying a pre-World War II shophouse in George Town, Penang, has reached RM2,000 per square foot — equivalent to the price of the poshest Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) condominium units.

An entrepreneur, who declined to be identified, has just paid RM4mil for a 2,000sq ft shophouse along Lebuh Pantai (Beach Street) in order to continue an existing business located on the premises which she had been renting.

Before 2008 — the year George Town was jointly listed with Malacca as Unesco World Heritage Sites — pre-war shophouses in Penang were generally going for about RM200,000 to RM800,000 depending on size and location.

In 2009, an unrestored shophouse of 10ft by 36ft in Lorong Chulia only cost RM150,000, but the asking price has since jumped to over RM300,000 of late.

Now, the asking price of even the smallest shophouse that spans only 11ft by 30ft in Lorong Toh Aka is already RM600,000.

Nearby, in Lorong Carnarvon, one unit of 17ft by 100ft has been sold for RM1.2mil, while Lebuh Amernian shophouses can fetch RM3mil each.

Old is gold: Located within the heritage zone, the centre shophouse (painted in yellow and white) in Lorong Carnarvon was sold for RM1.2mil while the derelict unit on the left sold for about RM700,000.

Heritage value

Contrary to the popular notion that foreigners and investors from Kuala Lumpur are pushing up prices of Penang heritage property, recent transactions show that Penang investors are the ones who are buying in a substantial way.

This is particularly true among those who have lived abroad and recognise the heritage value.

According to informed sources, one businessman from Bukit Mertajam recently snapped up RM20mil worth of pre-war property, including shophouses, in one day.

Even derelict property is now seeing interest. The defunct Nam Wah Hotel & Bar, located at a prime location in Lebuh Chulia, was sold for RM7mil last year. The property comprises double-shophouse units with a land area of 14,000sq ft.

Sold: The Nam Wah Hotel property on Lebuh Chulia was sold for RM7mil recently.

Such shophouse properties are often turned into “heritage” hotels, charging an average of RM300 to RM400 per room per night.

Local entrepreneur Seah Kok Heng, 42, says he spent RM3mil in 2008 to acquire three derelict, triple-storey shophouses located at Rope Walk or Jalan Pintal Tali.

Then, he spent another RM10mil to restore and transform the adjoining units into the Chinese-themed 1881 Chong Tian Hotel, where certain suites sell for over RM2,000 a night.

Vintage luxury: Certain suites of the Chinese-themed 1881 Chong Tian Hotel cost over RM2,000 a night.

Probably the best-known heritage projects are by Penang-born businessman Christopher Ong, who has lived in Australia, as well as in Sri Lanka, where he once operated an award-winning hotel.

Together with business partners, he now owns and operates Muntri Mews, a nine-room hotel, which was formerly a stable on Lebuh Muntri.

This street has some of the finest Straits Eclectic shophouse facades in George Town.

Ong, who is in his late 40s, is currently working on similar projects on Lorong Stewart and Lebuh Noordin, among other sites in George Town.

He also used to own a colonial-era double-storey detached house built located on Jalan Clove Hall.

It was recently sold for close to RM8mil to Penang-born Jim Lim Teik Wah.

Having lived in the UK for 40 years, Lim has returned to settle in George Town together with his English wife, Jo.

Another row of nine shophouses in Jalan Ariffin, just off Jalan Transfer, has been bought by a local lawyer for an undisclosed sum.

The units are being restored for another hotel project by the owner.

The Penaga Hotel project — which occupies Jalan Transfer, Jalan Hutton, and Lebuh Clarke — is another well-known development owned by veteran architect Hijjas Kasturi and his wife Angela, who reportedly spent RM50mil on it.

Obviously, such properties have also been bought by investors from Kuala Lumpur and from overseas.

Bought for RM2mil in 2008, Campbell House in Jalan Campbell is a 10-room hotel owned by Malaysian-born Nadya Wray and her Italian husband, Roberto Dreon.

Stand tall: Bought for RM2mil in 2008, Campbell House in Jalan Campbell is a 10-room hotel owned by Malaysia-born Nadya Wray and her Italian husband, Roberto Dreon.

Nadya’s mother’s great-granduncle was Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s first Prime Minister.

No. 23 Love Lane is another multi-million ringgit restoration project owned and funded by the art-loving wife of a former Cabinet Minister from KL, who declined to be named.

Nibong Tebal

While such buyers are tight-lipped, especially over the total costs of their acquisitions, lumber yard entrepreneur Gooi Kok Wah, 43, has no qualms about revealing the reasons for acquiring such properties.

The Nibong Tebal-based businessman has been eyeing and buying such shophouses since 2008, after the Unesco World Heritage Site listing.

Apparently, that declaration fuelled the interest of astute locals as well as “outsiders” including Swiss, French, Australian and Singaporean investors.

“Current prices for such properties in prime areas like Beach Street can command RM2,000 per square foot, and RM1,000 per square foot and above, for touristy areas such as Chulia Street, Love Lane, Muntri Street, Stewart Lane and certain heritage core zone sections.

“And even in less known areas like Prangin Lane, the asking price is at least RM400 per square foot,” explains Gooi, a former accountant.

To-date, Gooi has bought six pre-war shophouse properties.

His latest RM2mil purchase was for a two-storey shophouse at Lebuh Kimberley that spans 20ft by 200ft, with a built-up space of 6,000sq ft.

Heritage zone

He points out that George Town World Heritage Incorporated — an organisation under the State Government —listed only 3,800 units of pre-war shophouses in the heritage core and buffer zones on the island.

The core zone covers an irregular-shaped area of 109 hectares on the north-east section of the island city.

It is bounded by the sea on side and cocooned by the heritage buffer zone on the other side. The buffer zone covers 150 hectares.

The core zone is roughly hemmed by Pengkalan Weld, Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah, Lebuh Light, Lebuh Farquhar, Lorong Love, Lebuh Carnarvon, Lorong Carnarvon, Lebuh Melayu and Gat Lebuh Melayu.

And the buffer zone extends to part of the sea in front of Weld Quay and bounded by Jalan Prangin and Jalan Transfer. (Refer to www.penang-traveltips.com/george-town-unesco-world-heritage-site.htm)

“Such heritage property is in a classic supply-and-demand situation. The supply side is limited and cannot be increased in tandem with the increase in demand,” says Gooi.

“Furthermore, supply can and will be reduced, due to accidents like fire and vehicle mishaps.

“There are also cases of misguided re-development, with insensitive modifications or illegal alterations destroying the heritage value of such property, as well as neglect and natural deterioration.

“However, demand is always increasing due to business opportunities with the increasing number of tourist arrivals as a result of more low-cost flights from other countries.

“Also, the rising interest of heritage buffs from outside Penang who desire to own such a property will further fuel demand.”

City residence

Born in Nibong Tebal, Gooi has lived and worked in London, Glasgow and Jakarta as well as Kuala Lumpur, Klang and George Town, before deciding to relocate back to his hometown.

With his latest shophouse, the entrepreneur intends to restore the Kimberley Street property for his city residence.

As to the costs involved in restoring such shophouses, Gooi says there is “no limit on the expenditure for heritage-building restoration” .

“It depends on how fine you desire the quality to be,” says the father of three, “However, for ordinary or minimal-cost restoration work, it would cost about RM300,000 for a shophouse unit of 1,400sq ft.”

Asked if it would be wiser to invest the total costs of buying and restoring a shophouse in a newly developed landed property or condominium unit, Gooi says, “No, I would say, heritage houses can command a much higher rate of return compared to other types of property.”

High Court Case

One factor that contributed to the current high prices for pre-war shophouses in George Town can be traced to an incident at the High Court in Penang on Sept 29, 2010.

On that day, a property auction by CIMB Bank attracted an unusually large crowd of over 70 people. The highlight of the sale was an unrestored shophouse of 20ft by 125ft located on Armenian Street.

There were only five actual bidders including Gooi.

The reserve price was RM450,000 and furious bidding pushed the price up to an astonishing RM1.1mil, setting a new benchmark in Penang.

The eventual buyer was a veteran real estate consultant.

And that property is now reputed to be worth at least RM2.6mil, as it is, without any restoration.

Observes Gooi, “Penang heritage houses and their strategic location are a unique combination.

The value of pre-war shophouses still hasn’t been fully realised.

“One thing for sure, prices will continue to go up,” predicts Gooi, who is still on the prowl for such “heritage” property.

Think City

There have been efforts by the local authorities and Federal Government-backed bodies like Think City, a special-purpose vehicle established by Khazanah Nasional Bhd, to help enhance the heritage value of these old buildings.

These organisations aim to engage stakeholders to improve the environment by maintaining the right architectural features as well as improve cleanliness and the drainage system, encourage more greenery, build pedestrian walkways and offer tourism attractions.

·Log on to www.starproperty.my for more on hot properties

WHILE new buyers of Penang’s pre-war shophouses wax lyrical over the romantic notion of restoring and staying in a “heritage” home, those who grew up in such houses, don’t fancy living in one again.

Tune Hotels strategic developments director Anwar Jumabhoy, from the well-known Indian Muslim Jumabhoy family in Penang, recalls less than romantic memories of living in an old shophouse.

“Yes, I do remember living in Jalan Greenhall, Penang, just off Lebuh Light,” says Anwar, who is in his 50s.

He is bemused that new buyers are willing to pay so much money to restore such shophouses and even want to live in them.

“In those days, we were one of the few houses with a toilet inside and I used to watch in amazement at the ‘night soil’ trucks that used to come in the morning, and kids — without toilets — had to do their ‘business’ in the street.

“My parents’ office was downstairs and we lived upstairs and learnt how to be well-behaved children — you had to, as the floor was wooden, so too much running around meant a lot of noise for those in the office.”

To the jetsetting corporate executive, a terraced house in those days meant, no windows except for the master bedroom.

And the courtyard or air well was where the toilets and kitchen were located — at the back of the house.

For a young child, going to the toilet at night was a scary experience especially through dimly-lit and long corridors.

“Now, would I consider living there again? Not really, wooden floors, rickety stairs and a very, ‘nice’ attic,” says Anwar.

“With options available today for modern comfort, the nostalgic experience might be nice for a couple of days, no more.

“For a more permanent home or hotel accommodation, I would much rather have a room with lots of windows and a view.”

A Chinese owner of a new double-storey, linked-house in the upscale neighbourhood of Seri Tanjung Pinang, who declines to be named, says she doesn’t ever want to go back living in an old shophouse.

She grew up on Lebuh Kimberley.

“Why would I ever want to live in such a home again? There’s not much privacy especially when you have a big family,” says the mother of a teenage girl.

While there are those who don’t have fond memories of living in rickety, old shophouses, a new generation of owners can’t wait to occupy their expensively restored heritage properties. — By Johnni Wong

Thank you so much to Auntie Angela for lots of huge fish! The one that we'd yesterday was really yummy. We'd a satisfying fish porridge, thanks to Mei's suggestion.

As usual, in between the cooking, I need to check on the little guy very often. Many times I'll find him at the odd corners and need to pull him back to the center. Thanks to the small apartment, I can easily keep an eye on him while I'm busy in the kitchen. :)

When I was hauling 4 big grocery bags, the little guy was ...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

This little guy is so huggable!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I love this article from the link that MH forwarded to me. It so enriching to read about his passion and his hard work.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericjackson/2012/02/11/9-lessons-jeremy-lin-can-teach-us-before-we-go-to-work-monday-morning/

Lin-sanity has swept up the NBA over the last week. Now it seems like the phenomenon has gone worldwide.

Friday’s 38 point performance by Harvard grad Jeremy Lin for the New York Knicks against the LA Lakers was his greatest performance yet as a starter, since he burst on to the scene and propelled the team to 4 straight wins.

Lin now has over 200,000 followers on Twitter. He’s got over 800,000 on Weibo – including 200,000 new ones in the 24 hour period after beating the Lakers.

But there’s more to this story than basketball. This isn’t just a modern-day, real-life version of the Hoosiers movie. The Jeremy Lin story is incredibly popular because we can all see a little bit of ourselves in this man’s struggles and now successes.

What can all of us learn from this young man — and how can we apply these same lessons to our own lives when we go back to work on Monday morning?

1. Believe in yourself when no one else does. Lin’s only the 3rd graduate from Harvard to make it to the NBA. He’s also one of only a handful of Asian-Americans to make it. He was sent by the Knicks to play for their D-League team 3 weeks ago in Erie, PA. He’d already been cut by two other NBA teams before joining the Knicks this year. You’ve got to believe in yourself, even when no one else does.

2. Seize the opportunity when it comes up. Lin got to start for the Knicks because they had to start him. They had too many injuries. Baron Davis was gone. The other point guards were out. Carmelo Anthony was injured. Amare Stoudemire had to leave the team because of a family death. Lin could have squandered the opportunity and we would have never have noticed. But he made the most of it. You never know when opportunities are going to arise in life. Often, they’re when you least expect them. Make the most of them. Don’t fritter them away.

3. Your family will always be there for you, so be there for them. It wasn’t until a few days ago that Lin got his contract guaranteed by the Knicks for the rest of the season. Before that, he could have been cut at any time. He had to sleep on his brother’s couch on the Lower East Side to get by. His family always believed in him and picked him up when he could have gotten down on himself. That made him continue to believe. If you want your family to believe in you like that, you’ve got to be there for them too when they need it.

4. Find the system that works for your style. Lin isn’t Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. He’s not a pure scorer. He’s a passer and distributor – who can also score very well. It didn’t work for him in Golden State or Houston – where he was before landing at the Knicks. But Mike D’Antoni’s system at the Knicks has been perfect for him to show off his strengths. You’ve got to do your best to understand what your strengths are and then ensure that you’re in a system (a job or organization or industry) that is a good fit for those strengths. Otherwise, people overlook the talents you bring to the table.

5. Don’t overlook talent that might exist around you today on your team. You probably manage people at your own company today. Are you sure you don’t have a Jeremy Lin living among you now? How do you know that “Mike” couldn’t do amazing things if you gave him a new project to run with? How do you know “Sarah” isn’t the right person to take the open job in London that you’ve been talking over with your colleagues? We put people around us in boxes. He’s from Harvard. He’s Asian-American. Not sure he can play. How many assumptions have you made about talent around you? Don’t be like the General Managers in Golden State and Houston, and let talent slip through your fingers. With all their money, scouts, and testing, they didn’t have a clue what they had in their hands. Do you know what your people (or even yourself) is really capable of? Take off the blinders of assumptions you wear when you look at the world.

6. People will love you for being an original, not trying to be someone else. You’ve got to be you. You can’t be some 2nd rate copy of Michael Jordan. There will never be another Michael Jordan. Just be Jeremy Lin — yourself. Whatever that is. That doesn’t mean you don’t work hard — it just means you find what you’re good at and do it. Fans will love you for being you, just like they love Jeremy Lin. Judy Garland said it best:

“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”

7. Stay humble. If you one day are lucky enough to have newspapers want to put you on the cover in order to sell more, don’t let it get to your head. It’s been remarkable watching how humble Lin remains through all this media frenzy. It makes his teammates and fans love him that much more.

8. When you make others around you look good, they will love you forever. I didn’t know how good Tyson Chandler was, until I saw him playing with Jeremy Lin. Lin has set Chandler up many times over the last week for easy dunks because he drew the defense and then passed the ball. That’s partly why the Knicks are playing so well. They are all working harder to share the ball with others. And it’s beautiful to watch. And when the media swarms Lin, he tells them how good his teammates are. Do the same with your peers and reports.

9. Never forget about the importance of luck or fate in life. Some people believe in God, some in destiny, some in luck. Whatever you believe in, be grateful for it.

10. Work your butt off. Lin couldn’t have seized his opportunity if he hadn’t worked like crazy for years perfecting his skills. There are no short cuts to hard work. Success is a by product of that. If you’ve got a Tiger Mom who’s always pushed you to work hard, great. If not, let your conscience be your own Tiger Mom! Get up early, stay up late. Nobody gave Lin any free passes. Why should you get any? You can only control what you control and that means you’ve got to work harder than anyone else you know.

I hope the Lin-sanity continues. And I hope we all can apply these lessons to our own work and family life.

There’s a great line from a New York Times article on Lin and his faith which is worth it for all of us to remember:

“suffering produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us.”

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone