Do not pass GO, do not collect $200.

I often get revelations with regards to making money and the stock market. This is actually quite strange since neither am I making money nor am I invested in the stock market. Thus with my zero track record, let me begin with dispensing financial advice.

A couple of weeks ago, during the early days of my internship, I was scouring the net for interesting news articles to pass the daily grueling 9 hours. I happen to chance upon a news article on Yahoo! which states that people will get rich not by the amount they earn but by the amount they save. It was interesting as it offered the age-old wisdom of saving and it also mentioned that H.I.Ps(high income people) would not get rich as they get too caught up with their lifestyle and incur much debt.

For example, although bankers will earn a fair bit, pretty soon they will splash their cash on luxury goods, BMWs, district 6 condominums and the works. I was even more surprised when I overheard my friends discussing this article, apparently I am not the only person with too much free time in the office.

Just yesterday, I was playing monopoly, some one on one action. I was really excited because I thought my strategy was superior and I would definitely be able to win. After studying finance for 2 years in university, I would definitely be able to beat that arts graduate, I mean hello, my money sense is outstanding. Sufficient to say, 45 minutes later, with a combination of luck and skill, I lost miserably.

My strategy involved conserving money to build hotels and buying properties to break my competitors monoploy. Her strategy was to buy every site she landed on and build hotels at every turn regardless of the upcoming opportunities.

I lost out because her money made money whereas mine did not. For example, although the hotels were a costly financial burden, she managed to make 20% back for every round as I would land in her property. On the other hand, I was unable to extract any additional income from my savings.

Putting the two above stories together, saving money is not enough to get you rich. You need to grab the opportunities that will provide additional income in order to make it even if your investments pose a considerable financial burden. I know this sounds suspiciously like Kiyosaki who basically gives useless advice. More importantly, the question to ask is what can generate income?

There is no definite answer but you have to keep your eyes open. In the past, our parents used to invest in real estate and become landlords. They would pay the down payment regardless of their financial situation and pay off the instalments very slowly. In recent times, everyone looks to the stock market which can earn you an average of 9% annually. Although take note the recent boom has made people and probably you unrealistic about returns.

What more is there? Some people start a side business like a lan shop, spa, internet forum etc. Others allow professionals to invest for them in a variety of things. Every person would have a different situation and thus a different way to generate income. One thing is certain though, committing financially to investments would be the way to go. Keep a lookout for those investment vehicles.

Sorry for the boring post but I hate losing in monopoly, I will flip table flip chair if I lose again, beware the next better player.

Sincerely insincere

Its a very important tool which I find myself using very often, of course I am talking about the insincere smile. It looks like a normal smile except you do not show any teeth and you try your best to upturn the sides of your mouth. Unfortunately, My insincere smile either looks sleazy or as though I am constipated which really isn't the intended impression I hope to protray.


Nonetheless, I use it oh so often while tranversing the corridors, toilets, elevators or any tight enclosed spaces which may present the potential situation of encountering a fellow colleague. These predicaments puts me into a really tight spot and I prevent languishing by imagining monkeys with cymbals giggling hysterically which brings me to my happy place and causes my brain to freeze.

Back to the issue at hand, social decorum dictates that you can not say hello to your colleague as you have been in the same office or rather same room with them for the entire day. However conversation would be unacceptable as it is difficult to end it abruptly in 30 seconds and god forbid if the conversation were to carry on beyond the allocated 30 second time limit.


Hence the insincere smile. It great for these sorts of interaction where you don't wish to make a big commitment yet at the same time you assume you are a great way to stay in the game within the office politics, until that is you read this post.

Watch out for those insincere smiles as you know the above thoughts are lingering at the back of their minds. Think up of new ways to avoid the situation or provide new innovative solutions. I think my next plan will be to give the pocahontas wave, the chimps are just giving me a bad reputation. Remember this, don't be taken in by those false impression. Instead bask in your new-found knowledge and give your widest closed-lipped smile as you know you are being sincerely insincere. I pity the fool!

The ninja way

As you sit in your office today staring at the screen, take a moment to comtemplate, who is a ninja in disguise. They are all around you obviously, repeating last night's scenes of naruto in their head. You can see it in the way they practise their art by side stepping in the office around the transparent glass walls of the boss's office.

I personally know an office ninja. Stealth and cunningness are his two main weapons. His location is suppose to be a particular desk but when you do go looking for him, he is never there. For a ninja can not be found, a ninja will find you. I have been let in on his secret, I often wonder where these office ninjas' lie in wait for their prey, he told me that he usually waits in a pantry at a different floor from his work location, slumped low on the couch in that corner, facing the wall. Its apparently most effective when he is asleep as it ensure zero movement which is what office ninja's strive for in the stationary position. The blending of his silhouette into the passive furniture ensures his lethal strike will be effective against those who past or avoiding the 'mentor'. Unagi, use it or lose it.

I plan to study the ways of a ninja too. I will be going through wikipedia to immerse myself in the history and its identity. For if you do not know the ninja way, how would you know to defend yourself? I have been practising the act of stillness recently and I am pleased to note that I have now obtained the skill of "asleep but appearing to do work when seen from the back" which I believe is a level 6 ability which is used with devastating results. The only unfortunate drawback is when the screensaver kicks in after you idle for too long. I do hope to level up and take these set of skills so much further. For you never know when being a ninja might come in handy.

My very own space.

It is a very nice feeling to own something. I created this to link all my old pages and photos together. I am heartened by the knowledge that all these memories will be stored for ages to come. Take for example my old website on geocities that I created 9 years ago. It is amazing that it is still there today.

After much analysis, I believe that google will be there many years in the future and the likelihood of this blog being removed is pretty small, hence the choice. That's a nice feeling to note.