Why I join Facebook

Found some old letters and post cards in parent's place few days ago. These were letters written to me by family and friends during my 2 years stay in Sheffield, UK 95/96 - 96/97.

Many memories came rushing in and my gosh... how time flies.

Strangely, I have lost contact with friends who had wrote quite often to me back then. I plan to fix that. I joined facebook and I think I need a little bit of luck.

Where are you my friends?

MR loh

Has been waiting for this day for years... but having said that, it's kind of sad knowing it will be difficult to gather all the guys which I have "cheong-sua" before throughout my NSmen life. Yes, lim-peh MR loh.

To my dear 609 SIR Alpha company and especially the 84mm section and Coy HQ,

Thank you for not judging me based on my "past reputation / rumours" and sticking with me, helping me throughout the tough trainings we have been through. I will miss you guys.

Pte Hakkaboyz

Happy 2009!

Happy 2009!

Live life without regrets!

Luv,

Hakkaboyz

Kid's Kampung @ Pasir Ris

We were thinking of visiting the Zoo actually but it was running late and we thought we can go somewhere nearer.

So we went to Pasir Ris scouting for a place where Rayden can feed fishes. Managed to find this ulu place inside Pasir Ris Farmway 1 - Kid's Kampung where children can feed fishes, catch lokang fish..etc

The entrance fee for catching lokang fish is $11/-. I were like... "erh?! damn expensive leh!" but we have a cheaper alternative ... feed fishes @ $1/- per person. Ok. So, 3 adults - me, hakkagal and auntie "ahya" (that's how rayden called our maid) - that is $3/- with 3 packets of fish food.

Rayden feeding the fishes. See how serious he look.

See how hungry the fishes are....

See how happy Rayden is! How I wish I can do this with him everyweek...

Pre-Mother's Day dinner @ Jalan Malu-Malu

Everywhere seems to be overloaded with people on Saturday... and the fact is that Mother's day is on the following day.

Kelvin's intention is to go to the Thai Shark's Fin Restaruant along Thomson Rd but we didn't make a reservation and they said sorry. So we thought, "ok... we can always go to another one..."

So, we drove northwards towards Sembawang... thinking that the Yishun Seafood opposite the old Sambawang Shopping Centre is still around. Damn it loh... also no more ... became a kopitiam and there are no carpark available.

I sugggested to go to the nearby, jalan malu-malu coffeshop to eat the ji-char, thinking that the place should be ulu enough that we will be served like a king. Damn it loh, the place is flooded with ppl too. But we still managed to park our vehicles and got ourselves a table.

The food was ok, different from what we are used to eating @ blk 202 amk kopitiam. Just that we have to wait till 8pm before the first dish was served. We were there around 7.30pm... we finished our dinner around 8.25pm. See how hungry we are...

Promotion item

I saw this in Budget Terminal...

The usual price is cheaper than the Promotion price.

Strange.

Words

Dear Rayden,

You are quite advance in your language ability. Is it because your mother is a teacher?

You have progress to 3 and 4 syllabus words...

1. motorbike
2. butterfly
3. dinosaur
4. areoplane
5. elephant
6. alligator

You have shown capability in having decent conversation with us.

Papa to Rayden:"What is Papa's name?"
Rayden:"Daddy"
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Raining heavily
Papa to Rayden:"You want to go playground?"
Rayden:"No"
Papa:"Why?"
Rayden:"Wet-wet"
---------------------------------------------------------------------

A normal weekday morning 9am
Papa to Rayden: "Where's Mama?"
Rayden: "School"

A normal weekday evening 7pm before we go home from shop
Papa to Rayden:"Where's Mama?"
Rayden:"Or or orhhhh" - sleeping
----------------------------------------------------------------------

A customer picking up some goods before proceeding to pay at cashier...
Rayden to customer with his hand outstretch:"Money money money..."


You are so funny, Rayden...

Love,
Papa

Wings

So we were told that he has gone missing. Vanished into the thin air.

Or is he?

Guard:"Boss, we gave him the textbook treatment.... but he refused to use it leh..."

Boss:"How?"

Guard:"We gave him a pair of wings. He took it and flew away. "

Boss:"Aiyo.... loopholes!"

Prison Break - Singapore version

So... our version of Mr. Scofield ... but with a limp on the left leg.

The thing is... How the hell can a "bai kar" escaped a detention center which supposingly be guarded by top notch Gukhars?

So now.. what? Another honest mistake? I don't think Singaporeans want this kind of "rebates" from the "surplus". This is a big-time terrorist we are talking about.

Come on! Put him back where he belongs! ... or you don't deserve your damn high pay loh, mr. DPM!

Frustrations!

Lots of frustrations lately.

Domain down... I think the f**ker is a fraud. Money transferred, no service. Domain still down. Emails no reply. I think this will be a police case.

Went to Suntec for the Beauty Expo. The crowd is quite ok as compared to previous years. Damn! should have participated. Some of the suppliers were having price wars and things are going for 50% off. Consumers happy, other suppliers like us not quite. So for the next month or so, we can get a ticket and go jalan-jalan.

How Are You?

CNY is over.

Somehow, our gang of 4 did not gather during CNY. I met WS at Adrian's place during 3rd day of CNY. Met Ang now and then because his office is just next to our warehouse. But how are you, mr. rascal? Didn't catch up with you for sometime. Hope things are ok!

CNY is over. Another new year ahead of us. New hopes, new aspirations, new beginnings,... new babies?

14 Feb 2008

It's been sometime since I last updated my blog.

Today is a special day. I know.... it's valentine's day, and today is also Ryanne's 2nd anniversary.

Dearest Ryanne,

How are you? Just want to let you know that you are still in our heart no matter where you are now. You know what? Read it from the Mind Your Body yesterday that today, 14 Feb is also a Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day. So.... er... Aps right?

Your little brother Rayden is very funny. He knew he had a sister and you are not with us anymore, but I think he cannot understand why you are only represented in a photo. Sometimes, when he received a new toy, we'd ask him to show it to you. He'll say "No" but after sometime, he'll bring it to put it infront of your photo.

When we bring him to visit you at the Hall of Gratitude at Bright Hill today - he knew exactly where you are even though we have brought him there only once. Did you hear him call you "jie-jie" today?

It's been 2 years since you left us. It had been 2 busy years for us. Firstly we set up a shop with Gong-Gong and Po-Po, and your arrival of your little brother, Rayden. If you have noticed, he can be very difficult at times - behaving like a little tyrant. Papa has to do some travelling from time to time. Business is picking up and thus, we are geting busier. As for Mummy, she's also super busy nowadays. Thanks to some silly colleauge she has to work with. Now, everything she does, or not going to do, she has to think about covering her ass. And I don't think she'll appreciate me putting that down. Whatever.... Pls forgive us for not visiting more often, but you are right here - in our heart and mind.

Anyway... We hope you are at peace. And please help to watch out for your little brother who can be very naughty and clumpsy at the same time. Take care Ryanne. Papa love you and miss you alot.

Love you,
Papa

Ball watch-ing

Recently I am into watches. Fine watches. I am surprised at the number of fine watches brands there are in the market. Don't mentioned the usual fine brands such as Rolexes, Omegas, Tag Heures, Breitlings, Longines... there are also the Patek Phillipes, IWCs, Frank Mullers, Oris... and much much more. There is this brand that caught my eye... BALL. No kidding, the BALL watches are cool man. Check them out...




My friend Davian who is a watch collector, asked me to look at pre-owned Rolexes and Omegas. Pre-owned - a nicer name for 2nd hand. The reason for this recommendation is that they have "resale" value and they are better known brands - and by wearing one of them on my wrist will look good on me especially for a businessman. Hmm... Does a watch determines one's social status? I have seen nice Seikos, the Premier range costing around $700 - $1000... and when I mentioned about this to other friends, some will laugh and say: " who'd buy a Seiko for $1000?!" ... ignorance? or... just brand conscious?



Kelvin and I went into The Hour Glass a couple of weeks ago... we are not at all appropriately dressed. You can see that the salesman is not at all interested in serving us. I believed that the story will be different if we had a Rolex on our wrist or my skin or hair is of a different colour... but no. We do not have one and we damn look local loh. Is this the service standards that we expect in our own turf? Even our people look down on ourselves.



How many times did we engage in conversations like ... what car a mutual friend drives? where is he/she staying now... working as... how much salary that he/she may be drawing? Let's face it... we like to compare. For good or worse, sub-consciously or not, we do it.



"Let's not compare" easier to be said than to be done.



I'm currently still wearing my Titus watch - with a new leather strap, while waiting to send my Seiko for servicing.

Pray pray

Rayden doing the pray pray - something he picked up by seeing what Po Po does everyday.









"See? I'm very religious."

Down the pecking order...

I'm so sad.

It seems to me that Rayden preferred the maid more than me. So, when we are in the house, it's hakkagal 1st choice, maid 2nd choice, bo bian, lan-lan Pa Pa last choice. In the shop, it's Po Po 1st choice, Gong Gong 2nd choice, maid 3rd choice... bo bain, lan-lan followed by Pa Pa...

Why Rayden?

After a long break...

Ok ok... It's been more than 1 month since my last posting. Many things had changed since then.



CBPL participated in Cosmobeaute Indonesia in Jakarta for the first time. My auntie who had cancer, passed away, on the 6 Sept - the day we reached Jakarta. We, CBPL advertised for the first time in Zaobao and Wanbao for New Stock Arrival Offer. Rayden now can walk, run and imitate sounds he heard... e.g. motorcycle, areoplanes..etc.



I'll talk about the passing of my auntie first. She was admitted to SGH's ICU with her lung full of fluid. The doctor mentioned that her days were limited. I visited her on the Monday or Tuesday, the exact day, I couldn't remember before our departure to Indonesia on Thursday - 6 Sept. She looked weak but I sensed she has a strong will to live. She has grown so thin that she's almost unrecognisable. It was not a pleasant sight and I am pretty upset over it. We were in the hotel when we received the news from hakkagal that she has passed away. Thus, my father, my brother and myself didn't get to send her off on her last journey. Auntie San has been a great relative to us. Well, she's actually very careful with her money - or to put it bluntly, sometimes she's very stingy. But she'll never stinge on her children and even on us and to those she care. When we are about to set up our shop, we didn't even ask and she offered her financial assistance immediately. She's a great parent to her children, sometimes, I felt that she has gone too far, done too much.... but that's her. Auntie San, you'll be deeply missed and whereever you may be, may you find peace and happiness and I'm sure you'll look over your family and those you cared from far. Bye bye Auntie San.

Cosmobeaute Indonesia.... we thought it'll be a great event, but... who knows which level eat $ until little promotion was done. Thus, the staff of the exhibitors, organizers, and contractors more than the visitors. Got abit of tulanz on their custom policy too.... You see... if you see any on the equipment, the customer has to wait for 3 weeks as the goods have to wait in the bonded warehouse for the custom to clear. Somemore.... the customer has to pay, import licence fee US$150, and handling charges of US$100.... meanwhile the equipment cost less than the above mentioned charges... WTF! You think customer will pay and wait for their goods? Some mentioned that they rather buy it in Singapore and handcarry back ... without paying those stupid $.

We have finally invested money on advertising. And the response is not too bad. Some of my promotion goods flew off the shelves - or floor rather.... since most are too big for the shelves. Think we will continue to invest on this area of marketing.

Now for my dear Rayden.... I don't think I need to train for IPPT. Just chase after him, carry him .... can do the job. He is running all over the place - at home, in the shop, outside.... just have to be extra careful with him. He'll make the motorcycle "rooooommmmm" sound, areoplane "ssssssssssssssssss" sound... he is so so funny. Will post it next time.

Ok, got to go... very busy leh.

Taking a break

Business is unusually poor this 2 weeks. I'm wondering whether it has to do with that extra 2% of GST... Well, I take it as a well deserved break for awhile. Hope this will not last too long, else hakkagal will start to notice more white hair on my head.

I'm taking a break on the stock market as well... Damn that Wednesday's announcement by gahment... Those shares that I was "playing" got a little tired. I need a little time for recovery. Damn it!

For now, I'm preparing (mentally and of cos other preparation) for my next week business trip to China. Never really like it when I'm travelling... Firstly, need to endure the 4 hrs flight... then the hotel, the food, the walking, the negotiation...etc We are not talking about MNC here which we can travel at least on SQ, stay at a 4 star hotel, eat at proper restaurants... etc I travel on Budget airline - Tiger Airways, stay at budget hotels (similar to Hotel81.. maybe even more economical) and eat at roadside stalls... Boy, I'm going to miss home.

And yes, we will be having a jamming session (bloody long overdue) this Saturday @ Boon's Studio. Hopefully, we can have a decent sesison! Oh... I forgot to include my new piece of intrument... I traded in my Yamaha Bass to a 2nd-hand Fender custom. The condition is still very good and the sound is ... mm... warm. The Yamaha one has been giving me problem and it'll cost some $ to get it fixed... might as well loh. Have been playing it this few days to have a feel of it, and at the same time, practice my fingerings and technics. The joints are abit stiff but I think with some time, it should get better. And yes.... that Thai song from Big Ass - ... nice "Gert-Mah-Kae-Ruk-Gun"... should be jamming this song this weekend.

Investment / Punting update

Contra-ed Aqua Terra @ $0.49 last week. Profit of $635.98 to be shared with Hakkagal.

As for Datapulse & Frontline... still holding. Same for Miyoshi and Popular... holding.

Popular's final report of their performace is slightly below expectation and have declared dividend of 0.7cents - work out to be $7 per 1000 shares. Don't think will wait till the exercised date for the dividend - somewhere in Sep'07. As long as there's abit of movement, I'll let it go.

Correction day SGX

The STI was down by 55.23 pts ~ 1.5% down from the previous close of 3580.33. I have some technical problems with my PC/internet connections, plus was quite busy in the morning and by the time I checked the market, I have 3 counters which I have Q to buy earlier fulfilled.

I started to panicked a little as it was quite a substantial amount. Never will I do this again.

Luckily for me, Aqua-Terra which I bought for $0.455 climbed back up and at closing, the last done price is @ $0.48. Safe for now. Will try to contra tomorrow.

As for the other 2... Datapulse & Frontline, I think it'll take a couple of days before I can let them go.

Rafa, Rafa, Who'd you sign?

Rafa's remaining calm despite the inactivity in the transfer market. I would say the same thing if I were him since there's nothing much he could do if all the best players cost a bomb and there's no support (yet to be seen) from the new owners . With that in mind, don't think they'll be able to challenge for the EPL title again.

ManU seems to have moved the fastest and improved from where they left off. Top 2 finish for them for sure. Couldn't say much for Chelsea except that they get some players for free. To think that they have one of the world's richest man as the boss. Arsenal.... what can I say... T. Henry going to Barca and with no real big names coming in... I think they'll probably be fighting to qualify for european football next season.