Too much is bad for you

Some of us spend close to a quarter of a century acquring knowledge in school. Others spends more than that while another fraction of the population spend merely more than a decade acquiring knowledge in school. Although knowledge is very important for our livelihood, an EXCESS of knowldge might not necessary be in your best interest.

Ever wonder why there are some filthy rich people who refuses to live a lavish life? Ever wonder why they drive normal cars, eat simple food, scrimp, save and do nothing with that shit loads of money? They do that cause they simply know too much.

When you are an educated person, you tend to have a good understanding of how a business works. You start to understand the production costs of products, cost price of services and you start to realize that while you are satisfying your wants, you are making somebody very rich. Take a Nike shoe for example, it actually costs less than $10 when it is produced in China, high cost margin is due to the advertising and other distributing costs. The next moment, you get to know people in the F&B business and they tell you a plate of chicken rice cost only 50 cents when they are selling for $3 a plate. You next visit a garment factory that manufactures all those branded clothing and you start to realize that you once paid $100 for a piece of shirt that costs only $7 from the factory.

Thus with all the money and with all the knowledge you acquire, it becomes, NOT WORTH IT NOT WORTH IT NOT WORTH IT NOT WORTH IT NOT WORTH IT.............................................

Then you start to question, why in the world do I work so hard for money if I don't spend. Well, you are probably happier if you knew nothing.

The Art of Gambling

We all know the odds are against us, we know we can never get rich from gambling, we know the chances of winning is low, we know we are rationale in our thinking, we know there’s no way we can beat the odds in the long term, we know the entertainment value is high, we know it’s fun, we know we can win. No point describing gambling is bad and all that, what we are interested is how do we beat the casino?

Rule No. 1 – Have plenty of sleep before you go gambling

Before gambling requires high level of concentration, it is important to have plenty of sleep before entering the casino. It is imperative to feel fresh before entering the casino and you require all that adrenaline rush before you make a killing. If you feel good about yourself, chances of winning are higher Even the army advocates 7 hour of sleep before any mission or exercise. If you are going at night, take a power nap and ensure you have enough energy to kill a tiger before making your trip there.

Rule No. 2 – Time is not of essence

Time is one major barrier when you gamble. If you keep thinking that you have a assignment due and you need to call your girlfriend/boyfriend at a later time, you reduce your chances of winning. Constant check of time takes a toll on your concentration and it will be better if you are going without regard of the time.

Rule No. 3 – Shift shift shift

Do you ever wonder what the role of the managers around the tables is? Ensuring the right change of chips is only their secondary job. Their primary role is to ensure that the dealers are not losing chips in the table. For instance, if the dealer keeps losing more than 3 times in a row, the manager will ask her to “take a rest” and replace with someone else. That’s how you can turn your winnings to a loss. What goes up will come down and what comes down will go up also. The principle applies not only to the stock market but also in gambling. Thus it is important to walk away or change a table when your luck starts to change. Now you know which dealer brings you luck, stick to him/her.

Rule No. 4 – Change of chips

When you are on a winning streak, let say you have a pile of blue chips ($10 dollars) you can request to change the chips in to green ones ($25)and black ($100) thereafter. The rationale of this tactic is to keep track of your winnings and losses. For instance if you managed to win $260, it is better to hold 2 black chips and 6 blue chips. This is because if you lose 3 blue chips in a row, u will be less prone to use your black chips on the next bet. However, if you have all in blue chips, you will subconsciously use all the blue chips and before you know it, you will lose it all.

Rule No. 5 – Never play alone in the table

Although you get to deal your cards faster, it also means chances of losing are higher. Because the dealers deal faster, you tend to have lesser time to think and respond. With the odds against you in the first place, it will be better for you to play with more people. This is the reason some tables are left empty and people only join “hot” tables. “You stay because you win” “You go because you lose” Empty table means trouble

Rule No. 6 – Break the fengshui

All casinos are designed in such a way that there are elements from preventing you from winning. This is known as fengshui. The architecture of the casino is like a bird cage and we are the worms that are fed on. In fact, all elements are against us when we take our first step in. What we can do to prevent this negative element is to avoid it. Never walk straight into the casino. We can walk backwards, sideways upside down, but never straight into their “cage”

Rule No. 7 – Double dragon

Ideally speaking, it is impossible to lose money in the casino as long as you have the capital. As long as you keep doubling your bets, chances is you will be able to recoup your losses eventually. For instance, if you lose your first $10 bet, bet $20 the next round.

Rule No. 8 – Bring your lucky charm

You tend to be luckier if you wear your lucky underwear or bring your lucky charm each time you visit the casino. Chances of winning are higher if you wear your lucky shirt or pants.

Until this point if you agree with me that these 8 rules of gambling can help you win, you are probably not rationale anymore. What we fear most about gambling is not about losing about our rationale but the power of temptation. Punters are often classified as the most optimistic people in the world and we are often driven by our greed to gamble. Casinos have one of the best business model in the world and what they are afraid most is not losing money, but you not patronizing them.

There are so sure that you will be tempted with gambling that they are willing to offer you a free $10 dollar rolling chip when you sign up as a member. They are also winning to offer you a free parking ticket as long as you play long enough in the same table. To make you stay longer, they provide you with free drinks entertainment all in all so that you will stay longer. The problem with gambling is that the problem lies not in rationale but the temptation to revisit the casino.

We all know we are gambling with moderation but it is not about how much we win lose or draw, but about thinking when to visit that place again. The average probability of winning each bet is approximately 33.3333333% thus if you win this time round, you are indeed very lucky. But chances of a constant winning streak are low. For instance assuming you play Russian roulette(The game whereby you put a bullet into gun with 6 slots and shoot yourself) Gambling is no different, in this case, it’s merely a gun with 3 slots and 2 bullets. High chances are you will lose.

Often the casinos are not using the odds against us but our individual greed and desire to earn quick money. When we lose, we tend to increase our stakes, when we win, we tend to visit the place again, thus there is no way we can beat the casino. We often feel the pinch when we pay $10 for a meal but when we lose a $10 chip, we smile at the dealer who took our money away. We tend to be very forgetful and graceful on a losing streak. For instance, if you lose $100, you will console yourself by telling you that you won $100 from the stock market the other day. Ultimately, it is the casino that has gained.

Leaving on a Jet plane

After the UNSW Saga, I was given an option to leave for my studies in Sydney or continue to pursue my undergraduate studies in SIM. I was presented with a dangling carrot of $22000 "Scholarship" or opt for a education that costs 2 times cheaper. So which exactly costs more? A commerce undergraduate degree in UNSW cost approximately $38800 annually.

• $24000 tuition fees
• $10080 for a year's rent
• $4800 for food and other MISC expenses

This might seem much higher than a course in Sim. $38k vs $12k. However we have forgotten other costs when you study in a local education. I define this as a FSF. Family Scheme Fund. Under the FSF, it comprises of

• $6000 annually pocket money (Assuming you receive $500 a month)
• $600 annual phone bill (Assuming $50 a month)
• $1200 annual personal utilities (For all the additonal power you use on your computer and shower)
• $1200 annual transport (Includes public transport and fuel for your car)

TOTAL = $9000

This would add up to $12000 + $9000= $21000 if I study in a local private institution.

The FSF is often neglected is our assumptions because we are used to consuming it without knowing how much it exactly costs. The truth is, this can be deducted from an overseas education because this is the savings that your parents benefit when you are studying overseas.

Thus,

FSF = Savings in Singapore when you study overseas

Cost of education an UNSW =

$38800 - FSF - Variable Scholarship received =

$38800 - $9000 - $22000 = $7800

Too good to be true?

Losing my bachelor degree

In finance we can quantify an investment by predicting the future cash flow of an intended investment. This means that we compare the return of 2 of more investment and choose the one with higher return. I suppose we can do that for marriage!

Let’s take a look at the startup cost of marriage. Based on today’s current market rate, a wedding dinner would cost approximately $40000, assuming 40 tables cost $1000 each. Other costs includes photo taking session $2500, cards and gifts $3000, down payment for a new flat $20000, renovations $30000 honeymoon, $10000, diamond ring ($3000-$30000) if you know what I mean! A simple wedding would cost you up to 100 to 130 grand! So what’s the opportunity cost of $130k?

· A Honda Civic Type R = $100k with enough change to buy 30 LV Bag costing 1k each

· Enough money to travel 2 times round the world with enough change to buy 3 Rolex

· A lifetime supply of haircut with wash

· Lifetime supply of fuel for your car

· Prada, Gucci, LV you name it

According to Cris, Marriage is an agreement in which a man loses his bachelor degree and a woman gains her masters. How true is that! I asked around if it’s okay if couples maintain and manage individual finances after marriage and the answer is an unanimous NO. Do men get married for sex and get broke as a result?

Let’s consider another scenario. What if we decide to retain our bachelor degree (singlehood) and spend it “wisely” with our $130k? Assuming you have the urge to go for “part time course” (intercourse) 3-5 times a week and it costs you $100 per session, it will cost you $300-$500 a week, $1200-$2000 a month and $14k to $20k a year. With notes (condoms) it would cost you another $30 per week, $120 a month and $1.4k a year. This would add up to $15k to $21k annually. How about extra curriculum activities (other vices) such as music class (Lap Sup Bar KTV), additional research (Which LV or Gucci bag your girlfriends fancy), Physical Education (massage parlours)? This would add up close to an estimated additional 10-20k annually. Thus the total cost of maintaining your bachelor degree would cost you close to approximately 30-50k depending on how far you want to score. Assuming you retain your bachelor status for 30 years, it will cost you an approximately 900k to 1.5million!

There appears to be a flaw in the above assumption that losing your bachelor degree (getting married) would cost only $130k. This cost can actually be eliminated from the Hongbaos you received from the wedding dinner. Assuming you have 400 guests from 40 tables and each guests subsidize you $120 (some relatives might give you more) each, this would add up to 48k. For the renovation costs and down payment for your flat, you will probably breakeven after you sell your flat in 10 years. For the diamond ring, that’s probably the last ring you will buy for your wife and if she wears it for 30 years, a 5k ring will only cost you $167! a year. For the honeymoon, you can actually pay off with the surplus from the Ang Bao. It’s clear now which is more feasible. I did my sums; feel free to lose your bachelor degree.

The art of MCP

he Art of MCP.

MCP is an acronym which stands for Male Chauvinist Pig. In order to fit into this category, you must

1. Always insist you are right.

2. Make every decision.

3. Be stubborn

4. Confused on what actually went wrong.

5. And never admit your mistake.

Before I go on to explain how this term came out. Perhaps I can describe the different demographics between a man and a woman using 3 theories. They are

· Accounting Theory

· Terms and Condition subject to changes

· The Gambling theory

The difference between a guy and a girl when it comes to accounting is that a guy will always “close the account” on a daily basis whereas a girl uses accrual basis. This means that if a guy ends of a day without his girlfriend complaining or quarrelling, you would assume that all is fine. Of course that’s a wrong assumption because what girl does is she will “accrue” over a period of time and strikes when the time is right. This means that what she’s unhappy might be donkey years ago but somehow or rather it will be presented in the current “financial statement”.

Terms and condition refers to STRICTLY no provision in any changes. In simple terms, this mean that you are not allowed to make any deviation from the plans that you have promised to do. “For instance, you promised to take her to the beach over the weekend, however due to some unforeseen circumstances, you postponed your plan” Well, this is not acceptable under the 10 commandments of pathology. ( PAT THO means dating in dialet) You might have the best of reasons, but still it is strictly prohibited.

The next theory that I am going to describe is called the gambling theory. In games such as poker or texas hold’em, there are strategies whereby you can either split the cards (CAI PAI) or joint your cards for a advantage in the game. Well you might come across situations whereby you are certain that you are going to win this particular quarrel but the other party can split the cards(means telling you that it is a separate matter and you are in the wrong!) or joint the cards( means telling you that what do you have to repeat your mistake from your previous incident).

However, I beg to defer. In my opinion, MCP stands for Manly Charismatic and Personality. Anyone that is deemed a MCP should be proud of it. Even the biggest company in the world has a terms and condition that states subject to changes and is incapable of fulfilling their obligations at times, thus its natural to have provisions for the statements that we have made(it’s okay to break a promise due to a valid reason)

Secondly, if you ever give birth to a boy and when he’s old enough to learn spelling, the only time he can score 9/10 is when you forbit to teach him the world “PROMISE”. This would save him from unnecessary if anyone blames him in the future. He can proudly say “Promise? “I never learnt that in school.

Well, as the saying goes, Nan Ren Bu Huai, Nu Ren Bu Ai. (Man not bad, girls don’t like). So the next time you are labeled a MCP, Smile and receive the compliments graciously, you are one step to becoming the next best thing !

Who makes more money

There are a few success stories on people who don’t graduate from University but ended up earning much more than people who graduate with high paying jobs. Bill Gates is an over-used example so I shall refrain from using him as my thesis. How about hawkers? Businessmen ? Entrepreneurs ? Whom manages to carve a niche for themselves and makes good money. We often hear that education is a waste of time and when you go out to work, everything else remains constant. “Ceteris Paribus”

My explanation on the difference between the poor and the rich is based on an economic perspective I learnt in school. On my first macroeconomics lecture I came across these two terms, Induction and Deduction. As the definition implies,

· With the inductive method we begin with an accumulation of facts, which are then arranged systematically and analyzed so as to permit the derivation of a principle or arranged systematically and analyzed so as to permit the derivation of a principle or generalization. Induction moves from facts to theory, from the particular to the general.

· Economists may also go about their task by beginning at the level of theory and proceeding to the verification or rejection of this theory by an appeal to the facts. This is the deductive, or hypothetical, method.

The remaining article will describe why people who are uneducated can earn a higher return compared to the educated.

My assumptions in my thesis are that the educated tend to be deductive, whereas the uneducated tend to have an inductive characteristic. My assumptions are derived based on the fact that the educated tend to read more and hold a regular job, they read more and thus tend to apply whatever they have learnt on books to their job or to their daily lives.

In comparison to the uneducated, as they have no prior or little education compared to the educated, the uneducated have to derive knowledge from either experience or observations, thus when they learn something new, and it works well, they actually induce a theory because they did not refer to any theory to begin with.

So What Has This Got To Do With Who Makes More Money?

Well, in order to gain an abnormal return, you possibly cannot go with the flow but have to go against the flow. Take the stock market for example, if everyone can learn valuation knowledge from books, no one would be able to profit from abnormal returns because everyone is faced with the same identical information and knowledge. This is known as the efficient market hypothesis in portfolio management.

So How Do We Make Lots of Money from the Stock Market?

My thesis on why the uneducated makes an abnormal return is because the information they have learn from induction is not available from any books or published from any source. This “Independent” findings works solely for the user who has induced that particular theory and works well solely for that user. This is shown from many businessmen, who earn more than people who have received higher education compared to them. As they are not educated, they have to rely on their experience to carve out a niche for themselves. Subsequently, they discover a particular method or model that works well for them. However, what they do not realize is that they have actually induced a new theory. Another reason is possibly due to the fact that they are not restricted by theories.

To substantiate my thesis, I shall give an illustration on the business model of a loanshark. Well, in the past, if you were to borrow money, you probably need to bring your identity card, visit a loanshark, and sign an IOU certificate. This “business model” is not very effective because the loanshark are exposed to high risk of defaulting their “loans” and getting caught by the police.

Then the illegal business model was evolved into something that deserves commendation.

If you are in an urgent need of money today, you visit a loanshark, but instead of exchanging cash for an IOU, he takes you to a departmental store that accepts installment payment scheme. In this scenario let’s assume you want to borrow $5000. The loanshark purchases a Plasma television that is worth $7000 and you pay for it under your name. The end result is that you get the $5ooo cash, the loanshark receives a Plasma television which he/she can sell more than $5000, and he avoids default risk as you have to pay the installment in your own discretion. How ingenious can this be? The particular who thought of this model would have gotten a distinction for a business model project if he ever made it to University.

My point is not to conduct in illegal businesses but people who induce theories have a higher chance of gaining a higher return compared to people who deduce theories. No doubt that it is good to read more and receive a higher education, but it is definitely not the way to make it rich. The next time you don’t understand a point made by your lecturer in school, think in another perspective that the lecturer is not doing a good job in explaining well. Well if all else fails, fret not, because you will probably make it bigger on your own!

Credit Card

Paying in full may never be the best thing to do

When we see something we really like, there are a few approaches we can do to own it. For instance you want to buy this 42 inch SONY plasma High Definition TV. You can choose to either pay in full or pay by installment. Ideally we should pay in full because we can avoid paying the interest charges. However, most people ended up paying installments because they would prefer not to feel the pinch at that moment of purchase. As the saying goes, “With installment, I can buy many things at one go” But of course its economically not feasible.

However, we tend to mixed up this rationale between human relationships and economics. Let’s take chasing girls for example.

Part 1

• You met the girl of your penthouse fantasy and after much pursuing; you asked her out on a date. She agreed and you start brain storming where to take her out for dinner.
• You came out with this fancy restaurant idea and impressed her.
• Her birthday is in 2 weeks and you think of what is the best present to get for her.
• You bought her something really nice but ended up burning a hole in your pocket.
• But then again, she’s touched, so who cares!
• Finally, after all the perseverance, you got laid.

After 3 months.

Part 2

• You brought her to a food court.
• Buy her Mee Pok!
• She asked how come we so long never go eat restaurant.
• You reply: “You think I print money ah”
• She gives you one tight slap and stomped off.
• You realized you are in the wrong and buys something for her
• When she reaches her place, she asks you to go fly kite.

So what’s your damn point?

This is a simple illustration on what happens when we try to pay in full for relationships instead of paying by installments. Over impressing might in time turn against us because it’s hard to live up to expectations. Most of the time we tend to pay in full in other aspects besides monetarily. Acceding to all request, demands , going the extra mile, surprises might be beneficial in the short term, however once you reveal your last card, it might in time, turn against us.

Same goes for upbringing kids. If you buy everything whatever you kid wants, though you can afford it. Imagine what happens in the end. You kid becomes overly spoilt and demanding. Despite the fact that you very much want to satisfy your kid’s desires, acceding to all his requests might not be the best thing to do. In certain cases, it might be making up for what you lack in your younger days. For instance, you might be very poor in your younger days and you tell yourself that your kids must have this and that when they grow up. Unfortunately, the hunger to succeed would only apply to people who tasted hunger.

What should we do then?

Love, care and concern is a unlimited resource that we have that does not require any work or services in exchange for, compared to money, which is why we use it so freely. It is not necessary a bad thing because that’s how the term unconditional love comes about. But then again, anything that is moderate is healthy, and excessive, unhealthy. We might want to consider love as a resource that is limited and to quantify it. For instance, I have 5000 units of love.* This is how it works.

Love Financial Sheet

Debit

Assets

Money in Bank Account 3000 Units

Available free time 2000 Units

(After work and sleep deduction)

Credit

Liabilities 700 Units

Picks her up from work daily 600 Units

Brings her to an expensive restaurant 500 Units

Buy her a branded handbag 400 Units

Message her sweet nothings 300 Units

For saying and doing the wrong thing 2500 Units

5000 Units

We can see from this example that if we pay everything in full. Often we always find that we have nothing to lose if we accede to all, but in actual fact, we only regret when we lost everything. You might want to consider paying in installment instead of paying in full.

So why is everybody doing that?

The reason why credit card companies make so much money is because they market in such a way so that consumer would be encouraged to spend. With a higher spending power, customer can accumulate more points and redeem for free gifts. As for love units, what do u think can be redeemed for? For me to know and for you to find out!

This does not apply to everyone. Somehow some people have more love to spare I don’t know! You might want to pay in installment instead of paying in full.

* Disclaimer cause: The love financial statement is not conjunction to normal accounting practice in Singapore*

Chasing the bus

Running after the bus is my only form of exercise after discharging from National Service. It amazes me how tired I can be despite the fact that it is only a short 100M sprint. (300M if I run to the next bus stop)

Whenever I see an approaching bus, I have to decide in less than one second to run after the bus or wait for the next one. Any procrastination would cause me to be late for our appointment or work. It is necessary to make a fast judgment on the time taken I need to run to the bus stop and the time taken needed for the bus to reach the next bus stop.

If you decided to run after the bus….

The advantages of running after the bus is that you get to reach work/appointment on time as punctuality is important as you may lose your credibility if you are late always. However, the disadvantages are that you may look really stupid as everyone is starring at you. Some might even smell foul after a sprint and spot a really cool hairdo after the frantic run. In worst cases, you might fall and drop some of your belongings, picked it up and create a bigger HOOHAA. But still, you reach on time!

If you decided not to run after the bus….

The advantages of not running after the bus is that you get to preserve your poise and you can still smell nice when you reach your work place. Disadvantage would be late for work and an extra 15 minutes of unproductive idle time.

How to decide whether to run or not?

We often refuse to try because we cannot predict the outcome. “All rollercoaster rides look scary” But 9 out of 10 take a second ride after their first try.

RULE OF THUMB No.1

The bus can reach first, but you must first catch the bus uncle attention in his mirror!

RULE OF THUMB No. 2

It is better to be early than late!

RULE OF THUMB No. 3

A great 15 second workout!

What if we ran but still missed the bus?

It’s the exactly feeling when it comes to a courtship. I set my eyes on this girl and I decided to go for it. After putting so much effort, she said I wasn’t her cup of tea. Likewise after running frantically after the bus, you wave and scream at the driver to wait for you, but because the driver had to move on, he pretends not to see you. For me, I’ll run to the next bus stop.

What if the bus still refuses to stop?

I would wait for the next bus or take MRT. Likewise, she may not be my cup of tea, but I might fall for a cup of TEH SI. There’s always a next bus on the way.

So what is your damn point?

No bus driver in the right mind will wait for you at the same time everyday. It’s up to us to monitor their schedule and make up for the differences if we fall short of it.

A child's pride

We often behave differently when it comes to friends or relatives. Some feel more at ease when they are with their friends, whereas others are more comfortable with their family and relatives. Apparently there’s always an underlying reason why people behave in certain manner.

Jack and Gillian are siblings aged 3 years apart. Gillian has a more outspoken personality, comfortable in socializing and enjoys participation in discussion. Jack, on the other hand, in more inclined to listen more than he speaks. Jack is outspoken among his peers, conscientious in his work but compared to his sister, he is taciturn among his relatives.

It was only after 2 decade that Jillian discovered the truth behind the reason why 2 person brought up under the same environment would behave so differently. Perhaps some might perceive it as natural, but to Jillian, it was not.

Jillian was brought up by her paternal grandmother since she was an infant. Since young, she was taught about morals and values by her grandmother. She was constantly reminded about the rights and wrong. Whenever she was introduced to relatives and friends, her grandmother would sing praises of her irregardless of her behavior. Children under such circumstances will sub consciously form a mindset to meet the adults expectation. (Self-fulfilling prophecy). And over time, it becomes second nature to the child. It is because of that need to prove adults right that she is a “good child”, it forms a barrier to prevent her to sway to the dark side.

The reason why some children become rebellious at a very young age is because that parent does that recognized that a child’s pride is actually formed at a very young age and is very sensitive to whatever messages that is conveyed to them.

For instance, parents reprimanding children on public is detrimental towards the well-being of the child. What worse is during relative gatherings, a child is being criticized in front of relative and friends. This is especially so because when you are young, it is difficult to defend yourself and what you are left with is the impression that is stained on other people.

Another common mistake is parents tend to compare who has the most mischievous child. For instance, over the phone, one parent might complain to another parent about how naughty his/her child is and instead of sympathizing with the other parent plight, the other parent will bring out another fine example of impish behavior. This creates an injurious effect for the child who has overheard the conversation because that episode of broadcasting was absolutely immaterial.

Over time, that particular child would lose that self respect because he/she would have felt that no one believes in them. He/she would do things to prove others wrong and often seek refuge in friends. Parents never understood why the underlying reason why their children never speak to them as carefree towards their friends and why is it so difficult to control them as they get older. This is because that as the child gets older, he begins to gain enough control to defend and as a result gain empowerment through other means.

Jack was brought up by a nanny and because he was not well versed in his dialect, he faces communication problems with his grandmother. Unfortunately, the treatment he received from his grandparents was not favorable compared to his sister because he had no idea how to get into his grandparents good books since he was not armed with dialect proficiency.

Jack went on to excel in his academic studies as he had a desire to prove others wrong. He was focused probably because there were lesser distractions. Whenever relatives came over, he would stay in his room and study compared to his sister, socializing with her relatives.

Jillian only realizes the crux of the problem when her grandmother passed away. She was not certain that her younger brother’s pride was hurt at a very young age until she saw tears in her brother’s eyes when she started the neutral buffer.

Fortunately, it was a blessing in disguise that things turn out well. I must say that grandmother was a genius

Abstinence

Over time, as we become more liberal, modernized in our thinking, the perception of abstinence depreciates. We no longer marry the first woman we meet, or rather preserve chastity. Abstinence is no longer the norm in today’s society. No longer have people treated abstinence as a form of fixed deposit. “The longer the fund takes to mature, the greater the value” More likely, the trend now is early gratification. “Use it while stock last” Nevertheless, this is only a generalization. Of course there are other factors such as religion, hormones index to curb or gauge our sex drive for the latter, thus

I classify abstinence into 4 major categories.

Early Gratification	Kiasu Syndrome
Ten Commandments	Fixed Deposit

Though there is no absolute solution on how we should gauge abstinence, perhaps the pros and cons of abstinence would aid in our decision.

We have the perception that we should preserve chastity for the one we marry because it is something very special and personal. You will only share it with the person whom you will spend the rest of your life with. (Fixed Deposit)

Sex is something sacred and is created by God for couple to enjoy themselves. Under no circumstances should one commit adultery and will only share it with your spouse. (Ten Commandments)

Sex is an expression and there is nothing wrong engaging in it before marriage. After all, if we wait till we were married, our stock would have expired. (Early gratification)

Since everyone is doing it, there should not be any problem engaging in it. I had better be part of the trend in case others might think that I am weird. (Kiasu Syndrome)

If you have ever spoken to a financial adviser or a insurance agent, he or she would have told you that all investments plans are different as individuals risk appetite is different and likewise, the higher the risk the higher the return. So how do we apply these into the 4 broad categories?

Fixed deposit (Low risk, Low return)

The benefit of preserving chastity is that you are less likely to get cheated because at least you get to preserve your chastity till you recite your oath. Your other half is willing to wait and is understanding of your needs. You do not lose anything besides a few boxes of tissue if nothing works out at the end of the day.

The flaw is this certain portfolio is that what if sex is nothing like what you perceive. For instance, its nothing like what we see on our 17inch screen. Perhaps it’s true that you get free sex after you get married, but it comes with an intangible price tag which might be costly for many.

Sex is over-rated in this sense because something valued so highly might be disillusioned at the end of the day. In layman terms, it is not worth entrusting something so significant (marriage, a lifetime) on something so insignificant (*sex, it only last a couple of minutes if you think about it)

Early gratification (high risk, high return)

The disadvantage of early gratification is that the risk of getting cheated is tremendously high (as high as tech stocks) Most of the time you cannot tell if one feeling is true and you have no ideal if there is any catch so as to trick you into bed. You might invest a lot into it but ended up with nothing (besides the presents he bought before)

However, this has the highest return because even if chastity is lost before you recite your oath. It will be a different ball game once you signed on the dotted line. Sex is no longer a determinant for marriage and it would probably be for a significant purpose. In layman terms, if one can score (get laid) why go into marriage? It has to be more than just scoring.

Kiasu syndrome (high risk, low return)

As the saying goes, curiosity kills the cat. It is imperative to make a clear assessment before making the plunge. What might be suitable for me might not be suitable for you. It would be disastrous if nothing is done to prevent the calamity.

Ten Commandments (low risk, high return)

As mentioned above, it is pleasant to find one who practices this in today’s society. It is rare to find one who abides to these rules. However, the only flaw in this is that the couple must think in the same frequency, otherwise sustainability is not easy. I believe these people will be blessed indefinitely. Imagine 2 people believing in the same cause and time is the best determinant. Perfect!

So which category do you fall under?

Difference between love and lust

I enjoy looking at the definition of these 2 terms. Love is “A deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness”. Whereas Lust is defined as “Intense or unrestrained sexual craving”. In simple words, lust is equivalent to “I want to sleep with you” and love is “intense liking for you”

However we tend to lump these 2 terms together because it is the common myth that the men’s aim of treating a woman so nicely is to get under her skirt. TRUE? Or FALSE? The answer is true! Men’s ultimate goal is to score point and eventually accumulate enough points to redeem under a woman’s skirt. Well, offended? Feel cheated? Ultimately it is human nature to procreate and it is our hormones are our body that is reacting this way that causes our brain to induce actions in order for the man to “score”!

Nonetheless, it is important for the woman to interpret what signals the male is sending in order to protect herself. In her subconscious mind, she will be thinking “Should I withdraw my fixed deposit?” or “Should I keep my fixed deposit for a long date?” Afterall, this is what one has to go through eventually during that “critical moment”.

Precisely why it is imperative for us to distinct between love and lust. The difference is merely separated by a piece of thin ice called effort! Despite the fact that all men would do anything to make a woman “withdraw her fixed deposit” the effort put in is significantly different.

For instance, all men want a piece of a hot babe. Apparently it’s rather rude to cite any celebrity so let’s give her a fake name. Let’s name her POMELO ANDERSEN. Imagine John is crazy about POMELO. He fantasizes about the stunts and tricks to do in bed with POMELO and he delighted the moment he thinks of it. However, suppose that John has an opportunity to get to know POMELO and he is supposed to do tons of things to impress her. For instance, work for one month (depending on the job and qualification), so that he can afford a brand new suit, buy her a good meal, shower her with flowers and surprise her with a diamond ring. Chances are that he will not do it! Because the opportunity cost of that split second (Okay maybe slight longer for some) of adrenaline rush is far too costly to bear.

Despite the fact that all men wants to “withdraw a woman’s fixed deposit”. Most of the time, it is merely a fantasy and not a motive to do make sacrifices for that lucky lady.

Chicks and Cars

Automobile in today’s society symbolizes power and status. Expensive driving machines are used to reflect on their achievements, aid in their profession such as meeting clients as well as a channel to spurge on with a pool of cash to spare. With the change in financing rules, owners can obtain a loan up to 10 years, which make more of these owners easier to obtain their dream car.

After all, all of us love striking and stunning objects. The ability to make head turns and the incessant attention you receive is desirable. It increases one’s self-esteem, pride, confidence when you sit on these four-wheelers. The list goes on, reasons to own one of these fast cars are apparent.

Obviously, in order to own one of these machines, one must work twice as hard. These machines come along with an expensive price tag which many Singaporeans will agree that it is perversely to pay for it. Then again, people are willing to pay for the enviable effect that comes along with these ultimate driving machines.

However, there’s a weakness to even the best driving machines in the world. The shortcoming of high performance cars is that the fuel consumption is higher, the insurance premium is higher, and it is more unreliable due to the sophisticated technology used. Such cars requires high maintenance work which means that you have to send in to the workshop more often in order to ensure that you vehicle runs smoothly.

With the vast number of brands and makes in the automobile industry, consumers are spoilt for choice. The alternative to these ultimate driving machines are no-frills transportation with a roof that is stagnant compared to those which can be folded and kept in seconds like magic. These vehicles are the most common on the road as it is affordable. It lacks the ability to turn heads round and make the person next to you drops his jaw. In simple words, no WOW effect!

Then again, even nicest plant on earth needs the smelliest (shit) object on earth as fertilizer. Despite the fact that they are unable to maneuver at astonishing speed, they have excellent reliability as the technology used does not require to be service that often compared to performance automobile. Their fuel consumption is also envy for many with the increasing oil prices. Resale value is also better in comparison with high performance cars because people with enough cash to fill a swimming pool would usually buy first hand cars.

The other obsession that men have is hot chicks. Perhaps it’s redundant to explain why a man goes for hot chicks, but before I go into illustrating my point, please note that all my points are ceteris paribus (Theory that keeps all factors constant). This meant that I’m not stereo-typing but making a generalization.

I wanted to state that most men think with their D**k initially, but I remember reading a theory somewhere about human motivation.(The book is called Think and Grow Rich) It states that the strongest motivating factor is sex and if you know how to use this force to apply to other objects, you can have immense achievement. I interpret this theory in simple terms such as if you have make a subject that you hate and you can treat it like something that turns you on, you will do well. Or maybe if a supermodel is willing to “do” with you if you can pass your calculus test, maybe even the weakest student will ace that test. Probably that’s what that theory is implying.

I have a very crude theory between regarding the correlation between chicks and cars because both hot chicks and cool cars have very good performance (If you know what I mean). If you have no idea what I’m referring to, I mean hot chicks looks great on photo or camera because they look beautiful. Besides excellent “performance” that these chicks provides, there’s also a desiring effect when your other half happens to be a hot chick. Likewise, the ability to turn heads round with a hot chick next to you is gratifying.

However, the drawback to this possession is that because of high demand, you have to constantly work hard to maintain serviceability. In simple words, the story does not end after you changed your friendster status to “IN A RELATIONSHIP” because such hot chicks are sought after and people will continue to chase after her. Therefore, you have to be good in order to keep those hands off her. Maintenance fee is also very high because you have to constantly ZHNG (modify) these objects in order for it to look good.

The alternative to hot chicks is cold chicks. (HAHA, I’m kidding!) Well, they are what we call the girl next door. These are the ones whom you don’t take a second look at and they tend to be introvert and spend less time grooming themselves.

Ultimately, which type of cars and chicks you chose are attached with costs that are not stated explicitly. Wants and Needs are diverse subjects that have to look into with circumspect. Suddenly it occurs to me that COE is just like marriage. If you are choosing a car based on the performance or the outlook and not your ability to finance it, ultimately you’ll regret your decision because new models changes every 3 years and even the latest model turned boring after a new model replaces it. Marriage wise, if you are only fond on the person based on her looks, chances is that after marriage, looks and size will change.

Men hope their wives would never change after marriage but they change, whereas Women hope their husband changes for the better after marriage but they never change.

Reverse Psychology

Nobody in this world is obliged to make you happy; it’s an individual’s responsibility

I remembered reading an article on Reverse Psychology. After digesting the contents, another connotation occurs to me. I define Reverse Psychology as “The Art of bluffing oneself” (AOBO).

Studies have shown that the distinction between optimistic and pessimistic people is their ability in applying the (AOBO) technique. Another study has also shown that the distinction between successful people and underachievers is also with regards to their ability in applying the (AOBO) technique. And if you are curious on whether this (AOBO) technique differentiates introverts and extroverts, the answer is apparent.

Shit happens all the time, which is why it is important to look at things at a different perspective so as to make one feel better. The following article will touch on different issues in our daily lives and examples will be cited to explain how this (AOBO) technique is applied.

First I will touch on Skepticism of National Service. Certainly it is a universal sentiment that National Service is a waste of time, which is why many chose to avoid it or choose a vocation that is more smooth sailing during their 2 years of National Service. The motive behind this move is firstly because of opportunity cost. Men lose out 2 years to their female counterpart who does not have to serve National service. The latter can proceed with their studies or work and advance 2 years ahead of their male counterpart which some perceive it as unfair. Secondly, many have heard stories on how tough life would be if you enter certain vocation as they have stereo-typed unit life as an unpleasant experience.

Nevertheless, no matter how much we dislike the mud and dirt or the weekends spent protecting national interests, we have to serve the National due to apparent reasons. I will not touch on why we have to do National Service because it is perceptible but how do we apply the (AOBO) technique to improve our lives during that 2 years.

For those who have been through BMT outfield would know how tough it was. Countless of mosquitoes bite, sleeping on muddy fields, surviving on combat ration which result in shit that is hard as rock(You have to shake your ass before your shit drops) and the lists goes on. I remember going home for dinner after my first outfield experience. On the dinner table lay dishes with smoke hovering above it which for a moment seemed alien to be, probably because I was feeding on cold dishes for the past 7 days. When I drank my first scoop of soup, I can savor not only the taste but the warmth of family. My point is that despite going through shit for the past 7 days, it was this shitty period that one appreciates home cooked food. Ever since, I make it a point to consume home cooked food as often as I can.

For those “privileged” who went through Sispec or OCS would experience a period of time when time when book out is as precious as gold. Some would experience in camp training up to 2 weeks and overseas training up to 3 weeks. After experiencing isolation from “civilization” and breaking free from regiment, I can’t help but feeling ecstatic even if it was a short trip to the convenience store or a walk to the coffee shop to buy some of my favorite makan. My point is that one becomes more appreciate of the simple things in life after National service.

How about those who have to do Guard duty on weekends which you have to forego time spent with your love ones. Well, there are 2 approaches to this. Firstly, for people who enjoy clubbing during weekends, you can bring forward money saved during the week you are doing guard duty to the next week. This meant that you have enough money to drown yourself with whatever alcohol you can get your hands on. Secondly, for money savvy people, confinement to camp on weekends means an extra digit in your bank account.

For those who have been through training in vigorous terrain in

Taiwan

or

Brunei

, you can now survive in any jungle with a box of matchstick, map, compass and a jackknife. Sounds intriguing, but it’s a reality!

There are also abundant of resources to be tapped on during National Service. People come from different walks of lives with experience and expertise to share. This is especially so when you are enlisted into MONO intakes. I define MONO intake as the cultural exchange between the “street smarts” and the “book smarts”. You will be amazed to see how the “street smarts” performance outshines the “book smarts” in certain aspects. In the midst of these soldiers lie talents waiting to be revealed. The street smarts (SS) can also make use of these “book smarts”(BS) to improve areas they are weak at such as language or areas that requires more academic expertise. For instance let say one day Ah Beng decides to retake his N Levels so that he can advance to ITE, he can make use of the free time to consult Steward who’s an A level student. This is highly possible because despite coming from different academic backgrounds, they might be (SU*

K

CO

*K) buddies in the army.

From the military knowledge that you gained from training would tell you that what you experience on screen (movies) is a far cry from reality. Shooting with 2 GPMGS (General Purpose Machine Guns), grenades sling on bodies is definitely not possible. With all that knowledge at the tips of your finger, definitely comes with an extra point from your prospective father in law.

Please do not get me wrong, I’m not implying that soldiers who go through a more vigorous path would be more successful in life because many soldiers who went through the service vocation continue to be very successful in life, therefore there is no correlation between success and vocations. In fact ironically speaking, people who got enlisted into the combat vocation is envious of people in the service vocation. Well, since our fate is sealed, I think its important to constantly use the (AOBO) technique to make our lives better, since we have to serve the 2 years anyway.

I have a army buddy that once said this to me “You have been consuming shit too long that you are contented when people offer you urine” I think he’s right =)

Opportunity Cost of being too happy

Fear lies when there’s no fear itself

After much said on Happiness, which is one’s ultimate objective, I realized that there’s actually a cost to this. So what is the opportunity cost of Happiness about? On my previous article on “Correlation Analysis between Economics and Happiness”, I spoke about putting effort in order to be happy; however this topic will touch on the advantages of being unhappy.

Scenario A

Unhappy over: Results during examinations; objectives not met in work; amount of money earned compared to your peers; low productivity from your subordinates; lack of efficiency from your team members and the list goes on.

I cite these common examples to state the different reasons which are pissing us off from time to time. Well, some might claimed that it is human nature to compare with others that is making one so upset or simply because of high expectations. Now lets look at Scenario B

Scenario B

Happy over: Obtaining a mediocre score during examination (Because you don’t have to repeat that particular paper); Achieving 50% objective that your boss tasked you to do (So that you can avoid OVERTIME); Earning lesser than your peers (So that you are not the one picking up the tab); Paying lesser to your subordinates (Since they don’t meet my expectations anyway); Fun to be with teammates (Life’s never boring with them around).

It’s apparent that if you fall under Scenario A, chances is that people will looked upon you as driven, persistent, determined, assiduous and the list goes on(Click on SYNONYMS for more bombastic words). You might be unhappy most of time, but it is definitely not a bad thing after all because as the saying goes “You reaped what you sow” Possibility is that you have a standing in society with that “Unhappy” attitude.

What if you fall under Scenario B?

Chances is that you are generally well-liked by people, you are happy most of time, you are a optimist, you don’t suffer from high blood pressure, you are relaxed and despite all that attributes, there’s a drawback to this. “Fear lies when there’s no fear itself”. What this sentence means is that, it is actually quite scary when you are not scared of anything. Reason being that one tends to overlook alternatives or anticipate Murphy’s Law (Anything that can go wrong will go wrong). Secondly, without a demanding attitude, its pretty hard to achieve good results.

I once read “The Art of Happiness” by Dalai Lama, about the topic on pain. Dalai Lama explained that the fear of pain can aid in preventing you from getting injured or diminish further suffering. For instance, if you nervous system breaks down and your body do not have the ability to experience pain, this may pose a danger if you are cut accidentally and bleeds profusely thereafter. Without pain as an “alarm system”, you would not know when to prevent further blood loss which might be detrimental as time passes. My point is that pain correlates with being unhappy, which is not a bad thing after all.

Ultimate Wedding (part 2)

Now that everything’s settled. After months of preparation, the wedding dinner is finally over. How about life after that? As a guy, I would give my cynical point of view to that. As there are countless schools of thought when it comes to this, let’s state a few.

• In an ideal world, all woman hope their men to change after marriage
• But in reality, men never change
• In an ideal world, all men hope their woman to always stay the same
• But in reality, woman after marriage can never be the same again

Once I had this discussion with Teck about chicks (as in babes and not baby chicken) and their pets (dogs in particular). Correlating chicks and dogs. He claimed that all chicks have dogs and all the dogs have chicks. After some observation, it’s pretty true to a certain extent. Teck next posed this question to me. “Would you keep a dog next time when you are rich?” My replied was “Hell NO! I would keep a woman!”

I remembered once watching an episode on WOMAN OF TIMES, starring CHEN HAN WEI AND FANN WONG. There was this scene whereby Fann asked Han Wei” why aren’t you eating?” His reply was “I like to watch you eat.” BULLSHIT! UTTERLY BULLSHIT! If a couple can say that to each other after 10 years of marriage “I LIKE TO WATCH U EAT” I would chop off my head!

In the past I used to think that one should accept one for who she or he is and no matter how that person is dressed, they should respect it. For instance, if you look like shit, the person next to you should live with it. Hell I was wrong! Xiaohui said this, “how would you feel if your date took so much effort to look good next to you and you look like shit next to her and expect her to life with it?” Meaning, looking good is a form of respect.

During the World Cup period, my attention wasn’t much on the scores, nor the footballers. Mine was actually on the WAGS (Wifes of footballers) Then suddenly, an idea came to my mind. Good marriage = (Paragraph 1 + Paragraph 2 + Paragraph 3 + Paragraph 4)

• Step 1 Make lots of money
• Step 2 Shower your wife with gifts
• Step 3 Invest in slimming programs so she will forever look hot, even not hot at least warm.

What do you guys think? Woman requires constant assurance and security. For instance, you give her a diamond ring today and she’s really contented for the next 24hrs. However, the point scored today will be reset the day after. So it means that you have to work hard not for today but it’s an everyday affair.