A True Life

Life is not static, thus the art of living keep on evolving. My way of life is not the same as 10 years ago, though some of the old values still remain. I usually do a yearly review of what I had done for the past year, and followed by a New Year resolution on what I should do next. I have some left over ideas from last year, but I felt the lack the determination to push forward this year. To truly understand what I should set out to accomplish this coming year, I probably have to understand myself better, or how I had changed.

I believed I have probably a few guiding principles in life, or some new principles I would like to adopt lately, perhaps from there I could learn a thing or two about what I want to do:

• Life should be lived without regrets.
• Work is not an isolated part of life, where we sacrifice our passion and soul for money; it should be meaningful and fulfilling.
• Enjoyment of life shall not be delayed until retirement; it’s supposed to happen every now and then.
• The ability to admit mistake and weakness is priceless.
• I wanted to be a programmer for life: the ability to create is priceless.
• Life should have time to do various things besides work, watch movie and sleep; to try hardware hacking, to go hiking, to build on stupid but fun ideas, to play games, to travel to new places …
• Life should be free: free from the burden of money, free from the chores which doesn't interest us, free from bureaucracy and claws of social expectations, free from worldly possessions.
• The ability to sustain a business is priceless, but the effort to milk more money out of it could spoil the game; if you can, don’t take venture money.
• Imagination and Dream should not be absent from life as we grow older.

When I was young, I wanted to become a millionaire by the age of 30, and I am willing to work my ass off to achieve that. I still have the millionaire dream, but I am not willing to work my ass off and sacrifice plenty of time to achieve that. I wanted a life.

What is a life? Life is living it truthfully, doing what we really want to do, and the end result is fulfillment. I might just feel like laze around for a week, but there isn't any fulfillment out of it; I might require some rest, which is fine. When I choose to do something, or not to do something, there should be a great sense of “rightness” for making that decision, which should lead to a better life. I probably quit my employment life because too much time is wasted doing meaningless things, for the meager amount of money which could not lead to the life I wanted. Freelancing is slightly better because I don’t have to do stupid things like in a bureaucratic environment, but it still lacks the sense of satisfaction. When I finally get to build things I truly wanted to create, I felt really happy; when the things I build make some money, it’s a great consolation. I knew employment and freelancing would bring me more money in the short term, but I am pretty sure I won’t be happy or satisfied. I need to do work which fulfill the life which I desire: not necessary making millions to support my luxurious early retirement, but making work doesn't feel like work, but work of fun and fulfillment.

I want a true life, and I should do things which shall enable me to have such a life. I shall continue building what I always set out to build, and I shall work on a few stupid ideas which make me happy, and I should try a few things which I always wanted to try. Lack of time is not an excuse.

In 2013, I shall:

• Build something which enable people to enjoy travel and eating
• Attend a few hardware hacking sessions at MakeKL
• Work on a few stupid ideas
• Not sure I can squeeze some time to make a game
• Take 2 months off to travel around
• Living a true life

May everyone find peace and meaning in their life :)

你有遗忘吗？

虽然我的文笔不是很好，但中文对我而言，还是最能让人抒发情感的语文，只是太多理智的英文让我遗忘了中文。最近看了一部电影“遗忘”，是林心如工作室的微电影；它的“遗忘”有双重意义，一是失忆，也是忘了生活。电影拍得不错，但更重要的是，让我有所启发。

我们大多数时间，都在忙这个，忙那个；然而，我们为生活而操劳，那我们有真正过生活吗？我们所忙的，都是我们想要的吗？都是值得的吗？电影中的女主角攀上了事业的高峰，失忆后，很自然的觉得事业一点也不可贵，一点也不恋倦；最开心的事，都是一些平凡琐碎的事，谈谈心事，煮煮菜，一起看看书。要在竞争激烈的社会当中成为胜利者，要付出的代价，要改变的自己，这一切都值得吗？

如果不拼事业，那该拼的又是什么。人生本来就有很多梦想，挣钱肯定不是其中一个。有人想当画家，小说家或漫画家，环游世界，喜欢音乐或舞蹈，回乡耕种或搞民宿。或没有追求什么梦想，只是多陪陪身边的人，多看自己喜欢的书，听音乐或看电影，多与朋友家人相聚，谈谈心事。到底哪些是重要的事，那些是无聊的事，那可要真正醒悟的你，摸摸心底才知道。

所谓物极必反，凡是太多也不是一件好事：工作太多，或休息太多。我们总有个想法，就是趁年轻时或还没成立家庭就要拼；我也很难去评论这是对或错。人生吗，就是要懂得何时去拼，何时去休息，何时去享受。在拼与享受之间，有没有失去不应该失去的，衡量想要得到的东西有没有价值。钱本身是没有价值的，只是废纸和号码；如何运用得来的财富，才能得到人生中的幸福，才是我应该要懂得的。

废话一大篇之后，哪又该怎么样？明天的人生又会走得如何不一样？对我而言，人生是不断的探索，尝试，学习和改变；十年前所定下的生活方针，十年后又可能不一样了，但原先的原则，又好像有部分保持不变。忙要忙得有价值，不时要思考自己忙的是什么，有没有把自己卖了，有没有把最珍贵的东西当了。脚步停下来时，这一切还值得吗？失忆了，这一切是能令你幸福的事吗？人生吗，不就是要过得无悔。

忙归忙，脚步还是要不时慢下来，做自己应该做的事。人生吗，不要把它遗忘就是了。

2012 Reflection

It’s the last Sunday of 2012, it’s night, and it’s the perfect time to reflect, ponder and feel good about wasting time :) Looking back on what I wrote for the beginning of 2012, it feels like a wasted post with nothing to look forward or reflect on. I guess I had forgotten about my feelings back then.

The shitty part about setting goals is we shall feel miserable if we didn’t achieve them, and not necessary happy if we did. But without goals, it feels kinda lost and empty. The heart yearns for something, and goals are just translation of the wishes.

My “Shitty” Startup

I think the end of 2011 is around the time Silicon Valley Comes to Malaysia hits town, and I was pumped up about applying for funding, join some incubators and competition, looking for co-founder and looking forward to develop a “real business model” for my startup. The funny thing is none of these happened or work out and perhaps I had made a fool of myself, but today I am fairly please that none of these wishes came true. Today I still own 100% of my “shitty” startup, with no co-founders or investors to disagree with, and it had a 150% income growth without a “real bossiness model” which is really good for me, financially stable to embark on the next adventure, and I feel really happy and tasted some freedom (something which I always look forward to).

I didn't actually accomplish much in 2012 in terms of productivity, but I guess the time is ripe to rip the fruits after years of ploughing. It is true a true reflection of opportunities awaits those who are prepared for it.

Sadly, Malaysia Most Wanted Prices and Events didn't work out, so I will probably shut it down soon.

End of Consultation & Freelancing

Year 2012 marks the end of consultation and freelancing for me, partly due to my startup business is picking up and I got tired of freelancing after 5 years, and made worse by a couple of collection issues and bad debts.

Freelancing is tough (dealing with customer expectations), but it does pay the bills. Sadly, the experience isn't very satisfactory, as it feels like selling your soul for money: the customer will never pay you enough to produce the best product, or understand the price and elements of a good product. What is the difference between mobile apps with a development budget of RM 5000 vs. RM 50,000? Most of the time customer pays for features, but it’s very difficult to price the user experience, look and feel, fragmentation support, scalability, etc.

In a very crude sense, a prostitute can’t be a wife. You can pay for sex, but you can’t buy love and care.

Life and Travel

Freedom of life is important to me, which include financial freedom, having time to do other things besides work, and don’t have to sell my soul for money. With the growth of Malaysia Most Wanted Food and retirement from freelancing, I felt that it’s a big step towards the right direction.

If my memory serves me right, I only manage to do one significant travel in Vietnam for close to a month. I do enjoy the last travel, not too rush, not too complicated. I was probably hooked with the idea of travelling about 8 years ago, and I am still looking forward to achieve my one year travel plan someday :)

Sometimes life comes up with a little extra challenge besides work and love. I ended having to revive my teaching affair at my cousin’s school due to a strange twist of fate, which I never quite truly enjoy because it doesn't feels right. Teaching PowerPoint to students so that they could pass some Microsoft Exam is not exactly my idea of education or fun, but it does reminds me that sometimes exam could bring the best out some someone. Two of my students try to take the exam twice but failed. I could sense that the idea of failure does bother the students, and one of them does stand up to the challenge, being more focus and determined, and I could really feel his improvement and confidence built-up, and I forecasted he would pass on the third try, which he did. As much as I dislike the idea of exam, but totally abolishing it might not be a good idea as well.

In the last month of 2012, I became the unglamourous chairman to save my apartment from turning into a cowboy town, with only RM 7,500 in the bank account, RM 40,000 of water debt, 30% cost overrun and residents reluctant to pay maintenance due to the worsen situations. It’s a tough challenge to handle, which I forsee could easily takes 3 months to turn the tide (with some luck on our side), and plenty of things happening in between. I believe things happen for a reason, and running away or ignoring it is probably not the right way to do it.

Good or Bad?

I think 2012 is probably one of the better years for me, with more “excitements” as well. As we get older, it’s sometimes tougher to hang on hope and trust, believing that human are naturally good. Some people decided that it’s okay to not pay someone after engaging their services, while some people decided its okay not to pay maintenance fee because they are not happy with how things are, and not to mentioned all the bad things people did to each other on the news everyday. I wish everyone would be more understanding and think of others beside themselves, where the employers mustn't forget how it feels like to be an employee, and the employee trying to understand the difficulties of the bosses. Why do I need to believe that everyone is naturally good? If not, I shall be living among the scumbags, and that is not a good thing.

The world we live in, need a little bit of care, understanding and forgiveness, so that we can start living as human in this humanly world again. When you stop caring about others, others shall stop caring about you; and what kind of world would all of us be living in? That shall be the end of life as we know it. Never do something to hurt others intentionally or unintentionally, neither shall we do something we shall regrets.

I hope everyone could still feel their good heart.

The Unglamorous Chairman

Unexpected in the month of December 2012, I volunteered myself as the committee member of the Management Corporation (MC) of my apartment while the ex-committee and management company decided to quit due to financial difficulties and disappointment with the residents. In the next 2 days, I was voted as the Chairman because I was late for the meeting 5 minutes. Now, I am the Chairman of the MC of my apartment, on a rescue mission to save the apartment from turning into a cowboy town, with only RM 7,500 in the bank account, RM 40,000 of water debt, 30% cost overrun and residents reluctant to pay maintenance due to the worsen situations.

I landed on an unglamorous job (with a glamorous title) with a whole load of shits to handle.

Why shit happened?

The apartment is having a water leakage problem since 2007 (suspected due to aged water pipes), and our monthly water billed had increased from 2007’s RM 7000 to 2012’s RM 13,000 (at its peak, we are paying RM 17,000 per month). Countless committees and management companies for years had tried to solve this issue, but the water bill fails to go below its RM 13,000/month mark.

Poor man can’t be chooser; as we get poorer due to the water leakage (loosing between RM 6000 to RM 10,000 per month), we still try to maintain the “luxury” life of 3 security guards per shift, a private management company, full-time cleaners and etc. Even though the maintenance fee is raised 50% last year, it just couldn't sustain its current operations. Any logical person would ask why not reduce the services? I believe the answer has very much to do with the psychology of the residents, which I shall explain shortly.

To Rescue or Punish

Like all company with in bad financial situations, it’s time to come up with some serious cost cutting measures and prioritize spending. It’s slightly “easy” for us that the previous management terminated all the services, thus we basically start with zero cost.

In the beginning, some residents suggested that we should “punish” those who didn’t pay the maintenance charges by not restoring the security guards and let SYABAS terminate the water, thus forcing these people to bear the consequences of their actions. I was swayed by this argument for a while, until I realize this is not wise for various reasons (I got persuaded by another Committee member):

• We will end up disappointing 70% of the “good residents” just to punish 30% of the bad apples
• If someone get hurt due to the lack of security, it shall haunt my conscience
• Water termination will cause much inconvenience for the children and old folks
• If we punish everyone (even though some agreed to be punished), there shall be no hope in restoring support and order

Basically, we acted against the will of the vocal residents and restore security guard. Then we went to SYABAS to negotiate an installment plan for the debt, the tabled the solution in the resident meeting, where a majority (sadly only 10% of the residents attended the meeting) voted to pay SYABAS to avoid water termination.

Our plan is to control the expenditures, increase the collection rate, solve the water leakage, restore operations and restore fairness. Luckily we have a cooperative committee, and some helpful residents.

How people think?

After talking and interacting with lots of residents, I realize I learned a lot about human nature in one month than the last 30 years of my life.

• During the week where security is absent, security is not at risk but parking chaos happened. Residents who park used to park their cars outside the apartment compound (they have 2 cars but no second car park) started to park their car in the compound on others’ parking space, or park inconsiderately on the walkway.
• Surprisingly, when only one security guard is restored and stationed at the gate entrance (there is nothing much a one man guard could do), the parking chaos is 90% gone.
• Surprisingly, some residents’ main concern is whether someone sweeps the floor of the compound, not about better security or solving water leakage or financial problem.
• Even in time of crisis, most people couldn't make the painful choice of cost cutting.
• Most residents despise unfairness, wanted the committee to take action against those residents who didn't pay maintenance charges.
• Most residents just wanted an avenue to rant about the problems, but still willing to pay the maintenance charges and be a “good citizen” for the common good. The main tasks of committees are listening to the residents, and assure them things are under control. Talk less, listen more.
• Some of the debtors refuse to pay due to “personal” reasons, such as broken relationship with the committee members, clerical errors and disappointment with the services, lack of communication channels, etc.
• Even at time of crisis, some people still expect optimum services and refuse to participate in resident meetings, and perhaps think that things will magically be restored.
• Most people would start to make their own assumption without approaching the committee for clarifications, which allow false rumors to spread easily. I personally believe communication channel are important, where we put notices on notice board, request for resident’s email to send out weekly updates, have resident meetings, but I believe we hardly reach 60% of the residents effectively.
• The chicken and egg situation: some residents expect “the good old days” and optimum services to return before they are willing to pay the maintenance charges, but the entire operation could collapse if less than 70% of the residents pay the maintenance charges.
• There is always a 10% hardcore people who resist or oppose, and another 10% who are helpful and supportive. Another 40% are "good citizens" who do their part and continue to pay maintenance, while another 40% sitting on the fence with a wait and see attitude. Our job is to convert the last 40%.
• Personal conflicts between people, lack of tolerance for people with different views and harsh tone and languages are the main causes of failure in this conflict. Be polite, be listening, willingness to sacrifice, explain your plans and views, and ask for support and show gratitude. It's somehow like a politician running for election, except that there is no financial or power gain here.

Take for Granted Expectation

There are certain things in life where we take for granted, where we assume as long as we pay our taxes, there shall be policemen, firemen and doctors to take care of us; as long as we pay our bills, there shall be water, electricity, communication and Internet; as long as we pay our apartment maintenance, there shall be services like security, cleaning, maintenance of basic amenities and etc.

What if these things suddenly disappear, and what should we do? Suddenly it’s bestowed upon us to take over the management of the country, or become policemen, or required to take actions to restore water and electricity supply.

Would you rather sit still and hope for the “good old days” to return, or decide to take actions and make it happen? Or would it be possible that someone unconsciously prevented order from being restored?

Why become the unglamorous Chairman?

Logically, it doesn't make sense to become the Chairman of an apartment in dire financial where the supportive level of residents are dwindling. The job doesn't pay, and consume plenty of hours and sleepless night, and the committee would probably be blamed if we fail to turn this around, and we don’t really expect rewards or thanks even if we made it. Why not spend the time and effort with our family, or develop our career and business?

Initially, I refuse to accept that this situation could not be solved, thus I volunteered. Then, I hate the lousy feelings of having to quit and give up. Perhaps in a certain sense, I felt it’s time for me to do good to others (besides my family), to give back to the community so to say. Now I try to convince myself this could serve as a valuable lessons in my life, where I could learn something from it. Deep down, I naively wanted to believe that human are intrinsically good in nature, that there is still hope for humanity so to speak. I believe in kindness and hope. I refuse to believe that residents in my apartment are somehow more inferior than others.

In the time of darkness, hope and trust is the only beacon of light: trust that people are genuinely good, and hope that people would be understanding and do the right thing.

Review: What I wish I knew when I was 18 by Stephen Fry

Notes:

• Technology is like a Mirror: if an idiot looks in, you can't expect an apostle to lookout
• Chasing techniques and answers (to happiness and richness) is fatal
• The worst things you can do to yourself in life is setting goals (goal orientation is disasterous): 1) You don't meet your goal and call yourself a failure 2) You meet you goal and ask, "I'm here, now what?"
• Work is more fun than fun
• The things that unsuccessful people have in common is they talk about themselves all the time (I need ...) = Egoistic
• The real of Heroism is people who quietly get on with their life and think about other people
• How can you know England if England is the only country you know
• One of the wonderful given ability in life is the ability to give
• Would you rather be someone who ask for money, or be someone in the position to give?
• On one hand you want to belong to a tribe, on the other hand you want to be outside and unique
• Online comments are usually nasty and resentful, which are meaningless and demoralizing
• Self-obsessed people are poisoning themselves and people around them
• The more in the world you encounter Kindness and cheerfulness, the better the world would be (it dwarfs talent, energy, commitment, justice, virtual, truth, ...)

Review: Brian Chesky of AirBnB (2010)

Video: http://www.justin.tv/startupschool/b/272180383

Notes:

• Everyone is once powerless and obscure.
• Press tactics: don't start with CNN, they won't cover you. Google for related keyword/news, find the bloggers who talks about it and email them. Then the local news will pickup from the bloggers, then the state news, then it's reach CNN. Got the 1st 800 listings.
• When you have plenty of time, make cereals
• PG interested because these guys won't die
• Whatever you focus on, you get
• Community marketplace for space
• Rent airbed for events -> cover non-events -> rent rooms -> rent apartments -> rent any space (private island, tree-house, boat, castle for events, etc.)

Launches

• Launch 1: Rent airbed from our apartment for an event (local hotels are sold out)
• Launch 2: Airbed for conferences for all over the country, launch by SXSW
• Launch 3: Stay with local while travelling (press tactics)
• Launch 4: Making Cereals
• Launch 5: Demo Day: YC (users -> profit)

Review: Ben Silbermann of Pinterest @ Startup School

Video: http://startupschool.org/2012/silberman/

Notes

• Making things can take a long time (quit jobs 2 years ago - work on multiple projects, 4 months to launch, get 3000 accounts in 3 months)
• Commitment to HAVE to make it work. You should just do it, or stop talking about it.
• Ways investors says No: 
• Call me back in a few months.
• Who else is in?
• There is NO way this will happen.
• Lessons about investors:
• Even rich people are subject to free cookie, investor are people too.
• Hack the leverage: fear of losing the deal, the believe that the thing will be so big.
• Don't take investors' advice as face value, they make mistakes too, judge for yourself.
• Be great at 1 thing, the ONE thing worthy of people's time
• Investors are subjects to the same bias and trends everyone else is reading on techcrunch and hacker news.
• Convince investors through users who is their friends and wives.
• A lot of different ways to succeed, not necessary following the trends; trust the user, data and your instinct
• Build something you believe in, else you will definitely burn out
• Don't give up: don't let others talk you out of your dream

Empower the People (how to make money online)

When I first saw Google Adsense, it was like holly shit: everyone could make a living by serving advertisement (without the hassle of securing advertisers) on their blog and website, as long as they produce contents which interest people. It is no longer the privilege of magazines or newspapers or big media websites, and the cost of running is practically zero (blogger is free, singup for Google Adsense is free, only time is not quite free).

Now, everyone could make a living online by producing contents (e.g. write a blog about cars, pets, fashion, technology, etc.). Personally, I felt this is both liberating and empowering. One of the reason I really love Google is because they empower the commoners and small business owners, creating products where almost everyone could take advantage of to make a living (Adword, Youtube, Google App, Google Place for Business, etc.). Google made it possible, easy and free (most of the time); the only thing stopping you is yourself.

You probably need to be trained (and probably certified) for years to be an accountant, lawyer, doctor, engineer or programmer. If you do not have a formal education, you probably ended up in a low paying labor intensive job. Besides using the Internet, certain conventional industry allow everyone to make a better living without a high prerequisite: Insurance and Multi-Level Marketing (MLM). Almost everyone could be easily trained to be an Insurance agent within months, and many housewives successfully become a MLM agent (e.g. Amway) within weeks. Everyone could make a better living, as long as you could excel in sales.

Besides Google, there are plenty of options which empower to make a living online:

• Etsy: Sell your DIY products online
• eBay: Auction anything online. Check-out Lelong for Malaysia.
• Youtube Partner Program: The more people view your video, the more money you make (it’s like Adsense for Video). Sadly not available in Malaysia yet.
• Airbnb: Everyone could rent their empty apartment or room as holiday home. Check-out iBilik for Malaysia.
• Fiverr: Sell your small service for a fee
• TaskRabbit: Run an errant for others
• HomeTuitionJob (Malaysia): be a home tutor

The question is: can you do well in one of the following?

• Like to blog? (Adsense)
• Passionate about making handmade dolls, bracelets, etc? (Etsy)
• Have some junks to sell? (eBay, Lelong)
• Good at making funny videos? (Youtube Partner Program)
• Have extra apartments or rooms for rent? (Airbnb, iBilik)
• Good at writing, drawing, design, puppet show or rapping? (Fiverr)
• Good at housework, shopping or fixing things? (TaskRabbit)
• Good in English, Math or Music? (HomeTuitionJob)

You can choose not to work for others if you don’t like to, and you don’t need a lot of money to start making a living online. Nothing is easy, but it’s definitely very possible :)

PS: If you are passionate about your choice, you will be happier, satisfied and hopefully make a sustainable living, and definitely last longer (able to preservere).