I finally did it

Alhamdulillah is all I can say

•  Saved up 70k for my rainy day fund
•  Got a long-awaited promotion and handed in my resignation about a month after that (without a backup job offer yet)
•  Received 2 job offers for something that I would like to go back into, industry intelligence.
•  Got shortlisted for the Taiwan scholarship but had to turn it down since the notification came in too late and by that time, I had accepted one of the offers

Currently enjoying my break, will go to Europe for 2 weeks and will start at the new place the Monday after my trip.

Really, Allah is the best planner and things fall into place as per His timing. Alhamdulillah :)

Twenty Twenty Two

 Somehow it becomes like an annual publication for me to scribble what I like to achieve for this year. So, here you go

• Going to study mandarin in either Taiwan or China, whichever country that opens its border to international student. Been putting this on back bench previously as I need to handle other things first.
• Hitting 60k in my rainy day fund , achieved it last year but things just had to be re-prioritized better than others. Hence, let's do this again by mid year
• Not going to renew my employment contract in July. Regardless whether my scholarship application is accepted not. Here to refresh, rejuvenate & refocus.  
• Will push for a minor knee surgery to obtain a more permanent solution to my early osteoarthritis. The bone spur is not fun to have. I still have so many land to cover, museums to visit, places to explore, stairs to climb & cities to experience.
• Re-starting my journey back to the 50s. Successfully gained back half of what I've lost previously. Need to do this as my knees just can't stand the extra pressure that the extra kilos it carries.
• I will read one book a month at the very least. Funnily, when I was working in Singapore I can easily finish up up to 10 books a month but aishh, life happens I guess.
• Read minimum of 5 pages of Al-Quran everyday. I managed to khatam last year so In Shaa Allah will do this on daily basis.
• 5 qadha prayers, tahajjud and dhuha every single day

That's for now. Will add more later.

2021 - Yes to something, anything or everything

 It's just one of those days that I feel like jotting something and rambling about anything that crosses my mind. Perhaps it's the new year thing that I feel the need to make a point to create a list of what I aspire to achieve down the road. Not sure but let's just see where this goes. 

• Last year, I was able to finally sorted my financials so I'm hoping to fill up my 12 months rainy-day fund by Q1 this year at the earliest or by mid-Q2 at the latest.
• Putting aside mummy-fund for her fully paid, business class trip to perform Umrah whenever the world is ready again
• Then to start with my Hajj fund so that I can In Shaa Allah get invited to perform one by the time I hit 40.
• I will find a new job this year, the 7th-year itch and the mojo I was looking for for the last 3 years or so was never been found. So new job, new challenge it is.
• Warren Buffet-ing my life by starting to dabble with equities. Alhamdulillah, the majority of the funds gave me superb returns so far. Kachingggg, putting more into my retirement fund.
• I will start my road to 50s .........anything with 5 as the starting number to my weight. My knees thanked me for losing 10kgs but I happily gained back 3kgs so now, anything starting with 5 is going to send me to the moon. We shall head to the moon people.
• Adulting speaking, I'm finally getting my curtains professionally measured and custom made. No more slanted railings and self-made tinted windows.
• Currently, asking for quotations for the kitchen cabinets. I need a proper place to put my pots and pans (spent so much money on those Zwillings and Staubs which are well kept in their original boxes - feel like slapping myself on this)
• I like cooking and I find it therapeutic so yes, a well made up kitchen is a need (I might be singing a different tune when it's done)
• Personally, I'm not ready to travel overseas yet this year but that doesn't stop me from buying 2 souffle yarn long sleeve knitted cardigans which will be kept safely in the middle room for my future winter trips.
• Finally, I gathered enough courage to set a meeting, a few meetings actually with an Orthopaedic. Got my knees checked, x-rayed, and jabbed with hyaluronic acid. Best health-related decision ever!
• Starting one of many spiritual journeys for myself, learning Iqra from the very beginning. Slowly but surely I will get to finish the Al-Quran.

Not sure about others but I am the type who likes to have goals, nothing too detailed but rough ones should suffice. One of the big ones I have for myself is to retire comfortably before I turn 50. Settling outside the city area, one-story landed property with perhaps plenty of energy to man a chili farm or raising chickens to sell their eggs.

Wow, I surely have plenty of things to jot today. Here to 2021, good health, good wealth and great everything in between!

Avoiding COVID-19

What an eventful first quarter of the year. We had an elected Prime Minister then he became an interim Prime Minister (may or may not be caused by the failed political coup) then the King interviewed potential PMs before appointing a new one. For commodity front, oil price tanked, hovering at the twenties dollar per barrel and of course, the biggest news would be Covid-19 which has been declared as a pandemic by WHO. Ripple effects of the latter are felt by many if not all, from Asia to Europe to North America and the rest of the world.

Here, for us at the home ground of RM250b economic stimulus package (about 15.5% of our GDP), we are well into the 2nd week of Restriction of Movement Order (RMO) and we are to stay at home till April 14th to help flatten the curve of infection. Basically,  if you have food supplies and the necessities, justbloodystayathome!

Looking at the bright side, with the RMO fully enforced, I realised that I can do a lot less of few things and a lot more of other things such as;

• Super minimal -ve talkings, aiming to make it none at all
• Perform Dhuha
• Qada solat (did you know this is one of the debts or the only debt that ONLY you can settle it? nobody can help you with this once you are 6 feet under - unlike zakat or hajj where someone can pay on your behalf)
• Reciting quran or listening to one all day long, the feeling is just ......or crying out of the blue while imagining what hell is like?
• Wudhu before hitting the ZzZzz button
• Control what I consume (I'm on diet remember? Lost 4kgs so far!!)
• Learn something new or revisiting old ones - my pinyin or candlesticks

People say you can create new habits in 21 days, we have 4 weeks to fully indulge ourselves. Let's do this!

So far going into 2020

I guess making one entry per year is the way to go. I remember myself asking my 10yr old self, who would want to live till 2020? That's way into the future. I guess being young and naive just can't be bothered with the complexity of living.

I'm running out of motivation to work for some time now. It would be great to know somewhere along the tunnel, there's a stopover or a milestone to chart your progress but I am kinda stuck in a rut. I need to work on getting my mojo back, have to earn the paycheck and make it worthwhile.

Also, I've just started a 2 months meal-plan program. Been cooking diligently for the past 3-4 days. It's actually not bad, do-able definitely and who would have thought the cost is so much lower than what I normally spend per day for breakfast and lunch. Skipping dinner because it messes up my sleeping time (i.e 9.30PM in lalaland).

Oh yes, I stepped out of my comfort zone ;)
Applied for a scholarship to get certified as Applied Data Science Analyst, got accepted, attended 9-5pm Saturday and Sunday classes for 3 months, made friends (this is huge for me) and passed all the exams. Now, I'm certified!!!WOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

I was supposed to go for my annual 'pilgrimage' to China a.k.a. Beijing last month but Covid-19 took over globally. Hence, had to cancel my trip there for the 2nd time. It seems like I really have no luck with Beijing :)

Feels good to be jotting down things here again.
Will see how long apart my next one would be.

Sorry

I failed the psychometric test and I'm not upset nor disappointed that I didn't get the job but I feel sorry for

• Mom - because my mental plans are that I want fully take over her monthly car loan and I want to send her to perform Umrah every year.
• Siblings - ease everyone's financial burdens and eat delicious foods whenever wherever
• Nieces and nephew - bring them to travel more, see places and gain experiences

That's all. Sorry!

3 years to 2020

People say that when we want to achieve something, it is better for us to write it down. So that, subconsciously or consciously, we move towards that goal(s).

Here it goes

Soul Food

• To understand the translation of my prayers. I mean, reciting it in Arabic is one thing but to truly grasp the meaning is just a different ball game. 
• Pray on time because Allah is in control of what you are rushing for. So why the heck am I bolting through my 2, 3, 4 rakaats. I am not even in a race.
• To not skip my Dhuha, if I have 5 minutes to play Clash Royale, I should be able to allocate 5 minutes for Dhuha.
• To continue fasting on Monday and Thursday. Give the tummy a good break.
• To constantly be mindful of my awrah. Just because you want to quickly grab something from the car, you might bump into someone in the elevator. Rightfully covered, yes?no?maybe?
• Remember, to do more of what pleases Allah than the rest.

Mental and Physical Health

• Enjoy Xian in February and survive the first ever solo trip. Terracotta armies, let's be best friend for 7 days.
• Grab the ticket for Autumn (end of Oct, early Nov) to Korea, I shall experience the brown, green, red leaves once and for all. Naejangsan National Park fighting!!
• Need to find my reading mojo again, lost it after I moved back from Singapore. Books are expensive in Malaysia but that's just an excuse (few stacks of books are waiting to be read by yours truly)
• Complete the courses that I've signed up for R and Data Analytics for Excel. Please, you're enrolled for the 2nd time for both courses.
• Keep track of my financials so that I can recover my savings. House and renovation put a dent in my balances, oh no. Not a dent, it's a FREAKING HOLE.
• Successful people exercise. I want to be one so I should follow up suit. 30 minutes a day is doable right?
• Cook more and dine out less. Gosh, spent so much money on that stainless steel standing cooker but up till now, still haven't bought the gas cylinder.
• Find a new job that is more research and analytics centric. Missed being an industry analyst ;\

With consistent doa, continuous effort and tawakal, nothing is impossible.