tidak kosong

Recently I had my first engagement with a CFA (Certified Financial Planner). They rendered a list of services- can be financial diagnostics, consultation and action recommendations. I got more interested in personal finance, retirement & estate planning and figured better to get some expert help to navigate this because I have limited resources & it's easy to get overwhelmed by all the details, and get FOMO fever whenever a new bull run picks up . Key things discussed were general financial health gauge, under/overinsured check, retirement planning, and Wasiat preparation. One takeaway is - "Don't jeopardize what you already have in pursuit of something lesser known".


I am a sentimental dude towards my old memories during collegiate & varsity days. I identified why I'm feeling so -  because (1) I experienced many memorable things in a group back then compared to now, and (2) I no longer made close group of friends like I have back then. Two unreplicable things. I understand that's just how life is, but man feeling feeeels. This whole blogsphere is a time capsule and captures vestiges of carefree younger days, when stress level was zero compared to adulthood. I got a glimpse of younger Keme from earlier postings, and in some instance I can still get secondhand embarrassment kahh. Today I blogwalk (that's what we used to call it) to blogs of old friends - don't know what I expect to find. But in the un-updated blog, laid bare snapshots of the persons that I used to know from a time where all our paths runs together. Some blog url returns - "The blog has been removed" and a sense of sadness hits me. I pray for everyone to have a blessed life.

Tomorrow I'll have a hospital appointment for an MRI scan. I've been on regular physio visit to nurse this sports injury since last year and while progress was made, total recovery is compromised because the injury is at a mobile area that is impossible to rest completely. Hopefully after the scan I can pinpoint the specific issue to come up with improved rehab plan & figure alternative recreational activities I can pursue. Ah, life in the mid 30s, body starts declining without active care & require maintenance.

 

My kid is growing up fast. He's a fresh human being, a clean slate. I as a parent must instill good core values and foundations as his 'preset', so that he's not 'empty'. Else, other unregulated forces will fill the void. With the correct preset he'll be able to filter & thwart off malicious influences in life. For that, I must first not be 'empty'. I must step up with the occasion, and know better, so that I can show him by example.

 

I saw one Denzel Washington interview where he said "1st part of your life is to learn, 2nd part you earn, 3rd part you return". The 'return' part can be interpreted as giving back, or the final return to the Maker. Anyway, good stuff.

coffee & soap

Small percentage of people taste cilantro/coriander as soapy.

from Google: Coriander's flavour profile is made up of several different chemicals (most of them aldehydes), some of which have a distinctive 'soapy' flavour. It's thought that people with the 'soapy' OR6A2 receptor gene variant can detect these soapy chemicals, while those without that particular gene variant cannot.

I am one of them, by now I can manage.

after living the coffee drinker life (exclusively Latte & Americano, no sweetener) throughout my working life I now feel like I dislike coffee. Because to be honest, I cannot recall any moment where I drink it & say "Good drink". It's hardly pleasurable. No joy sparked for me. No matter how long I swish swash in my mouth for my tastebuds to feel. I felt the stimulant aftereffect, and receive the aroma of brewed coffee better. But not the case with the taste.

Because I saw videos & also have many friends who drank Americano/espresso describing it as delicious.

'Delicious' to me reserved to the likes of Lasagna or Shepherds Pie, or Mee Kari or  Laksa or Beef Burgers.

I must be lacking the genes for the delicious coffee receptors.

I'm not talking about the many types of coffee based drinks which is frankly liquid desserts.

 

Onboarding

 

It's Q3 2024 already (if your FY is Jan-Dec)

While my year has not concluded I can already summarize it in one aspect.
Onboarding year.

In December 2023 I changed jobs & joined a new organisation in the Retail industry with the largest furniture company.
I went through the typical 6 months probation/onboarding for new hires-
where HR inducted me to the 8 core values & introduced other formalities,  Ashley delegated me interesting tasks & looped me into projects,
my assigned buddy Colin helped me settle down. Made more Digital co-worker friends; Jason, Sue Ann, Nhi, KJ, Justin, the Insight guys etc. Went for lunch daily with the crews. I experienced Front Days where I got to be AFK for 3 days to join store co-workers selling during peak days.The company policy inhibits PTO utilisation during probation so I had to soldier through the longest unbreakable working stretch I ever had. But it’s good environment & spirit was high. A forward-dated confirmation letter was issued by HR. Approaching my probation completion date, in response to market challenges- a business restructuring exercise was announced where my entire team was part of the casualty. My first taste of a career upset after escaping couple of layoffs through my work history.

I was out of work by the time my onboarding completed.

I immediately pursued a low hanging fruit opportunity and secured new role by mid year.
And now in another 6 months onboarding cycle with the national courier.
Going through HR inductions and learning their 6 core values, trying to make new work friends, learning the job/business, the whole shebang.
Part of the onboarding experience was the 'check ride' where we tagged along in delivery vans sending parcels to customer addresses -  very interesting.
So far I feel like the work-life balance here is better. But I realize it's still too early to tell.
I am more cautious of any attachment with the workplace as the Tech job market is harder to read & job security is myth now.
It has become more a popular approach for corporations to let go staff as an immediate way to bring down operation cost and register profit.
In consultant-speak :trimming, getting lean, combining cost centers, etc.

Two unplanned onboarding cycles in a year.

If there's Onboarding fatigue, I'm probably having it.

While I am appreciative of having a job at times it feels like a drag and I need to psyche myself up to work another day.
There are moments I'm even counting days for retirement- 20 odd years to go (if I make it).
But post-retirement is another beast of its own. No way of telling how ours will be.

Recently I saw someone write: The salary is the monthly subscription company pays for services you rendered to them.
Apt way to put it!

outdoor

feels at home

Kalau ditanya kawan2 yang dah mengenali aku sebelum tahun 2019 apa satu aktiviti untuk describe aku ni, barangkali 'gunung/berlari' tu antara jawapan ramai. Sebab pada waktu tu banyak masa diluang kepada dunia outdoor ni, sehingga bukan sekadar hobi tapi seolah jadi identiti. Lingkungan kawan dapat dari aktiviti outdoor ni pun ramai.
Jadi mana taknya every now and then,aku teringat dunia outdoor yang telah begitu lama ditinggalkan sejak pasca Covid ni. Terkenang macam-macam memori.

Termasuklah cerita ini.

Sewaktu kenduri kahwin aku (belah keluarga isteri), seperti kebiasaannya undangan adalah mendahulukan belah tuan majlis. Jadi tak semua kawan-kawan aku dijemput waktu ini, termasuklah dari lingkungan outdoor.

Sewaktu kenduri ketika sesi jemputan dipelawa bergambar bersama pengantin diatas pelamin, tibalah giliran Win & Nab yang aku tak kenal time ni. Pasangan muda ni kawan rapat isteri. Macam biasa - adalah bertukar ucapan ringkas tahniah & terima kasih. Tiba-tiba Win tanya "So ada buat outdoor ke?"

Disebabkan aku tak kenal Win ni, aku hairan macam mana dia boleh tanya macam tu. Adakah kami pernah on trek sama-sama dalam mana-mana trip gunung? Atau kami pernah berjiran campsite sebelum ni? Ke dalam group whatsapp outdoor/friends di socmed? Adakah sebab dia perasan jam Garmin Fenix yang aku sedang pakai? Atau isteri aku yang ceritakan?

Walau apa pun, sukalah hati ini berjumpa kawan sekepala sama minat.Lalu aku sambut pertanyaan Win dengan teruja. "Ada, plan2 jugak, tapi sekarang musim monsoon so taman negara/hutan simpan masih tutup lagi. Banyak pergi bukit-bukit yang boleh daytrip je sekarang, nak masuk hutan lama-lama pergi gunung jauh-jauh tak sempat masa. Ada trip ke?" reply aku.

Win tak sempat menjawab kerana ada tetamu lain dah naik nak bergambar bersama pengantin. Iyalah, nak borak berdiri lama-lama atas pentas ni tak sesuai. Bila aku pandang muka Win masa aku jawap tadi nampak dia seolah terpinga-pinga & blur- mungkin lepasni akan cari dia sambung borak.

Akhirnya majlis selesai, isteri pesan jangan tukar persalinan sebab akan ada sesi bergambar lepas ni- "pergi buat outdoor" katanya.

Ya Tuhann. Baru aku sedar yang Win sebenarnya tanya pasal photoshoot outdoor tadi. Patutlah aku boleh nampak raut muka dia berubah melalui fasa-fasa kehairanan sambil memproses reply aneh yang takda kaitan dengan apa yang dia tanya. Apalah yang dia fikir. Astaga.

Fast forward, sekarang Win & Nab jadi kawan rapat kami dan sering bertandang ke rumah. Anak kami pun berkawan. Tapi sampai sekarang aku tak bangkitkan lagi kisah outdoor ni. Mungkin dia lupa; atau dia tak nak aibkan aku hahah. Buat hal lahh.

Ephemeral

It has been almost one year since my father in law passed away due to cardiac arrest. Arwah Abah; as we fondly call him- was a loving man, a caring member in family circles, a patient father to his 5 children, a steadfast practicing Muslim disciplined with his deeds, and a nurturing senior to fellow younger staffs at work. Many stories about his kindness came to light only after his abrupt departure, shared by his friends & colleagues.  Huge turnout during the funeral- which the family didn't expect to be honest because Arwah was not the extroverted social kind and furthermore it was late night & raining during the burial. So it’s apparent the impression he has left to many people. Abah worked in University where he has enabled many students in their studies. Makes me contemplate about the ephemeral nature of life.

Only way to leave a lasting impact is to do memorable kindness to others.