Is there a limit to one's learning capacity?

Just came across an article of the above title on Neuroscience topic on the limits of learning.

I remembered my primary school Chinese teacher used to write 4 words in my autobiography book, "学如海涯". (There's no limits to the horizon of learning).

It is true, that there's no end to learning.

Although, There are times, i feel so despair because i simple can't a new trick right. But eventually, i got through.

I have subjects, like Economics and English language, which i love to fail in school, i am still struggling with them.
I have seen examples in the recent classes i attend, that class, consisted of students age ranged from 16 to 80+. Imagine the teacher's agony, he have to style his materials and speech that it can be understood by his listeners. As a teacher, whom had taught with a class ranged from 8 to 14 years old, i already finding it already challenging, imagine a BIGGER age gap.

Coming back to the topic, this class i attended, the topics are fairly easy to understand, straight forward. The only problem is our exams, we must score 99 to 100%, yes, that means we not just understand 100% of what is taught, and also to regurgitate all of them verbally, and physically in the exams. This had challenged many of my classmates, about 30% of us took the exams in the end. I even heard, many deferred the exams for more than once, just want to be sure they are to pass the exams. One of them, re-attended the same classes for more than 3 times, the last time i met this person, he is still re-attending the class, still struggling to remember all the things, but the more this person attend, he got a little better, just a little.

I guess this is how our brain works. Is the psychology. Personally, on younger days, I always feel there's a limit to learning, despite teacher's 4 words reminding that i was wrong.
When i attending high school, i realized i could not absorb as fast and well as i did in earlier years. I starting to do badly for my physics, one of my better science subjects. I was so much convinced by my belief. And proceed to University, my good mathematics subject started to fail me, too, proving it better to me.

Now with this classmate who attended the class so many times, i was slapped my the belief i have was wrong. It is not there's a limit to our brains, it is time that forces us to surrender. We are given a very short time to learn and excel, It is the ability to absorb the information and applying the information in a short time restricts us.

If given time, nothing cannot be learnt.

So now, when i see my students struggling, i simply tell them to slow down, cool down, not to be so frustrated over things they could not understand ... at the moment.
However, we are in the society that does not wait for slow learners.
Perhaps, this is the biggest challenge as a educators nowadays.

Jane
Night Desperato Project

Passing of Nelson Mandela

I just received news from Yahoo!news & CNN that the founder of South Afica, President Nelson Mandela, had just passed on.

May God bless his soul and May he rest in peace.

To a founder who been through so much, i am amazed of his 94 years of his roller coaster life. Feel his pain during his 27 years of jail, and enduring the pain of his country and his own when his death of his son, his mother, which he was not allowed to attend their funerals. After he becomes president one year after his release from jail, he steered the country towards democracy, something, so vast, for such a big country. Even after officially retirement in year 2004, his names lingers.

As time passed for 11 years, news had ceased reporting about him, other than he is usually reported  sick.
For whole of year 2013, rumors of him dying, slipping in and out of coma, there were also sites i found claiming, Africa will not let the poor old man die. There is a African belief, that a person will not passed on, until his family and close ones let him. Thought it was a interesting and yet strong one, but, this is not how it works in real life.

However, i was glad that he died surrounded by his family.
At last, a father gets his rest. His soul will be in every South African's heart.
The world will remembered him for his works, and efforts.

May you rest in peace, President Mandela.


Night Desperato Project.

Lottery Winners: Please think before splurging your money!

I have read so many stories both locally and overseas about lottery winners leaving themselves less than 5k of their currency even they won at least a million in lottery after a year.

First, i will envy them, if i can, i will congratulate them, because i never won such a big amount in lottery before, and my country does not allow such big winners anyway, if it does happens which is a very rare less than 1% chance, they usually pay in installments than to give them one big lump sum.

So, what one should not do when one wins a lottery?
- Do not broadcast, you will ended a queue of relatives to strangers queuing your house asking for donations, sponsorship, rentals and even fake debt collectors!

- Clear debts as much as possible. If your debts is more than 50% of your winnings, then, don't used up all. Plan your debt clearing. Look for a legitimate bank or a real financial planner, think of good ways to invest the winnings, use the winnings for clearing debt, how about that? You may even refer to my previous post on how to handle debts.

- Don't change your lifestyle. In short, don't think you will get the another such chance of the lifetime again being that few extra millions in your account does not mean you will keep it at the same amount forever. It is not your regular pay.




Jane
Night Desperato Project



Reference Articles:
(1) Britain's youngest lottery winner Callie Rogers has just £2k left - but she's happier than ever
(2) Scottish lottery couple split up just a year after scooping £2.1m jackpot
(3) Lottery Winner Who Spent His Fortune On Drugs, Now Works In Cookie Factory
(4) Twelve Things not to do if you win the lottery
(5) Lottery Winner Blew Through $10M in Fewer Than 10 Years
(6) How do lottery winners go from riches to rags?
(7)

Raise money online - Is it for real?

After removing myself from my job, i am down to nothing, no income. After all the promising, now, husband is now forcing me to live with the in-law, which obviously, frankly speaking, after that horrific night 5 years ago. Experience says i should not live with her, and not in her house.

What happened 5 years ago?
I was chased out from my own house by my mother-in-law. For some reasons, i managed to go back after much persuasion, and she had moved out of my house months after.

So, can God tell me a reason why i should live with her in her house?

I am given a choice to stay in my house. MONEY.
I am determined to find a way to earn money. online. but, i just can't get a quick result. 
I guess i am really weak and useless, like husband and my previous boss think of me. But i am still determine to prove them wrong, not just 2 of all, but all the people who says i am a piece of useless junk, my life should be terminated. Yes, nasty words, so imagine my level of depression after dwelling in these words.

During my ventures, i found a interesting site:



I read on-going cases, success stories that people request funding, donations to be exact.
I was amazed about how it works. The same question goes, do people really just donate just like that??? Wow.
How i wish i can do the same! But how far can i go?

Why don't just one of you readers start clicking on those banners i put here and sign up for free, and prove it to me, and i am not even asking you to donate money to me? Just a click will do, please?

Jane
Night Desperato Project/

Mole Cricket

I had a shock one afternoon to see one of the legs of my outdoor chairs is covered with a lot of wooden sawdust.

So, thinking is just the constant soaking of the floor that cause the leg of the chair to give way, i decided to put the chair upside down and started digging with my finger. It was a bad choice. Something came out of the 'hole' which apparently gave me a little shock.

In Singapore, we do encounter crickets. But Mole Cricket is rare here, i posted a picture of a dead one before asking for opionion what was it, i have interesting answers like "Alien", even my husband said so too, until a educator told me it was a cricket, but the fore arms of the insect does not match the picture she attached for me. I researched further, and i managed to classify the insect under cricket but specifically "Mole Cricket". I think it digs into wood and eats them as well. 

Now, i got a live one! Excited to see it alive than a dead shell i had.  Like a amateur scientist, i started measuring it before i lose the insect to the wild.

Then i released the insect, making sure it does not comes into the house because my flooring is also wood! And wow, See how fast it runs! it initially ran into another wooden door, hopefully to reside as a new home, which i insist it to go down, as i observed it does not come back up again as it does not fly.

So, now i have the 'damage control report' to write! 

 

This is what happen to the leg of the chair. I should have know something is wrong. It is water damage, it should be all four legs. But the damage here is only one leg. As we can see, the wood used in Ikea chairs is stuffed wood shavings. That's probably why, it is a easier target for wood insects like mole cricket.

Comparison with a good leg.

 

Mole Cricket stays in the wood, constantly digging, this damage is for the period of 24 hours. It had successful removed part of the bottom, and a hole of 3 cm inside it. Note that the earlier measurement of the insect is about 3.5 cm. So, i supposed it was nicely resting inside when i disturbed it by digging it out using my finger.

So, now, i have a damaged chair to fix. I have to saw part of it off and use some wooden cubes to replace the leg, to regain the balance of the chair.

Still does not know where and how the cricket comes in, we live in high-rise buildings, not at ground level. And mole cricket is not a local insect. I supposed it might comes with the furniture or plants, or even the soil when we 'import' from overseas.

After 2 months from this incident. I have no more occurrence of dead or alive version of mole cricket. I hope this will remain as a memory, a history that will not be repeated.

Jane
Night Deperato Project.

Dentist Trip

Hey The Living!

I'm back finally. After much encouragement. Especially what happened today. I would say, i was very lucky to encounter this. I strongly believe that my story will definitely take a lot of those horror stories at the National Dental Centre stand out of their limelight.

I had 4 wisdom tooth, one lies with a perfect perpendicular, one with an angle, the other two acts as if they are part of other teeth.

I removed one of the tooth 3 years ago, the one that have 90 degrees view, rotting right to its core, exposing its center. Caused much pain even when drinking a glass of water. That i endured for about a year before my husband accumulated some spare cash for the operation. My dentist then was a 60+ years old. It took 1 hour of shoving (and shifting) the entire row of teeth, to get it out, and cost wise. Oh People, you know the market rate of private dentists. After the operation, the hole recovered well, but i felt something wrong with the teeth beside it, so, i tried my best not to further damage it.

However, i knew the other 2 wisdom teeth are also decaying badly, but his charges are really too high, and the operation gave me jitters.

The day finally came, about a fortnight ago, when i accidentally touched the 2 decaying wisdom teeth when trying to get the struck food out of it. I guessed, one of the cores is exposed as well, since then, i got cuts on my tongue when attempting to clear struck whatever from it. Since then, the dull pain lingers.

During the whole of last week, the pain increases. i posted a post on Facebook, asking for alternatives for a dentist, for my old dentist had retired 2 years ago. Not much alternatives given, i check forums, groups, even blogs. I was given a few solutions, i decided to give it a try probably early next year.

Last night, the pain came sudden, and horrifying, i woke up in the middle of night, just to brush, to rinse with mouth wash. (i nearly tried using brine). I made another decision, i'm going to start the process earlier.

After work after mid-day, i traveled down to the public doctors.
I reached the public doctor's after 1 and a half hour of waiting at the registration and waiting area for doctors just to get a referral letter to see the dentist. The wait and pain is excruciating, it is affecting my right ear, starting to cause some strange buzzing sound, my sinus is not doing great due to the cold environment i was in since 9 am.

The jovial doctor, was telling me off that visiting the private dentist will be a faster way out from the pain. Because waiting for the public dentist will probably take at least 6 months of waiting just for the first appointment for consultation, whereas private dentist will probably do it right away. I do not quite agree, because it is what i experienced from my old dentist. However, i was there, i am prepared to wait for one year for the appointment to extract the offending tooth (still thinking of removing the most decayed tooth only) because i did it for the first one.

So, referral letter set. Now see referral officer. This is where the fun is.
He called the Dental General appointments office, guess what i got. The other end of the line, told him, there's a cancellation of appointment, on the same day, one hour time, ask the girl whether she can fill the appointment. I was shocked, surprised, and happy to hear the news, took the offer immediately. So he advised me to walk over immediately, to set the registration going.

I walked over, which takes less than 5 minutes. Took a lift up to the 6th floor. Register, in less than 15 minutes, a nurse came out and check if i had a x-ray at the public doctor's. Got my teeth x-ray immediately after that. I do not know about you readers have encountered the x-ray machine for teeth, it is pretty cool!

Then, it is the wait. i ran out of battery to surf Facebook, twitter and the internet. I made a short run for the expired magazines at the rack, keeping my mind out of boredom, tiredness, and hunger as i had not eaten since the vegetarian breakfast.

The call finally came, i walked into the consultation room. Made to wait for the busy dentist, but is ok, gave me time to accustom the environment, it is definitely very different from private dentist. My private dentist place, is very cramped up, with merchandise, phone, notes, tools, and the whole room looks dusty and dark. This one i had, was very bright, spacious and very clean, very sterile. I can actually walked around with the nurse working around. I get to see my x-ray, super-imposed on the computer, now, i can see the condition of all my teeth. The nurse explained a bit about it, asks few routine questions.

I am shivering from anticipation, from extreme cold. I was given a blanket, something you really don't get from private dentist.

Then, my Dentist finally came, to what i understand from the conversations with other staff, she sounds like some big shot in the department, very busy. She explained further about my condition, and now, she suggested me to remove 3, not 1, but 3 wisdom teeth, in one session. i was a bit worry about the cost. but i mentally brushed it off first. Then, she explains about the different color on the x-ray (even though it is only black and white). But with her explanation, now i finally understand why and how my jaw hurts every year, with the two major decaying teeth. And my doubts is cleared about the tooth beside my previous tooth, and i have 2 teeth to patch up, after i'm done with these 3 extractions. Like the public doctor, she tells me to go private dentist to do the "scalding", what i understand about the patching up of the broken teeth caused by the 2 wisdom teeth. I guessed is the general waiting time for the appointment is too long, 6 - 9 months, as rumored.

Actually, to think of it, i can start queuing for the public dentist for scalding now, it will have sufficient time for the holes i will then created to recover.

Now, it is time, i find it strange, the dentist only ask for 4 capsules. Nothing else. I was looking for the scalpel. Then, comes in the jabs, several, i lost count. 3 of it, extremely painful, but i was taught on the spot to relax, and i followed the instructions, the pain was lessen much more, and shorter. subsequently, she promised the later jabs will be painless... and she asked her nurse to get longer needle... !!! Okay, then, here comes the last few jabs, with the longer needle, frightening, initially, but she kept to her promise, it is really not that painful.

Then, the nurse was instructed to bring me Downstairs, 3rd floor. I thought it was only for financial counselling, like normal hospitals. So i followed her, she left me. i wondered if she will come back me, which in the end, i realized, she never came back. i find it strange, on 3rd floor, there are 2 groups of people, one with those sterilized greens, and the uniformed administrative nurses outside. I could not talk very well. my 2 sides of the mouth was numb. Even my injured tongue is numb, i don't understand, i didn't get any jab there at all, the place is colder, i am really shivering, i can't even sign properly. After All administrative stuff settled, they brought me in, teaches me to put things in locker and wear shower cap, wear some green cover for my shoes and wear some surgical clothes, then i realized the surgery is actually performed here, by another dentist! Okay, to be exact, a Surgeon!

No wonder, the administrative assistant, asked me if i am ready... i thought, she is sending the nurse back to fetch me back upstairs 6th floor.

Ok, now i am in a bigger room, less cheery, more groomy. but still feels much better than in the private dentist. the old nurses, now there are 3 of them, very much aged, Full of experience, check my condition, realised i'm really cold. They gave me hot water bottle, wrapped me up with thermal blanket. I was so grateful, because the warmth of the bottle and the blanket stopped my shivering almost instantly. Then.

My Sugeon came in. She looks fierce, strict. Yet one of nurse which i managed to catch her attention and i managed to chatted with her a bit, she re-assured me, i got one of the best surgeon, Big Doctor, she told me, the whole process will be very fast, and i won't know what happened. And the nurse told me, that my case is  simple. It seems, the information had been passed around very fast, and they analyse the situation, and what to do, very fast.

So, given time to prepare for the surgury. The tray is finally pushed out. I am now in fear, not cold. Yet, i was told by the surgeon that the whole operation will take 15 minutes. Wow. And She explained about the procedures, and steps, and reason. And before every step, she re-assure and lightly touch on the reason, which i quickly acknowledge and thank her, tried to smile, but the numbness is catching on, i think i couldn't do much.

So, i was covered up, had a nice cool mask over my eyes, with little light seeping beside the nose area. But reminded that covering eyes to prevent infection, so, i promptly closing my eyes, shutting out my curiosity.
This is really very different from private dentist, he does not covers me up, i keep having the glaring lights in the closed eyes during the whole gluing 1 hour.

I was told she's starting on the upper right, which i slowly hearing drills and cracks. The pushing and shoving was warned before it is done, but it is very very gentle compared what i had 3 years ago. When i hear the cracks, i was told, she is cutting the tooth into 2, which i accept the fact. In Fact, i hears these cracks before, even today, the cracks is gentle compared what i had with the private dentist.

And i felt the push and pull, and a crack, at my left side, and she announced. "All Done!" I was surprised and shocked again, because i only counted 2 teeth, the less damaged ones. The worst tooth, i didn't wear and felt anything at all. I even inquired and checked, then, the elderly nurse handed me my souvenirs, 3 teeth. I was so amazed, and she kept her time, 15 minutes.

Then, she and her staff ensured i do not feel giddiness, step by step, something i'm famous for, however, for certain reason, i did not black out.

The stories, of 6 months of wait for first appointment, another 6 months wait for the operation All Brushed aside. I got it all done within a day, from the referal letter to the extraction of not just one, but all of my left-over wisdom teeth!

Price? Most of Today's bill is deducted from my pension funds, total bill is as much as 3 years ago, not 3 times as much. Woah!

It's real worth it, for a better Smile. To enjoy life without decaying teeth in the way, no more stuck food, no more painful plain water drinking.

So, Smile : ) ... after i recovered from the surgery... i can now, because my numbness had not wear off... now is the aftercare, and stoppage of bleeding in importance.

Oh, they set a appointment for me to see the first dentist consultant, guess how long...  ... 2 weeks time!

The only problem is now... i can't tutor my children for the weekend.

Signing out
;)
Jane
Night Desperato Project

Positive Thinking

The Power of positive thinking must not be underestimated.

That's how our brains works, the energy of these positive thinking gives you the energy to continue on something. On top of that, it improves not just mental health but also physically as well.

These are few ways you may try:

1. Meditation
2. Writing
3. Play

In short, it is simply to find pleasure in things you do.

Notes taken from:
Positive Thinking at Work Place



You know what, i do not feel like writing much on this article, that's why it is so short.
The strangest, thing about the above article here is that.
I have a queue of documents to write review and if have to, promote it.
And yet, by the time for me to write this one, I was feeling really really down and out.
In the end, this short article above had been postponed for more than a week.
Fortunately, i do not have to pay a penalty for delaying this like empower network last time.

For 3 whole weeks, i had been knocked out physically and emotionally in work, at home, everywhere, by events, that put me in despair.

I couldn't get a simple document right, i kept making my boss angry. And i really want to leave, but i couldn't leave because of financial issue. Yes, 720 is not much, i can find better pay in other places.
"But it pays a bill, why not?" quoted from Les Miserables
At least i am not like those Vietnamese girls, using their beauty and their sweet voice, just one request, they received $400 in cold hard cash, sometimes best, just a phone call, $400 goes straight into their account when they are overseas, and it definitely takes less than 1 hours!
I have to slough 45 hours to get the same amount!!
My boss, i feel that, they think i cannot afford to leave because of my heavy financial burden, just keep pressing as if i was made of clay. Yes, i am made of mud, i'm clay, but one day, this clay will dry up, and hardened.
That's why when the Malaysian Girl Blogger recently blogs about how poor thing Singaporean girls are, how easy and rich her life was, ya, i ENVY and i AGREED! Despite the number of flames this blogger got, i must say these Singaporean flamers had not seen and experienced the other side of  Singapore, my side.

At home, housework had been delayed for years, and i had been doing 7 days worth of work within 1 or 2 days (the weekends). And someone actually asked me personally, and on twitter, what do i do during weekends when i am away from my desk job. I do not believe it nobody understands the importance of house keeping. Oh yes, because they do not need to do everything themselves. And they do not have kids who mess it up by many means as soon as you clean up. In fact, the best time to clean up is when all of them are asleep, but once just one, just one, wakes, i am back in Square One! Tell you, it is mission impossible. And everybody is telling me, Don't give up! Press on! Your life will be better! SIGH... I can only say, i will try period.

At Love, is horribly confusing, i do not know whether my beloved husband is with me or just playing along.
Hey boy! I know when one does grocery for me in the middle of night, one is meeting someone out there, and now, instead of direct confronting, the irritating girl,  i simply playing prank calls to that girl every night, hoping to remind her, how irritating she is. So stop telling me there's no frozen/sub-frozen food in the supermarket. L-O-L,  now i can imagine, even my readers here are laughing at the excuse! It is because you don't want to buy it so it will spoil because you are not heading straight home after grocery shopping, giving you away. And stopping giving excuses why i cannot do grocery shopping with you in the middle of the night too, just because you want to meet your loving young leech.
So stop visiting those places, maybe i will forgive you, else, see you in hell.
So please, girls, stop thinking he's rich and nice, he's much poorer than you.
At least you just open mouth, and even sleep with any man, you get your $400 - $1000, in my previous few paragraphs ago.
I can't even squeeze a $500 out of him to pay my grocery bills a month, so you think about it, can you get a $500 out of him by just pouring him a glass a beer!

So much so for positive thinking! A friend of mine whom i know this June told everyone online, that he have to block all negative thinking people on his face-book, i wonder he blocked me, my life and my head is FULL of them!

Each day passes, when i walked along the streets going work, going school, coming home, even every night i will wake up in the middle of sleep, just couldn't help it to shed tears. Just as lonely the streets are, this world is, no one comes up to comfort. I, of course, not surprised because even anyone do, they will be turned away, so, no one does this anymore. It is a torture to face everything, and everything looks like a failure. i do not know how to console myself, i do not know how not to make my boss angry, i do not know how to avoid fear of getting sacked everyday. I look at my children, i see their homework, test results, phone calls of concern from their teachers, i do not how to face myself, what a bad mother, no money to pay for their tuition, so stupid, don't know how to teach them, discipline them, let them play all day, all night, they didn't even bother to revise homework, they don't realize the importance. Husband comes back, messy house, his gadgets spoil by children, i am so ignorant, and couldn't control their mischief. So, positive thinking? Try me. When your life is FULL of downs. Try.

Let me know whether it works:
First, LOOK DOWN... there are more miserable people out there who have no help and support at all, not even a written or spoken sentence.
Second, THINK how LUCKY you are, that you can access to blogs, or your face-book, or even twitter, with endless, boundless support groups, in every way. I would thought, people will let me die if i just leave a suicide message, in the end, i gets encouragement even from stranger whom i might just added as friend in less than an hour.
Third, CONTRIBUTE BACK to the support groups you receive from, be it face-book, be it twitter, or even streets. See someone crying silently on the streets, approach them, offer them a tissue. See cases like me, words of console help, and please, for God's sake, use your empathy.

Signing out
Jane
Night Desperato Project.

Walking may be harmful

I am not a person who loves exercising, however, I was blessed not to have a overweight body. My only form of exercising, is, walking.

When I came upon this article at "10 Weird Things Walking Does to Your Body". I was shocked.

True enough, all forms of exercise will impose one or more kinds of problems to your body.
Why don't you think further, do you rather have your body stiff up and your arteries clog up due to lack of exercise?

Maybe we should address these 10 weird conditions:

1. Your Fingers Swell Up Like Sausages
• Hand swelling during exercising is a common problem. This is due to increase blood flow to lungs and heart, reducing blood flow to hands. However, it can be further reduced.
• Do you wear rings? Watches? Bands around your wrists? That explains it, all these causes fluid imbalances especially after a long walk. Loosen them or don't wear them!
• Doing finger stretching helps.
• If not, you better check if you have the rare problem called, "hyponatremia", this comes with other symptoms such as confusion and vomiting.


2. Your Feet Grow A Size During Your Walk
• Legs swelling due to vigorous walking, may be caused by Edema. Causes of edema are vast and include a poor diet, sodium retention, varicose veins, drug and laxative abuse, and trauma.
• If these problem are un-rectified, it can causes long terms problems like headaches, high blood pressure, weight gain or swelling in other body parts.
• However, it can be easily treated by elevating the legs, wearing compression socks, increasing exercise and improving your diet.
• For those who wear toe rings, please, this is the same concept of swollen hands, take them off!
• Your shoes are one size too small. Exercising should be done with comfortable sports shoes. You should get shoes of slightly bigger to cater for the slight swelling.
3. You Get a Weird Leg Heat Rash
• Some of these rashes are not itchy, some are.
• This is so, when our  veins are equipped with valves to ensure that blood flows only in one direction.
• This may a heavy-legged feeling as well as swelling, itching, a burning sensation and a change in skin colour. If you experience pain in your legs during or after walking, you should see the physician.
• However, this is can be eased by rising the legs, wearing compression socks and taking anti-inflammatory medication.
4. Your Nose Runs
• Because you breathe more, and faster and you are out there! So, what's in your environment that you are walking, you are breathing it!
• You may be allergic to pollen, smog (depending how polluted the environment is), or even something your neighbour is cooking!
• If you exercising in a controlled environment, like a gym, and you still have this problem, it could be the air-condition being too cold (or too hot), or their filters is already clogged or dirty!
• You could be suffering from rhinitis.
•  Symptoms such as allergic reaction symptoms such as congestion, sinus pain, runny nose, headaches, itchy eyes, asthma, hives or other rashes, and in rare cases, even anaphylaxis.
• Doctors will prescribe nasal spray. And off-the shelves, self medication such as Claritin and Zyrtec may help. May have short term side effects such as lost sense of smell


5. You Have to Poop - Badly!
• Exercise in general improves bowel movements. If you are doing your walks in places with no or little public toilets, then, you should wait half an hour after a meal before starting exercising.
• When you exercise, your body removes water from your colon, and hence hardening your stools. That's why the bad feeling of waiting to poop. Drink some water. BUT
• Don't drink too much water when walking, this cause the other effect. Stools too much softened.


6. You Get a Black Toenail - Or Lose it Completely
• Shoe too tight? Socks too tight? Remember in point 2? Legs get slightly bigger during and after exercising.
• Fungal Infection: This is no joke, visit the doctor.
• Lose the toenail? No worries, if it have to come off, let it be, Nature will replace your toenail in no time! 


7. You Chafe in Unmentionable Places
• Due to dried up sweat, creating salt crystals. Targeted at crotch, underarms and under-breast areas.
• Whatever you do, if itchy, DON'T SCRATCH!
• To prevent:
• Stay Hydrated (but not too much)
• Fitting, comfortable clothing. (Too tight, and too loose will cause the problem)
• Stay Dry (Using Talcum power or corn starch absorbs the moisture from your sweat)
• Lubricant (for between the clothing and skin, to lessen chances or abrasions)


8. Your Boobs Hurt
• Sports Bra!


9. Your Face Turns Purple
• Weather or exercising conditions too hot.
• Caused by faster circulation of blood.
• It's Normal, let it be! So what if you look like the characters in "Avatar"?


10. You Get Itchy
• You started with too much exercise! Start slow!
• Temporary solution: Anti-itch cream.
• You may have dry skin: using lotion, oil helps.
• Poor blood circulation: See doctor if this itch causes pain.
• Hives: Use Cold packs/baths, use sunscreen if outdoors

So get up and do some walking! And slowly build up your distance, not few kilometres or miles in first round and to your limits, please!

From Dead Broke to Cash Rich (Part 4-FINAL)

This is the final part of this book review.

Once again, I have to thank
Noryani Ismail from "From Dead Broke to Cash Rich" and 
Susan Reynolds and Lauren Bakken from “One-Income Household – How to Do a Lot with a Little”
for their guidance.

During my tours on the internet yesterday, I do encounters many on-line advices on how to reduce credit card bills. Some of which even told me to shift all my debts to a 0% or low interest account. I have something to say, "Tried that, Done that & Screwed that too". Closing credit card accounts, as said on these sites, will make a bad financial credit record. But, you will be a worse condition by shifting all your debts into one account, clearing up the offending accounts and yet not to close them. I would advise otherwise, as on the same track as these writers, who may also "done the same".

Once you cleared the account, you are no longer in debt with that bank, and if you do not need so many cards, for God's sake, REMOVE them. I know the banks not going to like my statement here. But that's the truth. So if you take the advise or not, it is entirely up to you.

 This is the summary we had discussed:

1                     Recognise That The Root Is the Problem

2                     Show Me the Money

3                     Open Up

4                     Seek Professional Help

5                     Make Tough Decisions

6                     Keep Daily Financial Records

7                     Avoid Monthly-Instalment Payment Options Like The Plague

8                     Change Your Shopping Habits

9                     Create Multiple Sources of Income

1      Create Multiple Sources of Income

a.       Spending less and saving more is the first strategy out of financial misery. However, no matter how much you save, it will take you a very long time to repay all of your debts and set you on the road of financial freedom, with just one income.

b.      As there are multiple methods of spending money, of course there will be more than one way earning money.

c.       Developing multiple sources of income does not mean that you will be using your employer’s time. You can develop alternative source of income on your own time. Or develop business that does not require your presence to run. You can hire someone to work in the business you own.

d.      Some runs a leasing services, like taxis, shops. Some write books and earn a royalty out of it.

e.      There are plenty of opportunities out there for you. Just keep an open mind and do not stop looking. Remember, if you cannot afford it or do not like it, do not let anyone talk you into it. Your new venture should not require a large chunk of your money at this time or require you to make monetary commitments that you cannot afford.

f.        Many have been cheated during their quest on finding additional income the quick and easy way. Many invested in Stock, options and properties only to lose it all. What they do not understand is investment is not something to do with your life saving or your emergency fund. Every single individual should have money saved for their retirement. Money saved for retirement and emergency cannot be used for anything else because this is your lifeline. It is something you fall back on should everything fails.

g.       Many unscrupulous business people, especially ones with a gift of the gab, successfully convince people to invest in a business, scheme or fund that they are developing. And many people lose money in the process. So how do we know whom we can trust?

h.      Number one rule of investing is to invest in something you understand. And it you do not understand it, learn about the business before you make any decisions. And you are not 100% sure what to do, do nothing. Simple as that. Investment brokers and agents may rush you into a decision satin that if you miss this chance, you will lose a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Do not fall for that. Whenever you are rush, you often cannot think straight. The Richest Man in Babylon says, “Better a little caution than a great regret.”

i.         Most people say that you need money to make money. And they will say it with frustration written on their face. Many people think that they need to take on a huge loan to start a business. This is because they are only familiar with large scale business such as opening a restaurant. What about something small and capable helping you make a lot of money, as long as we are willing to work hard.

j.        We want to do something today that will make us rich in the quickest possible time. This is why many people fall for scams. You see, you can make money with no money or very little money, there are ways that are legal and morally acceptable by all standards. You just need yo get your creative juices flowing on ideas. Then choose one path and get going.

•           Planning the savings

There are many ways in planning savings, I heard of splitting into 4 taught in one of scriptures, which 

(1) Savings (2) Donation (3) Expenditure (4) Investment

Otherwise, noted from the 2 books, which sounds more or less the same:

a.       With the money you have accumulated, split it into 7.

                                                               i.      Savings & Emergency fund (Save it and forget it)

                                                             ii.      Investments

                                                            iii.      Paying down debts

                                                           iv.      Charity

                                                             v.      Own Expenditure

                                                           vi.      Family Expenditure (2 portions)

b.      Many of us are too deep in debt to think of dividing the money into so many portions. If this is the case, use the money from second third and fourth to do this. If you do not start distributing your cash this way, you will never get any closer to achieving any amount of financial success.

c.       Remember, it is not the size of your pay check or income that leads you down the road of financial freedom but what you do with the money that matters.

d.      While waiting for the money in your investment to grow. It is best to learn about good investment opportunities. Legal and lawful ones only.

e.      Do not be surprise how your nest egg can attract unwarranted attention. With your growing pile of savings, you may find a growing interest from others wishing to borrow or suggest that you partner them in an investment deal or a venture. Be alert and aware of some people and their attention. Look, if you can go through the sweat, heartache and tears getting yourself from dead broke to cash rich, there is no reason why others cannot do the same. Furthermore, if you loan them money, you are not helping them in anyway; you are merely helping to eliminate the symptoms and not the problem itself.

f.        We may feel pity for others but will they feel the same for us when they do not repay us? Pity or any such emotion will not put money or food on anyone’s table. So unless you are a bank or financial institution, it is best that you stop offering to give your money to people who have no means of repaying you. If they could, wouldn’t the banks approve them for a loan? So if the banks are wise enough not to do it, so should you.

Instead, why don't you teach them how to plan their expenditures and savings as well? 

                     Spread the knowledge!

3                     Conclusion

a.       Above Steps to get back on track. After doing so, it is easy to slip back to old ways. Therefore, your mind-set must be changed first. Once you change your thinking, actions to complement your thinking follow automatically, and you will have the power to change your life. Let this be your lifetime occupation, building as many income pipelines as you deserve. In order to continue to rise up the path of financial success, grow your interest in the subject of money, read more, attend seminars and surround yourself with people who have already achieved what you want to achieve so that you can learn from them. You have got nothing to lose!

Notes complemented from

(1) Noryani Ismail from "From Dead Broke to Cash Rich" [ISBN 978-967-5428-10-4]
(2) Susan Reynolds and Lauren Bakken from “One-Income Household – How to Do a Lot with a Little” [ISBN: 978-1-60550-133-8]

From Dead Broke to Cash Rich (Part 3)

So far, we have discussed in the last two parts on seeing where is the problem of being poor, even though you may be earning BIG bucks out there. By now, you should clear on where your money goes, be it paying instalments, interests to banks. Hopefully, your family is aware what you are doing and with their help, your pathway to getting cash rich should be easier. Personally, i have not found GOOD professional help yet. In Singapore, we do have "problem gambling" helps, and there are public counsellors who might be able to advise and address financial issues, and credit card issues.

So far, I had aids from KK Women and Children Hospital, and the MOE to ease my children's medical expenses and school expenditures, and I know these are only temporary. I do admit it does helps a bit, now I just have to focus on reducing my debts, and daily expenses.

Now, we shall continue with the rest of the saving techniques.

1                     Recognise That The Root Is the Problem

2                     Show Me the Money

3                     Open Up

4                     Seek Professional Help

5                     Make Tough Decisions

6                     Keep Daily Financial Records

7                     Avoid Monthly-Instalment Payment Options Like The Plague

8                     Change Your Shopping Habits

9                     Create Multiple Sources of Income

1      Make Tough Decisions

a.       Those who are in businesses, be it a MLM, traditional or modern, check and double check if your sacrifices made is feasible. A business should be able to support itself financially with its own income. Once YOU are supporting your business with your salary from another job, then you should STOP that business.

b.      Start to downsize some of your expenditures, such as having one car instead of two. If not, no car is even better.

c.       Whether to pack lunch or eat out, decisions as such to be made and abide by it.

d.      In short-term, you may make decisions as follows

                                                               i.      What are our absolute necessities?

                                                             ii.      Who to pay first? Who can stall?

                                                            iii.      How can we reduce debt quickly?

                                                           iv.      Where can we drastically cut expenses?

                                                             v.      How long can we sustain our current lifestyle?

                                                           vi.      Do we have any assets we may want to liquidate?

e.      In long term, decision as follows:

                                                               i.      Can we afford to stay in this house?

                                                             ii.      If now, how much should we spend on housing? Where can find housing in that price bracket?

                                                            iii.      Can wage earner finds ways to move up at work?

                                                           iv.      Is there other ways to increase income stream?

                                                             v.      Will the wage earner need additional education or training?

                                                           vi.      Can I fund college for children?

                                                          vii.      Can I fund savings account and/or a retirement plan?

f.        Follow the seven basic rule:

                                                               i.      Accept responsibility for your financial future

                                                             ii.      Pay yourself first

                                                            iii.      Stay fully conscious of your financial situation

                                                           iv.      Reduce spending.

                                                             v.      Earn more at your job

                                                           vi.      Generate additional income streams

                                                          vii.      Invest wisely

2      Keep Daily Financial Records

a.       List down your net monthly income and monthly expenditure. Note that your income is the real cash you take home after all the government deductions.

b.      Money left after deducting your expenditure will be used to pay for your daily essentials such as groceries, petrol, snacks, school supplies, etc.

c.       This could be tedious, but it is very effective.

d.      Separate items such as diapers, cereals, milk from grocery bill as they made up a chunk of the bill, so it is easier to calculate and differentiate.

e.      Compare prices and buy in bulk if a discount is offered, this way you will reduce the number of trips you make to the supermarket, to reduce “impulse buying”.

f.        Once you have a full month’s entry, you can start analysing the data. It may be painful but it will get better as data analysis is the key to solving your financial issues.

g.       This way, you can plan for all your expenses in advance.

h.      Surrender the “Can-have” attitude.

3      Avoid Monthly-Instalment Payment Options Like The Plague

a.       A lot of banks and stores offer those zero-interest monthly instalment to pay for certain items. Yes, AVOID them.

b.      Doing so will bury you deeper into the debt, unless you are able to pay out the full amount you own the bank every month. Else, you are forgetting you are paying the interest and hence, you are paying more for the item you buy in instalments than in full.

c.       These offers fool you into a false sense of security because that is what they are doing. Do not be fooled because as the saying goes: A fool and his money are soon parted.

d.      In order to save yourself from these money traps, remember this rule of thumb: If you cannot pay the full amount right away, do not buy! Save the money for it if it is something important and when you have the full amount, you may find that the purchase price has gone down or you may get a better bargain because you are paying cash. Or better still, you may realise that you do not need the item at all!

4      Change Your Shopping Habits

a.       The cons of credits cards frequently far outweigh the pros.

                                                               i.      Credit card issuers are constantly seeking customers who charge beyond their means and make minimum payments carrying 10 or 30 percent interest for long period so time.

                                                             ii.      Always keep in mind that credit card issuers make their money on interest, additional fees and annual fees.

                                                            iii.      Credit companies continues to barrage you with offers even after you racked up debts, such as more low interest rates. These are tempting, you must read the fine print to watch out for hidden charges. Or best, cut them all altogether.

                                                           iv.      Stores are always trying to entice you to open an account, sales personnels are trained to push these offers, and easy to sign on.

                                                             v.      Game plan to reduce Debt

1.       Fund transfers offers, for transferring balances from one card to another, gives you a false illusion that you can get your debt under control. This is a very bad idea. There is no way to address the probe but to tackle it head on with cash and to cease all credit card spending.

b.      Change where you shop

                                                               i.      Changing where you shop is one of the most logical things to do. Sometimes some things are cheaper outside the shopping centres.

                                                             ii.      In hypermarkets, impression that they offer better price. It could be the arrangement of their products causes the impulse buying. And methods to cause buying more than one because the second item is offered half the price. These are few of the many tricks of the trade.

                                                            iii.      However, if you have a big family, though, shopping at hypermarkets may not be a bad idea, as they offer items in bulk, that’s where your financial records comes into play, as you are able to know how much you can buy for a month.

                                                           iv.      On top of these, the lesson comes down, you have to find out how much other stores is selling for the same item be it supermarket or traditional provision shop. This way, it is easier for you to do the budgeting.

c.       Pay attention to great deals and clip coupons

                                                               i.      Supermarket coupons, be it from on-line, local newspapers or even along the supermarket aisle, can be useful.

d.      Plan your weekly consumption and write a shopping list

                                                               i.      Planning your daily consumption for the week is the best way to save on your grocery bill. This comes down to the number of meals you intending to cook.

                                                             ii.      Write your shopping list.

e.      Do Not go shopping on an empty stomach

                                                               i.      When you are full, your subconscious mind tells you I have enough. When you are hungry, it tells you I don’t have enough. I need more, more and more. And you will put more things into the shopping cart, buying things you really doesn't need.

f.        Change brands

                                                               i.      House brands, or even no-frills packaging can save with very little effort.

                                                             ii.      Another trick is to examine items placed at the bottom shelves, where most of the best priced items are placed.

g.       Clothes and accessories

                                                               i.      Make no apologies for wearing same outfit year after year. Change only when necessary.

h.      Trim Energy Costs

                                                               i.      Energy costs are always spiralling out of control, we can’t control prices, but you can control our consumption.

1.       Minimize laundry expenses

a.       Wash only full loads whenever possible. But do not overfull the machine, else, when it does not comes out clean, you have to wash it again.

b.      Wash using cold water, unless clothing is unduly soiled.

c.       Use the correct amount of detergent.

d.      Buy house brands detergents. Leave expensive spot sprays, use old-fashioned soap and scrub method, or dab the spot with white vinegar and baking soda paste or with lemon juice.

e.      Wash delicates in ordinary dish soap.

f.        Consider hanging clothes outside to dry. It will leave your laundry smell clean and fresh.

g.       Limit purchase clothes that require dry-cleaning.

2.       Appliances

a.       Set Air-conditioner temperatures to 25 Degrees Celsius.

b.      If possible use a fan, then air-conditioner.

c.       Replace light bulbs with fluorescents, which use 75% less energy and last ten times as long.

d.      Ask your electric and gas provides to do a audit of your energy use if it is free of charge.

e.      Take shorter showers

3.       Travelling with vehicles

a.       Make sure your vehicle is serviced regularly

b.      Tires are fully inflated.

c.       Use cruise control on highways. This keeps vehicle safer, steady, legal and save fuel.

d.      Join car pools.

4.       Outings without spending more

a.       Picnics in local parks or beach

b.      Play board games

c.       Go for free music, dance, or theatre performances

d.      Watch out for free entertainments around the city

So, there many things to do with these few steps, yet it goes a long way.