Trading time for money is something I have gotten used to most of my adult life. As I grow older, I realised this way of working is not going well for me. Yet I have struggled to break free from this mould. Soon, I will be able to have more free time, at the expense of being able to continue earning an income. I will make use of this time to regain my balance and also focus more on my…
I am someone who struggles with content creation as I don’t usually have much ideas at the outset. Starting this blog is a good thing in my opinion, but there are times which I totally run out of meaningful ideas on what to write about, and that stops me from writing consistently. Hence, I tried asking ChatGPT for 10 ideas about how to get past creativity blocks. Pretty sensible ideas, don’t you think? Numbers 3, 5, and 8 work pretty…
I didn’t know who TikTok’s CEO was prior to this week. Yet, as I watched Chew Shou Zi being grilled mercilessly by US lawmakers for over 5 hours about his company’s data privacy and security policies and links with China, I couldn’t help but feel that some jobs come at a price. Granted, the guy is intelligent, calm under pressure and seems to genuinely believe in the work his company does. As a fellow Singaporean, I am proud that he…
Are you the type who befriends others easily? I believe I am the type who takes a long time to get to know, and I would hesitate to call someone a good friend unless I have really gotten to know them well over time. It is just the way I am, and I am not the type who will share everything there is to know about me with new people I meet. Just this morning I was reflecting on the…
There is something I have noticed for a while now. As society gets more fast-paced and convenient, people expect all their wishes and demands to be fulfilled quickly. We don’t want to wait more than 5 minutes for our food to be served, and queuing is usually a chore. When we step into a store, we expect to be served quickly and efficiently. We hate waiting at traffic lights. Online shopping is convenient, but it is best if our order…
Can a man and woman be only friends? Do you want your lover to have you in his heart, and only you? Should your lover be your best friend? These were topics that came up in an old drama that I was re-watching. It had been many years since I last watched it, and I do enjoy the nostalgia that came from more carefree, innocent times. Back then, I was probably ogling the pretty and handsome faces more than thinking…
Does car ownership matter in today’s world? Many would argue not. Thinking about it practically, it might be less important now to own your own transport, due to the easy availability of services such as renting a car, or getting a ride via Uber, etc. The costs of buying and maintaining a car is also high, especially where I live. In many ways, there may not be a strong argument for car ownership. Growing up, travelling around in the family…
There is someone within my immediate family who has a tendency to get drawn into her own narrative in her own mind, and interpret things in the outside world with her own biased viewpoint. She is a very hardworking and diligent person, and tidy by nature. However, she is inclined towards a negative mindset and has an amazing(?) ability to focus on what is lacking in everything first. Living with a person like that can be tiring, as her negative…
As part of my Japanese learning routine, I subscribed to a Japanese teacher’s podcast. Although the teacher is quite young, I think she is a great teacher and a very sensible and interesting person. In one of her podcasts, she spoke about a mindset she learnt that changed her life. It is a principle she learnt in Stoicism from Marcus Aurelius. The quote is as follows: Her takeaway from the quote is “Focus only on what you can control.” The…
Do you know anyone who has a child-like enthusiasm? I don’t mean childish, but rather a sense of enthusiasm that is pure and unbridled like a child. It doesn’t matter what age the person is, it is more of an attitude and mindset rather than actual age. My partner is someone who possesses this amazing childlike enthusiasm, maybe in greater measure than myself. It’s nice seeing adults who are not jaded and overly practical about the world. Maybe as we…