A house, a dream, a dream house

I've got a plan...a house plan...which I've made using Microsoft Visio. I am currently feeling very content with the current house plan. A single storey, 5+1 bedroom. Not bad eh?

Problem: Getting it into a blue print.

I need to see an architect for that, and am not sure if I have the money to fork out for their expert opinion. Well, off course my bro can help with finding an architect. In fact, I'm tying down the date soon. Hopefully it won't cost more than 10k. But a normal fees they say would take about 10% of the total house. If my house is RM300K, then OMG!!!

But we'll see...first consultation is what I need. Then negotiate about the payment later :) I'm glad my bro is helping me. Luv him so much!

This is simply the small steps towards reaching my goal. I hope I can see a house standing before 2010 is over. Let me recap myself on the achieved stepping stones:
- I've gone through inductions and recieved all my certificates by May 2009. Sent them to the admin same month. They say it may take 4 months to get the confirmation. Only after the confirmation can I apply for government house loan. Why government house loan? Because the flat rate of 4% interest rate, that's why. So now...4 months to go...
- Went for PTK exam, and I know for sure I passed at least Aras IV. That means I can get anjakan gaji as well as naik pangkat to UD44. That means more money to be used to dump on the house, as well as for a second baby...
A second baby? hehehe...hopefully next year
- Content with current house plan, need to get it into a blue print. Once I'm confirmed in the government (with new pangkat and new gaji), application for loan confirmed, then off to putting the slabs!

Phooohhh...now got to wait and be patient. God knows best!

Another problem I've realized after looking briefly into my finance, I haven't been saving as much as I need. In fact, I'm spending...a lot! I'm surprised I had just enough to pay for my annual insurance. I better update my finance and get back on track! I've been too laid-back in terms of managing my current finance (this does not include income/investment from Options trading). Sigh...retail therapy feels so good though...

Options Trading

I thought of putting down the date of a new chapter in my financial life...taking an intermediate to high risk approach (at least for me, because I've always been a conventional person).

The general rule has always been, not to take a loan or use a loan for investment. Well, in this case, I hope I plan to pay back my loan within 18 - 24 months. I'm putting my trust in my elder brother to invest this money in his expertise in Options Trading.

It started when I invested a small amount, around 1K, last of mid year 2008. I could have put it in my ASB, but I thought, why not. I'm willing to take this small risk. So far my brother has worked hard to provide his family, and also offered to help his little sister as well since he started his new journey on being a professional in Options. 6 months later, bit by bit, that amount has increased by 80%.

My confidence has grew, and hence, my risk taking profile also grew. Greedy? Hmm, well, the money will be put into good use if there are extras. It's not a cause to be lavish though. So no, I wouldn't say I'm greedy, just expanding my ways of investing. At least this time, my brother said it doesn't effect as much like in Forex/stock/etc.

I'm so glad my brother has found his way to this. He's learned hard, and not only that, he will soon start his own seminar to teach others as well. I pray all goes according to plan, and leap even further. He's always been a good teacher when I was in school, his maths skill are excellent.
I think it suits his character well.

Well, his promise is 10% every month of the total investment. If it's less, than he has to make it up, if it's more, then he takes it in. That sounds good enough for me...very good in fact!

Did I tell you he invests in USD? :) :) :)

Well, if all goes well, the extra money for me will be used for:
1. Providing a capital for hubby, as he might venture into this in the future as well, or at least he planned for it. "When he's ready," he said.
2. Securing a home for us!!!
3. Paying for our new car - Saga BLM - replacing the 10 year old Wira 1.8 (which broke down 4 times last year, and the 5th time last week)
4. Preparing for an MPV in the new future. I did want a big family, so eventually we'll need an MPV. Unless we go really cheap and try a van, which Mama used to bring us to school with with several neighbours. She said she looks like a Nyonya selling flowers back then...hehe...but it didn't matter. I had fun with that van, I got to play 'house' at the back of the van on weekends!

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As a continuity to the previous post, I was in a bit of a dilemma back then. But 1 month ago, I've finally sort out my mind, and have made adjustments to my goals and priorities. With the current setting, I'm happy. Maybe it'll change again, who knows, but as of right now, as my eldest brother Along had said, I'm content.

I'm suppose to change my sidebar according to my current goal, but I'll do that later, when I have the time. Right now, I've got to update my personal blog, about my growing kitchen garden and Arishah's 1st birthday!

"Diverting Attention" Phase

Is there such a phase in building up your dreams? I don't think I can find any author or motivator that would say this is a great phase in reaching a goal. In fact, they ask us to FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS

But then again, I have to be realistic don't I? I have a life. Part of my life is also built with hobbies. And yes, I have to admit, I have a lot of hobbies :) Too much, that if I'm not careful, it will forever divert me from reaching a goal. In fact, it might change my whole life scenario........

...Which actually I'm contemplating...

...and I juuuussst might step myself into...

...and change a whole list of my career/life pathway...

Okay, okay, I'm considering about SAHM. It's the new rave. It's the new style. It's the old becoming new again.
SAHM = Stay At Home Mom
SAHD = Stay At Home Dad (which I still don't trust my husband to turn himself into)

It's also totally different from what I planned out. When I was in medical school, I actually hoped I wouldn't quit medicine. I wouldn't be those 'people' who wasted their years of studying to stay at home. Well, I'm facing the same situation. (Fate always does this to me. I have to be careful from saying ANYthing, because I just might get it back, smacked on my face)

After months of thinking, I still wouldn't actually. It's just that I don't want it to hover most of my time, I guess. Nobody can fool me now, having a child really change my priorities. I do feel bad though, because I felt that the knowledge and drive to pursue knowledge is wasted if I chose to be a SAHM. But then my dearest Along told me one day, that staying at home and being with my child/children raising them to be good citizen is something I shouldn't feel wasted. He said it's because they will soon grow up and be a part of the society. In turn, that is one way that I've contributed to my country, race and religion.

You don't know how relieved and enlighten to hear those words! Even then and so much thinking, I still think I would feel very very very guilty if I don't contribute to society with the knowledge that God has bestow upon me, and the trust that my lecturers and senior pass on to me to carry the responsibility. Priorities change as life does.

I guess I'm right: Men and women aren't made to be the same, they are made to complete each other, but nevertheless they should both be equally respected and treated.

I'm actually at a time where, (I wouldn't say burned out), but a little lost in my career pathway.

I'm trying to find which specialty/field that that I can give/serve the best, along with my great family aspiration. (Did I tell you I'm planning to have 5 children? Hehe I've always known I'm going to be a mother. In fact, when I was 14 years old, I always knew I'm going to have my own children, because I'm always babysitting my nephews and nieces. Off course I didn't know I really had to get married though, haha.)

I've spent months of searching through the net about medical fields and specialties to find where I am best at. I actually sent an application to pursue MRCOG Part I (because I thought maybe I should just force myself into it), but was denied the application. My medical graduation certificate went missing, lost after my in laws renovate the house. I couldn't get it ready before the closing date (need to do a police report, pay RM50 to UKM, have it translated, signed by certified people, etc.). So I just take it as a sign from God as a 'NO FOR THE MOMENT'. I'm reading and doing soul searching, I still haven't found the answer. I'm still in vague positions, to a point where I'm tired. That's why I'm diverting my attentiot to...my hobbies.

I've finished an album of scrapbook for Arishah during her neonatal period.
I've started my vegetable gardening in a pot (even though I a worm-a-phobic).
It's in my personal blog.

But I shall remember what my beloved Along said...I should try to find out what I want in life, and be content. Don't pursue something blatantly, and have regrets. (It's a nicer version of pepatah Melayu, yang dikejar tak dapat, yang dikendong berciciran).

NEW MOTO :

SUCCESSFUL = FEELING SATISFIED AND CONTENT WITH IT

Change of Plans

It has been a month and 5 days post delivery. There were already ideas to post to this blog, but I penned it down first. It's a new discovery and learning exerience, as well as enduring hehe. Like I've said before, sometimes the events that you encounter in life, whether planned or otherwise, may lead you to...

1. a longer time, maybe slightly different path, to reach your goals, or
2. a shortcut to achieving your dreams, or
3. a chance to explore totally something new, or
4. maybe a little bit of everything above

My baby Arishah has certainly brought me upon another crossroad, but thankfully, not a difficult choice to make. Certain goals have to be amended, some new ones are added, while another put on hold.

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My career progression:
Well, if according to the previous plan, I thought of taking MRCP/MRCOG paper end of this year...but will have to be on hold.

Reason:
Since I'm planning to stay serving the government's healthcare system (no matter what my hubby on and off suggestion to migrate oversea until he's satisfied with the gov't leaders), there's no need to rush. I can only apply once I finish my three year compulsory service...which is in another 2 and 1/2 year. So instead of going for the paper end of tis year, it's going to be in early 2010.

After delivery, I would like to focus and stabilize my "lifestyle" at least in the first 6 months. I'm planning to breastfeed as long as I can, hopefully over the 6 months benchmark. My family and hubby comes from a family of allergies :(.

My mom's family has rheumatoid arthritis, and I think I'm feeling the symptoms and signs already. At first I thought it was only water retention during pregnancy, but post delivery, it seems to get worse. Worse comes to worst, it may affect in choosing my career later on, since this disease can be debilitating. So time would let me know its progression as well as my capabilities. Next move is to do a check up, once confinement is over.

Money is another issue. Not a big one, but currently focusing on increasing our family's asset, saving up, and the house plan.

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Family plans:
I've safely delivered baby Arishah into this world with God's help. So now...her future is my responsibilities...at least up until her basic studies. I've stumbled upon a sign language and its benefit to hearing babies (as written in my personal blog). I'm going to invest in it once she reaches 6 months old.

I'm also planning to breastfeed her as long as I can, at least up to 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding. I've bought the things that I need.
2nd baby...hopefully in 2 years time

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Personal wishlist:
My own notebook. But that will be on hold too. Most probably I won't buy one either. My desktop PC went kaput 1 month before I delivered. I'm using my hubby's office notebook, so that's not available for me to use most of the time. Have the money to splurge, but thought I might use it for something else. (I'm very stingy to my self...it's a known fact).

My dream house...currently researching the cost of making the houseplan and submissions. Still figuring out who we're going to do it with. But sadly, I might not be able to live in it. Hubby's idea to turn it into a rental house, until a gazillion years (actually he said 5-10 years, but it felt like a gazillion to me :). This may urge me to find an empty lot myself and build my own d**n house.

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Financial matter:
I'm going to share with you later on with guidelines provided by Robert Kiyosaki.

According to Robert Kiyosaki

Meaning of wealth:
The number of days you can survive, without physically working (or anyone else in your household physically working) and still maintain standard of living.

Meaning of financial intelligence according to rich dad:
It's not so much how much you make, but how much you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for.

His rich dad said:
The only difference between a rich person and a poor person is what they do in their spare time.

Qualities of financially successful people:
1. They maintained a long term vision and plan --> working on it
2. They believed in delayed gratification --> I do
3. They used the power of compounding in their favor --> the earlier and longer, the greater reward


7 steps TO FINDING you financial fast track:

1. Mind your own business
2. Take control of you Cash Flow
3. Know the difference between Risk and Risky
4. Decide What Kind of Investor you want to be
5. Seek Mentors
6. Make Disappointment Your Strength
7. The Power of faith --> thoughts are reflections...Remember the only person that determines the thoughts you choose to believe about yourself is you

7 levels of investors:

• 0. Nothing to invest
• 1. Borrowers
• 2. Savers
• 3. "Smart" investors
• 3a) "I can't be bothered" group, not wanting to learn
• 3b) "Cynical" group, they know all the reasons why an investment will not work
• 3c) Gambler
• 4. Long term investors --> I'm learning to be better :)
  
• 5. Sophisticated investors
• 6. Capitalists

Which one am I? Currently an E-mployee venturing into an I-nvestor. But I'll never leave being an employee until my terms of service agreement to the government is over. I could as easily pay Rm90k (I think that was the latest amount, not so sure though) after 3 years of compulsory service, but I think the people in the government sector needed me more. Off course, that's my aim so far. It might change its course, but I hope only for the better, and not forgetting my ultimate life goal : To serve my religion, race and country through the knowledge bestowed upon me.

However, according to the author, the safest way is to venture into B-usiness first before venturing into I-nvesting, because an up and running business will generate support, and 'evens' out the volatility of investing.

The first book about finance that got me interested in financial freedom is called The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley. I think I was 18 years old at that time. I liked his idea, because I share his values and his ideas are implementable.

I think I've always had passion when it comes to real estate since I was a teenager - housing. It's not just owning and building my own house, but much more. I like to look at houses. I often ask myself what can I change to make a house looks better, more valuable. I get excited when I see a house on sale or being auctioned. I'm not sure if it's genetic (my late father was greatly involved in it as an investment, his daytime job was a lecturer). I really would like to venture into it, start small, but FEAR is always there. Preparation by learning and reading may help me through. But one more thing...time. Not time to learn or read, but time to do research on the estate, the market, the price, the community, etc.