Crazy Chinese Woman

So it’s the new year – 2012 and like many of you we have some big plans for 2012 but you should hear some of the business plans my friends have for this year.  Some needs to chat with their business lawyer raleigh nc for their new adventure while others are looking to move away for work and opening a new restaurant.  Like many who’ve never been in business I can imagine their excitement and as much as I’m excited for them I keep reminding them about talking to their lawyers about any kind of restriction in the area for running and building up their new business.   Opening and running a new business can be made easier with some good advice and the right people pointing you to the right directions.  So if you are venturing into a new business – make sure to look for the right business lawyers in the area.

The one thing I like most about the West – whether in the States or here in Canada – land are plentiful – so when you rent or buy a home – it’s not as expensive as it is back home.  Back home – one can never buy a home like the above for less than a few million dollars.  Yes! you heard me right – millions!  but here in the West – land is plenty – therefore, one can get a good home for a very good price.    Many who migrate to the West – look for homes for lease and then decides to buy a home after many years after becoming a landed immigrant.   And renting a good home like the above doesn’t cost you $10K like back home – homes like that are also at reasonable rates.  Plus, if you are in a rural area – houses are big and land are plenty for gardening and even raising horses and those are even more affordable.   The home I’m in is only over $100K and I do have a lawn and backyard – had I bought it in Singapore – it would have gone no less than $2 million at least.  Yes ! I do miss home and all – but it’s definitely a perfect place to raise my daughter.

Everytime I go ga-ga over some Asian things that I can get here in Canada – the spouse wants me to think about getting in touch with a supplier in Asia and then buy some at wholesale prices and resell them here in Canada.  I have to explain to him time and again that I would need to get a drum full to make it worthwhile – or the supplier wouldn’t even bother to mail me a small quantity.  In which, he always ask me to get steel drums at drumsofsteel.com and do it.  But I’m such a scary cat – and don’t want to invest – so much money to do it  – what if people don’t like it – or the novelty would not last?

While in Canada and USA – they have the dollar store – in Asia – we have the 100 Yen Stores – which is so popular at one time.  I often wonder how I would do – by opening a 100 Yen store here in Canada – carry only Japanese products? I know for franchise like the 100 Yen or 99 Yen store is not cheap – but if I had the backup from a bank – it would definitely be worth a try.  Drum loads of Japanese goods – from bento to japanese snacks – or Japanese accessories would definitely be fun to unpack.  But once again – I’m chicken – I don’t want our hard earned money disappeared in 6 months – but like the spouse said – nothing venture nothing gained.

Apple co-founder – Steve Job passed away yesterday and yes it was shocking to me – because he was only 56 yrs old.  Too young to die – especially someone who is so brilliant and has so much to offer the world.  Even though I’m not a Mac user – I do use Apple’s products like the iPods, iPod touch and also the iPads.  So yes!  I’m indeed shocked, sad and it made me think of my own life – I’m sure no one expects to die so young – hell! no one wants to die that young.   But Job had lost a lot of weight recently and even though he put on a very brave front whenever he was in public – one never know eh.  I think the world wasn’t prepared for this – because we all knew he was taking his health issue seriously – to the extend of stepping down and letting Cook take over the day to day running of the company.  But yes! it made me sit up and think about my life too – am I doing what is right by myself and my family.  I don’t want to go and regret not doing right by them.  What about you?

So this morning – I see everyone posting on their facebook about Facebook charging and you have to do this – blah, blah, blah !  and repost it – and I can only shake my head that people believed it and all go upset and crazy for nothing.

FACEBOOK JUST RELEASED THEIR PRICE GRID FOR MEMBERSHIP. $9.99 PER MONTH FOR GOLD MEMBER SERVICES, $6.99 PER MONTH FOR SILVER MEMBER SERVICES, $3.99 PER MONTH FOR BROZEN SERVICES, FREE IF YOU COPY AND PASTE THIS MESSAGE BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. WHEN YOU SIGN ON TOMORROW MORNING YOU WILL BE PROMPTED FOR PAYMENT INFO…IT IS OFFICIAL IT WAS EVEN ON THE NEWS. FACEBOOK WILL START CHARGING DUE TO THE NEW PROFILE CHANGES. IF YOU COPY THIS ON YOUR WALL YOUR ICON WILL TURN BLUE AND FACEBOOK WILL BE FREE FOR YOU. PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON IF NOT YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED IF YOU DON’T PAY.

T’is’ just too funny !!  Facebook earns more than you know it – with so many subscribers – and they don’t need to charge you and I for using facebook – we are doing them a favor by using it.  You see all the paid ads – on the side of your facebook – at the right hand corner – well folks – those make more money for facebook than you can imagine – so yes!  stop being STUPID!

The outlaws always reminds me that I’m no spring chicken no more – and truth be told I do not appreciate it when they say that.  But i can’t really blame them since I’m a lot older than the spouse – I’m guessing they are worried that he needs to take care of me when I am older but little did they know that I’m looking into senior life insurance for myself – so that if anything should happen to me – I know that I won’t be a burden to my spouse and that our kid will be taken care of – and he will have the opportunity to quit what he is doing and look after our kid since she is still very young.   I have to do that – because there is just no way – he can look after the store and the kid at the same time – and give her proper care – so yes!  a good life insurance is necessary should anything happen to me while my kid is still young.

I was in the city a few days ago – and realized that there will be no big movie stores around here no more – folks like the Blockbusters and Movie Gallery are gone and had filed for bankruptcy.  I wonder if they had been having the same problems like us as independent movie store owners who get ripped off by unscrupulous individual who rents our new movies and refused to return them?  I have a list of collection agencies but because we are a small independent rental store – I doubt it is worth using a collection agency – even though our net loss for the last 12 years had been like $35K.  Therefore, I bet big stores like the Blockbusters and Movie Gallery must have need for these collection agencies to get their money back right?  so why the bankruptcy?  maybe they didn’t find a good one then – but of course there is more to it than meet the eyes – but no matter what – it does make it a lot more difficult for ppl to rent now – unless there are more folks like us the independent movie store owners – now it is to find a collection agency that would take on small businesses like ours.

I always tell my spouse that he is very blessed and lucky because he is doing a job that he likes and he enjoys it very much – well except for idiots for customers – now that he doesn’t like at all.  Not many people can say the same here – and it’s hard to get into System Support & Documentation Jobs here in this town – therefore, I have friends who moved out of town to go find a job that they like and make some decent money.  I can’t really blame them for leaving their hometown can I – although some may feel like they are abandoning their family.   But you have got to do what you’ve got to do to make a living and to find something that you can support yourself and your family.   I have friends who migrated to another country because of work – and is now very happy about it – and I really wished that everyone can find a job they liked – but in this town – some people like like to whine about it – while others who really wants to work – they get up and look for that job.  What about you?

Be Home For Dinner Episode 63 is out for watch ! Follow the birdie – leave me a comment for the synopsis and the password. Enjoy!

My daughter’s godma from Singapore will be celebrating her birthday really soon this month and we want to get her something special that she can’t get for herself – because she has got just about everything.  I want to send her some of these liqueur, apple  brandy and rum from our local distillery here but I know that no courier service would insure this shipment because as you can see they are highly breakable – what a bummer right?  The blueberry liqueur and the cranberry ones are to die for – and I so want to give her a few bottles of each – and I’m pretty sure they will sell real good too in Asia.  Now if only I can pack them up in steel drums and bring them home with me when I go home for a visit – that might be a feasible way to bring some of these liqueur home for my friends and family.  I am pretty sure that this is the only secure way for storage for long haul flights but I don’t need a huge steel drum though – a smaller one would do fine for me I think – I’m going to look for a place to custom make the steel drums for me – so that I can carry a drum and so can the spouse when we go home for a vacation.  So for those who wants to try the liqueur – don’t forget to let me know before I plan to order the steel drums – that way I know how big I need.

The Chinese have a saying ” who wants to be bald when they have hair right?” what it actually means is – who wants to go borrowing or asking for help with money when you don’t have to. Sure there are some people who just squander off their money/pay but there are many who genuinely needs help because they ran into some bad luck – like car broke at the same time the water pipe broke at home. That is why payday advance are great to have around because you don’t need to ruin a friendship nor embarrassed yourself in front of your boss by asking for a pay advance – and it is darn embarrassing I tell yer. Sure there are high interest in payday advances – after all they need to make a living too right – but if you know how to manage your money – pay day advances can only help you and not bring you down like some people said – I know so – because it is pay day advance that helped me stand on my feet again once upon a time.

Yes Sir, Sorry Sir Episode 25 is out for watch ! yesterday we saw both Ms Ho and Ms Koo resigning at the same time and then both not leaving the school at the same time.  And for Ms Koo not to be upset with Ms Ho for having a thing with Law Sir – now that is bull right?  And then for Ms Ho not to be upset with Law Sir even more ridiculous.  More ridiculous about the story is how can Charles let Law Sir go so easily after he was caught sneaking up his study room and listening to his tele-conversation right?  All makes no sense at all.  And the police department also quite a joke – and we all know it is not like that right?  well – just watch for fun lah.    Follow the birdie – leave me a comment for the synopsis and the password. Enjoy!

New releases for English movies comes out on every Tuesdays – and since we are a movie rental store – we have to print out copies of the cover for the new releases for the rental boxes that we send out with the customers – that way – they don’t return the wrong movies in the wrong case.  We have a laserjet that uses  laserjet ink cartridges that we use for printing the covers and been using it for years now – and we get our ink cartridges and toner for our fax machine  from a place in the mall or we can order them online.  We try to print covers for all our movies including the blu-ray ones and sometimes when someone sells us a game without the original box – we can use the laserjet to print out the cover as well.  It does a pretty good job – and we are quite happy with it.   At our store, we rent our movies for $3 for normal dvd and $4 for blu  – ray disc -  you can beat us for princes that’s for sure.

Be Home For Dinner Episode 30 is out for watch !  Follow the birdie – leave me a comment for the synopsis and the password. Enjoy!

A business associate of ours – who owns a restaurant downtown have their daily special on a white board like the above – and next week – they are changing their prices due to the increase of product and wages.  They had asked us if we could help them print out the daily specials menu on paper to be laminated to be placed on each table because they don’t have a printer.  We have no problems doing it for them of course, but wouldn’t it be easier for them to use an  online printing service to help them with all their printing needs?  especially if your daily special changes on a weekly basis?  and you can do all sorts of promotions using this online printing service?  I would – they are so much more cheaper – and you can do all your work on your own and then use their services without leaving your office.   They have to pay me for doing the work too – and it’s not cheap for me to type out their daily specials for them every week – so I recommended them to the online printing service instead – since they refused to buy a printer.

When I first arrived in Canada – I was very enthusiastic about all these real shows with stories of  real people and then of course, when I was having my kid – and confined to home 24/7 for the next 9 months – I watched the birthing shows and boy! were they kinda scary but lots of information too.  I’ve learned a lot thru’ the Life Network – mostly amusing and amazing but one show that was pretty inspirational was the medical show – about doctors, nurses and caregiver as well as chiropractors.  I’m easily influence by the shows I watched, therefore, I prefer to watch shows that inspires me – so when they had this show about the chiropractor ’s office many years ago – I wished they had this chiropractic technologist program because I would have jumped on it and took the course.  Life Network Canada had made some good impression on me – some very lasting ones and now that I know there is an online program for working in a chiropractor office  – i can tell those who asked about it.   Have you ever been inspired by a tv program or movie – that you want to change your career or life?  I have.

My grandmother used to say – you lived to learn and you learn something new everything – never be too proud to learn.   I’ve always encouraged everyone I know to upgrade themselves whenever or wherever they can.  I remember knowing a guy a long time ago – and he was happy just not doing anything in life but his job – i mean he had a good job and it paid well – but that was all he knew – he didn’t want to advance himself in anyway.  When his company encouraged him to do an online business degree (they were paying for it) he refused to take up the option.  How sad eh?  if it were I – I would have jumped at the opportunity.  There’s career advancement, there’s the different opportunities one can get after finishing an online degree – regardless what the major it is.  So I can’t quite fathom why in the world people wouldn’t advance themselves?

I have girlfriends who are mothers and has full time job and they would definitely take the challenge – and do an online business degree if it was offered to them by their company or bosses.   A little bit of ambition and a lot of discipline is all that is needed from a person – and if  you want to climb the corporate ladder – or get that promotion – why not eh?  Lived to learn! lived to learn!  so i was thrown this question the other day – by a group of girlfriend – if I would do an online business degree?  I would for sure – if they were offered by the people i worked for – that only means they have other plans for me in the near future – and if it was paid for – hey! why not ?  i would jump at the offer for sure.   And if my spouse and children loved me – they too would accommodate me – and give me time and help me complete my degree.

The town that I’m in used to be a fishing port – we have lots of fishermen out there – Nova Scotia is famous for its lobsters and scallops and as long as you are a fishermen – you are considered by the bank to a bankable.  But like all fishermen – if you have never been out in the sea with them one day – you wouldn’t know the risk they are taking.  In my 11 yrs after migrating – I’ve heard so much about fishermen losing their lives out there in the sea.  Some get lost in the sea – some get drown and many other reasons  dead – so if the fishermen are claiming unemployment during the off season – please don’t be-grudge them for it.  I don’t know if they can claimed for  Offshore Injury while working in this town like those in the oil rigs and seamen because the fishermen here have just a dangerous jobs as these oil riggers and drillers but I highly doubt so because I know of a fisherman who have had this head injury for years – he gets his migraine so bad – but he can’t do nothing about it – because he isn’t covered medically (from what I was told).  So yes!  fishing industry here may not be as vibrant but our fishermen still goes out despite horrendous weather with no insurance claimed – what an awful job eh.

I’ve often wonder if movie stars or those from tvb who needs money would have an easier time getting  personal loans than us the ordinary people.  After all they are famous right? surely the bank would know that they can afford to pay up their loans?  I am guessing they have it easier than most people – what do you think?  I also hear about veterans from TVB investing their money on properties – I wonder if they try and get a mortgage will it be easier for them than us?  I bet that there are many advantages to be a movie star or a tvb one – even going into business with them would be a plus – since they are so famous – and I bet things would get done quicker and easier don’t you think?  well, let me groom my kids to be movie stars now – hahahha!  or if you need money – like an ordinary person – then you will have to go look for a place that gives out personal loans without much hassle or those that can repair your credit rating – it’s all about credit rating for the ordinary people – unlike the stars.

I want my own car this summer!  why?  i feel like a handicap without one – to zip around town with – I have to wait for the spouse to do everything together and sometimes it is really hard – when both of us are working so much at the store.   So first I need to get some cheap car insurance quotes and then I can move forward and look for a car – of course – the reason why I need to get my car insurance quotes first – is because I need to get a budget for my monthly spending – I don’t want to buy a car I can’t afford to pay and keep the insurance on right?   So yes! some planning is required of course – and then once I get all the information needed – I can then find out where I can get a really good 2nd hand car.  I am wondering if I need collision insurance or not?  since I am only getting a 2nd hand car – I’ll have to remember to ask about this when I find out about the insurance cost.