Interest, Investment and Result

The title may be confusing. Before we let the imagination go wild, let me narrow it a little. The topic is about my interest in photography, the investment I put in and what is the result I am suppose to get.

Simple enough.

Again, don't let you imagination off the hook. When I say that I have a lot of interest in photography and I invested in it, it actually means, that I like seeing nice photos, admire the kind of technologies it uses in today's world to produce such a result; that is the "interest" part. On the "investment" part, I have a Nikon DSLR D40X with 18-55 and 55-200mm lenses with SB400 flash. Total investment is around around RM3,500 (USD1,100), nothing great. So, by now you should know where I stand as a person with interest in photography and the affordability to invest.

Photography in the "Digital" world is totally different. You really don't have to worry about how the shot will come out. You get to see the result immediately. You make necessary changes on the setting according to the result. Not like the times when we use films; you have to set using your indepth knowledge and vast experiences from the past results. Also, the process of making small notes (regarding the settings used) at the back of the photographs are gone.

DSLR comes with all information at the click of a button. Even when you upload to a shared website like Picasa or Flickr, all the information about the picture settings are loaded together.

OK. Now, we understand what is interest and investment. Let's see how we should read the "result".

In business world, we term the word "result" as "ROI" - return of investment. Another word that relates to ROI is the "pay back" period. Let's see whether these 2 words can be related to the "photography".

Put it in a direct translation, I must sell the pictures I take using the camera in order to make my investment make a return. The profit I get from the sales, I can derive the payback period and classify the investment as profitable or loss.

In reality, since I am not a professional photographer, I can't really make money out of it. There could be 1 or 2 shots which can claim a million dollar but let's not dream. Therefore how can my interest and investment give me a return?

A person is productive and effective when he is either "dedicated" or "pleased". Let's omit the "dedication" part in this topic. "Pleased" is a very interesting part. A man (I mean man and woman) can be pleased in many ways (don't get into wrong aspects). When a man's mind is at ease (also carries the meaning "pleased"), he moves a mountain, stops a river and touches the sky.

Hope you are getting what I am trying to tell.

Look at the 2 pictures I have attached here.

It is a picture of Butterworth Amman Temple's Silver Chariot. The pictures were taken during the local festival. One is taken with the flash fired and the other without the flash. Both taken at almost the same moment.

I liked the pictures and I do admire them.....not for my ability to take pictures but to the technology that made this possible. Due to my interest and my willingness to invest, I got these pictures and seeing them makes me feel good. And when I feel good, I do really achieve something, which indrectly benefits me (monetary and emotionally - tangible and intangible).

Relate this to all your interests and investments. Everything will bring a result and that result is from yourself. The interest and investments acts as catalyst to enhance a bigger firework.

Make sure all your interest and investment brings results.

What's so great about taking care of 2 children-1 child?

As everyone (in Malaysia) knows that the 2 weeks school holidays began last week.

As for me, I was very excited because, my wife is going to her native place for 2 weeks and I will be taking care of my 2 beautiful, lovely, great kids. The 1st is a girl-12 years old and the 2nd is a boy-9 years old.

We sent off my wife at the Butterworth Bus Station at around 3:30pm on Friday. The next day (Saturday), at around 7:00am, my mum left to KL to attend my nephew's award presentation ceremony for his PMR 7A achievement. At 10:00am, my son and myself dropped my daughter at her school. She will be attending a 2 day 1 night camping trip organized by her school.

All this leave me and my great son to enjoy the sweetness of a moment without "mother and sister" disturbance.

Both of us went to a restaurant for a good lunch. We came back and watched a movie. In the evening, I made him a cup of chocolate drink. 1st he said "not enough sugar". I added sugar. Then he said "no chocolate taste". I added chocolate. He said, " mom used to give me full cup, you only gave me 3/4 cup. I added more hot water. Then he said, "it's too hot". I aerated the hot drink and gave him back the cup.

He drank completely and said, " Not nice."

No comments from me.

Then we went for dinner in the most luxurious restaurant in my area.....McDonalds. Bought 'Fish Fillet' set and ate without a single complaint. In this Mcdonald outlet, they had a big screen shwoing live telecast of Monaco F1 qualifying rounds.

We watched and gave many comments, people around us were very impressed with our live comments. We went home at around 10:30 and slept peacefully without any noise from the grandmother, mother and the sister. It was great.........we forgot to brush our teeth....so what...nobody knows.

On Sunday morning, my son woke up at 7:00am, tried to wake me up but failed, hanged around, watching TV, played computer games and so on. After some time, he could not stand anymore, he forced me to wake up at around 10:00am.

The first sentence from him, "Daddy are you trying to kill me by not giving me any food?".

It is only 1 mealtime (breakfast) slightly overshot (instead of 8am) and he is accusing me of starving him to death.

Now you tell me, "What's so great about taking care of 2 children-1 child?"

What would you do?

OK this topic is definitely politics.

Why I choose to write about this? Last week I met Mr. DP Rajah, a leading lawyer in Butterworth. If I said that a lawyer is "good", nobody would believe, but if you see this person, you will beleive that there are few "good" lawyers around.

He said that DAP (Democratic Action Party - Opposition party) is somewhere around its "peak" or "optimum" level. It means that they have won a number which is the best they can win all time. They have used up all their generals and seems that there are no more new capable generals to run the battalion.

As for PKR (Parti Keadilan Rakyat - Opposition party), from having 1 seat in parliament earlier, now has 31 seats, you can clearly see that they have a lot of room for development. What is the optimum for PKR is actually unpredictable.

Let's leave PAS for a while (or for a long while).

All 3 formed PR (Pakatan Rakyat)and now controls 82 seats.

In the 12th Malaysia General Election, people did not vote (general opinion) the opposition because they love the opposition or hate the ruling party. People voted opposition party because they wanted to send a message to the ruling party that the ruling party cannot take the people's mandate for granted.

OK, let's make it simple, the ruling party BN (Barisan Nasional) has learned and understood the message from the people. Now they are doing "something" to impress the people by showing that they care about every "citizen"'s vote.

At the same time, the opposition gained a platform to show their capabilities. They rule 5 states in which 4 plays important economic role in Malaysia's growth (Penang, Selangor, Perak & Kedah). More or less the federal government can only "on hold" the development of these 4 states to a certain level, because the decline of these states will also make the growth of the Malaysia decline. So these 4 states will somehow perform and will gain grounds. This will show that, despite having big and mean "hurdles", the 4 states under the opposition party can run a state.

OK, now where do we stand 4 to 5 years later. You may say we have to see the results.

Doesn't matter about the results. If any government who just underwent new transformation can make a total turn around in 1 term (4-5 years), they are the greatest people, therefore 1 term is not enough for them to show true performance.

The point is, results shall be very little for both BN and PR, the greatest thing will be their effort. Their effort depends on the kind of support we give. We can support in 2 ways, wait till the next election and vote the deserving party or join the party and show them our faith in their effort.

Which would you do?

Join their party - BN or PR?

Or just vote when time comes?

What would you do?


Subra

Is it another start or just a start

I think I have heard the word blog / bloggers many times. Thought it might be a big issue, only pursued by high profile guys or guys with either minimum or no work.

Dear bloggers don't get offended, these were my earlier thoughts. When one of my colleague called Mommy SC Choo told me that she has started to write her own blog, I was surprised. Today when she told me that it has been a year since she first blogged and recently have made it a point to write something at a fixed period, I was really amazed.

Definitely she is not in the "minimum work or no work" category. She is working very hard in the company and at home....you can read her blog ( mommyscchoo ) about her work in her home.

Today I told her that, I wasn't satisfied with a business appeal letter which I wrote. I told her that my usual standard will be much higher. I don't understand why I could not write well now. As what her nickname says "Mommy Choo", she answered immediately that I wasn't practising enough.

Uhm. She seems to be correct I have not been writing much lately. Most of my work are by phone or simple & short emails. I can't recall when I wrote my complete write up on any matters.

Then, came the more "motherly" advise from Choo..................start your own blog.

So, now I am sure you understand why I started this blog with the title "Is it another start or just a start". Mommy Choo has been instrumental to many of us in our workplace. She has been the key for many of us to improve in our daily work and life.

Long life Mommy Choo and her blog.

With Love,
Subra