Stephanie Sy

 "A lesson for companies is that it's possible to make employees work so hard that it's bad for the business." by Geoff Colvin 

Quote

The truth, little known but well documented, is that death rates decline and healthy living habits improve in tough economic times. Extensive research by Christopher J. Ruhm, an economist at the University of North Carolina, shows that a one-percentage-point rise in the unemployment rate reduces the death rate by 0.5%. Those are U.S. results, but other studies show the same effect in Spain, Germany, and the 23 OECD countries in aggregate.

People live longer in recessions mainly because they become healthier, not because they face fewer external causes of death, such as auto accidents, which decline because people drive less, for example. What's more, the evidence of improved health shows up in ways beyond lower death rates. As unemployment gets worse, general medical problems become less prevalent: When the economy gets sick, people get healthier.

• don't need to worry running out of parking space, you can delegate that to your driver
• don't need to waste time looking for parking space
• saves you time because you can work in the car if you can take the dizziness,
• saves you the hassle of having to compete with someone for the only space that is left before movie starts rolling
• saves you enery by spending less time driving

Believe it or not, a friend of mine had a friend  who was stuck in the parking lot for 1 hour. Go figure!

1. You are lucky your Mom and Dad taught you about money early in life.
2. If you really want something, don't accept NO for an answer.
3. Your learn best through experience. You learn best doing things hands-on. Seeing and hearing are your next best way to learn. Then, reading.
4. Second place doesn't win.
5. Don't be afraid to succeed. People around you are actually happy to see that you're doing well. Don't worry about the crab-mentality. Not everyone thinks that way.

fou one fou

fou two eight

fou three twelve

fou fou sixteen

fou five twenty

and so on...

PS: My dad's English sounds like Chinese/British-ish. My English sounds like... erm  strange, uniquely Steph. Hahaha!

• Tenancy Agreement for your new home in the UK -- When I came here last year, I stayed at my friend's place temporarily. His family let me stay in one of the rooms in their flat. I contribute to rent but the contract of the flat is with him and the agency. So, ... didn't have this.
• Electricity Bill, Gas Bill, Water Bill, Council Tax -- I pay rent all inclusive so again, so ... didn't have this either
• National driving licence -- I just came here so ... didn't have this either
• Proof of your previous or permanent address in the country you came from -- Hmm.. I just came here so ... didn't have this either
• A letter from your previous bank or your agreement that they may contact them  -- ... didn't have this either
• A letter from your employer in the UK confirming your address, salary, etc. -- Doesn't really work for most banks

Oh... And have I mentioned that most companies needs your bank account number so they can transfer salary directly to your account?!

The pre-requisites of opening a bank account have other pre-requisites that a non-resident who just came to the UK doesn't have. Sounds a bit like a deadlock situation!

I eventually was able to open a bank account as I was lucky to have received a letter from the home office that was delivered to my home address. I was able to use it with my employer's confirmation over the phone that I work with them. I'm with HSBC.

After a year, armed with my passport and bank statement, I tried to open an account with another bank to take advantage of the higher savings interest rate. They ran their credit checks on me and told me that I can't because I don't qualify.  My credit rating is not good enough. I checked with Experian (credit rating company) and my details seem to be accurate and I pay my bills on time so I wondered what they problem was. Even Experian couldn't really help... Experian and some friends speculated that it could be any of the following:

• I didn't stay in the UK long enough therefore not enough credit history. -- Doesn't paying the credit card bills on time count?
• The source of my credit history is only from the credit cards -- hmm... so I don't qualify?
• I'm not in the electoral votes -- Seriously?? I'm not even a citizen.

I know they have these things in place for security. But it's just too complicated and there's no one who really understands for sure why or how. It would have been better if there's a system that can actually identify what's wrong with a person's credit rating and provide steps on how it can be improved.

I miss Shanghai. In Shanghai, you just go to the bank, show your passport and open an account.

But out of all these, at least I have one that I can use.  I just can't take advantage of the higher interest rates from other banks.

I was reviewing for my Prince2 exam when I suddenly thought of how my parents purchased our first home. I was in the chapter where the author was talking about the start up process. In the start up process, you have a project mandate and first 2 appointed key people - project executive and project manager.

My parents didn't come from a well-off family. When they got married, they were still sort of in the same position. Hehe. They wanted to provide their kids a good future. Their first vision for the family was to buy a house where we could live in. So in case the business doesn't turn out to be that good, we will still have a place to stay. They realized this dream after 10 years of being married. It is one of the family's biggest accomplishments.

(Side note: We only lived their for 1 summer the whole time we owned it as my parents needed to stay in my uncle's factory compound to manage the operations side of things. Talk about 24 hour stand-by work! Besides, my parents were already used to living right next to the factory. Commuting looked like a monumental tasks for my dad. Haha ^^)

Relating my parents experience to Prince2, the project mandate was to purchase a property. The 2 key people were my mom and dad. If they didn't have this goal in mind, it would have probably taken them longer to get one.

Reflecting on this thought, I think in everything in life, we need to have a direction where we want to go. So even if we're sidetracked along the way (scope creep!!!), we still know where we're heading to and can make appropriate decisions along the way.

• "You haven't changed a bit. You dress the same as when you were in university." I think this is not a complement.
• "You look 18 or 20." a friend from basketball told me. So I asked what made you think so because she was surprised when she found out my age... Then she said it's because of my expressions and body gesture (the peace sign)
• "You are crazy." This is for the wacky unexpected things that I do. I think this is neutral.

Personally, I think I think maturely. I just don't act like people my age. People my age are more formal or demure with the way they wear clothes or talk. That is just not me. What I am is more of a sunny blubbly homey and active type of person who you can tell things like it is.

But sometimes I wonder, should I change and be like them? Placed in a box and labeled as ------ to fit into what they call ++++++.

I love being me. But most of the time, the world expects us to be something else; to be boxed into what they see as normal and what they understand....

• Winning is achievable but constant practice and trying your best in each practice.
• Winning is not only about talent but also about other factors that makes the person.