Canon 450D - 50mm f5.6
Saturday 31 December 2011
Sayonara 2011, Wooo Hoo to 2012!
Ahhhh..the last few hours to the end of the year. Time to sit down and reflect over what's left of the year albeit without a glass of wine.
At this time last year, I was so busy stuck in a kitchen, prepping food and training staff for my own little venture that the New Year just felt like another day passing by. The first half year was really tough, coping with a new business venture which was never my specialty - a little sandwich & coffee shop. It was totally different from the corporate world that I was so used to. Equally as challenging although it sounds minute and simple. I had to cope with staffing, menu, kitchen, purchasing, equipment, planning, financial details, marketing and the administration. The stress and work hours was terrible, much much worse than the corporate world. If you're your own boss, expect to live and breathe your business.
Within three months, I lost weight and looked like a skeleton, slept like a log at night (snoring like a pig, I am sure..should have recorded myself as an experiment :P), didn't have a social life, was obsessed with working, and agonised over the daily dollar and cents. But throughout most of the time, I kept a smile on my face. It was a challenge that I took up, and a challenge that I intended to learn from. And learn so I did, although painfully.
Well, I still remember what my dad told me before I started, "Don't expect your first venture to be successful. Be prepared to fail and learn from it." Sure enough, when I realised that it probably won't be profitable yet until the end of the year, a painful decision had to be made. Either to be stubborn and dig my heels in to continue, or to call it quits. It was a tough decision indeed but to continue on might have probably brought worst results. We decided not to take the risk.
And to make matters worst, at the most pivotal point of decision making, life started throwing curveballs at me. It must have been a sign. When my car broke down in the middle of Federal Highway on the fast lane on a Saturday night, I took it all in with a smile and a chuckle (which many would recognise as insanity) and said up to the sky, "Is that all you've got? Come on, give it your best."
I was never a firm believer in religion, always believing that things were in my hands although there's a higher life being with different names, God, Allah, Buddha...whatever. But having said that, never taunt God. *lol*
The following two weeks right when another relationship started rolling downhill, I nudged into someone else's car at slow speed. Luckily, no mortal damage was done except to my wallet. *ouch* As shaken as I was, I thank my lucky stars as it could have been worst. And then the next following week, when my day at the cafe ended late, someone had broken into my car and stolen the battery. What a laugh. They should have just taken the car, but NOoOOoo, they had to take the battery. *lol* By then, I was ready to admit defeat and surrender to God. In desperation for some peace and calm, I paid a visit to the temple, swallowed my pride and I said my own little self styled prayer and asked for direction. Surprisingly, an answer did come. Once a decision was made, everything became easier.
Nothing ever is a total lost - always learn from your mistakes in anything and know what to do right in the future. I believe this applies to everything in life. I at least knew what failed me; just three words sufficed - "Capital, Location and Marketing." But at least I will be better prepared for the future. I am thankful however for friends and customers that had supported us all this while. It has been a great fun and hectic experience serving you and hopefully, we can say what Arnold Schwarzenegger said in his famous movie the Terminator - "Hasta La Vista, baby!"
Looking back, I had so many goals then for 2011 - mostly too ambitious. I had wanted to travel to Tibet and Europe, learnt my guitar, go diving, improve my swimming, have fabulous abs (yes, you heard me right), and bought my own home. I should have realised just how much my own venture would have taken out of me which was everything.
At the hardest part of my life, something unexpected happened. The right guy waltzed into my life. I guess God is only fair. He takes away everything to give you something. It was crazy but we both fell in love within the first week. Everything just came naturally to us - we moved into a new home, met each others parents and relatives, traveled, laughed with each other and at each other, had our first Christmas tree up. And now, seven months later, we're still disgustingly madly in love with each other. Love makes everything else bearable. I hope that we would still stay the same even if we were married or have rugrats as he puts it.
I now really look forward to this New Year would bring. =) A new job would be great and still that winning lottery ticket. =P Thank you god in advance! It's going to be a great great year ahead! Hopefully, it would still be challenging but not life draining.
My resolution - to stay happy and to work hard for the things that I want and for the people that I love. Meanwhile, be am thankful to God for all that I have; a fantastic, sexy, challenging and yet understanding partner, greatly supportive parents and friends.
The traffic jam is starting to accumulate on the roads right now while I am thankfully in the sanctuary of my home. =P
To my Hunni Buns, my family, relatives and friends, may the New Year bring you what you hope and wish for. Be safe, healthy and most importantly, Happy. Love you all.
At this time last year, I was so busy stuck in a kitchen, prepping food and training staff for my own little venture that the New Year just felt like another day passing by. The first half year was really tough, coping with a new business venture which was never my specialty - a little sandwich & coffee shop. It was totally different from the corporate world that I was so used to. Equally as challenging although it sounds minute and simple. I had to cope with staffing, menu, kitchen, purchasing, equipment, planning, financial details, marketing and the administration. The stress and work hours was terrible, much much worse than the corporate world. If you're your own boss, expect to live and breathe your business.
Within three months, I lost weight and looked like a skeleton, slept like a log at night (snoring like a pig, I am sure..should have recorded myself as an experiment :P), didn't have a social life, was obsessed with working, and agonised over the daily dollar and cents. But throughout most of the time, I kept a smile on my face. It was a challenge that I took up, and a challenge that I intended to learn from. And learn so I did, although painfully.
Well, I still remember what my dad told me before I started, "Don't expect your first venture to be successful. Be prepared to fail and learn from it." Sure enough, when I realised that it probably won't be profitable yet until the end of the year, a painful decision had to be made. Either to be stubborn and dig my heels in to continue, or to call it quits. It was a tough decision indeed but to continue on might have probably brought worst results. We decided not to take the risk.
And to make matters worst, at the most pivotal point of decision making, life started throwing curveballs at me. It must have been a sign. When my car broke down in the middle of Federal Highway on the fast lane on a Saturday night, I took it all in with a smile and a chuckle (which many would recognise as insanity) and said up to the sky, "Is that all you've got? Come on, give it your best."
I was never a firm believer in religion, always believing that things were in my hands although there's a higher life being with different names, God, Allah, Buddha...whatever. But having said that, never taunt God. *lol*
The following two weeks right when another relationship started rolling downhill, I nudged into someone else's car at slow speed. Luckily, no mortal damage was done except to my wallet. *ouch* As shaken as I was, I thank my lucky stars as it could have been worst. And then the next following week, when my day at the cafe ended late, someone had broken into my car and stolen the battery. What a laugh. They should have just taken the car, but NOoOOoo, they had to take the battery. *lol* By then, I was ready to admit defeat and surrender to God. In desperation for some peace and calm, I paid a visit to the temple, swallowed my pride and I said my own little self styled prayer and asked for direction. Surprisingly, an answer did come. Once a decision was made, everything became easier.
Nothing ever is a total lost - always learn from your mistakes in anything and know what to do right in the future. I believe this applies to everything in life. I at least knew what failed me; just three words sufficed - "Capital, Location and Marketing." But at least I will be better prepared for the future. I am thankful however for friends and customers that had supported us all this while. It has been a great fun and hectic experience serving you and hopefully, we can say what Arnold Schwarzenegger said in his famous movie the Terminator - "Hasta La Vista, baby!"
Looking back, I had so many goals then for 2011 - mostly too ambitious. I had wanted to travel to Tibet and Europe, learnt my guitar, go diving, improve my swimming, have fabulous abs (yes, you heard me right), and bought my own home. I should have realised just how much my own venture would have taken out of me which was everything.
At the hardest part of my life, something unexpected happened. The right guy waltzed into my life. I guess God is only fair. He takes away everything to give you something. It was crazy but we both fell in love within the first week. Everything just came naturally to us - we moved into a new home, met each others parents and relatives, traveled, laughed with each other and at each other, had our first Christmas tree up. And now, seven months later, we're still disgustingly madly in love with each other. Love makes everything else bearable. I hope that we would still stay the same even if we were married or have rugrats as he puts it.
I now really look forward to this New Year would bring. =) A new job would be great and still that winning lottery ticket. =P Thank you god in advance! It's going to be a great great year ahead! Hopefully, it would still be challenging but not life draining.
My resolution - to stay happy and to work hard for the things that I want and for the people that I love. Meanwhile, be am thankful to God for all that I have; a fantastic, sexy, challenging and yet understanding partner, greatly supportive parents and friends.
The traffic jam is starting to accumulate on the roads right now while I am thankfully in the sanctuary of my home. =P
To my Hunni Buns, my family, relatives and friends, may the New Year bring you what you hope and wish for. Be safe, healthy and most importantly, Happy. Love you all.
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