2016 Flashbacks

it has an eventful year. many new different experiences had been gone through with the flash of a second. i felt 2016 passes by very fast. it is now November. as the year end approaches, it is timely that i make a recall of the happenings in my life. since the blog is last updated about a year ago, i would like to get back my blog writing mood.

2016 will definitely be a year where i know more about my friends. when i typed more, i feel that personally, i get to know them better. one friend which i shall call C is a friend which i know through weekly badminton session. occasionally, we will chit chat about investment and job and that's it. this has been going about like four years until recently, i spent more time such as board games, swimming and movie that i get to know this friend better. he is an stock market value investor. in the past, when the subject investing is brought up, all i know of is fixed deposits in a bank and property investing. after discussing much with C, i learn that stock investing is really interesting. you have to do research, check the fundamentals and read the news about this. C wants to own a fund management company someday and hence, he is spends much time researching and sharing news about investing. i, who was always afraid about stock investing, begins to listen. so much so that i begin to ask what is the methodology in investing, how he values a company, then an idea struck me,  "why don't i start value investing?" 

the timing cannot be more right when i was reading through business articles and news that a news feed pop up that asks whether i would like to join for a brief talk about value investing. at first, my mind is hovering about whether this is just some scam class to cheat the money from you. incidents happen an another bestie of mine, M begins to stock investing as well. hence, i forward the invitation to her. she was interested and asked me to accompany her to go and the results: i become more passionate than her about value investing. we went for the briefing the first time, my heart wants to say yes but M told me, "take your time and think it through as the fee wasn't cheap at all". it is expensive. i do admit. hence, my rational thinking self convinced me to take a step back and think about it. i kept thinking about the programme subsequently. a few months later, M brought some friends to join and ask me to go for the briefing again just to see whether the case studies presented would be different "you know la, being Asians, no harm knowing more plus the course is free." so this time i went again. and immediately i signed up.

there it began, my value investing journey began. it started with a 3-day course and subsequent tutorials every month. during the course, they conducted mini games to test out the patience and investing skills of the 80 over participants. i listen and observe very closely the materials. and on the last day of the course, the put us in a room and required us to play the virtual stock trading environment. to be honest, my heart beats super fast but i remain calm because deep down i know; investment is all about numbers, research and judgment. i need to focus. the facilitators will shout here and there for stock trading news with all kind of news coming up every quarter. i sat down and think quietly. i look at the numbers and begin computing the value of the companies that are presented. through my focus, here is the result:

I won!

i was overjoyed. hahaha. i won some cold hard cash yo! part of the cash is used to fund back my 3 day course. in some way, i treat it as my subsidy of my investment amount in this course.

so, that is all my journey of investing in 2016.

then, let's move to my favourite topic of all time: friends. usually, i love to make new friends. reason being the topic of conversation is varied. hence, i took the courage to join my friend, C for waterfall hiking in north of selangor. during this fall, i was able to know my friends around me better, catch up about their latest happenings and hang out for same interest. i like this new approach. it makes me feel alive. 

Perdik fall hike

besides waterfall hiking, i have also become more accustomed to social responsibility. M suggested that we went for a visit to the kids home and buy them food and soft toys. her reasoning: she wants to feel that she is helping the uncle who is seeking cancer treatment, making the kids happy and feeling more useful to the society. i agree in no time. besides, we are quite familiar with the kids after visiting for two times prior to this. i like spending time with kids. i believe children are the future of the world. if you take care of them well, they will, too take good care of the world in the future. nobody can count on oneself only to make the world a better place to live in. you need forces and children are the best forces you should count on. previously we had a painting session and this time around, we have pictionary session. oh yes, i found out that my mind is still very much childlike at heart. i can freaking guess the children' drawing like most of the time. 

Praise Emmanuel Home

besides that, i have also know some friends who are into opening music gig. at first, i was like ok, maybe it was just some chill club and sit in the cafe sorta setting. turns out, it was the rock style kind of closed event in a rented shop lot. i was pleasantly surprised. the band performing was Relent, a local band in Malaysia. i like their music: coordinated and moving. the song is just so so. the much credit should be gone to their guest star appearance : Moira Dela Torre. OMG, her voice is superb and she is of one of the Top Voice Philippines. moira was so good that i had goosebumps. go moira. really love her voice. during her singing, she asked " are you in love?" imagine this lady asking you that question. all the fan crowds go "Yes!" really adorable. 

Are you in love?

that's it. my happenings in 2016. i love 2016 for the person I have become. Thank you 2016. btw, santa claus is coming to town.......

enjoy 2016 everyone. 

signing off,

KCS