My life has been like this since the business went operational on December 2010, money in and money out. It has been a truly challenging year. My hair went white about 2 years ago. There was a time when I actually dyed my hair but soon gave up after being whacked left, right and centre in this stressful business.

Setting up this business was hard as I’ve mentioned before in this blog. Running the business is much harder. I didn’t had to deal with so many people before during the construction period. Now I’ve got a management team, teachers and staff under me. I am now head of a business organization for nearly a year and it has already given me a beating of epic proportions.

Being a business owner is different as to being a general manager. The business owner’s priority is to cover the financial aspects of the business to ensure smooth running of the organization. So it is our responsibility to make sure there’s enough funds for monthly expenses.

I do realize that I’m a bit down about this news I just receive but blogging about it makes me feel better. Especially when I’m typing this on my 11″ MacBook Air which is very ideal for blogging. I tried blogging using iPad but I get tired quickly by doing that. Somehow the ergonomics doesn’t suite me. I’m a pretty big guy with big hands by the way so the MacBook Air’s keyboard is more comfortable for me. I’m typing this down at a Starbucks joint sitting on an armchair with the MacBook Air on my lap. How cool is that?

Though I’m supposed to be lamenting about my business woes in this post, I would like to write further about this neat little MacBook Air. I bought it after the passing of the great Steve Jobs. I needed to get something special in tribute to this great man. I’ve been following his keynotes, articles, books and news about him. When he died, I felt very sad because my inspiration in building and running this business has died. What inspired me about him is that despite all the odds, he managed to rescue and turn around Apple into the giant that it is today. He turned a doomed company into one of the most profitable companies in the world. Yes I know my business will never be near to Apple but I learn to not surrender easily to pressure and to keep pushing forward.

To think about it, I’m actually in a much better position than I was 2 months ago when I was truly broke. A deal I made managed to pull through so I was saved. That also meant the staff got their salaries on time. We made it look easy but a lot of pain went in the process. I guess that’s the sacrifice leaders have to make in order to succeed.

Anyway I’m feeling quite better now after blogging about it. I remember mentioning that blogging in a way is like therapy when I first started this blog in 2008.

I will do what is necessary for my company’s survival but I won’t lose sleep over it.

Life is too short, I’ll just do the best that I can and live with it.

I spent the better part of last night trying out the Mac App Store. The interface is like iTunes but only meant only for Mac users. So far there aren’t very much apps to get. I just downloaded a couple free apps just to test them out. Yes, it does indeed downloads like iTunes and once downloaded it is good to go.

I recently purchased a MacBook Pro 17″ and planned to get Pages ’11 from the Mac App Store instead of buying Page ’09 from the shop. It appears that my hopes were in vain as iWork hasn’t yet been upgraded in the Mac App Store. I’m not sure once I buy ’09 whether would I get a free upgrade to ’11 or not. So I think I’m just going to wait and see in these next few days before making plunges that I don’t need to make.

Heh.

I just went and bought Angry Birds from the Mac App Store for $4.99 (RM 15.33) at this very second! Now it’s half way downloading. I will check it out in a bit and see the difference using a 17″ screen.

Ok I’ve tried the first game and it’s still the same as you find on your iPhone and iPad. The graphics is totally amazing running on MacBook Pro 17″ high resolution display. The game is about catapulting a few Angry Birds at some green pigs by smashing through the walls and barriers that protects the green villains that stole the Angry Birds’ eggs. It’s pretty good. You can even get them from Android app store if you own an Android smartphone.

I’m very impressed so far with Apple’s development with the Mac. Now we shall wait for OSX Lion to arrive and I’m sure it would become another hit for Apple.

Sometime in April, I made some money and so with it I bought myself not one but two Magic Mouse! One for my MacBook and the other for my Mac Mini.

I find the Magic Mouse much better than Mighty Mouse. For one it’s basically a trackpad mouse and has no trackball that keeps jamming on you. I find Magic Mouse to be revolutionary because no other company were making anything like that until just recently.

I’m very satisfied with this product due to it’s workability and design form. The surface ismade from glass and easy to clean in case of smudges just like any Apple products.

Steve Jobs once said that Apple won’t be making touchscreen PCs because ergonomically that won’t be possible. You still need a mouse to navigate. I think once the Lion OSX gets released only then we can utilise the Magic Mouse’s true potential. The Lion OSX interface is derived from the iOS which is touchscreen operated.

Nothing much I can say about Magic Mouse except that if you own a Mac, just get it because it is worth the money as well as durable. To find out more checkout the Apple website for more detailed specifications.

I suppose the title above is a dead give-away of my next acquisition. It is the best phone ever produced in the market and I cannot understand the fusses over Google Android phones. I’ve tried one before and it didn’t ring out anything special for me. Before I go further here’s the gadget in its iGlory…

iPhone 4

My first impression about this phone is it’s aluminum bezel. I’ve never seen such a beautiful design on a mobile phone before. I’ve had this device since 1st November 2010 and I still couldn’t get over the craftsmanship. The retina display feature is truly mind boggling. My wife said that it is like having HD in the palm of your hand. The video recording and photo-taking features of iPhone 4 is fantastic. I was recording my daughter’s dance performance and it really look great despite the poor lighting of the area we were in. Of course it would have helped if my hands wouldn’t shake so much. I’m still new in this video recording thing as my sole interest is motivated by my daughter performances. I remember Steve Jobs used to mention that he loves photo-taking as well as video-shooting so that he can store countless memories. At that time I wasn’t really into those kind of thing however recently I find myself agreeing to Jobs’ sentiments. Yes I am indeed getting older especially when the little ones are growing up very quickly.

In getting iPhone 4 I was at first very hesitant. I mean I just gotten a replacement iPhone 3GS just recently and suddenly I already wanted an upgrade? Yes normally a person would wait until for the current phone wear off before going for a full upgrade. What won me over? Well, it’s the design baby, the design.

Remember when iPhone 4′s photo was leaked over the internet in early 2010?

I felt that it wasn’t fake because it looked too well finished. I thought it was beautiful and best iPhone so far. I then hoped that it was the real deal but at the same time I was disappointed because I wanted Steve Jobs to be the one unveiling this iPhone instead of Gizmodo.com. Many felt pretty much let down but some even think that it was just a marketing gimmick. Well for me if it was only a gimmick then shouldn’t it been blurred just a little instead of a full-exposure? I think it was indeed an accident on the part of the Apple engineer who left it at a bar after a few rounds of German beer.

All the iOS apps run very well on iPhone 4′s retina display in which I find surpasses iPad’s screen display. I find myself in difficult situations sometimes in whether to use iPhone 4 or iPad. The outcome of the decision didn’t bring an end to poverty or change the world  but made one iOS user very happy.

At the moment I’m still holding on to both iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4, the former serves as a work phone and the latter a private phone. A work phone is self explanatory and a private phone is where I play with it when I’m off duty. One wouldn’t want to be interrupted playing Angry Birds on retina display when suddenly work related calls starts ringing.

I was contemplating upon getting the BlackBerry Bold 9700 but thought against it as I realized that in my line of work I don’t need one. Plus I stressed out whenever that annoying blinking red light gets going. I don’t need to know your response that soon I promise. So I got iPhone 3GS as the work phone. Besides by now I’ve already gotten use to touch screen so there’s no point of regressing.

iPhone 4 appears to be very fragile due to its glass exterior. I freaked out every time a thought of it falling and breaking to bits comes to mind. Oh and it has dropped once since I first had it on November 1st, 2010. Almost died then :p.

Anyway since I now own 2 iPhones, the better one gets to be my after 5 phone. I have to admit that iPhone 3GS form is much suited in being a work warrior. It’s curved back rests nicely over my palms and feels safe and secure as I typed away on its virtual keyboard.

Rumours are abound saying that 2011 would see an iPhone 5 but of course I for one wouldn’t think so. Apple still needs to make back its money first from iPhone 4.

Ok I’m done with this post but I’ve few more iGadgets to “review” so stay tuned to this space

iPhone 3GS

I remember having sleepless nights with this phone. My favorite app is ComiXology and I always look forward going through whatever comics that are available every week. My favorite games are the Monkey Island series as well as the Broken Sword series. These are remastered versions of games that I’ve never got the chance to play while I was schooling and lacking a PC in the late 80s and early 90s. So with this device, I went crazy catching up with lost opportunities. Later I progressed to games like Angry Birds which is a good stress reliever app. At the most difficult start of 2010, iPhone 3GS has helped me weather through the toughest time of my life. Without it, I might have gone quite mad.

Sometime in October 2010, the On/Off button of iPhone 3GS had accidentally broken off. Naturally I was upset. I even tried taping it with a tiny wiring casing but of course it wasn’t the same. After 3 weeks of imperfection, I gave up and went over to my service provider Maxis to see whether they can fix the annoying mishap. They told me to hand over iPhone 3GS to see what they can do about it. I was fidgeting throughout the 1 month waiting period and my swear words vocabulary has taken a quantum leap especially whenever I start pounding my old tiny Sony-Ericsson W880i with hands of which, on that very moment, I found out to be huge.

The classic Sony Ericsson W880i

For your information, W880i is still going strong and is our household’s very own emergency handphone to this day. On its free time, W880i becomes part of my sons’ Ben 10 accessories…

Anyway coming back to the story, Maxis gave me a call (after much persistence from yours truly) to come and pick up iPhone 3GS from their shoppe. Whatever grievances I’ve developed during the 1 month waiting period has eroded because Apple has replaced the phone with another brand new iPhone 3GS! Since my warranty was still valid thus I was entitled to such an honor. I just personally experienced Apple’s dedication to their customers’ satisfaction and I am one very satisfied and happy customer. However, this joy was about to be shortly overtaken by another Apple monster gadget…

For more iYear 2010 check out;

iYear 2010 / iPhone 4

iYear 201 / Magic Mouse

We are now in November. Next month we’ll commence our business that took us 5 years to set-up. I’m more relaxed as we’ve completed all the specification that is required as per the nature of our business. Now we’re waiting for the trial run that is going to take place in the week after next. I guess you can say that I’m anxious though at the same time numbed by the processing.

Looking back, we didn’t do very much in bribing the already corrupted system. I guess that’s why we got bogged down as we didn’t play by their rules but we play by the law of this land.

Patience is paramount to success. Patience enables us to step back and assess any given difficulties of the moment. No matter how bleak the situation is, patience causes us to be calm. Calmness is most needed in order for any solution to be created.

With patience, we don’t hurt anybody’s feelings because from here we realize that everybody is needed in order for our venture to be successful. Even from the most humble workman to the most highly trained professional, we must treat them with the deepest respect.

I have to admit that it always isn’t easy being patient. I lost it many times and I had to drag myself back on that path over and over again. Sure there were doubts in my head and I have to convince myself over and over again that this path is the way. Everyday our beliefs are being challenged. But we stayed on course. So far so good.

My way to stay on course? I’ll give it in point form. I might elaborate on it or I might not. Depending on whatever tomorrow bring. Anyway here goes…

1. Bi-weekly lymphatic massage treatment.

2. Infrared sauna, 3 times a week

3. Morning walks

4. Fibre drinks and lots of veggies and fruits to go with meals

5. Dinners with the Mrs before heading home to the kids. These dinners stems out useful and vital conversations needed to alleviate stress level.

6. Cool movies

7. Chats with friends

8. Water

9. Family and friends rapport

10. Apple products

I’m sure there’s more but I shall leave it at that for the moment. Right now I so wanna post something for this month

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I received this SMS from MalaysiaKini yesterday. I didn’t at first see the significance of this move. I mean everybody knows that Datuk Peter Pang is one of Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman’s staunchest supporters. So when LDP decided to move against the CM, Pang chose to be aligned with the CM by relinquishing both his party and ministerial posts. Keeping only his state seat of Karamunting as a BN independent. Later PM Najib said that Pang wishes to join Gerakan another BN component party. I expected this one to happen because after all didn’t another of the CM’s men, Datuk Raymond Tan, left SAPP and joined Gerakan awhile ago? Apparently the CM kept him aboard because Raymond seem to be a smart businessman and is useful to his plans. So what’s the big deal, right?

What I didn’t see coming is that this could be an elaborate plan to take down the CM of Sabah and LDP is the lightning rod.

Speculators has been theorising for months that by year end CM Musa would be soon be replaced. This recent incident could be the beginning of the end for Musa.

LDP is to be the first strike. Others are soon to follow. No way that LDP acted without the blessings of the other component parties, most particularly Umno. The Umno warlords are not happy with Musa and they want him now. They believe that the CM’s appetite for 5% projects could cost them the coming 13th General Election.

It’s time for change. Whether or not is it for the better is yet to be seen.

I recently witnessed about men and money. Everybody needs money and everybody does not mind of having more of it. I use to take for granted that only needy would work so hard for money. After all that, they would then be happy and contented with they have for the rest of their lives.

Problem is that once a person has tasted money, he wants more and more. It’s no longer hunger that’s driving the person anymore, it is greed.

As I watch and observe these men of wealth, it has occur to me that it is all about the money. Human decency and moral values? Well, when it comes to money, those are merely formal notions where people merely states as social pleasantries.

The rich don’t really give a damn whether the staff and equipments are all in working order inside the company. The only thing that matters is profit received at the end of the day and of which they can happily spend.

I was recently present at a company board meeting. The heated agenda of the day was about money and it has taken the whole day to be resolved. It was a no holds barred battle between the CEO and COO of the company. CEO wants raises for his BOD but COO was concerned about the staffs’ well-being inside the company and opts for saving money in order to have ready standby cash for operation costs. In this particular business, safety is paramount. As I agree with the CEO of getting raises at the same time I also agree with the COO of seeing the cash-flow improvement first before giving out salary increases for the BOD.

I later found out that the CEO never thoroughly participated in the company’s operation side as he is more towards the wheeling and dealing for the business of which that he is good at. Nobody can actually deny his contribution to the company. They only feared his overly brash spending on entertainments for securing the contracts. I feel that the CEO should be more thorough and well-verse on his company’s internal situation as he is on its external situation. In this line, safety features are essential as this business is a high risk industry where people accidentally get killed while on duty.

At the end of the day, who profits the most? Well, I’m sure all of us know the answer to that question. I always wondered why the top people in any industry don’t care enough about the people working under them. I now know that money is source of all life, we simply can’t live without it. But like whisky, it should only be enjoyed in small doses otherwise it will prove to be mortally fatal, poisoning a person to self-destruct.

With this, I can say it’s better to take everything in moderation and just hope that your best is enough.

I finally did it. I am now a proud owner of iPad 16G wifi/3G version. I spent a bomb on this gadget but I’m happy about my purchase. The stuff that people were talking about the iPad being this and that negative, well I’m very pleased with my iPad and it’s worth the money I paid for.

I’m s0 glad that I opted out from my ‘Patient Malaysian’ stance. :p

I am writing this post using my iPad and I can tell you that it’s the best feeling I’ve ever had since I bought my iPhone 3GS in February this year.

Will be posting more about this as soon as I ‘tire’ with the iPad…

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A very strong stand from Tan Sri Simon Sipaun. This is what many of us Sabahans feels but just a handful few of us voices out.

It takes courage to say the truth. I’m learning from this.