Book 40: How to Open a Dessert Stall (教你開間糖水屋)

Title: 教你開間糖水屋 (How to Open a Dessert Stall)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:
A simple how-to guide to open
a small business, specializing in chinese
desserts aka 糖水 : )
Plus a detail list of common
Chinese desserts and their recipes.

What went through my mind:

- I did not know that there are so many
interesting Chinese desserts out there!
& that to make them require loads of patience,
because the 'dry/moist' ingredients need
to be prepared for various amounts
of time in advance : 0

- A great point that this book makes is the
distinction between Chinese & Western desserts:
Western desserts are often for mere pleasure --
think about cakes, ice-cream, cookies and the like...
What do girls usually say after eating them?
"I FEEL SO FAT!"& it's true...
They tend to be made of cream/butter/sugar,
none considered too healthy 0_o"
Meanwhile, Chinese desserts often contain
healthy ingredients like seasonal fruits/herbs,
& are created with the main intention
to help balance the diet & enhance bodily functions.

- Like all businesses, the most crucial
element is: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!

- I NEED to practice/learn my CHINESE
DESSERTS! i'm kinda ashamed of myself now...
-_- how can i claim to love food/sweets
and yet know nothing about any 糖水?!?!

Favorite Quote:
- "努力不一定成功，
但一定有成果。"
(Working hard doesn't guarantee success,
but it would surely bring fruitful results.) (Pg. 76)

What came out of this:
*Goal: Learn to make more 糖水!

Why Should you read it, too?
Aren't you curious about Chinese desserts, too? : )

Book 38: The Jesus I Never Knew

This book took me 2 whole months to finish.
PHEW!



Title: The Jesus I Never Knew

Who wrote it: Philip Yancey

Whom I borrowed it from: Karen : )

What is it about:
Jesus plays the key role in Christianity,
but how many people really know
what He's all about?
In this book, Yancey attempts to unveil
the common stereotypes & misconceptions
about Jesus, while conveying God's truth
& hope in a refreshing manner,
backed with in-depth researches,
powerful quotes & practical illustrations.

What went through my mind:
- This book is not as easy to read as
Yancey's other book,
What's so Amazing about Grace?
Not that it's bad in any ways, but simply
more theological/historical, and fewer
real-life stories/examples.

- This is one of those books that you'd
need to read more than twice...
in order to absorb the super duper rich content,
and allow the information to translate
into knowledge in one's mind.
I tried to read only one chapter at a time,
and remind myself at least 1 thing
i've learned from the previous chapters,
before moving on to the next.

- One of the most memorable things
i realized, was how often we overlook
the simple fact that Jesus was born as a Jew,
and that a lot of the things He did
don't appear offensive/strange to us,
but were actually very revolutionary in His time.
His other identities such as the Son of Man /
Son of God / Lover that pursues after us...
all became more vivid to me through
Yancey's elaboration.

- This book also helped humble me
in knowing that there are so many literature
out there that I have not read / heard of,
yet is full of wisdom...
& that my God is HUGEEEEEEEEEEEE
yet i only know tiny bits about Him... : /
Who am i to boast... about anything???

Favorite Quotes (There are too many good ones...
so i'm only gonna quote from the final chapter):
- "Jesus' uncompromising blend of graciousness
toward sinners and hostility towards sin,
because in much of church history I see
virtually the opposite." (Pg. 259)
: (

- "Jesus... brought God near." (Pg. 266)

- "Do you ever just let God love you?
The story of Jesus is the story of... love.
It involves pain and diappointment.
But Jesus embodies the promise of a God
who will go to any length to win us back." (Pg. 275)
* This quote moved me so much,
that i shared it with my church ppl
when i led worship this past sunday : 0

What came out of this:
*Lesson learned:
Good Friday symbolizes the sacrifice that Jesus
has offered for us... and our past is gone;
Easter Sunday signifies our glorious future,
that we will be resurrected with Him one day...
Meanwhile, this is Saturday --
we might struggle here and there,
but we must look back to see what God has
accomplished on Friday, and hold on to the
Promise of Sunday... : )

* Goal: Reread the book!

Why Should you read it, too?
- You'll find out more about an amazing God...
who loves you and wants you to love Him!

** Warning: Be prepared to do some SERIOUS THINKING!

Book 37: The freedom Writers Diary

Title: The Freedom Writers Diary --
their story. their words.

How a Teacher and 150 Teens used Writing
to Change themselves and the World around them

Who wrote it:
The freedome Writers with Erin Gruwell

Whom I borrowed it from:
Queens Library (Long Island City)

What is it about:

A compilation of anonymous diary entries from
the teacher, Erin Gruwell (Ms. G), and her 150 students
from Wilson High School @ Long Beach, CA --
where they battle against racial discrimination,
sexual / drug / alcohol abuse, gun violence,
gangs problems......
while rising above the poor environment /
peer influence through education, writing,
and tremendous courage to live out their dreams:
Preach the message of Tolerance.

What went through my mind:

- I cannot think of ANYONE that won't
be deeply touched by this book,
or i should say, the lives of these 150 souls
laid bare before us.

They face a tremendous amount of adversities,
with little to no support in life,
while most are told they're good for nothing...
Yet in a classroom, where 1 teacher believes in
their potentials, their hearts soar,
daring to dream BIG, set out to conquer
whatever challenges may come their ways.

I cannot recall how many times tears swell up
as i read about these teens' struggles,
disappointments, times of weakness,
haunting memories from the past,
painful childhood...

Sometimes, my heart whispered...
"I've been through the exact same thing..."
While other times i hear,
"I've been so blessed all my life
and I didn't even realize it..."

- Ms. G is ONE AMAZING TEACHER...
I strongly recommend everyone that is in
some sort of teaching position to read this book,
and be inspired by her dedication & love!

- An epiphany of mine:

The Freedom Writers wish to tell the world
about TOLERANCE -- zero discrimination
& no more violence, gangs, wars...

Meanwhile, I think God's message is higher
than mere tolerance.

God's goal is ACCEPTANCE --
It's great if we don't blatently hate / fight each other,
hence tolerating each other;
but isn't it even better...
if we'd have UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE,
and eventually LOVING (Agape) one another?

- As you can probably tell... i love this book -- A LOT!

This is the most moving book I've read
since The Kite Runner & Tokyo Tower : )

Favorite Quotes (Beware: A super long list):

- "...it's human nature to always believe that
"bad things happen to other people, not us." (Pg. xiv)

- "...if we all... choose to deal with inhumane
situations in a humane way, we can turn the world
around and create positive lessons for
ourselves and others." (Pg. xvii)

- "...if your passion is deep enough,
you can do anything." (Pg. 27)

- "Fights don't solve matters,
they just make things worse." (Pg. 39)

- "Don't let the actions of a few
determine the way you feel about
an entire group." (Pg. 48)

- "...excuses will not bring about success
amd that adversity is not something
you walk with, but something you leap over.
The only obstavles are the ones you allow." (Pg. 120)

- "I don't know why women allow men
to brainwash them and use their bodies
as objects instead of cherishing them
as if they were treasures. But it's never
going to change until women start
respecting themselves more." (Pg. 125)

- "Freedom Writers have a dream!" (Pg. 165)
[In reference to Martin Luther King's speech:
I have a dream.]

- "You'll never be anything else but you,
so be the best you, you can be." (Pg. 174)

- "If you're not for it then you're against it...
Would you rock the boat and speak out,
or would you remind silent...?" (Pg. 185)

- "I realized that I had overcome
too many obstacles in my life
to just give up and die.
I had too much to live for." (Pg. 196)

- "...love is more important than material things.
Material things can't love you like a father can!"
(Pg. 224)

- "..."To improve is to change,
to be perfect is to change often."
I am far from perfection,
but I'm changing." (Pg. 240)

- "...how amazing, precious, and powerful
both time and life can be.
In one second, you can be on top
and have everything going your way.
The next second, everything goes wrong
and you find yourself at the bottom." (Pg. 250)

- "I have learned that it doesn't matter
if your inspiration in life comes from
negative or positive events.
The most important thing is
to learn and go on." (Pg. 264)

What came out of this:

* Reminder:
No more labelling / discrimination /
judging a book by its cover!
Tolerance is a big step to take,
while Acceptance/Agape is the Ultimate Way.

* Lesson Learned:
Good teacher = Devoted Heart!

* Goal: I want to watch this movie, too! : )

Why Should you read it, too?

- If you teach / work with youth /
have struggles in life / have a past that haunts you /
want to learn about human nature /
need encouragements......

AIYA! Just go read it!
There's something in this book for everyone : )

Book 35: Freakonomics

Title: Freakonomics -- A Rogue Economist
Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Who wrote it:
Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:
A collection of analysis & social studies
about various social phenomena,
which are written based on an economist's
point of view / research method.
Non-traditional questions are asked
in an economist's way:
- What do School teachers &
Sumo Wrestlers have in common?
- Why do drug dealers still
live with their moms?
- Does parenting matter at all?
etc. : )

What went through my mind:
- Economics was one of the subjects
i dreaded the most back in h/s
(next to Math & Accounting),
but this book presents such a refreshing
approach to the subject matter,
and demonstrates so well, just
how practical & useful Econ can be : )

- It's a well-written book with a cohesive theme,
despite its claim to be lacking of one.
This book is like nothing i've ever
read before : 0 in a good way.

- The only let down i felt,
was that the authors' research doesn't
live up to the Book's(/subject's) title.
Indeed, the issues they discuss
don't have much to do with finance / numbers,
hence the not-so-traditional side of Econ;
Yet at the same time, what they explore
are common social-related questions,
which makes me feel that the word FREAK
is not appropriately coined.

Favorite Quotes:
- "... just because two things
are correlated does not mean
that one causes the other." (Pg. 11)

- "Morality... represents the way
that people would like the world to work --
whereas economics represents how
it actually does work." (Pg. 15)

- "An incentive is a bullet, a lever,
a key: an often tiny object
with astonishing power to
change a situation.
We all learn to respond to incentives,
negative and positive,
from the outset of life...
An incentive is simply a means
of urging people to do more of a
good thing and less of a bad thing." (Pg. 22-23)

- "Who cheats? Well, just about anyone,
if the stakes are right...
Cheating is a primordial economic act:
getting more for less." (Pg. 29-30)

- "... people respond strongly to
strong incentives... there are few
incentives more powerful than
the fear of random violence..." (Pg. 78)

- "... as emotions go,
one of them -- fear -- is more potent
than the rest.
Fear is in fact a major component
of the act of parenting." (Pg. 197)

- "... it isn't so much a matter of what
you do as a parent; it's who you are." (Pg. 237)

What came out of this:
*Lessons learned:
A) Incentives = A powerful tool
B) Fear is one of the strongest incentives
C) When analyzing issues, pay attention
to the distinction between causality & correlation.
D) Conventional wisdom is sometimes
believed out of convenience & laziness.
E) Who we are matter a lot more
than what we do.

Why Should you read it, too?
This book would encouage you to think more,
be curious, ask questions, & find the answers
in an organized, analytical way --
it's a good mental exercise for you! ; )

Book 32: Great Dishes - Just blanch & eat (教你好菜燙來吃)

Title: 教你好菜燙來吃
(Great Dishes - Just Blanch & Eat)

Who wrote it: 梁瓊白 (Qing Bai Liang)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:

A collection of recipes that are simple,
quick & versatile : )

Specialty -- 10 Homemade sauces to go
with countless combo of veggies, meat & seafood!

What went through my mind:

- I picked up this book, hoping for inspiration
of what to cook tonight for church fellowship's
dinner gathering.

A veggie dish is needed, so i volunteered
myself, but i honestly have very limited
creative ideas & none of my signature dishes
are based primarily on veggies '_'

- I must say, this book does NOT disappoint!

Her simple yet sophisticated approach of
coming up with different sauces,
while blanching the food for as little time
as possible, in order to retain the freshness
& natural taste, was definitely eye-opening.

What came out of this:

* Goal:
Practice blanching + homemade sauce!

* Reminder:
Cook the food as little as possible -> Fresh!

Why Should you read it, too?

If you'd like to learn about traditional
Chinese cooking + how simple it is ; )

Book 29: See You in 16 Years (十六年後在此重會)

Title: 十六年後在此重會 -- 細說神鵰俠侶
(See you in 16 years...
Analysis on The Return of the Condor Heroes)

Who wrote it: 陳墨 (Mo Chen)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:
A chapter by chapter analysis of the famous classic:
The Return of the Condor Heroes, written by Louis Cha.

What went through my mind:
- This book is very well written,
in the sense that it contains the qualities of
both literary criticism AND leisure reading.
It flows very well from chapter to chapter,
even if readers don't have the Novel in front of them.

- I was almost brought to tears while reading,
simply coz Chen was able to pinpoint the main
characters' turning point in life, the +ve & -ve
consequences of the choices they made,
unveiling the mystery: What is love?
「問世間情為何物，直教生死相許?」

- NOSTALGIA...
Reminds me of the times when i'd stay up till 4am,
reading Cha's books in the dark under the blanket
with a heavy metal torch in my hand...
Back in 4th grade! '_'

What came out of this:
* Desire: I wanna read all of Cha's books again!
* Goal: Read the other books written by Chen : )

Why Should you read it, too?
If you've read / watched Cha's stories,
you should read this book! ; )
It'd make you fall even more in love with them!

Book 26: Personal Growth Exchange Diary (交換成長日記)

Title: 交換成長日記 (Personal Growth Exchange Diary)

Who wrote it: 梁詠琪 / 楊采妮
(Gigi Leung / Charlie Young)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:
A collection of essays written by Gigi/Charlie,
recording their thoughts about growing up,
childhood/adolescence memories & incidents...
cute doodlings, kiddie pics & heartfelt conversations.

What went through my mind:
- Despite being written by 2 famous HK pop stars / singers,
this book almost has nothing to do with the entertainment business.
Instead, i felt very comfortable breezing through the pages,
as if i were involved in a conversation with 2 nice friends.

I sensed something warm and fuzzy,
as i read about their memories of school / pets /
family / childhood dreams / embarassing incidents...
and they're surely easy to identify with as a girl from HK.

They make me miss HOME, and the good old days... : /

What came out of this:
*My personal view of these two ladies have changed a lil:
They seem quite personable & lovely ; )

Why Should you read it, too?
My HYS friends should definitely read this!
Their high-school memories might remind you
of our precious youthful days ; )

Book 25: Six Thinking Hats

Title: Six Thinking Hats --
The International Bestseller that has changed
the way the world's most successful business leaders think

Who wrote it: Edward De Bono

Whom I borrowed it from:

Bought @ Amazon.com

What is it about:
When we try to think things through,
or have business meetings,
more often than not we argue our way out
to make a decision,
and many times we mix up
emotions, information, logic, hope and creativity
all at the same time.

Instead of trying to juggle too many balls
at the same time, De Bono suggests the
Six Thinking Hats thinking method:
- White: Present neutral, objective info;
- Red: Express emotions without having to justify them;
- Black: Criticize and find out the weaknesses/faults;
- Yellow: Provide positive & constructive prospects;
- Green: Explore creative options & solutions;
- Blue: Oversee the thinking process & make conclusion.
By putting on/off these hats,
people can think about one thing at a time,
and thus come to conclusion in a much shorter
period of time, with a clearer mind / consensus.

What went through my mind:
- Thinking is a skill that can be learned & taught.
That itself is an encouraging thought : D

- This is certainly a very intelligent
and educated thinking method.
I'd love to practice this more in daily life,
and thus become a better thinking /
decision maker myself!
- I can see how this thinking method would be
very constructive to help improve
effectiveness for corporations and businesses : )

Favorite Quote:

- "The biggest enemy of thinking is complexity,
for that leads to confusion.
When thinking is clear and simple,

it becomes more enjoyable and more effective." (Pg. 172)
* This book certainly shows how that can be achieved : )

What came out of this:
* Smart Idea:
A) Practice switching on/off the six hats while thinking!

B) If i get a chance, teach it to others, too! : D

Why Should you read it, too?
If you've ever wished you could be less 'all over the place',
make better decisions in life,
or simply be a smarter thinker,
this book is SO worth your time!

Book 22: Black Eyeliner (黑眼線)

Title: 黑眼線 (Black Eyeliner)

Who wrote it: 李碧華 (Bi Hua Li)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:

A Collection of essays she writes for a news column,
mostly her personal social/economical observations & reflections.

What went through my mind:

- Li's writing style is very easygoing.
It almost feels like she's making casual talks
with the readers.
- It was an easy read. I breezed through the book --

although, i much prefer Li's other books,
esp. the fiction / short stories.

- Reading this book right after Lin Xi's,
makes an interesting contrast.

Her style is not as distinct as Lin's,
but the way her words flow is also smoother,
less edgy and fewer crticisms towards everything.

Favorite Quote:
- 世上所有創作行業都是孤寂的......
創作是自己同自己角力......
本來可以蒙混過關,你不肯,偏要作對...... (Pg. 96)

[All careers that are Creativity-related,
are inevitably lonesome...

Being creative is to battle against yourself.

Originally, you could have let it go easy,
but you can't let yourself do that...]

- 父母永遠原諒不值得原諒的孩子。(Pg. 101)

[Parents will always forgive their kids,
even if they don't deserve to be forgiven.]

What came out of this:

* Bear in mind the quotes above.

Why Should you read it, too?

If you have free time : ) Why not?

Book 20: The Hong Kong that I Love (我所愛的香港)

Title: 我所愛的香港 (The Hong Kong that I Love)

Who wrote it: 林夕 (Lin Xi)

Whom I borrowed it from: Ruby

What is it about:

A collection of essays this famous HK lyricist
wrote for a column in the newspaper,

featuring political / socio-economic /
personal / reflective topics.

What went through my mind:

- No wonder he's always been my favorite lyricist...

(Actually, back in high-school, my ideal job
was to become a lyricist -- inspired by Lin Xi!)

His eloquent yet sharp linguistic skills,
clear-minded, logical ideas,
to-the-point presentations...

made reading through these essays quite enjoyable --
given the fact that normally i won't even be
interested in reading anything politics relevant.

- My favorite chapter was: 「自求多福」

His main point was, nobody else can make you learn.

You have to make up your mind that you'd go ahead
and make that sacrifice (time, effort, memory, leisure...),
so you can become more equipped for something worthwhile.
I 200% agree!!!
Well, and that's partially why i'm doing this 365 Project.

I'm not crazy. Not even trying to be over-ambitious.

I just wanna learn.

Favorite Quote:

「時間用在那裏是可以看見的」

It's obvious / easy to see where your time is spent.
(i can't figure out the most fitting translation for this. Sorry : / )

What came out of this:
* Smart Idea:
Don't buy souvenirs for anyone,
just because you are supposed to.
Nobody likes those -_-"
& you're wasting your $$/time, while risking to be called cheap.

* Reminder:
Instead of trying to catch up with the fashion trend,

why don't we donate the $$ to charity instead?

The needy can use more clothes (or other luxuries) than we do.

Why Should you read it, too?

The Chinese language is beautiful, eloquent and rich.
Lin Xi's writing is a fabulous demonstration of such truth.

Caution about this book:

Buddhism lingos/ideas permeate throughout this book.
Just thought you should know before picking it up.

Book 14: Job Hopper

Title: Job Hopper --
the checkered career of a down-market dilettante

Who wrote it: Ayun Halliday

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Forest Hills)

What is it about:

Ayun graduated with a theater major from college,
and went on a journey through various job experiences,
including: Museum guard, waitress,
being a Bert mascot in the mall,
shot girl at a bar, waitress again,
salesgirl, substitute teacher,
nude model, temp in offices,
costume designer, telemarketer, gallery assistant,
customer service personnel for a newspaper,
last but not least, massage therapist.

What went through my mind:

- I didn't know that being a mascot pays
so well -- $75 per hour!
Then again, i don't know how stuffy it is in there either.
- Temping sounds really BORING & awful...
& why are they forced to wear tights again?
- What makes tedious jobs bearable is always
gonna be: GREAT CO-WORKERS.

What came out of this:

* Caution: Do not order any desserts
with glazed strawberry in any restaurants!
She said the waitresses are in charge of scraping
the molds off and keep serving them! 0_o"""

Why Should you read it, too?

If you needed a reminder of how blessed
you're with your current job,
or you just need to know that someone else
has been in your shoes with your crappy job(s).

Book 9: Sex God

Title: Sex God --
Exploring the endless connections between sexuality and spirituality

Who wrote it: Rob Bell

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Jamaica)

What is it about:
How sexuality, spirituality, being human,
being a Christian, loving others, dating, marriage,
letting go of your past, relationships...
are all inter-connected.

What went through my mind:
Instead 0f calling this a book,
it's more like a collection of insights / wise sayings.
I liked how the book is not written like
a (boring) lecture / theological discussion,
but simply the thought process of a fellow Christ-follower,
contemplating how to connect the dots in life,
so things would fall into place in God's bigger picture --
Glad that i got to take a peek at his ideas : )

Favorite Quotes:
** SORRY for the long list.
This book is really all about fabulous quotes. **

- "Heaven is the realm where things are
as God intends them to be." (Pg. 21)
- "...how you treat the creation reflects
how you feel about the Creator." (Pg. 28)
[Following the example of how a father cherishes
his 5-yr-old son's "artwork".]
- "...from an early age we have this awareness
of the state of disconnection we were born into,
and we have a longing to reconnect." (Pg. 40)

- "Living like angels [deny physical needs]
can be as destructive as living like animals
[give into all desires]...
we were created to live in the tension." (Pg. 61)
- "...gratitude is so central to the life God
made us for... until we can center ourselves
on what we do have, on what God has given us,
on the life we do get to live, we'll constantly
be looking for another life." (Pg. 74)
- "Lust is slavery... It isn't just what lust does,
it's where it leads." (Pg. 75)

- "...lust... always lead to despair...
always lead to anger...
Lust promises what it can't deliver." (Pg. 78)
- "What are you channeling your energies into?
[Instead of telling someone 'Don't steal,'
Paul suggests a way of channeling the energy
into working hard and sharing with those in need.
Channeling > Avoidance] (Pg. 82)
- "Love is a giving away of power...
When we love... we expose ourselves...
to be vulnerable. Love is giving up control." (Pg.98)

- "Our first need is not for people to fix our problems.
People who charge in and have all the answers
and try to make things right without first joining us
in our pain generally annoy us, or worse yet,
they push us away. They have nothing to give us.
The God that Jesus points us to is not a god
who stands at a distance, wringing his hands and saying,
"If only you'd listened to me." (Pg. 106)
- "The husband's waiting for the wife to submit
is actually a failure to lead... What if she knew
without a doubt that his love for her was so great
that he would give his life for her...?" (Pg. 117)
- "Love is often seen as a need,
something we get from others.
Agape gives." (Pg. 119)

- "There is a love because,
love in order to,
love for the purpose of,
and then there is love, period." (Pg. 120)
- "For God so agaped the world...
Do you realize that you are worth dying for?" (Pg. 122)
- "The point of marriage isn't marriage...
to add to the "oneness" of the world...
to give the world a glimpse of hope,
a display of what God is like..." (Pg. 153)
- "What would it be like to be with someone
who loves you exactly as you are?
Unconditional, absolute acceptance..." (Pg. 155)

What came out of this:
* Goal: Try reading other Rob Bell's books.
* Reminder: It's all about getting connected with others.

Why Should you read it, too?
Just to gain some fresh ideas about life & God & people.
& No, this book doesn't talk exclusively about SEX.
"This is really (not) about THAT."

Book 5: Brand Name Development - Online Stores (網路商店自創品牌)

Title: 網路商店自創品牌
(Brand Name Development
-- Online Stores)

Who wrote it: 數位人
(A group of Taiwanese editors)

Whom I borrowed it from: Queens Library (Jamaica)

What is it about:

A) How to open & maintain a successful online store?
B) Why is a Brand Name important?
C) What kind of products should you develop?
D) How do you promote your online business?
E) How do you protect your Brand Name once it's developed?
F) Real Life Successful Studies
(including my favorite fast food chain: Chipotle!)

Important idea:
This trend of shopping/selling online
will only get more popular, not less --
it's an ever-increasing business nowadays,
esp. the young people, who are amongst those
shopping online the most right now,
will eventually become the 'more mature' generation

with more capital to spend;
while the younger generation will no doubt
get used to shopping online at an early age!

What went through my mind:

- Running your own business is no easy job.
It's a mix of: hard work + creativity + research + vision!

Having sufficient capital, knowing the right people,
devoting mucho energy towards advertisements,
staying alert about the market & trends are all essential!
Wow, i wonder if i have what it takes...?

What came out of this:
* Goal: Read->Learn more about this topic.

Why Should you read it, too?
Just to challenge the business genius in you : )

Book 1: Rich Dad, Poor Dad

Title: Rich Dad Poor Dad --
What the Rich Teach Their Kids about Money -
That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!

Who wrote it: Robert T. Kiyosaki / Sharon L. Lechter C.P.A.

Whom I borrowed it from: Man Ho

What is it about:
A) Poor Dad: Education -> Specialized Career
-> Work Hard -> Job Security
Rich Dad: Education -> Diversified Career
-> Invest -> Be Your Own Boss

B) Asset = Money working for you;
Whatever you don't have to pay a penny for
Liability = Anything you have to pay for;
including your apt/house, car, luxuries...

C) Watch how you spend!
Spend every penny the minute you earn it = Poor;
Spend half of what you earn & save the rest = Middle Class;
Spend the minimum & invest the rest -> become Rich!

D) Pay yourself first, not your debts
-> Motivate your mind to work harder
on finding new ways to earn $$.

What went through my mind:
Avoid thinking about money is not 'innocent.'
Thinking about money is not 'evil.'
Planning well & investing wisely is biblical,
as Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) illustrated.
I want to be called good & faithful,
but not wicked & lazy, of which i have been : /

What came out of this:
* Goal: Learn about trading / investments.
* Dream: Open up my own business -- Bakery? : )
* Caution: Curb poor/middle-class spending mentality.

Why Should you read it, too?
To be inspired by a financial genie,
and forsake that blinded veil of "I can't do math" fear.