Target Retirement

 Ok so here’s my goal in the medium term since I am getting on with age after all.

I hope to retire by age 55.

I hope to have at least $2.5m in liquid investible assets at 55.

So there, I said it.

Now to work towards this goal.

Wallow

 Been generally feeling down lately.

Because of all this that’s going on.

Yet it feels like this is going to be a huat year for me.

Alas but huat is not equal to health.

Sigh.

I know it is the circle of life.

But why now?

The Doctor Choice

 Ok.

We are down to choosing the right ENT Surgeon.

Or at least it’s my father’s choice.

• Dr Leonard Tan
• Dr Tan Ngien Chye
• Dr Siti
• Dr Gerald Tay

I hope he quickly decides and we can get the operation dates all firmed up asap!

Prognosis

 Went for the prognosis with mum and dad.

Dad’s situation isn’t the best.

As in the choices that he has are difficult.

Yet there are silver linings but still.

And things could deteriorate rapidly if he delays or wait.

As his son there are clear choices I’d make for him driven by urgency and wanting him to live as long as healthy life possible.

But having slept on all that we had to soak in yesterday, if I put myself in his shoes, if a much tougher choice of the major procedure, with lots of high risk elements, with not sufficient guarantees that a life changed, will make him happy.

I feel like in the end, the choice is his and he will need to stick by it.

Sigh.

Special mention to the doctors and nurses and administrative staff of CGH.

For a public hospital that operates as a not-for-profit, it is a wonder these noble staff do what they do with so much compassion. They all deserve the good things in life.

Live Life By Its Moments

  I haven’t done this very often.

Spend personal time just me and my dad.

I picked him up and the first thing he asked was whether I remember the last time we spent together just two of us.

Maybe it was one of the trips with just me and him when I was in primary or secondary school. Krakatoa? Some kelong fishing trip in Malaysia?

That’s how long ago it was since it was mano a mano.

Anyway it was great chatting about everything under the sun from 9pm to around 1130pm.

We parked and set our picnic chairs facing the ECP sea and just talked for hours.

CPF. Retirement. My ambitions. My dreams. Awareness of who I need to take care of. Teapots. Auctions. The brain. Reminiscing. Our memories. Family dynamics.

Perhaps will try to do another round where we go jog our memories at Old House next.

It’s living life by these moments that matter.

It’s Weird

The year has started…off.

I do not think I will be having a happy or prosperous year ahead.

I seriously doubt I will achieve much of what I want to achieve this year, notably will not travel much.

Sad.

:’(

God bless us all.

What To Do Right Now Jan 2026

 

What I should do RIGHT NOW

This is key.

1. Shift to DEFENSIVE MODE (6–12 weeks)

• Smaller trades
• Fewer decisions
• Capital preservation mindset

This aligns perfectly with your current pillar.

2. Reintroduce movement before performance

Even 30 mins indoors counts.

For you, movement fixes mood before logic returns.

3. Avoid big irreversible decisions

Not the time for:

• Major portfolio overhauls
• High-leverage bets
• Emotional commitments

Short-term restraint = long-term win.

4. Family duty now is karmically “correct”

Supporting your family is the way to go.

In BaZi logic, it actually:

• Resolves Earth pressure
• Prevents worse manifestations later (health, finances)

The important reassurance

This phase does NOT say:

• You are unlucky
• Your best years are over
• You’ve “lost your edge”

It says:

“Slow the flow, tighten the channel, and you’ll move faster again soon.”

What’s Really Happening :(

What’s really happening (non-mystical explanation)

You’re in a temporary depletion state:

• Sleep disturbed
• Exercise interrupted
• Emotional bandwidth consumed by family concern
• Cognitive load high → impulse control drops

That combination directly correlates with:

• Overtrading / chasing
• Loss of routine
• Pessimistic attribution (“everything goes wrong”)

This is biology + psychology, not cosmic punishment.

A Turn At Home

 2025 suddenly feels like eons ago.

That wonderful Norwegian, Finnish and French holiday feels like years back.

And now day to day realities are hitting too close to home.

This was meant to be a good year for me, or so it seemed.

Now it looks like the opposite.

Wishing good health and prosperity to all.

Cautiously afraid to tread forwards into the year ahead.

Sigh.

First Game Of Futsal In 2026

 So proud of myself.

At 47 I’m still playing.

Here’s to many more years