keninabu!

In Taizhong, and my Accounting results

Sorry to the nonexistent reader who is following this blog, but I have been travelling.

First, travelled back home to meet my parents back in Singapura. Blardee hell, the place has completely changed!! Even NEWTON HAWKER CENTRE has freaking been demolished, and now even BREWERKZ sucks (but maybe that's because I am comparing it with the Gingerman in Houston...).

Kenina. Can't things stay stationary even for just a freaking bit while I come back??

Well, came back, and almost immediately after meeting up with a few friends, I went on to Taiwan with my parents on holiday.

Always a good thing.
Even though I appear to be some sort of chao ah beng online, in reality I am very much of a Mama's boy. I've been having a lot of fun with my parents, and rediscovering that they are really cool, in their own way, with their own quirks...

So I have been resting, going around visiting Taiwan (have been to Taipei, Kaoshiung, and now in Taizhong. Also got to Kenting Peninsula, which is the southern most tip of Taiwan, as well as Beitou, which is probably the northern-most point. And went to Sun-Moon Lake today, which was nice), eating, sleeping, and reading a freaking lot. And buying a lot of useless stuff as well... not really useless. I bought a book on accounting in Taiwan, learning how to read financial reports of Taiwanese (and mainland Chinese) companies, which will prove to be useful, I think.

In addition, I finished reading (within these 10 days) the Warren Buffett Way by Robert Hagstrom, The Constant Gardener by John Le Carre and am now working on The Idiot by Dostoyevsky, and am about halfway through. I think I will buy more Dostoyevsky: his take and musings on religion and spirituality strike a strong chord.

I have something else that I was reading, but I cannot remember what I finished reading....

The Warren Buffett Way was a book which I bought a long time ago, maybe 13 years ago. Things have changed since, for sure, but some fundamentals are still the same. FOr one thing, the book makes a HECK of a lot more SENSE now, after having gone through an accounting course: accounting really is the language of business. And I am going to try and see if I can use the Buffett Way to apply for any Singaporean stocks... the idea of personal investment and making money in that way suddenly really appeals to me, much more so than getting a highpaying job that gives no equity.

Speaking of which, I apparently got a B- on the final and a A-/B+ on the term paper, which makes me VERY happy, basically because

a) I studied all of 5+ hours (actually, more than that, but I was so distracted half the time...) for the final

b) the term paper cost me my very first ALL-NIGHTER, with COMPLETELY no sleep for about 48 hours straight. I didn't even take a nap until I was on the plane to NYC, at which point I just collapsed and slept like a log (I don't remember anything on that flight!)

That said, it was a worthwhile experience, since I learnt a lot more in preparing for that paper (I maintain, it was the longest 6 pages I have ever written...) than I ever had in the course. I do think, though, it would have been much more interesting if it was written from an investment point of view, rather than from a "consultant" point of view.

posted by keninabu @ 7:58 AM