What's there to lose?

Lately, an entrepreneurial fire was sparked off inside me, and it's raging madly day by day. Almost burning me to ashes.

Why, you might ask? Why the sudden urge to start out your own business?

Thanks to my job. Thanks to my company. More significantly, thanks to Shanghai.

After I settled down into my life in Shanghai, I started to look out for other jobs. This is my main motivation here of course when I decided to relocate. I was told that well-paid jobs are abundant for me in a place like Shanghai where English is highly valued, and moreover, I'm effectively bilingual. To my dismay, the only well-paid job that I qualify here is that of administrative assistant to some big managers in some big MNCs. The remuneration is about double of what I'm getting now. Sounds attractive huh.

Certainly I contemplated applying for these jobs. But then I think again. Already the experience that I'm getting in my present company is not value-adding me, what of an administrative assistant to some big shots?

Self. ID. Ego. I cannot bring myself to believe that I'm only capable of arranging someone's travel plan, cascading memos, managing office logistics, or more notably being a coffee lady.

So I'm stuck, aren’t I?

For a while, I thought that was the case.

One day (I forgot when), the idea of starting my own business suddenly came across my mind. Like a flash of lightning, fast and furious, it hit me hard.

You know, it's the same old saying “I'll feel happier and more satisfied working my ass off for my own business than for other people's”. Not on my own to be precise, because I have 6 partners to work with.

Now I begin to appreciate this statement.

I started talking to my close friends about it and they share the same sentiment.

Not an easy task at hand for sure. Many considerations and uncertainties. I guess these are the factors that deter people from being entrepreneurs. The opportunity costs and risk involved seemed pretty high for some indeed.

Anyhow, now that this idea has sprung in my mind, I hope it'll take root and bear some fruits soon.

Candidly, when you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.

Blackout. Torchlight. Flu (Part II)

I see it coming.

When I return to my Shanghai apartment on Monday morning (after a week's long trip back to Singapore), the first thing I did was open my mailbox. I anticipated that there would be some bills to pay. Indeed, true to what I expected, there is a payment reminder cum electricity supply suspension notice from the electricity company.

I called up the company immediately after I reached office. Apparently, my dearly landlady did not pay for electricity since November 2004. NOVEMBER! For goodness sake! I think the electricity company was very charitable and kind enough to still supply electricity to her apartment for all these months. Until last night.

Now, this is not the first payment reminder notice I received. I reminded her time and again to go settle the outstanding bills. I think she must have been so overwhelmed by the generosity and magnanimity from the electricity company that she thought those suspension notices were empty threats. Or worse, she probably thought those are love notes from someone in the collection team.

Anyhow, I called her immediately and gave her a sound scolding. She promised to clear them all by today.

Remember my earlier post on a blackout? It lasted for 15mins the other time. But this time it's for real. I tried to do the old trick but it didn't work.

After accepting the fact that there is REALLY gonna be no electricity for the night, I realized there was nothing really scary about it. Except for one. No hot shower.

Coincidentally, temperature in Shanghai went down the day I touched down. It's pretty cool and nice in the day, but when dusk descends, the air can get pretty chilly. I am really quite jinxed. Even the weather was going against me.

And so I had to brave the cold weather and take a cold shower, in the dark. Manz! When the cold water touched my body, I jumped! For the rest of the time in the shower, I never stopped jumping. I showered as fast as I can (Note: fast but thorough and clean). Took less than half the time I usually do. I never knew that I can actually shower that fast. Ha!

It's 5.20pm now. I received a message from my landlady earlier that she has cleared all the bills and I will have electricity supply when I reach home tonight. I hope she is not just paying me lip service.

Tonight's cleaning time again! I don't fancy doing it in the dark.

No. Definitely not a nifty idea.