What would dad do?

These past few days, I've been toying with the idea of bringing investors for the business, or maybe borrowing a good chunk of money from the bank. Don't get me wrong, business is good, it's growing, and we keep adding new clients to the list. But most of the time, the money doesn't arrive in our bank account as fast as we want it to arrive. So it's kind of challenging to work out with the cash flow, especially when you need to spend a big amount on something. Other than the cash flow, of course there's no denying that we need more resources to grow significantly. More resources = $$$. Something that we don't have the luxury of. But you know what, I'm not even sure we want an investor and trade our independence and pride, not to mention a share of ownership in the company.

Oh well, I haven't even gave it a serious thought and brought it to the meeting. It's just something that crosses my mind.

Anyway, this makes me thing. What would my dad do in a situation like this? My dad didn't come from a wealthy family, he started his company from scratch, he gave all his heart into it and look now, he was able to send his brothers abroad for school, he sent me and my siblings overseas, he made it big. The company is growing in numbers and even has its own 4 story office building.

How did he make it from nothing to something? Did he get an investor? Did he borrow some money from the banks? What did he do right? What happened? What was his turning point?

If only he was here to answer my questions and give me some guidance :(. I regret that I didn't get a chance to know more about his journey in building his little empire, and so many other things I know he would have the answer to. Books can provide me with the information and some useful facts but nothing beats learning from real world case studies, especially if it's from your own dad.
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Giving it a second chance

Yesterday, I went Twitter-walking and found an account that belong to my-used-to-be-really-good friend through high school and our days as roommate in Perth. But then she did a few stupid things that were out of line and kind of put me in disadvantage. After that, I just didn't see the need to call her as friend anymore.

That was like eleven years ago. I heard sad news about her family somewhere in between..but it still didn't move me to reach out to her. I found her on Facebook but I still couldn't careless.

Yupe, that's me. I pride myself for being a loyal friend. The friends I have now, I keep them for life. That's why once I feel betrayed, he/she is out of my life. It's hard to heal my wounded heart.

Anyway, so I found her Twitter..and I glanced through it and found this tweet she posted....

Sometimes, the past is annoying; it always shows up. We never get rid of it, no matter how hard we try.

And suddenly I felt a sharp pang inside my chest. Somebody is trying to change! Well a lot of people are trying to change for the better and I just realized how frustrating it can be for them if they are always being judged for what they did in the past.

Yes, we knew them, I knew her, I know who she was..but I don't know what kind of person she is trying to become and I would never know if don't reach out to her.

Perhaps, it's time to reconnect? Afterall, it's Ramadhan, the month where we forgive and forget.

Yes. Perhaps it's time.

Have a little faith

P 44: Faith is about doing. You are how you act, not just how you believe.

P 45: My grandparents did these things. My parents, too. If I take the pattern and throw it out, what does that say about their lives? Or mine? From generation to generation, these rituals are how we remain....connected.

P 82: It is far more comforting to think God listened and said no, than to think that nobody's out there.

P 93: My friends, if we tend to the things that are important in life, if we are right with those we love and behave in line with our faith, our lives will not be cursed with the aching throb or unfulfilled business. Our words will always be sincere, our embraces will be tight. We will never wallow in the agony of 'I could have, I should have.' We can sleep in a storm. P 102: Be satisfied. Be grateful. For what you have. For the love you receive. And for what God has given you. (The secret to happiness)

P 129: This is why faith is so important. It is a rope for us all to grab, up and down the mountain. I may not be remembered in so many years. But what I believe and have taught- about God, about our tradition- that can go on. It comes from my parents and their parents before them. And if it stretches to my grandchildren and to their grandchildren, than we are all, you know...connected.

P 207: It's not me against the other guy. It's God measuring you against you.

P 221: When the world quiets to the sound of your own breathing, we all want the same things: comfort, love and a peaceful heart. P 247: Have you ever known a man of faith? Did you run the other way? If so, stop running. Maybe sit for a minute. For a glass of ice water. For a plate of corn bread. You may find there is something beautiful to learn, and it doesn't bite you and it doesn't weaken you, it only proves a divine spark lies inside each of us, and that spark may one day save the world.
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This was our home

1768 Ambrose Terrace

Tough time never last, but tough people do!

This was when my grandma visited me in July 2007 and spent almost 2 months in St. Louis with me. My grandma and I are very close since I'm her first grandchild. In fact, I was her only one for 7 years and now even though  she has 14 of them, and I'm sure she loves each one of them to death, there's nothing quite like the bond we have between us. I learned a lot about her past from her visit. About her when she was little, not knowing who her parents were, growing up and living with a mean family, meeting her husband, the hard life she had to endure when her husband passed away when she was pregnant with her 8th child!! All the struggle, the tears and the pain. Life is like a never ending drama for her, it's amazing that she managed to raise all of her eight children as a single mother. She, along with my mom are one tough cookie. I'm proud to have their blood runs through my vein. 

Bursting out of the box

I believe I wrote this after Fashionese Daily coverage in Femina Magazine, early 2008. It wasn't the first coverage but I think it was the most prominent one. Sometimes I still can't believe that it all started in my living room, faaar far away from here :). I remember all the conversation with nduti in highway 70 on our way to Kansas City. I think that's when the dream was made and I felt like I was given wings to reach it. Did I see a falling star on that wide open space? Hey maybe I did :).

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Last year, I finally put some generated ideas into action that I'm hopeful will achieve full dimension over time. I did things I really enjoyed doing that I believe can be a foundation for a fantastic future. I met some inspiring and genuine people who are going to become crucial to my advancement. The fact that people did notice and recognized my efforts was an added bonus and the best and the most important thing is, I have satisfied (although just a little bit), the urge I have to prove myself, for my own self-respect, for my own happiness as an individual. With the limiting situation and resource that I have now, I think what I did ain't too shabby..:D

Looking for passion?

I wrote this on my 28th birthday. It took me 28 years to realize what my passion was. Three years have passed and I'm glad I'm still passionate about it and keeping the momentum going..:)

 

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You know, I've always admired and envied people who are passionate about what they are doing. Not many people can wake up in the morning and feel excited about doing the things they have to do that day. I believe that finding passion equals to happiness, and those who have found their passion and continue working on it will have a fulfilling life.

Sayangnya memang banyak orang yang belum nemu passion nya di mana, some are just clueless dan akhirnya ngelakuin apa yang kayanya bakalan banyak demand nya di job market. Ada juga yang akhirnya memang jatuh cinta sama yang di kerjainnya dan akhirnya jadi passionate dengan kerjaannya. Tapi banyak juga yang stuck in a rut, benci sama kerjaannya tapi nggak tau harus gimana lagi. Ada lagi yang sebenernya tau passionnya di mana tapi nggak berani untuk keluar dari comfort zone nya dengan alasannya masing masing.

Some are lucky enough to have the calling, to know what is it exactly that they want to do in the future and to have the talent and the opportunity to follow through and showcase their abilities. Ada yang memang dari kecil hobi dan memang jago akan sesuatu seperti menggambar, atau main musik, olah raga dan lain sebagai nya.

Banyak juga yang ngerasa passionnya itu ada di satu bidang, fotografi misalnya. Padahal megang kamera juga jarang. To me, that's not passion. If you are passionate about something, you should have been doing it all along. Kalo memang suka fotografi ya berarti setiap hari udah nenteng kamera, foto foto sana sini. If you haven't been doing it, that means you are not passionate about it. Kalau memang belum ada kamera yang canggih ya beli aja dulu alternatif nya yang jauh lebih murah. Everybody has to start somewhere, just use whatever tool you have right now, and better things will be found along the way. Take lots of pictures, compile a portfolio, volunteer to help a photo shoot because when you are willing to go out and put together a solid work without any pay, you will get noticed and people will come calling you eventually.

Today is my birthday, and one of the things that I'm thankful is that I have finally found my passion. It is indeed satisfying to finally put my enthusiasm into action and find myself doing what I meant to be doing. It's a wonderful feeling to have that goal in my life and to know the step towards achieving it and believe that I can actually make those dreams come true... because I have a strong desire to be better and my passion is my greatest strength..=)

So Happy Birthday My Dear Self!!

I couldn ' t agree more with these..

- The will to win is worthless if you don't have the will to prepare

- Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity

- Being beaten is often a temporary condition, GIVING UP is what makes it permanent

- Every chance you get, is a chance you seize

- A long as you keep a person down, some part of you have to be down there to hold her down, that means you cannot soar as you otherwise might.

- Do not wait; the time will never be 'just right'. Start where you stand and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along -- Napoleon Hill

- It's not what you are that holds you back, it's what you think you are not -- Denis Waitley

- Don't deflect blame onto the system, the screwed up schooling you got, or the chances no one ever gave you. It makes you powerless and not in control of your destiny -- Kimora Lee Simmons

- It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moves us into action and discipline that enabled us to follow through -- Zig Ziglar

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I'm in the middle of saving my file from multiply and found this I wrote three years ago. I thought I post it here too since today is her birthday :).

 

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Thank you for everything, for being beautiful inside out, for the millions things you gave me, for instilling in me value, making sure I knew right from wrong. Thank you for sacrificing yourself for me, for every tears you shed to save me, for putting me before your desires. Thank you for your patience, for your devotion, for showing me to be strong, for fighting your way through each struggle, I know no one in this world could do the things you've done and survived the life you've lived. Thank you for trusting me with your thoughts, disappointments and dreams, for being an unselfish woman in this selfish world..for your sensitivity to people's needs. Mama, you are loved by so many people whose lives you have touched..especially me. May God grant you peace, prosperity and never ending happiness. I LOVE YOU, Mama!

Extra Ordinary Mind

By Andre Jordan