Love Letter

My Dear Wife,

You are still my lovely one. I remember the first time I saw your face, that bright, cheery smile, those long hair, and those sparkling eyes. That fateful afternoon in lecture theatre 8, 2 p.m. on the 20th July 1994. It was all over - I was smitten; I was stunned. I was paralysed by this cutie bun. Maybe I didn't quite know what hit me at first, or maybe I was afraid to admit that it could actually happen to me. But it was indisputable; I was hooked. I'm so thankful I was.

I remember the first time we talked. I had difficulty concentrating on your words because it was all I could do to resist reaching out and touching your hair, your cheek, your lips. I remember that little twinkle in your eyes, that teasing smile, as if you knew that it was only a matter of time. I thank God for that day. And I remember...because...

Because I Love You,

Your Husband.

Money Rules to Live By VIII

The time value of money
This is one of my favourite. It boils down to a relatively simple proposition: that the dollar I get today is worth more than a dollar I'm promised sometime in the future. If money has a way of shrinking, this is it. I remember I use to pay 35 cents for a cup of coffee in coffee shops. Now, the same 35 cents gets me only one-third of that cup. Put it simply, that same cup of coffee is now going at 90 cents. That's about 257% over a period of 28 years! Inflation, they call this phenomenon.
There are several reasons for this. One is the "bird in the hand" reality: the dollar I get today is real, but the dollar I'm promised in the future likely will be worth less (because of inflation), or I might not get it at all (you might renege on your promise to give it to me, or die, or cease operations if you're an employer or business). Also, the dollar I get today can be invested to create more dollars in the future.
Turn this around, and you'll see why lenders charge interest for loaning money, and why the interest rate depends on your creditworthiness. Lenders want to be compensated for the erosion in their dollars due to inflation, and for the risk of lending money to you.
The higher the perceived rate of future inflation and the more lenders doubt your promise to pay the money back, the more interest they'll charge to compensate for the risk.

Coach Carter

I tell our kids all the time:
"If you get one percent better a day, within 100 days you'll be 100 percent better."
it's just a real simple philosophy.

"AVERAGE is just not good enough. Period!"

-Coach Ken Carter,
Richmond High Basketball Coach and Mentor
Motivation Speaker

Don't miss the movie 'Coach Carter' acted by Samuel L. Jackson (based on his real life story).

Eleanor Arroway Testifies About Her Experience

Arroway:

"I had an experience .... I can't prove... I can't even explain it.

But everything that I know as a human being, everything I am tells me that it was real. I was given something wonderful, something that changed me forever.

A vision of the universe, that tell us undeniably how tiny and insignificant and how rare and precious we all are. A vision that tells us that we belong to something that is greater than ourselves, that we are not, that none of us are alone. I wish.. I could share that.. I wish that everyone if even for one moment could feel that awe and humility and hope. But -- that continues to be my wish...."

(From: Jodie Foster, in the movie - Contact, 1997)

Money Rules to Live By VII

The role risk plays
Every human endeavor carries some risk, and investments are no exception. What differs is the amount and type of risk and how you're compensated for taking it.
The 30-day Government Treasury bill, for example, is one of the "safest" investments around if you're solely concerned with getting back your original investment. The T-bill is backed by the full faith and credit of the government. But the average return on a 30-day T-bill over the past years is just 3.34%. That's just above the historical 3% inflation rate for the same period; if you factor in taxes, you probably lost money! Don't forget: GST is gearing up to 7% soon!!
Large-company stocks, by contrast, returned an average 10.4% annually during the same period. That handily beats inflation, but as everyone who has invested in the past decade knows, stocks aren't a sure thing. There were plenty of years along the way that the market for large-company stocks dived, and if you invested all your money in a single stock -- say, Enron -- you could be wiped out. That's called market risk.
Here's what you should take away: You'll almost certainly need to take some market risk if you want to grow your wealth and beat inflation over time. But you should also be wary of anyone who "guarantees" a high return on an investment. If you're earning much more than the going rate on a T-bill, you're taking some risk, and you should understand that risk before proceeding.

Ask the Convict

A man went to the police station wishing to speak with the burglar who had broken in to his house the night before.
"You will get your chance in court," said the desk sergeant.
"NO, no, no!", said the man.
"I want to know how he got into the house without waking my wife. I've been trying to do that for years!"

Love Letter

My Dear Wife,

I remember the day, my love, when we repeated our wedding vows. I was quite nervous, my palms were sweaty, and I longed for the whole thing to hurry up and end. But at the same time, I wanted it to go on forever. You were so beautiful, my bride. I still remember the sparkle in your eyes as you walked down the aisle towards me. On that day, I promised, before God and the whole world, to love and to cherish you for the rest of your days.

I still stand by that promise, maybe even more now than I did then, for now I better understand the significance of such a vow. Here and now, I promise you that I will be committed to our marriage for the rest of my life.

Because I Love You,

Your Husband.