My major new year resolutions for this year mostly related to manage my financial better. I guess I shouldn’t be shy to confess that I’m a very bad credit card user. I spend really a lot, where most of my cards are ‘max’ out. I still remember first very first attempt to clear my debts 2 years ago – well, it not going well at all.

But it’s pretty clear to me that credit card is the major element that makes my not having a full control of my finance, so the only thing to combat this is get rid of it totally.

Have you heard of the terms “debt consolidating”? Well, this is really famous long time ago in UK (when I was still studying). On a surface, debt consolidating means that combining all of your debts (loans, mortgage, credit card, etc) in one account, and you only have to make 1 payment. When this terms tick in my mind recently, after the search around, I just find the right product for this – Quick Cash Edge from Standard Chartered.

I gave them a call, and stating what is my intention. The agent ask me – do you want to take the money, or do you want us to clear your credit card? The later sounds better. Let them deal with everything. I started to have devil’s tail when having a huge amount of money in my hand.

But I really suprise with the simplicity of the process. After the call, the agent fax me the application form. I fax back the signed application form, together with the latest statement of my credit card that I want to settle, as well as other documents (photocopy of IC, 3 months pay slip and EA form). The agent called me back after receiving the form and documents, and agree on the amount that I want to loan.

The approval supposed to be 24 hours, but the agent apologize that I might take a week since they received quite a lot of application forms, and many public holiday are around (New Year, Awal Muharram).

A week later, the agent called me and say that my loan has been approved, and the cheque has been sent out to my credit card banks, and the letter about this also arrived the day after. Also I can come to the bank anytime to withdraw the balance of the money from my loan. Wow. That’s good. No going to lawyer firm to sign agreement beforehand.

So went to Standard Chartered Bank today. When agreeing the amount that I want to loan the other day, I actually ask for some cash as well. Hehe. Well, it’t the agent’s fault since he said “Sir. Take some money lar. If you borrow RMXX,XXX and above, you’ll get the lowest interest rate)”. Hhhmm. Why not.

But one’s will say, what’s the point of making a new debt, just to cover the existing debt? But I don’t see it this way here. I’m pretty sure most of the people will face what I’m facing – no matter how many times we pay our credit card, but we are still far off from paying the whole thing. That’s the problem with credit card. After you pay, you will keep using it + interest = it’s a never ending story.

So, this “debt consolidation” helps you in a way that, it will accumulate all of your debts into one account (in my case credit card), and pay everything in one lump sum. Now, I can close my credit card. Since this is a loan, what you pay back monthly is something that you can’t use anymore. Eventually as time goes, you will settle with the loan payment.

Also, since we are consolidating everything in one account, there is only 1 monthly payment that you will need to do, and it’s cheaper from the my previous monthly credit card payment combined. Believe me, there is RM1000 different compared to my monthly credit card payment previously. And I found this help me, financially, a lot.

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This entry I guess will be the final entry in my blog about the new year 2008. I blog on the eve of 2008, I blog about new toys that I bought for 2008, I blog about my wish list for 2008, and finally – my new year resolutions for 2008.

So, here are my new year resolutions for 2008:

• Have more control on my financial. In the past, so much money wasted on unnecessary credit card usage
• Starts monthly saving, at least RM1000 / month. But by right should be RM1500 / month (InsyaAllah)
• Buy my own house. Money wasted for renting a house so far
• Blog more ;)
• Get started on my big scale planted aquarium project
• Really got to learn how to play chess.
• Learn how to solve Rubix Cube
• Improve my management skills at office
• Motivate myself, and others in my team

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I’d like to talk about my wish list for 2008. Some of the products on my wish list here have quite a high price tag. Well, that’s what wish list is all about right, just wish for it first. Whether you can afford it or not, that’s another story.

Sony Bravia KLV-40X200A 40 inch FULL HD LCD TV

I’m so eager to get started with High Definition world. The very first thing that I need to invest is the television itself. There are many out there nowadays, and some are really cheap. But most of them are just HD Ready, where the maximum display resolution is 1080i. i here stands for interlaced, there the image is “painted” on the screen sequentially, first odd-numbered lines, followed by even-numbered lines. This takes place really fast, and not noticable by naked eyes.

The one that I’m showing above is Full HD, with 1080p display resolution. What this means is, the full frame of picture is painted on the screen, resulting clearer image. Some says that the difference of picture quality between 1080i and 1080p is hardly noticable, but too bad that I’m able to notice it after closer look. Well one of the tip of buying HDTV that I read from the internet is to look at the image produced as close as possible. You’ll notice the image in Full HD TV is clearer than the one on HD ready one.

Sony BDP-S1E Blu-ray Disc Player

The current DVD media is not considered as HD at all, nor the TV broadcast in Malaysia (might it be free national TV or Astro paid TV). So, if you have Full HD TV, but not getting the Full HD materials to view, there’s no point of getting Full HD right. For this, my next wish list is this Sony Blu-ray Disc player. With Blu-ray media, this thing can provide a HD input to you HDTV.

Sony Playstation 3

What other thing more enjoyable than playing games that output HD display, on a big screen HDTV. Yes. That’s the Playstation 3, that has HDMI output. I’ve been seeing console games shop having a showcase of PS3. Oh my. The graphic is so gorgeous.

Microsoft Xbox 360

Xbox 360 has its own world for home console gaming. There are games that only available exclusively for Xbox 360. Capable of outputing HD content, I guess this is worth a buy too, and should be in my wish list.

Apple TV

Being a constant movie/TV show downloader from torrent, I really need a faster whay that I can enjoy those downloaded movies on my TV. Once I have HDTV, I should also have something that can output HD signal. Apple TV is with HDMI output – straight away this is on my wish list.

Canon EOS 40D DSLR Camera

Photography – yes, I started to like it more and more. But how many times when using point and shoot camera, you just don’t get what you want when the picture is taken. The preset mode doesn’t really give a good picture, and sometimes, the response from the camera is quite long. Take a while for the picture got focused, take a while for the flash to fire up when the shutter is pressed and so many other things.

Let’s meet DSLR camera – which is not just any ol’ digicam, but it’s a serious photo-taking tool that is so different from point and shoot camera. The camera is ready to be used as soon as the power button is pressed, and the focusing happened so fast, then when the shutter is pressed, the photo is taken immediately.

The one that I’m wishing for is the new Canon EOS 40D. Well, EOS 400D is way cheaper than 40D, which is about 1/2 the price of 40D. But why getting 40D where that one is meant more for semi-professional photographer? I guess it’s just me. When I get to know 40D is better than 400D, why getting 400D then ;)

Apple iPhone

Even though its lack of the essential features for my dream phone (3G support, GPS, high megapixel camera), iPhone is still my dream phone. I just don’t know why. There is something about this phone that I really wish to get one. Perhap the touch screen, which no other phone has been implemented that way yet.

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This new year, I feel like doing something new. I don’t know where I get this idea and why I suddenly think of this. I’m thinking of changing my mobile prepaid plan (Hotlink) to postpaid.

Without me noticing, it’s been 7 years already my Hotlink account. This is my very first mobile service that I have and I never change telco and/or phone number since then.

This is how Hotlink Starter Kit looks like 7 years ago. Well, don’t be suprised. I still keep the box. I have a very high sentimental value you know (LOL). If you look at my store room, you can find a lot of boxes of things that I bought. I keep them all.

Back to the starter kit. Pay a close attention to the Recommended Retail Price. Well. I have to pay bloody RM238 to get this long time ago. It really costly to start on prepaid plan back then. But thanks to the competition in mobile service provider. As for today (just checked from Hotlink website), below is the price of the 2 prepaid plan that Maxis offered

• Total Plan Starter Pack costs RM8.80
• Easy Plan Starter Pack costs RM6.00

And compare that with the price that I mentioned earlier. That gives me goosebumps.

I got my Hotlink starter kit last time on my second week that I started my job. I still remember that time. Just coming back from overseas, I don’t really know much about what available in Malaysia. My colleague recommended me to get Maxis prepaid (Hotlink) – as of that time, Maxis network has the widest coverage in Malaysia – that fact that I will be going back to Kelantan during holiday, I do want my mobile phone accessible, don’t I?

The idea to get prepaid is based on “no commitment”. After the credit is out, and you have no money to top up, you don’t have to do so. Really suit me that time. How much you earned from your first job anyway, trying to establish my career in KL.

But as time goes by, and as I started to earn more, commiting to phone top up is no longer an issue. My phone got top up right after the credit runs out. And like I keep saying in this email, I have been doing this for 7 years. It doesn’t look like that I change my phone number/service provider at all, and I don’t think of doing so. I guess these maybe the reasons my I considering switching to postpaid plan.

Went to Maxis Centre at Mid Valley this afternoon, and enquire on how to subscribe to postpaid account.

The process is quite simple. You just fill in the form, they will photocopy your IC, pass the old SIM card to the staff for them to take the serial numner, and pay the deposit. I opt for Value50 Rate Plan.

After all of that done, the person told me to use my current SIM card until it can no longer being used. That time, the new SIM card has been activated. She told me that this will happened during the next 24 hours. Actually, I don’t have to wait that long. Just after 2 hours I left the counter, my old SIM card can no longer being used and my new SIM card has been activated.

So, I’m on postpaid now. As a matter of fact, I am quite a heavy user for 3G and GPRS too. Perhaps I’ll opt for unlimited usage of GPRS/EDGE/3G value added service in future too? I think that most likely I will ;)

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Happy New Year everyone. So I guess this is my blog entry for 2008. How did you spend the very early hour of 2008? Well, as for me, just wondering around KL with no where to go. It happened that I pass by KL Sentral area during at 12:00am of 1st January 2008. So stop by to see the fireworks which I believe put up by KL Sentral.

Sorry. Photo is not that good. Can’t get a good shot of fireworks. I don’t bring the digital camera with me. Just took this using my Nokia N95, which has a very long response time. I guess just watch the video below to see more fireworks.

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It’s the final day of 2007. Well, it’s been a while again since my last entry. Not quite sure what happened though. I’m not really that busy, but it seems it’s quite hard to find an opening to write a blog. Well, I guess I shouldn’t waste the chance of writing my last blog entry for 2007 today.

Just a quick entry this time: wishing the reader of blog.mohdimran.com – Happy New Year. May 2008 be happier and more prosperous for you.

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Guys. Need a little favor here. Before my daemon turns into its final form, need your help to decide whether its really suitable for me. You have the power to change it.

Don’t know what I’m talking about? Go and watch The Golden Compass movie. It’s quite a good movie anyway.

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Jet lag, also jetlag or jet-lag, is a physiological condition which is a consequence of alterations to the circadian rhythm. Such alterations result from shift work, daylight saving time, altered day length, or as the name implies, transmeridian travel as on a jet plane. They are known as desynchronosis, dysrhythmia, dyschrony, jet lag, or jet syndrome. The condition is generally believed to be the result of disruption of the “light/dark” cycle that entrains the body’s circadian rhythm. It can be exacerbated by environmental factors.

The condition of jet lag generally lasts many days or more, and medical experts have deemed that a recovery rate of “one day per time zone” is a fair guideline. Good sleep hygiene promotes rapid recovery from jet lag: in fact sleep, relaxation, moderate exercise, and sensible diet seem to be the simplest recovery methods.

However, since the experience of jet lag varies among individuals, it is difficult to assess the efficacy of any single remedy. Age may also be a factor on the severity of jet lag, as younger people will suffer worse jet lag than older people would.

Sigh! I’m still suffering from jetlag, and I guess this is the worst ever that I have faced. My trip to London last time didn’t affect me a lot (London is 7 hours back Malaysia time). This time, Chicago is 14 hours back of Malaysia time. And it’s really the opposite over there – night time in Malaysia, day time in Chicago, daytime in Malaysia, night time in Chicago. No overlap.

You know, I have a very organized sleep pattern. Sleeping late at night is not my thing, and I can never do it. Believe me, I never put an alarm clock when I sleep. Every morning at 7:30am, I will wake up automatically. I guess after 6 years having this routine (i.e waking up for work every single morning), my body has developed the circadian rhythm.

Last time, my first day at Chicago office, 9am Chicago time, which mean 11pm Malaysia time – my bed time already. I was so sleepy that day, and sometimes feeling like fainting. After 2 weeks there, my body has kinda adjusted to Chicago time, but now back to Malaysia time. It’s been 6 days already I’m in Malaysia, but I still feel sleepy during daytime, and my eyes wide awake at night (around 3am).

So last night, I went to bed around 7:30pm (I can’t stand it, and feel so sleepy), and woke up at 4am this morning. And at the moment, I feel so dizzy as of I don’t have enough sleep. Well. Hopefully for 1 more week to come, I’ll recover from this.

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I’m back to Malaysia folks. My journey back is still tiring one, but it it is better than my journey out of Malaysia 2 weeks ago. As usual, I request for an aisle sit everytime for my long journey flight. It’s easy to get out if I need a toilet break. This time, I happened to sit next to a family again, with the wife of the family seperated at different seat. They requested to sit together. So the flight attendant ask me if it’s ok if I move to other seat. I told her that it’s fine, as long as I get an aisle seat.

After the seat rearrangement, yes, there are several empty seat, so I moved to a new place. What best about that is, the next next to me is empty. Oh. How lovely. I feel so free and relax in this 15 hours flight. I can stretch whenever I want, I sit comfortably with having that cramp seat feeling. The flight stop at Taipei for 1 1/2 hour since there are a few that has Taipei as final destination, and a few more will embark on the flight to Kuala Lumpur to Taipei.

So, after the transit, I’m back to the original seat. The family is gone (they stop at Taipei). Alhamdulillah, the seat next to me is till empty this time. So another 5 hours cramp-free moment on the flight to Kuala Lumpur.

Reached KLIA at about 12:45pm, gone through immigration, claim my baggage, and I’m getting the Airport Limo to my home. Well, I can claim after all. Hehe.

Got home, my 3 cats are all waiting in front of the door, except Uneng which my housemate help me to send to vet for neutering. When I was in Chicago, I heard that Uneng getting wilder, where Uteh is the victim. The vet doctor said that it is a time that a male cat will show who is the strongest amongst other male cats. Since others are all neutered, so Uneng obviously the fiercest one. Pity Uteh. There are lots of scratches on his ear, face and body. Well. I really miss my cats so much.

There are a bunch of letters for me too. Well, as usually, all are bills at the time like this, except this letter.

Kinda curios what’s inside, and once the letter is opened, it’s my first Google AdSense check.

Wow. What’s another nice thing that happened today. My hosting and Flickr Pro account are expiring anytime soon. This is just came at the perfect moment. Well, I started putting Google AdSense to my blog on September 2005. Took me 2 years to accumulate the earnings before I’m eligible for the first payment. Geez. I’m so bad at this kind of money earning thing.

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How time flies. It just fell like yesterday that Ramadhan has just started. But now, Ramadhan of this year is almost reaching to its’ end. At 7:20am today, I will be flying back to my hometown – “balik kampung” if talking about the popular term that is used.

I really looking forward for this, where at least I can break free from my work for 1 week, but I bet my phone won’t stop ringing receiving work related calls. It has been a custom that I face year after year everytime I’m away for holiday.

Anyhow, as a custom too, preparing “duit raya” for mum, nephews and nieces is already like a must – things that you need to be prepared financically, at the time like this.

I always feel paranoid when bringing money in large quantity.

Lastly, for those who leave blog comments, TagMe! messages and even to those who send me emails, I’m teribly sorry that I won’t be able to reply just yet. Work has really prison me lately.

See you all soon, as I will be blogging from my hometown, on dialup connection. I just hope that I’m able to endure the days with slow internet connection.

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