UPDATES. Time and money. Rights issues and parents.

First update is on the subject of "time".

In recent weeks, I settled into a routine of producing videos and then publishing the transcripts here. 

Both the video and the blog would be released within minutes of each other.

I kept doing that because I had an inkling that most people who "eavesdrop" on AK don't really enjoy eavesdropping.

They really enjoy reading AK's diaries.

Tsk, tsk.

Terrible.

Anyway, looking at the viewership and readership numbers, it is quite apparent.

As I am a hobbyist YouTuber just like I am a hobbyist blogger, this isn't a tragedy.

In fact, it could be a blessing in disguise.

Although I still enjoy making YouTube videos as a hobby and I have produced videos almost daily for more than a year, I might do it less often as it is more time consuming.

So, in future, there might be more blogs like this where there would not be a corresponding video.

I need more than 24 hours a day to do all the things I want to do in retirement! 

I really have quite a bit of catching up to do in the online games I am still playing, for example.

Second update is on the subject of "money".

Some readers might know that my retiree parents are invested in AIMS APAC REIT and IREIT Global too.

Apart from their CPF and SRS savings, the two old folks have rental income from a shoe box apartment and dividends from some stocks.

As I am paying the property tax and maintenance of their rental property, they are able to enjoy the rental income in full.

Being retirees, they are living off passive income as they should.

However, total passive income they get in a year is only about half of what their total yearly income was before they retired a few years ago.

I remind myself of the following.

If not for us children, for sure, they would have been able to save a lot more money for their retirement.

There is also the fact that their CPF and SRS savings would be depleted in their mid 80s which is only another few years from now.

For readers who have been following my blogs on the topic of providing financial support for my parents, this probably throws more light on why I have significantly increased the quantum in recent years.

Since I do not expect my own expenses to grow significantly in future, I am ready to provide even more financial support to my parents if required.

This is so that they would not have to make too many changes to their lifestyle in retirement or compromise on their standard of living in their old age.

Alamak!

This is supposed to be a quick update and I just went rambling off.

A thousand apologies!

Back to AIMS APAC REIT and IREIT Global.

I have decided to help my parents pay for their rights units.

Of course, consistent with what I have said before, I will keep an eye on the current unit prices as well.

Mr. Market seems to be feeling rather pessimistic and if I should be offered prices which are much lower, I would buy from the open market.

In such an instance, I would be leaving the sponsors of the REITs to pick up my rights entitlement in the form of excess rights for them instead.

In fact, I have overnight BUY orders to buy more units in AIMS APAC REIT at $1.16 a unit and IREIT Global at $0.42 a unit as, technically, these look like strong supports to me.

To be honest, it would be a pleasant surprise if my orders are filled but I know never to say never.

Of course, helping my parents to increase their investments in the REITs this way would mean that I would have less money to add to investments in my own portfolio. 

However, trying to make more money for myself really hasn't been a priority for me for quite a while now.

Why do I say this?

Is having more money no longer important to me?

Am I OK with growing poorer over time?

Hmm.

I really don't want this to be a long blog.

So, I might blog about this topic a bit more later in the week.

Let me end this update here for now.

If AK can talk to himself, so can you!

Related post:
Do we give our parents enough money?

$1 million investing for income and stair climbing.

Many years ago, I blogged about climbing stairs to keep fit.

I have not been climbing stairs for almost 3 years because I have been staying at home most of the time.

I could feel my fitness level dropping although I tried doing some aerobic exercises at home during the pandemic.

Stair climbing is just more effective and also efficient.

It is a low impact exercise that is twice as effective as jogging which means we won't destroy our knees.

It is a low impact exercise that is three times more effective than cycling and we don't have to spend money on a bicycle too.

I aim to regain my pre-COVID-19 fitness level in the next few months by climbing stairs twice or thrice per week.

I was doing 90 to 120 floors each time before and that is what I aim to do again.

Now, I am struggling to climb 40 floors. 

Exhausted.

I remind myself to be flexible in this exercise and not push myself too hard.

After all, I am somewhat older now.

Source: Climb stairs to be better investors.

Buy more from Mr. Market when he is feeling depressed.

Push myself to climb a few more floors when I am feeling good.

AK discovered that talking to himself after climbing 40 floors was hard work as he was feeling rather out of breath:

I mentioned people smoking on the staircase in the video.

Evidence:

Unfortunately, inconsiderate people are everywhere.

Anyway, if you are a smoker, try quitting.

It is so bad for health and expensive too.

Just like making $1 million by investing for income, it is probably not easy but it is not impossible.

$1 million video:

Make money while we sleep or work until we die:

Gambatte! :D

AK's YouTube channel.

Recently published:
Rising interest rate flashback to 2016.

Related post:
The gain will outweigh the loss.

"Audio books" by AK on YouTube.

Having lots of fun creating new YouTube videos.

To be honest, they are more like audio books than videos.

Might be good for people who don't enjoy reading very much or don't have big screen devices.

Anyway, here are a few more for your listening pleasure.

We don't have to be fantastic at investing:

 Huat with CPF: How to avoid a bogus investment?

I like simple pleasures especially when they are free of cost. ;p

AK's YouTube channel.

Related posts:

1. Retirement, YouTube and update.

2. Did a voice recording.

Did a voice recording and learning new things.

I have made some progress with my YouTube channel!

Picked up a new skill.

Converting text to voice!

Some of you might be having a good laugh over this.

If you are laughing, I am glad.

I am laughing too.

I am like a kid who just discovered LEGO. (^m^)

My voice sounds rather pleasant in my head but I always cringe when I hear a recording of my voice played back.

This point was confirmed once more when I did a YouTube Short video last night.

Aiyoh, is that my voice?

Cringe.

It was my first YouTube Short attempt starring my very old T-shirt. ;p

If you are interested in the videos, pop by my YouTube channel to see see and hear hear:

AK's YouTube Channel.

Don't worry about laughing and hurting my feelings. ;p

I am doing this only for fun and laughter. :D

So, done with laundry, done gaming and done with creating stuff for my YouTube channel for the day.

Now, it is Chinese drama time!

I just completed the following not long ago:

Good and wholesome entertainment! 

I like it!

Related post:
Retirement, YouTube channel and quick update.

Retirement, YouTube channel and quick update.

I have been watching lots of videos on YouTube lately and learning new stuff.

I have also been watching more Chinese drama and anime lately.

My goodness, the Chinese have some high quality stuff!

All this happened while I was researching Chinese tech stocks before deciding to get some exposure.

Had to sacrifice some gaming time, unfortunately.

Genshin Impact is so good and it is Chinese too!

Now, I only log in to do my dailies, run a few domains and take part in events.

I still log in to Neverwinter daily to collect my rewards and run some dailies.

All in all, gaming takes about 2 hours per day max.

I have said before that I cannot imagine being bored in retirement and that is still true.

There is just so much for me to do.

Anyway, yesterday, I took a look at my own YouTube channel.

AK has a YouTube channel?

Yes, indeed, long time readers might remember my YouTube channel which I started more than 11 years ago in October 2010.

Surprised?

I have forgotten how long ago it was and I was surprised when I looked at the date of my first video.

I started blogging in 2009 on Christmas Eve out of curiosity and boredom. 

Blogging has been an amazing outlet for me to talk to myself.

No regrets.

I started my YouTube channel for mostly the same reasons.

Feeling nostalgic as I watched my own YouTube videos, I thought I would do a quick blog to share the old antique with anyone who might be feeling bored and curious like I was when I started the channel.

So, here is AK's YouTube channel. 

Maybe, I should revive the channel and post some new videos.

Just maybe.

After posting some videos which I took while vacationing, the channel went dormant for many years. 

10 years later, I posted videos of some of my adventures in Neverwinter.

So, no clear direction for the channel.

I just did whatever I felt like doing at the time.

Anyway, I am really glad I made those videos of my adventures in Neverwinter because Sharandar has been removed and replaced with New Sharandar.

I rather liked the old Sharandar.

Oh, well.

I haven't spent a single cent on Neverwinter (just like how I haven't spent a single cent on Genshin Impact.)

Shan't complain (too much.)

Now, since I am blogging, quick update on what I did in the stock market recently.

I added some SBS Transit and increased my investment in ComfortDelgro.

Why?

Simply put, EPS should improve as we learn to live with COVID-19 and, then, DPS should improve too.

I will blog more about this probably when I share my 2Q 2022 results.

Akan datang. ;)

Related post:
Thoughts on preparing for early retirement.

Recently published:
Buying more Chinese tech stocks today.

Market sways between hope and worry while AK plays games.

This is the 19th day of Singapore's "Circuit Breaker" also known as "Lockdown" or "Partial Lockdown".

It is what it is.

All these fancy names.

Lawrence Wong says "Lockdown" means different things to different people.

"Circuit Breaker" also means different things to different people.

To me, "Circuit Breaker" is "Lockdown".

Semantics.

We can go on and on.

Beautiful.

Anyway, I have not blogged for more than 2 weeks which isn't too bad.

I did say I was going to blog only once every 3 months not too many moons ago.

What have I been up to?

If you have to ask, you must be new to my blog.

I am busy adventuring in another world, of course.






"Neverwinter" currently has an event called "Tales of Old" that rewards adventurers with powerful artifacts if they run old dungeons with increasingly challenging debuffs.

There are four artifacts to be collected and, over a few days, I have completed enough runs to get the artifact which I feel is most useful to my wizard.

I might collect another artifact just for the fun of it because the event is fun.

This is what retirement should be, right?

Do stuff for fun.

More recently, I decided to learn how to play "Magic the Gathering".

I have always been amazed by people who would spend boatloads of money buying these little packs of playing cards.

I see school children huddling around tables outside shops which sell them, competing against one another.

Most of them looked skinny.

Saved all their recess money to buy cards, maybe.

I was curious but when I saw how much I had to pay for those packs of cards and how it was a never ending story, my curiosity fizzled out quickly.

Well, that was a long time ago.

Back then, it would be unimaginable to have a fantasy RPG for the PC like "Neverwinter" be 100% free to play.

Well, I found out a few days ago that I could play "Magic the Gathering" for free online too!

Being a card game, it is very different from "Neverwinter" but they did a really good job with the animations when the cards are played.

Basically, build a deck and play to unlock more cards and gain points to purchase packs of cards.

These packs of cards are like boxes of chocolates.

You don't know what are the cards you will get which is why people buy with real world money (as opposed to virtual world money) pack after pack of cards in the hope that they will get those cards they want.

It is really another form of lottery.

Anyway, the full name of the online game I am playing is "Magic the Gathering: Arena".

The "Circuit Breaker" has been extended till 1 June 2020.

So, if you are feeling bored at home, you might want to explore this free to play game.






Although I have not blogged for more than 2 weeks, I have tried to check the comments section of my blogs regularly because I know there is still plenty of "excitement".

Of course, many spam comments too which, fortunately, are filtered out.

Those which are not filtered out, I will delete.

The section is for "comments" and not for "advertisements" nor "advertisements pretending to be comments".

Wolves in sheepskin.

You know who you are.

Anyway, if you don't see any updates in my blog for a while, you might want to check the comments sections of the more recent blogs.

The last 3 updates, for example, have many comments from readers and my replies to them.

Another reason why I have not published any update is because there isn't anything new that I want to say.

Some expect the COVID-19 crisis to "magically disappear" like a "miracle".

Some think that the COVID-19 crisis is going to sink the world into another "Great Depression".

With all that noise going on, my strategy has remained unchanged.

I will not be overly optimistic nor will I be overly pessimistic.

I will stay pragmatic.

I am staying invested because I believe that most of the businesses I am invested in will still be around as the COVID-19 crisis is resolved over time.

I will buy more stocks when I have greater clarity.

Like I said in earlier updates, I have nibbled at some stocks but I will wait for greater clarity before buying much more.

If you are new to my blog or cannot remember what I said, read my more recent updates.






Technically, the upward movement in stock prices was not supported by much higher volume and I think I said that in one of my updates.

Volume is the fuel that drives rallies and if we do not have volume, any upward movement in price will not last.

As long as volume is missing, the prospect of a V shape recovery dims.

Remember, I said on 7 April that:

"Today, the stock prices of DBS, OCBC and UOB all broke the resistance provided by their declining 20 days moving averages (20d MA).

"What this says to me is that they broke their downtrends."

That was when I bought some.

However, I didn't throw in everything including the kitchen sink.

I said in that update that as the 20d MA turns up:

"Basically, we want to see any retreat in stock prices bouncing off the 20d MA then."

Well, that bounce didn't happen.

Of course, technical analysts can talk about rising wedge patterns and how it was all a bull trap now.

I will just stick to my plan.

Be patient.

Wait for clarity.






In a U shape recovery, the bottoming process is likely to be bumpy as Mr. Market sways between hope and worry.

It will take time.

What if it is a L shape recovery?

Well, that is when those of us who have an emergency fund would do better than those who don't as the economy becomes stuck in the doldrums.

It will take even more time then.

What if it is a delayed or mutated V shape recovery?

Hurrah!

Celebrate!

We should buy even at higher prices if we see huge volume buying up stocks.

That would be a sure sign that the bull is back.

That is when high can go higher.






OK, that is all I want to say in this update.

I really want to go back to adventuring in "Neverwinter" and testing my new deck of cards in "Magic the Gathering: Arena".

In the meantime, be socially responsible and stay safe.

The health of all depends on each one of us.

We are #SGUnited.

You might want to read these and also the comments and my replies:
1. Stock market correction...
2. Buying DBS, OCBC, UOB and IREIT...
3. Largest REIT investments...
4. 1Q 2020 passive income...

AK tries streaming on Twitch.

A friend suggested that I should try streaming my adventures in Neverwinter.

The streaming platform is called Twitch.

I only discovered Twitch a few months ago and I do enjoy watching some streamers adventuring in Neverwinter.

I have not thought of streaming my adventures in Neverwinter as I don't have any desire to socialise very much when I am adventuring.

Well, I don't have a desire to socialise very much most of the time.

Yes, I know.

AK is mental.





I do party up for some group content from time to time.

I am also active in certain guild building activities.

However, most of the time, I just like spending time in Neverwinter by myself.

Recently, I made some videos of my adventures in Neverwinter as a way to keep in touch with readers here in ASSI.

I also like that I have picked up a new and interesting skill.

In the last few days, I thought why not try to keep in touch with readers using Twitch?

It took me a few days to figure things out and it took me a while to set things up.

I don't know if I have done it correctly but if you like, you can try following me on Twitch.

My Twitch channel is:

https://www.twitch.tv/utherkaze

If you hit the "follow" button in my Twitch channel, you will be notified whenever I am streaming Neverwinter.

Following is probably a good idea because I won't be sticking to any schedule.

I will stream only when I feel like it.

If I do stream and if you happen to be free, come and take a look.





To be honest, I don't know if this will have any longevity.

For now, I am just trying things out.

Related post:
Demon and dragon slaying!

Coronavirus in Singapore means no milk and cheese for AK.

AK enjoys visits to the supermarkets.

See this blog, for example:

My food bill grew but my weight reduced.

Having meals at home is one way to keep cost of living low in Singapore.

It seems that more Singaporeans are latching on to this idea of having meals at home now.

However, it is probably not to save money.

Yesterday, AK went to the supermarket to get some milk and cheese.

Guess what happened?

OMG!

Never before.

It was madness.

The lines snaked all the way into unimaginable places of the supermarket for lines to form.

Now, since we are supposed to avoid crowded places, I decided that waiting in line for possibly an hour or more was probably not a good idea.

People have gone mad in Singapore.

Mad with fear of the Wuhan coronavirus.

Is the situation so deadly now?



This is taken from Ministry of Health.

We are at DORSCON Orange.

What does DORSCON stand for?


Disease Outbreak Response System Condition.


DORSCON Orange isn't all that dire as the situation is contained.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged calm, saying Singapore had "ample supplies" and there was no need for people to stock up with items such as instant noodles or toilet paper.

"Fear can do more harm than the virus itself," he said in a statement.

Source: Reuters.





While it is understandable that the current situation is causing concern, please do not panic.

Please do not go crazy hoarding essentials.

Please do not deprive AK of milk and cheese.
------------------------
(Added at 7.45PM)

I just saw a video on shopping in a supermarket in Wuhan and would like to share it here in ASSI:







This video was shared on YouTube yesterday.

Things are pretty grim but life goes on.

Wuhan is the epicenter of the current coronavirus crisis.

If Wuhan can stay calm, so can we!
-------------------------------
PM Lee Hsien Loong's remarks on the Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) Situation in Singapore on 8 February 2020:





Related posts:
1. Wuhan coronavirus and our REIT investments.
2. Wuhan coronavirus is war and are we ready?

AK told to remove blog and it has to do with insurance again.

As a blogger, I have poetic license.

This license is something I use frequently as I talk to myself here in ASSI.

What is poetic license?

"The act by a writer or poet of changing facts or rules to make a story or poem more interesting or effective."
Source: Cambridge Dictionary.

In fact, without poetic license, I wouldn't enjoy blogging as much.

If you enjoy my blogs as much as I enjoy blogging, I am glad.

There will be people who don't enjoy my blogs but that doesn't make me sad.

The world is what it is.

My blog is what it is.

This is my blog.

This is my style.

These are my stories.

Please don't expect me to change anything.

I thought about it for a bit and decided that there is a need for this blog so that people who eavesdrop on me talking to myself are in the know.

Someone recently told me to retract a statement I made in my blog about getting free H&S insurance in Singapore.

In my latest reply to that person, I said:

"I have also said before that I have investments which are free and I even say that my current home is free.

"They are paid for by Mr. Market while my H&S insurance is paid for by the government.

"Must I remove all those blogs as well because you have a different take on the matter and that you disagree?

"This is my blog and there is such a thing as poetic license.

"Like I said earlier, you are entitled to your opinion, of course, and if it bothers you, ignore the blogs."






It reminded me of something that happened a few years ago when I was told to remove a blog on getting free term life policies.

I actually did take that blog down but later put it back up as many readers puzzled over my decision and some had yet to read the blog too.

I decided since that time that ASSI is my blog and it is what it is.

If people don't like what I have to say, they can choose not to read my blogs.

Which blog was it and when did that happen?

Interested in the story?

See:
Free investment linked policies or term life policies?






I later added a side story at the top of the blog hinting as to why the blog was removed shortly after posting.

That blog has tens of comments from readers and that doesn't include the many comments in Facebook.

Poetic license was obviously employed in the blog but readers' comments were mostly supportive.

Most, if not all, thought that the blog was excellent.

AK was just talking to himself about a strategy.

It was pretty mathematical but I suppose it was pretty poetic too.

People who choose to read financial blogs like ASSI are probably smart enough to tell the parts which are mathematical from the parts which are poetic.

While effort has been made to make ASSI light reading, it can be pretty heavy at times, I guess.

OK, please pardon me as I might be giving myself too much credit here.

Pat on the back or slap on the back?

Whatever. ;p





Remember that AK is just talking to himself in his little corner of cyberspace.

AK is not seeking agreement from anyone and, most definitely, he is not seeking approval from anyone on how he should talk to himself.

Remember, eavesdrop on AK at your own risk.

Why AK says that?

Well, it could drive you crazy.

However, please don't push self talking AK to the brink as well.

Thank you very much.

Related posts:
1. How to get free medical insurance in our old age?
2. How to get free medical insurance in Singapore?

Recently published:
2019 CPF savings in a pie (chart).

Year end holiday update. (Winter Festival and Hell Pit.)

This is just an update to let readers know that AK might be less active here in ASSI after this blog for the next few weeks.

AK will be going away to a faraway land on a holiday for 6 weeks!

That sounds expensive, doesn't it?

Not to worry.

This won't cost AK any money at all.

It is all going to be free!

What?

Where?

How?

From today till early next year, AK will be pretty busy holidaying in Neverwinter, doing adventurous and heroic stuff which is only possible in virtual reality.

Yes, I know!

Bad AK! Bad AK!

AK the Wizard.
Vanquishing evildoers!

AK the Paladin.
Saving innocent folks.

Neverwinter is having their annual Winter Festival which is probably the most rewarding event in their calendar.

This event runs for 3 weeks from 13 December into the new year, ending on 3 January 2020.

This year, however, before the Winter Festival, Neverwinter will have another event that will also run for 3 weeks.

This is a new event that will run from 22 November to 12 December.

Two big events back to back for a total of 6 weeks!

Delirious!

The new event is "Hell Pit" and it challenges adventurers to solo content that will get progressively more difficult.

There is a long reward list but the ultimate reward, in my opinion, for those who succeed is a legendary mount, the Golden Warhorse!







After adventuring in Neverwinter for three years or so, AK still does not own a legendary mount as the drop rate is abysmal.

Well, to be fair, AK has only been a Neverwinter VIP for less than a year and, so, for most of the three years in Neverwinter, AK wasn't trying.

Many adventurers who are less patient simply buy a legendary mount from other adventurers in the Auction House if they want one.

It is all about luck or what adventurers call RNG (i.e. random number generator) and some people are just very lucky to get a legendary mount despite the terribly low drop rate.

The less popular legendary mounts go for about 5 million Astral Diamonds (ADs) and the more popular ones go for as much as 20 million ADs or even more in the Auction House.

AD is one of the more important in game currencies in Neverwinter.





AD can be earned (relatively slowly) through playing the game since Neverwiner is a F2P (free to play) game and everything we need or want in the game can be obtained simply by playing the game.

AD can also be purchased by spending real life money (which AK has never done before and will never do, of course).

For those who are more business minded, AD can also be earned at a faster pace by selling stuff in the Auction House to other adventurers.

Currently, 5 million ADs is worth almost US$ 70.

Imagine people paying 20 million ADs for the more popular legendary mounts.

Talk about paying lots of money for virtual assets.

Bitcoins, anyone?

Mind boggling!






To be honest, adventurers don't really need legendary mounts in Neverwinter but if AK can get one for free, why not?

A legendary mount allows us to move at 140% our usual travelling speed.

If we are attacked while on a legendary mount, we fall off only if we are hit 6 times or more within 5 seconds.

So, unless we encounter relatively large mobs, we don't have to waste time fighting random mobs while moving around in a zone.

Legendary mounts also have combat powers which mounts of lower grades do not have.

AK would very much like to have a (free) legendary mount or two.

Yes, please.

At the moment, I have five characters in game.

Lots of time and resources have gone into nurturing one rather powerful end game DPS character.

So, I am pretty confident that I will be able to get a Golden Warhorse as a reward.

The other two DPS characters were very recently created during Neverember's recruitment event last month in October which I talked about in this blog:

3Q 2019 passive income: Numbers.

Not very powerful, they serve mostly as caddies or what adventurers call "pack mules" (i.e. they exist mainly to carry stuff for my main characters).

When I created them, I purposely did not choose new classes to avoid the temptation to play them more.

They are adequate for some crafting, also some farming for gold and AD in addition to being caddies but they will never be upgraded to end game standards.

The last two characters are a tank and a healer.

They have been around for far longer and are more powerful than the two relatively young DPS characters I mentioned earlier but tanks and healers are not exactly DPS gods.

(DPS = Damage per second and means a character that does damage.)






AK is always plotting in Neverwinter. :p

Wouldn't you like to be adventuring (and plotting) in Neverwinter too? ;p


It is free to play and lots of fun.

Watch the following video and see if it is something that you will enjoy:






Wishing all readers a fun filled holiday season. :)
-------------
UPDATE ON THE UPDATE:

I have just found out that I would not be able to get the Golden Warhorse by successfully completing only one Hell Pit event.

If that sounds like there is going to be more than one Hell Pit event to you, well, you are right.

The Hell Pit event is apparently a recurring event that will return every few months.

I will have to successfully complete five events before I can get my hands on the Golden Warhorse!

This is more like a MMORPG.

The grind!

Well, I guess I was being too generous (or naive) to think that the world of Neverwinter has become more generous in handing out rewards. :p

There is no free lunch in this world, real or virtual. ;p





Related posts:
1. Spent money and will spend more time.
2. Is AK blogging about Neverwinter?