Organize your Life

As life gets more hectic.. and complicated.. with work, study etc taking up a lot of our time, it is very important to stay organized...

Organization and planning will give you time to do other things.. to spend time with loved ones, enjoy stuff like sport and just relax.

Some tips:

• Rule 1 - only print stuff when necessary. Most of the time, reading off the monitor is better and you will save some trees as a result
• Rule 2 - keep the desk uncluttered. Only have those items that you need - pens in a pen holder, notebooks, calculator etc. Keep printouts for as long as you need them e.g. after reviewing a document or reading a brochure.. chuck it out with other recyclables
• Rule 3 - make use of storage space and shelves to store books etc. If possible, dont get small bookshelves and small cupboards.. they WILL get filled up quickly.
• Rule 4 - dont buy magazines! - these are space grabbers and you typically will never read the magazine more than once.
• Rule 5 - read mail as they come in and dispose/file bills, letters properly. Use a lockable filing cabinet to file correspondences and documents.
• Rule 6 - lots of us know how to buy stuff, but when it comes to disposing of stuff, it isnt quite so easy. so make it a point to throw away stuff every week/month.. as a general housecleaning.
• Rule 7 - if you can, sell stuff away. most things outlive their usefulness but have inherent value. a good gauge of when its time to sell is when u havent used the "thing" for a month. check on ebay if your "thing" has value and sell it there or in a garage sale etc.
• Rule 8 - some stuff can be recycled as gifts or given away. these include gifts received but unused etc. stuff bought but unused etc.
• Rule 9 - name cards. scan name cards and throw the originals away! name card holders are a waste of time.
• Rule 10 - dont file CDs.. you wont be able to find them and the plastic holders will damage CDs. Keep CDs in their original plastic case and put them into a CD shelf or in a CD container. CDs containing old sofware or drivers should be thrown away or acrhived on hard disk - you will never install old software or drivers son.
• Rule 11 - Keep things where they should be stored. E.g. have a habit of a sports cupboard where u store all your rackets, clubs, a tools cupboard where stuff like measuring tape, screwdrivers, etc are stored handily, a household items cupboard where u store sprays, cleaning items together. this way, you wont have to remember the exact location of these items but know where they should be. remember to return the item after use to these places, more time and agitation is lost finding stuff than you can imagine!
• Rule 12 - Organize photographs and videos wisely. these are your memories so store them on hard disk with a backup on another disk - use sync software to keep copies in sync.
• Rule 13 - Lock/store important documents which are hard to replace in a safe deposit box in a bank for a minimal fee. These include stuff like birth certs, marriage certs, graduation certs etc. which you wont access frequently.
• Rule 14 - Keep lists. I use yellow post-it notes everywhere.. but better way is to manage lists on a phone, notebook etc
• Rule 15 - Blog. It might be a bit of effort, but the end result is a record of your life..

Buying Logic 101 - Having a Backup

For many years, I have had the philosophy of having a "backup" or "spare" when buying stuff e.g. when buying a new Inkjet printer, I would want to buy a spare set of ink jet cartridges to go with it in the case that the ink runs out on the printer. Another example is the concept of buying two shoes and "rotating" them to make them last longer. A third example is the concept of a camera "backup" in case the main SLR body fails. Another example is buying extra golf balls "just in case", in Dad's case, I have around 5 boxes of Maxfli Noodle golf balls waiting to be hit for at least a year. And so on and so on..

It could be that all this comes from the hoarder in us. In the cave man days, people had to hoard their food (probably stuff like berries and leaves :) ) in case hunting was bad for that week. However, in the modern day, I dont think hoarding is wise at all.

First of all, having a backup typically means the backup might not be used at all. Or the backup might fail when you want to use it since the battery has died, or the material has worn down from non-use. Backups take up space. Backups cost money that might otherwise be used for something else. A better plan going forward for me is to just get things when you need them and forget about backups.

Spending more time with baby

I guess in today's world, it is hard to make time for people. For me, most of the problem is the tons of other stuff on my mind - work, money, housing etc that makes it difficult.

The key to make time is just to do it. Don't make it the perfect time or allocate a specific time to spend time with your loved ones. Be spontaneous as there will never be a perfect time. With Harry, there are some good times to play with him i.e. after his meal or in the morning after he wakes up - you can always tell when he's in a bubbly mood - just look at his expression!

Classic tips for tennis

Serve

• The modern ball toss should be in front of you and slightly left of your body's center position (for the right handed player). Rationale - this ball toss position will allow you to hit the same slice/topspin/flat serves and adds an element of surprise to your serve.


• Do not have too high a ball toss as it will be affected by the wind. Try to hit the ball when it is at the apex of the toss or just after it starts to descend. You must have "extension" on the ball toss i.e. feel that your tossing arm is extended and stretched to the fullest in order to tense the left hand side of the body in preparation for the hit.


• Design your serve so that it allows a fast recovery for the next shot. This means if you are going to net, make sure your serve gets you into the court ready for you to get to the service line. If you are staying back, the serve follow through should allow you to get ready and balanced for the opponents reply. This means no falling to the right or left to make you unbalanced.

Forehand

• The modern forehand follows through high and has lots of spin. Not many players hit the ball flat anymore ala Miloslav Mecir. Spin is your friend to get the ball up if your opponent slices it low or when you have to dig out a short shot. Spin and the strong western grip is even more important to handle the high bouncing balls that modern players hit.


• Spin can be generated in 2 ways. With a traditional low to high swing path or it can come from a whippy wrist. The latter method allows you to have a smaller, more compact swing and still generate dipping, high bouncing topspin.

• Power should be generated mostly through having good footwork to get in position and also through a full shoulder turn. An alternative is to use a wrist flick to generate the power. This will also introduce disguise to the shot.

Backhand

• The double backhand popularized by players such as Chris Evert and Bjorn Borg brings power and disguise to the backhand side which has traditionally been the weaker side of most players. However, I would not recommend using a double handed shot unless you feel that the one handed shot lacks power and is a liability. Rationale - the double backhand probably creates injury more easily, is lousy for the low ball, limits reach and most importantly, isnt as flexible and doesnt look as good as the single handed backhand.


• Learn the one-handed slice as the first shot on the backhand side. Learn how varying the angle of the racket face can generate slow slice (for recovery) and a fast agressive shot for approaching the net. A full shoulder turn and stepping in with the leading foot is necessary for power.
  

Passing shot

• If an opponent approches the net with a crosscourt shot, the crosscourt passing shot is the smarter play unless you know you can hit a down the line winner. Rationale - the person coming to net will be facing in the direction that he/she is running. The crosscourt return will force him/her to change directions and is a harder return to volley.
• Always hit one or two lobs per match. It keeps the net player guessing.
• Similarly, using the same rationale, always hit a few drop shots per match as well
  

Approach Shot

• The most crucial thing about the approach shot is that of surprise.
• Playing good aggressive tennis should always be about trying to figure out how get to net. Dare to go to the net even if your opponent is a hard hitter, the first few times, you might get passed or even hit but these are all learning experiences which will help you improve.
• The classic approach shot is deep, and down the line. If your opponent is late, the chances are that you will get a down the line return a high percentage of the time.

Volley

• Split step at the service line; earlier or later is ok depending on when you are expecting to hit the next shot.
• More than any other shot, the volley needs to be played in front of you, while approaching the net, a good practice is to make sure your hands are physically out in front of your body at the net.
  

Other tips

Posture and footwork are extremely important for tennis. Always keep good posture with the upper body straight and centered over the legs.

Tennis Strategy (to be added)

Disposal therapy

If you are a horder like me, you will have a tendency to keep things forever. The end result is you end up keeping things that are either broken, of no more use or are just there to take up space.

You cannot believe how good it feels to throw stuff away. We were all born into this world with nothing and we should try to live simply with the bare minimum that we need. The problem is we always feel we need more because of the media and marketing people. An example, I have kept a Braun shaver (a gift for Xmas) in my cupboard for more than 10 years, always intending to use it as a backup in the office if I forgot to shave in the morning. I recently opened that shaver and tried to charge it. It cannot be charged anymore. I also have 2 running shoes which I alternate. Problem with that is they both wear out at the same time (rubber decays!) so I would be better off getting just one good shoe and throwing it away and buying a new one when it is broken.

The basic fact is - you don't need 2 of everything or a "spare".

The ideal job?

Most people will tell you that the ideal job is one where you get lots of money, don't work so hard and is low stress. Well, first of all, Mom will tell you that there isnt such a thing as an ideal job and this is a oxymoron - jobs are not pleasant and are only for income. There are certainly a lot more permutations to the "ideal job". The ideal job surrounds you with people around you who you can click with and work with. It gives you fulfilment on a job well done when you go back home, and makes you eager to start the day. It gives you a chance to travel a little to experience life out of the office. It also has to have intangibles like a nice desk and chair, nice office infrastructure with a nice pantry and toilets, good location where you can have a nice coffee & tea break when you want to and is easy to get to work and back home. More lofty ambitions for the ideal job would be to make a difference in other people's lives.

During the drive to work today, Mom and I did a small sampling of jobs to consider:

• Office worker aka corporate life - plus points = you have a nice sedentary job in a air con office, money is ok, bad points = politics, drudgery of the cubicle
• Lawyer - plus points = hey, u are a lawyer, pp wont screw you or outtalk you!
• Doctor - plus points = err.. nurses, free medicine, you can self diagnose?? plus lots of money, bad points = u are around sick people all day.
• Taxi driver - plus points = you get to drive around all day in a mobile office, negative points = bad customers, traffic, back pain from all that driving
• Car salesman - plus points = get to be around shiny cars all day, in the car industry, negative points = customers who cannot commit, colleagues who steal your customers
• Enterpreneur - I know.. technically not a job.. - plus points - you make what u earn, you dont answer to nobody except for your customers, suppliers, landlord etc..., bad points = u work when your biz works, you have to hire/manage people..

The secrets to the Federer game

• Ideal body frame for tennis (i.e. 6ft 1) with wide shoulders for power and strong legs for a stable base and quickness. Players who are too tall are usually slower and are ungainly. Players who are too short have no reach and less leverag for power.
• Relaxed grip and wrist for power and to allow a late hit.
• Same ball toss for flat, slice and kick serves adds deception to serve. He still tends to favor the serve down the line for the deuce court and the wide serve to the ad court.
• Late hitting adds deception to the shots.
• True confidence (or arrogance) that he can beat anyone.