Through Night and Day ( Paolo Contis and Alessandra de Rossi)

I do not remember when was the last movie i cried and been touched so much. Yesterday afternoon, around 4:10pm Qatar time (9pm in Philippines) my long time friend Cha send to me a link of the video. She was about to tell me the story but i stopped her and say "wait wag mo muna ikwento kasi papanuorin kopa" and she always told me "Maganda sya Bai, highly recommended". She even send it to our College group chat so i know for sure that it has a message that she wanted to share to me. On my way home i drop by at Almera buy some snack and juice and watch the movie! 

Through Night And Day is a 2018 movie that landed on Netflix and now it is trending because of the beautiful lesson we can all drawn from this movie. But what are the lesson that i have learn from watching this movie? Let me share to you below.

1. Love is beautiful

I hope that all of us have been fall in-love for once in our life where everything seems to be colorful. It is a wonderful feeling that inspire us to wake up because reality is more beautiful than dreams.

To love and be love in return put colors to our life, that no matter how difficult life maybe knowing that someone else love us give us inspiration to fight life battle.

2. Being in a Relationship is difficult

When we fall in-love we automatically put label to it specially if its mutual. Boyfriend-girlfriend, Husband-wife, our partner our love-one whatever you wanna call it. 

Entering a relations is too easy as entering the door, but staying in that room where you have enter is another story. Through commitment and relations we discover our partner in a more deeper way. The attitude we haven't seen during the courtship period specially the temper!

3. Promise is just a word

When we are in-love we tend to promise so many things to our love ones. We promise them to love them forever. But is forever really real?. 

Promise is a word music to our ears until it sounds like a tornado specially if it turns out to be sorry. In my own personal opinion, it is better to live one day at a time and enjoy the moment because if everything turns out to be blue then we less hurt the one we love because after all we did our best and not just say a mare words.

4. Travel with the one you love

Traveling is one way of knowing a person you love. When both of you are outside of your comfort zone you will realize that there are alot to learn and know about each other.

As i jokingly told my friend cha "Yayain mo umakyat sa Banaue to Batad for sure my idea ka anu ugali nya"

Travel and take difficult road together in the most un-familiar place.

5. Just for 2 weeks?!

In the movie they have been together since high school till the are in 30's. In Philippines you are 13 years old when you are in your 1st year in high school. Which made me conclude that they are 17 years together and just because she didn't like Jen (Alessandra de Rosie) attitude for 2 week he broke up with her, never had a communication and been married within just 3 years?!  

This is the part of movie that really made me mad! (Opps affected and lola mo)! hahaha 

6. Moving On

Can anyone tell me if moving on is time bounded? Of course no one can, but in this movie Ben (Paulo Contis) got married in just 3 years!. While sicked Jen stayed single.

Moving on is a broad topic itself, and i hope i can write blog about it in the future.

7. Memories will make or break us

Our past relationship will always be part of our life. Some people comes in our life to teach us lesson, while some stay. 

In my own opinion if the memories will make me smile then i will keep it. But if it will broke me into pieces then their is no need for it. Let go, let fly, let it be.

8. Pinagtagpo pero di itinadhana

Not everyone that comes into our life stay's forever, many of them are here to teach us life lesson. A lesson that will make us or break us as a person. Whatever the situations is the most important is we know within our self that we have love our love ones is the most honest and sincere way's. Because this way we wont live life in regrets.

That one day when our path cross we can blame our self by saying "what if i did that, what if ...." because those what if's are the monsters that hunt our future happiness.

I hope that you have time to watch the movie, it was indeed beautiful and full of life lessons! Ops! have tissue with you just in case. Happy watching!

CAR - OWNING vs RENTING vs TAKING TAXI in QATAR

I have always been wanting to review about Owning vs renting vs taking taxing in Qatar. But it took me for quite a while because everything seems to be just the experience of the people i know specially for renting a car. But now i can finally share my experience in all 3 categories. I have been living in Qatar since 2010 (10 years now!) and i 1st own my car back in 2013 (8 years already!). 

It took me two years to own a car because their is no need at that time, My Office is just 5 mins walk from our flat. Yay! how lucky i am during those time. But because our office has move, and i also need to find a proper place to stay i opted to own a car and drive because it will save me significant amount of money. Back then owning a driving license is a bit easy, because you can schedule your examination without finishing your course if your confident and you can easily get schedule to take exam and if you pass, you've got your license!. But now from the experience of the people i know they should wait for 1 to 4 months before they can finally take the road test added to that is not all profession are approved to get driving license.

Owning a car

For me owning a car is a liability and not assets as many people believe it to be as an asset same as your house. Why is say so because Asset as money coming INside your pocket and Liabilities as money OUTside your pocket (Robert Kiyosaki)

 

Owning a car anywhere in the world requires a responsibility and financial capacity. Here in Qatar when you take a car loan you need to show financial capacity that you can pay back the bank before they will approved your car loan. Check your own bank for this because each bank has their own Terms and Conditions. Additionally you also need to pay 20% of the cost via cash. So you have to be ready for that responsibility. In my own opinion, before you decide to buy your car you must 1st have your emergency fund.

But what is emergency fund?

Let me 1st barrow the definition of Emergency fund from Prof. Vince Rapisura where he said "Emergency fund is equivalent to your 9 months of your total expenses based on the life style you are living". And if you are planning to buy a car and you will take it via car loan, then you may add 6 months to 1 year of your monthly car payment. Why? because as i wrote this blog we are in middle of pandemic where everyone is not sure about their job. 

You maybe ask, Lanie, Is it necessary? Is it mandatory? My answer would be "It is encourage and recommended" so the decision would be in your hand. Also bear in mind the other expenses such as insurance and repairs!

Does it seems that i am discouraging you all to buy your own car, of course not, because buying your own car will help you save alo't of money too. Imagine if your  living in Al Sadd and your work is in Westbay, most probably you are paying for 25 qar per way right? Which means that if you have work from Saturday to Thursday you are paying 650 qar per month for one way! While having a car you will only need to alot approx. 200 qar for one month on your fuel. Not only you can save money but you also have the freedom to go anywhere you want. And if you have e-shop you can also do the delivery on your own!. Plus you can have a sideline of pick-up and drop to your officemate if you wish so! its a plus income! Sound's great hey! 

Renting a car

Recently because of covid, my car was stocked in Industrial Area for 4 months and i was force to rent a car. I rent an KIA Ceranto and Mitsubishi Lancer for 1,500qar/month. Many would say that renting is costly and its not a win-win situations. But for someone who is not so good in riding a taxi this options is good for my situations. 

Why? because i can go anywhere that i want like i used to be, the freedom of driving anything i want if my schedule permit is always liberating. I also do not have to pay for the car maintenance as the rent a car company will do that for me, as well as all the registrations.

Taxi 

Karwa meter starts from 4 QAR and runs 1.20 QAR km in day time and 1.80 QAR during night. For me riding a taxi is expensive and the freedom to go anywhere is less, added to that is having a que,  but if you are 2-4 people sharing for taxi then it is a huge savings. You need to find buddies to go along with you!

So, is owning or renting or simply riding taxi your choice at your own advantage? Let me know your opinion!

Top 10 books to ponder

1. Diary of Pulubi by Chinkee Tan

Diary of Pulubi is a book that speak our language. If you are Young professional turned between saving money and believing in YOLO (You only live ones) then this book is for you!. The topics, and tips on how to improve our finances is very simple, direct to the point yet a process to make. The book is thin that you can even finish within an hour but the lesson is a life time to practice.

I have been a fan of Chinkie Tan since then, i have read most of his book like Ipon, Badyet, Utang Free, Chink +, and Pera ni Mister, pera ni Misis. If covid will end and had a chance to be home (Philippines) i would love to order all his book and bring with me here in Qatar because i know that it will help me achieve financial freedom. I really like his advise regarding emergency fund, it really help me in many ways.

2. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

I have read this book back then but re-reading it makes me understood the message very well. This book is an eye opener for me that our regular job might end at any given time, that we need to find alternative ways on how to source of income because relaying on one income is difficult. I wish that this book is thought in school because if it does then many of us will know by now on how to handle our finances at the very young age. 

There are many controversial points that Mr. Kiyosaki has pointed out, but if you go deep into it, he is only saying what is factual. One of it is academic intelligent vs. street smart. I also agree when he said relaying on our day job alone will not bring us anywhere, rather we have to have multiple source of income, so keep your day job, while having sidelines which i follow since 2012.

3. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

This book is a must have in my opinion. Although it was written long the lesson that you will get from this book is timely relevant in our era. This book is a self guide if we want to succeed in our life that mostly focus the way we see our life. It is true that it is the mind that drive us to achieve what we want to achieve, be where we want to go because if we lost that desire, that focus on our goal this everything will be just waking up for the sake of waking up, in other words its gonna be the life without meaning and purpose. 

In this book i particularly love the topic about the 55 Famous alibis that we used so we can excuse our self fro doing what we supposed to do. Many of us, myself included, does find myself having alibi from his list, that instead of going forward, i step back.

4. The life changing magic of tidying up by Marie Kondo

Perhaps by now you know that i am trying my best to live a minimalist lifestyle. I was hook to minimalism after my trip to South Korea and be able to experience living in a Goshiwon (Student Room), it is the very 1st tiny room i ever been with and since then minimalism become so appealing to me that i wanted to read Marie Kondo book. Marie Kondo has discuss in his book not just the aspect of owning material things but also the baggage's within us. 

Reading his book slowly guide me to buy and own only those that i need and spark joy. It saves me tons of space specially in my wardrobe. Prior to minimalism i though i need a walk in closet and multiple wardrobe to fit all my belonging which i accumulate for many many years. But after applying the Marie Kondo method, one wardrobe is enough and i have plenty of space left. As she said keep what spark joy!

5. Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

My friend Sam recommend this book and in deed it was a big help. Minimalism shall be applied digitally and for sure it will help you improve your digital foot prints. This book has save me money as well. How? Let me explain. As a E-shop owner i am always afraid that i will lost connection with my customers and may reply to then late if i don't have wifi. The worst thing is i answer my phone when am driving, at mall or when am when someone else. I find myself the need to be in touch as always, So i spend almost 100QAR for my data allowance alone PLUS addition phone credit to call them. An average of 250qar/month.

After reflecting on this book i realized that yes customer may need you to reply to them to ASAP but the fact is i have High speed internet connection at home and in our office and the only way that i don't have internet connection is when i am driving back and fort to home and office, going to grocery or at mall. In Digital minimalism I've learn that if it's highly emergency they know where to contact me otherwise it can wait.

Also it will teach us on how to filter to whom we follow and get notification with. Its a wonderful book to explore and re-read again and again until we are no longer stressing our self digitally that we can even left our phone at anytime to focus on a more productive task.

6. The Alchemist and Zahir by Paulo Coelho

Alchemist is about a a man who dream of seeing thy Pyramid of Egypt, he believe that near the pyramid there is a treasure. In our life, if we believe that dreams do come true and act upon it, we will all achieve whatever our heart desires and if not, will go far in life and maybe will get better than our dream.

Zahir is the story about love. What makes this novel top on the list is that it will made us realize that sometimes the love that we are looking for is right in front of us, but our eyes cant see them, that eventually we lost them, then we realize how precious it was... so we run for for it, we long for it, until we realize that though we love it, it wasn't meant for us, our chance has passed and we can never return everything to how it was because the truth is people and our surrounding will change.

7. Subtle Art of not giving Fuck by Mark Masson

In the world where we care so much about what our friends, family, relative and the people around us would say to us this book is for us. We live life worrying to much about the opinion of others, that we ma

Mark counter approach is very practical and timely that will made you realized that yes "I dont give a fuck!"

The book has more to offer, and its really worth reading!

8. What Got you here, wont got by Marshall Goldsmith

This book is for those who want to be more successful. What i like about this book is the simplicity of the advice. Too simple yet because of our ego we simply can't or simply have the difficulty following them. One of the most notable example is saying Thank you for those who appreciate us rather than elaborating words. Next is saying sorry for the mistake we made. Sometimes in work place saying sorry and admitting our mistake will stop the chaos and destroy argument right away. The problem with us is our ego. 

9. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie

Perhaps this books is so timely for all of us to remind our-self that despite of pandemic we have to live our life. There are so many problems and issue that the world is facing, and exerting effort worrying about it will worsen the situation. 

We have to be selective on our life battle. Coz if not, then we are adding more insult to our own injury.

10. The Holly Quran 

No matter what book may come am still going back to the holly quran. Because the Holly Quran is not just a book but it is the word of the owner of the universe and whatever is in between. Why i say so?

For example after reading the book of Marie Kondo, i know that minimalism is the new to many, but if you are going to study the Serrah (Life) of Prophet Mohammad SAW he is the perfect example of minimalist.There are so many example that i can point out of the new trends, discoveries that is already written in the Holly Quran but that is not our topic.

So have you read any of this book? Share to us your thoughts!