Month of April 2025

My father looks to be in better shape than his peers. He's been known as an avid exerciser for many decades and leads a disciplined life, waking up at 4am while being in bed by 10pm. As he got older, health issues such as high cholesterol and backaches started to appear. That's quite normal. Health checks over the years more or less gave the same reports and I guess it enabled him to feel assured even though they were not great results. About fifteen years ago, he was scheduled to have an angioplasty due to blocked arteries. Unexpectedly, on the procedure day, the doctor called it off as he couldn't find the problem that had manifested just weeks earlier. My father attributed it to his exercise regime and a homemade supplement which I call it the super (smelly) vinegar. Earlier this month, he met an insurance friend who recommended a policy and that provided a free health check. Coincidentally, the same heart specialist mentioned above was the panel doctor and since he knew my father's health history, suggested a CT scan. Together, we went for the results review. The doctor's opening statement went something like, "Your calcium score is very high." We were partly surprised because his ECG treadmill test was tip top. I learnt something new; calcium indicated the presence of fatty deposits. Then the breakdown of information came and to put it simply, there were two arteries flagging danger. It's deja vu as an operation has been fixed for early May.

On a work trip to Osaka, I had the chance to visit the ongoing World Expo. Miyaku, the mascot, was at the entrance to welcome many visitors, mostly locals from what I can tell. There were especially lots of students, probably a weekday excursion organized to let them appreciate the various countries' culture condensed within a pavilion. No matter where you go, queues of at least thirty minutes were common and mostly without shelter. Luckily, the temperature was pleasant although the place could do with more shades. Generally, each country tried to present a theme such as sustainability, city vibrancy etc. Unfortunately, it's not possible to even cover ten countries properly in a day. I liked the French vibe of fashion and aesthetics, the cheery optimism of Spanish colors and impressive technological advancements of the Saudis. Brazil and Indonesia were rather subdued. A cluster of smaller African participants gave a glimpse from a tourism angle. There's still five months before the site would be torn down and replaced by a casino resort, much like our MBS. Based on this initial impression, I would love to go again before it closes but worry over the summer weather.

As mentioned last month, I was on the lookout for new running shoes. In the same Japan trip, I visited Karuizawa for a half day shopping at the outlet. It's a first experience, one that's been on my mind ever since Terrace House appeared on Netflix. This quiet town is about an hour away from Tokyo and the outlet was just beside the train station. Super convenient and really expansive area, great for a day out with family. It's divided into east and west sectors with many prominent shop labels and some pockets of refreshments. Happily, I found what was needed at the Asics store, purchasing a Patriot 13 and Glideride Max for S$200 in total. Since then, I had tried once on both shoes and felt comfortable with the fit.

Tip: Alps Masamune Junmai Ginjo, smooth and easy, slight fizz, cleansing

Finance Investment Movement 56

Three months into the year and I have already hit my portfolio improvement target. It's peeking out at 5.6% after being boosted by rise in ST Eng and cash savings. If not for the drop in crypto prices, the result would have looked even better. So is it time to rejoice and set higher target? No, because from April onwards, the triple payments of income tax, renovation and travel will start to kick in. Good thing is the household expenses kept in line. Income from high yield accounts is nearly exhausted due to falling interest rates. There's a bunch of Tbills, invested via SRS, reaching maturity and I'm not sure what to do.

There's a series of videos produced by CNA that can be found under "Singapore's Public Housing Revealed". In them, subject matter experts and ministers articulate their thoughts to address the concerns of many people who view housing as becoming unaffordable. I liked the presentation feel and visual cues to give instant snapshots of the current status. The underlying message is, HDB tries its best to balance needs of first time buyers, retirees, singles, large households etc while incurring growing deficits. It's no easy task. During the developmental years of Singapore, HDB is seen as walking side by side with the average citizen. Today, opinions have shifted, depending on where one stands. Because we are experiencing something that's never been felt before; aging flats with a lease decay. On principle, the government needs to retain control over land use through recycling for future generations. It was stated by PM Wong that land would be returned to the state upon lease expiry. He probably played it safe by not clearly saying that it's zero flat value and also not alarm people over the likelihood of falling valuation when the time comes. This leaves open the idea of compensation. Along with sketchy details of Vers, that indicates the government is not ready for discussion on those flats due to be returned in about thirty years. One issue the government finds itself in a bind is due to the CPF and other funds stored under the flat's value. I wonder in the future, how many people can have the situation of having a fully paid HDB flat, reach retirement age and able to depend on CPF payout for a comfortable remaining years. Much complaints relate to having to work a lifetime to repay home loan and left with barely something. In my opinion, the best hope is for Singapore to progress well economically which then anchors the land value and people's lifestyle. We have performed the first miracle when no one gave us a chance, now we need to produce another.

Dividends as of March 2025: $2008.62 (avg $669.54 per month)

Tip: Black Stallion Napa Chardonnay 2021, apple crumble, brownie, good oak density and mouthfeel