Month of August 2025

Ever since I returned from the Bali trip in June, there had been few episodes of stomach upset. I could wake up in the middle of the night to clear the bowels, experience contractions in the daytime, feel bloated and nauseous. There wasn't a change in diet or lifestyle and these symptoms presented themselves every now and then, making it difficult to find a trigger point. The first trip to the clinic yielded slight improvement after a course of Pariet but that was the most the doctor could do when I still felt unwell. By then, I had reduced spicy food and alcohol intake. Thus, a specialist visit was the next step and antibiotics were prescribed. The diarrhea runs became lesser but I just didn't feel right. That discomfort hung around in the shadow, ready to pounce. Next, an endoscope and colonoscopy were performed. After waking up from the sedation, the first thing I asked was whether the doctor had found the problem source. Thankfully, he found nothing of significance except a slight inflamed stomach lining which is common among his usual patients. So the last part was to wait for lab results. Even a search through the internet yielded no clues. Meanwhile, the nausea feeling continued as if I was in a first trimester except no vomit. Interestingly, it can be suppressed by eating small portions which seemed to go against logic.

A friend commented I could have been under stress which then compromised the immune system. He suffered from acid reflux previously and led a much healthier lifestyle than me. The next consultation revealed there were traces of H Pylori, in scanty amount. Apparently, it was the number one stomach cancer causing agent and even in today’s advanced research, there’s no conclusive evidence of how a person could be infected. The guesswork pointed to a probable childhood episode, exposure to poor sanitation or maybe just an ingestion of unclean food. The doctor prescribed 14 days of medicine that included two types of antibiotics, likening it to a nuclear option to blast out everything in my gut. Unfortunately, I did get the side effects of mild diarrhea and stomach pains.

While still in the treatment cycle now, looking back, some things seem to connect. Since young, my gut has been a living litmus test of water hygiene. It is sensitive to changes in quality and proven time and again when overseas. Nearly every TCM I visited, the sinseh cautioned digestion issue as a case to resolve. So for example, as much as I like prata, it’s unlikely I’ll have it for consecutive days due to its oiliness and curry. Milo in the morning also usually lead to a toilet visit soon after. Till today, I prefer ketchup Bak Chor Mee. Perhaps the root cause has finally been found. But as I was informed, some people just have a hyper sensitive stomach that they got to live with, I am probably one of them.

Tip: Nichinichi Yamadanishiki, delicate rice expression, natural touch with fizz

Finance Investment Movement 60

So my portfolio chugged along to barely eke above the target at 5.05%, helped by rising values in Singapore stocks and crypto. Renovation expense has been fully paid so the cash account feels a little light, giving a slight uneasy feeling although there's still enough room for an opportunistic snag. I have also found an interim solution for SRS funds doing nothing i.e it's now invested into Fullerton SGD Income Fund. The expectation is for a close to 4% steady dividend yield. Let's see what the performance is like after six months.

My company decided not to give an increment this year, citing uncertain economic forces. It's now consecutive years where the employees got their hopes dashed. What were they expecting? Admittedly, the signs were clear. Revenue fell, margins squeezed and decreased forward orders. Thus, there could have been less disappointment if employees were realistic. In my conversation with some colleagues, what worries most is that they do not have much savings. I was also surprised to hear many of them do not invest, even in a simpler product like T-bill. Yet, some consoled themselves, saying they looked forward to the next round of CDC vouchers. That gave me an uncomfortable feeling. Cost of living issues are persistent and becoming entrenched. We risk getting caught in an inflationary cost environment along with stagnant wages. This is turning out to be a tough year.

Dividends as of July 2025: $5346.01 (avg $763.71 per month)

Tip: Santa Maria Valpolicelia 2019, pinot like, blueberries, a light lunch companion