Monday, December 22, 2008

Good Grief! It's the end of December!

Honest to goodness where did the months go to? 'Tis 2 days to Christmas Eve it tis.....

I just realised that the last posting I wrote was in July! Ah well....better late than never I guess.

Since July, the world has seen massive economic changes, huge corporations have gone down, tens of thousands of people have been retrenched and many people are going to have a poor Christmas and Chinese new Year this time around :( Malaysia saw a very quiet Hari Raya Haji and hardly anyone has been shopping for Christmas. It's just 3 days...I mean 2 days away in fifteen minutes (Almost midnight now) and there is a pronounced silence in the mall where I work.

I was in Kuala Lumpur a few days back and the Xmas decor at the Pavilion was all white and gold. Really classy but there was no warmth to it, no mood at all and there were not many shoppers too. Mid Valley Megamall had crowds and that's because the management there actually made the atmosphere Christmassy with their giantic Christmas tree and decorations. They didn't cut down on their budget, in fact I say that this must have been their BEST in all the years! It was WONDERFUL to see all the beautiful beautiful decorations and listen to all that Christmas songs and see all the lights...and all the hustle and bustle of people...a real sight for tired weary eyes....no where else had this festive feeling and the whole place made people want to shop and laugh and give and eat and smile and nod and greet......

Just a year ago, this kind of set-up was at every street corner and I guess everyone just took this kind of feeling for granted as all shops and malls would be dishing up the same atmosphere for the year-end holiday season. Who would have ever thought that in just one year, we'd have to look this hard to find the Christmas spirit?

I wonder what Chinese New Year 2009 would be like in terms of festivities?

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Challenging Times for everyone

Are you having a difficult time making ends meet? Most Malaysians are experiencing this...in fact the whole world is having a bad time. If you think that here in Malaysia, we having a bad time, (made worst by our political situation and all those ridiculous accusations from one party to another), others elsewhere are having 10 times our problems! Imagine that 2 of the world's biggest financial institutions have gone into receivership after losing USD 3 Trillion!!!! I can't begin to picture how much 3 trillion is! Can you? Did you know that the summer Olympics are only 2 weeks away and hotels in that part of China are not yet fully booked?

Locally, even hawker businesses have been affected by this domino effect - my favourite chicken rice stall has always been so busy during lunch time that I usually cannot find parking space. So, smart me got a hold of their mobile number and I used to call-in to place my order for take-away. Then all I had to do was to give them a honk for them to deliver to my car window. On several past occasions, they have not answered my calls because they were just too busy. Last week, I did not call but drove straight there to buy my lunch and surprise surprise; there were several parking bays empty and all the 5 staff who work the stall were so free that they were just standing around chatting!!!

Then there is my favourite bak kut teh stall in their own coffee shop - 10.30 pm prime supper time (dinner time for us over-worked retailers) - only 2 tables were occupied. The owner told me that for the first time in 20 years, she has had unsold food!

Last night - We went to yet another favourite - a western fare stall in THE most popular and one of the biggest eating shops in Kuantan at 10.00pm -This place has ALWAYS been full for the past 4 years I have been patronising, (Don't know about the years before but I am sure I am the late bloomer cos the owners are filthy rich!) and viola! Only 5 tables (+ mine) were occupied.

Since May (or if you like, since after the elections and the petrol hike), the mall where I work has been like a 'ghost town'. We see only shop keepers and their staff visiting each other or on weekends, whole families window shopping just to enjoy free air conditioning! Looks like nobody is buying unnecessarily. Currently, the whole of Malaysia is on sale with the Annual Mega Sale that is on at this time of the year but nobody is buying - sale or not.

Our shop? THANK GOD FOR TOURISTS & THE US MARINES! Our currency is still very low compared to theirs, so they have been coming in everyday to make purchases. Did you know that many foreigners believe in feng shui or have a wife or a loved one who practises feng shui? So, right here in a small city on the east coast of Malaysia, they go crazy over all the available feng shui products that we carry.

I think our boutique is able to survive these trying times because it had been designed professionally by a feng shui designer supplied by our head office and laid out according to my personal auspicious directions. I am sure too that my self-analysis, diagnosis and feng shui correction of my shop and office contributed a lot to our subsistence. I can't say we are roaring with business like we did in December last year or the great sales carried on way past the 1st quarter of this year BUT we are surviving. Enough to cover costs with less profits but at least we still have profits! I must monitor my feng shui so that this will last until most of the worldly problems financial problems have been resolved.

As my master said in the beginning of this year - 2008 is a year of clashing elements. She had calculated this from the chart of the year - Strong water and weak earth - and these have come to fore in many places - in the Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmmar and in Szechuan in China. The year is only half over in the Chinese calendar - is the worst over or will there be more disasters to come?

This I do know - I have taken all precautions and installed all cures in my shop, my home and the homes of my immediate family. I carry all the amulets needed to ensure my safety and to clear obstacles in my path - for I am a Horse-born which is singlehandedly, THE worst off animal sign amongst all the 12 animals of the Chinese Horoscope. When bad things are meant to happen, you cannot completely prevent it but you can reduce its effects to so little that the damage done is minimal.

I am not greedy, I know I am having a tough year and 2008 is a difficult year for everyone. I just want to survive till the good times roll again. That should be everyone's best bet this year. Doesn't matter if you own an empire - the higher you are, the faster you drop.

Thank you feng shui for teaching me what to do and when to do it so that all our afflictions are reduced.

I end this post with an invitation to anyone who finds it hard to survive these terrible times - Write in your problem in my comments box and I will offer you some feng shui tips. Short, sweet and to the point please.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Feng Shui works!

Sometime this year, just before Chinese New Year, I did a consultation for a businessman who wanted both his office and home analysed and corrected. He also wanted them to be feng shui changed to Period 8 buildings (2004 - 2024) as they were built in Period 7 (1984 - 2004).

He was a model client who followed everything to the tee, resulting in a big boost in his businesses, including the business of his daughter who had her company located inside his company. Immediately the chi in his office flowed better and projects got underway much smoother and obstacles disappeared from their paths. They also had much more enquiries and business deals - so much so that he had to turn some offers down as there were just too many to handle.

I was really happy for them but did tell them to sell off their office building when the price was right; and to purchase a new one built in Period 8 as this existing office has a missing south corner which will deny the company recognition and fame luck.

Well...well...whaddaya know? They got a really good offer recently, and are in the process of relocating to new premises. Of course they have hired me to do another feng shui assessment of this new building too :)

But before all that selling and buying took place, their good feng shui luck saved them a huge sum of money! A new project had been confirmed for a certain large sum of money but their
client's lawyers kept making small boo boo mistakes in the agreement documents, thus, delaying the signing of the contract, one day after another for a total of 3 days - thereby, delaying the signing of the contract by both parties till...........the day of the massive petrol hike in Malaysia that sent thousands into late night queues at all petrol stations.

So. Another budget was renegotiated between my clients and their client - saving my clients a loss of hundreds of thousands of ringgit.

Nature of their business? Logistics.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Feng Shui isn't magic, it's also not house maintenance!

Humphmm....today's post is about how many people do not understand what feng shui is about. It is an anceint Chinese science that teaches you how to apply living skills to better your health, wealth, happiness and harmony. It is also about how to subdue afflictions in your home and work enviroment.

It is not magic and it does not repair and maintain your house!

I am saying this because I get so many kooky customers who ask me strange questions like....

I bought a new car, can you give me a set of numbers to register the car with that will come out in gaming sessions and bring me lots of wealth? Or the latest....this lady walks in to ask if we have anything in the shop that will stop the leaks in her roof tiles or her pipes(?????) She said, no matter how many times she gets someone to repair the leaks, somewhere else will leak.

I told her to go get good experienced plumbers! *&^%$#@!!

Or that other one who walked in to ask if we had anything for her to wear/carry that will stop her looking at feng shui things in her house. ???????? I really don't know what she meant - is there someone who is over-enhancing their house with feng shui items or is she seeing more than she should each time she walks into her house? (She is currently pregnant).

Close your eyes baby! Close your eyes!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Slow down! Life's passing by so quickly!

Omigosh! You mean it's been almost 4 months since I last wrote a blog. Doesn't life zip by when you are growing ol...er...more and more mature?

Let's see now, what has happened since December 2007 - Been absolutely busy with peak period for feng shui (From November to June, especially before the Chinese Lunar Year). It's that time of the year when everyone's rushing to purchase enhancers and remedial items for the forthcoming year. Also the peak period for feng shui consultations and paht chee readings (8 Pillars Readings). This year of the Rat is good to most people except the Horse-born, who is extremely afflicted this year. I can't even remember how many Horses have already dropped by to complain about their health or accidents and how there has been obstacles in their path at work and in life. Better be careful than sorry....as they always say...prevention is better than cure. Whatever it is, I am a Horse born so I would rather be 'Kiasu' (Afraid to lose out on) as the Singaporeans say, than sorry.

So here I am, armed to the teeth with all..and I mean...ALL kinds of remedies and cures. My sifu said that there is no need to worry when you are protected. So mind you, I try not to jingle too much as I strut about! Psst.....I have several amulets clipped to my bra, am wearing a pendant, mantra rings on my fingers and mantra earrings on my ear lobes besides clinging and clanging items on my hand bag and dangling from my rear view mirror! Don't laugh! So far I am doing well....business has improved 5-fold this year and my seniors are even asking me if I am really a Horse-born!

I am also convinced that the 9-Dragons Plaque I hang behind my chair is spicing things up for me. I couldn't afford a 24 k gold-plated one so I bought a Copper/Lacquer one. It is not for sale, not at any price because it brought me so much good business! I hung 2 (large & small) 24 k gold-plated 9 Dragons plaques in my office in front of me (On display) and I am happy to say I have sold out all my stock! I just ordered some more because a new shipment just arrived. It's a case of 'Better grab them as they come' because we never know when they will be available again.

Last week when I visited my head office for a meeting, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a huge 24 k gold-plated 9 Phoenixes Plaque!!!!! It was there for approval from Her Worshipness the Esteemed Feng Shui Master. I told the staff at the office that irrespective of what she decides, I WANT THAT PLAQUE!!!! Just imagine having a 9 Dragons AND a 9 Phoenixes Plaque hanging from my wall! THAT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE GOOD FENG SHUI!!! Man, I would give my right arm to secure one of those!

Did you know that hanging or displaying a picture/art/plaque/painting/figurine of a Phoenix in the front part of your office will bring extremely good business luck irrespective of what you do or sell? Also irrespective of what gender you are (Don't be fooled by ignorant people who tell you that the Dragon is male and the Phoenix is female.). They only take on a male or female role when there is 1 Dragon and 1 Phoenix together as when they signify a marriage.

My Sifu said in the beginning of this year, that the Dragon-born has had good luck last year, even better luck this year and THE best luck next year in 2009. So, if you are a dragon-born, note this - when you have 3 years of great luck, and you know how to make the most of it, you've got it made. Make hay while the sun shines, no matter what career you have, 3 years of opportunities and knowing how to harvest it will set you up for life.

Everyone else should piggy-back on the luck of the Dragon, even its astrological enemy - the Dog-born. Go on, display lots of dragons in your house or office - be they single Dragons or 9 Dragons - just make sure they are majestic-looking and not dull, tired or worse, faded. Everyone can 'tumpang' the luck of the Dragon but if you are a Rooster-born or a Rat-born, it would be even better as the Dragon is the 'Secret Friend' of the Rooster and one of the allies of the Rat. Display a handsome-looking Rooster or Rat figurine gazing on the 9 Dragons plaque to maximize tapping into your good luck!! 9 Dragon Plaques can be hung up in any direction but best facing the front door to draw-in-the-wealth or behind your chair to lend you powerful support!