Came back from the family ski camp; my dream trip with both my sons, to the very place where I was born and grown up, to execute the very activity I had engaged so much for so many years.

It was just great, I feel satisfied.

We will move to Tokyo tomorrow. I may see Mr. Takano if both of us can make it.

Two young men want to see what Tokyo is about. After that we will head back to Malaysia.

My parents will be left alone again. That's the destiny which is very sad.

But I beleave I've managed to do something good to them. I encouraged them, I let them see their grandchildren, and I made sure that I would be always their child.

I was in a hot spring alone the other day for a long time and thought over things. I decided a few things how I sould do to my parents in the near future.

I will think about it over and over though being back to Malaysia.

Look, we were skiing.

Well you are not looking at us skiing, but looking at us just about to be skiing.

The very first trial is always tough.

When my second boy tried for the first time 2 years ago, he was near to cry before enjoying 20 menuts later.

My first boy's case today was about 10 menut shorter in suffering than the second one. He tried skiing for the first time in his life, but somehow still managed.

From tomorrow, we are going out station ski trip to Myoko mountains for three days.

The second day in Japan

All slept a lot, and moved a bit.





Visited my father in the hospital, hair cutting as one of my boy's hair so untidy and messy so was mine, shopping for ski stuff for tomorrow and big dinner at a sushi restaurant.





This sushi restaurant is good.


Sushi is supposed to be expensive.


Mainly because the sushi making skill is said to take years to be mastered.


They claim that the technique of sushi making is very difficult and need years to learn.


And those days, the master used to entertain the customers with personal attention that might have been a part of the cost.


The sushi materials were bought at fish market by the master himself every morning, that contributed to the high food price.


The one we went don't have those.





The restaurant we went equipped a long rotating bar that served so many people without keeping any personal attention.


The fish is supplied in mass distribution, so cheep.





So it's so nice.


All enjoyed, especially the one behind my wife who lost his heart with the food on the other side of him.

The right is my mother.
Her husband is in the hospital, dreaming of sushi.
Her left is my elder one who pretends not to have lost his heart with sushi just the very moment of photographing.

We are planning to go skiinig tomorrow.

The first day in Japan

Arrived very early in the morning.

Got to move on, no resting luxury.

One stop at the famous place where you can observe aeroplane so close flying above you.

Enjoyed, ...but tires.

Another 6-hour-ride on special taxi after 7-hour-flight.

Finally managed to reach home. My kampung. My parents are happy.

I'm OK.

I have studied all of your salary thoroughly with a help of Miss P W.

I've discovered that all seem to be justifiable except for the two technical practitioners, and I would like to look into them.
The said two produce more than they are paid today, so their original wages will be adjested accordingly from January 2009.

I'd like to give increment to all.
...Not now for all. Not stable enough.
But still, I'd like to consider for the three new staff (beside the aforementioned two), who strugled and tried their very best for the very first year of their working lives.
They are getting litt...ttle bit of increment from this month, that will surely make a big difference (please make sure)!
The rest of you, old people, please accept this.

Oh, a bad news from Miss P W...
One of our clients failed to bank in our professional fee on time today, so our financial statement will be at a "tak cukup" circumstance on January payday.
It can only make it on 3rd February.
Please do not go to the bank too happily to withdraw money. You may be disappointed.
I am so sorry about that.


The allowance of 100 or 200 for unclear purposes given to a few members did not work well, so we don't practice that any more.
Better to think of more practical appraisal method which is in progress in my head. I will slowly expose my concept of appraisal through here, so you better watch out.

It's not a perfect timing for me to travel now (since my salary will delay more than yours), but I have to do this as there will unlikely be any better opportunity for my old parents in Japan to receive their grand children from Malaysia.
So I'm going off to Japan tomorrow.

Next time I see you, you are very rich with no money spent during the long break.
I'm looking forward to seeing those prosperous faces.

A Happy Chinese New Year.

I was an ambitious boy, not for money but for professional achievement. So, I didn't bother much about the amount of salary I would get.

A small consultancy firm was never famous of a high wage. My first salary was slightly less than 100,000 yen, which could be more than 3,000 ringgit now, but was something like 1,000 ringgit before yen went mad. So I was not proud of my salary at all.

That neither means that I intend to set your salary low to repeat what I have had, nor that I regret myself in the past and willing to give you generously.

I am now working on a review of the very initial amount a new staff is paid, and will adjust the amount in accordance with his/her experience, qualification and the current market situation.

I'm also thinking of calculating how much that initial salary will become after certain number of years with a rate of annual increment, and see whether the current salary of senior members are justifiable or not.

Yeah, I'm talking about your salary right?
So, it's actually about the employment.

Employment.

Almost the same thing as marriage. It's a human relationship between the two.

In the case of marriage, it's you and your wife, or you and your husband. Girlfriend and boyfriend not applicable, because there is no commitment. Marriage is like a contract. You should do this and that, otherwise you would be out. I should do this and that, otherwise I'm not fit to the style of your family.

In the case of employment, it's you and the company.
You do good to Aroma Tropics, so I will take care of you. It's that simple, you see, same as you and your sayang.

The thing is
... the system how I appreciate your contribution to Aroma Tropics might not have been well spelt out in the current method. A suggestion of how you can improve your work is also not reflected in the structure of your wage.

Now you know, it's not that simple right?

I shall continue.

Dear Aroma members,

A happy new year.

For the fresh year, I have to begin this very important task which has been pressuring me to look into since last year.

It's about your salary.
I want to think about this.

So, I start from my own thing.
The entire aim of my life is neither to make a big success in business nor to become very rich (but okay to be a bit richer than now).
My aim is to do a good job and to leave a nice thing to the world.
So, it does not make sense if I pay you less.

But at the same time, I do not wish to pay you more than worth amount of work you do.
I prefer to gain for what I do, and the same should be applied to you. You should get for what you produce to the world, but not more than that. Also, not less than that.

That is the very principle.

I will continue again.