Money management

Money management

This month, my expenses skyrocketed, increasing by a staggering three hundred percent. Upon closer examination, I found that my daily expenditures remained small, with the majority of the increase coming from unforeseen payments.

Essential needs such as food, housing, or transportation only contribute a small fraction to this month's cost structure. In my past plan, I managed to tighten my budget by cooking at home and reducing unnecessary travel. This strategy effectively reduced my daily expenses by 20-30%, but It didn't significantly alter my overall financial status.

Hard times give me the ability to optimize minor expenses, and I've become adept at controlling my basic needs. However, when faced with larger payments, I found myself lacking of skills to use money effectively, although I read and knew the theory. From my viewpoint, all these expenses are necessary and cannot be reduced. 

My financial status has undergone significant changes, but I still managed it like a freshman. It's time to learn some new skills.

061 - jaken - 30/12/2023

Blockchain active addresses

This graph demonstrates the fluctuation in the number of active addresses for Bitcoin and Ethereum, the two leading cryptocurrencies. It reveals valuable insights into the current state of the market.

Represented by the red line, Ethereum, the world computer caught up with Bitcoin in 2018,  a mere three years after its inception. Both blockchain users' numbers increased during bull runs and decreased in bear markets.

In 2023, despite the significant surge in the price of crypto assets, the active user number remained relatively stable at around 800k. This suggests there are not many new users entering this industry, the influx of capital may come from old users and some big players.

059 - jaken - 28/12/2023

New year goal of a bookworm

 New year goal of a bookworm

In 2023, I set a singular target for myself: to read 52 books, and I surpassed it. Reading does not bring me more money or love, but this hobby gives me a lot of happiness. Therefore I spend one to two hours a day reading.

Since 2019, I have begun to make a new year goal. That year I was only able to achieve 3 out of 10 goals. So I reduce goal numbers in the subsequent years. The fewer targets, the higher the success rate, and this year, I finished 162% of my single target.

Compared to previous years, my reading list included more English and comic books. I discovered a new favorite author, Neil Gaiman, and devoured nearly all his tales, which contributed more than 50% of my 2023 bookshelf. Additionally, my collection of technical books now has more engineering, and less financial books.

For the upcoming year, I plan to slightly increase my goals. Let's see if I can achieve more than one:

- Read 52 books

- Build a snowman

- Learn a master's degree

058 - jaken - 27/12/2023

EQ

 EQ

The emotional quotient, or EQ is a set of abilities that include understanding, expressing, controlling, and using emotions. Unlike stable scores like IQ, emotional intelligence is a dynamic skill that can be developed through learning and experience.

First of all, self-awareness is the essential step. Recognizing your feelings, understanding their origins, and accurately naming them help people gain insights into themself. A rich, detailed vocabulary can facilitate the expression of one's status more effectively.

Articulating your feelings can calm down extreme emotions, and there are several techniques to ease negative thoughts such as walking, writing, or meditating. In addition, a positive mental state can be cultivated through memory recall or body language and can be amplified through self-suggestion.

While individuals can adjust their emotions, their feelings become tools that can be utilized in various situations. Those include self-healing, self-motivation, and self-happiness. They can also be leveraged to influence others in both personal and professional relationships.

To conclude, emotional intelligence is a vital skill that requires continuous improvement for a more fulfilling life and successful career.

057 -  jaken - 26/12/2023

ETH burned

This visual illustrates the burning status of Ethereum - the second-highest market capitalization cryptocurrency.

Following the implementation of the Ethereum Improvement Proposal 1559, over 3862000 ETH, currently worth 8.7 billion dollars, was removed from circulation. The ongoing burn rate stands at 3.73 ETH per minute, an approximate value of 8500 USD. This rate corresponds with a deflation rate of 3.2 percent, as depicted by the clock on the right side.

At present, the average base fee for Ethereum transactions is 43.5 GWei. The block utilization is relatively low at 50%. Given these traffic conditions, transactions can be processed swiftly at a reasonable cost.

Although the Gas Target is at 15 million, the Ethereum blockchain typically operates below its full capacity. Therefore the system has substantial capacity for more future users and applications.

052 - jaken - 21/12/2023

In your last

 In your last

What will preoccupy your thoughts in your twilight years? Are they your incompleted journeys, tangled career paths, or broken relationships of young ages? From my perspective, just as an adult forgets their cherished toys in kindergarten, who has one foot in the grave worries about very different things.

The aging process will slowly take away fundamental abilities from humans. Beauty, health, the precision of senses, memories, and even sanity will diminish by and by. Compared to those, the dreams of our youth seem like mere illusions.

Every morning, when I exercise jogging around my apartment, I often see an old man sitting in a wheelchair and sunbathing. A nurse, employed by his family to take care of his daily life. His children are affluent, and he may have an illustrious past. However, now he cannot eat or defecate by himself, suffering persistent pains in bed like my grandfather.

In my last years, my hope is to retain a lucid mind and enough power to control my death and life.

051 - jaken - 20/12/2023

Early bird

 Early bird

Typically, my alarm clock is set for 5 AM. Every morning, I wake up and snooze the clock several times before I fully awake. This indiscipline had made me feel disappointed with myself for years until I experienced a long insomnia.

During that hard time, I usually found myself waking up before the alarm, not only several minutes but hours. And after waking up, I could not fall asleep again. As a result, all of my day was filled with anxiety and exhaustion. My work efficiency plummeted to an all-time low. My dream records were empty for a while because the short time of sleep didn't have enough space for dreaming.

Once I can sleep normally again, I find joy in hitting the snooze button in the morning. In fact, that's the best time for dreaming, while I awake and asleep at the same time, I can stand on the border of The Dreaming and The Waking World, capturing lucid dreams.

050 - jaken - 20/12/2023

Expanding menu

Expanding menu

After enjoying the sweet flesh of a jackfruit, I usually collect its seeds for culinary use. Looking at this little dish, I think about a quote by an unknown author: "We expand our menu after famines"

Except the succulent flesh, jackfruit seeds are a treasure trove of nutrients. The rags, fibrous parts, can be incorporated into many recipes including fried, braised, or salad. However, most of the time modern people only consume the most delicious parts. They throw away the remains due to our plenitude of food. That's human nature: we will not optimize unless necessary.

Back in the hard times when ancient ancestors suffered from starvation, they sought sustenance from any available source, regardless of its shape or taste. Those were the periods of extending the boundaries in food realms. As a result, a myriad of plants, animals and even inorganic items found themself in cooking recipes.

Over time, the recipes have been diversified and perfected by numerous chefs, evolving into our current menu.

049 - jaken - 18/12/2023

Counting stars

Today is my monthly day of unplugging. I joined a team on trekking to the La Ngau Rock Stream. At the end of the trip, I found myself scrolling on social media apps immediately after reconnecting to the internet.

Our day began early in the morning, we woke up and gathered at Hoa Lu Stadium. A bus then drove all of us to Binh Thuan District, initiating our long journey deep into the forest, untouched by mobile phone signals. All members enjoyed the journey near the cool water and the untamed trees. As the day drew to a close, we left the stream and took a rest in a homestay. A rich and flavorsome BBQ was served, including chicken, pork, shrimp, oysters, and various side dishes. 

After the party, the majority of the team stayed at the table, cracking jokes. Some members explored the homestay, like little kids or curious cats. I caught myself and the rest laying on hammocks, scrolling the phone.

So, I let myself turn off the mobile network, walk into the dark, and count the stars.

048 - jaken - 17/12/2023

Food dream

 Food dream

Today I dreamed about Cempedak. The visual was so real that it made me drool after waking up. Therefore I bought a jackfruit to satisfy my appetite.

In my dream, I brought two cempedaks to a group of friends. One of them took the knife and started to peel the fruit's cover. Once he peeled a quarter of the skin at the side, I felt something wrong and told him: "No, It's not the proper way to eat Cempedak".

Another friend smiled, he took the peduncle and pulled out through the peeled skin. Then the flesh showed off deliciously and was ready for eating. But while I took one piece to eat, everything just disappeared and I woke up hungry.

Pursuing my dream, I went to the store but could not find any chempedak. Finally, I came back with a slide of jackfruit, a same genus fruit with similar delicious.

046 - jaken - 16/12/2023

Nen Hexagon

 Nen - Hunter x Hunter

This Hexagon below represents the Nen classes - a superpower system featured in the Hunter x Hunter manga series. The numbers indicate the abilities of an Emission across different classes.

Depending on the character and gene of each user, their natural nen will belong to one of six categories: The Enhancement nen enhances strength, stamina, or hardness of the body and objects. The Emision can project their nen outside far from their bodies, creating effects like energy bullets or explosives. The Conjuration can create gadgets with special abilities. The Manipulation can control living or nonliving entities. The most interesting class is at the bottom: Specialization class encompasses all other random powers.

A cup of water can be used to determine a user's nen class. A typical user can use other class skills with less effectively, except the opposite class on the hexagon. For example an Enhancement user only could have 80% Emission power and 60% Manipulation. And he has no chance to play as a Specialization.

While this Hexagon is public in our physical world, it's taboo knowledge in the world of Hunter x Hunter, known to fewer than ten thousand people. If you aspire to be a dimensional traveler, this information could prove useful.

045 - jaken - 14/12/2023

Pho

 Pho

Pho, a popular traditional Vietnamese dish, is one of three Vietnamese words in the English dictionary. Despite its popularity, I've never been a fan of Pho.

I was raised with another traditional noodle called "Mì Quảng". A poet of Quang Nam once said: "I want to eat a thousand bowls, then I can die happily". I could consume my favorite foods happily three times a day, every day.

I started eating Phở when I stayed with my uncle. Occasionally, he brought all the family out for Phở as breakfast. After that, Pho became part of my menu, but it was not a top option.

When I moved to my current apartment, my choices became limited. I don't want to go so far for a meal, and there are only a few food stores near my home. Most of them were not very delicious, kept bankrupting, and were replaced by new stores. Except for one Phở restaurant, its taste was good and it survived long enough to make me a regular customer.

Now I find myself having a new habit. I eat Phở here two or three times a week, ordering the same dish each time. Perhaps in the distant future, I might become a Phở lover.

046 - jaken - 15/12/2022

Personal trainer

Last month, I started gym and hired a PT to train me in the basics. For the first time, I have gone to a gym with professional training, and the experience has been invaluable.

Based on my health status and strength, a personalized program was designed, to focus on enhancing my back muscles to support my poor spine. The trainer also gave me some advice on my diet to adapt to the new exercise style. I had attempted gym workouts in the past, but I always gave up due to a lack of motivation. This time, the PT's engaging and effective exercises have led to daily improvements in my condition.

In several weeks, the encouragement and compliments I received from my PT have surpassed those I've received from others this year. It's a wonderful feeling, to know that my efforts are being recognized. Now I understand why some wealthy ladies are drawn to PTs. Not only because of their perfect bodies but also the soul care that a normal man cannot provide.

I plan to go to the gym independently after this month, once I have learned the correct exercise techniques. But now I'm not sure, fun has a price and I'm poor.

044 - jaken - 13/12/2023

Cryptocurrency heatmap

The heatmap provided by Coin360 illustrated all cryptocurrencies' performance in one day. Each block represents a cryptocurrency that has an area in direct proportion to its market capitalization.

Today the market is deep in the red. Leading by bitcoin, most tickers now are decreasing after a green month. As usual, altcoins are dropped deeper than BTC. However, a few tokens such as AVAX, OP, or IMX are bucking the correction with an upward trajectory.

Bitcoin is still dominant in the market, accounting for 51% of the total value, followed by Ethereum sharing 20% and Tether with 6%. Other blue chips are shown at the top right of the charts, including BNB, XRP, SOL, ADA, AVAX, etc. The less popular cryptos shared the remainder: In the right bottom corner are thousands of lesser-known coins that contribute a little to the market.

042 - jaken - 11/12/2023

We're changed

We're changed

This weekend, I reconnected with an old friend after a gap of four years. The moment he stepped into the café, I realized how long it's been and how much we've changed.

Four years ago, he was a handsome fellow, naive with youthful energy. And I was a lost man who was finding my purpose in life. We teamed up with other crazy and humorous minds across the country during a training course. After that event, we maintained online contact but haven't met again until now.

His new theme was a seasoned businessman, with a mind sharpened by knowledge and experience, and his speech was polished by interactions with countless customers. The youthful exuberance still sparkled in his eyes, but the man standing before me was significantly different from the last image of him in my memory. While seeing his development, I reflect on my own journey and acknowledge the changes within me.

As for me, I transitioned from a super introvert to someone who has the skills of communication, at the cost of my ability to enjoy solitude. My life is more colorful, with higher volatility emotions though many pleasures and pains. And again, I lost my purpose in life and trying to build a new one.

Thank you so much and see you again, maybe in another four years?

041 - jaken - 10/12/2023

Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet

I decided to watch this performance alone after many unsuccessful attempts to invite friends to join me. Because some of them were not interested, and others couldn't arrange their time.

Without my friends, most of whom are full-time employees, I chose the performance at noon. And luckily, I caught a single seat lonely near the stage. At night time, most of the ticket was sold and there were not many options. 

I arrived just three minutes before show time with an e-ticket on my phone. I thought there would be a queue for check-in but not. The staff just quickly looked at my phone and directed me to my seat. The chair was slightly damaged and creaky while I sat down.

Interestingly, the majority of the audience today were kids - young children in uniform. "They might have been the same age as Juliet when she died" - I thought. That's the time I remembered I came here to watch the tragedy of the suicide of a teenage couple.

Romeo, however, was not a little boy. He was half as much again as my size, and was an adult, like his Juliet. Although I could only listen to 30% of their dialogue (It's a slight disappointment about myself, I thought I could understand 60-70%), the excellent gestures and facial expressions made the play easy to follow. Maybe because I knew all the script already too.

The performer teams had around eight members for more than ten characters. The props are simple but well-designed for each scene. I had the good fortune to stay near the stage and watch clearly the troupe, their costumes, and their acting. 

After two hours, the performance concluded with the death of the young couple. My teardrops fell slowly for their endless love and my past broken relationships.

039-040 - jaken - 08-09/12/2023

Rat's wedding

 Rat's wedding

The artwork below is called "Rat's Wedding", a popular Dong Ho folk woodcut painting, that illustrates a piece of Vietnamese's ancient culture.

In the lower section of the picture is a rat groom who is escorting his bride home. He rides a red horse, a color of happiness, and wears a ceremonial hat. Accompanying him is a black rat carrying a big parasol, followed by another with a board. At the end of this line is the bride in a palanquin, carried by four mouses.

The new husband is worrying, looking to back to his wife and the other line. There are two rats who are playing music for the wedding, another pair brings a fish and a chick as offerings to a big angry cat. On this joyous day, the rat community hopes the cat can stay still and not mischievously destroy their festivity.

The cat serves as a metaphor for a corrupted government. This timeless piece of art subtly highlights the long history of the bribery culture in Vietnam.

038 - jaken - 07/12/2023

A dinner

In this picture is my dinner. I tried to put carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins in a balanced meal.

The green parcels in bamboo leaves are a traditional Vietnamese dish called "bánh bột lọc". They are made from tapioca dumpling mix, filled with shrimp, and steamed to perfection.

In the top-left corner are two slides of "chả bò", which are made from beef, garlic, pepper, and other ingredients. It was pre-cooked, so all I had to do was slide it and put it on a small plate.

I also prepared a mango for my dinner. It'll provide fiber and vitamins to my body. It's also a delicious dessert that will balance the overall taste of the meal.

The last and the most important is "nuoc mam", a fish sauce mixed with sugar and chili then all other foods could be dipped in. Without this sauce, the Vietnamese meal cannot be complete.

037 - jaken - 06/12/2023

GPT and freelancers

The illustration below demonstrates the affection of Foundation AI to self-employed content creators. Both the number of offered jobs and the average income decreased month by month.

Both charts were divided into two segments: 6 months prior to the introduction of Chatgpt and 5 months after. The number of jobs available before GPT slightly decreased. But after the AI was published, it dropped significantly around 1% each month. 

The chart on the right represents the creators' income. Their earning was stable before AI, then dropped markedly around 3 percent per month, now an approximately 10% reduction compared to the pre-GPT era.

These graphs proved the effects of generative AI on the job market. Looking ahead, as AI continues to evolve and become more powerful, its influences will be more serious problems.

035 - jaken - 04/12/2023

El Salvador's Bitcoin portfolio is in black.

Since the president of El Salvador announced that his country would accept bitcoin as a legal tender, El Salvador started to DCA bitcoin. Then they bought near its peak value and suffered a long time in red. Finally, the profit came back to the bitcoin country now.

In the chart, the blue line illustrates BTC price from Sep 2021 to Dec 2023, the cryptocurrency experienced a bear market from Nov 2021 to Jul 2022, followed by a 7-month kangaroo sideway before embarking on a new bull run in Jan 2013.

The green circles are El Salvador buying orders, while the higher green dotted line indicates the total dollar cost average. After nearly two years, the first time the blue line crossed above the green line, marking a net profit of 3.6 million dollars for the country.

Currently, El Salvador's Bitcoin portfolio is worth $130 million, and the country will  continue to invest in Bitcoin, as president 

Nayib Bukele published on his Twitter account.

036 - jaken - 05/12/2023

Red alert 2 - 8 players map

 Red alert 2 - 8 players map

This image represents a map for eight players in Red Alert 2, an exciting real-time multiplayer strategy video game.

The map includes a valley in the center, from which several paths lead to elevated areas. These higher regions are the initial territories for the players' army. Eight red squares on the maps are starting points. Sevens are on the same elevated terrain at corners and sides of the map, but one is positioned at a lower level near the center.

Next to each spawn location are ore mines, which are yellow on the screen. There is a gem field in the center valley with rich material resources. For that reason and its geography, central land is often the most disputed territory.

There are several useless groups of trees on the map to make it greener. However, there trees will not affect the game experience. Except for some boring players who send their soldiers and tanks to destroy plants.

034 - jaken - 03/12/2023

Book Review: Machine learning for hackers

 Book Review: Machine learning for hackers

Actually, this is a machine learning book for coders (hackers is the mighty catchy word for attracting readers).

Instead of using math symbols, the book was written in the developers' language: programming language R. All complex mathematic formulas were transformed into coder-friendly commands and functions. Anyway, the author didn't provide detailed theories but focused on the practical implementation of machine learning through executable source code.

There was a GitHub that provided all R source code in the book. However, some of the codes were outdated due to expired online APIs. The majority of the codes still work well and can be used while reading. Interestingly, there was one programmer who also converted those sources to Python. Although I knew it was the best way to learn, I was too lazy to do the same.

Honestly, I passed a lot of code in the book because of my limit in R language. Therefore, I strongly recommend those interested in this book take the time to learn the basics of R and ML before reading, for better understanding.

032 - jaken - 1/12/2023

Try hard or give up

There is a belief that the optimal approach to a challenging situation is acceptance. Conversely, others argue that people should try to improve such circumstances. In my view, these are two complementary ideas and can both be used during difficult times.

On the one hand, if we don't try and just come to terms with adverse conditions, we could never discover their potential for improvement. Some struggles are enduring, but others can be overcome with sufficient effort. Once one solves a problem, they find it easy and do not understand some people still struggle. For example, the old professors rarely remember the hurdles that young students encounter in their learning journey. Therefore, It's better to do all you can before giving up.

On the other hand, not all problems are resolvable. Individuals have varying resource limits, knowledge, and skills. Sometimes we may recognize that a situation could change with more effort, but the cost may outweigh the benefits. For example, instead of persuading your current boss for a raise, seeking a higher salary at a new company is a more effective strategy. After trying all, giving up will become the most viable option.

In conclusion, choosing the best strategy in a challenging period depends on detailed conditions. How hard should we try and when should we give up is the art that can only be mastered through experiences and pains.

029 - jaken - 28/11/2023