To all my readers from the Tamil diaspora, here’s wishing you a very happy Pongal! May this festival of harvest bring happiness and prosperity to you and your loved ones.

A couple of days back, I read a news report which was quite worrying. According to the World Economic Forum, the cost-of-living crisis will be the biggest global risk over the next two years. Global inflation remains at sky-high levels after energy and food costs rocketed last year following the invasion of agricultural powerhouse Ukraine by major oil and gas producer Russia. Supply constraints caused by the Covid-19 pandemic have also contributed to decades-high consumer prices. Conflict and geo-economic tensions have triggered a series of deeply interconnected global risks, including energy and food supply crunches, and strong increases in the cost of living and debt servicing. Such crises risk undermining efforts to tackle longer-term risks, notably those related to climate change, biodiversity and investment in human capital. This report described the cost of living crisis as the biggest short-term risk by 2025, followed by natural disasters, extreme weather events and geo-economic confrontation. Hopefully, there is an upturn very soon for the world.

Today’s quote is from the Buddha. He tells us that thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. What this means is that when we share our happiness with others, our happiness will not reduce when we share our happiness, it shimmers around us and even multiplies when it is shared. So spread happiness all around you today, you will see how beautifully impacts your life.

That’s all this week. Stay safe and be happy!

The first week of 2023 has just ended and how was it for you? I have been pretty consistent with what I wanted to do and hopefully, this will continue throughout the whole year.

To start the new year, here are two pieces of news I thought were good to share. South Korean oil and gas firm Hyundai Oilbank recently announced that it was handing out 1,000% of base salaries as bonuses to its employees for the year 2022. While the company stopped short of revealing exactly how much in bonuses it was lavishing on its staff this time around, reports have stated that the company ended up giving its workers bonuses of around KRW 121 million or USD 94,800 per person on average for the year 2021. This was indicated as being 600% of the base salary level, or about six years’ worth of pay. The company saw a 226% increase in profits in the third quarter of 2022 alone, with the total profits coming up to around KRW 2.8 trillion or USD 2.9 billion within the same period. These enormous payouts were attributed to the surge in global oil prices, with the protracted Russian invasion of Ukraine creating scarcity, which also coincided with the demand for heat during the winter months towards the end of the year. The OPEC led by Saudi Arabia and Russia cut down oil production to only two million barrels a day which also jacked up the global price of oil owing to even more scarcity.

Over in Taiwan, Taiwanese shipping giant Evergreen Marine has rewarded employees with year-end bonuses worth between 10 and 52 months of salary each, after posting bumper 2022 profits. Most of the company’s junior workers with a monthly salary of NTD 40,000 or USD 1,308 took home a bonus worth NT$2 million each last weekend, which is equivalent to more than four years’ pay. The 2022 payout is even higher than the 40 months bonus that the company paid in 2021. Thanks to the rebound of global container shipping lines following pandemic lockdowns, as well as soaring shipping prices, the company reported a net profit of NTD 304.35 billion for the first three quarters of 2022.

Imagine being an employee of either of the two companies!

Today’s quote is from American author and motivational speaker, Tony Robbins. He reminds us that we need to set goals to make the goals real and visible so that it gives us something to reach toward. When goals are set, they move from theoretical to practical. It’s not enough to just consider what you want to accomplish. You must take the time to be specific in setting your goals with time frames for achieving them.

That’s all from my side this week. Here’s hoping the rest of 2023 is as fantastic as the first week.

Happy New Year! May 2023 bring you love, luck, and prosperity, and may the year be the year you achieve all you desire. May this coming year lead you on a new exciting adventure, complete with life-changing experiences and deeper friendships.

Because of the rising COVID cases, especially in China, starting today, India has mandated RT-PCR tests for travellers from six countries, including China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand. Those travelling from these countries need to submit a negative test within 72 hours of their flight on the Air Suvidha portal, just like before.

Also starting today, Singapore will increase the GST or the Goods and Service Tax from 7% to 8%. So everything will become slightly more expensive.

In 2022, I was not walking as much as I did in 2021. Over the entire year, I walked as much as 1000 km less in 2022. At the end of 2022, I am in the state of Madhya Pradesh, having just crossed the city of Jabalpur and about 600 km short of entering my home state of Maharashtra and about 1000 km to my home in Mumbai. Hopefully, I will reach both my home in Mumbai as well as my parents’ new address in Bengaluru.

I just about scrapped through my reading challenge in 2022, finishing my last book yesterday night. This year I read 70 books which are less than what I usually do. This, I attribute to the rise of OTT platforms which I see a lot of.

Today’s quote comes to us from the author Maria Robinson and I felt this is apt as a quote for the new year. What she reminds us and it is a timely reminder, especially today is that we can’t go back and start anew, but all of us can start today and make a new ending. It is a timely reminder for all of us!

Happy New Year readers and may 2023 be the year when all your dreams come true.

Merry Christmas! To everyone around the world, may the magic of the festival bring peace and happiness…

As we countdown to the new year, both GG and BB are on a well-deserved break. Both have plans to meet up with friends and make the most of their break before school restarts.

China is in the midst of a huge Covid wave and there are concerns that this may, in turn, trigger a new variant. Hospitals are filling up fast, especially with the more vulnerable and the elderly. China’s home-grown vaccines have been proven less effective at protecting people against serious Covid illness and death than the mRNA vaccines used in much of the rest of the world. My prayers are with the people of China and hopefully this wave peaks soon and the situation comes under control very soon.

Today’s quote is a line from a classic I enjoyed as a child. Publishing as L.M. Montgomery, Lucy Maud Montgomery was a Canadian author best known for a collection of novels, essays, short stories, and poetry, beginning with the classic Ann of Green Gables from where this line is taken. This is something so simple, yet meaningful. I love this quote so much that I think I will use it as the basis for my next year. When I have to imagine something or dream of something, let me dream of something worthwhile. So dream on and while you are dreaming or imagining what your life will be, don’t imagine or dream of something small or inconsequential, dream big so it’s a dream that’s worth achieving!

And on that note, here’s wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and a wonderful end to 2022. Let’s hope 2023 is one where all our dreams are huge and ones that get achieved.

The man who gave us the theory of relativity and one who needs no introduction, Albert Einstein exhorts us to strive not to be a success but to be of value. Everyone’s definition of success varies, but when one’s definition includes being of value, it gives us a sense of purpose and a direction of what we want in life. It sets us up for being that person who will inspire others and showcase what it means to be of value.

I have not walked much this year and so at the end of November, I am still in Uttar Pradesh, having just crossed one of the state’s biggest cities, Kanpur. I am still about a thousand kilometres from my home in Mumbai and slightly more than two thousand kilometres from Bengaluru where my parents now live.

GG’s midterms start tomorrow and she has been pretty stressed this week. This is her last semester and she wants to go out with the best grades possible. Because of her exams, she has not focused on her university applications. She will work on that during her Christmas break which will be as soon as her exams end.

BB is as usual busy with his Final Year Project and is in school every day. He seems to enjoy doing research in the lab and hopefully, after he completes his National Service obligations, he can work on this, either by going to university or working first before entering university.

Last week, I heard that Air India and Vistara are going to be merged, with Singapore Airlines which is one of the partners of Vistara, getting a 25% stake in the newly merged airline. Vistara is owned by the Tata group which also recently acquired India’s national airline, Air India. I have flown Air India only once, about twenty years back and after that trip, I decided I will pay more, but not fly Air India. I recently flew Vistara when I went to India earlier this year. I liked their onboard services, but their customer service leaves a lot to be desired. Hopefully, the new airline will emulate the best qualities of Singapore Airlines which is my favourite airline.

That’s all from me this week. Stay safe during the holidays.