recent visible progress # very rare therefore to be celebrated

There's some overlap with other lists, but I don't care. These are visible, even if unnoticeable.

Note majority of our efforts produce no visible progress. These are exceptional, to be celebrated.

• starch daily intake -- I set a target and hit it. Now I reduced 90%
• fruit as percentage of overall food intake -- probably doubled
• raw carrot. I finish one packet every 2 days
• low-fat milk. I have resumed my RTS habit 
• pull-up
• yoga #months and amount of sweat
• yoga poses
• early sleep
• early rise
• # movies
• actual burn rate
• standing desk @ home hours
• time utilization @ commute
• familiarity with Bayonne for home buying
• ----I will only mention a few career-wise
• salary increased by 10%

I achieved a lot of what I set out to do #cf peers

I achieved a lot of what I set out to do

• I (together with my beautiful wife) raised 2 beautiful, healthy kids
• I helped my son take up piano, and due to his and our effort, he didn't give up. 
• I managed to start my GC early.
• ----self-management
• many peers put on lots of weight as we age. I didn't
• all my peers know the importance of exercise but I am more successful with my exercise
• I'm also lucky to have this office facility
• I didn't lose my momentum. I think many of my peer did.
• I didn't slow my pace of self-improvement and learning. Few peer did the same.
• ----cash flow
• I managed to control my U.S. burn rate to around $1300 including rental and driving. Very hard to achieve
• I managed to increase my income in Singapore, even as I aged, and even without my specializations
• I managed my SGD/USD cash flow very well. Paid off mtg and BridgeRetail shops
• I now have passive income, much better than what my peers have.
• ----career
• my c++zbs has finally increased, perhaps from 3 to 6?
• I managed to retain my java IV standard despite lack of use
• I didn't lose my focus 
• I didn't give up my goal
• I remain convinced that I can learn and improve even as an aging developer
• my c++ IV success stories have roughly doubled since I returned to Singapore

%%financial situation: not bad compared2U.S.peers

I won't identify the specific group of peers.

• fully paid houses in decent locations
• spare cash (saving up for U.S. home purchase)
• low-cost uni options for my kids
• i can see how I could maintain my income for 20 years
• I have some low-cost retirement destinations in mind, though they (except Singapore) may become unacceptable.
• my parents don't need my financial support
• medishield for the family
• I don't share that (unnecessary) sense of duty to provide 250k for each kid

luckier than many Chinese(n indian)immigrant peers

• grandparents, kids, .. all healthy
• my parents have great medical benefits and pension
• beautiful wife who is also hardworking and frugal/thrifty
• 2 beautiful, healthy kids
• Aunt Genn is kind and great resource
• my kids can speak Chinese
• Beijing home
• Singapore as a fall-back option
• Singapore as a retirement option
• convenient, affordable lifestyle back in Singapore
• Singapore is better than U.S. for the needy families, the disadvantaged
• ...

I put in serious effort over last 5Y

Sometimes I don't like my current status, often triggered by some unfair peer comparison. That's when I should remind myself that I am not lazybones, and I didn't take the easy way out.

what don't break me make me stronger

turned out better than we feared