Elizabeth Tai's Blog, page 10

Hostel review: Melbourne Central YHA

The Melbourne Central YHA hostel is probably one of my favourite hostels in Melbourne. So, when I had to visit Melbourne in August this year, I quickly booked myself a bed in the hostel.

The Rooms

I usually get a bed in a shared room when I’m at a hostel, but during my recent stay in August, I decided to splurge on a private room.

The double room I got was basic but very clean and cosy. The view was nothing to shout at. The room had two windows, one facing the back of a hotel, and another a con...

My experience with EPF's Retirement Advisory Service (Part 2)

Last week, I wrote about my appointment with EPF’s Retirement Advisory Service (RAS). The post grew to a girnomous length, so I broke it up into two. So do read Part 1 first.

In Part 2, I will highlight what I discussed with the RAS officer and how I came to solidify my retirement strategy.

Since I’m a personal finance geek, I peppered the officer with questions, so we discussed the following:

What’s the right way to withdraw from EPF after retirement? Many folks withdraw a huge chunk of money...

My experience with EPF's Retirement Advisory Service (Part I)

In August, I had the rare opportunity to take some time off, so I used that time to do some serious “life admin” housekeeping such as service my car (it’s woefully overdue) and most importantly, put my financial house in order. I got online access to my financial accounts (such as EPF’s i-akaun and Public Mutual online), checked the state of my unit trusts, insurance and finally my retirement accounts.

It was during this that I discovered EPF’s Retirement Advisory Service (RAS).

The service wa...

5 things I love about Malaysia

One of my most popular posts was Why I left Australia and returned to Malaysia. Five years after my return to Malaysia, I’m confident that I’ve made the right decision. Why? Because Malaysia is my home, and there’s so many things I love about my country.

So, tomorrow being Malaysia’s 62nd National Day, and the first after the pivotal GE14 where Malaysians changed the government for the first time in her history, I thought it’s a good time to list the things I love about Malaysia.

Awesome unive...

Interview with Victoria Aveyard: From Book to Big Screen (Part 2)

In 2016, I had the chance to interview Victoria Aveyard for The Star. The article, ‘Red Queen’ author Victoria Aveyard on her wild success left a lot of our conversation out, so here’s more of the interview for your reading pleasure.

First, do read Part 1: Writing the Red Queen, where I spoke to Victoria Aveyard on how she began her writing and publishing journey.

In Part 2, Victoria talks to me about how she feels about her books being adapted into a movie and more about life as an author.

How...

Interview with Victoria Aveyard: Writing the Red Queen (Part I)

It’s always such a joy to speak to authors, because as a fellow author myself, I love to learn about other authors’ writing journeys and how they approach the craft. So when the chance to interview Victoria Aveyard came about, I jumped at it.

The author of the young adult bestselling Red Queen series spoke to me in 2016 about taking that big leap to write her novel and grappling with the fame that came with being the author of a bestselling series.

While we spoke at length during the interview...

Guest Post: How to achieve work-Life balance as a freelancer & keep burnout at bay

Rebecca reached out to me via email one day, offering to share her views about work-life balance and burnout prevention as a freelancer. I immediately said yes - burnout is an issue that needs more exposure, and everyone, whether freelancer of full-timer, needs to know how to work in such a way that is sustainable and healthy. On to you, Rebecca.

Everybody dreams about having the freedom of a freelancer, but not all people know how to manage what comes with it. As in all cases, working from...

I took a break from social media and blogging. Here's what happened

I find it ironic that these days we enjoy new sights through our smartphones instead of savouring the moment with our eyes. Photo by @jakobowens1

In July, my social media feeds were mostly silent. My blog was also quiet.

I had taken a break from social media and blogging.

The rules of my break were simple:

Thou shalt not check/post/comment on personal social media channels during working hours and from 8pm-8am.

Thou shalt take a break from posting blog posts.

Thou shalt not walk and look at you...

My favourite nicheless blogs

A while back I wrote about my blog identity crisis - that time when I just had no idea what to blog about.

Like many bloggers, I thought I had to pick a niche. And since I wanted this website to advertise my skills & portfolio, naturally, I thought I should start publishing content that was relevant to writing and digital marketing.

But I found that I couldn’t do it. I love digital marketing and all things content - including reading, watching and writing them - but I simply cannot imagine doin...

What's a work uniform and should you wear one?

My work uniform is simple: I pair palazzo pants with plain, coloured shirts. Photo by @parkerburchfield

I've spent most of my working life in a place where people sometimes schlepp into office with a T-shirt they got free from some event, 20-year-old jeans and bulky crocs. (Well, what can I say? Journalists are practical folks.)

After 15+ years working in the print media, I transitioned to a more corporate role. So, that meant a complete overhaul of my wardrobe.

As silly as it sounds, I didn't...