Low Maintenance

When some of my coworkers found out that I will finally be getting a laptop for work or that I will be finally going to New York on business, they got more excited than I did. I told them that I'm very low maintenance and I don't care for these kinds of "perks." While most people try to acquire as many "perks" the company can offer, those things don't matter much to me. Some of the perks include:

A laptop-- this is basically given to anyone who travels. Others use a desktop. Laptops are considered a perk because you can now use the laptop for personal use, such as what I'm doing now. Got a wi-fi so I'm sitting comfortably on my bed typing this entry, and browsing the web at the same time. Half of the time, it's more convenience than anything. You can bring work home (not that you really want to, but it's an option) instead of staying late in the office. It can connect to the network so all your shared files can be accessible from home.

A "Spy" phone -- a phone with Caller ID. Apparently, this is hot commodity in our company. Only certain individuals were blessed to have a spy phone, which does great things because you can see who's calling you ahead of time. This allows you to screen calls.

An "Aeron" chair -- these are the best ergonomic chairs in the market, which costs roughly about $1000 a piece. You can probably get some used ones for about $600. But these chairs are created with the best and innovative technology out there, allowing you to adjust almost every part of the chair thus making the chair customized to your body. The seat is made out of nylon (or some special material) and airs out any body heat that might have generated after, emm, 8 hours of sitting. Again, only certain privileged individuals were able to get these chairs because they are so expensive. Unless you have a medical disability or you are top management, chances are, you won't get one.

Travel -- this is perhaps the most sought after perk in the company. It's really an awesome deal. People get to travel to Europe, Asia, Australia, anywhere -- all expenses paid. From tickets, meals, lodging -- yep, even that latte you got in the morning-- all paid. Yes, you have to meet with vendors or check your emails at night, but the benefits are obvious. A lot of people tack on a few days after the trip for a personal vacation. They have to pay for the few extra hotel nights out of pocket for personal travel, but you've got your return ticket paid already, so why not? The best part is that you get to keep your miles, most of them will be doubled because you'll be flying on business class.

So, of the 4 things listed above, I used to have only 1 -- the aeron chair. I acquired it when a coworker of mine left the company and gave it to me. So, it's not like the company bought it specifically for me. Not until last week, I acquired 2 more of the so-called perks -- a laptop and travel. Although my travel is short-- only to New York for 3 days, I still consider it an all-expensed paid perk. I never asked for any of these things. I am low maintenance. The company should be glad to have hired me. I never ask for much. Salary, on the other hand, is another issue...and another blog.

Inspirations

After a few minor distractions, I have finally finished reading Hillary Clinton's book, "Living History." It’s basically a recollection of events that happened in her life from birth to the win for the U.S. Senate seat in 2000. I loved the style of writing and choice of words throughout the book, although there had been much spectaculation that the novel was not written by Hillary herself. The only disappointment from the book was the lack of personal feelings and thoughts on emotional events as the betrayl of her husband or the moving day of Chelsea to Stanford. I looked forward to reading what was in her mind during those times. There were a few sentences here and there, but never in full details. She's only human, so I am assuming that she must have been very emotional. But I guess she has to remain a strong woman (at least on the surface), so she did not portray any signs of weakness in the novel. Nevertheless, one of my memorable quotes from the book is, "When you fall off the cliff, you will face one of two possible outcomes -- either you land on solid ground or you learn how to fly." A very inspirational quote -- a very good example symbolizing how we should never let a problem take us down. So needless to say, I was very glad to see that one of the two possible outcomes was NOT breaking your leg or falling flat on your face. We should never let that happen to us, literally and symbolically.

Speaking about inspiration, I finished watching the movie "Seabisuit" over the weekend. I approached the movie with little expectations, thinking that it will just be one of the stories about horse racing. However, after I finished the movie, I fell in love with it. The storyline was touching and inspiring. The entire plot lies behind the notion that we all may have some imperfections, however, if given the right opportunity, we can still shine through! Even when all odds are against us, it just takes a little determination and a little hope to give us the power! Yep, yep, very inspiring and a very powerful movie! Definitely would recommend this movie to anyone who needs a little boost in life. It surely made my day and I'm sure it will make yours too!!

Remembering my college days

The recent warm weather and sunshine remind me very much of my long-gone college days, when I used to hang around campus in a big grassy area known as the Quad. During those hot and long summer-like days, most students like to lie on the Quad for a short nap under the shades of a tree with a book over their face. Others just like to gather around with friends, group studying or pure gossiping. I love to sip into an ice-cold drink and people-watch. Everyone is in their tees and shorts, sandals and all...all relaxed-fit. Everyone seems to be very happy. Life was so lazy and casual back then. Everything went and everything just goes. I love my college days -- enough to really miss them. I think whenever we become nostaglic about the past, we tend to only think of the good memories. Even the bad things that happen suddenly transform to laughter and become bitter-sweet. All I remember about my college days were good memories.

My younger sister is graduating from my Alma Mater this June and I will surely take a trip up there to see her graduation ceremony. True, the ceremony will probably be so artificial and boring, but I think it will be a good reason for me to go up there to see all the changes to the campus. I heard that they remodel a lot of the older buildings, including my favorite Memorial Union, where the Coffee House resided. They also built a brand-new Performing Arts building. Changes are mostly good, but I just hope that the grass on the Quad is still there -- so future students can still enjoy what I enjoyed during my 4 years there!