What the Future Holds

I keep a rather updated profile on Linked n not because I'm currently looking for a job but I use it as my online resume.  I usually have a hard time locating my latest resume...it's saved in a memory stick somewhere or saved in the hard drive of a computer we no longer use.  Plus, the resume is always a few years old.  I have to update everything over again anyways.  So LinkedIn works for me.

I've been contacted by several recruiters before via LinkedIn- they're looking for people to fill retail buying positions for companies like Williams-Sonoma, CostPlus, etc. I usually politely inform them that I'm not currently looking to move companies but would love to keep in touch for future opportunities.  Because the truth is, I know what the future holds for me. 3/4 of our merchandise buying office has moved to Hong Kong.  It is only a matter of time when our last group goes too.  I swing like a pendulum back and forth on both extreme ends on whether I would move to Hong Kong when the day comes.  Some days like today, I just want to stay here, right where I'm at.  I'm happy living here - all my friends and family are here.  I'm a creature of habit and routine - if it isn't broken, why fix it?

Then I think about if I don't move to Hong Kong, I would surely get laid off.  Will I then find another job similar to the one I have now??  Will any of those opportunities in Williams-Sonoma, CostPlus, etc be able to pay me at my salary level and the bonus I get every year?  Will they be able to give me all the perks (vacation time, airline miles, AmEx reward points...)?  All these questions pop up in my head....This is the part where I don't know what the future holds.      

I've Dreamed Many Dreams

I ran across this poem a while back and loved every word of it.  I'm posting it here in case you haven't read it. Very inspirational and uplifting! 

I've Dreamed Many Dreams 

I've dreamed many dreams that never came true.
I've seen them vanish at dawn.
But I've realized enough of my dreams,
To make me want to dream on.

I've prayed many prayers when no answer came,
Though I've waited patient and long,
But answers have come to enough of my prayers
To make me keep praying on.

I've trusted many a friend that failed,
And left me to weep alone,
But I've found enough of my friends that are really true,
That will make me keep trusting on.

I've sown many seeds that have fallen by the way,
For the birds to feed upon,
But I've held enough golden sheaves in my hand,
To make me keep sowing on.

I've drunk from the cup of disappointment and pain
I've gone many days without song,
But I've sipped enough nectar from the Roses of Life
To make me keep living on!

Happy Hollow

Sarah spent this past Sunday on a play date at Happy Hollow in San Jose with little friends CF and SKC.  At Happy Hollow, Sarah -

• petted a few goats and a lizard
• rode the Danny the Dragon ride  
• sat on a lemur on the Merry-go-around
• saw a tortoise, lemurs, capybara, jaguar, and meerkats 
• had a picnic lunch in the park 
• ran around in a maze
• played on slides
• had loads of fun in the sun with her buddies!! 

We really liked Happy Hallow.  It is a small park perfect for the little ones to run around. Adults don't get too tired walking because it's a small place. All the rides and activities are included in the admission ticket so there are no additional costs.

A Letter to Sarah at 14 months 2 weeks

Hi mao mao
Boy, you are growing by leaps and bounds! You've learned so much in 1 month!

• You are able to follow instructions/directions now... you understand when we ask you to bring us something, sit down, stand up, go someplace, put things back, etc. The only thing we can't get you to do is to stand still!
• Your vocabulary is improving substantially.  Sometimes we are surprised you even know the word! You are able to say: baba, mama, ose (for nose), circle, "gor-dough" (Cantonese for 'over there'), bye-bye, mum-mum, duck, nai-nai (for milk), dog, uh-oh, "deet jor" (Cantonese for 'it fell down'), po-po (Cantonese for 'carry me').  I'm sure they are more words that I'm forgetting or haven't discovered yet!
• You don't seem to be afraid of anything (exception may be the iRobot).  You get on slides and swings, and monkey bars if you could.  Not afraid of heights or falling. 
• You are a little bit better at playing with toys. You know what the buttons do and hand-eye coordinate in stacking up boxes
• You are eating all sorts of table foods now.  We're not even keeping track of what you're eating - hopefully, you're not allergic to anything...'cuz if you do, we wouldn't know how to trace it back to the source!
• You are pretty much bottle-free.  You drink most of your milk in a straw cup (Lollacup).  The only time that you don't is in the morning...and that's mostly our fault/choice because we need to get out of the house in a rush!    
• You have 9 teeth. 4 on the bottom, 4 on the top and a molar!
• We are in the beginning stages of letting you feed yourself with a spoon/fork. You already mastered eating finger foods, so now onto the utensils! Your first self-feeding was a success. You got most of the rice cereal into your mouth. Practice makes perfect!  I can tell that you're kinda like a clean freak because you don't like getting your hands dirty. 
• And you think you can dance!  

Project Runway

I love Project Runway and Season 9 has just started!! It is my all-time favorite show.  I don't have cable so I can only watch this show is online. I like watching the designers' creativity and all the challenges that go with it.  The little bit of drama and personalities also make the show interesting.  I'm not a fashionista but I love the different clothes that come out of the show.  2 episodes out so far...can't wait until the next episode! 

By the way, while watching one of the season's show, I was so inspired that I even shopped around for a sewing machine...thinking that I can try to make my own clothes! ha ha ha!! The sewing machine never made it and I still have to buy my clothes.  Sewing is one of the skills that I wish I had.  My mom used to sew at home as a part-time job when we were little.  I remember that she would get these bags of fabric delivered from somewhere and she would sew the pieces together to make belts, collars, etc.  She would get paid like 10 cents a piece or something like that.  I remember helping her cut off loose thread strands off the finished products or flip the fabrics inside out.  We had this Brother sewing machine that comes on a table, equipped with foot pedals and all.  It was the Mercedes Benz of all sewing machines.  My mom ended up selling the machine off many years later to a friend of a friend for $200 (I think).  I regret that I didn't learn how to sew from that machine.  It was too intimidating.  I would still like to learn how to sew though.  Maybe I should just get a cheapie machine and ask my mom to show me!  

Oakland Zoo

This past Sunday, we met up with some friends at the Oakland Zoo.  The outing was part of my semi-annual get-together with my girlfriends from elementary school.  Yes, amazingly, we still keep in touch (even before Facebook!) Along with our significant others and kids, we met up at around 10:30am.  We walked through the exhibits one by one.  At around noon, we took a break to eat lunch in the grassy picnic area.  Then we continued our walk around the zoo premises. Sarah saw a lot of animals - including bears, monkeys, giraffes, zebras, elephants, and crocodile.  She also spent some time at the petting zoo, with the goats.  Too bad the lions were not out so we didn't get to see them.  We finally made our way to ride the train.  It was a rather long wait - but the kids all waited so patiently!  The train ride took us to the back side of the zoo, which we saw emus and wallabies.  We left the zoo at around 3pm and Sarah was so tired she felt asleep the minute we left the parking lot!

This was our first time to Oakland Zoo.  I must say that although the premise is smaller compared to the SF Zoo, it seems more catered to the younger kids.  The animals seem to be more lively and/or at least you can see them moving about.  The weather is also nicer and warmer. Too bad, this zoo is so far away from our house; otherwise, we would come back more often.   

Sarah turns 14 months today!

A vacation for my vacation

Even though I just came back from a week-long vacation, I am dying to take some days off soon.  Yes, I need a vacation for my vacation!  Because we traveled to a new city, our agenda for the day mostly comprised of wandering about and exploring the place. We did a lot of walking so at the end of the day, we usually returned back to the hotel tired. And of course, having Sarah with us added to the exhaustion. Although I had a lot of fun visiting the Northwest, I didn't feel like I got to relax at all!  

I actually love to take vacation days to do nothing.  Yep, nothing at all.  Wake up late, go to lunch, go shopping, go get a manicure/pedicure or a facial, take a nap, etc.  Just to be lazy. SQ is different - if he takes a day off, it needs to be productive.  I'm on the opposite end.  I don't mind being lazy, even for a few days.