Happy New Year everyone! Good bye 2004!

My first entry in December and it's already the 22nd .. sorry, it's the combination of being busy and lazy at the same time. So I finally got my Christmas shopping done yesterday. I got smart this year... I went to the malls with gift ideas in mind so my only mission was to buy. I learned that only by doing that can I avoid aimlessly going to every single store, trying to find a decent gift for a decent price. That gets extremely tiring, and dangerous -- because chances are, I will end up finding something I end up buying for myself. But this year, nope. I targeted the selected stores, compared prices if allowable, and purchased. This cut my shopping time by at least 2/3.

So Christmas is only a couple of days away. To those who I won’t see anytime soon, have a Happy Holiday and a great new year!

Fundraisers

Christmas is here so you know what that means -- gift wrapper fundraisers! Have you ever been approached by someone asking you to buy these expensive $9-10/roll Christmas gift wrappers for a school fundraiser? I hate fundraisers, and I've been approached too many times that it's getting really annoying. There is this one woman at my workplace whose full-time job is to help her son fund-raise. I am honestly very sick and tired of her constant harrassment. Every 2-3 months, there is something: Candy bars for sale, magazine subscription drives, sponsorship to some spelling bee contest or a book-a-thon. Then of course, there is the annual gift wrap fundraiser -- don't ever forget about that. I think companies should ban employees from soliciting business from other fellow employees in the workplace.

I don't mind the occasional donation, but the practice has become too apparent and frequent that it has now become a pure annoyance. Being who I am, I never liked to say no to people asking for favors, especially from co-workers who you see everyday. But this year, I am able to put my foot down to end all of this misery. When I was approached this year (no surprise) to buy a gift wrap, I looked through the catalog out of courtesy and told her straight in the face, "You know, quite frankly, I still have the unopened rolls of gift wrap that I bought from the past 2 years. I don't need any of this stuff." I also let her know that I have nieces and nephews that have the same fundraisers, and that if I ever needed a roll of gift wrap or any chocolate tinboxes for that matter, I would probably buy it from them. After declining to her request, I think she got the picture, at least on my perspective. I think she realized that I don't appreciate the frequency of her requests. I am sure that many people around the workplace think the same way, but are probably too polite to say anything. Well, let them be, so they can continue to buy those rolls of expensive gift wraps year after year.

The Day after Thanksgiving

The radio is playing non-stop Christmas music. I guess Thanksgiving is officially over. Retailers and shoppers alike are gearing up for the holidays, if they haven't already done so 1 month ago. People say that the day after Thanksgiving is biggest shopping day of the year. I think it's because people hype about this day so much that mentally, they think they are getting extraordinarily good deals if they shop today. The media even called these good deals "door-busters" deals, describing how people line up before the opening of the store, just to get these early bird specials. I was just browsing through some of the ads yesterday and realized that some of the retailers' so-called "deals" are very much like deals that you often get throughout the year. So no need to wake up 5 in the morning trying to save an extra few bucks! It's probably something that you don't need anyways.

I find it funny that we often buy things not because we need them, but because they are so cheap that we can't possibly pass them by. My husband and I walked into Walgreen's just this morning and they had these Mega-king size Hershey chocolate bars for 50 cents each. They normally retail for $1.99 each. So what happens? We ended up walking out the door having bought 4 of them. No, not just 1 of them, but 4 in fact because the limit per coupon was 4. We are not even chocolate lovers! So, what exactly are we to do with 4 mega-king size chocoloate bars?! Any takers?

New York and Washington DC

Just came back from an extremely short vacation in Washington DC. My husband and I spent approximately 3 days in this city. I lived there 7 years ago for 3 months. Boy, have things changed since September 11! That's why this day can never be forgotten. It has forever changed our lives and America. Tourists are no longer allowed to visit and tour the White House, the Pentagon, and all enclosed federal buildings. On every corner of the block, tourists are now greeted by an uniformed person with a shotgun with steel barricades all around instead. It's sad to see how paranoid our nation's capital has become.

Before visiting DC, I was in New York on business for 1 week. This is my 4th time visiting this city, and I must admit that this city no longer charms me as it once did. When I went to NYC the first time many years ago, the hustle and bustle of the city intrigued and excited me. I loved the place and imagined myself moving and living there one day. But now my impression of NYC has changed from a fun, exciting and glamorous city to a place with too many rude people and extreme materialism. The past 2 trips showed me that in order to get anything done, you have to "show them the money!" To get a table at a restaurant, to hail a cab, or to get into a bar, all you need is money. Money, money can buy you everything. If you don't want to fork out the money, forget it -- all you will get is people being rude to you. And as you walk along 5th Ave and Manhattan, everyone and everything is branded. All this kinda made me sick.

I don't like this type of environment. I want to be in a place that if I walk around downtown with my sweater I bought from Ross, I won't feel like I'm being judged. I guess as I get older, how people see me is less important to me. I don't need to gain any concensus on how I should look or what I should wear. I am who I am, and I am glad that I have friends who do not judge people by the way they look.

It's really nice once in a while to spend the entire day at home, do nothing but some of your favorite things that you don't get to do often. Weekends are usually filled with activities (get-togethers, errands, appointments, chores, etc) so I appreciate the rare days that come by when I absolutely have no plans. Today, I didn't step out of my house for one bit and actually got away with wearing PJ's all day long! I spent my day eating and snacking, scrapbooking, watching TV, and browsing on net. The weather outside was cold and rainy, but I didn't mind it a bit. I was glad being in the comfort of my own house, warm and dry.

"chasing" chinese sitcoms

It has been half a decade since I last watched one of those Chinese sitcoms produced by HKG's TVB. Back in the days, I used to "chase" those sitcoms day in and day out, especially those with my favorite idols in them. But this has slowly stopped. My parents are still big fans of these sitcoms so every once a while, when I'm at their house and the TV is on, I am able to catch a few scenes here and there. Even with only 20 minutes, I understand why I have slowly stopped watching these sitcoms years ago: choppy, overused storylines and bad acting by the same bad actors. Overall anaylsis of watching Chinese sitcom shows: A waste of time.

However, this weekend, I did the unthinkable -- I wasted half a day Saturday, "chasing" a brand new Chinese sitcom. The story took place during the Qing dynasty and life in the Royal Palace. There are men who want to make it big in their careers; there are women who want to be selected to be the King's wife; and there are those who just want to live a safe life. Scandalous and full of schemes, no one is innocent. Everyone is in the Royal Palace for a purpose and no one is to get in the way. The story is surprisingly good. In fact, good enough to fish me back into the business of "chasing" Chinese sitcoms!

New Outlook on Life

I think negatively. I am pessimistic. I am always dissatisfied with something. Nothing seems to be good enough, myself included. I complain. I am never truly happy. I always want more and want change.

Just until recently, I found that that part of my life is beginning to consume me. I think overall, it made me bitter. Fortunately, I got the chance to stop what I was doing and rethink about everything around me. I realized what I truly have -- tangible and intangible things. For the first time, I didn't think about what I didn't have. The thought made me smile. I am fortunate and I am content. Once in a while, I have to remember to stop to enjoy life and appreciate everything and everyone around me.

Light of Day

By 7:00 pm, the sky has already turned dark. It serves as a good reminder that Fall is here, and that the string of holidays is just about to begin. I actually never liked this time of year. Besides the holidays, I only associate Fall with cold and wet weather, and of course, darkness. I'll wake up in the morning with a dark sky, and then I leave work with a dark sky. It always feels like I've been stuck in the building all day long without seeing the light of day. The only thing I like is the extra sleeping hour, which I especially appreciate lately.

I've just been promoted to a new position and to a new department. As in all new things, there is a learning curve. However, I feel like my grace period is a short one...it seems like everyone is expecting me to pick things up and know enough to answer any questions that come my way, now. It's hard to juggle with the unfamiliar and the unknown. I have been putting in extra hours to do "homework" (work-at-home). I am hoping that my 14-hour days will prepare me enough to run this new position smoothly. And eventually, my goal is to have my hard work pay off in getting me back to normal working hours. Despite the sky turning darker earlier, I really do want to see the light of day, work-wise.

Everyday I get over 100 emails in my inbox. Unfortunately, about 99% of them are junk. But once in a while, I do receive an email or two that just makes me smile. No, I am not referring to those recycled jokes that get circulated over and over again. I’m talking about a personal email from an old friend, a picture of a newborn baby, or simply an invitation to a get-together. Today, I got an email from a friend relaying such good news that brighten my day. That’s why-- as much as I hate getting those annoying junk emails, I still look forward to opening my inbox everyday to find one or two of those special emails that will make me smile.

Gun Control and the Right to Bear Arms

I am so angry to learn that the federal ban on semi-automatic weapons expired yesterday. I'm especially mad at lawmakers in Congress who didn't make it a priority or have the initative to renew the ban. Now it is legal in some states for people to buy weapons such as AK47's and UZI's. The legislation, drafted by Senator Dianne Feinstein in 1994, came about when a disgrunted man shot and killed people in a law office at 101 California. The tragedies of sniper attacks in the Washington DC in 2002 and the Columbine High School masscre in 1999 were also results of people using these assault weapons. Now, with the federal ban lifted, it's easier than ever to obtain the dangerous weapons.

The 2nd amendment of the Constitution states that people in this country has the "right to bear arms." This, I get. No doubt about it. I understand that people should have the right to possess a gun for self-defense and for gaming. However, why do these people need to have semi-automatic weapons that can fire hundreds of bullets in a few seconds? Weapons that can pierce through a policeman's bullet-proof vest? Weapons that can kill scores of people? There is absolutely no reason and need for that at all. Why should any sane individual need to have a weapon that can do so much damage? The advocates for the legalization of these weapons are the gun manufacturers who want more business. Worse is that we also have those lawmakers who care more about campaign contributions than the welfare of their constituents.

The Brady Campaign Organization is a strong supporter and leader in preventing gun violence. Their website contains a lot of useful information and it includes a "scorecard" of how the individual Representative voted in relation to gun control. I would urge everyone to check out the website to find how your rep voted, and that you let him/her know your thoughts on this very important subject.

The Art of Negotiating

I dedicate this posting to the art of negotiating. Not until recently did I realize how often do we need to utilize this skill and how difficult it is to actually be successful at it. Everyday in our lives, we have situations where we are faced with someone who doesn't think like us and that a mutual decision needs to be made. Whether the case is to get a company to offer you a better compensation package, or to get your spouse to agree on a DVD rental, the list is endless. How can we be able to win the concession without getting into a nasty fight or damaging the relationship? No, of course, I do not know the answer. Thank goodness there are experts on this very subject.

Most people might think that in order to win at a table of negotiations, you have to be good at persuasion and good at influencing others to accept your opinion and choice. Or you can be so powerful that you can bully the other party in accepting your terms. I have been reading Herb Cohen's Negotiate This!, a self-improvement book on tips on how to be successful at negotiating. Among all his valuable insights, I took this piece of advice to heart-- "Always view yourself as a problem-solver, " he said, "and search for creative alternatives to satisfy both sides' real concerns and interests." In any situation, I learned that there is always more than just a black and white solution. It's never only my way OR your way. It can be a combination of both your way AND my way. The trick is to find the right combination and develop from there. And that is what I believe the art of negotiating is all about.

August 31 - 2/3 of the year is practically over. It may be too early to reflect upon the year, but the first 8 months really have been truly a period of changes for me. Good changes, for the most part. The most exciting piece is that we welcomed another nephew into the family in May. It has been 5 years since we had an infant in our house so you can imagine the joy he brings us. 2 of my sisters both bought and sold homes within the past 6 months. And within the past week, I was presented with a promotion at work. So overall, an eventful year, even if I have to summarize it now.

To add to everything, Sept 6 will be my first year wedding anniversary!

Olympics

I love the Olympics. There is so much national pride and individual triumph shown in these games. This, and the fact that they show competition in sports that we normally do not get to see, like swimming, diving, badminton, gymnastics, etc. They're so much fun and excitement to watch. However, out where I live, I do not have access to the NBC channel since I do not have cable. It already sucks that when NBC airs the games on primetime that the results have already been posted due to the time difference between the US and Greece. Even worse if you have to watch the games 1 day behind from recorded tapes. That's what I have been doing. I try hard to avoid hearing the results beforehand but somehow, it always fail. Someone, from the radio or the TV, or just people having casual conversations, will always give it away! But that doesn't stop me from watching. I still love the games, and how much these athletes deserve their moment of glory.

Exodus

This week has been a tough week at work. There were 4 resignations, adding to the 3 that I found out about last week. What is this exodus all about? I can only reason that the job market has picked up and/or people in my company have been simply pushed to the edge with unhappiness that they are determined to leave. Besides layoffs, this is perhaps the biggest exit movement I have seen since I joined the company 4-1/2 years ago. The feeling of seeing so many people jump ship is not a good one.

I do not like to see people leave, and among all, one of them happens to be my ex-boss. My ex-boss and I got along great. We had an unusual relationship - weird if you actually think about it. Because when I still reported to him, I could feel completely comfortable telling him that I am looking for another job outside the company. Or I could tell him how much I hated my work, etc. And he would be understanding and supportive. This type of relationship between a supervisor and his report is something that is hard to come by. So needless to say, I will miss him and everyone else when they're gone.

Heart #11: Lines Heart - Ferry Building

Heart #12: Mail Slot Heart - Ferry Building

Heart #13: Mosaic Heart - Ferry Building

Heart #14: Geometric Heart - Ferry Building area

Heart #15: Apple Green Heart - Ferry Building area.

Heart #16: Full Spectrum Dominance Heart - Ferry Building

Net loss

Don't you hate it when you go out of your way to try to save a few bucks here and there but ended up dishing out more money than what you signed up for? So here is what happened. Trying to save some dough on renting DVD's, I went through the trouble of obtaining some discount coupons for a video chain store near my house. The savings on these coupons added up to $12. So what happens next? Well, somehow, someway, one of the videos I rented disappeared. I have no clue as to where it went. I tried to trace back when or where the last time I saw it, held it, touched it. Nope, nothing. My memory failed me. So in order to avoid those late fees from accruing and multiplying expotentially, I confessed to the video store that I lost the DVD. Total charge: $27. Simple math: $12 bucks saved. $27 bucks lost. Net loss of $15 + rental fees. Ok, there is a net loss on the balance sheet. In straight accounting terms, I should close the business and file for bankruptcy. In the case of videos, I should never rent DVDs again if I can't get my head back together.

Real Estate

Looking out the window of my house, it's hard to believe that today is August 1st. The skies are gray, gloomy, and covered with clouds. In the heart of the summer months, all we get out here along the Coastline are cold and ugly weather. It's a paradox to call this district "Sunset," when the sun never comes out, let alone sets. Ocean beach is literally only 3 blocks away from my house, but I hardly get to use it. The weather is simply too cold to be outdoors.

As bad as the weather is out here, I find it unbelievable that people are still willing to pay big bucks to live out here. The lowest asking price for any house in the Sunset district has risen to half a million. The fixers are actually the only ones with the half a million price tag. Move-in condition houses go at least $600,000. Some ambitious (or greedy?) sellers are even asking for $700,000 for their tiny hut. Sound ridiculous? Well, it's happening. People, for whatever insane reason, are wiling to bid well over the asking price, thus driving up the overall neighborhood cost of homes. Other homes follow suit. As the snowball gets bigger, I can't help but wonder if the real estate bubble will ever explode?

Just a few years ago, practically every conversation evolves around stocks: the Dow, the NASDAQ, the newest IPO, you name it. Everyone had a share of something in the stock market. Now, a few years later, every social conversation involves real estate investments, the housing market, and interest rate. It's scary how everyone is trying to get onto the bandwagon for a joyride in real estate, just as they did in stocks a few years back. When the mass public all decide to grow their money in the same venue of investment, the prices tend to be inflated. Supply and demand: Simple economics. Given all this happening, I will not be surprised when eventually, the housing market will reach its limits. I sure hope the bubble won't "pop" per se, and I myself have my investment in the housing market as well. Hope it will just level off. Yep, level off to a more realistic and reachable level.

Junk Mail

I just realized that the only pieces of mail I get everyday now are junk mail. I guess no one sends things in the mail anymore. E-cards, E-mail, E-bills, E-this, and E-that. Everything is electronic nowadays. I actually don't mind getting junk mail. Well, maybe only certain kinds. I like the colorful and full print advertisements for upcoming sales and discount coupons. Even restaurant menus are Ok. Those especially come in handy when ordering take-out.

What I hate the most of all junk mail are those annoying re-finance interest rate notices I get day in and day out. First of all, they usually have on the envelope the words, "IMPORTANT: DATED MATERIAL," underlined. They try to make the letter more important than it really is. Inside the letter, the typical words:

"We can save you hundreds on your current mortgage from ABC Bank! 30-year fixed interest rate is only 6.8%, blah blah blah. "

I guess it would have been important to me if I can actually save a few hundred bucks for the next 30 years. But the truth of the matter is that I've already re-fied multiple times since I took out a loan with ABC Bank. Since then I have had loans with DEF Bank, GHI Bank, all the way down to XYZ Bank already. And why would I refinance against a 6.8% rate if I currently have a 5.3% rate??

I suppose that the word, "dated," on the envelope refers to how dated the information they actually have on their records! My two cents to those people sending me those junk mail is that if you really want to extract business from me, get your numbers straight!! Get your records current!! It's nothing more embarrassing than to have your customers think that you are stupid. Or outright incompetent. So unless you can get your records straight, it's best to divert your investment from buying stamps for junk mail to upgrading your system instead. Now, that's the smart thing to do.

Aggh, today is finally Thursday! This week seems really long. I guess whenever we get a short week at work, we mentally think the days will go by fast. But reality is that the anticipation for the weekend simply makes the waiting even longer than it really is. A hard concept to comprehend, but the truth indeed.

I don't know if you've been watching the gameshow Jeopardy!, but I've been catching it everyday after dinner for the past couple of weeks. This is this one guy on it who has been champion for 27 straight days. Yep, 27 days! They used to have a 5-day limit, but the gameshow has since lifted that rule. He has won over $800,000. It's really amazing how minute and how obscure some of the details this guy knows. First he's fast with the buzzer, and second, he knows every subject from A to Z. I totally think that he might be a genius! The gameshow hosts should definitely bring back some of the previous 5-day champions to compete against him. I wonder when will he lose, and who will dethrone him? That would be so interesting!

On a side note, here are some more hearts for you. These I found along the Embarcadero during my daily lunchtime walks. I'll upload more next time... meanwhile, enjoy!

Heart #7: Trapped Heart - this is one of my favorites so far. This heart is covered with thick steel wires all around. It's 3-D...different from the other painted ones I've seen. This was located across the street from the Ferry Building along the Embarcadero.

Heart #9: Map Heart - This is one of the steel interlocking hearts. This is a rough sketched map of the San Francisco.

Heart #8: "I Left my Heart" heart - A scared look on the person's face, but it should be a happy thought... This heart was found in the plaza along Embarcadero. This one was found across the street from Herman Justin Plaza.

Heart #10: "Artist at Heart" heart - This heart was on Market St. near First St.

Happy Birthday

June 27th was my blogspot's 1st birthday. Sorry, I'm a few days late. It has been a wonderful 1st year talking and writing to you. I am looking forward to another year and many years to come. Happy Birthday!!

Hearts in San Francisco

If you haven't already noticed, more than 20 fiberglass or interlocking steel hearts have been popping up on city streets of San Francisco these past few months. The official launch date was February 14th to be exact (how thoughtful!). There will be more hearts to come... a total of 130 of them will be appearing on street corners, plazas, and sidewalks throughout San Francisco. The project is called "Hearts in San Francisco," which helps boost the tourist industry by allowing visitors to "see" and "leave" their hearts in San Francisco. The hearts are decorated by local artists with different themes. The hearts are on display until September 2004. After that, the City will choose a few of them to be auctioned off. The proceeds will benefit the San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center. More information on this can be found at Hearts in San Francisco's website.

I knew about this City project on the San Francisco Chronicle a couple of months back. I decided that it would be a very nice weekend activity to "find" all the 130 hearts. Afterall, I have until September and it was a really great way to explore the City. So my husband and I ventured off today to find our first set of hearts. We found 7 hearts in total!! Here are the hearts we found ... believe me, there will be more to come!

Heart #1: The Silver Heart - located in front of the now-closed DFS Galleria, across the street from Union Square on Geary Blvd.

Heart #3: This heart was located in front of the Four Seasons Hotel on Market, near 4th St.

Heart #2: The Fern Heart - located near 555 Market St. between 2nd and 1st St.

Heart #4: The Ethnic Heart - found on Union Square.

Heart #7: Mom's Heart - located on Union Square.

Heart #5: Strawberry Heart - located in front of the McKesson Headquarter building on Market St. near New Montgomery St.

Heart #6: This heart was found in front of Macy's, on Geart Blvd, across from Union Square.

Half-day Fridays

It has been a long while since I took a day off from work and didn't go anywhere. I was supposed to take today off as vacation to recuperate from my trip, but I ended up working at home instead. I actually am grateful for the luxury of being able to tele-commute although I'm not allowed to do that too often. It was nice. I went out to lunch with my parents and even did a little grocery shopping. I love having the ability to take off for a few hours from work to run errands. Today was such a beautiful day that it reminded me of those good old days when I had "half day Fridays." I used to work 9-hour days Mondays through Thursdays and 4 hours on Fridays. I really loved those Fridays when I get to leave work right after lunch. I always ended up shopping though, which became a very expensive habit after a while. But the ability to have a head start on weekend road trips or to be able to take afternoon naps was something I really enjoyed and missed. Now, I work 10-hour days everyday and no half-day Fridays! So unfair!

Aloha!!

I find it absolutely impossible to work in Hawaii if you have a view to the outside world. What I mean is that when you somehow get a glimpse at the beauty of the beaches and blue sky, you won't be able to concentrate at all. Can't imagine having to work in a window space where you can actually have an ocean view. The beaches and weather are so beautiful here that it may be a torture just to have a window office. Well, during my time here, I managed to sit in an area tucked inside, so I wasn't able to see the light of day. That way, I can actually concentrate on work and stay awake during meetings. 4 non-stop 12-hour days are just enough for me though. Tomorrow I hope to have a nice stroll along the beach before I hop on the plane back to San Francisco. There are still a million things that I need to do for work but I'm practically handicapped because I'm using dial-up and the files take about 1/2 hour to pull up. Oh well, I guess those just have to wait!! I just need it to get it off my mind!

No Purchase Necessary

I am confused on the phrase "No Purchase Necessary" attached to game contest rules. Just this morning, I saw an ad on a big chain grocery's website promoting a Match & Win game. The How-to-play games instruction was as follows:

"Buy any four items from participating products and receive a game piece at checkout. Match your game piece(s) to the corresponding boxes on the game board. Collect all the game pieces to complete a row on the game board and you're a winner!"

The prizes include Complete home makeover, 2004 Honda Pilot SUV, etc, etc. But then, as always, at the bottom of the contest rules I spotted those 3 confusing words: "No Purchase Necessary." So there they were. How is that possible? How can I receive game pieces without purchasing? Can I write to the company and simply "ask" for the game pieces? How does it work?

Trip down south - Destination: San Diego

Now that I finally have the privilege of posting pictures on Blogger, I must take advantage of it so that my loyal readers can see that photos I took in San Diego. It was a very nice trip - relaxing and eventful. We went to all the places designated as "touristy" and more. We are actually quite pleased that we covered a lot of ground and actually got around the City + Orange County with a very generic map we picked up at our rent-a-car office. Weather was decent, first 2 days were cloudy -but by the weekend, the sun was full-blown. Met up with Wontonwrapper on Sunday to visit San Diego's world-famous Wild Animal Park. Animals were all hiding under the trees for shade -- so didn't really get to see them in full scale. Below I have some pictures to share. We went to more places than those listed, but didn't get a chance to take any pictures. This trip will just have to remain in my memory!!

A ground squirrel 

This is a very chubby squirrel we encountered at the La Jolla Cove. The picture doesn't really show the detail, but squirrels in SD doesn't have the same big tails we normally see here in NorCal. They don't climb trees at all. They just go underground and out on the streets.

The Salk Institute 

The Salk Institute is Bio-Sci research facility located on the outskirts of UCSD. This institute was established in the 1960s by Jonas Salk, the developer of the polio vaccine. This building was designed by the world-reowned architect, Louis I. Kahn. This building is now designated as a historical site and is considered an inspiration in modern architecture.

Huntington Beach  

This is actually my husband trying to swim at Huntington Beach. It's very nice there - warm and clean. We drove a good 3-4 hours along the coast, the famous Highway 1, from San Diego to Orange County. It was well worth it. Gorgeous weather, nice scenery, beautiful beaches.

Giraffes feeding at SD's Wild Animal Park 

Giraffe at San Diego Wild Animal Park 

Isn't he the cutest? Giraffes are so mellow -- but they have very long tongues!

Sunset Cliffs 

This is a stretch of beach along the western side of San Diego. Very interesting rock formation through erosion.

Unplanned Plans

Aghhhh, the Wednesday meetings are finally done. I have been in and out of meetings the entire day today. They're over now! So tired today... there are still a lot of pending issues and projects on my plate, so I sure hope I can relax and enjoy myself during this vacation and not think about work too much. This is perhaps the least prepared I've been in terms of planning a trip. I booked my tickets approximately 10 days ago, and I haven't done any research at all in terms of where to go, what to do. I have NOTHING planned, which scares me a little bit because I've also been a planner in everything I do. Well, maybe it's a good thing. I'm a merchandise planner by profession--I plan everything by month all the way out to December of 2005. Perhaps a little chaos in my non-work life might just well keep me balanced.

I have nothing to blog about today, but I feel the need to since I haven't written for over a week already. Plus, I am only 3 blogs away from beating Googi's total blog count. Ah, so I'm only 2 days away from my vacation to San Diego. As much as I'm looking forward to the trip, I can't get excited about it now since in the next 2 days, I have 3 big meetings lined up. Not to mention another one 9am in the morning on the Tuesday I come back to the office. It's not fun, not fun at all. I think I've made this point in my previous blog before -- but anyone with me on the fact that days prior to you leaving on vacation, your workload just suddenly explodes?? It happens to me so often that I am a true believer in this theory.

Back-to-Basics

Over the weekend, my cell phone went dead on me. It just decided to quit and not work for me anymore. I should have got the hint when a couple of months ago, my cell phone started to rattle. The rattling noise sounded like a loose screw inside the cell phone somewhere, but I didn't open it up because it still worked fine --so why open the can of worms? In case you're wondering, I've had this cell phone for 3 years already. In cell-phone-years, it's probably equivalent to 30 years. I never wanted to switch to a new one because I loved this phone. And I love it because it's simple. No fancy color screens, no internet access, no voice-command calling, no Non-sense. It is exactly what a cell phone does best -- make and answer phone calls. Just Perfect!

So, after my cell phone died, I tried to go around to get a new one. After a few minutes of talking to the salesperson, I ended up walking out of the store not getting any. There was way too many plans out there, way too many minutes, way too many phones to choose from. Everything got too confusing. I hate trying to figure out what's the best plan for me, and what kinds of functions of a phone I'm looking for. Shopping around for a cell phone reminds me of shopping for a car -- dreadful and tiring. Today is Monday and I do not have a cell phone to use. I didn't have a scenario when I had to use my cell phone today. I survived one day without a cell phone. Maybe I can do the same tomorrow. And the next day. The next week. Maybe I don't need a cell phone afterall. Maybe I can go back to basic, and live life without a cell phone?

Revolution

Water lilies 

My Just for Fun blogspot has just been revolutionized. How awesome is this to finally be able to post pictures here!!?!! Special thanks to BP Snake for his ingenious introduction! Absolutely fabulous! I am such a happy camper now!

Rich people

Hey, Blogger did get a new look! Haven't logged on for 2 weeks, and Blogger changed for the better! Now, only if I can post pictures on here... My first entry in May, and it's already mid-month. To my devoted readers, in case you're wondering where I have been -- I've been busy at work! At home, still busy with work. Went to New York last week. In between meetings and work in the hotel room, I was able to indulge in some fine dining. My all-time favorite was this Fushion restaurant on Madison and 58th called Tao. Love the decor, the food, and the service. Not the price, of course. Appetitzers run from $8-10 and entrees from $25-72. The $72 entree is 6 oz of Kobe beef. I heard that it was really good but for a big eater like me, I will probably need 12 oz in order to be full! Thank goodness our vendor paid for the meal -- otherwise, how can I explain the $500 meal?!

After eating at these fine restaurants, I noticed how excessively rich people can live. They can eat a $200 meal in a sitting and not skip a heartbeat. Maybe because none of my friends are super-duper rich people ... I'm just amazed how rich people can spend thousands and don't cringe a single bit. Well, maybe because they have so much money! I read in magazines about J. Lo's $4000 manicures and $10,000 massages. Boy, when will I ever get THAT rich? I think if I ever get that rich, I would still be a penny-pincher!

No 'Friends' with 'William Hung'

If I hear one more piece of news about William Hung, I am really going to flip!! I don't watch American Idol but this guy seems to be more popular than the upcoming winner. So what's the big deal about William Hung?! He is the worst singer in the entire world, and yet, all these entertainment news magazines love to feature him in their excerpts. Either those must be really slow news days -- no Michael Jackson or Ben-nifer news to follow or they just want a good laugh. Jeez, does William Hung even realize that people give him the attention just to ridicule him??? Everyone is laughing at him (not with him!), and yet he still thinks he is a superstar. Performing at concerts and recording a CD -- Oh, PLA-EEEEZE! What has the world come to? Has the entertainment industry gone so broke they can't afford any professional singers anymore? Every other show on the TV now are reality shows -- the TV industry's route to ditch the high-paying actors and replace them with common-follks... but please don't let William Hung replace the singers!!! That would be a huge mistake!!

So Friends is actually at the last season! FINAL-LY!! I used to love watching that show, when it was actually good. Cute story with Rachael and Ross. But then when Chandler and Monica got together, the show became waaaay-too 90210. And it got even more ridiculous when Joey started to like Rachael. My god, why don't they just make Joey fall in love with Phoebe, then they can actually make it a table for six and call it a day. The show seems to drag on forever. Got too boring. Has anyone realized that each of the actors are so "stuck" to their Friends character that even when they try to venture off to other acting projects, they can't seem to distinguish themselves? They still act the same. That's sad. They've been type-casted. I'm sure the end of the season is not going to be the last of Friends... there will be plenty of reruns to last for years!

The beauty of Berkeley High

If my old high school was as beautiful as the newly remodeled Berkeley High, I probably wouldn't have skipped so many classes. This weekend, my husband and I took BART over to the East Day to attend Berkeley High School's Open House. Revonated with fundings of a couple of school bonds, the school was absolutely gorgeous. Listen to this -- the school has a brand new dance studio with all-around full length mirrors and hardwood floors. No, this room is not the gym partially used as a dance studio. It's a full-time dance studio!! To top things off, they also have a new indoor swimming pool!! No, not a freshmen prank! A real pool! It makes me sadly remember my senior days when I had to go to the public swimming pool on Sloat in the wee hours of the morning every single day. We had to share the pool with at least 3 other groups of students from other schools. Oh how I wished my high school really had a fourth-floor swimming pool. Berkeley high also had a College and Career Resource center 4x the size of our so-called center. College catalogs from all over the country, along with all the SAT, ACT prep books you can possibly find, all within reach in this center. Their cafeteria -- no, it shouldn't even be called a cafeteria.. .It's way beyond that. It doesn't have the typical ugly long, brown tables. They have nice wood round tables with matching wood chairs, creatively placed inside a rotunda and its surrounding corridors. Beautiful -- I wish I had pictures to show. My favorite part of the campus is the big grassy area in the courtyard. There are a lot of sitting benches and a big lawn area for students to lounge during breaks or for teachers to hold outdoor classes. So nice. Absolutely love it!

As we walked around the campus, tables were set up providing information on clubs and sports teams the school offered. As I strolled along the sports tables -- BHS actually had a good variety of sports teams available. Of course there were the typical ones -- basketball, football, volleyball, baseball, etc. But there were a few unique ones that caught my eye: Lacrosse, Crew, and Water Polo (I guess that's why they absolutely need their own indoor pool). Amazing. I didn't even know these sports existed in the high school competition arena.

Of course, the visit of Berkeley High made me realize how depressing my high school was, and still is. We didn't have any of those much needed facilities. Our high school produced some of the brightest and smartest kids in all of San Francisco--a #1 or #2 in the whole state of California - yet, it is so run-down and so student-unfriendly. A green lawn? haha! The last of anything green haas now been covered with concrete to house some temporary bungalows that are really not so temporary in reality. New gym? Think again. Despite having such a strong alumni association, I can't help by wonder where do all the dues and contributions go? Why can't we make the high school a little more inviting? Hmm....time to get involved.

A day without spending money

Has anyone realized how hard it is to spend a day without spending money? Unless you decide to stay home and do nothing -- I find it almost impossible to go about life without spending a single dime. Just today, we went out to Golden Gate Park to visit the newly restored Conservatory of Flowers. Admission tickets alone are $5 each. Despite the exotic flowers and rare plans, it was a good 85 degrees inside the building. Common knowledge reminds us that this is the so-called greenhouse effect....but the high temperature was also turned on deliberately to satisfy the tropical plants that required such humidity and warmth. After much walking and sweating, there was definitely a need for an iced-cold drink to replenish lost bodily fluids. So, there, another $2-3 spent on drinks. Even on such a low-maintenance outing such as a stroll in GGP, close to $20 was spent for 2 people. Just imagine tacking on lunch and dinner -- and maybe a movie afterwards -- and then meet up with friends for a drink at the bar? Wow, the tab just adds up quickly!!

Survivor

I am addicted to watching CBS's "Survivor- All Stars." I find myself religiously tuning in every Thursday night at 8pm to watch this show. I don't think I have had a following to any show other than the news. I never really watched one entire series of Survivors before. They already had 7 seasons. I've watched episodes here and there, but never in its entirety. So, I don't exactly know why I have such a strong interest in this one -- maybe because it is the last season where they brought back the old players back from previous seasons to do this one show. They are down to the last 6 people now. There is this one Chinese girl there who was sure to be on the chopping board and get voted out tonight, but she won immunity (which means she can not get voted off). Good for her. Not because she's Chinese I'm rooting for her -- but I'm glad she won because the other 6 people hated her and wanted her out. But against all odds, she proved herself and won herself immunity. HA! It's almost like "TAKE THAT!!" I don't think she will last, but at least she got through this round!

Population Growth

Blogspot has been quiet recently. No one is really keeping a weblog anymore. Anyways, recently I heard from the news that the Sierra Club is now divided on the population growth issue. And here today, there is a news documentary on this very topic -- populaton growth and birth rate. In Japan, there is a major population decline. With its crowded streets and subways, you would never think that they didn't have enough people, but statistics show that there is only 1.3 children per woman. Most women want the independence so they delay child birth. The Japanese age pyramid is elderly-heavy. So, social security for the seniors are down the drain in Japan. The only way to remedy the decline of population growth is to take in immigrants. But of course the Japanese is against that idea as they want to keep their ethnicity pure. On the flipside, India's population growth is out of control. They have actually implemented a 2-children policy (as opposed to China's 1-child policy). With the policy in place, Indian families are also choosing male babies over females. There are many reports of female infanticides in India. India is estimated to be 35 million females-short. Men will have problems finding a bride. It is now illegal for the doctor to do ultrasounds to determine the sex of the fetus. Many interesting facts in this documentary. In the U.S., I think there is so much research and statistics gathered that the government will find a way to keep us in line with population growth. United States is actually the fastest growing modern country in the world. As in all educated countries, Americans are also delaying the child-bearing age and keeping families small. However, government policies have it so that there is enough immigrants to fill in the gap. Immigrants make the country more vibrant and diverse. But in all issues, there are always good and bad. Some will argue how immigrants can take away jobs, etc. Interesting topic -- I almost feel like this is a classic college term paper topic!

Definitions

A friend of mine forwarded this to me today and I thought I'd share these "definitions" with you...

Worry = the most destructive habit
Losing self-respect = the greatest loss
Excuses = the most crippling failure disease
Self-pity = the most worthless emotion
Selfishness = the ugliest personality
Fear = the greatest problem to overcome
Dedication = the most endangered trait
Youth = our greatest natural resource
Encouragement = the greatest "shot in the arm"
Peace of mind = the most effective sleeping pill
Giving = the greatest joy
Wisdom = the world's most incredible computer
Hope = the worst thing to be without
Generosity = the most satisfying work
Smille = the most beautiful attire
Love = the most powerful force
Integrity = the most prized possession
Enthusiasm = the most contagious spirit

Daylight savings time

Spring forward!

Dream

I had a really weird dream last night. So weird because it seems almost real. I dreamt that my manager came by and told everyone that our office will be closing. The office will be moving to Singapore. When asked who would be offered to relocate, he said he does not know. The content of the dream seems like it's a forecast to what's about to happen. I don't ever recalling myself being able to predict the future...but does this dream actually mean something?? It doesn't help that just a couple of weeks ago, senior management passed out a survey to all employees asking each one of us to indiciate whether we would be interested in relocation, and if yes, where? Their explanation for the survey was that from the past 2 relocation experiences, the process was handled poorly. The employees were not given much time to think about the option. Anyhow, I am almost certain that everyone took that explanation with a grain of salt. It was likely that they are preparing for possible relocation plans. Maybe all that led to my dream. It must have been.

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!

Depression

Haven't been in a good mood lately. A combination of things -- primarily involving work, since it constitutes 65% of my normal awake time. I didn't have high expectations, but seeing the small dollar figure actually on paper was still just as disappointing. My coworker seems to be quite pleased with his payout. It's not that he exceeded his sales plans and earned a hefty bonus -- it's because he is new to the position and this was his first year to receive a bonus of any kind. I guess this is a classic example of the matter of perspective. Since I've got a taste of a handsome payout in the past, it's hard to go back to the bare minimum. My bonus payout was 1/2 of what I received last year. I guess I should be grateful for receiving at least something. But you know that people are never satisfied... and I'm one of them.

On another note, I am depressed to learn that a lot of people in our company are leaving. First, some of my closest coworkers have relocated to other places. Second, people are resigning left and right -- moving onto greener pastures I guess. Although I do not know these people on a personal level, it's very unmotivating to hear about resignations everyday. It almost feels like everyone is trying to jump off a sinking boat, and I am the only one left behind. (In case you're wondering, I have been trying to jump out myself, but results have been unsuccessful and difficult.) And just today, I have yet to hear another person abandoning me. This time, it's my own boss!! He's not "leaving" the company per se, but leaving the department. He got reassigned to other department Needless to say, I am very very sad...

It's really quiet here today, which is nice. A lot of people have either took today off as vacation or away from the office on market. I love being not bothered by micro managers who love to butt into every little business of mine. I love being able to take a 15min break from it all and blog. I love the quietness of the office. Unfortunately, the quietness does have its bad turns though. Suddenly, people's conversations get magnified 10 times. I try to zone out and not eavesdrop, but it's hard when the conversation is accompanied by loud laughs and lasts for over an hour. It gets annoying. It gets MORE annoying when they are talking in a dialect that I don't understand. Then the words just become pure noise....

Baby Stuff

I have been so busy at work that I no longer have free time to blog anymore. It's sad that I don't even take my daily walks around downtown during lunch time anymore. It's also really sad that I no longer enjoy relaxed-Fridays. Since the beginning of the year, I have been just slammed with projects and emails in all directions.

Anyways, on to other things -- I have found a new hobby in crocheting. I learned how to crochet in college -- each of us crocheted a little squares so we can combine them and make them into big blankets for donation to local children hospitals. Now, I decided to pick up the hobby again. So, I searched the web, and there, in a matter of seconds, I found the crochet pattern for baby booties. It took me a while to re-learn basic stitches, but in no time, I began crocheting baby booties. I made a pair for my future nephew who is due in May. I also made a pair of matching mitts. Crocheting definitely takes the stress out of my normal workday. And upon searching for crochet patterns, I discovered that there are organizations out there who receive donations of baby booties, mitts and baby afghans. They are really meant for preemies, or premature babies, who spend long days at the hospital before release. It seemed like an excellent idea. So here I am, determined to crochet a nice baby afghan to donate to an unfortunate preemie. I haven't started yet, but I will make it a priority for this year.

Speaking about babies, I stumbled across a baby catalog the other day. I just realized how lucrative the baby product industry is nowadays. The catalog displayed all sorts of unimaginable products -- from diaper genies to baby monitors to baby bjorns. Boy, I never realized that these products were even invented. What happened to the good old cloth diapers and the Chinese little red cloth to carry the baby in your back? Seems like the new products are just banking on old ideas but with an added twist -- or so they claim as "safer" and more "ergo." Whatever.

Happy Chinese New Year!!

Post Script

After you finish reading Da Vinci Code , you can enjoy a little secret-uncovering yourself by going through an online game Da Vinci Code . My co-worker who had also read the book showed it to me, and we ended up spending all our 'dead-time' in between work hours figuring out the puzzles. It was fun and challenging. I must admit that I cheated sometimes and went to the web for clues and hints. The last question is the hardest of them all, but that's because I have no prior knowledge in Latin. So go read and go play! Alright, alright. Enough endorsements here.

So I had my annual job performance review with my boss at 4pm. He was a lot nicer to me than I was to myself. My rating came in higher than what I had graded myself on my self-evaluation. Good. I guess it's always better to expect less and then end up more than the other way around. During the review, I expressed some of my frustrations with this position in areas where I felt very constrained. I hope I didn't sound so negative that made him sense my plan of leaving the company soon. There had been rumors flying back and forth that we will be laid off in August. So far, previous rumors had all proven correct. There is high possibility that this rumor could come true as well. Laid off or not, I want to leave because I'm not too happy with the position that I'm in and the people I need to please. No offense to my boss, of course. He's great -- just the fact that everyone else isn't.

One of my first friends I met at work left today. She is relocating and embarking on her new journey to Hawaii. Wish her the best of luck and I hope to see her again soon. Well, at least now I can maybe bum off housing whenever I travel to Hawaii. Yes, that would be nice.

Wow. An entire week and a half has zoomed by since I last blogged. I am glad to have realized that Chinese New Year is only a week away. This coming year, being the year of the monkey, I shall be more active. I will try to do my outdoorsy activities. So, Yes, that shall be my CNY resolution. I will post with updates. Good, discipline and monitoring. That's what I need.

I finished Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code in 2 days. It is by far one of my favorite novels since the first book of Harry Potter. Definitely a page-turner and a cut-for-a-movie-type of novel. Very well written that leaves the reader on the edge wanting to read more. I found the ending a little disappointed, but overall, still a very good book. Would not want to give the plot away, so all I would say is, "Read it!"

So I'm supposed to meet my boss today at 4pm to discuss my job performance this past year. This is the first time that I'm actually quite nervous. I don't expect a big increase in salary, but I do want one!

New Beginnings

Happy New Year, everyone! Sorry, I'm a day late, but I'm sure the cheer still works. Had a very quiet but joyful evening night on the Eve. We did the normal countdown with the TV and enjoyed a bottle of champagne. It was nice. Have no regrets spending the night indoors and away from crowds and traffic.

Reflecting 2003 -- it has been a rather eventful year. With due justice, the year can be simply summarized to 1 single word, "WEDDINGS." 2003, by far, was the year of weddings. I attended 6 weddings this past year, not including my own. And of course, there were more that I know about but was fortunately, not invited to.

Forecasting 2004 -- as 2003 have been dominated by weddings, I have a good feeling that 2004 will also be dominated by 1 single word, " BABIES." I personally am aware of at least 4-5 babies due this year. All of the "known" babies are due in Spring. And of course, more news yet to be revealed, I'm sure.

Again, cheers to everyone, and may 2004 bring to you all goodness and whatever you wish for...