Almost a month has passed since I last posted any updates on anything, and everything affecting my daily life. Since then, I've become ever more conscious of my daily food consumption, over obsessively. I'm trying hard to stay the course, but often find that weekends tend to take a damper on my "diet", or normal eating habits.
The last two days have been pretty good, considering I've up-ed the amount of water I consume while at work, compensating for the lack of hydration once I return home, keeping track of all physical activity, and food consumption. I'm doing a much better job steering clear of the junk I'd consume otherwise.
I meant to create this blog yesterday, but due to the never-ending work that needed to be done, in order to fully prep for today, there were only brief moments of freedom. Today, though, is all about making sure everything that needs to be corrected, are corrected - so it's a lot of pressing various buttons on a macro. So far, I've had to re-run two macros to capture things that were evidently missed, or corrected on the broker side. The down side is that there are actual out of balances that I have to research. At least once those are done with, I'll be better able to prepare for tonight's processes.
Just a side note: since I've started drinking a whole heck of a lot more water, my skin has gotten reallllly smooth. I'm not sure if it's the water, or if it's the working out until I'm sweating bullets that is the real cause of the smooth skin. Whatever it is, I like it.
Monday, December 29
Monday, December 1
Dec 1, 2008
25th in 9 days - and I just want to sit at home, and not do anything. I don't really want to see anyone, and I definitely do not want anyone to say anything to me about it. Sure is a pessimistic view on it, but that's how I feel. No night of debauchery, or staying out late, because I like/want my sleep.
Anyway, maybe I'll change my mind, maybe I won't - we'll see.
Anyway, maybe I'll change my mind, maybe I won't - we'll see.
Thursday, November 27
Nov 27, 2008
2.
The number of times I've made the turkey for Thanksgiving.
1.
The number of times that there was almost no leftover Turkey.
The difference? Trial and error.
----------------
Turkey Preparations Timeline:
Two nights before Thanksgiving, brine (soak in salt water/mixture of choice) turkey.
Brine recipe:
1 gallon of Vegetable broth, boiled and cooled to room temp
3/4-1 gal of water (pref. ice)
2 tablespoons thyme
2 tablespoons basil
2 tablespoons italian seasoning
2 tablespoons parsley
(optional-2 tablespoons salt)
Turn turkey about every 8 hours, to ensure that turkey is brine completely.
Early Thanksgiving morning (apprx. 4, or more, hrs before baking), drain all brine. Pat turkey dry, with hand or paper towel. Rub herb generously all over turkey.
Herb Rub:
2-3 tablespoons of each: thyme, basil, italian herb seasoning, parsley, salt, pepper (or any herbs of your choice)
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil (can use butter to substitute)
*oil is used to help seal in moisture while turkey is in oven
For a more even turkey, stuffing is cooked separate of turkey. Rub pepper/salt mixture (2 tablespoons of each, or until desired) into cavity. Squeeze half lemon into cavity. Place in cavity: several stalks of celery, carrots, one apple - chopped in cubes, one onion - chopped.
Truss (tie) the turkey. Sit turkey in position for baking - breast side down. Let turkey sit in refrigerator until baking time.
**breast side down yields much more tender turkey (tastes like chicken!) by allowing breast to soak all drippings during baking.
1. Preheat over to 400ºF for 15-20 minutes
2. Tent the turkey (with aluminum foil)
3. Allow turkey to bake for first 30 minutes at 400ºF, then turn down to 350ºF for the next two hours
4. Turn turkey tray a quarter turn, every half hour.
5. Baste turkey every hour, or when deemed necessary. (I basted turkey only twice the entire time)
6. Final hour, turn turkey breast side up for browning, and temperature check.
Breast - approx. 160ºF
Thigh - approx. 175º - 180ºF
Let turkey sit for half hour before serving to allow moisture to redistribute.
Use drippings from turkey to make gravy.
Gravy:
1 cup chicken broth
6-8 (discretionary) tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup whipping cream
turkey drippings
(optional: can add other ingredients, i.e apple cider, herbs)
----------------
The meat was extremely tender, and had all non-turkey lovers raving about how delightful the turkey turned out. I was asked more than a couple of times what I had done to make the turkey so juicy. I'd say the amount of leftovers (about a plateful) for a 16lb turkey, for a family of 11, including a 2 year old, speaks to the success of this dish! DELISH!
The number of times I've made the turkey for Thanksgiving.
1.
The number of times that there was almost no leftover Turkey.
The difference? Trial and error.
----------------
Turkey Preparations Timeline:
Two nights before Thanksgiving, brine (soak in salt water/mixture of choice) turkey.
Brine recipe:
1 gallon of Vegetable broth, boiled and cooled to room temp
3/4-1 gal of water (pref. ice)
2 tablespoons thyme
2 tablespoons basil
2 tablespoons italian seasoning
2 tablespoons parsley
(optional-2 tablespoons salt)
Turn turkey about every 8 hours, to ensure that turkey is brine completely.
Early Thanksgiving morning (apprx. 4, or more, hrs before baking), drain all brine. Pat turkey dry, with hand or paper towel. Rub herb generously all over turkey.
Herb Rub:
2-3 tablespoons of each: thyme, basil, italian herb seasoning, parsley, salt, pepper (or any herbs of your choice)
1-2 tablespoons of olive oil (can use butter to substitute)
*oil is used to help seal in moisture while turkey is in oven
For a more even turkey, stuffing is cooked separate of turkey. Rub pepper/salt mixture (2 tablespoons of each, or until desired) into cavity. Squeeze half lemon into cavity. Place in cavity: several stalks of celery, carrots, one apple - chopped in cubes, one onion - chopped.
Truss (tie) the turkey. Sit turkey in position for baking - breast side down. Let turkey sit in refrigerator until baking time.
**breast side down yields much more tender turkey (tastes like chicken!) by allowing breast to soak all drippings during baking.
1. Preheat over to 400ºF for 15-20 minutes
2. Tent the turkey (with aluminum foil)
3. Allow turkey to bake for first 30 minutes at 400ºF, then turn down to 350ºF for the next two hours
4. Turn turkey tray a quarter turn, every half hour.
5. Baste turkey every hour, or when deemed necessary. (I basted turkey only twice the entire time)
6. Final hour, turn turkey breast side up for browning, and temperature check.
Breast - approx. 160ºF
Thigh - approx. 175º - 180ºF
Let turkey sit for half hour before serving to allow moisture to redistribute.
Use drippings from turkey to make gravy.
Gravy:
1 cup chicken broth
6-8 (discretionary) tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup whipping cream
turkey drippings
(optional: can add other ingredients, i.e apple cider, herbs)
----------------
The meat was extremely tender, and had all non-turkey lovers raving about how delightful the turkey turned out. I was asked more than a couple of times what I had done to make the turkey so juicy. I'd say the amount of leftovers (about a plateful) for a 16lb turkey, for a family of 11, including a 2 year old, speaks to the success of this dish! DELISH!
Tuesday, November 4
Nov 4, 2008
Obama v. McCain
What everyone already knows, or will know:
Obama is the first African American president-elect of the United States of America, the 44th president of the USA.
Obama won majority electoral votes, making him the first national president, since Lyndon B Johnson.
Obama was announced as projected president-elect at 11:00PM EST, on November 4th.
Obama has run, according to many news anchors, strategists, analysts, etc, the most organized, and well-run campaign anyone has ever seen - utilizing the internet, and his experience in grass-roots campaigning, utilizing early voting.
Obama identified over 600,000 registered Democrats, who did not make the election in 2004, to go out and vote in this election. Actual turnout is unknown, but could prove to be a factor, as black, latino, and younger voters obviously turned out to elect him as our next executive.
What you may not have known:
RocktheVote! made personal calls on election day to mobilize young voters to turn out at the polls.
... and I had been sitting in front of the tube since 3PM PST watching the poll results roll in, and waiting for CNN to make their projections.
It's been a long day.
What everyone already knows, or will know:
Obama is the first African American president-elect of the United States of America, the 44th president of the USA.
Obama won majority electoral votes, making him the first national president, since Lyndon B Johnson.
Obama was announced as projected president-elect at 11:00PM EST, on November 4th.
Obama has run, according to many news anchors, strategists, analysts, etc, the most organized, and well-run campaign anyone has ever seen - utilizing the internet, and his experience in grass-roots campaigning, utilizing early voting.
Obama identified over 600,000 registered Democrats, who did not make the election in 2004, to go out and vote in this election. Actual turnout is unknown, but could prove to be a factor, as black, latino, and younger voters obviously turned out to elect him as our next executive.
What you may not have known:
RocktheVote! made personal calls on election day to mobilize young voters to turn out at the polls.
... and I had been sitting in front of the tube since 3PM PST watching the poll results roll in, and waiting for CNN to make their projections.
It's been a long day.
Saturday, November 1
Nov 1, 2008
For the past week or so I've been logging most of the food that I eat... not obsessively so, I thought. Then last night/yesterday, it being month-end, my coworker, Shuwei's last day-in SF until he relocates to Austin, TX for the next couple of years, and Robert's friend Rodney's Halloween/house party, it was hard to say no to it all.
I started the day as usual, not really craving much, but then came all the festivities. Month-end lunch, Shuwei's cake, our company's Fun, Uplifting, Invigorating(FUI) event - cookies/cupcakes/candy/pretzels, and then the Halloween party- where I was not drunk enough to chat up everyone, but bored enough to stand near the food table to eat non-stop. Sounds like a fat person talking, right?
Well, here's the food log for yesterday:
.5 cup of Cheerios
.5 cup of Honey Bunches of Oats
1 cup of soy milk (100 cal)
1 whole, large, orange (85-90 cal)
.5 bowl of Donburi-1.5 fillet of Salmon, 1 cup of rice
1 serving of Synder's pretzels (50 cal)
1-2 servings of roasted peas (130-260 cal)
2x4" slice of fluffy, Asian-style cake
1 chocolate frosted, chocolate cupcake (100 cal)
7 pieces of chocolate drizzled macaroons
1 nutrigrain bar - apple cinnamon
Halloween party-
4 shots of presidente/captain morgan
1 pecan chocolate chip cookie
2 slices of salami, rolled over cream cheese
20-30 white corn tortilla chips, and some cream cheese/salsa dip
I wonder how many calories I ate last night... since I had been so good about it all week long - including those long walks at lunch....
Obsessively so, I bet I've undone all the detox I've done. WAAAAAH!
I started the day as usual, not really craving much, but then came all the festivities. Month-end lunch, Shuwei's cake, our company's Fun, Uplifting, Invigorating(FUI) event - cookies/cupcakes/candy/pretzels, and then the Halloween party- where I was not drunk enough to chat up everyone, but bored enough to stand near the food table to eat non-stop. Sounds like a fat person talking, right?
Well, here's the food log for yesterday:
.5 cup of Cheerios
.5 cup of Honey Bunches of Oats
1 cup of soy milk (100 cal)
1 whole, large, orange (85-90 cal)
.5 bowl of Donburi-1.5 fillet of Salmon, 1 cup of rice
1 serving of Synder's pretzels (50 cal)
1-2 servings of roasted peas (130-260 cal)
2x4" slice of fluffy, Asian-style cake
1 chocolate frosted, chocolate cupcake (100 cal)
7 pieces of chocolate drizzled macaroons
1 nutrigrain bar - apple cinnamon
Halloween party-
4 shots of presidente/captain morgan
1 pecan chocolate chip cookie
2 slices of salami, rolled over cream cheese
20-30 white corn tortilla chips, and some cream cheese/salsa dip
I wonder how many calories I ate last night... since I had been so good about it all week long - including those long walks at lunch....
Obsessively so, I bet I've undone all the detox I've done. WAAAAAH!
Wednesday, October 15
Oct 15, 2008
So it seems the economy really isn't looking too much brighter, despite the highest gain since '33 on Monday, after European leaders, of the Group of Seven, G-7, met over the weekend and decided to inject into the economy to help save the bigger banks, etc. The biggest gain: up 900 points in a single day of trading. Crazy.
Other than the economy, nothing uber exciting has happened, except to say that I met a totally rad Austinite, and she's changed my initial perception of Austin, TX. The fact that we get along so well is pretty cool, too.
Other than the economy, nothing uber exciting has happened, except to say that I met a totally rad Austinite, and she's changed my initial perception of Austin, TX. The fact that we get along so well is pretty cool, too.
Monday, September 29
Sept 29, 2008
They called today the single worst day of trading in the last 2 decades. DJIA plunged over 700 points - and most investors are in a rut.
The house rejected the bailout plan today with about Republicans at 2-1 against the proposal. Those who voted no now face forewarnings of the consequences for not helping the economy when they can prevent an economic downturn. It is this very sort of foreWARNING that bolsters my own fears that maybe the economy won't recover as quickly as they had hoped. Things may not look any better in a year, or two.
Worrisome, to say the least.
The house rejected the bailout plan today with about Republicans at 2-1 against the proposal. Those who voted no now face forewarnings of the consequences for not helping the economy when they can prevent an economic downturn. It is this very sort of foreWARNING that bolsters my own fears that maybe the economy won't recover as quickly as they had hoped. Things may not look any better in a year, or two.
Worrisome, to say the least.
Sunday, September 14
Sept 14, 2008
In the last two weeks, I've been in situations that have made me question a lot about everything in my life. Maybe not everything, but a few key things in my life. My manager, a bitch of a woman, who thinks she somehow knows more, and is more experienced in life, in her what? 2-3 years seniority over me, thinks that what she learned in class is somehow relevant to my life.
She has the audacity to dig deep into my life, after deciding that she would dump onto me the duty of training someone, when she knows full well that I have no room for it. Training. Not a problem. Telling me on a Thursday afternoon, 3 days before the training. Idiotic move. In what she believes to be a calming statement, says to me, that she should have been more considerate in realizing that I don't know the functions as well as she does, and that had she been the one to perform those tasks, she would complete them much faster than I, several hours faster.
This isn't the only bit that enrages me. She thinks that by giving me advice... she is somehow becoming my friend. Yet, really, all she has done is stack on the work. The work, again, not a problem. Stacking on the work, while knowing full well there are members on the team who do next to nothing, having time to watch full segments of live TV on the web, and toggling the screen as soon as someone walks by. It bothers me that she knows full well that she works two members of her team, and the rest are just idling away the day. She knows that we barely eat, because we don't have time. Yet she has the time to take half an hour each morning to go out to buy coffee. She takes on responsibilities, and then turns around, in a private one on one, and says "you do it". She says one thing in a one on one, and turns around and says another in a team meeting.
She even had the audacity to tell me something about a book I was thoroughly into, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. I had even taken a one day course on the subject. She had the audacity to give me advice about how to deal with my brother, and that my emotions over how I feel, and what I've experienced is a result of my not doing anything. Then proceeds to tell me how she fairs with her sister, giving me minute details of a surface of a life, and expects, or assumes in this case, that it is one in the same. The girl has no idea. Big eyed, and half brained.
It's one thing to have fully experienced what another has, and to say I've been there. Yet, at the same time, no one really ever takes away another's grief by saying, I've been there, and done that. It's unsympathetic, and entirely dismissive. If she's trying to be a friend, she needs to try a bit harder.
It's funny she's trying to add me on those random social websites. AS IF! DENY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Try having an oppressive, 1 year younger brother, that your parents favor to no end - who turn their head when things are done, and then tell me you know what it feels like, biyatch.
She has the audacity to dig deep into my life, after deciding that she would dump onto me the duty of training someone, when she knows full well that I have no room for it. Training. Not a problem. Telling me on a Thursday afternoon, 3 days before the training. Idiotic move. In what she believes to be a calming statement, says to me, that she should have been more considerate in realizing that I don't know the functions as well as she does, and that had she been the one to perform those tasks, she would complete them much faster than I, several hours faster.
This isn't the only bit that enrages me. She thinks that by giving me advice... she is somehow becoming my friend. Yet, really, all she has done is stack on the work. The work, again, not a problem. Stacking on the work, while knowing full well there are members on the team who do next to nothing, having time to watch full segments of live TV on the web, and toggling the screen as soon as someone walks by. It bothers me that she knows full well that she works two members of her team, and the rest are just idling away the day. She knows that we barely eat, because we don't have time. Yet she has the time to take half an hour each morning to go out to buy coffee. She takes on responsibilities, and then turns around, in a private one on one, and says "you do it". She says one thing in a one on one, and turns around and says another in a team meeting.
She even had the audacity to tell me something about a book I was thoroughly into, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. I had even taken a one day course on the subject. She had the audacity to give me advice about how to deal with my brother, and that my emotions over how I feel, and what I've experienced is a result of my not doing anything. Then proceeds to tell me how she fairs with her sister, giving me minute details of a surface of a life, and expects, or assumes in this case, that it is one in the same. The girl has no idea. Big eyed, and half brained.
It's one thing to have fully experienced what another has, and to say I've been there. Yet, at the same time, no one really ever takes away another's grief by saying, I've been there, and done that. It's unsympathetic, and entirely dismissive. If she's trying to be a friend, she needs to try a bit harder.
It's funny she's trying to add me on those random social websites. AS IF! DENY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Try having an oppressive, 1 year younger brother, that your parents favor to no end - who turn their head when things are done, and then tell me you know what it feels like, biyatch.
Tuesday, September 9
Sept 9, 2008
It seems I become evermore aware of how mentally and physically abused I am....
.... at work.
Not often though, I get uber upset, I'll complain, etc, just to vent out all of this suppression of what has long been overdue. Yet, despite realizing the detrimental harm this profession, or this particular job, is causing I am still enduring.
People are often telling me to look for another job, yet having made a commitment, I feel more obligated to stay, especially for the retention bonus. Besides I don't mind the banging around if I can utilize it in my resume.
.... at work.
Not often though, I get uber upset, I'll complain, etc, just to vent out all of this suppression of what has long been overdue. Yet, despite realizing the detrimental harm this profession, or this particular job, is causing I am still enduring.
People are often telling me to look for another job, yet having made a commitment, I feel more obligated to stay, especially for the retention bonus. Besides I don't mind the banging around if I can utilize it in my resume.
Wednesday, August 27
Aug 27, 2008
With trying to save for the games in 2012, wanting to save for other things, credit card debt, and loans, there's much to juggle. It all can be done, had my salary been more than just slightly over the current tax bracket.
I have set an ambitious goal to save a set amount to my regular savings, a set amount to my Games account, and to payoff my debt/loans before the end of the year... I know there are people who are even less aware, and are not saving as religiously as I, but it seems I will have no more than $100 to play around with per month, and I don't even pay rent!! I need a job with a higher salary!!
I have set an ambitious goal to save a set amount to my regular savings, a set amount to my Games account, and to payoff my debt/loans before the end of the year... I know there are people who are even less aware, and are not saving as religiously as I, but it seems I will have no more than $100 to play around with per month, and I don't even pay rent!! I need a job with a higher salary!!
Tuesday, August 26
Aug 26, 2008
London 2012, Jul 27 - Aug 12
Pound (£) to the Dollar ($) = 1.8175
Search Results:
One week in London
WWW.LONDONNIGHTS.COM
July 27, 2009 - Aug 2, 2009
** Latest Hotel Deals**
3 STARS - 4 STARS
£30-141/night (from orig cost of £400+)
Kensington Court Hotel :
£930/room (Quad)
Holiday Villa Hotel :
£800/room (Triple)
Holiday Villa Hotel :
£514/room (Twin)
Holiday Villa Hotel :
£1080/room (Family)
WWW.DISCOUNTHOTELS.COM
June 27 - July 2
**cannot book over 330 days in advance**
The Gresham Hotel (3)
£154./night
Hotel 87 (3)
£138./night
Orchard Hotel (3)
£158./night
St George Hotel (4)
£240./night
Belmont/Astoria Hotel (3)
£142./night
XML.CHEAPHOTELS.CO.UK
**only book until end of current year**
Generator Hostel London
£16.20/night
Ascot Hyde Park Hotel (2)
£85.60/night
Belmont Astoria Hotel (3)
£105./night
Hilton Dartford Hotel (4)
£115./night
WWW.HOSTELSEUROPE.COM
**Can search up to 2 years in advance**
Academy Hostel, Florence, Italy
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=hostels%2C+europe
Hopefully everyone agrees on our accommodations, I'm sure I'll have a couple of girls who wouldn't do the hostel thing!! GAH!
Monday, August 25
Aug 25, 2008
I loved Beijing, and regret not planning to go for this Olympics, being that it was SPECTACULAR, and it's a wonderful place to be... but here's to London in 2012!
Estimates go from 2-3K for a three week trip, to 5-6K. I had estimated spending to around $10K for hotel, flight, and all spending, including London/Olympics.
In basic terms:
$10K over 4-5 years
$2500/year until 2012, over a 4 year period
$210/month, but I'd round up to $300/month ~ $14,000.
So far, it's Von, Phuc, Robert, Lauren and myself for 2012.
The list of countries, include but are not limited to: Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Denmark, Germany, and of course, England, London, England at that.
I'm going regardless, so I'll plan for myself until 2010, and see where everyone else is in terms of going. I can do it, can they?
Monday, July 21
Jul 21, 2008
I used to have so much more random, free time to rest my mind, and recuperate. It hasn't been so for quite some time now. I'd even try to scrounge up my own free time to just sit around, so as not to overwhelm myself with all the constant work. Lately, I haven't seemed to be able to. Maybe it's a preoccupation with everything happening, or maybe it's just wanting to seem as if I'm constantly busy. I can't be quite sure which it really is.
I'll admit that the main reason for this post is not so much to relieve stress, but to point out a supposed obvious. I made a terrible mistake at work, because of the preoccupations, or what have yous... whatever the preoccupations were, whatever it was that I thought I was busy with caused me to make a mistake I'd inevitably been trying to avoid the first 12 months of my employment here. Being in the financial services doesn't help. I've been pulled aside a couple of times to discuss this mistake of mine, and the massiveness of it has been downplayed by those senior to me, as a mistake anyone could have made, and will possibly be made again, and again in the future, as though it was unavoidable with the checkoffs/signoffs that had been put off for other obligations, for all parties involved; however, even with the downplaying of sole responsibility for the mistake, it does not change the fact that having been a part of my new job description in the month's since Jessica's departure from the company, it was no one's mistake but my own. I can't help but think that the blame falls only on myself, no matter how much everyone claims that it is not.
I did learn a deal from it. I wasn't nearly as meticulous about my work as I normally would have been, going forward, however, will be a different story. Starting with last month's recon, and I will be dating ALL the way back to whenever it first went out. That's right!!
I'll admit that the main reason for this post is not so much to relieve stress, but to point out a supposed obvious. I made a terrible mistake at work, because of the preoccupations, or what have yous... whatever the preoccupations were, whatever it was that I thought I was busy with caused me to make a mistake I'd inevitably been trying to avoid the first 12 months of my employment here. Being in the financial services doesn't help. I've been pulled aside a couple of times to discuss this mistake of mine, and the massiveness of it has been downplayed by those senior to me, as a mistake anyone could have made, and will possibly be made again, and again in the future, as though it was unavoidable with the checkoffs/signoffs that had been put off for other obligations, for all parties involved; however, even with the downplaying of sole responsibility for the mistake, it does not change the fact that having been a part of my new job description in the month's since Jessica's departure from the company, it was no one's mistake but my own. I can't help but think that the blame falls only on myself, no matter how much everyone claims that it is not.
I did learn a deal from it. I wasn't nearly as meticulous about my work as I normally would have been, going forward, however, will be a different story. Starting with last month's recon, and I will be dating ALL the way back to whenever it first went out. That's right!!
Tuesday, June 24
Jun 24, 2008
Have you ever noticed that when people are in an extreme emotional state of mind, they take the message out of context?
A message might have been conveyed, as an FYI, or 'did you know?', but can be taken to mean something entirely different, and regurgitated to make the person seem brash and uneducated.
As an example, a statement could be made to express a dislike, or unfavorable characteristic of another person. A situation is presented to convey this characteristic, or dislike. Yet in speaking you realize that the person you are telling has a more intimate relationship with the person of which you are speaking, and is thus unable to picture why this characteristic, or dislike is unfavorable. This person takes this piece of knowledge to heart, and is unable to see it from anything but his own perspective. Of course, it is also at this moment, that you realize... you're not only speaking of another person, but this very person you are speaking to displays this very characteristic. (No wonder this person doesn't understand, wouldn't understand.
He takes this piece of information that you presented to him, in anger, and regurgitate what you did not say, not even once. This piece of information then becomes not just a piece of information, but an act, an act that is unfavorable. Yet at no time during the conversation did you suggest that it was an act that you were speaking of, but only the characteristic which was conveyed that is unfavorable, and utterly intolerable.
At this point, the only thing you can do is let it go. The other person is already angry, and any other explanations you give will only go in one ear, and out the other.
Tell me, how often has that happened?
Words. Not everyone understands them. Not everyone listens.
AND we live in America.
A message might have been conveyed, as an FYI, or 'did you know?', but can be taken to mean something entirely different, and regurgitated to make the person seem brash and uneducated.
As an example, a statement could be made to express a dislike, or unfavorable characteristic of another person. A situation is presented to convey this characteristic, or dislike. Yet in speaking you realize that the person you are telling has a more intimate relationship with the person of which you are speaking, and is thus unable to picture why this characteristic, or dislike is unfavorable. This person takes this piece of knowledge to heart, and is unable to see it from anything but his own perspective. Of course, it is also at this moment, that you realize... you're not only speaking of another person, but this very person you are speaking to displays this very characteristic. (No wonder this person doesn't understand, wouldn't understand.
He takes this piece of information that you presented to him, in anger, and regurgitate what you did not say, not even once. This piece of information then becomes not just a piece of information, but an act, an act that is unfavorable. Yet at no time during the conversation did you suggest that it was an act that you were speaking of, but only the characteristic which was conveyed that is unfavorable, and utterly intolerable.
At this point, the only thing you can do is let it go. The other person is already angry, and any other explanations you give will only go in one ear, and out the other.
Tell me, how often has that happened?
Words. Not everyone understands them. Not everyone listens.
AND we live in America.
Jun 24, 2008
I was sitting on the top floor of my office building, staring out the giant windows across the San Francisco bay during my supposed lunch break - at 2PM. About 15 feet away sat two women, one Caucasian, another Russian. Their training course was taking a 15 minute break, and most people had stepped out of the room to stare out into the abyss.
I paid little attention, or tried not to anyway, with a lukewarm, medium cup of coffee with a mix of soy milk. I was only 20 minutes into my break, but already I was starting to feel like I was sitting back at my own cubicle. The people chatted as though everyone up there was dying to talk, while I, on the other hand, had gone up to escape all the noise.
At first the two women didn't seem to be talking about anything in particular, anything worthy of being overheard. As they trailed into the conversation, one of the two, the Russian, exclaims, thoroughly proud, because you really could hear it in her voice, "I'm use to doing 10 things at once, now I just sit in my cubicle all day - bored." She trails off a bit, and the next thing I hear is, "People in my office complain when they have one problem, I'm use to juggling 10 problems at once, and I think 'man, that's nothing'." The woman seemed only to think that she's the one able to juggle ten things at once, and I presume, and I'd presume almost correctly, that her ten things is really just a mere four or five, but in exaggerating she used ten, because ten sounds good. Maybe she didn't think that there are various sorts of people of all caliber in the work world, some able to juggle a million things, and others barely able to handle one. Yet her tone of voice seemed to suggest that she thought she's the only one able to juggle more than one, because she use to be a real estate agent. As though being a real estate agent meant that she's that much more capable than say anyone else.
If she had been talking to me about being a real estate agent, I would have proposed that being a medical doctor, physician of sorts would require that much more attention to detail, and ability to handle madness. I mean, for all it's worth, our office/cubicle work is much more tamed. The chaos that people imagine, or think they can conjure up are all within scope, yet I truly believe that nothing is more tough than having to work all shifts to save the lives of people - not being able to predict the injuries that people suffer, to come into work not knowing what you'll face. At least office work has some guidelines, or a general pattern to follow, but with medicine - everything goes.
This wasn't the only topic they breached, somehow they had changed subjects and how the "universe gives them [the negative people] what they deserve". The Russian woman again exclaims with extreme pride that she reads a lot, if the other woman couldn't tell. And she repeats a bit of knowledge, and proceeds to explain why she didn't agree with the author's logic that people don't get to choose what is dealt them.
To that I say, the woman's choice of words did her no justice.
In all seriousness, when people have a negative view on life, their views are biased towards that, so instead of, as the Russian woman would say 'the universe gives them what they deserve', the people choose to pick out the negatives in life, instead of seeing the positive. Everything in life is about choices, whether they be how people react to situations, or how they deal with failure.
People can see failure in two ways:
(1) that they've failed and that they were stupid to have tried at all, or
(2) that they can alter the way they handle a situation, so that a better outcome results - something of a second chance
This works with everything in life, as the saying goes, "if life gives you lemons, make lemonade".
The woman might have thought about it and maybe meant to express it the way that I thought she didn't, and I'm not saying she's entirely closed-minded, but her choice of words did not convey that ultimate message.
Words matter.
I paid little attention, or tried not to anyway, with a lukewarm, medium cup of coffee with a mix of soy milk. I was only 20 minutes into my break, but already I was starting to feel like I was sitting back at my own cubicle. The people chatted as though everyone up there was dying to talk, while I, on the other hand, had gone up to escape all the noise.
At first the two women didn't seem to be talking about anything in particular, anything worthy of being overheard. As they trailed into the conversation, one of the two, the Russian, exclaims, thoroughly proud, because you really could hear it in her voice, "I'm use to doing 10 things at once, now I just sit in my cubicle all day - bored." She trails off a bit, and the next thing I hear is, "People in my office complain when they have one problem, I'm use to juggling 10 problems at once, and I think 'man, that's nothing'." The woman seemed only to think that she's the one able to juggle ten things at once, and I presume, and I'd presume almost correctly, that her ten things is really just a mere four or five, but in exaggerating she used ten, because ten sounds good. Maybe she didn't think that there are various sorts of people of all caliber in the work world, some able to juggle a million things, and others barely able to handle one. Yet her tone of voice seemed to suggest that she thought she's the only one able to juggle more than one, because she use to be a real estate agent. As though being a real estate agent meant that she's that much more capable than say anyone else.
If she had been talking to me about being a real estate agent, I would have proposed that being a medical doctor, physician of sorts would require that much more attention to detail, and ability to handle madness. I mean, for all it's worth, our office/cubicle work is much more tamed. The chaos that people imagine, or think they can conjure up are all within scope, yet I truly believe that nothing is more tough than having to work all shifts to save the lives of people - not being able to predict the injuries that people suffer, to come into work not knowing what you'll face. At least office work has some guidelines, or a general pattern to follow, but with medicine - everything goes.
This wasn't the only topic they breached, somehow they had changed subjects and how the "universe gives them [the negative people] what they deserve". The Russian woman again exclaims with extreme pride that she reads a lot, if the other woman couldn't tell. And she repeats a bit of knowledge, and proceeds to explain why she didn't agree with the author's logic that people don't get to choose what is dealt them.
To that I say, the woman's choice of words did her no justice.
In all seriousness, when people have a negative view on life, their views are biased towards that, so instead of, as the Russian woman would say 'the universe gives them what they deserve', the people choose to pick out the negatives in life, instead of seeing the positive. Everything in life is about choices, whether they be how people react to situations, or how they deal with failure.
People can see failure in two ways:
(1) that they've failed and that they were stupid to have tried at all, or
(2) that they can alter the way they handle a situation, so that a better outcome results - something of a second chance
This works with everything in life, as the saying goes, "if life gives you lemons, make lemonade".
The woman might have thought about it and maybe meant to express it the way that I thought she didn't, and I'm not saying she's entirely closed-minded, but her choice of words did not convey that ultimate message.
Words matter.
Wednesday, June 18
Jun 18, 2008
I think there is a correlation between traffic jams and assertiveness, of course give or take the mindset of the people involved.
I was coming into work this morning on my usual carpool route. 10-15 minutes of waiting at the curbsite in front of a Longs Drug pharmacy, and 2 cars later, I jump into the front seat of a silver compact car. The driver, a woman, says, "Bad traffic on the bridge, there was an accident".
Most of the time you'd presume what's told to you to be true, I mean why would someoen consciously deceive you about something like that at 6 in the morning. Yet, I had a side thought, like "yeah, RIGHT.", but only in mind.
What was different about today was the large number of people waiting for carpool, never had I seen that many people wait when I get there so early in the morning. I didn't take much notice to it, other than that I wouldn't get in at the time I had hoped. The same was true of the traffic on the freeway. I had never seen so many cars at 6AM, let alone close to 7AM, yet there were plenty of cars. I thought it was strange, but brushed it off. We're cruising along, and as we approach the crazy maze, cars were sitting at a standstill.
And this is where the thought of assertiveness came into play this morning.
We're sitting on the left most lane on the freeway, the one lane that moved about 3 car lengths every two times that the lane next to us moved 5 car lengths. I'm sitting there, and I'm literally watching the cars zoom by me. Yet, it never occurred to the driver next to me that the lanes next to us were moving much faster. Maybe it was that she liked sitting in traffic, but the argument is that most people wait until the very last of minutes to go to work, to get that extra 5 minutes of sleep. I'd assume no different for a lot of people. Not only is this woman sitting in the same standstill traffic as I, but she would have to drop the two of us passengers off, before finally heading into work. Possibly much later than when I woudl get into office, especially since I work literally across the street from the passenger drop off.
The woman never moved. She sat in the traffic, listening to slow music that almost lulled me to sleep.
Maybe that's not a point by point paper on why traffic jams are correlated to assertiveness, because maybe the woman wanted to sit in the traffic, and didn't have to get into work until 10AM, and was really enjoying the traffic. Yet if that was not her mindset, then it could potentially suggest that she was not assertive enough to take charge and change lanes. It might also suggest that she was not bright enough to realize that the lane we were sitting in wasn't moving nearly as fast as any of the other lanes.
Whatever it was, it definitely had my antennas up.
I was coming into work this morning on my usual carpool route. 10-15 minutes of waiting at the curbsite in front of a Longs Drug pharmacy, and 2 cars later, I jump into the front seat of a silver compact car. The driver, a woman, says, "Bad traffic on the bridge, there was an accident".
Most of the time you'd presume what's told to you to be true, I mean why would someoen consciously deceive you about something like that at 6 in the morning. Yet, I had a side thought, like "yeah, RIGHT.", but only in mind.
What was different about today was the large number of people waiting for carpool, never had I seen that many people wait when I get there so early in the morning. I didn't take much notice to it, other than that I wouldn't get in at the time I had hoped. The same was true of the traffic on the freeway. I had never seen so many cars at 6AM, let alone close to 7AM, yet there were plenty of cars. I thought it was strange, but brushed it off. We're cruising along, and as we approach the crazy maze, cars were sitting at a standstill.
And this is where the thought of assertiveness came into play this morning.
We're sitting on the left most lane on the freeway, the one lane that moved about 3 car lengths every two times that the lane next to us moved 5 car lengths. I'm sitting there, and I'm literally watching the cars zoom by me. Yet, it never occurred to the driver next to me that the lanes next to us were moving much faster. Maybe it was that she liked sitting in traffic, but the argument is that most people wait until the very last of minutes to go to work, to get that extra 5 minutes of sleep. I'd assume no different for a lot of people. Not only is this woman sitting in the same standstill traffic as I, but she would have to drop the two of us passengers off, before finally heading into work. Possibly much later than when I woudl get into office, especially since I work literally across the street from the passenger drop off.
The woman never moved. She sat in the traffic, listening to slow music that almost lulled me to sleep.
Maybe that's not a point by point paper on why traffic jams are correlated to assertiveness, because maybe the woman wanted to sit in the traffic, and didn't have to get into work until 10AM, and was really enjoying the traffic. Yet if that was not her mindset, then it could potentially suggest that she was not assertive enough to take charge and change lanes. It might also suggest that she was not bright enough to realize that the lane we were sitting in wasn't moving nearly as fast as any of the other lanes.
Whatever it was, it definitely had my antennas up.
Monday, June 16
Jun 16, 2008
It's okay to be nice to some people, but then you approach every other person you encounter with that same demeanor, but they don't yield to that same courtesy, and YOU don't get the same results.
So what do you do?
You adjust.
You become more brash, and more demanding as a result of being denied. And with each following inquiry that receives that same rejection comes an equally demanding and assertive attempt, if not more so, to get what you didn't get in that first failed attempt. A reminder of how it had felt in that initial attempt.
Angered, and entirely NOT clear-headed.
----
You start to plot aggressively for the other party to become subservient, so much so that you start seething in the mouth. Only to calm a bit after listening to a good song or two. Of course, this wasn't the only thing making you seeth at the mouth, your superior has decided that she'd test the waters.
She sends you a message via an office messenger for you to see her at her desk.
It sounds important!
So even before you decide to go on lunch, you decide you'd head over after all your other mandatory tasks. You feared that it had something to do with your performance or something equally frightening...
...only you get over to her desk, and see several stacks of paper-clipped papers.
She pulls one. Flips the pages, and explains the scenario for which she will next task you. She tells you about the recent conversion, and what had been done.
Aha! You realize - it had nothing to do with you. It was about her, so, you agree. That's what good subordinates do. And that's what good managers do - delegate. Delegate all of their own tasks, so they can sit on their loins while you work for them, and THEY can sit and chit-chat in so-called "meetings" all day. That is how it works, isn't it??
You, too, flip the pages she has just handed you. You're relieved. It's only 4 pages. Four calls. Four different companies. How hard could it be?
----
Yet, you didn't realize that when you decided to fully commit yourself, that you pulled yourself into something that would make you even more angered.
----
You hang up with the last of the four companies.
Head over to let your superior know that you've accomplished the task, and declared the results of the task.
But wait! There's more...
She starts, "I wasn't able to...", and you knew it. She pulls a second stack of papers, and hands them to you. It's 12:55PM now. You figure another stack couldn't hold you too much longer, so again you approach this stack as you had the first. You bring the papers back to her, and you're fairly confident you'd head to lunch soon.
Ah.. you underestimated her, again.
She pulls yet another stack, and uses the same line, "Seems, these weren't on there either... could you...". This time you're thinking you're an idiot to not have said no. What could she have done?? Nothing. Because although she is your superior, she cannot demand your time, when you, too, have your own daily tasks.
Why, then, did you agree?
The only way to learn more is to take more.
What was surprising was that you didn't realize all the while that she would give you just one more stack, each time you returned, using the same line. You're almost convinced she intended to give you all 4 stacks, but to make the task seem lighter, she had given them to you one at a time, for a good hour and a half. When you finally had a breather it was 2:30PM. What's the point of going to lunch then?
So if you don't eat, people pretend to care that you didn't eat, but do they really? Did SHE care that you didn't eat much all day? Not particularly, and MAYBE the only reason she cared at all was not so much that you didn't eat, but that since you started working there you had been consistently losing weight, looking more and more lean, while she had been putting on more, and more, AND more weight. She only cared enough because next to you, she looked less healthy.
It's the crab in a bucket theory. You step too far ahead, and the other crabs grab at you, until you're in line with the others. Brilliant, no?
So what do you do?
You adjust.
You become more brash, and more demanding as a result of being denied. And with each following inquiry that receives that same rejection comes an equally demanding and assertive attempt, if not more so, to get what you didn't get in that first failed attempt. A reminder of how it had felt in that initial attempt.
Angered, and entirely NOT clear-headed.
----
You start to plot aggressively for the other party to become subservient, so much so that you start seething in the mouth. Only to calm a bit after listening to a good song or two. Of course, this wasn't the only thing making you seeth at the mouth, your superior has decided that she'd test the waters.
She sends you a message via an office messenger for you to see her at her desk.
It sounds important!
So even before you decide to go on lunch, you decide you'd head over after all your other mandatory tasks. You feared that it had something to do with your performance or something equally frightening...
...only you get over to her desk, and see several stacks of paper-clipped papers.
She pulls one. Flips the pages, and explains the scenario for which she will next task you. She tells you about the recent conversion, and what had been done.
Aha! You realize - it had nothing to do with you. It was about her, so, you agree. That's what good subordinates do. And that's what good managers do - delegate. Delegate all of their own tasks, so they can sit on their loins while you work for them, and THEY can sit and chit-chat in so-called "meetings" all day. That is how it works, isn't it??
You, too, flip the pages she has just handed you. You're relieved. It's only 4 pages. Four calls. Four different companies. How hard could it be?
----
Yet, you didn't realize that when you decided to fully commit yourself, that you pulled yourself into something that would make you even more angered.
----
You hang up with the last of the four companies.
Head over to let your superior know that you've accomplished the task, and declared the results of the task.
But wait! There's more...
She starts, "I wasn't able to...", and you knew it. She pulls a second stack of papers, and hands them to you. It's 12:55PM now. You figure another stack couldn't hold you too much longer, so again you approach this stack as you had the first. You bring the papers back to her, and you're fairly confident you'd head to lunch soon.
Ah.. you underestimated her, again.
She pulls yet another stack, and uses the same line, "Seems, these weren't on there either... could you...". This time you're thinking you're an idiot to not have said no. What could she have done?? Nothing. Because although she is your superior, she cannot demand your time, when you, too, have your own daily tasks.
Why, then, did you agree?
The only way to learn more is to take more.
What was surprising was that you didn't realize all the while that she would give you just one more stack, each time you returned, using the same line. You're almost convinced she intended to give you all 4 stacks, but to make the task seem lighter, she had given them to you one at a time, for a good hour and a half. When you finally had a breather it was 2:30PM. What's the point of going to lunch then?
So if you don't eat, people pretend to care that you didn't eat, but do they really? Did SHE care that you didn't eat much all day? Not particularly, and MAYBE the only reason she cared at all was not so much that you didn't eat, but that since you started working there you had been consistently losing weight, looking more and more lean, while she had been putting on more, and more, AND more weight. She only cared enough because next to you, she looked less healthy.
It's the crab in a bucket theory. You step too far ahead, and the other crabs grab at you, until you're in line with the others. Brilliant, no?
Saturday, May 10
May 10, 2008
Shortly after dinner Thursday evening, I drove my sputtering car to Sacramento after work. As soon as I was in the vicinity, I was made aware of the circling helicopter, and the blaring lights coming from the police car blockade of the very street I needed to drive into. Forewarned that there was an armed suspect, I circled the block, ultimately parking two houses from the blockade.
Twenty minutes later, we were on our way to a hookah bar in downtown Sacramento to meet up with Phuc and I was invited to hang out with the gang at Dream Ultralounge/Avalon nightclub the following night.
Friday was a whirlwind of a day, consisting entirely of shopping, and taking my car into the shop near the state capitol.
5PM and $850 dollars later - 90K service, check.
Service included replacing the timing belt & 2 others, air filter, oil, oil filter, brake check, tire rotation, topping off of fluids, and the list goes on. I couldn't tell, after driving for 5 minutes on the freeway, whether the sounds my car was making were ordinary. I can say that after driving the distance back home, the car no longer feels as though it is dragging when I hit the pedal to speed up, and it no longer jolts when starting the ignition, which is all around good news. It was worrisome.
9:30PM rolled around, and dressed in a shirt as a dress with charcoal gray stockings, I was out of the door and we were on our way downtown. I invited Lauren and Diana to accompany us, mostly because I did not want to be the only girl in the group. Turns out, Canary tagged along after Robert spotted the couple (Hung and Canary) walking back from Safeway on their way into their apartment.
Assembling the group took an hour at the least, and totaled 2 cars holding 10 people. Not including Lauren and Diana, or the 5-8 other people who arrived on their own. Cover prices at both places were about $20 dollars, and in both cases, we were able to go free of charge, because RODNEY (the promoter) hooked it up!!
Night was fun, including some friendly flirting between various people, including and not limited to Phuc, my boyfriend's friend.
Let's not forget the big puff of mj.
I had fun.
Twenty minutes later, we were on our way to a hookah bar in downtown Sacramento to meet up with Phuc and I was invited to hang out with the gang at Dream Ultralounge/Avalon nightclub the following night.
Friday was a whirlwind of a day, consisting entirely of shopping, and taking my car into the shop near the state capitol.
5PM and $850 dollars later - 90K service, check.
Service included replacing the timing belt & 2 others, air filter, oil, oil filter, brake check, tire rotation, topping off of fluids, and the list goes on. I couldn't tell, after driving for 5 minutes on the freeway, whether the sounds my car was making were ordinary. I can say that after driving the distance back home, the car no longer feels as though it is dragging when I hit the pedal to speed up, and it no longer jolts when starting the ignition, which is all around good news. It was worrisome.
9:30PM rolled around, and dressed in a shirt as a dress with charcoal gray stockings, I was out of the door and we were on our way downtown. I invited Lauren and Diana to accompany us, mostly because I did not want to be the only girl in the group. Turns out, Canary tagged along after Robert spotted the couple (Hung and Canary) walking back from Safeway on their way into their apartment.
Assembling the group took an hour at the least, and totaled 2 cars holding 10 people. Not including Lauren and Diana, or the 5-8 other people who arrived on their own. Cover prices at both places were about $20 dollars, and in both cases, we were able to go free of charge, because RODNEY (the promoter) hooked it up!!
Night was fun, including some friendly flirting between various people, including and not limited to Phuc, my boyfriend's friend.
Let's not forget the big puff of mj.
I had fun.
May 10, 2008
After much deliberation, I've made almost a 360º decision to relocate with the company to Austin, Texas.
I'm flying out to Austin in two weeks to check the area out - I'm taking along with me precious cargo: my younger brother, and my significant other.
I'm flying out to Austin in two weeks to check the area out - I'm taking along with me precious cargo: my younger brother, and my significant other.
Thursday, May 1
May 1, 2008
Schwab to relocate as early as June/July of 2007.
It's been in the works since late last year, rumors about the "other" Trust in Phoenix, and whilest Phoenix will be the primary location for CSTC, Austin Texas was also rumored to be the mirroring Trust, mainly because the acquisition of the 401(k) Company in Q1-Q2 of 2007 had left us with a half transitioned merge between the two companies.
It's all a part of the grand Corporate Relocation Strategy for the prospects/future of Schwab, and it's been rumored that Chuck Schwab will retire one final time in 2010, the same time that this relocation strategy is to be fully completed. Coincidence? Maybe.
So the big question is: Do I stay or do I go?
What would I be missing out on if I stayed, if I went? Would I maintain a healthy social lifestyle, outside of work? Am I being compensated enough to relocate for a number of years? Would it be too long, too short? With increased inflation, and housing prices dropping, as well as feds cutting rates, a San Francisco salary in Phoenix would be decent, but would I be equally compensated in the following years after I've moved?
If I took severance, I'm entitled to at least 2 months formal notice(
the pink slip), and the severance of at least 22 business days or more depending on salary. I have 66 business days, on top of the 2 months, giving me a whooping 5 months of paid leave, not including my vacation time. If I'm lucrative/highly demanded enough I would think 5 months is enough to find another secured position, and I'll have gotten so use to getting up at 6AM that I'll probably start looking as soon as I can, and still receive the full benefits.
Another thing to consider would be the company environment/philosophy/philanthropy/mission statement, and how they really behave in the industry, etc. It was a big reason I became so in love with Schwab that I worked my a** off to get in. Would any other companies give me that sort of warmth, and would I still wake up every morning and love being at work?
Sadly I won't know until I've been there, and I'm going to choose especially wisely now that I've been, in a sense, pampered and spoiled by a good company. I do know one thing, I'd love to be able to come back in a couple of years with more experience to this company.
So farewell to Schwab at least for a little while.
It's been in the works since late last year, rumors about the "other" Trust in Phoenix, and whilest Phoenix will be the primary location for CSTC, Austin Texas was also rumored to be the mirroring Trust, mainly because the acquisition of the 401(k) Company in Q1-Q2 of 2007 had left us with a half transitioned merge between the two companies.
It's all a part of the grand Corporate Relocation Strategy for the prospects/future of Schwab, and it's been rumored that Chuck Schwab will retire one final time in 2010, the same time that this relocation strategy is to be fully completed. Coincidence? Maybe.
So the big question is: Do I stay or do I go?
What would I be missing out on if I stayed, if I went? Would I maintain a healthy social lifestyle, outside of work? Am I being compensated enough to relocate for a number of years? Would it be too long, too short? With increased inflation, and housing prices dropping, as well as feds cutting rates, a San Francisco salary in Phoenix would be decent, but would I be equally compensated in the following years after I've moved?
If I took severance, I'm entitled to at least 2 months formal notice(
the pink slip), and the severance of at least 22 business days or more depending on salary. I have 66 business days, on top of the 2 months, giving me a whooping 5 months of paid leave, not including my vacation time. If I'm lucrative/highly demanded enough I would think 5 months is enough to find another secured position, and I'll have gotten so use to getting up at 6AM that I'll probably start looking as soon as I can, and still receive the full benefits.
Another thing to consider would be the company environment/philosophy/philanthropy/mission statement, and how they really behave in the industry, etc. It was a big reason I became so in love with Schwab that I worked my a** off to get in. Would any other companies give me that sort of warmth, and would I still wake up every morning and love being at work?
Sadly I won't know until I've been there, and I'm going to choose especially wisely now that I've been, in a sense, pampered and spoiled by a good company. I do know one thing, I'd love to be able to come back in a couple of years with more experience to this company.
So farewell to Schwab at least for a little while.
Monday, April 7
April 7, 2008
I'm annoyed, angry, irritated by my boyfriend. Constantly. As long as I see him, I can go from happy-go-lucky, to down-in-the-dumps within a matter of minutes.
Lately it's things like how he likes to point, and gesture with his hands, excessively, in place of using words, as though whilest he's driving, I'm staring at his hand movements, or when I point out things like his bad driving, he'll suggest that he overlooks my flaws, as though that should be reason enough for me to not be irritated by it, or that by pointing out my flaws, it negates his.
To all that, I say, it means nothing, because my irritation is still there. If for any reason he is not bothered by my shortcomings, then great! but that does not mean I'm not still bothered by his. It's quite possible that his annoyances with me aren't quite as repetitive as his... we're not talking about my one bad driving experience, with his driving habits, and my annoyances with a couple of people, when they happen, not his constants...!
It feels like I'm arguing with someone who just doesn't get it. And maybe I should just overlook it, but if I'm annoyed by it THIS much, then maybe it's not worth it.
Lately it's things like how he likes to point, and gesture with his hands, excessively, in place of using words, as though whilest he's driving, I'm staring at his hand movements, or when I point out things like his bad driving, he'll suggest that he overlooks my flaws, as though that should be reason enough for me to not be irritated by it, or that by pointing out my flaws, it negates his.
To all that, I say, it means nothing, because my irritation is still there. If for any reason he is not bothered by my shortcomings, then great! but that does not mean I'm not still bothered by his. It's quite possible that his annoyances with me aren't quite as repetitive as his... we're not talking about my one bad driving experience, with his driving habits, and my annoyances with a couple of people, when they happen, not his constants...!
It feels like I'm arguing with someone who just doesn't get it. And maybe I should just overlook it, but if I'm annoyed by it THIS much, then maybe it's not worth it.
Friday, March 28
Mar 28, 2008
I started reading it a little over a week ago, and since then I have not given myself much time to put it down. Outside of work, and sleep..., only on the bus ride home, or during dinner (great family values, right?).
I started to see a very different me, through that book, the "me" that I always knew existed, but was in one way or form put second to an accustomed mannerism.
Growing up with parents who had deeply integrated mindsets of how things should be, and how my life should follow the same path which they walked was frequent, common, and typical. Yet, from reading it, I realize that their mindset, as a result, affected, and influenced how I view, and deal with others, often not to anyone's advantage.
In recent events, mostly as a result of the readings, I'm ever more aware of my faults and misconceptions, and how my life to this point has negatively affected my formerly rosy view of everyone and everything. I've become, like my significant other claims, too involved in other peoples' lives, whether it was my business to know or to think, and I treat others' negatively as a result of those views.
The most difficult obstacle is mentally battling those conceptions and following a certain path of reaction(s). In my minds' eye, I see the multitude of options, and the challenging part is weighing the pros and cons of each reaction/action. Of course, the difficulty lies not in seeing, because that's already embedded in me, but in the decision I often make to follow the negative reaction path, and being aware of the ensuing consequences.
My challenge will be to see the options, and be able to make the decision for what is beneficial in the long term.
I started to see a very different me, through that book, the "me" that I always knew existed, but was in one way or form put second to an accustomed mannerism.
Growing up with parents who had deeply integrated mindsets of how things should be, and how my life should follow the same path which they walked was frequent, common, and typical. Yet, from reading it, I realize that their mindset, as a result, affected, and influenced how I view, and deal with others, often not to anyone's advantage.
In recent events, mostly as a result of the readings, I'm ever more aware of my faults and misconceptions, and how my life to this point has negatively affected my formerly rosy view of everyone and everything. I've become, like my significant other claims, too involved in other peoples' lives, whether it was my business to know or to think, and I treat others' negatively as a result of those views.
The most difficult obstacle is mentally battling those conceptions and following a certain path of reaction(s). In my minds' eye, I see the multitude of options, and the challenging part is weighing the pros and cons of each reaction/action. Of course, the difficulty lies not in seeing, because that's already embedded in me, but in the decision I often make to follow the negative reaction path, and being aware of the ensuing consequences.
My challenge will be to see the options, and be able to make the decision for what is beneficial in the long term.
Monday, March 17
Mar 17, 2008
So by now, we all know, or should have been informed that St. Patrick's Day was officially moved to March 15 (in Ireland, at least), sanctioned by the Pope, because it conflicted with the beginning of Holy Week.
Anyway, on to more personal items.
So today was a glimpse at what a workday would look like, if two of my coworkers decided to be out for the day. I have one on vacation, and another out sick, and yet another to be out in two days for a week. Funny thing is I'm the primary backup for most of their functions while they're out... thrilling to know that I'm so highly valuable now, though obviously replaceable, considering they did the same to a friend of mine.
Just one more year!
Anyway, on to more personal items.
So today was a glimpse at what a workday would look like, if two of my coworkers decided to be out for the day. I have one on vacation, and another out sick, and yet another to be out in two days for a week. Funny thing is I'm the primary backup for most of their functions while they're out... thrilling to know that I'm so highly valuable now, though obviously replaceable, considering they did the same to a friend of mine.
Just one more year!
Wednesday, March 5
Mar 5, 2008
If that doesn't sound sarcastic, I don't know what does. I went into hiatus after a semi-hectic year end, and year beginning, and did not get back into the normal groove of things until relatively recently.
Of course, if you know me, you'd know nothing's really normal.
Since my birthday in December, I have not seen my friend/exboyfriend at all. Sometime early last week, he sends me a text message, and asks me to lunch with he and his roommate. It was a good time, and since I had not seen the guy in over 3 months, I thought I'd stick around a little before doing the disappearing act, invited the guy to go running with me, and he in turn invited me to the Warriors game both Friday, and Sunday. I declined the Friday offer, and went to the game on Sunday. I had a good time, and there was no anxiety or romantic interest on either of our parts. It was good to hang out with someone who's good looking, and being able to merely be friends, etc. Of course, the rest of the world, excluding my friend and I, don't see it that way. It's automatically deemed wrong, and people start to question everyone else, "And the boyfriend's OK with this?", etc. Yet, despite all the negativity, the more that people object, the more I'm holding onto the one thing that people continually make the topic of conversation.
I won't lie, I had a lot of feelings for my friend when we dated, and with the sequence of events, everything was polarized, and he became an invaluable friend to me, for all his experiences with me, his insight and his frank and forthright attitude about everything. He's not afraid to set me straight, or to tell me I'm the one to have screwed something up, contrary to the dealings with other friends either too caught up in the positives in life, and how everything is fine and dandy if I can look to the other side of the fence. The sad truth is.. I want friends who are able to sit on this side of the fence with me, and be entirely blunt about the dump that I'm in, instead of always hoping I'd eventually get to the other side. As sad, and as self-deprecating as it sounds, I need it to be sane. And I only really have two friends who are able to do that, without much bias. With that, I'm not interested in partisanship, or how ones' opinions affect the sort of advice they give, and how they give it... I'm interested in cold, hard facts, seeing it entirely as an outsider, and that's entirely my two friends, JH and WF.
We commonly accept that there are deeply ingrained morals affected by societal "norms", which is why homosexuals have such a hard time getting rights. It's not because they're any different than any other person walking down the street, but having everything polarized and then to have courts argue whether it's right or wrong to legalize gay marriages, creates the idea that it's potentially "wrong". Yet, despite what is and is not right, I choose to go against what society deems as correct and incorrect. People often ask, why we're still friends, despite all the hardships I had been through, and often question whether it's an entirely platonic relationship. To that, I'd exclaim with a resounding "YES!", but I find myself having to defend the friendship from the mere fact that it is not the norm. And the funniest thing is, that's the very foundation of my wanting to keep the friendship alive, and thriving, not necessarily to prove a point, but because it is different, and almost unacceptable.
So anyway... here's to hoping I don't lose contact with him. And here's to hoping my boyfriend will eventually be okay with it.
Of course, if you know me, you'd know nothing's really normal.
Since my birthday in December, I have not seen my friend/exboyfriend at all. Sometime early last week, he sends me a text message, and asks me to lunch with he and his roommate. It was a good time, and since I had not seen the guy in over 3 months, I thought I'd stick around a little before doing the disappearing act, invited the guy to go running with me, and he in turn invited me to the Warriors game both Friday, and Sunday. I declined the Friday offer, and went to the game on Sunday. I had a good time, and there was no anxiety or romantic interest on either of our parts. It was good to hang out with someone who's good looking, and being able to merely be friends, etc. Of course, the rest of the world, excluding my friend and I, don't see it that way. It's automatically deemed wrong, and people start to question everyone else, "And the boyfriend's OK with this?", etc. Yet, despite all the negativity, the more that people object, the more I'm holding onto the one thing that people continually make the topic of conversation.
I won't lie, I had a lot of feelings for my friend when we dated, and with the sequence of events, everything was polarized, and he became an invaluable friend to me, for all his experiences with me, his insight and his frank and forthright attitude about everything. He's not afraid to set me straight, or to tell me I'm the one to have screwed something up, contrary to the dealings with other friends either too caught up in the positives in life, and how everything is fine and dandy if I can look to the other side of the fence. The sad truth is.. I want friends who are able to sit on this side of the fence with me, and be entirely blunt about the dump that I'm in, instead of always hoping I'd eventually get to the other side. As sad, and as self-deprecating as it sounds, I need it to be sane. And I only really have two friends who are able to do that, without much bias. With that, I'm not interested in partisanship, or how ones' opinions affect the sort of advice they give, and how they give it... I'm interested in cold, hard facts, seeing it entirely as an outsider, and that's entirely my two friends, JH and WF.
We commonly accept that there are deeply ingrained morals affected by societal "norms", which is why homosexuals have such a hard time getting rights. It's not because they're any different than any other person walking down the street, but having everything polarized and then to have courts argue whether it's right or wrong to legalize gay marriages, creates the idea that it's potentially "wrong". Yet, despite what is and is not right, I choose to go against what society deems as correct and incorrect. People often ask, why we're still friends, despite all the hardships I had been through, and often question whether it's an entirely platonic relationship. To that, I'd exclaim with a resounding "YES!", but I find myself having to defend the friendship from the mere fact that it is not the norm. And the funniest thing is, that's the very foundation of my wanting to keep the friendship alive, and thriving, not necessarily to prove a point, but because it is different, and almost unacceptable.
So anyway... here's to hoping I don't lose contact with him. And here's to hoping my boyfriend will eventually be okay with it.
Tuesday, March 4
Mar 4, 2008
Had my annual performance review today, the last hour of the my work day, for the 6 months of 2007. Was a really good review, despite the numbers associated for such a review. Manager acknowledged that she sees the effort I put into the work that I do, acknowledges that I ask a lot of good questions, am ambitious, am confident in myself, confident enough to ask questions when not knowing, am someone who has picked up a lot in the short amount of time with the company, am someone who analyzes everything/goes beyond just what is told, am someone who takes on a lot, who despite a large amount of work can work under stress, and am someone who sees the bigger picture, and goes beyond just the day to day, am forthright in trying to create better ways to do things.
Goals she sees for 2008, besides the standard set ones: better communication, making connections/relationships with more people, making more suggestions/implementing possibly better processes, taking on more and more responsibility
On route for potential promotion in 2008. Here's to hoping this stays the course!
Yes to a all around good review, despite the numbers associated.
Goals she sees for 2008, besides the standard set ones: better communication, making connections/relationships with more people, making more suggestions/implementing possibly better processes, taking on more and more responsibility
On route for potential promotion in 2008. Here's to hoping this stays the course!
Yes to a all around good review, despite the numbers associated.
Sunday, February 24
Feb 24, 2008
It's been a little over a month, and I have no legitimate excuse for why I failed to blog even a sentence in the past 4 weeks, but to say that I've never had this much fun in my life.
Since my last entry, I've gone on two separate snow trips, with two different small groups of people, went on a weekend trip to Las Vegas, for the first time since 2-3 years ago, taken up an increasing amount of responsibilities at work, due to Susan's decision to leave Schwab, just all in all a very good time.
With all the madness at work and at home, the last couple of months, I found very little time actually being able to read a good novel. I have a row of some thirty odd books, all purchased with the intent of being read at some point in my life, and sadly, have not had a chance to lift a single page of any of the novels. Along with that is my juggling a full time boyfriend, who lives about two hours away... constant chatting, and feeling in a sense obligated to entertain and to keep entertained should he fall out of intrigue with me. Though it's been said (contrary to my beliefs) that it would be hard to become bored with someone so full of energy, mystery, spontaneity, randomness, and overall "spunk".
Thankfully after so many months, my SO has become increasingly caring, and more willing to drive to see me, every week, of course to the dismay of his mother. Least to say, he never visited home much, or often, so knowing that he comes to see me as much as he does... makes it extremely hard for a mother. I understand.
A couple more things to glaze over, the spring season and lastly being physically and financially fit.
So with spring just around the corner, there's an increasing desire to be more fit than I had been in a bikini last year. Of course with all my weight lifting and jogging last year, I'm in much better shape than I had been a year ago, today; however, despite that, I'm in worse shape than I had been at the beginning of November, before the holiday season. I just started going back to the gym, on Friday, and made occasional trips to the gym once or twice every two weeks or so. Not frequent enough for my abs to take shape, or to lose any amount of weight. Last June, I had found myself in a car accident, and ended up opting for a personal trainer, because my chiropractor told me I shouldn't run anymore. I got into relatively good shape, with a slight definition in the abdominal area, since then I've gained around the midsection, and my waist seems to have gotten a bit wider than my hips, so I almost look pear shaped, or something like it. Hopefully the weather doesn't get too cold, and I'll be okay with all the excercising back at the gym.
So to brush on this next subject, since I started working in a financial firm, I've become more aware of my future, forty to fifty years down the line. Though I'm probably not as informed as I'd like to be, I've become aware of a lot of aspects of the business. I've taken a more active role in my retirement planning, checking on how my investments are doing, etc. Of course the egg is still harvesting, and is decent sized for how old I am, I'd like it to be much, much larger. So a couple of days ago, I increased my contributions to about 26%, with 20 going into a roth, and 6 going into a regular... I think I'd like to reach 35% to max out the limit... but I think I'm going to hold off a bit until my raise comes in another month. Hopefully it'll be enough of an increase for the contribution to not seem to take a toll on my supposed "spending" habit. Though I think I save much, much more than most people... it just seems that with all that I am able to purchase.. I could potentially be saving a LOT more... but what of life, and happiness... if I'm constantly hoarding, there'd be no $$ left to make myself enjoy what is life! So hopefully the raise will be a sizable one, though from what I've heard, the raises are so small, that around the time that people find out about their raises... or reviews, most people leave the company in search of better financial possibilities. I'm hoping that won't be the case for me.
With much of the responsibilities that I will be taking over come Monday morning, I'd hope that my superiors, team lead, manager, director will see what a big role I will be taking this coming year. If they want to lose yet another employee, then they can go ahead with the small increases. Those stingy scrooges, and they talk about OneSchwab, and Schwab values... I'd think employee retention and low turnarounds would be a high priority...
Here's to almost a year in the job!
Since my last entry, I've gone on two separate snow trips, with two different small groups of people, went on a weekend trip to Las Vegas, for the first time since 2-3 years ago, taken up an increasing amount of responsibilities at work, due to Susan's decision to leave Schwab, just all in all a very good time.
With all the madness at work and at home, the last couple of months, I found very little time actually being able to read a good novel. I have a row of some thirty odd books, all purchased with the intent of being read at some point in my life, and sadly, have not had a chance to lift a single page of any of the novels. Along with that is my juggling a full time boyfriend, who lives about two hours away... constant chatting, and feeling in a sense obligated to entertain and to keep entertained should he fall out of intrigue with me. Though it's been said (contrary to my beliefs) that it would be hard to become bored with someone so full of energy, mystery, spontaneity, randomness, and overall "spunk".
Thankfully after so many months, my SO has become increasingly caring, and more willing to drive to see me, every week, of course to the dismay of his mother. Least to say, he never visited home much, or often, so knowing that he comes to see me as much as he does... makes it extremely hard for a mother. I understand.
A couple more things to glaze over, the spring season and lastly being physically and financially fit.
So with spring just around the corner, there's an increasing desire to be more fit than I had been in a bikini last year. Of course with all my weight lifting and jogging last year, I'm in much better shape than I had been a year ago, today; however, despite that, I'm in worse shape than I had been at the beginning of November, before the holiday season. I just started going back to the gym, on Friday, and made occasional trips to the gym once or twice every two weeks or so. Not frequent enough for my abs to take shape, or to lose any amount of weight. Last June, I had found myself in a car accident, and ended up opting for a personal trainer, because my chiropractor told me I shouldn't run anymore. I got into relatively good shape, with a slight definition in the abdominal area, since then I've gained around the midsection, and my waist seems to have gotten a bit wider than my hips, so I almost look pear shaped, or something like it. Hopefully the weather doesn't get too cold, and I'll be okay with all the excercising back at the gym.
So to brush on this next subject, since I started working in a financial firm, I've become more aware of my future, forty to fifty years down the line. Though I'm probably not as informed as I'd like to be, I've become aware of a lot of aspects of the business. I've taken a more active role in my retirement planning, checking on how my investments are doing, etc. Of course the egg is still harvesting, and is decent sized for how old I am, I'd like it to be much, much larger. So a couple of days ago, I increased my contributions to about 26%, with 20 going into a roth, and 6 going into a regular... I think I'd like to reach 35% to max out the limit... but I think I'm going to hold off a bit until my raise comes in another month. Hopefully it'll be enough of an increase for the contribution to not seem to take a toll on my supposed "spending" habit. Though I think I save much, much more than most people... it just seems that with all that I am able to purchase.. I could potentially be saving a LOT more... but what of life, and happiness... if I'm constantly hoarding, there'd be no $$ left to make myself enjoy what is life! So hopefully the raise will be a sizable one, though from what I've heard, the raises are so small, that around the time that people find out about their raises... or reviews, most people leave the company in search of better financial possibilities. I'm hoping that won't be the case for me.
With much of the responsibilities that I will be taking over come Monday morning, I'd hope that my superiors, team lead, manager, director will see what a big role I will be taking this coming year. If they want to lose yet another employee, then they can go ahead with the small increases. Those stingy scrooges, and they talk about OneSchwab, and Schwab values... I'd think employee retention and low turnarounds would be a high priority...
Here's to almost a year in the job!
Tuesday, January 29
Jan 29, 2008
March 19 and May 30 mark the 1 year anniversary of Jennifer and my, respectively, hire date into the business/working world. We plan to celebrate/commemorate the day by having dinner on a date in between the two, on April 26th... the day of my twin friends' birthday! Celebrating ON their birthday, and congratulating my roommate for a year completed! Kidding.
Anyway, with the celebrations of our one years coming soon, comes news of my coworker Susan's job offer at Citco. She apparently was offered a position sometime yesterday afternoon, shortly after her interview earlier that day. She'll be in the area of fund accounting, with a base salary of 50k + overtime + bonus + 401(k) match of up to 4% annual base salary - vision plan. All sounds super better than what she is currently making at our establishment.
The irony of this news is that I was so unhappy yesterday with our relationship, and her boyfriend's relation with my own, and was so disengaged from it that I had taken it out on my significant other. I had disposed all my negative feelings, and went as far as to want to sever all ties to him, solely because of a disagreement out of his scope of control. Today, after I finally engaged in some civil conversations, she finally relents and tells me about the job offer, and her intent on accepting the offer. Ill-will, or not, I feel that despite all the negativity, I'd rather work with her than not, because the burdens she carries, or in a couple of months, carried, will fall on the rest of our already short-staffed team, and that means mine. I'm not sure exactly how much burden she carries, but I am sure it is quite a load, considering she is able to support so many various people when others do call in sick. The only way to do it is to take it all one day at a time, and start to acquire other tasks, and ask to shadow to learn as much as I can before she leaves, so that I would not be burdened when she is finally gone.
The good thing is that she'll always be my friend, and will probably continue to be until we marry, considering our significant others seem to have taken a particular liking to each other. We'll probably still try to hang out, and with that said, our first real trip together happens this Saturday, up to the snow, for a one-day trip to Northstar at Tahoe. Just so happens that it's Burton Demo day, so people can demo new boards and such for free, and even get free lessons on how to ride. Best news: there's been about 4 feet of snow in the last 7 days, and it's been raining on and off all week, so new powder when we go, so our behinds won't ache as much when we do happen to fall flat on them.
Anyway, with the celebrations of our one years coming soon, comes news of my coworker Susan's job offer at Citco. She apparently was offered a position sometime yesterday afternoon, shortly after her interview earlier that day. She'll be in the area of fund accounting, with a base salary of 50k + overtime + bonus + 401(k) match of up to 4% annual base salary - vision plan. All sounds super better than what she is currently making at our establishment.
The irony of this news is that I was so unhappy yesterday with our relationship, and her boyfriend's relation with my own, and was so disengaged from it that I had taken it out on my significant other. I had disposed all my negative feelings, and went as far as to want to sever all ties to him, solely because of a disagreement out of his scope of control. Today, after I finally engaged in some civil conversations, she finally relents and tells me about the job offer, and her intent on accepting the offer. Ill-will, or not, I feel that despite all the negativity, I'd rather work with her than not, because the burdens she carries, or in a couple of months, carried, will fall on the rest of our already short-staffed team, and that means mine. I'm not sure exactly how much burden she carries, but I am sure it is quite a load, considering she is able to support so many various people when others do call in sick. The only way to do it is to take it all one day at a time, and start to acquire other tasks, and ask to shadow to learn as much as I can before she leaves, so that I would not be burdened when she is finally gone.
The good thing is that she'll always be my friend, and will probably continue to be until we marry, considering our significant others seem to have taken a particular liking to each other. We'll probably still try to hang out, and with that said, our first real trip together happens this Saturday, up to the snow, for a one-day trip to Northstar at Tahoe. Just so happens that it's Burton Demo day, so people can demo new boards and such for free, and even get free lessons on how to ride. Best news: there's been about 4 feet of snow in the last 7 days, and it's been raining on and off all week, so new powder when we go, so our behinds won't ache as much when we do happen to fall flat on them.
Monday, January 28
Jan 28, 2008
In the past 6-7 hours at work, I have been in a semi-dreary mood. I haven't talked to anyone really, only when I had to, and responded to emails in the same plain manner. I suppose the most irritating emails I received were from a co-worker's significant other, who is entirely tactless. I am irritable, but nonetheless, I find that the couple has gotten more and more on my bad side. It started with these comments about being "spontaneous", then getting credit/receiving acknowledgment for bright ideas, not their own. Sounds a little like I let people walk over me, huh? Well quite the contrary, it's more that people take my suggestions, and call it their own, the bright side is, I know the truth, and I know that if they were to suggest something equally random, it would be next to impossible!
This car rental business is fun, though!
This car rental business is fun, though!
Jan 28, 2008
So it seems in the past month or so, since the primaries started, the race has become especially heated, pitting senators against senators, and in recent news, pitting family dynasties against each other, with Senator Edward Kennedy and his niece, Caroline Kennedy, endorsing Senator Obama, of Illinois, while the Townsends, children of Ethel Kennedy, apparently have voiced their support of Senator Clinton, of New York. Not only has there been an onslaught of senators officially endorsing a presidential candidate, but there has been a reference to racial politics, with references to Jesse Jackson's candidacy some years ago. And with the Kennedy's public support, it seems something like a bad thing for the Clinton camp. Super Duper Tuesday comes next week, so here's to the best presidential hopeful!
Wednesday, January 9
Jan 9, 2008
The funny thing about this whole primary process is... I didn't use to care. Something changed though, maybe it was the political science major my last two and a half years at Davis, or maybe it was something else. I started to pick up more presidential novels, bought political propaganda type magazines, and read mostly, if not entirely, politic-related news. Maybe it was just feeling as though having majored in the area, I should just want to be around it all the time. I had even seriously considered law school, for lack of independent thinking. It just seemed like the course to take. To note, I had worked as an election poll worker my last year in high school, and had been emotionally taken aback by how naive I had been about the work-world. At the time, however, whatever my parents endorsed was something I seriously considered. I had even campaigned a bit my last year at Davis for the Davis Democratic group, for a measure that I had known nothing about prior to the campaigning. All that aside, it feels good being more knowledgeable in an area that some are only mildly aware of, because of the media.
Of course, with picking up For Love of Politics, the novel about the Clintons while Bill Clinton was in presidency, I had taken the opposing view of what seemed to be a negative aspect of the Clinton administration. Maybe the novel was meant to be a truly realistic look at how the Clintons governed, but it seemed evermore negative, and made me feel as Hilary felt. Or maybe it was a strategy, to have the book out when it really mattered, when Hilary Clinton would consider running for the presidency. With all that aside though, it seems, this presidential election should be especially exciting, considering that we not only have a woman running, but a black man, as well. Both democrats, so I feel it should be an especially groundbreaking election, this year, no matter the winner. Though, I must say I am still rooting for a Clinton, mostly because despite not having the actual experience, she has seen what it's like in the presidency, so I feel she would be better prepared for it. And it's not to say, she couldn't always use Bill as a reference, which she really could! So it'll be an interesting run.
In either case, I hope they end up on the same ticket, no matter the role.
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