and the verdict is....

I am very keen to write down a lot of my thoughts on the current firm events... but there are too much that I dont know where to start. It might sound very lame.. but I believe in krama... if you act well, you will be rewarded..

Emi, remember all the weird stories I told you of my work life in NY? it turnt out.. all those people whose work attitude and philosphy that I dont understand and dont agree on... are now all gone..... so I guess it is true how the truth will reveal..

However, at the same time.. I am not sure if I agree with the new mgmt philiosphy as well.. The strong, arrogant, you are either of value or no value.. cut throat competition...

I will always miss the peaceful, yet processive atmostphere I enjoyed in Japan. But I understand I have moved on now... I cant always wished to be in the "pampered garden"

the one and only biggest tree in my garden now is planted in the Great Britian = )

Be as water...

This is the advice from Peter.. the guo lo who sit across from me. He is a special guo lo who believe in eastern philiosphopy which I dont feel weird.. There are just too many asian fancy guo lo in NY

Be as water... that is what he told me today. water is very flexible yet very powerful... It will become whatever shape you want it to become... but it can comes back as powerful as a big wave...

I believe in yuen fun... I know we wont hang out after we move seats.. But he has inspired me to look into Taoism! Cant believe I was inspired by a guo lo into Eastern culture..

Emergency Exit Plan

All buildings have emergency exit plan.. so lately I think I should came up with one too.. Esp under the current situation at the firm.

So imagine you knew today is the firmwide layoff day and you see your colleagues go.. what will you do before you receive the deadly call? Even though I escaped this time, I think I should still get prepared in case this happen again.

Last week, I came to work.. found out both my bossess were let go... checked my london colleagues, they got let go as well..

1) I called my close friend at work... tried to find out the details.
2) I started copying down all the internal contacts I needed within the company
3) I started looking at internal job bank and copying down all the possible positions and contact
4) I started packing up all my confidential files at my desk...my passport copies, photo, to take it with me as I might be escorted out the building and cannot come back
5) in the meantime I called John to update him on the situation.

at first, I thought I was feeling too uneasy so I called John
but now when I calmed down and rethink.... The reason I called him is b/c if I got axed.. I would have to pay to call him! so I should make use of my possibily last chance to make free international call! i am no kidding...

They said the layoff is over but I dont really believe in them.. who knows in the next six month?
but is the above emergency exit plan good enough?

P.S. Emi, fyi... remember all the ppl that I complaint to you about? they all got axed... so I guess in the end... people do notice what you are doing.. and the truth will reveal... (only it takes time and you might not want to wait that long... but it will happen.. eventually)

Good.. Bad... Good... Bad News.. it all depends how you view it

A lot happened over the last couple of days which I dont even know where to start... a brief recap in order

1) meeting John and his college friends in HK
2) Taiwan travel with John (met his ex-colleagues too)
3) Reading all the news about the earthquake in China (watching the news are even more heartbreaking than reading the paper)
4) meeting my old friends
5) receiving shocking news about company change during my vacation
6) I met John's parents and he met mine (and he was late for the dinner! Unforgivable!)
7) found out John's and my parents was in the same tour to the Silk Road two years ago
8) last but not least, came back to work and found out -> 2 of my bossess are axed, myself and another girl was left in the team and all my counterparties are gone. I am reporting back to the line but even the line reporting heads have also changed.

so it has been a mixture of good and bad news...

from a US prespective (or what my mentor have also told me) Personal life should be your priority, so I should be excited about the big jump in my relationship with John

for the little asian inside of me, I was crying everytime I read the newspaper about the earthqukate (at the same time, you must admit that this has removed the international focus on the problems on Tibet)

for the little workaholic inside me, I was shocked to find out basically my whole team was gone... (emi... I will write out what exactly happened today in a seperate blog entry.. it was bruttle) However, at the same time, it must also means I have done some good work in the past so thatz why they pick me to stay...

at the end of the day.. I just want to say... I am safe for now ( at least both for work and personal)

Chocolate and Sake nite...

It has been a stressful day... I guess my above and beyond are all very stressed out. I meant, I felt stressed to see them shutting themselve in the room and going to all these "for the firm's best interest" meeting.

So let's face it. You read it in the news, you heard rumours. I knew this must be much worse than last time. There will be layoffs. My up and above actually stepped out from her room, stared at our desks (most of the people are out though) looking sad.. and walked back into her room. (haha.. yourself alone probably worth 3 headcounts)

As there is totally nothing we can do about it, my teammate and I have decided to make our lives easlier... we started throwing away things and organizing things so it will be easier when we "knock knock" have to go.... Our desk never looked soo clean before!

After work we went to the "chocolate and sake tasting" organized by the firm's Asian Society. It was held on the 41st floor, in the executive meeting room. The ocassion was nicely decorated with beautiful flowers. Not to mention all the yummy chocolates tastfully pair with different sake. It is probably my first time to try dark chocolates with curry, white chocolate with lemongrass, dark chocolate with sea salt...

It was a really good crowd too! We found out we are all the upper west siders = )

The Best Sushi in NY

I found the best sushi in NY!!!

haha.. the weather was soo nice yesterday it is a sin to stay in the office... and I happened to found this place on my friend's facebook pics.

oh.. the sashimi is just sooo fresh and yummy! Beat suhsi of Gari by 9 Street!

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/ushi-wakamaru/

Lost in mailbox

When I was reading the golden book of Shopaholic, I realized I shared the same habit as the author... Not checking the mailbox that is...

Well .... in the modern days of the internet and online statements, checking my email inbox seems to be much more important than my mailbox..

So when I decided to open my mailbox after two weeks of ignoring it.. I was sooo surprised that I received 2 important mails from London! One of Kibochi and one from John.

I guess no matter how advance technology is.... it is always very heart warming to receive hand written mail in your mailbox...

夏髮

so I failed on my hunt for the perfect dress... so when I was both disappointed and frustrated.. I walked into blommies and I spotted this sales girl at Benefit cosmetic counter... her hair looks amazing and I just couldnt stop looking at her! I have been wanting to get rid of my long curly hair for quite some time... As summer is approaching, I want to get a new shorter hair summer look... (actually I want to get a New York kakoi look!)

so... yes I did.. I went up to her and asked which salon she went to

and here I am.. New Look for the summer! (somehow I think it is still somehow japanese.. but at least i got rid of the long curls!)

btw... the cut is cheap! $35 in chinatown. Much more valued than the Japanese ones!

In search for the perfect dress

what should I wear? next sat I will be in HK attending John's college friend's wedding.. It is also my first time meeting his best friends...

darn..

赤豆南瓜みるく

My new recipe from a korean cookbook. Quite a delicious dessert!

OMFG?!?!?!?!?!

so here is it... This lastest TV hit series Gossip Girl giantic poster with OMFG stood big and tall in the center of Times Square.

is this the new face of TV and advertisement? I am terribility disappointed with this so-call American Culture. This is basically putting up a BIG PICTURE of two teenagers having sex right in the so called "center of the world" (oh... and with captioned OMFG)

just ridiculous..

The Big 3

lately a lot of my friends have just passed the Big 3 day... and they all had big celebration to mark this significiant day in life.

is the Big 3 really important? is this really a time where we do a review on our accomplishment in life so far?

or is this a time when we compare our accomplishment with others and see how far we got?

instead of comparing myself to others... I rather compare myself to myself = )

I do notice some changes of myself as compared to a couple years ago...
- less energy to go out till late night
- more selective in making friends
- prefer quiet, heartful talk than big group hangout
- less frustrated when facing work issues, practicing more zen @ work...

I think the only thing that didnt change is my adventurous nature... = ) (but just done in a more subtle way)

Happy Birthday! to all my fabulous Big 3 friends! We have indeed made a long way here!

Edventures....

So finally I have decided to move home. I struggled a bit as I dont want my blogs to be everywhere... However, I dont think MSN is user friendly so I have decided to come back to blogger... Wish this new sweet home will hold more of my new "Edventures"