Resolutions 2014

Oh gosh. Here's 2013's review.

1) Be able to do a handstand-Failed
2) Pick up a new sport/activity-Failed
3) Participate in a half marathon-improve upon 2:33! Goal 2:20-Failed
4) Say yes more-Maybe?
5) Drop a waist size-Failed
6) Join tennis competitions-Failed
7) Cook more-twice a week dinner!-Sorta
8) Do a Tango Performance-Failed
9) Sub hour 10k-SUCCESS!

Wah lau, so I'll give myself more discount for this year given all the chaos. Let's try again...

2014 Resolutions

1) Travel to new places for Tango
2) Take up pole dancing
3) 80% Bootcamp attendance
4) Learn how to code
5) Do a performance
6) Consistent article writing
7) Study for GMAT
8) Be more spontaneous

Old Dog; New Tricks

I am super determined to make 2014 a year where I learn new things. Beyond the yes's that defined 2012 and a 2013 that got complete derailed and off course, 2014 is goal achieving year.

For a start, I want to rediscover the passion and curiosity that I went to Michigan with. I want that defining moment where you face a new path, a new story and are determined to do things differently, to meet new people, to change yourself almost. Yet still remaining the same at the core.

Why is it that the older we get the more we become stubborn, lazy and habit forming? Why do people lose the innate curiosity and imagination that we once had when we were 5 or 6 or 7 or 8? Or until the age that exams bogged us down and cramming useless facts and being distracted by guys suddenly drove all creativity and interest out the window until the only thing that was cool left, was to not care.

I find the older we get, because we think we know it all, because we think we have ALL the tools in the world do we approach things so wearily as though we've done them before and anything that distracts from the evil-ness that is Candy Crush or Youtube or Facebook or TV is not worth our time. Look, measure what you do and tell me that a fair percentage of it is NOT spent staring at a screen of some sort. It's sickening after a while.

Then there's the people who go, 'wah lau, how are you so active'...errr, are you changing the world by staying at home? I don't think so. Go DO something with your life goddamnit.

What's functional then? Other than the physical and social activities that I've been absorbed in, my functional goals for 2014 are:

1) To learn how to code
2) To learn how to build financial models with full bells and whistles

Let's see where this goes. Enough random crap on fb!

BANKS

I'm thinking it over
The way you make me feel all sexy but it's causing me shame
I wanna lean on your shoulder
I wish I was in love but I don't wanna cause any pain
And if I'm feeling like I'm evil, we've got nothing to gain

What if I never even see you cause we're both on a stage
Don't tell me listen to your song because it isn't the same
I don't wanna say your love is a waiting game

Baby I'm thinking it over
What if the way we started made it something cursed from the start
What if it only gets colder
Would you still wrap me up and tell me that you think this was smart
Cause lately I've been scared of even thinking 'bout where we are

Chase

I. Am. Quite. Exhausted.

Just a little. This year has been a disjoint and draining on a level that I've never quite experienced before. Bipolar too. Next time I'll just count my blessings and be done with it. If there's anything that this year has taught me, is that it has pushed to the forefront the realities that life is never going to be always the same and status quos always change.

So, hold on, because life is and has always been a bumpy ride, but really, make your choices and do your best with whatever you choose.

This weekend came off a high of wrapping up a busy piece at work and started out on a Friday with KFC, two cakes, satay and plenty of booze, finishing off with champagne in the pool, boisterous chicken fights-where I almost drowned- and a rambunctious game of Marco Polo which basically wiped all us 20 something's out. Man, what happened to playing in the pool for hours at a time?

This was followed up with a bridal party on saturday with spa dates and hi-tea at Carcosa, then a 12 hours tango marathon where we smashed the last record of 7am, finishing at 8am with pancakes and bacon (which I did not get any of). Passed out for 6 hours before heading to La Boca and DJ-ing at Radius where by that time I was totally uninspired to dance. It's true! Too much of a good thing isn't really good either...

Anyway, December. Jeezus, this year has just gone and disappeared down some black hole again.

CC's survival guide to work

Thing's I've picked up over the years....

- Managers like to have push-back...sometimes. Arguably it's not easy being a manager and sometimes I have to remind myself not to sound so accusatory when highlighting issues.

- The work will sort itself out tomorrow. Leave it at the door and stop worrying.

- Deadlines are often never followed. Ever.

- Do your best, help people without thought of payback and the universe will reward you in good ways

- Keep your connections up, never ever burn bridges-crucial point I've learnt from some of the best mentors and has served me well, case in point, getting my 2nd job.

- Set the tone, jump straight in and try and help, but always own your work.

- If you don't know, then say you don't.

- Work hard, but more importantly, work smart.

 

New beginnings

This was my entry of my very first job 3 years ago

Of golf courses and financial models

I spent today traipsing around a golf course. In heels. Michelle Wie was somewhere in the vicinity. I now know that water retention is very important in a golf course and that people often don't really know what they are doing. Good god now THAT is scary.

Still adjusting, can't believe it's only second week. Uncovering more insights, nice bunch of people. See where this takes me.

 

3 years on and I find myself at yet another client site adjusting. Work is the same, what's different is the system behind it and the people.

 

Who knew that 3 years on my ex-colleagues would become the family that I would call on when I need support, entertainment, motivation. Now let's mark this as the new entry.

 

We'll see where this takes me then =).

Blessings...

...in disguise and all that shit.

Ma: "God gave you more."
Me: Snort, "What about my own efforts?!"

I don't know man, maybe if we take every little thing that comes our way as being something that was crafted by a higher being and we were lucky to receive some morsel of it, that's where a lot of this worlds troubles start. This insistence that we are working to enter some glorious freakin paradise above only serves to blind us to the realities of THIS life.

Then I was thinking, who in their right mind likes war? Who like putting all this effort into thinking how they can harm the next person? Are we as animalistic as that? I guess the answer is, damn right we are. There isn't a day I'm going to open those papers and find only happy stories is there? Oh well.

Then the instance where me and a good friend had exactly the same thought watching the kinda sweet x factor Britney acoustic song sung by the sweetest couple, EVER. That look she gives him recalls everything about romance that you would want to believe at that age (that age being..12 maybe?), but then you grow up and slowly realize after being burnt a few too many times that hey, maybe you will end up forever alone.

In short, I have turned into one of the most pessimistic and cynical people I know, just as I predicted I would. Bah.