Antisocial

I just had a two-day offsite meeting. Two days of listening to presentations, two days of being away from the computer, and ultimately, two days of work piled up.

Usually after these sort of meetings, the company arrange for all of us to go out for dinner. I bailed both nights. Last night I had my calculus midterm, tonight I just have so much catch up work I feel like I should come home and get things done.

In an effort to coax me into joining my coworkers for dinner, a coworker jokingly said, "Ling, stop being antisocial. You always bail."

In Boston, I bailed for dinner one night. I had to churn out a presentation and I just didn't have enough time before I went on vacation. I knew I wouldn't be able to work during vacation because I've slotted that time to check out schools and study for my upcoming Calculus midterm. Usually I have no problem working through vacations. Ended up I got an award that night and I was not at the dinner to receive the award. As the result of the awards presentation, my absence was called out. Now I'm tagged at work as the girl who always bail for work socials.

I don't like that. I know I appear aloof because I constantly bail on socials. But, it's hard to explain how I have multiple priorities. I work in the day like most. I take classes at night. I spend 20 hours a week on homework, and to top it off I have non-profit committments. I don't want to fail on any front. I love work and I want to put in as much as I can. Socials simply lay low on my priority list.

I genuinely like my coworkers. This is the best group of coworkers I've ever had. If I had the time, I would love to just sit, relax and enjoy a cocktail. But I just don't have the time. I stream TV shows online. Even while I'm streaming "Gossip Girl", I'm working on the other monitor. I rarely sit for an extended period of time without doing anything productive.

Yet it's hard to explain all these.

I just don't like the fact that people think I'm antisocial.

I am not antisocial. I like people. Alot. I just like to work too. I simply hate having an ever growing to-do-list. So I constantly attempt to keep it under control.

My Boyfriend's So Full Of Shit It Makes Me Laugh

From: Chung, Ling
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 3:47 AM
To: 'Urban Lee'
Subject:

Bao.. not being able to get a hold of you makes me a little worried. It means you've disappeared. And that means you’ve forgotten about me

I thought I’m the center of your universe?  Guess not. Cry.

From: Urban Lee
Sent: Tuesday, October 27, 2009 4:32 AM
To: Chung, Ling
Subject: Re:

oh boy.. i'm an idiot... I was looking for my bao all night... and the last place on my mind was on my email...

whooops!  I can't believe I missed that...  I searched under the bed.  underneath the pillows...  bao was no where to be found....  got me worried too..

and then... bam... turns out you're on email!


your bao hasn't forgotten about you... just forgot where to find you!  =)
you got to make it easier for bao!

Randomness on Oct 19

• First off, Happy Bday Amy Wang! Happy 25. Years ago, you told me you wanted to be married by 25. Seems rather far-fetch now doesn't it?
• Flew from Toronto to Boston this afternoon. Edison Chen was on the same flight as me. He looked better in person than on TV. Less punkish.
• Here for a North American conference. Typical corporate event. Lots of shop talk, free drinks, too much food. Now that I've been in the company for 1.5 years, it's alot better. I know alot more people. The night didn't feel long. I think if I didn't have my Calculus homework at the back of my mind the entire night, I would have had fun.
• We're staying at a Connecticut casino hotel two hours from Boston. Enroute to Connecticut, I couldn't help but notice the breathtaking view. I've never realize how beautiful fall is in North America. For the 12 years that I've lived in Toronto, I've never noticed the tints of red and yellow among the greens. For the first time in 12 years, I feel like a Canadian. Simply because I'm starting to notice how beautiful fall is.

Sleepy. I'm going to hit the sack and wake up at 4am to study.

You Can't Please Everyone

“Governing is about 80 percent solutions, I’ll take 80 percent solutions every time and I’ll come back next year for the other 20 percent. That’s what governing is about.” - Ken Duberstein, Former White House Chief of Staff

It Takes Alot of Courage to be a Prominent Politician

The public is always fast to attack and slow to compliment. The head figure bears the brunt of all criticisms. Some do get credited for their accomplishments, but I find very often only in educational videos or documentaries. In contrast, if a Head of State screws something up, I have no doubt it will hit newspaper headlines the following morning.

No I do not have an opinion on the Obama administration if you think this is what this post is about. Just that within the last 7 days alone I have heard criticisms on Stelmach, McQuinty, Harper, Miller and of course the ever controversial Obama. This is just off the top of my head, I'm sure there have been alot more attacks on various politicians around the world.

I am not yet knowledgeable enough to form strong opinions on the public servants' political platforms. However, I do know one thing, it takes alot of courage to be a politician. At least much more than the general public gives them credit for.

6 Bosses in 3.5 Years

In my short working tenure, I've had 6 bosses in 3.5 years. Either I've moved or they've moved. Having said that, I learned one thing through the boss shuffles: as a Boss, you will not please everyone. Regardless of how good you are, there would always be a small group of people who disagrees with your style or antic. This is especially true as your team grows.

Size matters. Managing a group of 4 is drastically different from managing a group of 40. As you move up in ranks, your influence increases but your control decreases.

I am privy to the vibrant gossip vine at work.  I exit with one simple take-away:

• Be open-minded to feedback and criticism, but at the end of the day, you have to believe in yourself. Trust that you have made the right decision. When confronted with adversity, trust that you may not be wrong. Go for the 80% solution. Believe that your 80% solution is the 80% solution, not the 40% solution your adversaries claim it to be. Not asking you to be a hard-ass, stubborn son of a bitch, but, at the end of the day, you got to believe in yourself.

As long as you deliver results, you get to write history.

An art, not a science.

Yes you can spin the above in various angles, you can come up with various corollaries and you can come up with ample counter examples. Above is my opinion based on un-empirical observations.

What Are You Chasing?

I get asked this all the time.

"Ling, what are you after? What exactly is your end goal?"

I don't have an end goal. I simply enjoy conquering. Setting mini goals and attaining them makes me happy. At the end of the day, I enjoy the pursuit.

Several nights ago, mom said disapprovingly, "You should take a day off. I don't know why you work yourself like a dog. What for? Your body will suffer."

2 days ago, I was out with a friend, we had matters to discuss. He told me about a lawyer friend whose body took a toll, who took 1/2 a year off from work because he was burnt out.

Yes I get your point. But, you don't get mine.

I am not working towards an end. I genuinely, enjoy the process, as much as I bitch about working into wee hours of the night.

People warn me, that I would look back and realize how empty my life truly is.

Maybe I would. But why do I have to worry about it now when I'm still enjoying my pursuit?

When I do feel the emptiness, my action will change course naturally.

I laugh when people try to foreshadow my life.

I am happy working like a dog. Leave me be.