June 23, 2013

  • Power Tools & Bandage Dresses

    I'm moving in 6 days. In packing frenzy.

    Some realizations:
    1. Man who are handy, major brownie points. Because I'm simply not. Thank goodness for Mom and her boyfriend. Or I'd be in trouble now.
    2. Being a man is tough, really tough.
    3. I'm starting a new hashtag called #iratherpopbabiesthanusepowertools. Yes, I rather pop babies than use power tools.

     

    I bought my first bandage dress.
    Some realizations:
    1. My girlfriend was right. This thing clings onto your skin tighter than how your psycho girlfriend or boyfriend clings onto you.
    2. Bandage dress is good for the eyes, not good for action. So damn hard to put on and take off. 
    3. As such, bandage dress is not first-time-sex friendly. Imagine you getting frisky. If it gets stuck (and it likely will, especially if the guy's doing the undressing), it'd be damn awkward.
    Profound thoughts I know.
    That is all.

June 8, 2013

  • Cheers to ESL Classes

    I love ESL classes, for I no longer have to type in Chinese when communicating with my mom.
    This makes trash talking on Facebook that much easier.

    Here's how our conversation went:
    Me, in reference to her profile picture: "This is ugly too."
    Mom, in Chinese, translated: "You have a cute mom."
    Me: "No, you have a cute daughter."
    Me: "Lucky you".
    Mom: "Yes, my daughter soooooo cute."
    Me: "Ok, I approve this photo."
    This sort of conversation could not have transpired prior to her ESL classes.

June 2, 2013

  • "A" For Penmanship

    I looked over to a coworker's notepad during our annual planning meeting earlier this week.

    He was a highly regarded colleague, very well respected in the organization.
    However, his penmanship was less than impressive.
    "So what?" I thought to myself. 
    So what if he has ugly handwriting?
    ------
    When I was in elementary school, scoring good grades in my handwriting assignments was a big deal.
    I still remember the pencil markings off the dotted and solid lines.
    It meant the world to me when I scored an A, and it saddened me when I realized that my classmate scored an A+.
    ------
    Years later, looking at my coworker's less than spectacular handwriting, I marveled at how much I used to care about something that does not really matter.
    I was graded for good penmanship, therefore, I was conditioned to care.
    But, looking back, who cares?
    ------
    As an adult, just like how I was graded on good handwriting, I'm graded on many things.
    May I have the wisdom to differentiate between things that matter and things that don't.
    To the 6 year-old Ling, good penmanship was a big deal.
    It is not.

May 28, 2013

  • Serenity

    This past weekend was surprisingly the healing weekend that I needed. 
    I spent the weekend with PUYOers at Sparrow Lake Camp.
    I thought I would come out of the weekend exhausted given my back-to-back travel schedule and the lack of me-time. But, I came out of the weekend extremely relaxed and happy.
    It was the first time in 2 months I didn't have to work through my entire weekend.
    It was really nice seeing happy PUYOers playing games with one another. 
    I closed a deliverable on Friday, I didn't have anything lingering at the back of my mind whatsoever.
    I haven't been active in a while. I thoroughly enjoyed sweating a little and using some of those long forgotten core muscles.
    I had the soundest sleep I've ever had in a long while.
    Finally, it was really nice to have the reassurance of a friend who tells you how much he believes in you despite what the paper says.
    I haven't taken a true vacation in years.
    It's about time.
    I'm only 30. I need to learn how to pace.

May 13, 2013

  • Happy Mother's Day!

    Last night, I called mom from the office at midnight.

    Ling: "Happy Mother's Day!"
    Mom, pretending to be confused: "Huh, who?"
    Ling: "Who else? You."
    Mom: "Oh yes me, hehehe. Thank you."
    And she gave me a sheepish laugh.
     
    Mom: "Ok, let's sing."
    Ling: "Sing what?"
    Mom: "Happy Birthday!"
    Ling: "But it's not your birthday."
    Mom: "Then do Happy-Mother's-Day-to-you..." 
    And she started singing and clapping to the beat even before I said yes.
    Like daughter like mother, this is exactly what I do.
     

May 8, 2013

  • No One To Answer To

    Not in the best plight, but I generally try to find a positive slant to everything.

    So one good thing about being single is this:

    I can go home for a shower and come back to the office at 11 pm and I'd have no one to answer to.
    If I have a family or a boyfriend, I don't think I can rack up this sort of hours as freely. 
    At least now, I have the liberty of not going home just to save time on the commute.
    If I were living with someone, I wouldn't do this.
    It's just not right to choose to sleep in the car.
    Having a family or a significant other does mean that your time is not entirely yours.
    I'd then have to keep them in mind and take into account how my schedule affects their quality of life.
    An obligation that I'd gladly take.
    However, right now, I do appreciate the time I have at my disposal to master my craft.
    The word I've chosen is not complete, it's master.
    I look forward to serenity after this month.

May 5, 2013

  • Don't Count the Pennies & Cents

    I find myself counting the pennies & cents. Inevitably, I get worked up.

    Because, when you're counting down to the pennies, things almost always never balance.
    And I get upset. Which meddles with my productivity.
    I need to step back and re-calibrate the balance.
    Don't let the pennies & cents distract me.
    Bigger picture, Ling.
    Right now there's too much frustration, which is counter productive.
    I need to find my inner strength. 
    Focus on what I can control. Look past the pennies and cents.
    Detach myself from the situation, and focus on the right priorities.
    I'm feeling so antsy I really need to practice emotional discipline.
    Most things don't matter. Let it go.

May 1, 2013

  • Mystery of the Missing Tampon

    Tampons can in fact fall out of you without you knowing. 

    I had a tampon crisis a couple of months ago. I thought I lost my tampon inside me. I swear I did not take it out, but for the life of me I could not find it anywhere. Trust me, I dug really hard, many times. 
    Afraid I was going to get an infection, I went to see my gynecologist. 
    She could not find anything either. 
    She said the tampon probably slipped out without me knowing. 
    I was like, "How can a tampon just slip out?"
    But... as I was taking a dump today, I realized, when you're pushing down there, you really can't control if you're exerting outward pressure to the front or the back. 
    If you don't believe me, try it for yourself. 
    Push.
    See what I mean?
    Tonight, I watched my tampon slip out while taking a dump.
    So that's likely what happened a couple of months ago!
    No wonder it's common for women to pass stool when they deliver babies. Because they are pushing.
    Same logic.
    I feel like Sherlock Holmes tonight.
    Mystery solved 

April 23, 2013

  • My Inner Diva Is Not Pleased

    • Waiting 36 hours on a simple response is unacceptable.
    • If you're not proactive about this, I don't need to be either.
    • What makes you think I'd sit around and wait?
    It really should be easier.
    Soon, I will perfect the art of indifference.
    Right now, I'm giving you the diva snap.
    Feel the wrath of Ling Chung.
    This is taking way too long.
    Patience is a virtue.
    Just. Not. Mine.
     

April 13, 2013

  • Physical Appearance

    I was with a friend. Despite the many fit issues between him and this chic he's seeing, he said appreciatively, "When she's out with my friends, she's always very well put together." 
    Looks is one of those things that we all should exercise some self-discipline in, men and women alike.
    Gentlemen: Words can only be forgiven, not forgotten (per Amy). Women are sensitive to critiques when it comes to their physiques. Tread carefully.
    Ladies: Don't let yourself go. Don't let it get to a point where your man needs to have such conversations with you. 
    This is what I view as basic maintenance between men and women. We both play a part.