Confessions of a failing NBC..(Norwegian Born confucianist)

Chowder and Kimchi

2014-10-25T06:55:00.001+08:00

Recently, Chuma and I went to the Maldives and, as sad as it sounds, we were pretty excited about the selection of quality TV channels we had in the room. Here in Singapore, we only have the most basic package from Mio, which consist mainly of news channels....I mean- really- all kinds of news channels! (DW, -Deutche Weld, RT- Russia Today, CNA- channel news Asia...and the list goes on). So, needless to say, we would scan through all of the channels that the hotel had to offer. And, very often, we would stop at Cartoon Network...not because it was good entertainment. But, because it was SO weird, disturbing...and, just, mind boggling!

Here's an example (I HAD to take a picture of the TV screen, 'cause I wasn't sure if anyone would believe me if I told them about it, lol).

Meet Kimchi.... (that's right,, you read it right; KIMCHI! lol). Kimchi is a brown colored stink cloud, who spends his/her nights in this cage. In the mornings, Kimchi is released from its cage - actually, Kimchi lets him/herself out....'cause, well...it's a "cloud"........... in a cage...

When Kimchi is out of its cage, all it spends its time doing is fart in people's faces! Yes...so, the entire episode that Chuma and I watched was mainly about Kimchi's "farts", and its friend named Chowder, who is the main character , and also the name of the TV show, by the way.

What are kids watching nowadays? Oh, and here's the best part.. This show has won a prime time Emmy award!.... The plot of each episode is so bizarre.. I seriously think the writers were on crack or something when they wrote this. I've never tried any kind of drug, but I'm convinced that you'd have to be on drugs to write about the story of Chowder, and his stink-cloud-pet-friend named Kimchi, which - for the record - is considered a delicacy in Korea.... Lol

NGFs and Stuff...

2014-10-03T04:16:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow -or, should I say "today", since it's 04:16 AM over here- will be my last day at Google....my last T.G.I.F ("Thank Google it's Friday"- a day of the week where Larry Page and Sergey Brin themselves share business updates, and Googlers can ask questions related to company issues. This event is shown live globally via Google Hangout...but, of course, for a lot of Googlers who aren't based in Mountain View, TGIF is mainly about catching up with fellow Googlers over free alcohol, and finger food).

If there's one thing I know for sure after having worked for Google, it must be the fact that it definitely has not prepared me for the so called "real world". Don't get me wrong, I don't mean thatI won't be equipped with great knowledge once I'm out of Google. What I mean is that my expectation and idea of what comprises a normal company culture will probably be completely off; From the "small things" that Google offers, such as free food (& alcohol on Fridays), to bigger things that affect feelings of autonomy in the work place, such as freedom to plan my own day, and -as trivial as it sounds- freedom to wear absolutely whatever I want to work...those are just the few things that are perceived as normal at Google, but that I know isn't a given in other companies.

I remember that my cousin once commented: " I can't believe you're allowed to wear pink pants to work! ", which to me was such a weird comment. Why shouldn't I be able to wear pink pants to work? What does that have to do with anything? But, of course, I know that a lot of companies have a dress code, and that wearing pink pants in "the real world" doesn't exactly exude professionalism...

After 3.5 years with Google, where I've pretty much had no NGFs (Non-Googler-Friends) - that's right, there's actually an abbreviation for that ! You think I'm joking, but I'm really not.. even my boyfriend became a Googler eventually, lol - it's definitely going to be weird to go back to "normal", where there is somewhat of a balance in time spent with friends from work, vs. non-work friends...

My mind is a bit all over the place at this point, so, sorry for the rant...but, this is all slowly starting to sink in with me, and I'm alternating between panic, anxiety, and excitement:

HOLy Fudge, did I really resign?!...

How will life be like A.G (after Google)?!

...I can't wait to join the new company!

Ok. So, I know that, in the big scheme of things (life), this change may seem insignificant compared to what others may be going through in life at the moment..you know, such as... re-producing and stuff (aka, having kids). But, I'm not at that stage in my life, yet. So, for now, please bare with me while I rant about random things :) ...

Anyhow, I should probably try to get some sleep now.

Until next time!

My Last Week with GOOGLE

2014-09-29T02:51:00.003+08:00

This upcoming week marks my last week with Google (whaaat?!...yeah, I know..it's true!). I handed in my resignation about 3 weeks ago, and as crazy as it sounds, I'm very excited about the decision, and the upcoming changes.

When I got the job at Google (Dublin) over 3 years ago, I couldn't ever imagine that I one day would want to leave. Google is constantly ranked as one of the top companies to work for. And, the free food that the company offers, I mean..come on, who doesn't like free food? Or, free anything for that matter... =P

I was planning to write a longer blog post, but since it IS 2:45 AM on my side of the world, and I do still have to show up for work tomorrow, I think I'll stop here. The last time I posted something on this blog was over ONE year ago (I know, I suck at this,,,but, I keep on telling myself that I shouldn't force myself to write,,,that I need to be "inspired", and that if I forced myself to write at least once a week, then it would negatively impact the quality of the content....oh, the lies I tell myself, hehe).

Consider this blog post as a bit of a teaser to get your attention..and, to the few readers who have actually subscribed to my blog ( all 8 of you, to be exact..lol), stay tuned! I'm back! =)

To Be Continued..

If You Won a Bilion Dollars, Would You Quit Your Job?

2013-05-02T23:37:00.001+08:00

I recently watched an old episode of Ellen Degeneres show, where she asked the audience to raise their hand if they'd quit their job had they won a billion dollars. Most of the people in the audience would..And, although it's probably the case with most people, I find that kind of sad....- going through life with a job that you only have for the sake of money, and not enjoying it to the point where you'd still work and do the exact same thing as you do right now, even if you won a gazillion dollars.

If I won a billion dollars, would I quit my job? ..............Heck yeah, I would!! You probably were getting ready to hate me, 'cause you thought I was gonna come with a cliche answer of how much I love my job, and how I'd never quit, huh? The truth is that, even though Google an awesome company to work for, I still haven't found my dream job....I don't know what that would be.....
actually, it would be fun to be paid to blog. But, I wouldn't want any constraints on what topic I could, or could not, write about - imagine that; being paid to share your random thoughts! That would actually be somethin' ;-)...but, I dunno if that's my dream job..lol

I attended a work related conference not too long ago, where the big guys were present. I looked around me, as we were all excited about the speakers...and all I could think about was the minions from the movie Despicable Me. There is a part in the movie where Mr.Gru gathers his minions for a meeting.....that's how it was like to be at the conference (strike out the "evil" undertone of Dr.Gru, lol! ..I'm talking about the excitement, and the thrill around being a part of something so big, so innovative,...the google family..)...but, then it also struck me: hey, I'm a minion! At the end of the day, I'm not supporting my own dreams in life. I mean, a part of my "dreams" was to be able to see different parts of the world while working, but the whole sharing- the-world's-information-and-making-it accessible-to-all is not my idea, not my invention, and not my dream...basically, I'm supporting Larry Page, and Sergey's dream. In all fairness, if there is any dream and vision I'd like to support, it is theirs. But, I haven't found my dream job yet, guys...

And, I'll leave it at that :) Until next time...

"What if....?"

2013-01-30T22:49:00.002+08:00

I was home for 3 weeks during Christmas. 2 weeks of vacation, and 1 week working from the Oslo office...Didn't realize how much I missed home until I went back,,,and, I was surprised by the fact that I actually enjoyed the cold weather. There was one thing that really hit home, though:

I've been missing out

Missing out on the daily details of my closest friends - not to mention the happenings in my sister, and brother's life. I went to a cafe with three of my closest friends (since elementary school) to exchange Christmas gifts, and out of no where, I kinda burst into tears when we were talking about marriage, and kids, and all that adult stuff. I told my friends that I simply didn't want us to become "real adults"..that we would be too busy being with husband and family etc, that things just wouldn't be the same (of course, they poined out that I was the one who was far away)...but, after having thought things through, I realize that I was sad because I understood how much I've been missing out on things...and how much more I'm going to miss out on while working abroad. It just makes me sad to think about having missed out on something as big as my friends' wedding day..and makes me even more sad to think that I might be missing out on babies being born etc-- If there is one negative thing to point out about working abroad, it has to be the fact that I'm absent from the lives of those who matter to me the most. Of course, Im in their lives still- but not in the same way.

The 2nd of February marks the 6-year-anniversary of my boyfriend, and I...out of which 3 of the years have been long distance. One year in France during my bachelor degree, one year in Dublin - the beginning of my Google employment- and now - getting close to the third year while I'm in Singapore. Actually, when I think about it, I left for France about 3 months after my boyfriend and I started dating..and while other relationships around me were breaking apart, due to the distance, I got closer to my boyfriend. Same scenario while in Dublin...newly graduates enter the google scene, and relationships end - due to fellow Nooglers and Googlers. I'm telling ya, for single newly grads entering google - it's a meat market. Whenever I told people that I had a boyfriend, there would be a moment of silence, and a smirk on peoples faces that kinda read: "good luck with that". But, hey, 6 years...that's like an entire lifetime!!.....of a 6-year-old,,!!! =P Thanks for your patience, your calm and controlled manner, and for being a good listener and partner-in-crime. Cheers to us, babe ;-)

A few weeks back, I was featured in a Norwegian fashion magazine together with 2 other Norwegians, where the title was "Women who have the world as their work place" (translated). I haven't seen the hard copy of the magazine yet, but from what I've seen, there was a picture of Singapore's skyline, and of my smiling face =P At the same time as my sister posted this on facebook and instagram- telling people how proud she was- I was in Vietnam for work and had a bit of a mental breakdown. Mostly because the plane from Singapore to Vietnam was delayed, and I ended up sitting in the plane for 2,5 hours before the captain finally announced that it was safe to fly...so, by the time I got to the hotel, I was both hungry (I get grumpy+emotional when hungry=P), tired, and still had stuff to prepare for the meeting the day after. It dawned upon me how lonely I was...soo far from a much-needed hug, so far from everyone that mattered to me. And, I started to think about "what-ifs"....do you ever do that? What if X, Y, Z happens?...my "what ifs" are always worst case scenarios,,,they're never: "what if I won a million dollars, what would I do with the money?"..they're always: "what if I was told I have cancer, and only 1 month left to live?",,,always worst-case-scenarios......so..my "what ifs" were all related to death, of course,,,"what if I died in a plane crash...what would I have regretted while sitting on the plane on its way down to hit the ground?".

....I would've regretted not spending more time with family and friends....

- I don't think anyone - while at deathbed- thinks: I wish I worked more...I truly regret not sitting longer hours at the office.......right?

My worst enemy is truly myself. Because, although I'm aware of what I would've regretted if I died tomorrow, I still have the need to "tick" some boxes...the need to achieve some goals I have set that just needs to be done before I can truly be satisfied...but, that's a lie of course. Cause if there's another thing I've realized, it is that I will never be satisfied with the status quo.

The environment that you're in sets the standard for what is good, and what is bad...and it resets your ambition level. When I took my bachelor degree, it wasn't a big deal, because everyone around me--everyone in my class- they too were taking their bachelor degree....when I moved forward to take a masters - the same thing. When I entered Google, same thing. It was a big deal with google, of course,,,because, hey, its Google. But, eventually, you'll look around, and realize that you're not special just because you're working for google...everyone around me works for google =P...at least 95% of those I know in singapore works for google...which only proves that I don't know a lot of people outside of the company (sadly enough)...but, the point is that the feeling of achievement, or enjoyment of having achieved something is- to me- very short lived. So, the hunt for the feeling of achievement is endless..without having experienced drugs, I imagine that it's kinda like the continuous search for a good "high"...as you take stronger drugs, it'll require more of the drug in order for your to feel the "high"..and the feeling- once achieved- is short lived.

I'm not sure why I'm writing this. Whenever I write a blog post, I just turn on music, and let my fingers type whatever..and then when I read through it, it sometimes surprises me how open I am, and how much of my private thoughts are shared with the public. But, I guess there's a bit of a need to "clear the air"..I feel like I would be living a lie if I continued to post pictures of skylines, hotels, and cities that visit for work, without sharing the entire story. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change places with anyone. I'm very lucky to be where I am: my job is fun, and exciting, and I wouldn't change anything about it.

To my family and true friends, I guess I just want you to know that I love you. And, if I died tomorrow, I want you to know that I really do want to spend more time with you...but for now, I've got some boxes to tick =P

Until next time ;-)

- over-and-out.

My "Pretty Woman" Moment

2012-11-03T13:45:00.001+08:00

This happened a long time ago, but it still makes me smile just thinking about it, so I thought I'd share the story. It's not one of those life-changing, or heart-breaking stories, but more like one of those stories where you - at the time of the incident- really want to lift both arms in the air and go:

"VICTORRYY!!! I WIN! "

So here it goes..

Over half a year ago, while still working in Dublin, I got the opportunity to attend a "Google Think" event in Norway. And, for some reason the plane tickets were obnoxiously expensive, and the airlines with more reasonable prices did not fly out on the date that I needed to travel...but, hey, I had to go. I used the company card and remember that the trip from Dublin to Oslo (a 2-hour flight) was at 660,- USD *shaking my head over the price*.

Anyhow- Day of departure- I look at my ticket and see that I have a window seat. I find my seat (or so I thought it was), and sit down. The area where my seat was at was called "Economy plus". Apparently, when I booked my ticket, there were no more "normal" economy class tickets left, which explains the price. Anyway....I looked around me, and was very aware of the fact that I was the youngest one in that particular area. I was also the only"colored" person (am I a colored person according to politicians?- Or are Asians a category by itself?..I kinda get confused by that term..."colored")..whatever,,,the point is that everyone else around me were caucasians in their 40s and up, and I was the only Asian chick there,,, that's what I noticed. If you've ever flown with SAS before, you know what I mean. I was also the only one wearing pink pants, by the way, but hey that's how I roll =P ...felt a bit out of place, but didn't really think more of it.

As I was looking out of my window, a suit-wearing-man in his late 40s (I think) interrupted my train of thought, and said (in English)- with a very strong Norwegian accent- "Excuse me.....excuse me, I think you're in my seat"

It's OK to suggest that someone is in your seat.

But, the way he said it kinda indicated that I was in the completely wrong area of the plane in general...as if I wasn't supposed to be there. It also sounded like what he really wanted to say was: "Excuse me, young lady, I don't think you're supposed to be here. Go play somewhere else, this is a place for adults". I instantly got embarassed..it was like I was being yelled at---maybe it was the pink pants that ticked him off? (=P) I was already feeling out of place, so I of course assumed that he was right. That I was probably supposed to sit somewhere else. I looked at my ticket, and of course, he was right. So, I replied to him:" Snakker du norsk?" Which means, "do you speak Norwegian?" Of course I knew that he spoke Norwegian, given his strong accent. But, I wanted to reply in Norwegian to make him aware that I was Norwegian...however Asian I may look,lol, I too have a Norwegian passport, so in that sense, I'm Norwegian. The man replied in Norwegian, and repeated that I was in his seat. I looked at my ticket again to double check, and said: "Åh, beklager! Ja, dette er visst ditt sete" (google-translate it if you must =P)

So, I grabbed my bag, squeezed my self out of the economy plus area that supposedly has more space than the normal economy-class area..and,when I cross checked my seat number, I was pleasantly surprised to see that my seat was in front of the man who had just confronted me. Even better, the seat was conveniently placed in an area that SAS calls "Business Class". As I squeezed myself out of this man's seat, and he got ready to squeeze himself into his seat, I looked at him, apologized again, and -as casually as I could- said: oh, there's my seat. I walked passed him, and placed my bag in the business class area. The infamous curtain that divides economy plus from business class started from my row, and seemed to seperate my area from the man's area even more ...I looked at the little white piece of fabric on my seat that said "business class".

*arms in the air* VICTORYYY!!...I WIN! *victory dance in my head*

I very often think about where I am, and the company that I work for, and almost feel like I'm not supposed to be here. That it happened too quick, too easy, and that at the time when Google recruited me, there must have been a shortage of Norwegian speaking people, or something. But, even though I often feel out of place and that I'm not supposed to be where I am, I don't like it when people assume the same thing. So, when situations like these arise, and you get to prove them wrong...it just feels soo good =)

Have a nice weekend guys! And, remember that just because someone is wearing pink pants, doesn't mean that they're not supposed to be in fancy places, lol.

Perfection- Materialism- Beauty - Norway Vs Singapore

2012-08-12T05:06:00.001+08:00

Hold your horses, people! This post is gonna be a long one...

I must confess that I've spent a whole lot of money lately. Consumption of material things that I don't really need, per se...but, want. Whatever I want, I buy - little restrictions.. I do feel guilty about it, but then again, I don't own a credit card (not counting the company card), so I'm not really spending money I don't have;-) Also, I've made up a little story in my head to justify my actions:

I live alone in a foreign country, and so I often feel that I deserve to treat myself with nice things- I am, after all, all alone over here----=P A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...and when a girl lives in a country where literally every single subway station is linked to a huge mall,,a girl's gotta explore, and shop.-----Think about it, if there is ever a time to be a little selfish (Consciously, that is, cause we were all selfish as kids without really knowing it) it is now: I have no car loan, or mortgage, and no kids to worry about...before merging the economy with a partner, and having to save up for "adult-stuff" (=P), should I not be allowed to enjoy myself?...hummm?!.... I think I should=)

They say that people who live alone are statistically less environmentally friendly compared to households of 2-3+ people. Less environmentally friendly in terms of water and electricity usage, that is, ('cause when it comes to recycling, I do that quite religiously). One of the reasons for that, they say, is because people who live alone tend to feel the need to treat themselves extra well exactly because they are alone- regardless of whether their solitude was by their own will or not....Which leads me back to the first sentence of this blog post..I've spent a lot of money lately :-/

This one I bought in Dublin..so it doesn't count into what I've spent here in Singapore....=P

Have I managed to collect 15 pairs of shoes since I came...yes, I might have...

Do I feel guilty,,,yes, very much so..

But, do I regret? No, no, I don't.

If there is one major thing I learned about myself when I moving from Dublin, it is that I don't appreciate, or respect cheap things...that is to say that...I don't take well care of things that I have bought really cheap. Don't get me wrong, I love a good bargain...who am I trying to kid here? I am after all, still Asian- constantly trying to get a good bargain lies within our nature, and when people point out, or compliment on something we have, we'll proudly say: "THANKS! I got it on sale, it was half off of half price!! .5 Dollars..you liiike ?!" (It's funny 'cause its true =P)

When packing up to leave Ireland, I realized how much stuff I'd bought, and how I'd bought it simply because it was cheap. But, then again when you move from Norway- where the price of a McDonald's menu is around 17US dollars (ain't no such thing as a "dollar menu" in Norway, ya'll)- then everything in comparison feels cheap..I was bound to fall into the trap of buying things simply because it was so darn cheap. When I left, however, I realized that I actually didn't like, or appreciate, the items that I'd bought that much...simply because they were so cheap, and of course, felt so cheap. When having to prioritize on what I was to bring to singapore, and what to give away ('cause I didn't have time to sell it all), I ended up giving way 1/3 of all my things...some of the items I left behind, or threw away still had tags on it....it's not something I'm proud of..but, it's something that hit home. I don't appreciate cheap stuff, so I should simply stop buying stuff just because they're cheap.....The problem now, of course, is that I shop equally as much as I used to, but the stuff that I buy are a tad more pricey:-/ ...

I thiiink,,,I thiink I've got a bit of the shopping craze out of my system, though. I did, after all move from a colder country, so it's not as if I had a lot of summer shoes,,,now, I should be ok...right? and now that I have the perfect black bag that I've been looking for, and the more casual and laid back brown bag that I'd also been hunting for..then there should be no need to browse the malls, right?

ANyhow..changing subject now.

People keep asking how Singapore is. And, Singapore is what I was told that it is: it's Asia for beginners. An Asian country where pretty much everyone knows English, the infrastructure is modern, and I guess there is no need to mention that the shopping is great. I'm a bit skeptic as to how this country can be so "perfect"..so neat, clean, and with such law-abiding citizens...you gotta ask yourself,,,what the heck is the government doing, since it's so perfect?

Take the preparations for the national day, for example,,,the entire city was covered by banners with pictures of people of different color, and the slogan "we love Singapore"..it was so...weird...I perceived it to be a little bit fake..you know,,like those online shopping channels..where people act all super friendly, and are overly eager when talking about some machine that can peel carrots or something along that line...the Singaporean flag was hung up all over the place...but, they were hung up in such perfect order...I'm not sure if I found it to be nice, or just creepy...too good to be true? I dunnoo.....

It's still a bit weird to me to be surrounded by people who "look like me"...to be surrounded by Asians. I was born and raised in Norway, so caucasians have always been in the majority. Now, I am a part of the majority. From a physical appearance point of view, I actually find it a bit challenging. I mean, before, while still living in Norway, and when surrounded by ethnic Norwegians, Swedish, Danish, Iranian, or Pakistanis etc, my physical looks couldn't really be compared in the same way as it can now. I mean, it's weird to say, but, now my looks can kinda be bench marked against the other Asians :-/ Do you get what I mean? And, I'm not sure if I like that...I think I actually prefer to be a part of the minority group..and have my looks belong to a smaller group of people in NOrway, where it can - from an ethnic point of view- only be compared with a few.

When it comes down to it, I find that Singapore - as a country- is more obsessed with beauty, looks, and materialistic things, than Norway is. That's just my perception, and my opinion. Or, maybe the countries are equally as engaged in those matters, but I definitely feel that the way beauty and materialism is dealt with here feels more "extreme" than in Norway. Never in my life have I seen so many Gucci, Prada, Chanel, and what have yous, on the arms of women in the streets. And, hey, I'm not saying that I'm not influenced. I'm just saying that materialism is different here than in Norway. In Norway, most people own expensive ski equipment, their parents may own a cabin, if they (people around my age) just got a job and have saved up some money- they may have bought themselves their first apartment..most Singaporeans don't own their first home until they get married... .in Norway, beauty and health is strongly linked to hitting the gym as often as possible, going out to the woods, or mountain- where their cabin is -to take a hike...and eating healthy dark rye bread....

Over here, I don't see so much promotion of a healthy life style in the same way as Norway. The gyms here feel more like exclusive clubs meant for expats, and most of the girls/women here may be thin, but not the kind of thin that is a result of exercise..they're either just naturally thin (genetics), or perhaps very careful with their diet. Fair skin is preferred, as opposed to the tan one that the western countries prefer, and my- oh-my, the amount of beauty products that is offered here...I don't know what else to say but: Wow! There are stickers that you can place on your lids to create the illusion of a double eyelid, there are contact lenses that will give you the doll-like-appearance, bleach creams that will make your skin fair, and even slimming creams that supposedly will slim your body and face down (lol).

I learned - from a course I took in counseling- that instinct about another person isn't a magic feeling only a few people have, but it's more about how you feel when you're around that person. It's whether that person makes YOU feel good about yourself or not....Singapore does not make me feel good about myself. Singapore makes me feel like I should be fairer, prettier, and much much skinnier.

I once discussed health and body image with another girl at work once, and I told her that I just wanted to get to a place where I could feel really comfortable and happy with my body....however, she only heard the last part..the part where I said "happy with my body"..and she was quick to react in a very surprising way, and said: "really?!"...she thought I said that I was happy with my body,,,and she was surprised.......I corrected her, saying that I'd like to be happy...but you know us girls,, we're never happy, or satisfied. But, it hit me..that she certainly wouldn't be happy with my body, given her reaction. OK..sooo, I happen to have some junk in ma trunk =P ..it's not a common thing for an Asian woman to have a bit of ass....lol. And, as much as I tried to get rid of my butt and thighs when I was younger, I've come to realize that:

guys actually like those body parts
I can NEVER get rid of it...trust me, Ive tried! lol

Maybe it's not the country that is so obsessed with beauty and materialism....Maybe it's more the fact that my close ones, the ones that keep my feet on the ground, and who make me feel good about me as I am...are far far away from here. The ones that make me feel good about myself are not in Singapore.. how is Singapore, you ask?

It's OK. But, its not Norway

Seen at the MRT (subway)

2012-07-29T23:17:00.001+08:00

Ladies....if you have junk in the trunk...please, do not lean against a pole like this,,,not pretty, ya'll,,not pretty at all!

Business Attire:

0920 am. Lady to the left - in leopard- going to ...work? lady in red, also going to work -I presume.

Sightseeing with the family

2012-07-29T23:07:00.001+08:00

My my and little sister

Parents

Vietnam in Pictures

2012-07-27T00:19:00.000+08:00

Much to write about, but too tired, and too lazy, so im attaching some pictures instead.

Didnt have too much time to take pictures while working in Saigon, and to be honest- during my two vacation days (+weekend) at my grandma's house in Biên Hòa, we didn't go anywhere, or do much...just stayed at her place, and played with the neighbour's puppies.

My Sister playing cards with our cousins..I think they were hustlin her =P

More dogs..the brown one in the background is called "No", and the little one "Bông"- which means "flower"..even though its a male dog..lol.

Taking a stroll around the neighbourhood.

That's the mother of the little puppies. The day after this picture was taken, the dog (mother) was stolen /kidnapped(!!!) from the neighbour :-( presumably for dog meat....the cruelty leaves me speechless..

My older sister

My sister's husband

Bakery...M-Mmm ... oh the cleanliness in Vietnam, what can I say...=P

Common sight during dinner time. Make no mistake, guys, these animals are spoiled! They only eat good meat that my grandma picks out of her own rice bowl, and refuse to eat anything else...so my grandmother will often end up just eating rice and some vegetables.

The side-alley of my grandmother's house,,

Durian fest! =P

Sooo darn cute!

From my grandmother's place, to the hotel room in Saigon,,an upgrade for sure.

View from the hotel room

Screw burgers and steak..this is definitely the best room srevice food Ive had in my LIFe! Phở and gỏi cuốn....M-MMMm!

Singapore- random stuff.

2012-07-09T22:15:00.000+08:00

I enjoy taking the MRT in Singapore....so much to see..If there's one thing I've noticed here, it is that the ladies are really dressed up for work. I mean, really dressed up...sometimes, I feel like they've dressed for the wrong occasion, though. I've often seen ladies where stuff that I could where to someone's wedding...and then, there are outfits I've seen where I'd only where to clubs...

I see a lot of men in suits..and just a note (or two....=P) to all men out there wearing suits:

1) Iron your shirt...actually, iron everything! - just make sure what you're wearing isn't wrinkly. If you're wearing a suit, then make an effort to make it presentable, dang it!! If it's gonna be wrinkly, then don't bother wearing it.

2) make sure that it fits properly. If it doesn't fit. Don't even bother wearing it..

Saw this guy carrying food in this carrier, and I imagined how his wife had spent time preparing this for him...how sweet! (If my story is correct, that is..lol)

People on the phone @ the mrt...so secretive..almost as if I was surrounded by,,,

undercover agents! =P

Got haircut at a Korean place, and they wanted to sign me up to a contest where I could win a trip to Korea....wait wait..a RETURN ticket to Korea to be specific...I was very clear on the fact that I didn't wanna win a one-way trip to Korea, so I kindly declined..

origami at work.

End-of -second-quarter event..

Sea-weed snacks...funky...we "only" had chocolate and chips in dublin =P

End of quarter hang-out with the team @ Singapore Cricket Club.

Friday night BBQ - with a view ;-)

the fun thing about being friends a real estate agent here, is to be able to come with and check out some cool apartments. I see it as an opportunitity to visualise how the future dream home should look like...maybe not a dream house in Singapore..but in general...its almost like the dream becomes more tangible...some people feel the need to be politically correct when answering the question of what their wants, and dreams are for the future....they say money and materialistic stuff isn't of importance...well, I say- if you do a hella good job, and manage to monetize the work you produce properly..then you can have it all...and if you can have it all, then why settle for less?

Sunday

In comparison to other pools in bigger condos, the one belonging to my apartment building seems like a joke...was gonna take a dip in the pool on sunday, but the thunder and lightning kinda scared the crap out me..lol. It might not rain alot here, but when it does..it REALLY rains..

Hello, My name is Mi, and I´m an Introvert.

2012-06-20T23:32:00.000+08:00

I´ve always thought that I was an extrovert-----that was, of course, until I understood what introvert really meant. Contrary to what most people think about introversion, it has little to do about shyness. I won't make an attempt to define introversion/extroversion. But (oh, heck ill do it anyway! =P), in essence, I guess you could say that its the extent you feel energized by being around people, or whether that drains your energy.

I remember the many times my sister would come into my room after school when we were kids..it was soo annoying! But, I didn´t know why I found it annoying. I just really believed that my sister was being annoying---of course, she would often come in all happy, asking me how my day was, and what I was up to...and I would give her short answers- wanting her to go away, and at some point, when there were too many questions, I would just snap..lol. Sorry, Kethup! You know I love you! =)

When we got a bit older, and I learned communicate a bit better, we both found out that I often need to be alone...and she has the need to be around people...(all- the - time!) ...I mean, she doesn´t even need people talking to her- as long as someone is around her. But, still---I didn´t know why I had this need to be alone. I mean, Im an extrovert after all..right?..Im social, I don´t have problems talking to strangers, or making new friends..I can honestly say that I´ve had good conversations with every single cab drivers both in Dublin, and in Singapore...Im not shy.

Anyhow..the further away I´ve been from family and friends, I guess you could say - and this is gonna sound a bit lame, i know!- that I´ve learned more about myself. I´ve learned that I´m an introvert.....the more I think about it, the more sense it makes,,and its sucha relief! Why do I not wanna come with you to this huge event, with many people, and "it´s gonna be sooo much fun"? Cause it takes so much of my energy, that´s why. If there are too many people, the conversations become less personal..if it´s less personal, then it´s just trivial matters being discussed, and shallow small talk..and, so..I can´t be bothered to go. I prefer small groups--If I know them- maximum 4 people...sometimes I´ll stretch to 5...if I really like everyone..=P I never feel like Im missing out on anything when I turn down on something that supposedly is a "huge event".

I remember some of the Swedish guys from my team asking me "so what do you do, when you´re just at home? Isn´t it boring?",,,,No, its not...its AweSome!..No sarcastic undertone here! It´s soo nice..ahh,,,I wish I could explain it in words,,,you can hear your own thoughts. Think about it..how often - while with others- do you manage to thoroughly digest your own thoughts, think things through properly (discuss pros and cons with yourself, lol)..you always have to push your thoughts away in order to follow the conversation you´re having with the other person.---by the way, if I ever ask you to repeat something, I can tell you right now that it´s not because I didnt hear you, but because I was drifting away with my own thoughts, haha. - true story=P

My parents always told me that I was egoistic. That I never spent time with them (aka watched TV with them in the living room), and that I was always locking myself in my room, and not socializing. I, of course, always felt guilty about it, but couldnt help myself...and it wasnt just my teenage years, when we all kinda lock ourselves in our bedrooms to get privacy...it´s always been like that. It was especially bad since my older sister was, and still is, completely the opposite - so, in comparison, I was really a black sheep in the family when it came to socializing.

Now that I´ve learned that we´re just wired differently, and that I´m not really an extrovert after all, everything just makes sense. Don´t get me wrong..it´s not that I mind being around people, or that I don´t like socializing.,,it´s just that, after socializing, I need a couple of days to be alone to recharge before I can socialize in big groups again=P - This is the case regardless of how much I like you.
..just so you know =)

<3

Playing while Im working...

2012-06-19T14:17:00.000+08:00

My days in Pictures

2012-06-18T22:12:00.000+08:00

Spent my night by the pool on Sunday

SCOOORE!!! I´ve pretty much gone to China town every weekend to get my fix of fruit, and Durian in specific. Durian is soo smelly, that it´s not even allowed on the MRT..so everytime Ive bought Durian, I had to take a cab home..I mean, I really dont wanna meet that old lady again and have her record the conversation where she tells me that Durian is illegal on the MRT station AND train..

This is an updated picture of what I have in the fridge,,,this is- honestly- all the food I have at home...haha. Two boxes of Durian, a piece of dark Toblerone chocolate (I totally bought that,....HAH! no I didnt,,got it from the office...lol!),,and a bottle of water...also "sponsored" by Google =P I fill it up, though, cause the water from the sink is purified, and it actually taste good! Much better than tapped water in Dublin,,that was horrible!

The Vivo City mall has a national Geographic store....anyone want a fossil? Anyone??sure?...Its on Sale for 9800 S$,-..? Dont want it?....=P

Say hello to my new pen!...HELllOoo...a PEN that looks like an old-school PENCIL?..I HAD to get it...it was kinda pricey. But, sooo worth it...look at it! isnt the coolest thing ever? hehe

Clarke Quay...

I was told the the office buildings are positioned in a very specific way: Feng Shui.. Making sure that banks here dont encounter what the states did...too bad the Architects in NEw York didnt think of Feng Shui-ing their buildings, huh? maybe it wouldve saved them from the economic turmoil..=P

Office view

Monday morning, 0930....queuing to get on the escalator?...screw that,,,Im taking the stairs!

It's a Small World After all...

2012-06-18T21:40:00.000+08:00

In 2007, I was in France for a year during my studies. After the year passed, I was pretty sure that it was unlikely that Id meet any of the friends Id made ever again..of course, when saying our goodbyes, we all said that we should keep in touch,,and that we would meet each other again...but, for most people..thats just the social norm..thats just what you say because its appropriate. Never did I think that I´d meet them again. Turns out that our roads would actually cross at one point anyway..=)

In 2009, a fellow classmate from the year in France made the decision to move to Norway to be with his girlfriend, who happened to be the girl I wrote the bachelor thesis with. He ended up going to the same school as I did - taking his masters--and, since he´s from the states, and education is expensive over there, I was told that his parents were sad to see him move so far, but thrilled that the tuition fee was so low. BI Norwegian School of Management (I think theyve changed their name to something else now) is actually one of the few private schools in Norway, as all other educational institutions are generally free. Anyhow, he is now enganged to her,,=) Best wishes, McKenzie and Kristine! =)

My cousin, who lives in the states, got married in 2010..there, I met up with a friend from my high-school exchange year (2003-2004). Hopey you´re still dancing your way through life, Phil ;-)...literally!

That same year, I stopped in New York for a couple of days, and another friend- who I´d gotten to know while in France - made the trip into NYC to meet up with me =) Thanks Jenny!

Late November 2010, I got an mail via LinkedIn from Google. I thought it was spam. I reached out to a friend - who Id also gotten to know while in France- as he´d recently quit his job at google to continue his studies. He confirmed that he knew the recruiter, and gave me tips for the interview. Thanks, Espen =) We ended up meeting each other again at an event that Google held for media agencies

2011..the first couple of weeks at Google was all about training, and getting to know fellow Nooglers. There, I met someone who actually looks like McKenzie. I knew that he actually had a cousin who works for Google. Turns out, his cousin was on a rotation in Dublin...so, I met McKenzie´s cousin in Dublin..small world, eh?

I become friends with a fellow Noogler (Ivana), and we add each other on Facebook (cause Google+ wasn't out yet =P). And there it was...one friend in common. A guy I had gotten to know from my year in France, and she had gotten to know from a year in Sweden (I think?

Fast forward to 2012. I get a new role at work, move to Singapore and meet up with two of the girls Id gotten to know from my year in France...the odds of meeting them, I thought, was very very miniscule.

In a couple of days, I´ll meet up with another girl who (also from my year in France). She´s from the States, but now lives in Japan and will be traveling to Singapore for business. Who would´ve thought that our roads would cross.. again.....=)

Let´s keep in touch....

over and out-

Spreading a great P&G commercial... =)

2012-06-15T18:21:00.002+08:00

random pictures and random days in Singapore

2012-06-04T22:55:00.005+08:00

Sunday's lunch date with Tria

The Marina Bay Sands

I love things that make me feel like there's some structure and control in my life...even though the things that run through my head is often a mess (the contents in my notebooks is a proof of this)...so, I love things like : boxes, containers, notebooks, pens...etc.

Went to Muji on Sunday and spent quite some time in there looking for the perfect containers for my stuff....ahh..the satisfaction of putting things into containers/boxes. Not ANY containers/boxes, of course, but something that are esthetically pleasing to look at - I love.

The food is a bit different here than in Dublin, I can tell you that much. (Some of the things served for lunch at work today)

Saturday: lunchin' with ma'self.. =)

While construction work seems to have stopped completely in Dublin, Singapore is tearing down "old" buildings - old as in 1970/1980 - and building new condos.

Went to Prada last week to ask one of the workers there how much weight my bag could handle. When I bought it in Dublin, the sales rep said that I could fit a laptop in there...so, what have I been doing? well, Ive been putting my laptop in there, of course!.. The sales guy asks me to hand him the bag..he puts it on his arm and says: " this is enough"....

Me: What?!

I had the following in my bag: a wallet, a purse filled with 3 lipbalms/glosses, 3 pens, my passport, my cellphone, keys...and thats it...The bag fits a macbook Pro, but cant handle the weight of a wallet and some pens??! What in the world!

Then the guy adds: "this is not for everyday..only occasionally.."

I told him that I used it everyday, and that that's why I bought it,,,anyhow - long story short. Ill be sending the bag to have it repaired next weekend cause the stitches on one side of the bag is loose. I use the shoulder straps, cause I dont like carrying it on my arm (totally defeats the purpose of having a bag, if it inconveniently has to be placed on an arm...yeah yeah, fashion bloggers may tell you different..but this is not a fashion blog...this is a random-rant-blog =)

Fixing this baby will apparently take up to 2-3 months..

NOTEBOOKS!...=)

You know why the MRT (subway) is so clean in Singapore? Cause theres no food or drinks allowed in the station, nor the train, and you cannot eat or drink in the station..or the train. I learned this the second day in Singapore. Some old lady - whose job is to make sure that people follow the rules - came up to me while I innocently was standing there enoying my milk tea:

"HellO! how long you been here?"

Me: *embarassed while people are staring at me as this woman yells at me*...."Uhm, One day.....(?)" - I said, and purposely made my American accent as strong as it could be, to prove that I was a foreigner....also,,if people were gonna think I was stupid for violating the rules in the mrt station, they might as well hate on an American, right? They're often, and stereotypically known for being loud, arrogant and rule defiant..lol=P (Relax, y'all,,,I like Americans..but that IS what americans are -among other things -unfamously known for...unfortunetaly)

Woman: "See this?? This is a recoda (recorder)...i am recoding this convosation..this is a warning..ok? You cannot eat or drink insy (inside)...see? see? there are no trash cans insy..thas because it is not allow to eat or drink insy.....put in you bag"

And there I was...with my milk tea...forced to place it in my Prada bag...lol...lesson learned guys..every single rule you see on a sign here is strictly followed.

I had to take a picture of this. A colleague of mine is a bit superstitious,,she says that one should not put ones bag on the floor, cause that means that you'll lose money..or something like that.,,so she bought this little hanger for her bag =)

Remember the elevators I was talking about in one of my last posts? WEll,,,I counted them...there are 16 elevators...Can you see me running from one to the other to find out which Im supposed to take? lol.....

i THINK...I DONt know, guys,,but I THINK eye contact is dangerous over here. It must be, right? cause why would they otherwise be glued to their phones like this every morning ? :P. This is about 0920am..so, imagine the peak hours (20 minutes earlier)...multiply the amount of people by about 5, and then imagine how surreal it is,,,,its like walking among robots...we all march to our destination..one station to the other...the pace is kinda slow, cause there are so many people...and addition to walking slow, people are multi-tasking by walking and texting/emailing.

The funny thing over here is that people bring their Ipads to the mrt to entertain themselves...if they were checking FB or email, it would feel more,,,i dunno normal, or appropriate. But, Ive often seen men in suits - around 40-50 yrs old - with their fancy PC bag, and an ipad on their lap..playing bejewled...No shame...Bejewled, guys...thats how they roll...lol!

The entrance to my apartment building.

I stood in the store for about 10 minutes trying to decide on the perfect insect killer...Gotta be honest, Ive never had sucha wide variety of insect killers in front of me before. My apartment is squeeky clean, and there are no cracks, or holes I could imagine insects coming from...but....juuuuust to be on the safe side, Im buying a bottle of this..

I walk pass "the Chinese association" everyday...and often wonder what goes on inside...a shady building, and in front - some shiny cars...

Some pics of the Google office over here

Makeup for ....your boyfriend?:-/

2012-06-04T02:04:00.001+08:00

Stuff like this baffles me...went in to a Japanese makeup store, and there were only pics of these guys..no girls. Im confused..who's the target market here? And why are the guys wearing girls' accessories?...

Ive always considered the Swedish guys a bit metro sexual..but kudos to them for knowing the line between ' taking well care of their appearance' and becoming feminine.

ZzzZzz

2012-05-21T23:41:00.001+08:00

I'm looking forward to go home...although I don't really feel like a have a proper home in Singapore yet. Crossing my fingers that the money will be transferred to the landlord by the time I'm back in Singapore on Wednesday night, and that I can settle in soon. Although it's been nice to be able to go to Manila,,I gotta say, I haven't been able to see much other than what I get to see in between the cab rides from the hotel to the destination where the meetings are.

This evening we had drinks with an agency, and all I could think about was a shower and a nice and fluffy pillow to rest my head on. It's been such a long day....there's so much to say, I don't even know where to start. But, the emerging markets is definitely interesting to work with. The issues that come up, the manner of doing business...the need for a relationship..and the fact that they actually hand out their business card with two hands...it's like taken out of a text book about international business.

Every where I've gone, I've been recognized as "a local". People keep speaking Tagalog to me here, and then look at me while waiting for a reply...maybe it's the bit of the tan I got from our weekend in Borocay. While the other girls were hiding from the heat and sun, I was out grilling my pale-yellow-ish body, desperately trying to get what I perceive to be a "healthy glow"....they'll be no "healthy white" here people, lol =P

Tired. Another day of attending meetings with the other guys tomorrow. Less intense than today,,or at least that's how the schedule looks for now; )

Some pics from Borocay

Green belt 4, Makati - Manila

Nite party people!

No Longer Homeless

2012-05-16T02:34:00.002+08:00

So,,, after befriending the agent, I've managed to find a completely new apartment to a very good price. ..Good in Singaporean terms, that is. The real estate market is ridiculously expensive. The demand is high..so high, that the government has recently added rules stating that foreigners who wishes to buy real estate must pay way much more tax (cant remember how much) than what they had to a year, or two ago.

Anyhow..when I say that I've befriended the agent..I really have. I'm supposed to check out of the hotel that I'm staying at on Saturday, but since we're going on a business trip to Manila tomorrow, I have to check out tomorrow morning. We won't be back until next wednesday, and my flight lands around midnight...which means that I would have to book into a hotel when I'm back in SG (The apartment I signed a contract to apartment is unfurnished -no bed). However, the agent - whose name is Irene- took me to IKEA after I signed the contract. I bought what I needed, and she helped me get a bed (not from IKEA) for a good price. So, by the time I'm back from the Philippines, everything should be in order...*crossing my fingers*

IKEA sells chopsticks...

I took Irene out for dinner after the IKEA trip.,,or, technically, she took us..as she was the one driving. We went somewhere along the eastside by the beach, and ate delicious and spicy food..ahh,,so good! =)

Stuff I ate yesterday =P Hello fruitylicious stuff!!

Google Singapore shares a building with Citibank. In fact, only two of the floors belong to Google. The elevators are so high tech, it's annoying. First you have to scan your badge to get to the elevators..then you scan your badge (instead of clicking on a elevator button)--then the elevator beeps, and a letter and number is shown on a screen, which indicates which elevator you need to take...I don't even remember how many elevators there are, but if "D1" pops up,,you can be sure I'm running in circles, jumping from one elevator to another to find out which elevator is D1 ....then..by the time I find D1, the doors might close (cause they're so damn quick and efficient)...and then I need to scan my badge again. You're probably thinking "why not just jump into a random one?"...You CAN'T, you see...'cause there are no buttons INSIDE the elevator...you scan your badge, and it sends you to the floor you have access to...if you want to go to another floor (which you have access to) you have to choose this from the outside BEFORE scanning your badge,,if not,,it just sends you to where you're supposed to go...luckily,,there are elevator dudes there---I call them dudes,,but they're actually nice and uniformed gentlemen whose job basically is to get you into an elevator....lol...ahh,, technology..what can I say..

Singapore: First Impression

2012-05-12T20:00:00.001+08:00

Before landing in Singapore, there was a 4 hour-stopover at London Heathrow airport.....a couple of years ago, on my way home from Grenoble to Oslo, I had a stop-over at Heathrow..and I found a really beautiful diary..I've been thinking about the diary for years (yes, Im weird. But, I love stuff like that..pens, notebooks, diaries...). So, as soon as I got out of the plane, I was on a mission to look for that store..I found the store, but the Diary wasn't there anymore (of course). At least now I know the name of the store: Smythson.

Singapore Airlines definitely lives up to its name, and reputation. Nice people...and also ...nice-looking..I wonder if that's a rule..that you have to look good in order to work for Singapore airlines.

Free magazines! Among them: Time & the Economist..at this point, I was already impressed by the Airline. I guess sometimes it doesn't really take much to impress me =P

I always walk pass the business class thinking: ONe day.....one day, Mi..

it's one thing when it's a 2 hour trip..then I don't really care. But, on a 13-hours plane ride, then business class makes a bit of a difference. However, there weren't many on the plane, so I actually got 3 seats all by my self. I slept lying down..with 3 pillows and all..Ah! the luxury..=)

Menu...

For those of you who are tall, or just average really (=P), you won't understand how important this is...but for those who are short, then having a foot rest is such a big deal! It makes it so much more comfortable =) You short people out there, you know what mean! lol

With a list of entertainment like this, I was sure I would be OK for 13 hours ;-)

"Welcome to Singapore, ladies and gentlemen. And to all Singaporeans, a warm welcome home"

A warm welcome to Singapore, indeed. I was met by 31c, and it was humid...Like stepping in to a sauna.. One of the guys from the cabin crew asked me whether I was going home, since my luggage was so heavy.,I told him that I'm sure it doesn't look like it, but that home was actually in Norway, so this was pretty much far from home.....

Taxi ride from the airport...the cab driver was telling me stuff I had a hard time understanding,,,but after saying "pardon?", "Im, sorry, could you repeat that?"..."what?" two-three times, I kinda just let him talk..nodded, and smiled politely.

Had to grab some shampoo, and saw this at the lotion-section...Healthy WHITE? Whatever happened to that "healthy glow" that the white people were talking about on TV in countries like Norway, Ireland, and the States? Here, looking white is the healthy look..

HELlloooooo FRuits!!! :-D Definitely one of the greatest things - for me - here :-D YUuumm!

My first dinner in Singapore. I'm staying at a hotel in the middle of China town..what else do you expect me to eat? lol

Two of the apartments I've been viewing. I think I'm going for the last one: Airstream...we'll see. The building just finished this year. It's a bit far from the office (or, far compared to my 7 minutes walk when I lived in Dublin) ..I think its 30 min by mrt, which is fine, but I do need to take a bus to the mrt, then switch over to another line to get to work.... As my boyfriend said, if I'm high maintenance, I need to maintain my own highness...it's gettin' expensive, folks..I'm over budget.. But, I'd rather live in a nice apartment, then having to come home to a dark and crappy place.

The Modules

Airstream

Chinatown

Today has pretty much just been an apartment-viewing day. I've seen three..even taken the MRT instead of taxi just to learn how to get around. At one point, while looking at the MRT map, som lady started speaking Chinese to me..I ignored her, cause I thought she was talking to someone else..but then I felt someone staring at me, and then she repeated, and started to point at areas on the map. I told her that I was sorry, but I didn't understand. Then she repeated it all..and I just shrugged my shoulders, indicated that I didn't know.... I tend to ignore it when people talk to me here, cause I think they're talking to someone else..but, of course, they assume that I'm a "local" and speak Mandarin.

One of the taxi drivers asked where I was from, and when I said that my ethnicity was Vietnamese, he was surprised and said: "really? You don look Vietnamese...you look like local"...lol...what does that even mean?! lol...I mean, we all kinda look the same!..Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai...I compare us to the Scandinavians...I mean, the Swedish guys may dress up more and are a bit more metrosexual than the Norwegians, and the Danish guys are a bit more rough around the edges, and sometimes a bit more obnoxious than the Swedes and the Norwegians...but physically, they all kinda look the same-ish...so yeah,,the fact that I look like a "local" and not Vietnamese was a bit hard to understand. Maybe it's the way I dress..that I dress more Western,,and most Vietnamese people from Vietnam have a way of dressing that is a bit particular I guess...

Heading out to meet a friend of a friend now. It's such a small world..6 degrees of seperation,,.. =)

Over-and-out.

packing..

2012-04-28T03:24:00.001+08:00

Ive always known that I have a lot of jackets..but didnt know the extent of my jacket fetish until i realized how many empty hangers there were left after packing away my winter jackets..it's crazy to see, knowing that there were two jackets on every hanger...

I know im gonna die of heat if i were to wear leather jacket in singapore...but i just cant let gooo..so, until tomorrow morning, I'm gonna let them hang there..:-/

Good thing that i can still wear my blazers..wouldve had a mental breakdown if i had to leave them in Norway too:P

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On repeat...over and over,,,,and over again... =)

2012-04-01T01:34:00.000+08:00

Sucha good song.... =)

To my True Friends- My childhood friends.

2012-03-24T05:52:00.001+08:00

A year has passed since I moved over here. And, I'm gonna go ahead and use the very cliché sentence that people use too often...but, this year has passed by so fast!

Since moving here, my childhood friend (since toddler years)- who happens to be my best friend- got married,,,so did my older sister, who's also my best friend, by the way=) Then, as 2011 was about to end, two of my other childhood friends- who are also my best friends, got engaged.....I don't have a huge group of girls that I'm a part of, and hang out with. But, I've realized that I actually have more close friend than most people have. I think most people have one, or maybe two people in their life who they can confide in, who aren't their relatives, who they can trust, and truly care about. I have 4, and no- they're not relatives..they're just really good friends =) Quality over quantity, right?

We're so different...same same, but different. Two of them are atheists. They became that over the past years..one is catholic- at least more catholic than me (hah!)- and the other chick..she's so politically correct that whenever I've asked the question of religion, I don't ever think I've gotten a clear answer, just a diplomatic and politically correct one....so correct that she completely made me forget what I was asking,,lol. One is getting close to her final years of her studies to become a psychologist...and, I'm not talking about the weak kind...(the three year course of basic psychology (=P)) ..Im talking about the hardcore 6 (or was it 7?) years of education and praxis..the other one is taking her doctorate degree in human geography (I think that's what it translates to). The catholic chick is a dentist. And, the last girl is a social scientist, working for the department of health and human services. It's hard not to be impressed and proud of that, don't you think? I think we did pretty well girls!..We may not have been the hottest, and coolest chicks in town..but I'm pretty sure we remember it differently..hahah!

If it's one thing I've learned to become sensitive to, it's how I feel when I'm with someone. If I feel good when I'm around someone, then I'll keep them in my life..if I don't, then it's very easy for me to let people step out of my life. I can't be bothered to please everyone, or make people like me,,I just can't be bothered. Think of it like this: what is the added value of having person X in your life? Will he/she make your life more fun, or just add crap and BS to your life? If it's the latter, lett'em go. The time you spent getting to know them - sunk cost . Get rid of them, you'll be so much better off.

As people start settling down, I get a bit stressed and wonder if that's what I'm supposed to do too. But, then the sensible part of me kicks in and, and reassures me that I'm not supposed to force myself to do anything I'm not ready for. I'm supposed to be right here where I am.. at this moment :) I'm restless, get easily bored, and I'm ready for a change in environment again. It's exciting to think about the changes I want in my life, but scary too. A couple of weeks ago I called my two best friends, saying that I wasn't sure I could make it to their wedding this summer if things go my way - workwise. I don't want to become that person..you know, the person who worked too much,,so much that she forgot the important things in life,,the important people....so if anything, this post is a hail to my friends. My real friends... not the 577 "friends" I have on facebook.

Distance has proven who my true friends are. To the three of you- thanks for the 19 years of friendship...to my Tott..thanks for the 26 years of friendship (yeah, guys,,we really WERE close when we were babies too,,,I have pictures to prove that..=P). Thanks for being understanding, and patient. Thanks for being honest and awesome. And thanks for being in my life. And, Linda....happy birthday=)

See you soon girls!

<3

Whoever says "money can't buy happiness" doesn't know where to shop. * Blair Waldorf*

2012-03-23T19:46:00.000+08:00

Say hello to my little friend...