"A FUN SONG"

I recently discovered one of our JobsBlog readers, decided to write a song for us. As an official blogger for this technical jobs site, I have to admit, I was pretty flattered.

JobsBlog Theme song - UNOFFICIAL - DEFINITELY UNOFFICIAL!!!

Online, check it out
People there make you scream and shout
Friendly faces, right online
Answer questions almost anytime
Your smiling faces from Microsoft land
Every nerd is checking out the jobsblog now

Anne (that's my sister BTW =) is there, Priya too
Ginny, Angela oh what a zoo!
Gretchen, Jenna will answer you
Janelle as well, what cha gonna do?
They'll tell you stories, they'll give you a hand
Every nerd is checking out the jobsblog now

When you're there, drop a line
Say hello and spend some time
Read the stories, while you're there
Get real comfy, sit right in your chair
It's your front door to Microsoft land
Every nerd is checking out the jobsblog now

"I'M BACK...SORT OF"

I just needed a place to vent and decided if people really wanted to read about the rant they'd proceed with the extra click from FB and come here.

It's been almost a year since I decided it was too much work to maintain all the virtual world I am now accustomed to. The truth is (and Christine from HeyChristine.com can vouch for this), life back in the states is much slower than being in Asia and yeah, writers's block come more frequently than before. Or maybe it's that in Asia, a lot events were planned for us and we just show up and here, just not the same.

And you know how once you stop something, it's hard to get back on track? Like cutting back your gym time from at least 3 times a week to now like 3 times a month? And no, I won't blame on my crazy work/travel scheduel either because that argument doesn't stand up between April to the end of summer because I don't travel to schools to recruit then.

So why am I here tonight? Partly because I've been working like a mad woman covering a 3-person load while mentoring two new people at my work (I like to add that they are ramping quite nicely but I wouldn't be shameless to attribute that to all to my mentoring skills =)

I also wandered onto this site by accident when I was trying to type a differnt url...and decided it was fate, or bad typing skills, that brought me back to my old online santuary.

Where's the rant you say? Now it's not like a rant about world hunger or how we can be more green like Al Gore. It's just about the daily mundane life observation.

This is the 3rd straight night Tony decided to play "Rainbow Six" on Xbox live with all his friends from Maryland. Have you ever seen a grown man kneeled in front of the TV, arms frailing shooting endless bullets, wearing a headset and shouting strategic kill tactics with his "troups"?

"Watch out... behind you!"
"Woah, changing guns now...MK23 it is"
"Put on the silencer...I wish I can use the Raging Bull and the silencer"
"Oh friendly fire! Sorry"
"Aim for the Head"

Need me to go on? >_<

And don't get me started on the sound effects. Our townhouse windows are usually open during the summer and I'm guessing once in a while my neighbors would peek out their windows wondering if their ears are playing tricks on them with all the surround sound of bullets flying across their lawns.

I like to work in the living room and watch TV (pretending it's what "work/life" balance is all about). Instead I am listening to my Zune, which I love, so I can concentrate just to finish this entry.

At least he's playing on my company's product instead of a competitor's right?

"WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME"

I know I have not posted for a long time but I am still in the virtual space! Since I now post pics up on Facebook, I felt at times this personal blog duplicates the efforts (and I just don't have time) Oh! I am an official blogger for the Microsoft jobs blog site too! Here were the 3 avatars they have created for me...doesn't look like me but that's ok. Which smile do you think they will use?

"THE SOCIAL NETWORK BEAST"

Yeah I get it, the social network phenomenon is here to stay. Or if you want to get technical, it was always there, it just grew with the technology over the years and as the desire to connect with MORE people (new and old friends) become a necessity -- the modern "do-it-all" concept perpetuates the notion that there's simply not enough time in a day to do everything -- including calling a friend you haven't spoken to for years or planning a quick lunch with someone that lives only 20 minutes away from you.

And as our nomadic friends travel and spread out all over the world, the Internet is obviously the most efficient way to keep abreast of their soap operas, probably entitled "Days of Their Lives" =)

So now we are all connected when we learn of their baby news on their "shout outs" to when they took that dream vacation (& didn't invite you). Sure, emailing is still an option, but heck, who can keep up with all the email address changes...how about just a blog post or get an announcement out on a social utility site? What a concept!

As I look back to my little own social network milestones and the evolution to where it is today, it tickles me a bit!

• Asian Avenue -- OMG I can't believe I remember that one. Is that still around? I think I was on that back in 1998. Come to think of it, how does one quit a site and get their stuff removed?

• ICQ -- remember that dinosaur? The first instant messaging that grew out of control and gave us the most common and annoying message ever -- "ASL please" (age, sex, location). That's right, it was the oddest thing, when did it become ok to answer that to some random pop up request? I guess there's a version 6 now...wonder if I'm still on there?

• Yahoo Groups -- and other discussion groups. Name a topic and magic, a community is born. Didn't get into this that much.

• Blogging -- it became a two-way social site when people posted comments on your latest episode. I've stopped allowing postings when stupid advertising links showed up in my guest book. I believe I started thist blog in April, 2001, as a way to keep my US friends and family updated (as if they really cared that I just went to yet another movie premiere or lounge party in Asia =). I've kept at it...or at least tried.

• Other IMs -- After ICQ disappeared, all the others jumped right into the market. I can't remember my AIM or Yahoo passwords anymore and have stuck to my Messenger since then. Again, cuz it's the only dang password I remember and it seems to be the most user friendly.

• Friendster and all the others that came along -- I have to admit Friendster has improved over the years and probably got a kick in the butt after they realized other sites were taking their market shares -- from MySpace to MSNspaces and now Facebook. What these sites offered was a happy medium between emails/blogs and IMs. People may get lazy reading your blogs or simply are too busy at the time you decided to ping them on IM, but somehow having a community where it's easy to access all of your friends and updates in one spot seemed like a relief to all of us. And finally we can all sigh in relief that birthday reminders keep you out of the hot water!

• Linkedin.com -- For the serious folks that care about business connections and referrals, its' the place to be. Yeah, I'm on that too. I do think it's nice to have endorsements of your past work..somehow it gives some credibility if they have to refer you to that next opportunity, or vice versa.

• Meetup.com -- There's hope! A social networking site localized AND encourages you to well, meet up in person (craigslist probably gave them this start-up idea). Wanna bet if you click with any of these people they will soon show up on your Facebook or Friendster =) Ah,, the circle of life? Haven't done anything with this group but I'm guessing it'll be one great tool if I ever travel or move to a new location and need ocal perspectives to get acclimated quickly.

"HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY"

After shying away from leaving the house on July 4th the past few years (crowds, traffic in and out of the city), I decided not this year!

We stopped by Brandon's BBQ @ his lake cabin (Lake Joy) where we canoed and got a little sun burned and then went to Queen Anne with Des and others for a really great view of the fireworks.

Yeah, the traffic leaving Queen Anne was just a nightmare so I took a nap...

"DANCING WITH APOLO...SOFT OF"

The only dancing involved for this Asia Foundation event (in Seattle) that my friend Petrina help to plan, was the way everyone dancing around in the line waiting to take a picture with Apolo and his cute dance partner.

I was happy to hear they won the coveted title for Dancing with the Stars in May!

"IDOL FEVER"

Ok, I admit it!!!!! I've caught the bug of the whole American Idol craziness. Trust me, after how many seasons this has been on...it is a first.

It all started when I watched the Seattle audition, where for the most, I was surprised how many bad singers lived right in the NW. And for once, I agreed with Simon...what was going on? Then I saw the clip on Blake Lewis' audition and thought to myself...not too shabby, since he had a unique soothing reggae/R&B voice that stood out (and that beat-boxing thing was cute too).

So Sanjaya made it too, no comment.

Then I got busy traveling for work and didn't get back into the groove until 6 weeks prior to the final showdown. And each week, I tuned in and then dialed-in religiously to vote for my favorite singer -- Blake of course. My roommate, Ellen, thought I had gone off the deep end.

Why do I like Blake?

I think he's a risk taker, an entertainer and has a laid-back persona that makes him addicting to watch. Sure, he's not going to belting out 6 octaves of notes and shattering glass like the other contestants but sorry, those weren't my type of music anyway. Besides, if that's the definition of what's considered to be a great singer, then we would offend a lot of our favorite singers given we all have entertainers with the softer unique style and alternative feel to them.

Some folks say he didn't seem like he wanted this as much as Jordin. I look at it as him being able to keep composure and be professional. He always said he was having fun and I think that shows he has not forgotten why there are performers -- to enjoy the opportunity to entertain us.

Besides, during the coin toss on who goes last, he won but was a gentleman and gave Jordin the choice of the singing order and it gave us another glimpse of his relaxed nature off stage.

Because of this craze, I even downloaded iTunes songs for the first time and gave him a review. So not me I know. If there are a couple songs you should check out, I'd say it's his own interpretation of Maroon 5 - "This Love" and Bon Jovi - "You Give Love A Bad Name"

Although Blake was the runner-up, I'm betting he will have a greater demand value and a lasting career path than the actual winner because it's really about being able to stand out to entertain people, and not just about having a "loud vibrato" voice. Don't believe me? just check out how many more hits/reviews Blake's EP and singles are getting over hers already.

"RUBY...NOT JUST MY BIRTH STONE"

It's also the name of Anne and David's new bundle of "puppy" joy! Isn't she just so yummy? And she LOVES the sunshine and napping away. Oh she knows she's just so dang cute!

"TRIP TO THE BIG EASY"

Minutes before touching down... New Orleans, home of the jazz sensations and "umm umm" southern/cajun dishes, has been on my checklist as one of the must-see places!

So when the opportunity to go on a work trip there came up, I jumped on the chance to go with my co-worker, Rian, and volunteered for a MS TechFest event.

But handsdown, it was the opportunity to sightsee and explore the infamous French Quarter (Stayed at the W Hotel right in the heart of FQ where a nice bubbly awaited for me) and experiencing the southern hospitality that made the trip oh-so memorable.

We were there before the summer heat waves hit so the weather just right for -- for sightseeing and for eating all the local favorites.

On the last day there, I hoped on a tour to see the outskirts of NO that was hit by Katrina. While there were progress being made, it was nevertheless heartbreaking to see boarded up homes waiting to be rebuilt.

There are a lot More Pictures to check out!

"D.C. CHERRY BLOSSOMS"

Again, Japan is the place you should be to capture the "wow" factor in rows and rows of cherry blossoms (late March/early April)

But I enjoyed D.C.'s interpretation around the Capital with some locals that made sure I wouldn't get lost =) My favorite are the pink ones! Big surprise I know.

Too bad the awesome views doesn't last longer than a month or so... and usually a lot of petals end up on the ground after rain showers or strong winds.

"MOCHI MOCHI"

It's amazing how people can turn anything into a festival -- from Cherry Blossom festivals to one I just learned about this year -- The Mochi (Japanese Rice Cake) Festival!

Luckily, we didn't have to travel to Asia for this special treat. All it took was a hop on a Seattle ferry and a short drive on Bainbridge Island to taste the freshly "pounded" Mochi, still warm straight from the kitchen.

Up close and personal...yum!
Derek -- a volunteer "Mochi" maker

"RANDOM BUBBLE TEA TIME"

My roommate, Ellen (R. below) and I have busy schedules but we still make time to hang out. This time we went out with our mutual friend, Dawn, who recently bought a townhouse on the West side and I think we're toasting her here with Bubble Tea from "Gossip" in Chinatown =)

I made sure I got at least one of my foot in the picture!

So Sad, I think it was only 10 p.m. on a Saturday night and I was falling Zzzzzz.

"HEY, I KNOW YOU"

LOL...I was deleting a bunch of random junk mails I get and this Taiwan online ad stopped me in my tracks! It's an Acer co-worker... Charles! I think it was for an Yahoo! Personal campaign. =)

"CREATING OUR OWN FOOD FESTIVAL IN MIAMI"

February 22-25, 2007, is the South Beach Wine & Food Festival and tickets are selling like hotcakes! Too bad my recruiting trip was actually last week. And as you can tell from below, Tony joined me on this trip.

This is both our first trip to Miami and we were pleasantly surprised at how relaxing it was (despite it being known for being a touristy and flashy vacation spot). The Latin cultural influence was evident and the luke warm February weather suited us just fine. Aside from the food, there were some historic sites including a beautiful Venetian pool built in 1923, located in Coral Gables or looking up at modern beach front condos that seems to be going up as fast as their prices .

Visit my picture gallery of all the mouthwatering dishes from this trip such as these two: A dark chocolate almond salad (you read it right) and a coconut curry crispy duck dish (a first for us too)!

"RANDY'S SEMI-MOVE TO SF"

I'm not surprised to learn about people's different work arrangements these days -- from telecommuting to being stationed in two places for a period of time -- just the sign of our times.

Randy will be residing in SF for about 6 months for work but will be back to Seattle mostly on the weekends. Sounds tiring? Considering my job currently gets me to travel nearly 5 monts out of the year, I'm numb to that concept. Not complaining though since I don't mind racking up my miles =)

Prior to him leaving, a few of us caught up w/him (pictured here Randy, me and Tina) in Chinatown for the 2007 NWAAF - Asian American Film Festival -- We watched "Red Doors"

"HOUSE WARMING + ENGAGEMENT PARTY"

What I love about evite is all the updates the hosts can give to the guests right up to the minute of the event. So what originally was suppose to be Adam and Cindy's housewarming party, turned into an Engagement party because a few days prior to the gathering, Adam popped the question! Congrats!

(First picture is me w/ the happy couple) Tony, my roommate - Ellen, and I stopped by to congratulate them! We were surprised to find their house so big..I think there are 5 or 6 bedrooms!

"RENEWING FRIENDSHIPS"

I reconnected with Joanne Kim at Albert's new year's party. We didn't spend much time together when we were at UW but we definitely had mutual friends.

We've been keeping in touch and recently celebrated her birthday with her long time boyfriend, Tang (who treats her like a princeess) and her friend, June. It was a simple evening of fine Japanese cuisine and great conversations!

"MOMMY TO BE!"

Congrats to Rebecca...she's going to be a mommy later in the year. Caught up w/ her at a card making party and she's simply beaming! Of course congrats to the daddy to be, Mike, too!

"AWWWW"

To Christine & her "Mr. Big" -- the Asian firefighter who's melted her heart because he's so sweet to her! Wish you two the best!


And speaking of a belated "Awwwws", here's a picture my friend Linda of her wedding in late 2005 (I forgot she sent it to me and found the picture while attempting to organize my digital pictures) and now she's Mrs. Hu!


Ever since I've known Linda, she was always so positive in her quest to find THE guy. And while we've shared our titillating dating stories in the past, I'm truly happy for her new life, which she called it being "amazing".



"RICHMOND PICS"

I admit I'm fond of Richmond, BC, for its rich Asian culture -- including the late night tea houses, unique imported Asian products and of course the food! In fact, we stopped by Richmond twice in January... once for the heck of it the other time was for Albert's 40th b-day.

During the trip we hung out with my friends -- former expats stationed in Taiwan -- Jonathan and Nina. It was really good to see them.

"JAPANESE SUPER STORE -- DAISO"


My favorite place to shop in Taiwan is Daiso, a Japanese dollar super store chain filled with goodies from Japanese tableware, cleaning supplies, snacks, cosmetics and so much more.
Then they opened one in Richmond, Canada, and I was all over it. Afterall, it's only a couple hours away from Seattle.

Drum roll please..yup, they recently opened up one in Seattle (Westlake Center) and I'm in heaven! Tony and I stopped by today bought a box of detergent for $1.50 and a nice sushi knife for $4.00!



"WORK IN PROGRESS"
Look at my fishtank...slowly coming together thanks to Mr. T. -- Even got fish and shrimps in there now...

I have just to really do the upkeep. it's easier said than done considering I've killed off bamboo plants before. Don't ask.

"BELATED 2006 HALLOWEEN PICTURE"

Ok, I'm lame, I forget to post fun pictures at times. I didn't dress up for Halloween last year but some how Randy convinced me and Alice K. to go on a corn maze adventure! LOL

I did say it was corn related no? Meet the Corn family -- apparently I'm Mrs. Corn, Alice and Oi Yan are my baby corns =)

Randy getting some exercise here!

"HAPPY 2007"

The last couple years' new year celebration consisted of me just relaxing at hom for the most part. This year, there were plenty of choices as usual -- from Seattle, to Vancouver BC and San Francisco.

Tony and I stopped by a nice Xmas dinner at Jae's place (middle in the first picture below) and then wrapped up the countdown at Albert's condo, which had the perfect view of Space Needle's fireworks @ midnight.

Jae transformed her place into a cozy holiday getaway for about 15 of us and we even had a gift exchange of regifts at the end =)

I had been dying to check out Albert's newly renovated condo where he bought the unit next door and knocked it down so he's have a larger unit.
Anyway, a few lychee champagne later, we were ready for cameras!

"BACK IN THE COLLEGE SCENE"

Yes, I'm literally racking up the milege travelling to my Upstate NY Schools this past 5 months recruiting for Microsoft..emersing the college culture that I have long since forgotten!



Recruiting top talents from top schools has been an eye opening experience only because with so many options these students get before their graduation. Surely it was always like this you ask? Perhaps.

"ANNE'S NEW TRANSPORTATION!"

I'm really proud of my sis, who recently transferred to do some international recruiting. How's Cairo for her first training trip? Not too shabby!

There are quite a few memorable pics but here are a couple of her riding camels for the first time! So exciting!


She's the one smiling straight into the camera =)


A close up shot.

I realize I never uploaded her wedding pic! Presenting Mr. and Mrs. Kerwin!!!

"RANDOM PICS"

Sometimes I forget how many pictures I take. Here are a few memorable ones this past month.


Mary (L.)was in town from NY! The other gals Anne and Suru were friends I hadn't seen since I went back to Taiwan.


Rachel, Erin and I took advantage of the nice summer nights and went to Redhook's outdoor theatre for a retro flick...Goonies!


A little happy hour at Joey's with Jen, Maddy and Anita!

"PACKED WEEKEND"

From my sister's wedding shower and bachelorette party to NAAAP's conference. It was a true testiment to multi-tasking this past weekend.


Like the volunteer T-shirt McD sponsored for this event (Modeled by Derreck)? And no need to rub your eyes...the T-shirt does say www.i-am-asian.com. Can't tell you how I feel about the site yet but there were some cuteness to the interactive flash in terms of being able to check out some Asian commericials or learn about their scholarship programs. Don't forget to click on the dog! And let me know if you actually find a Hello Kitty image there!


Microsoft sponsored a booth for the Diverity Career Fair. However, for whatever reason, no one showed up to man the booth on Friday. OY. Given that it was my first week there (OH YEAH, FORGOT TO MENTION I AM WORKING FOR MICROSOFT AS A STAFFING CONSULTANT AND CONTINUING MY NEW CAREER PATH IN RECRUITING),I wasn't suppose to work the booth. But I jumped in for a shift on Saturday anyway to help our diveristy team out. It was fun.


Amy from the Bay area. We first met at the NAAAP conference in 2004 in SF.


Connie was performing for the Friday evening dinner.


Class of 98? LOL. These folks were all present for the NAAAP conference held in Seattle in 1998! Albert (L) was the main coordinator.


Lovely Felicia was in town from Taiwan (we met in Taipei =) to visit her parents and sister Petrina. She also attended the conference.

Randy also took like 400+ pictures! Wow. Feel free to take a look and see if you know anyone. It's possible given the the conference attracted folks from all over the US and parts of Canada.

****************************************************

Then it was finishing up last minute details for my sister's shower! The theme was a mix of spa oasis on a sandy beach. I even found wall coverings that brought the sea breeze feel indoor.

I'll just post these 2 pics for fun. As for the what happened that evening, you'll have to venture off to this site to find out. =)


Sexy feet after the spa pedicure!


the bridal party doing last shout for the evening!