lammieho's Xanga

Monday, May 14, 2007

Mon, 14 May 2007 16:21:03 GMT

Technology v. Louis Vuittons

Back in 2003, I received an ipod for my birthday. It was the latest tech trend and my particular one was the king of ipods at the time with inscription and all. I was esctatic until the mini's came out, then the shuffle, then the nano and the ones with videos...you get the picture... basically..an upgrade in technology about every 6 months. Soon, my king ipod was like a T-Ford compared to the mustangs of today. (ok..not the greatest analogy but you get the idea.)

Recently, I received an iHome clock/radio to go with my grandfather ipod. I was excited about using the ipod again only to find out the new gadget is not compatible with my ipod and all ipod accessories no longer support the old versions. What good is an iHome ipod clock/radio when it can't play the songs or charge my ipod!?

I love technology and tech gadgets. BUT so much of its advantages lie in the consumer's ability to keep up with the latest trends and features.

LV purses, though not made of 100% leather, uphold its value even as they age. At this rate, should I invest more $ into LVs than technology??

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Tue, 27 Mar 2007 22:31:47 GMT

Birthday Celebration

I cannot believe how lucky I am to have great friends, some willing to fly in despite flight delays and cancellation, some jet lagged from recent trips, and all who are considerate and fun-loving! Thank you for helping make my birthday feel so special (even though it is 2 weeks early). I will not forget the candles....

Thanks to Judy and Gary, here are some pictures. (There are some I can't show due to personal censorship. HA! Enjoy these I've chosen to share...)

Dinner at B44. Although I've never had Catalan food before...this is the best!

Check our my paella!

Blowing out my ghetto fabulous candles...HJ laughing at me in the background...

Party at Bubble Lounge. Thanks to Gary and Dale for the table and bubbles!

Toasting the other birthday boy...

Memorable painting ...

Friday, March 23, 2007

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 02:13:03 GMT

Feeling a bit lazy lately so here's a brief update...

Company formal at city hall:

Aside from the ridiculous difficulty of hailing a cab due to the massive Chinese New Years parade happening in down town, I had a great time in city hall. I had the tastiest chicken ever, ample amount of chocolate dipped with whatever I could find, saw the best indian dancers I've seen in awhile and witnessed why everyone loves the city hall.

Checked out Vessel, a new lounge that is literally 2 blocks from my apartment. This is definitely a posh place as they screen out who gets in...reminds me of Mansion at Miami...

Birthday celebration part 1. Yan took me to an asian fusion restuarant called House. I had so much food and even though I was full, I kept wanting to eat more. Afterwards, we celebrated a friend's birthday and met up with Vicky at Tabu Lounge which used to be Glas Kat. I haven't been to this place since college and the cage is still there! However, I'm afraid the design of the cage is terrible seeing as how a guard needs to bring a ladder every time someone wants to get in/out of it. What happens when there's a fire??

Picture of the upstair....I was too disturbed to take picture of the cage...

Monday, November 06, 2006

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 00:08:49 GMT

Sample Sale

I must confess I love keeping up with the latest and newest products. Usually, in the sphere of fashion and occassionally tech gadgets. I recently went to the Billion Dollar Babes sample sale and these 2 designers caught my eyes:

Storm http://www.stormwatches.com/watches.htm

This is a UK based company who specializes in uniquely designed watches. They carry other products such as sunglasses, jewelry and bags but are most known for their watches.

For men, I love these styles for their conventionality and design. These are great for people who travel to different time zones for work.

For women, I love these ones since they can serve dual purposes of jewelry and watch.

Theresa Kathryn http://www.theresakathryn.com/default.aspx

This company was founded by Tammy Trenta, who was a contestant on the Apprentice. They carry a collection of bags and accessories for business women. I loved the style of the bags but found it to be on the bulky side. If you go on the link, you'll notice that the model is another contestant from Apprentice. Here're 2 that I liked.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Sat, 04 Nov 2006 17:19:48 GMT

AIM Impersonator

I found out recently someone I know has created a screen name similar to my current account and chat with people we both know and whom I haven't spoken with in a long time. It puzzles me why anyone would be bored enough to do something so ridiculous. We are all in our mid-20s now and hopefully figuring out our careers and focusing on our personal goals and aspirations. Who has the time to bother with messing around on aim anymore? At first, I was really pissed off at this impersonator for violating the trust of people I know whether or not I still keep in touch or not. However, the more I think about it, the more I feel sorry for this loser. This person must absolutely have no life nor personal ambition to be so immature as to waste time away messing on aim.

I wouldn't provide anymore information regarding this case here as now I am more careful about what information I reveal about myself in public forums. My message is to simply be careful and smart about whom you're chatting with on-line.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:59:05 GMT

Day trip to Sausalito

This is a belated entry of the Brazil group (minus Yong & Jeff, add Susan) mini-reunion. We had what turned out to be a junk food & wine picnic. The weather was perfect and we chilled next to the Bay. Waiting for picture of Alan and his cheese & wine.

The boys..Check out that BIG bag of chips...

The girls...and view of SF in the background.

View of Sausalito

Trying to pop the cork w/o a bottle opener....

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:33:59 GMT

The one v. Right one

I met a grandma on the plane recently. She was flying to SF for her grand-daughter's wedding so we started talking about marriage/ love. She told me you will know when you find the one. For her, she was with a boyfriend at the time she met her husband. She dumped the boyfriend then started dating the husband, who is now deceased and has been for 10 years. I could tell she loves him A LOT still. They had arguments, a lot, especially during the beginning of the relationship. They're very different, she being the social one and him being the intellect. But they worked.

I can't imagine there only being 1 person in the whole world for you. I believe in timing and fate.

On a seperate note....the new SF mall is GREAT! It's spacious and clean with a ton of cool stores like MNG, bare escentuals, Furla. The food court also has a bunch of gourmet vendors to match the Bristol farms. I no longer can go back to the old wing. =)

Monday, October 02, 2006

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 13:18:47 GMT

Do What You Love -- And Starve?

By Marty Nemko

If you are a star—very bright, talented, motivated, and personable and you have a passion, even if it’s in a competitive field, sure, go for it.

This is an article for everyone else.

Based on the 2,500 clients I’ve worked with, the hundreds of callers to my career-centric radio show, and my countless other conversations with people about their careers, I’ve come to the conclusion that we’ve been sold a bill of goods when we’re told to “Follow your passion, “ or “Do what you love and the money will follow.” Fact is, if you do what you love, you’ll probably starve.

Yes, some people do what they love and the money follows. But millions of people have followed their passion and still haven’t earned enough money to even pay back their student loans, let alone make even a bare middle-class living doing what they love.

The problem is that too many people crave the same few careers, for example, the arts and non-profit work. Employers in these fields get dozens if not hundreds of applications for each job. So, you have to be a star or extremely well connected to get the job.

In other cases, salaries tend to be low or non-existent. Do what you love and volunteer work may well follow.

The irony is that the small percentage of people who do make a living in “do-what-you-love,” “follow-your-passion” careers, are, on average, no happier than people in less sexy jobs. Here’s why. Plenty of “cool careers” sound better than they turn out to be. Actors, for example, spend very little time acting. They spend most of their time trying out, sitting around waiting for their turn at rehearsals or on movie shoots, etc.

More important, not only do salaries in “cool” careers tend to be low, employers in those fields know they needn’t treat their employees with kid gloves because zillions of other capable people are panting for the opportunity to work 60 hours a week for $27,521 (with no benefits) for the good feeling of knowing they’re playing an infinitesimal role in saving the spotted owl or whatever, even though they may never get closer to a spotted owl than a pile of accounts receivable statements.

Other people’s passion is status. So, for example, they endure years of boring law school and accumulate boatloads of student debt for the privilege of slaving under a 2,000-billable-hour quota for the law firm of Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe, with a futon in their office so they can sneak in a few zzzs in the middle of the all-nighters they pull to boost the chances of another lawyer’s corporate client giving money to their corporate client.

Other status seekers prostitute themselves to climb the corporate ladder. They work 50+-hour workweeks and kiss up to their bosses, smilingly willing to uproot themselves and their families for a few years inwhateverGod-forsakenplace the Company wants to dump them. They endure two years of impractical arcana in an MBA program so they can put those three letters, M,B,A, on their resume. And for what? So they may finally get a title of director or vice president, and after their 12-hour cover-their-butt workday, be one of the many execs who collapse on their sofa, get blitzed, and stare at their oversized living room in their oversized neighborhood wondering, “Is that all there is?”

In contrast, if your job is mundane, for example, marketing manager for the Ace Soybean Processing Company, the employer knows there aren’t hundreds of competent people champing at the bit for your job. So, to keep you, the employer is more likely to offer decent working conditions, reasonable work hours, kind treatment, opportunities for learning, and pay you well. Those are the things that—much more than being in a “cool” career-- lead to career contentment.

You say you want status? Unless you’re a true star (brilliant, driven, great personality, or have great connections), give it up. Status is often the enemy of success. You’re more likely to find career contentment in a not-high-status career. In my mind, someone who’s an honorable assistant manager for the Ace Soybean Processing Co. is more worthy of respect than many lawyers, investment bankers, and business development VPs I know. If someone thinks less of you because you’re job isn’t high-status, they don’t deserve to be your friend.

Advice I’d Give My Child

If you’re at all entrepreneurial, I recommend starting your own business. Yes, I know, only 20 percent of new businesses are still in business after five years, but you can beat the odds. Just remember is this one rule: Don't innovate. Replicate. Copy a successful simple business.

Innovations are too risky: Your product might not work, may not be popular with the public, or a competitor could beat you to market. Why be a guinea pig? Unless you have deep pockets or are truly brilliant, the risks are too great. Many people have ended up in poverty because of their innovations. Even Tivo, a wonderful new product lost hundreds of millions of dollars in the first few years. Last I checked, you don’t have oodles of money to lose. Leave the innovations to corporations or the independently wealthy.

Where to find a business to copy? Drive around to find a simple business at which customers are lined up out the door. For example, see a successful burrito shop or espresso cart? Open a similar one in a similar neighborhood. Your chances of success will be a helluva lot higher than 20%. You will find happiness in providing an in-demand product at a fair price. Confine your urge to innovate to your hobbies.

Another approach to finding a good business is to pick a grungy one, for example, automatic transmission repair or mobile home park maintenance. Few top-notch people go into such businesses, so if you do it competently, you’ll probably make good maybe great money. And you’ll feel better about your work, having people coming to you and thanking you, and owning your own business rather than slaving away for some boss ever fearing your job will be downsized or shipped to India.

You say you don’t have the knowledge to run such a business? No problem. For example, I don’t know a thing about transmissions, but if I wanted to open a transmission shop, I’d find the best transmission mechanic, pay him well and hire a consultant who is the owner of a successful transmission shop located far enough from my store that he wouldn’t fear my competition. The two of them would teach me how to set up my business. Then, I’d spend my time building relationships with car repair shop owners so I’d get their referral business.

If starting a business from scratch seems too scary, consider a franchise. According to Robert Bond, author of Bond’s Franchise Guide, some of the best include Jani-King commercial cleaning and Aussie Pet Mobile, a grooming service. When you find a franchise that sounds appealing, be sure to speak with at least 10 of the franchise’s franchisees at random before signing on the dotted line.

If you’re not at all entrepreneurial and want to be well employed, go far from the madding crowd. Here are some areas where the job market is not hypercompetitive: Court reporting, car finance & insurance, accounting, insurance, sales of little known commercial products, health care, health care administration, fundraising, financial services, anything serving Latinos (entertainment, schools, hospitals, criminal justice system), anti-terrorism, and biotech regulatory affairs.

Remember, you’re more likely to find career contentment by being a contrarian.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Tue, 29 Aug 2006 22:31:32 GMT

Seattle, WA for the weekend. Visited HJ and Eugene who showed us a great time around town! Paddle boating at Green Lake, Umi Sake House, partying at Venom (Manny Ramirez was there w/ his hoochie mammas), Cruise around Pudget Sound, visit the Fremont Troll and Maggianos for delicious italian food. Here're some pictures!

Brazillian bbq at Ipanema. So much meat! =)

Eugene pimping it with the girls (Selena, HJ, me)

Seattle skyline taken from the cruise.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Tue, 25 Jul 2006 17:53:22 GMT

cat·a·comb P Pronunciation Key (kt-km)
n.

An underground cemetery consisting of chambers or tunnels with recesses for graves. Often used in the plural.
An underground, often labyrinthine passageway.

=============

So the sales exec on my team gave me a hard time recently for not knowing what this word means. Puh-lease. The guy didn't even use it in the appropriate way! I dislike people who fabricate their emails, making it all flashy when all that is necessary is to get to the point! Give me the Bottom-Line!

BUT, I do have to say, the breath of my vocabulary has significantly decrease since high school. Can you believe the average American uses only 40% of the English words available?