Sunday, November 28, 2010

Naps ruin bedtime

which ruins waking up happily in the morning for work...


Pewok demonstrating the art of napping anywhere, everywhere, whenever..

Saturday, November 27, 2010

New York! Day 270, week 40, month 9 ish..



Well, well , I actually just did the math of how many days since I have been in New York. Time passes so fast when you're having fun!
I landed March 3rd 2010 with two suitcases with no job nor friends. Ok, I have two friends living in NY whom I've known since I had my baby teeth but I have no new NY friends...ACtually I do, ..ok, I should really make an effort to meet up with more people huh. Anyway... I still don't have new new friends unless coworkers count?

I looked back at my calendar today... I used to mark everything I did on a daily basis because before I had a job, I had nothing to do really. Here's one snapshot from March. I had pedi/manis, shopping and massages on my calendar. Neat! Interviews during week 2 and 3. March ended with doctor visits and pee tests because I was going to start working beginning of April!



I had to write my work appraisal this week which is due before end of 2010. They skipped my appraisal after my probation period because I was doing so well. I think it's because my boss #1 was just too busy for me. So, for my work appraisal, I have to list my job responsibilities in order of priority and explain my performance for each responsibility. My boss #1 (administrative side) would then evaluate me (M = Meets Expectations; S = Significantly Exceeds Expectations; E = Exceeds Expectations;
N = Needs Improvement; U = Unacceptable Performance) and then boss #2 (scientist side) would christian it. I think everything I do is pretty important for the lab/division to run smoothly so I just started listing things I do on a daily, weekly, monthly basis and what I foresee doing annually. This is my first job appraisal and i'm not even sure if I'm doing this right. I decided to write 10 main things and leave out the little bitch work I make myself do (like clean up after the lazy ass doctors) so it doesn't sound like I'm trying too hard.

I recently requested to get my own business card just because I "needed" one. I really just wanted to have my own business cards because truth be told, I would probably be the first lab manager/researcher to get their own business card! Who is really going to ask me for a card at work except if I shove it down their throats? Actually, I can give it to all those pharmaceutical sales rep that constantly harass me and ask me to scribble my email and name in their unorganized agendas so they can contact me with promotions of stupid shit they sell. It would also come useful during social networking event but honestly, I barely attend those anymore. Anyway, business cards should be automatically given to you as part of a benefit in working for a big corporation so I wanted MINE. I told them to write my title as "Division lab manager" but then I realize that that's not the title that's going to win me a bigger paycheck on my future job hunts. I was hired as a Sr. Researcher and so I decided to stick with that even though at the moment, I am just a super junior researcher/division lab manager. It should take me at least 3-5 years before I can live up to my Sr Research Associate title and I am not getting paid as one anyway..yet! But the title is mega important and I realize, with the words of wisdom from Dave, that I now have to live up to the title that was given to me. Nothing I have learned during my masters applies to what I am doing here because it's a completely different field..but that's okay! I can learn. I wish I can learn faster but my brain isn't as quick as it once was anymore. Living in a new city is completely distracting and going to a library or coffee shop to study while there's fun things to do in the city is merely impossible!



xx
Keiko

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Mackage sample sale




Do not tell anyone how I managed to go to the sample sale on a work day at 12 in the afternoon...but you may guess!

Even though I was able to go early to avoid waiting too long in line, I knew I'd do something stupid on the day of the sale...I thought that I would probably forget my wallet, not be able to withdraw enough cash or something absent-minded. Well, the stupid thing I did was not write down the address and circle 2-3 blocks over and over again and got lost. When I finally found the godamn place, it was almost noon (sale started at 12 p.m.) and the lineup was already super long. I was sooo frustrated because I was around the area 30 mins in advance. However, I still go there in time to grab myself a new coat which was the last of its kind at the sale and make it my latest Mackage adoptions. Thank god I still fit in XS but barely!

This coat not only makes me feel like a wonderful ladylike chic gal but it's telling me to take the gym more seriously or risk not fitting in it anymore!




I also adopted new leather gloves. Everything was 50% off. My supersized fuzzy wool mittens just won't do for my new coat!



btw, there's a sale going on now on their online boutique for Black Friday weekend. It's not as good as the deal I got at the sample sale but it's something!

http://www.mackage.com/app/webroot/shop/index.php?menuby=fab&langue=en&devise=USD&genre=F&coll=fall10&cat=wools&pg=0


xx Keiko

4 ramen places within 12 days..sure, why not? Don't judge!





* star - Minca on 536 E 5th St
*** stars - Hide Chan on 248 E 52nd St
**- Some place in LES
***** stars -Totto Ramen on 366 West 52nd Street

Friday, November 12, 2010

Friendly visits

Always a pleasure to have B around ...not crazy baby zombies...



Chelsea market

Friendly visits

Xiang: -Guess where I am?
Hsin jokingly: -New York?
XIang: YES, i'm in NY
Hsin: NO you're not! you liar!





Cosmo a la sex and the city on top of 235 th

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Boston commons

I searched the park far and wide for these statuettes...quack!