Some updates

It's been awhile since I've posted anything. A lot has changed in the past two months and I guess it is time for an update. The real big news is I'm moving! Back to Beijing, my hometown. I got a new job. More on that later. The move will take place in less than two weeks. I haven't done any packing or new apartment hunting because it hasn't hit me yet. Things have been moving very quickly. The entire interview to signing process took about a month, then last week I turned in my first resignation letter, which was very exciting and scary all at once. Crazy crazy.

Anyway, so about this new job and all. It's another US firm, based in Atlanta, funnily enough. The move was mostly fueled by my passionate hatred for my boss. No need to delve deep into that but let's just say that he is a passive-aggressive maniac and I cannot imagine what working for him for any longer would be like, especially as I work my way up the ladder and have to talk to him all the time. He's like a happiness vampire. Other than him as a person, I wasn't happy about how the firm treated employees, so I said sayonara bitches!

It wasn't an easy decision to make. A lot of people said I should try to stay at a job for at least a year or else it looks bad. I think there's a lot of truth to that, but when the move feels right, I think you got to go with your guts. It's a little unfortunate that my first job didn't turn out to be an amazing experience, but I did learn a lot from it and met some great people. I am looking forward to this new chapter of my life. I think I will happily work those long hours for a boss I respect.

Other than serious job stuff, I am not excited about moving again. I am a little worried about how to take my plants back. They're like my babies. Before I realized how likely the move was, I started to venture into some serious herb gardening. Right now, I have mint, basil, dill and thyme pots, which I grew from the seed. That's right! From seed! It's so awesome. I will take pictures sometime <3

Praise

We had a big client meeting today where we met with the general counsel of a Fortune 500 company. The guy is a friend of boss man, and boss man has been trying to get work from this guy for years. Before the meeting, my assignment was to write a memo for the GC so as to lure him into our office for a proper meeting. I was super nervous for the meeting, since that memo apparently made me the expert and I knew I was expected to field questions. Literally, I was shaking before the meeting. Surprisingly, it went really well! Not trying to brag, but I must admit I did a pretty good job. Ha.

After the meeting, boss man called me into his office and told me I did well and that he was impressed. It was kind of a validating/euphoric moment. This is a guy who is usually a debbie downer. A praise like this does not come easy. I tried to play it cool but I was honestly SO HAPPY. Haha. I know I'm being kind of lame for caring so much of what he thinks, but I can't help myself. He probably has no idea how much that one, off-handed comment meant to me. For the rest of the night, even when he gave me urgent work at 7pm, I was pumped.

It's crazy how praise can affect someone so much. I think, when given appropriately, can be so much more effective at fueling improvement than criticism. It's a dose of self-confidence that we all need from time to time. I want to remember today, and remind myself to praise the people around me. We all work hard and damnit we deserve some praise.

Holy crap I'm back!

Hellooooooooo world!

I had just about given up on trying to access Blogspot from within the great firewall, when I decided to give it one last go. Apparently, it takes clearing the entire browsing history and certificates, restarting  computer, and getting new certificates to get back on websites that stopped working. Not sure why it worked, will someone please educate me?

A lot and also not a lot has happened since I last blogged. The past month and a half have been a blur, mainly because of a work project. The deal is finally over, thank goodness. Boss went off for vacation, and I am fully enjoying the quietness of this week. Today I actually took a lunch break and squeezed in some shopping. So awesome. An Old Navy opened up right next to the office. Sigh I miss America. Speaking of which, why is target.com (my fave) blocked by the firewall?? I just want to look at some cute mugs :( People say shopping in China is awesome, but it really isn't. Brand name stuff is so ridiculously overpriced. You can buy cheap stuff at flea markets, but I think I'm past the stage of looking for fake AE jean shorts in a crappy building.

I miss shopping at Target. And jelly donuts. That is all.