Whenever I’m with Panda, I have a lot of fun and often forget to do things I routinely do, such as update my blog or write in my journal. In fact, back when we met is the first time I stopped writing in my journal ever since I started in 2nd grade. I always attributed it to having too much fun to sit around writing about it. Alas, it seems to be true yet again as I get to hang out with him and find myself neglecting my writing. But I’m ok with that if it means more quality time with him!
Total cuteness
laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: experiences, health, pictures, products
15
January
2013
I was pretty thrilled and immediately posted a picture on Facebook. Since I was heading out, I didn’t get to open him up until later in the day. When I did, I had fun playing around with him. He’s cool and soft to the touch and has a fresh minty + soothing/healing scent. It’s a combination of chamomile, lavender, and peppermint. I can definitely smell the chamomile and peppermint, and then the lavender sneaks up on me. These herbs are very relaxing and when I want a stronger dose, I just have to massage little Harry a bit to “awaken” the scent. It’s lovely!
Anyway, I was surprised to see that one of my friends on FB then decided to get an Herbal Animal for herself after seeing me post up the picture of Harry! Who knew I’d be referring customers already? 😉 Good times.
Love, Missy (& sometimes Molly)
09
January
2013
Every single day that I’m with my cats, my heartstrings get their exercise. The way that they just plop down on me and purr contentedly would make anyone smile. No matter how many times I see them sleeping, playing, or doing other cute things, each time is special. Missy is especially loving and comes to nap by me a few times a day. She gets into some crazy positions that don’t seem comfortable at all, but she appears to love twisting in weird shapes. It makes me want to take pictures of her all day long. Molly’s taken some time to warm up to me, but lately she’s been quite cuddly too, and purrs nonstop when she’s in a good mood. Both of them bring so much joy to my life!
In honor of them, I just had to put together a collage of some of their wonderful pictures. Having pets is truly one of the most rewarding things and I’m particular to cats because they’re adorable yet not needy and they don’t smell (sorry dogs). It’s really true that they help lower your blood pressure – they keep me calm and happy even when I’m going through a tough time. How could you look into those faces as they adore you and not feel your heart open to them?
Click on image for larger view!
Positive change
laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: career, future, goals, work
03
January
2013
So far 2013 has been off to a strong start. My overarching goal is to focus more. That means fewer distractions that waste my time (like watching shows and playing games) and more effort towards making my dreams a reality. To start with, I’ve been working on cutting out the useless parts of my life that have slowly taken over much of my time in the past couple of months. I’m working on getting up every day at a regular time, getting some work and cleaning done, and eating and showering “on time” (kinda).
While it’s only been three days (what?!), I’m doing well; I’ve been productive each day and tidied up the house bit by bit. I’ve gotten some work done for my websites and/or eBay each day whereas in previous weeks I probably would have put it off to another day. Now when I think of something, I get to it right away, before I lose motivation or forget about it. The same thing goes with household chores – instead of leaving things lying around, I’m picking them up, putting them away, and organizing as needed.
So far I’m feeling good about my motivation levels, which I was definitely struggling with more recently. As I start to get used to this new, more healthy routine, I’m going to add more demanding goals, like really buckling down to decide what direction I want my professional development to go. Part of this effort will involve reading some books for ideas and inspiration. I had started to do that when I first left my job last year, but then it dwindled. I think if I learn about how others made it work, I’ll feel better about my own prospects. After all, every day we see successful businesses around us – why can’t one of those be run by me?
Happy New Year!
laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: celebrations, holidays, well wishes
01
January
2013
Just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful start to 2013. 🙂 May it be a splendid year!
LOVE
laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: events, experiences, las vegas, travel, vacation
27
December
2012
Tonight I watched the Cirque du Soleil show based on the Beatles and I realized that with no context, I probably shouldn’t have seen it. I know maybe two Beatles songs and absolutely no history surrounding them, except that they were widely popular a long time ago.
So there I was, trying to absorb everything when none of it made any sense. Instead I found myself focusing on the raw talent and technique of the performance, which had its moments but overall seemed like a lot of dancing. When I go to a Cirque performance, I expect shows of strength, flexibility, and precision beyond spinning around on the ground.
Spinning in the air is definitely good! That’s probably why I liked the Lucy song routine, where a girl was flying around and a guy was maneuvering a weighted wheel with a ladder attached. Another great scene was the roller skating on ramps – total show of skill!
So for those who are Beatles fans, I think it’s a great show to watch. For those without that background knowledge, it’d be advisable to either skip the show or really learn about Beatles songs beforehand. It’ll make the experience so much better!
Quiet Christmas
laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: experiences, family, holiday, panda
25
December
2012
This year the holiday season hasn’t quite felt real. Perhaps it’s the lack of Christmas decorations, wrapping and exchanging of presents, or a family vacation. The sense of festiveness and warmth just hasn’t struck me this time around despite the celebrations I see going on around me. Instead, I’m spending some quiet, peaceful time with Panda. It’s nice in its own way, but it’s something to get used to – soon enough, Panda and I will be creating our own little traditions that make this time of year special to us.
For so long now, this was the time of year that my parents and I got together pretty much without fail. Whether I flew out to China, they came here, or we all went somewhere new, my dad always figured out a nice little vacation for us. We’ve enjoyed some wonderful breaks as a family and it’s definitely a major reason why this year it doesn’t feel like it’s that season already. Plus, it’s one of the rare times when I don’t actually “take” a vacation. My days don’t change much and I’m still doing much of what I was earlier this month. There is no traditional work or school to get away from, or crazy schedules to pause. And so this year feels decidedly less exciting.
Of course, there are still some festivities planned that have yet to come, including a trip to Vegas and a day at Knott’s Berry Farm with Panda’s family. Also, there are some old friends to meet up with while we’re all in town! While the past week has been quiet and relaxing, this last week of the year will pick up a faster pace. Before we know it, 2013 will be upon us and I do look forward to what it will bring. I have plenty of ideas and I’ve got to get motivated to push forward with some. Might as well join the pack and set some solid resolutions to help push me along.
I got a wonderful fortune cookie that says: “Your work interests can capture the highest status or prestige.” Yes, please! It’s time to make that happen in 2013!
12.21.12
laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: events, holiday, weather
21
December
2012
Well, we made it past the “end of the world” today. 😉 While it does seem that the world is getting crazier, what with intense weather patterns and increased violence, I certainly don’t think we’re anywhere near the end of it. In fact, I’d like to think that we’re in a slough right now, getting overwhelmed by the pace of change. It’ll take us time as we continue to adjust to things like how to truly connect interpersonally in the digital age, how to conserve and reuse resources efficiently enough to not run out of them, and the like.
Oh, and don’t forget today was the winter solstice! As the shortest day of the year and the traditional “official” start to the winter months, it’s supposed to be a day where you feast. After all, you’ve got to get your body prepared to weather the long, cold days ahead! I certainly enjoyed a large dinner tonight. I’m looking forward to enjoying the final days of the year, including a trip to Vegas and Knott’s Berry Farm with Panda’s family, a nice quiet birthday dinner with Panda, and a peaceful New Year’s Eve with the cats as we ring in 2013. May it be filled with victories, joy, empowerment, and enrichment.
Celebrations & challenges
laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: career, experiences, family, future, panda, work
18
December
2012
Oh, 2012. It’s been quite a year. There were a lot of highs and lows, ranging from glorious celebrations of love to frustrating work-related challenges. The year started off normally, then started to dip as I didn’t find enough growth in my career. So, I decided to quit my job and pursue my entrepreneurial dreams. I then got a chance to attend my first wedding as an adult, watching my cousin get married in a lovely event. From there, I began to work on my own ventures, with great highs of productivity and excitement and great lows of little motivation and progress. What this new lifestyle did afford me was a lot of self-reflection, personal growth, and time with Panda. What it hasn’t afforded me (yet) was the satisfaction of succeeding by “normal” measures.
It’s definitely been challenging and there seems to be a bit of an inverse relation between quality family time and substantial career growth. While it’s been a strong year for family, it’s been a weak one for work. I mean, we all know it’s hard to balance the demands of home and work, but I know it can be a better balance than I’ve managed thus far. I’ve enjoyed and appreciated the time I get to have with my parents when they’re in town, with Panda when we’re together, and with my cousin who has come to study in the US. However, I constantly feel judged for the lack of a job that I have and my whole “self-employed” status. Granted, I haven’t been as motivated and hard-working as I could, but there’s a lot I did do that nobody really knows about.
I’m struggling a bit right now to find my way and figure out where to focus my efforts. My eBay endeavors have reached a plateau and it doesn’t require as much upkeep anymore, so I need to decide what my next thing will be. I did just get contacted by someone with an opportunity that could potentially lead to something rewarding, so we’ll see how that pans out. In the mean time, I’ve been doing some work for Yuzen and should probably put some more time into that. Now that it’s the end of the year and the holiday season is in full swing, I’m finding it hard to really plan too much more work for the rest of the year. Between travel plans and birthday/holiday celebrations, I’ll probably be pretty busy. That doesn’t mean I won’t be thinking and strategizing about the future the whole time!
12.12.12
laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: experiences, home
12
December
2012
Woo hoo, it’s 12/12/12! It’ll be another century before it happens again. Today Facebook offered a “Year in Review” of my timeline, highlighting things that were most popular on my FB account in 2012. Apparently I added just 20 friends (not bad, but nothing compared to my college years) and “liked” a whopping 95 pages (whoa, when did I like so many brands?!). Meanwhile, Yahoo Mail completely changed its look on me and I’m still getting used to that. I spent the day quietly, enjoying time with my cousin while getting lots of chores done! Who knew this simple day would turn out so well. I’m sure plenty of others were out socializing and otherwise enjoying 12/12/12-themed events, but I’m glad I got a chance to feel productive with my cousin. Good times!
