Posts Tagged ‘opinion’

Lettered jerseys

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , ,
02 February 2011
1

As I was watching basketball players the other day, I was staring at their numbers and began to wonder why we can’t use letters too.  What’s wrong with putting a big Q on the back of a jersey?  Or using two letters, like AZ, SJ, LY?  They’re certainly faster to say than “twenty-three” or “fifty-seven.”  After all, the only letter with more than one syllable to pronounce is W, whereas most two-digit numbers are three syllables.  So in terms of efficiency, it makes more sense.

It’s not like we use numbers because we somehow need to put athletes in order of number.  And even if so, we can alphabetize letters!  Plus with two-digit numbers, you can only have 100 possibilities, versus 676 if you use letters, so it’s far less likely to repeat.  That way when a certain person’s is “retired,” there are still plenty more to choose from.  It all seems to make sense, yet, it’s not how the sports world works.

Perhaps the concern is over being able to remember who’s who, but isn’t it the same with numbers?  After you see them enough, you learn the association and number so-and-so just becomes letter this and that.  Besides, this works nicely with the whole “lettering in a sport” idea.  I don’t see why it wasn’t ever adopted.  If I were to start a team of any kind, I’d get us jerseys with letters on them.  Why not question the norm and stand out a bit?

Patagonian lessons

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , ,
27 January 2011
0

I listened to the founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, speak last night at an Oppenheim Lecture and it was pretty freakin’ cool.  He’s like the original green business owner.  He’s got some great stories to tell and an amazing philosophy towards life and business.  Plus he’s a man of my heart, following his idealist dreams until he needs to compromise a bit to not go broke.  I find that the companies I want to start and things I want to create do not center around the question of ‘how can I make money?,’ but ‘what can I do to make things better?’  And when I have a great idea, my passion takes over and I swear, I start to glow.

I love his company’s culture as well, encouraging employees to pursue whatever they want when they want as long as they get their work done.  They’re free to take off for a few months on some crazy adventure, or take off for an afternoon to catch a great surf.  I’ve always wanted to cultivate that sort of environment in whatever company I start, so I paid close attention when he laid out his criteria for hiring: find someone who is self-motivated, passionate, and understands what their job is (and what is expected).  Then, let them be!  Oh, and the last question he asks himself is whether or not he’d want to have dinner with this person.  He’s created a family sort of environment at work, where people bring their kids in whenever they need to and coworkers themselves treat each other like family as well.  There are no cubicles and the people sitting next to you get familiar with your job just by hearing your conversations.  I think being open and having that autonomy is really what keeps Patagonia employees happy, working hard, and coming back.

I also loved that he has an inquisitive mind and keeps on asking questions.  He doesn’t just want to fix the problem at hand, he wants to get to the root of it and eliminate the problem all together, whether that’s completely changing what he makes and how it’s made or trying to start a movement amongst companies to be more responsible.  Patagonia’s even starting an initiative that goes in three major steps:

Step 1: Go to a Patagonia store and get asked whether you really need to buy that item you’re considering or not.  If not, don’t get it!  If so, thanks for your business and please go to Step 2.

Step 2: When you have outgrown, tired of, or just plain don’t want that item anymore, sell it on to someone else who still wants it.  Repeat Step 2 as necessary.

Step 3: Finally, when the item is no longer useful and has reached the end of its life, send it back to Patagonia and they will melt down, cut out, or otherwise find a way to use that old item to create a new one.

This is exactly what I had wanted to ask him about going in to the lecture.  If only all companies were held responsible for what happens to their products at the end of their life cycle!  Then they’d have to adopt the “cradle to grave” approach and start designing things that are more reusable, recyclable, and safely disposable.  That’s a piece of legislation that I’d love to see get passed!  Unfortunately, as Yvon said, to change government you need to change business and to change business, you need to change the consumer.  And consumers are hard to change!  We consumers demand, demand, demand, and the businesses respond to that.  Why not demand that they also take back our products when we’re done?  Companies like Preserve have already started this kind of business and it’s working fantastically!

All in all it was an inspiring experience to hear this humble man talk about how he ended up a leader in environmentalism, sustainability, social responsibility, good business practice, philanthropy, and so much more.  He also started up 1% for the planet, where companies who join pledge to give at least 1% of their annual sales (yes, sales, not profit) to an organization doing good out there for an environmental cause.  I only hope that when I am older I will look back and feel good about doing things that people respect, both in my personal life and professional life.  I hope to also be an inspiration to those who meet me.  🙂

DefaultCase: a case of an iPhone case

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , ,
23 January 2011
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Many months ago, I came across this new company called DefaultCase, selling their iPhone cases for 1 cent + $3.99 processing.  For $4 each, it was a steal!  You see, rather than spend marketing budget on making all kinds of ads, they put much of it towards offering these cases for super cheap.  From there, I believe they were counting on word of mouth to get their brand going.

I thought about it for awhile and decided to get one for fun, even though I don’t even like phone covers.  They’re pretty cool, with a perforated design on the iPhone 4 models that allow the signal to get through (it’s even supposed to help with your reception, according to them).  I browsed their selection of colors and settled on a blue one.  One thing I noticed is that there are never any shots of a phone from the front when you look at a case.  I happen to want to know how much the lip may or may not protrude on that side.  Nevertheless, I decided it was cheap enough to be worth trying.  When it came, I was very excited.  They have a quirky sense of humor and included a love letter telling me how much they appreciated me for being an early adopter.  Fun times!

When I couldn’t figure out how to get the case off and cracked it trying, I emailed their customer service because part of their mission is to provide excellent support.  They were kind enough to mail me a new one, plus give me a free one of my choice.  This time I chose white.  Awesome, right?  Well, I was also interested in a purple and an orange one, so I asked about that and they said since they accidentally made some of the pink ones more of a purple color, they could send me one of those.  Orange was yet to be added and when it was, they gave me a sample too.  Talk about a deal!

They came through on their promise of great service and it’s something that more companies should strive towards, no matter what product or service they’re providing.

Sore or pain?

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , ,
20 January 2011
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acu hoop workout hula hoopI spent 40 minutes last night using my Acu hoop and boy am I sore!  Actually, it’s borderline sore/in pain, I can’t really tell… there are definitely times that my sides get touched and it hurts, but it’s not constantly there and most of the time I forget it hurts.  I shouldn’t have gone so vigorously or so long after not using it for quite awhile now.  Next time I will go for an easier pace until I can build up to something more.

I have a 3-lb one that looks just like the image, except mine came pre-installed and wrapped in a sturdy plastic cover that I never took off.  I figured it made it easier to clean and less likely to wiggle loose or something.  I think that weight is just enough to be challenging without being overwhelming and I’m glad I settled on that (you can get one anywhere from 1 to 6 lbs in weight).

The great thing about this is that you can read a book, watch TV, listen to music, or many other things with your hands and eyes while you do this.  Talk about getting a workout while multitasking!  Plus, it doesn’t work quite the same as a standard hula hoop you’d have for fun.  While those are hard to get going and keep up, this one has enough momentum that makes it easier to manage.  Just about everyone I’ve read reviews from said they can’t hula hoop for their life, but they can Acu hoop like a pro!  It really is very different when it’s weighted.  Just try weighting a normal hula hoop and you’ll see how much easier it is.

The curious properties of time

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , ,
14 January 2011
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It has been a busy two weeks for me, with plenty to do as we make some changes in the company.  I’ve found that the holiday break right before it feels such a distant memory because of all that has occupied my time since.  Time seems to be going by slowly as I plow away, yet it seems to go by faster than I realize.  I was so out of it I thought it was Tuesday for a brief time today.  It’s really strange how time can be so fast and so slow at the same time.

At times while working, I’d look at the time and be surprised that it wasn’t later in the day.  It was a good thing, because it meant things weren’t taking as long as I felt they were, but it was also very tiring.  At the same time, looking back on the past few hours, it was hard to remember what I had been doing.  I’ve just been working working working on so much stuff that it all started to blend in to each other.  Had I already looked at this?  Did I already edit that?  Thank goodness for my spreadsheet, or else everything would have taken twice as long as I forgot if I had done it yet or not.

Somehow looking back on this week, I can’t quite discern that there were five days.  In fact, it’s almost incomprehensible at this point that that many days went by when it only felt like two or three.  It’s nice that the week is over, but there’s still quite a bit of work to be done!  I did finish the most important set of tasks and that’s a relief.  However, I do still have a report to compile, which I didn’t have time to do last week either.  Yikes!

I need to let my brain refresh a bit though, so I think I will do that on Sunday after I’ve recovered some of my mental capacity.  Sleep is so not overrated.

Parenting

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , ,
11 January 2011
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Recently Panda pointed me to an article that our friend had shared on Facebook and it got us thinking about and discussing parenting.  The article, by Amy Chua, outlines her personal view and experiences of parenting the Chinese way – very strict and disciplined.  While it’s true that the tough love style of parenting that most first generation Chinese-Americans mothers employ can be extremely effective in producing children accomplished in school, particularly math, and proficient in at least one instrument, I don’t see it as an East-West divide.

Rather, I see it as a disciplined vs. not.  In a high-class neighborhood, you will find children of any ethnicity taking music lessons, sports lessons, getting tutored, etc. during their “free time.”  You’ll find parents who enforce a strict schedule and push their children to excel in each thing they learn.  Granted, Eastern and Western styles are still different, but I don’t think it’s so much the yelling and threatening and extreme rules that make Asian parenting styles any more effective.  I feel it really comes down to parents creating opportunities for their children to learn more and taking the time and effort to make sure they actually do learn.

What really struck me about this style of “Tiger mother” parenting though was the complete focus on success, success, success.  But really, what is success?  People like to make assumptions about what it is, forgetting that success and happiness do not go hand in hand.  So, that begs the question: what’s more important?  Success or happiness?  Of course ideally you want both, but sometimes they compete with each other.  I don’t see the wisdom in caring only about success, assuming that you must be happy that you are successful and that’s the weakness of the Tiger mom model.

Doggedly pursuing success may bring you a certain amount of satisfaction in your accomplishments, and as Amy wrote, “Once a child starts to excel at something—whether it’s math, piano, pitching or ballet—he or she gets praise, admiration and satisfaction. This builds confidence and makes the once not-fun activity fun. This in turn makes it easier for the parent to get the child to work even more.”  BUT, that just means the child has learned that doing that particular activity well will bring about attention (and possibly rewards).  It may not be the activity that is fun or makes the kid happy, but the associated rewards, whether it be praise or prizes.

I can appreciate the intense sacrifice and commitment of Tiger mothers, but I cannot agree that it is the “superior” way, as Amy claims.  If by superior she merely means the most effective way to breed children at the top of their class (including being first chair violinist), I can definitely see it being a valid argument.  But being superior period is impossible, for this or any other style of parenting.  There is no such thing as the best way to raise a child.  It all depends on what your goals are.  Do you want someone who has a life full of rich experiences?  Do you want someone who excels in school?  Do you want someone who is just plain happy?  For each, there is an entirely different approach to parenting.

Ultimately, this article and the book that it is excerpted from will stir up a lot of talk over parenting, but it will not show people the best way to be a parent.  It’s good that it’ll get people thinking about what is important in raising their own children and how to do it.  But before that even happens, people need to first identify what they want for their progeny, for that will shape their entire approach and just about every decision that is made forthwith.  If you’re like Amy and want star students, you may very well have to become a Tiger mother.

Yoga pains

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , ,
08 January 2011
1

At my apartment complex, there are free yoga classes each Tuesday and Thursday night.  This was one of the reasons I really wanted to live here – so I can finally try out yoga!  I went to both sessions this week, which are taught by different instructors.  On Tuesday, the instructor took us through a nice, invigorating set.  It was a good intro and she took it slow and easy.  Then on Thursday, the other instructor went through much more challenging moves that left me quite sore afterwards.  I’m having trouble lifting my arms without slowing down a bit, but it’s a good kind of sore.

My overall impression of yoga is somewhat neutral.  While I like the idea of taking yoga and the instructors were both great, I find that there is a lot of strain on my body, like in the wrists.  I have bad shoulders that also didn’t handle the moves too well.  I think I’d gain a lot in strength and flexibility if I stick with it though, so I absolutely plan on attending every class that I am free for.  However, I don’t find myself getting extremely passionate about it and the whole yogi lifestyle, but maybe that’s something that will grow on me.

I’ve found that I’m not that great at doing yoga.  I can’t breathe as deeply as I feel I should be.  I get so wrapped up in the moves that I forget to take deep breaths – I often catch myself taking shallow breaths.  Both times I have had trouble staying on the mat (but maybe that’s normal?).  I wonder if there are weighted ones or if I’d have to use weights to keep the mat in place.  I also suck at a few of the poses because my back bends backwards too far, my right shoulder shifts in its socket, and my hips click out of their sockets.

I do feel like part of the discomfort is because I am just weak in my back and arms, which is exactly why I wanted to start yoga in the first place.  I also feel like I’ll feel better when the weather warms up and the room is not so cold.  So, while I feel it’s definitely worth it to continue the classes for this year, I’m not sure that I would pay for classes in the future.  Maybe I’ll try pilates or that yoga class that is done in the pool!  It’s nice to have a class to attend, someone to lead you through moves and keep you going, so I’d love to find a class that I’m passionate about.

Quirky

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , ,
05 January 2011
1

I created a Google group called “Opps Abound” to share all kinds of useful things I come across and today I decided to email about a site called Quirky.com.  It’s a site that allows you to participate in the invention process, whether you want to submit your own idea or just contribute to others.  You get rewarded for participating by getting credit for the amount of contribution you gave towards the development of a product.  That’s called % influence and that percentage determines how much you earn from the sales of the product once it’s finally complete.

It’s pretty cool because consumers can come up with the products they wish existed and tweak the details, from what material it’s made of, to what it’s called, to what features to include and exclude.  Plus, you get some kickback for helping out and how awesome does it feel to look at a product and be able to say, “I helped create that”?  I love that the inventing process has been reinvented here, and is a very crowd-sourced and social process now.

Family united

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , ,
20 December 2010
0

Once a year, around this time, my family gets together for the holidays.  You’d think it’d be easier since it’s just my parents and I, but we’ve got lives on various parts of the globe now.  Very reliably though, we go on a family vacation together for the holiday season.  Last year it was Vegas.  The year before was Cancun.  This year?  It’s time for the Bahamas!

For our second cruise ever, we will go from Miami to Nassau to Great Stirrup Cay and back again.  Pretty exciting and I just can’t wait to play around in the ocean.  I’m thinking of going on a snorkeling adventure with some sting rays (they are one of my favorite sea creatures!) and just enjoying the beautiful waters out there.  Hopefully the weather will be agreeable and allow us to enjoy everything the islands have to offer.  🙂

It’s really nice to get together with my parents now.  We’ve moved past the stage when I was a rebellious teen, always butting heads with them.  I’m still stubborn, but my life is really in my control now and it’s great to have the freedom to make my own choices and share my life with my parents.  Plus, there’s a lot more to talk about when you don’t see each other for extended periods of time.  This year in particular I’m really excited because I’m finally moving out on my own with my first lease!  I always subletted before, so it’s kind of cool to have ownership of a lease and know that half of that apartment is mine.  It doesn’t hurt that is has awesome amenities and perks and is super close to work too!

When we get back from our little vacation break, I’ll spend a day with Panda for my birthday and then it’ll be time to get ready to move!  I’m glad my parents will be around to share the experience with me, see the new place, meet the new roommate, and help me get all settled.  I’m looking forward to the end of this year and the beginning of next.  So many good things to come!

Settled

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: ,
18 December 2010
0

Finally, I’ve got a place to live near work now!   After weeks of searching, I found a suitable apartmentmate to split a two-bedroom with me. I can’t wait to get rid of the commute and get back 3 hours of my life each day!   Plus, I am going to get around to some things I’ve wanted to do for awhile – yoga, working out regularly, maybe even get back into swimming again.  🙂

We get our keys on New Year’s Eve and have the weekend to move in!  I’m really excited, but I’ve got to figure out how to transport some furniture (and which items to bring).  I’m going to need to get a desk as well.  Once the big items are in, I’ve got plenty of time to bring all the little things over.  And then I can relish my new digs, complete with pools, jacuzzis, grills, gym, media center, mini movie theater, and so much more!

Yay for a wonderful start to the new year!

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