Posts Tagged ‘opinion’

Restaurants with bread

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , ,
06 September 2011
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I believe that all proper restaurant establishments should serve bread (or some sort of snack/finger food). During my road trip with Philosopher this past week, I found that I would get antsy and slip into impatience as we waited for our food, if there wasn’t something to occupy my hands and mouth. It doesn’t cost much to offer, but the feel of a place improves so much when they provide me with bread!

It’s a similar thing for hotels with free wifi. I’m amazed at how many still charge for the service when it really has become more of a necessity, much like having towels and toiletries. Just because you can get away with charging for it doesn’t mean you should. In fact, by offering a connection for free, the value of your brand is elevated and consumers are much more likely to want to book with you rather than the place down the street where they charge per day or even hour.

When it comes down to it, wouldn’t you rather get that extra booking than lose it and charge a current customer for their internet? What costs more? Obviously you earn more with each room that is booked! Ah, but I digress. Back to bread.

Now while the bread won’t necessarily be a deal-breaker, it does make an impact on the perceived value of your restaurant. The higher the perceived value, the more you can charge and still have happy customers who feel their money was well-spent. So why not spend pennies to provide bread so you can earn dollars more per meal in the long run? Companies often seem so short-sighted, only caring about turning a profit, NOW. But that’s not how to build a sustainable brand!

Road trippin’

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , , , , ,
02 September 2011
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Wow, it has been two tiring days on the road!  Philosopher and I set out on Thursday, ready for a coastal trip up to Northern California.  We made pit stops at the Getty Villa, Ojai, Santa Barbara, and Solvang before finding a campground in Santa Maria to settle in for the night.  The sleep was sporadic and interrupted by cars driving by, brisk air (it was in the low-mid 50s all night), and of course the uncomfortably firm ground.  Every time I tried to stretch out straight, I would find my blanket was covering my feet and it was way too to have them out.  So, reluctantly, I would pull them back in and curl up in a ball under my body pillow.

When getting things out of the car, I had accidentally locked my keys in the trunk (first time that happened to me!), so in the morning I called up AAA to break into my car for me.  It was really interesting to see their method, using an inflatable balloon pouch and a thick metal rod.  I didn’t quite imagine it being that way based on descriptions I’ve heard using clothes hangers, but hey, whatever works!  With access to all our stuff again, Philosopher and I were able to prepare for the long day ahead.

Day two consisted of a lot of winding roads, driving up and down mountains, and in and out of cloud/marine layer coverage.  I feel at once windblown and sunshone (yeah, yeah, not a term but what would you say?).  This time went from Santa Maria to Pismo Beach to San Luis Obispo, then out to the coast again to drive along the 1.  We took some time at Carmel-by-the-Sea to enjoy the town and beach, then continued on to Santa Cruz and finally San Jose.  While waiting for dinner at BJ’s and looking for another campground, we decided to go for more traditional lodging.  After all, we weren’t having much luck finding a place and it’s been a long two days without proper rest, so I don’t mind rewarding myself with a nice bed and shower.

Luckily, I was able to find the Larkspur Landing Hotel in Campbell, which was offering a really reasonable rate.  There’s free wifi, breakfast, cookies, and a business center, fitness center, and laundry room.  What’s most valuable is a warm and cozy bed, as well as a hot shower!  There’s no need to suffer and doing the whole camping thing another night was turning out to be too much trouble.  I can finally charge up my phone again and start tomorrow afresh.  By dinnertime, we will be meeting up with Panda and I’m really excited for that.  🙂

A lasting impression

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , ,
18 August 2011
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I watched both seasons of Who Do You Think You Are?, which chronicles the journeys that celebrities take while tracking down their family histories.  One thing that stuck with me is that so often, they would find parallels in their ancestors’ lives and their own.  That made me think about how a certain trait can get passed down many generations, not necessarily just genetically, but behaviorally.  After all, the environment you grow up in greatly affects the environment you will create as a parent and I believe that a lot of those childhood influences stay with you for life.

Whether it’s an adventurous spirit or a strong foundation in faith, it’s more than just a genetic component.  It’s pretty cool how much of ourselves we can see in our pasts.  It makes me think of what imprint I will leave for future generations of my family.  I’m sure a certain stubbornness and inquisitiveness will shine through, and hopefully a fair share of entrepreneurialism or at least enterprising efforts as well!  I wonder if my willingness to be the exception and stand out will be shared over generations.  I am confident that education will be strong in our family.  I certainly expect post-graduate degrees!

I’d like to see what I can find out about my own ancestry and if there are hints about the type of people I came from.  I don’t know the quality of the records in China, since a lot was probably lost or destroyed over the years, but I can start with what my parents and grandparents remember.  It would be nice to know what I came from.  Were my ancient relatives scholars or farmers?  Were they poor or well-to-do?  Could I even have a connection to a historical figure or royalty?  Who knows!  I’m curious to find out.

I’d also be interested in doing a DNA test someday, to show me a breakdown of my ethnic heritage.  As far as I know, I’m pretty much all Chinese, though part of that originates from the Mongols.  That’s pretty normal in Northern China, since the Mongols invaded back in the day and became the new “Chinese.”  Who knows, maybe some Mongolian ancestry was also mixed with Russian or Eastern European?  There’s just a wealth of information that I am interested in finding out and I hope that future generations are just as interested as well.

Service-minded

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , ,
15 August 2011
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I finally got inspired by the desire to read again, so Panda and I went to the Santa Monica Library on Saturday and I got two books. Currently I am reading about the Ritz-Carlton and how they continue to be a world-class institution, which has reminded me of my interest in what makes good service.

I often notice areas of improvement with every company I deal with, whether it’s Apple or a local restaurant. The only exemplary service I can remember receiving more recently is from my Chase Sapphire Visa Signature card. I’m not sure if it was because it was a Sapphire or a Visa Sig, but I didn’t have to wade through touch-tone menus to speak to a person and my issue was resolved quickly, without hesitation.

Compare that with most experiences, with a lot of navigating that ultimately ends with being on hold for a long time. Good service can go a long way to build customer loyalty and a positive brand name. If only more companies invested in the anticipation and satisfaction of their customers’ needs so that we’d all be happier in dealing with them.

I really look forward to someday experiencing the “Ritz-Carlton Mystique,” as they call it, and getting a glimpse into what going above and beyond AND above and beyond even more is like. And I hope I can build a business that has a culture as rich and rewarding as theirs appears to be.

Cat adoption, dating style

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , , ,
04 August 2011
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One more day stands in the way between me and the long-awaited cat adoption!  I can’t wait.  I’ve tried not to overthink things this week, since many of the cats I saw last weekend looked like they were on the fast train to adoption.  The kittens in particular were very popular, of course, but I was happy to see that some of the more grown cats were getting a good amount of attention too.  I’m totally ready to spend all morning Saturday petting all the cats and also pairing them up to make sure they can get along with each other.

At first when my mom talked about getting an older one and younger one, I was thinking a baby and an older cat, but my mom is skeptical of the little ones since they are so small they could easily get hurt or lost under/in something.  While I really like them, I do know that they get adopted very easily, and part of the point of our adoption is to take ones that might get put down if not adopted soon enough.  I figure I can always go for a young little one when Panda and I start our own household, so I definitely want to pay more attention to the 1- and 2-year-olds.

I have a feeling both cats will probably be black or at least part black, since it seems those are the ones that aren’t as popular.  Is it a superstitious thing?  Are Americans really that prejudiced against black cats?  Or maybe there is some sort of personality trait that tends to do with those types of cats that makes them less friendly?  I did notice that my red tabby (orange stripey cat) was the friendliest of the ones we’ve had, and the black ones were more aloof and/or quirky.  But hey, quirky is still loveable!  And there were definitely plenty of cats who liked being pet, which is what I love to do.

Haha, I’ve been watching Millionaire Matchmaker and I just realized that the way I’m thinking about cats is very logical, with plenty of reasoning weighing into my decision, which is kind of like what the matchmaker does for her clients.  They come in with grandiose ideas of what type of person they can land, and she gives them a dollop of reality to whip them into shape and make them realize what is realistic and what is not.  I am open to giving up the kitten idea because it makes more sense of someone living my lifestyle and at my stage of life to focus on the more grown cats.  I don’t have time to baby a little creature, but I will have that opportunity in the future!

Rather than go for the “hottie pa-tottie” as they call them (aka the kittens), I will focus more towards the good fit.  I need cats that can take care of themselves, but enjoy my company when I am able to see them.  I just hope I don’t fall in love with a teeny little thing that looks at me adorably and fits into my hands so comfortably!  But hey, even if that happens, the good thing is we’ll still get a mature cat who can help with the duty of teaching the young one.

Polygamy

laelene Posted in general blog, relationships，Tags: , ,
13 July 2011
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I came across the show Sister Wives yesterday and decided to look into it tonight.  I’ve found it fascinating to watch their complex family dynamic and all the relationships in a delicate, precarious balance.  The show focuses on the ups and downs of the adults in the family, with the wives all in love with the husband and the husband in love with all the wives.  The husband is very careful to spend approximately even time with each wife, rotating where he sleeps each night and making sure to eat, pray, and speak with each of his dozen kids and three (soon to be four) wives as often as he can.

While their lifestyle is considered illegal, I find that I don’t quite understand the negativity that seems to surround their choices.  Each person chose to live this way and all are strong in their stance.  Who are we to judge whether it’s right or wrong when it’s between consenting adults well aware of their actions?  This kind of persecution is very similar to gay couples.  So why is it that gay couples have garnered a lot of public support for their lifestyle, when polygamists are still looked down upon?  I don’t understand it.  Fundamentally, it comes down to the same issue – what makes a family a family and who gets to decide what is and isn’t?

Personally, I feel that each person should choose how they want to build a family and what it is to them.  While I would not choose polygamy myself (one-on-one relationships are hard enough!), I don’t see the “wrong” that seems to offend people so much.  Though I suppose that in this case, the polygamy practiced is a one-way street so it can be offensive in a sexist sense.  The man may take on new wives, but the wives may not take on new husbands.  Still, it’s not like polygamy on the part of a woman would be accepted in society either.  Why can’t people just accept the choices that others make in their personal lives?

Polygamy seems like less of a crime than adultery.  At least here the wives enter into the marriage well aware that there will be others and the man (hopefully) is respectful enough to consult them on any additional wives.  There is no hiding of affairs and love children and all that crazy drama that seems to be in the news constantly.  The husband in this show loves and respects each of his wives, adores his children, and does his best for all of them.  Things could be much worse!

Fast food conversations

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , ,
01 July 2011
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I’m not a fan of fast food restaurants. For whatever reason, I always seem to overhear random conversations and it just puts me on edge not being able to tune out. Here I am at Burger King, having some dinner while waiting for my flight and there’s this lady talking to what appears to be her husband. From what I gathered, she writes episodes for some show and there’s a coworker who really annoys her. According to the lady, this coworker is so self-centered that whenever she contributes ideas to an episode, it’s always in a way to show off her knowledge of a given topic.

Fair enough, we all know people who just don’t realize how the people around them have learned to tune them out because they aren’t that pleasant to be around. But there was something about the way this woman was telling the story that actually made her sound exactly like the coworker she was complaining about: unknowingly self-centered. Ironic, isn’t it?

She just kept going on and on about how it was her plot and this other lady tried to hijack it just to serve her need to show off that she knew more about Catholicism and what a godmother is. And in the process, I heard a petty woman who was so focused on how much she disliked her coworker that she herself became oblivious to how self-centered she became.

What really bugged me more than that was that she was talking about something that made this other lady horny – right in front of her young son! He couldn’t have been much older than 8 or 9 and he just sat there listening to his mother rail on about some woman from work. I wonder what he was thinking. That certainly was no example to set for a child.

This woman got to my nerves a bit, just like another who was with a man at McDonald’s earlier this week. As they cozied up in a booth, I kept hearing her say to him in a nasally voice: “You don’t like kids… but you don’t like kids!” Saying it twice to make your point? I get that. Saying it at least 6 times in a row in a scratchy high-pitched voice that grated on my ears? Not cool. I’m not sure what they were discussing, but the entire conversation subsisted on her insisting he doesn’t like kids (or anything that bogs him down) and him chuckling and occasionally mumbling something. I was amazed that they could have an entire conversation where she said a whole of two sentences over and over again.

And so it goes, eating at fast food joints just hasn’t been panning out well for me. I’ve since moved to the terminal waiting area, and thankfully there are no conversations to overhear, just the echoey hum of conversations across the room.

Sendoff

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , ,
30 June 2011
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Well, the time has come.  For months, one of my coworkers has been preparing to go off to business school (in China) and today was his official last day.  We’ve gone out to lunches, dinners, and even had a little in-house party.  We presented him with a cake, a card, a goodie bag, and an iPad!  All in all a pretty good sendoff, I’d say.  By now all the loose ends are pretty much tied up and his replacement, a friend of his, has been all trained up and is ready to take over his role.  Tonight, eight of us joined him at his place for one final shindig to send him off.  I’m glad that we got a chance to hang out one more time, since I was getting kind of sad at the end of the work day.

So by this point, all that was left was to spend some quality time with him before he flies off to a faraway land where Facebook and Google don’t exist.  Thankfully, we’ve got some techy guys who can set him up with a VPN account so he won’t be completely cut off from the world.  After all, he just got a Google+ account and what a shame it would be to set it all up only to never use it!

This time when we left him, it felt right.  We’d spent as much time as we could together and got some good old bonding in outside of the office, all of us just friends.  It’s the kind of camaraderie I was hoping for when I mentioned potentially setting up happy hour sessions after work.  It’s great to get to know my coworkers in a relaxed setting with no time constraints and it’s a pity we don’t do it more often.  I hope that it doesn’t always take someone leaving to get us all together.  And I hope that we’ll be able to stay in touch as our friend embarks on a new chapter in his life!

Happy hour

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , ,
17 June 2011
3

Tonight I went out to dinner with a few coworkers and their friends.  Initially, it was supposed to be a happy hour sort of thing, but two of the guys got caught up with work, so we didn’t leave until about 6:30.  We were also going to celebrate one guy’s birthday and his pending departure to go to business school.  It turned out to be a great meal and it made me wish that our company organized some happy hours for coworkers to spend time together after work.

I have a friend who goes to happy hour with her coworkers nearly every week (or at least has the opportunity to) and I think that’d be a nice thing for my office too.  I mean, we do have lunches together pretty frequently, but there’s always a time constraint and people can’t really unwind like they could on a Friday after work.  Plus, people seem to bond better over alcohol and the whole nighttime scene makes things feel more intimate.  I mentioned this to one of the coworkers who was out with us and he thought it was a good idea as well.  Perhaps I’ll try to arrange something and start a new office tradition!

My, how the years fly

laelene Posted in general blog，Tags: , , ,
14 June 2011
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This weekend, a bunch of my friends graduated from UCLA.  It’s a reminder of how long it’s been since I first crossed paths with them and I find it almost inconceivable that we’ve finally reached this point.  When I first met this group of friends, they were all first years living in my building.  I was already a 4th year, with a year and a half left before graduating.  It seemed like so long before they would ever graduate themselves, but now the time has come!  Has it really been two and a half years since I graduated?  While so much has happened, it all seemed to go by really quickly.  In a blink of an eye, here I am, well into my life as a working professional.

I still remember the carefree nights we spent chatting into the wee hours, or the stressful nights we spent studying into the wee hours!  There were plenty of meals to unite us and random gatherings in the hallway.  Ah, the hallways that drew us all together.  I really enjoyed the people I encountered just by living where I did, and while we’ve drifted apart since the time we were neighbors, they will always have a fond place in my heart and hopefully we continue to find time to meet up when we can.  It’s hard to believe that everyone is moving on to work or grad school (or trying for one or the other).  I still feel like I’m 21 and they’re all 18.  It seems that I might feel that way forever, no matter how our lives change and mature.

Thinking about those relationships also reminds me of the ones I built while studying abroad in England.  One of my best friends from that time has had an opportunity to visit me here and now we’re planning his next visit!  Has it really been two years since we’ve seen each other?  It definitely flew by before I knew what happened.  I guess it was because I managed to get a job a few months after he left and that has kept me pretty busy ever since.  I’m already coming up on a year and a half at my company!  That one feels like longer, since so much has happened, yet it still feels fast, since I can remember so much of how I felt when I was just starting.

Let’s not even talk about high school anymore.  Freshman year was ending a decade ago!  Boy does that make me feel old.  It’s just baffling how fresh those memories feel, even when so much has happened and a lot of time has gone by.  Our perceptions of time were never really very accurate, were they?

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