hallomimi

2006-10-02T20:58:00.000-07:00

It has been so long since I last posted. It has been very very busy. So much has happened since Chinese New Year!!! Ricky surprised me with the best valentine's day with 24 beautiful red roses and a cute little teddy bear sent to my work plus a surprise and romantic dinner at Cleveland's best restaurant - Classics! I am the luckiest girl! Then came our belated honeymoon. In May, we went to Hong Kong to visit my grandparents and spent a week in Tokyo. We ate so much (ask Ricky for the pictures which documents our meals) and I am still trying to lose the weight I gained from the trip. Soon, it was our 1 yr wedding anniversary! We are no longer newlyweds....yet I would disagree because life is just as blissful as the day we met or the day we got married. We had a wonderful dinner at Sans Soucci at the Renassiance Hotel where we got married. It was a wonderful evening. We also sneaked in a trip to D.C. to meet up with the old Cleveland gang. It was great to spend an entire weekend with Kirsten and Toshi. I miss them so much! I can't wait to see them again! Just before the Summer came to an end, my good friend, Martha came back to Cleveland to defend her thesis. Congratulations to Dr. Susiarjo!!! And we even got to celebrate her 30th birthday together with lots of yummy sushi! Now the weather is getting cold and dark. Maybe it's the weather, it's getting me all depressed and stressed out or it could be that I am super busy between being overworked at work (should see my desk!! papers everywhere and I don't see the light to the end of this tunnel), preparing for my GMAT (yes, I am planning to go back to school. I didn't get enough torture during the last 5 yrs when I was a Ph.D. student) and preparing for my Healthcare Finance class (which I am sure I will fail). Ricky has been very understanding and patient with me because he knows I tend to stress out and go crazy. Werid thing, I feel more stressed now than I did when I was planning my wedding while trying to write my dissertation. Stay tune to see if I get accepted into Weatherhead for my MBA and if I pass my healthcare finance class. :)

2006-02-02T17:48:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year!!!
For the first time in 10 years, I spend Chinese New Year with my family in Vegas. We had lots of good food, fun at the slots and enjoyed each other's company. My parents went to a concert of my mom's favorite singer. We made the mistake of making our meeting place in the lobby of the MGM hotel and when the concert was over, we were swamped with MANY chinese ppl all waiting at the lobby. I felt like I was back in Hong Kong.
It was sad that Ricky couldn't join us because he is so busy these days with work. He was in lab all weekend. I missed him a lot, especially since I was in Vegas with him together less than a year ago for our party. Hopefully, we'll go together soon.
We were very disappointed with the seafood buffet at Rio. The seafood was not fresh and the hot food was terrible. However, I took them to a sushi buffet and it was wonderful. So much variety of sushi, udon, tempura and lots of japanese goodies.
Hopefully, we'll go back together as family again soon....

2006-01-12T17:17:00.000-08:00

I'm so busy at work these days. Get in at 8 and I don't stop till at least after 5:30pm. I've only had lunch away from my desk once since I started, it was when my parents were here over the holiday and I snuck off for a quick 45 min lunch at the Deli with them. Our program is getting reaccreditated at the end of the month so I am busy preparing for the inspection among other things. Although we are super busy yet it's making me learn a lot in very short period of time which is great since I lack the experience to move up the ladder :)

2006-01-06T22:51:00.000-08:00

Ricky and I have been married for 5 months now! Time flies!!! Every month on our wedding anniversary, we go out to dinner. Tonight, we tried a new restaurant in Willoughby Hills, we both ordered the unlimited fish fry. We had a good time and good food, we'll definitely go back. Happy Monthaversary!!!

2006-01-04T19:23:00.000-08:00

My goal for this new year to be more healthy. I've started working out this past two days and I hope to continue to work out at least 5 times a week. I hope to lose 10 pds by the time we go on our honeymoon to Asia. Since the wedding, I've been slacking and gained a few pounds from all cooking we do together.

2006-01-04T19:22:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!! May the new year bring good health, happiness and fortune to all! My parents came to visit for the holiday and I ended up cooking an X'mas dinner for both families. We all had a good time and lots to eat. I got to spend a week with my parents which was very nice because I get homesick a lot these days. We drove to mansfield to spend the new years wkend with Ricky's parents. We had a wonderful new years eve feast, played some board games before ringing in the new year. It was a fun a weekend.

2005-11-30T20:39:00.000-08:00

Today, I took my accounting final. It wasn't as hard as I expected. Basically, if you did your homework, you should have no problems with the exam. I'm glad it's over. Now I just have to get ready for our group project due next week then I am completely done with my class. I am still contemplating if I should take a class next semester. It would be nice to have a semester off to figure out if MBA is needed for the advancement of my career. I still wonder what I would do with my free time. I definitely don't want to just sit in front of the TV.
Speaking of not sitting in front of the TV. I went for a physical exam on Monday and test result shows that I have slightly high cholestrol. I decided to start working out again tomorrow. Now that I am done with my final, I should have no excuses. I really need to be more active since I sit in front of the computer all day at work, I need to come home and do more housework and work out everyday or I'll become one of those fat housewives.

2005-11-27T17:05:00.000-08:00

wow! what a wkend! we had so much to eat! Ricky posted pictures of my 20lb turkey! there are lots of leftovers and i already have lots of different ideas to use them up. we had a wonderful wkend with our brothers.

2005-11-22T18:35:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving will be here in two days. Because Ricky's grandfather is still in the hospital, his parents are going to visit grandfather in Toronto. So I will be cooking our Thanksgiving feast. The menu includes fried mushroom and olives, artichoke dip to tie the boys over till the 20lbs turkey is cooked served with green bean cassrole, mashed potatoes with LOTS of gravy, stuffing, garlic asparagus, corn and to end the feast with a big carmel apple pie. Everything will be homemade except for the apple pie. I'm not that good of a cook! Maybe I'll attempt apple tart this X'mas :)

2005-11-11T14:55:00.000-08:00

My first wkend alone since I've been married. Ricky is off to Toronto to visit his grandfather who is in the hospital. I couldn't visit bc of my visa application. I miss him already and he just left two minues ago. I hope his grandfather will get well soon.

2005-11-07T16:18:00.000-08:00

Ricky has been getting really bad migarines for a week now. He finally made an appointment at the Health Service to get checked out so it must be really bad. I hope the doctor can help him figure out his triggers or what ever it is that is causing his migarines. I know he must be very frustrated bc he can't do his work or eat what he wants or just going about his daily business. Let me know if there is anything I can do help. I'll try to take good care of you.

2005-11-06T20:08:00.000-08:00

Last night we went bowling with our brothers. My brother was really good. He got many strikes and totally kicked ricky and his brother's butt. I didn't do too bad either, I beat Ricky during our 2nd game and beat his brother in both games. The "Lam family" kick butts!!!

2005-11-04T19:47:00.000-08:00

This week went by a little slow at work. Although I am still enjoy my new job a lot.
After work, I stopped by at Walgreen's to get some halloween candy on sale. 50% off!!! I stocked up for Ricky and I. I am bring in a HUGE bag of candy to work on Monday.

2005-10-31T19:14:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween!!! I can't wait for the after halloween candy sale! We are going to raid Target this wkend and stock up on candy for work and at home.

2005-10-30T17:33:00.000-08:00

It was a relaxing weekend! Last night we had lots of junk food and watched a movie. This morning I got up at 11am but it was really 10am because of daylight saving. I wanted to go to the outlets to shop because I need to expand my warerobe choices for work. I really appreciate that Ricky came along with me even though he was swamped with work. That was really sweet of him. He never complains when he accompany me shopping except he's always patient and always gives me great inputs. It was cute, today, he was worried that I was being too picky and worries that I'll have nothing to work to work so he actually threatened that he'll buy me something at Ann Taylor if I didn't buy something. Little did he have to worry...I ended up buy 2 pairs of pants and a sweater.
It was a nice wkend!

2005-10-29T13:03:00.000-07:00

Last night was rough. My hormones really ruined my night. I felt yucky all day and then it got worse at night. I felt so sad and when a tear started rolling, I couldn't stop crying. Poor Ricky! I am sure he had no idea what to do with me. I hate it when my hormones go wacky because I know it hurts Ricky. I hope he understand that it's nothing he did or didn't do but girls are just wacky! Last night I felt lonely which is crazy since I have Ricky but I was sad that my good friends have moved away. I was sad that my parents are living alone since my brother and I moved away so I felt gulity. I was sad that my brother is living alone and so far away from all his friends and I feel gulity that I don't spend enough quality time with him. I feel conflicted that I am young and I should go out and do things or else later when we have a kid, I'll be mad at myself for not going out and doing fun things earlier. I was just a big mess.
Thank you honey for hugging me till I felt better. Today is a much better day. Hopefully you won't have to deal with it next month.

2005-10-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

Ricky surprised me today with this cute little "personalibee" I am going to put it next to my computer at work so if I get frustrated I can look at it and smile and I can press its tummy and it'll giggle.

2005-10-26T20:51:00.000-07:00

This morning I came to a realization..I was working at my desk, sipping coffee and then it hit me...wow! I have an office, I can drink at my desk, I don't smell like mice and I am not surrounded with annoying post docs or graduate students who wants to prove that they are better than everyone else. It hits me how lucky I am ...don't get me wrong...I always knew I was a lucky girl bc my parents loved and supported me always and I had good health, more than what most ppl have. But I was sitting at my desk and I felt so happy because I have a loving husband to go home to everyday who shares all moments of life with me, my good health, familes that love me, good friends and a good job that I am learning so much from.
I have been so blessed in the past year. So many great things have happened to me from my PhD graduation, to getting married and finding a new job. I am a very lucky girl.

on a side note....good luck Eric on your GRE exam. You will do great...you are smart!!!

2005-10-23T18:01:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I went to Mansfield to visit Ricky's parents. Every time we go visit his family, we always get well fed. This weekend, we went to Columbus for some good Chinese food and then saw Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Wedding Crasher. It was nice because Ricky and I have been so busy that we haven't had time to watch any movies.

2005-10-20T19:59:00.000-07:00

I've been at my new job at the Cleveland Clinic for almost a week. I am learning a lot and it'll take me awhile to be trained with the various computer programs/database and learning all the medical lingos. I enjoy it very much and I am glad that I took the risk to pursue a career a little out of the ordinary for my degree. It appears that this job will definitely keep me on my toes and there will never be a dull moment at work. I have to admit that this job is actually much harder than working in Joe's Lab. In the lab, we used to have coffee or chit chat and we work at our own pace. But now I can be working on various different clinical trials at the same time on top of other things that may come up daily. I work a full 9 hours and I even eat my lunch at my desk bc that's what everyone does. But everyone in my department is very nice except for this one nurse who is on my shit list...she was mean to me at our first meeting.

It's been a little hard adjusting to the new job....I'm still not used to waking up at 7am and going t bed before midnight, I'm not used to not seeing nor talking to Ricky for 8 hrs and dressing up everyday to work. Thank you Ricky for waking up every morning 2 hours earlier than you are used to while still going to bed late bc you are so busy with work. You are the best!!!

2005-10-17T18:54:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day at the Cleveland Clinic. I got up at 7am and poor Ricky who is NOT a morning person got up at 7:30am so that he can drop me off at work. Can you believe where my parking is?? They want me to park miles away, past the Case campus and into the ghetto. Luckily, my loving husband has promised to drop and pick me up from work everyday. It has been confirmed today that my work hours will be at 8-4:30pm! I hate waking up early! Tomorrow will be my first real day at the job since today was just orientation. I will report tomorrow.....

2005-10-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

Today is my day off before starting my new job. What am I going to do today? I have to wait at home all day till the cable guy show up so I'll try to clean the apartment. Now that I am done with my Ph.D. and leaving the lab, I might finally have some free time. I want to find a hobby and Ricky said I am not creative or else I will have tons of things I can't wait to do. I think it's because I am not used to having free time. Growing up, my parents signed me up for so many different classes that I never had free time then came college and graduate school. I never got to explore anything but studying?!? That's probably why I started taking MBA classes the minute I finished my Ph.D.

I've decided to take next semester off and determine to do some fun things! Maybe take a jewelery making class or....man! i don't know...Ricky is right....

2005-10-13T07:30:00.000-07:00

I just wrote my resignation letter for Joe. I thought it wouldn't be too hard since I had to write the email to tell Joe that I've accepted the position at the Cleveland Clinic but I was wrong, it was pretty hard since it was my first resignation letter and I can't help but feel gulity about leaving my projects unfinish.

I don't think I'm sad that I am leaving the lab even though I've been part of the Nadeau lab for the last 6 years. I think I bid my farewell to the lab when Kirsten, Sheila and Toshi left the lab. The lab has not been the same since the "3 witches" has been broken up. I feel like an outsider in the lab now because I don't knit, I don't have the desire to out do the other person in the lab and our personalities now are just too different. However, I am very nervous about leaving the comfort of the research bench which I have been accustom to for the last 6 years. I am nervous about doing something very different than I am used to. I hope I'll succeed and have a great career in research administration.

2005-10-10T13:26:00.000-07:00

This is my last week at CWRU working as a research associate. I've been in my current lab for the last 5 years! I've been doing basic research at the bench since I graduated college and part time during college so I am excited and nervous about my new job at the Cleveland Clinic as the Administrative Program Coordinator. No more bench work! No more mouse work! I am used to going to work in jeans everyday and having a very flexible schedule. Now I have a rigid schedule and worry about accumulating my vaction days. It will be a big change but I've been hoping for this opportunity for awhile. Hopefully the hands on experience will open more doors for me.

I'll miss walking into work and eating lunch with Ricky every day. I've been so spoiled for the last 2 yrs, I can go over to see him whenever I want. I am a little worried about Ricky because he might forget to eat lunch now that Toshi and I are both gone, but maybe he'll eat lunch with my brother some time. I'm so silly...he took care of himself fine before he met me, I make it sound like he'll be lost without me :)

2005-10-08T18:38:00.000-07:00

What a gloomy, cold and ugly day. I guess it's fine because I can't do anything since I need to study for my accounting exam. The professor have yet to teach us anything in the class. Hopefully, the exam will be easy and I'll do ok.

I did go out to lunch with Kit at Max's Deli. The sandwich is so small compared to before when it was piled high with corned beef. She is moving next weekend to Florida. I'm going to miss her a lot. She's very nice, sweet and generous. I wish her and ado the very best. We'll come visit you soon!!! All my good friends are moving away from Cleveland. I hope to meet some new friends. Speaking of new friends, I'm glad that I met Mari. She is a sweet girl and the more I chat with her on MSN, the more I realize that we have very similar views and values. I am glad that she'll be moving to Cleveland soon!

My first blog....

2005-10-06T20:45:00.000-07:00

Ricky is somehow very excited about this blog thing....keeps bugging me to start my own blog. He's a cutie yet kinda nerdy but I love him just the way he is. Ok...Ricky...I'll try to be good and post something at least every other day but I can see why this would be an interesting thing for me bc I like to rant and vent about things that happen to me and then all is forgotten. This may just be the perfect tool for me!

Let's give it a try....the last couple of days I've been cleaning out my stuff at work because I will be starting a new job in a week. I'm tired of our lab manager following me around all day to make sure I am putting things away properly or locking up my supplies so others can't use it or organizing things that I am putting away. If she follows me again tomorrow, I am going to box her or elbow her! Gosh! I thought her job was Research Assistant and not a Cleaning Lady!

2005-10-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

My husband and I...