Nose Trouble
September 7th, 2008Barney cautiously leans over the "pad thai" and sniffs. Sniff sniff.
Suddenly, a tendril of pad thai leaps up and grips his nose. He yelps! The tendril snakes into his left nostril and out the right one.
Work
Archived Entries from this Category
Liquid Cocaine
August 31st, 2008You know what I love? Liquid Cocaine.
Back at my previous job, there are cozy cafes that serve up free espressos, cappuccinos, lattes, chai teas, and more. Every so often, the baristas would concoct special drinks with different blends of syrups, like the Mint Chocolate Chip (mocha with mint syrup) or the Strawberry Shortcake (macchiato with strawberry syrup and whipped cream).
A Good Cold One
August 23rd, 2008"After a long, hard day," Sunitha says with a breathy sigh, "there's nothing I like better than to down a good cold one."
She picks up a bottle of Negra Modelo and tosses it back expertly.
The First Phone Call from Yahoo!
July 13th, 2008I was moving down to Los Angeles when I got Ray's call. "Hey Mike, want to work for Yahoo?"
I rolled up my window. "What? Did you say Yahoo?" The flat plains of Central California blurred past me as I sped down the I-5.
"Yea. We're looking to hire some developers. Can you come in for an interview?"
He Didn't Wash His Hands
July 6th, 2008"Guess who I saw in the bathroom today?"
"Who?" we asked.
His eyes blazed and he jumped in his seat. We could tell he had something juicy to tell us.
Management as Parenthood
April 27th, 2008Do you know what kind of people can make great people managers? Parents. Having children teaches you a lot about managing people.
And I believe this rule works in reverse too. Good managers can be good parents. That idea motivated the approach I took when I was a people manager; I thought like a parent as I managed my team.
Hopefully, it has helped. Here's why:
Are Men Intimidated By Independent & Successful Women?
April 7th, 2008Are you a well-educated, intelligent, independent, and successful woman… who is still single? You're not alone (no pun intended).
More and more women are getting advanced degrees and pursuing their careers. And staying single. Sometimes voluntarily, sometimes involuntarily.
Wait, involuntarily? Why is that? What's preventing them from being in a relationship?
Hong Kong's Domestic Helpers
October 28th, 2007"Is it strange having her live with you guys?"
Ray shook his head. "We have a small guest room. Much bigger than what other families give to their domestic helpers."
I scratched my chin. "A friend told me that sometimes all they're given is a plank on a washing machine to sleep on."
The Communist Work Ethic
October 14th, 2007She wouldn't stop apologizing. "I am so sorry for this noise. I talked to the workmen in the building to please not begin their work until after 8:00 AM." Her English, touched by a Hungarian accent, was flawless. Still, she had apologized for her English as well.
A New Educational Model
October 22nd, 2006Everyone wonders about his or her purpose in life. Why am I here? What should I do with my life? What is my destiny?
I'm not the type of person to sit and wait for an answer. So I've given myself an answer. I can sum it up in a sentence:
I want to fundamentally improve the world. (Hey, we gotta aim high, right?)
