Career Life Balance

I'm a Virgo born in the year of horse. This is the equation:

Virgo + Horse = Workaholic, Ambitious, Career-minded, Driven, Perfectionist, Dynamic, Demanding of others

When I read the profiles of my bosses, the Head of Global Mobile, David Ko and CEO of Yahoo! Carol Bartz, who both are also Virgo with their birthdays a few days apart from me, I realise the similarities we have. Even the quotes she lives by is the same as mine. Read the article here:

"It's not because I wanted to be a martyr. It's because I had a job to do, and my family knew I'd be much happier if I was back in the saddle. I love to work. I love to run companies. I love to help people I work with. And I don't let anything get in the way of doing what I love.

Coming to Silicon Valley was a blessing for me. I realized soon after arriving here that most people didn't take a lot of time to ponder, or analyze a decision to death. There just isn't time.

This fit my nature of "doing" very well. I like change. Frankly, it's hard for me to understand why more people don't embrace it. I'm impatient with people and teams who don't move forward. "

- Carol Batz, CEO of Yahoo! whom I respect for taking the time and effort to write emails to the whole of more than 10K people in Yahoo! all over the world every Friday!

I never believe in work-life balance. Once you think about that, you already will not be putting as much attention and time into your career, thus making your personal life take over . However, there are times in my life that I just needed to take a break and have a bit of diversion on my personal life again. And the time is now. One and a half week towards my wedding, I am still unable to take leave to manage my wedding in Malaysia but still have to do it remotely from Singapore. When I requested to work from home, I am told that I need to be in Singapore for a meeting, which I thought, hmmm, can't someone sit in for me?

I am such a workaholic that I already have plans on things I need to achieve after this wedding is over. I gain satisfaction through results and achievements. Unlike other brides who looks into every details of the wedding, I have been outsourcing this to everyone else due to my location, travel and work commitments. Now, I just hope that I can be part of the process that will be the once-in-a-lifetime event for me.

The Proposal

Coming out from the movie, The Proposal, entertained by Sandra Bullock's funny antiques and Ryan Reynold's witty remarks and touched by yet another cliche romcom, I came by one of the most beautiful wedding proposal ever. And it was spoken by a female, the Bachelorette, Trista Nicole Rehn proposing to her final bachelor on the show. I could relate to it very much and tears lingered in my eyes hearing the words she uttered. Maybe it's because I did the same; I proposed to my boyfriend of 6 years after his 1 and a half failed attempts of proposing to me. But nevertheless, the words were music to my ears:

Today is the day I have dreamt about my entire life. Ever since I was a little girl, I have visions of a man who I can see my future with. But whose face is always blurred. Until now.

Now, I not only see his face but I see a future of dreams come true. I see smiles and laughter. I see babies and vanities.I see comfort and safety. I see a white dress and I see it with you.

I want to thank you for standing by my side when I could not give you any confirmations of my feelings. But my walls have finally crumbled and I can now tell you without any reservations that I am in love with you. I hope with all my heart that you feel the same and that you want to spend the rest of your life with me as I want with you.

So, how did I propose? In light with his interets in Treasure Hunting, I placed the ring box on top of his luggage bag while we are vacationing in Dubai. He opened the box to see a paper with a clue on how to find the ring. It was a small poem written by yours truly. True to his Sherlock Holmes style of hunting, he set out solving the clue and found the ring. Sure enough, he said Yes! Hmmm...sounds like I'm the guy here.

So, regardless of who propose to whom, what's important is that the love remains strong and the couple works hard towards maintaining the romance. And that is the simple formula why Trista's love with her favorite bachelor remained till now despite the failures of all the other Bachelors and Bachelorettes.

Pillow Talk

He doesn't know it but I appreciate it everytime we have pillow talk before we go to sleep about our favorite TV show. Despite his eccentricities, he is to me the rainbow through the rain, the laughter through the pain at this current time. Even though I can't expect him to do the same every night, at least for that night, I feel less lonely.