out of my pajamas and into a suit...

Back into society and the corporate world. In a blink of an eye, I went from recruiting for Microsoft (in my pajamas and in the comfort of my home) to being an onsite staffing consultant for Beckman Coulter. I got a call from my current project director saying that the project director for BC was interested in speaking with me. At noon he gets a hold of me and tells me that the Director of HR for Beckman Coulter would like to meet me today. After doing some research and changing out of my PJ's, I spent a brief 20-minutes speaking with the HR Director. I wasn't sure what to expect because the meeting was so short, but was later informed by BC's PD that they were giving the green light. I am suppose to transition into this new role immediately (the incumbents last day is this Thursday). It'll be an interesting transition considering when I transitioned onto the Corning project it took several weeks. Regardless, I am still a Kenexa employee and a very grateful one; they have continued to open door after door with different opportunities and I think this next chapter will be just as interesting and engaging. And it is perfect; the Beckman Coulter office is right in Brea (not as close as 'home' but 7 miles is definitely an easy commute!). Stay tuned as I continue along my simple life...

Aiden Jimmy Lee

Check out Aiden pictures on my side-bar!!!

Call Me Mr. Paparazzi (or just Uncle Jack)

Exclusive first photos of Mr. Aiden Jimmy Lee (AJ for short). Born 2/24/07 at 5:03pm @ Irvine Regional Hospital; 6.5 pounds, 19 inches. I know I'm probably stealing my brother's thunder but call this pride, 'uncle's' pride. Congratulations Mike and Allison; Aiden is absolutely adorable. I love him already (Money, not so much...)

half.com fix

I'm still in the midst of cleaing things out of my room; I've come across so much useless trash that I've filled my trash bins to the brim. All this coming out of a my room. I consider myself a pack rat and even after throwing so much junk away I still have a room full of more junk. At least with this 'New Years' cleaning, I've uncovered some old text books and other items that I have started to list on www.half.com. I've sold 4 items so far, and I look to continue my cleansing. Other items to go on ebay soon (some of K's stuff too).

4 miles today in 35:06. Not bad to cap off my first week (my training starts on Sundays, so tomorrow's long run begins week "two").

I love this movie, watching it now while I clean.

Beautiful Pain

My marathon training program prescribed 60-minutes of running today. At 15-minutes it began to rain; at 20-minutes my leg muscles stiffen up and I feel like stopping and getting into my nice comfy car with seat warmers and driving to KFC for some finger licking good chicken. As always these days, my legs give before my cardio; it is going to be a long road before I get my 'legs' back in shape. However, before I stopped, I realized that this was not for me; I echo my brother's sentiment, this race is for my mom. And when I think about that, the pain goes away; tears maybe, but no pain. I don't know where the sweat began and when the rain washed it away but after 60-minutes, I was ready for more.

What counts in battle is what you do when the pain sets in...

Random Picture:
K and P at the beach, P is happy she didn't get wet and is laughing at K!!!

PiRo Weekly Update

Age: 16 weeks
Weight: 17.5 pounds

P.R.I.Z.E - Where would you go?

I woke up at 6am this morning to dial into my companies annual Sailing Bonanza award ceremony; we had individuals calling in from different cities as well as England, India and other parts of the world. In 2006, the company met all of its financial goals and because of that all of the following prizes were awarded:

1 - Nissan 350z
15 - One week trips to any city in the world starting w/ P-R-I-Z-E
15 - Weekend getaways anywhere in your home country
5 - Panasonic 42" TH-42PX50U plasma televisions
15 - $1,000 cash rewards
5 - Panasonic AG-DVC30 video recorders
5 - Nikon D200 SLR digital cameras

First of all let me explain how employees receive raffle tickets. Every employee has 10 tickets to give out to fellow colleagues; you must give out all 10 tickets to be eligible to win during the Sailing Bonanza. I actually only received 3 tickets last year (the employee with the most tickets received 51). So out of the ~8,000 tickets, I had 3 in the mix (you can do some math and calculate my chances of winning any prize).

Knowing it was near impossible to win anything, I put the phone on speaker and mute and cuddled up in bed. But in my morning stupor, I hear my CEO say "Jack Lee" over the speaker. I woke startled and at first I thought it was a dream, then I received emails from previous co-workers congratulating me on the prize. I just won a week long trip to any city in the world starting with the letters P-R-I-Z-E (i.e. Rome or Paris or ... ). Also included is $2000 spending cash. Crazy. Where would you go?

The Purge

With only 102 days left before the San Diego Marathon, I've decided that today would be the perfect day to start my real training. I've downloaded a 16-week program (yes, if you do the math, I'm already 10-days behind) that should put me at the finish line on June 3rd. I'll drop a note in about a month to let everyone know how I am progressing. 26.2, here I come.

In addition to stopping my procrastination binge, I will begin a purge of my room and the guest room downstairs. We have old VHS tapes as well as National Geographic magazines from 1995; it is time to clean off the selves and re-organize. It will be a great way to start the Chinese New Years.

Random Photo of the day:

Get a First Life

I love this, it is a spoof of "Second Life". There is only one main page, but it speaks volumes. On that note, it is a beautiful day today and I am on my way out the door for a nice and relaxing bike ride. Work. Reproduce. Perish.

www.getafirstlife.com

Grandmother Remembered

We got a message from Taiwan earlier this morning that my grandmother is no longer with us; she has gone to heaven to be with our ancestors. I don't recall much of my childhood with my grandmother because my family left Taiwan when I was only 2 1/2. From what my mom previously told me, I was considered the 'favorite' grandson at the time and could always bring a smile to her face. In the US, she visited several times always bearing gifts; my favorite being the two C's - candy and cash. I am very fortunate to have had the chance to be with her more often; I visited quite frequently when I studied abroad at NTU and also when I worked at Sampo for 1 1/2 years. She wasn't much of a conversationalist but it meant a lot to me just to sit there and watch Taiwanese soap operas with her. I may or may not be going back to Taiwan, but my father is heading back shortly; definitely within the next day or two. I don't know how he is handling it, but I'm sure he will be strong for his family. Here are two photos I found from my archives (I actually have a lot more photos of my grandmother pre-digital age):

This was at my grandmother's 80th birthday; the other two are my younger cousins.

My brother and my grandmother at our home in Diamond Bar (don't know when?)


Here are some random things that I remember about my grandmother:
1. Very independent. Even at 80, she would push a cart to the local market to purchase fresh produce and fresh meat.
2. She loved to chew Big Red bubble gum.
3. When she knew I was visiting, she would buy some 10NT juice or sometimes even some ice cream.
4. She was considered a Taiwanese national treasure for being one of very few individuals who could make traditional Taiwanese farmers clothing (she was even in the newspaper).
5. She loved to knit, and both my brother and I still have sweaters that she's made.
6. She was philanthropic, giving to the temple and compassionate to the needy.
7. When I would nap on the couch, she would put a sweater or jacket over me.
8. A loving wife, parent, grandparent.

PiRo Weekly Update

Age: 15 weeks
Weight: 16 pounds

Happy Valentine's Day

It's been a few years since I've actually had a valentines on Valentines Day. Even though it doesn't feel much different, I have a feeling I won't be without for many years to come. This stamp says it all:

Dr. Phil & Dr. Oz

I don't watch much TV but out of all the TV personalities out there (including all those day time wannabe judges); the person I dislike and disagree with the most is Dr. Phil. I don't know what kind of qualifications he has but he is the biggest idiot, jerk, dumbass out there. Only trailer trash, mentally challenged, and Jerry Springer'esque guests would believe and listen to his crap. Anybody with common sense and a good head on their shoulders would know that Dr. Phil is a quack.

Then I saw a different doctor on today's Oprah show (yes, I was taking a quick break from work; having an afternoon snack). His name was Dr. Oz and I thought he was a personable doctor, explaining difficult and embarrassing ailments in a down to earth way. And it's funny how when I was searching for his picture I came across a picture of a book he has written, You: The Owner's Manual. Coincidentally I have this book and have read parts of it last year; now I have more motivation to finish the book.

2007 Turkey Bowl (35-28: Dark Team)

Light Team

Dark Team

Post Turkey Bowl

I actually feel a little better than I thought I would today but that is not to say I'm not sore, because I am very sore.

Runs in the Family

My brother had a run in with the Diamond Bar Country Estates awhile back and wrote a long letter to the association. I guess it runs in the Lee family because now it's my turn:

Dear Rules and Regulation Committee and Board of Directors,

This is the Lee Residence on ____ Wagon Train Lane; I am writing in response to a citation received earlier this week; citation #______ (see attached).

We brought our puppy home from a foster home a few weeks ago; she is only 14-weeks old. Because she is still a puppy, the family is still learning how to co-exist together. On the evening of Jan. 25th, we stepped out of the house for dinner and realized that our puppy had disappeared upon returning. After noticing the puppy was missing we proceeded to search the surrounding area for 3-hours; made a large sign and planted it in our yard, and also went to make copies of missing puppy fliers.

That evening we also called the Country front gate and was informed that a security officer had seen our puppy in our yard around 7:30pm. We certainly feel that it was rather irresponsible and inhumane for a security guard to see a puppy and leave it in the streets. The puppy could have easily been run over by a passing vehicle and it almost did; luckily a fellow Country resident saw the puppy in the street and took it home. The puppy was returned the following day after our Country neighbor saw the sign posted in our yard (our puppy did not have a name tag at the time; we have since remedied that issue).

We understand the leash rule and abide by the rule; however this incident was unfortunate and we have altered our fences to prevent this from happening again. We also feel that as residents of this community, we expect our security guards to provide a safe environment for all residents and guests; including our pets. Leaving our puppy in the streets not only endangered the safety of the puppy, it also leaves other residents at risk of causing an accident. We do not know the standard procedure for stranded puppies/dogs, but I would only hope that in a comparable situation a Country security officer would take custody of a young child lost in this community.

We do apologize for this incident and have made the necessary changes to our home to prevent another violation; but we also feel that this fine is uncalled for and I will be appealing this fine. I look forward to our meeting.

Best Regards,

The Lee Residence

Any suggestions before I send this out Monday?

Unnecessary Necessity

New toys that will make my life easier and the thought process behind these purchasing decisions:

Polar RS400 - Heart Rate Monitor
How I came to this decision:
1. I need to start training for the marathon
2. Mike says the Suunto T4 is a great watch (I read that it does the job but was hard to set up and for Suunto enthusiasts; it just doesn't come close to the 'Sunnto' quality)
3. Polar has basic models (cheaper) but I feel buying a basic model is great, but if I like using this I may want to upgrade for more functionality; might as well 'upgrade' now
4. I work from home, I have no real expenses; I don't pay for gas, I can afford to splurge from time to time

AK Octane Gaming/Office Chair
How I came to this decision:
1. I sit in my 'office' and in front of my computer 8+ hours a day; right now I am sitting on a home made chair with a wood slab, no cushion at all.
2. Even when I'm not working, I still spend time surfing the internet (as Trekkie monster from Avenue Q would say, "the internet's for ____")
3. I could have gone to Office Depot to pick up one of those $50 office chairs or even gone on Craigslist to get an executive leather, high-back chair used for $30; but who wants to sit on leather in the summer time
4. I have a blue pillow with stripes that match this chair
5. The AK Octane chair got rave reviews from About.com, AVSforum.com, etc.


Dog House w/ Viewing Deck
Not purchased yet, but it is on my short list of things to get. PiRo is growing up so quick, she will need her own pad to entertain her guests; that is a raunchy upstairs getaway.

PiRo Weekly Update

Age: 14 weeks
Weight: 15 pounds

Change of Heart

In the beginning there was a man. The man lived alone in his nice big house. Then one day his son returned from out-of-state. Not only did this man lose his privacy and part of his house to his son; he was also unable to veto a new puppy after many nights of protest. The day this puppy arrived, this man resented the puppy and the puppy felt this man's coldness. Many times the puppy would run and hide under cars when this man emerged; the puppy was afraid. After many weeks the son slowly proved to this man that there were no added responsibilities for him; no need to sweep poop, feed, train, or clean up any messes. The son took care of everything (except the irreparable chewed up slippers). Now that this man has no added responsibilities, he begins to feel bad that the puppy is afraid of him. This man now resorts to baby talk and the use of treats to win this puppy's affection. The puppy is beginning to have a change of heart just as this man has had; but this man has it much easier because who could resent and be cold to:

The Would-be Slumlord

I'm currently reading Loop Holes of the Rich by Diane Kennedy (part of the Rich Dad Poor Dad series); in it is a form that helps assess if a rental property is worth purchasing. I used this formula to assess the property I purchased earlier this year in Horseheads, NY; here are my findings:


Down payment: $14,000
Closing costs: $3,668.59
Fix-up costs: $3,659.16
Holding costs: $1731.00 (average 3 months mortgage)
Total invested: $23,058.75

Down payment: $1,050 (from tenant)
Total cash flow in: $1,050 (monthly)

Mortgage: $577
Property management: $125
Repairs: $52
Other: $50 (water and sewage)
Total cash flow out: $804 (monthly)

Cash-on-cash ratio:
$1,050 - $804 / $23,058.75 - $1,050 = 0.01
I am currently making a 1% return on this property.

Payback:
$23,058.75 - $1,050 / $1,050 - $804 = 89.5 months
It will take me 7.5 years to break even on my initial investment.

However:
This calculation doesn't take into account the amount of time I lived on the property and the money I saved from not paying rent.
8 (months) * $500 = $4,000
If I stayed true to my original intentions of living in "Corning" for ~2 years, then this investment would be sound; now, it seems to have been a mistake.

Some Positives:
Current cash flow is positive.
Will gain ~$3,000 annually in equity.
New Super Walmart & Kohl's to be built near home; literally 5 minutes away.
Interstate 86 is almost complete.
High school right across the street.
Was a small investment.

Some Negatives:
Hard to manage being so far away; even with a property manager.
Getting the right tenants; fickle tenants could mean bad things.
'No growth' area; I will be lucky if the property value rises with inflation.
Selling now would equal loss.

I am not going to do anything with it now; I hope and pray that Horseheads, NY will be the next Las Vegas, the next Phoenix, the next 'anywhere in California'... it is always good to have dreams, regardless of unlikeliness.

Mr. Lee vs. Mrs. Ning

How about them Colts?

In unrelated news; Saturday evening Kaini and Co. invited both my dad and I to UCI's alumni homecoming event. Free In N'out burgers made this night a 'must attend'. Pre-game activities (other than free food) consisted of rock climbing, inflatable obstacle courses, jousting, and other activities for alumnae and their children. However, as you can see from this picture, even alumnae parents were allowed in some friendly competition (I believe Mr. Lee won by a very tight margin).

And what better way to start off the week than a free meal. I received this message from my companies HR Director this morning:

For those employees that work off-site, below are the following instructions for you to celebrate the Sailing Bonanza Party:

One or two employees at the same location, or you work from home, you will be allowed to expense a meal for yourself and your significant other to go to dinner (up to $70.00 combined expense per couple).

The Sailing Bonanza drawing will be held February 21st and 8:00 a.m. CST. It would be best if you could schedule your dinner/party around this time, and preferably no later than March 2nd.

Where to Kaini???

Dad's Dream Yard, My Back

Two weeks ago before my dad went on his 10-day China trip, the two of us went on a shopping spree at Home Depot. My dad had been wanting to buy these large 6-sided stones, each weighing just a tad over 20-pounds, to build a wall and a walk way down into our back yard. We ended up purchasing 5 palettes worth of stones in addition to some concrete and garden feed. The delivery date was set for today and after two phone calls in the morning, the stones finally arrived around noon.



Now that the stones were in the yard, we had to decide how to get them down to where my dad needed them. The thought of hiring some 'cheap' labor courtesy of Home Depot crossed our minds, but we decided to do it ourselves. As you can see from some failed attempts (circled in red), and some lost stones that escaped (rolled) into our ravine, we decided to build a wall. Once built we started rolling them from the top of our yard towards the bottom, hoping that the wall would stop the rolling stones momentum. Most were stopped but some just kept on going. We 'un-loaded' 3 palette's (360 stones) today with 2 more to go... yeah for Super Bowl Sunday...



Straining my back: pain
Stubbing my toe: pain
Scratches on my forearms: pain
Breathing in stone (dust) particles: pain
Lifting 6,000+ pounds: pain

Standing there with my dad trying different methods to get the stones from the deck down to the bottom of the back yard and eventually deciding on the most ridiculous method:
PRICELESS

Microsoft and Poop

These two things have nothing in common but they are the two things I was compelled to write about in my not so interesting Thursday afternoon.

I finally received a lap-top from my company; I have been working from home via my home computer for the last month (I had to be relatively discreet with the 'websites' I visited while VPN'ed into my companies network). My new lap-top is Microsoft configured and even comes with the above Smart Card for safe and easy VPN access. And I will now have a @microsoft.com email address; this will definitely make my life easier when I am recruiting individuals out there that 'hate' recruiters.

Now, here is a nice picture of poop for your viewing pleasure. I've placed my finger in the picture so that you can appreciate the true grandeur and plumpness of these poop specimen. This is not my poop, this is PiRo's poop; one night's worth of poop, found in small clusters littered throughout my garage. If we do some simple algebra; we can determine that if this much poop comes out of a 13.5 pound puppy over a span of 8 hours, then we can certainly deduce and imagine the amount of poop that comes out of this little monster in a 24 hour span. Multiply that by 7, then 52, then 13 (average lifespan of a dog): this hypothetical quantity of poop would very easily fill my swimming pool. If I horde PiRo's poop for 13 years, I could literally be swimming in poop; just like Scrooge McDuck swam in his money.

PiRo Weekly Update

Age: 13 weeks
Weight: 13.5 pounds