Thanksgiving

Had Thanksgiving dinner with Mom and Dad at Nonzero after work. Mom confessed, “we were thinking about buying you takeout for you earlier.”

“What? Why? And how come we’re eating here now?” I asked.
“Well, your Dad’s had two speeches this week and he’s been sleeping really late, but I was talking to Daniel and listening to how he was so excited and looking forward to having a full turducken feast with Quyen and all of their friends, then I thought I’d feel especially sorry for you if you had to eat take-out turkey all by yourself at your flat.”
“Oh.” I said. “Thank you.”
“Filial piety in our family’s turning the other way, Honey,” said Dad.
“Yes, lucky me!” I said. “So where’s the turkey? Aren’t we having turkey tonight?”
“The turkey’s in class,” Dad said, referring to Michael. He likes to call Michael “Turkey,” like “bozo.” Michael’s been going to GMAT cram school at night these days, so no turkey for the turkey. And no turkey for us either.

We still had a nice dinner together at Nonzero, and Mom brought me a Thanksgiving present – a really cute reindeer from Starbucks, with different colors and texture patches. I love it!

What shall I name it? Dasher? Dancer? Prancer? Well, the position of the patches remind me of Oreo’s and King, so I think I'll name him “Boxer.”

Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Now looking forward to dinner on Christmas Eve with Mom, Dad, Michael, Daniel, Quyen, Uncle Cody and family and Ann! With turkey and all!

Old soul, where are you?

Please, no more set-ups with “little opens,” (小開) sons of wealthy people. This last guy is the son of a wealthy and controversial businessman. Living a wealthy life with a career and lifestyle predetermined by their parents is nothing bad, but the kind of person that lives a life like that is just not the kind I like. I chose not to go into telecom, which Dad is in, nor i-banking, which Dad wanted me to do. I chose my own path, which was media. And along this path, I’m making my own decisions about what to do and where to go. Of course, I ask Dad for advice when I need it, but I’m not blindly following the path that’s been laid out for me. Some may argue that they don’t have a choice, and I respect that, but I gave myself a choice, and I am proud of that. I admire people that venture out and carve out a path for them self. They make their own decisions and work hard for what they believe in. They determine their own destiny and fulfill their own dream. That is the kind of person that I like.

I want to meet someone that thinks happiness and sharing is as important as being successful. Someone who is international so his view of the world isn’t confined to one island or national border carved out by politicians. Someone who is kind and appreciative. Someone who is successful yet humble.

I don’t know when I got so “old.” I think I need another old soul to be my companion.

Matchmaking, part deux

Sorry for the absence. No, I haven’t fallen in love, run off and gotten married. Quite the opposite, in fact. I have just been so fatigued I haven't been able to write.

So as it turns out, I was there to please my boss’s boss’s boss and I guess he was there to please his father too. Aside from her worrying about me being almost 30 and not seeing anyone, I believe my managing director also wanted to please this wealthy businessman that is looking for a daughter-in-law. My MD, I realize, is an efficient woman who believes in success and not happiness… (She snorted at me when I told her how I felt that if people were happy, it wouldn’t matter if they were successful or not.)

We had dinner at one of their restaurants (they own a lot of real estate and shopping malls both in Taiwan and China) and began the meal with chitchat, including the recent acquisition of the China Times/CTI TV/CTV media conglomerate. The guy was really proud of being Chinese. When my MD said the acquisition was backed by Chinese capital, he said, “YES!” like a teenager who scored on something. He just seemed so in love with China to the point of looking down on Taiwan. It just felt so immature. Then conversation between us ran out and his father and my MD got into heated debate about how Chiang Kai Shek used to work at a securities firm and how later his wife slept with many men, both Chinese and American to get him out of trouble (and since her husband was working for Taiwan, she in effect was sleeping around for Taiwan and its people). Then they started talking about how it may have been better if Japan took over China earlier in the last century, because that would have saved millions of people from starving to death and the culture from being burned to the ground.

Well, history was never my passion, and apparently, neither was it to the guy. Then he picked up his phone off the table and just got up and left. So while pops and my MD chatted away, I was left sitting there, twiddling my thumbs and looking at my watch. What felt like 20 or 30 minutes later, he finally came back, and I set Plan B into action.

“I need to leave,” I whispered to him.
“What? Really?” he asked.
“Yes, my uncle asked me to listen to some people about a business plan,” I half-lied. It wasn’t my uncle, but I did agree to meet some people to hear their idea.
“You need to leave? We have an appointment here tonight,” said my MD.
“Yes, sorry, I need to leave now,” I said, not feeling sorry at all. Feeling relieved, in fact. I showed up and was charming and pleasant, which I thought was courteous enough to her, and I really did have had enough at that point. Quickly, I said to the guy, “can you send me? It’s only about 10 minute away.”
“Oh, OK,” he said.

And with that, he was about to send me off in a taxi. I thought I’d give him another chance and asked, “do you have a car?”
“Oh yes, let’s go down to the carpark then,” he said. He got on the phone and in said in a rather rude tone, “where are you? Bring the car around.” The car came around and I hopped in and slid over to the other side. He stood outside, looking stunned. A few seconds later, he finally caught on and got in. More chitchat along the way and I was at my destination. He gave me a hug, wrote his mobile number on his business card and asked if I was on Facebook. I said, “yes” and he said he’ll see me on FB and then it was goodbye.

He didn’t seem like a bad guy, and I although I definitely felt no chemistry, I thought that perhaps we could be friends. So the next morning, I text messaged him and said I’m free for tea between 14h00 and 16hoo if he wants to meet. Then at 14h30, he messages me and says he’s busy. I gave him more than a fair share of chances.

It’s been nearly a month, he hasn’t added me on FB, no email no phone call, nothing. I’m not about to contact him either.

He’s 30, but felt more like 17 to me. Ann called me a snob, and maybe I am, but is being treated with courtesy and respect too much to ask? Maybe I need a time machine. Maybe I’m living in the wrong era. Or maybe I’m just…too old.




Edit: My memory serves me wrong. When I had tea with Ann, I guess what I really said was, "WE're snobs," admitting to being one and dragging Ann under with me. Hee.