lingchung-gratitude

[lingchung-gratitude]

Apr 13, 2024

I am grateful for...

Goodlife membership corporate discount. I'm thinking about joining Goodlife again. The location access is simply unparalleled. I'm such a gym rat, being able to hop into a gym from any part of the city makes such a difference.

Time to write. With work, a boyfriend, house chores, training, I've not had much time to write. This morning is such a treat. I get to write.

Weight loss. I've been tracking food at work and at home. I've lost 4lbs and I did not starve myself. My maintenance calories is around 2000 calories. I've been eating 1600 to 1800 calories. I've let my appetite drop naturally. I eat until I'm 80% full 3 times a week. Rest of the week I just eat till I'm 100% full. I want to get back to 18% body fat while retaining my muscles.

Maps Aesthetics. I was dreading this training program because I heard it's lots of volume. I'm absolutely loving the workouts.

Fiction. I finished Pachinko recently. I didn't love the book. But I love the act of reading again. I now back to Shogun, a book I've parked for years.

Liking work again. I went through an emotional roller coaster with work early this month. I landed a new role during the restructure. I was not happy about the change. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. I'm really liking the new role and it's also a better setup for my career next step.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Apr 7, 2024

I am grateful for...

Costco Optician 1. She exchanged my old contact lens for new ones with updated prescription. I bought this set of contact lens more than 2 years ago. It was a courtesy service.

Costco Optician 2. She gave me a bottle of contact lens solution.

High-Tea date with Tina. Tina is one of boyfriend's oldest friends. She gifted me her Les Mis ticket because of a conflicting work commitment. In return, I'm taking her to high-tea at the W. I'm looking forward to both the culinary experience and Tina's company.

Boyfriend's social skills. Yesterday's dinner seating arrangement was awkward. It was hard to talk. As a result, boyfriend couldn't engage with my friends whom he was meeting for the first time. But he was a good sport. He played along. I really like this about him - very presentable.

San's birthday gift. I was at a loss on what to get him. We've drifted since the break up so I am no longer up-to-date with his needs and wants. But I landed on an action camera that I think he'd appreciate. It didn't take me long at all!

[lingchung-gratitude]

Mar 30, 2024

I am grateful for...

Waking up at home. I was in NYC for work. It's a routine trip. I miss home tremendously this time. I've been having difficult conversations with the boyfriend, which brings about uncertainty. Waking up at home feels like a security blanket, known and safe.

Netflix's cheaper with-ads version. I re-subscribed to Netflix. I realized Netflix gives me talking points in social settings. Coworkers and acquaintances often converge over shows. Netflix is an easy conversation igniter.

Nordstorm Rack. I bought five pieces of clothing this trip. Very happy with my pretty dresses.

NYC sales tax exemption. Clothing under $110 USD is exempted from sales tax. What a pleasant surprise. Clothes are cheaper in US I find. More competition.

DOMODOMO and ABC Kitchen. I had two excellent meals in NYC. DOMODOMO is a mid tier Japanese joint. For $90, the set menu was well worth it. Fish was fresh enough, not the best I've had, but considering the price-point, it was great value for money. ABC Kitchen was Rem's recommendation, farm to table, lots of healthy options.

Heaps of NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) this week. NYC is such a walking city. Without even realizing it, I've hit 25k steps without even trying.

Hotmail product change reversal. I was annoyed at a Hotmail product feature update. It created so much friction I actually wrote to Hotmail to complain. Two weeks later, they reversed the product change! Clearly, enough people were unhappy.

Kindle. I spent Good Friday morning reading and running. It's nice to be able to find peace and joy in words. My respite.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Mar 17, 2024

I am grateful for...

Tina's birthday get-together. I really enjoy hanging out with boyfriend's closest group of friends. I look forward to our group get-togethers. Always great food and a chatty and warm crowd.

Finch Gift Shop flower order. This unassuming flower shop nestled inside Finch station is a hidden gem. I was really happy with the birthday bouquet I picked out for Tina. Turned out well.

Boyfriend's condo library, great spot for working. I'm going to work here in the future when I'm at the boyfriend's.

UberEat grocery order screw up. I love UberEat's customer support. Because they screwed up, I got a $70 order comped.

YouTuber fitness influencers. I love watching their 'what I eat in a day' or 'cheat day' videos.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Mar 12, 2024

I am grateful for...

Monarch Money. Mint is sunsetting. I've been shopping for a personal finance book-keeping tool. I tried many on free trial and nothing worked until I tried Monarch. Even though I have to pay for Monarch and Mint was free, at least Monarch's features are more versatile which justify the cost.

Taiwan cell expiry. I forgot to top up my pay-as-you-go cell phone balance. I thought my Taiwan number would expire. Thank goodness it didn't. I didn't lose my Taiwan number.

Light meeting week. This means a ton of work time.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Mar 1, 2024

I am grateful for...

UberEats Support. I ordered sushi last night using my own dollars. I received employee credit hours later and was able to switch my payment method to take advantage of the gifted employee credit. I scored a free meal when I expected to pay.

Lesser of the damage. I dented my thermos lid when I dropped it on the floor. I have two identical thermos with two identical lids. I'm glad the one that fell was one that was already dented. Lesser of the damage.

Breakfast with Sonia. I miss her. I haven't seen her since last summer.

Time to myself this weekend. Boyfriend is in Cuba. As much as I love spending time with him, I also enjoy time on my own with my own friends.

Cut at 1800 calories. I am eating less and leaning out. When I tallied my average calories over the last four days, I'm sitting at about 1800 calories a day, and that's a cut for me, which is pretty good. My maintenance calories must be in the low 2000s then. I always thought a cut for me would be in the 1500 to 1650 calories range - I'm eating more than that and still leaning out. It's a sign that I've built muscles and boosted my metabolism. Body recomp has been a very slow journey. The changes to my body has been so minute sometimes I wonder if I'm on track, anecdotes like this keeps me motivated.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Feb 25, 2024

I am grateful for...

Tightness. My muscles feel tight. The scale weight has stayed relatively flat, but I think I might be recomping - gaining muscles and losing fat. I will know with my upcoming DEXA scan.

Instagram profile link. For years, I wasn't able to link my Instagram profile to my blog. The Tumblr link was flagged for some odd reason. Yesterday I tried again and it worked.

Depleting my frozen food stash. I am slowly working down my frozen food supply. My freezer is no longer overflowing.

Uber employee credit. I use the monthly credit to buy groceries. My grocery bill has dropped since working at Uber.

EQ bank GIC maturity. I can move my funds from EQ to Tangerine to take advantage of the temporary 6% interest promotion.

Understanding what the central nervous system does. After listening to the Mindpump guys reference CNS multiple times, I finally get it. Here's an example that I could relate to: if you get a poor night sleep, you can't lift as heavy. Your muscles have not shrunk overnight, but your central nervous system is shot so you can't activate your muscles to your potential. Viola! I get it now.

Hitting an income goal. I had a number in my head several years ago. When I received my T4 slip this week, I was utterly surprised. I hit it. It wasn't just simple income, there were RSUs involved so it's kind of cheating. But I'm still surprised to see the number.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Feb 24, 2024

I am grateful for...

Whatsapp Web Uber IT Support. It's a drag when you cannot access Whatsapp Web on your work laptop. Uber IT came to the rescue!

Dreamplorers crew pot luck. The pot luck was a tad geriatric. We called it a night at 11pm. Sahil described the potluck as a 'very responsible' potluck with all the healthy spread. Even the dessert was portion-controlled, of course that's my doing.

Me-time. I'm usually at the boyfriend's by Saturday afternoon. But I've been spending more Saturdays on my own the last three weekends because of work. I'm really enjoying the time at home on my own.

Fitness influencer videos. My recent obsession is watching fitness influencers' Cheat Days and What I Eat in a Day vlogs. I can relate. So therapeutic.

Lazy Saturday. I came off a stressful stretch at work. I just hit a deadline on Thursday. I did jack shit today. I coordinated a get-together, did laundry, cleaned, put away the dishes, that's about it. What else is on my list? Some work, personal finance stuff - did I get to those? Not yet and it's already 5pm. Not the most productive, but I'm cutting myself some slack today.

Strength gain. I tried a home routine I haven't done in a couple of months. I was pleasantly surprised to see my drastic strength gain. I was doing 12lb dumbbell power snatches. I've progressed to 20lbs. The months at the gym strength training with Mindpump's programming helped.

Come Check This by Fetish. Great workout song.

Deadlift education videos. I corrected my deadlift form. I shifted the position of my ass ever so slightly. Man, what a difference - much stronger hamstring activation.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Feb 19, 2024

I am grateful for...

Mental acuity in the morning. Boyfriend is more of a night owl. So on days I wake up at his place, my day starts later. I often don't get any sun because we are usually indoors. Today I started my day with a 4.5km walk in the sun. Does wonders to my mood.

Bubbles group. This is boyfriend's closest friend group. I feel accepted. I exchange messages with the girls, get invites to birthdays, and get asked to partake in activities without the boyfriend. Friend integration is so much easier when you like your partner's friends.

Muscle definition. I've gained more weight. I've never been heavier. But my abdominal area is leaner, I'm seeing the muscle definition. The shredding process has been slow. I refuse to do aggressive cuts. When the scale weight refuses to budge, I second-guess myself. I know enough about fitness to know that the scale weight means nothing. But without seeing tangible results, it's still hard to stay motivated. The muscle definition came just in time to reassure me that I'm moving in the right direction.

Netflix docuseries. I love docuseries. We binged 'Alexander: The Making of a God'. It's not the best I've seen on Netflix, but it was still entertaining.

Values exercise. On Valentine's Day, boyfriend begrudgingly entertained the values exercise with me. He admitted that it was not his idea of fun. But he still participated. The exercise uncovered things about him that I didn't know!

[lingchung-gratitude]

Feb 6, 2024

I am grateful for...

K Dinners. I surprised the boyfriend with a supper club experience. Took me 1.5 months to get a reservation so the celebration was way belated. 10 people from 4 different groups, 1 chef and 1 server over a single seating. Most folks bonded over their love for food. As a non-foodie, I enjoyed the eclectic conversations and the chemistry that we sparked as strangers.

Mom feeling better. Mom's in less pain so she has been in a better mood. Atmosphere at home has been much better.

Boyfriend's car wash. He took care of three cars last weekend. Two of his, one of mine. I supervised. Lucky him.

Get-together at Jer's. I'm very much a communal animal. It's important that my boyfriend gets along with my friends. I'm happy that I got to see the CCYAA gang. And I'm happy that the boyfriend bonded with Lonn and Glenn over nerdy woodworking / coding things.

Shelley's great omakase find. Totally worth the $100.

Affordability project moving along. Lots of moving pieces, and still tons of work ahead of me. But I feel good about it. There's an activation energy and lots of leadership support behind the project.

Good year-end review from my previous manager. His review is not the final, but at least I know, I had a good review from him.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Jan 27, 2024

I am grateful for...

A solid gym session where I didn't feel rushed. Week day sessions always feel tight with work at the back of my mind. Today, I spent 2 hours at the gym and I felt at ease. I didn't have to cut my rest times short to get through my workout.

Assisted pull-ups. I taped my form. Still far from perfect, but much better than when I started many months ago.

Accountability buddy aka the boyfriend. We have a scheduled accountability check tomorrow (more like I dropped the invite in his calendar). Not going to lie, having that deadline lit some fire under my ass. Got me started on some to-do's.

Petite Thuet's sourdough bread. We tried the white bread last week. This week it's the multigrain. So far, white > multigrain. Next week we shall try the rye. Food experimentation!

Short respites at the boyfriend's. Boyfriend's condo is enroute home from work. I've been making pit stops after work. It's nice to be able to drop by for short spurts and head off again. We usually spend the weekend together. But it's still nice to recharge during the week.

Deep conversations. After dinner on Wednesday, boyfriend and I just lay in bed and chatted. No TV. No sex. Just deep chats about the future, about our dream home, about life. Love the quality time.

Tina's birthday invite. Tina's one of boyfriend's closest friends. I thought it was really nice of her to invite me to her birthday dinner. She asked me personally and not through the boyfriend. It didn't feel like a plus-one invite, the invite felt directed at me, which was really nice of Tina since I've only met her twice. I like his friends a ton. Getting along with my partners' friends and family has always been important to me since I'm such a communal animal.

Jacq. She called me on Wednesday out of the blue. We never call each other without scheduling ahead of time due to our time difference. I knew something was wrong when I saw her name flash across the phone. Her mom passed. I'm grateful to the Universe that I was free right there and then to be there for her. I could very well have missed her call if the timing was off.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Jan 21, 2023

I am grateful for...

American Ninja Warrior. I admire the contestants' incredible strength. I don't wish to be a Ninja, but the feat of strength is something I strive for.

Mall walk with Sahil. It was too cold to walk outside so we resorted to an indoor walk. We even talked about co-facilitating a salon-style dinner to bring our community-minded friends together. This idea has been on my mind, but I was just too lazy to put it in motion. With Sahil, this salon idea might get some traction.

Boyfriend's magical hands. I get the best massages. He worked on my knots last night. Painful, yes. But my tight muscles thank him. And I thank him.

Freshly toasted artisan sourdough bread. A good crusty bread served right out of the oven - crunchy outside, chewy inside. Yum.

Morning time to myself. I woke up early. Boyfriend is still in bed. I made breakfast, coffee and am now indulging in words. My type of respite.

I began reading again. It's really nice to feel that spark of anticipation right before bed. The, 'ooooh, I get to read' sensation. Reminds me of childhood when I read incessantly.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Jan 15, 2024

I am grateful for...

Our first squabble. There was tension but it wasn't heated, I can't even call it an argument. But the incident gave me a glimpse into how we might fight in the future. I used this trivial use case to convey my communication needs to him. I don't think I got through to him completely, but it was a healthy start.

US holiday. This means I'm meeting-free and I have time to catch up on all my to-do's. It feels like a Sunday even though it's a Monday.

Access to a career coach. I am feeling anxiety around work. It helps to have a sounding board.

Boyfriend always fixing dinner while I work out. It's becoming a recurring pattern on the weekend - I work out, he fixes dinner. By the time I get back, dinner's always almost ready. Usually I'm the one fixing dinner - so I don't want to take his gesture for granted. Because he makes food, I have time to spend hours in the gym.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Jan 12, 2024

I am grateful for...

My great masseur. He's great with his hands - wood working, 3D printing, and he gives amazing massages! He worked on my knots. Boy, it was glorious. As someone who works out a ton, I appreciate my human massager.

Traction with work. I wasn't sure what I was looking for. But I kept moving. I set up meetings with stakeholders not quite sure where the conversations would go. The exploratory conversations ballooned and kickstarted a series of work streams. Very productive. This is activation energy.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. What a great book. I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far.

Upcoming deload week. I am looking forward to not lifting and resting my body for a week. Imagine the time I'll get back!

[lingchung-gratitude]

Jan 8, 2024

Integration. He is increasingly integrating me into his life: hang outs with his friends, spending the weekend together, sitting on the couch watching random videos. Things are going well.

Work-sponsored therapy sessions. They say the best time to start therapy is when you aren't having any issues. Work-sponsored sessions make it easy. I resumed therapy last week. I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to focus on, but we zero-ed in on finding a balance between my career and love. In my current relationship, I see elements of my career being at odds with building a future together.

2023 personal financials. I finished my annual 2023 expense review last week. 2023 was a good year. I don't know yet if it was a one-off or this is indicative of my earning trajectory. But it's good start.

Mindset shift towards 'dying with zero'. I've been saving, saving and saving. But I'm realizing, I should enjoy my money while I'm alive. While I've not quite moved towards the mentality of 'dying with zero', watching Dodo enjoy life, dating an epicurean, realizing I should spend more time on the income side of the money equation, are all impacting my financial values. I don't think I'd ever squander - but I can definitely afford not to count the pennies and cents.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Jan 2, 2024

I am grateful for...

Our 10km walk. We dreamt about our dream home, reminisced over childhood and shared career aspirations. I know walking this distance is not his jam, but he did it with and for me.

Spending NYE with his friends and genuinely enjoying myself. I think we will get along just fine.

Knee pads that worked as a barbell pad substitute for my zercher squats. The fewer gears I need to buy, the better.

Rediscovering sauerkraut. I think I'm going to make this a staple in my diet.

Illumi discount code courtesy of National Bank. Deal is twice as sweet because I'm not a National Bank client and I hacked the system to use the discount code.

Whiskey barrel cabinet not making through Canadian customs. Turns out, the gift was not fitting. So it's good that it didn't end up arriving and I got a refund. Worked out for the better.

Surprisingly cheap $20 Uber ride home on NYE.

Easy Amazon return. They actually pick up the item from your door, I don't even need to drop it off anywhere!

Amazing 2023. Thank you.

Making stride against one of my 2024 goals: giving back. It's not easy parting with a 5-digit-sum of money, but in my heart of hearts, it feels right.

Him letting me influence him. He's an opinionated and smart guy. Yet, he listens.

[lingchung-gratitude]

Dec 29, 2023

I am grateful for...

Walmart Uber Groceries 40% off. The entire basket ended up being about $30 cheaper via Uber Grocery delivery vs instore. And I didn't need to leave the house!

A good Uber courier. He found the stuff I told him to look for. I know this particular Walmart store so well, I gave him very detailed instructions on where to go find items he originally marked as 'unfound'. Some couriers would have been annoyed, but he was quite patient with me.

Junction Window Wonderland immersive augmented reality street art. San surprised me with this fun activity. It was totally up my alley. So cool.

Chrissy's pavlova and flan desserts. I've never had pavlova - the meringue was not too sweet and the whip cream didn't feel heavy. The flan... wow. I've never had a good flan in my life. The flans I've had were all way too sweet. Chrissy's flan was the only flan I've ever enjoyed.

Anita's skating party. She rented a rink for all her friends. I was surprised at how many people showed up. There must be about 40 of us. When I asked Anita about splitting the rental cost, she dismissed it - it's her Xmas gift to the group. It's really nice that she does these things for her friends and bring her friends together.