悄悄
多喜欢这个晚上，
车流声碎在远方，
在发黄的灯光下，
它悄悄地安抚这个世界。
你思索着一本书，
敲着键盘，
yiruma 悄悄地流荡，
慢慢地，
终于触到——那枚蜷缩的星光。
热与自由
小时候他们总说“省电”，
一把关掉空调;
他们总说“学习”，
塞来更多试卷;
40度的中午，
汗把作业本浸透，
你趴在桌上睡着，
又热醒，
继续写。
多年后的某个午后,
你躺在凉风里，
窗外车声很远，
太阳很远，
那群人——变得更远。
而那些，
灼热的怨恨，
安静地蜷缩着，
像被晒干的，
蝉蜕。
生日快樂！
小時候
把一切看作理所當然
漸漸地
卻覺得那些都無意義
當某人問起
「你不想有個家嗎？」
他嘴角掛著真理
你低頭掩著嘲意
直到今天
大叔一句「過幾年來陪你」
你竟是如此，如此地嚮往
原來那份渴望，藏得那麼深
27歲 生日快樂！
BGM: Yiruma “Just for a While”
This post is a little reflection on my first time leading a workshop. It’s one of my 2025 goals. So proud that it’s done.
I had attended workshops in the past, which was definitely beneficial as it provides a baseline understanding. A big thank you to Michael Cheng’s Workshop: test-automation-workshop. It inspired my Codespaces setup and guided me on what to include in my README.
Rehearsal was also key. I’m so grateful to my friend May, who dedicated a Saturday to listen to my practice run. She gave me a lot of feedback on where to clarify explanations, how to structure the preparation materials and even refine the Jupyter Notebook for better readability.
As for the workshop itself, I added some self-study component, recognizing the need for experienced individuals to guide the audience. Due to some issues, I reached out to some friends for support just one day before the workshop. This led to a moment of self-reflection: how much weight do we truly give to others’ requests? When everyone has their own plans, proved challenging. It made me wonder – would I have felt more supported in China? It’s a question I can’t definitively answer.
The workshop brought a wave of feedback on my speaking skills and the course structure. It took time to process this directly, carefully reading each point and noting down areas for improvement. As someone who sets high standards, receiving criticism can be tough, especially when you feel you’ve given your best. In that context, I deeply appreciated the encouraging words from friends like Anni. Their simple confirmations and compliments were incredibly reassuring. Moving forward, I’ll remind myself, when attending a workshop, it’s so important to appreciate the speaker’s effort and preparation, regardless of your personal takeaways. I now have a deeper understanding of the significant time mentors invest beyond the workshop hours.
Finally would end up with one sentense that I love, “There is only one heroism in the world: to see the world as it is and to love it.”
So, I finally took the plunge and switched jobs. First time, folks! What a wild ride. I’m pretty sure LinkedIn? More like “Link-edOut-of-Luck.” Ghosting was the name of the game. I even emailed those “careers@” addresses on company websites. I’m convinced those emails just go straight to a server farm dedicated to crushing job seekers’ dreams. Glassdoor is better, at least I did received 1-2 replies out of 50 applications. I got so anxious, I was checking my email every 10 minutes and was convinced I’d miss the one email that would change my life while I was, you know, blinking.
Then there were the internal referrals. Ah, yes, the “please, please, pretty please” find the opportunity to get internal referrals. I hit up every single person in the wechat, even my long-lost ex-boss. And learned about so many new and exciting professions.
I started to wonder, just a job can affect life so much? as seeing some friends My friends at big-name companies quite enjoy the life, from traveling, food, to more job opportunities and promotions.
But seriously, internal referrals are where it’s at. One of my old classmates deserves a medal. He just straight-up sent his resume to everyone he knew in wechat. Just, “Hey, I need a job. Help a brother out.” I was in awe. Turns out, his method was genius. People actually rallied around him. I was taking notes, people, taking notes.
Interviews? Oh, the interviews, are fiiled with awkwardness, anxiety, and existential dread.
The contract arrived. Dun dun DUNNN! This is where things got real, and I started questioning the very fabric of employee rights. One gem: “Your duties include but are not limited to…” and another: “Your hours may change, and you’ll work extra for free.” Could I even question this stuff? I mean, if I realized these terms were totally unfair, could I even do anything about it? Could I just casually ask them to rewrite the whole thing? And if they lay me off? Sue? Me vs. their legal team? Water pistol vs. tank.
Now I’m at my new job. And it’s… well, it’s a job. Turns out, your work experience is entirely dependent on your boss and your coworkers. It’s like a workplace lottery. Little possibility to win big and get an amazing team. In most of case, you end up in a soul-crushing cubicle farm where the only thing that thrives is your inner cynic. Big company, small company, it doesn’t matter. You’re either a cog in the machine or you’re the machine itself. And if you have a decent boss, consider yourself blessed. Seriously, go buy a lottery ticket.
How joking would be, if we are in just two stage, eager to become 牛马 or in the state of 牛马…
This whole experience has made me seriously consider freelancing. Just projects, money, and no boss drama, right? But then again, maybe dealing with clients is just a different flavor of drama. Worth doing this swapping? It’s something to think about.
Good evening, fellow Toastmasters and distinguished guests!
Today, I’m here to talk about a topic close to my heart—and probably my pajamas—remote work. Yes, remote work, the revolutionary concept that lets us redefine the term ‘business casual’ to include pajama pants and fluffy socks.
Imagine it’s 9:00 AM on a Monday. The sun is shining, The Cock Is Crowing, and I… am comfortably nestled in my blanket burrito. My first day of work, or remote work began just as any true professional dreams—with a commute no longer than the distance between the bed and the refrigerator.
I’ll admit, on that first day, I did what any sensible person would do: I put on my best “Zoom shirt”—that trusty garment permanently stationed on the back of my chair for those spontaneous video calls. Below the waist, of course, I was dressed as a free-spirited beach bum. It’s all about balance and, dare I say, a bold fashion statement.
Let’s talk about the unbridled joy of working in your pajamas. There’s something liberating about attending serious business meetings while wearing SpongeBob SquarePants bottoms. It’s like my inner child finally got its seat at the adult table. And let’s face it, it’s hard to feel stressed by messy projects when your slippers have unicorns smiling back at you. I’ve started to match my productivity levels with the enthusiasm of my colorful attire—there’s got to be a scientific study somewhere about the positive effects of whimsical fashion on work output.
Sometimes, I struggled with undesired results, feeling overwhelmed, and starting to lose my sanity. As I sat at the desk, feeling there is no way to solve it, I decided to think about which pajamas I gonna wear now first. Choose another favorite pajamas, grabbed a cup of tea, and sat down on the couch.
As I sipped the tea, I realized that I was feeling much calmer and more focused, enjoy the freedom to move around, to stretch. It was a simple act of self-care, but it made a huge difference in our productivity.
But remote work isn’t all fun and games. There are challenges, like the constant battle against the urge to nap, the existential dread that creeps in when you realize you haven’t left your pajamas for three days, the fatigue from never truly feeling connected from your workplace and the uphill battle of finding motivation from office chatter. But for me, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
When comes to office chatting, to be frank, one of the greatest perks of remote work is avoiding office awkwardness. Those elevator encounters where you must—against all odds—comment on the weather, as if we’ve all suddenly become climate activist, for just 2 minutes.
“Vera, today is too hot”
“Yes. I hear Singapore gets hotter and hotter”
“It’s due to green house effect. You see, the air con is always on. and the car is always there…….Anyways, I’ll grab my car to find someplace with aircon”
How complex the humanity would be. When staying at home, the only complexity is from my judgmental cat, who gives me the side-eye whenever I dare to forget to feed her again.
Employers and HR teams, listen up! Remote work isn’t just about pajama-clad freedom. It’s a win-win scenario. Imagine the cost savings from ditching expensive office spaces. A cozy corner at home is all our need. A cozy corner in an employee’s home becomes not just a workspace, but a hub of innovation and productivity.
Let go of the traditional methods open a world of opportunities. The financial burdens of maintaining traditional offices are also alleviated. And HR can tap into a diverse talent pool, unrestricted by geographic boundaries. Finally, the company can reinvest in our people, our culture, and ultimately, our vision for the future, instead of being limited to maintaining a traditional office.
So, why do I love remote work? It refined what work can be. For me, it lets the pajama break the work stress, avoid some meaningless office chatter. for us, it is reclaim our creativity. Work and life are not against each other but can be cooperated. For companies, it’s about cutting costs and boosting productivity.
Remember, in this world, opportunities—and the pajamas—are forever!
“Are you on the way?”
“I just woke up. I forgot the time.”
“Oh, it’s fine. I sent the restaurant location to u. We can meet here directly.”
After another twenty minutes, I sipped yet another cup of water. People who arrived after me have nearly finished their meals. I glance at the watch, feeling each passing minute stretch out like an eternity.
“Where are you now?”
“I just left. walking there.”
Come on, why isn’t she running? She knows she’s already late, and here I am, waiting. Yet, she still took her time before leaving home. It’s baffling. She should have left much earlier to meet me.
My phone rings again.
“Where is the restaurant?”
“I sent you.”
After hang out the phone, my anger peaks. She doesn’t even know the address yet? Can she ask me for it earlier? It doesn’t take much effort to think about it. Then she can also suggest meeting at a more convenient location?
I thought she could do better. When we blame others, we often think, “If I were in their shoes, I would not have done things like this.” When you’re late, you should run. When meeting friends, you should check the address in advance. When giving a speech, you should memorize the script. It’s not difficult, right? We thought, these are basic expectations. when someone falls short, we take it granted that we should not leave any patience.
However, this assumption doesn’t mean we should take our patience away, instead, it indicates we are in a lack of patience. It can even more damaging when directed at yourself.
Last month, I realized that I had interviewed with ten companies this year. None of them replied. I didn’t receive a single offer. I thought, How could this be? I had enough project experience, prepared for every interview, and tried the best for each opportunity. With good communication skills, technical expertise, and a not bad-looking appearance, I should have received at least one offer, right?.
Even worse, I started to set some strange standards, repeatedly hinting myself my current situation is risky
It is too long to stay a company for two years.
I’m already 26 years old! Time is fleeting.
If I can’t get an offer, what does that mean for my future?
Finally, in another interview, I didn’t want to put any effort again, instead, I shouted at the interviewer, “It’s totally disrespectful that there has been no response for the past two months, yet there you ask me to do coding tests again. Why are there are so many arounds of code test? “ From hating what I am facing, I started to hate myself and wanted to give all up.
When you end up blaming yourself for not reaching your personal benchmarks, this is what we called self-criticism, which is necessary, but without any patience, it becomes self-loathing. The time to stay in a company is not directly related to career risk. Staying at any age doesn’t mean you’re at a make-or-break point in life. 10 interviews fails does not represent the 11st is not worth to try.
We are often inspired by the saying, “A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead, and the unborn could do it no better.” as a result, we build our value and set a series of standards: arriving on time, figuring out routes in advance, get the job offer if everything is qualified.
However, when you get stuck on these ideals, it is an indication that it is time for u to slow down. Let’s have a look inside, in fact, those standards drives us to make a judgement blindly and brutely, like being late or early is just a way that we judge others. If someone can satisfy all judgments, who can do it? Definitely not yourself, maybe robots, since, they have been trained by millions of researchers over decades.
With patience, we not only give others a relief, but also carry on with a more balanced and peaceful mindset for ourselves, it allows yourself to breathe. With patience, when you’re waiting for friends, you will enjoy the time more. With patience, When you’re feeling the pressure of unfulfilled personal expectations, you will still love yourself.
Finally, let me end with one motto: Next time, when you look at others or look at yourself in the mirror, smile and love what you see. If you can’t love it, then respect it. And if you can’t respect it, then encourage it. If you can’t encourage it, empower it. And if you can’t empower it, please be patient to it.
Thanks everyone!
