Welcome to my semi-charmed life...

**UPDATE**

I'm back to the blogging world, my new blogspot is: http://pegabo.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

posted by pegz @ 4:18 PM 0 comments

Disconnected

I've been quite frustrated with the status of some of my old friendships lately. I feel like this is another point of my life where I need to cut some strings. I learned that some people just change, to a point where I feel like I don't even know who they are anymore. For some people, its more drastic than others. Or maybe they remind me of a time in my life that has long been over or evolved. I'm not afraid to cut some strings in my life right now, but sometimes, I'm still wondering if its the right thing to do.

There are some people who has been a part of my life at a certain time, but once that's over, I feel like its so hard to find any common ground with them. I find it hard to connect with people who in my opinion changed a lot since I've known them. But then again, I've matured and grown more as time passes as well. So in other words, some of my friends and I have grown far apart from eachother. There develops a clash of personality, values, background, and understanding, making a situation very uncomfortable and awkward. It seems as if the only thing that binds us, is really our past together but that part of our lives has long gone. We went on our own separate paths and coming together again, in some cases, seems...pointless. Sometimes there's just nothing to talk about, or you might bring up a topic that may be sensitive to the other person without knowing.(because you weren't aware of it).

There are friends who I feel comfortable around with, no matter how long we havn't seen eachother, because somehow we maintain a common ground or a connection with one another. But right now, I'm dealing with friends whom I feel have drifted apart. Maybe its time to just say goodbye and start new friendships on the path ahead.

posted by pegz @ 8:06 PM 2 comments

HK V.S T.O

People ask me about the possibility of going back to HK to work all the time. I get these mixed opinions from people too, some people say its better here, better benefits, better pay which I fully agree with. Yet there's others who say you can make more money over in H.K. I agree that there are a lot of opportunities in H.K and you can make a great deal of money but there are so many factors to consider. Like the high cost of living, apartments and in some cases, houses, are sky-rocketing high. From what you pay for a nice house here in Canada, you get a dinky little apartment over there. You can also buy a nice house here with the money that you pay for a parking spot in HK! So unless I have a free place to live, I won't be working there anytime soon b/c all my earnings will go towards my rent! And the low-cost housing? They're not nasty, they can be classified as, scary.

Another thing that I'm concerned about is the fact that HK doesn't have government policies like North America that protect employees, like minimum wage, and in some cases, overtime, though it varies among companies. I'm not even sure if they even have policies against child labour. From what I know, the pay is really low over there. I mean, there are cases where the pay is great but from what I know, the chances of finding that is very very rare.

Don't forget the H.K work ethic too, all work all the time. I remember my parents were never home when I was living in H.K because of work. And I wasn't too happy about that. It wasn't until we moved to Canada, that we had more of a family life where Mom had the time to take care of us. So that's definitely something that I value. Healthcare is also a concern as well, in H.K, you have to pay your own tab when you see the doctor, unlike over here where there is free healthcare for all canadians.

Don't get me wrong, under the right circumstances, I think if you're presented with the opportunity to work there, do it! If you have relatives there that don't mind you vegging there for a little while or if the company is willing to pay you to relocate there, do it! H.K is an amazing metropolis and there are a lot of opportunities there too, but then again, who knows if you 'get' the opportunity? So in a way, its a bit risky in my opinion. But hey, if you want to take the risk, good for you :) If under the right circumstances, I would work there too for the experience. But then again, there are some things that are much more important and valuable than money.

posted by pegz @ 4:04 PM 0 comments

Choosing God, and living wisely

I feel like there are a lot of people out there who say no to God, then complain about how their lives are so messed up all the time. Its like God wants to help and you say "no" to Him, so what is He to do? Its like you see a friend who is in need, and you have what it takes to help him/her and they just won't let you help them. What are you to do? You can't force it, because it displeases them and they'll scold you even more for doing what they don't want. So all you can do is, let them be.

I realized, there is so much more than saying "yes" to God. There are so many great things that He has in his Word that can really help us with our choatic lives. I mean, christian or not, we all have issues and we all face troubles. Its just the matter of whether or not we choose to accept God's wisdom. I have to say, listening and obeying God's word has really helped me stay strong through all the rain in my life. No matter how hard the wind blows, God still brings us back to the right path. Even the simple principles of life that God offers in the Bible, has proven to be extremely useful and effective in my everyday life. I'm definitely not perfect and I"m learning everyday, but having God's word in mind definitely puts me a step towards my goal. Even things like the daily challenges, choosing to be patient (fruit of the Spirit) when dealing with difficult people, thinking twice before spending on something (how are you spending God's resources), staying strong when facing struggles (God's presence and strength). Basically his Word, keeps my head above the rushing waters.

I had a friend who recently complained to me about being so bad financially. But then when I look at the person's spending habits, its over the roof! Throws money here and there even when the basic needs are not met. There are a lot of people who seem to live their lives recklessly like that and wonder why, when the answer is not anybody but themselves. So the blame really isn't on God not providing, God wants to help you make wiser choices too. But if you say no to him, again, what is He to do?

posted by pegz @ 9:00 PM 0 comments

Love/Hate

I went to NYC this weekend and I must say, it wasn't as good as the last time I went. I think its probably because of the people I went with. It was more of a family trip than anything else so I didn't get to do what I wanted to do or socialize the way I would if it was with a group of my friends. In addition, I've already seen all the tourist areas before too. But nonetheless, it was still a good break away from home.

I really missed home, not so much of the people (sorry!) but more of the physical space itself. I missed my bed, my own room, my own bathroom. Let's just say the living arrangements over in NY wasn't the greatest and I wasn't the happiest about it. It was only for a few days anyway, so I decided to just tough it out. During the trip, I realized that's how some people live on a daily basis and the realization of that is rather horrific. If I had to live like that, that will be the end of me, I'm not even joking.

I don't really want to be home, after coming back, I realized how much of a headache I left behind while I was gone. There's just so much around me that make me want to explode. I feel like there are so many things that are out of my control right now and I"m not sure if I can deal with it. I don't even want to think about it and I think I need a longer break than just 4 days. I want to go to L.A or back to HK or something, a busy city where I can just roam around on my own and recuperate. Sometimes being at home, I feel like I don't have enough personal space. *sigh* I don't know, I'm just frustrated.

posted by pegz @ 3:46 PM 0 comments

and she finally comes out of her shell
damn, I haven't updated for the longest time. Maybe I didn't really feel the need to. Why now? I don't know why. I'm surprised that I still remembered my blogger password or even such a site exists. Life's been moving really fast since I've graduated. A lot of things in life and about me, has changed. Maybe a better word to describe it, is the word, 'evolved'. So how is it like out there you ask? Its rough. Finishing school was one thing but going into the working world is quite another. You face all these challenges in the workplace, dealing wtih people, juggling timelines and at the same time trying to balance out your relationships, friendships and just holding on to your dear life while you're at it. Life becomes such a rush, you don't even have time to think. Days seem to move so fast, day in, day out. Time seem so scarce, I feel like I never have enough time to do anything. Its physically and emotionally draining as well. Ever dreamt about screwing up on a job at work? and waking up in the middle of the night? I have. The pressure can become quite intense, no matter how careful you are and no matter how much you love or hate your job.

The only peace that I can hold on to throughout this whole experience is really from God's word. The peace, assurance and reminder of how much God values us and the comfort He offers in our distress is extremely helpful to me at this time of my life. There's so much BS out there, people BS a lot, and they can be so fake. I just really hate people who lie to my face, or exaggerate things about themselves or one day act like your friend and then not, just like that. Those people really turn me off, I'd rather have them not say anything at all. I would actually have more respect for them compared to when they actually open their mouths. This experience allowed me to really value the wonderful friends and family that I have and the friends that I have made in this past year, that keeps it real with me. Their love, honesty, sincerity and loyalty is something that's become so much more important to me than ever before. Despite the conniving and manipulative nature of some people out there, I discovered that God has a place for those who seek His righteousness and His will. For that, I'm grateful and I'll hold on to that and continue to strive forward.

hehe, I don't want to sound totally pessimistic, but this is a blog right? The whole purpose for a blog, is to vent! (well, at least in my case). But despite the drama, these past months (year) has been pretty freakin cool! (I remember Avril Lavigne said that once in an interview, "its pretty freakin cool!") ha. I learned a lot in terms of building up my skills and knowledge, grown as a person and gone through some pretty amazing experiences. I must say, I'm blessed and I'm thankful. All I'm looking forward to, is where God will guide me next.

posted by pegz @ 9:14 PM 1 comments

No more shopping in chinese places for me
I've been having such bad experiences with chinese stores and services lately. Oh my goodness, I guess being more westernized, I'm not quite used to what they call "customer service" or lack of it. Especially in the stores where its owned by a husband and wife team. I think it was a week ago, I went to drop off a dvd at a chinese store near my house. Then the woman owner of the store picked up my dvd then gave me back some deposit money. I was on my way to drop off my brother, then she stops, opens up the dvd then asked me why the DVD was scratched. I was like what are you talking about? I opened the dvd, popped it into the player, then put it straight back into the box. If there was a scatch, it had nothing to do with me. When I took a look at it, there was nothing, the DVD was brand new. I have no idea where she's seeing the scratch. Then her husband comes out to tell her to shut up, then she rambles on and on, giving me such a hard time. Then finally her husband yells at her to tell her to stop talking, I just rolled my eyes and walked out of there. Gosh, I don't have time for that kind of crap! If it was blockbuster, something stupid like that wouldn't have happened. If you want people to buy your DVD, then tell them, don't accuse them of something that they didn't do so that they have to pay! The fact that her husband has to tell her to shutup, she probably does that to other customers too. What a dumb lady! GRRRRR


As for today's experience, I went to pick up my pants from the laundromat at P-mall today because I wanted to get it altered. I gave it to them on Saturday and the woman told me to pick it up on Tuesday. So I went back to pick it up on the tuesday (today) as I was supposed to. When I arrived, I gave her my receipt, then she goes, "I told you to come back on Tuesday!". Then her husband fires back at her and says, "This is Tuesday, hurry up and find it for her". At that point, my eyes were shooting darts at her. The fact that she was the one who made the mistake and she made it like I was stupid for coming. Then she was all embarassed and was like.."hehehheh, just walk a around for a little while, I'll get it done for you as soon as I can." So I let out a large *sigh* and walked around for a bit. While I was walking, I thought to myself, that it has already been a couple of days already and when i came to pick it up, they still didn't even touched it yet? I was already getting a headache. So I came back a while later to pick up my pants. So the lady told me it was done and quickly demanded me for the bill, I was like, can I please see my pants first? She then went to grab a bag with my pants in it and threw it in front of me. Then she stretched her hand out anticipating her money. I was like, let me open up the bag to see my pants first, I will pay you. (Oh my goodness). Then she was like, oh yeah! do you have the receipt? At that time, I thought she had it so I asked if she did. She was like..no! I gave it to you. So I checked my coin purse and found the receipt. Then she goes, ha! I told you I didn't have it, I gave it to you and blah blah blah. She honestly went on and on parading the fact that she was right. I was like, okay! I just want my pants back! Then her husband tells her to shutup. (this is a pattern isn't it?) I was thankful he came to my defense to tell her to stop the stupid blabbing and just take the money, I think at that point we were both really annoyed by her. So I took my bill out and shoved it into her mouth, hahaha, no I didn't, that was what I imagined in my head what I really wanted to do. Basically, I threw the money on the table grabbed my bag, rolled my eyes and stormed out of there. I am never going back there again. Goodness, all this just to get something so simple done. its like I"m here to pick up my pants, here's the money and bye bye. Went through all that unnecessary drama, I just can't stand it.

So now, I honestly vow to never visit any chinese owned stores again. Waste of my time and money for something so simple. Sick of their low-ball techniques too. The only time I do visit a chinese store is if either one of my parents are with me. They're better at dealing with these type of "sales people" than I do. That's also when my dad's temper can go into good use. Sales people dare not mess with my dad, he'll hunt you down.


*sigh* I need a drink. Until next time.

posted by pegz @ 1:47 PM 3 comments