Trading Places

You ever wanted to trade places with someone? (I have) Usually, though, you want to trade places with someone because they have something you want: the looks, the lifestyle, the money, the fame, etc. However, today I met someone who would benefit from my lifestyle, and I would benefit from hers. She was a financial analyst at a large, prestigious financial firm in Los Angeles; but she wanted to go to law school and obtain a law degree. I am a 3rd-year law student, about to get his law degree from a top-2o law school, who wants that job. O what a deal we could make; if only there was a way we could engineer that. (Privately, I think I'd be getting the better end of the deal, but who am I to nix a perfectly valid transaction between mutually assenting parties?)

It's funny, though, thinking about it, how different any of our lives could be. At various points in our lives, we have "traded" one possible life path for another; our decisions as to where to work, where to go to school, who to hang out with determine the shape that our lives took. There's some minor decisions, but I'd say every 2 or 3 years there's a BIG decision that really presents two sides of a "tradeoff"......you can only choose one path, so in essence you trade one possible path for another. For me, a few key decisions shaped my path: 1. in 2002, I decided to stay in public high school instead of go to a more prestigious math and science academy.... 2. in 2005, I decided to attend University of Illinois rather than go to some other out-of-state school.....in 2007, I made the decision to take the LSAT and begin the process of going to law school (HUGE decision, looking back on it).... in 2008, decided to go to USC Law School specifically......in 2009, decided to stay in law school after 1L year........and here I am now. Am I happy with my decision? Well, honestly, there's some regrets, and things that I wish I could take back, but looking at it objectively, with the information I had when I made those decisions, I actually did the best possible thing for myself given the circumstances; a lot of what played out afterwards is determined by luck (there's also ability, effort, and such, but I don't think I've shortchanged myself in those departments). I think that's how most people are: Yea sure, some lament about how they "made some poor choices" or "went the wrong way," but in general people make the right decisions for themselves; you try to treat yourself right. Just keep trying to make good decisions, I guess, and eventually a few in a row will work out.

Anyway, I met the aforementioned person at an Elder Law clinic.....actually pretty interesting, I got the chance to put my Chinese translating skills to good use, as well as learn what a power of attorney can be good for (in case of health care decisions when an individual doesn't have the capacity to make decisions would be one situation).

SUPER busy the last week, but that's how I like it, I think......I need to keep myself busy in order to enjoy the downtimes, makes the relaxing times sweeter, knowing I accomplished stuff and HAVE THE ABILITY to accomplish stuff.

"We see any alcohol on the field, the tournament will be OVER. We catch a USC student consuming alcohol on the field, you will be asked to leave, and the tournament will be OVER. If you are not a USC student and you are caught with alcohol on the field, you will be sighted for misuse of public property, asked to leave, and the tournament will be OVER."

-- Heard from a USC campus security officer before the USC Law softball tourney yesterday, as a result of alcoholic drinks being brought onto the softball field without prior-approved permission. At the time it was distressing because we thought the softball game might be cancelled, but still the quote above was pretty funny. I kept wanting to blurt out, "so does the tournament still go on if there's alcohol?"

I was proud of our 3L team as we taught the 1L's a lesson in the opening round, playing all-around baseball to limit them to 2 runs in a 5-2 seven-inning victory, but some costly mistakes in the second game against the defending champ 2L's led to an 8-5 loss (we yielded 8 runs in just 4 innings the 2nd game, tough) (Also, like how I went with the John McCain political answer, "mistakes were made?"). So wanted to go out of law school with a bang and a championship belt (woulda made an epic Aaron Rodgers championship-belt gesture, o well). Speaking of which, Aaron Rodgers, if you ever want to get a law degree, lemme know and maybe we can trade places?

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Dodgeball!

The 5 rules of dodgeball are: Dodge, dip, dive, duck, and......dodge. I LOVE Dodgeball. Don't know how I lived 23 years of my life without it.

Dodgeball is perfectly exhilarating: it's a healthy mix of throwing, catching, team play, and all-out madness. With 7 balls flying around and in motion almost at all times, there's a lot of havoc, and a lot of people trying to hit each other with balls thrown at high velocities. In the games I've been playing, no one ever dogs it, people are playing hard, and they're aiming to HIT YOU. Hard. I think what draws me to the sport, though, is the perfect blend of high physical activity, necessity of throwing accuracy, need to react quickly, split-second decisions, and surprising amount of teamplay, and COMPETITION. Have I mentioned that I am an extremely competitive person? Law school has beaten a lot of the competition out of me because it's a game that I've found I can't really win, but put a ball or paddle or some sports-related activity in my hand, and I'm ready to give it my all, all the time. Same thing with games. Chess, cards, any kind of game that involves strategy, I strive to figure out the key to the game and work it to my advantage. (Kind of why I like Big Brother, the Mole, etc.)

Dodgeball, though, is a it of a different animal. Dodgeball requires timing, skill, natural ability, and patience. So many moving parts: the other team comes forward, you retreat; you have all the balls, you go up and hit somebody. The best time to throw at someone is when they're throwing themselves; catching is much more important in the beginning of the game than at the end of the game.

Gotta say, when I go on a rampage and catch multiple balls + hit multiple people in the same game, that's one of the most natural highs I've had in my life. I hope to replicate that feeling many times over the course of this regular season.

The topic of dodgeball leads me to a topic that I remind myself of all the time: being thankful for what I have. Two relatively mundane situations I encountered today made me think aout how lucky I really am:

First, I met a young lady today who seemed normal......she has a bright future ahead of her, talks very articulately, is in a great leadership position, and seems very much like your highly successful young American, which she is. And then I noticed that her right hand only had two fingers. (If you are the young lady I'm referring to, if you have an issue with this post, please contact me directly). I think most people, because we're human, just take for granted what we have, especially body parts: sight, sound, smell, touch. I don't wake up everyday and pat my nose on the back for lasting it through another day of detecting smells. But meeting the young lady today really gave me new appreciation for how lucky I am to have all ten of my fingers, to have full function of my hands, to be able to play basketball, to play dodgeball, to take out the garbage easily, to clutch a baseball. And I'm not saying that the young lady can't do those things; it's just, I imagine, a lot harder to do that without the extra fingers that most other people possess. Sure, she can still a lot of the same things I can, and in many ways I think she's probably smarter than I am, more diligent, and better in many respects, but she won't have the ability to use ten fingers. It makes me painfully aware that we are all human and we can lose things, and usually we don't appreciate something until we lose it. Here's to many more dodgeball games for me, and more awareness for those who have lost something in their lives, whether physically or emotionally. I hope the young lady thrives in her future endeavors despite her loss.

Second , one of my esteemed colleagues in law school informed me today that a student at Cornell University was found dead in his fraternity library this morning, with autopsy reports pending. The student was part of the class of 2013 (a sophomore) from Brooklyn, New York and doing fine at Cornell University. Obviously, a tragic story, very tough loss for his family for such a promising young kid, but it made me really think: this kid was what, probably 19 years old, with his whole world in front of him, going to an Ivy League University, living the American dream, fully healthy, pretty much invincible, full of life.........he definitely didn't wake up yesterday morning thinking that that was the last day he would be alive on this earth. And we don't really know the cause of death, but just assuming he was not to blame or was very little to blame.......why is he dead now while I'm alive........it's almost scary to think about. So much of our lives is not controlled by ourselves, it's controlled by mitigating factors.... who happens to be next to us, how fast cars are driving on the highway near you, the weather, how chain of events occur.........any of these things can have a direct effect on your life, and whether or not you live.......It makes you really cherish the life that you have, whoever you are.......and ESPECIALLY if you're like me, who's a healthy man in his 20-somethings living in AMERICA in one of the best cities in the world with some of the best weather in the world (although it's very bad today) with 2 parents with a steady household.........gotta count your blessings, man. Seriously.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Compilation of Sports Predictions --> Book it

Mid-February: NFL is done, basketball All-star break, hockey is in its playoff push, catchers and pitchers report in baseball, college basketball March Madness right around the corner, Golf Grand Slam to be played, Tennis French Open/Wimbledon blitz close at hand. There's a blur of sports activity coming up, and the guru's gonna get you prepared.





NBA:

2-time defending champ Lakers "in trouble," but lemme ask all Lakers fans this: would you rather they be in trouble at this time of the year, or during playoff time? NBA playoffs such a different animal.



The East is gaining momentum and may prove to be the better conference by year's end. I see 4 big-time teams in the running at the top: Boston, Miami, Chicago, Orlando. Call me a homer, but BIG statement game by the Bulls over the Spurs right before the Break. Predicting HUGE showdown between Bulls-Heat or Bulls-Celtics in 2nd round of playoffs, easily could go seven.



The West: It'll be Spurs-Lakers again ( how many times have they faced off





College Basketball:

Don't be folled by the Mist, the smokescreen: Kansas, Duke, and now Ohio State are the best teams in the country. Big East is almost too good for its own good: They'll send a zillion teams to the tourney, but only one will probably make it to the tourney. I'll still pick two of them in my Final Four, probably. Texas? Not so much. BYU and San Diego State? I wouldn't bet the farm on them.



Bubble teams: Who cares? Bubble teams almost NEVER make it to Elite Eight, much less Final Four. It's always the #3 or #5 seeds that lurk beneath the surface, away from all discussion.



Feel like this is more of an all-chalk year......put 1 and 2 seeds down on the lines and hope for the best. Can't predict cinderellas; don't bother.



Tennis:

Nadal's in danger, man....feeling the hinges coming off with this injury business. His biggest enemy becoming his body (like Spiderman when he's genetically mutating).

Djokvic might be better than Federer NOW......he'll certainly be better in a year or two. Roddick.....is a big server who doesn't win the big one.

Women's bracket: a wasteland of talent without Serena Williams......Bet on Clijsters in any tourney until they come back. At some point, Venus is gonna retire......



Hockey: I know nothing about hockey other than hot goalies can carry playoff teams. And that unlike NBA, more upsets happen.





The Ten Commandments of ESPN Streak for Cash:



1. Thou shalt never pick a road team in college basketball (neutral courts don't apply).

2. Thou shalt stay away from NBA picks (too random, takes too long)

3. Thou shalt never pick props you don't know anything about (NASCAR, "whether Puxsatawney Phil will see his shadow") actual prop.

4. Thou shalt never pick a game just to "add to your streak."
5. Thou shalt never flip a coin to determine whether to pick a game or not (hasn't worked out for me).
6. Thou shalt not pick soccer goal differentials (Ex: Chelsea wins by 2+ goals) or LARGE point spreak basketball games (Kansas wins by 20+ points).
7. Thou shalt not pick a game "cuz my friend told me to pick it."
8. Thou shalt consult the Vegas lines (smart people) to determine who is the most likely winner if a line exists.
9. Thou shatl NEVER, EVER pick Memphis Grizzlies to win (never again, the Grizz have busted way too many of my streaks.

And, most importantly,
10. Thou shalt play to have FUN, not for the highly unattainable goal of achieving great wealth (highly unlikely, like hitting the lottery).

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Quotable

Assembly of random quotes I've heard in my life the last week or so.

"Dodge, Dip, Duck, Dive, and Dodge." ---> all our teammates in dodgeball, before playing our first game of dodgeball and getting thoroughly trounced.

"Hey you looked good on the tennis court." --> friend who was also playing tennis on a neighboring court, clearly seeing only a few select points and not my true self.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" --> classmate who apparently likes celebrating one of the worst holidays ever invented.

"You can always win at chess if you hit your opponent over the head with a hammer." --> corporate tax professor, trying to describe different approaches to solving corporate tax conundrums.

"Trrrooojaannnnn Basketball!" --> Spiros Papadegas, announcer of USC Basketball.... Trojans lost Saturday at home v. Oregon, pretty much ending their hopes for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. NIT hopes in jeopardy.

"In five years we'll have Skynet." --> classmate, commenting on the advent of Watson on Jeopardy, predicting the takeover of computers sooner rather than later.

"Woooooooo!!!!!" --> classmate greeting me, mocking one of my not-so-epic moments of 1L year, when I paused to take a breath and instead evincing the previous noise.

"Human Centipede tells the story of a German doctor who kidnaps three tourists and joins them surgically, anus to mouth, forming a 'human centipede.'" --> heard in the journal office, someone describing the plot synopsis of The Human Centipede, which sounds like a horrific movie that I never want to watch.

"I'll always do favors for Leslie Knope because she asks for favors to help other people." --> why I love Parks and Recreation.

"Why do I have to be Mr. Pink? Why can't I be Mr. White?" --> Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs, one of the best movies I've ever seen (saw it first in 2005, still like it)

"I hate Valentine's Day." --> Robert Yan.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

The End of a Dynasty

How bout that Chipotle Mexican Grill stock, huh? Guess I was right about telling people to buy it 3 months ago. It's gone up like 15% the last week and a half. Unfortunately, before that it was dwindling and had lost value, and I'm afraid many people (like myself) got frustrated with the stock and let it go. Sigh. Stocks, like comedy, is all about timing. And this time the joke was on me. I believe CMG is going to 280, 290 soon (reports earnings this week) and I'll be guilty of missing out and not listening to my own advice.

Wanna know what I think about the stock market, after we had a 10-day winning streak (in the green) the past 2 weeks? I think this year's gonna be a good year......there may be a bit of a correction coming after this huge upswing, so wait for the market to go down a couple ticks (possibly Monday-Tuesday of this week), and then go in and buy premium stocks, (AAPL, AMZN, GOOG come to mind) or even just buy the Dow itself. This stock market's in recovery and it's making up for lost time (from Aug. 2008- 2009). The only worry is a bubble, but that's a bit premature: as long as we're still in "recovery" mode it'll gain steadily, and then in 2012 or 2013 we may want to be careful of the next "bubble burst."

Last night I sadly bade farewell to one of my favorite shows and IMO one of the best shows to ever be aired on TV, that of Friday Night Lights.

I first started watching Friday Night Lights in sophomore year of college; I don't even remember what prompted me to watch. It was one of those late-night, got-nothing-better-to-do, saw a subliminal television ad for the-show, I might-as-well sort of things. And I loved it. The pilot episodes of Friday Night Lights is one of the best hours of television you've ever seen; I don't want to give it away but it gives viewers a preview of the drama, the awesome characters, the storyline, the passion that Friday Night Lights would become.

Friday Night Lights is advertised as a story about high school football, but it's really about people. It's about Coach Taylor dealing with the trials and tribulations of people on his football team, about middle-to-lower class people trying to make it in small-town America, it's about high school kids (sometimes a little unrealistically played by twenty-somethings, I'll admit that) trying to come of age while dealing with bad parents, money problems, relationship struggles, reconciling their dreams with their current situation, crime, and all kinds of other situations. So basically, people living their lives. It's fascinating, and the creators of the show hit it right on the head. Unlike the Greek tragedy of The Wire (which has its own appeal), you feel yourself rooting for each and every character on Friday Night Lights; each character tugs at your heartstrings and you become emotionally invested, watching helplessly as certain characters become devastated and rooting for them.

Every season of Friday Night Lights was comparable to the other; there was no "rebound" season or "hiatus" -- the quality was legitimate every time and few mistakes were made (other than the introduction of some faulty characters who got wiped away prematurely or belatedly.....like the Epic storyline this season? What was that?) There were main characters who came in and out of the action, fan favorites, old flames, alumni who came back to visit from high school, and new faes, but the rock of the show was good ol' Eric Taylor, the epitome of class, the epitome of leadership, the epitome of good hair, and his wife Tammy.

Long live Friday Nights. May your DVD's be watched by a generation of excited viewers who missed it the first time.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

To Be a US Citizen

Reading the aforementioned book, "Just Like Us" by Helen Thorpe, has inspired me to do a little more evaluation of what it means to be a US citizen.

Background about myself: I was not a US Citizen at birth. Born in an obscure city block of Shanghai, China, I was far from it. However, when my parents came to the US on a student visa, I came along a couple years later. A few green card applications and naturalization processes that my parents went through (I did nothing) later and before I knew it, I had gained US citizenship. I've always taken my US citizenship for granted. It's one of those things you don't think about unless it gets taken away from you, like a driver's license, I suppose, or a family member (very severe knock of wood). Hopefully (and I don't see how) I'll never have my US citizenship taken away, for I have seen what it's like NOT to be a US citizen.

Now, a few of my fellow law students and other acquaintance are not US citizens; some are permanent residents and some have green card status; the LLM's at my school are here on a student visa. These people have it more difficult than me, for sure, especially applying for jobs, filing taxes, applying for FAFSA loans, etc. But it's really nothing comapred to the difficulties faced by ILLEGAL immigrants, the ones profiled in the book Just Like Us, that I mentioned. In it, Helen Thorpe profiles 4 Hispanic American teenagers living in America (Denver), 2 of whom are legal aliens, and 2 of whom are illegal aliens. And boy life is hard for the illegal aliens, through no fault of their own. They were brought into the country by their parents, much like I was, at a young age, with no say as to what their status was and whether they were legal or not, and later on in life they suffer for it, whether it's not being able to get a driver's license, applying for jobs, even such things so mundane as getting a library card. It's a tough life. But the most depressing and heartbreaking part is not being able to apply for college loans + scholarship (they can apply for college itself by applying as an international student, which is still more difficult but not impossible like college loans). These "illegals" are already usually from disadvantaged households that are lower working class or even impoverished, and now they're being asked to finance their own higher education in a world that increasingly asks for advanced degrees without help from the government, all the while trying to help their families in whatever way they can with rent.

It makes me wonder, how would I feel if I had to do all those things? And what have I done to deserve to be a US citizen? Sure, I pledged allegiance to the flag all throughout early schooling years, I stand up to honor the national anthem during live sports events, I pay taxes on my income (so far, that's been a VERY negligible amount given my salary), but other than that I make no real demonstrable net positive effect on US society as a whole. I guess I'm nice to people....does that count? I haven't even voted in any elections and not served on a jury....... haven't done my civic duty. So what, really, have I done? I could easily be an illegal alien as well, still be nice to people, still stand up for the national anthem, but not be able to enjoy the benefits of US citizenship: social security, driver's license, applying for jobs, etc.

Being a US citizen, for me, means honoring the values of the country: abiding by the laws, supporting other US citizens, continuing the traditions of the country that I live in. I shouldn't curse aspects of the country that I live in just because I disagree them; I should do as much as I can to educate myself on what policies the nation is implementing to try to better itself.

I also really want to look into this issue of illegal immigration; I understand there are strong arguments on either side as to how to treat illegal immigrants, ranging depending on ideological viewpoints from deporting all illegal immigrants and sealing up our borders to allowing all illegal immigrants total amnesty and a "let-it-ride approach." The problem is somewhere in between. But one point that does stay with me is how difficult it is as a young person growing up as an illegal immigrant, not understanding why other students are allowed the privilege of going to college with scholarships while you are not when you haven't done anything wrong. I used to complain all the time about affirmative action and how I didn't get into the college I wanted because other lesser-qualified candidates were selected over me; my concerns seem trivial now compared to prospective students who simply CANNOT go because of something their parents did, being punished for something they didnt' do. How unjustified is that? I feel it is my duty as a US citizen to be more aware of this issue and research ways to help the country get better.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Real or Not Real?

Coming to you straight from Contract Drafting and Strategy, this is the show that asks the same question to all of its contestants: Real or Not Real? The 20 contestants are all member sof the top 20-ranked in Yahoo! Fantasy Basketball lists. There's some rock-solid participants in there who deserve to be on the show and will be on the show for a long time, but then there's some humbugs, some frauds, some phantoms of the night who will disappear or eviscerate soon. Let's meet our contestants!



1. Chris Paul: The most coveted asset in Fantasy Basketball today. Shoulda been ranked #1 at the beginning of the year.

2. Kevin Durant: The Tarantula took some time to spin his web but now is tangled in stats. Great news: Even more treys this year!

3. Kevin Love: Legit, legit, legit. But maybe not #3 fantasy legit. May be more valuable in head-to-head than roto because he'll win rebounds single-handedly for you.

4. Pau Gasol: Will recede, not evaporate. He's always been a #9 or #10 guy in fantasy when healthy...that should be where he ends up.

5. Amare: Absolutely motivated, and 2.2 blks are for real. Won't go away. FREAK.

6. Manu Ginobili. HUGE dip coming. He was on my league's waiver wire as recently as last year, midseason, not really his fault; it's cuz Spurs will rest him once they clinch.

7. Al Horford: He's rock solid and VERY underestimated because of his solid stats but might get surpassed because other guys with sexier stats may get hot. Still, top-10 pick next year.

8. LeBron James: one of this guys with "sexier stats" that could surpass Horford. He's just "heating up" with the heat and should end up around 3 or 4 in Yahoo! leagues.

9. Paul Pierce: I probably had the same reaction as you: WTF???? Can't finish in top-10 (don't think he's EVER finished in top 10.....that 50% FG shooting and 0.6 blks will not last.

10. Rudy Gay: Not real. Already fading.

11. Deron Williams. Welcome to the Big Boy table. You're for real.

12. Russell Westbrook. Also, welcome to the Big Boy table. Feel free to stay for the next..13 years or so.

13. Kevin Martin. Can he avoid injury? Nah.

14. Dirk Nowitzki. Question: When has Dirk ever NOT finished in the top 5 or 6 in fantasy? Just wait.

15. Josh Smith. O there are you, Mr. Smith. Nice to see you again!

16. Dorell Wright. Who? An athletic freak who's benefited from being in Golden State, it's one of those magical years that might just stretch for the whole season.

17. Paul Millsap. My how he's grown. For real.

18. Monta Ellis: Real good, real talented, real likely to get hurt.

19. Stephen Curry: See #18.

20. Kobe Bryant. Never heard of this guy. Actually, I honestly would stay away......a myriad of injuries + Father Time may slow hiim down.



Fantasize on,



Robert Yan

Chinese New Year

Belated Chinese New Year, everyone!!!! And it's the Year of the Rabbit, MY YEAR!!!! I love it!!!!! May luck shine on me this lunar year, cuz I need it.

Should I create a whole new set of resolutions this year? Nah.... but DO need to wake up at 8:00AM every day, latest 8:30AM: have already cost myself some dinero this calendar year for doing that. That's the end of that chapter.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Positive Reinforcement

Just finished watching the Super Bowl (Packers win..ahhhh!!!!!) and running a 10k race today (6.2 miles, for anyone using the U.S. system). 55 mins. Eh. Nothing special.......gotta remember to not wear a sweatshirt and sweatpants.

I'm a little upset about the Packers winning, not least of which because they beat the Bears (twice!) to get there, it's the PACKERS!!! and I wouldn't have picked them to win the game. But the main reason, I think is the lack of success in my own life, coupled with the lack of success in the sports teams I am most passionate about. Ever since 1998, the last time one of my Fab Five teams won a championship (Bulls, Bears, Cubs, Illini, Chargers) nary a one of those teams has won, the closest being in 2005 the Illini got o so close to a national championship (coincidentally, also the last time I felt like I was truly successful among my peers, in high school). Sports is obviously just sports, and I don't take it too seriously, but at some point I want to win something, I want to be the best at something, whether it's vicariously through a sports team or preferably, through something that I do on my own. So far it hasn't happened.

One thing that would qualify as a success is if I won Streak For Cash one of these months (Yes, I'm back playing again). I think January was a trial month; now I'm in tune and ready to go, with a 17-4 record in February so far, basically only 3 streakbreakers or else I'd have a 17-game streak (sigh, why did I pick the Puxstawney Phil Groundhog Day prop? or the Lakers over the Spurs, STOP picking NBA games!).

Anyway, on to the title theme of this article: Positive Reinforcement. I believe that Positive Reinforcement is one of the most powerful forces, if not THE most powerful, force in motivating people. We all need it from time to time, whether we realize it or no. I see it everywhere, from my peers to casino dealers to the kids at my summer camp. My peers are motivated to do better if they get good grades: they are rewarded, so they want to keep getting rewarded. Casino dealers become much more friendly if you tip them. Kids try harder and want to keep trying if you tell them you're doing a good job. I wash the dishes for my family more if my mom tells me I'm really helping out the family. The key is someone RECOGNIZING it, perceiving that what you're doing is actually making a difference, or is having some effect, and not just some insignificant event. We need positive reinforcement to remind us that we are alive; to realize our full potential in our lives. It's so important: When I grow up, I want to be a positive reinforcer for others. O if only that job paid.

Chicago Bulls, please provide some positive reinforcement this spring in the playoffs. Please.

Finally, I want to leave people who are in a bit of turmoil or are lacking success in their lives (like myself) and need a bit of inspiration, from an excellent non-fiction (for once!) book I'm reading called "Just Like Us: The True Story of Four Mexican Girls Coming of Age in America," by Helen Thorpe, told to a young Latina American student who had difficulties affording college due to her illegal immigrant status:

"You are going to succeed, and it is going to feel so much better for you than it does for other people, because you are goin to have to struggle more." VERY, VERY inspiring, even though I haven't had to struggle as much, relatively......but struggle I have. And yes, if I do succeed, it will be VERY VERY sweet.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Applying for Jobs

Jobs, jobs, jobs......that's all the rage nowadays. You see job news everywhere: front page of the Wall Street Journal, radio news, corporate luncheons, friendly social gatherings. Heck, Steve Jobs is on front page news everywhere too. It's an unescapable topic. And it's for good reason: the unemployment rate is probably the most powerful indicator of the economy. People need jobs to have purchasing power, and purchasing power fuels the consumer economy.

My take on jobs:

Applying for jobs is hard. REALLY hard. it takes a certain amount of motivation to know that every time you apply for a job, there is a good chance (I'd say my rate is at about 1 in 10) that you will be rejected. In fact, most jobs I apply for , I never even hear BACK from the company.... no courtesy email, no thin envelope in the mail, nothing to indicate that the process has passed me by. Once in a while you get a nice email saying "We'll keep your resume on file." Less often, you get a call (gasp!) from the employer scheduling an interview. After you go to that interview (your chances suddenly have gone up tremendously), sometimes you get a call saying, "Congratulations, when can you start?"

So every dog has his day. But the problem is getting started to get to that day. On any given job-seeking venture, there are HUNDREDS.

There are hundreds of workshops out there on how to brand yourself


I go back to another simple fact that I hammer home all the time: Luck. Sometimes, you just gotta be lucky. It's probably one of the top 2 factors of all job-seeking: Being at the right place at the right time, or knowing the right person, or seeing something inadvertently on a job site, or having the exact skill set that someone looks for, or having someone like the sound of your name.

When I was a little kid in preschool or kindergarten, I remember being extremely frustrated if the class did a cutting project and I couldn't figure it out. Meanwhile, all the other kids in class were finishing up and could go to recess since they finished.... I REALLY wanted to go to recess. As more and more kids finished up, up their projects, I became more and more frustrated because I knew all the fun bouncy balls on the playground had already been taken up, and the nice swingsets and monkey bars were fully occupied. I desperately tried to figure out a way to finish the project, if only to avoid being the last one in the classroom. I scanned the room to see how other people were doing their projects, checking to see if there was some method I had missed. I cursed myself for being dim-witted and bad with my hands, as clearly any idiot could complete this project easily. Each time I started back up, it seemed like I was just going through another futile attempt, doomed to failure.

I remember back then at age 6 or 7, that I would do everything I could to avoid that feeling again, that nothing was worse than the feeling of being left behind, of not being able to accomplish my goals. And I tried to avoid that by doing everything I could in school and choosing job-oriented majors.

I recently attended a job-searching seminar in which one speaker made the following great point: The job-search process essentially consists of 3 parts: 1. you need the employer, 2. the employer needs you and 3. you and the employer need to find each other. Sounds simple. And all 3 coming together seems to require some of what I hammer home all the time: Good old fashioned luck.
May the New Year bring good luck. Happy Chinese New Year, everyone!

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan