A few days ago, I asked my friend to described me with just three words. I had read somewhere that an interaction designer used this \”game\”–asking everyone she knew to describe her with three words–to define her identity in order to design her portfolio to fully represent herself. But with my complex personality–not always perfect and not always smart, I was slightly surprised by the responses I got.

I believe that people don\’t change. That only perspectives really do. But in some way, I have changed since I was in undergrad. I am more likely to state my emotions and opinions in the open. I learned that if I kept all of this inside, especially anger and the like, the worse it would become for me. That only talking about them openly would help me the most.

But some words were: intelligent, honest, loyal/true to yourself and what you believe in, reliable, steadfast, witty and unconventional.

Emphasis on the unconventional. On the way I deal with people, said my friend. I have always wanted to be different. A la Mike Fernando. A la 50 year old man @ 10 pm. A la meeting random guys.

Reminder to self:

Companies that I would like to work for. One day. A list from DUX2005.

MetaDesign
Gensler
fuseproject
Cheskin
ODA
frog design
Adaptive Path
Hot Studio
Pentagram
Method
Avenue A | Razorfish
Smart Design
Lunar Design
Center for the Book
Odopod

Six more months and this will be all over.

Why don\’t people cook?

Today, I went to Giant Eagle and got my usual items. Bananas. Bell peppers. Apples. Yogurt. Flavored sparkling water. Ground beef. Biscuits. Cranberries.

Then I went home and made lasagna. Until I realized that my tub of ricotta cheese was spoiled. But I decided to go use my 4 month old cottage cheese. I feel fine.

And now, the job search shall commence. First step. Cover letters. Is this how cover letters should be written?

Copy. Paste.

What makes a great leader? What makes them so different?

For my psych paper due a few weeks ago, other people chose Oprah. Ghandi. I chose to write about Obama Barack for a great leader.

A few years ago, I applied for the unit supervisor position because my supervisor urged me to do so. Despite my outstanding record as a consultant, I didn\’t get the job. I didn\’t get an interview. I never really figured out why and blamed it on the politics of the way rescomp was ran.

Yet later, I discovered it\’s not that. It\’s because I didn\’t establish concrete relationships with the upper management. In society, people do favors for people they like. They hire people they like, even if the record doesn\’t match. What I liked about my past supervisors were the ability to understand my weaknesses and balance them with my strengths. In leadership literature, they say the most important qualities of a leader are: empathy, motivation, self-regulation, self-awareness and social skill.

There is one person I know who puts a lot of emphasis on performance. He told me once that he wants to be a manager because he likes control. In the real world, he said that people care more about performance than learning. During my internship three years ago, the CEO in the company led the projects. Yet a lot of us, especially the interns, felt disillusioned. He was disconnected with us, preferring to work separately. He attempted to inspire us with speeches that outlined the company vision. But that was it.

This is why they say great leaders can be found in the hall, socializing with people they don\’t even work with. It\’s important to build those strong trusting relationships in the very beginning. Leaders are not born. They are made. They are the ones we trust. They are the ones we believe in. And perhaps that is why they lead us.

I <3 Frownies.

Lately, I have been fascinated more so with food. Which probably isn\’t good for me, but why avoid good food?

Pittsburgh, after more than a year here, surprisingly has many good food places. I wouldn\’t recommend any Chinese restaurants of course, but everything else Japanese, Italian, American, Vietnamese, Spanish, Peruvian, French…so exquisite. Another reviewer says the same thing too. I don\’t know what it is about this area, but the breakfast here is always so good. And breakfast has traditionally been my least favorite meal of the day. Of the places I have been to, I recommend Pamela\’s, Grand Concourse, Zenith Tea Room, The Bagel Factory, Crepes Parisennes, Ritter\’s Diner.

Happy quarter-century to one of my favorite people in Pittsburgh, Carol !

There are people who are generous and nice, but Carol is exemplary of this. I still have to get her back for all the times she paid for me. Excellent music taste, adventurous, incredible designer, one of the best designers I have met (one day I\’ll steal her powerpoint slide designs). Most of all, she knows exactly when I am in one of my moody moments and has that innate ability to get me out of them. A rare gift for most people in my life. Happy birthday, Carol! :)

Also, I would like to thank the Upcoming Birthdays Widget. If it wasn\’t for you, I wouldn\’t remember all my November birthdays. Nobody ever wants to have a Sixteen Candles moment. Thanks to you, every time I hit f12, I know becomes so old!

Thanks to Alex and his love of Piebald, I present the GreaseMobile.

It\’s a vehicle that is completely green. A diesel vehicle that runs on vegetable oil. Apparently, restaurants and other stores throw out gallons of grease each day. So inspired by that waste, someone designed a GreaseMobile. Instructions for conversion is on the website.

I question its effectiveness. What are its tradeoffs? How does it compare with other fuels? At the same time too, does it create pollution? How safe is it?