O Canada...

It's kind of funny that when autumn rolls around, I often hear talk (usually about endeavours of Chinese parents) about [fung yip tun / feng ye tuan] -- roughly translated into: leaf tours. My parents actually went on one for the first time this year, taking a bus to Muskoka for the sole purpose of viewing leaves. Upon their return, my mom likened it to driving on the DVP...

Personally, I think the best leaves are on the Bayview Extension. =p

On an unrelated topic, pursuant to my friend Ina's blog re: "clicking", I would like to post this response:

I believe in clicking. =) This does not mean that I do not believe in the commitment and follow-through part though -- on the contrary, I believe that "agape" love is the only love that a relationship *should* exhibit. So to decipher through the different thoughts, I think this is an issue of a normative theory vs. a positive theory, where a positive theory outlines an empirical, practical viewpoint of what actually *happens*, whereas a normative theory outlines how a relationship *ought to* operate.

Starting with the normative theory, I believe that God created love as defined by himself -- unconditional, selfless, sacrificial -- He chose to love us first. Similarly, in a relationship, I think it *should* also be a rational choice to love the other party-- a choice that is not deterred by irrational emotions or circumstances. So can arranged marriages work? I think they can, as long as the parties fully commit to their relationship and work on it.

Onto to the "positive" side, I think that society has perhaps "watered down" love to be based more emotions, and I think it is true that in general, we are more non-committal than historical peoples. However, our society has given us the freedom to choose whoever we would like to "test" as a potential spouse, which can based on any number of factors or standards we choose. So to assist our choice, here is where I think "clicking" comes into play [yes, finally, my point. =p]

Clicking, to me, is simply a preliminary gauge of compatibility, the initial attraction that draws people together. Although it is not necessary (see above re: arranged marriages), it is part of today's times. Definitely though, it is not an end-all... from the "clicking" part, will two people understand how they jive, and see what activities or things in general they can pursue together to really become part of one another's lives and find God's will for them together. Without the clicking part, I think it is difficult to find the ways in which two people can grow together.

In summary, I think clicking is an important start to two people's journey together -- a journey that involves a lot of exploration and searching -- so without a general level of compatability and similar interests, I think it is very, very difficult. Again, I reiterate that ultimately, the goal is to find "agape" love, as love is *supposed* to be. =)

Thoughts? Comments? May the floodgates be opened. =)

Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.

Finally went out to a client today -- it was fun. =) This is one of the aspects of being an auditor that I enjoy very much: being able to go outside (i.e., not get cooped up in an office all day) and talk to new people and learn about new businesses.

Get to sleep in too, because the client is in Markham... very nice. =)

Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.

So thus commences my "career" -- I've been back home for two weeks now, the first week going through training and this week doing "real" work.

As much as I am enjoying myself, (and I am!) I guess it is kind of surreal to think that I am achieving what I used to dream about in junior high and high school. Always part of the keen group, we planned our courses for all of high school going into grade nine... of course, there were annual adjustments, but that's just a fact of life -- you make your assessments and choices, and when new information comes, you incorporate them into your assessments: Bayes' theorem in Stats. [Haha... been studying for CFA.] I guess change was just something that I dealt with without really thinking about it.

As for work, it's been nice. =) It's exciting to try the challenges of balancing work with life -- the fun of meeting up with people lunch, or dinner or drinks after work, to be part of the rigourously-timed GO-train culture [hurry up! i've only got six minutes!] and enjoy whatever else in the remaining time [TSO!]. Perhaps I am still enchanted with working full-time... I'll reassess myself after busy season. [But then again, I always *have* been the workaholic, machine-type... =p]

I especially look forward to developing my skill set as a "senior": the first level of supervisory, I suppose. In any case, to me, it's cool understand the significance of this position not only for functional purposes (i.e., to complete an audit), but also in the development and growth of staff, where interpersonal relationships are of utmost importance, coupled with technical and soft skills development. It's exciting to build on my foundations that I learned being a leader in extra-curricular activities -- and not only that -- if CCF didn't have so many activities to necessitate strict time management, I think I would have much harder time now --> so yes, make sure you make use of school to also develop your soft skills too... !

In the end, the concepts of leadership, mentorship, teaching... and also of time management and organization... they are the same regardless of a corporate or a Christian context. Next... to see where I fit in the church...

Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.