Overachiever

These days I have this memory that keeps surfacing.

"We had our first lab post presentation and when I saw your poster I was like, who is this overachieving little asian?" - Jim

hahahaha. I think it's funny because I really didn't know what I was doing so I put a ton of random stuff that might have been relevant on my poster. But he had a point. I always try to do too many things at once. I probably put more effort than necessary into that poster and I try to multitask in a way that stretches myself thin. Even at work today I had so many emails going on about 5 different topics. My mind is constantly thinking 3 steps ahead, jumping from thought to thought. It got worse when I moved to LA. There's so much to do and so many people here that everyone is busy all the time. You have to make plans with people at least a week  in advance. It never seems like anyone is free at the last minute or even the day before. Rush rush, go go, don't stop. Maybe it's that people want to maintain that image that being busy means they're doing important things or that they are important or have a lot of friends. Probably all of the above. I guess I'm an overachiever in a city of overachievers. I told Leigh that because of this hustle bustle lifestyle I don't think I could ever raise a family in LA. So one day I will leave this city behind. Or who knows, maybe I'll decide that I don't want a family and keep trying to overachieve.

Anyway that's a tangent. I need to focus on one thing at a time. I'm starting to self sacrifice more and really prioritize wants and needs, which is hard after 4 years of indulging all my wants. So now I'm faced with this conundrum. I want to slow down...but will I be able to? And once I've slowed down...will I stay there?

Bike for a Better Future

Upon my hours of wandering through the world wide web, I stumbled upon the 2 Mile Challenge hosted by Clif Bar. Basically it's calling people all over the world to join hands and start a...I mean ride their bikes instead of driving. There are some pretty interesting statistics - apparently 40% of trips taken are less than 2 miles and 90% are taken by car. If we make the effort to reduce our short trips by riding a bike instead then we could reduce carbon emission by 25 million tons a yr. That's a lot.

Personally I'm advocate of biking instead of driving. It's so much more fun, promotes activity, and is very green. Actually being able to do it, takes some effort. For one you have to change your comfortable habits, and second you have to face the weather. The first thing will take time, but can be done once you figure out how to make bike trips efficient and effortless for you. Going on bike rides used to take me 30 mins to get ready for, but now I can be out the door in less than 10. The weather is another beast. Especially living in a hot/humid city like Houston. The Summer is brutal and unforgiving. The Spring and Fall are short and sweet. The Winter isn't bad, but few Houstonians know how to exercise in the cold.

Sometimes weather is just a mental hurdle you have to man-up and jump over, but there are legitimate occasions where a car is needed. Examples include grocery shopping day and avoiding getting your work clothes dirtied in the commute day, which is coincidentally every work day. Of course if you have the means to get around these hurdles - a big basket on your bike/not that many groceries or a shower close to your work place - then you should definitely consider buying a commuter or hybrid bike. I think you will find that the feel good result of riding a bike outweighs the comfort of the car and is totally worth changing your habits.

Anyway, check out the 2 mile challenge. Clif bar is donating money to 3 charities that help advocate and work towards bike riding for all. You can pick the one you like best, sign up, and log your miles to help that charity win even more money.

I joined the Red Team.