Year 2005 in Review

For Lei and Jimmy, year 2005 has been eventful. In mid October, we both took a two month leave from work and trotted around in China. We enjoyed Shanghai’s saut?ed river shrimps, Chendu’s deadly hotpot, Jiuzhai’s lakes, Lijiang’s sunshine, Hutiaoxia’s adventurous hike, Beijing’s hutong, Yangshuo’s bamboo rafting, Hong Kong’s dim sum, and Taipei’s 24 hour bookstore. We wrapped up the journey around mid December, and were both thankful to be back in New York in one piece.

Jimmy continues to work as an IT manager at CSFB. He finished a multi-year development project in May for the Mortgage Backed Securities business. Jimmy successfully promoted someone, which was a big deal for him because it took a lot of work to convice the committee. He also joined Toastmasters International to learn to be a better public speaker. Jimmy’s two month paid sabbatical was approved with strong backing from his manager, making the China trip possible. Jimmy is now back at work running the database team as part of a new data-warehousing project.

This year, Lei has topped over a 26 story residential building in Battery Park City for Bovis. She was the project manger for the core and shell program, as well as the lobby interior program. She also was licensed as a NYC site safety manger and a green building professional. Honestly, she doesn’t know much about both. She was just good at taking tests. Lei has been perplexed about quitting work. She aspires to be an entrepreneur but can’t gather enough courage to face the uncertainty. As 2005 comes and goes, the question of “to be and not to be” shall continue.

In January, we helped Jimmy’s parents finish a renovation of their apartment in Queens in time for Chinese New Year. For the second year in a row, we went on the 42-mile New York City Bike Tour of the five boroughs in May with friends. In July, we both attended a 10-day meditation retreat conducted by Master Sheng Yen in Pinebush, New York. In August, we bought a real estate investment and Jimmy’s mom helped managed the renovation, the day after which it was rented out. In September, Lei helped her father sell his apartment in the East Village, saving him the real estate agent commission. Finally, Lei received her green card, three years after we applied for it when we got married.

Lei is particular proud of her younger brother, who was recently accepted into China Airlines’ pilot program. Equally, she is proud of her father, who got his master degree from National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan.

We both started our own blogs this year, and find them very useful for keeping in touch with families abroad. We are thankful that our parents are healthy, and grateful for our good friends whom we shared many good memories throughout this year.

Happy New Year, Everyone!!!
Lei and Jimmy.