Posts

Posted on

Changes at work: CFD Lead Engineer

So since the predecessor at work left a year ago, I have pretty much picked up the slack.

However, it was assumed that the replacement would be not too far.  Well, the primary candidate failed.  The secondary possibility wanted too much money.  So in some sense, by default, I became the lead CFD engineer.  While that may not sound like I deserve it, I have done quite a bit.

While I may not be at liberty to say, I have enabled us to be capable of running a new CFD code now at work, while maintaining two relatively new projects going.  And I will be in charge of training two new guys.  The thing is that those two are higher in terms of levels than I am.  But my manager assured me that I am the lead.  In fact, I will be traveling to Huntington Beach next week as Houston CFD Focal to represent Houston.

Wow.  If you had told me that I’d be here now few years ago, I’d have laughed at you.  Don’t jump the gun and ask for free lunches or dinners ’cause while it is a “promotion”, there’s no pay increase…  at least not yet.  That means, more work for same pay.  Oh well.

I am thankful still, even if I am at where I am by default.  I really do enjoy what I do now.  I thank God for allowing me to get where I am today.  Ironic thing is that I had been thinking about possibilities of moving… but not so sure anymore.

Anyhow, I am getting busier at work so please understand if I don’t write back sooner than I’m used.  😛

Posted on

Le Pauvre JJ

So JJ started complaining about his eye hurting last Thursday.  Soojin thought at first that it was his eyebrow(s) getting in his eye.  So we told him to wash his eyes.  Well, it continued.  For another day.  And then we were beginning to worry that he may have some infections… like pink eye or something.

By Friday, he kept crying and didn’t sleep through the night at all.  Now, I was WISHING it was pink eye!  Before you scream and yell at me thinking “How can you call yourself a father and wish that your son had a pink eye?!!!”, hear me out.  At least if it’s a pink eye, it’s a short-term problem.  What we were afraid of for his sake was that it was allergies!  😮

But sure enough, when Soojin took him in to doctor’s this morning, his doctor worried that is just it.  At such young age, developing allergies could prove more… lethal, as many kids also develop asthma and other worse things.  Pray for him.  Thanks.  🙂

Posted on

The Ironic Side of Sympathy & Pain

Though it’s spring, I also still hate this time of th year… I have allergies.  I am allergic to most tree pollens and cats and dust.  I’ve been allergic to pollen & spring since I was 15 years old.  However, since moving to Texas, I get to have it twice a year!   Blessed am I!!  😛

Well, another note is that humans are selfish by nature.  We fail to understand (nor do we want to understand) others’ pains unless we ourselves have gone through it.  If I speak about the toughness of allergies with those who don’t have any, I might as well ask a Swahili-speaking person for it!  Unfortunately, same case was for Soojin.  I’ve tried to explain to her how it debilitates me at its peak, as my head spins round and round, sneezing my head off, trying to scratch my eyes and nose, wishing I could cut them off.

She developed a full-on allergy symptoms starting last year.  This year was worse.  She also experienced it a week ahead of me.  Poor Soojin.  This past weekend was my turn.   Currently, my throat area is very irritated at the moment, to say the least.  Cheat area feels inflamed, my eyes are so itchy that I want to just gouge them out!  My nose hurts even from the slightest touch now as it’s beyond being irritated!  Now, unfortunately, Soojin knows what I am going through, and sympathizes with me.

I don’t wish that kind of suffering on anyone, but I suppose that’s the sign of being human.  We simply do not wish to even try to understand others’ suffering unless we have gone through it.  So sad, really…

Posted on

Thoughts on Relationships

After writing and sharing about Christine, it made me re-affirm about what it takes to develop great relationships. To refer to a cliché, “it takes two to make the things go right.” 😛 I always make the effort to reach out, but I can only reach out so much, and without any feedback or reciprocation, it’s hard to not only tell if the other person appreciates what you do, but also makes it hard to know if the other person wants more in a relationship. And I mean this in as generic tone as possible.

Friendships and relationships are a two-way street. If it’s only me that makes the effort, the relationship can only go so far. However, when both sides take chances at investing in the relationship, things really start to pick up. Also, being a human, I can only make so much of an effort in reaching out, and unless/until the other person takes a step closer to me (even if it’s only a tiny baby step), my relationship with that person won’t develop as much. Just a 2 cents. Any thoughts?

Posted on

Good news for our “little” sister Christine!

Christine has entered our lives in a flash and have really changed our lives!  She has a very rare disease called Devic’s disease, one that affects one’s nervous system… well, as loyal readers would know, it has led her to temporary but lengthy blindness.  She can see a bit and one would think that such rare and difficult disease would bring you down, but not our Christine!

She has been more than a trooper over the little over past year we have known her.  She is very frank and honest and does not hold herself back.  Well, one of her doctors recommended her for an experimental treatment using Rituxan, a medication used to treat cancer.   The drug does similar things that needs to be done to treat someone like her.

Well, that was end of last year.  She has been bravely, and patiently, trying to get an appointment to be treated.  Yet, because her condition is so rare and the medication is for cancer patients, unlike herself, things have been… complicated.  But she has shared that she finally got through the red tape and got the appointment scheduled for 26th of the month!!  I am so happy for her… and how she has held herself through these past years.  If I had to pick my own “Person of the Year”, she would definitely get it.  Right Christine?!  😀  Hope this wasn’t out of line…  Soojin and I couldn’t be happier or more thankful to God for introducing someone so amazing to our lives.  I don’t think she sees how much an encouragement and challenge she has brought to us.