Currently listening to "No Way" by the Naked and Famous, sitting at an airport terminal in Denver, Colorado. The past couple weeks in CA have been intense, but the last 48 hours have been really emotional.
Thursday October 13th - Finish up work and pick up treats for my family at Whole Foods, meet some friends for dinner. Come back at 11pm and see roommates, grab beers. Fall asleep at home sometime around 1am or 2am.
Friday October 14th - Wake up early at 6am to finish packing. Say goodbye to roommates (they're going to San Francisco) and I head to work. Drink coffees to finish wrapping up work projects. Come back and clean up apartment. Off to a later start than I'd like, drink more coffee and meet up with a cousin at 9pm for dinner in Oceanside. Drive 5 hours straight up to Reedley while consuming yet more coffee.
I get back around 3am. My family and a high school friend are home so we stay up talking and catching up. We unload the rest of my stuff in the truck (mostly books but also random things like a collapsible fishing spear). I say goodbye to my family; my mom makes me tear up because she starts crying first. I get dropped off at the Fresno Airport by 7am. I have two check in bags and one carry on (combined weight of about 100lbs). I catch my flight and so I find myself in Colorado.
I'm going to get some lunch and a beer. Then I'll catch my flight to La Guardia Airport in New York. If I take a nap now, I won't wake up in time. Plus, it's so interesting to people watch at airports.
Will get to NY about 7pm. I'll catch a taxi to the hostel I'm staying in, drop my bags off, then will go out to explore New York City!!! I heard the bars don't close till 4am. I wonder when the coffee shops close...
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Patagonia
Today I got a job offer to be a Data Manager for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a nonprofit agency that is an extension of New York City's Mental Health Agency. I'll help with data analysis and report creation.
I still have a couple interviews lined up next week including a contract position as an Android programmer for webMD and a second interview for a contract Business Analyst (in mobile applications) at Morgan Stanley. I'll go to my interviews, but I think I'll ultimately stick with the nonprofit (despite a Morgan Stanley 6 figure salary).
As a treat for securing a job, I ordered myself some nicer cold weather clothing (Patagonia Men's Tres 3-in-1 Parka). It's a bit pricey, but I've had excellent experiences with the company and their products.
When I was in San Francisco, a friend wanted to pick up a down vest and asked if I knew about Patagonia. Initially I wasn't sure what he was talking about. I then remembered that I was wearing one of their hoodies! My old black hoody was so beaten up that I had forgotten about it's label. It was used relentlessly the last couple years from camping trips to substituting as a last minute "rashguard" in Ecuador.
Anyways, the store saw how beat up my hoody was and said they would repair it for free (no need to show receipt or proof of purchase). Not only that, they would ship it back to San Diego for free! Today I received it back in the mail just in time to make it out to NYC :)
I still have a couple interviews lined up next week including a contract position as an Android programmer for webMD and a second interview for a contract Business Analyst (in mobile applications) at Morgan Stanley. I'll go to my interviews, but I think I'll ultimately stick with the nonprofit (despite a Morgan Stanley 6 figure salary).
As a treat for securing a job, I ordered myself some nicer cold weather clothing (Patagonia Men's Tres 3-in-1 Parka). It's a bit pricey, but I've had excellent experiences with the company and their products.
When I was in San Francisco, a friend wanted to pick up a down vest and asked if I knew about Patagonia. Initially I wasn't sure what he was talking about. I then remembered that I was wearing one of their hoodies! My old black hoody was so beaten up that I had forgotten about it's label. It was used relentlessly the last couple years from camping trips to substituting as a last minute "rashguard" in Ecuador.
Anyways, the store saw how beat up my hoody was and said they would repair it for free (no need to show receipt or proof of purchase). Not only that, they would ship it back to San Diego for free! Today I received it back in the mail just in time to make it out to NYC :)
Breaking Bad
Breaking Bad, you are addicting. Just a week ago I never saw this show and now I'm finishing up Season 3.
The plot is good, but what really shines is that the characters are all so beautifully flawed. No one is perfect; there are no good guys, only people making excuses for themselves and trying to justify their actions. One thing leads to another and it quickly becomes a twisted story of lies between family, drug cartels, and the DEA.
The show is based on cooking and distributing crystal meth so shit hits the fan pretty often. I don't think you really ever see the qualities of a person until you see how they handle life's unexpected events.
Anyways, I should get back to looking for a place to stay and a job...
The plot is good, but what really shines is that the characters are all so beautifully flawed. No one is perfect; there are no good guys, only people making excuses for themselves and trying to justify their actions. One thing leads to another and it quickly becomes a twisted story of lies between family, drug cartels, and the DEA.
The show is based on cooking and distributing crystal meth so shit hits the fan pretty often. I don't think you really ever see the qualities of a person until you see how they handle life's unexpected events.
Anyways, I should get back to looking for a place to stay and a job...
Friday, September 30, 2011
2 Weeks before NYC!
Friday October 14th is my last day in San Diego. I'll finish up work, do the 6 hour drive up to Reedley, drop my truck off, and then get picked up/dropped off at the Fresno airport for a 5 am Saturday flight to New York. I'll arrive around 7pm EST and figure out life from there. I still don't have a job or a place lined up yet. I don't even have a warm coat. I should probably work on that.
Overall I'm really excited, slightly nervous and even a bit stressed out. All I know for now is that after this move, I'm going to be calling NYC home for quite a few years. In terms of a career, I hate job jumping. I hate the job search and the sheer amount of work it takes to get caught up to speed in order to be a good business/data analyst. (Luckily?) I don't know anyone there so I won't have many distractions (other than the most exciting city ever!).
I think I've found some areas that I like in Astoria (Queens), Prospect Heights (Brooklyn), and Harlem (where I stayed with Jason and Carrie from Peace Corps!). Depending on what I make, I might even try to get my own studio. I know some friends from the West Coast will be visiting and I might even adopt a cat or dog! I've always wanted a Husky. The general rule of thumb is to follow the formula of: Annual Salary = Monthly Rent * 40.
I'm excited for all the things that I'll see in NY, to live in actual weather and to meet new people. The people I've met in San Diego have been amazing and it's sad even thinking about saying goodbyes. I'm staying optimistic and I hope I'm as lucky in NYC as I was in San Diego in meeting genuine people.
Overall I'm really excited, slightly nervous and even a bit stressed out. All I know for now is that after this move, I'm going to be calling NYC home for quite a few years. In terms of a career, I hate job jumping. I hate the job search and the sheer amount of work it takes to get caught up to speed in order to be a good business/data analyst. (Luckily?) I don't know anyone there so I won't have many distractions (other than the most exciting city ever!).
I think I've found some areas that I like in Astoria (Queens), Prospect Heights (Brooklyn), and Harlem (where I stayed with Jason and Carrie from Peace Corps!). Depending on what I make, I might even try to get my own studio. I know some friends from the West Coast will be visiting and I might even adopt a cat or dog! I've always wanted a Husky. The general rule of thumb is to follow the formula of: Annual Salary = Monthly Rent * 40.
I'm excited for all the things that I'll see in NY, to live in actual weather and to meet new people. The people I've met in San Diego have been amazing and it's sad even thinking about saying goodbyes. I'm staying optimistic and I hope I'm as lucky in NYC as I was in San Diego in meeting genuine people.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
I just got back from a nice vacation. I went camping out in Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite, wine tasting in Napa, and eating great food in San Francisco. Tomorrow I'm putting in my notice to quit my job at the hospital. I don't have a job lined up in New York, but I think I'll try it out anyways! Until I get out there, I'll keep programming and working on my side projects.
I started visiting Stackoverflow again and just got my first reputation increase! I went from 1 reputation to 26!
Edit: Added a couple pictures from the trip
Friday, August 26, 2011
Bad Economy
So I've been pretty selective on the jobs that I'm applying to. I sent about 15 in the past three weeks. I haven't heard back from any yet. Supposedly it's a tough job market and especially so if you're trying to relocate across states.
I guess I'll have to make my own job!
I guess I'll have to make my own job!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Quick update
1.) I started up www.williamqliu.com as a place for my web/tech projects.
2.) This past weekend I surfed in Manhattan Beach, the last time I'll be surfing for a while. I gave my board away to a friend since he moved to the West Coast and I'm going East!
3.) I started applying to jobs in NYC. I talked to my current boss and she's super supportive; my company knows that I'm looking around and I'll still be on payroll if they need me.
4.) The end of my lease is this month. Gonna couchsurf in San Diego until I can get a job in NY.
5.) Going on a road trip in the middle of September.
2.) This past weekend I surfed in Manhattan Beach, the last time I'll be surfing for a while. I gave my board away to a friend since he moved to the West Coast and I'm going East!
3.) I started applying to jobs in NYC. I talked to my current boss and she's super supportive; my company knows that I'm looking around and I'll still be on payroll if they need me.
4.) The end of my lease is this month. Gonna couchsurf in San Diego until I can get a job in NY.
5.) Going on a road trip in the middle of September.
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