A MMA Loving Bleeding Heart

Posted on March 2, 2011 by admin

Many people know that I am an animal welfare advocate. I am against all forms of animal entertainment: fighting, racing – even performances like the Ringling Bros. Circus. So they are often surprised to learn that I am a big fan of the live Strikeforce showdowns on Showtime, the brutal sport of human fighting in the form of mixed martial arts (MMA).… Continue reading →

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Sour Grapes for $20,000?

Posted on February 27, 2011 by admin

The BigLaw bonus extravaganza is back. BigLaw associates will receive an unexpected spring bonus this year in addition to the normal annual bonus. This is icing on a rather dry cake; the 2010 annual bonus was less than half of what was handed out during the boom time of 2007.

I fondly remember the excitement back in 2007, when firms were clamoring to match and even outdo each other on the bonus front.… Continue reading →

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The Emotional Logic of “Awe Bei”

Posted on February 17, 2011 by admin

My parents often called me “awe bei” in Shanghainese when I was little. (No, it doesn’t mean “garbage.”) It wasn’t until later that I finally figured out from context that “awe bei” meant doing something contrarian, usually something that displeased my parents.

I can see why my parents described me as “awe bei.”… Continue reading →

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Q2 Report: Getting Out and About

Posted on February 12, 2011 by admin

I described in my previous post the various classes I have been taking in Q2 – the second three months after quitting BigLaw. Taking miscellaneous classes that amount to no degree or diploma feels decadent. I never did this before: every class I took, even electives, always served to land me onto the next step of the StairMaster of predictable professional life.… Continue reading →

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Q2 Report: Going Back To Schools (Sort Of)

Posted on February 7, 2011 by admin

The first three months after quitting – my Q1 of post-BigLaw life – was a period of adjustment. I traveled, decompressed, reflected, established a routine – and felt uneasy with my lack of productivity. Productivity was not an issue for the second three months. Q2 was about trying out new things, improving myself, and refining my interests.… Continue reading →

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Quitting BigLaw – Part IV: Change in Priorities

Posted on February 1, 2011 by admin

What better way to wrap up my Quitting BigLaw series and kickstart my Q2 review than to examine how my priorities have changed since quitting by rating the importance of various attributes of a hypothetical future career? For those who know me, my favorite pastime involves running through hypotheticals and rating things on a scale of 1 to 10.… Continue reading →

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Introducing the Newest Members of the Cheng Family

Posted on January 29, 2011 by admin

We finally pulled the trigger. We officially adopted Chase and Christy two weeks ago. You may remember them – the two foster kitties featured at the end of this post back in September.Among the many foster kitties we’ve had, they were the most difficult. Christy had complications with her spay wound shortly after she came to us.

… Continue reading →
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What’s Your Default Face?

Posted on January 25, 2011 by admin

This is the face I’d like to present to the world. This is my Facebook profile picture. This is the picture I submitted to the New York Times.

This is probably the face that most people see.

The latter is what I call my “default face”. I don’t see this face often, but I am sure people around me have seen it plenty.… Continue reading →

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Quitting BigLaw: Part III – Some Practical Tips

Posted on January 17, 2011 by admin

Okay, back to my regularly scheduled program.

In the first two parts of this series, I provided some reality-checking approaches that may be helpful in think through the decision to jump off the StairMaster.

If you conclude that you are ready to take the leap, here are a few practical tips on making the transition.

… Continue reading →
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My Name Is…

Posted on January 13, 2011 by admin

Up until now I have remained anonymous on this blog. I have been candid about my thoughts, my rants, my hopes and my fears. I think regular readers have a pretty good idea of my personality. Well, now, you can know my name too.

I was invited to participate in New York Time’s Room for Debate this week to discuss the effectiveness of strict parenting.… Continue reading →

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