Dec
2nd

When I want to focus, I put on my headphones and turn the music way up, whether it’s at my desk or at the gym. When I have my headphones on at my desk, music gets me into such concentration that I don’t even think about checking my Twitter feed (which is an really good accomplishment for me!). When I’m on the bike at the gym, I’ll throw my towel over the TV monitor and turn on my iPod to prepare myself for miles and miles of biking to nowhere. Whether I’m cranking out a couple rounds of HIIT, tabata or just some longer, medium intensity sessions, time flies by and I’m suddenly drenched in sweat and my legs are burning like crazy.

Favorite Workout Jams (in no particular order):

• M-Flo – Miss You
• Tasha – Combination Platter
• Anne Savage – I Can’t Hear Ya
• Eye of the Tiger – Survivor
• Christina Aguilera – Fighter
• The Pretty Reckless – Make Me Wanna Die
• Big Bang – Last Farewell
• Ayumi Hamasaki – Evolution
• Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina – Stereo Love
• Anything by Epik High & BEP

There are times when I like to workout in silence but only when I have the entire gym/studio to myself. No awkward huffing, puffing, wheezing and panting, while the girl in the other corner is doing yoga stretches! When I do circuit and Crossfit workouts, I don’t mind no music either because even though it does get me pumped— sometimes I don’t hear it at all because I’m so focused on pushing myself.

Office Jams? That’s a little complicated. Some days, I’ll be listening to Epik High from 10-6. Other days I’ll just listen to Korean ballads. Some days “all songs” will be on shuffle. Some days it’ll be old rock ballads. Or it maybe totally mind-fuck-inducing hardhouse. All depends on my mood. Currently, I’ve been listening the 103.5QMFM because all they play is Christmas music right now… and who doesn’t love Christmas?

What are your favorite workout songs?

Nov
30th

I’m sure most of us have a job where we have to collaborate with colleagues everyday. I’m sure we’ve all had bad days and get irritated when they are constantly asking from things from you, while you are already juggling a ton of other tasks and vice versa. I’m sure we’ve  all had that feeling where you need to ask someone for something but you feel really bad for bothering them because they’re really busy.

But as a part of our job, we are required to help others with their dependencies on you, and you must also push them in order to meet your deliverables as well.

My biggest problem when I first entered the industry was that I always felt bad asking my leads for things because sometimes we’d get so busy that we can hardly breathe, and once you lose focus, it can be hard to get back in. This was usually related to asking for advice and feedback and asking them to come over to my desk in person because you know, they’d have to completely stop what they were doing and walk all over to my desk. After managing others, I’ve learned that it’s better to ask for anything as soon as you need it, because your leads would probably be a lot happier if you asked for for anything earlier on, since your work reflects them as well. I’ve had experiences where a workflow could’ve been a lot faster if the designer just asked for feedback earlier, than spend days on wasted work. Not a good reflection on both of you! Now, whenever I need something from anyone (clients, engineers, other designers, etc), I’d do it right away with no hesitation because it’s my job on the line.

Simply an amazing office!

There is a software engineer I always work with, who probably always ask me for the most things ever— questions, changes to this and that, etcetera, etcetera, but I’ve never given him a second and always got him what he needed right away because: his emails and the way he talks is always polite, thankful and apologetic and usually begins with a, “Hi Katy, I’m sorry to bother you again but…” and always ends in a “thank you so much!” (and the fact that he is super nice)— how can you get irritated at that?

My point is, if you want things from other people, always ask nicely and never demand it. If you need something and feel bad for asking, just remember, if it’s going to affect your efficiency, the quality of your work or even your performance review, ASK FOR IT ASAP. Don’t hold off on it!

This entry came into mind after I walked to a colleague’s desk one day while he was eating his lunch and was frantically trying to swallow but hey, it was an urgent issue! I don’t even have second thoughts any more when colleagues interrupt my lunch because no one really does it unless it’s urgent.

Nov
27th

Annching Wang - Freelance Copywrighter, Fashion Designer and Big Time Dreamer.

Annching Wang is a freelance copywriter for creative businesses by day, and a trained fashion designer working on launching an unconventional, authentic, and inspired fashion label for Spring 2012. I discovered her blog a couple years ago it has cemented it’s place alongside the dozens of blogs I read with my morning coffee, to get me pumped and motivated for the day. She’s an amazing writer with dozens of essays on her perceptions of the fashion industry, and a journal to follow her journey as she designs her very first fashion line.

What motivates you?

Since I was young, I’ve always been very competitive, which I think may come from being the second child, and always feeling like I needed to prove myself against my older brother. That kind of attitude extended into the rest of my life, so I’ve always had this inquenchable thirst. I think basically, it kind of turned from an external pressure and became an internal thing ingrained in me.

That competitiveness has always been there, but another thing that I realized recently that really motivates me is the liberation of my true self. In school, I was always really quiet and shy, even though I felt like I had a lot to say. It was an interesting thing to look into, wondering why I always felt like I had to censor myself, in a way. But I think that when I become more me and more open about it, I open up the space to become the best me, not only to be more happy with who I am, but to allow people to recognize it in the world. Doing what I do – writing and design – is a forum for me to express myself, and to move closer to that authentic self. I want other people to feel more free to be themselves too – and to realize that it opens up a lot of doors – rather than faking it and hiding behind a facade, or copying someone else to fit in or get somewhere. I’ve lived a huge chunk of my life that way, and it’s not a good place to be. I always like to use the butterfly analogy here – when we spread our wings, we become our most powerful and beautiful. Corny, but true!

Money motivates me to a certain degree but mainly because it is closely tied to freedom. Having a big vision and a big dream for myself that is a part of a bigger vision I have for the world I think is my greatest motivation. I think if I were to just live for myself, I probably would want to run off to live on a farm. But because I want to become a part of something greater, I also dream about big cities. That pursuit of extremes also is motivating to me, because although I don’t think that we can ever truly have it “all”, I think that we can all have what we truly, authentically want, if we know what that is and work towards it, whatever it is – health, wealth, freedom, adventure, a great body, happiness, etc.

Seeing something and wanting to make a change, wanting to prove that it can be done by being the real and true you, wanting to show that a dream or a goal (however big or small) isn’t an unattainable ideal, but the beginning of a new reality. That’s my motivation.

Nov
24th

I rarely need to carry a gym bag around since I have a handy-dandy gym locker at my company’s fitness center, and I keep so much stuff in there it’s ridiculous. The embarrassing thing is that it’s not organized and everything is just stacked on top of each other, and occasionally falls out when I open the locker. There’s a locker next time mine with a fancy shelving system, magnets and rubber tubs… mine? Bleh.

1. At least a week’s worth of clean gym clothes, runners and many extra pairs of socks. My biggest peeve is forgetting my gear and being forced to skip a workout so now I’m beyond prepared at all times. Oh and what about not having extra socks to wear? I’ve never forgotten underwear before and hope I never do.
2. Deodorant. I am paranoid about deordorant because I can’t tell you how many times my workout has been interrupted by bad B.O— and I must say, people who don’t wear deodorant at the gym are extremely inconsiderate. I don’t think I smell, but most people who THINK they don’t smell, DO. Me? I would rather not find out so deodorant is mandatory.
3. Extra towels. When I’m done my workouts, I usually look like I jumped into the ocean so a towel is a must. The gym ran out of towels once but I worked out anyway and it was messy—  good thing it was 5am and there was only one other poor soul at the gym. My gym has towel service but I always keep extra towels in there just in case they run out on weekends when the front desk isn’t staffed.
4. Gymboss Timer. And extra batteries.
5. iPod. I actually like working out in a quiet, empty studio from time to time but music is a must, especially when biking.
6. Workout Gloves. I use to use these all the time but I’m sick of having bitch hands and not being able to hang on the bar for long periods of time so I try not to use them any more. Still there for emergencies though.
7. Granola Bars. Quick snack for my workout buddies and I if we get hungry.
8. Toiletries. Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash,  moisturizer, perfume and… mouth wash. I also get really annoyed when the person next to me has smelly breath so I need to make sure I don’t either.
9. Flat Iron. Just in case I need to pretty up after, but usually, I’ll just let my hair air dry.
10. Hair brush w/ a ton of extra hair ties on the handle and extra bobby pins.

If I had to carry an actual bag and could only carry THREE things, they would be:

1. Towel
2. iPod
3. Skipping Rope…wait can I cheat? I need my waterbottle too! =(

Back in the day, I use to skip workout if I forget my iPod, or my water bottle or a towel. Then later on, I wouldn’t skip a workout but would drive 20 minutes back home to get just to get my iPod. Now, if I forget anything, I tell myself to stop being a baby and adjust.

But I always have everything I need anyway so…

I really give myself no excuse to NOT workout.

 What’s in YOUR gym bag?

Nov
20th

If you:

• Skipped your workout
• Ate too many cookies
• Didn’t push yourself as hard usual at the gym
• Ran a mile less than planned

… take a deep breath because it’s not the end of the world.

TOMORROW, GO:

Fitness is a life time achievement and should have no time limit. Going off track for a day isn’t going to burn everything you’ve already achieved so just pick up where you left off…

… and keep calm, carry on.