I'm moving my updates to a different blog, http://www.farah-faisal.blogspot.com, since it's an easier address to remember and spell. It's been a great ride updating this blog, hope you'll follow me on to the next chapter!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

He's Just Not That Into You



I've just finished reading this book (well, actually I finished it two days ago), and i gotta say, for such a small book, it sure packs a punch. It certainly got me feeling a lot of emotions: anger, sadness, mortification.... and acceptance.

I've accepted a long time ago that I'm not perfect, and I kinda left it at that. I'm not perfect, and I make mistakes. What I haven't accepted was the fact that it was okay to not be perfect, to not fit into The Guy's definition of a perfect woman, because ultimately, the person I'm meant to be with would still think I'm perfect in spite of, or because of, my faults. The Guy might not like the fact that I have a small, babyish voice, but The One would find it endearing.

When it comes to matters of the heart, I figured that since I'm not perfect, I shouldn't really expect the guy I'm with to be perfect. Now that's a really dangerous road to go down, and the book made me realize that. Because once you have it in your head "Oh, he's doing something that I don't like, that's okay, he's not perfect, I probably annoy him, too", then you start ignoring the vital signs. Big, fat, juicy signs that hollers He's Just Not That Into You. You start forgiving things that you shouldn't be. You let the fact that he makes you cry at least once a month slide, because you keep remembering the good times and oh how good the good times were and this is just a small bump in the road and we'll get over it .... And the excuses keep on coming until one day, you realize that you were the bump in his road and he's completely over you.

Reading the book was tough for me. It made me face facts. The signs were there and I didn't want to see it; because of that I let The Guy have the power to hurt me. I let him dictate how the relationship, if you can even call it that, play out to his advantage. The book made me see my past relationships, dates and crushes in a different way. I used to think that maybe if I had done things a little differently, be more sophisticated instead of emotionally vulnerable, then things could have been different. I realize know that there was nothing I could've done to keep his interest. What I do have control over now, though, is how I behave once it's apparent that a guy is not into me enough to want a lasting relationship with me.

So for me personally, I need to remember these tenents:
  1. If I'm the one who usually calls, but he never calls me first because talking on the phone is "not his thing", then he's just not that into me.
  2. If he never wants to hang out with me and my friends at all, then he's just not that into me.
  3. If I'm the one who's always making plans, and he just goes along with it, then maybe he's really not that into me.
  4. If he doesn't want the "boyfriend" label because he "doesn't like labels", then he's really not that into me. That's just a step away from not wanting to be the "husband" because he doesn't like labels. If he's into me, he'd want everyone to know we're together.

Life is complicated enough without having the man in your life be the wrong man. I'd rather be by myself and happy, than be with someone and be miserable. And the first step to being happy? Love thyself :)

Friday, August 15, 2008

We're Live! Live Search that is

As some of you might know, I'm currently one of the user researchers for Live Search (www.live.com). It's a tall order in trying to compete with Google as the primary search destination, but I feel like we're making really goo, solid strides towards in. To celebrate the Olympics, we have been changing the image on our homepage daily. Unfortunately, if you're in Malaysia, and you're keeping the Malaysian settings, then you can't see the rich image yet. Very boo :( . But if you change your options to US, then you can see it :)

Current image in the US market (we change this twice daily)



This is what the page looks like in China:



And here's what it looks like to the rest of the world, as for now:



I gotta admit, pretty freakin' sweet :) I'm checking the Live Search homepage daily now, it's so exciting to see what new image is going to crop up this time.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Aih... updet updet

So I haven't updated this thing in a loooong while, like what, 8 months? Ooops, sorila pakcik makciks, been busy busy bee lately. With the new job and the visa stuff and getting to meet new people and trying not to blow my head off when things get really stressed, life has been quite eventful and unfortunately, my blog has suffered over it. Aih.... well I'm updating today, aren't I? With a new cute kitty pic to boot!

I am now living in Capitol Hill (not the Washington DC one, the one in Seattle). I moved away from Belltown a little over a month ago because the rent was skyrocketing. I'm super glad I made the move, not only is the new apartment more economical, I get a bigger space and I get a roommate :) . Rachel is really cool, and with Rachel comes an opportunity to talk to someone during the weekdays (instead of just weekends) and also free coffee :) . Me likey the lattes and chai tea at Joe Bar (it's a coffee shop that's around the corner of my apartment. Bill Gates went there once, if that matters to anyone).

Anyway, I've been taking salsa classes for the past 2 months, and am a happier person for it. Nothing makes me feel better than twirling around on my high heels, dancing to latin music. Considering that I've lost some weight primarily through dancing, I dare say more dancing ns needed in my life :) Maybe swing? Tango? I want to take a hip hop class just for the fun of it, but there isn't one near where I live. Boo indeed.

Oh, and I forgot to mention a teeeeny weeeny bit of new info: my hair is pink now. Not all of it, but a good two inches from the bottom is bright pink. Atomic Pink + Hard Candy Red to be exact. My mom's gonna freak if she finds out :)

More Cute Kittens!

Hehehe... I love me some cute kittens



cat
more cat pictures