The Synonym of "Best" is...

The other day at work, I went to Thesaurus.com to search for an alternative to the word "best," and found...

Hmm...🙊 Isn't "best" and "bad" the opposite of each other?

Yes, I've heard of the saying, "It's soooooo good, it's bad." But I've also heard the saying, "It's sooooo good, it should be illegal." Are we going to also include the word "illegal" in this list of synonyms?

Just wondering... 😁

Top 10 Memories of 2017

Another year has flown by! Thank you for hanging on to this blog despite my laziness to keep posting. Now that I've moved from Buckeye Land a.k.a. Ohio, I'm wondering if I should change blog's name. For now, I'm just going to keep it and see how my life evolves!

Anyway, here is my annual list of Top 10 Memories for the year (in no particular order):

1) Probably the biggest news of the year for me is that I'M FINALLY DONE WITH SCHOOL! It felt good to receive my Ph.D., and the experience was made sweeter by the fact that my family and best friend flew in from Singapore, Utah, and Boston to witness my graduation.

To be honest, this year's Top 10 list was difficult to come up with (I know I say that every year but I mean it this year) because January to July was a complete blur. My routine from Monday to Saturday was get up, work out, shower, breakfast, check social media/ procrastinate, start writing, lunch, write, dinner, shower, write, sleep, rinse, repeat. Nothing much happened during those months. Except...

2) I finally went back to Washington D.C., my favorite city in the United States. In fact, I went back THREE TIMES in 2017! The first was for a workshop about federal governmental jobs for historians (April), the second for a SHAFR conference (June), and the third as part of my family's epic road trip (July). I still love D.C. but oddly enough, when I went back, I didn't feel that I should move there after graduation. I still applied for jobs with the federal government, but when I received the rejection emails, it wasn't hard to get over the disappointment. I probably knew D.C. wasn't where I should be. But who knows, maybe in the future!

3) My family embarked on an epic road trip in the United States which I promised to blog about, but have only completed Part I...oops! We drove almost 10,000 miles in two months, and literally went from Coast to Coast of the United States. We met up with friends whom my parents had not seen for over 20 years, and got to see both American city and country life. Yet, we didn't even get to see all that we wanted to! One day, I will complete my posts about how the family trip went. I did manage to get a Photobook out about our trip, so come visit me in Singapore and I will show it to you 😀

4) Part of our family road trip involved us going on the "Mormon Pilgrimage" to our Church's historic sites. Each place offered new insights into our Church's history and founding leaders, and I came away having a better appreciation for and understanding of the early Mormon pioneers.

5) I moved back to Singapore. I miss having my own apartment, but I'm not complaining about having clean clothes and home-cooked food.

6) I started a Peranakan shoe- beading class. After hours and hours and hours and hours of beading, I've completed about two-thirds of the beading for one side, and a third for the other. It's painstaking and tedious, but also weirdly soothing. Wish me luck in completing it!

7) I was a bridesmaid for my Secondary School best friend in October, and her wedding was one to remember because it took place over two days. And not only two days, but the traditional Chinese ritual where the groom "fetched" the bride from her home took place at night (something to do with the auspicious hour, etc.). It was crazy and exhausting, but definitely a 48 hours to remember.

8) I started another blog where I test and evaluate the life hacks you see on social media. My goal is to post 4 to 5 times a week (*gulp*), and with me starting a new job on January 2, it will be interesting to see how it goes. So far I'm enjoying this new blog, and hope to keep going. Please let me know if you have any suggestions about the blog: hacks you want me to test out, what can be improved, etc. Would love to hear your thoughts!

9) Donald Trump was elected as the president of the United States, and his victory opened a nasty can of political and social worms. Not my favorite memory, but definitely something to remember about 2017.

10) I left academia, and it felt LIBERATING. I might go back in the future, and I still have two articles that I'm working on, but for now, I'm so glad that I'm out. I started going on a rant about academia but deleted it, and am just going to say...maybe another post for why I left. Ha ha.

Happy New Year dear readers! Love ya, and hope this year rocks :) xoxo

Quick Life Update

So I had grand plans to do a series of blog posts about my family's epic trip to the United States, (read Part I of our time in Washington D.C. here!). Just like I had plans to make an elaborate Christmas gift for my parents this year.

And due to...well, life problems + my procrastination + other life things you know, both of these grand plans have not materialized. They will get done eventually, just not soon. Although I'm working hard on that Christmas gift for my parents...

Anyway, I thought I'd do a quick update in case anyone is wondering what is going on with my life...not that many people care. 😂

1) I've moved back to Singapore, and am finding a job here! It is GOOD to be home. Do I miss living in the U.S.? Some parts, such as living on my own and having my own apartment. It's also been a struggle to not have a steady paycheck these past few months as I job hunt. But with the U.S. in such political chaos now, I admit that it's nice to away from it all.

Plus Singapore is home! It feels right, so I'm very glad to be here. I'm applying to jobs in Singapore and the States (and anywhere frankly), but I'm crossing my fingers I find a job here.

Picture source: Pinterest

2) I've took up a traditional Peranakan shoe beading class, and love it. The Peranakan culture is indigenous to Singapore and Malaysia, and evolved from the inter-marrying of Chinese and Malays in this region of the world. On the right is a picture of a pair of traditional Peranakan shoes. Please note that the shoe pattern is not cloth, but BEADS. Yes, tiny beads are covering the entire surface of the shoe "cloth" -- the flowers, leaves, and white background.

As you can imagine, it is painstaking to bead these shoes, and I'm experiencing it first hand. Here is a sneak preview of my first pair of shoes I'm beading (and at the rate I'm going, probably my last as well...).

My eyes, my eyes! And my hand. And back. 

Yet, I love it. It's soothing, and I garner an immense sense of satisfaction from seeing the beading come together. Now I finally understand why each shoe is sold for hundreds of dollars! Hoping to get it done before I start work.

3) I've started another blog! I know, I can't deliver on my promise to write those posts about my family trip on this blog, and there I go starting another one. 😁 But I've had this idea for the new blog for a few months already, but didn't have the time to execute it. Since I'm jobless now, I decided to take the plunge and just do it. 

So introducing my new blog, "The Hack Test Lab" (https://thehacktestlab.blogspot.com) 💖 Have you seen those million and one hacks on social media, and wondered if those hacks actually work, and are worth the effort? Wonder no more! My blog to the rescue. I tests all kinds of hacks on this blog, and give it a rating from 1 to 10. I'm hoping to post 4-5 times a week, though I've never posted so frequently so *gulp* I'll try my best.

Anyway, I need YOUR help. I would love it if you read this new blog, and let me know what you think of it. And if you have a hack that you would like me to test, let me know! I would love to do it for you. Or hey, if you would like to do a guest post, THAT WOULD BE AWESOME TOO!!! 

FYI to kick off my blog, I've tested a bunch of Christmas hacks because Christmas (hooray!), and why not use some hacks if they work, right? I just posted my verdict on using a potato chip bag as a gift bag, and the hack that allows you to mail letters without envelopes. Please go check them out! 

*Muaz 💋* to all you readers, and if I don't post again this week, MERRY CHRISTMAS! My annual "Miss Keesh's Top 10 Memories" post is coming soon...hopefully before 2018. 

EPIC Lai Family Trip-- PART 1 WASHINGTON D.C.

My family recently took a very long road trip literally across the United States, and drove almost 9,500 miles/ 15,300 km in two months. I testify that it is way too much driving. But at least we had some major family bonding time.

Also, we traveled across the United States. How many people can say they've done that? I think my family has traveled to more states than even some Americans. Washington D.C. => New York => Ohio => Missouri => Illinois => Nebraska => Wyoming => Utah => Tennessee (where we dropped off one of my sisters for graduate school) => Nevada => Utah (my dad flew home to Singapore from here) => Ohio => Kentucky => Tennessee => Utah => California. 

Anyway, here are some highlights from our trip, beginning in Washington D.C.

This was my 3rd time going back to Washington D.C. this year (woah!), but this time I returned with my mom and one of my sisters. We went to the major Smithsonian museums, the Library of Congress, the Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, and visited the National Monuments.

Above: the Arlington National Cemetery; below: the requisite Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and White House.

I have to put in a plug for probably what is still my favorite Smithsonian -- the highly underrated Renwick Gallery. The pieces in the museum will make your jaw drop as long as you read the descriptions that accompany each piece. They will help you understand what you are viewing, and then your mind will 💥.

My mom and I also visited Ford's Theatre, where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. It was my first time there, and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour, despite the $3 admission fee (I'm spoiled by the free Smithsonians).

This is the theater box where Lincoln was shot...so historic!

Also, this:

A tower of books written about Abraham Lincoln. No kidding. I think only God has more books written about Him. It was thus ironic that the plaque at the bottom of the tower quoted Lincoln as saying, "Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all." 😅 Wonder what Lincoln would have said about these books. 

A few days later, my father and youngest sister flew to join us, and we attended the Washington D.C. temple as a family since...never! I just realized that this was the first time all five of us did a temple session together. 

The Visitors' Center also had a (relatively) new miniature temple model for visitors to see the interior of the building, with the real temple situated in the background. 😍

We ate at Shake Shack for the first time. The fries were okay, but the burgers were fantastic! We loved it so much, we went back again. We didn't get to try their famous frozen custard and shakes, but you bet we will next time.

Surprise, surprise but we met up with a couple from Singapore who now live in Maryland, and also the son of an old family friend from Utah. It was great to see all of them again, especially the family friend. My parents had not seen him since he was a little boy, and now he has a son of his own! 

It was also in D.C. that my family rented a mini-van. It was my first time driving a mini-van (heavy and huge), and driving in D.C. I finally understand why people complain about D.C. drivers because their complaints are ALL TRUE! It is terrifying to drive there. I'll just stick to the terrible-but-at-least-I'm-not-fighting-traffic D.C. public transportation system. 

Finally, I have to give a shout out to the Airbnb we stayed at. My family enjoyed the place, and it was reasonably priced considering that it is in Washington D.C. It is far from the National Mall (where the major sights are), but it was cheap to uber to the closest station (Fort Totten), then take the  20-30 minute train ride into the city. The host was attentive and helpful. Great place for a family! 

*Drumroll*

Guess what happened on August 6, 2017? 

I GRADUATED!!!

Happy dance day! 

[Picture taken a few weeks later at my sister's graduation from BYU, courtesy of her friend.] 

That robe...it was so RED and billowy. And guess how much it cost? US$500...

Not even close. $800?

Nope.

It cost more than a $1000. And I had to get it shipped to me, so extra shipping cost (no picking up from the store allowed). Freaking daylight robbery. You can rent it but it will still cost over $700. Also you would think after years of making gowns they would sew at least one pocket into the gown. Ha ha. No, it only had a slit, supposedly for men to be able to reach into their gowns and access the pocket in their pants. Good luck to those who could not find a skirt or dress to wear with pockets for graduation. I'm telling you, male privilege is a real thing. 

Anyway, did I tell you I graduated?! :) 

After months of holing up in my apartment synthesizing and analyzing my data, writing, revising, re-writing, tearing my hair out, not sleeping, breaking out in acne, and wrangling with the Graduate School over paperwork, IT IS FINALLY OVER!!! 

And to top it off, my parents and sisters flew in from Singapore and Utah to attend my graduation! 

My whole family together after two years! It was a great reunion. In fact, we have been traveling this whole last month, and I promise there will be more posts coming on this epic family trip. Let's just say, when we returned the rental car after borrowing it for a month, we discovered that we had driven over 9,000 miles! Ah. Family. And 

so

much

driving.

Also, the Lai Sisters are reunited!

But the frosting and cherry on top of my graduation cake was the fact that my best friend and her family flew in from Boston to SURPRISE me for graduation, and her husband took all the gorgeous pictures you see in this post. He did a fantastic job, and I'm so proud to display and post them!

Feeling so loved!

And her daughter...oh my word, you have never met a more friendly toddler till you meet her daughter. 

 She was sooooooooooo cute and friendly! 

Anyway, I did it! I got my doctorate, and now I'm officially "Dr. Keshia Lai." Not gonna lie-- it feels AWESOME to have that "doctor" title in front because I worked darn hard for it. It felt very good to be hooded, and receive the diploma from the president of the university himself. 

But I am also aware that 1) it's a HUGE BLESSING, 2) I couldn't have done it without these people: 

Btw, the above is an excerpt in my dissertation, so if you spot yourself in it, you are immortalized in my dissertation. Hahaha.

NOTE: I didn't list my friends in Singapore because I have too many but I did not forget you guys! I just could not write more because my Acknowledgements was getting too long. Just know I feel so loved to have so many good and supportive friends back home.

Most of all, I have to thank the LDS/ Mormon pioneers in Singapore for letting me interview them, and allowing me to use their information as the data set for my dissertation. Again, if my dissertation ever gets turned into a book, and they read it, I hope they will be pleased with what I did. 

What are my plans now that I'm a doctor (albeit a useless one)? Find a job...somewhere. I'll keep you guys posted. 

I PASSED!!!

I passed my doctoral dissertation defense today! I'm just exhausted so I don't really feel overjoyed or anything like that. Plus I need to do some minor editing before I turn over the final document, and I'm not looking forward to that.

But hey, it's the last 100-meter sprint to the finishing line. Woo hoo!

Me and my awesome committee after the exam :)

MILESTONE

Guess what?!

My dissertation is in the hands of my committee now! All 368 pages.

That's right. 368 pages.

Well, minus about 20 pages of reference/ bibliography notes, title page, acknowledgments, etc... That's still about 348 pages worth of writing. 

PHEW! Any wonders I'm burned out? My body has been so stressed that I've not been able to sleep well, I'm short tempered, my face has broken out with pimples, and I've contracted a cold. Urgh!

Going to take the next few days to rest and decompress, and have a good July 4th/ birthday weekend. 

Then I'll prepare for July 13, when I defend. 

Off to sleep!!!