Things That Make Me Smile
March 9th, 2010
it’s midterms week on this side of the planet, and because i have a huge propensity for distracting myself with frivolous things during times of high stress, i did some brief excavating in my email account today. there are always such cool fossils to stumble upon in my inbox. the below exchange is one of them, and i came across it while searching for a future finance minister (long story). the context is that this person X and i ‘met’ for the first time via email when he sent me a really cordial message introducing himself. so every now and then i like to send him an equally cordial email introducing myself with my new persona of the day. this is just one of many such silly emails.
it made me smile so :)
10 August 2009
Dear X,
We don’t know each other, so I apologize in advance if this is too abrupt. I’m Su Ann, a friend of Chen Chow’s and am currently studying in New York. I’ve just completed my freshman year.
I’m having some issues regarding my major, and Chen Chow reckoned that you would be a good person to get in touch with. I really hope you don’t think this is too random, but I am truly quite confused and in need of advice. I’m thinking of getting my degree in the same combination as yours — applied math and computer science — and am seriously considering a career in options trading. Which firm isn’t important, but I suppose the bigger the better.
I’m currently one year into this plan. I love Economics, but Columbia’s econ program is a lot more quant than I’d bargained, and I’m flunking all my math-heavy classes. However, I heard that one doesn’t have to take a single course in Economics to secure an options trading position. Is this true?
I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m hopeless at math. And I just want to do cute things, but I’m receiving pressure from every angle to remove all cuteness in my life and tend towards a more practical route. Did you ever feel like this? Did you ever feel completely prickly and just wanted to hide away from the world and eat duck rice and ice cream (sequentially; not simultaneously) when you decided on your major and career path?
I would really appreciate it if you could impart whatever advice you have with regards to my questions. Chen Chow said you’d be nice — sweet, even :)
Best regards,
Su Ann
(this apparently needs a disclaimer, albeit at the expense of the joke — i don’t actually want to be a trader at the ‘biggest’ firm. this email isn’t even serious!) anyway. his reply:
Dear Su Ann,
Good to hear from you. First off, I must commend you on your successful completion of freshman year, especially at Columbia University, which is a reputably challenging institution. Congratulations also on choosing your major and career path so early on — it is surely reflective of considerable thought and maturity. I assure you your chosen track will be replete with setbacks and adversity, but will nonetheless enrich and inspire.
I suppose Chen Chow thought it useful to get in touch with me as it would seem we share the same proclivity for duck rice and disdain for mathematics. Truth be told, though I majored in Applied Math and Computer Science, I can’t even integrate. I have been able to conceal this embarrassing fact quite well, save for this one instance I tried impressing said non-ability upon a really cute but prickly girl — but that is another tale for another time. But the fact remains that work ethic, a pleasant demeanor, a good attitude and an unparalleled passion for the financial markets are really all you need to get your foot in through the door. I assume you grew up in Malaysia as well? If so, we are both able to bring our bi-continental experiences to the table; employers truly value that.
As for a firm, I highly recommend Firm Y. If you have no qualms about devoting long hours to a cause — and a firm — you truly believe in, there is truly no other financial institution that invests so heavily and genuinely in its troops.
And yes, it is true that you need not take a single course in Economics, but you need to beguile and charm the socks of your interviewers. As such, I would advise you to doggedly work at retaining all cuteness — it will surely be a key quality in the days to come.
I’d be very happy to discuss more in person. In fact, I will be in KL later this week if you’re interested? I’m not a fan of crowded spaces and Malaysian humidity, so if you’d like, why don’t you come over to my place? We can maybe take out some desserts and watch a dvd? Of your choice, of course :)
Best,
X
/giggle! what a toucan.
Entry Filed under: People
35 Comments Add your own
1. Patricia | March 9th, 2010 at 6:08 am
haha super cute! i love how it’s all very serious then suddenly there’s ice cream and duck rice. i dont have the nerve to do that! can i try it on a ceo if it’s a serious matter? would they mind? :P
2. Patricia | March 9th, 2010 at 6:09 am
oooh new background! <3 :)
3. Waifon | March 9th, 2010 at 6:13 am
why are you still so cute! and that’s a charmer O_O so witty.
eh pau when your realise that career option of yours (which i am really impressed with) can give maklumat dalaman ah wtf. come la we yamcha and talk la okay. steven’s corner old town also can :p
4. Michelle | March 9th, 2010 at 6:30 am
No wonder the way of pooh from kinokuniya!
5. ront | March 9th, 2010 at 7:03 am
how come i never got such email?!?!?!?
6. Keefe Chan | March 9th, 2010 at 8:40 am
Classy background ftw
7. Hannah | March 9th, 2010 at 9:58 am
Haha! “retaining all cute-ness”
Made my day. :)
8. caffy | March 9th, 2010 at 11:59 am
Giggled myself. :]
9. smartypants | March 9th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
such interesting repartee in all seriousness! both of you are so equally matched in wits, articulation & duck rice. thank you for sharing this interesting read.
10. kimberlycun | March 9th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
this is the most tedious version of “would u like to come upstairs for coffee?” i’ve ever seen. lol
11. sheon | March 9th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
yeah, classy background..profile pic is superb.
hahaha….kinda agree with kimberlycun!!
12. quaintly | March 9th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
patricia, apparently they won’t mind as long as you can charm and beguile the socks off them with your cuteness!
waifon, eh mengapa! dont u wanna be a lawyer anymore
michelle, what? the tao of pooh guy was a different guy la :) hehe they’d recoil in horror if they knew you confused them both
ront, why, you’re an applied math and comp sci major meh??
keefe, thank u! though it needs a colour change. this one looks a little too dusty for my liking. whaddya think?
hannah, mine too :)
caffy, isnt it such giggle inducing material?! “bicontinental experiences” hahahaha
smartypants, SMARTYPANTS READ MY BELOW POST ABT THE DEAD CROW POEM!!!
kimberlycun, what, kim, dont you like foreplay? :P
sheon, haha see my comment to kim
13. travis | March 9th, 2010 at 1:23 pm
nice one ! but why his place ?
14. quaintly | March 9th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
travis, cos it’s supposed to be an inside joke laaa haiyo!
15. smartypants | March 9th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
about dead crow – i know, i feel guilty as sin when i read your post :( feel so “abused’ by kementerian pendidikan- kbsm lit in english…. and i suppose it is still ongoing….
16. Michelle Chin | March 9th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
No i am referring to your cuteness. not timtam/tamtim.
17. Waifon | March 9th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
nooo i want but i want maklumat dalaman *nudge nudge* from you mah. a little more money won’t hurt wtf. i trust you to bring me WANG BESAR!!!
18. Voon | March 9th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
I didnt know you wanted to be an options trader. haha.. dont worry la i know someone who did classics and is doing fixed income trading.. =)
on another note.. why no girls ask me to help in maths one?!? sigh
19. Hernia | March 9th, 2010 at 6:24 pm
You tear him down and now this?
20. carol | March 9th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
SQUEALS
21. quaintly | March 9th, 2010 at 9:36 pm
smartypants, :(
michelle chin, oh ok!
waifon, NO LA i dont want to be a trader ok..!!!! why does everyone think i’m serious?! even if i wanted to be oso cannot make it
voon, vooooon i dont want to be an options traderrrr. this email is just a joke :(
hernia, hi random stranger who thinks they know lots of stuff :)
carol, u squeal what squeal !
22. Voon | March 9th, 2010 at 9:56 pm
why dont u want to become a trader?
23. quaintly | March 9th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
cos i’m a 25 delta option wtf
24. Voon | March 9th, 2010 at 10:43 pm
-.-”
25. suanie | March 9th, 2010 at 11:31 pm
heheheh i live for moments like this :)
26. Jin Rui | March 10th, 2010 at 1:50 am
if this was entirely mock-serious then i can only imagine how much you both must’ve been laughing over this. XD
it’s funny how you can be so subtly cutting with the meaner, more judgmental people who comment.
27. Jin Rui | March 10th, 2010 at 1:51 am
funny as in lucu, not weird or off-putting wtf.
28. Waifon | March 10th, 2010 at 2:17 am
eh i didnt read properly! sigh cheat my feelings ah you :((( eh cannnn, can make it! who thought add math will be the death of her and still emerged victorious! (though to- date relevancy of that success is questionable heh)
but on a serious, don’t go to duck king. cheated my feelings also. pudu got awesome siew ngo rice.
29. bejeweled | March 10th, 2010 at 8:35 am
x reminds me of mr darcy in pride and prejudice. i think it’s his charm and wit.
30. quaintly | March 10th, 2010 at 10:39 am
voon : ^___^
suanie : hehe tell kimberlycun that!!!
jin rui : seriousness is never to be mocked! and well some folks just need to be told nicely that their perspective is not my perspective (nor most people’s perspective)
waifon : whaddya think of the four seasons duck in KL?
bejeweled : hahahaha oh this comment did make my day. he is SO a darcy, you have no idea. in fact i used to joke with him that we’re just not meant to be, cos he’s a darcy, and really i’m more of a bingley type of girl
31. sheon | March 10th, 2010 at 11:57 am
i didnt know ‘foreplay’ can be this intellectual…….. hahaha
32. lynn | March 10th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
you’re too cute:)
and that is possibly the most deceivingly innocent message i have ever read. how cheeky!
aside: never quite saw you as a duck rice kinda person before! though i havent really thought about what kind of qualities i associate with a duck rice eater. haha sorry abt the bout of randomness.
33. quaintly | March 10th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
sheon, that’s the best kind , no? :P
lynn, i love duck rice!!! both the HK and malaysian stewed kind
34. xiao | March 11th, 2010 at 7:07 am
so adorableeee! love the ones with martian too
35. Victor | March 12th, 2010 at 11:37 am
This makes me feel like sending you an email too! But the problem is I can’t write so creatively. Oh well, that’s fine.
Btw, new web layout yang cantik.
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