Other: Rest in Peace, Lulu

About a year ago I wrote a blog post about the growth of my girlfriend's desk cactus. Seeing it grow was quite the journey. Sadly, the crested bunny ears cactus -- affectionately called Lulu -- has finally perished. I know this isn't a big deal for most people because it's just a plant, but I'm a sentimental guy so even the smallest of goodbyes mean a whole lot to me. I intended to write this within the week I heard the news of Lulu's departure but I wasn't able to find the time except for now.

One of Lulu's ears fell off :(

After Lulu's ear fell off, the rest of her started to crumble away. It seems cacti of this species has a lifespan of about a couple of years. My girlfriend isn't neglectful when it comes to taking care of Lulu. She watered the cactus every day she was at the office so this isn't a case of mistreatment. Nevertheless, Lulu's time has finally come. She had a special way of brightening up the office with her light shade of green. We may replace Lulu with a different cactus but that doesn't mean we will forget the uniqueness of Lulu.

R.I.P.

March 2018 - December 2019

Technology: Different softwares used in different companies

I'm someone who's worked in many different places. I've stayed in one large company for a long time but I've earned my keep in a bunch of other smaller companies as well. While there are clearly objective differences between my longest stint and my shorter stints, there are some things that I've noticed that people tend to not bring up when they move around different jobs. Here are some of the few things I've noticed when it comes to the tools.

1. Outlook vs Gmail

The large company I stayed at lived and breathed Microsoft's Outlook. Smaller companies on the other hand used Gmail to work. Outlook is arguably more outdated but it's more systematized. Gmail is more at the forefront but that doesn't mean the company itself is ahead of the game, especially if everyone is just using their personal gmail accounts instead of the business package that Google offers.

2. Internet Explorer vs Google Chrome

My old large company made us work on Internet Explorer, despite all the comments and jokes about it being so slow online. It's the default browser we use to access web applications even though Google Chrome does a better job at it. I reckon it's because IE is less hassle on the digital infrastructure of the company.

3. Emails vs Workhub Apps

My old huge company didn't have any Workhub Apps. All the work was discussed through email. Younger and smaller companies opt to use workhub sort of apps like Podio to communicate and get work done. Podio wasn't the only workhub I used mind you. Transcription companies have their very own specialized WorkHub apps that deal with audio files.


That's about all that I can mention right now. Why did I bring this up? Because I worked at my old job for nearly 2 years now. I can't help but notice how much I miss using those "outdated" tools like IE and Outlook. Maybe they weren't so bad regardless of all the complaints online. Sure I'd agree with those memes if I tried to work on my laptop, but the IT team at my old company found a way to optimize the performance of all computers in the office so that they all work well in unison.

I guess I'm writing this short blog post just to say I took them for granted. Moral of the story is never take things for granted. Thank you for reading.

Other: Watching the growth of a Crested Bunny Ears cactus

My girlfriend at work once purchased a Crested Bunny Ears Cactus (Opuntia Microdasys) that's been sitting at her desk for about half a year now. She has a natural green thumb so she's been regularly watering the plant twice weekly out of instinct. I'm kinda envious because I've had potted plants on my desk as well but I can't seem to keep them alive very long.  My girlfriend's cactus (affectionately called Lulu) has been growing surprisingly fast. Below are pictures of her as she's been growing up:

Picture taken when Lulu first came and settled in the office in May 2018

When Lulu first came in the office like this, I had half-expected she'd stay the same size all throughout the course of our time in the office, or that she'd wither away (given my experiences with plants, and not knowing that my girlfriend knows well how to take care of them.)

After 3 months, Lulu began growing a tiny stub on her right ear at the beginning of August 2018

It's very small but there's no mistaking it that something was growing on Lulu's right ear. It grew quickly in August, as the tiny stub got longer and reached higher and higher.

Lulu's stub a week after it's first appearance, still in August 2018

After yet another week into August, Lulu's stub was a stub no longer.

Lulu's current state, this December 2018

I'd like to add that writing on the whiteboard behind Lulu became a bit tricky now that Lulu got so much bigger than when she first got to the office. Lulu's bite stings and the pain can last for days if you don't wash the inflicted area. It's not that her spines were poisonous; they're actually just very minute in size, almost as if they're tiny clumps of hair. They detach from the cactus when you come into contact with it. The spines cling to your skin like they're tiny splinters and it hurts when you touch them. Since there's way too many to pull out using tweezers, washing the area is the only option.

With all of that said, we love Lulu all the same. She's been growing nicely underneath the fluorescent light of the office and cool, office air conditioner air. Her positive disposition can always brighten up the day.