Alex - you "exceed expectations"

That's what the last page of the evaluation said. I received a 2/5, an "Exceeds expectations" marking for my last 6 months on the desk.

Ecstatic? Completely. It has validated every little feeling of angst i've felt each day on the job. Everytime I was yelled at for fucking up a small detail on a trade to forgetting to order onions for someone's soup, this has made up for it; a million times over.

I've been hit by head hunters recently as well. People looking to poach me to explore other opportunities. It's gratifying and extremely honoring, but I can't leave. Not so soon.

The past few weeks have been good. I miss my family a lot. My parents and brother are in Taiwan. THey left little over a week ago to specifically participate in the elections to support the KMT. I'm glad their party won. I know my mother would be extremely sad if things did not transpire the way she wanted them to. At her age, it's tough to see her dissapointed at things in life. I wish i could take all of her stresses away. I wish she could retire and just enjoy her life knowing she had two children both independent and thankfully not needing their parents financial coddling.

I miss my brother too.