k_X_power_descriptor  k_tectonic

Despite my lack of OC-style effectiveness, I have survived many things. Below are the personal skills that saved my job and self-esteem/dignity

• — unsorted
• caring heart for my kids and my wife, even when I’m under work pressure . Not every man has it.
• focus .. on work projects, localSys, learning, IV prep,,,, (collectively considered “deep work”); on writing an appeal;;;; Grandpa had the same 看家本领.
• quality_focus .. developed over 20Y, I rely on my quality focus to avoid mistakes even when juggling multiple issues. I have earned colleagues’ trust.
• wellness successZ — diet, exercise –> free from most illness that my cohort suffer
• studies — Beijing transcript –> qualified for Hwa Chong JC
• studies — physics and math –> earned me lots of respect from fellow students, teachers, and other parents.
• studies — math, physics, English, Chinese –> qualified for NUS
• studies — strong foundation + hardwork –> survived MSFM
• resume-writing
• unix learning –> i learnt unix quickly and moved up from programmer to unix SA
• java learning –> i rose from a $2400 programmer to get a $5k Pac Net job in half a year (after I met Apple)
• java learning –> in-depth java interviews ] 2007
• JIV capabilities -> self-esteem
• .. JIV competence .. not directly tested over the past 4Y, but I still think it is more important than OTJ competence.
• GTD tech skills, including my “camp out” habit.
• debugging skills -> salvaged my reputation, my project during production outages caused by my defects at GS, MS, NYSE integrated feed,
• conserver lifestyle burn rate control -> housing -> self-esteem saved when my peers owned multiple properties (FOMO)
• conserver lifestyle burn-rate control. For these few years I’m blessed with windfall in salary + pre-inheritance but I know it will end someday so I remain a converver
• English –> saved my self-esteem. I put in so much effort for so long. i guess that’s instrumental to my resume and interviews
• English –> crucial in dealing with FSC, CPS, NAVH, IMH
• learning –> continuous, self-driven learning, with plenty of DRAM refresh/reinforcement, and note-taking –> to move out of perl, LAMP, ,,, into finDev –> saved my self from FOLB

Other qualities — not really “skills”, or didn’t exactly “save” me

• education and … –> found a woman of my dream