Summer 2006
March 18, 2015
My friendship with Jung-Min started almost a decade ago, in the summer of 2006. We were both sent to Beijing by Thomson Reuters to set up the data operations center there, alongside many others. It was a unique season.
In our first weekend there, we explored the ancient city together. I remember sizing up this big Korean guy and wondered if he was “any good”.
To my delight, I found that he liked to eat and talk, did not mind me getting us lost and was married. I knew then that this friend was a keeper. Plus, he was really easy to please. For him, ordinary food tasted great, great cuisine tasted “ this is AMAZING!” and amazing delicacies were “this is AWESOME!” Food always tasted better around him.
Even 10 years later, he still talked about the noodles we had for our very first hotpot together. He is such sentimental person who takes great delight in simple things. Living in the same service apartment, taking cabs to and from work, working out and hanging out with Min and Erin daily was good fun. There is never a shortage of good stories from him and with him. Very early on, Min made it his mission to chaperone my love life. He would often ask “Do you have a boyfriend?” I would always say “no” and he would look like a sad puppy. And then he would ask again a few days later. Finally, one day I said to him, “maybe.. would you like to vet him for me?” He looked like he hit the jackpot. And of course the rest is history. Some might have questioned my wisdom in asking Min, coz he’s not the most disagreeable person. But I knew he loved me as a friend. That’s enough, and he clearly did right by me. :) Working alongside him in TR and Morningstar over the last 10 years was great. He was my best friend at work. I’ve not had one before him, and I’m not sure I will have another one after him.
He was always a wild card and it’s hard to predict what would come out of his mouth. I affectionately say, “he asked the most inappropriate questions” and say the “darnest things”. He had this positive energy that was infectious, and everything was a “can-do-it” with him, no matter how difficult the task at hand was, even when he was fighting his epic battle with MDS.
I'm missing you a ton tonight, Min!
To my delight, I found that he liked to eat and talk, did not mind me getting us lost and was married. I knew then that this friend was a keeper. Plus, he was really easy to please. For him, ordinary food tasted great, great cuisine tasted “ this is AMAZING!” and amazing delicacies were “this is AWESOME!” Food always tasted better around him.
Even 10 years later, he still talked about the noodles we had for our very first hotpot together. He is such sentimental person who takes great delight in simple things. Living in the same service apartment, taking cabs to and from work, working out and hanging out with Min and Erin daily was good fun. There is never a shortage of good stories from him and with him. Very early on, Min made it his mission to chaperone my love life. He would often ask “Do you have a boyfriend?” I would always say “no” and he would look like a sad puppy. And then he would ask again a few days later. Finally, one day I said to him, “maybe.. would you like to vet him for me?” He looked like he hit the jackpot. And of course the rest is history. Some might have questioned my wisdom in asking Min, coz he’s not the most disagreeable person. But I knew he loved me as a friend. That’s enough, and he clearly did right by me. :) Working alongside him in TR and Morningstar over the last 10 years was great. He was my best friend at work. I’ve not had one before him, and I’m not sure I will have another one after him.
He was always a wild card and it’s hard to predict what would come out of his mouth. I affectionately say, “he asked the most inappropriate questions” and say the “darnest things”. He had this positive energy that was infectious, and everything was a “can-do-it” with him, no matter how difficult the task at hand was, even when he was fighting his epic battle with MDS.
I'm missing you a ton tonight, Min!