Karen is one of a kind. And anyone who has met her will agree.
We both joined Yahoo in September 2019 – me in Manila, her in Singapore. Given the small size of the team, we were all working together.
Karen and I built the foundation of our friendship over Yahoo Messenger. We started with work, then all the side conversations where we realized we liked a lot of the same things – movies, musicals, art and just all things pop culture.
When I first moved to Singapore, Karen welcomed me into her home (she's a TP OG!) while I looked for an apartment. She introduced me to her real estate agent, took me on my first Ikea run (for my own place) and was the person I asked about all things Singapore (long before Reddit and all the LLMs of today).
There's never a dull moment with Karen. You can talk to her about anything and everything, and she's definitely the person you want on your trivia team. The best part is that it's not to show off. Karen cares deeply about stories and how the sausage is made, which just makes you appreciate a movie or any piece of art even more.
Some of the best trips I've taken, I've taken with Karen. She was with me on my first trip to London, primarily to see Hamilton, but she also took me for my first fish and chips – to the Tower of London, and a random play in the West End.
On one New York trip, also primarily because of Hamilton, we walked the Brooklyn Bridge, had the best time at Peter Luger, and walked the High Line (which was all gray because of winter). She had all kinds of tidbits about the Oculus, which was walking distance from our Airbnb. And the morning after Peter Luger and Hamilton, we woke up to steak and eggs for breakfast, thanks to Karen.
Karen has been with me through a lot. When I first moved to Singapore, when we both left, reunited in Hong Kong, then back to Singapore and New York and back again. She is the friend who is always excited for you, always rooting for your success, and always has the right words when you need them.