I can’t remember how many times when I ask my friends exactly what the problem is, their reply would always be five to ten minutes of continual beating around the bush excuses, instead of explaining in two to three sentences what the problem really is. My father was the kind of guy who “tell it as it is.” There was no “well, maybe, unless, perhaps, or nearly, it was either a “yes” or a “no”. So even in my early childhood, I learned really fast to always be clear, objective, honest and straightforward with him or else I won’t get anywhere.

ABC's of Becoming An Effective Teenager - by Lin Miao    

While I was in high school, I developed this habit of always watching people and how they responded to things. When I’m walking, when I’m talking, and when I’m eating, I love to watch people. I don’t know why I do it, but I think it’s just my curiosity of wanting to understand all of the various human characteristics.