CN: You can be feminine but out in the working world, you had better know what you are doing because no one will give you a break just because you are a woman. You have to be tougher and professionally better than a man to stand a chance. If you want to play the "woman's game", then it is better to stay at home and let your husband protect you.

CN: If you know how to use your feminine qualities and the man is a sucker, then go for it. It is a tactic. A smart woman knows that is the way to go about it. It means that she is sure of herself and knows how to use her feminine qualities to get what she wants. There is nothing wrong with that. It has got to do with how sure you are about yourself. It is a matter of how willing you are to express your opinion. "This is how I feel about it. You don't like it? This is still how I feel about it."

CN: Every woman knows how to work in a man's world. If she knows how to utilize her femininity to get things done, fine. You can use what you have got to gain an advantage. It is not a crime to capitalize on it. Some feminists are rather extreme. But I don't feel it is wrong to be a woman. I like equality in business and employment opportunities. But I don't want to be a man. I want to be a woman but I want to beat the men at their game. I see them as competitors but not as men. So may the best person win.

CN: I am tough but I also have my vulnerabilities. I am sweet but I can be pretty nasty too. I am an ordinary person like everyone else except that I am more aware of my feelings and that of others; what works and what doesn't. I am constantly watching and learning. I learn so much every day, therefore I am never the same. I like the idea that I am improving every minute.

CN: The greatest ingredient of my success is that I am an eternal optimist. I can be beaten but I will rebound with renewed hope. It doesn't matter how many setbacks and putdowns I go through In order to sustain your enthusiasm and competitive edge, you need more than brute force. You need that spiritual strength. People think that being positive means never feeling low. It is not that. It means that you have the ability to bounce back naturally. like a rubber ball. You don't have to force it.

MC: Who has made the most impact on your life?

be more sensitive and find out what their strengths and weaknesses are. Women who are capable learn to make ways for themselves.

CN: I have a blind spot and that is, I don't see discrimination. I am a woman and an Asian, so I am supposed to have two strikes against me but I don't see it as that. I use my so-called liabilities as assets. I thrive on it. I wouldn't know how to compete as a man because I am not one. I do know how to compete using my feminine qualities in a man's world. Being Chinese is an asset. Compared to a Chinese- who is born in America and speaks perfect English with no accent. I think I am superior because I am the genuine stuff`.

CN: Well, if there is one, I do not know about it. I am happy that some think it exists because I don't have to compete with these women anymore. I compete with the men because I do not see myself as being inferior to men. I feel I have something to contribute and my gender doesn't matter. If you think there is a ceiling, you will be stuck underneath it. If you go beyond that, you play the game above it. I don't waste my time on the glass-ceiling because it doesn't exist for me.

CN: Yes, absolutely. In order for discrimination to exist, you first have to acknowledge it. When you do, it becomes real and you feel intimidated. I like to be in the minority who have a different perspective, who see reality from an extraordinary point of view. When that happens, you behave differently from the rest. You are one above them.