Sunday, August 31, 2003

SUNDAY OBSERVATIONS
Since Karena and I have been ushering for the summer months, I've been able to observe the interesting habits of people as they walk into Sunday service. With this week being our church's Summer Conference weekend, most people were gone. With that in mind, we decided to rope off the two far rows of pews so that everyone could just sit in the middle. And as always, people always try to go under, over, or around those ropes to sit there. Why people do that even though it's obviously intended to keep you from sitting there is beyond me. In fact, if you notice, most weeks they have all the men ushers stand there to actually keep people from doing that. It's pretty sad ushers have to do that for a Sunday service.
The second observation I noticed is that people love to sit in the back and at least 1-2 seats away from other people. I understand the need for space and for sitting in the back (I used to always sit in the back of all my classes in both undergrad and graduate school). But, it makes life VERY difficult for the ushers when they have to collect the offering. Today was the toughest I've ever had to do since everyone was so spread out. It just seems like if we're supposed to be one body, we should sit like one body.
Hmmm ... maybe we need more ropes.

P.S. In other news, my car is all good now. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers!

Saturday, August 30, 2003

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
The Good: Nathan's Farewell Party
Last night was Nathan's farewell party at Ricky's place. I have to admit that I was a little worried the turnout might not be so good, especially since most people were a little late. But in the end, it all worked out. I feel like Nathan was encouraged and appreciated and received a proper send-off from his brothers and sisters. We joked that we would try to make him cry. He didn't ... but he came close. I will miss him dearly.
The Bad: My car
As most of you know, my car has never been the same after the accident I had about 5-6 months ago. And last night, Karena and I were in such a hurry to get to Costco to get food for Nathan's thing. And then, the car wouldn't start. We tried to jump it, but that didnt' work either. And after activating the alarm, my car's horn honked weakly and only the right side parking lights stayed on (even though everything was off) and wouldn't turn off. Weird. Anyway, we are here at Karena's work at 8am waiting for the tow truck.
The Ugly:
My face after yet another bad car incident. And let me tell you, it was VERY ugly!!!

Thursday, August 28, 2003

SPOTTING PEOPLE ON THE FREEWAY
While driving to work this morning, I saw Mike driving and I immediately got excited. I was right behind him so I tried to honk at him and flashing my headlights to get his attention. But he didn't look. So finally, I tried to work my way into the next lane and catch up to him so I could wave him down. He still didn't look. Finally, I had to roll down my window and thrust my hand out toward his car repeatedly until he looked over. We talked for about 3 seconds before we went our separate ways.
I don't know what it is about seeing people while they're driving, but if you're anything like me, it is one of the most exciting things. I HAVE to catch up to them and say hello. And if they don't see me the first time, I keep at it, trying to maneuver my car closer or to the side of them or in front of them -- whatever it takes until they see me. Nowadays, it's much easier since I can just pick up my cell phone and call them and tell them to look two cars to the left. But to me, that's cheating.
I am still a big fan of the chase ... the chase of getting their attention, that is.

Tuesday, August 26, 2003

QUICK THOUGHTS
1. I'm not sure why, but after hearing Madonna's Lucky Star playing at a mall two weekends ago, I've had this urge to listen to her music. So, I pulled out my Madonna's greatest hits CD (The Immaculate Collection) and was really rockin' to some of that old stuff. Meanwhile, Karena just shook her head in disbelief.
2. I was watching a little bit of the movie "O" the other day. That's the one based on Shakespeare's Othello. Anyway, I didn't get to finish watching the movie and can't remember what happens in the end of Othello. Does he kill himself? Or does he kill her? I know it's something like that. Can someone please enlighten me? If not, I'll have to go looking for my old stash of Cliff Notes.
3. We met with our wedding videographer last night after work. As part of our package, we will receive 2 VHS tapes of the ceremony and other footage from the banquet. But he is charging $100 for one DVD. At first, we thought we'd just take the VHS tapes and try to convert them to DVD. The problem, of course, is that they'll only be VHS quality. Should we spend the money and get the 1 DVD? Will we be able to copy that 1 DVD? My brother Raymond went back and forth on it, but finally suggested we should go for the DVD. What do you guys think?

Monday, August 25, 2003

COFFEE
Karena and I stayed up really late last night trying to get our stuff together to give to our wedding videographer. So when the alarm clock went off this morning, I thought it was a joke. I was so tired. But Karena was nice enough to make me some coffee as well (she drinks the stuff daily). I'm not a big coffee drinker, but I do like it. Basically, after looking at what the coffee grounds look like in the filter after it's all brewed, I can't imagine putting that stuff into my body on a daily basis.
But today, it really came in handy. It was as if a cloud was lifted from within my head. By the time I got to work, I still felt a little sleepy, but I was much clearer in the head. That made my morning cruise by.
(But I did have to pee an awful lot.)

Sunday, August 24, 2003

THE WAITING GAME
Last week, I spent a lot of time waiting. I took Karena's car in for an oil change and I ended up waiting about 3 hours for everything. In addition to the oil change, they also changed the air filter, but decided not to charge me for it since they made me wait for so long. So, even though all that waiting put me in a bad mood, I felt okay about it afterwards. During that time, I read the entire LA Times (and I do literally mean the ENTIRE thing), watched some TV (CNN and Access Hollywood -- I wasn't in charge of the remote) and read every single sign in the store. It was a Goodyear store so I feel very knowledgeable about tires now.
Another instance where I was waiting a long time was at Claim Jumper in Monrovia with Karena and Luong Baby. We waited nearly an hour for a table. During that time, we chatted about all kinds of things. But I looked around and noticed that some people were playing hot hands, playing checkers, eating snacks (even Karena bought a Claim Jumper cookie), and even playing 20 Questions.
It's amazing what some people will do and can accomplish when they're trying to kill time.

Saturday, August 23, 2003

MORTALITY
As a kid, I thought I was invincible. And most of us did too. I used to ride my bike down my hill (in Montebello) with no hands on the handlebars, full speed, without a helmet or other protective gear that are now required. One time, I fell forward and scraped up my whole face. One time, I broke my two front teeth. And even my sister got into the act, falling forward onto her teeth, chipping her front two teeth and pushing them up and into her mouth (requiring more than a few hours and a few return visits to the dentist).
But now that I'm a little older, I'm coming to grips with my mortality. And not just mine but also my parents (both sets). Both fathers have gone through some health issues recently and it's been ever-present in my mind that one day, they will not be with us. It's a scary thought and it's got me wanting to spend extra time with both of them (maybe a Dodgers v. Giants game or just having dinner to shoot the breeze).
But the truth is this, even though this is a cheesy cliche and slightly morbid, we should be interacting with people and loving/caring for them like it's the last time we're ever going to see them. Because who knows? It just might be.

Thursday, August 21, 2003

LUNCHTIME
I do kind of a unique thing for lunch. Once I'm done charting, I take my lunch (by the way, I always eat a sandwich, fruit, and drink water) and go to my car. That way, I can listen to The Dan Patrick Show on ESPN radio while I eat. When I'm finished, I recline the chair and take a nap. These power naps are the only way I can get through the afternoons. And I've got the whole thing down to a science: I bring my cell phone to use as an alarm and even have my contacts stuff so I can take them out while I nap and clean them and put them back in before going back to work. It's truly a beautiful thing.
But while I was eating today, I noticed all these people walking. Then, I realized all these people are walking ... for exercise. I can't imagine walking up and down a parking structure because of all the exhaust fumes going around. Don't they realize that they're going to be taking in more carbon monoxide-filled oxygen? I guess they do it because it's cooler than walking under the hot sun.
Whatever the reason, I guess we're both making good use of the time.
Does it make me feel lazy knowing that all these people are getting good exercise while I'm catching some zzz's? Not at all.

Wednesday, August 20, 2003

WORK
So much to learn.
I want to be better.
But I'm so lazy.
Now is my chance to practice and improve.
Even if it means looking foolish or feeling stupid.
In the end, it'll be worth it.

Tuesday, August 19, 2003

MELANIE AND BOB'S WEDDING
Here were the highs and lows:
1. It was incredibly warm in the church and all you could hear throughout the building were people fanning themselves with their programs.
2. Bob was compared to a "gorilla in a guitar case" by Mel's mother (don't worry, it wasn't meant to be a put down) and for the rest of the night, he was referred to as a gorilla. (It was hilarious, and Bob took it well!)
3. I particularly enjoyed when both mothers held hands on their way back to their seats after lighting the candles representing the lives of their children.
4. This was the first Sunday wedding I have ever been to and I have to say that the odds are against you that people will stay. Many people left after eating dinner and didn't even get to see Melanie and Bob cut the cake. But we stayed and enjoyed celebrating with them.
5. The food was a bummer for our table because we were one of the last ones to make it to the buffet line and every time we went up there, they were out of the prime rib.
6. Jason and I always play movie charades at weddings using the utensils, food, or centerpiece stuff at the table. The game was accented by some good ones by Debbie and Danette, and some good suggestions from Richard and Karena. Plus, it was great to have Dewey and Janet, Wing, and Karena Shea at our table.

Sunday, August 17, 2003

2 DAYS WORTH OF BLOGGING INTO ONE
Here goes:
Friday: Jerry Maguire is a movie that speaks to me on so many levels. One think I took away from that movie (after watching it probably over 30 times) is the central theme of the movie. He's a sports agent who writes this passionate pep-talk mission statement about having fewer clients so you can spend more time with them. And in the end, the payoff will be even greater, even if it meant more work for him. I gave a talk in Emmanuel Friday night with the same kind of feel to it. It was a pep talk about loving God, loving people, even if it meant that you'd have to put in my time and effort. In the end, the payoff is SO worth it. I hope it was well-received and some of the passion I had rubbed off on them.
Saturday: Karena and I took this class that will meet once a month from a chiropractor. He's a very eclectic guy who also teaches kickboxing, martial arts type stuff. He basically says almost all PTs are bad, but his stuff works. Two of my co-workers have learned his stuff and they get their patients going much quicker than most. Hopefully, I'll get good at it. In the evening, we had dinner with Luong Baby. I must say that he's a very special guy. He's someone you can joke with very easily and yet also someone who is not afraid to share openly and deeply about things. After we left, I couldn't help but think about all my groomsmen: Raymond, Michael, Jason, and Luong. And I just smiled, knowing these are gentlemen that I respect and have strong accountability with. What a great group of friends ... and brothers.

Thursday, August 14, 2003

SUNSET
In the midst of this crazy world, it's nice to be able to enjoy the sunset. The last few weeks have been especially good ones. Take my word for it, if you're in LA, just step outside anytime between 7 and 8 pm and look up. The clouds and sky (complete with pinks, purples, and oranges thanks to our smog) are amazing.

Tuesday, August 12, 2003

LOOKING BACK AT 7
I found an old tape of my 7th birthday party. It was so much fun to watch because it was held at my parents house in Montebello, complete with BBQ food, swimming, a pinata, and presents. Some people who were there included Simon Wai, Michael Cham, Darian Ng, and many of my neighbors.
It was so funny to see all of us young, super skinny kids having a good time being annoying little kids. Si and Michael definitely have to drop by sometime to watch this with me (although there is unfortunately very little screen time of Mike).
The knee high socks, the talk of the new movie Return of the Jedi, and people playing Atari sure brought back memories. Ahh, to be 7 again ...

Monday, August 11, 2003

QUICK THOUGHTS
1. I miss Ko and Charice. But I am VERY thankful that Ko gave me his old Nokia phone (a much smaller, shinier phone than the one I used for years).
2. My good friend and former co-worker London and his wife are pregnant. Congratulations! And immediately upon hearing the news, he traded in his beautiful sporty Jetta for a new Toyota Camry (aka "the Family Car").
3. Ever since the weather has gotten hotter (and into the triple digits like today), I haven't minded going into work so much because of the free air conditioning. Air conditioning is very important to me. But here's the interesting twist: I'm too Chinese to turn it on at home, but I'll turn it on immediately when I get into the car, even late at night when it's not so hot outside.
4. After having satellite TV for a few weeks now, here are some of my favorite channels: HBO, ESPN, ESPN Classic, TBS, Nickelodeon, The Learning Channel, MTV2, and VH-1. I'm still working on getting more into the Discovery channel, but I'm too obsessed with watching all the sports and movies I can right now.
5. I know this just started, but scaling back on some of my CEFC responsibilities is already freeing up time for me to spend with other people. This week, I'm having dinner with Charles Jin, breakfast with Luong Baby, lunch with Liz and Steven, and we had dinner with my family last night. And Karena and I are hopefully going to go out on a date soon(imagine a married couple doing such a thing!).

Sunday, August 10, 2003

SPEED
Karena and I just got DSL connection and life is good. It's pretty amazing how fast it is in comparison to my 10 hours of free Netzero. Now, I don't know what I'm going to do with all this extra time in my life that I won't have to spend sitting in front of the computer waiting for my page to appear. But, knowing me, I'll probably just use the extra time using the internet for longer periods of time.
I feel the need, the need for speed!

Saturday, August 09, 2003

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
I had to stay a little bit later at work on Friday to finish some charting. Meanwhile, I was getting really hungry and I wanted to take the rest of the bag of Fritos somebody had left for the staff to eat. But there was another guy who also was staying late so I tried to do the polite thing and offer it to him first (hoping he'd say no, of course). Our conversation went like this:
"Hey, Ed, why don't you take the Fritos with you?"
"Why?"
"'Cause if you don't, then I WILL!!!"
Ed, thinking that I was implying I didn't want the extra calories then did the unthinkable -- he poured out the entire bag of Fritos into the trash and said, "There, now we're both happy. Waste not, want not!"
I was mortified. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. All I could think about were all those good Fritos going to waste. Well, that, and the fact that the phrase "waste not, want not" didn't really make sense.

Wednesday, August 06, 2003

CAUGHT IN THE ACT
Just in case you haven't already heard, "The Worm" was brought out of retirement this past weekend ... twice. Thank you to Julie for catching me do that thing I do:
Picture #1
Picture #2
Picture #3
Picture #4
Picture #5
WEIGHING IN
I was really afraid to tell people, but I was trying my best to lose weight before the wedding. I was afraid to tell people just in case it didn't happen. But, luckily for me (and for Karena too) I did lose some weight. And I have to admit that it feels good when people tell me that. (This got me thinking that the best way to get people to tell you you're losing weight is to gain a whole bunch of weight, like I did after knee surgery, and then lose it until you're back to your original weight!)
But now, I'm sort of in a holding pattern since I'm not able to work out at UCLA anymore and I'm too lazy (or too Chinese) to sign up at 24 Hour Fitness. Meanwhile, my brother, who has also been diligently losing weight, is catching up to me. He is out on a mission to catch and eventually pass me. That would definitely be a changing of the guard since he's always been heavier than me ... maybe for our entire lives.
So, today, I got an email from him letting me know how diligent he's been with his cardio exercise and his improved eating. Then, he told me his weight. So, in response to that, I weighed myself, but was a little nervous to look at the number. But to my suprise, I'm 3 and a half pounds lighter! Thank goodness!

Tuesday, August 05, 2003

LIVING BY THE FREEWAY
There was an article in last weekend's LA Times Magazine about living close to the freeway. There were opposing viewpoints and some very poignant images of people living their lives literally a few feet from speeding cars.
I had the privilege of living that close to the freeway when I was living in West LA. My kitchen window looked out onto the 10 freeway. I enjoyed the experience, even though it was extremely noisy whenever I opened that window (As a result, I rarely did). But it was nice to be so close to the on-ramp and it was somehow cool to be able to watch accident, the way people drive, and to see the traffic all from the comforts of home. In some ways, it was better than reality TV!
And after we got married, we lived relatively close to the freeway, but not that close. Still, we enjoyed getting onto the freeway so quickly in the morning. That gave us an extra minute or two of sleep every morning (and you all know how an extra minute is CRITICAL in the morningtime!).
Now, we live a little bit further from the freeway and we no longer have those few precious minutes.
It just goes to show that living by the freeway is not such a bad thing.

Monday, August 04, 2003

FOOTLOOSE
I have to admit that a large part of me is still thinking about the good time I had hanging out with everybody and celebrating Jacob and Victoria's wedding. Even though this was a tough Monday, I kept thinking back to us all out there dancing to songs like Paperboy's "Ditty" and Montell Jordan's "This is How We Do It." And that brought a smile to my face and helped get me through the tough day.
That made me think of the movie Footloose, which made me think about whether dancing is a gray area or not.
And that made me think that this entire blog is very '80s. (Sorry for you youngsters who have no clue what songs or movies I'm talking about).
Do you see how my stream-of-consciousness thoughts just flow in my head. It's no wonder I need a blank canvas website like this!

Sunday, August 03, 2003

JACOB AND VICTORIA'S WEDDING
It was so much fun to celebrate with Shalom and Swan. Their wedding ceremony went rather smoothly in my opinion and the music was beautiful. The banquet had even more music, with multiple singing opportunities for Victoria and even some from Jacob. Here are my quick htoughts from the wedding:
1. The DJ was not the greatest, but everyone was ready to have a good time and that was best demonstrated by how many people were out cutting it up on the dance floor. Even people we don't see out there very often like Zhi, Daryl, Nathan, etc. were getting their groove on. It was beautiful!
2. Jacob has got a pretty good voice. He sang "(I Do) Cherish You" as part of a quartet, but he really held his own. Their kids are going to be so musically talented!
3. Karena and I always get placed in the "married couples" table now. It's not that we don't like it (since we get to hang out with Jason & Debbie, Richard & Danette, Charles & Lisa, among others), we still look back and remember the days when we sat with Reuel and Luong and made the most noise. Oh well, at least this way there's more food to eat!
4. Congrats (uh, I mean we're happy for) Jacob and Victoria! What God has joined together, let no man separate!

Friday, August 01, 2003

THE KAISER GUY
Kaiser Permanente acknowledges the way we employees feel in the morning with the highest importance. How do I know this? I know because they have the same volunteer stand outside EVERY morning to say "Good morning" or "Hello" or "Have a great day!" He always looks directly at you with a great big smile and sometimes even claps his hands and then points at you as to say, "You are the man!"
This guy always makes me feel good in the morning. But honestly, is it necessary that he do that through the rain, sleet, or snow? (Well, okay, since we're in Southern California, it's just through sun, cloud, and drizzle.)
Do I perform better or treat my patients nicer because he's out there every morning. Probably not. In fact, I usually forget about him by the time I start treating my first patient. But stil, he stands out there ever morning for a few hours a day.
It's nice, I appreciate it, but it's not necessary in my opinion. Still, I like it.

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