Thursday, September 27, 2007
SUNRISE
Sunsets get all the glory. Whenever you want to set a romantic mood, it usually involves a sunset. And living on the West coast, it's easy to be at the beach and watch the sunset.
But one of the most amazing sights I've ever seen in my entire life is witnessing the sunrise from the top of Maui's Mount Haleakala.
That really helped cement my love for sunrises. And that's why I wish our church still did Sunrise service for Easter.
Sunsets may be cool. But I think sunrises are better.
Besides, afterward, you get to eat breakfast, my favorite meal of the day.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
CAR WINDOW
I have to give credit to Garth. After sitting in his car once, I noticed that he left each window cracked open just a little bit to keep his car from getting too hot while parked under the hot sun. After we ate dinner and got back into his car, it was surprisingly cool. I was really impressed, but didn't say anything.
But the lesson was learned.
So, I told Karena about it and started doing it myself and it makes a huge difference!
And now, my cousin Jennifer has added yet another improvement to my "cracking the windows open method." She recommended popping the top of my sunroof to cool it even further since hot air rises. A cool trick with a logical, scientific explanation. I love it!
I tried it on Sunday (after she told me) and my car was so amazingly cool, I was shocked.
So, to Garth and Jennifer, you both are awesome!
I have to give credit to Garth. After sitting in his car once, I noticed that he left each window cracked open just a little bit to keep his car from getting too hot while parked under the hot sun. After we ate dinner and got back into his car, it was surprisingly cool. I was really impressed, but didn't say anything.
But the lesson was learned.
So, I told Karena about it and started doing it myself and it makes a huge difference!
And now, my cousin Jennifer has added yet another improvement to my "cracking the windows open method." She recommended popping the top of my sunroof to cool it even further since hot air rises. A cool trick with a logical, scientific explanation. I love it!
I tried it on Sunday (after she told me) and my car was so amazingly cool, I was shocked.
So, to Garth and Jennifer, you both are awesome!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
DRAWING THE UNITED STATES
After our recent trip to Edmonton (and Banff) for Nathan and Doris' wedding, Eunice's move to Vancouver, and getting together with some friends who lived in Toronto, it's no wonder we've had Canada on the brain.
Karena and I were talking about how America, in general, has little respect for Mexico or Canada. In fact, Karena remembers drawing the United States as a kid and filling all the borders with water in place of Mexico and Canada, per her teacher's instructions. And now that I think about it, I think I did the same thing.
Telling that to some of our Candian friends made them furious!
As for me, I just found it funny.
Friday, September 21, 2007
LUNCH BAG RECALLED!
I though I was so lucky. Less than a year ago, I answered a nutrition question about vegetables correctly and got a free lunch bag. It was so well-made and was big enough to carry all the food I needed to eat over the course of my 10 hour work day.
Turns out, I wasn't lucky at all.
In today's LA Times, an article on the front page mentioned that the California Department of Public Health is recalling all those lunch bags because they were potentially made with unhealthful levels of lead.
So, even though this lunch bag has served me well (including serving Jason, Luong, and Michael on a hiking trip), I will have to get rid of it.
Anybody have an extra lunch bag?
Thursday, September 20, 2007
COMPUTER CLASS
The problem with the 4 day training I'm embarking on right now at work is the large differential in people's knowledge of the computer. We have some people who are really smart and are very computer saavy. Then, we also have those people who almost never touch a computer and are so illiterate that they ask questions like, "Are you saying I should click this big button that says "LOG OUT" to log out of my workstation?"
This has led to long delays and a lot of time gets wasted.
But I'm getting really good at checking my email and reading internet news during class. Hey, at least I'm not falling asleep. Well, actually, I did that too.
Man, thank God I'm not in school anymore. I don't think I could survive it anymore.
The problem with the 4 day training I'm embarking on right now at work is the large differential in people's knowledge of the computer. We have some people who are really smart and are very computer saavy. Then, we also have those people who almost never touch a computer and are so illiterate that they ask questions like, "Are you saying I should click this big button that says "LOG OUT" to log out of my workstation?"
This has led to long delays and a lot of time gets wasted.
But I'm getting really good at checking my email and reading internet news during class. Hey, at least I'm not falling asleep. Well, actually, I did that too.
Man, thank God I'm not in school anymore. I don't think I could survive it anymore.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY
Thanks to Nathan for sending me this email news story to remind me that today is "Talk Like a Pirate Day."
So, we spent the day telling our best (or worst) pirate jokes. Here are some of the highlights (or lowlights):
(1) What is a pirate's favorite letter? Arrrrrr!!!!!
(2) What is a pirate's favorite place to eat? Arrrrrrrrby's!!!!
(3) Why couldn't the kids go see the pirate movie? It was rated Arrrrrrr!!!
(4) How much did the pirate pay for corn? A buccaneer
(5) A woman ran into another man had a peg for a leg, a hook for a hand, and a patch over his eye.
"Why do you have the peg leg?" she asked.
"I was battling Moby Dick the whale and lost my leg," the man explained.
"Why do you have the hook?"
"I was looting some treasure from some bad men when one of them took my hand, but I took his life."
"And why do you have the patch?"
"Well, I was looking up and a bird pooped on my eye. And I had only had the hook for just a few days . . . "
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
When most people get engaged, it's usually a private time between the two people. And while there's nothing wrong with that, it was truly a beautiful and moving experience to celebrate with Michael and Sabrina, along with their family and close friends after they got engaged last Friday.
After proposing, Michael surprised Sabrina with a small gather of family and close friends. After witnessing all the hugs, laughs, excitement, and tears of joy, I was really overcome with emotion.
Congrats to one of my oldest and best friends. Sabrina, you're getting a great guy! And Mike, I'm happy to know that you're getting a great girl!
God has blessed you both richly!
Monday, September 17, 2007
DAFT HANDS
Many of you have heard Kanye West's new song "Stronger." You might not know that it samples a song from Daft Punk called "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger."
I heard about this You Tube video where this guy wrote all the words on his hands and uses his fingers to show you each word while the song if playing. The song and words get faster and he's able to keep up. It's pretty amazing.
(P.S. The first 45 seconds are kind of repetitive. Just stick with it.)
Sunday, September 16, 2007
MIGHTY IS THE POWER OF THE CROSS
What can take a dying man
And raise him up to life again?
What can heal the wounded soul?
What can make us white as snow?
What can fill the emptiness?
What can mend our brokenness?
Brokenness?
(Chorus) Mighty, awesome, wonderful
Is the Holy cross.
Where the Lamb lay down His life
To lift us from the fall.
Mighty is the power of the cross.
What restores our faith in God?
What reveals the Father's love?
What can lead the wayward home?
What can melt a heart of stone?
What can free the guilty ones?
What can save and overcome?
Overcome?
(Bridge) It's a miracle to me
It's a miracle to me
It's still a mystery
And it's still a mystery
It's a miracle to me
The power of God
For those who believe
(Chorus) Mighty, awesome, wonderful
Is the Holy cross.
Where the Lamb lay down His life
To lift us from the fall.
Oh and mighty, awesome, wonderful
Is the Holy cross.
Where the Lamb lay down His life
To lift us from the fall.
Mighty is the power of...
Mighty is the power of...
Mighty is the power of the cross.
(Ending) Thank You for the cross.
Thank You for the cross.
I love the cross.
I love the cross.
It's a powerful cross.
What can take a dying man (thank You Jesus)
And raise him up to life again? (thank You Jesus)
Worship You Jesus (wonderful cross)
By Your wounds we are healed
By Your wounds we are saved
Mighty is the power of the cross (echo)
Mighty is the power of the cross (echo)
Thank You Jesus
For the Holy cross
Thursday, September 13, 2007
NICE RESTAURANT FAUX PAS We once went on a family vacation and had dinner with my dad's former classmate and his daughter. He chose a fancy restaurant, where we all felt a little out of place and didn't know what to do. Later, my mom felt like she had let her kids down by not exposing us to more cultured eateries.
Perhaps, this experience caused me to get nervous at all nice restaurants.
This week, Karena and I went to a Tam O'Shanter Inn, a decently nice restaurant associated with Lawry's. Everything was going so well. I had dressed up, I was extremely polite to our hostess and our waitress.
But when my salad came, she said, "Would you care for a chilled salad fork?" I thought about it, as I stared at the fork, and said, "Ummmmm . . . . ummm . . . sure."
After she left, Karena laughed at me and told me that she was asking rhetorically. She expected me to take the salad fork because one is not provided for me on the table already. I had no idea, but apparently that is basically the norm at nice restaurants.
Next time, I'll stick to eating at Sizzler's.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
RAINBOW SLIPPERSIn my ongoing quest to stay "cool" and "current," I was really excited to get my first pair of Rainbow slippers. All my cousins have them and it seemed like all the cool people at church had them too. (I know, this sounds very high school of me.)
I wanted my own pair to see what all the fuss was about since everybody was telling me that they're comfortable and look good.
Of course, the one caveat about them is that they take a while to break in. And during that "breaking in" time, they are MURDER on your feet.
Thanks to Liz and Steven and Karena, I got my first pair a while back and committed myself to breaking them in. I happily endured the pain because I couldn't wait until they got more comfortable and I could wear it without pain. But after wearing them on our most recent trip to Las Vegas, I just about discarded them. It had taken way too long and they still left red painful marks on my feet.
But just this week, they softened up. And now, they're getting pretty comfortable with no painful red marks.
The rain has finally given way to the rainbow.
(Okay, bad pun. Sorry.)
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
SEPTEMBER 11
Today, please take a moment of silence.
A moment for prayer.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
CALEB
Nowadays, whenever I'm unhappy or troubled, one thing that always puts me in a better mood is seeing pictures (or videos) of Sandra and Gabe's baby Caleb.
I was fortunate to spend the majority of the day with him today. When he's around, everybody crowds around and wants to play with him, hold him, etc. For me personally, it's a great feeling and such a departure from the frustrations of regular life. There's just something so natural and so soothly to watch a kid play with a toy or explore the label on a bedsheet or laugh at "peek-a-boo."
Sometimes, life is too complicated and it feels good to get back to some simplicity.
Here are just a few photos of his recent trip with his parents to Hawaii.
Friday, September 07, 2007
LIFE
My co-workers were bored at work and stumbled upon my blog. They spent a lot of time looking at the pictures and reading some of the entries. Mostly, they were out to make fun of me. But, one positive thing that came out of it was that it got me looking at some old entries I wrote years ago.
One such entry was one I wrote about 3 years ago ring very true for me today, as I am still struggling with anger at work, stress, and various frustations in life. Here it is:
So, at some point in your life, if you are unhappy, you're forced to do something to change that life: Get out of the job you hate. Break up with that significant other you've been dating for years. Change majors. Buy a new sports car in response to your mid-life crisis.
But at what point do you say, "Wait. I'm just out to please myself right now?" There has to be more to life than that. And there is.
Maybe you're stuck in a situation you feel you can't get out of. And you jump at the chance of the first sign of daylight, like a bug will jump out of a can it's caught in the second the cover is removed. None of these things are directly happening to me right now.
But I'm undergoing an internal struggle trying to figure out human nature and what makes people happy in life and why people make certain decisions. And all this, while knowing that God and His unconditional love for us make our lives worth living.
But what about the people who don't know Him? This is actually the main impetus for me to reach out to people. Obviously, I hope God uses me to "save" people from eternal condemnation through my interactions.
But also, I want them to know that this life isn't just random. And we're not just here to satisfy our temporary desires in an attempt to make us "happy."
Life isn't easy, but it's possible to have joy, true joy, when God is in your life. I just hope and pray that the ones I love (and the ones I don't too) know that and believe it and live it.
My co-workers were bored at work and stumbled upon my blog. They spent a lot of time looking at the pictures and reading some of the entries. Mostly, they were out to make fun of me. But, one positive thing that came out of it was that it got me looking at some old entries I wrote years ago.
One such entry was one I wrote about 3 years ago ring very true for me today, as I am still struggling with anger at work, stress, and various frustations in life. Here it is:
So, at some point in your life, if you are unhappy, you're forced to do something to change that life: Get out of the job you hate. Break up with that significant other you've been dating for years. Change majors. Buy a new sports car in response to your mid-life crisis.
But at what point do you say, "Wait. I'm just out to please myself right now?" There has to be more to life than that. And there is.
Maybe you're stuck in a situation you feel you can't get out of. And you jump at the chance of the first sign of daylight, like a bug will jump out of a can it's caught in the second the cover is removed. None of these things are directly happening to me right now.
But I'm undergoing an internal struggle trying to figure out human nature and what makes people happy in life and why people make certain decisions. And all this, while knowing that God and His unconditional love for us make our lives worth living.
But what about the people who don't know Him? This is actually the main impetus for me to reach out to people. Obviously, I hope God uses me to "save" people from eternal condemnation through my interactions.
But also, I want them to know that this life isn't just random. And we're not just here to satisfy our temporary desires in an attempt to make us "happy."
Life isn't easy, but it's possible to have joy, true joy, when God is in your life. I just hope and pray that the ones I love (and the ones I don't too) know that and believe it and live it.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
WIRELESS ROUTER
I'm so frustrated. My sister help find this great deal on a Linksys wireless travel router from buy.com. At first, everything seemed great. Once I figured out how to hook everything up, I was enjoying the good life of using my laptop all around the house to surf the net.
But several months ago, it mysteriously broke down. After spending countless hours on the phone with Linksys, speaking to a guy from India that I could barely understand, they determined that my router was indeed broken.
So, they had me package up the old one and they shipped out a new one.
Everything was great again . . . until today.
Just like that, it stopped working again.
Now, I'm back to the wired life . . . and not being able to take my laptop around the house (aka, into the bathroom).
Boo!!!!! =(
I'm so frustrated. My sister help find this great deal on a Linksys wireless travel router from buy.com. At first, everything seemed great. Once I figured out how to hook everything up, I was enjoying the good life of using my laptop all around the house to surf the net.
But several months ago, it mysteriously broke down. After spending countless hours on the phone with Linksys, speaking to a guy from India that I could barely understand, they determined that my router was indeed broken.
So, they had me package up the old one and they shipped out a new one.
Everything was great again . . . until today.
Just like that, it stopped working again.
Now, I'm back to the wired life . . . and not being able to take my laptop around the house (aka, into the bathroom).
Boo!!!!! =(
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
FACING THE GIANTS
Rarely do I ever say that a movie has changed my life. I mean, I love a lot of movies from classics like "The Sound of Music" to cheesy '80s movies like "Back To the Future" to serious dramas like "A Few Good Men", etc.
But this past weekend, I saw a Christian football movie called "Facing the Giants." It was very inspirational and reminded me of two life lessons: (1) When we win, we praise Him. When we lose, we should still praise Him. (2) With God, nothing is impossible. This movie has truly changed my life just from two easy and simple reminders.
Granted the acting is not the best and there are no stars whatsoever in the movie, but it's got a lot of heart and will really make you think about how you live your life. Even if you don't like football, it'll still be worth watching because the underlying themes of the movie have nothing to do with football at all.
I definitely recommend renting it if you get a chance.
Here's a very inspirational clip, if you want just a taste of what the movie is like.
Monday, September 03, 2007
A BETTER LABOR DAY SUNDAY
In year's past, many of you have read about how difficult it was to help serve during the Sunday worship service while most everyone was away at Summer Retreat. With very little man-power and even less equipment, sometimes the task was daunting, although I tried not to let that get in the way of worship.
However, this year, was different. Yes, I still ended up helping to serve as worship leader and to help serve communion. But I think the decision to having Pastor Chou lead the group in acapella hymns and to have nothing but quiet during communion and offering was a nice change of pace.
Plus, afterwards, we were fortunate enough to accompany Enoch and Luong down to UCSD for the Volleyball tournament and the evening service. In between, we ate some DELICIOUS BBQ from Phil's BBQ in San Diego. This place is a MUST at some time in your life.
Having missed the last several Summer Retreats, it was so great to worship with the entire church and to hang out with friends and having meaningful conversations I might not have otherwise had.
This Labor Day Sunday proved to be much better than in years past.
In year's past, many of you have read about how difficult it was to help serve during the Sunday worship service while most everyone was away at Summer Retreat. With very little man-power and even less equipment, sometimes the task was daunting, although I tried not to let that get in the way of worship.
However, this year, was different. Yes, I still ended up helping to serve as worship leader and to help serve communion. But I think the decision to having Pastor Chou lead the group in acapella hymns and to have nothing but quiet during communion and offering was a nice change of pace.
Plus, afterwards, we were fortunate enough to accompany Enoch and Luong down to UCSD for the Volleyball tournament and the evening service. In between, we ate some DELICIOUS BBQ from Phil's BBQ in San Diego. This place is a MUST at some time in your life.
Having missed the last several Summer Retreats, it was so great to worship with the entire church and to hang out with friends and having meaningful conversations I might not have otherwise had.
This Labor Day Sunday proved to be much better than in years past.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
WHAT SHOULD I CALL THEM?
Now that I'm a little older, I've begun to have trouble deciding what to call people at church. See, when I was younger, it was easy. They were all "Uncle" or "Aunt". But there are other people of similar age that I've worked with and gotten to know in committee or business settings so I've only called them by their first name.
For example, I always refer to Enoch & Eunice's mom as "Auntie Angelina" because that's what I've been calling her since I met her back in the 6th grade. But since I really only got to know Henry Chiu when we were on the Fellowship Committee together, I call him "Henry."
And then there are just some people I always only use their first names.
So what is the cut-off? Is it a certain age? And what happens now that I'm a little older and considered an adult?
This thought came up because at Eunice's farewell party, I said hello to Grace Chan by calling her "Grace." However, in the same moment, David Han said hello to me and I felt like I should call him "David" although I have always referred to him as "Uncle David." So, I ended up nervously (and not very smoothly) said, "Umm, hello . . . umm . . . hi." It was really embarassing.
Now that I'm a little older, I've begun to have trouble deciding what to call people at church. See, when I was younger, it was easy. They were all "Uncle" or "Aunt". But there are other people of similar age that I've worked with and gotten to know in committee or business settings so I've only called them by their first name.
For example, I always refer to Enoch & Eunice's mom as "Auntie Angelina" because that's what I've been calling her since I met her back in the 6th grade. But since I really only got to know Henry Chiu when we were on the Fellowship Committee together, I call him "Henry."
And then there are just some people I always only use their first names.
So what is the cut-off? Is it a certain age? And what happens now that I'm a little older and considered an adult?
This thought came up because at Eunice's farewell party, I said hello to Grace Chan by calling her "Grace." However, in the same moment, David Han said hello to me and I felt like I should call him "David" although I have always referred to him as "Uncle David." So, I ended up nervously (and not very smoothly) said, "Umm, hello . . . umm . . . hi." It was really embarassing.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]