Monday, December 31, 2007



GETTING OLD

I must be getting old.

In years past, I was always excited to be hosting a New Year's Party that brought many people together. I loved making people play "forced fun" games. And I loved that it gave people who were back home for only a short time (like Amy, for example) a place where she could go and see everybody all at once.

And although I have to admit that I'm already missing the exhilaration of having close family and friends together, I'm looking forward to having a nice quiet night.


Saturday, December 29, 2007


TRAINING THEM YOUNG

Thanks to some creative Christmas gift giving by my cousin Kimmy, the training of turning the son of two Cal Bears into a Bruin has begun.
This is almost as good as the UCLA Tyrone look alike.
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Friday, December 28, 2007



EATING OUT

Karena is usually in the mood to eat out. After all, we're young. We live in a big metropolitan city that amazing places to eat of all different kinds of food. We're DINKs (double income, no kids).

So, this week, we decided to do just that, albeit, we still didn't go anywhere especially fancy.

On Wednesday night, we went to Old Towne Pasadena to eat at Cheesecake Factory. The crazy part of that night was that a shooting had occurred across the street earlier in the evening and when we arrived, the TV crews were everywhere. In fact, we found out what happened while a TV reporter was interviewing an eyewitness. And we ended up being seated right by the window right in front of the TV news van, so we got to see how they broadcast live and edit the footage. That interesting part of the evening made up for an otherwise horrible night at Cheesecake, where the food they served tasted bad and the service was even worse. But if you ever go there, we recommend the Thai Chicken Pasta and the Chicken Madeira.

On Thursday, we had the privilege of having dinner with Mike and Sabrina at Mimi's Cafe. In spite of their raising their prices, it's still one of our favorite places and usually our first choice when meeting up with friends or family for dinner. In fact, since moving to Glendale 4.5 years ago, we've eaten at that particular Mimi's Cafe with Raymond & Sandra, Karena's sister Rani and her aunt Eva, Ryan and Enoch, Albert, Simon and Suzanne, and a few others. If you go, we recommend the Meat Loaf, the Pot Roast, and the French Onion Soup.

Thursday, December 27, 2007



WOULD YOU EAT IT?

When I got back to work on Wednesday, I found one last huge slice of apple pie sitting on the desk. The problem was that it was not ever put in the fridge and had been sitting out for two days.

Still being a little squeamish about eating food that has been left out, I asked some of my co-workers if they would eat pie that has been left un-refrigerated for two days. Almost all said no.

Finally, I decided that it would probably be okay if I just cut off the two ends. I figure bacteria couldn't travel past the ends, right? Some of my co-workers disagreed.

So I thought it would be a good idea to microwave it. Nuking it would kill all the bacteria, right?

I was all set to eat it after treating my last patient of the morning, when, to my surprise, somebody had already thrown it out. I guess one of my co-workers was looking out for me.

Still, I ask you, would you have eaten it?


Wednesday, December 26, 2007

CHRISTMAS UP NORTH
We made the most of our trip to the Bay Area. Even though we were only up there for literally 2 days, including driving time, we managed to see everybody we had planned on seeing.
We first visited Gary and Regina and got to see their beautiful home right along the water. Granted, we didn't get there until after 10pm and Regina had to work the next day, but we still had a great time visiting with them.
We stayed with Karena's aunt's family. We also spent Christmas Eve with all of Karena's dad's extended family. There is always a lot of food there (complete with a time for appetizers, main course, and dessert). And for the first time, I got to be included in their family picture that sported over 20 people. (It was my first time because they don't take the picture every year.)
Finally, on Christmas morning, we got to visit with Raymond & Sandra and Sandra & Gabe & Caleb. We feasted on some delicious pancakes and waffles together before we headed back home.
I've decided that I'm not such a fan of the street/traffic signs in the Bay Area. Many seem to be poorly lit or put in the wrong place. It helped to have Karena navigating for me. But it's worth putting up with a little driving difficulty to spend time with family.

Sunday, December 23, 2007


MERRY CHRISTMAS

I'm about to do my yearly Christmas tradition of sitting in front of the Christmas tree to reflect and pray. I'm not sure why I started doing this, but I usually sit there with absolutely no lights on in the entire house except those on the tree,. Before I do any of that, I had to write this:
. .
Merry Christmas to you all
. .
I hope this holiday season brings you closer to the Lord, closer to your family and friends, and allows you to show goodwill to all those with whom you come in contact.

Friday, December 21, 2007















IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

As is the case with many other people, one of my favorite movies to watch at any time of year (but especially during Christmastime) is the classic "It's A Wonderful Life."

This year, watching it proved to be especially meaningful because of some of the struggles I've been going through lately. I nearly wept when I watched the moving scene where George Bailey earnestly prays, "Show me the way. I'm at the end of my rope."

In fact, here is something Jimmy Stewart wrote about that scene:

The character I played was George Bailey, an ordinary kind of fella who
thinks he's never accomplished anything in life. His dreams of becoming a famous
architect, of traveling the world and living adventurously, have not been
fulfilled. Instead he feels trapped in a humdrum job in a small town. And when
faced with a crisis in which he feels he has failed everyone, he breaks under
the strain and flees to the bridge. That's when his guardian angel,
Clarence,comes down on Christmas Eve to show him what his community would be like without him. The angel takes him back through his life to show how our
ordinary everyday efforts are really big achievements.

Clarence reveals how George Bailey's loyalty to his job at the building-and-loan office has saved families and homes, how his little kindnesses have changed the lives of others, and how the ripples of his love will spread through the world, helping make it a better place.

Good as the script was, there was still something else about the movie that made it different. It's hard to explain. I, for one, had things happen to me during the filming that never happened in any other picture I've made. In one scene, for example George Bailey is faced with unjust criminal charges and, not knowing where to turn, ends up in a little roadside restaurant. He is unaware that most of the people in town are arduously praying for him.

In this scene, at the lowest point in George Bailey's life, Frank Capra was shooting a long shot of me slumped indespair. In agony I raised my eyes and, following the script, pled, "God ... God ... Dear Father in heaven, I'm not a praying man, but if You're up there and You can hear me, show me the way. I'm at the end of my rope. Show me the way, God ..."As I said those words, I felt the loneliness, the hopelessness of people who had nowhere to turn, and my eyes filled with tears. I broke down sobbing. This was not planned at all, but the power of that prayer, the realization that our Father in heaven is there to help the hopeless, had reduced me to tears.

My prayer today: "Show me the way."

Wednesday, December 19, 2007




A LOOK AT MORMON THEOLOGY AND PRACTICE

I realize it might have been unfair to put up a post about Mitt Romney and the Mormon faith, like I did yesterday, without giving a little background into him and to the religion. Although I'm not necessarily endorsing him, I find all the whoopla about the Mormon faith interesting.
So, here is some Mormon theological principles in a Q&A style taken straight out of this past Sunday's LA Times:

Since he entered the race, Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney has faced questions about his Mormon faith. Last week, the former Massachusetts governor said the questions had gone too far.He accused rival Mike Huckabee -- a Southern Baptist minister -- of attacking his religion by suggesting that Mormons believed Satan and Jesus were brothers. Huckabee, a former governor of Arkansas, promptly apologized.

Huckabee has said he knows little about the Mormon faith; he's not alone. Many Americans are unfamiliar with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here's some background on Mormon theology and practice.

How did the Mormon Church get started?
In 1820, a 14-year-old boy named Joseph Smith Jr. knelt in the woods near Palmyra, N.Y., to ask God which church he should join. He later reported that he saw two glowing figures who told him that all the churches of the day had fallen into apostasy, believing false doctrines. It would be up to him to restore the truth. Over the next several years, Smith said he was visited by an angel named Moroni, son of Mormon, who directed him to golden plates buried in upstate New York and helped him translate them from a language Smith called "reformed Egyptian." The Book of Mormon was published in 1830; the church was founded that year with a handful of believers. Since then, it's grown to 13 million members worldwide, including nearly 5.8 million in the U.S.

Do Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers?
Mormon theology holds that the savior and the devil are both sons of God. Therefore, an official church website explains, "Jesus was Lucifer's older brother." But as former Mormon Bishop Scott Gordon points out, the faith also holds that all human beings are sons of God, which would make everyone a sibling of Christ (and of the devil). Mormons believe that Lucifer was not born evil but turned into a power-hungry glory-seeker. He opposed God's plan for mankind and was cast out of heaven.

Do Mormons believe in the Bible?
Yes. Mormons consider the Bible the word of God, though they do not take every verse literally. They generally use the King James version; there is also a translation and commentary written by Joseph Smith.Mormons also revere three books of additional scripture. The Book of Mormon tells of Christ's sojourn in North America; Smith (who taught that the Garden of Eden was located in rural Missouri) prophesied that Christ would return to the New World one day.A second book, "The Pearl of Great Price," is said to contain writing from Moses and Abraham.And the "Doctrine and Covenants" includes the rules that govern everyday life, such as the prohibitions against Mormons drinking alcohol, coffee or tea.

What do Mormons believe about God?
Mormons believe the Heavenly Father is the same species as man; he has a body of flesh and bone -- only more perfect than we could imagine. He's married to a Heavenly Mother. Mormons do not accept the traditional Christian doctrine of the Trinity; they view God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit as three separate beings.

What do Mormons believe about heaven?
Mormons believe that men and women can become like God in the afterlife. This does not mean that they will replace God; he remains more perfect and reigns over all. But men and women can achieve some degree of deification and become "joint heirs with Christ," said Gordon, president of a Mormon theology group called FAIR.Heaven is divided into three kingdoms. The top, "celestial," tier is where God dwells and is reserved for men and women who have been baptized and married in a Mormon temple and who have done good works on Earth. The second tier is open to anyone who accepts Christ on Earth or in the afterlife, and the third tier -- which is still glorious but removed from God's presence -- can include non-Christians, Gordon said.Those who have accepted Christ but then willfully turn away from their faith are banished to the "outer darkness."

Why do Mormons baptize the dead?
Mormons say they want to give everyone a chance to enter the most exalted realm of heaven. So they perform "baptism by proxy," in which young Mormons (generally teenagers) step into a baptismal font while the names of the dead are recited. The dead, hovering in a spirit world, then have a choice to accept or reject the Mormon faith.Because only couples who have been married, or "sealed," in a Mormon temple can achieve the highest realm of heaven, there are also rituals for posthumous weddings.

Why can't non-Mormons go into a Mormon temple?
Everyone is welcome to attend regular Sunday services in Mormon meeting rooms, known as wards. But Mormon authorities aim to keep their temples sacred by excluding nonbelievers. (They won't allow outsiders even to attend a son's or daughter's temple wedding.)Practicing Mormons must be screened every two years by their bishops, who will ask questions such as: Do you believe in God and Christ? Are you giving 10% of your income to the church? Are you chaste? Are you honest? Do you smoke or drink? Those who pass get a "temple recommend" that allows them to participate in sacred rituals.

What are those sacred rituals?
Men and women of good standing undergo a ritual cleansing ceremony when they reach maturity, usually about age 20. They also go through an "endowment session" when they are instructed in rules for faithful living. The temples are also used for weddings and for baptism, marriage and endowment ceremonies for the dead.

Don't Mormons have to wear special underwear?
At the time of their ritual cleansing (known as "washing and anointing"), both men and women are given temple garments, which look like a boxers-and-T-shirt set embroidered with sacred symbols. Mormons are expected to wear their garments daily, though not every minute. The garments are supposed to remind them of their promises to God and thus provide spiritual protection.

Who can become a Mormon priest?
The Mormon Church has no paid clergy. Most boys in good standing are named deacons at age 12. (They act like altar servers in a Roman Catholic church, passing bread and water used in communion.) At 16, most boys become priests and can bless the sacrament. At 19, they're ordained as elders and generally sent off for two years of missionary work. Women can serve as missionaries but are never priests.The church is led by a president who is considered a living prophet, a member of an unbroken chain of prophets including Joseph Smith and stretching back to Jesus Christ. The president governs the church with two counselors and 12 apostles, all males. All can receive divine revelation. In 1978, for instance, the church president said God revealed a need to end the practice of excluding blacks from the priesthood, even though the Book of Mormon describes dark skin as a divine mark of disfavor.

What was Romney's role in the church?
Romney served two years as a missionary in France.In the mid-1980s he was the bishop of his church in Belmont, Mass. In that role (which is unpaid but hugely time-consuming), he would have organized Sunday services, counseled members in crisis and distributed charitable funds. He conducted the interviews to determine who could enter the temple.Romney also served nine years as "stake president," a largely administrative role that involved overseeing about a dozen local churches.He no longer has a formal position in the church, but continues to practice faithfully and tithe 10% of his income.

Do Mormons practice polygamy?
Joseph Smith taught that men could take multiple wives, and some early Mormons did. Non-Mormon authorities vigorously fought the practice, and the church officially ended it in 1890. Members who take more than one wife are excommunicated.

Are Mormons Christians?
Many denominations do not consider Mormons to be Christians. Some call the faith a cult. Mormons say they are Christians because they accept Jesus Christ as their savior.

Where can I get more information about the faith?
The church sponsors two websites, www.lds.org and www.mormon.org. The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, a group that defends Mormon theology, offers details at www.fairlds.org.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007


MITT ROMNEY AND MORMONISM

One interesting twist to this year's presidential hopefuls is Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts and hard-core Mormon.

Because of the presence of Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister who took a shot at Romney when he declared himself the "Christian candidate", the candidates' faith have become a major issue in this year's debates. Although many people, including me, consider Mormonism to be a cult, many evangelicals still consider voting for Romney.

I, personally, am not opposed to voting for him either because many of my values are similar to his. However, my main question is whether the doctrines handed down by the current "prophet" in Utah will affect Mitt Romney's decisions on matters of presidential importance and national security? After all, if I vote for Romney, it's to have him as president, not the governing body of the Church of Latter-Day Saints.

I've always been curious about the Mormon faith after my freshman year of college, when I had a Mormon roommate who left for his 2 year mission and later transferred to BYU. Although theologically, we were very different, I really respected and admired his convictions, his passion, his knowledge of the Bible and Book of Mormon, and his "clean" living. Plus, he was truly excited and felt privileged to give up two years of his life to learn Portuguese and evangelize in Brazil. Would I or other evangelical Christians have that same mind-set and desire?

In any case, there is a lot of good that Mormons do and much we can learn from them. But at the same time, the theology is too different to consider them Christians, in my opinion.
Still, I think you have to ask yourself if aside from all that, you can cast your vote for a Mormon and see him as President.

I think you can.

Sunday, December 16, 2007



CAN I PULL THIS LOOK OFF?

A few weeks back, while getting dressed for church, I tried to put a sweater over my button-down shirt. I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, "I don't think I can pull this look off." And then, when Karena looked at it, she thought the outfit didn't look very good so I scraped it.
But I was determined to make it work today. So, I tried to find clothes that would match my blue sweater and just went with it. And I was even undetered when Karena thought I couldn't pull the look off. I told her, "I bet I get at least 2 compliments today."
Turns out, I got four compliments!
Next, I tried to pull off the rollin gthe sleeve back and having my shirt untucked. I figure all the cool kids are doing that nowadays. Well, I guess I'm not very cool because I don't think I look very good like that.
Oh well, one out of two ain't bad.

Friday, December 14, 2007


AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE

When I was younger, the sky was the limit. I could have become a doctor, a lawyer, an NBA player, a teacher, anything. I could have married a beautiful woman and live in a beautiful house (Thankfully, this one came true!). I could have been or done nearly anything because I felt like anything was possible. I had my whole life ahead of me and things were going great.

But at this point in my life, I feel that things are changing. Although, in the grand scheme of things, I'm still young, I'm beginning to feel like the sky is no longer the limit. So far, I would say that my life has not quite turned out as I would have planned. And there's just too many things affecting my life that are out of my control. And that's left me feeling helpless.
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Granted, I have been thoroughly blessed beyond more than I could have ever imagined. Still, I find myself not dreaming big anymore and no longer hoping/expecting good things to happen now. I guess that's just my protective mechanism so I don't get disappointed anymore.

Maybe I'm just not as naive as I used to be. Or maybe I've just become cynical about life. But I find myself getting disappointed and feeling a sense of loss more and more often over the last 10 years.

Perhaps I'm just being greedy and should be happy with the many blessings I already have in life -- great wife, great family, stable job, good friends, etc. After all, in this season of Advent, I've really focused on the excitement of the coming of Christ and of having joy and peace that only He can bring. Or maybe my expectations about life are too high.

In either case, I find myself sadly let down that I'm no longer dreaming.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007


COOL VIDEO

Thanks to Melanie for sharing this video done to the Casting Crowns song "Who Am I."

Check it out!

Monday, December 10, 2007







WHICH FREEWAY IS THIS?

Some of you may recall that I recently wrote about watching some old TV shows that I enjoyed as a kid, including the show "CHiPs." Others may also remember that from time to time, Karena and I make bets with each other to see who is right about something trivial (see "Which Chan brother looks more like LL Cool J?")

While watching the CHiPs' intro, I asked the question that I've been wondering for 25 years: What freeway are Ponch and John riding on? I looked it up online and discovered that they primarily used the 2 freeway and the 118 freeway during construction and off hours to film all their crash scenes on freeways. So, I figured it had to be one of those freeways.

However, in pausing and watching the end of the intro in slow motion (see photos), Karena is convinced that she sees the Bonaventure (and its distinctive round glass shape) and several downtown LA skyscrapers in the background. She figures it had to be the 110 freeway. But, I argue that, even back in 1980, there is still WAY TOO MUCH grassland nearby for that to be Downtown LA. No chance.

Can anybody help me out? I think I'm going to win this bet! =)

Saturday, December 08, 2007



PT CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASS

Karena and I went to a continuing education course held at the LAX Westin. In addition to hearing various surgeons and physical therapists speak on the spine, we were privileged to also hear USC football's Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Carlisle. Since I'm a Bruin, I didn't care for him too much. But maybe, I'm still bitter over the way they killed us last week.

What was much more exciting and interesting (and most relevant for us as PTs working on patients) was having the Lakers' PT Alex McKenchnie give a talk and demonstration. He developed several exercises with resistive bands to improve an athlete's core strength. Afterwards, we spent about 15 minutes talking to him along. It was amazing to shake his hand and then have him use me to demonstrate some of his techniques and principles. Seriously, I could have listened to him talk all day.


Thursday, December 06, 2007

QUICK THOUGHTS
1. Keifer Sutherland is serving his 48 day sentence at the Glendale City Jail. Anybody want to join me in visiting him while he's in the slammer?
2. I hope this isn't too gross for people. I was at work sitting around 4 women talking. Everybody already knew that my stomach was still not 100% since the food poisoning incident. Suddenly, a male co-worker walks up to join the conversation. Soon, it starts to smell . . . really bad. Apparently, somebody had passed gas in a big way. I immediately got nervous because even though I knew it wasn't me, I figured they'd all think it was me since I was the one having stomach problems. And yet, as we all know, whenever that happens, we all have to play it off like we didn't smell or notice anything. So, I'm sure they'll go on with the rest of their lives thinking it was me.
3. Have you heard Linkin Park's song "Shadow of the Day" yet? It's awesome.
4. There's seems to be more and more people in the world like the 20-year-old gunman who opened fire in an Omaha mall yesterday. I feel horrible that this world is so full of people with real hurts and real pains. The best thing I can do is love the people I come into contact with in my life and to help them find peace that only Christ can bring.

Wednesday, December 05, 2007


LITTLE DRUMMER BOY
In many ways, I often feel like the Little Drummer Boy.
I don't have much to offer, but I'll offer up everything I can to my Savior.
That's why this is always one of my favorite Christmas songs each year (especially the Jars of Clay version).

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum, When we come.

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum, On my drum?

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007


ACUPUNCTURE


As a Chinese person, I've seen many acupuncture treatments in my lifetime. It's not a new concept to me, although I always thought it was kind of weird and difficult to explain by Western medicine standards.

Still, I always believed it could help people and does have a place in medicine.

I had accupuncture for the first time last night for my hip and to help me get over the food poisioning incident. After having 10 needles placed in my back, my hips, and one behind my knee for 15 minutes, I have to admit that my hip did feel better. I also began to feel better from the effects of the food poisioning. And the best part was that the needles don't even hurt. (I'm usually pretty chicken when it comes to shots. I have no trouble watching someone else get injected, but I hate it for myself).

Unfortunately, today my hip hurts again, but not as bad as it usually does. And although Karena and I are not 100% just yet, we feel pretty close. So, thanks for your thoughts, prayers, and well-wishes.


Monday, December 03, 2007


FOOD POISONING
I can't quite attribute my night of throwing up directly to Ranch 99 Market, but there is a strong possibility.
After church yesterday, Karena and I went to every Chinese person's favorite market to buy some vegetables (gai lan and bok choy, etc.) Karena got the good idea of buying some steaks too so we can have a complete dinner. The thought of her making her delicious rib eye steaks sounded really good to me! So, we bought some of that and some chicken there too.
We even joked about how we probably shouldn't buy meat from here because you may not be able to trust it. But I just rationalized that we grew up eating this stuff so it should be no problem.
Big mistake! After buying the meat, we did put it in the fridge at Karena's parents place but later left it sitting in teh car while we made a 40 min stop at the Glendale Galleria.
Karena basically cooke the steaks right as we got home. And after eating our steaks . . . the night of throwing up began.
Today, we both are at work (stupid us), but we both feel very weak and tired and have eating almost nothing. Karena has only had a ginger ale and a Gatorade. I've only eaten 7 Ritz crackers and some Gatorade.
So, although I'm not telling you not to buy meat from Ranch 99, you might want to think twice the next time you're there.

Sunday, December 02, 2007

STUPID-FUNNY JOKE
Around 6th or 7th grade, I reallly started to get into jokes that I deemed "stupid funny." These were the most easy to tell and the easiest to understand for everybody. But, of course, they were stupid so sometimes the jokes missed badly. Still, it was a small price to pay for a potentially good laugh from everybody.
Here's is a recent stupid funny joke I heard that I liked:

Why don't they play poker in the jungle?

Too many cheetahs.

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