Week in Review

Friday's exam was a test of endurance as much as technical knowledge. I sat through the 8-hour exam. Believe me... my butt was never detached from the chair in each of the 4-hour sessions. Didn't even go the bathroom for 4 hours at a time. My back hurt badly at the end of the day. I think I did ok. At least I finished all the problems. We'll see in ... 3 months?

This week had been a heck of a week. Exam and all. I am happy and content by the end of the week. So a good thing.

Went to The Morton Arboretum to see the foliage. Very nice park. I will go back definitely... probably in winter and spring.

The Morton Arboretum

Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes

mom and chocolate cupcake

Finally tonight, I was able to dispute the myth or blame that my mom had been spreading since who knows when. The blame goes like this:

The reason that my mom has such a loud voice, according to her, was that she had to yell at me when I was little or she has been yelling at me since I was little... and as a result, her voice was made louder because of all the yelling and the root cause was that I was naughty and disobedient.

Hmmm... I don't know why I had been taking her blame for years without properly refuting her erroneous claim. And I don't know why it took me so long to figure out a way to refute her claim. But finally, I thought of something to say tonight at dinner when my mom made that statement again.

I said to my mom, "The reason your voice was getting louder and louder was not because of me, but because you've been losing your hearing!" Hahaha... finally.

Well... I wouldn't be able to say that years before because my mom, at that time, had not come to term with the fact that her hearing was bad and it was never going to get better. For years, she refused to go see the doctor and have her hearing checked. But a few year ago, she decided on her own to see the doc and got a hearing aid. Although the hearing aid doesn't help a whole lot. But she finally was able to accept that fact that she was probably born with weak hearing and her hearing ability got worse as she ages.

I have seen quite a few changes in Mom in recent years. She has gotten happier despite occasional emotional breakdown. But she's been trying very hard to deal with her emotion and trying very hard to accept the reality of things that sometimes she has difficulty taking in. And she is a good mom, very good mom regardless of how she would sometimes drive me nuts.

And tonight, she made this chocolate cupcake. Amazing... You know... I don't usually like chocolate cake that much. But this one... it's got melted chocolate inside with crusty top. Never had a cupcake this good. Oh... I asked how she put the melted chocolate inside... she said it just baked out like that. Unbelievable.

cool and windy

I finally got a chance to do some exercise this evening. I went running for a couple of miles. The weather was cool and windy, so I didn't break much sweat. It's getting dark earlier now. By the time I got back, it was quite dark and the cloud cover didn't help either.

Didn't accomplish much at work this week. Couldn't really focus... partly because of the upcoming exam and partly because of the lack of motivation. And there is this uncertain and at a loss kinda feeling all week. Well, hope everything will be better by the end of the month. I will be a happier man once the clouds are dispersed and sunshine is returned for better or worse.

Sunrise

I guess I do like sunrise too. Just I don't get up as early as I used to and just not able to appreciate the beauty of it. Sunrise does give you hope.

~~~~

Time flies,
or does it?
Not at this moment,
I believe.
The second ticks by
but slowly and slowly it goes.
Until time stops.
Everything stands still.

Wait, no...
It is not time that stops.
It is me, who is stuck
in the quicksand.
As I struggle,
I sink quickly.
I am wishing that time would stop
for a moment.

Yet, no...
I don't want to be stuck
forever.
What can I do
to escape the inescapable?
Or should I just be still,
very still,
waiting for the judgment of time?

A little prayer

My goddaughter is doing well so far and so are her parents. Thank you Lord for watching over them. May you continue to bless them and provide for them each step of the way.

~~~~

Just got a picture of Agnes. She is so cute! I am very proud to be her godfather.

Sunset

As I was driving home this evening (from a singout), the golden sun was setting behind the western sky. From blue to yellow to gold, the colors were further enhanced by the clouds that looked like cotton balls scattered all over the edge of the sky. By the way the sun has been hiding for almost two days.

I wonder why it is always the sunset that is the most beautiful. Though it signifies the end of the day, it is the prettiest moment of the entire day, even more so than the sunrise. No wonder we always want or hope for a good ending, an ending that is perhaps as pretty, if not prettier, than the evening sunset. I don't want an end, but if the end does come, I wish it would be a pleasant one, one that I will forever treasure and remember.

static electricity

Dad said he was almost electrocuted when he tried to turn on the lights just now. He said it was fortunate that he was wearing plastic slippers.

Turned out he was shocked by static coz he was wearing plastic slippers.

特首講文革

This is an absolutely horrid comment from our 特首 on democracy. Cultural revolution is an extreme example of democracy??? Unbelievable...

特首講文革原文

god-daugther

Ces and Robin gave birth to little Agnes last night. And I have the honor to be Agnes' god-father. I am overjoyed. Ces' pregnancy has been a bit of a bumpy road. But God is good and He certainly has blessed them every step of the way. Thank you Lord.

tired

one feels the loneliest when he is tired and exhausted.

Time for a post

Well... it's been a while since last post. Sorry for the rather long absence. Just busy studying... and perhaps playing too much with facebook. So... my pe exam will be in less than 3 weeks. I'll study my butt off. Wish me luck.