Reflection

Lonesome Chicago

2008-06-25T23:13:00.001-05:00

Tennis Lesson

2008-06-10T23:57:00.003-05:00

Had my first tennis lesson this evening. It was fun. Learned forehand today. I was sooo happy coz the couch said I was a natural and I have a very nice form. :) After 6 lessons I will be able to play tennis with my cloud 9.

Support Chicago Cares!

2008-06-04T21:41:00.002-05:00

I am proud to be volunteering at the 15th Annual Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon on Saturday, June 14. I am one of 8,000 volunteers who will register to make Chicago a better place as we paint, plant, build and beautify at schools across the city.

I am writing to ask you to make a donation to Chicago Cares and support my commitment to volunteer service. Chicago Cares creates, manages and leads community service programs that meet the city's most critical needs (more than 200 every month!) Chicago Cares' year-round community service programs make Chicago a better place for all of us, and they can't do it without our financial support.

Please consider making a tax-deductible gift of $25 or more to Chicago Cares. It will mean a great deal to me. My goal is to raise at least $250 for Chicago Cares.

Thank you in advance for your consideration and support. I need to turn in all of my donations by June 14, so please make your donation today by visiting www.chicagocares.org.

All gifts to Chicago Cares are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Follow This Link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support Chicago Cares

Zion Nation Park

2008-05-12T10:40:00.002-05:00

Went hiking at the Zion National Park in Utah on May 3. Beautiful sandstone cliffs. The weather was perfect for hiking.

Zion National Park

You are my sunshine

2008-04-13T16:12:00.001-05:00

Words and Music by
Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell

The other night dear, as I lay sleeping,
I dreamed I held you in my arms,
but when I woke dear, I was mistaken,
and I hung my head and cried.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
you make me happy when skies are gray
you'll never know dear, how much I love you,
please don't take my sunshine away.

I'll always love you and make you happy
if you will only say the same
but if you leave me to love another
you'll regret it all some day

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
you make me happy, when skies are gray,
you'll never know dear, how much I love you,
please don't take my sunshine away.

You told me once dear you really loved me
that no one else could come between
but now you've left me and love another
you have shattered all my dreams.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
you make me happy, when skies are gray,
you'll never know dear, how much I love you,
please don't take my sunshine away.

San Francisco & Napa Valley

2008-04-11T23:41:00.001-05:00

Trip to Bay Area

Silly Me

2008-04-02T16:00:00.000-05:00

Just an emoticon () would put a smile on my face for the entire afternoon... How pathetic am I?!

April Fool's Joke

2008-04-01T17:26:00.003-05:00

Background History: [Colleague #2] who has a history of not showing up for work. [Colleague #1] is upset at [Colleague #2]'s behavior and doesn't understand why [Boss] is tolerant of [Colleague #2]'s behavior.

~~~~~

[Colleague#1],

[Boss] and I have talked about this and we have decided to delegate this important responsibility to you. We can't think of a more suitable person to handle this extremely crucial task given the professionalism and timeliness you demonstrated everyday at [Company]. We believe you would perform this duty to the perfection. No other person in our office can possibly be in charge or is even deserved to be in charge of such an important duty.

Here's what we have in mind:

As you know, [Colleague#2] will be moving down to the [City] area in April. In order to improve his attendance at the office, [Boss] and I think that it would be helpful to [Colleague#2] that YOU would give [Colleague#2] a morning call at 6:44 on weekday morning. And a follow-up call at 7:29 am. If he fails to show up at work, you would then head to his apartment and knock on his door and employ whatever means necessary to get him out of his bed.

Again, we think highly of your talents in coming up with ideas of encouraging [Colleague#2] to get up in the morning and come to work. And given your excellent track record in being the most responsible person in our office, we believe you would handle this task beautifully. We understand this is no easy assignment. And we wouldn't have assigned this duty to you if we don't think highly of your abilities. We appreciate your willingness to take on the most difficult tasks and your most positive attitude in accepting this challenge.

[Me]

~~~~~

[Colleague #1],

Keeping it real, [Me] and I discussed this at length yesterday and we know this may prompt a knee jerk reaction-not necessarily positive. Therefore, we ask that you please sleep on it and really consider the value this will bring to the organization. It would be greatly appreciated and a real show of your team spirit. Thank you for considering this very important request.

[Boss]

~~~~~

[Boss],

I hope this is an April Fool's joke!

[Colleague #1]

~~~~~

[Colleague #1],

Oh yeah, it is April 1. Like I said, your immediate reaction was not expected to be positive. Why don't you sleep on it, we can talk seriously about it on April 2.

[Boss]

~~~~~
At this point [Colleague #1] was seemingly mad and I had a hard time keeping my face straight. So as [Colleague #1] was writing the following email, I announced to her, "April Fool!" The following email was sent anyway and my boss had no idea that [Colleague #1] already knew about the joke.
~~~~~

[Boss],

I don't need to think about this request. It is not something I want to do. I feel that [Colleague #2] should be able to get up on his own. If you force this responsibility on me, I will give my notice immediately!

[Colleague #1]

~~~~~

[Me] and and [Colleague #3],

Holy Crap she's mad!

[Boss]

~~~~~
Phone rang and it was [Boss].
~~~~~

[Me] and [Colleague #3],

Man, you guys got her good. Way to go! [Colleague #1] is a force to be reckoned with.

[Boss]

Hiking

2008-03-24T23:50:00.000-05:00

Sunol Regional Wilderness

quartet and dentist

2008-02-29T10:22:00.005-06:00

Our quartet did a show at a local veteran's home Wednesday night. The show went real well except that I screwed up the last song--Traditional Blessings--couldn't quite hit the highest note in the song. I guess my voice was almost gone by the end. This is the first real on-our-own show we did by our quartet. Actually the Lead was sick and our chorus director substituted.

It was good to sing to the old folks. Think quite a few of them have Alzheimer's. They seemed really out of it in the beginning. Some had eyes closed. Some were mumbling. Some were dazed. But the most amazing thing was that once we started singing, you could see them reacting and responding to the music. Some were singing along even with their eyes closed. Some started to pay really close attention. I even saw tears streaming down one guy's shut eyes. The songs were the ones that were familiar with. The songs reminded them of the old days and things that they still remember. To me, those were very touching moments.

~~~~

Had a dentist appointment this morning. Haven't had one for at least 2 years. I was so worried that the doctor was going to say that all my teeth were rotting away. But it turned out ok. Will need to have some work done on a couple of molars next month. Other than that, everything was good. I got strong bone structure and fairly good teeth. Not susceptible to decay. The doctor suggested to take out a couple of wisdom teeth. Oh well... not so sure about that. I'll make an appointment with an oral surgeon and see. I was really really impressed by the hygienist. She was so good... and gentle. Not hurting one bit and My gum didn't bleed at all. Just amazing. Never had one as good as her. I am happy as a clam today.

A long absence

2008-02-19T21:52:00.002-06:00

Sorry for the prolonged absence. Had been very busy. Heehehh...
Anyway...
I read an article on Chicago Tribune today, titled Happiness is overrated. I think I am going to read the book. I find there's certain true to the statement that "joy grows out of melancholy." And in fact, I do think that being in sorrow does increase creativity. I write best when I am a little down... or a little upset.
Alright... I am really tired tonight for some reason. I should head to bed soon. Good night, folks.

Bad bad weather

2008-01-29T22:23:00.001-06:00

Worse weather I've ever seen in my life and I was driving through it tonight. I've seen snow storm... ice/wintry mix... but man.. this was just amazing. 50 mph wind... blowing snow. On the highway, visibility was almost zero. You know what though... I am glad I made the trip tonight coz on the way back I picked up someone who was stranded on the interstate. He was walking on the shoulder and waving and shouting "help" ... I stopped and he hopped in. Man, if he stayed out there 15 more mins... he could have gotten frost-bite and seriously hurt.

Update

2008-01-23T10:25:00.001-06:00

Had a great trip to California. Gotta see my god daughter. Have to catch up with work now. Will post something soon.

the monday morn

2008-01-14T10:52:00.000-06:00

A hug and embrace,
a kiss on the cheek,
a squeeze of the held hand...
make just about everything worth it.

TGIF

2008-01-11T09:05:00.000-06:00

feel good this morning though I only had less than 4 hours of sleep last night. got in the office 8 o'clock sharp. since our office manager is not in, I have to man the phone and everything. quiet day. almost everyone is out of the office. I am looking forward to the weekend. TGIF

My fortune cookie says...

2008-01-10T13:22:00.001-06:00

Sometimes travel to new places leads to great transformation.

PE

2008-01-04T09:28:00.001-06:00

I passed my PE exam! I am now officially a Professional Engineer! :)

Happy New Year

2008-01-02T22:28:00.000-06:00

Albeit a day late, Happy New Year!

I had a great time with friends over the weekend. The New Year's Eve party was great as well.

New Year... renewed hope.

Weekend

2007-12-30T13:15:00.000-06:00

Our After-Christmas Gathering started yesterday. Friends from the college years come and stay at my place for the weekend. We had lunch in Chinatown yesterday and also got food for hot pot there. The hotpot last night was nice.... we got lots of vegetables, tofu... seafood... and mushrooms and fishball ... We were all so full at the end and didn't even have dessert (ice-cream and/or "soup ball"). This morning I made congee with the leftover rice and food from hotpot. It was pretty good. Also made a guacamole dip which turned out pretty good as well. We will go have the seafood buffet tonight at Schaumburg.

~~~~~

On another note, I am utterly confused and not knowing what to do. My logical mind tells me one thing and my emotional mind says another. I don't like it. Why? Why do I have to go through this?

butterflies

2007-12-27T22:43:00.000-06:00

I heard your goodbye again.

Take That - Holding Back The Tears

2007-12-27T13:36:00.000-06:00

I kinda keep asking myself many questions
Where do I go from here
I seem to keep losing track of time
And how long it's been
Since I last had you near
Been a painful road to a door that's closed
Been a gamble that I knew I couldn't win
Been a lonely conversation to this photograph of you
In the mirror there's a sign I must give in
So I'm not holding back the tears anymore
Trying to escape the heartache
Trying to escape emotion
So I'm not holding back the tears anymore
Yesterday's my memory
Reminding me of all the times that I depended on you
I used to enjoy spending time on my own here
Watching the jaded people past
Now here I am sharing their pain and their lonely tears
And walking a road of broken glass
It's never been easy
It's a constant fight to get through each day and night
It's a war between the present and the past
And the face that's in your mind every time you close your eyes
What's the reason?
What's the answer?
How long will this last?
So I'm not holding back the tears anymore
Trying to escape the heartache
Trying to escape emotion
So I'm not holding back the tears anymore
Yesterday's my memory
Reminding me of all the times that I depended on you
Been a long long time
Since I heard your last goodbye
Still I hear it clearly every day and night
What's the point in love when you have to give it up
But still you need it and it's no where you can find
So I'm not holding back the tears anymore
Trying to escape the heartache
Trying to escape emotion
So I'm not holding back the tears anymore
Yesterday's my memory
Reminding me of all the times that I depended on you
Holding back the tears anymore
Trying to escape the heartache
Trying to escape emotion
No I'm not holding back the tears anymore
Yesterday's my memory
Reminding me of all the times
That I depended on
You...
Please...Will You open the door again

back from the airport

2007-12-27T02:21:00.000-06:00

Sent my parents to the airport tonight. On the way back, it started raining. The rain has now turned into snow.

I am alone by myself finally, after a long six months. I have been looking forward to being alone. Being alone and feeling lonely are two different things. I want to be alone but at the same time I feel lonely... not so much because of no one being in the house but me, but because of the reemergence of loneliness that has been lying deep within me. Part of me is missing. Cloud 9 has disappeared from my dictionary. Could find no more. And I should just quit searching.

Friends will be coming Friday and Saturday and will stay for the weekend. There will be laughter in the house to fill the void. I am looking forward to that.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T16:38:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas! Wish you a great holiday season and a Happy New Year!

trip to Indy

2007-12-23T03:02:00.000-06:00

Came to Indianapolis this afternoon. Will be staying here at my friends till Christmas day. Went to a party tonight and had a white elephant gift exchange. I got a $25 barnes and noble gift card for a pair of $2 glass! Not bad huh? We all got the better gifts. ;) Hotpot for tomorrows dinner. Kinda looking forward to it. Will be playing games tomorrow all day. Wii and stuff I guess.

I'm glad to be here. Nice to be with more ppl during the holiday.

Seizure Boy

2007-12-20T22:40:00.000-06:00

I have a new nickname now, other than "lame retard." Last night at TGI Fridays, the waitress gave me the salt and pepper shakers and asked me to hold one in each hand. As everyone was clapping and "singing," I was supposed to dance along. And being a good sport, I did what I was told. The consequence was that now I am called the "seizure boy.''

december 19th

2007-12-19T23:07:00.001-06:00

I guess I had a little too much to drink tonight. Three white russians and two singapore slings. I am happy but with a hint of sadness. The alcohol seemed to cure the headache and lightheadedness I had all day. It was fun to hang out with colleagues at work. We have a great group at work. I am really hopeful about the future of the company.

I hope the sadness will go away soon. I miss her. I do. A happy birthday from her made me miss her even more. I shouldn't be. I know. Time is the best medicine. This is probably the only time that I hope time passes by a little quicker.

Letting go

2007-12-17T23:36:00.000-06:00

To let go
is really to avoid,
to avoid seeing, hearing,
and any sensory connection,
to eliminate,
to destroy,
and to assimilate the void and emptiness
into your own existence.

simpson the snowman

2007-12-17T00:02:00.001-06:00

Snow started Saturday, oh actually Friday night I think. So Saturday morning, mom made a tiny little snowman on the window sill. Trust me it was a tiny snowman. It looks huge in the picture... I know... just an illusion. I took the picture inside through the window pane with my iphone. As I was emailing the pic to jasper, I realized snowman looked so much like simpson. And I swear my mom probably never watched the simpsons. Kinda funny.

So the snow never stopped falling until Sunday morning. A good 10 inches was accumulated overnight. There was a line of cars, me included, lining up at the driveway at the church this morning waiting to get in, as the snowplows were working hard clearing the parking lot. Only a handful of ppl showed up at church this morning because of the snow. We had the cantata and I had a little solo part in it. The songs in the cantata weren't all that easy. But in the end, everything went well and we pulled it together.

Went out with a friend tonight and had dinner at Isabella's in Geneva. I was pleasantly surprised by how nice the downtown area is at Geneva. Little shops... and many restaurants... we stopped by Fox Valley Winery.... Their Riesling was really good and I bought 2 bottles. I got another bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah mix (quite good as well). The food at Isabella was ok, not as good as I had expected. Mediterranean food... something different. It was a nice and relaxing evening... even with driving in drifting snow.

a ripple

2007-12-16T00:04:00.001-06:00

in the reflection of my mind
I see your sweet smile
inducing a ripple
not of the day
but of my heart
you have created a ripple
that never ceases to travel
that never seems to decrease in amplitude
a ripple that causes me
to ponder
to dream
and to wonder
till the day has gone by
even without my noticing it

~~~~~

ripple no more
but a quiet, peaceful heart

Enough :>

2007-12-12T09:14:00.000-06:00

Thanks Lillian for forwarding the video on facebook.

A couple of FACTS

2007-12-12T08:31:00.000-06:00

FACT Number One:

There are three times as many Mondays as there are Fridays.

As it says so on my coffee mug in front of me.

FACT Number Two:

Wednesdays are second to the worst day of the week.

As I would call Wednesday the limbo day where the end of the week is near yet so far away.

weekend and beyond

2007-12-11T00:37:00.000-06:00

Weather has been pretty weird lately. Icy fog. I don't remember ever hearing such a weather term at all. I guess we'll get some tonight again.

This past Sunday I was supposed to go up to Wheaton for the Cantonese service at the Chinese church there. But it was raining all morning and with the temperature below freezing, I didn't want to take the risk. If it was just myself, I'd probably have gone... but since I was taking my parents along... Anyway, I felt bad that I still couldn't make it up there even after many invitations from my friend. Looks like I have to put it off till next year.

Had the Christmas dinner at my church Sunday evening and the barbershop chorus I am in was invited to sing at the end of the dinner. It was fun. My quartet did the "lu lu" song. "Can you feel the love tonight?" -- the song from the Lion King. We call it the "lu lu" song because the song starts off with "lu lu lu lu" instead of words. We are going to do one last show this Friday for the year. Tonight, we had the best rehearsal so far, I think. Oh... I got a small solo part in the Cantata that our church choir is going to do this weekend. Ha... I still don't know my part very well.

I got home tonight and Mom was a bit upset at Dad. So I was called upon as a judge to settle the matter. Their argument was over a tiny little thing that was not even worth mentioning here. Anyway, same old same old, my mom was complaining about my dad being stupid and not knowing what she was thinking and wanting. I think I was a pretty good judge for once. I managed to defuse the ticking bomb. It must be because Christmas is just around the corner... I am a lot more optimistic and hopeful in the past few days. I can see that my parents are happier, especially my mom. Again, I can see subtle changes in my mom which bring me great relief and joy as well.

Everything happened for a reason. A lot has been going on recently and my emotions have been like on a roller coaster ride. In the end, I think some good has come out of all these events and circumstances. And I am grateful for everything that happened even though it hasn't been an easy time. You know... I prayed all year and asked the same question over and over again. I was wondering why I wasn't given an answer. But in fact, I was ignoring the answer. I ignored my friends' advice. I ignored my parents' wishes. I ignored what was obvious to me in the beginning. Well... I tried. At least, I wouldn't be faulted for not giving my best shot.

I was told this morning at work that I have to work on a strategic plan for our environmental engineering "division" (which includes only my other boss and I). I have to identify the services we will provide, the client base, steps to take for the growth of the "division," the project timeline... I think I need to do the same for my life. A strategic plan.

The Golden Compass

2007-12-08T19:04:00.000-06:00

Haven't watched a movie in a long long while. Went to see The Golden Compass this afternoon. I read the books already. The Golden Compass is the first book of a trilogy about this girl Lyra's adventure. Like the usual, the book is way better than the movie. But to be fair, it is almost impossible to condense a rich story into a 113 min-long movie. Dakota Blue Richards is perfect for the role of Lyra and so is Nichole Kidman for Mrs. Coulter. Towards the end of the movie, I can see the beauty and the maturity of Dakota Blue beyond her age. Go see the movie... but make sure you read the books too!

winter and snow

2007-12-07T16:00:00.000-06:00

I do not dislike cold weather, except maybe a week or two during winter when the temperature dropped below -10 or -20 degrees. Otherwise cold temperature is usually bearable if wind is not a factor. In fact, I am starting to like running in the cold. It is refreshing. You even expanse a little more energy running in the cold because you lose more heat.

Snow is one thing that gives winter its charm. I am talking about light snow... enough that it covers everything. Nothing is more beautiful and serene than a landscape covered with a blanket of white snow. So romantic... So peaceful... So calm.

true love

2007-12-03T14:07:00.001-06:00

百年修得共枕眠

True love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.

So true. Thank you wittybb for sharing the article.

Sunday

2007-12-02T21:05:00.000-06:00

It was surprisingly warm this morning and the rain stopped this morning, even the sun had its brief moment. The Jingle Bell run started at 9 am. Took me 28 minutes and 4 seconds to finish the 5-km run. My goal was to finish under 30 minutes. I am glad that I did a little better than that even and 9-min mile... I am happy.

Did a little shopping at Orland Park this afternoon. Got a long-sleeve undershirt and a sweater... Oh... and a leather jacket. The leather jacket was 50% off and plus another 15%... so it only cost $70 or so. It's made out of pig leather... hmm.... environmentally friendly? but it looks nice.

Also went to Omaha Steaks coz I got the Discovercard cashback $30 certificate. So I bought the filet mignon. Way overpriced. But I got the store coupon... plus the certificate... only $20 for 4 6-oz pieces. Not too bad I guess. So tonight I had the filet mignon + scallop (huge ones got from costco) + broccoli + red wine (Charles Shaw). A very good meal indeed.

I am feeling better today. There are moments that I still think too much... and get depressed. But I am better now.

night

2007-12-01T22:53:00.000-06:00

gotta sleep early and wake up early tomorrow morning for the 5K run. hope I can finish it. and hope that it won't be raining during the race.

strong wind

2007-11-28T22:07:00.000-06:00

tonight, as the wind is blowing hard, the remaining leaves that were hanging on finally succumb to the crushing force of winter. so do I... falling into the deepest of the abyss.

winter and spring

2007-11-26T11:36:00.000-06:00

Winter is here, but withered leaves still hang onto the tree limbs. Even the first snow has fallen. Why? Why do you linger? Time does not stop and pity your holding on. A few more frosty nights and a strong breeze... your strength will be depleted and your grip loosens. Time, it is just a matter of time before the last leaf is fallen. And winter will declare its final victory.

I wish winter will be over soon, though it has just begun.

Perhaps, hope lies in the coming of Spring. New leaves will grow once again and flowers will bloom once again. But memory from the past year has not lost. It has permanently marked it presence in the form of tree rings. Tree rings are hidden but forever recording the passage of time.

blood drive

2007-11-24T18:34:00.000-06:00

Donated my first pint of blood today at church. The Red Cross came for a blood drive. I helped with unloading and loading. Parents helped escorting donors (on wheelchair if needed) after they were done giving blood.

I felt ok throughout the whole thing. But my bleed time was barely satisfactory... just a few seconds shy of 15 mins and 2 seconds which is the cut-off. I guess the nurse loosened the arm band just a tad too much. Otherwise, it would have been quicker. I was a little tired afterwards. But felt great otherwise.

I think everyone should give blood if they can. Only takes a little time. But many can be saved.

thanksgiving dinner

2007-11-23T19:25:00.000-06:00

Had a wonderful thanksgiving dinner at the Barrone's. They were so nice to have us over. The food was great. We played a bit of poker afterwards. That was fun. Will post some pictures soon.

Dad tried his best to talk to Choppy (grandpa). Though he said later that he only picked up a few words and was guessing what Choppy was saying most of the time.

Mom said that it was too bad that she couldn't speak English. Otherwise she could have communicate better and more easily with ppl. She even said that if she were able to speak then she could live with dad near me in a separate house, not necessarily in the same house under the same roof. I can see that mom is trying very hard to change herself... I appreciate what she had said.

Thank you

2007-11-22T09:00:00.000-06:00

I am thankful to you all, my friends, for your kind words and encouragements.
I am thankful to my cloud 9 who made my year memorable and still be a friend at the end.
I am thankful to my boss for his friendship and for his giving me a raise... more motivation to work hard.
I am thankful to my parents for their unfailing love.
I am thankful to my sister who is always my little sister.

God, thank You! Thank you for making everything possible.

Couple of songs

2007-11-21T11:05:00.000-06:00

Thank you CPMF14 for the following songs.

KISS ME GOODBYE (Watch MV Here)

曲︰LEO REED／BARRY MASON
詞︰潘源良
編︰劉以達

像流星　閃出愛情　一刻也長記於心
但浮生　飄忽似雲　分開了難再走近

＊SO KISS ME GOODBYE　有緣沒有份
都珍貴有過一刻跟你共行
只想一生　都記往你的吻
他鄉裡　作我心窩裡孤燈

＃KISS ME GOODBYE　愛是從來沒缺陷
不可以共對一生　心也是真
留往這刻　盡情來熱吻　忘記淚痕
KISS ME GOODBYE

任時光　沖擊愛情　洗出我和你的心
願明天　一身客塵　彼此也能再走近

重唱　＊,＃

世界會變得很美 (Watch MV Here)

曲︰HIDEKI ANDOH
詞︰向雪懷
編︰CARL WONG

期待中我　煩悶枯橾
流浪街中的好一段日子
從未相信命運就是天意
只知道自我世界有苦惱

＊前面的世界誰人又知道
平坦的不一定是好
有些失意並未公報
想將我悶與痛快向你傾訴

＃聽說外面浮華如樂土
走出這世界會有千個夢兒
痛恨從前為何無從目睹
聽說這世界再次變得很美

＋忘記了今天失戀寄望在明天
心中更自傲　憑我的感覺找到
朋友都踏著命運腳步抗拒風雨
找到愛慕　在每一天我要不斷進步
你會某天叫好

重唱　＊,＃,＋,＋

The missing piece

2007-11-20T03:46:00.000-06:00

Just as I thought I'd found my missing piece, the missing piece just slipped out of my hand. But no... I probably never had it in the first place. It is sad. But it is probably true. Everything seemed like a dream to me. Or I am still in this dream, never want to be awakened.

Wake up! You moron! Wake up and face the reality. As you have said long ago...Reality is cruel sometimes... but at least if you face it now, some good will eventually come in the long run.

I am not bitter. I am just sad. Extremely sad. For what I had treasured so preciously is now gone, forever. Time is my biggest ally but also my biggest enemy.

weekend b4 thanksgiving

2007-11-18T18:00:00.000-06:00

Laziness has caught up with me at work. So time to make up for it. I worked for several hours this afternoon and will go back to the office and work some more tonight. Hope I can get all the stuff done b4 thanksgiving.

I think I have found the missing piece. The feeling that I had could not have been mistaken. I truly hope that I am correct. I am cautiously optimistic.

weekend

2007-11-11T22:21:00.000-06:00

weekend was great. good friends from indy paid us a visit. we went dim sum at chinatown yesterday for lunch. then headed to macy's on state street and was going to check out the christmas window display. but we walked inside macy's from the 8th floor down to the first and forgot to walk outside and around the building to see the window display. kinda stupid. we got a LOT of food from chinatown and the korean grocery store for hotpot last night (and tonight we were still eating leftover hotpot ... reprise... i guess). went to church this morning... potluck for lunch at church. mom made curry chicken and the molten-core chocolate cupcakes. curry chicken was gone in a hurry and i couldn't even get a second. ppl were raving about the chocolate cupcakes as well. friends left around 5. a great weekend. parents had fun. and me too. but i missed my cloud 9. wish she was here. it would then have been even a more perfect weekend.

chatting with parents tonight. asked my dad whether he had a gf b4 meeting my mom. he said he was interested in a classmate when he went to school. but since his best friend also expressed interest in her and he just wished his friend best luck. and he said that his best friend eventually married the girl. i was also reminded that dad did not attend to primary school. he was too poor to go to school. later on when he owned a tailor shop with my then soon-to-be uncle, he could finally go to a vocational school. for that he went for 3 years or so. i asked him how he learned to read and write. he read comics, books and newspapers and just picked up the words. my dad's story reminds me how privilege a life i had in my childhood and also i have now.

my mom recounted stories of me and my sister's. i didn't walk till i was one and a half and i didn't speak a complete sentence till i was two and a half. mom asked the doctor if i was dumb. and the doc said i was as smart as james bond (my chinese name "pong"). mom said i was good at recognizing ppl and places, but would only say "ee-ee ar-ar" and a few single words before i was two years old. on the contrary, my sister could walk in ten months and could speak soon after. when i went to kindergarten, i would read my books to my sister and she could recite the entire book perfectly afterward. i played with my toys with intense interest and concentration, unlike my sister who only played if i played with her. my sister was addicted to her thumb. she would suck her thumb while grabbing onto her precious little towel. she had a hard time quitting her thumb-sucking habitat... in my memory... i still recall my sister doing her thumb even she was in primary school. i thought it was cute though at the time and didn't understand why mom always force her to quite. mom would put "maan kum" oil on her thumb but it wouldn't work for long. i don't remember when my sister finally kick that habit for good. my mom commented that her thumb was like opium to her. i couldn't help laughing. mom said i had a hard time weaning from my baby bottle no until my sister was born and i would have been three years old then. but my sister had no difficulties at all. in fact, my mom asked my sister to quit using the bottle and she picked up the bottle and dropped it in the trash basket. that was sooo funny but incredible.

stories that i have heard more a dozen times from my parents already, but each time they tell them, i learn a little more, feel a little more, and they imprint in my head a little more.

destiny

2007-11-05T23:24:00.000-06:00

Destiny is not predetermined, I believe. God created us; He defined us... All the secrets lie in the DNA of our cells. But our DNA is only part of the story. Just as what we eat and what we are exposed to can turn on and off our genes. We have free will and we make choices in life that affect our destiny. God has instructed us to how to live our life but he did not preset our destiny. The path is set by every decision that we make in life.

JibJab

2007-11-01T13:10:00.001-05:00

Week in Review

2007-10-28T22:06:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-21T21:15:00.001-05:00

Chocolate Cupcakes

mom and chocolate cupcake

2007-10-20T19:14:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-19T20:32:00.001-05:00

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

2007-10-17T22:52:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-16T19:57:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-14T18:17:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-12T23:18:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-12T23:00:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-12T09:05:00.000-05:00

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

2007-10-08T22:39:00.000-05:00

one feels the loneliest when he is tired and exhausted.

Time for a post

2007-10-07T19:54:00.001-05:00

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.

squirrels

2007-09-23T12:25:00.000-05:00

I was out running this morning and the squirrels were everywhere. They were usually in pairs too. One chasing another. As acorns drop, the squirrels are preparing for winter by collecting them and hiding them. I always marvel at their ability to remember where they hide their acorns.

草蜢失樂園

2007-09-15T15:58:00.000-05:00

Haven't been listening to this song (草蜢失樂園) a lot lately.

To give and forgive

2007-09-15T13:57:00.000-05:00

We lie. It is a human nature to lie. We lie to cover up things. We lie more to cover up lies. Being in a relationship is more than being physically together, but also the union of the mind and soul. Lies and dishonesty stand between this union, as if they are knives, ready to rip this union apart and shed it to pieces. A relationship is fragile--it doesn't take much to ruin it. All it takes is a small lie.

To rebuild a relationship takes probably ten times more effort than to ruin it.

The lie, however, is not the root of the problem. Most of the time, a lie is used to disguise one's intention and motive. The ill intention or motive is the real problem. And if that underlying problem is not resolved, the relationship will go sour eventually. In trying to resolve the problem, there is no equality--one side has to take the initiative and do more than the other. In fact, the one who's being lied to is often the one who has do more and also take the initiative, because that means forgiveness from the side who is hurt and relationship can only be rebuilt based on this forgiveness.

All things happen for a reason. A trial can only make a relationship grow and get stronger if both sides are willing to give and forgive.

trust

2007-09-13T09:33:00.000-05:00

Trust is paramount in any relationship, especially so in a love relationship.

When I was once young and reckless (ok, I am not so young anymore but maybe still reckless sometimes), I had put this paramount trust in jeopardy a few times, and I learned my lessons.

All it takes is a little misstep. No matter how small that misstep is, once the boundary is crossed, the trust between two individuals is breached.

Have a forgiving heart. Give the one next you a chance to make it right.

Shark Fin Gwa Update

2007-09-05T08:40:00.000-05:00

Well the "gwa" plant's flower finally opened up yesterday morning. Big showy flower. And I looked up on the internet and learned that this plant belongs to the gourd family (Cucurbitacea) under the same family with cucumber and squash. They have male and female flowers. So... the flower in the picture above is female. Only the female blossom can turn into fruit. Ha... one thing odd is that none of the male flowers were in bloom yet. Anyway... the flower only opened up for one morning. In the afternoon it was closed off. This morning it's still closed. I guess the flower only last for one day? oh well.

cuckoo clock

2007-09-02T20:55:00.000-05:00

Spent all day up in Frankfort, IL. There's this fall festival... with over 300 arts and craft booths. Passed by this German cuckoo clock booth. Mom was really excited. So we ended up getting this small "1-day" cuckoo clock for $200. Hand-crafted, all mechanical. Got 2 quarrels on two sides of the clock and a peacock up top. Then of course the cuckoo, which comes out every half hour. I know it is expensive. But as jasper said the following...

cuckoo clock, hand crafted, made in Germany - $200
for something mom wants - priceless

Indeed, priceless. Ha.. the cuckoo just did "cuckoo" 9 times. Nine o'clock!

After the festival (and parade), we went for a party hosted by the other barbershop chapter. Lots of food and beer. We had this quartet contest, and I was in 3 quartets. I (with two of the quartets) ended up winning the both first and second place! There were a total of 13 or 14 quartets. Got a can of peanuts for the prize. Nice to be out in the sun all day. The weather was just absolutely beautiful!

shark fin gwa

2007-08-31T10:17:00.000-05:00

Mom has been growing this "shark fin gwa" in a bucket outside my apartment. Even with only 4-5 inch of soil, the plant has been growing pretty well and even have flower buds all over. My mom has been wishing the flowers to bloom and eventually have "gwa" to eat. But the flower buds just get bigger and bigger and haven't opened up yet. A couple of flower buds, instead of opening up, at the base of it... have started to swell up, looking like a "gwa." But I kept telling my mom that it is not possible to have "gwa" without the flower in bloom first. And my mom kept saying, it has skipped flowering and gone right to the "gwa-ing" stage. So this morning, I used an analogy to explain that a woman won't get pregnant without having sex, which is why you don't have gwa without the flower. Then she replied, "of course you can! Mary was like that!" I was like... arrrgh...

Anyway, my allergy has been pretty bad this week. I think it's a combination of cold and allergy.

I really need to study for the PE exam which will be on Oct 26. I'll be taking a review class up in Schaumburg starting Sept 10. There are a lot of topics I don't know and not familiar with, like structural and transportation. I am a little worried now. I don't have all the reference books I need yet... you know, those codes and stuff. Anyway, I'll try my best and see what happen.

On poverty

2007-08-29T12:26:00.000-05:00

Come across this article on Washington Post.
On Poverty, Maybe We're All Wrong

Interesting idea. I'll post some graphs later to look at this idea further.

weekend

2007-08-26T23:42:00.001-05:00

Took Friday afternoon off to go get a set of new tires for my subaru forester. Cost me an arm and a leg. But now the car runs as smoothly as ever. And no more squeaks turning tight corners. These new tires have 60k tread warranty. Nice...

A walk along the lake shore was nice... Saturday night turns out to be perfect, weather-wise. Much cooler, sharp contrast with the steamy and raining days for the past 2 weeks. The sad thing is... a night like that won't happen again for at least a month, or maybe more...

experience with words

2007-08-22T20:35:00.001-05:00

Have you ever had the experience that when you write down a word, all of a sudden that word seems so foreign to you and you are not sure you have spelled it correctly? Even after you've looked up the word in the dictionary, you still puzzle with the spelling. Happened to me tonight with the word "thorough." Weird, isn't it. I do the same thing with Chinese words too. Strange.

Start of the week

2007-08-20T23:27:00.000-05:00

Kinda under the weather for the past couple days. Got a cold I think. Just not wanting to go to work. Maybe I am more work sick than sick sick. Hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow.

My boss just refused to take Pedro home. Well... I guess he doesn't want to take care of it, though his daughter has requested him to bring Pedro home. Oh well... I guess I better start raising some crickets too...

I got three pairs of shoes from Kohl's Sunday. All on clearance. Only for $50 total. Not bad huh! Should have gotten my running shoes from there too.

Egg tart

2007-08-14T21:56:00.000-05:00

Mom made "snow dove cake" egg tarts. I have never heard of such a thing. Must be a first! But as usual they taste really good.

tunnel

2007-08-14T14:10:00.000-05:00

Come to think about it, we are in a dark tunnel most of the time. Fortunately we have friends and family who hold our hands and guide us, or sometimes a flashlight or two may be available so that we don't get lost. It'll be nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But even we don't see it now, it doesn't mean that it's not there. We just have to keep walking. Be patient and trust your friends and family who've been there. And always have faith.

Chicago Botanic Garden

2007-08-11T00:05:00.000-05:00

Uploaded pictures I took at Chicago Botanic Garden couple weekends ago. Enjoy.

Chicago Botanic Garden

trout

2007-08-08T19:50:00.001-05:00

Mom made steamed rainbow trout tonight. She asked why I didn't go for the eyes. I asked why. Then she said when I was little, I would always poke at the fish eye. She would ask me why and I would say, "To eat lor! It's so good!" Then I would put the eye in my mouth and spit out the eyeball. I really don't recall that I like fish eye.

young chicken

2007-08-07T19:46:00.000-05:00

Mom: This chicken doesn't expire till september!
Dad: It's a young chicken (as read from the label).
Mom: ?!?!?!
Mom: So an old chicken will expire sooner then?!
Dad: ......

Mom: Go chop up the chicken meat.
Dad: (chopping)
Dad: Done!
Mom: What?! I asked you to chop not mesh the chicken!
Dad: I didn't mesh it. Just that it is a young chicken.
Mom: ......

Just stuff

2007-08-04T23:22:00.000-05:00

Went to Mokena this morning and played 18 holes of frisbee golf. This was the first time I ever really played a real course this year. I was never really good at frisbee golf. But I just love seeing the trajectory of the disc as it flies through the air. It is always a beauty when you throw it just right. I was surprised how much progress my dad has made from a year ago, even my mom was throwing pretty well (at least she can keep the disc level and get about 60 to 70 feet in distance).

Then we headed to Costco in Orland Park to get grocery and stuff. We had lunch there. Ha... yup... $1.50 polish sausage + pop. My mom had a slice pizza which she thought it was pretty bad. Oh well the lunch was cheap, though.

Got back home b4 2:30 and I went to church to help out with blood pressure and blood sugar testings. I was in charge of doing the blood sugar. First time ever to use the machine and to draw blood from ppl. I did 6 people altogether. Will do that again tomorrow morning.

And I made dinner tonight.. well sort of. I cooked 2 steaks. My dad cooked the vegetables. Dad was complaining that the steak was too raw and he ruined it totally by "dinging" it in the microwave! What a shame to a good piece of steak. And he kept saying how good it was after it was nuked in the microwave.

On a side note, I still have Pedro the tree frog. My boss hasn't taken it home yet. He jokingly asked me that if I wanted to keep him as a pet in the office... hmmmmm

Pedro and Rib-Eye Roast

2007-07-31T20:35:00.001-05:00

Pedro is doing great. I cleaned his tank over the weekend, replaced the bedding and put in some moss and got him a dozen more crickets. He's a big eater. Last weekend I got him a dozen and he finished them all in less than 5 days. I took some pictures but he was always hiding. I'll try to poke him out of the moss tomorrow morning and get a nice picture of him. Boss comes back tomorrow.

I made rib-eye roast tonight. A little too well done for my taste but my dad loved it. He doesn't like raw meat. Next time I'll cook it to just 130F instead of 140F. I brushed on some Dijon mustard... and sprinkled on some pepper, rosemary, and thyme... and salt and garlic powder of course... Only took about 1.5 hours. I also made a red wine sauce for it. Turned out pretty nice.

Pedro

iPhone

2007-07-28T23:16:00.000-05:00

I got an iPhone today. Finally I buckled under peer pressure... well actually more of my own desire and couldn't resist the temptation to own a phone that I had been longing for for so long. Anyway...

iPhone is cool. The ONE concern I had was with the reported low call volume. BUT, I don't think that's the case. Well.. it isn't very loud even I turn the volume all the way up. But I don't have any trouble hearing at all. The headset that comes with phone works well too. The speaker is very limited however and is not very loud. So the speaker phone function is kinda useless if the background noise is loud.

Otherwise... everything works as advertised. Typing is actually not too bad. The software does a very good job of correcting errors. The browser works well... except for some websites. Navigation and interface are just short of amazing.

I got the phone working in less in 5 minutes. Got my gmail set up in less than 1/2 min. I am very happy with the phone so far.

Dad's apology

2007-07-26T20:44:00.000-05:00

My parents hadn't been speaking to each other for 4 days. Finally my dad redeemed himself today with a letter to mom. At the end of that letter... his sign-off. Hahahaha!!!!!!!

Do we know?

2007-07-23T23:33:00.000-05:00

Do we truly know what we want?
I doubt that is ever true.
Yes, maybe, for an instance,
we know what we want for a moment
and we get what we want;
but the next moment,
we want something else or
what we have wanted is not enough any more
and we want something greater and better.

Pedro the frog

2007-07-22T20:29:00.000-05:00

I have a frog in my office now. My boss is gone for vacation... fishing in Canada with his entire family and relatives. And I have to take care of his daughter's tree frog--Pedro. I got a dozen of crickets from Petco yesterday and dumped all of them in the little aquarium where Pedro lives. Pedro only comes out in the evening and at night. During the day he just hides under the moss. I'll take some pictures of him later. He'll be with me till next Monday.

On relationships (2)

2007-07-22T19:51:00.000-05:00

Continuing from a previous post...

Then in the secondary school, which I thought I could start over, making new friends... But I seemed to run into similar problems. I found that I didn't fit into any of the "groups" in school. One of the problems was that I didn't get to hang out with them. My family was poor -- I didn't have the means to go out with them. I had a couple of really good guy friends though whom I regret that I didn't really keep in touch with them. But if I look for them now, we'll be still be good friends. Anyway, other than those 2 friends... the rest of the classmates didn't really like me all that much. But as I remember right, it was ok. Life was good, most of the time. Then after the HKCEE exam, I left Hong Kong for a student exchange program. And I came to the States.

To be continued...

Running

2007-07-22T19:31:00.001-05:00

I never liked running. I remembered back in the college days... ooh.. the number of times I did any serious running can be counted with one hand. But I have been running pretty regularly in recent weeks. Hurt my foot when I started about a month ago coz I didn't have proper shoes. Now that I bought a pair of Nike... I run about every other days for about 2.5 miles each time. I run about very slow... a little more than 10 min/mile. I think I have gotten better now. My breathing is better now, except my legs still get tired towards the end. My goal is run a half marathon, oh, maybe next year... just maybe.

I start to like running... coz it gives me some quiet time that I can think and meditate. I realize that you don't have to sit still to meditate, you can run while you meditate... hah... I never sit still and therefore could never really do any meditation. But I found that running gets you into this trance state that you can actually forget that your legs are hurting and your lungs are running of the air. Anyway running really helps me to clear my thoughts and get me focus on my priorities again.

Blueberry Picking

2007-07-21T14:03:00.001-05:00

Took a day off yesterday and took my parents blueberry picking. We got 7+ lbs of blueberries. I have been munching on them since yesterday at the field. Mom made blueberry muffins. Yum!

Blueberry Picking 2007

On relationship with others

2007-07-13T21:55:00.000-05:00

I was never a person who was well like by others. Even when I was in primary school, I knew some of the classmates really didn't like me. Part of it was probably because I always did well in exams... and ppl thought that I was a smart-ass... always wanted to show off. I was probably a smart-ass then, and probably still is. But I never intended to be one and I certainly don't want to be one. The consolation was that in primary 6, a group of girls accepted me into their circle. I know... sounds weird... for a guy to be with a group of girls... yeah I was attracted to one of them but that was another story... nothing really happened. The friendship with those girls were genuine, however. They told me that they thought I was arrogant, but then once they got to know me... they told me that I was actually quite nice to them. Yup... that was my consolation of being rejected by some of my peers at that time. And I knew I was arrogant at times... and I tried really hard to be humble and meek and be really nice to ppl I know. Whether it worked or not I wouldn't know.

To be continued...

Parents

2007-07-11T19:33:00.000-05:00

The weather is so nice today. Dry and breezy. This is the kind of summer weather I like. Too bad that I had to stay in the office all day.

There are advantages to my parents being here. Dinner's always ready when I am hungry. My dad is doing most of the cleaning. Haha.. yeah he does. And it's quite entertaining sometimes listening to mom yapping at dad, "counting" his wrongdoings. My dad is getting really forgetful these days---leaving keys stuck on the door knob, forgetting dishes in the microwave. And he is too lazy to remember things too.. that's part of the problem. Funny and sometimes annoying and also sad to see that my dad is developing some old man's habits---slurping soup, making unnecessary noises while eating and even while sitting idle, being really stubborn and not listening to others.... Oh well... it is more sad to see my parents grow older. I have to take good care of them, making their lives as joyful and carefree as possible. So far, I don't think I am going too good a job.

green monochrome

2007-07-05T02:30:00.000-05:00

On the way home, I saw fireworks all over the place. But it couldn't beat the display of the fireflies. They dotted the fields with dancing green dots---nature's monochrome fireworks---reminding me of those old greenish monochrome computer monitors. hahaha

July 4

2007-07-04T13:15:00.000-05:00

I will pick up my parents from the airport this evening. Tonight my 6-month prison term begins. Oh... ha... just kidding. I love my parents. I guess it is a good thing for them... and for me as well that they are here half of the year. Things are a little different this year. We'll see how it goes.

Serious Addiction

2007-07-04T13:14:00.000-05:00

I think I am addicted, addicted to my cloud 9. Hahaha.

Rainbow

2007-06-27T09:08:00.000-05:00

A morning sprinkle... emerges a rainbow. I have never seen a rainbow so low near the horizon.

To my dear friend

2007-06-26T18:03:00.000-05:00

You know... we do make an amazing number of decisions in our surprising short life. Granted, some of the decisions we have made or will be making are definitely right or definitely wrong. However, a majority of the decisions is in this gray area where there is no absolute right and wrong. Maybe time will tell. But I do believe that we can always learn something from the decisions that we've made. It is this learning experience that helps shape our character, our value, and our future. Without this experience, we might as well be living in a green house where we'd be sheltered from all the elements. We grow as we learn as we experience. The most important thing is to move forward in life, taking one step at a time. Only look back when you need to learn from your previous mistakes and to draw motivation, but never dwell in the past. What happened in the past, stay in the past.

We create our own cloud nine!

Milk Tea

2007-06-23T11:08:00.000-05:00

All of a sudden, I want to drink Milk Tea, the Hong Kong kind, you know?

Friendship Festival

2007-06-22T21:14:00.000-05:00

There is this carnival in town near my townhouse this weekend. After sunset, I took my camera and walked over there to check it out. I was going to take some pictures but I couldn't find my tripod... yeah an excuse, really... I was too conscientious. Just too many people there. I feel embarrassed to take any pictures.

As I walked amongst the rides, game booths, and food stands, I wonder what people are attracted to in small carnivals like this one. I understand kids are excited just about every ride and game... but what about adults other than kids' parents? I do admire this simple way of life. We can and should find contentment in small things, even in a small carnival in a small town. There are many great and grand things in this world. But everything has its place, I believe.

Road of Life

2007-06-22T16:07:00.000-05:00

To know,
to understand,
to explore,
to experience.
The road of life
is tortuous and
cannot be without pain,
yet we continue on
to achieve our greater purpose.

Jasper's Visit

2007-06-17T05:57:00.001-05:00

Finally get to meet Jasper in person yesterday. Picked her up at the airport and had dinner with her and friends in Magianno's. Will take her sightseeing in Chicago today. Got tickets for the architecture boat tour in the evening. Today will be very hot... Jasper is going to complain about the weather all day... I guarantee.

Surreal II

2007-06-11T11:27:00.000-05:00

Morning mist surrounds me
I can hardly make out the
silhouette of things laid in front of me
But there she is
I can smell the fragrance of her hair
I can feel her presence
I know her
yet I don't
She is so close
yet so far
Never have I had such a multitude of feelings
I am lost in the continuum of space?

Surreal I

2007-06-10T14:54:00.000-05:00

I know what I've been feeling and
what I've been experiencing
and yet things have been so
seemingly unbelievable
or at least to me
that they are beyond my imagination
as if it has been a dream
a surreal kind of dream.

daisy

2007-06-05T08:41:00.000-05:00

As I was leaving for rehearsal/party last night, Daisy shouted at a distance and said "I need a hug!" Then she ran to me... I lifted her up and gave her a hug and swung her around.

Daisy and Douglas are living with their grandparents and they don't get to see their father very often. Maybe once every 2 weeks or so. It must be tough for the kids not having a father around.

2007-06-03T00:46:00.001-05:00

I am on cloud 9.

Reflection

Lonesome Chicago

Tennis Lesson

Support Chicago Cares!

Zion Nation Park

You are my sunshine

San Francisco & Napa Valley

Silly Me

April Fool's Joke

Hiking

quartet and dentist

A long absence

Bad bad weather

Update

the monday morn

TGIF

My fortune cookie says...

PE

Happy New Year

Weekend

butterflies

Take That - Holding Back The Tears

back from the airport

Merry Christmas!

trip to Indy

Seizure Boy

december 19th

Letting go

simpson the snowman

a ripple

Enough :>

A couple of FACTS

weekend and beyond

The Golden Compass

winter and snow

true love

Sunday

night

strong wind

winter and spring

blood drive

thanksgiving dinner

Thank you

Couple of songs

The missing piece

weekend b4 thanksgiving

weekend

destiny

JibJab

Week in Review

Chocolate Cupcakes

mom and chocolate cupcake

cool and windy

Sunrise

A little prayer

Sunset

static electricity

特首講文革

god-daugther

tired

Time for a post

squirrels

草蜢 失樂園

To give and forgive

trust

Shark Fin Gwa Update

cuckoo clock

shark fin gwa

On poverty

weekend

experience with words

Start of the week

Egg tart

tunnel

Chicago Botanic Garden

trout

young chicken

Just stuff

Pedro and Rib-Eye Roast

iPhone

草蜢失樂園