A new opening at the close of another

So this year is finally coming to a close. (and this blog is opening up a bit. haha) I haven't done much these past few days. Or at least it doesn't seem like I did. I met up with some friends from high school at tinikling before Christmas, spent Christmas eve driving around LA, visiting relatives, eating and eating lots of food. I even got new glasses.
Then after Christmas, I watched Narnia, again. It was definitely better the first time. However, I finally understood what was really happening. hm. I think this was the first movie I've watched twice at the theaters. Of all the rare times I have gone. ha. I tried getting a new laptop at the mall afterwards, but I could not find one ... where to find one? across the street?

Then, this past week. The Chinese college youth group stayed at our place for their retreat. So much Mandarin in a few hours. It was very refreshing listening to the messages. Though, again, I need to remind myself to take notes. And hopefully, I can learn to make better mental notes this coming year. The trip to Los Angeles was uh, fun, yet it was smashed between hours of waiting on the metrolink. Dx Quite an expensive outing too. Ice skating was fun. I still have to learn gliding and going backwards, but I didn't fall this time. hm
I still have my list of things to buy for next year. Have to start looking around soon.

I just finished watching Baker King, Kim TakGu, a kdrama that I started while at Cal. So who said watching dramas is a waste of time? At least not all of them are. This one definitely wasn't. I think. The importance of morals, and protecting what is dear to us, those who are close by, is what matters a lot. Though how I will apply that, time will tell. Overall, despite all the crying and screaming, the drama gave a good showing of people at their cruelest, their weakest, and yet how we can still be human, and.. live on. lalala~

If you are now reading this,
then of your presence I will miss.
Once school starts again so soon
will our talks be once in a blue moon?
The joys, the tears, the laughter.
What will now happen, the year after?

So many things this year occurred
in my mind are incompletely stirred.
I need time to sort them out.
and make clear a discerning route.
I'm glad for what I've learned,
for the knowledge I've yearned.

Good bye 2010~

It's xmas eve today n i've had a rather watered down week. I actually did some shopping this year, tho some of the gifts will be arriving late. I need to do sth

Back home. It.s so diff

Hehe. phone time stamped :D

It feels strange being back, having nothing really planned.

Afterthoughts: Last days of school were quite busy. Studying. An all-nighter. Oversleeping for my flight. Meeting old friends. still meeting new ones.

One Pie Left

Hours away from my last and final final of freshmen fall semester, I am still amazed at how fast these three plus months went by. I feel like I just got here and yet I will leaving for a whole month so soon. Things that I wish I had done better this semester, there are lots, but regrets I have, and should have, none. I enjoyed all the fellowships I attended. There wasn't one that didn't pull in a certain way at me to stay. But I couldn't stay at them all, and so I spent my time dispersed among them.
And there my mark fell short. I haven't really grown to know too many people that well. I have and yet don't have that close knit group that I hoped I would make. With some people I have been able to talk freely and it's been awesome, but I don't feel like it goes places. With others, I wish we could do more together, but our different schedules don't give me the opportunity. Note for next semester: don't take evening classes past 5.

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Dear friends, dear family, dear Lord
these past months were full of change-
things to forget I know I cant afford,
things to remember all within range.
Without work or friends I'd be bored,
but of those, Lord, you'd all arrange.

A block to time,
a period of learning-
all wrought together.
A neat little package.

It hit me again

School is over this week. finals. how did this year pass by so fast? I actually think I'm getting old. D: though I know I'm not because if I were old, then parentals must be ancient. Scary, but hm...
Really, time does fly. I've been working on a history paper for a while and I don't know how that will end up. hoping for a decent grade, who knows?...

I need to remind myself to do a reflection over this year. I guess this is IT.
(o btw, a NEW JACKSON album? wth?)

This and that to say to friends,
people with whom to make amends
Leader and mentors to thank
new classes and goal to rank
tis time to reflect
it has that effect, ye

React

How do I react to what I read? I am trying, not too successfully, to find information on Taiwanese immigration when I stumble upon another passage about Chinese and Education. Ha

"'Your book is number four on the bestseller list?' asks Daisy TAn of her daughter Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club. 'Good. And who is number one?' 'If you obtain 80 points, they will ask why you did not achieve 85. And if you achieve 85, they ask you why not 90.' 'When we went on Memorial Day to see the grandparents, uncles, aunts, and all relatives, my two-year old son wore his Bob-the-Builder tool belt. Grandfather mentioned: 'Oh, no good. This is hard work, you should learn holding pens and sit in the office.' The next week they bought him a doctor set.
The pressure of parents, school, and society to which Chinese American children are subjected are not often withstood. ... These problems are not based on this balancing at between two cultures, because in China the students are also under pressure from their environment. To maintain face, a Chinese family must have successful children. Successful children are a family's pride. "...Zinzius 156

Hm. what is really happening? why do we feel compelled to succeed so badly?

now, back to that essay. (how ironic)

Tis the season

of refreshing. Winter is around the corner. Finals are in a week. Classes ended yesterday. I've misplaced many a thing this week. Gah. But new things too. camera, wireless internet, printing! finally. haha

This past week, so much happened. yet it seens all mushed together.
I spent many hours working on a CS project. Interpreter stuff. lovely stuff. haha. I stayed awake for most of these CS lectures, haha. but I wish I had done that before, during the real stuff of the year. For math, we were all stoked about Stokes' and Divergence theorems. More to come next week. ha. History was harder to stay awake through. Gah. My notes are incomprehensible. Nodding off again. For physics, I sorta stayed awake. not really. so much packed into these last weeks, days~ gotta study up. lots

I made it a goal this week to attend all my fellowship commitments. :D IVCCF last sharing time reminded me how much I don't keep track of what happens. I need to hit that planner more. er, write in it more. Or get another notebook for notes and such. I should. We shared about what happened this part year, and what we brought away from it and such. I think it was banana nut muffins this time? hehe, nomnom. I hope this wont be the last time I join this group though.

Then LW small group, small as usual. :] I had a hard time staying awake as we talked about the past year, about our commitments to God, among lots of other things. haha I dont quite remember what happened. something about making masks. talking about school, relationships...

Onwards, Bible study with Danny was fun, and insightful as usual. It seems not so long ago that we starting meeting together and this was the last. We talked about Luke again, looking over the passage in ch 8 where Jesus explains the parable about seeds falling. There's so many ways to understand, to see, to hear, to cross-reference, to analyze, and yet still not understand. Quite the meaningful discussion. I only wish...

As for Koinonia, hehe, I forgot we were meeting up earlier today. game time, and game time later. Bible study was about how we live and act with our faith, talking about Lazarus and how people believed or did not believe. Pastor Ed made several funny comparisons at the end. I was awake to hear them :D but not quite awake to remember many. >_. I wrote down something about baptism. I dont remember what else though. was so out of it.

Then onwards to Sharks Oakland Ice rink for two hours. It seems like so long, skating on the ice. We had some games, I tried testing out the new camera. tis not the best for moving and fast shots. Lots of people went and it was quite crowded even with just Koinoni'ans. First time skating, but I did get up to speed. Just not braking, spinning and all that other good stuff. I got a little backwards time, but it's hard. gotta sway them hips or something. Fun fun.

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Next week it dead week, RRR week, study week, ie sleep/game/slack-off time. No really, I hope I get work done. Got that lovely paper on immigration to work on. Also have cs and physics mandatory hw. math voluntary, but I think I really should work on them.

One unsteady foot on the ice
the other on the ground
steady and slow should suffice
but my heart starts to pound.
It has been a such long time since
I've felt so clumsy and unsteady.
Looking here or there for hints,
gliding along, thinking I ready.
But alas, he fell on his hands
as he tried racing by others,
and on shaky legs he lands
amongst a joyous band of brothers.
Flying, there's nothing comparable;
it makes the landings bearable.
We need the good and the bad,
there's no reason to get sad.
if I look back, I am very glad.