phases in shades of pink...

The Break of Dawn

2008-08-12T16:19:00.001-04:00

...and find banana bread drizzled with caramel. Melted. Sticky. Sweet. Delicious.

Silver glistening fog blanketing the damp brown earth.
Darkness.
Silence.
But for the gentle wind streaming it's fingers through the leaves of the trees.
A barely audible whisper.
Like the prelude to dawn.
A change in the Darkness.
Still, silent, but no longer foreboding.
There's life in it.
Silent, but true.

Then, a muscle twitches.
The first break of dawn.
Leaves on the trees now visible in the shadows.
The wind gathers in intensity, building up to the crescendo.
And then in a flash of colors strewn across the length of the cloudy sky:
The Crescendo.

All life bursts free!
The wind filling the forest with it's woodwind melody.
The rhythm in hustle and bustle of little creatures.
The birds singing along in harmony.
And as each part comes together in this brilliantly orchestrated symphony,
the sun breaks through the clouds in the horizon.
He smiles.

For you who likes a good hunt,
d

The Colors of Powwow

2008-05-13T14:55:00.002-05:00

Long time eh?

2008-04-09T20:46:00.003-05:00

After the one year plus gap in posting, thought I was done eh? And that I wasn't coming back? That I'd finally finished saying everything I had to say? Hmmm...nope, not at all. However the life of my blog is in jeapordy due to an abundance of laziness. Anyway, because of that (laziness), I'm gonna summarize life quickly (and not do it any justice at all) and then add millions of words in pictures.

I'm reading Paradise Lost now and it's like opening presents. Over and over again.

My life is more focused around facebook now than blogger...I guess that means I'm more into other people's lives than into commenting on my life, etc.

I really like tea. Black, white, green and currently my favorite is a red rooibus spice tea.

My favorite word right now: fleet. It reminds me of fleets of spaceships. I like spaceships a lot. Supreme Commanders of Fleets are pretty cool too.

I'm really enjoying the weather in SFO and it's supposed to be up in the 80's this wkend which means I'm gonna be outside hiking and stuff.

I need to do my taxes. DARN.

Australia beckons in December and I'm looking to my month there. My new goal is a new country every year. At least. Next year: Scotland (hopefully).

Trailing scarves, scented candles, garage sales, stargazer lilies, brownies, hand written letters, hot earl gray bubble tea, photography.

I changed my mind about the pictures. They are after all, on facebook. So if facebook's approved our friendship, you can check them out there. Otherwise, do complain to me. Yeah, forget those millions of words. People don't really listen anyway...right? (further emphasizes the reason to complain to me)

later.

scarf knitting, Stargate watching,
d

For lack of a title, this is called 'Under A Tree'

2007-01-18T11:32:00.000-05:00

Under a tree –
A tree that’s been cut down…
I should have known.

The water pours down gently
Like a waterfall trickling down
It’s weird how cleansing it feels
Water washes away, washes clean.

Ever feel like moving away
Starting fresh somewhere new?
Somewhere far away perhaps

The salty water gushes like from a spring.

Black smears –
Visible gentle lines
But they are so ugly – wipe them away.

Be strong –
Step forward bravely
And then crumble at the next step
Overpowering weakness.

Why? Who is it really?
Why bother? Is it real?
Curled up. Just curled up.
Where is the energy pulled from?
It cannot be from within

But each person’s faith is unique
How can we judge and determine what is right and wrong.
That is, but to us.
The constant splitting and dividing.
Divisions. Dominations. Segregation.

Integrity.

How does He do it?
Always so strong,
Always so faithful,
Always the same.

The whisper is gentle and comforting
It’s silent but comforting; beckoning.
Yet there is so much activity –
So much going on.
Paint me a picture.

Thousands of faces
But all strangers
Staring...staring back hardly.
Fixedly. Unmoving. Unwavering.
Just a hug – please – just a hug.
Just to be held in safe arms
and loved – really loved.

Maybe it’s there –
As bright as the sun
But the shadow –
That’s what’s in front of me.

Misunderstood, misunderstand.
But it’s not the first time
And the world still goes around

Do we see the same picture?
Or just what we paint?
Are you in my picture?
Or am i in yours?
Or maybe not at all.

So many smiling faces
Just staring back at me.
Just staring.

The water is hot
Like the tropics.
And i’m still me.
But i’ll change –
Someday, somehow...
For the better.
Maybe in that new place.

“You are beautiful
And He has great plans for you.”
Like the ship...
Just like the ship:
“Here am I, send me.”

Tape ke mana?
Dan untuk apa?
Bagaimana? Mengapa?
Saya kurang fasih
Saya tak faham
Saya...

And it resonates:
“Here am I, send me.”

Overwhelming.
Overpowering.
Such strength.
The water pours on down.

Wash away; wash away clean
Fresh. New.
Fresh start. New place.
i am ok now.

Strong –
So strong!
But for who?
More importantly why?

The sunlight bounces off the mirror.
Of course.
That’s what it has been all along.
But with many false presumptions and assumptions.

Same old, same old.
But the water feels good.
Destructive sometimes, but good.
It hacks away –
Showing the hidden.

But what comes next?
Who’s ready?
It’s painful, it’s hard.
“So run away!”

But where to and what to?
Just the same as before.
Never settled, never laid to rest.
Always lifeless, yet awake.
Just following and staring.

Hearts are too fragile –
So easily broken and so hard to mend
Then don’t touch them
But the need pulls. Mine, theirs.
Destruction?

A lone island with water all around.
Water, crashing, washing, hacking
Just the island –
Left all alone.
It’s better that way, perhaps...
Safer.

Another candle is lit –
And then blown out.
Forgotten.
In the shadow.
Pretending to be?

So who was the candle for?
Really?
It’s gone now.
Gone – like the water took it.

And exclamation mark, a star.
A smile.
At last!
But for how long?
It’s like shopping for a band aid.
Like raindrops on roses.

But what of yesterday?
A crash!
Then smiles, hugs, warmth
Love – just friends
So many friends; and new friends.

Faces staring and smiling.
The eyes…like the eyes.
But that was Italy.
My love.

So what font should i use?
i guess it depends on what paint.
Clearly, it doesn’t matter.

The brown, gloomy, still water
Trapped. Then green.
So many uses for it though.
Hard water…soft water...
Believe it!

Letter after letter,
Word after word,
Page after page,
Where does it end?
Right at the beginning.
Right where it started.

A deep breath
Some water
Some black smudges
A lot of water
Faces, Oh! So many faces
Warm – like Malaysia
Tapi bukan mukanya.
The water warms.
A band aid.
A smile.
Through the door.

But if it ends where it beings,
Then where is the change?

Inside. In between.

The beginning is never the same again.
The journey changes it:
No replication possible.
Good. Conflict, then change.

Somewhere new. Italy perhaps.
Bhutan? South Africa? Peru?
Maybe just Maltese soil.
Different indeed.
Everywhere and nowhere.
Like the mist above the water.

A shiver.
Two minutes.
And the heat;
But not from the water
From love.
Hidden, unexpected love.
One minute.
Is that sort of love real?
Is it possible?
But surely it must be
And not for some other reason.
It’s here and warm.

Only His love is pure.
But love like He does.
Always, forever, without exception.
Everyone, all the time.
Impossible?
But keep trying.
There is space for so much love.
Oh, so much!

Under a tree –
A tree that been cut down
I should have known.
It’s just being pruned.

Written in a moment
when I thought I was in distress
-daenielle

I'm Leaving...

2006-08-21T12:10:00.000-05:00

"All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go..."

20 hours.

6 flights, 7 airports.

One destination. 2 visits.

Singapore, Hawaii.

Sad faces, smiles.

Mixed feelings: Anxious, Excited, Hesitant, Concerned, Happy, Sad, the list goes on.

Missing people and food (in all honesty).

I'll be back next year though.

Sighted at Sea

2006-08-19T13:28:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's what you think it is.

Thailand

2006-08-19T13:27:00.000-05:00

Phuket it is...

At a Hotel

2006-08-19T13:25:00.000-05:00

When we're not working hard on the ship...

More Wonders of the Sea

2006-08-19T13:23:00.000-05:00

So blowfish is supposed to be edible, right?

The All Natural Sea

2006-08-19T13:18:00.000-05:00

Doulos Roommates

2006-08-19T13:11:00.000-05:00

Beauty?

2006-08-19T13:09:00.000-05:00

Dolphins!

2006-08-19T13:07:00.000-05:00

It's awesome how they pave the way right in front of the ship.

2nd Anniversary

2006-08-19T00:14:00.000-05:00

Haha...so I was just looking back at my documentation of time and I realized that yesterday was phases in shades of pink's second birthday. What a baby! Anyway, just thought that that's sweet and I should drop a blog to acknowledge and celebrate the occasion.

Countdown: 4 days till I leave. Oh, and I'm so excited cuz I'm gonna be visiting a friend in Singapore before I traverse on to Hawaii and then back 'home'.

Words of Wisdom

2006-08-14T11:37:00.000-05:00

"Embrace each day...and then let go."

That's to fulfill my quota of words of wisdom for the day. Tell me your thoughts on my thoughts.

my Father's grace

2006-08-14T11:03:00.000-05:00

i run from my Father.
i hear Him calling my name;
But choosing not to hear, i step off the path - just a little bit.
i know what i should be doing but i do otherwise.
1825 days or so in the wrong direction adds up.
Now it looks like a long way back - and it seems like it's all uphill...and i am but walking.
Slowly...oh, so slowly!
He knew just how to get my attention.
Pulling me away from all that was familiar at possibly the lowest time in my life.
He is faithful. Again and again. Over and over.
He pulled me close through a passion of mine and then totally broke me apart - gently even though it was painful.
For both of us.
But demonstrating true love - love in it's pure and original sense; as it was meant to be.
Beautiful...Undying...Everlasting...Eternal...
i am being gradually put together again but it's almost as painful as being broken apart.
But i'm not alone.
my Father is by my side and He reaches out His hand everytime i slip and fall.
It happens so often.
i'm so sinful and so far away from being perfect; so spotted.
But forgiven. By my Father's grace.

Pyro and Whatever Else

2006-08-10T05:04:00.000-05:00

I’ve always been both interested and fascinated with fire. So my recent craze is lighting candles in my room. Unfortunately though, candles are a no no in my college apartment – fire hazard. Understandable, but truly a bummer.

So my flight has been moved forward, primarily so I can get back in time to help out with orientation for the new students coming to college. Anyway, I now leave on the 22nd of August and I’m gonna be flying through Honolulu, Hawaii. Super BONUS mann!!! I’ll be there alone, but I have a few hours and know a few people there, so we’ll see what I can put together.

Well, as I said before, I’ve had a wonderful two months on the Doulos learning so many different things about life. It’s been an intense period of being in the classroom of life. There were rough times, but it was generally a wonderful growing experience. My favorite part was meeting so many people from all over the world and being able to learn more about what is ‘normal’ to them. I guess this coincides with my interest in sociology and communication across cultures. It really was the perfect hands-on classroom for doing this. And I can safely say that I’ve learned more from my two months there than I could have possibly learned in a year of textbooks. Furthermore, this was practical and not just the theoretical side of it.

During my time on the Doulos, I read about 5 of the Left Behind series books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. But what was more exciting was Rick Warren’s bestseller ‘The Purpose Driven Life’. Mann…that book was such a crazy read because so many times it really seemed like he had written the book just for me. Sometimes it hurt really bad to confront my real self, but the book was a reminder of how there’s always hope, even through your worst mistakes and biggest problems. Mann…sometimes you feel like you’ve messed up big time, feeling in the pits of despair, but then a book like this one is handed to you. A reminder…

Just for an update in terms of books, I’m currently reading ‘The God of Small Things’ by Arundhati Roy. I’m really enjoying her very descriptive writing. It’s a book that basically teleports you straight into India so that you smell the smells and hear the sounds.

Ahhh…so a new found thing that makes me happy: mixed berry tea straight out of Switzerland. A friend of mine on the Doulos invited me for tea one day and she makes two cups of this tea that she has from home. And wow…it’s like going through aromatherapy while enjoying the amazing hot berry tea. Definitely a wonderful way of relaxing. Hmmm…I guess between that, my candles and Arundhati’s piece of art, I’m taken care of. Oh…and the constant crazy mix of music coming from my laptop. Yeah…

Now a Douloid

2006-08-03T11:01:00.000-05:00

So I am back from my two months on the Doulos. Wow...I kinda wish I was still there. It's been such an amazing time of learning so many different things about life and everything else. 325 people from 43 different countries. What a melting pot of cultures and languages. My favorite times are definaltely when we pray in groups. I love hearing all the different people pray in their own languages: Finnish, Swiss-German, French, Japanese, Africaans, Swahili, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, Korean...and the list goes on. Then of course, it so interesting on a daily basis just speaking to people as we all speak some degree of English, but that still leaves us with about 30 different versions of English. Quite exciting!

Our voyage from Phuket, Thailand to Port Klang, Malaysia was quite an exciting one. One of my friends from Finland, and I were at the front of the ship and we saw dolphins, about 6 of them swimming in front of the ship.

Such a wonderful experiance. Will continue soon.

Who Am I

2006-05-30T22:53:00.000-05:00

Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.

Chorus:
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.
Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.

I am yours.
I am yours.

Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
'Cause I am yours.
I am yours.

Note: A song close to my heart.

Doulos

2006-05-30T21:37:00.000-05:00

To answer some questions, I leave for Thailand on the 6th of June to board the Doulos. Anyway, on board the Doulos, my email address will be daenielle.john@mvdoulos.org

I won't be able to access all other emails, so do email me here.

I'll try to be more faithful about updates now that I'm on summer holls, but things tend to get busy, so we'll see what happens.

Back Home

2006-05-24T02:23:00.000-05:00

So I'm finally back home again after a year of exploring life. I got a job on the Doulos ship which I had applied for, so I'll be leaving for Thailand soon and then sailing from there to Port Klang...It's gonna be a 2 month job and I'm looking forward to the diversity on the ship.

Faith

2006-04-15T23:59:00.000-05:00

Faith looks to God as the Source
sight trusts in possessions, power, and people
Faith focuses on "Who"
sight is limited to "how"

Faith measures the size of God
sight is controlled by the size of problems
Faith seeks God first
sight takes matters into its own hands

Faith waits on God
sight rushes ahead with self solutions
Faith is based on what God said
sight is based on how we feel

Faith's seeing-eye-guide is the Bible
sight's guide only what is visible
Faith looks beyond the circumstances to the possibilities
sight looks at how bad things are at them moment

Faith believes God even when it seems nothing is happening
sight is controlled by the senses and feelings
Faith doesn't require that it works out on paper
sight demands facts and figures first

Faith leaves it in God's hands
sight pics it back up, and worries and fretas about it

Note: My best friend sent me this, so this is for her. I'm really missing you girl!

Inter-view

2006-04-14T00:04:00.000-05:00

I pull my long, dark brown hair back into a ponytail and gaze into the mirror. Can’t miss any strands. Yes, they’re all neatly pulled back…or so I think. Mom walks in and as she pulls me close to give me a hug to calm my nerves, she says “Oops! You missed a few strands at the back.” I thank her as I re-tie my hair, perfectly this time. Appearing messy for my interview is the last thing I need. This one is really important - one that could really change things for me. God knows I need this scholarship to be able to afford graduate school and get that masters in sociology. I’ve only been working towards it ever since the day I discovered what sociology was. I flatten down the front of my freshly ironed black skirt and check my reflection in the mirror once more. “Ok. I’m ready.”

Questions begin popping into my head as I step out the door and into the car. Perhaps I should explain that I do have knack for having random thoughts about random things that jump out at me every so often. Just the other day, it crossed my mind how impossible it is for us to trace our own shadow. Anyway, this is simply another one of those ‘random thought’ moments. “Isn’t it weird that so many job offers, scholarships, etc. are based on interviews? I mean, a person could totally fake everything – their thoughts, feelings, and even their very appearance. I guess it isn’t very likely, but still…so much depends on this ‘first impression’ that you make at an interview.

I’m really quite a private person. What I choose to divulge to a person about myself (and how much of it), is really up to me. They are free to ask me whatever they choose to, yet I too am unafraid to exercise my liberty of not answering, or even to make up answers based on what I think is appropriate. In a sense, I have a big influence over how these people end up perceiving me. Wow! I could create such mistaken, misplaced, incorrect views on these people. No one really truly knows me, except myself…and God. Friends and family may know certain parts of me better than others, but only God fully knows me.”

I pull out of the driveway, and my thoughts continue to race along. I know that I am definitely guilty of being different people at different times; pulling forward different characteristics of mine to suit the situation and the people who I am around. Does this mean that I have a weak character and am confused with my real self? What is my real self? Is it the person I am when I am at home or the person I am when I’m with my friends? Or does my real self show when I’m all alone? Hmmm…maybe this all comes back to trying to trace my own shadow. Maybe I don’t know my real self and never will.” I suddenly notice the bright, red STOP sign and pull the car to an abrupt halt.

I pause. I look right. I look left. Then right again. I gently step on the accelerator, easing my way forward. “So, I guess it is possible that I don’t really know myself – I guess that makes sense, since I am constantly changing. Yet, that really is a scary thought! Everyone is constantly asking me what I want, etc, etc. But how would I know what I want if I don’t even know myself? Well, I guess that to some extent, it’s based on what I like and don’t like.”

One…two….three green lights I pass in silence. The silence breaks. “Well, maybe I just won’t fully know myself as long as I’m changing and as long as I can’t step out of myself and understand myself with my own understanding, yet be detached from myself. I guess I don’t even know if that is, or ever will be, possible.”

I pull into the car park which looks full, but then I see the last empty lot, right in the corner and I pull in there. So many thoughts and questions are still on my mind, but it’s time to put them aside and prepare myself for my interview. “I’ll just do as mom said and answer everything as honestly as I can,” I say to myself and take a couple deep breaths. I take one more. Walking onto the floor lined with offices, I pass a huge framed picture, but don’t look at it. I don’t look at it…I knew that my reflection was gazing back at me...for I would be tempted to look into it rather than at it. I have prepared myself; there’s no need to cast and shadow of doubt by gazing at my appearance.

Five…ten…fifteen minutes fly by, and I am called in for the interview. I do my very best, answering the questions just as mom had advised me to – honestly.
Interview completed, I feel a sense of relief as I walk out and make my way out of the building. I pass by the big picture again, but this time I stop to look at it. I see words. I see words? I guess I’m actually looking at the picture instead of looking into it. I look closer, and see the words that read three verses from the Bible:

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:11-13)

Critical Commentary on Daenielle John’s “Inter-view”

In her story, the author Daenielle John deals with one of the many issues of life. Who are we and will we ever know? We can assume that this is somewhat like an autobiography, and that the “I” in the story is the author referring to herself. The actual story here is rather vague and more focus is placed on the internal thoughts of the main character. This story is rather simple, where the author’s main character, who remains unnamed, is in front of the mirror checking her appearance before leaving for an important interview. At that point, her mother enters, fixes her daughter’s hair and gives her encouragement. After this point, the mother is only mentioned towards the end where the daughter remembers her mother’s words. It is important here to notice that the only characters in the story are female and neither of them is named. They do, however, have obvious roles as the mother and the daughter.

This story gives us some insight to the author’s life. Firstly, she is student of sociology and intends to pursue graduate level education in this field. Also, there is some important significance of 1 Corinthians 13:11-13 to John and for some specific reason, she has chosen to base her story on these verses.

Interestingly, when summarized, the whole story can be seen in the final few lines of the story, which the author quotes from 1 Corinthians 13:11-12. This meaning of these verses is introduced very appropriately right at the beginning, when the protagonist doesn’t see the few strands that she missed. Her mother however, sees them immediately as she comes into the room. From connecting this to the bible passage, it is fair to assume that the author is using the mother in her story to represent God and the daughter, also the author herself, to represent a child of God. Her whole story builds on this concept of her looking at herself, but not really seeing herself fully. But then the moment God takes a look at her, he notices and corrects her.

Later on in this story, we learn from the daughter that the mother (Godly figure) had advised the daughter about what to do for the interview – to tell the truth. This again reflects Godly character and the daughter choosing to take this advice, shows that the daughter accepts the authority of her mother and God over her life. The mother in Inter-view is portrayed as a loving person who cares for her daughter. Her reason for coming into her daughter’s room, according to the author, was not to point out the strands of hair that she had missed, but to give her daughter a hug of encouragement.

John goes though an interesting cycle in her story. She begins with this realization that she has the choice to be someone other than herself and this gives her a feeling of power. But then, she questions whether she would still really be herself if she did this. This leads the author to her main question which is whether she really knows herself or not. She then goes on to talk about the many times that she has been different people. Towards the end, there is the acceptance of the author that she doesn’t really know who she is. She finally resigns herself to the fact that only God really knows who she is.

There is much symbolism in this story. The protagonist’s thoughts are parallel to what goes on with her driving. For instance, when the author comes to the realization that she might not know herself as she thought she did, she is startled and at the same time, her car comes to a halt. In this sense her thoughts and her physical environment are intertwined. Another instance is when the full car park, reflecting the many thoughts on her mind.

It is also important to question why the author chose to begin and end with her standing in front of something that will reflect her image. At the beginning, it’s the mirror. This story ends though with her gazing at a glass, framed picture with words that explained her very situation. This ending, although similar to the beginning, is very different as the author doesn’t look at her reflection in the picture, but instead gazes at the words that are there, understanding the meaning that they carry. She ignores the reflection of herself that she could choose to look at. John is trying to make a point here. Somewhere along the drive to the interview, there was a change in the author. She realized that it was, to some degree, pointless to ‘look in the mirror’ and this is demonstrated when she walked past the picture the first time around. The author implies in the story that it would be in the protagonist’s nature to stop and look, but she went against this expectation of herself.

In addition to all the symbolism in this story, the author also mentions the number three, three times. The first is in relation to the three green lights that the author drives past on her way to the interview. The second time she uses the number three is slightly more subtle. Before she goes in for the interview, John writes that the protagonist takes two breaths and then one more. Finally, right at the end, the author quotes 3 verses from the bible. We can only guess that this number is used repeatedly because of its sacred significance in relation to the trinity.

This story ties in very closely to the form Gregorian chant of the middle ages. At that time, like in John’s story, the number three is very important because of its relationship to the divine. Although music at this time is seem as Apollonian in nature, John’s story is more Dionysian in the sense that it appeals more to the emotions. In addition to that, this story can be looked at more from a contextualist perspective as this narrative can be understood through symbolism and metaphor. Finally, besides having some Gregorian chant characteristics to it, John’s story also can be tied in to the Baroque period through the work of McClary. Gender is seen as being important in this story, especially as the only characters mentioned in this story are female, and also because the mother in this story is figurative for God. Therefore, in musical terms, Inter-view has some qualities that make it like Gregorian chant and some that fit it into the Baroque period.

The core message of John’s Inter-view is that what we think we see of ourselves is really a tainted view, therefore, we must accept, just as the author did, that we do not know ourselves; only God does. However, there is hope from looking at 1 Corinthians 13:12 . Although we do not know ourselves now, there will come a day when we see ourselves as we really are.

Note: This was my final project for my humanities class. This is what I've been busy with guys, so please do excuse the lack of posts.

What Cuties!

2006-04-11T20:41:00.001-05:00

appreciation for the SMALL things

2006-04-11T20:41:00.000-05:00

...and when we get bored...

2006-04-11T20:40:00.001-05:00

Making Ice-cream

2006-04-11T20:40:00.000-05:00

This was a Third Culture Society (TCS) event. Gotta say that this was

the first time I ever watched ice-cream being made. Can't say I helped

though...was too busy taking pictures.

Chilling

2006-04-11T20:38:00.000-05:00

The ultimate form of relaxation, perhaps?

First signs of Spring

2006-04-11T20:31:00.000-05:00

Friends

2006-04-11T20:30:00.001-05:00

Misc.

2006-04-11T20:30:00.000-05:00

I didn't know this one was being taken.

Spring in Little Packages

2006-04-11T20:29:00.000-05:00

Us and the Outdoors

2006-04-11T20:28:00.000-05:00

Welcoming Spring

2006-04-11T20:27:00.000-05:00

Macro on Jeans

2006-04-11T20:26:00.001-05:00

Long Rody

2006-04-11T20:26:00.000-05:00

Through the Lens of a Camera

2006-04-11T20:25:00.000-05:00

Taken by Miriam.

The Colors of Spring

2006-04-11T20:24:00.000-05:00

Check this out!

2006-02-22T10:10:00.000-05:00

This is quite funny!

What Else May?

2006-02-20T14:44:00.000-05:00

So for one of my assignments in my Humanities class, we were asked to write a 15 line Langland style poem. This is mine:

Said Pride to Prudence, who prodded for an answer,
“Willing, aren’t you? Why not humor me?”
Laughing lightly, and looking lowly,
Prudence was pensive, and paused before saying,
“Humor you say? I humbly refuse.
‘Tis not the moment for needless humor;
That moment in time has melted and passed.
But blinded are you by bragging and boasting
So simple a solution, see you not?
Pride and Prudence can’t possibly be friends.
Leave Snootiness, Smugness and Snobbery at the door.
Then be there, thought to your probing
And the response to resolve this puzzle of yours
Will reveal when you surrender your vow to Wisdom.
For Wisdom wills; what else may?”

Step

2006-02-01T18:44:00.000-05:00

Step dance performance for the International Student Cofeehouse.

Malaysian girls in Goshen

2006-02-01T18:42:00.000-05:00

Funny how we wouldn't do this if we were in Malaysia.

PC

2006-02-01T18:18:00.000-05:00

Being politically correct is a big thing in the U.S. (at least more so than in some other countries). Anyway, imagine what our daily conversations would sound like with these words:

A Criminal - unsavory character
A Crook - morally (ethically) challenged
Abortion - Near-Life Experience
Alcoholic - Anti-Sobriety Activist
Alive - temporarily metabolically abled.
An Immigrant - a newcomer
Assassination - involuntary term limitation
Bald - comb-free
Bald - folically independent
Bald - follicularly challenged.
Battle Fatigued - shellshocked
Blind - optically darker
Blind - photonically non-receptive
Blind - visually challenged
Body Odor - nondiscretionary fragrance.
Broken Down Automobile - mechanically challenged
Broken Home - Dysfunctional Family
Bum - Displaced Homeowner
Bum - Homeless Person
Bum - Involuntarily Domiciled
Cannibalism - Intra-Species Dining
Censorship - Selective Speech
Cheating - Academic Dishonesty
China - Porcelain
Chronically Late - Temporarily Challenged
Clumsy - uniquely coordinated
Commercial Fisherman - Flipper Whipper
Computer Illiterate - Technologically Challenged
Corpse - Permanently Static Post-Human Mass
Corpse / Stiff - Metabolically Challenged
Corpse / Stiff - Terminally Inconvenienced
Cowardly - Challenge Challenged
Cowboys - bovine control officers
Crackpot - certified astrological consultant, certified crystal therapist, or certified past-life regression hypnotist
Crime Rate - street activity index
Dead - Actuarially Mature
Dead - biologically challenged
Dead - environmentally correct human
Dead - living impaired
Dead - metabolically challenged
Dead - persons living with entropy
Deaf - Visually Oriented
Delicatessen - Corpse Farm
Dirty Old Man - sexually focused chronologically gifted individual
Dish Washer - utensil sanitizer
Dishonest - Ethically disoriented.
Dorm - Residence Hall
Drooling Drunk Idiot - person on floor
Drowning - aquatically challenged
Drug Addict - Chemically Challenged
Drunk - spacially perplexed
Drunk / Junkie - in recovery
Earthquake - geological correction
Fail - achieve a deficiency.
Fat - Differently Weighted
Fat - gravitationally challenged
Fat - horizontally challenged.
Fat - horizontally gifted
Fat - People of Mass
Fat - person of substance
Fictional / Mythological - ontologically challenged
Freshman - first-year student
Frog - amphibian American
Full of Crap - fecally plenary
Gang - Youth Group
Garbage Man - sanitation engineer
Gas Station Attendent - petroleum transfer technician
Geek, Nerd, whatever... - socially challenged
Ghetto / Barrio - Ethnically Homogenous Area
Hamburger - Seared Mutilated Animal Flesh
Handicapped - Differently Abled, Handi-Capable
Having PMS - cyclically challenged
Hearing Person - temporarily aurally abled
Homeless - outdoor urban dwellers
Homeless - residentially flexible
Homelessness - Mortgage-Free Living
Housebroken - Family Disfunction
Housewife - domestic engineer
Hunter - Animal Assassin
Hunter - Bambi Butcher
Hunter - Meat Mercenary
Ignorant - factually unencumbered
Ignorant - knowledge-based nonpossessor.
Incompetent - Differently Qualified
Incompetent - Specially Skilled
Incompetent - Uniquely Proficient
Insane People - Mental Explorers
Insane People - Selectively Perceptive
Insult - Emotional Rape
Janitor - sanitation engineer
Klutz - kinesthetically challenged
Large Nose - nasally gifted
Lazy - motivationally dispossessed
Lazy - motivationally deficient.
Learning Disability - Self-Paced Cognitive Ability
Library - Educational Resource Center
Logger - Wood Weasel
Logger - Paper Pirate
Logger -Treeslayer
Loser - Second Place
Loser - uniquely fortuned individual on an alternative career path
Man-hole - maintenance hole
Mankind - humankind
MANkind, HuMAN, PerSON - Earth Children
Mercy Killing - Euthanasia
Mercy Killing - Putting Down/To Sleep/Out of Misery
Messy - differently organized
Meter Maid - Parking enforcer
Midget / Dwarf - Little People
Midget / Dwarf - Vertically Challenged
Mute/Dumb - verbally challenged
Not with somebody at the moment - romantically challenged -
Off - energy-efficient
Old - chronologically gifted
Old Person / Elderly - Gerontologically Advanced
Old Person / Elderly - Senior Citizens
Panhandler - Unaffiliated applicant for private-sector funding.
Paper Bag - processed tree carcass
Perverted - Sexually dysfunctional.
Pimp-mobile / Low-rider - Culturally Responsive Transportation Option
Plagiarism - Previously Owned Prose
Po' - financially inept
Policeman, Policewoman - law inforcement officer
Poor - economically marginalized
Poor - Economically Unprepared
Poor - monetarily challenged
Postman - letter carrier
Pregnant - parasitically oppressed.
Prisoner - client of the correctional system
Prostitute - sex care provider
Psychobabble - constructivist feminist psychotherapy
Psychopath - socially misaligned
Racist - genetically discriminating
Really Big Nosed - nasally disadvantaged
Redneck - person of region
Redneck - rustically inclined
Refugees - asylum seekers
Road Kill - Vehicularly Compressed Maladapted Life Form
Rudeness - Tact Avoidance
Runny Nose - nasally gifted
Senile Bag o' Bones - Alzheimer's Victim
Serial-Killer - Person with difficult-to-meet needs.
Shoplifter - Cost-of-Living Adjustment Specialist
Short - vertically challenged
Sighted Person - temporarily visually abled
Slum - Economic Oppression Zone
Slut - suffering from a sex addiction (female)
Someone who has no other reason to park in a handicapped zone - morally handicapped
Spendthrift - negative saver.
Stained - creatively re-dyed
Steward, Stewardess - flight attendant
Stoned - Chemically inconvenienced.
Stud - suffering from a sex addiction (male)
Stupid - differently-brained
Stupid - intellectually impaired
The Elderly - Senior citizens
Thin - horizontally challenged
Thirsty - osmotically challenged
Tone Deaf - musically delayed
Too old/young - other aged
Too Tall - people of height
Tree-Hugger - environmental activist
Trees - Oxygen Exchange Units
Ugly - aesthetically challenged
Ugly - Cosmetically different.
Ugly - facially challenged
Unemployed - Involuntarily leisured.
Used Books - Recycled Books
Vagrant - Nonspecifically destinationed individual.
Vegetable - noble unconscious hero
Vice President - Post-Coronary Leader of the Free World
Vocal Minority - target equity group
Vomiting - Unplanned Reexamination of Recent Food Choices
Waiter, Waitress - food server
War-Monger - Peacekeeper, patriot
Welfare Bum - economically disadvantaged
Whaler - Blubber Lover
White - melanin-impoverished
White American - racially challenged
White Boy - rhythmically challenged
White Trash - caucasian culturally-disadvantaged
Wife - unpaid sex slave
Worst - least best.
Wrong - differently logical.

Dream is Destiny?

2006-01-19T15:03:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't written for so long...to those of you who are faithful in coming here. I do apologize. I have been really busy and have had much going on both in my life and in my mind, heart and soul. If you ever want to see what change is like, try living in another country for a significant amount of time, away from family and your closest friends. You will of course make new ones, but in the process, you'll learn much about yourself...perhaps more than you're ready to. I have to say that I am surprised at the change that I have gone through.

I guess I've come to a point in life where I'm trying to understand what I'm here for and what I'm really doing with my life. Huh...my philosophy class is really helping me rethink everything I thought I knew. I guess that it helps me in really understanding what I believe, what I have chosen to believe and why I believe what I believe. It's an interesting process when I stop long enough to reflect on my life. That, unfortunately, doesn't happen as often as it should.

So yesterday, I just watched this movie called Waking Life by Richard Linklater. If you ever want something to completely throw you off and give you something to think about, try this movie. I'll just warn you that it is intense. We watched it for a philosophy class and I actually came out with a headache...literally...from thinking about what was going on. Anyway, do check it out and you'll learn more about existentialism. I'm learning about the different philosophies of life now, so I'm gradually learning about hedonism, stoicism, existentialism and buddhism. I thought I was a stoic to begin with...now I'm not sure anymore...we'll see. I'm probably a combination of a few, but it's interesting to think about what I give priority in my life.

In honor of being a sociology major and taking a philosophy class, I have covered my door with many of the thinkers of all time. From Plato and Socrates to Nietzsche, Rene Descartes and Emile Durkheim. Along with all these sociologists and philosophers are Katie (my roommate) and I.

Well, that's some of the stuff I've been up to. The weather is great today. You would think that we would have snow in the middle of January, but no...apparently not. Instead, we have lotsa sunshine and what appears to be spring weather. But I'm not complaining...

Question: Do times change or do our standards change? Depending on this, what choices do we choose to make in the things that we do?

Christmas in Malaysia

2006-01-06T08:36:00.000-05:00

Christmas in Malaysia - It's not what you might imagine
by Justin Raimondo

To say that Malaysia is not what I imagined would be an understatement of epic proportions. Situated just south of Thailand, north of Indonesia, and quite close to the equator, the country describes itself as officially "Islamic," and this, at least in the minds of most Americans, means a stultifying uniformity, a monolithic apparatus of cultural and all too often political repression. It means women in burqas, gay people in hiding, and a society generally groaning under the weight of an enormous repression. Therefore, when I was invited to attend the Perdana Global Peace Forum as a speaker, I was somewhat hesitant, to say the least: did I really want to venture forth into such a forbidding landscape? So my initial answer was "no." But after doing a little research, and in response to the urgings of Antiwar.com's webmaster, Eric Garris, I reconsidered. What, I reasoned, could possibly happen to me? After all, I had lived in that most dangerous and forbidding realm, the New York City of pre-Giuliani days, where you were just as likely to be mugged as anything else, and in broad daylight, too. Yet I had lived to tell the tale. So, I thought, what the heck – why not?

I am now well into my second week of staying in Kuala Lumpur, at the fabulous Crowne Plaza Hotel, and it is clearer than ever that my prejudices were not only mistaken – they were and are the exact opposite of the truth. Malaysia is the virtual incarnation of religious and ethnic diversity, a veritable melting pot of racial and devotional groups that somehow manage to live in relative harmony far beyond anything I have seen even in that paradigmatic paragon of multiculturalism, California. Malays, Chinese, Indians, Arabs, and a generous smattering of Anglo expats swarm the streets of Kuala Lumpur, the biggest city in the country: yes, there is a Muslim majority, but non-Muslims are not subject to sharia law. Malay Muslims coexist with Chinese Catholics, and Buddhist priests roam the Bukhit Bintang plaza, begging, amidst crowds shopping for the latest fashions and punk rockers with pink hair stroll fearlessly down the street.

You never saw such diversity. And that's just during the daytime. At night…

I'm getting ahead of myself. Of course, I didn't come here for the nightlife: I came for the Perdana Peace Forum, which was favored with an impressive array of speakers: former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke, British MP George Galloway, former UN assistant secretary-general Denis Halliday, Pakistan-born Britain-based writer and filmmaker Tariq Ali, former UN assistant secretary-general Hans von Sponeck, Daniel Ellsberg, and anti-nuclear-arms activist and writer Helen Caldicott. Representing the Malaysians were former prime minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, current Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

I had some concerns about former Prime Minister Mahathir, but then I read this Paul Krugman column and my fears were somewhat allayed. Upon meeting Dr. Mahathir, whatever reservations remained were put completely to rest: the man seems to emanate benevolence and great gentleness, almost an aura of serenity, like some sort of Buddhist guru.

Another concern was the appearance of any connection to a government entity: Antiwar.com does not accept money from any governmental source, nor do we affiliate ourselves with the activities of any government. Only after receiving assurances that not a penny of Malaysian government money was going into the conference did we agree to attend. The conference was, indeed, a model of private enterprise in action, with corporate contributions from Ambank Group, Berjaya Corporation Bhd, Country Heights Holdings Bhd, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, Malayan Banking Bhd, Multi-Purpose Holdings Bhd, Sri Inderajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd, the Sunway Group, and the Sapura Group of Companies. Nestle and Dell Computers were also among the corporate sponsors.

At any rate, the conference was… amazing. Literally thousands of ordinary Malaysians heard the speakers and then divided into discussion groups. Around a third to a half were young people, and their questions and comments provided an illuminating glimpse into the minds of non-Americans, who look on America with great affection and respect and yet object to the actions of the American government.

Eric Garris has gone into the incident involving Zimbabwe's dictator Robert Mugabe, who suddenly showed up uninvited, so I won't go into too many of the details. Suffice to say that I made a point of working a denunciation of Mugabe's thuggery into my speech, an event that seemed to catalyze general opposition to his presence. An event at which Mugabe was supposed to speak was canceled, and, in answer to inquiries about Mugabe's presence, Dr. Mahathir remarked: "Everybody can attend. If he wants to say how good it is to be a dictator, he can."

I have to say that there was none of the crude anti-Americanism at the conference that one has – sadly – come to expect at gatherings of antiwar activists. Eric and I made a point of linking the cause of peace to the cause of free markets at every opportunity, a viewpoint that was especially appreciated by the conference organizers.

I have to say that I am… astonished by Malaysia. Here is an "Islamic" country where a gigantic Christmas tree sits in the lobby of the hotel I'm staying at, and the café waiters in the plaza a few blocks away are dressed like Santa's elves. Here is a city where the nightlife puts San Francisco's to shame. Where the city's oldest gay bar, the Blue Boy, makes Baghdad-by-the-Bay seem like a dive in Podunk, Idaho; where people party well into the morning light, and you can have a good time for a few ringgits (the Malay currency: around 30 cents). The food is fabulous: Malay (spicy, somewhat Thai-like), Arab (there's a great place right off Bukhit Bintang), Chinese (you haven't lived until you've sampled the pleasures of Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown), and too many more to go into here. The place is a gastrointestinal paradise!

Modernity is juxtaposed next to traditionalism: on the one hand you have the soaring heights of the Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest buildings in the world, lit up like a vision of futurity against the night sky, and on the other hand you have women in traditional dress – colorful costumes of bright color and the requisite head covering – traversing its corridors. Two, three, many worlds coexisting: the past and the future converging into a new synthesis of creativity and entrepreneurial energy. The impression one gets is of a tremendous vitality, a restless yet directed life-force that seems to spring right out of the earth.

A final note: nowhere have I experienced more genuine warmth and such a feeling of welcome. When you come to Kuala Lumpur, you are made to feel very special. The gentleness and politeness of these people is a phenomenon that doesn't exist, to my knowledge, anywhere in the U.S. Malays are generally puzzled by the actions of the U.S. government abroad, and do not support the war in Iraq: but they love America, the country, and show great admiration and respect for the American people. And that is the kind of "anti-Americanism" that I can live with.

Christmas House

2005-12-31T14:43:00.000-05:00

The stereotype of a typical American house in the white of Christmas. Check out the icicles.

Bollywood Night

2005-12-31T14:25:00.000-05:00

Mei and I at my cousins house on the night that we wore Indian clothes,

ate Indian food and watched Bride and Prejudice. It was good fun!

Huh?

2005-12-31T14:18:00.000-05:00

My cousin making himself useful. I guess philosophy and english double majors have a lot of free time.

Happy Siblings?

2005-12-31T14:16:00.000-05:00

Johann and I. Behind us is the igloo...or snow mountain.

Mei's snowperson.

2005-12-31T14:14:00.001-05:00

We Are Family

2005-12-31T14:14:00.000-05:00

Brother, cousins and I.

Icicle Land

2005-12-31T14:13:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder what dripping water looks like when it freezes?

Goshen Scenery

2005-12-31T14:10:00.000-05:00

Mei and I down by the dam in Goshen.

First Time in Snow

2005-12-31T14:08:00.000-05:00

I had the honor of spending my Christmas break with my best friend. It

was her first time in the States and her first time being in snow. This

is her feeling snow and holding it in her hand for the first time.

Brrr...

Why Did I Join the Vigil?

2005-12-31T13:45:00.000-05:00

by KJ John
KJ John served in public service for 30 years and took optional retirement to work in his own consulting group. He hopes to see transparent and open, new governance practiced in Malaysia some day.

Three nights ago, I received an urgent SMS - Father Jojo requested Christians to gather in front of the High Court for a vigil on the issue of the "denial of rights" involving the wife of the army commando M Moorthy who had died recently.
This was the first time I had been invited to a vigil for any cause. I had to quickly make some important choices and decisions. What are the real issues? Do I support the cause? Is it something worth standing up for and to make a statement? And is it really that important to take and make time to be there?

By 8.20pm, I turned up at the High Court sidewalk with a whole bunch of others, including Dr Irene Fernandez, the winner of the alternative Nobel Award, and two siblings - all my kampong mates. Most of the friends I texted did not come though. I met many other friends and made some new acquaintances, including a Special Branch officer from the Dang Wangi police station assigned to keep watch of the situation.

It was my privilege to be there, and hopefully my two youngest will understand why daddy had to suddenly run off to attend an urgent call to a "peaceful protest".

Now, why did I do it? The SB officer also asked me the same question of a 30-year ex-government servant who drove all the way from PJ to get there for the 15-minute vigil. I said, "for the sake of my children and grandchildren!"

Grey area

Unbeknown to most average Malaysians, our now freer judicial system is making a lot of bold and clear decisions regarding many matters. That is very good and clears the air for more transparent and open governance. Hopefully it will be ‘good’ governance.

Nevertheless, one whole grey area is the issue of jurisdictional authority and governance is in the case of Muslim Malaysians. It is purported and interpreted that the Syariah Court's jurisdiction covers all Muslims and all Muslim-related matters.

In this specific case in point, the Syariah Court ruled that L/Cpl Moorthy was a Muslim and thus should be buried with Muslim rites of passage. The grayness of the issue arises from the fact that his conversion was kept secret from his family and especially his next of kin, his only wife. But, as Dr Chandra Muzaffar was reported to have said, "technically speaking, he was committing khalwat or zina but the authorities put up with it. It is very disturbing that they would choose to get involved after his death."

The fact of the matter is that even if the late Moorthy converted, it was such a well-kept secret that even his only wife did not know about it! Now, this raises a question on whether that is a substantive conversion, or only a surface one for reasons better known to others and the deceased.

The core issue in the case are two foundational and fundamental issues; that of which is the supreme law of this land especially in civil and organisational life, and what the limits of the syariah (or faith groups) jurisdiction is on "extra-personal or on individual" matters. That makes the whole exercise and debate a constitutional matter, and not one merely for courts to declare their "non-jurisdictional authority," as in two recent cases (including the Lina Joy case), and concomitantly their ignorance.

Suhakam chairman himself, a former attorney-general, said, "I think this is a constitutional issue. The individual has the right to choose his or her own religion. Once the person has embraced Islam, he has to act in accordance to the tenets of the religion. Otherwise, there is no meaning or commitment to this conversion" (Star, pp 8). Well stated.

In yesterday's Sun, editor-in-chief Zainon Ahmad made the same argument and concluded that maybe it would have been more representative of civilisational Islam if Jakim allowed the family to bury the deceased with Hindu rites, even if he had converted, because that would have demonstrated the real compassion in Islam.

Shaila Koshy (Star) quotes the 1991 case of then High Court judge, Eusoff Chin, adjudicating on a similar tussle when he ruled that Lee Siew Kee "had not been properly converted, was not a Muslim when he died and ordered the remains to be delivered to Lee's widow."

God-given human rights

My children and grandchildren have an inalienable and God-given human right to practice any faith of their choice. I pray that they follow mine and that of my forefathers of 2,000 years. I also recognise that, as a father, even my right to teach them their faith is limited to the age of 18 in Malaysia.

That right of this fundamental and human choice to have the "freedom of conscience" is a God-given right of human dignity and cannot be denied or refused by any human or governmental law. This is the Universal Human Rights Declaration agreed to by all nation-states.

In my doctoral dissertation, such a basic human right which I termed "human dignity" was defined as the freedom to "live a life of (God-ordained) destiny in the workplace." I suppose that same right applies to the lived place, and not merely the workplace. The public space of lived life is therefore our organisational space for living as well. How we define and constraint that space also defines and constraints our living; and can often deny our God-given dignity of being human.

It is obvious now from the different analyses in the media that Jakim and the two courts and their "collaborators" handled themselves with "less than full integrity." Therefore, if, Zainon Ahmad says in today's Sun review of 2005, that it was PM Pak Lah's commitment to "build integrity as a personal and national trait, a centerpiece of his administration's policies since coming to power in 2003", one has to wonder where the Jakim's, Syariah Court's and High Court's decisions stand on this issue of national integrity.

How can the Malaysian government tolerate its agencies when they deny the Malaysian constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion and its practice amongst all Malaysians, and be allowed to act in ways that deny the constitutional right and rule of civil law principle in Malaysia?

To me, what was most disturbing about the whole incident is for the judge of the High Court to "ignore constitutional governance principles and rule of law," in explicitly ignoring the right of remedy for the wife of the deceased and the family's basic and fundamental right of the fatherhood of the family.

If the family institution is a fully recognised and credible institution of governance in Malaysia (by virtue of a minister being appointed for this jurisdiction), it is tragically ignosis (or ignorant) for the judicial system to blatantly disregard the rights of the family and a claim to their own father!

Please bear with me as a writer, when I claim, that when fatherhood is destroyed in such ways in this world and divorced from its pure and pristine value as found in all traditional religions, the foundations of society are being fundamentally destroyed. To me, it matters little that, it is being done in the name of religion. The destruction is the same. Civilisational collapse is what will follow.

Source: malaysiakini.com

Answers

2005-12-27T16:28:00.000-05:00

1. Jingle Bell Rock
2. Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
3. All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth
4. O Holy Night
5. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
6. Come All Ye Faithful
7. Away in a Manger
8. Deck the Halls
9. Little Drummer Boy
10. We Three Kings
11. Silent Night
12. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
13. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
14. Let It Snow
15. Go Tell It on the Mountain
16. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
17. What Child is This?
18. Joy to the World
19. Hark the Herald Angels Sing
20. The 12 Days of Christmas

Hope you guys had fun with this one!

Christmas Carol Quiz

2005-12-21T13:07:00.000-05:00

Get a pencil and paper and see how many of the 20 you can get.

Example: Bleached Yule = White Christmas

1. Boulder of the Tinkling Metal Spheres
2. Castaneous-Colored Seed Vesicated in a Conflagration
3. Singular Yearning for the Twin Anterior Incisors
4. Righteous Darkness
5. Arrival Time: 2400 Hours. Weather: Cloudless
6. Loyal Followers Advance
7. Far Off in a Feeder
8. Array the Corridor
9. Bantam Male Percussionist
10. Monarchial Triad
11. Nocturnal Noiselessness
12. Jehoval Deactivate Blithe Chevaliers
13. Red Man En Route to Borough
14. Frozen Precipitation Commence
15. Proceed and Enlighten on the Pinnacle
16. The Quadruped with the Vermilion Proboscis
17. Query Regarding Identity of Descendant
18. Delight for This Planet
19. Give Attention to the Melodious Celestial Beings
20. The Dozen Festive 24 Hour Intervals

11 000

2005-12-08T11:29:00.000-05:00

That is the number of hits on my blog as of recently. Thanks guys for reading!

So, my first semester in the US is over and I'm done with finals. I just moved out of the dorms today, so it's been a busy morning. Anyhow, Christmas break is here and I am glad to meet it.

When I left home, some of my friends (I won't mention names) promised to come visit me. My best friend was one of those to make that promise, and sure enough, she will be making that promise a reality this Sunday. I'm so excited! We're gonna have so much fun hanging out with my cousin's here and my aunts and uncles and my brother. I'm expecting a very merry December.

Well, I'm gonna go sleep now. It's so cold outside and I sort of feel like hibernating. We've had a few negative eighteen celcius days. Yes, I'm missing the tropical weather very much now.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

2005-12-04T22:16:00.000-05:00

I was just thinking about this. Even something as simple as an email can make all the difference. Yes, an email consists of a whole bunch of words, but still there is an action behind it...an action that could make the world of a difference to someone else. Stop talking and take action!

I'm eating peanut butter popcorn. Have a blessed day!

Updates

2005-11-27T15:30:00.000-05:00

I just got highlights done yesterday. It's an auburn brown...not that obvious, but there's like a red glow to my head. That's what it looks like to me at least. Anyway, it's something I've wanted to do for a while...just for fun.

Another crazy thing to add to my list of 'nonsense that I've been up to' would be my 'tunneling' experiance yesterday. I won't say anymore here but ask me if you're really interested. Definately an adrenaline rush.

Finally, I've found a new toy: Google Earth. I got to see my house...quite clearly too! It's exciting.

Bubbye Autumn

2005-11-24T19:42:00.000-05:00

Jack Frost has been drawing spider webs.

Fork

2005-11-24T19:40:00.000-05:00

One of my more artistic shots.

Thanksgiving Meal

2005-11-24T19:39:00.000-05:00

It's thanksgiving today and campus is quite empty because most people have gone on break. Anyway, there were a few of us left in our dorm and one of the guys cooked a delicious feast for us. Banana bread, mashed potatoes, roast chicken, mushroom green bean dish, fruit salad and apple pie to top it off. It was great!

Apple Pie

2005-11-24T19:35:00.000-05:00

Up close and personal with homemade apple pie.

This guy's electricity bill must have been insane...

2005-11-22T19:09:00.000-05:00

Wow!

Arrrggghhhhh!

2005-11-22T00:58:00.000-05:00

Give me a stone to bite or a stack of glass plates to throw against a wall.

Note: Don't worry...I'll be fine eventually. Just frustrated right now.

Live with Colm Wilkinson

2005-11-20T03:02:00.000-05:00

Goshen is full of surprises. Today, I went to watch Colm Wilkinson perform at Sauder Hall, which is in our Music Hall. The acoustics in that building are worth braging about. Anyway, as many know, Colm has starred in Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera and Jesus Christ Superstar. I got to see him live today and then my theater class and a few others had a Q&A session with him. Check out more about Colm at http://www.colmwilkinson.com/final4.html . I really appreciate being in a small college where we can have one on one experiances like this one...and I have to say he is a very interesting person and is quite willing to share his experiances. From what I heard from him, I feel like he is quite a wholesome person. Anyway, it was an honor to hear from this Broadway star. And mann...he sings really well!

The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran

2005-11-16T22:37:00.000-05:00

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts.
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

Fall

2005-11-15T13:37:00.000-05:00

The most beautiful season?

My Roomie!

2005-11-15T13:36:00.000-05:00

Here's my roommate and I in our room.

Another fall picture

2005-11-15T13:35:00.001-05:00

Yellow and green...

Macro

2005-11-15T13:35:00.000-05:00

I'm still quite fascinated with the macro setting on my camera. Here's another picture.

Umble Center

2005-11-15T13:33:00.000-05:00

So, I helped out with hair and makeup for the mainstage theater Fall production, Much Ado About Nothing. This was the stage setup in our theater.

Animation

2005-11-10T13:19:00.000-05:00

Check this out. It's gotta be the best animation ever...

TCS

2005-11-03T17:09:00.000-05:00

Third Culture Student.

That is who I am. My mom has one culture, my dad has another; and I have a third.

Goshen has a TC society, which I have become part of and it is quite a lot of fun. This is finally a setting in which I feel quite at home as I am with people that understand me. It's quite fascinating how, despite out differences and various backgrounds, we all still have one thing in common. Anyway, last weekend Goshen's TCS had a retreat with the MK's (Missionary Kids) from Calvin College. We learned so much about each other and had so much fun...from playing around with "I have..." to sitting around the bonfire eating s'mores. It was great. The people were all so unique each with their own random experiances...from getting shot at in a plane, to drinking fermented goat's urine, to being head-butted by a giraffe. Hilarious! I had a wonderful time...and here are some pictures...

Group picture again...

2005-11-03T17:04:00.000-05:00

Check out the colors of the fall leaves. This was at the Brunk's Cabin (owned by GC) in Michigan.

Goshen's TCS and Calvin's MK's

2005-11-03T17:02:00.000-05:00

Bonfire

2005-11-03T17:01:00.000-05:00

"Welcome To Wherever You Are"

2005-10-31T00:24:00.000-05:00

Maybe we're different, but we're still the same
We all got the blood of Eden, running through our veins
I know sometimes it's hard for you to see
You come between just who you are and who you wanna be

If you feel alone, and lost and need a friend
Remember every new beginning, is some beginning's end

[Chorus]
Welcome to wherever you are
This is your life, you made it this far
Welcome, you gotta believe
That right here right now, you're exactly where you're supposed to be
Welcome, to wherever you are

When everybody's in, and you're left out
And you feel your drowning, in a shadow of a doubt
Everyones a miracle in their own way
Just listen to yourself, not what other people say

When it seems you're lost, alone and feeling down
Remember everybody's different
Just take a look around

[Chorus]
Welcome to wherever you are
This is your life, you made it this far
Welcome, you gotta believe
That right here right now, you're exactly where you're supposed to be
Welcome, to wherever you are

Be who you want to, be who you are
Everyones a hero, everyones a star

When you wanna give up, and your hearts about to break
Remember that you're perfect, God makes no mistakes

[Chorus]

Welcome to wherever you are
This is your life, you made it this far
Welcome, you gotta believe
That right here right now,
you're exactly where you're supposed to be
Welcome, to wherever you are

A friend emailed me this song. I just want to say thank you.

Condolences to our PM

2005-10-19T22:10:00.000-05:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's wife, whom he described as his No. 1 supporter, died Thursday after a nearly four-year battle with breast cancer. She was 64.

Source: www.cnn.com

Thanks to those who informed me of this.

MaryJ

2005-10-19T20:10:00.000-05:00

Some of my friends on campus were having a discussion the other day about marijuana and the legalization of it. If it were legalized, would there be less problems related to addiction. The fact that it would be legal would of course give people easier access to it, but at the same time, people who do it becuase it's illegal wouldn't find it 'cool' anymore. Of course for the norms to change, it might take some time, so naturally, there would probably be a great rise in the use of dope before the dip comes along.

Anyway, we never really came to a conclusion in regard to this issue but it was interesting to have this discussion and hear people's thoughts about it. Feel free to contribute yours too.

Itching Ears and Unsound Doctrine

2005-10-19T19:45:00.000-05:00

So I got this off an email from a friend and I wanted to share it with you. It provokes some thought.

2 Tim 4:3-4
3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. NIV

I read a few days ago that a group of leaders from one of the major church groupings in Britain had published “a teaching document instructing the faithful that some parts of the Bible are not actually true.” When I read this, the warning of Paul (above) came to my mind. The great apostasy, or “falling away,” foretold by Paul (1 Tim 4:1) is already happening. And sadly, many church leaders themselves are fuelling it. They have stood in their pulpits and denied the message of salvation through Christ alone, they have dismissed the miracles of God, they have cast doubts on His divinity, and attacked the Gospel as too exclusive, harsh or hurtful. They have blessed what God has already condemned (e.g. gay marriage) and called good evil, and evil good. Christ has been wounded by His friends; betrayed by those who call Him Lord.

One study done of a denomination in Britain found that the laity had more faith than the clergy when it came to fundamental doctrines of the Bible! With so much doubt and unbelief emanating from the pulpits these days, how long can faith survive? Jesus, when He spoke about the end times, wondered, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Lk 18:8)

These church leaders with itching ears also insist that we have to look at the Bible in contemporary terms. What they really mean is that we should lower the bar on sin and immorality, on personal accountability, to adapt to today’s culture. What they want is a gospel that promotes accommodation and compromise, a politically correct gospel that is inclusive, that does not confront sin, that offends none, that demands little. This is really a form of rebellion against God no less than that of Jannes and Jambres (2 Tim 3:8). A man who has suffered much for his faith, said recently, that we need to be “Jesus-correct rather than politically correct.”

I draw your attention to all this because it is becoming more and more crucial for believers to seek and know God for themselves, and to understand His Word. Our faith must never be dependent upon what our pastor or priest thinks, or what common culture demands. It must be based upon the Bible, and a living relationship with Jesus Christ Himself. The Holy Spirit is our teacher, and we must learn to learn from Him. Believers who do not have this foundation are going to find their faith challenged and undermined; and many will be drawn away.

In 2 Tim 3:16-17 Paul says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.…” That means that every word of Scripture is inspired by God; it is an everlasting testimony of God’s will and purpose for all mankind, for all eternity. It is unchanging and immutable. Nothing can be added to it or taken away from it. It is the only foundation upon which faith in Jesus Christ can be built. What you believe about the Bible will determine the nature of your faith, whether you will stand strong, or be tossed about on the waters of convenience and passing fancy. It is a serious thing; so think carefully about it. Decide where you will stand. This is not about disrespecting our pastors and church leaders; it is about putting the Word of God, that is contained in the Bible, above everything else.

In Jesus day, the scholars and religious leaders thought they were wise and clever with their interpretations and scholarship, but they missed the Messiah when He came. They claimed to understand the Word of God, but missed the God of the Word! Let us not make the same mistake again. Remember, Jesus said, “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matt 24:13).

Jesus loves you. Have a great day.

A hug!

2005-10-14T19:25:00.000-05:00

Here's a hug for anyone who could use one!

More hugs

2005-10-14T19:22:00.000-05:00

You know, apparently you're supposed to get at least five hugs a day to keep you happy...I heard that though, so I don't have any scientific evidance to support that. But I like the idea...

Kulp

2005-10-14T19:20:00.000-05:00

Yes, this is my dorm.

Vines

2005-10-14T19:19:00.000-05:00

One of the few things that is more exciting than the train on campus...hehe!

Vines Too

2005-10-14T19:18:00.000-05:00

Along the Science building, I spotted this beauty. I just love the change in the colors against the brick wall.

More Fall Leaves

2005-10-14T19:17:00.000-05:00

I thought this was simply gorgeous.

Campus at Fall

2005-10-14T19:16:00.000-05:00

Train tracks at the beginning of fall.

Up Close

2005-10-14T19:14:00.000-05:00

So, I managed to find the macro setting on my camera and these are some pictures that a friend of mine took.

Up Close

2005-10-14T19:12:00.000-05:00

I like this one quite a bit.

My hair...

2005-10-14T19:10:00.000-05:00

Another picture...

What Your Computer Does When You Are Away

2005-10-12T18:17:00.000-05:00

Click Here

To Heaven

2005-10-10T16:16:00.000-05:00

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.”

Grandpa passed away this afternoon. This is the first time I’ve gone through a family death and I’m doing ok for now. I managed to spend his last three days with him and that was a blessing. It was his time and as he took his final breath, there was peace on his face and I finally understood how death can be a beautiful process.

“God gives and takes away.”

Grandpa’s leaving does make me feel sad…just because he won’t be there to play dominoes or cards with us; and I’ll definitely miss his sense of humor. But at the same time, he had a good long life and I believe that he is in a better place now.

“From dust we were made and to dust we shall return.”

I will miss grandpa but it’s the living who need the support, so do pray for grandma, my mom and her five siblings.

God bless.

Understanding Barcodes

2005-10-08T22:07:00.000-05:00

Background Information:

A bar code is a series of black bars and white spaces of varying widths that are printed on labels to identify items. A scanner is used to decode the bar code. The scanner measures the reflected light and interprets the code as numbers and letters that are passed to a computer.

To make decoding bar codes easier, think of every bar (black stripe) as being a 1, and every space, (white strip) as being a 0.

A UPC-A barcode starts on the left with “bar-space-bar” (101). This is the signal for the scanner to start reading, and it lets the scanner know the width of the binary digits within the symbol. The set of long bars that follows is the first digit of the barcode. This digit identifies the type of product.

The next five digits identify the manufacturer. This is called the left field. All of the products made by the same manufacturer have the same code in the left field.

The long bars in the middle separate the left field from the right field. They are called the center guard. These long lines represent the digits 01010.

The next set of bars is called the right field. This code also has five characters.

The long bars at the end contain the signal to stop reading (101), as well as to check the sum. This sum allows the scanner to check and see if all the other numbers are correct.

To determine what the check digit should be, find the sum of the odd-spaced digits (the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th digits). Then multiply this sum by 3. Save that as answer #1. Add up the even-spaced digits (the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th digits). Add this answer to answer #1. The check digit is the number you have to add to your answer to find the next multiple of 10.

Life is Going Good

2005-10-03T08:32:00.000-05:00

So, I've been in Goshen for over a month now. It's been an interesting time and I'm still in the process of learning a lot...in more than one way. College life is definately exciting. I like constantly having people around to listen and talk to. It's just so exciting.

I'm taking five classes this semester, so I have a full load. In addition to that, I'm working two jobs on campus and I'm involved with some societies, namely the Third Culture Society (TCS). Being the result of a mixed marriage, I've always felt slightly different. In terms of culture, I never quite clicked in any one place...except at home with my brothers. But TCS has been interesting cuz although I don't have the same background as any of the other members, many of us are in the same situation; so despite being different, we all understand each other. We have an awesome time of getting to know each other through which we talk about our countries from all over the world and what life is like there.

Recently, I've been quite busy...things should be slowing down a bit now as Fall Break approaches. I'm looking forward to the changing colors of leaves...but not the cold. The weather here has been eratic. A couple days ago, we were in sweaters. Yesterday, it was hot and humid the whole day...kind of like back home. But when the sun is out and the sky is blue, Goshen is just beautiful.

I was thinking about home yesterday...what would seem like insignificant things to many...mamak, street life, 1U, the thunderstorms, etc. I had to stop there...it brings gentle tears to my eyes. But more than anything, I miss the people. My family, friends...each one very special.

Well, enough reminiscing for now. I hope to write more often but no guarantees. Thanks to you guys for your patience. It is appreciated. I'll be back...sometime!

On the Tracks

2005-10-02T19:17:00.000-05:00

Two of my friends on campus wanted some examples of their work for senior portraits, so a whole group of us had a photo shoot. This is one of the pictures that was taken on the train tracks.

Friends...

2005-10-02T19:15:00.000-05:00

Vicky (Chile) is one of the first people I met on campus.

Perfect Picture

2005-10-02T19:10:00.000-05:00

I was out studying on the lawn one afternoon...a daily activity for me, and these girls stopped by. We decided to take a 'pink' picture since we were all in shades of pink...this has gotta be the perfect picture for my blog.

Becca and I

2005-10-02T19:06:00.000-05:00

Rebecca and I. This is one of the other girls on my floor...one of the 23. Becca makes the best tea...the only tea that I like, being that I neither drink tea nor coffee.