EUGENIUS MAXIMUS (LATIN FOR HUGE EUGE)

2003-06-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

Achtung! This site will become defunct in the near future. For *new* Xanga site, my faithful 2.5 readers, go to...

Danke Shun!

http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=EugeniusMaximus

2003-06-19T11:40:00.000-07:00

What the heck?!! It's only 2:39. I thought it'd be 4 by now! This day is going so slow...

2003-06-19T07:35:00.000-07:00

I've resolved to eating healthier. Some things I'm doing...and keep me accountable (especially you Jeffko)!

No more soda, minimize juices...water and more water!
No eating after 10 PM.
Eating greens and fish for dinner as much as possible.
Wheat over white.
Eating breakfast!!!
Eating Sl-ow-lllly...
Man, this is hard, but I can do it.

2003-06-19T07:25:00.000-07:00

Tommorow is the monthly Sailing social event, postponed from last week. I'll bring a dish (probably salsa and chips) so you won't have to. If you're interested in going, let me know, by phone or email. I'm staying afterwards for moonlight sail. Then off to prayer meeting.

Thanks!
(Bri, that's what I called about last night)

2003-06-19T06:13:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about heading over to the other camp, which is a xanga site. The best thing about them is that they have a guestbook function, which I regret not having with this site. So this may happen later tonight...or in the near future. Although, do I need a guestbook for the 2.5 readers of this site?
:)

2003-06-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

Roger Mason, Jr. on the Bulls...I just found out I work with his mom! He went to UVa. Her other son is also a great baller, but is a premed at Hopkins. He hates the social life. Small wonder...if it weren't for ministry, I woulda hated it too.

2003-06-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

By the way, yesterday's sailing was A-MAZING! It was significantly breezier last night than previously. Most of the time the boat was right on the edge of the water, skidding in the "groove", the optimal speed at which the boat is heeled just to the edge of the water. We had a quiz as well, which was pretty easy. I'm reading the wind a LOT better, relying more on my face and hands rather than flags, telltale and windex on the mast.

Sailing terms to know:
-Tacking, which is turning the boat from one dir. of sail to the other, is more antiquely known as 'HARD-A-LEE!"
-Sheet-In means to pull in the mainsail line. You do this when you're about to tack or jibe. Sheet-out happens after the tack or jibe occurs.
-Leeward-away from the wind
-Windward-toward the wind

2003-06-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

Some of you may be wondering why I'm doing so many different things. I've gotten comments like 'young adult life crisis' and 'getting it out of my system before medical school'. I don't think either of these are the real reasons. A man needs to be tested, to know that he is capable of taking on something bigger than what he knows. When he fails to do that, then he becomes a dull, half-hearted person that is a shell of the man he's called to be. From the 'Wild at Heart' book, the author describes his last visit to the zoo. He watched intently a lion, the 'King of the Jungle'. The lion looked so lifeless in his small domain, lying there next to his precut food and water. He had no pride to lead, no animals to catch, and no territories to defend. This is the state a 'domesticated' man can become. It's clearly something I don't want to happen for myself. So one way I'm countering this 'taming' is to endeavor as many challenging physical activities that require interaction with nature as possible. Hopefully through that, I will better build what my ministry leader calls "agressive, non-passive passion for God" to forcefully advance the kingdom. I believe ministering to others and doing God's work requires a raw passion that cannot be expressed in a docile Ned Flanders type of guy. It's not what God intended, and it's not what I want. Think John the Baptist, a wild man in the desert. So as I wait for where God wants me to be, who I'm supposed to minister to next, and even who he will put with me, I endeavor to enjoy challenges in His beautiful outdoors. It helps me to be patient with myself and others, and maintain zeal for the Lord. My impatience had largely resulted from sitting on my hands and going through the motions.
If you're a guy, my challenge to you is to find ways to 'untame' yourself. You'll be a better man for it, trust me. ;)

2003-06-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

Daily dose of Scripture:

Romans 12

Love

9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

2003-06-16T08:40:00.000-07:00

Oh man, early lunch...11:15. I was so hungry I was waiting for them to open the door. I really should eat breakfast like my roommate. My spirits are up with something in my stomuch.

2003-06-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

I'm happy for David Robinson...what a great way to end your basketball career!
:)

2003-06-16T07:04:00.000-07:00

This is one of those rare mornings when I am just really cranky. Woke up this morning with a headache, wanted to use the bathroom but my roommate already beat me to it. So I was pretty irritated. The warm sticky morning made me itch like crazy. When I got to work one of the bags I brought had a camera. I had forgotten to take it out from yesterday's bike trail. The security guard asked me for it, and I fumbled around my bag forever, forgetting it was in the front pouch. She said CMS rules were you can't bring camera. At this point I was so frustrated, I said "Dammit!" Talk about not being a good witness, huh? I wanted to throw the camera to the ground, but managed to keep my composure and went back out. I left my other bag at the security which I had put my car keys in for it to go through the scan. So I went back to get it without going past the scan again. One security guard was about to stop me, when the lady security guard told him I was just going to return my camera. I think I would have just lost it there and punched the guy.

Rough morning...during the car ride I was listening to a message about running for the prize and Eric Little. I love Chariots of Fire and the analogy Paul uses with running the race and the Christian life. This morning is a good indication of needing to keep focused, and not trip over my shoelaces during the run.
There are days when I'm a pretty dangerous guy :P

2003-06-14T15:24:00.000-07:00

Ok, rare weekend post...I was parking near my place, talking on the cell, and saw these kids playing football disregarding traffic. These kids need yelling mothers! Not long afterwards, a motorcycle crew drove by. One of the bikes spilled over, and two people fell, one scraping her side arms. It was insane, seemed like everyone was alright, but what a crazy Saturday the 14th!

2003-06-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

Just bought tix from expedia to go back to Kali...decided to pick a connection flight for 306 bucks. Yeah, I could pay 60 for more for nonstop, but I figure...I won't be working anymore by then, and I've got free time. Heck, if someone needs to fly back more badly, I wouldn't mind giving my seat for $$$. If it's REAL emergency, I'll give it up for free.

Everyone, pat me on the back...this is the first time I'm paying my own way to go back home. Before, I was unemployed or very poor (i.e. my previous job as substitute counselor at Catholic Charities).

2003-06-13T10:47:00.000-07:00

1. What's one thing you've always wanted to do, but never have?
Ride a motorcycle...definitely a beemer bike. Ride it cross country. Booooorn to be Wild!!!
2. When someone asks your opinion about a new haircut/outfit/etc, are you always honest?
No...inside I'm barely containing fits of laughter, on the outside, my face is smiling politely, "It's very nice, I like it very much."
3. Have you ever found out something about a friend and then wished you hadn't? What happened?
Nah...I've been tipped by a buddy that another friend was talking smack behind my back. It was good info to know to watch out for
4. If you could live in any fictional world (from a book/movie/game/etc.) which would it be and why?
Super Mario World!!! Wouldn't it be cool to kill Koombas, throw fireballs, jump and fly by grabbing mushrooms and feathers and then save the beautiful princess??? EET-SA MEEEE, MAR-IO!
5. What's one talent/skill you don't have but always wanted?
You know how people can twirl their pen all the way around successively? Boy, do I envy them!
Also, break dance. Dang, those guys on the streets are amazing.

2003-06-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

Things one learn from work. Did you know...the first IVF baby was born in 1978? He/she is just a bit older than me. What's even more amazing is test tube babies...

2003-06-13T06:31:00.000-07:00

http://homepages.nyu.edu/~jcl270/

I browsed Jacob Lee's page...a former Hops student. Yo, some of the medical pics on his blog are sick! (Both cool and disgusting)
This weekend...
Friday...prolly pool wit da boys again. See Ladder 49 shoot at inner harbor maybe...
Sat...weather permitting, a nice bike ride nearby where bros (other ministries) live
Hip hop dance class at 12...I didn't practice ANY of the moves. Busted...
I want to go somewhere, secret and quiet.
Sunday, bike run...maybe Yung's bachelor party? I have orders from my SG leader that I better bring tons of people to church. Sheesh. If I even bring one, that WOULD be a big score for the hometeam. May God give me the opportunity and guidance to find him/her/them.

I'm pretty excited to get started with med school. There's no way I would be happy with a 9 to 5 job, even if I was paid twice as much. It IS nice, and no complaints, but after half a year, I'm ready to move on to bigger and better things. Jacob's blog entries sound way cool.

2003-06-12T14:14:00.000-07:00

Called Maryland to see whhasssup? waitlist hasn't even started yet at Maryland! I want to bring some pots and pans and ring it outside their office in protest. Oh well...Penn State, here I come.

2003-06-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

(secret mssg to briguy) :

winter's coming soon, real soon!

2003-06-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

Concert news: The current list of performers for the Korean American Peace Concert at Washington DC's RFK Stadium on June 28 includes Shinhwa, Boa, Baby VOX, NRG, Bi, CAN, Eugene, Fly to the Sky, Seven, Lee Sun Hee, Patti Kim, Jo Young Nam, Seol Woon Do, Kim Gun Mo, Jo Sung Mo and Kim Jong Hwan. The male host is scheduled to be Cha Tae Hyun with the female host still to be announced.

I don't know most of these people. The ones I do know are Shinhwa, Boa, Baby Vox, Eugene (yeah! You go girl!), Jo Sung Mo. I've seen the MV for Seven, nothing too impressive. I wish there was a Taiwan Soverignty concert, with Jay Chow and A-Mei. Heck, if that happens, I'll volunteer to be MC. Oh wait...isn't that Mike Yao's job? hehe...j/k.

2003-06-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I went off-road biking by myself for the first time. I went to Robert E. Lee Park, which is off Falls Rd. near 83 where the Roland peeps live. I had a hard time finding the bike trail, because there were no signs. Eventually, I spotted two small openings off the main trail. It looked like a big drop. But I went ahead and jjj-jjj-jittered my way dowwnnnn :o) Then I crossed the Light rail tracks and into a small beaten path. At first it was a smooth ride, but then the road got muddier and muddier, and the path smaller and smaller. I was ducking under fallen trees and stuff. Eventually I became really winded, and decided to head back for prayer meeting. But I got kinda lost, as there were 2 or 3 offshoots to the trail I was on. Ended up with branches catching me and my bike. I found my way back to the main road. Luckily another biker reassured that I was going the right way. Rode my muddy bike back and put it in my back seat. I need to carrier for it, my car is caked with mud inside now. I hosed it down at the sisters backyard in Roland. Lucky for me it didn't rain till late at night.

2003-06-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling a bit homesick. I want to go back home to Kali. For awhile. Told my boss my end date...JULY 11. Last Friday of the pay period. Then I'll be in Kali from July 12-25. Day after I come back hopefully I can make it to the Shenandoah Valley Bike Festival. Then slowly pack and move out, whether it's in Maryland or elsewhere.

2003-06-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm not a usual impulse buyer, but after searching online for a nice bike yesterday, I decided to go to Sports Authority to window-shop. Was looking through their selection, and not interested. One bike, however, caught my eye. It is the 2003 Mongoose Solution, on sale for 249.99. Original retail was 599.99! I was skeptical, and told the personnel to take that and another similarly priced bike down. The other bike was only a 60 dollar saving. Upon explanation and inspection, I learned that the 'Goose' had a thicker body, Shimano Shocks, derailers, brakes, the works. And full suspension. I knew this was the one. Picked out a portable mountain pump, cage with bottle, and chains to go with the helmet and gloves I bought previously. I guess I will be very prepared for Sunday fundraiser run in terms of equipment. So to add to my collection of things I've taken up since graduation: guitar, golf, rock-climbing, sailing, hip-hop dance, pool, and now off-road biking! Hey...I'm only young once!

2003-06-10T11:53:00.000-07:00

"You can't follow Christ if you stand still. It is often better to make a mistake than not to move at all."
--John White

2003-06-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have to share this awesome passage from John White's "The Fight"...he's a sailing fanatic!

"Being guided is something like learning to sail. It is a process of learning. At first staying upright is more important than reaching your final destination. If you find yourself floundering under water beneath an upturned boat, it is all part of the fun, however alarming it may seem the first few times. Then little by little as you learn how to make the boat repsond to different winds, you can take a more intelligent interest in your destination.
In the same way, God's object is to teach you how to be guided. You will capsize from time to time--but no matter. Capsizing is part of learning.

2003-06-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

Back from lunch at Szechuan Best. I'm going to go shopping with John Gong soon...I told him 3 accessories ppl (esp opposite sex) notice about men...their watch, belt, and shoes. Then some more up-to-date shirt and slacks. He's gonna be even more of a stud than he already is! :)

2003-06-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

Looking into getting a bike...Trek Bike, Gary Fisher, Jeep, they all look equally impressive and good to me. Definitely want some shimano parts on it. I'm EXCITED about this Sunday's run.

Yesterday was a lot of fun. We had both the mainsail and the jig sail up this week; last week was just mainsail. The wind was a bit better this week in my opinion, and the weather was AWESOME! Yeah, I love being out there in the open sea. It's a lot of work, though to control the lines and everything. I'm planning to go to open sail on Wednesday before prayer meeting and to a social gala on Friday. I wish I could bring people to these events, but they have to be members. Otherwise Open Sail is the only option for them.
New sailing terms:

main halyard: line that runs along the mainsail to pull it up.
tiller: The control that leads to the boat's rudder

2003-06-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

Beautiful...
http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/machine/models/model.jsp?model=r1150r_80throckster

2003-06-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

It's fun catching up with old college peeps...just never thought it'd happen during work.
For those of you interested in the music video:
http://www.solid07.net/videos/kiss.shtml
Warning: Sap level HIGH!

2003-06-09T06:33:00.000-07:00

Dude...so weird. Walked into an elevator at work this morning, and on the next floor walks in Cindy Yen, a classmate from college. She just started. Small, small world. :O

2003-06-06T08:42:00.000-07:00

Sunday, June 15, 2003. 1st Annual Tour du Park...fundraiserfor Baltimore City Parks. Great way to meet people, have some food, and get intimate with the city I'm ministering to.

Riding Time:
Begin 16-mile tour: Travels the Gwynns Falls Trail.
8:00-11:00 AM
All riders must be off the roads by: 1:30 PM
Festival in Carroll Park: Noon till 3:00 PM

I might have to miss church, but hopefully the following week there will be a few that will attend with me.

2003-06-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I watched this Korean MV by Kiss...it was quite sweet (good sappy). Short synopsis (ok, maybe not too short): a lovely hairdresser is walking down the street and catches attention of handsome photographer. She blushes and he bows respectfully. She's kinda attracted to his attention, but walks away quickly. Photographer comes in to salon for a haircut. She tells the other woman to get lost (kindly of course). Then she begins a very romantic hairwashing. She accidentally gets soap in his eyes (foreshadow) He leaves a scarf behind. The girl resolves to return scarf to him. She enters his studio, to give the scarf to him, and it ends up a photo shoot. They have a lot of fun, become close friends; they ride race motorcycles on race track, the photographer's hobby...she likes him, but he's maintaining platonic rel. with her. In his studio, she tears out solo pictures of him and her, and put the two together. She spills some stuff on his material, and quickly sops it off with her own sweater. She's cold, puts on his shirt. Just then he comes in, sees his cute lady and takes some pictures, but runs out of film. She goes to his darkroom to get film, but alas, next to the film is chemical used for washing films. It tips over and falls all over her eyes and face. She's rushed to hospital, screaming. Photographer is crushed, in the waiting room. He goes home and find the cut-out picture of the two, realizes her love for him. Cut to last scene: Hairdresser girl recovers, sees completely fine. But she finds the photographer is gone. She goes to their race track one last time. He finds a blind man with dog. The blind man has her picture in his hand. She cries. End of story.
This gets award for best sappy video.

I was pondering this video this morning and what it meant to love someone. Surely to give your life to someone you love, giving your eyes isn't even an issue. God was challenging me by asking me if I would do the same for my brothers and sisters. I thought, sure, if it was my wife or lover, that'd be no problem, I'd be like the photographer if it came down to it. But the Lord was challenging me that true love is giving my life up for brothers and sisters, even eyes, kidney, liver...if I truly loved them, then I would willingly give it up for them. Very powerful and profound message, and I realized that this is the kind of heart and love I need to show and give to my fellow believers in Christ.

So yes, if you ever needed a body part, eye or anything...you can have mine. I belong to the Lord, and as long as I can see Him, I don't need to see anything else.

2003-06-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

http://www.mshg.com/html/scheduling.html

I don't know what's wrong with me. I want to go hang-gliding. Saving money is just not inputted in my mind. But it looks SOOO cool. Was looking at the Honda Motorcycles website at lunch. The scooters look cool and cheaper, but I always thought scooters were more for girls. Though that's not true in island countries like Taiwan. Everyone has a scooter there. But it would be nice to have a Honda tour bike...

2003-06-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

how in the world did a self-made tuna sandwich+garlic bread end up 7 bucks? NEVER again shall I make create my own food in the cafeteria! I don't know how many times I've said that.

2003-06-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

Listenin' to Where Did the Train Go, by Jay Chow. I think it's his only song in Taiwanese, the unofficial language in the country. Needless to say, my favorite. I'll post the lyrics when I have more time.
Romans 8
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."[12] 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[13] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2003-06-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

Someone posted on the Encouragee's Thread!!!

2003-06-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

Back from Szechuan Best with John Gong and another co-worker. Shared this morning's dialogue with John. He was very encouraging...I'm thankful for a brother like him. The guy constantly fasts, which challenges me a lot. He reiterated to me that to meet God, one has to be very desperate to meet Him. It's not easy for me to be desperate a lot of times, because I foolishly believe that I can figure things out on my own, even my own spiritual life.
Psalm 84:2
2 My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD ;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.

2003-06-04T07:58:00.000-07:00

My Conversation with the Big Guy

I had an amazing morning of conversation with God. I woke up late, and got to work late, which is usually pretty stressful. But as soon as I got inside my car, I began receiving so many words from the Lord. It wasn't anything like my usual prayer--in fact I felt like I was talking to someone sitting next to me. I didn't know how to take it...usually I have to seek Him earnestly and get bits and pieces of impressions from Him. He told me that it was because my ears were caked with crud. He said He has been getting through to me, and today I tuned the channel on the dial to Him. This was the first of many things he revealed:
-My spiritual ears are caked with crud that have to be cleaned out. The only way to do this is to increase my spiritual discipline, which He said had much to be left desired.
-Along the same lines, He next said that my brothers and I all had the same problem--we're still not running together because of the crud in our ears and oftentimes instead are missing His messages because we sorely lack spiritual discipline as a whole. He said to look to our sisters in Christ as an example. It was very humbling actually.
-But He reassured me to not be caught up in other's affairs, spiritual and otherwise, and VERY clearly told me what was wrong in my heart. He did reveal a bit of what individual brothers were going through spiritually, but told me not to worry about it...trusting Him myself was number one prerogative.
-Each and every member of my fellowship is FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made by Him...who am I to not love them with all of my heart, soul, and mind. He said my only concern was to LOVE them unconditionally, and that my heart has not been right. He told me to love the church, which He said I wasn't doing.
-At this point, I asked him for help in doing this, and He reassured me.
-He told me to work harder at my workplace, and set an example for others. He laid out all the things I was doing incorrectly.
-I brought up my concerns about where to be next year. He said for me to not worry, and to be content with what He has given me. At this point, I promised to trust Him completely, and fast from med school websites, anything that'd take my mind off trusting Him.
-I brought up questions about my significant other. He told me to not worry about her, and that as we were speaking, He was also preparing and readying her to meet me. He again reiterated the theme of the whole conversation, she will be FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY MADE.
-He told me to share some of the stuff we had talked about, to bless and encourage anyone reading this.
-I thanked Him and told Him I loved Him over and over again. Well, the rest doesn't need to be said.
This morning was so GOOD because HE IS SO GOOD!

2003-06-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

Don Quixote, de la Mancha 1605-1615
One man scorned and covered with scars still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable stars; and the world was better for this.

I'm Mr. Waitlist, but thought it'd be "fun" to imagine if I had to make the decision between the two if I were accepted to both--- (Hope I will be lucky and only get into the one God wants me to be, really)
Pittsburgh vs. Maryland
Pitt:
PROS:ranked top 20 A top-notch hospital. Agape Life Church!
City of Pittsburgh, very hilly, which I like. Only med school in town, mad props when you go there.
Close to some nice fishing/hiking spots.
CONS:
Super expensivo! (200,000 for the 4 years there). It's in the middle of nowhere, not near coastal waters (can sail in Moraine Park I guess). Freezing winters
UMaryland
PROS:
A great school, though top 40. New hospital, new facilities cropping up Agape Mission Church! LHF! (Less) expensive than Pitt (by 5000 per year) Sailing!!!
CONS:
Let's face it...B'More City is mostly ghetto 'cept Peabody n' inner harbor Cross town from them Hopkins Med snobs
after all is said n' done, that's 10 yrs in this city!!! but hey, if I'm called then I'm called

2003-06-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light; and
where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may'
not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and
it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

2003-06-03T05:44:00.000-07:00

Captain's Log: 7:57 PM.
"On high seas...or rather high harbor. Boat moving at 5 knots per hour. All is well...no pirate ships approaching, no encroaching danger. Need to blow on mainsail to get Stormy moving. Will resolve to paddling if need be. Praying to God to send a storm to satisfy the sea coursing through one's veins."

Hehe...sailing was a lot of fun yesterday, although I wished the weather weren't quite so nice and non-breezy. The last session was in May, and they received plenty of rain and action. It was beautiful weather and scenery, watching the sun grow dimmer as dusk approached Baltimore inner harbor. I could recognize a couple landmarks, and learned of new ones, including the water tower that marks the dumping of the harbor into the mouth of Patapsco River. I was on a Sonar yesterday, which has a higher 'boom' than the usual J-22s. Which meant I would be less likely to be conked out by the pole attached to the mast.
Sailing terminologies of the day:
Tacking: turning sailboat bow-first across the wind.
Jibing: turning sailboat stern-first across the wind.
(tacking and jibing achieve the same result, just different way of looking at the same thing).
Close-haul: As close as you can go upwind without entering no-go, the area where the boat is moving in the exact same direction as wind, and sails are therefore killed.

2003-06-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

Nora Jones' Don't Know Why...calming effect coming over me...

Karaoke aka Norebung this weekend peoples...

2003-06-02T09:04:00.000-07:00

Sailing after work!!! I need to read 15 more pages to say I actually read the text beforehand. Although right now, tacking, jibing, it's all still jumbled terminology right now in my head. I need to see it for myself to remember it all.
To Brian: Yes, those seasons have ended, but try your best to embrace Fall with open arms
email from Johnny:
"yep, i gave redwood the deposit. the place is ours. i
already informed brian about it. i also asked about 1 br at redwood.
unfortunately, none are available."
-Well I'm happy that turned out well, but I am going to be seriously screwed housing-wise if I get into Maryland later this summer. Sam mentioned McHenry...which is OK, with me, but I would prefer to live somewhere closer to campus as well. Plus my car has been broken into twice last summer in front of their house, which I'm still bitter/wary of. Arrrgh...Dr Foxwell, let me in already!

2003-06-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

Listenin to my mp3s at work with my new RioVolt player. The day's going by so much faster with my american/asian pop music. hehe...have to make sure I'm not singing along too loudly.

2003-06-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

Trying to study for my first sail class tomorrow. If you see the back of my RAV4, you'll see a Downtown Sailing Center sticker worn proudly and a "Eat Bertha's Mussels" sticker. Arrrgh...ready to got to them rough seas!
BTW...who wants to watch Finding Nemo, that Disney cartoon? Not a cartoon fan really, but heard good things about this film.

2003-06-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

Got my official waitlist letter from UMd. It says that I'm placed at the top third of the waitlist...and to return a card of interest. From studentdoctor.net, another student said he had some inside source tell him those on the top tier of waitlist have a very *good* shot of getting in. Here's prayin...

2003-05-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

Hargh! I'm annoyed...I forgot to bring my gym shorts today I just discovered. My body screams for some exercise after sitting in cubicle all day. I think maybe I'll stop by the Downtown Sailing Center, pick up my sailing text for next Monday, get my gym shorts, and go over to Hopkins gym. Yeah, not what I originally planned...but sounds like a good alternative sans gym shorts.

2003-05-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Marlboro, the world's No. 1 selling brand of cigarettes, contains significantly higher levels of a cancer-causing agent than its rivals when purchased in many of the largest markets overseas, U.S. scientists say.
Tests by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites) found that the U.S. brand contained higher amounts of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) than other locally available cigarettes in 11 of 13 countries.

That's U.S. diplomacy for ya ;P

2003-05-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

Simplicity:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/030529/168/48aoo.html

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills-
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD ,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip-
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you-
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm-
he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Comforting isn't it?
Oh...today is a beautiful beautiful day! My window was rolled down, my hair was flapping into a mess, and my mind was dwelling on the goodness of the Lord. There was a brief moment when that stopped though. In front of me was a dusty black Mercedes C240. If anyone has a luxury car, he should wash it. Actually if anyone has a black car, he should wash it! Anyways. I'm going to Best Buy to get an adapter during lunch time for my new MP3/CD player. Need to go out and enjoy this weather while it lasts. ;)

2003-05-29T12:22:00.000-07:00

The definition of perfection. The gentleman's getaway car.
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/8948/

2003-05-29T11:10:00.000-07:00

Just got back from lunch with La Mancha. We saw Jennifer there on break from SSA. I finally have my new CD/MP3 player that has been sitting in Mancha's car. I actually have A LOT of work today, but will be like everyone else in this building take my sweet time to finish it. I'm looking foward to Friday, TGIF!!! Saturday will look something like this:
1) morning prayer at 6:30 AM (Hopefully!)
2) Sunday school teacher's Clean-Up Day for Friends of Jesus
3) Help Brothers move
4) Hip hop class at noon
5) Help brothers move some more

Prayer, lifting and serving, dancing, lifting and serving some more. Such is the life. ;)

2003-05-29T06:07:00.000-07:00

La Mancha, call Cindy Chan if she hasn't contacted you yet about touring her apartment.

Resubmitting my dumb FAFSA form again. I submitted 2002-2003 for some reason.

2003-05-28T13:57:00.000-07:00

Yeah, my dad is an art fanatic and is taking classes at Pasadena Community College in it. They went to USC/LAC Hospital, where the art instructor and pathologist gave them an anatomy lesson they never forgot. My dad wanted to buy a life-size skeleton, but needless to say, my mother was against that idea. Creepy alright...I used to scare my little brother and myself by telling him that late at night the Cross in our living room would start to turn by itself. Hehe...luckily my imagination isn't so wild. Which reminds me...I want to sign up for that Fells Point Ghost walk, should be interesting history to say the least.

2003-05-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

Dr. So, you misdiagnosed.

A.Sian BRo

Ok...nevermind. ;P

2003-05-28T12:03:00.000-07:00

http://www.himalayanhealth.com/student.htm

I called them up, and found out the approximate cost to be $4000, incl. airfare and everything else. Since this is an international medical missions opportunity, need to look for scholarships that might exist to help me with the funds.
4-6 weeks on top of the world helping the sick sounds real good to me.

2003-05-28T10:42:00.000-07:00

Oh my Yawn! I was looking foward to a 3 O'Clock meeting with CDC just so I would something but that's been canceled. Oh well...methinks I'll leave earlier today.

2003-05-28T06:41:00.000-07:00

I am I, BriGuy,
The Lord of LaMancha,
My destiny calls, and I go!
And the wild winds of fortune
Shall carry me onward ... To wither so ever they blow ...
Wither so ever they blow ...
Onward to glory I go!
Pancho, to De La Mancha's new blogsite!

If his middle name were 'A' instead of J...and you switched the BR with A.S
BRian A. So = well, you figure it out. hehehe

2003-05-27T11:49:00.000-07:00

I was showing my roommate some BoA clips last night. He was really impressed when I showed him her songs sung in Korean, Japanese, English, and Chinese. Plus she can dance well and she's cute. Obviously an intelligent girl...according to my roommate, if she's also down-to-earth, then I need to travel to Korea to meet this woman. ;)
Rest assured, my type for a wife isn't the asian popstar kind...but she did inspire me to try some hip hop dancing.

2003-05-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

That's so cool...you can order transcripts from Hopkins registrar online now through gettranscript.com...$2 fee but worth saving a trip up there.

2003-05-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

Hmmm...me smells another blogger site coming soon!

2003-05-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

A little story from the weekend, on God's providence:

At 3:30 AM Monday morning, I received a phone call from a lady who found my wallet. I was shocked by this news as I had no idea I was missing it--thought it was in my backpack...she found it on a street nearby my apartment. Then she took it home and looked for my phone number. Calling information, she got my number an hour later and told me I could pick it up. So later that morning, I met up with her and she gave me my wallet. She kept saying how God blesses those that are honest and takes care of another. Amazingly, all my ID, credit cards, etc were still there! There was no foul play recorded on the credit cards either. Only the 16 bucks in cash were stolen. I think I must have dropped my wallet from my backpack, coming back from volleyball.
She told me that she was walking towards her home three blocks west, and saw my wallet in an alley. She even left a message later Monday to see if everything was okay with me! This was in POURING rain. I am thinking of an appropriate gift to give her.

It just encourages me how the tie among God's people is SO strong that it MUST be divine.

Okay...The End!

2003-05-23T14:08:00.000-07:00

And now, the humor of the day...
Q: How many Al-Sahaf's does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: There is no need to change the lightbulb. It glows brilliantly, basking in the power of the wholly intact and fully functional local power station. The room is not dark, and there is no bruise on your knee from the furniture you didn't walk into - Allah be Praised!

2003-05-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

You know, it's really interesting how some people write in their blogsites. I mean, they can be SO different in person. Online chat and blogging can make people feel so much more secure, behind a monitor. In addition, as much as personals tout how good they are, I'll never buy into the fact that you can really develop a strong relationship with first impressions being a list of likes and dislikes online. In the end, any transmitting of thoughts online should be an extension of your true character and personality, not the only means to be yourself (or someone you're not for that matter).

2003-05-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

Rain or no rain...I'm so thankful for long weekend...

2003-05-23T06:54:00.000-07:00

AAAAHHHH! Waitlists suck! I just called Maryland...the lady was pretty curt as expected, but then she suddenly turned all nice. I was thinking, 'do they hire bipolars?' Anyway, I asked her to send my waitlist letter to Baltimore, cuz they were only sending it to my perm address in Kali.
She said the Committee wasn't finished drawing up the ranked list, and it would tell me where I was, either top, middle, or bottom.
She also told me, 'I remember your name, you're from Hopkins, right?' She said that they've been receiving a *LOT* of letters from me and people on my behalf (boss, Ms Savage). Hehehe...I gave her a sheepish 'Oh, really?'
What can I say, I REALLY want to get into this school. It didn't seem to be a problem, but I'm gonna lay off 'updating' them on my life for at least a few more weeks.

2003-05-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

I must admit, this looks really intriguing. It'd be a cool place to go with a date, like on that Blind Date show or something...nothing like creeping out that special someone!
http://www.fellspointghost.com/

2003-05-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Monica Belluci is hot
Don't never tell me she's not.
;)
Trinity had a look that could literally kill when Neo planted Persephone (Belluci) one
UPDATE: She will play Mary Magdalene in Mel Gibson's new movie Passion, Jesus' last 12 hours on earth. Okay, if you cast her in Mary Magdalene, this is probably NOT going to be good...

2003-05-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

Just bought a RioVolt MP3/CD Player!!!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006HYJ7/qid=1053626493/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/102-6236595-0701756?v=glance&s=electronics&n=507846

On sale for $49.88 PLUS 20 bucks rebate...30 bucks for me to listen to my fobby music at work!

Two kinds of lives I envision for myself: an influential physician with lots of resources to give to church and missions...a missionary doctor, living an utterly destitute life with lots of love and medicine to give to the needy. I think I can sum up my explanation for having such unique vision: I want an extraordinary; The suburban ordinary life is about as distasteful to me as flat coke. ;)
I don't understand how people can live without envisioning better things for themselves (not $$$)...it's no wonder you hear about middle and upper middle class young adults trying drugs, alcohol, etc. to escape the terrifying banality of their lives.

2003-05-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=570&ncid=753&e=1&u=/nm/20030521/sc_nm/health_buddhists_dc

I wonder if they've scanned Christians deep in prayer. I actually believe that meditation is a very beneficial practice...it's equivalent or better to a good night sleep. Took "Buddhist Experiences" in college. Hearing Beethoven's 9th and Handel's Messiah also puts me in really good temperament. :)

2003-05-21T12:46:00.000-07:00

Thinking...where am I going to be four years from now? In my 4th year elective year as an MSIV. I want to do a clinical clerkship at Harvard, part of the Harvard medical School Exchange Clerkship Prpgram, another one at UCSF, and then one abroad somewhere, maybe Germany, Switzerland, Japan, or Taiwan. It's fun to think about, but things don't usually end up the way I plan exactly...

2003-05-21T09:28:00.000-07:00

I would say I have 80% of 'Ke Ai Nuu Ren' song down singing in Chinese. That's pretty good, considering that I don't understand some of the lyrics...my Chinese is limited and poetic Chinese is difficult. But it is *SOO* much fun to sing along, I can't get tired of these songs. Maybe I'll have Bri translate this song in Korean, I like it so much (I know Kun-Mori means "Big Head")
Songs I d/l and listen to ad nauseum:
Ke Ai Nuu Ren-Jay
1943 (Love before the Century)-Jay
Kimochi wa Tsutawaru-BoA
Sara-BoA
Beautiful-Snoop/Pherrell (I like the beats, not nec. the content...have you seen the video to it? Mothers, cover your children's eyes! :)
I also have a new Banana Republic Soul Collection...it rocks.
And of course, the Everyone CD is awesome.

2003-05-21T07:36:00.000-07:00

So I was introduced at a CMM-wide (Center for Medicare management) meeting. Fortunately, it wasn't a long intro; I just stood up and sat back down. A really dull meeting, with acronyms thrown around that I still don't know, and a spiel about Project Management Group that I would never deal with. I did meet this really nice guy Lewis who is in charge of the CMM picnic in July. Offered to help out with that, if I'm still working then.
Pretty excited about getting Monday off...if this weather would just stop, maybe I can go some place cool...

2003-05-20T11:58:00.000-07:00

I'm getting muy excited by this whole hip hop thing. I think I've been watching the k-videos too many times or something, but some of those moves are really cool. There's this short clip of BoA teaching some black dancers in NYC. They couldn't really keep up with her, she was so fast! It'll definitely be good exercise, with 3-4 min of constant movement.

Acura MDX, Lexus RX330...nice nice cars...

2003-05-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

So it took me 2 friggin' hours (yes, I'm annoyed) to get to work. There was a huge accident on the beltway supposedly, though I didn't see anything. I did my QT, which usually lasts the 15 minutes it takes to get to work, read the chapter assigned in small group again, and wrote down more stuff to share about my small group leader tonight. And talked to a friend for 25 minutes on my cell. So it wasn't a complete waste of time, but still annoying nevertheless.
Bri started a thread on Chris Vee's website, that really took off! It was what car matches who...and the sisters definitely had opinions for me. Luxury car...I love beemers, but they're such rice rockets. Doesn't matter I guess, as long as it suits me fine. I would like a V6 SUV, that'd be real nice, for the outdoors and such.

2003-05-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm a guy, so I'm just going to blurt it out...Monica Belluci is hot! (But even if I could, I wouldn't marry someone like that...I would be sick of guys turning their heads to gawk at my wife)

2003-05-19T08:52:00.000-07:00

Saw the Matrix yesterday. I'm not going to even pretend I understood what was going on with the details and nuances. Too much romance, I was grossed out by Neo and Trinity's lovey-doveyness. Zion is at war with the sentinels (machines) and the only way for the rapidly deteriorating Zionic army is for Neo to go to the Source of the Matrix and 'reload' or reboot the whole matrix program. The plot was really complicated and convoluted. The 'architect' of the matrix program gave some long spiel to Neo that I filtered through completely. Ever have those moments when someone is going on and on telling you something and you nod your head but nothing is getting through? ;)
The action sequences were awesome. I liked Seraph (Joseph Chong) and his fight with Neo. The freeway scene was also madness...

2003-05-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

This was SO much fun to translate and sing along. May need some more minor tweaking.

Ke Ai Nuu Ren (by Jay Chow, English lyrics translation by Eugene Wang)

I long for a coptor
I long to fly with you to the stars
I long to be together with you
We’ll melt into the milky way

Day by day by day I long, long for you
This sweetness makes me
Believe in fate
I’m grateful to fate
For letting me run into You

So beautiful you make me blush, my sweet sweet one
So gentle you make my heart ache, my sweet sweet one
So close to my heart I can feel you, my sweet sweet one
So bad you make me wild wild, my sweet sweet one

This world is so big and I’m just a small small ant
But I promise to use all, all, all my strength to protect you

2003-05-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

Passion--it's what makes this world go round. A passion for a good game of pool, a passion for music, a passion for medicine, a passion for life. This God we worship must be more passionate than we can ever imagine to muster up such creative energy. The people he's created are made to be passionate about life and thus passionate for Him.
There's nothing more attractive than people with absolute passion for everything they do.

2003-05-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

'Maria' featuring Wyclef Jean and Santana

"ah mama chulah mama chulah"

:)

2003-05-16T07:42:00.000-07:00

Listenin to Jesus Freak by DC Talk.
Addendum to Friday Five:
6) What tattoo would you put on yourself?
Not a tattoo guy, but I'd put JESUS FREAK!

hehe...God will have to command me to go through with the tattoo
;)
http://www.christianguitar.org/christian/songplain.php?song=972

2003-05-16T07:23:00.000-07:00

Alright, I don't plagiarize often, but I'll match my friend's 'Five' here...
1. What drinking water do you prefer -- tap, bottle, purifier, etc.?
We have a purifier at home attached to the sink...I've been drinking from that during this cold. I also bought bottles of sparkling water with a hint of fruitiness. It helps with the sore throat...I swear man!

2. What are your favourite flavor of chips?
Cheez-puffs..which is why I stay away from them chips!

3. Of all the things you can cook, what dish do you like the most?
Stir-fried anything. I can stir-fry whatever you give me. I am dabbling in Korean food as well--well just Bulgoki.
Why isn't there an Iron Chef Korea??? ;)

4. How do you have your eggs?
1) Scrambled, with pepper and ketchup! 2) omelette

5. Who was the last person who cooked you a meal? How did it turn out?
Bri cooked for me last...he made some sausages and pasta. It was very very good!
In my home, I'm the cook ;)

2003-05-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

I daresay I should not venture far from my house today. Bleech! Horrible outside...I was planning on going to work for a bit, but I need to save every bit of strength for outreach tonight.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030516/ap_on_he_me/taiwan_sars_virus&cid=541&ncid=716

AAAAAHHHHHH!!!! My aunt works in National Taiwan University Hospital! She doesn't want to go to work anymore, fearing she'll bring that plague home, but gov't is enforcing all gov. subsidized institutions to remain in operation. Which means she'll get paid more, a meaningless compensation for such a deadly virus.

What my aunt and uncle (both doctors in high volume hospitals) are doing to protect their family:
leaving the hospital environment the second they can be allowed to; being outdoors as much as possible; wearing face masks at ALL times. This is SOOOO scary, I'm praying for them like crazy.

2003-05-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

You may be wondering how I've been passing time as I wrestle with the bug. Well aside from QT and guitar worship, I've been downloading *a lot* of asian music videos. I don't know why, but it's so fascinating to watch. Maybe cuz my extended relatives are all there and most of my friend's roots are from there. I am really curious by the gen-X over there. I have a few more Jay Chow videos...my favorite is this song he sings about a cute woman. It's called 'Ke Ai Nuu Ren" Can you say that? Means "Cute woman" literally. The song itself isn't cutesy, but rather moody and soulful which is why I like Jay Chow's styles.
Boa's 'Sara' is my favorite...it's ethereal and has a real nice beat. But I also like her Japanese takes like Kimochi Wa Tsutawaru...as far as I can tell, she is perfectly fluent. Did you know Boa sings in Korean, Japanese, Chinese, AND English? This girl wants to conquer the world--watch out!
Jang Nara's 'It's Probably Love' is really Ke Ai (hehe, did you get that?). Sweet Dreams is WAY to cutesy, she looks like a twelve year old in that. Some may beg to differ :P
I just can't get into pop culture in the states. I really think I'm a fob at heart, although I came when I was one. Guess I just identify more with asian culture.
Okay, I have orders to get better...so I'll leave it at this for now.

2003-05-15T06:15:00.000-07:00

Happy May 15th everybody! I'm feeling Bleeech, but today is a special day. Why? For one, because waitlists at med schools start moving rather quickly, and even more importantly...MATRIX RELOADED starts today! I can't wait to see it, having seen the trailer only for the first time yesterday. It's a guy movie that girls like a lot too. Although looks like there's some on-screen romance :P Boo! I heard so many things about Pearl Harbor and its stupid romance plot that I don't ever want to see it.
I need to get well by the end of today (my deadline) so I can feel good enough to shoot some hustler pool.
They call me...not-so-fast Eddie.
:)

2003-05-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

Just got back from the doctor's at U of Maryland on Paca. All in all, it took a lot longer than expected. As I was walking there, I saw some white coats, and a tingling sensation was in my chest. I looked at the buildings, esp. the new one. It's a really awesome campus. An M3 came into the office and asked if she could examine me before the attending did. I was like, I can't refuse cuz I'll be in your shoes three years from now. She did a pretty good job I thought. The attending was really cool too. Though too much SARs jokes. I think asians are perceived as being potentially dangerous carriers. I reiterated that I didn't know anyone from there recently and had not come back from there. :P
So I'm taking some Robitussin codeine, and skipping work tomorrow to rest up. Doctor's orders.
:)

2003-05-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

Korea's got Jang Nara, BoA. But my motherland Taiwan's got Jay...

awesome newsbio of him...
http://www.time.com/time/asia/covers/501030303/story.html
Just a qualifier: I was born in Taipei, Taiwan. So I'm no wannabe...
:)

2003-05-14T05:48:00.000-07:00

I was told that the next stage of my sickness is a nasty cough. I'm drugged up by the ghetto version of NyQuil, so can't go to work. Hopefully my boss will send some stuff my way at home.
We wait on opportunities for the Lord to do great things. But in the meantime, there is much to do--prayer is very important. Scripture tells us to pray constantly. While this seems impractical, I am learning that it isn't. God is concerned over every detail of my life, and so in every detail I need to present concerns to Him. It gives Him pleasure and joy when I do so.
He is my Father, and like any good Father, knows how to discipline his son. He will NOT give me opportunities for ministering to others if I'm not ready to do so. Not until he disciplines me so I can carry His work out. This may sound strange, but I truly desire to be disciplined by God, and whipped into shape. I can expect pain, as discipline is never pleasant. (Hebrews 12:6)
In the words of John White: "Faith grows by painful discipline carried out by the father of the family."
However I believe we have a choice in whether to be disciplined or not. Even as a child, I remember times when my father disciplined me, I knew he was loving me by spanking me. I knew I had done something wrong, and needed to be corrected. So I didn't run away into the streets or hide in the closet. I swallowed my pride, and went to get what I needed.
In this day and age, many Christians have a false sense of security in that they believe they have a close relationship with God and feeling lovey dovey happy all the time. This is a sure sign that they DON'T have a close relationship with Him. For they will KNOW the pain of discipline, and be humbled and corrected by it.
My prayer and vision is that Christian men and women in this generation will eagerly accept discipline from the Lord, not because it feels good, but because we get to know the Father better because of it.
Oh I am feeling the pain now...
:)

2003-05-13T19:18:00.000-07:00

Alrighty...so hip hop class...May 31st. I have at least one other brother willing to do it with me (yay!) Other brothers are mulling over it...hmmmm...

2003-05-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

Pitt is accepting people off the waitlist.
(In the voice of Iron Chef announcer):
Let the games begin!
;)

It's amazing the number of telemarketers that call: I sponsored the Fraternal Order of Police, and they thank me by fowarding my name to Baltimore Retired Police, Fire Fighter, you name it. Jeez, I don't mean to be rude, but I just hang up...

2003-05-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

You asked for it: The qualities of a balanced, Christian man: He knows when to laugh, and cry, when to be strong, and to be vulnerable, when to be generous, and to save, when to give and when to take, when to take daring risks, and to be utmost cautious, but at ALL times, He is to cry out the gospel (key word: cry out, not whisper).

Come to think of it, possessing these qualities would automatically make one a leader in a ministry.
While on the subject, this is my $0.02, and thus I can say whatever I want (and deal with consequences thereafter).

I think many Christian guys are feminized (see previous blog), including many in my fellowship (even myself :P) Why do I say this? Because I think in my fellowship, we guys perceive that we need to (and are somewhat expected to) be a 'gentleman'. What does this mean? To not step on other people's toes and say the wrong thing. To be very nice and very good; we don't do anything daring at the risk of being stupid. We fear our reputation of niceness will be tainted by doing something out of the ordinary. What is the result? Very ordinary people. Is that what God really wants? I don't think so. If God is a warrior, then surely His image-bearer, man, must also have warrior-like qualities. When I say warrior, I don't mean going around wounding other people or picking fights. Rather, I think it's a way of life...a warrior is very respectful of his elders (spiritual elders) but maintains his own integrity. He is quick to change what is not working instead of whining about it. He is sure of what he does, even if it's wrong. See, he's not stubborn on an unwillingness to change, but stubborn on a willingness to change. He is the balanced Christian man (see above). And he is always ready to fight, for what he believes. You may think I'm being presumptuous. I will admit, I'm not a warrior yet, not nearly. Does it really take a traumatic situation to stir the warrior heart in us guys???
I am taking up arms and being the warrior for Christ I'm called to be.

"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so taht I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."
Eph 6:19-20

2003-05-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

Friendship is...

when your friend's good news is your good news (even better news actually).
CONGRATS!!!

2003-05-12T09:44:00.000-07:00

Talked to a co-worker at lunch. He's interested in playing pool this Friday...Bri aka Fast Eddie, you game?
I read the first chapter of 'Wild at Heart' at Barnes and Noble yesterday. It's an awesome book about how society and the church have emasculated men, making them think the pinnacle of Christian men is being a 'nice guy'. John Elderedge goes on to declare that this is NOT what God has intended; every man is 'wild at heart' meaning there is an explorer, discoverer, little boy wanting to break out of the 'nice guy' shell. I'm gonna get this book online.
Another interesting read: Samurai; the Codes of Honor. This is a translation from 15th century Japan. 'Bushido' is the samurai way of life. The book starts out with the idea that a samurai always keeps death in his mind. That way everything he does will preserve his life as much as possible. Everything he says and does is with this notion in mind.

2003-05-12T08:32:00.000-07:00

Every church, every ministry has a 'culture'. Question is, is this 'culture' glorifying God or is it hindering the glory given to Him?

2003-05-12T07:59:00.000-07:00

A very thought-provoking question:

Does a holy person know he/she is holy?

My take:
First, definition of a holy person: someone who KNOWS God's holiness. Holiness is an impartation from God to man.
Answer:
No, a truly holy person is so consumed by God's holiness that he sees the utter 'unholiness' of himself. So actually, a holy person feels a whole lot less 'holy' than someone who does not know God's holiness. That being said, he is transformed by God's impartation of holiness and experiences greater joy, while knowing he is far less holy than his God.
Isn't it paradoxical? I definitely don't feel 'unholy' enough. Which means I should really dive into God's holiness. Knowing this however, I am on the right track to knowing HIS Holiness more.

2003-05-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

Bleech! Was sick most of this weekend. I started feeling really nasty inside after playing racquetball. I think the running and sweating catalyzed it. Saturday night was the worst...was tossing and turning all night long. Sunday morning I was still feeling horrible, but resolved to go to church. Still felt horrible all Sunday night, but this morning I felt perfectly fine! Praise God for answering my cries for help! My roommate had been down for the past couple weeks, so a weekend wasn't all that bad. Actually I have to confess I was a bit annoyed that I caught the bug from him (like, thanks bro), but it's not like he could help it, right? ;)

I'm beginning to believe that God is waiting for me to be ready for news from med school. He's witholding information from me until I can handle it...

2003-05-11T19:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.narajjang.com/

Jang Nara is adorable! More impressively, she seems to have a great relationship with her parents.
(Yes, I know I'm not Korean, but I'm fascinated with kpop and jpop)

My lil' brother thinks she's okay-looking, not his type. I expected just as much. His 'type' is Taiwanese :D hehehe

2003-05-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

I've estimated there to be at least 3 regular checkers of this blogsite, apart from me. Wonder if and who else is reading this...

Pretty much done with stuff I needed to do today, and it's only 3. Ahhh...government work. Actually, I think my job is so specialized that I have less FINISH STAT work than most other people. I mean, right now all that's left for me to do is 2004 new lab test payment determinations (I'm more than halfway done), and that's not really due anytime soon. I'm just doing it so I can say I'm doing something for the government and not wasting taxpayers' money. :)
But seriously, everyday, when I walk with my shirt and tie towards my big building with 'Department of Health and Human Services' emblem (official-looking eagle) I feel great pride in doing something that in some way affects over 75 million beneficiaries. Not too many jobs can boast that! But then again, being a high school bio teacher in the ghetto is a pretty sexy job too.

2003-05-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

Quote from USC, the nicest reject letter received yet (next to UCSF reg program):

I sincerely hope that you follow your educational dreams at another medical school. And four years from now, if your residency match brings you to LAC+USC, please stop by and say hello.

Edit: What am I supposed to say? Booh-Yah?!
;)

2003-05-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

Ok...so my mom didn't get the vase. She doesn't really care though. A free vase probably won't be that attractive anyway. I think I'll send her tulips at least two more times during the year...definitely on her birthday!
Lots of thoughts coming into work:
I went through a thorough spring cleaning this past week. My room is very orderly now, and my car was washed and I cleaned the interior as best as I could. I take pride in having these things cleaned, as it was getting out of hand. I've resolved to be a lot more careful about making everything spic and span and in order. It really clears up my mind and heart, just a simple thing as keeping order.
Today I was in a really good mood. I didn't know exactly why...some possible reasons:
1) Accepted into a decent med school and waiting on some more
2) A great job in which I can arrive late and leave a bit early (to go work out downstairs)
3) An amazing small group to be part of.
4) Family is in perfect health and financially stable
5) Best church in the world for me.
But I was thinking, and all of these things are blessings and all...but there's one thing that's REALLY making me happy...

Witnessing someone being utterly transformed by Christ and not only receiving God's love but giving it! I am so humbled beyond words by it, and now he will do 'greater things than these'...I'm just excited.

I'm really excited about my 'new' hobbies. Tonight, will shoot pool like Fast Eddie. Saturday, raining permitting I will go golfing with JKai. Starting June, every Monday evening, I will be taking sailing lessons on Key Highway. And GET THIS...I'm planning on taking Hip Hop Dance lessons on Thursday evenings for an hour. Yeah, I know...it's hard to imagine. But why not...I love music, and it's something out of character for me. You know I'm all about spontaneity. Gotta reign in the budget though. :P
Break over. Back to work.

2003-05-08T12:15:00.000-07:00

Just checked Student Doctor Network, and someone actually turned down Harvard Med!
What has happened on the Harvard side:
Secretary at H-Admissions: Hullo what's this? Another letter of begging or letter of million dollar donation. (Opens letter) Oh my God! Look Thelma, what is this?
Thelma, another secretary: Why, I believe it's...a letter of withdrawal? Never seen this in my time here! Call the associate dean!
Associate Dean: Impossible! Bring it in here. (Reads the letter, commotion is starting the admissions office) Call the dean!
Dean of Harvard Med, at golf course: What the Devil!? (Keels over, has a heart attack in his old age)
Okay, I'm being weird now. But seriously, I didn't even apply to Harvard...I would rather be known as the guy who turned down Harvard than one who went, those stuffed shirts!
=)