Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I think this is the first Thanksgiving where I've really given thought to all the things I'm blessed with. God has been SO good to me and I am truly thankful for everything. I know I take things for granted but I truly am blessed. I'm thankful that my knee is pretty much back in working order and I'm back playing basketball comfortably without much hesitation. I'm thankful I have the opportunity to pursue my dream career. I take this one for granted because there are times when I don't study as hard as I need to (as shown on my poor grade on my last chem exam) and forget the real reasons for returning to school in the first place. I'm thankful to have the friends around me who support me and are always there for me. I'm thankful for my family who even though may not completely understand my decision on going back to school, fully support my decision for happiness. I'm thankful for a God that is always forgiving and continues to bless with so much.

I hope everyone enjoys their Thanksgiving dinners and appreciate everything we've been given, and for all you crazy people going black Friday shopping, have fun and be safe.


Psalm 107:1 - "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

Motivation

So I'm roughly a month and a half into this 5 year process of changing my career. It's gone better than expected in the sense that there a lot of people in my classes are going back to school to pursue other careers. Even today this one woman who is in her 40s said that she's going back to school for physical therapy as well. Although its only been a month there are still days I wonder if I'm making the right decision. I've had numerous people tell me that they could see me being really good and passionate at physical therapy which is always reassuring. Although many of you don't know it, a lot of you motivate me just by pursuing what your passionate about. Friends like Chris, Martin, Jason, Shannon, Judy are all in PT school right now and have been open about answering all of my questions. Also friends like Miranda, Andrew, Angel, Kirsten, Stephen are going through their respective graduate programs. When I talk to them they complain about the long hours of studying but continue to push on because they're focused on the end goal and that's something truly worth fighting for. People like Victor, Maria, Chris who are all already therapists have offered their opinions and advice as well. I also am thankful for the fact that I have friends like Nick, John, Becca, Joshie, Adam who are all going into physical therapy as well. Although we may not be at the same step I'm thankful that we're all able to support each other. Thank you to my friends who have shown their support/belief in me, especially during those times where I don't believe in myself. I truly am blessed to have such an amazing group of friends who support me each and everyday.



Apologies if I missed anyone.

Turning The Page

So here we go... the official start to my long journey to physical therapy. Tomorrow is the start of classes and I'm taking Chemistry and Physics to start things off. My schedule isn't too bad and I hope to find work at a physical therapy clinic sometime in November. It's a surreal feeling that everything is beginning, it honestly feels like I'm a freshman all over again with all the jitters.

Part of me still thinks I'm crazy for giving up a comfortable job to chase after something that could never happen. The thoughts of failure still float around in my head everyday but I realize that my motives for making this decision was giving from God. In the past my decisions were made base on wants or poor reasoning. My reason to go to Maryland was, "just because." I never even allowed God to show me where I belonged because I only applied to three schools. I prayed for months asking for guidance in making one of the biggest decisions of my life thus far. After talking with numerous friends and of course with God, my decision seemed easy. I'm going to fully trust that God's in control so why worry?

The start has arrived and I'm eager to get things going and the end goal is my drive to focus and do well in school.

Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
1 Chronicles 22:13

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

I'M BACK

I guess saying the words, "I'm back," doesn't have the same affect as when Michael Jordan said it. I went to see my doctor yesterday and he's cleared me to return to play basketball as tolerated. I'll begin easing my way back into basketball and getting back into shape. I honestly couldn't put into words what the last 10 months have been like and how I feel at this moment. The relief that everything healed properly is all attributed to God. I truly believe he has put me though this trial for a reason and I've definitely been blessed through this learning experience. After finishing up with my physical therapy and being cleared by my doctor, I am more convinced than ever in my pursuit of physical therapy.

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders with the news I received yesterday. I've definitely learned to not take things for granted. Many times we take simple things like walking, running and sports for granted while we can still do them. I still remember the day I got hurt and the injury keep replaying in my head. In that one moment, basketball was taken from me and little did I know it would end up being for 10 months. I think I've learned a lot in the past 10 months, particularly to cherish the things you have now and working hard for the things you want. It's hard to put into words exactly what it's like to go through major surgery without having experienced it yourself. I'll admit even that I was a bit naive to the struggles I had to go through in order to get back into sports again, pretty much rebuilding my right leg which lost all of its muscle after surgery. I was also fortunate enough to heal in 4 months, 3 weeks as it takes some people over 6 months to heal.

I truly appreciate everyone's support and concerns and couldn't be more blessed with such an amazing group of friends. God truly is amazing and I could not have done this without him. Uncle Kevin spoke on Sunday about the pursuit of happiness and mentioned Jeremiah 29:11 which stuck out to me, "¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This verse could not be any more relevant to these past 10 months and I thank God for putting me this experience.

Moving Forward

So last Wednesday I told my manager and lead that I was returning to school to pursue physical therapy. I couldn't describe to you how nervous I was and I felt particularly worse because both of them have been extremely understanding of everything I've gone through thus far. I basically told them the truth and explained I was pursuing something I've found a real passion for and they were extremely understanding. They appreciated the fact I told them 6 weeks in advance and my last official day at Accenture will be July 30th.

Once I gave them the notice, it really hit me that this was it, I'm committing to pursuing physical therapy. It still scares me that I've made this decision because of the fear of failing. I know this is what I want and something I know I can be good at. The fears of long hours of studying and discipline scare me but I guess that comes with making a big life decision. I'm trying to put my life in God's hands and trust that he will provide and put me exactly where I need to be.

I hope to travel a good amount in the month of August, so if anyone wants to go anywhere let me know! I also have a basketball tournament on August 14th which will be my first time playing competitive basketball since last August. I'm a little past 4 months now and my doctor said he should clear me to return to sports on July 13th. I'm eager and excited to get back to playing basketball again, I've been running outside and am in ridiculously horrible shape.

I MUST BE CRAZY

I’ve recently made perhaps one of the most difficult decisions in my life, I’ve decided to go back to school. Many of you would probably assume it’s for my MBA but it’s actually for physical therapy. Even when I think about it, I wonder if I’m crazy. I’m completely switching career paths going from business to science when the last real science class I took was physics in 12th grade.

Since college, I’ve had one friend in particular always stressing to me to do something in life I’m really passionate about. He brought up the fact that I’ll be doing this for the next 40-45 years of my life. Although I am very blessed and fortunate to have been hired by Accenture, after experiencing it for the past 5+ months, I’ve come to the realization that I can’t see myself in the office setting 40-50 hours a week for the next 40-45 years of my life. I know many will say it’s way too early to judge but I’d much rather be doing something I enjoy then doing something where I am simply going through the motions. Don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with office work but it’s just not for me.

There is a lot of competition in the business world and the way it works at Accenture is you are matched with people who are around your start date and experience level. You are graded by a reviewer on several points based on whether you exceed, meet or are below expectations. Each level has a set percentage of raises to be given out ranging from 1% to 8%. Although I see the necessity in creating a competitive work environment, I’ve realized I am not as cut throat as I thought I was. Also, there is almost a set plan as far as when you should be promoted. Currently I am a level E and I believe it goes from A to H. I believe every 2 or so years you are expected to be promoted to the next level which means more responsibility and more hours. My manager probably works up ends of 60 hours a week including weekends (I see emails on Saturday nights), he is extremely good at what he does but again that lifestyle isn’t for me.

I want a job that will allow me to interact and help people and isn’t repetitive (it’s a lot to ask I know). After hearing my PT and her co-workers talk about how I’ve progressed and how rewarding it is to see patients improve, I wanted that feeling of helping others overcome obstacles. I also like the appeal of a therapists job, in doing what’s best for the patient and helping them get better. There is minimal to no competition as far as promotions (from what I know). After speaking with Chris, Martin (both currently in PT school) and being around my therapist, they’ve all inspired me to make this decision and I believe this a job where I can be passionate about. My friend asked me, would I rather make double doing what I do now or be a physical therapist and my answer was physical therapist with no hesitation and that excites me.

Tentatively it looks like I’ll be leaving Accenture in December so that I’ll have three full semesters at Montgomery College to finish my pre requisites. This will also allow me to save up some money so that I can pay for PT school. I still need to meet with a friend to have a plan in place before I apply, but I believe I will be applying October-December of 2011 and plan to be in PT school by 2012.

I KNOW this will be extremely difficult but I do believe God has put me in this situation for a reason. Thinking about the events which have led me to make my decision from getting hurt, getting a job which allowed me to have insurance, to getting surgery, meeting my therapist and talking with people about my future, every step has been almost perfectly set up for me to make this decision. I spoke with a former coworker about my future and how I was thinking about changing career paths, he explained that if it’s something I really want, I need to go for it because I’ll live my life in regret if I don’t even make an effort. Obviously there are HUGE risks with my decision, I’m giving up a comfortable job with a big company, venturing to a field which I have minimal to no experience in and the drop rate in PT school is relatively high. Believe me I am scared out of my mind but I’m more scared not to even try. If I try and fail, I can honestly live with my decision that I made an effort.

I challenge all of you to really do something you enjoy. I thought I wanted to do business but it’s really not for me and I’m glad I at least have a chance to do something I can see myself enjoying. Don’t do something because it’s safe or the right thing to do or your parents say so. Do it because YOU want to and don’t worry about what others think. It’s your life and your career and make an active effort to doing what you want to do. There is no doubt in my mind I’ll be miserable numerous times throughout this whole process but if I focus on the ultimate goal the rewards will far overshadow the hardships.

I’ve already told some of you about my decision to return to school and I’m glad to have the support from all of you. Many of you were in disbelief I’d make such a big decision but also offered words of encouragement. My mom was shocked to hear my final decision but ultimately wants me to be happy. I’m thankful and blessed to such an amazing group of family and friends and appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

James 1:2-6
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Giving back

So I've put this off for some time now but I've finally come around to sponsoring a child through Compassion. Starting from high school, Pastor Joseph had always told us about giving back. He always told us about the children in Compassion and the type of lives they live. They live in areas of high poverty and some even live in areas which has AIDS. Sponsoring a child provides them with food, school supplies, clothing, medicine and ultimately the feeling that someone cares. All of us have been blessed enough to grow up in probably one of the best areas in the country and many others are not as fortunate.

I've decided to sponsor Rico Goyongco from the Phillipines. His short biography states that he is 8 years old and enjoys basketball, singing and art. I chose Rico because I plan on sending him some basketball cards, construction paper to draw on and other such things which he can play with. I ideally wanted to send him some color pencils and coloring books but objects that are sent to the kids must be able to fit in a 8x11 envelope. I've put sponsoring off for way too long and I should have done it early on in college when I had a steady income. It's only $38 dollars a month ($456 a year) and this small amount of money makes a huge difference in a child's life. Crystal has also inspired me to finally do this because she has sponsored a child for years. I hope that I can be a positive influence in Rico's life and hope that he realizes that someone cares about him. I look forward to exchanging letters with him and sending him gifts as he continues to grow.


God is good.

Untitled

"Sometimes we expect more from others because we'd be willing to do that much for them."

A friend posted this on facebook recently and it's been stuck in my head since. I think every person relates to this quote in some way. I feel like I make an active effort into keeping in contact with people and lately I've been thinking perhaps its too much in some situations. Specifically I'm talking about when a relationship is more one sided as far as doing the little things which make big differences. Don't get me wrong, I know I am FAR from perfect and I've probably done this to people too.

I've started to realize that I should maintain and build on those friendships who are close to me and not worry about those who don't care as much. This is coming from experiences of me being close to someone and at some point for one reason or another we just drift apart. I think I take it more personally than I should and I try to rebuild the friendship when they don't seem to care as much. I'm definitely not talking about the majority of people but after looking back there are times I've asked myself why am I trying to make such an effort to talk to this person if it seems like they don't care? I enjoy talking to and meeting people so I hope this isn't coming off as bitter or anything of that nature but more so meant to act as a learning experience. I think for those of you who know me well enough know we're I'm coming from and I appreciate all of you who do make an effort to talk to me.

Patience

I am now 6.5 weeks post surgery. I am still recovering well for all of you that are wondering. I am finally out of my huge brace. I've had to wear it for the past 6 weeks, locked straight while walking which has been a pain especially going up and down stairs. I'm thankful and blessed to have been recovering quickly and am now able to walk relatively normally. Here's a picture of my previous brace and the one I'm using now. The current one is the one I'm going to be playing in once I can play sports again.


The anticipation continues to grow as I inch closer and closer to playing basketball again. Words can't really express how excited I am to start playing basketball again. I'm working hard doing therapy and am optimistic for a full and complete recovery. I'm hoping that my attitude has changed for the better through this experience. I'm hoping my attitude will improve and play basketball simply for the love of the game.


Song of the moment:

Heartbreak

So I've been neglecting this thing for a while, mostly due to my laziness. I guess the most eventful thing that has happened to me recently is watching Maryland in the NCAA tournament. Even though its been over a week, the shock and disbelief is still with me, particularly because the sweet 16 games are finishing up and elite 8 games are approaching with the thoughts of what could've been still lingering. I have never felt so connected with a team in my life. It's sad that it had to be after I graduated but regardless my heart was with this team each and every game. The fact that we were projected to be in the middle of the pack in the ACC, and ended up finishing tied for number one in the conference says a lot about this season and Maryland basketball as a whole.
It's true we didn't have anyone like John Wall, Evan Turner, or Wesley Johnson but we do have the less known but equally appreciated Greivis Vasquez, Eric Hayes and Landon Milbourne. Our beloved seniors poured their hearts into this season, especially in the last game against Michigan State. Although it may not have been the "must watch" game of the year, it could very well end up being on of the top five for the tournament. I'll admit I was beginning to lose hope in the game, especially being dominated on the boards all game and having the announcers repeatedly mention our lack of size didn't help. Of course in typical Maryland fashion ( this season at least ) we fought our way back and showed more heart than I've seen all season. Even though we fell short to a buzzer beating 3 pointer, I'm proud of the way we fought back to come within one bucket of winning after being down by 15.
Albert, Eugene and I have had a tradition this season of either watching the games together (Georgia Tech and Duke) or being online talking to each other in a chatroom online. I believe we've done this since the Georgia Tech game, probably 10 or so games and it's been a fun experience this season with other devoted fans. As the season went on our chatrooms got more intense and the last game of the season just topped it off. We were all going crazy, smashing our keyboards, hearts racing as Maryland fought back to take the lead with 7 seconds left. As Lucious hit that shot I just sat in disbelief, did this REALLY just happen to us? Did we REALLY just fight out back just to have it ripped away from us on a last second shot? I couldn't even talk to anyone and left my computer to sit on my couch and stare at the T.V. blankly. I only wish we could've moved on and played Northern Iowa and potentially Tennessee.
I'll admit I wasn't a fan of Greivis his first couple years. The turnover prone, loud mouth, awful shot selection, cocky player wasn't a fan of many. Now, I am truly going to miss his play and his style. Even though he took bad shots most games, his swagger brought confidence throughout the entire team and carried us to the becoming one shot of being in the sweet 16. I don't think there is a more opposite player of Greivis than Eric Hayes. He is always cool, collected and never says a word. He was definitely one of the nicer guys on the basketball team as far as talking in person, taking pictures (haha Cristina still bitter that I have a picture with him and you don't?), shaking hands and what not. Landon Milbourne is probably my favorite senior leaving this year. I like the way he plays for the team and is willing to do whatever it takes to win. He's been playing out of position for 2 years now, playing against people who are stronger, bigger and taller than he is. He doesn't complain but just goes out there and does his job. I'm truly going to miss these seniors and I wish them the best in the future. Thank you for THE most exciting sports season I have ever been privileged enough to experience first hand, things are looking up for Maryland basketball.



Looking back at our favorite moments from this past season

Cliff Tucker buzzer beater against Georgia Tech 2/20/10

Jordan Williams posterizes Jon Schyer 3/3/10

Grevis scores 41 against Virginia Tech in double OT win 3/1/10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcOY8ujw69E

M-A-R-Y-L-A-N-D

This season of Maryland basketball has to be the most exciting season I have been fortunate enough to witness and be a fan of in any sport. This even tops the Redskins season when we ran off 5 straight after Sean Taylor's passing to make the playoffs. We started off the season playing mediocre basketball but these past few weeks have been absolutely amazing. That Georgia Tech game when Cliff Tucker hit the game winner was so ridiculously sick. Then avenging our early season loss to Clemson. Followed by the DOUBLE OVERTIME game against Virginia Tech and of course the most recent victory against #4 Duke.

I was fortunate enough to watch 2 of those games with close friends which makes watching games that much more exciting. Last game we just all kept screaming "WHAT ARE YOU DOINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG????" especially that last shot Grevis made which more or less sealed the game putting us up by 4. I am extremely excited to watch us play in the ACC tournament and then the NCAA tournament.

So after the Duke game last night, all of us decided to go to Route 1 to see the riot. I still use my crutches as support so I didn't go to close. At one point, two cops with shields and sticks were walkin torwards the group of people I was around and everyone started running. I thought I was going to get beat so I started crutching for my life. Luckily the cops started walkin back so all the excitement was over nothing. Michael Wilbon talked about Maryland winning today on PTI and said the rioting is ridiculous and unnecessary and it happens far too often at Maryland. I think rioting can be fun and is ok to a certain degree but setting things on fire is way to extreme, 20 some kids got arrested and who knows how many got beaten and maced is completely unnecessary.

Once I got home from watching the game, I went online to ESPN hoping to see something exciting and seeing Maryland getting recognition on the homepage brought a smile to my face. LETS GOOOOOOOOO MARYLANDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Hooked on Ads?

I've never considered myself a person susceptible to advertisement but it does get to me on occasion. Most recently, Mcdonald's new chili sauce. I'm sure most of you have seen the commercial with the members of the Olympic indulging is this new amazing sauce. The sauce is decent but nothing amazing. It's not spicy at all but it is definitely sweet. I'd recommend Mcdonald 's fans to try it once before it goes away because its the Vancouver Olympics limited edition sweet chili sauce.


In other news, I've started to walk a little ( still using my crutches as support/stabilizers ) but it definitely feels good to be able to walk again. I'm medically cleared to drive now which is also good news. I also got my stitches taken out today which means I can finally shower normally. I've had to stick my leg out of the shower because my leg had to stay dry which isn't the easiest task. I've been doing a whole lot of things these past couple of weeks and I'm somewhat read to return to work on Monday. My doctor and physical therapist both say I'm progressing well and I believe I'm ahead of schedule.

Song of the moment:

David Archuleta - She's Not You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx6hUpabFUU

I wish I was musically talented

For the first in my life, I have been keeping up with American Idol. The reason? Andrew Garcia, a singer I follow on youtube was on it and I've been following him since. He's in the final 24 right now. Although it may sound like a typical "sad" story, he is looking to make a better life for his son. His parents were involved in gangs when he was a child and him being on the show brought tears to his fathers eyes. I'm not hoping he wins because of his story but because of the passion he shows for singing.

On another note, DVR is the greatest thing ever, its allowed me to keep up with shows like American Idol, but also sporting events, How I Met Your Mother ( some people said this was AS funny if not MORE funny than Friends but I really do not agree ), CSI (NY is the best one) and anything else I remember to record.

Here are a couple videos of Andrew singing.

This is his 1st audition on Americon Idol:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f0_YyxpDYI

Michael Jackson Medley:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--hMhGgpoYU

The Simple Things

It's the simple things in life we forget. Sometimes I forget about how blessed I truly am and complain about stupid things like my leg, not having this/that and hundreds of other dumb things. I find myself being frustrated with a lot of things, a lot of LITTLE things which really shouldn't even bother me in the first place. Through this past week, I have been OVERFLOWED with blessings. Most of you know I just had surgery last week and so many people have visited, brought me food, balloons, cards, called, texted, facebook and just coming to spend time with me. I am extremely thankful for everyone. I've had two days of physical therapy and my therapist is really cool and I'm excited about working hard to get back to playing sports again.

I guess round balloons are in?Thanks Cristina

Thanks Eugene and Grace

As some may know, Caron Butler (one of my favorite players) recently got traded from the Wizards to the Mavericks. He has come a long way since his youth of drugs and crime and plays with a swag that I admire. I've actually had the privilege of meeting him one time at a club in D.C. He was so chill and shook hands to anyone who came up to him. Even though he had a game that day and was probably just looking to relax after flying into D.C. he was still willing to take pictures with us when he easily could've just stayed in the VIP section and ignored us. For those who havn't, please read this, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/21/AR2010022103133.html?sub=AR, it explains the type of person he is and he will be truly missed as a person and player.

So it begins...

So I had my surgery yesterday to repair my ACL and meniscus. Turns out my meniscus was worse off than anticipated but he repaired it so I won't have arthritis later one. I wanted to thank everyone for their support, prayers and visits. It really is a blessing to have everyone ask me how I'm doing and I'm extremely blessed. I'm currently on a CPM machine which bends my knee to a set degree. This helps get my range of range of motion back but it hurts to be on it. I also have an ice machine that generade ice throughout my brace. I have my first physical therapy Monday and i'll be doing that 3 times a week for a month or so then 2 times a week then 1. I can't really express how excited I am to get things progressing torwards playin basketball again. I'll have not played for about 10 months before I can play again.


This is a picture of my new best friend, the CPM machine

More

So I've been neglecting this thing for a little while, so I apologize to my dedicated (hah) readers. Nothing too exciting has really happened unless you count the blizzard exciting. Anyways, I have my surgery coming up in two days and it's come up a lot faster than I expected. I have been relatively prepared/calm about my surgery but I'm becoming a little nervous which is normal I guess. I'll be missing 10 days of work with pay which is nice. So for any of you in the Rockville area, PLEASE come visit me during and bring me food and such or just come spend time with me! That would be greatly greatly appreciated. My doctor is very well known and every PT person I've spoken with has said nothing but good things about him which is very reassuring. I've also had a friend who's has surgery done by him which is also reassuring. Physical therapy 3 times a week is going to be hard but I'm excited to get to work and rehab hard and get back to playing basketball soon. I appreciate everyone's prays and thoughts.

The Maryland Men's basketball team has gotten me excited once again. We look like a solid team (minus our loss to the the scrubby Dukies). We look like we're tournament bound and I'm hoping to go to some games this year. For everyone who goes to MD, GO TO THE GAMES.

New song of the day:

Usher - More
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ybo74Az5qek&feature=related

Old school song of the day:

Craig David - 7 Days
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABuWphlnZ1A

To You Miranda Law

Well well well, look who has finally joined the old club, or as Hao Min calls it, the "wise" club. Happy 23rd Miranda Law. It has been an absolute blessing to have you as one of my closest friends. I've known you for about 6 years now? Our friendship has been... unique to say the least. We had those 2 years or so of not talking much but I'm glad that even through everything you were able to come to me and I am able to come to you. You are ALWAYS there for me, even though you aren't as good at waking up to my 2 AM phone calls anymore. You always want to hangout with me and you're always willing to anything I have to say. You've been there for me to offer me advice through all my troubles and always been supportive. I can honestly say that you never judge me in any way and that you have truly accepted me for who I am.

With that said, I am truly thankful to have you as a close friend, someone who I can ALWAYS rely on and there are no words to describe how thankful I really am. You're going to Philadelphia for pharmacy school in August. I'm going to miss you tons but I will definitely be sure to visit you. You are going to do big things in this world Miranda and I know you will continue to reach for your dreams until you achieve every one. You're one of the hardest workers I know, both educationally and professionally, I still have no idea how you work so much. I have no doubt in my mind you will achieve great things and I just can't wait to see exactly how things unravel for you.

I apologize for this being late, but better late than never I hope. I hope your 23rd year is your best year yet and I look forward to future adventures with you. Happy Birthday Miranda.

That's some good eatin

I'm sure many of you have been to Rockville Town Center for either Gordon Bierch, that Thai Place, Regal movie theater, the new Buffalo Wild Wings or for whatever other reason. I'm also sure many of you have never heard of a Peruvian restaurant called La Canela. This has quickly become one of my favorite restaurant even though I have only eaten there twice. My first time going I got "Lomo" (It was either this or "Polo") I believe which was a beef served with jasmine rice and Peruvian Fries time going, I got the steak. I don't remember the name but it is served with 3 different dipping sauces with jasmine rice and Peruvian fries. This has to be the best tasting steak I have ever had in my life, with a huge portion and a decent price, i think this was 28 dollars? I would highly recommend going to eat at this place. For dinner expect to spend on average about 20-25 dollars a person unless you get something like the steak. I want to go back now...


Washington Post Review:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/la-canela,1146598/critic-review.html



On a complete unrelated topic, today someone violated the man rule today in the bathroom at work.

The man rule states: "Given a string of unoccupied urinals, you must choose one on the outside. When one outside urinal is occupied, use the other side, then middle. Avoid standing directly next to somebody at all costs." Further I've added, use the toilet even if there is an open urinal next to someone. If everything is occupied, hold it and come back! All I thought in my head was "COME ON MAN!"

These two videos will better explain things for people who don't understand.

Short version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHbiFn7w5DI

Long version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzO1mCAVyMw

Luvanmusiq

So first off, for those of you who don't know my favorite artist is Musiq Soulchild. In my opinion one of THE most underrated artists out there today. He sings with real passion and sings about real life situations. Taalib "Musiq Soulchild" Johnson sings is associated with a singing style which blends contemporary R&B, soul, funk, alternative, blues, jazz and hip hop. If you havn't experienced his music yet I ask you have an open mind and I will send you some of his music. I honestly listen to him EVERY day and I do enjoy his music THAT much.

This leads me to a list which was actually a lot harder to put together than I originally expected. This is my top 10 list of songs which are not on everyday radio. Enjoy.

1. Musiq Soulchild - Half Crazy. I think I listen to this song everyday, I just think he put so much heart into this song and means every word



2. Musiq Soulchild - Teach Me. Just listen to it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y91jtjvN3NQ

3. Musiq Soulchild - Just Friends. Tell me this isn't catch.



4. Chris Brown feat Ester Dean - I Love You. I had the same reaction as all of you when I heard the beginning of the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQaqj1rkd1E

5. Michael Buble - Havn't Met You Yet. Liked this song the very first time I heard it.



6. Chris Tomlin - I Will Rise. One of my favorites by him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa8w7mGug0c

7. Brian Mcknight - The Only One For Me. Classic.



8. Jamie Foxx - Why. I think my favorite of all Jamie Foxx's songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqYIoLoGctA

9. Musiq Soulchild - Lullaby. Soothing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYAbHs1Skls

10. Craig David - Insomnia. Just a good one.


A few honorable mentions.

11. Colbie Caillat - I Never Told You. Not exactly an avid listen of hers but this one is very good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIl3hqAlqPw

12. Musiq Soulchild - Someone. What every guy should want.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8OVlFgAd8A

13. Dream feat Kanye West - Walkin' On The Moon. Catchy.

To You Shannon Lee

Shannon Lee, did you really think I forgot about you? I apologize for this being a couple days late but I definitely did not forget about you. In fact I'm risking my job right now writing this for you at work! Anyways Happy 19th! You have officially entered you final teen year and I hope you're beginning to feel old like me.

I have known you for 7 years now I believe? Almost since I first start going to CBC and you were scurd of me. Thats all in the past now and I'm glad/privileged to have watch you grow into a young woman. It's been a blessing to have been friends with you for so long and grown close to you especially recently. I've enjoyed paying you random visits at CP and I'm glad that you are able to come to me to talk to me about everything and anything. I truly look forward to seeing whats in store for you in the future because I know nothing but good things are coming your way. You brighten a room with your personality and your laughter and I hope yo never lose this quality. I hope that you continue to chase your dreams and never settle for mediocracy. Strive to be BETTER. Anyways, I look forward to more talks/hangouts and even if I can't visit as frequently now I'll be sure to make time to visit every once in a while. I hope your 19th is the best one yet. Happy Birthday Shannon Lee.

Moving Mountains

So I'm going to start this off a little lightly by saying what happened to all the classic songs!?!?! You know what the ones I'm talking about. The ones you can go months even years without hearing and still sing along to each and every word. Boys II Men - On Bended Knee came on my itouch the other day and it just made me think about all the other classic songs I still enjoy to this day. Songs like Mariah Carey - Always Be My Baby, Boys II Men feat Mariah Carey - One Sweet Day, Usher - You Remind Me, Notorious B.I.G. - Mo Money Mo Problems, Brian McKnight - Anytime and theres many more. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy today's music, the Jason Derulo's, the Jay Sean's, Ne-Yo's, etc etc. Even now, Mariah Carey's new music is sub par and Usher's new stuff has been good but not amazing. How many of you knew that Boys II Men had a CD that came out fairly recently? This was just a short update for all those classic songs that we still love.

So here comes the 'deeper' stuff.

Integrity is defined as " adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty."

Why is it often so hard to make the right choice/decisions which is often also the obvious one too? Why does temporary/short term always prevail over permanent/long term in decision making?

"We are slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to become angry."

- Francis Chan

I think myself along with the majority of people pick the "quick fix" choice with the I want it now mentality over the often better/rational choice. It's never easy going against your wants/desires/"needs" (using this term loosely becuase most of the time what we think we need is more what we want)

I am FAR from perfect and there's many aspects of my life I want to be better and hope to improve on. I guess this is my ew years resolution list:

1. Continuing to develop my relationship with God - This definitely is no easy task but I hope 2010 will be the best for me.

2. Becoming a better person - although very vague, I want to be better, less judgmental, more rational and make better decisions.

3. Build relationships - I want to take more time talking/spending time with friends both old and new. This may seem simple but I want to get to know people better and just simply hangout with them. I want to be closer to those around me, look out for those younger than me and offer advice/guidance when needed.

4. Being more tough minded - this is more specifically toward me trying to be "too nice" to everyone. I need to be nice to the people who appreciate/accept it and not worry about those who don't.

5. Be thankful for the things I'm blessed with - God, my life, family, friends, food, health, a house, a car, a job, the list could go on forever but its things I take for granted.

6. Less whining/stressed - I've talked about this in my last post but this related to my relationship with God. Why worry right? I'm not saying that I'm never going to worry since its human nature to do so but I am going to make a conscious effort to do less of it. Many things are out of my control so why worry? This is something Pastor Joseph stressed to us back in high school. He gave the scenario of SATs which in high school is drilled into our heads as "the biggest test of our lives," and at the time we buy into it and study for hours on end. All the pressure we put on ourselves to to out perform the next and getting into the best colleges. Let me ask you, when was the last time someone ask you about your SAT score? That number is so insignificant now and chances our things would've been just fine had our scores been however many points more or less of what we got.

7. Stop caring about what others think - I'm not saying this in the sense I'm going to go around blasting everyone but more so stop worrying about what he/she thinks about me if I'm just being myself. If he/she doesn't like me than I shouldn't feel obligated to act differently just to please him/her. I think blogging has been good for me because it allows me to say how I feel and not worry about what people think.

Ultimately I want 2010 to be the bste year of my life. I want to strive to be better and live life to its fullest. I want to be happier and worry less.

"Intellectually we all know that we will die, but we do not really know it in the sense that the knowledge becomes a part of us. We do not really know it in the sense of living as though it were true. On the contrary, we tend to live as though our lives would go on forever. "

- Frederick Buechner


What's in the past is already done, life and learn. Lets starts LIVING life people.


Thanks for reading.

All Grown Up

23rd birthday was today. Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday, it was an amazing birthday and I really couldn't change anything. Turning 23 is a bit apathetic but I'm going to make the best of it none the less. Nothing really exciting happens at the age of 23, it's just another year. However, God has blessed me with so much including the support of my friends and family. I'm optimistic my 23rd will be my best year. I have many things to be happy about and look forward to.









Just finished a week and a half of work and I have to say that I am absolutely exhausted. Waking up at 6:30-7 AM everyday is not the most fun thing to do but its got to be done right? On Thursday I left my house at 7:30 AM planning to be at work by 9. I was about 1 minute from my building getting off the beltway and it was bumper to bumper and I moved about 20 feet in a span of 25 minutes. They ended up shutting the exit off before I even got off so I had to weave my way around. There was a fire a couple blocks down from my building and the traffic was absolutely ridiculous. It ended up taking me 2 hours to get to work and I didn't eat lunch that day so it was wonderful day.

I do a lot of thinking while I'm at work considering I spend most of the time watching my lead do the work because I'm shadowing right now and I don't have security clearance. There's many pros and cons of my work. Some cons being the commute (as stated above) not being able to do any real work yet, the uncertainty of my position (because of the clearance issues and the uncertainty of how long it'll take before I can do anything) The "glass half full" side is the fact I have someone who I can ask questions about. She has been really nice/open about answering my questions. It's definitely comforting having someone there to ease the process. My manager has also been very understanding about my knee situation because I'll have to miss at least a week of work and I'll also have to leave early on some days for physical therapy.

On a completely different note, something I've been thinking about lately is the phrase "all things happen for a reason." I'm curious as to how many people truly believe the statement. I see many people have statuses on facebook or twitter stating "why me" or "FML" ( I actually really dislike this phrase) when something unexpected happens. These two phrases seem to be the common reaction and of course I've reacted this way before too. While doing my fair share of "why me" I've been trying my best to look at the glass as half full. 2009 seemed to be a down year for many people. I had a handful of friends break up from long term relationships which is never easy to deal with. The job market has been horrendous and applying for 10+ jobs and not even getting an interview gets discouraging.

The frustration causes us to say "why does this have to happen to me?" "why cant I have this job?" "why did he/she break up with me?" "why couldn't thing have worked out?" We ask a lot of "whys" when we should try to look at the positives. (haha this sounds lame after typing it out but its true ) I've done plenty of complaining/whining and as I've matured (hah I'm a big boy now) I've refelcted on all the times I've complained in the past and at the time I'd think complaining was the rational thing to do. After soaking things in I've realized each event, good or bad, should be used as a learning experience. For example, if things didnt work out between someone I was interested in, I'd dwell on what I did wrong and what I could've done to make things better. In reality things likely wouldn't have worked out and things worked out for the better. Perhaps this "wise" realization comes with age/experience. Live and learn folks. One of my favorite quotes sums it all up.

"But I am a firm believer in 'Everything happens for a reason.' ... I mean, things happen in life and not just to me. These types of things happen to everyone. It's not being vulnerable; it's just looking at life the way it is from a realistic standpoint. I'm a believer in God and I believe that he puts things in your path for a reason."

Oklahoma City Thunder Point Guard
-Shaun Livingston


Oh and someone gave me a nice compliment about my blog saying "it's not full of s***." I'm going to take it as not sarcastic... so that was really appreciated. I don't know how many loyal readers there are out there but thanks for those who keep coming back. I enjoy writing (I'm prob not the best at it, but nobodies forcing you to read it) so take it for what it is.

To You Chris Cheung

Happy 25th! I've known you for maybe 5 years now? I think my fondest memory (probably yours too) is doing "security" (I'm using this term very loosely cause lets be honest, 2 asians kids? lets be serious) for CEF and forming CWM or whatever it was. I'm glad I was able to experience that with you and I'm fortunate and blessed to have you always checking up on me. You've helped me through a LOT these past 5 years and for that I am very thankful. You've helped me through my college applications, school essays, personal issues and just acting as a positive role model. I'm glad you're chasing your passion of being a PT and I'm sure I'll come to you since I'm crippled now.

I know we havn't met up/talked as much as should've these past years and that's probably mostly my past just due to laziness but you've always offered guidance regardless. I'm really thankful you always take the time just to ask how I'm doing or ask if I'm doing alright based on anything you've heard or read. You've been like a big brother to me and I definitely look up to you. Hopefully we'll have the hangout that we've been planning for months now.

You seem to always be in a good mood and never seen to let your emotions get the best of you which I admire. What you've done with the younger guys is amazing and they couldn't have a better role model for them. You have a very giving heart and it has rubbed off on me tremendously.

I hope you enjoy your 25th and I hope its your best year yet. You're well on your way to being a top PT and make bank while I live in your basement and play video games all day.

To You Carolyn Tong

Today you grow one year older. Happy 20th!

Welcome to the old world, no longer a teen. I think I've known you for roughly 4 years now? It sucks that we're not as close as we once were. However, I'm glad that we're constantly able to pick up where we left off and catch up on things easily. I'm glad you followed your dream/heart when you decided to go to Emory when you easily could have gone to Maryland or somewhere close where it is 'safer." (I'm not saying its bad for everyone but you went where you wanted to)

It's been a pleasure watching you grow and I wish I could have played a larger role in your life these past couple years. You're one busy person up at Emory but I know that's a good thing. It's near impossible to catch you on AIM and you're pretty bad at responding at texts (just messin) so the only time we talk is the occasional facebook chat. I still rewatch your youtube videos every once in a while and I really wish you'd make more (*ahem* someone owes me something) I've been fortunate enough to have you as a friend and I hope we'll be able to grow closer once again.

I really like/admire the fact that you don't seem to let things bother you. You seem to have grown up a lot in college and you seem like a much more confident/outgoing person which can only bring good things your way once you enter the real world (P.S. I've only been in the real world for 2 days and it sucks!) Too bad you stop ballin cause your shot was 10 times better than mine.

I hope you continue to chase your dreams at Emory and never give up on anything you believe in. I have no doubt in my mind that you're going to do big things in this world. Happy birthday Godwin.

P.S. I'm glad you're a Musiq Soulchild fan

It's a New Year

So this is my first post of 2010. I originally planned on posting this before new years but I got lazy. I can honestly say that 2009 has probably been the roughest on me both emotionally and physically. I've learned a lot about myself through my experiences and for that I can be thankful. Although actually having to go through each experience was 'rough' to say the least. I think I spent a lot of 2009 seeking as opposed to being content with what I have or letting things happen naturally and exercising patience/trust. The whole knee injury was almost the "perfect" ending to one of the worst years I can remember. I'm looking forward to a new year and putting everything from 2009 behind me.

Of course not everything in 2009 was bad, I graduated college in May, had a relaxing summer/fall and was able to more or less do nothing and just spend time with friends. Took a couple trips to AC, went to OSU, went to VTech, is there somewhere I'm forgetting? Of course who can forget the countless visits to CP. I also got hired to perhaps my top company, Accenture and I start the new year off with a new job. I'm excited for the opportunity that i have been blessed with and intend on making the most of it.

2010 will be different from previous years (obvious statement right?) in the sense that this will be the first year I won't have to go to school. I'm starting my career at Accenture as a Deployment Congifuation Specialist and who knows what from there. Working 9-6, waking up at 6:30 in the morning, my whole life style will just have to be different. In a sense I'll have to live more efficiently because I won't have all the time in the world to do things like I have the past 8 months. The spontaneity in my life is slowly disappearing. I'll have to schedule times just to see friends and6 I'll no longer be able to eat lunch with people. I guess it's the official start of my "adult" life (well semi since I'll still be living at home and not exactly paying for all of my living expenses). No more days of mommy writing my a sick note so I don't have to go to school, or skipping class just because I'm feeling lazy. Entering the real world doesn't seem so exciting does it? I officially open a new chapter in my life tomorrow (cliche, i know you love it) and I'm just having a bunch of mixed feelings, anxious, nervous, excited. Dreading the waking up at 6:30 AM and the hour+ commute but excited about learning new things and moving forward in life. Hao Min you know how I'm feeling right?

I also have surgery in February, the dates not set yet but I meet with my doctor on Friday to talk about options, I'm hoping by some miracle that he says I don't need surgery but I don't think my luck is that good. I'm trying to be as smart as I can about it and rehabbing hard and doing my best not to strain it so I can get healthy again asap.

Something I hope I improve on in 2010 is not trying to be "too nice" if there is such thing. I mean that I shouldn't try to please everyone and I should keep my close friends closer and not worry about what the outside world thinks about me. Often if I just meet someone I'll try and be too nice and it gets me in trouble. I know this sounds lame to say but if your own mother can recognize this and tells you to toughen up it's got be true right? I hope to be smarter in dealing with relationships/friendships both new and old.

So here's to moving forward and not looking back, learning from past experiences but not dwelling on them.

P.S. I know this post was all over the place I wrote it in pieces like 5 days apart