overwhelmed.

Can't Let a Year Go By...

2007-08-22T21:24:00.000-05:00

I'm glad I checked in on Blog Spot. I don't think it would be prudent to let a year go by without posting something new. So...

Just this past weekend, I took a trip to New York City to get away from everything and just unwind. It was a good time catching with an old friend and also doing some things that I need to scratch off my list of things to do in life. On a previous trip, I was able to scratch off "Stay at the Waldorf Astoria." This time, I scratched off, "Go to a game at Yankee Stadium." It was a neat experience. The Yankees were playing against Detroit. As an added bonus, Roger Clemens pitched.

While it seems like a good time was had in NYC, this trip was not without its difficulties. I flew First Class for the first time ever. I usually try to take all of my luggage on board as carry-on luggage for fear of having the airlines lose my stuff. This time I decided to check since I was flying First Class (I assumed that my luggage would be cared for well) and I had a long layover in Minneapolis (3 hours). After arriving in Minneapolis, my luggage, sans me, was sent ahead to NYC so that it would be waiting in the terminal upon my arrival. What the airline did not know was that a big storm was about to hit NYC at the same time that flight was suppose to get in. The flight my luggage was on was diverted to Newark, New Jersey. This was made known to me an hour and a half after we arrived in NYC, and after staring at the luggage carousel intently as it went round and round and round and round.

The lady at the baggage desk told me that since my luggage was in Newark, they would have to deliver it to me at my location in NYC. I gave them the address of the Yale Alumni Club since my friend is a member and someone is on staff 24/7. I was assured that my luggage would be there some time the following afternoon. Suffice it to say, things are never that easy, at least not for me. My luggage was never delivered. I also had another dilemma. I had no clothes. I slept that first night in the clothes I had been wearing all day and picked up a t-shirt at the Gap the following morning.

Countless calls were made to the airline to try to find out where my luggage was. No one knew. It was just sitting somewhere and no was bothering to arrange for its delivery. It was finally delivered on Monday morning, fifty six hours after I had arrived in NYC and minutes before I hopped into a cab and headed to the airport to go home.

Call me a moron, but I checked my luggage on the way home. BIG MISTAKE! GUESS WHAT? My luggage never made it to Chicago. It was stuck in Detroit because my flight from NYC to Detroit was delayed which meant I had only minutes to get to my Detroit to Chicago flight and my luggage was not going to go with me. I got to O'Hare and did the whole luggage carousel deal thing and realized after 45 minutes that something was wrong. I went back to the baggage counter, where I essentially lost it with the Japanese airline worker. As I expresssed my frustration and asked her to tell me how this could happen to someone twice in one weekend, with a thick Japanese accent, "I don't know. What can I do?" YOU WANT TO KILL ME!? ( She gestured in harakiri fashion.) I told her that wouldn't be necessary because she'd get blood all over the counter. I asked her to call a manager so I could formally express my frustration and she did. And I did. And that was it. I was assured that my luggage would be delivered that evening.

And it was. At 1:30AM, my doorbell rang. I got my luggage.

The Only Pic of My New Car...

2006-09-02T01:23:00.000-05:00

dcfs
Originally uploaded by mugen76.

So, I bought a 2007 FJ Cruiser in Sun Fusion (yellow) a couple of weeks ago. I've been meaning to take a picture of it and posting it. It just seems like the thing to do. But Al Yau took a photo with baby Jasmine playing the part of hood ornament. So this will have to do.

I was driving on the highway the other day on my way to Great America when I encountered another driver in a grey FJ Cruiser. The natural thing to do was to make eye contact with the other driver and give the guy a nod. It's like some unspoken ritual.

The funny thing is that this action would have been unheard of while driving my Toyota Camry. Whenever I would encounter another green Camry, I would keep my eyes forward and attempt to pass as quickly as possible. But there's something about this car that's different and when you see one, it's like some sort of special moment. Hahahaha. I know what you're thinking. "Kent is such a loser."

I am.

After a Long Hiatus, an Update...

2006-08-30T13:37:00.000-05:00

Don't joke about those signs, they're serious...

2006-05-15T15:48:00.000-05:00

I read this on Yahoo! News and thought it was worthy of mentioning.

Family Kicked Out of Buffet Restaurant

DES MOINES, Iowa - Wendy Dershem may think twice before leaving that egg roll on her plate at her next Chinese buffet. The Des Moines woman, her boyfriend and her two children were kicked out of a restaurant last week after management accused her of leaving too much food on her plate.

"They told us we are not welcome there anymore," said Dershem, a repeat customer at the Dragon House buffet. "We waste too much food. But the buffet is all you can eat. And you know kids. They won't always eat everything and they want something else."

Dershem said she paid her $5.95 fee on Saturday but was abruptly told to leave after eating one plate of food.

Employees said they had been watching her family on previous trips to the restaurant and were fed up with her habits.

"They just take one bite and throw it away," said cashier Lin Huyen. "They take four egg rolls and crab ragoon, take one bite of egg roll and throw the whole plate. That is wasting food."

Dershem said she was shocked by the scolding and complained to management when she paid her check. "It was embarrassing. ... If it's a one-stop buffet, post it," she said.

Dragon House manager Kent Cao said his restaurant offers all you can eat buffet, not all you can waste. Dershem's family took food, didn't finish it and then piled on the same food again, he said.

"She's done that too many times," Cao said. "We would welcome her back if she has respect and knows what she wants."

Bob Oberbillig, an adjunct professor at the Drake Legal Clinic, says the patron would have no legal case against exclusion from a business unless there are other factors such as racial discrimination or mental health issues.

"An establishment can exclude people if they smoke or waste food," he said. "It's still a private business."

A Couple of Pics...

2006-04-17T12:17:00.000-05:00

So Hot...
Kimball and Sharon were hanging outside after last week's Good Friday service. It was observed that they were dressed similarly.

So Goofy...
This sushi restaurant next to Aloha Grill was closed on Sunday because of Easter. They posted this sign on their door.

Two For the Price of One...

2006-04-03T10:48:00.000-05:00

I Will Not Be Besmirched...
It has been brought to my attention that a certain employee is going around and telling people that I asked him to work last Friday for the express purpose of playing a prank on him. While I believe that this would show just how hip and cool I am, I have to say that it's absolutely untrue.

Here are the facts. The aforementioned employee was asked to work on Friday because we had to set-up for a meeting we would be having on Monday. The set-up involved moving divider walls, tables and chairs. Prior to handing out this assignment, I called to speak with Michelle Lee, who coordinate with the Conference Room schedule, to make sure that there would be no meetings on Monday morning. She said, "no, there will be no classes on Monday. You can set-up for your meeting."

With that info confirmed, I called and asked said employee to come in. Shortly after said employee arrived at the office, I realized that a new opportunity to mess with him was presenting itself. We couldn't resist so we made our arrangements and you can see the result in Friday's post.

Shortly after 3PM, said employe was about to start setting up. At the same time, I was in Michelle's office asking her questions about something totally unrelated, when I looked on the master calendar and noticed a pink Post-It on Monday's block. A meeting had in fact been scheduled and Michelle had previously referred to old information.

So you see, we thought there were no sessions and so it would be safe to set-up. It wasn't until we did another check that we discovered that there was in fact a session. I had asked said employee in good faith to come in and work. I would not call him in just to mess with him. Perhaps I should start though since I think this is his subconscious longing for more attention.

In the end, I'd like all, especially said employee, to realize that our pranks are a privelege and not our purpose. I cannot tolerate when someone attempts to paint me as one who's lost his mind.

Speaking of Losing One's Mind...
Speaking of losing one's mind, I went over to Anthony's for his Wrestlemania Party on Sunday afternoon. I actually got there around 2:30PM. I asked Matt Chan if I could play with his game boy. I took a break at 4:30, got back around 6:15, continued playing, and didn't stop until about 9:00PM. All in all, I played for almost five hours! During the course of this journey, I beat the marathon game more times than I can remember and acquired sore thumb and arm syndrome. But don't worry, I should make a complete recovery.

We're Such Jerks...Part III - But what is Tony doing?

2006-03-31T19:33:00.000-06:00

So we decided that the opportunity was just to perfect to mess with Tony again. So we quickly orchestrated another prank. Maybe it's getting old, but we're still having fun with it. Randy and I quickly ran back to the office that Tony would be using and cleaned up and put away any evidence that Randy was at work. Conveniently, Tony still hadn't seen Randy at all today so we were able to play it off and pretend that Randy wasn't around.

Randy flew underneath the desk and I quickly set up the camera. Things went according to plan except for what Tony does after Randy pokes and scares him. Can anyone explain what was going on?

We're Such Jerks...Part III

2006-03-29T17:38:00.000-06:00

We couldn't resist. Originally we wanted to scare Michelle on Thursday, but then she took the day off. Then she didn't come in on Friday. Or Monday. Or Tuesday. She spained her ankle and was in some serious pain. But today, she was in so we decided that we had to take advantage. I called her over to my office and pretended to ask her some questions about some time sheets. Then I matter-of-factly asked her to return a briefcase to the closet. Watch to find out what happened.

We're Such Jerks...Part II

2006-03-24T17:00:00.000-06:00

So we just can't help ourselves. It was Randy's turn to work today and this time I had him put away the soap in the cabinet underneat the sink. He finds more than just an empty space. BTW, he contrary to what it may sound like, he actually said, shoot and not you know what.

We're Such Jerks...

2006-03-23T19:15:00.002-06:00

Simon and I decided we had to take an opportunity to frighten Tony...again. We devised a plan where I would call Tony and have him go and pick up something at the other end of our office. Simon would then sneak into the closet and wait. I would then call Tony again and have him help me put something away in the closet. When the door opens...well...just watch the result.

More Lyrics...

2006-03-20T00:42:00.000-06:00

I'm Not Alright - Sanctus Real

If weakness is a wound
That no-one wants to speak of
Then cool is just how far we have to fall
And I am not amused; I only wanna be loved
But I feel safe behind the firewall
Can I loose my need to impress?
If you want the truth- I need to confess

I'm not alright, I'm broken side, broken inside;
And all I've come through, it leads me to You
It leads me to You

Burn away the pride
Bring me to my weakness
Till everything to hide behind is gone
When I'm old and wise
With nothing left to cling to
Only You are there to lead me on
Cause honestly, I'm not that strong

And now I'm moved, and now I'm moved, and now I'm moved
(closer to you)
And now I'm moved, and now I'm moved, and now I'm moved
(closer to you)
And now I'm moved, and now I'm moved, and now I'm moved
(closer to you)
And now I'm moved, and now I'm moved, and now I'm moved

I'm not alright, I'm broken inside, broken inside
Ohhhhhhhh broken inside, broken inside;
And all I've come through, it leads me to You
It leads me to You

I'm not alright, I'm not alright, I'm not alright
That's why I need you

I Really Am A Loser...

2006-03-16T12:52:00.000-06:00

The last time I played Jezz Ball this seriously was when I was a freshmen in high school. There was a contest among us putzes to see who could score the highest. The winner received an all expense lunch at Hard Rock Cafe which was pretty cool and out of reach back then. I guess a decade has made me more patient and a better Jezz Ball player. I think back then my highest score was like 250,000 points. I think the eventual winner scored like 500,000. I've attached an image of my high scores on my computer. This was accomplished on Wednesday, March 15, 2006. I didn't think a million plus points was possible, but I guess it is. If you wanna try the game, download it here: http://panda.net.au/downloads/jezzball.zip

Contest anyone? I know, I'm a loser.

Just At the Right Time...

2006-03-12T21:49:00.000-06:00

Atmosphere (Toby Mac)

I know you keep a journal and every page is rippled
From the tears that you cry, ain't no meanin' to your scribble
Cause words can't describe what you've been feelin' inside
It's like thousand foot walls, and they're still on the rise
But look up to a beautiful sound
And see for yourself you're not that far down
And know this, I cannot love a little
My promise to you is unconditional

And I'll keep the light on, baby
Just keep the course, you can weather the storm
I'll keep the light on, baby
You've come this far, don't you ever lose heart, now

Just turn around and I'll be there I'm moving into your atmosphere
Just turn around and I'll be there I'm moving into your atmosphere

I know you're all alone in a crowd full of friends
I can see it in your eyes that your fadin' again
Checking out, moving into your hole
Where the light can't touch any part of your soul
But hold up and let the river rush in
You can turn around and start livin' again
Cause your life is a beautiful bloom
In the image of the one that created you

I'll be there

Said I'll be there, said I'll be there
Said I'll be there always, forever

All work and no play, make Ray Mondeng a Mardi Gras Queen (UPDATED!!!)

2006-03-09T10:35:00.000-06:00

Yes, it's true. I have to be careful with my response whenever people ask me the question, "does Ray Mondeng work for you?" Usually I start my answer by saying, "Yes, he does work for..." But then I have to check myself. What I end up saying is, "Ray doesn't actually work for us. He spends his time with us."

During one of his recent stays with us, Ray officially became the self-crowned Mardi Gras Queen.

"Kent, why would you throw out an old, used, and tangled phone cord?"

"Do you think my smile accentuates my slim figure?"

"Wait, Kent, are you taking pictures of me?"

"Well in that case, hand me the beads!"

"Here we go..."

"I am so hot."

In case you're wondering. We really...I mean, I really do work around here. Seriously. Check out #7 on my list of things to do.

Lord of the Court...the Return of the...Kenty?

2006-02-01T20:09:00.000-06:00

So. First of all, mucho thanks to my McDonald's buddy, Tim Leung for the great gift he just gave to me a week ago. It was my very own, basketball!!! It wasn't just any old basketball, it was an Infusion Basketball, with its very own pumping mechanism. I had the opportunity to break it in last night in a game of Twenty-One against Heric Ehu and Ray Mondeng (acquiescing to their wishes, I've disguised their names to protect their identities).

This was actually my first game of Twenty-One in a very very long time. The final score was 21 (me), 15 (Ray), 5 (Heric). What made this victory so special, was the fact that it was the first time I won a game against Ray and Heric and I was playing injured. This week my gout decided to return and my foot has been in pain since.

You know, when it rains, it pours! In addition to the gout, I developed some sort of skin infection that resembles bite marks. Many are saying that they're bed bug bites, but my doctor and I both disagree. I've been prescribed some antibiotics and antihistamines. They seem to be doing the trick. The first couple of days I was just constantly scratching. My legs now look like I've got the measles.

So on Tuesday night I attempted to play basketball even though I didn't have the right shoes and my foot still wasn't feeling all that great. But something very magical happened. Even though some time had passed since I last shot a ball, my "A" game was on and I was making my shots. The best shot of the night was when I did the equivalent of throwing the ball away and attempted a shot from the 3-point line. Ray and Heric didn't think I was going to make it since they didn't bother to play "D." Guess what? I MADE IT! SWOOSH! My free throws were also on and I was able to stay ahead enough to be victorious. The game was actually a lot closer than the score lets on.

Throughout the entire game, my foot did not hurt. It was as if the gout decided to take a break and give me a moment of happiness. After the game and on my way to Seven Treasures, it returned to bug me again, but it's cool. I can handle it. I can't wait to get to full health so that I can get back to exercising. I feel so lazy and blah these days. Exercise is definitely good medicine. I need more of it.

It was a bust...

2006-01-15T01:17:00.000-06:00

So...back in September? I purchased two tickets to the ladies' final of the 2006 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. For the longest time, I've set a goal for myself to actually go and see Michelle Kwan in competition. I had actually contemplated travelling to Washington, D.C. back in 2003 to watch her compete at the World Championships that year, but I ended up not going. So anyway, since the U.S. Championships were in St. Louis this year and Michelle would be going for her record tenth national title, I decided to go for it.

A couple of weeks ago, Michelle announced that she was withdrawing from the competiton because she had pulled a groin muscle. Instead of competing, she would submit a special petition for one of the three sports on the women's side for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. Since I had already purchased these non-refundable tickets, I decided to make the journey to St. Louis.

Even as I type this, I'm back in the hotel room in St. Louis and reflecting on what a BUST the competition was. Michelle's absence was felt in many ways. No one was really spectacular and even the champion made several mistakes. I'm sort of glad that they're going to send Michelle to the Olympics. For those who feel that this is not fair, eh. When has figure skating ever been fair? Michelle is going to the Olympics largely based on her reputation and why not? Of all the jumping shrimps attempting to earn spots on the Olympic team, no one can compare to Michelle in terms of consistency, class, and presence.

On Saturday night, no one got me on my feet. It was really one of the worse women's championships in recent memory. Ah well. One to Torino!

I know I may seem like a fool, but I really think Michelle will make it atop the podium this time. She's lowered expectations enough that she won't be under any pressure to win next month. But watch out because Michelle has always been her best and won, when people least expected it.

IHAVELOSTMYMIND 1.0

2005-11-23T16:37:00.000-06:00

More Songs...
In addition to A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton, I've added songs from Savage Garden and BB Mak to my iPod's secular song mix. If that isn't an indication of one having lost his mind, I don't know what is.

Randy says I can no longer call him a loser because he went to see the new Harry Potter at midnight when it first released. I guess he's right.

But I did tell him that I would get him hooked on the songs and that pretty soon, he'll be asking me to burn him a mix. I don't really know what's possessed me to purchase these songs, but there's a tune in particular that's pretty sad, but really caught my attention at the same time. It's called Two Beds and a Coffee Machine. I guess I have strange tastes in music.

New Movie...
When I visited New York in 2004, I had the opportunity to see the musical Rent on Broadway. The movie version was just released today. I hope to see it soon. In addition to Rent, I also want to see the movie Flightplan. I am quite the Jodie Foster fan. She ranks right up there with Joan Cusack of U.S. Cellular fame. Though my favorite actress remains Julie Andrews. Click on her name to see a special Xanga tribute to her. In case you haven't figured it out, she's Maria from The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins from Mary Poppins.

IHAVELOSTMYMIND 0.5

2005-11-14T20:45:00.000-06:00

I used to have this Nokia phone which was cool and different at first but then it got really sucky after a period of use. It was so irritating that midway through my one year phone contract, I actually paid $100 just for another standard phone so that I wouldn't have to keep using this phone. Some people I know actually still have this phone or a variant of it and like it quite a lot, so I guess it might be an ok phone to have.

But there was one cool feature that I kind of miss. This phone was able to play some killer ringtones. While I had this phone I downloaded the ringtone A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton. It sounded quite nice. When I got my new phone I was sad to discover that I couldn't download the same ringtone for it. The ringtone was not compatible. So I've gone that last two years without A Thousand Miles.

So guess what I did a few minutes ago? Yes. I downloaded A Thousand Miles on iTunes and uploaded it to my iPod. What I like most about the song isn't even the singer. She don't really rate. It's the opening piano solo that gets me every time. With this download, order has been restored to my life. I am complete again. My morning walks from the parking garage to the office will now be treated to this delightful past vestige of teen pop culture. Whatever that means.

New shoes...

2005-11-06T23:17:00.000-06:00

I designed a pair of Nike Shox on the NikeID website. The final look is shown above. And I've actually ordered them. Assuming that they fit when they arrive, they will replace a pair of New Balance running shoes that I've had for about three years now. I hadn't planned on purchasing new running shoes, but my New Balance shoes have been causing a bit of discomfort. The ankle area of the right shoe is so worn that it's beginning to cut up my ankle. While running on the treadmill a couple of weeks ago, I bled so much that my sock was soaked. It was quite gross. The next day, I figured it had healed sufficiently and ran, only to bleed all over a sock again. Hopefully this will solve my issues. I only purchased these because I got a pretty good deal. Woohoo! Woohoo!

Back to the Basics...

2005-11-04T16:37:00.000-06:00

This Sunday, in the my Sunday School class, we're getting back to the basics. We will be having arts and crafts day!!! For many of my students, the last time they did a craft in Sunday School was probably third or fourth grade. I was flipping through the Oriental Trading Company catalog and saw something that we had done before at VBC but also fit perfectly with the them of the last four weeks. It's a beatiful Jonah craft thingie.

In 2006...

2005-11-02T14:57:00.000-06:00

I'm beginning to compile a list of things that I want to definitely do next year. During the year 2006, I will visit the National Zoo in Washington D.C. and see the giant pandas. They just seem to be very peaceful creatures. I am sure that seeing one in person will be quite the experience.

For all of my interest in politics and international affairs, I have never actually set foot in our nation's capital. I plan to do so in 2006. I especially want to visit the National Holocaust Museum. But I especially want to see the National World War II Memorial. From the photographs I've seen, it looks like an amazing place to be.

More things that I want to do in 2006 to come at a later date. But this is a good start. Any one interested in any of these excursions?

All of this is God willing, of course.

The View From the 15th

2005-10-29T02:05:00.000-05:00

I often go to work and think to myself, "nothing exciting ever happens around here." But on Friday, October 28, 2005 that all seemed to change as the City of Chicago decided to have the White Sox World Championship Rally right outside our building's doorstep. The best part was that since a majority of our office space looks onto LaSalle Street and Wacker Drive, we were treated to some awesome views of the event. We saw lots of newspaper confetti and we also watched the entire program from the comfort of our offices.

Here I am on the left, FOB that I am, posing in front of the event stage after the festivities are over and the crowds are beginning to disperse. People were actually picking up the shredded newspaper that served as "ticker tape" or confetti on the ground and saving it as souvenirs. I've yet to check, but I am sure that by now some of it has shown up on Ebay. Dang. I knew I should have sent Tony to pick some up. Oh well.

The crowds as you can imagine were unbelievable and they just kept coming and coming and coming. There were so many people that both of our building's entrances were totally blocked and people were unable to get in or out of the building. People actually had to enter through the underground parking garage. Going to get lunch proved to be a challenge as there was no easy way to get around.

All in all, this was definitely a once in a lifetime event and I'm glad that I got to see it. Congratulations to the White Sox. I promise to go out and watch some games at Comiskey (it will always be Comiskey to me) next season. Opening Day anyone?

What an interesting name...

2005-10-17T16:53:00.000-05:00

I was ordering office supplies at work today and this item in the catalog caught my attention. Maybe it's just me, but there's something about calling kitchen plastic "Purity Wrap" that makes me smile. Tony Chan was sitting near me when I just started laughing uncontrollably. I know, I'm such a loser.

IAMAMORON 2.5

2005-10-11T10:21:00.000-05:00

Caution: Moron On Board
I was over by Old Orchard shopping mall yesterday heading north on Skokie Road. There's a series of lights that run the length of the mall's parking lot. They are the kind that have separate left-turn only and thru traffic signals. I was in the thru lane, but for some reason my car was slowing down to a complete stop, entirely through my own first-rate braking efforts. The only problem, as Eric Hu so ably pointed out, was that I had a green to go. Apparently, my mind was focused on the car in the left turn lane that was stopped and waiting for the left-turn signal to give him the go-ahead. I had assumed that since he was stopped, I should be stopped. A car behind me was gracious enough to slow down with me and didn't feel it was necessary to point out my moron-ness (he didn't honk or flash his lights). I proceeded to accelerate and pretend as if I meant to do that.

Great America's Fright Fest
On a totally separate note, I visited Great America's Fright Fest yesterday (it was Columbus Day and a day off from work) for the seventh (or is it eighth?) time this year. The park's decorations seem to get more and more off-the-wall every year. This year Hometown Square has been designed to look like a space ship has landed there and that the military is trying to defend the area. The efforts are topped with several individuals wearing army uniforms marching aimlessly around. Quite cool.

Finally, someone who understands...

2005-10-06T09:26:00.000-05:00

Richard Roeper, who probably has one of the most interesting columns in the Sun-Times, often invites readers to submit ideas. One such reader responded by writing:

Here is what Oprah might as well be telling her audience:

"Hey, Mr. and Ms. Consumer! People who work retail jobs are second-class citizens! Their time is NOT valuable. Yours is! And the customer is always right, so get out there and take advantage.

"Posted store hours? They're for suckers. You want something? Go get it. So what if that woman behind the counter is gonna be late picking up her daughter at day care? YOU are important! That sales clerk is not.

"It is NOT your responsibility to plan accordingly or to respect other people's schedules. If you get to that fancy store and it's closed, kick up a fuss.

"Remember: I was HUMILIATED at that Hermes store! If a sales clerk feels humiliated at having to stick around for us special people, that's his problem."

-Steve Graue, Chicago

What I love even more is Rich's response to the reader's comments:

Oprah says the store wasn't closed -- it was "in the process of closing." Of course, that means that, if you're in the store, you're encouraged to wrap things up but you're not kicked out. But, if you're OUTSIDE, you can't get in. If the staff lets people in while they're in the process of closing, they'll never actually close.

Oprah was turned away from a store that was no longer open, and maybe the clerk was rude. In other words, she experienced the same sort of minor confrontation that we all experience, all the time. Instead of letting it go, she played the Queen-of-the-World card and got the U.S. president of Hermes to grovel on television while her disciples applauded wildly.

URAMORON 1.0

2005-10-03T14:06:00.000-05:00

So congratulations are in order for CCUC which celebrated its 90th anniversay on Sunday, October 2, 2005. There was a big combined worship service that brought together all three congregations at the main church building in addition to all the congregations from CCUC-North and CCUC South.

As part of my service to the church on this occaision, I was assigned to coordinate the ushering of the New Basement and gym areas. I had a team of ten individuals who did a tremendous job keeping track of everything that was going on. Things ran pretty smoothly and the cake-cutting (while others were outside taking the all-church photo) was challenging but completed.

After the service, as we were ushering people out of the gym through the back stairway to go and take the all-church photo, I came across a couple and their baby. The father was holding, not only the baby carrier, but also the stroller. Given that over 1100 people are about to invade the sidwalk in front of the church, it would be a no-brainer to leave unnecessary items behind. If you have small children, carry them with you, but leave the stoller and carriers behind. It will be hectic enough trying to keep track of people let alone all of these additional belongings.

So I approached the dad and suggested that he might want to leave behind some of his items. He looked at me pretty angrily and annoyed. I think he thought I was suggesting that he leave the not only the stroller and but also the baby carrier with baby in it. Um...hello!? Who in their right mind would suggest that? That he thought that that was the implication of my suggestion makes him the biggest moron. I understand that it was a long morning and that seating conditions were less than optimal, but don't shoot the messenger trying to make the experience a little more enjoyable and pleasant. Some people really need to learn to be more civilized. There is no need to behave this way on such a momentous occaision.

Good grief!

Simon, I've got one just for you...

2005-09-22T15:04:00.000-05:00

So last week I was handing out a couple of awards. Apparently, this got Simon Hu's attention. He instant messaged me and asked me if there was an award for him. (Sort of felt like Dorothy asking the Wizard if there was anything left in the bag for her.) I couldn't think of anything right then and there, but I promised that I would work up something for him.

After much thought and consideration, I've decided to go one step better and name an actual award after him; it's called the SIMON HU AWARD FOR BEST XANGA. Since I enjoy visiting his Xanga because he has such an exhaustive list of links to the Xangas of others, he wins the inaugural award for best Xanga and receives the digital medal on the left. Good job Simon! His Xanga can be found here.

BTW, it's official, I've lost my mind.

IAMAMORON 2.0

2005-09-21T20:43:00.000-05:00

One of the constant requests that I get from people is for me to grow hair again. I think people see old pictures of me and wonder what I would look like if I went back to my good old high school and early college days. I've decided to appease these inquisitive souls. I've tried a new treatment that grows and restores hair fairly quickly and if you're prepared to see the results, click on the image to the right. But do as it says and "BE PREPARED!"

On a side note, I quite enjoy being constantly almost bald. Though it gets quite cold in the winter, I have to say that it feels quite nice and weird at the same time to get your towel stuck on your head as you try to pull it over the rough surface that is the almost bald head. Perhaps in 2006, I will get the courage and try to "Bic" my head.

On another side note, I shave my head with clippers set at "zero" about 2-3 times a week.

The Supremacy of God's Word...

2005-09-19T12:35:00.000-05:00

What God's Word means to me...

Hahahahahaha...
This just announced on K-Love radio: the third week of September (this week!) is...National Unmarried and Single Americans Week. According to www.CelebrateLove.com, "there is no shame in being single." Thank you.

And some pictures from Nike's Run Hit Wonder Chicago 2005...

What's a "gulf" club?

2005-09-18T15:47:00.000-05:00

Time to issue some awards:

The "I'm A Space Cadet" Award
So I was bored and decided to check out people's profile/away messages. I found a couple that had me snickering. Apparently, Natalie Moy and Randy Chen had some sort of run in and felt it necessary to explain what happened on their profiles/away messages. Here's what Natalie's said, "if anyones having a bad day.... know this... randy hit me in the head with a gulf club. no lie."

To which Randy also wrote, "if anyones having a bad day.... know this... i hit natalie in the head with a gulf club. no lie."

One question, what's a "gulf" club? Congratulations to our pair of space cadets.

The "We're Bored and Need to Get a Life" Award
Michelle and Janice win this award. Even as I type, they are watching the Mrs. America pageant. Some of the contestants in this pageant are a little old, a little wrinkly, and/or a little ditzy. For the special performance part of the show, they had the U.S. Synchronized Swimming Team perform. Good grief.

That's all for now. More awards to come.

Now, that's interesting...

2005-09-09T09:21:00.000-05:00

Here's an article I found in today's Sun-Times. It's actually taking from September 9th's edition of the Wall Street Journal. I found it quite vindicating.

Fewer dating relationships may benefit teens in long run, studies say

When their son was a teenager, Doug and Suzanne Schiffman worried that he wasn't dating enough. Adolescence is a time to build relationship skills, the Chevy Chase, Md., couple believed - but their son had just one long-term girlfriend late in high school, and none in college.

As it turns out, the lack of dating didn't hurt. Their son married at 24 and now, at 33, is "the happiest married person we know," Schiffman says.

A growing body of research is challenging popular notions about teen romance.

As the Schiffmans saw, lots of dating isn't necessarily a good thing; new studies show fewer, deeper relationships are better preparation for happy adult partnerships.

The research shows teen dating can play a unique developmental role, helping to equip teens with the intimacy skills they need to form lasting, happy marriages.

It also holds valuable clues for parents on figuring out how well their teens are shaping up as future spouses, and how they as parents can best guide that development.

Conventional wisdom has long held that "dating around" gives kids the experience they need to make good choices about adult partners.

But two new studies, in particular, buck the idea that lots of dating is best.

One, based on a 28-year look at 180 Midwestern subjects at the University of Minnesota, shows teens who date a lot, or have more than seven to nine dating partners from the ages of 15 to 17, don't have a higher likelihood of developing healthy adult relationships. Instead, their romances in their 20s are likely to be more troubled.

Another new study shows deeper, more-lasting teen relationships also increase the likelihood of marriage. Released last month at an American Sociological Association convention by Ann Meier, a University of Minnesota sociology professor, and others, the research shows unmarried teenage girls who settle down with longer relationships or just one partner at 16 or 17 - and were still unmarried at age 21 - are more likely to eventually be married by ages 22 to 25; the pattern was less pronounced for boys.

CCUC Turns 90!

2005-09-06T18:11:00.000-05:00

Chinese Christian Union Church turns 90 this year. It's been quite a day. The Lee brothers (Tommy and Jimmy) are well known for their ability to come up with brilliant ideas only to expect the peons around them to figure out how to bring these ideas to reality.

As I type, Jimmy Lee is on a plane to China. Thank goodness. Who knows what other things he might be having me do if he were still on U.S. soil and able to contact me. On Sunday afternoon, my phone rang and I noticed on the caller I.D. that it was Jimmy. I seriously contemplated not answering because when he calls on a holiday, it's usually because he has one of his "special projects" for me to work on. Since Jill is in Hawaii and Randy doesn't really know how to use Illustrator, I became his special friend for the day.

THE PROJECT - Create banners commemorating CCUC's 90th anniversary that will hang on the lightposts in Chinatown. What he provided for this project wasn't going to work well because most people, myself included, don't have a clue about what's needed to created high-quality, print-ready artwork. Eventually, using an entire collection of Adobe software, we were able to create vector images that will print clearly regardless of the size. The project has taken most of my work day. As I sit here even now at 6:15PM catching up on other official work projects that I didn't have time to complete today, I think to myself that I probably shouldn't answer when Tommy or Jimmy call anymore. It's not that I mind doing these things, it's just that I get so consumed by these things that it's hard to think straight when I'm done. It may not look like it takes much effort to do these things, but you wouldn't believe the countless hoops that need to be jumped through to get to the final product. It's not as simple as typing text into Word and watching the final product evolve on it's own.

The nice thing is that Jill and Randy have already created all the graphics and logos. My job is to do the file conversions, clean-up the little quirks, place the text, and prepare the art for print. I'm the one who waits and wait and wait for people to review and give the ok that I can put the project to bed. From start to finish, this particular project took about 7 hours.

Anyway...hope you enjoy the sneak peak. I think they should look cool hanging on the posts in Chinatown. Gotta finish this post as I must make it to my parking lot by 7PM in order not to be locked in. Who knows? Maybe we'll be lucky and they won't let Jimmy back into the country. J/K. Seriously.

3 for the price of 1

2005-09-01T09:31:00.000-05:00

Today we get three stories for the price of one...

Homecoming Continued...
In yesterday's "Homecoming" post, I neglected to mention that I took my obsession with Sweet Tomatoes a step further. Maybe a step too far. The image on the right displays one of those circular adhesives that you'll find stuck on top of every table at the restaurant. These circles advertise the current month's specialties. Guess where this particular adhesive is at? Click on it to find out. I don't know what possessed us to take it. This particular one was stuck to a plate on the wall. We figured that if they had so many that they could just frivolously place one on a decorative plate, then we could take it and they wouldn't miss it. With that in mind, Barry grabbed the plate off the wall, took off the sticker and gave it to me. Later that evening, I found the perfect place to put it. I know. I've lost my mind.

Please Take Out Your Punch Cards...
I've been driving Tanya Jeong to work. On this particular morning, we discussed gas prices and how rediculously high they've gotten. On her advice, I've decided to sell punch cards for people riding in my car. For $5 you get a card that entitles you to five rides in my car. The fees go to subsidize extremely high fuel costs. I really don't want to do this, but things have truly gotten out of hand. Please be sure to thank her for this excellent brain storm. You know what, so that you benefit too, the sixth ride is always free.

Giant Rats Invade Chicago...
I've been driving through the Dominick's parking lot every morning to get to Barry and Tanya's house. Since the overpass at Ashland and Archer is being torn down, traffic has been a nightmare. Today I noticed something very interesting on top of a regular looking car on my way through the lot. IT WAS A GIANT RAT!!! How freaky! I pulled my car over and asked the guy with a sign what was going on. He said that they were striking because, as I understood it, the new Pacific Global Bank at 33rd and Ashland is being constructed without union bricklayers. My response - Oh, I see. Can I take a picture of the rat? His response - Sure, go ahead. Knock yourself out. Seeing as how I work for a pseudo-union, I have to support my union brothers and sisters. I get the message they were sending loud and clear.

It's amazing the kind of things you see each day living in a big city.

Homecoming...

2005-08-31T11:26:00.000-05:00

Tuesday night was a homecoming of sorts. I finally got around to going to Sweet Tomaotes. It had been at least a month or two since I last went. Over the weekend, I found coupons in the Chicago Tribune and clipped them for use last night. This month they're featuring GRILLED CHEESE FOCACCIA DIPPERS. Now, keep in mind that I love going to Ikea just to have a kid's grilled cheese meal. There's just something about grilled cheese that I find very satisfying. So in essence, my main motivation for going last night was to try out these dippers. Let me tell you, they did not disappoint. They were everything that I expected them to be, and more. They were toasted just right, loaded with cheese, and quite buttery. Add to that "Big Chunk Chicken Noodle Soup" and you've got the perfect meal. I think everyone else was surprised at how good the dippers were. The Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies were pretty all right too. But I will be sure to go again before the dippers disappear on September 16.

Some favorite photos.

2005-08-30T12:23:00.000-05:00

As I've mentioned before while writing on this blog, I've been spending a lot of time uploading photos to my Flickr site. I've uploaded pictures from both of the road trips that I went on. Here's a couple of my favorite photos from "Road Trip 2002." That was the year we headed west to California. I got home from Junior Camp, had two hours to do laundry, repack, and get back to church for departure.

We headed first to the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, then the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial, followed by church on Sunday morning in Dallas at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship (Tony Evans' church). From there we headed to San Antonio, El Paso, Phoenix, the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Lake Tahoe, Jackpot, Nevada, Yellowstone National Park, Mount Rushmore and then finally, home, two weeks later. It was an exhausting trip, but I'm looking forward to our five year anniversary road trip in 2007.

We took the photo on the left at the Alamo in San Antonio. Before the trip, we had gone to Impact Center and stolen all of Tommy Lee's beloved bobble heads. We took his prized treasures on our trip and attempted to sell and give them away to people we encountered. We approached a police officer at the Alamo and asked him if he would be willing to hold Mr. T, while we took a picture. We didn't expect him to do it, but to our surprise, he was more than willing. Oh yeah, the Alamo was pretty cool to. But don't ask Michael what he thought of it. He has a couple of choice words to describe it.

The photo on the right was taken on the first night of our trip in St. Louis. We had gotten there a little before midnight and found a couple walking nearby the Arch. We asked them if they would pose for a picture with us holding out the bobble head and we would give them money to hold out ready to make the purchase. Well, they got into it and the guy actually opened up his own wallet and held out a $20 bill. What a big spender. I think he was probably trying to impress his girlfriend.

All in all, we were just amazed at how willing people were to help us in our silly excursions.

IAMAMORON 1.5

2005-08-29T00:09:00.000-05:00

On Sunday I lost my car keys. On Sunday, Steve Tse found my car keys in his car. I will pick up my car key's from Amy Tse at church on Monday.

Cool Cat.

2005-08-27T09:12:00.000-05:00

I was on Flickr yesterday and came across this picture of a cat. There's just something about it that I really like. It kind of reminds me of our cat, well, when we first got our cat. Now our cat is just big and lazy. It comes into any room and "plops" itself over on its side. Michelle thinks that's what makes "kitty" so special. He's special all right. Maybe if I have time, I'll post up some pics of our cat.

Memories...

2005-08-25T20:21:00.000-05:00

I spent a good part of today uploading photos to Flickr. I'm so amazed with the technology these days. It's cool to be able to have a place where all my digital photos are accessible whenever I want them. I know that this is not something new, but Flickr is the first service I found that I actually like. I like the design, concept and functionality.

While going through all of these photos, I came across one from 2002, the last year I was a Junior Camp counselor, before my two years of service at Teen Camp. I came across the cabin group pic and was amazed at how young everyone looks. Some people look the same (Ronald, Adam, Grant), while others look a lot different (Alvin, Simon, me - I had hair!). But the coolest thing is that every one in the photo is still walking with the Lord and I think I saw them all at this year's Teen Camp. That was also the year we won cleanest cabin (surprise, surprise) and skits (remeber, Harry Potter Goes Christian?) Oh the memories. (sigh)

Now, here's another photo. This is my cabin from the year 2000. Look at the guy standing all the way to the right. That's right! It's Randal Zhou. On the other side is none other than Tony Chan. Justin Mann, Marvin Chan, Michael Ng, Grant Isono, and Adam Lee are also there. And one more guy, that Matthew Leung with his baby face. This was my first year counseling a senior cabin and I think we had lots of fun. That was the week that I was reminded that the first time I met Tony was when I was in sixth grade and he was barely in kindergarten and I was over at Shirley's house playing video games. It was just a really strange but neat experience.

IAMAMORON 1.0

2005-08-24T09:17:00.000-05:00

So it's official! I AM A MORON! While thinking about what to get Sharon Yu for her birthday, I remembered that she mentioned she really likes to go shopping. So I decided that during my lunch break, I would hop on over to Old Navy and pick up a gift card. I approached the cashier and told her what I wanted and she pointed to the stand of gift cards that I could choose from. My eyes zeroed in on the one that said, "happy..." I assumed that with the word happy, the next word would be birthday.

Fast foward 30 minutes and I'm back at the office taking the gift card out of the bag. Upon more careful inspection, I discover that the gift card actually says, "happy lulla-buys!" Being the moron that I am, I didn't bother to really look at what I was buying. Even worse, the outside of the card says, "a special Gift for baby." I was totally shocked by the revelation that I had purchased the wrong card. Examine the evidence below.

Now I've got to explain to Sharon why I bought a gift card for newborns. I hope that she doesn't think that I was trying to imply something. I really wasn't. This was just one of life's funny mistakes. Any one care to share a story of how they've been a moron? Don't leave me hanging here.

Addendum: What about Xanga?

2005-08-23T18:09:00.000-05:00

Tony Chan pointed out to me that this new blog is useless since there is no e-prop capability. The conversation follows:

t0e Kn3e 123: i cant give you eprops
t0e Kn3e 123: its useless!
KentLauAB02: hahahaha
KentLauAB02: i think it looks cooler though
t0e Kn3e 123: does it have eprops?
KentLauAB02: no
t0e Kn3e 123: then i dont know..
KentLauAB02: there's more to life than eprops
t0e Kn3e 123: eprops are my life
KentLauAB02: YOU ARE A LOSER!!!
KentLauAB02: i don't know if you can be my BFF anymore

I really have to say that I guess I don't really care that there are no e-props. There has be more to life than that.

Junior Camp 2005

2005-08-23T15:38:00.000-05:00

So I returned to Junior Camp this year. I know that I had once said that I could never go back to Junior Camp, especially after switching sides and going to Teen Camp. But I guess I was wrong. My return to Junior Camp was way cool. I really had an amazing time working with my eleven sixth graders. They definitely made my week really special and memorable.

Prior to the start of camp I was a little nervous because it had been a couple of years since I was actually responsible for the lives of middle-schoolers. I was actually scared that they would totally rip me to shreds and that they wouldn't like me or that I would be too old-fashioned and boring for them. But we actually bonded right from the start and ended up winning lots of medals (individual verses, clean cabin, overall champion)! Here are some pics...

What about Xanga?

2005-08-23T15:06:00.000-05:00

I saw someone else with a site on this service and decided to check it out. I think it looks more sophisticated than Xanga. So I guess I'll use this instead. Wonder if anyone will ever find it and read about what's going on.