Cannot wait to attend Rachael Yamagata’s concert at The Loft next month! Madi Diaz is opening for her! Let’s hope my cd comes in before then so I can get an autograph! So thrilled!
Thanks to my roommate for being our very own interior designer.
Fresno Hmong New Year 2011-2012
My only day at Hmong International New Year was a great day spent with friends, with the pleasure of meeting Thai N’ek actress Mam Jintara and spotting Pra’ek Por. Jintara is utterly gorgeous for someone in her 40′s! This photo did not come free; I took this photo after buying two boxes of her Jintara Shape Coffee she was promoting, which came with an autographed Ch. 3 Thai Calendar. She was extremely sweet and soft-spoken. Unfortunately, I made a complete fool of myself while talking to her. I asked for a translator (when she OBVIOUSLY was in the American film Good Morning Vietnam with Robin Williams) when I was speaking to her in English! What a fool I am! I was told she knew English in return. Anyways, I simply told her my younger sister was a huge fan of hers and how I was taking the photo on her behalf. She was full of smiles while replying Thank You continuously. I even got a hug from her (and swore to never wash my sweater j/k). Funny how most of my family members only recall her from the Thai movie Koogum (highly recommended) as Angsumali/Hideko alongside the formerly handsome Kobori (Oh Warut Warutum???).
Interesting read about the biotech field: NPR: Biotech Firms Caught In Regulatory No Man’s Land
Hmong phrases I just don’t comprehend and am trying to learn:
From my cousin Tao Lee (Nyiaj Nkaub Lis)’s song Sij Hawm:
Nws ntog lug lam – something along the lines of “rolling down”
Yam li lub lwg – “water/dew drop” as on a leaf
Rooj ntug qhib – something about a door opening
I’ve been speaking Hmong more regularly, hoping that will help me progress in learning how to speak Hmong fluently and properly.
I somehow stumbled upon a documentary+Oprah interview+commencement speech of J.K. Rowling; one thing that sure stands out is that she is filled with endless imagination, manifested in her writings. Characteristic of a genius. She possesses so much passion for writing; I pray that in my own way, I will be more passionate towards everything I do, especially my major.
2012 Goals
- read two books/novels per month
- daily morning devotions
- bike more rigorously
- bimonthly hikes
- bimonthly movie dates
- attend professors’ OH weekly
- live frugally on a super strict/tight budget
- stay updated on current events
- volunteer at IRC
- work under a professor
- part-time job
- hu niam hluas every week
I know this winter quarter will be a tough one for me, but after much prayers and thought, I know the challenges brought upon me can only be conquered by walking with Christ. I saw a motivational speech earlier this week, and the speaker spoke of many truths. Until I want something as much as I want to breathe, as much as I want to live, then I won’t be successful. Hurtful, but very true. Problem is, what is success? Especially for me. There are many things I want to accomplish this year (and will need to change my ways in order to achieve them), however I know I cannot do it alone; my will-power alone cannot accomplish anything. I need God to lead me, and I understand that where He leads may not always be calm waters, but it will surely contribute to my spiritual well-being. Lord, as I’ve always asked, please give me faith to trust in You, to focus on You in all that I do, to seek You first and foremost and all will fall together. Many sacrifices will have to be made, but I do pray that I won’t simply view them as sacrifices, for the more I focus on You, so will my desires begin to change. As I read through the following passage about pursuing humility, I pray that I will push myself to my limits from now on and will not be disappointed, but rather rejoice in the Lord for all the capabilities/gifts He has blessed me with.
I leave with a humbling worship song praising God and His greatness then, now, and forevermore (came across during Matt Redman’s worship session during Passion 2012). Humility comes by knowing of something/someone greater than oneself (a greater presence); God Himself is the greatest and above all. May the Holy Spirit teach me humility, for I have every reason to be and to remain humble in the presence of God.
Home for winter break and feeling very blessed. This is how I feel this Christmas!
I believe this past weekend BoA held her annual X-Mas Live 2011 in Japan (oh how I wish I was present there). Here’s her flawless performance of Merri Chri from her X-Mas Live 2007!
Fran Healy is hilarious! I love his acoustic performances of Writing to Reach You, and especially his intros!! (Made my day).
Anyways, Matthew is finally working on/submitting the first set of his grad applications! WOO-HOO! Thank the Lord for allowing necessary matters to go smoothly with his professors. He is definitely more prepared this year compared to last; may God bless Matthew through this tedious process, and most importantly, may His will be done.
Matthew’s math undergrad honors thesis
A prayer for you and me. Though I am miles away, though I may not know immediately how to respond to your troubles, know that there are many who are willingly and silently praying for you and your situation.
More recently, I sympathize with many individuals near and dear to me. It pains me to know others are in deep sorrow, just yearning for care, comfort, understanding, and love from those around them. Lord, even though at this very moment, the times are troubling for many (including myself), I genuinely ask that You give them faith, Lord; faith to trust You and Your eternal goodness. God, as stated in Psalm 34:18, You are close to the brokenhearted and save those who are crushed in spirit. Please be with those who are broken, and may You open their hearts in whatever form you deem valid. God, it is in our weaknesses that You are exemplified. May these endured hardship be an investment in something greater than we can ever perceive; that at the end of it all, God be praised. Amen.
Came across this timeless Greek poem by Greek poet Constantine P. Cavafy with a timeless message in itself thanks to a friend. I was watching the Thai celebrity Paula Taylor’s wedding videos online, and while watching, heard such a heartfelt, genuine recitation of the poem Ithaka by her husband. So beautiful and sincere. Would be great if there was a full recitation recorded. Paula’s expression and smile towards the end of the poem was priceless.
As you set out for Ithaka
hope the voyage is a long one,
full of adventure, full of discovery.
Laistrygonians and Cyclops,
angry Poseidon-don’t be afraid of them:
you’ll never find things like that on your way
as long as you keep your thoughts raised high,
as long as a rare excitement
stirs your spirit and your body.
Laistrygonians and Cyclops,
wild Poseidon-you won’t encounter them
unless you bring them along inside your soul,
unless your soul sets them up in front of you.Hope the voyage is a long one.
May there be many a summer morning when,
with what pleasure, what joy,
you come into harbors seen for the first time;
may you stop at Phoenician trading stations
to buy fine things,
mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,
sensual perfume of every kind-
as many sensual perfumes as you can;
and may you visit many Egyptian cities
to gather stores of knowledge from their scholars.Keep Ithaka always in your mind.
Arriving there is what you are destined for.
But do not hurry the journey at all.
Better if it lasts for years,
so you are old by the time you reach the island,
wealthy with all you have gained on the way,
not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey.
Without her you would not have set out.
She has nothing left to give you now.And if you find her poor, Ithaka won’t have fooled you.
Wise as you will have become, so full of experience,
you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.
As I read through C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity for small group this evening, I came upon some profound points Lewis made in the chapter about Hope. It is here in this chapter where Brooke Fraser got her inspiration for C.S. Lewis Song. The following quote (which is used by Brooke Fraser) well sums up this chapter:
“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”
Indeed! Such beauty in these words. And God Himself is filled with so much more awe and beauty! I’ve never really thought about the issue concerning our desires. Do all our desires and cravings have a satisfaction? According to Lewis, they do. I haven’t delved into this topic much, but I do know that we are not made for this world, but for our almighty God.
This past week, I’ve been keeping up with Luke, and I came across many of Jesus’ rich, humble teachings. Many, at first reading, I can understand superficially. However, when I read Jesus’ parables of the mustard seed and the yeast (Luke 13:18-21) where Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God in the analogous form of a mustard seed and yeast, I just didn’t get it. I’ve heard and read this passage before, yet I never understood it. Matthew mentioned the time, growth process of the Kingdom, yet I still couldn’t grasp it. This past evening, Xf. Txawj Tuam read this exact yeast parable except from Matthew 13:33, and while listening and paying keen attention to Xib Fwb’s sermon, I got it. I suddenly got it. And the thing is, I know it’s not because of me. It was the Holy Spirit dwelling in me, revealing to me the meaning, which is exactly what this parable is about. PRAISE GOD ALMIGHTY WHO possesses such GRANDEUR then, presently, and forevermore! This brings me back to a conversation I had with Matthew about two weeks ago. Academically, I was at my lowest point since college began. I told Matthew about what I read in Luke the day before, when Jesus was teaching his disciples how to pray (The Lord’s Prayer):
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened…If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:9-13).
I’ve been praying genuinely, constantly asking for God’s help and mercy in my life. However, I don’t think I fully understood exactly what I was asking God for. After reading this passage, I was reminded that whenever I ask for God’s help, I am asking for the Holy Spirit, who dwells in me, to work through me in the things I do. This whole quarter, I was not allowing the Holy Spirit to work in me. I kept myself distant, trying to depend on my own fallible and limited abilities, to the point where not only were my academics being affected, but I was forgetting the birthdays of my cherished loved ones (terrible feeling). One knows one’s life has gone awry to some extent when one begins to forget about the most important people in one’s life! Matthew did mention that there exist times where we don’t allow the Holy Ghost to work in us, however, the Holy Ghost also decides whether to work in us. I can read a Bible passage twenty times, and the Holy Spirit may not choose to reveal to me something greater and more truthful until the twentieth time. During the sermon, the Holy Spirit decided to work through me, and I do praise God for that amazing experience. As a human being, I tend to limit my idea of the Kingdom of Heaven as something far away, not of this world. Going back to the Lord’s Prayer, it states “Hollowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done.” Let Your Kingdom come God, and Your Kingdom dwells within me and all those who have faith in Christ. Your Kingdom is already here, and it’s prospering over time gradually. Just as the yeast that when thoroughly mixed, spreads throughout the dough, let the Holy Spirit come dwell in our souls, in our lives so that the Kingdom of God will flourish here on earth! AMEN!
Here is the last song that Workers Few lead for worship during the Called by God Conference by HKM in Sacramento on Oct. 23 (Matthew on bass). That weekend was filled with much conviction and faith-prospering, discerning experiences that I can only thank the Lord for, along with all the workers He used.
It’d be nice if I was more updated with recent happenings and medicinal breakthroughs in Bioengineering. Unfortunately, that has not been happening this busy quarter. Therefore, I’ve set up a new goal for myself:
Read a minimum of three published articles from different Bioengineering professors per week. Realistically and practically, make that one hour per day throughout the week.
May be difficult with my faulty time management recently, but this is a necessary and crucial matter that must be followed through with. Oh…if only I was as dedicated to this as how I am when it comes to listening to music. I will not be discouraged for this must and will be done! For I know the Lord is gradually working through me and will provide for me the strength necessary!
SIDE-Note: I am unaware of the many artists involved in the youtube artist movement, however I came upon, by chance, to two of the most sweet and loveable sisters from Australia (I am sure there are many more sweet and loveable siblings out there in this world too!)
An interesting talk about the concept of time by Professor Zimbardo of the Stanford prison experiment (that’s the main emphasis I can recall of him from high school psychology):
EDITED Nov. 13: This has been deemed impossible by Matthew, therefore a new goal is developing in the process…
My hat collection is never increasing…
Relearning Squall by Fukuyama Masaharu on the guitar. If only I knew how to speak Japanese. Masha is surely a gifted composer and lyricist. He still is handsome for his age.
I asked Matthew to learn, sing, and dedicate this to me, but he refused to learn another language =(
Anyways, Gemma Hayes (Yeah! It’s Gemma Hayes!) will be on the soundtrack of the new movie Janie Jones (Waiting for You). Additionally, Abigail Bresden will be singing songs composed by Gemma herself! Go! and SUPPORT!
I am not to spend any money, but will invest in getting Julian Lennon’s new album Everything Changes and older one Photograph Smile along with a few others.
Music to my ears, a few I came across recently.
Palmy has a new album! She’s so hip.
Siplor (Hugo’s Thai band).
Radiohead is wicked awesome. Matthew needs to learn the bass line to National Anthem.
Small Faces You’ve Really Got a Hold of Me. Their version is so a-mA-Zing. Let Steve Marriott’s voice do justice to this statement.
Came across both Nerina Pallot and Crowded House in one of Julian Lennon’s recent interviews.
Julian Lennon’s new song from his new album (SUPPORT) Lookin’ 4 Love. I hope he finds his compatible angel =)
Jon Foreman and Lydia Cole singing The Cure for the Pain
The Book of Morris Johnson by Zee Avi. I missed her this past Sunday on campus, but I heard this performance below the loft. Free Music!
A talented Hmong duo I came across.
Gah! There are so much good music waiting to be heard. I will end it here for now. To be continued…
Sidenote: Apparently I have the same wordpress layout as the mathematician Terence Tao. I thought Matthew was looking through my blog, only to find out it was actually the admirable professor. I feel so honored.
As I sit here trying to write my chem lab intro, I can’t help but contemplate about how different things are now compared to then. A manifold of turbulence is flowing within me, but at the same time, I possess a sense of peacefulness. I do thank God for His continual and bountiful grace He has bestowed upon me unconditionally, allowing me to find peace amidst all the chaos that happens (though much easier said than done). Earlier, I thought about my faith in high school and really do question whether it was ever present. My faith then, was very minimal; God was never central in my life. I did things that I do regret, and am deeply sorry about. There were many things I should’ve inquired thoroughly about. Even within the past two years, I’ve thought and expressed some things that were by no means “smart” that needed further prayers. If only my faith was stronger then, how different would I have reacted to certain situations? But that’s not what matters. The Lord has brought me to my current state, teaching me everyday to have faith, and most importantly, to keep growing in my faith. Within the past month, God revealed to me how weak I was still in my faith. Sometimes I can be extremely naive, letting my utopian values overpower me, discouraging me and my faith. I was being discouraged so much, to the point where I finally asked myself, “why do I keep doing this to myself? Where’s my faith in God? Why am I allowing myself to be discouraged by the things around me?” Facts are facts. I live in a secular world dominated by sin. Especially in the 21st century, it is exponentially harder to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong. Many things nowadays are in disguised as gray, not black and white. I’ve learned within the past two years that I am by no means gifted with discernment. I do pray that God will reveal to me what is right, pleasing, and delightful to Him in the various forms He sees fit so that I may continue to grow in my faith in Christ through the trials that may come.
“I may be weak, Your spirit’s strong in me. My flesh may fail, my God You never will.” – give me faith by elevation worship
Lord, I am nothing without You. I need You. Give me faith so that I may trust in You and Your will that is to be done in my life.
