Anything is possibleeeee!

Finally got VPN to work thanks to my coworker setting it up for me - which means I can now freely access facebook, youtube, twitter, blogger, and news about Tibet. I've started doing some video-blogging and will post those shortly. Now that I am in China, it still hasn't hit me that I left my family/friends, puppy, a good-paying job, a new home, my car, and all my gadgets in a land about 10,000miles away. I guess it just means I was meant to be here.

Alot of you are asking, so how's work or what are you doing now? It's kind of hard to answer this question since I'm not technically "working." In fact, I wake up every morning not knowing what I'll be doing for the rest of the day. In a way, my aunt is 'apprentice'-ing me and showing me the market in China. After I've adjusted and improved my language and knowledge, I will then decide which field I want to get into and eventually start a business from that. It's very broad and general right now since I have not really narrowed my scope. Doing anything is possible. So this means if you guys have good business ideas and want a partner in China, I'm your go-to guy! As I learn more about China, I will post my findings here on this blog. From I've seen so far, I truly feel like a veil has been lifted from me, and now I see the world as it is. When living in America, you really don't realize what's going on in the rest of the world. In addition, you only view the world from the American perspective. This wouldn't be such a bad thing except Americans make up roughly 5% of the world population. The rest of the 95% you never get to see and experience. I'm hoping that in my days to come I will begin to view the world as JC does and to truly mourn for the lost and the wicked. And from that, to view the hope that I have in a new way.

My WIM (what I miss) of the day: NBA playoffs.

Read More

Top 10 Things I'll Miss About USA

1-10. Friends and family.

Read More

Journey To The West

On the eve of my departure to China, I still haven't felt it "hit me" yet. I'm not quite sure when that will happen or ever. Regardless, I felt it necessary to blog these last few hours before my flight. My last few days have been a buying frenzy...
Before you think I'm going to China to become a flipper, know that these are gifts. I have a limit of 2 50lb bags on my flight. About 75/100lbs will be these gifts (and many others not pictured) for my family. Gifting is a big deal in China. Not necessarily the gifts themselves but the timing and thought of the gift is very important. As I embark on my own "journey to the west", there will be many tough times ahead, and my family there will be the ones who will be there physically for me. These gifts aren't meant to be something that they owe me but that I recognize the importance of them in my life and my journey ahead.

I also want to invite you guys to journey with me. If you're reading this blog, there's most likely some kind of friendship between us (or I just called you out, then sorry). I hope to be updating this blog frequently of my travels and experiences in the Orient. Feel free to leave comments, messages, or emails; and let me know if there are ways I can be praying for you. For now, Emmanuel!

Read More

Day 1 - Going Vegetarian

Cucumber salad for breakfast. Going on a month long vegetarian diet with Hao. Apparently, it's more "healthier" says the doc.

This whole vegan diet talk began when I made Hao and Xiao watch The Cove (Oscar winner for sure) with me. It's basically a documentary about the lucrative dolphin capturing and killing business going on in a small town in Japan. About 23,000 dolphins are captured each year to be sold to Sea Worlds and aquariums. The dolphins that don't get selected and bought are slaughtered for their meat. The meat is then disguised as high quality whale meat and sold at markets in Japan. This wouldn't be much of a problem except dolphin meat often contains high level of mercury; and mercury is poisonous, and the Japanese government has allowed all this to happen. The fishermen explain that they need to slaughter these dolphins because they are eating up all the fish and world's fish population is decreasing at a drastic rate. At this rate, it's estimated that the fish market will crash in 40 years due to lack of supply. To make a long story short, I told Hao I would do my part and eat less seafood. Being the discordant guy that he is, Hao says why don't you also eat less meat and help the bovine population.

Foolish or not, I'm hoping this vegan diet will at least help me see just how hard it is to be vegan in this meat-infested world.

Deborah C: and vegetable protein isnt that good
Deborah C: high cholesterol
Deborah C: and youll get manboobs
Deborah C: from tofu
Deborah C: i read it in menshealth

A good article about the decline of fish in the world.

Read More

A New Year, A New You

2010. (Wasn't there a movie made years ago named that?) Y2K really didn't seem that long ago. But what a decade it has been. And being the reminiscent person that I am, here's my Top 10 list for the past decade.

10. 2001 - Junior year HS. Probably my lowest of lows.
9. 2000 - Mom became deathly ill.
8. 2006 - Struggled with major. Dealt with family illnesses.
7. 2008 - College -> Real Life transition.
6.2003 - Graduated from High school.
5. 2007 - Graduated from College. Found a job.
4. 2005 - Formed lifelong relationships with my class.
3. 2004 - Fell in love with China and Missions.
2. 2009 - Bought a house. Relive missed moments with parents.
1. 2002 - Accepted Christ. Became a JPG. Found lifetime friends.

Bring it on OH TEN!

Read More

Discipline

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments."

Every year, I keep track of my New Years resolutions in this notepad file. Though I usually open it once a year to write down my new resolutions, I stumbled on it as I was cleaning out my hard drive.

Grab rim with both hands.
Score 1500+ on SATs.
Get into CalTech.
Lose 10lbs.
Bench my weight.
Find a home church.
Get a girlfriend.
Find an internship.
Lose 20lbs.
Read 1 book a month.
Find a job.

And the list goes on...with my oldest resolutions from 2002. Looking back on some these, I can't help but to laugh a little. New Years resolutions have never really been something I strictly follow but I did it anyways to just document some of my goals throughout my life. However, as I cross out the goals I actually did accomplish in those years, I find that there weren't that many. To be honest, I'm not surprised.

Jim Rohn, who is considered a "businessman philosopher" of our time, said the quote above. Throughout many people's lives, we don't lack dreams nor hopes but what we lack is discipline. And without this discipline, our dreams and hopes just stay where they are -- a mirage, a false reality, something that keeps our spirits up.

I recently had a conversation with a close friend, and he mentioned how it seems like so many of our peers are already starting to "settle" or seem to lack focus/direction in their lives. As I began to think of each of my friends, I can't help but to feel that I fall into this category as well. What's my focus? Where is my life headed? What am I doing now that will positively affect my future? I don't have all the answers to these questions, and I think some of these questions are to be answered throughout this journey called life; but what I do know is whatever it is that is ahead of me -- be it my goals, my dreams, God's will -- it will require discipline.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
-1 Corinthians 9:25-27

Read More

Rockets: I know what you did last summer...

I usually don't like to blog about sports or write anything officially because I have a rather weird and twisted POV, but this summer in the NBA has been too crazy to not talk about. Here are my predictions for the rest of the off season and upcoming season:

East:
1. Boston - This is a lock. Sheed is just exactly what they needed. Anyone realize Sheed's been in the playoffs for 14 years straight? Like they say at MIT, winner winner chicken dinner.

2. Cavs - Shaq's one of the only 2, I mean 1 (*sad face*), centers in the NBA who can stop Dwight. Anyone else crossing their fingers for a Shaq vs Big Baby conf finals?

3. Magic - Don't get wrong, VC > Hedo. But Orl+VC < Orl+Hedo. Either way, #3 is a lock for them.

4-8. Who cares?

West:
1. Lakers - This is a lock. Ron woulda been a genius if he chose 73 instead of 37. Because 73 just might be the number of wins they'll have this year. Chyeah I said it.

2. Spurs - Definitely top in SW. Would give the Fakers a run for their money but inevitable injuries will hold them back. No way McDysess, RJ, TD, and Manu will hold up for the whole season + playoffs.

3. Mavs - I'm not kissing anyone's butt with this pick because Marion + Kidd is the real deal. As much as I hate everyone else on the team, Gortat's a legit guy who hopefully will not learn to flop. With Ericka out, Gortat is the new 2nd best center in the league (this actually could be a legit comment now.... *sad face*)

4. Nugs - I'm not getting off of the billup-parade any time soon. Though the rest of the team will eventually be losers in their careers, as long as Big Shot's there, they're a conference finals threat.

5. Jazz - BARKLEY WAS BEAR HUGGED.

6. Trailblazers - This team still needs a PG. Roy's a star, Alderidge is a young Juwan Howard, and Oden makes Kwame look good.

7. Hornets - This team is still trying to get rid of Chandler. CP3 will carry them to a playoff series. (side note, Marion on this team woulda been sick)

8. OKC - Sleeper!

Okay, with that outta the way, let's talk about the Rockets. What Morey did last summer was pretty much perfect. Setting up a Big 3, good role players, everyone was smelling championship even John Hollinger. But a bad back (or maybe more so, a bruised ego) and a left foot got in the way of that. Back to the drawing board, right? I would say, not so fast. Look Houston fans, Yao Ming is not going anywhere. This guy is a cash cow and we're milking him for all he's worth on and off the court. Though I fight this internally everyday, Yao Ming will be in a rockets uniform for the remainder of his career which also means he'll be soaking up a chunk of the salary. T-Mac. I still vividly remember 5 years ago, I was driving with Mok in Houston and a random friend of Mok's calls him to tell him we got T-Mac. I just couldn't stop smiling the whole day. I even went on to get his shoes. Look Houston fans, it sucks that T-Mac didn't turn out the way we imagined it in our heads or the way the commercials portrayed him. It sucks that the only positive memories we'll have of him is him ending shawn bradley's career and then also destroying devin brown's in "13pts in 35secs." But if you've never busted your back, you don't realize what that does to you physically and emotionally. Therefore, I'm still holding onto hope. Look forget it guys, T-Mac will never be THAT guy again. If he can come back and have a Grant Hill like effect on our team, I'll be ecstatic. With that said and looking onto the future, I truly believe Rockets are frontrunners for getting Dwade. No need to give any reasons because I'm sure the NBA will get jacked up in the next year anyway (like this summer). But book it now, Dwade is coming to Houston.

In the mean time, I'm going to preorder this.
http://store.nba.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3043870&clickid=cart

Read More

GMATs: How this blog got her groove back

So to practice my verbal and writing skills for the GMAT, I thought, what better way to do that than to start blogging again! Hopefully during the course of the next 6months-1year, my discipline of blogging regularly will help to improve my score. My goal? To get a perfect 800.

Shoot for the moon, if you miss, at least you land among the stars right?

Read More