Pure Shit Rainy Day

It all starts with this: the shitty turn of events

The morning pour, surfing got cancelled

Went for live firing, but to find that fire you can not

No prior experience with guns means you can't

Left for another entertainment hunt

Only to find the game with nature has begun

Rain pouring relentlessly

Off we run helplessly

In Carl's Jr refuge we seek

Bought our burgers and for the next hour we sit

Deceived by the hiatus we take off

Only to see the same old refrain enacting

Off we scatter to Tutti Frutti

Yogurt ice cream and lame shit Guess Who? we have

Nature's game finally ends as the sun sets.

Our spirits drain with the colors of the setting sun.

Out in the drizzling cold night air we await the bus

Rain boots from Target make the day

Soggy socks and shoes go away

Puddles and currents I conquer

In my poka dotted rainboots I defeat

The Pure Shit Rainy Day

arghhhhh... but movie session at one of the room in the hall opposite was really good. really comforting ending to the otherwise bullshit day. I love the movie, catch it if you can guys. It's called Cool Running.

Disclaimer: My "poem" never rhymes. But who cares!

Voice

had my greater cultural learning this week. one big difference between the americans and us. they are so not gonna back down at injustices.

following a racist frat party, the campus was just swarmed by wave after wave of protest rallies by students.

and last night was an inspiring play that i caught acted by a talented cast of ucsd students. vagina monologue turns out to be pretty empowering and inspiring. especially so for those who have been hurt or simply unaware of the sexual violences that women all over the world had suffered. I guess it's pretty cool and i am slowly appreciating my sex education here in US. Controversial and thought-provoking it does stretches your faith and really just make you think alot more in ways you wouldn't have back home where the topic of sex seems like a taboo still.

bye bye tommy

it was tommy's farewell party over at his place yesterday. our kiwi friend is returning early to auckland for his studies due to some paper issues. so sad. but we'll all meet again i am very sure.

anyway the party was really enjoyable. the group of us and the korean bunch. my fave people here. :)

and and we had a massive cooking session to showcase our singaporean food. phew~ my 1st ever attempt at making chicken rice turned out to be pretty successful! haha I guess I managed to fool people with my feigned experience. the taste was honestly authentic and home though. :)

blessed weekend

Saturday was real awesome. Skipped my surf class (yet again... ouch my moolah!!) to join this church group on their monthly visit to a children home in Tijuana. Really really love how the home is such a loving place for these kids and how endearing these kids have become. Praise God for the passionate hearts of the people and volunteers at the home and in the church! Because of these people, the kids are so blessed. It's so amazing and I felt that inspiration and inkling once again to wanna build homes for these kids in various parts of the world. They deserve a home, food, education, God's love and a future. I'm just so glad to meet these kids and people.

But this dream is just so big and daunting for me. I doubt. I question. I'm confused. I don't know if I'm sent or was it all just in my own head.

Church on Sunday was real awesome. Once again, I felt God spoke. Do not be shallow with your dream, your passion and volunteer cos God operates in the deep water. (Luke 5- Peter met God cos he obeyed and rowed out into the deep water) And Pastor Jurgen gave such a great answer to this strange phenomenon of why sermons n devotion time always never fail to minister to you even in context of such a big congregation of people: that's cos the world revolves around God and God reside in you!

And a friend came along as well with us to church. first ever visit to church cos of the love he felt at the children home in Tijuana. amazing how God works. and pastor jurgen came to talk to us and as expected of God, pastor jurgen had been living in the same area as my friend in New Zealand for years and they just hit off so well. And at altar call, pastor jurgen just made such a daring move of calling my friend specifically to the front. It's so awesome to find someone with so much faith to make such a daring move and certainly a good judgement of people (knowing that my friend needs to be challenged and won't be turned off by it).

Anyway, after church was a real brief but fun visit to the Wild Animal Park with our rented car from campus. :)

Look at people through the lens of God, for you might be the only Jesus these people see

So blessed in a great multitude of things!

Presidents' Day Roadtrip

yay so it's road trip again after the long hiatus from the previous roadtrip. this time the group got alot bigger. Its a whooping 13 of us. Singaporeans, Hong Kongers, New Zealander and guest appearance American. So with one 7-seater and a jeep we're off to San Francisco. Anyway here's a quick review before i get back to my work (argh):

Day 1 (2/13/2010)

Drove through the night again and arrived in San Francisco in the late morning and headed right to Fisherman's wharves (pier 39). San Fran is really a city of steep hilly roads. Parking was such a nuisance. But it's really a bustling city filled with life in the words of kiwi friend. Anyway the day was spent lazing and soaking in the ambience of Pier 39, visiting the Aquarium and finally our CNY dinner at chinatown in a canto restaurant. Food was sooo yummy and the firecrackers set off by the shophouses was exhilarating.

Day 2 (2/14/2010)

Finally finally after the previous failed attempt, we made it to Napa Valley. Visited this winery that's in a castle. Castello de amora. :) really lovely architecture and nice view overlooking the green pastures n hills. And lovely lovely wine collection of cos :)

Then it was lunch at Bounty Hunter and we finally finally had our beer can chicken this time. Whee ~~ :)

the famous beer can chicken

Drove back to San Fran but was caught in a traffic jam. crappy night but all was made up with this massive huge pillow fight near pier 1. A really funky annual event that San Fran has but it was pretty bloody too. Saw a couple of pillows with blood stains on them. How violent people are goodness. But apart from that, it was really quite an amazing sight. The entire square was covered with white feathers and white feathers dancing in the wind making it seems just like snow.

lame shot taken off Lombord street

Day 3 (2/15/2010)

Drove through the night yet again and arrived in the wee hours at Point Lobos State Nature Reserves. Had some photo-taking sessions at a few scenic spots and set off for a yummy japanese lunch before the insane race against time drive back to San Diego in order to return the car in time which we failed. Failing to return on time, we decided to extend our rent and just take our time. Stopped at Korean Town in LA for dinner before finally completing the roadtrip past midnight here.

roll-up keyboard

my roll-up keyboard finally arrived at my room yesterday! whee~~

now it's time to catch up on the rusty fingers. :S

Naturally 7

I am totally head over heels addicted to them. Just so amazing. Awesome Acapella Group. Never knew a human can sound so much like so many different sorts of instruments. Seriously no sound engineering

ramblings

campus connect again today! lovin my new frenz and feeling so blessed for the christian companionship!

anyway today was tragic. I missed 2 lectures in a row cos i just couldn't wake up after studying till 5am for Law&Society midterm today. Oh my gosh. And my poor friend called me like a freakin 27 times and i just simply can't wake up. Didnt even hear the phone ring (or rather vibrate). Goodness. I must have slipped into a coma.

Anyways though it's challenging, I am loving law & soc. Reading law cases and doing law exams is just a breath of fresh air to me!

Anyway how time flies, it is now a month since I have arrived in the land of MacDonald. Seriously i am starting to feel so comfortable here and loving it here. I have also seen the good and bad sides of the education system here. Boring profs do exist here as well but I really see the beauty of the education system here. All the profs and TAs really make effort to remember everyone's name and they are always sooo encouraging. It's like there will always be good stuff that they can find even in the crappiest work you hand in. Can be bad but it's good as well. It certainly encourages more learning from people. Of cos maybe some harsh words is need to prevent complacency.

But anyways, my stack of readings is waiting. Goodness... gesture midterm on friday is just madness. I haven't done any of the readings since the start of the course. you can imagine the stack and I have only 2 nights and 1 day. *wails*

addicted to this song... soo wanna do a cover of it:

And this song makes me happy!

from His eyes

Attended CCC again this morning and it's just as awesome as it is on the 1st session and more. Inspired by Jacob's prayer, I decided to be just as persistent as him and ask God to revive me from my jadedness. And as i pray and pray for God to draw me closer to him something happened. Never felt this before. It started with the words of the song speaking to me and God's gentle presence just come embracing me. My heart was gripped again by emotion and I knew i am gonna weep again. N God went a lil further this time, I felt Him speaking to me with such clarity that it felt like a union of spirits and all the troubles just vanishes as I saw them through His eyes.

God doesn't need our glorification and praise. The awesome One doesn't need assurance of others to know of it. So whatever anyone thinks does not affect Him at all. He loves us all the same. I shall never be upset with the words of others about my Daddy anymore nor should I be too upset at my failure in defense.