Back in the saddle again...soon.

An old picture of a Japanese student and myself when I first went to Japan as an English teacher. I really like this shot..taken with one of those throw away cameras, it still has a nice feel to it.


Well, a day and a half left of my summer vacation. Another summer gone...*poof*...like that. There was so much I wanted to do in the month of August, and yet there was so much that I did. Strange, but ironically true.

Work on my songs: nada.
Make bread: nope
Start running: hahahaaaa
Edit movies to send home for my family: They're like, "We're waiting..."
Print and mail off Unit 2 of my NYIP course: ..where's my camera?....my professor is like steaming...
Get back into piano practicing: somewhat, but a joke at best


I guess I'm still trying to adjust to Singapore. Being at the mercy of public transportation is like a living nightmare...I mean big time. It's hard to relate this to everyone here because, well, everyone here has been at the mercy of public transportation their entire lives. I grew up where you'd hardly see 10 cars pass your house on any given day...20 at most. Anyhoo...what does this have to do with the above?

Time.

Things in life take time. Whereas if one had their own mode of transportation (and roads that were straight with no one else on them...a.k.a. my hometown), one could pretty much control their time spent on various activities. Plus, just having that general sense of freedom is unbeatable. I dunno how to describe it, but coming home on bus or MRT (and then having to walk) is like knocking the wind outta my umph to do anything by the time I reach the door after battling through crowds, cars, etc. haha...ya, I'm still getting used to things. All in all, however, it's alright. I'm the type that could adapt to anywhere, place, or time. This doesn't mean I have to like everywhere, place, or time I happen to find myself in, not at all. If that were the case then where would my personality/character/likes/dislikes kick in? They wouldn't. Hey, I like to have plain rice...just because that's a gross abnormality to the local population doesn't mean I have to be like, "..oh yea, it is! How stupid of me...haha. *blush*...sorry." Nope, cause I've liked plain rice since I was a kid eating my grandmum's Sunday cooked rice (every Sunday mind you). She got me hooked! So, when I went to Japan and found that eating plain rice was a norm...BAM!

So, do I feel bad about this? Nope, not in the least bit. Can I go around ordering plain rice here? If my goal is to cause brain hemorraging in the food court workers, then yes. But to keep the peace, not a good idea. Soo...I just tromp home and have me a good 'ol bowl of white stuff. Of course, this is just an example...the rice, I mean. There are countless others like this. It's all about adapting and learning to live at peace with the world around you as much as you can. Japan taught me this more than anything else. Haha...one does NOT eat and walk on the street at the same time. Why? Beats me...but to keep the "heiwa" (heiwa = peace in Japanese). Ya, you get the drift....

That's the beauty of living in different countries, having different friends, learning different things. One learns that things (such as eating habits, daily customs, ways of doing things, etc) aren't necessarily right or wrong...just different. Unfortunately, when you are the one always changing places, friendships, cultures, etc. you become the minority. And, as human nature and history teaches us, the minority always has the uphill road to climb when trying to live out their lives around the majority. In fact, it is particularly difficult for one to be truly themselves when they are the "only one." I like to think of myself as a little bit of dis and a little bit of dat because of the varied experiences I've had with people and cultures from all over the world.

What in the world...? I totally went off subject. Haha....so, ya, a day and a half left of vacation. What have I been doing? MCUBE STUFF!! Yes! The energy, synergy, and growth of the ministry is scary at times...scary to the devil. We are doing much more than before and launching out into uncharted territory. My prayer, hope, and confidence is that everyone in the MCUBE ministry will rise up to the challenges that are ahead. The biggest factor, again, is time. No matter, God is in complete control. HE knows what He wants to accomplish through this ministry and thus He WILL provide that which is necessary to get the job done. I only am humbled to be able to be a part of that awesome group of about 27 people. We are going to do some pretty awesome things soon....IN JESUS NAME.

Ok, gotta go now. Off to prayer tonight, meetings, etc. Then...*sniff*...one more day.

Aunties at work

So I'm sitting at Funan's food court having a nice dinner. Sippin' the soup, eating the rice, chilling out. Near the end of my meal I notice the cleaning auntie's passing me one too many times. Well, being in Singapore this long has taught me that they are simply waiting for me to finish so they can engulf my plate and utensils in a fury of cleaning action.

But something strange happened...

It was almost as if these two ladies were coordinated. One had her back turned towards me, then the other emerged from her side and walked toward me head-on. Sure, my plate was finished, but I was still sipping the soup. But she kept coming. I held the spoon in my mouth and looked at her....foiled! She bore to my left and went somewhere else, but then the first auntie had already turned around and was staring at me....with a "that-plate-is-MINE-when-you-finish-kid" kinda look on her face. I resumed my soup sippin...

Now this is strange. I was actually done eating (drinking?) my soup, but just because I knew they were hawking over me (hey, is that why these places are called "Hawkers"?), waiting to claim their prey I continued to slowly eat my soup. Actually, I just wanted to see what their next move was.

For the next few moments I didn't see either of them. No matter, I was actually thinking about how I could make this soup at home. Kinda tasted like my mom's cabbage soup...*sigh*, memories. But then!....

I finished the soup! Getting up from the table, I turned quickly to the right to grab my backpack and BAM!...the tray, plate, soup, and utensils were gone. Homegirl had been waiting BEHIND me the whole time like a vulture scoping out it's helpless prey. She knew there was no more life in my dinner, and she smelled it too. hehehe...yes, she was good. Very good. Almost, too good.

Well, I gotta hand it to 'em. I've never eaten dinner in a more strategic manner as I have today. This is the kinda stuff that makes life interesting...I love it.

Oh, I did go to Fort Canning park today. You know, whenever I get away from anything "city" like (cars, buses, mass-groups of people reminding me of sheep, etc) and go to a foresty, mountain-wanna-be, green place my head feels so much better, I am at peace, and I feel at home. I need to go to MacRitche again and spend a whole day there....nostalgia.

~peace~

Thought for the day: Widsom is the principle thing. Therefore, with all thy getting, get wisdom.

Praying for the sick

Tonight's prayer was great...as always. Of course, it matters a wee bit how the "group" around you is praying/doing in the spirit. But I'm one who, because of unique experiences, have approached prayer in groups the same as I do when I'm alone....

...Jesus is Lord regardless of how many, how loud, or how emotional one gets. So I felt tonight's prayer was effective because that's the attitude I had before I even entered into prayer. In fact, even during prayer I believe a person's attitude can change any number of times. The struggle comes in keeping one's heart and focus on the Lord and prayer at hand. In doing this the cries, the shouts, the tears, the volume becomes genuine instead of just a "motion."

I'm not saying that crying, shouting, tearing, and increasing one's volume is of no effect if one's spirit isn't right. Indeed, if we do not base our prayers on feelings but rather on faith then these actions should be done even if one doesn't "feel" like doing it. But once started on the path of seeking God one should heartily pursuit the "more than"...the prayer that comes from deep within. That's how I prayed tonight...eventually. !

Ok, another interesting point: our pastor travels a lot. Dude...like I saw him tonight, then he left, now he's on a bus up north....won't be back until Friday.

That's what I'm talking about.... 

I love easter....

This is a picture a long lost friend sent to me. We were cooky in our graduate school together...but boy did we have a love for kids. Disillusioned by the state of affairs in public schools then, we both got out of teaching for a couple of years only to end up back in it. She's a dance instructor and I'm an English teacher.

Hey, heads up for anyone out there who wants to be a teacher: think carefully. There's lots of jobs in the world and yes the teaching profession is pretty stable. But once you're in it, it's like crazy hard to get out. Usually people retire from another profession to come into teaching. Ya, a really bonus to the teacher recruitment efforts....

Anyhoo, don't know what that was all about. Just love this pic. I am amused by the simple things in life. And this pic is just too funny. haha....

The Cincinnati Post - Thousands show up for computer sale

The Cincinnati Post - Thousands show up for computer sale

What a shame....greed. I cannot even picture in my limited mind how a people would trample someone just for a computer...a used one at that!

"Hold things loosely." Yup, that's me. Considering the experiences I've been through I've learned the hard way not to hold on to things, people, feelings...bascially anything for a long time. This world is temporal...the people of God are eternal. Ok, let's see.....

Q: What's more important? a) pleasures, items, things...that of this world.
b) preparation for eternity.

A: well duh.....

Alas, the iMac is a nice computer, I guess. Never owned one. But I figure they must be to wake up that early, step on someone's cranium, and get a product that somebody else already used.

*sigh*....I feel for mankind.

~peace~

~peace~ 

Dude....my eyes are killing me. Singapore is BRIGHT. For the past 4 months I've been having wicked pressure around my eyes and I think I've finally figured out why: the sun.

Not that I make it a habit of directly looking into the sun, but I think because of the angle the sunlight hits Singapore is so much more direct than me home town back in America. I mean, I find myself squinting all the time ~ furrowed eyebrows and all. At my school I'm on the top floor and in between classes I go outside to the balcony just to chill and look at the clouds. "SHAZAAM!!" the light says to my eyeball sockets. I used to love looking and gazing at the clouds. Now it's like cruel and unusual punishment. But there is hope....

...sunglasses.
(Sunglasses reflecting the sun)---->

Next week I'll be at the National Library listening to Michael Yamashita of National Geographic fame. YES! I need some inspiriation for my photography. If I had it my way, I'd be behind a camera most of my day capturing memories & moments. Of course, here in Singapore one must be careful - I've had many rude awakenings when attempting to photo beautiful buildings and what not. Fine with me...shame on them. Yes, build beautiful buildings, scenery, etc, but then deny people the pleasure of taking photos of them. Now that makes perfect sense.

Well, duh...of course it's because of terror and fear of it. 9/11 has "killed" more things in the world than those 3000+ on that day. Maybe I'll get a camera phone or something and do a James Bond photo shoot one day...

Ok, time to start the day. It started without me...arg.

Thought for the day: "Become the change you desire to see in the world."

I don't know why, but I love this photo. I took it while on a trip with my English students in Ashikita, Japan. The dude is taking a picture of the ladies with the beautiful skyline in the backgroud.

It grants me a sense of...I dunno....simplicity. haha...yes, you looking at this photo are like, "..uh, yea. I feel the same way..*ahem*, cough" As with anything, I guess ya had to be there.

Me birthday today. This will mark 30 years I've walked this earth. Many, when they find this out, wag their heads, suck their teeth, or laugh and say "Wow...how do you feel about that?"

Um...did I miss something? Does God make mistakes? Those who are insecure about their own lives (IMHO) find it very comforting to make statements or comments such as these. Me? Hey, I'm a Toys 'R Us kid... I'm proud of what, who, when, and where my Lord Jesus made me. Besides, I'm living for Him, not people....


Ok, that's all for my first post. BAM! Now if they can just invent a pill to eradicate the need for sleep I'd do this more often....

~peace~