Mona Lisa Smile

There's a story I tell about my first time meeting Mr. Lee. We drove up in my car. I am a little nervous as expected. I turned to look at him on the passenger side. He turned to look my way. I think he saw me, you know, five seconds has gone by. Just to make sure I waved at him and smiled. I don't think the wave registered with him since he just turned and looked the other way. I turned to Sandy on my right. I'm sure she saw the confused look on my face. She was simply playing it cool and smiled. Me I'm ready to cry. As we get out of the car I expected the entire family to burst out laughing and Sandy would wink at me and say, "haha...we're just kidding with ya."

I mean I didn't expect Mr. Lee to jump for joy and to give me a big hug while fanfare music plays in the background. It's just that he seemed indifferent about it. (I'm sure he was just being cautious, maybe a little skeptical about meeting the guy who's dating his daughter.)

He's just a reserved kind of guy. But mostly tight-lipped.

What a contrast compared to my dad. He is always smiling when friends visit. Sometimes I'm a little embarrassed cause I think he's trying too hard. But no that's not the case. He's just friendly, easy going. As far as I know most of my friends walk away feeling comfortable.

In regards to smiles it's amazing how one's facial expression can affect others. And well as far as I am concerned Sands has one of the best smiles I have ever seen. And that folks is good enough for me.

The Gift from God

This has been a very special Christmas season for me. This is the first year where I felt blessed by God first with putting me at the right place and the right time to meet my sweetie Sandy. He also blessed me with work where I can commute within a ten minute drive and friendly co-workers/managers. I feel like God has answered many of my prayers (a great community and church, friends and a ministry where I can serve.) That's why this is the first year where I see Christmas as a time to give back because Christ has given me so much.

This year the Nativity scene that is set up in my neighborhood has a more personable meaning. God came down to our level as a tiny vulnerable little baby in a manger and declared all who have faith in Him righteous, and to a restored relationship with God.

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Gift Parties and Weekend Plans

Last night Sandy stole back a white elephant gift that is something I have been thinking of getting...a Sony headphone for my old-school G4 iPod™. When you go to these white elephant gift exchanges I learned that it is of advantage when you partner up with someone, say your significant other, i.e. your girlfriend. I'll call this the 'couple's advantage' rule. (NOTE: we didn't come up with this scheme as someone at the party suggested it.)

In return I stole from her what she wanted a: photo wheelset. Hopefully she will use that for our photos. Hint hint.

Two gift exchanges/white elephant parties down, two more to go. Tonight I will not have the couple's advantage...but it's not required as it is a Secret Santa gift exchange, then on to the family during Christmas Eve. Sandy and myself will be lost among the throngs of shoppers looking for gifts for my nieces and nephews and the siblings at the mall tomorrow. To those last minute shoppers good luck and God be with you. haha.

Narnia vs. King Kong

I willl be seeing Narnia this weekend with Sandy although King Kong looks pretty good, too. In the end good old-fashioned C.S. Lewis storytelling along with what I heard are lots of Christian themed ideas won us over. That plus the enthusiastic endorsement by Helen (wife of our church's senior pastor). BTW did anyone see the BBC version with the human scaled Beaver family. They looked pretty goofy. I hope the special FX will be much better in the film.

First Fight

Last night I've officially became a GRX Hoops Ministry committee member. What's there not to love combining both basketball and God. So I'm excited about this as well as looking forward to serve God through this ministry. Let me be one among many who give a shout out to Euge for believing in me and bringing me onboard in the first place. Dude you know you lead through your quiet examples...as testified by wuboy and drew. Definitely looking forward to this.

Aside from being welcomed into the committee and having a wonderful meal at Mark's place it was refreshing to have all the guys shared both struggles and praises, all for the glory of God. So taking this initiative I would also like to share my struggle with my new relationship with my girlfriend and specifically time management.

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Medical Maze Madness

The health plan madness has taken over my work place. Around my cube the engineers are pushing aside their coding-debugging-interviewing related work in order to fill out health benefit plan forms...all due tomorrow. Super!

I once injured my foot training for a marathon and to compensate for it, I rested a little bit before deciding to push through the pain and to keep running. It would have benefitted me tremendously had I visited a doctor of some sort. The only problem is that the doctors that I have had are mostly in a hurried to get me out of their offices. "How's your knee/foot/back? Can you walk? Good why don't you walk for another month or two." (But to be fair my annual exam has always been stress-free, so I shouldn't complain.)

The same thing applies to my dad. He has recurring problems with swellings in his foot. His doctor thinks it's a seasonal thing and that he should try to keep it warm. Thanks a bunch for that advice Doc! I get more peace asking my small group for prayers on this, hmph!

In my prayers I'm reminded to thank God for His blessings of my good health (among many other blessings). But I can't imagine my run of good health will continue on as I'm getting older. So it doesn't hurt to have my employer foot (some of) the bill if I do need health care in the foreseeable future.

Questions To Ask You Guys

What are the benefits of PPO versus an HMO?
Does anyone have Kaiser-Permanante? Do you like them?
What are your medical plans?

OH hey before I forget, what do you think of my site's Christmas redesign. Pretty minty-fresh? Yes I know I have too much time on my hands...

Act Fast and Carry Cash Update

I finally got what I have been wanting for a few days now—the GRX Xmas banquet tickets. In my normal sneaky online fashion, I signed up on the wait list with two different email addresses. Ssshhh please don't tell the banquet committee.

What's the big deal anyway with the banquet? Well for one I missed last year having arrived at GRX in Jan. thus missing out on the ruckus. For another, I am looking forward to spending Christmas with my hunnie & homies. Okay but if you must know I will be donating some things to the banquet's silent auction and would like to see those go to better use, hopefully benefitting both the winner(s) and City Team Ministry.

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Act Fast and Carry Cash

Last Thursday while reading away's blog about the Xmas banquet, I went ahead and clicked on the 'get your tickets online' link. I went through and submitted my information, placed one ticket order, then got redirected to a Paypal secured site to submit the rest of my credit card information. I thought I'd go back and buy another ticket for my sweetie. Then I decided to call her and make sure she hasn't bought the ticket.

After talking to her about it and seeing that there are back to back parties that weekend (Sands company party) I decided to go ahead and purchase the tickets. Somehow at this point I never went ahead and completely finished the order.

The weekend rolled by and after service on Sunday I approached the Xmas banquet ticket booth but didn't have enough cash on hand to buy two tickets. I talked to one person at the booth about ordering them online before midnight on Sunday and he enthusiastically said, "yes you can." At around 11:00pm Sunday night when I tried the Xmas banquet link I got this: "Tickets are sold out". I was really looking forward to going, too.

Rain

Please be careful in your commute today. I know I'm not your parents but there are some ominous looking clouds ahead. Windy and rainy, rainy and windy. Do drive carefully yo! If you're the few lucky ones who get to telecommute today do heat up a hot cup of chocolate and enjoy—for me!

Does anyone know of any talent competitions? I know this is silly (and cheesy) but my sweetie could recite all sixty six books of the Bible. Sweetie what comes after the Book of Obadiah? Haha. Not only that but at the end of it all she has the cutest smile. Me I cannot even remember all the NT books. But I do know that all the "Ts" bunches together.

I miss basketball. The other day I ran with Sandy for two miles and I thought my lungs would collapse. So we do the ellipticals and even that was difficult. Guys lets get back in shape: pickup bball at Sony/Altera. Wuboy make something happen already. Get your contacts, get a game, lets run!

To my friends in SoCal are you excited about this weekends matchup between UCLA and USC? When I was at SC during rivalry week the students walked around campus with a bear tied to a string that was dragged around. These bears looked really sad and pathetic, especially when they were dragged in the rain. NOT COOL!

UCLA at USC 12.03 1:30pm PT on channel 7 (KGO/ABC).

GO BRUINS!!!