今日我

今日我好唔開心。

Mood: 好唔開心

Phone Etiquette - Part Trois

Saw a missed call on my phone and immediately I texted the caller. Turns out it was a Misdial. This is one day after I tease people texting when replying to a missed call... heh.

Mood: excited

Phone Etiquette (Revisited)

Wrote a little bit on Phone Etiquette a few weeks ago and the fact that we text / IM someone before calling them. Last night.. we were playing a home-made Amazing Race with the kids and the first challenge was for them to call someone from Eden Fellowship and read the bible together, then say a quick prayer over the phone.

Neither of the people they called picked up.  But within a short while... both of those people, instead of calling me back... TEXTED me and asked, "What's up?!?"

Interesting............

Side note: The kids figured out that Momma is also part of Eden Fellowship, so they called her instead. I needa be more careful next time.

Mood: Contemplative

恩威並施

At our bi-monthly CS Shepherds meeting... we discussed the difference between Jesus' leadership style vs the Worldly leadership style. One particular, senior sister used the term 恩威並施 vs Jesus who is more 溫柔謙卑. While I can make an argument that Jesus' style is congrugent with our modern secular style... one can't deny that worldly leaders have earthly goals... while Jesus' goal was to lead us to our heavenly Father of the supernatural.

Another point to be made... NN was watching me prepare for my Let's Proclaim class. She heard what the other students were doing...and said, "I can probably do better, right, Bah-B?" She was partially after my affirmation and partially wanting to know that she's all-that-and-a-bag-of-chips. So I promptly deflated her ego (as most Asian parents would do) by saying, "No... you're not that good."

Hurtful, she asked, "Why?" I said, "Cuz you're not taking my class."

I spent several weeks trying to coax her to be in my class... cuz this is probably the last time I'll teach public speaking. And she finally said, "我唔take爸B個class因為我驚你太鹹." (while that's probably true... and I don' know how she knows that...) she corrected herself by saying, "喔， 係太嚴!"

So do I have a problem with 恩威並施??

Mood: 鹹中帶甜

我今日

我今日好開心.

Mood: 好開心

The Art of Making Friends

Was having dinner with some friends who moved up here 2 years ago from San Diego.  I asked them, "Aside from us church friends, do you have any other friends?"  What was a nosy, small talk question... turned into an endearing, heart wrenching conversation about how, as working adults with young children, we've lost the Art of Making Friends.

How do you make friends?  When we were young... it was innocent and easy.  When we were in college...  study groups and lab partners morphed into friends.  Nowadays, with co-workers.  If you're lucky to have a lunch break, you can sit and chat with them about "stuff."  But outside of work... what has become of us???  We have so much going on.. so many hidden agendas.. so much on our plate.  There's the term - "the Garage Door generation" where we, especially in the Silicon Valley, drive into our garage, close the door, and don't even know the names of our neighbors' kids.

Not long ago.... I happen to walk into the most wonderful and miraculous, once-in-a-lifetime friendship that is so cherishable, I can't even begin to describe it in words.  How did it happen? What was the key? the secret? the formula? Even if I were to write a book on the step by step development of this new-found kinship, I don't think it can be possibly repeated with another person, let alone two other people.  Lightning only strikes once.  You can only win the lotto one time.  And this was the case when I don't leave the house or don't buy lotto.  What did I ever do to be so blessed... I don't think I will ever know.

Funny thing... it also happens that these closest friends... are most capable of doing unfathomable damage to you.  Come to think of it... maybe that's why we lost this art.  It's not so much we've lost it... we've chosen to bury it, deep in the confines of missing laundry socks and overdue library books.

Mood: broken

"Good night, sleep tight..."

"...don't let the bed bugs bite."

Ohhhhhhh.... soooo cute isn't it????  It rhymes!!!  Kids love rhymes!!!  Don't they!!?  Well... I HATE IT!!!!  HATE the mention of bed bugs!!! And the damage and havoc it can wreak on someone's life!!!!

Earlier this morning... I get a text from mom.  It turns out the reason she's been itching the past two months is because she has an infestation of bed bugs.  Where did she get them!?  How did they nest in her bed for 2 whole months without her knowing?!?  Instead of just asking, "Why..." I move forward and ask "What's next?!?"  What's next is... mom tossed her comforter and pillows.  She tossed her mattress and the wooden slats that hold up the mattress - which also happens to be the nesting ground for these vermin.

I originally went to shop for new pillows, comforter and mattress for mom. But what if the bugs are still there??? She'll end up getting chewed and nibbled on again... to only throw everything away again....for me to buy everything again.

Instead... I'm opting for a professional exterminator to perform a thorough inspection (and possibly extermination).  In the meantime, I drove out to SF, armed with eucalyptus soap and ecological friendly bug spray.  I wipe down her entire room and bed.  I spray the bed frame, floor and baseboard with the insecticide and I look high and low for any signs or remnants of bugs. Nothing.

What's worse is... her bed has these drawers which she uses for her clothes.  Who knows if the bugs laid eggs in those drawers or in her clothes!??  So now... not only do we have to buy new beddings/linens... it's a full on shopping spree for mom.  Cuz most of her clothes are wool...and can't be cooked in a high heat dryer.

Now it's a waiting game.  Waiting for the Senior Home office to open on Tuesday to plan out next steps.  In the meantime... I have this weird and awful sensation of itching everywhere!! ARGH!!!!

Mood: irrational itchiness

Tip Etiquette

Phunny... never thought I'll have enough material to start an "Etiquette" series.  But why not??  I'm in audit... compliance is my middle name these days.

We begin today with a story from The Sports Leader... where during the slowest sports day of the year... we hear the story of a golfer who won a championship and pocketed $1.29M for his winnings.  The rule of thumb is, you give your caddy 10% of your booty... in this case, $129,000.  But the golfer hired a temporary caddy, down in Mexico no less, and ended up giving him only $5000.  Which triggered me to wanna jot down... some recent thoughts on tipping.  (added one day later -- The golfer ended up giving the caddy $50k.  Short of the $129k....but better than $5.)

Growing up... restaurant tips has always been 10%.  It's easy math.  But over the years, the 10% has climbed up to 15%.  Nowadays, restaurant almost always print out 18%, 20%, 22% as suggested tipping amounts.  Having been in the service industry... and dad being a waiter all his life, a lot of workers live and die on the tip, not the salary.

Some restaurants have learned to automatically add an 18% tip to parties of 6 and more.  Which I'm totally against... There goes the incentive of quality service,  right???

Well... how much do you tip???

Hotel cleaning service - This comes up all the time at work.  A couple bills daily?? Or do you leave a big amount when you leave?  Problem being... hotels rotate cleaning persons.  The day you don't tip... might be one person.  And the next day, a different person who cleans pockets a bigger tip.  I personally don't like ppl coming into my room during my stay, so I leave the "Do Not Disturb" sign up on the door until I checkout.

Valet/Bell Service - I hate both of these.  I can park myself, thank you very much.  And give me a cart, I'll take up my own luggage.  But when some hotels force you to valet/bell service... do you slip a $5 (OUCH!?!?)  Or do you go with number of people in your party?? The $1 doesn't even go anywhere these days.

Room Service - in the spirit of the hotel stay... how much do you tip if you want some towels, a blowdryer, or some extra linens?? But what gets me is...these amenities should be in your room already.  By them failing to have it prepared, I'm being punished by having to push $1-2 to them??? Hate it... but if I happen to have $1-2, why not.

Haircut - I used to look for haircut places that was $7-$8.  That way, my tip is what rounds up to $10.  But with inflation and minimum wage rising, haircuts are now $10-$12 (for me).  I went to a $10 haircut place where I dropped a $20.  The barber had the gall to give me two $5 in change.  What??? Does that mean I have to give a 50% tip??? Heck no!!! I asked for change.  A more pragmatic barber would give me one $5 and five $1's.  I can't blame the guy for trying.

I recently met a friend of a friend who's a hairstylist (not barber) and I asked him what's the Rule of Thumb.  His answer.... 10%.  Wow... I was floored.

Pho - for the longest time.  I was taught to not have to give a tip.  What do they do?? They drop off a bowl of soup and that's it.  But the past two years... I've upgraded it to 10%.  It helps that a lot of Pho places take credit card.  If it were cash....

Take out - Here's a conundrum.  They did NOT serve me.  One bit.  So why pay the service charge?? Well.. restaurant rule of thumb is, the tips are shared amount the waiters, busboys and the kitchen staff.  So I wasn't exactly served nothing... I guess I owe it to the chef to drop some money.  As much as it kills me, I generally go with the round up to the nearest dollar in the 5-10% range.  It's embarrassing when I put ZERO, or do the empowering "line".  I've also noticed that the cashiers nowadays slyly look at the receipt you just signed.  They're expecting it... oh yes... they are.

Buffets - So they come 1-2 times the entire meal to take your dirty dishes away.  If they showed me where I can bring my dishes, I don't have to tip at all!!!! Right?!?!?  So with Sweet Tomatoes, the buffet place we fancy the most... I generally go with $1 / person.

Taxi / Uber / Lyft - was outside a director's office and I couldn't help overhearing that for a $30 taxi ride, he tipped $10.  WOW!! That's 33%.  Upon asking him why... his answer was priceless.  "We are very blessed for working where we work.  These guys really do depend on your tip to live.  And trust me, they will remember."  I'm not as bold as he is.  Nor do I make the money he does.  But it makes complete sense, especially when it's part of per diem anyways.

To be continued...

Mood: frugal

Phone Etiquette

NN hit a milestone yesterday... She's in 4th grade and she made her first phone call to a friend.

It was an interesting exercise.  She forgot her textbook at school...and I said, "Let's call your friend to see if they can take a picture of the assigned reading and assignment."

Mommy immediately texted her friend's mom to see if they can talk... doesn't that defeat the purpose of a phone call? How far we've come...even at work... that we send an IM to someone prior to calling.  Whatever happened to calling for the sake of calling?? It's not like we call and ask if we can text.  After an hour of waiting... we tried calling unannounced.  No answer.

By this time... mom wasn't in the room anymore.  So I decided to just start calling her other friends. First of all... she doesn't know how to dial someone's number.  I had to show her the keypad... and read the numbers off to her.  I took several tries...We finally found one that actually picked up.  And it got weird... which made me compelled to sit by NN's side.

I told her, "Ask for your friend."

Now... NN was holding the phone by her chin like a walkie-talkie... cuz that's what she's been doing since she was born to speak to her grandparents.

When the other party picked up... I'm sure they were surprised too.  Her friend's dad kept saying, "Hello?? Hello??"  Probably expecting a telemarketer or something.

Nn did good. She politely asked for her friend... and she even spoke in Chinese!!

Her friend's dad played it cool.... and handed it to his daughter.  And you can tell it was a monumental moment for them too.  Cuz you can hear their mom and dad sitting right next to her.

Nn and her friend go off on 5 minutes of conversation... talking over one another.  And with us being on speaker... we were somehow dragged into the conversation, as much as we tried to whisper.  Her parents were coaching her... just as I was coaching NN.

Then after all was said and done... it came time to hang up.

Hanging up is an art.  How do you end a phone conversation and hang up??  I personally still struggle through this sometimes, especially when speaking to {someone special}.  Hanging up is such an ultimatum.  With casual friends or colleagues, it could be simple   But NN and her friend were having problems.

It may seem natural to go with the typical "Talk to you soon...bye." or should it have been "Thanks for our help, see you at school tomorrow."  Or if it's at night, do you add in the words, "Have a good night."  And if you're really polite, "Help me say Hi to so-and-so."  Oh by the way.... NN has never physically hung up before.  Back in my days... you hang up, by putting the receiver onto the phone .  But with a smart phone, you have to know to click on the BIG RED BUTTON.  

I'm sure all this will come to her soon... just in time for the phone to evolve to the next technology.

All in all... a special moment for me.  Cuz in due time (if NN and SW is anything like us), they'll be on the phone until the wee hours of the evening.  They won't have to call POP-CORN, to get the call via Call-Waiting without waking up the house.  But whatever new trick is up their sleeve, I want to figure it out before they do.

Awwwww... my NN is growing up right in front of my eyes.

Mood: proud

CNY2019 - Afterthoughts...

一年一度嘅CNY又告一段落... Some afterthoughts after another day of non-stop action.

Why oh why do I have such high demand and expectations of myself (and everyone around me).  Ohhhhhhhh.... a dear sister even asked, "Why did you have such a black face all night? No smile?"  How could I smile when there were so many miscues, so many errors, so many people NOT following directions??  I kick myself for not ruling more with an iron fist...and forcing rehearsals and pre-meetings. It will never be perfect.... not to my standards.  But in the end... none of that mattered.  Every one had a great time, I think.

Instead of always complaining, let’s just jot down the happy thoughts...

I loved how PAL wrapped up a long evening with a simple bible verse.  So much anointing when our pastor, our shepherd brings EVERYTHING back to Jesus.  I stood at the back of the stage... and felt God's presence.

I loved how our two major raffle prizes went to kids. The Steph Curry jersey went to a little boy around 7.  PAL tried to help him put on the jersey... but he promptly refused.  (HA!) The giant stuffed unicorn went to a little girl around 5.  She followed her dad up to get the prize... and hugged her new possession like it was the only thing that mattered in the world.

I loved the fact that everyone CHEERED for the Seniors line dancing and the two Seniors who sang 福音粵曲.  When 1/2 the crowd are people in their 50’s and up... you can't help but have a fan or 2...or 100.

I loved the boldness that HOC ventured in telling jokes, especially when it was Chris and Paul!!!  It's hard to tell jokes without warming up. But their timing and delivery were flawless!!  The audience, on the otherhand, simply didn't get it.

I loved how we ran out of rice... and I made the [wrong] decision to not buy more. Maybe we should have.  But hey... I've fallen into the trap before of over-buying and forcing everyone to take home food.  Lesson learned... I guess.

I loved how we expeditiously cleaned up the kitchen and sanctuary in a blink of an eye.  The whole world helped out, once again.  Including the spouses who never come to church regularly. Leaving our church cleaner than it was before we got there!

I loved how NN and Rachel Three were able to recite bible verses in Cantonese, a bold declaration of God's words.

I loved how so many people asked "Did you eat yet?" And almost made sure I had some sustenance tonight.  After only having some Pringles and a can of Izze for lunch (and breakfast)... I needed something in my system.  Nobody knows... but I stole a couple slices of pizza while no one was looking.

I loved how Joyce and Hody took charge of decorations... and worked with so many people in transforming the sanctuary into a party hall.

I loved how much mileage our CS Shirts are getting. Three acts fully made use of that as their uniforms. And to think no one will wear them after Blue Sky Sunday.

I loved the fact that I was able to leave church by 9PM.... got home ontime to put the kids down... and was able to unwind with my {BBM}. A true blessing after a wild, wild weekend.

And I love the fact... that it's 12:32AM in the morning... and I can put a final period, on yet another successful, Spirit-filled CNY.  Well into 2019... better start catching up with Project 21.  Before I know it... March will pounding on my door. 

Mood: exhausted

拜年

Record breaking 拜年 day.

Brunch with Dad in San Jose.
Drove out to city to see mom at St. Mary's Cathedral.
Stopped by Father in Law's house.
Even made a detour to visit grandparents' gravesite with Nn and Sw.
Ended the evening at Mother in Law's place.

Quint-fecta!!!  All in a day's work!!!

Mood: Accomplished

Gift Etiquette

Something I started when I officially became a technical lead... I kept the tradition of handing out lai-see to my team during Chinese New Year.  Something funny / awkward I just noticed.

I've always been taught... and I teach my kids... to never open a lai-see in front of the person who gave it to you.  Why?? Dunno. But when I handed it out to my team, mostly Caucasians, including my boss.... they opened it in front of me.  Good thing I put a $2 bill in there... so there's an element of surprise.  Had it been a $1... or even a $5, they'll shrug it off. Like that one time Dario opened it, saw a $1, and handed it to the coffee club guy. Heh..

I met with one of my Korean mentees today and gave him a lai see.  He was so surprised and elated to get a red envelope, he was smiling from ear to ear.  Then he said, "I don't know what to do. Do I open it?" I went onto explain what I teach my kids... and what my other co-workers do.  I said, “Go ahead! Open it.” He ended up saying, "Nah...I'll save it for later."  Cute kid.

Then I met with my another mentee... raised in a very traditional Chinese household. Received the lai-see, said "Thanks", and put it away.  No questions asked.

Mood: elated

#SOTU

Haven't done a running blog in a long time. Was initially just me ranting off to Geoff, Anderson and Nita... and then it turned out to be pretty entertaining (for myself, at least).  Ah wellz... such it is.  

And then today... all the memes start coming out.  Makes my blog look tamed and mild.  Anyhoo.. just my thoughts, in [that] moment in time. 

[2/5/19, 6:08:09 PM] Hank: Melania gets a standing O?!?!

[2/5/19, 6:08:44 PM] Hank: “Not as two parties but as one nation” – everyone forced to stand. Ha!!!

[2/5/19, 6:09:10 PM] Hank: Pelosi is texting!!!!

[2/5/19, 6:13:10 PM] Hank: “Buzz” Aldrin... loves the attention.  I’ve heard that Buzz is still holding a grudge against NASA for not letting him get to say “the quote.”

[2/5/19, 6:13:42 PM] Hank: “American rockets...!? “ but trump hates Elon musk!!

[2/5/19, 6:14:19 PM] Hank: #ForcedToStand – begrudgingly.

[2/5/19, 6:14:30 PM] Hank: He used the Gettysburg address!!!!  No one will get the reference except dorks like me.  Or maybe it’s a Justin Beiber song… and I didn’t get the reference.

[2/5/19, 6:15:08 PM] Hank: Oh quit standing you dopes!!!

[2/5/19, 6:15:32 PM] Hank: “Reject revenge and retribution????” Does that include mean tweets?!?!

[2/5/19, 6:16:20 PM] Hank: How can Nancy read without glasses????

[2/5/19, 6:17:07 PM] Hank: “Economic Boom!!!” Followed by a Hadoken!! And a Yoga Fire

[2/5/19, 6:17:37 PM] Hank: (Idiots standing up again)

[2/5/19, 6:19:12 PM] Hank: Pence is looking at him with eyes of ice!!!

[2/5/19, 6:20:28 PM] Hank: Nancy is getting restless.  Oh Nancy, sit still will ya?!?!?

[2/5/19, 6:21:08 PM] Nita Yee: You're actually watching?

[2/5/19, 6:21:29 PM] Hank: Oh Bernie. Comb ur hair Bernie

[2/5/19, 6:22:34 PM] Hank: Heh... we produce natural gas...

[2/5/19, 6:22:53 PM] Hank: “Net exporter of energy?!?!”  Dude… that wasn’t you!

[2/5/19, 6:23:10 PM] Hank: “Military most powerful by far...” That’s been true since WWII

 [2/5/19, 6:24:06 PM] Hank: U-S-A!!!  Our first USA chant.  Waiting for glass breaking sound and Stone Cold to walk in.  Please??

[2/5/19, 6:25:10 PM] Hank: “Ridiculous partisan investigations...” 

[2/5/19, 6:25:15 PM] Hank: Even I chuckled.  Whitewater? Benghazi? Anyone?? Bueller??

[2/5/19, 6:27:07 PM] Hank: Ok.... that one deserves a standing O

[2/5/19, 6:27:36 PM] Hank: Criminal justice reform... Gavin, are you listening???!!!  Gavin wasn’t invited… no no.

[2/5/19, 6:28:09 PM] Hank: Hehe...  everyone sat down, but Pelosi stayed standing. Then she was like... Oops!!

 [2/5/19, 6:30:25 PM] Hank: “First Step Act into law.. big deal big deal”

[2/5/19, 6:31:26 PM] Hank: Matthew Charles – led more than 30 bible studies

[2/5/19, 6:31:32 PM] Hank: Huh?!?! He completed bible studies.... so he’s now released!

[2/5/19, 6:32:01 PM] Anderson: He’s redeemed

[2/5/19, 6:32:09 PM] Hank: Welcome home?!!!

[2/5/19, 6:32:17 PM] Hank: Does he live here??!? In DC???

 [2/5/19, 6:32:29 PM] Hank: “Urgent national crisis!!!” “Secure our southern border...!”

[2/5/19, 6:33:22 PM] Hank: Kamala!!!  Not wearing White.

[2/5/19, 6:33:43 PM] Hank: Hahaha nancy telling them to quiet down haha

[2/5/19, 6:35:21 PM] Hank: “Have to come in... liggily”  I have a new word in my Hank-tionary.

[2/5/19, 6:36:06 PM] Anderson: Kamala...no comment

[2/5/19, 6:37:47 PM] Hank: Human trafficking... yknow who’s a big proponent of fighting that?! #41

[2/5/19, 6:38:33 PM] Hank: “Removing by the thousands!!!”  “Not one more life will be lost... if we have that wall!”

[2/5/19, 6:42:47 PM] Hank: ELVIN!! ELVIN!! #Elvin2024

 [2/5/19, 6:44:03 PM] Hank: “I will get it built!!!”

[2/5/19, 6:44:38 PM] Anderson: Who do want to punch more...

[2/5/19, 6:44:48 PM] Anderson: Ted Cruz or Jay Cutler?

[2/5/19, 6:44:59 PM] Hank: Ann Coulter

[2/5/19, 6:45:51 PM] Anderson Yeung: Don’t hit women..

[2/5/19, 6:45:58 PM] Hank: El Paso is one of the safest city in the country!!!

 [2/5/19, 6:46:25 PM] Hank: Making America Safe Again

 [2/5/19, 6:46:29 PM] Hank: MASA

[2/5/19, 6:46:59 PM] Hank: Hehehhehe 58% women filled those jobs.  How many binders is that Romney???

[2/5/19, 6:47:13 PM] Hank: And they all stand up

[2/5/19, 6:47:25 PM] Hank: Scripted

[2/5/19, 6:47:51 PM] Hank: Why are you standing??!? He’s not cheering you guys!!!!

 [2/5/19, 6:48:27 PM] Hank: Ohhh Ivanka

[2/5/19, 6:48:44 PM] Hank: Can you get in the ring with Ronda Rousey???

[2/5/19, 6:48:59 PM] Hank: U-S-A!!!

[2/5/19, 6:50:19 PM] Hank: Empowering women... to trade policies. How’d he make that jump???  Great speech writer.

[2/5/19, 6:51:36 PM] Hank: Historic trade blunder...!

[2/5/19, 6:51:38 PM] Hank: Oops!!  Who was in office during NAFTA???

 [2/5/19, 6:52:49 PM] Hank: More cars stamped “made in the USA”

 [2/5/19, 6:53:29 PM] Hank: But they won’t wanna buy our cars.  And Harleys are gone!

[2/5/19, 6:53:49 PM] Hank: Wow... over 55 min already

[2/5/19, 6:54:21 PM] Hank: Next major priority for me... lower cost of health care!!!

[2/5/19, 6:54:33 PM] Hank: Protecting patience with pre existing conditions!!! OBAMA!! OBAMA!!

[2/5/19, 6:55:24 PM] Hank: People pay more for drugs here???

[2/5/19, 6:55:46 PM] Hank: Cuz there’s govt subsidy everywhere else!!

 [2/5/19, 6:56:21 PM] Hank: Well.... he has a point there

[2/5/19, 6:56:31 PM] Hank: “Bring costs... way down”

[2/5/19, 6:56:56 PM] Hank: Oh quit it... let him speak

[2/5/19, 6:57:18 PM] Hank: HIV??? Eliminate within 10 years!! BOLD!!

 [2/5/19, 6:58:21 PM] Hank: (By my count... zero “Uhms”)

[2/5/19, 7:00:25 PM] Hank: #LastDayOfChemo

[2/5/19, 7:00:35 PM] Hank: Hate cancer....

[2/5/19, 7:00:57 PM] Hank: $500M invested in 10 years. I’d vote for that

[2/5/19, 7:02:07 PM] Hank: Uh oh

[2/5/19, 7:02:26 PM] Hank: Abortion Law... 😢

[2/5/19, 7:02:57 PM] Hank: Whoaaaaaa

[2/5/19, 7:03:08 PM] Hank: The white coats are stoic!!!!

[2/5/19, 7:03:25 PM] Hank: Close up on Kavanaugh

[2/5/19, 7:03:51 PM] Hank: Supreme Court Justice can’t stand???

[2/5/19, 7:04:02 PM] Hank: “Made in the holy image of God..”

[2/5/19, 7:04:31 PM] Hank: $716B into military spending!!!

[2/5/19, 7:05:42 PM] Hank: Missile Defense System, Anderson!!!

 [2/5/19, 7:06:44 PM] Hank: Screw the treaty!!! We need nukes to blast asteroids!!!

[2/5/19, 7:07:02 PM] Hank: “Out spend and Out innovate”

[2/5/19, 7:07:11 PM] Hank: Is that job security for me?!?

 [2/5/19, 7:07:59 PM] Hank: Someone said “yeah!!” To major war with N Korea... c’mon.  No tact.

[2/5/19, 7:09:11 PM] Hank: Maybe Venezuela needs a wall??

[2/5/19, 7:09:43 PM] Hank: No govt coercion, nomination and control....!!!!  oh Donald….

[2/5/19, 7:10:07 PM] Hank: America will never be a socialist country!!!!

[2/5/19, 7:10:14 PM] Hank: Clap clap clap

[2/5/19, 7:11:02 PM] Hank: Whoa.... American embassy in Jerusalem. Zionism!!!!

[2/5/19, 7:12:14 PM] Hank: Man... the generals and admirals are statues!!!!!  Who cuts their hair?? So clean.

[2/5/19, 7:13:58 PM] Hank: Constructive talks with Afghan groups....?

[2/5/19, 7:14:05 PM] Hank: Reduce troops?? We do not know if we’ll achieve an agreement.  So are they constructive or not??? Are we retreating?? I dun think he knows.... 

[2/5/19, 7:15:29 PM] Hank: Heh heh... he said semen

[2/5/19, 7:15:49 PM] Hank: Ohhh black tie. Nice touch

[2/5/19, 7:16:22 PM] Hank: They do “bad, bad things”  Did they slip that in???? That’s bad, bad speech writing???

[2/5/19, 7:17:41 PM] Hank: Man…. I’m hungry!!!

[2/5/19, 7:20:33 PM] Hank: Singing Happy Bday… in the US Capitol??? Ohhh they have to pay royalties!!

[2/5/19, 7:20:40 PM] Hank: Bill the govt

[2/5/19, 7:24:18 PM] Hank: 15 minutes later.  All good stories. Ending the night on good vibes??

[2/5/19, 7:24:35 PM] Hank: (So we forgot about the wall... about abortion... about sexual assault??)

[2/5/19, 7:29:55 PM] Hank: That last half hour was great...

[2/5/19, 7:37:53 PM] Nita: It's over?

[2/5/19, 7:37:58 PM] Nita: Was it awful?

[2/5/19, 7:38:13 PM] Nita: I didn't want to watch. I would get angry

Mood: amused

100 Strong

All month long... PAL has been touting, urging, praying for "100 people" to show up at our inaugural trial of 8AM - corporate devotional time at church.  100 people?!?!? He has such strong faith... I was thinking 50... and I'd be content.  Where did 100 come front??

"Give me one hundred men who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon the earth." ~John Wesley

In the end, about 60 adults showed up.  But I choose to believe there were about 40 children and youth also!

And there's something special about always standing in the back...

I wept - when I saw those 60 people, each one of them, reset the chairs in the sanctuary after TWA time.  It was more than a Kodak moment... it was a heavenly moment.

I wept - when PAL made the altar call for "100 strong" to go out to accept the power of the Holy Spirit and be the ONES to bring revival to our church.

I wept - when I saw one sister... grab the hand of another sister, who grabbed the the hand of another sister as they made their way up to the altar.

I wept - when I saw one couple, who never goes up, decided today was the day to respond to God's calling.

I wept - when I saw those two 90 year old ladies stand up, once again, as a physical demonstration of their response.

I wept - during the final intercession, that we as a church, corporately declared that we WILL accept the breath of the Spirit.

I wept - when after service, Joyce was running around the church looking for the CNY decorations.  How far she's come.

I wept - when our Super Bowl themed hospitality was wiped clean.  And all that was left when PAL came in was one broccoli and one carrot stick.

I wept - saw my {Inspiration}'s picture, holding her son, peacefully sleeping on her shoulder as a newborn.

There's a lot to be said about a grown man crying.... especially, when these are tears of joy.  I love my church.  I love my pastor.  I love God.

Mood: joyful joyful...

Of all the chores I hate (revisited...)

Been avoiding the much dreaded “Of all the chores I hate” for several weeks now. And like last time...it’s piled up to 8 shirts needing to be ironed.  I considered hanging them up while taking a hot shower or spraying water on them and re-running it through the dryer as {someone} suggested.  Uhhh...yyyyyyyyyyeah.  Noo. 

So I popped open the ironing board, fired up the iron, sat down and fully embraced my personal masochism. Hey... maybe this is penance for screwing up the other day! I started with the first shirt. My beloved BR shirt that I’ve had for easily 10-12 years. Noticed the 3 coffee spots on it... and thought, “It didn’t come off. Screw it... donating it!!!"  Then my next shirt... a white-ish Ralph Lauren shirt mom got me when I was still in college. "Donating it!!" A third shirt - Brooks Brother (fancy!!) I’ve also had before Nn was born. "Donating it!!"

"Honey... I need some new shirts."  Joyce picks up the phone and starts shopping... like I can almost hear an exhale "Finally!"

And just like that... reduced my workload by 40%.  BOOM!!

Mood: cathartic

送舊迎新

With Chinese New Year just a few days away... it truly is time to welcome the new year.  As much as I love putting up the Christmas tree every Thanksgiving, I have to say that putting away the Christmas decorations spark just as much joy. I get to relive the time capsule of our annual ornaments... it also allows me to declutter... spark some joy in my life... and reflect.

送舊迎新 - there's a lot to be said about that.

There's a reason why elected officials are termed out of office.  Case in point... we have several newly elected church leaders.  In their first couple of months in office... they've brought a breath of fresh air to the crew with their energy, their efficiency and their response!!  I'm saying this while monitoring, 1 by 1, Democrat candidates announcing their 2020 presidential campaigns. Ohhhhhhhhhh it's gonna be a rough 2 years.

Another case in point... I'm living in my own do-loop.  I set up roolz... only to bend/break them.  Over and over again... I commit the same sins. Step in the same trap.  Relive my same mistakes.  Give credit where credit is due... I do vow to change and be a better person.   Maybe 1-2 days...or 1-2 weeks... heck 1-2 months of improvement (rarely), I see a difference.  But there's only so much I can do before I rubber band back to my old-self.  Someone once said, "You can’t repeat the status quo and expect different results."  Or better yet... "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results."

Gotta do something more drastic.  Otherwise... I'll be writing another post in a few weeks along these same themes.  New year... new outlook...new challenges.  Gotta shift Project 21 into high gear.  This is getting old, fast. 

Mood: disgusted with a very small glimmer of hope