I had amazing beef stew for dinner just now, brought by my amazing girlfriend. :)
Sitting in the lab, trying to figure out my Psychometrics assignment... Still having trouble with the technical details, but... More so having trouble fitting details into each category...
Listening to Daniela Chavarria chat on the phone in Spanish.. I think I just heard her say "pre unta", which I think means "question?"
Last night's CNY party in Dr. Niece's house was AWESOME. We are really SO blessed to be on a student-centered campus with such a rare and extraordinary President.. Noise-makers, fortune cookies, chopsticks, "Chinese yo-yos", Chinese decorations, and CNY music... He really outdid himself! And the FOOD.. Oh my Lord, the food... I'm still feeling the weight of all that glorious food I ingested last night... Lin go, beef stew, nasi lemak, potato curry, chocolate cookies, beef fried rice, yee sang, koniaku jelly, ketupat, and MARMITE CHICKEN... OOOOHHHH what a feast!! And the noise and clamor and joyous sounds of laughter and mirth... Made me warm and fuzzy inside, and almost brought tears to my eyes as the yelling and laughing during the yee sang tossing transported me back to my beloved home country.. Such a blessing to be in this Ozarks community... :)
Thinking of what is one of my favorite verses ever now: Jesus said, "Truly I say unto you, before Abraham was, I AM." What??? What a punk!! Seriously, God is the biggest punk ever, excusing my language... By punk, I mean the kind of God that does whatever He pleases, and no one can say anything or do anything about it to change Him... He truly is all-sufficient, all-powerful, and sovereign.. It's a good thing He is also all-loving, or we'd all be toast by now...
Remembering also the Scriptures we heard in church this morning... In particular, this one: "...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." AMAZING. While we were yet sinners!! What love.. Such inexpressibly GLORIOUS agape love... And here I am so often struggling to love those I deem "undeserving", those who "irritate" me or cross my path the wrong way... God help me change...
Thinking now that I really need to get back to my Psychometrics homework.. And then study for Cog Psych quiz over Chapter 1 tomorrow... And read Chapter 1 of Computer Science.. But oh so looking forward to more beef stew with ramen (lo mien!!) when I get back to the room...
About a week ago, I got an email invitation to the University of Pittsburgh's interview weekend. It's hard to convey the incredible joy I felt when I got that news! I'd been wrestling on and off with self-esteem issues, obsessively thinking that my application and preparation was inadequate, making "in case no one accepts me" plans, etc. It was very calming to hear some warm words and concrete evidence for my dense soul that God is indeed in control. :)
So, with graduate school now a very firm possibility, I've been doing more and more thinking about my future, both short-term and long-term. If I go to Pittsburgh, I need to look for a church to plug into, I need to find a place to live, etc. These things affect Anna, too, cos with more concrete possibilities she's been looking at schools and options in Pittsburgh. I also learned that applying to the Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (joint Pitt/CMU venture) is still a possibility. I really want to, and I think the only thing holding me back is my assessment of my competence. Because students of the mind who ignore the brain will quickly get left behind; too much is happening in cognitive and computational neuroscience for me to lightly pass this opportunity by. I'd like to put myself in the strongest possible position to contribute after my PhD to both knowledge of the mind and the advancement of knowledge and learning in Malaysia.
Dealing more intimately with the details of experimental design, ethics, and the IRB is giving me more of a realistic taste of what my life will probably be like in the next 4-5 years. Lots of hard work, lots of time put in, but oh how I love it! :) I have increasingly more confidence that this is what God made me for.
Working harder on controlling my finances has also helped me to see how my money flows, what I tend to spend money on, how much I need to live comfortably, etc. Makes me think of the possibility of marriage while in graduate school, and how we would go about it financially. With all the possible variability, we know for sure that it won't be easy. But God has also shown Himself faithful in providing for us, usually just enough so we know that He's there, but not so much that we get complacent. We're so grateful to Him for His loving provision as our Father. :)
It's weird for me, thinking so concretely about what to do after graduation. It's yet to sink in for me that this is my last semester at Ozarks. 4 years of liberal arts education, somewhat sheltered from the harsh winds of adult life.. In May, I will (God willing) walk to receive my diploma, and then... Who knows? God knows, for sure, and I think I have some ideas, but.. It's going to be an interesting journey, with lots of hard work and sweat, tears, and joy in store..
Through all this, my prayers remain the same:
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Ps 90:12)
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days (Ps 90:14)
May the beauty of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands (Ps 90:17)
We are well into Christmas break, so now I no longer have any excuse not to blog. My fondest salutations to those who continue to check on this pitiful excuse for a web journal. It's been acting more like a peer-reviewed quarterly academic journal lately, with information that was hot last year being posted today.
Anyway, some updates are in order.
The above picture demonstrates how much of a nerd I have become. =p For "leisure reading" this break, I have Allen Newell's (1990) Unified Theories of Cognition and various articles on visual imagery and reasoning for my senior thesis. I've also played a few games of Sudoku, and have gotten to the 8-disc level of the Tower of Hanoi puzzle.
I've also gotten hooked on organization. I've finally come up with an accounting system that I can work with. Today I'll be able to analyze my December expenses and estimate a workable budget for the next month. :)
It's been a good year. I'm happy and content, and feel very blessed to be where I am today, with the opportunities I've got. I'm thankful for all the factors (parents' hard work, Ozarks' generosity, and ultimately, God's blessings) that have made it possible for me to study in the US. I'm thankful to God for blessing me with Anna. I'm thankful to God for "building my vita" with my summer internship in DC, Hagaman's arrival at Ozarks, and the continued generous support of my parents. Above all, I'm grateful that God loves me unconditionally and continues to work in my life. :)
Psalm 90 may be my Scripture for the year. My heart's prayer for 2009 is well said in these 3 verses:
v12 - Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
v14 - Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
v17 - May the beauty of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.
Amazed by Tommy Emmanuel (see the video if you don't understand - it's his live performance of "Angelina")
Sensibly inspired to worship God with thanksgiving for music.
Sensibly inspired to practice my guitar and perhaps buy a thumb pick to start learning fingerstyle.
Wrestling with my senior research project: currently looking at mental models theory, reasoning, discourse comprehension processes, and working memory, and trying to extract a workable research question from my readings.
Reading John Piper's "When I Don't Desire God"
Meditating on Psalm 139 and Ephesians 2:1-7.
Amazed by God's grace.
Daily asking for grace and forgiveness as the Holy Spirit is showing me more and more of my selfishness, "I deserve better" mentality, my lack of proper desire for God, while simultaneously awakening a desire to be more thankful, humble, and selflessly loving, and more in love with the One who created me and gave all for me.
Amazed at the thought that my sister is getting married in 17 days.
Saddened by the worsening political situation in Malaysia.
Entered into one of the most rewarding, joy-producing, and growth-inducing relationships of my life: a courtship with Anna Yong, the love of my life. :)
Experienced the power of God working through a healthy, Christ and gospel-centered church: Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC.
Worked 6 weeks in the Lab for Applied Research in Cognition and Human Factors (ARCH Lab) at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, as an APA Summer Science Fellow.
Was introduced to the power of Macros and Visual Basic programming in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.
Co-authored an empirical paper on procedural errors with Dr. Raj Ratwani and Dr. Greg Trafton through my APA Summer Science Fellowship.Attended the 30th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society in Washington, DC.
Determined that I want to be a cognitive scientist, committing to acquiring and using a combination of scientific methods to study various aspects of the mind, including language, memory, reasoning, mental representations, and perception (of music, speech, etc.).
Identified a number of graduate schools I will want to apply to: University of Arkansas (Fayetteville), UT Austin, University of Illinois (Urbana-Champagne), SUNY Buffalo, and SUNY Binghamton.
Determined to learn basics of programming. I am now proceeding through CS106A: Programming Methodology with Dr. Mehran Sahami via Stanford's free iTunes U channel.
Witnessed the work of God on the U of O campus and in First Baptist and caught a fiery passion to work for the exaltation of Christ on this campus and in this community.
Realized that my sister is going to get married very soon (in October!!)
Acquired a position in the Bass section of Ozarks Chorale and Chamber Singers. I was previously a Tenor I.
Begun work on a Senior Seminar project that is designed to systematically investigate the complex role of working memory in making deductive inferences from prose.
Finished learning Claude Debussy's Claire de Lune (more than a year after first picking it up!!!).
Had numerous opportunities to share the gospel of Christ, both through word and action.
Wrestled with hard questions about suffering, the sovereignty of God, and election, among others, and emerged with a deeper appreciation and love for the mystifying magnificence that is the LORD God as revealed in the Scriptures.
Switched table tennis/ping pong grips from the pen-holder to the handshake.
Grown.
Loved
Lived, with immense gratitude for the blessings that I continue to drown in daily. :)
RE: Thoughts provoked by "Get Service" - to offset the "gloom and doom"
I'd like to tell of my birthday. My wonderful, meaningful, memorable 22nd birthday. And give some credit to the lovely people that make my life beautiful. =)
Here are some verbal snapshots (I've been suffering from "Photographer's Block". Not really. Been lazy.. =p):
May 6: Organized by Anna, a whole host of my friends take time out of their Finals Week to sing "Happy Birthday" (in English, Malay, and Mandarin!) outside the library and present a plate of Palenque "Super Nachos" and a red rose to me. Thanks guys!! =)
May 9: Anna presents me with a surprise gift: a license for Acoustica Beatcraft, a drum programming software I've been wanting since 2005. Thanks Anna! =)
May 14: Patrick buys me Super Nachos for lunch and wishes me happy birthday. I'm grateful for the wishes and the nachos, at least partly because I didn't feel like cooking. =p Thanks Patrick! =)
May 15:
My sister wishes me happy birthday. We talk for a bit.. I always appreciate you, che! Thanks! =)
My dad emails me happy birthday. Thanks Daddy! =)
My mum emails a HILARIOUS e-card to me. Thanks Mummy! =)
Birthday wishes start showing up on my Facebook wall. Thanks guys! =)
Wilson calls to wish me happy birthday and we chat and catch up.. Thanks Kor Kor Chye!! =)
May 16:
Anna calls to wish me happy birthday. Thanks Anna! =)
Birthday wishes continue to show up on my Facebook wall. Thanks guys! =)
I get to chat with Anna on Gtalk in the morning. Thanks Anna! =)
Various people on campus wish me happy birthday. Thanks guys! =)
I get birthday emails. Thanks guys! =)
I buy myself a lovely Chicken Club Sandwich combo from Wendy's and take a leisurely drive to Horsehead Lake with Nat King Cole playing on the CD player. Good food, good view (love the summer green countryside!!), and good music. Thanks for letting me use your car, Anna! =)
I spend some nice quality time with God by Horsehead Lake. Thank you Jesus for making that possible!! =)
Caroline calls from Nebraska to wish me happy birthday. We talk and catch up for a bit.. Thanks Cruzer!! =)
Patrick, Amy and I cook a DELIGHTFUL FEAST and have Kathy over to help us eat. Thanks guys!! =)
Matt and Jessica Kasper leave a birthday card and some candy in my c-box. Thanks guys! =)
Patrick, Amy and I watch Ironman at the Clarksville cinema. Thanks guys! =)
I talk to my parents and sister on Skype. Love you all! =)
May 17: Birthday wishes continue to show up on my Facebook wall.
May 20: I receive a birthday card from Eric. Thanks Eric! =)
May 22: I receive a 4GB iPod Nano (3rd Gen) in my c-box from my sister and Jordan Davis. Thank you!! =)
Ahh... I had a fantastic birthday this year, and just want to say again a HUGE THANK YOU to all of you that made it happen. I'm so blessed with you all! =)
This is too funny not to share. I was cracking my head trying to get things together for the introduction to my Senior thesis. I decide that I'm too exhausted to keep going for the mo, so I decide to take a breather. This is what happened:
I took a nap la, basically. But I think that picture is a very clear window into the state of my mind right now. I'm beginning to feel the wear and tear of a long spring semester. I'm not as alert as I'd like to be, and my mind isn't functioning as well as I want it to. I'm hovering between peace and crippling worry over everything that I need to finish before the end of the semester: 1) three chapters of a research proposal (introduction, review of literature, and methods), 2) a research paper on Kabuki theater, 3) a statistical report over 6 nonsense statistical problems for Inferential Statistics, 4) a comprehensive final exam for statistics, covering 2 semesters' worth of material, 5) an ethics course that will include 20+ more 15-20 minute modules, and 6) analysis papers for two concerts I've attended. That's what I think is worth mentioning.
Life as a student is tough. Boo-hoo. =p
Not really la. I'm thankful for adults in my life who help me to retain a proper perspective. Kevin Rainey and Lisa Edington are two that immediately come to mind that have stressed that life doesn't get any easier after college. I was able to cognitively grasp that last night, and thanked God profusely that all I really had to worry about right now is my studies and my stress from my studies. I don't have to worry about bills, mother-in-laws, crying babies, leaking roofs, and overbearing bosses. All I have to worry about stems from a huge blessing that God has provided me: the enormous opportunity of an Education. And I am thankful for that. Thankful for a mind capable of learning. Thankful for the capacity to write and communicate. Thankful for the capacity to read and understand and assimilate and struggle with knowledge and concepts and ideas and skills and methods and procedures. And thankful, most of all, for loved ones in my life that provide support and make it possible for me to carry on. Friends here.. Friends back home.. My church here, and my church back home.. And my family. :)
Taught in the College Bible class at church last Sunday. The subject was Uzzah's death during the Ark processional in I Chronicles 13. Reminded that God is not to be messed around with.
Shared in Alpha & Omega on Tuesday. Learned in Exodus 32-33 and John 15 about how God calls us to a deeper "face-to-face" relationship with Him as friends.
Snowed on Thursday! :) Went sledding and snowfighting. Lots of fun and aching arms the next day.
First looks at the snow..
Snow-covered El!!
Lots of people taking pictures of the unusually heavy snowfall
Happy people after sledding and snowfighting :)
Me and a random snowchild
The snow-covered campus the morning after. It all melted away in the 50+F afternoon
Went to WinterJam yesterday (Friday) night. Newsong, Skillet, Barlowgirl, and MercyMe. God spoke to me about faith throughout the concert, even though I normally don't enjoy such events as much. Tony Nolan spoke of the benchmark for faith through the story of a tightrope walker who walked on a rope across the Niagara Falls twice with a wheelbarrow. The crowd cheered him on for a third, screaming their belief in his ability. He told them to demonstrate their faith by coming out to sit in the wheelbarrow as he walked. How many of them really believed? How many of us really believe?
Right now I'm waiting for 30 pork dumplings (siu mai??) to be done in Anna's steamer. Jian Peng's idea. Tongue and stomach itchy dy. =p
Gotta go study for my Intro to Music Lit. test. And then find time to sift through 62 assorted Raphael frescoes, Madonnas, portraits, and other works for a 30-40 minute presentation for Monday.
Yes, Christmas break is over. I had a blast. I earned $$, met with God, grew closer to my friends, learned the art of Surprising, further honed my culinary skills, drove a lot, played jazz, ate a lot, traveled, took care of cats and dogs, etc, etc. I'm thankful. =)
Well, tomorrow is the first day of classes. I have 3 semesters to go before I graduate. Isn't that just insane? This is a true saying: "Time fly like bird" (Adam, RBS 2006, qtd. by Anna Yong and Patrick Lee).
Sighs.
I am looking forward to this semester though. I'm excited about all my classes. Experimental Methods and Inferential Stats will be great - I'm pumped because I'll also begin crystallizing my senior seminar this semester, and those classes will be invaluable to that process. Introduction to Music Lit. and Renaissance & Baroque will be so interesting. And of course Choir and Chamber and Bells are always fun. And I'm sure I'll enjoy Tennis II. I can't wait! =)
So, tonight I'm going to refill my folder with notepaper, pack my hole-puncher in my bag (for the syllabi), and get a good night's rest before tomorrow. I'm excited to see what God's going to do this semester.
Well, Christmas is over, and I'd be robbing God and my wonderful friends and extended family here in Clarksville of credit if I didn't tell of my positively marvelous Christmas season. :) Here are some snapshots to aid in the telling..
December 24th: Christmas eve at the Crows'. Robyn is in green, and Cady, her sister, is in red. Robyn is Anna's roommate. Her family graciously invited us over for Christmas dinner.
Matthew, Robyn's brother, waxing dramatic over the contents of his stocking.
Robyn's mum, documenting family memories.
Nana, Robyn's grandma - an AMAZING cook. In the background is Robyn's grandpa, fondly known as Hoot Nanny.
Joy in a Christmas card. :)
A giant remote control for Hoot Nanny. Lol!
The aftermath of the gift exchange. Many thanks to Robyn and the Crows for a wonderful Christmas eve! :)
December 25th: Christmas day at the Edingtons'. Samantha is in her new pink pajamas, and Emily is in colorful new pajamas also. The Edingtons get new pajamas every Christmas eve.
One of Lisa's faceless angels. They usually creep me out, but this one doesn't look half bad up close. :p
Anna with the girls, trying to figure out Emily's new Barbie laptop.
Anna and I are literally paparazzi at every event we attend. But hey, memories are well kept in photographs, no? You'll be thanking us years down the road, just you see. ;p
Mark joins in the Barbie fun. Looks pretty intense!
New bikes for the Edington girls!
Sam says Merry Christmas to grandpa while Lisa takes a photo.
Emily sweet-talking grandpa. Precious, isn't she? Many thanks to Mark and the Edingtons for letting us in on a warm and joyful Christmas day with the family. :)
December 25th: Christmas makan/surprise birthday celebration for Anna with the Ozark-Malaysians. Angust displaying the results of his ridiculously strong arm. One stroke from the butcher's knife cut through the chicken, split the chopping board in half, and cut the table too!!
A closer look at the carnage..
Relaxing after a great Christmas and birthday meal. Thank you, my countrymen, for your part in a truly satisfying and meaningful Christmas and birthday party! :)
Anna and I.
Florence and Anna.
Lay Hoong and Anna.
The cousins! Susan and Anna.
Fun with Florence! :p
Those three are something else! Susan helped to surprise Anna with Zai Choi, her favorite Christmas and birthday dish. The three of them also baked a scrumptious chocolate cake for her (with Angust's help). Thank you all! :)
I think this year's Christmas has been one of my fullest and most meaningful one yet. Heaps of Christmas food and cheer at the Crows' and Edingtons', oodles of Malaysian food and fellowship (including Zai Choi, Emperor Herbal Chicken, sardines, and Crash Bandicoot), a Malaysian gift exchange, and the joy of having a part in making Anna's birthday a special time.. All these goodies swirl around my deep gratitude to God for leaving the splendor of heaven for the squalor of earth and the shame of the cross, all for love.
Yes, God has been very good to me, and I cannot help but praise Him for who He is and what He's done for me. My God is a loving Father to me, who takes care of me, is willing to stand by me through tough times He puts me through for my own good, and never lets up loving me, no matter how many times I fail. My Father loves me for who I am, not who I should be. I was adopted into His wonderful family when I latched onto His Son Jesus (whose birth, incidentally, is the occasion for yuletide cheer) 19 years ago, and He wants to adopt and love you too! I pray that as the Christmas season passes and the new year approaches, you will find peace and love and joy in my Father's arms as I have.
Malaysian college students at Ozarks amusing themselves in Walmart with a "One-touch Adjustable Wrench". Watch and enjoy. =) Patrick is one of my closest friends here, and those of you who know my sense of humor may guess why from this video. =p Hehe..
Harlo everyone! It's been awhile since I've last updated. Actually haven't updated at all since Finals ended and Winter Break began.
To be brief, I have been rested and busy, if that makes sense. I've been busying myself with a number of odd jobs (e.g., filming basketball games, washing dishes, feeding cats, raking leaves, driving people to the airport) and earning money. But I've also been able to watch a few movies (watched Ratatouille at Huy's place last night), get out of Clarksville a little (went to Little Rock with Huy, his sister, and Anna yesterday), start on a puzzle, do some reading, cook, and most importantly spend quality time with God.
Upcoming plans are to take a diagnostic GRE today, look up internship options with USM, and relaxation at Joco Java tonight. Also spending Christmas day with the Edingtons, driving to Texas with the girls to visit Anna's relatives, and driving to Memphis to visit Robyn (Anna's roommate).
For now, have a peek in video form at what I've been doing so far:
okok. on monday night, we malaysians had a steamboat party. i mentioned to siew moon, and a few others, that i had just now realized how loud malaysians can be. i never realized before, but we are VERY loud ar!! not that it's necessarily a bad thing - it's just that, before i came to america, i had no benchmark of "quietness" to compare us with, and now i do. don't get me wrong, i remain unapologetically fond of my beloved countrymen; nevertheless, here's an amusing sample of our loud fun (taken last night after a game of "mafia"):
me is pitiful. last post was weeks and weeks ago. ah, me. =p needless to say, i still live. as to how i'm doing? as i wrote on an old friend's facebook wall the other day, i am "taking photos, learning psych, playing music, loving life, god, friends, missing home and char koay teow and mamak, beginning to stress about postgraduate options, looking for internship this summer, trying to save $$, wishing i was rajin enough to blog consistently, sleeping late.." to sum it, life is good.
the sem's winding down to a close, and i can't shake this gnawing feeling that i've only barely scratched the surface of the disciplines i'm supposed to be studying this semester - social psychology, descriptive statistics, and new testament greek. it's a true statement (that i've only scratched the surface), but it does not follow that i haven't learnt much.
i realized yesterday while talking with anna bout the sem that i've actually amassed quite a bit of skills and knowledge in my studying this sem - the only difference i can identify between this sem and sems past has been my level of output (measured by the amount of tests and papers i've had to do for my classes).
i've previously gotten used to weekly 30-page reports, bi-monthly tests, and homework, homework, homework. this sem's been different. with the absence of "output" (read: busy work), i've had more freedom to explore the disciplines. i've been using my handy greek new testament for my bible study, and have actually begun browsing psych journals (esp. social psych) for FUN (god forbid!! =p). i like things this way. even now, as i'm studying for an impending social psych test (on tues), i'm enjoying looking up research and actually LEARNING the stuff, as opposed to merely engulfing material to be regurgitated come test day.
makes me feel like the money invested in my education is paying dividends. =)
enough talk, then. let me entertain you with... *DRUM ROLL* *CHIANG!!!*
THE LIFE OF A PAPARAZZI PHOTOGRAPHER
(introducing.. Alicia and Kellie!!)
Kellie: eh? is he taking our picture ar?
Alicia: erm... wait ar, let me think..
Kellie: think so long for wat, just look at the fler la!!
Alicia: hmmm.. ya hor..
Both: WAHH!! HE REALLY TAKING OUR PICTURE WORR!! SHOOT THE PAPARAZZI MAN!!!
Note: No subjects or photographers were harmed in the making of this pointless excuse for a story.
Wow. Another week flies by. I'm convinced that rate of time passing is directly correlated with age of observer. Or maybe times just flies faster when you're caught in a whirlwind of activity.
To take stock of this week, I have to give glory to God for being faithful to answer my request to soften my heart and open my eyes to see things in his word. Have been reading Bob Sorge's "In His Face", a great worship-inspiring book. Read a chapter about hardened hearts (based on Jesus' parable of the sower) last Friday, and have been really convicted that my the soil of my heart is really very much like the stony ground. Passionate and quick to respond to the word, but lacking depth and roots, and ultimately doomed to fall. Am earnestly seeking God to break up the fallow ground of my heart.
With reference to the statement "whirlwind of activity".. It's strange. I'm having such a light semester that I'm having trouble adjusting to it. I used to not be able sleep hardly at all on Thursday nights, because I would be working on my weekly tome: the dreaded Clinical Experience Report. Last semester I had readings and homework due every single day.. This semester I actually have enough breathing space ot engage in and enjoy the learning process. I'm developing interest in the field of social psychology, and am relishing the new skills I'm building in New Testament Greek - reading the Bible in its original text opens up new breathtaking vistas of meaning and insight. It's so exciting! Sometimes I feel guilty for having so much time.. But today I realized that God may be giving me all this free time to allow for me to seek Him. I really need to. My graduation looms closer and closer, while the time frame for initiating and completing the application process for grad school grows narrower and narrower with each day that passes. God knows I need His direction, and strength and grace to follow it.
Beside that, there's also a lot of growth going on in me. One of the fresh insights I've gained this week has been in the practical area of practice. I realized on Saturday that my attitude and skills in the area of practice (especially for music) are dismal. I'm so used to learning and catching and mastering things quickly, and thus get inpatient very easily when I practice. As a result, I lose the tremendous benefits of patient and consistent practice. For example, I'm trying to learn Claude Debussy's "Claire De Lune" (for piano) and John Mayer's "Neon" (for guitar). Both pieces have proven to be stubbornly unresponsive to my "quick wit." I am frustrated time and again at my failure to quicly learn and master those two songs. But I'm learning. Anna's patiently teaching me to be patient. Start slow. Focus on parts. Practice those parts. Pick up speed by increments. Start by getting all the notes, then throw in dynamics, and then feeling. All commonsensical pointers that I regularly disregard in my "practice sessions" (which usually degenerate into impromptu jam sessions). In any case, I'm learning. And I'm excited about it. :)
For Voice Class on Wednesday, I have to learn an Italian song called "Tu Lo Sai". It's an interesting little song sung by a very self-confident ladies' man who says to a lady: "Ask thy heart." In essence, he says, "You know you want me." =p
And on that note, I adjourn this blog until my next weekly update. =p Ciao!
Updates are looooooong overdue. A 2 month blogging hiatus is unacceptable. I hereby make amends in point form. Since I last blogged...
1. I got new shoes. From Fayetteville. The first pair of "real" Nikes that I've actually bought. $39 for a pair of white Nike Air basketball shoes. I love them to death.
2. I got my hair cut by a first-time hairdresser. One of the best haircuts I've ever gotten from someone with no professional training. Kudos, Anna, for actually listening to the customer's wishes. :) 3. I learned that when John told his disciples, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29), he was actually saying, "Look at the Lamb of God who is [right now] taking away [and putting on himself to bear] the sin of the world." This from a simple analysis of the layers of Greek semantics packed into the word "takes away" in that verse. I'm thankful for the opportunity that I have here to learn New Testament Greek.
4. I've finally started learning jazz songs. For those of you who don't know, I ardently desire to become a jazz pianist, but before last week, I had zero jazz songs in my repertoire. Go figure. That's changed tho. I've learned "Misty" and "Peace Piece" (Bill Evans), and am working on "Autumn Leaves" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."
5. Prayer meetings are growing!! It's exciting to see how God is moving on this campus.
6. I added "really-tasty-beef-semi-stew-with-onions-and-tomotoes" to my culinary repertoire.
7. I'm awestruck by how the Malaysian population on this campus has grown. We are now 22-strong, and a sizeable (and oftentimes vociferous) force on campus.
8. I got a grade changed from an A- to an A for one of my classes for last semester (Abnormal Psych) and can now give God glory for my first 4.0. 9. I've been driving like MAD. Made 3 trips to Little Rock airport and 2 trips to Fayetteville (running errands for Huy). And no one died. =p I did get a teensy bit lost tho.. But it turned out all right in the end, thanks to some cool nerves inherited from my beloved father, and to my co-driver Anna Yong's reticence from yelling, "What the heck is your problem??? WHY didn't you take that turning????". =p 10. I learned to play basketball. Yes, as shocking as that may seem, yesterday was the first time I actually learned how to shoot - from the legs, follow through with the arms, use the backboard, jump shots, etc. Many thanks to Susan Low (our resident freshman wonder-athlete) for taking 45 minutes of her time to patiently coach me. It's exciting to learn new things!! 11. I've learned to skip rocks. Yes, another new skill that I would expect me to already have under my belt. Cool, nonetheless, to watch a rock leave your fingers and skip across a body of water, thanks to fascinating mechanisms of physics I am unacquainted with. 12. I've been pressed with a growing realization of my own depravity and pride and abject need for God. May God continue working in me to develop the humble character of His Son. A life verse I have recently received has been from Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Many thanks to the Holy Spirit for opening my eyes to see the context of the verse: weariness and burden is a direct result of self-striving and selfishness and pride, the opposite of gentleness and humbleness of heart. Jesus invites us to adopt his mantle of humility and find the ease and lightness of that way of living.
13. I've been more active and outgoing this semester, spending time playing captainball on Sundays, swim parties, going out to lakes and mountains, playing racquetball (the American equivalent of squash), cycling. I've discovered that healthy eating and exercising naturally go together: the more I exercise, the less I am drawn to fatty foods and the less I tend to overeat. A neat little cycle that you might want to experiment with.
14. I'm beginning to look at post-baccelaureate options. As of now, I have a pretty good idea that God's direction is to go ahead to graduate school, so I'm working by faith on that assumption and searching for fields of psychology to specialize in and places to study at. At present, it looks like God's leading me to stay on in the States after graduation to pursue a PhD or PsyD. God's timing is weird (in a sense that it rarely ever fits our schedule) but perfect: I talked to Prof Jones last week, and found out they're just beginning to reach out and look for Universities to network with for internships and graduate school opportunities for U of O psych majors. I'm excited to see how He will lead and I will follow in the days to come.
There's a simmering mix of thoughts and emotions in my head and heart at the mo.. I think that picture above (taken at the Malaysia Week festival in the Covent Gardens, London) is a fairly accurate picture of the mix in my head. I'm:
1) Missing Malaysia and "home" (i.e., Penang) even more now that I'm with my family and out of Malaysia 2) *Surprisingly* missing good old Clarksville, Arkansas, where I don't have to worry about pickpockets and touters and traffic jams and stuffy public transport 3) Having some "self-digestion" problems as new thoughts about myself and my family come to the surface 4) Physically tired (as evidenced by my slouched body position) from traveling at unearthly hours (we leave for Rome at 4am tomorrow morning) and endless walking and being a tourist
Of course, this picture is not complete. I am also:
1) Enjoying Europe immensely 2) Treasuring the time I get to spend with my family 3) Seeing and experiencing God in new ways 4) Raring to see and experience more of Europe
Pictures are forthcoming, though they may only come in 2-3 weeks' time.. We'll be in Rome till Friday, and then be in Salzburg, Vienna, and Paris for a week or so before spending our final week (end of July) in the Netherlands.
I would appreciate prayers for safety - for us and our belongings - in Rome.
Sinner. Saved by grace. Saint (in the making). Worshipper. Musician. Wordsmith. Artist. Lover of beauty. Man. Child of God. Wannabe athlete. Emotional. Thinker. Complex. Different. Person.
