When a Good Day Turns Bad

Yesterday was a really great day. I got a nice-sized order, work was really good and we ate at a nice little Italian cafe that was fairly priced. Even traffic wasn't too shabby with the fog and all after work. I got home in about 26 minutes. All in all a good day.

After a 20 minute cat nap I reluctantly got up to get ready for youth group. James almost had to make me. I was just so tired for some reason. James grabs his basketball, the bibles and I get dressed in workout clothes to pump myself up for a run after youth group. We get out of the car with my purse, the basketball, the bibles and James grabs his wallet and phone. Right as I walk in I get hit hard in the head by a basketball, and that proceeds to give me a throbbing headache for the rest of the night. But Trevor actually apologized and asked if I was okay, so I thought it was a mini victory.

10 minutes later James realizes he accidentally sat his phone and wallet down on the table when we first walked in, and it is now missing. So Pastor Dan made an announcement that nobody was leaving until the wallet and phone showed up, but 4 boys had already left by then. James' wallet was found by another church member on the street with the cash gone, but everything else still in tact. The phone is still yet to be found. Two of the boys promised they'd get the phone back and told us not to worry about it. As of now I still remain skeptical as James remains hopeful. (Is that sad..)

As all of this was going on two of my girls were tugging on one of their shoes back and forth and the other girl let go. Of course they both wanted me to sit between them so my nose gets slammed by her crocs. At this point I am ready to just go home. The kids are being so rowdy, Pastor Dan presents a "nick" (affectionately described by J, the aforementioned kid from "Ya'll went to Zuma's?") of pot found in the hallway, and James has locked his phone and disconnected it. I never ran last night.

So this is how a good day turns bad.

HOWEVER: We did get to do our candlelight service with the kids and a short message from John, which was the redeeming factor of the night. We're still taking them out to the Galleria to iceskate and play broomball Saturday night. If you're out and about in that area around this time, please beware.

Meet Mark & Nickie

My wonderful parents whom we affectionately refer to as "Mark" and "Nickie" (real names have been used) are the best. First they let us call them Mark and Nickie, usually when we're teasing them or making fun of a comment or gesture they've just made, second they're AWESOME parents who have worked hard to get us where we are now and third, not to limit their awesome-ness with only three points, they shamelessly guilt trip us when we don't call them at least twice a day (which I have kept up for the most part) and then act like it's not a big deal when I call and say "I'm calling so you won't freak out when you don't hear from me today". Usually Nickie will respond with, "Oh. I don't care if you don't call..." They're just such cute little characters. My mom is perhaps the sassiest 51-year-old you will EVER meet. Sassy is sometimes referred to as a bad thing, but she's so darn cute when she gets all snappy. My dad used to talk to our dog Spot, "Oh! Good morning, Spot! You need to pee?" And he'll randomly yell things throughout the house (disclaimer: dad is not crazy). Maybe you have to be there...

What inspired this post was the phone conversation I just had with my dad about a recent Christmas purchase I've made for them. I called to let them know to be sure to look out for the Amazon package which will contain the digital camera I've purchased as their present (which they asked for - that's how we roll in the Chang household. Buy your own presents, wrap them yourself and stick them under the tree).

Well then Mark proceeds to whisper in the phone (all in Chinese, but I'll spare you the butchered ping yin since I've not been a product of the Evergreen Chinese School of Houston or other "formal" schooling), "Hey, buy your mom that hair clamp thing that your sisters have.

Me: What hair clamp thing? Mom's hair is too short.

Mark: You know, the one that your sisters use. She keeps saying she wants one...

Me: Ohhh, the Chi?

Mark: Yea, sure. (voice getting quieter) I know she wants one. She keeps talking about it.

Me: (chuckle) ha, okay okay.

Mark: Be sure to send it to the restaurant, okay? Okay? Don't forget...

And I just thought it was so cute! This is probably a normal occurence in every other household (parents sneakily getting each other surprise gifts), but it's just extra cute to me when my dad tries to do it. Here's some more pictures just cause. And one day when they finally learn how to efficiently use the computer Nickie will kill me for posting these pictures of her in her pj's celebrating her birthday this year and for posting her age.

I'm a window shoppaaa

If only that were the case...
So my family (my mom, 2 sisters, and their bf's who aren't considered "family", but eh..) and I braved the crowds at North Park mall in Dallas Friday morning on my way back to Houston. This place was craaaazy. We walked past Bebe (which I've never been a HUGE fan of), and the line was INSANE. It was snaking through the store occupied by women salivating over their soon-to-be purchases. And I walked by several times - the line was neverending at all times. So after shopping ALL day - literally - and running into Miss Tina Lin (woo hoo!) I was pooped. I didn't even get to go through half of the stores in the mall let alone the whole thing. Every year (or month, depending on my shopping itches) I'm torn between buying and not buying. A lot of the times I just feel guilty about it, but I am the person who will sacrifice kitchen devices, home decorations and possibly food to shop. So doesn't that justify me spending a little more money on clothes/accessories/shoes since I am willing to cut back on the other things? (Sure, Jen).

Well one of the very first sermons I remember Pastor Smith preaching about was regarding Christmas and Madison Ave. techniques. He said that we'll notice the church will never have too many "holiday decor" and Christmas trees and whatnot, because that's not what celebrating Christmas is all about. He even said his kids have never gotten a present on Christmas Day, because it's not their birthday. And when it was their birthday, they would receive the appropriate gifts. I noticed plenty of people were tweeting "No buying day". Not sure what that meant, except maybe they were protesting the consumerist society that America has become (myself included).

Well maybe this will help explain some of it. Shopping has always been a bonding type of thing for my family. When my parents worked a lot, they'd take us on a shopping trip to Dallas (why not WF you ask? you can see our mall from end to end when you enter from any one entrance). And I've come to discover that my parents show their love and receive their love in the form of gifts (and some quality time). Not that my parents spoiled us rotten when we were kids, and not that they will only think we love them when we buy them gifts, but that's just how they showed their love to us. When my mom can take all three of us shopping she sees that as spending quality time with us, AND she LOVES shopping with us. She doesn't necessarily like shopping alone. Only when she shops with us. So I guess none of this justifies my overspending at times or my lack of control when I shop at times, but this year I don't feel bad for shopping and buying. I feel like I spent good quality time with the fam, my mommy was very happy (which she repeatedly told me throughout the day) and I think she really appreciated it.

What are your thoughts on shopping for the holidays?

my best invention

In the 4th grade at Washington Jackson Math Science Center we had an "invention convention" with our science classes. My invention was the Laundry Separator in which I slit a Rubbermaid laundry hamper in half and inserted a plastic separator. Then I cut out two flaps on the top and bottom in which you can dump your whites and colors respectively. I was inspired by my mommy who did laundry at least twice a week and would have piles upon piles of clothes all over the kitchen floor near the laundry room. I guess they have separate hampers installed into the bathroom walls these days. Needless to say I didn't win or get honorable mention. Keith Whipple with his blender guard (to prevent splattering and what not when you blend things - basically a plastic guard around your blender...) won first place. I remember picturing him becoming a millionaire by the 6th grade.

What brought up my recent walk down memory lane was Time's latest issue of the best inventions of 2008. We live in a world of geniuses people. I was truly amazed that people could even think of this stuff. Among my favorites are the following:

1. Google's Floating Data Center - wind turbines and wave-powered generators will provide the electricity, ocean water will cool the servers, and offshore real estate is free.

2. The Global Seed Vault - located on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen, a "backup for backups". It keeps collections of native seeds so local crops can be replanted in case of an agricultural disaster and can hold up to 4.5 million samples, which will be kept dry at about 0°F.

3. Green Crude - *James' dad actually told us about this a while back...researchers at ASU have been working on raising algae to turn into a biofuel that would be almost the same as gasoline. It would be carbon-neutral, because algae consume carbon dioxide as they grow.

4. The Dynamic Tower - the world's first moving skyscraper, powered by wind and with each of the 80 floors rotating 360 degrees, all at different speeds. First is to be built in Dubai with another planned in Moscow.

5. Camera for the Blind - hold the camera up to his/her forehead, and a Braille-like screen on the back makes a raised image of whatever the lens sees.

I also liked Montreal's Public Biking System, Sound-Enhanced Food and the new Ping-Pong Serve. I wonder if I'll ever invent anything that will change the way people live life or better processes around the world. One can only wonder.

Ya'll went to Zuma's?? (A post by James)

This is my first post on Jen's blog (yay :). So Jen and I lead Bible Study groups for kids at our church on Wednesday nights. I lead early high school boys and she leads junior high girls. Both groups tend to be pretty rambunctious to say the least. This past Wednesday something hit me though that although was somewhat evident before really hit home here.

I have one kid in my group whose name let's say is J. J was active in the youth group all summer and at times showed promise to even be a leader. He's funny at times and can be quick witted, but oftentimes is annoyingly loud. Playing ball with him over the summer he repeated the phrase, "Mr. Sir Sir!" at the top of his lungs for two straight hours that drove me nuts. About a month ago I found out his story: both parents in jail, constantly on the move living with relatives and oftentimes at friends' houses before being kicked out, sometimes coming to youth group not knowing where he will be staying that night. One Wednesday he was acting up so much and being so disruptive I had to sit him aside for about 30 minutes to teach the lesson to him individually. It did not seem to register. Our pastor who has a good relationship with him decided to ask him to take a break from the fellowship for a couple of weeks as a punishment for being so disruptive to the lessons. So for a couple of weeks I did not see him and then found out that he was in jail for carjacking. Then last week I found out that he has had numerous run ins with the law having accidentally shot and killed a family member a few years back.

Just yesterday he came back to fellowship a little more sedated with kids asking where he'd been. He brushed it off and made some quick deflective remarks. So I taught the lesson asking him questions along the way to which he did not have any answers. And by the end of the lesson, which I'm not sure if he took anything away from, he comes up to the leaders who are discussing next week's activity outing and listens. He hears someone say, "Zuma's." And a light bulb went off in his head in a way that "Jesus", "salvation" , "sacrifice", and pretty much any other heftier word in the lesson did not have a standing chance. So he asked, "Ya'll went to Zuma's?" and asked it about 5 times quickly in succession. To which I responded, "No, we're deciding that right now for next week." He looks at me for maybe a second turns back to the leaders and asks, "Ya'll went to Zuma?" At this point I give him a confused look and then confoundedly turn to Jen who is just laughing at me.

All this being said. There are a couple things and questions I'd like to pose and highlight:
1) Not all these kids have such troubled pasts but many do, and my question is, is this a vicious cycle doomed to repeat itself? Many of these kids are 16/17 barely out of middle school. Is it the failure of parents, bad teachers, the system, the students themselves, us as a society, or simply us as the "privileged"? I realize that progress and revitalization takes much time, and we try to do our small part in the larger more complex puzzle, but it is nevertheless frustrating, so where do you think the problem lies? And I suppose the follow-up question would be, what are we each and all doing to alleviate the systemic effects of poverty either in our close proximity or around the world?
2) I see how intelligent these kids are and for some how much they have failed and come to be satisfied with their failures that it makes me lose heart. It's funny cause Jen would hear the kids often rapping freestyle and if that's not an indication of their intrinsic abilities and intelligence I'm not sure what is. So, maybe it is a product of expectations. ie) the only way to "make it" is to be a rapper or an athlete, so that's where they invest their time. I recently told the kids that I'm unemployed right now looking for a job, to which they responded: "YOU UNEMPLOYED, but didn't you graduate high school?!" One this is probably a product of them thinking I'm 18 as opposed to 25, but also it's a product of them seeing high school graduation as the necessary hurdle for employment as opposed to college. Now I realize and sympathize that that might just be the reality for some who can't afford or have to work urgently, but isn't there a systematic problem with an expectation that your dream in life is to simply get by if that athletic scholarship doesn't come through?
3) Going back to my friend J, what will it take to get through to this guy? I have no clue; what he has gone through in the past year I most likely will not experience in a lifetime and to extrapolate that comparison for his entire life, I would in turn not experience in 10 or 20 lifetimes. So I cannot empathize, but I still will try to point him to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith and one who can truly empathize with his suffering. Other than that I'm at a loss. Personally in the midst of all my uncertainty with regards to job or school or future residence, I cannot make promises on being able to be there or mentor him long term or anything like that, so that makes it difficult. But I have him for a short while. Maybe I can reach him for a second. That second where he looks at me and he gets it and it all makes sense; that's what I'm waiting and hoping and praying for. But as for now, he looks at me again and says, "Ya'll went to Zuma's?"

H-Town Traffic

Every bustling metropolitan city deals with traffic. It's a part of life and character development. I'm actually pretty blessed, because the route that I take to work is opposite of the flow of traffic. So most days I speed at 70-72 mph (though lately it's been around 60 as I hear you can save gas by doing so..), and I watch the stationary cars "driving" down 45 south thinking to myself, "That realllly sucks. How do people do that day in and day out and THEN go to work?? I'd shoot myself".

Well here's my beef with traffic, outside of the normal congestion due to the fact that we live in a large city with a large population of commuting suburbanites and no great public transportation system (my apologies to those who Park N Ride and LOVE it):

1. Drivers who cut in the merge lane last minute because they refuse to wait in the long line that they obviously know exists half a mile back. One, they are stopping the flow of traffic in the lane they are currently in because they are having to slow down last minute to get in front of a car who has waited patiently for the past 20 minutes and is now very unhappy and will most likely edge into the car in front so that they absolutely can't get in. Two, this can cause backups in the lane they already occupy or even an accident, because there is no reason for them to be stopping or slowing down heading in that direction. There are some people who argue that it's okay that they do so because they transition smoothly and don't cause the car behind them to brake and ripple effect. But this is just simply not true. The cars behind you will most likely panic and brake anyway even if the aggressive merger has "transitioned smoothly".

2. Traffic that is stop and go until you get to the horizon of freedom and realize that there is NOTHING there. There is absolutely no reason as to why you have just driven in 0-20 mph peaks and valleys for the past 7 miles. Some days I'll hear news of a wreck that was previously there and has been cleared for 30 minutes, but most of the time I attribute this phenomenom to people who just don't know how to drive. Why is traffic stop and go when there's clearly free lanes? Because people don't know how to drive. I realize that that is a pretty general statement, but plainly put it is what it is. And this traffic hiccup usually sucks most when I leave for work early only to sit an extra hour or so of unexplained stoppage.

3. Wrecks. There I said it. Call me insensitive. My disclaimer: I know that accidents happen, and sometimes that's just it. So knowing that accidents are likely to occur - pay attention my friends! I have seen a truck drive 60 through sheets of rain only to hydroplane and slam into the divider. Or a '98 Corolla who pulls out in front of a car in swift motion who obviously is going too fast for said Corolla to gain speed and compensate for cutting them off. Make wise decisions Houstonites. Sometimes it gets to the point when I'm annoyed that there are wrecks. I feel like I am going to get run over by someone who's experienced or knows of someone who's experienced any type of automobile accident - and I apologize for that happening to you, but I don't apologize for how I feel. Pay attention people!

Please pray for my safety in driving home today...

Coffee Talk

What? Elections are happening this year?? Well thanks to Comedy Central's Indecision 2008 I've been on top of things! I was devastated when Stephen Colbert withdrew from the race, but life must go on. So! Obviously, being the young, idealistic invididual that I am I suppose I am slated to vote for Obama. Well over the course of the past few months, on my way to the coffee pot, I've had several long conversations with an older colleague of mine. He's staunchly Republican, but was not always that way back in the 70's when he dabbled in things...

So he chides me, usually just teasing me, for the views I hold and my opinions on what the government is doing or should be doing in the future. He says I'm idealistic, and that's not a bad thing.* We've talked about everything from abortion to Afghanistan to Cambodia to Africa to education to healthcare to the Middle East to the Iraq War to bailouts to Vietnam to the economy. I guess we've touched on a bit of everything. He's brought up very interesting points and opened my mind to different views that I probably would not have thought of before. It's almost made me a tad more cynical as well. Should I vote third party just to protest? Do I really think either of the candidates will follow through with what they've promised, or will they just be controlled by their campaign contributors? Will Obama really spend dollar for dollar, and how will he decrease taxes with all of the new programs he's wanting to implement? What will the world come to think of America if, heaven forbid, Sarah Palin ever became President???
(ohh, I don't know...pew pew pew)

Well the point of this blog is really just to express how much I've enjoyed my coffee talk with him. Not only did it tell me more about him and what he's done and where he's been in the past (which I probably wouldn't have known cause he keeps to himself quite a bit), but it has kept me in check and made me think of the whole picture, what and how might circumstances change my views in the future. And that I'm just not as bright and well-read as I thought I was. Which isn't really breaking news to me, but it always feels good to have it handed to you every now and then. It's made me think mostly of how much I want government to be involved and where it should be involved, and lots of other things too, of course. And I haven't really come to a conclusion. Which can only lead me to my first and only tried and true - I am not leading toward one party or another. I hope to and should always vote on the issues.

*Of course when the whole bailout happened he casually said that I was a socialist because of the thoughts and views I shared on what should/could happen (and this is coming from an NPR/BBC junkie who majored in Biology and is married to a finance major - what do I know??).

Living for the Weekend

So I've always heard that it's really sad and almost pathetic to live for the weekend. And let me explain my perception of "living for the weekend". When I get in the office on Monday morning my countdown for Friday has already begun. And I get into work early. I have never been more thankful for Wednesday, my midweek intermission before there is only 2 more days until the weekend. Thursday happy hours are tempting, but I will forgo it to enjoy Friday's that much more. Friday happy hours no longer entice me with their food specials. Sometimes I just want that cold drink to hit my lips and thus beginning my weekend.
But the thing is I don't want to live for the weekend. It's really sad to me, and I don't want to be at a job that will give me that mindset. However I AM now at such a job, so I'm guessing I need a change of attitude towards my job. Easier said than done.

Things currently distracting me from work: Twitter (my newfound friend), Facebook, bank accounts (yes, bank accounts which I will check daily) and Flickr.
I'm sure there are more to come.

Eurotrip 2008

In efforts to increase my blog's visits, and to increase James and I's ratings in life we've decided to combine forces to form one gigantic blog - for the 3 readers that do wander to this blogspot. With this blog I feel like I did back in elementary school. I was that girl who would start every hobby because I wanted to buy all the cool stuff at Hobby Lobby, and then 3 weeks later be bored of it. Well I refuse to let this little thought vomit space become the next ill-fated hobby!!! So I continue by reminiscing and throwing out thoughts of our Eurotrip 2008 from August 21st to September 16th of this year.

We started out in Paris, France.

Top 3
1. We saw all of the big sights - The Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Palace of Versailles, Musee d'Orsay, Notre Dame, etc.
2. The cheese is AMAZING there. I could eat it every day, every meal.
3. Subway system is convenient and will get you anywhere. PLUS people are very chic.

Bottom 3
1. People are snotty and rude. *Disclaimer: not everyone, but a good number.
2. Everyone smokes - and I hate smoke.
3. Places we went were really touristy = long lines = I have no patience. I know it's our fault, cause we went to touristy places, but that doesn't change the fact!

Next stop - Barcelona, Spain

Top 3 - I really could go on about this place...
1. Gaudi architecture was amazing.
2. Everything was cheaper than Paris.
3. People were a lot friendlier and good eye candy wherever we went (before you judge me, James thought so too)

Bottom 3
1. ya know, I don't know if there are any....except maybe people take too many siestas! but that's just part of the culture

ADD has already set in as well as the lunch hour portion of my work day. This is to be continued..

V is for Vision

Back in college I used to write out my goals for each school year whether they be short term, long term, school-related, personal - you get the point. And then I'd look back and see how each year went, journal about it blah blah blah. Most may know how this process works, or most are thinking this girl's cheesy. **And of course by "most", I'm referring to the 3 people that I know how are actually reading my blog. Pahaha. And I thank you...**
Onwards! I always lose focus...So I was sitting here at work rethinking every word of venting/gossip/complaining I've vomited out of my mouth today, and then mentally kicking myself for not following through with what I've resolved to do (which would be NOT to do that anymore), and my mind wandered back to when I used to have goals for every year. And that led me to thinking about having a vision statement for myself and what I intend on doing with life this half-over 2008 year. So I've decided to compose some sort of vision for the rest of this year, and probably something that I can add on to or modify from year to year as I march on to chronological maturity*. Here it is, hold me to it, also subject to change:

"To live life filled with a compassion for people, zeal for the work that I do and led by a pattern of godliness."

End post.

*trademark Pastor Rufus Smith, IV

Meet Nelson

This is a good friend of Mary Kate Tate's new puppy affectionately named Nelson. For most people who know me I've been scared of dogs all of my life. However, I've recently (past year or so) come to the revelation of getting a puppy and raising it on my own. I feel that this form of therapy would be best to get over my fear.

Alas my fear will never be put to rest because my dear husband refuses to get a puppy. He's "allergic", and here's how our convo went:

Me: can we please get a puppy?

James: i thought you were scared

(i proceeded to explain my self-prescribed therapy)

James: i don't want to buy something that i will have to serve. it's not gonna happen. besides, i'm allergic

Me: you're allergic?

James: yea my parents told me when i was a kid

(ZACK MORRIS TIMEOUT): you put two and two together and tell me whether or not he's really allergic. If I was a parent who didn't want my kids to get a dog, my kid would probably develop an allergy too.

Everyone in my complex has a puppy, and is that the reason I want one? No, I don't need a conversation piece to get into the dog park club. I really do want a puppy. So this post is dedicated to my burning desire to get a puppy. Here are some of my top choices:

Beagle

Boxer

Please comment and voice your best reasons for getting a puppy to convince my husband that we should get one too. CAVEAT: Dog-owners preferred.

WHOA. chi did what??

Yes, Chi did.
I don't really have anything deep insight into anything or witty commentary which is usually what I think of when I hear blog/xanga/whateverelsetheremightbe. If anything I now wish this could've been anonymous, and that way it could be an avenue of venting about my daily traffic battles, demoralizing volleyball games and office drama that nobody would care about. BUT Lora Brooke Barber has done it again, and ironically, she has been the one to get me started on what she would previously have referred to as "asian-y things" rather than the other way around. First myspace, now this. So here I am blogging about my new blog at work when I should be closing some sale. But it's kinda fun. Hats off and cheers to the overflowing nonsense that is to come. Good luck and godspeed to everyone reading.