It’s been two years

Propinquity: I miss it.

Thirty Good Days

The last month has been busy like you wouldn’t believe. It’s still busy—we’re coasting into the last week and a half of the quarter, and I have two papers, a final project and a final exam (having already completed three short papers in the last week).

It’s also been a lot of fun (mostly; I’m not going to document my vehicular week from hell). Let’s start with a month ago, when Tim was here for a week. What did we do?

We went to see Lifehouse in San Diego with Naph.

We saw Gabe and Maribeth and Matt.

We were able to go to the beach and go shopping for cheap stuff (the exchange rate is ridiculous).

We went to see Colbie Caillat in Malibu, with Amanda and Candice.

And we played lots of cards and dominoes.

And then it was Amanda’s birthday, for which we went to the Griffith Observatory and ‘hiked’ (for about a half hour, so it doesn’t really count).

And then, after a couple more weeks of paper-writing, class-attending, and working, it was my birthday weekend! And what a weekend it was. I’m not really one for huge parties where I don’t get to talk to people; instead, I got to have six (yes, six) meals with various friends.

First, pizza and The Office/Scrubs on Thursday night with the ‘marrieds’: DJ & Mara, Matt & Sara, and John & Grace, (except Grace was ill). Then, on Friday morning, had dim sum with the usual crew. Chuck, Andy, Wendy and I all had birthdays last weekend—hooray for Valentine’s babies!

On Monday (my actual birthday), I went out for Chipotle lunch with Jon and Will, from work; and then Monday evening, post-class (woohoo for class on my birthday!), a few of us went to Chandra’s for dinner.

Tuesday night was celebration #5, with Gabe, Maribeth and Matt, and Micah & Christie.

And finally, on Wednesday night, Benjie treated me to birthday sushi.

Thursday night was Thanksgiving night, which I enjoyed with my neighbors, and yesterday, we went to see the Christmas tree get lit at One Colorado. (It was a little bit underwhelming, I have to say; though my arms did get a serious work-out from carrying Eli).

So it’s been a good month; a hard month and a hard-working month, but a fun month. I’m looking forward to Christmas and heading back to Hong Kong in just under two weeks. Whoop!

I love, you love

I was thinking about how we love the things that those we love, love. Does that make sense? We come to love the things that are dear to those we love because they are dear to the ones we love. So we care about social justice, about helping the poor and oppressed, about human trafficking, about spousal abuse, about inner city violence, about war and peace, about loving our neighbor, about our own well-being, because these things are on God’s heart. Because he cares about them, and because we care about him, we come to care about the things that he cares about.

I looked back at the years when Ally and I were together, and I realized that we didn’t really do this. I love to play sports, and to play music; she loved to play hockey and to dance. But over the three years of our relationship, she came to see me play soccer once; she heard me play music (outside of a church context) once or twice; I saw her play hockey once and I went dancing with her … less than once. We didn’t share the things we loved with each other; or at least we didn’t take an interest in the things the other person loved—I know that was true for me, anyway. And that was probably a good gauge of how the relationship was, even though things seemed rosy otherwise and we seemed ‘compatible’.

If I don’t share my life with the ones I love, if I’m not taking an interest in the things they love … I’m worse off.

Who’d've thought?

It’s encouraging news.

Dear Dad

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Love,
Jus.

To the ones I love …

This is for you:

So far away from where you are
These miles have torn us worlds apart
And I miss you
Yeah, I miss you

So far away from where you are
Standing underneath the stars
And I wish you were here

I miss the years that were erased
I miss the way the sunshine would light up your face
I miss all the little things
I never thought that they’d mean everything to me
Yeah, I miss you
And I wish you were here

I feel the beating of your heart
I see the shadows of your face
Just know that wherever you are
Yeah, I miss you
And I wish you were here

I miss the years that were erased
I miss the way the sunshine would light up your face
I miss all the little things
I never thought that they’d mean everything to me
Yeah, I miss you
And I wish you were here

So far away from where you are
These miles have torn us worlds apart
And I miss you
Yeah, I miss you
And I wish you were here

From Where You Are, Lifehouse

Poetic venting

Caterpillar to butterfly
without the cocoon
Changing, growing, becoming
all out in the open for everyone to see
Wanting to be hidden
in the safety of obscurity

I feel like a child
jumping around trying to wave my arms so people will see me
“This is not who I’ll always be
Don’t write me off yet
Wait till you see who I become
what I become
I’ll make you proud”

I guess if you’re sticking with me now
you must love me more than I love myself
coz I don’t think I would …

Maybe that’s what I need:
your perspective