Sigh

z


It's day 3 of my exam week and I miss my friends.

Thankful

The last post would be the last time I ever try talking about anything that is close to politics. Bottom line: go vote on Monday.

In spite of my recent struggles with exams, ministries, family, spiritual walk, and friendships, for the past couple of days I noticed that there are still many things in life that remind me of God's presence. He is still near me and still very real, blessing me abundantly. These things include:

• A nice, quiet morning walk to KCAC
• Friends offered to cook for me during my monstrous exam week
• A good old laugh with my cell group during fellowship, no matter how stupid the activities are
• Hugs and kisses given by Tif Chan's eight-month-old Husky
• A good four hour sleep at night (better than none)
• the way Jon ate his 20 pieces of Chicken McNuggets, just like a 5 year-old kids enjoying what he loves
• Opportunities to pray with good buddies

I am stressed, yet I am thankful.

My Courageous Take on the Politics and Civil Rights

With 5 life-sucking exams coming up next week, I should be studying rather than posting. But as a Canadian with a Chinese accent, I feel that it is extremely important to vote on Monday. I am as ignorant to politics as fat boy to vegetable so that means double crunch time for me in both my exams and election. Anyway, everyone please vote on Monday. Or else, don't complain that your life sucks when you have passed the opportunity to voice out your opinion and make a difference. I can do that because I voted everytime. By the way, what's up with the Green Party?

Cell Group Convo Series, #2

During a game of Taboo:

Steve: What are girls always on?
Jon: Makeup!
Me: Gossips?
Jon: Drugs!
Me: Perfume!
Jon: lingerie?
Me: Period?!
Steve: No no no no!
Opposite Team: Times up!
Steve: It's the telephone!
Jon and Me: Ohhh...

Jon: What are the countries involved in WWII?
Me: Germany?
Steven: USA?
Me: Canada? Italy?
Steven: Britain?
Jon: No! It got hit by the bomb?
Me: Nagasaki?
Steven: Japan!
Jon: Yes yes! Now what do they have?
Steven: Sushi?
Me: Sashimi? Geisha?
Steven: Tempura?
Me: Tea? Salmon?
Jon: No! They are fighters in ancient Japan...
Opposite Team: Times up!
Steven: Samurai?
Jon: Yes!
Opposite Team: Why don't you just say the Movie with Tom Cruise. The Last ________.
Jon: ...

Me: Who got swollowed by a whale?
Jon and Steve: JONAS!
Opposite Team: Times up!
Me: It's Pinocchio.
Jon and Steven: wah???

Sigh. At least we know the Bible...

Makeover

Lately some friends of mine (*ahem* Mike and Kwan) have been comparing my looks with and without my glasses being put on. They tried so desparately just to let others see both aspects of me and comment on it. They all believe that I look more like a heart throb with my glasses on and that the glasses can "shrink" my big head that is very unporpotional to my body size. Well, what do you guys think?

Without Glasses

With Glasses

I guess they do have a point...

The New Year Resolution Syndrome (mean post I)

For the past three days I have been going to the PEC (Queen's Gym) and Library to study for my upcoming exams. I have been going to the PEC since last January (New Year resolution) so that people (*cough* Kwan and Edmond *cough*) won't be able to make fun of my small arms anymore. My workout partner and I were doing the usual but all of a sudden we found that we actually had to wait for equipment... for several turns!!! This not only put a hiccup in our routines but it just sucks to have to wait for even a 12 pound dumbell (just as an example... I don't use that...) We were pissed because we never had to wait for anything in PEC. Then I realized that this is due to the new year resolutions everyone made. "This year I am going to lose 5 pounds." "This year I am going to lose 20 punds." "This year I will stay healthy." "This year I'll look hot"... etc. People give it up. You know who you are and you are going to stop coming to gym after a week or two. While you are pumping your biceps with dumbells you are probably thinking about candy bars and chips inside your head. So just quit while you can. Otherwise you will feel more guilty about not keeping your new year resolution after a month. Then you will feel depressed and eat more to indulge. In the end, you will become obese so DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR AND STOP HOGGING THE BENCH!! The same goes to the library goers... IF YOU WANT TO USE MSN, JUST GO HOME TO YOUR COMPUTER. LEAVE THE SEATS TO THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED THEM! I am so brutally blunt sometimes...

Resolutions?!?!

Everything is back in full swing now. Streets are filled with students walking to their classes. Keeners start studying after their first day of classes. KCCF and Praise and Power are quickly approaching to my schedule. My apartment becomes noisier and messier. Kwan and Mike start blogging about their miserable lives again. Ah, life is good. I have actually made some resolutions this year and this is actually the first time I made new year resolutions. Hopefully by the end of the year I will at least remember what resolutions I made...

#1 Be on time every morning for my 8:30 class .
I realized it is getting out of hand when my classmates were surprised to see me on time for class.

My alarm clock. Oh, maybe that's why...

#2 Stop making fun of my cell group members because of their ethnic background, personal preference, daily habits, the way they look, level of intelligence...

No need to eleborate.

#3 Read my Bible everyday.

Straight up.

#4 Stick with this verse for the year (esp. this coming term).

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:14

I better be man enough to back these things up. By the way, this is a headline I read on the Stars today: Turkey reports avian flu in 5 more people. Haha... get it?

***********

Welcome back.

Film Film Films

Man, last night edmond and I watched 3 movies straight and my eyes are still a bit tipsy. Great night though. Ive decided to start writing crtiques about every movie that I am going to see. I may not be a good writer with all the witty remarks but I can certainly smell a bad film when I see one. I hate films that waste my time... with a passion... so when I'm gonna be as blunt as I can be (even tho many of you know I already am hehe).

The Wedding Crashers

I know, I am probably the only person who hasn't seen this film yet but... (jaw drops) Wow, this film would have been a hilarious film if not for its offensive contents. But again, without being offensive, this film wouldn't have been funny. So i guess it's just another movie that uses sex, racism, sexism, and stereotypes enlighten its audience. For the first half of the movie, all I remembered was the sex scenes coming on screen one after another. Crashing weddings for fun? Don't you guys have anything else to do? Does having sex with sensitive, insecure, desparate single women give you more security in life? Is that the glory you are seeking for? When I thought they couldn't go any lower, Will Farrell showed up and started crashing funerals... C'mon guys. It did make me laugh at that moment but the more I thought about it, these guys sunk too low. Vince Vaughn, why don't you step away from Jennifer Aniston? However, Rachel McAdams is quickly becoming one of my favourite actress. Props to her.

Rating: 3/10
Final Comment: The next time Vince Vaughn yelled Jesus when he is with a topless girl I am going to scream.

Fantastic Four

A film that jumped the Marvel-Superheros-in-films bandwagon. I was in love with xmen and spiderman when they became the subjects of Hollywood movie makers. However, I am not so thrilled with the Fantastic Four. This movie is basically a two hour hissy fit between Mr Fantastic and Invisible Girl, who can't settle for wearing something that doesn't show her curves or cleavage (oh, Jessica Alba). For the whole time each of the four characters are struggling to live their lives as normal individuals after the crash. Yes, it does give the heros character, just like spiderman and badman begins. However, these people have tremendously boring lives. The movie kept stretching that point and made the movie tremendously boring too. When the fighting finally started kicking in, the movie ended. Boo-hoo. It is just another superhero blockbuster wannabe.

Guys, stay back! Audience wants to see me only!

Seems familiar?

Rating: 6/10

Final Comment: More actions please.

LLL

Cinderella Man

@ Blockbuster:

Me: You wanna watch Cinderella man?

Ed: Why do I wanna watch a chick flick?

Haha. This movie is anything but a chick flick so don't be mistaken by its title. An honourable film I might say. The story surrounds a washed-up boxer (played by Russell Crowe) in the 1930s, the period of Great Depression. As opportunties to fight became scarce, Crowe worked and begged in order to feed his desparate family. This is a film that portraits the a man's struggle not only with his earning but also with his faith. I remember when his wife tried to pray with him, he simply said: "I can't do it. I'm all prayed out." It definitely put me back to perspective. Comparing to these desparate characters, our life problems seem so small, yet we still give up on praying many times. The man didn't go to church for months not because he couldn't wake up on Sunday morning but because he could pick up extra shifts on Sundays. The family in this film faces poverty and many uncertainties yet they remained stronger than ever. Little things became blessings for them. The boxing scenes are also very captivitating. Renee Zellweger has always been a favourite of mine and she showed that she deserves an Oscar nomination in this emotional film.

Rating: 9/10

Final Comment: Easy criers, bring your tissue box.

My Loneliness... is killing me...

Being alone in Kingston is the least thing I would do as a human being in these long cold winter days... but at least I am alive and well. I would love to thank some of my housemates for showing support.

Some conversation over the phone:
Me: Hello?
Ed: Hey, it's Edmond.
Me: Hey man? How's it going in TO?
Ed: Not bad. Gavin, can you water my plants in my room? I think they are dying.
Me: ... sure... Is that it?
Ed: Yes. Catch you later bro. (hang up)

On MSN:
Matt: Why r u in kingston??
Matt: so early...
Me: haha
Me: cuz school is starting for me matt
Matt: what?!?!?!
Matt: why?
Me: cuz that's my program
Me: xray is different from everyone else
Matt: u know wat sux?
Matt: having school 1 week earlier than everyone else
Me: ...


I live with jerks.

Killer Christmas Break

)
That's right. I'm pissed. My Break is about to end in a day and I am already back in the sacred land of Kingston. Heidi at the back is still smiling because her break isn't over yet. I guess this is a good time to sum up my Christmas break which is quite eventful.

I got baptized just a week before Christmas. I guess my break started on a high note. Everyone around me, my friends, my family, church, they are all rejoicing. More importantly, I felt blessed not because of all the support but because of the fact that there is a God who would provide me with all these encouraging brothers and sisters. However, things started to go downhill. The week after my family received the news that my uncle in Hong Kong suddenly passed away from a stroke, just couple days before Christmas Day. Under the Christmas tree, all I heard is my grandparents crying on top of their lungs. I had never seen everyone in my family shedding that many tears in one sitting. For the whole time I tried to suppress my feelings and told myself "it's ok, gavin, you still have Jesus. Death won't sting anymore. It's ok..." But all I could feel in my heart is the aching pain of mourning. Under all the festivities, Jesus suddenly felt so powerless to me.

The next while I constantly struggle with my faith. I chose to stay away from most of my friends during the holidays and but my heart was busy pushing God away that I couldn't concentrate on anything else. I couldn't do any of my homework. Everyday is just another day to me. The next thing I know, I ended up crashing my mom's car onto another car's rear end while I was on my way driving my sister to drawing lessons. Stunned in my mom's car, I sat there asking God, "This is just great, God. What's next?" I know I'm a bit hurt but i could not feel any pain. Smoke were coming out of the car. Stuff are leaking out of the car and people were telling me to get out of the car but I couldn't response to them (luckily it was only antifreeze). Stunned, hurt, shamed, I thought I hit rock bottom. For the rest of the night I couldn't squeeze out a single smile. My mom was worried sick. My friends were asking me about it over msn. I don't know who, what, or where I should turn to. The next day, my mom was still very frustrated with what I did with the car but she was more excited about getting a new car. Everyone was telling me that as long as my sister and I were ok, everything would be fine. It's crazy to me that everything still moves on and eveyone focuses on the bigger picture. Life is one strange thing.

I guess that God used that car crash to wake me up. If life were perfect, we won't need God's comfort. After I got baptized, it means that my life is dedicated to Jesus Christ, not just the amazing holy parts of my life, but the whole package, including the ugly side. Everyday's purpose is to put Him into the center of my life and even when I am crying, I will be crying on His feet. I know many times we don't feel like to but this is what God wants us to.

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel - which means, "God with us".

****************************

This is what God desires to do for us, to be with us every single day. He wants us to constantly pour out my struggles into Him through Jesus Christ. Getting baptized means just that. It shows the world that my life worries is washed away and when my new self is a life lived with Jesus Christ. Many times it's as simple as that, yet our sins make it so complicated. I still remember a phrase from a cheesy Chinese soap. "Even when your heart is broken, it still beats." Even when I don't want my life to move on, Jesus will give me the power to push forward. Everyday I am still being blessed even though it doesn't seem like it is. In the end, all I can say is that Jesus Rocks : ).

**

In spite of all those unhappy moments, my holidays is still full of exciting and awkward things...

--

My robe floated up in water and I freaked out cuz I'm only in my boxers.

j

---Go Mom!

m

My Baptism: no words can describe this

---

Beautiful people playing tennis...

m

Japanese Buffet becomes a routine in my life.

a

Such heroic acts will only get flushed down into the toilet.

n

My life support (apart from Jesus lol)

1

Mel's Eat-Til-You-Drop Christmas Dinner

m

Delicious Pecon Pie = Gym Bound

m

Her Parents actually have a mini dance studio in their basement. Yes! There's a crystal ball!! We ended up doing some ball room dancing on our own...

.

Kwan and Ehron couldn't fight the moonlight...

.

Mel was cracking jokes that are out of this world, as usual...
---
Mel: What's a boomerang that doesn't work?
Us: ...
Mel: A STICK!!
Me: hahahahaha... (I was the only one laughing)
---
Mel: What do you use to kill a blue elephant?
Us: (mutter) I dunno...
Mel: You shoot it with a blue gun. What do you use to kill a green elephant?
Us: (mutter) No idea...
Mel: You use a green gun to shoot it down. What do you use to kill a pink elephant?
Us: Uh? You shoot it with a pink gun?
Mel: No! You paint the elephant grey and shoot it with a grey gun!!
Us: ... (even I didn't laugh)

n

SSo drained from Mel's jokes... took too much out of us...

,

Cousin Mandy's kick-butt mouth watering juicy turkey

,

Winter Crystal Ball 05

n

Joy's in the way.

,

Kat was in the center of the attention as usual.

.

And she couldn't stop eating.

,

Derek won a stuffed animal...

v

... and darren won a soap dish.

.

We are just good friends that live together.
.

RIP

..

Now back to work. Textbooks, rot in hell!!!