'06

Benefit #172 to having a blog: that you're able to refer back to your previous posts when writing about the current year in review. Many of those entries were pretty meaningless, even plain stupid, but I'm sure thankful that I've immortalized them through this blog regardless.

Extracting my wisdom teeth. Kobe's 81. My very inconsistently-updated song-of-the-weeks. Taking a chance. Revisiting berk. Finally getting my diplomas. Uncovering so much talent in indie music. Promethean sunsets. Celebrating with those who got married (angie & jude, cindy & paul, annette & abe) and those who've promised to (paul & tammy, gene & esther, linda & jomo, haejin & kevin). Aegon. Job promotion. Hanging out with my new fish. Shows & concerts. Places that I could cross of the list (denver, philly, jersey, new york, d.c., florida, north carolina, virginia). Griffiths. A full year without dad.

Once upon a time, I took the ushering in of the new year very seriously. I would will myself to stay up until the clock hit midnight, watch all the festivities on tv and even record them onto VHS so that I could look back on them one day as an old man. I would crawl back into bed when I couldn't stay awake any longer, but continue to have my own quiet celebrations as I eagerly dreamed of all the good that the new year has to offer. Then life reared its ugly head at many of us, spawning yet another new generation of eternal pessimists.

On the surface, many of these seemingly trivial events from this past year may give reason to believe that my year just came and left through the back door unnoticed. Instead, 2006 was a very trying year, as I'm sure it was for many.

By the same token, these events really doesn't do myself any justice in announcing the type of person I am today. Despite the laundry list of things that's happened, it's the unmentionables that's shaped me most. My family whom I love. My friends who couldn't be any more available and supportive. And God, with whom I've painfully wrestled for months, yet He continued to provide in spite of all my questions. Maybe all the answers haven't been dispensed yet, but He's given me a sufficient amount of peace to cope with that.

Have I grown more mature this year? Incrementally, I'm sure, but an improvement nonetheless. Has my outlook on life changed? Definitely better as I fall back to the basic truths. It doesn't matter if I'm the biggest screw-up or one who's always stayed within the lines. His grace redeems you way beyond what you're really worth.

I'm not a big fan of posting bible verses, but this one stood out in particular during Sung's message today (from Mark chap. 9):

"...but if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.
"'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes."

What awaits for me in the new year? One thing's for certain: no more if's, woulda's, coulda's, and shoulda's. The lessons I've learned in '06 are coming with me.

Here's to a hopeful '07.

merry christmas

A little sarah for your christmas.

Sarah McLachlan - Wintersong

go bears!

(courtesy of larry hwu)

N.C.A.A. Psyop

Published: December 10, 2006

In March, the University of California at Berkeley men’s basketball team played its final home game against the University of Southern California, whose team was led by its star guard, Gabe Pruitt. Pruitt was in the midst of a terrific year for U.S.C., averaging about 17 points a game, and for Cal, as the U.C. Berkeley team is known, the game was a must-win if it was to get a bid to the N.C.A.A. tournament. Cal needed to figure out a way to keep Pruitt from having another monster outing.

The solution to how to neutralize Pruitt came not from a game plan of X’s and O’s but from military-style psychological operations. In the week leading up to the game, members of Cal’s Rally Committee, who earlier obtained Pruitt’s Instant Messenger screen name, created an I.M. account for a fictional U.C.L.A. coed named Victoria. “Victoria” began flirting with Pruitt, sending him photos of herself (pictures of a very attractive woman that the Cal students had taken off the Internet) and telling him that she and her friends wanted to party with him and his teammates back in L.A. after the game against Cal. Pruitt responded in kind, writing, “You look like you have a very fit body” and “Now I want to c u so bad,” and eventually giving her his phone number and agreeing to get together when he returned from the game.

On game day, when Pruitt went to the foul line for the first time, Cal students began chanting: “Victoria! Victoria!” and reciting Pruitt’s phone number. Pruitt, a 79 percent free-throw shooter on the season, missed both shots and had one of his worst games of the year, shooting 3 for 13 from the field. Cal won the game by 11 points and went on to the N.C.A.A. tournament.

After the loss, Pruitt said of the Psyop tactic: “I’ve never seen anything like that, that big. It’s up there.” He then added, “My dad got a kick out of it, but he kind of told me to be careful.”

hahahahhah. sigh.

As an addendum to my previous post, this one sums it up pretty well.

simple pleasures

Captivated by the lighted trees all over downtown disney. Soaking in the tunes of a jazz trio as I loaf around outside on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Gleefully playing mario kart DS against other enthusiasts, hoping that you cross the finish line without getting slammed by a red shell, or even worse, the blue shell.

These are quiet reminders of all that is good and meaningful in the world.