Welcome 2008!

It's New Year's Eve. Last moments of a year that is full of surprises, setbacks, and hopes are passing by quickly...I have to say this year has been good for me. I learned a lot, but the biggest lesson so far is how to say goodbye to things and people that I love. It seems as if I should get used to that by now, but I still flinch every time a goodbye is bound to happen.

Things are always changing, so I made some changes to my life, too. I retrieved one of my long-lost hobbies: wandering around in the bookstore. I went to the bookstore all the time, but I was always in a hurry. I forgot the magic of being able to take the time to pick up a book, smell it, and flip through its pages. It sounds like a simple thing, doesn't it? It's so simple that I forgot it. My bad.

So, now, to read books, I go to the bookstore more often than I go to the library; the background noises and the voices of people talking at the bookstore somehow are better to my fancy than the quiet and solemn library.

There is another thing that is also changing: love. Throughout the year, love came and went in a vicious cycle that left me confused and speechless. I realized I was a hopelessly romantic person. I watch romantic comedy movies day in and day out; no other genres of movies seem to engage my interest that much. I'm fond of watching those meet-cute moments, those witty conversations, those unreal but adorable scenes that quench my heart. Everything is scripted to deliver a message, and everything inspired me. In real life, I strive for harmony, for patience, for a love that is willing and stable. I loved too much, cared too much, and I expected too much, which, as a result, lead to an abundance of disappointments.

Still, I haven't lost faith in the word "love" yet. Love is all around. And the best are yet to come.

"I feel it in my fingers
I feel it in my toes
Love is all around me
And so the feeling grows..."

....the best are yet to come.

Texas, 20 minutes till 2008.

How to Decide Who to Marry: By Kids

Kids Contemplate Marriage.

How would you make your marriage work?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck.
Ricky, age 10

How can a stranger tell if two people are married?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.
Derrick, age 8

What do you think your mom and dad have in common?
Both don’t want any more kids.
Lori, age 8

What do most people do on a date?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough.
Lynnette, age 8 (isn’t she a treasure?)

On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.
Martin, age 10

What would you do on a first date that was turning sour?
I’d run home and play dead. The next day I would call all the newspapers and make sure they wrote about me in all the dead columns.
Craig, age 9

When is it okay to kiss someone?
When they’re rich. (girls, did you read that?)
Pam, age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn’t want to mess with that.
Curt, age 7

The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It’s the right thing to do.
Howard, age 8

What is the right age to get married?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then. (I have almost 3 years to go )
Camille, age 10

No age is good to get married at. You got to be a fool to get married.
Freddie, age 6 (very wise for his age)

Is it better to be single or married?
I don’t know which is better, but I’ll tell you one thing. I’m never going to have sex with my wife. I don’t want to be all grossed out.
Theodore, age 8

It’s better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.
Anita, age 9 (bless you child)

How do you decide whom to marry?
You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.
Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they’re going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you’re stuck with.
Kristen, age 10

Collected from this link.

A Shabby Book

When I was 6 or 7, I remember a book titled "Vietnam, My Home Land" sitting on my dad's bookshelf. It was just a normal shabby paper-back book with worn-out covers and some dog-eared pages, nothing fancy. Nevertheless, my dad has had a lot of English books, and at the time, I barely knew what English was, so I came to form a notion that all those English books stacking up in the house were "strange", including that particular book. However, many times, when I passed by the bookshelf, I took a glance at that book. The word "Vietnam" on its title somehow caught my attention. Maybe for my little mind, when something had "Vietnam" on it, it was not considered "strange" anymore.

Time passed. A few years later, when I was in 6th grade, I finally took that book off the shelf and tried to read it with my limited English. As you can guess, the book talks about Vietnam, about the geography, the places, the people, etc. Flipping through the pages of that book, I found myself astonished at Vietnam's distinguished culture, its rich heritage, and its stunning landscapes. And I remember that was the first time that I actually had a strong and distinct feeling about where I came from, where I call "my home land" without fail.

Since then, a lot of things have changed, I have had more knowledge, I have done more things, but that feeling hasn't changed much. I know that there is a lot of things going on out there, that those debates about who's right and who's wrong will last forever, and that greediness will never go hand in hand with peace. But, whatever happens, I think John Kennedy said it best, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

And it's not an easy question to answer.

December 06, 2007

May you have the strength of eagles' wings,

The faith and courage to fly to new heights,

And the wisdom of the universe

to carry you there.

I received that as a prayer for me as I start my career.

Only Time?

I remembered when I was in 7th or 8th grade, I used to listen to this song, "Only Time" by Enya. Usually having nothing else more productive to do, I just sat there in my living room and listened to it over and over; I even tried to contemplate over what time really meant. Of course, I never could get to any conclusion, and I probably never will. But this song, it always triggers a tranquil feeling in me. Hidden thoughts, obscured disappointments, lame expectations, everything seems to be vanished into thin air. I just realize my speculation, after all, is my speculation. If I want to know the answer, I have to wait for it, wait for time. Be patient, and wait for time.

Who can say where the road goes, where the day flows?
Only time...

And who can say if your love grows, as your heart chose?
Only time...

Who can say why your heart sighs, as your love flies?
Only time...

Who can say when the roads meet, that love might be, in your heart?

And who can say when the day sleeps, if the night keeps all your heart?
Night keeps all your heart...