Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Calendars
Since the start of the term, I've actually begun using a calendar to organize myself. Every year I get some sort of organizing tool to make sure I don't procrastinate. Needless to say, it has always failed.
Surprisingly this year though, I've been pretty good at keeping myself in check. Note: pretty good. As in, I still procrastinate, just not as often. That aside, keeping things down on a monthly calendar serves more than just to organize my time. It puts a lot of things into perspective.
Aside from showing me what I need to do and when, the calendar also serves to chronicle the good days. For example, on September 24th, I finished my application for a teaching program abroad. One whole week ahead of schedule. I also managed to ask my professor for a reference letter a week earlier that I had planned. Feeling pretty good on September 24th. Feeling even better on October 7th when I went for an interview. I remember telling Pastor Andrew Friday October 1st about my upcoming interview and how he would pray for me. I also remember that after Ultimate the same day and booking it to BAC for 3D, I had a glass of iced tea waiting for me at the Annex. Most appreciated. After the interview, October 13th, went to mass for the first time on Campus. It was refreshing to hear Mass on Campus. Another good day. Sure a calendar is handy in highlighting the successes of the month, but its also just as effective in highlighting the failures. The frequent failures.
Every Tuesday, I should prepare for teaching PREP, but I don't. Even though its on my calendar. October 14th, should have had my paper done, not still in the process of doing it. October 9th, I should have picked an article to critique, to this day I have not. Aside from the general frequent failures, I can also see how fast I go from being thankful for the things I have, to being unappreciative of everything. Oct 22, Got a job. Was all in thanksgiving-mode for the blessings of a job in a pretty tough market. Oct 25th, already ungrateful. Thankful for the job, but not much for anything else. The week leading up to my interview, I had committed myself to praying every commute going to school and going back. Did pretty well that whole week. After interview, didn't happen so much, if at all. So much for being thankful.
Looking at it from a calendar, its amazing to see how often and how quickly I change. I can be devoted one day and not care the next. Organized or not. Successful or not. Calendars are brutal.
Surprisingly this year though, I've been pretty good at keeping myself in check. Note: pretty good. As in, I still procrastinate, just not as often. That aside, keeping things down on a monthly calendar serves more than just to organize my time. It puts a lot of things into perspective.
Aside from showing me what I need to do and when, the calendar also serves to chronicle the good days. For example, on September 24th, I finished my application for a teaching program abroad. One whole week ahead of schedule. I also managed to ask my professor for a reference letter a week earlier that I had planned. Feeling pretty good on September 24th. Feeling even better on October 7th when I went for an interview. I remember telling Pastor Andrew Friday October 1st about my upcoming interview and how he would pray for me. I also remember that after Ultimate the same day and booking it to BAC for 3D, I had a glass of iced tea waiting for me at the Annex. Most appreciated. After the interview, October 13th, went to mass for the first time on Campus. It was refreshing to hear Mass on Campus. Another good day. Sure a calendar is handy in highlighting the successes of the month, but its also just as effective in highlighting the failures. The frequent failures.
Every Tuesday, I should prepare for teaching PREP, but I don't. Even though its on my calendar. October 14th, should have had my paper done, not still in the process of doing it. October 9th, I should have picked an article to critique, to this day I have not. Aside from the general frequent failures, I can also see how fast I go from being thankful for the things I have, to being unappreciative of everything. Oct 22, Got a job. Was all in thanksgiving-mode for the blessings of a job in a pretty tough market. Oct 25th, already ungrateful. Thankful for the job, but not much for anything else. The week leading up to my interview, I had committed myself to praying every commute going to school and going back. Did pretty well that whole week. After interview, didn't happen so much, if at all. So much for being thankful.
Looking at it from a calendar, its amazing to see how often and how quickly I change. I can be devoted one day and not care the next. Organized or not. Successful or not. Calendars are brutal.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Alleluia
In all my Easter Vigils, I have never been more touched to say the word "Alleluia."
During the Lent season, 40 days before Easter, we haven't said the word Alleluia in church as a way of preparing for Christ's resurrection. Usually, being the sleeper that I am in church, I don't always notice the missing word from our missal wordbank. Nor do Easter Services remain anymore memorable.
Something about this service though was strangely inspiring. As usual, the first half of mass was done with only candle light, all created from the single Paschal candle lit by the priests. Nothing special (for me anyways) up until the bells started to ring, when the reading was read that Christ had been resurrected and the angels had told the women visiting his tomb. As the bells rung, the lights in the room turned on, and the choir, simple as it is, sang out "Alleluia! Glory to God!"
It was in that moment I realized that the word that I had not spoken in 40 days came back with new meaning, with more weight and measure than I had ever heard it spoken before. Alleluia, usually, was just a response sung in Mass. Something to be said in worship. But this one instance was a declaration, a glorification, an adoration of the miracle of His resurrection, of His triumph and victory over our sin and death. In that moment, as the Cross carried our Saviour, the word "Alleluia," carried my joy, my worship.
Alleluia, All hail to Him Who is.
Glory rightly deserved.
During the Lent season, 40 days before Easter, we haven't said the word Alleluia in church as a way of preparing for Christ's resurrection. Usually, being the sleeper that I am in church, I don't always notice the missing word from our missal wordbank. Nor do Easter Services remain anymore memorable.
Something about this service though was strangely inspiring. As usual, the first half of mass was done with only candle light, all created from the single Paschal candle lit by the priests. Nothing special (for me anyways) up until the bells started to ring, when the reading was read that Christ had been resurrected and the angels had told the women visiting his tomb. As the bells rung, the lights in the room turned on, and the choir, simple as it is, sang out "Alleluia! Glory to God!"
It was in that moment I realized that the word that I had not spoken in 40 days came back with new meaning, with more weight and measure than I had ever heard it spoken before. Alleluia, usually, was just a response sung in Mass. Something to be said in worship. But this one instance was a declaration, a glorification, an adoration of the miracle of His resurrection, of His triumph and victory over our sin and death. In that moment, as the Cross carried our Saviour, the word "Alleluia," carried my joy, my worship.
Alleluia, All hail to Him Who is.
Glory rightly deserved.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Painfully Aware
Sociology is a pretty depressing major.
-You learn that there will always be a power difference between different groups, therefore there will always be one dominant and one subordinate.
-Being born a certain race will either give u an advantage or disadvantage.
-Machines could eventually take over the world, while humanity becomes more and more dependent on technology.
-The rational becomes irrational, which ends up having negative effects. Take for example segways. I never understood why anyone would need to segway to anywhere. I guess walking is passé.
-We have less and less freedoms with increasing bureaucratization
-Equal rights does not equate to equal opportunity.
- You end up applying sociological theory to everything. There goes watching movies for fun.
Inequality no longer surprises you, and just confirms what you already know.
Painfully Aware
What an appropriate faculty motto.
-You learn that there will always be a power difference between different groups, therefore there will always be one dominant and one subordinate.
-Being born a certain race will either give u an advantage or disadvantage.
-Machines could eventually take over the world, while humanity becomes more and more dependent on technology.
-The rational becomes irrational, which ends up having negative effects. Take for example segways. I never understood why anyone would need to segway to anywhere. I guess walking is passé.
-We have less and less freedoms with increasing bureaucratization
-Equal rights does not equate to equal opportunity.
- You end up applying sociological theory to everything. There goes watching movies for fun.
Inequality no longer surprises you, and just confirms what you already know.
Painfully Aware
What an appropriate faculty motto.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Lock and Key
locked within the confines of the body,
beneath the weakness of the human heart,
under the shortcomings of the human mind,
lies limitless possibilities.
Where is the key?
beneath the weakness of the human heart,
under the shortcomings of the human mind,
lies limitless possibilities.
Where is the key?
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Day25
Hm,
Classical Sociological Theory. Pretty interesting class for a 3 hour lecture. Apparently, workers tend to suck it up rather than complain because of the underlying fear of being easily replaceable. If there was no jobless people, then the working would have greater power over their employers, since there would be no one to replace the workers, the employers would have to ensure that the employees are happy and productive, to maximize surplus and all.
Seems like I'm screwing over the working class. Go Team Lumpenproletariat!
I wonder who I'll be replacing in the following weeks. lol.
Classical Sociological Theory. Pretty interesting class for a 3 hour lecture. Apparently, workers tend to suck it up rather than complain because of the underlying fear of being easily replaceable. If there was no jobless people, then the working would have greater power over their employers, since there would be no one to replace the workers, the employers would have to ensure that the employees are happy and productive, to maximize surplus and all.
Seems like I'm screwing over the working class. Go Team Lumpenproletariat!
I wonder who I'll be replacing in the following weeks. lol.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Foundation of Sand, House of Glass
I sit in my chair,
Looking out at the clear blue sky,
Looking out at the oasis before me.
I am safe in these walls.
Not a brick to hinder my view,
Staring out at the calm,
The sand between my toes.
As night falls, the stars come to view.
Unobstructed by tiles, concrete, cloud, nor wood.
The sky is reflected,
The light passes through.
The ground, cold, shimmers.
I am surrounded by stars.
Daybreak.
The sun does not rise,
Sunset, tainted with grey,
As if vandalizing the sky.
Earth and wind dance to the beat of the thundering clouds.
And here I sit, staring at the coming storm.
Locked within the walls which do not hinder my sight.
Stuck within the ground, which shimmers at night.
Looking out at the clear blue sky,
Looking out at the oasis before me.
I am safe in these walls.
Not a brick to hinder my view,
Staring out at the calm,
The sand between my toes.
As night falls, the stars come to view.
Unobstructed by tiles, concrete, cloud, nor wood.
The sky is reflected,
The light passes through.
The ground, cold, shimmers.
I am surrounded by stars.
Daybreak.
The sun does not rise,
Sunset, tainted with grey,
As if vandalizing the sky.
Earth and wind dance to the beat of the thundering clouds.
And here I sit, staring at the coming storm.
Locked within the walls which do not hinder my sight.
Stuck within the ground, which shimmers at night.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Sigh
And it goes on.
The silence in my heart,
The yearning to beat with a sound,
beat/boom, beat/boom,
Instead, 'tis a silent clap,
beat/ , beat/ ,
Almost as if nothing was there.
-/Nothing like a little self-reflection to make you realize that answers, of course, are always right in front of you./-
This eye was made for seeing, yet it does not see,
This mouth was made for talking, yet it does not speak,
This body made to move, yet it remains still,
This heart meant to beat, yet remains quiet.
The Spirit meant to ignite, ignites.
I work again.
The silence in my heart,
The yearning to beat with a sound,
beat/boom, beat/boom,
Instead, 'tis a silent clap,
beat/ , beat/ ,
Almost as if nothing was there.
-/Nothing like a little self-reflection to make you realize that answers, of course, are always right in front of you./-
This eye was made for seeing, yet it does not see,
This mouth was made for talking, yet it does not speak,
This body made to move, yet it remains still,
This heart meant to beat, yet remains quiet.
The Spirit meant to ignite, ignites.
I work again.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
"But the waves are calling out my name
and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win,
you'll never win."
But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth"
and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win,
you'll never win."
But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
the Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
and the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth"
Monday, January 4, 2010
Buffet
The world is yours to take, but it is also yours to lose.
Strange how all of the world is ours for the taking, but by letting the buffet of life pass by, we only miss out on countless opportunities.
--
The counter bustles as customers line up,
The line doesn't dwindle.
More come, the place is packed,
More enter, curious as to what the shop was selling.
More come, the line extends out and around the block.
Pushing past the busy store,
past the massive lineup,
Someone asks,
'So what are you selling here?'
The attendant replies,
"Nothing. Everything is free. The shop is yours for the taking"
Puzzled, the same one asks,
"Then why is everyone lining up? Can't they just leave"
The attendant replies,
"They line up to thank me."
The same one then picks up an item, looks towards the attendant and says,
"Thanks, I'll be taking this."
The attendant smiles, picks up another item, and says,
"Take this too, I believe you'll need it."
Satisfied, the same one walks out of the store.
Looking outside, he sees the line grow bigger.
Looking outside, he sees many more passers-by, much more than those in line,
Only glancing at the store, never looking in.
Strange how all of the world is ours for the taking, but by letting the buffet of life pass by, we only miss out on countless opportunities.
--
The counter bustles as customers line up,
The line doesn't dwindle.
More come, the place is packed,
More enter, curious as to what the shop was selling.
More come, the line extends out and around the block.
Pushing past the busy store,
past the massive lineup,
Someone asks,
'So what are you selling here?'
The attendant replies,
"Nothing. Everything is free. The shop is yours for the taking"
Puzzled, the same one asks,
"Then why is everyone lining up? Can't they just leave"
The attendant replies,
"They line up to thank me."
The same one then picks up an item, looks towards the attendant and says,
"Thanks, I'll be taking this."
The attendant smiles, picks up another item, and says,
"Take this too, I believe you'll need it."
Satisfied, the same one walks out of the store.
Looking outside, he sees the line grow bigger.
Looking outside, he sees many more passers-by, much more than those in line,
Only glancing at the store, never looking in.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Sunlight
At first we see eye to eye.
Standing, the same, reveling in the same sunlight,
surrounded by the same wind.
But then they rise.
Block upon block, they rise
Higher and higher,
up and up,
But I remain,
content that I am reveling in the same sunlight,
surrounded by the same wind.
That is until I realize ,that I am in their shadows.
Standing, the same, reveling in the same sunlight,
surrounded by the same wind.
But then they rise.
Block upon block, they rise
Higher and higher,
up and up,
But I remain,
content that I am reveling in the same sunlight,
surrounded by the same wind.
That is until I realize ,that I am in their shadows.
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