tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60202962011-04-21T19:27:01.090-07:00choose life choose positivity choose the golden rule choose to be at peace with yourself choose salvation scegliete di fare una differenza choose to make a difference choisissez de faire une difference choose to be different choose to be a rebel choose to be funky choose to be yourself choose to create a fashion statement --mattandnat.comA.T.noreply@blogger.comBlogger1101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-59410649163911465862007-08-10T14:31:00.000-07:002007-08-10T14:51:41.565-07:00

What have I been doing all this time? Haha, no time to update.April: Had wonderful Easter singing one easy song and one difficult one...May: Went through whirlwind at work before being able to [semi]safely enjoy my trip to Europe... Had to reorganize at work when I returned! The opportunity to visit just crept up unawares! Europe, I found, is just like any other tourist destination - got to see

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-25009059606867302512007-03-30T14:01:00.001-07:002009-04-14T20:05:01.895-07:00

End of the month again, so a temporary breather from many things...Amidst setbacks like computer crashes and sickness, it has been easier to wake up from routine and realize that God has the power to see through my everyday life. When it seems there is no more energy to do things well at work and ministry, I am forced to trust God to work in these imperfect conditions, and that the end result

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-54560726216552967012007-03-07T12:44:00.000-08:002007-03-07T12:54:42.183-08:00

We're singing Haydn's mass for Easter. So excited to be singing again. There are some pretty high notes for the soprano part, and when we repeatedly sing them, it can strain the throat. So sometimes I take the chinese herbal syrup afterwards. I've told people that after taking it, it feels like I've returned to HK. Can't explain why. Perhaps my childhood memory of the place involves the smell of

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-60976980929772365132007-02-28T22:01:00.000-08:002007-03-01T12:14:04.117-08:00

Let me backtrack a bit.There is also a danger regarding conferences. But hopefully only a temporary one. When true messages of Christ's atoning death for our sins, and the Father's raising Him up in glory, and God's call for us to glorify Him in our faithful service, repeatedly hit you not in the head, but through your heart, somehow it takes a while for it all to sink in.And when it does, it's

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-29925565587386422462007-02-22T22:05:00.000-08:002009-04-14T20:09:15.821-07:00

[Hang.over] - My Definition: the lingering sensation from the effects of an intense event that just occurred. Dictionary Definition: A letdown, as after a period of excitement.This is what I'm feeling w/ the Resolved Conference 2007 . It was the first time, believe it or not, that I went to a Christian conference such as this. 3,000 like-minded individuals, all hungering and thirsting for real

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-66080945961467540772006-12-10T21:05:00.000-08:002009-04-14T20:14:05.022-07:00

Been thinking about how I always have "interesting episodes" involving elderly people. Aside from the first one, which I try to laugh at myself w/, the others are ones I really want to record down before I forget about them.1. Most recently, while in HK, I spot a nice tote that I think would work really well for bible study. I walk a little ways away to show mom, when this old lady stops me and

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-45196142970783884142006-12-05T22:54:00.000-08:002006-12-31T00:49:31.419-08:00

Sounds like a book, don't it? Well, maybe I'll write one, if I've time to shape my thoughts into words. Give me n number of years, hahahaha...Well, just returned from my trip to HK. I think the strongest feelings I got were: 1) No more fear interacting with the locals, and 2) No more sadness about not being a local.Sound complicated? Well, here's a breakdown of 1): as I've been telling a million

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-141876661947184402006-12-02T21:32:00.000-08:002009-04-14T20:18:47.044-07:00

Passage: Acts 16:6-10Verse: When he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16:10)"No Trespassing!"You're holding a tourist map, all geared up and ready to go. You've made up your mind to revisit that tourist attraction spot, and on the way there, you keep imagining how beautiful the scene will be. In

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1160726682892401302006-10-05T21:53:00.000-07:002009-04-14T20:25:55.751-07:00

Update: turns out my cousin still needs many prayers, because there're still three spots in his lung, plus gall bladder stones. Please join me in prayer for him! I sent a quick e-mail to his daughter (my cousin once-removed) saying I'm thinking of them.And interestingly, she google-m's me! It's my first time using google chat. Pretty cool. Very small window keeps the chat simple but effective. I

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1159679259986614962006-09-29T20:58:00.000-07:002006-09-30T22:07:40.010-07:00

Hey, winter seems to be just around the corner... been getting chilly lately. This morning for breakfast I had the world's best instant oatmeal. This coming from me is surprising. I usually dislike oats since they're so grainy. This kind is unusually smooth though--almost tastes like cream of wheat. I like the Maple and Apple varieties.Also, it's easy to make: just fill half-full w/ hot water,

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1157693854995481692006-09-06T19:53:00.000-07:002006-09-30T22:23:05.716-07:00

Recently, I bought a bar of Meiji 99% cacao chocolate, thinking it would make a surprising gift for mom, right? Well, it did surprise her all right, but not quite in the way I expected it to. It was bitter, which was expected, but it also tasted dead, almost salty! Argh, this happens because it's in Japanese! I should've seen some of the writing I could read, but I decided to ignore those. Well,

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1157692988788577962006-09-05T21:16:00.000-07:002006-09-07T22:23:55.543-07:00

Praise Him that He has been working mightily--my cousin's cancer has shrunk a good deal, and the doctor says it's pretty much a miracle. The hospital staff will be monitoring the tumor to see if they can arrange for a liver transplant to be done. Praise God for answering prayers!!Life really is so fragile. It's a good time to pause and ask what's real important in life, then go ahead and pursue

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1148890763361400412006-04-19T21:12:00.000-07:002006-05-29T01:23:42.533-07:00

Recently, we heard that our cousin was diagnosed with cancer. I really feel for the family and was struck at the fragility of life, and how sometimes a too-easygoing attitude about little pains in the body translates into poor health management.I've been corresponding with the daughter a lot, who is also my cousin (but once-removed or something like that, I can never get it straight) and sent her

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1148890189564640842006-04-12T11:58:00.000-07:002007-03-07T12:57:12.229-08:00

Just finished proofreading a friend's paper today. It took some time, but I was happy to help. I don't think I'm good at many things, but I know that looking at grammar is something I can do. It's nice when a community of believers can support each other in different respects.It's funny when I don't think I'm awfully smart, but there might just be some out there who think so! Incredible. Well,

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1148889450811269872006-04-07T10:49:00.000-07:002006-05-29T00:57:30.823-07:00

First week of work has been a dream. Regular hours, time to sit down, free drinking water--yup it's a dream. Had staff lunch today and got to hear a lot and see a lot at the office. Everyone has been a kind soul, which is so rare these days. Can't be anything but God's gift. This week's been peppered with choir practice for the upcoming big performance of Messiah selections. We're collaborating

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1146725118310426092006-04-01T16:41:00.000-08:002006-05-03T23:57:00.480-07:00

It's Saturday today!! So excited because no work, and no bible study training yet. So went to Mitsuwa--the Japanese supermarket in the morning. So many fond memories there! Hoarded two packs of Royal Milk Tea (thanks C for recommending it--it's really good) and Bourbon Chocolate mini wafers. Altogether a very satisfying and refreshing day. Perfect timing for a break, and I did genuinely feel

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1146723920669865902006-03-31T21:20:00.000-08:002006-05-03T23:40:09.460-07:00

Last day at Peet's today. Got some snacks from Trader Joe's for all of my co-workers. All of them have been really friendly, and many were sad to see me go. My manager especially--she's so kind-hearted. Some assured me I can always return! Haha--actually I haven't learned how to make espresso drinks yet. But now I'm much better at standing on tiptoe to stir the coffee grinds, and I do know how to

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1146723413827244532006-03-23T21:04:00.000-08:002006-05-03T23:16:53.846-07:00

Today, I decided to spill the beans to my manager and give everyone 1 week's notice before I leave. Yes, I've chosen to leave Peet's and work in the full-time job! In all ways this is the best decision.I've been thinking about why I got an offer so unexpectedly and quickly, seemingly out of the blue. If I really had to come up with a good reason, I guess it all started in February of this

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1146722567218638662006-03-21T22:36:00.000-08:002006-05-03T23:02:47.233-07:00

Whew! Long day today. Endless people rattling off orders before I can punch in the correct buttons! And can't believe my normally experienced co-worker spilled cold drinks three times--once onto a nice warm coat that a stylish girl was wearing. Cold sticky stuff onto expensive wool material--yikes not good. Must take these days strong, good or bad.Peet's Freddos. Yum

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1145314065417776222006-03-19T21:58:00.000-08:002006-04-17T15:49:56.626-07:00

Felt like I was Cinderella for the whole weekend. Lots of sweeping and "elbow grease". My first official two days at work (with tips) began yesterday (yay!). Many of my co-workers told me to take off the "training" sticker from my name tag, but sometimes I sneaked it back on during the busy times of the store. The customers were usually more forgiving this way.Long day today. After church, had to

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1145313458351860852006-03-17T21:30:00.000-08:002006-04-17T15:38:07.596-07:00

Had another day off from Peet's. Yup, it's been a very irregular schedule. So made plans regarding my full-time employment opportunity.Arrived at the company of my future employment this afternoon. Got acquainted with the general stuff that I'll be working on. Saw my future boss and we had a good chat. I guess I "passed" because he declared me "pleasant" and seemed very pleased with what he found

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1145312963235247562006-03-15T22:19:00.000-08:002006-05-03T23:56:36.433-07:00

Something very interesting happened this afternoon. Was enjoying my consecutive 2nd day off from Peet's when the phone rang in the kitchen. Who should it be but a good family friend (I call him uncle but we're not related.) In his usual enthusiastic and rapid way, he invites me to join his team and work for him, since one of his trusted employees is leaving soon."....!"My first reaction was shock

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1144449477055400002006-03-13T20:37:00.000-08:002006-12-30T22:41:27.472-08:00

Worked the 2nd morning shift today. Can't believe there're sooo many people needing coffee in the morning! Really crazy. My first time using a register, but I got the hang of it pretty soon. My co-worker said I'm doing great! Encouraging. Don't know the pastries yet (since only the customers can see the labels, and all the scones look the same to me :D), so stayed on the register. Everyone on my

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1144949664063744502006-03-11T22:05:00.000-08:002006-04-13T10:48:54.516-07:00

Worked the afternoon shift training at the bean counter today. Got to scoop up different coffee beans for customers, weigh the right amount, and grind them with one of the 3 giant grinders that we have. The customers were generally very polite and relaxed, I guess since it's the weekend. Knew how to do everything, except when they asked "which coffee tastes like ___?" or "I want something light.

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1144361772248391152006-03-09T21:09:00.000-08:002006-04-13T10:35:40.016-07:00

1st few days of work at Peet's has gone well. After lots of reading/studying and note-taking about the parts of a coffee bean and the bean picking process, my first time out on the floor was restocking condiments, i.e. replenishing the sugars, napkins, etc. Such a fresh experience! Had to weave in and out of the long long line of customers quite a bit. Really tested my courage!Yep, the shifts at

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1144950961895148062006-03-08T21:29:00.000-08:002009-04-14T20:35:27.529-07:00

Last night, I was on TV! Heehee, no joke. But actually, this isn't the reason why I'm still so excited. I was part of a large team that made a presentation to the City government for a Christian cause, and our plan passed! Praise God for working His miracles, for using insignificant people like me, and for answering our friends' prayers. I understand a bit more the saying "My eyes have seen God.

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1139640811603517822006-02-10T22:28:00.000-08:002006-02-10T23:03:43.206-08:00

I feel my mind is at a thousand different places today. Don't know why. Perhaps it's the changing weather. Time to store away the heater and down!Highlight of the day: inspired by my lovely friend, I got the chance to reread Isaiah 40. It is truly one of my favorite passages, especially the NASB version. You know, Messiah opens with exactly this chapter, since it sets the stage like a luxurious

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1139375612347825622006-02-07T20:59:00.000-08:002006-02-07T21:14:48.206-08:00

I've just been e-mailing with my friend who had worked in Papua New Guinea on bible translation. Her native translator person (her only reliable one) had sadly just died from a serious illness. Before he died, he had struggles with his faith in Jesus and wanted to be healed by "magic." So, she has flown over there to pick up the pieces and await God's redemptive plan for the people in that

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1139374750153360302006-02-07T20:48:00.000-08:002006-02-07T20:59:10.193-08:00

An NBA player sneakily steals the ball (unfair!) and hurries to the other end of the court to make an easy fast break... but misses the basket (yes!! poetic justice.)I have a found a similar concept to this poetic justice that has been helpful to me. Whenever I feel down and it is virtually impossible to attain positive thinking, I try to find one shred of light somewhere in that mess. That is

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1139370842468827062006-02-07T19:52:00.000-08:002006-02-07T19:54:02.490-08:00

You scored as English. You should be an English major! Your passion lies in writing and expressing yourself creatively, and you hate it when you are inhibited from doing so. Pursue that interest of yours!English83%Linguistics75%Psychology75%Sociology67%Dance67%Philosophy58%Journalism58%Anthropology58%Engineering50%Mathematics50%Art17%Theater17%Chemistry0%Biology0%What is your Perfect Major? (

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1138437629234534252006-01-28T00:34:00.000-08:002006-01-28T00:40:29.246-08:00

Someone stole our trash can. Once every week, we take out our trash cans to be emptied. And in the morning, our lovely medium-sized trash can was replaced by a mini one.I mean, it could have been anyone. That happened last week, and we thought one of our neighbors just made an honest mistake and that we'd get it back this week.Didn't happen.Praise God that the city heard our story and will give

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1134676352175163552005-12-15T11:45:00.000-08:002005-12-15T12:35:20.076-08:00

...on Sunday and saw live camels and sheep. Witnessed Mary and Joseph's adventure in finding a place to stay, baby Jesus, the shepherds and angel, and the three astrologers--the works. Actually, the whole thing was set up to resemble Bethlehem, and visitors are treated as people coming to town for the census. Roman guards stroll around and bark at us who are in the way. Little children with cloth

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1132728926510227322005-11-19T22:12:00.000-08:002005-11-22T22:55:26.533-08:00

It really wasn't meant to be an awesome day.It starts out a normal Saturday morning at the Gilroy outlet stores. I don't expect to accomplish a lot by going there, but in the end we get everything we were looking for, plus something more. Remember to check out Harry & David's Orange Cranberry marmalade while you're there. Then we decide to head to Monterey and see the sights. It isn't our first

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1131957636505139172005-11-14T00:18:00.000-08:002005-11-14T00:52:53.706-08:00

First, I really wanna thank my brother for reminding me about this blog. I didn't realize how long I haven't blogged here. Life has been so blurry when it was happening.Now that I think about it, God had a few surprises up His sleeve for me during the past few months. One was rooming with a friend in San Francisco for a while. I once had to take the bus home from work and didn't know what to

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1114155344756461862005-04-21T22:19:00.000-07:002005-04-22T00:35:44.756-07:00

Let me introduce Jenny to you. Jenny is not a believer, and when we talked in the past, she indicated that she was interested in finding out more about Christianity. However, when I asked her if she was attending any fellowship, she mentioned a group that is widely held to be a cult. I didn't know why I kept silent then. Probably because I didn't want to scare her by saying her first experience

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1112670645713141702005-04-03T14:26:00.000-07:002008-02-27T03:24:03.127-08:00

I arrived at church at 8:35 this morning to join others who were all dressed up. What were we doing at this time of day, when Daylight Savings Time had already robbed us of one hour of sleep? It was none other than to have a last-minute rehearsal for our a cappella performance. We sang "Great Is Thy Faithfulness--a cappella style" near the beginning of our 9 am service, as part of a post-Easter

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1112084045741090892005-03-28T23:14:00.000-08:002005-03-29T00:18:00.856-08:00

Edenpics - Nature Photography, Nature Pictures & Nature WallpapersNice site if you like to look at nature when you turn on the computer. The menu on the right allows you to find your desired nature category. Once you click on the scene you like, you can also download a version with a bible verse that matches that scene. This has exceeded my expectations. ^_^

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1110069417447769322005-03-05T15:47:00.000-08:002005-12-15T13:18:37.783-08:00

Wait no more!After a good rest and gathering my thoughts together, I can finally present to you my initial thoughts on Garnet Crow's new album "I'm waiting 4 you". Firstly, I think the jacket and booklet design of the album clue you in on much of the music. Snapshots of the members are "taped" onto the booklet. In a sense, the songs seem to be little snapshots of nostalgia all collected into one

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1108876271702356992005-02-19T20:46:00.000-08:002005-04-22T00:38:34.436-07:00

Went to the mall today. It felt really good to be out despite the weather. After entering Macy's, the entrance to the rest of the mall is nowhere to be found. Suddenly, calm Chinese music reaches my ears as I spot a crowd in front. Peering over other people's heads, I see three men and one woman doing a taichi routine (or something like it) to the music. Wearing black martial arts uniforms with

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1104532884148356912004-12-31T14:03:00.000-08:002004-12-31T14:51:55.343-08:00

*loud organ music* "In sleep he sang to me...." Who would have thought they'd make a movie version of the Phantom after all these years? I had the privilege of watching it on Boxing Day. For a movie, it was actually quite good. Overall, it was a very aesthetically pleasing and cinematically substantial movie experience. First impression: the music was so overpowering! Probably because it's been

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1102725901678106632004-12-10T16:37:00.000-08:002004-12-31T14:44:12.313-08:00

During Christmas time, many people go crazy over candy. It is almost an excuse to gorge oneself. This philosophy also surfaces during Thanksgiving, which we've just had. Why do people like turkey so much? It is beyond me. Anyway, I was surprised to know that the candy cane was originally a Christian symbol. Before you visit the link, think about the candy cane's shape, color and texture. These

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1102656725697803252004-12-09T21:11:00.000-08:002005-04-22T00:39:33.970-07:00

In honor of this blog's first anniversary since its launch on November 1, 2003, I've created new lyrics for one of GC's recent tunes. It's called Like the Flowers and the Grass. Actually, it's been sitting in my computer for some time now, and finally it is here!I chose this particular theme from Isaiah 40:8 because I've encountered it so many times in choir from different pieces. Though poetic

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1100202124515714282004-11-11T11:19:00.000-08:002004-12-31T14:43:00.900-08:00

I was supposed to have dim sum with some friends this late morning, but because it's a rainy day and I don't feel particularly well, I decided not to go. Does this have anything to do with rehearsals? Perhaps. Well it's best not to take my chances, get sick on the day of the concert, and regret having gone out. Since there's no school today, I decided to catch up on blogging. It's pouring quite

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1100200815615264862004-11-11T10:57:00.000-08:002004-11-11T17:17:05.786-08:00

Rock man! Rockman who? Rachmaninoff, of course! I'm singing in the choir again this semester. We're performing Rachmaninoff's Vespers All-Night Vigil in Old Church Slavic. I've been drowning in work lately that I've quite forgotten to mention it. Just last night we ran through the whole piece at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral where we'll be giving our first performance. Some characteristics of

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1100199348777872152004-11-10T13:03:00.000-08:002004-11-11T10:55:48.776-08:00

If you are: -clueless but curious as to what J-pop music is, -a fan of J-pop but don't really know where it comes from, or -just generally interested in J-pop, then check this out. Searched engine: Clusty.

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1100206561354694702004-11-05T16:39:00.000-08:002004-11-11T12:56:01.353-08:00

Just received my Messiah recording. Since it took so long for them to make the CDs (five and half months!) each person got two copies! I was really happy. So I've spent some time listening to our choir sing, but I haven't gone through the whole thing yet. I think if I had to be fair, I'd give the musicians 90 points and ourselves 80 points. Many of these musicians have played Messiah before, so

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1097569179790255612004-10-14T13:19:00.000-07:002004-10-14T22:04:40.873-07:00

Know Chinese? Came upon this link about an incident from the East Coast. Couldn't resist linking it here. It will be more intriguing if you know the Chinese language. Warning: do not read on an empty stomach. How refreshing it is to hear someone put in a good word for Cantonese! I got quite a pleasant "haha" from it. People should do this more.

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1097779731327349982004-10-14T11:25:00.000-07:002004-11-11T11:28:32.316-08:00

Hey, I'm officially out of blog hibernation mode. Aren't you glad? Well, just finished my class on Biblical Hebrew today. I must say it's only now that I'm beginning to enjoy it. The beginning phases of learning Hebrew has been hard--even harder than Greek, because it's just not easy letting go of years of being conditioned by the writing and pronunciation system governed by English. * Here's

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1093290134733718052004-08-23T13:20:00.000-07:002006-12-31T00:25:13.868-08:00

...before age catches up on you. An article that I came across:1) Be in love at least once, and at most twice. If you've never loved at all, it would seem like you've wasted your youth. However, true love never comes easy, so if a person has loved more than twice, that love would seem fake, wouldn't it?2) Make a few good friends. They can be guys or girls.3) Learn how to cook, and be able to make

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1091684943218139932004-08-04T22:25:00.000-07:002004-08-13T18:47:34.546-07:00

A family's just moved here to California from Scotland. The couple has three sons aged around 9, 11 and 13. Very cute family. One day, my mom was to give the missus a ride. In a flash, the mother opens the door to the driver's seat and plops onto it. As you may already know, in the U.K., passengers sit on the left, while drivers sit on the right. It's the exact opposite here. Mom's amazed that

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1090608591424671712004-07-23T08:03:00.000-07:002004-09-02T14:11:32.350-07:00

Just finished putting up new lyrics for Garnet Crow's debut song "Kimi no Uchi..." on Garnet Sea. So far, this has been the hardest song to put in lyrics for. At many points, my brain was near explosion point about what word to put in next! At the monotonic parts of the refrain, I had to break down each note and try to match the accented notes with stressed syllables. That took a while. But it

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1090212996851805912004-07-18T21:32:00.000-07:002004-11-11T13:01:41.826-08:00

Congrats to the Pistons for grabbing the Best Upset and Best Team ESPY awards, as well as to Larry Brown for Best Coach. They truly and fully deserve the recognition. PS The Lakers must've been the most joked about subject tonight, hands down. What a way to end a season. For both teams. Can't wait for next season!

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1090199478066553582004-07-16T18:02:00.000-07:002004-08-25T15:38:43.823-07:00

Had four of them pulled out a couple weeks ago. The first time I went to the dentist, the operation couldn't start right away. Why? They had to take an X-ray of my teeth first. From the way the X-ray machine moved, it felt like a surveillance camera that spanned across my face. All while wearing a leaden vest, holding onto handles and biting a tube. Like driving a submarine. No problems there.

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1087600578365498242004-06-18T16:02:00.000-07:002004-07-18T17:50:27.503-07:00

We cancelled our outdoor plans for the morning because it was just too hot. What can I say? We get pampered by the California weather. Oh, last night our hosts made shaved ice desserts for us. We'd bought grapes and strawberries for everyone before we came home, so we used those for toppings. Add condensed milk and red bean paste for a finish with a flourish. We had dim sum for lunch. At the

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1087948622769025932004-06-16T21:29:00.000-07:002004-06-22T17:41:03.376-07:00

Let's take a break from the trip. Tuesday night was a great night. It was a moment fit for popping the bubbly and celebrating for real. Everyone felt so relieved. It was a collective good feeling. Speaking only for Pistons fans of course. The NBA guys in the white jerseys did it again. Game 5 of the NBA finals really summed up this team's work ethic. The ingredient for their success was good

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1087248856553470662004-06-14T14:16:00.000-07:002004-07-18T21:47:39.006-07:00

No, no one got angry today. I was referring the color of the rocky mountains we saw--a firy red color. We visited these sandstone structures at the Valley of Fire. What happened to going underwater? Well, all the terrain we saw used to be at the bottom of the ocean 600 million years ago. And now everything is dry, and all the rocks have weird shapes as a result of erosion. We went inside the

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1087157887155880112004-06-13T13:02:00.000-07:002008-02-27T02:46:39.046-08:00

"I've got to get this dam thing out of the car." (thing=brochure)Later: "Dad is our dam leader for today."Mom's exact words.1st stop: We went to visit the Hoover Dam today. Although it was very hot and there was no shade, it was nice to see this large dam from above and to take some pictures. People who are really interested in how everything works should go on the paid tour that takes you

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1087086639251291262004-06-12T17:16:00.000-07:002008-02-27T02:45:15.417-08:00

The niece told me about a children's Christian song. The kids sang "I walk by faith every day". However, since the singing was so fast, all you could hear was "I woh bah fay", which sounded very much like "I want buffet I want buffet every day". That was in fact prophetic. We were on our way to another buffet. And this plan couldn't sound more perfect for this kid.Before that, we picked up some

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1087079733456406822004-06-12T15:10:00.000-07:002009-04-15T15:14:06.661-07:00

No, there were no Cleopatras or Elvises running around the streets.To be sure, we saw a bride and groom standing through their limo's sunroof. Dancing while there was a traffic jam. But the people walking around us were tourists just like us. Most men and women were just in casual shorts and sandals. And it's ok to hold beer bottles on the streets in LV. I'd suggest bringing a water bottle or

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1087076982826376502004-06-12T14:04:00.000-07:002009-04-16T20:53:43.931-07:00

"We're going to Las Vegas! The 3 of us." was what my parents said to me.Why? There was a couple living there who loved them and was very eager to show us around. So we packed our bags in preparation for our week-long trip and headed for the airport.We flew via Southwest and got to see Las Vegas from above. All around the city were desert mountains. At the LV airport, there were numerous slot

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1085553675991798172004-05-25T23:02:00.000-07:002004-05-25T23:41:15.990-07:00

I was flipping through an old Japanese magazine recently when I came upon a picture. It featured a small layered dessert topped with blueberries and strawberries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Just really colorful and delicious looking. I don't know why food always comes up! Anyway, I just realized that although it looks appealing, in reality it might not taste that good. Yes,

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1084996559821308042004-05-19T12:54:00.000-07:002004-05-19T12:55:59.820-07:00

Tension is to be loved When it is like a passing note To a beautiful beautiful chord. ~6p None the Richer Site: Garnet Sea E-mail: GCat

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1084236046888410882004-05-10T17:30:00.000-07:002009-04-16T20:56:17.822-07:00

...to Sixpence None the Richer. Their acoustic-driven music makes for high listenability. And their "Kiss Me" video was really cute wasn't it? Never thought I'd buy their album though. Not until I found out they've decided to disband. ! It's sad. So now I've acquired "Divine Discontent" which I've always liked. Farewell to 6p.Additionally, got an album by an artist that I've never heard of before

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1084151691354979322004-05-09T17:35:00.000-07:002009-04-16T21:00:21.570-07:00

Spent countless hours on a group project yesterday. It went on until an hour that I would rather not mention. The good thing was that most of it is finished. Then my friend drove me home.Today. Woke at just the right time for church. There was no sermon because it was graduation Sunday. Many graduating students gave testimonies. One female student read Philippians 3:7-14 with meaning. Something I

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1083721529186763652004-05-04T18:45:00.000-07:002004-08-25T15:31:25.073-07:00

Just remembered some more stuff about what happened at Tower Records... H and I heard this really familiar R Kelly song, but it was sung by this incredibly off-key guy. He also proceeded to sing such songs as YMCA, etc. I winced and wondered, "Who chose to put this on? It's horrible!" Then when I paid for my Getz CD, the cashier guy told me who it was. William Hung. I should've known. William

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1083688074510176192004-05-03T22:50:00.000-07:002006-12-31T00:14:04.658-08:00

Just had a late midterm today. Decided to go get a mango drink to treat myself. And who do you suppose I see at the place, but two people I know from music class! One was from choir, the other was from another music class that I took a year ago (and looked exactly like a young Dai Nagano from DAI). I never expected them to know each other. Isn't it a strange feeling when this happens? Afterwards,

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1083035418022737252004-04-26T20:10:00.000-07:002006-12-31T00:11:04.319-08:00

The Messiah performance is finished. It's unavoidable feeling a little bit empty after a heavy thing such as that has taken place. Of all 4 semesters of chorus, I believe the Messiah has been the most difficult and above every other piece of work I've done. MD really pushed us to achieving something close to impossible in my opinion. There were so many newbies and freshmen in chorus this semester

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1082669854001069362004-04-22T14:37:00.000-07:002008-02-27T02:27:36.559-08:00

It rained yesterday and it was freezing. Can you imagine? And today it's sunny like it's been sunny all along. Rainy days never stays [sic]...Ah yes, rehearsed Messiah from 7-10 pm last night with the orchestra... It's really beginning to feel like an endurance race of sorts... Clearly not a walk in the park! However, what's not been easy hasn't been the length of rehearsal... time goes by pretty

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1082516739250817352004-04-20T20:05:00.000-07:002008-02-27T02:24:55.350-08:00

I just realized something about international experiences: people love it if you know their food, and bonus points to you if you like the food. At the Japanese food stall that day, my friend Vee, who was mostly the one getting the food for us, told the Japanese student, "Um, can I have one of those... I'm not sure how to pronounce it..." And though the guy was patient enough to position the body

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1082346620457899932004-04-18T20:33:00.000-07:002004-05-11T17:42:33.950-07:00

You can say I just came back from yet another grueling choir practice on the Messiah--2 hours straight from 6 to 8! (Well, we had a 5-minute break in the middle). We sopranos and altos basically just drilled more. Basically I had the parts where we've to sing the word "turn-ed" as quick notes in succession (symbolizing the action of "turning"), memorized. The memorization started unconsciously at

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1082329280505368702004-04-17T22:57:00.000-07:002004-05-11T17:43:02.986-07:00

I think it is fair to say that some couples are paying more attention to *ahem* us than to Giovanni and his partner. One couple finds it very helpful to watch the two of us demonstrate the basic step. Probably because we seem more approachable? Bert tells them, "It's easy. Just count." as the couple stares on at our feet in wonder. I don't know whether to cry or laugh at this. I can't believe

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1082258910682508462004-04-17T22:05:00.000-07:002004-05-11T17:43:56.826-07:00

People out here near the entrace are selling Malaysian food (still no sign of Dee...). I see the cream puff girl again and say hi to her. A nice girl stands next to us and patiently explains each and every food item they have. That has never happened before inside the building! The nice guy behind the counter even lets me sample something resembling sweet rice with peanut mixed in it! All the

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1082258465982842812004-04-17T19:47:00.000-07:002004-05-11T17:44:27.700-07:00

The first thing I notice once I get into the I-House with my friend Vee is that it's quite dark and there're lots of people there. Right in front are people selling jewelry. I try to take a look and then I see a familiar face! The girl used to be in choir together with me. She and her friend are carrying a plate of something resembling cream puffs. She offers me some, and I eagerly proceed to

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1082256204092310762004-04-17T17:22:00.000-07:002004-05-11T17:45:11.140-07:00

I'm going to blog about what happened today, although I'm quite exhausted. Usually I refrain from blogging about everyday stuff here because it's usually not too interesting. However, today was the Open Day at my university, so I did some stuff that was not routine, which is good for me occasionally, I think. 10 am: I awake from my slumber, say a little prayer, and thank God for good weather

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1082189014402783782004-04-16T21:59:00.000-07:002009-04-15T15:18:32.504-07:00

Came across this randomly at a cute blog. Perhaps I've seen this somewhere before, but I must've forgotten. I think except for one person, it's quite true for the people I know if I interpret them correctly. However, it's harder to tell with the love life section *rolls eyes and fakes a faint* since that is quite a personal matter unless you're a blabber, haha... Total insight or absolute

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1082191167264808232004-04-15T19:24:00.000-07:002006-12-30T23:49:12.655-08:00

Just came back from church. No, not for service. It'll be the place where we'll be singing the Messiah! We just wanted to test the space and acoustics in there. It's a pretty plain church, with grayish blue walls, simple chandeliers (I almost typed wimple, oops) which basically are just tiered candlesticks grouped together. The windows do not have stain on them (how do people describe non-stained

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1081619839047969932004-04-10T10:57:00.000-07:002004-05-11T17:47:00.076-07:00

Have you ever known people in their eighties who're vibrant and full of life, yet you also know twenty-somethings who just wished everything would end soon? How do you feel about that? What's the secret to being happy? On a side note, I asked a 33-year-old who looked like she was years younger what she did to keep looking young. She said: 1) keep happy and 2) use eye gel *smile* Going out into

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1081315371392743882004-04-06T21:17:00.000-07:002009-04-16T21:48:46.567-07:00

New lyrics started in September now finalized and up. Html is messy but at least I got the Arial font! I'm so not a computer person... They're in time for Easter too, though they're not originally meant for Easter.My first attempt at writing my very own lyrics, instead of traslating from the japanese, haha... It came about because I wasn't patient enough to wait for the translation to come along.

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1080545472901790692004-03-28T22:44:00.000-08:002008-02-27T01:59:59.591-08:00

Watched The Passion last Friday around oneAlong with my dad and momStrangely it wasn't when Jesus diedThat I actually criedWhen the crowds mocked and jeeredJesus remembered how the palms they lay down and him they reveredI shed a tearWhen Mary, Jesus' mom, saw her beloved son fallJust like when he was young and not yet tallYet right now she could do nothing at allI shed a tearI wasn't really

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1079769128261624912004-03-19T23:03:00.000-08:002006-12-30T23:40:10.834-08:00

Just wanted to share an excerpt from an article entitled "My Individualism" by Natsume Soseki. It's not really what the article's mainly about, but I just like it..."I just dashed off this simple little [painting], stuck it to the wall, and spent two or three days alone, staring vacantly at what I'd done.Yesterday...a friend came by and said he thought my picture was very good--no, not that the

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1079768371458603722004-03-19T22:48:00.000-08:002006-12-30T23:37:24.832-08:00

One thing that I really should thank God, that happened today.Remember my venting via children's tales?It doesn't really matter if you don't.Well, the reason I did that was because there was this one girl that really annoyed me.She really got under my skin and made me miserable for quite a while.I guess I was immature to think that if I made an effort to be nice, people would be nice back.Boy was

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1078384204192981122004-03-10T23:10:00.000-08:002009-04-16T21:54:30.038-07:00

Another moment in rehearsal. The altos had to sing a passage which involved the Bb (below middle C) - up to Eb - up to Ab, thus making sol do fa. Some of us were really shaky here, so in order to help us, our TA reminded us that this is actually the theme to the original Star Trek series! Some people said that this actually comes from Star Wars. I guess you guys know better than I do...Also, for

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1078530234218116822004-03-05T14:40:00.000-08:002004-03-05T15:47:44.140-08:00

Average # of times my computer crashes a day: 2, sometimes more # of times I say "Agh" when this happens: 100,000,000, sometimes more I still have Windows 95, so you can guess the approximate age of my computer. I'm so happy that I'm getting a new computer soon though, hopefully by next week. Things will be much better when that happens! Hope uploading stuff on the site will be easier too.

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1078382366753999622004-03-03T22:29:00.000-08:002004-05-11T17:47:33.636-07:00

I was singing in choir last week. We're singing Handel's Messiah (yup, the whole thing) for our concert in April. There was a long passage that had lots of melisma in it (I think it was "And He shall purify----....."), and there was absolutely nowhere where we could catch a breath! However, when we were rehearsing it (I sing in the alto section), I found I could still manage without breathing in

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1083039805121602082004-02-29T21:17:00.000-08:002004-05-04T10:15:16.420-07:00

Hmmm, how does writing prose feel? I think I still like lyrics better because ordinary thoughts and words can be transformed through music. I don't think I'm the type of person who can breathe poetic life into prose itself. How do you reach that place? And will you leap for leap year? Site: Garnet Sea E-mail: GCat

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1077931687076945132004-02-27T17:28:00.000-08:002004-05-11T17:49:43.473-07:00

Music I've been listening to these couple weeks: John Mayer's No Such Thing fojimoto - www.fojimoto.com Bonnie Pink's Kako to Genjitsu (The Past and Reality) Aimee Mann - www.aimeemann.com Site: Garnet Sea E-mail: GCat

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1077589516896465492004-02-23T18:25:00.000-08:002004-05-11T17:50:16.430-07:00

(See Fairy Tales I for intro.) Little Mermaid: I refuse to pretend or long to be someone else, even for seemingly good causes and reasons, or to make friends. I want others to like me for who I am, not for who they think I am. Yet sometimes it is hard to define who I am in a simple sentence. Of course, I’m still struggling with the fact that I put too much importance on what I do than on who I

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1077588759097392632004-02-23T18:12:00.000-08:002004-05-11T17:50:42.166-07:00

I've been listening to Mai Kuraki 's "Fairy Tale~my last teenage wish" lately, in fact I've been hooked to it. While listening to this song, I thought about what some fairy tale characters could have learned if all the stories had sad endings (note that Lil' Mermaid already has a sad ending.) Could've converted these to lyrics to the song, but right now prose has more attraction for me. In other

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1077515387797302142004-02-22T21:49:00.000-08:002009-04-16T22:11:59.276-07:00

No time to work too much on G Sea lately, but can't bear to leave February quietly either. So decided to share a creative writing assignment from almost three years ago. It may've remote ties to Japanese culture, so arguably it's a legit departure. It's long, but didn't want to edit it. Enjoy.March, 01The Diary of DeliaDate: September 10, 2050Weather: rayless, but no windDear diary,It is good to

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1073424136753511872004-01-06T13:22:00.000-08:002004-05-11T17:52:12.830-07:00

9. Nogare...>1st listen: constant key changes result in a very alternative sound, very experimental according to GC's standards, nice arrangement and piano playing Now: No matter how much I try, I just can't seem to like this song! This rarely happens. However, I'm glad GC has the guts to try new things every once in a while. The lyrics are also very unusual. 10. Only Stay> 1st listen: reminded

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1073422160982103092004-01-06T12:49:00.000-08:002004-05-11T17:52:33.563-07:00

Thoughts on GC's non-single songs/cuts from their 3rd album: 1. Kyou no...>1st listen: reminded me of Kimi to iu Hikari, especially the tempo and arrangement. There is a high point that resembles the one in Holy Ground. At the time I was first listening to this song, I wrote, "As always, simple melody line is transformed by Yuri's voice." Now: I've no idea why I wrote that! Because the melody

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1073435576610425542004-01-05T14:19:00.000-08:002009-04-16T22:08:23.354-07:00

I actually completed this song before "To South", but I was so displeased w/ it at first that it has only lately resurfaced. I figured since there're enough of the other songs, this one can make a humble appearance! The order of the songs are now officially scrambled! Oh well. This song was the hardest to make to date, though this gloomy song was made when I was in a quite happy mood. Do you

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1073431998018640652004-01-04T13:24:00.000-08:002004-05-11T17:54:10.213-07:00

GC's "For South" is the b-side to "Nakenai Yoru mo". The arrangement is almost cartoonishly fun. I really liked the fact that this song focuses on the internal conflicts of the singer--what really matters to him/her, regardless of the priorities of other people. At least that was how I saw it. In terms of Azuki Nana's "death scene", I sometimes think that "south" really means "hell". In other

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1073430922101529322004-01-03T15:15:00.000-08:002004-05-11T17:54:33.506-07:00

After wish*, I began to redirect my interest towards the lesser known songs of GC. Sky Blue must be one of them, since it only appears on the album. However, it's part of the title of the 2nd album! So in a way, there must be some significance there. By this time, which is September of '03, I was getting pretty used to doing the lyrics, so this song was made without much incident. What I liked

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1073428692589682392004-01-01T10:05:00.000-08:002004-01-06T14:38:31.776-08:00

Happy New Year! Website: Garnet Sea E-mail to Athena

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1071092954913107632003-12-10T13:49:00.000-08:002004-05-11T17:55:20.913-07:00

So I'm sitting at my desk today, gazing out the window and marveling at the clear blue sky and weightless clouds. Then I see a familiar sight--a small flock of birds perched on top of a orange-tiled pointed roof not too far away. Every once in a while they'd rise gracefully, fly around ceremoniously in grand circles, all in perfect formation, and settle back again. I call it serenading. At

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1069813008040669082003-11-25T18:16:00.000-08:002009-04-16T22:17:48.677-07:00

You see, after the 2nd song, I knew I could do it again. I attempted to try my hand at an "easier" song this time--one that already had lots of English in it. So, lo and behold! I chose wish*. This was a fun song to put lyrics in, in part because Hirohito-san's arrangement is sooo catchy, it sounds just like dance music you'd listen to in the car!What made me start this song was the nagging

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1068539869989284142003-11-11T00:11:00.000-08:002009-04-16T22:23:51.943-07:00

Day off tomorrow! Yay! A breather for a change. Nothing special to talk about, but might as well take advantage of this blog service! I wonder what else is good to talk about, besides Garnet Crow stuff.In my view, I think that an artist should make a Huge collection of their works before choosing the best ones to share w/ others! I'm sure many Being artists do that. Non-Being artists as well. In

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1068434899878502382003-11-09T19:09:00.000-08:002004-05-11T17:57:56.806-07:00

In addition to the people I've already mentioned, I wanna thank... -->God! for letting me indulge in this project. -->...my brother! for saying, "Why don't you make words that you can sing to?" when I showed him poems I wrote as a result of the thoughts that overflowed from listening to GC's music and experiencing their lyrics. -->...my mom! for her ongoing support and valuable feedback on

A.T.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020296.post-1068154189399718142003-11-06T13:29:00.000-08:002004-05-11T17:58:30.523-07:00

Soon after the first song, I longed to do another GC song (this is still August). I chose Crystal Gauge as my next target. Why? I figured it'd be easy because the song's relatively short. Also, I'd decided to keep the "Engrish" lyrics as well as the "lala" stuff. That'd make it easy, right? Not exactly. What was difficult about this song was the rhythmic middle section, where a similar

A.T.noreply@blogger.com