Restless

Everyone needs to see this.

I don't know exactly if others' education parallels my own experience, but growing up, my elementary school days were invariably replete with American history. We learned of our forefathers, and especially, we learned about the Revolutionary War that established these great united states.

Thus, though we may not always proclaim or show it, but the undercurrents of the "underdog" very much flow through our veins. For some, it flows more strongly, and for others, it is but a hint, a trace, a trickle of emotion that we may or may not squash before it hinders us.

We have always been a culture that celebrates the "story" behind a journey. We exalt and proclaim the bravery of those that fight "against the odds." Even when we are at the top of our game, already respected and revered, we somehow make ourselves the underdog, twist our point of view to fuel our underdoggedness and fight to beat the powers that be.

And we are usually the powers that be.

Take, for example, the Olympics. We are already considered athletically superior to a very large percentage of the world, yet our media coverage somehow finds a way to make it seem like we're the underdogs, fighting for the American freedom like our forefathers.

I'm sick of it.

We live in a great country, maybe the greatest in the world, maybe the greatest in the history of the world (except for Iceland, Norway, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, Japan, Luxembourg, Switzerland, France, Finland, Denmark and Austria), but quite honestly, there is a fine line between national pride and national arrogance.

Also, the whole "underdog" thing is so tiresome. I don't care if the story is inspirational, or if it's truly "American", in the end, it's just a story, a life that has to be lived like all other lives.

Enough with counterculture and underground and indie. It's time to realize that all of that is a part of the whole, a part of the big picture.

It's time to understand that nonconformity has become the new conformity.

Now leave me alone to eat my burger and freedom fries.

Lent

is over.

I had another post, but I saved it for later, since I think this needs to be said.

I can finally eat meat!

So I found that Lent ends on Holy Thursday. Naturally, I decided to eat meat on Saturday.

My brother, mother and I went to Applebee's and I ordered a shrimp entree...and a sirloin steak.

For once, ironic considering how small they are, my eyes were bigger than my stomach.

We took a to-go box, and saved the shrimp for later because the steak gave me a stomachache.

I guess I deserved that.

Also, I ate with Cha Tri Dinh! We went to Chili's (God bless America) and had a blast with my parents, brother, Rosemary and Nila. It was good times.

I also found out that Cha goes on Facebook often but found out how to sign in without letting people know he's online.

He's so tricky.

Like a priest would be...

I told Stephanie about my stomach problems after eating meat, proclaiming that I think I might have lost my appetite for meat.

She responded with, "That's the worst news ever!"

I smiled, thinking she might actually care for once.

That is, until she said, "Other than Jesus being dead of course."

Is everything a joke to you, woman!? Have you no soul?


Here's an Easter story.

There was once this teacher of a catechism school on Sundays. She was talking about Easter to her very young students.
"Does anyone know what Easter is?" she asked, smiling at the children.
Unfortunately, she was met with silence. Children seem to understand the precise moments to be quiet and loud, and knowing this, they often do the opposite.
However, one child was brave enough to raise her hand.
"Yes, dear. What is Easter?" the teacher asked supportively to the nervous girl.
The girl put her hand down and gulped.
"It's when Jesus comes out of the tomb," she replied meekly.
The teacher was very happy.
"Exactly," she began. "Easter Sunday is wh-"
"But," the girl interrupted, now filled with confidence. "If he sees his shadow he goes back in and winter lasts six more weeks!"

Santa Clara County Libary - Milpitas

Spring break is officially upon me. Today, the 9th of March, marks the Monday that is Spring Break. Already, my weekend has graced me with heart-pulsing stories, gulps of gleeful laughter and adventurous tales of danger and daring.

However, one of the more exciting of these tales comes not during the days off, but rather, during the last day of school. Last Thursday, a few friends decided to get dinner for Sean's birthday. Those in attendance included Charles, Wooster, Jag, Michael, Thinh, Sean and myself.

Since it was his birthday, Sean chose to go to BJ's Brewery. On a Thursday night, restaurants are not usually crowded, and tonight was no exception. Thus, the service would supposedly be faster by compare.

Tonight was, in fact, an exception.

There were various complaints with the waitress, from her being too slow to her forgetting the surprise birthday Pizookie. My own personal complaint was that her voice was overly obnoxious and that she used it too much. If it were one or the other, I wouldn't have minded.

So, after a dinner replete with horrible service, Eric, Michael and I left early to get Eric to pep band practice. It was a good dinner, actually, as is any dinner with such company. Hilarity always inevitably accompanies meals with those particular friends. Yet, had the service been a bit better, I am sure we would have enjoyed ourselves more immensely, or immenselier.

Back at school, as Michael and I were talking, the rest of the group returns. Jag, Charles, Thinh and Sean return laughing and smiling. This is what happened:

After we left, the Pizookie arrived. Sean claims it was cold and she had just taken it out of a to-go box and put it on the platter. Obviously this was the last straw. Sean then proceeded to complain to the waitress (whose name was Cindy as I recall). She was evidently ashamed and let Sean talk to the manager.

The manager then offered to give everyone free Pizookies. However, Sean observed that almost half the party had left already and the Pizookie was beside the point. So, the manager offered him to pay for the meal.

A free meal.

We tried to take Sean out for his birthday, paying for him and everything, and he ended up nabbing US a free meal.

Something about this is backwards.

Lenten Journey (March 2)

I hate giving up stuff for a reason other than my own volition. I hate New Year's Resolutions and giving up stuff for Lent. If there's something in excess and superfluous to your life, you should take the initiative to stop it yourself. you shouldn't wait until January 1st or Ash Wednesday to do it.

As much as I think it is wonderful we sacrifice and walk with Christ during the Lenten season, I think that we should always be walking with Christ, sacrificing to show that Man does not live on bread alone, but indeed, on the Word of God.

That's the idea, and that being said:

[The Day After Ash Wednesday]
Stephanie: i just stole a girlscout cookie from my roommate
Stephanie: i hope she doesn't mind
Andrew: youre going to hell
Andrew: God minds
Stephanie: balls
Stephanie: i'll apologize later
Andrew: to whom?
Stephanie: my roommate
Stephanie: and god
Andrew: Jesus fasted in the desert for 40 days and you couldn't resist a cookie for less than a week?
Stephanie: false
Stephanie: weeks
Andrew: days
Stephanie: nope
Stephanie: weeks
Stephanie: at least two
Stephanie: if not three
Stephanie: and jesus is jesus
Andrew: shouldnt we strive to be like Jesus?
Stephanie: we should indeed
Stephanie: but might i point out that you had meat yesterday
Andrew: and i might point out that i fasted for the rest of the day
Stephanie: hi, at one day
Stephanie: you fail.
Stephanie: and i fasted too
Stephanie: and
Stephanie: managed not to eat meat
Stephanie: i think i win
Andrew: fine
Andrew: i'm giving up meat for lent
Stephanie: for serious?
Andrew: just to win
Andrew: and yes
Stephanie: JUST TO WIN?
Stephanie: bah
Andrew: a victory for Jesus
Andrew: i swear
Stephanie: thats what they said on the crusades
Andrew: but i'm not killing people
Andrew: it's a bit different
Andrew: the crusades are the crusades
Andrew: don't even
[Pause]
Andrew: say something hilarious before i go
Stephanie: i can't do it on cue!
Stephanie: i don't even mean to be hilarious
[Pause]
Andrew: one more try
Stephanie: nope
Stephanie: but im not letting you win
Stephanie: we'll discuss this later
Andrew: i'm giving up meat starting tomorrow
Stephanie: wait
Stephanie: lent starts today
Stephanie: starting now
Stephanie: you have to give it up
Andrew: i have a dinner to go to
Stephanie: jesus vs dinner
Andrew: argh
Andrew: fine
Andrew: today



So yes, I'm giving up meat for Lent, but can you honestly blame me?

I mean, c'mon. Giving up meat for Lent vs. losing to Stephanie. Before you judge me, ask yourself, WWJD?

Whisper

I've noticed that often that whenever my friends make racial references, they lower their voices, sometimes to a whisper.

I think it's hilarious.

Today I woke up in Eric Woo's bed. How weird. Don't tell him. He went down to SoCal for a weekend. Then I went to lunch, for which I rarely if ever wake up in time.

They had waffles.

Then I took a 10 minute nap waiting for my father to pick me up and take me home. Of course, I was so tired that I stayed asleep in the car. In fact, I slept happily for so long that the next person to use the car didn't bother to wake me up. So, I found myself in the parking lot of Jack in the Box while my brother dashed in for a burrito from La Victoria's.

At this point, I would like to note something interesting. I told my brother that I didn't want a burrito because I was tired. In essence, I chose sleep over food, while most people choose food over sleep. I passed up a chance for La Vic's to sleep for 10 more minutes. How ridiculous.

Not only that, but my lame-ass brother asked me to drive so he could munch on his burrito. So I made him give me a massive bite.

I love burritos.