Word Stew

I like the smell of fall. Sure, we don't REALLY have autumn in California, but it does get a little colder. The air and aura of fall confuses me. It's crisp, yet warm.

The Choi family is having Thanksgiving dinner tonight so I'll be having my third thanksgiving meal this week. It feels a bit odd not to have Thanksgiving dinner at Mon's everyday this week like the past years. Thanksgiving is a week-long-feasting-holiday at the Morales home.

This week, Mama Morales declared Monday as Thanksgiving so that the left-overs would only stay in the fridge for about four days, so she could free up space for all the food to come on Friday (Papa and Mama Morales' 25th wedding anniversary - renewal of vows). Now, there's a woman who plans. The holidays work around her schedule. I heart Mama Morales.

We studied materialism last Friday for small group. I couldn't stay until the end, so I'm not sure if I really experienced the fullness of that lesson; however, it's been an enlightening week. I can regulate my spending by sticking to my budget, but I realized that I think or worry about money a lot. So, I've been trying to catch myself and meditate on Philippians 4:6-7.

Well, going along with materialism... here are some things on my "to get" list:

• contact solution: I've been using Mansoo's
• knitting needles: I can't seem to find them. I know I packed them when I came back from London, but now they are nowhere to be found. I really liked them. I used them so much last year; we bonded. I'm going to look one last time. I don't want to just abandon my old ones; they felt so comfortable.
• nail polish remover (?): I let Miae paint my nails, but they're pink. Barbie pink. :/ Plus, she drew little flowers and put a little sparkly thing in the middle. I feel so ... pink.
  

I certainly haven't been shoping for any new shoes
And I certainly haven't been spreading myself around
I still only travel by foot and by foot it's a slow climb
But I'm good at being uncomfortable so I can't stop changing all the time

Mr. Simon's

I went to the Norton Simon Museum last Saturday. I was so happy. Art makes me happy. I feel so refreshed after spending a pleasant time at an art museum. It was nice to see 'The Mulberry Tree'; I haven't seen it in years. It was such a delight to revisit paintings and sculptures, like meeting an old friend after quite a while has passed by, yet I've changed and the works remain the same. As I stood in front of paintings and sculptures I saw years ago, the feelings and thoughts of that time flooded my mind. However, the flood of nostalgia was abruptly met by my current state of emotions and thoughts.

It was a beautiful collision.

Rhythm Don't Mean Nothing

It's a perfect day to play at a park or lake (or both).

I'm sitting here in the office daydreaming as I stare at the trees outside. The leaves are dancing. I think of Michael and Keisuke's "jellyfish" dance. I giggle.

Facts on World Hunger and Poverty

thanks to Anthony (one of my tutor students) for emailing me the WHY (World Hunger Year) article because "Grace teacher likes this kind of stuff".

• Approximately 5 billion people live in the developing world. This world is made up of about 125 low and middle-income countries in which people generally have a lower standard of living with access to fewer goods and services than people in high-income countries.
• Economically, the constant securing of food consumes valuable time and energy of poor people, allowing less time for work and earning income.
• 852 million people across the world are hungry, up from 842 million a year ago.
• The combined wealth of the world’s richest people hit $1 trillion in 1999; the combined incomes of the 582 million people living in the 43 least developed countries is $146 billion.
• Today, across the world, 1.3 billion people live on less than one dollar a day; 3 billion live on under two dollars a day; 1.3 billion have no access to to clean water; 3 billion have no access to sanitation; 2 billion have no access to electricity.
• Counting near-poor families (below twice the poverty line), nearly 8 million low- income children lived in households that experienced hunger or severely crowded conditions, or that had their phone or utilities shut off.
• Effective debt relief to the 20 poorest countries would cost $5.5 billion- equivalent to the cost of building EuroDisney.
• Providing universal access to basic social services and transfers to alleviate income poverty would cost $80 billion, less than the net worth of the seven richest men in the world.

"They will not hunger or thirst,
Nor will the scorching heat or sun strike them down;
For He who has compassion on them will lead them
And will guide them to springs of water."
- Isaiah 49:10

May your will be done.

Stressless

I'm consciously making a decision not to be so stressed. I realized that I've become so uncomfortably cozy in my perpetual state of stress. I'm letting go.

It's nice. wait, mice. ;)

I went to a paint store with Mansoo's dad yesterday. I liked looking at all the colors; it was quite soothing. I especially enjoyed the yellow tones because the names were so fun: dandelion, broom handle, yolk.

One of my tutor students thought the "lo" in "lo and behold" meant "laugh out". I was speechless.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- Phillippians 4:6-7

i am grateful for...

^-^

Dear Jazzed,

I live to make your day.

Love,
Museum Buddy

Surely Outta Control

Shirley, the wild one. I never knew such a rambunctious fifth-grader.

Me: Shirley, why are you so crazy?
Shirley: What?! (laughs hysterically) What are you talking about? Well, you know what?
Me: What?
Shirley: My parents were gonna send me to navy camp in the summer. (starts laughing)
Me: What?! Navy camp?
Shirley: Yeah for the summer
Me: Like a disciplinary place?
Shirley: Huh? It was navy camp. But, they couldn't send me 'cause there were only boys allowed.
Me: Mmmm.

Wimp!

Eric (one of my tutor students, of course) is a sweetheart. He gave me Snickers from his trick-or-treat bag after asking me what my favorite candy was. I definitely struggle with him and my patience is tested every time we tutor, but we have those golden moments. He exudes warmth.

I learned today that his eating habits are peculiar. For example, he likes to eat a PB & J sandwhich with string cheese melted on top. I went to his house a little early today and saw him making a sandwhich (I thought it was one of his special PB & Js), but I saw a tub of sour cream on the table.

Me: What's the sour cream for?
Eric: I spread it on the bread.
Me: What?! Is that good?
Eric: Yeah! It's so good!
Me: That's weird.
Eric: No, it's so good. You have to try it. Do you want me to make you one?
Me: Uhhh.. no thanks. I'm not brave.
Eric: Wimp!
Me: (laughing) Yeah
Eric: Wimp!
Me: Yeah, I am.
Eric: Really? 'Cause it's ok if you are.

Thanks Eric.

Within the past two days, I've been called weird, crazy and a wimp by my tutor students. Hmm.

A Couple of Minutes

Tired, I am.

Thoughts and moments of the day:

How do airplanes fly and stay up in the air? It truly amazes me. Yes, I remember learning about the differences in air pressure above and below the wing. Still... it baffles me. I thought about this for a couple of minutes as I was driving.

My ipod died on me today at the office. I was crushed. Music saves me at work (thanks again for the cd; i like). I stared at my ipod for a couple of minutes. I probably had a lost look on my face. Luckily, I only had 30 minutes left of work.

I wish I could sleep for a couple of minutes.

It's just crazy to work/tutor straight from 8-9; then 10-11. I wonder when I'm going to crash.

Anthony (my tutor student today from 5:10-6:40): Grace Teacher, I think you should go to sleep after you're done tutoring me.
Me: Oh Anthony, I have to tutor your sister and another student after.
Anthony: But you look so tired. You're sooooo tired.
Me: No, I'm not! I'm not tired.
Anthony: But you're acting weird, like you're crazy.
Me: (Hmmmmm)

Shirley (Anthony's crazy younger sister) had to write sentences for a few of her vocabulary words from a story about Japanese internment during WWII.
- Interned: To confine, especially in wartime.
Shirley: (excitedly) OoooOOooOh, I have a great sentence.
Me: (equally excited 'cause I'm a geek) Oh yeah? Neat. I can't wait to read it.
Shirley types and starts laughing hysterically.
GRACE WAS INTERNED DURING THE WAR.
Me: (speechless)

Anthony and Shirley's mom made me drink this "healthy" drink. I had to plug my nose as I drank it. I tried to convince Anthony to drink it for me, but he wouldn't. I could still taste it a couple of minutes later.

I had the chance to read a lot of Pascal's Pensees today. I wish we could be friends.

Hmm... photo exhibit.

I'm going to close my eyes for a couple of minutes.