I read an op-ed article by Thomas Friedman of the Times. Well-written, witty and informative. When making my next statements, I'm assuming that writers follow the rule to only write what they know. By virtue of writers doing what they do (write), they are some of the most intelligent (not just knowledgeable, though certainly that) people in society. In order to write, you need to know. Know the facts, know how to connect, know the history, know the present, know how it'll shape the future.

I know squat, which is reflected in my blogs.

Last night, I watched 4 (count 'em: FOUR) Law & Order's in a row. Four hours from 9-1am. I was kinda packing, kinda watchin'. Good show. It doesn't make me want to be one of the lawyers or the cops. If anything, it shows me how easily I can end up one of those people committing the crimes. Like a regular, everyday, neurotic, psychotic New Yorker.

Regarding Abercrombie and Asian T-shirts (http://www.cnn.com/2002/BUSINESS/asia/04/19/sanfran.abercrombie.reut/index.html):

I think the t-shirts are kinda funny and I don't take offense but I do agree that they should not be sold.

I get home from work late these days. So when I (immediately, no less) turn on the TV after I get in, I'm catching Law and Order instead of the sitcoms. So, these past few weeks, I've been watching all the Law & Orders, all flavors, all the rotating casts. There's the regular one, SVU, and CI.

People have some of the most ****ed up reasons and motivations to commit the crimes that they do. It's amazing how jealousy, ignorance, stupidity, love, fear, lust can drive someone to do some of the most heinous things. Of course, it's not all about gore. Illegal activities come in all forms. I wonder what would drive me to the edge?

From Snapple cap: Slugs have 4 noses.
From Joe Li: "Good to know."

From CNN:
Male frogs exposed to even very low doses of a common weed killer can develop multiple sex organs -- sometimes both male and female -- researchers in California have discovered.
From Joe Li:
"Whoa!"

With all the meetings I set up to bring different parts of the firm and the vendor together, I quickly thought: hope this all works out. Then I realized that I never pray about the work that I do at my job. I pray about getting another job, but never about the success of my current one. But it just struck me as funny. In college, I never prayed about getting into another college. I prayed about doing well on the work at the current college. Granted, I theoretically can change jobs more easily than I could have changed schools. All this is not to say that I'm going to start praying about the work that I do now though.

I think I'm going to stop playing guitar (or learning to play the guitar) because it's making my fingers look ugly. I don't think what I'm getting are callouses, either. It's a funky flatness.

terms i hear at work that kinda annoying but i'm starting to use myself

1. circle back - let me circle back to bob on that and i'll get back to you
2. low-hanging fruit - well, now that we've gotten to all the low hanging fruit, we need find more savings
3. keep me honest - bob, keep me honest here, my understanding is that the cost would be absorbed by the vendor.

What do you need me to explain?!

I was talking to a friend (guy) and we were talking about men and women seminarians. Why do women go to seminaries? For missions, I can get that. C/E directors? Possibly. I mean, they'll never be a pastor (not really). So, if they're in a marriage state of mind (meaning, they want to get married at all; some women don't, right?), then they're looking for a seminarian (obviously, at least to me). BUT this seminarian my friend knows (who's young) wouldn't really be interested in a woman from seminary...because of things I mentioned below. It's great that she wants to know about God and be able to use this knowledge for His Kingdom but if that's all she knows, it's not as interesting. I know that sounds messed up. So, if she had a life before (doing her own thing, learning about herself, and her world) meeting him, she'll so much more to the table. And when they meet, that she's willing to change for him, for their mission together. Does that sound messed up? I don't know. That sounds right. I mean, if you take a regular guy (non-seminarian) and ask him whether he'd like someone totally just like him or someone who brings something to the table (like a previous life of adventures, experiences, or just background), he'd pick the latter.

Do you agree? Disagree? Still not sure what I'm saying?

OK. Maybe this is from a selfish-man-POV, but have you ever thought that a church-planter/China missions-oriented man doesn't want an exact replica of himself? I know it doesn't seem to make sense but hear me out. So, this guy is totally in missions and wants to plant a church and all that you are looking for. And, hey, you want the same things too! We have a match, right? Not really. I mean, though the guy obviously wants a woman who shares his vision and will accompany him on his/their mission, he doesn't exactly want a pre-packaged missionary's wife. Do you know what I mean?

I'm obviously not speaking for all men, but I think that guys want a woman who's had a life before him and whose life wasn't to wait for him.

This is not a commentary of what you're doing "right" or "wrong." I'm just offering a thought out there that might shape your own thoughts about relationships, your career path, your goals and mission in life.

Don't know how you do it. What makes you "go" for a guy? I mean, why not sit and wait? And by "going" for him, what do you do? Put yourself in his way? That might work.

As for me, I'm supposed to be the one "going" for the women right? Haven't found anyone yet. I'm not looking so that might be why. It's all good though. Really it is!

First day in my working life that I didn't go to a news website because I was diligently working. Never happened before. Don't know whether to be proud or ashamed.

Learned that song last year. Good song!

Last night, I had two Eskimo Pies and some Tostitos for dinner.

It's Wei3 Xian2.

Actually, what I hear about friendships is that people always seem to gravitate and hold dear their college friendships more so than their current friends. Well, I don't really know that. I just know that my post-college friendships can seem transistory. I think that because while we were in college, after four years, it's perfectly reasonable for people to move away to do their thing, whether it's graduate school, work, being at home with family. However, post-college, in the town you've decided to study, work, live, people moving away is a deliberate, conscious decision. It's a decision to move away from those friends you've made thus far. Perhaps, it's being in New York, where people have many goals, all of which are significant to them. And friendship is just one "sub-goal." And often times, these subgoals conflict, overlap, and/or are mutually exclusive.

I have an idealized view of friendship and family. I think I told you this. My problem is that very few hold this view, especially in New York City. So, change my view? Is that it?

Communication is key, don't you think? But there's a difference between communication and dumping, right? But what's the difference?

And how do you handle "pockets" of friends? Our mobile culture forces us to have these different pockets. I imagine a wedding where I'm just one of a party that is just one pocket of this couple's world of friends. I guess there's nothing wrong with that. I'm just selfish that way. I want them all to myself. Is that so wrong?

Do you think that any friend you make after college (similar to our go-away-to-college, non-commuter experience) will match the ones we made in college? What if your post-college days are not spent in your hometown and therefore your go-away, non-commuter experience is similar? What if you don't keep in touch with those college friends as much?

"I suggest that the only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little further down one particular path than we have gone ourselves." - EM Forster

No, I don't know that praise song.

One hour huh? Unbroken? I don't do anything that long (except sleep).

Where was this conference? How come you didn't go to the one in Philly?

I'm doing my annual objectives for work as part of our mid-year and end-of-year evaluation and I realize that I HAVE NO STRENGTHS! What's wrong with me? All I have put down is "spreadsheet/analytical data analysis." That's it! I'm not good technically because I have no idea what they're talking about. I'm not good communication-wise because I really don't feel like talking to these people, primarily because they're going to respond to me in that technical jargon that I don't understand in the first place! I like the idea of my role (which is "product management") but I don't like the industry in which I'm applying it. Got .... to..... get......another.......job.................

Of course, there are so many caveats to that last sentence. It's gotta pay well (or at least OK). It's gotta be some specific companies that I have in mind (i.e. not a total startup or anything). The industry should be in the areas of my interest. It can't be far away; I'm not relocating for it.

I love bacon! Am having it for breakfast right now. Dang! It's good. Crunchy, fatty and delicious.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101020211-198891,00.html