The year is not over yet, but I have to say that this year has been filled with moments of things just being "right."
Sometimes I think we wander around - trying to figure out what we're supposed to be doing, where are we supposed to be. Where should I live? Who should I be hanging around? etc. Honestly you never know until you look back.
So far this year:
I left Starbucks for Jamba Juice
I left about 3 weeks of vacation that I never got to take or receive pay for.
But I also left a lot of stress. I actually got to take unpaid time off to visit my beautiful niece and nephew (brother and sister and law too but let's be honest on why I really went)
I got to take a 2 week trip with my parents and go on a good hike up a mountain - seeing my parents' perseverance and commitment to "togetherness"
I got to take a week vacation in NY with Alex (but to be honest, it was about the food - j/k)
I've moved to East Austin - a little less cushy, but it has made me a better person
I'm biking around. I'm starting to run again - I actually feel like I'm running better than when I was training for my marathon.
I took the step to commit to tutoring at a local middle school - and I think about my kids and their progress
I've gotten to babysit (aka play) with my friends' kids again - used to just be little Tsangs and Lees, but we've added Peters and another Lee.
I'm not working insane hours with fast food as my only option late at night.
I'm cooking a little more and enjoying a meal with Kev as we watch TV
*Kev and I first really bonded eating these awesome sub sandwiches in Albany, NY watching playoff basketball.
My Uncle Pat passed away after a long battle with cancer this year, but things felt right when I went back to see him for the last time. You really don't know how to say bye to someone when you know that it's probably the last time you'll see him breathing, sitting next to you. That trip was definitely one where in the moment, it felt like I should have been there. A week or two later after he passed away and all the family was there - it just felt right. Chris' flight got delayed in Dallas - which allowed him and his family to be around.
I wouldn't say that God came down and threw this vision of what I should be doing. There were some risks here and there, but nothing too horrible. I just feel very blessed. I feel like I'm learning again - in a new way. I cried the most I have in years when my uncle passed away. I felt fortunate to have peers honestly ask how I was doing. I could handle things in my head alright, but it was healthy to talk about things and let it out.
There are new challenging situations at Vox - the issues have always existed in life, but it's a different thing when they intersect your community. I'm thankful for the leadership and the honesty in our circle of friends. The insight and the laughter are all part of the feeling of things just being "right."
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I used to say that I love it when it's cold outside and you just breathe the cool crisp air, but something changed. Hannah and I ran a small loop around Town Lake (a part that I never ran before but is awesome). A week before, she kicked my butt burning me at the end. That day sucked - not cuz she beat me, but because we made a few stops here and there where water fountains didn't work. It was a shorter run, but the humidity made it feel like 90 and you could feel the sweat on your shirt weigh you down. This day was different. We went longer. We never stopped. We weren't tired. We felt good because it was just right - you could breathe in the air, but you didn't have to process cold to warm. You sweat and it just naturally dried. The air was crisp and clean, but you didn't even notice it.
It was like the Sunday ride the week before. It wasn't about skill or anything. Just riding and being with people - everyone from the high mileage bikers (Harm, Enoch, Gid) to the casual (Jen, Tandra, Joshua). I didn't feel like I was doing much the entire time other than chatting with people. I love our community. Those are truly the moments of just being. Those moments of just doing life together.
The other morning I made this awesome breakfast hash that Kev and I shared. That evening Kev cooked up the steaks. A day of good eating and just resting. Oh yeah, and I did have work in between that, but work is no longer one of the major things going on in my life.
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There's this feeling after a good shower where you feel like your skin is breathing. But then there's this feeling after you use one of those face wash soaps - then after that you REALLY feel like your pores have all opened and you're breathing in life. That's when I'm truly refreshed and ready to go.
I am usually a restless person, but there's this image/theory I have. When I take a good shower and then go to bed, it's like my body is breathing in rest - the pores are taking in the softness of the little cotton fibers in my blanket. It's like I'm absorbing the physical nature of rest. Add some cold weather and you gotta love staying in bed. It just feels right.
You can search this blog using Google's site search, which in effect will search my twitter tweets that have been mirrored and archived here.
This widget is supposted to let you search my twitter archives from August 30, 2008 to September 30, 2009.
Why I have to do this - twitter's own search engine only goes back a few months. And I've been twittering for years, and occasionally want to look back in my lifestream.
I am in New York as I write/type. I'm taking a break. It's been great checking things out. One of my favorite themes of writing about usually has to do with community - whether it be the kids, families, various affinity groups, etc.
Last week, I was eating out with two friends - single guys. Out of the blue, one says 'marriage - that is so stupid. Why do people think of that stuff?'
Well, I have found something deep and profound . . . ok maybe neither.
So I had one mission for my trip - to eat - to eat a lot and to eat well.
Day 1 - mainly traveling - so let's avoid that
Day 2 - hung out with my brother, Scott, Marian, Wei, and Sandy
We had a long list ahead of us and we figured we had to have a strategy. We would share plates.
So for starters;
1. Clinton Street Bakery - split the blueberry pancakes and brioche French toast
2. Doughnut plant - halved some donuts - tres leches, PB & J, creme brulee
Boring part - shopping - H&M, Uniqlo - mainly was the guys waiting for the girls - the price you gotta pay
3. Joe Shanghai - 5 orders of XLB, veggies, rice, and tea
Hanging out rushing for tickets
4. Ippudo - Shoyu ramen with braised pork belly and an extra serving of noodles (could have done another but I had to make room) - this was the only thing I didn't share
5. Bon Chon - Mad for Chicken - split spicy and salty wings added some soju as wel.
6. Halal Cart - Chicken and Rice Split 6 ways
This was a wonderful day. We never could have hit all the places and eaten all that food without the help of 6 people eating - everything was like a small appetizer for the next meal. They say that it's best to eat several small meals rather than a large meal or two a day. Add walking all day and I would say we were really healthy as well.
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Scott pointed out to me that the effect of eating several meals is a definite pro of being married - especially if your spouse to a light weight. The only con he pointed out was waiting during shopping, but he actually called it a push since he said Marian shops for him too so that cuts down time.
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The next day was harder - not because we ate so much the day before. It was harder because Al went off to Jersey and Wei and Sandy left back for Austin. 3 is a tough number. If it wasn't for Sandy joining us for dinner - and picking out good Thai food, we would not have been able to gloriously have a 2nd dinner of UF Chicken - unidentified flying chickens. We got to taste all the flavors as well.
Eatting at so many places would be a very difficult task to complete if I was alone, but it was definitely a team effort that made it possible to hit so many places so quickly - probably helped shave off a day or so.
This post is all about the benefits of community. Let's be honest - one person can't eat that many places. Even a married couple is limited. 3 was difficult. The 'economies of scale' start around 4 - maximized around 6. 8 becomes a little hard to get into a place all together.
Glorious . . . food. More to come and go down my belly.
Hello Internets! Just wanted to drop a quick note that I have a blog post up on the Experience MHGS website. Check it out when you get a chance. Peace and Blessings to you all.
Moving my LoudTwitter-powered twitter log from here to djchuang.wordpress.com so that you (and I) can search the archives and mine the data.
Not sure who hangs out here. I find that more people are on Facebook and Twitter than anything else. At least among the people I know.
- 18:31 RT @RedeemerNYC: Tim Keller will address topic of his book "Counterfeit Gods" 7:30pm 11/5 in DC bit.ly/3T1Gv2 (via @brian_ellie) #
- 18:54 @Johnwsnyder jealous of u being at #broganoc, wish i were there, take good notes #
- 08:03 RT @leadnet: Watch all the videos from #thenines online at www.thenines.leadnet.org/stream.htm #
- 08:07 RT @GeoffSurratt @RossTWhite: Tweet prayer requests to #acts108 for Seacoast prayer today 1:08pm Live simulcast tinyurl.com/y8w7ejf #
- 10:00 [djchuang.com] death of spontaneity - Being a post-college adult means different things to different people. And be... ow.ly/15S5lS #
- 10:56 Watch all the videos from #thenines online at thenines.leadnet.org/stream.htm [sorry prev link was bad] #
- 14:09 prophetic? // RT @jonathanhochan: New blog post: Death of the Big Conference www.jonathanhochan.com/?p=1502 #
- 16:05 RT @leadnet: Watch all the videos from #thenines online at thenines.leadnet.org/stream.htm #
- 16:18 WANTED: 1 Google Wave invite for djchuang@gmail.com . I'm asking nicely.. thanks in advance! #
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- 19:17 try Ping web.me.com/everything/ping/appstore.html in App Store - FREE iPhone-to-iPhone messaging w push notif My ID= djchuang #
- 20:16 RT @L2foundation [L2Foundation.org] Evangelical Covenant home for Asian Americans ow.ly/15RCAi #
- 07:40 RT @leadnet @stephplagens: Whole Church blog tour today - join the conversation with @mellawrenz at bit.ly/4DFlZs #leadnet #
- 08:00 RT @jellett @Figliuolo thoughtLEADERS Blog: 10 Reasons Your Team Hates You (They Just Won't Say It To Your Face) retwt.me/mAKS #
- 08:52 RT @leadnet: Dan Kimball is on THE SHOW today, plus we're releasing all THE NINES videos! Join us at 4 EDT at bit.ly/3ixvd #
- 09:17 @davebaldwin I think I might have met Harold a couple months ago at Trinity, good to know the connection #
- 12:05 RT @GregLigon @leadnet: Dan Kimball is on THE SHOW today, plus we're releasing all THE NINES videos! IN 55 mins at bit.ly/3ixvd #
- 12:05 read fr @kevindoi: "God does not cause bad things to happen so that I can learn something good." ow.ly/rEPE #
- 12:58 RT @leadnet: Join us now for THE SHOW w/ Dan Kimball. Added bonus: Be 1st to watch THE NINES videos! Now at bit.ly/3ixvd #
- 13:14 #leadnet THE SHOW now - call in your questions to 646-478-3619 or tweet it w hashtag #leadnet theshow.leadnet.org/ #
- 15:04 Learn how to start a recovery ministry & get practical ideas to be more effective @recoveryconf recoveryconference2010.com #
- 17:26 found: a blog post titled, "Pastor Mark's Microphone" for you #mhc @pastormark fans ow.ly/rKEu #
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- 19:02 @kkcoolj SOL ? :) ask @davidyhlee nicely, plead and beg if you have to :) #
- 20:39 found: @alanhirsch video from #thenines online at ow.ly/rl8i via davewainscott.blogspot.com #
- 08:04 @davidyhlee happy to help test, let me know what I can do #
- 09:13 RT @Cherilhendry: @kogibbq + @chrisbrogan = Tue 9/29 2pm Barnes & Noble, Town & Country on Main St across from Main Place Santa Ana #
- 11:38 @human3rror twitter l ive feed embed was tweetizen.com on the live page, and twubs.com on simulcast sites #
- 11:51 RT @andyrowell: www.outreachmagazine.com 100 Largest Churches in America for 2009. See top 16 at @kentshaffer bit.ly/T8MQE #
- 12:17 RT @robinmestre @eMarketer @prnewser AdAge: "Six Reasons Companies Are Still Scared of Social Media" bit.ly/FtEOs #
- 15:13 RT @joshinthe818 @leadnet: Want to watch THE NINES videos? We're releasing them tomorrow on THE SHOW bit.ly/fMhlL #
- 16:08 #findconf FIND Conference live streamed onl ine NOW ow.ly/rwkG evening worship & message fr Chris Hodges #
- 16:16 #findconf FIND conference evening message - @Chris_Hodges is on Live Now www.livestream.com/seacoast #
- 16:46 @jasonkovacs the one that works :) I've used both, but on a webcam, not much diff; diff video equip may work better w 1 vs other #
- 17:11 when Josh interviewed Josh using wetoku ow.ly/rwfC @joshinthe818 & @joshchow that is #
- 17:39 Don't be the only 1 at the water cooler who doesn't have a Brizzly account. Here's an invitatio n, good for 10 people. bit.ly/3MMbm1 #
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- 18:47 looking across from @markdeymaz and @alanhirsch studying the dinner menu mobypicture.com/?ypacqp #
- 08:18 RT @mattmcgill: If you're never surprised by your thoughts, you aren't thinking enough. #
- 09:01 I'm at Laguna Hills high for launch of South County campus of @rockharbor 5 photos in story so far #tworco whrrl.com/e/f0I8W #
- 09:51 I'm at Laguna Hills high for 10am launch of South County campus of @rockharbor - photo essay whrrl.com/e/f0I8W #
- 12:11 RT @tonybkim @killaCatalina: First rule of leaders hip: everything is your fault #
- 12:16 (?) do they make a laptop pc that'd work at the beach? either extra brightness or VR glasses... #
- 14:42 OC Register article about @rockharbor Rock Harbor's South County campus launch bit.ly/4tNCUH #
- 17:50 RT @orchid8 @davidyhlee: 1st 100 ppl to signup for wetoku w/invitation code "@seanchoe" are eligible for a free wetoku pro trial #
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