JONIZZLE

Harold and Kumar go to White Castle = goooooood.

hahahah. yea.

this is two years in a row ive seen a movie the night before TAF, and two years that John Cho, Eddie Kay Thomas, and Thomas Ian Nichols have been in that movie (American Wedding).

But yea, big ups for the asian guy and the indian guy. wooooooooooooooooooo!

TAF tomorrow. holla holla holla.

yes yes, thank you for all the birthday wishes. It is now three days after mine, but yea. It was interesting, the first three people who wished me a happy birthday (people i was hanging out with on monday night and jeanette dont count since it was before midnight).

I met them in the same order they wished me a happy birthday. and more importantly, the way they have impacted me so far in my first twenty-one years started with the first person, who probably influenced more of who I am today than even my parents, the second, who showed me how good a person can be, and the 3rd...well, its been good so far, and maybe more is to come, maybe not.

I've kind of lost touch with the first two. And I blame myself for that. Sure, people change. But you shouldnt forget where you come from.

I'm looking forward to seeing them again. After TAF, that is.

And I'll see all you TAFers, this weekend.

Peace up homeboys and homegirls. 

one moment can change a lot
one choice and change everything
one vision can inspire
one voice can lead
one life
one love
 
and one...and another. together.
and thats perfect (?)
 
maybe youre gonna be the one that saves me.
maybe...you're my wonderwall?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

you know what, four of the best words you could ever say to an angry friend is, "You need to vent?"
 
It can make a big difference.

much props to the Huang's for their hospitality, and big ups to the TPC. I really do adore that place.
 
And if I could come up with a great new cheer for JH, I could retire from TAF forever.
 
 
 
 
 
 
ok no not really. But making a new cheer would be nice.

attaboy Prince. Now that's what I'm talkin' bout

blogger is new looking, once again.
 
I went to dinner with my dad and sister. As usual, we went to a chinese buffet. And as usual, dinner conversation amuses me. kind of. I think communication problems run deep in my family, especially since my dad lost hearing in his right ear a few years ago. Compound that with my sister's very soft voice and...yea. It's a lot of "what did you say"'s and repeating the same thing over and over...and over. It can be a mind-numbing experience for me sometimes, but hey, its family right? But better communcations would be a great thing to have...
 
random:
 
- i bought a new Cubs hat for St. Louis tomorrow. uh huh.
- a fellow guy at the chinese buffet place stared talking to me about the Cubs. He had a Cubs hat on too :)
- Jars of Clay is good
- I got out of my car yesterday and I almost stepped on a dead baby bird. It was on my driveway, covered in ants. I wanted to vomit, but I instead made loud moan-ish screams and ran away. Later that night I ended up running over the bird and the ants, and at the thought of that, another loud moan-ish, eew-iness scream. The bird was completely gone by this morning.
- My dad and sister were HIGHLY amused at me saying "Wah gah lee gong!" at dinner tonight. He told me to start speaking loud Taiwanese to see if the owner would notice, thus signifying whether or not she was Taiwanese herself. Unlike all y'all kids in Taiwan, my dad thought my "Wah gah lee gong" and subsequent "heh heh ho ho"'s were pretty good. Which is why I guess it was funny...
- B-Roy told me Mike Montney got a job at Frair Tuck's, a liquor store. The amusing part of this story is that Mike used to buy alcohol there with a fake id, so all of the employees knew him as "Luke." I wonder what they thought when they realized his name wasnt Luke and his former ID didnt match his real one.
- My friend's dad might have robbed a couple of banks. Seriously. I won't go into further detail but...yea.
- My grandpa hid in the mountains during 228. And my mom is amsued at how much I look like her.
- Traci helped me choreograph swing choir. She is amazing. She choreographed six 8-counts and taught me in like...thirty minutes. I take like...a full day.
- My mom is looking at my Taiwan pictures. She's half shocked and amused by Jeremy and Jacks tongue's together picture. Yea, that was awkward. My mom seeing the picture that is, not two guys getting their tounges close together.
- AAND my mom just hit me, since Roger can speak Taiwanese and I can't, and he translate for my mom.
- TAF. is. coming.

"i am the only one to blame for this"

ouch. but a good ouch.

Anyways. Spiderman is pretty darn on target with its message.

"With great power comes great responsibility"

In whatever we do we probably influence someone, somewhere. And if you are a Counselor or Advisor or ILT or Coordinator or a Program Director at TAF, you will influence someone. You have the power. Therefore, you have the responsibility.

A lot of people talk about "hanky panky." We dont want shady things to happen? Then we don't do anything shady ourselves. We dont even joke of anything shady. We don't (or at least cut down) talk about crushes. I joked about it, I gossiped. But it'll stop for me at TAF. I let it become something bigger than it should be. "Who's your TAF crush??" is not a theme, on par with "Leadership", "Identity", "Communication", or "Ethics & Values". We want campers to stay awake and attentive so they can get something out of the week, the experience that is TAF? Then we do the same, WE SET THE EXAMPLE. I hope you're all ready for that, because that is your responsibility.

You're a role model. Maybe you didn't sign up for that, but you are. And I hope you realize that and do something about it. Don't be like Britney Spears (who you all know I love) and think you're not partly responsible for those younger than you.

And this still applies to campers. You may not be on staff, but you certainly still make an influence on others. You're the next leader, the next advisor, the next Program Director. Your actions can lead to the actions of another.

And yes, we do all make mistakes, and we should all be forgiven for them. Every year, everyone should be given a clean slate.

But please, don't let this get you down. If it does, maybe you should forget what I've said, because TAF is something to celebrate. Don't let me be one to take the joy away from you. I'll be in North Manchester, Indiana in 17 days with a big smile on my face, my heart filled with joy, and my mind wondering how I am so lucky to be here, with all of you.

I hope that's how you'll all feel too. Lucky.

man i had a really good post for you all to enjoy. it was kind of an in the moment thing. but i guess you'll all never know.

but anyways. i wish i would have been able to attend TAC ec. i'll try to go next year, as just a camper. yes! a camper! that'd be nice.

musicisgood.

you know, I wish i cried more. things usually dont move me to tears. they hit me in the gut, can give me chills, rip away something, but usually, no tears. I think we could all use a really good cry right? When oh when will that come. and what will cause it?

I'm scared to know.

love love love.

i believe its love, its hiding down, deep down inside us all.

Another thing i'm scared of is losing touch with friends. good friends. that doesnt hit me in the gut, but more so in the heart.

Wednesday: Springfield
Saturday: St. Louis
Sunday: Champaign/Springfield
Tuesday: Michigan
in 3 saturdays: North Manchester, Indiana. or home. Not Springfield, but home. maybe.

it is where the heart is. is it where my heart is? nah. its all over. in other people.

I think communication is the key to a lot of things. good communication. i think that may have something to do with my fantasies of not taking any classes but languages. I'd like to be sept-lingual.

out on the corner in the pouring rain.

see all the black all the white fade to gray.

i believe that love is the answer.

dream on, dream on.

and when she says she wants somebody else, i hope you know, she doesnt mean you.

you quenched my heart in love. (i bet thats a good feeling)

its hard to say what it is i see, and you wonder if i'll always be

did you know i miss you, did you know i miss you, i miss you, i miss you

turn turn we all become dizzy

up all upside down, to each other, we'll be facing our love

back beat the word is on the street that the fire in your heart is out

in your arms, my salvation lies in your arms

and its all about you, yes its all about you

and as we wind on down the road, our shadows taller than our souls

a clear black night, a clear white moon

coffee black and egg white

get close, get tight

we'll walk above the water, we'll rise above the mist

do you really want to live forever? forever. and ever.

I want to wake up where you are

in the name of love

hold on hey love hold on hey love hold on on on hey love hey love.

and i'll stop. i'd be impressed if someone knew half those songs. if you did, maybe we should be best friends.

and i ramble on.

ess tee ell is coo-ell as always.

yay tpc :)

my ilter emily working at qdoba? priceless.

yahmmy free au jus and 10 cent cones at lions choice

delectable bbq tasting spaghetti sauce by mommy huang

mmm red lobster (hmm...lots of food being mentioned...)

and big ups for a video outside of red lobster.

come on over baby.

whatup!

im at angies house in stl. yea i know, youre all jealous.

i should call jon, jeremy, emily, ryan, jessica, julie and others to let them know im here.

but i must dance. DANCE!

come on over, come on over baby...

aww sad.

Mishelby84: aight. i'm gonna go walk around 101

that makes me miss Taiwan :(

It was in the 60's here in Champaign though. That was quite nice. I saw Spiderman 2 tonight. Tyler Steve and I all wore soccer jerseys to the theatre. the girls were amused. And I continue to believe that Tyler looks a lot like Tobey Maguire. But Tyler is MUCH cuter than Tobey. I mean, thats what I've been told.

...

ANYWAYS, I must dance for swing choir. And my desktop computer is acting amazingly slow. I think it might have a virus. tear.

I am going to end this post now.

Like most things an upper-middle class kid like me would complain about, someone else has it much worse. "MAN, I've been in Taiwan for so long, I cannot WAIT to go back home to the US!"

On the plane back from Chicago to Springfield, a friend, or maybe just a guy I knew in high school, was sitting across from me on the plane. I had seen him in the airport before, but I didn't really think it was him at first. He looked different. He looked older. I guess a year in Iraq would do that to you though.

Kuntzi was finally coming home after flying around the Western hemisphere for two and a half days. I thought my 11-hour flight from Taipei to LA was bad. Try Bagdahd to Bahrain to Turkey to Frankfurt to Philly to Norfolk to Chicago to Springfield, along with some stops I dont remember the names of. And yea, going home after a year in a desert fighting a war.

Now, back in high school, people say Kuntzi wasnt the smartest guy. In fact he was voted Most Spaciest. But he went off and joined the Marines while I debated what major to choose. And while I go to class, or skip class and play video games, he really does risk his life for you and for me. He told me about three other friends we went to high school with. One of them was one of my best friends in 6th grade. I borrowed many of his MAD comic books to read and we were desk neighbors. He's on his second tour of duty now. Another is stationed in some place, and the last one is a medic in the airborne division.

This war in Iraq, I still think it's more not right than it is. But we do all have to remember that we all must support the troops 100%. Because they are our friends, our neighbors, people who we played with as kids on the playground, and their lives can be taken in a split-second. Knowing someone in directly in the war makes you look at it differently. Maybe you know someone in the armed forces. Maybe it's a good thing, maybe its a bad. But either way, it forces a closer and more personal perspective.

I wanted to ask him a lot of questions about the war, but I didnt think he'd like to talk about it a lot, . I felt stupid asking asking my single question, the all-encompassing "how was it?", since im sure being in a hot desert with the possiblity of dying not being the same as being in tropical humidty at Ximen Ding, but he said easily, "it was ok, good I guess, since I made it back." Yea, making it back is good.

So Kuntzi, a soldier of the United States Marine Corps, arrived back home in Springfield, Illinois, greeted by a small crowd of family and friends, on the Fourth of July. Good for him. A hero's welcome.

I felt humbled after seeing that. I really shouldnt complain anymore. We all shouldnt.

See, you and me
Have a better time than most can dream
Have it better than the best
And so can pull on through
Whatever tears at us
Whatever holds us down
And if nothing can be done
We'll make the Best of What's Around

Maria Sharapova is 80 times better than anna kournikova. She gets her name capitalized.

Sportscenter look crazy yo.

California is different. Or maybe its just the LA area.

YES! AMERICA! WHEEE!

its 59 degree here. and no humidity. and im sitting outside in this cool night weather. YEA.

ok im done. i think i might go pee pee somewhere here in the backyard.