February 28th, 1947. 228.
On Taiwan's darkest day, where peace was broken and thousands were killed, the Taiwanese sense of identity was attacked. But in my eyes, 228 has become an incident where Taiwanese identity can be forged. Fifty-nine years after, the older generations still feel the effects. But the event has been a unifying source for so many of us descendants. Learning about 228 and understanding the tragedy that took place in its often untold story is one of the passages into having a Taiwanese American identity for many of us. It is a way in which we form a community.
Fifty-nine years later, we have events like ITASA, among others. Spaces where the community can come together and grow and share. A place where we can reflect on our past and envision our future, and hopefully learn more about our roles as Taiwanese Americans locally, nationally, and globally. I hope this doesnt sound like a self-promotion, but that's just my two cents on this day.
ok. if any high schoolers facebook me...i'm sorry, but...that's just weird.
weirdweirdweird. karenlai, dont accept my friendship!
1. Yesterday Jess Fu and I saw a squirrel eating a bird. Not like, pecking at it, but actually tearing apart the bird with red stuff being pulled and consumed. It was gross. But you know, you just keep watching. Until you stop so you can get Jess Fu to stop because she's grossed out.
2. As I am typing this, my apartment building is apparently on fire (and yes, I am blogging about it). I just came back from working out, and I heard the alarms going off. But then I just took the elevator up despite that, haha. Apparently there are fire trucks outside and the street is cordoned off. And me Brian and Albert are just watching, haha.
3. Register for ITASA Midwest! uiuc.itasa.org.
Hey, the fire alarms just stopped. Hoo-rah.
ITASA Midwest Conference 2006 @ the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. MARCH 31st - APRIL 2nd.
Visit the site! Register now!
I promise you that this will be a great and worthwhile conference. We're bringing in a lot of people from across the US. A sample...
- Michelle Krusiec: from Saving Face and other movies.
- Alanna & Alice Lin: former TAF Junior High PD's, now an indie band in LA.
- Karen Lin: Showing her film Perfection
- And more! Check out the site NOW!
- High school seniors, come on out!
- TAFERS I EXPECT YOU TO BE HERE IN FULL FORCE! tafCrush is anxiously awaiting your arrival.
1: Nothing gives me chills like watching ESPN's Sports Images of Our Century.
2: Nothing makes me as happy as watching the JH 2005 Swing Choir.
wuha.
I'm starting to get scared. WHAT THE BLOODY HELL AM I GOING TO DO AFTER I GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE?!?! WHICH BY THE WAY IS IN THREE MONTHS?!?!?
ahem.
- Come to ITASA Midwest guys, March 31 - April 2nd. It should prove to be a very high-quality conference. We honestly have some impressive and inspirational speakers for you.
- I think I've been emo this week. My heart has been heavy over some things. yea. It's not that fun. Communication needs to be worked on. At least this is making me think about ways to improve effective communication by people (including my own) for TAF.
- Unseen/Unheard was today. Tina did a good job, I really liked her conference. Best speaker/performer I saw was this guy named Beau Sia. He is a Spoken Word artist. I think I have a crush on Spoken Word now. Maybe I can become a Spoken Word artist. But yea, his performance was quite refreshing and funny. I liked it.
- Ho Chie and I determined also that Beau Sia is like Davef, with practice and enunciation and from the West Coast. It's quite freaky actually to converse with Mr. Sia and to think of Davef. Shiver.
- I hate people. I love people. I hate people. I love people.
- It is 530am. I have to go pick up a speaker and drive them to the airport. THE THINGS I DO FOR TINA WEI.
- Tina's mom flew out for the conference. It was quite sweet. And she told me she liked my pictures. Oh God. She saw my glamour shots.
- Did you know: Jon's favorite book in the Bible is Galatians.
- It is really cold outside. Therefore, it is really cold in my room. Over winter break, I had my landlords saranwrap my door to insulate it more. I don't know if it is working. Although I guess it could just be really cold since our heater is turned off.
- So, yea, really. If you can ever check out Beau Sia (he was on Def Comedy Jam too), give it a shot.
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randumbs
- i would choose to be deaf over being blind.
- life is crazy, as well as beautiful.
- crazy/beautiful however, was not a very good movie.
- "la la la la la la, life is wonderful"
- if i were in a white see of eyes, i dont know if i would recognize anyones. except maybe alberts. but then again, it could be anna instead.
- pretty soon, or at least i hope soon, i will be able to play a total of four songs on the piano: augustana's boston, something corporate's konstantine, ben jelen's come on, and ben folds' the luckiest. thats a pretty solid group of songs.
- i wonder what it feels like to be a girl and to think, "wow, i am like a bug".
- haha, to the above. dont hate. a girl told me that analogy because of mental capacity/thoughtfulness or something.
- i have too much pride. i think it shows in many facets of my life. there will probably be a longer entry on this in the future. i'm going to buy a 2nd copy of mere christianity tomorrow.
- ho chie is coming tomorrow.
- i am really looking forward to seeing friends on april 20-23. i think this is the longest ive gone without seeing any of you in years. really, it is.
- i want to have long and honest and deep conversations with people. or just one person in particular. nothing shady about it. just pure conversing.
- i've been on fire lately in Literati. ive spelled bingo bonus words that are kinda hard. justin also spells some random bingo bonus words...shady.
- i'm destroying a pair of jeans that i never wear. i hope that i will wear them after i destroy them, and be part of the cool kid clique with destroyed jeans. except mine will have been $20, and not $220. its kinda fun too.
- i've been running a lot lately. but no apparent runners high which grizzle describes.
- eating pistachios and cereal before going to bed has given me some weird dreams. im going to stop eating before bed. i am also vegetarian for the week. its going pretty well. but it has only been 3 days.
- look at how much i feel like i can share! imagine how much more fun it would be if i were talking to you in person. maybe you should come hang out with me and experience Jonizzle: Live in his room. its better than Jonizzle: online.
- and lastly, my shit IS bananas.
I've been racking my brain trying to remember where I saw this quote. I really like it, and I think there can be a lot of truth in it. I even tried to google "you'll never be as beautiful as your are now," but nothing right came up. But luckily, I looked in Karen Lai's profile. Way to go JH Counselor. WHO ELSE WANTS TO BE A JH COUNSELOR?!?!?!
the gods envy us. they
envy us because we're mortal.
because any moment might
be our last. everything is more
beautiful because we're doomed.
you will never be lovelier than you
are now. we will never be here again.
- TROY
p.s. I don't like the movie.
Ok. So it's snowing hard outside. But the sun is also out. And I'm sitting next to a large window, so I'm really hot right now. But again, it is majorly snowing outside. This is phenomenal.
Yea it's Friday!
"Wait what? What did you say Jon? Your entry date says its Wednesday." Well kids, Jon planned his schedule for his last semester brilliantly. He only has class on Monday and Wednesdays. That's it! Yet he also managed to handle the 12 credit hours to stay a full time student and keep his health insurance. And of course, this means he only has to go to class 2/5 days of the week. Therefore, my (first of two) weekends begins tomorrow, making today "Friday." And that also means I have three "Saturdays" per week. Hate me if you must, but this just means I have more time to hang out/play/talk to you. So in reality, this is my gift to all my fans out there.
Anyways, Augustana finished their video for "Boston". You can see it here! The video is very wet and salty. You'll see what I mean.
And speaking of the band, any of my 21+ friends want to go see them on Thursday, March 2nd, in St. Louis at Blueberry Hill? I think it's $10 dollars. *coughJulieWengcough*.
I wonder what it is that makes Taiwanese parents allow themselves to come off as so conditional towards their kids, ie; I won't love you or be proud of you if you don't do what I want you to do.
This happens too often. It's disappointing.
At least Entourage is a good show.
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And now that I've finished watching Season 1 of Entourage, I gotta say, I am ashamed of my parents right now. Anyone else ever felt that way?