a new year

Fixed scenes peel away

In loud, thick, and jagged strips

Revealing what's real

The ultimate measure of a person is not where one stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where one stands in times of challenge and controversy.

- MLK Jr

(... happy 2011, everyone!)

in hiding?

xxx: haha i always ask how ppl met their gf/bf

i want to know, WHERE ARE ALL THE GOOD GUYS HIDING????!!

in a CAVE?

me: LOL

xxx: or just at church?

haha

Cambridge Public Library

... possibly my fave new place around Boston!

pictures below are stolen from all over the Internet.

This is a pic of the old (left) and the new CPL buildings

New Building

Part of the 1st floor

A study corner

Teen Lounge

You prob can't tell from the photo, but the lights on the sides of the walls are colorful...

There are also booths near the back of the room for folks to study/snack

Children's Floor

a reading corner of the Children's Floor... with carpet stones!

Old Building

The donor of the CPL old building asked for this piece to be kept permanently on one of the CPL walls

A reading room in the old building

This is where I'm "studying" right now!!

... uh oh, I don't want to leave...... =)

From Gracias! by Henri J. Nouwen

"My hour in the Carmelite chapel is more important that I can fully know myself. It is not an hour of deep prayer, nor a time in which I experience a special closeness to God; it is not a period of serious attentiveness to the divine mysteries. I wish it were! On the contrary, it is full of distractions, inner restlessness, sleepiness, confusion, and boredom. It seldom, if ever, pleases my senses. But the simple fact of being for one hour in the presence of the Lord and showing him all that I feel, think, sense, and experience, without trying to hide anything, must please him. Somehow, somewhere, I know that he loves me, even though I do not feel that love as I can feel a human embrace, even though I do not hear a voice as I hear human words of consolation, even though I do not see a smile as I can see a human face. Still the Lord speaks to me, looks at me, and embraces me there, where I am still unable to notice it. The only way I become aware of his presence is in that remarkable desire to return to that quiet chapel and be there without any real satisfaction. Yes, I notice, maybe only retrospectively, that my days and weeks are different days and weeks when they are held together by these regular 'useless' times. God is greater than my senses, greater than my thoughts, greater than my heart. I do believe that he touches me in places that are unknown even to myself. I seldom can point directly to these places; but when I feel this inner pull to return again to that hidden hour of prayer, I realize that something is happening that is so deep that it becomes like the riverbed through which the waters can safely flow and find their way to the open sea."

Chinatown Respite Night

This photo collage made with Smilebox

First Launch:

• 1 guest speaker
• 1 volunteer trainer
• 6 volunteers
• 5 children with Autism, 1 child with Down's Syndrome

Praise God!!! :)

This is how God is glorified-- not through our focus on who is strong or who is weak, but through our focus on God, who strengthens both parties to give and to receive... Disability Ministry is not about reaching out to the weak, but about being interdependent with one another in God.

- Toni Kim, staff at Park St. Church

An attempt to update

1. I've moved!

I now live with 4 other girls who go to different churches around Boston. We live in a 3 story house near Porter Sq in Somerville (across the Charles River from Btown).

This is 3 of them sitting on the roof outside my room.

I really like my roof.... Nowadays it's a bit too cold to hang out there. Until April! *salutes*

This is an over exposed photo of me & my roommate Julie. We share the top floor.

Upon seeing this photo, Julie notes, "Hm, I look white. "

She's really chill and nice... I'm comfortable saying that I'd rather share the attic with her than live alone =P

This is all of us, celebrating the Fall season haha...

Most of us are grad students. Steph (far right) actually moved out yesterday and Janessa just moved in. People come in and out of Boston v. quickly.

2. Boston is really pretty...

My (super organized, fun & inspirational) friend Ada and I took an 1 hr long cruise around Boston a couple of weeks ago.

This is my fav... you may have already seen in on fb.

This one was actually taken on Labor Day last year (2009). It is a shot Good Harbor Beach near Beverley, MA.

Boston will start to get really cold soon, though.

... I might have to start dressing like this again. This was when Teresa, Julene, and Jae came to visit me in January!! <3

Everyone says this past winter was actually abnormally mild....... ??? -__-

3. School is....

... well, I try to be optimistic.

Regardless, I am definitely thankful to be in school and living in Btown :-)

Here are some of my buddies from school. Let's just say that we know each other's bodies pretty well at this point........ yes, our curriculum helps.........

Art's 25th

Celebrated a Art's 25th last night in home-made togas. (Living out a college-esque moment never personally experienced?)

As Jen brought out the cake, everyone sang "Happy Birthday" in the lowest pitch and slowest beat possible.

"Haaaaaapppy birrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-thhdayy toooooo Arrrrrrrr..thurrrrrrrr...."

Derek: this is more like a funeral dirge...

"Haaaaaaaapppppyy birrrrrrrthhdayyyy tooooooooooo youuuuuuuuuuuuu...."

Tim: and welcome to your mid-twenties...



Hm, mid-twenties... I want to say it still feels far away......