Better In Time

My life seems to follow the words of great men and women. Since 2005, the theory of whether time is relative or absolute, introduced to me by my World History teacher, Ellen Bergan, has been stuck in my mind. To relate it in my own life comes an argument for both.

With my summer vacation coming to a close, I can say that I have gone big. So I didn't go to Europe, Philippines, or anywhere out of CA, except Texas. I didn't go to Six Flags, Soak City, and anywhere else with an admission fare. I didn't really hang out with friends from high school nor did I accomplish the goal of hanging out with my mom.

Oh well, life's tough. Life's not a marathon, but a series of short races. You just gotta pull yourself up and make it through the day. Everyone has their own struggles and clock will not stop; time is absolute.

But I did travel frustrating miles to La Mesa, Encinitas, and Temecula just to dance. I did go to Sea World for free, Disneyland just for the fireworks, and the Del Mar Fair to pick up a third place trophy. I strengthened the bond between my best friends from sunset to sunrise. And July was full of surprises.

So I didn't go overboard into the hype of fulfilling a summer, but rather went with the flow. No real need for planning, just allowing it all to soak in. Learning to be grateful for what you are given and making the best of it is basically the message. At this point, the clock was ticking to my own tempo; time was relative.

Despite believing that life isn't a marathon, I don't believe it's a series of short races either. Like I said before, Life isn't for enduring or suffering, it's for living. It's like a garden where each stage brings growth to a blooming flower. Never does an experience revert the growth of the flower, instead it blooms the flower until the experience is overcome, only to leave twice as many seeds before its time is up.

From the words of Tenchi, "People are always looking for better, yet it does not exist; there is only different. Once one can understand different, then he or she can be truly content."

It may be late to redeem my New Year's Resolution, but I still have had good intentions and no regrets. I'm not rich or famous or have the best of everything, I just make the best of everything. I may not be able to give you what you want, but sit back and see that I have a lot to offer. I'm working around my own clock. Consider this a head start on 2009.

In a similar quote, I'll conclude my overwhelming metaphoric thoughts with this from NIKKI!

“The real voyage of discovery consists
not in seeking new landscapes
but in having new eyes.”

Sixty Miles & US Customs & Border Patrol

Perseids from Anza Borrego: Night lapse.


I had the experience of watching the shower last August after hearing about it on CNN. With Steux and Ernest simultaneously watching from their own roofs, I climbed the ladder to my own and gazed into the sky. Hyped by testimonies of fervent stargazers, I was meddled by the light pollution of living in the city. The wait for the first meteor seemed like forever. Still, I got to enjoy seeing my first of nearly 20 shooting stars. I will admit, out of the biggest curiosity, I made a wish or two.

I was determined to catch the shower again this year. I was sure that it was around August 20 something and had kept my mind on that. It wasn't until a bulletin notice that I was informed the shower was, in fact, this morning. Yesterday, Jennika and I began to plan the night/morning for, what was to become, an enjoyable summer night.

We knew we needed to catch it somewhere dark. North and West would only lead us further into the city. South was obviously Mexico, so we were left with East county. Barona, Viejas, or Jamul? Barona was the first choice just so we could go to the casino, pero Jennika is still a minor. So then Viejas?

I headed to Emphasis around 6:30 to chill and later take Dea's 7:30 class. After class, we watched Mean Girls and Eurotrip until we were to head out to the destination.

Hispanic wheelchair girl: "I don't hate you cuz you're fat, you're fat cuz I hate you!"

We finally decided on Jamul since we knew the area and it was closer. Nearly five cars packed of twenty-something of us left for Jamul around 1:45. Reminiscence of horror flicks like Jeepers Creepers and Texas Chain Saw Massacre were mocked by the other cars; swerving, high beaming, and pitch black driving.

After nearly being cannibalized by a senior citizen at the Jamul campgrounds, we left further into Campo. We then realized the sky would not get any better (helped by Jennika's iPhone Weather Forecast), so we fled back to the 7-11 for refuge. On the way back, we were stopped at a US Customs & Border Patrol check point to check if we were smuggling immigrants. As much as we wanted to laugh, we knew it was serious business. The authorities let us pass by rather quickly and we arrived at 7-11 to talk about the déjà vu. In our strength in numbers attempt to watch the annual Perseid's Meteor Shower, we fell short of the many expectations by Mother Nature's damn clouds.

The morning continued with the random photo shoot that spontaneously happens where you're at Emphasis. Group pictures, solos, and candids were flashed all until 4:00. After a series of caterpillar racing, superstitious lifting, and flexibility contests, the morning was concluded with Maryann suggesting,

"We should watch the sunrise at Sunset Cliffs."
"That's impossible. But I'm sure they have a place called Sunrise Cliffs on the east coast..."

The Summer Games of the XXIX Olympiad: Beijing 2008

The Olympics. My oh my. You do not even have to know me too well to know that I am a huge fanatic. Just hearing NBC play the theme music gives me the chills.

Last night, or more so yesterday morning, was the opening ceremony. I attempted to watch it live at 5:08am (Beijing is 13 hours ahead) to learn that the day's forecast was 80 degrees and there was a prostitution sting in Escondido; I was watching the local news.

Later at 7:30pm, a broadcast of the preparations for the Olympics played. Under the narration of Morgan Freeman, who is currently hospitalized for several bone fractures due to a recent accident, the history of the Olympics itself, USA's journey and most importantly, China's journey, drew suspense. Finally, the long anticipated opening ceremony began at 8:08.

Without going into complete detail of every performance, the ceremony began with 2,008 Chinese men illuminating the Bird's Nest Stadium at the sound of 2,000 year old drums.

There were more than a handful of symbolic performances to recognize China's culture, the Olympic history, and the harmony of the world uniting.

On the history of the Olympics, it began over 2,000 years ago when the city-states of Greece competed for the supremacy of athleticism. The origin of the field events like javelin, discus, and shot put were designed to increase the effectiveness of soldiers during war. Wrestling and track proved each city-state who had the most enduring and fastest warriors. Makes sense now right?

I also learned that pigeon shooting and Indian Club Swinging (pictured right) were once sports. The extended list of odder events include Solo Synchronized Swimming, Long Jump for Horses, Pistol Dueling, and Rope Climb.

Table-Tennis, Trampoline, and Synchronized Swimming (Solo or Team-based) are for my personal entertainment. However, my personal favorites of the modern Olympics are:

Swimming/Diving

Track & Field

Gymnastics

I'll probably be talking about the Olympics and soak in the spirit through my TV until they end.
I could care less about the innovations and top notch welfare we, as Americans, have achieved for our country. I get a greatest sense of patriotism just watching the games.

It doesn't matter about how many gold medals a certain country wins and how much press they get. Eighty-four of the countries have never even had the honor of their national anthem play at a single medal ceremony. Others know that the few athletes they send won't even have a chance. Still, it is the highest definition of character for one to train, perform, and earn the best for, both, themselves and their country.

Politics are put aside as China sits across Taiwan and Japan, Russia adjacent to Georgia, Israel next to Palestine, and USA settled near Iraq. Every country, all 204 of them, unite in honor, glory, and in character. World peace for the next three weeks!

Ich bin ein Schüler an Grossmont Hochschule

I've been learning German through Rosetta Stone the past week. I have to admit that it actually works! I remember thinking,
"Spanish? Over it after three years. French? Italian? Too cliche. German? Hagen Dasz and Weinerschnitzel? Hell yeah!"
It sounds a lot like English and it just makes me laugh at the similarities and unattractive accent.

Was ist das? Ist ein Apfel.
What is that? It is an apple.

It's definitely helped with the summer boredom and has been helping me get things off my mind.

One of the most humbling events has caught my mind and I'm not talking about the Olympics and the world uniting. I learned that my mom will be attending Grossmont with me this Fall. I'm proud that she isn't going back to the nearly sweatshop-style occupation she once worked for more than a decade. The government is paying her to go back to school and she's pursuing nursing, the job she had before the most recent. I really don't want to take this as a burden as I'm planning that these are going to be the best times of our lives. Who would've ever thought a mother and her son, now finally an adult, would ever go to school together? I think the experience will be beneficial as it'll allow us to learn more about ourselves and each other.

Perhaps you were waiting for me to write a lot more as I said I would in my previous entry. To tell you the truth, I'm still contemplating if I should publish the other post. It's not finished anyway and still trying to develop my thoughts on it.

I've meant every word I've said. I am both distressed and hopeful that you've felt the same. It's a struggle to fight my falling faith.