Sometimes we can get so caught up in our own lives that we forget what's going on in the world around us. We sit around and complain about all the things that are going wrong in our little bubble, and fail to remember that there are a lot of people that have it worse off than we do. Now it's important to know that, to some extent, this is not our fault. It's all relative- relative to our lives, some people's issues don't seem important to us and relative to the lives of others, our issues may seem minor.
However, I do think it's important to remember that there are so many people in this world- people that come from different backgrounds and are currently in different situations than ours- that aren't as fortunate as we are. We need to remember to be thankful for the opportunities we've been given and make sure not to waste them. If other people were given these same opportunities, I'm sure most would take advantage of them as much as they could. We should do the same.
I'll admit that I often get caught up in my own life and I'll worry about certain things that most of the world would consider completely immaterial. Every once in a while, though, I'll come across something that will help me put everything back into perspective and I'll realize how lucky I am to be in the situation I'm in. To be honest, I think it sucks that we have to be constantly reminded about how blessed we are and that we can't just simply remember it at all times. Yet we are human and we are flawed.
Sometimes it's just good to reflect on all of the good we have.
Friday, January 14, 2011
On playing instruments
When I was seven years old, I started taking piano lessons at the local parks and recreation center. I don't know if it was because I had any interest in learning or if it was because my parents forced me to, but regardless, I was learning how to play. I remember it being cool taking lessons, but I hated the practicing. We had a small keyboard and my mom was always reminding me to practice, and even though it might have seemed annoying back then, I did get better and I now appreciate what she did for me.
Soon after I began taking lessons, my younger brother, Derek, also started them and we shared this love for playing the piano. One day we asked my dad if we could get a piano for our house and he told us that we could get one after five years of lessons. Five years?! Not too long after we asked (maybe a year), something exciting happened: I remember like it was yesterday- Derek and I came home and there was a piano sitting right there in the living room. I remember us screaming out of excitement and running over to it so we could play.
We eventually got another piano teacher who came to our house to give us lessons, but soon after, we decided that we weren't really learning anything more. My parents didn't push us to find another teacher and I'm so grateful for that. My mom told us that all they wanted was for us to know enough so we would be able to just sit down, play, and enjoy it- and we accomplished that. We started learning songs on our own and to this day, we love it and continue to play a lot whenever we're home. Derek is actually pretty phenomenal.
In fourth grade, I started playing the clarinet. Why the clarinet? Well, it was because the clarinet is small and easy to carry, and we happened to have one in the family. I was pretty good at it, and I think being able to play the piano made it a lot easier. I eventually learned how to play the alto saxophone as well in the 8th grade because it was cooler than the clarinet haha. In high school, I played both- clarinet in the symphonic band and alto in the marching and pep band. I liked marching band so much in high school that I auditioned for the UCLA Marching Band and was accepted. I was in the saxophone section for three years, met so many awesome people, and had some amazing experiences!
Music has played such a monumental role in my life. Being able to play the piano when I'm upset or stressed out is so calming. I also enjoy playing for other people because music is something that everyone can appreciate. When I can, I'll find a piano in the music building at school and just play for a while. I love to play with a lot of passion and emotion and it's such a good outlet during hectic times. I'm so grateful for the people who taught me and encouraged me to learn how to play these instruments.
As a final thought, I'm also trying to learn how to play the guitar, so if you have some time and can be patient with me, I'd appreciate your help.
Soon after I began taking lessons, my younger brother, Derek, also started them and we shared this love for playing the piano. One day we asked my dad if we could get a piano for our house and he told us that we could get one after five years of lessons. Five years?! Not too long after we asked (maybe a year), something exciting happened: I remember like it was yesterday- Derek and I came home and there was a piano sitting right there in the living room. I remember us screaming out of excitement and running over to it so we could play.
We eventually got another piano teacher who came to our house to give us lessons, but soon after, we decided that we weren't really learning anything more. My parents didn't push us to find another teacher and I'm so grateful for that. My mom told us that all they wanted was for us to know enough so we would be able to just sit down, play, and enjoy it- and we accomplished that. We started learning songs on our own and to this day, we love it and continue to play a lot whenever we're home. Derek is actually pretty phenomenal.
In fourth grade, I started playing the clarinet. Why the clarinet? Well, it was because the clarinet is small and easy to carry, and we happened to have one in the family. I was pretty good at it, and I think being able to play the piano made it a lot easier. I eventually learned how to play the alto saxophone as well in the 8th grade because it was cooler than the clarinet haha. In high school, I played both- clarinet in the symphonic band and alto in the marching and pep band. I liked marching band so much in high school that I auditioned for the UCLA Marching Band and was accepted. I was in the saxophone section for three years, met so many awesome people, and had some amazing experiences!
Music has played such a monumental role in my life. Being able to play the piano when I'm upset or stressed out is so calming. I also enjoy playing for other people because music is something that everyone can appreciate. When I can, I'll find a piano in the music building at school and just play for a while. I love to play with a lot of passion and emotion and it's such a good outlet during hectic times. I'm so grateful for the people who taught me and encouraged me to learn how to play these instruments.
As a final thought, I'm also trying to learn how to play the guitar, so if you have some time and can be patient with me, I'd appreciate your help.
On "Hey Leonardo"
This is one of my all-time favorite songs- very old school (nothing fancy), but just listen to the lyrics and enjoy!
Hey Leonardo (She likes me for me)- Blessid Union of Souls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSdbQLXpmPQ
- The music video is a little strange, but the song is amazing
"She don't care about my car
She don't care about my money
And that's real good because I don't got a lot to spend
But if I did it wouldn't mean nothin'
She likes me for me
Not because I look like Tyson Beckford
With the charm of Robert Redford
Oozing out my ears
But what she sees
Are my faults and indecisions
My insecure conditions
And the tears upon the pillow that I shed
She don't care about my big screen
Or my collection of DVD's
Things like that just never mattered much to her
Plus she don't watch to much t.v.
And she don't care that I can fly her
To places she ain't never been
But if she really wants to go
I think deep down she knows that
All she has to say is when
She likes me for me
Not because I hang with Leonardo
Or that guy who played in "Fargo"
I think his name is Steve
She's the one for me
And I just can't live without her
My arms belong around her
And I'm so glad I found her once again
And I'm so glad I found her once again
And I'm so glad I found her once again
Gazing at the ceiling
as we entertain our feelings in the dark
The things that we're afraid of are gonna show us
what we're made of in the end
She likes me for me
Not because I sing like Pavarotti
Or because I am such a hottie
I like her for her
Not because she's phat like Cindy Crawford
She has got so much to offer
Why does she waste all her time with me?
There must be something there that I don't see
She likes me for me
Not because I'm tough like Dirty Harry
Make her laugh just like Jim Carrey
Unlike the Cable Guy
But what she sees
Is that I can't live without her
My arms belong around her
And I'm so glad I found her once again
Found her once again
Once again
I'm so glad I found her once again
Once again"
Hey Leonardo (She likes me for me)- Blessid Union of Souls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSdbQLXpmPQ
- The music video is a little strange, but the song is amazing
"She don't care about my car
She don't care about my money
And that's real good because I don't got a lot to spend
But if I did it wouldn't mean nothin'
She likes me for me
Not because I look like Tyson Beckford
With the charm of Robert Redford
Oozing out my ears
But what she sees
Are my faults and indecisions
My insecure conditions
And the tears upon the pillow that I shed
She don't care about my big screen
Or my collection of DVD's
Things like that just never mattered much to her
Plus she don't watch to much t.v.
And she don't care that I can fly her
To places she ain't never been
But if she really wants to go
I think deep down she knows that
All she has to say is when
She likes me for me
Not because I hang with Leonardo
Or that guy who played in "Fargo"
I think his name is Steve
She's the one for me
And I just can't live without her
My arms belong around her
And I'm so glad I found her once again
And I'm so glad I found her once again
And I'm so glad I found her once again
Gazing at the ceiling
as we entertain our feelings in the dark
The things that we're afraid of are gonna show us
what we're made of in the end
She likes me for me
Not because I sing like Pavarotti
Or because I am such a hottie
I like her for her
Not because she's phat like Cindy Crawford
She has got so much to offer
Why does she waste all her time with me?
There must be something there that I don't see
She likes me for me
Not because I'm tough like Dirty Harry
Make her laugh just like Jim Carrey
Unlike the Cable Guy
But what she sees
Is that I can't live without her
My arms belong around her
And I'm so glad I found her once again
Found her once again
Once again
I'm so glad I found her once again
Once again"
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
On strength
Growing up playing sports, I felt as if I were invincible. I was in great physical shape- strong as could be- and had this competitiveness and leadership that set me apart and made me a great teammate. I loved playing baseball and soccer more than anything else in the world; they were everything to me. When I was playing, I was having the time of my life because I was with my friends and I was always one of the best in the league. At that point in my life, success wasn't hard to find- whenever I struck out, I would step back up to the plate and get a hit. Everything was good and I had years of high school sports to look forward to.
On my 14th birthday I had a soccer practice scheduled with a Burlingame select team. My parents told me I could skip this one because of my birthday, but because I was the team captain, I felt that I needed to be there for my team. Unfortunately, my night ended with me breaking my right tibia (shinbone- the big one). I had broken it before when I was six, but I knew that this injury would really set me back. I was in a cast for about five months (not including the time for rehab) and missed out on the entire Freshman year soccer and baseball seasons.
After spending a lot of time practicing and getting back into shape, I was able to play on the JV soccer and baseball teams during Sophomore year. It was so great playing the sports that I loved and representing my school at the same time. During the summer, I played baseball in a city league and was very excited to play varsity sports.
On Labor Day, September 5, 2005, I broke my leg for the third time, during an AYSO soccer game. Same sport, same leg, same bone. This was probably one of the worse days of my life- I had broken my leg twice within two years. I immediately imagined how difficult the next five to six months would be for me and completely lost my composure and sense of self. This final injury ended my baseball and soccer career- I didn't get to play on the varsity teams and haven't played either since.
The doctor told me that my right tibia bone was bowed with a weak point right in the middle. To this day, it isn't shaped like it should be and if I break it again, I would need surgery. I'm still not supposed to play sports that are too physical and I lost most of my speed. When I work out too much, my leg starts to hurt and I have to let it rest. I no longer feel invincible.
I believe that as we get older, we're supposed to get stronger- physically and emotionally. We spend so many years working out and having life experiences that as life goes on, we should be able to handle more things that are thrown at us. Unfortunately for me, my leg isn't ever going to get any stronger and I have to live with that. No matter how much I work out and try to brush away the pain I may feel, it eventually gets to me. I wish I had more strength.
On my 14th birthday I had a soccer practice scheduled with a Burlingame select team. My parents told me I could skip this one because of my birthday, but because I was the team captain, I felt that I needed to be there for my team. Unfortunately, my night ended with me breaking my right tibia (shinbone- the big one). I had broken it before when I was six, but I knew that this injury would really set me back. I was in a cast for about five months (not including the time for rehab) and missed out on the entire Freshman year soccer and baseball seasons.
After spending a lot of time practicing and getting back into shape, I was able to play on the JV soccer and baseball teams during Sophomore year. It was so great playing the sports that I loved and representing my school at the same time. During the summer, I played baseball in a city league and was very excited to play varsity sports.
On Labor Day, September 5, 2005, I broke my leg for the third time, during an AYSO soccer game. Same sport, same leg, same bone. This was probably one of the worse days of my life- I had broken my leg twice within two years. I immediately imagined how difficult the next five to six months would be for me and completely lost my composure and sense of self. This final injury ended my baseball and soccer career- I didn't get to play on the varsity teams and haven't played either since.
The doctor told me that my right tibia bone was bowed with a weak point right in the middle. To this day, it isn't shaped like it should be and if I break it again, I would need surgery. I'm still not supposed to play sports that are too physical and I lost most of my speed. When I work out too much, my leg starts to hurt and I have to let it rest. I no longer feel invincible.
I believe that as we get older, we're supposed to get stronger- physically and emotionally. We spend so many years working out and having life experiences that as life goes on, we should be able to handle more things that are thrown at us. Unfortunately for me, my leg isn't ever going to get any stronger and I have to live with that. No matter how much I work out and try to brush away the pain I may feel, it eventually gets to me. I wish I had more strength.
On lecture fail
Today was a typical day in lecture. It's second week and with the midterm a while away, not everyone showed up for our 9:30 class. Those of us who did come were probably doing one or two of the following: trying to stay awake (because let's face it, 9:30 is early for a college student, especially when you don't go to bed until 3), sleeping (I mean we did go to bed at 3, right?), texting (because it must be more important than what we're learning in class), daydreaming, or actually trying to pay attention and learn something. I can honestly say that today I was making the effort to pay attention, take notes, and understand the lecture (also, trying to stay awake and the occasional text here and there).
With about 15 minutes left in class, this student raised his hand to ask a question. No big deal, right? Wrong- this guy proceeded to explain his own personal hypothesis that he came up with based on the data of a graph that was in the powerpoint presentation. He then proceeded to interrupt the professor as she was trying to respond to his comment, causing her to stop mid-sentence. She had to wait for him to finish talking before she could finally reply, leading her to go on a bit of a tangent.
IT'S CALLED OFFICE HOURS
Did you ever notice that whenever a professor teaches with powerpoint slides, they are fairly consistent about concluding their presentation just as class ends? I think it's pretty impressive and can imagine that it's something that would take a lot of practice. I must say, though, that it can suck if their timing is off- like if they don't finish in time, they keep going and we all have to stay later, or they just don't cover certain slides and move on to new ones for the next lecture, making us learn it on our own.
Well it doesn't help the flow of the class when a student wastes everyone's time by asking irrelevant or obscure questions. If you need something to be clarified, please make it quick so we can move on. Otherwise, wait until after class so you don't piss off everyone else. If you have a relevant question or comment that could potentially help the class then it's fine, but really make sure you're adding value to the lecture and it's not just so you can hear your own voice.
As a side note, if you want to eat food during lecture, don't bring corn nuts. That's just messed up. Also, isn't it awkward when the professor asks the class a question and expects someone to answer, but nobody does, so we're all just chillin there in complete silence?
With about 15 minutes left in class, this student raised his hand to ask a question. No big deal, right? Wrong- this guy proceeded to explain his own personal hypothesis that he came up with based on the data of a graph that was in the powerpoint presentation. He then proceeded to interrupt the professor as she was trying to respond to his comment, causing her to stop mid-sentence. She had to wait for him to finish talking before she could finally reply, leading her to go on a bit of a tangent.
IT'S CALLED OFFICE HOURS
Did you ever notice that whenever a professor teaches with powerpoint slides, they are fairly consistent about concluding their presentation just as class ends? I think it's pretty impressive and can imagine that it's something that would take a lot of practice. I must say, though, that it can suck if their timing is off- like if they don't finish in time, they keep going and we all have to stay later, or they just don't cover certain slides and move on to new ones for the next lecture, making us learn it on our own.
Well it doesn't help the flow of the class when a student wastes everyone's time by asking irrelevant or obscure questions. If you need something to be clarified, please make it quick so we can move on. Otherwise, wait until after class so you don't piss off everyone else. If you have a relevant question or comment that could potentially help the class then it's fine, but really make sure you're adding value to the lecture and it's not just so you can hear your own voice.
As a side note, if you want to eat food during lecture, don't bring corn nuts. That's just messed up. Also, isn't it awkward when the professor asks the class a question and expects someone to answer, but nobody does, so we're all just chillin there in complete silence?
Monday, January 10, 2011
On meeting new people and talking to strangers
If you know me well enough, you know that I love meeting new people and engaging in solid, deep conversation. I wasn't always this way- I claimed to be an open person, but was still somewhat hesitant when it came to meeting others. I guess it was because I cared way too much about what people thought of me. Gaining the confidence to open myself up to new people has completely changed my life.
I think it started when I came to college and really kicked into gear when I started recruiting for internships last Winter. After attending workshops about networking and the recruiting process I began to become more comfortable in my own skin. This helped me so much and played a huge role in me landing an internship and also a full-time job upon graduation. During the internship, I met so many awesome people in my intern class, who I became pretty close to, and also professionals at the firm.
These experiences really helped me gain perspective on the positive aspects of taking the initiative to start a conversation with people I didn't know. Now I start up conversations and meet new people almost wherever I go.
It's interesting to think of the dynamics of a public space. For example, when you take public transportation like a bus, you basically get on, find a seat, wait for your stop, and exit the bus. There is very little conversation, unless you're riding with a friend. This is because, in this particular example, the bus is the site of contested public space. No one wants to interact with each other, most likely out of fear for awkward moments or potential danger- people just stay in their seats and keep to themselves (trying not to encroach onto the personal space of others).
The way I see it, when we share public spaces with others, we can all just sit around and wait for whatever it we're waiting for, or we can make the experience more enjoyable for ourselves. I love talking to people I don't know and starting up random conversations. I know this sounds unusual, but it has positively affected my life. People aren't always very receptive to this, but I would say that smiling and being friendly to others definitely increases the chance of it working.
About six months ago, I was at the airport terminal waiting for my flight to San Diego and I started talking to the woman sitting next to me. She looked friendly, so I asked what she was going to do in San Diego. She told me that she was visiting her daughter there, asked me the same, and proceeded to ask about college and my major. Pretty soon after, we were having a conversation about how recent legislation has affected public accounting. It turns out that she was an accounting professor at UC Davis. What a coincidence!
I have similar stories that started with me making conversation with a complete stranger and ended with me getting advice about my first year as an assurance associate and getting a ride from LAX back to UCLA (two different occasions).
Coming into my senior year, I didn't think that I would meet that many people. I mean, I already spent three years trying to get involved so there wouldn't be many opportunities to meet more. Boy was I wrong- I think I've met more people this year than I have in the last two years combined, some of whom I've had great conversations with.
It's crazy how much the world opens up to you when you open yourself up to the world.
I think it started when I came to college and really kicked into gear when I started recruiting for internships last Winter. After attending workshops about networking and the recruiting process I began to become more comfortable in my own skin. This helped me so much and played a huge role in me landing an internship and also a full-time job upon graduation. During the internship, I met so many awesome people in my intern class, who I became pretty close to, and also professionals at the firm.
These experiences really helped me gain perspective on the positive aspects of taking the initiative to start a conversation with people I didn't know. Now I start up conversations and meet new people almost wherever I go.
It's interesting to think of the dynamics of a public space. For example, when you take public transportation like a bus, you basically get on, find a seat, wait for your stop, and exit the bus. There is very little conversation, unless you're riding with a friend. This is because, in this particular example, the bus is the site of contested public space. No one wants to interact with each other, most likely out of fear for awkward moments or potential danger- people just stay in their seats and keep to themselves (trying not to encroach onto the personal space of others).
The way I see it, when we share public spaces with others, we can all just sit around and wait for whatever it we're waiting for, or we can make the experience more enjoyable for ourselves. I love talking to people I don't know and starting up random conversations. I know this sounds unusual, but it has positively affected my life. People aren't always very receptive to this, but I would say that smiling and being friendly to others definitely increases the chance of it working.
About six months ago, I was at the airport terminal waiting for my flight to San Diego and I started talking to the woman sitting next to me. She looked friendly, so I asked what she was going to do in San Diego. She told me that she was visiting her daughter there, asked me the same, and proceeded to ask about college and my major. Pretty soon after, we were having a conversation about how recent legislation has affected public accounting. It turns out that she was an accounting professor at UC Davis. What a coincidence!
I have similar stories that started with me making conversation with a complete stranger and ended with me getting advice about my first year as an assurance associate and getting a ride from LAX back to UCLA (two different occasions).
Coming into my senior year, I didn't think that I would meet that many people. I mean, I already spent three years trying to get involved so there wouldn't be many opportunities to meet more. Boy was I wrong- I think I've met more people this year than I have in the last two years combined, some of whom I've had great conversations with.
It's crazy how much the world opens up to you when you open yourself up to the world.
On certainty
Ben Franklin was quoted saying, "but in the world nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes."
I'd like to revise this quote by saying that in the world, nothing can be said to be certain except death, taxes, and Bruins>Trojans (just kidding- not everyone pays their taxes)
From this, we can see that virtually nothing is certain. There really isn't any "sure thing" in the world and that's why it's so important to follow up with everything we do. As we set goals for ourselves and make plans for the future with other people, we need to see them through. We have to stay on top of things to help ensure they go as planned.
There will often be times where things take a turn and start moving in different directions than we originally planned or hoped. As I mentioned in an earlier post, that's why it's important to make adjustments. However, to be able to adjust the best we can, we need, to a certain extent, to be on top of things. I'm not saying that we should try to control every little detail of our lives. It just helps to have your ducks in a row.
In a way, I think it's a good thing that nothing is certain in life. It gives us a sense of purpose and keeps us on our feet. If we knew exactly what was going to happen, we would become lazy, complacent, and ultimately lose our sense of self.
I'd like to revise this quote by saying that in the world, nothing can be said to be certain except death, taxes, and Bruins>Trojans (just kidding- not everyone pays their taxes)
From this, we can see that virtually nothing is certain. There really isn't any "sure thing" in the world and that's why it's so important to follow up with everything we do. As we set goals for ourselves and make plans for the future with other people, we need to see them through. We have to stay on top of things to help ensure they go as planned.
There will often be times where things take a turn and start moving in different directions than we originally planned or hoped. As I mentioned in an earlier post, that's why it's important to make adjustments. However, to be able to adjust the best we can, we need, to a certain extent, to be on top of things. I'm not saying that we should try to control every little detail of our lives. It just helps to have your ducks in a row.
In a way, I think it's a good thing that nothing is certain in life. It gives us a sense of purpose and keeps us on our feet. If we knew exactly what was going to happen, we would become lazy, complacent, and ultimately lose our sense of self.
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