hny 2015 :)

at a flower shop in Club Monaco, midtown

Since last year, I've also stopped making yearly resolutions. Instead I'm trying to live every day to the fullest. From somewhere, I heard that if you do something 21 days in a row, it becomes a habit. 

Some things that have become a habit are:

* reading a short part of the Word, drinking a cup of water, and praying for loved ones every morning

* jotting down what I was thankful for during the day and reading 10-20 pages of anything (essay, novel, New Yorker, short story, nonfiction) before falling asleep on less tired days

* posting inspiration on tumblr when weary and tired

* stretching before going to sleep

But I'd like to 

* find a sport that I enjoy doing every other day

* find the best venue of sharing my thoughts from travels to developing countries

* drink 2.5L of water a day

After this dissertation is in, I'd really like to take up French again!

the news

Mandy bought the News by Alain de Botton in Seoul and recommended it to me. 

So I bought mine from Book Culture and started it with a cup of New Orleans Blue Bottle Coffee. 

The book is an attempt to "make this ubiquitous and familiar habit" of checking the news "seem a lot weirder and rather more hazardous than it does at present."

Last Saturday, 10th graders (18th wave!!!) and teachers from high school came on a field trip. (I bet there's a batch heading your way Mandy ^____^) This group was even more dear to me, since our French teacher Mme Florence, and game over advisor Mr. Han came as supervisors. The weather wasn't as pretty as today's blue skies, but it didn't rain as forecasted! On Friday night, I had prayed that it wouldn't rain while we give a tour of the campus and have Q&A sessions with the college student alums and working alums. Rain poured down after they left. 

Whenever these kids come, I go through a set of emotions. The school that kindled faith in Jesus Christ, the school where I met lifetime friends, the school where I learned that you can become friends with teachers, the school where I learned how to study by myself, the school where I learned to appreciate nature. Some of the same teachers are still giving all their efforts to guide young ones to follow through in that same school, and the young ones are still choosing to go to that same school that I can't muster up the courage to go visit. It's been four years since I last visited. 

If I visit, I think I will be overwhelmed by sadness to see the school in a bit dilapidated state (considering that I don't think buildings are regularly renovated, or are they?), and my inability to help out. When I mentioned this to Mr. Woo, the English teacher who used to sing us pop songs whenever it rained on a Wednesday class, he told me that only when we are in our 40s, would we be even able to donate to school. He quietly told me that now is the time to focus on our careers. Mme Florence and Mr. Han told me that the vision trip is worth the effort and care, because they get to see us. Maybe this is why reunions are great, to remind ourselves of the dreams we had, people we invited into our lives, and why we chose to be where we are now. 

I watched a film yesterday (I know, what a surprise, since I am studying Film Aesthetics) called Metropolitan (1990), by an American director by the name of Whit Stillman. Stillman is well known for his tongue-in-cheek depiction of the 'urban haute bourgeoisie (UHB)' in 1980s New York City, a world he knew well being a Fly Club member at Harvard and coming from a well-off family. The film is hilarious in its portrayal of the cluelessness of preppy rich youngsters in their debutante season; the shamelessly pseudo-intellectual banter and contrived philosophical/principles that do not match up to the characters' actual actions are charmingly desperate and endearing. Stillman's dialogue is wordy and empty precisely because of its wordiness, a common feature his conversation scenes share with Woody Allen's. His deadpan humor is remarkable. This is his latest film, Damsels in Distress (2011), a contemporary piece on teenage salvation and girly sane-hood. A great film is all you need to make your day. 

super sunny weather continues this week, but i've been a little weary this morning.

for the past ten days, i fully immersed myself in the Vietnamese light up research. perhaps too much. pacing yourself, whether it is work, relationships, running, reading, who-knows-what, is essential for the long-run. when something is in the beginning stages, I'm bound to get excited and eager and give too much in it.

excited for something, which I haven't yet figured out, I've been sleeping less and staying awake, even though my body signaled that I better rest.

so today, I enjoyed the serenity of a Thursday morning with my favorite flower t-shirt on. to be still

now I'm off to read/review a soon-to-be published economics article on incentives for low-income American children to study math and read more.

The past week just flew by.

These trees with white flowers in front of my apartment greet me every morning as I step out to go to campus. Monday morning was a bit gloomy but appeared to be like any other ordinary morning. Then ended with the happening in Boston. It could've been any city. Events like this remind you that normal everyday life is not boring nor meaningless. I used to make plans for five, ten, fifteen years ahead, but not anymore. Living every day to the fullest and choosing to live every moment became more important, after realizing I can't foresee what will happen in the future, except what's been promised. 

What are some things you will never let go? I wondered what led them to pursue such act. How some people here reacted have also dismayed me. 

While tension accumulated in MA, the rest of the week was sunshine here in NYC. And I finally started enjoying researching full-time, now that I'm almost done with SDDS responsibilities. I'm quite enjoying this research phase, working in my favorite spots on campus. For some reason, I don't remember spring twenty-twelve. This spring is full of hope, energy, and initiative. I'm trying to hand in my MA paper by May 1st, so must go do some more research!

Starting today with the keynote speech from Professor Sachs for the interdisciplinary workshop I've been preparing since last semester with my fellow SDEV crew.

Look at the wide range of topics covered by speakers from all over the world. I've spent this the whole morning greeting and making sure things are good to go.

http://blogs.cuit.columbia.edu/sdds/schedule-events/ipwsd_2013/ipwsd-2013-schedule/

The tree in front of my apartment was one of the quickest plants to respond to the temperature increase. Have not yet found out what this tree is called. Ever since I was little, I remember being amazed at how Dad knows the names of wild flowers and the trees that were distinguishable only when you carefully looked at their leaves. Perhaps it's no wonder I spent the last year and a half in high school, trying to measure chloroplast avoidance movement of various trees around our school. 

Despite the spring bloom, I couldn't be completely happy-go-merry after hearing about the recent news. I don't know how people in motherland think about what's been going on. Many of my KA friends lament that their parents won't let them visit Seoul for the summer. But what I'm concerned about is whether there is any conversation going on across borders, how will this be settled, will we be one again, how will the loveless young generation and old generation of the South respond...

Peace of mind is so difficult to have when you're occupied with work, people around you, things around you, and just about anything. I remember a pastor saying that people love peace so much that they are willing to go to war for it. What is peace?

Life is blooming all over here :D It's been a while since I received flowers, so I was so happy to wake up to these white ones this morning. 

We've reached mid-20 degrees Celsius here. After doing morning QT, we all took our books to read in the green lawn. J was reading her play to act out in the afternoon, and R explained the meaning of one her lines. Wandering around the library of my school, SIPA, I found an anthology of Vietnamese households (Reconfiguring Families in Contemporary Vietnam), which totally grasped my attention nowadays. 

Super shocked to hear that Seoul got snow this week! Talk about crazy weather, huh?

I wonder when you girls start each morning. Late evenings sometimes provide a setting for reflective and time-constrained essays, but sounds of ambulances and noisy people on the streets often disturb my train of thought. In general, I prefer serene early mornings. From Monday to Friday, I usually wake up between 6 to 6:30. If the weather permits, I take a walk outside.

April air in New York is still uninviting, so I read, write or pray and then go to morning QT(quiet time) gathering that starts at 7:30 on campus. New graduate school friends, ssong unni and I started this gathering in the fall 2010, so that we can routinely read the Bible. In the fall of 2012, we opened up this group to everyone on campus, non-Christians and Christians attending different churches to attend to reflect on the verses of the day and share on their reflections.

Today, one of the nonbeliever SJ oppa has received acceptance to pursue a PhD in accounting and it was his last day to attend. So we had a breakfast feast to celebrate! It was timely since others had also received acceptance and we hadn't celebrated Easter together yet.

Sharing the morning and a meal together can be life-changing, even if we don't realize it. Apparently, it was the same for oppa as well. I've been thinking about what it means to be a healthy living community. The more I think about it, I'm blessed to have these people and to have met you girls in my teenage years <3 <3 

New York is almost a second home to me now, considering that I've lived here almost seven years so far. Wait.. I better qualify my statement to upper west side of New York. My family moved more than ten times because my dad used to be a journalist. So we haven't spent that long of a period in one place (we live in the suburbs now but might move to Seoul again).

When at school, I sometimes forget that I'm in New York. I fell in love with this school when I was sixteen years old and the love-hate relationship began. But this year, the love for this school and campus grows everyday as I spend more time on research at my favorite library spots. and building a living community here through morning holy star QT gathering, Harlem explorer volunteer, and Sunday services on campus.

The view of the sky from a study room I discovered my second year of grad school endowed a feeling of renewal and peace on this ordinary Tuesday morning.

Spring is officially here at Easter!
Our high school friend JH is getting baptized today and the King's Kids are celebrating as well :)
I love winter but spring is lovely because of all the liveliness and the sense of rebirth .

Walking around my favorite neighborhood of New York to get some cupcakes for my roommate's wedding ceremony at city hall helped me realize that I'm back, not in UK.

Just finished reading Thinking Fast and Slow. So many points to ponder about but the concept of remembering self and experiencing self regarding happiness is stuck on my mind as I watch my roommate enjoy her small wedding.

March 28, 2013

It's been a while since I last saw a blue sky! The sound of rain is comforting at times but this morning, I'm glad to get some sunshine. The vastness of the atmosphere between the ground and the sky amazes me when the rain clears up the sky overnight.

My department is housed in the School of International Public Affairs (aka SIPA, need to be careful of the pronunciation when mentioning it to Koreans). The building structure supposedly imitates the UN NY headquarters, but I personally like the rotunda building in Geneva more.

Lines are fascinating creatures of space because they determine

in and out    /    top and bottom    /    left, center, right

also the boundaries between:

me and you    /   you and another    /   another and the other    /    the other and others

they viciously and maliciously:

cut          divide         limit           exclude 

but we dare not bear grudge,  for they work so industriously to keep us connected from:

Oxford-------------------------to New York. 

march 27, 2013

I'm starting my day at the newest library on campus, aka NOCO (northwest corner building library).

It took me more than two years to realize I enjoy reading and summarizing to share what I've learned. Every day is a gift to be thankful for that I can study and spend time with those around with me. I'm not blessed with creative writing skills like Mandy, but I'll try my best to disseminate any new things that I come across in la vie quotidienne.