Teenage Years

I would like to take this time to memorialize my teenage years as it is the last day I will be one. I suppose if I think about it, I've come a long way from glasses, braces and acne; my cracking voice despite my apparent attempts to try and lower it so as not attract laughs when called on in class; and driving to school freshly licensed to show everyone I was growing.

This past weekend, I went in to get my license renewed and I felt old. It's still going to have the red strip that warns lazy bartenders I'm not old enough to drink, so I guess I still have some time before I join a water aerobics class or get myself a pair of orthopedic shoes.

But if this were 1981, I could be getting married tomorrow. Think of that!

Bhumibol Adulyadej, the Mission and the Thai People

If you have been watching the news lately, you know there has been trouble in the capital city of Thailand--yes the beautiful, serene country of Thailand where my family's mission efforts have been concentrated for the last 60 years.

In a nutshell, some Thai people want the current Prime Minister of Thailand, Samak Sundaravej, to resign and elect Somchai Wongsawat. I was just reading this morning that their demands have been met. The others want King Bhumibol Adulyadej to have absolute power as he did 60 years ago and do away entirely with Thai Parliament.

I don't know the politics behind the issues that are causing the riots, but what I do know is that Thailand has a lot of work that needs to be done on the mission front. This is why its people are so dear to my family's heart. We have student missionaries in Bankok and around the country right now and we also have trips planned in the near future so please keep the country of Thailand in your prayers as they are going through this difficult time.

Friendship Pool

Yesterday, I was talking with a close friend about the correlation between my social dillema and dating. When I say social dillema, I'm referring to my difficulty to make friends. This isn't something new. For many years now, after moving around so much, this problem has become something that I've grown accustomed to dealing with in the moving process.

I've analyzed to head-splitting extents why I have this problem. But now, I'm wondering if this problem has an affect on my love life. As it's been a while since I've really been with anyone, I find myself worrying about my ability to actually go out and find someone that's good enough for me. I've even entertained the idea of just going out and finding any random girl to prove to myself that I'm still capable. I mean, "If you don't use it, you lose it" right?

She (my friend) and I established that I'm the type of person that is satisfied with a small pool of friends. And after quickly assesing my personality, I'd say this is right. Knowing this, her solution for my problem was that someone (the right person) would come to me. I have my many doubts about this approach, but until I can muster up enough courage and get over my "anti-sociology", as my dad would say, it will have to suffice.

The Job of President: The Job of Americans

There is a certain beauty in doing a job well I have found over the past couple of weeks. Whether you are president of the United States or a cashier at a local Wendy's restaurant--there is a honor that can be taken away from doing a job well and doing it right. Lately I've been working the night shift at Wendy's which is less taking orders and customer interaction and more washing the most disgusting dishes you could imagine until around 1:30 in the morning. Hearing this you wouldn't imagine this to be a great and fabulous job, and you must know: it isn't.

Wanting to do a good job is something that needs to be before you can actually do a good job. One should try and do their best for their own satisfaction but it also takes motivation from others in order to do this effectively. I've had the privelage of working with a manager that motivates me to do well--not by badgering me or any of the sorts, but by having and making clear certain expectations of me. And walking out of the store in the middle of the night, I have that good feeling of a job well done.

I was reading an article in Newsweek this week and it was about the things the President has done right in spite of his 38% approval rating that has sustained for the past 23 months. It told of how the current administration has sort of turned things around after the 2004 election. But this is not justification for the blunders that have cost our country so much money and so much diplomatic damage that it will be very hard for the next Administration to undo as the article seemed to assume.

Now there may be some personal satisfaction for Bush himself in the fact that maybe he turned in the right direction on certain issues like the Iraq war and such, but the surplus that we had cannot be gained back over night and the reputation of the United States cannot be easily redeemed. In my opinion, Bush's presidency is that of failure and come January, I will be rooting for Barack to bring us back to where we need to be.

Sudden Death

My dog died yesterday. I came home and he was dead. No one was home and I was forced to deal with a rotting best friend on my own. He felt like nothing I had ever felt before--lifeless.

My parents and I were talking about how faithful he was. Our family has gone through alot in the past few years: a move, my going off to college, etc. But everytime we came home to undwind, he was always there waiting to chear us up with his pitiful "begger's face." Everytime I came home from college, he would be there to welcome me back and always push his way in first even though I'd have my hands and arms full of luggage. But I loved him for it.

He wasn't small but I always enjoyed it when he sat on my lap. Even though I could hardly breathe, I felt a sense of security with him there. Some nights I would come downstairs after not being able to sleep and just sit down on the couch with him and listen to his breathing as he slept. Steady and heavy.

I love him and miss him. The end.

Being Difficult

How weak does someone have to be in order to let someone else bring down their self-esteem? Though I shouldn't introduce you to the topic just there. I must specify: someone who degrades you verbally so that you begin to think down upon yourself. Is it just a poor image of one's self that allows this to happen or is there a greater cause? Depression, perhaps?

Of course we all know the common saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." But words do hurt. In fact, in my case and I'm sure in others, it seems like just the opposite is true. For me, it's one thing to hurt my person physically, but when your words or actions cut to my emotions, the pain caused seems to be much worse. Whether spoken elegantly or bluntly, the blade of degredation doesn't seem to be dulled and pierces and, somehow, reaches the deapest depths of souls and causes us to take a step back--we lose momentum.

So back to my question: Does one have to be weak in order for this to happen? Or is there a tough skin we need to envelope ourselves in to prevent ourselves from being vulnerable under attacks? And if there is such a skin, can it also hinder us? Can it negatively affect the way we interact with those around us who mean well?

Obillary: Taking Back the White House

For those of you who don't keep up with the news (although with today's technology, it would be hard to miss), Barack Obama secured the Democratic nomination for the run for the U.S. presidency. It is with this nomination that history has been made as being the first African-American to be elected the Democratic candidate for any U.S. presidential election. And, given the excitement that has come of this quite historic Democratic bid, I believe that Republican rival John McCain has reason to tremble in his orthopedic shoes. Save for his somewhat short resume, Senator Barack Obama has the vision and the drive to lead what has appeared to be a broken country back to its roots of prosperity and patriotism.

When Barack Obama chooses Hillary Clinton as his Democratic running mate sometime between now and the November elections, John McCain will be smart if he packs up the "Straight Talk Express" and begins mapping out the best route back to Arizona. And I say "when" because Obama, contrary to what many bitter Obama supporters choose to believe, really needs the support of the millions of Democrats who supported Hillary over the past 17 months who now say that in light of the Illinois Senator's victory will now switch over to the McCain side. Now I, as one and along with many others, believe that this could prove to be one of the biggest mistakes in our nations history and thus, I don't see the possibility in there being any other VP running-mate than Hillary Clinton (save for maybe Al Gore).

A couple days ago, Senator Obama and Senator Clinton met in Unity, New Hampshire (an appropriate meeting place for the occasion) to hold a rally for the sole purpose of uniting the Democratic party after an arduous, toe-to-toe battle for the Democratic nod. And I think that Hillary was spot on when in the conclusion to her speech, said these words, "...today and every day going forward, we stand shoulder to shoulder for the ideals we share...today we are coming together for the same goal: to elect Barack Obama as the next President of the United States."