Well it’s pretty late now Friday night (i.e. Saturday morning) but Friday is my blogging day so it’s now or much later.

We’ll start off with some Stanfurd jokes! (which I heard in class today; it’s up to you how you want to interpret it) Came from my TA.

What do you get when you drive by Stanfurd and throw money out of the window?
A degree.

What is the difference between a Stanfurd tree (their mascot is a tree) and a Christmas tree?
A Christmas tree has balls.

Alright, we at Cal (short for UC Berkeley) spell “Stanford” as Stanfurd. There’s rivalry between these two schools, and they run really deep. And tomorrow’s the 111th Big Game, where Cal clashes with Stanford in a football game hosted at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.

Our Bears (now that’s a real mascot) will rip away their Trees!

Ok ok enough of that.

Go Bears!

—

I think less is more.

Initially I was planning to do Electrical Eng and Computer Science (EECS) and was thinking so much about how to fit in minors or maybe even double major within my time here.

My first semester was kinda rough, as I was trying to cram in as much as I can so that I could like, well, do more courses and perhaps do a minor in this and that. But I ended up not really enjoying my classes since I was moving so fast from course to course and assignment to assignment just trying to just keep up.

Nah, I don’t want to do that anymore. A torture.

I am thinking of sticking to 4 classes a semester instead of 5 classes, which has pretty much left me with time for nothing else this semester. (16 units vs 20 units)

And the good news is, I can still graduate in 3 years!

I’d just take on more EECS upper div courses and explore deeper into EECS instead of spreading myself so thin everywhere. I’ve got time limitations, not to mention the lack of brain power needed to handle so much content at a single time.

So yeah, I am doing to do less, because less is more. Hope that I won’t feel so free such that I revert back to 20 units though. Haha.

OK that’s all for now. Take care people.

I am still wondering how I got through this week and came out of it pretty much okay. Three midterms within a period of 2 days– not very fun. Also the fact that I am taking 5 technical classes now this semester at Berkeley and still surviving

It turned out to be pretty good actually, though I was actually feeling a little discouraged since the results seems to be a little worse than expected. But on the brighter side it was really not bad at all and I am happy with the results (thanks to the curve!!!)

I guess that I have come to the stage where indeed everyone is really better than you and so you have to accept that well you did your best and be happy with what you have obtained.

It’s really hard to remain in such a mental state and not feel bad about some stupid score but I think I can start handling it.

For some reason, I was quite down earlier today in comp science discussion where I was really thinking of nothing but to get out of that classroom. Dunno what got me into such a state. All the expectations of myself by myself and others as well as the realization that perhaps it could not really be met.

The main spirit lifter of the week was today in bible study when my group leader Daniel spoke about John 5: 1-1

So the story goes that there was a paralytic who waited by a great pool one day when Jesus confronted him.

The myth at that time was that an angel would come down from time to time and stir the pool, and the first one to jump into the pool when the angel is stirring the pool would be healed of any infirmities.

According to what I thought I heard, modern day examination of the pool’s location would later discover that actually beneath this pool there was some rock that well,  releases some kinda gas from time to time perhaps due to acidic reaction or something. So perhaps the myth came from the fact that the pool was bubbling at times. And also the myth may have developed because it is really possible to heal oneself due to the strong belief that you should be healed. But it usually goes away and the infirmity returns.

Anyway, so this paralytic was lamenting to Jesus that there was no one to help carry him into the pool when the pool was actually stirring.  He did not directly answer Jesus’s question of whether he wanted to be healed or not. In a similar way, we get so distracted and want to apportion blame to everyone but ourselves.

It seems that in life many of us may be waiting by the pool of wealth, fame, reputation, achievement, success, material gain, etc. that we become like the paralytic, believing that the myth is actually true, that all these things can bring everlasting healing and deliverance from our current inadequacies. We are all like the paralytic in some manner. We feel incomplete unless we have achieved that something, whatever that something may be. We feel unhappy and bitter because we are not the smartest or the richest or most admired around.

And of course, the paralytic was not the only one waiting around the pool. There are a lot of other disabled people hoping to be that first person to jump into the pool at first glance of seeing it stirring. Likewise, there are tonnes of people who want to out-compete each other to get into that pool first. You can imagine all the disabled people elbowing each other just to get into the pool first. What different is such a scenario in today’s world. We try to beat each other and be the first and the best and the brightest. Only to discover that being in the “pool” provides some fleeting “healing” and “deliverance” until another smarter and richer guy comes along and puts you to shame. Then the elbowing continues as you try to defeat this new contender. Man such a vicious cycle.

But there is a better way, and I believe that Jesus is the way. He healed the paralytic. “Get up and pick up your mat! Stop wasting time by this pool and go your way!”

Well, I wanted to be some smart-ass guy here at Berkeley, only to be humbled again and again by all the really intelligent people. I no longer want to link my self-esteem to my exam performance or how much I can achieve.

But while this does not mean that I should start slacking off and study less (but instead study harder!), I hope to move toward accepting things for what things are and try to be gracious to everyone instead of adopting that “I’m going to beat you next time attitude.”  As Christians we should always strive to be the best at what we are doing, and always have a good attituce no matter what the outcome may be. We can also adopt a community attitude, to help each other out and not be so bitter about trivial things.

(In case some people interpret this wrongly with respect to wealth, it also does not mean that money is not important. Money is VERY important. Without it you cannot take care of yourself and your family, and you cannot bless others, and you can’t do God’s work and will for your life. I say this because I have received some rather mind-boggling comments in the past telling me to give away the money used for overseas education simply because I am a Christian. That’s not the point. Having money is not the problem, it is the love of money, though there is perhaps more to add to that statement.)

Also, this passage is really applicable to one’s life goals, to work hard for that fame and self-glory or to do something about it so that we do not disappoint ourselves in the end. For one, I really don’t know what I want to do later after Berkeley, but I am not going to worry about it for the moment.

Thanksgiving is approaching, and I realize that no matter how bad we perceive something to be, there is always something to thank God for.

Praise the Lord!

(P.S. Blogging about this does not mean that I am already living out all that is said in this article. I’m still imperfect and I’m constantly trying to correct myself.)

… the 1 second that you took to read the title above is now gone.

Two days ago I attended an event organized my church’s three campus groups and it was themed “Gone.” “Gone” is actually the title of a song by Switchfoot. It sounds like just another rock song, but it’s lyrics have profound meaning:

She told him she’d rather fix her makeup
Than try and fix what’s going on
But the problem keeps on calling
Even with the cell phone gone.

She told him that she believes in living
Bigger than she’s living now
But her world keeps spinning backwards
And upside down.

Don’t say so long, and throw yourself wrong
Don’t spend today away, ’cause today will soon be

Gone, like yesterday is gone
Like history is gone
Just try and prove me wrong and
Pretend like you’re immortal.

She said, he said, live like no tomorrow
Every day we borrow
Brings us one step closer to the edge (Infinity)
Where’s your treasure, where’s your hope
If you get the world and lose your soul?
She pretends like she pretends like she’s immortal.

Don’t say so long, you’re not that far gone.
This could be your big chance to make-up
Today will soon be

Gone, like yesterday is gone
Like history is gone
The world keeps spinning on
You’re going, going
Gone, like summer break is gone
Like Saturday is gone
Just try and prove me wrong
You pretend like you’re immortal (you’re immortal)
You’re immortal (you’re immortal)

Ha-ah

We are not infinite
We are not permanent
Nothing is immediate
We are so confident in our accomplishments
Look at our decadence.

Gone, like Frank Sinatra, like Elvis and his mom,
Like Al Pacino’s cash, nothing lasts in this life.
My High School dreams are gone
My childhood streets are gone
Life is a day that doesn’t last for long.

Life is more than money, time was never money
Time was never cash, life is still more than girls
Life is more than hundred dollar bills and roto-tom fills
Life is more than fame and rock and roll and thrills
All the riches of the kings end up in wills
We’ve got information in the information age
But do we know what life is outside of our convenient Lexus cages?

She said he said live like no tomorrow
Every moment that we borrow brings us closer
To the God who’s not short of cash
Hey Bono, I’m glad you asked
Life is still worth living, Life is still worth living
Life is more that you are.

If you could live today again, what would you do differently?

Yet it is true what the song says. We all live as if we were immortal. At least that seems to be true for people in my age group, around 20 years old and thinking that there is so much to life ahead of them. I had the grim realization 2 days ago that I had already spent about a quarter of my life or more (depending on whether I would live to see 80 years old) doing… what?

What in the world was I doing?

There was a season in my life when I used to spend many hours away on the TV and on stupid computer games like DoTA and Starcraft, doing stuff that has no value at all. Man, all that time, gone. And there are many of my peers who are still hooked on games. Could it have been spent in a better way?

Here at Berkeley, I am not so busy that I do not think about life in general. Some people think about study study study all the time. I like to still think about things.

I am sad that there are many youths out there who just don’t realize the urgency of the time at their hands. Delete those computer games, watch less TV or get rid of it. Watching or not watching that episode of Heroes does not change your life in any way at all, and I mean it. Surfing the internet mindlessly and doing nothing productive online is another time-waster which is, well, something I am trying to fix myself.

Well to be fair, perhaps I am not spending my time what well either. Perhaps to some extent I would still be dragged to that time-sucking activity called career-building one day instead of doing the things that matters. Even now, I have to prevent myself from being so entirely engrossed in the verb called “studying.” But it should be the case that these things do not consume us, or so I wish.

The pursuit of fame, ambition and material can wheel all our time away from the things that should matter more: family, pursuing God’s vision for us, and doing what really matters. On your dying bed would you call for your certificates and trophies and money so that you can smell it?

Who doesn’t want to be recognized and praised all over? But then again, in one hundred years to come, who in the world cares about you? They might talk about you like the way we are talking about Abraham Lincoln or Einstein now, but who cares? They’re all dead. You’re dead by then too.

“The greatest uncertainty in life is when would be our dying day”

“The greatest certainty in life is that we exist and that we will surely die.”

Only now do I understand the verse found in Ecclesiastes 7:2,

It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to go to a house of feasting,
for death is the destiny of every man;
the living should take this to heart.

Don’t think you are immortal. Time is being lent to you. We are living on borrowed time.

I think I want to start living more and more for other people instead of myself. I want to try and just help more people through in my daily life, in church, etc. Makes life more meaningful and more abundantly lived. It sad to be living short-sightedly thinking that I would be living forever and doing things for myself and myself alone.

Also, time spent worrying is time wasted. I don’t exactly know anything of what the future holds, but I do not want to agonize over “what’s next?”

The time is now.

Today will soon be gone.

Do something about it.

All because Obama won!

Students are roaming the streets and there is a big rally going on celebrating Obama’s win as the 44th President of the United States.

Cars are honking and students are cheering and shouting all over. I mean, like, non stop for the past 2 hours.

Berkeleyians who are for Obama, which form a majority of the campus community, are cheering his win. Everyone here is going crazy over his win.

Hurrah for Obama!

Update: CNN just featured Berkeley’s students celebrating in the streets on live national television. Welcome to Berkeley. Berkeley is really one very liberal place.

(Today’s midterm also had an extra credit section where you could get 6 additional points by attaching the voting slip as proof that you have voted. Even the professors are encouraging people to vote here.)

Went for the San Francisco Half Marathon this morning and it was good. Clocked 1 hour 49 minutes and 4 seconds in the 21 km race. A personal best.

But the nice thing about it was being able to run across the Golden Gate Bridge and back. Truly breathtaking. And add a rainbow to that. Yes, a rainbow was hovering above the Golden Gate Bridge when I was running. Awesome!

Somehow I managed to pull this one off without intense training. But I guess tomorrow I’ll feel the aches!

And yeah after than rushed back to the dorm and then ran all the way to church. Reached there 2 minutes late haha.

OK that’s it for now. Exam tomorrow.