:: Momentary Flash of Genius ::
What's in this section?
These are little grains of genius that strike at unexpected moments. Keep in mind that what I consider "genius" may not be quite up to snuff with what *you* consider genius!
Pastor Elizabeth Talbot ROCKS!
Saturday, May 19, 2007
I’ve been very lucky to find a pastor here in LA who is such a great preacher and teacher.
When i first moved out to LA, i wandered from church to church, trying to find a place where i could find build a community and be spiritually fed. After church hopping a bunch, i realized that i simply didn’t have the energy to be involved with a community in LA and try to keep up a community back at my home church, Loma Linda Japanese Church. So i began to search just for a place where i could be spiritually fed.
I was lucky enough to find Alhambra Seventh-Day Adventist Church where Pastor Elizabeth Talbot preaches with a lot of passion and fervor. Maybe it’s just because of where i am in my walk with God or where i am in life, but her words really speak to me. Not only does she speak the Word of God, but she speaks it in plain and simple language. She shares in a way that you know that what she’s saying isn’t just words to her, but something she has experienced herself. So when she says to me, “I’ve had a hard time in life, but I know that God loves me and has a plan for me,” i believe her. Not only that, but she teaches you how to study the Bible for yourself, giving you different methods and how to apply them on your own.
I want to share her with you. Luckily, her sermons are webcasted from the Sermon section of the Alhambra SDA Church website.
One of the ones I particularly connected with was a recent sermon on stress. I’ve been experience more stress than i know what to do with recently, so this really hit home. Here it is:
In the Eye of the Storm - Pt 2 (aka “Jesus Under Pressure")
I hope you guys enjoy!
Raising the Dead
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Slim just sent me this link to an interesting article about our current methods of resuscitation.
It totally turns the idea of CPR and resuscitation on its head! We my have been wrong this entire time!
Newsweek Article About Changing Theories of Resuscitation
As it turns out, we may be killing people by using CPR after the initial 5-15 minutes without oxygen to the brain and heart.
Who knew we could be so wrong about the things we took for granted as fact? Scary. But glad we’re learning. Maybe more people will live. :D
Mocchi vs. Marisa - FIGHT!
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
I was hangin’ out with my cousins this weekend, and we got a little creative.
Here’s one of the many vids we shot. Justin is in the Mocchi costume, and Marisa is just being her monster-wrestling self. See what happens when plushy characters and boredom clash!
Brought to you by Monster Rancher Death Match 2007.
Accepting my place among the geeks and nerds
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Usually when i bring up Star Wars things, it’s with a sense of Star Wars geeks as “other,” and not associating myself with them.
After years and years, i must finally come to grips with my place among this elite group. Last Sunday, i dragged Suz and Slim with me to the California Science Center’s Star Wars Exhibit. I felt the calling of my bretheren. In preparation for the large crowds that the Official Science Center site warns about, we made plans to be there as soon as it opened at 10 am. Plus, the fact that it was Easter also really helped clear out the place. It was us, the hard core Star Wars fans and the Jewish people (or some combination thereof).
Our plan worked and there was no line at all. Phew! Better than the reported 2.5 hours that the lines was supposed to take! They even try to haggle with you and say, “if you watch an IMAX movie you get in faster!” Hmmm, fast or free? Which one is more important? I know what *my* answer was. ;)
The exhibit was mostly tons and tons of models and videos about the inspiration for these vehicles and structures. Costumes and weaponry were also on display. There was the snow beast from The Empire Strikes back called the WAMPA - Suz felt a strange closeness to that creature. Hmmm.... There were even fun little interactive stations where they let you play around with hovering lego cars using magnets and another area let you build a little R2 unit. The movie/presentation was a little iffy, but it was fine as long as you didn’t spend 2 hours waiting for it.
Here’s one of the models close up. (Or was i really in space taking photographs of Luke? You decide!)
If you get a chance and you’re a confirmed Star Wars geek (or even on the fence) go check it out! It was a fun way to spend a Sunday morning.
A Very Merry (and very LATE) Christmakwanzakah and Happy New Year!
Friday, January 12, 2007
Better late than never, right? So here’s my gift to all of you!
I *finally* finished the photobook for 2006, and it’s ready for you to download! While writing the captions for this book, i realized how much has happened this past year. There were a lot of ups and downs, but more good than bad happened, that’s for sure. I’m just happy to have friends and family to be able to share this with!
Click here to begin downloading the photobook, “Blink - The Moments Between."
This is the second year that I’ve done a digital photobook, so if you would like to see last year’s book, New York - Memories of the Seasons, you can also download that here.
Both of these files are PDF files that can be read with Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can download it by clicking here.
Enjoy!
Knowing is ONLY half the Battle
Monday, November 27, 2006
G.I. Joe had it right when they said, “Knowing is half the battle!” but they forgot the other part.
While knowing that something is good vs. bad, or advisable vs. ill-advised seems to be a good thing, it’s the not the end of the process in dealing with life’s issues. There is the part about ACTION that needs to follow the knowledge of right and wrong. Awareness is the beginning part. Action is the end part.
Why am I harping on this? This thought has been percolating through my head for almost a month now. I’m not sure what spawned it, but it’s been pretty persistent. Probaby because i’ve been trying to solve all of my life issues and am frustrated that I can’t seem to follow through with my own plans and solutions. I think it’s mostly because i thought that one would naturally follow the other. “If i KNOW better and am aware, then i will DO the right thing.” In the past, I always wondered why others couldn’t do that. I obviously didn’t see any glaring hypocrisy in my own life yet, was a little blind, if you will. As a result, i was very judgemental (not saying that i’m not *still* judgemental, but at least i’m aware...hahaha).
But really, why IS it so hard to do the “better” or “preferred” thing when you know what that is? Why can’t i keep my mouth shut when i want to get the last word in, even though i know that it will spawn another fight? Why do i lay down a “solution” for someone’s problem and then get upset when they don’t follow through? Why? I think that Paul wondered about this all the time.
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.” ~ Romans 7:15-20 (NIV)
I guess it’s just part of our nature. If Paul had this issue, i’ve got no delusions of grandeur that i will be able to be better than him. So what are we supposed to do then?
Let me know what you think about this topic. Comment here!
(P.S. Hope you all had a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!)