the return

After almost 3 months, I will be returning to Beijing on June 3 (arriving on June 4).

Phileros: An exercise in Greek words for love

It's common knowledge that language flexes with the times. New meanings are often added to existing words, but occasionally, completely new words pop up and subsequently are added to dictionaries. A relatively new word that has gained wide usage is the portmanteau "bromance", the offspring of "brother" and "romance". As a etymology hobbyist and a wannabe Greek scholar, I thought it would be fun to do some reverse-morphology. And so I present to you the Greek root for the word "bromance". Please welcome the newest member of the Greek lexicon, "phileros".

There is clear semblance between "phileros" and its parents. The first part comes from the Greek word "phileo" which refers to a brotherly love. The second part is "eros" which refers to a romantic love. The marriage of these two words gives us "phileros", a term that uniquely refers to the brotherly romances cited in this article and this article.

It is my plea to The Center for Greek Language that they consider "phileros" as the newest member of koine Greek. If you would like to support my efforts in having "phileros" added, please leave a comment and show all of your friends this note!

Bilingual dreams 双语梦

I've had a whole bunch of bilingual dreams, but this most recent one was very strange. In the dream, I was asking for some help with my Chinese to a Chinese friend of mine, but that whole interaction was very unusual. Here's how it went.

Hee Sung: Peter, how do you say, "please give me another ketchup?" Is it, "请再给我番茄子"?

Peter: Hmm...

Hee Sung: What's wrong with you? How come you don't know?

Peter: Um...

Hee Sung: How about coke? 再来一个可乐， 对不对？

Peter: Okay, maybe...

[ fast forward to a scene in a car in the forest ]

Hee Sung: Peter, 比方我和我的同学一起做了作业，他做得完美，我的部分有个错误。

Peter: Uh huh...

Hee Sung: 所以老师说，这是谁做的呢？有一个错误！ Is that how the teacher would say it?

Peter: HAHAHAHAHA

Hee Sung: 那我会说，这是我的，我把这个错误改一改，好不好？

Peter: 。。。改一改。。。?

Hee Sung: 对，“改一改”。。。


Okay so, this dream is so weird because I was asking for help with Chinese to a REAL Chinese friend of mine. And in real life, he would've been able to correct or improve my sentences (such as my mistake in "ketchup") . But in my dream, he didn't. Is it because my friend Peter is limited by my knowledge of Chinese since my brain is manufacturing him? If Peter corrected my grammar, he'd be providing information that I don't even know, but he's just a product of my brain! You get what I'm trying to say here?

The day I got crapped on by my sister's bunny

I was holding my sister's bunny rabbit snugly on my lap while she was clipping its nails. The bunny was kinda freaking out, kicking its legs and all. Then all of a sudden... it straight up unleashes a flood of diarrhea all up on me. I don't know what else to say.

visa update

Praise the Lord, the Beijing labor bureau has, in principle, accepted my application for the visa. Now it's only a matter of time before they finish the paperwork. It looks like I could be back in Beijing by the end of May! Thanks for all your prayers! ^_____^

The Gospel Coalition.... booyahz!

Just returned from The Gospel Coalition conference.  Check out www.thegospelcoalition.com for more info.  It was just really... really... awesome.

China and Visa update

hi everyone,

Right now I am in the USA (been here about 4 weeks) waiting for the labor bureau to issue my Z-visa invitation.  I've recently been notified by the company that wants to hire me, however, that the invitation will not be issued.  The Beijing labor bureau is being very anal about it all, and they've enforced higher requirements which make me unqualified.

Therefore, my stay in the USA will be extended indefinitely.  For the time being, I am going to explore other options at re-entering China, such as returning as a student.  But there are timeline issues and financial problems that I need to think through.

I miss Beijing a lot and I hope to return as soon as possible.  But all things rest in the hand of God, and I just need to wait.  Would you please pray for me?  I would appreciate prayers for a new door to open that would allow me to return to Beijing soon.

Jonathan Edwards' Gravesite

Princeton Cemetery is called the Westminster Abbey of America. I decided to take a stroll (walking around cemeteries is a weird thing I like to do) and try to find Jonathan Edwards. Armed with my tourguide map, I trekked to find the resting place of one of the greatest theologians of all time. Well, here it is!

From 20090325

The opposite side of his tomb has an inscription for his wife.

From 20090325

The inscription on the top is in Latin.

From 20090325

From 20090325

Jonathan Edwards lies next to none other than Aaron Burr and Aaron Burr Jr.

back in the USA

Ni Hao! Oops, I mean, Howdy!

I'm back in the USA for a few weeks to switch my visa. Let me just say, the visa thing in China can be pretty complex and as they say, "mafan". If you don't know what that means, ask a Chinese friend.

I'll be in NJ for a few weeks, so if you are around, I'd love to see you =)

To volunteers

Some volunteers seem to lack joy as they serve. They exhibit anger, anxiety, complaints, rudeness, and carelessness. If this is you, there's a good chance you shouldn't be a volunteer. Remember this. The church doesn't NEED you. If you stop serving, trust me, the church will be just fine.

"Smacker"

OMG ROFLMAO LOLercopter!!! (go to 4:17)

The scariest thought

What could possibly be more terrifying than a universe without God?  Thank you for holding things together.

Instantly in my TOP 15

This song is definitely one of the greatest songs ever. And I don't think I could ever appreciate these words enough.

When you lead me to the valley of vision
I can see you in the heights
And though my humbling wouldn't be my decision
It's here your glory shines so bright

So let me learn that the cross precedes the crown
To be low is to be high
That the valley's where you make me more like Christ

Let me find your grace in the valley
Let me find your life in my death
Let me find your joy in my sorrow
Your wealth in my need
That you're near with every breath
In the valley

In the daytime there are stars in the heavens
But they only shine at night
And the deeper that I go into darkness
The more I see their radiant light

So let me learn that my losses are my gain
To be broken is to heal
That the valley's where your power is revealed

I've seen 94 out of 239 films

SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own facebook account, paste this as a note. Then, put x's next to the films you've seen, add them up, change the header adding your number, and click post at the bottom. Have fun.

( ) Rocky Horror Picture Show

( ) Grease

( ) Pirates of the Caribbean

( ) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest

( ) Boondock Saints

( ) Starsky and Hutch

(x) Neverending Story

( ) Blazing Saddles

(x) Airplane

Total: 2

(x) The Princess Bride

(x) Anchorman

(x) Napoleon Dynamite

( ) Labyrinth

( ) Saw

( ) Saw II

( ) White Noise

( ) White Oleander

( ) Anger Management

(x) 50 First Dates

(x) The Princess Diaries

( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

Total so far: 7

( ) Scream

( ) Scream 2

( ) Scream 3

(x) Scary Movie

(x) Scary Movie 2

( ) Scary Movie 3

(x) Scary Movie 4

(x) American Pie

(x) American Pie 2

( ) American Wedding

( ) American Pie Band Camp

Total so far: 12

(x) Harry Potter 1

( ) Harry Potter 2

( ) Harry Potter 3

( ) Harry Potter 4

( ) Resident Evil 1

( ) Resident Evil 2

( ) The Wedding Singer

( ) Little Black Book

( ) The Village

(x) Lilo & Stitch

Total so far: 14

(x) Finding Nemo

(x) Finding Neverland

(x) Signs

( ) The Grinch

( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre

( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

( ) White Chicks

(x) Butterfly Effect

(x) 13 Going on 30

( ) I, Robot

( ) Robots

Total so far: 19

(x) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

( ) Universal Soldier

(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events

( ) Along Came Polly

(x) Deep Impact

( ) KingPin

( ) Never Been Kissed

(x) Meet The Parents

(x) Meet the Fockers

( ) Eight Crazy Nights

( ) Joe Dirt

(x) KING KONG (2003)

Total so far: 25

( ) A Cinderella Story

(x) The Terminal

( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie

( ) Passport to Paris

(x) Dumb & Dumber

( ) Dumber & Dumberer

( ) Final Destination

( ) Final Destination 2

( ) Final Destination 3

( ) Halloween

( ) The Ring

( ) The Ring 2

( ) Surviving X-MAS

( ) Flubber

Total so far: 27

( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle

( ) Practical Magic

( ) Chicago

( ) Ghost Ship

( ) From Hell

( ) Hellboy

( ) Secret Window

(x) I Am Sam

(x) The Whole Nine Yards

( ) The Whole Ten Yards

Total so far: 29

( ) The Day After Tomorrow

(x) Child's Play

( ) Seed of Chucky

( ) Bride of Chucky

( ) Ten Things I Hate About You

( ) Just Married

( ) Gothika

( ) Nightmare on Elm Street

( ) Sixteen Candles

(x) Remember the Titans

(x) Coach Carter

( ) The Grudge

( ) The Grudge 2

(x) The Mask

( ) Son Of The Mask

Total so far: 33

(x) Bad Boys

(x) Bad Boys 2

( ) Joy Ride

( ) Lucky Number Slevin

(x) Ocean's Eleven

(x) Ocean's Twelve

(x) Bourne Identity

(x) Bourne Supremacy

( ) Lone Star

( ) Bedazzled

(x) Predator I

( ) Predator II

( ) The Fog

(x) Ice Age

( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown

( ) Curious George

Total so far: 41

(x) Independence Day

( ) Cujo

( ) A Bronx Tale

( ) Darkness Falls

( ) Christine

(x) ET

( ) Children of the Corn

( ) My Bosses Daughter

( ) Maid in Manhattan

( ) War of the Worlds

(x) Rush Hour

(x) Rush Hour 2

Total so far: 45

( ) Best Bet

( ) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

(x) She's All That

( ) Calendar Girls

( ) Sideways

(x) Mars Attacks

(x) Event Horizon

(x) Ever After

(x) Wizard of Oz

(x) Forrest Gump

( ) Big Trouble in Little China

(x) Terminator

(x) Terminator 2

(x) Terminator 3

Total so far: 54

(x) X-Men

(x) X-2

( ) X-3

(x) Spider-Man

(x) Spider-Man 2

( ) Sky High

( ) Jeepers Creepers

( ) Jeepers Creepers 2

(x) Catch Me If You Can

(x) The Little Mermaid

( ) Freaky Friday

( ) Reign of Fire

( ) The Skulls

(x) Cruel Intentions

( ) Cruel Intentions 2

( ) The Hot Chick

(x) Shrek

(x) Shrek 2

Total so far: 63

( ) Swimfan

( ) Miracle on 34th street

( ) Old School

( ) The Notebook

( ) K-Pax

( ) Krippendorf's Tribe

(x) A Walk to Remember

( ) Ice Castles

( ) Boogeyman

( ) The 40-year-old Virgin

Total so far: 64

(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring

(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers

(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King

(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Total so far: 70

( ) Baseketball

( ) Hostel

( ) Waiting for Guffman

( ) House of 1000 Corpses

( ) Devils Rejects

(x) Elf

( ) Highlander

(x) Mothman Prophecies

(x) American History X

( ) Three

Total so Far: 73

( ) The Jacket

(x) Kung Fu Hustle

(x) Shaolin Soccer

( ) Night Watch

(x) Monsters Inc.

(x) Titanic

(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail

( ) Shaun Of the Dead

( ) Willard

Total so far: 78

( ) High Tension

( ) Club Dread

(x) Hulk

( ) Dawn Of the Dead

( ) Hook

(x) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe

( ) 28 days later

( ) Orgazmo

( ) Phantasm

(x) Waterworld

Total so far: 81

(x) Kill Bill vol 1

(x) Kill Bill vol 2

(x) Mortal Kombat

( ) Wolf Creek

( ) Kingdom of Heaven

( ) The Hills Have Eyes

( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman

( ) The Last House on the Left

( ) Re-Animator

( ) Army of Darkness

Total so far: 84

(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace

(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones

(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith

(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope

(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back

(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi

( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage

( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor

Total so far: 90

(x) The Matrix

(x) The Matrix Reloaded

(x) The Matrix Revolutions

(x) Animatrix

( ) Evil Dead

( ) Evil Dead 2

( ) Team America: World Police

( ) Red Dragon

( ) Silence of the Lambs

( ) Hannibal

Total so far: 94

** Actually, there are some movies here that I really want to see!  Who cares if I have no life?  Haha~

Chopstick Diet

So there's this new diet called Chopstick Diet, specifically for people who don't know how to use chopsticks.  The idea is, since they can't use chopsticks well, they'll eat slowly instead of gorging themselves with their forks and spoons.  And since they are eating slowly, their brains will have enough time to give the individual the sensation of being full.

I'm pretty awesome at using all sorts of utensils and cutleries.  Oh well.

There's someone who hates you... a lot

The devil hates you.  He is not merely just the opposing side, or just an evil being out there somewhere.  He's a murderer with the cross-hairs aimed directly at you.  And he's not a paid sniper with no investment.  He's got his fingers at the trigger trembling with overwhelming hatred for you that can't be expressed adequately in words.  He despises you, loathes you, abhors you, reviles you.  His machinations aren't fueled by criminal cleverness.  No, he plots his attacks because he absolutely hates you.  He hates you probably more than you hate him.

Look at this face!

So cute!

Men should FART on women

One of the reasons why relationships between men and women go sour is that men don't FART on women enough. FARTing on women is a key to successful romantic relationships. As many of you know, I am a master at FARTing, so let me explain.

Focus
Attention
Respect
Transformation

Focus requires the concentration of our faculties. The mind of a man is distracted by all sorts of things. When having a deeply important conversation with a girlfriend or wife, men often replay in their minds the highlights from yesterday's basketball game. Focusing requires deliberate practice and patience. Being able to have a grip on ourselves is very important.

Attention is both what a woman wants and what a woman needs. After a man has been able to focus his faculties, he should devote that to his woman when she needs it. When a woman needs to talk to her man, he should be focused, and attentive. When she needs the man to speak to her, he should do so with attentiveness to her responses.

Respect must come from the guy no matter what happens. The man must respect the woman unconditionally. The adage "respect is earned" doesn't apply much in a romantic relationship. If it were so, most relationships would be doomed for failure. Instead, mutual respect is a key building block for success in the relationship.

Transformation is the fruit of the above parts. What may start out as a difficult relationship could experience great positive transformation! And of course, the power at work in this area is, of course, the Lord himself who guides us.

So please brothers -- please FART on ladies. It's good for you, and good for them.

Oh my poor back!

How did I injure my back while brushing my teeth? Well, it really has little to do with brushing teeth. Actually, when I was a teenager, I had hurt my back a few times pretty seriously. Since then, my back has had lingering problems. So the other day, early in the morning when I was brushing my teeth, I bent over the sink to spit out the toothpaste when my back just sort of clicked and gave out. It just happens randomly on occasion, and there's nothing I can do about it. I just have to stop, try not to move, and rest. Oh my poor back!

Can you get married to a non-Christian?