Hello! My name is Andy Kuo, and I am a graduate from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. I earned a Master of Divinity in Youth, Family, and Culture (Youth Ministry) in June 2008. Welcome to my web log!
Andy Kuo
721 N GARFIELD AVE APT 5 [map]
PASADENA, CA 91104-4217
(626) 796-8460 home; (920) 277-5333 cell
AIM Screen Name: allegro71, akuo72
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July 4, 2008
Oh, say can you see?
Kyle, Katie, and I went off to the Rose Bowl with others to view the fireworks in celebrating our nation's independence. Ohh, ahh, ooh, indeed.
July 1, 2008
K & K go SMASH! ER time!
Katie and Kyle did their best Hulk impersonation and smashed through a glass table they were sitting on after some heavy Wii boxing. I still think they were makin' out, but WHATEVER. I drove them to Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, and we did not leave until 2 AM. The picture below on the left is how it's *supposed* to be done. The one on the right is a picture of a half-naked, scruffy-looking, Fuller-graduated, white man. Or Kyle.
June 15, 2008
Father's Day
I delivered my second sermon at my church today. The reception was overwhelmingly positive. Many people commented on the insights I made of the clashing cultures between immigrant Asian parents and Western society. Here is the Keynote presentation (navigational links are at the bottom of the page):
June 14, 2008
Fuller Commencement
My mother traveled out here from Cincinnati, OH to see me graduate. In the process, she met my entire church, and they were able to explain to her what I did, for which I am thankful. With my horrible Mandarin/Taiwanese and her horrible English, it was always difficult to explain my job to her. They were able to do it in her native tongue, and I think she gained a greater appreciation for what I do.
The ceremony was great: I did not trip, and my youth kids formed a large cheering section as I walked across the stage. I suppose I can't complain about my 6 seconds of fame.
I'm finally done, however. At times it seems a bit surreal. Two and a half years ago I entered Fuller not knowing where the bathrooms were; I remember Welcome Week very vividly. The knowledge I have gained during my time here will help me be a better youth pastor. I've learned so much, both academically and spiritually. I have made many friends; I have broken hearts, and I have had my heart broken.
It has certainly been a long journey for me. The presence of so many Taiwanese Americans here in southern California is helping me rediscover my cultural roots. I have come to appreciate and embrace my Taiwanese side (except for the possible sole exception of tso tofu). When I started seminary I could not think of anything but going back to WI, for I missed my old youth group, the Inspired Teens. And now, I cannot imagine going back in the middle of my journey of cultural reawakening. I feel called to work at a Chinese/Taiwanese church and immerse myself in the culture that I have denied for so many years in the Midwest. I pray that I have the strength to go whereever God leads me.
February 25, 2008
Highlander. The bear, not the immortal.
I went to visit Angel Lin and Derrick Hong in their natural habitat: the Univerisity of California at Riverside (and a shout out to their good friends Jennifer Ma and Sherrie Wu!). It was loads of fun: staying up until 4 AM, eating cafeteria food (better than my own cooking!), and attending classes with the both of them. Here we are in their computer class. Notice Derrick on the left doing his best "impersonation" of a hibernating bear. Instead of a jar of honey, that's shaved ice he is cradling. I think perhaps he learns through osmosis. Perhaps.
February 25, 2008
Final Class Registration!
Here are the final classes for my degree (Spring 2008):
- Preaching Practicuum (2 cr, Doug Nason)
- Communication (2 cr, Carolyn Gordon)
- New Testament Exegesis: 1 Corinfhians (4 cr, David Downs)
Christmas 2007
It's all about Tyler
A visit back home to Cincinnati, and Tyler has become quite the bundle. What a cutie-pie. Seriously.
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November 18, 2007
Surprise! Ding 36!
Hyunja threw a big suprise birthday party at Saladang Song with many of my friends. Here are some snapshots of the festive occasion:
November 17, 2007
Colorguard
Here am I with one of my youth kids, Anita Su. She marched in the Arcadia Festival of Bands.
November 14, 2007
Oh Em Gee. Only two more quarters!
Here are my Winter 2008 classes:
- Old Testament Exegesis: Minor Prophets (4 cr, Mignon R. Jacobs)
- Ethnicities & Churches: U.S. Narratives & Intercultural Life (4 cr, Mark Lau Branson and Juan Martínez)
October 31, 2007
He shoots, he S C O R E S ! ! !
One of the youth leaders at my church, Tony, was able to score box seats to a LA Kings hockey game. It was such a sweet suite, and I was even able to invite my two best white friends along, Kyle and Katie! (Kyle is the scruffy looking one)
October 13, 2007
Oh Praise Him!
A big group of us went to go see David Crowder Band at the Wiltern. What was amazing was when David Crowder played a song with a tricked out Guitar Hero toy guitar.
September 18, 2007
Crew, Too
For the second year in a row, I was able to volunteer for CREW, a group of students helping out new students at Fuller. Here is an incredibly cute picture of all of us.
August 29, 2007
A New Chapter
I took out the high school seniors to Café Santorini, and den we went to Pinkberry afterwards. Don't click that link, though, or else you will get addicted to the song. * p i n…k b e…r r y. Pinkberry for me, PINKBERRY! * Don't say I didn't warn you.
Our graduating seniors are: Derrick Hong (University of California—Riverside), Angel Lin (University of California—Riverside), and Debbie Wu (University of California—Davis).
August 29, 2007
The Triple A Club
Angel finished her intensive Greek final, so we went to celebrate by . . . shopping at PetSmart because she wanted to get a betta fish. I was trying to get her to buy an angelfish for obvious reasons, but I was not successful. Another friend joined us later at the Westfield Mall, and here on the left we are enjoying some gelato.
The picture in the middle is us at Dockweiler Beach. After I threw both of them into the ocean. Glorious times. The picture on the right is us celebrating a friend's birthday, with Sarah Lai joining us.
August 21, 2007
Fall 2007 Registration
- Beginning Hebrew (8 cr, Jeremy Smoak)
- Homiletics (4 cr, Clayton Schmit)
- Pastoral Theology (4 cr, Ronald Kernaghan)
- Communication (2 cr, Carolyn L. Gordon)
July 6, 2007
Read Your Bible Already
Angel invited me to guest speak to the youth group at EFC-Alhambra. I spoke on devotions and encouraged our combined youth groups to read the Bible more often. Devotions and quiet time are good for you, mmkay? Angel Wu is on the left in the picture below.
June 25, 2007
Baseball, NOT
Sarah Lai decides to "plan" a trip to see the Los Angeles Dodgers, but when HyunJa and I get to Dodger Stadium, I am kinda curious as to why I got such a good parking space along a nearby street. Oh, that's right, they are playing an AWAY game. GAH!
So, desperate to see a game, "we" make a decision to drive down to Anaheim to see a Los Angeles Angels game. We get there ahead of the other group, and I am kinda curious as to why people are walking *towards* the parking lot *away* from the stadium (perhaps all these people left something in their cars?). Oh, that's right, they are SOLD OUT. GAH!
Southern California. To my knowledge, the only place where you can hit up two professional baseball teams in a single night. And STILL not get to see a game. With my baseball cap and glove in hand, I was disappointed that I would not be catching any fly balls. So, to salvage the night, we went to Albertos for dinner. Here is a shot of us.
Afterwards we went to The Block at Orange to bum around. Sadly, for such a nice place, no Apple Store. Seriously, what gives?!
June 17, 2007
MacBook Pro 2.4 GHz
Well, with the Pasadena Apple Store out of stock of the laptop I wanted, it was time to drive to Apple Store The Grove. I'm grateful HyunJa was there to morally support me as I plunked down hard earned cash for a new computer.
I would rather not have purchased this, but my old computer has been beat up so badly that it was time. But seriously, the real question is...how high will the framerates be in World of Warcraft?
June 16, 2007
Kuo, Andy Kuo.
Justin Baker got married. This was my first time in a tuxedo, so I am doing my best James Bond impression. It was a wonderful night. Hooray for Justin and Carisssa!
June 13, 2007
Rest in Peace
During some heavy copy operations, my weathered PowerBook G4 finally died while I was in Dallas visiting my brother. For you techie types, the hard drive crashed with a corruped catalog B-tree. Subsequent recovery efforts were to no avail. (Booting up in firewire target disk mode, booting up with recovery CD using First Aid, Alsoft Diskwarrior, etc.). I was able to salvage some data at the Pasadena Apple Store with some creative hardware solutons before the hard drive crashed with a permanent, repeating clicking sound. It sounds like the read/write mechansim is continuously hunting. But for what? Who knows?
June 11, 2007
Tyler Warren Kuo
Born March 12, 2007. 8 pounds, 13 ounces, 21 inches. Oh Em Gee, so cute. I'm an uncle now!
May 29, 2007
Fried Plantains
...and fried rice. I don't know how the stars and the moon aligned, but I cooked fried rice for dinner and fried plantains for dessert for three lovely ladies. Don't believe me? Here is photographic evidence:
The ladies are Meghan Bowra, a friend, and Sarah Lai. And Meghan is an egg.
May 15, 2007
Summer 2007 Classes
- Faith and Reason (4 cr, Christian Early)
- Field Educaton (2 cr)
February 20, 2007
Spring 2007 Classes
- Exegetical Method and Practice (4 cr, Love Sechrest)
- The Cross in the New Testament (4 cr, Marianne Meye Thompson)
- Formational Bible Study (4 cr, Julie Gorman)
- Field Education (2 cr, 4 cr weight)
December 31, 2006
The Rose Parade
A bunch of us camped out overnight on Colorado Blvd to watch the Rose Parade the next day. We froze our little tushies off, but it was well worth it. The parade was awesome, but the best part hands down was the B2 Bomber low altitude flyby escorted by two fighter jets to start the parade. We were all blown away.
December 22, 2006
The Lonestar State
I celebrated the birth of Christ this year in Dallas, where my brother Tony lives. Lots of cat toys this Christmas; Samson and Mojo will be happy.
After my mom flew in from Cincinnati, we went to the Dallas World Aquarium, which features more than 85,000 gallons of saltwater with marine life from around the world. Representing the waters of four continents, three oceans and various seas, the aquarium gives a glimpse of the underwater world.
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We then headed to the Sixth Floor Museum, which is an educational and permanent historic exhibit that chronicles the assassination and legacy of President John F. Kennedy by examining his life, times, death and legacy within the context of American history. The museum is named so because it is the sixth floor of this building, originally the Texas School Book Depository, where a sniper's nest and rifle were found after the assassination.
December 16, 2006
The Happiest Place on Earth
Well, I went to Disneyland for my first time. Even though it was a dark, dreary and rainy day, the upside was that we went on every major ride because the lines were so short. It was my first time, and I had a great time.
It's a small world after all.
December 4, 2006
Friends
Here is a random shot of a few of my friends. The attractive blonde is Meghan, who I've become close friends with this quarter (JUST friends, so be quiet all of you). Then there's the perennial Kyle (trying to look cool and probably pulling it off) and Katie (looking unusually coy, I must say). Finally, OMG an Asian friend, Angel. She's the one who got me my youth pastor gig, so I regularly blame her for my woes. :P
November 15, 2006
Winter 2007 Classes
- Beginning Greek (12 cr, Adam Winn)
- Leadership in Youth Ministry (4 cr, Cheryl Crawford)
- Foundations for Ministry B (2 cr, Mark Lau Branson and Kurt Fredrickson)
- Field Education (0 cr, 4 cr weight)
October 28, 2006
A Purrfect Halloween
Ah yes. Katie and Stephanie had a Halloween Masquerade partay over at their pad. The first picture is with Meghan, and the second is with Katie. Yours truly went feline that night, of course. <Rawr!>
September 22, 2006
I Crew, Do You?
About a dozen of us helped out with new student orientation this week. It seems like only yesterday that we were hapless students trying to figure out where the lecture halls were, much less the bathrooms. It was a good feeling in return to help those incoming students with our "blessed" knowledge. My good friends are the two ladies down in front. Both are Jennifer, by coinkidinky. I'm the Asian with the white girl on his back. Go figure.
September 20, 2006
Thornehill-Broom Beach
Kyle, Katie, Stephanie and Jill and I camped out at this scenic beach. Kyle wanted to play this game whereby you tried to touch a rock out in the water but get back onto shore in time before the waves came back. You can see that the selfish jerk spent all the time on the rock and left little time for me. Here is the video (1:46) shot by Jill. Note the girls laughing at me in the background.
I'll get you Kyle.
August 23, 2006
Fall 2006 Classes
- American Church History (4 cr, Nate Feldmeth)
- Systematic Theology I: Theology and Anthropology (4 cr, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen)
- Family Therapy and Pastoral Counseling (4 cr, David Augsburger)
- Foundations for Ministry A (2 cr, Mark Lau Branson and Kurt Fredrickson)
- Field Education (0 cr, 4 cr weight)
July 2006
River of Christ
Well, I've gone and done it again. I didn't mean to, it just kind of happened. I swear it was by accident! Really! Srsly! Yup, I've become a youth pastor again. The church this time is EFC Arcadia. Check out that website; it's unlikely any of you will understand it, even if you have the Chinese language set installed on your computer. Hah.
We've come up with River of Christ (ROC) to name the youth group, and one of the kids likes drawing and came up with logo ideas for our new identity. My friend Katie Benso (pictured below in the previous entry) is a graphic artist and will translate the logo electronically for website and t-shirt use. ROC also stands for Republic of China, another name for Taiwan, but that's supposed to be a subtle thing. Most of the church families are from Taiwan, so it's kind of a link back to our "home country." Kinda, anyway.
Here is a link of a slideshow I did for our most recent retreat (4:05 min). Look at all the Asian kids! We rule. Seriously.
The group is fun, although discipline is a constant issue. There are about 15 kids, all of whom speak Mandarin WAY better than me. The cool part is that I get to use the same old jokes and games from Inspired Teens (my previous youth group), but they are all new to ROC, so right now my kids actually think I am funny. IT youth kids will recognize Toe Fencing and Train Wreck (and the punishment for getting caught in the middle three times) in the video above.
I'm finding that Asian kids are different than the, um, white variety. A part of me can really identify with the kids; when they complain of their parents, I remember the same issues and frustrations I had when I was growing up. I'm slowly learning Mandarin again from my exposure to these kids, although they are all perfectly fluent in English as well. They call me "Big Banana," since I am yellow on the outside but white on the inside. They all mean it in good fun, but it has a deeper meaning in that I have lost contact with my roots. It's a sad commentary on myself, but nevertheless unfortunately true. God has me here for a reason.
Oh, and one last thing. An uncanny thing about this youth group is that a large proportion of them have skipped a grade or two. Or four. Certainly academic excellence has been a postive racial sterotype for Asian kids, but the amount of grade skipping in this relatively small youth group is a little bit ridiculous. Seriously, who starts her freshman year at Cornell at the age of 14? It could only be a ROC kid.
Asians rule. Seriously.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Venice Beach and Zuma Beach
Kyle Megginson, Katie Benso and I spent the day bumming around a couple beaches. It's amazing to see the variety of beaches in California. Here is a shot of the three of us at Zuma:
Katie is the cute one on the right. Notice her lip ring. And yes, those are my nipples.
Tuesday, July 4, 2006
The Fourth of July
Kyle and I attended a major pool party of Fuller and friends and then capped off the day with some fireworks at the Rose Bowl.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Think Blue
After a much needed break at a pool party to break the doldrums of summer school, about 29 of us Fuller students went to the Los Angeles Dodgers game against the Seattle Mariners. I brought my glove in hopes of snagging a foul ball, but alas, none were to be caught. I was able to pay $5.25 for a Dodger Dog, however. Nummers.
Here are picts of the enjoyable night.
The Field!
Can I have your food?
Cuz I fixed your iPod,
you know. Kinda.
Think Blue
Fuller's Angels:
Holly, Krystal, Kelly
Tabitha, ?, Francisco, ToddAgain, props to Julie (left) and Rachael (right) for setting this up! That's my close friend Annie McLaren in the middle. I fixed her iPod. Kinda.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Kyle, Tim, Mickey, and me headed to Six Flags to celebreate the end of the Spring quarter. Nuf ced. I'm the cat in this picture, of course. <Rawr!>
Sunday, June 11, 2006
The Quarter-Century Mark
Kyle and I went down to Orange County (Mission Viejo) to celebrate his birthday with some extended family and his mother, who was here on a three week visit. I got to meet his cousin Annie as well. Here are some picts from this fun day.
<Forthcoming>
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Summer 2006 Registration
- Early Church History (4 cr, Nathan Feldmuth)
- Systematic Theology II: Christology and Soteriology (4 cr, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen)
- Medieval and Reformation Theology (4 cr, R .Muller)
Friday, April 21, 2006
Mother Kuo
My mother, on her way to Taiwan, made an extended layover at LAX so that she could spend some quality time with her older son. I brought her to my softball game, and then afterwards we went down to Torrance, CA, where she was re-united with some former college roommates. Good times! Here is a shot of them overlooking the ocean. She's the lady on the left.
Friday, April 7, 2006
Mater Dolorosa Retreat Center
My spiritual formation class requires some 1-day retreats, held at this center. I come from Wisconsin, a very flat state. The looming mountains just beyond the retreat center are impressive indeed, and somehow in my nine months here in Pasadena I rarely take the time to enjoy the view. This is the closest I have been to them. And here I marvel at the beauty of God’s handiwork, admiring his craftsmanship. Here is another thing he has done for mankind: he has provided beautiful nature for us.
I walked around a little bit and saw an artificial waterfall; immediately my engineering mind tried to ascertain how it was constructed. It was pretty, even though there was more work to be done to complete the surrounding area. The rest of the time I spent in silence, letting my thoughts wander.
Surprisingly, the debrief session ministered to me as I listened to the experiences of the other students in the class. One testimony that hit me particularly hard was from a young woman who had lost her husband to a brain tumor. She spoke of their brief time together and their very presence at the retreat some years earlier. I could not help but to have a single thought.
Life is precious. Praise God.
Saturday, April 1, 2006
Presbyterian Nation
Baseball season is apparently upon us. I got invited to an Angels/Dodgers game by the Presbies on campus, since I know many of them. I think they are secrety trying to convert me. It was a really boring exhibition game, and it ended after 10 innings at 0-0. Wow. The stadium itself is really nice, and I got introduced to Panada Express. Kinda nummy for fast food.
The photo below is courtesy Jenn Howard, who really got on my case to update this blog. So there. Happy? :P
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Dockweiler Beach State Park
Nothing like ending a great Spring Break with a trip to the beach. Volleyball, bocce ball, hotdogs and smores with great friends.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Spring 2006 Registration
- Building Christian Community Through Small Groups (4 cr, Julie Gorman)
- Spiritual Formation in College and Young Adult Settings (4 cr, Paul Jensen)
- Systematic Theology III: Ecclesiology and Eschatology (4 cr, Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen)
- The Spiritual Disciplines (4 cr, Richard Peace)
Saturday, January 7, 2006
Union Rescue Mission
I went to go serve at the Union Recue Mission with the rest of the SOP (School of Psychology) "Cabinet" members. We served a few hundred homeless. Again, like most shelters I have served at, the food is better than what I eat myself on a regular basis. Ramen noodles for the win!
These experiences help us to more appreciate what we have in our lives: typically warm shelter, good food, and people who love us. We of course often take these for granted. It's more than that, however. We go to serve at these events and feel bad for the residents and homeless for a little while, and then we go back to our (very) comfortable lives. Wash, rinse, repeat. The cycle continues.
It's not until we truly incarnate ourselves into their lives can we truly begin to understand them. To be sure, serving food has its purpose, but pity from afar is entirely useless to them.
15If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, 16and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?" (James 2:15-16)It is entirely evident that Christ had a heart for the poor and the downtrodden. We MUST do more.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
New Year's Eve
Lacy Walker (and her friend Jasmine), Natalie McCurdy, and Ian McCurdy (all three former youth kids) came out to visit for the Tournament of Roses Parade. Lacy and Jasmine are in the US Navy and took the Amtrak from San Diego, where they are stationed. Sadly, it rained and rained and rained, so we ended up watching the parade on TV, but we did walk near the floats afterwards at the post-parade location.
Friday, December 23, 2005
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (The State of Independence)
Kyle's sister Kristyn and her hubby Derek showed us around Philadelphia today. We got to visit the Liberty Bell, I got an authenthic Philly cheesesteak from Pat's King of Steaks, and I got to run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art as depicted in the movie Rocky.
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Thursday, December 22, 2005
Newark, Delaware (It's Good Being First)
My good friend Kyle Megginson picked me up as I transferred households. A fellow seminary student, he happens to live within 20-30 minutes of the Relli. Kyle's family welcomed me, and sarcastic comments ensued between Kyle and myself, a time-honored tradition.
Monday, December 19, 2005
Elkton, Maryland (no state slogan)
I flew from Los Angeles LAX (thanks to Nancy Eckardt for the dropoff!) to Philadelphia PHA (thanks to Dan for the pick-up!) to visit Dan and Carey Rellis. I love their new house and I felt immediately at home. Cooper T is a ton larger than when I last saw him and substantially more coherant as well. Carey's parents, Tom and Diane Buczwinski, were also there, so the house was indeed full of guests (and presents!). Carey is also slightly showing her new bun in the oven. An ultrasound revealed all was well, but not the gender…yet.
"The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round…"
Friday, December 9, 2005
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
"He's a beaver! He shouldn't be saying anything!" —Susan Pevensie
Rachael and I organized about 30 Fuller students to get together to see this movie on its opening night, and we took up three rows! It was an incredible movie, and I may have even teared up a couple times…
Rawr.
Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Alexia Rises Again
Finals week was ironically a breeze for me. I had overcompensated while studying ahead, so I had many projects finished early. Hence, it was time to ressurect my alter-ego. Alexia is a level 60, female Night-Elf hunter residing on the Garona server. Don't know what I am talking about? Why I'm deeply immersed in the World of Warcraft, of course.
California Driver's License
Arguably one of my toughest exams this week was the written California driver's license test. Yours truly studied by taking practice exams on the official CA DMV website. I passed with flying colors (thank you, Ann!). Out of 36 questions, you may only miss 6 and still pass; I got all 36 correct! A 100%! It's been awhile since I've seen that score on an exam I've taken. Like high school.
Saturday, December 3, 2005
Rocking Around the Christmas Tree
Fuller students know how to have fun. A few (40-ish) of us gathered around and "gussied" ourselves up for a festive party with a white elephant gift exchange. A mistletoe was hung up, but sadly…sigh…oh well.
Props to Julie Marks and Rachael Bratlien and for setting this up!
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Don't Mess with Texas
I flew to Dallas to have Thanksgiving with my brother Tony and his new family. I got to see my nephews and nieces "-in-law, n-times removed" as well (see below: July 14, 2005).
I came to learn from them that the saying "Don't Mess with Texas" is a slogan for their anti-litter campaign! Who knew? Certainly not the 49 other states in the union!
They really treated me like family. Good times, nummy food. Gobble, gobble!
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Thirty-Four
Sigh, another milestone in my life. An uneventful one at that, since I studied all day for a New Testament exam the next day. What did the exam consist of? We were given fifty verses from the books Acts through Revelation, and we were required to name the book the verse came from. Ouch.
A shout-out to the Riesterer's, my old church youth kids, and Elizabeth Abbott for sending me birthday cards. It was really appreciated!
Happy birthday to me!
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Periplaneta americana Linnaeus
There are approximately 3,500 species of cockroaches, but only 55 species are known to live in the United States. Apparently, all 55 species have decided to infest my apartment, and Samson and Mojo aren't doing a @#$% thing about it. Stupid cats.
To make matters worse, the infestation is being led by a multinational coalition:
Since when did Germany, America, and Asia ever team up to do anything?!
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Winter 2006 Registration
- New Testament: Gospels (4 cr, David L. Matson)
- Old Testament: Hebrew Prophets (4 cr, James T. Butler)
- Old Testament Theology (4 cr, James T. Butler)
- Introduction to Family Ministry (4 cr, Chapman Clark)
Friday, November 4, 2005
The Sky is Falling!
After a long day of working on my Christian Ethics project on capital punishment, I get an invite to go to the Monrovia street fair from my friend Johnny, along with his girlfriend Jenna and his roomie Rich. Johnny's in my Youth Ministry class and is currently the junior high youth pastor of Sierra Madre Congregation Church. Somewhere. I guess it's close by.
Anyway, the street fair is a cool place to hang; it reminds me of the Appleton Octoberfest, just on a smaller scale. The most significant find of the night, however, is when Johnny intoduces me to tri-tip, the small roast cut from the bottom of the sirloin primal. Oh my goodness . . . NUMMERS!
Afterwards we went to go see Chicken Little at the Krikorian Monrovia Cinema 12. Student ticket pricing is $8.50! Why, God . . . WHY?!
Welcome to Kahlifornia. My gov'ner is Ah-nold "I will terminate taxes" Schwarzenegger.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
Fuller Mafia!
My fellow classmate Tim Cress is big into the game of Mafia, and a Mafia Masquerade party was planned the night before Halloween, graciously hosted by Brian, Melinda, and Amy.
Dolls: (L-R) Melinda, Jessica, Amy, Julie, Danielle, Jenn, Michelle, Enrique, Andrea.
Guys: (L-R) Josh, me, Tim (kneeling), Adam, Khalid, Brian, Eric, Tim, Kyle.Yours truly was taken out early the first game. But hey, I was hungry and got to hang out at the food table. Nummy. So much for citizens.
“A corrupt town on the brink of a hostile Mafia takeover…will you survive?”
Friday, October 28, 2005
No Matter How Loud I Shout
In his book No Matter How Loud I Shout: A Year in the Life of the Juvenile Court, Edward Humes presents a sobering view of our nation’s juvenile courts. Humes’s depiction seems remarkably objective and unbiased, with no one person portrayed too positively or negatively, in either the civil servant or the adolescent offender realms. This book is on the required reading list for my Christian Ethics class.
Humes begins by retelling the now infamous 1964 Gerald Francis Gault case in which a fifteen-year-old ultimately received a six-year prison sentence (later reduced to three years by the Supreme Court) for what essentially amounted to an obscene phone call. Consequently, the nation’s highest court ordered an overhaul of the juvenile court system to be more in line with our adult courts. Thirty years later, in addition to recording the numerous trials and triumphs of the new structure, Humes’s book largely chronicles the lives of seven adolescents caught up in the juvenile court system, from their initial arrest to final disposition.
Humes’s interviews with nearly all levels of the court system reveal a frightening dichotomy: while nearly everyone agrees that focusing on prevention is better than punishment, budgets are continually cut and programs pared down or eliminated altogether that would otherwise help our adolescents break the vicious cycle.
Why am I writing about this? If you've made it this far, then consider this article in the Pasadena Star News, in which a 14-year-old may be tried as an adult.
The location of this shooting is one block from where I live.
Ponder THAT.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Brokenness
We are a broken lot. Seminary students. We don't have it all together. We are not better than others. We are not more holy than others. We stand before God . . . sinful, crushed, dispirited, broken.
Today was our Day of Prayer ("Lifting Our Souls to God as One"), and I think that hit home for a lot of us, this brokenness. It serves only to further remind us of who our Lord and Savior is and what He did for us. Our scripture reading was Psalm 25 (NRSV, the apparent academic translation of choice here), which I will repeat in its entirety here. Take some time to truly read and digest it. It could change your life.
Psalm 25 (Of David)
1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.6 Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness' sake, O LORD!8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.11 For your name's sake, O LORD,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who are they that fear the LORD?
He will teach them the way that they should choose.13 They will abide in prosperity,
and their children shall possess the land.
14 The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,
and he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me out of my distress.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.19 Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 O guard my life, and deliver me;
do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.22 Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all its troubles.
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Santa Monica Pier
Back-to-back fun! Jennifer Moore invited me to go to Santa Monica with a big group. After a bit of a detour trying to get down there (driving in LA at night when it's raining is an interesting experience; I nearly lost bladder control several times), we had dinner at the Mariasol Cocina Mexicana on the Santa Monica Pier:
Um, I was also the only guy among five other lovely ladies. Heh. Here is a picture of them on the well-known and very touristy Third Street Promende (L-R: Sarah, Kristen, Jenn, Tiffany, Krystal):
And this is Jenn's shot of me, Sarah, and Krystal:
And of course, the obligatory picture of the Apple Store Third Street Promenade:
Friday, October 14, 2005
Manhattan Beach: Bump, Set, OOPS, Net!
So today we (Kyle Megginson, Laine Jullian, Todd Wyrick, Chuck Williams, and I) hit the beach in my Honda. Manhattan Beach, to be more precise. Interestingly, I have been here a month and this is the first time I've done anything remotely touristy. I have been studying nearly non-stop, so this is a welcome break. It takes us 30 minutes to get there (hooray for carpool lanes!), and we start playing volleyball almost immediately. The beach is surprisingly deserted; it's explained to me that it's October, and that the locals don't come out anymore. Most of us did not grow up in California, so we are eager to take advantage of this.
While temperatures back in Appleton struggle to reach the 60's, it was another typical beautiful day in the non-humid 90's. Manhattan beach is just west of LAX, so it was cool to see large jets taking off toward the Pacific Ocean (which is surprisingly cold) every minute or so.
We hit rush hour traffic on the way back, so it takes us an hour to get home. Todd, sitting shotgun, carefully selects painful country music for us to "enjoy." The others protest vehemently, but I stand firm explaining the rules of shotgun as dictated to me by my own youth kids. Indeed, the tradition carries on.
"The person riding shotgun has complete control over the radio."
Monday, October 3, 2005
A Few of My Favorite Things...
Here's something that I need to get used to: helicopter chases. Every other night you can hear/see a helicopter circling around with a huge spotlight shining on the ground. I want to say to the punk, "Just give up, man! They've GOT you. I'm trying to sleep!!!" Gah.
Oh, and the pleasant smell of stale urine around my apartment complex. Yeah, I need to get used to that, too. Why can't we get some fresh urine in here? Why God . . . WHY??
Seriously, I really wish I could detonate a tanker of Febreze in the middle of the courtyard. Along with Mojo. That fat cow.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
How YOU Doin' ?
There are some REALLY cute grad students here... Wow. And Christian to boot. Who knew?
Monday, September 26, 2005
First Day of Classes
Yee haw! You know, there is something romantic about being a graduate student, but I am finding a hard time explaining it. I don't mean the romantic love connotation that we commonly think of. The second definition of romantic in the dictionary is: "of, characterized by, or suggestive of an idealized view of reality." Yeah, perfect.
We are all here on purpose. We all want to be here. It's very different than college where many students go because it's either the thing to do after high school or else their parents want them to attend. All of us here are here to learn about Jesus Christ, in one incarnation or another. The people are here are friendly and loving. My classes open up in prayer. Sweet! Yup, the professors are awesome. Some of them even do a short devotional before the lecture starts. I could get used to it here.
Here are my Fall 2005 classes:
- Christian Ethics (4 cr, Erin Default-Hunter)
- New Testament: Acts – Revelations (4 cr, David M. Scholer)
- Old Testament: Pentateuch (4 cr, James T. Butler)
- Foundation of Youth Ministry (4 cr, Chapman Clark)
Thursday, September 22, 2005
My Stuff
My stuff finally arrived. Sweet, sweet, bed. I assembled the cat tower and the computer desk as well. My place is starting to feel like home! Cat puke is even starting to appear again. Ah, home, sweet, home.
I also went to the Fuller bookstore to buy my books. Holy cow! Sixteen books and $320 later, I cannot believe that I have to read all of these over the course of 10 short weeks. And what's with this 8.25% CA sales tax? 8.25% ?! Can't my new gov'ner, Ah-nold, do something about that? OUCH!
The days are typically beautiful. They are warm (90° -ish) but there is very little humidity, so it typically feels 8-10° cooler than the same temperature back in Appleton. It's weird walking in such warm weather and not sweating.
I miss my Jenny-pie.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Orientation Week
What an incredibly awesome day. Today was the start of orientation week. I finally met some other students, and I am feeling better about my decision to come here. It's been lonely as of late, and as an extrovert, it's been all that much more difficult. The cats are still basically hanging out in the closet all day. They come out to eat/drink and poop/pee, but that's about it.
Oh, and I walked, yes, WALKED to the Pasadena Apple Store. It's over twice the size of the Mayfair one in Milwaukee:
Friday, September 16, 2005
God Has a Plan
I've made friends with the onsite super's five kids, especially the oldest, Juan. He has shown me around Pasadena a bit, so that has helped. My apartment complex is smack dab in the middle of a Hispanic community, and I think I'm the only Asian for miles around. This is what you get for getting a place sight (location) unseen. Sigh. When I am walking, I regularly get asked for money, and there are all types of unsavories all around. I try to dress down to appear that I don't have any money, which is the truth since my money is going straight to Fuller. My youth kids would argue that I dress down normally, but what do they know about fashion? Wait...
But I can't shake this feeling that God has me specifically here for a purpose. A stranger in a strange land. (yes, that's a Robert Heinlein reference)
I miss my youth kids.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
The Eagle Has Landed
A long, stressful day! I flew to Pasadena (well, Burbank) to start my new life as a seminary student. I woke up at 4 AM, and Dan Dolezal took Samson, Mojo, and me to the Appleton airport. Thanks, Dan! He is such a trooper. He stayed with me at the check-in counter to make sure all the animal transport stuff ended up being ok. The made me put "Live Animal" stickers all over, plus "This End Up" stickers. "This End Up" stickers? Really? I'd like to meet the chump who can't figure out the right end of a pet carrier. There's a handle on the carrier for gosh sakes.
Samson traveled with me in the cabin in a nice Sherpa bag, while Mojo unfortunately had to be shipped underneath in a hard case as luggage. Contrary to what people may think, I was truly heartbroken and I did feel badly for her. Meow.
Let me tell you, I did not realize that cats were such people magnets in airports. I received a lot of attention as I was lugging Samson around through the terminals and on the flights themselves. Perhaps I need to take Samson for a "walk" through the park once I settle in. What cutie can't resist my Samson-pie?
My $370 flight: ATW (Appleton) - ORD (Chicago) - SFO (San Francisco) - BUR (Burbank). Although a couple flights were delayed, we arrived all safe and sound.
The cats survived, although they were freaked out by the new surroundings. My crappy apartment makes me long for home, which is a palace by comparison. I immediately bought the cheapest fridge I could find at Best Buy and got the rest of my household items at Target. I have no furniture, so I am sleeping in a sleeping bag and air mattress. It's cold at nights, I'm lonely, the surroundings are unfamilar, and I am anxious for school to start. Cats aren't themselves either; they continually hide in the closets all day.
Here is my den (note the laptop on top of the luggage), bedroom (note the sleeping bed, air matress, and luggage), and living room (note the two cat carriers and cat litter), respectfully:
High speed internet access (à la SBC DSL) was already avaiable, so that helped me feel a little better. It's not too bad of a walk to school, though, and it's an even closer bike ride. Weather is about on par with Appleton, surprisingly. But it IS weird seeing palm trees lining the streets. And you can see the beautiful mountains to the north. When there's no smog, I mean. Pasadena is terribly overcrowded, and parking is always an issue, even at the school apparently.
Wuv, Tru Wuv
Lil bro got married on Lake Tahoe. No really, ON the lake. We chartered a boat (Tahoe Gal) out to the middle of the lake where the capt'n performed the ceremony. Here is a shot of my new step-nephews and step-nieces "-in-law, n-times removed," where n is a number greater than I can count. Probably like 6. Or 423,678.
L-R: Blake, Travis, Brandon, Jordan, Melissa, Lauren
The happy couple. Tony and Cindy Kuo.
Here are Tony and me. Note that I am significantly taller than Tony. And much better looking. Did I mention I was taller? Yeah, well I am.
September 2004
Inspired Teens
Hired as Youth Pastor for Community Church. The youth group is called Inspired Teens (IT). Fun times.
This was my most fulfulling job ever. Our purpose was to communicate the Gospel, connect as Christians, counsel each other, care for the community, and celebrate Christ. Our theme verse:
"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."
— 1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)
October 2003
Laid off! :(
About 100 of us "left KC to pursue other career opportunities," heh. It was a sad day, really. I felt really bad for all the others who were let go as well. I had planned to leave KC next year to pursue seminary, but it seems God moved the timing up on me. How dare He! I received a severance package, so that was good, but it would have been nice to leave on my own terms. I never got to say goodbye to many of my close colleages. Another major chapter in my life closes, but a new one begins!
April 2001
Mojo
Mojo is born. She is a cute, mixed breed (which is a nice term for mutt), medium-haired calico. And she has taken over the house and bosses Samson and me around. Both of us hate her. That fat cow.
August 23, 1999
Samson
Samson is born. He is an absolutely adorable, showcat-quality, blue-point Himalayan. He is named after the Biblical character Samson because of his long hair. He's about as stupid as the Biblical Samson as well, so the name is appropriate on more than one level. But I love him nonetheless.
August 1994
Yes, We Make Diapers. And Feminine Hygiene Products.
Started work for Kimberly-Clark Corporation. Curious what I did? If you have a hard time sleeping at night, here is my résumé. I flew to many international locations, and I am very grateful for the experiences KC afforded me. Some of the places I went to: London, England; Paris, France; Seoul/Taejon, South Korea; Ramos Arizpe, Mexico; Flint, Wales; Amsterdam, Holland; and Mainz, Germany. Oh, and I helped make HUGGIES® diapers and wet wipes. Yes, a glorious job. Ahem.
Here is a publicity shot from a photo shoot for our recruiting brochure (all the girls tell me I look hot in this picture):
May 1994
Badgers? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Badgers!
Graduated from University of Wisconsin—Madison with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. Yee haw.
I was involved with InterVersity Christian Fellowship and a part of American Institute of Chemical Engineers. I also did several internships with The Dow Chemical Company while a student, where I met Joe Winter, my best friend. Good times.
But now it's time to make some money. Seriously.
June 1989
Thunderbirds
Graduated from Lakota High School. West Chester, Ohio. My parents still live there. Here is a picture of them in the Bahamas:
November 1971
Birth
Yup, born. Bethlehem/Allentown, Pennsylvania. I actually looked cute. See for yourself:
