Have A Little Family Time

Last Sunday was the special time for my relatives and families when we congratulate the youngest family member's upcoming college life and his future.

I was happily dining on roasted pork/steak/fleshy prawn with mashed potato, broccoli and salad, kim-chi, roasted corn, green beans from second aunt's place whose son is heading off to the college in New York.

Everyone was saying that the highlight of the meal was the steak, except me.

I was cutting the steak into smaller pieces and was repeating on the same spot of the meat.

After I put a piece into my mouth, I realized that my arm exercise through cutting wasn't that rewarding. It was like chewing old gum that you need to chew endlessly.

Should've ordered it as medium rare, instead of well-done.

Published: Come Sail Away

You can check out the actual publication at http://issuu.com/gono/docs/prh_summer2011

pg. 52~3

If the thought of spending another winter cooped up in the house sends worse chills down your spine than the frigid weather, why not start planning to sail away the winter blues this upcoming season?

“In the winter months, all we can think about is to go to an island where the weather is warm and beautiful,”

says Elizabeth Emory, owner of Seasational Cruises under the Cruise Planners franchise. “That is why we focus on winter cruises and the Caribbean in those months.”

Maybe it is just the daunting task of navigating the Internet for the best deals that is holding you back from taking the trip of your dreams. When relying on Seasational Cruises, Emory researches the best cruises and works within your budget. She ensures that every aspect of your trip goes off without a hitch - from transportation to and from the Ports to scheduling your itinerary to make sure you get everything your heart desires from your trip.

Here are a few examples of the vacation magic Seasat ional Cruises has in store for you!

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

ALLURE OF THE SEAS

7 Nights, Eastern Caribbean Cruise 10/16/2011 TO 10/23/2011

Port of Call: Departs from

Fort Lauderdale, FL, visiting Bahamas, Nassau, Charlotte Amalie St. Thomas, Phillipsburg, St.

Maarten and returns to Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Come sail away on the newest ship of Royal Caribbean! Allure of the Seas has 4 pools and 10 whirlpools, sports courts, mini golf, entertainment, opal theatre, nightclubs, youth zones,

26 restaurants and casinos, big band and disco entertainment. You can also plan

on exciting shore excursions.

ROYAL CARIBBEAN

EXPLORER OF THE SEAS

11 Nights, Southern Caribbean Cruise 01/16/2012 TO 01/27/2012

Port of Call: Departs from

Cape Liberty Cruise Port, Bayonne, N.J., visiting Ladabee

Haiti, San Juan Puerto Rico,

Phillipsburg, St. Maarten and

St. Jon’s Antigua, Basseterre

St. Kitts, returns to Cape Liberty

Cruise Port, Bayonne, N.J.

Explorer of the Seas has several pools and many whirlpools,sports court, ice skating rink,

rock climbing, day spa, themed bars and lounges as well as many different restaurants, entertainment options, casinos and shore excursions.

CARNIVAL MAGIC CRUISE

8 Nights, Western Caribbean Cruise 02/06/2012 TO 02/14/2012

Port of Call: Departs from

Fort Lauderdale, FL, visiting

Phillipsburg, St. Maarten, St.

Lucia, St. Kitts and returns to

Fort Lauderdale, FL.

The Carnival Magic has pools on deck, mini golf course, youth programs, dining, 24-hour room

service, casinos, entertainment, a spa and fitness center. Don’t forget the exciting shore excursions!

The Power of Speaking

When I was sitting in my journalism and the law class last semester, the discussion about certain topics was heating up, students' hands rose everywhere.

"I think this is this.... that is that.. because of such and such consequences, it resulted like this.."

Blah blah....

As I was hearing to them, some of them.. convincing rate 5, from scale 0 to 10.

And some of them.. 9 or 10.. of course, from my own judgment.

When I thought it was a really great explanation, it pierced my consciousness, like a dart.

Knowing that this'd give them a bit of embarrassment, I turned my head to these people anyway, to check who they are.

A very logical, convincing statement made my head to nod at them with full of agreements.

From word point A to word point B, they were saying the words very clearly. Each sentence, worded nicely and fluently, as if they have a typed script in front of them. And as a whole, each sentence stick to each other like a glue very coherently and produce a thoughtful, fruitful theme which I eventually appreciate.. to whomever deliver that thought.. or an idea.

It's like a whole packet. A star shape, heart shape, whichever shapes you get in that packet, different shapes covered with bitter dark chocolate flavor, specifically designed just for dark chocolate lovers.

"Wow, I never could think of that. That's an interesting perspective. That's an another view," I thought to myself.

And then...

"Why haven't I thought of that....?

I could almost feel the weight of their confidences in their voices, as if they were solidly believing in what they were saying through their lips moving.

"How could he/she speak that well? Where are all those words coming from?" I kept thinking.

As I was waiting for my turn to speak, I could feel myself sweating and becoming anxious.

"What am I to say??"

If we examine our lives more closely, we can see most of them are consisting of talking.

Interesting thing is.. no matter what you do for living, talking is necessary.

Whether you do the sales, teaching.. Even if you'd like to run for a political office, you have to go through talking. And talking has to be moving in order to win the vote.

I get to see people who talk like a river streaming.

And I often noticed them.

Not only noticed them, I found them VERY interesting, thus.. I get to see the part of me envying them and possibly attracted to them....?

Seriously, the opposite sex of good utterance can move my heart.

I never realized the importance of speaking until now.

Like everyone else, talking is just talking. What that can be important? I used to think.

But no, talking is crucial.

Someone can be a millionaire, can inspire people traveling around the world, simply by talking.

Someone can be kicked out of their jobs by the words they put out into the world.

Talking can be a simplest way to do communications, but at the same time, you can make it

HUGE. So huge.

It may look simple, but it's not.

You can make other people drawn into you.

Or other people may think you're a boring person.

Talking can bring you a job, persons, money, popularity and even the whole world.

Talking is accessible to everybody, but depends on how you can use this tool, it can be a mundane conversation or it can be a powerful speech that can save millions of people's lives.

It's like a simple ingredient like chickens or potatoes.. depends on who the cook is, those can turn out simple menu or luxurious food.

Review: The 2011 Philadelphia Auto Show

http://vimeo.com/19489382


The 2011 Philadelphia International Auto Show went on at the Pennsylvania Convention Center for nine days, ended on Feb. 6th. The show was owned and produced by the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia. There were approximately 700 vehicles, including pre-production, vintage, classic, exotic, and green model cars, displayed throughout 550,000 square-feet on three different floors.


America’s passion for cars has brought more than 200,000 visitors annually.
The show provided an opportunity for auto dealers to introduce and showcase new vehicle models, without having to approach every single customer from their own stores. This show was also very helpful to attendees, who can be the future car buyers, because the program educates visitors about up and coming vehicles and allows them to compare different models.


Technology was definitely a dominant theme in this auto show. The technological, yet economical car characteristics like fuel efficient engines drew potential buyers’ attention. The looks of these cars were quite unique, too.
“I really loved the newer technologies at this event,” George Swales, one of attendees, said. “The fact that we are looking at the greener cars, like the electric vehicles and the hybrids… Twenty years from now, we’ll be all driving a very, very different vehicles than the ones that are brought today,” Swales added.


Although any form of selling, purchasing or even signing car buying contracts was banned during the show, the auto dealers agreed on exit surveys that the increase in the area’s new car sales is always influenced by this auto show.
The auto sales are expected to increase more this year, since the show had the test ride event that Toyota and Kia were offering to visitors on certain products for the first time. This year, the test ride event took place outside, but it will take place inside of the building next year.

The Christmas Tree

My coworker Koshik and I first encountered each other as an associate and customer back in little after when last Christmas season was ended.

One big Indian guy with gray, white hair came to the register with a cute little Christmas tree to buy. I was wondering why he was trying to buy it after everything was done, but soon, I realized it was super cheap price and he said it was for the next year.

After a long six months...

In the middle of June, I saw Koshik wearing Macy's all black dress code, standing by the register at Macy's for the first time since then.

I guess I didn't know he was working in here. 

I asked him about that Christmas tree, whether if he still carries it in his house or something and my guess was right.

The tree is safely saved (-I guess) at the backside of his house.

I told him, "Well, you only have three? four? months to go. Good for you!" (Well, I guess by the time I said that, maybe I thought there were 10 months in one year, instead of 12, duh!)

The guy, who plans and prepares for Christmas.. Not just for several weeks, but A YEAR HEAD OF THE TIME. lol

When I think of that little (and maybe poor..?) Christmas tree stuck SOMEWHERE in the DARK at Koshik's house..., standing by itself, waiting for Christmas to come, his owner (inevitably) Koshik (...!!), I get to laugh so hard. But at the same time, I sympathize for that tree.

Short Story: Gwen Stacy

(Made-up story)

1964

Early in the summer following my birthday, the sight of the butcher selling salmon wakes unwanted memories. My mom was in the scene, interacting with the butcher, buying her favorite food, salmon, as vivid as when she was alive. My mom, my dad and I used to fest on salmon, thick slices of garlic bread and salad around the kitchen table. I could hear her laughing at the table. I could also hear her coughing a lot as she kept a handkerchief near her mouth.

Now that she is gone and there's nothing I could do about it.

I tightly held briefcase in my right hand, filled with lyrics, poems, short stories I had written for many years. It all started from the words came out from my mother's lips.

"I think you have so much talent in writing. You should pursue... pursue to be a writer. Just.. get something down on your paper. It will be the story and it could possibly move someone's mind. "

As I was hearing that, something moved inside me.

And that's how everything got started.

My mom had so soft voice that I could never forget about her.

"The more you do, the better you get."

She was always encouraging me to write more, and more and I was secretly wanting to be pushed even more.

I sat down by a small pond, put the briefcase in my lap.

I opened the case and jam my mom's picture into the case.

Suddenly, I could feel someone else's presence, who has an angular face with enormous brown eyes.

She sat right next to me.

I've never seen eyes that are that much big.

"You must be Sally." She opened her pale mouth.

"How do you know my name?" I respond while I raise my eyebrows.

"I'm your father's best friend. My name is Gwen Stacy. I heard from your father that you became so lonely since your mother passed away."

"Don't worry, I will be your friend. I will cook your favorite food, I will iron your shirts, I will.. do my best as I can to... be your closest friend." She said as she clutched my hand and it felt cold.

My curiosity towards her was obviously up.

Who is she..

One time, she cooked me a roasted lobster with fried asparagus at my home and it tasted like heaven. She also delivered apple pies to people of my town.

During the height of winter holidays, I was immune to the song that was currently number one, just about everywhere in the world, the title called my girl by temptations.

I listened to that song drifting out of the radio so beautifully.

'I've got sunshine on a cloudy day,

when it's cold out side, I've got the month of the day

I guess you say, what can make me feel this way'

While I was listening to that song, it also beautified my lyrics.

"Grace shone and the it unfolded before our eyes." I went on and on, with my pen and the song.

I heard the car pulling to my home.

I quickly turned volume down until I heard no sound and walked up to the window, hide myself by the silky white curtain.

It was my dad's car.

Gwen Stacy was sitting next to him.

She dressed like a naughty women who shouldn't have been let out of the house by her parents.

I couldn't hear anything, but I knew their conversation lasted for awhile and it flew in an interesting way.

My dad's face shone like a child's on Christmas Day, smiling from ear to ear, mischief in his eyes. Well, it was Christmas Eve, though.

All of a sudden, my dad kissed Gwen Stacy in the middle of her articulation.

Gwen Stacy burgled my father's lips as well.

I breathed my very breath and turned my back from the curtain.

I heard the sound of the wind against the window that night.

I covered myself with pink blanket much tighter.

After I came back home from school, I saw Gwen Stacy in the living room, heard sizzling with each slap of the iron.

"What are you doing?" I said as I realized there will be a good distance between her and me.

"I saw your shirt got wrinkled. So I ironed this for you."

"I never requested."

She tried to hold up my shirt to testify it or something.

And I tried to cut off her words before they even came out of her mouth.

"Why do you take my shirts out of my closet without my permission?"

Her face darkened.

She quickly delivered me a nervous laugh and continued,

"Why you sound upset? I just tried to make you feel more comfortable by doing this. I've done this for last whole summer. You didn't say anything at that time."

Pick Me!

After trying many different shoes on the display, finally it was down to two sandals.

Between size five and six of brown sandal with the butterfly hanging on top of my toe nails.

I loved it. It was so adorable.

And.. the debate of which sandal I should choose lasted for an hour..

I heard Macy's closing ment.

"Macy's will be closed in 10 minutes. Please choose your selection. As always! thanks for shopping at Macy's."

At that moment, my mom showed me a different shoe. It was shiny gold, I-shaped sandal with chic belt attached to it.

The gold sandal started to shout at me.

"Pick me! Pick me!"

Then I looked down to brown sandals in my hands.

"No! I should go your home with you!"

Which sandal is going home with me...

Finally.. I gave one brutal glance at the butterfly shoes and realized that I had to erase butterfly shoes from my heart.

I spent most of my time choosing between sizes of butterfly, but at the end, it took me only few seconds to choose gold, I-shaped sandal.