Just a passing thought…

Man… it’s crazy what has been happening the last couple of years. For instance, when my cousins were in college, they traveled a lot. One of the reasons they did so, people getting married.

My immediate world is rapidly changing and defining itself more and more. I’m already preparing to leave yet another phase of my life for another!
Many people are graduating off to the work force.

More and more of my friends are getting married/engaged. (Congrats to Rennie and Sheby / Grace and Kenneth / Josh and Dana / Michael and Angie.)

Old high school acquaintances are making a place for themselves in this world. Congrats to all who are moving on to their respective graduate studies. Another HS acquaintance received a Rhodes Scholar award, and yet another contributed to a big breakthrough in cancer research by discovering a new method of tagging specific cancer cells (and receiving another national award).

Friends establishing themselves in the musical world: Cindy Wu (or does she go by Yen now??) seems to be making a debut in Asian music. Iris Leu is a rising Dallas musician too!

All this to say: the future is closer than we all imagine. The world is getting smaller by each passing day. I wonder what my role is in this world.

K’Naan – Wavin’ Flag

Here’s the new FIFA World Cup 2010 theme!! It sounds great; I’m already excited!

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When i get older, they’ll call me freedom
Just like a Waving Flag.

[Chorus]
When I get older, I will be stronger,
They’ll call me freedom, just like a Waving Flag,
And then it goes back, and then it goes back,
And then it goes back

Born to a throne, stronger than Rome
but Violent prone, poor people zone,
But it’s my home, all I have known,
Where I got grown, streets we would roam.
But out of the darkness, I came the farthest,
Among the hardest survival.
Learn from these streets, it can be bleak,
Except no defeat, surrender retreat,

So we struggling, fighting to eat and
We wondering when we’ll be free,
So we patiently wait, for that fateful day,
It’s not far away, so for now we say

[Chorus]

So many wars, settling scores,
Bringing us promises, leaving us poor,
I heard them say, love is the way,
Love is the answer, that’s what they say,
But look how they treat us, Make us believers,
We fight their battles, then they deceive us,
Try to control us, they couldn’t hold us,
Cause we just move forward like Buffalo Soldiers.

But we struggling, fighting to eat,
And we wondering, when we’ll be free
So we patiently wait, for that faithful day,
It’s not far away, but for now we say,

[Chorus] 2x

(Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhhh Ohhhh)
And everybody will be singing it
(Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhhh Ohhhh)
And you and I will be singing it
(Ohhhh Ohhhh Ohhhhh Ohhhh)
And we all will be singing it
(Ohhh Ohh Ohh Ohh)

[Chorus] 2x

When I get older, when I get older
I will be stronger, just like a Waving Flag,
Just like a Waving Flag, just like a Waving flag
Flag, flag, Just like a Waving Flag

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Changes to Edu?!

Have you ever wondered what school is like in other countries? I have, but then again… I’m never curious enough to look it up. One thought though I’ve always had is how efficient American education really is. What about all that history that’s always being added to the books?! In fifty years, there’s going to be an extra chapter in history books for younger generations to decipher.

But for now, it seems that Arne Duncan (U.S. Secretary of Education) is not only pushing for a more pro-active role in public education, but he also wants to promote the concept of longer classroom hours. He makes a good point that the American education system is still not as changed as when it was established on a more agrarian calendar. Who knows what it looks like in the future, but I personally would like to see new ideas to how public schools might be run.

Growing up, I had a few courses like math and physics that I enjoyed a lot. Extracurriculars like orchestra allowed for me to expand my interests and enjoy my school experience much more. Unfortunately, I feel the way I saw school was just a big bunch of hoops that caused me to not really appreciate the point of learning. Then again, what is it? Is it supposed to be like a university where you can begin blazing your own trail? Or, is it a place meant to be constrained so that all students are faced with the basics of language, sciences, and more just so they get force-fed experiences. I think it’s both. The latter especially more important in this day in age where students are distracted more with personal enjoyment/entertainment. I don’t blame them.. I was that way in the past. Not that newer generations are ADHD, but it just seems that the school system is what it is so far.

I’m lucky that I saw school in a more positive light. I did not enjoy studying, and at the time, I did not understand the concept of liberal arts education. But, as I’ve grown older, I am beginning to regret how I’ve taken for granted the study of languages. I do know some Chinese and a little Taiwanese, but to even carry out a conversation with others in these languages can be a challenge at times. Anyways, I ramble. This is just what I’ve seen, and I hope that people realize that it is important to pursue your interests (not expanded in this post, kinda wish I did).

Here’s an entertaining clip from the Colbert Report at this link!

Dash Berlin feat. Emma Hewitt – Waiting [First State Remix]

Fading of the day
as night takes over
and I can almost feel
you here

Your memory remains
I breath it closer
I swear that I still feel you near

The cool wind is taking over
it’s taking over

So far away
you’re gone so long
ohh and I’m waiting

Till that day
I take you home
know that I’m waiting
know that I’m waiting
know that I’m waiting

Haunted by your grace
you know I’m falling
so cool without you
always in my mind
I hear you calling

Haunted by your grace
you know I’m falling
so cool without you
always in my mind
I hear you calling

So far away
you’re gone so long
ohh and I’m waiting

So far away
you’re gone so long
ohh and I’m waiting

Till that day
I take you home
know that I’m waiting
know that I’m waiting

Haunted by your grace
the beauty of falling (falling)
it echoes through my days
I still hear you calling
you calling me

The cool wind is taking over
it’s taking over
still your
so far away
you’re gone so long
ohh and I’m waiting

Till that day
I take you home
know that I’m waiting

So far away
you’re gone so long
ohh and I’m waiting

Till that day
I take you home
know that I’m waiting

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