new and refreshing

A while ago, my bike was stolen. It was an old and used bike, but it was my main means of transportation and I loved riding it. It wasn't until about a month later when I ordered a new bike, which is pictured above. It's weird having this bike because I don't often get brand new and luxurious things. Even when I do, I often get them when its on sale or as a special occasion gift. But this bike was a surprise because there wasn't anything special going on, it was just given to me.. I think those kinds of gifts are the best - the unexpected ones!

.I haven't really been able to ride it because my neighborhood is a bit hilly, but we're moving next week, so hopefully I'll be able to get some more exercise and fresh air! AND,...  it came with a bell :D haha the simple things in life make me smile.

^ bye bye until next time

new years resolutions

It's only six weeks or so into this new year, and I've already failed my few resolutions.. I've been so busy - one of the reasons why I have been missing blog posts recently. Well. I'm going to make a resolution today (2/13) to continue my New Years Resolutions. It's actually mandatory in my house to write and commit to three or four resolutions (and that's how we get our new years money [: ). I'm going to share on this blog what those New Years Resolutions are and maybe in the future I'll look back at my post and laugh at what weird / insignificant / significant resolutions I had. 

Spend thirty minutes of exercise a day; four times a week

 I have been gaining weight recently.. and I know I am not overweight.. but I want to prevent that from happening! and I just need to be more healthy..

Don’t break or lose Smartphone

 I've broken two really nice smartphones.. I haven't had any one smart phone for a good half year or quarter year.. so my resolution is to keep my iphone 3GS for a good year. 

Find work / internship for the summer, if not traveling

I actually want to find a part time job soon, so I can start saving for college and just for pocket money and experience. I also want to intern for my friend's jewelry company because that would be pretty cool (: 

Read aloud Korean book for ten minutes a day

 My Korean is terrible compared to some other second gen. Korean - Americans and I want to go back and travel to Korea, so I must improve!

Read Bible once

 Last year, I had a resolution to read it twice.. and that was almost impossible, so I thought I might make a more feasible goal this year. I need to get in a better habit of reading His word. 

Do not complain in the morning

 I have a bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad attitude in the morning and I need to change it. I'm actually been getting a lot better over this past month! woo!

Write in journal once a day

I think it's important to keep a journal, even if its one sentence about my day.. If you don't write down history, it will be forgotten! another reason why I'm writing in this blog. 

I didn't think I would explain each one.. but I thought it was necessary. good night!

^ bye bye until next time! 

occasional paper: alone on a park bench

I shared an "OP" with my English class today - an OP is basically a paper about any topic which you present to the class. It's pretty nice because you get 100% no matter what you write, so it's a very stress free assignment where you can literally write anything you want. I'll share you the one I wrote:

I wrote a short story.. here it goes -

Sophie was sitting alone on a park bench. This was where they used to play; where they used to have deep conversations about life. She was miserable. How could her sister leave her? How could her sister simply depart from Sophie and leave her poor sister’s world shattered? It wasn't fair. During the funeral, the preacher had said something about how Debbie was in a better place, a place with no more suffering. That could have been true, Sophie thought, but she left us all here to suffer. She knew of people who had committed suicide and never even considered her sister to be one of those people. Had she done anything wrong? All of a sudden, she noticed something in the corner of her eye.

It was a red sun dress with sunflower embroidery on the bottom. She recognized the dress – it was her sisters. She looked up at the face and saw her sister’s beautiful but pale face. Sophie was shocked as Debbie sat down next to her.

“Why’d you leave us?” Sophie muttered, happy to see her sister, but still angry.

Her sister was quiet.

“Why’d you leave us?” Sophie said a little bit louder, with a bit more force.

“I guess the hatred and sorrow of this world overcame my soul” she said dryly

“But… What about us? What about our family? What about me??”

“Let me tell you something Sophie… I was SO sure that I wanted my life to end. That it was better to be dead than suffering alive. But right as my body was under the water and as I looked up at the San Francisco Bridge above me, I thought ‘I don’t want to die.’ I thought of all the good things in life – the beautiful smile of children, the smell of the ocean breeze, the sound of the piano playing a melody, and the simple time spent with you. I was suddenly filled with an urgency to live. I struggled to reach the top of the water. I did really try. So, in a sense, I had not committed suicide. I died by drowning. But I tried to live. I tried for you Sophie. So please live life to the fullest. Live it for yourself, live it for your foolish sister who couldn’t see past the pains of life, and live it because you can. Cause there is wonder, magic and love all throughout. You just have to stop your busy life and look around sometimes.”

Tears filled up Sophie’s eyes. She could not stop them from coming out. It was the first time she had cried since she had heard the news of her sister’s death. She then wiped the tears and looked out the playground. She saw how much life was around her – the little kids playing tag, the mothers with their cameras and a soft breeze in the air. She smiled. It was like the death of her sister taught Sophie how to live. She was ready. Sophie turned around to tell her sister this epiphany, but she realized that she was alone, sitting on a park bench.

^bye bye until next time