a mindset shift

today’s lesson that covered a reflection on current events, community, boundaries, and establishing boundaries was pretty darn choppy. 

but i’m ok with it because i was able to go around during small group work time and engage with students who i don’t have as strong of a connection with. When I approached a group in particular- one girl was writing down everything to turn in while the other two students in her group were on their cell phones. in the end, i got to hear from the two students (who i think of as being more apathetic) share their thoughts  and that meant a lot to me.

devastation

A little more than 18 hours ago Trump barred Syrian refugees from entering the country and blocked re-entry of green card holders from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It made me sad to think that we now live in a country where this kind of exclusion is again permissible- haven’t we progressed since the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act?

This ban also made me think about how absurd this is given that the US is partially responsible for the creation of ISIS after destabilizing the entire region during the war in Iraq. Many of the Syrian refugees are escaping the civil war, of which ISIS is a part. To block their entry is disgusting given that we have a hand in their situation. Finally,  I thought of my old roommate and her friends. Through Chanya, I’ve met students from Iran studying at UCLA on a temporary visa, contributing to the body of research in engineering and science and loving this little nook of Tehran-geles. To think that people perceive them to be a threat is ridiculous.

18 hours ago, Trump tweeted something that made my squirm and I immediately felt this chilly sensation that the electoral college truly elected into office a careless megalomaniac mostly out of spite for Hillary and everyone else is getting screwed. In light of the executive orders he’s passed that affect thousands of people- that has caused an uproar among thousands of people-the thing he is most concerned about is how he is perceived in the press.

And the MOST IRONIC THING is that the way he presents himself through the written word is ENTIRELY AWFUL.

JESUS HELP!!!

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me

weekend with nate

there was something so empowering about the women’s march. i felt proud of people for taking a stand together against a power hungry madman and for marginalized communities. there was this growing sense of hope in the midst of uncertainty and it stemmed from seeing how much people cared to band together and speak up. dunno what’s going to happen after those exec orders get passed but our generation gives a shit and I am inspired by that. 

 

because  I think we look cute here. This is after we did each other’s hair. 

 

seeing seeing

that moment when you get your prescription updated with new lenses and can see clearly for the first time in a long time. thank you low key and affordable asian optometry shops in the SGV.

lucky for me, i’m looking into the distant backdrop of snow peaked san gabriel mountains topped with a halo of puffy clouds.

it’s lovely. and i’m glad God designed cameras in our anatomy, i.e. our eyes.

mornings

are hard

vent about entitled drivers

i’m in the parking lot in san gabriel with my grass jelly drank feeling amazed at God for being with me through stress and moodiness– and the driver next to me opens his brand new bmw so that his door scrapes the side of my car. i’m staring at this young chinese homie like…really dude? I walk out around to look at the scratch on the side of my car trying to get his attention. He doesn’t notice me and then drives away. I’m pissed and feel that sense of rage and entitlement, but there’s no one to yell at anymore- so I blog and it’s not so bad.

politicized

A is a trans student in my class. she is freakin tight. she knew about trump being inaugurated this Friday. she is aware of barriers that those with less power face in seeking help. sometimes when i ask a question, the class will be silent and she’ll give the response in this non-chalant way. when asked why there was a difference in proportion of married men vs married women in alhambra – “well, some people might be in same-sex relationships”. i appreciate that she is bold, politicized and she is 18. i think she is going to do something radical in her life time. i think she is going to change the world.

on church

epicentre meets in one of the social halls of a Jewish synagogue. the symbolism of us gentiles being grafted into the family is immense at our building location. 

on sunday i had a moment where i was sitting in the back looking around and realizing maybe for the first time ever that we are the church. 

i saw all the people in the congregation who i’ve grown to love over the last year and a half that i first started coming to epicentre. 

s leading setup of all the chairs, signs, stage. w setting up the snacks, coffee, welcome table. seeing friends on worship team, children’s ministry team, prayer team. pastor lawrence doing his thing. j praying for people in the back. l jumping on collecting offering since no one else was doing it.

without us there would be no epicentre bc we are epicentre. the point finally hit home this sunday. the church, this living and breathtaking organism where the sum is greater than its individual parts. like the giant robot that individual autobots combine to form in transformers. 

people watching

my new favorite place to people watch..

is the mcdonalds on santa monica blvd and princeton.

people here look like they have stories to tell. 

ok end of pitstop, time to bike home. 

#imlovinit

neti pot experience