Miami Vice

Hi, I'm back :) I've missed you! I can't believe it's been over a year, I'm sure no one checks this anymore :P. But anyways, what a crazy life. In summary,

• I worked in Hong Kong for 2 months and lived the life of an investment banker (work wise, not necessarily as well paid!)
• Hopped between New York City and San Francisco for a couple of months taking a break from life, AND saw Wicked, Memphis, Avenue Q, Spiderman and Book of Morman
• Got hired at an investment firm and moved to Miami in the span of about 2 weeks in November/December

I've since been at my job for a year, and have got to see an amazing investment cycle in that short time frame. There has been an astounding amount of change. So much has happened, in the world, life, around me.

One thing that I'm as grateful as ever for, sincerely really truly! is the people in my life. I don't know how I can tell you how much you mean to me without being cheesy. Finding good people to be around is so important. They inspire you, support you, keep you sane, tell you about your mistakes!

There's an amazing quote I think about a lot nowadays. Basically, the gist is, the people who criticize you the most are actually telling you how much they love you and care about you, because if they didn't they wouldn't bother.

My life isn't perfect, but that doesn't mean I don't realize how amazingly lucky and fortunate I am. My only wish is that I wish I could see my friends a lot more often.

Fin. College Chapter

Yesterday was a beautiful day for graduation. It was seventy degrees, and partly cloudy. It had been 88 degrees only the day before, making anyone sitting in the sun in graduation garb extraordinarily hot. But thankfully, on commencement day, the weather was wonderful.

The extreme sadness accompanying the bliss of receiving your diploma, however, doesn't hit you full force until you're finished packing, as I am, 25 some-odd hours after commencement. Here I am, alone with my suitcases, reflecting on all my friends and experiences and challenges at Harvard, and I cannot help but feel giant pangs of sadness wash over my tiny heart and body. I do not know what to do but accept these emotions, let them wash over me, and write about it.

Out of everything, I'll miss my friends the most. Especially those who were dearest to me at this institution. I get a heartache just thinking that we'll all never be five minutes away from each other ever again. Maybe one or two might, but not all of us.

Thankfully, I'm completely exhausted. I want to do a mind-numbing activity so I don't get too depressed. Maybe civ 4.

One Year Later

It's been a year since our production of The Laramie Project went onstage at The Agassiz. I was going over my notes and our DVD, and I have to admit that I became very nostalgic over the memories that overcame me. One year later, those of us involved with the production have moved on in our own separate ways: either getting into the meat of our college careers, applying for jobs, writing theses, continuing our involvement in theater, or what have you. Most of us don't even talk with each other anymore.

But, I know that personally, the people that I worked with almost full-time for an entire semester I will never forget. We poured our hearts and souls into this beautiful play, and came out with a wonderful project. I'll fondly remember our last minute haste to pull things together, painting the backdrop and building the set, just as much as I'll treasure singing "Piano Man" before our first live production as a team. Thank you also to everyone who don't even know how much they contributed to our show, from friends to strangers.

I don't know if I blogged that day, but about a month after our production, Rulon Stacey visited Harvard to see some of us and speak with us about his experiences and also hear about ours. We had a 2 to 3 hour talk that night, and Dr. Stacey showed us some of the letters he received from all over the world. I'll never forget the hate letter he showed us. "Do you cry like a baby for all your patients or just the faggots?" Just having physically seen and touched that letter was a profound experience for me, since I had been seeing it in the script for so long.

In any case, this just got me in a reflecting mood. Thank you Matthew, for giving me such a life-shaping experience as one I'll never forget.

62 Things To Do Before I Die

1. Keep track of this list. Bold things that have been completed or are progressing well. Italicize things that need more attention.
2. Write a heartfelt poem.
3. Travel all seven continents.
4. Make enough money to be ready when space tourism takes off. Find some way to get into space.
5. Go bungee jumping, then move on to skydiving.
6. Fall in love.
7. Graduate from college. Finish my thesis.
8. Watch the sunrise once a month.
9. Watch the sunset once a week.
10. Don't worry about money, while investing wisely.
11. Tell someone one thing that I love about them at least once a month.
12. Believe in myself more.
13. Learn how to be conversant in another language besides Chinese.
14. Live in a foreign country for two years.
15. Attend one artistic or cultural event a month, not including movies. This includes musicals, theater, concerts, opera, symphony, ballet, modern dance, etc.
16. Set aside 10 minutes a day to listen to go over my favorite poems and sonnets.
17. Every month, get in touch with one person that I have lost contact with.
18. Volunteer or take part in a significant community service activity once a month.
19. Audition for a favorite play.
20. Read at least one personal-interest book every other month.
21. Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge or bike once a year.
22. Reflect on my personal history without regrets.
23. Become the best damn father I can be.
24. Get a job. If I already have a job, evaluate whether or not I am satisfied with it every 6 months.
25. Visit the gravesite(s) of my relatives at least once a year, and tell them how I am doing.
26. Be a better bigger brother.
27. Celebrate at least one thing every day.
28. Keep my personal space clean.
29. Give religion a chance. Explore.
30. Teach at least 5 years of my life, if not more.
31. Be an active participant in our country's body politic.
32. Do not be ashamed of where my life is going.
33. Tell my love that I love her as often as I can manage without wearing out the meaning of the word.
34. Splurge on the best sound system I can get my hands on.
35. Try to meet someone new a week.
36. Don't be a burden to society, be an asset.
37. Never forget my roots.
38. Take more pictures.
39. Listen with an open mind and a sympathetic heart.
40. Avoid assumptions.
41. Try to regularly comfort and help a stranger if they look in distress.
42. Don't be an ass.
43. Donate more money to charity.
44. Think of achievable random acts of kindness, then do them.
45. Make the people around you happy.
46. Stop procrastinating.
47. Be more literary.
48. Try to learn a new skill every year.
49. Never expect the impossible, but strive for the improbable.
50. Remember your dreams better.
51. Avoid going against your rules for saving and investing.
52. Appreciate spontaneity.
53. Forgive.
54. In the words of a friend, "Make Memories."
55. Be flexible.
56. Go to the gym regularly.
57. Don't let your bartending skills go to waste.
58. Develop cooking skills.
59. Update the list of things that you are proud of every six months.
60. Backup your friggin computer so you don't lose your valuable data.
61. Try new restaurants if you can afford it, but don't go alone.
62. Add more as necessary or as new things come up.

End of Sunday, Beginning of Another Week

Life is filled with so many coincidences that I refuse to believe that they are all random.