Posted these before. It’s a good reminder though.

“May all your expectations be frustrated.
May all your plans be thwarted.
May all of your desires be withered into nothingness
that you may experience the powerlessness and poverty of a child
and sing and dance in the love of
God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.”
-Brennan Manning

I think I might try to leave early today… don’t feel very well. I was sweating a lot last night and woke up at one point feeling drenched. (I’m sure you wanted to hear that ;)). My stomach is a little sore too, but I’m not sure what caused that…

Thanks, sister, for the soup and medicine.

I was feeling better after lunch today, but then I got worse. I hope I can make it into work tomorrow.

“I have been scarred so deep by life and cold despair,
and brittle bones were broken far beyond repair.
I have leveled lies so deep, the truth may never find.
And inside my faithless heart, I stole things never mine.

If mercy falls upon the broken and the poor,
Dear Father, I will see you, there on distant shores.

I have toiled for countless years and ever felt the cost,
and I’ve been burned by this world’s cold,
like leaves beneath the frost.
On my knees I’ve crawled to You, bleeding myself dry.
But the price of life is more, than I could ever buy.

And off of the blocks,
I was headstrong and proud,
at the front of the line for the card-carrying, highbrowed.
With both eyes fastened tight,
yet unscarred from the fight.
Running at full tilt, my sword pulled from its hilt.
It’s funny how these things can slip away,
our frail deeds, the last will wave good-bye.
It’s funny how the hope will bleed away,
the citadels we build and fortify. Good-Bye.

Night came and I broke my stride,
I swallowed hard, but never cried.
When grace was easy to forget,
I’d denounce the hypocrites,
casting first stones, killing my own.
You would unscale my blind eyes,
and I stood battered, but more wise,
fighting to accelerate,
shaking free from crippling weight.
With resilience unsurpassed,
I clawed my way to You at last.
And on my knees, I wept at Your feet,
I finally believed, that You still loved me.

Healing hands of God have mercy on our unclean souls once again.
Jesus Christ, Light of the World,
burning bright within our hearts forever.
Freedom means love without condition,
without beginning or an end.
Here’s my heart, let it be forever Yours,
only You can make every new day seem so new.” - Five Iron Frenzy

I think I caught something a few days or a week or some ago and it’s gotten a bit worse now. I’m a little congested, my throat is a little itchy, and I get a headache every so often. Yesterday was kinda bad at the end of work, but I slept a little and Sarah gave me this lemon-lime capsule thingy before Elements that seemed to help (or maybe it was just psychological). She gave me another afterwards and instead of dissolving it in water, I just popped it into my mouth. That was a bad plan and very not pleasant. Haha…

After Elements, I went over to Olivia’s and she made me wonton, yay sister!

It’s so nice outside, I really want to go running. =)

Speaking of which, I think my shin is finally doing better… I think…

Did I mention that I don’t like this whole time change and that it gets darker earlier now? It’s not cool for my running habit. =/

Around work, there are a WHOLE TON of butterflies everywhere… what’s with that? I was driving around and kept on smacking into them and hearing small “thunks” on my windshield. There are a lot.

Okay, so now that my group at work knows, I guess I can let it out. I’m leaving Freescale and going to a start-up: Bazaarvoice. I kind of view this as leaving a safe zone and going into the risky, but it’s exciting and I think the work is much more up my alley. I’m looking forward to it. My last day is the 17th of this month at FSL.

I think I’ve begun to realize that I play things too safe and I don’t take risks. I want to change that. Staying at Freescale is the safer, more “stable” choice, but I don’t feel any passion in what I do and I don’t feel driven. I’ve thought that I was a boring person before cause I don’t really have many stories to tell of things I’ve done. I was generally a well-behaved kid and I never did anything really “bad” before… which is all nice for my parents I guess, but it’s just no fun. ;) Haha, not that I wish I were a more mischievous kid, but I feel like I was always too scared of taking risks and would rather move along quietly, slow, steady, and safe.

I don’t think that’s the kind of life God wants many people to have. A lot of our society is geared towards being safe and comfortable. People go to school, get cushy jobs and focus their efforts on making things safe and comfortable. They don’t end up changing many things in the world, they just form a little bubble for themselves. Not that I’m saying my moving to a start-up is going to be world changing or anything, but I think for a while I bought into the attitude of becoming safe.

I’m done, time to take some risks.

“Life is more than money
Time was never money
Time was never cash,
Life is still more than girls
Life is more than hundred dollar bills
And oh the town fills
Life more than fame and rock and roll and thrills
All the riches of the kings
And up in wills we got information in the information age
But do we know what life is
Outside of our convenient Lexus cages” - Switchfoot

Oh yeah, so yesterday after Vox Veniae, we went on over to Denny’s. Sam, Jake and I ordered our drinks and I asked for hot chocolate and the waitress says “we’re out of hot chocolate.” So, shocked as I was that Denny’s ran out of hot chocolate (they should have an infinite supply, right?!), I ordered the flavored cappuccino instead (which wasn’t bad, but I really felt like hot chocolate!)

A bit later, Van, Mike and Kathy showed up. At this point, we now have a waiter because the waitress’ shift was over. Kathy orders hot chocolate and he goes “ok.” Sure enough, he goes back to the kitchen and out comes some hot chocolate for Kathy.

Hmph. I think that lady hated me or something.

Van heads off to Boston today, good luck, don’t get too cold!

Yesterday, I had way too much whipped cream and cappuccino. I don’t even like whipped cream. It was like eating/drinking liquid/foamy sugar. I don’t think my body appreciated it, haha.

I ordered another tiled Rubik’s cube from the UK off of eBay a while ago and received it this weekend. It’s a bit smaller than normal (which is fine), but it doesn’t turn that well. =( Oh well, maybe I’ll just have to hoard up on regular stickered cubes and just let them get worn out… I suppose it adds some texture to them. =) I should start collecting them…

I’ve been wanting to paint colors on the one I have on my key chain… was thinking that model paint would probably work? I wonder how durable it would be though, or if it would rub off easily and look nasty again?

“Bacon bits and jalapeños on my polish hot dog.
half a pound of potato chips,
and a beef jerky log.
I press my face to the window,
a wrapper sticks to my shirt.
Eight people in a stinky van,
a couple more couldn’t hurt.
Eat some food off the floor.
I’ve developed a taste for bread mold.
Ride around in a van,
don’t take a shower for six weeks and…

We’ve been given superpowers,
ask us for an autograph.
We sing, we dance, we’ll make you laugh,
don’t you want to be like us?” - Five Iron Frenzy

So I was going to run the Race for the Cure this morning, but apparently, I turned off my alarm and didn’t wake up until like… 10 or something. Ah well.

I went camping with my post-grad Elements yesterday and one thing I learned is to always go camping with girls that like to and can cook well. Man, I think I had the best food I’ve ever had at a camping trip. Thanks Sara and Eunice! I’ll get pics up eventually…

I took the new toll way home from the apartment earlier today. Man, it’s pretty nice, highway all the way to my house (and, incidentally, Round Rock Donuts too ;)). Anyone know how much it is (it’s free for the first month I think)? I may be tempted to use it on the way home.

I kinda like the colder weather. One thing that stinks about it though is waking up in the morning once you’re all nice and warm inside your blanket. Man, that cold air is so uncomfortable! Also, if you turn on the shower water and the first blast of water is cold and hits you. That’s unpleasant too.

I’ve been wanting to run in this cooler weather for a while, but with the time change, my shin, and some other random stuff, I haven’t quite gotten around to a good run yet. Maybe today. It’s nice running weather. =) If it gets a lot colder, I’ll prob have to pull out some sweatpants or something. I like the cold, I think – seeing your breath, drinking something hot, huddling up under blankets. It’s nice. =) I think I like cold weather fashions more too… but not like I really care a lot about that… haha…

“When I was young
I never needed anyone
And making love was just for fun
Those days are gone
Livin’ alone
I think of all the friends I’ve known
When I dial the telephone
Nobody’s home

All by myself
Don’t wanna be
All by myself
Anymore” - Celine Dion

My Elements went to Rudy’s yesterday because we have some foreign students who have not experienced Texas BBQ. It was pretty fun and I’ve got pics on my flickr: