sonshiny days

All ajitter

2011-08-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

primarily with elation for my dapper love is finally returning home to La La Land this Sunday eveningtide from a lengthy five-week swashbuckling missions venture in the Philippines,and with skittishness for the spankin'-new school year commences Monday, whence I shall meet my tenth graders for the very first time. It shall be intriguing transitioning from teaching eigthth to tenth, to say the least. Prayers requested, if you please and thank you! The summer respite is concluding, and this final weekend shall be wondrous! Have a most jolly grand time, friendly folks.

Reunionizing

2011-08-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

with roommates of yore is a smidgen more heartfelt and grandioseamongst captivating multi-chromatic murals,quirky artifacts riddling the thoroughfares,and the celebrated iam8bit galleryof sensory-barraging awesomenesstucked in the City of Angels' hipster epitomizing Silver Lake.I love them so, for they truly defined the fabulousness of the undergrad era. We missed you mucho, Mishella!

Dinner partying

2011-08-24T07:07:00.000-07:00

is my most favored function.Thanks a plentitude to the Bratchers for their notorious hospitality in spontaneous resplendence beneath glimmering summertide light
amidst convivial company.Praise be to God who truly designed fellowship o'er mealtime as an intimately communal and heartfelt ritual that is integral to community and mission.

Heads in the clouds

2011-08-23T10:52:00.000-07:00

Sometimes all the time, I thank the Lord for glorious SoCal weather that rivals all other precincts',specifically adjacent to sun-washed environs at Venice's sole beachfront boutique hotel,where we cordially convened for complimentary tacos,neighboring recreation,and chitter chatters atop a rooftop lounge o'erlooking the cerulean Pacificin huzzahing honor of Johana's birthday.Happy belated birthday, lovely!!! You mean so much to me, and I'm in awe of all the great things being accomplished in your life of late. Cheers, m'dear, to more rollicking rendezvous to come!

Giddiness engulfs

2011-08-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

my being when all of the following are effortlessly incorporated:a clandestine domicile turned La La Land gem for foodie goodies in a secret garden ambience, a dearest gal pal,farm-fresh fare that happifies my tastebuds,and gabfesting galore into the late eveningtide.Weekend merriment does, too. Happy Friday, friendly folks! Hope you have a jolly grand one.

What can I say?

2011-08-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

Thrifting for time-honored treasures beneath sunbeams is terrifically therapeutic.

Party proposal poppin'

2011-08-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

Behold, 'tis my turn to pop the question these days. Though paling in comparison to the perfectly poppin' proposal, my surreptitious scheme to propose to my bridal party consisted of embellished handcrafted cards accompanied by goodie boxes.
Each lovely lady received one of each upon which her respective name is scribed and stamped in a most personalized manner.
A poem characterized by lilting end rhyme was affectionately penned within on aged notebook paper,
whilst a doily stamped with the gal's name adorned the top.
After perusing the piece of poetry, the cheery chum decoded the highlighted message that read, "Will you be my bridesmaid?" followed by a heart cut out from a vintage novel and my signature.
A reminder leaflet stamped with the impending wedding date was sewn in for good measure.
Thence the amiable recipient peeked within the fabric-taped goodie parcel to chance upon endearing vintage fabric
enveloping a trio of deliciously divine macarons to entice her tastebuds.
I'm so honored they responded with a resounding "yes!" They are each so indubitably beautiful inside and out and have been such significant gifts from the Lord to me (and Alex). Thank you so very much, lovely ladies. God has used you each to greatly encourage and edify me for years to perceive more deeply the love of Christ and I dare not envision being up with there without you eight!

A tealightful birthday

2011-08-16T19:22:00.000-07:00

Don't you love whence you aimlessly amble 'round town with a dear chummy and encounter a vivacious venuereplete with all that glittersin a royally feminine scheme that assures you of a lovely friend's affections?Which is why we assembled at this tea-riffic salon for Annie's birthday bonanza this weekend prior.'Twas a pleasant afternoon affair raising our teacups to the birthday gal,devouring scrumptious white chocolate raspberry scones slathered with tangy lemon curd,nibbling on dainty tea sandwiches,and sampling decadent petit fourswith her effervescent entourage.HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANNIE! I'm so thankful to the Lord for how He has graciously molded your life and turned your heart towards Him. I am continually in awe of the grace He has poured into your life, Your fervent desire to seek after His will in order to know and love Him more is such a colossal encouragement to me. You are truly a testament to God's grace, mercy, and faithfulness. I'm beyond grateful we get to run this race towards Christ together. Cheers to years aplenty of friendship ahead grounded on our foundation in Christ. I love you so!!!

Can't wait to meet you, Babycakies #4

2011-08-15T18:14:00.000-07:00

Therefore, a overwhelmingly charming cupcake-decorating soiree had to occur.Verdant expanses became awash in a chipper bounty of balloons,crafty decor,and heart-stealing vintage grandeur to comprise a tablescape that befits dear Ruby.Oh, we musn't neglect to mention the delectable edibles,
and the lovely ladies in Ruby's life.Who isn't infatuated with a fancifully festooned cupcake?'Twas a wondrously dreamy afternoontide celebrating Babycakies #4.Kudos to you convivial chums for a most genial gala!Lovely Jenny captured mini moments via video below:
See more nifty narratives at Ruby's, Linda's, Danni's, RJ's, Jenny's, and Karen's.

Downtown La La Land's thoroughfares

2011-08-03T23:35:00.000-07:00

got perfunctorily pervaded this weekend past
by a gaggle of gals
headed by objective-driven ringleader Melody
as we rummaged here and foraged there'til our match-made mission for the upcoming Melody & Julian wedding bonanza was cheerily checked off the to-do list,
with a smattering of newly acquired straw hats to wrap up the blissfully successful afternoon foray.
The effervescent bridal party (and beaming mother of the groom) are conspicuously all ajitter with excitement for their big day!

Everytime someone asks me

2011-08-01T22:22:00.000-07:00

what teaching in my context is like, I'm oft at a loss for adequate articulation. Fortuitously, the LA Times recently released an article that epitomizes my contemplations upon the matter rather perfectly. A concise article worth perusing, indubitably. The following is a snippet:

"The kid in the back wants me to define "logic." The girl next to him looks bewildered. The boy in front of me dutifully takes notes even though he has severe auditory processing issues and doesn't understand a word I'm saying. Eight kids forgot their essays, but one has a good excuse because she had another epileptic seizure last night. The shy, quiet girl next to me hasn't done homework for weeks, ever since she was jumped by a knife-wielding gangbanger as she walked to school. The boy next to her is asleep with his head on the desk because he works nights at a factory to support his family. Across the room, a girl weeps quietly for reasons I'll never know. I'm trying to explain to a student what I meant when I wrote "clarify your thinking" on his essay, but he's still confused." - Ellie Herman, "The Myth of the Extraordinary Teacher"

The summertide is drawing too speedily to a close and school site professional development-ing commences in approximately two days. Fervent prayer for my students this upcoming school year is underway.

Another facet

2011-07-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

to my exuberance of late is the heart-happifying profusion of outingsto scour nooks and crannies all o'er town for time-honored treasuresto augment the amalgamation of vintage artifacts,followed by pit stops at a delectable waffle sandwich eatery phenomenon
for sweet concoctionsand savory complements,all perfectly wrapped up with hefty heart-to-hearts with dear chums."God uses His Word to change us. Through us, it can change others, too."

I praise the Lord for brothers and sisters in Christ who persist in encouraging and edifying me with His truth in love. Lord, use me to stir others up to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24-25) and to proclaim Your excellencies to those who have yet to know You with all that I am (1 Peter 2:9).

A weekend whoopee

2011-07-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

entails the serene cerulean sea,coastline luncheons centering 'round succulent seafood,and much to traipse and see.Convivial chums, have yourselves a rollicking weekend jubilee.

Destination identified

2011-07-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

The crafty culprit behind the erratic posting of late is Wedding Planning Goal 1, better known as set a date, finalize the guestlist, and book a venue before Alex departs for his elongated missions trip (tomorrow). Tonight was hearty cause for a teeny commemoration revolving 'round ice creaminessfor we established an official date and snatched up a La La Land-based venue today by which we (i.e. I, 'cause Alex says, "I don't care. I just wanna get married.") are inexplicably smitten. Huzzah!

A thrilling tale

2011-07-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

Contemporary musical theater I've watched o'er the past couple of years (e.g. Next to Normal, Spring Awakening, Working) pales in comparison to the classics of yore. Case in point: Les Miserables.Whence I attended Les Miserables two years prior in Houston, I was entertained through and through. Watching the LA production a few weeks past, however, was a mind and emotional transport into the core of the beautiful time-honored French tale about the human spirit, thanks to confoundingly talented cast, breath-stealing set design, and heartstring-wrenching musical score. 'Twas a veritably enthralling production awash in themes of mercy, redemption, restoration, and lovely love that further deepen my longtime love for musical theater.'Twas a wondrous eveningtide in La La Land. Do make haste to catch Les Mis at the Ahmanson before it meanders outta town!

The quintessential summer

2011-07-18T00:25:00.000-07:00

inexorably comprises of cornflower blue expanses dotted with twinkling lights,tastebud-tickling barbeque,and all the accompanying fixins',old-fashioned root beer fizziness,a rejuvenating citrus water beverage station,whimsically arresting vintage par avion envelopes, aged notebook paper, and golden yellow pencils of yore (all of which towards I've unabashed predilection)for affable guests to scribe nifty notes for a cordial celebrant of the graduate graduation sort,followed by a slew of homecrafted cupcakes,an enticingly decadent ice cream sundae bar,and sociable company all around.I've a party-planning predisposition, perhaps. Cheers!

Heartfelt gratitude

2011-07-11T07:28:00.000-07:00

goes out to all you genial gents and gals. Thank you kindly for the very merry well wishes and profuse use of !s in rapidfire response to the perfectly poppin' proposal. Your love and support truly mean so much to us. God is so overwhelmingly good to us though we are inexplicably undeserving.

Purposeful planning for zee wedding and our life together, here we come with unabridged predilection! Please feel free to leave thy advice regarding the aforementioned. We'd appreciate your wisdom and counsel.

The perfectly poppin' proposal

2011-07-08T01:30:00.000-07:00

that I presumed was merely a date commenced with a jolly jaunt to the beatific Huntington Library.We moseyed about the sprawling flora-inundated grounds 'til the sweltering heat rays induced in us a veritable doozyand made an ephemeral pit stop on a rickety wooden bench quite inviting. "Let's just read for a while," Alex suggested."Sure," I replied, grateful to be gratifying an interlude from July sunshiny radiance for a smidgen of time.After perusing some literary prowess, he reached into his backpack and said, "There's something I've been meaning to give you to celebrate your completing your first year of TFA.""Wow!" I exclaimed. Two perfectly aged and raggedy copies of some of my most favored literary lovelies: Through the Looking Glass circa 1946 and Eloise circa 1955.

"I know you love vintage books," he smiled. "Open this one first," he said, gesturing towards Through the Looking Glass.On faded mint-hued library cards was the first three subsections to God's glorious story, and how he and I are a part of it, from "Creation," to "Fall," to "Redemption." They denoted God's principal authorship and Alex astutely wove our individual testimonies into the first three segments of the encompassing gospel tale. I was, at that point, floored by Alex's creative artillery.
"Now open this one," he urged."I love Eloise!" I exclaimed as I eagerly flipped to the inside of the front cover to behold a handful of more lovely library card stories that, in this instance, center around our courtship thus far, with God still authoring the grand gala. The first, entitled "A desire for a godly woman," unveils whence he began having feelings for me. The second, entitled "What I admire in Helen Wong," is, er, legitimately self-explanatory. The third, entitled "The Gospel Coalition: Vacation!!," rehashes bountiful blessings from our first out-of-state foray. The fourth, entitled "Will you pray about something?," recounts when he divulged to me his feelings for me (a colossal shocker 'twas, I tell ya!). The fifth and last, entitled "Some Dates," depicts a smattering of the swashbuckling adventures we've undertaken thus far, with the dates accompanying each succinct description. After poring o'er them all, I launched into photograph-snapping mode (per usual) to visually immortalize such creativity cream of the crop."Here's another one," he said. He had pulled a third vintage hardcover out of his backpack.

"Wait," I said. "Lemme finish taking pictures of these two first."

"No, look," he said.

I indulged a gander at the cheery cherry red tome on his lap. "Mary Poppins (circa 1962)! Oooh," I sighed happily.Then I glimpsed the card within. My jaw dropped. "Oh my gosh," I gasped.Following the first card were two others, exemplifying tokens of God's continuing authorship of the His resplendent story in which we shall, Lord willing, play a part soon, entitled "Marriage" and "Restoration (the final chapter of God's gospel story)."He then flipped to the following pageswhere a breathtakingly beautiful ring was tucked in between cut-out pages. He got down on one knee, and before I could take a breath, was (Mary) poppin' the question, "Will you marry me?"Fat tears had welled up in my eyes and blurred my vision by then. I nodded in speechlessness, and then uttered giddily, "Yes!"

He then said, "I have something else for you in the car. Let's go get it."

I surmise that I agreed, but I was in a dizzying state of utter awe that I was just the recipient of quintessentially the most superb proposal ever, so I believe I just trailed his brisk pace towards the garden's front entrance.Except when we reached our destination, we saw this.And this.An arrestingly magnificent surprise celebratory handcrafted picnic with some of our nearest and dearest coterie. Oh my!I could scarcely believe mine eyes.'Twas an amiable affair replete with the handcrafted details with which I am enamored, including paper floral decor,primary-colored fabric bunting,vintage knick-knacks,
daintily-wrapped sandwich savories,whimsically decadent macarons,delectable homemade cupcakes, and more.Alex and I are so ridiculously blessed to have been gifted such amazing chummies in our lives. We thank the Lord mucho for you all. Thank you so kindly for the wondrous surprise to remember, the Christ-centered encouragement, the heartwarming effort and time you all sacrificed to prepare and come, and for the wholehearted support from Day 1. Our hearts swell with gratitude to the Lord that you are in our lovely lives.Thank you Lord for graciously gifting me the most wonderful, godly man who loves You more than anything in this world, who shows me how good You are through his life and servant-leadership (since the day I met him six years prior!), who leads me to know and love You more, and who makes me smile and laugh forevermore, amongst other thangs. I am beyond thrilled that I get to spend the rest of my life adventuring with you to ascertain how God shall author the rest of our lives, Alex Hong! I'm the most blessed gal, indubitably.

Jeepers!!!

2011-07-07T19:17:00.000-07:00

We're officially, indubitably, divinely, marvelously ENGAGED!!!I'm reeling from giddy awe. God is SO kind to us! Perfectly poppin' proposal anecdote coming soon to a blog post near you!

Why, hello long-awaited summertide

2011-07-06T00:29:00.000-07:00

Lovely ladies and genial gents, summertime revelry has attained inconceivable acclaim. These twelve months prior equates the most harrowing spell of my life (hence, the dire blog post dearth), partially due to first year teachership, particularly through Teach For America. 'Twas a rickety roller coaster replete with haphazard heights, precarious rock-bottoms (That means sobfests. Buckets and barrels of tears.), and enervating whammies.

Through it all, grace abounds evermore. Circumstance after circumstance, God reminds me of His insurmountable grace through Jesus Christ . He daily teaches me that my identity and approval lie not in my occupation or others' perception of me, but in who He is and what He has accomplished for us on the cross through Christ. I beseech Him for greater faith amidst my great unbelief. God answers with ample opportunities to grow in my trust in His promises, and to find my joy in Him alone by reveling in His grace afresh.

"On your worst days, you're never beyond the reach of God's grace. On your best days, you're never beyond the need of God's grace.” - Jerry Bridges

Therefore, THANK YOU JESUS for keeping me in one piece these twelve months past. Thank you for allowing me to instruct and impact my students' livelihood - an exceedingly extraordinary gift, indeed. Thank you for teaching me bushels more about You through them. Thank you for a thoroughly marvelous summertide respite. I LOVE LIFE.
I must confess: he's a dandy fellow, too.

Come commemorate with us

2011-04-22T17:26:00.001-07:00

We would be downright delighted if you'd honor us with your peachy presence at our inaugural community-wide celebration of Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished for us this Sunday at 10:20 a.m.!

My dear gal pal, Dorothy, of the Food Network's Cupcake Wars winner, Cupcake and Cookie, shall be present with her delectable edibles, as well!

Thank you so very much, Lord, that a near 2,000 years prior today, you unveiled to the world your unsurpassed righteousness, redemptive grace, and incomprehensible love through your glorious death on the cross for our sins, so that those who would repent and believe would be granted eternal life and joy in your presence forevermore. 'Tis indubitably a Good Friday, indeed.

Guest blogger not so anonymous: Sexytay

2011-02-09T17:40:00.000-08:00

Dear friends, life has been bustling, humbling, and beatific enough not to be able to articulate consistently via Bloggerville. Thus commences perhaps a haphazard string of guest bloggers not so anonymous. May the following post by blogmedian friend, Sexytay, tickle thy fancy. Imperative disclaimer: Any or all of the details in the blog forthcoming may or may not be veritable, so kindly discern adequately:

"After 4 months of forgetting I had a blog, I finally agreed to have someone else blog for me this afternoon because the people who check my blog everyday, hoping for a glimpse and insight from me, deserve to have a split second of joy before being utterly disappointed when they find out I just had a friend from church blog for me. " - Helen's Mind

I just wanted to thank Helen for giving me the opportunity to blog for her. Everyday I think to myself, What could Helen could possibly be up to? Why does she not blog anymore? Is she really that busy? How does she get her hair so straight? So when I approached her with an idea of blogging for her, I was blown away when she responded that it might not be a terrible idea. So, for weeks I went back and forth on what to write about before finally settling on imparting some wisdom on how to tell your friends you have been dating for almost a year when you should have told them months ago but either forgot, didn't have the time, or you were insecure with the idea of telling your friends you were dating only to have to tell them weeks later you broke up; so you wanted to make sure the relationship at least lasted one month before telling anyone. But before I do that, if anyone doesn't know what Helen has been up to, let me fill everyone in:

Helen almost quit teaching, bought a new dog named Buttercup (pug), bought a new car, spent multiple occasions at all-you-can eat Korean BBQ, pierced her ear cartilage, got a fake tattoo of a rabbit to celebrate Chinese New Year, gave up going to the clubs for 6 months, moved to a new house that she bought with her own money saved up from childhood, bought a new dress, took lots of pictures that she didn't post on her blog, watched a basketball game and asked the question, "Why does everyone run away from the basket every time they make a shot?," took a roadtrip to Seattle with her new dog, Buttercup, and got lost halfway there (Oregon), made a chocolate cake with cake mix, made one of her students cry when she yelled at him for throwing his cell phone at another girl halfway across the class, got a new purple coat for Christmas, ate a whole quart of Rocky Road ice cream all by herself one weekend, and sprained her ankle getting off the Dumbo ride at Disneyland.

Quite an eventful couple of months.

Anyway, so many people have been asking me, "Sexytay, how do I tell my friends we have been dating for a year when I am worried that telling them will ruin our friendship because I should have told them a long time ago?" After these 5 tips I am about to give, I am sure you will pick the right solution and be able to help educate yourself or your friends when put in these tough and stressful situations.

Just break up. This is one option. It makes it easy because not only do you not have to tell about your secret one-year relationship, but if your boyfriend or girlfriend just isn't cutting it, then you can kill two birds with one stone. This is great for people who love to avoid confrontation or get scared about having to tell people things. The pressure of finding the perfect solution can create a situation where the best solution would just be to end it. And while that may be one of the most intelligent things you have ever read, it is one way to keep friends and avoid having to come up with an excuse with why you didn't tell them. Sidenote: Good excuses include: "What? I did tell you; What are you talking about?" ... "I wanted to tell you, but my boyfriend told me it would be more fun if we didn't tell anyone to gauge everyone's reactions. I am soooo sorry" ... "Well, maybe if you went on AOL IM more, I could have told you. Where have you been?" (which might not make sense, but it diverts the attention away from why you didn't tell them and so you are in the clear to tell them everything without fear of being friend rejected.
Tell your friend to "guest blog" on the topic of how to tell people you are in a relationship when you should have told them a long time ago. Just kidding; that is ridiculous.
Do not go official on Facebook - This is the ultimate no-no. Do not let your friends find out on Facebook when you go into relationship status. The way to do it is get one of your good friends to post on your wall, "You and Leroy were so cute on Saturday night!!!" Then, when your friend finds out while Facebook stalking you, there is a mutual insecurity of "I don't want her or him to know I was Facebook stalking them" and "I can't believe I didn't tell this person." Make sure the person posting on your wall uses at least 3 exclamation marks in order for the stalker to realize that they really mean it when they say you were cute on Saturday night. Then, when you get called out for it, you can just say you are still pretty shy about your new relationship and already got mad at Clarissa for posting that because you are a private person. Then you can confide in that friend so they feel special. Crisis averted.
Send out a prayer email to your best girlfriends about how you need prayer for your relationship. This one is tricky because you can't do it just to tell people about your new relationship and have your prayer requests be fake, but at the same time, this is a great opportunity to add the people you have wanted to tell but couldn't find the chance to, while still being genuine and sincere. It is important to apologize for being so hard to reach lately and "for being a bad friend." Make sure you write how "embarrassed" you are that so many people don't know you were even in a relationship. While it may sting to be one of the last ones to know, knowing you get the privilege to pray for that person overwhelms any negative feelings, and they are reassured that they are a special friend.
Get married. What is a better way to avoid telling people you are dating than to get married and just invite them to the wedding? You can just be like, "Surprise!!" The only thing worse than not being told about your being in the relationship is not to be invited to the wedding, because once you don't get invited to the wedding, the friendship is officially over.

In Christ alone,

2010-10-31T19:20:00.000-07:00

my hope is found. He is my light, my strength, my song.Lord, thank you for the onset of another week. Please help me to trust you moment by moment - to pray without ceasing, to rejoice always, and to be thankful in all circumstances. 'Cause I confess, 'tis a daily struggle to do so as my noggin is preoccupied with teaching, behavior managing, planning, prepping, grad school-ing, parent phoning, professional development-ing, etc. Lord, 'tis my desperate plea - calm my heart and help me to trust in you in all things, regardless of what happens, knowing that all things work together for good and that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 'cause your love has been poured into my heart through the Spirit who has been given to us. I am weak and can do nothing apart from you. Thank you for your endless streams of grace and mercy though I daily fall and fail. Thank you that though I am unworthy, I am declared righteous in you and that my identity is found in you alone. Thank you for the work you've begun in me that you shall bring to completion. Thank you for who you are and what you've accomplished on the cross, through which all things are possible. In Jesus' name, amen.

What students want to know about their teacher

2010-10-26T21:21:00.000-07:00

In another effort to refine behavior management and propel student investment, I proposed to all of my periods at yesterweek's beginning, "If you guys keep up the good behavior and stay on task this entire week, we can play Teacher Hotseat after the test on Friday."

And, so, this Friday past, 120 of my ever endearingly curious 8th graders dropped slips of colored paper with anonymously scrawled personal questions into a mason jar, in wide-eyed hopes that their inquiry would be drawn per chance, as I selected a mere 2-4 to answer per class period. "If the question is inappropriate, I will not answer it," I forewarned.

That hindered them not, per the following bombardment of inquiries (incorrect spelling and colloquial language preserved for the sake of originality):

How old are you? Are you in a relationship?
Do you have a boyfriend?
Who was your first boyfriends name?
What race are you?
Have you ever been arrested or have been to jail
On a scale of 1 to 10, how cute do u think u r?
Have you ever had sex?
What other option did you think about teaching?
Do u have a boyfriend
When was your first kiss?
Have you ever did inapporite things.
how old are you?
Ms Wong are you married?
How old are you?
How was your day today? What happened? =P Are you married?
How old are u.
Have you ever got lost or diched by your friends before?
How old are you =)
Why do you always wear dresses and skirts? Is it because you're a teacher
How old are you?
Do you play an instrument or do you dance?
How old r u?
Are you & (name of my only Asian student) Related?
How old are you.
Have you ever been drunk at a college party
Are you married or are you single?
Where were you born?
is my beanie the best beanie you have ever seen =P
Why do you wear dresses and skirt all the time?
Why do you always wear dresses or skirts?
Why are you so pretty?
ms wong, do you ever wear pants
Have u ever gotten married and had kids
Whoe's ur favorite student?
Who is the ugliest in the class?
Do you live w/ your parents
Have you ever been drunk at a college party
What did you major in at UCLA?
Do you have a boyfriend, if you do what raise is he? =)
Are you married? How old are you? What kind of car do you drive?
Where were you born? Was it out of state?
If the class does good for a whole week can we have a class party at the End of the week.
Do u love us :)

Apparently, we've work to do regarding academic vocabulary, comma splices, homophones, spelling, punctuation, verb tenses, sentence fragments, pronouns, and subject-verb agreement. And their insatiable inquisitiveness about my age and relationship status.

Fancying year twenty-three

2010-10-21T22:36:00.000-07:00

for these two weeks past and counting, as my soul is counted free. 'Cause of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who mercifully gave his life for me.

For I absolutely do not deserve it, or any of the following, you see.From a dizzying doozie of a midnight surprise replete with confectionery creations and birthday paparazzi pizzazz,to a surprise dinner al fresco bonanza within a beguiling Westwoodian courtyardamidst a score of congenial chummies.
Profuse thanks for the gargantuan group investment in the spankin' new digicam, better known as my proclivity to immortalize memorable moments all the way, right away, all the time.I am beyond blessed by y'all, indubitably. Thank you to the gazillionth power. I shall proclaim my gratitude by snapping an incessant stream of snapshots of ya.Though I shall confess that fresh-baked sweet treat concoctions augmented to the celebratory cheer.Thank you so much, dear friend, for nimbly orchestrating a most legendary birthday.And, oh, the ohana is oh too good to me.The twenty-three me yearns fervently for less of me and more of you, oh Lord. Thank you for the gift of another year to know you and make you known. Thank you for this newness of life of which I am a steward, due to your abounding grace that has caused my enslavement to sin to be no more. This is my desire: to honor you exceedingly more than ever this year. Thank you for unveiling to me true sacrificial love via the glorious cross, through which I am daily convinced that your love is better than (all twenty-three years of) life. You've captured my heart for who you are and what you've done. Thank you for how you've molded me life thus far and for the nooks and crannies in which you've placed me. Search my heart, oh Lord, and abolish in me any sin that hinders me from fully partaking in your lovely love. Help me to seek you and your righteousness first with humility and utter dependence upon your grace. Use me for your glory for the furtherance of your kingdom I pray, amen.

A fairest of evenings at the fair

2010-10-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

Due to life's circumstantial bustle of late (colloquially deemed "teaching in the trenches"), I've beyond bushels (of blog posts) upon which to elaborate. Though the following immortalized eveningtide is currently a near month overdue, it stokes the fondest of memories still.Fairly captivating neonlit fairground-fostered diversions and frittered fair fare circulated amidst many as a merry means to tantalize all tastebuds which were both conducive to an exceedingly swell eveningtidealongside genial gents and gals at the annual Angeleno lair dubbed the LA County Fair. Till next year!

A striking question

2010-09-22T08:01:00.000-07:00

"What do you think is considered a true education?" a friendly fellow inquired of me yesternight. "And what is the goal?""To empower yourself by being an articulate reader, writer, and speaker who can discern from all the different worldviews so you can advocate for what is true and honorable and just and lovely," I replied sans hesitation.

And that, laddies and ladies, succinctly sums up my overarching vision for my students. Thus, we begin with the end in mind. 'Cause greater things have yet to come. Greater things are still to be done.

Sunday's best

2010-09-21T08:21:00.000-07:00

customarily entails flippantly fun frocks and spiffy shoes,or, for some, no shoes at all.You might gratify the hankering that we've some ~~hippie~~ organic folks in the church family, for sure. Or, I could just broadcast the nitty gritty truth that 'tis possible for one to be in enough of a flurry to jet out of the door that it slips the mind to slip on some footwear. A recommended feat if you're attempting to rivet all eyeballs to your attention, nonetheless.

Every singularity

2010-09-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

"Everything in your life that doesn’t fall under the category of loving God falls under the category of pushing you away from loving God." - PJ Tibayan

Jeepers, I just really wanna love God with all that I am - with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength to take every thought captive to obey Christ. And though I fall short of doing so all too often due to the weights and sin that cling ever so closely, praise God for the grace afresh through the gospel that enables us to do so by the aid of the Spirit! God is so overwhelmingly infinitely lovely as the first and best of beings. Lord, may you be first and most lovely in my life, forever ever, as 'tis my singular objective to live a thoroughly grace-driven life. Alongside consistently encouraging and exceedingly amazing chummies
with the mouthwatering accompaniment of tasty delights, of course!

It's going to be an epic school year,

2010-09-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

as deduced by a succinct e-memorandum from my principal:

"Great to have you aboard - your desire to help is most appreciated. While we wait for your fingerprints, you may want to lend your services to the current UCLA football team - as they were REALLY beat this past weekend."

Disclaimer: School districts require proof that you're not an ex-con before they board you inside the classroom with 150+ exceedingly impressionable young minds. Hence, the fingerprinting.Ample planning, prepping, and classroom decor crafting carries on.

The Shiekh-sponsored soiree

2010-09-14T12:08:00.000-07:00

transpired in the razzle-dazzle hotbed of Tinseltown this Friday pastat the scene-stealing Highlands,where Shiekh hosted an exclusive Fashion's Night Out afterparty,
whose illustrious entertainment rundown featured friendly fellow,fame-claiming singer/songwriter extraordinaire Jarell Perry.Yessirs and madams, we made haste to accompany the seasoned superstar on the ritzy plush red carpet in beatific pomp.And, as inculpably surmised, his performance with Nino Magzoon resonated as a stellar crowd-roaring feat.Catch the visionary spectacle vicariously via video below:

Post-show boogieing
and shimmy shakin'
before scoring swag bags chock full o' lackluster trinkets and publicity merchandise
served as the timely impetus for the goal-driven getawayto grub on the heftiest hunks of pizza known to humankind.A success-oozing eveningtide on inadvertent habitual haunt Hollywood & Highland, indeed.

WANTED: your unwanteds

2010-09-13T14:43:00.000-07:00

Greetings, faithful readers, accidental perusers, family, friends, colleagues, and lovely folks all around,

As you might or might not know, I've recently joined Teach For America, and I officially commence my teaching stint as an 8th grade English teacher in an urban public school this fall. As a first-year teacher, I am attempting to garner as many resources as I can in order to establish, particularly, a robust classroom library which shall be crucial in improving my students' literacy prowess.Therefore, I am reaching out with a request with which I hope you can help. (My students and) I would really appreciate donations of any of the following that you may happen to have strewn about that you no longer want:

mid-upper elementary books (fiction, nonfiction, series)
middle school books (fiction, nonfiction, series)
early high school books (fiction, nonfiction, series)
comic books
topic centered books (e.g. Eyewitness book on dinosaurs)
age-appropriate magazines (e.g. Sports Illustrated, Time, Newsweek)
bean bag chairs
rugs
bookshelves
storage bins
floor pillows

Please divulge to me in a jiffy if you're able to contribute any of the above by commenting this post or sending me an efficient e-letter. Also, please feel free to disclose to anyone you believe possesses the potential to help with this ongoing project. I really truly indubitably appreciate your help from the bottom of my corazón!

Thanks a bunch,
Helen

My flesh and my heart

2010-09-10T16:15:00.000-07:00

may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." - Psalm 73:26 Thank you, Lord, for being everything I'm not and for being everything I need, more than I'm able to fathom in my manifold shortcomings. For knowing the depths of my heart yet loving me just the same. For being my living hope and lifting my spirits with your soul-quenching Word, through which your grace, holiness, faithfulness, patience, sovereignty, humility, servant's heart, steadfastness, omniscience, mercy, and unparalleled goodness are made apparent, most gloriously so on the cross. You never ever fail.
And thank You for friendly folks who remind me of these copious truths o'er an intense stromboli feast. You can bet your bottom dollar that a dagger was imperative in vanquishing the beast of an Italian turnover. Happy Friday, you amiable lot!

Rockin' down the House of Blues

2010-09-09T17:04:00.000-07:00

We promenaded o'er to the sapphire-tinged section of the Sunset Strip yesternight for destination premier live music venue, the world-renowned House of Blues,whose swanky Indian palace reminiscent Foundation Roomfostered an intimate backdrop forlegions of faithful fans and friendly folks to mingle, move, and groove tothe svelte vocal stylings of rising singer/songwriter, Jarell Perry.He serenaded the sundry audience with all-original hits from his recently released mixtape (available for free download here),singing crowd favorites such as "My Life," "Universal Love," and "Change My Mind" with his stellar band, whose electrifying accompaniment amplified Jarell's dynamic vocal impressions.He kept us on our tippity tiptoes by dabbling on the keyboard whilst crooning heartfelt tunesand collaborating with a smattering of other artists, too,effortlessly executing a monumental and musically versatile eveningtidewe all esteemed with uttermost oomph.Nary a doubt waltzed through anyone's nogginthat his scores of groupies were likewise spellbound by the live performance,and all exited the scenefurther persuaded of Jarell's veritable route towards superstardom.Congrats, dear friend! You were absolutely awe-inspiring per usual. Cheers to enticing the City of Angels' musical palate for the better yesternight.'Tis only upward bound from here on out, and I am all ajitter with excitement to ascertain how God shall subsequently pave your path to superstardom as you abide in Him.

O'er the mountains and the sea

2010-09-08T16:57:00.000-07:00

Tucked cushily within the Santa Monica mountains and removed from the bustling smog-saturated traffic-chocked cosmopolitan cranny called La La Land is Topanga Canyon State Park,a humble wildland-derived hamlet characterized byunbridled grasslands, pristine flora and prolific fauna aplenty, and placid seaside breezes wafting languidly from the Pacific,prime turf through which to embark on a morningtide hike, Melen decrees.The magnitude and intricacy of creationastounded us to speechlessness, to disclose the least.
"For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him." - Colossians 1:16 And we've the undeserved privilege to revel in it all - by ascending lofty tree trunks, meandering off-beaten paths,oogling at budding dandelions craning hungrily toward the sun's nourishing brilliance,
and feeling rather diminutive in the grand scope of thangs,except that, despite it all, God knows each and every one of us human creatures down to the number of hairs on our heads and cares deeply enough for us to sacrificially accomplish, for our joy in Him, his work on the cross.Which is a centralized truth that appended a sheen of thankfulness'round the blessing of cavorting the day awayin sisterly company.'Twas a Melen-approved undertaking in the City of Angels' wildland oasis
rewarded by our initial incentive: desserty decadence hailed from a much favored sweets shoppe.
Always a pleasure.

LudoBites 5.0's closing night

2010-09-07T23:59:00.000-07:00

If granted a cursory glance, Downtown Los Angeles this Friday eveningtide past at 9:00 p.m. resembled any other weeknight, where time-honored storefronts shielded themselves from the dead stillness of night that was interjected only by whizzing automobile drive-bys. But mosey down 9th between Los Angeles and Santee, and you would have rubbernecked to behold a mob of befuddling proportions congregated outside a seemingly deserted edifice.Angelenos and West Coast transplants from near and far corralled for the huzzah-evocative closing night of LudoBites 5.0, the modish pop-up restaurant event conceived and cultivated by French-bred celebrity chef Ludo Lefebvre,
who, coupled with his charming wife and hostess, Kristine, along with their motley cookery crew of 14, set up temporary camp at breakfast-and-lunch sandwich shoppe Gram & Papa's every weeknight once the sun submerged into the smog-sopped horizon for an epic dinner extravaganza
that has taken the City of Angels' culinary scene by breathstealing storm.
The LudoBites-morphed venue was teeming with reservation and invitation only patrons within the intimate 90-person environs,
including ~~the dear friend~~ Audrey Magazine's assistant editor and me as her ~~guest~~ photographer
fortuitously invited by the Food Digger himself,
who was eager to chaperone us through the edgily innovative and unanimously redefining once-in-a-lifetime dining experience that is LudoBites.
We commenced the 14 course affair (each dish shared between the 6 of us) with a BYOB cheers before partaking with utmost relish Ludo's complex yet effortlessly executed edible art that had us all at awe at the sheer ingenuity of the mishmash of flavors, textures, and complementary pairings, inadequately connoted via the menu's descriptions:
warm baguette dunked in seaweed buckwheat butter,
poached egg concealed swimmingly beneath hand-whipped potato mousseline and a chorizo condiment,
raw waygu beef atop a bed of cold somen noodles dressed in peanut viniagrette and watermelon cubes,
heirloom tomato salad served with a generous dollop of mozzarella ice cream and a basil crumble,
grilled octopus with oregano, burnt red pepper polenta, pineapple aioli, and piment d'espellette gelee, adjacent to a serving of Ludo crispity fried chicken hailed from his fire engine red food truck fixed outside the rented restaurant,
salmon "a l'hulle" juniper berries sprinkled with rainbow carrots, all paired with orange sorbet and crushed pistachios,
hot foie gras lavished in dynamite sauce, balanced by delicate raw tuna and lychee cubes and a cracker sauce,
john dory fillet floating atop frothy saffron risotto and a chanterelles mousse emulsion,
roasted sonoma saddle of lamb camouflaged by artichoke salad joined by a goat cheese stick rolled in candied black olives and mint pesto,
Korean-style marinated steak with pickled vegetables, grilled baby corn, and crispy bacon,
an unparalleled cheese plate comprised of saint-nectaire with pear kimchi chutney, epoisse with whole grain mustard and raw honeycomb, and roncal with apricot-lavendar jam,
followed by decadent and saccharine finales of caramel souffle, grapefruit gelee, and fleur de sel ice creaminess, alongside a sundae of pistachio ice cream, bing cherries, hot chocosauce, and salted pistachio crumbles.
Mister Lefebvre is a legitimate visionary, indeed.
All toasted to the mostest to a rampantly successful summertide run of LudoBites 5.0, and to Ludo's impending adventures aplenty in the culinary sphere,
whilst the melange of food blogger attendees reveled in the 4-hour-long epicurean divertissement
before calling it an unforgettable night of bonding o'er the universal communal pastime dubbed eating,
which we accomplished in plentitude, thanks to LudoBites 5.0.

Heart-swelling promise

2010-09-04T23:59:00.000-07:00

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.” - 1 Corinthians 2:9 God is far greater, better, and worthier than we can scarcely begin to fathom. And so, Lord, help me to love you above all things. Unveil to me what it means to live my life a sacrifice, for you've mercifully paid the price. Happy weekending, friendly folks!

My kind of memory-maker

2010-09-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

is dolling up birthday parcels by crafting snippets of sheer whimsy for a dear gal pal on her precocious birthday shindig - happiest of pre-birthdays to you, FayeFaye!Mind you, we brought a lot to the table.
Gotta divvy these convivial characters some credit, 'cause they did, too.
Tarrying time with lovely chums is my preferred memory-maker,
which gladdens my heart in a more resonating way than chichi entertainment industry mixers at swankified Tinseltown niches do,where every consecutive face lapses into a misshapen nondescript blur upon shallow small talk via networking dexterity brandished in the name of scaling the formidable corporate ladderthat we may as well have been dilly dallying by our solitary selves in a forsaken forest per below, or something.Okay, I exaggerate. Indeed, the camaraderie was tippity top notch. Which is consistently the most memory-worthy facet amidst all encompassing factors. Cheers, m'dears!

Eyes on the sole prize

2010-09-01T07:59:00.000-07:00

Communal escapades incorporate excessive portions of palatable tasties around here,there,and everywhere,so much so that they've turned my noggin (and innards) tenaciously topsy turvy.So strap on our vagabonding shoes we did one mid-night
for an impromptu yet relentless mission to briskly traverse through, and thereby vanquish a 6 mile round trip to and from SaMo's mist-shrouded shoreline.As we stood triumphantly in the wake of 1:00am's chill stillness, my mind veered off course to analogize our goal-driven expedition to my run of endurance towards Christ the worthy goal. Yessirs and madams, there were, at times, unknowns along the uncharted territorial path that frazzled me (Attempt ambling through potholed pitch blackness without pepper spray on your person whilst fending off visions of zombie lurkers and creeper creatures, and you'll get my drift). And sometimes it felt like we might not reach our target destination.But at the end, we did, and 'twas way worth it. Just as this lovely life of faith in the Lord shall be, and so much more than I'm able to envision, and in that promise I rejoice and am ever thankful. 'Cause the gift of the gospel was the admission ticket, and now, despite and through the exhilirating blessings, the heart-testing trials, and the anxiety-tempting indiscernables that matter minutely in the grand scope of His perfect plans, I'm able to run with endurance towards Christ the worthy goal, casting aside, by His grace, distractions and sin that cling so closely, and resting in the promise that all things work together for good. After all, as a friendly fellow says, everything happens for His reason.

Oh, and fear not. I don't really believe in zombies.

Weekend heartwarmers

2010-08-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

materialized in the framework of an excursion to a neighboring flea market's debut,to which we were benevolently bequeathed VIP passes from the powers that bein exchange for an extensively disseminated publicity story to be deftly crafted by the dear media-savvy friend herself.
I am propelled to lament: 'tis not a flea rife with the envisioned bounty of time-honored knick knacks, as expectantly flaunted at my habitual haunts,
though I dare not wager that the LA Flea Market was wholly devoid of tried and true antiquities,
even if honest to goodness vintage curios were more difficult to unearth whilst navigating
the sea of quality-defunct swap meet style oddities.'Twas more reminiscent of a telltale tourist trap in that aspect, especially with live tunes blaring
tangent to a fenced in watering hole for bougie characters,
and a chromatic line-up of the current yet transient Los Angeles fad
that is redefining culinary convenience - extravagance-brandishing food trucks.
Nevertheless, chuck into the mix copious sunbeams and concentrated bonding time against a breath-stealing backdrop of the cityscape, and your heart shall be warmed like fresh-baked cupcakes downed with an icy glass o' milk.
Speaking of moo juice, the promenade lingered with an impromptu stopover at the Mid-City based bakery phenomenon named after the quintessential dessert complement, Milk,
for the mold-defying concoction of macaron ice cream sandwiches dunked in decadent chocolate.
Though I've devoured heaps of Milk's mouthwatering masterpieces, 'twas my first time sampling the heralded ice cream sandwiches. Ladies and gents, I'm in love.
'Tis times like these that I cannot help but to be convinced that God is so good to allow for such blessed and undeserved reveries in life's brouhaha.

Audrey got Angry

2010-08-30T07:47:00.000-07:00

The buzz 'round La La Land is that a particular indie film has been courting the persnickety affections of many a critic. Quentin Lee's The People I've Slept With is not only a critically-acclaimed rom-com romp of the edgy variety, but it also engages a heavily Asian-American cast (Karin Anna Cheung, Archie Kao, Randall Park, Lynn Chen, and James Shigeta, amongst more). And, jeepers, that's always a bombshell, considering Hollywood's nascent relationship with Asian American presence in its cinematic commodities.We patroned the screening at the ritzy Lammele Sunset 5 this Saturday evening prior, which was supplemented by a post-viewing discussion panel with the cast and crew, thought-provokingly moderated by the notorious Angry Asian Man, Phil Yu.Obligatory celebratory shenanigans blossomed thereafter at contemporary speakeasy Libertine on Sunset, where premier Asian-American women's mag, Audrey, hosted a cosmopolitan afterparty in due honor of the racy featurette.
So, I shall confess, the primary reason for our face time was due to a dear friend who also espouses the role of a fabulously inspired editor at Audrey.

But, of course, there was also the heartwarming smattering of amiable chummies with whom to chitter chatter,
and an engrossing one-man showto which I reacted with multifarious extremities of emotion.Ode to a bevy of snazzy folks with whom to commemorate a flick. And lovely life in the bigger picture. Which is all conducive to a niftily packaged night. And it only got oodles better 'cause several of these snapshots got featured on Audrey here!

Friday flashback

2010-08-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

to a relevant sunbeamy afternoontide a smidgen more than a moon ago since I am bearing the brunt of the malady dubbed the crafting itch: the Renegade Los Angeles Craft Fair at The Cornfield, where proponents of the handmade lifestyle
including a convivial chum and myself, corralled from near and farto plummet ourselves in creative juice-motivated crafting workshops,handcrafted goody perusing and purchasing,and, to constitute the cheeriest part of the rendezvous, calling upon crafting queen chummies,Ruby,and Danni (whose handmade lovelies were incontestably the cream of the crop).
And, of course, traipsing the handmade wonderland with dear friends I miss dearly,and a couple of the most winsome kiddos in my merry microcosm.One of my far-fetched starry-eyed dreams (that I must admit I am a wee bit apprehensive to admit) was to show at a craft fair this year, but alas, God possessed other plans to monopolize my priorities. One day, prayerfully! Nevertheless, I do hope you'd be able to check off to-dos on your to-do list that you've been antsy to accomplish of late, whether 'tis rambunctiously catching up with a lovely loved one o'er a colossal cup o' froyo. Or tidying up thy abode to a spick and span state. Or progressing in the job prowl. Or organizing in a detailed degree thy life on paper. Or scouring the City of Angels for the tastiest French macaron. Whatever your tasks might be, do make certain to enjoy God immensely through it all in light of the cross. Happy weekending, genial gents and gals!

Oozing Hollywood

2010-08-26T08:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes most of the time, 'tis imperative to put our best foot forward
in uttermost composure to primly and properly ransack Tinseltownian thoroughfares
to wine and dine at a celebrity culinary cranny that taunts our patronage with promises of tantalized tastebuds (per Jarell's deep-seated contentment below)
accompanied by the tastiest white sangria e'er sampledbefore gallivanting famed star-studded walkwaysfor the premier slam-packed nightspot, Drai's,which, as speculated, was so Hollywood.So much so that the swankified aura gravitated towards us, enabling us to ooze Hollywood in desaturated vintage glam glory.The balmy eveningtide air, ubiquitous tunes, and sumptuous venue morphed some friendly folks into fierce models,
and others into masquerade ball attendees.Or, in essence, four friendly folks enthused o'er lollygagging in lovely company.
Marveling at the panorama of our esteemed City of Angelswas indubitably instumental in attributing the playtime to unforgettable status.

Dilly dallying with the fam-

2010-08-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

the church family, that is, particularly this Sunday afternoontide past during which we hosted a monthly summer-emblazoned picnic in prayerful attempts to acquaint ourselves with the nifty neighborinos in the community in which God has strategically situated us as a local church. 'Twas a grace-driven foray in fellowship and outreach for God works so mightily in so many more ways than we are able to ascertain. I am all ajitter with excitement to see what God is doing and what he shall accomplish for His glory in the hearts of Angelenos in La La Land. And you can bet the sonshiny soiree was a bona fide blast!

Oh yeah, we've an arbitrary proclivity for party hardying together, too. Especially whence such a pastime warrants family portraits.And we ne'er object to shimmy shakin'through up and coming Silver Lake reminiscent hipster 'hood HelMel for destination signature ice creamery shoppe, Scoops,for funky fresh and unorthodox yet mind-numbingly tasty gelato flavors, such as black sesame white chocolate, pistachio rosewater, salty chocolate, and mascarpone chocolate chip. God assuredly plops people in our lives for particular reasons. Thank you so very much, Lord, for the absolutely amazing church family, who, though we are each a distinct individual hailed from diversified walks of life, are gladly committed to one another's surpassing joy in the Lord, and united to Christ and the saving grace of the gospel for the joy of all peoples (especially in the City of Angels). Thank you for the overwhelming bushels of love you've bestowed upon me through their consistent encouragement and edification as they partake in my blessings and burdens that you nimbly orchestrate for my good in you. Thank you for your mercy anew through Christ's work on the cross in spite of my manifold shortcomings. There is none like you, and I yearn to find completely brazen satisfaction in you alone. Help me to love you above all things and serve and lovelovelove others with a heart like yours alongside the CrossView fam so they might see you for the ultimate treasure you are.

To the coolest one in the fam,

2010-08-24T08:06:00.000-07:00

happiest of 21st birthdays to you, dear brojah of mine!Calvin, my heart is inexpressibly glad you're my brother, which denotes that you are stuck with me forevermore. Thanks a bunch for always having my back. Carouse thy day away in maximal merriment and may this graciously granted year be irrefutably epic and chock full of growth and progress toward your ambitious goals, about which I am thrilled to hear bushels. You got this, sir. I'm praying for you, for always. Love you!

His musical journey's pit stop at the Whisky a Go Go

2010-08-23T15:06:00.000-07:00

We moseyed our calculated way to the Sunset Strip the Thursday night prior, which,though consistenty inundated in iridescent incandescence irradiating from omnipresent billboards of the most ostentatious sort for which the Strip is infamous,
seemed to glimmer even more luminously that eveningtide
at the historically renowned Whisky a Go Go,
whose illustrious lineup included Orlando-bred rapper headliner, Reason,
featuring friendly fellow, rising singer and songwriter extraordinaire Jarell Perry.
Parsa and I supplemented the musically-inclined mob milling the venue's floor
as Jarell's biggest fans. His paparazzi. His entourage. Whatsoever you're inclined to label us.
Jarell hit the stage with his arresting presence in utmost pomp
and foreseeably wowed the pumped-up crowd,
belting out original electrifying tunes with Reason, taking ownership of the effortlessly smooth hooks analogous to the most mandatory cherry on top of the glorious sundae of songs.
Behold, a smidgen of raw footage I nabbed via video of yet to be released worldwide "(I Can't Wait to) Replace You" before burly security gruffly silenced my camera:

'Twas an all together jolly grand night of music-making, music-appreciating, but most prominently, chummy bonding.Congrats aplenty, dear friend!! You were absolutely amazing per usual, and this juncture signifies your hustling and bustling yet concrete path to superstardom as you daily captivate and inspire others with your God-gifted talents in the world of music.
Keep accomplishing big thangs and rockin' it for His glory!

Grub galore

2010-08-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

As foreshadowed in the previous post, culinary escapades abounded the past couple of weeks in the chummy company of out of town globetrotters at my choicest epicurean establishments in the City of Angels. LA truly is a mecca of delectable edibles so do grant one, a couple, or all a shot via this photoblog tour.

My predilection for health-conscious fare steered us to M Cafe for macrobiotic cuisine in a sunbeam prolific European café style setting. I guarantee you shan't miss the absence of refined sugars, dairy, eggs, poultry, and red meat, especially whence sampling all of the distinctively delicious deli salads that consistently bequeath upon me a spurt of giddy energy. Must samples include the kale with spicy peanut dressing, curried cauliflower, and kabocha squash.Urth Caffe, though oft spotlit for their organic, sustainably grown, fair-trade coffees and teas, serve up top notch savories
and sweet treats to complement their libations.Their strategic spots on Melrose in WeHo and Main Street in SaMo allow for prime people-watching, too.Or, better yet, thorough investment in a cozy meal with friendly folks.
Clementine was a luxurious luncheon getaway during the former nine to six days as its charming red-bricked facade was merely blocks away.My heart and tastebuds tend to cultivate a soft spot for mom and pop bakery-cafés, and Clementine racks up another thumbs up for employing produce from local farmers markets to whip up from scratch and by hand, fresh and tasty entrées, sandwiches, desserts, and salads.Bottega Louie is an Angeleno institution, and 'tis not befuddling to ascertain why. Positioned in the heartthrob of downtown, its gleaming marble edifice magnetizes all inquisitive eyes to peer withinto gawk at its gargantuan dining room made glitzy by lofty pillared ceilings and streamlined black faux-leather seating
to add a dramatically posh flair

to their pristine menu. I fancy their small plates (of gourmet veggies) most, for they prod the memory of Spanish tapas,
though the sister-cousin enjoyed mightily their tender and terrifically seasoned pork chop fillets.
Porto's, though a smidgen of a commute to the Valley, is utterly worth the trek. And the extensive queue within the jam-packed monstrosity of a bakery, even if 'tis the most colossal one I've ever called upon.Their Cuban style sandwiches are quite palatable (pan con bistec pictured below),

but the quintessential Porto's experience comprises of a parade of their potato balls, a curious fried mashed potato concoction brimming with beefy bits and gravy,
and, incontestably, their flaky, mind-bogglingly divine pastries.
Oh, dear señor, more cheese rolls, por favor.Nook, a hidden (literally) gem of a nifty neighborhood bistro
charms the senses with a chic yet mellow ambiance
paired with contemporary comfort foodie goodies.
Shamshiri, one amidst the plethora of Persian restaurants along Tehrangeles' Westwood Boulevard, stands out not only for their ginormous portions at agreeable lunch special prices,but also for their impeccably soft and freshly baked naan (bread),
refreshing shirazi salad (one of my most preferred Persian eats),
and the tastiest kabob koobideh the sister-cousin has encountered thus far.
Chego, the spankin'-newest one-of-a-kind hotspot of the trendiest sort, attributes its flashy fame to its owner, who also claims on his resume, the notorious Kogi tacos parading around in the meandering food trucks.
I am not an enthused proponent of Kogi, but Chego's won my heart for the instances I'm inclined towards gorging on creatively revolutionized rice bowls featuring Korean staples embellished with Mexican flare. Brace thyself for the flavor overload in your mouth upon indulging in a spoonful of the [prime rib plate].
The casual, intimate, and hoppin' dining territorial grounds garnered the cousins' approval, too.
Although Westside patrons proceed to Father's Office for their widespread beer selection,
we dilly dally there for the best burgers in town. Which is quite a lofty claim since I tend to shun burgers. Partaking in one occurs once in a blue moon, with such occasions reserved for the sporadic jaunt to Father's Office.No culinary tour is exhaustive without sweets stops, namely, invariably bustling Diddy Riese
for their fresh baked cookies sandwiched around a generous dollop of ice creaminess, all for $1.50 (though they were a mere buckaroo in my early college years, which clearly illustrates how ancient I am).
Sprinkles, the original haute cupcakerythat spawned a slew of off-shoots modeled after their gourmet cupcake phenomenon,
such as Buttercake Bakery, whose peppy exterior,mini babycakes,
and catchphrase I unabashedly endorse,
and SusieCakes, whose whimsical 50s all-American decor,
and maddeningly moist and homemade style frosting-injected cupcakes arrest my tastebuds every single time.
However, the desserty decadance I cannot get enough of, ever,
is the delicate and multi-flavored French macaron, irresistibly diverse and appetizing at Bottega Louie,
and at Jin Patisserie,
whose outdoor patio seating provides the spiffiest environs to enjoy
a handful of mini macarons beneath sun rays waltzing between towering palm trees.
These are by no means an exhaustive list of the most favored eateries, but, rather, a condensed one for the time allotted these couple of weeks past. Feel free to gimme suggestions of your must-try grubbing locales! Nonetheless, YUM-OH to the maximo, no?

Landing in La La Land

2010-08-19T16:46:00.000-07:00

These couple of weeks past have been devoted to navigating out-of-town nomads through the titillating cityscape upon their landing on La La Land's loveliness,
particularly, the Houston-hailed sister-cousin, with whom I daily embarked on a premeditated traipse through my most preferred pockets of the City of Angels:Downtown's metropolitan hub, with its aesthetically astounding cornucopia of historic turn-of-the-century edifices and ritzy contemporary skyscrapers,home to entertainment megaplex LA Live,the Valley's Disney Studios, situated all properly cushy as one of the Big Six major film studios in Tinseltown, to which we attained unrestricted backstage access thanks to a dear chum,
Santa Monica's balmy beach-centric utopia (at which we inaugurated the Angeleno adventure the week prior)

WeHo's Sunset Strip's bougie and notorious papparazzi-ridden razzle dazzle of celeb culture,
Venice's irresistibly charming bohemianand heartstring-tugging artsiness of Abbot Kinney,

Echo Park's Angelino Heights' preserved 19th centuryVictorian era manors, evocative of San Francisco's Painted Ladies counterparts sans undulating hilliness,Silver Lake's hipster vibe that permeates the precinct's entirety, through which I rambled with Ms. Purple,
the Westside's Sawtelle for froyo loitering,
and, of course, the LAbode
and elsewhere for relaxin' and maxin' out familial merriment.I'm rather partial towards showcasing to vagabonds the entrancing cultural hotspot that is Los Angeles, and you can bet a substantive aspect of the culture-exposing comprised of partaking in epicurean edibles at my most favored eateries in all of the aforementioned LA neighborhoods and more, including Westwood, Palms, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, WeHo, and Century City, which shall congest the following post like the nefarious 405 during rush hour (which I must now confront with a sinking heart). There's much so much to love about La La Land, indeed.

Keepin' it classy

2010-08-18T08:05:00.000-07:00

at the swankified Belmont in WeHo for a lovely lady who exudes the precise mishmash of class and sass on her birthday, with whom we were all gratified to celebrate (yessiree, even Jarell, though the following snapshot might imply otherwiseand Frank, too, though the camera caught him mid-profound thought)
in convivial chitter chatter.Happiest of belated 23rd birthdays, Courtney! You are a perpetually sweet and smiling ball of energy and fun around whom I am always made cheery. Hope you had a marvelously blessed day! Cheers to another epic year of the grandest variety. Love you!

Birthday hulLolitaballoo

2010-08-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

manifested in unparalleled Navales fanfare this weekend past, whose verdant backyard was host to hundreds of multifarious feedsack bunting yardagerippling jovially above savory homemade culinary edibles
and genial guests a-millingsome with whom I was fortuitous enough to snag a snappy snapshot: the consistently inspiring triple threat Fantastic Frances,the wildly lovely and creative stylist, Reinna,
the ever encouraging crafting queen, Ruby,the passion-emanating dancer-artist extraordinaire, RJ,
and the dandy dudes who always prompt me into uproarious laughter: Andre Who, EJ Cabster, and Sir Paul,whilst a foible-less program featured dancin'-dancin- queen galfriendsand doting children
who paid tributes of thankfulness for Tita Lolit, the outwardly and inwardly beautiful birthday celebrant whose past 50 years of life God has blessed bountifully.Tita Lolit, I am thankful to the Lord for your exemplary servant's heart towards your family, your church family, and everyone with whom you cross paths. You are such an encouraging example of a godly woman, wife, and momma whose passion for life and service and joy in the Lord is contagious and inspiring. Thank you for your loving kindness and generosity that overflows through your hospitality expertise, thus always making me (and so many others) feel welcome in your homey home. Thank you ever so much for always pointing me to Christ in your words and deeds throughout the years. God has used your example of being a Proverbs 31 woman to shape me more than you know. May the Lord continue to bless you and your ministry!

The roommate's revelry

2010-08-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

The LAbode sparkled with pink-hued glitz yesternight in prompt preparation for covert Operation Roommate Midnight Birthday Surprise.The environs radiated with the roommate's most favored fancies, including a handcrafted birthday banner in the form of jaunty paper hearts
infused with tinges of her color of choice - pink,
and a chocolate bar themed spread consisting of the sweet treats by which she is most enamored, including luscious strawberries dunked in addictive Nutella,
homebaked dulce de leche brownie decadence,
her most preferred wine, moscato, paired with a non-alchy alternative, fizzy French berry lemonade,
delicate chocolate hazelnut wafers,
tasty dark chocodipped pretzel slims,
and the utmost epicurean necessity - Sprinkles' posh dark chocolate cupcakes,
all encompassed by a vibrant boyfriend-bequeathed pink floral bouquet
and whimsical servingware.
The surprisee's candid reaction ne'er fails to be the highlight of surprise shenanigans. Wouldn't you be in agreement?
Our hearts were gladdened to commemorate the first hour of Annie's 23rd birthday
with her in congenial cheer and amiable affection.
Happiest of 23rd birthdays to you, dear roommate! We've come light years since we executed that introductory handshake and complementary greeting 9 years ago prior to watching Spiderman with the posse. I'm thankful to God for your thirst to know Him more deeply and delve into His word to see and love Him for who He truly is. Your inclination to analyze situations and be reflective encourages me mucho, and I know God has great plans for you, far greater than you can comprehend. Thank you for always being there for me and for being a consistent form of encouragement. And for putting up with my OCD-ness in the apartmento. Youdabest and Iloveyouso, dear friend!

Relaxing to the maximus

2010-08-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

epitomized this week past
as a most-favored sister-cousin prioritized my time.We dilly dallied an afternoontide along neighboring sea-combed shores beneath brilliant sunbeams that set our skin a-tingling with endorphins aplenty. 'Twas a day seeping with equal parts summery relaxation and filial revelry. Hope you'll be indulging in a span of lovely leisure this weekend, convivial chums!

Their VBSpectacular

2010-08-12T08:11:00.000-07:00

I nabbed the fortuity to call upon CFBC's Vacation Bible School (VBS) graduation the Friday evening prior. 'Twas a must-accomplish for VBS occupies a special cranny in my corazón since 2004, and I had been awaiting this year's with nonpareil elation since last year's wrapped up. As I candidly observed from the audience's point of view for the very first time, my senses were awashed by the buckets of grace doused throughout the program's entirety, as I witnessed with an awestruck heart people of all ages, from the teeny toddlers to the more mature adults, exhibit their biblical truths know-how acquired and applied throughout the week. Not only did the sassy students (all whom I miss mightily) flabbergast me 'cause of how much they've physically grown and how God used 'em remind me of the imperativity to have faith like a child,
but God specifically used this year's magnificent staff to unveil to me much of His glory in how He provides by raising up spankin'-new leaders, and continuing to mold each of them to serve like He did. 'Twas a smidgen saddening and surreal not to be on staff this year as CrossView is my blessed home now, but I am ever grateful for eerthang God taught me through VBS o'er the years, first as a high school student who'd never heard the gospel till then, to the unparalleled blessing of being a veteran teacher, song leader, and puppeteer. And, jeepers, 'twas a spiffy privilege to be wheedled into appending you Saddle Ridge Ranchers in singsong and dancin dancin' on the stage.Dearest CFBCians, I've missed you all so. I praise God for the paramount work He is doing in and through y'all. You have, are, and shall continue to bless so many souls for His kingdom and glory alone! Praying for you, for always.

Won'tcha drop by for a spell

2010-08-11T08:14:00.000-07:00

to accompany a smattering of genial gents and gals'cause dandy dinner partying has made a trumpeting comeback at the LAbode.
Handy how-tos for a summer-emblazoned spinach salad featuring juicy white peaches, honey-glazed salmon and sautéed veggie entrée,
succulent shrimp whole wheat pasta slathered with pink sauce,
and decadently gooey peanut butter cup cookies shall be unveiled on the craft blog sooner rather than later.
But if that ain't your cuppa tea, just traipse along by the homey home for edibles paired with hefty helpings of chitter chatter. Can't wait to see ya!

Sometimes you just kinda wanna

2010-08-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

shimmy shake it like a Polaroid picture,dance and prance,
twirl and whirl,
and boogie down the town like no one is around.
So satisfy those urges we did. Thanks aplenty to Ms. Conner for hosting a smashing soiree!

'Tis grand to reunite

2010-08-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

I must divulge that the most grievous aspect about this strenuous summer past was sorely missing the folks and friends, not only those around and about La La Land, but particularly those diffused throughout the globe, with a couple of chums stirring up waves in NorCal, a pair impacting lives in the Big Apple, one on a relentless governmental mission in Chi-town, another molding the face of politics in the Capital of the World, and two making hefty headlines in Asia. To such a disclosure the dear roommate replied, "You have awesome friends who are full of ambition, so of course they're going to go all around the world to chase their dreams. If you had mediocre friends, you guys would all just be hanging out at the local Starbucks." An amusing nugget of wisdom thoroughly wrapped in truth, indubitably. Rock on, dear friends of the most amazing sort. I am cheering you on from the sidelines in the City of Angels.

Although I'm compelled to confess that I am cheeriest whence reveling in friendly folks' presence, from being buoyantly reunited with the dearest Media Maid bombshell princess herself as she makes an ephemeral pit stop back in Uncle Sam's land before shuttling off for grander undertakings once moreand genial gal pals whose encouraging company was much sought after,to commemorating an H-named homegirl's golden birthday, to bidding farewell to an ever lovely grad-school bound lady, but only for now.Such effectively epitomize the thrillingly volatile early-20s stage of life. Huzzah!

Post-Institute life

2010-08-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

has been a bona fide treat,replete with time tarried alongside the loveliest of lovelies, upon which I shall elaborate in a spiffy jiffy. Have a cheery weekend, convivial chums!

Behind the scenes at the teacher factory,

2010-08-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

which shall serve as my final post about Institute for I've yet to demystify teacher boot camp happenstances outside of teaching summer school. Apparently, my students indulged preconceived notions of what I do whence I'm not habitating the classroom.

INT. CLASSROOM - AFTERNOON

My students have just completed their final writing assessment so we are playing Teacher Hotseat for the last 10 minutes of class, during which they ask anonymous (personal) questions for their teacher on slips of paper, toss 'em in a bag, and await for them to be answered by chance.

After shuffling the cornucopia of burning questions in the paper sack, I draw an inquiry.

HELEN
(reads the question aloud)
"Do you go to the club?"

CLASS
(erupts in laughter)

HELEN
(cracks up)
Do I look like I go to the club?

CLASS
(unanimously)
Yes!

HELEN
What?!

STUDENT 1
I bet you wear those skirts like you always wear, but you hitch them up all short.

STUDENT 2
(chimes in)
And you wear your stilettos.

STUDENT 3
And dance like this (gets out of his seat to booty shake a la Beyonce).

STUDENTS 4, 5, 6
(booty shake from their seats)
Yeah!

CLASS
(laughs uproariously in contribution to the pandemonium)

HELEN
(trying not to smile)
All right, settle down. What do you guys know about the club anyway?

STUDENT 2
(stares at me incredulously)
Ms. Wong, there are teen clubs, you know.

How precious. My students were infiltrating teen clubs with their finely tuned booty shaking while I was submerged behind-the-scenes in the teacher factory for 20 intense hours of the day participating in mentally and physically debilitating sessions. But, of course, we bargained the sparse free time allotted to us for frivolous fun.Sometimes at the club.Where I donned neither short skirts nor stilettos.But customarily not.'Cause we'd seek palatable comfort in smashin' soul foodie goodies.
And rambunctious camaraderie with the infamous Craig's Crushers, led by the inspiring and ever encouraging Chief H. Craig.
Were we the preeminent CMA group?Yes.
Most definitely.

The summer that changed my life,

2010-08-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

thanks to the awe-inspiring VPPMS 8th grade Ninja Star Scholars who are incontestably the world's greatest. Institute wrapped up the Friday past in a huzzahing hullabaloo, which entailed my sanity's speedy return and my settling back in at the LAbode. I entertained the cursory notion of an exhaustive summer school finale post inundated with snapshots aplenty, but I shall allow the following video to suffice:

'Twas for Karla*, who was not aware she was smart 'cause her former teachers had told and made her believe she was dumb, till this summertide, whence she aced all the daily assessments after one-on-one tutoring and became the highest reader in the class. For Michaela*, who entered summer school unable to conjure complete sentences on the writing diagnostic, and left scribing a magnificent essay analyzing a recurring theme in two pieces of literature for the final writing test, earning a solid A that overwhelmed her for she ne'er imagined she could ace a paper. For Derek*, who, 'cause of his propensity to get easily distracted, mastered daily assessments once we differentiated instruction that enabled him to focus solely on the task at hand. For Isaiah*, who worked incredibly hard throughout the summer and raised his reading level by an astonishing 14 points at summer school's culmination. For all the Ninja Star Scholars who taught me ne'er to give up in the highest of expectations despite a myriad of challenges and distractions, for everyone possesses staggering potential waiting to be tapped into. 'Twas a humbling privilege in Colossians 3:23-24.

By the way, teacher surveys are jackpot central to pinpoint student perceptions of you and your class. After perusing 'em, all I can say is: God is mighty merciful, indeed.
Q: I know exactly what behavior my teacher expects from me at all times.
A: 100% replied, "Yes, always!"
Q: What has your teacher done to help you know how to behave?
A: Put people in check. Tell us the rules over and over.

Q: My teacher lets me and/or other students get away with inappropriate behavior.
A: 100% replied, "No, never."

Q: My teacher focuses on the positive a lot more than the negative.
A: 100% replied, "Yes, always!"

Q: My teacher is 'in charge' and has good control of the class.
A: 100% replied, "Yes, always!"

Q: What has your teacher done to help you believe you can and will achieve the learning goals in this class?
A: She makes me believe in myself. She tells us we can do this and gives me proper encouragement.

Q: What has your teacher done to help you like coming to school more?
A: She makes the lessons fun. She makes everything fun.

Q: What has your teacher done to make sure this class is a good place to be?
A: She would do the boom boom pow theme song.

* denotes name alteration to protect the anonymity of the students.

"Do you know why I hate summer school?"

2010-07-25T23:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes most of the time, they're a smidgen preposterous.

INT. CLASSROOM - MORNING

We just finished discussing an excerpt about a young woman who nearly got raped. My students are packing up to mosey along to their next class.

STUDENT 1
He tried to have sex with her.

STUDENT 2
(shoots Student 1 a glare)
It's intercourse.

STUDENT 1
Sex.

STUDENT 2
Don't say that. Say intercourse.

STUDENT 1
No. Because it's S-E-X.

STUDENT 2
Intercourse. INTERCOURSE.

STUDENT 1
(incredulously)
C'mon. Just call it sex.

STUDENT 2
(turns towards me)
Ms. Wong, shouldn't we say intercourse?

HELEN
(trying not to show that I'm slightly amused by shuffling a stack o' papers)
You can say it either way. There is no need to argue about it.

STUDENT 1
(triumphantly)
See! Sex!

STUDENT 2
(dismissively)
It's intercourse, thank you very much.

STUDENT 1
(defiantly)
I can say sex if I want.

HELEN
I said there's no need to argue about it here. I don't want to hear you guys debating about this again. (pause) Do I make myself clear?

STUDENT 1 & 2
Yes.

Nonetheless, they are endearing - all the time.

INT. CLASSROOM - MIDMORNING

STUDENT 1
Ms. Wong, do you know why I hate summer school?

HELEN
Why?

STUDENT 1
Because you get addicted!

HELEN
What??

STUDENT 1
(dramatically)
You get addicted to the teachers, and after 4 weeks, they leave you. And they're gone. Forever.

STUDENT 2
(nodding fervently)
Yeah!

STUDENT 1
(imploringly)
Can you come teach at our school this fall, please?

One more week in the merry midst of my blatantly brilliant and awe-inspiring Ninja Star Scholars.One more week to muster up my very best to push 'em, by God's grace, closer to achievement, 'cause they deserve the very best. One. More. Week. Of. Institute. Left!!! Thank you all so very much, guys and dolls, for your interminable support, uplifting encouragement, and fervent prayer throughout this entire training in the trenches. God is so good to bestow upon me such amazing people en mi vida. I am ever grateful for y'all.

Ms. Wongton

2010-07-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

Yeah, one of my students called me Ms. Wongton.

You can bet 'twas a singular occurence. There shan't be addressing me as Ms. Wongton no way, no where, no how, no matter how adamantly you attempt to convince me of your love for wontons.

But that hindered not the subsequent inquiries that reeked of presupposed curiosity about Asians.

EXT. SCHOOL BASKETBALL COURTS - MORNING

STUDENT 1

(lining up in front of me for homeroom)

Ms. Wong, Ms. Wong.

HELEN

Yes?

STUDENT 1
Where are you from?

HELEN
I grew up a little outside of LA, not too far from here.

STUDENT 2
No, really, where are you from?

HELEN

(looks at him quizzically)
What do you mean?

STUDENT 3
You're from Tokyo, huh?

HELEN
Oh, you think I'm Japanese?

STUDENT 1
Yeah!

STUDENT 2
Or Korea.

HELEN
So you think I'm Korean?

STUDENT 3
I mean, you can't be Chinese.

HELEN
Why not?

STUDENT 3
(shrugs)

HELEN
Actually, I am Chinese.

STUDENTS 1, 2, 3
WHOAAAAAA!!!! NO WAY!!!!

INT. CLASSROOM - MIDMORNING

STUDENT 4
Ms. Wong, do you play chess?

HELEN
Do I look like I play chess?

STUDENT 4
Yes.

In blatant honesty, I found these situations a tad humorous, 'cause, apparently, they haven't encountered many Asian-Americans in their 13-year-old lifetime in their neck of woods, so there've been some teachable moments in that regard thus far. And they've indubitably been teaching me buckets, too. I'm humbled by the matter-of-fact madness they oft confront, as they impart to me tales of domestic violence, rape in their families, frequent imprisonment, and nearly getting shot by gangbangers in a drive-by. They are such characters, particularly this week, whence one student dropped his pants down amidst instruction for all attention to hone in on him whilst another student stabbed himself (or something equally ridiculous) to the point where he wriggled his blood-swathed hand in the air as a request to shimmy to the john, a request I denied for we allow 'em never to gallivant to the bathroom during instruction. 'Tis so difficult to maintain a deadpan teacher face and implement classroom management strategies in such hilarious and incredulous moments.

All in all, I love my students so. They've limitless potential and I am thrilled by their passion to get on the college track despite the challenges they face, as they rattle off their imminent futures, "USC! UCLA! Harvard! Princeton!" - paths to traverse as stepping stones to change the world. After testing them the first week of summer school, my 8th graders were reading on a 5th-6th grade level, comprehending what they're reading at a 2nd grade level, and half cannot scribe complete sentences - overwhelmingly appalling anger-inducing data that connotes the achievement gap.

We are currently at the midpoint of summer school - the need is great, and the time is short. We haven't a second to dilly dally into nonexistence and I pray the reading comprehension and writing strategies we're teaching aid in getting 'em on track. 100% of my students are currently passing the class, with 72% as the lowest, and 99% as the highest - a thrilling statistic. But there is still much work to be done. I'm increasingly discerning that how effectively I teach an objective directly correlates with their daily assessment scores. Whence I pummel over the allotted time or fail to guide them through mastering an objective competently, their assessment scores are substantially lower, which is a frustrating burden on my part. In essence, 'tis truly the teacher's responsibility to get every student to achieve via lesson planning and executing, classroom managing, and building classroom culture. I want to be a better teacher for my students, so they can be better achievers, for they are absolutely capable of so much more than anyone can imagine, so much that only God knows. I've so much to learn to be an effective teacher. All of which has been, is, and shall be due to God's abundant grace. He is way too good for articulation.

And, oh yeah, behold the champs of yesterday's Teacher Olympics. What?

Oh, dear Sleep, you elusive friend, I know I've neglected to set aside time for you lately, but make a hasty return into my life, pronto. TFA is a maniacal machine. Two more weeks of Institute await us still. Let's rock it.

Let's change this jazz

2010-07-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

A recent RAND survey showed that based on standardized tests, California ranks 48 out of 50 states, scoring better only than Mississippi and Louisiana.

California students ranked 7th lowest in math, 3rd lowest in reading, and 2nd lowest in science in the country.

All public schools in California are ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 called the Academic Performance Index (API), 10 being the best. Half the schools in the LA Unified School District received failing scores of 1, 2 or 3.

Of graduation rates of the 50 largest cities in America, Los Angeles ranked 44th, with a 44% graduation rate from high school.

And the most horrific statistic of all: California spends more money on the construction of new prisons than on education. Future prison population is determined by the rate of literacy in third graders.

This must change. Lord, there is no limit to the work You can do. Use me somehow, some way, all for Your kingdom's cause while I'm here where you've strategically placed me, with educational equality as the primary step, and the salvation of lives as the ultimate goal.

Alas, MIA-ing,

2010-06-27T23:56:00.000-07:00

for time is a luxury, per the following sample daily schedule:

5:00am - Wake up and get ready
6:00am - Breakfast
6:40am - Bus departs to summer school site
7:00am - Campus meeting
7:30am - Assist in students' arrival/Prepare classroom for teaching
8:00am - Lead teach/differentiated time
9:30am - Academic Intervention
10:30am - Nutrition
10:45am - Lead teach/differentiated time
12:15pm - Lunch/student dismissal/supervise lunch
1:00pm - Professional development sessions
4:30pm - Bus returns to LMU
5:00pm - Work out
6:00pm - Dinner
7:00pm - Meet with Corps Member Advisor
7:45pm - Workshops/Institute Learning Teams/Regional meetings
10:00pm - Meet with Collab/Lesson plan/Prepare and practice lessons
by 2:00am - SleepAll to legitimately earn the following titleas we daily battle and persevere for the "one day [that] all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education." Yessirs and madams, I've been successfully indoctrinated by TFA.
But hey, at least I'm not the only one.

In deadpan seriousness, 'tis been an overwhelmingly thrilling journey thus far, and I've still a long and tortuous way to go. As the days literally flash by, I'm incessantly inspired and subsequently increasingly invested with amassing amounts of "sopo," or sense of possibility, for what our homey globe could look like with a closing achievement gap. I've the privilege to meet some of the most amazing people I have ever come across here, and as I glance at the 2010 corps members (that's what they call us) around me, I can scarcely believe God granted so much abounding grace for me to bask in the midst of these amazing individuals, each with our own stories and experiences, but all united by a singular mission.

But more importantly, I am floored by the opportunity to meet our soon-to-be students - children facing extra challenges due to the national injustice called the achievement gap. Kiddos with limitless potential to achieve and succeed beyond everyone's expectations if only they're bestowed the opportunity. The initial meet-and-greet shall transpire whence we visit our summer school sites in a few hours time. I shall be teaching 8th grade English at ICEF View Park Preparatory Accelerated Charter Middle School this summertide (Why do charter schools adopt such exhaustive names?)!!! I am so humbled by this thoroughly exciting yet blatantly daunting task. Though I am learning how to teach for the following five weeks, I've a hankering my students will end up teaching me more than I am going to teach them.

"...For all things are possible with God." - Mark 10:27

I've so very much to learn. And, so, let the learning commence!

Gone camping

2010-06-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

Though I've just returned to La La Land from a southern soiree, I'm bon voyaging again upon finishing this post for the impending insanity dubbed Induction and Institute, better known as Teach For America's summer boot camp.I've tarried the few frenzied days post-bidding the former nine-to-six farewell and pre-Atlanta-ing strategically observing a plethora of muy excellente and inspiring TFA classrooms, hustling to finish pre-Institute work, prepping and packing haphazardly, and, of course, amassing a robust reservoir of anecdotes on the magnitude of work that encompasses Institute.

INT. 7th GRADE HUMANITIES CLASSROOM - MORNING

I have just observed a TFA teacher's class period. She and I chat about Institute.

HELEN

How much sleep did you get a night during training?

TFA TEACHER

2 hours a night.

HELEN

What?!

TFA TEACHER
But I was anal. Don't worry. Most people get 4.

I don't exactly know what to expect, except that the objective of the following 6 weeks is to mold us into teacher-leaders of the well-oiled TFA-indoctrinated type. I'll be residing at LMU, so ya know, please feel free to sublet the LAbode from me 'til August (please (contact me for deets!)???). I know not how much time I'll have to blog and such, so do forgive me if my posts sparsify. I shall attempt to update about ATL, and subsequently, TFA boot camp (and what God is teaching me through it). Please pray for me if it e'er crosses your mind. Mine heart's pitter pattering with nervousness and excitement. Jeepers, here goes!

Dearest Daddy-o,

2010-06-20T22:35:00.000-07:00

You are the most amazing, hard-working, sacrificial, understanding, endearing, hippest leather jacket sportin' - basically, the very BEST, man I know.Happy Father's Day. I love you so!!!

So proud to be your daughter,
Helen

Hope your weekend projections incorporate

2010-06-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

hefty heaps ofHappy Friday, gents and gals! I'm returning from southern submersion upon tomorrow evening's end, so kindly anticipate Atlantan anecdotes next week. Cheers cheers cheers, m'dears!