The end of Semester

I am so busy. I don't even know how many things I have piled up in my list. I have couple papers, projects needed to do and final needed to study. The next couple of week, I will focusing on school work,(my primary duty). I will only post messages with pictures mainly. I know I haven't written a long articles for a while. I promise after the exam I am going to write too much you won't want to read my blog anymore.

My New Plant

The 2010 Lynn Electric Marathon

If you guys are interested about which marathon I am doing, please go to

http://kansasmarathon.com/

My target finishing time is between 2:00 - 2:20

That is the target time if I do not stop. I might take my time if I decided to take picture.

But, I want the certification. I think I will just run.

The detail about the half marathon is on: (http://kansasmarathon.com/marathon.html)

• Race Date: April 18th, 2010
• Race Start: Shenk Sports Complex (23rd & Iowa)
• Race Finish: Shenk Sports Complex (23rd & Iowa)
• Start Time: 7:30 AM
• Aid stations approximately every mile along the course. Serving water, sports drink, gels, restrooms, etc...
• Scenic course offering several spectator-friendly areas
• Chip timed event

And the map is on

http://kansasmarathon.com/lawrence-half-marathon-map.pdf

Nice day to sit out and have lunch with a friend

I don't want to become a runner like this

I was in youtube looking for some fast running clip, then the search bar suggested me this

The Guy Who Crapped His Pants.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If5ssdvfRm8

It just look so bad.

OMG...I can't stop laughing

North Dakota Trip Events

Event 1: Introduction Time

Me: Hi, My name is Vincent Wong. I come from Hong Kong

Kids: Cool.

Kids: So, where is Hong Kong?

Me: ...

Me: (Stretching my eyes very wide and flat) Where you find a lot of people look like this.

Event 2: Social Time

Claire: Where have you been in Asia?

Me: I have been in Macao

Megan: What about your cow

Me: ...

Event 3: Game Time

Kids: I don't want to play with him, he is ninja master

Me: ...

Event 4: Cooking Time

Charlie: This is our last night, we should try to use the rest of stuff for something.

Me: Definitely, at least make something makes some girls become fat.

Charlie: We should make cookies, but we don't have butter.

Me: I think we can use the syrup.

Charlie and I: (10 minutes later) The syrup cookies are so good.

New Blog Title

What do you think? I kind of think the new title sound much better and give better understanding to people what this blog about. However, I think the new title consume too much space. What I mean is I don't like the new title needed 2 lines to show on the top.

Atchison - South East to South West

Up Hill 1

The Evil Factory pollute the air - smell like acid

On a bridge

Up Hill 2

Railroad

Cows

One of my favorite house in Town

Poor side of Atchison

Up Hill 3

Day 5

If you see careful, I am firing.

Half way between the house and the Church. (4 miles)

Dip Stick?

Altar with Indian decoration. (Awesome)

This is Fr. Steve. I love him so much. He like a grandfather to me.

The awesome window

Mandaree Students were coming to our house.

New Town Church

The kid in the middle called Joe. He is super super kind.

North Dakota Day 4

The Indian Elementary School classroom

The kid is showing off.

Where am I? Middle of no where? Where is coffee shop? Oh... no GPS...

North Dakota Trip Day 3

The novel way to shave

The bath of beef

North Dakota Day 1 and Day 2

First day, we spent all the day in a 15 passenger van.
Second day, we only prepare things, such as we went to Wal-mart for
foods, pray and get some tools ready for the school.
We brought 363 dollars food. Thanks for the campus ministry taxes free
sponsor.
I was impressed how Abbey Novak got everything ready by her own,
especially meals for all of us and for all the kids who are invited to
come.
In Wal-mart, I felt funny of holding 30 pounds of grounded beef. I
felt I am getting ready a ground beef bath.

Charlie hold all these stuffs all the way to North Dakota for 16 hours

Second Night we ran out of corn flake and have no bread crunch, I invented the Captain Crunch breaded Chicken

Charlie and I were so excited about it. ACtually, it tasted very good.

Michael and his hysterical cup

Self-Reflection of MBA

After I graduated in Bachelor of Business Administration, I went back
Hong Kong and did three months part-time job as a logistic assistant.
I did not satisfy with a position of assistant. I would like to make
decision judgements and be hold accountability of my action. Here is
what they say in America: undergrad only study about theory; a master
program study about implementation. Then, I quickly used my connection
connect with my old school; they granted me an assistantship soon I've
contacted with them.

Then the financial crisis expose, school cancelled the assistantship.
I still went back to America pursue the MBA program by hoping soon I
could find a part-time job to cover my tuition fee. Not soon, I was
informed that even I am a master student I am still not allow to work
off campus. I began to try to find an internship instead of some part-
time work.

It was difficult because every company has cut their budget. I tried
many job search engines, but there is no internship available. Then, I
tried to use some old fashion way, mailing resume out, to companies
which I am interest. My respond is only 1 out of 20, and the only
respond was I made a following up call. It was not cost efficiency,
soon after few more attempts I drop this idea. After all, I decided
that it wasn't that bad to rely on connection to get a job. I went to
the student career center and asked the person to help. I read a
statement somewhere, and it said 90% of your first impression of
someone probably is right in the end. My guessing is correct, that
person was not capable of her job, because she can't even answer me
the result of a survey she asked those just grad student to do few
months ago.

I tried to approach the professors in the school. They gave me a list
of old students and some chamber of commerce persons that I can
contact with, but the result is even more dreadful than mailing resume
out. The closest one was my international business professor at that
time. She was working in a logistic field and I had a match resume
with her, then I talked with her and gave her my resume. Her comment
to my resume and cover letter was impressive, so I knew isn't my
resume or cover wrong. But, the trail went silence again in the end.

The last couple things I tried are Linked In, career fair and company
website. My furious among these are career fair. I went to one in a
hotel. Firstly, the career fair cannot find the list of companies
attending to. Secondly, only around 10 companies is participating on
the day. Thirdly, 60% of them are female dedicated institution. I felt
wasted my time and gas money. Another I went was in a big university
career fair. Couple things I remember, half of them are government
organization they reject international student. That I can understand.
Then, 50% of them are there just because they want to get their name
out. Here is one of the conversation I with the personnel that day.

Hi. My name is Vincent. How are you doing? (Then he introduced his
name to me). Then I asked: are you here look for potential candidate
for your company. He respond yes. Then I asked is your company hiring
people right now? He said no. And then I said: anyway, I am very
interested of your company. Can you tell me what kind of person is
your company look for. He said pretty much person with leadership.
Then I asked: is there any place I can show my leadership in your
company application form? He said: Just on the form. (Because there is
no such place) I asked is there any person I can try to contact he
said no.

So, how is the program? Some is good, some is bad. Project management
I did very bad in the class, but I think the class is very good, it
learn something isn't very ordinary. Account Information Management is
bad too, but is also something I think it is worthy to take it. Most
class I rate bad is that I have the expectation in the class. It
should be 75% about implementation and difficult problem solving.
There is no basic information need to cover about in class, because
the textbook have already covered them very detail. Sometime I feel
the professor give some shitting homework, example and class lecturer
is okay, as look as the professor demonstrate critical think and
opinion. However, some professor not, then I will just feel I am out
knowledge of professor.

It is okay to pressure the MBA program. Actually, when I was in
undergrad I already looking to get a master program. Now is almost
finish, I am very grad, the only different is is not in Germany. My
current GPA is 3.76. I guess it will stay above 3.6 by my graduation
day. Hopefully, my hardworking will pay off in long-term. I also
grateful to my Dad. If is not his financial supporting I will never
able to do it.

In the end, do I get what I want from beginning? It is no. Because
having an MBA is not something will right bring you to a manager
position and an instance rase of salary. My latest comment of business
is a word "figurlism", they just talk about number all the time and
tell you what is right and wrong by that. My comments is if later or
soon I will take the MBA course, I would rather to take it now and
realize that something I might need as much. I am not finishing the
course in May, but in December; I will still go finish the course
because no need to wasted all the money for nothing (the
certification.)

My Half Marathon Training Review

My race is on the 17 th of April. Location in Lawrence, KS.

My best recent speed record:

Track Mill Speed: 7 ( 8:40 mins. per mile)
Duration: 46 mins
Distance: 5.4 miles.

My best recent distance record:
Track Mill Speed: 6.5 ( 9.13 mins. per mile)
Duration: 84 mins
Distance: 8.6 miles

My recent toughest run:
Tack Mill Speed: 6 ( 10 mins. per mile) and 5.5 ( 40 mins later)
Duration: 84 mins
Distance: 7.3 miles

Training have been getting more difficult and difficult.
Personal events are getting more and more, training time is getting
less.
Temperature is rising. (I miss running out when is 0 degree in celsius)
Humid rate is getting higher by the increase of Spring rains.

I can foresee the week before race day my best distance record will
only be 11 miles.
I guess I have to go with undertrained.

P.S. I will be gone for a week, so posts will under after I got back
because I will have no internet access.

My weakness

I read an article today. It is Reaching Your Potential. I am not
because feeling that I am a loser so I read this article. It just
because I made myself to read article every week, if not I will never
read them. I read this article by random choice from my database (my
computer).

The first question: it asked me to do is to list three of my strength
and three of my weakness. What happen is that I come up so many things
I can pick for my weakness, but none I can think of for my strength.
First weakness is I am not a talkative person. There is two cases will
make me very talkative. Firstly: When I depress and frustrated in the
same time, then I will know what I don't like and than every thing
else look so wonderful; afterward I will complaint and complaint; in
the end I will tell what I want in the moment. Secondly: when I have
the data (information). I am a very informative guy. If I want to say
something, I try to ensure what I speak is correct. Most of the stuff
I read is research paper, even not in school life. I love them,
because they are interesting and I enjoy not to spend time to do the
research to know the result. They are long, but I think most of them
did a good job analyzing the problem and were well detailed the
background information. I kind of jealous woman can always find things
to talk. They can talk from morning to evening. I just don't
understand. I wonder how they manage their flow of emotion daily. I
guess they never, that is why woman emotion so chaos. I have problem
to think a solution can help me to resolve this weakness.

My second weakness: Lack of leadership. I just don't like speak up, I
also hate being demanding, plus I am always nervous and worrisome. For
example, I am going to run a half marathon in April, and these are my
list of worry: what happen if I want to pee in the middle of the run,
in the moment my best mile is 7.2 and I only have 4 weeks how will I
finish on the race day, where to park, how to get to the registration
table, what happen if I can't run anymore in the middle of the race
how will I get back to my car, what is the water supply of that day,
will the day very windy, humid, rainy, and so on. Most of the time
because of my worrisome and nervous characteristic, I has almost never
shown leadership. I am making myself try new things lately, so I guess
this point might get better in the future.

My third weakness: Lack of affection. Here is what happen. When people
very excited a thing and come to me and tell me why that is so
exciting, 90% what will happen is that I will respond "Oh! All
right!" plus a very bold face. As I mention above, I will think a lot
of thing. When I finish analysis the thing which people come to tell
me I already not excited, because the brain power I needed to use to
analyze the thing normally is greater than the excitement. I need a
girlfriend so I just need to know if she is excited so I can excited,
then I don't need to think about a thing.

These just get through the first paragraph of the paper. It is getting
to long here, I will continue tomorrow.

Lent Review

I was asked how I was doing my Lent by a friend, Betsy, other day. She remembered that I have committed to do many things this year.

So here is the review:

1. Daily Bible Study:

I have been doing bible study every day even when I was in Hong Kong, except a night I was a slacker. I am so happy that I have finished the seven books of wisdom in bible. My favorite books of wisdom is Job. I felt myself share the same pain with Job. And lately, I felt myself in the same story in Eccleesiastes. Yes, I mean I am the bride. Others are very good too; my least favorite one is Psalm too long too boring. (I am not a very literature guy)

Currently, I am in among James, Peter 1 and 2, John 1, 2, & 3 and Jude. I think I am going Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Baruch, Ezekiel, daniel, Hosea and Joel next. Afterward, I will go back to read all the Saint. Paul letter in new testament. Then, I will officially finish reading new testament. (Yes!!!) Very unfortunately, when I converted to Catholic I have thrown away my Protestant version Bible, I forgot where was I in the old testament. I guess I have to read from Genesis again. Of course, I know I will love it very much, because Leviticus is my most memorable books from the old testament and I will have changes to go through it again.

2. Daily morning and evening pray:

I missed two morning pray. Those two morning pray was because after I came back from Hong Kong I was unexpected slept until 1 in the afternoon. Otherwise, I have been doing those every day. The funny thing is when I travel to Hong Kong after finished my Wed. evening pray I did the Thrus. morning pray right away, because Hong Kong is 12 hours faster than in America.

3. Adoration every week

The only time I didn't do is when I was in Hong Kong. They only had it once a month and was not that week. I joined adoration in Abby with the monks every Saturday night at 8 o'clock. I love it, and they do night prayer at the same time too.

4. No food between meals

I have been doing great, even when I was in Hong Kong. The only thing I remember was when I travel to Hong Kong I wasted an entire meal instead of finished it.

My best friend (Renee) and I agreed that we will go to cheesecake factory after Easter. Can't wait

5. No movies

This is the tough one. When I travel to and return from Hong Kong, those 60 hours of flight time I watched people watching movies which I would have love to seen very much. I also miss doing it when I wash dishes.

6. No chocolate

The first morning of Lent the very time I woke up I forgot it Lent, I took one piece of chocolate from my freezer and had it. Otherwise, I have been doing great. There is a story behind too. Originally, when I said I will give up chocolate I only mean chocolate candy. Later, I had half chocolate cake and a cup of chocolate drink, then I felt weird. It is weird in the sense that I can't eat chocolate candy but I can eat or drink other chocolate related products. Now I just give up everything is related to chocolate. I am planning to make a chocolate party right after Easter break. I will share my big bag of chocolate, make some chocolate cookies, buy a chocolate cake and bring all of my coco drink and mocha coffee to celebrate. I just pop up an idea, what about Asian chocolate hot pot. Haha... It sounds so good.

7. Tidy.

I have been doing great, except the week after I came back from Hong Kong. I slept until one everyday; all of my classwork is so behind...

8. Love other more than myself

I will give myself half half on this one. The reason is I forgot about it most of the time. And, honestly, it is hard. Do not mix up between being nice to people and love someone. When you see a stranger you said hi and smile, it is not love someone this is just being nice to people. You can being nice to someone you hate, but is hard to love someone you hate. The good point is I invited a student in my school who has listening disability and do sign language in mass every Sunday to join my friend at my place for supper once, but she was busy. Then I was confuse why I invited her, is it because I feel sorry for her so I want to make her a supper or because I think she is pretty, or both in the same time. I think I will reserve this idea, because I think I just try to nice to her but not try to "love" her. Of course, this is not only reason I give myself half half. Actually, I spend time to know my friends life, I do researches to know what they studying and doing. I found this help understand the person a lot, and give you topic to chat with.

9. Smile

I forgot this one most of the time also. But, even I remember it might hard for me from all the stress at school work.

10. Be affirmative

I forgot this one as well. I guess I am genetic heritage the negative opinion from my parents. Plus, I am so business and super data, figures number guy. I just can't let myself forget all the information, figures proof which I have read on the news and try to agree with someone even when I know it is wrong.

My Apartment

Is closet and storage room combo.

My air-mattress and humidifier.

Bath room. Why two scale? One, always didn't work; another one, not accurate.
I guess I won't be a good guy help people buying stuffs.

Looks from the bathroom window. It's winter, everything look very dead.

My kitchen is awesome.
I love kitchen, kitchen, kitchen.
It is my study place, my meditation place, my dinning place, my for-other-stuffs place, my reading room, my nap place, my pity-for-my-loneliness place, my dancing place, my guess room, my social room, my entertainment room, my pray room, my relax room, my prepare-ingredient room, my homework room, my movie room, my drinking room. ( I guess that's it)
Yes, it is the exercise ball; but, is my sit actually.
In additionally, there is also a mat on the floor.
I sat there to do all these stuffs too.

Kitchen another side (2)
I love my own kitchen. It don't always clean. And, no frustration about trash, unwished dishes, and cleaning.

My dying plant.

My freezer is full of "good" stuffs.
On the right: Shrimp, coffee powder, more coffee powder, pre-cooked frozen chicken meats, candy, chopped for 3 meals ground-beef.
On the left: chicken breast, chicken wings(you can't see), fish fillets, chicken nuggets, breads, beef "steak", chocolate candy (big bag), frozen mix veggie, french fries, mix veggie, more frozen veggie, and veggie and veggi.
Well, I have two months leave in this room, who care as long as I finished these before I need to move out.

Normally, not much.
Stuffs only will exists for this week: Yogurt, eggs, bagel.
Stuffs normal you can find: coffee powder, milks, water, cheese, jams, ... more for ingredient.

Plant (#2)