Thanksgiving Challenge - Day 7-9

(I'm waay behind but here goes)

1) Grooveshark: It is debatable if this online music streaming service is legal or not but either way, Grooveshark has allowed me to listen to music at work from my favourite artists
2) JayessLee: Harmonizing (and mesmorizing) Korean twins from Australia. They played and sang in concert on Friday. I thank them for sharing their touching testimony and giving God the glory with their music and talents. It has re-inspired me to do the same
3) Coupons: Businesses promote their goods, I save money. A reason to get me to go out!
4) Large dinner events: On Saturday was the Dalit Awareness Dinenr where ~300 people attended. It has been awhile since I've attended these kind of events where there was plenty of food, music, and dance. It was great community event and I connected with people I have not seen in a long time.
5) Clear skies at night: I had the opportuinity to walk around downtown at night; the skies were clear and crisp, the city lights, stars and moon were shining bright in beautiful elegance. Even though I've seen it before, it always makes me acknowledge God and for this beautiful creation.
6) Pastors: It is pastors appreciation month this October. I'm really thankful for the hard work and service they put in, and for taking a lot of peoples' excrement.
7) Rooibos tea: I prefer not to consume caffeine, but I like my tea. I'm glad my dad introduced me to a product of South Africa, rooibos tea. High in antioxidants, it's lack of caffeine makes it my healthy and flavourful choice.
8) Electricity: Actually electricity is natural (lightning) but the ability to harness and generate electricity for world use and consumption has really propelled humans into incredible advances in technology and innovation. No electricity, no light, no computers, no technology.
9) iPad: I don't use it a lot but I give thanks for this device. It has enabled my mom to surf the web with ease, use her email and Facebook to connect with her relatives.
10) Health: We often take our health for granted, only until we are sick or injured do we realize how vital it is to function. I'm thankful that I've been healthy my whole life and especially now, I haven't been seriously sick.
11) Starfield: One of my favourite Christian bands. I like their music and lyrical style, plus the lyrics aren't superficial. It actually causes me to think, to pause, to digest, and enjoy.
12) My friends: Item #12 to signify the twelve disciples, which makes me dedicate this one to all my friends (not Facebook friends, but FRIENDS). I'm thankful for my friends to keep me grounded, humble, to make fun of, to make fun of me. It's ace.
13) Paper: To capture my ideas and to-do lists
14) Trees: To follow up on the paper idea, trees take CO2 and converts it to Oxygen, provides shade, nice scenery, source of paper, wood for houses, tables, and GUITARS!
15) Keyboard: Obviously I type faster than I write. Makes a huge difference when you're writing a long essay

Thanksgiving Challenge - Day 5 & 6

I'm thankful for:
1) Knowing how to play piano: Actually, I give thanks for my mom to urge me to play piano. There was a point where I didn't enjoy it, but now whenever I'm bored, stressed, or feeling creative, I just play the piano and play whatever is on my mind. It also gave me the musical foundation to play many other instruments, such as ....
2) Guitar: There's something so beautiful about the guitar, the sound it makes, the look of it. It has definitely kept me out of trouble for many years
3) Tea: I like how there are so many different kinds of tea for different moods, settings, and occasions. My workplace kitchen has over 20 different varieties and I've been experimenting here and there. Rooibos, Orange Pekoe, Indian Chai, Green, Jasmine, Peppermint, Earl Grey, etc etc. But so far, my favourite is Orange Pekoe with cream, sweetened with honey.
4) Chocolate: I love my chocolate; whether it's brownies, cookies, fudge, ice cream, etc etc. So good - makes me happy. Makes everyone happy (except for Jacqueline and Michelle... they don't like chocolate -.- ) Only thing is if I eat too much without any liquids, I get a sore throat
5) People with a similar personality as me: There are only a few people (very few) that have a similar personality and character as me. We don't hang out often, but when we do, it is THE BOMB!
6) Vancouver Transit: Compared to some places I've been to (Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray... ALBERTA), transit in Vancouver is TOP-NOTCH. I take it school, now I'm taking it to work in downtown.
7) Literacy: Imagine that you couldn't read, write, or type. We are blessed to live in a nation where there is education and where the literacy rate is 99%. On the other end of the scale, South Sudan's literacy rate is 27%.
8) Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V: My most commonly used short-cuts.
9) Wikipedia: Everything to anything I need to know about the world. It has proved to be more useful than any of my university textbooks
10) Good sound-emitting devices: It's come to a point now where I need really good quality speakers/headphones in order to enjoy music/movies. The bass has to be strong, the frequency range has to be wide, when I listen to live albums, it has to sound and ALMOST feel like I'm there.

Thanksgiving Challenge - Day 3 & 4

I give thanks for:

1) Google: Honestly, I wouldn't be able to handle the amount of things I'm involved in without Google. Their products (Gmail, GDocs, Gchat, etc) help me organize and run my life at it's optimal efficiency.
2) Water: Living in Vancouver, BC, we are so blessed with amazingly clean and soft water. Even in other parts of Canada, the water is hard, leaves a chalky white residue, and tastes funky. In less-than-developed regions, runnning water is luxury and even if it's accessible, the water is not safe to drink.
3) Good ball-point pens: There's something about a good pen that writes really well. The ink flows nicely, the pen moves smoothly.
4) My Blackberry from TELUS: This one I am truly thankful because a couple years ago, I was not looking for a phone. I get a call from some guy representing TELUS and asking if I want to get a new phone/contract. To make a long story short, I got a pretty good deal for email, messaging, unlimited texting and that helped me stay connected with people when I worked in Fort McMurray for 8 months. (Before this TELUS plan, I only had 250 text messages per month)
5) Great company: Doing co-op at SAP is THE BOMB! I'm just happy to soak up all the experience from a leading global company.
6) Great co-workers: Everyone I've met at my company is really friendly, respectful, and easy to talk to.
7) Great work environment: Okay, I'm really stretching this one but the facility at my workplace is great; free milk/coffee/tea, cheap $0.25 pop, great kitchens, lounges, pool tables, foosball tables, weight room, health services, etc
8) Mom: I still live at home (but I pay a discount amount for rent/food) - I'm really thankful for a mom to keep the house stocked with food and cook meals for lunch/dinner.
9) Dogs: My two dogs with very different personalities bring me great joy and happiness. Though they may be annoying at times, they are really fun.
10) Snacks: I don't know, I love my snacks, I'm always hungry, I eat my snacks. I'm hungry at this moment. Time for some snacks!

My Engrish is getting worse

It has been over a year since I've been in school - I've been on co-op since Sept 2010 and will be until the end of 2011 and I can already feel the effects of being out of school for a significant amount of time.

My mastery of English is deteriorating. When I type, my sentences are not making sense. My grammar and spelling is off. I've noticed that people are asking me more frequently to repeat what I've said... I'm beginning to notice slurring, lack of clarity and enunciation in my speech.

IT IS TIME TO GET IT BACK before I return to class in January 2012.

 How?
- Back to reading books
- Reading out loud (and in a British accent to improve clarity and enunciation)
- Writing for my nearly abandoned blog

I hope you keep me accountable in my quest to retrieve what I have lost.

Where is all the time, time, time, time?

My response to women and their wedding plans

(This post was inspired by Tessa's post)

"Needless to say, half the time my job does make me want to get hitched as well. From the beautiful dresses [...], to the exquisite floral arrangements, to the photography - I love it all." - Tessa at www.aMileInHerHeels.com

I've hit the age where my friends are starting to get getting hitched... aka getting married. And all this wedding action only sparks wedding conversations among the single and free, especially the unmarried women.

I've heard reports that girls start planning their dream wedding since age 5. (I congratulate you, Disney, for creating the fantasies for girls of my generation.) If only those fantasies worked for the guys (like the princess marrying the beast, frog, or ogre).

I admit, it gets annoying.

25 random things about me

I got tagged by a friend to do this "25 random things" survey on Facebook and posted it as a note in late-2009. I somehow randomly stumbled onto it again in 2011 and I read through my responses and realized it pretty much sums up "Kevin Chong". Here is a copy of my responses I posted on Facebook...

Here are the rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits or goals about you. At the end choose xx amount of people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you.

1) Guitar =)

2) I don't understand people who do those 200 question survey that asks about your life, who you've kissed or what you are wearing etc (that's right Aaron Lo)

3) I'm straight.

4) Guitar =)

5) I'm rarely at home (or hometown) for my birthday.

6) I'm the guy who says what people are thinking but would never say.

7) People say I'm blunt, I prefer to say I'm honest. The truth hurts =)