Co-Workers B-day

Here's some pics from my co-worker's birthday party we went to recently. The shadow over my face is for your benefit. The background is the San Pablo Dam.

Mary looks really pretty in this pic. =) My co-worker's son is only 2 months younger than Christian. I really can't believe that he is only in the 25th percentile in height because he is so much larger than any other babies that we meet.

Mary and I are debating, and it really is a debate on whether or not to have another kid. I really want another son, daughter okay. I just think it will be much harder to raise one child than two. When you have only one you have to be that child's playmate, but when you have two they can play with each other and leave the parent's alone. Plus I think having only one child is kinda sad.

Going Green

I’m going GREEN folks! WHAT!? That’s right you heard it right. You may think that Jin Choi is the last to go green. I think recycling cans is extra work and attracts ants. Recycling paper? Forget about it. Taking public transportation? Yeah right. But listen people, we need to step up and help save Mother Earth. The solution? A 4 day work week!

Studies have shown that a four day work week would mean 20 percent fewer trips to and from work, reducing gasoline consumption by an estimated 65 million gallons per day, not to mention lower greenhouse gas emissions, happier and more well-rested employees and cost savings elsewhere (i.e., less energy to cool/heat and light offices, reduced need for work-time child-care, etc.). I have also read some studies that show a 4 day work week increases productivity.

I mean it’s a win, win situation. This is not a new idea folks. It’s been around for a long time since the oil crunch in the 70’s. But how long people, will we continue to abuse our earth. We need to step up and make our voices heard. 4 day work week!!!

So try to recycle if you can, use those blue bins at work for your papers if you want, BUT as a red blooded American you have to do your part in spreading the word of the 4 day work week to everyone you know. It really is your civic duty, and it helps the environment. That’s why I’m on board.

Irrational Thoughts

A while back there was an article about a father in Houston who accidentally left his 8 month old daughter in the back of his car and went in to work for 8 hours. Apparently taking the baby to daycare was a change in the couple’s routine, and so the father forgot to drop the baby off and instead just went into work. After work he went to the daycare to pick up the baby and then noticed the baby in the backseat. The baby was rushed to the emergency room but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Okay so why in the hell would I tell such a morbid story? Because this true story has jacked me up for life. A couple weeks ago I started taking Christian to daycare in the morning and this was a major change from my daily routine. So for the first few days after work, as I enter my car I am startled by the car seat being in the backseat and all of a sudden I am paralyzed with this irrational fear that I left Christian in it. So every morning after I drop Christian off I reach my hand in the back and pat the car seat to make sure he’s not in it. I actually do this a couple times. I also make sure to check the backseat before I leave my work parking lot in the morning.

I wouldn’t say that I am a forgetful person but like this father when I stray from my normal routine I can easily miss things. It’s not like what he did couldn’t happen to any one of us. But how do you go on from something like that? How could he face his wife? I was having a conversation with my pastor about this and not sure who said it, but I would never want my wife to forgive me for this. I could never forgive myself, I would want to be reminded daily of what I did. Isn’t that so sad that I think like that? But I think it is hard for a lot of people to accept forgiveness for things. Basically it comes down to pride and maybe a little self loathing.

Anyways thanks to this real life event I can never be truly at peace dropping him off at daycare. The other day I actually wanted to go to my car and check to make sure he wasn’t there. But I kept telling myself, “No I dropped him off! You’re being irrational!” Sometimes I have to yell at the voice in my head…yes I am crazy. Muahahahahahah!

Deep Sea Fishing Trip

DJ finally sent me some pics from the deep sea fishing trip we went on last year for DKoo's bachelor party. This is all of us sitting in the front of the boat as we were leaving the dock. A half hour later we hit some rough waters and we literally almost got swept off the boat.

So all of us pictured here and DJ the camera guy were all sitting in the front and one by one as the waves kept splashing onto us people abandoned ship. Soon there were just 3 of us braving the waves. Until this one wave just came over all of us and just drenched us. I think the captain knew that we were all gonna get drenched and was probably laughing his ass off. He was probably thinking, "What a bunch of dumbasses."





This was the first time I've ever gone deep sea fishing and it will probably be my last. It took us like two hours to get to our deep sea fishing destination. By that time 3 of us were already sick and had yakked off the side of the boat numerous times. Luckily I was one of the lucky ones who didn't get sick. But a couple times I felt like yakking. The 3 who got sick actually got so sick that they couldn't even fish. It sucked because it cost a lot of money and they didn't even get to cast once. I'm glad I experienced it once though and believe me once was enough.

Here are some of the fruits of my 6 hour round trip to hell and back. Check out the huge eyes that look like they are going to pop. It's because they almost did because of the rapid pressure change as you are reel the fish in. We actually cooked up the orange one and it was really good. The other one was nasty.

I am actually going on a fishing trip with my friend Rich on May 10th. Anybody want to come?

Family Reunion

You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good . . . to save many people alive. —Genesis 50:20


Today’s QT was about Joseph. Joseph is my favorite character in the Bible. It was his story of hardship and forgiveness that led me to Christ 13 years ago. I don’t liken myself to Joseph by any means other than that I was blown away at his ability to forgive and forget despite the cruelty that he endured. It was his letting go that allowed me to let go of my anger and hatred. I was carrying it around for so long and it was really heavy. Like Golem in the Lord of the Rings whose appearance changed because of the ring, I think that my anger and hatred truly changed my appearance. I’m really not kidding about this.

I remember that day alone in my mother’s room in Korea when I gave my life to the Lord, how light I felt. I felt the shackles come free, and the heavy burden lifted off my shoulders.

I rarely talk about my testimony anymore or revisit it in my mind for that matter. I guess I kind of got jaded as I told it so many times throughout college. But I need to remember and revisit it because it is a special testimony. The last time I shared it before a large congregation was with Pastor Joe at a church in Concord. I told myself that was the last time I wanted to ever share it. But that is too absolute and I will continue to share it as God leads me.

Joseph is amazing. If I had the power that he had I might have caused my brothers some harm. Mary says the reason I lift weights is because of my dad, so when I see him I won’t let him hurt me again. But not only for that reason, so I won't let anybody hurt me physically the way he did. I guess I have often thought about our reunion and how it would play out. When I was a kid and he was so mush bigger than me, he never had mercy as he was pummeling me. He would always beat me up in our bathroom so I couldn’t run or move out of the way.

Many years ago I did picture our reunion ending in violence just because of the way he is and all the emotions that would well up inside of me. But I don’t think that way anymore. I haven’t seen him since I graduated from high school. He’s probably this old man now, much smaller than I remember. Life has probably not been kind to him with all the drinking, smoking, and womanizing.

Actually I don’t think we will meet before he dies and as hard as that is I have made my peace with it. Before the birth of my son, I was sitting with Mary and we started to talk about my dad and from out of nowhere I started to sob like a little baby. Like really crying, letting it all out. I never cry so this was really weird and it took me by surprise. I cried because my son would never know his grandfather.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

I just started up a membership to this Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school that opened up in Feb in the El Cerrito Plaza. I am their 8th student, it is a really small place. The school is taught by Sergio Silva who was taught by Marcello Montiero-Ricardo de la Riva, who was taught by Carlson Gracie Sr. This Saturday was my first day and let me just say it was awesome! There were only 4 students and one instructor. I really loved the one on one training that we got. We spent the first hour just doing drills and practicing submission moves and escapes. Then the last half hour we got to spar. Let me just say again it was amazing!!!

My first round of sparring I got paired with one of the senior students. It was a four minute round and the first 3 minutes I had the upper hand, I took him down on his back and got him in a half mount and then a full mount. The instructor just told me to hold that position as long as I could. I didn’t know I was supposed to submit him, so I didn’t. But I got tired really fast. Then he shouted some instructions to my opponent and before I knew it he took my back. After the 3 minute mark I gassed out and the guy got on my back, sunk the hooks in, and tried to choke me out. The guy on top of me kept making me laugh cuz as he was choking me he kept talking to me. He kept saying, ”You work out man?”, “Dang you go to the gym a lot huh?” At first he tried to use his arms to choke me, and the whole time the instructor was shouting out instructions to him. The guy on top of me replied back, “I’m trying but the guy has a huge neck.” Again I laughed.

He then started using the gi to choke me. I turned my head to the right as you are supposed to do and just kept pulling his hands away from my neck, remaining calm and breathing. The whole time I was thinking this is awesome! The instructor shouted to me that I only had 10 seconds left, so I was able to hold out until the round was over. Afterwards the instructor patted me on the back and said, “Nice, good job.”

I got to rest while another pair grappled. Then in my second match I got paired with a pretty small guy. I immediately took him to the ground and put my arms around his head and one of his arms, applied a little pressure and forced him to tap out. The second time I put him in a side arm bar and forced him to tap. Then I made him tap 3 more times each with a different kind of choke, one of them being a rear naked. I felt kind of bad for the guy, but at the same time I was just so thrilled I was making someone tap. At my other school we didn’t spar full strength so this was my first time.

The instructor told my opponent, “If you go strength to strength against him you are going to lose each time. If I went strength to strength against him I would lose, you need to try a different tactic.” I have to admit it was hard trying to hide the big smile on my face.

I’m not sure what took me so long to start taking Brazilian Jiu Jjitsu. Pastor Joe said I would like it. All I know is this class is awesome! I was so amped that whole day and I couldn’t wait to go back to the next class. The whole weekend I kept thinking about the class and the moves. This school is so perfect, one because it is 5 minutes from my house, and the people and the instructor there are so much better than the place I used to go to in Oakland. Everybody is so nice, cool, and respectful. The instructor even calls me sir. I want to make it one of my life goals to get a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Can you feel my excitement? I didn’t even feel half as excited in my other school.

Idol Gives Back

This past week on American Idol they had an American Idol gives back special where they raised money for different causes. They showed a bunch of clips of different celebrities in Africa or in different slums in America helping out. I am usually callous to those clips of starving children or children infected with AIDS, and I hate how celebrities act up to the camera. Like Celine Dion and the Mannings, I’m sure as soon as the cameras turned off they were like I’m outta here.

But one clip almost moved me to tears. There was one with Forest Whitaker and his wife in Africa and these 3 little kids were showing the couple their house and where they slept. Basically they slept on the concrete floor and all 3 of the kids slept on this little spongy mat hardly big enough for one of them. Just seeing those kids arranging themselves on that mat so all of them could fit just broke my heart. They showed Forest Whitaker and his wife outside crying and trying to collect themselves and I really felt their genuine pain. As a father I couldn’t imagine my son living in those conditions. I don’t even want to think about it now.

Maybe that’s why I fast forward whenever I see something like that because it’s easier to just not think about it and pretend it’s not happening. After all what can one person do? A lot apparently. I used to be Bono hater. I thought he was such a poser, but that guy is pretty awesome. He does so much for charity and despite criticism, I think he is one man making a huge difference in the world. I didn't know this but he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize several times.