Because It's Memorial Day

Memorial Day, I would like to share my deepest respect and pride to our fallen veterans who fought with vigor and courage. Their graves spread across the country as a reminder of their sacrifices and a reminder that in war, no one really wins. May your souls rest in peace and I hope that the country remember all your bravery throughout generations and everyday, not just this one. 

 Chuyến BayXẽ Đưa Anh Về


Đêm nay là đêm cuối,
xin hãy ôm em vào lòng,
cho em ghi nhớ nhịp tim và hơi thở,
cho em ghi nhớ tình ắm ắp đêm đông.
Anh ra đi em buồn biết bao.
Hai hàng lệ rơi,
em không thể nói gì.
Xin anh hiểu, em yêu anh trọn đời.
Anh đi, anh buồn chăng?
Khi tháy bóng em ưu sầu,
nhìn theo chuyến bay lên trời cao,
tới miền xa lạ, theo phía ánh trăng.

Em ơi, xin đừng buồn.
Ngày tháng phải troi, thời gian phải chạy.
Chuyến bay sẻ đưa anh về.
Ở đay em đi trong cung tuyết trắng,
bên kia anh chạy trên đài cát vàng.
Em nhìn lên bầu trời hy vọng,
anh nhìn xuống vực thẳm sầu vắng.
Ánh mắt ngày xưa, ưu buồn thế sao?
Bước chân anh đi, con đường còn dài,
hai tay ôm chặt để về bên em.
Nhưng nước non vẫn còn mang nặng trên vai.
Em ơi xin đừng buồn.
Ngày tháng phải troi, thời gian phải chạy,
chuyến bay sẻ đưa anh về.
Tứ phía sa mạc cát vàng biết bao.
Chiếu sáng theo những ảo mọng phù du,
đài cát sa mạc như cung thiên thần.

Anh ơi, mắt anh tháy vạy sao?

Tiếng sét vang lên trên sa mạc sầu,
hay tay ôm chặt, bước chân vẫn nạng,
cung thiên thần đài cát cuốn theo măy khói.

Anh ơi, anh ở đâu?
Anh ơi xin đứng buồn.
Ngày thàng phải troi, thời gian phải chạy,
chuyến bay sẻ đưa anh về.

Bầu trời đỏ trong đêm không trăng,
tiếng ai kêu, tiếng ai khóc,
máu ai sơn sợi cát hồng,
xương ai lặng xuống đài cát gía băng.
Em ơi, em ơi xin đừng buồn.
Xương máu mang nặng cho nước non,
xin trả về cho em yêu.
Chuyến bay cuối cùng đả đưa anh về.

 A rough English translation:
The Flight That Brings You Home
Tonight is the last night,
please hold me tight,
let me remember your heartbeat,
let me remember our warm love this winter.
Your departure brings me such despair.
The tears have fallen, now taken in air,
and I can't utter my sentiments.
Please understand, I love you, now and forever.
Are you sad that you are leaving?
Especially when you see my laments of despair,
as I longingly stare at your flight in the sky,
taking you to a strange, faraway land.

Darling, don't be sad.
As days and months pass, time has to move forward,
the flight will bring me home.

Back home, I walk in a winter wonderland,
Over there, you live upon the golden sand.
I constantly gaze at the sky in hope,
as you stare down at the abandoned cliffs of despair.
The eyes I once knew, must it be so full of sorrow?
Your footsteps walk the long path ahead,
hands tight in defense, so to return to me.
But the responsibility to your country still upon your shoulders.

Darling, don't be sad.
As days and months pass, time has to move forward,
the flight will bring me home.

Four corners of desert filled with golden sand.
Glowing to the mirages,
of the desert kingdom.

Your eyes see that sight?

Rumbling thunder strike upon the desert of despair,
your hands clenched in defense, your footsteps still heavy,
the desert kingdom disappeared into smoke.

Where are you?
Please don't be sad,
The days and months pass, time has to move forward,
The flight will bring you home to me.

The sky is red upon a moonless night,
Whose voice is calling, whose voice is crying,
Whose blood paints the grains of sand, red,
Whose bones fell upon the cold sand.
Darling, please don't be sad.
The blood and bones I had given to my country,
I return to you.
The last flight has finally brought me home.


This was written well over a year ago, originally in Vietnamese. I haven't shared it with anyone. But with this, I thank the fallen men and women who have dedicated their lives so that we can live with our freedoms. To me, they will always be remembered, and regardless where they are, the will always return home.

Because I've Read Angel's Blood

Angel's Blood by Nalini Singh was a novel I started yesterday. I've been waiting for it from the library ebook systems and when it was free yesterday, I borrowed it. And this afternoon, I've finished it. To me, it was a fairly well written for a good teenage read (read as: Twilight, anyone). Except I much prefer the female character, Elena Devereux, in Angel's Blood than to Twilight's Isabella Swan. Why? Simple enough. Elena is like Buffy mixed with a CSI forensics team, a bounty hunter (as she is considered one in the novel), and a bit of James Bond with her gadgets (she's very fond of knives). Elena doesn't want to give away her immortality and has been seen to say many, many times over that she would rather die than to be immortal. Isabella, defies all of those contents for being a weak female who prefers to throw away her mortality for perfection. Unfortunately, this novel has elements that made me dislike Twilight: overly handsome vampires that don't die in the sun. Luckily, they don't sparkle either or else I would've thrown it down in disgust. The main male character is Raphael. The Raphael. The Archangel Raphael. Cold, removed, lethal. The idea piqued my interest: archangels ruling over their territory--think of it as each one (there's 10 of them) per section of the earth (North America, South America, Asia, Europe, etc). Raphael ruled over North America, specifically in Manhattan. Perfect setting, no? And under the rule of the archangels were the angels, vampires, and humans, who know of each other's existence. Yeah, the idea of angels creating vampires really blew my mind. Quite an interesting idea. I think I've heard it somewhere before, but have no idea from where. The vampires who were "made" by the angels were chosen and they had to basically work for the angels under a contract, like slaves. It's like a bureaucratic system: if you are a human and want to be a vampire, you fill out paperwork and then if you make it through security clearances and medical testing, you might have a chance to be turned into a vampire. Somehow that amuses me. The punishment for escape was dire. And here comes Elena's job, to hunt the vampires who escaped and bring them back to their angels. With good pay of course.
All details aside, this novel basically detailed how Elena came under the employment of Raphael to help him hunt a rogue archangel who killed and tortured. I can't imagine how this idea would sit with fundamentalist Christians. Elena was chosen for this task out of a bunch of people in her organization because she was a hunter born, meaning she didn't train to be a hunter, she had natural talents. She could smell a vampire or in this case, the scent of an archangel. And using her nose like a bloodhound, she tries to track him down so Raphael could kill him before he destroys civilization. Of course, like all novels, there always has to be a love story! In this case, between Elena and Raphael, mortal with archangel. Can't you just imagine the craziness that ensues given Elena's strong personality and Raphael's relative lack of emotions.
Points that annoyed me:

• Promiscuity. I should've seen that when I read of vampires, but it didn't make me squirm as much as those by the angels. Somehow the idea of a horny angel was slightly disturbing. Maybe because I've always seen angels as heavenly beings who are gentle and loving (or well, guardian angels are since the description of seraphims and archangels in wikipedia made me rethink that gentle and loving idea), untainted by mortal afflictions such as, say, the seven sins. 
• Furthermore, I think I can do without some details that tipped the scale to romantic genre and not like your Jane Austen romantic.  

Points that were good:

Raphael. Sistine Chapel Cherubs.

• Of course one of the main debate here is the value of mortality, which I love. You can see that Raphael's apparently (though somewhat disguised with his personality) emotions toward Elena had turned him somewhat mortal. That was seen firsthand when she shot at his wings, where instead of just healing, it bled profusely. While this may seem like a weakness, Elena pointed out that maybe this mortality would prevent Raphael from going mad with power and bloodlust like the rouge archangel they were hunting. 
• The cherub like mail delivery angel who brought Elena a gift from Raphael! By describing the guy as a cherub, the author pulls up the image of a chubby little blond baby with cute white wings and puffy pink cheeks you usually see in Renaissance and Classical paintings. Although I don't think the delivery angel was nude. The author would've made a note of that. And how do these little guys tie with the story? They're cherubs painted on the Sistine Chapel by famous Italian Renaissance artist, Raphael! 
• Compare this to Twilight, its better written, its characters are far interesting, and its female lead actually does something and far from helpless. As for the male lead, well, you don't get that annoying guilt complex from him. Cold, lethal, powerful. He fits perfectly in Manhattan. And of course your supporting characters have their own amusing personalities.
  

Overall, the read was okay for something that doesn't require a lot of thinking. Best to be read on a lazy summer with nothing to do. And it is possible to finish it in one day. This is the first book in a series, but I'm not sure if I want to continue reading the rest. Mostly since by the time that copy is available for checkout, my curiosity would have died down. Although the ending does provide us with a transition to the second book, I didn't feel much interest. So, don't just go out and grab it off the shelf of Barnes and Noble (of course, unless you can read it in one sitting ;] ), but just borrow it from your local library. 

Crossing Tip #20: What I learned from Twilight and a bunch of books I bought two summers ago: Don't go off buying unless you plan on rereading.

Because I've Got My Laptop Back!

My laptop is back! Bless! I've got it back on Tuesday and had been focusing on installing on my softwares. I didn't realize how much stuff I have to install to function everything. Adobe Acrobat Reader, Adobe Flash, Microsoft Office, internet browsers (Mozilla and Google Chrome), Itunes, Antivirus, etc. Most of the softwares were free. Office and antivirus however, weren't. So I went onto microsoft website to look for a microsoft office suite. Apparently, the cheapest one (MS2010) was over a hundred dollars and it had word, powerpoint, excel, and onenote. However, it didn't have publisher. Now, as a college student, publisher is like one of the greatest and easiest feature to use while creating hardcopy projects like booklets and posters. The only suite that had publisher was the professional one and that was nearly five hundred dollars! Too much for me to afford. Luckily, I found a way for college student to buy microsoft software for a cheap price--through using the university. Apparently, if you attend a US university and have an email, you can buy and download Microsoft softwares at a cheaper price. How cheap? Take Microsoft Office 2010 suite that includes everything: world, ppt, excel, onenote, publisher, outlook, access. Regular retain is nearly five hundred bucks. Price with the university email account is around seventy five dollars. I also found that to upgrade your system to a Windows 7--it's only around thirty dollars. That, to a poor student, is about a bazillion times better than retail price.
Another perk for being a college student is the free antivirus software. Since the university implements a policy that all computers on campus has to have antivirus in order to get into the network, it provides students with antivirus software. What does that mean to me? I don't have to spend nearly sixty dollars on antivirus software! I think my tuition is going to some things that I do need =]

Corner Tip #19: Make sure your university has ways for you to get cheaper softwares before you hop on and buy the expensive retail price. 

Because My Laptop Died...Again

My reading list has been delayed by the breakdown of my laptop. This is the second time it has crashed on me. The first was during finals week in school...that week where I had to do final projects and study images for art history exams. Luckily studying for organic chemistry didn't require laptop. So I quickly brought the laptop to the school's OIT to fix it. It took them about 3 days to get it fixed. When I asked them what was wrong, they said virus (haha, go figure) and hardware failure. I figured that they think that I probably won't understand them anyways if they had said anything more than that (which is true), so I shrugged it off and left, happy to have my laptop back to finish my project. It lasted me for several weeks. Until a few days ago. When I turned it on, it wouldn't go past the start up screen and I ran diagnostics so many times. Luckily, the day before that, I bought an external drive and backed up all my files (pictures, movies, music, schoolwork). It was a miracle. Luckily, baby Phong's daddy works in computers so he was able to figure out what was wrong (harddrive failure). So he ordered Dell to send a new harddrive because I still have warranty (I didn't even know I had warranty!). What's more of a miracle is that I have 22 days left of the warranty! Whoo! And now, while on my sister's laptop (which I have to slam my fingers on the keys to type), I am awaiting the return of my laptop.
But anyways, after I finished Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, I started on Stephen Lawhead's Avalon: Return of King Arthur. I barely got past the first few chapters before the laptop crashed, so I haven't a clue how the book is in the long run. But with the first few chapters, it seemed very interesting. Now, hopefully I don't have to wait until the ebook expired on my library account to continue it. =[ that would make me very sad.
I had a sudden craving for Lee's Sandwiches (Vietnamese sandwiches), so this morning, my dad went to buy some. It was so good. I don't think I've satisfied the craving yet, so maybe that'll be my lunch tomorrow.

Corner Tip #18: Having connections really helps. Now I need a friend who's a lawyer and an accountant.

Because I Read The Lost Symbol

I finished reading Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol. Record for me since it only took me one whole day to finish it. So here are my thoughts. I have to admit, I like The DaVinci Code more. The Lost Symbol had some stuff in there that I understood (including the work Melancholia I by Albrecht Durer since we studied it in Art History and I got excited when I saw it). However, I basically had to read explanations of Masonic ideas and Noetic sciences several times and even then, I haven't the slightest clue what it's all about. I feel that Lost Symbol is a but predictable. Maybe it's because after DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons, the antagonists are pretty much the same type of characters. And also, I cannot believe that a person of Langdon's caliber didn't figure out that a covered stairway is the Washington Monument. I thought it was pretty obvious after all the Washington connections. I also had an inkling that the antagonist would be Zachary Solomon because the antagonist loves to speak of things in a metaphor kind of way and thereby he would refer to death as a metaphor as well. I don't like Katherine Solomon. Maybe because even though she's a very intelligent individual like the other Dan Brown females, Katherine didn't appeal to me. Maybe it's because I can't understand anything that she says when she opens her mouth so I don't feel a connection to her. What I liked was that regardless of how the rituals and ideas seem to defy Christian concepts, the whole book revolves around Christianity since it encompass the secret Word of the Masons.
In hoer news, I started a new novel today: Avalon, Return of King Arthur. It seemed to have a very nice beginnig, but alas, my laptop failed on me. And by fail, I mean will not stat or go past the start up screen. Hence, my shook from the library is now lost in my laptop. Now, if I don't get my laptop back tomorrow, I'm going to go find a physical copy at the libray.

Alli and Jeanne: 7

Oh, our cleverest moments while talking about things that would make our mothers faint.

Because of Expedia

That I had to go around the airport twice and paid for parking twice. I took my dad to the airport today so he can go visit some relatives in Atlanta, Georgia. We booked tickets on Expedia and when we printed out the confirmation, usually on the right side of the pages, there's a large airline logo. So since the logo and the flight was Delta, I took him to the Delta terminal, which was the second and last terminal at the airport. When we got to the check out counter, the conversation between me and the Delta rep goes like this:
Lady: Where are you going today?
Me: LAX
Lady: *takes confirmation print out from me* Yeah, this is American Airlines, not us.
Me: It says Delta.
Lady: Yeah, they confuse a lot of people with that. You gotta go to AA terminal.
Me: *walks away* effing Expedia.

So, we had to go around the airport again to get to the first terminal where AA was located. Anyways, the lesson learn from this. If the confirmation letter has a giant Delta logo and below it in tiny print it says something like "operated by American Airlines", your flight is probably an AA. What did I take from this...I'm booking with Travelocity or Orbitz next time.
In other news, it is the middle of May, and it's been having scattered showers the whole day. May showers bring June flowers? Now that isn't right. May rain brings June allergy pain.
Recently saw a video on Yahoo that Real Madrid sexy-man Cristiano Ronaldo kicked a ball out of bounds and the ball hit a face right in the face. I think the guy had a nose bleed. After the game, Ronaldo gave him "the shirt off his back". Now, that's in quotes because Ronaldo didn't really give the guy the shirt right off his back, because, of course, that would be totally disgusting with all the sweat, right? So he gave the fan a new shirt. My opinion on it? I rather get the shirt right off your back, Cristiano Ronaldo. I wouldn't care if you sweat in it. Makes it totally priceless. I mean, come on. It's like a Mastercard commercial.
Soccer ball: $40
Soccer cleats: $70
Real Madrid Ronaldo Jersey: $90
Real Madrid Ronaldo Jersey That He Wore During the Game: priceless.
My friend's reply to my "I'd rather get the jersey off his back"--You're so gross. Hey, if my face gets seriously broken by that soccer ball that's flying at me at 65 mph, I can sell the jersey and can totally get facial reconstruction surgery. But then again, it's a hard decision. Fix face or keep priceless jersey...my mother always did say I'm very hard headed...maybe a ball to my face wouldn't make so much damage.

Corner Tip #17: I now understand why morning radio talk shows are so popular. They are hilarious. And I mean hilarious. I swear, if I'm going to be stuck in traffic for over half an hour, those guys help lighten my mood with their bantering and funny stories. A shout out to them! 

Because of Speed Bumps

You know that feeling when you're driving around at night in a residential neighborhood, on a seemingly quiet, smooth road? It's a great feeling; very refreshing. Then you hit that speed bump. That random speed bump that showed up out of nowhere. That speed bump that has no point being in a 25 mph residential zone. That speed bump that sent a shock through your system and make you go "what the fuck just happened". Yeah, well, that's the speed bump that I've ran into. I've had a relatively simple goal: pass required classes and hit the 2.7 GPA minimum; and I've got three years to do so. Good, no? Simple, yes? Not so. One class stands in my way. The class that, to me, has no use whatsoever to my career goal (why, o, why did I just not go into Humanities? Oh right, poor job outlook). Organic Chemistry. Yup. The bane of existence for most people. Now, I've managed to pass the class, poorly. But I've passed. GPA didn't make the cutoff though. So where does that leave me? Another year in undergrad. Yup, a fourth year in undergrad. Normally, people would be getting their Bachelor's. Not me. Why? Because I assumed I would make the GPA cutoff in 3 years and then go into grad school. So where does that leave me now? This leaves me taking another 50K$ year undergrad with no degree. And what would happen if I don't get into grad school after next school year? Well, who knows. Although that would be more like Rocky Mountain than a speed bump. The good thing? Well, I get to take Astronomy (Harry Potter motivation, anyone?) and Roman Art (love sculptures). But now I need A's in Physics. Physics. Well, in a way, one can only hope that Physics is slightly easier than Ochem, no? Yes?

Rodin. The Thinker. Legion of Honor.

But in other news, I got to go to the Legion of Honor...and oh my gosh, it is like a beauty. The classical style colonnades, the Romanesque architecture, the mini glass pyramid stylized like that of the Parisian Louvre. I especially love the Rodin collection. Looking at Rodin's work up close is truly amazing: the detailing, the curvatures of the figures, and of course the mighty Thinker. I should've done a Thinker pose. But the view at the Legion of Honor is magnificent. It is located in Lincoln Park so around us were people playing golf. While inside, I saw many amazing paintings, but one of the main thing was the Magna Carta. Yes, The Magna Carta. Original and all. All the way from England with its original seals and Latin. I was so excited upon seeing it, even though it was held in a glass case. I wish I was able to take a picture of it, but with the no photograph sign, I figured picture taking would deface it somehow chemically, or it would be some copyright issues. I also saw a statute of Lacoon out in the garden. Shame I didn't go around the place to try and get a picture of the statue. But then I wasn't there on my time so we basically breezed through the place. I also saw the mosaic from Lod, Israel. It was spread across the floor of the gallery and it was beautiful and incredibly intact. Kudos to the team who restored it and brought it to the public's eyes.

Legion of Honor. San Francisco, CA. 

Corner Tip #16: Speed bumps are such a bitch. They give your heart a spasm, ruin your smooth ride, and divert your mind from any mental thoughts at the moment. But as my friend just said, "Take life with a pinch of salt...a wedge of lime, and a shot of tequila."