Hectic amount of tests, J. Cole, TKD

Seems like the week should be over already. I haven't seen my roommate for the entire week so far. When I'm in the room he's on campus, and when I'm not he's there in the room.

"I forgot your face," he says in a text.


Getting up early is something I thought I needed to pursue again. There is something about breathing in the fresh, morning air listening to the birds harmoniously hum. I open the blinds and the bright sunlight splatters through the window. It is the peak time of day, where the sun and the birds are ready for another great day. It's soothing to the senses.

Congrats to my taekwondo teammate who placed first in the National Taekwondo Collegiate Championships last weekend. He made it in the National Collegiate team and will be traveling with them to China to represent U.S.A.

While he earned a huge accomplishment, I was at a J. Cole concert.

Lining up for that was as hectic as can be. As soon as the doors opened for entry, students pushed and shoved each other, spurring a commotion. And when B and I were standing in front of the stage, it was as if I was involved in a mosh pit. Students continued to push and shove each other. I got my foot stepped on several times and I was squeezed so tightly that I almost couldn't breathe. B and I eventually were able to escape from the craziness. The place was hot, our throats dried up, and I got a headache from the constant EDM music. Frustrated that he did not perform "Power Trip", the only song we knew that was sung by him, we left early. According to friends, he performed the song dead last.

This week I had four quizzes, two exams. Supplementing those are tedious Japanese assignments. And I breathed a huge sigh of relief after I finished my last quiz on a Friday afternoon.

Glad that I got enrolled in the classes of my choice. Recently I've been gaining interest in the field of criminology. Considering that as a minor.


The school's taekwondo club is pretty solid, as the demonstration team is set to perform this Saturday. Both B and I are part of the team as we both have several roles.

Excited to attend C-Night and see B sing. C-night is where students sing and perform while maintaining China's culture... I think.

Members of the tkd club after a successful make-up test. Credit to S.J.

Spring Weather and all

Appreciation of the spring weather. Cred to BabyTing

Spring has finally arrived, as the weather today reached a beautiful 61 degrees with not a cloud on the sky. Sprawled out on the campus field were students playing frisbee and catch. In the softball field a casual game going on. This beautiful day seemed to uplift everybody's moods-- mine sure did. The campus was lively during the afternoon. I've never seen this many students playing catch on the fields. This was probably the nicest weather this university has had since last August.

For me it was a moment of leaving aside the stack full of work I had and cherishing the wonderful weather.


However during the night it was all about the library, which became the bane of my existence. My baby Ting keeps me motivated. One night I come back around midnight and catch my roommate sleeping with the lights off.

"What's up," he says.

"Didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's okay I wasn't sleeping I just..." a lull falls. "Turned off the light."

"So you were just..."

"Yeah"

"You just turned off the light and.."

"Yeah"

"You just.. Yeah."

"Yeap." 

Ice cream for both her and I

In other words he couldn't find the right explanation for preparing-to-sleep. But it was alright since both of us knew what he was trying to say... I think.  An international student, his name means 'star' in Korean. He served in the military, as all men are required to for two years before they reach the age of 30, and published several novels. An organized twenty-something global studies major, he is almost always prompt and to the point. In his world there are no maybe's and I-will-try. He'd always show up at 1:30 sharp and not 1:31. He'd always respond to texts within seconds.


During one of my journalism classes the professor mentions the visual reactions we tend to have when deciding on certain objects. How we see things alter when we see them another way. The most simplest of examples is trying on clothes before we buy them. How we see them on ourselves can be different from how we initially see them, hung on the clothes rack on display. Same thing with objects like, say, pens. If you really cannot decide between the two, hold them up in front of the mirror one by one, and then you will immediately know which one suits you, he says.

That is certainly interesting.

My Japanese professor the other day asked me after I handed in a test,
"Sean, do you want natto?"
For those who do not know, natto are fermented soybeans, generally eaten on top of rice in Japan. Many people, including the Japanese, have a distaste for it due to its distinct odor and stickiness. But I've always thought it was delicious and had no problem eating it.
"Natto?" I asked.
"Yes, natto. My friend who makes natto gave me a huge box full of them the other day. One packet is sold for 3.50$, if you're interested. You have a roommate?"
"I do," I said.
"Well I'm not too sure then," she laughed.

I wasn't too sure either.

the struggle of choosing classes

Each time I look at the schedule of classes for fall 2014, I get more and more stressed. Most of the classes I had in mind are pretty much decreasing in the number of available seats. At first one class went from 25 to 15 in just a matter of days. Some hours later it went down to 14. I really just hope they don't fill up by the time I register, which is next week.

Choosing classes is by far one the most stressful times in college, as seats fill up pretty quick, especially those classes that are intriguing and or taught by high-rated professors according to that subjective website Ratemyprofessors.com.

I pray that I get my classes. PLEASE.

It's as if it was a countdown timer. The less the number, the more I start to worry and freak out. Each time the number of seats decrease it shreds a part of my hope and spills it down the abyss.

I pray that I get my classes.

Jake Shimabukuro in concert

Had the wonderful privilege to see ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro in concert with baby Ting. In the end a chance for a meet and greet.

We shook hands.

"Aloha, Jake. Great show out there," I said, a tad nervous.
With a thanks, he signed a copy of my cd, as well as the jacket.
"Did you enjoy it?" he asked.
"Of course, it was amazing."
He smiled.
"I had a few ukulele lessons from your brother in Hawaii a couple years ago," I said.
"Ohh yeah? Is it the one near the Pacific mall?"
"Yeah the one near Waikiki Beach!" I said, excited.
"Yes!" he said. "Do you go to Hawaii often?"
"Yeap." I meant to say that I haven't been there for a few years but I was starstruck at the time.
"Well I hope to see you in Hawaii" he said.
"Most definitely."


And I'm so happy I got the chance to get his autograph. And I'm so happy that Ting got a chance to get his autograph as well.

Baby Ting meets Jake Shimabukuro.

Tomorrow is also the opening day for the N.Y. Yankees as they face the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. The day has come for some ball! It's time to break in my Yankees windbreaker.

With Bruce Shimabukuro, two years ago.

Got an exam tomorrow and a quiz. Mundane and stressful school days seem to never end. My grades are subpar, they could totally be better. I feel like I'm trying hard, but not hard enough. Consistency is of vital importance if you're a generally good student. An ace student losing his touch and getting straight Cs is inexplainable. What happened, is all they could ask him.

New novel work in progress

Sean K--- is a college student who wrote his first debut novella, "Punctured Japan" (2011), which received widespread attention from faculty and students at his very own high school. Three years later, he begins to write another written piece, "The Winding Road to the Timid Moon" (Title still pending), as he had a chance to sit down with us and answer a few questions on writing, as well as details about his new novella. 

Please describe your new piece.

It's not an extraordinary magnum opus novel, I can tell you that. It's quite different from what I've done before because the chapters are really cut up and each of them takes place at a different location. Time travels really fast in this story and I feel there are certain cases where it is hard to follow.

What is the story about?

There is not really a hard plot to the story (laughs). Originally I did not intent to write a long story. Most of the chapters were intended to be short stories if not they were abandoned opening-liners of stories I thought of in the past but got stuck after. So it's also okay to think of this story as a collection of opening paragraphs to stories I thought of earlier in the past. But the ideal story, in a general sense, is about a twenty-something college student trying to get accustomed to the transition from the carefree student to the sharp, responsible adult. In the process he stumbles upon surreal happenings, as he begins to feel the difficulties of managing a life so grand and spontaneous.

Did you have any difficulty with the process of writing this story?

I get diagnosed with writer's block pretty frequently so yes, I have stumbled and gotten stuck several times. I mean the story is still unfinished and I'm running out of ideas. It's a process that writers tend to have.

What do you think is the best way to improve on one's writing?

Based on the standpoint of a college student who is passionate about writing, just write everyday. Keep a journal or a blog and just write whatever pops up into your mind. Jot down new words you discover, read books as much as possible, and write write write.

Time management plays a huge factor for you in writing this piece.

It certainly does. And it doesn't only allude to this but also for everything else. Usually due to the workload from my classes I have little to no time to work on my story. But if I got the time, I'll be writing.

What inspired you to write this story?

Nothing really. Ideas just surge into my mind, and I jot them down at certain times throughout the day. When I get a rough sense of a story I begin to write.

What is something that really impresses you?

I have to say individuals who continue to have a passion for something. People who do not lose interest in things, and keep doing what they are doing.

Chinatown part 2. Yum cha

Had Yum cha for the first time today in Chinatown. The 8 of us sat at the table, relishing the portions of food ranging from chicken feet to shumai. The place was filled, mostly occupied by older generations. We were probably the only group of college students there. Everyone conversed in the colorful language of Cantonese or Mandarin. I was unable to decipher anything. Even the television on the wall was running a Chinese program with Chinese subtitles. The server pulled the cart over and placed a plate of chicken feet on the table. Everyone started to grab one and eat it, skillfully spitting out the bones and eating every part of the skin. My baby Ting grabbed one for me. I was hesitant at first but because she said it tasted delicious I began to eat it.
"No, you're eating it the wrong way. You have to take out the bones first."

I've never in my life eaten the feet part of chicken. Breasts, wings, sure. All the time. But not the feet. I couldn't eat it. More and more food I've never seen before came out. Shumai, pork buns, manju (at least that's what it was called in Japanese), and beef were the only ones I knew beforehand. At one point I felt like a kid trying new dishes. I'd eat something and all eyes would stare at my direction, curious to how I would like it.

A dish of durian came. Green things that looked like miniature croissants. I asked what it was.
"Durian," she said.
Noticing my clueless expression on my face, I repeated once again.
"What is this?"
"It's durian," her friend said.
"What's that?!" I asked.
All 7 of them looked toward me, seeming perplexed that I didn't know what that was. My baby showed me a picture of it on her phone.
"Pretty sure I've seen that fruit on a video game," I said.

It appears in Super Mario Sunshine, where Mario can kick it and feed it to Yoshi.

"You either like it or you don't," her friend said.
It was alright.


Everyone knew everything about yum cha. The customs. I was the only one who knew nothing. How the person filling tea for others is considered gracious, how leaving the tea lid open is a sign for refills, and how knocking two fingers on the table when the person is pouring the tea is considered a sign of gratitude. So legitimate.

In the end the server collected all of our cups and plates, stacked them all together, and carried it with one hand. Nothing but skill right there.

But I really enjoyed having my first ever yum cha. I thank my baby for that, for I would have never had the opportunity to eat yum cha.


After eating she went back home to grab her personal belongings. I escorted her to the front of her house as she told me to wait at the entrance. At the time it was the closest I've ever gotten to her home. Can I come in, was the words I was about to ask. But seeing that it was impossible, I didn't ask and just waited for her outside.

The entire group decided to go to sing some karaoke, while I passed since it was too far away. Way too far. I went uptown, met my mom during her lunch break, bought a Bob Dylan and George Gershwin CD after, and rode the train home.

Chinatown

The subway was crowded as it was rush hour. Businessmen and women coming home from work, a few tourists here and there.

Stand clear of the closing doors please.

At the station commuters were adroitly navigating their way to their trains as the saxophone player on the side leisurely played his piece.


Baby Ting and I met up in Chinatown and she guided me to the restaurant.

"We're here!" she said.
In front was a typical deli.
"Here?!" I asked.
"No just kidding."
We resumed to walk along the street. We walked several blocks and turned at corners.
"We're here!" she said.
This time we were in front of a bakery.
"Oh here?"
"Nopeee."
We continued to walk up a little more and arrived at a seemingly new restaurant.
"We're hereee!"
"Oh here?"
"Yeah it's actually here."


I had dinner with baby Ting and her friends in Chinatown. The food was really good as it was legit. It was nice seeing her friends. We talked a little about our backgrounds, what kind of job we wanted to pursue, and the like.
"You know, Sean is...," Ting said. "Japanese."
"Ohhhh," they said all in unison.
"You know, Sean does.... taekwondo."
"Ohhhhh."

^_^