Welcome to my Writing World

03:01 pm - Have Mercy

After traveling for 3 weeks outside of the country, I am certainly glad to be home in Atlanta, Georgia again.

Two nights ago though, I almost could not make it back.

I had arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport around 10pm to check in for my Korean Air flight from Kuala Lumpur to Seoul and was told that my passport had less than 6 months validity and I could not travel!!

I had wanted to renew my passport while I was in Malaysia but I forgot to bring my national identification card which was needed for the renewal so I thought I would just renew my passport when I get back to the USA. I didn't expect to be told that I could not travel since I still have 5 months and 20 days before my passport will expire.

I stood at the counter and just prayed while the ticket agent tried to ask her supervisor how to "deal" with my situation. There was nothing I could do. It was in the middle of the night and I had a plane to catch and there was no way for me to renew my passport even if I wanted to.

Finally, she let me through and issued my boarding passes. I quickly headed to the immigration clearance but my trouble started again.

In Malaysia, the passport control is done automatically with a scanning machine. I put my passport in the slot for scanning and the machine said "no" to me again due to the passport validity and I had to go to talk to an immigration officer.

The gentleman in charge looked at my passport and asked me a series of questions in Malay. I tried my best to answer in my broken Malay and at the same time kept praying about it in my heart. Once again, he referred my case to his supervisor.

I was SO happy when the supervisor said yes!!! God looked after me even when I overlooked and He brought me home and I just want to praise Him!!!

The experience also taught me not to be so critical when others overlook details due to their carelessness. I know I had always been very critical when people didn't pay attention to details (especially at work) but now I know to be more forgiving with people's mistakes especially when they did not do it intentionally.

I know very well that I was basically at the mercy of the officers in charge at the airline counter and the immigration counter and they could have given me a hard time or flat out refused to let me travel. Instead, they let me through without  too much trouble.

Yes, I will definitely remember this important lesson and have mercy on others too when they make a careless mistake!!!

12:01 pm - An Amazing London Trip

I just got back from London after a week long family vacation. It was a fantastic trip that Beatrix had planned for us for way over half a year.

My parents flew in from Malaysia while Beatrix and I took the flight to London and we met up in Cambridge for our first night in England. Beatrix had booked a traditional English bed and breakfast for our first night stay. We had a room with a window on the roof where four of us were able to share a room (1 queen bed for my parents and 2 single beds for me and Beatrix). The set up was cute just like in Goldilocks'!

We had our first meal together at a nearby English Pub. It was packed with locals and we shared the table with 2 sets of diners through the night!! Of course we had to have a beer (even for non-drinkers like me and my Mom!).

The highlight in Cambridge though was the punting tour.

I thought it will be cheesy but it was really very romantic and our punter gave us really good commentary when we passed through each historical bridge and building as our boat went through the river. Best of all, he gave us a great deal because we were his first customers of the day!! I will definitely recommend the punting trip for those who travel to Cambridge.

Next we head to London by bus and little did I know that our adventure was only about to begin!!!

On our second day in London, my Mom and Beatrix decided to go out in the early morning to buy some breakfasts. When they came back to the hotel, my Mom told us that she almost got hit by a car as she was crossing a side street in the neighborhood. Beatrix was right behind her and was only able to scream as she saw the whole accident unfold in front of her eyes. According to my Mom, the car was turning very fast into the side road from the main road and she had no place to go. There was not enough time for her to run or back off. Amazingly, she did something unthinkable by "jumping" across the front of the car and avoided getting hurt!!

Now, if my Mom has Jet Li's martial arts background or training in gymnastics, that might have been possible but my Mom is not even athletic to begin with. She tried to demonstrate to us how she jumped over by supporting herself with one hand but she could not even recreate what she did.

We knew that it was not my Mom who "jumped" but that the angels of the Lord had lifted her up and thus avoiding the accident. It was nothing short of amazing to know that God is looking after us even when we could not do anything on our own!!! We gave praise to the Lord immediately!!!

Later on that day, we once again had to rely on God's grace because my Mom sprained her ankle (I guess the street of London was not very suitable for my Mom!). I managed to get a taxi and thankfully we were already very close to our hotel at that time.

With my Mom's ankle in pain, we all got down on our knees and started to pray for healing. I cried and asked God to help us because we didn't know what to do. This was a foreign city to all of us and we didn't know anyone in London.

After applying ice to her ankle, Beatrix and I headed out to look for medication and a pair of sandals for my Mom. By that time, it was starting to rain pretty heavily and our hearts were heavy. I felt pretty miserable but I also knew I need to find something for her.

Walking in the rain after a disappointing stop at a Western pharmacy, we looked up and saw a sign "Chinese Herbal Inn" and it was right across from our hotel! To be honest, I didn't have too much hope but we were desperate so we went in anyway. I remembered talking to the Chinese doctor (a lady in her 30s) and I could not even speak good Chinese because I was so worried about my Mom's situation. She assured us that using the ice was the correct thing to do and that she can begin treatment for my Mom the next day. I inquired the price of the treatment and it was actually affordable!! Thank God for pointing us to the right direction for helping my Mom!! If you tell me I could go out and find a doctor right across the street from the hotel who knew how to treat my Mom's ankle, I would not have believed you but that's how prayer works!!!!

Over the next three days, we ditched the public transportation and used taxis as well as the hop-on/hop-off bus for sight seeing. Despite the sprained ankle, my Mom got to enjoy London. The Chinese doctor provided three consecutive treatments for her and she got better every day. 

For me and Beatrix, it was learning to adapt and make changes to our plan. At the end, I think we were all less tired because we didn't have to take public transportation! We also learnt that it was actually not expensive to use taxis since there were four of us.

I also have a different perspective on disabled people because I had to push my Mom in a wheelchair during the tour of the Tower of London. The historic stone pavement was not smooth and it was not easy to push her around (and my Mom was not even heavy!). I think that experience taught me to have more compassion for those people who have to use the wheelchairs to go around.

The best thing about our trip was of course that we got to spend time together as a family and because of the incidents, we became even closer. Every morning we prayed together before heading out and we thanked God that He looked after us through everything!

I can write about the amazing things we did in London but really I want to give thanks to the Lord because He let me experienced more than the sights and my faith in Him grew stronger! It was indeed an amazing trip because God showed us that He is able!!





 

01:59 pm - God's Provision

I just found out that I am going on my first International business trip next month!!!!! It is not just to any destination either but to Malaysia, my home country!!!!

Originally my fiancee and I were going to go back to Malaysia during Chinese New Year (Feb 2010) but we decided to postpone that trip due to financial reason. I know it was the best decision for us but I was secretly hoping to see my two grandmothers (they will not be able to travel to the USA for my wedding in March 2010) before I get married. These two ladies mean so much to me and they are not exactly young anymore so I treasure every chance I get to go home to see them, especially before getting married.

In my 10+ years of employment, I never have a chance to travel internationally for business but amazingly, this is the first time I get to do it and they are sending me home!!!! I can only say that God's hand is directing everything and arranging everything.

I will have one week stay in my home town of Sibu and also have 2 extra days after the meeting in Kuala Lumpur(where my fiance's family lives) so I can pay them a short visit as well.   

Besides, I get to take care of stuff that can be done much easier in Malaysia than here, such as renewing my passport (no need to fly to the Malaysian Consulate office in New York!), asking my hometown hairstylist (who is the BEST!) about his opinion on my hair style for my wedding day (even though he will not be doing my hair, he can still give me good advise and we will probably do a trial so I just need to show the pictures to the stylist in Atlanta - so much easier!), and even take care of my dental problem (I don't believe the dentist who saw me here - whom I recently "fired" really knows what he was doing!).

Who would have thought of all these but our God who knows what I need and work out everything for me??

The past 7 weeks had been quite a ride for me but I know God is in charge of my life and He will work out the best for me and I just want to praise HIM!!!

I know that this trip is a blessing from God and I will make the full use of it because I believe God also wants me to be a good witness for Him on this trip and I want Him to use me to be a blessing for those I will be meeting (I know a lot of my fiance's family members are not Christians yet and we have been praying for them).

If you are in a difficult situation and you are forced to change your plan somehow, don't be too disappointed. Look up to God and pray to Him for His guidance because God's provisions is going to be better than your own plan!!!

04:21 pm - My Dress Search Experience

I am not the kind of girl who had been dreaming about her wedding dress since she was young and knows exactly what she wants to wear on her wedding day. However, I had a chance to accompany my sister and my good friend to shop for their wedding dresses last year so I do have an idea of what is available out there.

Overall, my dress search experience in Atlanta had been pretty good. I think the bridal shop consultants whom I met were all really nice and helpful. All together I went to four stores only and was very lucky to be able to find a dress that really fits my budget and style.

The store where I ended up buying my dress is definitely a hidden secret in Atlanta. It is so new that not many people know about it yet (only 2 years old). I think I first heard about it when I was searching for bridal store reviews online and it somehow popped out.

This bridal salon is called “Vows and Veils”. vowsnveils.com

It is located at an industrial area. In fact, on the way there, the area was so deserted (because it was Labor Day Holiday and the warehouses/offices around that area were closed), I thought maybe I had the direction all wrong.

Once I entered the store, it was a different story. The salon was actually very nicely decorated and it looked very modern and chic. Besides bridal gown, they also offer jewelry, hair accessories, and bridesmaid dresses.

What sets Vows and Veils apart from a traditional bridal store is the fact that they have their own warehouse at the back of the showroom where they stock about one thousand gowns ranging from size 2-28. Once the customer picks out the dress that she wants to try on from the showroom, the consultant actually go back to the warehouse and take out a new dress in the customer’s size for her to try on. If the customer likes the dress, she can take it home the brand new dress in the correct size right then and there.

For brides who do not care about wearing a designer wedding gown (Perhaps you are not willing to spend thousands of $$!) or do not want to wait months and months for the traditional bridal shop to order a gown in the right size for you (Maybe you want to run to Vegas on a short notice?), Vows and Veils is definitely the way to shop for a wedding dress.

A few lessons from my dress search experience:

(1) Be Open Minded

When I first started to search for my dress, I don’t have a clue what will look good on me. What I like in the bridal magazines look totally different when I put it on my body (since I am only 5’2” but I am guessing most of the models are 6 feet tall). So, I let the consultants help me with their suggestions on what will look good on me (afterall, they are experienced!). Eventually we were able to narrow down to a style that suits me.

(2) Be Flexible

Personally I think this is a key to save money on wedding gown. There could be a dress that you really like but it is like three times over your budget (It happened to me at one of the stores when out of a whim, I decided to try a dress without looking at the price tag!). If you insist on having that dress, it means you have to cut back on other items or go over your budget. I understand that for some people there is “the dress” that they have to have and they are willing to do whatever it takes to get “it”. For me, it is not such a big deal that I have to have a certain dress. I think being flexible means more choices.

(3) Don’t Second Guess Yourself

I think as a bride, sometimes you will second guess the decisions you made about your wedding. Yes, even someone as decisive as me did that so I can only imagine how others might think twice or many times over their dress purchase. I say don’t do it!

Instead, take as much time as you need before you make the purchase. Remember, you can always go back to the store a few times if you want – I just don’t have that kind of time!

I was also very lucky that I have a Mother who has a great sense of style and even though she was not there to shop for my wedding gown with me (since she is in Malaysia), she reassured me that my dress was gorgeous (I sent her a picture) and that I should stop looking.

11:00 am - A Balancing Act

I think a lot of wedding planning stress comes when we are trying to balance everyone’s expectations. By everyone, I mean the bride, the groom, and the two families involved.

It is easy to say this is “my wedding” and I want to do it “my way” but the fact is even if the couple decides to elope, they still have to balance between each other’s expectation: where should we elope to?

While I briefly considered having a destination wedding (because I attended one that was so intimate and it left a good impression on me), when I brought out the idea to my fiancée and my parents, they were all against it because they would like a traditional affair where we can celebrate with as many people dear to us as possible.

According to Chinese tradition, the wedding banquet is actually very important because it is a “formal” recognition that the couple is married when they invite their families and friends to come to the banquet. This is especially true for the older generation who view the banquet as a way to formally recognize that someone is now a part of the family. Since the majority of our families and relatives are all in Malaysia, it was expected that we will go home to host separate wedding receptions even if we were to get married overseas.

We very much wanted to honor this tradition although we are having our wedding ceremony and reception in Atlanta so we were planning to go home during Chinese New Year to celebrate with our families and friends in Malaysia (which is a month before our wedding date in Atlanta!).

However, recently due to the financial situations, we decided to postpone our trip to Malaysia and just focus on our wedding ceremony and reception in Atlanta. Our parents and families had been super supportive throughout the process and we were grateful for their understanding.

My parents will be flying from Malaysia and my fiancé’s parents will be coming in from New York next March to be with us on our wedding day. And I am sure we will have lots of our friends with us to be our witnesses!!

During the process of deciding to postpone our Malaysia trip, my Mom told me that she wanted to do things that are best for me and not add any stress to me. My Mom had put aside her expectation because she wanted us to be less stressed out. It was an act of love and I was very very touched (to say the least!).

For all future brides, I just want to say that wedding planning is a balancing act. However, it is a balancing act done with lots of love and when you are doing the balancing act with love, you should not be stressed out!!

12:25 pm - The Search For a "Perfect" Church

When my fiancee and I first talked about our wedding venue, he and I had totally different ideas.

He wanted an outdoor wedding but that idea totally freaked me out. I cannot imagaine having to be stressed out about the unpredictable March weather in Atlanta, which can mean anything ranging from rain, snow, to a hot summer day (yes, it can happen because this is Hotlanta!). I also don't know if the pollen situation will be very bad by then (Can you imagine a bride whose eyes are teary ALL the time during the ceremony??).

Besides, a part of me always wanted to have a traditional church wedding. Perhaps it is because I grew up playing piano for so many church weddings and that is what I have envisioned as the wedding that I will have one day.

Luckily, my fiancee's idea of an outdoor wedding was not really high on his priority list so we decided to focus our search on a "perfect" church instead. We knew what we wanted: a small, historic church that is reasonably priced. One would think that in a city like Atlanta where there are literally churches everywhere, this will not be a difficult task. Well, we were wrong.

Most churches that I contacted had one or more of the following restrictions:

(1) Must use their pastor - but we want to have our own pastor officiate our weddding.
(2) Must use their musician - but we would rather have our own musician.
(3) Photography restrictions - I can understand certain restrictions on photography to avoid disturbing the ceremony but some churches I contacted even said no photography at all during the ceremony which I find it hard to believe.
(4) They want to charge a very high price that is out of our budget.

At the end, we looked at three churches that fit our criterias:

(1) Church of the Redeemer Atlanta
redeemeratlanta.org

The first time we went to look at the outside of this church only because we didn't make an appointment. We really liked the stone exterior so we contacted them to look at the inside. It was quite disappointing because the church had renovated the santuary to have a very contemporary look which was not what we were looking for.

(2) Log Cabin Community Church

logcabinchurch.com

This church was literally 3 minutes away from my house. It was hidden in a neighborhood away from the main street so I didn't even know it was there (despite moving to the area since 2002).

If you are looking for a cozy, rustic, historic church, this will be a top choice. The way it was constructed made it perfect for intimate weddings because even if you only have 30 people sitting in this church, it will feel like a full house (even though the maximum capacity is 150).

We did not end up picking this church only because we found something else more suitable for us.

(3) Inman Park United Methodist Church

inmanparkumc.org

I had dismissed this church for a long time because I felt that it will be too far way for our guests since it is located in Inman Park, a neighborhood that I am not too familiar with myself.  In fact, I didn't even bother to show it to my fiancee. One day, as I was lamenting on how difficult it is to find a church, he decided to do a search on his own and he asked me why we didn't consider this church.

I figured it will not hurt to take a look since he likes it so much just looking at the online pictures so I e-mailed the wedding coordinator at the church to schedule an appointment. Diane was super efficient. She actually called me back that morning and we had our appointment set for that Saturday.

The moment we entered this church, we both had a good feeling. It was totally the church that we wanted with nice stain glass windows (One of them was probably 25 feet tall!), very old (1898!), and perfect for our guest list (max: 200 people!).

My fiancee who loves old buildings ended up discussing the structure/architecture of the church buidling with Diane for a good half an hour before we even started talking about having a wedding there. For a while, I thought we were there to evaluate the water marks of the church walls (which people either love or hate and my fiancee happened to love it!).

Despite not having a center aisle (which I thought I really wanted), I fell in love with this church as much as he did. However, I must say one of the top reasons I picked this church is because of Diane. She was so direct and to the point and I totally like the fact that someone very similar to me and understand my vision will be directing my wedding (because I know I cannot be directing and coordinating my wedding!!!).

On top of that, when I told my mother that we booked an United Methodist church for our wedding, she was thrilled and told me: "I am so glad you are getting married in a Methodist church." At that point, it occured to me that my family had been attending Methodist churches for 3 generations in Malaysia. Therefore, it is only fitting that I am getting married in a Methodist church!

So, yes, we have our "perfect" church!!!
 

05:44 pm - An Update

I know it has been a long time since I posted anything on this blog. I am sure my readers have abandoned it. However, today I feel like writing again.

Among the most important update is that I started dating a wonderful man one and a half years ago this week and we got engaged last month!!!

Today when I went to get an oil change at my regular car shop next door to my office, the lady at the counter asked me :"Is that an engagement ring?". I smiled and said :" YES! ". Actually, this is the first time that someone outside of my family and friends noticed my ring and I was so happy when I answered yes.

Last weekend I also had a chance to talk to a new friend who just moved to Georgia two months ago about her wedding planning situation (her wedding date is one month before my own)and it was a great experience to share with her everything that I have researched on in terms of wedding planning in Atlanta. She was so happy that she gave me a hug after we talked at a party (and this was the second time I met this friend!). I was so glad that my advice was helpful to her since she just moved and do not have many friends here.

It also made me think if I should be more serious about my "dream" to be an event planner. I knew my eyes were lit up even when I was talking about the options for my friend's wedding, not my own. It is definitely not something that happens if I am just asked to talk about my job.

I guess this update is an annoucement that I may start to blog about wedding planning and see where it leads me in terms of my "dream" and the "real world".

09:51 am - I don’t have to be right to be right

Last night was an eye opener for me as I observed first hand why I don’t have to be right to be right (at least sometimes).

I was cooking dinner at my friend’s house (she was teaching me how to make shrimp wonton) and she asked her husband to get some take out boxes from the basement (yeah, they actually stocked up on take out boxes at their house) so I can pack some food with me to go after dinner.

“What do you want me to get?” he actually just woke up from his nap.

“The rectangular take out boxes from the basement.” my friend said.

He went downstairs and came back up without any take out boxes: “I didn’t find any round take out boxes. What are you talking about?”

“Oh, not round ones, the rectangular ones.” my friend said again.

“But just now you said round ones.” he said, and then he headed downstairs again.

My friend did not refute her husband. She just winked at me and smiled. I knew she was right because I heard her said rectangular the very first time. She could have yelled back and said something like: “But I told you to look for rectangular ones the first time. I never told you to get round ones.” She did not. She chose to let him be right.

At that point, I learnt my lesson:

Do I always have to insist that I am right (Even if I am right)??

Most likely not. It all depends on what it is that I am trying to defend. If it is an important issue, I think the answer is yes, I should be able to stand firm and defend my position (even if it can offend others).

Other times, you have got to let others be right so that the situation is going to be right.

Most of the time though, we are arguing about little things that do not matter (and I am quite guilty of the sin sometimes) and with those closest to us (hey, at least we are trying to be courteous towards strangers!!!). I was certainly glad that I was able to see a live example in front of me that showed me how things should be handled.

We had a good dinner at the end.

He never knew he was “wrong”.

I packed away the dinner leftover in the rectangular take out box, knowing that I had once again learnt a valuable lesson beyond how to cook shrimp wonton.

11:04 am - Love Language - Words of Appreciation

Last night, I was deeply touched when a good friend told me how much my friendship was appreciated over the years. It was not a lot of words. But I know I will remember those words, for a long time.

Words of appreciation is one of the five love languages, according to Dr. Gary Chapman and it ranked number 2 for me personally.

Most of the time, I know people around me appreciate me even if they don’t say a word to me. Still, it is extremely nice whenever I hear a sincere compliment from them, whether it is to tell me I smell nice, that I have been a loyal friend, or that I am super efficient at work.

It is not that I lack confidence in my look, the way I treat others, or my ability to do a certain thing that I need to hear it from others as a confirmation although I would say that on those days when you particularly feel weary, words of appreciation are definitely needed more. Why put others down when you can easily pull them up with a few words?

There are also times you need to hear it from those closest to you because let’s face it, what they think really matters more than what others think. This might be a totally crazy example but what if there are 10 strangers on the street telling me I look hot today but the one guy I am actually with says nothing about my stunning look? I think for me I would rather have the 10 strangers say nothing to me but the one person who matters says something!

Obviously, words of appreciation have to be sincere for it to have an effect. I think a lot of us feel that if we say too much, it is just “flowery” language. Also, sometimes we just feel “shy” about it. Hey, even someone as “bold” as me was having a hard time in Japan when I had to yell in Japanese to tell my favorite swimmer Kosuke Kitajima how hot he looked that day! It was so bad that I actually could not muster the courage to say it out loud (despite practicing several times before the actual competition). Sure, Kitajima probably heard the same words from thousands of fans already but I bet he still likes to hear it.

The point is, when you do appreciate someone in your life, you have got to let them know. Life is short. Sometimes, you will not get a chance to say what you really want to say.

My resolution: Seize the day. Say it now.

01:45 pm - What color is your suit?

I was seating in the Delta Crown Room in Seattle Airport awaiting for my client to come out of the conference room to meet with us.

When the guy finally came out to meet us, he walked right past me and only acknowledged the guys who were traveling with me. No, it was not because of gender bias as he quickly apologized when I greeted him and introduced myself. He was like: "I am so sorry. I thought you were a flight attendant because of what you wore."

Right then and there, I decided that it is time to buy myself some new suit that is NOT in a conservative color. I was actually wearing a navy blue suit, which was not a bad choice of color for a business meeting (I guess?). However, since I am frequently meeting people in the airports around the country, I think it is best that I wear a suit that will not be mistaken as a flight attendant.

My favorite color is of course purple so maybe I should get myself a purple suit to start with this Spring? I actually like wearing color but I didn't really do it when it comes to my business suit as I have always gone with a "safer" bet of black, navy, or grey. However, after Tuesday's incident, I think it is time for me to take some "risks".

Question of the day: What color is your suit?

01:43 pm - Best of Atlanta 2008 (Joyce’s Recommendation)

For something fun to read, I have decided to put together Joyce’s own version of “Best of Atlanta 2008”. Yes, it is a highly bias list but so are all the other reviews that I read.

(1) Best Restaurant for a First Date: Mitra

I really like Mitra Restaurant in Midtown although nobody actually took me there for a first date. I just felt like if I were to take someone out for a first date, that’s the kind of place I will go.

First of all, the food is GREAT (honestly I have not tasted anything that is not delicious out of this kitchen!) so if all else fail, you are guaranteed a good meal (but I hope you bring a good date here to begin with!).

In my opinion, the best dish is the Tamarind braised boneless beef short ribs with picante boniato sauce ($22) although the Sea Scallops caramelized with jalepeno-lime over Manchego cheese grits ($23) was pretty incredible too. They also have a chef’s choice appetizer tasting platter ($9 per person, 2 people minium) which serves 4 tapa size appetizers (good portion) that is perfect if you just want a light meal instead of dinner.

As far as the atmosphere is concerned, it allows you to wear anything from trendy jeans to cocktail dresses so I am quite certain that you and your date will feel pretty comfortable (unless you insist on wearing shorts on a first date, which is not the subject of discussion for this article!). Perhaps a part of me just really like the Latin feel to this whole place because it feels like I can dance Tango right there and then (although I imagine Tango is too steamy a dance for a first date so maybe you should reserve it for a future date).

(2) Best Dessert: Chocolate Pink Café

For a girl’s whose “unofficial” life motto is “Life is short, eat dessert first.”, it is not easy to choose a place for best dessert.

I practically fall in love with Chocolate Pink Café the moment I stepped inside. It is such a girly place (and I am not even a girly girl!). I must confess that I will think twice if I have to take a guy here (unless he is willing to wear his pink shirt that day!).

Perhaps it is better to make this the gathering place for you and your girl friends, either when you need to chat about your love life or when you are crying over the jerk who had just broken your heart into pieces (and you need a REALLY good piece of chocolate cake to help you forget your pain).

Trust me, the dessert here are good enough to maybe even mend your broken heart (temporarily!). The price might be steep for dessert ($7-$8 per slice) but I bet you it is still the cheapest form of therapies available. However, I suggest that you go for a 3 mile run after your chocolate indulgence because you still want to have that perfect body even if you just cry your hearts out after a break up!

(3) Best Southern Restaurant: Barbecue Kitchen

I only know about this place because I work near the Atlanta Airport and it is a favorite lunch spot for Delta Air Lines employees. I believe it has been opened for more than 40 years.

This is not a fancy place at all but if you ever find yourself having to grab a cheap and delicious Southern meal before your flight in/out of Atlanta Airport, you should stop here. One important note: please make sure you have cash with you ($10 should be enough, $12 if you want a drink.) as the place still does not want to accept any plastics. If you order the food to go, obviously it is even cheaper but I am not sure you are able to get their food through the security screening at the airport because it smells too good!

For me, the food is totally comforting here even though I didn’t grew up in the South. I like their barbeque pork, cole slaw, and corn muffins a lot. In my opinion, there is definitely a reason why they said it is by God’s grace that you are born a Southerner whenever I eat here!!!

Best Late Night Dining: Waffle House

Okay, so I am really bias because I used to work at Waffle House as a waitress back when I was a poor foreign student working on my first job outside of the university.

On a side not unrelated to this review, somehow I believe Waffle House was “partially” responsible for my loud speaking voice these days because all waiters and waitresses at Waffle House are required to yell the order out to the cook from about 3 feet away. Believe it or not, I used to be a “shy” girl on the kitchen floor whose voice was too “soft” for the cook to hear me. After getting yelled at by the cook a few times (since he could not hear the order I was calling), I eventually learnt to raise my voice when I called in the order (I am a quick learner afterall!).

Another disclaimer: The food at Waffle House is not exactly healthy (to be fair, they do offer healthy options but those really don’t taste that good!) and I would suggest that you don’t eat here every day if you intend to keep a somewhat reasonable figure and stay healthy.

My favorite (and I eat it at least once a year these days) item on the menu is hands down the Patty Melt Plate. For those of you who are uninformed, the Patty Melt is basically a piece of hamburger meat in between two pieces of wheat toasts with cheese and onions. Now, on to the part about the “plate”: It just means you add a side of harsh browns, which you can get it plain, or have it diced (add tomatoes), covered (with cheese), smothered (with onions) or a bunch of other combinations if you feel like it (I normally just go plain on my harsh brown because the patty melt itself is already good). Honestly, I don’t know what it is about the grill at Waffle House but this simple dish is really delicious as long as you are not concerned about your calorie intake.

My favorite time to hit the Waffle House: after a late night dancing session (which I seldom do these days but secretly wish to go more often!), after my annual crazy midnight shopping trip (on the morning of the day after Thanksgiving), or on a road trip (when nothing else is appealing at the exit in the middle of nowhere and I happen to need food!).

Yeah, for me Waffle House is a special treat these days because I simply cannot “afford” to eat here too often if I want to maintain my weight. I have great memories working here though and each visit is a reminder of how far along I have come as an immigrant to this country.

Bottom line: if it’s late at night and you need food, look for the yellow sign near the exit and order yourself a Patty Melt Plate. And remember to tip the waitress well! She might very well be working hard on her Business degree at Georgia State University and she will count every cent that her customers leave on the table for her.

10:27 pm - A different perspective

Even though I am used to last minute changes in my travel plan due to my standby status as an airline employee, a part of me still don't like it when my travel plan has to be changed (although I always have lots of back up plan in case plan A does not work).

Last weekend I was traveling with my Mom, her friend, and Beatrix to San Francisco. My Mom and her friend had a flight to catch out of San Francisco to go back to Malaysia on Monday morning and they definitely had to get out there on Friday because Delta Air Lines had imposed a buddy pass embargo for the weekend due to heavy travel loads (and the friend was traveling on my buddy pass). I knew I had to get her out of Atlanta on Friday or she will miss her flight to Malaysia.

As usual, I checked the seat availability on all the direct flights to San Francisco and they were not looking good at all. The only flight that looked promising was a 7am flight to Cincinnati and there was a connecting flight to San Francisco out of Cincinnati which looked pretty good. So I decided to put all four of us on that flight.

By the time we got to the airport on Friday morning though, the flight to Cincinnati was getting really full as well. The gate agent informed me that she could not put all four of us onboard but only two of us could go. Of course I sent my Mom and her friend because they were the ones who had to catch a flight out of San Francisco.

Beatrix and I then decided to try our luck with the 8:30am direct flight to San Francisco. Luckily for us that day, we were among the last two passengers they cleared to board that flight.

Sitting at the Exit row, I was finally able to relax. During the flight, I started reading my Bible and doing my BSF bible study homework assignment while Beatrix went to sleep. When she woke up from her nap, she whispered to me:" Joyce, look....the guy next to me is also reading his Bible." I turned to look at the guy who was sitting in the same row at the window seat and indeed he was reading his Bible.

At that moment, somehow I decided that this is the day that I should invite someone to BSF (even though previously I had never invited anyone, much less a total stranger to attend a Bible study!). So in my usual "direct approach", I asked the guy if he knew about BSF. He had no clue what I was talking about. So I started to tell him about the bible study lesson and lectures that I had been attending in the past few months and I showed him my lesson plan and notes.

Later on, I told him I was not supposed to be on this direct flight at all. I had only got on this flight because I could not get on the Cincinnati flight. He then told me he had been trying to get off the direct flight because it was too early. Also, he was not supposed to be on the Exit row but he had to ask them to change his seat because they had given him a middle seat and he needed more leg room.

Right then and there, I knew why I had to miss the Cincinnati flight earlier. Perhaps God just wanted me to tell this guy about BSF. Therefore, I had to get on this direct flight that was actually sold out.

Once again I was left speechless. God knows what is ahead of us in the future. Sometimes we viewed certain events in our life as "inconvenience" or "setbacks" but only God knows the real reason why we need to "detour". Obviously I am not sure if the 10 minute conversation is really going to convince someone to come to study the Bible but as far as I know, I have obeyed God's command for me that day. It might take a few more people to convince this guy to join BSF (especially if he is as stubborn as myself) but at least I have done my part that God calls me to do. I am also convinced that I have to be bolder in speaking out about my faith. After all, I am normally pretty bold in voicing my opinion, so why should I suddenly become so "afraid" to speak my mind if the conversation topic switches to my faith?

At the end of the day, Beatrix and I actually landed in San Francisco Airport a few minutes before the Cincinnati's flight so we were able to meet up with my Mom and her friend as they walked out of their flight into the terminal. God had organized everything so perfect that we didn't miss a beat on our vacation plan even though we flew on two different flights.

I know I will definitely be less concerned if I don't see my name on the "cleared list" when the agent closes out a flight next time because I will imagine it is probably God's plan for me to talk to someone else on a different flight!!!

09:59 pm - It's here!

In a digital age when guys no longer send actual cards or love notes in the mail, I have slowly become a girl who does not really care about the postman anymore. Last Saturday was an exceptionally happy day for me when the mails arrived though. No, it was not because some guys decide to go the traditional route and send me something in the mail (that will certainly make my day because I think that takes lots of effort from the guys).

Instead, it was a piece of mail from the US Immigration Department: I got my Green Card!!!
FINALLY, after 4 years and 8 months of waiting......I got this plastic card in the mail, making me "permanent" in the USA as a resident. It even comes with a pamphlet that said "Welcome to USA" with instructions on how I can survive in this country (how to find a job etc.).

My feeling: happy, relief, and most of all, grateful to God. I guess I have never really waited for something for so long (I am pretty impatient). This wait had certainly been a test for me. During the darkest moments when I felt like there was no hope, I have definitely considered giving up on the wait. Looking back, I am glad I didn't make such a hasty decision.

The waiting process was certainly long and tiring. The worst part (for a control freak like me) was there was not much I can do about it. Sometimes I feel like if I could take action, it is not so bad a situation. But in this green card application process, all I could do was wait.

God had certainly taught me a valuable lesson through this long waiting process: that I have to trust Him even if I am not able to see the light at the end of the tunnel at times. I am also certain that God has a plan for my life and He will only reveal it to me as I take things one step at a time. He cannot possibly reveal everything at once and I should not doubt His guidance (even if the circumstances tell me otherwise).

This is a principle to be applied in other areas of my life, especially when it comes to the thing that I find hardest to relinquish control. One day, I have no doubt I will say the same thing: "It's here!" and my heart will be filled with joy.

Maybe it will not be longer than 4 years, maybe it will.

My Lord knows the best time.

And I trust Him.

04:29 am - Japan Trip 2008

I visited Japan for the first time last week and I must say that it was REALLY great!!!

First of all, Japanese food was terrific! I ate so much that ever since I got home last night I have not yet dare to step on my bathroom scale to check on the actual "damage".

I was also impressed with the service level in Japan. For example, Beatrix and I bought $6 worth of Japanese sweets from a shop in Kyoto and the sales person actually followed us out of the shop and bowed to us as she said thanks and good bye to send us off. I must admit I am a little bit uncomfortable about that but she sure made me feel good about spending money there. Later on we saw an advertisement for cheap yukata (casual Kimono for summer)so we decided to check out the five-story shop. Even though we were only able to purchase the cheapest items there, the sales person was happily showing us everything available in the shop, including their 1 million Yen kimono (which for sure is not something that we can afford to buy!).

Of course I also enjoyed meeting up with my friends in Tokyo. They made us feel very welcomed and we were treated to many wonderful meals as we chatted and catched up on our lives. I know I will not hesitate to make this flight across the Pacific Ocean any time becasue I have so many wonderful friends there. Actually I believe I probably have the greatest number of friends in Japan (besides US and Malaysia) which makes the visit to this foreign country really pleasant!!! I am grateful to the Lord that He had brought me so many friends who are such blessings in my life!!

Finally, the major highlight of my trip: Seeing Kosuke Kitajima competed live in Japan Open 2008, a Japanese national swimming competition! I started to like Kitajima ever since I saw him on TV 4 years ago during the Athens Olympics where he won both goal medals in 100M and 200M breast stroke. There is no doubt in my mind that he is one of the sexiest Asian men alive! However, I didn't have a chance to see him much since the Olympics because international swimming competitions were never broadcasted in US. This trip I was determined to see him compete live because I suspect he will retire after the Beijing Olympics later on this year.

It was obvious that Kitajima was the biggest star of Japan Open 2008. They scheduled his 100 M breast stroke final as the last event of the day. Before the swimmers walked out to the pool side, they even changed the music (it was a new song that was not played at all that whole afternoon!). I was among the many fans who screamed like a little girl by the time he walked out (and I believe I was among the loudest because most Japanese are kind of reserved!). I knew I got a few stares from the people sitting around me but I really didn't care.

Kitajima did not disappoint me in the pool at all. He clocked a new Japan record of 57.62 seconds to grab the goal medal. Yeah, I know I paid to see the guy for less than 1 minute of action but it was totally worth it!!! Most importantly, I was able to see him up close after the event as he was talking to the reporters. Basically I was on the second floor hanging half way out the railing while he was talking to the media. All of a sudden, he turned around and looked at me into my eyes. I swear I will not forget that look for the rest of my life!!! I don't know why he turned but my story (and I am sticking to it!) was that he sensed that someone was staring at him with so much intensity that he had to turn and check it out! If I was more of an athlete, I might have climbed over the railing to the first floor but then I will probably be arrested by the security and banned from entering Japan in the future!!!

Of all the trips that I have taken, I must say that this Japan trip had to rank among the top 3 vacations of my life (so far!). I know for sure that I will be back, sooner rather than later!

04:31 pm - Atlanta Thrashers Casino Night

I felt like I was 15 years old all over again. I mean, you finally got a chance to see your secret crush and you could only smiled and could not said anything meaningful? I DEFINTITLY had not felt this way for a long time. Yes, I admit I was not that good at flirting but at least I was never really shy about having a conversation with a good looking man. The only problem last night: I was dealing with Kari Lehtonen.

Yeah, Beatrix and I were attending the Atlanta Thrashers Casino Night, a charity event organized by the Atlanta Thrashers Foundation where all the players were acting as “dealers” at different gambling tables. Kari’s table was EXTREMELY popular and we could not get a seat. I had to wait until he took a break nearby before I was able to approach him.

“Excuse me, Kari, can I please take a picture together with you?”

That’s ALL I could manage out of my mouth last night.

He smiled and stood up from the chair and the guy was really tall (I think I didn’t even reach his shoulder!). He put his arms around my shoulder as Beatrix quickly took a shot. I thanked him and I walked away. Yeah, I was SO shy I didn’t even try to carry on any kind of conversation with him!!!

I was definitely happy to have the picture taken though. It was my fantasy as a fan girl and last night the dream came through (Thanks to the generosity of my dear sister who gave it to me as my Valentine’s day gift!!!)!!! It is by far the BEST Valentine’s Day gift ever!!!

As I walked away from Kari, I was smiling non-stop. It was a happy night for this crazy fan girl!

Who cares if I am 31 years old?

When you are a fan, you are just a little girl!!!

02:59 pm - Faith

Hebrew 11: 1 “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

I got an e-mail this morning that confronted me head on regarding my faith.

If things are rosy all the time, our faith is not really tested. It is when things go wrong and we do not understand why that our faith is really called into action.

I felt pretty helpless regarding the situation that my friend had described to me in her e-mail. I felt sorry about it. I also questioned why God allowed such a terrible thing to happen to a girl so young, so fantastic, and so full of life?

I knew that all my “problems” really are nothing in comparison to what my friend is experiencing right now. It suddenly put things in perspective for me, knowing how much blessings I have in my life right now, despite not getting every desire of my heart met.

However, I still could not help but wonder, just how do we keep our faith going when things are just not going right (in our own mind)?

A good mentor of mine offered this perspective:

You are driving on a winding and hilly road (in my mind I picture Highway 101 from San Francisco to LA where one has to drive along the coast and there is the cliff down onto Pacific Ocean right by your side). Unfortunately, there is an 18-wheeler right in front of you that is going ever so slowly.

You got impatient about this drive (Yeah, I can totally see myself being that driver!). You even forgot to look to see how fantastic the view actually is along the coastal drive. All you focus on is the back of this 18-wheeler and you wonder when is it going to move away so you can go full speed ahead. You didn’t dare to cross the truck though because you could not really see the front. You know there will be an accident if there is actually traffic coming from the other direction.

Still, you are so frustrated that you kept complaining about the situation. You felt stuck and you wonder why it was you who got stuck behind the truck.

Now, what if you have a friend who is flying a helicopter above you and telling you the traffic situation ahead? He actually sees miles ahead of you and he tells you when it is clear to move ahead and when to stay behind.

Do you trust your friend in the helicopter or do you trust your own “blind” and “limited” vision?

God is the friend in the helicopter. Faith asked us to look up and talk to our friend in the helicopter when we cannot see the future.

I have already committed my life to this friend who sent His only son to die for my sins on the cross.

Why would I want to risk and go out on my own when I know He obviously cares about me more than anyone else in this world?

Now I just need to apply that in my life!

Obviously, I am not sure how bumpy the drive ahead will be or how long this 18-wheeler is going to block my view. What I know is that faith requires action from me (even when I don’t feel like it!). So this is what I have decided to do: I will drive according to what my friend in the helicopter told me to (regardless of my need to accelerate on the gas pedal !).

09:10 am - Mr. Benz, Mr. Toyota, and Mr. Bonneville

When I met Mr. Benz, I thought he was incredible. Good looking, dark, athletic, incredibly sexy, powerful, smart, and by the way, he was really smooth.

Could you really blame me for falling in love with Mr. Benz? I don’t think so.

I have dreamt about having Mr. Benz since I was a young girl. The only reason Mr. Benz seems out of reach was because I thought I could not afford him.

Look, I was actually careful. When Mr. Benz finally appeared in my life, I was not certain if I should go out with him. But he was too hard to resist so I went with my heart’s desire.

I certainly enjoyed the ride. Mr. Benz was one of the best. I have to give him credit.

Mr. Benz was not easy to maintain though and I found myself spending more time than ever, working harder than usual just to be able to “afford” Mr. Benz. At the end of the day, I question if it’s all worth it? Mr. Benz just does not seem to appreciate me as much as I appreciate him. Perhaps it is because Mr. Benz is used to being “worshiped” and “admired”. Hey, I am not blind. I know everyone turns around to look at Mr. Benz when I go out with him.

So, you think I should consider Mr. Toyota, right? Yeah, I have heard it so many times too. Please give Mr. Toyota a chance. He is very reliable. He is decent. Look, everyone is driving one.

Sure, I will go out with Mr. Toyota, even if I am still thinking about Mr. Benz a little bit. I am trying hard to recognize the good traits that everyone is talking about. I know I have to give Mr. Toyota more than one chance to win me over.

The problem is I can hardly get excited when Mr. Toyota calls or comes over to pick me up. It’s more a courtesy. I am a nice girl afterall, perhaps too nice sometimes.

To be fair to Mr. Toyota, I should let him go too. It’s a matter of time. I am not about to break Mr. Toyota’s heart. So I finally say good bye to Mr. Toyota.

Sitting alone in my Bonneville, I can only hope that someday I will meet Mr. Bonneville. He is reliable, strong, fun, sexy (but not too much!), and together we become the best of ourselves. I know exactly what I want. I just have to be more patient. Mr. Bonneville is very rare. He is not the obvious choice. He is not for everyone.

I know there is one Mr. Bonneville out there, still waiting for me.

I have faith.

02:48 pm - Life (in terms of an Ice Hockey game)

Let me start off by saying that the original idea of comparing life with ice hockey game didn’t come from me. I am merely expanding on what a good friend shared with me last night as he was trying to encourage me.

With that said, let’s get started with some serious questions:

1. If life is an ice hockey game, are you going to play for 20 minutes, 40 minutes, or a full 60 minutes?
2. Do you show up for the first 20 minutes, and then give up because things are getting tough out there on the ice? (So you are really just waiting for the final buzzer to sound so you can go shower and go home?)
3. Maybe you are playing the goalie position (my personal favorite!) and there are too many shots on goal tonight and the red lights had been lit way too many times than you like, do you secretly wish that the coach will just pull you out of the game or do you battle to the end?
4. Perhaps you are the forward and there are only two minutes left in the 3rd period but you have a chance to tie it up because you are only down one goal, are you going to stay focus and get the job done?

To be honest, I am quite a weary ice hockey player right now. I wonder why the coach won’t just bench me. I have not scored any goals for a long time now. And game after game, the battle around the board is wearing out my body. The most recent game I fought hard and still lost in the shootout (so what’s the point to work so hard?).

Do I still want to win? Yes. Do I believe I can do it? I have doubts.

Should I question the coach’s decision? The idea had certainly crossed my mind. Maybe the coach really does not know what he is doing?

The fans are still cheering though. I look up the stand and I saw someone’s eager eyes, waiting for me to get back on my game.

I know the game is still going on. It’s simply too early to call it quit.

I guess I am going to trust the coach and go out there for my next shift on the ice.

I just might score the next huge goal. Maybe even a short handed one and I can turn the tide on this game.

Let’s do it!

02:28 pm - Matters of the Heart

If I can only say one prayer this holiday season, I will ask the Lord to change my heart.

Specifically:

Please make my heart more obedient to Your direction.

Please make my heart calmer about changes in my life.

Please make my heart accept what cannot be changed.

Please make my heart listen to Your voice.

Please make my heart more trusting of Your guidance.

I know what my heart desires but I also know what God desires for me is to give Him my heart and the control over my heart.

It is not easy for this self proclaimed control freak (albeit a recovering one).

I know I cannot really do it without God’s help.

Please have mercy on me, Lord and help me to be humble and listen to You instead of relying on my own brand of wisdom.

Bible verse for today:
1 Corinthians 1, verse 25:
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

09:43 am - My Testimony

I looked at the calendar today and I will be turning 31 in less than 3 weeks.

I cannot help but look at my progress just from a year ago and I have to say that I am definitely in a much better place emotionally and spiritually.

It has nothing to do with my ability or my own wisdom for I know I still make mistakes every day. What is making the difference is my willingness to listen to God and allowing Him to talk to me. It’s with the grace from God that I am where I am today and I know that I could not have done it without my Lord and His guidance.

Although I am looking at a future that is always full of unknowns, I know with certainty that God has a plan for me in my life. He called me to trust in Him when I was a 13 year old back in Malaysia and He never left me alone (even as I wonder away at times) through the years. God shaped my character with incidents and people around me and taught me valuable lessons as I laughed, cried, learnt to grow up, and become the woman of who I am today (and I am glad He continues the process of “improvement” every day on me and didn’t give up!).

I must admit that I am a bit of a control freak but since the automobile accident last year (in fact it happened exactly one year ago on November 15, 2006) where I lost control of my vehicle and slammed into a tree, I have become much better at letting God be on the steering wheel of my life (not that I don’t have the urge to take it back from time to time).

Most importantly, I learnt to give thanks in good times and in bad times, knowing that no matter what happen, God has a good plan for those who choose to honor Him first and foremost and He will work things out the best possible way that no human can imagine (and I have a pretty good imagination!).

Turning my eyes to God, I know that I will have no fear in facing the new year, because He loves and cares about me, more than anyone I know of.

In conclusion, let me just end the article with Matthew 6: 9-11:

9"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!