DBN

*edit:
i forgot to share some wonderful news!
i FINALLYYYY got my anatomy grade back.
overall, i have the 5th highest grade in the class!! 96.1% :)
andddd i got a 197/200 on my final (but he was ridiculously generous with extra credit opps)!!
PRAISE GOD. PRAIIIISEEE GODDD.

*end edit


so i can't believe it's already been almost a year and a half since i started this blog.

in the beginning, i had about 30-something dedicated readers eager to read my entries every day, a few even demanding me to update if i didn't for more than a day.

now i think i'm down to about 5 hahaha
but honestly, i don't care, or else i would've jumped onto the tumblr bandwagon a long time ago. :)

anyway,
HAPPY 2012!! the year of the dragon, yesss. hopefully this will be a better year for me. for all of us dragons.
here is my entry from last year's new year's eve, if you want to look back (or read just out of curiosity, if you're a more recent follower.)

this year's new year's was a lottttt more mellow than last year's.... obviously, considering the fact that i almost got trampled on a thousand times last year being stuck in the midst of 340985 people, outside in below freezing weather.

this year's was spent at church, of course. it felt really awesome to be able to spend it with the people i consider my 2nd family. i have to be honest though -- i was expecting the new year's event at church to be lame and boring, but i had the funnest time playing yootnori because my team and i freaking owned our highschooler opponents (one girl on my team went on a crazy yoot/mo rampage, and i myself got a few yoot's/mo's in a row too hehe). plus, someone brought 4 boxes of portos and i was speechlessly ecstatic.

pastor ben shin, while giving his "state-of-the-church address," announced our EM's theme for 2012: Giving Glory to the Glorious One. how simple, yet so strikingly necessary. whatever we do, it has to glorify God because that's what we're made for, right??

after church, i went straight to my sister's because she needed help watching the kids. it was my first time in a while spending that much time with her family (sat, sun, mon), and although i was freaking pooped from lack of sleep from the previous few days, i felt like it was the best way to expend my leftover energy.
yesterday, as i was running errands with her around torrance, she vented to me about our family issues again. it's been awhile since she's done so, and at first i was dreading her every word (because i like to avoid this topic), but as she transitioned into her life-theme for 2012, i became more confident in encouraging her with words of hope and optimism. and then i joined her in taking on this theme...

"Don't Be Nasty"

... and no, this does not mean "don't be a byuntae." or "don't skip showering for more than a day." (actually, that might be part of it, but...)

it actually means "don't be nasty" in every way --

1. physically: taking care of ourselves. no more buying 싸구려 clothing (but rather finding good deals on quality clothing/ being smart about what's worth it and what's not). putting more effort into our appearances & hygiene without having to try too hard.
2. emotionally: no more being bitter. avoiding snappiness/ meanness/ being easily annoyed. working on loving more. no more holding onto emotional baggage. being pleasant and encouraging to others. lending an ear or shoulder. being a better friend/family member.
3. mentally: thinking of the positive. being thankful for everything - the good and the bad. avoiding bad thoughts. [philippians 4:8]. being more organized, alert, and smart with decisions [i need to start budgeting].
4. spiritually: no more being lazy. repenting. forgiving. reminding self - "am i glorifying God when i ____?"

this is a lot to take on, but i'm so determined right now, especially because i know my sister's working at it, too. we decided to keep each other accountable by "DBN"-ing each other whenever we see some "nasty" action going on.
please do the same for me. :)

i can't wait to see what God has in store this year.
cheers -- to a better me, for an all-deserving God.