The last post actually sparked this next post. As the title says, "Selfless", I really enjoy this word. Why? Because it's such an amazing trait a person can have. I believe a person to be selfless is admirable, how does a person worry/think about things or people around them before themselves? Is it possible? I believe so but very hard to actually be. I don't think being selfless is an act, it's lifestyle, that's how you are. And if you think about it, who in your life is selfless? Are you selfless? I truly do not believe I am selfless, I believe I am selfish. In life it's human to want the best, to make money for yourself, have the best food in your plate, simply gratify your own self. But these people who are genuinely selfless, look out for other peoples need before their own, we need more of these people in this world.
If I can possibly attain this when I grow up, I believe it's an necessary quality when I have a family of my own. I hope to subconsciously look for my kid/wife/friends needs before mine, whether it be money, food, or time... I want to put my loved ones first.
To six people who truly I believe put other peoples need before others is my parents, my brother, Allan Tong, David Zhu, and Erick Chang. Some of the most important people in my life, are always thinking of others and just caring. I love you all...
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
→ POST SDC UPDATE
Some ask me what am I doing lately? I just tell them "Man, I'm just chilling, sleeping in and whenever I get the chance to, I chill some more" These past few weeks after Day Camp, I thought I'd feel a little more relaxed but it doesn't seem to be the case when you're looking at midterms and papers to do for school every night/day. Basically I wake up to read or work on papers for class, then school itself, then to come home to a nice microwaved dinner.
I can not wait until the end of August 4th, that's if you couldn't guess the last day of night school and I have about 2 weeks to spend before the Fall 2011 semester starts. Not much of a summer, but I can't complain since I put it upon myself to transfer in one more year.
Planning a Santa Cruz trip with some friends, and hopefully this will be a time where I can truly breathe and enjoy what is in front of me. Good company and what I hope to be beautiful weather.
Who I definitely thinks deserves a mention, is my parents. I honestly don't show as much appreciation as they deserve.. My mom this summer has dealt with my easily irritated self, but never gave up or just stopped. She's prepared lunch and dinner for me basically every day of the summer and I barely see her. The time I do see her, she's heating up my food or I'm being a total brat and giving her attitude. Although I'm tired, it's easily forgotten that my parents also woke up at 7am to work 9 hours, so I think the whole world revolves around me. I just want to thank God for blessing me with such great, caring, selfless parents.
Thank you.
I can not wait until the end of August 4th, that's if you couldn't guess the last day of night school and I have about 2 weeks to spend before the Fall 2011 semester starts. Not much of a summer, but I can't complain since I put it upon myself to transfer in one more year.
Planning a Santa Cruz trip with some friends, and hopefully this will be a time where I can truly breathe and enjoy what is in front of me. Good company and what I hope to be beautiful weather.
Who I definitely thinks deserves a mention, is my parents. I honestly don't show as much appreciation as they deserve.. My mom this summer has dealt with my easily irritated self, but never gave up or just stopped. She's prepared lunch and dinner for me basically every day of the summer and I barely see her. The time I do see her, she's heating up my food or I'm being a total brat and giving her attitude. Although I'm tired, it's easily forgotten that my parents also woke up at 7am to work 9 hours, so I think the whole world revolves around me. I just want to thank God for blessing me with such great, caring, selfless parents.
Thank you.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
→ SOON TO END, ALL SMILES
Tomorrow is the LAST day of 2011 Re:New Day Camp, and I really can't put into words how fast this camp went by. I'm really going to miss my cute kids, the fun-filled counselors, the great atmosphere, and most of all just being in a big family. It's funny, if you were a stranger walking into our day camp during worship, you'd see everyone go crazy for their group "GUMMIE BEARS! SKITTLES! AIRHEADS! STARBURSTS!" as if we were in a war or something. But totally opposite, we're all part of a family, a family where people truly care about each other. I think this is what I loved about SDC this year, I felt wanted, belonged, and just.... happy. You walk in tired as hell at 8am and everyone is there just sitting around doing morning devotion but, you have this feeling of, oh we're in this together, we're happy doing this for God and the kids.
The aura everyday is just magnificent, you see counselors in a rush to print out math worksheets, freaking out over the weather/activity, finding missing items just so everything can be PERFECT. You wonder, how can all this chaos be magnificent? Don't you see? All this panicking is to make things run smoothly for the kids, realizing that you have a group of counselors so highly devoted in their activities or classes trying to make the best out of things is wonderful. Being overwhelmed but succeeding in the end describes this camp very well. Things can be an utter mess in the beginning but sticking it through and seeing the wonderful smiles on our kids faces after a day in the park, or Chuck E Cheese, or just arts & craft is worth it.
It's sad for me to come to this realization this late in the camp, I wish I would have cherished my kids and counselors earlier.. but better late than never right? What opened up my eyes was the Counselor Swap day that put me in a position at Hope that helped me in the long run. I was put into a group called the Cheerios which were K-2nd as well, but couple things that differed was the counselors and the lack of discipline. Counselors lacked experience and discipline themselves, the kids were crazy at the wrong time. I guess it was just frustrating to see how.... let's see if I can put this nicely... nope! how.. BAD everything was going. It made me appreciate my kids, my counselors. When I saw them after in a meeting, I had so much to say, I wanted to hear so much about their day... It really opened up my eyes, they came up to me and said "RYAN! You have no idea how happy I am to see you" And... DAMN, it was from KB (a guy) and I just felt soo good! I don't know, I guess I'm just enjoying my group so much more after that day. It's a family for us, our own little family. We have group bonding on Saturday, and I can't wait to just summarize our experience. To just sit back and say "remember when..." "oh dude, when so and so did that!" It'll make me smile, BIG.
Not to get ahead of myself, but there still is Closing Ceremony tomorrow. And I'm so excited for it, it's definitely bittersweet since this is the time to say goodbye to your kids, as well as seeing an ending video... I hope to smile and tear, hug and get hugged, and just cherish what happened int he past 6 weeks and what is instored for the Gummies. I can't wait.
2011 Re:New Summer Day Camp, I'll miss everything about you..., you have been the highlight of my summer.
Loosely Photos:
The aura everyday is just magnificent, you see counselors in a rush to print out math worksheets, freaking out over the weather/activity, finding missing items just so everything can be PERFECT. You wonder, how can all this chaos be magnificent? Don't you see? All this panicking is to make things run smoothly for the kids, realizing that you have a group of counselors so highly devoted in their activities or classes trying to make the best out of things is wonderful. Being overwhelmed but succeeding in the end describes this camp very well. Things can be an utter mess in the beginning but sticking it through and seeing the wonderful smiles on our kids faces after a day in the park, or Chuck E Cheese, or just arts & craft is worth it.
It's sad for me to come to this realization this late in the camp, I wish I would have cherished my kids and counselors earlier.. but better late than never right? What opened up my eyes was the Counselor Swap day that put me in a position at Hope that helped me in the long run. I was put into a group called the Cheerios which were K-2nd as well, but couple things that differed was the counselors and the lack of discipline. Counselors lacked experience and discipline themselves, the kids were crazy at the wrong time. I guess it was just frustrating to see how.... let's see if I can put this nicely... nope! how.. BAD everything was going. It made me appreciate my kids, my counselors. When I saw them after in a meeting, I had so much to say, I wanted to hear so much about their day... It really opened up my eyes, they came up to me and said "RYAN! You have no idea how happy I am to see you" And... DAMN, it was from KB (a guy) and I just felt soo good! I don't know, I guess I'm just enjoying my group so much more after that day. It's a family for us, our own little family. We have group bonding on Saturday, and I can't wait to just summarize our experience. To just sit back and say "remember when..." "oh dude, when so and so did that!" It'll make me smile, BIG.
Not to get ahead of myself, but there still is Closing Ceremony tomorrow. And I'm so excited for it, it's definitely bittersweet since this is the time to say goodbye to your kids, as well as seeing an ending video... I hope to smile and tear, hug and get hugged, and just cherish what happened int he past 6 weeks and what is instored for the Gummies. I can't wait.
2011 Re:New Summer Day Camp, I'll miss everything about you..., you have been the highlight of my summer.
Loosely Photos:
Friday, July 8, 2011
→ SUMMER 2011
Haven't updated this blog in awhile, I've wanted to a couple times but actually writing things up wasn't in my best interest. But anyways.. Summer's been really busy and tiring, not what a normal summer is described as, but I'm definitely enjoying it!
I've been spending my time doing a day camp at my church I've been doing my whole life and Summer school at Skyline which I wouldn't think I'd be doing ever, haha. Schedule for SDC is roughly 8-445, then night school 530-9ish. Working with kids from grades K to 2nd gets a little exhausting. Teaching math in the morning to activities in the afternoon I hardly have enough energy to stay awake in class. BUT, I'm able to wake up every morning (not necessarily on time ;]) and repeat this tiring process! Where this all comes from? I'm thanking God for it. For the opportunity to work with such great people and kids, and be able to help myself as well.
I've dedicated my time and effort to this 6 week camp, RE:NEW SDC. It's a ton of fun and the kids are something else... Having so many stories to tell, I couldn't even start. It'd bother me that I include one story but not the other, so I wont. Just know that it's amazing and filled with laughter and smiles every single day. The group of counselors that I work with everyday are great, I swear there isn't a dull lunch time with them. I would remember having such a terrible day or being in the worst mood and the smile and laugh produced by these young ones can flip my day around just like that. The kids! I have some trouble ones which I learned to patiently work with, some quiet ones which spawned to new crazy animals and just some CRAZILY CUTE ones. Nicknames are a must for me, "Chels-ski, Bri, Hails-ley" Seeing these kids everyday does NOT get old, it's the 5th week and if it was possible I wouldn't mind another month! This camp went by too quick, just like the saying "at a blink of an eye" I felt like I didn't grasp the opportunity as much as I wanted to.. Nevertheless, I can not speak bad about my past weeks involving the adorable, wild, cute Gummie Bears. Of course this road wasn't paved off to be perfect but it didn't stop us or me to keep striving to make the best camp for the kids. There was a time where I was mad at how things were going, how the kids were acting, how the counselors failed to do things and wanted to just stop. But how could I stop? When this is my job, to help these kids grow up to know God and become a good person. What kept me going were the kids, after all, it is for them. I'll miss these gummies...
Yet, not really.. I believe I myself have received a lot from this. It's brought me closer to a lot people at church that I've strayed away in the past years.. Re-attained old friendship while building a stronger foundation with others. Although I do not feel that my relationship with God has really changed for the better, I do know that God has a plan for me. May not be the right time, but it'll come. And from the retreat before SDC, I said I'll wait and not force anything. I believe God may be working through people with me, it's in His hands, so I won't stress.
Pictures, and an edit will be done soon! I'm tired, and gotta wake up at 7 tmrw, so this is my farewell! for now.
I've been spending my time doing a day camp at my church I've been doing my whole life and Summer school at Skyline which I wouldn't think I'd be doing ever, haha. Schedule for SDC is roughly 8-445, then night school 530-9ish. Working with kids from grades K to 2nd gets a little exhausting. Teaching math in the morning to activities in the afternoon I hardly have enough energy to stay awake in class. BUT, I'm able to wake up every morning (not necessarily on time ;]) and repeat this tiring process! Where this all comes from? I'm thanking God for it. For the opportunity to work with such great people and kids, and be able to help myself as well.
I've dedicated my time and effort to this 6 week camp, RE:NEW SDC. It's a ton of fun and the kids are something else... Having so many stories to tell, I couldn't even start. It'd bother me that I include one story but not the other, so I wont. Just know that it's amazing and filled with laughter and smiles every single day. The group of counselors that I work with everyday are great, I swear there isn't a dull lunch time with them. I would remember having such a terrible day or being in the worst mood and the smile and laugh produced by these young ones can flip my day around just like that. The kids! I have some trouble ones which I learned to patiently work with, some quiet ones which spawned to new crazy animals and just some CRAZILY CUTE ones. Nicknames are a must for me, "Chels-ski, Bri, Hails-ley" Seeing these kids everyday does NOT get old, it's the 5th week and if it was possible I wouldn't mind another month! This camp went by too quick, just like the saying "at a blink of an eye" I felt like I didn't grasp the opportunity as much as I wanted to.. Nevertheless, I can not speak bad about my past weeks involving the adorable, wild, cute Gummie Bears. Of course this road wasn't paved off to be perfect but it didn't stop us or me to keep striving to make the best camp for the kids. There was a time where I was mad at how things were going, how the kids were acting, how the counselors failed to do things and wanted to just stop. But how could I stop? When this is my job, to help these kids grow up to know God and become a good person. What kept me going were the kids, after all, it is for them. I'll miss these gummies...
Yet, not really.. I believe I myself have received a lot from this. It's brought me closer to a lot people at church that I've strayed away in the past years.. Re-attained old friendship while building a stronger foundation with others. Although I do not feel that my relationship with God has really changed for the better, I do know that God has a plan for me. May not be the right time, but it'll come. And from the retreat before SDC, I said I'll wait and not force anything. I believe God may be working through people with me, it's in His hands, so I won't stress.
Pictures, and an edit will be done soon! I'm tired, and gotta wake up at 7 tmrw, so this is my farewell! for now.
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| Aidan, the silent shy boy whom evolved! |
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| Jonathan, the other twin! Such a cutie... |
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| Oh you know, Jeslyn just posing! |
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| On the carousel with Brandon.. OUMMMMMM! |
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| Nathan... the kid who taught me patience! |
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| Cutie Chloe! |
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