I've picked up ping pong again thanks to one of my client coworkers!  It's definitely something fun to do after work and it actually is a workout when you get into it - sweat and all.  I'm getting ready to battle my brothers and daddy when we all meet in San Jose for the holidays.  In this rekindled spirit of ping pong, Frank and I went to Sports Authority and bought a package of two paddles, two balls, and a net with anchors.  Frank had this awesome idea to set up the net on our formal dining table, and it worked out wonderfully.  We guessed that the length and width are shorter than regular-sized ping pong tables, but it's still fun to play on it.  The next step will be to get better paddles.  So I'm really excited about playing again.

Most recently, Amina got me started on this show called Life on NBC.  Luckily, NBC's website had all episodes of Life from season 1, so I started watching the episodes this past Friday.  And now, I am completely hooked.  There were 11 episodes in season 1, and there are 4 episodes in season 2 so far.  I'm caught up with all the episodes today, so that is some hard core watching that I did over the weekend.  But I had a semi-okay excuse in that I got sick with the cold.  Alright, that's not even a semi-okay excuse but I'm going to use it anyways.  The show is definitely worth checking out though.  I was never into the cop or crime shows, but this show is so different because of the main character Charlie Crews, played by Damian Lewis (what an awesome name Damian is by the way).

In other news, I've been doing some career research, and I've decided that I definitely would be interested in staying technical.  When I say "staying technical", I don't mean that I want to continue to be a developer, coding away.  Instead, I would love to continue to learn and understand how things work, and stay up-to-date with the latest architecture trends and new technologies.  At the same time, I want to move towards the people management and architecture of systems and solutions in that context.  So to make things short and sweet, my long-term goal is to shoot for the career of an IT Architect.  At least this is my goal right now.  Things may change in the future, but I've decided that I don't need to decide right now what I want to do for the rest of my life.  I have so much time to strive for different things if my heart desires, and to change careers if I wanted to in the future.  But right now, I have decided that I am going to shoot for becoming an IT Architect.  The next step for me now is to make a strategy to get there.

I've also come across different career advice that I plan to document in my next entry.  Hopefully some of you will find it useful.  Many of the things I came across were things I had heard before, but there were a few things that were quite innovative in my opinion, so I'll try to emphasize those types of ideas.

Jumping to the next topic, I cannot wait until December.  Every year, I have the same feelings of excitement in anticipation of the holiday season.  One day last week, I had even started to hum a Christmas song in the bathroom of the office.  I'm particularly excited about this coming December because Frank and I will be heading back to the Bay Area for two weeks.  So much to do, so many people to see, and especially, so much AWESOME food to eat.  We are definitely excited about the food.  And I would even love to visit Berkeley again and walk the campus.  I really can't wait.

If I had no more time
No more time left to be here
Would you cherish what we had?
Was it everything that you were looking for?
If I couldn’t feel your touch
And no longer were you with me
I’d be wishing you were here
To be everything that I’d be looking for
I don’t wanna forget the present is a gift
And I don’t wanna take for granted the time you may have here with me
‘Cause Lord only knows another day is not really guaranteed

So every time you hold me
Hold me like this is the last time
Every time you kiss me
Kiss me like you’ll never see me again
Every time you touch me
Touch me like this is the last time
Promise that you’ll love me
Love me like you’ll never see me again

How many really know what love is?
Millions never will
Do you know until you lose it

That it’s everything that we are looking for
When I wake up in the morning
You’re beside me
I’m so thankful that I found
Everything that I been looking for

I don’t wanna forget the present is a gift
And I don’t wanna take for granted the time you may have here with me
‘Cause Lord only knows another day is not really guaranteed

So everytime you hold me
Hold me like this is the last time
Every time you kiss me
Kiss me like you’ll never see me again
(can you do that for me baby)
Every time you touch me
(see we don’t really know)
Touch me like this is the last time
(see everyday we never know)
Promise that you’ll love me
(I want you to promise me)
Love me like you’ll never see me again
(like you’ll never see me again)

... I feel like I left a big chunk of myself in California.  It feels like a part of me is empty.  This might be the period talking but I'm sad in a melancholy sort of way.  I miss so many people, so many things, so many activities.  If I was deployed onto a project right now, I wouldn't have the time to think about these things.  But it's good that I now have the chance to revel in my thoughts, in the thoughts I should have had months ago.

It has been such a whirlwind since May.  Buying a house > finals > graduation > full-time internship > packing > buying a car > shipping a car > more packing > flying to Georgia > starting new job > training and onboarding classes > meeting new people > where I am now... in sort of a limbo, a limbo between two major stages of my life.

I can't believe I'm 21; I've graduated; I'm not in California; I'm thousands of miles away from my family and my friends.

I miss my mommy and daddy.
I miss seeing my brothers on random weekends.
I miss Amina.  I miss running to Safeway and buying chocolate cake and ice cream with Amina.  I miss watching Stargate during midterms with Amina.  I miss finishing the sun-dried tomato alouette in two days with Amina.  I miss rooming with Amina.  I miss all of Amina's beautiful shoes.
I miss Johnny.  I miss watching How I Met Your Mother with Johnny.  I miss the random spur of the moment hangouts with Johnny.  I miss skipping class with Johnny.  I miss the longs talks I had with Johnny.  I miss making fun of Johnny.  I miss Johnny's anime looks.
I miss Bryce.  I miss talking to Bryce.  I miss climbing with Bryce.  I miss Bryce's adorable awkwardness.  I miss having McDonald's hot fudge sundaes with Bryce.  I miss Bryce's geekiness.
I miss the random CSA outtings.
I miss being able to walk to stores and fantastic restaurants from my apartment.
I miss Berkeley... god I miss Berkeley.
I miss climbing at one of the best climbing gyms I have ever been to.  I now realize I had it good with Ironworks so nearby.
I miss being able to walk around at night without getting bitten by mosquitos.
I miss delicious sashimi.
I miss all the WebSphere Education interns, old and new.
And the list goes on...

But through all the tears and sorrow, and though a part of me feels lonely, there is of course, the future that the change brings and the love that has been unchanged through it all.  I will always cherish all the people that have touched my life and these are not just words when I say I want to keep in touch.  I will always miss the sweet memories and they will always have a place in my heart and my mind.

And one day, I will return, if only to revisit these beautiful memories.
What a sappy ending... nay, beginning.  But I had to, the tears were just too much.

I am LOVING this new song by Lily Allen