A Phone Call from a Friend.

Her head is much smaller than mine. Look at this picture. My face is almost two times bigger than hers. Ha-ha-ha. I have a bigger head/face, forehead, eyes, and what else? than average ppl. Well.. it is okay. It's just me.

I missed her phone call twice today. Finally I called her and we talked. I would like to go back to Korea. sometime... Can I ?

BTW, this photo might have been taken.. September 2004. I still have that t-shirt.

White House, Feb. 2008

One cold winter day. I have never dreamed living in another country. White house was just a building that I could see from the news. However, I am here. I did not plan it, but I am enjoying it.

I would like to travel more, experience more, and... spread my wings further.

2004 @ SNU

2004. My last year at SNU. I was a 5th year Ph.D. candidate.
My seat was right next the window. It was pretty good except it was freezing cold in winter.
I was able to see mountain through window. I used to notice the change of season by the greenness. I even didn't need to move my neck. Just felt the color.

I had a computer with small LCD monitor. I loved my mini keyboard and Logitech mouse. My desk lamp was one of my closest friends. Sticky notes... I love sticky notes.

I was about to leave my school of 11 years. It is a really long period of time. I didn't move around that much in my life. I grew up and lived in same city for 30 years. I attended same university for 11 years. I am working at UC Davis for 4.5 years.

Right now, I am about to leave Davis in... few months. Look around my seat here and look at the picture taken 5 year ago. How similar it is... at the same time, how different I am...

Me

Diapers hanging behind me. Long fabric one, not disposable ones in these days. When did I start peeing by myself? When did I start washing by myself? When did I start worrying about being hurt when I play outside? When did I start ... thinking?

100 Days old... More than 12,000 days ago?

Sometimes, I am amazed that I am living... alive. At the same time, I become scared that I will not exist anymore from certain time in the future.

Also I am amazed by looking at newborn babies. Such a small, live human being... I look back, and there is me that I do not really remember, but existed.

Winter between Davis and Sacramento

This morning, I went to Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area (http://www.yolobasin.org/wildlife.cfm). I saw many different kinds of birds. I loved a very refreshing air in this area. I should come back later :)

One day in February, 2008

I changed cell phone in January 2008. Even though I liked my old one, I just needed a small change in life. Also I would like to take snapshots in my daily life. My camera was too bulky to bring all the time.

I loved my choice and kept taking pictures everywhere. This is one of my favorite picture taken with my cell phone. One day, probably on the way back home. Rainy day, but with clear.. little bit cloudy sky.

My first homepage..

This snapshot was taken in my underground graduate study time @ SNU.
Another underground graduate student who was two years junior to me - wow, I even don't remember his name... Anyway, he captured the index page of then my homepage and added cute messages. Very adorable :)

At that time, I loved Faye, music streaming by winamp, and... what else?

Memory...

More than five years ago... Many details are forgotten, however, still these photos and reminiscence being left.
Taken @ the last day in Rome, Italy.

(Note) Life Is ...

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air.

You name them Work, Family, Health, Friends, Spirit, and you're keeping them all in the air.

You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls -- family, health, friends, and spirit -- are made of glass.

If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same.

You must understand that and strive for balance in your life. How?

1. Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special.

2. Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.

3. Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

4. Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.

5. Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

6. Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us together.

7. Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

8. Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

9. Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.

10. Don't forget that a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.

11. Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.

12.Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.

Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.

Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, and Today is a gift. That's why we call it "The Present."

* This is said to have been written by Brian G. Dyson, the CEO of Coca-Cola, and given as a commencement address at Georgia Tech.

(Note) For Effective Presentations...

Some common theme that you can share with audience. Such as...
- Cartoon
- Movie theme or movie star, i.e. Superman who fell from horse and paralyzed, or others...
- Celebrities such as Steve Jobs (and also Apple stock fluctuation) to talk about liver transplantation.
- Quote

Collect something might be interesting when you read/look them.

Repeat key words again and again.

Proper metaphor is very effective.
- e.g. Roman Aqueduct to talk about substrate stiffness.

Try to give a guidance to follow your presentation.
- The point here is that ...

Try to show 'images' and 'numbers'.

At least give them one smile/laughter.

Ji Youn with Friends in November 2009 @ Nazgul Place

Real fun... Happy being with friends. I've never thought having this many friends from different ethnic backgrounds.