The boxes are packed. The furniture is being distributed. Old files have been shredded.

One more day to wrap things up, and then this place is no longer my office!

You can call me unpatriotic to the country of my birth if you want, but there was no way I was getting up to watch a 4:30 a.m. World Cup game this morning. People have been talking about how these World Cup games have united Koreans from all different backgrounds, including the many Korean Americans here in the States. People are wearing red shirts and flying Korean flags from their cars. I have not participated in this upsurge of Korean pride. So what does that say about me?

I did end up watching the Korea vs. Spain game on Friday night. Korea was playing defense for most of the game, especially in the first half, so I thought for sure Spain would win. After going into overtime and with no goal for either team, it all came down to the penalty kicks. Much to Spain's dismay, they missed their fourth shot at the goal, leaving the door wide open for Korea. And Korea walked right through it.

Everyone was so proud of Korea for winning, but I remained rather indifferent. Yes, it turned out to be Korea's lucky day, but I still thought Spain was the better team. Plus, they were better looking. (Is that mean of me to say that??)

I checked the score for the Korea vs. Germany game from this morning. Germany won 1-0. Korea will still get their chance at competing for third place, and I am happy that Korea made it as far as they did...luck and the fervor of the fans brought Korea this far. It just wasn't enough to take them to the top.

One of my uncles from Korea is in town this weekend, so I'm trying to meet up with him. He's in LA every so often, but I have yet to see him here. In fact, I can't even remember the last time I saw him. He's a very, very busy man.

A little while back, I did an internet search with my uncle's name typed in Korean. I figured I could easily find something about him, and I was curious to see what would come up. Pages and pages were found with sermon notes, audio files, info on books, etc. I guess it wasn't too much of a surprise since my uncle is a renown and influential pastor and speaker in Korea. I don't say this to brag about my family. I say this because I find it so strange. He's my uncle yet I'm so far removed from it all.

He's here to speak at revival meetings which he does on a regular basis around the world. I honestly don't want to sit through a Korean revival meeting, but I may be able to squeeze myself beside him at the dinner table tonight before it begins. We'll see.

I always find it strange how differently Korean adults will treat me after they find out who I'm related to. And it's not just this uncle, but all of my uncles in Korea have in some way had an influence on people's lives. One uncle who is a music professor and songwriter is said to be more renown even than this uncle speaking at revival meetings. That's debatable.

I find it all really bizarre.

Yesterday was the last night for Rome Italian Cucina’s crazy grand opening celebration. From the hours of 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., anyone with a coupon from the LA Times would be able to enjoy a free dining experience for four. Drinks were not included, but everything else was.

Apparently, the first wanna-be diners showed up to start the line yesterday at 1:30 in the afternoon. By six o’clock, the line went down for a block and a half and wrapped around the next block. By the time Jonathan and I arrived at 6:45 p.m., we were told the people at the traffic light would probably be seated at 1 a.m., their last seating. We were standing a half a block from that traffic light.

It turns out the Rome restaurant only has 22 tables. And since they were promoting a dining experience…no pre-made food…each group would easily take an hour and a half or two to dine.

No need to stand around any longer. Jeremy, the general manager, told us to mention his name when we come back, and they would treat us to a free dessert, but our chance for a free dining experience was next to none. Maybe…maybe if you were willing to stick it out…maybe a bunch of the people ahead of you would have given up…and maybe you would have gotten a seat at 1 a.m….maybe…but it wasn’t worth giving it a try.

Honestly, I knew our chances were not going to be so great. I had read an article that afternoon about the mayhem on Sunset since this promotion began. A couple of us were still willing to check it out…for me it was mostly out of curiosity, so we went. I must say that the rather odd mix of people who came to wait their turn for a free meal amused me. There were two people I recognized who came to stand in the line after us. I told them what the manager told us, and they went to Pink’s instead. Not a bad idea…not a gourmet meal, but the hotdogs are good and the price is right.

Oh, well, we were able to grab a small piece of pizza that a waiter gave to those standing at the back of the line. Then we left and went to Westwood. We settled for another Italian restaurant, and to make up for our loss, we stopped by Diddy Reise for their famous $1 three-cookies-and-a-milk deal. Not the free ultimate dining experience we were looking for, but the cookies were yummmmm…

Apologies for not blogging regularly. I've either lacked the inspiration or the time.

This week I'm packing and cleaning out my office. It takes quite a lot to sort through five years worth of stuff!!

Even though it has been a little sad, it is nice to bring closure to everything here. I don't expect the next steps to be easy ones, but I am looking forward to the change. The unexpected is always much more interesting than the everyday. The ennui of a mundane life scares me more than the challenge of the unknown.

I'm ready for the next adventure!

Okay, I have to write about a favorite restaurant of mine...Café Bizou! A few of us went there for lunch today. This is my second time at Café Bizou, both times for lunch, and both times have been a real treat. The prices are moderate, and especially considering what you get, it is well worth it. The menu is creative and enticing...and it is in your best interest to order the $1 soup with your entree. It's only $1 with your entree, and I still can't get over how heavenly their pea soup was the last time I visited!

I'm determined to go back for dinner sometime...and when I go, I'll have to bring a nice bottle of wine along. They actually encourage you to bring a bottle of wine, and their corkage fee is only $2! Woo-hoo! But if you don't bring a bottle and decide to order a bottle or a glass, their selection of wines seems well thought out and will suffice in making your meal an absolute delight.

If you're lucky to have Erik with you, the flirtatious manager might treat your table to a selection of desserts, on the house. But even if Erik isn't with you, it's definitely a restaurant to put on your list of places to go. Go and see why Angelenos consider Café Bizou their most favorite restaurant. Happy eating at Café Bizou!

My dear friends Laura and John are proud parents of their first child, their daughter Amanda. Since I haven't been able to visit yet, I can only witness the wonder of this precious gift through the pictures I have seen online. Psalm 127 says, Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. And from what Laura and John have expressed through phone and email, they certainly believe this is true.

By the way, their first wedding anniversary was the day before Amanda's birth. Yes, that's right...they didn't wait long to have children. I mean, it was obvious to all of us that they were wanting to start a family soon. When Laura's parents asked them what car they wanted as a wedding present, Laura's reply was, without hesitation, "Minivan!"

Congratulations! I hope to visit you and precious Amanda very soon!

Sometimes it takes an event, however awful it may seem, to help us realize something about ourselves and to realize once again our need for God’s grace. We may think we know grace so well…Yes, I can freely say that I have been saved by grace, but perhaps I had unknowingly let myself believe I had somehow grown out of needing it constantly. I needed to become dependent on His grace once again.

It is humbling to admit shortcomings, but being able to understand and receive God’s grace is a far greater joy. My conversations with God these past two weeks have centered around the need and the wonder of His grace in my life, and last night, I came to Chapter Six in Tournier’s The Meaning of Persons…

“Thus God’s plan for our spiritual life is realized, as in the life of the body, in a succession of corrections of our deviations…the overwhelming humiliation we feel when we recognize that we are not what we thought we were or wanted to be—those moments are so many decisive stages in our spiritual life: we are forced to our knees, and there find once more, through God’s grace and forgiveness, harmony with him and with ourselves…”

The truth is, we will all experience this kind of overwhelming humiliation at many different times in our lives and in many different ways. It is, in fact, necessary. Hopefully, it will always lead us to Jesus…to grace and harmony with God and ourselves.

“Throw a boba party,” Erik says after dropping off a vacuum-sealed package of boba and a bag of powder mixes. “If you can make it really well, then we’ll go for it. If not, then we’ll forget the idea.”

The other day I had mentioned to Erik that I was thinking I should open a boba shop when I move to New York since my boba experiences in the Big Apple have been rather disappointing. His eyes brightened up when he expressed interest in saving up money for this possible business venture.

Call it what you want…boba, bubble, tapioca, pearl…the Taiwanese concoctions have boomed in popularity over the last few years, especially here in Southern California. The boba craze has not taken off as quickly back East, but I believe it is because the quality of the tapioca is still far less superior. Do I believe I can change that? I don’t quite have that confidence yet.

Maybe I’ll work at a boba shop around here before I move back East. I still have another year to learn!

My former roommate Adelle came to visit for a couple of days last week. It was good to catch up with her…to realize some things haven’t changed, like her love of country music, fish tacos, and DQ’s mint Blizzards…and to also recognize that she really seems to have grown as a person.

We watched 13 Conversations About One Thing while she was here…an interesting, thought-provoking film. Each key character with their own unique personality and life situation must learn to deal with what seeming misfortune life has dished out for them.

The mood is somewhat dismal throughout the movie, but in the end there is a sense of hope for all the characters, except for maybe one…the one character (a Columbia professor!) who had made some selfish choices hoping to improve his life, thinking his old life would be there for him if he wanted to go back. But there is no going back. You must learn to deal with what has happened (whether you did it yourself or it happened to you) and move forward, or else you will crumble.

I guess that’s why I can say that Adelle has grown as a person…because despite what life has currently dished out for her, she hasn’t crumbled. In fact, she seems stronger now. And I guess that’s what hope does. Hope makes you a better person...giving you the strength to keep moving ahead.