Happy Holidays!

Have a very Merry Christmas from Vancouver, Canada!
Hope you enjoy these photos:

The Small Things in Life

The world is all about big and great things nowadays: big awards, tall skyscrapers, big countries, gigantic mansions, etc. Everything is about going big, and staying big, because in life, you got to live it big. But then, of course, are all the things that aren't big; those are the small things, and many people believe that those are the things that really matter. In fact, Mother Theresa even says, "In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love." That's the only thing that one can do "greatly". Small things are the things that most people fail to notice in life, especially nowadays. Small things are those little things that go on in life, passing without notice, right before people's very eyes. People desire greatness, so they only notice greatness, but in the same instance, they don't realize what those small things do to greatness. One person that does pay attention to small details is the one and only Sherlock Holmes. With his very keen skill of noticing the small things in life, he teaches people that dreaming big is good, but it's the small details that count. It's all those small details that Sherlock Holmes seems to always notice that escapes other people's eyes that makes him so much more able to solve even the toughest crimes; that's the power of small things. In fact, another man that notices small things is Basho, a Japanese poet. The small things in life- the little flowers spurting, the small cloud in a vast blue sky, and a small fish in the rushing river- these things seem to calm him and provide him with a sense of peace. And it's in these small things, these moments, that count. In a hundred year old life, the one moment one may remember is that moment, that very small moment, where one's loved one smiles and them. It's just a small speck in a vast life, but it's the small moments that count for the most. Small moments or ideas are like the foundation for a giant skyscraper. The small moments are like the foundation, and a stable one is vital, if you don't want the skyscraper to crash. All the big moments are the bricks, and the determination and hard work is the steel supports and the cement. Without any one of them, the skyscraper would not stand. But the most the most important out of all these things is the foundation; it's the most important out of all things. Though most people, when they see the skyscraper, they appreciate the actual building, but every skyscraper has started out as a foundation, something lower than even the ground itself. Every skyscraper started out as nothing more than a whole in the ground, and the small things started filling up the area. As you can see from the example of the skyscraper, with all the small things you do, it can amount to something pretty spectacular. So in life, one has to take in all, and observe everything. Notice the small things, because it might be those things that count the most in the end.

Sports

In the world of sports, everything is about numbers. In baseball, there's the batting average, the OPS, the pitch count, the strikes and balls, and the number of innings. In football, there's the yards left to gain until a first down, the quarter, who's on the field, and if one should kick the field goal, punt it, run it, throw it, or go for the two point conversion, all based on the score. In basketball, athletes must be careful of the time left, where they are when they shoot (three point line or inside it), and the score. The point is that with all these numbers in athletes heads, it gets confusing sometimes. But the successful athletes all know how to prioritize these numbers, and at the top of that list is the number one, as in first place. As a kid, everybody is told to compete with themselves, to do their personal best; but really, all that is is recreational; the real deal is that sports is a competition. There is really no competition that offers awards for participation. Right now, the Winter Olympics are on, and the Olympics are all about being "faster, higher, stronger". But is this a competition against oneself? On the surface, it is definitely not; it's a competition to be better against others, and to be better than others, not oneself. But really, that's not the case; there's a hidden meaning in the Olympics that not much people understand, maybe not even the athletes themselves. The Olympics- any competition, really- is a competition of guts, to get faster, get higher, and get stronger. It's a competition strictly against oneself. The other competitors? As Magic Johnson likes to say, "If you're a competitive person, that stays with you. You don't stop. You always look over your shoulder." The other people, in a competitor's eyes, are nothing but obstacles to overcome, people to help the athlete get better. Everybody performs better when the will is there, and the competition is also there, too; that's a key component. If everything is so easy, then one wouldn't perform at his/her best; their medium is good enough to win, so why try, then? It's when the heat is on, and the other competitors are right behind one, that one has to channel the inner power, and to give it one's all. I've felt this in many instances of my life before, but none as strong as this one time. Me, I've always been a fierce competitor, and I've always wanted to be number one at everything and anything. In PE class one day, we were running the mile. That was the first time; being pretty fast and having good stamina, I easily outran the second place person. The next time, the person gained on me, and steadily, I began to loose my edge until the mile was becoming a neck to neck race. At first, when the competition wasn't heated, I felt like the mile was easy, with everything under control if I just jogged. But then the heat grew more and more intense, until my competitiveness almost forced me to try harder, to work faster, urging my limbs to move like they've never moved before; that's what it feels like as a competitor when the heat is on, that even though a certain objective is well out of reach, it's what one has to aim for. It's as if one's fastest, or best performance, isn't good enough. But the results will show different, as at the beginning of the year, when I hadn't been pressured to do my best, I ran the mile in almost seven minutes and thirty seconds. Now, as my competition grows, to maintain that first place, I've got to run my fastest and try my fastest, and the results have shown, as I now can run the mile in around six minutes. That's the level of competition that one needs to succeed. It's certainly a race against oneself, to be better than one's ever been before, these sporting games. It's like life, having to constantly improve oneself to maintain one's position, or even possibly go up. But this is all hidden behind the competition, who in your eyes are nothing but helpers to help pace one, and help one get on the right track. That's what the competitors see.

Written January 2010, edited December 2010

Derek's Art Slideshow

Here's an updated version of my slideshow (also found on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwTSkzk9oFo). It includes some new pieces of art, like this one:

Title: The Parrot

Theme: A flying parrot

Medium: Charcoal

Also, I revised a few of my other drawings/paintings. You can find it here on the top left corner under the video bar (the far left one; the other one has been disabled). Hope you enjoy it!

The American Dream

In the present world of worries, an once common phrase is rarely heard now. Truly, the "American Dream" is rarely uttered nowadays. With the economy still recovering and the United States backing a country nearly at war with its northern neighbor, the American Dream has supposedly become out of reach now. But what truly is the American Dream, was it ever a possible reality, and will it ever be one?

First, to understand the "disappearance of the American Dream", one must first figure out what exactly the American Dream is. Once said, many adults usually are reminded of the dream of owning a house. This idea may have came from an old American custom that separates the lower and middle classes by the ownership of property. However much a symbol for achieving the American Dream, this is not what the American Dream first and should mean. This phrase was first expressed by James Truslow Adams in 1931, when he stated that life should be "better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement, regardless of social class". As James Truslow Adams coined the term "American Dream", the original idea was one of the fundamental pillars that America was built on. The Declaration of Independence stated very clearly that "all men are created equal", and as later generations would find out, Lady Liberty would open its arms to all the other countries' poor and troubled, and embrace them and offer them all the opportunity she offers to everybody else. Truly, everybody who comes to this country is entitled to their unalienable rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". That is what the American Dream really is.

During the Great Depression of the early part of the twentieth century, the American Dream was regarded as all but lost as well. But through strong leadership and faith of the people, the Americans pulled out of the Depression stronger than ever, leading to a time of peace and glory that would ultimately put them on top of the globe as the world's most powerful nation. The American Dream isn't just a tangible object that can be possessed. It is a spirit and belief, of patriotism and hope, that carries Americans through their life. It is that hope that maybe, just maybe, we can. It's the same hope that made all those British-American colonists join what looked like a hopeless cause three hundred years ago, and the same hope that makes citizens give up the comforts of their home for the hardships of life as a soldier overseas. It's the same hope that George Washington held in his heart that he can do it, and the same hope that Barack Obama holds in his heart, that truly, "Yes, we can." The American Dream is very much alive today as it was three hundred years ago. The utterance of the word is not as common, but still, inside the heart of every citizen and politician, from the richest to the poorest, the sun that has kept America going for three hundred years is a rising sun, not a setting sun.

Although it's hard to imagine, the American Dream is just as real now as it was five, ten or even fifteen years ago. The American Dream lives in the heart of those few who are brave enough to stare into the eyes of defeat and say, "We still can." The belief that one little step at a time, one vote and a time, we can change the world, is kept alive, fueling the fire inside each and every American's heart. Many doubt the President right now after seeing him in office for two years. His smoothness has worn off after being exposed to the harsh reality of political office. But the American Dream carries on; despite all obstacles or setbacks we might encounter, we still can. Even with the constant bickering of Republicans and Democrats, the unhappy citizens over many laws and policies, and a still uncertain economy, we will succeed.

Being the child of immigrants, I see the American Dream as clearly as anybody. It is the dream that inspired both my parents to move. It was the promise of a better life, not by their status or family wealth, but by nothing but their own skill and determination. It was in hopes that they could provide a better life for me that they moved, and I'm very grateful they did, because now, the dream is passed on to the next generation. A new generation will see the harshness of reality, but still look it right in the eye and not back down.

That is the true American Dream.

Statue of Liberty

Title: Statue of Liberty

Materials: Pen

Thanksgiving

A whole 389 years ago, in the year 1621, a group of Pilgrims and Native Americans got together for a three-day celebration, which later became known as the first Thanksgiving feast. It was a time to celebrate and laugh, to enjoy the simple pleasure of life. It was a feast of thanks, to the Native Americans for helping them get through their first year, to God, for "guiding them to the Native Americans", and probably just plain luck for still being able to live, eat, and play. From that year on, the principles of Thanksgiving still sounds, even 389 years after the first "thanksgiving". It's still a time to step back from the great rat race and look around, a time to just be thankful for what you do have. As one follows an average, modern day life, everyday is a routine, a maze where one has to avoid as many pitfalls as possible. With so many out there, one can't help but just see all of the negative parts and none of the positive parts. As a student, I have lots to worry about: grades, friends, sports, and all sorts of things. Sometimes, I might be sad that I didn't do so well in my baseball game, or when I don't get the grade that I wanted. It might be my fault, or it might be just luck. This holds true for most people I know, too. Too often do you hear of people protesting this bill or that law, complaining about how little our president has done, or how bad the economy is. Far too often can you hear the complaining of how this one person just "got lucky", or how unlucky one has been. But Thanksgiving is that day where you can just step above that everyday thinking, look around, and realize what a lucky person you are. Not everybody can have parents that care for you and respect your decisions and independence. Not everybody can have food on their table every morning, noon, and night. Not everybody has the chance to live in the most powerful country in the world, which happens also to be the one that gives the most rights to its citizens. Not everybody can have an education, a house, clothing to wear, or any of the things that you might have. Is it your right to have any of those things? Of course not; as a kid, it just happens that you got born into a family that can provide those things for you, and you should be thankful for that. Anything that isn't a right to have is a privilege, and Thanksgiving is all about just being grateful for all your privileges. After all, from the poorest man to the richest, the tallest to the shortest, the strongest to the weakest, everybody has something to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving is just for realizing that fact.