Day 28: Snowmaggedon!

Today marks the day of a fun event.

It snowed in Charlotte!  It was lovely to watch.  I wasn't home but taking breaks from work, I went to the some of the windows at work and watch it fall.

If you have lived in the South before, snow is not a usual event that happens every year.  If I could explain the weather patterns in the South... I would.  My best explanation is that the South is a meeting point between two jet streams.  The jet stream in the north is a polar jet stream and the jet stream is a tropical stream (sometimes we say it's the Gulf Stream).

Most of the time, these streams do not intersect and usually push one way or the other.  During the winter months, although mild to cold, the polar jet stream will swoop over the South.  During winters with warm to mild climates, the Gulf Stream will push through with warmer wet air and may cause a wetter winter than most.

In a rare event, usually once every 9 to 12 years (note, almost the same times as the solar flares), the two jet streams "crash" into each other so that a snow event may occur in the South.  If the jet stream from the Gulf collides with the polar jet stream, voila.  Snow!  In other words, if it is snowing in Atlanta, it's will snow in Charlotte!  And it has to be below freezing for the snow to stick on the ground.

However, if the Gulf Stream is weak and stays in the Gulf, and polar jet stream and weather dumps snow in the Appalachian Mountains (moisture from the north), it will not snow in Charlotte.

Anyways, enough of the science.

Usually, when snow occurs, all hell freeze over.  Literally.  I mean, you are talking about either school delays or school being let out early.  Some companies may ask the employees to leave early.  Since snow doesn't occur much here, the NC DOT don't always employ enough trucks and equipment for preparation of the snow.  While main roads will be clear sometimes (note: sometimes), secondary roads may remain snowy and icy.  In many cases I've been here and there's snow/ice, there are grid locks and many accidents all around.  But usually after one day, the snow melts and everything goes back to normal.  For me, that's about enough snow for me.  ;-)

Day 27: Top Gear

I don't always know what I am going to write about every night.

But tonight, while watching the BBC show "Top Gear", I thought, "I'll write about Top Gear!"

I'm embarrassed to say that even though I majored in Mechanical Engineer, I don't know much about cars.  I know basically how the engine works, and what sounds cars make and should make and shouldn't make, and I pretty much know that if anything in my gauges sounds an alarm light, I take the car to the mechanics.

Pitiful, isn't it?

Anyways, back to Top Gear.  I think the only thing my Mechanical Engineering major helps me with is that at least I understand part of what's going on during the show.

There are two formats for the show.  Most of the show talks about racing cars and the specs of each cars.  Usually, they are comparing 2 or 3 cars or trucks or SUV's, what their main function is (racing, hauling stuff, family taxi), and sometimes a race occurs on a track.  Sometimes, the show also invites a celebrity who could be British, European and even American.  Said celebrity will then also race against maybe a professional or one of the three host.  Or, maybe they do stupid things to the car, like "car rugby" or the vehicles get rigged up for something (like limousines racing around London and trying to clear double round-abouts).

But my favorite episodes usually deals with the three hosts (Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond) racing in some country.  I get to see them race cars, each with a car, of the same built (like a Volvo, Volkswagen, and BMW) but also with that, I get to see the countries they are in.

The first show had the three racing across Africa.  Seeing them put cars on a raft to go across a river was quite amusing.  It's almost like watching MacGyver rig up a boat out of toothpicks.  They finally found their way to the source of the Nile River, which was pretty cool.

The second show I'm watching right (at 10:21pm Monday) is showing the three race across Boliva in their 4-wheel drive vehicles.  I think the show convinced me to get a Range Rover if I'm ever living out in the rugged woods.  It is very entertaining how they solve problems getting around natural obstacles, up and through the mountains on the dangerous Yungas Road, and watching a bunch of Brits driving on the right side of the road (not the left side).  Do they get confused?  Maybe not, considering they have to go everywhere around the world.

What I enjoy most is their experience traveling around the world.  I always want to travel around the world...

Day 26: Weekend Update

Well, the weekend is over.  And tomorrow is another day back at work.  I think this past weekend was pretty good.  Nothing too dramatic happened.

If you ask what is the best part about this past weekend is probably sleep.  I am typically a night owl, so going to sleep at night is kind of rough.  But once I'm asleep, I can sleep about 6 hours straight until I get up naturally or the alarm clock wakes me up.  And I can still function after 6 hours or so.  If there is no alarm clock, I tend to sleep about 7.5 hours before I wake up.

Another epic thing is probably food.  Saturday afternoon, my dad and I went to Grand Asia and I had hot milk tea.  That might sound a little gross but it's actually not bad.  It's really a British thing but the Hong Kong version is very good.

Sunday afternoon, my dad and I went to Sangam Indian Restaurant.  The buffet was great.  I always like Indian food, so this find was right up my alley.  I can't believe though that after living in the North Charlotte area for 9 years now, I haven't been to this place.  But I've been meaning to go; I pass by this area so many times.

Watching a James Bond movie with my dad was pretty exciting too.  I haven't taken the time to find the "Bondathons" and Bond specials on TV.  Buying the box set for my dad proves to be a great spend because I get to watch them too.  I will try to watch most of them (my dad has more time to watch them than I do), but maybe I can give a quick analysis of who I think makes the best Bond.  

Day 25: Non-Essentials (Part 2)

Earlier last week, I started a blog called "Non-Essentials" not realizing that there is so many topics to discuss.  I think this will be my last one for this little series but I'm sure there are way more other topics to discuss.

Communion

This hasn't been a big thing to argue but in early days amongst the earlier followers, it was a big thing.

Carnivores?

Vampires?

Really... Some people thought the early believers actually ate the body of Christ and drank the body of Christ.  I'm sure even today, there might be a few Christian sects that practices this (ewww).  Okay, maybe I'm making that up.

However, there might be a few denominations that require that you need to consume a first communion before the initiation to being a believer or being a church member.  As I said in an earlier blog, only faith alone can guarantee your salvation.

I have also experienced different types of communion.  Most of the time, it is in a church service setting, whether it's passing the communion things around or going up to the front for communion.  There is only one particular church that we did communion in small groups, just as the early Christians did in their small groups and house church.

Out of our faith, the Bible does say we must take the bread and take the wine in memory of Christ.

Membership/Confirmation

There are only a few churches that I know that ties membership into your beliefs.  They say you have to join "this church" because they are the only true church of God.

And that to be a member, you have to baptize into their church.

And before that, you have to pray in faith that Jesus Christ is your salvation, with their members.

You see how complicated it gets?  My personal beliefs is that once you have faith that Christ is your savior, you are automatically in a worldwide network of believers.  Most importantly, you are a citizen of heaven.  You are not your own.

The Bible does show that once a believer, you do have the responsibility to be in unity with the Body of Christ.  Namely, to join a church.  It shouldn't be forced upon you, as I have described before.  You should have your freedom to choose how you should worship God with other believers.

Doctrine

In older times, not many people can read, much less read the Bible.  The Bible was in old languages like Greek and Aramaic and only the educated can read them.  In the years coming from the ascension of Christ, the Word of God spread verbally and through the small groups.  However, as this was first done orally, there were many confusions on what it really means to be a Christian.  From the confusion, there came the Nicene Creed and the Apostles Creed.  Both are really great summaries of the beliefs of being a believer.

However, as the church continues to grow, it also felt the pains of growing.  Schisms happened (Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox, then Roman Catholics and the Protestants) and denominations formed and it was once essential that each church groups have their own doctrines.

As we move forward into this century, how important is it to have church doctrine?  Honestly, some of it is quite baloney.  I have to say, I can't think of any off the top of my head, but from other friends' account of different denominations, doctrines can really muddle the true meaning of the Bible.

So, in the last 50-100 years even, another movement of charasmatic and non-denominational churches came, to practice the truth of the Bible.  Most people now can read the Bible, so there is no excuse if you have a question.

But back to the original question: how does this play into our salvation?  Maybe not much.  Doctrine can confuse people in thinking this is really what I am supposed to believe as a Christian.  But simply, our salvation is our faith in Christ.  Doctrines can help us grow in faith but in the beginning, not essential as a part of salvation.

I do respect some doctrine.  In the Methodist Church, there are practices I still miss doing since I am not a part of the Methodist Church at this time.  But sometimes, practices and doctrines are just in the way if someone is trying to figure out salvation.

Day 24: Music Can Change Your Life

As a little girl, I always liked music.  You can tell from this picture.  (Sorry, too lazy to boot up the scanner! There is always technical difficulties in scanning pictures around here...)

When I was almost 6 years old, my mom wanted me to take piano lessons.  She asked if I would like to take piano lessons and I said yes.  So for 10 years and maybe 3 piano teachers, I took piano lessons.

If you asked me if I enjoy it, of course, there were many times I question myself.  But I was 6 years old, so what do I know?

But taking piano lessons has taught me these things:

• Being patient.  Some people are born patient and others, not so much.  I think I was in the middle.  My parents knew I was a very spunky kid but if I set my mind on something I truly enjoy, I can spend hours and hours doing it.  Piano (or music) was one of them.  When I didn't get it, I played until I get it.  So, the other half of learning music was teaching that half to be patient with myself.  It propelled me into learning in school later, when I had a lot of calculus and science to figure out.  I did the homework until I get it.
• Creativity.  Many people may not always see the point in learning art or music.  But it releases another side of the brain that helps you think openly and freely.  It definitely helps you dream beyond what you can do and helps you relax by playing music.
• In learning music, you learn patterns.  Reading notes on a staff, you have to follow the road signs in the music to know when you need to go back to verse 2, continue onto a chorus, or play it out through the coda, or when to speed up or slow down, when to get louder or softer.  Many of my computer friends play an instrument: piano, guitar, violin, banjo.  If you think about it, computer programming follows a patter.  Music definitely follows patterns.  Math follows patterns.  Working on a spreadsheet, yes, you need to know how the formulas work and follow the path it references.
• Helps with memory, or at least the steps in getting the information.  Learning music by memory is not hard.  From the bullet above, you learn patterns.  Once you get the pattern, you can learn the music by memory.  And with that, this carries over to your life and school and jobs. I think learning where things are on the server (or anything in your life), and a general pattern of getting there, keeps you from actually remembering things.  And believe me on this one, compartmentalization is a wonderful thing.

Especially, the one thing I enjoy in playing music is the lives being touched.  I remember once that someone told me, "Every time Josephine plays the piano, she plays with emotion."

I remember when I started going to church, I listened to the hymns and the words in the hymns.  I paid attention to the harmonies as well as the melodies.  I was especially touched by the emotions of the hymns and choir music.  Many people now may not have heard hymn music.  It's ashame, really.  People's hearts need to be touched by classical and choir music.

It is part of my story growing up.  I played the piano.  And later the flute.  Patience and creativity taught me how to play the guitar.   

Music can change your life.