Life is so fragile and unpredictable...

I was so shocked to find out that a mountain biking friend had passed away last week. Christy was a woman always full of energy, full of life, always the first one up the hill and telling me I can climb that hill too. She was an avid mountain biker and an awesome skier. I can still remember meeting her for the first time showing me the local trails, and when she came to pick me up when I broke my leg. But just like that, she's gone in an instant. Hit by a car from behind that swerved into the bike lane. Nobody saw this coming. Life is so fragile. I am still having hard time believing she's gone, staring at the email she sent me last month saying we should go riding again soon and keep in touch.

This makes me treasure all that I have in life more. You really can't take anything for granted. Live each day to the fullest. You never know when, someone you love or your life will be taken away from you.

Goodbye, Christy. You have touched so many people's lives and has been an inspiration to me. I've always admired your energy and optimism, and your "just do it" attitude. You'll be missed... Your spirit will live on.

Life changing questions...

First thing first... I carved my first pumpkin today! Yes, first one ever. Brynne and Heather and I had our own little pumpkin carving party. All the pumpkins turned out great! Mine's now smiling at me from across the room.

Now onto the main subject...

I've been going over all my options lately on a career change. I just want to do more with my life. Do more to change this world.

I had a long conversation with Dr. Riskin today. Dr. Riskin is a young outstanding surgeon who also happens to be a MIT Sloan alumni. Graduated at 15 from high school, with a MD and MBA degree, an innovator and founder of two companies; he was also voted as one of the top 30 innovators under the age of 35 by the MIT Technology Review. Just the person I need to talk to. Who's been down the path I'm about to embark. I feel so fortunate to have him as a mentor. He had raised many thought provoking questions and options for me to ponder. I know this is a long jouney I'm about to take. It's a very tough decision right now. It would be easier if my life and career is worse. But it's not. It's great. My life is great and I'm happy. This makes it difficult.

Yes, it's 3:29am right now. I stayed up and did as much research as I could and I think I've narrowed it down to a couple options. Down to two schools and two different programs and one laboratory. I think now will be a good time to visit the campuses and talk to some students and professors.

Yawn... I don't think I can solve this tonight. This won't be a short one...

Nope, it's US for the Xmas

So here's the verdict... I'm staying home for Xmas. No roaming around Europe for me.

Just found out my family from Canada is coming to visit. Hmmm... do I stuff a bird again this year or do something different? Maybe a Chinese Xmas dinner? A fusion Xmas dinner? Whatever. It's too early to plan. Hopefully there'll be some local hockey to play during the break.

Oh yeah, on a side note... I finally went nuts and signed up to do a half-ironman distance triathlon next year. Ok... so those of you that know me can prob see this one coming. Yes, I know I'm nuts like that. So now I just have to be careful not to break my leg again...

Back to Europe?

3:30pm, sunny Sunday afternoon... i'm stuck here in a local coffee shop sipping my large ice tea... working out equations on digital signal filters. Drowning in a world full of sine and cosine...

As much as I'm trying to concentrate on finishing this take home final for my UCLA class, my mind kept drifting off into the cyberspace. I have this insatiable desire to learn new things, anything, from engineering to neural surgery to new sports to skydiving to playing instruments to fixing up my house to people to knitting... um.. ok, maybe not knitting... I've gone a bit too far. But you get the idea. I'm addicted to learning. But I hate to be stuck indoors. Like now. I wanna be out there surfing... I keep telling myself to stop taking on so much, but next thing you know, I'm checking out course catalogs, MBA/PhD programs, learning how to edit a film, and picking up new hobbies... I must be slightly masochistic. Well... I just get bored easily and need to be constantly involved in new projects.

On a happier note, I'm itching to go back to Europe. Really want to just pick up my backpack and roam around Europe again. Ah... happy memories... Maybe I'll go back end of this year. Airfare should be cheaper then, and it'll be easier to book trains. Just me and my journal, exploring the streets of the old world...

Oh, look at that, my ice tea's all gone. That's my cue to get a refill and get back to my work.