Found

I found this on Imagechan, and I thought of you Space Travelers.

Have a wonderful day.

By the way, new vLog is taking forever because of reformatting of the Tanoue (my laptop). I lost some of my stock footage, and I since I'm starting fresh, I'm debating on making the big step to Adobe and away from Miscrosoft for video editing. Stay tuned.

First Ever Space Traveller Challenge!

Hey Space Travelers. Games a re best played when everyone can participate.

I've got a challenge for you. It's simple. Just make a video of you telling me how you'd kill hurt or maim me, and put it on Youtube, and then link it to me.

Examples...

Space Traveler Rexann said: "Chi, I'm going to put a light bulb up you ass and then step on you."

Space Traveler Craig Said: "Chi, I'm going to fill your lungs with glitter."

Just make a video of you telling me how you'd hurt me, and I promise I'll respond. The Space Traveler with the best threat will win a prize.

That's all for today, I'm working on the next vLog, so no need for more emails and IMs.

Chapter 20, Verse 2: Public Service Announcement.

I was in my living room. The apartment was empty. I was just watching TV.

A public service announcement came on. All Asian and Pacific Islanders. All calling for me to register to vote, speak out, and get involved. Many people of mixed race such as myself often struggle to find their community. For me, I was raised in the Midwest and had no opportunities to see Asian leaders in my community, let alone simple things like role models.

This PSA meant a lot to me. Every face was determined and confident. I felt like somebody cared what I had to say with my vote. Asians will most likely never be a majority in the USA, but they deserve a voice. They deserve dignity. They deserve to be portrayed as all people should: dynamic and important.

I contacted the APIA national office here in DC and told them how I felt. They replied the same day telling me about ways I could get involved in my area. They also directed me to the video, so I could embed it here.



For more information Space Travelers, check out their website.

Chapter 20, Verse 1: Maladjusted

Dear Space Travelers, I'm a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. UV Index is moderate with the wind coming from the northwest at 15 mile per hour but gusting up to 24 piles per hour when it feels like it. Humidity is a comfortable 35%, with an atmospheric pressure of 29.83 in Hg. The dew point is 49°F, but I don't think I'll be the witness of any dew that is not in a can. Visibility is 10 miles, but there is a bunch of trees and buildings in the way. They say it's 78°F, and that "it feels like it is 78°F too. That's because it's 78°F, I suspect.

I've been in Falls Church for 2 months now. I somehow thought I'd be more adjusted by now. I thought that I would have met more people; been to more places. I thought after working this long I'd have a better vantage point on my lifestyle.

I don't. I can't see 10 miles.

In the round hole of the well adjusted, I am a very awkward square. Thinking backward though, perhaps this is how I've always been, and I won't fit. I fit in Rolla, but that was more of me carving out my own square hole. Am I ready for a larger world? What is my fixation with that goddamn round hole? Shouldn't I be looking for a square? Why does the peg have to find the hole?

I guess I'm just a rolling stone. My journey; my search to find something worth looking for won't stop here in DC.

It's not all confusing Space Travelers. I've done some thinking about the lives I've lived so far and the lives yet to come. Before I die, I have decided I will have a career in journalism and one as a graphic novelist.

Let's be the peg that fits in any hole.

"Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend." ~Bruce Lee

Reply

Dear Space Travelers,

I have been all over the blog world as of late. As many have seen, I'd added several suggested blogs to the sidebar. In my viral search of the blogosphere, I stumbled upon a very interesting blog.

The Raving Prophet

Don't be so quick to judge by it's title. If I can declare myself a hero, then somebody can declare themselves a prophet. Anyways, we all have a sense of humor right? A post addressing the claims that morality could not exist without a outside authority compelled me to reply.

The following is what I had to say...

Greetings,

I've stumbled upon your blog via a unnamed channel. I too am from the Midwest. I'm currently out here in the DC area, and I'm an active blogger.

I read this entry and I thought I'd contribute from the opposing world view.

I wonder sometimes if the Christian world view has made moral and ethic synonymous. Morals are a subjective measure, whereas ethics are an objective measure.

An individuals morals in my opinion (and personal experience) come from within. The short and sweet of it is that Christians too pick and choose which moral absolutes to abide by. As if to see what "fits."

You are correct about the dilemmas an individual will face if governing themselves. If left to our own whims, we would probably bend every rule we create from ourselves. This is where ethics come into play. Ethics are platform independent. They require justification, argument, and distinction. Our ethical codes are enforced and observed by others.

An individual may have morals that are not in agreement with each other. An individual may not have morals that are in agreement with another person or persons. This is why our actions are governed by (or should be IMO) by ethics and not morality.

Objective standards of an ethical code can be reached by a society whereas uniform moral code cannot ever truly be congruent.

Additionally, there is the notion of a social contract. Humans form rules based on functionality as well as beliefs.

Causing someone's death is only morally wrong when applied with context.

a) if it was intentional, be it impulsive or premeditated.
b) if it was an accident by negligence.

There are other ways to be the catalyst of a person's death. It is our ethic code (not our moral code) that takes the time to make such a distinction.

I'm sure you may disagree, but from my close hand experience with Christianity in my youth, the teachings on morals and ethics are blended in a way that could make them seem like the same thing.

I enjoyed reading your post, and I will certainly return. I plan to repost my reply on my site as well as directing my readers to your original post.

Please continue to post your thoughts. I do enjoy reading other's ideas on the world and people.

Respectfully,
~Chi

Remember friends, it's not just about finding people in this world who just agree with you. If our ideas are only good with those who won't challenge them, they mean nothing.

Site Updates

I've added a bunch of stuff to the sidebar. So check it out. You'll notice that, the labels element is now full of stuff. This is because I took the time to go through the blog from day 1 and spell-checked this son of a bitch. In doing this, I added labels to every post for easy reference. More features and content to come soon.

Stay tuned Space Travelers.

The Freshest Kids

As noted in the last entry, their is a documentary about break dancing called the "Freshest Kids." I found a trailer on Youtube, but embedding was disabled, so here is a link.

Trailer

The film was really good, and those interested in break dance, hip-hop, or finite bits of American culture can find much to learn and enjoy from the film. Netflix has it I believe.

Rock Steady Space Travelers

Lost Chapter 2: Skills from the Past Rise From the Ashes in Phoenix

I'm doing some house keeping here on the site, and I found a never before published entry from the road last year. I hope you like.

Hey space-travelers. I'm just finishing my stay here in Phoenix and what time it has been. Basically I have been reliving two of my favorite activities from High school: Tekken, and Break dancing.

My good friend Ryan Flores moved out recently and I thought it would be fun to stay here a few days. Days before my arrival, he begged me to get here a day early. He made a promise of many women, scantily clad in school girl outfits and must binge drinking. But I came when I originally said and got to hear about the party post-facto. He even showed me footage from his camera. Judges verdict: A great idea for a single guy, but I come with a ball and chain.

Every day we go to a local community gym at 7:00PM and break dance with the Outcroud b-boy crew. It's been a lot of fun and these guys are seriously talented. Typically after a few hours of total pain, we would relocate to a food spot and chill with the crew, then go our separate ways.

Being in the hip-hop culture reminded be of something... I hate movies like "Stomp the Yard" and "You got Served." They over gansterfy the b-boy scene. They make break dancing seem like a thug thing and this just isn't so. Most b-boys (and b-girls) are really level head down to earth people. I mean think about it. It takes an incredible amount of patience to learn these techniques, does it make sence that the same people would be so rash and violent? I encourage anyone reading to watch a documentary on the subject, I saw it while here, and it's kind of regarded as the b-boy-bible; the b-bible if you will. The movie is called "The Freshest Kids," and I think it is a film that anyone can enjoy regardless of interest in dance.

As for me and dancing, I had a great time. I'm out of shape, but just hearing the music and getting to be creative with people was fun. Why no picture this post you ask? Well, Ryan has some ridiculous camera and it takes really good professional photos, so he made me use his. This means everyone is going to have to wait to see them. Sorry. However, as and added bonus, you will get video when I post it up because Ryan also owns a seriously nice video camera with a super-hip fish eye lens. Be patient.

Tonight as I am packing and getting ready for the drive to San Diego tomorrow, Paul a local Tekken Player came over and played me and Ryan. He was pretty good, but me and Ryan were better, which was sad being that we are so rusty. I'm pretty sure that Ryan is happy to have met Tekken players in Phoenix.

Well, I should finish packing and get some sleep, it will be a big drive tomorrow. Peace, pot, Microsoft.

Chapter 19, Verse 3: Why "Hero?"

Happy Friday Space Travelers. I'm getting off a 7 day long work bender which had me waking up at 4:15AM everyday. I am not a morning person, and if you know me, then you can validate this claim. I manage every morning to wake up and make it to work on time. Some people are surprised that I can do it (because they know how much I love sleep and how goddamn lazy I can be). I'm not disciplined, but I am dedicated; I won't let my team down.

So I've been doing some internal reflection lately, and some thinking about the title of this blog.

There Goes Our Hero.

Maybe I never explained fully why I named it that. Perhaps some just assumed I thought very highly of myself. The truth is that I wanted to name the blog something thematic for my huge road trip over the last summer. I think I was listening to the Foo Fighters too that day.

I was severely down on myself around April 2007 after failing to get a internship. I felt somewhat hopeless and I decided that I I needed to rescue myself. Before I left on my trip I realized that in planning my trip I had captivated the interest of many of my friends or school associates. Many of them had similar disappointments in trying to find work. When I became aware of this, I concluded that the adventure was not just about me. I represented to many the ability to take charge of the their own life and make it as exciting as they want. '

As an engineering student, it was too easy to become over concerned with career goals, and not about life goals outside of the job. I had become so obsessed with finding a job, that I didn't even realize that I had stopped doing my art, stopped doing dance, and stopped trying new things. Somehow, I had let myself be convinced that these things weren't important.

They are.

I drew for while the other day. I felt good. I sang the other night. I heard my voice. I played my music loud and danced around in my hall, I felt free. I'll never have those kinds of feelings from any job in my life no matter how much I enjoy it or find it important. It's important to be wild and free.

However, there is another reason. My dear friend Jon Leek, a man I consider a brother, told me that I was one of his heroes. I had heard this once before when I was younger from another friend Eric. Being told something like this moves something in your heart. It's an incredible responsibility.

You can be a hero too. Perhaps you already are. It doesn't necessarily come from great acts of bravery, we can be heroes for many reasons. Think of...

Great acts of Love
Great acts of Compassion
Great acts of Integrity
Great acts of Generosity
Great acts of Forgiveness

What acts will you be remembered for Space Travelers?