Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

Had a 'lil bit of snow today... The weather channel said that we're gonna have more snow tonight... My goodness! I'm feeling the christmas spirit! Ohhh! I feel so Chrismassy nowww! (Is there such word?)

All I Want for Christmas..

I'm so in the mood of Christmas today. Every time the word Christmas pops up, I do remember the greatest sacrifice that the Lord has done for me personally. That's for sure...

On the different note, Christmas does bring a lot of things to my mind. As I was growing up, my family always celebrated Christmas together. A lot of times we tried to celebrate this very precious event with our extended family whenever it was possible. But now, distance just makes it so hard for our family to reunite... I'm still not used to it yet, however sometimes we've just got to accept things the way it is...

Christmas has always been the best seasons of my life. My ideas of Christmas when I was young were snow, bells ringing (ching! ching! ching!), christmas songs played when we are walking at the mall, christmas trees and of course presentssss!!

Anyway, as I was blogging, this song just kept coming to my mind. Yeah, a song when I was in junior high school..

All I want for Christmas is you...
I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true ...
All I want for Christmas
Is you ...

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come treu
All I want for Christmas is you ...
You baby

I won't ask for much this Christmas
I won't even wish for snow
I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to
hear those magic reindeer click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
You ...

All the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children's
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one
I really need - won't you please
Bring my baby to me ...

Oh I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just want to se baby
Standing right outside my door
Oh I just want him for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas
Is you ...

All I want for Christmas
Is you baby
Is you baby

You probably wonder who the "you" or the "baby" refers to...
And yeah! They refer to Miss PUGGYYYYYYY!!!
I hope my parents read my blog now!
And Mommmmm, Dadddd!
I want a pug badly this Christmas!
Pleaseeeee.........!!!!!!!
*Lee Ya is crossing her fingers*

home sweet home...

Chatted with some old friends from high school and junior high today. All of them studied abroad and now are home for good. And as always, our conversations were filled with those school memories... Dengg, I miss home! I guess the phase "home sweet home" is really true, huh?

It's Thanksgiving....

It's Thanksgiving now!
I didn't really celebrate this day when I was back home.
My parents always taught us that we should give thanks to the Lord every single day, minute and second. But, since everyone in the nation celebrates Thanksgiving today, I might as well do it too!

For the past 24 years I have been very grateful with what I have in life.
I have wonderful parents who I can always count on in every situation.
I have terrific sisters who brighten my days with everything they do.
Well, sometimes they make my days blue too (haha!), but they are my sisters!
I have great church that is growing in Him.
I have fantastic friends here in Wichita and back home.
One thing that I'm very thankful for is that
I have a chance to get my education here in the United States.

Looking at my 24 years journey in life,
I've never thought I would do what I do today.
God opens up one door at a time for me.
God shows me what it takes to be His follower.
God gives me visions for life.

And I believe for the next coming years,
God will always continue being there when I need Him.
God will always continue carrying me through my struggles in life.
God will always continue guiding me in every step that I take.
And God will fulfill His promise in my life!
Wherever I'll be located after graduation next May,
I know for sure that He will show His power...

Mannn, I would never trade Him for anything else in this world!
If I had to summarize all those in one sentence,
I would proudly say, "I am truly blessed!"
Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!

"Father, thank you for all You've done and for all You're going to do.
I'm thankful for who You are and how You mean to me. Amen!"

Thanksgiving Dinner...

You are all welcomed to join us for our Thanksgiving Dinner!

Venue: Olde English Manor Apartment's Club House
2323 N. Woodlawn
Wichita, KS 67220
Date : Sunday, November 26, 2005
Time : 4:30 p.m.

It's gonna be very informal.
Bring your friends and loved ones!
Call me, if you have any question!
See you there!

I left my heart in Boston....

So, I came back yesterday afternoon from a fabolous trip to Boston. As some of you know, I went there for the 91st National Communication Association Convention. Packed my bags on Tuesday nite and left Wichita very early in the morning on Wednesday. A lot of things stood out from the trip and I'm gonna share just a bit of what I experienced in Boston. The rest, of course, I'll keep it for myself...

The conference itself was great. I got to bring back lotsa papers to add to my precious 'Conference's Papers' collection. I went to some panels related to Interpersonal Communication and Human Communication and Technology. The conference really spoke to me. Although I felt so little surronded by famous scholars and those intelligent and brilliant doctoral students, I was totally fascinated! I feel that they speak my 'language.' Yes, my 'language.'I feel that I belong to that world. I feel that the questions that were raised about the paper I presented really add to my curiosity. I feel inspired to expand my research. This whole conference made me think, "Should I take this route? Should I just not care about the social stigma that I've encountered for the past months? Should I just close my eyes and ears and pursue what I really want in life? Or, should I take another route and run away from my dream?"

On Friday, Jasmine and I toured the Harvard University. The whole school environment and seeing students walking by really made me feel that this is the community where I want to be for the rest of my life. Well, not necessarily going to Harvard for school. But, I just feel that I want to be surrounded by college students for the rest of my life wherever I am. I love the smell of the old books. I love the excitement of having AHA moments when it comes to research. I love collecting conference's papers. And, I love going for conferences and meeting those people who speak my 'language.'

On Saturday, Jasmine and I went to Quincy Market for lighting ceremony. Again, Amelia was totally excited. With the very cold weather; with people walking around with their loved ones, their children, their families, their friends; with the extra thick coats, hats and scarfs that people were wearing; and the most beautiful one is, with the sound of Christmas songs played by those trumpets and trombones; Amelia was stunned. This is something that I've been dreaming of about Christmas, my favorite season of all times.

This Boston trip was great! It was fabolous! It was perfect!

My whole idea of Christmas was redefined.
My whole idea of life was reintroduced.
And, my whole heart was left there....

LeeYa "met" her bestfriend from grade school!

So, I was really surprised to see one of my bestfriends during grade school stopped by my 'lil corner and wrote a comment!

Hello Destriiii! What's uppp! We had so much fun back in those old days. Did lots of girly girly stuffs. Went to so many birthday parties at the Kentucky Fried Chicken over at Gajah Mada Plaza. Is that restaurant even still there? Oh man! Those years was filled with loads of fun!

Oh yeah! I also remember that we were in a dance team? Hahaha! What was I thinking? I didn't even know how to dance! But apparently, we always danced for our school's Christmas events. I was out of my mind, apparently. I also remembered that our make-up was always thick! When I looked at our pics from grade school, I always thought, "Denggg, we looked scary!!" Hahaha! That was so embarassing! What were we thinking??

And look at us now! We are all grown up! The last time I knew she was Ms. Destri Elita Subakti and now she is already Mrs. Destri Andorf! And you work as a graphic designer now? Where at? Still in Ames, Iowa? Way to go, girl!

Thinking about those crazy days really makes me wanna go back to my childhood period. I guess that's the neatest thing about children's lives. We dare to do a lot of stupid stuffs and we don't even realize that what we do is actually plain stupid. We always thought we were some big shots or something! haha.. But of course, without all those stupid memories, there won't be a big smile on my face today....

Hey, thanks for reminding me all these sweet memories! It's always interesting to meet with old friends and talk about what happened last time. Like when I met Anthonio and Winston over the summer when I went back home.. Oh my goodness! I got to know all kinds of stories that they've been hiding from me... It's also encouraging to know that our friends are doing well with their jobs and life in general... Hope everything is going well with ya too, Des!

Well, that's a bit of our fun and sweet memories from grade school. I guess grade school can now be spelled as G R E A T school!

So friends, let me introduce you to my grade school buddy, Destri Andorf! Simply click on my friends' list to meet her!

LeeYa is daydreaming....

"Exactly at this time next week, I'll be enjoying and breathing the air of the beautiful city of Boston.... I'll probably be eating sushi or roasted duck or chicken rice or steak or, or, or I may be even zipping my taro bubble tea while strolling downtown... Yeah, I don't have to be worried about anything, because I'll be done with my presentation! Hmmm... even just a bit of this "Boston thought" already sets me on the mood of travelling! Oh my goodness, it feels so good to daydream!!! So Boston, I can't wait to see you next week!!"

wish

someday, somehow, I may understand why certain things are the way they are...

Lebaran euyyyy....!!!

So here I am blogging again... I found myself pretty active lately... Well, well, well! I just wanted to take this opportunity to wish my friends who celebrate Eid, "Selamat Lebaran! Minal Aidin Wal Faizin!"

We went to this Hari Raya party at one of the Indonesian families here in Wichita. And as always, there is one thing that you'll never regret going for Indonesian parties. It is yummy food!

And because today was Lebaran, the food was exceptional! Oh yeah! There were lots of food. Oh man! I wanted to try everything on the table, but of course with the sore throat and cough that I have now, I kinda have to behave myself a bit. Specially with that long email my mom sent this morning, "Don't eat too much spicy food, okay?" Then a friend of mine kinda said the same thing also before I left to the party today. So, yeah, I tried to control myself. But there is one dish that I just can't resist. I just got to have it. It's "Gule Telor." Yummmm! It was good and spicyyyy!

For many of you, it may not be one thing that you will find interesting. But I can assure you that my Boston friend a.k.a Huan would be extremely jelaous! Hahahha! SO, Huan, here's what we had at the party: Ketupat, Gule Telor, Sayur Lodeh, Ikan Pesmol, Opor Ayam, Kering Tempe, Tempe Mendoan, Perkedel, Rendang.... Kangen ga Huannn???? Hahahhahahaa!

LeeYa's mid-semester syndrome kicks in

After all the excitements that I had for the past few weeks; the screaming that I did in front of my students; the trips I've made to campus to study and do my assignments even when I didn't have classes to take or to teach; the walkings under the keep-on-changing weather; I started feeling drowsy and just not well. I began to develop a cough and my throat is just so painful. I started losing my voice too. I can't afford losing my voice now. I need it to sing at church. I need it to teach. And, I definetely need it for my presentation at the NCA.

This is really not a good time for me to be sick. NCA is only two weeks away and I'm not even prepared. I haven't thought of what I should do for community involvement project for COMM 865. And my media buying class is killing me.

I guess what my parents said was true. You can't do everything at the same time. Hmmm, I really can't afford to be sick now. And somehow, I'm realy looking forward to the Thanksgiving break. Yeah, I need a break... a niceeee break!