Just one example...

Here is just one example of someone who will be helped by fundraising efforts to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

http://jordanscause.blogspot.com/

I saw his story on the news this weekend and it reminds us how much research is necessary to eliminate this heartbreaking stress on patients and their families.

Please support my race for LLS in any way you can; the cause and I would appreciate it immensely.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/ma/wdw10/sliuie

Embarking on a new journey

I have made the decision to train for and fundraise for the Walt Disney World half marathon on January 10, 2010.

Given that I have asthma and have never been an intense runner, this is a huge deal for me. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time and the fact that I will be helping a great cause (research for blood cancers through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) amplifies how important this challenge is to me. I have been lucky not to lose any family members to cancer, but know of so many friends of friends, family friends, and the like who have lost the battle to different kinds of cancers. Making progress in research for cancer is so important and with government funding declining in virtually every area, it is vital that we don't let research become stagnant.

I will be updating this blog from time to time regarding my training and my goals. I hope that you will be along for the ride and will help support me with all of this. Here is the link to my fundraising site: http://pages.teamintraining.org/ma/wdw10/sliuie
Please share what you can with the cause and also share this link with those who would be interested in becoming active for the cause.

On a lighter note, a quote from "How I Met Your Mother":
Barney: Here's how you run a marathon. Step 1: You start running. There's no Step 2.

(If you've seen the episode, you know that Barney fails miserably. He finishes the marathon, but then is pretty much incapacitated because he never trained for the event.)

Dip-Dyed Sky

July 4th marks Independence Day and is conveniently just about the halfway marker of my summer break.

This year, I watched the fireworks display in our state's capital, Sacramento. I have always been a huge sucker for fireworks, which bring me awe and delight. For 2009, fireworks displays have been cut or downsized in many cities due to the weak economy. California definitely did not skimp this year and it seemed like it brought a sense of renewed hope and optimism for the future of our state, which is at a pretty dismal point right now.

Usually, I gaze up at the fireworks giddily...today was not an exception, but I also felt oddly more connected to our country than I have before. I shed a few tears when I realized all the legal and literal battles that our countrymen have endured to get America where it is today. Sadly, there are many many more battles to be fought. California, in particular, has to fight for its economy, its schools, and of course, its citizens' right to marry.

I think I see now more than ever that we all have to fight for something...and I am still struggling to find my purpose and my fight.

What's your battle?

Summertime

My summer has started off spectacularly (and with a great tan!) this year with a short stint in Taiwan and Vietnam. The maternal side of my family all met up in Asia to celebrate the 60 year anniversary of my grandparents' marriage.

Being back in Taiwan was incredible because it feels so much like home to me. We got to revisit some of the places I fell in love with last year and also see some things I did not have the chance to see before. Also, who could forget the amazing food and nightlife that Taiwan has to offer? I could not and was happy to experience it all over again. There is something about the island that I cannot get enough of.

We also visited Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta, and Phu Quoc Island. Vietnam definitely showed me its "developing" status and it was hard to see that the disparity of wealth between tourists and locals is so so skewed. We took a full day tour of the Mekong Delta through which tens of people served us in some way and the tour only cost $10 a head. It makes no sense to me that people should have to survive off of roughly $2 a day and live inexplicably indigent lives. Vietnam had some incredibly gorgeous sights and delicious food, but I still cannot get over the poverty and amount of development the country needs to undergo.

People thought it was strange that we visited Vietnam for a family reunion, but I guess that leads to the story that my grandparents actually fled China and first came through Vietnam (Phu Quoc, specifically) for a few years before making it to Taiwan. Hearing their stories of getting away from oppression and all the struggles they had to endure really puts my life into perspective and makes me respect them even more than I already do. They overcame so many obstacles to brighten their lives and subsequently their children and my own; I cannot even begin to explain how appreciative I am for them. Through it all, they have kept strong to their faith, their love, and to their family. I can only wish to be as strong as them someday.

We're done?

1L has come and gone, which is kind of surreal to me.

The year that is dreaded by many has finally ended and I have to say that there was a lot to do, the studying was grueling, and the caliber of classes is definitely a cut above undergraduate studies, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

All my courses have been interesting and the level of teaching has definitely surpassed anything I have had in higher education. I have immersed myself in activities and also met a few great people along the way. On top of that, I have been living in easily one of the most fascinating and lively cities in the nation. It is pretty cool to be living in a city filled with both the old and the new, coexisting (usually) peacefully together.

The thought that I will not see hoards of law students for the next three months is strange and almost sad, but I try to remind myself that this summer will be a good one.

Paradise

It's been a week since I came home from my spring break trip with my brother to St. Martin, Anguilla, and St. Barths. I had the most wonderful and relaxing time on the islands and we had such fortuitous timing, it was amazing.

First, we visited St. Maarten/Martin. This island is governed by the French and the Dutch. The beaches here were fantastic and the cuisine was pretty great too. The highlight in St. Martin was visiting the Butterfly Farm, which houses tens of types of butterflies. We saw the entire life cycle from eggs to caterpillars to pupae to butterflies and I find the process very fascinating.

Next, we went to Anguilla, which is a British island. The beaches in Anguilla were MAGNIFICENT. They had blue blue water that reminded me of Kool-Aid or Jell-O with sand that was reminiscent of flour. I could lay on those beaches endlessly and remain content. We even saw baby sea turtles making their way to the ocean, which was magical. The food on Anguilla was also gastronomically succulent, expensive because of high import taxes, but so good.

St. Barths was our last stop and probably my favorite island. Everything about this island is lush. We did our open water dives here and became scuba certified! During the dives, we encountered myriad tropical fish, sea turtles, sting rays, lobster, a shipwreck, and everything was gorgeous and colorful. We even got to whalewatch, which is a RARE occurence on the island. I am in love with St. Barths, from the people to the sights, it is a dream.

On the plane ride home, we were lucky enough to be taking a flight path through which we could see the take-off of the Discovery space shuttle. That was an unexpected surprise, but definitely one of the coolest things I've ever seen.

My spring break trip was definitely a great time to spend with my brother, who I don't get to see often enough and relax. I just wish it was longer...

Calm before the storm...

It seems that in law school, there is always a break in classes preceding the craziness of finals stress-dom. For spring semester, it is spring break. It's great to have a respite from classes, but pretty bittersweet that soon afterwards, I'll be subject to finals mania once again.

The month of February has come and gone and I must say that it was my busiest month of law school thus far. The biggest part of February was rehearsing for and then performing in Legal Follies. It was so great to have a finished (and hilarious) product by the end of the month that I could share with all my friends and my family. My parents didn't really understand all the legal jokes and maybe it's better that way. In any case, at first I was a little apprehensive about the time commitment with Follies, but it has ended up being one of the most exciting parts of law school for me. Videos will be posted on YouTube within the next few months!

February also was the era of the Moot Court Riot. Moot Court briefs were in full force and everyone worked endlessly to perfect their briefs. It was so great to work with a good friend on the brief and finally finish the damn thing. I must say I am happy that I have been able to hone my legal research and writing skills this year because I know how crucial they will be in the future.

My parents visited this month (and into the beginning of March). The Boston weather decided to give them a full tour starting with 60 degree weather then rain then the first snowstorm to warrant a school cancellation. I loved having them here and just feeling like I was at home. They also brought my dog, Benny, here to move to Boston. Having Benny here makes me incredibly happy and it will be great to explore Boston with him.

Now, spring break is finally here. I leave to the Caribbean tomorrow and I can't wait to bask in the warm sun for a bit. :) Life is pretty good...