Currently on Vacation

I am in California for two weeks. Will post tons and tons of pictures later on when I go home to my lovely iMac where I do my photo editing.
A sneak peak of my adorable niece. She's going to be 1 next week!!!

A little fun project

I made this over the weekend, and I am planning to carry it to New York tomorrow to hang out with Linh, Linda, Simona and Brooke. Hahaha, how fun are homemade projects, they'd give you a sense of rewarding joy. Try it if you have the time. ^^

Coffee Table Wedding Book

Check out the 10 designs for a coffee table wedding book I made for Linda and Ken's wedding at DalingPhotography.blogspot.com

New From My Kitchen

I tried do use Belgian endive as the lettuce for the lettuce wrap dish, it turns out quite successful. Not only does it eliminate mess with eating with lettuce leaves since they usually crack and leak, endive leaves are crunchy, and can hold up the food well and will not crack or break apart!
Oh yah, and I've created a new logo for my food pictures hehe ^0^.

This is oatmeal raisin cookies. Tim's favorite. I put 1 1/2 cups of sugar instead of 2 cups liked the recipe directed. It turns out tasting even better. I guess we both don't like things that are too sweet, except for humans. ^_^

Pink Keyboard & Mouse

My new keyboard and mouse from G-cube has arrive. It's cute, but the keys are not as quiet as the Apple one, and I don't have the Apple key on both sides of the space bar, which is sometimes annoying when I am using Photoshop and needs lots of shortcuts. Also it doesn't have the volume and brightness controls built in like the Apple keyboard. But the font on the keys are super cute and the mouse is great. I still have Apple Care, so maybe I'll get my old keyboard and mouse fixed. Hum...look and functionality sometimes don't go together, same can apply to human beings. ^_~

My Friend Linda

Linda and I met during the first day of college. We were both piano majors and we both went to International Student Association, which we called ISA. Later, we became roommates and applied to grad school in the East Coast together. We've been in Bible studies, Master classes, piano competitions, piano duos together. This past Saturday, it was my honor and joy to photograph her in one of the most important days of her life--her wedding day.
Please visit http://dalingphotography.blogspot.com for pictures as that is where I keep my photography works.
Cheers!

Tim's side of the story

I never really knew how to connect with my emotions. There's a separation between what's happening and what I'm feeling most of the time. For some reason, I have learned to disconnect myself emotionally. It's not a cold reaction of any sort, it's an inability to "feel".
But, at times, I do feel. I have connected with the grief for the total of four times during this experience, and yes, there were tears.
First, was Wednesday morning. I rode my scooter into work at about 6:30am in the morning. When I got to the bottom of my building, I tried calling my parents to tell them what happened the day before. I remember Howard was on the phone, and I couldn't speak. My heart just tore apart at that moment, and my voice was filled with deep grief. The conversation lasted 15 seconds, and I sat there trying to gather myself.
It was around 7:30 or 8, I went to my office and my manager saw me walked right by him. He somehow knew something was wrong, since I didn't show up for work the day before (I had the morning off, but did not come in in the afternoon). He asked me what happened, I told him, and I completely broke down. I wept and wept, and I kept my head down on my desk. He put his hand on my back and told me he was sorry. I felt compassion, even in the most unexpected place.
Thursday night, I called my parents to tell them what happened. I had no trouble telling my mom what happened, but the emotions were slowly building up. When my dad was on the phone, I collapsed once more. I could no longer speak, as I began to wept once again.
Friday afternoon. I saw my most darling wife, the joy of my life, lying in the hospital bed in the surgery prep room. As the doctors and nurses put different tubes and needles in her, my heart began to sank. The last thing I wanted from the joy of a new family member is a premature death and my wife suffering for that death. After they took Dali away for the surgery, I sat in the waiting area alone and wept.
The song that kept my heart together during that whole experience was this:

There is an endless song
Echoes in my soul
I hear the music ring

And though the storms may come
I am holding on
To the rock I cling

How can I keep from singing Your praise
How can I ever say enough
How amazing is Your love
How can I keep from shouting Your name
I know I am loved by the King
And it makes my heart want to sing

I will lift my eyes
In the darkest night
For I know my Savior lives

And I will walk with You
Knowing You'll see me through
And sing the songs You give

I can sing in the troubled times
Sing when I win
I can sing when I lose my step
And fall down again
I can sing 'cause You pick me up
Sing 'cause You're there
I can sing 'cause You hear me, Lord
When I call to You in prayer
I can sing with my last breath
Sing for I know
That I'll sing with the angels
And the saints around the throne

Welcome Welcome

Welcome to this tiny townhome that Tim and I called home.
We got married in San Jose, California two years ago on May 5th at my father's church. After the wedding we drove up to Vancouver, British Columbia for our second reception where we met 300 people for the first time. Soon after that, we went on our honeymoon to Hong Kong, Fujian, Shanghai and Thailand. After a month of traveling we came back to Vancouver and stayed with Tim's parents and brother for another month before we headed for Boston. We drove across the United States from the Pacific to the Atlantic. It took us well seven days before we reached the Massachusetts border. As soon as we got to Boston we called up a real estate agent named Joyce and began looking for apartments for rent with her help. It was around noon time that day when we went apartment hunting...about 4:00 in the afternoon we found this little one bedroom townhome in a neighboring city called Brookline where we decided to live.
We've wanted to move several times within these two years but we could never find a better place to move to. We have hosted many dinner parties, summer BBQ's, friends and family visiting from out of town, etc. When we leave this place one day, we'll really miss it, because of the many wonderful memories we had in it, and because it is the first place that Tim and I called home.

(Since this summer, we've sold this couch and love seat and bought new ones, hehe, so it has a pretty different look now if you come visit)




I painted this a while ago, Tim couldn't understand the painting at all. He said it just looks messy. haha. but I have my explanation for this. Don't worry.

Lindalin Dalinda

It is my college roommate/piano duo buddy Linda's wedding this Saturday August the eighth. I am so excited for her. I took some pictures for her at her master's exiting recital (see my photo blog entries regarding her recital I, II), and now she asked Tim and I both to be her wedding photographers.
Her wedding is going to in Tuckahoe, New York, at her church.
Wait for me New York, here I come!