January 31, 2009(Saturday)

When I was playing basketball today, I twisted my left ankle. I previously twisted it about 1.5 months ago. Lately I played basketball more often and that's why there is a higher chance of getting hurt. However I am glad that the pain is not serious and should be recovered really soon.
Cailyn like to eat books a lot but we don't allow her. She purposely gets our attention before biting the book. However she doesn't like us to scratch her nose. Therefore today whenever she eats book, I scratch her nose. By defending herself, she has to wave her hand, which drops the book.

January 30, 2009(Friday)

Tonight is the church's 3rd year celebration. It is a praise and worship night. It is good to see so many people come out to sing praises. Carmen also helped out, while I spent the time taking care of Cailyn.
I also had meeting with professors about the queuing #2 paper. It won't be a great paper, but since the effort won't be a lot, so that's fine.

January 29, 2009(Thursday)

There was a lot of snow yesterday and it takes about 10 mins to get the car out today. I have to shovel the area around my car quite a lot. I haven't done this kind of shoveling since leaving Canada.
When I taught excel today on linear programming, the "solver" program does not yield good result. Therefore I have to troubleshoot students' answer. However I have experience with this kind of stuff, when I was teaching Cisco.
We did not go to prayer meeting at night; however Carmen still went to church to practice music.

January 28, 2009(Wednesday)

There is a snow storm today and so even school is canceled for the whole day. To me there isn't a difference because I don't have to go to school today. However originally I planned to go to the gym to do workout (I usually do Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and the gym is closed too. Therefore we stayed home the whole day. We went out in the afternoon briefly to play some snow with Cailyn; however, dragging her on the snow floor is too tired.
Cailyn also gave her first kiss to us today. Previously when we asked her to kiss us, we usually gave her our face and she did not move. However today we did not move and she moved her head to kiss our cheek.

January 27, 2009(Tuesday)

Today is another teaching day. The topic today is to use Excel to calculate some project management time. I tried to explain step by step and I think that I did a decent job. There is also a lot of snow today.

January 26, 2009(Monday)

Today is Chinese New Year, yet there is nothing much going on here. Business as usual!

January 25, 2009(Sunday)

After Sunday worship, we went to a department gathering by the Chinese professors and Chinese PhD students. Today is Chinese New Year’s Eve. We ate hotpot and had some karaoke time. Carmen sang a song and she is as nicely tone as ever.

January 24, 2009(Saturday)

Today is the interview for Pastor Chang. First we had 1.5 hours by the pastoral search committee and then by the deacon + group leaders. At night we had a Chinese new year dinner, with Pastor Chang did the sharing afterward. In general, I think that he did a great job and I think that other people like him as well. So let's see whether this can work out or not.

January 23, 2009(Friday)

I had another meeting with professors today. We worked on the healthcare paper a few months ago and we had some thought about having another related paper, but focusing on queuing. Therefore I am busy working with this paper for the rest of the day. At night I had Bible study with Pastor Chang. He is applying as a pastor at our church and the Bible study today is part of the interview process. So far, so good.

January 22, 2009(Thursday)

I spent about 4 hours preparing for the class that I am teaching. For the past few classes it was about project management. I had two class presentations. For the next few classes it will be using Excel to do project management. I don't know these materials, but I am learning faster than the students and it looks ok to me.

January 21, 2009(Wednesday)

We went TGI Friday for lunch today. We haven't gone out for lunch for a long time. And I very much am looking forward to the time when I get a job so that I can go out to eat more often!
A couple of weeks ago the temperature was really cold and the car's door is a bit frozen. I tried to open the door and broke the handle. I went to the car body shop today and they told me that it takes about $150 to fix it! That is outrages! And to use some non-Toyota part still costs $110! Fixing a car is always an expensive thing!

January 20, 2009(Tuesday)

Another day of teaching. I assigned them classwork again and I am more comfortable with teaching now. At night Jacky went to out home for dinner and discipleship training.

January 19, 2009(Monday)

Today is a holiday (Martin Luther King Holiday). The gym is full of people! For the rest of the day, I just stayed at home to do some homework and taking care of Cailyn.

January 18, 2009(Sunday)

Carmen went to church for the Sunday worship team. Then afterward some church friend comes to our home to share about the relationship problem. Carmen is great at handling this kind of thing.
Cailyn also has more reaction now. She knows where "big bird" (a kite located at the ceiling), elephant/frogie (picture stick to the wall). And when we sing some song "Here we go looking up", she knows how to point up.

January 17, 2009(Saturday)

This morning, I helped church friend Melody to move house. This is the fourth time that I helped her to move house ever since she came to IU 2 years ago. Hopefully this will be the last time.
At night we went to ice-skate with church's friends. Carmen also skated for two rounds (she doesn't know how to ice skate but improved a lot). When it is my turn to skate, I exploded my energy and speed skate 21 rounds, for 12 mins. It would be faster if there aren’t that many people here. I haven't skated for around 2 years already.

January 16, 2009(Friday)

The temperature is still cold today; but it doesn't feel as cold as yesterday. I went to play basketball in the afternoon. At night our group makes "tong yuen" at someone's house. However we have to leave early to put Cailyn to bed.

January 15, 2009(Thursday)

Today is one of the coldest days that I have ever experienced. I think that the temperature is as low as -18C, even during the day time. Therefore, even though I wear a lot of clothes and wear some warm hat, my eye (behind the glasses) is still freezing!
I had meeting with professor about my second year paper. Then at night, we went to prayer meeting.

January 14, 2009(Wednesday)

The weather was warm for the last 10 days, but then starting yesterday, the temperature is dropping. Today it goes down to -15 degree C and snows! Temperature fluctuates a lot here!

January 13, 2009(Tuesday)

Previously I had taught discussion session for four times. However, I don't need to be full responsible for the course. Today is the first time that I teach a full course. My original motivation of becoming a professor is my passion/desire to teach/public speaking. However, ironically that now I don't have this desire anymore. Throughout the last several weeks, I find it quite stressful to prepare and always procrastinate. I would rather spend much more time in doing research. This is also different because before I entered into the PhD program I don't really want to do research. Things have changed dramatically. However I would say that this is a good change because it is the research that make-or-break a professor's career (at a good school, which is most likely a research school).
Anyway, today finally is the first class. I make the 1.25hours class to be 45mins long, because it is the first class and I don't have much to say. I think that I did an ok job because I am usually confident with my teaching skill. However, I don't know how to use my voice properly and my voice really hurts, even after only 45mins of talking. When I get excited, I usually speak like that. I need to speak properly!

January 12, 2009(Monday)

Today is the last day to really work hard on research, because I am going to start teaching tomorrow! Therefore I spent 6 or 7 hours today on my dissertation.
It is harder and harder to put Cailyn to afternoon nap. She needs to struggle a lot, even with pacifier. And when I tried to take away the pacifier, she frequently senses it and cried. On the other hand, it is getting much easier to put her to bed at night. She used to cry for an hour or three months ago. Now she can go to bed easily in 10 mins. Carmen usually puts her to bed at night; so when I tried to do so tonight, I found it quite easy, even though I don't success because she cried. However, once Carmen took over, she goes to bed quickly.

January 11, 2009(Sunday)

This is my first time serving as an usher at this church (or in fact, one of the very few times that I am an usher). This is much more stress-free than being the worship leader, especially needing to host the communion. Afterward we had a meeting with the Macedonia group committee member. Meeting with them is more stress free than the deacon board meeting, because (1) they are younger (2) they speak Cantonese (3) the content is more relaxing.

January 10, 2009(Saturday)

Lately Cailyn is quite "mum"; she has a big temper and would yell/groan whenever she doesn't feel right! Also she prefers Carmen to hold her than prefer me to hold her. We need to start discipline her or else she will be a brat when she is grown old.
At night we went to a church gathering by the family group and mandarin undergrad group. We had some good food and then had some game. However we have to leave early (as usual) because Cailyn is getting "mum" again.

January 09, 2009(Friday)

I went to school for another faculty hiring presentation. I heard that lots of schools now either have budget freeze/cut or hiring professors with experience. For example, the three candidates that we interviewed all have experience. That would make it a bit challenging for me to find job. However, my task now is to work hard, and leave the rest (including worrying) to God. It is easy to say, but hard to do.
After some basketball, we went to church. After church, there is a brief deacon board meeting about the pastoral search procedure and also nomination committee for the new deacons (which will start May 1). So far, this past year of being a deacon is very tough and challenging.

January 08, 2009(Thursday)

Nothing much going on today. I just worked on paper and went to prayer meeting at night.

January 07, 2009(Wednesday)

I had meeting with professor. He got back yesterday and now it is back to work again!

January 06, 2009(Tuesday)

Starting these few days, Cailyn is quite "sticky". She can't play by herself and must be accompanied by us. And sometimes, even I is not going enough. She needs Carmen to take care (plus I don't have the patient). That is another stage of Cailyn's life.

January 05, 2009(Monday)

After around 30 mins of workout, I went to play basketball/volleyball with church friends. I usually do some exercise before playing basketball, in order to consume some energy.

January 04, 2009(Sunday)

I am serving as the church worship leader today, including hosting the communion. Doing homework/working on the paper for the rest of the day.

January 03, 2009(Saturday)

We went out for dinner tonight. There is no exciting place for dinner, so we decided to visit the local supermarket to purchase some sushi or hot food. However its food department has closed, even at 7pm. Therefore we went to eat some sandwiches instead. We miss our HK trip!
I also started to work on my third dissertation essay lately. I had a pretty rough experience for my other papers. Let's hope that everything will be smooth!

January 02, 2009(Friday)

We went to church at night; there are only about 20 people showed up. And for our group there are only 6 people, including us 3! However we are confident that the numbers will be up next week, as school will start soon!

January 01, 2009(Thursday)

Even though today is New Year, we have no celebration. This is just another day.
Cailyn is very fuzzy in the last two days. She may have been sick (but not much symptom). She always yells out when she is fuzzy. We don't know what has happened. Sometimes I want to let her play by herself but she got bored easily and yells again.