The Berkeley Archives: Jon Yip Talks to Himself

A Systematic Commentary On My Life At Berkeley

Fall 2002

Week 4: Kyrie Eleison

9-8-2002

Leon and I went home on Saturday; Eric drove us to the BART station since he was driving himself and some others there to go to the Giants game. When I got to Fremont, Dad didn’t answer his cell so Leon and I walked to Burger King to eat and wait for him to arrive. I went from there to Richard’s worship practice since Tim was on the team. Then we had a “fun” day at cell group, which meant pizza, lots of food, and hours of charades, and then normal meeting. It was a lot of fun. I hadn’t been to our cell in so long since they break over the summer.

Today’s service was good. We introduced the 7^th graders into the congregation, and they all got up front and had to say their names and where they were from. It was so funny because they were all really nervous and everything. They all got free “Unveiled” CDs. Boy, there are all going to be great leaders in the Church someday, greater than us, and they will do even more great things. I’m so excited!!! Araghadgh...

I came home and packed all my stuff. I was a little upset because all my nice clothes were kind of weird: my dress pants are too small, my suit jacket is blue, too thick, and has cheesy brass buttons, and I don’t have a dress shirt. Oh well. I loaded all my stuff into the car (including the new P80!) and left. I stopped by Goodwill because I wanted a blacker, nicer suit but I didn’t want to shell out another $200 QUITE just yet since I just blew $900 on the keyboard. But Dad says I have to buy one sooner or later anyway. I need dress pants, a suit jacket, and a dress shirt. Anyhoos, I bought another suit that is pretty neat but has a weird stain on the sleeve that I’ll have to clean out.

I took the car up to Berkeley (Mom and Dad won’t be needing it since they’re going to Kansas City) just in time for Shirley and I to go to rehearsal. It went well; I got to hear all the cool stuff with the chamber chorus and also the orchestra and everything. After that we went back; Shirley went to mass at Newman, and Leon and I drove to Safeway and bought lots of food. We took it home, unloaded it, and I found a place to park my car for the week. Then I cut up some honeydew and set up my keyboard (YAHOOOOOO!!!) while Leon cut up the mounds and mounds of meat that we bought to put into the freezer. Then he trimmed some roses that he got early for the concert for Shirley and I. Hahaha! How sweet! And they look really nice too now, in an orange juice jug on the table. It really does look great. I like flowers. AUUGH what’s happening to me?!? It’s OK for me to like flowers, isn’t it?

9-9-2002

Woke up this morning, did some reading and stuff, went to class. Boring. Then I went down almost to Shattuck to buy a reader from Odin’s Books, which doesn’t take credit cards or checks. Lame! I had to spend $40 on that freakin’ reader for Film 151; total rip off. Then I went to Ned’s to buy the last book I need for English 135AC; it’s a little paperback cheap thing and it cost me $20 bucks! ARGH these people are scalping me dry!

At least I had the rest of the day off. Andrew, Gloria, and Helen came up to Berkeley and visited us. Wow, haven’t seen Helen in a long time. They hung around for a while and then left. I moved my fan below my video card because it always seemed to overheat when I played Counter-Strike. After I did that, Leon and I gave it a “test run” on the cs_assault map, 2 against 14.

At 7:00 I went to the PFA for the film screening of A Touch of Zen, which isn’t really a translation of the original Chinese title at all. It was LONG. Three and a half hours. It was kind of slow but there were some neat parts in it. I fell asleep less than halfway through, which always happens to me, then woke up and stayed up for the rest of the movie, which also always happens to me. By the time it was over, it was 10:30. Mahn.

I finished my reading for tomorrow! Incredible! That doesn’t mean I finished my readings that AREN’T due tomorrow, but at least for tomorrow, I’m clean! And since I’m on a happy note here (and speaking of notes), I’d like to take this time to say how AWESOME that Yamaha P80 is! It is so much fun to play and it sounds GREAT, much better than the Roland RD600 at church. The hammer action is pretty heavy, but that’s a good thing, I think. It’s more like a real grand.

9-10-2002

I called AT&T again this morning. All they did was throw me around in circles. Eventually they just told me to call back in a few days. Boy, I’m doing to much work just to get our $19.95 a month deal.

Oh my goodness, class was so boring today. Actually Film 151 wasn’t so bad, until near the end; I wasn’t falling asleep but my eyes were just really heavy and I was drooping down in my seat, and I think the instructor was looking at me because he let us out early and said “I think some of you are getting tired.” But English 115B was the kicker for today. I drifted around for at least an hour, I think, and at one point my head fell so low that it woke me up and I snapped it back straight. Normally that would have kept me awake for the rest of the class, but I just started nodding off again straight away.

Chorus rehearsal was good, and even shorter than usual even though it was supposedly going to be longer today because of the concert tomorrow. Oh well.

Small group was good; Leon, Shirley, and I made some cookies beforehand and that was kind of fun. I really should be doing my reading now, but I’d rather write. Oh, and I still can’t get my video card issues resolved. It’s still overheating. Or is it even the video card at all...?

9-11-2002

I woke up this morning and did some reading, and got myself all dressed up for the concert. It turned out pretty well, it was longer than I thought and my legs are now really really tired. The Mozart Grand Mass is just amazing. The words are “kyrie eleison,” which means “Lord have mercy,” which amazingly is word for word what I wrote exactly one year ago on September 11, 2001. I still find it just as applicable today, for various reasons.

Cindy drove up to watch the concert, and to hang out with us. After the concert Leon had to go to class but Shirley, Cindy and I went to go eat at Gypsy’s (again). Mmm. My vocal technique was OK and went by quickly.

I finished my reading for tomorrow again! Can you believe it!?!? I feel good about myself. I’m most likely going to watch a movie now.

(Later) I ended up watching Final Fantasy, and I somewhat regret it now, because though it is a sweet movie, it is also pretty dark and darkness and depression isn’t exactly the thing I need right now in the middle of the week. Anyway...

Also, I feel obligated to write more, not only because I wasted so much time today (well, I didn’t really), but... just to be productive. I’ve got this great song down but there are no words for it. I just can’t think of anything for it that will match. And I also have to finish the story and screenplay that I started this week.

9-12-2002

I’m finding it harder to wake up at 8:00 in the morning; I’m rising closer to 9:00 these days. But I did lots of reading this morning, and then I left an hour early so I could talk to a major advisor about my area of concentration. I got sidetracked, however, by Elliot and Wendy, who were eating lunch on the steps of that one fountain with wires (not the one on Sproul). I ended up chatting with them for quite a while. Then I went to Wheeler with a half hour to spare for the advisor, and the offices were closed! Right in the middle of the day too! So I went to Dwinelle to hang around. I ran into Wendy again, so I talked with her, and prayed together too, until it was time for class.

In class I slept like a mad man. The three hour block just conks me out. I need to take caffeine before I go in. English 115B was especially boring today.

Chorus was brief today. We did some exercises, sight-read some of the “gloria” from the Mozart grand mass, and that was it. It ended at 5:00.

I came back and did lots of reading. I finished that book, Wynema, and on time too! Woohoo I am cookin’! Right now Victor and Daphne are over studying. I like to play the P80. I can’t think of any words for that song...

Leon, Victor and I started playing some music for a while... then a neighbor came at around midnight and said she had to wake up tomorrow at 6:00. Whoops.

9-13-2002

I went to kickboxing this morning with Shirley again... this one was really hard, even tougher than all the other ones. It was almost a full hour of straight cardio work, and hardly any stretching or ab work. Shirley left after the aerobic part because it lasted so long. After that I went to the basketball court because the IV guys were still playing basketball. Elliot, Wendy, Dan, and Eric were sitting around on the sides, and they all left soon. I walked with Dan back home (he stopped at Unit 3, where he lives). The power was out because the electrical people were working on it.

On the way to class I met Edward! Wow, I’ve never seen him on campus until today! Incredible. He seems to be doing well; he goes to ABSK. He still hasn’t gotten his sweatshirt back.

English 125AC was OK... we watched some documentary about Native Americans. I slept. After class I went to Ned’s and bought the Mozart score that I need for chorus. It was $33! For a little whippy paper thing! Da-yamn!

Oh well. It was over. The power came back. Leon left for his camping trip. I spent all afternoon calling AT&T about this stupid billing thing and they just threw around to different numbers, no one helping me one bit. I AM NOT GOING TO STOP UNTIL I GET MY $19.95 FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS!

Shirley left for worship practice. I watched The Cable Guy, which was pretty funny and weird. I’m probably going to eat some Fat Slice, go to IV, and then drive Shirley and myself back to San Jose.

I’m listening to this Aimee Mann stuff. Boy she is so good. I need to buy her CDs, but they’re so expensive, even on Ebay. Must be hot items.

Oh yeah, I took a shower today with no hot water again. The hot water has been out since last night. BRR it was cold. And today being a pretty cold day didn’t help any.