Oh My God

Making a Difference

It's Been Awhile

As I walk into my doctor’s office two day ago (last visit at that particular office was in 2007), the medical assistant asks me, “Has anything changed?” My initial response was, “Nothing.” After a few minutes sitting down, I came back up to her fished out my new insurance card and wrote down my new address.

And of course with all medical appointments, you wait and wait. Me waiting, means thinking of various stuff. And one thing that lingered was, “Whew, a lot have changed!”

Just recently, I moved in to my new apartment. A quaint space enough for me (and my fiancée when she moves in next year [more to that later]). It is starting to come together and everyday I get more and more attached to the place. I have been living quite independently ever since college. However, this time the lease just has my name on it, even my mailbox. This living independently has increased responsibility (bills, bills, bills) but also a sense of accomplishment.

If moving apartments is a big thing for most people, think about getting engaged. After almost 2 years of dating, I proposed to Marianne on May 31, 2009. Now, wedding plans are rolling. Colors, church, reception hall, and all the works. But before that, 5 weddings are scheduled ahead of us, starting with her cousin, 11/7 in Ohio and my sister, 11/14 in New York. For us, see you in Charlotte, NC, July 10, 2010!

Work is also one thing that experienced a lot of changes. Moving to a new office. Closing of a department. Moving to a new department. New programs. New protocols. And as resilient as ever, we roll with the punches.

I’m excited about these changes and all the new things ahead of me. I’ll keep you posted.

To Be Human

For the past few days, I have been very moody. I've always tried not to displace this crankiness (sorry Mom!) when this happens. And it is tough.

Sometimes we need to allow ourselves to be human (see page 160 of My Life with the Saints, James Martin, SJ). We get irritable and we have to learn how to deal with it and face the consequences when we don't control these feelings.

"I really pray for that kind of acceptance of myself. And also for the ability to be myself, not always putting on a brave face before everyone, particularly when I am depressed, worried, confused, etc. " - James Martin, SJ

Jonathan L. Ong
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Fall In Love

"Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything."

- Pedro Arrupe, SJ

*Lifted from "My Life with the Saints" by James Martin, SJ
Jonathan L. Ong
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YouTube Clip - Very Touching

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Going into confirmation as an adult brings deeper joy and understanding to the faith and the challenges that it brings especially as a Catholic young adult. I ask for prayers as I get confirmed tomorrow, 5/31/2008 at the 10:30AM Mass at St. Sebastian Church in Woodside.

Above plaque which highlights the gifts of the Holy Spirit was given to me by Mare as a confirmation gift. Thanks.

Things I Discovered in 2008

A little bit of retrospection before the New Year unfolds. Some mundane, some amusing, some totally personal.
1, I can almost eat anything except soy pepperoni. Growing up, vegetables and I were not really good buddies. But this year, I come to realize that I'll eat okra, eggplants even ampalaya (bitter melon). Balut anyone?

2. I can learn a new sport / hobby. I have been playing on a Monday night pool league at the Lower East Side. Since high school and college, my only pool technique employed was to strike the balls as hard as I could and hope to make a pocket. Now, I have learned that to win a game takes time and sometimes a soft touch. Last season, I won 3 games. This season I have won 2.

3. That I have been pronouncing "relocate" wrong. I have been using the short e as in pet instead of the long e as in bee.

4. I had very bad taste in clothes. As Marianne sorts through my over flowing closet, we came across shirts (that I actually wore to work at some point!) that begs to ask the question, "Was I drunk when I bought it (and wore it to work)?"

5. I discovered that my faith is my own. I didn't need to have a teacher tell me to go to church during holy days of obligations nor have a grandmother (which I thank her dearly for doing it) force me to go to Sunday mass.

6. That life is full of surprises if you just take that plunge without hesitation. Love you my ube.

7. That Google Maps can be wrong. This I found out with Marianne, Angela, Basil and Petey during our Las Vegas to Grand Canyon drive, instead of the South Rim destination, Google Maps pointed us at the North Rim. Took us almost 8 hours instead of the 3.5 hours. Next time use a GPS.

8. I am really a light weight. I can drink 2 glasses of wine or maybe around 3 bottles of beers in one night, after that I wouldn't know what will happen. I think I can drink more if I space it out to a bottle every 45 minutes with food, I mean I did drink at Moose's Bar back in 2005 from 10PM to 4AM with my Vegas cousins, they just had to feed me good food while we were at it.

9. I am a pack rat. I have been in denial for the past few years. This year, I am now a self-confessed pack rat which I aim to remedy ASAP. This will start with digital files on two hard drives that I have not access in months to a box full of cables that I have kept from old gadgets hoping that one day they'll find some use.

10. That I am green. I refuse plastic bags in stores. I started (without it being official) of converting files at the office into PDF format for archiving. I even bring my own bag to the groceries now.

Christmas in Woodside

New Office

Over the past weeks, I was busy moving offices and transitioning to my new position at another Department. One of the good things about moving offices is that you get to clean out and purge files and things that you just simply accumulated over the years. I still have files and thing-a-majigs lying around until I find them a spot in the new digs. It's a small office but gives me just enough privacy and a good view of downtown NY.

My clean desk (based on my standards!)

View from my window. Yes, I know, Doritos are not meant to be filed but eaten.

View of downtown NY.

Philosophy Works

The past few months, I feel that my brain is not being utilized to the fullest. Mundane tasks of filing and scanning documents. Practical Philosophy hopefully will stimulate those stagnant neurons.

Platos, here I go!

Jonathan L. Ong
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Moving Forward

Growing up, the start of the new school year signals a new beginning in my academic life. Every start of the year I would always tell myself that this year I'm going to study harder, focus more on Math, or even try out for new things outside of the academic realm.

Now that I am older and out of school, it's hard to get that permission to start anew. However, as September rolls along it reminded me on how we should think of new chapters to face in life.

I am working on new journeys to take and I ask for everyone's prayer and support.
Jonathan L. Ong
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Celebrity Sighting

After dinner at Django, we made our way to the subway. Marianne points out, why is it that some event happens in New York and we don't know about it while gazing over a restaurant front flooded with lights. With my trusty old camera, we made our way to the lights and guess who we found, Andy Roddick.

And Who Would Have Thought....

...I won my match last night!! WHOOO HOOO!! (3 games in a row!!)

Just Like Funnel Cake

Last night over dinner at a friend's house in Astoria, he asked how he can tell someone that he just don't like that person.

It's a strong statement especially coming from him. But another friend has put it in a good perspective. You ask yourself the question, what would the consequence be with this action? What do you expect out of this confrontation?

She ended her short rhetoric with, maybe instead of 'not' liking that person you try to always look at the positives. Maybe he is devout to his faith. Maybe he is genuinely kind. Maybe he is outgoing.

Just like funnel cake, we know it's full of sugar and bad cholesterol, but if we just look at its great factors, it just makes a day in the beach better!

Jonathan L. Ong
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Busted Halo Retreats: The Seeker's Retreat

Blah Day

Today is a blah day... don't know what;s bugging me... don't know what I should be thinking... it could be work related (since we are closing down our department effective tomorrow!)... but don't worry... I still got a job... it could be the stress of being socially active... as for now, I need to just want this feeling to go away...

I need some quiet time... maybe all I need is an ice cream now and quiet time in church...

Open 24 Hours

I have been reviewing my calendar for the past few months, mostly its work stuff that I document. I realized that I have not written down most of my other happenings that it took place, e.g. Dinner with friends, movie nights at home while vegging out... You know, more important stuff.

I say this because life is not your 9 to 5 work, its a 24-hour on going cycle that will hopefully with God's presence bring you closer to that ultimate goal. Sometimes we stress too much about work after work hours that it consumes you and eventually makes you sick.

I am happy that I would get the chance to go on a retreat next weekend and be able to set time for myself. We all need these kind of retreats once in a while, be it an hour of coffee time with yourself or a weekend in the woods.

Btw, if you are interested on this coming retreat, be sure to sign up fast. It's just $50! It is more expensive to stay home with this price! Visit www.bigprojects.org/bh for a glimps of what is to come.




Jonathan L. Ong
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Sunday Around NY

Mare and I decided to have sunday to ourselves. After all, we have been pulled in all directions for the past few weeks.



After church in Queens, we headed to Manhattan for a street fair below Houston Street. Before then, we have already decided that we were going to enjoy ourselves, and since Mare is paying, we tasted food at the fair to our tummy's content. Chicken gyro, Italian sausage, chocolate covered marshmallows and fruit cups. After traversing the entire fair we decided to take the 6 train to Brooklyn for some shopping.



The shopping plan was thrown out the window when I saw the N Train connection. We then decided to make it a Coney Island afternoon. The boardwalk was packed as we made it towards the aquarium. It was small but had quite a few nice exhibits.



It was a long day. However, I had to make sure we ended our sunday with a nice dinner. Because exactly 7:30pm that day last year, we first introduced ourselves to each other at the retreat. We ended the night with a toast and with hopes and prayers for a more fun and exciting year ahead of us.

Jonathan L. Ong

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Pool League

I recently became one of Parkside's Finest Pool League Team member.

Christina, who is in Mare's Tuesday night team, created a Monday division group for Parkside Lounge. This is the first time that Parkside is hosting its second team for the league.

We all know that I am not even close to a good pool player, but the team is very encouraging and have been coaching me along the way. From the basics of the game to the APA rules.

Right now, its baby steps for me. From learning to rack the balls properly, winning a lag and marking your pocket. Next step is to win atleast a round!

Jonathan L. Ong
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