“I’m DD tonight”

I explained why I couldn’t accept his drink, a gloriously truthful excuse.
A wonderful and funny dancer offered to get us a cab and I gently refused and he would get a couple of shots and come back to dance with us. And no one questioned me except Jay, a guy in sushi business who looked like David, ironically sitting next to a guy that looked like Paul. I almost looked around to see an Alvin-alike.
“Right. You can’t or you choose not to?” Jay asked and invited me to go to have Korean BBQ.
"I just ate, but thanks." I really had just had pork bulgogi and spicy soon tofu. And also I barely knew him. 20 minutes tops.

What an experience.
I had never been to such a fun, interesting, clean-danced club.
Velvet Room, a Korean club, opened its doors at around 10pm and I wanted to dance the second I got in. The DJ did an awesome job mixing American pop/hiphop with Korean, and the respective music videos played on 4 big screens. It was impossible to get bored with their music as songs were never played entirely.

As we sat down, our sweet waiter Zen brought us a bottle of whiskey, two coke cans, a fruit platter (delicious pineapple, melon, orange, grapes, watermelon), and cranberry juice with shot glasses, beer glasses, plastic cups, and ice.

Super friendly waiters were busy grabbing and dragging girls to guys’ tables and the guys would offer drinks to girls and start conversations. They call this “booking.” So weird. You should go clubbing while in Korea, Elijah, if you haven’t yet. It’s very different.

The dance floor was fairly big and people weren’t dancing low to the song “Low.” And it took more than 15minutes of dancing in small circles for the guys to TRY to dance right behind me. And with the slightest gesture of “not interested” they would back off and wait for a better timing or find another girl. Security guards were watching out for sexual harassment (I’m assuming) in each side of the dance floor. And oh my…these guys danced with such a style in their chic clothing that I wondered why I hadn’t thought of coming to Korean clubs before.

I loved every second of it until this Brian started getting too close to me. He wasn’t too bad considering I was in a club and it was getting late and people were getting tipsier. But I was having such a great time with my respected space that he bothered me even more.

As much as I loved dancing there, Brian made me realize I was still too naïve to want to go there again. I wish there were dancing places where people solely go to dance and not to hit on girls.
Maybe I will try a salsa club this weekend. There should be a lot more proper dancing involved there. I hope.

holiness

"F!" I thought and I surprised myself.
What the heck! Did I just think that?
How long before I say that out loud? Dang it.
Without realizing it, I started saying "stupid," "shoot," then "heck," then "dang," then "freaking" and so forth.
"F" and "S" words surround me here that my swearing list might advance.
But I don't want it to.

Christians are called to be holy, so people have their own understanding of how to be visibly different from those "of the world":
Not dancing, not drinking or smoking, not having piercings and tattoos, not swearing, not using modern technology...

"Holiness is not about being nice but it's about being new everyday," said my favorite pastor Tom, and made me reflect on my own understanding of holiness.
I never considered myself holy but I thought I would get there by being nice, when it's really about killing my flesh and being reborn everyday. Set apart for Him, ready to do His will.

"What the heck! This is freaking embarrassing." I said out loud just an hour ago in "Ninja Assassin" premiere. I had been proud of my ethnicity until a couple of hours ago. These Asian girls were screaming and clapping every time Rain was on screen, no matter what he was doing (mostly disgustingly bloody violent stuff. No. I didn't like the film and I knew I wouldn't like it although I secretly hoped I would).
It wasn't necessary. They were super annoying but I didn't have to use those words. I could have just made my face in the darkness and not say those words.
But I did because I keep falling all the time.
Because I've been compromising myself for too long that my standards have been lowered.
Dang it.

this is for the guy i haven't met

My story is different than his.
As a matter of fact, his story is simply too cute that I don't know how I'll ever top that. What more, his story is already in this lovely process whereas mine is yet to start.
Girls, hold your breath: this is what I'm talking about.

Somehow I ended up watching the video 4 times in the afternoon with different people and still went "aaaaaww you are too cute, man." His eyes literally lit up as he talked about his girl's reaction and it was too heart warming that he didn't even allow me a second to be jealous of his girl. I couldn't help but be genuinely happy for this man and his lucky girl.
Of course she loved it. What kind of person directs, stars, and edits a music video (feat. John Travolta) for a girl who he hasn't met yet? Only Colin. Only for his cute, long-distance, officially "it's complicated" relationship.

Jeremy, a marvelous writer, wrote a short story for his wife Kelsey (then his girlfriend) for her birthday.
Nate, a talented singer, writes songs for his girlfriend.
Charlie, from a rich family, bought a car for his former girlfriend.
My dad, a great cook, used to (and still does) cook for my mom every week.
Colin, a phenomenal director of photography, made a music video for his girl.

Everyone is doing their best for their loved ones unconditionally, in hopes of making their day more joyful. So that they may be happy, so that they can be happy. I'm just thankful that these people are gladly doing the same thing for God.

Jeremy brings hope and grace through his writings.
Nate writes and sings songs to bring the youth before Him.
Charlie supports ministries financially.
My dad cooks to serve and feed God's servants.
Colin witnesses the gospel with and without his camera.

And this is what I long to do for God. But the best fruit of all the provided talents is yet to be determined. So meanwhile, here is for the guy I haven't met yet.
Learn from those guys.

noviembre sin ti

I should be writing coverage.
But the script was so weird that I don't even know where to start.
I could be reading a pack of synopses.
But I don't want to mess up other ideas with the script I'm supposed to write coverage on.
So instead, here is a quick update:

I went to Barry Manilow's first concert in Hollywood Bowl and stood among women in their 40s and 50s. "Can't smile without you" and "I write the song" were in my head for over a week.
Laser show to Beatles.
Introduced the wonders of Korean Karaoke rooms to friends.
The Jay Leno Show (he's super hilarious).
Pre-interview with Good Neighbors, a NGO that I might apply to work for.

Despite their extreme pickiness, I'm thankful for my bosses.
My direct supervisor's order reminds me of Sally ordering in "When Harry Met Sally."
"You eat so healthy! No wonder you're the way you are," said a guy when I was waiting to pick up my boss' order.
"Thanks," I said, thinking I would never order a veggie burger. And as much as I love salads, I eat my normal burger with fries. You have no idea how much I eat, sir.
But seriously, who asks his intern "Hani, would you be kind enough to go get my lunch please?" Only my boss, who less and less seems like Tom Cruise.
And what kind of a straight boss calls out his intern "darling" when she makes mistakes? Only my other boss, a producer with a great sense of humor.
And her wife (another boss)...impecable even with a kid. She sounds just like her husband minus all the f and s words.

I remember thinking my internship term was too short. But lazy spirit has trapped me in LA, and I wish I didn't have to work anymore so that I can do fun stuff.
Plus, it's already November. Not as cold as in Iowa, not as warm as in Mexico. But still November.
In a month, I'll be heading into the cold arms of Iowa, to witness a lovely couple's wed and to get ready for Kenya. Until then, I need more time. More time to reflect, pray, get to know better some wonderful people I've met, and ultimately to get ready to say goodbye to them.

"Noviembre sin ti es pedirle a la luna que brille la noche de mi corazon otra vez..."