I'm on iTunes!!!!

It's been a dream of mine since I was about 15, when I wrote my first song, to one day cut a real CD. Well, I don't have an entire album yet but I do have a single on iTunes! It's a song I wrote a couple years ago called "Feel It Too".

I'm seriously considered producing a couple more of my songs before real life hits in the Fall. We will see. Boy is it a fun hobby for me though!

Amazing Accounting Conference

I had the honor of interviewing Daniel Goelzer, former General Counsel for the SEC and Executive Assistant to the SEC Chairman, as well as former Acting Chairman and founding member of the PCAOB. Needless to say, he is an authority on accounting oversight in our country. The interview was actually filmed; I might post a link about it when it's finished being edited. I think he's a very interesting person. It’s very humbling to see all of your idiosyncrasies on the camera. I think I'll keep my day job! What an incredible experience for me though.

While at this accounting conference, I was able to hear David Walker speak. He is the former Chairman of the GAO, the former Comptroller General (country’s head accountant) and CEO of the Come Back America Initiative and the No Labels movement. This guy is the authority on our country’s deficit problem. Basically, I left with the cemented understanding that we have a ridiculous unfunded set of entitlement programs in this country. I also learned that it is not too late if we buckle down and fight it now. What a neat experience to hear him speak.

I also got to hear from Kathleen L. Casey, one of the five Commissioners of the SEC. Her talk was so boring, I’m not going to lie. Her position is very influential though and she seemed like a very nice, extremely bright, caring woman.

Bill Nye through the Gospel Eye

I had the interesting opportunity of hearing Bill Nye speak at my school. The science icon of our youth received roaring applause as he walked on stage. He could barely get a word out without being blown away with a tidal wave of affectionate cacophony.

He’s a smart guy! A mechanical engineering major from Cornell and former employee of Boeing, Bill was definitely qualified to teach adolescents about science. After his career with the famous series of “Bill Nye the Science Guy”, Bill took off on a duel campaign for sustainability (minimizing our carbon footprint and slowing down global warming) and space exploration. Both are somewhat interconnected he believes.

In fact, his presentation basically meshed space exploration and environmentalism together. He started by showing some incredible pictures of planets from our solar system and from other parts of the universe. Light was a major theme of his. He pointed out that the same light that brings life to our planet lights up the pictures of the Marsian landscape and the majestic rings of Saturn. I thought that was a cool thought. Many gospel parallels you can draw from that.

Then he took off on a mind-boggling treatise of outer space. He spoke of how our sun was just an average size specimen. He talked about how our planet’s solar system is one of billions in our galaxy and how our galaxy is one of billions (maybe trillions) in the universe. Further, he said the universe is growing. He said the universe is even growing at an ever-increasing rate. How can your mind wrap around that? He then mentioned that his teacher taught him that there are literally more stars in the heavens than sand of the seashores around the world. Of course the prophets have taught us this unfathomable truth since the beginning of the world (Gen. 22:17).

All of this rhetoric came to a clear head as he brought us back down to earth. With the audiences riveted to his message, he directed us to a picture on the screen. Saturn was the foreground and a small speck, earth, was somewhere in the background. He then observed that “everything and everyone who has ever lived or ever would live is contained on that little dot.” Then the climax: he almost yelled, “I am nothing!”

What poignant words. It was actually a really spiritual experience for me to hear that coming from this man. My mind went directly to the first chapter of Moses. We learn that when Moses was able to see simply all of God’s creations of this earth, Moses commented “Now for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed” (Moses 1:10). Just imagine if we could see all of God’s handiwork. Yet, “no man can behold all my works, except he behold all my glory; and no man can behold all my glory, and afterwards remain in the flesh” (Moses 1:5).

“To be learned is good if [we] hearken unto the counsels of God” (2 Nephi 9:29). Some of the greatest people I know are very well informed with impressive diplomas. But, “O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish” (2 Nephi 9:28).

My three takeaways from all of this: (1) to be learned and informed and exposed to differing views is good if we hearken to the counsels of God, (2) honest seekers of truth naturally pluck pieces of the mosaic of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and (3) boy am I so grateful to know the source of all truth and not have to search tirelessly for truth in the confusing-at-best world of moral relativism.

The Big Apple

I couldn’t live on the East Coast for a year without doing New York City. My friends Chip, Claire, Claire’s friends, and I took a few days of Spring break to blitz “The Big Apple”. Boy, did we blitz. Fortunately or unfortunately, I have inherited the planning gene from my parents so I packed in the absolute amount of activities within the time allotted:

The Chinatown bus, recommended by a good friend, turned out to be a great deal--$30 from Richmond to Manhattan Chinatown. No parking to worry about and the best part was it traveled overnight from about midnight to 6 a.m. so you could sleep on the way. Well, theoretically sleep along the way. I had this very-energetic night owl right behind me talking on the phone in Mandarin until about 3 a.m. J The funny story more than makes up for the lack of sleep though, right?

The cool, fish-filled air greeted us as we stepped off the bus in the middle of sleepy Chinatown. This didn’t seem like New York City at all, but like Asia (so says Chip). It was very interesting. Groggy but eager to have a blast on this new adventure, we trekked southward toward the Financial District. New York really is a melting pot, even in the case of its architecture. As we headed toward Wall Street, I quickly felt a transition from Asia to what reminded me of Berlin with the tall brick structures and well-coiffed trees. Then yet again in a couple of blocks I thought I was in Chicago with the high winds wailing between two giant walls of glass-covered skyscrapers. Then, I finally felt like I was in New York City; it just seemed like the city I had always dreamed up.

We took the Stanton Ferry across the water and waved at the Statue of Liberty. What a special thing! I could just imagine the feeling of the early immigrants (including some of my ancestors) seeing that pillar of hope after a long journey across the Atlantic. Though the ills of an immature market system would befall many of them, their posterity would be much better off in this “sweet land of liberty”.

Wall Street was…just another street to me but seeing the Trump Tower, Standard & Poors building and NYSE was a real treat. The greatest part of the street, however, was seeing Federal Hall National Memorial, which is on the spot where Washington was first sworn into office. I absolutely love visiting stuff like that.

In fact, another major highlight of mine was walking into Fraunces Tavern, the location where Washington bid his beloved troops adieu following the Revolutionary War. Having just read McCullough’s 1776, I was eager to get a better sense of all historical events that occurred in Manhattan.

Wall Street ends at the intersection with Broadway, marking the historic Trinity Church. I didn’t understand why so many people had ash marks on their foreheads until walking into the giant church. Apparently, it was Ash Wednesday.

From the Financial district, we headed to Ground Zero. Though the sight of the twin towers was blocked off and under construction, I couldn’t help but feel the solemn spirit of the area while walking around the sight. Seeing the majestic Freedom Tower about half way erected was very cool. It is going to be a gorgeous building and a powerful statement to the world.

Next, we headed to Little Italy almost on accident. We were hungry and Chip went to Rome on his mission so we had to go, right. Well, among all the bistros and pizzerias we asked a couple of local New Yorkers where we should do lunch. They told us in their priceless New York accent that we needed to try Lumbardi’s. If we could find those guys again, we would pay them for that advice. This restaurant was honestly a major highlight of the trip! Chip and I talked about if almost every hour for the rest of the trip. In fact, we still talk about it. The first pizzeria in America, this place has had time to perfect their product. We both ordered calzones. Man, it was so good I almost cried. The moist yet chewy dough wrapped around perfect mozzarella and ricotta along with spinach and (I think) prosciutto… WOW! It was a slam dunk, a Fourth of July, a Grand Slam, it was magic. J I would honestly go back just for one more dose of that fine eating (see below--post celestial meal).

From there, we walk all the way up to Time Square, taking an hour longer than we anticipated, and met up with Claire. I was overwhelmed with the visual cacophony of flashing lights, colors, and motion. It was amazing though. There’s no where quite like it. Vegas is over the top too but they don’t have TV screens that cover three story buildings.

After weighing our options for a Broadway musical, we decided on Mary Poppins. We figured that was a safe bet. It was happy, innocent and full of the enchanting Disney magic. At the end of the musical when Mary Poppins flies up through the ceiling, we all got a little misty-eyed. A great production! The sets are the best I’ve ever seen. The acting and singing was unreal. I felt so blessed to be able to be there!

From Time Square we visited the New York City Library and just took in the ambiance and architecture of the noble structure. To get the full experience I even skimmed a couple pages of my book I was reading (Man’s Search for Meaning). Claire and her friends suggested we try out a jazz club called Fat Cats so we checked that place out. Underground, dim-lit, pool tables, and jazz music. It was a very memorable evening.

Thursday began with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Incredible! I cannot believe how big that place is. We took an hour guided tour and skimmed through maybe a tenth of the material. You could spend a week there and I’m not joking. Van Goghs, Monets, Rembrandts, and de Goyas surprisingly friendly and flattering portraits were just a small part of the collection. I especially loved the stained glass windows. It amazing what humans have created. The hauntingly beautiful creations of man really are testaments of God. After a stole in Central Park, FAO Schwarz was in order. We of course played the giant piano and stood baffled, jaw to the floor, while looking at the price tag of the $1,000 stuffed giraffes. The trip wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Tiffany’s, the Rockefeller Center or St. Patrick’s Cathedral, so we did all of those in order.

To get out of the torrential rain and Chicago-style winds, we ran to the Time Warner Center and had dinner at the Whole Foods in the lower level. On the way over we walked by the LDS temple almost by accident. What a wonderful peace enveloped Chip and I as we looked up at that beacon. Though much shorter than the surrounding buildings, its light so clearly dwarfs any structure in the city. Ironically, the rough setting of West Side Story is the very location of the temple and the Lincoln Center. In fact, I took a picture of the Met while in "The West Side".

To cap off the day, we got the special treat of watching Romeo & Juliet at The Metropolitan Opera House. Wow, that was amazing, though tragic J I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Below is a picture I took from my seat. The chandeliers simultaneousness ascend and dim to usher in the performance; it's a spectacular venue and a must check box on your NYC bucket list. You can get $20 tickets almost every night if you pick them up a couple hours before the performance! The piece when Romeo and Juliet first connect was phenomenal. Their voices were unbelievable. The only thing we would have changed about the event was our dress. Not anticipating the option of going to a world-famous opera house, we had only packed jeans for the trip.

Our last day was intense. We woke up and did the High Line, Chelsea Market and Washington Square Park by 10 a.m. Chip even played a game of chess with a local at the park. Needless to say, Chip lost J We then stopped by the White Horse Tavern, the inspiration spot for people like Edgar Allen Poe and Bob Dylan. Next was the Corner Bistro where we had some of the biggest burgers of our lives. Great place and not ridiculously priced. The Empire State Building was the last major event of the trip. We had oysters at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station and then headed up to the Bronx, the location of Claire’s car.

What a trip! I think the key takeaways from the trip were these: (1) a clearer perspective of urban life, its benefits and challenges, (2) a deeper appreciation for the eclectic richness of this country (3) man (and woman) can create phenomenal things because they are children of God, and (4) Lombardi’s calzones better be in heaven because they sure remind me of it J

North Carolina--Southern Hospitality

My mom shared with me an impressionable experience she had while visiting my sister, who was living in the South/Midwest at the time:

While at the checkout in WalMart, my mom went through her usual ritual of loading up the bargain merchandise. Then, the cashier asked her something friendly like, “So what brings you to town?” My mom told the woman that she was helping out her daughter, who had been on bed rest for over two months because of pregnancy complications. The woman began to cry. The wet-cheeked cashier kept chatting with my mom for over 15 minutes at the checkout station, crying, laughing, and empathizing with my mom. Now that is a statement.

Though I did not manage to induce tears from a stranger during my visit to North Carolina, I did experience the same genuine care and quality among the people there. From a classmate’s suggestion, my friend and I braved the famous Clyde’s BBQ in Raleigh. I don’t think I’ve ever met kinder people than the employees of that establishment. The food was good but very salty. Whatever lacked in the grub was more than made up by the quality of the people working there. “Yes sir!” with a smile goes a long way I’ve decided. The cashier treated us like superstars when we told her we were coming to a ballroom dance competition. She kept smiling and telling everyone in the diner about it. Not something I’ve ever seen in New England or even out west.

We went to the Museum of Natural History in Raleigh and saw an incredible butterfly exhibit. I know it sounds lame but it was actually quite interesting. You go into a greenhouse and quickly become enveloped in a small indoor paradise complete with gorgeous tropical flowers and these giant, vibrantly-colored butterflies floating and fluttering all around you. We also visited the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, and enjoyed the beautiful campus. The last event of the day was the very elegant North Carolina Museum of Art. I especially enjoyed seeing the famous Rembrandt Peale portrait of George Washington (see below).

Then, when it was time to call it a night I drove to the apartment of a student I had been pared-up with for housing. Tim, just like the people at the diner, treated me like a long lost brother. He instantly offered me everything he could to help make my time there more enjoyable. His roommate, Thomas (who is also a local), offered me his room for the night after speaking to me for about 10 seconds. Who are these people? I was very impressed.

Ironically, the very purpose of going to the Raleigh seemed to be the least impressionable. The dance competition was fantastic though! It was held in the incredible Dorton Arena (above), a very unique structure resembling a giant tent. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I had a blast at the competition and met some great people there.

Happy Chinese New Year...in VA?

My dear friend and once roommate at BYU, Sheng Lee (Lee), taught so much about China and her people by his example. From Taiwan, Lee came to America to study at BYU-Idaho. He became the only Mormon in his family as he joined the LDS church while in Idaho. I was lucky enough to (randomly) get him as a roommate after he had transferred to BYU Provo.

Lee and I would often stay up talking about the similarities and differences between our native cultures. Often, midsentence he would ask me what a word or phrase meant and then would religiously record my response in his well-thumbed notebook chock full of English phrases, pronunciations, jargon, and slang. He really liked saying “That is Sweet, man!” I don’t know if we were the best examples of the English language. The library was his companion almost every night until 11 p.m. That may not be odd for most dedicated students. But, this was during the summer months, while he wasn’t taking classes. Lee was reviewing material from his past elevated physics courses. Wow! He was easy to laugh, respected women and leaders, honored his priesthood, and could earn the smile of just about anyone he met.

Not surprisingly, many of my Mandarin-speaking friends in Williamsburg have only strengthened my positive view—trenched by Lee—of the Chinese people. Ironically, I’ve become more acquainted with the Chinese people while studying in Virginia than in any other place in my life. Random! I don’t think you can get much farther from China than the east coast. In any case, I’m so glad I’ve been able to meet some great individuals through my school, church, and social events.

One such event was an authentic Chinese New Year party. I’d never been to one before but my buddy and I were invited by a mutual Chinese friend. Red was everywhere. Chinese symbols all around. Sticky rice cakes (so good), cookies, and dried fruits were enjoyed by many. The coolest component of the evening though was making and eating dumplings (see above). I failed miserably at making a good-looking dumpling but mine was still edible ;-) These tasty treats are really easy to make; though, aesthetics may take some time for me to get down (see below).

First, you take a small, circular, flat piece of dough and wet the outside edges with your finger. Then, you place a glob of this ground-up mix of pork, sauce and vegetables on the middle of the dough. Lastly, you fold the dough over almost like a taco and the pinch the edges to seal it shut and make it look good enough to eat. The dumplings are boiled and then devoured. So good! I am a fan of dumplings. I am fan of Chinese New Year. And, I am definitely a fan of Chinese people!

Charter Day

This weekend, I attended the Charter Day ceremony commemorating the 318^th anniversary of the signing of the charter by William III and his wife Mary II. Held in the William & Mary Hall, the formal celebration was very impressive. We started with the Pledge of Allegiance and then heard the school's choir sing the William & Mary Hymn. Parts of the royal charter were read, identifying its original intent to raise up students of high spiritual, academic, and social caliber. Several people were then honored with nickels and one with a New Jersey quarter by exemplifying the characteristics of former students of W&M and Presidents of the United States, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, respectively. All of this while two beautiful, silver maces sit on green velvet in front of the podium to represent (1) the College in general, and (2) the Scottish academies where the school’s first president was schooled.

The key note speaker was Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia. He’s quite a unique man. Cantor got his J.D. from William & Mary years ago and has since pursued his career in politics. He is currently the House Majority Leader—the first W&M graduate, and the first Jew to hold this post.

I was very surprised at how political his speech was. Though I agreed with basically all that he said, his tone and rhetoric seemed inappropriate for the setting. It felt like watching a Tide commercial at a commencement address. But again, I completely agree with his vision for America: small government, accountability, and a laissez-faire economy that inspires entrepreneurship. He pointed out that our fertile land for entrepreneurs is what has made us the greatest nation in the world. Without it, we would not have cars, television, the internet, and the amazing medical treatments available for so many.

This was one of the first speeches I’ve ever heard in person from a politician. It was interesting to be reminded that they are human too. They still jumble words here and there and they get nervous. But what impressed me was how much Rep. Cantor believed in what he was saying. There is an X-factor that you can only get when seeing someone in person; it’s the fire in their eyes, the level of belief in what they are saying. Cantor had it! Standing among many high-profile, left-aisle academics, he had the courage to speak what he felt we needed to hear. I respect him for that.

A few take aways from the event: I’m so honored to be attending W&M, politicians are very human, and Rep. Eric Cantor has the correct vision of the United States of America.