R.I.P. Grandpa :-(

The week ended on a sad note as I found out my paternal grandfather Bien-Chuan Chia had passed away from liver cancer last month. He was 80 years old. Dad was afraid it would affect my mood and didn't tell me until I asked him about Grandpa.

For those unaware, liver cancer is one of the worst forms of the disease. The prognosis is generally very poor. Though the doctor gave him two months to live, he passed away just a few weeks later. I didn't see Bien-Chuan often as he lived overseas, but we had many good times together. One of my favorite memories was lighting fireworks with him during our second trip to Taiwan. It's hard to believe I won't see him again.

I'm going to miss Bien-Chuan for sure. Rest in peace, Grandpa. :-(

buried my grandmother today

It was an emotional day as we laid my maternal grandmother Pi-Tan to rest at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos. You may recall that she passed away two and a half months ago. Her funeral was held in Taiwan, but we asked my aunt Jill to bring her ashes back because she loved America.

The service at was a fairly small affair. The only attendees were Jill, the Shiehs and two close family friends. The ceremony was about an hour long and a sobering experience. As we left the cemetery and headed out to lunch, I suddenly realized just how precious life really is. I'm going to miss Grandma for sure. :-(

In other news...

On a happier note, my family is leaving for Alaska in the afternoon. This will be our second summer trip!

Currently watching: The War of the Worlds

R.I.P. Grandma :-(

Uncle Harrison just called with some bad news: my maternal grandmother Pi-Tan Yang has passed away from complications of pneumonia. She was 84 years old. I can't say this was totally unexpected because she had been very ill for the past few weeks due to heart disease.

Pi-Tan was one of those special people who have touched our lives. I'll never forget her gentle spirit and non-confrontational attitude. Visiting my grandparents on weekends always made for wonderful family time. However, my favorite memory was when we took them to a Mexican restaurant in Saratoga called Chicken Salsa for lunch. That is something I'll always cherish.

Though my grandmother's passing wasn't a complete surprise, the news still hit me pretty hard. There are difficult days ahead, especially for Mom. Your support and prayers are truly appreciated.

Rest in peace, Grandma. You'll be greatly missed. :-(

In other news...

On a more positive note, my cousin Cathy just turned 12 years old. I'd like to wish her a happy birthday and hope this won't be too hard on her.

Currently playing: Shrak

my last semester at LAHS

School just started for me. It's hard to believe this is my last semester at Los Altos High School. I'm actually starting to miss it already - especially Mr. Shaull's choir class. :-(

Speaking of which, there was some bad news in Chorale: our accompanist Mrs. Hebel passed away on New Year's Day after a battle with cancer. According to Mr. Shaull, she has played the piano for over 60 years. I didn't see Mrs. Hebel very often but have always admired her musical talent. Our thoughts are with her family during this difficult time.

Now that I'm on my last semester, the biggest challenge is to not catch senioritis. Even though I've submitted my applications, most colleges require the final transcript to complete the process. I guess I have to keep working hard. :P

Currently playing: Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold

remembering Cory Redington

It's with a heavy heart that I post this: the LAHS administration has informed us that our classmate Cory has taken his own life. As you can imagine, this is devastating news. Although we didn't have many classes together, he was always smiling and very kind to me. I'm going to miss Cory for sure. Our thoughts are with the Redington family during this incredibly difficult time.

Even more tragic is the fact that another student had hung himself earlier this year. I wish people would get help before it's too late. Given recent events, no one was in the mood to celebrate summer. Our end-of-year assembly and yearbook signing party have been canceled. Of course, this doesn't compare at all to the loss of such young and promising lives. :-(

Currently reading: The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver