Okay, so I guess I wasn’t very clear yesterday. Nor could I have been, since I don’t remember writing that entry.

I did go up to Chicago. But for like… let’s see… I got there at 9 or so, and left at like 2… I was there for 5 hours.

Why, you ask? My Dad wanted to see Grandma since it’s been a while (just shy of a year, I think)… and so did I. I had an off day of work, so Dad and I decided to drive up. Plan was that Dad would come from Cincinnati, then I would finish the trip up to Chicago.

It was fun driving around Schaumburg. I recognized all the roads from my last trip, and it only made my driving experience more fun. Lunch was at Todai at Woodfield. I felt so happy to see my grandma so healthy and see my dad happy that grandma was so healthy. Just recently, she visited the hospital for something serious, but it looks like she’s gotten better. I think this was the first time in my life I ate more than my Dad did (and this was a buffet!). I’m not sure what lead to that, but I have a feeling it has something to with the company.

But alas, I wouldn’t be Josh Kim unless I learned something from the trip.

I learned the important role that food plays in relationships, and vice versa. I bet, if my grandmother wasn’t present, I wouldn’t have eaten so much. Maybe it’s something about listening and talking and laughing and… I don’t know, maybe it was just abnormal calorie burning throughout the meal. I have feeling, there’s something more to it than that…

I learned more about family. I shared earlier how I’m only beginning to realize how important people are in the world… a subset of those people who we call “family” seem even more important.

I would go into town with these, but I’d much rather just pray through them.

What followed after my Chicago trip warrants yet another entry. I hung out again with Derek, my freshman-year-roommate-who-served-in-iraq-and-got-married friend. A 32 oz cup of Mountain Dew and a bag of Sun Chips and like… 8 hours of Splinter Cell on PS2 later… wow. Let me tell you, that game is fun with a friend in co-op mode.

Yes, it wasn’t a very useful all nighter, but was it fun.

I need to unwind like this a lot more.

Oh and tomorrow and Monday… the kids are coming back to town. I have no idea how I’m going to get ready for that. Freaking students and their new year resolutions, crowing up the gym… Do I have to change my routine to mornings?

Well, not just students in general… but a lot of my friends on campus are coming back. Can I resolute to at least meet all of my old friends that are on campus before the end of this academic year?

Dudes, half the month went by. Are you guys keeping up with your resolutions? 23/24th of a year is left…