Meet Heba.

Heba, one of my co-workers from my start date, came to work this morning wrapped in this massive scarf/shawl looking thing. I was convinced that it was longer than she was, and after we determined that it indeed was, I proceeded to have a little fun.

I know that most of my work pictures are of us goofing off or of random things, and this may give you a false perception of my job. In all honesty, we really do get work done- it's just that in order to liven things up and keep work from becoming Office Space, we try to have a good balance. Or else someone may be driven to the point of setting the building on fire, a la Milton Waddams.

Meet John Legend.

Three-time Grammy Award winner John Legend came to work today and performed a sixty-minute set. This was the third time I've seen him live- the other two times being at Duke LDOC '04 (when he played the keys for Kanye West) and UNC Homecoming '05 (where my a cappella group Harmonyx opened for him). His performance included breaks where he entertained questions from our host and from the audience. Although I wish he performed several other songs (like "So High"), I really enjoyed the set.

Overall, it was awesome to have him come to work. I'm always amazed whenever I see him perform, and personally, I'm really glad to see him rise in recognition and success. The first time I saw him at Duke, he was literally an unknown star and I knew he was going to become somebody someday. And the following year, he performed at Carolina literally two weeks before dropping his first album "Get Lifted." Although he was still somewhat unknown, those in the college scene and the music scene definitely knew who he was at the time. So yeah, to see him evolve from a no-name artist to a superstar was awesome.


We arrived at the venue about an hour prior to the performance to get good seats. We were literally sitting in the very front, and it was just a great atmosphere for him to play in front of a packed crowd. During the Q&A session, I decided to ask him who his favorite artists were to collaborate with, to which he responded Will.I.Am from the Black Eyed Peas and Kanye West. He also mentioned that he's played with greats such as Tony Bennett, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John. To see him come so long and have to pay his dues for six years after leaving Boston Consulting Group and the typical business track to pursue his passion in music was truly inspiring.

After his performance, he spent time shaking hands and taking pictures. I wound up telling him then that I saw him perform at Duke and UNC several years before that, and for a brief second, I noticed him smile as he recalled those performances.

"Wow, that was a while back, before 'Get Lifted,' right?" he asked.

Something about his response made me really appreciate him more. I know that so much has happened since then, yet him remembering his early performances and the audiences that embraced him back then made him seem that much more down to earth. I left main campus thinking, "Dang. I can't believe I work here..."

Meet Mike Chang.

After work today, Caroline and I met up with Mike Chang (Duke '07), who was in town for an on-site interview at Google. After a long detour to find his hotel, we wound up eating at the Creamery in Palo Alto. It was great to see him and catch up with him over a meal. I hope he gets the job.

A Chris Tomlin Night.

Tonight, Jeff, Hannah, and I went to San Jose to see Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, and Louie Giglio in the "How Great Is Our God" tour. The concert was held in a packed SJSU Event Center, and it was awesome to see the place filled with worshippers from all walks of life.

I was bummed because we were under the impression that Matt Redman wasn't going to be there. However, much to my surprise, after Chris led us into worship, he invited Matt up on stage to join him. With a powerful message by Louie Giglio about the majesty and glory of God's power- as seen in His creation of the universe and the stars- the night was just what I needed.

I included another picture of Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman leading us into praise below.

My block.

I have to confess that I wasn't in the Project 365 mentality today. Although I was out on the town all day, I wasn't looking for a shot and realized that the day was coming to a close. Earlier in the day, as I was returning from a trip to Union Square, I saw an angle that was interesting but thought nothing of it. However, when I realized later that my time to find a shot was short, I grabbed my camera and ran outside. I actually like this angle better in the night sky, with the building lit by the streetlights. Anyway, it is what it is.

Overcrowded.

Small group this Friday was moved to Rona's apartment. With 20+ people crammed into her cozy one-bedroom, we knew that floor space was a valuable commodity, so we decided, in homage to our Asian roots, to leave our shoes outside the door. I thought it'd be an interesting shot, so I stepped out for a minute to capture this image.

Nightlife.

I noticed this alleyway as I was walking home from my shuttle after work today. I know that capturing low-light shots is difficult, especially without a tripod, so as I snapped this shot, I was already thinking that I'd have to find another one for my Project 365. However, when I got home and pulled up the image on my computer, I was pleasantly surprised to see the outcome.