02/23: BSF Leadership Retreat

I remember being a new member of BSF over three years ago during the Isaiah study and hearing an announcement that the leaders were going to a big retreat in San Diego only held once every three years. To be honest, the retreat and all the things the leaders had to do seemed irrelevant to me at the time, though I did what most "good Christians" would do and prayed for them. (Little did I know that later that year I would start dating one of those leaders! God defintely answers prayer in unexpected ways. But that's another story for another time...) Fast forward three years, during which I completed a couple more studies and served in the musical worship team, and I am now, by the grace of God, a group leader myself. It just happens to be that this is the year for the latest leaders retreat, so I had the great honor of attending along with all the other leaders in our class. And looking back at these past several days, I'm amazed beyond words at how big of a blessing it has been.

After an early lunch at Burger Lounge with the leaders in the first two cars, we arrived at the San Diego DoubleTree, and the first shift of greeters (and "captains") took their positions, complete with amazingly bright neon green and yellow shirts. (Apparently Headquarters wanted younger and more energetic individuals to be the greeters!) Tina, Olga, and I sat in the lobby doing our lesson/homiletics. It was definitely a new experience to do homiletics in a hotel lobby. (Don't worry, we didn't give away any answers! That will wait until Monday night...) My greeting shift came, and I joined Jim, Scott, and Steve from the Gardena men's class at the main entrance, welcoming people while chatting with each other.

Our hotel was probably the farthest one from the retreat activities at the convention center (on the other side of the freeway), but thankfully there were shuttles to carry us back and forth (even though we chose to walk on a few occasions just for the heck of it). Dinner was my first glimpse of just how epic the next few days would be. There were probably at least two or three assigned dinner rooms, and our room alone had enough people to leave me blown away at how Jesus fed over 5,000 people using only twelve disciples.

I had been told that there would be over 3,000 people attending this retreat, represting men's, women's, and young adults' BSF groups across California, Nevada, and Hawaii. (Why don't we have this retreat in Hawaii instead? Headquarters, can you hear me?) But walking into the main meeting room and seeing it in person was simply unbelievable. Yes, I've been to Christian concerts, crusades, and outreach events where several thousand believers were gathered. But it's a whole different experience when you're in a room with a few thousand believers who eagerly engage in God's Word regularly and actively seek a strong relationship with Him. Just the night before, I still felt like I was living my ordinary life not knowing what to expect at the retreat. Suddenly, it was clear to me that this was going to change my life.

The San Gabriel young adult ("YAC"?) leaders stuck together, and I was surprised when we gravitated toward the very front. Normally in a setting like this, I would expect us "kids" to be seen as the immature and rowdy ones that should be in the way back of the room. But somehow, the front few rows were all open, and we took them. We later found out that the other two young adult groups (Mountain View and San Diego) were sitting near the front too.

The retreat began. As expected from a BSF event, we sang hymns and were told to read the passage (2 Timothy) ahead of time. (No homiletics required. Phew!) That's one thing I've always loved about BSF - when members of a congregation are willing to read the passage prior to a lecture/sermon, the speaker is able to accomplish so much more through the message. In this case, the lecturer was none other than Susie Rowan herself.

The theme was "Eradicating Biblical Poverty". It was such a fitting theme that, had I not talked to people who attended the previous retreat three years ago, I would have assumed that this was the theme for every single BSF leaders retreat. We had some time afterwards to discuss what we learned with people sitting around us and pray together. I joined Cheryl and Lori (from Temecula women's), who were sitting next to me. Normally in an epic crowd like this, I would do whatever was possible to stay close to the few people I knew. But I had already realized then that one of the biggest blessings in this retreat would come from interacting with people from different age groups and locations, with different life experiences, united by a love for God and heart to serve through BSF.

If I had to sum up what I learned that night, it would be that I have been entrusted with the gospel. Yes, I already knew I was a Christian and that I should share the truth with others. But "entrusted" implies a sense of responsibility, a commitment to not break a promise. With wisdom, courage, and guidance from the Holy Spirit, I must proclaim the truth and live by it, and not let anything distort it.

Back in our hotel lobby at around 10:30, some geniuses decided to stay up late and have an impromptu pizza party. Thankfully I joined those who chose to peace out and get some sleep; Henry, my lovely roomie, told me the next morning that the pizza never showed up, and after waiting until about midnight, everyone who stayed gave up hope.

Saturday morning - Breakfast began at 6:30AM(!), but thankfully it was served until 7:30, so I was actually able to get a good night's sleep. And thank God I did, because given how many hours of the day would be spent listening to lectures and presentations, every minute of that precious sleep mattered. Coffee after every meal also played a crucial role.

The morning and night sessions offered not only amazing teachings from 2 Timothy, but also insight into BSF's impact around the world. When lunchtime came around, all the men were invited to get up and go eat first while the women waited. Kind of ironic, considering this is the same organization that encourages young adult men to make sure the ladies never have to walk out to the parking lot at night alone. But the reason is that, of the 3,000 people in the room, the ratio of men to women was probably around 1 to 5, so it only made sense to get the minority group out of there first.

Lunch for men and lunch for women took place in separate rooms. The men's room offered an open mic time for leaders to share, and given how men tend to be more closed in and less socially intimate, it was amazing how many people went up to share. Thanks to Albert, our class was not unrepresented, though we're unsure if part of his motive was simply to 1-up the Mountain View class, since their admin leader had just gone up to share. Sure, we may be outnumbered compared to the women (as expected in church groups and Bible studies), but having 500 God-fearing men in the same room was enough to bring tears to my eyes.

Later in the afternoon I walked back to our hotel with Tati and shared much of what I learned after getting over the fact that the "underground tunnel" to our hotel that she told me about was simply a street that went underneath the freeway to the other side. (After three and a half years at BSF, I figured I was already confident that it is not a cult. But when people start telling me about secret underground tunnels at our retreats, I might have to reconsider...) What amazed me most was not only the presence of so many men, but the fact that each of the men's classes had their own children's programs, led by men in the class. Just think about it for a moment - When you ask Christians to tell you who first brought them to church or Bible study, how many people do you know that would bring up their fathers? Fathers have such a negative connotation nowadays, more associated with abuse, divorce, or being too distant than with the love God intends for us as our heavenly Father. We always hear of single moms raising kids, but rarely single dads. How many fathers bring their children to Bible study with them, invite their freinds' children to come along, and even volunteer their time and energy to teach those children every week? This world is, more than ever before, in desperate need of father figures and male role models, and seeing God's work in the BSF men's groups brings me a deep sense of hope and joy.

As for the afternoon breakout groups, I'm glad to say that both of the ones I chose were phenomenal. I had probably already asked about half of my fellow San Gabriel leaders which groups they were planning on attending and knew that I was clearly not alone in choosing "Urgent Prayer Care" and "Peacemaker, Peacebreaker, Peacefaker". But while just about everyone chose the second session of the prayer group (since it was in the main hall where space was not limited), I decided to break out on my own and go to the first session, just because I could.

While waiting in line, I talked with the people around me, including one of the women's leaders from Las Vegas. (I didn't get to meet anyone from Hawaii, though some of their shirts clearly gave them away). After we were seated, I looked around the room several times at the hundred or so people whoses faces I could see and couldn't help but ask, just to make sure, if this was a women-only class. It turned out I was in the right place (phew!), but seriously, there was not a single other guy as far as I could see, until one eventually came in and sat on the other side of the room where a table was open. Again, we're clearly underrepresented, but we're definitely making progress.

Every time we tell someone we'll pray for them later rather than doing so on the spot, it's a missed opportunity to bless them with God's truth. We were blessed with insight both deep and practical into how to pray, especially in situations where hope seems uncertain. To apply what we learned, I prayed with Lisa (Pleasanton women's), who was sitting next to me. Afterwards, we got to talk more about our own classes. It reminded me once again of the incredible cross-generational and cross-cultural relationships demonstrated at this retreat. Most of the people are more um, advanced in years (to put it in Biblical terms), and when I overheard some people talking the previous night about how their business has not been doing well recently because cold weather devastated most of the oranges in their farm, I knew that we really didn't have much in common apart from the Word of God. But the young adult leaders treated the men's and women's leaders with respect, eager to hear about their experience and learn from them. And the men's and women's leaders didn't dismiss the young adult leaders as an immature minority, but rather approached us humbly with the same attitude we have toward them. There were several times during which, when I introduced myself to someone as a young adult leader, their eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. Perhaps in the same way I find so much hope in seeing men seeking God and teaching children, they find great hope in seeing faithful believers in the younger generation. Even the teaching leaders were always approachable, leaving me no doubt that regardless of age, gender, position, or experience, we'll all imperfect people serving God through BSF by His strength.

Locating the room for the "Peacemakers" group required navigating through an outdoor maze, and despite wanting to take a bathroom break ever since lunch was over, every opportunity was sacrificed for the sake of meeting other leaders and spending time talking with them. (Sometimes it's great to be a guy!) I chose this group more for personal reasons, since it touches on a lot of my own struggles that often take my focus away from God. When it comes to issues like forgiveness, letting go of grudges, and choosing peace and restoration over temporary self-fulfillment, I often feel like I know all of the right things to do and the reasons to do them somewhere in the back of my head, but somehow cannot put them into proper practice. This group really helped organize all those thoughts and ideas in a way that's both detailed and practical and ultimately centered on the gospel.

The hour-and-a-half break before dinner was the longest period of free time throughout the duration of the retreat. I'm still used to retreats where there's a huge chunk of free time in the afternoon to fellowship, explore, and enjoy all kinds of recreational activities. But the most amazing thing is that after an intense day of almost nonstop lectures, presentations, and workshops, I was wide awake and eager for more.

The night session didn't consist of a homiletics-based lecture(!), but rather a series of presentations on BSF's ministry needs, future plans, and global growth. What surprised me most was the progress made in working with the Chinese government to establish Bible studies in China. Having been there and seen the spiritual needs of believers there, I feel especially happy that the ministry that has blessed me so much over the past several years can someday be a blessing to them as well. Afterwards, we got into groups to pray for several of the needs mentioned earlier in the session. It's such a huge blessing to know that by playing our roles as BSF leaders, we're contributing to a cause that has great impact both locally and across the globe.

Being the "kids" at the retreat, it only made sense that the YAC leaders treat ourselves to a little more fun than everyone else, especially on the final night. Thanks to the teaching leaders who helped coordinate everything, the three YAC groups took over a hallway in the convention center, tossed out some yummy food and drinks on the tables, and began partying. A nice icebreaker game of animal-guessing left me stumped for the longest time - Apparently I was not a bird or an insect, but I could fly. Any guesses? (Come to BSF on Tuesday and I'll tell you the answer).

I have to admit that I had to undergo a little change of attitude - Usually when it comes to opportunities to mingle with other young adults, even in church settings, I look at it as simply a chance to chat with people and make new friends. But here I'm reminded over and over again that, despite our (relatively) young age, we're united by not just our belief in God, but our commitment to studying His Word and shepherding others. And as we engaged in an impromptu time of musical worship, followed by getting on our knees to pray, I knew without doubt that I'm truly blessed to be a part of this family.

The security guards at the convention center were surprisingly kind - I had expected them to kick us out of the building so they could lock the doors, but instead they gave us permission to stay in there as long as we wanted to, given we were aware that the doors were locked and we could not get back inside once we left. It was a little past midnight when we left. The shuttle bus drivers had already completed their shifts, so we got to enjoy a nice little walk back to our hotel in the middle of the night.

It's hard to believe that it was only this morning when I woke up slightly sleep-deprived, went downstairs to eat breakfast and mingle, and failed to wake Henry up assuming he purposely chose sleep over food. Before falling asleep last night, I came to an incredible realization that I still find a little hard to wrap my head around. Given that there were about 3,100 of us at the retreat, and most of us lead our own discussion groups consisting of members that attend different churches, our sphere of influence is over one million people across the three states represented. And this isn't just some gathering designed to get us hyped up, only to be knocked down by the difficult realities of daily life. As BSF leaders, we have already been committed to serving faithfully, and the retreat only leaves us with more wisdom, courage, joy, and faith to continue doing what we're doing week after week.

Typical of Christian retreats, we had some time in the morning dedicated to quiet time alone with God. The retreat organizers wisely decided to put this time after breakfast, giving more incentive to those tempted by sleep. As with all other aspects of BSF, this quiet time was intense. We were given two whole hours(!), and the recommended devotional guide consisted of two pages (front and back) of scripture references and questions. Thanks to coffee during breakfast, I was wide awake the entire time, and my only distraction was the need to make sure I made it to the main meeting room on time.

Last night, we were asked to help the two-hour quiet time live up to its name by remaining silent as much as possible. I wonder how other hotel guests felt upon noticing that virtually every bench, table, and corner on the entire property was occupied by somebody reading a Bible. (If someone asked me to share the gospel at that time, would I be allowed to break the silence?)

Being back in the main meeting room was a phenomenal experience. As all 3,000 of us filtered inside one by one, there was almost no talking at all. A part of me was almost expecting somebody to burst out in tears or laughter, simply because there was so much heartfelt power contained in that silence. A simple "good morning" broke the silence, followed by the singing of hymns. When was the last time you sang a traditional, piano-accompanied hymn with a congregation mostly over the age of 40, and people got so excited that they started clapping and cheering in the middle of it? Surely there is "no guit in life, no fear in death - This is the power of Christ in me. From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny"!

Susie Rowan's closing lecture on 2 Timothy reminded us of the importance of leading by example and raising up future leaders to teach God's Word. Also mentioned was the important reminder that while it's so great to be a part of BSF, ultimately it's not about the organization itself, but the expansion of God's Kingdom. He calls us in and out of various ministries in our lifetime as He sees fit, and if BSF is where we are currently called to serve, then we must serve faithfully until we are called elsewhere.

Every leader that stood behind the podium in these past few days has a story. Some had to leave behind their comfortable lives, and others faced life-threatening persecution for their faith. Through their testimonies, as well as through interacting with the other leaders, including those in our San Gabriel class, I came to see that none of us are, or ever were, perfect. The only qualifications we have in common are a calling from God and our willingness to faithfully obey. Our strength doesn't come from our own knowledge or experience, but rather from the Holy Spirit that guides us step by step.

To apply what we learned about suffering for Christ, the San Gabriel gang enjoyed lunch after the retreat at Phil's BBQ. (Because it's not what goes into our bodies that makes us unclean...) The now married Eric and Flora, who happened to be in San Diego, came to join the fun. I sat near the end of our long table with Steve, Tina, Eric, and Kevin, and as we shared our struggles with leadership and our memories of how we came to BSF, I couldn't help but notice that these were the very people who had left the strongest impression during my very first visit to the fellowship - Steve and Tina as the teaching leaders, Eric who taught the welcome class, and Kevin who met me in the hallway and enjoyed a long casual conversation with me, easing the fears I had from not knowing a single person. They may not have known it then, but because of the roles they played that night, my first visit to BSF became one that forever changed my life. And it's my hope and prayer that we can trust God to use us now to have the same impact in other people's lives.

The theme hymn of this retreat was "Ancient Words". I had never heard it before (even though it was apparently in the BSF leader's hymnal all along!), but I'm pretty sure that for the rest of my life, this hymn will remind me of the things I learned and experienced this weekend. Countless times I've walked across parking lots and down church aisles with my Bible in my hand, and countless times I've opened it at the preacher's instruction then closed it later without feeling any different. I own a Bible and read it, but do I treasure it? I learned a lot about God through it, but has my life been changed? I know that it holds words of truth and hope that this world desperately needs, but do I share it? Eradicating Biblical poverty, the theme reflected through all the lectures and presentations, through our quiet time this morning, and in the very heart of BSF, is a joyful responsibility entrusted to us as we depend on the Holy Spirit to use us one step at a time. "Ancient words, ever true, changing me and changing you. We have come with open hearts, oh let the ancient words impart".

02/16: Eight Hours in Beverly Hills

Eight hours is the length of a typical work day. For me, it means sitting in front of a computer crunching numbers and typing documents from 8AM to 5PM, with an hour in the middle to eat and rest. By the end of the day, my eyes would feel tired from staring at the screen, and my body would be in desperate need of phsyical exercise. But what if that all changed? What if, instead of going to work for eight hours, I spent that same amount of time doing something completely different, like, say, running around Beverly Hills shooting nice cars?

It's Valentine's Day weekend, and the right thing to do, which is also what I would love to do, is to spend time with Tiffany. But given that she's gone for a retreat and we've already agreed to postpone our V-Day celebration, I had the whole weekend left to myself. So I decided to do something I've never done before - spend eight entire hours, four on Saturday and four on Sunday, photographing and recording exotic cars in the good ol' Golden Triangle of Beverly Hills. Back in my UCLA days, my friends throught I was crazy for being willing to walk to Beverly Hills just to check out cars. But at that time, even I would have considered myself insane to spend a four-hour shift there for two consecutive days. Things are a little different now though - since going to Beverly Hills requires a long commute and huge time commitment, it only makes sense to spend larger chunks of time there to make the most out of the trip. And why split the trip into two days? Well, the morning hours simply aren't as exciting. (Okay, fine, I also really didn't want to sacrifice my precious Saturday morning sleep.) Plus, the public parking lots offer two hours of free parking, and neighborhood street parking has a two-hour limit (except Sundays), so four hours was the most time I could spend there without having to pay.

Looking back now, I still think I was a little crazy for coming up with this idea. But given the epic success of both days' adventures, I definitely don't regret it. I'll let the individual journal from each day speak for itself.

Saturday:

Arrived at the Triangle as planned at around 12:30 after an early lunch. It's definitely good to be back. (My last visit was in July). Driving down Wilshire, I had no doubt I was in Beverly Hills; Bentley Continentals were literally everywhere. Everybody and their mother has a Bentley - coupes, convertibles, sedans, they've got it all - even one custom wrapped with Louis Vuitton patterns. And the newer Continental GT's and GTC's are already more common than the old ones. Rich people not only need to have Bentleys, but they need to always have the newest Bentley.

A Mulsanne, 996 GT3, and Fisker were already waiting for me in the underground parking structure on my way to the elevator. I guess the rich like to take advantage of free parking too. Back on ground level, the hunt began, starting with scouting the usual hot spots - Il Pastaio, Rodeo Drive, the row of valets south of Wilshire, and more. As usual for adventures like this, I carried two guns, the old one for pictures and the new one for videos, with a spare battery for each just in case.

The first huge surprise - A Ferrari 599 GTB 60F1 Alonso Edition. Despite varying information, there are probably only between 40 and 60 in the world. Personally, I find the placement of the white graphics a little tacky for a Ferrari. But hey, it's not like I can afford even a regular 599. I was lucky enough to be there just as the owner was about to leave, giving me a complete video with startup, idling, and driving footage.

The Bijan Veyron and Phantom (Series II) Drophead Coupe (which I finally got to see for the first time) were both hiding in the alley behind the store, and the Veyron was later driven out to its usual spot on Rodeo just in time for me to catch a video. It's good to know that Bijan's passion is still being lived out after his tragic passing. I've seen so many videos and pictures of that Veyron (and seen the car in person so many times) that I find it amazing how it always manages to draw an unbelievably large crowd of people who probably don't know that it's parked at that same spot every single day.

A guy in a brand new C7 Corvette appeared to be driving up and down Rodeo Drive just to show off the car. I saw him cruising past me several times throughout the four hours I was there. It's a good-looking car, and this was my first time seeing one in person outside of shows and meets. But it's relatively inexpensive by Beverly Hills standards, and most spectators didn't pay too much attention.

Also had my first candid spotting of the new Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. It was a custom matte grey one with all the logos blacked out. I still find it funny how, even after having seen several F12's at shows, meets, and now on the road, I have yet to find one that's stock. Customized exotics are definitely a treat to see, but when it comes to a brand new model like this, it's a little hard to claim that I've seen the car for what it's originally meant to be until I see one in a factory color with factory wheels.

I don't know if it's just me, but it seems like there are a lot more exotic cars cruising around the Triangle now than there were the last time I was there. Aside from the million Bentleys, even Audi R8's and Ferrari 458's have become so common that I often ignore them. Gallardos are a little less common, but I usually didn't bother catching up for additional footage and photos.

Another highlight of the afternoon was a brand new Rolls-Royce Wraith. Personally I'm not exactly a big fan of the side profile and rear design of this car, and seeing it in person didn't exactly change my opinion. But it's still a brand new Rolls-Royce with a unique design, and one that I really hoped to get to see for the first time on this trip. Mission accomplished.

Other significant spottings include an LP640 Roadster, a couple classic coachbuilt Bentleys, and a crazy one-seater three-wheeled vehicle which I now know is a Scorpion P6. I've come to see that parked cars in the Triangle tend to move around relatively often, and by being more patient and less eager to bounce around from one block to another, I was able to collect much better footage than I thought was possible.

I randomly crossed paths with another dude who had a "Magic Carpet", and we both gave each other a little shoutout. It's good to know that our mode of transportation can get us from one side of Rodeo Drive to the other faster than any supercar can. I'm quite surprised that none of the valet attendants, who often like to joke around with photographers, tried to charge me money to take pictures of the cars they parked. But next time they do, I'll ask them how much they will charge to park my ride.

Exotic cars are always present in Beverly Hills, but there have been spotting sessions in which the harvest was clearly more quantity-oriented than quality-oriented. Today, however, I'm quite amazed at the number of truly significant exotics caught, as well as the overall diversity of the cars. I'll end with one last highlight - A chrome blue Aventador. Yes, chrome friggin' blue! People have always considered shininess as a status symbol, whether it's clothing, jewelry, or cars. Then somewhere along the road somebody decided it would be cool to do just the opposite and wrap their cars in matte colors - a trend that has seen some very successful applications as well as some truly ridiculous failures. This car, however, is rolling proof that shininess is not dead.

It's really something you have to experience in person to understand. This Aventador simply looks unreal, like something from another world that doesn't belong on earth. It's impossibly to pass by it without noticing it. Oh, and did I mention it has a full aftermarket carbon fiber aero kit?

The drive home was an excellent reminder for me of how thankful I am for not having to commute near Downtown L.A. on a regular basis. After about an hour and a half on the road, I'm honestly considering not going back tomorrow, since I've already shot so many epic cars today. But going to church in the morning means I'll already be about halfway there. And besides, I wouldn't decide to bail out of work during lunch break and not return to finish the day, right?

Sunday:

Tiffany once gave me the precious advice of stretching after a day of unusually intense exercise before going to sleep, and I'm glad I took that advise last night. Walking around this morning was no problem, but I could definitely feel the effects of those four hours in Beverly Hills in my legs and even in my arms. Plus, I had made the stupid mistake of drinking coffee at night, leaving me unable to sleep well and waking up feeling a little lightheaded, as if four hours of wind-in-my-face cruising didn't make me dizzy enough. Still, the secound half of the adventure was yet to come, and no physical discomfort was going to stop me.

After chowing down a piece of bread in my car after church, the journey back to Beverly Hills began. I actually took a wrong freeway transition ramp and ended up lost in Downtown L.A. for a while, but despite making a huge detour, I made it to the Triangle at just a little after 1:30, with about four hours to play before the sun went down. To make things easier, neighborhood street parking is unrestricted on Sundays, so I left my car there the entire time, avoiding the hassle of having to constantly check the time to make sure I move my car after the first two hours. As always, I purposely drove on the smaller streets just outside the Triangle in order to avoid the temptation of doing anything illegal if I were to see something life-changing while driving. Once parked, it was time to have some fun.

From the very beginning, my body already felt noticeably weaker than it did yesterday. But I stuck with the same golden rule that I followed when I went to Beverly Hills during my college years - Absolutely no sitting down. Because the moment I placed my butt on a bench or a curb along the street, I would not want to get up again.

Unlike yesterday's adventure, today's session began rather quietly. Maybe it's just because I chose to tune out all the Bentleys, Ghosts, SLS AMG's, and 458 Italias that were all around me. With the exception of a crazy decked-out matte black tuner Audi R8 (I'm not sure which tuner, but I'll do some research and find out), there wasn't much that caught my attention. Scanning the valet parking areas south of Wilshire one block at a time didn't bring much luck either.

Plus, I lost one of my guns. Not even kidding. It was still in my hand, but simply stopped working. Somewhere during the journey from the north side of the Triangle to the south, the camera decided to quit on me despite the battery being fully charged. Thankfully, it was the old one, which already had its share of age-related quirks. Having one of my weapons disabled just minutes into the battle definitely wasn't a good thing, and all I could do was try to shoot sparingly and pray that I wouldn't have to cut the trip short due to insufficient ammo.

At first, I questioned the potential fruitfulness of the trip, not only due to technical difficulty, but also because there wasn't much to shoot. Then suddenly, a series of unmistakeably Italian roars about a block away turned everything around. Three Lambos had just pulled out of the Beverly Wilshire, and after shooting them, I proceeded to the hotel's valet area, only to discover the same chrome blue Aventador from yesterday. Seeing it for the second time was no less phenomenal.

Got to meet a few fellow spotters (Instagram: Exoticcarsla") there. It's always quite easy to identify our kind - we wander around carrying cameras, but unlike the tourists, we spend our time in parking lots and busy intersections intentionally searching for cars. I informed them of what I had seen so far, and was told that not long before my arrival there was a black and blue Veyron Vitesse at the Wilshire. Darnit.

The chrome blue Lambo took off, and the mob of spotters gathered around it wandered off in search of other targets. I returned to Il Pastaio and caught another F12, this time a stock grey one. I guess people simply don't associate red with Ferraris anymore. Still, it looked incredible. I never saw the other spotters again, even though I hoped out of the kindness of my heart to cross paths with them so I could tip them on the F12. From across the street, I saw the 599 60F1 and Wraith from yesterday parked next to each other. (It had to have been the same cars - After all, how many of them are there?) But before I had a chance to cross and shoot, my eyes were glued to something else coming my way.

A Veyron. I may have let out a couple exclamatory words that I hope no children were around to hear. I had recently seen videos by other spotters of this grey and black beast, but seeing it on person was another story. The best thing about Rodeo Drive is that cars get stuck at almost every single intersection, so good pics and vids is rarely a problem. It wasn't until near the end of the pursuit that I realized it was a Vitesse. Call me amateur, but when I see a Veyron, I shoot it regardless of whether it's a Supersports, Grand Sport, Vitesse, or one of the gazillion special editions. Besides, the last time I saw a Veyron (other than Bijan's cars) outside of a meet/show was back in 2007, so I had every reason to be excited.

The C7 Corvette from yesterday returned to make its rounds up and down Rodeo. Now I have no doubt the guy was simply trying to show off. He did so the entire time I was there. I literally saw him over a dozen times over these two days. It seems like people purposely choose to drive down Rodeo as a contribution to the Triangle's reputation among tourists. There are more traffic lights, more pedestrians, and more cars than the surrounding parallel streets, but people don't seem to care. And I'm not complaining.

I eventually found time to trek back north to shoot the 60F1 and Wraith, but only in photos. Both cars would, on any normal day, prompt me to get video footage as well. But because I had already filmed them yesterday and the Triangle was bustling with surprises, a sacrifice had to be made.

The next surprise? A silver 575 Superamerica. Gotta love how I saw basically every kind of front-engined modern V12 Ferrari on the same day - 550, 575, 599, F12, 456, 612, and FF. The craziest thing is that a few blocks down Rodeo, that Superamerica had to be sacrificed too. Why?

Another Veyron. Another friggin' Veyron! Even the 458 and "Batventador" next to it became mere decorations. This was one mean-looking Jack-O-Lantern, finished in bright orange with a face that reminds me of an evil cat. Oh, and once again, it was a Vitesse. Both this car and the grey one were later found at the Wilshire. That's three Vitesses at the same place in the same afternoon (including the one I missed). Sure, I had seen four Veyrons together before at C&C last year, but that's nothing compared with seeing these Bugs on the street next to other people's Camrys.

To be honest, given what I had seen, I was expecting to film a third edition of the successful "Supercar Party on Rodeo Drive" video. (I didn't even have time to edit the second one yet...) That never happened. But with already such an epic turnout, I couldn't complain. I tried offering myself breaks to rest (without sitting, of course), but almost every time a surprise would get me moving again. Even after having seen so many epic cars at shows and meets, I'm once again convinced that there's nothing quite as exciting as good ol' candid street spotting.

One more thing I must comment on - Tricycles. Clearly they're not only for kids anymore. Yesterday I caught the Scorpion P6, and today I caught a Morgan 3-Wheeler. There was also a strange four-door vehicular object with only one wheel in front, looking like a more modern take on the Reliant Robin. I have no clue what it is, but I have a feeling Jeremy Clarkson would have a blast driving it...

I met a boy while checking out a parked Lamborghini, and his dad told me he's a huge car freak. I'm glad there are still kids who prefer checking out cars over playing Candy Crush. He was quite knowledgeable for his age too, even though I had to break the tragic news to him that the white roadster in front of us was a Murcielago, not a Reventon. His dad told me that he had always wanted to see a Bugatti. If only they had been there about an hour earlier!

Like a typical workday, I ended up staying in the Triangle a few minutes overtime. With free parking, I could have stayed all night. But it was getting dark, and I was hungry.

That C7 Corvette crossed paths with me again, this time on Wilshire while I was driving home. The owner must have used up a whole tank of gas in these two days alone.

As I drove home, once again confined by legal restrictions rather than by the limits of my own strength, I couldn't help but think about the epicness of everything. Normally, I would see an R8 or 458 Italia and feel lucky. In these past two days, God only knows how many of them I purposely dismissed as ordinary.

I don't know when I'll be back to Beverly Hills again, at least for cars. But this eight-hour weekend adventure has left me far beyond content. It's going to take a while before I can get excited about car spotting here in the good ol' SGV again. But that's okay, because I already have more footage than I have time to edit. And besides, given that I'll certainly wake up tomorrow morning so sore that I can barely walk, I should give myself a little time to recover!

02/14: It's Valentine's Day, and as wrong as it may seem, Tiffany and I have nothing planned for tonight. In fact, we won't even see each other until next week, since she's at a retreat with our church's youth group from tonight until Monday. And since I'll be at a retreat with BSF the following weekend, our V-Day celebration will be postponed to early March. (Darn these retreats!) A part of me is sad that a celebration this important has to be pushed back so late. But at the same time, I'm very thankful that we choose to value quality time together over celebrating simply for the sake of saying that we've done it, and that we both accept and embrace God's calling in each other's lives.

True love is characterized by obedience to God, and I'm starting to understand more and more just how true that is. I believe that it was God who brought Tiffany and I together and that He wants us to work through the many struggles of being in a relationship in order to grow stronger. However, to assume that we must never be apart from each other is to jump too quickly to an emotionally desireable conclusion without first seeking God's will. We've had many opportunities to serve God together, usually through music, and we've had many opportunities to serve Him individually in different areas of ministry. Both of our retreats revolve around the ministries God currently calls us to serve in, and even though we must sometimes spend time away from each other, it gives us an opportunity to grow in trust while supporting each other in prayer, something we should always do no matter how close or far we are physically.

I'm the kind of person that likes to take things into my own hands and feel like I have control over everything. But every once in a while, something comes along that leaves me completely humbled and willing to surrender myself. Love is definitely one of those things. The thought of true love always humbles me. God is love, and both are far too great for me to fully comprehend, not to mention control. There are many people I've met who pride themselves in their experience with love, whether it's attraction, sex, or knowledge. But true love goes much deeper than that. In a long-lasting relationship, no amount of experience is ever enough, because each person is unique, and everyone is constantly changing.

I may be able to say that I know Tiffany pretty well now, but who am I to claim that she will be exactly the same several years and decades later? Life is full of changes, and we have no idea how our circumstances, experiences, and opportunities will shape us in the future both as individuals and as a couple. When Tiffany and I first began dating, I really didn't know what to expect. But what I knew for sure was that we were getting ourselves into something far bigger than just ourselves. How can two people, each with individual flaws, prone to making mistakes, with futures completely beyond our own control, enter into a relationship and find hope that over time it will grow stronger rather than fall apart?

That's why we're so glad we have the confidence that it was God who brought us together. And that's why it's so important to see love as an act of obedience to God and a response to the love He first gave us. This Valentine's Day, I'm thankful for the precious wisdom to seek God first and entrust my relationship with Tiffany to Him, and I look forward to letting Him continue to write our story according to His will.

02/04: Time definitely flies. Looking back at the photos I took in my early car spotting days at UCLA, I'm starting to notice more and more that many of the vehicles I shot at the time are almost impossible to find on the streets now because they are stored away to become collectibles, and just about all of the more common exotics I shoot now didn't even exist back then. I had no idea at the time that what began as a casual walk down Sunset Boulevard with a camera would eventually spawn a hobby that plays such a big role in my life. And if I had to come up with one key event that solidified my commitment to the hobby, it would be the moment I came up with the name "Exotic Affinity".

It has been four years since the launch of the Exotic Affinity YouTube channel, through which I have had the opportunity to share my passion for exotic automobiles with others. Over the years, I have had the pleasure of meeting several other fellow car enthusiasts and YouTubers, including some whose channels I have been a fan of since long before I started my own. We all have fun stories to tell of how we happened to be at the right place at the right time or of how specific videos unexpectedly brought us overwhelming success. But there was one issue I often tried to shy away from - the question of why I never became a YouTube partner.

Some may recall the time when being a partner required first receiving an invitation from YouTube. The truth is that I had already received that invitation a very long time ago, but never accepted it. I've seen many fellow YouTubers use the partnership program to make their popularity skyrocket at the expense of a pure viewing experience, and it really made me wonder whether they intend to present their love for cars as more of a business or more of a hobby. Yes, it's definitely possible to find a good balance of the two. But when what is otherwise an incredible video becomes cluttered with advertisements, annotations to promote other videos, and messages bugging viewers to subscribe, it's almost impossible to enjoy the actual content without focusing most of my energy on getting rid of things on the screen I don't want to see. If I like a channel, I'll subscribe to it regardless of whether anyone tells me to or not. And that's why I never ask anyone to subscribe to my own channel. My philosophy for Exotic Affinity has always been quality over quantity; good art speaks for itself, even if it often goes unnoticed, and I'd much rather give up the opportunity to earn money or fame than lose the heart of my hobby.

Fast forward a few years. Times have changed, and so has the YouTube partnership system. Partnership is now available to everyone with no invitation needed. And to deal with the inevitable threat of copyright violations and privacy complaints, YouTube has implemented systems that protect both creators and viewers, easing a lot of my concerns that had kept me away from partnership for so long. Also, users now have a choice of which videos to monetize, meaning I can choose to only place advertisements on videos I believe are worthy. After all, who the heck wants to watch a 30-second ad before a 30-second-long video?

Personally, I'm not a fan of ads in general, and I'm not ashamed to say that I despise how Google has taken over YouTube and often forces users to comply with ridiculous changes in order to continue enjoying the YouTube experience that was once easily accessible to just about everyone. I truly miss the time when YouTube in general was much more of a simple means of creative self-expression than a revenue generator. But I admit I've become so accustomed to the presence of ads now that I always keep one hand on the mouse while browsing YouTube. And I know I'm not alone. Just as commercial breaks are expected while watching TV shows, the presence of a small amount of interruptive ads is now the accepted norm for YouTube videos whose content can justify the annoyance. I may not be a professional videographer, but having compared the content and quality of my videos to those of more experienced YouTubers who enjoy the benefits of partnership, I am confident that my art is not inferior to theirs. And after having dedicated many hours to researching the pros and cons of YouTube partnership over the past several months, I see no reason to hold myself back any longer.

So as a celebration of the fourth year of Exotic Affinity, I'm glad to say that the channel is now a YouTube partner and also part of the Google+ network. But let me make one point very clear - Exotic Affinity will always be more of a hobby than a business. There's no harm in being able to earn a little side cash for doing what I already love doing, but I will constantly check my heart to make sure money and popularity does not get in the way of my passion. If that pure passion for cars were lost, then Exotic Affinity would no longer live up to its name. No matter how much or how little money I earn or how many people like or dislike the videos, my ultimate hope is still the same - to share my love for exotic automobiles with the world. I believe that these latest changes to the channel will allow the videos to reach larger audiences, and I look forward to seeing Exotic Affinity continue to grow in serving its purpose in the years to come.

01/19: Engineering 101

A few days ago, I noticed that my cell phone's charger has been acting up. There had been a few instances in which I plugged in the phone to charge overnight, only to discover in the morning that it had not charged at all. I eventually concluded that the problem was the charger cable, which may have been carelessly yanked too may times over the years. Moving the cable around for a few seconds always solved the problem, and I didn't think it was a big deal... until last night.

With one bar of battery life left, it was time for a recharge. I plugged the charger into the phone, and as expected, it didn't work. Still confident, I moved the cable around, waiting for the phone to vibrate once it was charging. It never happened. A closer look revealed that a portion of the cable "skin" had broken, exposing two tiny wires inside, a red one and a yellow one. And the yellow one was snapped.

My confidence was still strong. It's just a cable, for crying out loud. Besides, I was an engineering major at one point in my life, and prior to that I attended a high school known for its technology program. I still recall the good ol' days of playing with circuit boards during ICT class at Troy. We did all sorts of creative (and often stupid) things - sticking quarters and other electricity-conducting objects into our lab assignments, stealing chips from other people's labs when they forget to put them away, and frying cables by shoving them straight into the wall outlet. But one thing I learned for sure is that when the problem with a circuit is none other than a disconnected cable, the best fix is to simply re-connect it.

The problem here, though, was that the broken yellow cable was friggin' tiny and was bundled with the red cable next to it, so the only way to make it work was to pinch it tightly at exactly the right angle. Using a clip or a strip of tape didn't work; it was simply not precise enough. I had to use my fingers. And it seemed like a good solution, until I realized I would have to sit there like an idiot for however long it took for the phone to charge, and do so on a regular basis until I figured out a better plan.

That's when I got a little more ambitious. I figured that by peeling away more of the cable "skin", I would have more access to the two inner wires and probably come up with a way to clip the two ends of the yellow one together. So I started knifing away at the skin a little at a time. The result? I broke the red wire too, and the entire charger cable was now in two pieces. Oh, snap.

01/15: Fresh out of an encouraging lesson at BSF last night about Jesus walking on water and calming the storm (Matthew 14), I spent a few minutes in my car outside the office parking lot this morning thanking God for things I often take for granted. I thanked him for the people in my life, then for my home, car, and other material possessions. Then I thanked him for my job and for good health...

Less than an hour later while I was sitting at my office desk, I began to feel sick. My nose began acting up like crazy, and it took twice as much energy for me to stay focused and productive. Thankfully, it was an exceptionally slow day; usually a day like this would annoy me because I would feel too unproductive, but in this case it definitely allowed me the luxury of working at leisurely pace while coping with my sickness. Not only so, but I ended up sitting next to my boss (who, coincidentally, was also sick) for a couple hours completing almost all of a big project I had long dreaded. It was definitely a miracle how smoothly things went. Still, being sick definitely didn't feel good.

I find it funny how, on the rare occasion that I feel very sick, the sickness almost always lasts for only an incredibly short time. Perhaps it's because any imminent threat of sickness prompts me into "camel mode" - chugging cup after cup of the best natural medication - water. When the water began to taste too bland, a handy little oolong tea bag solved the problem. I dedicated a corner of the Sticky note on my computer desktop to tallying my drinks, and reached a total of 16 cups by the time I left to come home. It's not the most I've had, but it's definitely enough to leave me feeling confident that I've done my part.

The eight hours I spent in the office passed by surprisingly quickly. At around 4:00, when I was working on downing probably cup number 13 or 14, I came to the realization that despite thanking God for good health in the morning, I ended up having the very thing I thanked Him for taken away from me. A little ironic, isn't it? But then I thought about the lesson I had just learned last night. Jesus was the one who commanded the disciples to get into the boat which was eventually caught in the storm. In the end, the disciples not only witnessed great miracles, but also grew in faith. Unlike a typical superhero that finds out about a problem after it happens and rushes to the rescue just in time, Jesus knows of hardships before they even take place. In fact, He allows them to take place and has great purposes for doing so.

As the evening progressed, I came to see more and more that even though I had thanked God for good health only to end up feeling sick, there is an important lesson for me to learn. All of the things I had thanked God for in the morning are things that benefit me in ways that I can easily comprehend. But God is the same regardless of my circumstances. I should be thankful whether I'm having a good day or a bad day. I should be thankful whether I'm rich or poor. I should be thankful whether I'm healthy or sick. I should be thankful simply because God is God.

At this current rate, I will probably have drank around 25 cups of water or tea by the time I go to sleep tonight. And I'm quite confident that I will feel fine when I wake up tomorrow morning. But even if I wake up feeling even worse than I felt at work today, I've learned that I must still be thankful. God is the same, no matter how I feel. He leads me into storms and calms them in His perfect timing. He is sovereign and does everything knowing what's best in the long run. I pray for continued wisdom to look past my immediate circumstances and praise God simply for who He is.

01/08: Recently I had the opportunity to play with a new car for about a week. My initial options included a Dodge Challenger (which definitely made my heart beat a little faster) and a Jaguar XF (which, looking back now, I was quite an idiot for not accepting despite having to pay a small premium), but at the end I was handed the keys to this Hyundai Sonata Hybrid.