The Jade Times

No matter where you are in the world, we hope you have a wonderful and safe time celebrating the holidays with good company.

Cheers!

Oanhie “Shinsen” Pham
Editor-in-chief

By Christine” ECKO” Ho, Staff Writer

Everyone knows all about Christmas and its origins. It is described as the season of giving, the time to give presents as well as (hopefully) receive them. It is celebrated by most, and is a season that traditionally deflates your bank account.

But I’m sure everyone remembers their fifth grade lessons about the different celebrations around the world. As fun as Christmas is, it tends to eclipse other celebrations out there such as Kwanzaa or Hanukkah. For eight nights, Hanukkah is celebrated by Jewish people with songs, prayer, games and gifts. Kwanzaa lasts a week and is more geared toward the celebration of African heritage. Gifts are also exchanged during Kwanzaa while family and friends gather together to light colored candles and eat.

A Christmas-related holiday I’ve never known about is Three Kings’ Day. After the 12 days of Christmas (which starts on Christmas day and ends January 5^th) comes a day called Epiphany, or the day that the Three Kings saw baby Jesus and brought him gifts.

Now, let’s take it back to our roots. Buddhism celebrates December 8^th for the day that Buddha became Enlightened.  And although Chinese New Year is celebrated in late January to early February, for Asians it is the end of the year then, according to the lunar calendar.

Lastly, let’s say you can’t choose, and would like to celebrate all of the possible festivals out there. Don’t worry, there’s even one for you. It’s called Christmahannukwanzadan, which merges the Christian Christmas, the Jewish Hanukkah, the African holiday of Kwanzaa, and the Islamic Ramadan, according to Wikipedia.

For a full list of possible winter celebrations to be thankful for, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winter_festivals

Photo credit: Oanhie Pham

By May “Mosaic” Advincula, Staff Writer

The New York Times best-seller, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, combines two years’ worth of interviews with Jobs in addition to interviews with family, friends and critics, and provides a candid look into how the different people and experiences he encountered resulted in the successful development of products and business strategy. A self-proclaimed perfectionist, Jobs’ life story provides a glimpse into how using one’s imagination can be the catalyst for great ideas and innovations.

One of the most iconic visionaries and leaders of the 21st century, Steve Jobs will be forever remembered for his amazing successes including bringing a once down-trodden company to one of the most successful and powerful companies of the digital age and revolutionizing the landscape of the industry altogether.

With a constantly evolving landscape, and an ever-increased importance for America to continue to sustain its innovative edge in a world of fierce competition, this book serves as a reminder of the type of talent and visionary it takes to evolve ideas into actionable reality.

Many have claimed that there will never be another Steve Jobs. However, rather than lament that we will never have someone of his caliber in our lifetime, we should view his legacy of unique leadership and vision as inspiration for ourselves to push ourselves beyond what we think we are capable of.

Jobs serves as a testament to “living life to the fullest” and I encourage you all to end the year with a renewed sense of inspiration, and to move forward in 2012 with the same conviction.

As Jobs said in his 2005 commencement speech to Stanford graduates, ““Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

YouTube video of graduation speech:
2005 Stanford Graduation Speech: www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA

Photo credit: http://www.macstories.net/roundups/inspirational-steve-jobs-quotes/ as seen on www.Apple.com

By Kippie “Sumitra” Aguilan, Staff Writer

Question:
“I am considered an international sister, receiving my undergraduate degree in the United States, then earning my graduate degree in Hong Kong. I have already had my share of experiences, but how would you recommend to fellow sisters how to deal with feelings of being homesick and even all the travel involved?” – Intentionally International Sister

Answer:
With the holidays well underway, I certainly understand how feeling homesick can get to anyone. However, you are already on the right track, just by being a sister of the best sisterhood ever! Sisters of Delta Phi Lambda should already know that though we only have chapters in the contiguous United States, our sisters are from all over the world. Even in our National History, we discuss that our Founding Mothers wanted our women to find “a home away from home”, and reconnecting with sisters in countries different from our own will help to strengthen that relationship and calm our fears of being alone in a world in which we are unaccustomed. Let me give you some examples!

From Purdue University, we have a sister studying abroad in the Netherlands but raised in Singapore while another sister is doing a work-study program in Taiwan, another is preparing for her medical career in South Korea and a few other sisters originate from Malaysia. From Illinois State University, we have two sisters who, starting in late January 2012, will be studying abroad in Japan – one of them is a neophyte, no less, so it’s lucky for her to have joined our great sisterhood in time to have a sister she can turn to out there. From Loyola, we have a sister who is originally from Thailand and a neophyte born and raised in Hong Kong and from DePaul we have a sister originally from Shanghai. From the University of Central Florida, we had a sister living and raising a family in Italy due to military reasons whereas from Georgia Tech, we have a sister who is splitting her time between Atlanta, Chicago, and Canada where her family resides; then at Georgia State University, we have a sister who is currently overseas teaching in Japan. And do not forget that we are slowly taking over the nation as well, from “the Redwood Forests to the Gulf Stream waters,” you can hear our call!

Even in a foreign country, miles away from family, friends, or even sisters, there are still ways to cope with feeling lonely and dealing with the distance that separates you from loved ones. One way to get started is by joining a nearby club, just like you did when starting out with Delta Phi Lambda – local hot spots such as groceries or community boards offer clubs to residents such as movie or book related clubs and even stranger ones, such as the examples in the movie “The Fight Club.” Try looking for classes in your area, such as language classes or cooking classes, where there is a common, singular bond amongst the students. There will also likely be singles groups to attend where you can not only meet new friends but potential life-partners. A great place to start your search for connections can be libraries, hostels where there are other travelers, or even colleges where there are bound to be others just like you. If you struggle, know that technology is ever-present and a loved one can be as close as your computer screen, using Skype or other voice/camera chat programs. You just have to keep in mind that even with all the space in between, you are never alone.

By Oanhie “Shinsen” Pham, Editor-in-chief

Ah, it’s the holiday season. Some folks might take short vacations, college students might be going home, or friends and families might be visiting one another, leaving their house vacant. It’s a time to take it easy and enjoy time with loved ones. But for burglars, it could just mean a good time to take their chances. The possibility of finding hot holiday presents in an empty house might be enough to entice them. Don’t give them any open chances.

Some people may take extra precautions to keep their homes safe with kick-proof doors and technology such as surveillance cameras that can be monitored online, but here are some basic tips to keep your place safe:

• Here’s one for users of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook: be careful posting when and where you go on vacation. This is especially true for those who post personal contact information in their profile.
• Make sure all your doors and windows are locked (and that they lock well). It’s an easy invitation for burglars if they see a window or door unlocked.
• Have any “hidden” keys around the outside of your home? Make sure you collect them. They’re not so hidden to burglars, especially if they’re underneath mats or potted plants.
• If you’re good friends with your neighbor, see if he/she can help you watch your house while you’re away. If you have regular deliveries (such as newspaper) sent regularly to your home, ask your neighbor to collect them for you or ask the company to temporarily halt deliveries. It gives less room for a burglar to think no one’s home.
• A dark house that appears to be empty could be what burglars are looking for. If possible, set timers on interior lights. Motion-sensor exterior lights are good to utilize while you’re away and even while you’re at home. Make sure the lights are working and aren’t dim. They may help deter any possible burglaries.
• If you have an alarm system, use it! If you don’t have one, consider having one installed. It might take only one incident for you to realize that, yes, it could — and did — happen to you.

Stay safe and happy holidays!

Source: www.statefarm.com

 Photo credit: Oanhie Pham

Happy anniversary to all of our sorors nationwide! Here’s to 13 years and many, many more to come.

#yeowL

“Sisterhood is many things. It’s a warm smile on a cold and rainy day, a friendly hug, a cheerful hello… It’s all that a good and lasting friendship is, only better. It’s treasured. It’s sacred. It’s knowing that there will always be someone there for you. It’s dreams shared, and goals achieved. It’s counting on others and being counted on. It is real.”