End of a year

Well the end of 2008 is upon us and it brings to an end times that have been both good and not so good. We always tend to dwell on the good but often we find we are unable to do so and we end up dwelling on the bad more than the good. 

This year brought to me the most wonderful gift I have ever recieved. The birth of my son. He is a healthy baby boy and was born on April 13th, 2008 at 5:08 a.m. in Colorado Springs, CO. When I look at him, I see such potential in life and I see a chance that the world will be a better place when he is older. Too many times I have picked up a newspaper or turned on the evening news or even just looked at a news website and seen how someone has killed their children and shown no remorse. These people infuriate me in ways that I simply cannot put into words. Hurting my kids is the last thing I ever wish to do and if anyone were to attempt to do them harm they would have the wrath of one they do not ever wish to see brought upon them.

Other happenings this year was the completion of my first college degree. In September, I was awarded an Associates of Science in Electronics Technology. This achievement is huge to me and the only thing it will pale in comparison to is the day I receive my Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering. As of the end of 2008, I have 15 months to go and the latter will be achieved.

My final thought on this year is the United States Presidential Election. While many view this as a moment in history that is so monumental that anything else that has happened is miniscule in comparison, I see this moment in history as something that could possibly ruin us as a nation. Mind you, I certainly hope that he proves me wrong but I have a very strong feeling that he won't and we are in for a wakening that makes WWII seem like childs play. Only time will tell.

Me

Most people that will read this pretty much know about me but some more than likely do not. So I will tell you all a bit about Shiyan and who he is.

A Name:

What is in a name? Many have asked me where the name Shiyan comes from. Well the answer is really simple, especially if you know about the man behind the screen name. For many years, I trained in Kung Fu, Northern Praying Mantis Long Fist to be exact. This "obsession" became part of me in ways I never knew possible. Anything to do with Chinese history and philosophy interested me to the point that I would rather read up or watch something on the subjects than hang out with friends or members of the opposite sex. 

But this turned into more than just an obsession. It eventually turned into a lifestyle of sorts. Meaning that I made my decisions on the philosophies of all life. However, there was/is a massive downside to this lifestyle, you eventually lose yourself in things that, while may seem harmless, can be detrimental to your place in life as well as your overall health. Elaboration on this matter is a subject in itself and I may, one day, expand more on it. For now, we will leave it as already stated. 

The origin of the name (what was meant to be the main subject matter of this) comes from a Shaolin Monk who defected to the United States in the early 1990's. His name is Shi Yan Ming, a 34th generation fighting monk from the Songshan Mountains of China. Due to gaming restrictions, I could not use three parts of a name like he has his so I chose to combine the first two parts and form Shiyan (pronounced She-yaan). Since it was a semi-original screen name, every website I went too I was able to use that name. However, after years of using it, I have noticed a few people have picked it up as their own and are now using it. To me, that is a form of flattery when one person likes your name so much they decide to use for their own.

Now that you know the story behind the name, I will share with you some of the workings behind the man as well. But you will have to wait till next time.

Shiyan sends.

First

This is just a first blog that I am posting today. Many things will be said here and I am sure that some are useless and some may be useful. Only time will tell.