zheng wang
today is peter wang's 21st birthday.

peter and i becoming college roommates is one of those things that i can honestly say was simply "meant to be." and i say that with a completely straight face.

looking back on those hallowed "JPG" days in high school, i remember thinking that UT would be my absolute last choice. i thought with a list that consisted of upenn and northwestern, texas would rank a very distant 3rd. but, the pieces all fell into place, and as i finally set my eyes on becoming a longhorn, i was without a roommate.

i still remember that day when johnny poon kind of "assigned" me and peter to room together. i distinctly recall my feeling of disgust as i tried to nod and give a weak smile. seriously, i thought peter wang was too immature -- even by my standards. and yet, 3 years later, here we are. rooming together for the 3rd straight year, and i couldn't ask for a better roommate (except for maybe a wife or something).

anyhow, while we're on the subject of zheng, i thought i might as well clear some things up about this picture:


it's the picture that you guys have been signing on his birthday (or some form of it) for the past 2 years. allow me to explain its significance.

personally, i despise this picture. this was taken in front of the coca-cola factory in atlanta, georgia, on the final day of our fbcc missions trip before heading back home. my group/team/van was attempting to take our first/last group/team/van picture of the trip. so i gave simon my digital camera, telling him it was running out of batteries so there would only be time for one snapshot. so as we were getting in our places to take this wondrous photograph, peter steps in front and..click.

there in the background, behind darkjedipete's ginormous head is my group/team/van. right after this picture was taken, my camera ran out of batteries. i don't think we ever did get a picture together.

so peter, on this 21st birthday of yours, while you lay passed out on the futon behind me, i will honor this picture. and you know i'll always be here for you, bro.