Michael Chungkun Chen

Name:	Michael Chungkun Chen
Height:	5' 10" (177.8 cm)
Weight:	220 Lbs (99.7903 kg)
Eye Color:	Brown
Hair Color:	Black

I may not be the first person, or even the last person to say that I am unique, but I strive on being an individual.  I follow no particular religion, yet I follow them all.  Every group preaches their own truths, and when many groups preach the same truth, that truth must then be truer than ones which conflict.  I follow these truths, and I tread through life with the aid of a strong moral compass.  The streams of life are relentless, never slowing down, never going back.  I allow these streams to push me forward through life, and try to gently direct my path the best I can.

My world is the world of computers; modern day technology is my companion for those lonely nights.  My introverted lifestyle thwarts my attempts for companionship.  The busy academic life that has long dedicated my actions, thoughts, and drives is not conducive to relationships.  Whoever will be with me deserves much better than the meager time that I can allot to maintaining a relationship.  So to protect them, I must hold back, until my scholarly days are over and I can support myself.

During my formative years, I was quite alone.  My dad was quite overprotective of me, and my brother came into being after I was alone for nine and a half years.  I led a solitary lifestyle, which left me much time for self-inspection.  When I was old enough to travel to school myself, I had nothing better to do than to think.  It is amazing how quickly time passes while you are heading somewhere and thinking.  Through this unique childhood, I gained much understanding of my self, my desires, my motivations, and my needs.

When I was young my days were filled with programming, mostly for fun, sometimes to satisfy my intense desire to solve a problem.  I even distributed shareware or freeware programs under the company name of Future Enhancements.  Those were the days where school was as hard as breathing, and games were less addictive.  With no internet, and no social life, my choice of hobbies was limited to television or computers.  I did not realize then how lucky I was to choose the computer.  The computer gave me a creative outlet, a tool that I could use to better my mind.  This was a field in which I was all too happy to learn about and be immersed in.

Then college came along; a good hobby was drowned out in a sea of distractions.  Classes required less time on a daily basis; but the isolated secluded environment was replaced by the social dormitory.  A brief taste of the social world set me on a path of being hyper social.  Luckily due to an extreme streak of shyness, the hyper social tendencies balanced out and created an equilibrium.  Along with these social activities, the games on the computer became much better and more addictive, at the same time the internet was at the peak of flourishing.  The two great mind killers, at the same time they are also the keys to expanding the mind.

The mind, human's most powerful ally, yet our most vulnerable part.  I strive to develop my mind to the fullest, and not just restricted to an academic sense either.  Throughout middle school and high school I read about self-hypnosis, hypnosis, meditation, and other various mental abilities.  I wanted to practice them all, after learning much about these states of mind, the notion that they are all very similar became obvious to me.  "Know thy self,” said some famous person, the person matters not to me, but his words are profound.  With self-knowledge we gain much in terms of controlling our own minds.  And with practice, the mind can be trained to become a sharp and precise tool.

Though college was simple enough, the necessity to study was low, and not sleeping though the whole class was an unusual circumstance.  I've met many new friends, and learned many things.  It was here that I began my true journey to better my martial arts, before it was all just going through the motions.  A Saturday routine where I would work various mock situations, movement coordinations, and body conditioning with my sparring partner developed.

After the four years of college passed, it was not enough.  The job market on the outside was in a slump, and I had a guaranteed ticket into graduate school.  So I decide, why not, and here I am.  Classes are finally about the right level so I only sleep in a few lectures, and studying for tests finally isn't a waste of time.

Subjects that interest me include but are not limited to General Math, General Science, Physics, Chemistry, and Trigonometry. These are the subjects that I am good at, while having common everyday applications to my life. Other subjects that I enjoy include Star Trek, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and The Future. Science Fiction movies, books, shows like Star Trek fascinate me because they contain interesting devices and theories on space and time that I enjoy knowing. It all brings the Future closer to me so I enjoy them. I also like Fantasy because of the magic that is described in books. It is fascinating how some authors explain magic, and what these people can do. I guess the power of magic appeals to me.