Paul Shin, O"BM

Two years ago, while in the throes of taking pre-recs for my Master's degree in nutrition, I was forced to take inorganic chemistry. Not that organic chemistry, also required, was any easier. But that's how I met my Koreans. One of those Koreans was Dr. Paul Shin.

Unfortunately, I use the word was because tonight I learned that Dr. Paul passed away. Truly a loss for all human kind.

My story with Paul began in Chemistry I, Los Angeles City College, Summer, 2008. We're talking a semester class condensed to 10 weeks. In other words, a train wreck. That's where my Koreans come in.

Actually, their names are Jim, Albert, Estel (my lab partner), Joanna, Kelly and Dr. Paul Shin. Despite my desire to give up, my Koreans wouldn't let me. They pushed me on, convincing me that I could make it, even to the point of figuring out my class point totals and how well I had to do on the final to pass. They are people I will never forget.

Paul was actually our lab instructor, and since we were the same age, we got each other's jokes. Paul was more like a friend, because he cared.

In fact, he cared enough to write me two letters of recommendation for the internship I applied to twice, and finally got. Paul was the kind of person you could not speak to in years and call up for favor, and it would seem like you spoke to him yesterday.

Well, I'm not going to have that option anymore. Because the man who joined us that summer after the course ended at a karaoke bar just to hang out passed away recently. And I only found out last night because Kelly sent out a facebook announcement to our group to let us know.

G-d has a plan, but in truth, I think He needed Paul's advice. He couldn't have asked a better guy. Rest in peace Paul. My world was truly a better place for you being in it.