Good Sunday afternoon! Thank you for joining me. Come on in for some cold drinks since it’s almost 70°F (21°C)! After the long cold winter, this is hot.

If we were having drinks, I would tell you this is my first of two weekends alone. My mom is in China until the end of the month. Last weekend, I was super excited, I thought I was going to be free to do what I want. Who would’ve thought I would be stuck at home all week waiting for phone calls all week?

The first two days was tough. My mom would intermittently call to check on me, pretending to ask me questions, and if I didn’t answer the call quick enough, she would then leave a message in an annoyed tone.

If we were having cold drinks, I would tell you about my good news. My temp agency called me earlier this week and told me about a position opening for accounting associate at a biomedical research facility. He said the CFO needed someone quick. At first, I was pacing back and forth, debating whether I should take it. It’s part-time and all the way in Salt Lake City.

In the end, I decided to proceed. What do I got to lose? After all, the potential employers so far had rejected me probably based on my stutter and look.

And guess what? I got the job! And I start on Tuesday!

Okay, I am very nervous now. The CFO said the hours were flexible, meaning as long as I complete my tasks and 20-25 hours per week, I’ll be fine. I sure hope this job is better than the last one. The CFO and the office manager seemed like nice people and no one in that office spoke Chinese or asked me to change my name, so that’s good.

If we were having cold drinks, I would tell you I’m in pain at the moment. I joined a group of people and went hiking yesterday. I went up a new trail called Flag Rock. The flag is there to commemorate the emergency personnel who perished on 9/11. I had no problem hiking up. It was hiking down I encountered my mishaps.

I couldn’t believe how dumb I was yesterday. I should’ve worn my hiking boots no matter what. I didn’t wear them because they’re too heavy and my pinkie toes tend to be squished inside them when I walk too long and it hurts. I also should’ve brought my hiking stick. I didn’t realize I forgot them until I arrived at the parking lot.

Anyway, coming down from Flag Rock, the trail was steep, sometimes it was at a 30-degree-angle not to mention the rocks and sand on the path which did not make things easier. I ended up taking not one, not two, but three stumbles. The second and third stumble really hurt. I almost rolled off the mountain on my third fall. Thankfully, I did not, thanks for three fellow hikers from my group grabbing the straps of my backpack while I grabbed a handful of grass.

Thankfully, I didn’t break anything. I just have a few scratches, bruises, and a very sore bottom.

Lastly, if we were having drinks, I would thank you for joining this weekend and hope to see you again next weekend. Before we part, below are the feature images for this week’s A-Z Challenge. My theme is Photo + Story, a feature photo accompanied by a story. The theme this week has been centered around my trips to China.

You can click here to read all the A-Z posts so far. 

Do you have a favorite? Choose 3 from the poll below!