The mystery I may never solve and I may never forget it… Continue reading “The Paintbrushes”
Tag: China
Welcome to My Ever-changing Hometown
Today’s prompt is kind of a tricky one to write. Continue reading “Welcome to My Ever-changing Hometown”
Off to a Painful Start
Happy Chinese New Year!!!
Well, technically, it’s still eve here in the U.S.. In China, it’s Chinese New Year. This year is the year of the goat and I was born in the year of goat. As I mentioned in previous posts, my mom said I’m bound to be unlucky this year and guess what, I’m off to a painful start already. This morning, I was woke by a sharp pain in my back. Not again! Continue reading “Off to a Painful Start”
A Golden Key
I didn’t post yesterday and I am procrastinating on the one I am writing today. I don’t know why but with three exams this week and I haven’t really studied for any of them (I guess I just don’t feel like it), I am not really feeling inspired.
Besides if I was given a golden key, the place I want it to open isn’t really a place, it’s just a figment of my imagination. That place is my aunt’s brain.
My aunt has three stuffed tigers, a large one that’s currently occupying a seat on the reclining couch in the living room and two little ones that’s resting on her bed. She treats them like a real person which is creepy to some people. She doesn’t want anyone touching it and she’s always fears it might be cold so she’s always covering it with a blanket.
I remember the first time she came to visit us, she came out of the airport carrying a tiger backpack. At first I was like what??? I felt a bit weird walking the street with someone that’s eighteen years older than me, yet smaller than me and carrying such a childish backpack.
After she left, my mother called home to her sister and asked what was the deal with the tiger backpack. It turned out because her long-time boyfriend who passed away a few years back was born in the year of the tiger. So carrying that backpack was her way of being with him.
After that, I felt sad for my aunt but at the same time, a little creep out. I felt sad because the family was making fun of her when they should be supporting her. Some people just don’t know what’s like to lose someone they love. My aunt buying stuffed tigers is her way to cope.
So if there’s a key (figuratively speaking) that can unlock my aunt’s mind, I can enter that tall forbidden tower and help my aunt to possibly cope with the loss of her love.
Imaginary Friends
Today’s Daily Prompt says, “Many of us had imaginary friends as young children. If your imaginary friend grew up alongside you, what would his/her/its life be like today? (Didn’t have one? write about a non-imaginary friend you haven’t seen since childhood.)”
Ah, imaginary friends. I cannot remember if I ever had one. Oh wait, yes, I did, when I was in elementary school when kids and even teachers used to pick on me because they thought everything about me was below average. I don’t remember her name though but based on my judgement, it’s most likely my imaginary friend was nameless. I never bothered to give it a name.
I was lonely when I was in elementary school in China. I was often by myself, no one talked to me and I hardly have any social skills. Even after I was made English group leader (which was a big deal), I was a nobody. So it’s no surprise I have an imaginary friend.
Even though, I was the one who talked most of the time (obviously), it was great to have someone to talk to, to tell about the things that are troubling me. I don’t remember what she looked like though, because my imagination is always changing and so did my imaginary friends, but I think it was my imaginary friends that kept me company through the years between after my mom came to the U.S. and before I joined her in the U.S. Otherwise, I would’ve gone depressed and crazy what with the judgmental people at school picking on me as well as those summers that I had to spend it with my grandparents.
A Break from Criticism
One of the great things I’ve found out about having my aunt and cousin here is that they can take some of the pressure off of my shoulder. Continue reading “A Break from Criticism”
Just Say It!
What a long day! I just got home from a long day of shopping for clothes and food. Continue reading “Just Say It!”
If I meet my extended family…
In the past week, I’ve managed to learn something new about my extended family. It turns out I have a bunch more of family in China, more than I’ve ever known (grandparents, aunts, uncles).
Anyway, for as long as I could remember, I’ve always been the second oldest among my cousins that is until mom told me a couple days ago about an older cousin whom I’ve never known about in China. Now, I maybe third eldest or the forth or the fifth… Whoever knows.
I had to asked, “How much more family do I have?”
She chuckled, “More than you know.”
“Well, then the next time I go back, remind me to have them sit in one room and everyone will introduce themselves.”
If I am to meet all of them, my entire clan, for the first time today and I assume today means the present, some time in the 21st century and not some time in the 1900’s, that is exactly what I am going to do. I am going to sit them all in a giant circle, the eldest shall sit directly across from me while from there on, the circle shall go in a counter-clockwise direction with age like the second eldest would sit to the left of the eldest and it goes on. Then we’ll go around the circle introducing each other.
I am sure that is the strangest way they have ever encountered to introduce themselves, after all, why would they need to? They know each other. Unfortunately I don’t know them, so we’ll do it my way. Wait, would I be known as the family’s weirdo after that? I bet I will but I am sure some of my many cousins will have my back. So I’ll probably have a posse. 🙂
Information and Common Sense
Today’s Daily Prompt asks whether I agree with this statement: “Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense.” — Gertrude Stein Continue reading “Information and Common Sense”
Royal Descendant
Up until now, I don’t really know that much about my roots. Even with an extensive search on the internet, the closest thing I got was what mom told me. She told me once that her mother was a descendant of a princess when China still had empire, empress, etc. So you can say, I am a descendant of a royal. 😛
I am not sure how the story of the princess went. I’ve never did a search on that but from what mom told me, she ended up marrying a commoner and then she was royal no more. To be honest, I am kind of glad that there’s no such thing as “royals” in China anymore because if the princess did not marry a commoner, I would still be royal. And that’s bad? You ask. How?
I probably wouldn’t be able to stand the isolation and publicity. Sure, I would be living in a palace but I would be isolated within the walls. Also, nosy people and photographers would be lined outside eager to get the details of my life.
So if you ask me if I rather be the heir of the throne or off-the-hook sibling, I would choose neither. Yeah, it’s great and all, getting all this public attention but I would not be able to be myself. Everything I say and do would be judged. Plus, I would have a much hectic life than what I have now and I am not cut out for hectic. So thanks but no thanks. I would rather be an ordinary nobody.
No Mirror?
I woke up this morning, back still sore from running around yesterday but at least I am feeling better than yesterday. Mom wants to drag me to look at new cars with her but I am like no way in hell. Besides, it’s not for me, it’s for her sister. Why should I care?
Also, what’s wrong with buying a less expensive used car? But no, they don’t like used cars. They want everything to be brand new. Is this a new thing for Chinese people or is it just my family? I have no clue. For all I know, everything has to be new for them. No used or secondhand.
The cruel thing is that mom wanted to use my name to purchase the car. She wanted me to get the loan so I could build credit. It’s a big responsibility to bear. Work an unstable job plus school, I don’t think I can afford it. At the moment, I can’t even afford the down payment. I told her, “You can buy whatever you want, just don’t drag me down with you.”
So now, she’s gone to browse and I can finally blog. I gave the daily prompt a gander earlier today and I found it interesting and I can relate. Ever since I got my braces, I found myself staring into the mirror more often than before I got braces. It’s mainly to check my teeth to make sure that it’s all well. I don’t want my teeth to look like the picture my orthodontist showed me that day after I got braces.
“Brush often.” He told me and handed me a brochure. I flipped it to the back and there was a picture of perfect teeth and then there’s one that looked like my step-dad’s teeth, black, rotten, and yucky. I winced. Ever since then, I’ve been brushing regularly and checking my teeth in the mirror to make sure my teeth didn’t end up like that nasty picture (I don’t want to show you, fear it might cause some nightmares).
I don’t use the mirror just to look at my teeth, I use the mirror to see my face. Otherwise, how am I supposed to know where to put my acne medication? Other than that, I don’t really like to look at mirror especially of late because a zit by my right eye has become infected and I look like someone with a giant mole.
Anyway, back to the prompt, if I woke up one day to a world without mirror, it would definitely have some effects on me. Like, I have no idea whether my shirt is on correctly, I don’t want to be walking around with one end of the shirt handing down my shoulder. On the other hand, when I brush my teeth, I won’t have any idea if something is stuck in my teeth. Worst of all, the only perspective of myself I’m going to get is through other people’s eyes and not my own.
Ah, now I get to do some stuff of my own. 🙂
First Days
As a kid, I dreaded going to school on the first day. Even now, that dread is still there. Continue reading “First Days”
Top favorite drinks but not signature
I have three favorite drinks but I don’t have a signature drink. I tried to replicate my favorite drinks a few times to tweak it to make it my own but it was never successful. I guess I don’t have a gift for making drinks. Either that or you can only make it using professional grade blender and not my cheap $20 blender.
I should probably tell about my favorite drinks and why I can’t replicate them. My ultimate top of the list drink is the Boba milk tea. I’ve only had it twice, once in China and once in Oakland, California. I tell you, it is the best thing I have ever drunk. I will never forget it. I have never seen the process in making this delicious drink but my mom has when she worked in a restaurant. She told me it involves a lot of hard work to get that tapioca just right and you need special machine to do it. Also the calories for this drink happens to be horrendous, so I don’t want to drink too much.
My next favorite drink is milkshake. I think everybody knows what is in a milkshake, ice cream and milk blended together in creamy goodness. I first fell in love with this drink when my step-grandmother bought it for me at Burger King. It instantly became my favorite drink, that is before I rediscovered the deliciousness of Boba. Then every Sunday, right after church when my step-grandparents, step-dad, and I go to Burger King to get our usual Sunday meal (me, fish sandwich), I would also order a milkshake.
The hazard of milkshake, though, is the calories. After I learned the enormous calories and my eyes popped open at the number, I quit drinking it but it remained as one of my favorite drinks. I tried to make it a few times but it was a big failure because it turns out, it doesn’t work if there are nuts in the ice cream and that is the only kind my mom buys.
Last but not least, fruit smoothie. I consider this drink to be the healthy alternative to the milkshake. It’s got fruit. It’s got yogurt. It’s got juice. My favorite place to get smoothie is Ben and Jerry. Yes, the ice cream shop but their signature smoothies are out of this world. I made it myself a couple times but it was so watery and everything tasted wrong. Don’t get me started about mom’s smoothie. She doesn’t like cold drinks so she uses room temperature water instead of juice. Room temperature water, yuck. Plus she puts all kinds of weird things in there that I can’t even mention on here.
Although I am regularly on some kind of diet, I still do like to enjoy some of my favorite drinks once in a while.
The Familiar Stranger
Have you ever look back at a photo and go, hmm, I know that person. But in fact, you don’t really know that person at all other than the person’s name. As I sit here at my desk, eating yogurt at 8 in the morning and browsing through my pictures, I came across this photo.
It was shot two years ago in Las Vegas, the last time I went on a road trip. You see the kid in the black and white jacket behind me? That’s my cousin, not the one that’s coming next month but the cousin I was living with before I immigrated to the U.S.
I call him Sam and he’s 18. That was the first time I saw him since my visit to China in 2005 and probably, it’ll be the last time for a while unless I decide to go back to get my teeth fixed. He will be starting college this year.
I don’t really know that much about him. His favorite food, color, etc. I never asked him about it when he was little. So other than his name, age, and that he’s my cousin and soccer and phone addict, he’s just another relative I have absolutely no knowledge. This practically makes him a stranger, acquaintance tops.
He came along with his parents to visit two summers ago. When he walked out of the airport, I didn’t recognize him at all and I didn’t until I looked closer at his facial feature that I saw the resemblance from the little boy I grew up with.
It was like looking at a complete stranger. I guess I was just hoping he was the same little boy that enjoyed playing chess and poking fun at his older cousin but I kept forgetting that not everyone is like me, forever the same. That’s the problem with living on two different continents, I missed so much of my family growing up.
A Curious Tale For a Saturday
It is very hard to sleep in sometime even when I’m given the chance. This morning, I woke up to loud laughs and shouts downstairs. Continue reading “A Curious Tale For a Saturday”
Throwback Thursday: Marbles and Chopsticks
When I was young, I remember my aunt used to keep bags of marbles lying around. My cousin and I love playing with them but the marbles in the bags would gradually become less and less and then it’ll be completely gone. Continue reading “Throwback Thursday: Marbles and Chopsticks”
Throwback Thursday: Cloudy with a chance of Reconciliation and Cash?
You ever hear someone say, “you took the risk and it paid off”? Continue reading “Throwback Thursday: Cloudy with a chance of Reconciliation and Cash?”
Weird Chinese Dinner Table Rules
Everyone has probably been to a Chinese restaurant or got a glimpse of how Chinese people eat through watching movie, TV shows, etc., right? Continue reading “Weird Chinese Dinner Table Rules”
Hiding behind the curtain
My aunt and uncle were TV maniacs. I remembered Continue reading “Hiding behind the curtain”
Grand Visions, Epic Preparations, and Sheer Disappointments
I remember as a student in China, when the teacher told us that some important person was coming to the school, I would first feel this strange tingle. Continue reading “Grand Visions, Epic Preparations, and Sheer Disappointments”
In 90 days…
In 90 days comes the day I dread. September 16 will be the end of the two-some life, just me and my mom because we are adding two more members to the family. Well, maybe four but I’m hoping not. Continue reading “In 90 days…”
Morally Degrading Teens and Internet Addicts
For over a decade I’ve lived in the United States, I spoke English, read English, did everything that normal American teens and young adults did. Up until I took the job to be an English-as-a-second-language (ESL) tutor at a private school two years ago, I had no idea just how different Chinese teens were. Continue reading “Morally Degrading Teens and Internet Addicts”
Flashback Thursday: An Unforgettable Incident and Broken Promise
Ever had a traumatic incident that just changes your life? Create new fears like knives, bikes or cars? How about never trusting when someone say “I’ll get you an ice cream. I promise.” and then nothing, not even a good job or you’re so courageous? Continue reading “Flashback Thursday: An Unforgettable Incident and Broken Promise”
