About four years ago, I applied for an internship with the city. I remember reading the job description and about a third of a way down, there was a bullet that said the interns are responsible to do routine visit to the sewer pipeline. My skin just started prickling at the words “routing visit”.
I didn’t get the internship probably because of my nervousness and my lack of interviewing skills. Honestly though, the interviewing lady that never smiles will making me anxious. I felt good at the end of the interview but I guess it just wasn’t my destiny to work for the city. I’d tried again two years later, still no luck.
My friend got the internship though but they let her go after a semester. Man, I should’ve asked her, “did you get to look at the sewer?” But it never came up in our conversations.
Anyway, I wouldn’t say I would object if anyone ever needs me to go visit the sewer but I will sure take a lot of precaution (full hazmat suit and everything) because I will never let any skin of mine will ever touch sewage water. But if I have any say in this, no thanks, you can explore the sewage yourself.
I know there are many people who grew up in a household with an established set of rules, probably written on a piece of construction paper on the wall. Continue reading “Breaking the Rules”→
Daily Prompt: You have three hundred words to justify the existence of your favorite person, place, or thing. Failure to convince will result in it vanishing without a trace. Go!
Okay, so last week, I finally finished reading “The Giver” by Lois Lowry. It took me almost three weeks of starting and stopping reading but I finished it. I must admit though, it wasn’t as exciting as the movie but the lesson was well taught. It is about the main character discovering that living in a world of sameness isn’t all that great.
I have to admit, I do see the ups and downs of living in this kind of world where everything is assigned even homes, spouses, and children and everyone is guaranteed a full stomach, clothed, and warm bed.
The downs? No colors and feelings. They simply don’t exist because everyone in the world of sameness was genetically modified to not have those things. Some people for some reason have them though.
I wrote a post I believe last May. When I was writing it, I was sort of complaining about not finding a pretty dress to wear for my Graduation because the colors of my clothes just aren’t really suiting me. So I went on a rant and said I wished our world was lack of color. For one thing, no color means I’ll have an easier time when shopping for clothes. At least I wouldn’t be so torn between choosing from so many different colors.
Anyway, after reading this book, I have come to realize that living in a world of sameness sucks. I mean how can you tell people apart when they are all the same. Sure they don’t look alike but still, no colors, no feelings? I would rather live in a world with colors and feelings. Even with a little struggle, it’s worth it.
I used to be a teacher’s pet with my group of so-call friends back in 6th and 7th grade. Almost everyday at lunch, we’d go chat with our teacher like friends. Then after school, we’d go again to help clean the boards and tidy up the classroom. But then we sort of went our separate ways during 8th grade. Continue reading “Teacher’s Pets”→
Daily Prompt: Tell us how your week went by putting together a playlist of five songs that represent it.
Five songs? I can’t possibly put together a playlist that represented how my week went. One reason being I do not know a song that truly describes everyday of my week. The other is that I feel terribly embarrassed when it comes to sharing the books I am reading, the shows I watch, and the music I like. I’m afraid that if people know I still watch Disney Channel and listen to Disney Kids music (oops), they would laugh at me. Unfortunately, I’ve been watching the mouse network and listening to its music since I’ve arrived in America and I am not going to stop anytime soon.
Anyway, my week had been a total roller coaster, I think. I can’t remember most of it. I remember yesterday though and boy, was I pissed! My mom was urging me to finish the case briefs (which I’ve been doing all week) on the one hand while whining about her job order on the other. I mean how can I possibly concentrate with someone constant shouting and barging in and out my room?
Early yesterday morning, she went to the school to take the first exam for her class. She didn’t come back until around 2 hours later and the second she stepped through the door, she immediately started complaining about the air force dentist extracting two of her molars.
“I didn’t know you were going to the dentist.” I said to her.
“No!” She answered exasperatedly. It turned out her status had been downgrade the day before. She’s in military, you see. Apparently when you’re downgraded, it meant your job was in trouble.
So in order for her to keep her job, she had to get two of her molars extracted at the last second. Ouch!
She told me her molars were rotten, that it was blacker than a plum when they pulled it. Her words, not mine.
The entire afternoon, she was complaining about her toothache. I got to the point that I was so darn frustrated at the sound of her and anyone’s voice. I just want to scream.
Then last night, we attended our last instructor-led training for VITA before I’m set to volunteer next week or maybe even the week after. This morning, we finally got certified to file people’s taxes! I’m so excited!
Oh, I think the biggest thing this week would be today, I have decided to drop my Business Law class. I just cannot handle it. There are just too much homework and with work and volunteering, it’s too overwhelming for me. Also, the teacher is kind of ridiculous. It takes him like a month to answer a single email. And I don’t even think he grade any of my homework!
Yesterday, I got my grade back for my last assignment, he gave me a 50! He said it’s because my assignment had 55% similar when it fact it’s only 16% similar. He looked at my first submission instead of my third. So last night, while I was sleeping restlessly, tossing around thinking of the pile of work I have to do today and I decided. I cannot do it any longer. This simply cannot go on any longer. It’s not really like me but I am giving up.
Two weeks ago, my mom had already asked me to drop and get a full refund but I was too darn optimistic that the class will only get better. Now, I can only get 80% of my money back. Oh well, it’s better than nothing. Ugh, sometimes, I really hate my optimistic spirit.
Oh, and since this prompt is about sharing music, I thought I’d this old favorite of mine. Actually, it’s not that old, I just haven’t listen to it for a long while. Embarrassingly, I have to say it’s teen music, Disney, and kind of hip pop but it’s a positive track unlike most of the music nowadays.
I thought to relive a little of my old simple life, back when I still lived in an apartment and something isn’t constantly needing fixing. As for school, maybe after I dropped my Business Law class, it will free up my time just a little. Then my other classes won’t feel so neglected anymore. I will just have to try again in the fall. I guess just keep moving forward.
May I just say, I am absolutely positively not looking forward to tomorrow. In fact, I wish it would just fly by quickly and Thursday would come. I’d rather go to school than do what I have to do tomorrow. Not only it would take the entire day and it disgusts me a lot. It makes me shiver just talking about it. It’s got that “Ick” factor.
This would be my second year doing it though I don’t know why. My doctor finally called me back last Friday after making me wait anxiously for two days. He said my lab results looked okay except my hormones were a little high. No surprise there. He then told me I have to do a 24-hr urine test.
I was like “What?” Again? “You just told me everything was fine.”
He replied saying he needed to make sure my Calcium wasn’t out of whack. Didn’t it show in the lab results? I saw it. But he kept sticking to his reason, prevention of my hypocalcimia returning.
Anyway, just now on my way home, I stopped by the hospital to pick up my kit. I was a regular customer at the lab and the lab technician took my word that I needed to do this test. She didn’t even look at my lab order to make sure before disappearing to the back to gather the kit. She returned almost 5 minutes later with one of those large white personal belongings bags. Still, I had to make sure I didn’t hear wrong, hopefully, I did and don’t have to do this icky test. Unfortunately, that was what my doctor ordered. I peeked at my lab order and my doctor wrote specifically at the bottom, “24-hr urine test.” UGH! There were a lot of check marks on there also so I have a faint sensation he is doing so much more than just check my Calcium.
So now, the kit sits in my bathroom which I have already told my aunt she has to use the bathroom downstairs tomorrow while I spend the entire day at home doing this yucky test. But I don’t think my aunt has a clue of how the test will be conducted. She’s 4’11”, 80 pounds, and never been the doctor a day in her life. No, she has no clue of how anything works. How lucky is that?!
I feel like I’ve finally accomplished something today. I have completed my assignment that’s due tomorrow after another round of Beat the System. Hopefully, my instructor will settle for a 3% similarities. It’s a different instructor than Business Law.
I’ve also completed the homework that’s due on Wednesday. Finally! Now if I can just finish yet this week’s Business Law homework, I’d be the happiest girl on Earth.
I won’t say much. I began scribbling down an idea that’s been stuck inside me for a few weeks now. I feel like it’s going to burst. I’ve finally finished the character list yet again for the novel I’ve been trying to write for about two years now. This will be my fourth possibly fifth rewrite as well as change of characters. Like most writers say, the first novel is always the hardest. I agree with them completely.
Before I go though, I like to share this photograph I’ve found on pinterest.
Song of the Setting Sun Print by Phil Koch Credit: Pinterest
I spent almost the entire day today doing my case briefs for my business law class. Not an ideal way to spend a Sunday. By the time I can finally exhale a breath, I was at the point when I start swearing.
Oh, it’s not the case briefs that’s frustrating me, in fact, they have become a little easier for me. It’s the originality reports.
I was woken up at 7 am this morning, isn’t that nice, after I finally went to bed at 11:30 pm last night. It turned out my mom needed help because the last case brief was done by me. So she had no clue how to do it.
I went to sleep after that and didn’t open my eyes again until 8:30. I went downstairs and ate something before returning upstairs to work on my own case briefs. It only took me until noon to complete both of them. I was so happy and relieved after I submitted it because I thought I had finally completed my homework and can finally relax and do some blogging.
Unfortunately, right after lunch, I went online and checked the originality report on my assignment. HOLY FREAKING COW!!!
55% similar and I wrote all of it!
The next 4 hours were spent trying to change just about every word on my assignment. I twist each word when I can while trying to retain the meaning of the sentence, intend to do anything to BEAT the damn SYSTEM.
It is ridiculous! We’re doing a case brief, for god sake! The titles have to be the same. After all, the decision of the case didn’t come out yesterday and I am not the first one to do case brief on this specific case. The names of the cases cannot be original. It can NEVER be original.
I think the need to use this program is stupid but at the same time, it wouldn’t have so many similarities if my mom hadn’t turned in the exact same case just last week. Apparently neither of us read the instructions and we were just supposed to submit one of three cases. Well my mom submitted all three. If she had just ignored me and read the instructions, this wouldn’t had happened. Sometimes I hate her for whining that she doesn’t have enough time to double-check.
Anyway, I basically had to rewrite my case briefs, going over every sentence that was caught in the originality report. It was such a pain to search for fitting synonyms and rewrite each sentence. Eventually, after two more tries, I finally did it. I went from 55% to 49% to 16%. I am happy with 16% since 10% came from my mom’s paper which I co-wrote.
I enjoy writing and I enjoy puzzles but sitting in this seat all day doing this? Trying to satisfy the originality report? It’s not my kind of enjoyment especially when I never even been to these websites that the system is “accusing” me of copying my materials from.
I mean, the case name is Griswold v. Connecticut, it will be this name forever, you simply can’t count 10% against me for using the same title. There is no such thing as originality when doing case briefs for landmark supreme court cases!
Oh and by the way, does this satisfy today’s prompt? I think it does.
This may look like it was written when I’m half awake because I was exhausted yesterday. I am exhausted today. I really really really need to sleep.
I spent half of yesterday morning trying to search for answers in my oh-so-vague business law book. Guess that’s the result of having a CPA write a law book.
That book has to be the worst textbook ever written. The answers to the questions at the end of the chapter are not even in the book. I had to google it and look in five or six websites before I even find the answers.
Let’s not forget to mention each clause of the Constitution are so vaguely explained that after I read it, I am scratching my head going what the heck does that supposed to mean? Oh and have I mention how much I have come to hate the wording of the Constitution? No wonder people break laws, no one can understand what it means. Even the Supreme Court justices have arguments over the interpretation of the meaning.
Before the semester began, I thought it would be fun studying all those landmark cases since I enjoy history and all but now it feels it feels, oh, I can’t even find the words to describe it. I still have two case briefs that’s due tomorrow as well as I have to take three chapter quizzes. In three words, I am miserable. 😦
Yeah, I know what I’ve said about how my semester is looking bright, yadi yada, but this business law class is just driving me insane. The material, the pile of homework, it’s just beyond crazy!
Anyway, back to yesterday. I spent the remainder of the morning working on my cost accounting assignment, now that’s a piece of cake. I finished it in a jiffy. After lunch, I returned to my room, attempting to write something but I was interrupted by my mom dragging me out to shop the second I finished my story for Friday Fictioneers. She said I needed the exercise and walking around the base exchange was classified as exercise.
At least I hit jackpot and finally scored myself two pairs of jeans, 🙂 which it’s still sitting in a bag by my door. I haven’t had time to hang it since the five minutes after I came home, I was busy finishing tagging my post to be published.
Then just as I was getting ready to hang my new pants, I had to leave again, this time, to school. I am volunteering for Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) next month and I need to get my certification in order to be qualified to help people file their taxes.
My mom wanted to get her certification too. So she tagged along.
Oh my gosh, do you know how annoying it was? She was always steps behind the instructor and asking me for help. Then I ended steps behind too.
Thank god at least I’ve used this program once before and I still remember what I’ve learned from my taxation class but her mind seemed as if it was blank. So many times during the night, I wanted to get up and yell in her face, “Why don’t you look up at the screen and see what the instructor is doing?”
I know it’s wrong but I’m getting this certification to volunteer, to earn my service hours. Meanwhile, she’s just doing it for the fun of it. If I do something wrong, I have a big risk. I have to get the experience to find a job. Meanwhile, she doesn’t need to worry about this risk.
Anyway, I was exhausted by the time I got home. My mom was suggesting we do the three quizzes but I was like NO WAY, I have to sleep. I was to get up before six this morning to take my annoying cousin to take his TOEFL exam this morning AGAIN.
I am exhausted and I want to sleep. Unfortunately, that won’t be possible since my homework is piling up and I just gulped down a large cup of cappuccino. Besides, I have to go pick up my cousin soon. Now, I just hope I can get a grip on this business law class and then hopefully, all will be right in the world.
I went on a camping trip for three days and two nights during the summer between 6th and 7th grade. It was fun and not fun as I pointed in this little walk through my adventures.
The fun? We got to go to all these cool and amazing places. The not fun? 3 minutes cold showers and the constant teasing by my camp-mates and the camp counselors couldn’t do anything about it.
I didn’t quite enjoy the telling ghost stories around the bonfire either. The log wasn’t comfortable and not a fan of burnt marshmallows. Also the night was still chilly even with the fire burning in the middle.
That’s why if I want to have a long chat with someone, I would definitely not do it around a fire. If I am to have that long chat, I have no idea who, surprise me, I don’t care, I would most definitely choose some place comfortable and indoor, preferably some place with couches.
I do a lot yet I also do very little in those 30 minutes after I awaken from my long 6-10 hours slumber and none of those thing will ensure my day is off on the right foot. Continue reading “To Start the Day…”→
Last week was both a great week and a bad week for me. First the new semester began and that came with a lot homework and reading. Continue reading “Imagination Recharged”→
“Do all of your assignment with pencil on paper.” That’s what all the instructors said on the first day class.
When I was working on my undergraduate degree, we were not allowed to type our homework, except for the communication class when we were required to type our reports. Well, frankly, if we were to write our reports by hand, it would take forever and by the time we finish, our hands might be in some serious pain.
Even now, I write all my notes by hand on my tablet instead of typing them in Microsoft OneNote. I enjoy writing my notes by hands because it just feels so much faster especially when the class involves drawing tables and graphs.
Still, that doesn’t stop me from imagining what the world would be like if we were to go back to pre-keyboard era which would be before the 1860’s when the typewriter was invented. Technically, typewriters count as keyboards. They have keys and the paper is the screen.
I guess without the keyboard’s existence, I might be dipping pens, pencils probably existed but maybe only special people used ’em. Maybe clumsy people like me might not even have pens but just wooden sticks to write in the sand so we don’t get ink all over our dresses.
This semester, I found out I have to type all my assignments! Honestly, I rather prefer to go back to the pencil and paper days. At least I won’t have to stare at a screen the entire day. I mean, it’s killing my eyes! I find myself to have to zoom in to 150% this morning just to read this Supreme Court Case (Brown v. Board of Education) for my Business Law assignment and the font wasn’t even that small. The words just looked so blurry and tiny to me.
Daily Prompt: Do you have a good friend or close relative with whom you disagree on a major issue (political, personal, cultural)? What’s the issue, and how do you make the relationship work?
Do I?
My 17-year-old cousin, the one who’s living in the basement, who’s eating all the food, contradicts just about everything. The way he argues about everything just makes me dislike him even more.
The worst part? My aunt stands with him. It’s ridiculous!
So I stopped talking to him but sometimes, even when I’m not talking to him, he had to jump in. Like on the day when we took the trip to Morgan, before we hit the highway, my mom had to stop by the Air Force Base to pick up her prescription. The three of us waited in the car.
Anyway, my aunt was begging me to take her to City Creek Mall which I did. She was talking about buying souvenirs and I started telling about when I took my former boss’s wife to the mall late 2013. I told about how she purchased over $200 worth of environment friendly soaps without blinking just because her daughter said it was good stuff. I also told about the tea shop next to the environment friendly soap store, how a few ounces of tea leaves cost $40.
“It’s so ridiculously expensive. I don’t think I’d waste my own money on tea.” I said.
The normal response, I think, would be, “I have to agree, money is hard to come by and you worked hard to earn that. It’s good for you to save.”
Instead, my cousin piped up, “You can’t be like that. When you want it, you’ll be willing to spend to get it.”
“Unfortunately,” I replied, “I will never have the heart to spend so much for food.”
He sighed, “Well, then that proves you’re cheap.” Can you believe that? He flat out and called me cheap! Least to say, I spent the remainder of the trip irritated.
Next Saturday, I’m supposed to spend the day shuttling him again from home to the testing center and home again. I don’t even want to do it but as usual, I’m the only one that know how to get there.
One more month and he’ll gone. One more month and I’ll no longer have to hide food in my room.
I still cannot believe I’m hiding mentos and butterscotch candies in my room. It’s not like I’m going to eat it all.
I just spent almost the entire day doing homework and studying for the two pre-lecture quizzes for tomorrow only to find out one of my teachers had delayed the quiz to Tuesday. I finished my homework though, finally. Continue reading “It’s Crazy…”→
Well, I just had another adventurous day, this time, not on the road but on the sidewalk. Apparently, the university had decided to clean the parking lots but not the walkways. There was like a layer of ice in front of every building. It took me forever to get to my class.
I was surprised that despite the ice and slippery conditions, some people decided to wear their flats and high heels to school. Well, I would like to wish them good luck. Then again, I bet no one is as clumsy as I am.
Anyway, before I left this morning, I opened my browser and had a quick look at the prompt. Honestly, I thought it was worse than yesterday’s. But whatever, I need some inspiration.
My keyword for the google image search is “LANDSCAPE” and here’s the eleventh image.
This is beautiful, isn’t it? According to google, this is a painting of sunset in Montreal, Canada.
“LANDSCAPE” is often my search word in google because when it’s so gloomy and cloudy and the weather’s yucky outside, my inspiration meter would plunge and looking at beautiful painting or photo of somewhere tend to be able to squeeze something out of me.
You know, after going to my new classes today, I think I will look forward to this semester and this year. It’s looking bright.
I had such a busy morning and a nerve-wrecking drive JUST to pick up my paycheck. But I’m home now and alright. Whew!
I feel both grateful and angry that the storm chose to ignore the city I’m residing in. It’s completely ridiculous! The moment I left the city on the Freeway this city, rain began pouring harder, much harder.
When I’ve already gone 10 miles, I had this terrifying urge to turn around and go home, to call the office and tell them to forget it, I am not driving in this dangerous condition. But then, my stubbornness kicked in and I hate to do thing halfway. Besides, I kind of need the money to cover my books and credit cards especially with that $3200 tuition, I need it now more than ever.
Finally, about an hour later, I made it to the office. In and out of that office in less than 5 minutes and then it was time to go home. Yikes!
The drive back, that’s scary. I am not sure whether it was the road material or the road was flooded, I couldn’t tell but my car made this funny whooshing noise and it skidded TWICE even with winter tires. Thank god for no traffic, otherwise I’d be in trouble.
It was terrifying. After that, my chest began to pound. I was almost praying, hoping that the story I wrote over the weekend wouldn’t come true. It cannot come true and it better not come true.
I made it home and had to immediately make some lunch, to calm my nerves but I’m just happy I’m okay. I’m just so glad I only have Tuesdays and Thursdays classes this semester and then I don’t have to face so much bad weather.
I feel like today is going especially slow. I don’t know why. Last night, after suffering from a stomachache all night, I went to bed only to find myself sleeping and waking up repeatedly through the night and finding myself at a different place on the bed every time.
It’s weird, right? I wonder if I should be worried. Nah, maybe I’m having a strange week, that’s all. Maybe just some pre-semester jitters.
My aunt is currently downstairs cleaning the floors while I was supposed to wash my mom’s car. That’s not going to happen.
Outside is dark and cloudy again and it’s freezing cold, only 39°F. I thought there’s not supposed to be a storm for the next 7 days. The weatherman lied, wouldn’t be the first time. I checked the weather and it’s supposed to snow and rain on Monday. How am I supposed to go to Salt Lake City to pick up my paycheck?
On the bright side, after almost a month, I finally sold my mom’s statistics book and after two days, I finally applied for that summer audit position at American Express. I’m crossing my fingers and hope the HR will return my email soon, preferably Monday, and give me an interview. Until then, all I can do is cross my finger and not jinx it.
I finally finished this month’s work last night. I am so happy I get to relax and decompress during these last few days before the semester officially begins again.
Now I know I’ve complained about my work often because it’s so bored. I just sit at my computers translating stuff. Is that boring or what? So to take away the dullness, I decided to scour through my CD collection and listen to songs I haven’t listened to for at least the past 5 years.
When my stereo was still in the basement, I used to go down there and sing along to all the song I know. This week, I decided to do the same thing. That’s why I am so amazed. I still remember the words. All of them. It’s like when I want to sing along, the words just flows perfectly out of my lips and I heard these songs forever ago.
I don’t know how I do that because if you ask me to repeat it back to you, I cannot but when the music plays, I can sing the lyrics perfectly.
It was a cold and snowy night. I can still remember this night horribly well because it was most likely the first time when I spent the whole drive home praying that I wouldn’t get into an accident.
Daily Prompt: If you could choose to be a master (or mistress) of any skill in the world, which skill would you pick?
If I can pick to be the master of any skill in the world, I would pick the Master of Words. I would always know the right things to say.
Those of you who are frequent readers of my blogs probably notice that I rarely comment on any posts. I usually just click “like” and that’s it. That’s because I’m afraid of saying the wrong words and offending somebody which is what my mom often says when she brings me to meet somebody.
In fact, I think that’s how all my friendship ends, either by my mom’s disapproval or my words.
She often tells me the thing I say embarrasses her, that it’s inappropriate, childish, and whiny. Honestly though, that’s the way I speak. I cannot change my voice. So eventually, I just stopped talking. Just don’t really say much in general. I mean, what’s the point?
So, if I am the Master of Words, I’d know what to say at all times, meeting my mom’s friends, at job interviews, anywhere. Oh, and if this mastering thing can add in some voice and tone adjustments like Donald Duck in Donald’s Dream Voice, make my voice sound less whiny and childish and more adult-like, I’d be all in.
shows I watch, and the music I like. I’m afraid that if people know I still watch Disney Channel and listen to Disney Kids music (oops), they would laugh at me. Unfortunately, I’ve been watching the mouse network and listening to its music since I’ve arrived in America and I am not going to stop anytime soon.
This is Another Story 