The Barter System


If the world changed its system, from monetary to non-monetary (barter), I think it might either make the world a whole lot better or a whole lot worse. Wars can start because of bad service or people not fulfilling their promises.

This system might actually get people to stop thinking about money.  Maybe it’s just me but I feel like it’s all anyone care about these days. Money money money. Do you disagree with me?

I mean, people spend all their time working for money. Some of those people is me, girl who works two jobs. Where do the money go after we work? Taxes, luxury goods, so on. Almost 50% of mine happen to go to taxes. Darn you government for taxing single people.

If the world works on a bartering system, it might get people to focus on necessity instead of luxury. Like service for a house or food for food. Wouldn’t that make the world better? I think countries might even not be in so much debt.186232_waldflieger_barter-system

I have to admit, I didn’t know about the bartering system until I took an economic class last summer. I don’t even know what the word barter meant. But once I began reading about it, I was fascinated by it. I thought why can’t we initiate such system again? I say again because there had been numerous bartering systems in ancient times. There are probably still some markets around the world with a bartering system. Now, those people will do fine if the world worked on a bartering system.

Who knows, I might be successful under this system. I know how to do plenty of things. I might not be good at it but I know why does it matter? On the other hand, there are some chances I can fail. Dissatisfaction of service? It wouldn’t be the first time.

#AtoZChallenge – U For Update


This morning, I woke up to something horrific! The time on my alarm clock read 3:10. I jolted up like I’ve just been zapped with a thousand volts of electricity. Is this a dream? I often have dreams about being late for school. Did I just slept the entire day? Why didn’t anyone wake me? Is this like a parallel universe or something?

Anxiously, I reached for the useless cell phone which I only use for the alarm function. I pressed a random button and the screen lit up. 7:55. I relaxed a little and peeked at the other alarm clock on top of the dresser next to me. It was flashing and immediately, I knew what it meant. It meant we lost power during the night.

Just then my mom barged into my room. “Did we lose power?” I asked.

“Did we?” She replied, clueless.

“Uh, my clocks are flashing.”

“I just know we lost the internet.” How does she know that, I wonder? Because if the internet was out when the power went out, then when the power came back on, so should the internet and in minutes. Does this mean she was up in the middle of the night?

I still haven’t reset my clocks yet, maybe later. I just came home a few hours ago after sitting in the testing center for three hours taking an exam about a book with concepts that feels way out of time. It’s a textbook novel about the evolution of cost accounting in a hospital setting. I hope I did well. I still have three more exams before I’m officially done with this semester.

I came home, almost 1 pm, hands shaking and stomach growling. I asked my mom if she’d eaten yet (being thoughtful). She said yeah and told me to eat all the leftover beef. I looked at the bowl of leftover beef. “It’s too much. I can’t eat it all.”

“Then make some noodle for me.”

“I thought you’ve eaten.”

“But I’m not full.”

I threw in an extra ramen and when I was so close to be done, she came downstairs, frustrated. She had just texted her tenant about the air conditioning tuneup appointment she had made for them all by herself. “Put some lettuce in there. We have so much.”

I paused cooking and became irritated. Don’t get angry, don’t get angry. I told myself. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “I just want this done. I want to eat.” I said with clenched teeth.

“Fine whatever. Too much, you complain, not enough, you complain.” I took a few more super deep breaths, convinced myself to ignore her.

After the beef was done, I just poured them with the noodles. I sat at the end of the counter and ate my lunch silently. I was in no mood to make conversation, although I had no idea why. The moment I finished cleaning everything up, I bolted for my room. I sat at the computer, wanted to start studying for the next exam but my brain was fried. I had no idea what to write for anything let alone the A to Z challenge. So I spent the afternoon catching up on TV shows.

Now, I think I’m ready to get back to work and study for the next exam now. Anyway, just a quick update. 🙂

Hot and Spicy? No Thank you.


Daily Prompt: Do you love hot and spicy foods or do you avoid them for fear of what tomorrow might bring? Continue reading “Hot and Spicy? No Thank you.”

#AtoZChallenge – S/T For San Francisco/Turtles


I’m combining S and T so I don’t have to write another post.  Continue reading “#AtoZChallenge – S/T For San Francisco/Turtles”

Currently Reading…


The Millionaire Next Door. It’s not a fun book to read, although some parts are part, when the authors write scenarios. Some of the scenarios, I have to admit are pretty funny yet realistic.

I’m not reading this book for fun. It’s for that book report for my cost accounting class and until I finish with that book report, I cannot read anything else which I’m dying to. There are so many books in my digital library. They are crying “read me, read me!” It just makes me want to scream.

The book is essentially the results from the research of which the authors has conducted to prove millionaire don’t live a luxurious life. They don’t have expensive clothes, expensive cars, or even expensive houses. They live in middle class neighborhoods and drive batter old cars. Hell, they are not even millionaires, not unless they liquidated all their assets. Apparently, the millionaires in the book don’t actually make a-million-dollar a year. Apparently, their net worth exceeds a-million-dollars and that’s what makes them millionaires.

Okay, I guess even dumbbells know that unless you’re a star or a professional sports celebrity, you’ll make less than a million. I also learned some new terms like under accumulator of wealth (UAW) or prodigious accumulator of wealth (PAW). Probably most of us all UAW because we like to spend money unlike the frugal PAWs which makes them millionaires.

Anyway, I think the bottom takeaway point of this redundant and boring book is by investing instead of spending, it’s possible we can go from UAW to PAW and probably become millionaires. Frankly, I can write on and on about the spending habits but I’m out of words for this darn strict prompt.

Thanks for reading. 🙂

#AtoZChallenge – R For Reminder/Ranch


There are so many words for R. Therefore I’m going to throw out two from the top of my head. Just now, while I waited for my lunch to finish cooking in the microwave, my eyes landed on the calendar. I’ve been very fuzzy lately and often forget the date. I know what day it is, just can’t remember the date. So when my eyes landed on the calendar, I thought it was weird. An eye exam? Today? Oh no!

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The eye exam isn’t for me, it’s mom’s. Gosh I cross my fingers to hope she remembered. If she misses the appointment, it will be all my fault and I will be in such big trouble. I’m already in big trouble last night for not calling her immediately the insurance company never put my old car back onto the insurance policy last October.

You see, that’s a downside of not having a cell phone. I don’t know where she works nowadays and have no clue if she checks the texts and I hate texting, did I mention that? Anyway, if she checks it, great, but if she doesn’t, it’ll still be my fault for not taking the aggressive approach to inquire the insurance agent. In another word, scream at the agent.

Therefore, if I screw up again today, I don’t know what will happen to me. I’m scare which brings me to the second word, ranch. If I can get away now, I will probably go to a ranch. After all, a lot of fugitives (joking, maybe) have known to hide out in ranches. Hey, I’m a fugitive, a fugitive of an emotionally abusive mother. Isn’t that reason enough?

I want to go to a ranch because of the vast space. Acres and acres of grass and land. No burning hot asphalt and certainly no pavement. I would love that. Wait doesn’t everybody?

Source: Pixabay
Source: Pixabay

Temporary Home


No one was fated to spend a life in such a small space, especially not these brothers, just barely getting by, dependent on its caretakers to feed and bathe them. The book, Temporary Home, chronicles the brothers’ daily life and reading their story will bring you to tears.

Temporary Home begins in the brothers’ early days when they had spent in an aquarium. They had many great friends but somehow their friends would disappear now and then. Their then-caretaker told them he had found a great home for their friends. On that fated day, their future caretaker, a girl with long silky black hair and glasses approached the tank. “Which do you like?” Their caretaker had asked the girl.

The girl pointed at the brothers and at that moment, they knew the girl would be their new home.  The moment they arrived at their new home, the girl fed them pellets she had bought at the store, just three. The brothers ate hungrily and after that eyed the container of pallet, wanting more but their owner had stopped caring for them.

A few months later, the brothers were passed onto their owner’s friends while their owner went on vacation. The brothers’ life at the friends were even worse. They spent day after day, almost drowning in their urine and feces.

A few months later, the brothers were once again passed onto another. This time, a lady and a girl. At first glance, the brothers knew they would be the same as the friends but at the same time, they knew this would be different. They were right.

Their new caretakers made sure they were well-fed, clean, and warm. This was the best home they ever had but they knew this is not forever. Eventually, they would have to return to their lives of starvation and misery.

My review: five out five stars, definitely.

I love the personification of this book. The author portrait the turtle brothers like real people. Reading it the first time, you can never tell whether it was talking about the life of a person or animals. The brothers seemed so real.

It definitely made me cry, alright especially the part of the brothers not getting enough to eat. I felt so bad for them. No one should be starved. So yes, I will definitely recommend this book even if it’s not written.

Writing 101: Point of View


Okay, I’m going out of order here so I can catch up with this week’s writing 101 assignments. This is Day 9’s assignment. I hope you will enjoy my bit of flash. 🙂 Continue reading “Writing 101: Point of View”

#AtoZChallenge – P For Park City


At times, I really wish my mom would go on more of those training where she’s not allow to call home. Like when she went to basic training, the only thing I got during that period was a long hand-written letter, the first I’ve gotten since coming to the U.S which was nice. Continue reading “#AtoZChallenge – P For Park City”

No such thing…


Today Prompt: This just in: let’s pretend that science has proven that karma is a thing. Your words and actions will influence what happens to you in the future. How (if at all) will you change your ways? Continue reading “No such thing…”

#AtoZChallenge – O For Out with it


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Okay, I’ll just come out and say it. It’s Friday! You know what that means? The weekend!

I’ve been super behind with almost everything this week (blogging, writing 101, work etc). I haven’t gone to work half of the week and I feel like everything is rushing by while I am just standing still. For school, I feel like I’m just dragging myself through it, like my teacher said, “You’re at the last few miles of the marathon, your feet are bleeding and you’re breathless. You just want it over.”

That is exactly what I want, for everything to be over. Yesterday, almost as soon as I stepped through the door, the plumber pounded on the door. I had to take them to the rental home where the tenant complained there was a leakage in the pipes. It turned out our know-it-all ex-tenant, the one who built the basement bathroom without consulting us first, plumbed the place completely wrong. So that was $350 to re-connect the pipes.

Mom was completely pissed when she heard how much I paid. “What were you thinking?”

“You hired the guy.” I retorted. It is super frustrated when that happens.

I was in my room after that, quickly drafted the A to Z challenge post (20 minutes) before writing the post for the prompt. Unfortunately I got a little distracted and didn’t finish it until this morning. I would’ve finished it last night but I was dead tired after coming home from the GMAT workshop at my alma mater. I even fell asleep in the car. Thank god I wasn’t driving.

I’m alone at the moment but I’m afraid this peace won’t last long. Mom’d be home soon. I thought I just throw this post out there before I brace for another weekend of annoyance and anger.

To learn a third language…


Though right now, I can speak two languages, Chinese and English, I cannot speak them fluently. In fact, oftentimes, I still get mixed up between the two. This past month, my mom had enrolled herself into a leadership class and I had to proofread her assignments for her. I don’t know why I have to do that though since she insults my grammar afterward. She calls my English awkward and repetitive and my grammar awful. “I don’t know how you can write so awful.” Her words, not mine.

Do I really write that bad? Even my instructor had returned my paper, docking me five points for bad grammar. On the other hand, I’m not getting much complaints on here. So I’m not sure which is true. .

Anyway, if I can wake up tomorrow and be fluent in any language, I would choose English. I would speak no more Chinese, it would be a thing of the past. My grammar would not be awkward and I would not have any trouble expressing myself.

Of course, WP won’t let me do that. According to the prompt, I have to choose a language I don’t already speak. Well, in that case, I would choose Spanish because most jobs out there nowadays require a second language, Spanish. My mom said they’re in need of Chinese speaker but honestly, I don’t see many jobs with a requirement for Chinese speaker, unless you’re a translator, of course.

Anyway, I would speak a mouth of fluent Spanish. I would be able to curl my tongue to make the “r” sound, no problem. I’m not sure about the first thing I would do, maybe write it on my resume so I can earn more money with bilingual jobs? No idea.

#AtoZChallenge – N For Natural Wonders


The state of Utah has a lot of natural wonders. It was once the breeding grounds for dinosaurs (no kidding). Archaeologists are still finding dinosaurs fossils out in the desert. Three years ago, when my family came to visit, I had the pleasure to go and see the brand new exhibits at the recently re-opened Natural History Museum.

Beside dinosaurs, Utah also has five National Parks, all with characteristics of its own. My favorites would have to be Canyonland and Arches National Park. I’ve been Zion National Park but I didn’t get to see much due to the my family’s whining. So I didn’t get to see much. Oh well, next time.

Arches National Park is made of a lot of arches and every one is different from the next. What’s so cool about them is they are all made from hundreds and maybe thousands of years of wind erosion. Just the thought that these arches were made by nature made them even more amazing to look at.

Canyonland National Park, on the other hand, used to be an ocean before the Pacific receded to California coastline. Just think, this is what the bottom of the ocean look like.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this mini-tour of the natural wonders I’ve seen in the past few years and thanks for reading. 🙂

Socializing is Not for Me


In 2006, I was given a fresh start. I had moved to a new city, new state, new home, new school. For the first time, I got to choose my classes, not the other way around. I finally got to be in classes I would have never thought I could like web design and choir. Continue reading “Socializing is Not for Me”

Tranquil to Rage


Daily Prompt: Tell us about a time when you flew into a rage. What is it that made you so incredibly angry?

First of all, though mad and angry mean the same thing in American English, it does not in British English. Thus, “Mad” Hatter does not mean “Angry” Hatter. Secondly, I don’t fly into rage, I don’t think anyone does until you’re a very good actor. Thirdly, I don’t get angry in a second, it’s usually built, first annoyance, then irritation, and finally full on rage.

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You can even see the mountains in the distance That was taken 12 minutes after 3

Today of all days should be the day to be angry, at least for me. Why? Nothing is cooperating – the traffic, weather, and of all people, my mother! However, I am not.

What began as a cool light breeze this morning had turned into raging wind by the time I got out of class. As I settled myself in the computer lab, I could hear the wind howling and banging on the windows. I had expected this. After all, the radio did warn us yesterday about the wind warning and the storm that would bring rain and snow.

Late this morning, as I walked to the car, I could feel the wind pulling me back, not allowing me to go forward as garbage, tumbleweed, and debris flew across the way. I felt like I was pelted with garbage like some infamous person. So lucky nothing nailed me in the eyes.

At last, I made it to my car. I quickly threw my backpack into the trunk and climbed into the car, slamming the door shut. At that moment, I became nervous about the drive home with the strong wind and light car but I have to get over it.

Two blocks later, traffic began building. As I sat in the car with my head leaning against the head rest while listening to the radio and the howling of the wind, I became irritated. Can’t anything go right?

I thought back to this morning when my wonderful slumber was rudely interrupted for the second time this week by my mother’s early-bird phone calls. Yesterday, she called at 6:58 am and today at 6:40 am, more than half-hour before I was set to wake up. The reason for her call? To ask me to set up an order to buy stocks. “Do you think it’s a good idea to buy?” She had asked.

I yawned, still half-asleep. “That’s up to you.” I said, almost gagging from my retainers.

“What do you think?” I just sighed and awkward silence ensued, still pissed that she had woken me up so early. Then just as I halfheartedly wanted to hang up and go back to bed, she said, “Just set up the order.” So I did, hung up, and finally climbing back to my bed across the hall only to be woken up again less than 30 minutes later by my alarm.

Anyway, after a nerve-wrecking 40 minutes drive, I finally stepped through the door. My hair was full-blown messy but I was okay. I successfully made it down the canyon gripping tight to my swaying car’s steering wheel.

The sky is brownish, near red now. It will be a powerful storm, I can feel it just by the sound of the wind. “I am coming,” it howls. 🙂

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27 minutes later…
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6 minutes after that, you can’t really see it but the sky had changed a lot during those 33 minutes

#AtoZChallenge – K For…


I’ve been searching the dictionary last night, trying to find a good word for “K” and there are none that inspire me whatsoever. So instead, I’m going to show you pictures of things that I know of that begin with “K”. Continue reading “#AtoZChallenge – K For…”

The Museum of New Ages


Today’s prompt asks: A hundred years from now, a major museum is running an exhibition on life and culture as it was during our current historical period. You’re asked to write an introduction for the show’s brochure. What will it say? Continue reading “The Museum of New Ages”

Floating…


I try to find something that will represent this week’s photo challenge and this is the best I can do.

So I made hot cocoa yesterday. Although it’s getting warm, I still enjoy it very much as breakfast. 😉

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The bird’s nest in the tree is classified as floating, right? From my angle, it’s amazing it stayed up there for so long.

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Clouds floating in the sky, don’t see much ’round here. A beautiful day is usually cloudless.

My Beautiful Planet


I feel like a kid answering this prompt. You get to design your own planet: tell us all about your planet — the weather, the seasons, the inhabitants. Go.

My planet would be similar to Earth except it wouldn’t have any of the danger like earthquakes, drought, tsunami, etc. It would have California weather, perfect everyday and no sudden shift in temperature. There would be rain, definitely. I will not have drought on my planet. Rain would ensure harvest each year.

There would also be snow up at the higher elevations so there would be variety instead of sunshine all the time. 

So I have mountains, plains, cities, what am I missing? Of course, water! There got to be lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, not to mention oceans and beaches. If I design a planet, I might as well go all the way. There would be pristine beaches with water like the Caribbean except it’s calm. Like I said, the weather danger of Earth does not exist on this marvelous planet.

Last by not least, the inhabitants. Hmm, that’s an interesting question. No gangs! I grew up in a horrible neighborhood in the suburbs of Los Angeles where thieves, vandals, and other horrible people ran around freely damaging other people’s properties. Sure, there can be bullies but I will not have those people ruin this beautiful planet I’ve designed.

Everything I’ve Ever Wanted


Daily Prompt: Tell us about a time when everything actually turned out exactly as you’d hoped. Continue reading “Everything I’ve Ever Wanted”

Plumber, Electrician, or Cellphone Repair?


Apparently, I’m not the only one who got a new job. My cousin, the one that used to live here, decided to hold off college and got a job selling Boba in China. I learn that from eavesdropping mom’s conversation with my aunt. My mom was disappointed and angry when she got the news. She started screaming at her sister which I don’t get at all. It’s not her fault or her decision. If he doesn’t want to go to college, isn’t that a good thing? It means he’s not coming back to the U.S. anytime soon, right?

plumbing_company_in_kalispellSince then, every time she’d called home, though I don’t know why, she had suggested my aunt put my cousin in some sort of apprenticeship. “He needs to learn something.” My mom said. “Life isn’t just about math and science.” Sometimes, I feel like she treats everyone like illiterate sh**. Just because people chooses to not go to college doesn’t mean they’re stupid. Some people who chooses to go might be the stupid one. Take me, for example. My entire family didn’t go to college and they turned out just fine. My cousin from my father’s side is a manager of a business right out of high school. Of course, it didn’t help that he inherited the business from his dad but my point is a lot of people don’t go to college and they turn out just fine.

Anyway, so far, she’d suggested him to be a plumber, electrician, and cellphone repair. That last one was the most recent due to the fact my new job is in a cellphone repair shop. I didn’t even know those things existed until now and apparently, it does not exist in China. I wonder what people do if they accidentally drop their phone on the floor and break the glass. Do they just throw it away?

Did I mention she didn’t sound happy when I told her I got a new job?

That had been turned around last Friday when she suddenly was interested to know everything about my new job like what does the business do or how much is labor per hour.

The motive? Oh she always has a motive alright…

…and I figured it out in a jiffy. She wants to take over as usual. This time is different though. She doesn’t really wanted to take over my job, well she does but really, she wants to take over the cellphone repair guy’s job. She thought taking apart an iPhone is easy and that it’s no-brainer to fix a phone. She thought earning $70 an hour fixing a phone is easy. She wanted me to ask my boss to let her be the protegee of the cellphone repair guy.

Ha ha, very funny. I’m not going to do that. Nice try, though. The last thing I need is to have my mother breathing down my neck again. However, if I could learn a trade, I would learn cellphone repair. It looks profitable but I’ll have to learn it secretly maybe from the cellphone repair guy. He seems nice enough. 😉

#AtoZChallenge – I For Insane


The past two weeks have been just insane. I feel like all the blog posts have been rushed and I haven’t had the time to really buckle down and do some writing that’s really worth reading. So I can understand why my site traffic is taking a plunge; yes, I’m crazy about that. 😉

I got up early this morning even though I went to bed super late last night. I guess I’m just excited because first of all, it’s Friday and secondly, I have work, a good way to earn some cold hard cash.

I’m mostly excited because all this craziness is coming to pass. I can finally sit down, breathe, and catch up all that’s happened in the blogging world and not worry about to have to run around as I’ve done this week.

So in my post on Sunday, I mentioned I skipped my daily ritual (Daily Prompt) two days in  a row. Well, I have only done it once this week. How ’bout that? First, the prompt are not really inspiring me to write anything, except yesterday which I intend to write in just a moment, and the weather wasn’t not exactly cooperating.

This was a picture I took on Tuesday and it was already passed 9 am when I snapped it. It’s been like that the entire week.

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It rained and snowed on Wednesday not to mention the temperature went from 60’s and 70’s to 30’s and 40’s. I didn’t want to wear my warm down jacket since it’d just been cleaned. I had to settle with my regular thick coat which didn’t do much good against the cold.

Another thing that made my week insane was in my post Sunday, I told you the fantastic news that my instructor had cancelled class on Tuesday. Well, that came with consequences because I spent until midnight on Wednesday night doing all the homework and filling in the notes for Thursday’s class. I was so tired I didn’t even want to get up yesterday but I did anyway with the hope of just getting the day over with. That was difficult. Nothing was cooperating especially the traffic. It took me 45 minutes instead of my usual 20 minutes commute to get home. Thank god I don’t have to go anywhere except work today.

So here is to a wonderful day. 🙂

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#AtoZChallenge – H For Headphones


I know, such a dumb word I have chosen to represent H. Continue reading “#AtoZChallenge – H For Headphones”