Tag: post

Thank you for Visiting!

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It’s been a while since I’ve checked my all-time stats. The image above was snipped on January 1, 2021 and I was amazed to see how many countries I have traveled through this blog since 2013. I feel surprised and humble that you all have decided to check out this blog and follow me even though I write about the most ridiculous things sometimes.

I did not even imagine anyone was going to read what I write when I started this blog and I certainly did not think of getting an official domain. If you haven’t noticed, the blog URL is now https://thisisanotherstory.com/. I decided to take the plunge and get a domain name a few months ago.

Before I return to my Monday work, I know I probably don’t say this enough, THANK YOU FOR VISITING.

Photo by Courtney Hedger on Unsplash

5 Things I Miss About Commuting to Work

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Photo by Darwin Vegher on Unsplash

I love driving especially after I got my new car in 2018. In 2017, that wasn’t the case. I hated my commute back then, hated the fact that I had to everyday sit through miles and miles of crawling traffic listening to the same song playing on the radio, hated the fact that I couldn’t pick my own hours so I didn’t have to endure peak-hour traffic, hated my job period.

That was 2017. I got my current job in 2018 and no longer need to drive to work. I could take public transit for free. It’s why it took me over 2 years to get 10,000 miles on my brand new car.

Now is 2020 and my commute changed again. I no longer need to be in the office 5 days a week. I am now only required to go in one day a week aka Wednesday and because of the pandemic situation, I needed to switch back to driving, which I actually love because it allows me to get out of the house and away from mom.

Instead of 5 things I miss about driving to work, here are 5 things I miss about commuting to work:

  • I get to turn up the volume and sing along to my heart’s desire. As I’m driving at 70 mile/hour or 80 mile/hour, no one can see me or hear how badly I’m singing.
  • One thing I miss about taking the bus or the train is the time to get some reading done. I can usually get through around 20 or 30 pages of a good novel during the 45 minutes commute.
  • Another thing I miss about both driving and taking the public transit is spending time alone with my thoughts. If you haven’t read my past posts, having my mom living under my roof is no cake-walk. She’s controlling and intrudes just about every aspect of my life. It’s not easy to get alone time and when life gives you alone time, you’ll take it and squeeze it ’til the last drop.
  • I miss talking to myself. I know that sounds weird but that’s how I brainstorm, how I come up with ideas for stories, ideas to save money, to pay back my mom, etc.
  • I work in Downtown Salt Lake and there are always something going on, sites to see in the ever-changing environment, and the only way to see them is by driving to work. Now that I’m only in the office a day a week, it often leaves me in awe just to see how fast the downtown constructions are going and it makes me feel like I’m missing some of the daily actions.

Blogging Insights # 60 — Blog Organization

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This week’s Blogging Insights – hosted by Tanya at Salted Caramel – asks:

Continue reading “Blogging Insights # 60 — Blog Organization” →

My 5 Guilty Pleasure Foods

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I am fairly new to the “Guilty Pleasure” food world since I had just got out of a life-long relationship with diets. For a long while, I didn’t allow myself to be indulged in aesthetically pleasing foods. Instead, I obsessed over nutrition label and would stay away with any foods that either had chemical preservatives, ridiculous amount of sugar, or had an insane amount of “empty” calories where the more I consume, the hungrier I’d get.

Continue reading “My 5 Guilty Pleasure Foods” →

Road Trip!

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I am going on a road trip. Yay! Continue reading “Road Trip!” →

What is Father’s Day?

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What is Father’s Day? What is this day about?

Honestly, to me, it’s just another ordinary Sunday. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a proper Father’s Day even with my step-father. I guess we just never been the traditional type but then what’s true definition of traditional?

In the past 15 years or so, even when my step-dad was in our lives, my mom was constantly on double-duty. Then after my parents separated, my mom’s double-duty as dad became more prominent than ever before. She cooks, cleans, mows the lawns, plucks the weeds, and even joins the army, doing activities people at her age should not be doing like climbing ropes and going through rugged training.

So what is Father’s Day, really? Other than the obvious answer that it’s a day all about dad, traditional barbecue, and the great sales at home improvement stores and department stores, what is it all about?

In my opinion, yes, this is a day dedicated to fathers but it is also a day we use to thank them for everything they do for us. Isn’t that true? But wait, you say, don’t we do that everyday already? I shake my head because I feel sometimes we don’t show our appreciation enough.

So for today, give your dad a sincere thank-you, give him a hug or kiss on his husky face, and maybe watch a game with him because this day is all about the thank-yous and appreciations.

Have a happy Father’s Day and a great day! 🙂

Major Changes

Published on by Yinglan23 Comments

I was going to wait until next month to do this project but I couldn’t wait since I already have a theme picked out and everything. All there’s left now is to update the pages. Continue reading “Major Changes” →

Stepping Out

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Today’s Prompt asks: When was the last time you did something completely new and out of your element? How was it? Will you do it again? Continue reading “Stepping Out” →

Writing 101: Give and Take

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The assignment is to write a post based on the compare and contrast of two things. This is also a response for today’s prompt: Pick a letter, any letter. Now, write a story, poem, or post in which every line starts with that letter. Continue reading “Writing 101: Give and Take” →

My Big Theme Revealed!

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I’ve been feeling very tired and sleepy lately and no matter what I do, I cannot wake myself up. Maybe I just need another walk. Continue reading “My Big Theme Revealed!” →

Encore Post: Awards and Announcements

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Okay, since today is Sunday, I think this calls for an encore post. This post will be about so many things, a few things I have to announce. Continue reading “Encore Post: Awards and Announcements” →

Wrapping up 2014: Very Inspiring Blogger Award

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I would like to thank Prakash Hegade for nominating me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. It’s my first time to be nominated for this award and this would make it my second award nomination for this blog just this year alone. That is amazing!

I would like to thank everybody for visiting this site as well as reading the stories and tales I have written and giving me feedback.

The rules for accepting this award nomination are:

  1. Thank the person who nominated you by linking his/her blog and display the award logo.
  2. Nominate at least 15 other blogs (more or less). Link their blogs and inform them about the nomination.
  3. Mention three things that inspired you the most this week (you can talk about last week’s inspiration too).

Nominations:

  1. I’m a Writer, Yes I Am
  2. Blog Blogger Bloggest
  3. In a small compass
  4. Sugar-coating since ’91
  5. The Moving Quill
  6. Raven Apotheosis
  7. Funny Dog Moments
  8. The Excessive Gardener
  9. Ivy Mosquito
  10. teleportingweena

I didn’t think I can name this many wonderful blogs but these are as many as I can think of at this moment. Congratulations. Go check them out!

Three things that had been inspirational this week and the last:

  1. The weather. The first ever “real” snow storm hit on Christmas but the real storm was really Sunday. It delivered about 3 or 4 inches of fresh powder snow and made the whole neighborhood look like a winter wonderland. It’s inspirational because I can finally sit down at home to read and write. 
  2. My second inspiration is definitely to be able to sit down and finally finish reading two novels. My inspiration was running low and reading just help charge me back up.
  3. Of course reading other people’s blogs. I am always curious about what other people writes on their blogs and that often gives me an idea or two to help me write. 

Dissatisfaction of a service

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I am very angry and upset at the moment and I feel like I need to let off some steam. Continue reading “Dissatisfaction of a service” →

Two nominations in a month! – One Lovely Blog Award

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Wow, I’m flattered and honored. Earlier this month, my other blog, Hidden Stars, was nominated for the One Lovely Blog Award by SHRUTIGOPINATH and then yesterday, this blog, My Simple Life, was nominated for the One Lovely Blog Award by Vik Tory Arch. Thank you all so much. You’re the reason which I continue to blog.

Here are the rules:

  1. You must thank the person who nominated you and include a link to their blog.You must list the rules and display the award.
  2. You must add 7 facts about yourself.
  3. You must nominate 15 (or more) other bloggers and comment on one of their posts to let them know they have been nominated.

Here are 7 more facts about me that I have not listed yet:

  1. I used to play the piano. I learned it during my Sophomore year in high school and I got pretty good at it, at least according to my step-dad. He even spent $600 on a digital piano so I have something to practice on.
  2. During that time, I spent part of the time also learning guitar but unfortunately my fingers couldn’t reach the strings. So my step-dad gave up, at least until I could master the “G” note.
  3. I skipped half of the Fall semester and the spring semester of 4th grade as well as the Fall semester of 5th grade. So technically, I skipped an entire grade.
  4. After nearly a month into the semester, I think my understanding of accounting is so many times clearer than engineering. Is that strange? Maybe I should’ve swapped major a few years ago.
  5. During the past two or three years, the music on my ipod has changed dramatically, from pop and R&B to rock, indie, and alternative. Pop just sound so annoying these days.
  6. My favorite colors are light purple, black, and white. These choices have never changed.
  7. I have always been told my skin feels icy. Frankly, I have no idea but my mom and aunt like to wrap their arms around me during the warmest time. It’s nice but I’d be sweating to death. 🙂

As for my nominations, I am nominating everyone because I think everyone is awesome in their own way.

Life’s Tiny Rambles

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Okay, I guess you know by now that I like to talk about me. Well, who doesn’t? Talking about ourselves is the best subject we know. Well, today, I can because the daily prompt is to just write for 10 minutes.

Anyway, yesterday was a weird day. I went to school and while in class, the wire in my braces shifted and popped out, forcing me to have to waste $1.99 to call my orthodontist. Thank god, his receptionist picked up and I was able to fix it yesterday.

I had to hurried home right after class and made a bowl of ramen noodle. Mom wasn’t home and either was my aunt and cousin, mom took them to register for classes at the community learning center and shopping for food. They bought a lot especially my cousin.

So I left for the orthodontist just as they decided to take a nap to adjust to the time difference. When I came back 2 hours later, they are still asleep! Mom urged me to wake them up. Why do I have to do everything around here? So I did.

Last night, they were so awake. I wonder if they slept at all last night. Well today is their entrance exam to see which level of ESL class they should be placed in. I have to take them there in about 30 minutes.

Well, 10 minutes is almost up and I am in danger of one of them busting through my door any second to wake me up. So I guess that’s all I am going to say today. Have a great day! 🙂

5 things I wish to change about me

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No such thing as perfectThere are always a million things we want to change about our lives. So to list five is a difficult choice. But will crossing out those five things make our lives easier? Slightly more enjoyable? It depends, everyone is different. The five things I want to change in my life are:

1. I wish I was fast at doing things. I used to be called a slow-poke but to be honest, I’ve seen some people who are even slower than me which it’s annoying and those people are all guys.

Like the international student who came to stay with us for a month or so, we didn’t have a bathroom in the basement then, so I had to share my bathroom with him. It takes him forever to shower and it takes him even longer to get ready. It annoyed the crap out of mom and it’s even worse with me. It’s like he does things in slow-motion. This is one of the things I want to change. I try to do thing fast but sometimes in a rush, my workmanship become sloppy.

2. I wish I was more social. I am trying to accomplish this exact thing at the moment but I always back down the last minute thinking I will have another opportunity to take to this person. Guess what, I don’t.

I want to be able approach one of the Beta Alpha Psi member or even the person who sits next to me in class and be able to strike a conversation. I like being a loner but sometimes being a loner is not the good way to live life.

3. I wish I had perfect skin and not what I have now, blackhead filled and acne everywhere. I am tired of having to use different stuff and scrub the crap out of my skin every night. Also, if I have perfect skin, I won’t have to photoshop every one of my photos. 🙂

4. I wish I wasn’t born with this ridiculously rare genetic disorder that barely any doctor knows about. I want to grow, have bigger hands and feet, and I want to be taller and thin. Most of all, I want to be what it’s considered to be a normal person. I don’t want people look at me funny and I don’t want salesmen to knock on my door and ask if my parents are home because they think I am still in my teens.

5. Lastly, I wish I wasn’t raised in a setting where money is all that matters. It made me stingy and cheap. You can say it made me a hoarder, have money but never want to spend it. I don’t want to be that. I want to get what I want and be satisfied instead of racking up money and never getting the things I want.

If I cross these five things from my list of changes I want in my life, would it make my life perfect? I am not sure. It might make my life a little more enjoyable but to make life perfect would take a lot more than making changes. After all, there’s no such thing as perfect.

TGIF: I am achy and exhausted!

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I think if you look at me now, I would probably look like the picture on the left. Not to complain but my back aches, so do my knees, legs, and heels. My arms don’t hurt but my fingers were full of pain about two hours ago. Now, I just have the usual wrist pain in my right wrist, probably from what people call the “mouse hand”. Continue reading “TGIF: I am achy and exhausted!” →

The Good, The Bad, and the Oddest

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So I’ve had a wonderfully odd day that was full of good and bad, how ’bout you? Continue reading “The Good, The Bad, and the Oddest” →

A voice in my head

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(Yawn) I am so tired today. At least I get to skip my second class at mom’s request. 🙂 She doesn’t want to wait at the airport. So I am rushing over right after my first class to pick her up. Yay me! Anyway, today’s daily prompt is a good one. It read:

Your blog is about to be recorded into an audiobook. If you could choose anyone — from your grandma to Samuel L. Jackson — to narrate your posts, who would it be?

Every post I’ve written, when I was writing, I listened to this narrative voice in my head. It’s almost like it’s talking to me, telling me what to write. It doesn’t sound like me either. I mean, it is me but a much more mature and normal voice than my own. Trust me, if you ever hear my voice on the phone or whatever, you would think it’s a child speaking.

If my blog is ever going to be recorded into an audiobook, I would choose one of those people who does the narratives for the documentaries about deceased authors. What? You ask. I know, you’re confused but that is somewhat what the voice in my head sounds like, the people that does the narratives on those shows. Like a few weeks ago, I watched American Masters on PBS, it was doing a documentary on that author that wrote “Gone with the Wind”, oh, I can’t bring up her name at the moment.

Anyway, there’s a female narrator that I assume sounded like the author, read snips of the book. It sounded like an emotional robot sometimes but at the same time, it had this sad sound to it that makes it feel like it’s reading the book like a diary. That is kind of what my blog is, a diary. So if my posts is ever going to be recorded, that’s the kind of voice I want.

Oh gosh, late for school, later! 🙂

Late Night Thoughts

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I am a bit scared right now. Outside my bedroom window parked three cop cars. The last time there were this many cop cars outside my home was a few years ago when mom and I had just moved into our current home. Our neighbor had called the cops one night after they heard shots fired.

It turned out it was a group of idiots in the next street playing a game of paintball with BB guns and plastic bullet. Then when the plastic bullets ricocheted off of the garbage cans, it made this loud bang. It scared me to death when I went to take out the garbage. Anyway several police cars came that night and I never again heard another loud bang in the neighborhood again.

The only other time I’ve seen a police car outside my home was when a cop pulled someone over for speeding. That is until tonight. I could’ve sworn those police cars weren’t there when I watched the carpet installer left a hour ago. When did they get here? Why are they here?

I cringe at the sight of cop cars. I don’t like police but then who does? The last time I had a run-in with a police-officer, I got a citation for not yielding cars going straight. It wasn’t my fault, I tell ya but the cop rather believe the big-breasted lady with sad puppy dog eyes and totaled car. Also, at the sight of police, I feel like I’ve done something wrong even though I didn’t.

When I noticed the cars 30 minutes ago, creepy and horrible thoughts began to take over my mind. What if they are monitoring my activities? Or could the cops be friends with my next door neighbor and he’s just over there visiting or staying the night? Or what if one of my neighbors had done something wrong? My teeth are clattering here.

Stop it! Geez, it’s not like they are flashing lights or screaming over the bullhorn to tell me to come out and surrender. Relax. They are just parked there, occupying a quarter of the curb to my driveway, but they are just there. Oh, please tell me that’s it. That’s what all it is. It’s been a long, confusing, and horrible day and I don’t want to deal with anything else.

Good night and be back tomorrow morning. 🙂

100th Post: First One Lovely Blog Award Nomination

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I have saved my 100th for the best. When I started this blog less than a year ago, I had no idea I would reach the 100th post so soon. I thought since this blog is reserved for fiction only, I wouldn’t be able post a lot on it. But here I am, less than one year later and voila, 100th post.

I would like to thank SHRUTIGOPINATH for nominating me for One Lovely Blog Award. It is my first nomination and this blog’s first nomination not only for the One Lovely Blog Award but this is the first award for this specific blog.

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So here are the rules: (According to the post on Shrutigopinath’s site)

  1. Thank the person who has nominated you. Provide a link to his/her blog.
  2. List the rules and display the award image.
  3. Include 7 facts about yourself.
  4. Nominate 15 other bloggers and let them know that they have been nominated.  This is a way to introduce others to bloggers that you love.
  5. Display the award logo and follow the blogger who nominated you.

7 facts about me:

  • I like to brew my stories, let it develop in my mind before I write it all down.
  • I don’t like inconclusive endings. So I would often wonder what would happen next in my mind but I never write them down for reasons that are beyond my comprehension.
  • I believe I lack a sense of humor but then I feel like I am trying too hard to be funny. So pardon my humorless tales. 🙂
  • I am slightly caffeine intolerant. I get headache when I drink coffee and even coke. That leaves hot cocoa and sprite.
  • I have a desire to move to a country (rural) setting or somewhere there are different color of trees according to the season and no planes flying over my head. However, I still want to stay a stone throw away from civilization (towns, cities but not big cities like Chicago).
  • I super duper want to travel to another country or continent. I want to explore other civilizations.
  • I try either too hard or not hard enough. I don’t know what’s in between but I am either one extreme or the other. Like with trying to make friends, either I don’t try at all and let them come to me or I’d try super hard to make them like me.

Nominations:

  1. Thin Spiral Notebook
  2. alifeindetails
  3. Optimistic Kid
  4. I’m a Writer, Yes I Am
  5. New Teacher Life
  6. WAKE UP YOUR LUCK
  7. TAKESHI’S FLIGHT
  8. Brainstorm.
  9. Sugar-Coating Since ’91
  10. Sapient Chronicles
  11. H.M. Brooks Writes
  12. teleportingweena
  13. In a small compass…
  14. My Hong Kong husband
  15. I AM YOUR TWILIGHTSTAR (I think your blog is awesome too.) 🙂

Sticking to the Present

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I woke up this morning, feeling confident and energized. I turned on my computer and took a look at the daily prompt.

You’ve been granted the power to predict the future! The catch — each time you use your power, it costs you one day (as in, you’ll live one day less). How would you use this power, it at all?

I often dreamed of having such powers as predicting the future but what good would this power do if it cost me a day? Also, wouldn’t it be the same as letting everything play out instead of trying to change it before it occurs?

I have learned from many movies, TV shows, and books that trying to change the future would cause devastation and tragic effects. Gee, even the story I’m writing tells exactly just that. Don’t meddle with future.

So even though it would be nice to find out what the future will be like, you know, whether I will get a job, get married, and have kids, etc, I think I’ll stick to the present and let fate plays out.

This is just a quick post to start my morning. I have a club meeting to go to and then who know what. Catch ya later. 🙂

My Own Show

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I hate picking favorites of anything. I guess because I don’t like hurting people’s feelings. But secretly, I enjoy it. I just don’t like pick in front of people. But sometimes, I don’t really have favorites. Like shows and movies, if you’d ask me to pick a favorite, well that’s one question I cannot answer. Gee, I can’t remember what I watched.

Today’s prompt asks,

You’ve just been named the casting director of your favorite television show (or movie franchise). The catch: you must replace the entire cast — with your friends and family. Who gets which role?

I will tell you one thing, my family is out. I don’t care how much they want stardom, they would not in a lifetime be in anything where I am the casting director. Neither would my dad’s family because if I bring either family into a room, there would be arguing with somebody. With both sides of my family in the same, a war of two tribes would instantly brew.

Hey that could be a show. No no no, not when I am running the show!

If I can make up my own little show, the genre would be dramedy and it would feature my former best friend, Cindy, playing somewhat of the popular girl slash frienemy  to a foolish naive girl and then when that girl recovers and gains popularity, she’d dump her and instantly becomes her rival.

Okay, maybe if it’s a dramedy, it might feature my mom playing the annoying nagging ill-temper mother to that naive lonesome girl but that’s it. NO more family. Then the show or movie or whatever would be titled The Life or Diary of… of that naive girl’s name.

Well that’s it of my rambling. Have a great day and later. 🙂