I will be out most of the day. So I will be back later to write other posts. Therefore, I will start the day with the 3 Days 3 Quotes Challenge which I was nominated by Yarnspinerr to participate. Continue reading “3 Days 3 Quotes Challenge – Day 1”
Tag: quote
Truth, Lies, Assumptions, and Conclusion
Today’s Prompt asks: Is it possible to be too honest, or is honesty always the best policy? Continue reading “Truth, Lies, Assumptions, and Conclusion”
4 Ways to a Simple Life
Recently, a reader provided me with a great suggestion for a post: tips and ways to simplify day-to-day life. Believe it or not, my life Continue reading “4 Ways to a Simple Life”
Nobody’s Perfect
The sun is finally out, so are the planes, but the rain has at last stop, for the week at least. Just in time for my friend’s graduation tomorrow. I don’t know what time or whether I’ll be able to attend with the GMAT workshop but hopefully, I can make it. Continue reading “Nobody’s Perfect”
Take Me Seriously!
Today’s prompt asks: Tell us something most people probably don’t know about you. Continue reading “Take Me Seriously!”
Jealousy 2.0
I wrote a variation of this prompt exactly one week ago. I said I was jealous enough to start a fight with my friend. Well I’m not going to repeat that one. I’m going to talk of a new jealousy, one that stemmed from my childhood. Yes, I have plenty of jealousy, maybe too much. In fact, my face should be greener than the leaves of the blooming rose bushes outside the bay window in the living room.
I’m not going to write a letter though. Instead, I am just going to say it straight out.
I’m jealous of my friend, Joyce. There, I said it. She has basically everything I have ever wanted and more. She lives in a million-dollar house both here and in China. She gets to spend her dad’s money however she wants. She wants a car, she got it. In one sweep, an imported European car. She wants to go to Japan for the summer, she got it. She wants to go back to China three times a year, she got it.
What did I get? A nagging mother who’s always on my case of how I’ve made countless mistakes. This is life, everyone makes mistakes. I’m not perfect. You don’t have to state the obvious over and over.
So how did her life end up so perfect while mine end up like this?
I asked my mom this question. What does she blame it on? My dad’s passing. “If your dad was here,” she would say, “you would have everything you want and I would be retired right now.”
It made me wonder, if he was here, would my life really be better? Would my life turn out like Joyce’s? Would my jealousy go away?
I thought about it and the answer is no, I would still be jealous. I would still envy her well-being and beauty and independence. Because if my dad was here, I would never come to the U.S. and I would never get a proper diagnosis not to mention getting the medicine I need to suppress the symptoms.
So yes, there are still a ton to be jealous about because I will always be this short tiny Chinese girl that can’t seem to get away from home.
Daily Prompt – Green-Eyed Monster
Related Post: Jealousy
Writing 101: Happy Fast Food
People say childhood are the best years of a person’s life. Continue reading “Writing 101: Happy Fast Food”
#AtoZChallenge – Q For Quotes
I told you the theme is random, didn’t I? Today, I decided to be lazy, actually, only here. I have to work on my book report for my class. Therefore, I shall present you with some inspirational quotes. 🙂 Continue reading “#AtoZChallenge – Q For Quotes”
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…”
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”
I Am Just Me
Most of the time, when I write a piece of flash fiction for a photo prompt, I don’t really think about what to write or how the plot and characters should be developed. Most of the time, I just write.
Continue reading “I Am Just Me”
What is Love?
Today, daily prompt has asked an intriguing question. What is Love? What is Love, by the way?
Here’s the ending to my fiction/non-fiction retell of my first crush. I think it’ll answer the question by itself. Happy Saturday.
We grew closer and closer to each other, in a playful kind of way, of course. In P.E., we jogged together and sometimes, when I was tired, we’d walk. Although neither of us would admit it, I can tell he likes me. If he didn’t, then he’d ditched me long ago, in eighth grade, perhaps.
It was very sweet and I’ve never felt sweet before. I knew it wouldn’t last. Nothing ever lasts with me. I was dead on. Everything came crashing down in a landslide that afternoon when I arrived home to find suitcases lying all over the living room floor.
“What’s going on?” I’d asked.
“We’re going to China!” My step-dad had announced excitedly. He had never been out of the country before.
“What?” I’d shrieked and Cindy had stood beside me, frozen. “When?”
“Next week.” My step-dad’d answered.
“What about school?” He stared at me, surprised. Since when are you so concerned with school? His look had told me. I tried hard not to show that I want to go to school just to see Jaime, it would tell them I have a boyfriend and they’d made it crystal clear I’m not to have a boyfriend. I changed the subject. “Why all of the sudden?”
“Your mom got a great deal a few months ago.”
“And you didn’t bother to tell me this until now?”
He’d shrugged. “We forgot.”
“But if we go, then I’d be way behind in school when we get back.”
“Oh, you won’t be go to school. We’re also moving to Texas.” My jaw had literally dropped. They’ve been talking about moving to Texas all through my middle school years and now when I’ve found my happiness, they decided to do it?
The following week would be brutal and sad. I told Jaime I was moving to Texas, he had replied, “That’s okay, we have plenty of tools we can use to stay in touch.” Who was he kidding? My parents monitored everything, who I call, who I talk to at school. We could never stay in touch.
Then we just drifted apart. He no longer wanted to be near me now that he knew I was moving and I was left to walk the lap alone in P.E., running my fingers along the chain-link fence that separated the school from the outside. At lunch, he’s nowhere to be seen and I was left to eat with Cindy and Anna. I felt alone and betrayed. If he’d liked me, he’d stick by me no matter what. If he’d liked me, he wouldn’t leave me just sitting here or walking laps alone.
That Thursday, the day we’re supposed to go to China, I spent my morning checking out of my classes and the school, returned everything that belonged to the school, and retrieved my belongings from my gym locker. Through that morning, somehow, I felt like a part of me was holding out for Jaime, hoping we’d get a few more minutes together before I leave for good but no, I never saw him again.
Things happen for a reason
So yesterday, I swapped my G router for a N router because I was tired of the internet signal always just barely reaching my room. Continue reading “Things happen for a reason”
What makes a teacher great?
What makes a teacher great? That’s what’s asking on today’s prompt.
I’ve had a lot of teachers and I mean a lot because unlike the university I’m attending now, my previous university had a lot of professors. During my five years at the university, I’ve never once had the same professor twice even when I was repeating a course. I guess either the university hires a lot of professors or I was just lucky not to have the same instructor twice.
At my current university, there aren’t a lot of instructors in the program. So far this semester, I have two instructors I had courses with last semester. I think they are both very great teachers. Better than the ones I had at my previous university? Hell yeah! So what if they are lacking a PhD? It doesn’t matter to me, as long as they know their stuff, that’s fine by me.
The most horrible instructor I’ve ever had was in one of my undergraduate courses two years ago. He was very unforgiving and tough, just two of the most important elements to make a horrible instructor.
In January of 2013, we had an ice storm here. It’s a rare weather phenomenon where the rain freezes the moment it hits the ground. Everywhere that day, the ground was shiny and slick was like an ice-skating rink, even my special shoes couldn’t help me stay on my feet. I slipped like six-times that day, just to get to bus stop. I was actually surprised I didn’t break anything internally.
I was in pain that night and there was a quiz in one of my classes the next day. I emailed the instructor early and told him…
I fell and hurt myself today. I don’t think I can come to class tomorrow. Is it okay if I make up the quiz some other time?
Nope, that was his answer. I’d be missing the first quiz of the semester and I couldn’t make it up. I went to talk to him again face-to-face and this time, it was like he didn’t understand my English at all. It was unbelievable.
About a week later, when he posted the grades onto the site, I saw I got a big fat zero on the quiz and his quizzes made up of 40% of the grade. In the end, because of that missing quiz, I didn’t pass the grade. I got a D+ instead of a C-, which was what I needed to pass the course. When I retook the class in my last semester of the undergraduate program, I discovered that he failed more than half of the class. Don’t you think that’s a horrible teacher?
So what makes a teacher great?
- A great teacher cares. Last Tuesday, there was a snow storm. I was late after nearly two hours of driving but I still made it to class. At the end of the class, the teacher told us. “If there’s a snow storm and you can’t come to class, please just tell me. I don’t want you guys to have any trouble trying to get to class.” She even posted all her notes online for those people that couldn’t make it that day.
- A great teacher is forgiving and sympathetic. If a clumsy student (like me) falls and hurts themselves and cannot come to class, a forgiving teacher would offer them sympathy and let them make up whatever work they missed another time.
- Last but not least, a great teacher is understanding. They understand the student’s need to pass the class and will help them in whatever way they can to help that student.
Not a good title
I have a lot of favorite bloggers, not just one. I won’t imitate someone. It’s both creepy and weird which it’s exactly the words to describe today’s prompt. I remember when my “friend” used to imitate my voice and action when she came to my apartment for tutoring after school. I hated it. It’s like I know I’m childish and immature, you don’t have to let me know like that.
It took all my strength to not get mad and whine (back then I whined). I didn’t know. Apparently, my ears play tricks on me, it sort of tunes my voice to make it sound a little more mature. I recorded my voice once and played it back, I sounded like a baby.
Speaking of ears and voice, my ear-buds decided to quit working today. Right after my last class, I stuck the ear-buds into my ears and the sound was uneven, like one was hogging all the sound. It was a new situation but not good. It was like hearing the music but no one’s singing the lyrics.
I got these last May. I don’t know why, I have the worst luck when it comes to buying ear-buds. I go through at least one pair a year, sometimes two. I only got this pair because I didn’t have any other option, these were the cheapest ones other than the $3 ones which I had to return because it didn’t work.
I don’t really like these. It won’t stay in my ears for very long because the clip makes the wires feel heavier. I always felt like my head is being pulled downward whenever these are in my ears. I guess that’s a design flaw right there. When I got it, it said that the flat wires prevent tangles. I have to give them that but again, the flat wire made it feel way too heavy. So the only time I could actually use the ear-buds was when I’m sitting very still at my desk.
Anyway, I now have to shop for a pair of cheap headphone. I guess this time, I’d be looking for light and for sports. I’m thinking about the ones with the ear-clip. They won’t come cheap, I’ve checked. I guess it’s a good thing it’s a Spring Break which it would give me a week to shop for headphone behind mom’s back. Wish me luck.
The Outcome of Having “Friends”
Daily Prompt: A writer once said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” If this is true, which five people would you like to spend your time with?
Whoever said that is completely full of it. But if this was true, I’ll bet words like introvert and shy will not exist just like I wasn’t so kept to myself when I was in middle school. Oh yes, we are going back to middle school again because it was middle school that made me who I am today, not high school.
In middle school, I surrounded myself with the smartest people in the entire school or the 40% student population that’s Asian. I am talking straight A’s and never took a test that resulted in less than 90%. These guys and gals were great at everything – math, science, language arts, and even PE. I thought if I hung out with them long enough, their smartness and coolness will rub off onto me (that’s obviously not true).
In 6th and 7th grade, I hung out with them almost every minute of everyday, except weekends and when school’s out, you get my point. They stopped hanging out with me after the first several weeks. This tend to happen with people like me – people with not much to offer. I suspect they grew tired of me though because I wasn’t smart enough for their “group”. Too late, you’ve already introduce me to everyone you know.
Soon, I became something of an incessant shadow, always want in on the action. I don’t know why I even both to do that. They don’t even like me. Oh yes I do!
There was this theory I worked out when I was in 2nd grade, I still believe in it partially. The theory is if you shadow someone long enough, you’ll become more like them. And that was exactly what I wanted. I wanted to be smarter, cooler, have more friends, part of the crowd, all of it, just not the being an a** part which is exactly what they were.
It didn’t work. I think as time went on, I became more and more like a virus. Whenever I walked near the group, they immediately moved away like they unconsciously found themselves standing under a beehive and just now hear the buzzing. It made me feel awful and sad and one day, I even heard them call me annoying like I wasn’t even there.
In 8th grade, I decided. Why should I change for this people? They aren’t worth it. From then on, I kept mostly to myself. Eat lunch alone or with whoever’s sitting next to me in the cafeteria. Eventually though, I did have a couple of new students that had just arrived in the U.S. with hardly any knowledge of the English language. They wanted to be follow me around, be in my own little group of one and together, we became friends.
In 2007, when Facebook was in and Myspace was out, the group of smarta** that called me annoying, sent me friend requests. I wanted to deny each and every one of them the privilege to be my friend again. I almost said FU to the computer.
Why should I be your friends when you spent a majority of 7th and 8th grade teasing and bullying me? Am I that friend that exist only when you want something?
Unfortunately, the part of me that really really really want to be part of the “cool Asian group” again took over and I had hit the accept button. Ugh, I hate that part of me.
Oh well, it’s not like I use Facebook much or anyone’s listening to what I say on there anyway.
Don’t Waste Food
The other day, I had to throw the remainder of a pumpkin pie I made more than a week ago down the garbage disposal. All because Continue reading “Don’t Waste Food”
To Occupy the Walls
This has been in my home almost ever since we moved in. I think it sends a great message.
My mom picked it up for $0.50 at the thrift store. She likes to shop at thrift store and so do I but we shop for different things. She tends to browse for inexpensive cute rare antiquities while I like to browse for jigsaw puzzles.
You see, I am a big jigsaw collector, the bigger the better like 3000 or 4000 pieces. I like to buy them cheap, complete them myself, and frame them.
Anyway, there’s not much hanging in my home. My mom likes to keep the walls clean. Aside from this, each bedroom also has a picture of its own. This is the picture that’s currently hanging in my aunt’s room next door.
I don’t think we put paintings and artwork on the walls to create a mood. I guess we just put them there to occupy the walls, to make the walls feel less bland and empty.
Not much to say for this prompt. Anyway, I think I need a nap, been at my homework all day and getting nowhere with it. See ya.
The Existence of this Colorful World
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.
After all, difference is good. It’s beautiful.
Blogging 101: Be Inspired by the Neighbors
I have been mulling over this post for a few days now. You know, homework, outings, lack of time, blah blah blah. Continue reading “Blogging 101: Be Inspired by the Neighbors”
A Little Life Update: So So Busy
Do you know a horrible way to cook hot dogs? I didn’t realize it until this morning when my cousin did it. Microwaving it without water. The whole house smelled like exploding hot dogs. I can even smell it now in class! It’s horrible! Continue reading “A Little Life Update: So So Busy”
Sharing the Saddness
I can choose to listen to happy songs but I cannot choose a happy movie, or show, or book. Every movie, show, and book have its tear-jerking moment. It’s simply unavoidable. Those moments make me cry like a puppy.
Mom and aunts used to say I’m low on my emotions quotient (EQ) because I did not react to things as well as they expect me to. Well, how did you expect me to react when I am constantly being threatened with a feather duster? The first time, sure I react with a little tears because I was a child but enough time, I grow as hard as a shell.
When I told mom I cried like a baby when I was reading the book If I Stay, she scoffed and said, “What’s there to cry about? People live and they die.” Then she went into this big lecture about god-knows-what. I stopped listening. The same thing happened when I told what a good book it was when I read Everything we ever wanted.
To be honest, I rarely seen mom cry. I only seen her fake cry when she stubs her toe. It’s sort of like a laugh cry, no tears and her lower lip sticks out like a sad puppy. Her exterior shell must be tougher than a turtle and to mask her sadness, she chooses anger and frustration. Now, that’s sad.
I think crying is natural, it expresses our feelings and sometimes, you just can’t help feeling the sadness as one of the characters in the book, movie, or show. I remember when I read The Faults in our Stars, when one of the characters (I won’t spoil anything) died and the main character was completely sadden by the loss of her love, I could instantly feel tears creeping into my eyes and flowing steadily down my cheeks. I had to wipe it before mom came in and gave me another one of her lectures about how crying about a book is silly.
Look who’s got low emotions quotient now. Seriously, I think there’s something wrong with mom’s emotion, she is incapable of showing sadness. I didn’t even see her cry when one of our family members died in the past five years. She just sighed and said, “Well, that’s life. What can you do?” At least show a little tear and respect.
Looking back so far…
The new school year is approaching and summer is rapidly drawing to an end. Therefore I thought I’d review how this year has been like so far. Continue reading “Looking back so far…”
This is Another Story 