Happy Dragon Boat Festival! Continue reading “Reflection: A Little Update” →
What’s your favorite charitable cause and why? Continue reading “Share Your World – 2015 Week #24” →
This year has been undoubtedly wet and warm. However, it’s not just here. Looking at other people’s posts, it looks like it’s happening around the world as well. Yesterday evening, when my mom and I went for a walk in the park, she pointed out the mountains are not snow-capped anymore because normally, a tiny bit of snow would stay remain on the mountains in June or July but this year, there’s none.
Meanwhile, it’s been raining almost everyday. There has hardly been a day where the dark clouds don’t roll in, where we just have blue cloudless skies and plenty of sunshine. Ugh, this weather is killing my mood and inspiration. Please make it STOP!!!
Unfortunately, I’ve already jinxed it. This post was written approximately four days ago and since then, the clouds had cleared up and it’s been one word, HOT! Guess summer has arrived.
Anyway, enough complaining, I want to show you this picture which is definitely out-of-season, trudging in snow in short-sleeves and sandal. This was Yellowstone in July 2011, by the way, and that is NOT my brother (only-child), it’s my friend’s.
I knew it! I knew this would happen to me, just didn’t know when and who. I woke up yesterday morning and saw a notification on my tablet, Alka Girdhar from Magnanimous Word had nominated me to participate in the Allergic to “E” Challenge. Continue reading “Allergic to “E” Challenge” →
She glanced out into the crowd Continue reading “The Singer” →
Have you ever heard the saying: you will learn more about a person after they die than you will ever learn when they were alive. Continue reading “Reflection: Fate, Destiny, Curse” →
For your blog do you basically use Mac or Windows applications. What type of device laptop, desktop,tablet, phone or pad? Continue reading “Share Your World – 2015 Week #23” →
Last night, right before I went to bed, mom burst into my room, tablet in her hand, and told me sadly my grandfather had passed away. Continue reading “Late Night and Awkward Morning” →
Today’s prompt: What’s the strangest place from which you’ve posted to your blog? When was the last time you were out and about, and suddenly thought, “I need to write about this!”?
Strangest Places? I’m not sure what you mean by strange. There are a lot of things in the world that can be classified as “strange” like that tower to the left. Posting in a strange place, no, I don’t think I’ve written posts in strange places yet.
In the meantime, I can answer the second question. I have encountered several circumstances when I just have to write about it. When was the last time? That is a good question. Let’s think.
Still thinking…
Ugh, I can’t think of anything with my work in the way. I’m hoping to complete my translation work today so I don’t have to have it hanging over my head for the rest of the month but I don’t think that is likely to happen since I have to seize the opportunity and go work for my other job today.
Still thinking…
Ha, here we go, I can think of two circumstances.
It was written and publish about 13 months ago. So basically, last summer. Now that I reflect on this post, last summer was probably the worst summer in the history of all the summers I’ve had counting the ones as a kid in China. When I wrote this, I felt like I was literally about to blow.
Two weeks after graduating college, mom was making me go back to school. Every conversation we had led to a fight because it’s always about me not finding a job, don’t want to go back to school, not wanting to work, not wanting to study etc. You get my point.
I remember my hands were literally slamming the keyboard when I typed that post. Mom was still bursting into my room every 5 minutes telling me how useless and worthless I was while occasionally throwing something at the back of my head. 2014 had really been a dark and miserable year for me but it’s behind me now and it looks like 2015 is getting better already.
I don’t know, why don’t you click and find out?
I was literally freezing my ass off in there. When I worked as an ESL tutor, every week, there was one or two days when I couldn’t be in the classroom. The classroom was shared between me, mom (Chinese teacher), and the Spanish teacher. I couldn’t leave the school’s premises and so I had to find another place to go.
Anyway, there’s no thermostat in there and as I sat there trying to do my homework, it would get colder and colder. Even with a t-shirt underneath plus a sweatshirt plus a light jacket plus a large ski jacket (I’m not joking), I still felt cold in there. That room was colder than outside. I couldn’t do much homework in there so I decided to write.
Anyway, I hope you will click the links to the posts and check them out. Although they’re more than a year old, I’m sure they’re still quite relate-able to some people. Looking forward to your likes and feedback on those old posts. 🙂
Okay, this is the second part to the previous post and since I’ve gotten everything off my chest, it’s time for the prompt. When I saw the prompt this morning, I was like, “No, you’re not serious. Are you serious?” Yes, WordPress was serious.
So here’s my short answer for the prompt. No, the world isn’t ending tomorrow and I’m not going to tell about my last dinner. In the last week, I unconsciously gained a pound. It will take forever to go back down. However I will tell a story on the matter of world ending.
In 2011, mom’s friend came to visit us and we spent two days visiting Yellowstone. On the first day, we visited the north part of Yellowstone and the south on the second day. As we drove along Yellowstone River and eventually reached Yellowstone Lake, her friend’s son, Ryan, looked out the window to the lake and said excitedly, “This is just like in the movie.”
“What movie?” Mom asked curiously.
“2012,” Her friend told her and began elaborating the movie. She revealed the plot and all the different locations that were used to shoot the film.
I tuned out because I did not want to know and if you haven’t seen it yet, I don’t want to spoil it. F.Y.I., it’s a movie about the world ending. But typical mom’s friend. People around me’s more or less the same. They like to spoil things. When we watch a movie or a show, they tend to focus on what everyone in the movie’s wearing instead on the plot or they’ll tell you what the entire thing’s about before watching it.
In late 2011, mom became so curious that she got a copy of the movie. We watched it together and as usual, when it
came to TV shows and movies, mom’s got the attention span of a baby. If the plot isn’t fast enough, she’ll quit watching in about 15 minutes, 30 minutes tops. And she did, leaving me to finish the bloody and graphic scenes all on my own. I didn’t want to watch it but I was too damn curious and it left me wondering why. Why December 21, 2012? Because coincidentally, that is the eleventh anniversary of my arrival in the U.S.
I remember in 2012, some people were particularly antsy, probably having seen the movie, they were convinced the world would end. So on April 21, 2012, there was this big event. I can’t remember the name but it’s like a preparation for the apocalypse sort of thing.
It was a ridiculous idea, the apocalypse and world ending. It was merely based on books and the ancient Mayan Calendar. I even recall my science teacher telling me in high school that the world is not set to end for another 1000 years. Pfft, 1000 years? I’ll be dust and I’ll be careless then. My descendants can fend for themselves then.
I did watch the movie, 2012, again when the rest of the family came visit the summer of 2012. I didn’t want to because I didn’t want to spend the entire movie translating every sentence and every word when no one else was watching it but me. But mom said I had to let it play through and that’s through my computer via HDMI. So there went my three hours.
As for the apocalypse, obviously, it didn’t happen. The world was safe and sound as I ushered in another year in the U.S. on December 21 that year as well as many years after that. I know some people was braced for the impossible though. The news reported it that evening and I had a good laugh about it.
I have been undoubtedly asleep the entire morning. Not physically but mentally. Either that or my brain’s fried. I’ve been in my GMAT class all morning and haven’t been getting a single question right. I got home about two hours ago, made lunch, and drank a cup of green tea. I needed the slight boost of caffeine. About half-way into green tea, aw, it’s like slamming into a wall. My entire upper body itched like crazy and so many other things jolted me at the same time.
Like the fact that mom had been nagging me to charge the camera for the entire week so she could take it to training this weekend and I’m just now realizing she had forgotten it.
And it also hit me that today is somewhat of a significant day. It is exactly 9 years since my father’s passing. Mom told me two days ago, June 4, while she was noting that it was the anniversary of the student protest at Tiananmen Square.
This was how the sky looked about 1 hour ago, right before it started hailing and raining, right before I was interrupted by a loud bang at the front door. I was surprised I heard that despite the hail. I opened up and saw a half-naked man demanding money. “What for?” I asked.
It turned out he was the shady handyman mom hired to fix the spouts for the rental property. He wanted $169. I looked outside, it was pouring. “Does it have to be right now?” I asked, realized immediately I had just asked the stupidest question ever. That question is like asking the cashier at the grocery store’s check-out counter if I can pay later. Inside though, my anxiety was building up and I don’t do well under pressure. My heart pounded as my thoughts hurled at me at 100 mph. Is this guy serious? He could’ve done it all afternoon and he chose now? “Can I write you a check?” I proceeded.
“No, I need cash, like now.” He answered. I don’t have $169 on me. I gave $200 to mom a few days ago to fix something else and I remember mom telling me someone’s going to do some work today but she didn’t say anything about paying. Have I been scammed? Please don’t tell me I’ve been lied to. I’m not in the mood for craps.
So I got in the car and drove to the ATM machine to get $200 out of my account. The inside of the car got completely wet as I was trying to working the damn machine and I hate getting wet. Then, instead of coming home to do the transaction, he insisted we do it right then and there in the pouring rain. I was super irritated but consider I’m a tolerable person, I didn’t go off on a temper tantrum. We just exchanged bills and receipts and I drove home. I just hope I didn’t do anything wrong.
Great, now I have to do this in two posts because it’s too long. Oh well, the more the merrier. Read the next post! It’s a lovely story related to the apocalypse (my own experience).
An hour later, I texted mom and told her. She texted back, “Do Not Pay.” Instantly, I knew I fell for one of those things she expects me to do even without told. You know, I’m not a mind-reader. I don’t know your expectations. When a half-naked man is standing outside my door demanding money, what am I really supposed to do?
Minutes later, she sent another text, “Tell him to call me.”
Um, okay. So I called the shady handyman who answered the phone blasting me with a creative bunch of swear words. I told him who I was and that my mom wanted to talk to him. He cursed some more and hung up.
I ended up calling mom, told her what happened and got a big fat lecture, calling me stupid, blah blah blah. I swear, at that moment, stuck in the middle, dealing with both of them, I wanted to cry, to run away, to drown myself, something. I don’t want to deal with this. This is scary and crazy and suddenly feel regret of not sticking to my original day plan. My day plan was I was going to spend the afternoon downtown. I think if I did that, none of this would’d happened.
I’m scare for what will happen tomorrow and I don’t want to find out.
I was tagged by Francesca Smith of A Smith’s World a couple of days ago for the Share the Love Challenge but as always, procrastination takes over but since it’s on my mind right this second, I’m doing it.
Continue reading “Spread the Love of Blogging” →
I have been mostly restricted to fiction this week. If you haven’t notice, I’ve been posting nothing but fiction in the last three days. What can I say, I don’t feel like write anything when I feel like crap and yes, I still do but I seem to be just a tiny bit better this morning after mom pushed open my door at 7 am this morning and woke me in a panic for no reason at all except telling me to get to work. She’s gone for the day though, finally, taking a language exam 50 miles away.
I’m so looking forward to this weekend. She will be gone for training and I’ll have the house to myself for the weekend.
Back to feeling like crap, I think I’m having some health issues. That won’t be the first. I don’t want to see a doctor either. All the doctors I’ve been to offer no sympathy whatsoever. I know it’s not your job but still, I came to you. I’m in pain. You can’t just tell me it’s psychological and there’s nothing wrong with me. Can’t you at least do some digging?
Okay, here’s my problem. In the last two days, my head’s been hurting and my chest’s been periodically throbbing. I don’t want to think about it since there’s a chance the pain is “psychological” but at the same time, it feels like it’s getting worse. I want so much to complain but I already know what my mom’s going to say. She’ll either place a large bottle of 600 mg Ibuprofen before me or we’ll bicker.
I couldn’t take it any longer so the other night, I mentioned my discomfort while preparing dinner the other night and we’d just ended up bickering. “It’s all your fault for not drying your hair before heading to bed.” Mom said.
I was, as always, in no mood to bicker and I never went to bed with my hair wet. I always wait until it’s dried before sleeping. “I don’t do that,” I defended.
“If you do that for too many times, it’s bound to happen.” Why do I even make the effort? It’s like talking to a stone.
“Haven’t you been listening to me? I. Don’t. Do. That.” I said through my clenched teeth. There’s no point, my inner voice told me. You’re a minute too late, I snapped.
“I’ve watched you, I’ve seen you do it.” Yeah, like a few months or a few years ago. I didn’t answer. I regret to even brought it up. Forget it.
Aside from that little bicker, so many things had happened this week like I’ve found out a literary magazine HQ in Atlanta is looking for submissions. I have a story for the December issue but I’m afraid it might be too bleak. Should I go for it? I don’t want people to read the story around Christmas and burst in tears. I probably should send another one, huh, one that would cheer people, not make them cry.
I’m going out to work today. This will be the second time this week. I went on Monday and it turned out I couldn’t do much. My boss broke his pinkie last week tripping on a broken sprinkler and now he only has a working right hand while his left hand is wrapped elbow-deep in bandages. I hope he’s there because I went yesterday and he wasn’t there. So I ended up having to have to walk back home but I took my sweet time with the walk.
I’ve always enjoyed black and white photography. I just never thought it fit in with the pictures I took but I just have to try it. What do you think?
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” →
I spent most of yesterday morning in my GMAT class, learning to tackle critical reasoning and math problems. I’m sort of understanding the problem though I’m still pretty rusty. The teacher made it look so easy on the board that it felt like even a three-year-old can do it. So why can’t I? Maybe I’m thinking too complicated. I feel like the problems are designed to teach us to approach it in a simpler manner, like a five-year-old tackles additions and subtractions by counting fingers.
After my GMAT class, I texted my mom who, by the way, was supposed to text me, not the other way around. She was already at my friend’s graduation and had told me to meet her there. She gave me the address but didn’t give me driving directions or when the graduation was supposed to start. Maybe she thought I’ve been to the school and downtown so many times that I’m supposed to know every shortcut to get back on the freeway. Ha ha, I don’t.
Then, just as I need the internet most, I lost it. The moment I stepped into the parking lot, the internet just poof, gone.
So I had to get directions the hard way, by asking around. Thank god, I bumped into the lady that sat next to me in class. She’s awesome at giving direction but since I’m venturing into unknown territory, I was questioning myself and the directions she drew for me the whole way.
Did I make the right turn? Did I miss the freeway entrance? It’s not that far, is it?
Fortunately, I followed her direction and I made it, only made one mistake along the way, getting onto the wrong freeway, actually, it’s the right freeway, just wrong direction.
At last, I arrived after sitting in traffic jam for 10 minutes. Apparently, there was only one road in and out of the arena and drivers in that part of the city happened to be quite unforgiving. They didn’t let me sneak into the lanes at all.
I parked my car somewhere, stomach growling, hand trembling, and feeling quite stuffy. I made my way through the crowd into the arena. From there, I searched for my mom while being shoved by the tens people around me listening to an old man shouting, “First level is full!”
I went up to the second level where I asked an old lady about the main box office. She was like, “What are you talking about?”
“The main box office,” I said louder and slower, enunciating each word as clearly as I could. Thankfully, before I got too frustrated and irritated by the lady’s naggy voice and lazy attitude, I heard a familiar voice behind me. It was my mom, squeezing through the crowd, coming up the stairs. There, she led me to an entrance and together, we descended a set of stairs to our seats.
The smart person I was, I managed to bring my tablet (camera’s got a dead battery) and captured a few pictures. Not very good mainly because we arrived too late to find any good seats.
It was a little different than mine. For starters, it’s a smaller school so the commencement and convocation had been combined. Secondly, everybody, including the undergraduates sat in the same place. In my graduation, the undergraduates sat in a restricted section of the stands. I think by sitting down there, it kind of give you a sense of importance whereas sitting in the stands just makes you feel like a bystander, sort of like your achievement wasn’t big enough to be recognized.
The first speaker was the president of the school and what he said at first really moved me. He said something along the line of, a part of your life is over but a new part of your life is just beginning. I kind of felt like that when I took my last final before I graduated last year. I felt like I’ve been waiting so long for this moment and now that it’s come, I wish I could just have one more day of learning.
And as usual, an idea sparked. It’s sort of autobiographical but the idea’s playing in my head like a movie ever since.
I’ve been spending most of the day today writing another story since my current rewrite of my novella has temporarily reached an impasse. I will have dig deeper into my brain to come up with a plot of what happens next.
But yeah, you can say going to my friend’s graduation changed my perspective on somethings, like 180 degrees change.
Today’s prompt asks: How do you manage your online privacy? Are there certain things you won’t post in certain places? Information you’ll never share online? Or do you assume information about you is accessible anyway? Continue reading “On My Way to Work” →
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” →
I can say my worst nightmares are failing all my classes and plummeting to my death. Continue reading “Dreams and Nightmares” →
It is really not that hard to get me in “the zone” but once I’m in “the zone” Continue reading “Frisbee Mode” →
Daily Prompt: The friendly, English-speaking extraterrestrial you run into outside your house is asking you to recommend the one book, movie, or song that explains what humans are all about. What do you pick? Continue reading “Exhaustion: That’s Life” →
Today’s prompt asks: Tell us about times in which you linger — when you don’t want an event, or a day to end. What is it you love about these times? Why do you wish you could linger forever?
Continue reading “Linger over Breakfast” →
I didn’t think I would write for the prompt today but an old story came up. Continue reading “Painless” →
I am an awkward sleeper. Continue reading “Perchance a Good Dream?” →
This is Another Story