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”
Tag: Writing
Off to a Painful Start
Happy Chinese New Year!!!
Well, technically, it’s still eve here in the U.S.. In China, it’s Chinese New Year. This year is the year of the goat and I was born in the year of goat. As I mentioned in previous posts, my mom said I’m bound to be unlucky this year and guess what, I’m off to a painful start already. This morning, I was woke by a sharp pain in my back. Not again! Continue reading “Off to a Painful Start”
An alternative to the Water Cooler
I would love to un-invent the water cooler. It had turned my life upside down ever since my mom bought it a year ago. Every two weeks, I have to go to the local supermarket to pump 5 gallons of water, $0.41 a gallon. Do you have any idea how heavy water is? I almost always end up bumping my bad knee against the shopping cart when I’m trying lift this thing to place inside the cart. Oh and don’t forgot about the possibility of tipping over on the car ride home even after I strapped it onto the backseat.
Having a water cooler also means my drinking water supply had been limited. Before when we’re still buying the filter for the refrigerator, I can fill my bottle water whenever I want. You see, I don’t want to go up and down the stairs to get water. I like to have drinkable water in my room.
However, the filter for the refrigerator is more expensive than what we have now, supermarket drinking water. So that’s all the more reason why this thing needs to un-invented. It had caused me to have to resort to filling my water at the school fountain even now that my aunt and cousin had left.
Trust me, when they’re here, 5-gallons of water would be gone in 2-days without me and mom hardly drinking any of it. They like the hot water function and are so accustomed to drinking hot water since tap water in China is just a big fat joke and everything needs to be boiled before it can be drunk. When they were going to community school here, they’d take 3 large liter-bottles to school each day since the fountain water is too cold for them.
Now that they’ve left, we once again have the water supply to ourselves and so far, it’s been more than a week and only half of bottle has been drunk. I will have to go fill a new bottle on Friday though since the pharmacy’s next door to the market and I don’t want run twice.
As for the consequences of un-inventing the water cooler, perhaps, companies and businesses can put out bottles of water or put a refrigerator with filtered water function in the break room. There problem solved.
Oh by the way, for those of you who are curious why we don’t drink tap water either is because the water here come from snow melt and as it make its way down the mountain, it collect too much mineral and sediment like Calcium. Calcium is good to build strong bones but too much will lead to kidney stones and that’s yikes.
Frightening, Unrealistic, Ridiculous
Daily Prompt: You’ve being exiled to a private island, and your captors will only supply you with five foods. What do you pick? Continue reading “Frightening, Unrealistic, Ridiculous”
This can be Fun
I have been working on my System Understanding Aid (SUA) project for my online accounting class. Trust me, it’s very messy. I invaded the kitchen counter the entire day yesterday, scattering the paper in that red paper bag you see on top. I brought it up to my room in the late afternoon because I just couldn’t take it anymore, I need to see the hints. Last night, my bed was all scattered with papers. I didn’t even bother to organize it. I was so tired. I just stuffed everything inside everything and transferred it back to my desk.
My mom is in the same class as me and this project is due in two days. She wanted to help but let’s face it, she’ll just get in my way. She hadn’t taken enough classes to know what to do for this project. I think if she’s taking this class alone, she’d probably fail.
But it is always helpful to have an extra set of hands and minds on this project. So if I have an extra me, I’d definitely split the responsibility on this project. One of me can be in charge of entering numbers into the spreadsheet while the other me will be working on the paper-end of the project. The best part? I don’t teach everything to my clone! Because well, we think the same, we act the same, what can be more awesome.
Although this can happen…
The Wedding Bells Part 14 (Flash Fiction Chain #6)
Jithin, PhoTrablogger, the host of Flash Fiction Chain, had decided to continue the previous flash fiction chain due to an inconclusive ending. The following parts are inspired by the above image. Continue reading “The Wedding Bells Part 14 (Flash Fiction Chain #6)”
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.
To you…
Today is Valentine’s Day and my cousin’s birthday, not the pain in the a– cousin. I probably should send him a birthday card, after all, it’s not everyday one gets to turn 19. Continue reading “To you…”
Doubt
So I am just now getting home after spending the past 5 hours touring and learning about a CPA firm. I must admit, I had an interesting time. I didn’t think I’d have a good time talking to people. I thought I’d get bored very quickly. But I got to learn about all the different aspects of working in public accounting as well as go into detail of what an accountant actually do. Continue reading “Doubt”
Favorite Inventions
“That’s the best thing since sliced bread!” I’ve been wondering what this phrase mean all morning. I have never heard this phrase before, how interesting. In the end, I managed to google it and found a site that will explain the phrase to people like me.
I grew up in the 90’s and surprisingly, I didn’t start to use a computer until the early 2000’s. Before that, it was just my cousin who knew how to use the computer, not me. In my mind, I’d thought it was a complicated object that hardly serve a purpose. I mean, the internet took forever to connect (dial-up) and once it got connected, there’s a timer limiting our access plus, we can’t use the phone while we surfed the web.
It wasn’t until the DSL age and my school started to grow dependent on the computer that I finally discovered its true use of a computer and I have to say, it is the best thing since sliced bread.
Another thing that I think it’s the best thing since sliced bread is the e-reader. I hated reading books. For one thing, my hands sweat a lot and make the books wet and the other down thing about reading a hard copy is that I need light. There is no way I can read anything in the dark.
Well, now I can. I have a kindle app on my tablet and it provides all the light I need to do some light reading before bed without the need to stumble to switch off the light.
Anyway, those are my two favorite inventions. My other favorite invention that no one uses anymore is the VCR. It helped me to record so much of my favorite shows.
Collection
Daily Prompt: Dig through your couch cushions, your purse, or the floor of your car and look at the year printed on the first coin you find. What were you doing that year?
Okay, that will be a problem for me because first of all, my mom and I, we don’t put or hide coin anywhere and we certainly don’t keep coins in our pockets. We keep them in our wallet where they belong but even then I don’t have a lot of coins. I keep mostly bus tokens in my wallet, though I don’t know why, I have a pass that will allow me to ride whatever I want for free.
So therefore, I’m going to show you these…
I am almost finish collecting the third set, just need Mississippi. I began collecting state quarters in I think 2003 (it seems like every interesting thing happen that year). I have no clue what got me interested, maybe I just like collecting money. :p
When we were still living in California, my mom and I used to go to the recycling center all the time, to sell plastic bottles and soda cans. Then we would tell the guy to give us quarters which he happily gave us, chunks of quarters at a time.
Once we arrive home, I’d go excitedly to the dining table to find if there was any quarters that I did not have already. The unwanted quarter would be for my mom to do laundry.
At first, it was easy because well, I’m new and I haven’t collected up to the current year yet. After a while, it got tough but I didn’t give up. The most frustrating period of this collection was when we were living in Texas when my step-dad would secretly take my state quarters to buy alcohol and cigarettes while I was asleep. See, that’s why I wanted to lock my door.
I stopped for a while because what’s the point if I collect one and you take one? I began again when I moved to Utah but in the last few years, I’ve slowed down a lot since both my mom and I don’t really use cash anymore unless it’s an emergency and we no longer need quarters to do laundry. So now I’ve fallen quite behind on my national parks and monuments collection and I need to catch up.
Well, I have to head to school. I actually got up early again this morning. I thought this problematic prompt was interesting and knew I could squeeze a few minutes of my time before school to write this.
This takes me back…
My step-dad was always big on music. I think me learning the piano was probably the proudest moment of his life. Continue reading “This takes me back…”
A Great Day
What a great day today! That was my first thought when I woke up this morning. Today is one of those rare days when I got up early which was at 6:15 am.
The moment my eyes opened, I knew I was alone, that my mom had already gone to work and there was no one else in this big empty house. I can do whatever I want. Isn’t that great? Unfortunately, I have homework and work. Ugh, why do these things have to ruin everything? Good thing I don’t have worry about beating everyone to lunch and I might not even have to eat. That’ll really save me a lot of time as I learned last night.
I was so stuffed from the lunch buffet yesterday that I couldn’t eat anything during dinner. So no dinner for me last night and this morning, I just satisfied myself on a cup of Hot Cocoa with Chia Seed and Flaxseed. Plenty healthy.
I am incredibly obsessed with this idea in my head for a novel right now. So that’s probably why my appearance had dwindled here as I’m spending a majority of my free time catching up on my shows and developing this idea on wattpad.
Anyway, I have to get to work on my paper for school. It is so beautiful here this morning. It is as if spring had decided to come early. I just hope the dark clouds will stay away and won’t drop some measly rain in the middle of the day again.
Secretive
Ah, finally, some peace and quiet. Continue reading “Secretive”
One of those days…
I guess I should be proud of myself today. I have just finish a 7-hour workday. I am still not finished with my work, still have a long way to go.
I woke up this morning feeling extremely weird from a series of obscure dreams that I can only dimly recall. I looked at the prompt and the only thing I can describe it is blank. I absolutely cannot recall the last time someone told me they were proud of me.
Actually, I think my mom said it once a few days ago but I can’t remember why. Anyway, I guess I am just having one of those days when I am awake but my brain isn’t. I mean, I’m even having a hard time translating articles.
I think I might just need some inspiration. Or perhaps I just been non-stop thinking about that in two days, my aunt and cousin will go back to China and I will no longer have to cook my lunch before they get home and best of all, no more rice for dinner. Six months, 100 lb of rice, that’s enough.
Now if you’d excuse me, I’d like to look at some breathtaking photographs on pinterest. Here’s a phenomenal one. 🙂
Excel: Not For Dummies
I don’t claim to know more about Excel than most people. In fact, there are a lot of formulas in that program that I still have no idea how to use and Excel still frustrates me so very much even after so many years of using it.
Last night, I spent two hours helping my mom with her homework or our homework since we are both in the same class but I’ve already finished mine a week ago and she’s just getting started. It is an assignment to create a template for the Statement of Cash Flows using the data from Income Statement and Balance Sheet.
Anyway, her typing was so darn slow and erroneous. It’s like she’s dragging a ton of bricks with her hands while typing. And the way she punches the numbers, it’s like she’s trying to murder the darn thing.
On the other hand, I am never good at explaining things to people. I am always good at hands-on, do it for them or let them follow me while I perform the task myself.
A few times during the night, I asked her. “Maybe I should give you mine and you can study it.” She refused, claiming she will not learn anything if I just gave it to her.
I know she’s right and it’s completely unethical of me. It can even be classified as cheating but I just don’t think I can sit there any longer watching her type the formulas one by one instead of placing the cursor at the bottom right corner of the cell and dragging the formula down. I taught her how to do that but she seems to forget everything once she begins typing again.
At the end of two hours, we are at near completion. We completed the Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and the Other Detail for Statement of Cash Flows. Now all we need is the Statement of Cash Flows which we are set to complete on Monday night. I bet I’ll have some real fun teaching her to use the “if” formula in excel, huh?
Yuck, No Thanks
About four years ago, I applied for an internship with the city. I remember reading the job description and about a third of a way down, there was a bullet that said the interns are responsible to do routine visit to the sewer pipeline. My skin just started prickling at the words “routing visit”.
I didn’t get the internship probably because of my nervousness and my lack of interviewing skills. Honestly though, the interviewing lady that never smiles will making me anxious. I felt good at the end of the interview but I guess it just wasn’t my destiny to work for the city. I’d tried again two years later, still no luck.
My friend got the internship though but they let her go after a semester. Man, I should’ve asked her, “did you get to look at the sewer?” But it never came up in our conversations.
Anyway, I wouldn’t say I would object if anyone ever needs me to go visit the sewer but I will sure take a lot of precaution (full hazmat suit and everything) because I will never let any skin of mine will ever touch sewage water. But if I have any say in this, no thanks, you can explore the sewage yourself.
Breaking the Rules
I know there are many people who grew up in a household with an established set of rules, probably written on a piece of construction paper on the wall. Continue reading “Breaking the Rules”
Forgotten
May I say I feel a little forgotten and angry at the moment? Continue reading “Forgotten”
An offer I badly want to refuse
In the fall of 2013, my former-boss, Mr. Li came to town. He, his wife, son, and brother-in-law didn’t know a single word in English. They were to enroll at the school I was employing at the time and since my mom and I were the only ones at the school that spoke Chinese and English, we had to helped them to get their son enrolled.
After that, they came to us for everything and I mean everything. We helped them set up and install everything in their rental home from utilities to phone to TV to internet. They even called us once to ask how to eat a pie. They spent a great deal of time over at our place too. Chatting and just about interrupted every aspect of our daily life.
Then he offered me a job. $15 an hour, just interpretation and running, even reimburse for gas in case of travel. At the sound of it, yeah, it sure sounded great but it was an offer I wanted to refuse, horribly. I knew it would be incredibly demanding and with school and work, I don’t have time for other demands. So I refused.
But my mom went on and on about how Mr. Li was handing money to me and how I was so stupid not to take the job and then she called China and made me talk to both of my aunts who too lectured me on my stupidity. It was a never ending battle and it was one I cannot win. I mean three against one, how can I? I had to surrender and take the job.
So I was working two jobs while completing my last few classes at the University. It was ridiculous. During my work time at the school, Mrs. Li would randomly stroll into my classroom and demand I take her shopping. I mean didn’t she see me working?
After school, I was a tutor for another student and my mom was to provide additional help to Mr. Li’s son but eventually that turned into my job too.
That period, September 2013 to March 2014, was most likely the hardest time of my life. I worked three, sometimes four jobs while squeezing time in between to catch up on my homework. I was barely home except for sleeping. It was a wonder how I passed my classes.
The thing is, when I first met Mr. Li, I kind of knew he wasn’t the kind of person I want to associated with. I guess I just have the ability of reading people, to know whether they can be trusted and whether it will be good to be associated with them.
Of course, Mr. Li is trustworthy. Unfortunately, he’s not association-worthy and as usual, my mom ignored my suggestion and as usual, I was completely right.
Because Mr. Li came here on a business visa, he had to gather enough employees to keep his visa. So he dragged my mom down too, made her his employee and handed her a couple of paychecks. Now, it’s tax time and she is in trouble. Because of the extra income from Mr. Li, she now has more taxes to pay. I do too because of Mr. Li’s unethical practices. He claims he’s helping me but in fact he’s hurting me.
And our W-2s still hadn’t arrive and Mr. Li is nowhere to be found. So is it too late to rub it in her face and say I told you so?
Better Together
Daily Prompt: If you had to choose between being able to write a blog (but not read others’) and being able to read others’ blogs (but not write your own), which would you pick? Why?
It’s either or? What?!!! What about both?
If don’t read other’s blogs, where else do I find inspiration? I would probably run out of things to write extremely quickly. On the other hand, if I can only read other’s blogs, I would be compelled to write my own because of all the little ideas that will start to pop in my head.
In fact, that’s why I wanted to write my own blogs in the first place. I bought a kindle with the hotel points my mom had saved up from her trips and began reading. I can’t remember how many books I’ve read before those tiny speck of ideas fill up my head and almost caused me to burst.
But if that’s how you want to play it, I’d say I would choose to read other’s blogs. So what if I can’t write my own blog, I will just write something else, on Word, maybe. It isn’t necessary that I have to write a blog, I just write it to gain attention, to have an audience. I will be either way. I can still read other blogs to gather inspiration. Who knows, I might even write a book. Either way, I don’t think it’s even possible to choose between reading and writing. Those two things are just…
Blogging 201: Set Three Goals
I think I should probably say, “Happy 2-year Anniversary!” to this little growing blog of mine. Yup, it was on February 3, 2013 I wrote my first post on here. I think I’ve mentioned this before. Continue reading “Blogging 201: Set Three Goals”
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.
This is Another Story 