Merry X'mas, dear friends

I got off from working at Shanghai chinese restaurant and my aunt told me that my cousin called to see if I want to go over Mary's for X'mas party. It was on chrismas eve around 11pm. I was tired from work and needed some love that night at that moment so I went. It was one of the most unforgetable X'mas in my life so far.

To tell the truth, I was not prepared at all for the party and was told just to show up. I drove there and found there was about 20 people inside the house when the door was opened. Most of the people were Mary and Trinh's family members and relatives (father, mom, brothers, cousins and friends etc.). Some were cooking the X'mas ham, soup, and stuffs and serving drinks in the kitchen area. Some were talking and drinking either in the living room or the dinning room. The X'mas tree was standing beautifully by the window and the fire place was heating up everybody's heart nicely. I was kind of didn't know what to do though I know some of them. I was glad that my cousin, Karen and her husband, Ron were there. Since it was my first time to Kieu's X'mas gathering (It is hold annually), I was considering new member. Mary and Trinh were nice. They were talking to me, showing me things around and it made me felt more confortable as time went by. Actually, I was thouched and very happy that I came.
It was the time to eat and wish everybody Merry X'mas. Then it was the time to open the presents. They were piled like a little mountain. Mary and Mariko were delivering the gift to everybody. And I got presents too. I was surprised to get presents. I like X'mas not because I get gifts. Looking at the X'mas tree, I thought of where I was for X'mas last year and years before. I think I like X'mas because of it gives me time to think of friends and my family that are not around me. I send cards, calls, or emails every year to Taiwan, Japan, and England trying to wave friends and family hello and present to them I am still alive. It is also interesting to know how friends and family are doing. It is neat and it is almost Year 2006!! Merry X'mas and Happy New Year everybody.

Bubble Secret

I have a secret that it is about you and me. The secret is wrapped with bubbles. Sad and beautiful thing is I cannot talk to you of the secret because I've lost my voice over this ambigious relationship and it is better to just leave it for myself. The devil has told me all the consequesnes if I tell. It has been hurts and aches all over my piecesed-heart. My tear drops are saved and drained at quiet nights just for me.

Picking up my heart pieces, I leave you and move on. Bubbles disappear in the air. When kids blow bubbles in the games, memory comes back to me and the bubble secret is formed. I am the little mermaid who does not die.

My little mermaid though came from the several of my relationships with people. Sometimes, I think I lose voice with people. Sometimes, I unwrap the bubble to let people decode my bubble language.

Russell

You are the laziest and cutest thing I have ever met. On sunny days, I would see you laying there with your eyes closed like an old man thinking back his life. On rainy days, you walk like nobody else's business under either heavy or light rain. I heard of your story about almost losing a ear couple years ago. It was a vigorous fight and you won.

Sometimes, I like you to stay with me at the house without my family's knowing. It is like the little secret that only we both know in the whole world. Although you don't talk a lot, you always reply me that you love me too with a understandable sound.

Yes, that purring is such a love language in your cat world. And I know that ham and turkey will always be my weapon to win your heart-Russell, my secret pet next door.

The Jolley Family that I Miss

Do people say when you kind of feeling lonesome, you miss the most nicest people who you ever met in your life. Yes, Janice and Tom are considered my friends that I would never find again any place in the world. Recently, I think of the my life back in Texas while I was living with Janice, Tom and Toddy (Oh, and two cats- Sasami and Nabiki).

Since I was the only chinese in the house, it was really fun trying to think and talk in english 24-7. Janice and Tom both speak good english of course because they are americans. Toddy, well, is now 2 years old. He speaks some english which I think I can understand about 1 percent of his talk. So you know how much I might understant his talk way back when we were roommy together. He is such a doll. Last time I talked to him on the phone. He greeted me with a cute cute "hi" during his first thanksgiving dinner. As for Sasami and Nabiki, I think one "Meow" means pat me and two "Meow" means feed me. Purrrs mean I am in heaven.
Sometimes, I think that Janice and Tom have rescued me during the time I studied at SFA. I was just a poor foregin student living the limited budget with them. Janice was pregnant with Toddy. (I do want to thank WIC program about the free milk, juice and cheese etc.) Tom was the only "man" who brought bread home and he worked wired hours something like 10pm to 7am. But I had the most nice and sweet experiences living with them in that little house on Greenwood street.
We had fun and funny experiences. How can I forget the day when Toddy was born. It was probably 4am in the morning when I got the phone call from Tom at the hospital. "The baby is coming in anytime" he said. "Ok, I will pick up papa and mama to the hospital in few seconds," I replied. Well, I didn't have a car that time. Tom's big old van was the only availabe veihcle at that moment. Oh, lord! And where exactly is papa and mama's address. I guess I would just hit the road and God will help me get there safe. Somehow, I picked up papa and mama arriving hospital at a good timing. We were blessed to have the most cutest baby Tod in the world. It was December 4th, 2003.
Though time flys, I would never forget my lovely family in Texas.

Oops! I fell at the wedding ceremony

The passed Sunday was my cousin, Karen's wedding at their backyard. I was there helping a day before and the wedding day morning since it began at 5pm. On Saturday, my brother and I was decorating yard fence, the front door arch, and helping put up the light bulbs. I mean it doesn't look like a difficult chore to work on but it took us forever to just twist and fix the streamer. The wind was blowing the streamer in the air like an angry monster. Finally, we finished several things that we need to do and the house looked less messy comparing to the prior day. It was a sunny Sunday and we still had about 400 things to do before 5pm. Ok, I set up those 13 tables and 100 chairs in the yard then I ran in and out of the house doing this and that. Time was ticking and the bride had to stop at 2:30 pm no matter what she was working on because she had to get dress and have the make up done.

At 2pm, friends started to come and help out. I was kind of tired running in and out of the house putting up table clothe for 13 tables in the backyard again and again because of the wind...As for the food, there were about two tons of food ready to set up on the buffet table. I mean sashimi, shushi, lobster, beef roaster, rolls, sauted shrimp, pig feet (oh! yes gotta have this if you are wedding a chinese) and all kind of dishes. Not to mention about the three-level wedding cake. Any way, everybody was waiting by the wedding arch where the groom waits for the bride to come. The wedding music was having some king of problem because the DJ (groom's dad) couldn't find the song on computer. I ran out to ask the groom and yes I feel just right in front of everybody. Thank you the camera man who had gave the poor lady a hand.

The wedding went well. It was about 80 people show up at my cousin's backyard. Finally, they got married under families and friends' withness after they got married at the court two years ago.

Chef Lee Chinese Restaurant

Today is my 4th day working in the restaruant after I graduated with 2 master degree in August. What have I done so far are that I broke one glass, fell once like flying squirlle while holding a tray on the slippery floor while walking into kitchen, ordered couple wrong entrees, and made customers waited for a to-go box for about 10 minutes and so on. Good! What is going to happen next...and next..

The New World

I have been thinking about writing a narrowtive about Carey. I met Carey while I was in Texas working on my master degree. He was working on his too. In my view, he is a true artist, photographer, and a friend with funs. Talking with Carey makes you feel that you were filmed by him. This might be a little too abstracted. But if you have seen his graduate thesis video about the forestry story, you will know what I mean. In this short historical documentary, he interviewed the people from Roosevelt's Tree Army. When those young boys who were between 18-25 age planting trees for living, they won't know how much it means to the world today. Under Roosevelt's Tree Army, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was designed to reduce unemployment while also conserving natural resources. The CCC changed the lives of several million people, along with Big Bend National Park in Texas.
In the film, these unmarried "young boys" are now covering with grey hair, wearing reading glasses and singing song with guitar on racking chair on porch. The story starts with the some black and white pictures showing young men planting tree in the wild then comes with the aside speaking of different people's memories. The audiens were seem to stand in the wild with those young men planting tree. There were some laughting, sweating, and singing. The story ended with an old man singing with giutar. I was so touched.
When I know that Carey is going to be part of a hollywood movie, I was so excited and happy for him. I know he will make it. He was just coming back from Mongolia filming a short film. The movie maker informed him to work in Virginia and he went for about 6 months. As he came back, I was shared some fun stories about Ferrel Colin, the director and so on. Life is fun when you have stories to share with firends.
The movie is my type of movie. I like indian legends and all kind of things about native american. It is kind of mysterious and taboo. I know that I will definately enjoy the movie and think of Carey!

Finding a job in New York City

New York City is crazy as Van Gogh. This is how I would put it in my own dictionary. Last week I went to the National Career Fair in Holiday Inn at NYC. My aunt lives in Massapequa, Long Island, thus I commuted from her house to the city almost everyday. The first day was not fun at all. I took the midnight run away bus at 1am and arrived at Chinatown at 7am. The girl next seat was talking on the phone all the way. No need to say, I almost hit her with my high heel. (I was grummpy being forcing to listen her conversation with her family). About the high heel, I had the job fair to go at 11am in the city so I was all dressing up while riding the bus.

New York, where I should start with the story. Oh, the job fair was so crowded when I got there. The line just to get into the fair was long and made me feel like to knock everybody down to get to the frist in line since I haven't slept on the bus last night. I was tired, sleepy and had two blisters on my foot. I heistated if I wanted to join the line. I went down stair to the lobby and sat on the sofa just trying to relax a little bit. About an hour, I decided not to go in and went to the public library. There is a job information center in the library. So I wrote down some information and got on the train to my aunt's.

My leg was hurting me because of the new boot and I walked a lot between avenues and streets. I needed to go to Columbia University Medical Center to check out some job position and maybe tried to introduce myself to people. It was really a nice and well-equipted from my view. The hospital itself is near the riverside and you could see the Wasington Bridge. I think it would be cool to work there so I sent my resumes to different department online (it is the only way to apply for their job).

While walking on NYC, I felt like I was just a small fish amont the school. People are from different backgrounds. Skyscrapers, tourists, and venders this is the most metropolitan city in the world I was thinking this myself. Do people really live here or people just exist here for the most golden period in their life?

This time, I walked one step further about finding a job in NYC. I think it is enough for this time. Next month, I need to do something more and maybe I need to be more aggressive. "Here is New York!" as everybody says.

The First Beach Camping, 2005

Did I tell you that I am a swimming lover. Oh, here is another good conbination for swimming. How do you think about camping and swimming at the beach? Does it not making you the queen or king in the tropical island? At least that is how I feel whenever I go camping at the beach. Mixture of fine white sand, blue sea connecting to sky, and lying like swimming suit super model whil drinking colorful cocktail. Yup, this is how I would picture my first beach camping in 2005.

I have just moved to Virginia about a month. My cousins and some friends were planning going camping at Virnignia beach for father's day celebration. I have never met other people other than my aunt's family yet and I thought this my be a fun weekend getaway to meet new people, to go swimming in the sea, and to just relax.

We left richmond around 8pm and arrived at the campsite about 10pm. It was kind of late and dark to set up the tent. I met about over ten people that I have never met before in the dark not knowing how exactly they look like. In my mind, I thought by tomorrow morning I might not be able to know who's who that I was talking last night. The campfires was nice and warm up everybody's good mood talking, laughing, joking and of course drinking. Pork chop sniffed around to see if there were piece of meat or food has dropped on the ground. She is a sweet but hungary poppin. Guess, I was not going swimming tonight after driving and a full tommy. Mary and traing were brushing their teeth with the "blinking toothbrush". I mean a toothbrush that literally was red blinking. We though it was funny that Mary was too lazy to go to restroom and cleaned her teeth with a plastic cup by the campfire.

In the morning, we had some donuts and coffee. Mary's father reminded everybody that it was the "FATHER'S DAY". Happy father's day!! We replied. The sun was very big that day. We all walked to the beach and could not wait a minute more to jump into the water to relase all the solar energy that we have absorbed. Pork chop found some friends chasing with each other, and swimming to get the toy that we have thrown to sea. We were so enjoy the moment. I swam for a while until my arm could not stroke anymore. Then I relaxed on the sand covering a saloon. As an asian female, I am inheretied the afraid-of-getting-tan syndrom.

Time flew fast while everybody lying and mind blanking. I had such fun over this beach camping. I think sea could be a good psychologist to everyone.S

Book Club: One Ture Thing

This book discussion is my second time. First time was last month and I think I would never forget about the embarrsisng moment. I was new in Virginia and decided to go out to meet new people. Library was good I think. People who reads are good people. Can't remember who once have said that. It was probably from Asian confusion's wisdom. Public libraries of Chesterfield county are very neat and useful. It makes me addict to going there everyday studying. One day I was checking out their billboard and found the monthly book discussion meeting. Next thing I did was to check out the assigned book: Snow falls on Cider and forgot about it until like two days bofore the book discussion.

Well, I was studying in the quiet studying room and planning going to the discussion at 7pm. I knew that there was a big meeting room inside the library so, I knocked on the door and opened the door found a full room staring at me. "Did they move the time up earlier?" as I wondered in my mind. I was hesitated to go in because the form of the meeting did not seem like a book discussion. So I closed the door without saying anything but look at the lady standing behind the podium. But as soon as I closed the door, I regarted thinking " this must be the room, where else can they hold the discussion?". Then I opened the door again and got the same staring from 100 eyes. That kind of killed me at the spot and I closed the door second time. This nice lady at the lobby then told me the book discussion was next door. Book disscussion was ok. I did not talk much but listen. This is the first time book disscussion shock!

Ok, I am going to involve more this time. The book we are going to talk about is: One Ture Thing by Anna Quindlen. About two weeks before the meeting, I saw the move on Oxygen chennel. This helped me to read the book faster since English is my second language. The story is about a harsh, sharp, well-educated hardvard graduated girl quite her highly paid New York job to take care of her newly diagnosed cancer mom by her father's command. It is a story about family and social people life. The reason that I have enjoyed this book is this is book is also my story. Same illness mom, well-educated daughter and bittersweet feeling seeing the love one dying.

We were asked of the opinions about the book by Suzan, the group leader. Every one decribed how they thinkg about the book. Different scenes and several detail in the book were discussed. Suzan was really a good leader of a book discussion as she addressed herself was a retired high school teacher. Some people I have saw last time, and some are new, all female. No surprise. I do think that this is a good experience both in self improving and meeting new people. Oh, and cannot forget to mention about the sweet baked chacolate cookies. Next month's book is: Memories of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. Humm..I can not wait!!

Dad's new girlfriend

My dad was pretty excited on the phone introducing me about his new girlfriend. I asked about her name, family and profession. As the answers transmitted to my ear to my mind, the time seemed just drifted me away from the phone. It was August 25, almost a year now after mom breathed her last breath in the hospital of breast cancer terminal stage. From the flight landed at Taiwan to the day I cried goodbye to my lovely and strong mom was only 100 days.

She had been always a funny, strong and thoughful mom since I came to this world. I addmit that I am more daddy's girl. But knowing that it does not mean sweetly hugging and smiling here. In asian culture, fathers are the type of roles that whip you with their serious glares. In my family, I am pretty sure that I am the one who dares to reply his glares with a soft greeting kind of conversation. There was a period of time that I madly againsted my mom on all kind of things. And I blamed it to the HORMONE. Yes, if it was not it by what else reason I can attribute to?

I started to understand more about my mom and the relationship between us when I went to college then working in the baby room and pediactric clinic. We were closer and less tesion. Three years after graduating from the college, I flew to the States to achieve my dream of higher education. Then it was the 3rd year at the beginning of my second degree, I got to know that she had cancer. I went back last year and spent her last three months whith her. We would hand in hand walk in the park, take the bus shopping at the mall, and eat like queen and princess at a fancy restaurant. I think and hope she was happy while I was with her though it was not 100 percent perfect life.

She is pretty, a retired teacher, and likes to sing my dad's happy tone of describing his new girlfriend. I was still on the phone listening. In deed, I am very happy for him. It was just another me feel like crying when time flys back to last year. Has he forgotten about mom? I wondered as I hang up the phone.

New friends in Richmond

I like swimming just like wearing my pj walking around in the house. The water contacts my skin which makes me feel so fetus. It was at Karen's house last evening one month after having their 2005 pool party. Water was very warm and the sky was gary a little bit with some T-storm rain drops. Every body kicked, pedaled and maybe gargled down some pool water by accident or intentional. Ever since my childhood camping memory was kind of impressed to my mind, water or I should say swimming is my way to remember my family time. Mom, dad, my two younger brothers and my best friends of childhood sat by the campfire and grilled the chicken. I remember the sound of the chicken fat sizzling. We always got hungry after a long day swimming.

Today my best friends from childhood have gone. We don't even talk or see each other any more. Pacific ocean may not be the greatest distant between us. It just we all grew up and live on our own lives. Mary, Traing and John are my new friends, I suppose. Life is such a fun thing to stick with. You meet new people then you might leave somehow. But then you kind of connect to each other with a invisible thin red thread in between and it works like a web. Last night we played poker after swimming and eating BBQ. Games were fun and crazy. Sometimes I am sure that laughters are the healthiest vitamine in the world.

I like swimming, poker and new firends. They all make me happy!!