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!!