Pack'a'Punch Suitcase

1.       Dress Suit:  If I was to die when someone was taking me away, I want to look the best I can and die handsomely.  It just looks better to die looking good in a suit than it is to die in rags like a homeless person roaming the world aimlessly. 

2.       Knife Set:  This is just a precautionary measure to ensure my safety if I was to be taken away.  Since clothing allows for objects to fill up inside, it can be hidden well until needed and not take too much room in the suitcase. 

3.       Pillow:  I want to feel as comfortable as possible so I must bring a small sized pillow.  You never know when you would have to sleep on the side of the road and have no neck support around. 

4.       A Photograph:  Since my girlfriend and my family are very important to me, I would always carry a picture of each person meaningful to me.  Sometime in my life I could lose my memory and having those pictures could be a life saver!

5.       Sketchbook and Pencil:  Technology has such a short life span and if I cannot have enough to my content, I might as well draw what I see.  Batteries will eventually dry out and quit working but pencil and paper is only limited on how much I will have to use it. 

6.       Hollister Jacket:  This jacket has been able to keep me comfortable and warm during the coldest days.  It represents my girlfriend’s love for me and I wear it to appreciate the best girl out there. 

7.       Box of Condoms:  You never know when my girlfriend and I will come along this subject or just with any woman if I never get to see her again.  It’s best to be protected from all those sexually active people but I don’t want to be a father during hard times. 

8.       Glasses:  I want to be able to see once my contacts give out and I am unable to carry anymore.  I’d rather suffer ear soreness than be blind to the world because it’s survival of the fittest. 

9.       Sun Tzu’s Art of War:  There will be a time when I will have to conquer my enemies or just anyone who is competing against me for various reasons.  Having this book is just a great opportunity for me to defeat such people and show that what’s up. 

10.   Wine Bottle:  Since I am going to be taken away from my home, my friends, family, etc., it won’t be necessary for me to follow the law anymore.  It will be a LONG time before I will ever get to savor the taste of wine and endure the reality of being wasted.  

Fireside Love Stories

A memorable story that I remember goes back about a year during my cousins wedding.  Although she was legally and officially married, they never held a party or celebration in honor of their marriage.  I was excited about this party because it was only once in a while that I ever got to see the faces of my blood relatives.  What I did not know was that they would also be inviting a girl that I knew but never spoke with physically.  Story goes, I get to the party and everybody had already skinned the cow, cut up the delicious meat and started smoking the steak, frying chicken, stirring up shrimp, steaming the rice and tossing around salad.  I went to congratulate the wedded couples and sat down at the table where all the men were supposed to sit.  Now it may be illegal but in my culture, drinking is okay so they passed around a few shots of Bud Light and it kept going around and around the tables.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my friend Keiko from Arkansas running around and helping out the women.  I didn’t have the guts to talk to her because I was the biggest wimp.  We knew each other for about a year or two but never officially spoke to one another.  It was a coincidence that we also met each other at the same place around the same time but for a different reason.  Anyways, my older cousin Pheng went ahead and talked to her and introduced himself.  I walked over and built up the courage to finally say a simple “Hi Keiko.”  It was awkward but finally speaking to her made me happy.  Secretly, she did not know that I had my eye on her for a while but I left that subject alone.  Now whenever we talk, we always bring back that day and how buzzed I was after that party and moreover how long it took me to say hello.   

Inspirational By-Standers

              Bruce Lee was one of the greatest models in my life.  He inspired me to keep an open mind to everything around me and become aware of the surrounding obstacles in my life.  Although he died at such an early age, I believe he was able to express his will and exertion to the world.  As a famous actor and body builder, Bruce devoted his life in expanding the dogma of Kung-Fu.   His master, YIP-Man, taught him the perception of Wing Chun by detaching one’s mind from the struggles of the body and flow with the natural energy like water.  In America, his acting career struggled to incline due to his minority status.  Being a minority, I understand how he felt about being with other races and the standards that they place for you to live up to.  Bruce Lee’s quote “I'm not in this world to live up to your expectations and you're not in this world to live up to mine” enlightened me to understand that we all live to fulfill our duties and not fit our feet in other people’s shoes.  He lived to the age of 33 but his legacy still lives in the world today. 

          Jason Chen is an R&B and pop artist that sings music relative to how I feel.  He inspires my mood on what song is being played and digs into situations of my life.  Although many people do not know him, he is very influential in the Asian community of Youtube.  I view him as a successful artist who makes covers of famous American artists and Chinese artists.  In addition to his musical career, he writes his own music and openly expresses his feelings to the public through his songs.   There wouldn’t be any other musical artist that would know my feelings any better than Jason Chen.  When I first heard is cover for Just a Dream by Nelly, I instantly fell in love with his voice.  Majority of my friends, ex-girlfriends, and family have a link with one of his songs through my opinion.  Recently he wrote a song that I sung to my girlfriend during Christmas.  It was titled Snow Flakes and heavily represented the situation that my girlfriend and I went through on our first Christmas together.  She loved the lyrics and the whole day was a success thanks to Jason Chen, a talented minority living in America. 

         Goku, a legendary Super Saiyan, was created by Japanese artists for hit television series Dragon Ball Z.  He stars as a super human from outer space with overwhelming fighting abilities.  Goku represents as a character whom many Asians look up to as a hero.  When I look back on my first time watching Dragon Ball Z, it was very intriguing.  I compared Goku to Power Rangers whom children today see all the time on television.  Unlike the repetition of the storyline based on the Power Rangers, Goku undergoes transformations and battles loads of enemies like a good storyline should include.  By watching Dragon Ball Z throughout my entire childhood, I learned that determination and good makes a large impact on oneself.  By giving into the hate and darkness, it will consume the mind and cause panic or turmoil in the balance of the world.  There are many things that influence children but for me, Goku was more important than Pokemon, Digimon, Power Rangers, or any of those memorable television shows.  To travel the world instantly and protect the Earth from evil beings is a good enough of a hero as any. He isn’t for everyone but he’s my super hero.   

True story ;]

So story goes, it's my first date with my girlfriend Mailee Lor.  I took her to this restaurant in downtown Milwaukee with my uncle and my cousin.  My cousin drove his brother's Subaru Impreza WRX and my uncle was his buddy to hang out with.  She took her sister because her parents didn't trust me being with her all alone with me and the guys. Sucked that she became a third wheel to us.  Anyways, we weren't even hungry but we ate there anyways and I paid for everyone's dinner.  GEEZ was that expensive!  All that mattered though was that I was with her and we had a good time.  She also checked my phone, looked through my messages, and we barely ate the food I ordered for both of us.  I did take it home but then my little cousins ate it all.  Sad face :[

Squirrel-Beaver Day Redemption

A Touch of the Past

I was taught not to regret the decisions I have made and accept the results that occur later.  Yes there have been some bad outcomes with some decisions I have made but for this assignment I will be talking about my past relationship.  There was this one girl who I had met a few years back maybe before my Freshmen Year.  This acquaintance meeting blasted off when I tried to “befriend” her cousin but throughout the day she blew me off and I ended up giving up.  Anyways, back to the original story, it was exactly one year later that we met again and began getting to know each other.  It was a Memorial Day Tournament and my father was playing soccer that day for his team “The Missouri Thunders.”  Back when my dad was about my age, he loved playing soccer for high school and tournaments and so he formed a group of old Hmong guys and built a strong team.  I had to admit they were pretty legit because they took first place more often than the other four state Hmong players and their greatest rivals were from Kansas City.  So here we are watching my dad play and I leave my family to go around and “pimp.”  I came across this girl who really jumped my heart and like a man; I walked up and confronted her.  I spent the entire day with her and man did I really fall deep into infatuation.  Little did I know that she was the girl that I had met exactly a year ago at the same location.  Most people would think that it is love meant to be and unfortunately, I did too.  At the end of the day I had gotten her number because back then I didn’t have a phone to text or call so I used my dad’s cell.  Here comes the bad part.  One of my best friends who I really looked upon also had his eye on her AFTER I was talking with her.  He asked me if I didn’t mind them talking and as a nice guy, I said it was totally fine but in reality it’s not okay.  It took them about a week or two before they started dating.  I was devastated when I found out but I supported their relationship and stood by their side.  If any of you knew the song that came out that same year, I think it was called “Wedding Dress – Taeyang,” it would totally explain my situation.  When they argued overnight and she ended up crying, she came to me for help and comfort.  As a friend, I was always there for her and made her feel comfortable anytime she was around me.  I never told her how I felt but I figured my “best friend” might have told her.  They ended up separating from each other and I thought that this was my chance to finally shine with the girl I fell for but MAN was I wrong.  She ended up dating some Mexican from her school around Independence Day and got pregnant with his baby.  All my hopes and dreams of loved died right there and that was why I decided to obtain as many girls as I could so that I wouldn’t have to feel that pain ever again.  Then I met my current girlfriend Mailee Lor who I could trust and love with all my heart. 

If I had relived that day, I would have either changed two options:  I would have ignored her on that tournament day and moved onto a different girl or I would have told my so called “best friend” to back off because she was my idol woman.  Still, it would have been nice to know how her love would have felt because she was a very considerate woman to her lover.  Anyways, I am satisfied with what happened because it allowed me to meet the girl I have today. 

The end