Creating a List and Checking It Twice

People who have influenced me: my mother, my boss, my teachers, televisions shows such as Courage the Cowardly Dog, women, and Steve Jobs.

Places that make me happy: 2013 Scion tC, women, video games, internet, socializing, fires, and parties.

Places I would like to go: United Kingdom, Laos, Hollywood, New York City, Australia, Russia, and North Korea.

Things in people that I like: generosity, honesty, passion, humor, desire, and courage.

Things in people that I dislike: greed, dishonesty, imprudence, ignorance, stupidity, and bland personality.

Things that worry me: homework, busy days at work, climbing to high altitudes (physically), making my Scion tC dirty, deadlines, and being late to places.

Things I would like to know how to do: make sushi, better jokes, how to act more freely, make better choices, fly a plane, and run the country like a president should.

Things that have moved me: how athletic people get into college free while intelligent people only get paid a small amount to go, how people do not understand the benefits of saving, being able to say that I have a new car, music that affects the mood I feel, technology that makes my life a lot easier, and how world leaders think of themselves before the people. 

Things that intrigue me: Scion tC, wise and elderly people, humorous speakers, party animals, professional artists, and mythological creatures.

My personal favorites: Scion tC, dragons, Bruce Lee, beautiful weather, beautiful women, and the internet for socializing purposes. 

Never Say Good-Bye

I hate to say good bye because it’s never always easy to comprehend the emotions that arise when you know you won’t ever see them again.  Recently I have just met an amazing girl over the weekend and through the two days that we have been with each other; it was a struggle to say the two words to her.  I did not want to believe that it was a permanent leave but rather a new chapter of a better relationship.  My desires have lead me to feel hopeless and defeated when I say good bye because I do not want time to continue to move on but rather stop for my moment to extend with her. For us to go our separate ways was like knowing that a part of my heart was leaving me and never coming back.  It hurt and ached but there wasn’t anything I could do to prevent the pain.  I had to endure the misery of losing love at first sight but if it was meant to be, it would come back.  When it comes to family, family will always be there no matter the situation.  Saying good bye to family does not fulfill my emotions with sadness or pain but with neutral feelings of family love and patronage. Sometimes it is awkward to say good bye to family because you build a memory with their presence and no one wants to forget the good times or let it come to an end.  When I say good bye to friends, there are endless possibilities of what could happen or whatever.  If I know I’m going to see my friends the next day, it’s going to be a regular “see you later” or even “catch you later.”  I know it will not be forever but technology will be able to connect my social life with my friends and tie our memories together once again.  To say good bye to someone I have lost through death is tragic.  It is more meaningful than a girl I have grown affectionate to, for a family member who has created the perfect day with me, or for a friend whom I will not be able to see for a very long time.  Because death is eternal, I will not be able to create new memories with that certain person.  In the short run, I will undergo the stages of depression and grief that everyone goes through but I understand very well that life moves on.  The world will not sit still to grieve over one death because there are more deaths occurring each and every day.  A while back I have lost a friend.  He was always a cheerful and happy lad but it was difficult to understand that the good dies young.  He was only 13 when he passed away and it took me forever to comprehend life.  Life is only meaningful when you create memories with the people you desire to be with. You only live once.

Gone But Never Forgotten

11.       I want to remember the friends I have obtained upon Pierce City.

22.       I want to remember the great egg rolls I make for Book Club. 

33.       I want to remember the time I put into work to achieve the things I want. 

44.        I want to remember the teachers that pushed me to set forward my best.

55.       I want to remember how much I loved sports cars. 

66.       I want to remember the soccer team I once played for.

77.       I want to remember what I looked like now and the changes I will undergo.

88.       I want to remember my girlfriend, before we had our argument. 

99.       I want to remember my first phone before it was stolen.

110.   I want to remember the successful and failed trips that happened my senior year.

111.   I want to remember the achievements I have earned throughout the years.

112.   I want to remember the useless information from my current that may become useful in the future.

113.   I want to remember how it feels like to graduate as the youngest person in my class. 

114.   I want to remember how long hair always made me look good.

115.   I want to remember the horrible memory of prom.

116.   I want to remember my current boss that treats me with the highest respect and goes up and beyond his way to help me succeed.

117.   I want to remember the comfort of having my own bed before having to share again.

118.   I want to remember how procrastinating is not good for my future.

119.   I want to remember my desires that my mother wants for myself and the family.

220.   I want to remember my customs and beliefs bestowed upon me by my parents. 

In Other Words

“I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.”

 – Bruce Lee

“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.  Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

– Bruce Lee

“The things I do for love.”

-Courage, from Courage the Cowardly Dog

“Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears form the eyes of woman.”

-Ludwig Van Beethoven

“Nevertheless the passions, whether violent or not, should never be so expressed as to reach the point of causing disgust; and music, even in situations of the greatest horror, should never be painful to the ear but should flatter and charm it, and thereby always remain music.”

-Wolfgang Mozart

“There are no men who fear their wives. Only men who respect them.”

-Donnie Yen, from Ip Man

“Nobody is #1 forever.”

-Donnie Yen, from Ip man

“I never wanted to be the next Bruce Lee. I just wanted to be the first Jackie Chan.”

-Jackie Chan

“Don't try to be like Jackie. There is only one Jackie. Study computers instead.”

-Jackie Chan

“I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago.”

-Edgar Allen Poe

Synetics

Which is more difficult? a dream or a nightmare?

A dream is more difficult to conjure up because dreams are created by events of the previous day.  A nightmare is easily created by fears and a simple change in atmosphere affects the entire dream itself.

Which is wiser? a pen or pencil?

A pen is wiser because a pen is able to look back upon its mistakes and prevent them from continuously occurring.  A pencil is able to erase their mistakes and continue making the same mistakes as before like a giant restart button.  Plus, we have white out so if a pen mark needs to be fixed, it can be fixed.

Which is more fearful? new or old?

The old is more fearful because it detains us from the future and prevents efficiency.  The new things in life may seem scary but have the potential to reach new peaks created from imagination and dreams.

Which is more suspenseful? rain or snow?

Rain is more suspenseful because rain is portrayed as a dark day and emphasized with thunder and lightning to make the scenery more depressing.  Snow is viewed as innocence because of the color and the more childish activities that follow the portrait of snow. 

Which is happier? music or art?

I believe that music is happiness because different songs evoke different emotions.  Art expresses one’s creativity but is not able to generate the idea of happiness as efficiently as music.   

Which is like a promise? Mathematics or science?

Mathematics is most like a promise because math is the structure of life that science builds off of to relate two or more objects.  Chemistry, biology, pharmaceutical studies, and anything science related have similar qualities that branch away from mathematics.

Which is smarter? A clock or a calendar?

I believe that a calendar is smarter because the calendar can be used to predict the future.  For instance, the Mayans were able to create a calendar that predicted proper events that were precise and accurate.

Which is easier to teach? a question or an answer?

A question is easier to teach because a question may have multiple answers or multiple questions can lead to one answer.  By generating questions, it gives the people a deeper thought about the meaning of life.

Which costs more? a home or a house?

I believe a house costs more because it actually costs hard earned money that we work our rear ends for. A home can be created by simple dreams and the way that you make your house worth meaningful to yourself.  

Which is more useful? a friend or an enemy?

An enemy is more useful because they allow you to see the weaknesses and opposing arguments that you do not see.  Friends are there for moral support and may not always be the most reliable source that you can depend upon. 

Unfinished Sentences

1. I usually worry about completing my college assignments on time.  College does not push me to complete my assignments unlike high school and my mother thus; I normally worry about completing them on time.  Most of the time I spend in my online class, I leisure around and wait until the weekend to complete it.

2. I feel angry when my parents take away my rights of driving.  I pay for the gas and most of the car payments anyway so it should be my right to drive when I want to.  I hate taking the school bus because those darn ignorant middle schoolers that board the extended vehicle.

3. I’m moody when my girlfriend and I fight about the dumbest things.  It’s pretty difficult to make me publicly mad and she finds a way to really hurt my feelings.  April Fool’s is just one of the silly things that infuriated me.

4. I’m happiest when I am making the money that I aim for and see my bank account rise.  When I see the money, I realize that I can make myself happy by purchasing things for my Scion tC or myself. I do throw some money into my savings account out of every paycheck but I still like seeing a high number in my checking account. 

5. I feel confident when I drink Bawls and have the encouragement of my friends to do the things I fear doing.  Such examples include asking a girl on a date, playing sports, going shopping, having a movie night together, or just a plain birthday party with their family.  Knowing that I have the energy drink, Bawls, just gives me a little kick and laugh about self-confidence which pushes me to do what I want to do.

6. I feel frustrated when people come into Mazzio’s and order a completely different item that is NOT our special of the day OR when people call or dine in at Mazzio’s 15-20 minutes before we close. After cleaning up all my dishes, wiping down the tables, sweeping and moping, they have to come in, order a pizza that will ruin all my hard work, and fall behind on the work schedule.

7. I feel depressed when I listen to sad songs on the internet.  Music is very inspirational to me and it greatly affects my current mood.  The last thing that people want to do is play sad music while I’m driving because it affects my driving by how slow I am driving, what I am thinking about, and other habits that I’m not supposed to do while driving.

8. I am comfortable when I am sitting at home with a PSP on my bed and a phone in my hands because I am not working that day and it’s my time to relax.  Work gives me a hard beating but the time I get to relax is amazing after work.  I feel almost invincible to anything and I feel good when I relax after a hard day of work.

9. I feel nervous when I kiss my girlfriend because there are times when I don’t have any idea on how to kiss her.  She may want to do this and then the next time she would want to try something entirely weird. There’s a lot of ways you can show your affection but kissing just downplays me and gets me nervous.

10. I feel sentimental when I am alone. Being alone gives me a lot of time to think about the things I am doing and differentiate between wrong and right. Personally when I am alone, I am an entirely different person than when you see me with my friends or family. 

Abstract Noun

Defeat is like the dark entity that possesses the body.

Overpowered is like an overflowing sink.

Endure is like pushing an elephant back into a cage.

Distraught is like severe rain storms in the middle of the night.

Stress is like an iron bull ramming through a flaming field.

Infatuation is like dreams of the impossible.

Relief is like water running with the current.

Weakness is like the flashing battery life of a phone.

Skill is like a refined buster sword.

Ecstasy is like a set wings flying alongside the clouds.

Education is like a file cabinet of information.

Future is like an open door that leads to multiple forks in the road.

Religion is like a policeman that patrols the street.

Attachment is like a tick sucking on the blood of its host.

Law is like a row of photos with the devil somewhere in it. 

Sensory Experience

The first time I had my mother's egg rolls, I was about 4 years old.  I could remember the *SOUND of the sizzling vegetable oil that the fried the perfect egg rolls.  *SMELL: When my mother pulled out the egg rolls, the aura of egg rolls filled my nostrils with the rich and distinct aroma of egg rolls.  I can *FEEL it right now, the smooth and tough shell of the egg rolls within my hands.  The immense heat that I *SEE flowing out of its insides when I take the first bite is so delightful.  The combination of the sauce, noodles, ground beef and vegetables all working in harmony to create the perfect egg roll *TASTE.  There's nothing better in the world than my mother's egg rolls; besides plain Lo Min noodles.

Extended Metaphors

If I was a car, I would be a 2013 Scion tC because I love the kick that the car pushes and the money that I save since it takes unleaded gas. Premium gas costs a lot of money and by the way the economy light flashes on, it has the ability to let you know that you are saving gas.  For the 2^nd generation model Scion tC, Toyota Company has allowed buyers to customize the car to their liking rather than having different sets of models for people to choose from.  My car is entirely customized for the looks, for the quality of the driving and music, and speed after the warranty has expired.  For a sporty car that costs less than $30,000, rated as the safest car in its class, and completely stock for endless customization, who wouldn’t want one?

If I was to be an animal, I would be a shark because I thoroughly enjoy ripping into my prey and eating them alive. Sharks are like the demons of the ocean and dominate anything that touches their domain.  You can take a lion or a tiger to the sea but they wouldn’t last a single minute against a shark.  On land, humans are one of the many legends on top of the food chain. Although machines are almost impossible for a shark to dismantle, I enjoy eating meat all the time and the comfort of water so a shark most likely describes my kind of habits. 

If I were to be a comic character, I would be Sasuke Uchiha because I keep an open mind and can easily be persuaded by others leading me into the wrong paths.  Sasuke Uchiha can be found in the anime series, Naruto, which is very popular in the Asian community.  The reason why I compare myself with this character is because he works hard to achieve the things that he wants and is clueless about the truth.  Behind the lies that people tell him, his open mind keeps him astray from his friends and anyone who cares about him.  I also lust for the power that he portrays in the anime to defeat the enemies that come in his way; or in my case my path.  

Symbolic Recipe

Full batch of Sura

1.        ⅜ cup of corny vocabulary

2.       1lb of happiness

3.       ¾ oz of depression

4.       8 oz of creativity

5.       1 ½ lb of sweet love

6.       ⅗ cup of acidic hunger

7.       2 lbs of imagination

8.       ¼ lb of sympathy

9.       ½ cup of oozing anger

10.   2 ½ oz of wisdom and knowledge

To correctly make the perfect sura, preheat on 98 degrees Celsius for 9 months.  In a 12 quart bowl, squeeze in the ⅜ cup of corny vocabulary with the 2lbs of imagination.  Thoroughly stir 8 oz of creativity with the mixture and take out another 12 quart bowl.  In the 2^nd 12 quart bowl, add 1lb of happiness, ¾ oz of depression, 1 ½ lbs of sweet love, ¼ lb of sympathy, and ½ cup of oozing anger in that order.  Quickly dump the mixture of the 2^nd 12 quart bowl into the 1^st 12 quart bowl and stir with a wired whisk.  While stirring, add the ⅗ cup of acidic hunger until the color changes to a light yellow brown.  Throw in the oven for 30 minutes then cool it off for 5 minutes. Lastly, let it sit in the refrigerator for 3 three days and check for any fragile edging that may need tendering. 

Make:  One human being called Sura Yang

Personal Metaphor for the Asian Kid

1.       If I was to be an animal, I would be a shark because I thoroughly enjoy ripping into my prey and eating them alive. 

2.       If I were a car, I would be a 2013 Scion tC because I love the kick that the car pushes and the money that I save since it takes unleaded gas.

3.       If I were an article of clothing, I would be a hat because I love to be on top of things.

4.       If I was to be a day of the week, I would be Thursday because people thoroughly enjoy calzone night which is held on Thursday and I make some pretty mean calzones. 

5.       If I were food, I would be an eggroll because people love the eggrolls that my parents make and some people thoroughly eat the eggrolls I make due to the fact that I never really make them.

6.       If I was a color, I would be cement gray because I like keeping things neutral between things and it’s the color of my Scion tC.

7.       If I was a movie, I would be Initial D because when I tray slide, I feel as though I am drifting like the racers in that movie. 

8.       If I was a fragrance, I would smell like pizza hut pizza because it was their crazy idea to make cologne that smells like pizzas.

9.       If I was a type of building, I would be an ark because I would form the path to a new idea that people would follow. 

10.   If I were to be a plant, I would be a Venus Fly Trap because I have the patience to wait for the things I want and take it immediately and never let it go. 

11.   If I were to be a musical instrument, I would be an electric guitar because guitar solos get the people going, especially the ladies. 

12.   If I was a geometric shape, I would be a circle because some of the things I do lead me back to where I first began. 

13.   If I were to be a piece of furniture, I would be a couch because I am comfortable to be around with, always there when you need me, and with you during the times you aren’t working.

14.   If I was a song, I would be the song “Because I Miss You” by CN Blue because I am heart-touching and meaningful in different ways.

15.   If I were a machine, I would be an engine because I can keep things rolling when I need to and idle when I have to wait but quit working when you overwork me. 

16.   If I were a television character, I would be SpongeBob SquarePants because I am always cheerful and alive when I am with people I care about but there are days when I mope around in sadness.

17.   If I was a season of the year, I would be spring because I will always have both my good days and the bad days and the cold days.

18.   If I were to be a natural phenomenon, I would be a fire whirl because I am Hmong and it’s not every day that people get to experience the Hmong activities.

19.   If I were to be a comic character, I would be Sasuke Uchiha because I keep an open mind and can easily be persuaded by others leading me into the wrong paths.

20.   If I was a word, I would be scion because I am a descendant of my father and my father’s father and him before that and so on.  

The Ultimate Excuse

There is one particular excuse that I fall back upon when I am in trouble.  I start off with the excuse that I fell asleep at Jake’s house because we were up late doing homework or projects.  This has worked several times until the point where I never returned home one night because we decided to go look for Bawls in Joplin and Monett.  I do regret doing those idiotic things with my friends Jake and Stephen but it was good bonding time and being grounded from driving to school allows me to save money on gas that I waste getting here.  Now I just bum a ride off Jake or anybody that could take me home.  If I can’t find a ride home then I just walk.  Anyway, knowing that if that excuse fails, I could always say that I got off late at work because we were busy and since it was already late, Jake and I needed to quickly finish our homework so I went to his house.  After I went to his house we did our Spanish II, Advanced English Composition 102, Creative Writing, and biomedical science assignments together.  It took us so long to complete most of the assignments that we fell asleep while working on the project and I couldn’t come home.  Here’s where the situation gets tacky.  If my parents took my Scion tC from Jake’s house, then I have to wake Jake up and explain the situation to them.  If my Scion tC is still there, then I have hope that my parents are asleep and that I can crawl into my bed from the window behind the house and sleep for the rest of the time that I have.  Normally I do not get long to sleep because I have to go to school in the next hour or two or if I have to get my butt out of the house and make it on time for work.  If I was driving the Camry to work and wherever I go, then I can say that the battery for my car died and I couldn’t make it home so I had Jake come by and help give me a jump start so I could at least make it home.  Whatever the scenario is, Jake Curtis is my excuse for almost anything because he is the worst influence anyone could possibly have.

What is in MY name?!

I have asked my parents where my name has come from and they have given me clueless leads onto where my name came from.  It sounds like a Thai name but I’m not even Thai.  I want to say my parents were crazy and reckless teenagers who gave birth to this accidental baby.  They told me it meant alcohol, they told me it was after some movie actor whom I could never find, and anything a parent could tell a child as an excuse to not give away the answer. Anyway, I like my name because it’s unique and nobody in America has my name.  The best part about my name is that people will call me “SARA” when my name is “SURA.”  I am a MAN; there is nothing feminine about my name or the fact that I have no resemblance to a woman.  There is no better name for me than what my parents have given me because it is what they chose for me and it’s something you should hold special to yourself.  Since I do not have a middle name, my last name comes from generations of my clan.  Yangs have been traced back to both the Hmong and Chinese and particularly the dynasty where the Yang’s were famous spearmen who protected the emperor.  For the Hmong part of the Yang’s, we have a belief that if we were to consume and digest any organic hearts from any animate objects, we will become blind.  Story goes, there was a child who was blind and stood beside a cooking pot that held the stove to be sacrificed to our ancestors.  When the Yangs could not find the heart, they blamed the boy for stealing the heart and used the child’s heart as an offering.  When they found the heart within the cooking pot, the parents of the boy cursed the Yang family and thus we cannot eat any hearts.  Going on about how I live with my name I do not know but for one thing, I do not have trouble having my name confused with anyone else because my name is unique and sounds differently from any American name.  Living within a Caucasian community, my Asian name is very distinct and even if I were to move back into a Hmong community, only I have my pride in my lonely name. I’m glad I’m Sura Yang. 

Dislike and Like

What I like

1.       Video games – it gave my childhood something fun and time consuming.

2.       Cars – I love driving around and the feeling of my car’s potential.

3.       Money – it is what allows me to purchase the things that are satisfying.

4.       Women – a person who I could share my feelings for and fondle around with.

5.       Modern Technology – allowing me to connect to people that do not live here.

6.       Parties – the free food that people bring and the socializing that occurs there.

7.       Friendships – I want a friend who can tell me anything and respect my beliefs.

8.       Drawing – drawing allows me to create ideas more powerful than words.   

9.       Painting – the many colors than can be combined to make my life brighter!

10.   Cooking – Food is what feeds my belly and keeps me alive.  It’s just necessary.

11.   Laughing – a good joke to make the time with who you are with meaningful.

12.   Tray sliding – just another sad excuse for drifting but a lot safer.

13.   Power – I crave the ability to control the things I do and the future soon to come.

14.   Imagination – life would be too boring for anyone to want to live without it.  

15.   Clothing – the style of what I wear just makes my appearance much better.

16.   Movies – it excites me to see a well-made movie like Wreck-It-Ralph.

17.   Racing – the thrill and power that you feel when you beat a car intentionally.

What I dislike

1.       School – I hate having to come to school to waste my time on junk.

2.       Rules – they were there to be broken, I’m still grounded from a stupid reason.

3.       Speeding laws – speeding laws were made for cops to take our earned cash.

4.       Cops – these people really know how to make a person mad for about anything.

5.       Cheaply made movies – stop being so cheap and make it worth watching!

6.       Unfinished projects – if you started something, finish it and quit being lazy.

7.       Liars and idiots – I do not need to be lied to make me feel better to worse.

8.       Sculpting – I just don’t have the patience to carve and perfect art.

9.       Cheaters – well first of all, you can’t cheat death so don’t even try in school.

10.   Bullies – kids who pick on the weak should just be punched in the face!

11.   Alarm clock – I heard it the first few times. No need to continue ringing!

12.   Slow drivers – get off the road!  You’re either too old or not meant to drive.

13.   Low gas – it annoys me to see my car guzzle my gas when I’m saving gas.

14.   Pain – I do not like to feel hurt emotionally or physically so don’t try.

15.   Sarcasm – it’s an excuse to make a person feel bad about themself.

16.   Short battery life – why does it have to quit working when I need it most?!

17.   Slow internet – slow internet is like driving behind a slow person. Speed up!

Prologue of Sura Yang

You must be new and have no clue what’s happening if you are reading this.  To introduce myself, my name is Sura Yang, with no middle name, and I currently reside in the average small town of Pierce City, Missouri.  No one knows my heritage origination but I like it when my life remains a mystery to others.  For you, I will disclose the information of my short life.  I have been breathing for the past seventeen years and soon it will be eighteen.  Although my parents come from Laos, I was lucky to be born in America; specifically Sheboygan Wisconsin on July 25^th, 1995.  I am separated by six hundred and thirty-six miles of landmass from my girlfriend, Mailee Lor, but distance does not hold back the love I have for her.  My parents are the dictators of my life and it is my job as the eldest child to meet their standards.  My younger brother, Lasia Phillip Yang, has no regards for education and loves modern technology and video games.  My one and only little sister, Elizabeth Elliah Yang, revolves her world around drama and the internet.  For my youngest brother, Ryan Mouazong Yang, he is the biggest failure my parents have ever produced.  He is spoiled and the slowest thinker in the family.  Although he is creative, he spends more time on video games creating his own little world than studying for important tests.  My loving mother, LeeAnn Yang, currently works at the US Bank and is attending Missouri Southern State University.  She has graduated with her Associate’s Degree and is moving onward to her Bachelor’s Degree. My fun-filled father, Nhaoher Yang, works at IMEC but is soon quitting IMEC to pursue his old career in chicken farming.  The last member of my family is my grandfather.  He stays at home and sleeps most of the time but awakes every now and then to eat, drink coffee, and use the restroom.  For about six months I have been working at Mazzio’s Italian Eatery and so I have no time to take care of my grandfather like I used to.  When people ask what ethnicity I am, I reply back “Hmong.”  Living in a location where Caucasian is dominant, you will not find that many Hmong people driving around town like you would see if you moved up to St. Paul, MN or Sheboygan, WI.  I am one of six Hmong students attending Pierce City High School but I am one of the two Hmong seniors.  Hmong can be found in Laos, Thailand, France, and the United States. Although it was due to the Vietnam War that led my family to come to the United States, it has opened new doors to my life than if I was to live in Laos or Thailand.  I am not so different from an average person but our expectations are set high and not all of us are able to reach our goals. I hope this has educated you about me.