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  

OOOHHH .. Shiny Words

Then(again, anon)         Touch(brush, graze)            Hot(blazing, fiery)             Warm(pleasant, tepid)

Eat(devour, scoff)          Feel(semblance, sensation)         cold(freezing, arctic)        Monster(fiend, hellion)

Walk(advance, roam)          See(detect, gawk)        fast(accelerated, hasty)        New(fashionable, virgin)

Talk(colloquy, palaver)        Hear(descry, auscultate)           slow(torpid, indolent)       Old(aged, ancient)

When(amid, whereas)          man(swain, sir)        small(petite, miniature)        Good(gratifying, honorable)

He(fellow, gent)     woman(spouse, gentlewoman)      big(husky, voluminous)     Bad(abominable, vicious)

She(femme, matron)    gone(astray, defunct)   Scary(alarming, intimidating)   Beautiful(dazzling, alluring)

Destroy(ravish, demolish)      thunder(outburst, uproar)    Short(laconic, succinct)  Ugly(hideous, horrid)

Say(divulge, assert)   laugh(guffaw, chortle)       Long(distant, extensive)    Precious(beloved, idolized)

ghost(apparition, wraith)    tall(lanky, statuesque)   Sick(bedridden, impaired)  Lucky(blessed, auspicious)

Hey(alas, egad)     short(concise, succinct)    Skip(graze, cavort)     tons(multitude, abundance)

Awesome(formidable, majestic) fat(bulky, hefty) annoying(vexatious, troublesome) dead(lifeless, inert)

Dull(archaic, prosaic)  skinny(gaunt, slender)   general(extensive, universal)  alive(animate, cognizant)

Boring(monotonous, humdrum) bite(chaw, nip)  nice(admirable, cordial) necessary(needed, manditory)

Happy(exultant, upbeat)       red(maroon, red-violet) mean(selfish, rapacious) picture(outline, image)

Sad(disconsolate, dejected)   blue(azul, sapphire)  love( hlub, amor)  flower(blossom, floral)

Crying(bemoan, lament)   yellow(gold, amber)   hate(animus, abhorrence) Healthy(flourishing, hearty)

Loud(blatant, boisterous) green(emerald, beryl) Cloudy(gloomy, dense)   light(glowing, luminous)

Quiet(taciturn, quiescent)   purple(amethyst, lavender)   sunny(radiant, pleasant) bring(transport, fetch)

Raining(lavish, drizzle) orange(apricot, cantaloupe) foggy(murky, nebulous)  hungry(craving, covetous)

Fear(angst, trepidation)   Hit(buffer, blitz)  fly(flutter, soar)  full(loaded, replete)

Smile(smirk, delighted)      kick(roundhouse, dropkick) dark(drab, lurid)  empty(barren, desolate) 

Grin(simper, crack)      cut(slash, prick) Hard(impenetrable, callous)  blind(typlotic, amaurotic) 

Smell(aroma, emanation)   smart(genius, astute)  Soft(malleable, supple)  fight(brawl, melee) 

Taste(gustation, appetence)   stupid(mindless, puerile)    easy(simple, cinch)  late(delayed, dilatory)

Little Green Riding Hood

Little Green Riding Hood

By Gianni Rodari 

 Re-written by Sura Yang

Once upon a time there was a little girl called Little Green Riding Hood.  Now, most of you may know her as “Little Red Riding Hood” but after her incident with the Big Bad Wolf, she changed her style of clothing.  Anyways, she has been avoiding the forest ever since that ungrateful day and has taken the Sand Dune’s Path to get to grandma’s house.  The Sand Dune’s Path is not an easy walk through the park but it was safer than the forest.  One day, Little Green Riding Hood forgot to bring water with her to the Sand Dune’s Path so she had to make a short stop in the forest to fetch a bottle of water.  Luckily she did not meet the Big Bad Wolf on this peculiar trip but instead, Little Green Riding Hood came upon the Monstrous Masculine Walrus.  Afraid of the creature, she threw her bottle of water at the Monstrous Masculine Walrus and snapped his jaw bone in half.  As the Monstrous Masculine Walrus rolled in pain, Little Green Riding Hood ran through the forest to grandma’s house. 

Pit pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit … pat … pit … pat …….. pit ….. pat ….. pit ….. pat.  She slowed down and looked upon the sun.  It was far past noon and her grandma still had not received the goodies that were vital to her health.  Quickly pacing her steps towards the direction of Grandma’s house, the Monstrous Masculine Walrus stood in front of her and leered at her eyes.  He groaned and he moaned but it only frightened Little Green Riding even more than before.  She threw one cookie, then two, then three!  As the cookies broke and shattered crumbs all over his face, it blinded the Monstrous Masculine Walrus and caused him to cry out in pain and roll on the floor.  This was her opportunity to escape; she ran for miles and miles and not once looked back. 

Pit, pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit pat … Pit … Pat …. Pit …. Pat ……. Pit ……. Pat.  Her sprint came to a halt as she stopped for some air but she was unaware of where she was and what was yet to come.  The forest grew silent and the day dimmed darker but Little Green Riding Hood was still a distance away from Grandmother’s house.  With no cookies or water, she felt ill, hopeless and defeated.  She laid down to rest and hoped that Grandma would still be okay.  A few hours pass by and Little Green Riding Hood opened her eyes to see what giant figure lay asleep by her foot.  The Monstrous Masculine Walrus, all sound and asleep, did not notice that Little Green Riding Hood was sneaking away.  Pacing her walk so she would not awake the savage beast, she bumped into the Big Bad Wolf’s Mid-sized son who was profuse with rage.  The Mid-sized Wolf sneered and snarled which gave Little Green Riding Hood the scare of her life, so she ran up a tree in hopes that he could not reach her.  With the noises nearby, the Monstrous Masculine Walrus awoke and attacked the Mid-sized Bad Wolf.    Little Green Riding Hood was confused and afraid but she took no time to delay and used that time to escape her unfortunate demise. 

Pit pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit pat, pit … Pat …. Pit …. Pat …….. Pit … Pat.  Finally closer to grandma’s house and farther from the two savage beasts; she sat down to rest and fought back the hunger that eroded her consciousness.  With nothing to eat and a grandma to take care of, she struggled to get up but fell down on her back.  But with the time she took to sit down and rest, the Mid-sized Wolf came rushing by and snatched her basket in one quick swift motion.  No energy to run, no energy to hide, the only thing Little Green Riding Hood could do was lay down and count the time she had left to live.  The life of her past came rushing by and the first incident reminded her of her awful fate.  Crack, Snackle, Pop!  The Mid-sized Wolf came rushing forward and ripped off her arm, tore off her leg, and clawed out one eye.  Little Green Riding Hood could not move an inch so she lied within her pool of blood.  Unexpectedly, from above the tree, the Monstrous Masculine Walrus came diving down and used his giant tusks to stab the Mid-sized Wolf.  It killed him instantly.  Little Green Riding Hood cried out in pain and shrieked even more at the sight of the Monstrous Masculine Walrus.  Knowing death was near; she closed her single eye and waited for the sharp piercing of his tusk.  As time dragged on, her blood quickly drained away and she lost consciousness.   

Awakening in grandma’s house, Little Green Riding Hood was startled and confused.  Her arm and leg was stitched back on and her eye was patched to ease the pain.  The light was dim and the house stood in silence.  Thirsty and hungry for some food and water, she crawled out of bed and wormed her way towards the kitchen.  There on the dining table was some freshly made Italian Rice Bowls of steak and chicken.  The aura of the food illuminated her mind and rumbled her tummy.  She consumed the food whole without taking a single bite but out of the corner of her eye, there stood the Monstrous Masculine Walrus and her grandma.  She whispered to grandma to slowly step away from the beast and call for help. She shook in disagreement and explained the situation.  The Monstrous Masculine Walrus was sent by the Woodcutter to protect Little Green Riding Hood from the Mid-sized Wolf on her journey to Grandma’s house.  Unfortunately, Little Green Riding Hood prevented the situation from being explained because she broke his jaw and blinded his vision so he couldn’t tell her telepathically or verbally.  As she was dying from blood loss after the wolf attack, the Monstrous Masculine Walrus engulfed her in his tummy for his stomach was full of healing magic.  He spat her out at Grandma’s house and she stitched her back to herself.  As the day came to its’ end, Little Green Riding Hood was safe once again, or so she thought. 

The End

Anti-Resolutions Post

10 Anti-Resolutions for the Asian

10.  Muscle Cars

I will not rev my car to owners of muscle cars or anyone driving a muscle car within my line of sight.  I will instead, willingly allow them to to pass me and have a glimpse of the 2013 Scion tC.

9.  Ethical Excuses

I will not create excuses to decrease my responsibilities at work.  I will be a great employee and do what is asked of me.  I will perform my tasks efficiently and complete the duties as well as possible.  

8.  Gas Money

I will not use my parents' money to purchase gas for either the 1997 Toyota Camry or the 2013 Scion tC.  Instead, I will use my own hard-earned money to obtain gas for my own personal use for either school, work, or optional travels.  

7.  Sleep

I will begin to sleep on time from 9:00pm - 12:00am depending on my work hours.  I will not stay up any later than I need to and I will refrain from temptations with my girlfriend.  

6.  Online Shopping

I will not spend my time shopping online for upgrades on my vehicles or unnecessary products for anyone including myself.  I need to save money and pay off my car as soon as I can.  

5.  Chop-Sticks

I will start using the chop-sticks more often than I normally would, including desert foods.  It is a part of my culture and I believe it is time to allow my ethnic background to grow stronger.  

4.   Relationships

I will not branch out to flirt and talk with other women.  I will stick with my girlfriend and pull through the youth age.  It is for this reason that I will prove my worth  and my passion to her.  

3.  Books

I will quit judging a book by its cover and just read what the book has to offer.  Normally I would pick up the book, look at the cover, read the summary, and judge the content of the book based both descriptions.  

2.  Memory

I will not forget my tasks on what I need to bring to school on a daily basis.  I need to develop stronger memory for myself and for the future that I am looking forward to.  

1.  Facebook

I will quit spending all my time on Facebook and start using that time to make my life a better place for me.  With all the time combined from my time spent on Facebook, I probably could have already created my own space craft!