A Funny Story (^_^) 第四章，再次 (Chapter Four, Again)
我开始学习中文。我几年前开始，但我没有通过第四章。我开始一章一，认真研究，第四章。然后我停止，因为我觉得无聊。一两个月后，我开始学习中文了，但我觉得我忘记了我已经学到，所以我从第一章开始了。到时候我到第四章，我感到厌烦了。这种模式重复一遍又一遍。 5年之后，我没有通过第4。史诗失败。
这一次不一样！我将通过第四章！
我只知道吴语拼音，我将集中于中文写作这个时候。请祝我好运！我希望你能理解我的中文。
再见
Dì sì zhāng, zàicì.
Wǒ kāishǐ xuéxí zhōngwén. Wǒ jǐ nián qián kāishǐ, dàn wǒ méiyǒu tōngguò dì sì zhāng. Wǒ kāishǐ yīzhāng yī, rènzhēn yánjiū, dì sì zhāng. Ránhòu wǒ tíngzhǐ, yīnwèi wǒ jué dé wúliáo. Yī liǎng gè yuè hòu, wǒ kāishǐ xuéxí zhōngwén le, dàn wǒ juéde wǒ wàngjì le wǒ yǐjīng xué dào, suǒyǐ wǒ cóng dì yīzhāng kāishǐ le. Dào shíhou wǒ dào dì sì zhāng, wǒ gǎndào yànfán le. Zhè zhǒng móshì chóngfù yībiàn yòu yībiàn. 5 Nián zhīhòu, wǒ méiyǒu tōngguò dì 4. Shǐshī shībài.
Zhè yīcì bù yīyàng! Wǒ jiāng tōngguò dì sì zhāng!
Wǒ zhǐ zhīdào wúyǔ pīnyīn, wǒ jiāng jízhōng yú zhōngwén xiězuò zhège shíhou. Qǐng zhù wǒ hǎo yùn! Wǒ xīwàng nǐ néng lǐjiě wǒ de zhōngwén.
Zàijiàn
(In simple English as I cannot translate to complex Chinese ha ha ha)
“I study beginning Chinese. I began years ago, but I have not passed chapter four. I began with chapter one, and diligently study to chapter four. I then stop because I feel bored. One or two months later I begin to study Chinese again, but I feel I forget what I already learned, so I begin from Chapter one again. By the time I reach Chapter four, I am bored again. This pattern repeats over and over. After 5 years, I have not passed Chapter four. Epic fail.
This time is different! I will pass chapter 4!
I only know “hanyu pinyin” (Chinese written phonically with English letters), and I will focus on Chinese writing this time. Please wish me luck! I hope you can understand my Chinese.
See you later”
– Dedicated to my old buddy Qin (thanks for trying to teach me! ha ha ha)
——————————
Sent from my iPhone
Procrastinating Getting Things Done
I have purchased two books about how to stop procrastination & how to use the “Getting Things Done” task management methodology, but I keep putting off reading them. Epic Fail. *_*
“The Procrastinator’s Guide to Getting Things Done” by Monica Ramirez Basco, PhD
“Getting Thing Done” by David Allen
(this book has a bible-like status for the thousands following the ever-popular GTD methodology)
————————————-
Posted from my iPhone
Starbucks Adventure
Hi,
Last week a co-worker approached me in the break room, and proceeded to introduce herself, as well as tell me lots of her life story, while I waited at the change machine to slowly give me change for $5 bucks. I ran into her again this morning by chance at a Starbucks. Here’s the story.
I created these cartoons using WeeMee Avatar Creator & Photogene iPhone applications
—————————–——
Posted from my iPhone
Godzilla-sized Trucks: Boooo!
See, my car really is the color of blue M&M’s!
My car seems to be some sort of giant truck magnet. Everyday, some huge vehicle parks next to my Nissan Versa. Then the driver opens their door, which has the wing span of a condor, banging the car next to them! That leads to scrapes, scratches, and dents!
My car is only 3 days old! Don’t Scratch The Versa!
Today I parked as normal and was about to get out when Ms. Big Truck pulled up next to me. I got out and pretended to need something from the hatchback, watching her. She sat there for a minute, looking at me through her side mirror in hopes I would leave (so she can open her door in any way she wants and bang my car!). I just stood there pretending to look through the empty cargo area of my car, as it if I was digging for gold.
Finally, she opened her door about half way to avoid hitting my car and began squeezing out. It was like watching raw meat being squeezed out of a sausage wrapping!
“Hi, good morning!” I said
“Hi, good…. morning…” Ms. Big Truck was still panting from her exertion.
Now let’s be realistic. if i was not right there, she would have flung her door open, bouncing it off my car’s door with no remorse at all! This happens in the USA so often (yes, even I’m guilty of door abuse in the distant past). Why can’t a normal sized car park next to me instead of these over-sized, Godzilla trucks? >_<
———————-
Posted from my iPhone
Plants vs. Zombies vs. Earphones
I am happy to say I now have a car: a Nissan Versa that is the color of blue M&Ms. Before getting the car, I was riding to and from work with Jackie. When waiting for Jackie to pick me up, i would play games on my yummy iPhone. My current favorite game is “Plants vs. Zombies”, which is so fun lor! When Jackie arrived, I quickly stuck the iPhone’s earphones (which are specially made with microphone and remote control) into my pocket.
On Sunday I did laundry as normal and discovered in the dryer a white knot of plastic with turquoise tips. It was my iPhone’s earphones!
Yes, the pic above is exactly how they looked when I found them in the bottom of the dryer, along with two dimes and a penny. I forgot they were in my pants pocket and washed and dried them in detergent and fabric softener! Kyaaa! The wasabi green tips are now turquoise in color with tiny tears in the foam. *Cryyy!!!*
After untangling the mass, the thin cables are as curly as pig’s tails. I will have to stretch them out to make the cables straight again. :-S
But all seems to work at least.
—————————
Sent from my iPhone
Goth Served Coffee and Soup
OK, I’m suffering from poor circulation in my lower right leg, but it has always been quite manageable. What I did not know, before returning to the USA, is if an overweight person (me) flies for long-haul fights (5+ hours or longer) there is a VERY BIG risk of developing a blood clot in the lower leg! This s what happened to me, and thus my severe illness. Worse is, the condition does not become known until about 2 days after travel! I can witness to this fact.
Well, I’m much better, but if I stand for any period of time: PAIN! If I walk or move: ZERO pain! How interesting how that works! So, when I wait my turn in queue to get that burnt coffee at the office, or waiting the 3 minutes and 33 seconds for my soup to microwave, I have to walk in place, or suffer inhuman pain.
Why 3:33 for microwaving my soup? because I am too lazy to bring my finger down to the zero key to punch in 3:30 hahahaha
I suddenly noticed I was doing the “South Park Goth Kids’ Dance” while waiting! (and yes, I used to dance this way, minus the cigarette). See the video above. This is what I am doing every day at lunch time. :-S
Cheers!
———————-
Posted from my iPhone
Wookiees Exist!
I am convinced Chewbacca lives in the room next to me. I share a bathroom with 2 other roommates. Every time a particular roommate showers, there is tons of long hairs clogging the shower drain!
The house boy cleans the showers in the afternoon, but after Chewbacca showers in the evening, more clogging long wookiee hair is there! The poor house boy cleans up again afterwards.
I swear that roommate sheds more hair than a golden retriever!
^_^
My BlackBerry Tastes Like Bacon!
Even worse is the fact I’m a BlackBerry Abuser: I use it constantly and everywhere! I even use it when I have greasy, sticky fingers, which add to the trackball’s shrinking lifespan.
*~ The Crowd Goes “Boooooo! ~*
So, I have searched the forums of CrackBerry.com to find ways to clean the trackball. I have tried every way, short of using little screwdrivers to remove the ball. I tried water, alcohol on Q-Tips, everything! NO SUCCESS!
*~ The Crowd Goes “Oh Nooo!” ~*
Finally, I found some guy’s post, saying the #1 way he has found that works is to “lick” the trackball. Uh, OK. I read on, and saw a few people saying they tried it and it worked. Uh, OK. Now, I know I can be gullible sometimes. I was thinking: is this one of those times? I read on further and saw this super cute girl even tried it, and said “it worked for me!” SOLD!
So, I picked up the Bold, closed my eyes, and LICK. I licked it, turned it some, licked again, turned it again, over and over until entire trackball had a good coating of my spit. AND IT WORKED! After 10 minutes of licking, it was turning freely again! And, the trackball is back to its original pearl-white color (it was battleship gray)!
*~ The Crowd Goes “Huh You Licked It!? Uh, Hurrah!” ~*
(the crowd’s looking at each other in utter disbelief)
Strangely enough, it tasted like Bacon!
Am I A Japanese Schoolgirl?
Hello, everyone!
Yes, it has been too long since my last blog post. I’m finally settled in Ubud, Bali, but not working for the NGO as originally planned (a long story, but definitely for the greater good). I’m currently rushing to meet submission deadlines for publication (more on this later). Also, the newly rewritten BeyondExposures.com site, complete with interactive galleries, has been launched!
*~ I just remembered I need to update the B.E. site as well: kyaaa ~*
I had the weirdest dream this afternoon (what is better than an afternoon nap after great warung food in a tropical paradise?hehehe), after watching the DVD “War Photographer”. My cloest friends know this DVD very well, as I’ve forced them all to see it at least once. It’s playing right now, yet again *LoL*
In the dream, I’m on my first International assignment, covering the stark and tragic misery of Kosovo. Several other notable photographers are there as well, listening to the United Nation advisor’s “can do” and “cannot do” lists for what may be photographed. I see James Nachtwey! Eeeeeee!
*~ You must understand. There are a few photographers I feel are truly elite: James Nachtwey, Eugene Richards, and James Whitlow Delano, are my favorites! ~*
Back to the dream: I see James Nachtwey. Before we are led in by the UN advisor, I go to James and introduce myself: “Hello, I’m Rodney Johnson, I’m a huge fan and have diligently studied your work blahblahblah …”
But soon in the dream I go on and on with praise to Nachtwey, gushing and squeeling like a Japanese schoolgirl in an Austin Powers movie! Even my accent turned Japanese and I was wearing a schoolgirl outfit, jumping up and down, holding on tight to my over-accessorized mobile phone. I was smiling so hard that my eyes closed to thin slits!
*~ If you have Chinese or Japanese friends, and have seen them laughing hard, you know their eyes disappear entirely hahaha: it’s cute actually! ~*
In a high-pitched-anime-girl-voice: “OMG! Mista Nachtwey! I so big fan! I … I eeeee! I so embarass! Eeeeeee! … I also shoot Canon! Eeeee!”. My Sailor Moon hair pompoms almost fall out, while my teddy bear backpack flops around.
*~ looking around in embarrassment: only tiny wall lizards are the witnesses ~*
Anyway. All is well. I’m alive here. I’m thinking of renting a motorcycle and taking a few days trip into deep Bali mountain areas. I will post images from bali shortly on the new BeyondExposures.com site. For now, back to the portfolio submission (and the War Photographer DVD, of course)!
Posted from BlackBerry
Sushi Therapy
Moshi Moshi! (hahaha, ok, I know that is for telephone greetings, not blog posts),
When life totally sucks, and no one to talk to, what should you do? Grab Your Best Friend, Buy Movie Tickets, and most important: GET SUSHI!
X-Tine, best friend and 1/3rd of “The Evil Us’s” (my circle of friends), and I really needed some sort of “escape from reality” time today. So, before seeing JLo in Bordertown (a VERY good movie, by the way!) we stuffed ourselves with sushi and Japanese desserts.
So Hungry, X-Tine’s Using Two Hands!
When ordering, we thought it was not that much food, thinking each individual sushi roll would be small, but OMG, the things were huge! I stuck to my Don dish (meat/veggies over rice) and Tempura, and left ALL THE REST to her hahahaha.
Dig Into That Jellyfish, Girl!
We ordered everything, from partly-broiled tuna sushi roll, to chilled jellyfish, to an assortment of shrimp, tuna and swordfish sashimi. And can’t forget the fish tempura! Put simply, NO WAY we could eat all of that! BUT WE TRIED! What we could not eat, we got for take-away for her mom hahahahaha.
“Mrrph?” (full-mouth talk for “Huh?”) Salmon Roe–eggs–Sushi goes Bye-Bye!
I Have to say, the mini octopi (plural for octopus) scared me at first, as they were whole, with heads still attached! I am not a big fan of eating brains and guts. X-Tine then calmed me down: “they removed the brains, see?” and showed the hole on the side of the neck, where the sushi-ticians scooped out the brains. Uhhhh….
The biggest of the tiny de-brained octopi, hahaha
I have to say, I’ve not tried jellyfish before today. I was apprehensive, but my policy is “I will try anything once!” (of course, this does not mean I will try it a 2nd time in the future hahaha). So, I lifted my skirt, grabbed my balls, jumped into the jellyfish! It was not bad at all! Would I order it in the future? Nope! (hahaha), but if others orderd it, I would not mind sharing it. 
Jelly Fish! (we don’t eat the white noodle thingy stuff)
Of course, anyone who knows me knows my rules of food: Always Leave Room For Dessert! NO EXCUSES! Hell, if you can eat all the veggies, you can eat ice cream! If can’t eat all the veggies and dessert, leave some of the veggies, and take a multi-vitamin pill!
Pino (Bon-Bons) and a half-eaten fish-shaped vanillia ice cream sandwich
I got the Pino (a order of six, chocolate-covered vanillia flavored pieces of ice: sort of like America’s Bon-Bons) and X-Tine got the uhhh ummm. I can’t remember the Japanese name, but it is a vanilla ice cream sandwich with red beans (very popular in Asia, but I am not a fan of it still).
Ok, take care. X-Tine and I both feel better now. We always know exactly what to do to cheer each other up: Movies and Sushi!