January 2006

01.31.06, Monday:

[06:49pm] Happy Birthday to my wonderful daddy! ^_^

01.29.06, Sunday:

[07:26pm] Must first give a shout out to my homegirl Anna. Yesterday was her birthday!!! Happy Birthday Anna!!! ^_^

Next...Happy Chinese New Year! ^_^

On Saturday, Shelton and I tried out Ariana Grill in Mission Viejo for lunch. Mmm. We had Curry Chicken and a Spicy Beef dish. Neither were really spicy, but both were excellent and tingled our taste buds! Though I usually don't care much for yoghurt in my food, this time, it was refreshing and not overpowering. They have basmati rice also - these skinny, long rice that are so foreign to me, who's used to thick and fat little rice grains that have just the right amount of stickiness between them. These rice were clearly not sticky to its neighbors, and yet, they were delicious: one kind was white, with some tomato-ey sauce on top, and the other was a yellow color, topped with carrot slivers and raisins...a sweet addition. There was also that green stew-like parsley-accented vegetable thing in the middle that is common in Middle Eastern (or was it Mediterranean?) foods.

Is your stomach wriggling about yet? Because there's more food-talk on the way down...I only lament that my camera is still in the ER, and cannot share a million mouth-watering pictures with you all, hee hee...^_^

We partied and ate this whole weekend long. Because, as you all should know by now, Chinese people love their food! And that's how we celebrate anything and everything. Chinese New Year is certainly no exception! =)

Winter Camp! Only...19 days away! Woot woot! Snowy Big Bear, here we come...!!! =) And Riverdance...only 18 days away! ^_^

01.27.06, Friday:

[11:08pm] The whole universe is in my bathroom...!

I got those glow-in-the-dark stars from Gilbert for Christmas, and was wondering where to put them. So I stuck them up on my bathroom ceiling. When the lights are off, the mirror doubles the image of the many heavenly spectacles, and makes it look like I'm outside (sorta. As neon green as the natural stars could be?), hee hee. Very cool. =)

I also baked some Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, and Gateau Choco-Coco. Mmm...^_^

Shelton's car had a stroke! Pray for its speedy recovery...!

And all this time, I've hardly touched my grading. However, it's "early" grading - grading of work turned in EARLY, so technically, I had already finished this weekend's grading by 5pm today. ^_^ Lesson planning is left only, and hopefully, I can get that done so I can join and play in all the festivities for this weekend...as it will be, after all, Chinese New Year! ^_^

Oh yes, stuff from work:

A student knit me a scarf today! She started this morning and handed it to me in 5th period. It's purple. And pretty. =) I had seen her walking home a day ago, knitting as she walked, a long scarf streaming from her knitting needles...I told her yesterday that it was cool. And look what I get! ^_^

Another student called me mom...! O_o

Keone raised his hand today! With ZEAL! That alone was amazing. Even more awesome: when I made him give me the answer in a complete sentence, he did it. I don't know what possessed him to do it, but he hardly does anything in class. I've been trying to be as patient as possible with him, and help him in every possible way, and I don't know if it'll ever get through to him...but he raised his hand, WANTED to be chosen, and got the right answer as well. That alone motivates me to keep doing what I do. =)

01.26.06, Thursday:

[07:48pm] Yesterday was a good day, for many reasons. First, it was a Happy 25, v. 1.3. ^_^ And then we didn't even meet for our department meeting, and instead, went to our classrooms to do work...so I worked for 2 hours and I was done by 3pm! ^_^ A million former students visited...it's their finals week in high school, so they finish earlier than usual, and it was literally one after another. Such wonderful kids! I love them all! ^_^ One even brought me a green apple candle...ha ha...I had ordered it almost A YEAR ago for her fundraiser, and she had never gotten it to me...I don't think too much of candles, but I do like sniffing this candle, muah ha...=) And of course, it was also a good day because Anna and I got to play in Rowland Heights last night! Yay! =)

We played at the gym...and have sore arm muscles now (my leg muscles are way stronger than my arms, hee hee...go buff calves!!! ^_^)...ate at Goh Bu Li finally and tasted their famous Goh Bu Li Baos! The restaurant is well-known throughout Beijing, and I had wanted to eat it there, but couldn't find it. The name basically means that if you don't like their boas...then go eat some dog meat. Yeah, Chinese people and their words, hee hee...I don't know if this place was the same as the one in Beijing, but the people did speak with that slight Beijing-arrrrrr accent-arrrrr. >_< I thought they were famous for their Siu Luong Bao, but as it turns out, it's their own baos that are well known...and their baos are JUST like Siu Luong Baos, but instead of the thinner skin, it's with a doughy, hand-made type of dough. It's good...but not AWESOMELY amazing, heh heh...I think I still like Siu Luong Baos ("Little Dragon Buns") better, and the giant "Tang Baos" (Soup Baos...its like the Little Dragon Buns, but larger and with looooots of flavored juice inside that you suck out with a straw. Mmmm...). Hmmm. Did I talk too much about baos? Heh heh...

Oh. In this picture, Maria just posed for the Tang Baos using mine, hee hee. She didn't want one, hee hee...they were too intimidating! =)

So I think I am somehow magnetized to bird things. Like during Christmas break, I got this cool orange birdhouse, and a bowl-type thing that had two little birds in it. Today after work, I found one of those porcelain-y type tray, sectioned into three parts, with...you guessed it...birds on it! I couldn't resist. WHAT will I do with it??? I have no idea. But it called out to me! So did the price. It was $5. ^_^

It's too bad my camera is still in Illinois, or else I'd take a picture of it to show you all. =)

I must stop this bird fetish...!

01.24.06, Tuesday:

[06:05pm] Arrrgggg! I think I left my cell phone in my classroom...

Ha ha...Calvin called - he was late, sigh, and missed racquetball with Heidi. I think I left my phone on my desk after calling Heidi to let her know that he eventually did show up...heh heh...I blame Calvin! J/k j/k...! ^_^

*ROAR*

01.22.06, Sunday:

[05:25pm] It was so windy today! Not as windy as some other days, but enough for our hair to fly every which way, for tumbleweeds to scatter about the roads, and even for a little dove (turtle dove or morning dove, I couldn't tell...I thought it was a turtle dove, but it IS lighter like a morning dove...) to have its wing broken and flopping into our sanctuary in the morning. Ian caught it, and him, Chris and I ended up taking it to the nursery bathroom and putting it in a box, covering it up with an old screen. Aw...I wanted to take it home...but I have no cage or place for it. =( But it does have a good home - Ed Lu has taken it to his home. =)

Pray for Mike! He got into a car accident last week, and his girlfriend had some concussion problems...she's getting better, but yeah, pray for a complete and speedy recovery, as well as the car stuff that he has to deal with right now. =( He's a cheerful guy, but right now, I can see that he's still got stuff to deal with in his eyes. So yeah, pray for him...!

Calvary has been good in the morning - I've really been enjoying the messages, and learning new things about familiar passages in the Bible (we're currently going to finish up the last plague of Egypt) and seeing how it's meaningful to us, and seeing God's words in our lives...it's like, wow. =) One of their worship singers is a little on the short and stout side, and he bounces when he is playing the guitar and singing. He, like my principal, is another leprechaun. Awesome! =) And as always, the walk to and fro is always fun! =)

Shelton and I finally finished Da Vinci Code! Yay! =) 'Twas good! I liked it. =) Yeah, do beware though - they do a lot of tricks with religion....but at the same time, if you realize it's only a story, you'll be fine. Just like how Harry Potter is not really real and evil magic - but a story (as fun as it is!). =)

Okay. Back to lesson planning I go. Though I'd rather nap away a sleepy Sunday afternoon-early-evening, hee hee...

01.21.06, Saturday:

[08:25pm] A wonderful day! =)

Even though all my original plans got changed around, I guess God knew exactly what I needed, muah ha ha...=)

I did a bunch of errands in the morning, and even visited the Corona Public Library, which I haven't been in a long time, to donate some books. While there, I couldn't resist the allure of a thousand books before me, and ended up borrowing Kite Runner, Bound, and Daughter of Venice. Mmmm...I love reading books...!!! And they have a mini coffee shop upstairs now - I think I must visit again sometime after work, as it's close to home and open till about 9 on weekdays, and not crowded. And of course, cuz it's in a library, it's quite comfortable. =)

I got to meet up with Giang for Charley's (Yay! Philly Cheesesteaks!) and meandering at the mall. We just relaxed and talked and took advantage of sales, muah ha...and yes, she's a wonderful friend. She encourages me and keeps me on the gummy side of things, hee hee hee. =) Of course, we also stayed at B&N afterwards to do work/study - a favorite thing to do. =)

And like yesterday, the day is not over yet. Woo hoo! ^_^

[08:09am] Ooo...from devotionals...excellent...

And as verse 33 [John 16:33b] says, "...In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

BOO-YAAAA!!! ^_^

01.20.06, Friday:

[10:07pm] Drats. I spoke too soon and jinxed myself. Unexpected curveball, one week late, at the last hours of the day. =(

But in the end, God will win. He always does. So...smile...and turn that frown, upside down...=)

And oh yeah! Nina sleeps like me, ha ha. =)

[06:43pm...again!] Friday the 13th came about a week late. But overall, it still wasn't as bad as it could be. Most of it is pretty trivial. But when they all add up, and you've only slept a max of four hours (and I don't do all-nighters anymore. I'm old now, remember? Hee hee. I like to get my necessary hours of good sleep!), it doesn't mix too well. =P

• Waking up late...and forgetting it was Pajama Day (and really, I could have just gotten up and left, ha ha...)
• Spilling cranberry juice on my way out, on the floor and on me....
• Coming home to scrub, scrub, scrub the carpet because I didn't realize that the spill went all the way down the stairs! Yikes!
• Cough doesn't seem to want to let go.
• Neither does the mucous in my nasal cavity...=Þ
• I got some scratches on my hand, from who-knows-where...being a teacher though, and handling lots of paper, makes us all prone to that, I guess, heh heh...
• Missed out on Charley's for a meltingly yummy Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich...*gasp*
• My dad came home from work, and he still seems pretty sick. =( His sinus migraines are nauseating. =(

Hmm. The day ain't over yet though...

Either way, good things happened too!

• My contacts came in!
• The shipping label for my camera came in also!
• Easy day teaching - in the library all day for research, so I just meandered around and helped a bit.
• I had gym clothes in the car, so I was able to change into extra comfy clothes for PJ Day. =)

Today's dance at school: "Dreaming of a Chinese New Year" (hence the pajamas; is it only me, or does this name make no sense?)...sigh...when they passed out the flyers for it, there were upside-down words on there because the ASB teacher didn't know which way these Chinese characters were up! Oy. At least they took down the slanted eye pictures of people after I jokingly said it was racist, ha ha...

Yesterday, Anna and I went to eat Korean BBQ...Deji Bulgogi, Kimchee Chigae, and Duk Bokki! I like it. Their names are even more fun to say! But my stomach still ended up feeling weird...I think the combination of spicy food, pickled foods, and cabbage just doesn't help...hee hee...=P

Oh. Maybe thaaat's why I couldn't sleep last night...! O_o

The 99 Cents Store has amazing stuff. =)

01.17.06, Tuesday:

[06:43pm] 3-day weekends are nice...I guess if we had more though, we wouldn't appreciate them as much. I didn't do too much, but I did relax, catch up on lesson planning, write letters, and cook! ^_^ I made Stuffed Mushrooms again (I love them, ha ha...and I used it as an excuse to walk to Albertson's too, and got my walking fix taken care of for the day. ^_^), Crispy Italian Pork Chops (I thought they were okay, but my mom liked them quite a lot, because they were really tender!), Triple Steamed Egg (with regular eggs, a salty egg, and a thousand year old preserved egg, heh heh), and Vegetable Soup with Oxtail. Mmm.

My parents came home early though - my dad is sick...and even threw up at work! His sinuses have been most disagreeable...=( However, the Cephalexin we had sitting around certainly helped, ha ha...and he's better today. =)

Huy called me! Yay! I haven't heard from him in mooooonths! He's getting married! But not till next year. Either way, I'm definitely there! =) One of the bestest friends I've had, heh heh. He's not enjoying internal meds though. Maybe he should meet Sammy Wong, who specializes in it. He's good at it, and makes it all so intensive, yet fun and interesting. At least it seemed so when I was shadowing him back in college. =)

Oy. The Tai's got robbed! =( It's horrible - they lost their computers, the synthesizer from church, and even a CAR! The thieves took bank statements too, which is a big hassle. >_< Please pray for them...! And just Sunday, we were there, because they opened up their home for us to fellowship at and served us dinner...! If you're interested in supporting in any way, let me know...! I have an idea in my head...=)

I got my camera back from the Repair Services place...and oy! It flashes, but it's a bit darker than before...and no matter if I'm in "picture taking mode" or "movie mode" or "viewing pictures mode"...it just takes a picture! Heh heh...so I talked to the customer service guy who says that they'll send me a prepaid shipping package to send it back in for more repairs, free of charge. I hope my camera gets completely healed...!

Work is easy right now, ha ha...quiz tomorrow, and research in the library for Th and Fri. Smooth sailing! ^_^ I must enjoy the week while it lasts. Maybe I'll even have time for artsy-crafty stuff. =) And really - the behavior of the kids are not a problem. They listen to me, ha ha, and have fun while we're at it.

Sigh. I really should use this extra time to stay late and make a million phone calls. But I've already made a zillion to parents when their kids don't turn this or that in. You'd think they'd know by now that their child is simply not doing the work, despite a thousand strategies we've put in left and right.

And 5th period. It's the weirdest class ever, but also a lot of fun...and their scores aren't bad either. Actually, they're ahead of all the other classes. So it's a weird, interesting combination altogether, and we've all come to accept it the way it is. ^_^

I want a Bearded Dragon lizard. I held a baby one in my hands at the pet shop next to Mr. Gee's place in Fontana, and almost took it home - only Mr. Gee kept wanting to buy something for me, and I didn't want him to pay for it, heh heh. (He ended up getting me the heating lamp - I tried to pay for it, but the owners wouldn't even let me because Mr. Gee OWNED their property and he told them not to. Asian mafia business eh???) Oh! And I want to name it Jaken. Or Akitoki. Hee hee. =)

01.15.06, Sunday:

[10:45pm] So...what's been going on...?

Thursday To Anna's after work. ^_^ Maxim Cafe food was alright (the chicken cutlet though, WAS a scrumptious, crunchy piece of crispy heaven! ^_^), but the service was horrible...so we don't think we'd go back there again. After, we got to meander at Greenland, where I got all kinds of Korean yummies...! I got me a little 6 pack of the Korean Rice Punch ("Shik'e"...hadn't had it since China 2 years ago...I loved it...and now...I have some! Yay!), some sweet potato chips, and those Butter Lemon Crackers that the Chengs don't like, but I do. =) Mmm...!

Friday Vanessa picked up her letter of rec. in the morning, in my classroom, hee hee. =) Bible Study and Prayer Meeting after work; Shelton, Thomas, Theo, Mello, Megan and Calvin present for Bible Study at Jack In The Box. Hee hee. What a free nation we live in, where we can meet out in public at a fast food joint to read God's Word...! Wowo. =) I was somewhat out of it that night, tired from the day. There was a great lack of sleep the night before, oy! Due to too much work and needing to wake up extra early to print out grades in the morning. =P

I also think that my classroom may be suspiciously making me sick. Asbestos!!! Ha ha...j/k j/k...but really...I've noticed this week that my health gets worse when I'm in the classroom - I start sneezing, coughing a little, and sometimes, get a little headachy. But that was this week only, so maybe it's because I've been coming down with something, and my body keeps trying to not get sick, and at the same time, being in a dusty classroom just doesn't help at all. Hmm.

Saturday A busy - but fun - day! =) Went in the morning to my classroom and picked up my scans for the progress reports. Apparently, I was tired and slightly sick-ish and eager to leave my classroom Friday after work, and forgot to bring them home with me...and they're due upon our return on Tuesday. =P Shelton was awesome enough to come with me, hee hee, and also drive us up to Fontana to visit Mr. Gee later. =) I haven't seen him in...many, many years...possibly even 7 years or so! We hung out at his place a little - his property actually consists of three shops - he rents two of the shops out (TV Shop and Pet Store!), and the third one, he lives in. We went out to a neat little place for lunch called Sundown Restaurant...for only $3.89, I got a plate with mashed potatoes smothered in brown gravy, a good piece of Salisbury Steak, a toasted bread, clam chowder soup, and tea! ^_^ It's like a cafeteria style joint, where you get the whole plate of food, with soup or salad and a drink...I think it's actually a place for older folks. But either way, the deals were good, and the food, though not the most spectacular, decent enough. I liked my Salisbury Steak anyways. =)

Later that night, Rosalyn and I went to go watch Harry Potter...on IMAX! =) Aghhh! LVMel! You haaaave to see it on IMAX! Heh heh...it was neat...I hadn't seen the movie anyways, so it was new for me, but besides that, it was as if we were on a ride, zooming here and there. ^_^ And we used a coupon from that Entertainment book of mine...we saved $9 on tickets. ^_^ A good saving is always a good deal. =)

Or as Shelton told me once..."Guys will spend $2 on a $1 item they need, while girls will spend $1 on a $2 item they don't need." Something like that. Did I get it right? ^_^ Either way, a good deal is hard to pass up...muah ha ha...^_^

No more Inuyasha. =( But now, I'm hooked on some Chinese flick. Its English name is "Lethal Weapons of Love and Passion", but that sounds absolutely ridiculous...and not at all the actual name of the show (it's one of those series shows that goes on forever). The Chinese name is "Fouk Yue Fan Wun" - the name of two powerful swords in the show. Of COURSE it's got to have kung-fu if it's going to capture my attention...! ^_^ There's some drama in there - like this stupid guy who does whatever this girl tells him to, even though she's completely lying to him the whole time, and even after she kills him (which he doesn't die, of course), he still chooses to believe that she's actually trying to help him, blah blah blah...that guy is pretty useless. But the story of the swords is interesting, so I will watch on. ^_^

Sunday I moderated at church, stumbling on a million words, it seemed. "Now it's time for tithes and ushering" just didn't seem to flow...hee hee...

• The girls made me feel useful, heh heh, so for their good hearts, I guess I'm going to do what they ask and go to Winter Camp now. =) I thought I wasn't going to go...long, internal story shared to those that are worthy only, ha ha...(j/k j/k).
• I think ET has my gloves still...hee hee...save them for me...! ^_^
• There's a new FoCus member - Mike, from Boba Cafe near UCR! Excellent! A cool dude, and discounts too! =)
• And we had our first F2 meeting (FoCus Fellowship = F2) at the Tai's, with excellent praise, Bible study, and fellowship, along with yummy barbecue chicken and mushrooms, spaghetti and salad, and the Tai Ice Cream Drink for dinner. =) Faaantastic food - thank you Tai's! =)

No school tomorrow! Yay! What to do...? Besides Lesson Planning...? Cook more stuff...??? Heh heh...

01.12.06, Friday:

[06:05am] It's finally Friday (again!)...! This week has been harrowing, to say the least...things going on everywhere, from health to drama and lack of sleep from working too much, ha ha...Tuesday seemed so far away...and I remember on Tuesday, everyone and their moms were like..."It's only Tuesday?!?" Muah ha.

Angela's in Disneyland today. I'm jealous, hee hee. Not that I fancy Disneyland. But that she's taking a day off of teaching math to relax and play, hee hee. ^_^ I remember I took a day off to go to Disneyland with Eym-Soon and Li-Yin many years ago, before they were going to leave for Oklahoma. ^_^

Woops. Gotta go email all the science parents...one last thing to do before I go to work...!

01.06.06, Friday:

[08:45pm] I'm feeling much better! ^_^ After eating dinner...and my mom's chicken pie (it's AMAZING! I'm learning how to make it one day too, ha ha...)...and some guava from our backyard...heh heh...

I was teaching today, and at the start of 2nd period, started feeling tired...by 3rd, I was sneezing non-stop, and by the end of it, I was headachy, muscle-achy, sneezy, and not very energetic. I came home early to rest, and after filling my stomach up, am feeling much better already. I hope it lasts! I don't want the flu that all my students seem to be coming down with! >_<

Thursday night, Anna and I went out to play again! Finally! Yay!!! ^_^ We tooted our horns for the night *wink*, ha ha ha, and laughed a whole lot...meandered at the mall (saw mini-Hoy and mini-Toy!), went to 24 while practicing Mandarin and Japanese, ate at Marie Callender's, and didn't get our Banana Cream Pie, *ROAR*! She has my jacket, and I have her shoes. We both had to call each other, on separate times, to tell each other after I had dropped her off that we had each others' stuff. Muah ha. Lots of laugh - I love this girl! Heh heh...

01.04.06, Wednesday:

[08:45pm] My dad is downstairs watching the Rose Bowl. Hee hee. I don't understand football at all. I roll my eyes at it. *eyes roll* ^_^ I do wonder if Jer is somewhere in the band though. That would be neat - it'd be a second friend I'd see on TV in the past month! ^_^

Oh yeah! I don't think I said it in detail. Rick was on TV, not for doing anything bad, ha ha...but for helping out at the local food shelter over the Christmas season. Props to the man for serving God's people! ^_^ He's probably watching the Rose Bowl too right now. Hee hee. *eyes roll*

I made Rice Krispies Treats today, according to the directions on the package of marshmallows, as well as following hi! monkey's methods. ^_^

My current desktop calendar is something I got from True Nature -

"kathleen has a new desktop calendar for january at her seamripper site! (click on the ice cream cone to find the fun.)"

[04:45pm] Home early today, thanks to the Rose Bowl. Everyone wants to get out earlier, including most of the staff at work, heh heh heh...

Yay! Vegas pictures uploaded at last! ^_^

01.02.06, Monday:

[08:57am] Happy New Year! ^_^

Woah...2006...You know that feeling where you write the previous year on your papers, and you have to get used to writing the new year down? That happened yesterday, ha ha...

Saturday's House of Joy! party was fun, fun, fun! Shelton, Heidi, Calvin, Gilbert, Rosalyn, Jason, and I contributed to a massive dinner of wonderful and tasty food, heh heh...Calvin even learned a new way of making fried rice! We played Mah Jong, in which Heidi and Rosalyn schooled the boys on the game, ate, played more games, until the wee hours of the morning. =) Ralm also showed up a little later, and him, Rosalyn and I won the Trivial Pursuit game, ha ha...Did we count down to the New Year? Not actually...we were in the middle of a game, but acknowledged it with bubbly cider for the night. =) I don't have much pictures, as my camera's in the surgery room, but Heidi's camera got some. In the process of trying to upload them. ^_^

I took a nap on Sunday!!! Aghhh! I hadn't taken a nap in...forever...!! It was lovely. And I heard I snored too, ha ha ha...^_^ *SNOROARRRR*

I like the rain...but driving in it is not too pleasant. However, being inside the house, and hearing the wind and rain outside is nice. =)