Cringe

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 75

There comes a time in any parent's life...where you're watching a movie that's coming of age.  It could be a number of things.  Drugs, violence, inappropriate jokes, adult language.

Tonight we watched a movie that was rated PG that came out in the early 90's.  I've seen this movie dozens of times...  but it wasn't till this time did I realize all the cuss words that were used that fell into my kids' ears.

A-hole. 

Bullsh!t. 

Booch.

Son of a booch. 

Gosh-darn this.  Gosh-darn that. 

Short of the f-word... I guess anything is free game.  

Then there's the other cringe worthy moments... or adult content.  The movie started with the male lead being in bed naked with a hottie.  For us... you know it's promiscuity.  But for a young innocent child... halfway through the movie, when the male lead starts to fall for the female lead.... NN said, "But he already has a girl friend.  That girl in the beginning."  And SW said... "That's not his girlfriend.  That was his sister."  

Hmm..... I guess when you look at the same thing from the eyes of the adult verses the eyes of a child... you can see two completely different things.  Makes me wonder what'll happen if we watched Total Recall.  Maybe we'll see THREE completely different things.  

唔到你唔信

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 74

Wanted to try something different today... and since I had some leftover ramen noodles... decided to make some Korean Style Jajangmyeon. Was gonna use good ol' Lee Kum Kee black bean sauce... but lo and behold... I had a container of chun jang in my fridge!! It came out great. The look... the smell... the color. 色香味.

SW took a bite...and immediately thought it was spicy. Hmmm.... I don't remember this sauce being spicy, but maybe there's pepper in there. I walked over and read the label. Soybean, salt, garlic..... and oh crap.... peanuts. Before I can even lift up my head.... "Bah B... my throat feels funny."

F*CK!!! Ran to get some Benadryl. There are somethings you think are psychological... and there are things, 唔到你唔信.

Speechless

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 73

She-Ra... Princess of Power. A 1980's cartoon that spun off from He-Man Masters of the Universe.  I was always jealous of She-Ra.  She had a cooler sword than He-Man.  But it served it's purpose...and got the girls into the show.

Flash forward 30+ years... and Netflix re-releases a new She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (plural).  It's a great premise.  Instead of 1 princess... they diversify and invest in a bunch of princesses.  And instead of a woman... She-Ra is a teenager coming of age, struggling with her identity while finding friends and allies to battle the Evil Horde.  There was even one episode where the princesses went to a dance... like a prom or Winter Ball.  It was a fun premise.  The kids liked it for its adventures and comedy. 

I walk out today and I see Joyce give me a look.  "Do you know how She-Ra ends?"

"Oh no..." I thought.  I had a feeling this was coming... but didn't bring myself to articulating it.

*****SPOILER ALERT********

She Ra ends up with Catra - her female childhood friend.  I was shocked... but I shouldn't have been.  Turns out there was another romantic relationship between 2 female characters earlier in the show.  

****SPOILER ALERT ENDS*******

What are my kids watching?? Without me knowing??  

Then tonight... while surfing for something to watch on a streaming network, there is a category called "LGBTQ for Families" and all their shows are kid friendly.

What is happening???? Or the more appropriate question... what has happened? 

Give me a nit... and I shall pick...

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 71

I don't like to nit-pick. Honestly... I don't.  But some things just jump out at me.  Recently... it's been the way people pray.  

As a child... I learned it's recitation of prescribed words.  The Hail Mary.  The Our Father.  The Glory Be.  

As I grow older... is a way of connecting with God and Mary through saying those prescribed words. 

As I'm much older... did someone point out that in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus shunned those who would "babble" or "heap up empty phrases."  

As I'm teaching Sunday School... I start saying it's talking with God.  

As SJCAC is so excellent at pushing.. listening to God.  

As Wesley Campbell so aptly introduced at my very first Deeper Life Conference... could be repeating / reading the same bible verses over and over again... perhaps even while walking in circles... in order to enter into God's presence.

(But is it chanting??? Definitely uncomfortable)

Then there's the predictable phrases....

When you run out of things to say and have nothing else to say... the ultimate fallback phrase. "我哋多....謝你."   

Or how about the popular phrase "So Father God."  One time... during FOTA... I started counting how many times a brother would use that phrase regardless of when and where. 

Ahhh.... the head-scratching starter.  "所以主耶穌..."  Why do we have to say "所以" to Jesus... especially when starting a sentence?

Ohhh....  the always reliable. "我哋讚美你 <pause> 讚美你呢......."

And quite recently, PAL starts pushing... "Lectio Divina."  Some surface level research shows this is a something monks or Catholics would practice.  Good luck seeing other Protestant churches doing this.  

Why pray? What is prayer? What is Prayer Meeting? Why does so few people go....still....  

Keep running

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 68

無聲出

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 67

今日廚房無端端又多舊咁嘅嘢。 都係果班師奶慫恿老婆， 屋企又多樣嘢風塵檢掗訂。

How cheap art thou....

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 66

SW was in tears today... when he casually told us his two best friends were playing Minecraft.  Then he said, "I won't play.  It costs money."  The boy already knows Bah B and Mah mee won't buy it. Turns out...his friends have outgrown Brawl Stars and moved onto the next fad already.

NN was also in tears when she said all her friends are talking about setting up Hangouts on their private emails.  I said.. but you can keep your school email until August.  "Yeah... until August!! But then it'll be turned off!!"  She was irritated... and a bit hurt.  Probably, more so, embarrassed to have two cheap-@$$ parents.

Why are we so cheap??? Why???  

Minecraft is just $7 on the App Store.  

We already set up Google accounts for them... but we're holding back. Why??? Why can't we let loose... and be the cool parents? Or maybe... for once... NOT be the uncool parents. 

Looking back... whenever the kids (more so SW) wanted sports equipment, I'd jump on the bit.  Basketball.  Tennis. Fishing. Bike. Baseball gloves. I wouldn't hesitate to rush to Target or Dick's.  

Being cheap is one thing... but at what expense??? My kids' happiness??? Is it worth it??? 

Clever Blog Title

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 65

There are certain topics that grew up with me...and will forever be part of me.  No matter if I'm 10... 30.... or I'm 80... I can go non-stop on these topics.

港漫, pro-wrestling, 金庸... I love reliving the history...  love over-analyzing it... love reliving the days of yester-year.  The sad part is... only 1 or 2 of my friends share that common interest.  And they may like 1 or 2 of those topics.  There's only 1 person in this world I can share those things with... so blessed to have Big Bro in my life.  It's an unspeakable joy.

it could happen to you... just like it happened to me...

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 63

No one would ever think that your kid... would be the victim of cyber bullying.  Worse yet... no one would ever think your kid... is the cyber bully.  A supposedly harmless online game for the boys to play in the midst of SIP just took a wrong turn.  A dash of playground humor... a pinch of locker room culture... a bit of untimely joke... some harmless banter and some slight obliviousness can result in tears... feelings being hurt... betrayal.  The silver lining is... the boys will probably get over this in a blink of an eye.  If this was NN... I'd still be reeling.

Afternoon came... emotions subsided... things were taking a turn for the better.  NN initially didn't want to play baseball either, but she couldn't resist after hearing the laughter and the shouting.  Joyce even came out and took some berating from me.  Then it happened.... the one thing you would least expect to happen to you...

NN hit the ball across the street.  I ran after it and shouted, "Nooooo!" as it fell into the sewers. My back was to the kids... staring into the abyss... looking for our ball.  Then....the miracle happened.  I turned around and both kids stepped off the sidewalk and were running after me.. without looking for oncoming cars. 9 out of 10 times... cars could be speeding 30-35 mph down our 25 zone.  But for some reason... the young man was going uber slow.  "STOP!!!" I yelled.

The kids stopped.  The driver stopped.  Our neighbors stopped.  That wasn't any normal stop.  That was a desperate parent screaming at the one tone that all parents recognize.  I apologized to the driver and he took off.  Smiling... saying, "That's ok."

I was seething with anger... at the kids? at myself?  I was relieved... No one would ever think that this could happen to you... just like it happened to me.

The unspeakable truth...

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 62

Front line workers get the love - much deserved.

Essential workers get the respect - much deserved.

Teachers and educators approval rate are soaring - much deserved.

Moms/wives are keeping the family together through working/home-making/home-schooling - VERY much deserved.

But not once.... not ONCE... have I heard anyone compliment on the husbands pitching in. 

"SHOUT OUT TO ALL MY BROS FOR ALSO HOLDING THIS TOGETHER!!!"

Meh... no one really cares.  Heh... 

Nightmare lives on...

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 61

A couple of weeks ago... KNBR was replaying the 2010 NLCS. Looking back, that strike 3 call was probably one of the greatest moments of my life.  Forever immortalized here...

I've buried 2002 into the deep gorges of tartares. Other than some obvious narratives... I've stayed away from thinking too much about those final 7 games. Yesterday on Youtube... there was a tribute to Barry Bonds... showing how he hit a soaring HR to the upper deck off K-Rod in Game 6 to put us up 5-0. And then... the floodgates opened up. the anger... fear.... anxiety... started pouring in. That was suppose to be the magic ending. The perfect ending to an otherwise tumultuous year. Only... the tumult continued.....

Oh the pain.... it hurts so badly.

I can't help but think of 47. The power outage. Those deep bombs. 2 yards out.... and we don't hand it to Gore.

I try with every last fiber of my being to push out 54... only to think of the "3rd and 15" play that will go down in infamy. Every now and then... while I'm tossing a football with the kids... I realize how easy it could've been for Jimmy G to drop it in the hands of Sanders.

In the midst of COVID and SIP... I count my blessings. Yet... in the eye of this hurricane is still those memories that will forever haunt me... to the day I go 6 feet under. The nightmare lives on....

Leaf of my labor

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 59

Just when I thought the birds were eating away all my seeds...and I needed to build a scarecrow... I go out to the garden today and find this!!! 

Johnny Mnemonic

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 58

Everyone has their own method of remembering things... figuring things out.

Every Good Boy Does Fine - that's how I read music.
Roy G Biv - the colors of the rainbow

Somewhere along the lines of life... we've picked up or created these so called mnemonics.

Was studying Chinese with the kids... and NN was having the toughest time learning words used for measurement. 選擇量詞.  So I gave her some mnemonics....

一間房子 - there's a 門, and you have to enter the door to get into the room

一件衣服 - 單人旁，著牛仔褲... so it's clothes

一块點心 - 块 is like 快, 生日快樂。  You eat cake... which is like 點心

一张桌子 - she figured this one out herself.  the 弓字旁 looks like the letter "z" for zuo 

一顿饭 - a ton of rice... ton starts with "t" which looks like 屯.  (don't judge me)

一袋米 - you're stuffing your clothes (pants) with rice (whatever... it doesn't always work)

一辆车 - this one's easy... 车字旁

一架飞机 - the 木 resembles an airplane...sorta... 

一道菜 - ahhh.. my favorite one.  太初有道。 我是道路， 真理， 生命.  Jesus is also the "Bread of Life."  And we eat "bread" just like we eat "菜." 

Then SW had 聽寫.  I walked by while Joyce was quizzing him... his word was 非常.  He couldn't think of 非.  So I stood in front of him.... stuck out three fingers on each side... and started fluttering my wings.   Worked like a charm.  Heh... again... whatever it takes!!! 

****************Addendum*****************

SW also has 選擇字旁.  And he was having trouble with remembering words that has 剔土旁.  So what do I do....?? 

剔土旁 - is earth. 
"Name a Pokemon that is an earth type."
(begrudgingly) "Geodude"
"Ahhh... perfect!! Geodude... is an earth type.  And is an evil Pokemon.  "不是好人， 是個坏人.  And 不 looks like Geodude...with his hands sticking out!!  So remember... Earth on one side.  And on the right hand side... it looks like Geodude.  Who is a.... bad person"   

SW loved it.

NN walks by and says... "It's weird.  But it works.  

Even Joyce smiled and shook her head in disbelief.  

Happy Mother's Day

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 55

Drove out to the city to see Mom today and deliver her some premade, unfinished tacos, some staples and a container of 花膠湯.  Actually noticed she was genuinely moved when she saw the taco meat, taco shells and fixings.  Within minutes of driving away... she texted us saying downed 3 already.  A few minutes later... she gobbled down a fourth one after adding some pickled ginger.  

In return... she gave us some canned foods and an eerie looking plant which has successfully made its way to our front porch.   

Also visited dad and give him some soup.  He didn't need any of the staples...which is almost expected.  Dad also got us stuff... since he heard big bro was coming up.  He gave us some buns and BBQ pork.... only to find out later that big bro got BBQ pork and a roast duck.  Hmm.... favoritism?? Nah.... 

We pre-ordered and had some dim sum delivered to MIL.  When we stopped by during lunch to have a social distancing lunch... they said they polished off all the dim sum and were full.  We ended up hanging out with Gracie under a shaded area outside and chatted over a glass of vino.  

Got home... and I was tired.  Haven't driven so long in a while... my body wasn't use to it.  

At night... we had a little "indoor picnic."  The kids thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the floor and eating off of paper plates and plastic forks.  

When this was all said and done... the one person we forgot to "celebrate" was NN and SW's mom.  Oops!!  Oh well... every day is Mother's Day, right??? 

功虧一簣

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 54

All that added stress the other night... and NN finishes her test in under 23 minutes.

A bunch of the problems she did in under 10 seconds.  And she was going so fast, she clicked "Submit" at the end without double checking her answers!!!  Grrr... 

To the brink of collapse

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 52

NN has a math placement test on Saturday.  It really is NBD.... 6th grade math.  Who cares if it's regular, honors, Pre-algebra, Algebra.  It doesn't matter (really!!).  But we still want her to put her best foot forward.... be true to yourself.  Be excellent in all you do.  And leave nothing on the table.

Earlier tonight... it was my turn to study with her.  We borrowed a book from the library and started doing problems.  Apparently... Joyce would just do problem after problem with her until the section is done.  I looked at the problems... she knows it.  If she doesn't know it... she won't learn it now.  So I hit the proverbial clutch and switched gears.  42 problems... I gave her 21 minutes - 30 seconds per problem.  I said... if you don't know it... skip it.  Come back later.

She started welling up.  "I can't do this.  I'm going to fail!!"  Fine... 25 minutes.

She spends the first two minutes of her precious 25... numbering 1 - 42 on her paper.  (WHAT IS SHE DOING!!??!?)

She starts with problem 1  Reads it for 3 seconds... skip.  Moves to problem 2.... "What are they asking?!?!".... skip.  Does problem 3 -- does everything in her head without writing it down.  Her answer isn't in the list of 5.... skip.

By the time she gets to problem 12... she's balling.

"Why are you crying?"

"I can't do this!!"

Then I start philosophizing.  25 minutes... 42 problems.... that's roughly 30 seconds per problem.  Use those 30 seconds!  Write out the problems.  Draw pictures.  If you know it... and you don't see the answer... you made a stupid mistake.   Re-do it, quick!! If you take less than 30 seconds... bank it for a harder problem.  If you take more than 30 seconds... use the time you banked.

She refocused... and started plowing through it.  Problem after problem.  The 25 minutes ran out.  And we went back to the ones she skipped - about a dozen of them.  Given time... taking the pressure off... she did almost every single one.

Tonight... I don't think I could've taught her any more math.  What I needed to do...was push her to the brink of collapse.  But what doesn't kill you...makes you stronger.

25 minutes... 42 problems.  I looked at the instructions for Saturday's placement test? 90 minutes.... 30 problems.  Oops!!

百萬軍中藏阿斗

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 50

I've always been mesmerized by the legend and aura of 三國.  Not that I read the novel... nor do I know the full story.  Recently.. I've been watching 回到三國 on encoreTVB, which is a rip off of 尋秦記.  Tonight... I had my heart ripped out of me when 劉軍 had to escape 曹操, 逃到江夏.  It's not like TVB has the video technology to make the 走難 scenes realistic nor was it their point.  Maybe COVID-19 and SIP really has my hormones running... or maybe... I'm getting to a point in life where this truly hits home.  Tens or hundreds of thousands of men, women and children of all ages... running for their lives with nothing more than what fits in a bag over their shoulders.

One of the climax of this series of events was of course 百萬軍中藏阿斗 - when 趙子龍 single-handedly rescues 劉備's son and fights his way back to camp.  Only for 劉備 to pick up the baby and nearly throw it to the ground.... blaming the child for almost costing him a general.  Romanticized legend?? I don't think you can make this stuff up...

Yes - for a moment there - I did put me and my family in those conditions.  What if????  Then I quickly gave thanks to the Lord for putting us in a time of peace.

小華

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 49

During Kidz Church gathering.... when Ms. Leonora says, "I'll start pray... SW can you close us in prayer?" Leonora finishes and turns it over to SW in which he simply says , "In Jesus Name - Amen!"  And all the kids said, "Amen."

Aye.... my son.  What is it about this boy that makes him so enjoyable to be around and likeable.  That sparks joy.  Doesn't get those genes from me or Joyce.  Nn definitely doesn't have those genes either...for the most part.

And now we wait....

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 48

Heh... today's TWA was so fitting.

你眷顧大地，普降甘霖，使地甚為肥沃；神的河滿了水，好為人預備五穀；
你就這樣預備了大地。你灌溉地的犁溝，潤平犁脊，又降雨露使地鬆軟，並且賜福給地上所生長的。~诗篇 65: 9-10

The project started 3 weeks ago when I started loosening and tilling the soil. It then veered off into Super Mario Bros where I was dealing with plumbing. With mostly everything in place... I was able to put the final pieces of the puzzle together. Did another round of tilling and loosening. My muscles were screaming for me to stop.. but I needed to push through this. 

Dug 10 trenches and filled it with fertile garden soil. Then I summoned the kids to plant rows and row of veggies.

Sprinklers are working now.  Weather is perfect.  Tomatoes are still growing in their planters waiting to be transferred. 

And now we wait... 

旁觀者不得依牙鬆鋼

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 47

For all the greatness that Awana is... the teachers are still struggling to find their sealegs with Zoom Awana.  Listening to them teach is worst than listen to a Catholic homily.  Joined in on the phun earlier this evening to make things a little more interesting.

When the teacher started asking questions... I started feeding SW and NN the answers. Hehe... the first one caught the teacher off guard. "Ok.... that's good.  Any other answers?"  Then the second one... the teacher couldn't help but say, "Did you two memorize the entire bible??"  Dude... this is Awana!!! And he just recited one of the memory verses.

Hehe... it's all good.  It got to a point where... SW and NN were raising their hands and the teacher said, "Anyone one want to answer??"

What....?!?!  Nothing wrong with having phun while learning about the bible, right?!?!?

A diving catch

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 46

Major failure... we didn't do much in terms of planning for SW's bday.

Yesterday...we still haven't thought of any way special to celebrate his bday.  Didn't set up any zoom parties.  Didn't have plans to order his favorite foods.  His present was coming from Amazon... but a couple days late.  Luckily... we slipped into Target to get some "temporary" presents hoping it'll tie him over.

But how to make it special???  Around 11:30 last night... I was getting sleepy... when it occurred to me... why not make an adventure out of it? Kicked into high gear and starting cranking out hint after hint... clue after clue... oh... and it rhymed.  Each hint leads to the next hint which leads to a clue... and ultimately... leads him to his "temporary" gift.   Hid it all around the house.

Then {{someone}} suggested - send a pizza to his 1-2 best friends so they can eat together.  It doesn't have to be a big zoom party.  😲 What a wonderful idea!!

Woke up this morning... was about to make him spam and macaroni for breakfast... when Joyce reminds me she went and got him his other favorite breakfast food.  Something we haven't had for months!!  Pigs in the blanket.....

While the pigs were baking in the oven... he started his treasure hunt.  The clues turned out to be too easy.  He plowed through it in under 10 minutes.  Grrrrr.... and then he found the last gift - a giant Squish-mallow.

The rest of the day sped by fast.  We made him a fish fillet sandwich.   伯伯 came by to drop off some Wingstop and sing happy birthday. He had a Google Hangout playdate with some friends.  And we let him watch some Netflix on a school day.  Then we went driving around to catch some Pokemons.   On our drive home... SW said, "我今日好好好開心啊!"

Thank goodness for the diving catch...