Underestimated

We started showing our house to potential renters.  I'm a natural salesman. It's so easy to talk things up and hide things that are bad.  But what I didn't expect... is the people factor.  

Every applicant so far... has a story. They're all young families.  They're forced to end their lease.  They have a crazy commute.  They're looking for a home (not a house) for their kids to grow. 

I want to rent it out to everyone I meet.  But in the end... I can only choose one. 

我選中左啊！

我選中左啊！

NN saw us and ran towards us.  Turns out... she won her Class Officer election and will be 1 of 4 class officers in the 9th grade.   She wanted this sooooo bad.  Was stressing all week about it.  Kept telling everyone "I'm gonna lose." And in the end... she prevailed.  

I wonder... if the East Coast Trip helped swing the vote.  Her campaigning and politicking got her the extra sets of friends to vote for her.  

So proud of her.  So proud of my Nui Nui Ju.  

But in all things.... give glory and honor to Jesus.  

On this day…

On this day… I met {{{{{{{{{{{{{Angel}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}!!!

Gotta fight to get it back

Siu Wah got sick last week... to a point where he missed school and missed a volleyball game.  He returned the next day... but since that fateful day... he lost his starting spot in the rotation.  I look up and down the roster... and SW is clearly and easily the 5th best player.  I saw 5th... because the 4 other boys are either in club... hit puberty... or is naturally gifted.  They all stand a head above SW.... and yet, he hangs with them with his natural abilities and amazing volleyball prowess, coached by none other than, yours truly.  He stands out.  He truly does.  

He was on the bench the last game... came in during the 2nd set.  Today's game... he again started on the bench and came in during the 2nd set.  The skill level is night and day.  I don't know how the coach doesn't see it.  Then on the 3rd and final set... she dares start two other boys over SW?!?!?!?  What is she thinking?!?!?

Sure... they started winning cuz the other team can't return a pass.  But when it came to our turn to pass... SHAAAAANNNNKKKKK!!!!   We finally got up 14-9, game point.  When the ball wedged it's way under the bleachers.  One of the TKA parent was nice enough to retrieve it... and without looking... tossed the ball back on the court!!!  Little did she know, the game restarted with another ball and we were about to win the point, the set, the match!!! All she could say was, "Sorry."  And scurried away.  

They replayed the point... and of course, we lost.  Then the opposing team starting serving.  It's ok... we still have game point.  But point...after point.... they started rallying and catching up.  Suddenly, it was 14-12.  

"Substitution!!!" said the coach.  And she finally did the right thing and subbed SW back in.  Yes yes... the guy that's leaving stands around 5'7 or 5'9.  But he's clumsy.  No skill.  And is just added weight at this point.  In comes agile and nimble SW.  She should've done it a long time ago. 

They serve.  It comes soaring over the net.  SW can't get it... so he opens up.  The backrow player gets scared.... SHAAAAAAAANNNNNKKKKK!!!  Ugh... maybe SW should've been more aggressive and taken that pass even though he was out of position.  

14-13.  One more and they tie. 

They serve.  It goes to our "best player" who passes the ball, literally, with his shoulder.  The ball flails up to the lanky boy with little sense of direction.  He desperately puts up two hands and pushes the ball up (at least it's not down), but to nowhere but the center of the court.  How's the helpful????? Well.... it's exactly where SW has been positioned all this time.  The ball climbs up the sky... it reaches the pinnacle.... takes a 180 turn and nosedives back towards the ground.  SW watches... aims... puts his two hands together ready to collide with the spherical target.  His stance is wide.  His knees are bent.  His butt is low.  He's digging deep.  The arms start swing upwards.  The ball gloriously meets SW's arms in mid air and then it soars into the thick, warm air in the TKA gym.... sailing over the net.... and heads towards the line.  Only... the energy behind the ball seems to run out like air out of a balloon.  The ball suddenly collapses on it's trajectory and belly flops straight onto the hardwood floor. "PLAAANNNKKK!"  

It's in!!!

We win!!!

SW with the final kill!!!!

Shoulda subbed him in much earlier coach... c'mon!!!! 

And now... the fight begins to win back your starter position. 

Is it too late?

Over lunch today... NN told us a lot of graduating seniors did not get into the college of their choice.  This is TKA... $20k a year.  Service Trips.  Visual Performing Arts. Sports. Student leadership.  Probably multiple AP courses.  And yet.... 

NN started worrying.  What does she have to do? What can she possibly do to stand out? She started crying.  On our way home after lunch... she fell asleep in the car.  We got home.  She napped for 3 hours straight.  

Ohhhh... Nui Nui Ju........

Embarrassing

Was asked to record a video of my experience with Supermarket Evangelism - in Mandarin!!  I didn't think too much of it... was simply gonna jot down some notes and go free form. Only to realize... there are some key vocab that I can say in Cantonese, but not sure in Mandarin.  When I looked up the pinyin... I was soooooo off.  

The recording started at 11PM.  By the time I was done with the editting... it was almost 2AM.  3 hours to record a 2 minute testimony.  And in the end... it was oohhhhhh sooooo bad.  I'm Chinese... and I can't even speak my own language (albeit... my sister language).

Sad

At around 10AM tonight... I felt immense sadness.  Mostly due to re-imagining how sad SW looked on occasions this weekend. 1) when I snapped at him over dinner over Saturday 2) when NN called him a cheater during chess 3) when NN yelled at him during volleyball on Sunday.

SW doesn't deserve this.  No one does.  Especially my happy go lucky SSSW.... 

Joy

 There are a few things that bring me more joy... than to drive into a Costco gas station... and see that everyone is in line, but there is another line that opens up with no line in it.  And seeing how everyone is set in their way... I get to slip right into an empty gas stall.  WIN!!! Ah... those little moments in life. 

It goes both ways

 Few posts ago... I posted that there's a wall between me and Nn now.  Don't know when that wall started appearing.. and not entirely sure how big, how thick, how wide that wall is. But it's there.

Tonight... as I was putting her to bed... and we were doing our usual Crossword Mini, Wordle and Quordle... she started to doze off.  I asked if she wanted to skip Quordle.  She promptly said no... saying this is the few moments we actually spend time together now. 

I was taken aback by that comment.  Then she started going off on how I'm always moody.. .so she leaves me alone. And she mentions that I spend a lot more time with SW instead of her.  Heart breaking and gut wrenching.  I guess she feels it too.

Now... what to do to remedy this?

Spring Break

Days after NN comes back from her 9 day East Coast trip and we decided to capture the opportunity and enjoy our Spring Break by taking a quick trip down the coast to San Luis Obispo.  We love coming down here.  The kids even call it their 2nd home cuz we come down so often.   We know the food spots and there's just so much to do down here.  There was... the kids are getting older and so are we.  Our interests have vastly changed and it's not so easy finding things of interests anymore.  

This time... I really wanted to take the kids ATV-ing on the Pismo Beach Sand Dunes... which was aptly vetoed. As a compromise... we found our way to the infamous Grover Beach Sand Dunes which was adjacent to the Pismo Dunes.  Initially... I thought I got the wrong address when I drove up to an RV park.  But alas... Joyce said, "We're here... why not walk around?" And about 10 minutes from parking... we found ourselves in a scene of a lifetime.  What looked like miles and miles of sand, resembling the Sahara Desert popped up in front of us.  Hills and valleys of sand.  What started out as a brief venture... turned into an adventure... to a point where NN even said, that was the best part of this trip.  I guess... we're not that old afterall.  

But I really question... are we gonna make it here for another trip...? I highly, highly doubt it. 

9 days later...

After being separated for 9 full days... with some occasional texts and pics... two Facetime calls... and a bunch of pics from parent chaperones... NN is finally home.  

So many things I wanted to know...

What was her favorite museum? Or vista point?

What did she eat?

How was her sleeping arrangements?

Did she have enough spending money?

Was she polite to her chaperones?

Any drama between friends?

Didn't really feel like grilling her... so we just let her talk.  And through and through...she could NOT avoid, probably, the most memorable part of her trip - the Boat Dance.

Turns out... that a lot of boys built up enough courage to ask a girl out and be "exclusive partners." And yes... my NN was an object of not 1, not 2, not 3, but 4 guys' pursuits!!! 

Not sure how I feel about this... still processing.

For one... she used the term, "A lot of guys want me."  Ugh... don't say that.  Not in front of me.  But I didn't dare judge.

Then she said...  "This wasn't a date... but going to a dance with a partner means I've been claimed."  Ugh... no NN... you're not an object or a piece of land.  You are not claimed. 

She also said that her teacher saw them sitting down... and immediately pointed fingers to "stay separated."  Good for the teacher!! But how close did NN and the boy get?!?!?

She even shared the boy asking, "So what is this...?" To which NN said, "This is two friends hanging out..."  I think she friend-zoned him.  Which isn't bad.... just do it smoothly.

Sigh... is this my NN's first date?? I kinda think it is. Joyce says it's not.  I think even NN admitted that it is.  In a public setting.  Under the watchful eyes of teachers and parents.  I guess it's a pill that I'm avoiding, but eventually will have to swallow.

On the flip side... NN told us that some of her friends that did not get asked admitted to "never felt so single in my life."  Hate to always have to choose between two sucker's choice.... but I guess if you look at it from that way... you would rather your child not be the one without a date.  Maybe?? I don't know...

My NNJ.... growing up way faster than I want.  13 going on 30.  I've never felt so distant from her.  I'm simply unable to keep pace anymore.  Should just be glad I can be in the audience watching... from the front row.   

John Wick 4

 A movie that lasts longer than an average 2023 baseball game.  Most of the movie was fun and entertaining.  But the nunchuck scene and the card playing scene was underwhelming... especially for us who grew up with Bruce Lee and God of Gamblers. After the movie... when we would've gone for a late night snack in the past... Anderson and I hurried home to sleep.  Heh

JOG

2 day / 1 night retreat up in Sonoma Valley to talk about Generosity.  Am I a generous person? Frugal? Thrifty? Stingy? Greedy?!?!?!?!  Kinda hard to judge... especially if we include our upbringing, our struggles, our own internal rationalizations.  I'd like to think we're generous... but is that according to our own standards?