I love children. I totally respect teachers, care-givers, educators. I see every child at our church as my own children... we are one family. But I'm just not cut out to be a full time children ministry servant. There was a time and there may be a time... but geez.... you give me a bunch of obnoxious brats and I will discipline them.
Hey... I've been there. I know the joy of being class clown...to make everyone laugh to gain attention... to "have fun" on a Saturday night. Maybe on any other Saturday night. But not when Teacher Henry has you for 30 minutes.
Driving home last night, I was wondering if the kids will complain to their parents who will complain to our administrators... And they'll dis-invite me from serving in the future. I wonder....
Sunday, June 09, 2013
Friday, June 07, 2013
Mind your own soy sauce!!
There are these unwritten rules in life... where common courtesy over-reaches into rudeness.
Don't look at my wife for more than 3 seconds. I know she's a hottie.. that's why she's my wife.
Don't add cream and sugar into my coffee. Let me ruin my own cup of perfectly good java.
Don't pour soy sauce into my sushi dish. When I eat sushi... I'm not dipping into soysauce, but rather a wasabi paste with a bit of soy sauce. Ok... now if you so cordially pour a dish full of soy sauce for me... I'm left with eating "soy sauce fish...." or you just forced me to use up all the wasabi. So now I'm the one that looks rude. C'mon....
Just a few nits....
Don't look at my wife for more than 3 seconds. I know she's a hottie.. that's why she's my wife.
Don't add cream and sugar into my coffee. Let me ruin my own cup of perfectly good java.
Don't pour soy sauce into my sushi dish. When I eat sushi... I'm not dipping into soysauce, but rather a wasabi paste with a bit of soy sauce. Ok... now if you so cordially pour a dish full of soy sauce for me... I'm left with eating "soy sauce fish...." or you just forced me to use up all the wasabi. So now I'm the one that looks rude. C'mon....
Just a few nits....
Monday, June 03, 2013
Another one of those moments....
Last time... it was watching Nui-nui brush her teeth.... this time it was watching mommy give her a shower. Why does it always happen in the bathroom?
As she's standing there....fighting to keep the water out of her eyes.... it suddenly hits me how tall she is now.
And I say to her, "囡囡呀，可唔可以唔好大得咁快啊。可唔可以做我嘅小囡囡?"
She replies, "我大得咁快，因為我食好多野。我會好似你咁高！"
Can't argue there... So I turn around and walk out...knowing full well my little princess will never be that precious child captured on my iPhone. That's when I hear Nui-nui scream, "It's Ok Bah-Bee.... 我大個咗都係你個小囡囡. 永遠都係你嘅小囡囡, Ok??"
唔知呢D係唔係安慰嘅說話，但兩行熱淚不知不覺係面上躺下。
As she's standing there....fighting to keep the water out of her eyes.... it suddenly hits me how tall she is now.
And I say to her, "囡囡呀，可唔可以唔好大得咁快啊。可唔可以做我嘅小囡囡?"
She replies, "我大得咁快，因為我食好多野。我會好似你咁高！"
Can't argue there... So I turn around and walk out...knowing full well my little princess will never be that precious child captured on my iPhone. That's when I hear Nui-nui scream, "It's Ok Bah-Bee.... 我大個咗都係你個小囡囡. 永遠都係你嘅小囡囡, Ok??"
唔知呢D係唔係安慰嘅說話，但兩行熱淚不知不覺係面上躺下。
Monday, May 27, 2013
Count your blessing... count your change Part II
So this time... I used the credit card, thinking there'll be no way there'll be a mistake! Oh how naive I was....
At a particular Seattle based multi-franchised coffee shop... I swung by for a quick coffee and cake pop on my way up to the city. They guy punched in the numbers, swiped my card.... but as he was handing it back to me, he readily admitted, "Oh sorry sir... I charged you for the wrong thing! Lemme back it out."
Well...the story goes, he caught his mistake, unlike the other lady. But me...being in a hurry, asked, "What did you charge me for?" "A Coffee cake." "I'll take a coffee cake... just charge me again for the cake pop."
Wait a minute.... it was his mistake.... but here I am spending an extra $2.50?!?!?
Rookie mistake on my part... hahaha.... Patience. It's that one fruit of the HS that never seems to bear itself.
At a particular Seattle based multi-franchised coffee shop... I swung by for a quick coffee and cake pop on my way up to the city. They guy punched in the numbers, swiped my card.... but as he was handing it back to me, he readily admitted, "Oh sorry sir... I charged you for the wrong thing! Lemme back it out."
Well...the story goes, he caught his mistake, unlike the other lady. But me...being in a hurry, asked, "What did you charge me for?" "A Coffee cake." "I'll take a coffee cake... just charge me again for the cake pop."
Wait a minute.... it was his mistake.... but here I am spending an extra $2.50?!?!?
Rookie mistake on my part... hahaha.... Patience. It's that one fruit of the HS that never seems to bear itself.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Count your blessings... Count your change
Went to Ranch 99 and bought a half Roast Duck. Decided to pay in cash for once. I like paying with credit card cuz it's easier on everyone.
But when I got the change from the lady... I did some quick math in my head... Then made a quick glance at the coins. Something wasn't right. Instead of $3.59.... I got back $3.19. Upon further study... She gave me three nickels, and 4 pennies instead of 2 quarters, a nickel and 4 pennies.
"Oh... Sorry sir."
Honest mistake??? Hrmmm... Why can't I shake the feeling that they've tried this honest mistake hundreds of times.
Call me petty... Just don't forget to count your daily blessings and ur daily change. Or stick with plastic.
But when I got the change from the lady... I did some quick math in my head... Then made a quick glance at the coins. Something wasn't right. Instead of $3.59.... I got back $3.19. Upon further study... She gave me three nickels, and 4 pennies instead of 2 quarters, a nickel and 4 pennies.
"Oh... Sorry sir."
Honest mistake??? Hrmmm... Why can't I shake the feeling that they've tried this honest mistake hundreds of times.
Call me petty... Just don't forget to count your daily blessings and ur daily change. Or stick with plastic.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
"There's a lot of beauty in ordinary things..."
"...isn't that kind of the point?"
After 9 years, the Office comes to an end.
I remember hating the commericials for the show. I thought the stars on the show were ugly. The concept was stupid. The setting was dumb.
But a few years ago....when Nui-nui was first born... and we had Netflix and sleepless nights and days.... I decided to randomly give it a shot. That got me hooked. Then I caught the episodes of Pam and Jim's wedding. Then it was over. I caught every sindicated show. I went online to watch every episode I can find. (had to reformat a few laptops along the way... HA!!)
But I have to say...those final 3 seasons were hard to watch. As Geoff would put it... "You'd watch it in hopes of catching that one funny moment."
And in the end....it wasn't the funny moments that you take away. But the tears...tears of joy. Tears of separation. Tears that you will never be able to find those 9 years again.
There was nothing special about the show, really. But as Pam puts it in her final swan-line, "There's a lot of beauty in ordinary things...isn't that kind of the point?"
After 9 years, the Office comes to an end.
I remember hating the commericials for the show. I thought the stars on the show were ugly. The concept was stupid. The setting was dumb.
But a few years ago....when Nui-nui was first born... and we had Netflix and sleepless nights and days.... I decided to randomly give it a shot. That got me hooked. Then I caught the episodes of Pam and Jim's wedding. Then it was over. I caught every sindicated show. I went online to watch every episode I can find. (had to reformat a few laptops along the way... HA!!)
But I have to say...those final 3 seasons were hard to watch. As Geoff would put it... "You'd watch it in hopes of catching that one funny moment."
And in the end....it wasn't the funny moments that you take away. But the tears...tears of joy. Tears of separation. Tears that you will never be able to find those 9 years again.
There was nothing special about the show, really. But as Pam puts it in her final swan-line, "There's a lot of beauty in ordinary things...isn't that kind of the point?"
Monday, April 29, 2013
A blessing in disguise
Last Saturday, a friend of from the East Coast came to California for an Awards Night Banquet. He and I aren't really close... but we have gone through some "good times" together. So we've bonded over the years. He really wanted to bring his wife with him...and he received his award. And as such, they wanted to fly their 4 month out with them. He asked me via email if I knew of any babysitters who can watch their kid for them during the 3 hour dinner/banquet/award presentation. I promptly said, "Yes... ME!!!!"
So here I was....with a 4 month old. She's on east coast time, so supposedly, she should be sleeping through the night. Right....WRONG!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my goodness..... she did well for the first 2 hours, but around 9PM, for no reason whatsover, she started bellowing and screaming and hollering. Joyce tried to calm her down. Didn't work. All the techniques I used to quiet Nn and Sw down did NOT work. After about 20 minutes of torture (for the entire family, and the infant), I was going to call my friend to come pick her up. But his party ended at 10PM. I needed to come through for my friend. "C'mon!!! I'm a professional parent!!!"
Out of desparation.... I buckled the baby into the car seat and started to swing the car seat - all 30+ pounds. My arms ached. My back hurt. I was dripping in sweat. But the only thing that mattered was.... she stopped crying! Then slowly but surely, I laid down the car seat and started rocking her back to sleep. She wasn't asleep, totally, but she was calm.
Phew.......
Around 9:50, I strapped her into my car and drove her to the Hyatt and dropped her off at my friend's hotel. The only thing I told them was, "She woke up for a bit... I rocked her back to sleep."
I got home.... and Joyce said, "Thank you. Now I'm absolutely sure I do not want another one. Good night."
So here I was....with a 4 month old. She's on east coast time, so supposedly, she should be sleeping through the night. Right....WRONG!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my goodness..... she did well for the first 2 hours, but around 9PM, for no reason whatsover, she started bellowing and screaming and hollering. Joyce tried to calm her down. Didn't work. All the techniques I used to quiet Nn and Sw down did NOT work. After about 20 minutes of torture (for the entire family, and the infant), I was going to call my friend to come pick her up. But his party ended at 10PM. I needed to come through for my friend. "C'mon!!! I'm a professional parent!!!"
Out of desparation.... I buckled the baby into the car seat and started to swing the car seat - all 30+ pounds. My arms ached. My back hurt. I was dripping in sweat. But the only thing that mattered was.... she stopped crying! Then slowly but surely, I laid down the car seat and started rocking her back to sleep. She wasn't asleep, totally, but she was calm.
Phew.......
Around 9:50, I strapped her into my car and drove her to the Hyatt and dropped her off at my friend's hotel. The only thing I told them was, "She woke up for a bit... I rocked her back to sleep."
I got home.... and Joyce said, "Thank you. Now I'm absolutely sure I do not want another one. Good night."
Sunday, April 21, 2013
A parenting moment...
Had a wonderful and memorable parenting moment this evening... and I wasn't even involved in it.
I was watching from the hall....(more like spying)... on Nui-nui brush her teeth. There she stood, in her PJ's, on the IKEA stool, squeezing her tube of toothpaste. Only... she squeezed a bit too hard and out squirts a blob of toothpaste dripping off and running down the side.
I could've walked up and yelled at her. I could've gone up and cleaned it for her. But I didn't feel like moving. I continued observing... and I see Nn use her tooth brush to scoop up some of the overflowed gob of goop. She carefully balances the the toothbrush on her cup of water. Then stretches out and turns on the faucet.... and starts rinsing the mouth of the toothpaste. Cleaning it. Wiping it. After the tip of the tube if spotless... she turns the faucet off. Puts the cap back on. And starts brushing her teeth.
She turns around.... sees me looking.... and says, "Bah-bee. I cleaned it."
And while wiping the tears away from my eyes... I can only say, "Good girl."
That's my girl.... she's 4. But shes grown up now....she can clean her own mess. And she'll even admit to it.
I was watching from the hall....(more like spying)... on Nui-nui brush her teeth. There she stood, in her PJ's, on the IKEA stool, squeezing her tube of toothpaste. Only... she squeezed a bit too hard and out squirts a blob of toothpaste dripping off and running down the side.
I could've walked up and yelled at her. I could've gone up and cleaned it for her. But I didn't feel like moving. I continued observing... and I see Nn use her tooth brush to scoop up some of the overflowed gob of goop. She carefully balances the the toothbrush on her cup of water. Then stretches out and turns on the faucet.... and starts rinsing the mouth of the toothpaste. Cleaning it. Wiping it. After the tip of the tube if spotless... she turns the faucet off. Puts the cap back on. And starts brushing her teeth.
She turns around.... sees me looking.... and says, "Bah-bee. I cleaned it."
And while wiping the tears away from my eyes... I can only say, "Good girl."
That's my girl.... she's 4. But shes grown up now....she can clean her own mess. And she'll even admit to it.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Now you see it... now you don't...
For four days... I've been searching for my remote control. High and low... near and far... I've looked and couldn't find it. What is a man, without his remote? I've gotten to a point where I would not watch TV, cuz I have to walk to turn it on.
Four days. Where did Siu Wah hide it? inside his toys? inside some random box? inside the secret compartment to the secret drawer in his secret hiding spot?
Four days later.... I pull open the drawer on my coffee table to look for something else and there it was. Only, it was the back side (gray) instead of the top side (black with all the buttons). It was there allllllll along.... right under my nose.... the same drawer I've pulled opened dozens of time the past four days. How'd I miss it.....?
Four days. Where did Siu Wah hide it? inside his toys? inside some random box? inside the secret compartment to the secret drawer in his secret hiding spot?
Four days later.... I pull open the drawer on my coffee table to look for something else and there it was. Only, it was the back side (gray) instead of the top side (black with all the buttons). It was there allllllll along.... right under my nose.... the same drawer I've pulled opened dozens of time the past four days. How'd I miss it.....?
Sunday, April 07, 2013
Opening Day 2013
Who was gonna raise the flag? The best kept secret since they announced the winner of Survivor.
It sure got dusty when Boch walked in from the centerfield gate with the trophy. Then as the SFFD pulled up in McCovey Cove with the banner... and the fans hoisted the banner onto the field, the dust turned into mist. And as the six players took the flag and ran up the brick walls... it really started getting wet. Then finally... with Queen blasting on the speakers, with the words "We are the Champions" echoing off the walls... and as the players took turn hoisting the flag as a team.... the tears finally rolled.
Opening Day... it's like no other. Especially... when you're Opening as Defending Champs. And best of all... I got to see it with my wife. (who earlier in the day... went on a shopping spree at Anthropologie. So we all win!)
It sure got dusty when Boch walked in from the centerfield gate with the trophy. Then as the SFFD pulled up in McCovey Cove with the banner... and the fans hoisted the banner onto the field, the dust turned into mist. And as the six players took the flag and ran up the brick walls... it really started getting wet. Then finally... with Queen blasting on the speakers, with the words "We are the Champions" echoing off the walls... and as the players took turn hoisting the flag as a team.... the tears finally rolled.
Opening Day... it's like no other. Especially... when you're Opening as Defending Champs. And best of all... I got to see it with my wife. (who earlier in the day... went on a shopping spree at Anthropologie. So we all win!)
Monday, April 01, 2013
Brief moments in time...
Been a while since I've had the inspiration to write.... so this will be just snapshots of brief moments in time....
- took Nui-nui to the beach on Friday....found myself having more fun building a sandcastle than her. (another GREAT Father-Daughter Day)
- waiting in the car to pick up the ladies when I pulled out my phone and snapped a photo of Siu-Wah.... and realizing how much he's grown in the past month. He has hair!!!
- 7 years ago.... calling, driving and picking up a college student seemed like nothing. But having her mention that in her testimony makes me once again realize, every little, insignificant motion can be used by God for His glory.
- being a 2nd child is tough
- on a random day.... on a random road.... I was thinking, "Dang....why didn't they hand it to Gore for that last 5 yard!??!" Yep.... still peeved about the Superbowl.
- I love the theme song to 天蠶變.
- Two close friends' moms being diagnosed with cancer within a week of one another. Sheeeesh.
- It took almost two years... but Siu Wah is finally taking a liking to books. Shouldn't compare to Nui-nui.... but she took a liking to books when she was around 1. Is that why their speech development is so different?
- gave my iPhone4 to mom. She was like a kid in a candy store.
- Jeff had his annual birthday bowling bash...and this time we made it.
- without proof of seeing or hearing... I know that my wife is praying for me. Otherwise, I wouldn't be who I am today. And she will never admit to it...or take credit for it.
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