Friday, August 26, 2016

嫻姨

Today was Han Yi's last day with us. 5 years. She's been with our family for 5 years. From the day Joyce went back to work after maternity leave to SW entering kindergarten, she's been part of our family. This morning as we were leaving our kids with her for the last time, I can see the tears welling up in her eyes.



This afternoon, I had the fortunate / misfortunate chnace to bid her final farewell.  She sat there... And said, 「五年啦。真係唔捨得。」And the waterworks were turned back on. Amazingly, my eyes were dried. Until....

「嫻姨,我從來都冇當我係雇主你係工人。我只當你都係一個好願意幫我地嘅好朋友。 」


And when I said that.. It suddenly got really dusty in the room.

In our minds, she is our 大恩人。 She took great care of our son. When he did not transition to a bottle from nursing, she spoon fed him milk from a spoon. A three month old!! She spoon fed him milk!! She taught my children how to sing 上海灘。 She turned down multiple more lucrative job offers to stay with us because she would never leave us hanging out to dry. 

She says that she treats us as a younger sibling. But in reality, she is old enough to be our mom.   

天下無不散之宴席。 And this is no exception. 

Thursday, August 18, 2016

病咗

由細到大都係抱住佢「慳」字去做人。
我其中最討厭嘅就係浪費食物, 所以就習慣咗每晚食剩嘅餸都用保鮮紙包着擺雪櫃。我最開心的莫過於禮拜六禮拜日晚可以將成個禮拜嘅食物炒成一碟。 最討厭嘅就係清理雪櫃要丟晒成個禮拜啲餸。 

有人話貪就變咗貧。今日我慳變咗病。

尋日食咗上個禮拜買嘅隔夜燒肉同埋隔夜菜, 到晏晝時,我好想咬好頭暈。 

怕怕了。

(真係可以親身體會到一班孕婦需要經歷嘅morning sickness. 真係難為左佢哋)

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Ruffled Feathers

Nothing turns me on more than a bargain... nothing pisses me off than someone ripping me off.

Took my car to L**** H****** Honda in Sunnyvale for service.  We've been there for about 5 years since it's convenient.  We know they make a lot of money off of us... but whatever, you get what you pay for.  It's the car service industry.

Yesterday, I get assigned the service agent "Benny."  Who rattles off a bunch of stuff I need. 
I fire back, "I don't want this I don't want that." 
Then he rattles off some technical stuff saying, "You'll probably need this.  I saw your brake fluids, it's green.  It goes from juice to black to green.  And your records show you've never had it.  You pay $129 today.  If you skip it, you'll come back in 3 months and pay $500."

I'm puzzled.  This doesn't sound right... but whatever. 

After a 4 hour wait (which should have been 2 hours, as he promised), I get the car back, pay my bill and ask the cashier to print all my records.  She reluctantly does so... probably cuz she knows someone's about to get into trouble.  I review my records and question "I had a brake service in March 2015, and now I need another one? 
She said she'll get "Benny" for me.

I sit down, start flipping through all my records.  "Benny" finally comes back from his lunch break and asks me what he can help me with.  I show him the record and he immediately says, "I owe you money."  There was no, "What?? Really?" or "Lemme see that."  Almost as if he was ready to admit it... almost as if he knew what he gotten himself into.

I had already paid with a credit card and he said, "Don't worry, I'll take the brake service off."  I asked him, "What about the rest of my payment.  The credit card payment already went through."  He said, "Nah, I'll put it on hold."  I asked, "On hold?? Can you do that?"

Round and round.  He said it was an honest mistake that he missed it.  It was a "new" system. Fine.
Then I quietly asked, "So if you guys did my brake service 16 months ago.. why is the brake fluid so green? Your service must suck!"  He didn't answer, or couldn't answer.  He said... "Ok, I'll give you everything at cost."

He goes through screen by screen like a virtuosi with his piano. This wasn't a new system. He knew exactly what he was doing. 

I questioned every step of what he was doing.  Scrutinized his every click and every letter typed.  He was either embarrassed, pissed, or both.  I didn't care.  He finally asks, "Is this all you want?"

I thought about it.  His question was very well asked.  He made it sound like he was doing me a favor.  In my mind, I was thinking "lawsuit" and "legal action" and "NBC Investigation." 
I went on to say, I want something in writing that you will "VOID" my previous payment. 
"We can't do that", Benny says. 
Then I say, "Then I want you to sign in blood, in YOUR BLOOD, that if even a penny shows up on my credit card, that you will personally pay me back.  You have zero credibility at this moment. I don't believe a word you say.  I will NEVER come back here and this is the last time I want to see your ugly face." 
Then he gives in, "Fine.  We won't charge you for the other stuff we did today."

We go to the front desk to have the payment reversed.  At the front desk, I asked the cashier, "Wasn't my payment put on hold? That's what "Benny" said.  Why do you need my credit card." 
The cashier gives "Benny" a look, "We don't put anything on hold. The payment has been processed.  We have to reverse it."

"Benny, that's not what you just said. Why do you keep lying to me??"

I finally grabbed my key, took my car, and drove off their lot for the last time. Shame on me for not keeping good records of my car. 

Sunday, August 07, 2016

Old Glory

I am an American.  I love my country.  But every 4 years, come Olympics times, I find myself rooting for the country of my roots.

And yet... I dare not raise the flag of my root country outside my home.  Too many misunderstanding.  Too much politics.

Friday, August 05, 2016

So disappointing...

I'm so disappointed in myself.

All week long, I've been looking forward to the Santa Clara County Fair.  After struggling through an entire day of overpriced, undervalued spending... After keeping all those irritating moments of spilling drinks and popcorn... the kids had one of their "best days ever." 

I really wanted the day to end well.  But while we were looking at the pictures on my phone... Nn said something that struck a nerve.  And off I went... I ripped a new one into her and ended up sending her to her room.

What was her "best day ever" will now forever be tainted cuz i couldn't hold my anger in for one brief moment.  I'm so disappointed in myself.  How easy I'm able to hurt my children.... and for such simple and little things too.  


Thursday, July 28, 2016

So entertaining...

The past week and this week's RNC and DNC have been so entertaining! 


I don't care which party you side with... but I've been following this more closely than I'm following sports!  It coincides with the Giants losing 10 of the last 13. HA!!


Ohhhhh Hillary.... you're so NOT a good orator.  We shouldn't judge you as commander in chief based on your public speaking skills.  But man.... in spite of how crazy and unorthodox the Donald is... he's still "in the race."  You can't use conventional ways to battle an unconventional enemy. 


At times like this... I turn to the one and only source of truth which is 99% correct on everything.  Vegas. 

Sunday, July 24, 2016

So satisfying...

Still remember a few months ago when we went bowling with the kids... and Nn was crying because she couldn't bowl as well as SW. 

Everything came to pass today.  Last Saturday.. I found a nice little Groupon for $18 at Homestead Bowl.  I practically had to beg the kids to go.... cuz I knew Nn wanted redemption.  But at the same time... she feared "losing" to SW again. The final enticement I can offer was... they have bumpers, so there won't be gutter balls. 


SW was once again, his happy go lucky self.  He set the ball down and gave it his best push... and even then, it took the ball 10-15 seconds to slowly waltz down the lane after bumping the bumpers once or twice.  But he was having fun all by himself... cheering himself on with every roll!!  Love his attitude.

NN was once again overly competitive.  She wanted to combine scores with me... so she won't lose to SW.  She came up with a million excuses that this was just practice and not a game.  She didn't even want to keep score.  And I didn't help with things... I was helping SW roll cuz he really didnt' have the strength.  As for NN.... I taught her the proper form (for a 7 year old) and she was doing it via trial and error. 

About the 7th frame... I finally noticed that she wasn't smiling anymore.  She was dead serious after every roll.  Mad at herself for not doing better.  I looked up at the score and finally realized why... she was losing.  Not just to mom... but to SW (again).  At that moment, I caught myself praying... praying that she would do better.  And as horrible as it sounds... I prayed that SW would not do as well.  Ohhhhhhhhh.... the thing a parent has to go through.

Alas... my prayer was answered.  Nn rolls a SPARE.  She was sooooo happy.  Jumping up and down... bouncing around.  Sure...the ball ricochet off the bumpers a few times.  But it was still a SPARE.  More importantly... she was able to beat SW.  And did SW give a hoot....? He just wanted to go to McDonald's. HA!!!

The Groupon was for 1 hour...so we had time for another game.  And during the second game... my daughter rolled her first (assisted) strike.  That was it.  That did it.  BEST DAY EVER!!! 

As we were walking out... she said, "Thank you Bah-B for bringing us bowling.  I had a lot of fun." 

I love my kids...

And the most satisfying thing of all.  I looked at my receipt and saw $49.00 followed by GROUPON DISCOUNT - $18.  $31 saving.... I win!!

Friday, July 22, 2016

So fast....

Geez louise... it's already July 22.  Over half of 2016 is gone.  Time flies by too fast.

Pretty soon... Nn will be off to college.  SW will be taking his SAT prep schools.  And me.... I'll still be peeved and angry about anything and everything.

Saturday, July 16, 2016

So impressed...

One of these days... I think I will make a top 10 movie scenes.  Scenes that you can watch over and over again and it still makes you laugh, makes you cry, or makes you want to dance like no one's watching.

If there ever was a scene... and I'm not quite making it my top 10.. one of my favorite scene is from Sister Act.


Yes... it is a reverential song to Mother Mary, which is counter to what Christians (Protestants) believe in.  But I've always loved this song for what it was written for... especially during those crazy days of May Crowning for St. Mary.  I've always loved how a hymn can be transformed into a modern day rock song.  And the best part... THE BEST PART of the scene.... was when the priest waves his hand and welcomes the riff-raffs from the streets.

How we can use worship and praise to bring everyone to God.... that is the best part of this movie scene.

Now.....can we use Pokemon Go and bring people to church?!?!?!

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

So pissed...

Came home late tonight. But decided to award the kids with some TV. They've been awfully good the past week. After the show was over.. I noticed Nn had some puffy eyes. And after some inquiry... Found out she was crying today cuz our Nanny poured away some of her science project.  That's fine... Accidents happen. 

Then I found out Nn yelled at the Nanny. Then I found out SW hit our Nanny. WTF?!?! What kind of kids have I raised?!?! I wanted to rip a new one into them.... But wanted to talk to the Wife first to see what she's done. To which she answers, "I've spoken to them already. Get over it."

Hold the F up. What the heck has this world come to?? 

Had I not inquired about the puffy eyes... No one would've said anything. This past Saturday, I lecture SW for punching his grandfather... To which everyone gives me the stink eye and says, "He's only playing."

And now tonight..."Get over it?!?!"

Why am I the only one that gives half a damn about respecting your elders and keeping your hands to yourself?!

I'm so pissed right now...I can punch a hole in my wall. And I nearly did... Had we not remodeled. Arghhhhhh!!!!!!!