Good Dad, Poor Dad

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 17

While lying in bed resting... SW rolls in and asks if he can watch TV.  Sure...why not.  It's the weekend and they've been extremely well behaved today.  But in the spirit of making them earn it and know the value of something... I ask him to come up with 10 Things You Like About Bah-B.  Haha...  it took a while, and some were disqualified because he repeated them.  But the 10 things are:

• funny
• plays with me
• fun
• happy
• lovable
• loving (they're different!)
• reliable (I asked him to spell it... he got it)
• responsible
• smart (cuz Mah-Mee says you're smart)
• protective

Good moment... nay... great moment.  Which got completely trashed when I snapped at NN not once, but twice.  Over stoopid, stoopid things!!  

One time, was when she say some 5th graders do math (in a movie) that she didn't know.  And she just would not let go of the fact that she's not the smartest person in the world. Ugh...

Then when we were getting ready for bed... and SW was pooped... she kept on bother him until she literally woke a sleeping dragon.  "What are you doing!?!?"  "I don't know." =(

I apologized.  Lied down next to her.  Used my feet to squeeze her feet.  She returned the double squeeze.  But we did not tackle the crossword puzzle together tonight.  Sigh.... it's finally gotten to me.  Not the infectious CV-19... but cabin fever.  Ugh.... so real. This is so real. 

Change of pace

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 16

A lot of things happened today... but one thing that didn't happen... for the first time in who knows how long... we didn't get anything delivered to our doorstep.  What did happen was... I stood in line at Pineapple King... 6 feet apart from the person in front of me and behind me.  And I ended up delivering the 12 heavenly pillows to big bro.  Wish I had more cash on me so I can get 2 dozens.  Just wasn't meant to be.

The fax of the matter is...

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 15

Was asked to fax something today.  Can I scan and email? Nope.  Fax.
Isn't scanning and email the same thing? Apparently not.
Isn't fax less secure, cuz it goes to a tray and anyone can snatch it? Why the heck are we so prehistoric?!  And where do I find a fax machine!?!?!??

This can't be real.  But it's real.  This is real.

Everyone's on edge...

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 14

Cabin fever really setting in and everyone's on edge - some more than others.  For the 3rd time this week... NN and Joyce got into a huge shouting match.  Earlier this week... the night after I popped some Nyquil and slept in a bit... I woke up to NN screaming and yelling.  .  Yesterday... what started with a half-@$$ed homework assignment turned into me pulling SW out of the room and closing all the doors of the house.  I alas relented and had to step in "Ok... 夠喇."  Got 2 minutes of peace and quiet before WWIII broke out again.  To a point where we're eating lunch now and all I hear is NN wailing.  As a parent... you can't help but shed a tear when your child is crying like that.  And today... over an innocent squabble of piano technique turned into... WWIV.  It always starts out with a fairly trivial topic and escalates and escalates.  Joyce, to her credit, did not take the bait and did not feed the fire.  But NN was delirious.  Bringing up all these things that made zero sense...but was so very true from the deepest pit in her heart.  How I wanted to just run out there and slap her for talking back to mom that way.  

Makes you think that one day... she'll end up saying the words, "I hate you!" before running out of the house.  Can it happen? Probably.  Will it happen? I can't even dare imagine it.....  

Oh and btw... the principal sent an email saying school is closed till at least May 1st. Cabin fever.  It's real.  This is real. 

好juicy!!

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 13

Shelter in Place isn't all bad.  One great thing about it is... we've been able to commit to family TWA every day.  And instead of doing the "official way" - I improvise a little.  And if we're reading OT or NT that day... I tell them to look for 8 things that jump out at you.  Why 8?? I don't know.

There are days that we have to squeeze water out of a dry towel.  Then there are days like yesterday where SW kept on say... "嘩！ 今日好juicy呀."  Heh... haven't heard anyone use that word to describe TWA before.  Is this real?? Can this be real??

雪中送炭

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 12

Around 3:45... got a text from Big Bro saying to expect a delivery at the door... a little gift for the kids.  Turns out he had a pepperoni pizza delivered to us... knowing full well that we've been cooking every single freakin' meal the past two weeks.  An amazing gesture... inspiring me to pay it forward and order some takeout for other people.

On the sadder note... NN was doing her online piano lesson when the pizza arrived.  And SW simply couldn't control himself.  He gorged down 4 slices all by himself.  Leaving just 1 for NN and 1 for Mama. Sigh... he's only 8.  I didn't come down on him..  but it was a teachable moment.  Not the first time he's been so self-serving.  But it's real.  This is real.

TP?!? Who needs TP??!

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 7

Ever since we saw Jce with one... Joyce has been wanting to install a bidet in our home.  And with TP flying (rolling?) off the shelves like... well.... I actually can't think of an analogy at this point.  (Warriors Championship gear in 2015??  Flat screens at Walmart on Black Friday? Hamilton Tickets during their first run?) Anyhoo...  the short of the long... installed a bidet.  Kids love it...for obvious reasons.  But the verdict is out.  Does it clean better? Does it actually save you money?

In other news... both the kids and I are so sore today after yesterday's HIIT.  They opted to play HORSE with a little indoor basketball hoop for PE.  I wouldn't have mind pushing for another session, working another muscle group.  Ended up going for a jog as the sun was setting.  It took a near pandemic for me to go jogging again. Go figure. Can't get sick now... it's real.  This is real. 

H.I.I.T.

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 6

Developed a schedule today to better help the kids and us... to partition our day so there aren't times when they come in and out looking for things to do.  Part of the schedule was a time slot for P.E., thinking that on top of just walking around the neighborhood after lunch, that we can actually get some physical activities in.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Ended backing the car out of the garage... and without any prep or any forethought... I engaged the kids in 30 minutes worth of HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training.  I hadn't done this for about 1-2 years now... where you work really hard for a minute... take a short 10 sec break... then work really hard again.  You go from exercise to exercise, working a different muscle group with very short breaks in between.

They're 10 and 8.  They play every day.  They should be flexible and strong and ready for the challenge.  Me on the other hand... I was dying.  What was I thinking?!?!??

In so much pain right now... gonna pay for it tomorrow.  It's surreal. This is surreal.

Sensitive or Discrimination?

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 5

Dropped our car off to a local gas station to get an oil change... I'm surprised they're still opened.  About 30 minutes later... I walked back to that gas station.  On the way... I passed by a bus stop where the driver was taking a break... standing by the bus shelter checking his phone.  He had sunglasses and a mask on.  When he saw me approach... I gave him the customary headnod.  But he quickly did an electric slide and bounced out of my way to let me pass. 

At the moment, I was thinking.. he's being responsible.  As a city worker... he needs to keep his distance from everyone.  Or did he bounce away cuz he saw the color of my skin?

Discrimination.  It's real. This is real.

Sooner or later

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 4

With the explosive rate that folks are confirming testing positive... it's only a matter of time that someone within your circle of friends will be "It", right? Huda thunk... that friend... would be me.

Officially... day 1 of Homeschooling.  Also day 1 of telecommuting.  My schedule was packed.  Kids were antsy inspite of assignments from school.  Joyce had to go to work. By the time I was done making dinner... I was feeling it.  After dinner... I excused myself to do a temporal scan and BOOM.... 98.1.   Wait... that's normal right?? Normal is 98.6???  Not for me who runs hot, so my body temp is generally hovering around 97.5.

Without a moment to spare... Grabbed my bottle of water... bible... TWA journal... and locked myself in my room.  NN was so scared.  What would happen to me?? What would happen to my family?? How do I even backtrack my steps to let everyone I've come in contact with know????

Lied down... covers over... and just rested.  I felt my muscles relax.  My bones started stretching out.  My skin was panting for air.  My body was tired.  After about 20 minutes... did another scan... 98.1.  5 minutes later... Did another scan... 97.7.  Another 5 minutes... 98.3.  Every 5 to 10 minutes... it'll go up and down.  I should just stick a baby thermometer up my butt.  (Ow-wee!!)

About 2 hours later... I finally start to stabilize.  And by the time the family went to bed... I got back down to my normal 97.3ish.

Too close for comfort.  Don't care if it's the flu... or CV19... or whatever.  I can't get sick now.  I simply can't.  It's real.  This is real. 

90 years young

COVID-19 - School Closure - Day 2

Today was Joyce's grandma's memorial service.  It's been nearly 3 months since that fateful night when I got a call at 2AM in the morning that "Bring her family now."  Who knew she would last till now? Who knew....

Oddly enough... it was my 3rd memorial service this year.  And it was NN and SW's 2nd one in less than a month.  Boy was I unprepared for this one.  The kids already have an aversion to death... but today... the ceremony was a traditional Chinese, Buddhist ceremony.  Incense, monks, chanting...  Oh the chanting.  It was actually spiritual warfare.

Throughout the entire 20 minute chanting... I tried to concentrate on Jesus.  I started reciting bible verses.  Failed. At times like this... my memory wasn't serving me well.  Or I just don't have a strong enough grasp of His word.  Then I started to sing worship songs.  Started with some recent ones. Failed.  The words just wouldn't come out.  Then I reached back and sang some of my favorite SOP songs... thinking I wouldn't forget them.  The chants kept wrecking my rhythm.  Failed. Then I went back to some of my favorite English worship songs like "Here I am to Worship."  Failed.  This was getting bad... so I fell back onto some of the purest and oversang worship songs... Christmas Carols.  They helped.... I got further along.  But the chanting was overpowering.  In the end... I had to go back to 80's TVB and Cantopop songs.  Just so I'm not entrapped with the chanting.  The chanting wasn't just from the monks.  A lot of the guests including family members were doing it too.  I was surrounded.   It finally ended.  And then it was time to view the person one last time.  I grabbed NN and paraded around the mortuary with everyone else with my arm around her.  The only word I can say were, "Jesus. Jesus."  I didn't know how else to shield my children from this.  I prayed for forgiveness.  For mercy.  The family was doing this to honor their parent.  The only way they knew how - though it is against the desires of God.  I bet I stood out like a sore thumb.  By refusing to offer incense.  By standing firm when everyone bowed.  I bet they think I'm odd, weird.... the black sheep of the family.

“If you come to me but will not leave your family, you cannot be my follower. You must love me more than your father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters—even more than your own life!  Whoever will not carry the cross that is given to them when they follow me cannot be my follower." Luke 14:26-27

It's tough.  It's real.  This is real.