螃蟹的泡泡

Since there is no hope to move out of this apartment, I want to make the best out of it. The only way I knew how was to get rid of the old furnitures.
1st things to get rid of were sofa and its bulky coffee table which turned into a junk yard that we kept piling papers (magzines, documents, etc.) and misc. stuff on it. I also found the dining table (sits 6 people) took too much space, whose 2 sides had been wasted. I had my eyes on an expandible dining table from Ikea. It's a 4-people square table w/ 2 more seats after expanded. After a couple of visits to Ikea, we decided to get all 3 pieces from Ikea.
I remember used to jokingly admire an ex-coworker who got a lot of her furnitures from Ikea 15+ yrs ago, which I thought would be expensive. That was before I ever heard of Ikea. Now I understand why she shopped there. W/ the prices I don't think I'd care when their time is up, except the trouble of moving them out of 2F apartment.
Somehow Rajiv found out Ikea has this promotion of eating free w/ discount applied toward home furnishings.  Hmm...what are considered home furnishings?!!! Isn't Ikea a home furnishings store?! We went yesterday and had an all-you-can-eat like buffet. We spent $450+ on furnitures and $50 on food => $400 at the end. Today we will go again to "enjoy" its free food and purchase our last piece of furniture, for now.

北加的冬天越來越像冬天了。
前兩天，水管早上醒來發現肚子結冰，算了，不澆水了。今年(2012迄今)沒有整理樓下那小小小菜園，也就沒種東西。之前遺留下來的種籽不希望原本茂盛的小菜園荒蕪，自行冒芽點綴。就這樣，青椒(bell pepper)、青葱、蕃茄、馬玲薯在那自由行。但是上次的強風豪雨，把蕃茄推翻，就一直奄奄一息；青椒被鄰居的小蕃茄茂盛的枝葉淹(已到"淹沒"的地步)蓋到讓人放棄；青葱常開花，害我要常剪、常丟；馬玲薯開心的待在那，可是我一點也不想去harvest，因為我對馬玲薯冷感。這兩天的凍氣把灌木生青椒和蕃茄折磨不成樣，一直告訴自己，今年春天一定要來整頓那臥虎藏龍的小小小菜園，再說吧，看到時有多懶吧~

If not counting last April's 1 wk visit, it had been 2 yrs since my last visit of Taiwan. Luckily, kind of, it has been raining since we arrived.
I always love rain, which I believe was built up by living thru 15 Taiwan's hot summers. This summer, well, should be summer now, Taiwan, especially southern Taiwan is still very cool due to the continuous pouring rain.  A lot of places are flooded, and much mountain area has mud slides.  Very scary to watch even on news. Moreover, a typhoon is on its path to Taiwan.
We can only pray for the best...too late to argue/blame what went wrong w/ the infrastructure, the budget which was supposed to be spent on making people worry-less when this comes, who to save or not, etc.  Taiwan people survived many disasters, by nature or man-made.  I have faith Taiwan will survive this time.  And, I hope people who love this beautiful island will start to realize what should be done in the future.
... my love to Taiwan

 

May you rest in peace...
Frankly speaking, Jimmy, I didn't know you well.  We met in 1983 when we 1st moved to US.  I knew only that you were Fannie's husband, and Fannie is my mom's friend.  My family was invited to your house for several party and dinner occasions.  Other than that, I don't have much memory of you.
Your old classmates from every grade talked so much goodness of you which we (i.e. Fannie's friends and all relatives) weren't familiar with.  But, I did have something to say to you which wasn't a big of deal to speak to the public at the grave site.
I had a nice talk w/ you on 5/29 at Brendan's wedding reception in OC.  We eneded up talking about books and how proud you were of your new library/office.  Based on your suggestion, I got a book which I thought I could discuss w/ you later.  Well, this later will never come.

在美國過的日子有點像台傭
日子就是在家事與孩子之間打轉，經常想罷工，但是每次罷工完就有更多的事情。還好每年有年假，只是每次美好的年假回來，要再適應台傭的日子實在痛苦。
是自己選擇不外出工作，自己選擇相夫教子，自己的選擇。只是當時沒有意識到這是life long的工作。何時能退休？那就要看我的造化、如何教育小孩、小孩如何受教等等，目前看來是遙遙無期。
快開學了，我的作息時間跟著孩子走，所以我也快開學了。今年我會積極點，有個稍微不同的學年。

兩年前的一個念頭   一年前開始籌備  今年完成  結束後反而奇怪怎麼辦完的
去年是公婆的五十週年慶  前年跟Rajiv提醒  順便告訴Rajiv我今年想要幫我爸媽辦個五十週年慶  也就一直提醒他  至少要幫他爸媽拍個全家福什麼的  他無動於衷  這或許是兒子與女兒的不同處吧  我甚至建議他跟小叔商量  他是有跟小叔提了一下  但不積極  所以去年到公婆那  什麼也沒準備  小叔也是好像夢醒了匆匆忙忙臨時要大家準備衣服照全家福  照相的前一天才去買衣服  photo studio很不專業  雖然建議服飾的色系  在studio裡也沒有提醒大家儀容整理  居然還要Priya把頭髮放下來   唉  居然是每年都幫小叔全家照相的人  選片時  沒有一張合我的意  從沒見過那麼醜的我  小孩也不自然 選不下去  讓Rajiv自己去選吧
聯絡親友  付餐廳訂金  找幫手  很幸運  平時還好有朋友  所以籌備的是很順利   去年計畫了五十週年婚紗照 

罪惡感
這是個很有趣的現象    當然    也要有心才會有罪惡感    所以這個現象發生在我跟Rajiv身上
每次Rajiv晚上要跟朋友去喝一杯    總是會找個家事(像洗碗)做    之後還會linger一下    讓朋友在樓下稍等一下    才在我的三催四催出門 很有趣
後來想想    我何嘗不是這樣    每次回台灣前    一定會把所有的髒衣服一件不漏都洗乾淨歸位    孩子的房間裡的多的像座小山的玩具各個回到它們的家    每個角落都吸一吸    爐子刷呀刷    該捐的捐該丟的丟    總是等到這個時候    家裡才是最整齊乾淨    最有空間的時候    後來才發現這是潛意識裡的罪惡感    這罪惡感怎不常常出現呢?    這樣家裡不就能常常几淨窗明嗎?    不過還好    這罪惡感只是偶而來坐坐    不然我不就成了24小時的台傭了!

唉 上癮
之前一直抗拒facebook    但是不少朋友一直"邀請"去看他們的近況跟照片    在覺得"收集"夠多因素(朋友)後    決定加入facebook的行列    對自己說    我只是去看朋友的近況    不做別的   也不會跟進流行而把照片什麼的放上去    加入多久了?    放了一些許的照片    也跟大家在裡頭留下近況    跟大家嘻笑怒罵生活中的點滴    不知何時    跟著玩起Restaurant City    從原本不知怎麼玩法的笨鳥    如今到處去"打掃" "賺錢"    哈烹煮原料    拼命進階擴張店面增加員工    漸漸的    在RC裡已經不是花個十分鐘檢查一下而已    除了到各個朋友店中"打工"賺錢    居然就把RC的window留著    以便我每一兩分鐘就轉換過去看看    好可怕喔    原來上癮是這麼可怕的事    尤其是電玩    我就坐在電腦前面    浪費時間    浪費生命    該做的事都沒做(因為沒"空")    雖然明知    卻深拔不起    唯一慶幸的是    我還沒到願意花真錢去玩 這算是好的嗎?

因為是婆婆    一直以來 對她只知道用錢來展現對孫子女的愛    睜一隻眼閉一隻眼    如今    必須是介入禁止的時候了
Anju越來越不把錢當錢  當然她知道錢能買東西  買她想要的東西  但是  她不知道錢是辛苦賺來的  對她而言  婆婆誇張的給錢方式已經讓Anju以為錢是free  自己會長出來似的  老是說就拿錢去怎樣怎樣   因為她"很有錢"   對錢不見了不會心疼   錢花在哪裡也不重要
幾年來 好說歹說  不要婆婆給這麼小的孩子太多錢  可是她不理  50、100都可以  居然還利用小叔的小女兒(12歲)給7歲跟5歲的小孩錢  要小叔的小女兒撒謊說是她自己要給表弟表妹的  12歲的小孩一次給40元 小孩給小孩?!  唉  這是什麼樣的榜樣啊
我已經跟Rajiv警告了  以後婆婆只要給孩子錢的額度超過我認為適合的範圍外  鐵定拒收  就算孩子已經收到口袋裡  我一樣會把錢挖出來