Dec 21st 2009 Day 8

Apologies for my infrequent blog entries.

It's interesting how time flies when you're on break. You think you'll have plenty of time to do what you want but find that you either squander the time or spend so much doing one task that multi-tasking is rendered ineffective. Like helping Mom bake persimmon cookies and fighting over how much cups of sugar to use and duhhdah^3.

SO I did some errands with my mom. We braved the heavy downpour and I stayed in. Well, we stopped by the library to drop off some dvds, only to find that I borrowed more. I got caprica, the new mini-series prequel to ronald moore's reimagined bsg and also bryan singer's "the usual suspects"

Just saw ordinary people last night; very touching and sentimental film. I think coping with the grief of the lost of a loved on has helped me value this film as a gem. That "messes" happen and you can't just pick up the pieces, clean up and move on. You take that pain with you but find the strength, courage and hope that life is precious and all worth holding onto despite all the "normal" stuff going on.

I guess that's how nostalgia is like a pain in your gut that won't go away. Like overstuffing yourself and hoping that one glass of barq's root beer at the all you can eat buffet can push down all the food you've just eaten in the last twenty mins from the sashimi to the sweet and sour pork.

(that's another story to be told at another time/if you're interested in hearing about it, talk to me.)

Well, a well-made film. Always appreciate dramas from time to time that don't involve love stories, babies switched at birth, far too many subplots and forbidden love (ok, so basically I outlined every sappy east asian melodrama, sorry to spoil the fun...)

Ok, so this is my second cup of tea and I better end here lest I slack off and not work on crammin for my us constitution test.

Day 7 of Winter Break (WinBre) Sunday 12/20/2009

Today I was awoken by my mother.

I apparently overslept after spending a long winded day gift shopping, running errands and then tending to the persimmon harvest at home on sat.

So I saw two films back to back as well as an old episode of stargate universe, the finale before the new season after xmas.

The films i watched were valkyrie and the postman always rings twice. gosh, what a overdose on suspense, drama and extreme tension.

So Valkyrie in short is Bryan Singer's film starring Tom Cruise about the 20 July Plot within Nazi Germany when some Nazi officials and military officers conspired to oust Hitler from office. un fortunately, it was unsuccessful, but worthy in the books of history.

Postman was a 1981 adaption of a 30s crime novel about a hitchhiker who has an extramarital affair with a road stop's owners discontented wife as they conspire to kill the innocent husband so they can live happily ever after. The film kinda felt long and protracted at times. But there's lot of good acting and the scenery looks really authentic to the period. Unfortunately, I wasn't swept away.

So next, some films to watch. Infernal Affairs II, Happy Together, and the first years (a documentary on first year teachers.)

I'm also re-watching the original source material for Harmony Gold's Robotech: Macross, Superdimensional Fortress Macross. It's quite interesting and fascinating. More risque than the more commercial and family friendly American adaptation.

Well, Sunday involved a lesson about the concept of worship between man and God.

Then immediately afterwards, I went downtown in SJ to hand over some PS memory cards my friend's been wanting to get back. We ended up waiting uber long to get into the old spaghetti factory because of all the family events that night. But it was kinda cool hanging around in the alleyway near the restaurants entrance, taking snapshots, making funny poses and chatting about dim sum and what to order; which made us all the more hungrier.

I had the manager's special with a mitzhra cheese/browned butter and mushroom sauce which i must say was amazing.

Lots of dinner conversations, parlor games such as mime and talking about history, the power of memory within narrative esp. family stories (how we came to America etc.) and more importantly I got to know a few people around the dinner table a little more. TO reference this post, my friend's fellowship were a part of a holiday event involving xmas in the parks a white elephant and dinner at osf.

Well long story short, I ended up almost getting stranded in the parking lot cuz the ticket machine wouldn't read the cash i kept inserting. So i ended up scrounging up two ones and some loose change and managed to pay my three dollar fare and leave.

Got home, didn't even brush my teeth and then i just crashed.

didnt "wake up" until ten this morning.

I know, its break mode....

Day Four: Walking around my ex-Hometown

So a little background before you read my post; It'll help explain my state of mind.

I emailed an old HS teacher to observe his classroom and Im told by the powers that be that I am not allowed to visit without documentation or prior authorization. So having gone to this high school, just coming back to visit and see what's up, I'm being treated as if I am a stranger to this place. That's disappointing.

Ok, so I take the VTA bus, its drops me off in the local strip mallish area where the old library used to be. I call up a friend and whine about how this sucks.

I stand above an overpass whether the tracks stand. A train is coming and it honks its loud horn. I'm standing above it watching it plow through on its tracks, doing whatever its supposed to be doing. Cars swish behind me; the 237 is a busy road.

Then I walk to the library only to find that its not open. I watch a good amount of Star Trek that I just got in the mail yesterday and I get absorbed. A man opens the door and the deluge begins. People rush in and the library is warm.

SO I'm waiting on my mom to pick me up so I can write some more later.

Thursday, why can't you be like friday?....

Day One of Break

December 14, 2009

For my own memory which is horrible, I pledge to keep a record of this break in the form of a journal.

First off, I woke up late. I knew I had to wake up earlier and observe a classroom, but I decided to rest for a few mins. What happens in a few mins became a half hour. Way late.

I rush into my car, steep some strong green tea and I grab some quick breakfast at a burger king drive thru. fast food, ugh, but its food.

With the smell of grease permeating the interior of my P.O.C. (piece of crap) car, I am lost in the web of freeway overpasses and strip malls. It's Story and King and I think I'm in Little Saigon. I finally realize that I missed the street sign, hidden by the glare of the bright afterrain sun and I make a left turn.
I'm in the classroom, my pen in hand cradling my notepad. My friend teacher's trying to appeal to her student's common interest by relating a letter to a teacher as a form of setting lifelong goals.

Such a uplifting story, to share how as a high schooler she had high aspirations and looking back after college and receiving that letter written a long time ago, like a time capsule, everything seemed to fit and work itself out. Ah, the joy of teaching....

Ok, I'm running some errands, spend a great deal of time shopping for a USB/AC power outlet adaptor. I'm home, slurping on my mom's noodles and chomping on wontons submerged ina light chicken stock and I'm watching Spike Lee's "When The Levees Broke" and it brings me to tears.

My mom returns, and I retire to my room, set on working on the household finances. I work on em some more, dinner arrives. Some friends are leaving out of the country, I hand them a Xmas present and bid them safe journey. Order a few things on Amazon, listen to my podcasts, twittle my thumbs for a bit and here I am.

Another unproductive winter day.

End of day one. 37 outta 38 days left of break...