Around 4 pm yesterday afternoon, Y asked me if she could have snacks and watch TV. I gave her a negative answer, given that she had watched a movie with her dad in the early afternoon. Her TV allowance had been spent for the day. She was persistent, begging, nagging, complaining, and then blaming in the end. Our conversation went on and went astray as below. -------------------------------------------------------- Y: Why can't I watch TV? Mom: You've seen a movie with dad today, and the movie was about 2 hours. You can have snacks though. Y: Mom is stupid!!! (ママはバカ!) M: I don't think so. I am probably the smartest in this household. Y: Mom is stupid! (ママは「ㄅㄨㄣˋ」(笨)蛋) M: Ok, let's see. Who can drive a car in our family? Y: Mom. (Emphatically.) M: Who can cook in our family? Y: Mom, and sometimes dad. M: Who can speak mandarin? Y: Mom and I and T. M: Who takes you to ballet lessons? Y: Mom. M: Who takes you to piano lessons? Y: Mo...
Today is the first reading-for-kids event this academic year. I did not go to T's class but ventured into a different group. I chose to read "Monkey Puzzle" by Julia Donaldson. The story has been a superb delight to me since I first read it. The twist in the story is a smart scientific turn. I even gave it as a Christmas present to T's cousin, but I wonder if she and her dad appreciated the humor in the story. Just like today, every audience seemed to have followed along to know the fact that the kind butterfly continues to make mistakes, but I couldn't be sure whether the audience understood the reason behind the butterfly's mistakes.
In May 2025, we went to Hara Museum in Ikaho, Gumma for a family trip during the Golden Week Holiday in Japan. The traffic on the highways from Tokyo to Ikaho was a hell since it was the prime time to travel for Japanese. Being the driver of the family, I did not mind the pain of being trapped in the traffic jam because I knew that at the end of the drive, when we finally reached the destination, it would be a entirely new experience for the children for sure. My husband does not like travel and does not enjoy natural environment, so if we ever go out on a holiday, the destination is always a city. Automobiles are probably the main culprits of global warming, but they take us to places where public transportation doesn't. I think somehow cars mean a lot to women at home when they provide precious mobility, a rare moment of being in control and therefore a rare moment of independence. I remember having a chat with my Japanese teacher, who told me that her late husband, like my part...
Saying good-bye to friends is the most unpleasant but inevitable part of studying abroad.
ReplyDelete不過我想你們還是會常常見面的..^^
不要太難過喔..
Dear Yushan, thanks!
ReplyDelete我真的很希望可以有個結果,(真不好意思,)不過也要等畢業才能想下一步要如何走阿!
you'll be fine..
ReplyDeletehave faith!
Happy Birthday Wanchen!!!! Did you get my card?
ReplyDelete1u, thanks! Yes, I think he will "be good..." and we will be fine. ; )
ReplyDeleteJenny, thank you, your pink b-day card just arrived. The little angels look so cute! They smile like you!