waitting for life's suprises
Sunday, 25 October 2009
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Non American Names
The bank teller tried to make small talk so he asked me how to pronounce my name. I told him Huey because I'm used to people calling me that by now. He asked me how it was really pronounced, so I said it the way its really supposed to sound like. Then he tried to pronounce it the way I had just said it. He then went on to explain that he had a few friends that he would always call Nu-Yen for Nguyen until he realized by someone that told him that he was completely butchering the name, so he wanted to put more effort into trying not to. I told him that i've gotten past it and that I've gotten used to it by now. Its easier for both of us, considering the language difference, and I don't see it as a sign of disrespect. My brunette ex used to joke that she had to lose all her breath to say it right. Others liked to throw the 'weeeee' in there. Now at work, after a few weeks of hoping they wouldn't notice, meetings are inundated with "we can do that", "we can't do that", followed by alot of smirks and laughs because they've caught on that it sounds kind of like my name so its become a little joke that we all laugh about even when 'we don't mean to'. It helps really sometimes things can get pretty hectic and frustrating.
Needless to say, the teller still butchered it. Huy is one syllable, most americans always say it in two "who- y".
Its Huey to the rest of you, Huy only to a few of you. No I don't have split personality issues. The guy's effort was pretty genuine even if futile.
Saturday, 24 October 2009
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Mom's Birthday Today
When I was about 4, I had to leave my home leaving my mother and little brother behind. It took a long time before I was reunited, it took about 8 years and I couldn't remember much from when I was four on top of all the traveling. One day, as cheesy as it sounds, the last scene on Family Matters ,as the credits came up with the Winslow couple dancing together in the living room, I had an uncontrollable urge of needing my family together and missing my mother. Honestly I doubt I remembered who my mother was exactly, how she looked like, how her personality was, but there was obviously enough there, that drove me to break down and cry uncontrollably because I missed her so much. The day her plane landed I left in the middle of 6th grade class to pick her up.
I have never seen a harder working, and loving woman. I knew that my success would bring her the most happiness and I tried my best to become accomplished so that she could be proud of me. Though I don't talk to her about very personal things, she undertstands and respects my space and privacty. Im alot closer to her than I'll ever be with my father whom i've been with much longer, though im sure not all of it is his fault. I've never been really good with expressing my problems and issues, growing up it was me and my dad, so I kept to myself. I often do things on my own because im too proud to tell my parents first in fear that it wont be successful. So I usually tell them only after I know for sure what I was doing was going to work out so I don't get their hopes up too early.
I would say as far as families go we're pretty stable now. Life is pretty hectic like everyone else, trying to stablize, pay your debts, buy the house. I've been handling the bills and extra expenses for quite some time now, and im finally earning enough to start that loan for the house we've been waiting for. I sure as hell didn't work much during college except the tutoring. The school gave me enough grants and scholarships so that she didn't have to pay anything for my schooling and housing, but she bought me my car ( I pitched in 20%) and paid for insurance at the time until I got a job. I came home after college to help save money, and by that time I was single again so I really didn't need my own place. She has been the breadwinner of the house shortly after she came and has carried the family to where it is now while my father was falling apart.
Today is her birthday, and I have no idea what to get her. She wouldn't want me to waste money on anything extravagant, and shes not very materialistic. We don't really celebrate a lot of these personal events so a birthday party is a bit out of place, and we're still in an apt I can't invite a lot of people over. I don't do anything for my dad's birthday so will it seem like favoritism ? My mom is a pretty practical woman, so i'd want to get her something useful, but if she needed it she'd already have them, she'd get the necessities first, and never really splurges for herself. Im going to get a cake at least if its not too late and the bakery is still open. I dont have very many favorite restaurants i'll start keeping one in mind. I think after I get the house and about a year in of payments i'll probably feel a lot more able and willing to prep for it more, take her out to dinner she would like that. I feel like a bad son for not knowing what she would want, though I know shes not that type of person to be upset about not getting attention or gifts, she always says if we do well shes happy. I recently had a friend lament to me about how her parents are still trying to run her life after shes married, demanding everything under the sun. Im really glad I don't have that.
Maybe i'll buy her a new keyboard, some of the keys wore out an she put tape on them with the letters so she could talk to relatives in vietnam online with the computer I built for her.
*Update: Cake, Roasted Duck, Chow Mein, and all the drinks imaginable, some close friends and my little godson over all thrown together last minute, made for a fun birthday.
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
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Life update
I didn't realize there seemed to be somewhat of a xanga revival. I have a FB but I dont really update it, again it was used to keep in contact with close friends really. Lately I've had a little inclination to network a little bit again. I ran into a few interesting profiles/posts so it made me kind of want to update mine again.
Life is pretty good now and poised to get better. School is done, finished my EE in 07. Worked at as a computer tech for a year while looking for a career. Economy took a dump and they shut down, took me almost a year to find my current job which is the career I was looking as an Electronics Engineer at a small R&D company. I was willing to start at a modest salary because there weren't that many opportunities open out there atm, and it was very close to home. Life has been pretty busy between my 3 night a week online game hobby and a 9-5 job five days a week. I barely have much time to do anything else other than hang out with close friends on the weekends but lately I'm starting to feel a little more inclination to break out of my tight social bubble, when time and resources permit. Im finally getting close to starting a loan for the house, or rather a house any house, that i've been studying and working for all these years. I'll update more when im not at work.
To keep you busy, http://xkcd.com is definately my type of humor.
http://xkcd.com/642
http://xkcd.com/594
to start.
Tuesday, 24 October 2006
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"Quotes"
I notice alot of people collect quotes and wise sayings lately. It really strikes me as ironic sometimes. For one, they have so many that they don't, or rather incapable, of realizing them all. Quotes are meant as words of wisdom, to teach you sometime, usually a life lesson, and show you the consequences or results when you someting. I find it slightly amusing how many people approach them. Many of these quotes are able to look past bias, confusion, and are more rational/realistic, able to look beyond emotional confusion. Yet many people will read the quote, and think to themselves, "That is SOOO true!", "Thats so meaningful!", "That always happens! OH EM GEE!", yet it seems they forget about it the very next second, or even if they end up memorizing the words they don't practice the interpretation or worth of the quote. They still end up making the mistakes, and falling into the the fate that was so elegantly worded in the quote so you can avoid it. For me, I often like to see quotes that remind me of what I already do, just more clearly worded and defined, and yes those that remind me of my mistakes stand out the ones that emphasize the mistakes of most people often makes you question mankind (women included) were born naturally with good intentions, or it is an aquired trait. My suggestion? Pick a few meaningful ones and live them out, and no I am not going to make this entry cliche by ending it with yet another quote.
Friday, 29 September 2006
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Things are looking well for once. Hopefully everything else is falling into place. Summer is over and I am forced to feel like I should take school a bit more seriously... we'll see how that goes. On the bright side after pwning face in Vegas I paid off my CC and some bills. Sometimes money does solve a few furstrations in life.
-CC paid off
-Old expensive cell phone bills are finally a thing of the past
-GPA going up
-Yesterday some big representatives from big science and engineering orginizations stopped by work to view the project i've been working/researching on. Prof only told me some people might come by to see the lab, he could have given me more information. I had to bust out a whole presentation and overview of the project and all the work we were doing, including other people's work who weren't even there. Luckily, I started their current work and they picked up on it when they started working here so I knew what I was talking about. Made me feel a bit professional myself had I not been so intimidated and a bit shaky inside.
-New apartment feels nice and roomy, with a pool! (maybe ill finally learn to float... maybe), roomies seem cool, although.. tbh.. there are 3 other ppl in the 3 other rooms, and I haven't met one of the 3, so theres still a mysterious roomy I have never met.
-Ket's LCD is bangin' on my desk.
-The laptop that my work bought for me to use is kickin' ass.Not everything is well though.. there are still a few annoyances :
-My favorite radio station/broadcast has an ad about the fucken "Melting Pot".. I've never been to the damn place but lets just say I have a deep hatred for that crap pot of an excuse for a restaurant. Fondu my ass.
-I have a 3 hour lab at 8 AM on Mondays. I'll always miss most of it, i'll tell you that right now.
-The AC in my car is broken. Theres a leak somewhere, and its been damn hot all summer. Now that I know whats wrong with it, I don't even want to bother fixing it because it'll get colder very soon.
-I am underpaid for work. Gotta enquire about that.. either pay me more or stop overworking me.
-I need more sleep....
-When moving out, bring the following in the right order :
Computer/laptop, table, toothbrush/paste, towel, comb, soap, then the clothes, then the rest. I think I had the first 2 things.... lets just say I almost had to go to school with my hair looking like I just got electricuted.
There are more things on the 2nd list, I just can't remember them at the moment, and .. as bored as I am, I really should get back to work.As you may have noticed, the page isn't realy for popular blog hits or anything.. just some contact and upate with close friends to kno whats goin on in town and with me.. I suppose I could add some unrelated media to keep you busy if you were bored enought to stop by.. I'll get around to updating the layout someday soon... the ugly default layout has been like this for a bit too long.. probably a fresher plant green and white like this cd cover..
# Rachel Loy : Big Sky, Love Me To Much
