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Author Topic: Life's Milestones  (Read 51017 times)

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Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #45 on: September 15, 2017, 03:34:56 PM »
River Walk

I’m fortunate to be working near a River walk-a winding path along the edge of a river on both side for a few miles.    Every now and then I’d be having my lunch here, especially on a beautiful day.  Today was no exception -there I was sitting by the River walk w/ a delicious Banh Mi and observing people rowing canoes on the river.  Every now and then a river cruise happen and bridges would be lifted for the cruise boat to pass.  That was a headache for pedestrians and cars but I’m sure people inside the boat got a nice view of everyone stopping in traffic. 

It’s beautiful here – large hanging baskets up on lamp posts and planters on the ground,  vine arches between the walk way, and in some location, comfortable seating on the edge of the river for socializing, an open theatre, tables and chairs under huge umbrella, restaurants, and huge tall sky scrapper/buildings..

I’ve never visited in the evening but I can imagine a romantic evening w/ the lamp post lights as lanterns and music flowing in the wind, the crisp evening air, a lovely companion, laughter, food and wine.  One shouldn’t be here alone at night – it’ll be too lonely I imagine.  The night belongs to couples and everyone can come during the day.

Maybe some see this place as nothing more than a dirty, polluted river. 



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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

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Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #46 on: September 18, 2017, 11:45:06 AM »
Doing the Right Thing/ Txoj Kev Ua Zoo/A Good Person

I’m venting.  I can walk away and treat her how she treated me because I've no relation to her through blood.  When her health is at her most critical, she needed me.  She came to live with me because she knew I could take care of her but her heart and mind wasn’t with me.  Her body is there but her heart is somewhere else. When she is well, her love and care goes to her blood.   Now she is at her most critical, half of her body immobilized – needs total care, should my love and care go to her?

My hurt says treat her as how she treated me.  But my heart and soul wouldn’t let me.  It says, if you can only do good when others are good to you, are you really a good person?  It says if you can only do the right thing when it benefits you the most, are you actually doing the right thing?

Yes, sometimes doing the right thing, being a good person, txoj kev zoo, is hard because sometimes the only thank-you you get is a clear conscience- Yours.

God, give me the strength to love others as you have love me.  You lay down your life for me when I’m most underserving.  Rid me of my bitterness so I can do what is right and love others as you've loved me.


« Last Edit: September 18, 2017, 02:49:16 PM by Dok_Champa »

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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #47 on: September 26, 2017, 02:16:48 PM »


« Last Edit: September 26, 2017, 03:44:43 PM by Dok_Champa »

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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #48 on: October 12, 2017, 09:29:26 AM »
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=8&v=7D5K9RmwLBg

FYI, I don't speak Thai but looks like this song is kho kho siab and the music video is well made: Simple and effective. Want to jump into the screen and look at the stars w/ him hehehehhehehe. ......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVRen1XYX14

And this one, I just want to pass a handkerchief along, seem like a sad and depressing song.



« Last Edit: October 12, 2017, 09:40:55 AM by Dok_Champa »

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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #49 on: October 17, 2017, 09:01:46 AM »
Seeing people drink Soju in Kdrama reminds me of my first introduction to Korean Soju.

My husband and I attended a hmong function and the host gave me a carton of Korean Soju (clear alcoholic drink in glass bottle) to toast with the ladies.  Of course, I thought they were water.  I said to the ladies, "Great, they're just water so let's each take a bottle."  Well, my first sipped confirm it wasn't water n the toast was pretty done at that point. 



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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #50 on: November 17, 2017, 01:48:17 PM »
The other day I went shopping at an Asian store and I did not have cash w/ me nor a credit card but brought along my checkbook.  At the check out,  the cashier said, "sorry, we don't take checks anymore."  I was surprised.  It's been awhile since I went to that store and had no when the "new" policy took effect.  I left and went to a second and third Asian store, the same thing. 

It dawned on me, reality starts to set in a little bit - that personal check, the use of checks, are beginning to go extinct like the house phone, letter writings, etc.. and replace with credit cards/ debit cards, etc..






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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #51 on: November 27, 2017, 09:41:24 AM »
I'm feeling impatient theses days and I get irritated by little things I normally don't in the past.  I'm tired of living the busy life - one weekend go to an event in this town, another weekend go to an event in that town, and the cycle repeats.  On the weekend, my children don't even ask where i'm heading anymore nor waits for me.  They know the routine well.  Why do I do this?  To fulfill his dreams and they coming true one by one.  He's made a name for himself - everywhere we go, people know him. 

That's the thing about life in this country - if you invest your energy in accumulating wealth - you'd get that.  If you invest your time in being a bum - you'll get that.  What ever you wish, put your heart and soul into - you'd get that.    But to fulfill his dream, lots of sacrifice were made.

Also, this journey includes lots of drinking.  I see the endless clicking of alcohol toasting where many times he'd passed out from excessive consumption.  He's not alone.  It's like alcohol and drinking is the "new" normal.  It's not and has never been.  Once we become too comfortable, we lose ourselves, forget right from wrong.  We turn wrong thing into right and right thing into wrong thing, something like that.  Maybe i'm the abnormal ones....

I savor the quiet moments - those moments in front of the TV, working around the house, surrounded by family and children, doing things together, doing nothing, being alone, walking my dog, etc.. These moments are rare and few these days. 







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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #52 on: November 29, 2017, 09:42:19 AM »
Lesson From KDrama

Greed is a common theme in Kdrama and a mirror of life - greed of love, greed of $, greed of power, etc..  Usually it's the Villian w/ these greeds and he/she will take extreme measures to achieve it, don't care about stepping on others or feelings of others.  It never go according to plan at the end of the drama - opposite happens - lose everything. 

Lesson:  Whatever you want, hope for -love, power, $$ - it has to come to you willingly to be yours and can't be force or bought.  How?  power & $$ - work hard w/your own effort and ability to achieve it.  Love - how?  Have the courage to look for it and when you find it, made it known and if it's yours, it'll come.  If not, accept and move on - Easier said than done yes but try because that's the only way it'll be yours...has to come willingly.  You know, they have feet too....has to walk to you to stay.

I wonder, many years down the road will I still think this way? So far I haven't changed my mind yet.










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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #53 on: December 01, 2017, 10:53:11 AM »
I love this song, "Lwm Tiam" from Lis Toj.  I don't believe there's a lwm tiam but nice lyrics. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrDZDxCA_Ng




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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #54 on: December 15, 2017, 02:16:34 PM »
Slow day at work and this guy is keeping me company and yet I don't know his name hahahahha...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqr8LTHqhhs




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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #55 on: December 22, 2017, 08:43:43 AM »
Today in this PH desert, Christmas is on my mind.  This is what Christmas means to me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ryv41dMqS24

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sEP5_7DMu0

While we are gift giving to one another (or not), all of us have received the greatest gift of all - life and love, more precious than silver and gold. 

Sometimes we think we don't worth much, useless, undeserving but to the one who loves us, we are everything. 

Merry Christmas






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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

Offline lost_forever

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #56 on: December 27, 2017, 12:00:18 PM »
I love this song, "Lwm Tiam" from Lis Toj.  I don't believe there's a lwm tiam but nice lyrics. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrDZDxCA_Ng

One of my favorite songs! I don’t believe in lwm tiam too. If you want to be with someone do it now when you have the chance. I also love Lilly “txhob tos lwm tiam”.



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Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #57 on: January 08, 2018, 02:58:36 PM »
Lost, I love Lilly's too. 

I came across this scribbles on my note pad.  Not sure where I found them but I must have like them to scribble them down.

If there is something to desire,
there will be something to regret.
If there is something to regret,
there will be something to recall.
If there is something to recall,
there was nothing to regret.
If there was nothing to regret,
there was nothing to desire.


Why is the word yes so brief?
It should be
the longest,
the hardest,
so that you could not decide in an instant to say it,
so that upon reflection you could stop
in the middle of saying it







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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #58 on: January 18, 2018, 08:42:40 AM »
A Close Call

There I was entering onto the highway and merging onto the slow right lane.  The road condition wasn't that bad.   The cars are picking up speed and I was going about 45 miles per hour.  I noticed the cars in front of me pressed on their brakes and some even swerved a little onto the right shoulder.   My reaction - I  must have pressed my brakes a little hard because suddenly my car did a 180 turn landing onto the right shoulder facing the opposite direction I was heading.   It was that or I could very well slammed onto the bumper of the car in front.  Cars on the slow right lane stopped so I could get out of the shoulder.  That was a close call.

I'm still a little shaken but I thank God for keeping things under control.  In a blink of an eye, it could have been a horrible accident.  I was very fortunate indeed.  Be careful.  Be careful.  Be careful.










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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

Offline Dok_Champa

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Re: Life's Milestones
« Reply #59 on: January 29, 2018, 10:03:48 AM »
Lwm Qaib Tiam 21

I had a minor crisis this past weekend:  My son called he's bringing a girl home to marry.  My husband was knocked out from drinking and couldn't get any help from him.  I called an uncle and he said to do the Lwm Qaib thing when they got to the house (prior to entering) and he stressed it must be done to avoid complications w/ the bride's family later on.  He instructed I do it w/ a chicken or 3 incense sticks (xyab).  That's all the insructions.

What is a clueless person to do?  I went over to my computer and quickly got a youtube tutorial how to do it. Wrote down what to say as instructed from the video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-xj3llpJMg

There I was by the door w/ the written instruction and when they arrived, I opened the door... took out my 3 incense sticks and lwm to the right - and read from my paper.

Oh hnub no zoo hnub...  Hnub no zoo nyog
Kuv tus tub yuav tau nyab los txoj vaj txog tsev lawm

Hnub no kuv yuav los lwm nawb    Kuv lwm nws    Kuv tsis lwm nws
plig tub plig tub kom nyob luag ntxub
Plig ki plig ki kom nyob luag ntxi

Tsis lwm nws    plig niam plig txiv   Plij txij plig nkawm

etc....

I think I made history lwm qaib this way heheehhehehehe ehhehe...... Or should we say Lwm Qaib Taim 21 ahahhahahaahha hahhahhhaahahh ah.... I still have a giggles when I think about it.  But thank goodness I survived this ordeal.

Yes, I am officially a mother in law.




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But true love is a durable fire, In the mind ever burning, Never sick, never old, never dead, From itself never turning.<br />               --Sir Walter Raleigh

 

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