Messages

1831

Creative Writing / Re: Attempt at descriptive writing

« on: May 18, 2015, 05:25:04 PM »

St. Paul, MN—June 9, 2013.  The two veteran lone grey squirrels here must love this oak branch that hangs just outside my office window.

The human-leg-sized, one-car length branch pointing north from its treemain trunk is covered with scaled barks that looks coarse to the touch. Yes, just looks because I've never been able to reach up to touch it at this height.  Smaller branches with leaves and without—in the falls and winters—stem sporadically from it, projecting up and down in various segments throughout its length; it hangs about twelve feet above ground, just enough for squirrels to feel completely up on a tree and yet safe from any kind of fall or dangerous reach from it.

During the four years that I've been here, I've seen them use it for many things—just scurrying back and forth on it, eating their acorns on, and even having sex with each other on it--much romance between them I've enjoyed viewing. Their activities have recurred consistently throughout the years that I've been here. Sometimes I even miss them if they aren't out there on that branch.

I know I'm late to this, but when conveying the main subject matter it is preferential to open with it first thing.  It creates the necessary descriptive flow that allows the reader to build upon it systematically .

The opening subjects were two squirrels leading to the branch. The reader is fixed on two squirrels now.  Furthermore they shouldn't be described as lone, since there's two of them.  I would reorganize it this way.

This lone oak branch that hangs just outside of my window is loved by two mature well seasoned grey squirrels.

I would change the second sentence just slightly, to help out with the flow. I added the word touch, to the third sentence since it is descriptive of your personal physical relationship comparison shifted from just your eyes.

1832

General Education / Re: I Failed ESL

« on: May 18, 2015, 02:16:25 PM »

Minorcharacter, you were born here in the States!  I did not figure that.   

1833

Health & Fitness / Re: Just Venting: 5/1/2015- Another Weight Loss Update w/photo

« on: May 18, 2015, 12:08:17 AM »

What is your diet like?

Don't get me wrong, I changed my diet to low carbs and lost weight without having to work out since what you eat is more important than working out! You know how they say there's no point in working out if ppl are going to eat processed food, fast food, sodas, etc.

However, you're doing a great job! Keep it up.

I'll be very careful about what you said.  Diet and exercise are both important parts to a healthy lifestyle.  Everybody is different and what works for one person may not work for another.

Bottom line is carbs are required for exercise, otherwise one would have little to no endurance in any active motor function of the body.  Without carbs and without exercise, its basically starving your muscles.  Losing weight can also be accomplished by fasting, but its not what most people will be willing to do.

1834

General Education / Re: I Failed ESL

« on: May 16, 2015, 12:37:50 AM »

Remember the frogs on the fences... LOL

1835

Online Journal / Re: Fighting For My Life

« on: May 16, 2015, 12:13:07 AM »

You reside in MN? If so, the weather is much like most humans, it can't decide if it wants to be fully summer yet so it goes back and forth Now if it's Cali, the weater is hawt hawt, can't that sunburn state. My sister's just came from SD, and oh boy they are like fried fish. Peeling all over the place. I told my sister she shoulf os sun tanned nude so there would be even distribution of burnt skin, LOL.

Yeap this hot and cold weather patterns is hard on the immune system.
LOL let them learn their lesson.  It takes only less than 15 minutes of direct sun to burn my skin.  I have to cover up or sunblock on.

1836

Outdoors & Recreational Hobbies / toothy fish

« on: May 15, 2015, 09:48:03 PM »

Pike fishing... Fun.  Only dogfishing would be better.

Right now don't care if their all less than 20" in length.

I need warm weather to get them dogfish to get active.  Maybe another two weeks.

1837

Outdoors & Recreational Hobbies / Re: Wild Turkey!

« on: May 15, 2015, 09:43:29 PM »

I don't have any turkey bow and arrows... And too lazy to clean a big bird.  I don't even have a pot that big...

1838

Online Journal / Re: Fighting For My Life

« on: May 15, 2015, 08:02:47 AM »

Have you taken them to the doctors? Sometimes the body needs assistance in warding off viruses

No I have not.  Its only mild, its this semi cold weather.

1839

Online Journal / Re: Fighting For My Life

« on: May 15, 2015, 01:56:02 AM »

My kids are fighting some mild illnesses.  I wish they would just get healthy.

1840

General Education / Re: I Failed ESL

« on: May 14, 2015, 08:40:18 AM »

Going to church, yexus and Jesus.  Yahweh and no way, yah way... curds and whey. 

1841

Hmong Culture & History / Re: Invitations to traditional Hmong weddings

« on: May 14, 2015, 08:02:15 AM »

No, his family is pretty big so I don't think that will be an issue either way.  I've never met any of them but he's mentioned it before.

Anyways, I've already decided I won't be attending since people will turn heads and wonder who I am.  I was just wondering if anyone else has had personal experiences they wanted to share.

That's when you grab the mike and say, I'm the wedding singer... This song is dedicated to the only person I know of...

Whoah awkward, so this isn't the Johnston's wedding party?  I'm must be at the wrong address... This is where?  I need to leave, ty ty tyvm.

Congrats to the new couple. Cya.

1842

General Education / Re: I Failed ESL

« on: May 14, 2015, 04:39:40 AM »

I was put into ESL to help the other Hmong kids.  Lol first time I saw other Hmong kids.  Didn't even knew they existed. Well I was supposed to help translate.  So I told the teachers what ma cow and copy meant.  Yeah it was pretty much a literal translation of penis hurt and bent pussy since I didn't know any better.   Oh and I didn't even know American swear words.  Well truth of the matter was just that they wanted to get me away from the other kids since I basically was getting into fights everyday.  Afterwards the other Hmong kids hated me just the same.  I didn't understand their accented English and they didn't care to correct my mispronounced Hmong.  I was so socially dumb, I never realized it was always me fighting off a bunch of others.  Plus it doesn't help to be smaller than everybody else and to be reading only thick reference materials like a total nerd.  Teachers have always left me alone, I had no clue.  Eventually they quit asking me to go to ESL.  Well they gave me a choice to keep participating or not.  I just figured that I it was pointless for me just to repeat words I already know how so I said exactly what a kid would say, "It was dumb."

I still remember the reading writing tests and math tests, yeah they stuck me in first grade then demoted me to kindergarten after they figured out my real age.  Plus they didn't know how to handle why I got into a fight on my second day at school.  Well maybe I should not have done such a good job at coloring and shouldn't have bragged about knowing multiplication .  Kindergarten was amazing, all play and no homework.  Honestly I didn't know why English was supposed to be my second language.  I didn't even know how I got a first language.  It's not like I read or write Hmong in the first place.

It wasn't until second grade that I finally understood what ESL classes really meant.  All the Hmong kids had to start in ESL until you can test out. Well my poor habits had already been formed from Kindergarten, and I have become careless with test taking.  I was doing what the other kids were doing, staring at their test papers.  Yes English has become a second language.  I can't remember how they dropped me from ESL classes.  Somehow I just didn't go anymore.  Well I do remember that one time one of the ESL kid got the highest math test score.  So yeah, there was a high score competition among the kids now.  The Hmong kids were always best in math.

1843

Hmong News / Re: Body of missing canoeist recovered from Little Canada lake

« on: May 13, 2015, 10:21:10 PM »

i can swim to save myself, but even so, when I'm embark on such small vessel and especially with friends, it is better to be wearing safety floatation than to second wish you had on a safety vest.  Under sudden distress, the mind can panic and things could happen beyond your control. The water, the weather, the adrenaline rush, all can factor in you drowning. 

These young kids obviously, think not with their heads, but their cockiness got the best of them. My condolences, nonetheless.

Which young kids?

1844

Hmong Culture & History / Re: Invitations to traditional Hmong weddings

« on: May 13, 2015, 10:17:04 AM »

Simple thought here.....

Go if you feel like going, don't go if it makes you feel uncomfortable.

I don't want to go to any functions if I don't know at least one person and I have to know that person enough to hold a conversation(s) through out the whole ordeal. Logic sinks in after a few minutes when no one comes up to you and you are holding a drink in the corner some where.

THOUGHTS come rushing in: "What am I doing here? I hardly know anyone, and yet I came. When is this over?"

Overall, don't go if you and him are not close, it would just be uncomfortable especially wedding invites since they are personal.

Why would you ever be holding a drink in the corner of a traditional Hmong wedding?

1845

Hmong Culture & History / Re: Invitations to traditional Hmong weddings

« on: May 13, 2015, 10:14:59 AM »

Did he also asked for drinking helpers?