I recently started a language class for my 5th language (not programing). It's been a while since I learned a new language, and this time I picked a language that is readily accessible: Korean. I sometimes watch Korean dramas, listen to K pop, and I happen to have a conversation partner who kinda knows Korean but not really.
I was reflecting on all the languages I know and realized that I wouldn't know how to teach languages I picked up natively, but would have no problem teaching a language that I learned non-natively. And that got me thinking about what it means to formally learn a native language, and a non-native language. For instance does it make sense to insist on hiring native speakers?
With native languages, I speak them before I know how to read and write them. My vocabulary and grammar were learned before I could understand how I knew them. There are other definitions of native language, but for this example, it is obvious. A non-native language is a language I had to learn formally. Before going to language class, I couldn't express myself in this language. What is worse is that I have to actively search for a place to apply my newfound language ability.
I wonder if it is impossible now to learn a language using native means since I wouldn't even know how to start picking things up. The closest possibility is to learn a language while needing to use it. In many cases, people pick up a language hoping to eventually use it. It all works.
I tried to read up on how babies learn a language (see the article on Deb Roy in Wired). It seems like parents tend to focus on one thing for an extended period of time. It wasn't a helpful article. I'll have to browse around a bit more. Let me know if you have any good references.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
From the Department of What Were They Thinking
Windows had a pop-up window thing morning, asking me if I wanted to install some Genuine Windows program. The point of the program? To check whether my software is real, and if it's not the genuine version, it will have periodic reminders for me to do the right thing.
Really? So it happens that my version of Windows is real, so I guess I am not installing that. And if my version of Windows were not real, I'm not installing some nasty pop-up thing either. Whoever thought of this was clearly not really thinking.
Really? So it happens that my version of Windows is real, so I guess I am not installing that. And if my version of Windows were not real, I'm not installing some nasty pop-up thing either. Whoever thought of this was clearly not really thinking.
Monday, August 30, 2010
The best way out of China
I have been thinking a little more about the immigration routes of the Chinese people, an issue somewhat personally relevant to me since I am a 3rd generation immigrant Chinese. I never thought more about the fact that my great grandmother decided to go to Southeast Asia to join her family. On hindsight, there was a chance that I might have ended up being born in China or in the US. And depending on that decision, we could have suffered more (I don't think we could have suffered less).
So we took the Southeast Asia route, and life was hard, and we were second class to the British, but everyone did okay. Some Chinese people even got rich and set up schools and made lasting donations. (There is a building named after Tan Kah Kee in Berkeley.) Then there was the turbulence of the 1950's and 60's when the British left Southeast Asia. The Chinese were not well regarded by the people of Malaya, and there were racial riots. The Chinese people in Malaysia continue to be held back by racial quotas (affirmative action for the majority, who happen to be economically challenged), and the Chinese people in Indonesia have to worry during the hard times too because they were targeted. The Chinese people in Singapore are doing well, and I have to thank my dad for deciding to move to Singapore while the rest of the family stayed in Malaysia.
Now that I am reading a little more about Asian Americans, I am grateful that my ancestors never took that route. If they had gone to California to build the railway, they probably would have died alone with no possibility of wife, much less child (= no me). With the Chinese exclusion act, they would have contributed to building a nation while never receiving recognition if not for World War II. Finally they took brides. But even today, Asians are viewed with a jaundiced eye.
I have never been to China. I don't feel like I want to go there, despite all that news of economic boom and miracle. My sister tells me that it's all in my head. When I finally step onto Chinese soil, it won't be a proletariat tragedy from the movies. She's probably right.
So we took the Southeast Asia route, and life was hard, and we were second class to the British, but everyone did okay. Some Chinese people even got rich and set up schools and made lasting donations. (There is a building named after Tan Kah Kee in Berkeley.) Then there was the turbulence of the 1950's and 60's when the British left Southeast Asia. The Chinese were not well regarded by the people of Malaya, and there were racial riots. The Chinese people in Malaysia continue to be held back by racial quotas (affirmative action for the majority, who happen to be economically challenged), and the Chinese people in Indonesia have to worry during the hard times too because they were targeted. The Chinese people in Singapore are doing well, and I have to thank my dad for deciding to move to Singapore while the rest of the family stayed in Malaysia.
Now that I am reading a little more about Asian Americans, I am grateful that my ancestors never took that route. If they had gone to California to build the railway, they probably would have died alone with no possibility of wife, much less child (= no me). With the Chinese exclusion act, they would have contributed to building a nation while never receiving recognition if not for World War II. Finally they took brides. But even today, Asians are viewed with a jaundiced eye.
I have never been to China. I don't feel like I want to go there, despite all that news of economic boom and miracle. My sister tells me that it's all in my head. When I finally step onto Chinese soil, it won't be a proletariat tragedy from the movies. She's probably right.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Management lessons from volleyball
Volleyball is a big thing here in the summer. I somehow got roped in as team captain my first year in lab, and I stayed on for 2 years as captain. Handing over the team to a new captain, I suddenly had a list of things I thought he should do (also known as what I would do). This is my first shot at a team sport, much less being captain, and I have developed a few ideas that I hope to carry with me into my work.
1. Understand the players, and use them.
We were a rag-tag lab team of whoever is willing to play. Of course, the ideal team would be tall and athletic, but not everyone is born that way. I am the very opposite of tall and athletic myself. B is tall, but not athletic, but with simple instructions (angle arms downwards) he was able to block well. W's accuracy improved greatly after we pointed out that playing with both hands results in better control of the ball. And of course, planning the rotation required knowledge of who can work well together, and who needs an extra hand.
2. Play positions
I realize in a real league that people have preferred positions that they stick to. But in a summer league, no one really cares. In fact, insisting on sticking to your usual role confuses everyone.
More importantly, taking over someone's role once would result in that person less likely to try the next time. Before you know it, everyone is waiting for you to do something. Even if they don't always reach perfection, trust that they will do their best, and point out where and how they can do better if they miss.
3. Have fun
There will be the ones who want to win, and the ones who want to win but also want to have fun. Putting down your teammate for missing will dampen team morale. My personal style is to talk during the game when possible. Crack a joke, make everyone laugh and relax. After all, the point of the summer league is really to have fun and to bond.
These probably sound like rules for playing Little League, but it will probably be a good reflection of your team in real life. There will always be someone lacking experience and skills, and we just have to do our best as a team.
1. Understand the players, and use them.
We were a rag-tag lab team of whoever is willing to play. Of course, the ideal team would be tall and athletic, but not everyone is born that way. I am the very opposite of tall and athletic myself. B is tall, but not athletic, but with simple instructions (angle arms downwards) he was able to block well. W's accuracy improved greatly after we pointed out that playing with both hands results in better control of the ball. And of course, planning the rotation required knowledge of who can work well together, and who needs an extra hand.
2. Play positions
I realize in a real league that people have preferred positions that they stick to. But in a summer league, no one really cares. In fact, insisting on sticking to your usual role confuses everyone.
More importantly, taking over someone's role once would result in that person less likely to try the next time. Before you know it, everyone is waiting for you to do something. Even if they don't always reach perfection, trust that they will do their best, and point out where and how they can do better if they miss.
3. Have fun
There will be the ones who want to win, and the ones who want to win but also want to have fun. Putting down your teammate for missing will dampen team morale. My personal style is to talk during the game when possible. Crack a joke, make everyone laugh and relax. After all, the point of the summer league is really to have fun and to bond.
These probably sound like rules for playing Little League, but it will probably be a good reflection of your team in real life. There will always be someone lacking experience and skills, and we just have to do our best as a team.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
how not to introduce people at a party
I am afraid that this blog is heading away from funny, and entering the realm of misanthropic ramblings. I seem to have lost my tolerance for people, or maybe I have lost respect for a few of my friends, or maybe I just don't like other girls.
I was at a party last night and a couple of my friends were waiting for a girl, A, to turn up. I don't know A, but my friends seemed enthusiastic about her. They tried to prime my enthusiasm for this girl and it was like "blah blah blah....good friend of B (another girl)...blah blah blah...she often asks B what to wear over the phone...". Of course, none of it really made any sense to me. "Pretty", "smart" and "awesome" are pretty generic words to describe people that you like. Stories, on the other hand, work a lot better in creating a picture of a person in the head, and it is crucial that the story is told the right way.
Whatever pretty, smart or awesome person A might have been, the only thing that made any impression was the fact that she can't seem to dress herself without another person's opinion. A now sounds like a person with low self esteem, and a dependency problem. She may actually be smart, but it doesn't work if she doesn't have the confidence to do things. And I assume she is pretty, because the guys were enthusiastic about her, but it really makes no difference to a girl. In fact, it may work against her.
I didn't get introduced to A in the end. I wouldn't have been able to keep my face straight. She arrived, and I figured out who she was, and she did actually look like B and that totally killed it for me.
Oh, and I neglect to say that I don't have the best impression of B anyway.
I was at a party last night and a couple of my friends were waiting for a girl, A, to turn up. I don't know A, but my friends seemed enthusiastic about her. They tried to prime my enthusiasm for this girl and it was like "blah blah blah....good friend of B (another girl)...blah blah blah...she often asks B what to wear over the phone...". Of course, none of it really made any sense to me. "Pretty", "smart" and "awesome" are pretty generic words to describe people that you like. Stories, on the other hand, work a lot better in creating a picture of a person in the head, and it is crucial that the story is told the right way.
Whatever pretty, smart or awesome person A might have been, the only thing that made any impression was the fact that she can't seem to dress herself without another person's opinion. A now sounds like a person with low self esteem, and a dependency problem. She may actually be smart, but it doesn't work if she doesn't have the confidence to do things. And I assume she is pretty, because the guys were enthusiastic about her, but it really makes no difference to a girl. In fact, it may work against her.
I didn't get introduced to A in the end. I wouldn't have been able to keep my face straight. She arrived, and I figured out who she was, and she did actually look like B and that totally killed it for me.
Oh, and I neglect to say that I don't have the best impression of B anyway.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
How to know that you're getting old
I was catching up with a friend i hadn't chatted with for a long time, and we were talking about the dramas we were watching. Back in the late 1990's when Japanese dramas were popular, we used to discuss dramas. "These days, I don't like the high school ones anymore," I told her. And she told me that I was getting old, and it is so true. Her too. She likes family-centered dramas.
I am currently watching I am Legend (Korean drama, not the movie with Will Smith), and I like it. It's about getting a divorce, and finding a 2nd chance in life. The last drama that I was absolutely hooked on was a Korean drama about 30-somethings resolving a half-assed love that has gone on too long. And before that, I was watching Oh My Lady!, which is about a divorced woman getting a second chance at love (with a younger man!) and life. That's about three in a row, and strangely all by SBS.
I guess I'm older now, and teenage angst is too much. It's usually all made up in the head. It's refreshing to see an older character telling someone else to be more honest with themselves; it doesn't work with a younger character saying the same thing because he just sounds like a smarty-pants. And for me, it's nice to see older actresses (especially the women) getting lead roles. So many actors disappear when their youth fades. Tragic.
Now if only Hollywood will let more Asian actors play lead in a movie without kungfu.
I am currently watching I am Legend (Korean drama, not the movie with Will Smith), and I like it. It's about getting a divorce, and finding a 2nd chance in life. The last drama that I was absolutely hooked on was a Korean drama about 30-somethings resolving a half-assed love that has gone on too long. And before that, I was watching Oh My Lady!, which is about a divorced woman getting a second chance at love (with a younger man!) and life. That's about three in a row, and strangely all by SBS.
I guess I'm older now, and teenage angst is too much. It's usually all made up in the head. It's refreshing to see an older character telling someone else to be more honest with themselves; it doesn't work with a younger character saying the same thing because he just sounds like a smarty-pants. And for me, it's nice to see older actresses (especially the women) getting lead roles. So many actors disappear when their youth fades. Tragic.
Now if only Hollywood will let more Asian actors play lead in a movie without kungfu.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
backward yet a leader, oh contradictions
I've been told by direct and indirect means that I live in a backward country.
Most recently, a friend showed me pictures of her new home in Japan. The place (rented) included a heated toilet with varying temperature, and a bathtub that can be controlled from the kitchen. I asked a Japanese friend about those features, and came away with the idea that any respectable family home should have those features. I wonder if they even exist in the US.
My sister was visiting from Hong Kong for the summer, and during her visit the following happened:
1. the water in the house was problematic for 2 days due to a bad valve (initially suspected a broken pipe actually).
2. the internet was down for 3 days due to old connections that had to be replaced.
3. the T was down between Kendall and Park St, so everyone had to get off the train and take a shuttle bus to Park.
Bad luck about the first two events, but she thinks my place is hopelessly ghetto now.
About event 3, nobody in Hong Kong would even imagine switching passengers from train to bus and back. That's not how it's done (although I have no idea if it even needs to be done). Care would be taken to ensure passenger comfort, and avoid such issues. They would do it at night or something. I don't actually know if the repairs needed to be done for a continuous 48 hour stretch. But the other issue is how do you bring century old equipment up to speed with the rest of the world?
Most recently, a friend showed me pictures of her new home in Japan. The place (rented) included a heated toilet with varying temperature, and a bathtub that can be controlled from the kitchen. I asked a Japanese friend about those features, and came away with the idea that any respectable family home should have those features. I wonder if they even exist in the US.
My sister was visiting from Hong Kong for the summer, and during her visit the following happened:
1. the water in the house was problematic for 2 days due to a bad valve (initially suspected a broken pipe actually).
2. the internet was down for 3 days due to old connections that had to be replaced.
3. the T was down between Kendall and Park St, so everyone had to get off the train and take a shuttle bus to Park.
Bad luck about the first two events, but she thinks my place is hopelessly ghetto now.
About event 3, nobody in Hong Kong would even imagine switching passengers from train to bus and back. That's not how it's done (although I have no idea if it even needs to be done). Care would be taken to ensure passenger comfort, and avoid such issues. They would do it at night or something. I don't actually know if the repairs needed to be done for a continuous 48 hour stretch. But the other issue is how do you bring century old equipment up to speed with the rest of the world?
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The magical 3 year mark
Many years ago, I told a story of how the shoes I wear tend to be about 3 years old. (story) Recently, I finally found out why. I have problems wearing new shoes often. I mean, I will wear them, but not on a daily basis coz I take a while to adjust to shoes. And somehow by the 3rd year, I finally get used to the shoes, and they look worn enough to be used daily. I am one of those overly sentimental people.
Monday, May 17, 2010
I'm back....I hope
It has been a long while since I last wrote. It turns out that I am one of those awful people who disappear from the world once they get into a relationship. Yeah, I am a little old for that, but I've always been childish.
I am sick and at home. I have a ton of hobbies, but somehow I got to reading old e-mails, and eventually moved on to my blog. I like my blog entries. I am kind of sad to think of all the memories I could have captured on my blog the past 2 years if I bothered to write more frequently. Some of the early stories about my bff, P-chan, I did not even recall until I read them again.
This is the 2nd time I am majorly ill this year. Like major. Before, I used to get a cold/flu twice a year. This year, I caught the stomach flu (once is enough; never again!), and now some weird viral infection that gives me a fever 3 times a day, and gives me aches all over like an old lady. The annoying part is when the fever breaks, and I get sweaty, and I have to shower. But maybe I am finally getting better. I've been feeling cold the last 3 days, and finally it got warm enough for me to bring out the fan. (It is warm outside. I just happened to need a wool blanket.)
So many things to update. But instead of playing catch up, I'll just focus on collecting the memories to come. I wonder who even reads this blog anymore.
edit: I must be incredibly optimistic to be amused that I currently have a 5pm fever and a 10pm fever. Everyone seems to think that I should see a doctor.
I am sick and at home. I have a ton of hobbies, but somehow I got to reading old e-mails, and eventually moved on to my blog. I like my blog entries. I am kind of sad to think of all the memories I could have captured on my blog the past 2 years if I bothered to write more frequently. Some of the early stories about my bff, P-chan, I did not even recall until I read them again.
This is the 2nd time I am majorly ill this year. Like major. Before, I used to get a cold/flu twice a year. This year, I caught the stomach flu (once is enough; never again!), and now some weird viral infection that gives me a fever 3 times a day, and gives me aches all over like an old lady. The annoying part is when the fever breaks, and I get sweaty, and I have to shower. But maybe I am finally getting better. I've been feeling cold the last 3 days, and finally it got warm enough for me to bring out the fan. (It is warm outside. I just happened to need a wool blanket.)
So many things to update. But instead of playing catch up, I'll just focus on collecting the memories to come. I wonder who even reads this blog anymore.
edit: I must be incredibly optimistic to be amused that I currently have a 5pm fever and a 10pm fever. Everyone seems to think that I should see a doctor.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
When in a pinch 1
This goes out to anyone who has tried to find a 2L bottle of rootbeer in Harvard Square. It's impossible. I know coz I went to CVS, C'est Bon Convenience, and even 7-eleven (I didn't try the Marketplace). But I really wanted to bring a rootbeer float to a gathering, so here is what I did:
I bought a Double Gulp at 7-eleven.
You know how 7-eleven sells drinks in cups? Well, it turns out that the largest cup they have is 64 oz, which is 1/2 gallon, which is 1.89L. Perfect. And did I mention that they have about 8 flavors at least? One of them was IBC Rootbeer. You can find rootbeer at any drink dispenser, just not in stores in Harvard Square. It seems like the most likely sodas are Coke/Diet Coke (and their Pepsi equivalents), and Sprite and Ginger Ale. No rootbeer. And being Harvard Square, you pay $1.99 for your giant bottle.
I paid $1.46 for my 64 oz, and went over to the gathering while impressed onlookers stared at me. The Double Gulp was a big hit at the party too. Sadly, no one thought that it was the biggest rootbeer float ever.
I bought a Double Gulp at 7-eleven.
You know how 7-eleven sells drinks in cups? Well, it turns out that the largest cup they have is 64 oz, which is 1/2 gallon, which is 1.89L. Perfect. And did I mention that they have about 8 flavors at least? One of them was IBC Rootbeer. You can find rootbeer at any drink dispenser, just not in stores in Harvard Square. It seems like the most likely sodas are Coke/Diet Coke (and their Pepsi equivalents), and Sprite and Ginger Ale. No rootbeer. And being Harvard Square, you pay $1.99 for your giant bottle.
I paid $1.46 for my 64 oz, and went over to the gathering while impressed onlookers stared at me. The Double Gulp was a big hit at the party too. Sadly, no one thought that it was the biggest rootbeer float ever.
Friday, April 10, 2009
I knew I was in the wrong place
For weeks now, I've been trying to convince myself otherwise. This morning, reality hit me in the form of a piece of paper with a teddybear design. It said "please remember to enclose $3 for shipping the teddybear to Africa".
My roommates have a weekly knitting circle where they are making teddybears to give to African children suffering from HIV/AIDS. They did not inform me about it, and I found out only accidentally. I was in shock for a while, but a friend suggested that maybe they were knitting teddybears to sell to raise funds for African children. I mean, knitting isn't cheap, nor is the weekly pizza or whatever takeout they purchase to feed themselves while knitting. How about using the money to send food or HIV retroviral drugs to those kids instead?
It's like me making fun of Spare Change all over again, except this time it's happening in my home. I can't believe they are in my PhD program. I know, on the bright side, it won't be so hard getting a good academic position if these are the people I am up against.
My roommates have a weekly knitting circle where they are making teddybears to give to African children suffering from HIV/AIDS. They did not inform me about it, and I found out only accidentally. I was in shock for a while, but a friend suggested that maybe they were knitting teddybears to sell to raise funds for African children. I mean, knitting isn't cheap, nor is the weekly pizza or whatever takeout they purchase to feed themselves while knitting. How about using the money to send food or HIV retroviral drugs to those kids instead?
It's like me making fun of Spare Change all over again, except this time it's happening in my home. I can't believe they are in my PhD program. I know, on the bright side, it won't be so hard getting a good academic position if these are the people I am up against.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
A best case scenario wisdom teeth extraction
I got my wisdom teeth out a week ago, and it was no way near the painful experience I thought it would be. It was really hard deciding to take 3 of my wisdom teeth out because of all the awful stories I heard about other people's experiences. However, I have weaker-than-average gums, and my teeth are in an awkward position for cleaning. Every so often, the gum gets painful around one of my tooth, and I know it's not because the tooth is growing out. It seemed like something I'd have to do eventually, so I finally decided to get my teeth out.
My dentist was a confident, tiny, middle-aged man who proudly declared that he almost never has to see his patients after surgery, and they all have little swelling. One could take this the wrong way, but I believed my dentist -- I saw his pride in his work. Even then, I was terrified.
Given my fear, you'd have imagined that I would get general anesthesia, but I actually got the local instead. There were 2 reasons:
1. my roommate told me a story of a guy who died of suffocation when a piece of gauze got stuck in his throat during surgery.
2. everyone else suggested local, because it had fewer side effects. These are people who have removed their wisdom teeth.
I was shaking when I sat down in the dental chair, and the dentist gave me my first dose of novocain in 3 places (this part stings a little). I told him that I was scared, and asked him if I should close my eyes, and he said "yes". Then he left while the anesthesia kicked in, which was for about 10-15 minutes. During that time, I talked to the nurse who assured me that my dentist is faster than average, so it'll be over very quickly.
When the dentist came back, he gave me another shot of novocain around one of my teeth and then I closed my eyes and he put something into my mouth, and before I knew it, he announced that one of my teeth was out. This tooth has mostly emerged and was bony (impacted and bony, according to the bill), but it was hard to clean. I'm not even sure if he stitched me up. It was all over in less than 2 minutes, and I opened my eyes.
For the next tooth, I closed my eyes and he went through the same procedure, except this time the tooth was a little more tightly lodged. I heard a little creak in my ear before he announced that the tooth was out. Again, less than 2 minutes. There was a little pressure, but it didn't hurt. This time, the thread touched the edges of my mouth so I knew he stitched me up. This tooth was impacted, but only partially erupted. I've never really had problems with it, and it surprised me when the dentist told me that it was already infected. There was pus and gunk beneath the tooth, and he had to clean things out a little.
The last tooth was much larger than the other 2. The dentist gave me a shot of novocain as usual, but I didn't feel my lips numbing, so he gave me another shot. Still, I didn't feel my lips numbing. I even used my fingers to poke around my mouth area to report the degree of numbness to the dentist. By this time, I was an engaged participant and no longer shaking, even though I closed my eyes when the dentist was working. He decided that it was still okay to proceed. He tried once but it didn't work -- I heard the creaking, and my head was following along. I said that it might have hurt slightly when he was pulling at my tooth, and he said that he was actually pushing ("I only push, never pull"). I still don't know if it was hurting, or if it was just pressure that I was feeling. He told me to keep my head still and gave a 2nd push, and for about 5 seconds I felt the pressure/slight pain again and then the tooth was free. Again he stitched me up, and it probably took less than 5 minutes really.
Let's recap: 50 minutes, 3 teeth. 5-10 min of waiting time before the dentist arrived, another 10-15 min of waiting for the anesthesia to kick in, and then an actual 2 min for each tooth, not counting the time in between each tooth (especially the 3rd which needed more anesthesia).
My care instructions were to ice the day of, take 3 ibuprofens instead of vicodin immediately, and also take penicillin for my infected tooth. (Vicodin only if ibuprofen doesn't work.) I should put gauze in my mouth when I'm oozing. I noticed that I was drooling a lot because of the gauze (I stopped drooling when I took the gauze out). I was in a chirpy mood, and I managed to drop by my lab to say hi to everyone and talk about my experience before I headed home to rest. At home, I noticed that the bleeding was slow, and 4 hours post surgery, I decided that I didn't need gauze. I managed to drink, eat yogurt and mashed sweet potato, and swallow my pills okay. I didn't notice any swelling. That night, I slept with a towel over my pillow in case of bloody drool. There was a drop of pink drool when I woke up.
Day 2: No swelling, but it's supposed to peak at 48 hours post surgery. I decided to lower my dose of ibuprofen because I was feeling pretty good, so I tried eating 2. That lasted me 5.5 hours, which is nearly regular dose (caveat: I'm 105lbs, so it might be a pretty high dose for a small person.) Again, I was on mashed sweet potatoes and yogurt, but I was back at work. I started my salt water rinses and it did not hurt my wound (to be continued for 5-7 days, 6-8 times a day). I completely stopped bleeding by the afternoon (24 hours post surgery). I took 3 ibuprofens before going to bed just in case, and I brushed my front teeth.
Day 3: Still no swelling. I started the day with 2 ibuprofens because my jaw was throbbing slightly on the infected side. I took out 2 healthy teeth on the other side, but I didn't feel any pain there. I decided that I could probably go 1 ibuprofen every 4 hours, so I lowered my dose of painkillers. I ate mushroom soup and bread (just the white part) fine. Just in case, I took 2 ibuprofens to bed.
Day 4: I'm down to 1 ibuprofen every 6 hours. For dinner, I started taking nibbles of softer food (there was a free buffet that night, so I tried everything that looked edible). I realized that I could chew on the uninfected side.
Day 5: I took my last ibuprofen after brunch. My brunch was pancakes and scrambled eggs. My dinner was salmon and bread.
Day 6 was much like day 5.
On day 7, I had a real dinner. I took a piece of fried chicken, and ate a spicy korean stirfy.
I think it was mostly fear that kept me from eating real food earlier, although I think it is a good idea to stay on soft and bland foods for a week. I feel mostly fine now, just a little scared when I yawn and open my mouth too wide.
Of course, I've had plenty of friends who had bleeding for 3 days, or had to take their teeth out in pieces, and who really needed general anesthesia. I feel like I got lucky with my teeth, and perhaps my choice of dentist. If you happen to be in Boston and need your wisdom teeth out, I have an excellent dentist to recommend.
My dentist was a confident, tiny, middle-aged man who proudly declared that he almost never has to see his patients after surgery, and they all have little swelling. One could take this the wrong way, but I believed my dentist -- I saw his pride in his work. Even then, I was terrified.
Given my fear, you'd have imagined that I would get general anesthesia, but I actually got the local instead. There were 2 reasons:
1. my roommate told me a story of a guy who died of suffocation when a piece of gauze got stuck in his throat during surgery.
2. everyone else suggested local, because it had fewer side effects. These are people who have removed their wisdom teeth.
I was shaking when I sat down in the dental chair, and the dentist gave me my first dose of novocain in 3 places (this part stings a little). I told him that I was scared, and asked him if I should close my eyes, and he said "yes". Then he left while the anesthesia kicked in, which was for about 10-15 minutes. During that time, I talked to the nurse who assured me that my dentist is faster than average, so it'll be over very quickly.
When the dentist came back, he gave me another shot of novocain around one of my teeth and then I closed my eyes and he put something into my mouth, and before I knew it, he announced that one of my teeth was out. This tooth has mostly emerged and was bony (impacted and bony, according to the bill), but it was hard to clean. I'm not even sure if he stitched me up. It was all over in less than 2 minutes, and I opened my eyes.
For the next tooth, I closed my eyes and he went through the same procedure, except this time the tooth was a little more tightly lodged. I heard a little creak in my ear before he announced that the tooth was out. Again, less than 2 minutes. There was a little pressure, but it didn't hurt. This time, the thread touched the edges of my mouth so I knew he stitched me up. This tooth was impacted, but only partially erupted. I've never really had problems with it, and it surprised me when the dentist told me that it was already infected. There was pus and gunk beneath the tooth, and he had to clean things out a little.
The last tooth was much larger than the other 2. The dentist gave me a shot of novocain as usual, but I didn't feel my lips numbing, so he gave me another shot. Still, I didn't feel my lips numbing. I even used my fingers to poke around my mouth area to report the degree of numbness to the dentist. By this time, I was an engaged participant and no longer shaking, even though I closed my eyes when the dentist was working. He decided that it was still okay to proceed. He tried once but it didn't work -- I heard the creaking, and my head was following along. I said that it might have hurt slightly when he was pulling at my tooth, and he said that he was actually pushing ("I only push, never pull"). I still don't know if it was hurting, or if it was just pressure that I was feeling. He told me to keep my head still and gave a 2nd push, and for about 5 seconds I felt the pressure/slight pain again and then the tooth was free. Again he stitched me up, and it probably took less than 5 minutes really.
Let's recap: 50 minutes, 3 teeth. 5-10 min of waiting time before the dentist arrived, another 10-15 min of waiting for the anesthesia to kick in, and then an actual 2 min for each tooth, not counting the time in between each tooth (especially the 3rd which needed more anesthesia).
My care instructions were to ice the day of, take 3 ibuprofens instead of vicodin immediately, and also take penicillin for my infected tooth. (Vicodin only if ibuprofen doesn't work.) I should put gauze in my mouth when I'm oozing. I noticed that I was drooling a lot because of the gauze (I stopped drooling when I took the gauze out). I was in a chirpy mood, and I managed to drop by my lab to say hi to everyone and talk about my experience before I headed home to rest. At home, I noticed that the bleeding was slow, and 4 hours post surgery, I decided that I didn't need gauze. I managed to drink, eat yogurt and mashed sweet potato, and swallow my pills okay. I didn't notice any swelling. That night, I slept with a towel over my pillow in case of bloody drool. There was a drop of pink drool when I woke up.
Day 2: No swelling, but it's supposed to peak at 48 hours post surgery. I decided to lower my dose of ibuprofen because I was feeling pretty good, so I tried eating 2. That lasted me 5.5 hours, which is nearly regular dose (caveat: I'm 105lbs, so it might be a pretty high dose for a small person.) Again, I was on mashed sweet potatoes and yogurt, but I was back at work. I started my salt water rinses and it did not hurt my wound (to be continued for 5-7 days, 6-8 times a day). I completely stopped bleeding by the afternoon (24 hours post surgery). I took 3 ibuprofens before going to bed just in case, and I brushed my front teeth.
Day 3: Still no swelling. I started the day with 2 ibuprofens because my jaw was throbbing slightly on the infected side. I took out 2 healthy teeth on the other side, but I didn't feel any pain there. I decided that I could probably go 1 ibuprofen every 4 hours, so I lowered my dose of painkillers. I ate mushroom soup and bread (just the white part) fine. Just in case, I took 2 ibuprofens to bed.
Day 4: I'm down to 1 ibuprofen every 6 hours. For dinner, I started taking nibbles of softer food (there was a free buffet that night, so I tried everything that looked edible). I realized that I could chew on the uninfected side.
Day 5: I took my last ibuprofen after brunch. My brunch was pancakes and scrambled eggs. My dinner was salmon and bread.
Day 6 was much like day 5.
On day 7, I had a real dinner. I took a piece of fried chicken, and ate a spicy korean stirfy.
I think it was mostly fear that kept me from eating real food earlier, although I think it is a good idea to stay on soft and bland foods for a week. I feel mostly fine now, just a little scared when I yawn and open my mouth too wide.
Of course, I've had plenty of friends who had bleeding for 3 days, or had to take their teeth out in pieces, and who really needed general anesthesia. I feel like I got lucky with my teeth, and perhaps my choice of dentist. If you happen to be in Boston and need your wisdom teeth out, I have an excellent dentist to recommend.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Blatantly bad reporting
Saw this article on the New York Times, and the first reaction I got from reading the headlines was "duh". (Lower Gas Prices Don't make Americans Feel Rich)
The average price of gas in the country has gone down by about $2. For whatever reason, annual mileage per car is usually estimated at 12,000 miles. That means 12,000 miles/20mpg = 600 gallons of gas each year. (Okay, maybe 20mpg is too high an estimate. But poor people need to be smarter about buying their cars. The cheaper and smaller Ford cars do get ~20 mpg.) That translates to spending $1200 more each year for gas. Yes, it is a lot of money. But people are overreacting to this.
For instance, one lady talks about how she took on an extra 10 hour of work each week. Assuming she was going to work 40 weeks in a year, that is an extra 400 hours to get the extra $1200. She was probably overestimating the impact of the gas price hike, or driving a lot more than the average person.
And of course the farmers Ritchie are not going to spend "tens of thousands of dollars to furnish and landscape their new house" -- this reporter has ridiculous expectations. I do think that they may spend more on fuel related products coz they own a farm, but off the hat, I don't know if tens of thousands of dollars is too high an estimate.
The thing about gas is that we have been using it in a wasteful manner, even though most people need to get their tanks filled each week. They get used to paying $25 a week, and suddenly it goes up to $50. It feels painful, but we're overestimating the pain coz we're focused on this particular 100% price hike. Prices of other things have gone up, but not doubled. People need to realize that $25 a week was too much to begin with.
This is a poorly conceived article that tried to make a story about lower gas prices but failed. I am feeling the effects of reading Nassim Taleb's The Black Swan already. (He warns about how newspapers often try to impose a narrative on facts to get a story, but really just mess up.)
Fine, I'm magnifying the effects on his book on my judgment.v (^_^)
The average price of gas in the country has gone down by about $2. For whatever reason, annual mileage per car is usually estimated at 12,000 miles. That means 12,000 miles/20mpg = 600 gallons of gas each year. (Okay, maybe 20mpg is too high an estimate. But poor people need to be smarter about buying their cars. The cheaper and smaller Ford cars do get ~20 mpg.) That translates to spending $1200 more each year for gas. Yes, it is a lot of money. But people are overreacting to this.
For instance, one lady talks about how she took on an extra 10 hour of work each week. Assuming she was going to work 40 weeks in a year, that is an extra 400 hours to get the extra $1200. She was probably overestimating the impact of the gas price hike, or driving a lot more than the average person.
And of course the farmers Ritchie are not going to spend "tens of thousands of dollars to furnish and landscape their new house" -- this reporter has ridiculous expectations. I do think that they may spend more on fuel related products coz they own a farm, but off the hat, I don't know if tens of thousands of dollars is too high an estimate.
The thing about gas is that we have been using it in a wasteful manner, even though most people need to get their tanks filled each week. They get used to paying $25 a week, and suddenly it goes up to $50. It feels painful, but we're overestimating the pain coz we're focused on this particular 100% price hike. Prices of other things have gone up, but not doubled. People need to realize that $25 a week was too much to begin with.
This is a poorly conceived article that tried to make a story about lower gas prices but failed. I am feeling the effects of reading Nassim Taleb's The Black Swan already. (He warns about how newspapers often try to impose a narrative on facts to get a story, but really just mess up.)
Fine, I'm magnifying the effects on his book on my judgment.v (^_^)
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Does laying an egg hurt?
I've been fascinated by the idea of having a vegetable garden and my very own egg-laying chicken for a while. It's not actually feasible right now to embark on either project since it's getting colder, and I have to admit that I don't have the talent for farming. Fortunately, it is possible to dream a little, and to watch youtube to see what I'm missing out on. And then I stumbled upon this video
It shows you a hen laying an egg, and it does not look like fun. In fact, it looks like it hurts. But I couldn't be sure so I asked an experienced friend who grew up on a farm.
"Yes, of course it hurts."
Apparently, hens do not make pleasant sounds when they lay eggs. He then proceeded to tell me a story about how his favorite hen died after laying an egg the size of an ostrich's egg -- she died of bleeding. That egg had 10 yolks. A little more research later, I found out that eggs increase in size as a bird gets older -- think stretched uterus. The eggs we usually get in the grocery store come from young chickens, so we're unlikely to see an egg with multiple yolks. Hens become less productive after the first couple of years, and they are usually culled.
Why would a chicken keep laying eggs every day or so if it hurts? I don't know.
According to the same friend, birth is not the most painful experience (need to find a reference for this). It is less painful than breaking a bone, and passing kidney stones. Of course, birth is a more prolonged process, so I think it all evens out.
I was traumatized about eating eggs again. But they are so good. Laying eggs is natural for a hen. I think the moral issue, if you agree that there is one, is that we kill them after their productivity declines.
Fortunately for ex-battery hens in the UK, I read about millions of hens being adopted in London. They still give eggs, although not every day. And the eggs that they produce in your backyard are probably more nutritious since they now get TLC from you.
It shows you a hen laying an egg, and it does not look like fun. In fact, it looks like it hurts. But I couldn't be sure so I asked an experienced friend who grew up on a farm.
"Yes, of course it hurts."
Apparently, hens do not make pleasant sounds when they lay eggs. He then proceeded to tell me a story about how his favorite hen died after laying an egg the size of an ostrich's egg -- she died of bleeding. That egg had 10 yolks. A little more research later, I found out that eggs increase in size as a bird gets older -- think stretched uterus. The eggs we usually get in the grocery store come from young chickens, so we're unlikely to see an egg with multiple yolks. Hens become less productive after the first couple of years, and they are usually culled.
Why would a chicken keep laying eggs every day or so if it hurts? I don't know.
According to the same friend, birth is not the most painful experience (need to find a reference for this). It is less painful than breaking a bone, and passing kidney stones. Of course, birth is a more prolonged process, so I think it all evens out.
I was traumatized about eating eggs again. But they are so good. Laying eggs is natural for a hen. I think the moral issue, if you agree that there is one, is that we kill them after their productivity declines.
Fortunately for ex-battery hens in the UK, I read about millions of hens being adopted in London. They still give eggs, although not every day. And the eggs that they produce in your backyard are probably more nutritious since they now get TLC from you.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
meeting my daily calcium needs
I had a doctor's visit last month. Because my old doctor quit, I have a new doctor who went through the initial checklist with me. He is not happy that I only drink half a glass of milk a day -- which is way more than what I used to consume before I came to the US (milk in Asia tastes bad). Apparently, I am only getting 1/4 of the required calcium, which is 250mg out of 1000mg. I don't really want to eat calcium supplements though.
So the doctor recommends that I drink more milk, or eat more yogurt. I wasn't convinced that milk was the only major source of calcium I am consuming; I remember hearing that broccoli is a good source of calcium. Fact check on the internet: broccoli has very little calcium -- only 50mg per 100g, so you need to eat 4lbs (2kg) of broccoli a day to get enough calcium. Tofu has calcium as well, but it depends on which brand you buy. Depending on the brand, you get 80 - 200 mg from 125g of tofu -- which means you need to eat at least 625g of tofu to get enough calcium. Bok choy is actually better than tofu or broccoli-- 150mg per 100g -- but it's hard for me to get bok choy here. Soy milk is also good. But the doctor is right that milk, yogurt and cheese are the best sources.
I decided earlier this week to start my new high calcium diet: fruit (lovely berries at the farmer's market) with plain yogurt and honey for breakfast, a sandwich with cheese and about 8oz of milk for lunch, and a hot chocolate made with milk before bedtime. I started my diet yesterday. I ate my yogurt this morning, but I was getting sick of it. I skipped my afternoon's 8z of milk although I ate my cheese-containing sandwich. I think I'm officially over this new high calcium diet.
It doesn't mean that I won't keep trying. But it's just so hard to eat according to regulations. I'm just going to keep eating because I want to eat something.
So the doctor recommends that I drink more milk, or eat more yogurt. I wasn't convinced that milk was the only major source of calcium I am consuming; I remember hearing that broccoli is a good source of calcium. Fact check on the internet: broccoli has very little calcium -- only 50mg per 100g, so you need to eat 4lbs (2kg) of broccoli a day to get enough calcium. Tofu has calcium as well, but it depends on which brand you buy. Depending on the brand, you get 80 - 200 mg from 125g of tofu -- which means you need to eat at least 625g of tofu to get enough calcium. Bok choy is actually better than tofu or broccoli-- 150mg per 100g -- but it's hard for me to get bok choy here. Soy milk is also good. But the doctor is right that milk, yogurt and cheese are the best sources.
I decided earlier this week to start my new high calcium diet: fruit (lovely berries at the farmer's market) with plain yogurt and honey for breakfast, a sandwich with cheese and about 8oz of milk for lunch, and a hot chocolate made with milk before bedtime. I started my diet yesterday. I ate my yogurt this morning, but I was getting sick of it. I skipped my afternoon's 8z of milk although I ate my cheese-containing sandwich. I think I'm officially over this new high calcium diet.
It doesn't mean that I won't keep trying. But it's just so hard to eat according to regulations. I'm just going to keep eating because I want to eat something.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
learning my heritage in a foreign land
I am ethnically Chinese, and I am also 3rd generation Singaporean. (Wow, this is about the first time I am revealing that much information about myself). Whatever they say about Singapore being a good place to raise bicultural and bilingual children, they don't mean it thoroughly. The children are raised with one foot in their parent's culture, another foot in the modern world. What results is usually an incomplete understanding of either culture or language. Yes, it provides a foundation for the children to quickly learn more about one culture/language. However, the child must make the effort to learn. And learning usually involves visiting another country, ideally living there for a while.
The way I've set it up, you'd think I learned to use chopsticks in Singapore, but learned to properly hold it in China. Well, not really. I learned to hold my chopsticks in a little Chinese American restaurant, following the directions printed in the paper sleeve holding my disposable chopsticks. At the ripe age of 12, I learned to hold my chopsticks properly while my classmates continued holding their chopsticks in what is considered a childish fashion.
Strangely, I have also learned to speak Chinese more fluently since coming to the US. In Singapore, there was never really a need to say more than a few words to convey a crude idea of what I want. Then I met my college roommate's parents for the first time and realized that I really could not speak Chinese even if I tried really hard. They speak mainly Cantonese and a little Chinese.
Around the same time, I met another friend's parents for the first time. They are Taiwanese, and they expected me to be able to converse with them in Chinese. I can usually get away with speaking English . By replying in English, I can usually persuade the other party to reply in English but not these people. The dad immediately demanded in Chinese, "Can't you speak Chinese?"
Taiwanese dramas were popular back in those days, and I checked them out of of curiosity. A few episodes into them, I realized that it was easy to pick up conversational Chinese even if I was barely paying attention to the dialogue. And my Chinese did improve.
While visiting Singapore over a recent break, I found myself watching a few local Chinese dramas. If the modern dramas bear any resemblance to the dramas I watched while growing up there, I think I can understand why I didn't learn much from watching them. The dialogue was usually brusque, involving a lot of emotional exchange. It is not strange that I failed to pick up complete sentences from them. I also happened to catch an early 1980's drama where the sentences were more complete, although the show was also more awkward. While the quality of speech in the dramas may reflect reality, the dramas are also guilty of reinforcing the downward spiral in the quality of language.
This is not all to say that I did not benefit from growing up with a foot in 2 cultures. I think that at some point, people, especially those in an isolated society, need to seek out a more complete source of knowledge to counter its gradual erosion. I recently read somewhere that there are more non-native English speakers than native ones, and this will change the form of the English language as we know it. Perhaps we can accept this. But to accept the downward spiral of a language such that it is no longer poetic: is this not reversing what the progress that we have made over years? There was once a time when not all native speakers were literate enough to appreciate literature. After all it is only very recently that mass education has equalized the playing field, such that even a bus driver like JK Rowling can write a best selling series.
A thought in progress, I have no conclusion.
PS. I am assuming that out of necessity, the non-native speaker has made the language simpler and less nuanced. My experience with non-native use of a language is that the first order approximation is made by injecting keywords without regard for how they are connected (since the idea can be broadly conveyed this way).
The way I've set it up, you'd think I learned to use chopsticks in Singapore, but learned to properly hold it in China. Well, not really. I learned to hold my chopsticks in a little Chinese American restaurant, following the directions printed in the paper sleeve holding my disposable chopsticks. At the ripe age of 12, I learned to hold my chopsticks properly while my classmates continued holding their chopsticks in what is considered a childish fashion.
Strangely, I have also learned to speak Chinese more fluently since coming to the US. In Singapore, there was never really a need to say more than a few words to convey a crude idea of what I want. Then I met my college roommate's parents for the first time and realized that I really could not speak Chinese even if I tried really hard. They speak mainly Cantonese and a little Chinese.
Around the same time, I met another friend's parents for the first time. They are Taiwanese, and they expected me to be able to converse with them in Chinese. I can usually get away with speaking English . By replying in English, I can usually persuade the other party to reply in English but not these people. The dad immediately demanded in Chinese, "Can't you speak Chinese?"
Taiwanese dramas were popular back in those days, and I checked them out of of curiosity. A few episodes into them, I realized that it was easy to pick up conversational Chinese even if I was barely paying attention to the dialogue. And my Chinese did improve.
While visiting Singapore over a recent break, I found myself watching a few local Chinese dramas. If the modern dramas bear any resemblance to the dramas I watched while growing up there, I think I can understand why I didn't learn much from watching them. The dialogue was usually brusque, involving a lot of emotional exchange. It is not strange that I failed to pick up complete sentences from them. I also happened to catch an early 1980's drama where the sentences were more complete, although the show was also more awkward. While the quality of speech in the dramas may reflect reality, the dramas are also guilty of reinforcing the downward spiral in the quality of language.
This is not all to say that I did not benefit from growing up with a foot in 2 cultures. I think that at some point, people, especially those in an isolated society, need to seek out a more complete source of knowledge to counter its gradual erosion. I recently read somewhere that there are more non-native English speakers than native ones, and this will change the form of the English language as we know it. Perhaps we can accept this. But to accept the downward spiral of a language such that it is no longer poetic: is this not reversing what the progress that we have made over years? There was once a time when not all native speakers were literate enough to appreciate literature. After all it is only very recently that mass education has equalized the playing field, such that even a bus driver like JK Rowling can write a best selling series.
A thought in progress, I have no conclusion.
PS. I am assuming that out of necessity, the non-native speaker has made the language simpler and less nuanced. My experience with non-native use of a language is that the first order approximation is made by injecting keywords without regard for how they are connected (since the idea can be broadly conveyed this way).
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Rating girls from 1-10
Even though I am a girl, I appreciate girls. It's not that I'm checking out the competition. I just think that girls are good to look at. Unfortunately, I've been told that my taste is questionable. Lately I've been practising my rating, thus my fascination with the 1-10 rating system. I was naturally very excited when I saw this post on Reddit:
Screw rating girls on a 1-10 scale. This system is much better!
It turns out, of course, that my friend Jon has it all figured out even better -- he uses the Blackjack rule.
"If she's a 12 or lower, I'd hit it.
13-16, I don't know if I'd hit it or not.
Anything above I don't hit."
Screw rating girls on a 1-10 scale. This system is much better!
It turns out, of course, that my friend Jon has it all figured out even better -- he uses the Blackjack rule.
"If she's a 12 or lower, I'd hit it.
13-16, I don't know if I'd hit it or not.
Anything above I don't hit."
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Spare Change: the numbers don't add up
For those who have never heard of it, Spare Change is a newspaper sold by people who are or were homeless. It sells for $1. I once bought a copy many years ago by accident, thinking the guy was trying to distribute a flyer. I browsed it, and it seriously did not have much content.
Today, I walked by a man selling Spare Change. There are a couple of them in Harvard Square, and this man was in a rather obscure spot (outside the Post Office, if anyone cares). It occurred to me that he would be better off working at something else than selling newspapers. I estimated a generous 1 copy per hour, which would earn him at most $1/hour. Based on my groundless speculations, the effort did not seem worth it.
Some numbers are available online here:
8000 copies sold every 2 weeks
60 active vendors
$0.75 profit per newspaper sold.
The math gives an average of 133 copies per vendor every 2 weeks or 10 copies a day. Sounds decent? Well, it depends on how many hours a vendor spends selling the papers. Think of it as making $7.50 a day. I hope no one spent more than 1 hour a day selling it.
If you were "sober, respectful and courteous" vendor, perhaps you would be able to get a job if you tried really hard. Any job would make you a few dollars an hour. Maybe the vendors should stop selling Spare Change.
Today, I walked by a man selling Spare Change. There are a couple of them in Harvard Square, and this man was in a rather obscure spot (outside the Post Office, if anyone cares). It occurred to me that he would be better off working at something else than selling newspapers. I estimated a generous 1 copy per hour, which would earn him at most $1/hour. Based on my groundless speculations, the effort did not seem worth it.
Some numbers are available online here:
8000 copies sold every 2 weeks
60 active vendors
$0.75 profit per newspaper sold.
The math gives an average of 133 copies per vendor every 2 weeks or 10 copies a day. Sounds decent? Well, it depends on how many hours a vendor spends selling the papers. Think of it as making $7.50 a day. I hope no one spent more than 1 hour a day selling it.
If you were "sober, respectful and courteous" vendor, perhaps you would be able to get a job if you tried really hard. Any job would make you a few dollars an hour. Maybe the vendors should stop selling Spare Change.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Most expensive sandwich in Harvard Square
I was in Cardullo's for lunch yesterday -- I heard that they have good sandwiches. Their sandwiches are pricier than Darwin's by a couple of dollars (ranges $9-12), in case you were thinking about going there to try their sandwiches. My Italian sub was intensely flavorful -- hot peppers, balsamic vinegar, salty meats and sweet tomatoes.
The most extravagant sandwich is the caviar sandwich. It sells for $130. It also made me wonder what else I can get in Harvard Square that is tasty for $130.
The most extravagant sandwich is the caviar sandwich. It sells for $130. It also made me wonder what else I can get in Harvard Square that is tasty for $130.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
how a conversation deteoriates
I first noticed the girl standing across the platform from me because of her dress. It was a short dress with one black strap going from one side to the other, and onto her shoulder. The dress was white, with huge bold brushstrokes of colors streaking across. In a sea of jeans and t-shirts, she stood out in her short and loose dress. She also had immaculate hair and looked fairly attractive.
I pointed her out to my friend. Since he was a guy, I decided that it would be futile to describe the dress in detail. "What do you think of that girl on the other platform across from us? With her boyfriend or something. I think she's kinda hot. Her dress looks like a pillowcase."
Oops, did I really say that? I wasn't really thinking but it was true. You can call it a short loose dress, or a pillowcase (the dimensions looked right). The sub-conscious is honest and brutal.
"She looks kinda of big."
"Really? I didn't notice. Hmm...come to think of it, her boyfriend is not so big. He might be shorter than her since she's in sandals and he's in dress shoes. Oh yeah, he isn't as wide as she is. I still think she's kinda hot though. He's skinny so that makes her look bigger."
"I don't really see a waist."
"It's a loose dress." On hindsight, the word "pillowcase" does work perfectly to describe how she looked in that dress.
"You have bad taste."
I think he was the first one to say the fat word. The train arrived, and we were going to get into the same carriage from different sides. "We're getting into the same door as the fat girl. Try not to stare."
Staring is a natural reaction for me if I'm curious about someone and trying to size them up. In other words, I was stealing glances at the couple while we were in the train. They were being affectionate, hugging each other and possibly kissing.
Then I said it. *Nudge* "Look, the fat girl is making out with the small guy."
"I can't believe you just said that."
Somehow, I just don't have the innate ability to check girls out. My picks don't ever agree with the guys. It was an interesting dress though.
I pointed her out to my friend. Since he was a guy, I decided that it would be futile to describe the dress in detail. "What do you think of that girl on the other platform across from us? With her boyfriend or something. I think she's kinda hot. Her dress looks like a pillowcase."
Oops, did I really say that? I wasn't really thinking but it was true. You can call it a short loose dress, or a pillowcase (the dimensions looked right). The sub-conscious is honest and brutal.
"She looks kinda of big."
"Really? I didn't notice. Hmm...come to think of it, her boyfriend is not so big. He might be shorter than her since she's in sandals and he's in dress shoes. Oh yeah, he isn't as wide as she is. I still think she's kinda hot though. He's skinny so that makes her look bigger."
"I don't really see a waist."
"It's a loose dress." On hindsight, the word "pillowcase" does work perfectly to describe how she looked in that dress.
"You have bad taste."
I think he was the first one to say the fat word. The train arrived, and we were going to get into the same carriage from different sides. "We're getting into the same door as the fat girl. Try not to stare."
Staring is a natural reaction for me if I'm curious about someone and trying to size them up. In other words, I was stealing glances at the couple while we were in the train. They were being affectionate, hugging each other and possibly kissing.
Then I said it. *Nudge* "Look, the fat girl is making out with the small guy."
"I can't believe you just said that."
Somehow, I just don't have the innate ability to check girls out. My picks don't ever agree with the guys. It was an interesting dress though.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)