This winter break had a pretty good start, thanks to the awesome party at Ann's house last week. However, the break kind of ended on a bad note.
As mentioned earlier, my family had planned to go skiing in Tahoe again this past weekend. Unfortunately, the trip was called off as Dad was too busy with work-related stuff. I had been eagerly looking forward to the slopes, so this was quite a let-down. :-(
On the other hand, my parents invited the Liang family over to our house for dinner on Saturday to compensate for the trip. The gathering was quite nice except for when I got into an argument with Dad (although not related to the cancellation of the trip) during the meal. This was rather embarrassing, although it could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for the fact that we are good friends with the Liang family. Damn Asian parents.
In any case, I hope spring break will be a lot better, preferably with no canceled trips or silly bickering. :-)
Currently playing: Operation Neptune
Monday, February 22, 1999
Monday, February 15, 1999
Valentine's Day party report
Last night was pretty fun as Mom's friend Ann invited my family to her house for dinner. This wasn't really a Valentine's Day party per se; the gathering just happened to fall on February 14 and so wasn't too different from the other ones we've been to. An actual Valentine's Day party would no doubt have been very awkward with all the hugging and kissing going on. :P
Ann lives rather far away in Walnut Creek - which is about 70 miles from our house - so we don't get to visit her all that often. This was actually our first time seeing the Jung family in years, so it was great to get back in touch with them. However, the real reason we hadn't touched base for so long was that I accidentally killed their pet fish on our last visit.
You see, I really liked their aquarium, so their daughters told me I could feed the fish. But because I didn't know how much they were supposed to eat, I ended up putting in too much food, and the poor fishies all died of ruptured stomachs as a result. Oh dear!
In other words, I learned the hard way that the concept of moderation was apparently foreign to the fish. You could say I literally loved them to death. The girls were understandably so upset that they told their mother never to invite us over again. True to their word, our families didn't have contact for a long time.
But it seems I've been forgiven after all those years. When I brought up the subject at dinner, all of us had a good laugh about it. Leaving the past to the past, our two families had a great time. All of the food was delicious, especially Ann's homemade blueberry tarts.
The highlight of the evening was when we learned that Ann's husband used to be a NASA flight controller, and that he was there during the Apollo 13 incident. As you could imagine, he had quite a few sleepless nights - as well as an epic story to tell!
The nice thing is that winter break had only begun. If everything goes to plan, my family will be heading to Lake Tahoe again in a few days. :-)
Currently playing: Chip's Challenge
Ann lives rather far away in Walnut Creek - which is about 70 miles from our house - so we don't get to visit her all that often. This was actually our first time seeing the Jung family in years, so it was great to get back in touch with them. However, the real reason we hadn't touched base for so long was that I accidentally killed their pet fish on our last visit.
You see, I really liked their aquarium, so their daughters told me I could feed the fish. But because I didn't know how much they were supposed to eat, I ended up putting in too much food, and the poor fishies all died of ruptured stomachs as a result. Oh dear!
In other words, I learned the hard way that the concept of moderation was apparently foreign to the fish. You could say I literally loved them to death. The girls were understandably so upset that they told their mother never to invite us over again. True to their word, our families didn't have contact for a long time.
But it seems I've been forgiven after all those years. When I brought up the subject at dinner, all of us had a good laugh about it. Leaving the past to the past, our two families had a great time. All of the food was delicious, especially Ann's homemade blueberry tarts.
The highlight of the evening was when we learned that Ann's husband used to be a NASA flight controller, and that he was there during the Apollo 13 incident. As you could imagine, he had quite a few sleepless nights - as well as an epic story to tell!
The nice thing is that winter break had only begun. If everything goes to plan, my family will be heading to Lake Tahoe again in a few days. :-)
Currently playing: Chip's Challenge
Monday, January 4, 1999
back at Egan for the spring
Christmas break has ended for me, so I'm now back in school.
The break was pretty awesome as my family went skiing at Lake Tahoe - not once, but twice. Those trips were a blast; I definitely can't wait to hit the slopes again during the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend or winter recess. The sooner the better!
Of course, the holiday wasn't just about skiing; we also went to the Liang family's exciting New Year's Eve party several days ago. Celebrating the new year is undoubtedly one of the best things about the holiday season.
However, all good things must come to an end, and Christmas break is no exception. I wish the break was more than two weeks long, but I certainly can't complain about all the fun things we did. I do have a mild case of the holiday blues right now, but I'm also excited to see everyone at Egan again. :-)
Currently reading: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
The break was pretty awesome as my family went skiing at Lake Tahoe - not once, but twice. Those trips were a blast; I definitely can't wait to hit the slopes again during the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend or winter recess. The sooner the better!
Of course, the holiday wasn't just about skiing; we also went to the Liang family's exciting New Year's Eve party several days ago. Celebrating the new year is undoubtedly one of the best things about the holiday season.
However, all good things must come to an end, and Christmas break is no exception. I wish the break was more than two weeks long, but I certainly can't complain about all the fun things we did. I do have a mild case of the holiday blues right now, but I'm also excited to see everyone at Egan again. :-)
Currently reading: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Friday, January 1, 1999
Happy 1999!
I hope everyone had a great new year!
Anyway, last night totally rocked. The Liang family invited mine to their New Year's Eve party, and everyone had a great time. Although I mostly played Super Mario Land and Star Wars on my Game Boy, I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the party. As midnight approached, we participated in the countdown to 1999. Happy New Year!
But the party wasn't over just yet; my parents and I were having so much fun that we stayed for almost another hour before leaving. This was my first time celebrating the new year at someone else's house, and I had never gotten home from a party solate early before!
1998 in review
In a sense, 1998 was my "coming of age" year. The most significant event was probably when I transferred to Springer as a full-time student. That was a very important milestone in my life; my parents had feared that I would remain in a special education program indefinitely, but it turned out otherwise. I also gave up Easter egg hunts, trick-or-treating and annual birthday parties on my own power. Those weren't easy decisions, but I guess it's safe to say I'm not a little kid anymore. :-)
The best part of 1998 was when we visited Yellowstone National Park in August. That had to be one of our best trips ever. It's hard to say what my least favorite part of the year was, considering that things generally went very well. Chances are that it's one of those arguments I've had with my parents over some trivial shit, but I guess that's one of the things about being a teenager. :P
In any case, I'm looking forward to a great 1999. Rock on!
Currently playing: Star Wars (Game Boy)
Release date: November 15, 1991
Anyway, last night totally rocked. The Liang family invited mine to their New Year's Eve party, and everyone had a great time. Although I mostly played Super Mario Land and Star Wars on my Game Boy, I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the party. As midnight approached, we participated in the countdown to 1999. Happy New Year!
But the party wasn't over just yet; my parents and I were having so much fun that we stayed for almost another hour before leaving. This was my first time celebrating the new year at someone else's house, and I had never gotten home from a party so
1998 in review
In a sense, 1998 was my "coming of age" year. The most significant event was probably when I transferred to Springer as a full-time student. That was a very important milestone in my life; my parents had feared that I would remain in a special education program indefinitely, but it turned out otherwise. I also gave up Easter egg hunts, trick-or-treating and annual birthday parties on my own power. Those weren't easy decisions, but I guess it's safe to say I'm not a little kid anymore. :-)
The best part of 1998 was when we visited Yellowstone National Park in August. That had to be one of our best trips ever. It's hard to say what my least favorite part of the year was, considering that things generally went very well. Chances are that it's one of those arguments I've had with my parents over some trivial shit, but I guess that's one of the things about being a teenager. :P
In any case, I'm looking forward to a great 1999. Rock on!
Currently playing: Star Wars (Game Boy)
Release date: November 15, 1991
Sunday, December 27, 1998
back from another Tahoe trip
Christmas break has been pretty good so far. Or at least it should have been, considering that my family just came back from another two-day trip to Tahoe. :-)
For this trip, the three of us decided to go back to good ol' downhill skiing at Boreal Mountain Resort. The Shiehs again accompanied us as they also love to travel. Even my uncle Harrison and maternal grandparents came along this time!
Judging by our experience, I'd say downhill is a lot more enjoyable. It does mean falling down more often, but it's also much less exhausting than cross-country skiing. To be honest, I don't think we'll be doing cross-country again anytime soon.
This trip also had a few skidding incidents. The road conditions were actually worse this time because of a recent storm. In one instance, our Volvo got stuck right at the edge of a steep ravine. This was a most frightening situation; Mom was yelling at me to get out of the car in case something happened. However, it wasn't long before a Good Samaritan stopped and helped us get the car back onto the road. That brave guy certainly deserves our gratitude.
The three of us were ultimately stuck in the mountains for several hours as a result of the frequent skidding. To make matters worse, there was almost no cellular reception. By the time we got out of the area, our relatives were already home. Perhaps we ought to rent a four-wheel drive next time.
Conclusions
Although my family has been to Lake Tahoe numerous times before, it's one of those places that never get old. Both of these trips were quite enjoyable despite the mishaps. Dad is actually planning a third one for either the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend or winter break. Oh yeah, and I still have another week before school starts. :-)
In other news...
The Liang family has invited us to their New Year's Eve party. There's no better way to celebrate the new year than with family and friends!
For this trip, the three of us decided to go back to good ol' downhill skiing at Boreal Mountain Resort. The Shiehs again accompanied us as they also love to travel. Even my uncle Harrison and maternal grandparents came along this time!
Judging by our experience, I'd say downhill is a lot more enjoyable. It does mean falling down more often, but it's also much less exhausting than cross-country skiing. To be honest, I don't think we'll be doing cross-country again anytime soon.
This trip also had a few skidding incidents. The road conditions were actually worse this time because of a recent storm. In one instance, our Volvo got stuck right at the edge of a steep ravine. This was a most frightening situation; Mom was yelling at me to get out of the car in case something happened. However, it wasn't long before a Good Samaritan stopped and helped us get the car back onto the road. That brave guy certainly deserves our gratitude.
The three of us were ultimately stuck in the mountains for several hours as a result of the frequent skidding. To make matters worse, there was almost no cellular reception. By the time we got out of the area, our relatives were already home. Perhaps we ought to rent a four-wheel drive next time.
Conclusions
Although my family has been to Lake Tahoe numerous times before, it's one of those places that never get old. Both of these trips were quite enjoyable despite the mishaps. Dad is actually planning a third one for either the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day weekend or winter break. Oh yeah, and I still have another week before school starts. :-)
In other news...
The Liang family has invited us to their New Year's Eve party. There's no better way to celebrate the new year than with family and friends!
Sunday, December 20, 1998
Tahoe trip report
I just came back from a two-day trip to Tahoe with my parents and cousins.
Our families went cross-country skiing at Royal Gorge right after school ended. The original plan was to go to Northstar-at-Tahoe, but that place didn't have cross-country ski areas. The Shiehs have been to Royal Gorge several times, and my parents and I had never done cross-country before, so we thought we'd try something new.
Compared to downhill, cross-country was simpler but much more exhausting. Due to the strenuous workout, all of our legs were completely sore by the time we were finished. On the other hand, it's probably safe to say that we burned lots of calories. Cross-country skiing was overall very different from what we had imagined.
The trip also had a few mishaps: our car skidded several times on the way home as the roads had become extremely slippery due to the accumulated snow. It was quite frightening, to say the least. The vacation was nevertheless so much fun that we're thinking about sneaking in another one next weekend!
Our families went cross-country skiing at Royal Gorge right after school ended. The original plan was to go to Northstar-at-Tahoe, but that place didn't have cross-country ski areas. The Shiehs have been to Royal Gorge several times, and my parents and I had never done cross-country before, so we thought we'd try something new.
Compared to downhill, cross-country was simpler but much more exhausting. Due to the strenuous workout, all of our legs were completely sore by the time we were finished. On the other hand, it's probably safe to say that we burned lots of calories. Cross-country skiing was overall very different from what we had imagined.
The trip also had a few mishaps: our car skidded several times on the way home as the roads had become extremely slippery due to the accumulated snow. It was quite frightening, to say the least. The vacation was nevertheless so much fun that we're thinking about sneaking in another one next weekend!
Friday, December 18, 1998
Christmas break is here!
This was the last day of the fall semester, which means Christmas break has begun. Hooray!
It's hard to believe I'm already halfway through 7th grade. One thing for sure is that I'll miss computer class, which was only one semester long. Ms. Sessions was definitely one of the nicest teachers I've ever had.
Having said that, I guess it's time to enjoy the holidays. Speaking of which, my family is planning to go skiing at Northstar-at-Tahoe this weekend. I love the snow, so this trip should be a lot of fun!
It's hard to believe I'm already halfway through 7th grade. One thing for sure is that I'll miss computer class, which was only one semester long. Ms. Sessions was definitely one of the nicest teachers I've ever had.
Having said that, I guess it's time to enjoy the holidays. Speaking of which, my family is planning to go skiing at Northstar-at-Tahoe this weekend. I love the snow, so this trip should be a lot of fun!
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