這 是 我 第 一 次 用 中 文 來 寫 我 的 日 記

還 蠻 費 力 的

為 了 準 備 考 雙 語 教 師 資 格 我 現 再 就 得 開 始 練 習 我 的 中文

我 的 讀 和 聽 都 還 好 就 只 有 我 的 寫 還 是 不 行

我 有 五 個 月 來 準 備

我 想 先 用 打 字 的 方 法 來 練 習

然 後 再 開 始 用 手 寫

希 望 這 會 幫 我 的 國 字 寫 法

我 還 不 會 打 句 點 或 是 豆 點

所 以 我 還 要 多 多 練 習

Best US High Schools

Came across this article ( http://finance.yahoo.com/college-education/article/108337/americas-best-high-schools-2010?mod=edu-k12_education ) regarding the best high schools in the US. This just proves my point about Bay Area people trying to puff themselves up to be "better than Southern California". Of all the best high schools in the US, six schools in California made the list. Five of the six are in Southern California. They are not even in the "rich, Beverly Hills" type of areas! Only one school in Santa Cruz made the list from the ENTIRE Northern California.

Here's the run down. Cerritos, not a rich neighborhood by all means, has a high school that is ranked #3 on the list. Cypress also has the #4 school. Then there are the high schools in Carson, Inglewood, and Lennox. All these schools have a high percentage of students who are from socio-economically disadvantage background and minority enrollments as well. Yet, they made the list.

Bay Area people like to claim that they are more "cultured, intelligent, classy, ..." than Southern California. Yet, they produce no high school that is even considered to be the best. They want the rest of the country to think that they are better. Southern Californians never make those claims yet, they show it by action. It just goes to show that in So Cal, they service the minority and the socio-economically disadvantage students much much more. For an area that want us to believe that it is more "diverse", more "sensitive to cultural differences", and more "progressive", Bay Area really isn't doing much to prove that. Words are just words.

After having been back here, I am starting to feel that many Bay Area people are hypocrites when it comes to being "culturally sensitive". Yes, I do see a better "mix" of different cultures in and around different neighborhoods, but I have come to the conclusion that it is only so because of the small area. People are just forced to be "mixed" together. If given the space as in Los Angeles or So Cal in general, I have no doubt that it'll be just as "checker-board" as it is down south if not more so. I've actually encounter more racial bitterness here in just the one year I've been here than I have the 10+ years that I was down in So Cal. The other day, my Honey heard someone talking about "those ORIENTALS". Granted that "ORIENTAL" isn't as bad of a derogatory word as some others... it is still offensive. We've (well, him mostly) also heard comments like "I'm not being prejudice or anything but some of these establishments are run by people who just don't care because they don't understand the way we do things in America..." I hear quite a bit of "I don't know how you people can eat things like that..." Now, to be fair, I've heard the last comment while in So Cal, but So Cal people never "CLAIMED" to be more "progressive" or more "cultured". So, being a hypocrite racist is worst than being a plain o' racist if you ask me.

Yes, there are some great things about the Bay Area, I won't deny that. I just want people here to see that they are no better than the people in So Cal. So, stop claiming that and stop puffing yourselves up. If it really is that great, you don't need to say it, it'll show through actions.

Final thoughts, for the "oh-so-progressive" people of the Bay Area who feel entitled to everything, STOP PURPOSELY WALKING BEHIND MY CAR WHEN I'M BACKING OUT OF A SPACE. I'm backing out because I've checked and NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME A SECOND AGO!!!!! Yes, yes, it'd be the vehicle's fault and you'll get a pay out from the insurance, but do you really thing that "proving you are IN THE RIGHT" will be better than getting hurt???THINK! USE THOSE OH SO AWESOME BRAIN CELLS YOU CLAIM TO HAVE! Seriously!

Turning 1

Couple days ago was my baby Phoebe's birthday. She just turned one. I can't believe that we have her for almost a year now. I still remember last year around this time we got the pictures from the breeder. All the little puppies looked like a pile of.... (brown, log shape.. you get the idea). They all looked so helpless with their eyes shut and crawling around... Now they are all big now. Phoebe is just over 100 lbs! We're hoping she'll grow maybe 20 more pounds or so but it seems like she might be slowing down on the growing since she's eating quite a bit less now. `

Her behavior has also changed quite a bit. She's no longer biting us for no apparent reason - Thank goodness! She's acting more and more like a lap dog now. Her nightly ritual is to climb on to the couch and put her head on my lap and sleep. She's sleeping right next to me as we speak - dreaming of something.

She's still having issues with her paws. Don't quite know what is the fundamental cause of her licking behavior. It could be allergies or just some obsessive compulsive behavior (which she could have gotten from me! Hahahah). Hopefully, it'd be something she'll out grow as she matures.

As she turns one, the holiday season is also well on its way. We went and got our tree today and decorated it. Not bad, if I do say so myself. I got ornaments from various places - Cost Plus, Crate and Barrel, Target, florists, and some were gifts from others. Of course, we have our Mickey and Minnie Christopher Radko ornaments from Disneyland up - just some of the things that reminds us of the good times down south.