February: My Favorite Month

SNAP SNAP SNAP CRACK CRACK SNAP SNAP!

Ahhh...I love the smell and the sound of firecrackers and snappers.

February seems to be my ultimate favorite month.

One holiday which I seem to enjoy so much is Lunar New Year, or in Vietnamese--Tết Nguyên Đán. This seems to be my favorite holiday. I basically love any holiday that involved giving. Usually adults give children red envelopes, or Lì Xì , with money in it for good luck. Well, instead of money, I usually get Lì Xì and give them to my friends with greeting cards I make myself. And this year, I went to Phước Lộc Thọ (Asian Garden Mall) with the Tết festival going on along the stores in Little Saigon and bought some really cute Lì Xì with Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Hamtaro, and more on them.

I can't wait for the dragon dances. They're really entertaing to watch. Sometime I wish I could learn how to dragon dance too. Another thing about this holiday, are the áo dài (traditional long dresses), lanterns, the flowers, and all the gathering and reunion of families.

There's gonna be a Tết parade on New Years in Little Saigon. I never seen a parade for Tết. I wonder how it's going like if my parents are going to take us to see it Saturday.

Another holiday I love is Valentine's Day. Whether you have a boyfriend or girlfriend at all, it is another reason for me to start giving out little gifts to my friends and family and time for love! I had a great time writing my "That Special Valentine Gift" article for the Baron banner. This year, I was just going to give Chocolate Sweethearts to my friends and to some few with the Sweethearts, I'm going to give my close friends Valentine letter's of my love and appreciation for our friendship. I don't have a boyfriend, and I don't mind, so I don't have to worry about getting a loving valentine something and vice versa. I made my parents a pretty Valentines sign to put on their door on the day of Valentines. I made a 3D red heart and stuck it on pink construction paper that said "I Love You Bố Mẹ (Dad & Mom) Always. -Heart- Michelle Doan" in my cursive calligraphy. In the hearts, I made a pink and red rose out of more construction paper and tape which took awhile. But it was worth it. I tried hiding it, but I think one of my parents (most likely, my mom) found it while trying to make my bed neat. But none said anything. Oh well.

I can't wait for Lunar New Year and Valentine's Day.

Oh, yeah, my friend's birthday is coming up too, so I need to buy or make something for his present. Haha.

That Special Valentine Gift

"This was an article I was writing for the Baron Banner for Valentine's Day =] Hope you like it."

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Are you sick of sending your usual identical pre-made valentines to your friends and loved ones? Want to go creative and give your valentine a present he/she will remember for a lifetime? Here are some ideas of what to give to your valentine*:

• Ask for an appointment and go to the nearest hospital to undergo surgery to have your heart removed and locked safely into a treasure chest. Then when approaching your beloved valentine, present romantic Pirates of the Caribbean music, and entrust your valentine with your heart.
• Secretly snip the shrubs in their front yard into hearts and cupids the night before. In the morning before he or she leave for school, leave a trail of Sweethearts and arrows that lead to their car that will be decorated with hearts, flowers, and a banner that says, “I love you” or "Happy Valentine's Day!"
• Ask her/her parents or guardians, while your valentine is sleeping, if you could come in and decorate their bedroom. Throw flower petals all over the bed covers. Hang an “I Love You” or "Happy Valentine's Day" banner. If there's a television or a computer screen in their room, tape a poster/large picture of you and your beloved together on the screen. Lay a bouquet of roses, a love letter or a poem, any extra presents, and a videotape or DVD of a movie or slideshow you have compiled together for your valentine.
• Find a cardboard box that’s big as a refrigerator or one that you can stand in. Tape the cover flaps together and then cut out one side so you can open it like a door and step in. Afterwards, wrap up the box with wrapping paper or colorful paper and wrap it in a giant bow for the top. Attach a tag that says, "From your secret admirer." When you’re finished, ask a friend or a relative to help you and pretend to be a delivery person Hide in the present box and have your “delivery person” ring the door of your valentine’s house and present the box to your valentine. When he or she comes to see the present, you jump out of the box from the opening you cut out with a loving Valentine’s greeting.
• Put a car canopy over your house pool that covers all the way down on both sides of the canopy. Make sure you have enough canopies or a long enough canopy that can extend all the way down the pool. Decorate the outside the canopy with valentine hearts and flowers and anything lovable. Inside the canopy, make it dark and stick or hang glowing hearts, cut outs, Valentine banners, teddy bears, roses, flowers, greeting cards, and photos of you and your beloved. Decorate it however you wish in a Valentine way. When you’re done, put a paddle boat in one end of the pool and post at the front end of the pool a sign that says, “Our Valentine Love Tunnel.” Invite your valentine over and give them a romantic paddleboat ride through your specially-made love tunnel.

Those are a couple of ideas to give your valentine, and if you can’t afford to any of those things, you can always make a homemade gift at home. It’s the thought, effort, and love put into the gift that counts. Just don’t get a stranger to present a Valentine Gram to your beloved. Go do it yourself and show how much you love your Valentine.

*You have an option to wear a cupid outfit or not.

Schedule Complication?

I've been trying to improve lately on my video skills and my other arts skills. I really want to take a cartooning/animation class at the same time a video or movie class or maybe do the BBN (Baron Banner Broadcast). But I still want to do the Baron Banner to maintain my writing skills, too and once in awhile my cartooning. This year, this semester and next semester I won't have room for any elective of my interest besides Spanish, but band has an elective period too and I have to take a P.E. class next semester in place of Health so...hmm. Next year, I'll be full again, too because I have to take World History and P.E. the next semester, therefore dropping a class?

I really want to improve in all my art skills: video/slideshow/movie, writing, drawing/cartooning, and instrumental music.

Maybe I'll do the Baron Banner for two or three years, then I'll do the BBN after.
As for Jr. and Sr. year, I want to at least take a cartooning/animation class and/or a class on well video/movie related stuff.

But next year with P.E. 2nd semester will be kind of a complication.

A Close Call

6:56 am. I woke up this morning tired and couldn't help thinking, "Crud! Should I get ready for 0 period or...was it modified." I forget to turn on my alarm the night before and I had to trust my instincts that it was modified...so I set my alarm on to 7:20 am fifteen minutes later, so I'd get ready.

I ended up waking up at 7:17 am and got out of bed, dressing myself as I wait for my alarm to beep. Then my I took my time in the bathroom to get my hair ready and brush my teeth...and splash the cold water in my face to get myself awake. My dad broke the clock in the bathroom the other day, so I wasn't sure whether it was ten minutes in there or so. But afterwards as I sat to eat a bowl of cereal and soy milk as usual, I looked up to the clock. 7:17 am. Wait...what? Wasn't it just 7:17 am a few minutes ago? So, I went to my room and checked my alarm clock. 7:56 am. Looked up at my wall clock. 7:56 am. To make sure, I rummaged through my backpack for my cell phone and checked again. 7: 17 am. My dad must have forgotten to fix the time when he put up my wall clock after he remodeled my room. Better early then late. Actually more like "early." Before I went back to eat, I wanted to check the list on the refrigerator from the school planner I ripped off for sure to see if it was a modified. "Modified Days: ...January 15." Oh, okay. Wait...well...alright.

7:45 am. And so, my dad drove Alex and I to school as usual, but without Patrick (Alex's friend; neighbor) because he was sick and, my dad was driving instead of my mom today. But even so, as we reached school, there were lots of cars driving along the school-side. So then I thought to myself, "I hope it's not 0 period, yet." 7:56 am.

And so I walk on campus, walking towards the gate that leads straight to tables outside the cafeteria where my friends usually we're. Then I heard a short bell. The warning bell...for 0 period? or...

I saw a few people walking outside, but they seemed rushed...and they seemed to be heading to class. "Uh oh." I followed my instincts to walk faster to the foreign language halls. "Why the farthest hall...why the farthest room..." Room 206. I walked faster and as I was right outside the halls. RING! Darn! Saw a kid run ahead of me and had to copy along with him. I ran halfway down the hall, then slowed down to a fast walk again as I reached the door. Room 206. Opened the door, and right away, my distractable Spanish teacher looked away with a phone call and I sneaked quickly to my seat right next to the door. Thank gosh I have a chair near the door now.

So...I missed 0 period. At least I didn't get a tardy detention. 8:01 am.

The Better Person

I wish I could be a better person-- the person whom I thought

I was, but never was...

To ask so much of myself, and to let it take control of me to be

the not so better person I am now.

I've always dealt with stressful emotional problems.

But I haven't learned to let go,

to let go and forget--the absence of thinking,

I have to let go.

To let my emotions take over and push my urge for attention,

to be noticed, not ignored, and again for them to notice

I'm still there--and, yet, at the same time, i play a game

of hide-and-seek for them to find me...unintentionally.

I didn't realize or bother to look, until now, at the texture of

the outside of my shell,

to view myself as a not so great person I

thought I was, despite all the wonderful

and nice things I have done within.

But I want to change myself to be a better person, the better

person whom I yearn to be,

the better person for the better,

for myself and my surroundings.

I will be positive, I will let go, and I will not let it take control

of me, no matter how much I urge for attention--

...because

I am not a burden, never a burden. I will not hate myself.

I am not ignored,

because I have true friends.

I will never ever be that same jerk I have

been, but I learned how much I

actually caused the suffering for

not just for myself...

but for those around me as well.

If I believe I am a burden to myself and to others, because

of this, they are my friends to be there for me to help, but

then again, I must let go, forget, and fall...

and hope I land on my feet

because I will try really hard to learn from my life

mistakes I have come to realize,

to be a better person--the person whom I thought I was,

but never was...

My Small Ears

Everyone keeps telling me I have small ears. When someone mentions it, they all look and go "YOU DO HAVE SMALL EARS!" o.o

Today, my dad finally said, "YOU HAVE SMALL EARS!" when he looked at me for a moment on the way home from Hapkido. My friends when we were in 8th grade said, "YOU DO HAVE SMALL EARS!" after I told them how my bro keeps telling me that. My brother (Alex) goes, "You have small ears," over and over again, and then my cousins look and say "YOU HAVE SMALL EARS!" My mom at dinner exclaimed, "WOW, YOUR EARS ARE SMALLER THAN MINE AND ALEX'S"

._. uh...are they really that tiny? lol Well, whatever. At least they aren't gigantic, but -shrugs- I'm getting used to it. But I'm still somewhat getting weirded out whenever people exclaim and mention that I have small ears.

My New Years Resolutions & Goals of 2008

• Complete all homework, and I mean ALL, before freetime.
• Read 100+ books with more than 150 pages
• Have an article ready each day we have article readings in 0 period
• Work harder in my Biology (especially), Algebra 1 (despite it's easy), and EngHonors1 to try to maintain straight A-'s at least
• Run faster than a 8:56 min mile & a 4:01 half mile
• Excersise and go on a more healthy diet to lose 20-50 pounds (I will admit I am overweight for my height, though I don't look like it in a way)
• Learn, practice, and memorize all major scales on clarinet
• Achieve 100+ suscribers& reach up to 50+ videos on Youtube
• Be able to afford and go to the Bahamas with the FVRR marching band next year (this one, I gotta work on)

Haha, that's a lot =] But I'm going to work on it.