A DILEMMA

I read Robert Frost's " THE ROAD NOT TAKEN." This is like a Chinese proverb that says, DON'T STRADDLE ON TWO BOATS. This is the dilemma of human life. People straddling two boats want the best of both worlds.

When I lived in my homeland, I never dreamed of living in another country because I was contents living with my family even though my income was sometimes uncertain ( Boat I ) Then I was offered a chance to better my income in the U.S. If I left my home, I didn't know if I could get a good paying job. ( Boat 2 ), I faced the two roads. Dilemma; Should I stay or should I go? I didn't want to leave. I hesitated in completing my immigrant document from the U.S. embassy. At the last minute I decided to go.

During the first year I settled in the U.S., I saw that everything was different from what I thought. I realized that I had more opportunities to make friends from many other countries. I'm happy with the road I chose.

My Holiday !

Yesterday was Veterans' Day. Every school, banks and some companies had one day off. But the shopping centers and stores were open on the holiday.

Most people took a rest at home, and other families went shopping and cooked dinner with friends. Actually, I had a day off from school. I didn't plan to go anywhere. I just wanted to relax at home. As usual I got up at 6;00. I had to make breakfast to eat. Then I read an English text book for awhile, until noon. Then My Brother-in-law and Sister invited me to eat lunch with them at a Chinese restaurant in Monterey Park. We waited for twenty-five minutes. We ordered different foods for each person. There were fired crabs, vegetables and beans. boiled chicken, stewed pork, and lotus seed soup with steamed rice. That was a delicous meal !

Afterwards at home. We watched a DVD " The Sound Of Jazz " an American classic moive about the 1930's.The movie talked about Jazz music which was very popular at that time with a famous Black female singer whose name was Billie Holiday. It was a tragic story about her singing life. She died from drugs at age 44. It was a true story.

Anyway, I spent the whole day as a holiday. Though It wasn't anything special,I enjoyed it very much.

" A Happiness Couple "

I met a Vietnamese woman who was my business customer. We have known each other for a long time. To be polite, I've never asked about people's personal issues. Let me tell you a part about their lifes.

One day, She sent me an invitation to invite me to her Diamond wedding anniversary. She celebrated at home because I knew she has a big house with three stories. there are eight bed rooms in total. One big dining-room and living room. There's a big front yard. There were 160 guests in the living room and front yard. At that day I got there a little bit early. So She invited me to sit in the living room to drink a cup of tea. She introduced her husband but I've never met. I thought He's very kind person. We talked together for awhile. I felt very comfortable with our communication. Then, I asked some questions about their private life. The husband told me that who was a professor in an University. The wife was a business woman. They met each other by chanced. They fell in love at the first sight. They were very happy together. But, Her husband's parents didn't accepted their love. Because he was a teacher and she was a business woman. The parents didn't think they were compatable. The husband said that he didn't pay attention to their ideas. He tried to persuaded them.

Two years later. They got married to each other. They had a happy life together. They had three daughters in the first three year of marriage. The second one was a daughter, the third one a daughter again ! They felt depressed. After that they were discussing together. Please don't give up ! Maybe the next one will be a boy. So they kept hoping for a boy. But every time a girl was born. Therefore, They weren't happy in a short time. Anyway they had decided to produced again. Finally, year by year. There were eleven princesses in the family. Oh ! I couldn't believe my eyes. They introduced their daughters one by one. That was incredible ! They said, although most of daughters but they were very fulfilled in their life.

The couple always seem very enjoy over the year. they were very pround of their children. Most of them were successful in their life and got married. They had a happy life too. The husband told me even though they have some arguments but nothing bad happened. They talked to each other. They have had a wonderful life together in their late 80. I think there were no other any couple like them.

What Kind of Music Do You Like And why ?

I like any kinds of music. The reason why is that it is a part of human life. if there were no music, the world would be like meaningless. For example; Most of the festivals, weddings, and parties include different music.

For me, I liked English songs when I was a teenager. My favorite songs were mostly in the 1960's and 70's. Why did I like them ? It was because the rhythms of that music were very easy to memorize, and the lyrics were very meaningful.