N Huynh came up to me at recess today and asked if I know Girls Generation. I said I did, and she was asking me about "Oh!" and "Gee" - she said she knew the dance moves but was a bit too shy to show all of them to me. Funny girl. One of her classmates, K, also knows about Girls Generation and T-Ara as well. They're third-graders and Vietnamese... so hallyu continues to have an impact...

I didn't go to April Verch's performance in Berkeley last night, as you can tell, nor did I go to Rhonda Vincent's on Thursday. I have to get that window fixed--I wasn't about to leave a car in that condition on the streets of Berkeley. (And is it easy to find parking at or near the Freight and Salvage Coffee House? I looked up its address and directions on its website, and I don't recall there being any parking garages in that area. But there may well be one.)

I do not have any particular reason to go to the campus. I suppose if someone wanted a tour there, I could give one, but I'd have to check out the website and become familiar with all of the changes that have been made to the campus (and the new buildings that have been constructed) since I was there. I heard last Sunday at STA that the GTU bookstore has been closed. (Some of the regulars were talking about how many of the bookstores in Berkeley had been closed.) How about a walk along Telegraph Ave.?

The other day I was sampling bluegrass albums--I found it odd that while I enjoy much of what I can find on YouTube from artists like Rhonda Vincent and April Verch, the number of songs on any album that I like (or think are good!) rangers from maybe half the album to 3/4. Is it true even in bluegrass that some songs are put on albums merely as filler? Surely it can't be that whoever is in charge (the manager, artists, or execs) think that every song on the album is that good and marketable? If only they would perform the classics and traditional folk songs...

What does the name Tiana mean? I found out that her brother is Vincent from 1st grade. She's a Chinese Vietnamese, and was talking some Cantonese to me in class, which I didn't mind. Both she and her brother are a bit hyper and don't stay on task for long. Nature or nurture?

Yesterday they were drawing some posters for a poster conference. The theme? Draw about something you'd like to learn this year, or something you want to do better. One of the children told me, "--- said he wants to learn how to do S-E-X." "EWWW!" What's going on in that home? (This was a third grade class.)

Niece #1: "I want chicken leg."
My mom: "That's gai bei. Say gai bei."
Niece #1: "Gai bei. I like gai bei. I don't like chicken breast."

heh.

"Popo I don't want you to go. I miss you."
KK: "She's being manipulative." heh

Immaculate Mary

Immaculate Mary, your praises we sing;
You reign now in splendor with Jesus our King.
Ave, ave, ave, Maria! Ave, ave, Maria!

In heaven, the blessed your glory proclaim;
On earth we, your children, invoke your sweet name.
Ave, ave, ave, Maria! Ave, ave, Maria!

We pray for the Church, our true Mother on earth,
And beg you to watch o'er the land of our birth.
Ave, ave, ave, Maria! Ave, ave, Maria!

source

I think this is the hymn my mother taught to niece #2, but she mistakenly thought it was Immaculate Mother instead of Immaculate Mary? I'll have to ask her. Niece #1 knows the first verse, and niece #2 knows when to start singing "Ave" though she pronounces it "Awi."

Edit: My mother changed the word on purpose, because she thought it would be nicer, and to emphasize to niece #1 that the Blessed Mother is the Mother of us all.

The nieces have been sick the past few days; today niece #1 had a runny nose, but no temperature.

After lunch: "I'm tired. I want to go to bed." My mom found her in bed lying down praying.
"K-- are you praying?"
"Yes."

My mom often asks her about her dreams and if she sees our Lord or the Blessed Mother.
"Who did you dream of last night?"
"Jesus."
"What did he say?"
"Kylee I love you. You're good."
"Did he give you a hug?"
"No, He kiss me."
"Where? On the cheek?"
"On the mouth."

Mama Mary was wearing pink this time, Jesus was wearing brown.
"Mama Mary has socks. Angels have socks too."

"Angels are working"
"What are they doing"
"They help Mama Mary to sew the shoes."
"What clothes are the angels are wearing?"
"Pink."
"Does Jesus have a crown?"
"No. I told you. Jesus never has a crown. Only Mama Mary has a crown."

She knows how to write M. Seems to know her letters already, but only through her toy 'computer'. When she is presented with letters on the paper, they are less familiar. (Example of trained recognition through stimulus-response-reward?)

So what happened with her hand?
"Po po. Don't worry. Kylee's fine."

"M taang wah."

Niece #1 claims I taught her this... did I? haha I forgot. She was on the phone telling me about the pope and her dancing class today. Hehe, so can I get her interested in ECD?

My sister didn't need me to sit the niece, but I ended up getting up rather early anyway. Didn't do much except surf the net, as usual. I then put in an order for some takeout at Cafe Won Kee, and picked up two baked cha siu bao for niece #1 at Kee Wah.

Then another drive up the peninsula...

When I arrived, my brother-in-law was loading the minivan. I went to the apartment, and my sister started opening up the food containers so we had lunch. The salt & spicy fish filet and pork chops were overcooked (like last time). I don't think I will go to Cafe Won Kee again, if I have a choice. The quality seems to be stuck at this level.

When it was time for them to go, we went down to the garage to the minivan. After I put niece #1 in her carseat, she said, "Kau kau go in back."
I said, "Kau kau has to go home."
"No. Sit in big red car."
"Kau kau has to go home."
Then she started bawling.

Fortunately I had some ice so I used that to distract her, and she started laughing after I pressed it against her face. "Dong bing bing!"

I should be going down there next Sunday for Easter dinner. I hope I can take her to the part then, but she may have a date with the "Easter Bunny."

Darda was packed tonight--I had a craving for green onion pancake, so I ordered 3 to go. 3 was too many--it's ok, but not as good as nan, and there was too much of a flour taste to the pancakes, as if there was too much flour, and not enough water to mix it. Or something. Gordon Ramsay can give the explanation of what went wrong.

More parroting from the niece?

"There is only one God."

"God made everything. God made fish. God made Daddy and Mommy. God made K-----."

Uhoh.

the niece: *poot*

My mom: "uhoh"

the niece: "fart"

"What's that?"

"Fong chau pei."

"What's that?"

"Kau kau knows it."

hahaha. If I taught her the Chinese, at least I didn't teach her the English as well.

You know things are changing...

when one of your students comes up to you at recess, and asks this about another student:

"Why is his hair that color?"
"Who, him? You mean the boy with blonde hair?"
"Yea? Why is it like that?"
("It just is...")

So what will the demographics for California be like in 50 years?

It feels good to get hugs from children you like you, I'll have to admit that. Another reason to prefer being around them than with [some] adults. Getting pictures from them is nice too.

More from the niece

She told her dad: "Daddy I'm going upstairs to pray."


From the past two couple of days.
"Popo, Jesus!"
"Where is Jesus?"
"There!" (Points to the side of the couch in the upstairs living room.)

My mom: "What did you say to Jesus?"
"K----, you are good. I like you."
My mom: "What did you say to Jesus.
"I love you Jesus."

"Is Jesus standing there or sitting?"
"No, he is laying there."
And then she did her hammering/hitting/scourging motion. And then she did the hammer sound. "gok gok gok"

"I say, 'Jesus, K---- is sorry.'"

(My mom doesn't know if she said this because of what my mom said about the stations of the cross, and that Jesus was hurt and died because people were bad.)

"Po po come, help Jesus"
"Help Jesus what?"
"Help Jesus up."
Where is Jesus going?
"Jesus is going up?"
"Up where?" And my mom pointed to the ceiling. "Up there?"
"Yes, Jesus is going up."

"What is Jesus wearing?"
"Pajama."
"What is Mama Mary wearing?"
"Pajama too."

My mom: "Does he have boo boo?"
"Yes."

"Where is Mama Mary?"
She pointed to the side of the bed.
"Mama Mary is cooking."
"Angel is with Mama Mary. Angel is cooking with Mama Mary."
"What color is Mama Mary wearing."
"Blue."

"Did you talk Jesus?"
"Yes."

"What is Mama Mary doing?"
Mama Mary hug Jesus.
"Did you hug him too?"
"Yes"
"Did you tong Jesus ngao han?" [scratch itch]
"I scratch his arm."

Today they were watching news about weather, and she saw the results of tornados and floods, cars underwater, collapsed houses.
"Po po, you fix it. Sad."

This afternoon: "Did you see Mama Mary?"
"Yes, she is here." (she pointed to the couch)
"Did Mama Mary sleep with you?"
"Yes, she hug me."
"Where is your angel?"
She pointed to the other side of her.

"Does angel have wing?"
"Yeah."
"Does Mama Mary have a crown?"
"Yeah. K---- put the crown on her head."

Yesterday she bit her sister, and her sister started crying. Of course she got a time-out from her mom, and she was crying and lying on the floor, having a tantrum. Later her dad came home and asked her what happened. "Mommy said time out. K---- bite baby."

Later she said, "Sorry J-----," at her mom's prompting.

K---- is still singing, "For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and the whole world." (from the Divine Mercy chaplet on EWTN)
"Popo what is this?"
"This is Divine Mercy."

"K---- go down and eat breakfast."
She took my mother's copy of Magnificat down to breakfast and was looking at it.
"Popo Jesus." "Pope."
She was looking at pictures. "Who's this one?" My mom: "Angel."

My mom thinks she has a very active imagination.... who knows.

Another story about the niece

Niece #1 asked this of her sister, "Mui Mui J------, are you done with boobie?"

What does she mean by that?

She also took her doll, and started to breast-feed it, putting it up to her nipple. hahaha
"What are you doing?"
"Feeding baby."

Now you know what she meant. hahaha She picks things up quickly, niece #1.

Stories about the nieces

After watching Mass on EWTN a couple of times, niece #1 has learned how to sing "alleluia," though she initially pronounced it like "ah-lay-loo-ah" instead "ah-lay-loo-yah" -- the syllables are very distinct. Niece #2, as I've written, occasionally interlocks her fingers, as if she is praying. (I have a picture of this that I haven't uploaded yet.) Niece #1 saw this and said, "Mui mui ------ , amen!" hahaha.

Niece #1 has been playing with statues of the Blessed Mother and St. Therese. She says, "Mama Mary loves [niece #1]. St. Therese loves [niece #1]." I wonder if she treats them as imaginary friens or if it's something real, linked to faith.

Some Kylee stories

Kylee is learning how to make the sign of the cross-she touches her head and then her chest, but doesn't know what to do after that--but she says "Amen."

Yesterday? my mom fell asleep with EWTN on the TV--Daily Mass started and Kylee was trying to get my mom's attention with her "eh! eh!" sounds. She pointed to the TV and the priests were processing in, and I think she said "Amen."

Another time my niece, mom, and sister were upstairs, and EWTN was on the TV again, and there was a photo of the pope. Kylee said, "pope, pope" and my sister said, "That's not the pope." But then the caption appeared: "[Pope] Benedict XVI," and my sister said, "Oh, you're right" or something like that. haha