I’m not much for coffee right after I wake up. These days I like to take my time and get up slowly. First, I do some relaxation techniques. I learned them from my sister’s book (Taoist Health Exercise Book, thanks Erica). Like facial muscle massage. Then I meditate for ten minutes or as long as I can. I’m not very good at it right now. The hardest part is to not let the the random thoughts that come to mind distract you. Then I drink some warm water mixed with 八寳粉 (powder vitamin). Next, I do some calisthenics cause I want to be able to hold my own weight. Finally, shower (if necessary) and get dressed and ready for what the day brings.I ride my bike down the street to go get breakfast. These days I like to eat 饅頭 (mantou) or steamed bread with some 豆漿 (doujiang) or soy milk. In the winter I usually ate oatmeal at home. I ride to the park across the way from the library. Eat my breakfast. Then go study. My goal is to study for two hours before I have to catch the bus for work. It takes an hour to get to work on the bus but the good thing is I don’t have to change trains and it comes to my street and takes me close to work. That’s my morning routine these days kid.

“I give thanks when I rise up, open my eyes up
calastetic get me right so I’ll be nicer
cause when you feel fit ya feel nice…”

Lyrics from Still Standin Strong by Cocoa Brovaz

Yeah! I’m feeling it kid. What am I happy about? I think these days are going really well. Work is under control. I have less homework and prep work than last semester. I’m reading and studying more lately. Part of my orginal plan, to learn Chinese. I’m reading more characters on the street. It feels good when you can read whats around you. Sunday night I saw a music concert with some wushu classmates. We saw Lee-hom Wang (王力宏). He’s an American born Chinese who is very smart. 1600 on SATs, accepted to Yale and Harvard but went to Williams College to study music. Starting learning Chinese at age 18. He has 10 albums in Chinese, so needless to say his Mandarin is perfect. He learned Cantonese at 23 and Japanese at 25. (There’s hope for me!) It was a tight concert. I was just chilling against the wall at first. I’d heard of few of his songs but didn’t know them or him really well. It was a good performance. There was a lot of feeling in it. He mentioned leaving Taiwan and I think he’d been living and working here for a while. Oh, he played the piano, erhu, guitar, drums and violin. Though his wushu wasn’t great (he did do some along with some other performers), I’m a fan of his music and accomplishments.

這幾天我很高興。因爲這幾天過得很好。我的工作也很好。現在在工作我的功課比較少。最近我看書多一點。我要每天好好學習！還有我在馬路會看懂比較多。上個星期天晚上我看過王力宏的演唱會。這個演唱會是非常昊。王力宏，他很利害。