So true

From: "The Royal Tenenbaums"

"When you cheat, you don't win. And when you lose, you don't win."
- one of the kindergardeners I subbed

I should just wear a sign

Today at church I was asked by three different people about my racially ambiguous "ethnic-ness".

The "I'm going to guess till you tell me" approach: 
Dude: You look like you have some polynesian in you.
Me: Oh, hello. No.
Dude: Latin?
Me: Nope.
Dude: ...
Me: The usual explanation
Dude: That's so neat. You are very pretty.
Me: Thanks, my name's Emy.
Dude: I'm so-and-so.
I really don't know how these conversations ever start before regular introductions.

The "up front and direct", and only starting up the conversation in the first place to satisfy curiosity: 
Gal: Hi I'm so-and-so.
Me: Hello, I'm Emerald.
Gal: So, what ethnicity are you?
Me: The usual explanation
Gal: Wow, cool.
Me: Yup.
She didn't have anything more to say, so I left for class. I think she wanted me to ask about her ethnicity too, seeing how she was also ethnic in some way. But I really didn't care to stand there and talk about that. It really gets boring so fast.

The "round about, in the middle of a conversation already, not wanting to seem to interested but really is":
Guy: So Emy, where are you from?
Me: Southern California.
Guy: Oh ya? What part?...ya I've heard of there....do you know the -family last name-.... ya it's a nice place
Me: Ya, I loved it.
Guy: So, where is your family from?
Me: My parents both grew up in Washington.
Guy: Oh ok, but like, where are they originally from?
Me: Oh, you mean like, what ethnicity?
Guy: Well, ya.
Me: usual explanation.
Guy: Oh, that's neat, blah blah blah...
Yes, I usually know from the start what they are trying to ask me, but really, where's the fun in letting them off easy.

Anyway, that's what happened today, and most days I meet new people. I really don't mind at all, and I'm really used to it. It's just funny how some people go about it.
But here is the best one.
A couple years ago I was waiting for my food at the Cougar Eat/cafeteria  at school. There was a guy standing next to me, also waiting.

Guy: Hey there.
Me: Hi
Guy: I like your colors.
Me: Oh my clothes? Thanks.
Guy: Oh, um, well, uh, ya, that too.

WTF

Some things need no words

The end of a longer conversation about the past little bit of our lives:

Me: The trajectory of our lives is really crazy.
Natty: Ya it is...Want some Butterfingers?
Me: Yeah.

say crack again

We ate tater tots at some point this afternoon.

PJ: What's this?
Me: Well, I believe you know.
PJ: Crack?!
Me: Yes, crack. Crack tots.
PJ: Good. I love me some crack tots.
Me: Like a crack baby. Crack babies grow up to be crack tots.


PS: The ocean ate my phone and there is officially no bringing it back. Bleh.

What's that you say?

I went with my family to see fireworks on Sunday night. It was a perfectly warm Hawaiian evening and fireworks pretty much excite me to no end so I loved it. I enjoyed my family as well. In so many ways it is getting easier and easier to do just that. Maybe I'm just maturing and have an increased ability to love or something. Eh.

Some snippets of joy from the evening:


Rosie: (during firework show) I'm bored, why don't they make cooler fireworks.
Me: These ARE cool! They light up the sky, they are shiny and sparkly, they make loud exploding noises, there are ones shaped like flowers, some that split off into fizzy ones, and they are colorful! There is accompanying music, you are drinking mountain dew. And you're bored?!
Dad: It's called chronic malcontentedness. It's a disease.
Rosie: Aw man, I'm just full of diseases then!

PJ: There are three things I fear in this world - Obama, Osama, and Yo Mama!

My family can be such a hoot, really.
Oh blessed independence.

Only in Dreams, I think.

"Alligators were trying to eat me in my dream last night. My dreams are always so weird. I mean it Emy. To put this into perspective, last night I turned into Reese Witherspoon."
-Rosie Guildner