Welcome to the year 4707!!!

Tomorrow will be the first day of the Chinese New Year. The zodiac sign of this year is the ox. "The Ox is the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work. This powerful sign is a born leader, being quite dependable and possessing an innate ability to achieve great things. As one might guess, such people are dependable, calm, and modest. Like their animal namesake, the Ox is unswervingly patient, tireless in their work, and capable of enduring any amount of hardship without complaint.

Ox people need peace and quiet to work through their ideas, and when they have set their mind on something it is hard for them to be convinced otherwise. An Ox person has a very logical mind and is extremely systematic in whatever they do, though they have a tremendous imagination and an unparalleled appreciation for beauty. These people speak little but are extremely intelligent. When necessary, they are articulate and eloquent.

People born under the influence of the Ox are kind, caring souls, logical, positive, filled with common sense and with their feet firmly planted on the ground. Security is their main preoccupation in life, and they are prepared to toil long and hard in order to provide a warm, comfortable and stable nest for themselves and their families. Strong-minded, stubborn, individualistic, the majority are highly intelligent individuals who don't take kindly to being told what to do.

The Ox works hard, patiently, and methodically, with original intelligence and reflective thought. These people enjoy helping others. Behind this tenacious, laboring, and self-sacrificing exterior lies an active mind.

The Ox is not extravagant, and the thought of living off credit cards or being in debt makes them nervous. The possibility of taking a serious risk could cause the Ox sleepless nights.

Ox people are truthful and sincere, and the idea of wheeling and dealing in a competitive world is distasteful to them. They are rarely driven by the prospect of financial gain. These people are always welcome because of their honesty and patience. They are reputed to be the most beautiful of face in the zodiac. They have many friends, who appreciate the fact that the Ox people are wary of new trends, although every now and then they can be encouraged to try something new. People born in the year of the Ox make wonderful parents and teachers of children.

It is important to remember that the Ox people are sociable and relaxed when they feel secure, but occasionally a dark cloud looms over such people and they engage all the trials of the whole world and seek solutions for them." (Wiki)

Traditionally, the day before the new year, everyone cleans their houses, ancestor shrines, etc. They believe this will cleanse the places from all bad spirits. Even though I had a huge headache I decided that I was going to clean my room. Hopefully I scared away the bad spirits with my vacuum cleaner. Heaven knows I don't need any more bad spirits in the new year!

The first day of Chinese New Year is usually celebrated with the family. Several natives of China will make the trek home to see families. During this time food is eaten and li cee (money in a red pocket) is given out. My own family does this but we usually do it on a weekend. Our family gathers together and eats at LEAST a 9 course meal (7 and 8 are bad luck according to my dad). Unfortunately this year I only made it to the 7th course since my headache was so severe. It was still amazing food and I was thankful that I have the dad that I do.

This year I threw a party for my friends and family to celebrate the New Year. We ate food and set off loud fireworks to scare away evil spirits (another tradition). I wore my cheung sam (traditional Chinese dress) and found that I was a bit more American than I used to be. I'll have to go purchase a new dress for next year. Hopefully I can find one that fits a full chest and full hips (My Caucasian family is from Texas! They do everything bigger there so naturally I'm bigger).

On the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar year, there is a Lantern Festival. I've never celebrated this festival due to lack of knowledge of it. According to somewhat reliable internet sources (*cough*Wiki*cough*), the latern festival is meant to view the full moon in all it's glory and splendor. Traditionally people also eat rice-gluten balls called tangyuan. Mmm! Another tradition is to solve riddles that are found on the lanterns. I think I will attempt to celebrate Lantern Festival this year! At the very least I will go out and appreciate the moon.

The Lantern Festival is the end all event. After this the New Year has been properly celebrated. You've made your prayers at temples, you've gotten together with your living family, you've shared gifts of money, you've eaten lots of good eats, you've done several things to scare away all those evil spirits, you've looked at the moon and appreciatedit's splendor and glory, etc etc etc. What an awesome way to bring in a New Year.

So! All that's left for me to do is wish you a Happy New Year!!!

Gong hay fat choy! Gung xi fa cai!!

The CaucAsian

I keep finding the most appropriate quotes for this blog! It's almost as if the universe is telling me that I finally had a good idea and to run with it! We'll see.

My Starbucks cup gave me this saying from Youssou N'Dour, "People need to see that, far from being an obstacle, the world's diversity of languages, religions and traditions is a great treasure, affording us precious opportunities to recognize ourselves in others."

And there is your "EMBRACE CULTURE!" Quote of the Day!

On to today's blogging topic. As a kid in elementary school I was introduced to those beloved yet dreaded bubble sheets. Back in the day they didn't come pre-filled out like they do for University Exams. No indeed. Every bubble had to be shaded in ever so perfectly otherwise you got the wrong answer by default.

I think this is the first realization that I wasn't just any old minority. I was the super minority (I wonder if I get a cape)!! When filling out personal information, there was a bubble selection that asked you to fill in your ethnicity. I was torn. Do I put Caucasian?? Or do I put in Asian/Pacific Islander?! I'm sure you can imagine a 7 year old perfectionist freaking out about the decision at hand. I raised my hand and asked my teacher which I should bubble in. She said to fill in the Asian/Pacific Islander. Funny. I never thought of myself as Asian. I always thought I was quite white!

And people seem to agree with me. Most of the time when I tell people that I am half Chinese they look at me closer and say, "Oh! You're right! Your eyes do look a little Asian! I would never have noticed unless you had told me!" Either people are incredibly unobservative or I'm just really white looking.

I'm 5'4" 145lbs. Pretty mediocre. Dark mocha hair that shines red in the sun. I used to have to argue with people who INSISTED my hair was black. I guess they thought I had magical hair that magically turned a red/brown color in the sun. Or that I didn't know my own hair color. Hmm. I've "slightly" Asian eyes. I have brown/green irises, no eyelid, and they are almond shaped. I don't know how much more Asian they have be before being TRULY ASIAN eyes, but obviously they don't fit the credentials quite yet. Sigh. My mother always tells me that my nose is very European and not flat/Chinese at all. My skin is often translucent during all seasons; although, one summer I did ride my bike a lot and ended up looking slightly creamy. Slightly. Once a boy told me to put away my legs because they were reflected the sunlight off of them and blinding him. Yeah. Translucently sun reflective skin.

Obviously from that description, when people meet me they do not instantly shout out, "ASIAN! ASIAN!! I'VE SPOTTED ANOTHER ASIAN!!!" Shame, really. I think I would quite like that.

This lack of Asianness has bothered me for a while. Why can't I look more Asian?! I love being Asian and eating the world's weirdest smelling/looking foods!! I love "attempting" to speak a different language (later story to come)!! I love all things cute just like Asians do!! I LOVE Asian fashion!!! Why can't I be more Asian?!

Well. It's because I'm not full Asian. Besides, I like being caucasian too. I love living in the United States of America even if our economy = the pits right now. I love speaking English, one of the most universal languages around. I like not dying of random diseases that always seem to start up in Asia.

SO! I settle for being myself. A CaucAsian. I think they made Caucasian the official whiter person term just for me. Just so I could fit inbetween the two categories.

Wanna see some moon eyes? SAILOR MOON MOON EYES!!

The Blending of Lines

"For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace."

- President Barrack Obama
January 20, 2009
(emphasis added)

The emphasized lines stated above from President Obama's inaugural speech struck me. I think what he said is exactly what I've been trying to define. I'm not "white". I'm not "yellow". I am a member of the Human Race! One of the only things that makes me different from any other human being is my culture. Cultures should be embraced!! They make being a human interesting! Discriminating against a color or a culture is just absurd. If everyone were one color or one culture our world would be quite a boring place. Besides, culture varies according to gender, age, city, etc. Think of everything we can learn from the differences instead of flat out shunning them.

I hope you all got to witness history as it unfolded and saw our new President be sworn in. I can only pray that everything he promised will happen. That everyone will look past themselves and tend to others in need. As Miss America Pageant as it sounds I really do hope for world peace. War and contention get a bit old after a while.

The New Ethnicity

I know what you might be thinking, no, this is not another blog about how one race has discriminated against my own ethnic minority. This is, in fact, a blog to share my life experiences growing up as an ethnic "mutt" around "pure breeds." I don't know what I hope to accomplish by it. I guess I just want to have other "halfies" join in on my mixed up state of culture/thinking and have a place to share experiences with each other.

I also want to attempt to define my ethnicity and have some pretty funny stories to share about my baba and mommy-dearest.

To start off I'll explain a bit about me. My family roots come from China and America (meaning a big blend of distant relatives from England, France, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Italy, etc. etc. etc.) Other than the occasional Chinese New Year Celebration I didn't consider myself Chinese when a younger child. Of course no young child is aware of much in the world around them. Often children are even immune to the differences between humans and animals.

As I grew up I became increasingly obsessed with all things Asian. My father would translate Chinese shows for us. I remember loving the hit tv series "Monkey Goes West" (as my father translated it; aka Journey to the West)!!! I guess my favorite part of those TV shows was just spending time with my father. I later learned that the Chinese are very dedicated to their education as well as work. My father was not an exception.

My life with my mother has been nothing less of a roller coaster ride. Childhood experiences left me with my father a lot more than my mother. I can still remember loving going to work with my baba and exploring his office. As life went on I became increasingly closer to my mother and I guess my baba took that as the official ween off time for him.

I am now best friends with my mother and, after my mother yelled at my father to be more involved in the kid's lives, I've been able to talk with my father more and more. I've learned a lot from being mulit-ethinic. I wouldn't change it for the world. At times it can be so confusing about where I stand but as I grow up and (hopefully) mature, I learn so many things that I love about life and culture and the human race as a whole.

You will read my findings/stories here. I hope you stay tuned.

PS. I am not a literary genius. Sure I took AP English but that was a while ago. Now I'm just a girl with lots of thoughts on her mind. Feel free to put your thoughts in the comments section. I LOVE getting different points of view on life!!