Sunday, August 28, 2022
Fear
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
Never
Can't stress this enough: how did I get so lucky?
Suddenly arrived at a whole new world in which I need to pick up a bunch of cutting-edge concepts, be part of the brain and decision-making, manage a whole group of people, as well as go out there, meet influential people and get funding. I will have an enormous responsibility as well as independence to lead and act. We are going to build up a strong community, train our warriors and arm them up.
After 8+ years of being a full-time mommy, I barely made any effort to get this opportunity, dang...
Am I ready this time? I have been asking myself this question over and over again.
I guess I was ready a long time ago, at least part of me was ready: my ability, my skills, and all that potential. But I was not 100% confident and self-assured, perhaps.
What did happen to me for the past 8+ years? If I have to use one word to summarize, it is Confidence.
I had given birth, I have been raising my children good, I have grown mature in dealing with all of my relationships, I have been an extremely active contributor to my community in various roles, I have been through all the ups and downs with my roots and I didn't hesitate to take my steps to get to where I really want to go, being a free thinker, a writer, and a freedom fighter.
All of us, deep down a little wild. Some of us are notoriously wild, like me. Nobody ever gets to tell us what's possible and we will never stop fighting and following the deepest calling inside of our beating hearts.
Open too. Years of wading in water and mud only broadened our hearts and vision, stretched as wide as the borderless ocean and sky.
We will never stop fighting.
I will never stop fighting.
Don't even think!
Tuesday, August 23, 2022
Balance
While chatting today, suddenly got super annoyed by Raj who kept interrupting and trying to "correct" me.
"Isn't it what you always do? You are always right, I am always wrong. Can't even wait for me to finish my own thoughts? I don't actually know where my thoughts lead me to okay? I put myself into vulnerable positions like this because I trust you and enjoy our discussions. I allow myself to form my thoughts while talking to you, otherwise, I will be fully prepared beforehand and also in a stance of ready to defend and attack. If you don't even allow me to finish my thoughts, not only you will have absolutely no chance to change any of my thinking, I will as well leave you out of it, instead, go back to my own world and finish it in my own way by myself. If you wanna have your influence, learn to 'hear me out' first. Then you can help me by adding facts into it, that's how you get your influence."
Then five minutes later...
"Sorry baby I got so agitated. Guess what happened in the past two weeks? Who I have been talking a lot to? Yes, exactly, we did so much talking, didn't we? And both of them, either it's in their nature or they acquired that skill from experience, so patient with me, kept listening to me, and asked questions so I was the one who kept spilling out my mind. I think it's both in their nature, as well as the way they were raised and grew mature in society. You know in China the environment for women is way better than in India. And averagely, either in their life or work, they are in closer contact with women. They have more professional relationships with women compared to Indians in the 'startup world'. You guys only know how to work with men, not many women indeed in your workspace especially not in close relationships with you."
I like it, having close relationships with not only your husband, not letting one man dominate your world.
Usually, women have their fathers/brothers to bring about the important power balance. I have no brothers, but my dad did do it, in my early years with different men and Raj. Nowadays I feel like kind of losing a bit from that front because the mutual ground between my father and I have been shaky and impacted hugely by the environment.
The five years I was working I had that balance too, with the same people. Now I'm only getting it back. And I love it.
Monday, August 15, 2022
Getting ready
Don't know if it's anxiety or excitement. It's gonna be a big change for sure, for my life. Maybe I couldn't even anticipate it to the full scale. Or maybe it's nothing, nothing that major, just some alteration in the schedule.
I don't know what to think.
All I know is that now I have lived through childbirth and raising children, I have navigated through the storm of nationwide persecution and the violence of Cultural Revolution.
I don't think I act more mature now, especially nowadays I'm always 5 seltzers' high when having family gatherings and parties, most things I say at parties, won't remember the next day. But surely, something got tougher inside.
Not sure if my oral English got better? Depends on how much alcohol I took I guess. 2 bottles, significantly better, 4 bottles, drop to negative 5. Got to pick up all those specialized words and terms for work, got to be prepared to present and communicate.
Maybe I'm mentally and emotionally ready, right? I think so. Sometimes maybe that's all that matters.
Will I be able to put aside the stress and emotional impact of work? Can I find a good balance of caring enough to fight for the cause and being able to temporarily escape if feeling suffocated?
Promised myself I will always be open and straightforward. Promised myself I will never think low of myself, and maintain a power balance but not imbalance with all colleagues and counterparties, no matter who they are. Promised myself I will stay firm and confident.
I don't think I have any doubt in my ability to learn and master, whatever skill that's needed to deliver. Back then, it had always involved a lot of self-learning and exploring. Everything is changing in seconds, what I need truly is the stamina to sit through the research and learning. Most of the time I will have to teach myself the fundamentals of different fields and areas, something I completely had no idea before. But that's the fun part of life, no?
At the end of the day, I think the best value I can bring to the table is being a solid and trustworthy friend. Now after all these years you know that's the most important thing to lead a happy life. Such a friend either as a family member or life partner or colleague or friend friend, the people who get to have them are truly lucky. Can't control the number of such I am entitled to, but at least I can be one of such for the others.
I guess I am ready then. Ready to start a new chapter, ready to move on. Ready to get back there and march on.
The India I love
Happy Independence Day India!
It was a true independence after decades of peaceful nonviolent movements and democratic readiness. It has been a true democracy from the beginning of independence because diversity, tolerance and pluralism are deeply rooted in Indian culture and history.
None of the Asian countries achieved it by themselves, like the way India did.
So for all Indians, no matter where you are, remember that the word "India" represents multiculturalism, tolerance, diversity, and nonviolence.
Never let anyone brainwash you into the oblivion of exclusion, intolerance, and ignorance.
Only upholding the values of diversity and tolerance can ensure a democratic and republic future, nothing else.
Saturday, August 13, 2022
Friday, August 12, 2022
Psychiatric treatment
Just a few days before, Raj made that comment about "you are so much better with your parents this time, not so many, almost no crazy fights for the past 9 months". We analyzed a whole list of reasons. Was thinking about writing them down, but got way too busy, binged "Indian Matchmaking" in 3 nights.
But then that day, I broke my keyboard. Threw it on the floor, a few keys fell out, Raj put them back. I don't think I was angry with my parents at all, nothing special got added on, just couldn't control my emotions. Pretty crazy the moment after waking up in the morning, like a fireball rolling and bursting out furious flames, burning everything to ashes. When I was young, they been acting like this quite regularly no? Once a few months, once a month, once two weeks, throwing furniture at each other, screaming at the top of their lungs, and the coldness would usually last for a few days, I just hide in the dark and cry.
Later that afternoon, felt the blood flowing down. Sometimes menstruation does push me to the extreme side of the mental spectrum. Not too often, but when it goes, quite scary. Luckily Raj has become such a veteran on this.
Was trying to book COVID tests so they could get greenlight to board the flight back to China. Said something, they replied some mean things back. Then all I could remember was throwing my keyboard and cursing my dear leader for 5 minutes. Cursed him, cursed his dad, cursed his son that he doesn't have, cursed his whole family, in English. I guess my kids are at school now, finally regained my liberty to openly curse my dear leader and throw things in the house lol.
Went out for a drive for an hour, listened to some songs, carried on but was able to stop myself from some out-of-my-mind thoughts, wept like a baby. Got art supplies for horse riding summer camp. Came back and apologized.
"Absolutely nothing to do with you. It's because of my period, I just couldn't control my emotions... I was only shouting at the computer screen. Not you. Not you."
Then when I came back home at 8pm after a whole afternoon's teaching, coaching and chatting at horse riding summer camp, soccer practice and Taekwondo studio, made kids do great art, ran with the kids until jacket was soaked, and chatted "everything about TW" with a new TW mommy friend from Taekwondo class, Raj came to the garage and quietly told me, "Your mom talked to me today for half an hour. Using Google translate."
"What did she say to you??"
"She asked me to take you to a hospital. They think you are mentally sick, need a doctor, need medicine."
"Ya, they been calling me psycho for years. They literally call me 'sick in the head' or 'mentally ill', because of what I was writing and sharing in Chinese. Told you many times no?"
"She said 'Why she has to comment on politics? Why she needs to know? We are only very small people, we just want to survive. Politics has nothing to do with small people like us.' I told her 'That's the difference between places without freedom and with freedom. People who live in democratic societies participate in politics, discussion is a very crucial part.'"
"Oh, because I was cursing my dear leader today morning right?"
"She said you don't love them, don't talk to them, you don't come to the kitchen. I told her this is a mutual feeling, they also need to respect you and try to listen to you, which they never do anyways. I told them they don't respect you at all. And you do try to help clean a lot, but they take over everything, right after they arrive, no? I can never cook anymore in the kitchen, and cooking is something I love to do."
"See, told you so, if you were a Chinese, we would be manipulated to death, and maybe eventually be split by them. The worst is if your Chinese parents were the same as them, we would be so doomed, kids would be literally raised up and brainwashed by grandparents..."
"She said you don't earn any money, you are just a housewife, why doing all those things here and there, rather focusing on making food and arranging things at home, focusing on being a good housewife. I told her you are very happy and you are very good at anything you do. I told her making money is not important to you and you are very respected by the community, you have a lot of students and friends."
"Waa, waa, waa. Now you are rich, you become my parents' better son that they never had?"
"Ya, they are really concerned, they think you need medical help, some psychiatric evaluation, isolation and medicine kind of treatment. I keep telling her you are good, you are happy, you are healthy, you are stable, you have absolutely no problem at all."
"Good, that's why I'm with you instead of staying in China lol. Will eventually end up in a mental hospital and never see the outside world anymore, no?"
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
What-If
When there is the existence of dictators, there is no peace for normal people.
Have never thought war and darkness is too far away, growing up hearing about rumored secret bases of the People's Liberation Army, in my remote hometown Guangze, in my parents' now living city Fuzhou, and in my Uni city Xiamen. Each place has dozens of relatives and hundreds of friends and loved ones.
But guess what, my heart feels much closer to Taiwan, because of the un-lost Chinese culture and the sweetness in their personality that's exactly like us Fujianers, before the CCP. If I ever allowed myself to grow homesick, that bitter-sweet sentiment should be mostly expressed in a Fujian-Taiwan way.
"Your parents are playing war hysteria the whole morning!" Husband got super annoyed for the ten minutes he was in the kitchen filling up his coffee mug.
"How do you think I live under tremendous pressure 24/7? You don't even understand a bit of the language!"
My mom actually tries to peek into some channels and discussions made by the anti-CCP side, unconsciously. But my dad never. As men get older, they lock themselves into smaller, stronger, and darker box after box, until it becomes their coffin. No matter if they are brainwashed by communists or made-up God's evil-intentioned spokespersons.
My mom always feels embarrassed when she is "caught" listening to anti-CCP stuff, especially in front of my dad. Feels like a traitor I guess. I sincerely have no idea how she truly thinks, all thoughts and comments are automatically blasted out from the explicit structure of brainwashing machinery that is solidly implanted into her deepest consciousness.
Wars are the evilest expression of humans. Or you could say, wars are the expression of humans' evilest side.
Some are howling with fists punching in the air, asking for war. Some are devasted by the possibility of it but will fight till their last breath. I am the latter. But who exactly am I? At the end of the day, I am just chopping off my left arm with my right arm and stabbing into my own heart.
Nobody wins. All that to me, is death and destruction. My death and destruction.
What-If DC War Game Maps Huge Toll of a Future US-China War Over Taiwan
Call me The Professor
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
A landmark - video making
Summer of 2022 is the summer to summarize. Was counting my professions with husband last night: full-time mom, musical storytime teacher, baseball/soccer coach, school volunteer, nonprofit management, freelance on social media outreach, writer, plus what I'm gonna get back to at xxx. Guess what, what about me making Youtube videos, doesn't count as a profession? Well, at least sort of. Only if I have more motive and time, I would make a living out of it, maybe, why not?
Raj always says my "Youtube account is a mess, all kinds of things there". Yes, it's true. Already tried to separate some content into different channels. Whatever under my personal account is a reflection of me - multiple-sided and chaotic...
But I did try my hand at making Porshe-looking videos. Those are not easy. I wrote the scripts for weeks even months each, did a lot of research while writing. Then I spent at least a few weeks compiling one video. Total hours of intense editing? I would say every minute in the video took 1- 2 hours. Especially the translations from English to Chinese or from Chinese to English. Such videos do require ultra-focus and real hard work.
Why do I progress at such a slow pace? Because unless I can do this full-time, otherwise adding the workload on top of my daily schedule brings ache and soreness to my eyes, neck, back, shoulders and wrists.
If the world rewards the actual work people do to make it a better place, I would be a millionaire by now. All the work I have done has been for free. All of it. I am "worthless" in terms of materialistic measures, and that's for extremely shallow people to conclude. Anyways, who the heck cares about what those people think right?
Really proud that I at least produced many high-quality videos below. Both in Chinese and English.
Moving forward I would love to make more videos like these and I do love this way of expression, besides writing random stuff, making random videos, or writing books. Just will advance very slowly :)
文字版/ Script:https://feimoyu21.blogspot.com/2020/11/lakshmi-kali.html
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Pelosi
Pelosi suddenly occupied his entire world, no matter where we are at, hot springs, camping, dinner at a restaurant celebrating. Life has lost all attractions. Head buried in Wechat, "What a bitch!" "She dares not to go, old woman. 82-year-old ugly witch!" "Bullying us people, evil Americans!"
I am covering my ears 24/7, always something playing on the headphone. But sometimes, such phrases do slip in.
I follow the news too, but Pelosi would never take over any one of the million businesses I am dealing with in daily life: children's homework, dancing/gymnastics classes, music teacher communication, art consultation at horse riding camp, head coach for soccer teams, back to school registration, Taekwondo competition arrangments, coding class madam WhatsApp messaging...
Pelosi is obviously noble, after 1989 she was there in Tian'anmen square, leaving white flowers for fallen students who were murdered. In fact, my prof had met her, many times maybe. Forgot the details, he surely told me before but I had no idea how significant that was back then.
Pelosi now represents the will of common Americans and is backed by the strongest military in the world. Of course, she will go. What did you think? Threatening her with military engagement? Forcing her to go, don't you think?
The funny thing is to watch how the majority of Chinese in hot boiling oil right now, just because their male God told them so. The almighty male God of my country misjudged, didn't he? Had no idea about the structure and function of different democratic systems, no?
But he is still the God, and God is unchallengeable, like the one and only male Gods everywhere in the world. Brainwashing their people into complete oblivion and incompetence, losing any taste in freedom whatsoever. The ultimate definition of obedient & not-sined fair lambs. My country's invincible male God has "1.4 billion" of such.
"1.4 billion"! Had been seeing this expression whenever they try to put themselves on higher ground so as to morally and emotionally intimidate you. "1.4 billion" obedient & not-sined fair lambs, so fair, so pure, none of them is anywhere close to being "dark and retarded".
The supreme one and only male Gods of different human worlds.