An actual email written by my dad to my youngest brother, which he graciously cc’ed to the rest of the family. At the time, my brother Jon was studying abroad in China.
Jon,
Morgan forwarded your e-mail to him to us. We understand you bought a bike. I hope you will be careful in riding the bike in China. Most of the time they are not obeying the traffic rules. The car never allow bike or pedestrian go first. The car and other biker make turns without signaling. I hope you will be on guard all the time when you are ridding your bike. We don’t want you to get hurt. Your mother wants you to put wet towel on your neck if you feel too hot outside. Keep the chocolate with you until we told you to contact him. Are you using the clean wipe to clean the chopstick and bowl before eating? When you had loose stool, did you take the pill? You should take the pill as soon as you don’t feel right. It always worked for me and stopped the problem right away.
My dad used the music software we got him for Christmas to make a rap about my mom and her friends playing Mahjong. The music video is set in our family living room.
Dad misspells his own name in his profile (Chinese can be bad at plurals, but on their own names?)
First photo comment, on a picture of my pregnant sister in her newly decorated nursery:
“The nursery is really shapping up, the animal mobile is a great hit, and Audrey you look like carrying a twins.”
I was not sure what caused you to feel so sad yesterday. If you willing to share it with me, I am listening. If it was because some boy making some unintended comment on you, be strong but also be wise from now. If you were too boyish or too uninhibited in from of male, they may see you as one of them and start behave less respectfully. You want to be a little bit more mysterious and sometimes at an arm length from them. You need to let them feel that you need to be cared for sometimes and they can not see you through at once. Use ar-nian (your maternal grand mom) as example, she always put her best foot forward (well dressed and make ups) when she is with stranger. She is also less chatty when we go out so everyone new thinks of her as a gracious lady. So learn a little from her in that respect. Hope that helps.
While on vacation, my brother was making everyone laugh by trying on silly hats and holding souvenirs, including a Crockett hat and fake rifle. My dad thought it would be fun to join in. If he was ever a real hunter, I don’t think he could catch anything with that face.
Apparently, when my dad first moved to California from the Philippines, he hit a parked car. He drove home and told my grandpa who told him, “Things in the US are not like in the Philippines! You have to leave a note.”
Contents of note: “Sorry I hit your car. —[my dad]“
i told you that tomorrow will be another day, and i am happy for you got * in stats, i know my dear serena can do it and thank God for it.
your (mom,mei-mei,you) hapiness is my hapiness. i am more happier to know you have a good time there than am there myself. thank you for the tea i know the good pu-er should be the dark red color but not black and i like the big-leaf one too. last night i have a good dream about a tea pot master just has made 3 good tea pots for me, haha..