Happy Orange

So today, I went soliciting for my local Youth Council to find food for an event we're hosting. My task: to hit the Asian restaurants.
I was coming out of Calc III, the chapter 13 test when I was, once again, finishing half an hour after my seatmate. Pretty amazing kid, finishes things so fast.
8:45. KKKK, did it close down? A few restaurants were closed. Next was Bimbobam in that big section of the city(downtown? center? w/e) that was loaded with stores. The manager was nice, even took the form after he said he already received one. I saw the sign hiring. I think, after college apps, i'm getting my license, and I'm getting a job. At a restaurant, and yes, doing whatever job is available. Including sweeping tables... since I have no experience. Besides, the aprons are cute.
Then we went to hid a few unknown places, hidden between random cloth, old clothing, shoe stores. ABC Warehouse, etc. Most of the mangers weren't there, but there was one where the people were very nice. And I found out the manager has a son in my school, not a rare occurrence...

Now. The small sush/american food place. 9:30. We've hit about five. It's little neon open sign is hidden in the far corner of the shopping area.
Name: XXX
I walk in. Japanese signs all over the entrance place, gah where is the english? I look through the foggy glass after the front door... It's like the butcher's place with the meet in the display fridges except the sushi is in there... There are things hanging, an open kitchen. A woman who looks like that cook lady from 50 first dates, wielding a piece of cutlery. I don't even remember, there are just things hanging... Reminded me of that video how to eat in a sushi shop on youtube a couple of years ago. I would be the embarrassed one holding up a 1 finger.

Chuckling. Dead silent. Lady comes to front. I stand at door, "um is the manager here." The people chuckling are a 50 or something year old man and some sharp looking (with this evil look) are the cucklers. As I talk to the 50firstdateswoman, they keep on chuckling. Sitting in front of two bottle of wine. Chuckling "The manager just walked out to go to another store..." uh... "Thanks" I do the head nod and leave. Door closes. Chuckling.

I still find the place kind of creepy. I mean, chilling there on a Tuesday night... kind of, well everyone has their own. And dude, I'm not that funny. And the knife... oh well.

The buffet place I went to, I just kept on looking at all the women in the uniforms. And then when the manager-help-mefindone person was talking to me, I was staring at the woman with the uniform who had a shitload of parrot makeup on and weird hair. Just not looking at the speaker... oh well. Fail.

And the bowing. Do I remember correctly? Americans don't bow? Did I watch too many drama's or hang out with aki too much. Shoot that little japanese place with the 50firstdatesmoma is the only place that makes me feel ashamed for not being japanese. On the way home I thought, damn, chinese people don't bow do they? Whatever. Peace.

Father has a virus on the computer that makes sound. It is a weird guy laughing hahaha having an undistinguished conversation, talking the whole time. He knows which one it is on the processes list, but doesn't know how to get rid of it permanently. hahaha.

I love going to the bookstore. I buy books. but like with the library, my favorite part is reading all the summaries for the new books, fiction, nonfiction, etc. I don't know, it's not as good as reading a short story, but I like getting flashes of the ideas people come up with. Reading the summaries of new books is almost like reading newspaper headlines ... I can get a feel of what's going on by looking at what subjects people choose to talk about. and the ideas, it's always nice to know what kinds of stories people are trying to tell (or which cheap plot bunny they're using to make some more cash... hey... it's a nice way to check with the trends...) It's also why i'm pretty competent at choosing books for gifts... because I read way too many summaries and reviews. Amazon browsing = win.

I know it doesn't seem too original, combining two words that sport 600 mil and 50 mil google results, respectively. I actually thought of this name in eighth grade? Well, she was my second art tutor. I was drawing oranges and a few of them were... not molded... just grown in a bruised or... aha! You know how trees have knots? Well the oranges had these dark brown "knots" or growth deformities, which happened to be shaped like a smiley face. Being my spontaneous and immature self, i start shouting "Look! Happy orange!" Oh, how grammar seems to go out the door at intense moments of excitement... I think the big kids there thought I was weird, but, it wasn't too surprising. Anyways, it became may catchphrase at that teacher's. I didn't stay at her place for too long though, I got bored. And i didn't get to draw enough old people. Just shading different jars... i think the most exciting thing came when I could (yes) draw a transparent jar (aka wine bottle)... it had no soul!


I used to go to an old man called Xia. He graduated in sculpting from some art university in China. Legend has it, that when it was time to try out for the school, he walked miles and miles to go audition... He's old. I was in middle school and he and my dad were figuring out how to put the computer screen on a giant screen. It's been a while, maybe I should visit him.


Oh no, well we'll have to start the story there.


The first class I went to his was when i was about two or three. Don't ask me what or why I remember, but I remember how the other kids drew the cats and trees. and how I drew the tree*.


but before that, we have to go to my pre-art class doodling. I used to have a Chinese drawing book on how to draw cute animals. The squirrel looked like this*. The cover of the book was a dusty off black. I used to draw a lot of squirrels. They weren't too cute, but they were easy to draw and showed some resemblance... they sort of looked like this *. then I started drawing rabbits. I could never really get the fingers rights. They always were too big balloons and looked more like blob-feathers balooney things coming off of their hands. The rabbit don't have mouths... there used to be a story my mother told me about how the white rabbit cried a lot and kept on rubbing its eyes, so that's why they were white. So then i moved onto drawing intricate tunnels in my pictures where the rabbits and squirrels would hide. i gave the rabbit a watering pail=action. I added birds attacking the nest=conflict. This was all before I entered Xia teacher's art classroom, got babysat with five little boys and two little girls who both left..., even farther before i entered an American preschool. oh what a prodigious child i was! what happened?


Well, that's it for today. I really don't feel like finishing this up now. I've have six more years to go... we end at me, four or five years old with my friend Goldy about to enter preschool...


Back on subject, I realize, that I have got horribly off topic. But I haven't gotten to why I was at that other non-xia art person's place... and why i am not drawing happy oranges right now...
*pictures will be added once i figure out how i'm going to get the drawings on...