Oh yes.

CHRISTMAS BREAK IS HERE!!

That's right, I just finished my LAST FINAL of my first quarter at real school.

Happiness does not even describe. I also had a peppermint mocha to celebrate.

SAT studying, piano practicing, California debaters, speeches, actually blogging, awana quizzing, SLEEPING, Christmas shopping, hanging with my friends....BRING IT ON!

I feel like I can breathe now. I have time to read books. I can guiltlessly spend hours on the phone or run out with my friends. I don't have to worry about wasting time. I can spend an hour on debate without worrying about a single English paper that I should be doing. I can just chill with my little brother. Also, have I mentioned that my sister is coming home for Christmas??

I'M SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW!!!!!!

Endeavors in Creativity.

This week and next week are finals weeks for me at school (which might explain the lack of blog posts...my mind has been completely consumed by....numerous other things).

However, as part of my Chinese final, we were instructed to come up with an oral presentation representing some of the things we had learned.

I, being the speech nerd that I am, decided that it would be fun to poke fun at the lessons (which include strangers meeting and asking each other out that day.) and turn it into a humorous interpretation.

The presence of a video will not so much as touch any social media, but here is my script (and it's translation, since google translate fails) for your enjoyment. Imagine overdramatized, romantic sighs and voices, if you please.


Mark:　你好。　
Wenxin:　你好！
Mark:　我叫Mark。 你呢？
Wenxin:　我叫王文欣。 你是美国人马？
Mark:　不是。 我是加拿大人。
Wenxin:　(sigh)
Mark:　你是中国人吗？
Wenxin:　(nods)　我是上海人。　你喜欢上海吗？
Mark:　上海很美。　我喜欢上海。
Wenxin: (sigh)
Mark:　你去哪里？
Wenxin:　我去上海东路。
Mark:　太巧了！　我也去上海东路！
Wenxin:　(giggle)
Mark:　上海厨房在上海东路！
Wenxin:　 為什麼？
Mark:　我想请你吃饭。
Wenxin: 现在吗？
Mark:　对。　
Wenxin:　(sigh)　是的！
Mark: 好。(dials phone)
Wenxin:　(sigh)　
Waiter：喂， 您好， 这 里是上海 厨 房。
Mark:　喂，　你好。　我想预订座位。
Waiter:　午餐　还是　晚餐？
Mark:　午餐。　
Waiter:　好的。　请问－
Mark:　啊！不要了。 我要晚餐。
Waiter:　午餐？
Mark:　对。
Waiter:　 好的。 请问， 你们几位？
Mark:　三十六 位。
啊呀！　三十六位吗？！
Mark:　啊?!　不对！　两位。
Waiter:　你们要包房吗？
Mark:　ｍｍｍ。。。我要，谢谢。
Waiter:　请问，您贵姓？　
Mark:　我姓Smith。　
Waiter:　好。谢谢。 再见！
(at restaurant)
Mark:　文欣，你很美。　
Wenxin: (giggle) 谢谢你！
Mark:　文欣，　我爱你。你愿意嫁给我吗？
Wenxin: (gasp) 啊！ Mark! 我爱你！ 我会嫁给你！


Mark:　Hey.　
Wenxin:　oh! hello!
Mark:　My name is Mark. ::prince charming grin:: And you?
Wenxin:　My name is Wenxin. Are you...from America?
Mark:　Oh no -- I'm from CANADA.
Wenxin:　(sigh)
Mark:　Are you from China?
Wenxin:　Yes -- I'm from Shanghai. Do...do you like Shanghai?
Mark:　Shanghai is very beautiful. I like Shanghai. ;)
Wenxin: (sigh)
Mark:　Where are you going to?
Wenxin:　I'm going to Shanghai East Road.
Mark: What a coincidence! I'm going to Shanghai East Road.
Wenxin:　(giggle)
Mark:　Ah! Shanghai Kitchen is on Shanghai East Road!
Wenxin:　 Why?
Mark:　I would like to ask you out to dinner.
Wenxin: Now?
Mark: Yes. 　
Wenxin:　(sigh)　oh, yes!
Mark: Good. (dials phone)
Wenxin:　(sigh)　
Waiter：Hello. This is the Shanghai Kitchen.
Mark:　Hello. I would like to reserve a seat.
Waiter:　Lunch or dinner?
Mark:　Lunch.　
Waiter:　Okay. Please may I--
Mark:　Ah! No. I want dinner.
Waiter:　Dinner?
Mark:　Yes.
Waiter:　 Okay. Please may I ask, how many people?
Mark: ::lovesick:: Hhhmmm?
Waiter: ::ahem:: I said, how many people?
Mark:　uuhhh....um, thirty six?
Waiter: What? 36?!
Mark:　Ah! No, no, no. Two people.
Waiter:　Do you want a private room?
Mark:　mmm....yes, I do. (looks lovingly to Wenxin)
Waiter:　Please, what is your surname?
Mark:　My last name is Smith.　
Waiter:　Good. Thank you, goodbye.
(at restaurant)
Mark:　Wenxin, you are so beautiful. 　
Wenxin: (giggle) aww...thank you!
Mark:　Wenxin. I love you. Will you marry me??
Wenxin: (gasp) Mark! I love you too! I will marry you!

Needless to say, my class seemed to enjoy it, and I had fun giving it.

再见！

学 中 文 。

These are the kind of things going through my head right now. It's like a song you only know part of the words for.

您好！

我是美国人。

中国是很美。

我喜欢喝咖啡。

你喜欢茶吗？

我的中文不好。


I can read, write, and pronounce all of that. Without Google Translate. What I'm really proud of, however, is that I have sort of started thinking in Chinese. Little itty bitty phrases, like please, thank you, goodbye, and my name is.....

It's cool.

再见！

Because I'm just weird like that.

This morning is definitely on my list of weirdest mornings. Or maybe just most abnormal.

I got up at 5:30 this morning (::gasp::) and cleaned my room in the dark. That’s right, the dark. Because I didn’t want my bedroom light to wake anyone up. I’m a ninja like that.

Then I took like a superfast shower, and by then it was late enough to turn my lights on. I then proceeded to do geometry in under 45 minutes. (Like I said, I’m a ninja.) Then I read like 3 chapters of my literature book (The Red Badge of Courage…it’s…an interesting book. I sort of like it…kinda.)

I was really hungry after all that (this ninja thing isn’t easy, you know) so I went into the kitchen, put like an extremely large pile of dishes away, (really quietly, like a ninja, you know.) and tried to find something to eat….with no avail. And there was like, less than ½ a cup of milk left. So I warmed it up, and had about ½ a cup of hot chocolate, mixed with a little rice milk. It tasted funny.

I also discovered that we had chocolate covered ginger cubes, which is probably totally whacko to some of you, but proved to be an immense source of happiness for me….

Then I went back and did physics for an hour, and almost completely finished this week’s homework. I also spent a great deal of this time reading all the problems aloud to myself in a cross between a Russian and Malaysian accent.

Then I did my economics homework.

Then I was informed that we had waffles. (I had apparently neglected to check the freezer in my previous quest for edible goods) So, (being like really hungry at this point) I had two of those, but I’m not a huge fan of them, especially wheat bran waffles. So I made myself two eggs. And since I was still hungry, I ate this gigantic banana. Like, the size of my head. And being still hungry, I ate potato chips. And since I was still hungry, I ate ice cream. Nom.

Mmhm. I think I have a life record here. I’ve never had ice cream for breakfast.

And now it’s 10:40, I have half my schoolwork done, and I’m still like, really, really hungry.

I suppose I’d better get back on that economics homework. Hopefully you found this post a mild source of amusement, because it’s not often that I take the time to detail to the public view the in-depth events of my life. More evidence of the abnormality of this morning, I suppose. 8)

Oh, oh, oh!

[Sorry this is so incredibly late. I'm catching up, really. I wrote a majority of this right after Idaho but have just gotten around to posting it. Regionals post is coming soon.]

I had the most FABULOUS time at the Idaho tournament over March 18-20. The week preceding was filled with seehowmuchofyourspeechyoucancramintooneday! along with script submission forms, last minute duo changes, and more double stick tape and magnets than a sane person should be handling at one time.

After frantically scurrying around, trying to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything of significant importance, (mind you, this was the first time Raymond and I had gone anywhere without mom or dad. It took awhile to get out the door. =P) we all got in the car and drove to the M's house, since they were taking us. After mom and dad had left (and I had checked the car 3 times to make sure nothing of significance was left in there), we proceeded to spend the next 2 hours chasing angry chickens and running around their house, making sure we hadn't forgotten anything of significant importance.

And off we went!

Us Poor Washingtonians. So excited about a little bit of snow.

I love this picture.

We had way too much fun on this car trip.

Sarah, who I called "my monkey" for most of the trip, making her "Giant" face for her speech


I have officially adopted her as another of my little sisters.



Self Explanatory.

Sorry for the bad video quality....this was before I switched to using Raymond's camera. This was right about when we reached Spokane.

We were frantically trying to get Raymond's camera set up so we could film us actually crossing the boarder.

Okay, so maybe I was a *little* excited about getting to Idaho....
(Here you get to hear my "Idaho poem" which was composed specially for the tournament)

We arrived at the church,
survived script submissions and registration,
and then stopped at a Mexican restaurant for dinner with the M family, Mrs. M's brother's family, and Mrs. M's parents. Raymond and I were particularly amused by the "deep fried ice cream" on the dessert menu, which we all got to try in honor of Rebecca's birthday.

Rebecca, Sarah, and I all shared a room....and boy did we have good times.
This was actually our second night. The first night into the first day of the tournament was WAY to hectic to worry about taking pictures. =P

Sisters. =)

"Close your eyes and look like you're asleep!"

"AAAHHHH!!!!"

Bright and early the next morning, after frantic showers, inhaling our breakfast, last minute hair fixes, blazers, tie-malfunctions, and other such things as come with speech competitions, we all hurried out into a crisp, cool Idaho morning (translated as: FREEZING!) to drive to the church.

Just to illustrate how cold it was....




We found some of the most amusing things on the way...

Expensive energy drinks, no?

One LONG tournament day later...the mental-craze of the tournament is finally setting in as we marveled over this chicken like thing right outside the tournament...for which the video is unavailable. But know speech tournaments do weird things to your brain. (haven't I said this already?)

On the way home, we took the "Cliff Road", as Rebecca calls it, by Coeur d'Alene lake.

GORGEOUS.

For once I was satisfied with the results of my attempts-at-photography...

Sarah liked the hairpiece I used on day two, and she asked me to put it in her hair when we got home.

Little model <3

Next day...... Semis/Finals breaks. ...... AAAAAHHHHHH!!! This is where Hannah gets overly hyper and excited.Our duo (me and Raymond) broke to semis, but not to finals. My Dramatic Interp. broke to finals, as did my Illustrated Oratory.

Semis and finals have always been my favorite rounds (even though they are the most nerve racking)....I get the adrenaline rush and the energy high and run around frantically trying to find rooms, trying not to be nervous, watching some of the really good speeches, and enjoying myself immensely.

This is the kind of thing you do before you go into a round. Pace back and forth looking at patterns on the walls. =P
(actually, he wasn't waiting for a round. But he did find some kind of odd pattern)

Waiting for the awards ceremony with my friend Gabby...

Our duo placed 12th, my dramatic placed 6th, and my illustrated placed 3rd.

And little Miss Sarah competed in the Junior Tournament they held with "Jack and the Beanstalk" for her dramatic. She was the youngest competitor in the entire tournament and placed 3rd. I have never seen her so happy. :)

(she's the shortest one with the lovely green dress)
All in all, it was a lovely tournament and I had a fabulous time.

Tournaments Do Weird Things To Us

Verve Tournament was last weekend!!! =D

Seriously, who doesn't love giant pieces of chocolate cake the size of your head and half-crazed line dancing to live bluegrass music and winning piles of trophies?

Okay, so I didn't win piles of trophies. Just one. (It's shiny and extremely sharp on the end. ::grin::) But other people did.

I love how speech tournaments end up being some of my best, most memorable weekends. I've only been to 2 and already I'm getting them all mixed up. But oh, I love it.....running frantically to a round, tournament pizza, meeting new people, slippers, blazers, breaks, skits, sharp trophies....

My Illustrated Oratory got 2nd place, which was extremely surprising. My dramatic only got 13th, but it was still loads of fun.

I ::cough:: will admit I memorized my speech the night before the tournament. And I was pretty nervous about it too.

So, a friend of mine and were having a conversation on gmail the other day about memorizing speeches. (this was pre-tournament as I was frantically trying to memorize)

Me: Thing is, I tend to do a good amount of forgetting when I'm extremely nervous.......
Friend: ah
hmm.
so don't get nervous! =D
Me: That's a good point.

About a day later, I sent an email to my sister and asked her to pray for my speech tournament. She wrote back and gave me this verse:

I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD; I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.

I honestly thought this was the coolest verse in the world that God could have given me. Not only did it say "I will go in the strength of the Lord" (as in, He will give me the words, strength, and calm nerves for my speech), but "I will make mention of your righteousness..."

If you've seen my speech, you know that it's on Chinese characters and their connection to the Bible - and that the climactic point (and pretty much my thesis statement) is righteousness.

Is God amazing or what?

It was absolutely amazing how peaceful I felt during the rounds. Yes, I messed up, which usually caused my heart to go ::kerthump:: and my face to turn pink and I would fumble with the boards to pass the time while I remembered what came next. But that only happened once or twice, and for some reason I could still keep going smoothly and enjoyably.

It's amazing the peace God gives you when you know you are doing it for Him, that there is nothing to be afraid of, and that His joy is your strength. =)

I'll post more pictures soon!

Speech Stories #3

I never expected to break. At all.

(For you non-speech people, that means make it to semi-finals/finals.)

So, as you can see, I relaxed in my jeans and sweatshirt to watch the semi-finals.


As it turns out.....I broke to finals. (there were no semis for my event)

So I was quite excited. =D

But, I didn't expect to do great. I mean...I was going up against lots of people who'd done it for years, and were much, much better than me.

So I called my friend, asked for prayer, reviewed it in my head millions of times, and went in and gave it for the final round.

Then I jumped around nervously for the next 5 hours after that, until the awards ceremony.

6th place.....not me.

5th place.....not me.

4th place....not me.

I was beginning to get worried. :P And excited.

I got 2nd place!!!!!!!!! =D I was positively shocked. I am still shocked. I will continue to be shocked for quite a long time. I really honestly don't think I deserved it at all.

But it just goes to show what the Lord can do. At my first tournament (the round robin), I didn't place at all. So I honestly thought this tournament wouldn't be any different.

And now I get to go to regionals!! I'm very excited!!! Thank you all for your prayers, this weekend was a milestone for my year. :)


Enough about me. I must tell you that Gabrielle, Danielle, Rebeka, Grace, Sophia, and a lot of my other friends all placed and did very, very well. (although I can't for the life of me remember their placings or exactly what events - but it was good. =] ) Some of the most fun times I had were between rounds with my friends. I love my speech group and I have been learning so much and enjoying it a lot. =D

Speech Stories #2

There needs to be one more in the series before I tell you how I did.

So here it is. And yes, I am going to keep you in horrible suspense as to how I placed until tomorrow. In case you are wondering, the reasons would be as follows:

1) I am exhausted. 3 days in a row of...*counts*...almost 15 hour days in business/dress wear, speeches, meeting people, etc.

2) I am plumb out of words. I'm still a novice and getting used to all this speech. :P And I must tell the story properly, and in order to do so I must have a reasonable amout of sleep which leads to....

3) It is currently almost 10:30 and night and I have church tomorrow.

Before I bore you any further with how tired I am, and possibly say something to further embarass myself (assuming I haven't already....), good night to all!!

Thank you for your prayers, everything went fabulously. Pictures, stories, and more to come!

Speech Stories #1

Last night was the registration/social/pre-tourney event.

Imagine lots of speech-debate kids running around with beans, cake, and dragging each other across a circle while talking, eating, and getting nervous for a qualifying tournament the next day.

Imagine a friend and I, walking out in the dark, bitter, windy night to find our mothers....

And all of a sudden the bush next to you begins to shake violently and from it comes the most horrible wailing sound.

(okay, I'm being a bit over dramatic here, but you'll have to forgive me, I've been at a tournament all day)

Anyway. You know me. I'm jumpy, blonde-ish, and rather gullible. But the first thought that came to my mind was "these are speech people. there is nothing odd about shaking, wailing bushes!" and I went about my way. (in case you are wondering, there was a kid back there. It was hilarious.)

More speech stories to come. If you think of it, please keep everyone in your prayers! Another long day ahead of us!

Eeeooii!! I love speech.

So! Today marked my first real, full-length tournament! Oh my goodness, I'm wiped out.

But...I'm strangely in this happy mood. It wasn't like quizzing, where I was wiped out, discouraged, and forcing myself into cheerfulness and positiveness to keep the tears away. (I refuse to cry over that quiz meet. I also refuse to let myself think about it. Enough on that.)

I LOVE speech. Even though I only have 2 events and only have to go once tomorrow, I am planning on staying all day just to watch, immerse myself, and probably time multiple rounds.

I'm hesitant to say that I have finally found a place (since we left church) where I really feel like myself. Because as soon as I let myself go, something happens.

But I am having So Much Fun! :) I mean literally. I am SO tired. But so happy. And it's not near as nerve racking, emotionally difficult, or as hard as...well, the quiz meet. Anyway.

I have to add that I love the people at speech. We're geeky, loud, and you'd probably freak if you wandered into a room with us, but I absolutely love how everyone can just be themselves and have so much fun together.

And I get to get up in the morning and do it all again tomorrow!! I'm so excited!!

Tournament Pictures!

Last Saturday I had my first speech tournament! I was very excited, and I had a lot of fun. =D Here are a few picture from between rounds.

I love Sophia's face as she's trying to get bunny ears on Grace but didn't quite make it... :P And Rebeka, don't kill me for posting this picture, please. :P

I should also note that Grace and Sophia did an amazing job on their duo. =)

Three of us novice speech-ers...so much fun!!

I didn't place, but I had a lot of fun, and wasn't nervous, and enjoyed it immensely. =) When I get to uploading the video of my speech, I might think about possibly letting you see it....maybe. =P