21. Chinese Spring Festival

There is no doubt that the Spring Festival is the most important an celebrated in China, which is very similar to Christmas in west countries. Spring Festival is a festival for family reunion. People living far from home go back and get together with their families. The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month which means the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one. And the Chinese government now stipulates people have seven days off for the Chinese Lunar New Year. Theose days off are always during the winter break for students, so it doesn’t really matter as I was a student there. Moreover, since China has 56 minorities, although all the minorities celebrate the Spring Festival almost at the same day as Han people, they have different customs. In general, Chinese people celebrate the Spring Festival in the following ways.

The 23rd day of the 12th lunar month is called Preliminary Eve. People offer sacrifice to the kitchen god at that time. Now however, most families make delicious food to enjoy themselves. Then all the department stores and markets will be super busy when the New Year’s coming, because everyone is going to purchase for “New Year Goods”. That we called goods for the New Year are not only grocery but also various decorations, new clothes and shoes for the children as well as gifts for the elderly, friends and relatives.

Then people begin decorating their clean rooms featuring an atmosphere of rejoicing and festivity. Doors will be pasted with Spring Festival couplets, highlighting Chinese calligraphy with black characters on red paper. The Chinese character "Fu" which means blessing will be pasted upside down. Because in Chinese, the "reversed Fu" is homophonic with "happiness comes". Whats more, Red paper-cuttings can be put on window or wall and brightly colored New Year paintings with auspicious meanings may be put on the wall. People believe that those decorations can bring house owners' good wishes for the New Year in lucky and health.

There is another important part in Chinese culture----food. Of course, food is indispensable in Spring Festival. At the Spring Festival Eve, all the family members will sit and eat dinner together. The meal is much more luxurious than usual. In the North of China, people usually making dumplings for their New Year meal. After the dinner, family will sit together and waiting for the celebration broadcast on China Central Television Station (CCTV). That is almost become a new custom in recent years. Then at the midnight, people might go out to see fireworks. Finally, the most excited part in Chinese New Year is that elder generations will give child a red envelope with “Lucky money” in it. Although I’m not a kid anymore, I still enjoy the atmosphere in Spring Festival. I enjoy every moment of time with my family.  

20. Superhero Power

     If I can have a superpower I wish it is a ability to scan anything I saw and turn it to real. However, all the objects I have turned would just exist for 72 hours. Under this circumstances, I can have all the thing I want to buy through window shopping. I can help beggar by scanning some bread from the bakery. I can make a copy of my classmate's book when I left mine at home. I might also scan a fancy clothes which I won't wear twice to attend to a ball.
     However, this superpower can be used in a extensive range of situations except things with illegal copy right, such as money. Excess illegal moeny would lead to a matter of inflation.
     This superpower would be helpful in some case of urgency or something I might only need for one time which is unnecessary for me to own it.

19. Snowing

     While I was talking over about the unusual warm winter last week, it started snowing on Friday night.It is the first snow in this winter.The temperature was going down in last week. On Friday night, we had a party in a friend's house and watch movie together.When the movie was almost end, someone looked outside and thought about going back.
     Suddenly, he said "it's snowing!"
     "Are you kidding me?" I asked.
     Then everyone was looking outside of the window, we found that it was real snowing. We feel excited and planed to go out. My friend's house is few blocks from downtown Minneapolis.That would be interesting if we went out at a snowing late night. I wore everything I could wear to keep warm, but once I went outdoor I would never get enough.After a long way walking, we finally got to downtown Minneapolis. Quite streets covered with silver light snow which were so fantastical.

     By the way, although I love snowboarding, I haven't been snowboarding here in Minnesota. I'm thinking about go snowboarding with friends during Thanksgiving. I can't wait anymore!

18. A True Friend

Natali is my best friend. We met each other since high school. We were desk-mate who always hang out together, study together, go through all the happy and sorrow.  She make me realized the truth of a real friend.
A true friend is someone who will always stand by your side when someone else hurts you.
A true friend will ask you for help, while a common friend will come to you for help.
A true friend will stay away from you when you are in a relationship, but she will be there for you at once when you feel down or break up.
A common friend never see you cry while a real friend will let you cry on her shoulder.
A real friend will worry about you when she can not reach you instead complaining. 
A real friend is someone who is understanding and always a good listener to you.

16. The end of the world

     End of the world would be a quiet topic in my imagination. If 6 billion people on the earth notice that the earth will no longer rotate, in a common way like every single day, which we may not value it so much and which we did nothing at all. But it is still a day like every day in the seven-ending-world-day. If everybody knows there is going to be the end, people will not talk about that. 
     So for me, there will be more silence filling in my world. I do not want to be specific in what I will do on each day and I do not want it sounds like a perfect plan. Instead, I like the feeling when walking on my way when I really do not care about the way. So one thing I would do is spending time with most precious people in my life which are my parents, best friends and their parents, however, only if they agree with my plan. I would be really exciting if I can go to somewhere like Tibet or Alps, some highest altitude of the earth, which has smallest population density on the earth, watching the stunning beautiful sunset, feeling the falling down of the sun as well as the human's earth,  instead using the word hiding, I would rather address it as isolating, keeping me in a pure way of being a human being. 

15.My Happy Halloween

Chinese American Network had a Pumpkin Carving Event this Thursday. The event started at 5:30pm, but as a member I got there an hour earlier to help the preparation. At 5pm, after we done with all the decoration, people came one after another, each person could buy a pumpkin from the entrance and prepare to carve it. When we started carve pumpkin everyone had a hard time working on the cleaning part. Because before we start carve the pumpkin we have to scoop the inside out till it looks like a lantern, then thinking about what to draw on the surface. I spent a lot of time of designing. I was thinking about does it need to be something scary, like a scared face or ghost. Finally I determined to carve a Baby Paul Frank, Halloween edition. A baby evil must be cute and puzzled as long as I can make it recognize enough.

On Friday I went to a friend’s party which is downstairs at my apartment. Everyone dressed up as whatever they want. Some of them were animals, some were dressing in different occupations, others are inhuman creatures, such as mummies, vampires and so on.

Last but not least, I went to Valley Scare on Saturday with my roommate. That was fascinating though I’ve been to Valley Fair before. The night time Valley Scare had a wonderful atmosphere which is totally different with in the daytime.

What an unforgettable Halloween I have ever had!