I agree with you on the basis of a friendship. Trust and respect are important in any kind of relationship. If you don't trust your friends, family, co-workers, boss, then you don't have respect for them. If I don't trust someone to be honest with me, I usually just avoid getting in too deep with them.
Hello! How are you? Thank you for replying! I plan on writing you the old fashion way but I thought I should just leave a reply since it might get to you faster. I will tell you anything you really want to know, I am not a person who is interesting enough to hold secrets and my life can be pretty vanilla most of the time. I'm 31, unmarried, no kids. I actually stay with my parents now after moving back from Milwaukee, where I lived for 10 years while I attended college. I do hair for a living and am quite passionate about my work. I have always wanted an artistic outlet but was never good at drawing or painting so the art of hairdressing and makeup artistry has become my niche. I actually don't dread going to work at all. I love connecting with people all day but I am somewhat of an introvert so I need to come home and be alone as well. People take a lot of energy from me... even if it's good, it's still draining. Anyways, that's just what I do and my current situation.
Internally i may be someone very simple or quite complex. I think I am someone who takes the worlds problems and make them my own. I am often left hopeless about mankind and that people are so hate-filled, it makes me sick. I am a very open-minded person and my first instinct is to empathize with others. This may be both a strength and a weakness. I tend to see the good in everyone and like to know people's stories because I can understand why someone might act out in certain ways. I'm also pragmatic and logical, but at the end of the day, sensitive and emotional might take over. I recently went to California for my maternal grandmother's funeral and i was so afraid to just let loose and cry and fought back so hard. I have never been to a funeral for someone close before and i didn't know what to expect. I just knew it was going to be hard. Little did I know that there is so much politics behind any Hmong tradition or event. My grandma was a shaman but she was also unmarried and she had all daughters and one step son. Even though her daughters are her flesh and blood, the step son had the say in everything, even if he did not love her. I was always taught to respect elders but I never knew that behind all the formalities, adults don't really like one another. Well, anyway, i also had a hard time trying to comfort my mother. My family is your typical Asian family. Very little emotion and a lot of discipline. My parents don't ever say things like, "I love you" and we never hug or show affection... so it's hard for me to comfort others since I'm so "emotionless" is what they call me at work. So when my grandma passed, I was at work and I pondered the ways in which I would go home to see my mom. I wasn't sure what to do that would help but when I got home, my mom was in bed crying and I just went in there and laid with her and cried with her. This is when she told me a story about how much she loved her mom. She was 8-10 years old in Laos.
Yes Kelly, I got your beautiful! card!A butterfly is our symbol.From George and me. :)I had my B-Day celebrated on various moments.With the neighbors here in the apartment, but the real day with my good friend Kathleen; the one of 48yr and with her I do Biodanza.With mom in the weekend as well.One can't be on those different places all in one day, eh.;) George had told me to say this to Leslie: 'I will take care of your silverware and polish it'.:))As a joke. She doesn't accept George as does mom. :( Leslie likes jokes. But this time she keeps silent...In my opinion she doesn't know what to say here?Then suddenly I saw George's code!:He doesn't really realize it, but I saw this.I will take care of your silverware(something that is important to Leslie: 'me')and polish it ('brightening up my life').Well, I wrote it to him. The story I have to told you, will knock you off your socks! That will be for another email, okay? Always nice to hear from you, Kelly!I saw you made a nice opening page here on the blog!:)))) xxx from your friend! Big hug too!Rita
Well, Kelly, there were also good positive things happening during my staying in America.In the airplane I sat next to 2 women. I told another woman that I had a long distance relation in America.Suddenly the other woman said:I've too!I told my story... she thought it was real sad.She was on her way to Mike;he was a silent man, with traumas of the wars he was in.Well, she didn't sound like she was real happy.Danka(ita),a Czeck woman of 48(he was 11 yrs older)sang somewhere in Germany where he had known her. In her country she is a hairdresser.She told me she was used to clean, to cook, to work in his garden,walking the dogs, etc But more as a working person for him, while he was at work.Her real love was in Germany, Guido; he knew her as well, when she had a singing performance there. Guido knew about Mike but not the way around. Danka and me stayed good friends and we mailed a lot in America!:)We are both enthousiast women, very open and always active in some ways!She cuts hair and told her clients my story.They found it so very sad.:(I had to encourage George... he was down.I could sense it in his letters. I bought him two books in a big bookstore in Carbondale where I arrived earlier to be sure I was there (with those floodings blocking certain roads!)to take my Amtrak train!A nice black driver, Shorty, told me his brother had been 20 yrs in prison and got recently out.And his wife worked at the dentist in Menard! Where George is at!So he promised me they would take care of George!As a sign he would let bring a candy bar to George by a friend guard in the prison!:o I can always call Shorty when I need a ride in that area.:)He was late the last day; and I needed to take my Amtrak in time!He said: I drank beer the other night! A joke. Well, he drove me and I had not to pay him!-smileI had a good time in Carbondale.Lots of shops and restaurants and friendly people there!My bought books were: Everything Happens for a Reason and Every Day is Another Chance-Simply Positive Ways to Bring Happiness to Your Life.It helps me now to overcome the bad luck George and I had.I had the chance to give him a short back massage, Kelly!He sat next to the microwave and I stood there warming up a snack for him.The guards were talking and I took the opportunity doing that!:))There are visiting rooms were you can walk around, give hugs and kisses all you like, taking pictures as well, etcFor George I bought two books as well:When Paris went dark- under the German occupation. He likes it!The Power of your subconscious; the writer turns him off by preaching of the power of prayer.George thinks the world would be a better place if religions had never been invented. I told you he is a Buddhist, eh.Kelly, good for you being busy. But seeing Warren wasn't the friend you needed.:(I am happy you have a nice guy in your cell.Oh, forgot! A gang cellmate of George had a fight with him and knocked his tooth out! :o He showed me when I was visiting. :(( The guy is in seg xRi
I can't see anymore what I already wrote a while ago.To get short: I was able to see George 5 times in April. The first visit ended on a stormy day! after 20 minutes! Because they had problems with the electricity! then due to lock downs, I had only 2hrs instead of 4 :(( Nevertheless we made the best of the short time.For a while he could eat decent food, like a cheese/steak burger and chocolate milk, etc.The food is horrible! Always the same.That is why he got in solitary for two months because he drew a cartoon; showing that a prisoner had 5 food items, over and over again and a guard the variation of 28 items!Above he had put the law that says they should have the same.He drew himself, and a guard like a pig, eating in abundance. Well, when he sent the cartoon to his dad to be distribuated, they intercepted it!:( For another item he spent 6 months in solitary.We still guess why that was? Maybe because he had written a letter to a high ranking man, to save money?George saw all the money that could be saved here and there.They won't admit their lies of course. I would visit George 5 days in May; they never came!Chery from the hotel had shown me photos of the flooding near the Hospitality House where I could go only the last 3 days.I was used to go there, but the place was full because of a group that would be there in my period.Well, later I heard they never came!I payed a lot in the best Western, where I was at. I walked everyday 1 hr to visit and 1 hr back to the hotel.Once I had a lift too. It was raining so much!That 1st of may I had to see it with my own eyes.When I arrived the roads were closed and the river Mississippi had flood!I tried to ask a man in a restaurant where I ate, to go with his car? The time was alas too short. And later I heard they annulled all visits!! George waited... only later he knew the parking lot was full of water. People working there used buses.He also heard via his dad. And he knew we didn't even had the chance to say goodbye.:((( And we had hoped to have the 4 hrs in May again,... There is this song: 'If I hadn't bad luck, I would have no luck at all'. Real sad. You can't fight Mother Nature.I had hoped to bring another visit in October?After I visited my daughter Leslie in CA.But I have probably to pay a high amount of money for a new terrace!It's almost a MUST! We have leaks and terraces of others in our building (5 apartments) suffer from it.The bad thing is that we will probably do it in summer! And we've to stay home for that.But I promised Elke that mom and me would take care of Lynn, for about three weeks at the coast, during summer vacation!I have problems; that terrace has to be free and cleaned; but there are two big wooden containers for plants on it and a big wooden table as well.:o It will give me extra costs to remove them!My neighbor HAS to have the terrace renewed. But they do it only if the same level neighbor does it as well, and that's me!It causes me a lot of stress nowadays.
RSS
Internally i may be someone very simple or quite complex. I think I am someone who takes the worlds problems and make them my own. I am often left hopeless about mankind and that people are so hate-filled, it makes me sick. I am a very open-minded person and my first instinct is to empathize with others. This may be both a strength and a weakness. I tend to see the good in everyone and like to know people's stories because I can understand why someone might act out in certain ways. I'm also pragmatic and logical, but at the end of the day, sensitive and emotional might take over. I recently went to California for my maternal grandmother's funeral and i was so afraid to just let loose and cry and fought back so hard. I have never been to a funeral for someone close before and i didn't know what to expect. I just knew it was going to be hard. Little did I know that there is so much politics behind any Hmong tradition or event. My grandma was a shaman but she was also unmarried and she had all daughters and one step son. Even though her daughters are her flesh and blood, the step son had the say in everything, even if he did not love her. I was always taught to respect elders but I never knew that behind all the formalities, adults don't really like one another. Well, anyway, i also had a hard time trying to comfort my mother. My family is your typical Asian family. Very little emotion and a lot of discipline. My parents don't ever say things like, "I love you" and we never hug or show affection... so it's hard for me to comfort others since I'm so "emotionless" is what they call me at work. So when my grandma passed, I was at work and I pondered the ways in which I would go home to see my mom. I wasn't sure what to do that would help but when I got home, my mom was in bed crying and I just went in there and laid with her and cried with her. This is when she told me a story about how much she loved her mom. She was 8-10 years old in Laos.
Too bad you never hear from Pam.... What is going on with her!....
By the way, Kelly are you still writing with Martine?
I wish you the best! xxx Rita
Ps. George thanked you for your kind words.:))
George had told me to say this to Leslie: 'I will take care of your silverware and polish it'.:))As a joke. She doesn't accept George as does mom. :( Leslie likes jokes. But this time she keeps silent...In my opinion she doesn't know what to say here?Then suddenly I saw George's code!:He doesn't really realize it, but I saw this.I will take care of your silverware(something that is important to Leslie: 'me')and polish it ('brightening up my life').Well, I wrote it to him.
The story I have to told you, will knock you off your socks! That will be for another email, okay?
Always nice to hear from you, Kelly!I saw you made a nice opening page here on the blog!:))))
xxx from your friend! Big hug too!Rita
I told you he is a Buddhist, eh.Kelly, good for you being busy. But seeing Warren wasn't the friend you needed.:(I am happy you have a nice guy in your cell.Oh, forgot! A gang cellmate of George had a fight with him and knocked his tooth out! :o He showed me when I was visiting. :(( The guy is in seg xRi
For another item he spent 6 months in solitary.We still guess why that was? Maybe because he had written a letter to a high ranking man, to save money?George saw all the money that could be saved here and there.They won't admit their lies of course.
I would visit George 5 days in May; they never came!Chery from the hotel had shown me photos of the flooding near the Hospitality House where I could go only the last 3 days.I was used to go there, but the place was full because of a group that would be there in my period.Well, later I heard they never came!I payed a lot in the best Western, where I was at. I walked everyday 1 hr to visit and 1 hr back to the hotel.Once I had a lift too. It was raining so much!That 1st of may I had to see it with my own eyes.When I arrived the roads were closed and the river Mississippi had flood!I tried to ask a man in a restaurant where I ate, to go with his car? The time was alas too short. And later I heard they annulled all visits!!
George waited... only later he knew the parking lot was full of water. People working there used buses.He also heard via his dad. And he knew we didn't even had the chance to say goodbye.:(((
And we had hoped to have the 4 hrs in May again,... There is this song: 'If I hadn't bad luck, I would have no luck at all'. Real sad. You can't fight Mother Nature.I had hoped to bring another visit in October?After I visited my daughter Leslie in CA.But I have probably to pay a high amount of money for a new terrace!It's almost a MUST! We have leaks and terraces of others in our building (5 apartments) suffer from it.The bad thing is that we will probably do it in summer! And we've to stay home for that.But I promised Elke that mom and me would take care of Lynn, for about three weeks at the coast, during summer vacation!I have problems; that terrace has to be free and cleaned; but there are two big wooden containers for plants on it and a big wooden table as well.:o It will give me extra costs to remove them!My neighbor HAS to have the terrace renewed. But they do it only if the same level neighbor does it as well, and that's me!It causes me a lot of stress nowadays.