Basic Mandarin Lessons , Happy Birthday Song in Chinese
Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 10:52AM I just had my birthday two days ago. Whoever read my last entry would think that I am the owner of a lonely heart, well I was, before I realized how many people actually care about me.
It was the afternoon of July 20th, I buried my head in the blanket crying about how screwed this birthday was going to be with no friends, no parties, no celebrations. My beau came to me and consoled me with his greatest effort to let me know that I was not alone. I was done listening to the same lines because all these years, I have been troubled by difficulties I have of building a hookup with almost anybody and I didn’t image this to happen at the ages of being a teen but when I enter a stage where my boundaries become more clear and deep because of my own disciplines and principles as a grown- up. Finally, he asked me which restaurant I would like to be having a dinner with the family. He’s always been good with me; he knows that some good food can always bring a smile on my face. So I made a quick reservation at a Thai restaurant I’d always wanted to go back again but hadn’t had a chance to.
The dinner was good. I loved the Thai milk tea there. We ordered a dish after another one and gnawed until our bellies were full of spiciness and sourness. Here is one of the pictures taken at the restaurant:
From Left to Right: Shakwan, Daddy, Me, My Beau, Cindy
We arrived home just late enough for a reply of my recently enlisted, not even close enough to be an addiction, engagement with a Taiwanese soap opera called niang2jia1/娘家 (family of a married woman's parents). I watched it with my emotions being carried up and down by its designed wicked lines. After an hour of digestion, I had to answer an emergency call of nature. I waited until niang2jia1 hit the commercials. I had my butt ready to rush off to the bathroom when my beau made an uninvited remark that confused me “Are you sure you want to spend the last few minutes on a toilet?” I halted in halfway, “What do you mean?” I interrogated him. “I mean, you’re turning 20 in five minutes.” That got me checking the time on my computer monitor and struggling at where I was between going to the bathroom and doing supposedly “something” at the moment. But what was I going to do? This was pointless, I thought. “Screw it. I’m going to the bathroom!” I bade him. He set me free with no more comments; I was already on a toilet after a glimpse with a book I was recently reading in my hands.
A captured image I found on the interent of niang2jia1/娘家:
Meanwhile, I eavesdropped some chirps outside of the room; it gradually became clear as the sound drew nearer then it eventually emerged into the room. I finally heard a familiar but lovely melody; it was Sheng1Ri4Kuai4Le4Ge1/生日快樂歌 (Birthday Song). Outside of the toilet, inside the room, the awkwardness began to hit them as they didn’t see the birthday girl; the sound slowly dimed. My beau was giggling at the door of the bathroom as if anticipating them to bound this way, I screamed with a great embarrassment to plead for a pause until I finished my business and get properly dressed!
I put up my short as fast as I could. Now here I was, the scene reappeared itself to complete the mission. I looked around, there were the faces I had my pre birthday dinner that night: Daddy, Shakwan plus his mate, Cindy and beau. I put my hands together with them and jumped up and down in excitement. For a moment, I was overwhelmed by this unexpected surprise; my eyes were in tears. This was really touching.
That night, I satisfactorily went to bed, without tears.
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Later that day, July 21st, I picked up some pizza at Domino’s and drove to my mum’s flat expecting my sisters’ return from work in the evening. My 3rd sister, Kemiko arrived with a dan4gao1/蛋糕 (cake) shortly after I got home, no longer than 10 minutes, her friend Penny was there with us. I suggested waiting until my mum and my oldest sister, Jessica came back. Kemiko stated rather a fact that my mum usually had to work late at her firm and Jessica worked at where a punch clock didn’t really matter but the quantity of work required, we should get it started, she was starving. So we did.
My mum came back sometime afterwards. Another half an hour passed, Jessica called and informed that she had to work overtime. Thus, we confirmed to ourselves making the right decision to not to wait for them. Sooner than later, grease stain became the evidence that some pizzas had once been in those empty pizza boxes. Three of us lay on sofas chatting and digesting, didn’t bother to budge. My mum had sneaked into her room somewhere between our burning energy on chitchat over munching.
Ritually, wo3men5 chang4 Sheng1Ri4Kuai4Le4 Ge1/我們唱生日快樂歌 (we sang Birthday song), qie1 dan4gao1/切蛋糕 (cut a cake) and I made my wish for a second time around.
Here is a random picture of me and my sister, Kemiko:
This year’s birthday was very different from what I planned it to be because it turned out to be so much better. I really appreciated what my boyfriend and his family especially Cindy, did for me; and my two sisters, Kemiko and Jessica, my mum for taking time from their hectic tiring lives to be a part of this unforgettable day. And more importantly, all the comments and messages I was getting from my viewers on YouTube really meant a lot to me. Thank you all so much! Wo2 hui4 ji4xu4 jia1you2/ 我會繼續加油 (I will continue to keep up a good job!)
Reader Comments (12)
sounds like you had a brilliant time, congrats on reaching the big two zero.
xie xie for you all hard work
Carl
Xie xie ni, Carl. You're so sweet! :*)
You try a couple of years harder, you will hit "er4 ling2" too! :D
Jia you ba! Ha!
a very good chronicle of your birthday!!!!!very tnder! You are a very young girl but walking on in your life you 'll lern as life 'd be better if spent togheter. 'cause:
LIFE IS BETTER LIVED TOGHETER!!!! bu wang zhe ge!
and then a poem for you: (I try to translate it in Manarin)
WO BU YAO JIEDE NI, JIDE WO , DANSHI WO YAO JIDE NI, WO JIDE NI.
I hope to trnasalte correctly.....
(I do not want to remeber you to remember me but I want toremember you that I remember you!)
lot of hugs Claudita From Rome Italy!!!
Peggy!
So glad everything went well for your Birthday! I was really hoping it would.
Happy Birthday Peggy!
Xie xie ni men! :*)
Love you all, muah!
well peggy, you are a sweet little thing. Your effort in teaching chinese is truly commendable. a natural talent. i am just picking up chinese, so your videos on you tube are my favourites now. keep up the good work, stay hot and sexy. cheers
dr.kat
well peggy, you are a sweet little thing. Your effort in teaching chinese is truly commendable. a natural talent. i am just picking up chinese, so your videos on you tube are my favourites now. keep up the good work, stay hot and sexy. cheers
dr.kat
You've done it once more! Amazing writing!
Incredibly interesting writing! Honest.
Happy early 21st birthday (even though the blog post was for 20th birthday)
dear peggy i love you and your video. you are a fantastic teacher. i hope to come to taiwan to attend your class. peng you edward
Ni hao, mIng tian shi wode sheng ri. Xie xie ni, for your big efforts in teaching us chinese. I really encourage you keep on doing. Zai jian!