So, right now, I have to edit all my short stories from my 2020 Short Story Project for my 2025 short story collection. I have to say…it has been a humbling experience to know that my stories were decent but needed much improvement. I have to thank experience and higher education for that. I’ve always been told that 20% of creative writing is taught while the other 80% is improved through experience. So? Why am I saying the obvious? Well…I’m back in school.
friends
Sorry for the month-long absence, but I wanted Philadelphia to have my undivided attention – out of my studies, of course. While I finished most of my work beforehand, the only thing I had to do was my threaded discussion which took me no time at all. I had missed my city for such a long time and I wanted to see what changed and what remained the same. Short answer, a lot.
For thirteen days, I was in the “Comital City” and fell in love with everything about it. The people. The food. The history. Everything about Barcelona was what I was missing in China and what I wished America could be. I still do, actually. However, I will not focus on that. Instead, I will gush over what I did in the lively city. But where do I start? Oh! I know! I’ll start with my living arrangement.
A new year means new projects and challenges for my artistic friends and me; this year is no different. In addition to that, we have been making it more of a practice for all of us to plan ahead and much more meticulously. That last part was meant for me because I have had moments where I didn’t plan for something that almost always led to a mishap and a headache. So, I downloaded a Project Management program and I prayed that would be enough. Now…for the wickedly delightful…
So, I just got back from my holiday trip to Chongqing. It was much needed and my friends were beyond happy to see me. I mean, of course, we had weChat and our western social media, but it’s something simply delightful about being next to the people you care about. Here. Let me tell you about it.
China is a country that can be welcoming one minute and elitist the next. I had to deal with people trying to parent me only to try to befriend me when I prove that I won’t be bullied. It’s been an ongoing cycle for a good while now, but I’m not here to talk about that today. But, right now, I want to talk about something that made me smile today.
I’ve been back in Nanchang for a while now. However, I got back to work last Wednesday. Well…technically my first day back was on Monday because I had several meetings to attend along with my colleagues. Then, I had one more meeting where I had to sit down with my boss to do some last-minute preparation for my school’s first-ever “Independent Reading Program”. You have no idea how excited I am about that. That among other things…
This has been the best Spring Festival for me. I got to see my friends again and it was in the most beautiful city I’ve seen to date. Sanya is something of a marvel. It was my first beach resort and the heat was welcoming. Everything about this holiday has formed into a memory that I can kiss up to God in thanks. So, where do I begin?