Fa – the Green Dragon

A Place for the Odd Musings of an Expat Bristolian

Category Archives: Humor of Sorts

Some funny and some not so funny things I have come accross


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There’s a First time for Everything

The first time I came to The United States  was as an immigrant in October of 1969. I stayed until 1983 at which time the company I worked for sent me back to Europe to manage their affairs in Europe, Scandinavia, North Africa and the Middle east. I returned to the USA in 1987 but stayed less than a year before being sent to China until 1991. I’ve been here ever since. So in total I have lived in the US for about 39 years. So what?  Well the point of telling you this is that today was the very first time I went into a White Castle restaurant to order and eat.

I visited my clinic for a check up and since I had time to spare while I waited for my Metro Mobility bus, I decided to visit the White castle on Rice Street in St, Paul. I have been told that it is the first St. Paul White Castle but have not been able to verify this point yet. I ordered an egg and bacon sandwich on toast, nibblers and a coffee. It was good.

I guess I should try it more often instead of waiting 39 years. Who knows what I have been missing.


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Chien Tung 5/05(Chinese fortune sticks)

Today the stick I shook out is the number 13. This is what 13. has to say about my luck and fortune.

LUCK: Thirteen today, you’ll not succeed and money deals be bad indeed.

FORTUNE: Someone’s very fond of you, so let your actions be, both kind and just lest little ills, cause woe to thine and thee.

You will lose an old man friend that you have depended upon.


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New Activity started Today

I have been going to the Thompson Park Activity Center (it’s in West St. Paul, Minnesota) for a few months. Admittedly it has only been on one Wednesday in the month, but all the same, I am out and about. That’s a good thing. The alternative is to sit at home and vegetate.

Today I attended my first lesson in Watercolor painting for beginners. How about that?

To tell you the truth, I was a little nervous. All for naught as it turned out. The class was attended by about 5 other people; all women as old as or older than me. The class facilitator, Linda S.,was very patient and demonstrated a technique and then asked me to complete a page of the same while she busied herself with the others. The others by the way had been there before, not beginners like me. They chatted easily among themselves as they painted, talking about the nice weather, their gardens, free pie at Baker’s Square on Wednesdays and all the while jazz was playing on a boom box.

The facilitator asked me if the music bothered me and she was somewhat taken aback when I told her that I was from a somewhat famous jazz-city in England. She had heard of Bristol but of course never been there. She had never heard of the Avon Cities jazz club which was located for a short time inside the old Corn Exchange building in Corn Street. She was impressed to learn the such jazz greats as Dave Brubeck and Acker Bilk were regular players there in the 50’s and early 60’s.  B.S. “Acker” Bilk was from  Pensford in Somerset, a small community just outside Bristol.He played in Bristol often  with his band – The Paramount Jazz Band.

At the end of our session, each of us was invited to display our “masterpieces”. A short and friendly critique was made along with advice on how to improve in the future and that was that. I don’t see myself joining a community of starving artists any time soon, but I certainly enjoyed my time and I think I learned more in an hour than I learned in I don’t know how many years at school as a youth.


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Chien Tung 5/4(Chinese fortune sticks)

My stick number today is 45. Here’s what the number 45 has to say.

LUCK:A day to rest, you’d better shirk all kinds of mental overwork.

FORTUNE:If your business be in metal, you will always be well heeled; if it’s mining or in trade, the fates have not revealed.

A dark person is jealous of you. Your wish is doubtful.


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Chien Tung 5/3(Chinese fortune sticks)

Today by stick was number 36. Here’s what it says about the number 36.

LUCK: You’re bound to have a pleasant day, for luck or love it’s your to say.

FORTUNE: You’ve years of happiness in store, but friend be warned in time, hard luck is apt to visit you, if so, twill be through wine

Unexpected money and happiness before you. You will get your wish.


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Chien Tung 5/2(Chinese fortune sticks)

Today the number 12 chose me. Here’s what the number 12 has in store for me today:

LUCK: A lucky number since scriptural kings, success to all your plans it brings.

FORTUNE: Two mates in life for you, the first which will me the best. you’ll regret it when there’s two.

A hasty quarrel through a trifle. Your wish will be granted soon.


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Chien Tung 5/1(Chinese fortune sticks)

Today my number is 25. Here’s what 25 says:

LUCK: A wish today if made by you, is almost certain to come true.

FORTUNE: A nature full of hopefulness, bad luck you cannot see: your cheerfulness will win success in what you wish to be.

You’ll be enriched by a foreigner whom you have never seen.


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Chien Tung 4/30(Chinese fortune sticks)

Today I shook out a number 15.here’s what it should mean for me:

LUCK: 10 and 5 is sure to mean the best of luck, for they make “fifteen”

FORTUNE: In great demand for social things, at dinners play or ball: You’ll make new friends and kep the old and be beloved by all.

An unpleasant and expensive experience by which you will afterwards benefit. You will get your wish. Continue reading →


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Chien Tung 4/29(Chinese fortune sticks)

each day (mainly because I have time on my hands) I spend a little time experimenting. It’s a long story but in a nutshell I am trying to develop my ability to recapture lost and/or forgotten knowledge. I usually write down my results on my desk calendar but today I thought it would make more sense if I started to add my findings to my blog page. so today the number of my Chien Tung stick is 43. here’s the reading for 43;

LUCK: If on a trip you’d go away, a lucky time to start today.

FORTUNE: Indications point one way a journey long for you, a life of luck and happiness will surely then ensue.

A great honor will soon come to you. You will get your wish.

 


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Time flies when you’re having fun

It has been almost a year since my last post on May 8th, 2015. The title of this post is somewhat misleading. I was not having fun. In fact working as a family slave at Schneiderman’s Furniture totally exhausted and depressed me.

I was fired from my Sales Associate position on January 1st, 2016.  And looking back I’ll be the first to admit that it came as a relief. I cannot say that I enjoyed my time while I was employed there. Oh sure, it had its moments but for the most part the total lack of transparency in the company was frustrating and demoralizing.  add to this a lack of authentic leadership and  poor management and you’ll get my drift.

I wrote to the owner, Larry S. to share my thoughts and feelings with him. His reply basically let me know that he didn’t give a rat’s ass and that I was only a hindrance to his plan for raking in millions of dollars each year.

So now I have time on my hands and have decided it’s time to have some fun. After all, I have paid my dues. It’s my turn to cease playing by the rules.

I have been creating the beginnings of a bucket list. Not containing things I feel I have to complete before I pass on to the next world but rather a list of things I would like to try and do at some time as the mood or thought moves me.

In the meantime I have devoted some time to reading. My vision is low so reading is a bit of a chore. However, reading interesting stuff builds towards a wealth of knowledge and that I find is a suitable pay-off. I should mention that I have a bad habit when it comes to reading. I read several books at the same time. Which book I read depends on what part of the house I am in.  My readers may nod and smile in perfect understanding because they do this too. Others will dismiss the thought as a totally bad idea. But deep down, when you think about it; random moments of reading are good for your brain.