I Don't Know What to Wear to a Party

Every time I receive an invitation to wedding parties or birthday parties, I get excited. Going to parties gives me a reason to doll up myself and look pretty. Plus, I get to eat delicious foods for free! Well, not exactly free, because I have to buy a gift for the host. Anyway, as the day approaches, I would start worrying about my outfit, but I would always brush my worries off and tell myself that I still got plenty of time to prepare. When the big day finally arrives, I would sit in front of the closet and stare into nothingness. Then the fact that I have nothing to wear would sink in.

That is exactly what happened to me weeks ago. We were invited to a neighbor's wedding party. My entire family has already dressed up except for me. Cold sweat started to drip down my forehead. I rummaged through my closet and tried on different sets of outfits, only to get a thumbs down from my sister. I kept telling my mom and my sister that I don't like to become a laughing stock at the party. My sister suggested me to wear the casual-looking grey dress that I have. Having not much choice, I agreed and wore it. I stepped in front of the mirror and was shocked to see my skeletal figure. I thought that I was meatier than the person staring back at me in the mirror. Where is that great figure that I thought I have? I guess that I was just imagining it after all. I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that I was almost in tears. I asked my sister, "How come I'm so thin? I looked like a walking stick!" I could see that my sister was holding back her laughter. I looked pretty, my mom reassured me. But I didn't believe her because all moms think their children are pretty. My sister put a scarf on me to make me appear a few pounds heavier. We were almost late, so I gave up and left home feeling down. I wore a floral scarf around my neck. Now, I looked like a stick with a garland around it.

To make a long story short, I went home in a cheery mood. The food was so-so, but the band was great! Other guests were from middle-class families so I didn't feel so out of place. Despite the bad start of the day, I had fun at the party.

Next month, my family will attend another wedding party. Like before, I have no idea what to wear. I have a strong feeling that the same thing will happen again.

Touching Stories about Dolphins

a mother dolphin carrying its dead offspring

Many stories claimed that dolphins had saved or helped humans in some ways. There were stories about these highly intelligent creatures helping fishermen catch fish or protecting shipwreck survivors from sharks until rescue arrived. Pelorus Jack was one of these amazing dolphins. From 1888 to 1912, he would guide travellers to safety by swimming alongside their ship as it was passing through a dangerous channel to Cook Strait. On Octocber 30, 2004 in Whangarei, New Zealand, a group of lifeguards had been swimming when a pod of dolphins swam towards them.  The dolphins started circling them, which startled the four swimmers. When one of the lifeguards, Rob Howes, swam out of the circle formed by the dolphins, he saw a great white shark two meters away. It was then that he realized that the pod had been protecting them. The rescue team found them later on and brought them to safety.


In July, 2012, a video of an adult Chinese white dolphin carrying a dead baby dolphin has gone viral in the internet and was all over the news. This tear-jerking moment was witnessed by a group of people (probably tourists) at Qinzhou Sanniang Bay, a dolphin watching spot in Guangxi, China. The adult dolphin would swim under the dead baby and carry it on its back. The dead dolphin, which had a long wound on its belly, had slipped off several times from the mother’s back. The mother didn’t give up and would swim back to the sinking dolphin and replace it on its back.


I have never interacted with dolphins and have only observed them from afar in theme parks and zoos. I don’t dislike dolphins, but they aren’t my favourite animals either. That said, these stories have really touched my heart. It made me realize that even wild animals such as dolphins can sometimes think, act, and feel like humans do.

Saizen July Weekend Promo

I’m a frequent shopper at Saizen, the authorized retailer of Daiso Sangyo Corp. in the Philippines. The store offers a wide collection of high-quality items. The items range from school/office supplies, accessories, toys, to kitchen utensils, snacks, and cleaning products. If you’re not familiar with Daiso, it’s a franchise of 100-yen stores in Japan. As the name implies, Daiso sells everything for 100 yen, which is around 50 pesos (or approximately $1). However, in the Philippines, Daiso products cost a little bit higher than in Japan – 85 pesos (around $2). It’s still very affordable though. Most products are imported from China. A few others are from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. That said, you can still find items that are made in Japan.

In my visit to the mall today, I dropped by at Saizen to buy some items for home. Despite the very low price, my bill had reached $20. The price does add up if you bought several items. After the cashier told me the total price and I got guilty (again) for buying too much, she told me I could get 2 items for FREE! I found out that Saizen is having a weekend promo for the month of July. Buy 5 items and you’ll get 1 item of your choice for free (I’ve bought 10 items). My guilt started to evaporate and I was glad to have shopped there at the right time. I just hope that I will really make use of the new things I’ve bought (and not end up hidden in the closet).

It’s Not Right: Speaking Foreign Language to Undereducated Compatriots

a cool sign I've stumbled upon on Flickr.com

While waiting for my order to arrive in a middle-class restaurant, I overheard a woman speaking to a waiter in English. I could sense the uneasiness from the waiter who clearly wasn’t knowledgeable in the language. She would raise her voice a bit, asking him if he understood her. The waiter just nodded meekly.

In the Philippines, people who speak English appear to be educated, rich, or high-class. In some families, parents speak English with their kids to help them master the language. In schools, English is the medium of instruction. Some Filipinos are used to speaking English either because of their heritage (e.g. half-American) or their environment. Unfortunately, a high percentage of Filipinos only understand basic English, and not all of them are fluent.

I could not understand why this woman had to speak English to the waiter when she was actually speaking Filipino with her family members who were with her. It was not only unnecessary, but also inconsiderate and condescending.

At work, our blue-collar workers would always complain about a certain manager of a company that we had business transactions with. She would always speak English to them. Most of our men haven’t graduated from high school. Ironically, the manager speaks Filipino with her bosses, her colleagues, and the rest of the people who are more educated than our workers.

I am very blessed to have graduated from college and to know the English language. I will try to be considerate with people who can only speak Filipino fluently.

The Japanese Remake of Ghost

1990

2010

The first time I’ve seen the Hollywood movie Ghost was several years ago. I was young then, and my first reaction about the movie was: “Wow, I want to be this guy (Sam Wheat). I want to be a good guy and go to heaven.” At that young age, I’ve lost a few good relatives. It feels good to know that death isn’t really the end of everything and good things do happen to good people.

I’ve watched the Ghost a few times through the years when it was aired on TV. It has always put a smile on my face. When I learned that a remake has been released by the Japanese in 2010, I was ecstatic (I’m a fan of Japanese movies and dramas)! The leads are Nanako Matsushima, a favourite actress of mine since childhood, and Song Seung Heon, the protagonist in the famous Korean drama Endless Love. You can read my review on Ghost: In Your Arms Again on my Asian Dramas and Movies Review blog.


Note: The photos are from Amazon.

How to Save Money If You're a Spender

When I was a kid, I didn’t have a chance to enjoy the luxuries that most of my classmates had enjoyed. I went to a school with lots of rich kids, and I never felt that I belonged there.  My family had financial problems, and our earnings were hardly enough to cover the bills. As a result, I was deprived of a lot of things during my childhood and adolescence years. Years passed and things had tremendously improved. My family now earns more. We’re not rich, but life has become much easier.

In my opinion, when a poor person becomes rich, two things happen:

1. He becomes ridiculously stingy
2. He becomes a BIG spender

read full article on The Little Girl's How to Save Blog

Jeans for Petite Women: The Little Girl’s Search for a Pair of Jeans

As a skinny petite girl, shopping for clothes has always been very challenging for me. Trying on clothes has always been very disappointing. I would come out of the store feeling helpless. Most women feel very feminine doing this womanly activity; but not me. I feel like a little girl trying too hard to be a woman. It is especially difficult for me to find a pair of jeans that fits me snugly.

It’s Not Right: Taking Too Much Food from Someone’s Lunchbox

these siomai look very appetizing
Source: debbietingzon on Flickr.com

In my first job where I tutor children, I would rarely go out for lunch. The kids kept on flocking in and I got too busy to leave my table. I would bring a few pieces of huge siomai from home. They won’t make me full, but they were easier to eat and I could eat them in my seat.

In the Philippines, we have this custom of saying “kain tayo” (let’s eat) before eating in the presence of other people. It is a polite way of “inviting” other people to eat with you. Most people would just nod or give you back a smile without accepting you “offer”. So when I opened my tiny lunchbox, I told my colleagues “kain tayo”. Knowing that my lunch was not really enough for me, my male colleague declined. However, the female colleague took a piece of my siomai. I think she’d never tasted siomai before because as soon she finished her siomai, she asked me for another one. My male colleague sarcastically told this teacher not to take my food anymore because it wasn’t really enough for me. She replied with a “but I can’t really help it because it was so delicious” and took another piece. I was too shy (and too shock) to pull back my lunchbox from this middle-aged teacher.

I went home having a painfully growling stomach. It was one of the worst feelings I’ve experienced. But being shown no care by my own colleague felt much worse.

When someone offers me food, I would check first if he has more than enough for himself before taking one (or I would simply nod and give him my sweetest smile).

The Little Girl has Gained Weight: Eating and Exercising

fat little girl and a lollipop

Studies have shown that watching TV tends to make you fat. Your mouth would always itch for food whenever you’re in front of TV even if you’re not really hungry. Just think of popcorn and movies. A bowlful of popcorn is a must-have in every movie night. And for someone who isn’t really fond of food, I’d also find myself bingeing while watching.

It’s always been a family habit to eat meals in front of TV. Perhaps because our apartment is cramped that everything is accessible wherever we stand or sit. My dad has been eating ice cream for dessert every night. In each visit to the grocery, he would buy three boxes. I’m not really addicted to sweets and I would always give up after a few bites. But ice cream has always been my weakness. It never fails to give me comfort whether or not I’m in front of TV. When a good movie is being aired on TV, my dad would ask for more food to satisfy his itching mouth.

After probably a month of eating ice cream, I gained a bit of weight. Being a little girl that I am, I should be happy with the additional weight. But I got mixed emotions. My tummy seems to be the only body part that has gained weight. The rest of my body is still pretty much the same. With my small frame, I look like a lollipop, the candy being in the center of the stick. My dad, on the other hand, has the widest waistline he’s ever had. From 28 inches to a whopping 32 inches. He looks like a pregnant man and we would pretend to be excited to have our nonexistent baby brother.

On a serious note, I am really worried about my dad’s health. As a busy man, eating sweets at night is his way of relaxing and recharging. I don’t feel unhealthy (probably because I’m still young), but I can’t just ignore my gradually increasing belly. I took out our old dusty treadmill hidden under the many boxes we have at home. With my sister’s help, we rearranged our apartment a bit and put the treadmill somewhere accessible. I made a goal to walk on it at least thrice a week for 15 minutes. Yes, walk, not run, because the treadmill is inclined. It is good for the hips, the thighs and the buttocks. It is a lot more beneficial if I don’t hold onto the handrail. But it’s quite impossible to do that without shaking the treadmill, so I just use one hand for grabbing the handrail while my other arm sways freely.

In addition to walking uphill on the treadmill, I also do squats and Bicycle Exercise every day to have shapelier buttocks, stronger thighs, and a firmer ab. I think a flat ab, not necessarily a six-pack ab, makes a person look fit and attractive. Of course I try to stay away from ice cream or other sweets as much as possible.

I’m not really an expert on exercising. I’m not sure if what I’ve been doing is enough to be in good shape. But I think taking baby steps is more feasible than jumping to all those complicated exercises.

So far, my dedication to a few minutes of exercise has proven its worth.  I haven’t got my ideal shape yet, but my belly has stopped growing. I feel better and less lazy. I’m looking forward to having a fit body. I just hope that the rest of my family will follow suit.

It’s Not Right: Shaking Legs inside a Movie House

the little girl with her dad in a movie house

My family went to a movie house one weekend. In the middle of the movie, my dad got fidgety and kept on glancing at his back. Someone sitting behind him was shaking his legs. Movie houses are a bit cramped, so it’s easy to touch the chair in front with your feet. This man didn’t want to keep his feet within his personal space and had them touching the back of my dad’s chair while shaking. It felt like being kicked at the back. Despite my dad’s giving him lingering nasty looks, the man still continued to move his legs, ignoring my very annoyed dad. As revenge, my dad tried to sit taller. His butt was literally raised from his chair so he could block as much view as possible. The man stopped shaking to shift his position, but he would go back to his leg shaking when my dad lowered his behind to his chair.

The next time I go to movie houses, I will keep my limbs within my personal space. I will try not to bother other people who are trying to enjoy a movie.

I Love Having a Nerdy Twin

my nerdy twin patiently tutoring me

I will start writing about the things/people that I love. I will use the tag "I love" for these entries. My first entry is, of course, about my twin.:D

I Love Having a Nerdy Twin

I'm not a nerd. OK, maybe just a bit. My friends think so. But I remember being a happy-go-lucky kid who didn't care about books and studies. All I cared about were Barbie dolls and TV. I didn't see the point of studying because I thought that I would automatically be intelligent when I grow up. LOL, I was a silly kid back then.

My sister, on the other hand, has been studious all her life. She loves to read and loves science - a subject that I hated the most. She excelled in school and was admired by everyone because of her intelligence. I remember one time, when we were in grade school, she won a contest, and all our classmates surrounded her to admire her medal. I was happy for her, but I admit I felt a bit of jealousy.

Years passed, and she would always get higher grades than I did. People wouldn't stop comparing us. I felt l wasn't good at anything. It was a huge blow to my self-esteem. Good thing is, we have always been very close. I told her about my insecurities. She decided to tutor me. I got to ask her questions that I would never have dared to ask others for fear of being ridiculed. My twin was patient with me.

I realized the importance of hardwork. There may be people with higher I.Q. But no one is born with knowledge. Knowledge is earned. My sister's and my efforts had paid off. I started to get good grades in school, and sometimes, even higher than my twin.

Now that we no longer go to school, my sister still continues being nerdy. That's her passion. I went back to being my happy-go-lucky self. And I still care about Barbie dolls and TV.:D

The following are her nerdy blogs:

The Personal Blog of Seriousnuts

Serious Skin Care Blog

Lifestyle for a Healthy Body

All About Computers

Everything Chinese

Let’s Talk about People (my favorite!)

It’s Not Right: Staffs Looking Down on Customers

I heard this story from a friend. This friend always accompanies his grandma on most of her shopping sprees. One time, they went to a tiangge (bazaar) and were happily examining the different products displayed in one stall. The staff, thinking that the grandma was poor, muttered to herself, “I don’t think they’d buy anything.” I have seen this grandma and there is no way she looks close to a beggar. The comment is loud enough for the duo to hear. Offended, the grandma angrily told the owner of the store that she would buy everything in that stall on one condition – the owner had to sack that impolite staff.

I’ve also experienced this kind of unfair treatment in some stores. I’m always in t-shirt and jeans, but when I enter a more “high-end” store, some staffs would cross their arms and look at me with a huge frown on their faces. But when I did buy something, they would totally transform into friendly, respectful staffs that they were expected to be.  In some occasions that I did dress up, these staffs would always greet me even without my buying anything.

I think staffs are supposed to “serve” their customers. They shouldn’t judge their customers based on their appearance. More importantly, they shouldn’t offend them.

Facebook Shares: A Musician in a Subway

Joshua Bell

This story has been in circulation since 2007 or 2008. But it was only several days ago that I’ve read this amazing story on Facebook (the wonders of Facebook). Read on before I let slip something. :P

In Washington DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, a man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
After about four minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.
About four minutes later, the violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
At six minutes, a young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
At ten minutes, a three-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent - without exception - forced their children to move on quickly.
At forty-five minutes: The musician played continuously. Only six people stopped and listened for a short while. About twenty gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After one hour:He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.
This experiment raised several questions:In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?If so, do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context? One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made… How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?"

This has been verified by snopes.com as true. I will not forget Joshua Bell’s story and its powerful message. Let’s appreciate life despite our busy schedule.

It’s Not Right: Blocking People’s Access to Public Amenities

the little girl trying to wash her hands as a woman applies lipstick

Every time I go to public toilets, there would always be women fixing up in front of the sinks. What’s worse is they would not let other people wash their hands even if they’re not using the sink. Saying “excuse me” wouldn’t do the trick. I had to be in an uncomfortable position to reach the faucet. Even seeing me having a hard time won’t even make these ladies move. I really hate these types of women and I would love to just wipe my dirty hands on them LOL.

The next time I go to public toilets, I will make sure that I don’t block people’s access to these public amenities that are supposed to be for everyone.

The Little Girl’s Sentiments on Valentine’s Day

Today is one of the most awaited days of the year. Ironically, this is also the most feared day to a lot of people. Back in my high school and college days, girls who carry flower bouquets in Loves Day are the coolest, the prettiest, and the most envied creatures in school. Girls who haven’t received anything feel especially ugly on this day.

In this new world with Facebook and Twitter, Hearts Day seems to be tenfold worse than in the past. After I logged into my account tonight, a lot of my female friends had already posted pictures of flowers they’ve got from their special someone. My male friends, on the other hand, had broadcasted their love to their girl on their walls. Sadly, I also see some friends who are very transparent about their misery. I feel bad for them. I wish that they’ll finally meet their other half, or that they’d realize that whoever is beside them now is already enough for them.

To my readers, you don’t know me personally. You’ve never seen my face. And I’m a very private person. But I will reveal one thing about myself. I’ve never been in a relationship in my entire life. A few years from now, I’ll be 30. I admit that I had my share of these pessimistic feelings that my lonely fb friends have. So this Valentine’s day, other than spending this special day with my family, I have no flowers, no chocolates, and no three magical words to look forward to LOL.

However, to make this day extra special, I want to tell this to myself (and to the world) before the clock strikes 12:

The little girl may not be the prettiest, the most talented, and the sexiest girl on earth. But my family loves me. Okay, but they’re my own blood, so it’s not really something to brag about. I’ll revise. But my friends love me. Even my pets love me (oh really?). It means that they see something in me. It means there’s something to love about me. I’ll remember my strengths (even if I don’t exactly know them) and I won’t let this cold month put me down!

To my prince (if God would really give me one):

You’re the luckiest man on earth. I just can’t explain why. :)

To everyone who’s reading this:

I wish you not just a day, but an eternity of happiness, warmth, and love. :) 

Happy Hearts Day! <3

A Taiwanese Actor’s Accident in Ramada Hotel, South Korea

Last month, a Taiwanese actor (郭子乾) had gotten second degree burns on his legs after being spilled boiling water on his lower body. He was in South Korea’s Ramada Hotel during a vacation with his family. As he was pouring water from the hotel’s water kettle, its base fell off and boiling water spilled on him. He was rushed to the hospital immediately after the incident.

It was the first time I heard of such incidents. Water kettle’s base falling off? Never would I have thought of such things happening. The hotel didn’t want to take responsibility for this accident, and the actor greatly resented it.  Honestly, I don’t blame the actor for demanding actions from the hotel. It was him, afterall, who had burns on his body. However, I’m not sure if the hotel should be blamed either. It never happened to anyone before (or at least to my best knowledge).

Two things I’ve learned here – 1. be careful when pouring hot water in your cup and 2. high-end hotels can never guarantee your safety.

It’s Not Right: Making Fun of Other People’s Wastes

Note: This is the first entry of my “it’s not right” series. It is about the negative things I see people do. My blog has always been cheerful and positive; however, this is not about my whines or pessimism about the human nature. To me, writing these will serve as a reminder to myself so I won’t commit the same mistakes to other people. I want to become the best little girl that I can be. Hopefully, some people will also find my posts helpful.:) I will use the tag “it’s not right” for this type of post.



I was in a fastfood chain, having my lunch before going home. Since I had drunk a lot of fluids, I had to go to the toilet to pee. When I entered the toilet, it was dirty and stinky. I didn’t want to go in, but I had to commute for another 30 minutes or so before I could reach home. So in I went. I went into the cleanest cubicle I could find.

As I was peeing inside, a group of girls came in. They stopped chatting when they got in. I think the pungent smell had made them stop. After the pause, they said “obvious!” almost in unison. They said it loud enough for me to hear. I didn’t understand what they meant. When I was finally done, I got out and passed by these girls. They looked meaningfully at me then at each other as they giggled.

When I was back to my table, I realized what they meant. They said “obvious!” because it was obvious that I was the one who produced the foul-smelling odour that had spread in the toilet. It wasn’t fair! :(

First, it was already stinky before I stepped into the empty toilet. Someone must have dropped the bomb before I got in. Second, defecating is a human nature. You can’t laugh at someone because they had upset their stomach and had no choice but to do their business in a dirty public toilet. Unless their wastes have sweet-smelling odour, these students have no right to make fun of other people’s waste. Grrrr…

Toy Story Invasion at Harbour City

In my previous post “Toy Story in Hong Kong!”, I mentioned that I’d go to Hong Kong during the Christmas vacation. As promised, here are the pictures that I took at Harbour City. I really had this blog in mind as I was snapping these photos!

This is at the Ocean Terminal, along the Victoria Harbour. It was difficult to take a photo since people were everywhere. We had to wait before we could pose in front of our favourite characters.

Woody, the protagonist of the Toy Story movies.

An exact statue (but much bigger) can also be seen at Hong Kong Disneyland’s Toy Story Land.

Jessie, the brave cowgirl.

The annoying yet irresistible green Squeeze Toy Aliens!

If you have watched Toy Story 3, you’d know why they’re so endearing. :D

Inside the mall, there was a huge Christmas tree made of these cute aliens!

I hope I had one of these.

There was also Hamm (the pig), Rex (the dinosaur), and Bullseye (the horse). I apologize to their fans for not being able to take their pictures. Buzz Lightyear wasn’t there though.

My short trip to Harbour City was fun. I felt like a kid. :)

Facebook Shares: Short Speech by Coca-Cola's Former CEO

Just the other day, I came across this photo on Facebook. I’d like to share it here since I love the mesage so much. The speech is made by Bryan Dyson, former CEO of Coca-Cola. Take a few minutes to read it.:)

Wei Lih’s Snack Noodle

Before dropping the noodles into a pan of boiling water, I’d always take bits of uncooked noodles from the pack and would pop them into my mouth.  It’s tasteless, but I love the crunchiness. The curly shapes also make it look fun to eat.

I’m always fascinated with snack noodles. I had tried some snack noodles bought from the local stores before. They taste good, but they are too powdery and too messy to eat. I also get sore throat after eating them.

When I found Wei Lih’s (維力) snack noodle (張君雅小妹妹), I immediately bought one to try it. I am happy with it. It’s not powdery and is very tasty. The packaging is quite cute. It features a girl student named Zhang Jun Ya (張君雅). This is a product of Taiwan and comes in different flavours. I have only tried seaweeds and spicy chicken flavours though.

These snack noodles are available at Mandarin Supermarket (Ongpin Street) and costs Php39 each. You may want to check out Wei Lih’s website: http://www.weilih.com.tw/ (in Traditional Chinese)

 get this and other cute emoticons for your MSN here
張君雅 saying "yummy!"

The Little Girl Wishes You a Happy Year of the Dragon!

Earlier this day, my sister and I accompanied our friend to Chinatown. It’s Chinese New Year’s Eve so the place was packed with people. Because of the dragons, some of the roads were blocked. These dragons enter each store on their way to drive out the”bad energies”, thus giving the store owner some luck for the coming year. After the electrifying performance, the dragon would grab the red envelope (which contains money) hung from the ceiling with its mouth before it exits. Again, the process of retrieving the envelope is very amusing to watch.

If you haven’t seen these dragons yet, they look like huge dragon puppets and the head is worn over the upper body of a person. The person would move the head with his hands (or in longer dragons, poles) to make it appear like dancing. Another person would stand behind the first person. He would hide beneath a long veil attached to the dragon’s head, making it appear like the dragon’s body. The dragon could be as short as two persons or as long as fifty persons. Their dance steps have to be synchronized to make them appear as one moving dragon. As they dance, another group would hit the drums.

The dragon dance is being practised in Chinese communities around the world.

To all Chinese or non-Chinese readers, the little girl wishes you a prosperous, healthy, and happy Year of the Dragon!

The Little Girl's New Year's Resolution for 2012

First of all, I want to greet everyone a Happy New Year! Vacation’s over and it’s time to put our best foot forward this 2012. I see lots of New-Year’s-resolution-related articles here and there so I guess it’s time to make my own list. Of course everyone can start afresh and improve his life any time (not only in New Year’s). Nevertheless, it wouldn’t hurt to make one. Plus, it’s fun! Here’s the little girl’s New Year’s resolution for 2012: