Recently, in the life of Kate

So my dashboard tells me that this is the 100th post on this blog ...

Today was a pretty good day. I didn't fall asleep in class!! Although
I did come home and take at least a three hour nap afterward. :)
Also, I practiced calligraphy and drank a lot of water.

We have a calligraphy test this Thursday and we have to write our names
nicely at the end of the saying we write. Last week, the teacher wrote
down our names for us so we could have a nice sample to refer to while
practicing. I'm working on it but have a ways to go, still, before it will
look like the teacher's sample. :) After some writing practice tonight, while I was cleaning my calligraphy brush,I broke it accidentally. Oops. At least it is not expensive to replace ~~
In both of these pictures, you can see the small strip on the left, which is the teacher's writing sample.

This is my Chinese last name. It has nothing to do with my English name, for those of you who are wondering. lol It just so happens that the teacher of my calligraphy class has the same last name ... so I always feel pressure about writing my name correctly ...

For just regular practice and in-class learning, we usually use paper with boxes to help us keep the characters in proportion. But for the test, we have to use blank paper! And, we have to fold it a certain way. Here is the graph showing how to fold:

Tomorrow is going to be a highly-productive day ~ I just know it. I have a bunch of errands to run and things to check off my always-growing list of things to do.

Oh oh!! I bought Christmas cards today!!! The bookstore had a surprisingly wonderful selection of cards from 7/11 themed, Chinese-y cards and traditional American style cards. Most of them were reasonably priced, too! There were even some religious cards. I was in the bookstore quite some time looking through all of them. They were playing lovely classical music that made me feel like I wanted to do one of those group dances from the Pride and Prejudice era... you know the ones where they clap, spin in circles, walk up and down the floor and then repeat several times? But not only do I not know how to do any of those dances, but if I did, I would have looked ridiculous doing one in the store.

AH!!! A mosquito just buzzed in my ear! I DESPISE those creatures!! Vehemently!! This is a warning to all the mosquitoes reading my blog: I will take strong measures to make sure your life doesn't interfere with the well-being of my appendages.
Thanks to the recommendation of a friend in the States, I went looking for some tiger balm. That stuff is great for helping with the itching that comes from all the bites. This is a mosquito that I trapped inside an empty cup last night and the tiger balm that helps relieve the damage done by the little boogers:


Alright, well in order to have a productive day, I really need to hit the sack.

Hope you have a fantastic week!!

Kate

P.S. These are random pictures from the last few days ... enjoy.

The shelves at the bookstore that have Chinese learning materials. I like this aisle. :)

A delicious banana muffin that I was quite surprised and pleased to find at my favorite little bakery near the university.

The sunset from last Wednesday

These are the notes that I open each Monday. So far, I think I've opened 6 ...

My lunch from yesterday on my way back to school on the train. Yum~

I'd like to point out that the mango drink in the picture is from my favorite place to order them near my old school in Tainan. :) That was my first one from 哈果汁 since I've been back this fall. I ordered half sugar so it wasn't as sweet as usual, but there is still something about their flavor that I just love. The ones in Taizhong don't quite taste the same to me.

P.P.S. I did another Sudoku today :) I think this makes number 6 ...