Weekend with Parents

My parents came to visit me and Boyfriend this weekend. On Friday and Satureday, Boyfriend spent a long time cleaning up the unit next to our apartment, and I spent the evening shopping for groceries, marinating shredded porks, and making a big pot of soup in the small pot. I also tried to make meringue, which turned into the World's Worst Dessert, but we won't go into that. :)

On Satureday, parents arrived around 1 in the afternoon, after a big traffic jam. I had already worked all morning and whipped up 8 dishes on the table, and we proceeded to have a very big and yummy meal. Afterwards, Boyfriend, who wasn't feeling too well, went upstairs to take a nap while I directed my parents to a premium outlet mall in the area, and shopped to our heart's content. I bought a pair of sunglasses; my mom got some shirts, and my dad bought some shoes. All was happy.

We stopped at the grocery store on the way home and brought fresh salad ingredients. I then made a big salad for the four of us, and we had wine with dinner. Parents and I then talked about law school plans sans law review, what I want to do with my life after law school, what firms I want to interview at, etc You know, the perrenial topics. Around 11:00 we called grandma in China and spoke to her briefly.

Boyfriend is really so sweet. Parents and I sometimes speak in Chinese, just because it is the easiest for us. And he just listens patiently, even though he doesn't understand, and sometimes even guesses what we are talking about and chimes in. I found that very amusing. I'm so glad that he gets along with my parents.

Today my parents left around early afternoon, after a lunch at my favorite Thai restaurant and driving around for a bit at the beach. Boyfriend and I drove to a nearby mall and bought a bunch of beach novels, then came back and relaxed.

Some thoughts on reading: I haven't read any fiction for quite some time. Last time I really read was on the vacation to Vermont, when I devoured three books by David Sedaris, which, while funny, were not exactly serious literature. I used to like reading fiction so much, but nowadays I find it hard to really immerse myself in the worlds. If it came too close to my life, it gives me anxiety; if it's too far apart, then it's hard for me to really follow the narrative and to enjoy the plot.

The last "serious" fiction I enjoyed reading was Ishugoro's "Never Let Me Go", and that was a loooong time ago. I liked Jonathan Franzen too, because his books are well-written and easy to read, but he hasn't done anything in recent years. The books I bought today were mostly trashy easy readings, but I included a few serious ones in there too.

I think my inability to enjoy fiction is a sign of my ADD and the fact that I lack much of an "inner life" these days other than thinking about law and my career. This is not good, and I want to change that. By starting to read serious fiction. As soon as I'm done with the trashy novel that I'm reading right now. :)

:D quality time with parents!
:( gained 4 lbs over the weekend. Is this possible?!??!