Make a sound in the east, then strike in the west[edit] (聲東擊西／声东击西, Shēng dōng jī xī)

Is this really that different from Man tian guo hai? Maybe I should just start doing this sort of thing around the house too my kids... for fun.

Are there 35  strategies of getting your kids to do their homework? Because Shao totally just lied to me today and so we had to do homework later at night... again.

I started watching the Water Margin stories with them. Just like a traditional Chinese family with the tv blasting during dinner and Shao unable to eat properly because he couldn't look away. I think they might even learn Chinese.

It's the one that was made in the 90's. I prefer the actors and the director in that one. And the song. It's good exposure. Plus its for me.

I noticed that I am feeling frustrated being separated from my culture. So I need to over compensate with the TV series and probably music. Except it's just not convenient to blast music. You might as well put on an actual show. Most of what is keeping me "busy" is throwing stuff away. I feel Like I won't be able to do anything until the house is clean. And of course there is work, and i am taking a paralegal course, which is difficult to do with the kids around.

And I do full on Kung Fu. like forms without even warming up and haiya-ing and almost diu lei pking too except I try to keep all the moves positive. A form is less intentionally violent than say hitting a punching bag I think... though I think we will get one of those in the basement at some point...

In the meantime I tied these kick board for swimming to a tree outside. That is more for the kids... but maybe I should hit it too to release tension. Suburban American life is all very tense I think, with the veneer of peacefulness on the surface.   Maybe we should find the appropriate times and opportunities to hit the drums and do lion dance too. Oh yeah, we did sort of do that yesterday, like a mini exorcism of the house while Grace cooked dinner Mostly it was to distract the kids from fighting.