I know, you're all expecting a long post updating you about my two-week vacation, complete with pictures and witty dialogue. Sorry guys, but I just don't have it in me, at least not today, since I'm currently surrounded by piles of laundry and we have a million things to do before school starts on Thursday. The short story of it is that our trip was fantastic, I didn't want to come home, and I'm going to be lobbying for all I'm worth to move to Utah in three years when Eddie finally finishes his medical indentured servitude.
But I do have a short little blog in me, so here goes:
On Friday night, Eddie's mom took all of the adult children to dinner at P.F. Chang's. Eddie's dad made the greater sacrifice and stayed at home with all of the grandkids. There were seven of us, so we strayed from our traditional order of lettuce wraps and mongolian beef and went crazy ordering stir-fried asparagus, eggplant, curried vegetables and a host of other things we never try on the menu. Everything was fantastic, and I was feeling thoroughly sated when our fortune cookies arrived. We broke into them and shared their messages, and they went something like this:
"Something wonderful will come into your life soon"
"You are about to be rewarded for your hard work"
"Your charm and wit will get you far in life"
"People admire your intelligence and style"
"Good things are about to happen to you"
"Your future looks bright"
So, what's the deal-- eat expensive Chinese food and you guarantee yourself a good fortune? I'm starting to think that's true, because when we lived in Minnesota, there was this total dive near our house where we'd get Chinese food (China Star, for Leslie my Minnesota friend). The line was always out the door, but the food was good, and you'd get enormous portions for like five bucks. But the fortunes I got there were never fortunes, instead they were more like aphorisms, saying things like:
"It is not permissible to know everything" (Horace)
"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm" (Emerson)
"A fool and his money are soon married" (Carolyn Wells)
I find both kinds of fortunes unsatisfying. I mean, maybe I seem ungrateful, but when everyone at the table receives practically the same glowing fortune, it doesn't seem so glowing anymore. And one of my greatest pet peeves is fortunes that are aphorisms instead of fortunes.
Since we came to Texas, I've had a hard time finding a good Chinese restaurant. Every one we try is crappy. Maybe, from now on, I should judge my Chinese restaurants not by the quality of their sesame chicken, but by the pithiness of their fortunes.
--originally posted 8/7/06
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