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Blog Entry to be posted on official website – Mummy Issues book. Entry 1: 23rd August 2008, 10:50pm Saturday Family revealed Traditional asian family with aussie kids
“How we live: A traditional Chinese family with aussie kids”

Prologue
It’s quite late now, I usually go to bed before now but lately that hasn’t been the case. Yup and my mum is speaking to aunt who is overjoyed to be returning to Hong Kong after 2 years in Australia. Sorry, just added that extra bit since it is partially why I’m writing this. The thing is, I was thinking, always thinking to myself when I should start writing this book about mummy issues, mummy problems and the whole lot. Just never really put pen to paper, in other words yes I was lazy. Obviously this would not be my first entry, I had many in the past circulating my head every now and then and its about time I try to fix that problem as my memory capacity is quite limited and so I begin what I was indenting to do all this time.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=4VFoeyOWfvs&search=Takahashi%20Ai, http://youtube.com/watch?v=4nWuKaQNqsI&search=Takahashi%20Ai, betterthanyou.org , http://youtube.com/watch?v=vzTDKJ17U8c&search=Time%20After%20Time, http://www.oh-hilary.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=91&pos=3, zodiacgirl.com, http://call4ally.com/#allystart, http://pimp-text.com/, http://youtube.com/watch?v=UV3tJxvf0Iw&search=Colors%20of%20the%20Wind, http://youtube.com/watch?v=UB-UK4PA_ts&search=Colors%20of%20the%20Wind, http://youtube.com/watch?v=tPJmCKTLV-A&search=You%20Set%20Me%20Free%20Advent%20Children, http://youtube.com/watch?v=7ZuT_eMZC5s&search=You%20Set%20Me%20Free%20Michelle%20Branch%20,
SHE SEES DEAD PEOPLE...
Whispering. Ghostly shadows. Mysterious music. And that's not even the scary stuff. This girl shares her home with people who've been dead for 200 years!
Keep reading...if you dare.
by Megan Smith
as told to Cylin Busby
We moved into this house right after I was born, so I've lived here my whole life-16 years. My parents didn't know the house was haunted when they bought it, but strange things started happening right away. When I was a baby, my parents put a sound monitor in my room. At night, they would hear whispering over the intercom-like someone was in my room talking to me. When they went into my room to check, no one was ever there. It was just me in my crib. When they would leave, the whispering would start again.
I don't remember that because I was too little, but I do remember the first time I heard the ghosts. One night when I was sleeping, I heard some strange noises from the next room-my playroom. I knew no one was in there, so I tried to block it out, but I could still hear the whispering. Then someone opened the door to my playroom...only I couldn't see the person. And I know I couldn't have imagined it because I heard the door handle click! I was in kindergarten then, and I've been hearing the ghosts ever since.
The ghosts visit me the most. My mother thinks it might be because I'm the youngest and I've grown up here. I have two sisters, but they're older-23 and 25. My dad doesn't have a theory about the ghosts because he doesn't like to think about them. And, actually, he refuses to be in the house by himself. He's not the only one.
HISTORY OF HAUNTING
Our house is about 270 years old and is in a small town in Connecticut. We've been able to figure out that it was once a schoolhouse. We also know that it used to be one level, but an upstairs was built later. It's big-we've got two staircases, two basements and three attics.
Even though attics and basements sound scary, most of the ghost "activity" happens in the rooms downstairs-in the older part of the house. By activity, I mean the stuff that goes on when the ghosts are around, like the whispering. And we'll hear music sometimes. When I hear the whispers, I just get up and leave the room. SOMEONE WAS CHASING ME...
Whenever we talk about the ghosts, their activity increases. I remember one night when I was 14, my older sister was telling me stories about this couple, the Warrens, who study ghosts and haunted houses. I told my sister that I didn't believe in the whole idea of searching for ghosts. I also said that I wasn't really sure our house was haunted. I don't even know why I said it, because I knew it was. That night was the scariest of them all.
It was the middle of the night, so the whole house was dark and everyone was asleep. I woke up and saw a woman standing in my doorway staring at me. She looked like a regular woman, but she was all misty and she had on a long white dress.
Before, if I actually saw something, I would close my eyes and tell myself that nothing was there. But this night it didn't work. I was so terrified, I jumped from my bed and started running. I wanted to get away, but I couldn't go out the door because the ghost was standing there. So I ran out through the "keeping room"-that's this room that connects my room to the rest of the house. I took a deep breath, shut my eyes and opened the door. When I opened my eyes a little-to see where I was going-I saw these figures on each side of me. The tall shadows were following me! I sprinted to my parents' room, and all I could think was that I must be dreaming.
A BELIEVER
When I got to my parents' room, I was surprised to find them both already awake. I was crying and shaking so hard I couldn't speak. Luckily, my dad knew just by looking at me what was wrong. He asked, "You heard them too?" I didn't know what he was talking about because I hadn't heard anything, just seen them. He told me that right before I came into their room, they had been woken up by voices. They heard a woman say: "Claire, Claire, where are you?" and another woman's voice answered: "I'm here, let me out." There is no one in my family named Claire.
That's when I started talking to the ghosts. I told them that I was sorry I'd said I didn't believe in them. If there's a lot of scary activity, I'll say, "Why don't you come out in the daytime and not at night, because you're scaring me?" My mom talks to them too. The night the woman appeared in my bedroom, my mom said to them, "Please stop. Don't scare her."
MY COUSIN WON'T STAY OVER
My parents and I aren't the only ones who have seen or heard the ghosts in our house. My cousin was staying over one night and the way she tells it, she woke up because she heard banging from the other room. Then she felt someone in the bed with her, squishing her. She called, "Carla [that's my sister]! Get out of my bed. Move over." My sister was on the top bunk and she said back, "I'm up here." My cousin jumped out of bed and could hardly sleep for a week. She isn't used to this kind of creepiness like I am, so I know it really scared her.
Once, my aunt came to stay with us when she was having problems with her husband. She was sleeping, but woke up when she heard the song "Someday, My Prince Will Come" playing in her room. Before that, she was afraid of our house. Now she says she knows the ghosts are good, and they wanted her to be happy.
GHOST GIRL?
No one at school has ever teased me about living in a haunted house, but my friends are afraid to come over. Whenever I can talk them into hanging out, they sometimes get brave and want to go down into the basement. Even though I've never seen or heard anything down there, I guess basements are a place most people consider scary. If we go downstairs, they always say, "Oh, I heard something!" But usually they don't. I think they just want to.
A few of my really good friends will spend the night. My friend Veronica stays over, and once in a while she'll hear or see something, but she's used to it. My friend Caitlin stayed over one night and she woke me up saying, "There's music coming from my pillow!" I couldn't hear it, but I know the ghosts like to play music-my dad hears it a lot. It's classical music, opera and piano-old-fashioned stuff.
My guy friends are especially psyched to see ghosts. They come over and they're like, "We wanna see them! Make them come out!" They don't understand that I can't make the ghosts do anything-it's not like that. I don't live in the Beetlejuice house. STRANGERS AND STRANGENESS
If we have visitors-like workmen or whatever-we don't always warn them about the house, and they can get pretty scared. Once, we hired this guy to repaint the outside of the house. He was up on a ladder and saw something through a window. He won't talk about whatever it was, but he won't come back. All I can guess is that the ghosts didn't know who he was and didn't want him around the house, so they did something to scare him away.
Another time, we had a different painter inside the house. He was painting the hallway when he felt someone watching him. He turned around and there was a man standing behind him, just looking at him. The painter didn't move, and the man just stared without saying anything. The painter got freaked out and ran downstairs. He talked about it, but he didn't want to come back to the house either.
WHO LIVED HERE?
People always ask me about the history of the house. Other than what we know about the school, and the man who sold it to us, the rest is a mystery. My mom and I once tried to find out more, and figure out who "Claire" is, but the records for our town aren't great, so it would take some major research. I plan to look into it again later, maybe for a college project.
People ask why we don't call a paranormal expert. We've thought about having someone come in and study the house, but since the ghosts don't really bother us, we don't want to bother them. Besides, we don't want the ghosts to think we want to get rid of them, because we don't. As my mom says, "They live here too."
OUR GHOSTS
Everyone is surprised that we don't want to get rid of the ghosts. My friends ask, "Why don't you move?" It's hard for them to understand that I feel safe in this house. I know that they're nice ghosts and they would never let anything happen to us. I actually feel like they're protecting us.
And there's something else. Living here has changed how I feel about death and what happens to you after you die. I always wonder about the people who lived here before. It makes me think about things other than myself and my own existence. Movies always show the bad stuff about ghosts, but it's not like that. There are good ghosts. I know. I live with some in a "haunted" house.
VALENTINE SCHMALENTINE
Yah, yah, we no… there's no escaping it: Valentine's Day is all about love and mushy cards and kissy-poo this and that and if you should just happen to find yourself sans significant other this V-Day, well . . . SO WHAT????
Let the others swoon over their heart-shaped Russell Stover chocolates and Hallmark sentiments; we've got 5 red hot tips for ensuring that you make a love connection . . . that your love's labours are not lost . . . that love doesn't stink . . . that . . . well, you know, that your Valentine's Day doesn't, well, suck . . .
1. GET A VALENTINE PRESENT FROM THE PERSON WHO KNOWS YOU BEST . . . And that person, duh, would be you!
Let us share a couple of V-Day horror stories with you.
Case #1: My friend Jen bought a great new outfit, a great gift for her guy and spent an hour and a half getting dressed for her V-Day night date with him. He’d promised to take her anywhere she wanted to celebrate the holiday, and she told him that with the exception of dinner at a Mexican restaurant (the food makes her sick) anywhere would be fine. So that night, her date arrived (a half hour late), ushered her into the car, and proceeded to take her to dinner at -- you guessed it -- a Mexican restaurant.
Case #2: After spending several weeks fussing over the perfect present for her boyfriend of six months, my friend Lisa excitedly looked forward to giving her guy the package. The big day arrived and her beau arrived at her door with a gift of his own in tow. He told her to close her eyes and hold out her hands. And into those hands he placed a brown paper bag. Inside: a copy of "Thelma and Louise" on video -- which, by the way, which he’d picked up for $4.99 at the gas station while filling up on the way over. Yes, that's right: brown paper bag, Thelma and Louise, purchased with the gas. Poor Lisa wasn't sure if he was trying to tell her that he liked strong, independent women, or if he was hoping that she and her best friend would drive off a cliff together.
The point, either way, is that having a Valentine in no way ensures that you'll get a gift that you love, or, in those especially frustrating cases, even one that you understand. The best solution: go shopping for yourself. 'Cuz hey, who knows you better than you?
A few great-smelling candles for your room, the latest Hard Candy nail polish, Sweet Home Alabama on DVD, a big bag of chocolate kisses, even a movie (though, in honor of Lisa, please, no Thelma and Louise) . . . no matter if it's $1 or $10 or $50, splurge on a gift for the person who most deserves it today . . .that's YOU, girl! 2. VALENTINE'S DAY, A.K.A. "IT'S ALL ABOUT ME DAY"
Shopping for yourself is cool, but so is having a day dedicated to the one you love . . you! Tell your pals ahead of time that you'll be "unavailable for consultation," unplug the phone and indulge.
This can mean locking yourself in the bathroom, jumping into a hot bath surrounded by candles, a stack of glossy mags and Savage Garden serenading you from the radio. Or throwing some popcorn in the nuker, grabbing a Dr. Pepper (the beverage of champions!) and renting "School Ties" and "Good Will Hunting" for a Matt Damon Double Feature.
Or just playing every sappy love song you own while noshing a bag of Doritos. Or redecorating your room. Or writing letters and e-mails to far away friends. Or making a collage for your wall with your old magazines. Or start a scrapbook. Or reading one of your favorite all-time books (I once nursed a particularly harsh broken heart by re-reading every Judy Blume book I'd owned since grade school including "Freckle Juice!").
Again, the point is to do something for YOU. No matter what it is, plan a day of activities fit for a queen, or, on this day, a queen of hearts.
3. IT'S TRUE: MISERY LOVES COMPANY
I.E., grab your fellow single girls and party like it's 1999, plus one. Which it is! See how well that works out?
But seriously, invite the gang over -- a cool Web site called Evite.com (www.evite.com) lets you choose from a wide variety of invitations which you can e-mail to party guests free - for a major celebration.
Party ideas: have a CD/clothes/books/accessories/magazine/video swap party (everyone unloads their old swag and gets a pile of new goodies!); a makeover party; a film fest featuring your favorite movie stars or have everyone bring over their favorite movies on tape; whip everyone into a baking frenzy by giving each of your attendees a tube of raw cookie dough and plenty of conversation hearts, frosting and colored sprinkles for making their own giant cookies; have everyone get all comfy in their favorite jammies and then dare each person to make a phone call to their secret crush.
And yes, there's a good chance they'll be home, because guys go through this stuff, too. (Though, admittedly, they may not be reading "Are you there God? It’s Me, Margaret." Which, of course, is their loss.)
4. HOME IS WHERE THE BROKEN HEART IS . . . SO GET THE HECK OUT OF THE HOUSE!
All of the previous suggestions keep you ensconced in the safe environs of the old homestead. But sometimes, the best thing is to leave your troubles behind and head for greener pastures. The greenest pasture of all, is, of course, the mall.
But there are others: take in a movie with a group of friends; gather your buds for a night of goofy fun at Chuck E. Cheese ('fess up, it's the cheesiest, no pun intended, fun place in town); go bowling (also a great place for scoping); hit Barnes and Noble or one of those other book superstores that let you lounge around on sofas and read to your heart's content; visit the local pet store or animal shelter (happiness is, after all, a warm puppy); or sign up for a kickboxing or water aerobics class at your gym.
Exercise, by the way, is great for lifting your spirits and there's a bonus: while everyone else is scarfing sugary grub, you'll be doing something way healthy for your bod!
5. IF YOU CAN'T BE WITH THE ONE YOU LOVE, HONEY, LOVE THE ONES YOU'RE WITH
Take a trip down the aisles of the Valentine section at the aforementioned Hallmark, and you'll notice cards for everyone from your 'rents and grandparents to your sibs and even your dog, cat and pet iguana. And the message, economically-inspired as it may be, is clear: Valentine's Day is not just for romantic love. v
So how about celebrating the day with your family? Give a card to everyone in your gene pool. Or make them some cookies (check out www.cookierecipe.com), decorate their doors with paper hearts, cook up some heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast . . . check out Family Fun's "Valentine Central" Web page (http://family.go.com/Features/family_0000_01/dony/valentine) for a list of easy (and cheap!) crafts and recipes you can make.
You could also buy a box of those kid's Valentines we all use to pass out in grade school and give them to family, friends, your favorite teachers, your secret crushes . . .
For your buds, you could also make mixed tapes of love songs (or anti-love songs like Limp Bizkit's "Nookie" and 'N Sync's "Bye, Bye, Bye"); bake of batch of brownies with red and pink M&Ms on top; make personalized stationery by designing one page with cool clip art, photos or your friends' names in fun fonts on your computer and photocopying the page at your local copy shop; or make little locker goodie bags with gum, candy bars, cool pens, change for the vending machines and other necessities of the school day.
Whatever you decide to do on this reputed day of love, remember one thing: it's O.K. to be a single girl, even if it seems everyone around is coupled. It just means you haven't found anyone special enough to hang with the likes of your hella cool self.
Yet . . .
Teenmag.com