Author Archives: JudyTsai

SourceURL:file://localhost/Volumes/HP%20V125W/SP%2007%20FL&PC%20COLLECTS/Tsai/Zorthian%20(Joey).doc

 

“Jirayr Zorthian was an artist who lived on a ranch in Altadena, California in the 1940’s until the time of his death.  Apparently, he moved there to protect his kids.  He built his house in a way so that no cars could get within a certain radius of his kids outside his house.  One day, Zorthian backed out and ran over one of his kids.  Now, his ranch has become a popular spot for teens that are looking for adventure.  It’s a creepy place to go to at night because it’s deserted and there are cults.  A lot of beware of kids signs are located around the property.”

 

My informant heard this story from his friend Taylor a couple years ago.  Since Joey lives near Altadena, he knows teenagers who drive up to the ranch in search of encountering the supernatural.  Going to the Zorthian ranch as a midnight adventure is most likely a local fascination.

Joey actually does not know much about it.  He only knows what Taylor told him.  This may explain why people believe that the ranch is haunted.  The fact that the ranch is deserted and ancient-looking may be reason enough to spread that the property is haunted.  Joey doesn’t think about what may have happened with Zorthian’s car accident because he isn’t interested in ghost stories.  He thinks that the incident could be true, but he doesn’t think that it necessarily mean that the ranch is haunted.

 

Judy Tsai, 19

615 W. 36th St., TRO #266

Los Angeles, CA 90007

I have been to the Zorthian ranch before because I was a teenager looking for adventure on one uneventful summer night.  I had heard that the ranch was a creepy place to go to at night, but I had never heard of the story behind it.  When I arrived at the ranch, I noticed many warning signs on the fences surrounding the property.   I looked out the car window and saw an extremely narrow driveway, and I couldn’t tell where it led up to because of the darkness.  My friends didn’t want to drive through the driveway, so we ended up leaving.  Later that night, I looked up the history of the ranch online.  All I could find was that Jirayr Zorthian was an artist that once lived there.  There were no speculations about the ranch being haunted.  I think that the rumor that the ranch was haunted was just created by a bored teenager who was scared of the deserted

Judy Tsai, 19

615 W. 36th St., TRO #266

Los Angeles, CA 90007

ranch.

Miss Suzie’s Steamboat

Nationality: Asian-American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Marino, California
Performance Date: April 2007
Primary Language: English
Language: Mandarin

Miss Suzie had a steamboat
The steamboat had a bell (toot toot) 
Miss Suzie went to heaven 
The steamboat went to 
Hello operator, please give me number 9
If you disconnect me, I’ll chop off your 
Behind the refrigerator laid a piece of glass 
Miss Suzie sat upon it and broke her little
Ask me no more questions, please give me no more lies 
The boys are in bathroom pulling down their 
Flies are in the meadow, the bees are in the park 
Miss Suzie and her boyfriend are kissing in the DARK DARK DARK! 
Is like a movie, a movie’s like a show, a show is on TV 
And that’s all I know know know!

This is one of the many chants that is recited with a certain clapping pattern that I learned in elementary school.  Back then, many girls would say these chants during recess as a way of spending their free time.  I remember learning it from my best friend, who had learned it from other girls in her class.  Once we both knew it, we would frequently play this clapping game, whether we were at school or at each other’s houses.  It was a way of passing time when we were bored.
Looking back at my elementary school days, chanting this rhyme was extremely enjoyable.  Not only did it help ease my boredom, but it also provided me with fun.  Chanting the words with my friends made me laugh because of the words in the chant.  It implies inappropriate words without actually being inappropriate.
Remembering the chant reminds me of how much fun I had as a kid.  When I hear other kids recite these chants and play clapping games, I remember more specific memories that I had as a child.  This chant gives me a connection to my past.  I don’t think I’ll ever forget this chant because it has been implanted in my brain from reciting it so much.

The Punchbug Game

Nationality: Asian-American
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Marino, California
Performance Date: April 2007
Primary Language: English
Language: Japanese

“You see an out-of-state license plate, yell out the name of the state, and you get to punch the person you’re with.”
My informant     learned this game as a little kid from his friends.  This game is very popular with kids, and I’m sure that almost every child or teen knows of this game.  Simple games such as this one are easily spread around by kids.  Duke said that most of the games that he learned in elementary school were games that he learned from other kids who learned from other kids.  This chain of learning happens on the playground and classrooms.  Games were part of children’s lives at that young age, so games are always on their minds.
Duke likes to play this game on long road trips to get rid of boredom.  When he spends countless hours in the car, he runs out of things to talk about and do.  While looking out the car window, he starts to observe cars and their license plates.  Looking for out-of-state license plates gives Duke something to do.  Also, being able to punch a friend after finding an out-of-state license plate gives Duke the opportunity to release pent up frustration.
He thinks that this game is fun with lots of friends.  When he’s with a lot of friends, he has more chances to punch people and laugh about it.  He thinks it’s a great way of passing time, but it can get annoying.  When all a person does is look for out-of-state license plates and wants to punch people, Duke gets frustrated.  The game can be played for a short while, and after that, it gets old.
I’ve played this game before, and I think it’s a great time waster.  It’s something that I would play only when I’m bored or when I think of it.  It’s a great game only if people aren’t obsessed with always looking for out-of-state license plates.  Once people compulsively look for them, it can be very obnoxious.

Jinx!

Nationality: Asian-American
Age: 18
Occupation: Student
Residence: Pasadena, California
Performance Date: April 2007
Primary Language: English
Language: Mandarin

“1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10…personal jinx!”

My informant learned this game in elementary school.  All the girls knew the game, so it passed around to everyone.  Basically, when two children say the same word at the same time, one of them needs to yell out “personal jinx” and count to ten without any interruptions.  Once the kid is jinxed, the person who yelled out “personal jinx” first is the only one who can break the jinx by saying the kid’s name.  If the kid talks while he or she is jinxed, then he or she violates the curse and deserves a punishment like a punch on the arm.
She used to play this game all the time with her friends.  She would always be the first one racing to call “personal jinx” on someone whenever someone said the same word at the same time as her.  She recalls playing this game because it was fun.  “Personal jinx” was one of those silly games that little kids play as a way of spending their time.  It allowed her to have a sense of power over her friends because she was able to control the length of time that they weren’t allowed to speak for.  By saying “personal jinx,” she would be the only person who could break the jinx.
As a mature teenager now, my informant seldom plays this game.  There have been many incidents in which she and a friend have said the same word simultaneously, but she does not always say “personal jinx.”  Now that she’s older, the game does not come naturally to her.  She only says “personal jinx” when she thinks of it, which is not very frequently.  Angel remembers the innocent days of childhood whenever she thinks about “personal jinx.”  This game is one of the many that she used to play back when all she did was play games and didn’t have to worry about important things.
I remember playing this game myself.  I was always the one getting jinxed.  Sometimes, I would just give up and receive the punishment for talking.  I think that this game is only suitable for elementary school children.  Playing this game now is just not the same.  Teenagers and adults jinxing each other is not very mature.  Back in the day though, I really enjoyed playing this game because it was just a ridiculous game that everyone played.  I don’t think that children can have the opportunity to rebel and not play because even if a child rebels, the person doing the jinxing can always just punish the person for talking anyway.

The Quinceañera

Nationality: Mexican-American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, California
Performance Date: April 2007
Primary Language: English
Language: Spanish

    “The tradition of quinceañeras started back in the days of the Aztecs.  Young girls were being sacrificed and the ritual showed the transition from girlhood to womanhood.  As time went by, it turned into a ceremony to commemorate a girl turning into a woman.  Families would reserve a church to celebrate the ceremony, and then they would invite special people.  The ceremony would be a day of partying and such.  Also, a girl is required to take classes before the ceremony in order to learn the significance of the process.”

Because Lizzette is from a Hispanic background, the tradition of celebrating girls’ quinceañeras has been a must in her family.  Almost all women have participated in it.  Lizzette’s grandmother, mother, and aunts have all celebrated it.  Currently, her family is preparing for her sister’s fifteenth birthday with a large quinceañera as well.  Lizzette’s own quinceañera was a great moment in her life.  She loved preparing for the ceremony.  She was able to wear a beautiful dress that she still cherishes, eat great food, be the center of attention, and spend time with her relatives and close friends.
Lizzette sees this celebration as a major part of a girl’s life.  Just how some people have a sweet sixteen, a quinceañera is a special part of her upbringing.  A lot of people see it as an excuse to party, but she sees it as an opportunity to grow.  A quinceañera is the moment a girl is revealed as a woman.  With this ceremony, people change the way they act with the birthday girl.  When a girl turns fifteen, she’s seen as more mature and developed.  Lizzette’s quinceañera was extremely important to her because it was a celebration of her transition from childhood to womanhood.
I think that the celebration of a quinceañera is very valuable and should be maintained as a tradition for young girls.  Since this tradition has been preserved for such a long time, it has a special meaning.  Its purpose is actually meaningful.  Acknowledging a woman’s maturity is essential to a woman’s life.  Also, quinceañeras are such a big deal that families invite many people.  This celebration gives families a chance to reunite with loved ones or people they’ve lost in touch with.