“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”

Language: English

MAIN DESCRIPTION:

CH: “Growing up, my parents would always tell me, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” They would usually say this when I focused too much on one thing, like an opportunity or a plan. When she said this, I didn’t really understand what it meant honestly, but as time went by, I started to understand that it was about having options. This means that if I depend too much on a single thing I could lose everything if that thing doesn’t succeed. They were reminding me that it would be wise to stay flexible and ready for other various possibilities in life. I’ve found this advice to be really useful in my life so I always remember not to put all my hopes, dreams, or plans into just one thing.

INFORMANT’S OPINION:

JL: What do you think this phrase means?

CH: “It reminds me that I should always have backup plans and think about different options instead of depending on just one. When I concentrated too much on just one thing it seemed like I was holding myself back.But when I thought about the phrase and used it, I felt more prepared for whatever came my way. It helped me take on more opportunities and not fear failure because I knew I wasn’t putting everything into one risky situation. The phrase has definitely encouraged me to think about all the options out there, and I see now how that mindset has helped me in life.”

PERSONAL INTERPRETATION:

I also received this advice from my parents. I believe the informant did an excellent job explaining the deeper meaning too. I think the informant did a great job explaining the deeper meaning as well. My parents often remind me to be open to various options and not to put all my effort into just one thing. I understand how important it is to think about all my choices in my personal life and for my future job options. It reminds me every day to pay attention to different parts of my life. If I depend too much on one thing I could overlook important chances and not achieve my best self.

“It’s all about parking karma.”

Language: English

MAIN DESCRIPTION:

CH: “When I was a kid I would drive around with my mom looking for a place to park. Whenever we searched for parking in busy areas she would always say “It’s all about parking karma.” She would say it with a smile and ask me to wait patiently. At first I didn’t really get what she meant but later I understood. She thought that if we stayed calm and had a positive attitude a parking spot would eventually become available for us. She used that method to maintain a positive atmosphere when the streets were crowded. I began using this habit as I got older saying “parking karma” every time I looked for a parking space. It became my method to remind myself to stay calm, positive, and hopeful no matter how annoying things got.”

INFORMANT’S OPINION:

JL: What do you think this phrase means?

CH: “Looking back, I think it really means that I should remain optimistic and be patient even when things get tough. My mom always thought that if I stayed calm and didn’t get upset, good things would come my way in the end. She thought that sharing positive energy even in little things like parking would help everything work out in the end. As time went on I realized that this saying could be used for other aspects in my life too. It could be used to face life with the same attitude. If I remain calm and keep an open mind, situations might improve even when it feels like everything is against me.”

PERSONAL INTERPRETATION:

I personally have never heard of this phrase so it is new to me in a sense. However, hearing the informant’s story presented me with this new mindset in life. Life does get pretty tough sometimes whether it’s trying to find parking in a crowded space or any other difficult scenario. It is truly important to step back, remain calm, and keep an open mind. Majority of the time, we get worked up in situations because they are stressful. It’s important to stay positive and let it run its course because in the end you will be fine. 

Lei Gong

Text:

“雷公 (Lei Gong)”

Translation:

The Thunder Father, the Thunder God

Context:

“I remember it being a more folkloreic thing. Becuase there were these gods, and it wasn’t authoritatively taught to us or anything. It’s more of like a- my parents would use it as a way for discipline thing… It’s funny because they only ever use him a lot because he’s the one that causes the thunder, and that scares children. It’s kinda a way to explain where thunder comes about. But it is the idea that if you behave badly, the thunder god will come to judge you. He punishes the morally guilty. So whenever you are misbehaving, he is gonna strike you down. It is related to thunder because you kind of caused it. And whenever it did thunder, and I didn’t do anything. My mom will reinforce that: ‘You hear the thunder? He is coming. Listen to how angry he is.’”

Analysis:

J: Turns out it is just a tactic for the parents to manipulate their children…
P: Yeah- but also,I guess the fact that it exists- in Chinese, it is a personification of the judge of guiltiness. It is really interesting that it passes down. Our parents say it.
J: Right, it is like- culturally, how our (Chinese) parents teach their children by scaring them instead of teaching them actual lesson.
P: Yeah, yeah. So I always have fascination about this. Even when I know it isn’t real now, I still have a fascination with thunder and rain. It makes you pay attention to it.

Lei Gong is not only a figure featured in Chinese legend; he is also taught to children as an invisible figure who judges them. It is interesting to see how the loud thunder in many cultures and legends always symbolizes judgment. But it is not hard to imagine having to come up with an explanation for loud bombing noise from the sky other than some omniscient beings.

Jeep Ducking/ Duck Duck Jeep

Object:

Rubber Ducks

Context:

The informant and the interviewer were walking around the USC campus and spotted a Jeep with a great amount of rubber ducks in it, thus sparking this conversation.
People who own Jeeps like to give rubber ducks to other Jeep owners. You can spot a lot of Jeeps with many different types of rubber ducks on their dashboard. The informant theorized that it is a millennial trend. They recall that it started during quarantine as a way to bond the Jeep community together.

Analysis:
A heartwarming game within the Jeep community, it is well needed during quarantine. People still keep it up nowadays, but more as a collector to show off the different rubber ducks they own.

Chivo

Text:

“Chivo”

Translation:

Cool
(Direct translation: Billy goat)

Context:

The informant heard this word often from their dad. In Salvadoran, it means cool and awesome. The informant states they use it when someone does a cool skateboard trick. “Chevere” is a word branched off from it, meaning good, interesting, or enjoyable.

Analysis:
It is interesting how the direct translation is “billy goat”, which relates to the modern day slang “goated,” also used to describe a cool action.