The sky was overcast all day. Dad had picked up this new game, The Last of Us, which looked just like a movie. I spent most of the afternoon glued to the couch, watching him play. The story was so intense that even afterward, when I hopped on the treadmill, I kept imagining “being chased by the zombies”from the game. For dinner, Mom tried out a new wax gourd hotpot recipe she’d been inspired to make after our recent restaurant visit. At first, everything seemed fine, but the gourd ended up getting burnt, and the bitter smell totally ruined the soup. Too bad—I think the gas stove might’ve been the culprit. Maybe we need to switch to an electric stove instead? We’ll have to give it a shot next time. (ps. Mom looks down)