Salad-n-Noodles: The Best of Both Worlds

"World Changing"

I stumbled upon this site while surfing the net for some green enterprises. Check it out, it's a great online magazine called World Changing with sections for being green in Communities, Businesses, Shelter, Politics, and Stuff.

I remember when I was a young kid in Malaysia, on some afternoons, I'd hear this loooooooooong sing-songy chant in our back alley "sao gao bu zi, sao bo li jun......." (i.e., collecting old newspaper and used bottles) followed by the sound of his horn, beep beep... beep beep. His chant and the sound of his horn break the dead silence of a hot humid afternoon. This recycling man usually is on a tri-cycle where the back is full of old newspapers and gunney sacks of empty bottles. These bottles click and clack as he paddles in the narrow back alley. His skin is dark and wrinkled. Sometimes he wears a big straw hat that's similar to a sombrero but without the vibrant colors. His short sleeve shirt is unbuttoned on top, baring his sun-kissed chest exposed to more afternoon sun. His cotton shorts are just above his knees with frilled edges, and his flip-flops look flimsy under his strong, muscular legs.

That was recycling at work way back when!

I remember we stacked our newspaper neatly and packed them using grass string, each pack was 5 kati (1 kati is 1.1lb) , that's the unit the recycling man liked. On days when my mom or cousin waved to the recycling man and hurried in to move the stacks of newspaper to the back door, I'd carefully helped my mom calculate the money we received from the recycling man and put them into the family drawer. It never occured to me that I'd ask for a tip for helping out :)  But then again, we go to the same family drawer to get money to buy coconut buns or kaya buns when the vendor come beeping in the back alley.

Those were the days.

Now recycling is in vogue again. What I can't understand and don't like is that clothings that are made of recycled materials or creatively being recycled by cutting out the sleeves and adding other cute accessories cost an arm and a leg. What logic is this?

 

Take Action Now - Combating Child Exploitation Act

Saw this on the Oprah Show today. It makes me sick to the stomach to hear that child predators are so organized. So please take action and write to your Senator now. Here's a quick look at what the Act does:

The Combating Child Exploitation Act will:

• Authorize over $320 million over the next five years in desperately needed funding for law enforcement to investigate child exploitation.
• Mandate that child rescue be a top priority for law enforcement receiving federal funding.
• Allocate funds for high-tech computer software that can track down Internet predators.

Please do your part. Take action and write your Senator, urge them to pass the Senate Bill S. 1738: Combating Child Exploitation Act now. Thank you!

(hot) dancing mamas

Check out the dancing mamas in China--Hip Hop Nannies. I couldn''t help but cheer for them when I saw them featured on NBC's Today Show.

You go ladies! I know how blissful it can be when you connect to and move your body with the rhythm of the music. More important, these ladies break the stereotype that's been long held by many Chinese people: dress your age, act your age, dancing is for the young and restless. Afterall, at age 70's, you are considered "rare", as in this Chinese phrase "人生七十古來稀", old age is a time when you "lovingly feed your grandchildren by warming their porridge in your mouth" as in "含飴弄孫."  So just chill, when you are "old," you are supposed to move slowly and not jamming to the beat of hip hop. 

On the other hand, many people in the States resist aging. Look at John McCain, he's 72 and he's running for the president of the United States. Look at the language in the medias: the 30's are the new 20's, the 40's are the new 30's, and the 60's are the new 40's. Hmm... that leaves me wonder where you'd put the 50's who are still very young at heart?

For the upper middle class in the U.S., life is mostly good. What with the seduction of non-stop advertising luring you to buy this face cream or take this magic pill to reverse the sign of aging? There's this hope that it's possible to hold on to the fleeting youth and the good o'd days. On one hand, I applaud the active lifestyles these people lead, for it's truly a fountain of youth (check out Real Age). On the other hand, I wonder why not more people celebrate the wisdom that comes with age?

These hip-hop nannies remind me of my aunt in Taiwan. She is now more active and cheerful than I can ever remember. She told me that she's forever 27!  Yeah, auntie, you've shown me that age is not relevant when you are passionate about life and live life to the fullest.

To all the "27's" and beyond: keep dancing!

By the way, I'm forever "28"!

 

Self publishing site

Found this self-publishing site when reading an article in Architectual Record. It's a great way to self-publish stuff you've written and share it with friends, or make some bucks. It has a sweet name, too! Check out Lulu, where you can submit your manuscripts and get published (or perish!) --no, I am not getting any commission for referring you to this site.

Freedom Chair

I think my search for an ergonomically fitting chair is finally over. I am now a satisfied owner of a Freedom Chair by Niels Diffrient. Thanks to Craig's list, I didn't pay an arm and a leg for this chair, which makes it even a sweeter find.

My quest for a fitting chair has involved many visits to furniture stores such as my favorite Dania (it's called Scandinavian Design in California), Interior Motions, an office furniture store in Emeryville, Design Within Reach, and of course, Ikea, Office Depot, and Office Max. My thought went back to my trips in Japan where every furniture (including the toilet!) fit me in terms of my height and build. My impulsive side even thought about importing furniture from Japan for petite people like me!  I now have even more appreciation for great designers whose designs bring convenience, comfort, and joy (you can't forget the asethetic part, can you?) to our daily life. In this particular case, it's also true that you pay for what you get.

From now on, yours truly will be blogging from this comfy and cushiony Freedom chair. :)

 

Home is where your heart is

This article was written in the air...probably when I was flying from Hong Kong to KL or from KL back to the United States . It was written in early February when I went home for Chinese New Year. My apologies to those of you who cannot read Mandarin...:(

I 'll try to translate the last paragraph, which is the gist of this essay:

"Standing on the soil of the United States and looking back at the home in which I grew up, it's like looking at the earth from the moon. It's at once familiar but yet distance. This is the dilemma of a traveler, and the unlimited freedom of the traveler." ....

 

這次轉機在香港，有三個小時的時間，可讓我在機場逛逛盪盪。

現在還算是初春，看到好多穿長靴的女孩。在機場可以看見各種各樣的人，有不修邊幅的，有打扮得花枝招展的，有疲憊的旅人，有好奇的小孩，還有那忙著看那琳琅滿目的免稅品的人。

買份禮物送給心愛的人吧。這趟旅程匆匆忙忙的，來不及去逛街購物，機場的商店是給最後一分鐘的人的大好消息。買盒巧克力吧，那是最容易又大方的禮物。買瓶香水吧，但又不曉得這是不是她的最愛。買個名牌手袋吧，但又怕太過禮重。到頭來還是買食物安全。

我已飛了十多個小時，再飛四個多小時，就可以到家了。我是從一個家飛到另一個家 .從一個有四季的家到一個長年是夏的家. 從一個自己一人住的家到一個父母和親 戚圍繞 的家 .

這次囘家探親，小侄兒問了一句：“你是美國人還是本地人？” 這句話讓我想了好一囘兒。甚麽是家呢？英語中有這麽一句： ”Home is where your heart is.” 你心在哪裏，那兒就是你的家。

若家是我心在的地方，那麽我可說是兩地都有家。在美國生活了十多年，交了很多來自不同囯家的朋友和土生土長的美國朋友，也漸漸了解美國人的生活習俗和文化。在美國，我的活動空間 蛮大，也很幸運的有很多機會讓我學習及体騐人生。從不小心發現自己有抓相機構圖的能力，到有機會在美國大機構内工作，了 解它們的操作，流程和聆聽員工們的心聲，及在電視早晨新聞中表演了一小段拉丁舞，這一切，都讓我的生命增添了不少色彩。

到了美國，更能珍惜華人的傳統和一些价值观。怎麽說呢？從前在馬來西亞時，過時過節都理所當然的慶祝，也沒真正的去想想那些節日的真正意義。就如我們每天都呼吸空氣，就沒有發覺空氣的存在一樣。到了美國，這裡的朋友們會好奇的問我重大華人節日的習俗和意義 ,比如華人 新年的 習俗和有代表性的事物等等。我很樂意為傳播華人文化盡一點棉力，所以都很開心的 解释給我的洋人朋友聼。 間接的，我也更多了 解 華人文化，正所謂教學相長也！

離開了從小長大的家園，從海外看老家 ,就像站在月球上反觀地球。它是那麽的熟悉，卻又那麽的陌生。這就是一個游子的無奈，也是一個游子無盡的天空。

 

Marathon vs. "Marathon"

I officially launched my company website on June 2, yippee!! I felt like I've just given birth to a baby... tired, but excited.

While I would love to kick back, relax, and focus only on doing projects, I know that the "work" has just begun. As those of you who have your own business know, running a business is like running a marathon. It's a process, it takes perseverance and patience. Thankfully I did have a taste of training for and running a half marathon in April this year. That was a very good training and had prepared me for this marathon of running my consulting business.

Lessons I've learned from running the half marathon:

• Keep a regular running schedule, do a long run every weekend.
• Don't forget to stretch before and after the run.
• Listen to your body, rest and take a day off if your body needs it, don't push it or you'll injure yourself.
• Eat healthfully, avoid processed food and sugar, add protein to every meal.
• Get plenty of water and rest.
• When running, keep your eye on a target 10-20 ft in front of you, don't look down on your foot or look too far up or you'll lose your focus.
• Use a mantra if necessary to keep you going, especially during the last miles of your run.

Pointers I borrow from my half marathon training to build my business:

• Keep a regular work schedule and marketing schedule, schedule at least one networking lunch or meeting per week.
• Don't forget to maintain good communications with contacts, prospects, and clients before and after the sale.
• Listen to your intuition, know when to build rapport with prospects and clients (that's all the time!) and when to ask for work. Take time off to read/do fun stuff or hang out with friends, don't work too hard and forget about the real meaning of life.
• Eat healthfully, avoid processed food and sugar, add protein to every meal.
• Schedule time for exercise, get plenty of water and rest.
• When building your business, keep your eye on a reasonably stretched goal. Don't be complacent with what you've achieved and don't aim too high or you'll feel like not accomplishing anything.
• Have quiet time everyday to clear your mind and keep a positive attitude. Celebrate every little success you achieve along the way.

I'm thankful for all my friends and my team of professionals (including my yoga teacher and chiropractor) who have helped me on my journey. It really takes a village to make things happen!

I offer my sincere thanks to you and may you be happy, healthy, and free.  Namaste.

 

Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day, it's also a day of national BBQ. I'm bringing a mixed grains parsley salad and brownies to the BBQ party I'm going this evening. :)

Here's my recipe for the mixed grains salad, enjoy!!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag Trader Joe's Harvest Grains Blend grains (you can substitute 2 cups of couscous or other mixed grains)
• 1 can of Garbanzo bean, or any other white beans you have in your pantry
• 2 cups of Italian parsley
• 2 tbp of olive oil
• 2 tbp of apple cider vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste (I prefer sea salt to table salt, but you can use whatever salt you have available)

Preparation:

Cook the mixed grains per instructions on the box. Rinse the garbanzo bean, set aside. Finely chop the Italian parsley and mix the olive oil with apple vinegar, set aside.

When the mixed grains is cooked, let cool and transfer to a big salad bowl or serving bowl.  Mix in chopped Italian parsley and garbanzo beans. Toss well, drizzle the olive oil vinegar dressing over mixed grain salad. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Optional: sprinkle some toasted almonds or other crunchy nuts for another layer of texture.

Serves 6.

 

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Taiko drummers

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Taiko drummers performing at the Cherry Blossom festival in San Francisco. Makes me want to take up Taiko drumming!

 

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What's in a name?

I grew up in Southeast Asia but I've been living in the United States for many years. Throughout all these years in the United States, I was like a sponge, soaking up the languages, ways of living, eating, and participating in the abundance of activities that allow me to connect my body and mind. Perhaps I've been living here much longer than I was living in KL and Singapore combined, I am now starting to experience jolting reversed cultural shocks when I visit my friends and family back home.

This feeling of shock is so strong that I have to asked myself who am I now? Am I an American, Malaysian, or Asian? Or am I someone who is so comfortable living in any big cities that I'm now a non-specific "metropolite"--as my friend Roger jokingly calls me. Frankly, I don't feel 100% Malaysia and I don't feel 100% American. I guess I'm in the in-between spaces, in the intersection of two (or more) cultures, and I'll have to define something of my own. Hence the name salad-n-noodles.

Salad--I can make a pretty kick-ass salad with lots of greens, colorful fruits, dried fruits, and nuts. I prefer the juices from the fruits as my salad dressing to the store bought dressing. If I were to use any dressing, it would most likely be balsamic vinaigrette or Thousand Island (this is a trace of my Asian palette).

Noodles--I would take rice or quinoa over noodles anytime, unless it's soba. I like soba. But salad-n-rice just doesn't sound as sassy, hence salad-n-noodles. :)

My intend for this blog is to share with my friends and family on both sides of the Pacific Ocean what I experience/how I live as being a transplant from KL & Singapore to the United States. I hope my stories help me understand who I am and bring more understanding to my friends and family.