Well, it's been months in the making, but I'm happy to finally announce to you that after 2 fruitful years in Texas, our family is moving back to the San Francisco Bay Area. It certainly had been a fun ride for the last couple of years. As Shakespeare puts it so well, "Parting is such sweet sorrow." We will miss our dear friends in Texas, but we truly are excited about moving back to the Golden States.
To mark this new chapter of my life, I'm also moving my blogs to Wordpress. To read more of my adventures in the wild west, please check out my new home here.
Showing posts with label English. Show all posts
Showing posts with label English. Show all posts
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Surfing Orange
Gary is away for a couple of days to do a special gig for Williams College for MLK day. I have 2 days pretty much on my own - when Genghis is playing in his room or taking a nap. There's not a lot one can do with short spans of time like such. But a girl can certainly find something to do on her own at any give time. Surfing haphazardly on the internet is one of my faves.
While searching a recipe of German pancakes, I stumbled onto 2 blogs related to orange. First of the two is "How About Orange" created by a Chicago graphic designer. I can't figure out yet why she named her blog orange, but I'm really glad I found it. In addition to the obvious reason that I got the recipe that I was looking for, I love the crafts she does! I have always had this dream that I would one day quit my day job and be a professional "craftster". She definitely inspires me.
Another is "Orangette". As you will discover in the description of the blog, orangette is "a candied orange rind dipped in chocolate". The creator of the blog is a food lover in Seattle, and her blog has been getting rave reveiws from various media across the country. I think she is in the process of having her book published.
It first got my attention because orangette happens to be my favorite sweets. The combination of citrusy flavor and chocolate (especially dark chocolate) is just beyond comparison. (I guess to me, orangette is the culinary elevation of Jacob's chocolate orange biscuit.) I had one time tried to make this myself but gave up teh idea after realizing that it would take a couple of days to make the candied orange rind.
Anyway, Orangette is a lighthearted, pleasurable read. It keeps me dreaming of food in this gastronomically uncultured part of the country (sigh...).
Well, Genghis just woke up and that means time for snack. How about an orange?
While searching a recipe of German pancakes, I stumbled onto 2 blogs related to orange. First of the two is "How About Orange" created by a Chicago graphic designer. I can't figure out yet why she named her blog orange, but I'm really glad I found it. In addition to the obvious reason that I got the recipe that I was looking for, I love the crafts she does! I have always had this dream that I would one day quit my day job and be a professional "craftster". She definitely inspires me.
Another is "Orangette". As you will discover in the description of the blog, orangette is "a candied orange rind dipped in chocolate". The creator of the blog is a food lover in Seattle, and her blog has been getting rave reveiws from various media across the country. I think she is in the process of having her book published.
It first got my attention because orangette happens to be my favorite sweets. The combination of citrusy flavor and chocolate (especially dark chocolate) is just beyond comparison. (I guess to me, orangette is the culinary elevation of Jacob's chocolate orange biscuit.) I had one time tried to make this myself but gave up teh idea after realizing that it would take a couple of days to make the candied orange rind.
Anyway, Orangette is a lighthearted, pleasurable read. It keeps me dreaming of food in this gastronomically uncultured part of the country (sigh...).
Well, Genghis just woke up and that means time for snack. How about an orange?
Monday, November 5, 2007
Mom Song
To all the moms in the world...only you can truly understand what the song is all about.
Get up now Get up now Get out of bed
Wash your face Brush your teeth Comb your sleepy head
Here’s your clothes And your shoes Hear the words I said
Get up now Get up and make your bed
Are you hot? Are you cold? Are you wearing that?
Where’s your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and your gloves and your scarf and hat
Don’t forget you got to feed the cat
Eat your breakfast The experts tell us it’s the most important meal of all
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall
Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at three today?
Don’t forget your piano lesson is this afternoon So you must play
Don’t shovel Chew slowly But hurry The bus is here
Be careful Come back here Did you wash behind your ears?
Play outside Don’t play rough Would you just play fair?
Be polite Make a friend Don’t forget to share
Work it out Wait your turn Never take a dare Get along
Don’t make me come down there
Clean your room Fold your clothes Put your stuff away
Make your bed Do it now Do we have all day?
Were you born in a barn? Would you like some hay
Can you even hear a word I say?
Answer the phone Get off the phone
Don’t sit so close Turn it down No texting at the table
No more computer time tonight Your iPod’s my iPod if you don’t listen up
Where you going and with whom and what time do you think you’re coming home?
Saying thank you, please, excuse me
Makes you welcome everywhere you roam
You’ll appreciate my wisdom someday when you’re older and you’re grown
Can’t wait ‘til you have a couple little children of your own
You’ll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly
But right now I thank you NOT to roll your eyes at me
Close your mouth when you chew Would appreciate
Take a bite Maybe two Of the stuff you hate
Use your fork Do not you burp Or I’ll set you straight
Eat the food I put upon your plate
Get an A Get the door Don’t get smart with me
Get a Grip Get up here I’ll count to 3
Get a job Get a life Get a PhD Get a dose of…
I don’t care who started it You’re grounded until you're 36
Get your story straight And tell the truth for once for heaven’s sake
And if all your friends jumped off a cliff would you jump too?
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said at least a thousand times before that
You’re too old to act this way It must be your father’s DNA
Look at me when I am talking Stand up straighter when you walk
A place for everything And everything must be in place
Stop crying or I’ll give you something real to cry about
Oh! Brush your teeth Wash your face Get your PJs on
Get in bed Get a hug Say a prayer with Mom
Don’t forget I love you**KISS**
And tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom’s work never ends
You don’t need the reason why
Because Because Because Because
I said so I said so I said so I said so
I’m the Mom The mom The mom The mom The mom Ta-da
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
My DC trip
I'm in DC for a week. A lot's happening. A lot for me to do, and a lot for me to think about. I'm trying to capture all that I can. This is a really diverse group that I'm with this week: some of them young Americans, some young Chinese first time in the U.S., some Chinese diplomat, some American diplomat, some Chinese university presiendts, some U.S. university presidents...
Whatever it is, I know I'm going to cherish this experience. And, this is, again, proof of my philosophy - you never know what's going to happen to you. Just keep your mind open; get yourself prepared; & pay attention to opportunities knocking on your door. Good things will follow.
Indeed. What marvelous experience.
I'll talk more about what happened to me this week after I get some rest.
Whatever it is, I know I'm going to cherish this experience. And, this is, again, proof of my philosophy - you never know what's going to happen to you. Just keep your mind open; get yourself prepared; & pay attention to opportunities knocking on your door. Good things will follow.
Indeed. What marvelous experience.
I'll talk more about what happened to me this week after I get some rest.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Mid Autumn Festival Pictures 中秋剪影
Another cheating post - pictures from a couple of weeks ago on the Mid Autumn Festival. A friend came over & had dinner & a mini celebration with us. This is the first year Genghis really enjoyed playing with his lantern. And, he loves mooncakes like I do! Good boy!
遲來的中秋節相片...
遲來的中秋節相片...
Monday, September 17, 2007
Friday, August 31, 2007
Interesting Article on Newspapers in the U.S.
A friend forwarded this to me and I think it is absolutely funny, and, to the purpose of generalization, true. I wonder what the list will look like if we're comparing newspapers in China...Anyone want to give it a try?
Demographics of American Newspapers
1. The Wall Street Journal is read by the people who run the country.
2. The Washington Post is read by people who think they run the country.
3. The New York Times is read by people who think they should run the country and who are very good at crossword puzzles.
4. USA Today is read by people who think they ought to run the country, but don't really understand The New York Times. They do, however, like their statistics shown in pie charts.
5. The Los Angeles Times is read by people who wouldn't mind running the country -- if they could find the time -- and if they didn't have to leave Southern California to do it.
6. The Boston Globe is read by people whose parents used to run the country and did a far superior job of it, thank you very much.
7. The New York Daily News is read by people who aren't too sure who's running the country and don't really care as long as they can get a seat on the train.
8. The New York Post is read by people who don't care who's running the country as long as they do something really scandalous, preferably while intoxicated.
9. The Miami Herald is read by people who are running another country but need the baseball scores.
10. The San Francisco Chronicle is read by people who aren't sure there is a country . . or that anyone is running it; but if so, they oppose all that they stand for. There are occasional exceptions if the leaders are handicapped minority feminist atheist dwarfs who also happens to be illegal aliens from any other country or galaxy, provided of course, that they are not Republicans.
11. The National Enquirer is read by people trapped in line at the grocery store.
12. The Sacramento Bee is read by people who have recently caught a fish and need something in which to wrap it.
Demographics of American Newspapers
1. The Wall Street Journal is read by the people who run the country.
2. The Washington Post is read by people who think they run the country.
3. The New York Times is read by people who think they should run the country and who are very good at crossword puzzles.
4. USA Today is read by people who think they ought to run the country, but don't really understand The New York Times. They do, however, like their statistics shown in pie charts.
5. The Los Angeles Times is read by people who wouldn't mind running the country -- if they could find the time -- and if they didn't have to leave Southern California to do it.
6. The Boston Globe is read by people whose parents used to run the country and did a far superior job of it, thank you very much.
7. The New York Daily News is read by people who aren't too sure who's running the country and don't really care as long as they can get a seat on the train.
8. The New York Post is read by people who don't care who's running the country as long as they do something really scandalous, preferably while intoxicated.
9. The Miami Herald is read by people who are running another country but need the baseball scores.
10. The San Francisco Chronicle is read by people who aren't sure there is a country . . or that anyone is running it; but if so, they oppose all that they stand for. There are occasional exceptions if the leaders are handicapped minority feminist atheist dwarfs who also happens to be illegal aliens from any other country or galaxy, provided of course, that they are not Republicans.
11. The National Enquirer is read by people trapped in line at the grocery store.
12. The Sacramento Bee is read by people who have recently caught a fish and need something in which to wrap it.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
My Other Self
Okay. I have finally decided to launch a separate blog devoted for knitting.
The name of the blog is Spinning My Yarn. And it is up and running! Please visit my other self and release the knitter in you!
Cool chicks knit! Yay!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Racist, really?
I was reading this article just the other day. It's basically about a Canadian who tries to figure out why he is often called a racist. And then last Monday, something happened that makes me think about one more time this issue called racism.
So what actually happened? It's not that big a deal, really. But a group from a major oil company in Vietnam took a visit to where I work. One of the group members was extremely rude, and my colleague, who's a relatively young lady who grew up in Texas and didn't have a lot of experience working with people from other cultures (Well, in Texas, you're a foreigner if you're from California. Imagine that.). She got a little offended by the Vietnamese guy because he kept asking her to take pictures for him in a very rude manner - no thank you or please, & gesturing instead of speaking. I was suspecting this made her think that Vietnamese are very rude in general. And, because of how she reacted, it's easy for an outsider to think she is discriminatory toward Vietnamese.
It is, of course, unfair to make generalizations like this. But at the same time, it is easy if this is your only encounter with people from that culture. Depending on the context, an individual does not only represent his/her self, but also the family, community, and culture that one is from.
I remember when I was in Hong Kong, my foreigner friends would complain to me that Chinese are racist. I never understood why. I think Hong Kong people are generally not racist. They're just discriminatory to people with no money.
Is it racist to call a Caucasian gweilo/gweipor (ghost man/ghost woman)? I genuinely don't think so. When we say gwei, we don't really mean anything bad about the westerner we're addressing to. It's just a name that we've been using for so many years that it's hard to change.
My husband is black. When we're in Hong Kong, some people would call him haak gwei (black ghost). At first, I felt a little uneasy about the name. But after a while, I realize that it's just a name that distinguishes him from other ghosts.
One time when we were driving in Houston, we asked a passerby how to get to China town. This person was obviously not very educated. He gave us the directions and then he said, "You'll see a lot of Chinamen there."
So was he being racist? Probably not. I know some Chinese get really upset about the name Chinaman. But I think, at least in this incident, that the guy was just using a phrase that he knew. He didn't know better. What did he know about racism, honestly? When he was giving us directions, he looked nothing but genuinely eager to help.
It's a fine line between racism and otherwise. But in the U.S., I feel like some people are using every chance they get to accuse someone of being racist so as to take advantage of it.
Take the N-word for example. It's okay for a black stand-up comedian to address himself by the N-word, but if any white person say an African-American (This term is itself problematic. My husband hates it. He's of African heritage but is from the Carribeans. So he never considers himself an "African".) is an N----, it's an absolute no-no.
Especially in the U.S., I think a lot of politicians are using the race issue as a tool to get what they want.
It's easy to say someone is racist, but before we make the accusation, we should really think about the motives or reason behind the obvious.
So what actually happened? It's not that big a deal, really. But a group from a major oil company in Vietnam took a visit to where I work. One of the group members was extremely rude, and my colleague, who's a relatively young lady who grew up in Texas and didn't have a lot of experience working with people from other cultures (Well, in Texas, you're a foreigner if you're from California. Imagine that.). She got a little offended by the Vietnamese guy because he kept asking her to take pictures for him in a very rude manner - no thank you or please, & gesturing instead of speaking. I was suspecting this made her think that Vietnamese are very rude in general. And, because of how she reacted, it's easy for an outsider to think she is discriminatory toward Vietnamese.
It is, of course, unfair to make generalizations like this. But at the same time, it is easy if this is your only encounter with people from that culture. Depending on the context, an individual does not only represent his/her self, but also the family, community, and culture that one is from.
Is she racist? Or is the rude Vietnamese guy racist? Probably neither of them are. But I can see it would be easy for anyone to think they are because of what happened.
I remember when I was in Hong Kong, my foreigner friends would complain to me that Chinese are racist. I never understood why. I think Hong Kong people are generally not racist. They're just discriminatory to people with no money.
Is it racist to call a Caucasian gweilo/gweipor (ghost man/ghost woman)? I genuinely don't think so. When we say gwei, we don't really mean anything bad about the westerner we're addressing to. It's just a name that we've been using for so many years that it's hard to change.
My husband is black. When we're in Hong Kong, some people would call him haak gwei (black ghost). At first, I felt a little uneasy about the name. But after a while, I realize that it's just a name that distinguishes him from other ghosts.
One time when we were driving in Houston, we asked a passerby how to get to China town. This person was obviously not very educated. He gave us the directions and then he said, "You'll see a lot of Chinamen there."
So was he being racist? Probably not. I know some Chinese get really upset about the name Chinaman. But I think, at least in this incident, that the guy was just using a phrase that he knew. He didn't know better. What did he know about racism, honestly? When he was giving us directions, he looked nothing but genuinely eager to help.
It's a fine line between racism and otherwise. But in the U.S., I feel like some people are using every chance they get to accuse someone of being racist so as to take advantage of it.
Take the N-word for example. It's okay for a black stand-up comedian to address himself by the N-word, but if any white person say an African-American (This term is itself problematic. My husband hates it. He's of African heritage but is from the Carribeans. So he never considers himself an "African".) is an N----, it's an absolute no-no.
Especially in the U.S., I think a lot of politicians are using the race issue as a tool to get what they want.
It's easy to say someone is racist, but before we make the accusation, we should really think about the motives or reason behind the obvious.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Guilt of a Working Mom
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about my career. What and where do I want to be in 5 years? Am I getting anywhere in this job that I seem to enjoy so far? Or do I want to pursue something else? With my son going to kindergarten next year, these are the questions I have to ask myself, as a mom and as an individual.
One thing I know for sure is that I don't want to be a stay-home mom. I am by no means a workaholic nor am I career-crazy. I just know that I'm not, and never will be, a good housewife. It's probably an excuse, but I have to say I suck at household chores. I can keep the house moderately clean and organized, but never spotless, an interestingly sharp contrast to what my husband can do.
One thing I know for sure is that I don't want to be a stay-home mom. I am by no means a workaholic nor am I career-crazy. I just know that I'm not, and never will be, a good housewife. It's probably an excuse, but I have to say I suck at household chores. I can keep the house moderately clean and organized, but never spotless, an interestingly sharp contrast to what my husband can do.
Yet on the other hand, I have this increasing urge to spend more time with my son, especially when he'll be starting real school in just a few years. I want to be there when he comes home from school and help him with his homework. I want to do art projects with him. I want to make him treats while he's doing his homework. My mom is a housewife, and I know how precious the experience is for a child to have someone by your side whenever you need help and guidance.
I feel bad that I don't spend enough time with my kid - between working, cooking and sleeping, I probably spend no more than 3 hours a day with my son (well, except for the weekends). At the same time, the idea of being a housewife drives me nuts. And, so there's this strong sense of guilt in me that I don't know how to deal with.
Men don't struggle as much, if at all, on this issue. Women are supposed to nurture their children, not men. I know this is the 21st century and everything, but I guess I'm more of a traditionalist than I think.
Anyway, I'll use the next few months to explore what options I have in life, and make sense of what's best for me and my family.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Cheap, but good
Me and my husband are both cheapskates (though him more so than I am, ha!), and we're not ashamed of it. As a matter of fact, we're even proud of it. One of our favorite weekend activities is to find cheap but amazing wines at local grocery stores. Whenever we found something we like, we'd be very excited.
The good thing about cheap wines is that you can drink it without guilt. You don't have to worry about saving it for some special occasion. It's just some table wine that you can enjoy any time you want to. If you like it, great. If you don't, you won't feel being ripped off.
Our recent pleasant discovery is the Folie a Deux Menage a Trois Red, which costs only about $10 a bottle. When it's on sale at Albertson's or World Market, you can even get it at $8.99.
The taste of this wine has as much character as its name. It's fruity yet not overly sweet; it's peppery but smooth and silky; it has a firm tanin while the mouth feel is rich. It has a complexity that most cheaper wines lack.
The "Trois" in the name comes from the 3 varieties of grapes that was used: Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. These 3 grapes are fermented separately, then blended together before bottling. That's probably why you'll discover something new in every sip.
What food goes well with it? Well, for less than ten bucks a bottle, I'd say, just experiment! It tastes great with or without food. But, if you insist to have food with it, any tomato-based pasta or chicken would be wonderful accompaniment.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Identity Crisis
As soon as my husband and I decided to live in America 5 years ago, I started stocking up Chinese outfits, fearing that I might not be able to buy any stylish, reasonably priced Min Naap, traditional Chinese silk-lined jacket, in the U.S.
At first I didn't give much thought to this seemingly silly past-time. But one day, while I was shopping in Wanchai for a nice min naap with my friend Madam Lau, she asked, "Are you having an identity crisis?"
Obviously unprepared for such a deep question, I looked at her and couldn't think of an answer. After about 30 seconds, I told her calmly, "Probably."
This strong sense of lost and confusion kept lingering in my mind after I moved to California. As an English major at college, I was trained to keep asking myself the question, "who am I?" But this became increasingly hard to answer in the first 2 years that I came to the U.S.
I was in the process of getting a green card, so I can't work. I didn't drive (I didn't have a HK driver's license & no green card. So it was impossible for me to get a U.S. driver's license.), and so I was very confined geographically. Almost all my new friends are friends of my husband's. I knew they knew my name and everything, but I have no doubt that I'm nothing more than "Gary's wife."
And then, I had my baby. I started making some friends of my own, though still not working. I was promoted from "Gary's wife" to "Genghis' mom." During this time, I was quite lost, though not unhappy. (Honey, if you're reading this, I'm not complaining!)
Not until I started my first job in San Francisco did I finally re-establish my identity. I was lucky enough to find a job at an advertising agency that not only allowed me to write in Chinese, but also let me bond with quite a few gals from Hong Kong. I felt totally alive. I had a job I liked a lot and girlfriends that I enjoy hanging out with. I stopped thinking about my identity because I knew who I was.
Less than a year later, my husband got a great offer in Texas, and my prospect of getting a decent job there seemed pretty promising. We decided to give it a try.
Once here, I started thinking about who I am all over again.
I'm Chinese. Yes - but I'm obviously differnt from most Chinese around here because I'm not from the mainland. We grew up in totally different cultural environment.
I speak fluent Mandarin (or, more accurately, Putonghua), but with an unmistakable Hongkong accent. I might get by if it's a simple and brief conversation. However, most of the time, as soon as we get to the tenth sentence or so, my mainland Chinese acquaintance will ask me where I'm from.
And, I'm definitely not an American. I speak the language, know the culture well enough, and even married to one. But I am NOT an American. So who am I really?
I still don't know the full extent of the answer to this question, but I'm trying, little by little, to come to terms with who I am, and try to use this to my advantage. I don't need to be just like the other person. I can be more than the other person.
I'm Chinese, but more specifically, I'm a Hongkie. I understand the Chinese culture as well as the western culture. I speak and write two of the most used languages in the world. I had been working in one of the most fast-paced work environment in the world - the media industry in Hong Kong. I can handle any extent of stress in any kind of work environment, I believe.
I'm old enough to appreciate traditions and history, but not too old to learn the new.
I'm a wife, a mom, a daughter, and a sister. And, most important of all, I'm a writer. This is probably how I found and re-discover my identity.
I write, therefore I am. Thank god for the blogosphere.
At first I didn't give much thought to this seemingly silly past-time. But one day, while I was shopping in Wanchai for a nice min naap with my friend Madam Lau, she asked, "Are you having an identity crisis?"
Obviously unprepared for such a deep question, I looked at her and couldn't think of an answer. After about 30 seconds, I told her calmly, "Probably."
This strong sense of lost and confusion kept lingering in my mind after I moved to California. As an English major at college, I was trained to keep asking myself the question, "who am I?" But this became increasingly hard to answer in the first 2 years that I came to the U.S.
I was in the process of getting a green card, so I can't work. I didn't drive (I didn't have a HK driver's license & no green card. So it was impossible for me to get a U.S. driver's license.), and so I was very confined geographically. Almost all my new friends are friends of my husband's. I knew they knew my name and everything, but I have no doubt that I'm nothing more than "Gary's wife."
And then, I had my baby. I started making some friends of my own, though still not working. I was promoted from "Gary's wife" to "Genghis' mom." During this time, I was quite lost, though not unhappy. (Honey, if you're reading this, I'm not complaining!)
Not until I started my first job in San Francisco did I finally re-establish my identity. I was lucky enough to find a job at an advertising agency that not only allowed me to write in Chinese, but also let me bond with quite a few gals from Hong Kong. I felt totally alive. I had a job I liked a lot and girlfriends that I enjoy hanging out with. I stopped thinking about my identity because I knew who I was.
Less than a year later, my husband got a great offer in Texas, and my prospect of getting a decent job there seemed pretty promising. We decided to give it a try.
Once here, I started thinking about who I am all over again.
I'm Chinese. Yes - but I'm obviously differnt from most Chinese around here because I'm not from the mainland. We grew up in totally different cultural environment.
I speak fluent Mandarin (or, more accurately, Putonghua), but with an unmistakable Hongkong accent. I might get by if it's a simple and brief conversation. However, most of the time, as soon as we get to the tenth sentence or so, my mainland Chinese acquaintance will ask me where I'm from.
And, I'm definitely not an American. I speak the language, know the culture well enough, and even married to one. But I am NOT an American. So who am I really?
I still don't know the full extent of the answer to this question, but I'm trying, little by little, to come to terms with who I am, and try to use this to my advantage. I don't need to be just like the other person. I can be more than the other person.
I'm Chinese, but more specifically, I'm a Hongkie. I understand the Chinese culture as well as the western culture. I speak and write two of the most used languages in the world. I had been working in one of the most fast-paced work environment in the world - the media industry in Hong Kong. I can handle any extent of stress in any kind of work environment, I believe.
I'm old enough to appreciate traditions and history, but not too old to learn the new.
I'm a wife, a mom, a daughter, and a sister. And, most important of all, I'm a writer. This is probably how I found and re-discover my identity.
I write, therefore I am. Thank god for the blogosphere.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
China's Food Safety: From Fake Buns to Fake News
One of the hottest topics in China now is the cardboard buns hoax (see translated article on ESWN). Ever since this was exposed last week, the media's attention has been turning from food safety problem to media ethics. The question now is no longer simply about what businessmen are willing to do to make larger profits, but what journalists would do to come up with sensational stories.
Unethical journalists making up stories is nothing new. It happens not only in China. The most recent example I could remember is a New York Times reporter named Jayson Blair who made up over 30 inaccurate/fake stories for his publication.
What makes the fake buns story so shocking is that it was published at a time when China's food safety is becoming a global concern. Sad but true, those who've been in China long enough will not be surprised to find any imaginable/unimaginable kinds of fake Chinese food. I grew up hearing so much about wines and spirits made with industrial alcohol, fake ginseng, fake medicine and oiments, soy sauce with human hair, etc. You name it. So when the fake buns story was shown on TV, people were shocked, but not really.
And now that the Beijing government came out and announced that the story was fake, a lot of people were even more shocked: would this be a cover-up from the government? The logic is not difficult to understand. If the cardboard bun story is fake, then this revelation of the story being fake can possibly be fake, too.
And, that, my friend, is exactly the power of the media.
We've grown numb about poor quality food produced in China. Nothing surprises us any more. But the truth is all these many cases of toxic food comprise only a small percentage of food produced in China. We see China-manufactured food as low quality food because we have seen too many stories about it in the media. There's an article on New York Times recently that demonstrates this. Mexico and India export way more sub-standard food to the U.S. than China does.
Having said that, I'm not saying it's okay for China to continue to produce bad food. As a matter of fact, every time I hear about food safety problems in China, I feel really bad, ashamed a lot of times. I believe it is the media's responsibility to let the public know about these issues, so the government will pay more attention and try to fix these problems. On the other hand, it is equally important for the media to present news in an objective and unbiased manner, so we can see both sides of the problem.
Fake buns or not, I'll still buy Chinese food products at our local Chinese market. I just need to be more careful and buy only those by reputed manufacturers. Afterall, as the Chinese saying goes, you can't chop off your toes to avoid the worms, can you?
Interesting Article
This is an article from People's Daily Online today - so now China is publicly recognizing their use of culture as their soft power.
07:56, July 25, 2007
China's top advisory body holds seminar on "soft power"China's top advisory body on Tuesday held a seminar on building the country's "soft power" with an emphasis on cultural development.
"Cultural development, a main theme in building a country's soft power, plays a significant role in enhancing comprehensive national power," said Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
Jia said that cultural development, which is to serve the overall building of a well-off society and building socialism with Chinese characteristics, is required to gain an upper hand in the international arena and maintain national unity.
The top advisor called for an overall construction of the socialist core value system so as to encourage the entire society to move forward with solidarity, and called for the development of cultural industry so as to meet the public's various cultural demand.
Jia also stressed the importance of promoting the elite part of Chinese culture and making it worldwide.
Political advisors of all levels should make their efforts to contribute to the cultural development "by bringing into full play their own advantages."
Liu Yunshan, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and State Councilor Chen Zhili attended the seminar with officials, experts and members of non-Communist parties.
Source: Xinhua
07:56, July 25, 2007
China's top advisory body holds seminar on "soft power"China's top advisory body on Tuesday held a seminar on building the country's "soft power" with an emphasis on cultural development.
"Cultural development, a main theme in building a country's soft power, plays a significant role in enhancing comprehensive national power," said Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
Jia said that cultural development, which is to serve the overall building of a well-off society and building socialism with Chinese characteristics, is required to gain an upper hand in the international arena and maintain national unity.
The top advisor called for an overall construction of the socialist core value system so as to encourage the entire society to move forward with solidarity, and called for the development of cultural industry so as to meet the public's various cultural demand.
Jia also stressed the importance of promoting the elite part of Chinese culture and making it worldwide.
Political advisors of all levels should make their efforts to contribute to the cultural development "by bringing into full play their own advantages."
Liu Yunshan, head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and State Councilor Chen Zhili attended the seminar with officials, experts and members of non-Communist parties.
Source: Xinhua
Friday, July 13, 2007
China's Soft Power
I'm reading the book Charm Offensive: China's Soft Power Is Transforming The World because this soft power discussion has apparently been going on for quite a while, and I want to know more about it. I haven't finished the book yet so I'm not going to talk about it here. What I'm interested to talk about, though, is how the Chinese government is using the Confucius Institute (CI) as a soft power tool, and how Western countries perceive it.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the project, allow me to give a brief intro here. The CI is a language and cultural education center financed by the Chinese government via the Office of Chinese Language International (Hanban), an executive arm of the Minstry of Education. The CI is somewhat similar to the British Council and Alliance Francaise. The key difference is that the CI usually partners with a foreign institution and a Chinese university, so that the foreign institution will provide program development, the Chinese university to send faculty, and Hanban to give financial support.
The first CI was opened in Seoul, Korea in November 2004. Since then, CI's have been sprouting from all corners of the Earth: Europe, the U.S., Canada, Australia, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The original goal of Hanban is to open up 100 CI's by 2010. However, the response has been so overwhelming that right now, there are already over 150 CI's around the globe, 20 of them in the U.S.
As a Chinese, I found this very encouraging. But some critics in the West think that China is using this as a soft power tool to win over the world. There has been media reports in Canada suggesting that the CI is one of China's many spy operations, and that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had confirmed that they're looking closely at China's activities in Canada. In other Western countries, some people claim that the CI is a meticulously calculated soft power project of China's. Some even go on to say that universities in the West are giving in their integrity for the financial support.
Say what?
First of all, China is not the first nor is it the only country to set up cultural education centers in foreign countries. Like I mentioned earlier, the Brits and the French are doing this, too. So how come this conspiracy theory only applies to China? To be fair, all the CI's are in partnership with foreign instittutions. If there is no partner, the project does not work. And, if this is really China's spy operation, would anyone be stupid enough to "sell" their own country like that? And if someone really does betray their country, shouldn't that person also be to blame?
As for those who give up their integrity for money, well, that's probably half true. It takes fundings to run new programs, which, especially in the case of public universities, is always hard to come by. And, since the demand of Chinese language courses are in such high demands, it is only natural for universities to create and expand their Chinese class offerings. It would be really hard for administrators to say no to free money. Integrity? It's a hard balancing act.
My only regret on this is that if the excessive money that China is pouring into these countries only winds up in negative criticism, Beijing might as well send that chunk of money to the extremely poor in the farming villages all over China.
All these so-called soft power tools are no more than PR stunts from the central government. Beijing realizes that the negative image China has overseas, and so they're trying to do something about it. Since everybody is saying China is the next Super Power, they can't just let their country's name go down the drain.
From a PR perspective, China is really doing the right thing. From politicians to movie stars, automobile to designer labels, who is not trying hard to get good PR? China is doing exactly that. Whether or not you like it, it's up to you. And, hey, it's not like it's the first time that China is playing propaganda. So why the shock?
Isn't America also a fan of soft power? Hollywood and Disney are using their soft power every day. The only problem is Bush's negative image has ruined all their good work.
It's too early to say if China's soft power is working. Time will definitely tell.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the project, allow me to give a brief intro here. The CI is a language and cultural education center financed by the Chinese government via the Office of Chinese Language International (Hanban), an executive arm of the Minstry of Education. The CI is somewhat similar to the British Council and Alliance Francaise. The key difference is that the CI usually partners with a foreign institution and a Chinese university, so that the foreign institution will provide program development, the Chinese university to send faculty, and Hanban to give financial support.
The first CI was opened in Seoul, Korea in November 2004. Since then, CI's have been sprouting from all corners of the Earth: Europe, the U.S., Canada, Australia, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The original goal of Hanban is to open up 100 CI's by 2010. However, the response has been so overwhelming that right now, there are already over 150 CI's around the globe, 20 of them in the U.S.
As a Chinese, I found this very encouraging. But some critics in the West think that China is using this as a soft power tool to win over the world. There has been media reports in Canada suggesting that the CI is one of China's many spy operations, and that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had confirmed that they're looking closely at China's activities in Canada. In other Western countries, some people claim that the CI is a meticulously calculated soft power project of China's. Some even go on to say that universities in the West are giving in their integrity for the financial support.
Say what?
First of all, China is not the first nor is it the only country to set up cultural education centers in foreign countries. Like I mentioned earlier, the Brits and the French are doing this, too. So how come this conspiracy theory only applies to China? To be fair, all the CI's are in partnership with foreign instittutions. If there is no partner, the project does not work. And, if this is really China's spy operation, would anyone be stupid enough to "sell" their own country like that? And if someone really does betray their country, shouldn't that person also be to blame?
As for those who give up their integrity for money, well, that's probably half true. It takes fundings to run new programs, which, especially in the case of public universities, is always hard to come by. And, since the demand of Chinese language courses are in such high demands, it is only natural for universities to create and expand their Chinese class offerings. It would be really hard for administrators to say no to free money. Integrity? It's a hard balancing act.
My only regret on this is that if the excessive money that China is pouring into these countries only winds up in negative criticism, Beijing might as well send that chunk of money to the extremely poor in the farming villages all over China.
All these so-called soft power tools are no more than PR stunts from the central government. Beijing realizes that the negative image China has overseas, and so they're trying to do something about it. Since everybody is saying China is the next Super Power, they can't just let their country's name go down the drain.
From a PR perspective, China is really doing the right thing. From politicians to movie stars, automobile to designer labels, who is not trying hard to get good PR? China is doing exactly that. Whether or not you like it, it's up to you. And, hey, it's not like it's the first time that China is playing propaganda. So why the shock?
Isn't America also a fan of soft power? Hollywood and Disney are using their soft power every day. The only problem is Bush's negative image has ruined all their good work.
It's too early to say if China's soft power is working. Time will definitely tell.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Allergies or cold?
Despite the poor air quality in Hong Kong, I never had any allergies when I was there. Ever since the very first Spring that I moved to California 4 years ago, I have been having allergies every pollen-flying season. Sometimes it's mild. Sometimes it gets pretty bad.
Every time I'm living in a suburban neighborhood, I get bad allergies. All the time I was living in San Francisco, I was fine. But when I was living in the wine country & now in this small town in Texas, my allergies have gotten worse and worse. I guess to save my circulatory organs, I should consider moving back to the city, which seems ironic but nonetheless true.
My husband and I always have this argument about allergies and cold. Because the symptoms are so similar, and that the flu season and the allergy season happen about the same time, it's really hard to tell what one is suffering from.
This past couple of weeks, both of us are having sinus problems, headaches, and coughs. My husband believes strongly that it is allergies, and that taking an allergy pill every day should do the trick. I, on the other hand, think it's more than allergies. I suspect both of us are having a cold, especially seeing no sign of improvement on my husband even he takes his medication religiously.
To prove my point - and end my misery - I've decided to see a doctor today. I hope she'll save me from having night-long coughs again. Meanwhile, I'm going to fix myself another cup of hot lemon drink that my friend Harwaie recommended.
Every time I'm living in a suburban neighborhood, I get bad allergies. All the time I was living in San Francisco, I was fine. But when I was living in the wine country & now in this small town in Texas, my allergies have gotten worse and worse. I guess to save my circulatory organs, I should consider moving back to the city, which seems ironic but nonetheless true.
My husband and I always have this argument about allergies and cold. Because the symptoms are so similar, and that the flu season and the allergy season happen about the same time, it's really hard to tell what one is suffering from.
This past couple of weeks, both of us are having sinus problems, headaches, and coughs. My husband believes strongly that it is allergies, and that taking an allergy pill every day should do the trick. I, on the other hand, think it's more than allergies. I suspect both of us are having a cold, especially seeing no sign of improvement on my husband even he takes his medication religiously.
To prove my point - and end my misery - I've decided to see a doctor today. I hope she'll save me from having night-long coughs again. Meanwhile, I'm going to fix myself another cup of hot lemon drink that my friend Harwaie recommended.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Keep It Real
I'm not a food snob. And, I don't give too much respect to one. Unfortunately, people like to think that I, as a food writer and wife of a chef, must hold an extraordinarily high culinary standard. I hate to disappoint, but I love simple, basic food. The simpler the better.
I believe the best food is one that is made from fresh, natural ingredients (Organic is always good, but I'll take what I can get - in Texas, it's not always easy to find organic produce at a reasonable price range.), prepared in simple ways, and tastes like what it's supposed to. Say, a tomato that tastes like fish isn't exactly my cup of tea.
Here, no offense to Chef Ferran Adria. I think he's a true innovator and a food revolutionary. But, honestly, how many times do you want to eat frothy ham? Or crunchy olive oil rings? It's fun to try it, and to challenge yourself what food is supposed to be. At the end of the day, food is nothing more than nourishment for the body and soul.
So when I read this article in New York Times today, my first reaction was NOOOOOOO! I want nothing to do with fake chocolate! It's hard enough to find chocolate that doesn't taste overwhelmingly sweet. And now we have to live with chocolate that's made with artifical cocoa butter? If the FDA allows manufacturers to use cheaper fats instead of cocoa butter, a majority of our future generation will never know what real chocolate tastes like. Plus, who knows what adverse effects this subsititution could bring? People had been eating margarine for years before realizing that they've been eating tons of trans fats all along.
I don't dream of fancy food every day, but please don't give me (and the world) any more artificial food. I'd rather keep it real.
*************************************************************
My favorite chocolate dessert is in the form of truffles. This recipe from epicurious.com is one of the recipes that I like to use.
Monday, June 25, 2007
My Linguistics Divide
Since I was about 6 years old, I was taught to "think" in English when I am to speak or write in English. I have acquired this skill pretty well. "Thinking in English" has become one of my conditioned reflexes. And this is probably one reason why my friends in Hong Kong used to call me gweipor, which I never took very seriously, and, by no means, was proud of. But the more I think about this, the more I think my friends might have a point.
I learned early on that I think differently when I speak or write in English than in Chinese. Depending on the subject matter, I would pick the language that I feel most comfortable to "think" in. This became more obvious when I started writing poetry in college. I believe poetry is all about expressing yourself in certain forms and sounds. It is meant to be read aloud. And, because Cantonese is not exactly written Chinese, I had a very hard time writing poetry in Chinese. It just never sounded right. On the contrary, writing English poems just comes naturally. I can read my poems in English aloud, and feel good about it.
Lately, I have also been thinking if this lingua franca has any effect on my Chineseness. It has been almost 5 years since I moved to the U.S. I speak/write English in the work place, out shopping, socializing, and even at home - thanks to my non-Chinese speaking gweilo husband. The only times I speak in my mother tongue is either when I'm with my son (AND when my husband's not around), or calling my family and friends back in Hong Kong.
There's basically no way to find out if I've become less "Chinese" because of my increased use of English, unless I can somehow put another me in a control environment - something like a Chinese-speaking western country, if such exists!
One thing I know for sure is that I can't keep up with the slangs in Hong Kong any more. I have such a hard time understanding what is written in those youth magazines in Hong Kong. My greatest fear is that on my next visit to Hong Kong, I would sound like a 50-year-old because of my inability to understand the new slangs.
It's a shame to feel that one has to practice one's native language!
I learned early on that I think differently when I speak or write in English than in Chinese. Depending on the subject matter, I would pick the language that I feel most comfortable to "think" in. This became more obvious when I started writing poetry in college. I believe poetry is all about expressing yourself in certain forms and sounds. It is meant to be read aloud. And, because Cantonese is not exactly written Chinese, I had a very hard time writing poetry in Chinese. It just never sounded right. On the contrary, writing English poems just comes naturally. I can read my poems in English aloud, and feel good about it.
Lately, I have also been thinking if this lingua franca has any effect on my Chineseness. It has been almost 5 years since I moved to the U.S. I speak/write English in the work place, out shopping, socializing, and even at home - thanks to my non-Chinese speaking gweilo husband. The only times I speak in my mother tongue is either when I'm with my son (AND when my husband's not around), or calling my family and friends back in Hong Kong.
There's basically no way to find out if I've become less "Chinese" because of my increased use of English, unless I can somehow put another me in a control environment - something like a Chinese-speaking western country, if such exists!
One thing I know for sure is that I can't keep up with the slangs in Hong Kong any more. I have such a hard time understanding what is written in those youth magazines in Hong Kong. My greatest fear is that on my next visit to Hong Kong, I would sound like a 50-year-old because of my inability to understand the new slangs.
It's a shame to feel that one has to practice one's native language!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Morning Rush
alarm clock, bath robe, slippers,
running water, tooth brush, toothpaste, bubbles,
water jets, shower, shampoo, shower gel,
towel, hair brush, floral dress,
face cream, foundation, brow pencil, blush, lipstick,
perfume, earrings, necklace, watch
keys, purse, shoes, car
running water, tooth brush, toothpaste, bubbles,
water jets, shower, shampoo, shower gel,
towel, hair brush, floral dress,
face cream, foundation, brow pencil, blush, lipstick,
perfume, earrings, necklace, watch
keys, purse, shoes, car
I'm looking at you looking at me
I'm looking at you
looking at me
I see rainbow I see sparkles
in those big brown eyes
I want to keep this moment
in eternity
But then I blink
I open my eyes and
I see not you but me
I was once like you
know no sorrow but joy
know no anguish but love
I stare at those big brown eyes
and I blink again
There it is your smiling face
reappearing in front of me
I'm looking at you
looking at me
looking at me
I see rainbow I see sparkles
in those big brown eyes
I want to keep this moment
in eternity
But then I blink
I open my eyes and
I see not you but me
I was once like you
know no sorrow but joy
know no anguish but love
I stare at those big brown eyes
and I blink again
There it is your smiling face
reappearing in front of me
I'm looking at you
looking at me
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