Need a laugh?

How do you like this pure childhood joy and silliness?

situation like this

Since the Buddhist studies dorm that I am staying in has a good kitchen with a large Viking stove, it has motivated me to cook at home. It's fun trying out the stove/oven and it's an opportunity to relax. It's money-saving and healthy too. Last night I had a classmate over for dinner. I was hoping to get to know her, a Thai biologist, and exchange ideas about our program and classes. I made roasted root vegetables, pan roasted salmon with miso, stir-fried snow peas from my parents' garden and brown rice. This is the first multi-course dinner I've made in the dorm!

Well, just as soon as we sat down to eat and started talking about one of the classes on health behavior, Y came in to the kitchen. Y is one of the housemates, and my sister's colleague in art history. Though we share a bathroom, I almost never see her around. I know from my past interactions with her that I don't particularly enjoy conversations with her. It may be a style issue, or personality, or whatever, but we just don't have matching vibes (can you say that?) Anyway, I casually mentioned to Y: "Help yourself to whatever you like. We made plenty of food."

Long and behold, Y took a chair and sat down, enjoyed a full meal, and took over the conversation completely! Two and half hours later, after I have cleaned up everything, she is still sitting there, making very confident remarks about everything in the world, including public health, cooking, politics, Berkeley students, and everything you can think of! When you try to put in your opinion, she just undermines it and returns to talking about how right and wonderful she is. And my easy-going friend didn't seem to mind too much!

I was sitting there, fuming. She has said so many arrogant and much disputable things, but I am not even going to participate, as it just makes her fight with me and then it goes nowhere. I stepped outside to call Paul just to let out my upset. At the end it was actually my sister who came to bring back the car that had to call an end to the party. I drove my friend home, came back feeling bad that I never got to chat with my classmate, and very annoyed at Y's know-it-all attitude. I actually couldn't believe that at my age (and supposedly an aspiring yoga practitioner), I would get this taken away by a 28-year-old "girl"! Do I have reasons to be so upset?

The protest in Burma

Had a cozy and relaxing weekend with the family, especially with Paul who came for a ultra-short visit.

All weekend long I think of the monks and their supporters in Burma in protest of the junta regime. My heart goes to the Burmese people, and pray for a peaceful end rather than a bloodshed (which was the case in 1988 with 3000 student protesters killed). I've always been drawn to Aung San Suu Kyi. Paul gave me her biography as a birthday present one year. I was so inspired by her story and can see why she remains such an important symbol for peace and yarning for freedom and democracy throughout the world, though she's been under house arrest for more than 12 years. I wonder, if I were in her position, what would I have done if I had to choice between my family--husband and two sons in England--and my country, my people?

The NY Times picture of the monks--soaked in rain--marching down the street is very moving.

Construction workers from Tishman

Walking to school/work

I come to realize what a privilege it is to walk to class every morning. I really enjoy the twenty minutes, taking in the fresh air, waking up the tired body, listening the bell tower's music, and thinking about the day. The American lifestyle doesn't usually allow for this. Most of us have to get up and immediately get into a moving vehicle of sorts, and for me that's less enjoyable.

Of course the pleasure is helped by the wonderful Berkeley weather.... In Taiwan I didn't feel that walking to class was as enjoyable, though it made me feel good.

The picture below shows two construction workers from my dear cousin Wayne's company:

Good clients

Ben's a superb "client" to his caregivers, constantly giving concrete feedback on his care, including his food and activities. He does it to my parents as well as me: If he gets taken to somewhere fun, he never fails to let you know he had a good time. Yesterday, after a fun picnic, he first told me that the park was big and very enjoyable. Then we went to In-and-Out Burgers, where we each ate a burger and shared an order of fries. (Noah ate a whole one by himself! Ben almost!) As we were pulling out of the parking lot, Ben said, "mama, hao chi ei!" (Mama, it was good!)

So as long as the customers are satisfied, the high-level service shall continue!

Kids in full lotus pose

I hope we can keep up their limber yogic bodies!!

Memphis: new home, Graceland, etc.

Last weekend I took the boys and met up with Paul in Memphis, where we had a wonderful weekend with nana and papa and "bubbe"/grandma Anne, along with Hobo (dog) and Sammy (Anne's cat). I am happy to report that traveling with kids is no longer so challenging! The boys did very well, and of course enjoyed all the airplane-related adventures. Noah, for one thing, spent nearly an hour scrutinizing the safety brochure, figuring out what to do in case of an emergency landing. On our returning trip, they even got invited by the pilot to sit in the cockpit where Noah made an announcement of "Welcome abroad" on the mike!

Nana and Papa have recently moved to a new condo, after spending 38 years in their old home. They are settling in well in this spacious and comfortable condo. Besides the excitement of playing with nana, the boys' highlight activity was playing with Hobo, who was also very happy to have two enthusiastic playmates.

As a good wife of a Memphian, having been married for almost seven years and having visited Memphis numerous times, couldn't justify not do something: visit Elvis' home!! Personally, I am not a huge fan, nor am I too curious about his home in the suburb of Memphis. But, how can you not see Graceland at least once? It's Elvis after all!

First of all, pardon me for mentioning $ matters: Paul and I, along with tens of thousands visitors, threw away $25 each to Lisa Marie Presley and family! I thought the price was quite steep for the hour-long self-guided tour, but hey, it's a capitalist country. They can charge anything they want as long as people are coming. And surely there were plenty of people--we waited in line for the shuttle for 45 minutes. The house is not as huge or glamorous as I had imagined. I think the modern standard, with the mushrooming of McMansions, has affected our idea of luxury and space. The details reflect his life and passion very well, and it's sort of interesting to see them. In general, visitors were extremely respectful for "the King" (in Chinese, curiously, his name is "Cat King") and for his fans. The general mood was very solemn and subdued, which made it hard for me to even make a friendly chuckle at the fur bed with fur overhang which has built-in stereo!

All in all, it was so nice to have a break after two stressful weeks of school, and to be with family and hang out with kids.