I finished reading Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. I consider myself a terribly slow reading but even I was able to finish this book in two sittings. It's a quick read.
This woman sounded crazy and over the top at times. Bah! I first thought- what stereotypes! Asian children are all two years ahead of their peers at math and never attend sleepovers?!? I LOVED sleepovers. But then I remembered how my parents quickly wrote up pages of math problems for me whenever I made the mistake of saying I was bored. I must have said I was bored quite a bit because I whizzed through multiplication problems while my fellow first-graders were still counting on their fingers to do addition. I think I was always ahead in math when my dad was around because he would check out various textbooks from his college library so I always had ample practice problems and every time I had a question about my current homework he would also make me to do the next two lessons I haven't learned yet. (reading and english were a completely different story.) Also, there were plenty of times my grandparents and parents called me what translates to "bad egg" or "stupid egg" and my mother told me I was garbage more than once. But Chua was right. Though it sounds like totally crazy things to say to children in English in a "Western" country, it was acceptable and I didn't hate anyone or really think I was stupid or garbage. My family loved me and I thought I was just stuck with a lousy nickname.
My craziest realization was that the prestigious pre-college Julliard program that Chua and pushed her violin music prodigy daughter Lulu to audition for, that hyped up super-selective program, leading to more out-of-the-way violin lessons that she probably sacrificed more vacations to pay for, the program that was dominated by Asians, that foreigners moved to America for, the one that her daughter ultimately did not get accepted into... my cousin was in that. Her family moved from Taiwan to New Jersey with the goal for my cousin to one day attend Julliard. And she did. For violin. (FYI, all that hard work and sacrifice was well invested because she sounds amazing.)
As outlandish and fantastical as her story may seem, it happens. Asian families really do sacrifice a lot to push their kids to be what seems the best and often times do get great results. They say behind every great man is a great woman, behind every outstanding kid is probably at least one strict, extremely dedicated parent.
Although I must say I was pretty aghast at some of the things she said and did to her kids. Not accepting birthday cards because they aren't up to her standards? Eek. I would have cried too.
4.10.2012
4.03.2012
Things that have made me smile this week
1. Finding my Hello Kitty glasses. They were wedged in the car seat.
2. Barley milk tea from Tea Era.
3. Watching my tulips bloom.
4. Spending time with people I like.
5. Discovering Ten Ren has hot grass jelly with sweet beans and taro (no tapioca, thank you).
6. Discovering a book store next to Ten Ren that sells asian magazines I like.
7. Attempting to read Dr. Seuss in Mandarin.
(Ee tiau yu, liang tiau yu, hong duh yu, lan duh yu. haha.)
8. Helping my friend with her wedding invitations. I am excited (even though I will probably have to learn photoshop at light speed.)
9. Adventures at the library.
Did I mention I recently started volunteering at the library? I help with Special Outreach Services which is a fantastic program that allows patrons who are home-bound for various reasons (illness, pregnancy, caretaker, etc.) to still have access to most of the library. Each person makes a list of material they would like to checkout (baroque classical cds, tom clancy novels, etc.) then a volunteer, like me, picks out recommendations for them and once-a-month a library staff person delivers the material and picks up the previous month's items.
I thought this would be a super simple monthly service project because I only have to go in 2 hours a month and I LOVE telling people what they should read and who they should listen to. Unfortunately, I only tell people what I have already read and listened to before. So this assumes you must be interested in novels that have been made into movies (such as Disney classics), books ranked as top picks by the staff at Powell's Books in Portland, books involving a shopaholic, and memoirs, especially memoirs by comedians and people who go through some life-changing, possibly crazy, fantastical experience or just think differently (augusten burroughs comes to mind). It turns out... the genre preferences of the people I was assigned to and my own don't overlap much. Bumbumbum. I know almost nothing about romance, westerns, thrillers, and science fiction (separate from fantasy). NOTHING! I cheated and looked on Amazon for reviews.
For the most part I used Amazon or just followed the authors they lsited. There was one book for which I deviated off the preferences. I threw in Devil in the White City by Erik Larson book for a person who wanted science fiction books by authors I have never heard of and Agatha Christie mysteries (which I think are a bit boring, although I haven't given her a real chance since middle school). Devil in the White City is categorized as a nonfiction biography because it's the retelling of the real events of a serial killer at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. I remember attempting to read it in college and not getting very far because it spooked me. I didn't get far enough to have nightmares but far enough to appreciate Larson's storytelling skills and recognize the fact that if I read further I might have nightmares.
This was a long intro to get to my happy moment...
There is no communication between the volunteers and people on the receiving end. I don't get to chat with the patron and ask how they liked what I picked or discuss anything. They are mysterious bookworms I must cater to via another mysterious third-party.
Today, I stopped by the library to pick up a hold and noticed my patron had put their own hold on Erik Larson's newest book.
I think they liked it!
Perhaps I will start throwing in more books that I liked even though they aren't quite what was requested. Perhaps next up will be The Professor and the Madman.
(By the way, you should read Ready Player One and listen to Mumford and Sons.)
They look like this.
Source: Bonanza
Source: Bonanza
2. Barley milk tea from Tea Era.
3. Watching my tulips bloom.
4. Spending time with people I like.
5. Discovering Ten Ren has hot grass jelly with sweet beans and taro (no tapioca, thank you).
6. Discovering a book store next to Ten Ren that sells asian magazines I like.
7. Attempting to read Dr. Seuss in Mandarin.
(Ee tiau yu, liang tiau yu, hong duh yu, lan duh yu. haha.)
8. Helping my friend with her wedding invitations. I am excited (even though I will probably have to learn photoshop at light speed.)
9. Adventures at the library.
Did I mention I recently started volunteering at the library? I help with Special Outreach Services which is a fantastic program that allows patrons who are home-bound for various reasons (illness, pregnancy, caretaker, etc.) to still have access to most of the library. Each person makes a list of material they would like to checkout (baroque classical cds, tom clancy novels, etc.) then a volunteer, like me, picks out recommendations for them and once-a-month a library staff person delivers the material and picks up the previous month's items.
I thought this would be a super simple monthly service project because I only have to go in 2 hours a month and I LOVE telling people what they should read and who they should listen to. Unfortunately, I only tell people what I have already read and listened to before. So this assumes you must be interested in novels that have been made into movies (such as Disney classics), books ranked as top picks by the staff at Powell's Books in Portland, books involving a shopaholic, and memoirs, especially memoirs by comedians and people who go through some life-changing, possibly crazy, fantastical experience or just think differently (augusten burroughs comes to mind). It turns out... the genre preferences of the people I was assigned to and my own don't overlap much. Bumbumbum. I know almost nothing about romance, westerns, thrillers, and science fiction (separate from fantasy). NOTHING! I cheated and looked on Amazon for reviews.
For the most part I used Amazon or just followed the authors they lsited. There was one book for which I deviated off the preferences. I threw in Devil in the White City by Erik Larson book for a person who wanted science fiction books by authors I have never heard of and Agatha Christie mysteries (which I think are a bit boring, although I haven't given her a real chance since middle school). Devil in the White City is categorized as a nonfiction biography because it's the retelling of the real events of a serial killer at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. I remember attempting to read it in college and not getting very far because it spooked me. I didn't get far enough to have nightmares but far enough to appreciate Larson's storytelling skills and recognize the fact that if I read further I might have nightmares.
This was a long intro to get to my happy moment...
There is no communication between the volunteers and people on the receiving end. I don't get to chat with the patron and ask how they liked what I picked or discuss anything. They are mysterious bookworms I must cater to via another mysterious third-party.
Today, I stopped by the library to pick up a hold and noticed my patron had put their own hold on Erik Larson's newest book.
I think they liked it!
Perhaps I will start throwing in more books that I liked even though they aren't quite what was requested. Perhaps next up will be The Professor and the Madman.
(By the way, you should read Ready Player One and listen to Mumford and Sons.)
3.13.2012
Random Thoughts
I've been working on a deadline that has my body on the brink of automatic shutdown.
Tonight I took some time to mess around in the kitchen and let Netflix play in the background. I made rice in a pot instead of the rice cooker. It's nice doing something new/different every day.
But Netflix! Why are you such a tease? You play a movie just long enough for me to get interested and feel invested, then you disconnect. It happened at least 10 times throughout the movie. Dah!
I pseudo-watched Unhitched. My favorite parts were Seth Green speaking in a British accent and the font used in the credits. As for everything else, it's a nice movie for not thinking and if you don't watch it you aren't missing much.
I actually wanted to watch Downtown Abbey but did I mention Netflix was being difficult?
Tonight I took some time to mess around in the kitchen and let Netflix play in the background. I made rice in a pot instead of the rice cooker. It's nice doing something new/different every day.
But Netflix! Why are you such a tease? You play a movie just long enough for me to get interested and feel invested, then you disconnect. It happened at least 10 times throughout the movie. Dah!
Source: viktorijabastete.wordpress.com
I actually wanted to watch Downtown Abbey but did I mention Netflix was being difficult?
3.09.2012
10,000 Steps!
My old pedometer broke. I got it for free at some event at Fry's that also had 25 cent hot dogs. I should have appreciated the opportunity while it lasted instead of leaving it in my purse stashed away in a drawer all the time, after a few months the display disappeared. Maybe it can still count steps, but I have no way knowing.
Kaiser recommends 10,000 steps per day. They have a program. It's called the 10,000 Steps Program.
I wondered how many steps I took in a day. My chance to find out arrived in the mail a few days ago.
I had returned my old first generation ipod in Apple's replacement program (yay for not throwing away useless things, my ipod could only hold a charge for 5 minutes, what a tease) and they actually sent me a new one, the current generation. It's so tiny I thought I'd never use it. But then, I discovered this program that tracks your running distances, times, etc. and how many steps you take while walking. It has a clip so I keep it clipped to my pants and counting all day.
You might think walking, versus activities like p90x or crossfit, wouldn't make a huge difference. But I have great hope in this 10,000 step plan. I think walking might be better than those other fitness plans for a number of reasons:
Example A: I made it through one session of p90x a few weeks ago and could not walk properly for a week. Not only could I not walk right, I avoided walking and any form of movement because it was all so incredibly painful. Perhaps a continuous low impact activity like walking done all day everyday is better than a high impact activity that puts me out of commission for a week.
Example B: Jared from Subway.
Example C: If you don't believe in the story of Jared, I give you the story of my brother. When he returned from a two-year stint in Taiwan I thought he had starved himself for duration of his trip. If my grandmother were still around, I imagine she would have been quite upset and would sit by him each meal refilling his plate after each bite to make sure he was rehabilitated to his normal figure. I doubt he was ever officially overweight but he was always the chubby smiling kid with big glasses. Now I think he has to wear slim fit or he might look like he's drowning in his clothes (that might be a slight exaggeration). Also in recent years he underwent lasik, so no more glasses, no more cute cheeks. Oh how the times have changed. It turns out he did eat pretty well in Taiwan (how can you not?) but he didn't have a car so he walked... a lot. And since he wasn't working in finance, which means spending 18 hours a day confined to a desk, he went out and played outdoor activities like sports. No diet. No goal. It just happened.
Walking works.
My aim is not to look different or shrink my clothes size, I just want to be healthier overall. Less processed foods, more cooking from whole foods, and more walking. (Also, I am training to see the elephant seals. Maybe I will tell you about that another day.)
Yesterday, I finally walked 10,000 steps for the first time with my new pedometer.
I tend to sit in my chair at work, in front of my computer screen, and only get up for lunch and bathroom breaks. There isn't much walking or moving in my days. Yesterday had quite a few extra factors that helped me get in more steps. 1. A new Target opened near work so I went during lunch and did a few rounds around the store. 2. I intentionally took breaks to get up and walk around the building. 3. I went to a sporting event (to watch, of course). We had to walk all the way around the coliseum to get the basketball arena from the BART station. 4. Our seats were high up in the stands so all the going up and down the stairs to get snacks and bio breaks were a little something extra. Unfortunately, I ended up incredibly hungry after the game and ate my lunch for the next day. I blame the funny-smelling people sitting in the row in front. Oh well, I got in more than 10,000 steps!
Just having a pedometer on you is like playing a game or being in a competition and having a real-time point tally. It really changes your perspective on things. No parking spots near the store? Great! Extra steps entering and exiting- that's a double bonus! Need to climb lots of stairs? That's a lot of steps in a condensed space, you get extra steps in less amount of time. It's like a challenge round, you should race against the timer and double time them. The items you want in the store are all located in different sections? Instead of figuring out the shortest path, figure out the longest path and speed walk. Carrying the items around are like having special items like mushrooms, stars or banana peels in mariokart.
Pedometers are great! And if you think they are not cool... I think mine can plays music too.
Kaiser recommends 10,000 steps per day. They have a program. It's called the 10,000 Steps Program.
I wondered how many steps I took in a day. My chance to find out arrived in the mail a few days ago.
My new pedometer
You might think walking, versus activities like p90x or crossfit, wouldn't make a huge difference. But I have great hope in this 10,000 step plan. I think walking might be better than those other fitness plans for a number of reasons:
Example A: I made it through one session of p90x a few weeks ago and could not walk properly for a week. Not only could I not walk right, I avoided walking and any form of movement because it was all so incredibly painful. Perhaps a continuous low impact activity like walking done all day everyday is better than a high impact activity that puts me out of commission for a week.
Example B: Jared from Subway.
Example C: If you don't believe in the story of Jared, I give you the story of my brother. When he returned from a two-year stint in Taiwan I thought he had starved himself for duration of his trip. If my grandmother were still around, I imagine she would have been quite upset and would sit by him each meal refilling his plate after each bite to make sure he was rehabilitated to his normal figure. I doubt he was ever officially overweight but he was always the chubby smiling kid with big glasses. Now I think he has to wear slim fit or he might look like he's drowning in his clothes (that might be a slight exaggeration). Also in recent years he underwent lasik, so no more glasses, no more cute cheeks. Oh how the times have changed. It turns out he did eat pretty well in Taiwan (how can you not?) but he didn't have a car so he walked... a lot. And since he wasn't working in finance, which means spending 18 hours a day confined to a desk, he went out and played outdoor activities like sports. No diet. No goal. It just happened.
Walking works.
My aim is not to look different or shrink my clothes size, I just want to be healthier overall. Less processed foods, more cooking from whole foods, and more walking. (Also, I am training to see the elephant seals. Maybe I will tell you about that another day.)
Yesterday, I finally walked 10,000 steps for the first time with my new pedometer.
I tend to sit in my chair at work, in front of my computer screen, and only get up for lunch and bathroom breaks. There isn't much walking or moving in my days. Yesterday had quite a few extra factors that helped me get in more steps. 1. A new Target opened near work so I went during lunch and did a few rounds around the store. 2. I intentionally took breaks to get up and walk around the building. 3. I went to a sporting event (to watch, of course). We had to walk all the way around the coliseum to get the basketball arena from the BART station. 4. Our seats were high up in the stands so all the going up and down the stairs to get snacks and bio breaks were a little something extra. Unfortunately, I ended up incredibly hungry after the game and ate my lunch for the next day. I blame the funny-smelling people sitting in the row in front. Oh well, I got in more than 10,000 steps!
Just having a pedometer on you is like playing a game or being in a competition and having a real-time point tally. It really changes your perspective on things. No parking spots near the store? Great! Extra steps entering and exiting- that's a double bonus! Need to climb lots of stairs? That's a lot of steps in a condensed space, you get extra steps in less amount of time. It's like a challenge round, you should race against the timer and double time them. The items you want in the store are all located in different sections? Instead of figuring out the shortest path, figure out the longest path and speed walk. Carrying the items around are like having special items like mushrooms, stars or banana peels in mariokart.
Pedometers are great! And if you think they are not cool... I think mine can plays music too.
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