Who had ever thought that a computer game is a way to bridge the gap between 4 decades?
My father is staying with me here for 2 weeks until he heads back to Taiwan. During this time, in my measly apt, there's not much to entertain him with. Anyone with asian parents might experience the same lack of conversation between parent and child. Why, I guess it's just that we haven't found a topic that both sides can maintain for more than 5 minutes.
Feeling guilty for neglecting my father while I have to work on the week days, I installed this computer Majiang game on my computer. Bingo! He's addicted. I have created a monster. It's pathetic at the same time that my dad is more awake while he's playing the game than the rest of the day when he's not clicking away.
Earlier today, took him to Best Buy to search for a digi cam. After 1 hour of looking at the various models there he was saying he's tired and his neck is sore. So we head back and after a brief lunch from Papa John's he's on the computer playing along with the electronic political player figures.
He's on there for the next 3 hours.
Tired my butt!! I think he has selective fatique factor.
So, but at least we made progress. Found that he needs an LCD screen bigger than 1.8, and that his big thumb won't cover any unneeded controls during normal operation.
At the end of the 2 hours my throat was tired as well. I am not used to using my voicebox for that long of a duration.
So now my dad is pretty happy and keeping himself might amused by playing the game.
Good. Glad he has some stuff to do when I need to work or when I don't have other ways to engage him in some conversations.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Riots, Terrorists, and Pirates
Seems surreal when I open up the news page this morning. It's like a page ripped out of an testosterone filled movie script.
What the hell is happening.. we got people torching across hundreds of towns in France, terrorists planning to launch massive attack in Australia, and then pirates! Pirates! Attacking cruise ships on outskirts of Africa.
Pirates belong in the movies not in real life. Okay yah I might be naive, one can dream of an utopia right?
Mother nature doesn't need to help, I think men are well on their way to curbing the human population.
I better live to 67 at least or else I'll be royally pissed when I can't touch the savings reserved for retirement. Been wondering about that a lot recently, should I really save for 40 years down the road? Will I even be around?
What the hell is happening.. we got people torching across hundreds of towns in France, terrorists planning to launch massive attack in Australia, and then pirates! Pirates! Attacking cruise ships on outskirts of Africa.
Pirates belong in the movies not in real life. Okay yah I might be naive, one can dream of an utopia right?
Mother nature doesn't need to help, I think men are well on their way to curbing the human population.
I better live to 67 at least or else I'll be royally pissed when I can't touch the savings reserved for retirement. Been wondering about that a lot recently, should I really save for 40 years down the road? Will I even be around?
Monday, November 07, 2005
Meaningful Conversations
I made a resolution, or I should say a promise to myself, after coming back from a long overdue visit to Taiwan 2 years ago. It was an eye opener to go back and visit my roots. A lot of things have changed. Tall buildings erected, old railroad tracks now paved and converted into 3 lane highways. Some things are oblivious to time's hand. The packed temples and the religious followers. The night market is still bustling with people and motorists and stray dogs.
The biggest impact was made when I visited my grandma. There she was in her 80s, living in 3 story house, alone.
I've always been in touch with my sensitive side and the trip back home upped it a notch. It gave my tear ducts quite a workout. My grandma was the one who looked after me in my early years. I spent a good deal of time at the grounds. A lot of precious memories were made there. From the pig slaughter for annual festivals (okay this one not that pleasant), to singing with all the dogs in the courtyard at dawn, chased by ferocious ducks during feeding time, marveling after the locust bugs when they shed their skin, plucking chicken in the backyard, and firing up clay mounds in the fields to cook yams. All these images and memory attack me as I stepped out of my aunt's car and took my first step into the yard. Out comes my grandma, she's been expecting us. Eighteen years is a long time. Sure, she made couple visits to the states during those years but this is the first time we've been home.
She shrunk. Her hair is a bit whiter, and her face more wrinkly. As my brother and I spent a precious week with her, I get to see first hand how lonely she is even with one of her five sons living right next door.
Due to old age, the joints are starting to go so she has trouble lifting her arms above her shoulder. She's gone weeks without washing her hair because her arms are not able to reach her hair. I found her awake at wee hours in the nights, sitting in the living room using the electric massager on her shoulders in hopes of alleviating some of the pain so she can get back to sleep.
She wakes up by 5 AM in time to watch her grandkids get on the school bus, then she sits in the living room waiting for the time to pass. That's her normal daily routine she said.
I broke down several times during my visit with her. I try not to cry in front her. She doesn't need a sobbing grandchild to remind her of state.
I feel anger toward my uncles who are suppose to take her. She had 5 sons. None of them checks up on her on regular basis or took her into their homes. Instead they left their mother, alone, in a 3 story house which has stairs she can barely climb.
I am sadden by the thoughts of all the elders who are alone.
That's when I made myself promise that I would be a better grandchild, I would make a call to my grandma at least once a week to talk to her.
I've kept my promise, pushing it at times.. but I call every week to chat. There's a language barrier, but I think I have improved a lot in my grandma's native tongue. At least listening wise. Most of the time I open with the questions: Have you eaten? How are your legs and arms? If the weather is too cold or not? Then I try to bring up some of the topics that she might have seen in the news or even confide to her my frivolous troubles about job dissatisfaction, lack of bonus, and weight gain. I am thankful her mind is still sharp as ever as she tells me I can't eat and just sit there that way I'll get fat. Or that I can't quit my job yet cuz I am so young. I laugh when she says if the company is not paying me overtime then don't work that much.
Those 30 - 60 minutes are the most meaningful conversations I have every week.
The biggest impact was made when I visited my grandma. There she was in her 80s, living in 3 story house, alone.
I've always been in touch with my sensitive side and the trip back home upped it a notch. It gave my tear ducts quite a workout. My grandma was the one who looked after me in my early years. I spent a good deal of time at the grounds. A lot of precious memories were made there. From the pig slaughter for annual festivals (okay this one not that pleasant), to singing with all the dogs in the courtyard at dawn, chased by ferocious ducks during feeding time, marveling after the locust bugs when they shed their skin, plucking chicken in the backyard, and firing up clay mounds in the fields to cook yams. All these images and memory attack me as I stepped out of my aunt's car and took my first step into the yard. Out comes my grandma, she's been expecting us. Eighteen years is a long time. Sure, she made couple visits to the states during those years but this is the first time we've been home.
She shrunk. Her hair is a bit whiter, and her face more wrinkly. As my brother and I spent a precious week with her, I get to see first hand how lonely she is even with one of her five sons living right next door.
Due to old age, the joints are starting to go so she has trouble lifting her arms above her shoulder. She's gone weeks without washing her hair because her arms are not able to reach her hair. I found her awake at wee hours in the nights, sitting in the living room using the electric massager on her shoulders in hopes of alleviating some of the pain so she can get back to sleep.
She wakes up by 5 AM in time to watch her grandkids get on the school bus, then she sits in the living room waiting for the time to pass. That's her normal daily routine she said.
I broke down several times during my visit with her. I try not to cry in front her. She doesn't need a sobbing grandchild to remind her of state.
I feel anger toward my uncles who are suppose to take her. She had 5 sons. None of them checks up on her on regular basis or took her into their homes. Instead they left their mother, alone, in a 3 story house which has stairs she can barely climb.
I am sadden by the thoughts of all the elders who are alone.
That's when I made myself promise that I would be a better grandchild, I would make a call to my grandma at least once a week to talk to her.
I've kept my promise, pushing it at times.. but I call every week to chat. There's a language barrier, but I think I have improved a lot in my grandma's native tongue. At least listening wise. Most of the time I open with the questions: Have you eaten? How are your legs and arms? If the weather is too cold or not? Then I try to bring up some of the topics that she might have seen in the news or even confide to her my frivolous troubles about job dissatisfaction, lack of bonus, and weight gain. I am thankful her mind is still sharp as ever as she tells me I can't eat and just sit there that way I'll get fat. Or that I can't quit my job yet cuz I am so young. I laugh when she says if the company is not paying me overtime then don't work that much.
Those 30 - 60 minutes are the most meaningful conversations I have every week.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Once You Pop You Can't Stop
Dam Pringles and whoever makes them.. I just inhaled 3/4 of the can. God I am going to be so zit faced tomorrow. I did not inherit my mom's genes when it comes to facial complexion. Unlike my mom and my brother, I am very sensitive to fried items, or any snacks that taste good for that matter. One would think a person approaching 30 will stop breaking out.. but no, not I.
I can't help it! Shoprite was having a sale on these things, 3 for $3. That's how they get you.. hit you where you are weak.. cheapos like me who usually don't buy snacks looks at the tag and try to justify buying 3 cans at a time. Dam marketing!
I have to say it was quite good.. my taste buds thank me at least. I'll be in front of the mirror tomorrow night popping out zits. Yes they grow that fast! Nasty little buggers. Oh well.. once in a while is not bad right? right.
I can't help it! Shoprite was having a sale on these things, 3 for $3. That's how they get you.. hit you where you are weak.. cheapos like me who usually don't buy snacks looks at the tag and try to justify buying 3 cans at a time. Dam marketing!
I have to say it was quite good.. my taste buds thank me at least. I'll be in front of the mirror tomorrow night popping out zits. Yes they grow that fast! Nasty little buggers. Oh well.. once in a while is not bad right? right.
Saturday, November 05, 2005
You Are What You Eat
Wonder who said that line first? "You are what you eat." Did it evolve from mothers who used scare tactics on their children? Or something else?
Wonder if I can Google it? Good grief I am so bloated. Which brings me back to my point.. so I had a craving for red bean soup.. hmm hmm hmm.. last night I made half a pot of red bean soup and pretty much took the entire day today for me to finish it. It was breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack and dessert before dinner. Then for dinner went out to have Indian and stuffed myself.
Gluttony, Oh woe me, I have committed one of the 7 deadly sins and as punishment, gas form of my dinner and the digested beans are making their way out.. from the top. I guess that's better than farting for others at least. I mean come on, what's the difference between burping and farting?
So here I am 4 hours after dinner and still bloated. I gotta get me some of those anti gas stuff.. or prehaps set 2 bowls of red beans at max for a day.
Bless the internet! From The Phrase Finder :
Wonder if I can Google it? Good grief I am so bloated. Which brings me back to my point.. so I had a craving for red bean soup.. hmm hmm hmm.. last night I made half a pot of red bean soup and pretty much took the entire day today for me to finish it. It was breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack and dessert before dinner. Then for dinner went out to have Indian and stuffed myself.
Gluttony, Oh woe me, I have committed one of the 7 deadly sins and as punishment, gas form of my dinner and the digested beans are making their way out.. from the top. I guess that's better than farting for others at least. I mean come on, what's the difference between burping and farting?
So here I am 4 hours after dinner and still bloated. I gotta get me some of those anti gas stuff.. or prehaps set 2 bowls of red beans at max for a day.
Bless the internet! From The Phrase Finder :
Origin
Originated in the hippy era in the USA. The food of choice of the champions of this notion was macrobiotic wholefood.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Typical Day of Working From Home
You ever wonder what really goes on during conference calls? For thos of you who do not have the luxury/punishment of working from home, let me give you sneak peak. Following depicts conference calls and sametime messages in a typical workday for me.
Legend:
st - sametime
cc - conference call
[8:30 - 9 AM - roll out of bed]
Take 3 steps to the desk, turn on the laptop
Do my morning routine
Log on via VPN, turn on sametime
[9:15 AM - getting ready for market open]
- turn on personal pc
- get the streaming quotes going
- read up on stock news
- watch cnnfn
[9:30 AM - opening bell]
- ping pong eye action between streamer and sametime
- nice green tickers nice..
- bad red tickers bad!!
[9:45 AM - in front of desk]
With the toothbrush still in one hand and mouth foaming I finish reading e-mails and did some work.
[10 AM - Ellen is on]
- finally rinse my mouth
st - manager - let's get on a call to catch up on status
st - moi - sure
cc - blah blabh blah
[10:30AM - 1 PM]
work work work
[1 PM - 2PM]
eat and work eat and work, it's amazing how long i can nurse a bowl of food
[3:30 PM - 4PM - watch ticker]
- always fun to watch the stock action toward end of the trading day
[4 - 7PM]
- work work work
This of course is one of the slower days.. that I get to do this much stock watching, sometimes it's just all work and no play for 14 hours.. which makes it a very frustrating day.
Legend:
st - sametime
cc - conference call
[8:30 - 9 AM - roll out of bed]
Take 3 steps to the desk, turn on the laptop
Do my morning routine
Log on via VPN, turn on sametime
[9:15 AM - getting ready for market open]
- turn on personal pc
- get the streaming quotes going
- read up on stock news
- watch cnnfn
[9:30 AM - opening bell]
- ping pong eye action between streamer and sametime
- nice green tickers nice..
- bad red tickers bad!!
[9:45 AM - in front of desk]
With the toothbrush still in one hand and mouth foaming I finish reading e-mails and did some work.
[10 AM - Ellen is on]
- finally rinse my mouth
st - manager - let's get on a call to catch up on status
st - moi - sure
cc - blah blabh blah
[10:30AM - 1 PM]
work work work
[1 PM - 2PM]
eat and work eat and work, it's amazing how long i can nurse a bowl of food
[3:30 PM - 4PM - watch ticker]
- always fun to watch the stock action toward end of the trading day
[4 - 7PM]
- work work work
This of course is one of the slower days.. that I get to do this much stock watching, sometimes it's just all work and no play for 14 hours.. which makes it a very frustrating day.
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