I love this!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Friday, October 09, 2009
Happy 40th, Sesame Street!
I grew up watching Sesame Street. Every Saturday & Sunday afternoon without fail, I would be glued to the TV set watching Big Bird, Bert & Ernie, Gordon, Oscar the grouch, Kermit (pre-Miss Piggy days), Grover, the Count & Mr Snuffalopicus, laughing & learning along with the hundreds of thousands of kids around the world.
I knew all the words of all the songs, and would sing along with the muppets & their human friends Gordon, Mr Hooper, Maria etc etc.
This November marks the 40th season of this educational program.
Happy Birthday Sesame Street! And may you have many more!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Impressions from China - Lockdown
I am certainly not going to even try to venture into downtown Beijing tonight. Roads are closing in preparation for the big parade & celebration in Tiananmen Square tomorrow commemorating China's National Day. Heard that there has been some major paranoia surrounding security leading up to tomorrow's big Do. Hotel windows being blocked off, residents in the surrounding area, being asked to temporarily move off site, etc.
I'm going to watch it on TV to see what they have been rehearsing so hard for. I'm sure it will be impressive. The Chinese tend to be very meticulous about things like this.
Unfortunately, the paranoia has also resulted in the Internet being blocked. Many sites are inaccessible & now, even proxies have been blocked!
We have resorted to subscribing to a VPN in order to access Facebook & Blogspot. So far so good....it seems to be working well.
Fingers crossed.
I'm going to watch it on TV to see what they have been rehearsing so hard for. I'm sure it will be impressive. The Chinese tend to be very meticulous about things like this.
Unfortunately, the paranoia has also resulted in the Internet being blocked. Many sites are inaccessible & now, even proxies have been blocked!
We have resorted to subscribing to a VPN in order to access Facebook & Blogspot. So far so good....it seems to be working well.
Fingers crossed.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Remember
I can't believe I forgot that it is Sept 11 today until I saw a live telecast of a memorial service on TV.
Why did I forget? Well, like many, memories gently fade especially after 8 years. And especially when we get caught up in the day to day activities of, well, just living life.
But for those who lost a loved one that day in NYC, or those still suffering the after effects of the terror that ensued that day, they will never forget.
I wish them well and hopefully, peace in their hearts.
Why did I forget? Well, like many, memories gently fade especially after 8 years. And especially when we get caught up in the day to day activities of, well, just living life.
But for those who lost a loved one that day in NYC, or those still suffering the after effects of the terror that ensued that day, they will never forget.
I wish them well and hopefully, peace in their hearts.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
My son the Senior
One year from today, my first-born son will be a freshman in a college/university somewhere on the other side of the world.
When he was born almost 18 years ago, it was the start of an amazing roller coaster ride of an adventure,nurturing a new life that was entirely reliant on me for sustenence, then seeing him develop to an initially very shy toddler, to a sociable little boy, and now a strapping teenager on the cusp of adulthood.
I am proud of him, my very own teddy-bear-lovable-considerate-intelligent-guitar-playing-born-leader of a son. He is ready to fly out of our nest...more ready than I will ever be to let him go.
But it is a milestone in every mother's life to do so. And I hope when the time comes, I won't be a blithering, blubbering idiot.
When he was born almost 18 years ago, it was the start of an amazing roller coaster ride of an adventure,nurturing a new life that was entirely reliant on me for sustenence, then seeing him develop to an initially very shy toddler, to a sociable little boy, and now a strapping teenager on the cusp of adulthood.
I am proud of him, my very own teddy-bear-lovable-considerate-intelligent-guitar-playing-born-leader of a son. He is ready to fly out of our nest...more ready than I will ever be to let him go.
But it is a milestone in every mother's life to do so. And I hope when the time comes, I won't be a blithering, blubbering idiot.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
It's He...ere...
The H1N1 virus has reached my boys' school. It was a MOT anyway, I reckon.
One child has been diagnosed with it, so his whole class has to stay home for the rest of the week for observation.
I hope they won't have to close the whole school down.
We'll just have to wait and see if the madness ensues...
One child has been diagnosed with it, so his whole class has to stay home for the rest of the week for observation.
I hope they won't have to close the whole school down.
We'll just have to wait and see if the madness ensues...
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Homicide
Definition: a killing of one human being by another (from the Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary)
Michael Jackson's death has been ruled a homicide by the coroner. Whether or not his physician will be criminally charged remains to be seen.
This is a sobering reminder of the power that lies in the hands of physicians, in the form of know-how & accessibility to drugs, equipment, procedures and technology, that, if used wrongly or negligently, can result in death. Sometimes, even when used correctly, patients die, due to errors or unforeseen circumstance. In techno-babble, when something like this happens, it is called an Adverse Event.
When does an Adverse Event become criminal? I don't know the answer. I am positive that Dr Murray did not mean to kill Mr Jackson. But if he did administer all those drugs as reported, IMHO, that would amount to negligence.
Someone once said: "With great power, comes great responsibility."
(No prizes for guessing which movie this came from & which character said it :)... )
Why this particular doctor chose to do what he did...we can only guess that it was likely to be a combination of the lure of money + the fact that it was the King of Pop himself who had demanded the drugs to be administered.
Wealth and Celebrite can be a deadly combination.
Heath Ledger.
Anna Nicole Smith.
And now MJ.
What a waste.
Michael Jackson's death has been ruled a homicide by the coroner. Whether or not his physician will be criminally charged remains to be seen.
This is a sobering reminder of the power that lies in the hands of physicians, in the form of know-how & accessibility to drugs, equipment, procedures and technology, that, if used wrongly or negligently, can result in death. Sometimes, even when used correctly, patients die, due to errors or unforeseen circumstance. In techno-babble, when something like this happens, it is called an Adverse Event.
When does an Adverse Event become criminal? I don't know the answer. I am positive that Dr Murray did not mean to kill Mr Jackson. But if he did administer all those drugs as reported, IMHO, that would amount to negligence.
Someone once said: "With great power, comes great responsibility."
(No prizes for guessing which movie this came from & which character said it :)... )
Why this particular doctor chose to do what he did...we can only guess that it was likely to be a combination of the lure of money + the fact that it was the King of Pop himself who had demanded the drugs to be administered.
Wealth and Celebrite can be a deadly combination.
Heath Ledger.
Anna Nicole Smith.
And now MJ.
What a waste.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
EZPZ
If I were still living in Singapore, I would be gleefully joyful to discover this company that provides a service to help you ship mail ordered stuff from the States to Singapore at reasonable rates.
I'd order from here (my favorite store to shop at in the US!).
And here.
And maybe here if I needed to buy in bulk.
And I just KNOW that my guys would be ecstatic that they could shop from here.
Monday, August 24, 2009
McAllen, Texas and the high cost of health care: newyorker.com
McAllen, Texas and the high cost of health care: newyorker.com
Shared via AddThis
This is an insightful commentary on the state of health care in the United States.
Dr Gawande's suggestions on how to cut costs certainly make sense. Problem is: how receptive would doctors be to improving quality instead of quantity (i.e. making less money).
I see parallels happening (or already happening) in the state of health care in Singapore. I wonder which direction our doctors will follow? Towards quantity where the money lies? Or towards quality?
Shared via AddThis
This is an insightful commentary on the state of health care in the United States.
Dr Gawande's suggestions on how to cut costs certainly make sense. Problem is: how receptive would doctors be to improving quality instead of quantity (i.e. making less money).
I see parallels happening (or already happening) in the state of health care in Singapore. I wonder which direction our doctors will follow? Towards quantity where the money lies? Or towards quality?
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Different Faces of New York
My attempt at capturing the different aspects of New York with my amateur camera lens...
Grand Central Station
The New York Times building, I assume?
Memorial at St Paul's Chapel near Ground Zero
....supposedly the best hot dogs in town!
3 storeys of candy & ice cream!
...maybe about 10,000 calories total?
42nd Street
This is made of jelly beans
Rockefeller Plaza from the bottom
Rockefeller Plaza from the top
from the top of the Rock...
...and again...
...and again.
where I was touching distance from Constantine Marulies' shoes!
The not-so-pretty side of the Big Apple
We saw 2 film crews working on location on 2 separate occasions...looks like a popular venue of filming dark alley scenes!
Thought that interconnecting bridge at the top was cool.
Brooklyn Bridge in the background, man-made beach in the foreground
South Street Seaport
New York Subway
Chinatown
And some pictures from West Point in upstate New York
Grand Central Station
The New York Times building, I assume?
Memorial at St Paul's Chapel near Ground Zero
....supposedly the best hot dogs in town!
3 storeys of candy & ice cream!
...maybe about 10,000 calories total?
42nd Street
This is made of jelly beans
Rockefeller Plaza from the bottom
Rockefeller Plaza from the top
from the top of the Rock...
...and again...
...and again.
where I was touching distance from Constantine Marulies' shoes!
The not-so-pretty side of the Big Apple
We saw 2 film crews working on location on 2 separate occasions...looks like a popular venue of filming dark alley scenes!
Thought that interconnecting bridge at the top was cool.
Brooklyn Bridge in the background, man-made beach in the foreground
South Street Seaport
New York Subway
ChinatownAnd some pictures from West Point in upstate New York
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Travelog - New England : a pictorial journey
Mystic, Connecticutt
A pretty seaside town with wonderfully fresh seafood. Had a deee-licious lunch of lobster bisque followed by a baked dish aptly named Seafood Ambrosia comprising crab, scallop, cod and shrimp baked in a butter sauce topped with a seafood stuffing gratin at a restaurant called S & P Oyster Company. Mmmmm....
This is the restaurant where we had this...
New England Clam Chowder! And...
Lobster Bisque!
Newport, Rhode Island
The Breakers - a mansion owned by the Vanderbilts
The Breakers' "Backyard"
Another view of the Breakers
A Newport sunset - view from Newport Bridge
Brown University - Providence, Rhode Island
Lovely architecture typical of the buildings in this Ivy League university founded in the 18th century
The Van Wickel Gates - only opened twice a year: once when a new class arrives and once when the seniors leave upon graduation
Cape Cod, Massachusetts (where I pretty much had Clam Chowder every day - I shudder to think what my cholesterol levels are right now)
Salt Marsh Lake - along the eastern coast of Cape Cod
The following pictures were all taken at Marconi Beach, Cape Cod
Kind of reminds you of "Finding Nemo", doesn't it?
That black blob in the water is actually a seal. A group(a herd? or is it a pod?) of them were frolicking in the water just about 30 feet from the beach!
Couldn't resist capturing this picture of the cloud that reminded me of a face
Sand dune
Lovely beach- but the water was freezing!
Boston, Massachusetts
We found this car decal in the Harvard store (where prices of Harvard paraphernalia were ridiculously exorbitant)
Harvard (IMHO, Princeton is much prettier)
Inside MIT - was not impressed by the long corridors. Looked much better in Good Will Hunting.
MIT
The Boston cityscape as seen from across the Charles River
A pretty seaside town with wonderfully fresh seafood. Had a deee-licious lunch of lobster bisque followed by a baked dish aptly named Seafood Ambrosia comprising crab, scallop, cod and shrimp baked in a butter sauce topped with a seafood stuffing gratin at a restaurant called S & P Oyster Company. Mmmmm....
This is the restaurant where we had this...
New England Clam Chowder! And...
Lobster Bisque!
Newport, Rhode Island
The Breakers - a mansion owned by the Vanderbilts
The Breakers' "Backyard"
Another view of the Breakers
A Newport sunset - view from Newport BridgeBrown University - Providence, Rhode Island
Lovely architecture typical of the buildings in this Ivy League university founded in the 18th century 
The Van Wickel Gates - only opened twice a year: once when a new class arrives and once when the seniors leave upon graduationCape Cod, Massachusetts (where I pretty much had Clam Chowder every day - I shudder to think what my cholesterol levels are right now)
Salt Marsh Lake - along the eastern coast of Cape CodThe following pictures were all taken at Marconi Beach, Cape Cod
Kind of reminds you of "Finding Nemo", doesn't it?
That black blob in the water is actually a seal. A group(a herd? or is it a pod?) of them were frolicking in the water just about 30 feet from the beach!
Couldn't resist capturing this picture of the cloud that reminded me of a face
Sand dune
Lovely beach- but the water was freezing!Boston, Massachusetts
We found this car decal in the Harvard store (where prices of Harvard paraphernalia were ridiculously exorbitant)
Harvard (IMHO, Princeton is much prettier)
Inside MIT - was not impressed by the long corridors. Looked much better in Good Will Hunting.
MIT
The Boston cityscape as seen from across the Charles River
Impressions from China: Back & Blocked
Back in the land of the Great fireWall and am extremely frustrated with the blocks imposed by Chinese authorities on many internet sites.
I have to use a proxy to access blogsites, Facebook, Twitter etc. After being in the Land of the Free for the last month & a half, I feel the restrictions deeply...woe is me...:(
Will try to upload pictures in the coming days....hopefully it will work through proxies. If not, they'll just have to wait till the Chinese government decide to lift the blocks.
I have to use a proxy to access blogsites, Facebook, Twitter etc. After being in the Land of the Free for the last month & a half, I feel the restrictions deeply...woe is me...:(
Will try to upload pictures in the coming days....hopefully it will work through proxies. If not, they'll just have to wait till the Chinese government decide to lift the blocks.
Monday, July 20, 2009
On a Break
Don't have a reliable Internet connection while staying at my MIL's place in the Big Apple so will try to post pictures of our travels when we return home to Beijing (provided the Great Firewall of China doesn't prevent me from doing so!!!).
Meantime, I am "tweeting" occasional updates on my Twitter account.....
See ya later, alligator!
Meantime, I am "tweeting" occasional updates on my Twitter account.....
See ya later, alligator!
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Shop Till You Drop
It's almost 4.30 am here in New York City, & jet lagged woke me up from a deep sleep after an exhausting day of outlet shopping at Woodbury Commons. I badly need a massage now & I miss my blind masseure in Beijing! I could use a good ol' Chinese style kneading!
One thing that I have noticed since arriving here is the inflation of prices compared to one year ago. Toiletries, clothes, movie tickets (USD12.50 person!!! On a weekday matinee!), food....the cost of all these seems exorbitant, especially after one is used to the cheap cost of living in China!
I feel like the crowds that usually throng NYC, especially in the Times Square area, have thinned. I notice much fewer people in the stores and those who are there are mostly window shopping. The number of patrons in restaurants are also noticeably less. I guess the pinch of the economic crunch is felt more acutely here in the USA compared to in Asia where the malls & restaurants of Hong Kong & Singapore are still packed with people.
It is quite sobering to see a usually vibrant city like New York hurt like this. Let's hope that President Obama's efforts to stimulate the economy start to bear fruit soon....
One thing that I have noticed since arriving here is the inflation of prices compared to one year ago. Toiletries, clothes, movie tickets (USD12.50 person!!! On a weekday matinee!), food....the cost of all these seems exorbitant, especially after one is used to the cheap cost of living in China!
I feel like the crowds that usually throng NYC, especially in the Times Square area, have thinned. I notice much fewer people in the stores and those who are there are mostly window shopping. The number of patrons in restaurants are also noticeably less. I guess the pinch of the economic crunch is felt more acutely here in the USA compared to in Asia where the malls & restaurants of Hong Kong & Singapore are still packed with people.
It is quite sobering to see a usually vibrant city like New York hurt like this. Let's hope that President Obama's efforts to stimulate the economy start to bear fruit soon....
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
New York, New York
I am sitting here in an apartment in the Tribeca area of the Big Apple & listening to the hustle and bustle of the city just outside the window. This really is a city that doesn't sleep (OK, maybe it just doses off in the wee hours of the morning). The background noise of traffic, and occasionally the muffled rumble of the subway can be heard most hours of the day (& night).
The smell of the city is also unmistakable - a mixture of exhaust fumes, a touch of sewage, & in the Chinatown area, the raw smell of fresh meat & seafood.
I have sticker shock and am appalled at the escalated cost of everyday essentials compared to a year ago. Maybe I've been in China too long. Food prices especially are exorbitant. A typical meal for our family of four costs twice or even three times more than what it would have in China.
I am looking forward to our road trip up to Rhode Island & Massachusetts, especially Cape Cod. I miss the beach & the ocean, living in land-locked Beijing. Will try to post pictures as we go along...
The smell of the city is also unmistakable - a mixture of exhaust fumes, a touch of sewage, & in the Chinatown area, the raw smell of fresh meat & seafood.
I have sticker shock and am appalled at the escalated cost of everyday essentials compared to a year ago. Maybe I've been in China too long. Food prices especially are exorbitant. A typical meal for our family of four costs twice or even three times more than what it would have in China.
I am looking forward to our road trip up to Rhode Island & Massachusetts, especially Cape Cod. I miss the beach & the ocean, living in land-locked Beijing. Will try to post pictures as we go along...
Friday, June 26, 2009
No more
RIP Michael Jackson. May you find peace. Finally.
RIP Farrah Fawcett. You fought a brave battle.
RIP Farrah Fawcett. You fought a brave battle.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Prelude
It’s been quiet around the house the last couple of days. Both boys are away on school trips and A & I are experiencing a prelude of what our empty nest will feel like in a few years.
I like the quiet. And it’s a whole lot easier planning meals for two (i.e. a lot of eating out!) than for four.
But it feels weird though, this emptiness. Disquieting. A disquieting quietness, how poetic. My mind can’t help but wonder how they’re doing, are they enjoying themselves, what kinds of meals are they having.
I don’t think I like it much.
I like the quiet. And it’s a whole lot easier planning meals for two (i.e. a lot of eating out!) than for four.
But it feels weird though, this emptiness. Disquieting. A disquieting quietness, how poetic. My mind can’t help but wonder how they’re doing, are they enjoying themselves, what kinds of meals are they having.
I don’t think I like it much.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Ostrich
People like this never fails to amaze me.
I wonder how Mr Tan intends to shield his children from a comprehensive knowledge of sex education, which, in my mind, SHOULD include being taught the use of a condom. Does he think that his kids are not curious about condoms? Does he think that information about using a condom is the same as promoting its use?
Geez.
I wonder how Mr Tan intends to shield his children from a comprehensive knowledge of sex education, which, in my mind, SHOULD include being taught the use of a condom. Does he think that his kids are not curious about condoms? Does he think that information about using a condom is the same as promoting its use?
Geez.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Origins
Watched Star Trek yesterday & was blown away.
I've always been a fan of the Star Trek universe thanks to Star Trek: The Next Generation, & Star Trek: Voyager (have watched every single episode of TNG, been to a couple of ST conventions in the US & met one of the starts of Voyager, Garrett Wang. The original series was never appealing to me, a large part due to the fact that William Shatner's acting irks me (& still does despite his Emmy nomination). However, I was curious about the origins of how the diverse, & arguably the most ground-breaking ensemble in TV series history was formed & was hyped when I found out about the new Star Trek movie.
And it did not disappoint. It had me in tears (when Kirk's father died minutes after his birth) & laughter (mostly provided by the comedic talent of Simon Pegg who played Scotty). I was amazed that the producers could find actors who resembled the actors who played the original characters especially Zachary Quinto (yes, Sylar himself)who played Spock, and Karl Urban who played Dr "Bones" McCoy and had his speech patterns & enunciation down pat!
The other movie I watched recently that dealt with origins was Wolverine, with the ever-so-hunky Hugh Jackman. It had a darker storyline and more graphic violence, and despite some negative reviews, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Next up: Night at the Museum 2. It has been a bumper month for movie blockbusters here in China where most English movies take months to make it to the big screen (if ever at all) hence resulting in the booming pirated DVD business.
I've always been a fan of the Star Trek universe thanks to Star Trek: The Next Generation, & Star Trek: Voyager (have watched every single episode of TNG, been to a couple of ST conventions in the US & met one of the starts of Voyager, Garrett Wang. The original series was never appealing to me, a large part due to the fact that William Shatner's acting irks me (& still does despite his Emmy nomination). However, I was curious about the origins of how the diverse, & arguably the most ground-breaking ensemble in TV series history was formed & was hyped when I found out about the new Star Trek movie.
And it did not disappoint. It had me in tears (when Kirk's father died minutes after his birth) & laughter (mostly provided by the comedic talent of Simon Pegg who played Scotty). I was amazed that the producers could find actors who resembled the actors who played the original characters especially Zachary Quinto (yes, Sylar himself)who played Spock, and Karl Urban who played Dr "Bones" McCoy and had his speech patterns & enunciation down pat!
The other movie I watched recently that dealt with origins was Wolverine, with the ever-so-hunky Hugh Jackman. It had a darker storyline and more graphic violence, and despite some negative reviews, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
Next up: Night at the Museum 2. It has been a bumper month for movie blockbusters here in China where most English movies take months to make it to the big screen (if ever at all) hence resulting in the booming pirated DVD business.
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