Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Chakra workshop at Stillheart

I like the fact that you emphasize on personal experience, and warn us not to be restricted by what was written in books, which are totally experiences written by other people.

Activities like Yoga and meditation is a personal journey. No two people's experience is the same. So teaching such a topic is so abstract, and it could be challenging.

Thank you for demystifying the Chakras, and allowing us to discover our own path and our fire within.

Photograph curtsey of Ms. Peiying Mo.
August 28, 2012 4:50 PM

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

I like my blog

Even though nobody reads it. :)

I got tickled whenever I read it, but of course, every time I read my own postings, I found something that I wanted to change.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

I like "Seinfeld"

Very recently, I had a revelation about myself: I started to understand the humor of the TV show "Seinfeld". I actually finished the half-an-hour show and enjoyed it, and even made an effort to look for the rerun of the shows every night.

When I told my friend Gayle about this, she laughed and said: "Now you are officially in two cultures: American and Chinese."

Back in high school, I watched TV shows to learn English and the American culture. We were under the misconception that TV shows and movies were the real representation of what American life was - which explains why new immigrants' views about America is very likely to be skewed.

My favorite show was: "Third Rock from The Sun". It was a show about a group of aliens landed on earth, pretended to be a family, and lived amongst people. They were finding out all kinds of strange things and behaviors that people do. I found it fascinating that someone knew exactly how I felt to live here, and actually made a TV show about it.

The next show I enjoyed was "Friends". Who didn't like "Friends"? I mainly enjoyed watching cute girls and handsome guys, but didn't pay too much attention about the plots. But I never enjoyed "Seinfeld". I couldn't take Seinfeld's New Yorker humor and the loud and obnoxiousness of Elaine and George.

What I learn from the dogs

The benefit of being a dog owner, above all the usual suspects such as: loyalty and companionship, is there are 3 things I can learn from my dogs.

1. Go after what he wants
In order to get his bone or scratch on the belly, he will do anything: he will play tricks, whine, let you pet him, look at you with his droopy puppy eyes while leaning his head on your chest. And believe me, it works every time.

2. Live here, now
Enjoy every moment of life. Enjoy the food they eat, the treats they get, and the moment they are let out of the house.

3. No bad feelings
Dogs don't hold grudges. No matter how late you get home, they are always happy to see you, and give you the welcome dance for 5 minutes. They can be whining and scratching behind the door to get your attention, but when you open the door, they are always happy to see you and ready to play.

These are the things I learn from my dogs, and they are wonderful traits that I need to be reminded once in a while.

Our dogs

My golden retriever Jake is better looking than any other golden, even better looking then the one on the large milk bone box. I am not kidding! My female, Amy? She is the feisty one.

The dogs go in the back seat of the SUV when we go out for a ride. We leave the windows opened so that they can look out the window and "drink the wind". They would shuffle around in the back, exchanging places with each other while panting with excitement. In our car, Jake is truly the head-turner. Sometimes both of them stick their heads out of the same window, and they bring a smile to the passers-by.

It is as if Amy is saying: "come look at this handsome and fluffy male golden, and I'll bite your head off.'"

Entertaining the TV

While Jack went on a business trip, I realized how lonely it is living by myself. I got home, locked the door, turned on the TV and browsed through the channels. Last night there were 2 programs on public TV about Steve Jobs, so I watched both of them while eating dinner. All of my plans about playing with the dogs or reading a good book, and doing some yoga was out the window once I was drawn to the TV.

Sometimes it is hard to say if we are entertaining the TV or being entertained by the TV.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

An inconspicuous winter afternoon @ Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay under the sun was unusually warm and exceptionally radiant. I started my day at the charming Caffe Mezza Luna in Harbor Village for a cup of cappuccino. While waiting for my coffee, I browsed their CD collections with a big mission in my mind: Christmas shopping! As I picked up a HMB magazine and sat down, the nice young man with a big wide smile brought me the coffee. I smiled back and said thanks.

My next stop was at HMB board shop. When I turned into their modest parking lot, the only blue truck in there made it look unusually smaller. The door was closed tight, and all the windows were covered by posters. I wondered if the shop was opened, and double checked to make sure the neon "Open" light was on. I turned the door knob and sure enough, they were doing business alright. The husky fellow behind the counter looked exactly like a stereotypical California surfer, sun tanned with light color hair. He said hi and asked me to be sure to let him know if there was anything he could help. This kind of friendliness was a bit unusual to me coming from such a tough looking guy.

With my expert-shopper level precision, I picked up a few items and landed them on the counter. It obviously made our shopkeeper's day! He praised me for coming in early for Christmas shopping , "not like us guys, always waiting until the last minute." He even told me about his new-born baby and his dog, judging from my dog hair covered polartec about the dog. As I said goodbye and walked out, he thanked me again for stopping by.

My next stop was Half Moon Bay downtown. My favorite store there is Posh Moon. It is small shop full of nice French inspired clothing and cute gifts. This time they didn't have anything new for me, though I carefully examined all of the racks throughout the store. Carol is this super friendly older lady who likes to wear her hats. If you catch her in a good day, she could give you 20% discount on your total bill.

Next I headed to Toque just at the corner. I followed a group of 4 or 5 leisurely walked in the store. Toque is a high-end kitchenware store. I enjoyed shopping there, but I was a little uneasy about the possibility of my bulky tote touching breakable items, which were displayed carefully everywhere. So I picked up a few things and left.

I then checked out a few other stores, but since I already got my catch of the day, and I was feeling my wallet fatigue, I slowed down considerably. I finally bought something for myself in a clothing store, which happen to have all full-priced clothing 50% off. As I paid, the seemingly young and quiet shopkeeper showed a very friendly smile.

With one side of my mind bubbling with excitement for all that I got in 2 hours, and the other equivalently prepping me for the pain I would unavoidably endure come January, I strolled back to my car, where I found another pleasant surprise. I parked right in front of a bakery, and they were still open! I rushed in and spent my last dollars on cookies. Then I left downtown with no guilt nor reservations.

I had no expectations when I left home, didn't dress up like when I was going to the mall, and got free parking without any hassle. I had a great day shopping with my friendly neighborhood retailers!

Now I can put my credit cards in the freezer and be content.

The Cheese that Moved Me

 Yesterday on our way from sunny San Mateo to slightly overcast but pleasant Half Moon Bay, around 92 windy road, I recap what we did in the...