Well I didn't bring the kids out to First Night. We did our little Panda run, and played around at Moh Goon and Jonah fell asleep in the wagon. By the time we got home we would have had to leave again to catch the parade. I was going to do the fireworks with Noah, but Grace got stuck at Dumpling House because everyone was ordering Chinese Take Out for New Years. I guess ordering Nasty American Chinese food is no longer acceptable to so many Americans who have gotten used to good Chinese food. Basically everyone had the same idea Grace did.
Me and Noah played several games of Chess and then Chinese Chess and he started flipping out. On the one hand I'm sad that I didn't get to bring Noah to the parade. On the other hand I am glad that during his little tirade I was already at home, in a warm house and that I wouldn't have to chase after the two of them going in separate directions, in the dark, and then somehow drag them to the train station, and then drag them home from the T. That would have been a nightmare.
Last year we did the Lion Dance in the parade, and that was fun.
Somehow I made time to organize that last year, but that meant that Grace had to watch the children.
I realize that this year, even if I had pushed to do this I just wouldn't have been able to. So it's good that I just took it easy.
As for things I didn't get finished in 2014... my book is still unpublished. I just have to format it and put it out, which will take more time than it sounds like.
But mostly I need to do this because the ideas for my next project are bubbling to the surface. Basically the creative mental stimulation part of the book is over and done with. What's left is the packaging of it, which an author who made money, would pay someone else to do I think.
(Grace said she do it for me.)
Well time for Baths.
What is Kung Fu and lion dance? Part self defense and fighting, part meditation and culture and part performance with drums and arts and crafts. Come and learn this art on Saturdays at 108 Stirling Road. Warren, NJ We work with Murray Hill Chinese School which also offers many other programs both cultural, academic and athletic. Check ou their website here https://www.mhcs-nj.org/
Kung Fu and Love
A great gift for Valentine's day or Chinese New Year
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
The missing Pawn
Noah was playing chess with my relatives. He played my cousin, who beat him quickly. And then he played my aunt. Then Jonah trashed the game. My whole extended family searched high an low for the missing piece they could not find. It was a pawn. It bothered me that it was missing even though I hadn't checked all the pieces but instead put the chess set away for the rest of the family reunion. I didn't want to risk losing more pieces.
"Where is the missing piece Dai Dai?" I asked him.
"I don't know. It's gone forever." he would say.
Arriving back home I decided it was no big deal. After all, I could just use a toy to be the pawn. But Lo and behold as I set up the board all the pieces were there!
Interesting that something that is insignificant and not even true, could have bothered me at all.
"Where is the missing piece Dai Dai?" I asked him.
"I don't know. It's gone forever." he would say.
Arriving back home I decided it was no big deal. After all, I could just use a toy to be the pawn. But Lo and behold as I set up the board all the pieces were there!
Interesting that something that is insignificant and not even true, could have bothered me at all.
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Korean BBQ
We went to explore some place in New Jersey that has the highest concentration of Koreans in the country yesterday. It wasn't like being in Korea. It was like being in Korean America. The stores and everything were stil spread out like American businesses, as opposed to the way everything is crammed together in a Chinatown. Among the places that seemed to have a lot of parked cars was a giant Karaoke place and a driving range.
We went to a Korean BBQ place last night. Jonah got really excited everytime a waitress came by and said something in Korean and proceeded to give us more Kim Chee or fuss with the meat. He would start yelling "Yay!" smiling and excitedly. I think it was because the tone of the waitresses was pretty much the same so he figured that's what he was supposed to do. The first time I went to such a place was last year in Korea town in New York. I didn't know what I supposed to do with various foods or whatever. This time I didn't care. I just started devouring Kim Chee. It's weird. Kim Chee is free, and they keep giving it to you like they used to do with bread at Italian restaurants. But if you were to buy Kim Chee Buy itself, it would be pretty expensive. I guess they really make the most money off of alcohol. Which the food did make me feel like drinking. But we decided not to drink because neither of us have very high tolerance to begin with, and ever since I started fasting I feel like my tolerance for alcohol has gone down even further if you could believe it.
We then got some Korean Baos and then Grace got some Korean Make up. It was a wonderland of magical cuteness for her. I guess that's a good ending to our Christmas adventure. Something's wrong with the car though and she is getting it checked out. Which is weird because the car is new.
Anyway, I stiffed myself with various types of Kim Chee and it will be baos for eberyone else's breakfast. Today I am going to start my monthly three day fast for the second time. Then after I come back onto food for one day it will be New Year. Is the Federation doing First Night this year If yes, then I'll do that. If not, then I may bring Noah down there to check out the parade. Or maybe not.
That means we are actually set for food for a while what with the Christmas dinner leftovers we still have.
Time to get back into my Boston routine.
We went to a Korean BBQ place last night. Jonah got really excited everytime a waitress came by and said something in Korean and proceeded to give us more Kim Chee or fuss with the meat. He would start yelling "Yay!" smiling and excitedly. I think it was because the tone of the waitresses was pretty much the same so he figured that's what he was supposed to do. The first time I went to such a place was last year in Korea town in New York. I didn't know what I supposed to do with various foods or whatever. This time I didn't care. I just started devouring Kim Chee. It's weird. Kim Chee is free, and they keep giving it to you like they used to do with bread at Italian restaurants. But if you were to buy Kim Chee Buy itself, it would be pretty expensive. I guess they really make the most money off of alcohol. Which the food did make me feel like drinking. But we decided not to drink because neither of us have very high tolerance to begin with, and ever since I started fasting I feel like my tolerance for alcohol has gone down even further if you could believe it.
We then got some Korean Baos and then Grace got some Korean Make up. It was a wonderland of magical cuteness for her. I guess that's a good ending to our Christmas adventure. Something's wrong with the car though and she is getting it checked out. Which is weird because the car is new.
Anyway, I stiffed myself with various types of Kim Chee and it will be baos for eberyone else's breakfast. Today I am going to start my monthly three day fast for the second time. Then after I come back onto food for one day it will be New Year. Is the Federation doing First Night this year If yes, then I'll do that. If not, then I may bring Noah down there to check out the parade. Or maybe not.
That means we are actually set for food for a while what with the Christmas dinner leftovers we still have.
Time to get back into my Boston routine.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Chinese Food Karma
The house we are staying in is the house my mother had the second part of her childhood in. When she arrived there were no other houses around. there were no streets, just a dirt road, and the part in the back where there is now a bank was just woods.
My mother was always interested in Asian Culture and when she got older she traveled the world, crossing the Sahara desert twice in camel going up through the middle east and India and even Tibet (back when people were not allowed in China but there weren't real borders there.) and Laos (during the Vietnam war.) She lived in Hong Kong, Indonesia and Japan. She came back to the States and met my Father in Cape Cod.
My childhood was the dichotomy of Chinese (Boston's Chinatown) and my white side (Philadelphia, the house we slept in. I have memories spending Christmas and Summer in this house with extended family. This was the whitest neighborhood I had ever been in.
Last year, while leaving we noticed a cluster of Chinese stores about a mile from the house. This year we noticed it wasn't just businesses but there was a Wu Yi association as well.
Grace decided to go out for Chinese Food. How good could the place be? I was cautiously optimistic because of the presence of an Association.
I stayed home because Jonah had clonked out and Noah and I were playing chess.
Grace arrived at the cluster where all the parking spaces for a block were taken up. There was a line of Chinese people waiting outside one of the restarunts. "Hmm that's weird." She thought.
She chose that one.
Inside, Cantonese was being yelled rapid fire and the waiters were RUNNING around on Monday at 7pm. The place was packed. She said if I went with her, I would have been the only white person there. She thought she saw a black guy but then realized he was actually just a dark Chinese man. Everyone looked like restaurant people. In fact, it even had a gambling hall vibe. It seemed to be as yet undiscovered by non-Chinese customers. There was nothing on the menu like "chicken Fingers." This was bold. This was not Chinese American food. Even the Chinese people in there did not look Jook Sing.
Grace doesn't speak Chinese.
She started to order in English and the manager said, "Don't worry, I know what you want."
We had shrimp and snap peas, rib eye steak and onions and peppers, and pea pod stems. Which is hard for Grace to order. Like the manager said, he knew what she wanted. Rice was free, Desert was free (not fortune cookies but Tong sui, sai mai lo to be exact, and you could taste the taro and the feel the thickness of the soup.) The price was 20% less than in Boston, no skimping on ingredients and for real it beat the hell out of anything in Boston. How could this be? What Twilight Zone am I living in? I looked outside to make sure I was in the same house.
You could equate this to the phenomenon of Quincy and Kam Man popping up near Boston. But Quincy's food is still not as good as Chinatown. And I didn't see any Associations.
This food was on par with New York Chinatown. A mile from the house where I spent my summers and where my mother brought Chinese cooking she had learned from my father into the house as a foreign thing to be tasted. These two blocks, which will only grow, are more Chinese than the shrinking Chinatown in Boston.
When we first arrived in the house, a rabbit ran across the street as if it had been waiting for us. Grace turned to me and pointed out that Rabbits are usually a symbol for my mother and that she knew she would see one.
I could not get over, that my mother would have found that two block neighborhood a mile away fascinating. That she would have wanted it. That Philadelphia's Chinatown used to be not as good as Boston's and when we had gone there once when I was a baby, my dad kept on bumping into people from Boston, but that Boston was the area where it was safer and more comfortable for my Dad. That we sort of stayed in Boston for the schools, but also for the Chinese Community, for Kwong Kow, and later, I stayed there to be with the Kung Fu School.
This is just a good kind of bizarre.
There is a dollar store down there called "Grace's Dollar Store." I think we will check that out before we leave too.
My mother was always interested in Asian Culture and when she got older she traveled the world, crossing the Sahara desert twice in camel going up through the middle east and India and even Tibet (back when people were not allowed in China but there weren't real borders there.) and Laos (during the Vietnam war.) She lived in Hong Kong, Indonesia and Japan. She came back to the States and met my Father in Cape Cod.
My childhood was the dichotomy of Chinese (Boston's Chinatown) and my white side (Philadelphia, the house we slept in. I have memories spending Christmas and Summer in this house with extended family. This was the whitest neighborhood I had ever been in.
Last year, while leaving we noticed a cluster of Chinese stores about a mile from the house. This year we noticed it wasn't just businesses but there was a Wu Yi association as well.
Grace decided to go out for Chinese Food. How good could the place be? I was cautiously optimistic because of the presence of an Association.
I stayed home because Jonah had clonked out and Noah and I were playing chess.
Grace arrived at the cluster where all the parking spaces for a block were taken up. There was a line of Chinese people waiting outside one of the restarunts. "Hmm that's weird." She thought.
She chose that one.
Inside, Cantonese was being yelled rapid fire and the waiters were RUNNING around on Monday at 7pm. The place was packed. She said if I went with her, I would have been the only white person there. She thought she saw a black guy but then realized he was actually just a dark Chinese man. Everyone looked like restaurant people. In fact, it even had a gambling hall vibe. It seemed to be as yet undiscovered by non-Chinese customers. There was nothing on the menu like "chicken Fingers." This was bold. This was not Chinese American food. Even the Chinese people in there did not look Jook Sing.
Grace doesn't speak Chinese.
She started to order in English and the manager said, "Don't worry, I know what you want."
We had shrimp and snap peas, rib eye steak and onions and peppers, and pea pod stems. Which is hard for Grace to order. Like the manager said, he knew what she wanted. Rice was free, Desert was free (not fortune cookies but Tong sui, sai mai lo to be exact, and you could taste the taro and the feel the thickness of the soup.) The price was 20% less than in Boston, no skimping on ingredients and for real it beat the hell out of anything in Boston. How could this be? What Twilight Zone am I living in? I looked outside to make sure I was in the same house.
You could equate this to the phenomenon of Quincy and Kam Man popping up near Boston. But Quincy's food is still not as good as Chinatown. And I didn't see any Associations.
This food was on par with New York Chinatown. A mile from the house where I spent my summers and where my mother brought Chinese cooking she had learned from my father into the house as a foreign thing to be tasted. These two blocks, which will only grow, are more Chinese than the shrinking Chinatown in Boston.
When we first arrived in the house, a rabbit ran across the street as if it had been waiting for us. Grace turned to me and pointed out that Rabbits are usually a symbol for my mother and that she knew she would see one.
I could not get over, that my mother would have found that two block neighborhood a mile away fascinating. That she would have wanted it. That Philadelphia's Chinatown used to be not as good as Boston's and when we had gone there once when I was a baby, my dad kept on bumping into people from Boston, but that Boston was the area where it was safer and more comfortable for my Dad. That we sort of stayed in Boston for the schools, but also for the Chinese Community, for Kwong Kow, and later, I stayed there to be with the Kung Fu School.
This is just a good kind of bizarre.
There is a dollar store down there called "Grace's Dollar Store." I think we will check that out before we leave too.
Monday, December 22, 2014
Tree Ceremony
We went to Macy's in Center City to see the Tree Lighting show where the Eagle is. I guess it is a thing. We got teir early so we went around terminal market and the kids looked at the trains. We had a Philly Cheese steak, an authentic one. I just had a taste because I felt like I needed to fast after all those noodles. Grace was mad at me for this.
The taste I had was really good actually.
We then traveled back to the tree lighting show which wasn't all that in terms of the show. It was a ritual based much on Episcopalian Church, including organ playing to usher us out. It was the world biggest playing organ.
Grace said they should just to the show more often.
Though what I knew while partaking in the ritual was that the big draw was not the show itself, but the crowd. Where religion has declined, big companies have taken their place, and we naturally need a Giant Temple to do something at.
I thought of how Jesus got all mad because of vending in a Temple (which was common practice.)
But today's Temples have the templing as a part time attraction and it is the commerce that is the central function.
Macy's not only made some money off of us at the parking, and some shopping, (this cash takes the place of a sacrifice or incense) but if you believe in this, they reaped in a ton of THOUGHT for good luck as well. This type of thinking is less out in the open in the West. But in Feng Shui, for instance, you would place steps and a doorway in such a way that someone coming in would have to bow to your businesses sign out of convenience, and the believe is that the idea or thought of making them bow (even if not intentionally out of respect or worship) will make your business have a higher chance of success.
Well I'm actually glad we did the Tree Ceremony thing. Not that I would do it again, but it was nice, and I had the Christmas song from the organ stuck in my head. Good will and Joy to everyone and all that.
On the way back we went to Chuck E. Cheeses. I think the kids enjoyed that more, and it came out to be the same price as our journey into the city.
The taste I had was really good actually.
We then traveled back to the tree lighting show which wasn't all that in terms of the show. It was a ritual based much on Episcopalian Church, including organ playing to usher us out. It was the world biggest playing organ.
Grace said they should just to the show more often.
Though what I knew while partaking in the ritual was that the big draw was not the show itself, but the crowd. Where religion has declined, big companies have taken their place, and we naturally need a Giant Temple to do something at.
I thought of how Jesus got all mad because of vending in a Temple (which was common practice.)
But today's Temples have the templing as a part time attraction and it is the commerce that is the central function.
Macy's not only made some money off of us at the parking, and some shopping, (this cash takes the place of a sacrifice or incense) but if you believe in this, they reaped in a ton of THOUGHT for good luck as well. This type of thinking is less out in the open in the West. But in Feng Shui, for instance, you would place steps and a doorway in such a way that someone coming in would have to bow to your businesses sign out of convenience, and the believe is that the idea or thought of making them bow (even if not intentionally out of respect or worship) will make your business have a higher chance of success.
Well I'm actually glad we did the Tree Ceremony thing. Not that I would do it again, but it was nice, and I had the Christmas song from the organ stuck in my head. Good will and Joy to everyone and all that.
On the way back we went to Chuck E. Cheeses. I think the kids enjoyed that more, and it came out to be the same price as our journey into the city.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Philly Nan Zhou noodles
Boston's Chinatown is supposed to be decent. New York's is supposed to be better. And when I was a little kid, Philly's Chinatown was smaller than Boston's/ Well while Boston's Chinatown is declining Philly's seems to be coming up. The land is cheap which means there is no need to cut corners with ingredients.
Maybe my memory is failing me, as I haven't been to Asia in quite a while, but while eating Nan Zhou hand pulled noodles in Philadelphia I tried really hard to think of a bowl of noodles that was better, and I couldn't. It wasn't just the noodles. The vegetables in the soup were fresh and had more vegetable taste than you usually have at a restaurant. We had just eaten lunch in New York earlier today and that bowl of noodles was on par with New York for sure.
While we were preparing to leave, two people sat next to us who were obviously deep into the current movement against police brutality. From their conversations I could tell they had been to several protests. I haven't met anyone that into it that seemed to well represent the movement more eloquently as well as be active. So I decided to quickly talk to them before leaving. Yes they were both black.
I just wanted to see how they would react to my community policing idea. They said it was probably a good idea but what really needed to be done was simple policy. Simply make a rule that you can't shoot unarmed people dead. I pointed out that theoretically that should be against the rules. But if you think about it, in practice, it isn't.
Is all this really that simple? A more well hashed out law? If it is, that would be nice. And if that all it takes, then the protests could work.
They also talked with each other about the possibility of the whole thing escalating into violence.
"I'm not worried about anything on our side. I think we are pretty clear about being nonviolent and distancing ourselves from any individuals who are going in that direction. We aren't against Police. We are against Police brutality and I think we are pretty clear about that. But I am worried about it turning violent on the other side. (meaning the police) this just got real." he said in a calm and eloquent way.
The other man pointed out that he wasn't sure how deeply he wanted to commit. He talked about being at a protest with the Police lined up in barricade style and thought how the whole thing just seemed odd. Surreal.
"I wouldn't want to be in New York right now." Agreed the first man. And talked about the possibility of a mounting reactive protest.
The mentioned an upcoming march, tonight.
I think even if I didn't have children, I probably would not go to such a march, because like the more apprehensive man, I feel that the whole thing could get ugly fast. After all, people die in crowds that form for Red Sox games when tear gas is fired at people instead of up, let alone something directly seen as a challenge to the Police (and nuance about being against Police Brutality and not police tends to be lost at night in a crowd.) Not only that, but even though the crazy guy that just killed two officers in New York might have been an individual, it easy to lump all the other protesters into that camp in your mind, especially if you are a cop in that same City.
Well, while I talked to them briefly Noah would suddenly show his stone Chinese Chess piece we had bought and shout, "Chinese Chess!" which made them laugh.
Well I hope the more outspoken man was right, and that the issue can be solved simply through policy and that the protests can push this to happen more quickly. I mean the counter argument for the police having down the right thing is that the shootings of Michael Brown and all the others were lawful. Even if you didn't make it murder, but simply made it a rule that any officer who does that will automatically be off the force and perhaps serve some other sort of penalty would that fix it? Or let's go further and just call it murder or at least manslaughter. Shouldn't that fix it?
I happen to doubt it.
One thing we all agreed on was that these noodles were some of the best in town.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Chess
Noah is really into Chess. Too bad I am not a better player. For me board games were always for children. And after I started doing Kung Fu seriously, I sort of dropped everything else. Well I still enjoyed playing music and painting. But it was almost as if I HAD to do those things. Or those things were doing me.
I realize now that I was wrong to not play Chess with friends in High school and College, or at least watch more games. Especially since there were was one particularly good player in High school and also on in College. My College friend put on a demonstration where he basically played the whole school in several simultaneous games. I participated sort of to show support. I knew he would beat me easily. But I was still amazed at how stupid some of my moves were. Because I had not played I made moves worse than what Noah would do now. For instance. I behaved as if my queen could not be killed if I approached to kill another piece. Why? I have no idea.
I have moved beyond that level recently just because I realized I would actually have to teach Noah something other than how the pieces moved. I am still better than he is (for now) but actually if I try to play Noah at Chess and Jonah at checkers, while moving quickly, Noah actually. This has more to do with how bad I am and less to do with how good he is. My neighbor said he will be willing to play Noah.
I also taught him Chinese Chess and even playing him a lone I made quick and stupid moves and he beat me. (Which was good. Since he gets pretty upset when I win.) I wonder how those great players I knew and never even really talked about Chess with would teach their kids?
I have also started trying to learn Go. I made a board and made pieces out of rocks and play dough. I usually play some strange childish version of that with Jonah. I don't think we even take turns properly. I still don't completely understand how to count up points. But we enjoy putting stones down and capturing each others pieces.
We also started reading Hikaru no Go. Even after reading these I have very little understanding of the game. I went to some websites but part of the point of these games for me, is to do something that is mentally challenging but also off of the computer.
I realize now that I was wrong to not play Chess with friends in High school and College, or at least watch more games. Especially since there were was one particularly good player in High school and also on in College. My College friend put on a demonstration where he basically played the whole school in several simultaneous games. I participated sort of to show support. I knew he would beat me easily. But I was still amazed at how stupid some of my moves were. Because I had not played I made moves worse than what Noah would do now. For instance. I behaved as if my queen could not be killed if I approached to kill another piece. Why? I have no idea.
I have moved beyond that level recently just because I realized I would actually have to teach Noah something other than how the pieces moved. I am still better than he is (for now) but actually if I try to play Noah at Chess and Jonah at checkers, while moving quickly, Noah actually. This has more to do with how bad I am and less to do with how good he is. My neighbor said he will be willing to play Noah.
I also taught him Chinese Chess and even playing him a lone I made quick and stupid moves and he beat me. (Which was good. Since he gets pretty upset when I win.) I wonder how those great players I knew and never even really talked about Chess with would teach their kids?
I have also started trying to learn Go. I made a board and made pieces out of rocks and play dough. I usually play some strange childish version of that with Jonah. I don't think we even take turns properly. I still don't completely understand how to count up points. But we enjoy putting stones down and capturing each others pieces.
We also started reading Hikaru no Go. Even after reading these I have very little understanding of the game. I went to some websites but part of the point of these games for me, is to do something that is mentally challenging but also off of the computer.
Monday, December 15, 2014
Finishing the book
I have been almost done with my book now for longer than it took me to write it I think. I wanted to have the thing out by Thanksgiving. But every time I was almost finished, I took an ax to whole sections and rewrote them. Recently I have been deleting quite a but.
But I can't really say that I wish I was done earlier, because there were ideas that kept coming up, that keep coming up, that I found to be essential for my book. But I have to have it out and printed by Chinese New Year, because I plan on pedaling them at some events I am doing. I wanted to have some as gifts for Christmas. But I'm not sure that will happen.
The book is pretty much done. Really.
But I still have to look at it in its finished form as it will appear. Why does that scare me?
I have to just do it because I have other things to work on now.
I was going to do a biography on John Willis, or Bak Gwai John.
But the more I think about it, I don't have to do that book next. In fact, maybe my kids should be ins chool first. Maybe I can do a quick outline and put in on line and see what people think.
My next book, will be for children. Because If I had that book now, I could be selling it at my classes. The children's book is something I should have written ten years ago, when I didn't have kids but was just teaching them. But it didn't come into my mind. Now I have a real concrete idea. But even that project will take me a year I think. But anyway it is time to move onto it so I have to finish.
But I can't really say that I wish I was done earlier, because there were ideas that kept coming up, that keep coming up, that I found to be essential for my book. But I have to have it out and printed by Chinese New Year, because I plan on pedaling them at some events I am doing. I wanted to have some as gifts for Christmas. But I'm not sure that will happen.
The book is pretty much done. Really.
But I still have to look at it in its finished form as it will appear. Why does that scare me?
I have to just do it because I have other things to work on now.
I was going to do a biography on John Willis, or Bak Gwai John.
But the more I think about it, I don't have to do that book next. In fact, maybe my kids should be ins chool first. Maybe I can do a quick outline and put in on line and see what people think.
My next book, will be for children. Because If I had that book now, I could be selling it at my classes. The children's book is something I should have written ten years ago, when I didn't have kids but was just teaching them. But it didn't come into my mind. Now I have a real concrete idea. But even that project will take me a year I think. But anyway it is time to move onto it so I have to finish.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Yoga Pretzels
Grace bought these Yoga Pretzel cards for me a long time ago. They weren't that useful when the kids were younger. But now the kids enjoy reading each card and trying to do the move. I suppose I should make a Kung Fu deck of cards like that, but for Now I'm just doing this. We used to it as a break in between basics. I think it helps that I'm not as serious about Yoga as I am about Kung Fu. It makes me wonder if it would be more fun to learn Kung Fu from a beginner with a beginner deck of cards.
I noticed too that Noah only liked the cards that had step by step instructions. He didn't care for the games or the taking care of yourself ones. Just the ones that tell you to do this and then that.
You know maybe I should make a Kung Fu deck, just so that we can read it together. Because if I tell him the steps, he might get mad. But when the source is from somewhere besides me (or at least seems that way, i.e. some cards that he doesn't realize I created.) then he tends to listen more.
I guess I sometimes find it easier to listen to advice in a book than hearing it from someone too. I might be like "Who the hell are you?" if they try to tell me what to do. Right?
But then if it is written poorly, or in a high horsed way, you tend to put the book down. I guess that's not as bad as getting mad though.
I noticed too that Noah only liked the cards that had step by step instructions. He didn't care for the games or the taking care of yourself ones. Just the ones that tell you to do this and then that.
You know maybe I should make a Kung Fu deck, just so that we can read it together. Because if I tell him the steps, he might get mad. But when the source is from somewhere besides me (or at least seems that way, i.e. some cards that he doesn't realize I created.) then he tends to listen more.
I guess I sometimes find it easier to listen to advice in a book than hearing it from someone too. I might be like "Who the hell are you?" if they try to tell me what to do. Right?
But then if it is written poorly, or in a high horsed way, you tend to put the book down. I guess that's not as bad as getting mad though.
Monday, December 8, 2014
Terracotta Warriors
I just watched Nova's "Emperor's Ghost Army." Mainly because Noah is getting a chess set made of Terracotta warriors for Christmas. The program put Jonah to sleep as well, which was good.
One thing that was fascinating was the weapons were ll real high grade weapons that hadn't been used before. You get the sense during the whole thing that Qin Shi Huang had everyone do all this stuff not just for him, but for his tomb and kind of as a secret too. We only just found the terracotta warriors in the 70's. They were discovered by some farmers digging a well during a drought.
Kind of makes you think, "Wouldn't it have been nice if the guy decided to make something so big and grand for this life, and maybe for everyone? What a jerk."
I was even more intrigued by the crossbow. I had heard about it before but it was nice to see a guy fire a replica. Basically there was a trigger and then this wooden piece that would fit onto ANY bow. It's slower than shooting a bow and arrow regular if you are a real archer. But it's much faster than the European cross bow, plus since they loaded the thing with their legs, chances are the bows had a serious draw weight.
In Hero they show them shooting the bows from a lying position. But this guy showed that was how you drew it, but that you fired it like a rifle or a shotgun. In fact, it is as easy to fire as a shotgun, if not easier. You can learn how to use it on the battle field in two minutes.
Basically Qin's army was no joke. And he buries all these weapons just for him. And then of course his Empire collapses shortly after his death.
Then they talk about how they got people to do all this for him. Not just slave labor, but all of society was under Legalism. A lot like Communism under Mao, except when Mao tried to get steel made it messed it up real bad. Qin's China was all the horror and terror, only they got stuff done right, all the details were on point. The end makes a comparison to Modern China.
Not sure about that. But those warriors basically shows Chinese culture and even Japanese and Korean Culture right there, or at least the problems with it. That's how Kung Fu is taught anyway, Top down, punishment and rewards, have your neighbors responsible for each other. I mean in the states there is a lot of American influence and even in Southern China there is a lot of U.S. cultural influence. I definitely noticed how some of the ritual conversations my Sifu lead were very Democratic where everyone got a turn to talk. Even as an American Youth I found some of this tiresome and annoying. I only mention it to show that as a difference between how class was taught, which was very top down. It was like two systems of thought, and a lot of students mentioned that they learned the most after class. But without that top down class, would anyone have good basics?
How were the cultures of the other 7 countries that got conquered by Qin? Less Top down? You will notice a lot of older Chinese people want a top down style class, where as more Americanized ones want to talk more. Obviously Qin was able to get stuff down with the Top down approach, and even though it seems like everyone hated it, it seems like Chinese Culture kind of says, "well when it really needs to be done that approach has always worked the best." That's how he Shaolin monks nowadays are trained it seems like. There is nothing about Buddhism that would say learning like that is the only way to do it.
I wonder though, who invented that cross bow. It wasn't Qin himself. Did he get stuff done or hold everyone back by making them all work on his stupid tomb for 37 years? What could they have achieved without him? Yeah Qin wouldn't have conquered the other 6 States. That would have meant more wars, but it also would have meant competition between countries. What of ideas were shared often and the push was toward bettering society instead of this guys tomb? What if he created something more like the EU instead of China?
I mean would it have been possible for that ancient culture to invent airplanes in 37 years instead and perhaps even rocket ships? The more I learned about their ancient technology and attention to detail over items to be used for death, some other guys death, and looking at how Google and other companies operate now, I think Qin held us all back. These things were invented by people hundreds of years before him. Plus he stared with the book burning. It's cool that we can dig up these warriors and see how life was back then, but imagine how much more could have been done if the geniuses working on this tomb were allowed to work on stuff they wanted to work on too.
I guess what I am saying is after two years of Kung Fu I was an enforcer of an instructor. I demanded that the newer students (often older than I was) have a high standard. Not as high as the standard for myself, but I guess I bullied, when what were we doing? A Kung Fu Form? A dance? So I cared about it. But that doesn't mean I should force them and be a bully about it. I didn't beat or cut anyone, but I was harsher with my words than was necessary. At the same time, I did produce some pretty good performances from people... before they quit.
As I eased up, people still quit anyway and people I taught in the past would still come back and start again or say they wish they had more time to practice or someone to force them etc.
I guess what I am saying is there needs to be a balance. All Qin all the way is no good. In fact maybe stay away from that method as much as possible except when it's like some sort of exercise in discipline. Like, "Let's try it this way for a week and then talk about where it got us."
One thing that was fascinating was the weapons were ll real high grade weapons that hadn't been used before. You get the sense during the whole thing that Qin Shi Huang had everyone do all this stuff not just for him, but for his tomb and kind of as a secret too. We only just found the terracotta warriors in the 70's. They were discovered by some farmers digging a well during a drought.
Kind of makes you think, "Wouldn't it have been nice if the guy decided to make something so big and grand for this life, and maybe for everyone? What a jerk."
I was even more intrigued by the crossbow. I had heard about it before but it was nice to see a guy fire a replica. Basically there was a trigger and then this wooden piece that would fit onto ANY bow. It's slower than shooting a bow and arrow regular if you are a real archer. But it's much faster than the European cross bow, plus since they loaded the thing with their legs, chances are the bows had a serious draw weight.
In Hero they show them shooting the bows from a lying position. But this guy showed that was how you drew it, but that you fired it like a rifle or a shotgun. In fact, it is as easy to fire as a shotgun, if not easier. You can learn how to use it on the battle field in two minutes.
Basically Qin's army was no joke. And he buries all these weapons just for him. And then of course his Empire collapses shortly after his death.
Then they talk about how they got people to do all this for him. Not just slave labor, but all of society was under Legalism. A lot like Communism under Mao, except when Mao tried to get steel made it messed it up real bad. Qin's China was all the horror and terror, only they got stuff done right, all the details were on point. The end makes a comparison to Modern China.
Not sure about that. But those warriors basically shows Chinese culture and even Japanese and Korean Culture right there, or at least the problems with it. That's how Kung Fu is taught anyway, Top down, punishment and rewards, have your neighbors responsible for each other. I mean in the states there is a lot of American influence and even in Southern China there is a lot of U.S. cultural influence. I definitely noticed how some of the ritual conversations my Sifu lead were very Democratic where everyone got a turn to talk. Even as an American Youth I found some of this tiresome and annoying. I only mention it to show that as a difference between how class was taught, which was very top down. It was like two systems of thought, and a lot of students mentioned that they learned the most after class. But without that top down class, would anyone have good basics?
How were the cultures of the other 7 countries that got conquered by Qin? Less Top down? You will notice a lot of older Chinese people want a top down style class, where as more Americanized ones want to talk more. Obviously Qin was able to get stuff down with the Top down approach, and even though it seems like everyone hated it, it seems like Chinese Culture kind of says, "well when it really needs to be done that approach has always worked the best." That's how he Shaolin monks nowadays are trained it seems like. There is nothing about Buddhism that would say learning like that is the only way to do it.
I wonder though, who invented that cross bow. It wasn't Qin himself. Did he get stuff done or hold everyone back by making them all work on his stupid tomb for 37 years? What could they have achieved without him? Yeah Qin wouldn't have conquered the other 6 States. That would have meant more wars, but it also would have meant competition between countries. What of ideas were shared often and the push was toward bettering society instead of this guys tomb? What if he created something more like the EU instead of China?
I mean would it have been possible for that ancient culture to invent airplanes in 37 years instead and perhaps even rocket ships? The more I learned about their ancient technology and attention to detail over items to be used for death, some other guys death, and looking at how Google and other companies operate now, I think Qin held us all back. These things were invented by people hundreds of years before him. Plus he stared with the book burning. It's cool that we can dig up these warriors and see how life was back then, but imagine how much more could have been done if the geniuses working on this tomb were allowed to work on stuff they wanted to work on too.
I guess what I am saying is after two years of Kung Fu I was an enforcer of an instructor. I demanded that the newer students (often older than I was) have a high standard. Not as high as the standard for myself, but I guess I bullied, when what were we doing? A Kung Fu Form? A dance? So I cared about it. But that doesn't mean I should force them and be a bully about it. I didn't beat or cut anyone, but I was harsher with my words than was necessary. At the same time, I did produce some pretty good performances from people... before they quit.
As I eased up, people still quit anyway and people I taught in the past would still come back and start again or say they wish they had more time to practice or someone to force them etc.
I guess what I am saying is there needs to be a balance. All Qin all the way is no good. In fact maybe stay away from that method as much as possible except when it's like some sort of exercise in discipline. Like, "Let's try it this way for a week and then talk about where it got us."
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Balloon Baseball
Noah gave this game it's name. We used foam noodle swords to hit a balloon back and forth to each other while Jonah took a nap. In other words, we did this activity for two hours. I got bored quickly but if that's what he wanted to do then we should do it. It's not like I didn't get anything out of it either. I did feel like it was helping with my sword form, in terms of relaxing, focus, and hitting a target that was not in a good spot for you. Then I realized after I got bored that I had wasted my work out opportunity. Why hadn't I been in a low stance the entire time? Then I realized I had wasted a cardio element. Why not swing the noodle sword continuously even when the balloon was not near me to simulate a fight?
Oh well.
Darren Yee (he's a Kung Fu Karate guy from Chinatown) had actually demonstrated something similar as a drill/game he did with his students. But it was a solo activity. Actually even when I first saw it (I guess that was two years ago) I thought, "That could be made into a game."
And actually you could really use it to actually practice for real. It's just that I had been lazy about the whole thing.
It got me thinking about sports in general, and about how there is a Kung Fu saying about a few good moves being much better than knowing a bunch of moves and not being able to use any of them. In sports, you basically always learn a few good moves. In Baseball you can do a horizontal swing, you can throw a rock, and you can run. That's enough for a fight isn't it? In football you tackle, throw and you kick the ball (though usually people specialize and don't learn all of these things necessarily. In Soccer you kick.
Then Boxing and wrestling are combat sports.
But if you put all those sports together, even taking away the combat ones, you have martial art right there don't you? The problem is people usually take the sport itself seriously and make that the end in and of itself, even with kids. But actually basketball, for instance, was just created to get people to move around in a fitness class.In other words, it was a way to get students to train while having fun. Now people train to play basketball.
Oh well.
Darren Yee (he's a Kung Fu Karate guy from Chinatown) had actually demonstrated something similar as a drill/game he did with his students. But it was a solo activity. Actually even when I first saw it (I guess that was two years ago) I thought, "That could be made into a game."
And actually you could really use it to actually practice for real. It's just that I had been lazy about the whole thing.
It got me thinking about sports in general, and about how there is a Kung Fu saying about a few good moves being much better than knowing a bunch of moves and not being able to use any of them. In sports, you basically always learn a few good moves. In Baseball you can do a horizontal swing, you can throw a rock, and you can run. That's enough for a fight isn't it? In football you tackle, throw and you kick the ball (though usually people specialize and don't learn all of these things necessarily. In Soccer you kick.
Then Boxing and wrestling are combat sports.
But if you put all those sports together, even taking away the combat ones, you have martial art right there don't you? The problem is people usually take the sport itself seriously and make that the end in and of itself, even with kids. But actually basketball, for instance, was just created to get people to move around in a fitness class.In other words, it was a way to get students to train while having fun. Now people train to play basketball.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Such good little children
This week my Kung fu class was in the Gym. We started with laps of Kung Fu running as the 10 animals.
In the first class some kids never stopped running but most lined up to do basics and forms. Surprisingly it was the ones who were usually good who were running and a lot of the kids who were usually "bad" who were lined up. I guess they just needed to get some energy out.
We ran out of time at performance time again maybe because class started late, and I didn't get to do everything I wanted. Also my prizes were passed out more haphazardly then I would have liked.
The second class was good and everyone got a prize. But they were good last week too.
"The last class was good too. Only one problem. My prizes had run out. I only had two left and so I had to make a tough decision about who would get them. Everyone did pretty well. But again. There were only two prizes. I had to do the second one by skill and ability rather than just behavior. I actually had to have a Kung Fu off. It was a close call.
I might have to limit the prizes I give out next week. We'll see.
In the first class some kids never stopped running but most lined up to do basics and forms. Surprisingly it was the ones who were usually good who were running and a lot of the kids who were usually "bad" who were lined up. I guess they just needed to get some energy out.
We ran out of time at performance time again maybe because class started late, and I didn't get to do everything I wanted. Also my prizes were passed out more haphazardly then I would have liked.
The second class was good and everyone got a prize. But they were good last week too.
"The last class was good too. Only one problem. My prizes had run out. I only had two left and so I had to make a tough decision about who would get them. Everyone did pretty well. But again. There were only two prizes. I had to do the second one by skill and ability rather than just behavior. I actually had to have a Kung Fu off. It was a close call.
I might have to limit the prizes I give out next week. We'll see.
Friday, December 5, 2014
Community Sense (How to have a United Revolution without Blood or Protest)
Community Sense
(How to have A United Revolution without Blood or Protest)
Foreword
By: Henry Louis Gates Jr. (or someone like him.)
Detailing: the historical significance of this re-founding moment briefly touching (with the bad and the good) on Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, FDR, The Civil Rights movement, and why in this internet age, the re-founding moment will simply come directly from the people. One or two pages please.
Introduction: Declaration of a New American Society
by: Neil Degrasse Tyson and Geoffrey Canada. Or people like them. But hopefully them.
Detailing in one page: how the simple steps in this book will not only create a more Just and Equal United States, but an even greater Leader in the world Scientifically, Environmentally Economically, and Politically than during the Cold War, than after World War II, than ever.
Signed by: Politicians, educators, Big thinkers and innovative Billionaires like Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Larry Page and Sergey Brin...i.e. the founding fathers of our time.
Part I The Problems
Chapter One: Economy and Environment and Healthcare
Five pages including graphs and stats and Data. Written by whoever. Should be as easy to read as a comic book. Should include stuff on drug addiction, food deserts, obesity, affects on economy, unemployment etc.
Poverty and Hunger.
Chapter Two: Crime and Punishment
Imprisonment, killings by police officers, crimes and homicides, racial inequality.
How much this costs tax payers and society. Graphs data, research.
Chapter Three: Brain Drain
Where we are in the scientific community compared to other nations and compared to where we could be. Our education system. How Science has meant success and economic growth for the U.S. in the past. Our status as a world leader.
Chapter Four: Over spending
How we need to get the country back on track financially. Stats, Graphs. Written by someone in the Tea Party camp. Problems with Social Security, Health Care spending, Police spending, military spending. etc.
Part II A look at the competition
Chapter One: Things other countries do better than us.
Community Policing in Japan. Cool Infrastructure China has. Education in Finland. Studies stats graphs.
Chapter Two: Stuff done in the U.S. now that we should use as examples for a solution.
Google, Ron Finley, Solar Powered Highways.
Chapter Three: Examples from the past that worked
FDR's CCC, Victory Gardens, Why we can find a way. How we can change our society. They thought Abolition was impossible. They thought a black President was impossible. They didn't foresee the Internet being used the way it has been. etc.
Chapter Four: The power and zeal of youth
Show how Young people as young as middle school can be organized and powerful from present and historical examples. Good and Bad. I.e. studies on young gang members and selling of drugs. Red Guards, Hitler Youth. All examples where youth did a lot of damage to society. But clearly show potential o do good through zeal and organization.
Examples where youth did good in society through leadership and thinking outside the box.
Part III: A Solution
Chapter one: A Federal Community Police/ Education Bureau
Brief description of what this is. Community Policing based on Japanese system. Payment and function. Unarmed officers in the community who also work as outdoor teachers. Also oversee community gardens. Required classes in Math, programming and science part of compensation for officers, that can carry over as college and high school credit. Officers will also lead classes and groups in the stuff they learn. Kung Fu, Yoga, fitness classes. Officers inspired to think and create events and solutions for their community. Required to talk directly with community door to door, to ask what they want done, and also to foresee what the community would want but does not yet think it wants.
Note: this would not replace local Law Enforcement. But it will Consolidate and cut the budgets of Federal Organizations. Which ones? seriously which ones. Also, save money by demilitarizing local police.
"Speak softly and carry a big stick." these community police will be the soft voice. The big stick will be a combination of demilitarized local police, and then in situation where force is needed, use our actual Military. Some people will hate this idea but it will save money and veterans of color view actual military much differently than militarized police. A careful balance is needed to win hearts and minds of our own citizens.
Chapter two: Who are the officers and Why?
Young people. As young as middle school and up through Grad school age.
Also, Elderly retirees, to connect the generations, and also this compensation will be part of Social Security payment. I.e. Social security will mean compensation for service. Such service will also benefit the elderly person taking part, socially, emotionally, and health wise.
Chapter Three: Who will pay for this?
Get the money from other parts of government spending and simultaneously cut spending drastically. War on drugs? Gone. This will also overlap with welfare spending, policing, and a whole host of other areas where the government wastes money. Back lash from Police Unions? unavoidable. But the smartest brightest of them will be absorbed into this new structure.
Partner with Forward thinking Companies to have them alleviate some of the cost. But they must also get something out of it. Company partnerships should be able to be changed quickly. Some people will hate this and say it is conspiracy. But is it worse than the current system? The idea has potential.
Chapter Four: How will this lead to a better society
Less hunger, more fit people. Unarmed community police acting as smart creative initiators recruiting from inside the community to get followers to create a better community. Providing people with the scientific and programming tools to create and invent new solutions. Changes will not be over night... or maybe they really will. Focus on making things better instead of fighting crime and drugs. How this type of community policing will be better for everyone and reduce real crime. Discuss some drawbacks but why overall it will produce a better society.
Draw back to consider and to be hashed out. Use a fail fast approach instead of trying to get the system perfect before implementation. Incremental decision making is necessary:
Death of community officers bang gangs.
Conflict between Federal community officers and local police.
Corruption.
Potential money wasted.
Conclusion: Amazing things that have come from the people and the ghetto in the past
Inventions, Art, science. Music, Dance. Why we are wasting what could be a crucible for the betterment of society, and creating crucibles of crime and stagnation instead. Instead of holding people down, refocus the energy to have society not only rise up, but scale up, as a whole, improving exponentially. Are there potential hazards with
A note from me
I wrote this outline. But no way I can write this book. Instead it should be written by many people. For instance all that brain power protesting right now. The brainpower for the Tea party. The brain power in the Occupy movement. Politicians that actually want to get things done. If a bunch of smart grad student like people each wrote a chapter in the form of a well researched 3-5 page paper that is easy to read, this book could be written and on the internet in a week. If an organization like the NAACP got behind it, the people who write it can be hired on Craig's List and paid to write it. Or they could even crowd fund it. The book could continue to be honed and sharpened until it becomes a data driven catalyst for change in the legislature and something can actually happen. Something can be done on several fronts.
(How to have A United Revolution without Blood or Protest)
Foreword
By: Henry Louis Gates Jr. (or someone like him.)
Detailing: the historical significance of this re-founding moment briefly touching (with the bad and the good) on Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, FDR, The Civil Rights movement, and why in this internet age, the re-founding moment will simply come directly from the people. One or two pages please.
Introduction: Declaration of a New American Society
by: Neil Degrasse Tyson and Geoffrey Canada. Or people like them. But hopefully them.
Detailing in one page: how the simple steps in this book will not only create a more Just and Equal United States, but an even greater Leader in the world Scientifically, Environmentally Economically, and Politically than during the Cold War, than after World War II, than ever.
Signed by: Politicians, educators, Big thinkers and innovative Billionaires like Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Larry Page and Sergey Brin...i.e. the founding fathers of our time.
Part I The Problems
Chapter One: Economy and Environment and Healthcare
Five pages including graphs and stats and Data. Written by whoever. Should be as easy to read as a comic book. Should include stuff on drug addiction, food deserts, obesity, affects on economy, unemployment etc.
Poverty and Hunger.
Chapter Two: Crime and Punishment
Imprisonment, killings by police officers, crimes and homicides, racial inequality.
How much this costs tax payers and society. Graphs data, research.
Chapter Three: Brain Drain
Where we are in the scientific community compared to other nations and compared to where we could be. Our education system. How Science has meant success and economic growth for the U.S. in the past. Our status as a world leader.
Chapter Four: Over spending
How we need to get the country back on track financially. Stats, Graphs. Written by someone in the Tea Party camp. Problems with Social Security, Health Care spending, Police spending, military spending. etc.
Part II A look at the competition
Chapter One: Things other countries do better than us.
Community Policing in Japan. Cool Infrastructure China has. Education in Finland. Studies stats graphs.
Chapter Two: Stuff done in the U.S. now that we should use as examples for a solution.
Google, Ron Finley, Solar Powered Highways.
Chapter Three: Examples from the past that worked
FDR's CCC, Victory Gardens, Why we can find a way. How we can change our society. They thought Abolition was impossible. They thought a black President was impossible. They didn't foresee the Internet being used the way it has been. etc.
Chapter Four: The power and zeal of youth
Show how Young people as young as middle school can be organized and powerful from present and historical examples. Good and Bad. I.e. studies on young gang members and selling of drugs. Red Guards, Hitler Youth. All examples where youth did a lot of damage to society. But clearly show potential o do good through zeal and organization.
Examples where youth did good in society through leadership and thinking outside the box.
Part III: A Solution
Chapter one: A Federal Community Police/ Education Bureau
Brief description of what this is. Community Policing based on Japanese system. Payment and function. Unarmed officers in the community who also work as outdoor teachers. Also oversee community gardens. Required classes in Math, programming and science part of compensation for officers, that can carry over as college and high school credit. Officers will also lead classes and groups in the stuff they learn. Kung Fu, Yoga, fitness classes. Officers inspired to think and create events and solutions for their community. Required to talk directly with community door to door, to ask what they want done, and also to foresee what the community would want but does not yet think it wants.
Note: this would not replace local Law Enforcement. But it will Consolidate and cut the budgets of Federal Organizations. Which ones? seriously which ones. Also, save money by demilitarizing local police.
"Speak softly and carry a big stick." these community police will be the soft voice. The big stick will be a combination of demilitarized local police, and then in situation where force is needed, use our actual Military. Some people will hate this idea but it will save money and veterans of color view actual military much differently than militarized police. A careful balance is needed to win hearts and minds of our own citizens.
Chapter two: Who are the officers and Why?
Young people. As young as middle school and up through Grad school age.
Also, Elderly retirees, to connect the generations, and also this compensation will be part of Social Security payment. I.e. Social security will mean compensation for service. Such service will also benefit the elderly person taking part, socially, emotionally, and health wise.
Chapter Three: Who will pay for this?
Get the money from other parts of government spending and simultaneously cut spending drastically. War on drugs? Gone. This will also overlap with welfare spending, policing, and a whole host of other areas where the government wastes money. Back lash from Police Unions? unavoidable. But the smartest brightest of them will be absorbed into this new structure.
Partner with Forward thinking Companies to have them alleviate some of the cost. But they must also get something out of it. Company partnerships should be able to be changed quickly. Some people will hate this and say it is conspiracy. But is it worse than the current system? The idea has potential.
Chapter Four: How will this lead to a better society
Less hunger, more fit people. Unarmed community police acting as smart creative initiators recruiting from inside the community to get followers to create a better community. Providing people with the scientific and programming tools to create and invent new solutions. Changes will not be over night... or maybe they really will. Focus on making things better instead of fighting crime and drugs. How this type of community policing will be better for everyone and reduce real crime. Discuss some drawbacks but why overall it will produce a better society.
Draw back to consider and to be hashed out. Use a fail fast approach instead of trying to get the system perfect before implementation. Incremental decision making is necessary:
Death of community officers bang gangs.
Conflict between Federal community officers and local police.
Corruption.
Potential money wasted.
Conclusion: Amazing things that have come from the people and the ghetto in the past
Inventions, Art, science. Music, Dance. Why we are wasting what could be a crucible for the betterment of society, and creating crucibles of crime and stagnation instead. Instead of holding people down, refocus the energy to have society not only rise up, but scale up, as a whole, improving exponentially. Are there potential hazards with
A note from me
I wrote this outline. But no way I can write this book. Instead it should be written by many people. For instance all that brain power protesting right now. The brainpower for the Tea party. The brain power in the Occupy movement. Politicians that actually want to get things done. If a bunch of smart grad student like people each wrote a chapter in the form of a well researched 3-5 page paper that is easy to read, this book could be written and on the internet in a week. If an organization like the NAACP got behind it, the people who write it can be hired on Craig's List and paid to write it. Or they could even crowd fund it. The book could continue to be honed and sharpened until it becomes a data driven catalyst for change in the legislature and something can actually happen. Something can be done on several fronts.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Late to school.
We were late to school today. But it was unavoidable. I was wondering what I should say if we were late. We are within walking distance. So Traffic is not an excuse. We woke up at around 6am so that is not an excuse. What is my reason?.....
We all had to poop at the same time.
When I say we I mean just the boys +one man. Grace had already left for work. But seriously what are you going to do about that. If we had gotten our um.. stuff together earlier, imagine how horrible of a day that would have turned out to be.
Speaking of which, I had been doing my mostly beans and brown rice and veggies diet. Which felt good at first. But today, not so much.
Is brown rice constipating? Or is it soy beans? It has to be something like that because the kids didn't mention any problems.
Well I hope I didn't spoil your lunch. But that's my post today.
We all had to poop at the same time.
When I say we I mean just the boys +one man. Grace had already left for work. But seriously what are you going to do about that. If we had gotten our um.. stuff together earlier, imagine how horrible of a day that would have turned out to be.
Speaking of which, I had been doing my mostly beans and brown rice and veggies diet. Which felt good at first. But today, not so much.
Is brown rice constipating? Or is it soy beans? It has to be something like that because the kids didn't mention any problems.
Well I hope I didn't spoil your lunch. But that's my post today.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Are we headed towards a Racial War? I have an honest proposal.
So the police officer in New York who caused the death of a guy allegedly selling illegal cigarettes (wait I know people who have done that.) has also not been indicted. There is a saying that they would indict a ham sandwich.
Something has to happen soon.
But you won't see me out there protesting because
a) I don't want to be shot. On purpose or by accident
b) I don't think it will solve anything
Okay there are a lot of young whites out there. I'm not sure if they think they are safe protesting. But they are not. From what I've heard, even well meaning police are rushing toward protesters at various moments of voices rising with their hands on the triggers of their weapons. Accidents are bound to happen. Also, from the PR job that the leadership in Ferguson is doing asking the players on the Ravens who put there hands up in symbolic gesture of solidarity with protesters, it is clear that the leadership, or whoever talks to the press, in that organization is living in some sort of alternate bubble.
It reminds me of the mindset the police in Northern Ireland must have had before that massive crackdown in Derry which was later dubbed Bloody Sunday. They probably didn't understand why people watching in England were whining about. They were on a completely different page.
(note: If you are black, this event. As a half Asian and therefore a semi-person of color, I found learning about white on white racism to be enlightening and to even have a calming affect on me.)
If you think that sort of crackdown wouldn't happen in the states think again. Their may even be some people hiding among the protesters, or who are just among the protesters who would like to force such a situation to occur. It only takes one bullet or explosion FROM the crowd and then scared police will use full military force on unarmed civilians.
Also, I haven't been watching Fox news or whatever the other side of this is. But I witnessed a man, well known to me, who went nuts and started shouting at me about how my ideas that the officer should have been indicted were the cause of media bias and censorship. I thought I was talking to someone who was brainwashed and programmed to start fighting. He wasn't even white. The words "up here." as in which state I resided were quoted. If he is like that, that means half the country is like that. That's right, there is a half the population who a pretty much have nothing to do with the issue because they aren't black. who are so angry they are ready to start fighting too.
As to the extreme side in the African American camp, violent revolution would not be an unreasonable political stance to have. I haven't seen anyone saying that on TV, but seriously is that such a stretch.
Just saying.
Here is my little idea for where such a movement could go and what it could do unlikely Allies it could find and multiple problems it could solve.
My idea is Community Policing, based on the Japanese System.
First of all, these community police should have very low pay, and maybe you make an enemy of police unions at first, but in places like Ferguson there needs to be an entire rehash. On the upside, you can get a lot of Republican allies, who want to cut government spending. That is key. Get conservative whites to actually be ON YOUR SIDE.
These new community Police, who will have very very low pay, and live in a little shack and be unarmed, maybe a benefit they get is tuition forgiveness. So you get a lot of liberals on your side for that, and you solve a serious problem. Also, who will want this crappy job. Among the wealthy, only crusaders who are protesting now for free. The OCCUPY type. They did stuff like that for free. So they would probably do that job for a couple of years.
Also, People of Color are more likely to be willing to do a job like that. BAM the bottom of your Police Force will be mostly non-white. Will their still be racial problems? Of course. I'm just saying Police shooting innocent people will go down. Maybe in the beginning, these unarmed police getting killed will go up.
The police will actually learn to like this system. The unarmed Community Cop will be spit on shit on perhaps by gangsters. But meanwhile they will quietly collect data, not making any arrests whatsoever. After a few months or something, hardcore police with military equipment come in and arrest key serious criminals all in one go. Criminals smart enough to move or away and stop criminal activity before this get lucky. But wait, if they stop, who cares? Isn't that the point?
Finally, another group that would be good at such a crappy job with no hope of upward mobility would be retirees. Old people who would normally be collecting Social Security. Yet another problem solved! Why do I say old people? When I did Crime Watch , FOR FREE in Chinatown, 70% of the people doing it were elderly FOR FREE. If one would do it for free it stands to reason they would do it for say $10,000 a year plus room and free meals from grateful neighbors. Okay $10,000 is way too, low. But seriously some people would do it. Including me. Are the protesters getting paid now?
$20,000 would be reasonable with tuition reimbursement. Throw in free courses and it is definitely worth it.
This system will promote corruption you say? These poorly paid police will be forced to sell drugs etc.
First of all that already happens. Secondly, you fire those guys. Believe it or not I think a lot of people who sign up for stuff like Teach for America, would be interested in being this kind of cop for a couple years after college. So would people who are homeless. So would people who are old and have nothing else to do.
This little bottom feeder group will either have to be Federal (probably will never happen) or this has to be some sort of experiment in one town that also has to be ghetto, and it has to have proven benefits.
I don't know how to make cool marketable posters with words, but seriously this is the way for a movement to go. Because it is doable. I don't know what the other ideas protesters are thinking about in terms of a SOLUTION. But my isn't bad right? Needs some work of course. But it is feasible and you can get people across party lines to agree. It solves a lot of problems. first and foremost being the death of young teens by accidental shooting by Police. But my idea will bring everyone together for a time.
Otherwise we could be heading to some serious violence, or at the very least, a continuation of the same serious violence with nothing changing.
Something has to happen soon.
But you won't see me out there protesting because
a) I don't want to be shot. On purpose or by accident
b) I don't think it will solve anything
Okay there are a lot of young whites out there. I'm not sure if they think they are safe protesting. But they are not. From what I've heard, even well meaning police are rushing toward protesters at various moments of voices rising with their hands on the triggers of their weapons. Accidents are bound to happen. Also, from the PR job that the leadership in Ferguson is doing asking the players on the Ravens who put there hands up in symbolic gesture of solidarity with protesters, it is clear that the leadership, or whoever talks to the press, in that organization is living in some sort of alternate bubble.
It reminds me of the mindset the police in Northern Ireland must have had before that massive crackdown in Derry which was later dubbed Bloody Sunday. They probably didn't understand why people watching in England were whining about. They were on a completely different page.
(note: If you are black, this event. As a half Asian and therefore a semi-person of color, I found learning about white on white racism to be enlightening and to even have a calming affect on me.)
If you think that sort of crackdown wouldn't happen in the states think again. Their may even be some people hiding among the protesters, or who are just among the protesters who would like to force such a situation to occur. It only takes one bullet or explosion FROM the crowd and then scared police will use full military force on unarmed civilians.
Also, I haven't been watching Fox news or whatever the other side of this is. But I witnessed a man, well known to me, who went nuts and started shouting at me about how my ideas that the officer should have been indicted were the cause of media bias and censorship. I thought I was talking to someone who was brainwashed and programmed to start fighting. He wasn't even white. The words "up here." as in which state I resided were quoted. If he is like that, that means half the country is like that. That's right, there is a half the population who a pretty much have nothing to do with the issue because they aren't black. who are so angry they are ready to start fighting too.
As to the extreme side in the African American camp, violent revolution would not be an unreasonable political stance to have. I haven't seen anyone saying that on TV, but seriously is that such a stretch.
Just saying.
Here is my little idea for where such a movement could go and what it could do unlikely Allies it could find and multiple problems it could solve.
My idea is Community Policing, based on the Japanese System.
First of all, these community police should have very low pay, and maybe you make an enemy of police unions at first, but in places like Ferguson there needs to be an entire rehash. On the upside, you can get a lot of Republican allies, who want to cut government spending. That is key. Get conservative whites to actually be ON YOUR SIDE.
These new community Police, who will have very very low pay, and live in a little shack and be unarmed, maybe a benefit they get is tuition forgiveness. So you get a lot of liberals on your side for that, and you solve a serious problem. Also, who will want this crappy job. Among the wealthy, only crusaders who are protesting now for free. The OCCUPY type. They did stuff like that for free. So they would probably do that job for a couple of years.
Also, People of Color are more likely to be willing to do a job like that. BAM the bottom of your Police Force will be mostly non-white. Will their still be racial problems? Of course. I'm just saying Police shooting innocent people will go down. Maybe in the beginning, these unarmed police getting killed will go up.
The police will actually learn to like this system. The unarmed Community Cop will be spit on shit on perhaps by gangsters. But meanwhile they will quietly collect data, not making any arrests whatsoever. After a few months or something, hardcore police with military equipment come in and arrest key serious criminals all in one go. Criminals smart enough to move or away and stop criminal activity before this get lucky. But wait, if they stop, who cares? Isn't that the point?
Finally, another group that would be good at such a crappy job with no hope of upward mobility would be retirees. Old people who would normally be collecting Social Security. Yet another problem solved! Why do I say old people? When I did Crime Watch , FOR FREE in Chinatown, 70% of the people doing it were elderly FOR FREE. If one would do it for free it stands to reason they would do it for say $10,000 a year plus room and free meals from grateful neighbors. Okay $10,000 is way too, low. But seriously some people would do it. Including me. Are the protesters getting paid now?
$20,000 would be reasonable with tuition reimbursement. Throw in free courses and it is definitely worth it.
This system will promote corruption you say? These poorly paid police will be forced to sell drugs etc.
First of all that already happens. Secondly, you fire those guys. Believe it or not I think a lot of people who sign up for stuff like Teach for America, would be interested in being this kind of cop for a couple years after college. So would people who are homeless. So would people who are old and have nothing else to do.
This little bottom feeder group will either have to be Federal (probably will never happen) or this has to be some sort of experiment in one town that also has to be ghetto, and it has to have proven benefits.
I don't know how to make cool marketable posters with words, but seriously this is the way for a movement to go. Because it is doable. I don't know what the other ideas protesters are thinking about in terms of a SOLUTION. But my isn't bad right? Needs some work of course. But it is feasible and you can get people across party lines to agree. It solves a lot of problems. first and foremost being the death of young teens by accidental shooting by Police. But my idea will bring everyone together for a time.
Otherwise we could be heading to some serious violence, or at the very least, a continuation of the same serious violence with nothing changing.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Cookie Pie Addict
I've always liked pie and cookies a lot. But I didn't realize I was addicted to them until I started fasting. It's really the crust and not even the inside of the pie itself, because I ate what Dai Dai left on the plate as a throw away, and had this buzzing feeling of goodness as I ate the flakes of processed non food. It kind of felt like my arteries clogging. Then I decided it was kind of like that time I ate a percocet after I had oral surgery.
A flowing feeling of well being, like something being fulfilled that is not hunger. After all, I was already full.
However I am no tempted to eat these things at all while fasting. In fact I sort of started the once a week fasting because after Halloween I noticed I was eating a lot of candy. Normally I am not addicted to candy. It's only after I start eating it that I start just mindlessly popping them in my mouth.
I found that once a week, a little reset of eating nothing helped me with this.
But after doing the three day thing, I don't want to do the one day once a week hing, because I feel like the combination of both could be bad.
So I figured I would do the diet thing. Sort of. As in less meet and more rice and beans and veggies.
Bu we had a whole chicken left over so I ate quite a bi of meat today. So I know that's it's not a lack of vitamins that had me going over to the cookies.
But before I would have eaten a ton of cookies and a ton of pie as a snack. Whereas now I just had a little bit. Well, not a ton anyway.
Maybe I should try doing the once a week restricted diet and three day a month fast.
A flowing feeling of well being, like something being fulfilled that is not hunger. After all, I was already full.
However I am no tempted to eat these things at all while fasting. In fact I sort of started the once a week fasting because after Halloween I noticed I was eating a lot of candy. Normally I am not addicted to candy. It's only after I start eating it that I start just mindlessly popping them in my mouth.
I found that once a week, a little reset of eating nothing helped me with this.
But after doing the three day thing, I don't want to do the one day once a week hing, because I feel like the combination of both could be bad.
So I figured I would do the diet thing. Sort of. As in less meet and more rice and beans and veggies.
Bu we had a whole chicken left over so I ate quite a bi of meat today. So I know that's it's not a lack of vitamins that had me going over to the cookies.
But before I would have eaten a ton of cookies and a ton of pie as a snack. Whereas now I just had a little bit. Well, not a ton anyway.
Maybe I should try doing the once a week restricted diet and three day a month fast.
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