Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Comfort Food

As some of you might know, we've had a sad event in our life..

However, we've been pretty blessed to have church friends cook dinner for us this week as we settle and recover. With the food comes company and personal visits, keeping life in perspective...thank you to all of you. Thank you too to the friends n family who have sent virtual hugs and much love..

Monday, March 23, 2009

Signs in Shanghai


no dogs that serve food allowed


Wednesday, March 18, 2009

quote

Trials make us think; thinking makes us wise; wisdom makes life profitable.

from a friend

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

wealth

There is a saying that it is harder for a rich man to get to heaven, than for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. I think this is true, not because rich=mean, but because when you do have a lot of resources and have neither the guidance nor have the wisdom or humility to handle it well, you do end up with a lot of blind spots in your character, social relationships and take on life in general. If you use worldly wealth to measure where you are at in life, there is the danger of being gravely mistaken. Better to look a few steps deeper inside.

In general, having a handful of honest and down-to-earth friends who love you enough to tell you the truth about yourself would help, but being rich often attracts the sort of person who would tell you the opposite (i.e. flatter you) and would never tell you the truth about your weaknesses. In fact, they might exacerbate your flaws. If you are prideful, you would even choose to have friends like that so that you might not need to face the fact that there are things you need to work on. Ideally, rich or poor, we should seek out mentors who possess good character and relationships to learn from and model, rather than look to the next rich guy as the authority on life because of the stuff he owns.

I'm not saying that you need to reject wealth or that poverty is good, but just saying put ambition and being "rich" in perspective. Oftentimes, "rich" is relative even. There are those who live in big houses, own extra property, yet they feel they are not rich enough and make themselves miserable trying to get more. In their discontent, they hurt people around them and ignore the loved ones who make their lives meaningful in the first place. I've also met people who are "rich" and yet have so little to offer society, with little integrity or compassion. They are blind to the needs of others because they are focused on satiating themselves only.

Being "rich" sometimes gives you the idea that you have got it made while the rest of the world does not. This pride only prevents you from reflecting on your own weaknesses, learning to seek help, learning from others, respecting each human being, and being able to humble yourself before true power and greatness.

This is not a tirade against people of any social group, but just to appreciate the lot of people-rich, less rich and poor- who are humble and compassionate, and are good stewards of what they have. No matter if they have little or a lot, they use it well to see to the needs of their family and of strangers quietly and privately, for the glory of the one who gave them what they have.

Life

"The Computer is Down"

Two priests died at the same time and met Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates. St. Peter said, "I'd like to get you guys in now, but our computer is down. You'll have to go back to Earth for about a week, but you can't go back as priests. So what else would you like to be?"

The first priest says, "I've always wanted to be an eagle, soaring above the Rocky Mountains."

"So be it," says St. Peter, and off flies the first priest.

The second priest mulls this over for a moment and asks, "Will any of this week 'count', St. Peter?"

"No, I told you the computer's down. There's no way we can keep track of what you're doing."

"In that case," says the second priest, "I've always wanted to be a stud."

"So be it," says St. Peter, and the second priest disappears.

A week goes by, the computer is fixed, and the Lord tells St. Peter to recall the two priests. "Will you have any trouble locating them?" He asks.

"The first one should be easy," says St. Peter. "He's somewhere over the Rockies, flying with the eagles. But the second one could prove to be more difficult."

"Why?" asketh the Lord.

"He's on a snow tire, somewhere in North Dakota."


taken from http://louisvilleemmaus.com/jokes2.html

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Generating Electricity

*SNAP*

"ACK!!"

That was me in the parking lot today. Getting zapped by electricity that I generated, together with the physical laws of the universe.
Being from a humid country, I have not had a lot of experience with static electricity, but I'm wholly convinced that I am able to generate more static electricity than the average person. Ask my husband, whom I zap once in awhile on the nose (with my nose).

Static electricity is the imbalance of
positive and negative charges.

I wonder if I'm a negative or positive charge ;)

Tips to reduce static or reduce pain associated with getting zapped :
1) Use anti-static hand lotion
2) take off your shoes
3) humidify
4) wear a thimble on your finger and discharge electricity as often as possible (seriously?)
5) cover your shoes with aluminum foil (maybe when I go for a fancy dress party)
6) wear more natural fibres, less synthetic

http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/eliminatestaticelectricity.html

Monday, March 2, 2009