Cook or Dine In?

Today, I was craving for some deep fried squid and shrimp with pepper. I had this very good dish before, but only the Chinese restaurant call Fortune in Milwuakee offer this dish. So it was to far just to go down there to had just this particular dish. I decided to go online (Youtube) and look up this dish and luckily they had the instruction for this dish. After watching the video of how to make it, I went off the the Asian supermarket to buy all the needed ingredients. I did everything exactly according to the video; measured everything carefully, mixed the ingredient, fried it.
The smell of it is wonderfully amazing while deep frying the the shrimp and squid dip in flour, black pepper, salt and a special spice. After that process, stir fried the ready fried shrimp and squid with jalapeno pepper, onion, and garlic. Now the smell is every more amazing but the house now smell like it. When its time to taste the dish, it was very good just like how it smell but the house still smell like it after 3 hours and spending $30 dollar for all the ingredients and labor. Overall, it was a very good experience. Considering the time and money spent on it this craving dish, I would rather dine in considering its only $13.99 and all you have to do is order, wait and then eat.

Wow! What a weekend. I haven't eat so much like this for a long time. This week, its eat, eat, and more eating. Saturday started out by going to work at 8am in the morning and ending it at 12:15pm in the afternoon. Got home 12:20 pm and eat what I call breakfast and lunch since I don't usually eat breakfast in the morning. Me and the fiance went shopping right away for all the items that are needed to prepare for my fiance's birthday party later that day. Got back from shopping and started mixing all the ingredients together to make some what we called, "kho phia" which consist of mixing two different type of flour with hot boiled water making into dough. Roll the dough into thin sheets and cut it up in small strips and then boiled it in hot water again along with chicken and some chicken broth power for flavor.
Kho Phia was so good I had three bowl after having a big piece of ice cream cake with some chips and soda. I was so full from eating this Saturday night I could not sit still while watching the Mayweather and Mosely boxing fight on the big screen television.
Sunday, its a repeat of Saturday....eat, eat, and more eating. Got invited to a few relative's house that day for their gathering which is a good thing because this weekend beside Saturday I didn't have to worry about cooking. I had four meals on Sunday from one house after another and didn't get home until 11:15 pm at night. I guess this weekend is like a full time job without getting paid, but getting fed. I feel like I must of have gained like 6 to 7 pounds this weekend alone by the feel of my stomach.

Reverse Racism

Everyday we hear about racism against minorities being treated unfairly and differently from the majority. We don't often hear about the "majority" being treated unfairly or differently from the minorities. It that it happens everyday but we just don't pay much attention to what is considered reverse racism.
Tonight, as I was switching the channel on the television and decided to watch the News for a bit. I came across the "Hannity" show on FoxNews. He and two of his sports colleague had a debate on the controversy about Tony Gerhart, the running back from Standford University not getting drafted in the first round and was drafted in the second round behind four other running backs from other colleges which had worst statistic numbers than Tony Gerhart. But because the other backs were black and Tony was white, those NFL teams that drafted the other backs didn't drafted him based on his talents because white running back were know not to performed as well than blacks in the NFL.
There was also a controversy about this 20 or so years ago when Warren Moon didn't get drafted into the NFL. He outplayed every quarterback during that year and was the MVP in the Rose Bowl that year. Because quarterbacks were mostly if not all white, he was no drafted. He had to go to Canada to play football to proof that he can play. Later NFL team drafted him.

The two cases are similar only in reverse. The Warren Moon case is what you see everyday against minorities and the Tony Gerhart case is what I call reverse racism, minorities against the majority (white). I think that it is unfair for the for teams to pick other players over other players based on the color of their skin just because some color are know to perform better than others. We should pick players based on their performance and talents on the field instead of assuming that certain color players can't play certain positions. If they perform well, they should deserve the spot and to be pick first in order to help the team to perform better to win games regardless of their skin color.

My perception of research and writing has changed over the last several week. I used to think that research is about going to the library, using charts and statistics, and etc. to writing a good paper. What I don't know is that research involves both primary and secondary research. Before this class, all was taught in high school as far as I remembered is mostly secondary research which required a lot of going to the library and finding as many facts about a certain topic as possible. This class taught me and hopefully most if not all students to use primary research which required one to actually go out and gathered most of the information and experienced it first hand. Primary research had made most of my paper a tad easier and much more fun to write. Not only primary research makes the paper a good paper, it makes the paper more interesting because our readers are reading a personal experience which the author experienced it first hand.

In closing, these last couple paper has given me the opportunities to go out and experienced first hand with a few of the local professionals such as; Studio of Houa, David B. Lee Dentistry and Maywood Environmental Park. Not only I get to experienced it first hand, I am also learning it at the same time which makes the whole experience more fun.

Have you ever had one of those weekend that takes your whole weekend away and you barely had anytime to do anything? With over a hundred families of relatives not including in-laws and friends here in Sheboygan. A few families are converted to Christian, Lutheran and Catholic; the majority still keeps their cultural and religious beliefs. Well, this weekend was one of those weekend. Seven close family relatives decided to do their religious cultural festival this weekend, I mean in the same weekend. So this weekend I spent most of my time running around from one family to another to help out with everything; from cooking, cleaning, preparing food, waiting and greet guests, etc. With these religious festival, you want as many people to attend as possible. I just don't understand why everyone had to do it on the same weekend. They clearly know that when a lot of families do it all at same weekend, only a few will attend and it would kind of worthless.
With the Hmong cultural, helping each other means a lot. If you don't help out others, others will not help you in the future. So being that its my close relatives that is hosting the religious cultural festival, I had no choice but to help out. It pretty much take up my whole weekend and here I am just got home typing up my blog on a Sunday night.

Are you guilty of stereotyping?

Have you ever been asked this question from a stranger, “Where are you from?” I’m sure most of us have been asked this question at bars, night clubs, streets, and strangers we met throughout life. Most likely you would answer with the city and or state you are from. And how often do you get asked that question twice from the same person in the same conversation? Rarely, right! I’m sure you don’t ask that question twice unless they are asking a non-Caucasian. I’m an American of Asian origin and I get asked this question a lot.

When most Caucasians asked me this question, they want to hear me answer that I’m from Asia. Today I volunteer at Maplewood for a community event open to the public and an attendee asked me where I’m from? I replied that I was from Sheboygan. He continues to asked, “Are you from Laos? Laos is country in Southeast Asia. I looked at him in silence and confusion. I replied with a warm smile, “No I’m not from Laos.” I don’t find it offensive. I am just puzzled by how stereotyping people are without knowing it. With that said how many of you find yourself in this situation where you expect an American of Asian origin to answer with an answer that includes a county other than the United States? Many people have this stereotype that all Asians are from Asia and all Hispanics are from Mexico without knowing that they are stereotyping. While most Asians will agree that they don’t have this stereotype of Caucasians are from Europe or other countries besides the US.

As an American of Asian origin (notice I did not say Asian American) I find it depressing that most Caucasians that I have encounter think that I’m not from this county. I am a citizen and I am from America. I am an American and proud to be a part of the Asian Race. Just because I’m part of the Asian race, this does not make me an Asian citizen. I don’t ask a Caucasian what part of Europe he or she is from unless I have a reason to do so.

It is very depressing to see that many Americans are still COLOR blinded. What makes America rich is the diversity of people. We are a country dreamed by many because we are full of life and that life is made up of the diverse races of the world. Although America, according to the census, has a higher percentage of Caucasians, does not mean that only Caucasians are from America. America is like a delicious salad. Mainly full of iceberg lettuce, a couple slices of tomatoes, some spinach leafs, some colorful slices of bell pepper, cucumber slices, mushrooms and other vegetables. All these vegetables are from different regions. It doesn’t really matter what region each vegetable is from, they all make up this delicious salad call America.

Money Power

Everywhere I go this weekend, I here about people talking about the Power Ball being at $200 million. People are pooling in money and buying Power Ball tickets and hoping to hit the Jackpot. What would you do if you won the Power Ball this week? Would winning the lottery change everything, if anything?
It would change in some ways, but not all of it. It would change financially because you have the money to do as you would please; travel to places to where you want, buy the luxuries as you please, do good things to help others in needs, etc... Sometimes having that much money can change a person even though they think that they cannot be change emotionally and psychologically. It changes them because it lessens the stress of being in debts and their daily needs and wants. Psychologically they are being selfish; building big homes, buying nice expensive cars, luxuries items, boats, etc. Everything is about for themselves and being selfish without knowing it. At the end, those people think that they have everything and making them happier, but it just makes them more selfish and turns them into a different person unconsciously. Does money really make people happier?

Milwaukee Greater Auto Show

Supposedly this year was the year some of my friends, siblings, and me were suppose to go the bigger better auto show in Chicago Illinois. But this year plans had changed and three weeks ago I had the opportunity to go the Milwaukee Greater Auto Show at the Midwest Center. It was my first time going to the auto show. It was so awesome to get the chance to have the opportunity to get a first hand glance at the new upcoming vehicles in the market today.
One of the car that caught my attention the most is the new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. I always wanted to see that car up close and personal. It was like a dream come true, circling the vehicle numerous times and rubbing my hands over it, the car is just amazing. The car itself was so much prettier seeing in person than seeing it online and videos. The sticker price for the car is a wow..... $120k.
Overall, it was a nice experience to go see so many new upcoming cars that is coming out for the new upcoming year. And the best experience is see my dream car. Hopefully one day, the day will come....and I will get the opportunity to own one thats why I'm trying really hard everyday to work for something I always wanted.

Why Women Should Drive Manual Transmission Car

How many of you guys would take the time to teach your female partners how to drive better or even how to drive a manual transmission car? There's something very attractive about a woman who has the skills and passion to drive well. Not only can you share a passion together dominating the twists and turns, talk about your favorites on/off ramps and get turned on by a sexy exhaust note or high RPM.
A lot of men would buy the woman an automatic car and buy themselves a manual transmission car (mostly sports car) so when men go cruising they would look cool in the car. For that reason, Two reasons I think men should take the time to teach their woman how to drive a manual transmission car. First reason being is that women looks way hotter in a sport car than any men would. The second reason, it would be very convenient because everywhere you go, your woman can drive your car. For example; going to store, on a long trip, and especially when you're drunk.

Do We Own Ourselves?

Is it right to use violent as a source of discipline for children? No! There are many ways to rise and discipline children. Children need to be love and nature. Many times we the adults don't do our job right from the start. That means teaching and showing them the way from an earlier stage. Most of the time adults don't really decipline children until they are older therefore it is to late. There is an old saying that states "one most hit an iron rode while it is still red and hot". This saying is true when it comes to properly rising children. Many children already started to develop their personalities at an earlier age.

Adults don't' model themselves well. Most of the time children pick up on the adults bad habits and behavior. Most of the time it is very difficult to make a difference in children when adults don't set good examples. Adults use violence because it is an lazier way of discipline. When hitting a child, the adult does not have to worry about explaining the consequence.

Adults who use violence are lazy parents. They don't want to take the time to properly rise their children so they use voilence as a mean of discipline hoping to get results. The end result is hurting the children more and damaging their self esteem.

Stereotyping

Stereotyping is bad to the society. At some factories, job descriptions clearly stated that the positions applying for required applicants to be able to lift 50+ pounds. But when it come the actual work, lifting. Why does men usually get to do the heavier tasks and women get the lighter tasks when the position is the same position for both men and women? Women are just as capable as any men. Some women are even bigger in size and strength wise, stronger. I believed that what men can do, women can do it just as well, at times better.
Some men think that house chors is the job of women and therefore men should not do it. Men afterall need to eat, drink, sleep, breathe just like women. Men should clean the floors, washed the dishes, do laundry, etc. just like most women would.
It is said that people who cried are weak, especially men. I was taught that men who don't cried are not real men. I cried at times from a sad movies, when I missed someone special, etc. and I'm not weak. I'm just who I am and some people are more emotional than others.
From what I seen, there is too much stereotyping in this society. I believed that everyone is capable of doing the same thing and just because we have different background and cultures we should not be judged.