Saturday, September 29, 2007

Sailing

We don’t have an ocean in St. Louis, but we do have many rivers, and the Mississippi River is a huge one. Steve’s friend, Joe, is a member of a local sailing club. The club had a sailboat race for their members and Joe was the person in-charge of this race, so he invited us to ride on the committee boat. The club has a hut beside the Mississippi Riverthe boat parking lot.

Sailing boats preparing to put up the sails…let’s go! Joe drove the boat to put out the race markers… I took the chance to get in the captain’s seat when I saw him stand up to check the wind direction. Joe taught me to look at the direction on the compass and I drove to a black marker on the river… Ha-ha! My first driving in the US was not a car, it was a boat!

Oh…raise a white flag. It is not for surrender; it is a countdown timer to the start of the race. Six minutes before the race, the boats get ready – the line between an orange flag pin and the committee boat is the starting line they must cross. Raising the white flag means five minutes until the start; raising the light blue flag means four minutes left. Lowering the light blue flag means one minute left; lowering the white flag starts the race. The starting line is also the finish line. This race has four sailing boats…they raced two rounds.

When the race was over, I asked to ride in one of the sailboats… They were kind enough to swap one of their crew to let us ride back to the harbor in a sailboat; it was fun! Bye-bye!

29.9.07

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Asam Laksa

我在 Asian store找到'著名檳城叻沙'湯粉,然后就着手買了像laksa粉条的粗麵及菜類。興致勃勃的煮來吃,没有魚肉不像 asam laksa,放几粒魚丸,這樣就像有'魚'了… 試一下味道…第一口的感覺是﹕哇!這么酸!真的是名符其實的'assam'laksa,不過任何 Penang街边的一檔 asam laksa都比這碗的好吃。我放很多糖調湯,才能下嚥。
回 Penang时,我一定不只吃一碗 asam laksa…
I found some of Penang’s ‘FAMOUS ASSAM LAKSA’ soup powder in an Asian store here; then I bought some vegetables and noodles that look similar to laksa noodles. I was looking forward to eating it, so I cooked it. Asam laksa is supposed to be made with fish meat but I put in fish balls instead, so it had ‘fish’… Let me taste it…the first thought after I tasted: Woah! Too sour! It was really as the name said ‘assam’ (sour) laksa. I think the asam laksa of any of the hawkers in Penang would taste better than this bowl. I put some sugar in to adjust the soup, only then could I eat it.
When I go back to Penang, I want more than one bowl of asam laksa….

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Unconditional acceptance

一位心理輔導義工的朋友和我分享﹕“…接到我在四五年前所接的第一个面谈个案的电话. 从对话中, 我看到了她的积极, 她的成长; 这一些都让我感到非常的感动. 回想起来当时三个多月密集的接案历程, 无可否认, 那是一个我有始以来最棘手的一个案件. 当中的挫折, 迷失, 跌倒; 到战战兢兢的爬了起来, 很感谢她不曾放弃过她自己, 当然这也包括了我这一只菜鸟. 这案件对我而言是一份礼物. 我经历过数次的瓶颈, 当基本助人技巧用完过后, 我会问自己; what is the next move? (接下來要如何?).... 在那个时候, 很感谢尤美介绍了两本书给我. 我一边看书, 一边拿自己来做试验’; 再小心翼翼的运用于助人历程里. 那就是后期一些伙伴们所看到的内在小孩’, 一条引导回家的路, 朝向内在整合的历程. 深深的祝福你, 我的个案. 也许你不知道, 因为你让我更有能力帮了接下来的许许多多的个案.”

我一直以來,很欣賞這位朋友時常很用心的花時間花心思在輔導義工上。很高興收到他的分享,我也想與所有義工的朋友分享﹕

當然,身為一個輔導工作者或助人義工,能看到个案不再放棄自己並已經爬起來,那是一件多么鼓舞的事。但我不拘同輔導如創作般會有瓶頸的情况。與其說瓶頸,不如說是我們自己被某些事卡住了。我之所以認為這样,是因為在輔導的過程中,助人者應當是不抱着期待心的。助人技巧不會被用完的時刻,只怕未到纯熟,如大師們'真誠、无無条件接纳'的境界

要如何感到助人不是一件很辛苦很累的事?助人者本身须要不断学習、自我覺察及自我成長。

其實我一直認為學習輔导,不是在助人而是助己!

One of my friends, a counseling volunteer, shared with me: “…I received a call from my first face-to-face counseling client from four or five years ago. I noticed during our conversation that she was glowing and optimistic; this touched me. I remembered that time; it was during three months of intensive counseling sessions. However, I couldn’t deny that until now that case was the most difficult for me to handle. Feeling frustration, lost and stumbling; trembling with fear until we could finally stand up in the counseling process. I am thankful she didn’t give up on herself, and me, a new counseling helper in face to face counseling as well. This case was like a ‘gift’ to me. I felt something like a ‘writer’s block’ sometimes. When, after using all of the basic counseling skills, I would ask myself: what is the next move?... At that time, I appreciated UM, who introduced me to two books. I used myself as a ‘test subject’ for the techniques in the books, and I used it carefully (in the case). This was the starting point of my learning about theinner child’ concept; a process to lead the person ‘home’ and for inner integration. My client, I would bless you. Perhaps you don’t know, but because of you I have more ability to face many cases.”

I always appreciated this friend; he put many hours learning and working hard as a counseling volunteer. I feel happy he shared this and would like to share something too with all of my volunteer friends:

Of course, as a counselor or volunteer helping others, we feel encouraged when our clients don’t give up on themselves and keep their spirits up. I didn’t think counseling work could get ‘writer’s block’, like a writer or artist. If you said it was ‘writer’s block’, I prefer to say we were stuck by our own issues. I think that the reason is because as a helper, we shouldn’t have any expectations in the counseling process. We never finish using the counseling skills at all, and still do not have enough expertise at the level of unconditional acceptance as psychotherapists…

How do you feel that helping others is not tiring and hard work? The helper always needs to continuously learn self-awareness and self-growth.

In fact, I always think it was not helping others but helping myself when learning to counsel others!

Monday, September 24, 2007

Moon

這里23日就是秋季了。后天才是八月十五日,月亮還不夠圓。我們参加佛光山 temple 舉行的中秋節晚會年青的男女在做装飾工作及搞節目先享用食物吧!中秋節一定要吃月餅提灯籠你知道為什么三千多年前華人就开始慶祝中秋節嗎?真的有嫦娥奔月?不是啦是歡慶農作務豐收啦!难得有得吃喝玩樂的時刻

與你共賞蘇東坡的詞作

明月幾時有?把酒問青天。

不知天上宮闕,今夕是何年。

我欲乘風歸去,又恐瓊樓玉宇,高處不勝寒。

起舞弄清影,何似在人間。

轉朱閣,低绮戶,照無眠。

不應有恨,何事長向别時圓?

人有悲歡離合,月有陰晴圓缺,此事古難全。

但願人長久,千里共嬋娟。

祝大家中秋節快樂!

The 23rd was the official beginning of Fall. The moon is not so round yet; the day after tomorrow will be the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, when it will finally be full. We went to the Mooncake or Mid-Autumn Festival celebration held at the Fo Guang Shan temple… the youth members working on decorations and events… Enjoying the food before starting the games! During the Mooncake Festival you must eat moon cakes…carry a lantern… Do you know why the Chinese have celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival for 3000 years? Was it a story about a female immortal, Chang E, on the moon? No. It is a celebration of the abundance of the harvest. It is a joyful time with food, games and happiness…

Let us enjoy the poetry of Su Dong Bo (in Chinese).

Happy Mooncake Festival!

24.9.07


Saturday, September 22, 2007

Glass

Steve 的朋友 Joe (他是唯一朋友到Penang参加我們的婚禮) 一起吃泰國餐,我們都選了 curry 餐。Joe 的是黄咖哩牛,Steve 的是黄咖哩雞,我的是红咖哩海鲜。他們俩人吃光光各自的 curry汁,可見我們都很喜歡吃泰國餐

餐后,我們去某工廠每月第三星期五,开放给公眾参觀制做玻璃品。其實Malaysia也有制做玻璃器品的工廠,但我却從未参觀過制做的過程

他們講解如何制做也售賣獨特的手工藝品 廁所内的洗手盆也是玻璃的。

We had dinner with Steve’s friend, Joe (he was the friend who came to Penang to attend our wedding), at a Thai restaurant. We all chose curry; Joe ordered yellow curry with beef, Steve had yellow curry with chicken and mine was red curry with seafood. Both of them finished their meal and all of the curry sauce. That means we all like Thai meals very much…

After the meal, we went to a glass factory where they have an open house and do demonstrations on the third Friday of every month. Although Malaysia has some glass factories, I never visited them…

They explained and demonstrated the process…and also sell their unique hand made glass products…even the sinks in the restrooms are made of glass.

21.9.07

Friday, September 21, 2007

Dried meat

我又再想念 Malaysia 华人的小食了,試着詢問住在 New York 的朋友,那里是否可找到 Malaysia 的肉干?
Steve知道后就上纲找食谱大致上我們已有須要的调味材料,只欠碎猪肉。

有了碎猪肉可以开始做啦

看來似模似樣先让品管員試試 哗!Steve 第一次的試驗品很不錯他認為這很容易制做。哈哈!我不用愁没有‘bak kwa’

I miss Malaysian Chinese food again and tried to ask my friend in New York: Can they get Malaysian Chinese ‘bak kwa’ (dried meat) in stores there?

When Steve knew that, he searched for the recipe on the web… Basically, we have all of the seasonings, we just need ground pork.

When we have ground pork…we can start to make it…

They looked very close…need to pass quality control first… Wow! This first batch made by Steve tastes good… He was surprised how easy it was to make. Ha-ha! Now I don’t need to worry that I can’t get ‘bak kwa’…


Our bak kwa (dried meat) recipe 我们的肉干食谱 -

http://eheartrecipe.blogspot.com/2008/11/pork-bak-kwa-dried-meat.html

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Excited

Steve店找書,我就去DVD的部門。當我去收銀櫃台時,我聽到收銀員對Steve說,...我很羨慕! 我就問Steve她羨慕什么呢?他给我那本剛買的書,“…我準備给你的生日禮物…” 我看書名是<Hawaii>。噢!是给我一本Hawaii 的書嗎?不是,我的生日在10月份。是帶我去Hawaii?哗!真的嗎?我非常興奮

Steve went to a book store to find something and I went to the DVD area. When I went to the payment counter, I heard the cashier talking to Steve, “… I am jealous!” I asked Steve, “Why is she jealous?” He handed me the book he bought, “…your birthday gift…” I looked at the book; it’s called <Hawaii>. Oh! Is a Hawaii book my gift? No, my birthday is in October. The birthday gift is going to Hawaii? Wow! Really? I am very excited…

20.9.07

Monday, September 17, 2007

Malaysia's national flower

Forest Park看到有人正在玩球,我以為是壁球 Steve說那是手球。手球是用手不用球拍的。

美國的football不是足球,所以不是用足踢球,而是抱着球須要用足跑的橄欖球。足球(Soccer)在美國不是很流行。


啊!馬來西亞國花我想這兒的天气凉,花開得又大又漂亮!外國的月亮比較圓?

We saw people playing ball at a ball court in Forest Park, I thought it was squash (racket ball)… Steve said it is handball. Handball is played using the hands, without a racket.

American football is not played using the foot, but by holding the oval ball and running. Soccer is not as popular in America.

Ahh! Malaysia’s national flower… I think the weather here is cold so they are large and beautiful! The foreign country’s moon is rounder (similar to: the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence)?

17.9.07

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Balloons race

你知道蒸氣球是如何比賽的嗎?

其實我也不知道,只是從綱上告知﹕比賽開始時, Energizer 兔子氣球將先升空,然后其它参賽者帶着一包鳥食粒籽,他們的氣球就會升空追蹤 Energizer 兔子。看誰抛下的鳥食粒籽最接近 Energizer 兔子的降落位置,他就是贏者。

這是宣傳品牌及產品的時機,會送你免費的東西

有人携兒帶女來看熱鬧、有人牽狗拉犬來凑熱鬧。我們無兒也無狗

到底有多少粒氣球?Steve 像數星星般 數到 19 就混亂了我們有些不相信綱上說有 70 粒这么多 嘩!天空像掛着燈籠,又像眾星球在宇宙。啊!日蝕了。

這粒氣球可能有問題所以降在这兒趕快再升空吧!

很累了,我們乘坐輕快鉄回家了。

Do you know how balloons race?

In fact, I didn’t know either, but we found it on the web: “The race begins when the Energizer Bunny Balloon takes off ahead of the pack. The ‘hound’ balloons then launch in pursuit. The balloon dropping a birdseed baggie closest to the Energizer Bunny Balloon will be declared the winner.”

This was a chance for companies to advertise their brands and products, by giving you free gifts…

Some people bring their kids; some people bring their dogs. We neither have kids nor dogs…

How many balloons will be flying? Steve counted them like counting stars, until 19 and he got confused… We didn’t believe they had as many as the 70 mentioned on the web… Wow! Looks like many lanterns hanging in the sky. Or looks like planets in the universe. Ah! It is an eclipse.

This balloon might have had a problem…and landed here…trying to fly again, hurry up!

We felt too tired and back home by commuter train.

16.9.07
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