Vegetarian Satay

A monastic from Taiwan, who is stationed at the Fo Guang Shan temple here, knows I am from Malaysia, and asked whether I know how to make satay. I said I had never made satay or vegetarian satay before. 

Oh, sounds like Malaysia’s satay is well known in the world, so I would give it a try. 

Here I made it. They look like real meat, don’t they? However, this was the first time I did it, so the taste was not the same as vegetarian satay in Penang, Malaysia. I need to edit the recipe and improve the taste to get as close as I can. 

一位駐在這兒佛光山寺的台灣法師，知道我來自馬來西亞，問我會不會做satay。我說我沒做過而且是要做素的satay。

原來馬來西亞的satay在國外這麼著名，我想試試做素satay。

想做就做了，看來很像肉，像嗎？不過，第一次做，味道不很像在檳城吃過的素satay。我須再調改食鐠改進其味道。到時再提供我的食鐠。

Overwhelming

In my life, I never met anyone who had been in prison. Then I went to a Buddhist group called Inside Dharma (http://insidedharma.net/About.html and same link to Shinzo Zen Meditation Center.)  I met a few of them who are ex-offenders. Last week, one of them shared with me and my husband, the first time he received a Christmas card (from Inside Dharma) after he had been in prison for several years.  He said it was overwhelming. 

My heart was so touched. What a huge impact a light little card made! 

Even when someone makes a mistake and is being punished, they still deserve peoples’ care and support to get through. Help them to grow and change. 

All human beings need to feel loved.  

 
在我的生活裡，我從未接觸過曾監獄者，至到我參與一個佛教組織名為Inside Dharma及同屬的Shinzo禪修中心，在那遇到幾位前犯罪者。上星期，我和丈夫與其中一位在閑談，有一小段分享。他說，在牢獄幾年，有一年第一次收到一封聖誕卡（來自Inside Dharma）。那是他很大的感觸。
我看到他真情的述說，我的心很感動。一張小小輕輕的卡，沖擊的份量卻那麼大！

當某人犯錯及受懲罰，他們仍然值得被關注和支持他們走過去。也能幫他們成長及改變。
每個人都需要得到愛。

價值觀

住在美國，遇到剛認識的華人，都離不開問我這些問題:  

你做什麼工作？

這麼多年沒工作，在家做什麼？

在家煮什麼給先生（洋人），吃什麼？

不同的人問我同樣的問題，我同樣回答給不同的人; 我答的很腐舊，他們聽得很新鮮。

有人問了，我就只好回答，目的是問問談談而已。

有一位聽我回答，我不用煮給先生，他一向以來自己烘煮雞肉，她的回應，讓我覺得她的思想很華人傳統:

“在家時間怎麼過。” “他結婚了，還得自己煮，他很虧本。” 

當現代的妻子必須有職業？娶老婆，就有如老婆是免費的煮飯鍋？

社會的價值觀有時候真的會影響個人所響往的生活。

Remarkable Good-bye

 Tree: Why do you want to say good-bye?  

 

树: 为什么要道别？

  

Leaf: Why not? Because I came, I have to leave. And leaving is also another cause that will start its own chain of effects. 

 

叶: 为何不。这就是我来的因，去是果，去也是另一个因。

 

Tree: I feel cold and lonely. 

  

 

树: 我感到孤单凄凉。

 

Leaf: This is it. I am just a passenger. Who is not alone? However, I choose to leave with a brilliant smile. 

   

叶: 本来就是，我只是一个过客，谁不孤单？不过，我选择漂亮含笑离去。

 

 

 

 

Maternity

 

We attended Steve’s cousin’s daughter’s wedding and reception. Most relatives attended, and the youngest one too, with his parents. 
Chinese-Malaysian friends, I’ll let you guess, how old is the youngest one? I think you wouldn’t guess right!
That was just eight days after he came into this world. When I saw that 8 day old baby and his mother, who just gave birth eight days earlier, coming together to attend their cousin’s wedding, my conceptualization was a little shocked. American women really have it so different? 
America law is 0 weeks of paid maternity leave, so based on their situation, they have to apply vacation time or unpaid leave, unless the company they work for gives paid maternity leave. 

我们参加Steve表姐的女儿结婚礼及晚宴，多数的亲戚都出席，甚至最小的一位也随父母一起去。
马来西亚的华人，你猜最小的这位是几岁？你绝对猜不到！
那天是他来到这世上笫八天。当我看到这只有8天大的婴儿，以及才产儿后八天的妈妈，一起出席她（婴儿妈妈）的表姐／妹婚礼及晚宴，我脑内储存的观念被冲击了一下。
美国产妇真的这么不一样？美国法律是0天有薪产假，所以看个人的状况请假或无薪假。她们不须在家坐月养身吃补，婴儿还未满月就带出門。
 

 

Malaysian law is 60 days of paid maternity leave. Most Chinese women would stay home a full month to recover. The babies are also not allowed to go outside for the first month. The celebrations are done a full month after babies are born. 

Last trip back to Penang, I visited a friend and her baby, who was born just one week before. They both were taken care of by a maternity center.  

 

马来西亚法律是60天有薪产假。华人产妇须在家坐月养身吃补，婴儿满月后才庆祝。

上次回槟城，探望生产后约一周的朋友及婴儿在坐月中心被细心照护。

 

Outer & Inner

What can I see when I look outside?

The outer world seen by my eyes is just very limited.

What can I explore when I look inside?

The inner potential that is hidden in my subconscious is immeasurable.

从内向外看，我能见到什么？

眼睛所能见到的外在世界，仅仅的那么有限。

往外向内看，我能探寻到什么？

心底隐藏住的内在潜能，深深的那么无际。

My car - Fei-Long

After I moved to the USA, most of the time I was at home. Sometimes, I did nothing and I felt a little stagnant. When people ask me - what am I doing at home, gradually I don’t know how to answer.
In the past, I had an excuse; I need to adjust to the environment. But now, I have been here almost four and a half years. I think this excuse couldn’t be used anymore.
Then, what excuse next?
Yes. There is a phrase - no car is similar to no legs. In the past, I didn’t want to have a car because I don’t like driving. However, it is really difficult not to have a car here. So, I pestered Steve for a car (used car is also okay for me) for few months.
Finally… my car is in our garage. It is a new Honda Civic Sedan LX Auto.
Wow! I never dreamed I would have a Honda Civic in Malaysia (I just day dreamed for a sports car)! Honda Civic in Malaysia, the price is over RM115,000. How can I afford it? In Penang, my car is a used Proton (Malaysian car manufacturer.)
The price (including tax) for a Honda Civic Sedan LX Auto is about US$20,000 in the USA. I am staying in the USA, so don’t use exchange rate. However, if using the exchange rate, the price equates to RM66,000.
The price is so much different.

來了美國，大多數時間都是在家，有時無所事事，覺得有點頹廢。當每次有人問我在家做什麼，我漸漸不知要怎麼回答。
之前我有要適應環境的藉口，但現在已住了近四年半，我想這藉口已不中用了。
那又會是什麼理由呢？
有。這裡沒車就好像沒腳。我不是很喜歡駕車，所以之前並不很想要有車，但是這裡沒車真的不行。最近積極吵Steve買車（致使二手車也好）給我。
終於…我的車到了家的車庫。嶄新的Honda Civic Sedan LX Auto。
嘩！在馬來西亞時做夢都沒想到會有Honda Civic囉（發白日夢要跑車就有啦）！馬來西亞的Honda Civic價錢RM115,000以上，我那捨得或買得起？我在檳城的車是Proton二手車。
美國的Honda Civic Sedan LX Auto價錢加稅後大約是US$20,000，不要把美元換馬幣，因為是生活在美國。即使換率成RM66,000)，價錢也是相差很大。


Alright, now I need to find a non-profit organization. One of my wishes: do volunteer work.
Oh yeah, I named my car, Dragon (Fei-Long). And had a newborn ceremony for Dragon with Metta sutra.


好啦，我必須去找一些資源及非盈利團體，實現我的另一個願望: 義務工作。
對了，先給我的車一個名字，就名為飛龍。要給飛龍的新生命舉行慶賀儀式，吉祥經。

May Dragon accompany us on the road smoothly and safely.

Appreciate Dragon.

願飛龍陪伴路上順利吉祥平安。

感恩飛龍。