Belated post

So sorry...I've been lazy with my posts as of late. Work has kept me busy. I really should jot down notes about what I want to blog about it when those thoughts come to me. I really didn't do much blogging this month, I think the whole leap year thing threw me off....um yeah. Things have been relatively good. I did get hit badly with the 24-hour flu bug yesterday morning. I was fine Wednesday, but on Thursday morning I started feeling ill. I was sent home from work. I slept all day and drank seltzer water all night. Today, still a little light-headed but I should be fine. I'm getting ready for my trip to warmer weather this weekend. I'm excited and will post my travel stories soon.

A Little Confession

I have a newfound love. It's for shoes…well one brand of shoe in particular. Not a shocker, I know, for women to love shoes. However, I've never been one to fawn over pumps and stilettos. I've always been pretty obsessive about good running shoes, but lately I’ve found myself appreciating high heels more and more. My current adoration lies with Christian Louboutin. I’ve been a fan of his work for the past two years. Something about his construction of the high heel and its ode to the feminine form. It’s just delicious. His trademark: red-sole shoes. I read it was because he loved how red nail polish looked on women, so he wanted all the bottoms of his shoes to connote a perfectly painted red nail.

Love

Happy Valentine's Day. This post is late in the day, but I hope everyone gave themselves a hug today. Remember to do something good for your heart. Eat sushi (omega-3 fatty acids), talk with your loved ones (endorphins), have some red wine and dark chocolate (antioxidants and flavonoids) and laugh...do things to get your heart rate going. You heart will say thank you.

Mwwwwaaaaahhhhh! xoxo, Mei

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Happy New Year. Today is the Chinese Lunar Year and it is the year of the rat. This is probably the most important holiday for Chinese people. I have fond memories of eating New Year's sweets and receiving red envelopes (hong bao or lai see) filled with money. Every year, my dad makes traditional sweet rice cake with red dates on top. On the eve of Chinese New Year, you're supposed to have a huge dinner (the usual fare is noodles, dumplings, mushrooms, chicken, duck, fish, pork...but NO beef. Some families even eat all vegetarian fare.) I made myself a huge bowl of noodles last night (noodles signify longevity), and I'm wearing a red coat today and my shoes that were given to me by my students when I was living in China. Xinnian Kuai Le, Gung Hay Fat Choy...Happy New year. By the way, props to Google for having a "Year of the Rat" tribute on their homepage.

Ta-dah!!!

Here's a picture of me with my short hair. I hadn't plan on being photographed (as you can see by my awkward pose. Haha) This was taken yesterday on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach. Yes it was windy and chilly but this is one of the most beautiful golf courses I've seen. The AT&T Pro-Am Tournament/Celebrity Shoot-Out starts next week, and it's a great charity event.

Vote

Nuff said.

D'oh!!!

So the other night I locked myself out of my car. That was inconvenient, but there's more. A) My car was running; B) It was cold and stormy; c) My purse and everything inside my RUNNING car; D) Did I mention it was cold and my car was running?

I called my brother to call Triple A's roadside assistance for me. I wait...two guys show up and start working on my car. Minutes later, I hear a lot of swearing. Apparently, one of the guy's equipment is broken. He and the other guy talk for a bit as I stand behind them. This is all happening while it's pouring. The guys mumble something to me and say something about "another driver." At this point, I had no idea what was going on. I called Triple A again, and they said they had a driver coming in less than 2 minutes, I asked if it were the same two guys that left me in the rain and the operator said no and replied, "You mean they just left you there?"

Finally, another person comes to unlock my car. At this point, I was outside in the rain for 30 minutes. The repairman was nice and told me I could wait in his car. He too asked me, "You mean they just left you here?" I helped him with the flashlight (I just wanted to get into my car). He had a very difficult time opening the door, and it didn't help that it was cold and rainy.

After an hour, my car door was opened. But it wasn't over just yet...I'm drenched, I have like two leaves in my hair. I drive to my parking space to find a huge SUV there, so I had to wait for them to move. Walking to my apartment, I stepped into a huge puddle of muddy water...tripped going up the stairs. I finally make it inside.

It's snowing here

Thought I left the snow behind in Wyoming, but it actually snowed in Northern California this week. Unbelievable. I was up on Tassajara Road in Carmel Valley and I felt like I was driving up the Casper Mountain Road. Snow and slush everywhere. Other than snow, we lots of cold rain and wind. Winter is still here.

Not Tuna!

We've all heard the warnings about mercury levels in fish and sashimi. Well now the EPA has found really toxic levels of mercury in tuna. That's too bad because tuna was previously deemed as a "safer" alternative since tuna didn't absorb as much mercury as the other fish. You can read the full article here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/23/dining/23sushi.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Man Boobs

We live in an era of vanity. Plastic surgery is the answer for many who constantantly search for beauty and perfection. For women, boob jobs, lipo, lips impants top the lists. For men, nose jobs, eyelid surgery and hair transplants are the orders. The San Francisco Chronicle ran an article this weekend titled, "More men turning to implants for chests of gold." Chests of gold, eh? Rather an interesting read. According to the article, "men" needed to feel manly in the 20th century thus the need for pecs. For "men," a strong chest symbolizes a man's man. So how much does a pec job put you back? Around $7,000-$9,000.

Here's the full article for your reading amusement. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/20/LV4HUDVA5.DTL

(UPDATE: I removed the ginormous photos of the man boobs that accompanied this posting. It was a bit too "boob-y" for me. You can, however, see the pictures if you read the articles.)

Once in a while...

...a movie comes along and unexpectedly blows me away. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a big fan of musicals. I love operas and I love good movie sound tracks, but something about people singing to each other when they could be talking just doesn't appeal to me all that much. When my friend suggested I watch the movie "Once" and described it as a musical, I wasn't too keen on it. I must say that I was "into" the movie the first 5 minutes. The cast (Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova), the location (Ireland), the accent (Irish and Czech) all drew me in. As the movie progressed, I thought to myself, I really like this movie. There's singing involved in the movie, but it's not like the characters are breaking out in song every other sentence. "Once" is amazing. It's garnered rave reviews and it's a Sundance favorite (which is going on in Park City right now). I really hope you guys get a chance to check out this movie. I won't say much about it, only the music is great and that it's fresh, organic and moving.

A link to A.O. Scott's review in the New York Times:
http://movies.nytimes.com/2007/05/16/movies/16once.html

Brucellosis bites back

I thought I would never have to say brucellosis after leaving Wyoming, but the word made a comeback this afternoon at work. I was going through some wire stories and came across a story out of Italy about how their famous export, "mozzarella di bufala," was threatened because the buffalo milk used to make the cheese was contaminated with brucellosis. Buffalo farmers are now going to have to kill up to 60,000 buffalo to prevent further spread of the disease. While in Casper, brucellosis made the headlines once a week. The Wyoming Game and Fish were always announcing plans to lower the brucellosis numbers in elk herds. One of my most memorable brucellosis moments was when the Game and Fish gave away elk meat that had brucellosis. The catch: The parts of the elk being given away were safe to eat. My friend covered the giveaway for the local paper, and he actually picked up some meat. The meat sat in his freezer for months...that is, until Labor Day. He decided to have a "brucellosis barbecue." He had steaks and kabobs, but I didn't eat any of the meat. I know, I know, those that know me know that I'm a pretty adventurous eater, but I just couldn't stomach eating brucellosis elk meat.

My Haircut...Gimme more

Some of you have inquired about the condition my hair-related injuries (Thank you), and I'm pleased to announce that the burn mark on my left cheekbone has healed and disappeared. I still have a small mark on my neck (that...if you forgot, was also a large-barrel curling iron accident.) I'm beginning to get the hang of my new shorter haircut; however, I still have my hair withdrawals. I know, I know...do I want cheese with that whine? Haha. I purchased some hair products with which to experiment. I never used products on my hair except the occasional spritz of hairspray on my noggin to calm fly aways when I sat on the anchor desk. My stylist insisted that I use products, especially with my shorter do. Now I use mousse and pomade. The pomade is a texturizing creme that gives you the "piecey, layered" look. I used it this morning, and my hair looks "piecier." Thanks for indulging me in all this hair talk.

This is what I used this morning on my hair. It actually works! It's not sticky, and you can really "texturize" your hair. If you have layers in your hair, this stuff makes it stick out.

Oh, and P.S. I haven' posted a picture of me yet with my short haircut. It's mainly because I want it to grow it out a bit. I tend to put my hair up in a pony tail at the end of my workday, which actually looks better (I think) than having it down. The ponytail shows off my bangs and layers more. The only downside of having long bangs and short hair is when I workout, my ponytail falls out and I need to wear a clip to keep the hair out of my eyes. I bet all the guys are loving this post...Haha.

Got Grapple?

Last night, I crossed paths with a fruit I haven't seen in years. It was a grapple. At first, I thought it was a cross between a grape and an apple, but it's actually an apple injected with grape flavoring. Grapple is a brand, and the company's pitch is: "Looks like an apple, taste like a grape." This is direct from their Web site: "Imagine the sweet distinctive flavor of Concord grapes combined with the crispness of a fresh, juicy Washington Extra Fancy Fuji apple. This makes them a perfect snack at home, at school, or at sport functions. Their glowing expression will say it all... 'WOW! Pass me another one!'" According to the site, nothing has been genetically modified. Sounds tempting? In the mood for crunchy grapes? They sell Grapples at Safeway for $4-$5.

And the winner is...

Greg Long of San Clemente. He came away with the best heats at Mavs and took the crown. This guy knows that he was among some good company, so at the awards ceremony he announced that he was splitting his $75,000 prize with the six finalists. What a dude.

Mavericks is On!

From Mavericks officials: "The 2008 Mavericks Surf Contest is officially ON. Jeff Clark has made the call, and 24 of the world's best surfers are on their way. Contest begins at 8am tomorrow. Best ways to watch? The live webcast on MySpace.com, or a big viewing paorty at AT&T Park. Good luck & safe surfing to all our Invitees."

http://www.maverickssurf.com/Home/

Feedback on my haircut

At work today, feedback was positive for my new do. Of course, I did encounter some looks and "I-know-something's-different-about you,-but-I-don't-really-know-what-is,-but-I'll-just- smile"-glances. The consensus is that I look "cute." One person did say I look more "sophisticated" and "older."

Oh, I have an injury to report. So last night, I was trying out some new hairstyles with one of those large barrel curling irons, and yep, I burned myself--my face. I'm so used to curling long hair, that I forgot that I had less hair with which to work. It's not too serious; I bumped the iron on my face. I have a small red mark right on my left cheekbone. At least I didn't burn my neck like I did several years ago. (Everyone asked me about the source of my hickey....apparently, my burn mark resembled those little darn "love bites.")

Bye Bye Long Hair

I had to part with my hair yesterday. One of my bosses called me into her office to let me know that "they" like me to cut my hair so I look "older." Apparently, I still look like I'm in high school -- even with a suit on! I'm all about looking polished and professional, especially in my field, but I miss my long hair already.

I called my go-to stylist in San Francisco (she's terrific, inexpensive and knows my hair) and told her that I needed to look "older," but not matronly. She aggreed that my Victoria Secret style hair didn't fit my job. Haha. I think my hair is short, but Joanne (my stylist) says it's just because I got used to my long hair. She did really great layers, and gave me some blunt bangs that I could wear messily for a really cute, young look. She tried some different styles on me, and said no matter which way I comb my hair, I'll still look young. My mom says my new haircut makes me look even younger! Yikes, so instead of being a teen, I'm a tween!

I'll post some pictures of my new do in the next few weeks, I need to let my hair grow out a bit. In the meantime, this is basically what my haircut looks like.

She's Got Curves and Brains

Curvy women may not have low dress sizes, but they may have high IQ's, this according to a recent health study. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and UC Santa Barbara found that a lower waist-to-hip ratio correlates to higher test scores for both a woman and her child. I'm sure some of you read about this several months ago, but I thought I post this since it's the New Year and many of you have resolutions to work out more and eat better. Remember, it's all about living a healthier life and making lifestyle changes. It's okay to eat carbs and red meat, just do so in moderation. I think one of the best ways to start eating well is to cook at home more. Start with whole foods: You know exactly what you're putting into your body. You can eat cookies and cake, just not a dozen or 3 slices. (And remember bakers, use real butter! Stay far away from margarine and other "fake butters." You might as well use the real thing and enjoy it.)

Here's the link to the full article:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=3859175&page=1

Raining in the New Year

Happy New Year everyone. The San Francisco Bay Area ushered in the new year with a powerful storm. I thought my days squishing around in soggy sneakers were over once I left Wyoming--I am glad I don't have to drive in snow and scrape ice off my windshields. Yesterday, we got deluged in the first of a series of storms and today was wet, windy and cold. Driving this morning felt like I was manuevering through a tempest. I got soaked running in and out of my car, and I chose not to use an umbrella. When you combine pounding rain and heavy winds, umbrellas are just a lost cause. I guess I got more soaked because all my Northface jacket was the only thing shielding me from the rain. It did the job, but Mother Nature dominated.

Try driving on this bridge. Officials eventually closed this bridge as breakers climbed onto the bridge.

Police closed one lane along San Francisco's waterfront because the Bay was a' churnin'.

Yeah. Bad commute.

What's Your New Year's Wish?

Ever dreamed of sharing your New Year's wishes with millions of people? The organizer's of New York's Times Square New Year's Eve celebration is giving those unable to make it the big apple or even those at the event to share their messages on little pieces of confetti that will be mixed with tons of colorful confetti scheduled to be dropped at midnight. This is the first time anyone cat get their message printed on confetti. So far messages left on the online "Wishing Wall" have been both silly and serious. What's your message?: http://tinyurl.com/2c5efd/

Healthy New Year!

With 2008 just around corner, newspapers and magazines are having a field day with articles on New Year's resolutions. This year, a popular theme seems to be financial resolutions, but health-related resolutions always garner plenty of attention. Rightfully so, as we should make a effort to live healthy lives. I came across an article in The New York Times on eight different ways to achieve healthy skin. "...many skin experts recommend practical steps to maintain skin as it ages and to mitigate external factors — like sun exposure and chronic stress — that could accelerate changes."

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/27/fashion/27SKIN.html?em&ex=1199077200&en=7ef59adc915211ed&ei=5087%0A

Ever have one of those...

... weeks where you just keep having mini-accidents? Well I'm having one of those weeks, either that or I'm just plain clumsy. Yesterday I went over to my friend’s house, and when we were walking her two dogs (a pug and pekingese), I bent over to tie my shoelaces, and her pug freaked out over another dog and dragged his leash across my wrist. I knew it was bad because it stung like #%*! I looked down to assess the damages, and saw that I got "rope burn." The leash rubbed against my skin and took a small strip of it away. So now I have this white strip on the top of my wrist. I can tell people I got implanted with a microchip at cocktail parties. Ha!

Today, I burned my hand on pasta sauce. At the gym, I knocked my thigh against a stationary bike. Coming home from the gym, I slammed the side of my knee against my car door. That one hurt. It was raining pretty hard, and I was trying to get out of my car and into my house quick, so I guess I slammed the door against my leg. Now I'm sporting a bump and an extra large blueberry. I'm bracing myself for tomorrow.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone. I’ve received many presents this year for which I’m grateful. After having spent nearly three years in Casper, Wyoming, a new job has brought me back to San Francisco, California. Working in Wyoming was truly an unforgettable experience, and I will miss the people I met there. I’ve made friendships that will last a lifetime and I’ve learned lessons that will guide me a lifetime. I’m so grateful to spend the holidays with my family and friends. My relationship with my brother grew stronger this year, and I hope it continues, and I’ve gotten to spend more time with my sister and her two lovely dogs, Shadow and Guinness. Thanks for all the Christmas cards, greetings and adorable pictures. I hope everyone finds happiness in his or her corners of the world. Have a safe and wonderful Christmas/Hanukkah with family and friends. Now is the time to eat, drink (responsibly) and be merry.

Love and Peace,
May

Let's talk about sex

A study released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that sex education in schools delays sexual behavior among teenagers. The study surveyed more than 2,000 students between the ages of 15 and 19, and found that girls who received formal sex education were 59 percent less likely to have sex before the age of 15, and boys were 71 percent less likely to have sex before age 15.

The education came from schools, clinics, churches or community organizations. The study also found that formal sex education also leads to safer sex. (Males were three times more likely to use birth control for their first sexual encounter.)

I’ve always been supportive of sex ed in schools, believing that having open communication promotes healthier behaviors among teenagers. Other recent studies on sex ed show that teaching teens to make responsible decisions could reduce the more than 750,000 teen pregnancies and the more than 9 million cases of STDs that occur yearly among Americans aged 15 to 24.

When I was teaching in China, we weren’t allowed to talk about certain subjects in class. Although nothing was ever written in paper, it was understood that Mao, religion and sex were taboo.

Here was my dilemma. My core group of students was between the ages of 15 and 16 year old. It was inevitable that the topic of sex and relationships would come up in class. Many of them saw me as a “big sister” instead of a teacher, and knew that perhaps this American girl would shed some light on teenage love and angst. I think some of the teachers forgot that these were teenagers living not quite in the age of innocence, but rather in the age of discovery.

My friend who taught older students knew his students wanted also to talk about sex and relationships. Both of us knew it was important to acknowledge the topic, but we also didn’t want to disrespect the school and the school’s values and ethics. We mulled over this topic for months. I had my students keep a journal, and over the course of the semester, I found that a good number of students began hinting about relationships, talking about “true loves” and “showing love to each other.” Again, I had a difficult time with this because I wanted to respect the school; I reminded myself that I was a guest, a foreigner, a teacher hired to teach grammar and the English language. But I also knew that I needed to step aside and look at the students as any other teenager. Teenage pregnancies, illegal abortions and STDs exist in China, and although the government may not admit to it, the rates are high among teenage girls.

My friend and I grappled with this throughout the semester, and finally when we were finishing the term, we decided to hold open lectures and invited students to ask us anything. We were careful not to overstep boundaries, but we were candid and honest. Sex ed isn’t about teaching kids how to be better lovers or having them memorize the content of Cosmopolitan’s “Hot Sex Issue,” it’s about teaching kids how to better love themselves and their bodies and to respect their themselves and every bodies.