Food for Thought: Why we do not see many over-weighted French People?

The answer to this question may lie with how the French people handle their meals.

The night just a few days before the festive New Year's feast , on a PBS' presentation, "In Defense of Food", food writer, Michael Pollan, observed that for French people eating is a happy and deliberate event. To get the most out of their daily meals, they take time to chew and savor their moderate sized foods.

The French people also like to have their daily meals on the same time each day. This is probably why we would find most of the French people would enjoy their lunch at noon hours.

It seems what the French people did with their foods is not rocket science. Maybe it can be a good starting point for many of us who decide to lose some weight in the New Year.

Bon Appetite!

- Ayee

Power of Praying

Yesterday I attended a Christmas sing-along at a neighborhood church.  The sing-along featured a soloist for this festive occasion.  His rich tenor voice was very pleasing and melodic despite of the fact the songs he sang for us were totally  new to us.  Us, the enthusiastic attendees, also belt out our best to celebrate  the season of Advent.  Obviously we were all singing from our heart to enjoy this yearly event.

For me, besides the enjoyment from singing Christmas carols,  I also noticed something amazing at this informal gathering.

There were about 25 to 30 attendees.  And most of them, particularly the extended family of the elderly usher, both old and young, looked so stress-free and well.  Their gentle faces without much make-up reflected a state of well-being and calmness that I seldom saw in many other people I met.  While I do not know this community church well, I did hear that the congregations of this church like many other religious people sought healing, love, and harmony through their many steadfast and  earnest prayers.

-  Ayee

Santa's Secret Trove

"Every once in a while something might be for you in here." author unknown

Life,

Separate labels by commas

Business, Education, Health, Life, Pet, Wildlife

Since I gave up my car many years ago, I am on my feet a lot.  For this reason, while I am out,   I got to uncover many different and curious landscapes.  On one of my  frequent routes, a garden ornament sat against the wrought-iron fence always caused me to take a second look of  this rustic structure.
 

Because of its smallish size, this log-cabin look alike woodwork can also be used to store small tools.  But its roadside presence together with the inviting message etched on the top of its slant roof made me think otherwise.

It's possible I have just uncovered some place special.

Maybe this old wooden box is one of the many  unusual places where Santa hides his special gifts. 

A Merry and Peaceful Christmas to all!

-  Ayee 

 

Art of Giving: Bribery or Token of Appreciation

Recently an US company got some unwanted publicity.  It was reported that the company was being investigated by the government for bribery in a foreign country.  It looks like the prosecutors taking the matter seriously.    The items under investigation involved payments as little as $20.

No one likes to see bribery taking place in business.  As much bad taste as we all have on corruption, bribes and favors  will never disappear in the world of commerce.  Venal will only add another layer of obstacle and costs in doing business.  But once a successful business man told me that  bribery is good for business.  The extra creases to the wheels expedite business dealings.  -  Ayee

Happy Things

This is my second installment of the happy things that would bring hearty laughter and smile out of me.  And I am pleased to notice that the author of  The Happy Book* and I have similar inclination on the types of the things we like.  This exercise of jotting down my happy things had led me closer to where my personal happiness lies:

• Scoring an ace on a par-3 golf course*
• spotting a kitty dozing off in the sun on a windowsill*
• witnessing the reunion of a lost pet and its two-legged friend
• feeding ducks, squirrels, birdies in the park*
• watching "60 - Minutes" on Sunday nights*
• Complimenting a total stranger*
• shopping at the Emporium's bargain floor in downtown San Francisco
• Rescuing  an earthworm or a caterpillar from the side walks
• re-visitng James Herriot's animal stories
• knowing Saint Anthony is always on my side when I misplaced some thing important.

-  Ayee

*It indicates there is a similar entry in The Happy Book by Barbara Ann Kipfer, 1990.

"14,000 things to be happy about. The Happy Book" By Barbara A Kipfer, 1990

After I saw this book at the library, I decided to also jot down  the things that I enjoy and am happy about.

It appears food of various kinds is good for our soul too. To most of us, eating is always an enjoyable occasion.  So I will start  my first installment of the things that can make and  had made me  happy in foods.

• a bowl of pipping hot rice congee
• a dish of fluffy scrambled eggs with favorite toasts
• a freshly baked calzone filled with plenty of cheese and chopped up vggies,, the author of "The  Happy Book"  also a fan of this mouth-watering turnover like pizza pie
• a plate of rice with curry toppings
• a piece of juicy watermelon on a scorching hot day
• a milk shake made with ice cream and milk only
• a coke infused with extra syrup
• a bowl of English trifle/or Ambrosia salad with real whipped cream
• and finish today's list with a slice of velvety pumpkin cheese cake

Enjoy and be happy.

-  Ayee

Identity Theft/Income Tax Fraud

It's time again to remind ourselves to be vigilant on safeguarding our personal and private information.

I saw it on a "60 Minutes" program awhile ago that identity theft is a common occurrence in the States.

The particular program I watched told stories of criminals applied income tax refunds with other people's social security numbers that they bought on the street.  Now these days, with computers and debit cards, filing a tax return is just a click away.  It is extremely easy for the unscrupulous individuals to use our  identity once they got hold of our social security number.

But I would never think it could happen so close to home.  Someone had used one of our family members' social security number to file tax return.  An unusual phone message prompted the victim to contact IRS office.  It was confirmed that someone had used her social security number to file tax return.  A this time, this fraudulent return is under the IRS's radar.  I do not know if these two incidents are related.  Before this unsavory incident was being discovered, the victim did return a notice from IRS to confirm her residency.  -  Ayee