Fatigue makes us dangerous.

The other day I needed to get some blood works done.  I may have mentioned this lab before, like in the past, I always used the same neighborhood laboratory that was close by where I live.  Because of their friendly and professional services, I would have never thought of going elsewhere for tests that my doctor ordered.

On that dark and wet December morning around 8 AM, at the lab, I met a very haggard looking technician.  She in a cute smock appeared to be , if not more, as tired as a few of the patrons who were still in the sparse  waiting room.  To me, besides a good hair brush, she could also get a nap or two.  This tiresome young person could not even spare any energy to say a short hello.  I know how inept I was when I did not get a good night of sleep the night before.  And this tired person was going to draw the blood sample from me!

Although, I had never heard of someone got hurt when giving blood samples, I do have reservation on sharp syringe needles, blood, delicate vein and a sleepy lab technician.  Since there was only one other technician on duty, I was not able to find a way out to work with the other technician, I could only hope for the best, and let the matter run its own course.

After a few necessary words exchanged to confirm my identity, everything seemed to be going smoothly as it should be.  But before the routing procedure was about to end, in a few fleeting seconds, I could feel a painful jab before a small cotton ball was placed on the tiny hole in the fold of my right elbow.  And there was also some fidgeting going on when a disc-shape bandage was being placed to replaced the soiled cotton ball.  Because of the technician's unsteady fingers, the tiny round bandage was not rightly placed  either.

Now many days after my recent visit to the lab, luckily I have yet felt any harm that unexpected jab had done to me.  But this unusual and painful poking at my vein had convinced me that it is dangerous around tired and exhausted people.  -  Ayee

A Christmas Wish

Just spent another "60 Minutes" with my favorite news program.

Tonight, two of the three reports covered the grim subject of environment and cancer.

First, on the environment, the report showed ponds of  grayish  coal ashes on the river bank.  These soupy refuse was left behind by the energy generating plants that used coal to generate electricity.  The amount of the ash stockpiled by the pristine waterways is huge.  Now these unwanted  leftover may have leaked into the rivers in the beautiful North Carolina.

The second report was on the dreadful disease like cancer. I do not know if what the doctor from South Africa had  said  on chemotherapy was unusual.  But I did put on my listening ears, so I could  hear them. Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong told the reporter that frequent low dosage chemotherapy treatment is more effective.  He said when higher dosages of chemo medicine are administered, the cancer cell run away from the cancer drugs.

Lastly, I am so gladly to see that tonight's edition of the news program  ended on a very soothing note. The crispy and blissful sound of a Stradivari violin put me in a mood to wish  all of us  a Christmas season that is as magic as the sound from these delicately handcrafted instruments.  Italian  are known for their artistic mastery.  That is why only Italian can produce a violins like the revered Stradivari. It looks like Italian are  also people with great and generous  hearts.    To return a favor to the forest that provides the fine woods for the violins,  they play music to the trees.  Good for them!

Of course,  a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful New Year to all!

-  Ayee

A Cautionary Tale

Recently, by necessity, we bought a refrigerator. It is made by a well-known home appliance maker in the States. After it was delivered to us, we discovered the door to the freezer was at least 1/4 inch higher than the freezer. When we asked the seller to correct this misfitted door, we were told that now these days the fridges are made this way. Therefore, it cannot be repaired. The repairman did come around to see what he could do to correct the freezer door. He could not help us either. And he left us with the same comments that we heard before.

And the worst experience with our new appliance happened three months after we had it home. On that particular morning, when I opened the fridge for something, I noticed water puddles on the shelf as well as a big black gap that was at least a foot wide and maybe six inches high between the fridge door and the white soft plastic molding that is supposed to insulate and to configure the shelf space on the door. For unknown reason, this rubbery  seal or  "gasket" came off from the door.

To make a long story short, the manufacturer had since made good on its warranty and offered us a new fridge to replace the faulty one. The new one we got seems to be working so far except its freezer door again. I do not think I am a particularly fussy or a knit-picking person, . But when looking at our new fridge now, I cannot help but think of the problem this  particular manufacturer had with freezer doors. The freezer door of our new ice box is now about 1/8 inch higher than the fridge. I rest my case. - Ayee.

Amnesty for All!

Being a migrant to the New World myself, I have witnessed the unwarranted harm and uncertainty the US government's cumbersome immigration laws had done to many innocent new comers.  Therefore, it's encouraging to hear that the American government will wipe the slate clean for the millions of the "illegals."  So they can become residents of the country of their choice.  Personally. I think it is a misnomer to label the undocumented individuals "illegals."  Pursuit of happiness is not a crime. Whether it is a constitutional right or not, no individuals should be deprived  of the freedom to choose where he or she wishes to live.  At any rate, the current laws have failed to deport all the immigrants who enter the States illegally.

I thought the movement of globalization in commerce will gradually make all dated immigration laws obsolete.  Indeed, now it is the time that politicians of all stripes and colors would let the marketplace dictate the kind of work force the business needs and work with each others to ensure United States remains a chosen place for many to call home.  -  Ayee

Food for Thought - Curry Powder

Recently, we found the fresh chickens we bought from the markets did not taste as good as they were before.  Their texture was mushy and tasteless.  To make our chicken dish more palatable, we have tried different spices to spruce up our simple fares.  This is why lately we  often included the pungent curry powder in our cooking.

According to Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Standard 2004 edition, it takes 20 or more spices, herbs and seeds to make curry power.  And turmeric, considered a brain food*, is the main ingredient of this God sent concoction.  Maybe this is the reason why dishes seasoned with the yellowish powder made with the  substance from  the aromatic roots are very appetizing and tasty.  For someone from Southeast Asia, hearing the work "curry" can cause their mouth to watering!  For us, we always felt warmth and well-being after enjoying a bowl of steaming rice with some curry seasoned toppings.  -  Ayee

*See "Food for Thought: - Brain Foods," July 15, 2012

Please keep the wee-ones home.

The other day after my brief encounter with two Chinese students on the street, I could not help but ponder on why Asian parents are still sending their young impressionable kids to study abroad.

It happened that these two 17-year-old ones, not quite five feet tall, are studying at a nearby high school  under an International Student program.  They, new to this neighborhood, were asking passers-by on the street to help them find a place to rent.  Obviously, they were not happy with the family their school had arranged for them.  Like many others, I had nothing better to offer.  But I did think it is better for them to stay put at where they are at this time until they become more familiar with the neighborhood.  But definitely, I do not think their parents were giving them a head-start by sending them miles away from home to study English here.

I hate to think that like many other  professions, new computer APPs may some day make teacher a thing of the past too.  In these days we can learn many foreign languages including English, anywhere.  Today without pens, paper, and dictionaries, we can translate other languages in a split second.  We can even obtain advance degrees on line.  Besides, there are thousands of English teachers in China, Taiwan and Japan at our disposal,  the audio system in our personal computer can also help us  speak   English better.  This is why I do not understand why parents are still sending their precious young ones, the future of the wold, abroad to learn English.

Letting the youngsters study nearby hometowns has many benefits.  In addition to saving the hard-working parents a bundle in tuition fees paid to foreign schools, keeping the kids at home can also spare the concerned parents a bundle of worries when their wee-ones are studying miles away from home.  -  Ayee

Food for Thought with A Grain of Salt

We all know too much salt in our diet can cause our blood pressure to rise and this can lead many very serious health issues.  But interestingly to note that a mixture of this frown-upon condiment with water makes a good and cost-effective month wash.

According to a recent Internet posting, there was one individual who used a strong saline solution to keep him free from periodontal disease*(1). If this painful inflammatory gum disease is left untreated, it can cause heart and other serious diseases such as diabetes in us.  This is why in 2000, the country's top doctor*(2) based on his study on oral health  asked the public to gargle salt water for two to three minutes twice a day  to keep their gum in good health.

This was exactly the unnamed contributor did 12 years ago when his dentist was about to send him to see a gum specialist for some special dental treatments.  For three months, after he had brushed his teeth, he gargled a strong solution made of coarse sea salt and water for two minutes twice each day, and sometimes after meals.  And he adjusted the amount of the salt he added to the water in a 300-500 cc glass jar according to his taste bud's liking.  After all the gargling was done, he rinsed the month with plain water to get rid of salty taste.  -  Ayee

Notes:

1.  It was from a posting titled "Periodontal Disease Easy Way to Prevent (Effectively), circa and author unknown.

2.  Dr. David Satcher, the US Surgeon General