Cheap Food (壹) --- Northern Chinese

I've never considered myself as a gourmet, or even thought that food is all that important. When I was younger, I used to eat whatever was healthy, despite the taste most of the time, including celery with tuna.

Also, having a frugal dad, being thrifty on food has become a habit since I was a kid. Even after started working, going to fancy restaurants to have 'amazing meals' has never been my thing; partially is also because I've never equated 'amazing' with 'expensive'.

Even though I'm never a foodie in a gourmet sense, I appreciate good food. Over the years living in Taipei, there is a kind of restaurant that brings a piece of grandma's cooking wherever I go.

來來順 (Lai Lai Shun) is a Chinese style eatery that is owned by two mothers. They've been running this for more than a decade.

They're popular dishes are: 餡餅(xian-bing), a Chinese-style pie, that comes in beef or pork. Or 蒸餃(zheng-jiao), steamed dumplings that come in vegetarian, beef, pork, and kimchi flavor. Then, it's the 小菜(xiao-cai), small dishes, usually served cold, including: spicy pig ear, lotus root slices, eggplants, and a kind of green bean taste like capers.

There are also traditional Chinese stirfrys in most of these places. Things like Mushu noodles, General Tso's Chicken, sweet-sour pork and so on. Sometimes they also have beef noodle soup (牛肉麵) and beef rolls. (牛肉捲餅)

There are a lot more restaurants like this, including: 穆記, near 101, and 北大行 on Guang Fu near TongHua, or the one next to it which I forget the name of.

The best things about these restaurants or why this restaurant is good depends greatly on its 小菜, because even though it seems insignificant because they're cold and served in small portions, if it isn't treated with care and skill, it gets screwed up easily.

Since my grandparents are from 山東 (Shan Dong Province), food like this has always been a home-cooked meal for me. But as they get older, it seems like rather learning the techniques of making, I have been depending mostly on the restaurants to keep the memories.

I'm a Woman, Hear me ROAR

Today at the gym, a chubby chubster was doing the leg press as I was in front of him doing squats. As I got the leg pressed lined up secretly as my next workout, I intently observed the guy while he was doing his thing, not because he was any good, but I had a gut feeling that he is one of those people who would leave a bunch of weights on the equipment and walk away as if it's none of his business.

Then, there it was. As he was about to walk away, I stopped him and said: "Put those away." And he did, slowly, one... by... one. Then as I was ready to move ahead, he stopped and jumped on the machine again and started his half-ass leg presses with 90 lbs. I was about to walk up to him to confront him of his lame behavior, he had his eyes conveniently closed while resting between the set.

So lamely I called him a dick as I walked off, but all I had in mind was how to take him down if we were in a scrap. Then I started to contemplate my training time for the boxing gym membership.

I know that it's immoral to treat boxing as a way of punishment, or any punishment in that matter. But being empowered with such ability is like having a superpower altogether for me. Being an Asian woman, I seldomly have been in any confrontation and would have little idea on how to deal with it if it were to arise. Like that time I almost got into a fight with a man at a party earlier this year, I simply just walked away.

But if I were to be equipped with the ability to throw a good punch and protect myself, I would not only be tough, I would also be able to use my well-trained body and reveal my real She-Hulkness.

Halloween Dilemma

As once in a year Halloween approaches again, head-banging costume ideas are on the merge. This year, however, the goddess of head-banging ideas is not smiling upon me.

Over the years, as long as there is a party, I'd dress up. The costume ranged from school girl, Vicky Pollard, to construction worker. The point is not to impress, but to make use of what I have already and make a theme that'd inspire reaction.

This year, my options are Sookie, the waitress from True Blood, Lady Gaga, the new pop icon, or Yoko Ono. Yoko Ono would actually take the least amount of effort and no wigs are needed so I can show off my head of new short hair.

Though I'm still contemplating as Yoko is not as entertaining as it was to be Vicky, but if I were to prepare everything of the Gaga with a strap-on, then maybe it would be up to the dramatic standard that I've enjoyed so much.

On the other hand, being Yoko could have its plus side too, as she is known for her avant-garde monologues and 'art'. As the night falls and I get tanked up, Being in Yoko-mode would be like 'swimming in the fish of sea', coming up with something like: 'Millions of nails banged by the hammer with a linking chain'. This idea is actually growing upon me like 'the grapes of vine that spreads the universe.'

Well, I hope that by Saturday, I'd have decided one already. Whether it is to be the avant-garde artist or a hermaphrodite pop singer, this Halloween will be oozing with weirdness and hopefully, some head-turners too.

I'm Strong, like the She-Hulk!

"Wow, you're so tan!" "Ohh, you're so strong!" These are two of the comments that I get a lot in Taiwan. I didn't know how to respond because they don't sound particularly flattering or demeaning. But now all I can say is "Thank you". In the result of that, I've also been thinking about the image of women in Taiwanese people's mind.

For girls in general, in Taiwan, most of them coop up indoors, read comic books, watch TV/DVD, or play computer games. They are pasty and thin fatties. And no matter how old they are, they seem to like the girlie style of huge doe eyes and pink rouge seems to be the trend since it apparently appeals to Taiwanese men more.

One time, at the gym, I was approached by a personal trainer, he said: "Wooo... you are so buff! Buff lady!" My immediate response was: "Well, it's not hard to be buffer than you." Then for the rest of my workout session, he made no more attempt in commenting.

Or I'd get this one: "Oh, you're the kind of girl that westerners like." So, let me get this straight: I'm tanned, strong, doesn't use makeup daily, have a pretty good sense of humor and an appreciation for both eastern and western culture so I'm more appealing to western men. If that is the case, I'm glad that someone, or some race appreciates this 'kind' of girl that I am.

Anyway, even though I may seem like I'm dogging Taiwanese guys and girls too much, I still think it's healthy to do what makes you happy and it is the most important thing, whether it's indoors or outdoors, being pasty thin or tanny buff. Horses for courses, and I'm a black one who can run a mile or ten.

I <3 FB!

The benign ways of life suffocates the well-being of socializing. At the age of the internet, and the booming of network websites such as FB, more and more people starting to take 'friends' seriously, and I'm no exception.

And because I take it seriously, every so often, I find myself deleting people who I don't talk to or don't have any kind of relationship anymore on FB, which i think is quite normal and natural in this day and age when we see virtual reality almost as much as reality itself. So like any organic, even intangible things, like friendship, they'd eventually go off if lack of maintenance.

Some people might take offense on that, thinking that it is a rude act. I find that confusing. I'm taking the time to delete the people whom I no longer see any point in keeping as friends because we have no more connection to each other, so why do I have the right or point to know what's happening in their lives?

I'd wish they would have some sense and take it more seriously. People actually do rekindle their long-lost relationship on FB, but lots also fall out due to time, space, and situation. And frankly, it is a quite intimate area where people put their recent photos and blogs up there, which is a convenient way when you're not in the same city. But when things are not as intimate anymore, I'd rather limit the amount of viewers who are accessible to my profile.

Frankly, I am taking all this too seriously, but I can't help it. It is one of my favorites on my laptop and one of my first stops when I turn on my laptop. Also, I have some of the best chats online there too. It's like, besides talking to someone, you can also be searching for online shopping or watching a sitcom when the conversation gets dull, just like bringing a pocket novel to a date, but can read it whenever you want!

However, this delicate service needs to be maintained carefully and wisely too. Other than refreshing my friend list, no unknown friend requests, or game/gadget application invitations is approved. It is a place to exchange chitty chatties and useless information. Without it, we will still be living in the 1990s with MSN. Therefore, we should treat it with respect.

A Woman of the Age (貳)

Clothed in printed dress with a head of wavy perm is the trademark of my grandmother. From the uncertain 21-year-old bride dolled up in a white rental gown, to the happily married wife being in the land of hope, then a proud grandma of 7 grandchildren, she is also the representation of women immigrants in the 1910s.

Born in a peasant's family, she bounded her feet at the tender age of 10. Despite the lack of education, her family nourished her with love, gave her a strong backbone, and a vigorous integrity. But then as her older sisters got married, she became the only one that's left in the family.

Her father, who loved her very much, had to give her away when the Communists started to take over China, in hope for a better life for her. Just before the take over, she was married to a young man that was just a year older in the next village and moved to the coastal region where the willing Chinese young couples were being shipped to Taiwan.

Wrapped up in new hope and fear, she jumped onto the bandwagon of married life, and onto the idea of moving to an island that she has no idea about. With absolutely no one she knew, she embraced it with great faith and strength because she knew that going back was never an option. At that time, besides being pregnant with a baby boy, she was also carrying a dream of a different future for her own family.

After moving to Taiwan, she began finding ways to make a living. Her first job was to sew up buttons for army uniforms. Even though she was half way into her pregnancy, she carried her belly to the factory every day; and afterwards, she had to carry water from the bottom of the hill from where they lived three times a day since there was no well nearby.

Five months later, my father was born. She still carried my father to work every day, making sure he had someone to look after him when the load of uniforms got heavier. Thankfully, all her co-workers, who were mostly women like her, pitched in to babysit. Life was hand-to-mouth for everyone, and according to my grandma, they weren't even able to afford a pair of pants for my dad till he was 2 years old!

During that time, she and my grandpa thought of nothing but saving money and buying properties whenever they had disposable income. As time passed, they had acquired 4-5 apartments with the help of my dad over the years, which now are all occupied with uncles and aunts, or have become a piece of paper which also known as my dad's master's diploma.

Other than raising her family and making sure they have a good education and health, the two biggest passions of my grandma are: majiang and learning. Having been in school for two years in China, she only recognized a few characters before coming to Taiwan. Ever since I've known her, she has always had a thirst for information and knowledge, and Grandpa would always read the morning paper to her in bed after breakfast every day since he is the more well-educated one.

As the children got older and grand children started to spawn, she decided to go back to school at the ripe age of 65. Between her majiang meetings, cooking meals, and taking care of me and my oldest cousin, she would go to night classes at the local public school for elders every evening. After 2-3 years, she and her fellow classmates in their 60s proudly graduated. "It was one of the happiest time of my life [being in school]. But of course, nothing beats a good game of majiang."

From a 21-year-old girl who was driven by hope, pride, and dignity, Miss Chang Kui-yun has shown that not only a woman can be nurturing, loving, smart, and hard-working, she can also be fearless, confident, and happy.

A Taiwanese Dream (壹)

In 1949, the KMT government retreated to Taiwan, and many young Chinese workers were also recruited to work at military supply manufacturing factories as mechanics, handyman, and general factory workers. They were also the first wave of the new immigrants, known to be the 'outer provincial people' (外省人). My grandpa was also one of them.

Hoping to have a better life, my grandpa got married just a year before the KMT came to Taiwan so he could raise a family in Taiwan. At first, only men were allowed to go, so my grandma had to wait. When families were allowed to Taiwan, she had to live at the dock,

waiting for an opportunity to get on the next boat. Pregnant with my dad, my 21-year-old grandma had to live at the dock with the

rest of the pregnant women whom she befriended with during that time. Every day, they had rice. Since food was scarce for the peasants, a carrot was the only treat during her pregnancy.

After arriving to Taiwan, the two worked in Kaohsiung. At first, they lived in bamboo shacks, along with other Chinese families. My grandpa was working as a mechanic and getting paid 28 catties of rice every month, while grandma was sewing uniform buttons for the military. Not long after, my father was born. When my dad was a year old, my grandpa lost his left middle finger and ring finger to a work accident. Besides going to the medical center,

my grands don't recall any compensations.

However, the Taiwanese were very kind to them. Even though they didn't speak a word of Mandarin, nor my grandparents Taiwanese, they exchanged goods. My grandparents provided them with cotton socks from the military supply factory and the Taiwanese gave them sugar since they were sugar cane farmers. Life was hard and bitter, but sweet in harmony.

A couple of years later, with an introduction from a friend, my grandparents moved to Taipei. They finally saved some money, so they opened up a ma & pop shop while my grandpa worked at another factory, and another baby was born --- my aunt.

Two more children were born after that, and my grandparents did nothing else but saved money to buy houses and raise their growing family.