Chia Fro

Is this for real? Seriously? There are two versions: happy Obama with a grin and heroic looking chia determined Obama. On sale at Amazon.

How does this help?

$300 per seat charity event, $250 of which is used to host the trendy dinner and “traditional ethnic “ performances. Why? So we can pat ourselves on our backs and feel good that we contributed. Heaven forbid the charity dinner wasn't swanky and you're not wearing a brand new $500 gown.

I guess the point is to get drunk off the free booze and donate thousands of dollars while uninhibited.

It's Done.

A bike shop opened in our neighborhood this month. Gentrification is complete.

Although, now I have an irresistible urge to get a bike.

Robopanda

because regular live pandas are not cool enough.

Neda Video Response

Repost from Racialicious:

American “Activism”: On the Neda Video, and Other Images of the Brutal Third World by Catherine A. Traywick. I wish I wrote this article. Well written piece on the obssesion in casting the third world as helpless victims to set up the west's self-serving savior mentality.

How to Fight Zombies...ya know just FYI

Short Videos: Matt and John Yuan’s practical guide to zombie identification and basic combat techniques. You may recognize the Yuan twins from Observe and Report. Anywho, good stuff. Take some notes and keep a copy of their instructions in your emergency first aid kit.

Slow stomping zombies. Totally forgot about that kind. Written spells? I have a little written spell I carry around in my wallet for protection against evil, maybe it’ll stop Chinese zombies too. Don’t know if my mom had zombie killing function in mind when she blessed that paper.

Thousand Hand Buddha

Saw Thousand Hand Guan Yin performance on TV years ago. Finally found it on youtube. (Thank you Internet) It’s a good thing I didn’t see this performance when I was a kid. The Buddha statues already scared the crap out of me. I used to hid my face behind my brothers so I wouldn’t have to make eye contact with the unnervingly serene figures during our temple visits. Had I seem something like this when I was little, I totally would have been waiting for the Guan Yin’s hands to move. Actually, I kinda don’t want to look over to our shrine right now. I’m going to avoid her gentle gaze for a few days.

Ramen Warrior!

Hey, look at that! Even comes in kid's size. Get yours at SumoFish Designs. Check out Sushi Robot, too. Saw SumoFish's booth at the Seattle International District Summer Festival this weekend. Awesome shirts. Very vibrate colors. I'd totally pimp one out.

Neighborhood Gentrification

The Seattle Times had a feel good story on the rising number of POC in local schools. The rise is credited to immigration and rising minority birth rate in comparison to the white counterpart. The districts following the minority-is-now- the-majority trend are Seattle, Tukwila, Highline, Renton, Federal Way and Tacoma. The article makes no connection that all these districts are in suburban south Puget Sound.

My theory of the current rise of POC in the south end schools, with no statistics or documented observations, pegs it as a side affect of gentrification. During the housing boom of the early 2000’s POC were priced out of the wealthier neighborhoods. Whites dominated the north end and east side. POC with houses in the city were bought out. Young POC are unable to purchase within the greater city limits. Many sought the relatively affordable housing in southern Puget Sound. POC populations were displaced to the outer fringes of Seattle. Now this group is starting families and school population is showing the housing relocation pattern. I don’t think there’s a significant rise of immigration flow or higher POC birthrates. I see the rise formed by the relocation of POC populations to the slightly lower priced south Puget Sound housing market. That’s my two cents. Or my one cent, since I can’t afford north Seattle properties.

The Reason to Buy a Prius is . . .

Prius = A Middle and Upper Class Give Yourself a Pat on the Back BandAid Solution

Yeah. I said it!

I *Heart* Spam

Spam, eggs, and rice on the Hawaii MacDonald's breakfast menu? I'm sure some of you already know this, but it's news to me.

Oh, hell yeah. I want to go to Hawaii now! Get me some taro pie and hot ramen noodles! Mr. Cheap Stuff has some tasty pictures of the yummies.

Zen Conversation with My Daughter, Episode 3

I shouted across the playground to my daughter informing her we'll be leaving in 5 minutes. I believe in being a fair parent, allowing for plenty of warnings and open communication to minimize misunderstandings between us. She didn't answer so I shouted pass the slides and monkey bars if she heard me. She threw me an icy glare. The reply shamed me:

"EVERYBODY heard you, Mom."

Harsh. I thought I was a cool edgy mom to my six year old. We read comic books for bedtime, watched Miami Ink together, I let her help pick out my tattoo design, took her on trips for weeks across states and continents, taught her all the bad words so she can learn them from me instead of some snot at the playground, took her to indy film screenings, shepherded her in finding her hapa identity, hell, I dyed her hair hot pink when she was three.

Today? Today, I planted myself firmly into the soil of "Parents Who Just Don't Get It."