This never posed a problem to me until recently after I received an email from a previous co-worker in Toronto.  In her email, she shared  a story regarding to a girl who had lots of health problem caused by soy bean products.  The girl has paid lots of attention to what she eats, been working out hard to keep in shape.  A few years after she has been eating lots of soy products as replacement of meat in order to get protein.  Tumors and abnormal cells start to appear in different body parts. First,  thyroid, she got that removed. Second, ovary,  then she got the whole female productive system removed.  Then breasts were removed as well.  So she started to question herself and doctors why all these had happened to her since she has been eating healthy and excercise regularly.  Meanwhile, she started to search information online about soy beans.  Then she found that quite a few other females posted their similar stories. They all pointed out that soybean caused the problems for them.  After reading this email, I start to feel curious because I never thought soy beans can cause health problems for human. That is not the way we have been told. We have been told that soy beans protect us from heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and the discomforts of menopause. And actually my graduate study is about flavonoids from soy beans, grape seeds, tree barks, onion.....I remember that I wrote lots of nice comments about flavonoids as antioxidants.  Frankly I was in a shock after I did some reading about down sides of soy products. http://www.westonaprice.org/soy/darkside.html

    Researchers at the US Toxicological Laboratory in Arkansas found that the thyroid-depressing substances are isoflavones, the estrogen-like compounds found plentifully in the soybean. Isoflavones, which have both hormonal and nonhormonal properties. One concern is that soy may adversely affect thyroid function and interfere with the absorption of synthetic thyroid hormone. So it is important for soy food consumers to make sure their intake of iodine is adequate.

    Further confirmation of soy's adverse effects on the mind comes from a recent study of Japanese Americans living in Hawaii. Professor Lon White found a significant statistical relationship between two or more servings of tofu per week and "accelerated brain aging." Those participants who consumed tofu in mid-life had lower cognitive function in late life and a greater incidence of Alzheimer's and dementia. What's more," said Dr. White, "those who ate a lot of tofu, by the time they were 75 or 80, looked five years older." 

    There are too much to write them all here. So please do some research on your own online to take some precaution.

    Take care. wish everyone a healthy long life

    J 

First time I ever tasted durian was in Feb, 2007.  One of my best friends, Diana, who loves durian but cannot eat in her own home because her husband hates durian, and so do her in-laws. So one day, she asked me whether I like to eat durian. I said that I have not been brave enough to try it yet, I have heard that people either love it or hate it.  So the next day, she brought a box of frozen durian that can be found in probably any Chinese grocery store.   The moment she openned the box, I do not know what is the right word to descrive the smell  lol . I believe that people who have tried it know what I mean.  I did not hate it but I did not love it either. In another word, it is not something I would crave for.

Yesterday, for some reason, I miss durian. So I drove to the only Chinese grocery store in town called Lao Wang Dian and bought a box of frozen durian. I literally took it to the balcony to open the box and ate the whole thing there as well. Afterward, I have tasting it for a few hours for now. So curiosity made me go online to do some research about it. Here you go:

Durian can be best described as having succulent, creaming but smelling like stinky old shoes . Durian grows in these regions: Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Hawaii, Florida, Burma, Sri Lanka, Philippines. If you google it, you can find lots of cute stories about durian online and even on youtube. Some of those things, you might find new to you. For example, durian reacts so strongly with beer and creats lots of gas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f66veXeJzj0). Lots of people talk about the first experience with durian. quite interesting.

So who else enjoy durian like I do? Maybe we should have a durian festival .

Hope everyone had a great long weekend and ready for tomorrow. Oh btw. tomorrow is my birthday. I am going to be 36 . But I feel like I am 26 at heart.

good night

I never watched as much TV as I do now in my life. Usually I do sit-ups, push-ups, weight lifting.... when I watch TV because I can not sit still for over 20 min.

I believe that everyone has a few favorite shows. Mine are American Idol (I know I know. It is old to lots of people), Dancing with the stars ( the reason why I started to watch it because I was extremely attracted to Mario Lopez from 2006, shhhhhhhhhh... quiet lol), So you think you can dance (paid $350/ 2 tickets for an alive show in TX, seriously over priced but was fun), x-files (watched all the DVDs within 2 weeks days and nights), 24(did the same thing as I did to x-files, rent every DVD from blockbuster, and watched them days and nights, I guess somehow I am very possessive to something is good and interesting, I sometimes read novel over night when the books are really interesting), Seinfield, Friends, Sex and the city, American funniest family vedios  and Just for laugh (Canadian show).

The funny thing is that we always like someone more than the others in the show. So we cheer for them, we vote for them and we even argue for them. Remember the time that only 12 contestants left in the American idol, I pointed David Cook and said: this guy is going to be the one when most of my friends said that he could be gone any week. Tonight is the finale, guess what, David Cook is the winner. Does that mean that he is a lot better than the top 2 David Archuleta? No!!!. Actually personally I think Archuleta is better in singing than Cook. So why did Cook win over Archuleta. PACKAGE, YES PACKAGE: He is a great singer, no doubt about it. He is very good looking, in Chinese 型男, very good and cool looking. He could fit in any bands and do a great job. Although Arculeta ranks top2. But I believe that he will have a great future as well.

So you think you can dance will start tomorrow again. I am kind of excited about it. So guys what are your favorite shows. And why you like about them

Time to tuck in. Dreamland is calling me.

Have a great long weekend.

Funeral is a ceremony making a person's death. Traditionally in U.S., there is a viewing held in the funeral home with the casket open which allows family and friends to see the deased for the last time. And then casket is take to a church where a priest conducts a mass ( a ritual ceremony). The casket then will be taken to the grave to bury. But Jon's funeral was very untraditional. It was conducted outside the chapel at the Cave Hill Cemetory. It was a very well known and beautiful cemetory. Jon looked very peaceful just like that he was sleeping. There are more than 150 people there. Very casual. The lady speaker did an ok job except she talked too much about herself and her business more like a sales meeting. The best part was when she was reading all the letters written about Jon from his friends and family. People were not crying like the funeral in China. After the ceremony, we went to the grave site where Jon was buried. The burial procedure took only a few minutes. Afterward, some friends met at a bar and other friends and family met in his home drinking, eating, talking just like normal  party without tears.

In China, funeral usually takes place within three days, sometimes in one because there is no embalming (remove fluid from the body). Sons and daughters drape their head and upper body with white cloth and tie at the waist; carry a picture, ramed and edged with black crepe. Family and friends come to view the body before it is placed into a cardboard coffin. This is usually accompanied by weeping and uncontrolled mourning. Then the coffin is taken to the funeral home. Family waits outside of the funeral home when the body is cremated, then bring the part of the ash back to bury in the family grave plot.

Alison seemed very ok during the whole time. Her parents and sister from Canada stayed for another week. Then she will be on her own. A few people offered to babysit Jordan when needed. I am sure Alison will be doing fine except it will hit her from time to time.

I wish her the best from my heart. Wish I could do more for her. ..

Alison called fairly early this morning.  She was surprisingly calm on the phone. She said: Jade. John passed away last night at 1am.  For a secon, I did not know what to say except sorry.  Even though it is expected, it still somehow shocked me. I couldn't control tears coming down my face.  I kept telling her that I am going to be there tomorrow.

John and Alison had been married for 4 years. Most of the time (99%), John was acting like a mother. He would cook for the family, cleaned the house, take care of the daughter, chase her around to feed her, play games with her. Alison spent lots of time on playing tennis. During the time John was in hospital, Alison was very impressive. She was a great mother, took absent at work, spent as much time as she could in hospital.  After John went in coma, she has been like a trooper, holding the last hope, trying all she could to wake him up. But ..... I guess she won't have regrets. And I believe John went away with a heart full of love. He used his life to prove that Alison has been loving him.  She just showed him in the way he could not understand and feel.

I am not sure how I feel at this moment. Many times, I could not stop crying.  I wish everyone a healthy, happy life, the LEAST I can do.

Alison called this morning around 11am, saying that doc is going to remove John's life support. So he will be on his own. She also said that funeral is planned on the coming weekend. So I booked the ticket to fly out on Friday after work. This is not going to a pleasant trip. Somehow I am afraid of going there. Not like other times, I was always happy and excited about meeting old friends. Additional to that, Alison's voice really disturbed me. She was very upset, a few times she had to stop to calm down. She said that she is scared to lose John. I did not know how to comfort her. I would be scared too. Someone you have been with for years, having a kid together. All the sudden, you realize that he might stop breathing and never comes back. I felt it when my mom passed away. 14 years has passed, I still have hard time to believe that it happened just like that. Imagine that they are wife and husband. Plus she will be a single parent. hmmmmm that is scary. How is she going to explain to her daughter where her father is.

Over the years, I never asked how my dad feels without my mother being around. Maybe I should.

So love what you have. So no regrets in the future. give the best of you to the one who you care and cares for you.

It has been long time since I last made pancakes. Remember Mom used to make pancakes for me when I was a little girl maybe even when I was in undergraduate school. Every summer and winter break, when I came home from school, mom would cook all my favorite foods for me. One of them is the Chinese style pancakes: eggs+chopped green onion+water+powder+salt+pepper. She has passed away for over 14 years. I have never had pancakes as good as hers since.

Now I work as scientist, can afford to try any cuisine. But what I miss most are the chinese traditional food. like pickled bok choy+sweet potato noodles+pork ribs, cucumber with green bean noodles, pig ears... Still remember when I was really young, I got so excited every time mom spent 2 cents to buy me an ice cream. or 20 cents to buy a big bread.

Every Monday going back to work, the typical greeting at work would be: hey how was your weekend? what did you do? I would say, quiet. Now think about it. Quiet means taking your time to do what you want with whoever you want, do what you are comfortable with. Think about it from another angle. It actually gives me the secure feeling, you know what your life will be after today. so no worries, feeling peaceful inside.

Need to get going. Did long jog yesterday. will play tennis today.

Have a good one :)

This is the third time I went to theater to watch a movie in the last 4 months. The theater was packed. Unbelieveable!!! must be the first night Iron Man out. I felt I was so out of place since I was surrounded by teens.

Before heading to the theater, we went to my favorite sandwich place---hmmm forgot the name. xxx BBQ...:(. It is a fantastic place full of BBQed pork and smoked chicken, rib, ham...  . Spending 6 bucks, your stomach is full of meat... yummy. a great Friday night.

How much I wish that I could find a good tennis partner to play some good tennis tomorrow. or do a long jog in the park.

oh man how tired, reading double lines. I would like to say good night to my computer.

sweet dreams. tomorrow is another great day, hopefully sunshine 

We hear people say "work hard, play hard. enjoy when you can " all the time. I smiled every time I heard it. But when one of my best friends became veggie after one month Chemo from a very early stage cancer candidate leaving his wife with a 4 year-old daughter behind. I felt very sad and deep inside of me says that we should cherish more what we have. We should really enjoy life when we can. It does not have to be material way. It could be spiritual way as well such as show more affection to people who care you, love you and who you care and love.

In the last a couple of months, I've been reading his blog, I felt heart broken while reading it. I could feel the pain he has been through between the lines. One thing he mentioned about US health care system I could not agree with any more. He said if the nurses and doctors were a little bit more responsible, he would be much better off. I said to myself: tell me about it.

I am not trying to bore you guys. Just have not been feeling up. hoping you guys are doing better.