Is This the Craziest Bridge Ever Designed?

Never thought about how to connect two countries where they drive on different sides of the road! Not sure I would want to be on during typhoon season though!

[Is This the Craziest Bridge Ever Designed?]

Dinner with Ayi

First of all, before describing the events of last night, let me explain the term Ayi. Ayi literally means "Aunt" in Mandarin. But is used generally as a term of respect for any Chinese woman older than yourself who you don't know by name. To make it more complicated though, Ayi is the general nomenclature used to describe domestic help. We don't use the term "maid", there is no such word in Mandarin really. So our world is filled with Ayi's: cleaning our street, monitors on the school bus, and term we use for Zhang Cai Zhen who comes to our house every week day and adores Natalie. So why not an English name like Jenny or Sally like other Ayi's use? She doesn't have an English name and never felt compelled to adopt one. SO why not call her Zhang Cai Zhen? First reason is that Zhang Cai Zhen contains 'zh' and 'c' which are the hardest sounds (characters) to pronounce. Secondly, she prefers Ayi! OK, got it?

Ayi's son  is getting married on June 19. In actuality, they are already married. (see picture with Natalie to the right) June 19 is simply the wedding. It is common for Chinese couples to do this. [It is actually interesting to compare and contrast the differences between a religious-based marriage versus a "cultural-based" one. I quoted that as I am not really sure how to refer to the Chinese practices for taking on a partner. But that is another blog for another day!] Unfortunately, Natalie and I will both be in the U.S. for summer holiday on that day. Ayi originally wanted us to change our flights, it is that important to her. But after she and I discussed, we compromised. Tom would represent the Bramer's at the wedding and we would all go to dinner before hand. So why is this so important? For Ayi and her family, we are a major source of income. Her husband is only working part-time due to a heart condition. Her son does have a good job, but he probably makes the same only by working many more hours. When we first hired her, she was still paying of significant medical bills for surgery her son had two years earlier. So, we are treated with utmost respect from both the groom and bride's family. I find that totally embarrassing. It feels like this respect carries with it responsibilities for which we are not qualified to perform. Growing up at the bottom of the middle-class in the U.S. does not prepare you for the idea of another non-family person being dependent on you for their welfare. Capitalism usually puts a "human resource" structure in place to shield us from that at our jobs.

Last night we went to a local Shanghaise restaurant. There were to be nine of us in total, three from each family. As we pulled up in our chauffeured van, our guests were securing their bicycles out front. Awkward. We greeted each other, but there were no real introductions. It's like they know that foreigners cannot pronounce or remember names so they let us keep face by skipping that whole procedure. We headed into the resteraunt. It appeared that we might have been the ONLY foreigners ever to enter this place, we had a group of three escorts walk us up and into our private dining room. The first test was the seating arrangements. In Chinese culture, it is standard that the most important person should sit in the chair facing the door. We knew that it was probably going to be Tom, but he attempted to defer to the Ayi's son to show our respect. After about 2 minutes, they (we did not participate) worked out who should sit where. And yes, Tom became the "The Man".

Ah, now the menu! I was hoping for a restaurant where we could pre-order. Then we could have had some help to navigate the customs that might (or might not ) be associated with certain dishes. I made the Ayi help me and considering hoe much chatter she invoked while studying the menu, I am sure I would not have been successful by myself. After much debate, we agree to 6 cold dishes. One dish was a Sashimi combo, which probably offended all of them (they eat nothing that is not cooked!), but had to make sure Natalie had something to eat! Rest of the dishes were not too strange, some pork tongue, but everyone eats that, right?  Now to pick the main dishes. Our cold dishes all arrived before we finished ordering! We had 8 main dishes.   The choice was probably 8 or 88 as 8 is the lucky number for Chinese. Duck, eggplant with pork, beef with peppers, noodles, tofu with chicken, pig skin and pork, mushrooms and cauliflower, and baozi (of course). Tom was lucky enough to get the first choice of every dish. Natalie's plate was filled as everyone kept selecting choice bites and putting on her plate. I sat back and enjoyed. Each dish which was placed on the table introduced Chinese chatter about the good and bad points of that particular dish. I am still amazed at how a meal in a restaurant becomes a complete gastronomical debate!

As Ayi and I were ordering, Tom was asked to partake in the symbolic smoking of the peace pipe. In this case, a Zhong Nan Hai Liu Shui Yin, one of the post expensive brands of cigarettes you can buy! I couldn't take pictures as it seemed rude. But let me tell you, Tom is definitely not a smoker! He looked a bit like a girl puffing on it. Natalie was impressed though at his ability to make smoke come out his nose! She thought it was a trick and demanded another explanation this morning after breakfast. Later after eating, he smoked another. Still no good! Luckily the Baijiu drinking was not required last night. Anyway, he was picking up the bill, so I guess he earned the smokes!

The conversation was a bit limited. Our guests spoke mostly Shanghai-ise to each other, so it was hard to follow. Mostly the conversation revolved around Natalie and how beautiful she was. Seemed there was also some discussion about a child whose eye was almost poked out by another child with a chopstick. Guess that is the American "running with scissors" analogy.  Natalie thought the "father-in-law" was loud (see he and his wife with Natalie on the left). And he was, but in a funny way. He would yell out something in Mandarin (I think) to Natalie and she would respond "Wo bu jidao" which means "I don't know". This would make them all laugh. She didn't think it was very funny. Soon  it was time to pack up and head home. They gave us gifts, including a box of Lipton black tea, which Ayi uses to make iced tea for Tom every day. And lots of candy. Plus a set of soap dishes and towels for our bathroom.  Out total bill came to about 900RMB, about $131. Fed a group of 9. Not bad. Cheaper per person than a single entrée at Outback.

Overall it was a wonderful evening, though we all ate too much and a few of us smoked too much. Going out with local Chinese reminded me why I love China. The respect and love that they can give to even strangers who are not outsiders can be overwhelming to Americans. I sense that Natalie has an easier time accepting the attention and appreciation. She is still trusts that people do things for good reasons. As an adult, that is not always our first reaction. In fact, I am sure there are people who will read this blog and assume that we are being treated nicely only to ensure long-term future employment for one individual. But I am learning not to see it that way at all. It is simply true appreciation. Not a Hallmark card. Nothing insincere at all. One definition of appreciation is "a positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive". Isn't that we expect appreciation to be? So, thanks to Ayi and her family and friends for helping us experience such a great evening!

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BBQ Cabbage Slaw Recipe

Made slaw for a party yesterday and realized my old standby recipe for a good dressing had actually not been a recipe at all, it was the Marzeti Slaw Dressing you could buy in the states. No good for me here in Shanghai! So, I adapted a few recipes I use for other summer salads into one that could enhance the slaw. 

Nothing fancy here. Simple slaw and a sweet sour mayo dressing. But as I was putting it together, I spent some time thinking about what this slaw could become, if you made some minor modifications! So, I spent today playing with it and appreciate the versatility of a simple side dish like slaw. You know me, I rarely use a recipe as is, especially if it was not mine to begin with! So this is a perfect one to play with. The cayenne adds just a tiny kick. If you are worried about spice, leave it out, but I assure you, there is so little used here you will not taste spice!

The addition of raisins added another texture and really added some sweetness. That was probably my favorite variation. Adding the sesame oil and cilantro transformed it into the Asian style slaw that I normally serve alongside my Soy Lime chicken. Well, almost. I add peanuts to the slaw, but didn't like that as much with this version, so I left them out. This slaw would also be great on top of pulled pork sandwiches. Didn't try that yesterday, but I think it would be great. If you use it that way, I would go with more of a chop to the slaw to ensure you can easily consume from inside of a bun!

By the way, did you know that China produces 36,335,000 tonnes of cabbage each year? And there are so many types to choose for! Today I used simple green and purple cabbage, but there were lots of other choices. I think I will try a few others with this recipe. 

But some other day. I think I have had enough slaw for now!

iPad Exerience - Week 3

The iPad (not sure about ownership anymore!) is slowly finding its niche in our home. Don't read into that comment that I love the device yet, but I am thawing! And maybe it is because I knew that a tablet would fit into our computing gaps.

I love using it for email. My Gmail renders a bit different than in Chrome, but I find it easier to use than my Android phone for anything more than a quick check. Sure, using the smallish screen on my Hero is fine if I am checking to see who is bringing the cupcakes to the class party, but it is not easy to write more than three or four sentences of response. The other thing the tablet does is to make my email reading a more "casual" and I feel less pressured to respond to the big ones. I keep that for my morning email ritual. I also use it for perusing through my articles on Google Reader. I have a lot of sites I loke to take a look at occassionally and I find the ability to take the iPad out to the porch (with a glass of wine!) is a favorite thing to do now. Only complaint is the inability to read the iPad with any sunlight. Even our table umbrella doesn't always do the job!

The other thing we use if for is playing games and watching the occasional YouTube video. Plus guests who visit like to pick it up and play with it too. Still working on the NetFlix connection!

So, I guess we'll keep it...

Vermont Farm Takes On Border Fight With U.S. : NPR

I am not sure why I even jumped to read this article. The headline intrigued me as I was checking my geography facts to see if Vermont was actually on the border with Canada (I know, ignorant Midwesterner!). The government wants to spend $355 million to improve border stations with Canada. I know that border stations serve a purpose. But I am having trouble seeing the payback of this type of "investment". And this is Canada, I can't imagine what we spend protecting ourselves from Mexico. This isn't about Democrats versus Republicans, this did not just happen in the last few years.

As I read this, I couldn't help feeling that as Americans, we are missing the big picture. What are we protecting ourselves from? Another 9/11? Because I don't believe that there is enough money in the world to 100% ensure that. Drugs? Illegals? What does that even mean? Since I have a 7-year old, I like to think of ways to explain such complex issues, like protecting our borders. It sounds so... Silly. And the idea of building a wall? Hilarious.

So, this is just my view, it is not simple to get around these issues. I know they are complex and mired in politics. But I guess I just wonder what an average American might REALLY think of our borders. But you can't ask the ones who have been "informed" by our politicians or our media. I am afraid they are in fact no more "informed" than before they listened. Now they just have an position or opinion.

Vermont Farm Takes On Border Fight With U.S. : NPR

iPad Experience - Week 2

So, the inability to attach the network basically rendered the iPad into an expensive toy. At least at this point as we had few offline applications downloaded or content available. But all three of us were able to complete the Mahjong Quest! I was able to trick the iPad into a bit of internet connectivity this week, but that lasted < 5 minutes. I was trying to use the Kindle for iPad application, which is supposed to use Whispernet, and I was able to use the Safari browser. But connectivity stopped after about 4 minutes. Was not able to duplicate that afterwards.

To address the connectivity problem, we ended up purchasing an a Apple AirPort Express for about $115 (yes, even more money thrown at Apple!).The other option was to upgrade our existing router, but we currently have a NetGear RangeMax, which was pretty good it's in day. Our main internet access is ADSL via a DSL modem which is downstairs in the basement, which is then connected to an Ethernet network. So our existing router is connected to one of the ports in the office. I was still not 100% convinced that replacing our router would resolve the issue that iPad requires wireless support of the latest wireless standard, 802.11n. So, instead, I simply plugged it in to the power outlet and then connected to our existing network via Ethernet cable. 


[Oh, and a quick digression. The router, showed in the picture here to the left, has the plug directly on the device, no cord. As a Windows user, it is hard for me to get used to the design aspects associated with the Apple products. I have several derogatory remarks about this product design, but as I am no Apple expert, I will ignore that for now. Let's just summarize it by my feeling that it seems both under- and over-engineered! ] 


After connecting, the modem went through its start up cycle (solid amber) and then began blinking. Then, we turned on the iPad, and VOILA! It connected. That simple. It found the network, and since I had not yet installed the Airport Base Station Agent software, there was not security, so it simply connected as a preferred network. I was able to access Goggle Mail from it, and feel like that might be a good use for the device in the future. Tom immediately downloaded some more games and I didn't see he or Natalie without the iPad in hand until much later in the day! 


As of this morning, 16 hours later, the connection is still active an no problems. I have some complaints (the software for the router is a pain, the strength of the connection varied widely even when it is sitting in a location one meter from the router, why is Whispernet not working). But the sun is out this morning and I am going to putter around with my flowers!  More later this week!

iPad Experience - Day 4

Read a magazine on Zino format on iPad. Note that Tom downloaded application and magazines while still in the US. Overall, a good expereince. I chose National Geographic, an iPad interactive issue from April 10. The pictures looked as fabulous as they do when you read the magazine. And since they are about the same size, that part of the experience was basically the same. Really enjoyed the integrated video that was available in this magazine. However, since our wireless access is not working (see previous post), the integration to the internet content was not yet there. It took me about an hour to read thorugh the whole magazine. 


One observation regarding my reading process though. I spent a lot of time with the visual aspects of the stories, but found myself uninterested in the actual text that went along with it. I tended to focus on the text that was integrated into the pictures or visuals. Not sure why that was, maybe content, though the same thing happened with Spin. 


A note about SPIN. This magazine has a lot less interactive content and required the iPad to be in a vertical mode versus the horizontal mode. When horizontal, there were two pages formated for the screen. I would have needed much stronger reading glasses to read any of the small text. The feeling when looking at this way, was like reading a pdf file or some type of scanned page. But vertically, it paged OK until you hit a page which was actually a two page spread. Anyway, the point is that some magazines (i.e. magazine publishers) have invested more than others on the future of e-reading magazine content on these types of devices. I am not yet convinces yet to give up my Wired paper magazine! But I can see this device allowing for more casual browsing of magazines that today I buy occasionally for specific content.


READING/BROWSING INTERACTIVE MAGAZINES: 4/5


I also feel that as a reader, the iPad is REALLY heavy. So I tried reading the Kindle for Mac that Tom has also installed on the iPad. Not a good experience. The thing is heavy. The light in a room reflects off the screen making it hard to read. Forget reading outside. For me at least, this would never replace my Kindle as an e-book reader. If you don't have an e-reader already, than maybe this will work for you. I read ever night in bed, and the thought of holding this vertical for more than 2 minutes makes me queasy. I am an avid reader (except apparently when it comes to interactive magazines!) so I have specific rituals (not like voodoo) that come into play: reading with one hand in bed, cheating on an airplane and leaving my "device" on during take off, and reading at the beach. So, this usage for the iPad is not going to get a high score.


e-Reader (current Kindle user): 1/5

Now off to find a new router... 

Newest Member of the Bramer Family: iPad

Well, it finally happened. An Apple product was introduced into my home this past weekend! Apparently Tom had too much time and too much cash available during his most recent trip to the US. He felt compelled (maybe he was drunk?) to purchase an iPad. Being an IT Professional (no jokes), I have had a long time relationship with Microsoft and, eh, it's productivity tools. Hence the blog entry. Now I am not ignorant of Apple technology, I have simply chosen to ignore it up to this point. So, now this Microsoft Family is being forced to learn how to also hate and despise Apple (as if I have any frustration left after my Windows 7 upgrade!).


Enough lamenting. Thought I would use the blog to share my thoughts and learning. There are a lot of people out there considering such a purchase, so thought I might help by exposing, I mean sharing, our journey to integrate and use this technology in our MS home.


Day 1/2/3
Determined that the iPad will not connect to our current wireless routers that we are using in the house. Simply stated, the iPad requires wireless support of the latest wireless standard, 802.11n. (Check out the wiki for a  quick overview of what that means). Sounds reasonable, right? Well, our NetGear router does not support that version, nor did a router firmware upgrade help. Nor does the newer NetGear router upstairs, which I just purchased two years ago.  So at this point, we cannot access wireless inside our home.  


But we have determined it is a great to play Mahjong on! Natalie and I are competing to see who can finish the round the world game first! (I am winning)


More later...

Group Video Calling on Skype

Just updating to the new version of Skype. In this major upgrade, Skype now has ability to support video calls with more than two people. Once you’re all set up, it’s easy to start a group call – just use the Add button to invite people into the conversation, and click the Video Call button. If you want to use this feature, the person you want to add has to have upgraded to the newest version as well. Note that this is a beta feature, soe there may be a few hiccups, but I think it is great!


You have to use this link to access the Beta 5.0 upgrade, it is not the 4.2 release that just came out!

Avocado Salad with Carrot-Ginger Dressing

It's summer. And that means salads. Ran across this one looking at an old Goop newsletter. I love avocados and this carrot ginger dressing sounded fabulous. Of course, I am the only one in the house which will like this, but I am rarely deterred by that small issue! I did make the Ayi try a small plate of this salad. She said the dressing was good, but she can usually barely choke down any raw lettuce! Also, it was the first time she had eaten avocado. Her description was that it was "not sweet, not sour, buttery". I think that is a marvelous description of an avocado!

The major changes I made to the recipe were to decrease the miso and used olive oil (not EVO) instead of grapeseed. Plus I upped the amount of avocado (the original called for a single one). Note that different miso varieties will give a slightly different taste. The original called for white or sweet miso, but I had only some red that I had purchased in Tokyo. I reduced the amount accordingly as the red is really salty. This recipe has a real bite to it from the fresh ginger and the shallot. If you don’t want quite the same level of ginger taste, use one tablespoon instead of two. 

This recipe makes more than enough dressing for these four salads, but you can use the extra as a dip for vegetables. I even got Natalie to eat some with celery. Tonight I am going to try some on top of fried potatoes. I think the pairing of dressing with the starchiness and bit of crunch will be fantastic!

Foreign Accent Syndrome

I believe I will start writing a book, Steven King-style, which involves humans who awaken from a long sleep and realize they are now speaking their mother tongue but with a foreign accent. I'll have to work in some type of time-travel or something. Not sure.

Damn, started the research and realized this is a known "syndrome" Who knew.... (I apologize in advance to any of the known 60 cases of this syndrome read this blog. I do not mean to belittle your... illness... in any way. It's just that anyone who can actually inflect a Chinese accent without ever studying FOR MILLIONS OF HOURS has definitely had some sort of fantasia experience that needs to be studied.)