Grassroots vegetarianism

See what I did there?

After reading the wikpedia article on Environmental vegetarianism, I wonder if I should seriously consider becoming a vegeterian.

The only thing is, vegetarianism feels impracticle in an urbanized society like Hong Kong. At least on my university campus, meals with meat are pretty much everywhere because it is cheap and conventional. The vegetarians (by culture or by religion) here have trouble finding variety in the foods that they eat, citing that they can't go 1 week without having to order the same meal option twice. Other impediments include the fact that I love eating fish.... and that I'm ethnically Filipino and Filipinos make really good adobo chicken, lumpia, and fried bangus (milkfish).*drooool*

Before jumping into anything cold turkey, one always has to do their research. Minimizing meat consumption is the best option at this point and highlighting the environmental/world impact of vegetarianism could get me past the tipping point. Of course there are valid other reasons like animal rights and ethics and personal health and such. But like many other people, I feel like PETA's attempts at veganizing the world are a bit annoying, too brash, and often hyperbolic. On the other hand, healthy living is probably the most enticing reason to become vegetarian but we've seen time and time again that people in developed countries unwittingly forfeit their personal health for immediate gratification and thus fail on vegetarian diets.

Truth be told, I've always been a bit reserved about vegetarianism. I felt that whenever someone altered their dietary choices outside of a cultural/religious, medical, or upbringing context, it was about self-glorifying statement-making and not about changing the world for the better. ("Look at me and how I'm showing compassion to animals"/"I'm doing this for my health." versus "I believe that doing this will in some way help alleviate our current world dilemmas").

Take Mark Zuckerberg, for example. After hearing about his recent marriage to his long-time MD-degree-endowed girlfriend, I took on the role of a typical Facebook stalker and I also found out another of his life events was that he became a vegetarian. 'True vegetarians' don't agree on whether or not it's okay that he would 'only eat animals that died by [his] own hands' but Zuckerberg states that it is more responsible and respectful of life and it would make you more thankful about what you ate. I personally think vegetarians who complain about the trueness of his vegetarianism are missing the point. Even if he's got his own lofty fanfare going on (which I frown upon), he's got a point about respecting nature and being responsible for your own actions. I just hope he doesn't miss the more critical aspect of his choice... does starting with the man in the mirror make the world a better place? And what can he do to make sure it does?

Just my one cent on the matter: Vegetarianism should be about a grassroots movement... by your one dietary choice, you could have a conversation with your friend and spread the word about whatever it is you believe in. For me, IF I became a vegetarian, it'd be about trying to make others more conscious about world sustainability, for the sake of humans & all of God's other creatures. In Zuckerberg's case, he should use his position in the public eye to take his "responsibility" argument a bit further: a worldwide reduction of meat consumption (and the resultant reduction of processed meat production) can help alleviate world hunger and at least slow down our rampant race towards environmental collapse.

Anyway, even more pressing: FINALS! (lol why do I always have more blog posts around exam period?)

Reflections on D3 day: Girl gamers

Am I crazy or did being a girl gamer become hip and cool over the last few years? It's a strange phenomenon. One of my theories is that its because boys are becoming more vocal about how much they appreciate girl gamers... they wish they had a gamer girlfriend this, they wish that girl would let them play their games that. Perhaps it gives boys excuses to continue their escapism without feeling the guilt of recklessly abandoning real-life obligations.

In days of old, girl gamers were usually closet gamers. And on that note, it may be a valid point to conclude that the negative stereotypes of an extreme boy gamer (a bit overweight, acne-prone, lack of social skills) probably had an analogous extreme girl gamer image, only that they were so rare, nobody really paid any mind.

On the other hand, you would find the casual gamers who varied in appearance, social prowess, and general life achievements. This is because although other forms of gaming were around for a while, "gaming" became a means of social growth and interaction with the rapid development of the internet. And this new medium of social interaction is where being "hip" and "cool" comes in.

While there's nothing wrong with the new and diverse images of casual gamers, there are definitely many things wrong with the current direction of the girl gamer image--mostly because it has only one image so far: she's sexy. It seems to me that there's this crude idea that girl gamers should be hot and sexy as well as down to earth, be able to hold their own in a raid, and be willing to make their guy a sandwich while they're at it. Well, sorry to tell you: that quadruple standard isn't realistic. How is it possible to maintain a perfect body figure, bring home the bread, be a homemaker, AND develop an impressive gamer's skills set? Even if you don't feel like you're setting up these standards, trust me, that's the message you're sending... Imagine if that quadruple standard was applied to guys.

MMORPGs were once a world where nobody would have to know what you looked like. It was a place where you could escape and forget about who you were for an hour or two (maybe more). Like all things, such a break from the real world could be healthy in moderation. But the new girl gamer image sends the wrong kind of message to girls who get into gaming and nullifies any sense of healthy "escape" they'd gain from the game. In a realistic situation, a girl could game initially for social purposes, come back to the real world and realize they aren't this hot, sexy girl that the girl gamer image proposes, get depressed, then throw themselves back into the game.

Also, by being a girl, your identity isn't "one of the guild"; instead it's the girl in the guild. Sure, girl gamers have an advantage of getting free stuff from guys... but doesn't that just reinforce the social context girls experience in real life? Sure you can use your gender/sexuality to exploit others or get what you want, etc, but that doesn't do a lot for self-esteem. It reinforces that your gender and/or sexuality are/is the only thing you can use to be successful in this new day and age. It says nothing of your skills. It says nothing of your virtues. Take this as cynicism towards the sexification of the "women and video games" industry.

This can take a different direction soon enough. While gaming is becoming more and more accepted (thanks to social media), more girls will join in. Existing girl gamers will become more vocal as it has become a world appreciative of their pioneer into the gamer demographic. As it gains more momentum, I suppose we'll be able to put to rest the image of an oversexualized girl gamer. But in this mysoginistic world, I don't think we will ever be rid of it completely. Not any time soon.

Archrivals

I can go conflict-free with most people and resolve problems quickly... However, in the context of social interactions, I've noticed that...

..there are people who you just don't mesh well with. You're extremely hydrophilic and they're extremely hydrophilic... and, well, that's just the way it goes. You're driven to natural repulsion due to a heterogeneous combination of background, culture, ideal, preference, etc. You just don't like each other and you couldn't change yourself even if you wanted to compromise.

Oddly enough, this type of relationship does not have to be the bane of our social lives. People "who you just don't get along with" don't necessarily have to be considered enemies. Nor do you need to avoid interaction altogether. These people are blessings in disguise. If you have the right perspective, they teach you how to embrace true respect for others. Sort of like an arch-rival-type situation. They're rivals, yet you respect them. And it helps you grow.

I like the idea of real life archrivalries. Usually not as epic as fictional ones but drawing analogies is always fun. :D

In other news... UROP official enrollment! Cosmetic hydrogel characterization. Habitat for Humanity trip in rural China after finals. Phuket, Thailand trip in June. Yeah!

Good things round the bend but finals are still in the way.

Stay hungry. Stay humble.

Jeremy Lin

If I have a son, his name would be Jeremy. That's a sentiment I think many Asian girls who are fans of basketball might be feeling.
I've been following the http://www.jeremylin.net/ blog since he joined the Warriors last NBA season. I always thought he was a good player starting from his UConn videos and summer league before he got drafted. He played "scared" while he was with the Warriors but I still believed. However, even I didn't dream that he'd have such a dramatic and magical "extended minutes" debut, leading to a linsane 10,000 surge in his Twitter followers and international media coverage.

Jeremy Lin was the reason I started following the NBA so closely last year with the Warriors. Now he's the reason I'm almost obsessed with the NBA. I can't stop telling people about him. I love his story. I love the fact that he's so humble and such a hard worker. I love the fact that he makes his teammates better and gives them opportunities to shine. He brings a team together. I love the fact that he passes the ball and keeps it moving. Anyone who's been an underdog would be inspired by his story. Anyone who's fought the stigma of stereotypes and perceptions that act as invisible walls. I wouldn't be surprised if his story translates to the cinema as another of those inspirational sports movies.

And even apart from my personal biases, J.Lin's basketball savy mesmerizes people. True, he makes mistakes on the court and critical eyes can identify serious weaknesses that might surface as he progresses. But I would say, J.Lin doesn't have anywhere to go but up. Nobody doubts that he's going to work hard enough to improve where he's weakest. Jeremy has always had skills and fundamentals. He struggled with the Warriors but now that he's passing the social stigmas of Asian Americans in basketball, he can focus on improving and maturing into a great and popularly well-liked NBA professional.

"I've given up trying to compare JL to anyone. He isn't the "Next" anything. He's the FIRST Jeremy Lin." (a comment by zxcvb on jeremylin.net)

So true. So true.

P.S. The Lin-Chandler-Novak combination = triple threat!

Enter the misunderstood misfit in high school

Some people never find that place where they belong. They are doomed and pressured by society to try to climb the social ranks. And in their path, society rears its ugly head and stops them. A status quo rep and a scapegoat, the misfit is not accepted as a misunderstood genius or misguided talent. They simply do not have the social skills to be accepted by most, if not all. And boy, am I guilty of turning my head in frustration and rejection whenever the misfit's social ineptitude irked me.

This social nature of humans... we're so affixed on what's right and wrong. I'll admit, I went to a high school swarming with nerds and enthusiasts for ambition and knowledge. The status quo was not as evident and almost every nerd, geek, Asian, white person, singer, orchestral player, athlete, coach, homosexual, bisexual, teacher, student, you name it, belonged somewhere, to some group. Not only did they have that, but by senior year we all got to know each other so well (or rather, we all got used to each other), we learned so much about tolerance and the diversity of people that we could shatter glass and find value in every little shard. But it wasn't like nobody ever categorized people in their head still.

I guess people like to imagine we've all veered from the dichotomous selection of people-I-accept and people-I-don't-accept. Even with education, people still have a problem with what they can't understand. We like to think that education teaches tolerance and it does to some degree but it so happens that only people with the right social perspective learn what is taught. So I have to wonder... if the social order mandates that people who don't fit in change, or that the bulk of socially acceptable people should change their views for that minority of less accepted people. Maybe it's an interdependent cycle? If the misfit was accepted in high school, (s)he'd be less misunderstood, (s)he would grow out of social ineptitude, leading to more acceptance, leading to the accumulation of tolerance and respect for human individuals.

I wonder... because I am a guilty woman... for I have secretly labeled people in high school, in spite of my belief that you should be kind to others. I wish I could atone for my secret errs. But alas... the world of high school has passed. And the time of misfits in the status quo, who themselves likely participated in social "labeling", has passed....

or has it? I can't be sure.

Wasn't my post on college girls a kind of social labeling? And to be honest, I don't think I'd mind if people labeled me a social misfit.

College Girls

I have to say something I thought about while doing laundry.

Girls go through so much trouble just to attract the attention of men. In college, especially, there's so much freedom to dress up. Scanty, scandalous, cutesy, over-accessorize--all of these things--just to go to class or go out with friends. Dressing up for attention has become a sort of casual thing.

I guess it's understandable. From a biological ecology perspective, the mating competition is fierce. It's not only genetics which play a part in attracting men. It's not only personality which keeps them. It's upkeep and superficial primping. Make-up has altered the culture from square one so I guess it's in the nature of survival... the nature of biology. And we fall for it. I'll admit I've turned my head once or twice because some guy did his hair nicely that day. It's just how we get attention and, believe it or not, I think that superficial appearances is and always be of some importance in this world.

But it's sad how drawing an image can consume a person and distract them from the upkeep of a personality. And by upkeep, I mean maintaining virtue, integrity, humor, wit, intelligence, etc.--the silent things that you can't genuinely read or understand without really getting to know a person. If you keep working on how beautiful you look on the outside, you might never pay attention to making yourself beautiful on the inside. It can even go vice versa. Best to strike a balance that fits you. Most people can but I think a lot of us fall prey to society's tricks in late high school and college years.

I think I might offend some guys if they read this (well, I don't have a big following anyway, so I guess there's no need to have a disclaimer). But I think some girls need to tone it down a little. Stop trying so hard to get attention. And maybe some guys should stop being so preoccupied with their own search for girl-attention as well. Lastly, everyone should take more time to get to know a person's personality. For [a rather extreme] example, there is a girl at HKUST infamous for her ridiculous outfits on a daily basis (I've yet to see her). In doing so, many guys and girls become preoccupied with criticizing or being attracted to her choice of style (yet here I am being a critic). Not only that, I'm sure her personality has suffered negligence by her preoccupance with trying to look like that every day. I can't say that for 100% certain because she might actually have a pleasant personality... on the inside.

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that we should all stop being so confusing to each other. It's just a preference of mine, but I like my guys honest and unassuming. Quiet and shy, so I can get to know him bit by bit. And of course, he has to be a bit of a secret romantic. (Wow, I'm pretty lucky. I think I know just the guy! <3)

Access to Healthcare

I hurt my knee again. It's probably the one hundredth time since the original injury playing basketball. Funny that this knee problem is the one thing that has followed me since a year and a half ago. It was a totally stressful and annoying day accompanied by a guy whose sole purpose in life seemed aimed at making mine a living a hell. That's over. But every time I hurt it, it takes a day or two to recover. Pretty quick, if you ask me. At least I can play sports regularly. But it's not a very positive indication for my long-term health.

Anyway, I feel sad most of the time because I refuse to see a doctor. MRI's and X-rays galore to determine the extent of damage to my ACL and medial meniscus. If I want to play sports with less of a fear for reinjury, then I'd need surgery. After that, physical therapy. The doctors paid by the U.S. government also don't care very much for their patients... leaving personalized healthcare something to be desired. The bills won't stop if I pursue treatment. So, I put it off because my parents don't need that burden right now. Sadly the question becomes: what happens in the future when I get diagnosed with arthritis because of constant reinjury? Healthcare costs will pile up and the cure will not be as simple as surgery. But maybe, at least, I'll be able to afford my own insurance by then.

My fear of seeking healthcare is not a unique plight. Thousands of people won't seek medical treatment because of unreasonably high medical costs. But on this issue, there are thousands of people who won't seek medical treatment as a direct result of low education levels and socioeconomic status. Some simply don't know what resources are available to them and what can be done for their medical problems. They're afraid of the costs, they live in neglected neighborhoods, their children are accustomed to a lower quality of life. Treatments used for the general public sometimes are not as effective for minority populations. We are all different, after all, and respond to medical treatment differently.

Incidentally, there is a wealth of therapeutic and medicinal knowledge available, but so many groups of people are left uncared for. People need to be educated, healthcare costs need to be lowered, and minority treatment research needs to increase.

Andrea's List of Qualities a Boyfriend Must Have

/* He must be able to understand the geek references and basic C++ syntax contained in the following list and see the humor in it despite the obvious programming errors (e.g. undeclared identifiers, syntax problems, etc.) */

#include<iostream>
#include<near.impossible.female.standards>
#include<not.really>

int calc, t, dating, marriage, brain_RAM, brain_HDD;
double Height, Age, my_Age;

int main( ) {

1. He must be able to handle calculus of multivariable in brain_RAM; //bonus hotness if he can do differential equations
2. be able to recall the molecular masses of hydrogen through oxygen from brain_HDD;
3. and be able to calculate the distance x a cannonball will land given the force it was shot with, length of cannon, angle shot from, and height of cannon from the ground.;
   
   
4. He must have taken college-level courses from psychology or philosophy (and have Asian-acceptable grades in them);
5. be able to sustain Socratic conversations about ( books || ideas || current_events ) for t >= 0.5; // t is in hours
6. and play a musical instrument.; //extra sexy kudos if he can sing
   
   
7. He must be athletic or very active;
8. agree that for (int dating = 0; dating < marriage; dating++) {
   cout << "No sex.";
   }; // if this were a RL program, it would be more complicated.
   cout << woohoo; //And it wouldn't be an infinite loop.
9. be consistent with his moral+ethical values and spiritual beliefs.;
   
   
10. (double) Height > (double) 1.6; //meters
11. (double) Age >= (double) my_Age;
12. He must be my Part-Time Lover and Full-Time Friend; // <3
13. He must be a foodie BUT ( != obese && != fat ) ;
14. He must recognize the value of the Mark Twain maxims: "Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like no one's watching, and live like it's heaven on earth.";
    

}

P.S. I will probably rewrite this to my satisfaction someday when I have time to be more clever. Which will probably be never.
P.P.S. I don't like having to write in HTML entities.
P.P.P.S. I've only learned two weeks worth of C++, so gimme a break, yeah?