Adapting

Fury failed his Spanish test last week. As a consequence, we took his screen time away for the weekend (no TV, no computer). This hits him harder than most kids because we have a "no screen time during the weekdays" rule. You can wag a finger at me all you like, but my response will always be "at least I'm not Kim Jong Il," so there. It's so easy being an Asian parent. We have convenient reference points.

This weekend was particularly tragic for Fury because we were taking a road trip up north (did I mention we sold our house and are moving up to Northern CA in March? More on that in a few weeks). On road trips, Fury is allowed to be on the laptop/Nintendo DS/iTouch all he wants without limits, since we're just sitting in the car anyway. He also gets unlimited screen time once we get there because my buddy has a 15 month old baby and no age-appropriate toys for Fury. I guess he picked the wrong week to fail a test.

"But it wasn't a fail, it was a D-"

Oh Fury, in some Asian villages, that gets you banished until you're 18.

So what did Fury do without anything electronic for the entire weekend??

He read books in the car.

He pushed his little sister around in a toddler mobile.

He pushed my friend's kid around in a toddler mobile.

He played catch with me in the yard.

He hit wiffle balls with me in the yard.

He read books at night.

He had conversations.

He had fun.

He adapted.

What to drink when you're sick

We all do it. We all have that one indicator we've designated as the DMZ between the Republic of Healthy Happy and the Commernist Socialist Crappiarchy of Sick. Perhaps it's dry eyes for you, or maybe it's that itch at the back of your throat. Whatever it is, once you cross it, you're in enemy territory, wallowing in a jail cell made of crumpled wads of tissue.

For me, it's the sick sneeze. The sick sneeze isn't like other sneezes. A healthy sneeze hits you hard and quick. It's over and done with, and you go your separate ways. The sick sneeze taunts you all day. First, as a twinge in the dark recesses of your nostrils, then, as the day wears on, it advances to a full-on itch with some heat behind it. This is when my fight begins. If I can fend off the sick sneeze for a full day, I won't get sick. If I give in and sneeze, the rest of my immune system bounces like dominoes in an Ice Cube video.

I truly believe that I have defeated many a cold, simply by holding off the dreaded sick sneeze. It ain't pretty, but it works.

But despite my best efforts and contortions, sometimes Ice Cube yells "Domino!"and it's not a good day.

When that happens, my first line of defense is booze. Alcohol kills germs, and that's all the science I need. Which reminds me. Way back in the day, an old Japanese kickboxing coach of mine gave me this recipe for a cold:

• Some Sake
• A raw egg
• Some sugar

I think the raw egg protein helps to strengthen your immune system while the sugar kick starts it. The sake helps you not care that it doesn't work.

I did some Googling today, and it turns out the above is really a legit traditional Japanese natural cold remedy called Tamagozake. While some of you may run and try it because, hey, an excuse to drink (don't tell me I don't know you guys), some of you may dig the natural aspect of it, but not the complications from salmonella. For that, may I suggest the best of both worlds:

Nature Fusion is a line on Vicks products that combines good stuff from nature, like honey, with the stuff in medicine that you can't pronounce but works like a charm to get you back on your feet. Nature Fusion products also contain no alcohol (I like mine on the side anyway) and no gluten (if you must have your gluten, you can always dip some foccacia in it). I like this concept a lot, because it's like the Robocop of over-the-counter cold remedies. Nature and science, rolled into one badass cure for all evils. 

In the spirit of disclosure, I must tell you that I haven't yet tried it, so I cannot vouch for how well it works. However, I do have some sitting in the medicine cabinet for the next time I lose the sick sneeze battle, which won't be for a while. I love being on the Vicks Blogger Brigade and all, but I love not being sick more. Plus, I've been working on new faces.

Bugs are food, not friends

I had this whole long intro written for this video, but I decided to scrap it. One simply cannot introduce a video of himself sampling a bug platter with any degree of eloquence or justification. This was filmed when MrLady and I attended a China-North America business summit in Harbin, China this past September. Well, this, was filmed at a beer garden while off the clock. They serve normal food at the summit.

So, SOPA and PIPA walk into this bar

And they ruin the internet.

They also make Lunchboxdaily really boring.

We finally get bi-partisan support on something and it's THIS? I say let the parties go back to bickering, and let us make fun of it all on the internet.

I'm not technically savvy enough to shut my site down for a day in protest of SOPA/PIPA, but I can send you to a site where you can call your local representatives to stop this nonsense.

Me with a stickblender, singing Johnny Cash

I can tell you one thing: if anyone ever does a Google search for kitchen appliances and Johnny Cash, I can rest assured that my blog will rank prominently.

You deserve some background. Kenmore has invited me to their Kenmore Live Studio in Chicago this coming weekend for a Blogger Summit to check out some of their latest innovations for the home. As part of this, they're giving the good citizens of the internet (remember when the term was netizens? wow, what was your AOL address back then?) a chance to win Kenmore gift cards ($25, $50 and $100) for submitting innovative ways to use everyday appliances to complete day-to-day chores. In their words, "what is your most unusual, yet practical, use of a common household appliance?"

Need a bad example? Watch this video. I think I scored ok on the innovation front, but pretty much failed in the "yet practical" department.

No matter... all the more chances for you to win. There are only a few rules:

1. Submission must be in video form. For now, just upload to YouTube or something and post your link in the comments. If you're chosen for the next round, you will need the original file handy (preferably in Quicktime).
2. Unless the appliance is Kenmore, make sure the brand isn't visible (tape works wonders).
3. Submit it here by Wednesday, Jan 18 by 6pm PST.
4. This is for US residents only (sorry Canada, you know I totally dig you still!)

Psst... I think you have a really good chance of winning. This is a short turnaround contest, which means fewer entries than you probably think. Turn that camera on and submit something, anything! Go! Go! Go!