All last week and into this week, I was going out to eat.  It’s nice to go out to eat once in awhile, but not everyday I’ve discovered.  It’s OK for my husband, but I’ve come to realize that I do need that take-out down time every once in awhile. 
Here’s why you should pack a lunch:

Aren’t you tired of thinking of what to eat EVERY DAY?  I already have this problem with once in awhile lunches with friends, much less think of what to eat everyday
You can utilize great leftovers
Waste not, …

The Power of Voice.  I lost my voice two days ago because of a cold.  Somehow, magically, it disappeared on Friday night within the span of about 30 minutes.   I still have not regained it back and it’s been frustrating.  To not have a voice, or a rather broken one (extremely raspy and at some points negligible) is an extreme disadvantage.  Here’s why:
Limited Vocal Range
You can’t sing, you can’t tell stories with life, you have limited vocal range and therefore are limited to your intonations and inflections.  Last night, I …

Today we went to Disney with just the girls - basically the moms and the kids and one helper.  It was a great event and a leisurely day.  The weather was perfect, the crowds minimalistic and not many incidents with line jumpers (you know what I mean).  The one thing that skewed our day (and plans)? - the car battery had died.  It is because my sister left the lights on and it simply drained the batteries.
PANIC.
1.  Quick - grab the security guy on the bike and ask him how he …

You’re probably wondering about the title above and so I was.  In fact, I wasn’t wondering, I was pondering who on earth would ask such an obscure question.  Truth be told, I’m in a fiery mood right now, so I’m sure my opinion and response is rather fiery as well.  The first thing that popped into my head when I saw the question were swear words. 

So of course, I’m opinionated and for a question like this, it was IRRESISTABLE to hold back. 
For starters - did the inquirer not wonder how …

I called a Toronto friend the other day to chit chat and ask her for a favour and she told me that she had a friend who worked in my previous company tell her of a site to check out.  It turns out, the site is called TheChineseSoupLady.com!  You can imagine my surprise - me and Tracy’s work is coming in full circle.  This is what you ultimately want to hear about in the world of blogs.  Although our soup blog isn’t designed to be a blog, but rather an informational portal …

At 6:15 PM tonight Hong Kong Time, NASA is going to bomb the moon. Not enough to destroy it, but enough so that it will create a plume of debris (including predicted water molecules) to prove that water exists on the moon.
we won’t be able to see it from this side of the world.  It is visible in North, South and Central America only - especially if you’ve got at least a 10-inch telescope.  However, you are able to follow the “bombing” live as they stream it through this site:
www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
NASA …

So I know I talk about limiting my computer usage when at home - see my previous article on why - “Disconnecting Back to Real Life” and it’s working out really well!  My younger daughter no longer hoards me to show her stuff on the computer and since I keep the computer OFF, even if the kids open it, they don’t know how to turn it on.  I am spending more quality time with them (even if it’s just enjoying breakfast with them or feeding them or reading or …

So today’s experience at the park prompted this post of “Stray Children”.  It started with 4 boys - one younger one about 8-9 years and another about 10-11 years old (based on size) and 2 others on bikes who were observers.  These two guys were literally beating each other up at the park!  They were screaming at each other and scratching and grabbing each other’s shirts and flinging each other around - in front of my kids who just arrived to play on the equipment.  You can imagine my shock.  …

Not forever and not completely.  I’ve come to realize that we spend so much time “baking” in front of the computer because we’re bored.  We already “bake” at work and although I try to have some down time at work from the computer, it’s hard.  This is one of the primary reasons I have opted OUT of the blackberry.  To be fair, my children take up most of my resources on the weekend and to have this additional device attached to me will only make my life more hectic (when …

I had one of the most amazing and stimulating parenting crash courses of my life (thus far this morning).  I have always been a strong disciplinary to my kids.  I have quite a rigid and structured approach to providing guidance for my children and am consistent in applying it wherever applicable. 
This morning’s lesson took about an hour and it was unplanned.  The story unfolds like this.  My youngest daughter (aged 1.5 years) gets upset at her older sister (aged 3.5 years) because the elder tried to take a toy from …