The Sad Avocado

I'm not sure if avocado is an acquired taste or just something only adults can like. I clearly remember being grossed out by the avocado in my mom's salads. But the unavoidable happens. I fell deeper and deeper in love with California AND I'm getting older and older. Nowadays, it's hard to hide my love for avocados. No comments about my age please.

The saddest thing is when avocado products turn black. It is such a waste! Imagine all the children who don't have enough to eat! And here we are, forced to throw out yummy avocados because of some pesky oxygen. As luck would have it, I found out why avocados turn black-separation anxiety.

For Diversity Day, Jose and Vicky manned the Mexican booth all night because Agustin, the only other Mexican student, was a bartender for the night. Vicky made some awesome guacamole, and I hung out there after making my rounds and getting all the stickers. It was a small shocker when my chip hit a hard object in the guacamole. Geological discoveries are cool and all, but a brown object in my, um, our food? That is not cool, man.

Trying hard to keep myself composed, I pointed and asked as gently as I could, "What's that!" Jose and Vicky, who apparently have encountered worse reactions before, answered matter-of-factly, "It's the avocado pit. It keeps the guacamole from turning black."

*whew* The dangers I brave for good food.

So there it is. If you have to peel away the avocado meat from the pit, at least let them stay together after you process the meat. Keep your avocado happy, and it will stay green.

Authenticate

I've always pitied the people who don't know that the Chinese food at Mr. Chau's is really Americanized Chinese food.

It took everything in me to not make a snide comment when, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, several travel agents from the American south complained about the food at the banquet. They obviously had no idea how hard it is to serve 100 tables the same dish at about the same time at about the right temperature. I won't even mention all the well-made, labor and skill intensive dishes cooked up by the kitchen that these ladies considered inedible.

I've come to accept the fact that most of us may learn to appreciate authentic cuisine of different origins, but we will never truly enjoy certain authentic dishes that taste drastically different from our mom's cooking. So here is my small contribution of the day towards educating people about authentic cuisine-King of Thai Noodle is not authentic Thai food. (Source: Saran with the really long last name.)

Out of the Goodness of Her Heart

"Where are you giving blood?"

"Cupertino blood center. They called and said there was a blood shortage so I agreed to help out!! I get to write it off as a tax deduction, right? I estimate my blood is worth $1 million!! I wouldn't get audited for that would I?

El Flojo Trabaja Doble

Jose's having a tough day grading assignments. "First-years!" he grunts. Now we all know misery loves company. Jose tried to spread the love by getting us to help decipher the handwriting on these assignments. Little did he know I taught middle school for four years and had to learn to understand chicken scratch to save my sanity. So the grading process went faster with me helping to decipher student names, but improved efficiency is not nearly as satisfying as frustrating others.

After more complaining and bitching about the first-years and the professors, Jose attempts to throw a piece of paper into a trash can two feet away. Seizing its opportunity to add to Jose's issues, the paper floats around a la American Beauty and falls next to the trash can. "The lazy work twice." grunts Jose.

Sobhi walks in while I'm practicing my Spanish phrase-of-the-day, and he promptly aims some trash at the aforementioned trash can from the other side of the closet-sized team room and...makes it. Instead of rubbing this in our (Jose's) face, Sobhi gamely fulfils the decree, aims some more trash at the trash can, and sinks those, too. I mean, he did have to split up his trash-throwing into two moves. So technically, he did work twice.

Never Eat Alone

I finally finished reading Keith Ferrazzi's book, Never Eat Alone. The same one Michael still can't finish because like every other diligent business school student, the only time he has to read the book is when, well, he eats alone.

Am I not a diligent business school student? No, I am. I read the book in the bathroom-the usual toilet time, but especially when I was brushing my teeth, and even when I was taking out or putting in my contact lenses. I know, that takes skills. It also took determination, considering the other free reading material I had to put aside-MacWorld, Entertainment Weekly, Technology Review, Fortune, Newsweek, Yachting, Conde Naste Traveler. Maybe TR isn't really free, considering how much tuition I paid, not even considering the blood, sweat, and tears.

Anyway, Keith makes a really good point there about focusing on the people in your life. After all, if you don't spend time with your loved ones, you will never ever have material for a blog like this.

Baby Toupee

Look! It's Suri!


I wonder if she's a Nelson client?

10 Years of Service, Half a Bath