It's easier to think of Amy Chua as a Dragon Lady villain, but after hearing her speak at Time Inc. tonight, it is perhaps more accurate to say that she is mostly self-deluded. I'm not trying to be insulting-I genuinely think she has not fully thought through certain issues related to Asian and/or Asian-American identity and perception, and ( Read more... )

I think one of my biggest issues with Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is Chua's problematic nomenclature. Leaving aside the grossly fetishistic overtones of Tiger becoming a descriptor for Chinese (come on, that crap is so last decade), I really think that Chua's decision to call her parenting method "Chinese" is irresponsible, and her opening ( Read more... )

Tomorrow Amy Chua is doing a Q&A at Time Inc. for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. I already have many strong opinions about Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother from media coverage alone, but I know I'm not being truly fair until I've read the actual book myself. Fortunately, Google Books has most if not all of it online, so herein, my chapter-by ( Read more... )

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Guess what? You don't have to be obsessed with politics to vote. Voting does not mean you are, or will become, a political junkie. In fact, voting ideally should not be left to only the most fanatical zealots on either end of the political spectrum. But midterms, lacking the figurehead of the presidential election, are often relegated into their ( Read more... )

Last Tuesday I flew home to surprise my mom on her 65th birthday. When traveling during the winter, I'm used to worrying about the weather on the east coast end, since California is pretty much paradise year-round. Not so this time, when our plane was struck by lightning somewhere over the Sierra Nevada. There was a loud pop and the cabin lit up as ( Read more... )

I wasn't thinking about Haiti when I made yesterday's observation about not assigning blame to the unfortunate, but it does apply to the devastation there and the usual ungracious comments made by the usual suspect or two. Sometimes it seems like certain individuals read just half the Bible -- and I'm not just talking about the Old Testament. Even ( Read more... )

Several months ago, my co-worker and I were getting lunch at Au Bon Pain when we noticed a homeless guy hanging around outside. Not particularly noteworthy, except this guy wasn't just sitting against the wall or even actively panhandling. Instead, he was staring intently at the pastries ABP stocks right in front of the windows, like a little boy ( Read more... )

"The most important [commandment]," answered Jesus, "is this... Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:29-30)

When you grow up going to church, Biblical canon can become as rote as a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. We state and restate creeds until ( Read more... )

Since I'm a week into keeping my New Year's resolution to blog every day, I figure I might be able to handle adding another one.

I have atrocious sleeping habits. I go to bed after 3 a.m. every night (lately it's been around 4:30 a.m.). On my days off I sleep in until afternoon, which catches me up, sort of, quantity-wise but throws me further off ( Read more... )