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Jul 29 In Praise of CelebrationPosted by coffeemates | 07/29/10
We recently celebrated my son’s seventh birthday. I marvel – wow, seven years, where did the time go? And I cry, realizing my first born is no longer a baby, but a self-assured boy with a big heart and great inner spirit.
So, what did we do to celebrate? We didn’t go jump on those bouncy bounce thingys. You know the party places I mean, with the large inflatable structures, where the music is loud and thumping, and makes you wish you’d taken a precautionary pain killer. Where you hope your little one doesn’t get stuck or hurt while jumping and you have to climb into aforesaid inflatables, without any shred of dignity, to rescue them... CATEGORY: General Society
TAGS: celebration, birthday, bouncy bounce, bowling, birthday party, life journey, motherhood, being thankful for good in life, family, children Jun 20 “A penny saved is a penny earned.” -- Benjamin FranklinPosted by coffeemates | 06/20/10
It’s Father’s Day and I celebrate the fantastic, warts and all, men in our lives, be they fathers, step fathers, adoptive fathers, single fathers, fathers to be, new fathers, experienced fathers, men who didn’t expect to be fathers, fathers who live away from their children, grandfathers, or some other prominent male figure in our lives.
So, what’s on my mind on this happy, sunny day? I’m preoccupied with the summer vacation from school, or rather how I’m going to engage my kids outside of the few days they have soccer, or gymnastic camp. Face it; we can only have lazy, quiet days at home for a limited time with young children. Here, in Tennessee, schools finish in May, so we’re already a few weeks into the summer break... CATEGORY: General Society
TAGS: Thrifty things for kids to do in the summer, 10 things Americans can't live without, 10 things Americans won't give up even in a bad economy Jun 02 ... And those flying Tortillas!Posted by coffeemates | 06/02/10
Do you ever have those moments when questions and issues bombard your thoughts? They escape of their own accord.
Well, I didn’t just have a moment; I had one of those weekends. Come on… Some of you know what I’m talking about. After the month we’ve had in Nashville, I have to give credit to neighbors and citizens, who came together during and after the May 1st-3rd floods – a 1000-year event in middle Tennessee – to rescue, recovery, clean up, fund raise and donate. I saw so much heart, so much giving, that I changed my perceptions of my new hometown. I’ve been feeling low. I think I suffered some kind of post flood stress – call it survivor guilt, if you will... CATEGORY: General Society
TAGS: After the floods in Nashville, 2010. Happiness. Mass shoooting in Cumbria June 2, 2010, Facebook, communication, friendships, grilling out, veggie burgers May 06 48 hours and lives are changedPosted by coffeemates | 05/06/10
It’s taken me a few days to process my feelings, absorb my emotions and consider how 48 hours can change people’s lives.
The events of May 1st and 2nd, 2010 are etched indelibly on my mind, but you might not have heard about the desperation of the situation in my new backyard. The news from Nashville, Tennessee got pushed far down the list of newsworthy items as the national and cable television networks chose to focus on the failed car bomb attempt in Times Square and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, leaving people in Nashville and its surrounds angry about the lack of coverage on what was for thousands of people and the local economy a catastrophic situation. My family survived the worse flooding in Tennessee history... CATEGORY: General Society
TAGS: Nashville, Franklin, Foods, Flash foods, 2010 Tennessee floods, Tenn. flood disaster, Worse flooding in Tenn. history, 1,000 year rain event, Harpeth River, text ‘REDCROSS’ to 90999, Gov. Bredesen, 52 Tennessee Counties declared a federal disaster zone Apr 22 EARTH DAY 2010Posted by coffeemates | 04/22/10
April 22 is Earth Day, 2010 and I’m doing my small bit to be green. Well, at least green conscious! It’s hard, I admit, and by no means have I installed green, environmentally-friendly appliances in my house – a matter of finances and everything working fine (touch wood, oops, excuse the pun!)
I haven’t gone so far as to be self-sustaining and grow my own vegetables – I’m still tackling the weeds! But I do eventually want to grow herbs and a few easy to grow things that my less-than-green thumbs can’t destroy! I think it’s right and good we care for our planet because I believe our excesses lead to environmental disharmony and you don’t need the scientists to tell you that... CATEGORY: General Society
TAGS: Earth Day, Earth Day 2010, recycle, green, environment, green ideas to save money, environmentally-friendly things a family can do Apr 19 LIVE LIFEPosted by coffeemates | 04/19/10
It’s a cliché I know when people say, “Live life to the fullest.” We hear it often enough and it does jolt us into action – well, for a day, or two. We feel good about it right until the minutiae of our lives take over and we start to complain again about daily frustrations.
This weekend, I got a reminder about living life from a friend who had just lost her best friend after her ten month battle with leukemia leaving behind a young family. A tragic and unfair situation. While it’s understandable to moan about life – we’re human after all – sad news like this makes us pause. I’ve been thinking about what living life to the full means to me... CATEGORY: General Society
TAGS: live life to the fullest, live life to the full, live life every day, a recipe for life, life's little wisdoms, be true to your self, be true to your soul, feed your soul, not living with regrets, communication, listening, friendships, family, life Apr 12 APPEARANCESPosted by coffeemates | 04/12/10
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted anything. A death in the family, sad news from friends, health issues, the children’s busy schedules, and the usual day-to-day mayhem, otherwise known as the family routine. What can I say – these things exhausted my limited supply of energy.
It’s my mother’s birthday and I wish her all manner of wonderful things. Above all, I want to acknowledge my mother. Acknowledge the courage it took, all those years ago, for her to move to a new country, so different to everything she had known... CATEGORY: Commentary & Debate
TAGS: negative body image, cult of young and thin, expectations and comparisons 
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Coffee MatesSUSAN S. CHEUNG (known to many as Shifay--Chinese middle name.) Welcome to my world. I'm a resident from across the pond who lives in the Capital District. For 13 years, I was all about my career and being successful. Becoming a mother twice in my mid- to late-30s made me take stock. Now my life is a hectic whirl of being a stay-at-home mom of two young children. I face the challenges of being a woman, an older mother, a non-American and a short person! Fortunately, I'm rescued from making too many faux pas by my coffee group (my mates)-- a great bunch of women in different situations of life. We meet in the guise of drinking coffee, but really it's about keeping our sanity intact. My blog is my take on the daily issues that affect us. My aim is to shine a light on the everyday things we take for granted. Come and be part of my coffee group and join in the conversations. POSTSCRIPT: As of JULY 2008, after eight years in Guilderland, we've relocated to Nashville, Tenn., to experience Grand Ole Opry, southern hospitality and my husband’s exciting new job. Read my "Coffee Mates" posts in 2009/2010 on acclimating to southern culture.SubscribeEmail Archives |
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