Last time I wrote about McDonald's, I suggested they should have sent me coupons for my next visit. I said I could not be sure actions were really taken on behalf of my complaint. Well, on two days later, I recieved a phone call from whom I believed to be the Boston District Manager at McDonald's. He left a message with a phone number and asked me to call him back about the incident. I didn't feel like going through my explanation with him, as I thought this was just a curtesy call. So I ignored it.
A day later, he called me back. I was driving. So I told him I'll call him back when I'm home. I called him back an hour later. He apologized for my experience and asked me to tell him what happened. I told him the story, and for a good three to four minutes he listened intently. Then, he apologized again, and said he'll send me two gift cards for my value meals. The manager confirmed my address and assured me corrective actions will be taken.
Justice served.
And I got my free meals for next time! So moral of the story? If you know something must be done, take action, because you will be rewarded!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Must Have Fruits
Time and time again, several fruits have made it into my weekly shopping list. Since I am always on a tight budget, these are the fruits I keep coming back to. They are usually available in any season, easy to prepare, stores for a while, and they add extra flavor, color, and nutrients to my meals. These popular fruits in my diet are bananas, apples, grapes, and clementines*.
Bananas
Bananas are on the top of my must-have list, because you can add them to almost anything. There is no washing necessary, so it’s great to take on the go for days that you know you won’t get the chance to wash your hands before lunch. You can have them plain and raw, cooked, frozen, blended for texture or dipped in chocolate. On a budget? I’ve seen bananas going for as low as 49 cents/lb!
My favorite ways to add bananas to
Breakfast: take it to go when I’m late for work – no spoons required, it won’t burn or spill; and if you pick a larger one, it will last you to lunch- just make sure you carry a plastic baggy to keep the aroma of the peel away from yourself if you know you won’t find a trash can for a while
- Lunch: PB&J with banana slices – it’s a classic, no explanation necessary
- Dinner: sautee it like plantains, make rice in a rice cooker, and microwave a can of beans – lazy, easy, and nutritious- my kind of dinner after a long day at work
- Dessert: a banana boat sundae – there is nothing that reminds me of my childhood more than a banana boat sundae
Do you peel your bananas from the stem or the end?
I generally peel my bananas from the end, because I was told you can’t eat the needle that is pulled out when you peel it from the end. If you peel the banana from the stem, you might end up eating that needle, which has traces of poison in it (or so I’ve been told).
Did you know? Bananas are also good for relieving constipation.
Apples
Yes, apples, but not just any kind of apples can make it to my grocery list. The picture shows Honey Crisp Apples, which are by far my favorite kind of apples. Why are they so good compared to all the other apples? Well, you can probably guess by its name that it is naturally sweet and crispy. Other than that, they make great baking apples, for pie or for stuffed apples. They are also great for making sauces. Sometimes you can find them for as low as 99 cents/lb. Apples are available year-round even if they aren’t Honey Crisps.
Add apples to
- Breakfast: by itself or to oatmeal for real texture that apple flavored oatmeal does not provide.
- Lunch: apple tuna sandwich – dice the apples, peeled or not, and mix it in your favorite tuna salad sandwich; or a variation of PB&J with sliced apples
- Dessert: Baked apples with cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, and even cherry soda! (Receipes to come)
Did you know? Apples contain as much caffeine as a small cup of coffee. So if you are trying to lose the coffee and start eating healthier, you don’t have to give up your caffeine kick. Instead, trade in your coffee for natural caffeine from an apple.
Grapes
Red or green, it doesn’t matter. Just wash and eat them whenever you want. No peeling necessary, and they make great snacks. These litte fruits are super juicy. Though they are usually over $1/lb, they are most definitely worth it, because they also go well in any meal.
Add grapes to
- Breakfast: by slicing them in half the long way and adding it it to your cream cheese on bagles or toast
- Lunch: in your tuna salad sandwich – another variation; or in your fried rice as a substitute for pineapples
- Drinks: by freezing them – they make great ice cubes and adds color to champagne. It’s a great conversation starter too.
Clementines*
The reason why this fruit is on my list even though they are not freshly available year-round, they are available in can form, which is just as good. These mini oranges are sweeter, juicier, and easier to peel. They make great snacks, and adds flavor to meals. Clementines usually come in a big box. You can get them for as low as $6 a box when they are in season, or for less than a dollar in can form.
Add clementines to
- Breakfast: in your yogurt or cottage cheese
- Lunch: Asian salads for the tangy taste
- Dinner: as a sauce or marinade with chicken stir-fry (Receipe to come)
- Dessert: mixed in your jello mold
I hope this post has inspired you to find creative ways to add fruit to your diet. Have fun with these new ideas and check back for receipes.
Bananas
Bananas are on the top of my must-have list, because you can add them to almost anything. There is no washing necessary, so it’s great to take on the go for days that you know you won’t get the chance to wash your hands before lunch. You can have them plain and raw, cooked, frozen, blended for texture or dipped in chocolate. On a budget? I’ve seen bananas going for as low as 49 cents/lb!
My favorite ways to add bananas to
Breakfast: take it to go when I’m late for work – no spoons required, it won’t burn or spill; and if you pick a larger one, it will last you to lunch- just make sure you carry a plastic baggy to keep the aroma of the peel away from yourself if you know you won’t find a trash can for a while
- Lunch: PB&J with banana slices – it’s a classic, no explanation necessary
- Dinner: sautee it like plantains, make rice in a rice cooker, and microwave a can of beans – lazy, easy, and nutritious- my kind of dinner after a long day at work
- Dessert: a banana boat sundae – there is nothing that reminds me of my childhood more than a banana boat sundae
Do you peel your bananas from the stem or the end?
I generally peel my bananas from the end, because I was told you can’t eat the needle that is pulled out when you peel it from the end. If you peel the banana from the stem, you might end up eating that needle, which has traces of poison in it (or so I’ve been told).
Did you know? Bananas are also good for relieving constipation.
Apples
Yes, apples, but not just any kind of apples can make it to my grocery list. The picture shows Honey Crisp Apples, which are by far my favorite kind of apples. Why are they so good compared to all the other apples? Well, you can probably guess by its name that it is naturally sweet and crispy. Other than that, they make great baking apples, for pie or for stuffed apples. They are also great for making sauces. Sometimes you can find them for as low as 99 cents/lb. Apples are available year-round even if they aren’t Honey Crisps.
Add apples to
- Breakfast: by itself or to oatmeal for real texture that apple flavored oatmeal does not provide.
- Lunch: apple tuna sandwich – dice the apples, peeled or not, and mix it in your favorite tuna salad sandwich; or a variation of PB&J with sliced apples
- Dessert: Baked apples with cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, and even cherry soda! (Receipes to come)
Did you know? Apples contain as much caffeine as a small cup of coffee. So if you are trying to lose the coffee and start eating healthier, you don’t have to give up your caffeine kick. Instead, trade in your coffee for natural caffeine from an apple.
Grapes
Red or green, it doesn’t matter. Just wash and eat them whenever you want. No peeling necessary, and they make great snacks. These litte fruits are super juicy. Though they are usually over $1/lb, they are most definitely worth it, because they also go well in any meal.
Add grapes to
- Breakfast: by slicing them in half the long way and adding it it to your cream cheese on bagles or toast
- Lunch: in your tuna salad sandwich – another variation; or in your fried rice as a substitute for pineapples
- Drinks: by freezing them – they make great ice cubes and adds color to champagne. It’s a great conversation starter too.
Clementines*
The reason why this fruit is on my list even though they are not freshly available year-round, they are available in can form, which is just as good. These mini oranges are sweeter, juicier, and easier to peel. They make great snacks, and adds flavor to meals. Clementines usually come in a big box. You can get them for as low as $6 a box when they are in season, or for less than a dollar in can form.
Add clementines to
- Breakfast: in your yogurt or cottage cheese
- Lunch: Asian salads for the tangy taste
- Dinner: as a sauce or marinade with chicken stir-fry (Receipe to come)
- Dessert: mixed in your jello mold
I hope this post has inspired you to find creative ways to add fruit to your diet. Have fun with these new ideas and check back for receipes.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
McDonald's Failed Moment
Last Monday, I went to grab a light snack with my family around 3pm. We had missed lunch, just got out of a doctors visit, and we were on a tight schedule. Across the street from Tufts Medical Center is where the crime took place. We went into the McDonald's, knowing they would be quick. We've been to this particular McDonald's before. In fact, I would say I grew up eating food from this McDonald.
What happened to us this time around is completely unheard of. We ordered:
~ 1 Big Mac Meal
~ 1 Double Cheeseburger
~ 1 Kids Meal
~ 2 Filet o' Fish
~ 2 Apple Pies
~ 1 Small Hot Coffee
When we were called to pick up our food to go, we were given our coffee, two bags of food, and two drinks. Okay, two drinks and a coffee makes sense. But only two bags of food? We ordered so much food! We didn't bother checking because we were in a hurry.
As we got into the car, we dug in that large bag for our fries, when we found none. It's just impossible to have McDonald's and not have fries. I ran back to the McDonald's and demanded for fries. The woman who answered me was apparently the person who packed the order. She remembered she packed it herself, because the Big Mac was a special order with no onions. She swore she put fries in my bag, but she did not. I showed her the receipt, while she continued to make it seem like I was falsely accusing her. Finally, after much humiliation in a packed McDonald's, even at 3pm on a Monday, she threw out my receipt and got me some fries.
So I was terribly flustered for having to deal with this woman who didn't pack my fries, and didn't want to give me fries even if she believed I was lying when I got back to the car. We started driving off and eating our food, when we realized she also forgot to pack the Double Cheeseburger and two Apple Pies. This was the most disappointing visit ever! My little sister was so upset, she complained all the way home. I was simply flustered to have taken her humiliation simply for fries when I should have been the one giving her a hard time for forgetting 4 items from our meal.
When I got home, I had to get all this frustration out. My little sister also felt the need to take some action. So I decided to look for the phone number of the McDonald's in Chinatown, and call to complain about the rest of the missing items. I instinctively went to the official McDonald's website to use their locator. Instead, I stumbled across their comment section. So I made my frustrations known at the corporate level by sending them a formal complaint, though I doubted anything would actually happen.
Three days later, I received an email response from a Customer Service Representative. This is what the email said:
Hello Angela:
I want to thank you for taking the time to share your recent experience at the McDonald's in Boston, MA with me. Your feedback is very important to us as it allows us to better understand how we can improve our service to you.
I am sorry for the inaccurate order and unprofessional service you received. Please be assured that we want to provide you with an exceptional experience every time you visit us. From your email, it is clear we did not meet your expectations. Again, I am truly sorry we disappointed you.
I want you to know that I have already taken action on your feedback. After reading your email, I immediately shared the information you brought to our attention with the local franchise owner of the restaurant you visited. Additionally, I notified our regional McDonald's consultant who works with this owner for follow-up in the restaurant and appropriate corrective action.
Again, *****, thank you for sharing your feedback. We appreciate your business and we hope to have the pleasure of serving you soon.
******
McDonald's Customer Response Center
Justice served? How can I be sure this isn't all just talk? How do I know action really has been taken, and that this email is not just some generic thing McDonald's does for their complainers to make sure they made peace with their company?
I may never know what actually did or did not happen as a result of my complaint. They should have just sent me complimentary coupons for next time. But since they didn't, I really can't believe their response was genuine. If this problem happens again, I know now to just call and complain.
What happened to us this time around is completely unheard of. We ordered:
~ 1 Big Mac Meal
~ 1 Double Cheeseburger
~ 1 Kids Meal
~ 2 Filet o' Fish
~ 2 Apple Pies
~ 1 Small Hot Coffee
When we were called to pick up our food to go, we were given our coffee, two bags of food, and two drinks. Okay, two drinks and a coffee makes sense. But only two bags of food? We ordered so much food! We didn't bother checking because we were in a hurry.
As we got into the car, we dug in that large bag for our fries, when we found none. It's just impossible to have McDonald's and not have fries. I ran back to the McDonald's and demanded for fries. The woman who answered me was apparently the person who packed the order. She remembered she packed it herself, because the Big Mac was a special order with no onions. She swore she put fries in my bag, but she did not. I showed her the receipt, while she continued to make it seem like I was falsely accusing her. Finally, after much humiliation in a packed McDonald's, even at 3pm on a Monday, she threw out my receipt and got me some fries.
So I was terribly flustered for having to deal with this woman who didn't pack my fries, and didn't want to give me fries even if she believed I was lying when I got back to the car. We started driving off and eating our food, when we realized she also forgot to pack the Double Cheeseburger and two Apple Pies. This was the most disappointing visit ever! My little sister was so upset, she complained all the way home. I was simply flustered to have taken her humiliation simply for fries when I should have been the one giving her a hard time for forgetting 4 items from our meal.
When I got home, I had to get all this frustration out. My little sister also felt the need to take some action. So I decided to look for the phone number of the McDonald's in Chinatown, and call to complain about the rest of the missing items. I instinctively went to the official McDonald's website to use their locator. Instead, I stumbled across their comment section. So I made my frustrations known at the corporate level by sending them a formal complaint, though I doubted anything would actually happen.
Three days later, I received an email response from a Customer Service Representative. This is what the email said:
Hello Angela:
I want to thank you for taking the time to share your recent experience at the McDonald's in Boston, MA with me. Your feedback is very important to us as it allows us to better understand how we can improve our service to you.
I am sorry for the inaccurate order and unprofessional service you received. Please be assured that we want to provide you with an exceptional experience every time you visit us. From your email, it is clear we did not meet your expectations. Again, I am truly sorry we disappointed you.
I want you to know that I have already taken action on your feedback. After reading your email, I immediately shared the information you brought to our attention with the local franchise owner of the restaurant you visited. Additionally, I notified our regional McDonald's consultant who works with this owner for follow-up in the restaurant and appropriate corrective action.
Again, *****, thank you for sharing your feedback. We appreciate your business and we hope to have the pleasure of serving you soon.
******
McDonald's Customer Response Center
Justice served? How can I be sure this isn't all just talk? How do I know action really has been taken, and that this email is not just some generic thing McDonald's does for their complainers to make sure they made peace with their company?
I may never know what actually did or did not happen as a result of my complaint. They should have just sent me complimentary coupons for next time. But since they didn't, I really can't believe their response was genuine. If this problem happens again, I know now to just call and complain.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Summer Reading
Maybe we've all been institutionalized by our schools to do summer reading. Maybe everything really does slow down during the summertime, giving us a chance to either catch up on something we've missed, pick up something we left, or start something new, fun, challenging, serious, or heartfelt. Whatever is in the air, summertime is reading time.
Although the lazy season technically began only 8 days ago, my reading started once I got out of school in mid-May. One and a half Christian books and half an economics sequel later, I found myself at the library craving something light and fun. I strolled around for half an hour with no success. Instead, I found myself with six DVDs, two of which I've already seen, though there is a three DVD rental limit. I was convinced that I leaving with no new reads when I absentmindedly came across the "New" section of the young adult nook. Yeah, maybe I should've just looked there first. It didn't cross my mind.
Anyway, I found a collection of books which consisted of Twilight copycats, fiction/novels starring pyschologically troubled women, novels starring dark and sexually insatiable women, and very dark tales of dragons and such for male readers, all of which left me concerned and disappointmented to realize these themes are what makes up pop culture for the average American youth today. I was just about ready to leave when I decided there must be a book in this "New" section that I could enjoy. I was determined not to leave empty-handed, or at least, without one book to justify my three DVDs.
A more detailed search left me with two unsuspecting finds. The first book I found and read all in that same day was "Elixir", by Hilary Duff ("with Elise Allen").
I didn't even know she wrote a book. Apparently it was published in October 2010, but it just got to this library. I hadn't heard any news of this book, so I was extremely surprised to see this once upon a time Disney star became a book writer.
I have to be honest though, when I saw the dark book cover with a generic flower photo on the top and a one word title that didn't reveal anything about her or the book, I immediately thought, 'She's not a writer. It can't be good.' I fliped to the inside cover and read the jacket.
The novel is about a high school photojournalist whose father, a humanitarian worker and "renowned surgeon," mysteriously disappears, giving her reason to go on a journey to find him. Along the way she realizes a new yet familiar face has been appearing in most of her photos. The story presents two possible answers to this young man's presence, but alas, the plot thickens and twists into a story you don't want to stop reading. I would say the storyline is something that resembles "Tuck Everlasting," "Harry Potter Sorccer's Stone," and "NCIS" combined- exactly what I needed to remedy my heavy duty reading.
The writing style, on the other hand, is not something I can say I was impressed with. Even as you read the first three pages, you can tell Hilary was narrating in her own voice. The chapters didn't have a particular beginning or ending to it; instead, the book seemed to flow as one long chapter. The ending left many questions unanswered, including one question that really should have been answered. Maybe she is anticipating a sequel. Though the cliffhanger was just not enough to make me want to read a whole other book just to get the answers.
Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes. But only for people who are at least 17 years old. Why? The main character is 17 years old, which makes some of the context too borderline R-rated for my recommendation to anyone younger, even though the book is labeled for "Ages 14 up." Would I buy this book? No. This novel is definitely not something I feel like I have to or want to reread again. As the first book this actress, singer, and song writer has published, I would say it's good. I hope she continues to write more. I can see she is trying to write for readers who are in the "in between ages," as with how she tried to make her acting relevant to this age group. Brava for her courage to chase in such an uncertain market.
The other book I borrowed is "Legacy" by Cayla Kluver.
I was impressed to find this author as a 16-year old young adult writer. She even has a blog:
http://caylakluver.blogspot.com/
I've only read the first chapter of this book about a young princess with a difficult dilemma between her duty to marry an arrogant prince to save her kingdom from war and her desire to know the truth underlying the hatred from both of the warring kingdoms. The book is pretty elaborate, but I am excited to get started. I love a good princess story. I will blog more on this book once I have finished. Watch out for part two of my Summer Reading posts.
Although the lazy season technically began only 8 days ago, my reading started once I got out of school in mid-May. One and a half Christian books and half an economics sequel later, I found myself at the library craving something light and fun. I strolled around for half an hour with no success. Instead, I found myself with six DVDs, two of which I've already seen, though there is a three DVD rental limit. I was convinced that I leaving with no new reads when I absentmindedly came across the "New" section of the young adult nook. Yeah, maybe I should've just looked there first. It didn't cross my mind.
Anyway, I found a collection of books which consisted of Twilight copycats, fiction/novels starring pyschologically troubled women, novels starring dark and sexually insatiable women, and very dark tales of dragons and such for male readers, all of which left me concerned and disappointmented to realize these themes are what makes up pop culture for the average American youth today. I was just about ready to leave when I decided there must be a book in this "New" section that I could enjoy. I was determined not to leave empty-handed, or at least, without one book to justify my three DVDs.
A more detailed search left me with two unsuspecting finds. The first book I found and read all in that same day was "Elixir", by Hilary Duff ("with Elise Allen").
I didn't even know she wrote a book. Apparently it was published in October 2010, but it just got to this library. I hadn't heard any news of this book, so I was extremely surprised to see this once upon a time Disney star became a book writer.
I have to be honest though, when I saw the dark book cover with a generic flower photo on the top and a one word title that didn't reveal anything about her or the book, I immediately thought, 'She's not a writer. It can't be good.' I fliped to the inside cover and read the jacket.
The novel is about a high school photojournalist whose father, a humanitarian worker and "renowned surgeon," mysteriously disappears, giving her reason to go on a journey to find him. Along the way she realizes a new yet familiar face has been appearing in most of her photos. The story presents two possible answers to this young man's presence, but alas, the plot thickens and twists into a story you don't want to stop reading. I would say the storyline is something that resembles "Tuck Everlasting," "Harry Potter Sorccer's Stone," and "NCIS" combined- exactly what I needed to remedy my heavy duty reading.
The writing style, on the other hand, is not something I can say I was impressed with. Even as you read the first three pages, you can tell Hilary was narrating in her own voice. The chapters didn't have a particular beginning or ending to it; instead, the book seemed to flow as one long chapter. The ending left many questions unanswered, including one question that really should have been answered. Maybe she is anticipating a sequel. Though the cliffhanger was just not enough to make me want to read a whole other book just to get the answers.
Would I recommend this book to someone else? Yes. But only for people who are at least 17 years old. Why? The main character is 17 years old, which makes some of the context too borderline R-rated for my recommendation to anyone younger, even though the book is labeled for "Ages 14 up." Would I buy this book? No. This novel is definitely not something I feel like I have to or want to reread again. As the first book this actress, singer, and song writer has published, I would say it's good. I hope she continues to write more. I can see she is trying to write for readers who are in the "in between ages," as with how she tried to make her acting relevant to this age group. Brava for her courage to chase in such an uncertain market.
The other book I borrowed is "Legacy" by Cayla Kluver.
I was impressed to find this author as a 16-year old young adult writer. She even has a blog:
http://caylakluver.blogspot.com/
I've only read the first chapter of this book about a young princess with a difficult dilemma between her duty to marry an arrogant prince to save her kingdom from war and her desire to know the truth underlying the hatred from both of the warring kingdoms. The book is pretty elaborate, but I am excited to get started. I love a good princess story. I will blog more on this book once I have finished. Watch out for part two of my Summer Reading posts.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Reflections of My Time at UMass
I am a former student at UMass Amherst, and I was a regular attender of the First Baptist Church (FBC) until I recently graduated. For some reason, I keep feeling like I still have something left to do at FBC and in the Amherst community, and I keep feeling like I need to go back to the area. A friend of mine told me a story that made me realize why I have been feeling this way, but before I tell you the story she told me, I have to share a short story of my own for everything else to make sense.
Story 1
In hindsight, my parents were subconsciously telling me they were extremely fortunate people. You see, neither one of my parents speak English, nor have they gone to college. However, their lesson stuck with me throughout college, and it became the reason why I majored in Finance and Economics. I wanted to learn why there is poverty, and I made myself a promise and a mission to aid in ending poverty once I have figured out what caused it (see my earlier post for reference).
Four years later, as a UMass alumni, I have yet to make a inch of progress on the mission to end poverty. I spent my entire college career trying to build my resume and transcript up for a well-paying job so I would not be homeless. In the process I lost my true reason for staying in school and studying what I studied. Unintentionally, my friend's story reminded me of my purpose. This is a rough parapharsed version of her story:
Story 2
This true story brought me back to the reality that poverty is still prevelant even 10 years later. It is especially prevelant in the Amherst area. I have seen many homeless people on the streets in Amherst center, and even on the UMass campus. I have spoken to some of them when I waited for the bus or when I was on the bus. From their stories, of where they are from and where they are going, I can gather up enough evidence to support what I have learned in my classes. There are multiple causes of poverty, and not any one is a greater cause than the other. Each cause affects a person differently. What did I learn from my friend's story?
If you want to combat poverty, you just have to start somewhere and help reduce the severity of poverty in some way, shape, or form, because if there was an actual formula of what financial, economic, social, or institutional changes need to be made to eradicate poverty, it would already have been done. Of if you are waiting idly for someone to come up with a formula, like how I thought I could find the breakthrough, then you risk the unnecessary suffering of many people now.
My friend's story inspired me to act on my promise. Now that I have gone through college, found a job, and realized what I am missing, I am planning to start a homeless blanket and sleeping bag service project in Amherst. FBC has a homeless shelter complete with free dinner, a movie, showers, a sleeping place with blankets, and a storage bin for each regular attender during the season. This shelter is called The Warming Place, and it is opened during the cold months of Nov. - Apr.
I am currently in the process of getting the logistics down with FBC. If you are interested in participating in the service project, keep checking back for details. If you are interested in coordinating the service project with me, let me know, and I can get you involved asap.
Thanks for reading :D
Story 1
I grew up in the Boston, and about ten years ago there were many more homeless people on the streets. I remember asking my parents why these people were homeless and why they were not living with their families. My parents could have answered in a number of ways including:
1. They are so lazy, they did not bother to find jobs to pay the bills
2. They are bad people, so their families disowned them
3. Their houses burnt down, so they do not have a home, or
4. They gambled too much and lost everything they owned, etc.
Instead of giving me any of these reasons, my parents told me homeless people are unfortunate people who never got the chance to go to college, to get the education they need, to get a job. Their intentional lesson to me was simple: stay in school, go to college, get a job and you will not become homeless.
In hindsight, my parents were subconsciously telling me they were extremely fortunate people. You see, neither one of my parents speak English, nor have they gone to college. However, their lesson stuck with me throughout college, and it became the reason why I majored in Finance and Economics. I wanted to learn why there is poverty, and I made myself a promise and a mission to aid in ending poverty once I have figured out what caused it (see my earlier post for reference).
Four years later, as a UMass alumni, I have yet to make a inch of progress on the mission to end poverty. I spent my entire college career trying to build my resume and transcript up for a well-paying job so I would not be homeless. In the process I lost my true reason for staying in school and studying what I studied. Unintentionally, my friend's story reminded me of my purpose. This is a rough parapharsed version of her story:
Story 2
There are a lot of homeless people around the BU campus. They are mostly found near the Kenmore station, but you will see them in many other places as well. Some of my friends and I would talk to a few of the homeless people. We even learn their names. Sometimes when we attend events and when there is food left over, we would offer it to this one particular guy. He was always very friendly to us. One day, one of my friends gave him a brand new sleeping bag. It was a very nice gesture, but then later on someone stole the sleeping bag from him. I can't believe someone stole his sleeping bag. It was supposed to be a gift for him.
This true story brought me back to the reality that poverty is still prevelant even 10 years later. It is especially prevelant in the Amherst area. I have seen many homeless people on the streets in Amherst center, and even on the UMass campus. I have spoken to some of them when I waited for the bus or when I was on the bus. From their stories, of where they are from and where they are going, I can gather up enough evidence to support what I have learned in my classes. There are multiple causes of poverty, and not any one is a greater cause than the other. Each cause affects a person differently. What did I learn from my friend's story?
If you want to combat poverty, you just have to start somewhere and help reduce the severity of poverty in some way, shape, or form, because if there was an actual formula of what financial, economic, social, or institutional changes need to be made to eradicate poverty, it would already have been done. Of if you are waiting idly for someone to come up with a formula, like how I thought I could find the breakthrough, then you risk the unnecessary suffering of many people now.
My friend's story inspired me to act on my promise. Now that I have gone through college, found a job, and realized what I am missing, I am planning to start a homeless blanket and sleeping bag service project in Amherst. FBC has a homeless shelter complete with free dinner, a movie, showers, a sleeping place with blankets, and a storage bin for each regular attender during the season. This shelter is called The Warming Place, and it is opened during the cold months of Nov. - Apr.
I am currently in the process of getting the logistics down with FBC. If you are interested in participating in the service project, keep checking back for details. If you are interested in coordinating the service project with me, let me know, and I can get you involved asap.
Thanks for reading :D
Friday, March 25, 2011
Reconsider Giving Compliments
Do you believe in karma? I would guess that most people do believe in karma or some ideology like pay-it-forward. Personally, I do not believe in either theories. Instead, I believe doing good is what happens when I see an opportunity to bless someone out of love and make it happen.
Think about it- what are our true intentions of helping someone or doing good if we expect something like "peace at heart" or "good luck" in return? It doesn't matter how subtle or subconscious our expectations are, when we act out of an alternative motive, we lose our ability to give true and pure goodness to those we "pick and choose" and deem worthy of our "goodness". When we act out of love and kindness from our hearts, we do good and we bless those who happen to be in chance's way.
If you are thinking that I may feel good about myself after giving a compliment to someone and making their day is my "return" for my good deed, then you don't have the complete picture. Sure, when I make someone's day, I may get a good feeling inside like I have done something meaningful, but this feeling doesn't always manifest itself.
Take, for example, the compliment I gave my coworker a few weeks ago. I had asked for help from anyone in my general work area. One of my coworkers decided the easiest way to answer my question was simply by coming over to my cube and pointing me through what I was trying to do. As he stood behind my chair, I could smell his sweet cologne. When he was done giving me directions, I simply said, "thanks, and you smell good".
For the next five minutes, which does not sound like a long time when it actually is, all he could talk about was how my simple statement was the first compliment he has received in a very long time. He said it's always nice to be appreciated for smelling nice, which is not something he often hears anymore even though he has always worn cologne. In other words, he could not remember the last time someone complimented him for anything, especially not for the cologne he wears daily.
As he was sharing his heartfelt thoughts on compliments, I tried to understand how much my simple statement meant to him. Seriously, that was probably the most simple observation anyone could make, yet it meant so much to him. But for me, I did not feel especially good about "making his day," because I didn't feel like I meant to do it or tried to do it for any purpose. I made his day by chance, not by motivation or expectation for anything in return, and I did not get that warm and fuzzy feeling inside after knowing I did something good that day. Don't get me wrong- I didn't feel bad either, but my point is, I did not have to feel anything in particular nor did I expect to feel anything in particular, because my statement was simply an observation that was not meant to illicit any emotions.
What's more, I did get to understand how my coworker felt by a simple statement that sounded like a compliment just last week. I was washing my dishes in the kitchen at work when my supervisor came up and waited to use the sink. We started talking and he casually stated that he admires my gentle yet vivid voice. I was completely taken aback by his statement, because I have always thought of my voice as soft and mousy. Yet, he told me I had a rare voice that simply brings peace to the listener without even trying.
His words built my confidence and became a blessing to me. I felt like someone finally noticed a hidden gift that even I didn't know I had. But I noticed he was surprised by my reaction. My supervisor probably assumed I had heard this statement before such that it would not be a compliment to me, yet it was a compliment. Would I consider this compliment karma? Well, I took it as a compliment- but it wasn't meant to be one.
Nevertheless, my coworker and I have both experienced true blessings this past month. Neither of us expected the compliments, and neither my supervisor nor I believed what we said were compliments. So if all it takes to make someone's day is just to be honest, then we should reconsider giving "compliments." We should think about how we can be honest to the people around us and maybe by chance we will lift them up and bless them with the love we have.
Think about it- what are our true intentions of helping someone or doing good if we expect something like "peace at heart" or "good luck" in return? It doesn't matter how subtle or subconscious our expectations are, when we act out of an alternative motive, we lose our ability to give true and pure goodness to those we "pick and choose" and deem worthy of our "goodness". When we act out of love and kindness from our hearts, we do good and we bless those who happen to be in chance's way.
If you are thinking that I may feel good about myself after giving a compliment to someone and making their day is my "return" for my good deed, then you don't have the complete picture. Sure, when I make someone's day, I may get a good feeling inside like I have done something meaningful, but this feeling doesn't always manifest itself.
Take, for example, the compliment I gave my coworker a few weeks ago. I had asked for help from anyone in my general work area. One of my coworkers decided the easiest way to answer my question was simply by coming over to my cube and pointing me through what I was trying to do. As he stood behind my chair, I could smell his sweet cologne. When he was done giving me directions, I simply said, "thanks, and you smell good".
For the next five minutes, which does not sound like a long time when it actually is, all he could talk about was how my simple statement was the first compliment he has received in a very long time. He said it's always nice to be appreciated for smelling nice, which is not something he often hears anymore even though he has always worn cologne. In other words, he could not remember the last time someone complimented him for anything, especially not for the cologne he wears daily.
As he was sharing his heartfelt thoughts on compliments, I tried to understand how much my simple statement meant to him. Seriously, that was probably the most simple observation anyone could make, yet it meant so much to him. But for me, I did not feel especially good about "making his day," because I didn't feel like I meant to do it or tried to do it for any purpose. I made his day by chance, not by motivation or expectation for anything in return, and I did not get that warm and fuzzy feeling inside after knowing I did something good that day. Don't get me wrong- I didn't feel bad either, but my point is, I did not have to feel anything in particular nor did I expect to feel anything in particular, because my statement was simply an observation that was not meant to illicit any emotions.
What's more, I did get to understand how my coworker felt by a simple statement that sounded like a compliment just last week. I was washing my dishes in the kitchen at work when my supervisor came up and waited to use the sink. We started talking and he casually stated that he admires my gentle yet vivid voice. I was completely taken aback by his statement, because I have always thought of my voice as soft and mousy. Yet, he told me I had a rare voice that simply brings peace to the listener without even trying.
His words built my confidence and became a blessing to me. I felt like someone finally noticed a hidden gift that even I didn't know I had. But I noticed he was surprised by my reaction. My supervisor probably assumed I had heard this statement before such that it would not be a compliment to me, yet it was a compliment. Would I consider this compliment karma? Well, I took it as a compliment- but it wasn't meant to be one.
Nevertheless, my coworker and I have both experienced true blessings this past month. Neither of us expected the compliments, and neither my supervisor nor I believed what we said were compliments. So if all it takes to make someone's day is just to be honest, then we should reconsider giving "compliments." We should think about how we can be honest to the people around us and maybe by chance we will lift them up and bless them with the love we have.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Forming New Social Relationships
Marriage. No matter who you are, male or female, gay or straight, young or old, you have thought about marriage as a blessing at some point in your life. And why shouldn't it be? Marriage is first and foremost a symbol of love. Then, it's a symbol of commitment. However, in today's context, marriage can serve another purpose, not loving and not committing, but something even more practical for those who do not believe in love and commitment anymore. Marriage can be a gateway to a better, wealthier, and healthier life simply by sharing it with someone else.
As people we long to be loved by someone we love. And believe it or not, we also strive to love more than we consciously know. We like to serve our partners or significant others and make them need us and depend on us. We like to make commitments, because it makes us feel like we are important to someone else in the world. But what happens when love fades and commitment falls apart? Are we just left with divorce and broken hearts?
No, I disagree with this image of marriage. What I do agree with is that marriage is a practical way for a couple to support one another even through old age and sickness. And thanks to the Massachusetts legislation, same-sex marriage will help me make my point. Before gays and lesbians can be legally wed, did you suppose that gay couples did not have their own ways of symbolizing love and commitment? So why did MA gays bother to fight for same-sex marriage? Does the title of being married really matter all that much? I'm sure you can still buy a ring for each partner regardless if you're actually married by law, so that can't be it either.
So what's the big deal? Why did gays fight for marriage rights? The answer is simple. Gays realized one thing that straights have yet to realize and appreciate. That is, gays know that there are certain economic and health benefits to being married. For example, married couples can save money by sharing the same living space, the same car, the same utility bill, etc. Yes, this arrangement is similar to having a housemate who is also a good friend, or cohabitation with your boyfriend or girlfriend, but marriage is silently different. Ironically, it is the silent difference that is giving us a new reason to appreciate same-sex marriage.
What differs between two people sharing a house and all its financial aspects and a married couple is insurance. That's right. Insurance is the silent reason why gays want marriage rights. If you were a gay couple who weren't married, you would not be able to buy family insurance, whether it is family health, car, or life insurance. So with no way to help out your partner when they are in most need of your help either financially or medically, cohabitation is just not cutting it anymore.
If one person from a couple loses their job, they will cease to have health insurance. If the couple is not married, then the other partner can not simply add their partner to their insurance plan. You can only apply for family insurance from your partner's provider if you are their spouse. Thus, the covenant of marriage is in and of itself a blessing by law.
Whether marriage symbolizes social approval or economic and health benefits, no one can argue that gays do not deserve same-sex marriage rights, because that would be the equivalent of saying gays do not deserve to have health insurance, or life insurance. It would be the same as saying gays should be left to die from something as small as an ear infection or as big as cancer if they cannot afford to pay for treatment.
Furthermore, the single and heterosexual population in today's society should thank their gay counterparts for this wonderful new right to marry someone of the same sex. Career driven Americans push off marriage or never find the right person, because we are so swamped with work. Or, some straight men or women may choose not to marry at all. But now, singles have an alternative option to the inaccessibility of commitment without losing all the benefits that married couples get.
Single, heterosexual men and women who no longer believe in love or commitment can marry their good same-sex friends to take advantage of the economic and health benefits married couples enjoy. I know this may be strange to conceive at first, but it's really just like having a housemate or cohabitating, except you get the bonus insurance factor. I predict that 40 years from now, we will see our average household size decrease, but our cities will be filled with married heterosexual couples.
And although this new type of social relationship is a great idea, I am sure that heterosexual women will most likely be the first to take advantage of this opportunity, because women are usually the pioneers of forming new social relationships. After all, if a woman marries another woman and they decide to divorce and later remarry men, the men will probably take the nontraditional relationship easier than if it was the other way around.
Marriage. No matter who you are, male or female, gay or straight, young or old, you have thought about marriage as a blessing at some point in your life. And why shouldn't it be? Let us sincerely thank our gay friends for giving us a new and truly insightful reason to appreciate same-sex marriage. Let us embrace the forming of new social relationships and transform our nation as one that is accepting of all forms of relationships.
As people we long to be loved by someone we love. And believe it or not, we also strive to love more than we consciously know. We like to serve our partners or significant others and make them need us and depend on us. We like to make commitments, because it makes us feel like we are important to someone else in the world. But what happens when love fades and commitment falls apart? Are we just left with divorce and broken hearts?
No, I disagree with this image of marriage. What I do agree with is that marriage is a practical way for a couple to support one another even through old age and sickness. And thanks to the Massachusetts legislation, same-sex marriage will help me make my point. Before gays and lesbians can be legally wed, did you suppose that gay couples did not have their own ways of symbolizing love and commitment? So why did MA gays bother to fight for same-sex marriage? Does the title of being married really matter all that much? I'm sure you can still buy a ring for each partner regardless if you're actually married by law, so that can't be it either.
So what's the big deal? Why did gays fight for marriage rights? The answer is simple. Gays realized one thing that straights have yet to realize and appreciate. That is, gays know that there are certain economic and health benefits to being married. For example, married couples can save money by sharing the same living space, the same car, the same utility bill, etc. Yes, this arrangement is similar to having a housemate who is also a good friend, or cohabitation with your boyfriend or girlfriend, but marriage is silently different. Ironically, it is the silent difference that is giving us a new reason to appreciate same-sex marriage.
What differs between two people sharing a house and all its financial aspects and a married couple is insurance. That's right. Insurance is the silent reason why gays want marriage rights. If you were a gay couple who weren't married, you would not be able to buy family insurance, whether it is family health, car, or life insurance. So with no way to help out your partner when they are in most need of your help either financially or medically, cohabitation is just not cutting it anymore.
If one person from a couple loses their job, they will cease to have health insurance. If the couple is not married, then the other partner can not simply add their partner to their insurance plan. You can only apply for family insurance from your partner's provider if you are their spouse. Thus, the covenant of marriage is in and of itself a blessing by law.
Whether marriage symbolizes social approval or economic and health benefits, no one can argue that gays do not deserve same-sex marriage rights, because that would be the equivalent of saying gays do not deserve to have health insurance, or life insurance. It would be the same as saying gays should be left to die from something as small as an ear infection or as big as cancer if they cannot afford to pay for treatment.
Furthermore, the single and heterosexual population in today's society should thank their gay counterparts for this wonderful new right to marry someone of the same sex. Career driven Americans push off marriage or never find the right person, because we are so swamped with work. Or, some straight men or women may choose not to marry at all. But now, singles have an alternative option to the inaccessibility of commitment without losing all the benefits that married couples get.
Single, heterosexual men and women who no longer believe in love or commitment can marry their good same-sex friends to take advantage of the economic and health benefits married couples enjoy. I know this may be strange to conceive at first, but it's really just like having a housemate or cohabitating, except you get the bonus insurance factor. I predict that 40 years from now, we will see our average household size decrease, but our cities will be filled with married heterosexual couples.
And although this new type of social relationship is a great idea, I am sure that heterosexual women will most likely be the first to take advantage of this opportunity, because women are usually the pioneers of forming new social relationships. After all, if a woman marries another woman and they decide to divorce and later remarry men, the men will probably take the nontraditional relationship easier than if it was the other way around.
Marriage. No matter who you are, male or female, gay or straight, young or old, you have thought about marriage as a blessing at some point in your life. And why shouldn't it be? Let us sincerely thank our gay friends for giving us a new and truly insightful reason to appreciate same-sex marriage. Let us embrace the forming of new social relationships and transform our nation as one that is accepting of all forms of relationships.
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