My tiny hyprocrisy: I'm always talking and writing about being a 'cool' mom. But the truth is: I'm often very tough on my kids, especially my son who is turning 9 this summer. When I visited Auschwitz this month, this hit me square in the face and deep in the gut....… Read full post »

I don't bake. I don't like baking. Does that make me a bad mom?

Today, my lack of baking skills may just turn me into a less than adequate mom, because my 5-year-old's homework is to decorate a gingerbread house. Thankfully, I don't actually have to bake a… Read full post »

I don't bake. I don't like baking. Does that make me a bad mom?

Today, my lack of baking skills may just turn me into a less than adequate mom, because my 5-year-old's homework is to decorate a gingerbread house. Thankfully, I don't actually have to bake a… Read full post »

So, it's Valentine's Day.

I've been so busy that I hardly even noticed. But then, how could one miss it with all the chocolates, roses and pink and red hearts floating around?

So I really should be writing about how I feel about Valentine's Day this year, because I experienced… Read full post »

Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a video of a woman swinging babies. It is called "Baby Yoga." It went viral, of course, as any spectacle that is put on the net these days are wont to.

Then, there was this blogger who "scored" an… Read full post »

This is why I will never be a true blue "Chinese mother." Ariel missed her first violin lesson today.

Last night, I saw an email from her music teacher at school with an attachment - both online and on the Blackberry. Groan. More schedules. Let me tweet these articles first, before… Read full post »

Banana Parenting: Best of East & West...I Hope.

It is Saturday morning. My 8-year-old son, Amon, is grounded in his room. There will be no TV, Wii or playtime this weekend. He has until 12 noon to clean up and organize his room, failing which, he will not… Read full post »

I began the first Monday of the new year as I do most "working" days. I trawl, tweet and retweet news.

So, what's new in 2011? There was an earthquake in Chile; Zsa Zsa Gabor is in hospital and her lower leg needs to be amputated; British actor Pete Postlethwaite died;… Read full post »

My kindle has a name - Judith S. Porte.

The "S" stands for Shakespeare, and her favorite song is The Doors' "Light My Fire." She is thus named, because she came into my life at a point when a flame was ignited again.

I fell in love all over… Read full post »

My hair is tied up in a bun. There are stray strands all over the makeshift mop-top. It stinks too.

My fingers, despite repeated scrubbing, reek of the spices I have been chopping and grinding since last night. I have to remember not to rub my eyes or… Read full post »

There he is…across the room from me.

 This scene is feeling a little tired. But yet, there is so much comfort in the familiarity that we keep doing this over and over again.  This is how we see each other all the time – among warm bodies… Read full post »

 This is the year I spend the holidays with myself...and for myself.

This must sound incredibly selfish, irresponsible and indulgent to anyone reading. On the contrary, this is the best thing I could ever do for the people and world around me.

My kids… Read full post »

I'm sitting and sipping my Tie Guanyin.

I should be transcribing interviews for a story due next week. Instead, I'm reading "Tea Maker" in the New York Times.

This is good tea -- in fact, one of the best variety of oolong tea. It is also expensive. I… Read full post »

Everyone loves this time of the year. Right?

What's there not to love? Think of all the merrymaking, feasting, drinking, and gathering of warm bodies around fireplaces and bars, forming a human barricade from the cold air outside.

Not me. The end of the year is a difficult time for… Read full post »

There was another Facebook update earlier tonight.

 No, seriously. It's all over Twitter. Just go search "Mark Zuckerberg" because the world's youngest billionaire appeared on TV...none other than THE 60 Minutes this time, to announce a HUGE Facebook redesign.

Wait, didn't he just make a HUGE an… Read full post »

My baby turns five tomorrow.

She is a perfect ray of sunshine, lighting up my life each and every day. She was named for a Shakespearean sprite...not a Disney princess, as most people believe.

In many Asian cultures, it is believed that a child's name has a significant impact… Read full post »

This is a feature I wrote in early 2009 as my final paper for a Global Health Reporting class. It was published in the newsletter of an NGO in Asia. I decided to re-post this as a reflection on World Aids Day. The way we've dealt with HIV/AIDS… Read full post »

"Put on your coat, Amon. Stand right there. Watch me. I'm going to demonstrate to you what Master Coles said earlier about standing up for yourself."

He slid out of his seat across from me in the booth at Uncle Julio's. Ariel, who was seated beside me, did… Read full post »