May, 2008

I once dated a guy who compulsively tested and re-tested his IQ with online quizzes. When his scores rose each week I assumed he was a self-involved cheater, not a genius. Maybe I should have given him due credit for finding loopholes in the system. Perhaps cracking the codes of the interweb is today’s claim to genius status – after all, who needs complex symphonies and mind-numbingly difficult mathematical equations?

The truth is, society searches for composers and mathematicians – everyone wants to be reminded that works of staggering genius exist. Geniuses inspire us, Nathan Birch stresses in a recent article, as well as make the general public bemoan their horribly average mental capacity.

• Read more

A Summer Sunday Brunch for the Whole Family at J.W. Marriot Hotel

Looking for something to do this weekend? Join the newly opened JW Marriot Hotel  celebrates the beginning of summer at their Asia Bistro with a special family-friendly day this Sunday, June 1!

Family dining can be difficult. Siblings fight over where they want to eat, picky children limit restaurant options and a lack of babysitters makes dining without the kids a difficult affair. Asia Bistro promises to create a restaurant outing that is fun for the whole family.

The Bistro will set up special areas devoted to making sure that children enjoy themselves. Two on-site nannies will keep the kids entertained, as adults enjoy a special Sunday brunch on the outdoor terrace replete with Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese and French cuisine, as well as a Beijng Duck section.

• Read more

Students from 40 local schools in Beijing have been working on the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” campaign with support from Kimberly-Clark over the past two months. Since we all live in China, and we can tangibly feel how important it is to learn the most we can about protecting the environment and undoing the damage we’ve already inflicted, this is a great way for families and kids to find out about what they can do. The event will also include writing messages of hope and encouragement to those in Sichuan province affected by the earthquake. The event is hosted by Roots and Shoots, a youth program of the Jane Goodall Institute.  

Date: June 1

Time: 9am-12 noon

Location: Beijing City International School

Details: In Chinese

• Read more

It started with a small, hard lump in Marianne’s neck – my mother noticed it one day, when our baby was just two months old, and brought it to our attention. We felt it beneath the skin – a noticeable bulge along the ligament running up to her left ear – and a gnawing suspicion crept into our minds.

Over the next few weeks our baby continued to grow happily and healthily, but the hard lump remained there, though diminished in size.

At her monthly check-up the doctor advised that we simply wait and see (“Could be something she outgrows”), and if it was still a concern, to take her to see a pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital (The Capital Institute of Pediatrics, 首都儿科研究所) by Ritan Park. 

• Read more

I have something to confess. As an only (and very spoiled) child for the first two and a half years of my life, I was less than ecstatic when my little brother was born. While my mother breast-fed the wrinkly creature I threw wooden blocks at his head and stomped around the backyard wailing, “Caitlin don’t get ‘nuff ‘tention.” And when my parents were busy cooing over his diapers, I pounded sticky couscous to the kitchen floor so that they were forced to deal with my mess. If only Dr. Harvey Karp had been around to give my parents a lesson in dealing with the primitive species that is an angry toddler.

• Read more

With all the devastation surrounding Sichuan’s earthquake, once again people are reminded how fragile and precious life is.

While our families have been fortunate enough to escape this terrible tragedy, there are many who have not been so lucky. The despair and loss families are going through right now is hard to contemplate. Those of us safe in Beijing can certainly mourn, pray and help in whatever way we can, but what we can also do is prepare. Prepare ourselves for the possible event of tragedy in our own lives – in ways that can protect our families and ensure the best possible outcome should we face any kind of devastation – from earthquakes to simple accidents in the home.

• Read more

As a California native, what to do in the event of an earthquake has been engrained into my head since I could remember. But now that I’ve lived out of California for a few years, those safety precautions have been pushed to the back of my mind. The recent earthquake here in Beijing was a good reminder that it doesn’t matter where you are because earthquakes can happen anywhere at anytime. Therefore, brushing up on general rules for safety can never be a bad idea.

Former United Nations Disaster Mitigation expert Doug Copp and current Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of theAmerican Rescue Team International (ARTI) gives these tips for earthquake safety:

• Read more

In wake of the recent earthquake in Sichuan, Beijingers can help victims by donating supplies, money and giving blood. 

Drop off donations (see below list) at the Bookworm Beijing by 4pm on Saturday, May 17th.   The supplies will be sent to The Bookworm Chengdu.

As advised by the Chinese Red Cross, they are collecting emergency donations only of:

TENTS
DRIED FOOD
PRACTICAL CLOTHES
QUILTS
EMERGENCY BLANKETS
MONEY FOR WATER AND MEDICINE

All collected donations will be sent to The Bookworm Chengdu on Saturday 17th May.
For Beijing:
Please drop off all donations by
4pm on SATURDAY 17th MAY
Call Alex or Jenny on 132 6421 746

The Bookworm

• Read more

According to local media, Beijing's Municipal Health Bureau announced (original in Chinese here) that between Jan 1 and May 12 this year, there have been 3,606 cases of hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and one case of someone dying from the disease. They stress that the main cause of the fatality is that the child was not taken to a hospital in time to receive medical attention. There was also one other death from HFMD in Beijing, but, because the patient traveled from Hebei to Beijing for treatment, Beijing’s health authorities are not including the death in Beijing’s statistics. Currently Chaoyang, Fengtai and Changping are the three districts with the most cases of the disease.

• Read more

In a U.S. report, Sweden has been rated as "the best place to be a mother in the world.” Although vague, this study sought to find out where mothers fare best and face the greatest hardship. Countries in the top ten included Norway, New Zealand, Denmark, Australia, Finland, Ireland, Germany and France.

• Read more

When I see twins in the street—I usually do a double-take, no pun intended. But how about seeing a thousand pairs of them! At the Fourth Mojiang International Twins Festival held during May 1-3, over a thousand pairs of twins from China and overseas gathered in Mojiang County, southwest China’s Yunnan Province to celebrate this special festival for twins.

• Read more

When I first arrived in Beijing, the word hua sheng 花生, or peanut, became the most important word in my vocabulary. I am severely allergic to peanuts, and China is a particularly dangerous place for someone who suffers from a peanut allergy. Not only are peanuts prevalent in most dishes, but waiters just don’t seem to grasp the gravity of the situation.  

When I order food I say, “I don’t eat peanuts,” or “I am allergic to peanuts,” but invariably, the dish will still have peanuts lurking inside, although considerably fewer peanuts than usual. I’ve taken to saying in Chinese, “If I eat peanuts, I will die,” and this request, although extreme, seems to get the point across. 

It makes sense that Chinese people are often baffled by my peanut allergy. It’s estimated that three million people in the United States are allergic to peanuts, yet China has virtually no peanut allergy. 

• Read more