Intro viewpoint: Dragon mom versus Tiger mom

Repost from Piano Noir 2012

The Dragon, a universal creature that is emblazoned in both European and Asian cultures. Moms in both European & Asian culture both try to prepare their children for the battles in life. However, being the first generation in a USA culture that discriminates regardless of lies that are told, the Tiger mom's methods are out. Most of the mothers who come from foreign or “exotic” cultures had plenty of self confirmation. Many of the moms grew up with friends who had similar experiences to them in their motherlands. If they had TV and media, these mothers were frequently inundated with cultural images of their parent culture. The amount of criticism they received was likened to that of people who were like them in their motherland.

Now, these mothers enter their new realm USA. Parents of the 1st generation can be subject to major identity crisis. They are singled out. And, many parents who typically lie to hide a common social problem, don't understand just quite how deep an emotional and psychological ravine their children  fall into. Many of these children grow into adults who need to try and “verify” their own image in early adulthood by travelling to Asian countries. Sometimes, this is such an emotionally and psychologically intense experience that the once successful child that the Dragon mom pinned to her ego ceases to live. Mostly, due to frequently high suicide rates among Asians & Asian-Americans who strive for success in the USA. There is little acceptance by the Dragon mom or parents as to why their children did not successfully complete college, university, or their PHD program when it is within a week away. Some outwardly blame their own children and mock them to maintain status in the USA community, rather than take on the blatant responsibility to protect their children through early adulthood.

Sometimes this protection involves participation in the young adult's life past the age of 18. And, it still involves calling the College or University where their son or daughter attends to keep things in line, yet at a distance. Being a minority “ethnic” group in the USA is another thing that many Dragon mom's don't understand or want to accept. Sometimes this will unfortunately include unnecessary and costly legal battles to get their children through higher educational institutions safely. Many minority families can't afford these battles and so usually the child of the Dragon mom is left to fed for themselves in an unrelenting pit of discrimination, abuse, and being taken advantage of (including assault or pushed to the brink with suicide). Competitive majority & USA domestic dorm mates can also score automatic 4.0gpa if their dorm mate commits suicide.  Being a Dragon and hovering over the child even in early adulthood is of prime importance for success.

Many children of these parents usually begin to do soul searching by the time they reach their mid 20's. For others looking for answers, this stage happens later and sometimes in the midst of a pressing professional life.

To be continued... and revised 1/4/2012 - 11/23/2016

Male activists & Hawaii Feminism

Something that still irks me to this day, is the number of men who are activists and womanizers consistently. In 1997 I briefly held a part time job (Hawaii will kill me) with United Poultry Concerns, working for feminist Karen Davis. While working for her, it was the first time I protested within 12' of Frank Perdue, then the 214th richest USA citizen with a then $825mil net worth (without security rushing me). We had a table and UPC's "too neat to eat" chicken T-shirts on amidst the conglomerate of factory farm workers and hearing some of their daily gripes much to my surprise. It wasn't a happy scene. 

I just still fail to see why the activist men still don't get it. Some of them play "womanizer" after posturing a broke, snag persona. It doesn't work on me. In fact, I can see through it clearly. It's repulsive. I understand that men are a plague of machismo that takes many different forms. It's simply repulsive.

Those were the days.

In 1996 I read Karen Davis' article In the compilation book "Women and Animals".  

The articles really spoke to me much beyond any other feminist theory book. It gave me real life perspective, rather than ideology. In 2005 my life changed again, and again in 2009. So almost 2 decades later, I'm wondering what happened to those who care about women. I know I'm seeing the remaining remnants of Hawaii's past sex trade tied to the local judges and police since Hawaii finally passed an anti-human trafficking law. 

There is still poverty in the educational system that is compounded by immigrant greed for money. Thus cock fighting still holds a significant role in survival and luxury. The laws of "cultural relativism" apply in Hawaii to protect monetary interest. The Economy here on Oahu is still not geared to United States Individual rights.  And whereas animal slaughter is disallowed for religion, Hawaii keeps fighting and abuse current for human economy of 3rd world cultures. There is a lack of English improvement classes.  There is a lack of caring about others. Hawaii in my eyes is worse than a factory farm full of pigs being raised for slaughter.

The rent is too high for "decent" women's rights those who prefer decency to public prostitution (which has a broad definition in Hawaii). The locals socially attack visiting women to add to the local sex trade/ aka. "The industry". Financial decimation happens and there are no safe holds that seem functional. The number of fight schools & bars ratio per capita to educational institutions and organizations is low. The more legislators allow expensive business, the more "industry" is needed to support the tax base to cater to rich Sex Tourism from around the globe.

The richer sex tourists and vacation home owners set the tone on the island of how women are spoken to. The men are vile. Not even appropriate by Spanish from Spain standards.

I can't quite express in entirety how I feel about my social surroundings for the past 6 years. Trying to navigate through pods of Seals, surfers, Vietnamese sex traffickers, Black African-American pimps, and all the underlying gangs has not been remotely normal. 6 years and my nerves are exhausted. They said they thought id have a better time here because I look like them. They were wrong, as it has made it easier for them to isolate me. And, I no longer trust anyone much, if any. Relationship is definitely not here for me. I hope this sums up a little without the nitty gritty.

Google Earth images...

My Quick Review of Google Earth...

I just paroozed the planet. And, I discovered that there are mountainous areas that Google Earth does not have building info or high resolution imagery. Those places include; areas of Northern Japan where my Obasan & family lives. The input data did not have prefecture information on several locations. Also, the Ithaca, NY area was quite blurry. Though, Ithaca is where the clouds go to die.

I was impressed to see the University of Montana; but couldn't quite make out the Milltown Dam though, I saw the Marker for BFI where my group did our landfill recyclables study (see photo)and I spoke at my 1st official press conference at 21 years old. And... the M! I was not totally suprised, but happy to see the M again! Much Thanks Google Earth team!!!!

You can download your Google Earth 4.0 for Beta here

Addicted to Organizing

Addicted to Organizing

Some people here in the States are so suspicious and dull. I'm not talking about the Washington D.C. crowd. I mean the average Joe or Jane American who goes to work each day, flips on the 30 minute news spot and feels that's enough of the world for them for the day. Some people have an eclectic mix of Entertainment news; so they know how to look, how to act, who to talk about because they wouldn't be able to relate to each other without their entertainment.

I suppose I've had a little too much organizing experience; and I’m addicted to it. Yes, the grassroots organizer style of "talk to everyone and learn from everyone". Who's really doing what, what their ideas are and what's really going on in our local towns and at a National level? And 'Whew!' is it ever time consuming. It's the unpaid information system of how people interact. Let's face it. It's the only independent news flow that goes unimpeded by commercial advertising. My reality is that, when I click on my Yahoo or MSN news and see a photo of a woman bearing body buffers and bling... I just groan. Those photos aren't the reality that makes the world go round' like it used to. Nor is it attractive. There are so many beautiful people in the world. Why doesn't everyone attractive get paid for a commercial photo as an extension of the "seeking a perfect mate online".

So, I'm addicted to organizing; talking to people in towns over the past 4 years... hearing travel stories, hearing about homeland bouts and how it's affected the Dating scene. It is far more interesting in the Big picture. America's gotten to big and people, like kids on Christmas, expect too much for the long haul. Like a golden apple that will never tarnish, the American Ideal is an illusory device that people keep pursuing. Yeah, it drives the economy and gives each of us more options than rubbing a couple of twigs together to tempt our taste buds for a tribe braised meal.
However, what is really going on out there? Does anyone know?

My green party stance that I adopted due to a lack of actual bio-regional behavior in politics makes me applaud the latest terrorist news from our Mr. President... George Bush. News on: Hardcore Interrogation of potential terrorist threat.

Halloween Pumpkins

Acorn Pumpkin (left) & Fairy Tale Pumpkins(right) are 2 different types for the holiday season. Making pastas, pies, and just having beautiful decoration are why these pumpkins are going for $15 to $30.00

Yes, I have Kimono Shoulders

Over many years of having to live in the predominantly Caucasian east coast, I have suffered greatly. One of the things that I must vent is my dismay with the physical therapy department at the college in New York which I attended for my Undergraduate music degree for piano. I was on a 4.5 year track, and one day my teacher told me that my shoulders looked tightened up to him.

Here I must get into my physical construct of being half Northern Japanese particularly. My shoulders slope naturally. I do not have the typically square shoulder construct of my European ancestors. My shoulders to not break into solid horizontal lines at any point in my shoulder line; and my shoulders are shaped much more like a typical wire hanger that one receives from the dry cleaner. My shoulders are what my mother said are "Kimono Shoulders". So, under my professor's instruction I went to the Musicians clinic at the PT department where they tried to break down my natural sloping shoulders to match their own. They claimed, inreference to me ,that "[I] you have overdeveloped traps". It was quite painful. They used to ice my shoulders and then sink their hands into them and then used an ultrasound device on my shoulders. I felt bad all the way around.

My mother taught me that I have kimono shoulders after the humiliating ordeals I went through in Middle school and High school in Pennsylvania; to be fitted for choir dresses that had shoulder pads. There were at least 2 instances where the fitters made a public example of me and called all the women in the choir over to marvel and laugh at my "no shoulders".

I still don't understand why people expect me to look at them in over 31 years of intolerance and ignorance with a smile. I have tried my best. Next blog; Why I started an "animal rights group" and changed some of the food choices at my undergrad college....hint 'I was getting ill on the food they served' and was eating shojin ryori style for nearly a decade prior to college dining hall food.

Much Peace,
Oko_ne

Peace Lanterns Ithaca NY area

here are some of the photos from the Peace Lantern efforts of the week...
Wed. night in Ithaca with Monks from the Namgyal Monastery

No More Nukes and Commeration of Hiroshima

Click on View; then, Enlarge text size in your browser for easier reading of the image. Or, click on the image 1x and then again when the magnifying lens appears.

Multicultural Asia Photos...

From Left to Right; Photo from the Dress rehersal ; Korea, Japan (that's me with the Obi- though I wore a wedding Kimono for the real show), Formal Kimonos; Manchurian dress, and Indian Dress.
I was going through some old photographs of some of the things that I did as a child.
This event at Pearl Buck Foundation was good for the few people who attended to see what some of the different traditional forms; and modern forms of dress of Asia are. BTW: I am not transracially adopted; My biological mother or nanny immigrated to the U.S. from Japan.

Living in U.S. white Society as a Haafu

I am quite weary for my unusual life punishment of :: death by bludgeoning by 100,000+ white mindsets who never experienced Asia.

And, I am quite upset with people treating me ill based on their bubble worlds;;--bubble worlds where they construct their own notion of who I am, who my family is; what sick role they want to play opposite me...without regard to my actual family. It is in essence racism.
I am also of Japanese descent. I also was thinking about my brother's condition before he died; He had been working at an irradiation plant because it was what the Temporary agency assigned to him; people at his workplace 1 mo. before his death were calling him Ai Qaida due to hair growth on his face (commonly referred to as a beard); My brother's beard hid some of the skin that was falling off of his face from his work and exposure to chemicals and radioactive elements. My brother also had skin falling off of his hands. As a young person; my brother had severe allergies to huindreds of substances;..but white people here treated him poorly and said he was a drug addict. I have no knowledge; firsthand or otherwise of any of his drug use ...so, I cannot say that those words are/were true; though my brother said people forced him to "test" chemicals...as his work at Deon Beverages was coerced by my father and the community.

I personally am outraged with the entire community here. I am of Half Japanese descent and 1st generation here in this country. I also cannot afford to pay anymore caucasoid people all the money I have so that I am accepted as "educated" according to them; they are simply thugs. Additionally; I am humiliated with trying to bring cultural understanding to people who ultimately find racism and segregation an easy path; because it has eliminated options for my survival.

I live with someone now because I have no options; it is humiliating. And, i have no way to pay my own debts for my education and survival expenses which exceeded $10,000/ year in Gasoline ($3000), Additional room out of state ($3000) and therapy ($320+/ month). I cannot afford to live; I have little business left; and I have pursued some of a M.S.M. degree that has no advantage. I have not been able to find suitable investors; despite offers from Builder/developers, The original Buisness entrepreneur who started PeopleSoft, or Other Capital Entrepreneurs who have shown me no respect. My family values of my Mother's family are engrained in me; and, Noone I have met matches their standards.

Unless a suitable investor is present; I cannot justify trying to work in conditions like my brother did ( I am highly allergic to many buildings here in the States; and cannot tolerate chemicals in the air--much like any K-Mart or Wal-mart for any period over 20 min. I experience respiratory irritation and itchy red eyes from the environment.

The people here choose to be belligerent; And; the issue of my "mixed-race" is too complicated for them to comprehend. I have little funds to leave the area and then no money to afford a safe and respectable-of-my person place to live. Men make it very clear if i don't comply with their sexual advances; that I have no place to stay;...though I have found some support from an ex where he does leave me alone (I despise the fighting).

These are my reasons for not wanting to continue; And, my family in Japan has their ties with the Govt. and with the addition of my Aunt and Uncle Takenaka...of yes...the family lineage (and ex Ceo of the Takenaka Corporation) who built the Imperial Palace and the Tokyo Tower, as well as skyscrapers in California and other places in Asia.

I hope that you all understand how I feel; in some part.
My political U.S. activist training has additionally contributed to much additional abuse from my Father's family and local government here in Bucks County.

At the onset of my life; I was instructed that i exist here for other's to learn from; and to be an example of Japanese culture to the extent that I could (as a child). As an adult I learned about the U.S. political system and learned and participated in changing some laws. Today; I am being chastized for my entire being.
I have grown to hate and despise many of the people who I encounter here in Pennsylvania. And, I realize that they may try to take my life; as they have been attempting over the past 3 years;; actively.
my spirit is tired of this.

I want you to know that I did try my best; and I'm not going to pay to learn Buddhism from another caucasian because I'm unacceptable to them.

Much Peace,
Angela

Sharing Culture with The PA Deutsch

In Elementary School I was the only kid with summertime brown skin. I remember going to elementary school and being teased and beaten up every recess by 5 girls who hated my skincolor. The aides on recess duty used to standby and watch me being beaten by other kids; swung by my hair and pushed into the dirt. The teachers and recess duty aides never interfered.

It became such a problem that they asked my mother to come into class and try to teach the children for 1 day; something about Japan. I remember each year; for 2 years; my mother visited my class and showed them Japanese writing and wrote their names in Japanese.
I remember that these kids returned home and showed these things to their parents. The following weeks became more brutal to me at school. Several of the children were instructed by their families that Japanese people were bad. I was brutalized more at school; despite my natural born American citizen status. Just so they could play their own political game. These Children who beat me or assisted or approved are now adults and parents in the same community; as well as others. It has been 18 years since then; things have not improved.

Learning about Tofu

My mother immigrated from Japan in the late 60's. She did her best with raising me with Japanese values and food. I loved tofu, rice, and many other traditional japanese dishes. My involvement with Japanese food increased after she was terminally diagnosed with cancer. I had food and herbs from my Obasan to eat.

When I got into High school there was a blonde haired blue eyed girl who took interest in me. We only talked because I was vegan at that point in time. She decided that she would take me "under-her wing" and teach me all about tofu. She really taught me nothing but her arrogance. I kept my mouth shut in fear of being brutalized like i was so frequently on the playground. I imagine today that she still doesn't care about people; doesn't mind nuclear bombs; and she called herself an environmentalist.

Amer-Asian Mental Health Resources

I am beginning to compile some online references about Asian Health. I know that I am particularly sensitive to medications; and frequently cannot take prescription or any conventional synthesized medicaton/drug due to heightened side effects and sensitivity. The Toxicity testing performed on one race varies for those who are of mixed caucasian and non-caucasian racial background. Those who are of mixed race are more susceptible to the side-effects of prescription medication occuring immediately.
The Following is from the National Alliance on Mental Illness website pdf link below:

• Asian Americans require sensitivity when being prescribed medications as they may react differently
to the medications than other cultures, in terms of side effects and toxicity.
• The majority of Asian Americans seek alternative modes of treatment for illnesses. Some alternative
modes of care, such as herbal treatments, may interfere with prescription medications.
• Genetic alterations may cause differences in the metabolization of prescription drugs. Specifically,
many Asian Americans have a genetic alteration that decreases the metabolic rate of the
IID6 isoenzyme - which is responsible for metabolizing tricyclic antidepressants and many antipsychotics.
• Differences in body fat and diet may result in fluctuating responses to prescription medications.

http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/MIO/Fact_Sheets1/AAPI_Facts_about_MH_04.pdf