Name, The Beginning of One's Life

    When does life begin as a human being? Begins at fertilization with the embryo's conception? At zygote implants in the uterus? At neuromaturation, heartbeat formation... or at the birth of a newborn? There are many arguments and behind these arguments are scientific, medical, and mortal discussions. I am not going to write an essay on ethics, but just have a thought about the beginning of another type of life, a human being's social life. I think it begins at the time when he/she is given a name.

    The beginning of my life story started with my name.

    How did my parents pick up my name? I never heard the story about the naming process, but I'm sure, as all the parents, they spent much time to find a good name with a special meaning that carried their love and all the best wishes to me. And, like many parents in China, they also asked for suggestions from elders in the family. I knew that I had a name when I was born, and by the time to file paperwork, it was changed to the current version which was given by my grandpa.

    I like both versions. They are not typical feminine names but bring up a bigger view to life and the world. The first name "Di" means "inspiration", and the pronunciation of the last and first name together, "Wu Di" implies "no enemy" "no opponent" or "undefeatable". The latter one "Wei" means "luxuriant” “azure” or “celestial”, and the pronunciation of the last and first name together, "Wu Wei", implies "brave" or "fearless". For a long time, I thought these two names are carrying very similar moral messages --- a person without an enemy is surely fearless, and a person's courage is derived from his/her undefeatable mind. However, I had a different understanding when I was in my 30s.

    One night about 10 years ago, I met my dear grandpa in a dream, who helped me to see the fundamental difference. No enemy or opponent is a hard conclusion to make as it involves endless comparison. However, fearlessness is an universal attitude towards all challenges, which is something we can control. Fearlessness has nothing to do with success or failure, but only about a brave heart. 10 years ago, I was so delighted to have this finding and wrote it down in Chinese. No matter if it matched Grandpa's original thought, I believe it was a calling he sent to me at that time. My dear grandpa was the first lighthouse in my life and the forever anchor in my heart...

PS. My first name "Di" turns out to be used in my kids' Chinese names. This is also a legacy.

2022, A New Start

This is not the way I expected to start 2022. No… not at all…

We just spent 10 fabulous days, a white and shining Christmas in Vail and Denver. Every day was full of joy and adventure brought by nature and human creation. It was another “dream come true”. After almost two years of lock down, we finally decided to take a flight. With all the thoughtful planning and cautious movement, we kept in good shapes all the way until the last day when Aidan started a sore throat, and that was the beginning of the two-week episode…

I didn’t expect I had to curled up in bed and fell into lethargy on the first day of the new year; I didn’t expect we had to repeatedly run to the COVID tests in two weeks trying to convince ourselves we were truly infected or negative; I didn’t expect four of us had to be isolated in four bedrooms using Facetime to get together at dinner time, and wait till the 12th day to finally hug and kiss each other; I didn’t expect we may bring potential risk to the friends around us… This is not an exciting way to celebrate the new year.

An unexpected and sudden drop from an overjoyed peak is what I have been always afraid of and tried to avoid it in many ways. However, the reality is, no matter how much has been prepared, sometimes, something just happen, inevitably, and you have to face it and deal with it.

The other half the reality we can choose to see is… it is grateful that, after only 36 hours of slumber, my body shaker off all the soreness and woke up as fresh; it is grateful that, although developed certain symptoms one after the other, all four of us have been recovered quickly and back to school/work as normal; it is grateful that what hit our us was omicron, a so called “non-GMO, green and natural vaccine booster”, and with this unplanned booster, we don’t encounter that much of anxieties many other school families are experiencing when the case number is rocketing up in campus right now…

Life is going on. The New Year’s Day could be a day after New Year’s Eve, but could also be a new start we set up for ourselves. I am grateful that, through this unexpected and sudden drop, I am learning to face the surprise instead of being panic about it, communicate to dissolve the awkwardness but not escape from it.

All the surprises, pleasant or frightened, could be the gift from heaven…

Right, one more surprise… which is this STORYWORTH, from my dear sister BFF. She’s afraid it might bring me too much burden. I won’t think so. It may be a pressure, will be a commitment, and is definitely a challenge… but I am glad someone throw it to me and I’m going to take it as my new year resolution!

2022, my Tiger year, this is a good way to start it!!

PS. my daffodil, also a gift from my dear sister BFF, starts blooming!

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bread

 Ingredients (Makes 12 servings):

• 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup applesauce
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 packets instant apple cinnamon oatmeal
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Directions:

• Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy
• Add applesauce, cinnamon and one pack of instant oatmeal
• Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition
• Mix in the baking soda and flour
• Pour batter into lightly greased and floured loaf pan (9"x5")
• Sprinkled with the second package of instant oatmeal, or insert apple slices and a pinch of sugar
• Bake in preheated 350F oven for 60 min; cover the pan in the last 15 min if needed. 

我家的 2021

每一天很长，每一年很短，一生还没有过完，到终点是不是会觉得稍纵即逝？ 

脑子越来越不记事儿了，多亏有微信，用来当日记；可也是因为有微信，连 blog 都写得少了，更不要说日记。短平快的年代，作者和读者的耐心都越来越缺乏，我们该给岁月留下些什么？

读过的书：

《Before the Coffee Gets Cold》

        孩子们推荐的书，原文日文翻译成英文的小说。虽然中间的节奏不是很紧凑，很像日本文学的风格，但每一个部分的结尾都有打动人心的地方。据说也有影视版本。

《The Code Breaker》

        现在读书听书速度大不如从前，续借了两次，才把这本书完成。Walter Isaacson 是王牌的传记作家，写完爱因斯坦、乔布斯、达芬奇等人之后敏锐地把目光转向Jennifer Doudna，在她获诺奖之前就开始了深度的探访，从她的朋友同事学生甚至对手那里多角度入手，尽量还原出一段段或平凡或曲折或艰辛或传奇的研究探索历程。

        整书的重点当然是讲Doudna 和她的合作伙伴Charpentier研发CRISPR的过程，两个教授加两个博士后，身处三个国家，顶着时差高效沟通合作，只用了8个多月的时间就把CRISPR的机理基本搞清，抢先发表了论文。接下来这项技术在人体内应用的开发竞争更加空前，和张峰的恩恩怨怨也从那时开始。科学不可能永远纯粹，落实到应用一定有利益和权力的争斗。后来又有野心家贺建奎、嬉皮风格的biohacker，以及越来越多在科学伦理边缘试探的故事，前前后后还有不少关于James Watson有争议的介入。

        全书的第七部分，Moral Questions，其实是最吸引我的几章，有脑洞大开的期许和兴奋，也有对未来太多可能性的担忧。科学家们努力破解的是上帝藏在自然之书里的密码，但一扇门被打开之后，何去何从，人类最好不要得意忘形到去扮演上帝的角色。

        11月去了趟Berkeley校园，儿子还专门指给我看书里提到的 Doudna 和她的同事进行的一次重要约谈的咖啡店，还有每一个诺奖得主的汽车和自行车车位。 领 tour 的学生说她入学的时候听说有一门课是Doudna教激动不已，结果临时被通知换了教授颇为失望，但最后发现替换的老师是另一位诺奖得主，又是惊喜过望。伟大的科学家就在我们身边，鲜活而真实，令人敬仰但也不可能完美无暇。这本书不光叙述事件，也描写对比了其中大大小小人物的性格，以及他们性格对事业发展的影响，蛮有趣的。

看过的影视：

《山海情》-- 没想到一部乡土电视剧会如此有吸引力，真诚的故事和真诚的表演真的是可以打动人心的。

《Big Fish & Begonia》-- 周深唱的主题曲让这部影片深入人心，但故事却让人不那么舒服。连我看起来都觉得有些莫名，在西方文化里长大的两个孩子更是一头雾水，更不要说共情了。 

《Searching》-- 印度导演，讲的韩裔美国父女的故事。环环相扣，严谨缜密，不愧是高智商的杰作！既表现了亚裔家庭的传统，也刻画了一个内敛坚韧智商超群的工程师父亲形象。

《A Brand New Life》-- 韩国的孤儿电影，忧伤的文艺片

《饮食男女》-- 居然是儿子坚持要看的。教 AP 中文课老师推荐的，体会东方文化。不知道孩子能看懂多少。

《The Bookshop》-- 灰蒙蒙的文艺片

《The Circle》-- 因为有 Tom Hanks 才打开看，但整个片子只有 Tom Hanks 能看得，孩子们都边看边叫演得惨不忍睹。但故事所要表达的理念还是好的，以 Apples 为造型的高科技公司，最终是为人类带来便捷安全和平还是带走自由和自我？

《Florence Foster Jenkins》-- 梅姨的电影不会让人失望。近乎荒诞的故事，也许就是某些人的人生。

《The Terminal》-- Tom Hanks 演幽默也一样到位。

《Scent of a Woman》-- 早就该看的电影，经典确实是经典。

《Nomadland》-- 赵婷在奥斯卡一夜成名，却在中国毁誉参半。电影技巧确实不错，开启一扇窗口看向同一个地球上截然不同的世界。游牧人生，也许是一种选择，也许是因为没有选择。

《The Age of Adaline》

《Sideways》-- 从Pismo Beach 回来被朋友推荐的电影，其实从前看过，但全然不知讲的就是这里的故事。

《The Father》-- 肯定是新的经典

《Julie & Julia》-- 不同年代的女人，都在自我实现的路上努力寻找。今年渐渐喜欢上烹饪，也喜欢这部电影。

《Luca》-- 妹妹期待很久的动画电影，关于梦想，关于友情，Pixar 的片子不会错。

2021 年走过的路

        旅行都取消了，只好在家门口转悠。幸而后院有足够多的 trail 可以给我们走，精彩的窝边草一时半会儿也吃不完。从四月到六月，每周一Hi (hike), 非常治愈！

• Antelope Valley / Red Rock Canyon
• Carizzo Plain National Monument / Soda Lake
• Avila Beach, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo Bay, Oceano Dune
• Solvang, Ostrich Land
• Big Sur, Garrapata State Park - Calla Lily Valley
• Monterey Bay / 17-miles
• Fremont Coyote Hills 
• Cronan Ranch - California Poppy
• Brown's Ravine State Park - Folsom Lake Lupine 鲁冰花
• Blackstone Canyon Trail
• Red Lake Peak - Echo 第一次的10K，孩子们第一次负重至一万英尺 
• Yosemite Ten Lake Trail，Grant Mt，俯瞰 Yosemite Grand Canyon
• Point Reyes National Seashore， Lighthouse，Cypress Tunnel
• Ansel Adam Wilderness - Thousand Island Lake 
• Shenandoah Valley Wineries
• Grass Valley / Nevada City
• Venture and Santa Barbara - 里根图书馆，SBMA， Douglas Family Preserve
• Half Moon Bay / Santa Cruz
• UCBerkeley
• 10 days in Colorado - Vail，Keystone，Beaver Creek Ski Resorts, Denver, Gardens of Gods，Meow Wolf...     Sierra 滑雪场被大火烧了，高中滑雪队不得不临时改变计划，转为 Epic Pass，包括了向往已久的 Colorado Vail！于是全家人下决心飞去了Denver！ 

 

2021 年大事记

• 努力磨练滑雪技艺。儿子一季滑了25天。
• 儿子第一年参加的ORHS滑雪队，获得赛区第一
• 儿子15岁的生日趴，小心翼翼地全户外活动，绿色健康
• 女儿正式成为 Teenager 了，和好朋友骑车野餐度过生日
• COVID 疫苗，1+1+booster；孩子们 1+1
• 人生第一次 RV 之旅： Antelope Valley, Red Rock Canyon, Carizzo Plain National Monument, Soda Lake, Avila Beach, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo Bay, Oceano Dune, Solvang, Ostrich Land, Calla Lily Valley, Garrapata State Park, Monterey Bay, 17-miles, Fremont Coyote Hills, Cronan Ranch
• 儿子的第一门AP考试，中文AP，5分通过！
• 女儿当选校学生会主席！
• 女儿发起 Recycling 101暑期活动，给 fellowship 的小朋友组织夏令营，还到 EDH Waste Management 总部去参观，得到一致好评，还有感谢信和礼物。
• 儿子 Summer Intern - 
• 三次 backpacking：Yosemite Ten Lake，Point Reyes National Seashore，Thousand Island Lake
• Echo 的第一次 backpacking, 学会游泳啦！
• 重返 TAZ 游泳队，Alivia 稳居全队前三
• 儿子整牙完成
• 河南水灾
• 延期一年多的东京奥运会终于举行，中美争霸，孩子们第一次如此投入地追踪奥运会
• 邻居Frank爷爷去世了， Alivia 做了cookie 送去以表思念
• 加州大火肆虐，开不了窗，出不了门，连店都关了
• Echo 一岁生日！
• Aidan 做MO 数学课 的 TA
• Alivia 入选学校排球队！
• 儿子参加学校的 Marching Band，每周五为橄榄球赛助威，每周六去参加比赛，OR满载而归！
• Shenandoah Valley Wineries　二人世界
• 和女儿一起参加 mini-triathlon 
• Grass Valley / Nevada City 秋叶采风
• 独自开车去 Venture/Santa Barbara 约会，去安抚一颗疲惫忧伤的心
• Half Moon Bay / Santa Cruz　二人世界
• 和儿子女儿一起感恩节长跑　Run to Feed the Hungry 
• 带着儿子女儿和 Echo 去攀岩
• 女儿参加学校的 Running Club, 和朋友们一起参加 Santa Hustle 长跑
• Colorado滑雪之行　－　Vail，Keystone，Beaver Creek Ski Resorts, Denver, Gardens of Gods...
• 全家感染COVID，最终有惊无险，顺利通关