informal writing #5

I am not an obese girl, but I am not a skinny one either. To say precisely, I am a girl who is a little bit fat, or a girl who is fat depends on whether I am in America or in my hometown Macau because of the different definition and standard for fat.

I lived in Macau for twenty years before I moved to America. That was when I cared about my fashion and style the most. Since I was not skinny, I needed to choose my clothes carefully in order to make me look slimmer. After living in America for two years, I tended to change my attitude towards fat people’s fashion. In America, I don’t care to wear vest, sleeveless jacket or short skirt although I am not slim and doesn’t have a beautiful body shape because everyone is wearing the same thing no matter they are fat or thin. I really like that American would not stare at the fat people when they are wearing leggings with big hips, so in America, I can put on a lot of clothes I would not wear in Macao. As a result, I made such a big mistake when I spent my last summer vocation in Macau with the same attitude I hold in America.

One the first day when I was back to Macao, I put on a sleeveless white shirt and a pair of leggings and went out to have food with my friends I haven’t seen for a year. However, when they saw me, they looked at with their jaws dropped and kept staring at my arm, my hips and my belly and they made fun of my getting weights. I knew they did not mean that seriously. They were just kidding. Later, one of my close friends asked me what was wrong with me and she told me the clothes made me look so fat. I told her that was me and I was exactly that fat. However, I thought she was right. People in Macau would definitely make fun of those fat people who wear short skirts or vests on the street. They would say something like “Look at that fat lady who wears short skirt and high heels, she must be too confident to know she is so fat.” or “that outfit is not for her, and she will look normal if she wears black T-shirt instead of the white tee” or “that pig must not have a boy friend”. In their eyes, the fashion for fat people is black. The more clothes they put on, the better they look. Although it is very hot in summer, they still need to wear black T-shirt because that is the norms. If a fat person does not obey that rules and insist to wear less, he would commit the “crime” against fashion. That is common in Asian countries, especially Japan and Hong Kong. People hold high standard for thinness and strict requirements to be a non-fat person. The standard is also different for different genders. For girls, they require more for themselves. A popular Taiwanese talk show hostess once says, “A woman with more than 100lbs will have no future.” in her talk show.  

I believe my friends successfully brought me back to the normative definitions of thinness. I started to agree with them that I was fat and the white clothes could really make me look uglier. After that day, I only wore black clothes in that summer in Macao. I admitted that I did look slimmer in black tees but they are also killing me under the cruel sunshine and the horribly high temperature. Fat people should only wear black clothes became a stereotype for them. Gradually, I became to not wearing skirts anymore even I came back to America. Basically, I have the same style every day, black sweaters and T-shirt or loose denims.

What is “normal” to me now? It is black, black and black. I do not feel good in a white tee nowadays. I know it sounds sad, but I got used to that already. Black has become my identity. When you ask my friends about my fashion, they would definitely tell you it is black. Everyone has his/her own principles or persistence on fashion. You may think I am pitiful for not having too many options when I go shopping for clothes, but I think I look awesome in black and it is enough for me. It has become my norms.

informal writing #4

Angry Asian Man

At my first glimpse at the blog when I skim it, I think it is a blog simply talks about Asian Culture, or Asians in America and so on, nothing special. But then, I wonder why the name of the blog is Angry Asian Man. Why Asians are angry?

I try to go through the post one by one. Each post has its own function and characteristic. For example, one shows you a amusing Japanese commercial, one informs readers there will be an event by a Chinese association in Los Angeles, and one introduces the author’s favorite Asian actor who plays in the American drama, Lost and so on. Overall, the posts are enjoyable to read because the topics are different. When I read other blogs while the posts/ works are in the same pattern or are about the same topic, I feel bored reading them, but that is not for this case. Even I am an Asian as well, I do not know some of the contents introduced in the blog. Those post can introduce Asian culture to those Westerns who want to know what is going on in Asia. But still, I can not find out the reason why the blogger thinks Asians are angry. Therefore, I try to look at the list “angriest posts” on the right hand side of the blog. When I go through those angriest posts, I find one thing in common among the posts and I understand and agree that Asians are supposed to be angry.

The author is actually revealing his feeling about racism towards Asian in America, but he does not do that obviously. He talks about trivial things happen in our life to show the invisible racism issue. For example, in the post “Asian sleeping in the library”, he introduces a Tumble site, which has a bunch of photos of Asian students sleeping in the library. And there is something in the site makes him uncomfortable, so am I. I do not think there is only Asian who sleeps in the library. Why does the site only have photos of Asians sleep in the library? I think it is trying to mock the hard-working Asian students. The sleeping face of the Asian is ugly and hilarious for Americans or others, but it may be offensive for Asians. Another example “the green horney starring jay chou…or, uh, john cho?” may give you more hints to identify the perspective of the bloggers. The post first introduces the new Hollywood movie “The Green Hornet”, which was number one at the box office weekend. However, the Internet Movie Databases’s entry for The Green Hornet was incorrectly listing Taiwanese pop star Jay Chou to John Cho. It is really not respectful to Jay Chou, who is the most popular star in Taiwan and China. The blogger inserts a link of the interview and the history about Jay Chou to ask the readers try to know more him at the end of the post. When you read the post “Rush Limbaugh mocks Chinese president with the Ching Chong”, you would definitely agree with the blogger that Asian, or at least Chinese should be angry when their president is being mocked.

Those little things can actually reveal Asians are treated unfairly somehow. There are much more examples happen around us every day. It is not obvious, but racism issue is there. However, the fact is, Aisans work hard, contribute and are getting more and more successful in American or other countries. Look at the posts “the 30 most influential Asian Americans under 30” and “Godfrey Gao, Louis Vuitton’s first Asian male”, they tell you that Asians are getting greater achievements through their hard-working, and there is nothing about Asians should be mocked or made fun of.

Informal Writting #3

I think everyone in this class has been to Westfield Valley Fair before, so we should feel lucky that our class is on Thursday, not Saturday because we know the parking in Valley Fair is a nightmare, but it is acceptable on Thursday. When I was trying to answer the questions on the work sheet, I realized something I never thought of. To be honest, I don’t like shopping in Westfield Valley Fair unless I really need something that can be found there, such as Apple Store. I used to think it is just my personal feeling, but I found out that it was not just me, many people didn’t enjoy shopping in that large mall either. So I think it really has its problems there.

I agree other classmates’ opinion that the architecture might be inspired by the Greek temples and paradise in the ancient myths. Based on the interior decoration of the mall, I suppose it is classified as a luxury mall for upper classes or higher-income consumers who are Western Whites, especially ladies. They can afford luxury goods and they are willing to spend. However, the fact is residents in San Jose do not belong to this group. This is undeniable by the statistics on the San Jose fact sheet. First, according to the data of the city of San Jose, the majority San Jose residents’ household annual income is below $100,000, only 41% of them have over $100,000 income distributions. Secondly, over half of San Jose residents do not speak English at home while only 46% speak English as their mother language. In fact, only 31.8% is White people in San Jose. The majority may come from Mexico, Asia, or other countries. This group consists of legal or illegal immigrants, international students or temporary foreign workers who hold working Visa. Thirdly, 66% do not have Bachelor’s degree or higher degree. This is a rather convincing number to conclude that most of San Jose residents are common working class on average. So Valley Fair is not supposed to be a place for San Jose residents. However, these middle class people are actually spending more in this mall.

As a result, when you the stores in Valley Fair Mall, you will easily see the difference between Louis Vuitton and Forever 21. I think there may be more salesladies and security guards than customers in Louis Vuitton. On the contrary, it is always crowded, people form a long line waiting for the fitting room in Forever 21. Although the mall aims its customers to the higher income people, the average or middle-lower classes are actually spending their money in the mall instead of the upper class. I think the problem is that the layout of the stores in the mall classifies its customers into classes. That actually makes many customers feel uncomfortable. I remember I wanted to buy a wallet from Louis Vuitton for my dad for father’s day last year, and I went to the Louis Vuitton retailers in this mall. However, I feel unexplainably stressed once I stepped in the store. I did not mind that no people serviced me or asked me if I needed any help, but I really felt uncomfortable with the way the security guard in a formal suit looked at me. Although I bought a wallet for my dad finally, it was not a happy shopping experience. I would be happier when I buy clothes in Forever 21 although it is crowded and takes me more time to wait for paying.

The classification between different customers is the major problem for Valley Fair Mall. It does not only restrain customers’choices when they shop, but also affects some stores’ owners if their products are for economic classes while the location of their stores is closed the luxurious stores. Therefore, I suggest Valley Fair should re-locate the stores. For example, move the rather luxurious stores to Santana Row, such as Tiffany and Louis Vuitton. It is better to put them with those glamorous brands like Gucci and Burberry together there. And then H&M and Urban Outfitter can replace them and be moved into Valley Fair Shopping Mall. They are more affordable to the public. It might be hard to make all the stores equal in the mall, but at least Valley Fair Shopping Mall should break down the invisible wall between different classes there. Instead of locating the stores based on their popularity, Valley Fair mall can locate them by categories or functions, such as put all the shoes stores together, locate the ladies fashions stores together and group all the restaurants or fast food stores as a whole and so on. When a customer wants to buy a watch, he can easily know where to go in the mall and have all the choices instantly. When the customers spend less time looking for the right place to find the right goods, the parking issue might be relieved a little bit as well. 

If it fails to make every customer feel he is welcomed to the mall, he might think he does not belong to the mall and go to shop somewhere else. I think once the problem is solved, although GAP, H&M or Forever21 are everywhere, customers would like to go to Valley Fair Mall definitely because of the noble and magnificent interior decoration.

informal writing #2

Informal writing #2

I know it sounds unbelievable, but truly, it is my first time to see The Matrix, a very famous sci-fi movie from 1999. Therefore, I do not fully understand the movie, but I have a general idea what the story talks about. This two-choice offer for Neo is actually a big question to everyone that relates to how you should live your own life. My understanding about the blue pill and the red pill is that, if I choose the blue one, nothing will change, and I can still take the control on my life which I am familiar with, although it may not be the true world; if I choose the red one, then I cannot tell what will happen, I might go to a new and dangerous world that I never known before, just like Alice follows the rabbit to the hole and enters the wonderland that does not make any sense.

After thinking for a while, I am sure I will take the red pill just as Neo did.

It is not just because of my strong curiosity. I know a lot of people want expectable and stable lives with not many challenges. However, don’t you think it is boring? Suppose we can live to 80 years old on average, we may spend the first 25 years in school to get education for working in the next 35 years, and finally, spend the last 20 years staying at home, doing nothing, and waiting to die. Whenever I think of this, I feel so sad and frustrating.

I remember when I was a little girl, I always think I am special. I imagine I can be an astronaut, doctor, or president one day. However, as I grow up, I forget about my childish dream. I choose the major that is for me to find a good job easily because I know more about the world. I face the reality. I am clear about it is so hard, almost impossible to be a president. I have my parents and two sisters need to take care of. And I want to have a stable life now just as everyone does. The environment and the people around me tell me what kind of life I should expect. To be honest, this is not the best life I want, but it is the best one I can get with limited choices and I am also contented with what I have now. I have my families and friends with me, I enjoy going to school, and I like my part-time job.

My life is just so predictable as if it is run by a program. Therefore, if someone tells me the world we are living is a digital world run by tons of complicated program by computer, by machine or robots, I might believe that. Human beings always think we are the owner of the world. We believe we are dominating the world because we are the one who create things. We create the house we are living in, we create computers, and we create technology. However, if machine and robots have thoughts and feelings, they might be able to create machines themselves. It is just a time of problem. When technology is getting more and more advanced, in 2199, 3199, or 4199, the world might be dominated by the robots. Do you think human beings are still the cowner of the world at that time?

According to the movie, obviously it is the robots that take control of the real world, and human beings are just under the control of the machines, so all we know is fake and fictitious. Sometimes, when I think about what happened in the dream last night while brushing my teeth in the morning, I might ask myself if it really happened before, or if I am brushing my teeth in my dream right now. And my answer is it does not really matter what is real or what is not, what matters is what happens to me and how I feel about that. If I had a sweet dream last night, I will be happy the whole day although I know it was just a dream. In fact, to say I am happy, I would say I remember the feeling of being happy in my dream. That why i still feel happy. I hope you understand what I am saying. Experience and memories are important. So I prefer challenging and unexpected life over boring life if I can choose. Therefore, I will absolutely pick the red pill if I can make my own decision which can richen and color my life.

IAT posts

I took the weight IAT

This IAT requires the ability to distinguish faces of people who are obese and people who are thin. It often reveals an automatic preference for thin people relative to fat people.

The result is:

Your data suggest a strong automatic preference for Thin People compared to Fat People.

I find it shows what I am really thinking in my mind, what I want and what I prefer.

While I am doing the test, when good words associate with fat people and bad words associate with  thin people or good words associate with thin people and bad words associate with fat people, I have to keep telling myself, "fat is good or thin is bad" in order to press the keyboard as fast as possible. However, once I finished the test, it does not have any effect on my preference on fat and thin people. I do not want to judge that if the test is really scientific and accurate or not, but I completely agree with the result.

I took age IAT as well

This IAT requires the ability to distinguish old from young faces. This test often indicates that Americans have automatic preference for young over old.

The result is:

Your data suggest a strong automatic preference for Young compared to Old.

This is true. I really prefer young more compared to old. Actually, I think not only American have automatic preference for young over old, everyone from other races prefer young as well. Certainly, it is because old means aging, weak and death. So I think the test is useless and reflects nothing.

For both tests:

Although these tests are telling us something we already know or agree with, it has some science in them. When I do the test, for example, I may get the wrong answer more easily when fat people associate with good words, or it may take longer for me to think about it. So when thin people are associated with good words, I can answer faster and more accurate. Which means I think thin is always better subconsciously, so it can tell I perfer thin more. I think that is how the result is evaluated.