FamiLee Life

UWell? How Does Bicycling Stack Up?

The University has made a big push in recent years to encourage staff and faculty to live well through proper exercise, eating, and wise life choices (e.g., wearing a seat belt/helmet, avoiding high alcohol consumption, stress management). To encourage people, they send out an annual online survey to complete and for which you can receive $65 for participation. They also mail you a cheap pedometer that I seem to immediately lose within a day or week of using. They really push for people to walk 10,000 steps a day. For walking 10K a day, you can earn another $65. The whole goal of the University Wellness Program is to increase our health and wellness.

Interestingly, it has never been suggested to reduce our dependence on the automobile and to try bicyling as an alternative to car and even walking. Not everyone has the luxury of time to walk to work when home-to-work is more than a few miles. However, it is quite easy to bicycle to work when the distance to work is a bit longer. I wish I could earn $65 for riding my bicycle to work.

Anyway, it all got me thinking of how many calories am I burning by bicycling each day. Also, what is the equivalent when running? I found two online calculators to estimate such things. The calorie burned estimator lets you compare and contrast all sorts of activities from bicycling to ironing a shirt. The DrMirken site provides an equation to convert bicycle miles to running miles for those who wonder which is better/easier/healthier.

By biking every day, I am burning 500 plus calories for one hour of riding. When I used to run, I ran about 30 minutes a day which is equal to around 300 calories a day. Walking for 60 minutes burns about 260 calories. The bonus of riding is that I get to work in the process, whereas it would not be reasonable to make such a commute by walking or running.

When Fancy Pants Sue and Loses and Other Life Lessons

My parents (and my oldest brother) owned (and still own) dry cleaners. Their odyssey in the dry cleaning business started when I took a part-time job working in the dry cleaners owned by a family who went to the same church as my family. A short time after I began to work there, my parents and brother realized that the corporate world was not for them (or rather, the glass ceiling prevented such a future for my parents and my brother was sorting out what he wanted in life) and they apprenticed at the same cleaners by the time I was in college. They opened FamiLee Dry Cleaners and Tailors (hence my blog name) around 1987. They subsequently opened FamiLee Too and FamiLee Three which were/are drop-off locations. The actual cleaning was done at the main shop. Around 2001 (I forget the exact date), they sold the main business and retained the two drop-off businesses. My mom and dad "officially" retired, but they kept working part-time at one of the smaller shops. As most know, my mom passed away in December 2002 and so she never go to enjoy the fruits of her labor. My brother and dad continue to run the shop, so to speak, though I am unsure for how much longer. Still, it's been 20 years and there are many stories to tell.

In the news today is a story about a lawsuit in which a district judge suited a Korean-owned dry cleaners in Washington, DC for 54 million dollars!!!! Read story here. It's a completely ridiculous lawsuit and fortunately the presiding judge agreed with the defendant. Plus, the judge made the plaintiff pay for all the legal fees and more. It had all started with a missing pair of pants. Apparently, very fancy pants. They were part of a pricey suit that the cleaners had lost. Sometimes it happens in the dry cleaning business. In return, cleaners usually pay the cost of the pants. If they are old pants, you pay their "blue book" value, so to speak. If they are new pants, you pay the retail cost. However, you do not have to pay 54 million dollars. Somehow, this plaintiff/judge thought "satisfaction guaranteed" meant you got this much money. Ridiculous.

MINOR UPDATE - From the AP, [Judge] Bartnoff wrote that Pearson, an administrative law judge, failed to prove that the pants the dry cleaner tried to return were not the pants he took in for alterations. Makes you wonder if the guy was really just feeling vindictive and needed some way to soothe his wounded ego.

My parents had many such encounters at the dry cleaners. They had individuals who requested strange things such as dry cleaning and pressing underwear, laundering cheap, polyester dress shirts purchased from Sears in 1970, and more. On occasion, clothing would get lost. My parents would have to pay for the current value of the sweater or shirt or pants. Most customers were understanding, but some would get enraged. A few customers would leave and some of them actually would return after a time because my parents' business was the best in town. Such was life.

Having previously worked in a dry cleaners as a high schooler and then having had to work every summer and vacation in my parents' cleaner, I learned the value of hard work, patience, monotony and repetition, attention to detail, and customer service. Learning when to just smile and when to stand up for oneself. How to bargain and how to accept a deal. You also learn how to spend lots of time in silence, alone with your thoughts, as you tirelessly press suits as 110+ degree steam hits you in the face for hours upon hours on end. It was a valuable learning experience. At the same time, I realized from these experiences that I did not want to be a small business owner (at least not as a full time occupation).

So, being the son of dry cleaners is a part of the reason why I am in academia. It's completely different but in some respects it is the same. The lessons learned still apply. Plus, on a day like today, you feel good when Judge Fancy Pants loses a lawsuit!

Being Third Stinks!

A very impressive new study was just published in Science which suggests that eldest born children are smarter than their younger siblings! Alas, such a finding means my two older brothers (as they have always reminded/tortured me) are likely smarter than me. Read the full story in the NYTimes or just read the actual article in Science Brevia. It's also worthwhile to read this Science Perspective piece on possible reasons for this birth order effect. Or better yet, have your older brother or sister read it and then explain it to you.

JUNE 24, 2007 UPDATE -- Big hoopla and debate over the study implications. Read here for more.

JULY 2, 2007 UPDATE -- A thoughtful analysis of what the study means in the larger sense of life. Read here.

I Ride to Work - Big Deal, He's Riding Across the Country!

I have been bitten by the bicycle bug. No surprise to those who know me. I have bought (ahem) a few bikes recently and gotten them fixed up purrty. But I don't participate in road races, cyclocross races, or tackle tough mountain bike trails. Nope. I just ride to work, to the grocery store, to drop off a rental video, to visit with friends. The mundane things in life. It's enjoyable.

Today, I was reading the Minnesota Daily and came across an article about my colleague in Chicano Studies (Louis Mendoza) who is riding across America and (get this!) it's for research!. You can read about his journey at his blog. Wow, that is impressive. He intends to average 75 miles a day which at a leisurely pace would take anywhere from 5-8 hours, depending on road and weather conditions. His bike will be heavy with all the camping gear, etc, so I suspect he will go at a slower pace. All the better to take in all of America, I suppose.

Here is the proposed map of his trip.

Impressive. How can I find a novel way to take my psychological research on Asian American mental health on the road? Suggestions?

Jesus was on TV

and I missed the performance. Fortunately, I found the David Letterman show video clip online (click here). To my surprise, Jesus and Mary Chain have reunited and are touring again. Goodness knows how they sound these days but the Letterman clip suggests not bad!

Back in high school, alongside my listening of the Velvet Underground, I would listen to Jesus and Mary Chain over and over again. They had some amazing albums that were full of feedback, melody, and all the stuff you hear on the radio today that is semi-indie, but really just pop. Then, I got religion in me and felt guilty for listening to them, given the blasphemy of their band name and subsequent album covers. I am not sure if I even still own the vinyls. If I did, they would be somewhere in my brother's basement in Connecticut. Oh the days of old....

Click here and here and here to view the JAMC myspace site and the respective myspace sites for the two brothers - Jim and William Reid.

Born Again :: An Adoptive Father Reconsiders Adoption

There is a very interesting article in the Korean online paper - Yonhap News - about an American adoptive father of a Korean child who becomes "born again" in the sense that he has come to see the other side of adoption which is a prism of perspectives. It encompasses his child's perspective as a Korean, a minority, an adoptee; the birthmothers and birthfathers; the Korean society and its value system; the global, imperialist economy; adoption agency interests; etc. I read about it last week and then saw that Harlow's Monkey beat me to it on the posting (Jae-Ran is so darn quick! or am I so dang lazy/slow?). Anyway, give it a read.

The Fall and Rise of Yuko Takeuchi (and me)

My apologies for taking so long to post some pics of the new, improved Yuko Takeuchi (aka Bridgestone Eurasia/EAD 500). We had some technical difficulties finding the right stem length (originally had a 9 cm length but it was too long, so I switched to a 7 cm length) and then, tragically, we had a fall. It occurred last night.

The day started great (and fortunately also ended great). After spending a relaxing morning and early afternoon avoiding the heat, I embarked on a sunset canoeing expedition on Lake of the Isles, Cedar Lake, and Lake Calhoun with H-Dub, Hapa9, and K-Matt out on the Sun-ee (aka the Turtle Ship) and Hapa9's Millennium Falcon. We swam a bit, enjoyed some cold beverages while lolling about on the lake, and ate tasty fish at the Tin Fish. As the canoeing came to a close, Hapa9 suggested an evening of karaoke workshop which means we sing new songs to figure out how they go, what is in our range, etc. A perfect idea. So, H-Dub and I went back to my place to drop off the canoe, clean up, and then head over to Hapa9's.

I left my place on Yuko around 10:15 pm. I was going my usual route around Lake Harriet. As I turned onto the street that takes me to the lake, I hit a patch of sand in the road as I leaned into the turn and wiped out. Bad but not terribly bad. As with most accidents, it happened quickly but simultaneously in slow motion. It was dark outside, so I didn't see the sand. I knew there was a lot of it on the road, as they have been doing construction in the roads for the past month, but I could not see it in the dark (even with my headlight). I hit hard on my left side and sustained plenty of road scrapes on my left foot and ankle and the palm of my left hand. I also got a few minor scrapes on my chin and chest. Fortunately, I didn't break anything and had no nasty gashes. Still, there was about a half-dollar size scrape with no skin on my palm and about a quarter-size scrape on my ankle. I doused the cuts/scrapes with water from my waterbottle and made my way to Hapa9's. Sarah was kind enough to help me clean and dress the wounds. The rest of the evening went fine. I sang some new tunes (none too memorable) and rode back home at night's end.

Of course, I was mostly worried about Yuko. The handlebars got turned askew but there was no major damage to the bike. My new Cane Creek brake lever (right side) sustained the brunt of the force and a piece of the thick rubber hood was torn off. Otherwise, she was fine. We both were.

So, with this story told, I re-introduce Yuko.

Since my initial showing of her a few months ago, I had a few things added. Namely, I put on a Nitto Technomic Deluxe stem (7 cm), Nitto Noodle bars (44 cm), Cane Creek brake levers, and an early 90's Avocet Racing saddle. And, as you can see in the below photo, Jim from Hiawatha Cyclery did a wonderful job of creating a weaved cloth handlebar wrap. Thanks, Jim!

And, yes, she rides wonderfully.

The Rising of Yuko Takeuchi

This is a brief entry because all horror films begin with a dramatic but short beginning.... Okay, actually, I only have a few minutes but wanted to start the story of my newest bicycle purchase. I already blogged about her a few months ago (click here), but have just now gotten to rebuilding her into Yuko Takeuchi. So named after her two previous owners, someone named Yuko X who purchased the bicycle in Japan (never sold in the US) and X Takeuchi who sold the bicycle to me (via ebay). I swapped out some parts and hope to add some additional touring-friendly accoutrements. She's still in the developing/testing phase but I am pleased with the results thus far. I hope to snap some photos in the next couple of days and will post more updates on her rising. Stay tuned.

Mr Lee (not me)

This is Mr Lee. Despite the same surname, he is not my cat. However, he is more famous than me. You can learn more about him at Mr Lee CatCam. Basically, some German fellow named Jürgen Perthold who now lives in South Carolina got curious about what his cat does/sees all day long. So Mr Perthold built a cat camera and posts them on the web. You can read the story here. I wish I was as inventive and as creative. Alas, it is good that I chose academia as a profession.

Psychology of Flight Path Noise

I live just below the flight path for airplanes landing at the Minneapolis/St Paul airport. For first time visitors to my home, it sometimes surprises or startles them to hear the rumblings of an airplane as it decelerates to land about 9 miles away. I guess it is surprising to them because I live quite close to a lovely, beautiful lake in southwest Minneapolis known as Lynnhurst neighborhood. The arrow roughly points to the location of my home.

The airplanes seem to appear about twice a day, once in the morning as I get ready to leave for work and once in the evening after I've returned from work. Each time, plane after plane lands for roughly one hour or longer. I never actually estimated the length of time, but it is not all night or all day. Still, it's noticeable. Fortunately, I have storm windows and central air conditioning to keep the noise levels minimum inside the home. At the same time, there definitely are times when I can feel the walls upstairs rumble/shake from the vibrations caused by the planes as they decelerate. A friend recently told me it is the deceleration of a plane that is much louder than a plane taking off.

As a psychologist, I have read numerous studies about noise pollution and its effect on the cognitive functioning of children and adults. Sometimes, I make this comment to friends and they seem to believe me and at the same time not believe me. Or maybe choose to not believe me, even when it makes sense to them.

Well, perhaps this article in the Washington Post will make a more convincing case for these unwilling believers in the horrors of noise pollution (click HERE for story).

Here is a quote from the story about a recent "natural experiment" that I had first read when it was published. I think it says it all.

But it was a "natural" experiment in Germany that helped clinch the case, when the old Munich airport was shut down and a new one was opened at a distant site. Tests done on third- and fourth-graders -- before that switch, soon after it and again later on -- showed that students near the old airport initially scored lower than others on tests of memory and reading but improved after the airport closed, while their counterparts living near the new airport saw a decline in scores after the switch occurred.

So wear those ear plugs when you go to concerts every weekend, buy a non-motorized push lawn mower, ride your bicycle to work, and enjoy the true sounds of nature.

Notes from the Velvet Underground

When I was in high school, suffering through my assortment of identity and family crises, I found lots of solace in music. I listened to mostly punk, hardcore, new wave, and other modern/alternative rock tunes, including early generations of these forms. One of these early vanguard bands was the Velvet Underground. Man, there were so many days where I just listened over and over to this Warhol-managed band, fronted by Lou Reed and for a time led by vocalist Nico.

I am working today at Anodyne Coffeeshop in an adjacent neighborhood to my home and I heard VU playing overhead with their song Femme Fatale. Gosh, I had forgotten about VU but they still hold a special place in my heart. Their music, melodies and lyrics were great. Sparse but full of sound at the same time. Haunting yet soothing. Just lovely music.

For those not in the know or who are curious or who want to enjoy some VU favorites, click HERE or HERE to listen to some songs on YouTube.

Pre to Post Adoption from Ethiopia

Melanie Danke and Kirk Frauenheim, with children Sam, Hattie, and three adopted from Ethiopia, twin sisters Tigist and Besso, and Miki. Photo from NYTimes

The NYTimes has an article out about families who've adopted from Ethiopia and the type of practices and supervision that are emerging from this country. It's a worthwhile and quick read. The article is accompanied by a video story of a few families from Minneapolis/MN area who have adopted from Ethiopia.

Of course, as with most stories on adoption, the emphasis is placed on the pre-adoption circumstances surrounding adoption. Notably absent from the story, however, are the racial and ethnic realities that families must negotiate and resolve as the children acculturate and assimilate to American society. Given the adopting families know much more about the birth families and villages of the children, to what extent will families attempt to maintain contact overseas, as well as encourage the children to connect with the Ethiopian community in Mpls/St Paul? Absent also is any discussion of racism and discrimination that these children will experience from Whites, Blacks, and others and need to learn to confront, resist, resolve, accept.

TB and White Privilege

Andrew Speaker is the man at the center of attention in the American media and public because he traveled to Europe, with knowledge of having been diagnosed with tuberculosis, and defiantly traveled back to the United States through evasive means to avoid detention after being informed to immediately turn himself over to authorities in Italy and to not travel (read here).

It's a crazy story for many reasons, but I think it speaks volumes to the privileges associated with being a well-educated, affluent, White man. Case in point --

Mr. Speaker, who defied instructions to turn himself into Italian health authorities, flew from Prague to Montreal and then drove to the United States, despite a notice to Customs agents to detain him.

Congressional investigators, who plan to hold hearings on how the case has been handled, say that the border agent at the Plattsburgh, N.Y., border crossing with Canada decided that Mr. Speaker did not look sick and so let him go.

First, we have a man who thought he was above the law and against better judgment does not heed the warnings and instructions to turn himself over.

Second, we have a man who thinks he can sneak back to the U.S. and not get caught. And not really apologize for this action. Instead, only apologizing for putting people at risk.

Third, we have a man who is allowed to enter the U.S. despite a notice to border agents to detain him. Why? Because the border agent didn't think he looked sick.

I have the biggest problem with #3 because it reeks of White privilege. If this guy was Arab American or Asian American, I strongly suspect that the border agent would not have given this guy the benefit of the doubt. But a young, handsome, wealthy looking, articulate White guy - oh, he must be safe! Hm...isn't this what they thought about Ted Bundy?