VOL 34 NO 15 | APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

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VOL 34 NO 15

APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

‘Star Trek’ and social media hero George Takei is 2015 Tomodachi Award winner

WORLD NEWS Tokyo ward recognizes same sex marriage » P. 4

You are fine…

5 topics women are too embarrassed to discuss with their doctor—but shouldn’t be

By Richard Wasserman, MD, Pacific Medical Center Northwest Asian Weekly Photo by James Tabafunda/NWAW

Some health topics are embarrassing, so much that women are afraid to talk about them even in the privacy of a doctor’s office. It’s understandable.

Sharing personal information on uncomfortable topics with a person you hardly know is bound to be unsettling. Understand, however, that as medical providers are here to help and ensure you remain happy and healthy. The top five topics encountered for most patients to talk about include: George Takei at the Awards luncheon

By James Tabafunda Northwest Asian Weekly Tomodachi is a Japanese word meaning friend.

“Star Trek” actor and gay rights advocate George Takei is the newest friend of the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington (JCCCW). The organization named him as its 2015 Tomodachi Award winner at the Seventh Annual Tomodachi Luncheon on March 27. The award pays

tribute to an individual or group that promotes Japanese or Japanese American culture and/or works to strengthen ties between Japan and the U.S. Held at Seattle University’s Campion Ballroom, the fundraiser took place at an historic neighborhood that was once home to many Japanese American families. Friends and fans who still remember Takei as Mr. Sulu, the helmsman of

Urinary incontinence Millions of women experience involuntary loss of urine, which is called urinary incontinence (UI).

While the cause is determined by a few different factors, the severity of UI can vary anywhere from slightly bothersome to totally debilitating. For some women, the risk of public embarrassment keeps them from enjoying many activities with their family

{see TAKEI cont’d on page 15}

{see URINATION cont’d on page 13}

Filipina American dancer/choreographer dazzles

By Jason Cruz Northwest Asian Weekly

An elementary school field trip to watch a touring dance company helped Cheryl Delostrinos find her passion in life. “I was blown away,” explained Delostrinos of watching modern dance for the first time. As an 8-year-old, she was mesmerized and wanted to become a dancer.

Soon after her field trip, she begged her mother to take dance lessons. She has not stopped since.

Delostrinos, a 24-year-old, second generation Filipina American, is embarking on a career path not traveled by many {see DELOSTRINOS cont’d on page 11}

Cheryl Delostrinos

Dash running for Seattle City Council District 5 Debadutta Dash announced that he will be running for Seattle City Council District 5. He told the Northwest Asian Weekly that he has been involved with the community for 15 years and wants to jump in because he Debadutta Dash believes he can make a difference. Some of his main topics of focus include housing for the underserved and working with youth to give them a voice in the community. He told the Weekly that he thought it was too late to jump in, but it wasn’t. Born in India, Dash serves as the Group Sales Manager & Service Culture Trainer at the Westin Bellevue Hotel. He is Cochair for WASITRAC, a group to promote trade between India and Washington state.

The Inside Story NAMES People in the news » P. 2

■

A&E Every person’s story is worth hearing » P. 7

WAYNE’S COLUMN The dumpling complex » P. 8

BLOG Coping with stress » P. 10

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asianweekly northwest

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APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

■ names in the news “Grace Notes” Gala raised over $800k

Special guests at the Wedding Passport event at the Redmond Town Center and Marriott

2015 Grace Notes Gala at The Fairmont Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle

Photo by Muralee Raghavan

Ravishing!

Polintan elected Rick Polintan was elected on January 20, 2015 as Chair of the 11th Legislative District Democrats.

Marvin Rosete was elected ViceChair. Robert Kangas was elected State Committeeman. All three are Asian Americans. The 11th is made up of very diverse communities. His goal is for those diverse communities to Rick Polintan be engaged politically.

Polintan retired as a union organizer for SEIU 1199NW. He plans to improve the engagement of the Asian community in the 11th District. 

Demolition begins on Louisa Building

Komen raised over $800k for their annual “Grace Notes” Gala/auction and was attended by 320 people in early March at the Fairmont Hotel. Yuen Lui has provided portraits for all the guests pro-Bono for over 10 years. A BBQ with Fred Brown raised $90k at the live auction and “raise the paddle” exceeded $250k. Mona Locke was the former executive director for Komen. 

Photo by John Liu/NWAW

The “Ravishing Women” team— a non-profit group that supports women and has various events throughout the year that lead up to the judging of Miss India Washington in May, was invited to do a grand finale fashion show of the Wedding Passport event hosted by Redmond Town Center and Marriott late February. It was very well received and featured special guests Mrs. India North America 2014 Aparajita Panda, Miss Junior Teen Washington 2014 Swarathmika and Mrs India Seattle 2013 Daisy Ray. 

League (JACL) PNW Regional Office Director (National Staff) for over 22 years. Her office was in the ID. Last year, Karen resigned to be Executive Director for the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington. The Seattle JACL used the Banquet as an occasion to give Karen a surprise (unannounced) “Tomodachi” award for her years of service and friendship for the Seattle JACL. Karen, was caught completely off guard. Other award winners included Union Bank and Tim Otani. The were recognized for years of support to the Seattle JACL and the community. Ngoc Dinh presented the Sam Shoji Unsung Hero Award to Stan Shikuma Seattle JACL’s incoming president, Sarah Baker presented the Community Service Award to Wing Luke Board Co-president Ellen Ferguson. 

Yoshitomi receives surprise award Construction crew destroy what was originally the space of the Wah Mee Club, Liem’s Pet Shop and floors above it

Former Executive Director Karen Yoshitomi was recognized for her years of service to the organization

Union Bank and Tim Otani were recognized for years of support to the Seattle JACL and the community

On April 1, the Woo family started with a cleansing ceremony for the victims who died in the Wah Mee Club. Firecrackers were set off to symbolize a new era of rebuilding, repairs, and improvements for the Louisa Building. Afterwards, demolition of the western wall began.

Demolition and cleanup is expected to take 20 days. 

Karen Yoshitomi was the Japanese American Citizens

Friday, March 27, 2015 at New Hong Kong Restaurant diversity.nwasianweeklyfoundation.org

A special thank you to all those who helped make this happen!

From left: Will McNamara, Tina Soike, and Bruce Harrell Sponsor Ying Kam Chan Eng with finalists

PRIME SPONSORS

Ying Kam Chan Eng

SUPPORTING SPONSOR Washington Women’s Foundation

CORPORATE SPONSORS

June Chen Memorial Scholarship Fund

COMMUNITY SPONSORS Master Hong Yijiao

Eric Liu

Linda Tsang

Ruthann Kurose

Finalists, winners, sponsors, and emcee Thach Nguyen

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

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APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

■ WORLD NEWS Tokyo ward 1st in Japan to recognize same sex marriage

By Yuri Kageyama Associated Press

Fumino Sugiyama

TOKYO (AP) — Fumino Sugiyama will finally be able to marry his girlfriend of four years. He couldn’t before, because same sex marriages weren’t recognized in Japan, and he is legally a woman.

With a landmark vote Tuesday by the assembly of Tokyo’s Shibuya ward, the district famous as a mecca for trendy youngsters became the first locale in Japan to recognize same sex partnerships as the “equivalent of a marriage,” guaranteeing the identical rights of married couples, including hospital

visitations and apartment rentals.

Sugiyama, who runs a couple of restaurants, said he welcomed the move as a key step in starting a long-needed debate about LGBT issues in Japan — a culture that values harmony so much that being different can get downright traumatic.

“We are not out to change the world,” said Sugiyama, 33, who knew of his male identity since he was in kindergarten and had cried as a child because he didn’t want to wear a skirt. “We simply want the right to be with the person we love.”

The new ordinance applies only to Shibuya, and it’s technically not legally binding, though violators will have their names posted on the ward’s website.

Shibuya — an area with a population of 217,000, including 9,000 foreigners — is also planning an aggressive educational campaign on LGBT issues.

Japanese conservatives, including the powerful politicians of the ruling party, have been unwilling to back the initiative, and protest rallies have popped up in Shibuya.

“A great social ramification will be expected from such a decision,” Mari Sato, a ruling party ward legislator opposed to the move, told the assembly ahead of Tuesday’s vote. “We need much more time to discuss this issue.”

The vote passed, with the majority of the 34 ward’s legislators standing up to show their approval.

Many Japanese lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people

keep their sexual orientation secret for fear of a social backlash, so the number of people who will take advantage of the change is unclear. But Shibuya is expecting an influx of gay and lesbian people.

The first certificates are expected to be issued in July.

Shibuya ward Mayor Toshitake Kuwahara says accepting diversity matches the friendly, vivacious character of the area — a bustling place known for boutiques, live music and a Silicon Valley-like cluster of startups.

He says young “sexual minorities” live in fear, worrying about their future and grappling with self-doubt. “This is the reality,” Kuwahara told reporters recently. “The purpose is to realize a society where everyone can live in hope.”

Koyuki Higashi and Hiroko Masuhara, a rare visible and vocal lesbian couple in Japan, emerged from the Shibuya ward office Tuesday, holding up a rainbow banner that said, “Thank you, Shibuya,” in English.

The couple said they moved to Shibuya four months ago, just to apply for a same sex marriage certificate. They have been together for three years, and held a symbolic wedding at Tokyo DisneySea two years ago.

“To marry the same sex is no different from marrying the opposite sex,” said Higashi, 30, adding that she clutched Masuhara’s hand in joy the moment the ordinance passed.

Sugiyama, who was also in Shibuya to celebrate, acknowledged that the ordinance was just a beginning.

He said he struggled growing up as a transgender in Japan, and hated going to an all-girls school. He never thought of himself as female, even when he was on the Japanese national women’s fencing team.

It was when he was volunteering, sweeping the streets, that he was befriended by a Shibuya ward legislator. Pretty soon, LGBT people were flocking to the volunteer project from all over Japan.

That gradually started raising awareness, recalled Sugiyama, who co-heads an LGBT advocacy group called Tokyo Rainbow Pride.

Sugiyama has had sex reassignment surgery, but under Japanese law he is categorized as a female. This means he would not be able to marry a woman under national law, which does not recognize same sex marriages.

Now he can — in Shibuya.

Still, Sugiyama, who said he plans to have children, turned tearful, reflecting back on the years of pain, especially those he knew who had killed themselves, unable to bear the suffering.

He was merely asking society to accept the LGBT lifestyle as an option, he said.

“We are not trying to take away the right of heterosexual couples,” he said. “It is society that must change, not us.” 

Technology to look inside Fukushima reactors faces challenge

By Yuri Kageyama AP Business Writer

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — The cutting-edge technology was billed as a way to decipher where exactly the morass of nuclear fuel might sit at the bottom of reactors in the Japanese power plant that went into multiple meltdowns four years ago.

But what went wrong, even in a simple demonstration for reporters Friday for the 500 million yen ($5 million) project, was a sobering reminder of the enormous challenges that lie ahead for the decommissioning of Fukushima Dai-ichi.

Muons are cosmic-ray subatomic particles so tiny they go through almost anything except for so-called heavy elements like uranium and plutonium used for nuclear fuel. They can help present a picture of what’s inside an object, similar to the way doctors use X-rays, and have been used to study the Egyptian pyramids, the insides of volcanoes and ship cargo at ports.

The ideal scenario goes like this: Two giant walls more than two stories high will be set up right next to each reactor to shoot out muons so that data from how the muons scatter after hitting what’s inside, picked up by sensors, can be analyzed. Such image-mapping is possible because muons will bend at different angles, depending on the material they hit.

But a programming glitch could not be fixed in time for Friday’s demonstration at Toshiba’s research center, near Tokyo, to show any image, even a mock-up, from the muons.

All reporters got to see was the huge equipment, metal with lots of wirings and blinking little lights, in a giant garage-like building, and on its side, not straight up as it would be when put to use at the plant.

Experts have long said that what’s crucial for decommissioning is getting an image of the nuclear fuel after the March 2011 tsunami crippled backup generators at Fukushima Daiichi, setting off the worst nuclear catastrophe since Chernobyl.

No one knows where the molten fuel debris lies, and in what shape or state.

Tokyo Electric Power Co., which operates Fukushima Dai-ichi, has said it likely sank to the bottom of the plant. But the fuel could have dropped even beyond.

Tadashi Yotsuyanagi, an official in charge of the muon project at Toshiba Corp., acknowledged radiation would be an obstacle for people doing the construction work to set up the walls. High exposure to radiation is unhealthy, sometimes fatal.

But once the image is relayed to a distant computer, studying that won’t require people to be near radiation, the plus of using muon technology for studying nuclear plants, according to Adrian Hillier, an expert on muons at the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the U.K. Toshiba plans to start setting up the “muon trackers” at Fukushima Dai-ichi sometime after October but before March 2016. The Japanese electronics giant, {see FUKUSHIMA cont’d on page 11}

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

■ WORLD NEWS

5

About 4,000 fishermen stranded on Indonesian islands

By Margie Mason and Robin McDowell Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) —The number of foreign fishermen stranded on several remote eastern Indonesian islands has spiraled to 4,000, including some revealed in an Associated Press investigation to have been enslaved.

Many are migrant workers abandoned by their boat captains after the government passed a moratorium on foreign fishing five months ago, according to the International Organization for Migration, which released the figure Friday. However, others have been trapped on the islands for years, after being dumped by fishing boats or escaping into the jungle.

“This is the worst moment in our life right now,” one former slave told the AP, which is not releasing the names

of the men for their safety. “It is even worse than being in hell. We have to work every day to survive. ... There is no hope for us anymore.”

The AP reported earlier this week that slaves —some of them beaten and locked in cages —are forced to fish, and their catch ends up in the supply chains of American supermarkets and restaurants. The migration agency said Friday that the report follows several years of close work with Indonesian authorities to rescue hundreds of fisherman identified as victims of trafficking.

Many of the stranded are men from Myanmar who went to neighboring Thailand in search of work. They were taken by boat to Indonesia, which has some of the world’s richest fishing grounds. Others left behind on the islands are Cambodian and a few from the poorer parts of Thailand.

Steve Hamilton, IOM’s deputy chief of mission in

Indonesia, said for every man they’ve already rescued, many more now need help. With the fishing ban, boats have docked or fled, ditching their crews.

“It is reasonable to expect many are victims of trafficking, if not outright slavery,” he said.

“But for the first time in possibly several years, their feet are touching dry land and there is a real possibility for them to go home, once we and the authorities locate and process them,” he said.

About a quarter of the men are in Benjina, a town that straddles two islands in the Maluku chain, according to an Indonesian official who recently visited the area. These men, some abandoned five, 10, even 20 years ago, load and unload fish off boats for food and pocket money, or cut and {see FISHERMEN cont’d on page 12}

A mercurial junta leader known for sharp tongue Banana peel, birthday plans, and multiple personalities

By Todd Pitman and Thanyarat Doksone Associated Press BANGKOK (AP) — Ear tugs. A flying banana peel. Sarcastic remarks about getting smacked, or punched — or even executed.

Such is life for the press corps covering Thailand’s notoriously testy military ruler.

Since leading a putsch that ousted Thailand’s elected government last May, general-turned-prime minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has been thrust from the relative privacy of army life into the public arena of the politician. He has pounded on the podium during news conferences, lambasted his questioners, and simply stomped away.

In one case, he summoned two journalists for asking ``inappropriate’’ questions about when and whether elections would be held.

His government, meanwhile, has engaged in censorship and leaned on media outlets to censor themselves.

But the mercurial junta leader has also presided over light-hearted press briefings filled with humor — even song — in which journalists have joked back. The media found it less funny Wednesday when Prayuth sardonically suggested he might execute journalists deemed overly critical.

Manop Thip-osod, a spokesman for the Thai Journalists Association, said earlier this month that the way Prayuth communicates ``has to change.’’

Some of Prayuth’s most memorable comments and interactions with the media since he seized power:

DON’T ARGUE May 26, 2014 — In his first official speech following the coup, Prayuth said: ``I’m not here to argue with anyone. I want to bring everything out in the open and fix it ... Everyone must help me. (But) do not criticize, do not create new problems. It’s no use.’’

ON BIKINIS Sept. 17, 2014 — After two British tourists were murdered on the Thai island of Koh Tao, Prayuth triggered an uproar by insinuating that foreign visitors — attractive ones, at least — were endangering themselves by dressing skimpily. ``I’m asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? Only if they are not beautiful.’’

Nov. 3, 2014 — ``I’m well aware that I have a short temper,’’ Prayuth told the press. ``Today I’ve calmed down a lot. ... I have to thank you for the warnings and suggestions. And I won’t change my personality, because I already have several personalities.’’

EAR MASSAGE Nov. 20, 2014 — A video posted on Facebook by a Bangkok Post reporter in the northeastern city of Khon Kaen showed Prayuth patting the baseball cap-clad head of a cameraman in front of him. He then began nonchalantly tugging and twisting the man’s ear as he fielded questions. A government spokesman later said the gesture was good-natured teasing.

eating and hurled it at one of their heads.

The act drew surprised laughter from officials and the press.

DON’T ASK DUMB QUESTIONS Feb. 3, 2015 — After two homemade bombs exploded outside a luxury shopping mall in Bangkok, slightly injuring one person, Prayuth was asked if the perpetrators were trying to discredit the government. ``Everybody knows that,’’ he snapped. ``Otherwise they would have exploded the bombs in the jungle. Why the hell are you asking this?’’

NOODLES AND BIG BROTHER Feb. 12, 2015 — Asked about security forces the junta has deployed to control ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s movements, Prayuth said: ``If she wants to go to eat some noodles, or go

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION Sept. 23, 2014 — Speaking after the junta forced the cancellation of a university seminar on the demise of foreign dictatorships, Prayuth was asked whether the junta would open a channel for critics to express their views. ``I’m opening one right now. You’re yapping right now. I never stopped you, did I?’’

THE BANANA PEEL Dec. 24, 2014 — When journalists kept asking Prayuth to face the camera during a public event they were covering, the junta leader took the peel of a banana he was

PODIUM SMACK Sept. 24, 2014 — After a reporter jokingly asked if he would only ever seek the premiership through a coup, Prayuth shot back by threatening, in jest: ``I’ll smack you’’ with the podium.

Assunta Ng

Account Executives

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kelly@nwasianweekly.com

MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES

Publisher assunta@nwasianweekly.com Editor editor@nwasianweekly.com Layout Editor/Webmaster han@nwasianweekly.com

{see JUNTA LEADER cont’d on page 12}

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The only weekly English-language newspaper serving Washington’s Asian community. The NW Asian Weekly has one simple goal: “To empower the Asian community.”

The Editorial Board reserves the right to reject any advertisement, letter or article.

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APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

■ COMMUNITY calendar FRI 4/3

WHAT: James Wong, “Building $100 + Million Real Estate Business” WHERE: Han’s Garden, 3020 78th Ave. S.E., Mercer Island WHEN: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

INFO: luncheon@ seattlechinesechamber.org

SAT 4/4 WHAT: 6th Annual AHA MELE Hawaiian Festival WHERE: Chief Leschi Schools, 5625 52nd St. E., Puyallup WHEN: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

INFO: mawhcc@comcast.net WHAT: Asians Collaborating Together Conference with Gary Locke and Dean Lum WHERE: Ethnic Cultural Center, UW WHEN: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

COST: $5/students, $10/ community TICKETS: bit.ly/act-2015 INFO: acequal@uw.edu

TUE 4/7 WHAT: Preparing for Work (ESL level 5/6 students) WHERE: Bellevue College,

WHERE: Seattle Public Library WHEN: 1-4 p.m.

INFO: info@lasalaseattle.org

Room 101, 3000 Landerholm Circle S.E., Bellevue WHEN: 5:30 p.m.

INFO: bellevuecollege.edu/ preparingforwork

THU 4/9 WHAT: Re-elect Bruce Harrell Kickoff Party WHERE: Filipino Community Center, 5740 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Seattle WHEN: 6-8 p.m.

RSVP: contact@ electbruceharrell.com, 206-8175155 WHAT: Preserving the Panama Hotel WHERE: Nisei Veterans Committee, 1212 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 5:30-7 p.m.

RSVP: info@historicseattle.org

by April 6

SAT 4/11 WHAT: Latino & Filipino poets explore cultural mythologies featuring Roberto Ascalon, Jim Cantu, Loma Dee Cervantes, Gabriela Gutierrez y Muhs, Emily Lawsin, and Sam Patrick RoxasChua

WHAT: Money Management: Create + Retain + Invest + Protect, “How to Take Flight and Land Safely” WHERE: Museum of Flight WHEN: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

COST: $55/members, $65/nonmembers INFO: alex.truong@naaapseattle. org

■ briefly

Group files federal lawsuit in effort to stop Bamboo and Chai’s elephant move

THU 4/16 WHAT: Samuel E. Kelly Distinguished Faculty Lecture with Professor Shawn Wong WHERE: Alder Hall Commons & Auditorium REGISTER: cpromad@uw.edu, 206-685-9594

SAT 4/18 WHAT: NVC Foundation Movie Series, “Ponyo,” a film by Hayao Miyazaki WHERE: NVC Memorial Hall, 1212 S. King St., Seattle WHEN: 1-3 p.m.

SEATTLE (AP) — A group opposed to a plan to move two Asian elephants from the Woodland Park Zoo to Oklahoma City has filed a federal lawsuit claiming the move violates the Endangered Species Act. King-TV reports that the Elephant Justice Project filed the lawsuit this week. It says the zoo failed to get a permit that the act requires.

The zoo plans to move Bamboo and Chai to the Oklahoma City Zoo,

where they’ll be able to socialize with other elephants.

The group says the animals should be sent to a sanctuary. They already filed a lawsuit in state court, but the latest suit in federal court focuses on the Endangered Species Act. The group says the act prohibits the transport of endangered species.

The zoo denies it needs a permit.  Information from: KING-TV, http://www.king5.com.

■ sports Former Olympic swimming champ Park apologizes for doping

By Hyung-Jin Kim Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A tearful former Olympic swimming champion, Park Tae-hwan of South Korea, offered an impassioned public apology Friday, four days after receiving an 18-month ban for failing a doping test.

Park, who won South Korea’s only ever swimming gold in the 400 meters freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Games, was handed the ban Monday by world swimming governing body FINA after testing positive for testosterone in an outof-competition drug test. The FINA ban began retroactively

the day of the positive test in early September and will expire on March 2, 2016.

Park’s agency has blamed the results on an injection administered by a local hospital, which offered him free chiropractic and other treatments in July.

Park said in a news conference Friday he’s sorry for having disappointed his fans and the South Korean people and that he will have time to “deeply reflect on myself.”

A teary Park said the last few months were like “hell” for him, which he also described as “the difficult and lonely time that I felt like dying.”

“The 18 months that I’m stripped of the rights as a

swimmer will probably be the most difficult moment for me,” he added.

It was his first public appearance since the 25-yearold was informed of the results of his doping test in late October, according to his agency Team GMP. Park has been one of the most popular athletes in the South Korea since his Olympic win. He also owns the country’s only other three Olympic swimming medals.

Park added a silver in Beijing, and two more silver medals at the 2012 London Games. {see PARK cont’d on page 15}

KING COUNTY INVITATION TO BID Project: Work Order Landscape Site Maintenance for Solid Waste Division, Contract No. C00968C15 Sealed Bid Time/Date: April 16, 2015, 1:30pm Location Due: King County Procurement & Contract Services Section, Contracts Counter, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 Engineer’s Estimate: NTE $500,000.00 Scope of Work: The Work under this Contract consists of landscape maintenance for several sites and Green Stormwater Infrastructure (roadside rain gardens and green roofs) in the King County Solid Waste service area. Maintenance activities may include weeding by hand; watering by hand from a water truck; watering via temporary irrigation systems; maintenance of temporary and permanent irrigation systems; removing dead plant material; planting trees, shrubs, and groundcover; trash and debris removal; applying compost and mulches; applying herbicides; constructing temporary fencing; installing animal barriers; applying fertilizer; installing woody debris on the ground; installing signs; installing and maintaining weed barrier fabric; installing erosion control measures. The work will be done in a series of Work Order packages. Work site: King County, Washington.

The work performed under this Contract shall not exceed $500,000.00 and the initial Contract Time

shall not exceed 365 calendar days from the date of Contract execution by the County. The County does not guarantee any minimum amount of work or that the dollar amount of the Work Orders issued will total $500,000.00 during the duration of this Contract.

At the County’s sole discretion, this Contract may be extended for up to two additional years in one year increments, or until the Not to Exceed Contract Price is reached, whichever occurs first. In no event shall the Contract Time be greater than three years from the date of Contract execution by the County.

Contact Information: Mary Lee, Contract Specialist, 206-263-9381, TTY Relay: 711, Fax: 206-2967675, or mary.lee@kingcounty.gov. Please submit all bidder questions in writing via email. No verbal answers by any County personnel or its agents and consultants will be binding on the County.

Pre-Bid Conference: No pre-bid conference or site tour is scheduled.

Subcontracting Opportunities: Landscaping; Hydroseeding; Tree Trimming and Removal; and Erosion Control.

Apprenticeship Requirements: No minimum Apprentice Utilization Requirement.

SCS Utilization Requirements: 3% minimum requirement for King County Certified Small Contractors and Suppliers (SCS).

Bid Bond: Not less than five percent (5%) of the Total Bid Price.

Bid Documents Electronic copies of the plans, specifications, reference documents, and any addenda for this solicitation are available on the King County Procurement website shown below.

Printed documents may also be ordered by contacting United Reprographics at 206-382-1177.

Copies of documents are not available for purchase from King County, but are available for review 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. M thru F. at the Contracts Counter: Chinook Bldg, 3rd Floor, 401 Fifth Avenue Seattle, WA 98104.

To receive email notifications of addenda or other important information concerning this solicitation, you must register to be a planholder under the “Solicitations” tab at the following internet link: Website: http://www.kingcounty.gov/procurement/ solicitations This information is available in alternate formats for individuals with disabilities upon advance request by calling 206-263-9400, TTY Relay: 711.

Notes: Bids received after Sealed Bid Time will not be considered. Bidders accept all risks of late delivery, regardless of fault. King County is not responsible for any costs incurred in response to this Invitation to Bid.

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ arts & entertainment

APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

7

“Every person’s story is worth hearing” Dragon Lady playwright discusses feminism, crazy families, and karaoke

By Andrew Hamlin Northwest Asian Weekly

NWAW: Are you originally from Seattle? If so, which neighborhoods and schools? If not, where are you from and when did you arrive in Seattle?

Porkalob: I was born in Bremerton, Washington. I moved to Anchorage, Alaska when I was 5 then moved back to Washington when I was 9. I moved to Seattle for college and have lived in West Seattle, Capitol Hill, Ravenna, and Lower Queen Anne.

NWAW: How have your perceptions of the city and its theater scene changed over time?

Porkalob: The biggest realization that I’ve had since

Photo by Truman Photography

Seattle-based actor, playwright, and drama teacher Sara Porkalob, brings her one-woman show “Dragon Lady,” to the Theatre Off Jackson from March 26th to March 29th. Inspired by her Filipino family, the show promises several generations of family and family secrets, plus Diet Pepsi, pork dumplings, and some heavy bouts with the karaoke machine.

Ms. Porkalob took some questions over email.

Sara Porkalob

graduating from a private, liberal arts college is that while our city’s demographic is very diverse regarding cultural backgrounds, sexual orientation and political belief--the demographic of the theater world is very homogeneous, mostly white and dominated by males. Going to Cornish—issues such as race and gender inequality weren’t discussed as part of our curriculum and looking back, I’m

upset and baffled that those studies were not mandatory. I have less opportunity available to me— from a “big house” point of view because of my ethnic background.

There was no preparation for what it meant to be a colored woman in the business of theater.

NWAW: You went through the Original Works program at Cornish College of the

Arts. How did you audition for the program? Who were your teachers, and what were the most important lessons from your studies?

Porkalob: I didn’t enter the Original Works program until my junior year—the year that all students must choose a specialized track of theater work. My audition consisted of an original 10 minute-piece that I

wrote and directed and a personal interview with three of the OW faculty.

I had many skilled teachers but two left and incredible impression on me and have had the most influence on my artistic aesthetic—Keira McDonald and Paul Budraitis. Both specialized in physical technique and were incredibly specific and determined artists. They were always honest and didn’t take bullsh** from students. Their critique was tough to hear but I came to realize that it was never personal—it was always about the work.

Make it about the work—that’s an important lesson I learned.

One of the other biggest lessons I learned was this: Words do not inherently mean any one thing while theater—a medium dependent upon words/text-is about truth. Seems inherently contradictory, doesn’t it? Well, it is. It’s my job as an artist to reconcile and deconstruct those ideas.

NWAW: How have you grown and changed as a feminist?

Porkalob: My belief in gender equality has always stayed constant. The ideas of privilege, {see DRAGON LADY cont’d on page 13}

asianweekly northwest

8

APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

■ wayne’s worlds

The Dumpling Complex

By Wayne Chan Northwest Asian Weekly “What are you doing?” I asked of my wife Maya, in a tone mixed between innocence and accusatory.

“I’m pan frying some dumplings for the party,” she answered, matter of factly.

The “party”, she was referring to, was the bi-weekly neighborhood gathering we affectionately refer to as “Yappy Hour,” where a number of families around the block get together at one of the neighbors as a way of practicing neighborhood camaraderie. The host family supplies beer and wine, and all the guests bring an appetizer or snack to share with everyone.

We call it “Yappy Hour” because we all typically bring our dogs to the party, so that the dogs can have some fun and it gives us license to use the cutesy term, “Yappy Hour.” Before bringing the dogs, we used to bring our kids as an excuse to get together, but now, all our kids are either off to college or old enough to know that they wouldn’t be caught dead going to something as cutesy as “Yappy Hour.”

But getting back to the dumplings.

As I peered over her shoulder to confirm that she was indeed putting the finishing touches on a delectable pan-seared batch of dumplings, I nervously started asking some questions.

“What happened? Why aren’t we cooking up some of the mini egg rolls from the store?”

She says, “We were out of those.”

I said, “Well, what about the mini rolled up, then started going through the list of items we usually bring to “Yappy Hour.”

What about the frozen chicken wings?

No. The meatballs from Costco?

Uh uhh.

The mini tacos we did last time?!?

No!

As I started to blurt out, “What about the deep fried…”, Maya held up her hand, stopping me in mid-sentence, tilted her head, looked me in the eye and said, “What’s wrong with making the dumplings?”

I looked at her with exasperation. Not knowing exactly what to say, my mind raced with ideas of driving out to get a pizza for the party, or better yet, rummaging through our pantry for some months-old box of Girl Scout Cookies or a bag of half- eaten cheese curls.

With my eyes darting the room, considering other options, Maya looks back at me hands on hips, and asks, “Well???”

Unable to come up with any better alternatives, and not knowing what else to say, I simply blurt out: These people aren’t dumpling worthy!!!!

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, let me provide the following definition: Dumplingworthiness – adjective; deemed deserving of, or consumption of, astonishingly delectable wrapped morsels of the Gods.

Now, before you start tearing into me, let me explain.

Having tried all the dumplings available for purchase here locally, I’ve found them all to be extremely lacking.

They’re mushy inside - not enough meat, not enough shrimp. Whatever it is, they just don’t work.

But a few years ago, while I was in Los Angeles for a meeting, I stopped by a shop in Monterey Park that happened to sell dumplings. I went there at the suggestion of my Auntie, who lived in the area. Years before, I had mentioned to her that near our home, there were no good dumpling places. Only pretenders. You could only buy the dried up, mealy tasting dumplings you find at your local supermarket.

But when I walked into this shop, I knew something was different. In the corner, there was a table of older ladies, wrapping dumplings with amazing dexterity, while trading stories of the latest gossip they’d heard. On the other side of the shop were large standing freezers, and peering over them – bags and bags of dumplings.

They sold them by the bag, 50 dumplings per bag. They were inexpensive, and wrapped in a way that should have included a disclaimer on them that said, “These dumplings are the real deal – beware of excessive savoriness.”

Driving home with my bag of frozen dumplings, I began to wonder. Could these dumplings be as good as they look?

What if it’s all hype? What if they don’t measure up? What if I don’t experience excessive savoriness?

Coming home, I stealthily made my way to the kitchen, and before I could tell anyone I was home, the dumplings began to bubble on the frying pan.

And now, the moment of truth.

It was like having a marching band celebrating with a parade in your mouth. It was that good.

From then on, every three months or so, I would drive up to Los Angeles, through all the traffic and smog, make my way into the dumpling shop carrying a large cooler, walk over to the counter, pull out a wad of money and simply say, “Fill ‘er up.”

Now let me get to the whole “dumpling worthiness” {see DUMPLINGS cont’d on page 12}

33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ education

APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

9

Honoring our students, mentors, and leaders

It was an evening of excitement, anticipation, education and great food when over 45 students arrived at the New Hong Kong Restaurant Friday evening to see if they were awarded scholarships. Many were accompanied by their families, teachers, and counselors from their schools, and even other classmates who came to cheer them on.

Every year the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation awards scholarships to 10 students from a wide variety of schools around the Puget Sound region. Its mission is to honor outstanding high school students who have worked to promote and contribute diversity in their community. This year was the 20th anniversary of the scholarship.

All honorees were awarded with swag bags (as well as family members too). The top five finalists receive $200. The top winners receive $1000.

The emcee for the evening was Thach Nguyen, CEO of Thach Real Estate Group.

The evening started out with a full-course menu that included

Photo by George Liu/NWAW

By Peggy Chapman Northwest Asian Weekly

Finalists and winners of the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation diversity scholarship

everything from mixed vegetables with tofu to prawns with honey walnuts and the requisite fortune cookie. After the feasting, the audience was treated to an informative question-and-answer session with three prominent community leaders: Bruce Harrell, City Councilmember; Tina Soike, Director of Engineering, Port of Seattle; and Chef Will McNamara, chef/faculty, South Seattle College.

Northwest Asian Weekly Publisher Assunta Ng took over the microphone to ask the questions. And they included some provocative, and sometimes amusing questions.

Sample questions: How did you deal with failures? McNamara responded, “There are little things you can correct.”

How did you find your passion?

“The strongest voice is the voice in

your own head” Harrell said.

Last bit of advice? “Education, whether it’s college, vocational college, or culinary institute” Soike responded.

The one question that generated the most shock and titters was “How much do you make?” (Answer: We are not publishing! But it did give students an idea of how much they could earn if they chose to work in the panelist’s field.)

After the panel, all the student nominees were assembled for a photo, and then it was time for awards announcements.

The five finalists (recipients of the $200 award) were Sitara Nath, Olympia High School; Aden Bahta, Foster High School; Lauren Anglin, Holy Names Academy; Kairy Meza, Edmonds-Woodway High School; Kathleen Chen, Interlake High School.

The five winners (recipients of the $1000 award) were Jerome Siangco, Eastside Catholic High School; Leah Shin, Henry M. Jackson High School; Jonathan Flores, Kentridge High School; Ibrahim Perry, Nova High School, and Paula Watanabe, Ingraham High School.

The evening ended off with more group photos (and delighted scholarship winners). It was an informative and inspiring evening.

Congratulations to all the students.

It doesn’t take a scholarship prize to prove that you can make a difference. All the nominees are winners in our book.  Peggy Chapman can be reached at editor@nwasianweekly.com.

■ on the shelf

Surviving life after death

By Samantha Pak Northwest Asian Weekly

Dove Arising

By Karen Bao Viking, 2015

Phaet Theta, a teenage girl of Chinese descent who has grown up on a colony on the moon, has only known one way of life, one of strict rules, military-like police and the law enforcement and the Committee — their governing body — watching over citizens through audio receptors in implanted handscreens.

After her father died about nine years ago, Phaet (pronounced like fate) has barely spoken, relying on her best friend Umbriel to speak for her. She spends most of her time staying off the government’s radar, cultivating plants in Greenhouse 22.

But then her mother is arrested and all of a sudden, 15-year-old Phaet has to step up and figure out a way to take care of her two younger siblings.

The only way she sees to do this is to enlist in the Militia, the colony’s law enforcement entity. Once she enters training, Phaet must work extra hard to make it to the top of her class in order to secure the highest ranking, and as a result, the highest paycheck.

At the beginning of “Dove,” Phaet is nearly mute, but as the story progresses, she learns to use her voice — both literally and figuratively, as she begins to stand up for herself and the injustices she sees around her.

Phaet is a strong character who will do anything for her family — even sacrifice her dream of becoming a plant biologist. And as she learns more about the Militia and the Committee, she works even harder to keep everyone safe.

But Phaet is not the only strong character.

Bao introduces readers to a cast of multifaceted characters. From Wes, Phaet’s ally and competition in training, to her younger brother Cygnus and younger sister Anka, to Jupiter, her nemesis in training, all of the people in Phaet’s life are headstrong and

focused on their specific goals — whether it be for good or bad.

All of this makes for a much richer story and will have readers anxious to see what happens in the next installment of Bao’s Dove Chronicles.

A Map of Betrayal

By Ha Jin Pantheon, 2014

Following her parents’ deaths, Lilian Shang sets out to learn more about her father Gary,

who had been convicted decades earlier of being a mole in the CIA and spying for China.

Delving into her father’s diary, which were kept safe by Gary’s mistress of many years, Lilian learns about the man her father really was. One of the biggest surprises she discovers is that her father was not only caught between two countries, but two families as well. Realizing Gary had been forced to leave his wife behind in China, Lilian discovers she could have half siblings in her father’s home {see SHELF cont’d on page 14}

asianweekly northwest

10

APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

■ PUBLISHER'S BLOG

OPINION

Nine tips for coping with stress Creating a balance between work and fun

Years ago, I experienced severe chest pain as if I was having a heart attack.

“No, you didn’t have a heart attack,” my doctor said. “You just have stress.”

With print industries struggling to stay afloat, it can be stressful for me running two weekly publications. Instead, these days I am at peace with the inevitable trend, and have developed an appetite to accept really disastrous consequences. But the bad news has not destroyed my passion and commitment for the job. After more than three decades, I am still capable of creating fun experiences out of my daily challenges.

If there’s not much you can do to change things, you might as well enjoy the journey.

(But also remember, sometimes we can change things!)

It might be hard for those living in a hightech world to have a stress-free life, but there are things you can do to mitigate your situation. Yes, you can perform a balancing act. The more you work at it, the better you become. Some of the tips are simple things, but so many simply don’t do it. Even I need to remind myself everyday to perform to make myself feel good.

Did you know that when you are stressed, you tend to hold your breath, and you forget to eat, drink, nap, smile, and laugh? When was the last time you felt really wonderful or joyful? Did you know that not drinking enough fluids not only causes dehydration, but bladder infection and increases your stress level?

like juice, tea or soups, helps to cleanse your body, ease your digestion. Urinating helps rid the body of toxins.

“How do I remember to drink water when I should?” she asked.

You can clock in to remind yourself or put a glass of water in every visible place in your office and home. The act of drinking actually reminds me to take a break from my work and computer.

2. Breathe deeply “I hate office meetings, those politics make my body tense,” my friend said. The no. 1 therapy to resist stress is to keep breathing, long and deep. It will instantly relax your body. Oxygen is good for your body and brain.

Remember to breath long and deep five times in the morning before you start your day—you will feel the difference in your attitude when dealing with the rest of your day.

Some mornings, I have a headache. I don’t run to my cabinet to get a pill. All I did was breathe and massage my forehead and the pain gradually disappeared.

1. Drink lots of fluid “I don’t have time to go to the bathroom,” she insisted after learning she has a urinaryrelated infection. Her excuse is, her busy job

is too busy. She doesn’t go to the rest room much because she forgets to drink liquid during work.

Drinking water or other kinds of fluid

3. Meditate Modern gurus advise people who have a demanding life to meditate for 10 to 30 minutes a day. The goal is for your mind to attain calmness, focus, and clarity.

Yoga and Tai Chi classes will teach you {see BLOG cont’d on page 15}

Making a Difference Friday, May 15, 2015 • 11:30 a.m.—1:30 p.m. • China Harbor Restaurant • 2040 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

11

OPINION

■ editorial

The channels have been changed when it comes to diversity on television

We’re headed in the right direction. A short list of contemporary shows that are getting attention or have certainly received critical acclaim although they might not be on air now (due to long stints with much respect): Empire, Modern Family, Black-ish, The Office, Parks & Recreation. And of course, Fresh Off the Boat (if you haven’t heard).

It even rivals the heyday in the 70s: Welcome Back Kotter, Good Times, Sanford and Son, Chico and the Man, Archie Bunker’s Place which discussed racial stereotypes with a pinpoint eye and eventually led us to the Jeffersons

in the early 80s.

We seemed to lose our way in the 80’s with the popular prime time very rich and white soap opera format (think Dallas, Dynasty) and a lot of very White-oriented sitcoms, which continued on until the 90’s. (Remember the TGIF series? Teen dramas Dawson’s Creek? Felicity?)

What is the difference between now vs. then? Perhaps there was a focus on the urban audience, so living in a high rise in a neighborhood but now the shift is to the suburbs, so more and more viewers are engaged because whatever race they are, they are all relating to the same

experience, which may not necessarily have anything to do with the skin color. And there seems to be more and more good writers out there. Which is why HBO and other networks are encouraging and offering fellowships and opportunities to writers of color and women to see how the process works.

Hold on to that remote control tightly. It will be exciting to see what the next few years will bring us when we turn on that television. 

{DELOSTRINOS cont’d from page 1}

Brown Sugar” dance competition where neighboring high schools performed in hip hop dance.

Delostrinos decided to major in Dance at the University of Washington. While she admits that she has a strong interest in science and that “pre-med is not out of the picture,” Delostrinos chose to focus her time at the UW in the Dance school.

“I realized that I had to give my full attention to one, so I chose to dance.” She added, “I knew I was making the right choice.”

The Dance major included taking classes in dance as well as rigorous courses in anatomy. Delostrinos informed that the Dance program “is focused on being anatomically correct” and thus it focuses on movement of the body as well as injury prevention. She also indicated one of the toughest courses in the program was a teaching methods course where she went into middle schools and taught.

After graduating from the UW with her Bachelor of Arts in Dance, Delostrinos found work teaching dance at the Seattle Academy of Arts & Sciences. She has traveled to various festivals across the country meeting other dancers and choreographers in forming connections within the dance community. She has also been commissioned to do choreography for different companies and schools. The ability to create her own work has been fulfilling and something she

has aimed to do. She would like to present dance that involves people of color and also something that people of all different ages, color and backgrounds can enjoy.

Delostrinos has a group of artists, known as “Au Collective” which come together to choreograph and talk about ideas on projects. As a nod to her science background, “Au” is the symbol for gold on the periodic table of elements. Her collective is set to present a show in September of this year.

While modern dance is subjective in its interpretation, Delostrinos likes to stay true to her upbringing when creating.

“I draw a lot on real life experiences because I really want people to watch it and feel something and relate to it.”

Delostrinos also pulls inspiration from her Filipino roots as she recalls doing traditional Filipino dance such as the tinikling (a dance most known for its use of sticks) when she was younger. “I would say that I draw from my background as a Filipino American growing up in Seattle, my public school experience, being the only person of color in an allwhite ballet school. I draw from my experience and what I’m experiencing now as an artist in Seattle.” 

Filipino Americans. She has put together a commissioned work of modern dance and is featured in Relay Dance Collective’s upcoming performance “RDC3” at the Velocity Dance Center on Capitol Hill Easter Weekend.

The dance event the class attended was a free matinee put on by the UW World Series featuring the infamous Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. It was an outreach program to invite public schools to watch. The dance company was predominantly people of color. “They were awesome,” recalled Delostrinos.

The youngest of five girls, dance was not thought of as a career, especially coming from a lower middle class upbringing as Delostrinos describes her socioeconomic upbringing. Her sisters found careers as a doctor, a lawyer, in hospital administration and in the software industry.

While her parents maintain the hard-working, practical work ethic of many immigrants that come to this country that preach focusing on school and finding a stable career, they have come to support Delostrinos and her passion for dance.

Since asking her mother for dance lessons, she has learned a variety of dance including ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance. In high school at Garfield in Seattle she continued the tradition of her older sisters in performing in the “Bubblin

{FUKUSHIMA cont’d from page 4} which owns Westinghouse Electric Co. of the U.S., is one of the main companies behind Japan’s nuclear industry, including Fukushima Dai-ichi. Toshiba has been working on the muon technology from right after the disaster, with the help of the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the U.S.

But Yotsuyanagi acknowledged the technology would not be able to get the complete image toward the bottom of the reactor. He also said heavy radiation in the area would throw the sensors off, although that can be figured into the calculations of the scattered muons.

David Ireland, a professor who heads the Nuclear Physics Group at the University of Glasgow, said muons may be the

TAITUNG

For more information on Delostrinos’ performance April 3-5, please visit www.relaydance.org.

only way to probe inside atomic reactors.

“There are not really any other non-invasive options that will allow inspection,” he said in an email.  Follow Yuri yurikageyama.

Kageyama:

http://www.twitter.com/

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APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

{FISHERMEN cont’d from page 5} sell logs in the forest of surrounding areas.

When the AP showed up, asking the men to share their stories, only a few emerged at first out of fear. Then, more and more filtered in, until a group of around 30 formed. Most squatted or sat on the ground, others stood around them as they recounted the horrors they had witnessed at sea. Then one after another, they expressed their desperate desire to go home, saying they were sure their families thought they were dead..

“Our body is here but our mind is at home,” one dockworker said. “If it was possible to walk back home, we would do it right away.”

Another wiped tears as he spoke, his voice quivering.

“Our lives have no more value than a dog,” he said, adding no one cared if they lived or died. The AP is not using the men’s names for their safety.

The moratorium was declared by Indonesia’s new Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti to determine which ships are not properly licensed and crack down on illegal foreign boats. Poaching drains billions of dollars from the country, and Pudjiastuti said Friday that stamping it out is key to addressing labor abuses.

She added she was horrified knowing fishermen are being enslaved in her country.

“We are not letting this happen,” she said. “In the past, it’s been a normal practice. Not now. I’m not allowing it.”

The Indonesian government has pledged to take legal measures to address what is happening in Benjina and other islands. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha also acknowledged the AP story and said his government was stepping up efforts to prosecute those responsible.

“If they still continue to exploit their fellow human beings, they should not be given any licenses to operate businesses in Thailand, and they must receive the punishment they deserve,” Prayuth said in a written response to questions submitted by the Bangkok Post.

However, earlier this week, Prayuth urged journalists not to report on human trafficking without considering how the news would affect the country’s seafood industry and reputation abroad.

The U.S. State Department last year

blacklisted Thailand for its handling of labor abuses, putting it on par with countries including North Korea and Iran. The Thai government says it is cleaning up the problem and has laid out a plan, including new laws that mandate wages, sick leave and shifts of no more than 14 hours. On Thursday, Thai lawmakers voted unanimously to create tougher penalties for violating the country’s anti-human trafficking law, including the death penalty.

On Friday, 21 Thai fishermen who had been stranded in Indonesia returned home to their families, and the government is working to repatriate more.

Major leaders in the U.S. seafood and retail industries sent a letter to the ambassadors of Thailand and Indonesia this week, demanding to know what will be done to free slaves in the seafood industry. Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia division, also urged Thai authorities to tackle the scourge.

“The Thailand government has made repeated verbal commitments to get tough with traffickers but every time real follow-up has been lacking,” Robertson said in an email. “The question now is whether the revelations in AP’s article will finally be enough to push Thailand to take long overdue action against fishing vessels that are systematically using slave labor to catch the seafood ending up in America’s kitchens.”

In the meantime, Ngwe Thein, 42, is one of the thousands of men who are waiting. Thein has been living on an island near Benjina for three years, after being forced to work long hours on a fishing trawler with inadequate food and little or no pay.

He said he left Myanmar, otherwise known as Burma, eight years ago when his country was still under military rule. He did not know about the political and economic changes that began sweeping his country in 2011 or that the oppressive and brutal junta was gone. He asked if Nobel prize-winning opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was still under house arrest.

Hours after the AP talked to him, he got a haircut and changed into a crisp shirt, saying he had hope for the first time that he might get to go home.

“I don’t know whether our country is good or bad now,” he said. “There is just always a problem for us to survive wherever we are.” 

{JUNTA LEADER cont’d from page 5} anywhere, then she can go. But when they don’t allow her to go, then she cannot eat.’’

ON POWER Feb. 19, 2015 — ``It all falls on me because I’m the prime minister. Let’s say I exercise every power (I have), do you want that? ... Do you want me to shut down the media? .... If my powers were that vast, I could just have people executed if they do something wrong, but I haven’t done anything like that.’’

PUNCH IN THE FACE March 6, 2015 — ``The other day I was asked by a reporter what kind of job the government has done. I almost punched that person in the face. (We’ve) done so much.

Can’t you see?’’

BIRTHDAY PLANS March 16, 2015 — ``I’m staying home.

In the barracks,’’ he said, a few days before turning 61 on March 21. ``Do not bother me. I was born alone.’’

PHILOSOPHY ON GARDENING March 19, 2015 — When the Supreme Court indicted Yingluck on charges of neglect for a money-losing rice subsidy program, Prayuth took questions from reporters, then paused shortly after to pluck gardenias from a pot outside his office. ``Some withering flowers have to be discarded,’’ he said pensively. ``These plants, we have to take care of them every day. This flower is old. Don’t pay attention to it.’’

experienced many problems because we were too democratic,’’ Prayuth declared in a speech. Still, Thailand remains ``99 percent’’ free, he said, because if it wasn’t ``we’d jail (our opponents) and put them before the firing squad. Then it would all be over and I wouldn’t have to lie awake at night.’’

IMPORTANCE OF SEAFOOD March 25, 2015 — Responding to allegations of abuse and slavery involving the fishing industry, Prayuth asked the media not to report the issue without considering how it might affect the country’s reputation. ``If they aren’t buying the (seafood), you must be responsible — you who like to fan the news.’’

EXECUTION, MAYBE? March 25, 2015 — In an exchange regarding the limitations of reporting about the junta, Prayuth said: ``A little criticism, that’s acceptable. But if you’re saying everything is a failure ... how the heck could that be? The past was worse.’’

He warned there would be consequences for going too far, and a reporter asked him to clarify what those might be. The reply: ``Execution, maybe? You’re asking a silly question. Just don’t do it.’’

Later, as he prepared to depart on an official visit to Brunei, reporters joked that the death threat had killed their need to ask questions. ``I’ll use the guillotine,’’ Prayuth shot back. ``I’ll deal with the media a little bit. We love each other already. I’m asking you to help a little, not to defend me, but to create love and unity. We’ve come to this point anyway, so let’s turn a crisis into an opportunity.’’ 

TOO MUCH DEMOCRACY March 23, 2015 — ``In the past, our society

{DUMPLINGS cont’d from page 8} thing. In the past, before the dumpling shop discovery, we’d have a bag of the factoryprocessed dumplings on hand, and we’d heat them up and bring them to the Yappy hour.

When we’d get there, dumplings in hand, we’d set the dumplings out for all our friends to try. All of our neighbors, as dear as they all are, know nothing about Chinese food. They may say they do, but they don’t.

How do I know this? One by one, they would pick up a dumpling, and begin dipping it into…sweet and sour sauce. Or ketchup.

Or in one instance, heaven forbid – a packet of spicy mustard sauce.

So naturally, seeing Maya cook up a pan of

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my beloved dumplings for Yappy Hour was just too much to bear.

So after blurting out the whole “dumpling worthiness” thing, I think I followed it up with, “If you think I’m going to let those guys dip my beautiful dumplings in a bowl of Tzatziki sauce, you’re out of your mind!”

In the end, the dumplings were a hit, inappropriate dipping sauces notwithstanding.

But I can tell you this – you can bet that I’ll always keep a small supply of frozen egg rolls in our freezer.

You can never be too careful.  Wayne Chan can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

■ astrology

APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

13

For the week of April 4–April 10, 2015

By Sun Lee Chang

Rat — Sometimes a substitute just doesn’t fit the bill.

In that case, start with what you really want - even if it takes longer to get it.

Dragon — Keep your eyes on the road when going around a sharp corner. Surprises could lurk where you least expect it.

Monkey — You are surrounded by many friends who enjoy spending time with you. Pick one or two of them for a much needed outing together.

Ox — Going too close to the limit is not recommended.

Give yourself enough room for flexibility to move around if you need to.

Snake — A frantic pace isn’t necessarily in your best interest. Slow down or take a break, so that you can take a fresh look at the situation.

Rooster — Inaction can be misinterpreted as lack of caring. If you are simply waiting for a appropriate moment to intervene, then it is now.

Tiger — It may seem like time is not on your side and your window of opportunity is closing. There is nothing stopping you from opening the window later.

Horse — Small expenses have a funny way of adding up. If you are trying to save for something, then you must reign in both the large and incidental expenditures.

Dog — Generally not one to shy away from the spotlight, you are just comfortable at center stage as you are watching from the audience.

Rabbit — A distant goal seems better from afar. As you come nearer, the pitfalls become more readily apparent.

Goat — Have you been ignoring what your body needs or worse yet fight it? If you are tired, then make it a priority to get some rest.

Pig — Have you been asked to volunteer your services? Only agree if it is for a cause that you truly believe in.

What’s your animal sign?

Rat 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 Ox 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009 Tiger 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 Rabbit 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011 Dragon 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 Snake 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 Horse 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 Goat 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015 Monkey 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 Rooster 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005 Dog 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 Pig 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007

*The year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those born in January and February, please take care when determining your sign.

{URINATION cont’d from page 1} and friends. Typically, older women experience UI more frequently than younger women; however, it is not inevitable with age. UI is a medical problem that can be helped by a doctor or physical therapist through medication and musclestrengthening exercises.

Urinary tract infections or UTIs A urinary tract infection is when bacteria gets into your bladder or kidneys. Common symptoms often include a burning sensation when urinating, frequent urges to urinate, pressure or pain in the lower part of your back and stomach, and discolored or strange-smelling urine. Antibiotics are prescribed to get rid of the infection, but to help avoid the infection altogether the recomentaditon is to use the restroom more frequently (every 2–4 hours), increase daily fluid intake, supplement with cranberry extract tablets, and eat more foods with vitamin C. Frequent urination When frequent urination becomes a distraction in your life or prevents you from activities with family and friends, you should see your doctor. Are there other factors that are contributing to the symptoms first? These would include

{DRAGON LADY cont’d from page 7} white guilt, misogyny, sexism, and institutional racism have all become clearer.

My position as a colored woman makes me very aware of the effect of such social constructs on my self-perception and the destructive influence it also has on the minds of young girls and boys. I’ve become more outspoken, more confident in my selfidentifying as a feminist.

NWAW: How do your directing, performing, and teaching influence each other?

Porkalob: How could they not influence one another? Each role is about communicating.

Directing—you communicate with our production team on how best to communicate a story to an audience.

Performing—you communicate with other actors and the audience to tell a story.

Teaching—you have to communicate with students while at the same time, encouraging them how to communicate in their own unique way. Being an artist is all about communication, for me. How many different ways can I communicate effectively and efficiently and with passion?

NWAW: How did you go about putting together your first one-woman show?

What lessons did you learn from that about solo shows?

Porkalob: “Dragon Lady” was first

excessive intake of caffeine or fluids, frequent constipation, maintaining an unhealthy weight, and smoking. Usually by managing these factors, patients can help to eliminate the problem of frequent urination. If the problem remains, prescription medication can be taken to block the nerve signals that cause frequent urination and urgency due to an overactive bladder.

Pelvic exam In the past women were encouraged to have an annual pelvic exam; however, recent guidelines published in the Annals of Internal Medicine say that healthy women do not need a pelvic exam every year. Instead, an exam every two to three years is advised. It is recommended that women continue to be routinely checked for cervical cancer and get a Pap smear test once every three years after age 21.

Contraception A multitude of contraception methods is available today.

All protect against pregnancy, but how do you know which one works best for you and your partner? By talking with your doctor, you can choose the method that’s right for you. The most common methods include oral contraceptives, which work to prevent pregnancy but do not protect against sexually

created my senior year at Cornish in Keira McDonald’s Solo Performance Class. The semester class syllabus was a series of prompts where we had to generate different types of solo material. It culminated in a showcase at the end of the year, a piece of our choice. I knew I wanted to write about my family, specifically my grandmother.

Originally, it was a 7-minute piece that was more from a specific character’s point of view. Honestly, it was a lot of sitting around and letting ideas and stories about my family float through my head-waiting for inspiration to hit. One day, I decided to listen to one of my grandma’s favorite karaoke songs—we’re Filipino so karaoke is a huge thing—and BAM—I knew how my solo piece was going to start. The biggest lessons I learned is that every person’s story is worth hearing, that as a solo performer you had no one to hide behind and to trust your audience. It’s only you up there but the audience is your scene partner. I learned how to draw them in, what it felt like when they were listening, to follow my impulses in the moment.

NWAW: You’ve written in a bio that your biggest inspirations are your two mothers, your dysfunctional family, and the strangers you meet on the streets. Which strangers on which streets inspired you recently, and how?

Porkalob: I’m who I am today due largely in part to the people who raised me—my mothers and my crazy family. My mother is a lesbian. Growing up with an “alternative”

transmitted diseases or infections (STDs/STIs); condoms, which are also great at preventing pregnancy and are the only way to prevent STDs/STIs; and birth control implants used for long-term pregnancy prevention. Implants include a rod inserted into your arm or an intrauterine device (IUD) inserted into your uterus; these are respectively effective up to three and 10 years.

Talking about these things can be embarrassing, uncomfortable and hard at times, but addressing them is important. Find a doctor you are comfortable with and is also willing to discuss these issues. You should never be afraid to ask for advice.  Richard Wasserman, MD, specializes in urogynecology at Pacific Medical Centers’ Canyon Park, First Hill, Renton and Northgate clinics. Pacific Medical Centers is a private, not-for-profit, multispecialty health-care network of nine clinics in Beacon Hill, Canyon Park, Federal Way, First Hill, Lynnwood, Northgate, Puyallup, Renton and Totem Lake. For more information or to make an appointment with Dr. Wasserman, please visit www.PacMed.org or call 206.505.1300.

home life made me very aware that a lot of what we’re taught about the world is not true.

My parents were very open about things that are normally taboo—death, sex, drugs, politics, aliens, genetically modified foods, the healing power of art and music, racial bias, gender inequality, etc. They told me that being born a colored woman was going to affect how people treated me—that I would face racism, sexism, and all sorts of other inequalities and injustices and if I let it, it would affect my self-perception. I could either let others define me or I could define myself. So, in regards to strangers on the street, my interactions happen mostly at bus stops. You meet all kinds of people. I started making eye contact with strangers and smiling, saying hello, that kind of thing. Basically, acknowledging that other people existed at these bus stops other than me, hahha. Polite conversation would soon turn into deep conversations and then, buses would take these people away.

NWAW: How did you go about sculpting “Dragon Lady’s” story line?

Porkalob: Mostly between the hours of 10pm and 12pm, eating kimchi and laughing out loud to myself like a madwoman. It was fevered inspiration. I had a fully written piece which I hated. Then three weeks before the premier at Radial Theater’s Locally Grown Festival, I scrapped the whole second half and rewrote it. It was a better piece afterwards.

NWAW: What were the most difficult aspects of putting on “Dragon Lady” and

how did you work through them?

Porkalob: The hardest part is just doing the damn thing. So many other actors wait until the last minute to get a piece on its feet, and repetition is your best friend. Do it over and over, in front of people you trust. Receive feedback. Keep what works, scrap what doesn’t. Work on it a little each day.

NWAW: Can we expect a lot of karaoke, a little, or none? Do you ever do karaoke out on the town?

Porkalob: Come see my show and you’ll see just how important singing is to my show.

And duh, of course I karaoke about town! My favorite standards are: “Crazy,” by Gnarls Barkley, “Last Dance” by Donna Summers and anything I know except “Don’t Stop Believin’”. Ugh. Cee-Lo is a genius and he was a genius before his “F*** You” song.

“Crazy” is a crowd pleaser—it sounds better being sung by a woman. Donna Summers is a disco goddess and I love disco.

NWAW: What’s in the future for you on all fronts?

Porkalob: Being a full time artist is in the future. I’m currently doing it and will sustain it as long as I can.  For more information about “Dragon Lady,” visit heatreoffjackson.org/event/564/spfdragon-lady.

Andrew Hamlin can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

asianweekly northwest

14

APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

{SHELF cont’d from page 9} country.

Following her father’s trail, Lilian travels to China in search of the Chinese half of her family.

“Map” jumps between the present day, as Lilian seeks out her long-lost relatives and Gary’s double life in the United States.

While much of the story is about a daughter trying to get to know and understand the father she has lost, not much is shown of their relationship. Instead, Jin focuses on the present when the story is told from Lilian’s point of view. She finds and meets her relatives fairly early in the story, which I appreciated as a reader because we get to see how these new relationships develop and grow. So many stories focus on a character’s journey to find these potentially new people in their lives and ends with them just meeting. Jin gives readers a chance to actually meet these individuals and get to know them alongside Lilian.

Jin’s portrayal of Gary’s life paints a picture of a man in pain. While he remains loyal to China, he has also learned to love his adopted country. He longs to go home to be with his first family, but he knows he cannot abandon his American

wife and daughter. As readers, we sympathize and empathize with Gary, as we also wish he could see his first wife and children just once.

Everything I Never Told You

By Celeste Ng Penguin Press, 2014

It’s a typical weekday morning in the Lee household. Father James has left for work and mother Marilyn is preparing breakfast for her oldest son Nathan and youngest daughter Hannah. As the meal continues, the trio realize that Lydia, the middle daughter — who has her white mother’s blue eyes and her Chinese father’s black hair and is their favorite child — has still not gotten out of bed. But when Marilyn goes to wake her up, she finds her daughter’s room empty and the bed neatly made.

And then Lydia’s body is found in a local lake a few days later.

Her death disrupts the family’s delicate balance and spins everyone into chaos. James falls down a path that could destroy his marriage, Marilyn is hell-bent on finding whoever was responsible for Lydia’s death, and Nathan is convinced

Jack, the local bad boy living down the street, is involved.

But what none of them realizes is that it’s Hannah, still in elementary school and often ignored or forgotten by all, who sees everything and may know what really happened to her sister.

“Everything” is the story of a family living in small-town Ohio in the 1970s. On the surface, things may seem fine, but the events following Lydia’s death show that they weren’t.

We see that each character has their own struggles — from James’ desire to blend in after a childhood of being mocked for his heritage, to Marilyn pushing her dreams of becoming a doctor onto Lydia (not realizing her daughter may not share that dream), to Nathan living in Lydia’s shadow despite accomplishing a number of impressive feats himself.

“Everything” shows readers how quickly a life can change and how easily the little things that bother us can pile up. Told through the eyes of all members of the Lee family, Ng shows us that everyone’s voice deserves to be heard and we should never be afraid to stand up for ourselves.  Samantha Pak can be reached at info@nwasianweekly. com.

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33 YEARS YOUR VOICE

{BLOG cont’d from page 10}

ANA Vice President of Seattle, Toshio Nomura, Lori Matsukawa and James Spahn, event emcees presented raffle winner John Crawford-Gallagher, ANA airfare for two to Tokyo, Japan, at the lunch. Crawford-Gallagher is an employee for the City of Seattle. Invited by Karin Zaugg Black, this was the first time he attended. He is excited to travel to Japan with his wife.

{PARK cont’d from page 6} South Korea’s Olympic body said Thursday it was considering easing its eligibility rules for athletes entering international competitions, which would allow Park a chance at qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

Park said Friday he wants to finish his swimming career honorably but declined

5. Do nothing day Author Gretchen Rubin, wrote in her new book “Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives,” wrote that we should schedule in our days what’s important to us, such as a museum visit.

My philosophy is to have an “unscheduled” day so I am free to do whatever I want.

Both approaches actually share the same aim that we should have time to do what we enjoy doing and not think about work.

to comment on the 2016 Olympics.

“It’s not time to talk about future here as I made a mistake that I myself couldn’t accept,” he said.

Park is the latest in a long list of accomplished swimmers to be handed doping bans recently, with Chinese rival Sun Yang — a two-time Olympic champion — having served a three-month suspension last year. 

6. Laughing and crying Is it better to laugh or cry? Many say the former. However, I have discovered crying is beneficial for releasing all the bad hidden emotions. One time, I cried so sorrowfully after my friend died. With the outpouring of all kinds of emotions, I found that I actually felt much better physically and mentally afterwards. The mourning ritual helped me to let go finally and gave myself closure.

Yes, I watch a lot of comedies and every day I make sure I have something to laugh about, at myself, or other people.

7. Acupuncture and massages Those are effective means to make you feel relaxed. Some insurance companies cover these services. Make good use of them if you are covered.

8. Find enjoyable activities Singing, dancing, listening to your favorite music, playing with your dog, walking in the woods and gardening, do provide important relaxation. Schedule those events for yourself at least during the day and week.

9. A good night’s sleep I have recommended before in my blog that a good night’s sleep can enable you to face the day with energy and optimism. Yes, I emphasize this again. If you have insomnia, seek medical help. Don’t use sleeping pills. It might do more harm than good.

It’s not everyday we get up and feel enchanted. You just have to know how to overcome your own demons such as negativity, alcoholism, scapegoating, depression, and anxieties. Develop a strategy for each of them. When it comes, you are ready. Yes, you can fight it. 

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For more information about the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington, go to jcccw.org. For more information about “Allegiance,” go to www. allegiancemusical.com.

James Tabafunda can be reached at info@ nwasianweekly.com.

A do-nothing day would be lovely to us workaholics. No text or emails so we can free our mind and body.

Follow Publisher Assunta Ng’s blog at nwasianweekly.com under the Opinion section.

SEAFOOD

the USS Enterprise, packed the ballroom.

Also a social media star, he has eight-and-ahalf million Facebook followers.

KING 5 news anchor Lori Matsukawa and James Spahn – both JCCCW board members – served as the event’s emcees.

Matsukawa first introduced Annette Clark, dean and professor at Seattle University School of Law. “We are proud partners with you in your efforts to preserve and share Japanese culture and Japanese American history,” she said.

Masahiro Omura, consul general of Japan in Seattle, followed Clark. He said, “Japanese Americans and Japan are linked by family ties and most importantly, we are linked by conscience as well.”

Internationally acclaimed musician Michi Hirata North, who is celebrating 75 years since her professional debut with the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo, then played the piano at JCCCW’s fundraiser.

JCCCW board president Kurt Tokita introduced Takei. He said, “George Takei is a man of many talents. And it’s apparent that one of those talents is inspiring the best in people not only here, in Japan, but all over the world.”

Takei, who was five years old when he was imprisoned with his entire family at the Rohwer War Relocation Center in Arkansas during World War II, gave the luncheon’s featured speech, raising public awareness of the Japanese American internment experience and prejudice.

He began his speech pointing out their shared ancestral culture and historical legacy. He said, “And it’s those that tie us together, shape us as who we are, and give us that bond that makes us the community.”

Takei said Executive Order 9066 “sent all Japanese Americans on the West Coast into barbed wire prison camps in the most God-forsaken places in this country. It was an outrage. It was an egregious violation of our Constitution, and yet, people stood up.”

He then spoke about the courage of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the U.S. Army, saying “They went from behind those barbed-wire fences, leaving their families in imprisonment, and fought heroically in a segregated all-Japanese-American unit that chose as their regimental motto, ‘Go for broke.’ And go for broke they did.”

“There’s another group of people of whom I’m also equally proud,” he said about young Japanese American internees who wanted to fight as American soldiers but instead were prosecuted for draft evasion, found guilty, and served time in federal penitentiaries.

Takei said, “I am equally proud of who they are because they stood as principled Americans, and they make me proud of my Americanism because that’s the price that they paid.”

He ended his speech recognizing the contributions of welder Fred Korematsu, a Japanese American, who dared to challenge the constitutionality of his internment in 1942 but failed.

Takei acknowledged the presence of Professor Lorraine Bannai, a member of Korematsu’s legal team. He said, “People like Professor Bannai, there she is, challenged that ruling by the Supreme Court years later, and they prevailed.”

He gave thanks for the Tomodachi Award and even agreed to a request to auction off his lavender necktie. Leanne Nishi-Wong and her husband Rick Wong, a Boeing engineer, made the winning bid of $2,200.

Takei boldly goes to Broadway this fall with his new musical “Allegiance,” a personal show about Japanese Americans imprisoned during World War II with him in the starring role. 

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{TAKEI cont’d from page 1}

4. Ignore the dollar sign Nine out of 10 projects I am involved with, don’t result in financial gain. But the projects are interesting and important—offering me many moments of happiness and learning-—and surprisingly sometimes, a small amount of money to support the papers.

The Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation’s diversity scholarship program held last Friday at the New Hong Kong Restaurant, made me thrilled and proud when I witnessed all the young people who were nominated because they thrive and serve their community.

In fact, the amount we raised was not enough to cover the expenses. The amount of work to review 46 diversity applications, were time-consuming and labor-intensive.

Despite our argument over the choice of winners, we felt the students have transformed us to appreciate the purpose of our judging. When our editor, one of the judges, said she wanted to give scholarships to every student, you could imagine how much we have been inspired.

PRODUCE

Photo by James Tabafunda/NWAW

how to meditate and breathe. Studies have found that when you meditate and stretch in a yoga class, it will free your body from tension and tightness. Tai chi can achieve the same goal.

Couple Rick Wong and Leanne Nishi-Wong bought George Takei’s tie for $2200

15

APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015

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“Own your age -- I like to call it “disrupting aging” -- meaning embrace it as something to look forward to, not something to fear. Look at it as a time for continued growth and engagement, not as the beginning of a decline into deterioration, dependency and disease. If you do, you will begin to focus on physical and mental fitness instead of diminishment, on preventing disease and improving your well-being instead of just treating your ailments, and you will feel empowered to become an active partner in your health care instead of being a dependent patient.”

— Jo Ann Jenkins CEO, AARP

“I protect my kidneys and heart by staying active and eating well.

Excessive salt causes high blood pressure and damages kidneys. I avoid fast food and prepackaged microwave food — it is loaded with hidden salt. I read nutrition labels — less than 400 mg of sodium per serving is my rule.”

— Joyce F. Jackson President and CEO, Northwest Kidney Centers “My wife’s energy and spirit comes from the love and support of her family. She is very low-key. She loves taking care of her grandchildren every week. She loves karaoke in her spare time. Her desire to support her family and community brings out the best in her. In addition, she runs the restaurant and my wholesale business, Sun Foods.”

— Mr. Tan Tho Tien Owner, House of Hong Restaurant

“The best investments I have made are in my own health and well-being.

The lifestyle choices I make each day affects both my financial and physical health. Eating healthfully, being active, sleeping well and laughing are the priorities I’ve made in taking care of myself.”

— Mary Knell CEO, Wells Fargo Commercial Banking “Empower girls to become successful.

Do your very best, work hard and have fun. Dedicate yourself to be “Everything I do is because I am positive and stay positive. Don’t let the grateful for everything I have today. I ignorance of others interfere with your thank God everyday for my blessings. success.”

When gratitude fills my heart, I don’t — Sherry Elane Williams worry about what others think of me. I Community Engagement Director, don’t sweat about other’s criticism or Swedish Medical Center my mistakes. Those are small stuff.”

— Hsiao-Ling Wang Owner, China Harbor Restaurant “Physically, I take a 15 minute walk every day, be it rainy or shiny. I also try to eat healthy as often as I can and not to “My vision and reflections on aging eat snacks between meals. I love singing gracefully includes a combination and have been singing all my life, which of my spiritual, personal and I believe has helped keep me healthy community values around healthy both physically and emotionally. Last but living, wellness and giving back. Our not least, I stay true to my motto, which bodies are our temples, loaned to is: Don’t worry, be happy, feel good and us from the heavenly domain. I pay have an open mind and heart.” daily homage by praying faithfully — Rosa Leung each day. I hold strongly the value dedicated to charity with her passion in of unconditional love, respect and singing devotion to modeling good self care as a role model for my children “Maintaining good health, both and my grandchildren. We engage in family exercise opportunities physically and mentally, are very which we invite our neighbors, friends, church family, extended family important. Having balance diet and and community affinity groups to share with us. This allow us to fully moderate sized meals to keep body in share the blessing of our home in the Innis Arden Community located shape, while having good relationship on the bluff in beautiful Puget Sound, and overlooking the Olympic with family and friends are one good mountains. Healthy walks, swimming and hiking are added to our way to maintain a healthy mind. daily routine.”

Meanwhile, taking on new challenge — Winona Hollins Hauge and staying active also help the Regional Director, Intercultural Cancer Council above.”

Chair Elect, UW Health Promotion and Research Center Chair — Millie Su Chair, Miss Chinese Seattle Scholarship for Women Pageant, The Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce

The Wise Words series is sponsored by members of our local community

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APRIL 4 – APRIL 10, 2015