EVER WONDERED WHERE IN THE WORLD is the best place to stay and live for the rest of your life? During my chats with Lisa, Justin and Yaohua, we talked about the best place for us to live in. Albany is a great place, because it is near New York City and Boston, and there you can go kayaking in summer and skiing in the winter. New York City however, is a vibrant city with lots to do and plenty to see, but you’ll have to get used to the stress and pollution.

If there is a choice, I wonder how would people choose where they reside. Many of my friends grew up, went to school, find work, and eventually started a family in the same town they were born in. There ain’t nothing wrong with that, I bet they have a great sense of belonging to the community over there. Others like me, may find their classmates in seven different cities, and spend a lot of time moving across states and nations. In my case, I would say that I am more similar to the nomads. No roots buried too deep, but I get to see a lot of this world.

Getting back to the place we all felt most comfortable in. Lisa, Justin, Yaohua and I agreed that the north is too cold, and the south is too hot. The great plains seemed like a great place for nature lovers, but too isolated for me. Yaohua loved California but Lisa mentioned that South Ca. is a desert (both in its climate and its culture). We all find Oregon, Virginia, North Carolina beautiful places to stay. Lisa told us that Texans have that Southern hospitality that guarantees great food, great people and great chicks.

How about Taiwan and Malaysia? I think despite the current political turmoil going on in Taiwan, it is still a great safe place to be in. I for one, got quite comfortable with their culture and food. Malaysia on the other hand, is and will always be my home, yet I doubt if there is working opportunities that suit my future goals. (But it may be too early to say, who knows what will happen in the future?)

It is kinda fun talking about all the possibilities we have in the future, having traveling a bit recently, I now know that all these possibilities are actually very realistic. Lisa and Justin both encouraged us to take chances, and to see the world while we are young. And I do agree because it is now when we have not had so much responsibilities that we should broaden our minds and widen our friendships. No matter where in the world we ended up in, there is only one home, and that is the place you put your heart and soul in.

*** CAM of the day ***

Common Cold
No ones like to be bothered by the common cold, even if it only comes once in a while. Other than the usual, balanced diet, proper sleep and exercise, there are ways to help prevent and cure colds as well. According to the Traditional Chinese Physicians, the herb, Astralagus (Astralagus membranaceous) can be made into a soup and consumed during the winter months to prevent colds. It is primarily for prevention and there is not much it can do when the cold has already started. But if you’re above one year old (and by reading this I assume you are), taking honey can actually soothe sore throats and all that inflammatory stuff going down there. It may also help with the healing but the symptomatic relief is the most significant result. Other herbs worth trying are ginger, ginseng and elderberry. These are very popular remedies and can be found easily. So next time you get the ‘ah-choo’, be sure you know what to do.