Song of the day:
How does Monday get here so fast? I feel like the week is endless but the weekend goes by so fast, even when you have an extra day like I did last week. Ah well, here we are again…the start of another week.
Let me start by wishing my friend Bonnie the happiest of birthdays. I don’t think she follows this blog but on the off chance she does…Happy Birthday!
Thanks to everyone who reached out in one way or another to wish me Happy Birthday on Friday. It was a great day, and I only wish I could have seen more of you in person. My mom and I decided that we need to do something big next year when I turn 55 so go ahead and start planning for that now. This of course is all dependent upon where we stand with the pandemic. I mean we could easily be in year four at that point. Sigh.
Here’s a photo summary of Friday’s Birthday YAY-Fest:
I hope you all have a great day and a great week ahead…let me know if you’ve got a good Top Ten Tuesday idea…I think I’m running out of them…
Black History Month / Meet Mae Jemison
Dr. Mae Jemison is most famous for becoming the first Black woman astronaut to go into space, in 1992. Jemison, however, is also a trained physician who has dedicated her life to improving global health.
Jemison joined the Peace Corps in 1983 and worked as a medical officer for two years in Africa. Her work in the Peace Corps taught her about healthcare in developing countries. Later, as an astronaut, she learned about satellite telecommunications. She combined those two skill sets to form the Jemison Group, which develops telecommunications systems to improve healthcare delivery in developing countries. (Source: Everyday Health)
Lunar New Year / Treats
In northern China, people prepare and eat jiaozi (dumplings, 餃子) as part of LNY Eve. The time-consuming nature of their preparation allows for the family to spend time together, while their resemblance to an antiquated currency suggests good fortune for the new year.
For Tsagaan Sar in Mongolia, a tower of pastries is the culinary centrepiece. Long rounded scone-like cookies are arranged to evoke Mount Sumeru – a five-peaked mountain of holy importance to Hindu, Jain and Buddhist cosmology.
People eat Korean tteokguk (rice cake soup, 떡국) for Seollal. A person is said to age one year with each bowl of tteokguk they eat, but only the most auspicious restrict this delicious soup’s consumption to LNY. The clear broth symbolises a fresh, clear start to the new year, while rice cakes resembling coins offer prosperity.
Other foods such as mandarin oranges, candied fruits and fish are also commonly eaten, displayed and gifted across cultures that celebrate LNY. (Source: The Culture Trip)
Video of the day: