Americans' manner

I went to the 6th floor of the library after the first class to study. There was another person waiting for the elevator beside me. As the door opened, he just went inside regardless of there is anyone still inside. When he noticed there were people who were still inside the elevator, he walked back out. Back in Vietnam, I had learned that you must step back and give way for people who walking out of the elevator first before you can go in. When boarding trains in Japan, we always yield for people who are getting off the train *then* it's our turn to walk inside the trains. I think it's a common thing and a common sense. Of course not everyone here behave this way but most of the people I see here in the States do. (not as often in big cities like New York... but hey, this is Los Angeles, this is Orange County)

Well, to be fair, people don't cut in line here. People don't trash out on the street (ok ok rarely). People put cans and bottles in recycle cans. People smile to you (most of the time with big stupid fake smiles though)... but these are not enough at least to me.

Americans need to be more polite.

I am an American myself and I don't want my kids growing up to be just like an 'average' American like some people I see here. This might offend some people though. But that's the truth we all have to change. I don't want the world to look at us and laugh at our "big-fat" ignorance (like they are doing now). That, I'm telling you, will change. But first of all, we have to change from inside to make it works.

Good chat with Alex

Perhaps Alex is the only person I know in CS department that is very into spiritualism. While walking to the parking structure, we talked about our nasal allergies, controlling the mind and accepting ourselves.

Minds are just like computers, thoughts are like the processes; we have many unnecessary processes but most of the times our minds can only execute only one. Therefore, by following these exciting but abundant processes, we can't focus on the main point or the main thought. The worst thing is these so-called abundant thoughts are voluntary meaning we created them and just put them there laying somewhere in a dark corner in our minds. We need to turn some of them off. Alex said he doesn't allow himself to follow it and 'end task's it immediately after it appears.

Accepting ourselves is nothing more than realizing that we are weak and accept it. I think that's how we are getting stronger. How much longer are we pretending to be someone else? By our fashionable clothes, cars... I can't ski. I am afraid of being laughed of if I fell while skiing. He reminds me the main point of going skiing for me is to have a good time. So go ahead and have a good time. Failing when I ski is because I can't ski. I can always have someone to teach me. I can't ski, so I can't ski, that's the truth. Let's live with the truth and don't pretend. That's the point. In addition, my action of falling creates their reactions of laughing of me; that's how it is. They may be laughing at me falling, and I fell because I can't ski; and I can't ski because... I can't ski. So simple, but so long and so far I just wanted to pretend that I am ... cool.

We both agree that the process should take time. But it's worth it.

Alex: "Maybe our brains are not perfect"
Me: "And maybe we are here on earth to perfect them, don't you think so?"

... good laugh ...

Pure salt and pseudoepherine

I bought 'pure salt' at Trader Joe today to irrigate my nasals. I noted that taking nasal decongestion medicine before the irrigation makes the process easier as the nasal membranes contracted so the saline water could flow better. I will try again later with this pure salt solution.

I found the mechanism of pseudoepherine (nasal decongestion medicine):

the principal mechanism is to cause the release of endogenous norepinephrinevesicles in presynaptic neurons. The displaced noradrenaline is released into the neuronal synapse where it is free to activate the postsynaptic (noradrenaline) from storage adrenergic receptors. These adrenergic receptors are located on the muscles lining the walls of blood vessels. When activated by pseudoephedrine, the muscles contract, causing the blood vessels to constrict (vasoconstriction). The constricted blood vessels now allow less fluid to leave the blood vessels and enter the nose, throat and sinus linings, which results in decreased inflammation of nasal membranes as well as decreased mucus production. Thus, by constriction of blood vessels, mainly those located in the nasal passages, pseudoephedrine causes a decrease in the symptoms of nasal congestion.