Attending two arts shows/Carlos Pueblo

 Attending two arts shows/Carlos Pueblo

During last weekend, we're invited to an art show on the Taiwanese Community Center for an alumnus personal show presented by his daughter. The opening ceremony was too long and I was bothered by my low blood sugar issue; therefore, I went out for a break then I found a second art show in the same hall. The second art show is products by Chia Yi Chen Chen-Po who was a famous victim by Chinese Nationalist during the famous 228 massacre in 1947. Both deceased artists are Chen in surname, the prior one is in water color while the later one is in oil painting.

Both of them are impressionists which are not the realists and their fine art products do have their own opinions in it. They all painted local scenery of which I am very much attracted to. I have left Taiwan for about half a century and Taiwan has been changed. I don't see those kinds of scenery and only existed in my mind in memory.

I attended all fine arts shows when I was a student in Taipei at Taiwan Normal University. There is a fine art department with annual exhibition of students and faculty products during the University birthday every year in June. It was on the third floor of the main building where the department located. Taiwan Normal is the sole college to provide teachers for secondary schools in Taiwan at that time. We consider ourselves as the best for such purposes.

I adore very much of an artist even though I myself have a difficulty to finish a painting yet I love to attend or visit museum of fine arts everywhere. There are two family members in my family who can draw, my son Arthur and my young sister Ru-In yet they both gave up paintings later in their life. I can tell what are my favorite paintings when I see at the shows. In a few weeks I am leaving for cruises again and I shall have plenty of opportunity to attend the arts auction on board.

參觀嘉義陳澄波畫展／莊峻華

 參觀嘉義陳澄波畫展／莊峻華

休市台師大校友會與畫家陳榮和校友基金會，為慶祝母校百年校慶，在此地僑教中心，舉辦水彩畫展，我自高中時代，生活在師大龍泉街附近，每年校慶日，都參觀美術系畫展，畫展在台北高等學校三樓美術系普通教室，後來國文系也同時同地，舉行大一國文作文展覽，師大美術系獨步全台，當年師大畫展師生作品，以國畫山水仕女，較為顯赫，蓋為國民黨中國畫家掌權勢也，台籍老畫家受日本西畫影響，是有些油畫水彩作品，榮和先生其一也，他是水彩畫，台灣風景寫生，因為開幕式致詞冗長，影響我體內血糖，只好走出展覽室外，正巧碰上走廊上之嘉義陳澄波油畫展，我順便介紹愛美陳之二二八，也在谷歌查閱陳之介紹和作品。

我在郵輪上，參觀畫廊畫展拍賣，很多經驗，而且我喜歡參觀免費美術館畫展，僑教館澄波先生作品，是整理過之原作，郵輪上之作品都是複製膺品，澄波先生遇難時年約52，應該有相當成熟之作品，我想是印象派，按畫家施並錫之定義，印象派畫與寫實派有異，印象派畫中，加入畫家之意見，所以寫真大小比例，與真實未必相符合。

然後我們看到畫家之著色技巧，隨著時間歲月，顏料會退色，但近代科技可以補救，參觀畫展，可以調濟身心，是人生之樂趣。

Go shopping at Katy Mill Mall/Carlos Pueblo

 Go shopping at Katy Mill Mall/Carlos Pueblo

During the Labor Days weekend, we usually go shopping at Katy Mill Mall for some shoes and cloths. The Mall is an outlet stores outside of Houston not very far from our house. I need a hiking shoes for my Alaska cruise trip and the current one pairs are too small hurting my toes. We need to purchase some underwear and short pans for Arthur to wear at home. Of course, Amy is very anxious to go shopping with my company.

I found my gentry worn refurbish pairs with a discount to cover the value added tax with my re-applied membership of the store. The clerk explained to me that shoes were returned to the company from purchasers slighly worn; however, the factory could refurbish pairs with discount price to sell again. Frugal person like me care more about the price and don't mind at all. There is a market for it.

We went to another store for Arthur's need. We are lucky that the store is included in the Mall. We went to the clearance section to select three short pans and the underwear section to find only one bag with his size. The clerk reminded me to apply a new credit card in order to get 10% discount plus additional regular 5% discount. I agreed; therefore, I couldn't spend my other promotional new credit card limit. I applied two new credit cards to take advantage of their promotional credit if I spend $1,000 and $4,000 in first three months, It is designed to use them on my year end cruise trips originally.

On our way back home, we went to a drug store to pick up two drugs for my diabetes. A telephone clerk asked me if I would let her re-fill one of my drug and I said yes and checked if the other one was ready. She checked it on her screen and replied that was ready. I picked both up at the same time. I am very impressed of their efficiency.

As a matter of fact, I am very impressed of the American business industry how they know the business. American are good at business and that is why the entire nation is so prosperous and  the number one in the whole world. They can move their huge inventory fast and effectively in time and make a profit.

I asked Arthur to help me to spend some money on my credit cards. He promised $200 and I got it on that day. I believe that he purchases his company's gift card for his regular purchase in order to help me.

勞工節凱蒂鎮購物記／莊峻華

 勞工節凱蒂鎮購物記／莊峻華

每年勞工節，愛美均約我凱蒂鎮購物去，勞工節衣物有特價，凱蒂鎮在休市西郊，有大賣店，專門提供過時未售商品，給講價之客戶，愛美和女兒酷愛購物，逛大賣店，因此家裡穿著衣物充沛無慮新購，難得今年一家銀行核准兩張信用卡，給予購物優待，我藉此機會購置稍高統步鞋，當登山用途，順便買些內褲短褲給元兒，結果對新信用卡新購物優待點數，幫助不大，我們只購上$170，離目標三個月五千元購買額，尚差甚遠，需要繼續努力。

美國人能商也，鼓勵消費，這銀行准我兩張信用卡，一張鼓勵我三個月花一千元，回扣兩百元，另一張是商號信用卡，三個月花四千元，給回扣四百元，如我旅行一趟郵輪，大概甚易達成目標，如此，郵輪旅行又增加一折扣，對我也有好處，但現在郵輪旅行有好價錢，機票卻有困難，因此只能他算計為要。我看好一雙皮質球鞋，可供我登阿拉斯加史凱格衛下杜威湖山路專用，上次用一小號半統高鞋，腳姆指礙血，指甲終於脫落，很不好看。此鞋是有人訂購，又穿過但退還，鞋廠整修後，重新廉價出售，我最喜歡購此類物品，我又要店員幫我申請會員資格，再拿一些折扣，像是省下購物添加稅額，美國人能商也，我也興高采烈。

愛美熟悉店面，帶我到另外一家，專門男女服裝衣物，我們幫元兒購買內褲和短便褲，結帳時店員告知申請該店信用卡，可享受當日10％折扣，再加上5％例行折扣，於是我又申請，馬上核准，但只能使用該卡付帳，美國人真能商也，我看這些店龐大，貨品堆積，而且不僅一家，能售空存貨，真是本領。我只能使用不到百元，回家後請元兒幫忙，半夜餐廳相遇，他說已經買上若干，信用卡還在桌上。

我又想起史記太史公筆下之陶朱公故事，陶朱公一子在楚國殺人犯罪，陶朱公在遣使長子和么子間踟躅，最後逼不過長子懇求，由長子代理，結果救命失敗，陶朱公有預感理由，就是錢的觀念。

Go vegan again/Carlos Pueblo

 Go vegan again/Carlos Pueblo

Doctor's nurse informs me that I take additional new drug for my diabetes because my blood sugar is still not controllable. I know that is because of my uncontrol diet recently, I eat too much watermelon, pineapple, etc. plus the steak. I therefore declare war against my chronicle disease, I will go vegan diet again.

I did have 7 years vegan diet between 2001 to 2012 because I was unable to hold a health insurance. I was terminated by an insurance company and couldn't find a job with an insurance coverage. I was lucky both my college bound children safely passed their un-insured life. They didn't even purchase basic college medical coverage. I read a book, the reversed diabetes, and learned my only choice was go vegan to save my life. 

Go vegan is to take vegetarian foods without any of animal products. I gave it up upon my Medicare age at 65. Of course, regular diets are more interesting and easier for Amy to prepare. Actually, I don't have to worry about her now because that my children are grown up now and I am retired. I can cook for myself and if I need it, I can always go back to my regular diets. This is a war that I can retreat and I shall do my best.

In the morning after my swimming, I went to a Japanese Grocery to find my favorite pickle, the Naratsuke. It is my side dish for my morning oatmeal instead of rice porridge. At noon, I can have my left over from last nigh dinner. I always cook a plate of combination vegetables for my rice or noodle.

It is going to be very boring; however, I must win this battle to control my diabetes and I hope at least five more years. I go vegan, I exercises regularly, I shall avoid watermelon and pineapple, I have avoid the stress, and I don't drink.

重啟素食／莊峻華

 重啟素食／莊峻華

日前布魯梭醫生之護士逮到我，轉告驗血結果，指數仍高，醫生要我再加一藥，於是我每日需服五種不同藥物，以便控制血糖，說來可憐，糖尿病痼疾，已隨我26年，仍然無法擺脫它，經一夜思考，決定重啟素食，與此疾宣戰，2001－2112年，我因失業無團體健保，於是採取素食對抗血糖，有了老人健保後，恢復葷食，雖然服藥增加，控制十年，仍舊危機四伏，於是我要破釜沉舟，表示決心。

我的素食是不攝取動物產品，剛好郵輪生意好，票價不讓，於是我就取消出門念頭，也可以省下一筆費用。我先到一家日本超市，買下漬梅，海帶鹹醬，庵漬黃菜頭，奈良漬瓜需要到一專門店，這些都是我童年之最愛，刺身壽司手卷，都是來美國後之享受，均是葷食不宜。

我希望素食戰鬥再撐五年，就是服藥，運動，和素食，三路並進，剩下半粒西瓜和鳳梨食畢後，就避免如此高糖分水果。

Understand how the U.S. manage the 2022 Inflation/Carlos Pueblo

 Understand how the U.S. manage the 2022 Inflation/Carlos Pueblo

The 2022 Inflation is real and we need to understand how the U.S. manage it and help us to go through it, in the other word a soft landing. The popular thinking of the inflation is that our currency is diminished in a result of printing too much money, i.e. the Covid extra help and the PPP to stimulate the loom of the recession. Of course, there is another major reason that the overall U.S. economic growth has been continually since 1980's. It is the time to reach to the top and the plateau. The money circulation is not tight as a matter of the fact. 

The Federal Reserve raises the key interest rate which means it is more concerned to the inflation than the downturn of the economic into the recession. The White House is in agree to the Fed. Both Commerce and Treasury Secretaries both agree that the U.S. Economic is looking well and the national unemployment rate is very low to a full national employment. 

During the last two threat of recession, 1987 & 2008, the Fed has lowered the interest rate continuously till this year to the reverse. It helps the economic to expand with a soft landing in mind. I boldly guess that the U.S. both the Fed and White House included have the conclusion that the 2022 inflation is a pure inflation such as the diminished US dollars. As a matter of the fact, after the inflation and the rising U.S. interest rate, The U.S. currency become the most strong currency in the world. Of course, I don't see anything to do with me.

The stock market has been reversed of it downturn with a recovery, yet today there is a crashed on the market. The recession is back into the investors' mind. Perhaps, we need to go back to the definition of the inflation to look at the plateau and the slide curve to the valley.