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Snowboarding in Park City, Utah

2/17/2019

I am glad I had the chance to go to Utah for a sports vision conference. After having learned about my hidden eye turn, and concussion, I still want to snowboard, and to help others. 因为，生命在于折腾！ I couldn't say no to snowboarding in Utah, and the learning too. Who knows who I can help next to improve their dance, gymnastic, hockey or soccer performance, aside from fixing crossed eyes.

So I packed my snowboarding gear with me as well. I still have only the carry on, aside from the snowboard gear. You can see how I packed so light in the video.

I am so glad that I made the decision to come. I got to snowboard at Park City. It was pretty darn good views. Good note is to bring a charger when go uphill, the search for signal can drain your battery real fast.

The snow conditions was great, lots of runs and powder all the way. On day one of the course, I was told by one of the lecturers that having both eye dominance is better than one eye dominance. So although I was used to using heels and my left side forward, I tried using both sides. It was hard to switch to the right leg, but it got easier after the first run. I got on the black runs, but it's wider than those in Tremblant and Courmayeur , so it was safe to experiment. It was harder to switch to toe and right at the same time though. I still have my down time, trying to knee myself away from the edge of the cliff when I was too far to the right in kicking off.

As the courses go from 1-8pm, I had the chance to swim the next morning. There was a crater across from our hotel, with warm water all year round. So why not? For those who has more time, they do snorkling and diving programs too.

Park City is a bit of a town in itself. Nice shops around. I didn't have time to shop, but did try out one of the restaurants. It's better to eat meat there than seafood there, I should say. Check out my video!

To do in Utah
Snowboard in winter, hike in summer

Homestead Crater Swim, Snorkel, Dive

To eat in Utah
Riverhorse on Main
Bodega

Yan Ling Liang
Dreamer

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Memphis in Winter

2/2/2019

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Pyramid Look out

Memphis is having its blue's challenge this week as I flew in the last two week of January. I even met a Korean flying in from Seoul for that.

As I was chatting with the Uber driver coming in, he shared with me his friend who is writing the master's paper on how a woman whose language memory changed after a concussion. Apparently, she spoke Spanish in her native tongue, and learned English in childhood, and spoke English very well. After the concussion, she didn't a word of English, only Spanish. I thought, isn't that interesting. I am going in to learn about vision and learning, and a bit on concussion treatment this week.

Beale St.

With that in mind, I dropped off my goodies and went off to Beale st. at right after in checked into the hotel. Beale st. is the ultimate destination for music and pubs. It was also a bit of the mix feel of Las Vegas and New Orleans.

The street was getting busier from Wednesday to Friday. I discovered some nice goodies with catchy phrases. It was also fun to try the draft cider on the street grounds.

My classmate, Troy from Alabama told me that Bill Clinton is from the South. I thought it's unique that he became more liberal. Troy said that the south was actually more democratic until 7-8 years ago. I learned something new.

Interesting to also find out that Mardi Gras is fact started from The town of Mobile Alabama, in 1703, not in New Orleans. People throw beads to those they like, and also moon pies. But the drinking is much lighter in New Orleans. There is no lifting of blouses to expose their bosoms. It's more like a family carnival, like a Christmas parade.

Southern College of Optometry

At the Southern College of Optometry, inner city kids are found to have more binocular vision problems. They are bit well developed in first year, site the parents are nearly absent. It must be tough trying to be a breadwinner to raise a child single handedly. It makes sense that single parent would have less time to engage with the child's vision and learning development. The are simply not present physically or emotionally.

It's unfortunate to see similar situations in the suburbans around north of Toronto. In the 1990s, there was a lot of Hong Kong migrants. The father would fly back to Hong Kong, and the mother would raise the children alone. The income might be enough coming from the father oversees. But mothers here usually have too much on their plates. Hence, creating a scenario that is similar to inner city kids, where the father is physically absent, and the mother is either emotionally overwhelmed, or emotionally absent. However, they get overly involved in the child's homework and personal life in their ten age and later years. It's a bit paradoxical.

Now it's migrants from China. Sad to see that though the father and mother are usually here as well, they are overworked and can still be physically/emotionally absent in the children.s early years. They provide more than enough materially for the children. But they sometimes not realize children don't need more toys, they need more of their parents quality time.

As a child, my parents are either physically or emotionally absent as well. I also understand those children's mind. You learn to be an adult a little later in life. They also called it emotionally immature sometimes. The fortunate thing is that I now arrive here today in my life with a better understanding. A road less traveled. To each their own. It's a great thing that one of us is emotionally mature early on, and that wasn't me for a long time.

After my classed finished, I had the time to visit Elvis’ home in Memphis, Graceland. It was a sizable house, surrounded by a large yard and side garden. He came up with some of the songs at the piano by his squash court, between games of raquet balls. He has brought music to new heights for many in his time and after his time. It must be hard for him to stay humble, coming from a smaller town. But he managed to do so most of his life, until his vices took over him.

I later found out on youtube that Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley, she saw her father in Michael Jackson. Unfortunately, she was unable to help her father when she was 9, and was still not aware of it enough to help Michael Jackson with a similar problem when she was an adult.

There is so much in the human relationships we overlook. Tough being young to face stardom, in choosing who to trust. The insecurity and isolation themselves can lead to anxiety/depression and drug addiction, let alone the possible army injury/pain management for Elvis and dancing injury for Michael.

However, some of these pained, artistic minds left us such a legacy, such as Van Gogh and Elvis. We have much to thank and to be grateful for.

Sun studio

Flying Fish, Memphis

Some hipster chef owned restaurant

Beale St.

How to love Yourself

To do in Memphis
Graceland, Elvis’ home
Sun studio, where Elvis did his music
Beale st, local drinks music, atmosphere. You can drink on the street.
The lookout at the pyramid, view

To eat
Blue city cafe, ribs, or garlic shrimp
Flying Fish
Beauty salon, fine dining
Gus’ fried chicken, chicken

Yan Ling Liang
Dreamer

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Snowboarding in Park City, Utah

Memphis in Winter

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