Photo courtesy Guest Blogger Jean Youn

Have you ever experienced the effects of generation gaps?

First generation immigrants like me, with children who grow up in America, experience a significant generation gap with their children.

A generation that knows what it’s like to go hungry has a much different experience of life than following generations who have never gone hungry. If you add cultural differences on an already existing large generation gap, it can become very difficult for immigrant parents to see eye to eye with their Americanized children.

I read an article about how the “hungry generation” is turning into the “hangry generation,” and I believe that is very good thing.

Hangry is an acronym for Hi-Tech, Amusement, Naturalism, Green, Realism, and You First.

Though it’s true that the advancing of technology (Hi-Tech) has been beneficial to us throughout the passing generations, however, I believe that the remaining five letters of hangry have made it through thousands of year of human history without any change and have remained important aspects of modern human life.

To illustrate what I mean consider clothing; technology advancement has allowed people to created synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, but natural fabrics like cotton and silk have remained top quality fabrics for thousands of years.

Of all the words or phrases represented by hangry, I think “You First” is the most important. It’s the first step to making the world a better place.

I would like our cleaners to be “the cleaners that thinks of you first.” If I can go about business with that kind of mindset, I wonder if that could help bridge the generation gap between my children and me. I hope that would help me be able to see things from their point of view.

I hope that your week will be filled with a “you first” mentality.

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Jean Youn is the owner of Value Village Cleaners at 912 West Glenoaks Boulevard in Glendale 91202. For details on services, coupons and more, check out the Value Village Cleaners website  here.

We’re coming down to the wire for Christmas — with just a few more shopping days to the big holiday. Counseling4Kids, a mental health program, is collecting gifts for over 500 children in foster care and is still in need of donations.  

“Oftentimes children in foster care receive very little during the holidays.  Foster parents often have several children in their home at one time, and it can be very challenging for them to purchase gifts for all of them given limited foster care stipends.  Providing a gift is one way we can help a child in foster care feel loved at a very difficult time of year,” states Dr. Marianne Callahan, clinical director at Counseling4Kids, in a news release.

Counseling4Kids is a non-profit that provides mental health services to abused and neglected children and youth in the foster care system in Burbank, the San Fernando Valley, and throughout Los Angeles County. Those wanting to brighten the holiday season for one or more of these foster children, can drop off new and unwrapped gifts or money to purchase gifts at the Counseling4Kids local office 601 South Glenoaks Boulevard, Suite 200, Burbank  91502. The collection will continue through the entire month of December.  For more information contact community liaison, Rebekah Miller at (818) 441-7800 ext.121 or rebekah@counseling4kids.org.

Photo courtesy Guest Blogger Jean Youn

It is almost time for the kids to go back to school.

So today, I want to talk about our children.

Immigrants like myself with children who were born or grew up in the United States have particular concerns about their children. No matter how hard I try, I could never be as Americanized as my kids.

Nevertheless, we desire our children to be as much a part of the American culture as needed to have happy and successful lives here in this country. So, we also want to understand the American culture as our children do to be able to be a part of their lives. However, this is much easier said than done.

Yet in relation to this matter, I am reminded of these words:

“If you do a very difficult task little by little, then it won’t be as difficult.”

I couldn’t find the exact quote, but that is what I can recollect from a quote by Henry Ford.

I am also reminded of this Chinese proverb:

“When you come across a mountain, make yourself a path through it. When you come across a river, build a bridge over it. If you approach all difficult tasks this way, then they won’t be as difficult.”

Again, this may be easier said than done, but those are the words of encouragement that I would like to give my children so that they would have the strength and courage to take on all challenges.

So, I hope that the next generation, your children and my children, would have the strength and courage to be great citizens of this country.

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Jean Youn is the owner of Value Village Cleaners at 912 West Glenoaks Boulevard in Glendale 91202. For details on services, coupons and more, check out the Value Village Cleaners website  here.

Photo: White House Blog -- 2010 NBA World Champion Los Angeles Lakers and President Obama came together for an afternoon of education and service projects with some Washington DC kids December 13, 2010

The repeat World Champion Los Angeles Lakers went  to the White House to celebrate a championship win last year. So this time around, they did something different to honor their latest accomplishment.

Earlier this month, on December 13, the Lakers visited with members of The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington. Part of the time was spent with the kids assembling care packages and writing letters to wounded military men and women, as well as putting together special gift kits for the homeless in DC. For fun, the players and coaches joined with the kids in a skills building game called, “Big Brain Academy Challenge.”

Also, helping sponsor the event, the league’s global social outreach program, NBA Cares.

“The Lakers have a proud tradition of performing community service in the L.A. community, and I’m glad that they took the time to help us during the holiday season here in Washington, D.C. We celebrate that spirit of service off the court — because it’s very hard to do what these guys do on the court, but everybody can serve off the court,” President Obama said later at a ceremony honoring the Lakers.  The full text of the President’s remarks on the White House website.

More on this event in this story on the  Lakers website. You can get updates on the Lakers in the sports section,  in the middle column,  of this blog.

Photo: Samantha Appleton/White House --First Family dog Bo greets some young visitors to the White House November 29, 2010

Several of the President’s Active Lifestyle Award achievers got a special treat at the White House last month. During their visit on November 29, the youngsters got to spend some time with Bo Obama. Everyone in this photo seems to be enjoying the encounter.

Photo: Lawrence Jackson/White House -- First Lady Michelle Obama and White House Pastry Chef Bill Yosses watch a young visitor taste some freshly baked holiday cookies December 1, 2010

 A holiday craft demonstration at the White House yesterday for the children of military personnel. Not only did the kids get to help decorate holiday cookies — they got to eat some of the treats as well.

Photo: Hiroko Masuike/Getty Images/Mrs-O.org --First Lady Michelle Obama toured a New York herb garden with local school children and some First Ladies from various countries September 24, 2010

Catching up on some of the activities of First Lady and Health Advocate, Michelle Obama.  Mrs-O, a website dedicated to the first lady’s fashion, style, and special interests, is a faithful follower of almost everything Michelle. Also there’s a ton of comments, from some of the thousands of Michelle fans, on the two-year-old site. I’m a Michelle follower and an occasional visitor to Mrs-O.

In the photo above, Mrs. Obama toured an herb garden with a group of curious school children, last Thursday, September 24. Several First Ladies, from a number of countries, joined the tour at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, New York.   

The tour included a farm-to-the-table-lunch – part of Mrs. Obama’s healthy eating program.

Also in the Mrs-O post, a description of who and what the first lady was wearing — down to her “silver pointed toe flats.”  Mrs. Obama is no Lady Gaga, however, she has many admirers of her fashion taste and sensible style.

President Barack Obama has another bestselling book to his credit without going on a promotional tour or doing any of those author interviews. In fact the picture book, “Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters,” doesn’t hit store shelves for another two months, but it’s already a hot seller.

President Obama was inspired to write the book by his daughters, Malia and Sasha. “Of Thee I Sing” is a tribute to 13 Americans, including trailblazers Georgia O’Keeffe, Jackie Robinson, and George Washington, as well as to the ideals that helped shape our nation, according to the Publishers Weekly website.  It is illustrated by Loren Long and published by Knopf  Books, a division of Random House.

“Of Thee I Sing” is due out on November 16 in both hardcover and e-book. Proceeds reportedly will be donated to a scholarship fund for the children of deceased and disabled soldiers.  

“Of Thee I Sing” is in the top 20 on the Barnes & Noble  and Amazon.com bestseller lists.

President Obama’s previous bestsellers are “Dreams of My Father” and “The Audacity of Hope.”

Photo: Samantha Appleton/White House --First Lady Michelle Obama participates in a "Let's Move" event in New Orleans, Wednesday, September 8, 2010

First Lady Michelle Obama really got involved in the launch of a “Let’s Move” event with current and former members of the National Football League in New Orleans yesterday. During an exercise, Mrs. Obama surprised some by taking the pigskin and running with it! Among those showing their support, Ex-NFL Coach Tony Dungy and Former Tennessee Titans Running Back, Eddie George (27).

Photo: Pete Souza/White House -- President Barack Obama gave a pep talk to some aspiring tennis stars at the White House, August 3, 2010

Catching up on a photo of interest.  The South Lawn of the White House was the scene of a “Let’s Move” tennis clinic on August 3, 2010. President Barack Obama delivered some encouraging words to some possible tennis stars of tomorrow. 

 Developing a good backhand swing is a bonus  –  getting  kids to exercise and eat healthy are the main goals of First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign against childhood obesity.