Here is a self-assessment question to people who were born outside America, yet with American citizenship status. "How can I tell that I've integrated well with mainstream American society and culture?"
Granted, the answer to this question can be very subjective depending on whom you are asking and what criteria are being used. To me, I think the yardstick to measure the culture acclimatization is quite simple and straightforward: If you'd participate or host annual New Year's party and Super Bowl party exuberantly and religiously, then you are, otherwise your true American identity is questionable.
I can almost hear you guys' screaming/cursing. " Objection, absolutely nonsense!" What is going to New Year's Party in Times Square or going to Super Bowl stadium to do my with American citizenship status ? " Well I hear you, I forget to tell you that I am a very biased guy, and you don't have to buy my argument, at all. Further, you or people you knew have participated neither of these activities are still pretty well in the mainstream, I guess. But, I hope that my nonsense can, at least, let you see how much New Year's party and Super Bowl party mean to me. :)
Each and every year, the Super Bowl enraptures Americans, young and old, males and females. This year will be no different. Let me put this feverish all-American event in numbers to show what we are talking about. This year, based upon some major trade organization's survey: over 120 million Americans will glue to their TV sets, watching the game in New Orleans (makes it the most watched TV program in American history) ; 15% of Americans are planing to host a party; about 30% will go to one. Furthermore, Americans will spend an average of $70 on snacks for the game up from $60 in 2012; more than 7 millions of die-hard fans will purchase newer TV sets up from 5 mils last year.
If you are not thrilled by the above figures, allow me to add a bit of "spice" to impress you, the average price of a 30 seconds TV commercial aired during the game has shot up from 3.5 mils to 3.8 mils per pop. In addition, Americans are expected to devour more than 1.23 billion chicken wings over this Super Bowl weekend. Do I say anything about the ticket prices for physically sitting at Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 3rd.? If you don't know, I can give you a ballpark range: it's roughly between $2,000 and $13,000, officially. Privately I'd be better not say anything to upset you guys. So through the numbers I threw in, you should get a glimpse of the picture I am trying to paint - how Americans and its economy, culture and psyches are intertwined deeply with this extremely popular sports and the homologous national block parties ? :)
Some of my net lady friends may still lament and moan about how boring, violent and stupid the American football games are, but to so many football fans including me out there this native sports is a pure art form of precision,speed, strength and suspense not to mention to require incredible amount of strategies and explosive athleticism.
For those people who absolutely dislike Super Bowl, there is still one plausible reason for you to watch the game - those funny commercials which in certain cases, might outshine the games. Speaking of Super Bowl commercials, I put one clip to let you judge if they are hilarious and entertaining.
Supposing "curiosity killed the cat", some of you may ask me what is my point to write this hoopla. My point is that in my mind (which, by the way, is biased one as you have already found out by this point.), it does not matter that you came to this country with nothing years ago, and now you have successfully built a prestige career, owned seven luxurious estates within the most sought zip codes in America and sent all of your kids to HYP of the ivy league ... Nevertheless, if you don't like Super Bowl and the party, then you may be not a true American as you have long believed because American football like the roasted turkey on the Thanksgiving feast table and the out-of-oven aromatic apple pie is the native and true spirits that define American from the rest of the world.
Just in case that my words would offend anyone, please forgive me for my hollow and narrow mind.
Plus you are who you are, and you don't have to follow anyone's nonsense.
To make you fee feel better, let me share a personal story with you. One Friday evening, I was having
dinner with my gf in Chinatown, I noticed that the waitress served our table spoken the same dialect
of the city I was born, naturally, I was kind pleased to communicate with her in the dialect. But when my gf asked her for the ingredients of the dishes in English, To my surprise, she turned to me,
pleading, "Jiang zhong wen, hao ba?"
Later she told me that she lives inside of Chinatown, buys Chinese groceries in Chinese stores,
watches Chinese movies and TV shows from a Chinese cable cable company, reads her news and and fun stuffs in Wenxuecity.... In other words, she is perfect contented with anything that she wants or consumes in Chinatown without any issue. That is what I call Living-happily-after-in- Shanghai-on-Hudson-River life style.
If she can do it, why not anyone else, I am assuming you get my point. :))
Note:
1) I have nothing to do with the company in the commercials. Further, I think that using talking baby to sell a
sophisticated service may be brilliant idea, yet whether or not it can deliver the goods would be another story.
2) I don't own any baby. In fact, I believe, babies could be "aliens" sent from the out space to "ruin" the
relationships. :) According to one of my married friends, after the baby arrived, his intimacy life was complete
out of the window, worse, his used-to-be lovely wife has tragically turned into an "illogical person".
謝謝你的新年祝福！願你和家人蛇年中幸福美滿，平安健康,步步高升,財源廣進。
祝新春快樂！身體健康！萬事如意！心想事成！永遠幸福！愛情甜蜜蜜！：）））
You can't have it both ways. Last time, I put on a short video clip, you complained "bitterly" for its short length, then I switched to a longer one, you seemed approving it. Can you please make up your mind, I am total confused.:(
You know, you ladies are so hard to please, for us, we are much easier to satisfy, bringing us some of competitive sports, few bottle of crafted beers and a couple of plmm, we are all set. :))
BTW, you don't have to like our species' sports (American football is never intended for the faint of heart, anyway). So just sticking with your guys' preferred recreational "sports" - shopping, gardening, girly-movie&TV show watching or cooking... you will be alright. :)
Speaking of cooking, what is for the Chinese New Year Feast , are you going to make any your traditional hometown specialty this year ?
俺說實話吧，我對球不感興趣，看不進去比賽， truth：）。你的spice這次沒impress我多少，haha。我有空再仔細讀一遍， 說不頂過一會兒，spice就發揮作用了，我這個人好變：）
Who could forget the dramatized 34 minutes of half-stadium power-outage. :) The rumor had it, the power-outage was "designed" to allow parents living in the east coast to out their kids to bed. :))
Although the team I rooted for did not win this year, but I enjoyed the game immensely as you might have predicted. It really was a exciting game hoped as bymyheart, both teams played well. The game even had the nail-biting intensity. In the end, win or lose was just hung on only 5 yards. Overall, Raven's Joe Flacco did a good job by fencing off 49er's frantic fight-back. Still, I gave Colin Kaepernick some credits for finding the targets and rallying his troops to put on a furious fight.
Well, good for the 49ers to catch their breath~~~
Welcome to stop by!
Isn't entertaining to watch the little milk-dependent and diaper-wearing dude to offer serious advises on investments? :)
Thanks you for giving moral support. Yes, me to, I hope 49er to get the title this time.
"Don't know if I'm gonna watch it or not ..." Well, it's your call. A. This is America, no one should force you to do thing that you don't like to do. B. You are a proud Chinese. :))
Yes, I'd agree with you that 49er has a better shot. In addition, I am for 49er of SF, in part, because of 灣區的阿葛美眉和雨絲美眉.:))
http://kpbs.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2009/11/16/levitation_small_t700.jpg?f40c0e74b997dbb01ce524758e0d04a31382c8af
and if you plan to visit San Diego sometime this year, please check out this cool place, we loved it when friends brought us there about 5 years ago. http://www.stonebrew.com/
Don't know if I'm gonna watch it or not, but I think the 49ers are gonna win. Have fun!