_Does This Church Make Me Look Fat?_ by Rhoda Janzen

 Literary Escapes  No Responses »
Mar 192013
 

Does This Church Make Me Look Fat?: A…

_Does This Church Make Me Look Fat?_ by Rhoda Janzen

Quite some time ago, I read Rhoda Janzen’s first book _Mennonite in a Little Black Dress_ and was quite entertained. A former colleague, college-mate and friend of mine edited these books, so I always am interested in reading her edited novels. Also, since I had quite enjoyed the first one, I thought I’d go ahead and give this one a try.

The title is very catchy and Janzen still has a funny, sarcastic side to which I totally relate. However, like Elizabeth Gilbert’s second novel, _Committed_, I sensed a loss of the ‘newness’ in the author. It seemed a little too similar to the first and while I enjoyed the story and knowing there was growth in her life, it didn’t make me crack up or constantly engaged.

This one is about Janzen’s settling into a new relationship with a Christian man. Her boyfriend seems very open and loving, which differs from what she is used to from religious folk. So, she embraces his church and his beliefs because he models a calm and stable way even though their relationships non-traditional in terms of him being a single parent and their goals are not about the typical suburban lifestyle. In this sense, I related and enjoyed.

On the other hand, I wasn’t sure what her message was as I did in the first one. Maybe I wasn’t in the right frame of mind when I read it like I was before….

In any case, it is still a good and entertaining read. It doesn’t classify as a trash novel, even though I read back in the summertime, too!

-T πŸ˜€

Mental Health Day

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Mar 182013
 

So, yesterday, I called (wrote) in ‘sick’. Strangely, when I said that I had a migraine, I thought I felt one coming on and was worried that I actually was going to spend the day with a headache. However, thankfully it passed.

It’s been quite a while since I took a day off that didn’t involve me being stuck in bed or the couch. I realized I should do it more often as we don’t have allocated sick days per se and no one seems to count how much we take off. So, why should I make an effort for a perfect record of attendance when I don’t get extra pay for it? πŸ˜‰

In any case, as the weekend was quite busy for me, I thought it was perfect timing to take a rest. Also, this week is finals week, so we don’t have a lot to cover in class. What did I do with my day?

I had a lovely 90-minute massage. Then, I went to have my nails done. I’ve decided to give my hands a break from polish, but it is nice to get them cleaned up. I stopped at the store for some flowers and a few odds and ends we missed and then came back home. In the evening, I went to pottery and then had dinner out.

It was a really nice day and yet I was still quite tired despite my sleep at the massage and a nap in the afternoon! I guess I need more MHDs!!!

-T πŸ˜€

Post pottery meal at The Noodle House
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Talise Spa
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 Posted by at 07:09

Latino Carnaval 2013

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Mar 172013
 

My Mexican friend, P often invites me to the Latin community’s events, but this is the first time I agreed to go. While I had expected a bit more craziness and partying, it was more conservative. Perhaps the location and country kept things tame. πŸ™‚

So, we had a good time. The music was nice and the food tasty. We danced and we laughed even without drinking too much!

Latino Carnaval 2013
Latino Carnaval 2013Mar 16, 2013Photos: 16
 

-T πŸ˜€

 Posted by at 07:32

Equality For All?

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Mar 152013
 

So, I came up with a new URL name and will mull it over before checking to see if it is taken or not. It may become my new blog site title for when I finish my doctorate and have more time to write on topics I really want to cover… Adoptee Philosophy…still giving it some consideration…

Anyway, last night was a lot of fun. I attended the conference for a while, but as with all conferences the best part is meeting up with friends.

I had lunch with a friend from both graduate school and work in Japan. He is here applying for jobs and considering whether or not he’d like to move to this region. It was so wonderful to see him and to catch up. It’s hard to believe we met so long ago (about 8 years!) and still keep in touch. πŸ˜€

Then, I met some work colleagues/friends and we had a drink together, which was relaxing. Afterwards, we met up for drinks which led to dinner and so on. It was really nice. The weather is a perfect temperature for sitting outside and taking in the scenes of life. I will post some pics of that later.

However, the main point of this post was about one of our stimulating conversations about the world. Equality for all.

Usually, I prefer to sit and listen to people because I know that I don’t often agree with thoughts on life and the world coming from a different perspective. However, someone at the table asked me my thoughts and so I shared. This turned into a deeper discussion which I will try to re-tell here….

My colleague stated that he thinks that everyone should have their basic needs meet – food, water, shelter and education. That in providing for their basic needs, then everyone would have an equal opportunity to allow genius to reveal itself. Because so many people struggle for basic survival, society is preventing possible creativity and innovation to be lost.

I said that I disagree with any idea of equality. I believe that ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ and that many of the greatest so-called geniuses are such because they took nothing and made something. So, we discussed on this extensively.

My further point is that I think it is naive to say that everyone should be the same. It’s idealistic and unrealistic. The world is not fair. It hasn’t been since man separated from God. If you don’t believe in God, then it hasn’t been since the very existence of man or animals. To me, it is very much a privileged perspective to think that the world should be better, yet also extremely hypocritical unless one is actively working towards making that equality happen. It’s a first-world luxury to be able to sit around a table at a 5-star hotel with our drinks and stomachs full and then say that the world should be more fair….

There is a great deal more I want to say about this, but I will save it for another post. πŸ˜€

-T

Space…

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Mar 142013
 

The final frontier…these are the voyages of…a crazy Korean adoptee living in foreign lands in search of her sanity….

Random? Yes, indeed.

I’m away at a conference in Dubai. I left early so that I could leave early. Somehow I stayed longer than I would have liked, but mostly due to catching up with friends and talking to colleagues whom I don’t normally associate with much at work. Plus, I am going to hang out with some friends from work, but also friends outside of work. πŸ˜‰

Anyway, why the randomness at the beginning…? Well, because this is how I feel. I need some space. I need to recognize my need for space. I need to then take the space and perhaps think about this staying in a hotel on my own option more frequently…. It is good to have some mental and physical space for me to take deep breaths and to just chill out.

There’s probably more to say here than that, but for now, this is enough…

-T πŸ˜€

 Posted by at 16:41

On the Edge…

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Mar 142013
 

Whenever I hear Lady Gaga’s song, “The Edge of Glory” I somehow feel like it’s talking about my life mantra. I am always looking for the next best thing because I am somehow dissatisfied with my current state. It is probably my own state of mind that I should be looking to improve, but in any case that’s a long process.

So, the other day, I went to see Dr I and expressed my feeling of being ‘on edge’ not ‘on the edge’, big difference! For the past few weeks I have felt frustration, maybe deep anger and mostly impatience with everyone and everything. It doesn’t come out too negatively towards others, but I feel it brewing inside of me to the point of annoyance. She said I just may need a good cry to release the tension or to consider how to have some balance and let go of the impatience.

Just three weeks ago when I saw her last, I was on a good path, though feeling lowish. This week is a different story. I began to consider what elements in my life had changed…

* I stopped yoga for a period of time due to a change in the teacher. Now the original one is back and we are all very happy.* R hurt his back and required more from me. Not that he demanded in any way, but I felt an increase of pressure.
* Friends and new friends seem to need more effort in terms of organizing getting together or wanting to meet up, which adds to my stress

Something else interesting that Dr I pointed out was that if I am only focused on me and organizing/structuring me and my time, I seem to be okay and balanced. However, I seem to not yet know how to incorporate others into my structure and keep a balance. This is very true.

One thing is that I try to accommodate everyone else. This throws off my routine and my ways, but not others’. Then, I become frustrated that I am the one who seems to be accommodating at my expense, but gaining little in return. While I do little for the return, I do need to feel as if I am in control of my own balance and ways…. So…this is my latest self-revelation!

-T πŸ˜€

Spring = Flowers

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Mar 132013
 

Now, I’m not really the kind of girl that requires a man to bring her flowers. That’s not to say I don’t love it when it happens, but as R is not the romantic type, bringing me flowers is not on his list of things to do. Luckily, I don’t mind buying my own flowers when I want to add a little bit of life to the apartment.

The other day I saw a post from a friend on FB of her spring tulips and it really made me want to put some flowers in our place.

Although it is already heating up quickly here, the temps have been cool-ish replicating a spring-like feel. So, the other day when I went out grocery shopping, I also picked up a couple bouquets. They are lovely to have and so, this may become a regular part of my interior decor.

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08-Mar-2013 18:00, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 160
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08-Mar-2013 18:02, Apple iPad mini, 2.4, 3.3mm, 0.042 sec, ISO 200
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-T πŸ˜€

 Posted by at 08:33

My Best Friend!

 Going Mental  1 Response »
Mar 122013
 

DSCN0999

Not everyone is lucky enough to meet someone with a kindred spirit, but I definitely am.

It is hard to believe that we met nearly 18 years ago and have been the bestest of friends ever since. We have truly been through just about every major event in someone’s life – marriage, births and deaths….

Although we do not live near each other now, I know that we will always be together in spirit.

HAPPY 3*th BIRTHDAY!!!! β™₯

-T πŸ˜€

 Posted by at 19:08

Returning to the Hamster Wheel

 Going Mental  No Responses »
Mar 112013
 

For some reason I took a bit of a break from working out regularly – or at least cardio workouts. I somehow got tired of the treadmill and convinced myself that I could make do without it. Instead, I joined Pilates and Yoga classes that are offered in my building. However, they don’t do enough to burn the calories since I continue to eat more than I should. No matter how much I try to eat less, R is a food pusher and will not relent! πŸ˜‰

So, one step away from eating on smaller plates, I have decided to get myself back into the routine of working out on the treadmill again. So far it has been good. If I set distance or time goals and do not use any of the other setting on the machine, I find that I am more motivated. I still read, which is helpful as well. This week, I think I am going to try to run out in Yas, where some of my friends have been going. It’s perhaps the best outdoor venue aside from the Corniche, but it is a bit far from home (about 30mins drive). I’m thinking if I combine it with a trip to Ikea, it might be worth checking out…. πŸ˜›

In any case, it does feel good to get up and moving again. Maybe I’ll stick with the running plan for longer this time.

-T πŸ˜€

 Posted by at 07:54
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