tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92040502024-03-14T03:57:31.954+00:00musings by sarahrandom thoughts about cooking, eating, Singapore, my Christian faith, my husband...Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.comBlogger633125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-12417509688509067482018-07-25T12:06:00.001+01:002018-07-27T04:42:44.323+01:00an amazing novel about JesusI just finished reading <i>Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana</i> by Anne Rice. I didn't plan to read it but just stumbled on it when I went to a used book table last week. Yeshua bar Joseph was a winsome character and so was his mother, in particular. There are some fictional parts of the book, unsurprisingly, but I was pleased that the novel did what I was hoping: made Jesus easier to identify with as a human. The book finishes with Jesus' miracle at Cana, and a theme is about Jesus coming to understand his mission clearly.
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<br>"I'd always known who I really was. I was God. And I'd chosen not to know it. Well, now I knew just what it meant to be the man who knew he was God."
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<br>The happiness of everyone at the wedding leads Yeshua to muse, <blockquote>"Oh, if only I could indeed stop time, stop it here, stop it forever with this great banquet, and let all the world come here to this, now, streaming, out of Time and beyond Time, and into this--to join with the dancing, to feast at these abundant tables, to laugh and sing and cry amid these smoking lamps and twinkling candles.... If only I could hold them in one great embrace?"</blockquote> Jesus gains a greater and greater understanding of what he is to do with his life and sets out to do it as the novel closes. "But I did not come to stop [time].... I came to live it, to surrender to it, to endure it, to discover in it what it was I must do, and whatever it was, well, it had only begun."
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<br>Wonderful - I really enjoyed it. Rice wrote another novel called <i>Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt</i> about Jesus' childhood that I will look for next.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-70686876069228259732018-07-08T09:45:00.000+01:002018-07-08T09:45:18.722+01:00poor, neglected blogI forgot that I had this blog. I rediscovered it today and was re-reading some old entries. I was encouraged by how thoughtful some of it was!
I guess summer holidays make blogging more manageable again. But do people still blog? I think maybe Instagram is the new blogging.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-82240007182521694172014-07-03T04:53:00.003+01:002014-07-03T07:01:36.630+01:00the ninety-nine and the oneYesterday I had a new insight into the parable of the lost sheep (Matthew 18:12-14, Luke 15:4-7) that related to being a teacher and a leader. In the story, the shepherd has one hundred sheep and one wanders off. He goes to search for the one sheep, leaving the other ninety-nine on the hills. Then he is happier about the one who was found than the other ninety-nine. "In the same way," says Jesus, "your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish."<br />
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This is a story about a loving Father who is willing to go in search of someone he loves who has wandered off from him. The story was told so that we would know that he seeks us and wants us to know him closely. And that we should also seek others and not look down on those who are not currently close to God.<br />
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The story was alluded to in a book I am currently reading, <i>The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People</i> by Stephen Covey. This is not a Christian book, though the author is open about the fact that he is a Christian. This makes it very interesting reading for me. It's the grandfather of modern success and productivity writing and has been very helpful on both a personal and professional level. A fair few Christian ideas have popped up, some overtly and some not.<br />
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I was reading about how we can make emotional investments in our relationships with others. One way we do this, the book says, is by showing personal integrity in our relationships. We can show integrity by being loyal those who are not present. This is a reason not to gossip or talk about someone behind their back. If you do this, the person to whom you are gossiping learns that you will do the same to them when they are not around. This lowers trust.<br />
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Also, a way to show integrity is to confront someone when your relationship needs to be mended or improved. "Confrontation takes considerable courage…. In the long run, people will trust and respect you if you are honest and open and kind with them. You care enough to confront."<br />
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Another way integrity is displayed is the care you show for one person who needs it. Your care for that person shows the others how you would also care for them. "The key to the ninety-nine is the one." <br />
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Covey says that he learned this in the context of being a teacher and a parent. "It is the love and the discipline of the one student, the one child, that communicates love for the others." I realised that the care I show for one of my students can been seen by the others as the care I would also give to them when they need it. This also applies to the way I treat my team members. As I treat one of them with honour, the others should see that they will all be treated with the same respect.<br />
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This gives us an insight into Jesus' parable. Not only is the focus on the one person who is brought close to God, but the other ninety-nine see the care the Father shows. Those of us who are already in the family of God can see the care God shows to others and know that he loves us in the same way. We can take to heart that love.<br />
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I felt really blessed by this insight. It takes Jesus' story and helps me see how God's love permeates my life and can be the model for the way I treat others as well, in all of my diverse roles.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-43403180123322905152014-07-01T08:28:00.001+01:002014-07-03T07:01:56.037+01:00a first draft of my personal mission statementI am reading <i>The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People</i> by Stephen Covey. As a result I have been challenged to write a personal mission statement. Here it is, my first version.<br />
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I want to draw close to God and hear his voice.<br />
I want to be a best friend to Anthony, and a support to help him grow.<br />
I want to help students experience and explore mathematics with the end of understanding and appreciating it. I want to empower other teachers to do the same with their students.<br />
I want to bless others with friendship and be mutually encouraged and loved.<br />
I want to bless others with whom I interact by listening to them and valuing them.<br />
I will do what I say I am going to do.<br />
I will look ahead to tomorrow's work today.<br />
I will solicit feedback, be reflective, and seek to grow.<br />
I will seek to maintain my health and fitness.<br />
I will be grateful.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-67591123193777023252014-03-15T14:04:00.000+00:002014-03-15T14:04:15.674+00:00reframing some ideasRecently I have been trying to change two of my negative ideas.<br />
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"Long haul flights are a chance for some quiet me-time." I have decided it would be better for everyone if I no longer hated long journeys. So instead I will enjoy them as a chance to sit quietly, create my own quiet, read, and rest. My weekly life is very energy draining so perhaps I can use a long flight as a chance for napping and calm. Also, I usually feel quite introspective on planes, perhaps because ideas of home and belonging have always been somewhat hard to pin down. So I can capitalize on this by using my plane time as planning and goal setting time.<br />
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"Saying no to something I shouldn't do is also saying yes to something I should do." I have realized that deciding to say no to bad food can be looked at in a more positive vein. It is saying yes to good health. (A recent post <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-say-no-to-yourself/">on Mark's Daily Apple</a> inspired this thought.) Saying no to wasting time means saying yes to feeling great when I get things done. Saying no to being annoyed with someone is like saying yes to a better relationship and a more patient me.<br />
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Reframing my ideas is really just a fancy way of saying I am trying to look at things from a more positive angle.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-36927109149572958142014-02-08T15:06:00.003+00:002014-02-08T15:07:42.631+00:00library loot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So it was my first time visiting the library in a long time. I was so happy to go! Just the pleasure of seeing and browsing among all those books. Wonderful!<br />
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I wanted to get a book about fermenting foods and there were a few. This one, <i>The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fermenting Foods</i>, seemed to be comprehensive and full of easy ideas. Also I've been taking <a href="http://simplycooked.blogspot.sg/2014/01/sarahs-wine-project-starts-today.html">a more structured approach</a> to trying wine lately and I realised that just figuring out what the bottles on the shelf contain is quite tricky. So I got <i>Understanding Wine Labels</i> to help me out. Finally, the <a href="http://thekitchenreader.wordpress.com/">Kitchen Reader</a> book this month is <i>Below Stairs</i>, the memoir of a 1920s kitchen maid.
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This post is a part of a weekly blogging event called Library Loot. It is co-hosted by Claire from <a href="http://thecaptivereader.wordpress.com/">The Captive Reader</a> and Linda from <a href="http://sillylittlemischief.blogspot.ca/2014/02/library-loot.html">Silly Little Mischief</a> that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library. I was introduced to it by our new <a href="http://thekitchenreader.wordpress.com/">Kitchen Reader</a> member, Vicki from <a href="http://irbratb.com/2014/02/05/library-loot-february-5-11/">I'd Rather Be at the Beach</a>.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-57631252306943731122014-02-06T02:43:00.000+00:002014-02-06T02:44:09.506+00:00how to get out of a bad mood Why isn't living more of a science? It would be so much easier if sometimes there was just a formula such as "If this, then that". I feel out of sorts and cranky and I don't know how to stumble forward. I would prefer the rule, "If you feel cranky, then mope for a day and the next day get on with being excellent." But it doesn't seem to work that way.<br />
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I feel out of sorts for a number of reasons. I hurt my knee while trail running and by the end of the last three working days it has been throbbing with a hot pain. In addition to this, I have had some setbacks at work that should just be minor bumps but somehow have grown to little mountains. My marking is piling up; also I am late with a few tasks that people depend on. A few parents criticized my teaching methods last week; also my students seem to be confused by things I thought they had learned.<br />
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At home I have failed to get a grip on the laundry and it seems to be taunting me from the overflowing baskets. I forgot to buy toilet paper for one day too long. And all I can find in the fridge for dinner is three red onions.
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For now I am making my own life formula. It starts with "choose the success criteria for tomorrow". Since I know that I can't solve all these problems, including my foul mood, in one day, I have chosen just four tasks for tomorrow that will be the way I will judge my success. Two are for work, and two are personal tasks. One of them is to talk to God. If I can accomplish those four things, I will celebrate the day as a small success. And then tomorrow I'll set new success criteria for the next day. This is my small effort to structure my bleak days.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-61786612325655155262013-12-01T10:15:00.002+00:002013-12-01T10:18:44.648+00:00Christmas decoratingWe always travel to my family at Christmas. It's a commitment we made when Anthony "stole" me from them to live in another country after getting married. As a result, the Christmas decorating in our own flat is usually minimal. We had an artificial tree when Matt and April lived with us (it was theirs). One year I thought we were settling down since we had bought our own place. So I bought a living Christmas tree in a pot, planning to keep it alive and reuse it for many years. We moved to Hong Kong just three months later. Sigh.
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But we still have a bit of Christmas stuff and I put it out today. There are decorations on our dining room mirror and balcony window. Also, we have a Christmas runner on the table in our entryway.
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Ant bought me a poinsettia yesterday! That is an act of love because he knows how much I love them.
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-66113950210041974982013-11-29T13:37:00.001+00:002013-11-29T13:37:48.897+00:00poor, neglected blogWell, I have been food blogging regularly and now I have a work blog too. This personal weblog has been neglected. Sorry, friends. I post lots of picture on Facebook, but I love reading others' blogs. So I guess I shouldn't shut down this space just yet.
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This picture was taken in the Islamic Arts Museum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia two weekends ago. It's a carved wooden mirror from 19th century Iran. Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-26090126412449013182013-06-28T15:24:00.003+01:002013-06-28T15:26:45.411+01:00five minute friday: in betweenThis is worth a try. A five minute sustained, spontaneous <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/2013/06/five-minute-friday-in-between/">writing session</a>.<br />
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"In between" seems like an appropriate first topic for me as well. Today was the last day of work and tomorrow we have the movers coming in.<br />
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I am in between Hong Kong and Singapore. It has been three years here.
I found it hard to settle here in Hong Kong. Making friends was hard and took me a long time. (Is there any way to learn how to make friends faster and easier?) Now that I have friends, though, it is so very hard to leave them.<br />
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Singapore is going to be great; I know that, too! We already have some friend there, actually, two couples. So that should give us a head start we need so we don't feel lonely.<br />
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I am also in between work and holiday. We leave on Sunday for a ten day break; yippee! It will be good to rest, reflect, and recover. Anthony and I are both in dire need of some down time. We are going to have a memorable, no expenses spared time in New Zealand. But to be honest, both of us know that even if we don't do any fancy outings we will be happy just to sit in the car, looking at the beautiful scenery, and not worrying.<br />
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<b>Are you in between?</b><br />
<b>Do you have advice about making friends?</b>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-2029577497905301602013-06-16T12:04:00.001+01:002013-06-16T12:05:49.022+01:00happenings in Hong KongAnthony and I have very little sense of "style". We admit it. However, we do have this one painting that I love! It was a gift from the mother of one of the Chinese students Mum and Dad hosted at their home. It was delivered from Shenzhen in an epic saga that took weeks of cross-boarding haggling. I love the colours and the sense of movement in it.
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In other news, we have bought a new camera lens - a 10-22mm for wide angle shots. Here is a view from our balcony at night.
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And here is a view of Hong Kong harbour at night time. A few months ago I won a one-night stay at the <a href="http://www.fourseasons.com/hongkong/">Four Seasons hotel</a> in Hong Kong and this was the view from our room. Wow!
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-87105402911572237312013-04-09T15:17:00.002+01:002013-04-09T15:25:49.771+01:00things for which I am thankful today<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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1. A friend brought me a pot of Marmite Gold from his trip to England last week. It's a gimmick but I think it's great. It made me smile all morning!
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2. We got a new washing machine and it is so quiet! Our old one was so noisy that even with the kitchen door closed we couldn't talk to each other without shouting. It also didn't spin properly about half the time, which meant that a lot of loads of laundry had to be washed through two cycles. That made laundry take a lot longer than necessary. I am so happy that we have this new one.
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3. I complain a bit about the many passwords related to online banking, but I am really very grateful for connected global bank accounts that allow me to shop online in several countries! heehee.<br />
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4. Talking to my Grammie on the phone is like a warm hug. I love chatting with her.<br />
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5. Having coffee and dinner with my best friend in Hong Kong - she always brightens up my day. I love our mid-week meet-ups.<br />
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<b>What are you grateful for today?</b>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-12640192053045833422013-03-16T09:22:00.004+00:002013-03-16T09:22:43.550+00:00Fracking, Bonobos, and the Three Gorges Dam Region in China<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My recent reading helped me learn about fracking, short for hydraulic fracturing, a method for getting oil out of deep horizontal seams. It had exploded in use in North Dakota since 2006. It has provided huge economic benefits for the area and also put massive pressure on the infrastructure and employment market. It is not sustainable and the boom is due to end within a generation.<br />
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Bonobos are a species of ape who are separated from chimpanzees and gorillas by the Congo River. They have a distinctly matriarchal society and are much more interdependent than other apes. Bonobos don't have "alpha males", instead mothers and sons remain close and females share power.<br />
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"Return to River Town" was an article I read about a Western man who taught English in Fuling, China, on the Yangtze River in 1996. He returned there to visit since the town was altered by the Three Gorges Dam, 450 km downstream. The dam's construction raised the water level by 120 m and displaced the city's residents (and had <a href="http://www.internationalrivers.org/campaigns/three-gorges-dam">many other impacts</a>). He described <a href="http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/underwater-cultural-heritage/about-the-heritage/underwater-museums/the-baiheliang-underwater-museum/">an underwater museum</a> where visitors can see a historical carving which is now submerged under 40 m of water.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-6237602789962176382013-02-23T16:47:00.002+00:002013-02-24T03:26:48.679+00:00making a diptych in Lightroom 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I used <a href="http://acambs.gps-inno.com/index.php?option=com_relatedvideos&tag:youtubecom,2008:video:QhVxAm6zonw">this video</a> to help me learn to make a diptych in Lightroom 4. I also enjoyed an <a href="http://www.cateyefotos.com/blog/2011/02/creating-diptychs-and-triptychs-in-adobe-lightroom-part-1/">Adobe TV video</a> that discussed the aesthetics of pairing images in diptychs.<br />
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Photos taken at <a href="http://museum.gov.ns.ca/uemp/en/home/default.aspx">Uniacke Estate</a>, July 2012.<br />
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What new skills have you learned this week?Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-21074676708047369352013-02-15T04:19:00.000+00:002013-02-24T03:45:46.352+00:00Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I just finished this book - you may have heard about it a couple of years ago. It's about a first generation American-Chinese mother who wouldn't allow her two daughters to have free time or go to friends' houses. She forced them to practice music (piano for the elder, violin for the younger) for several hours every day and demanded their excellence in every academic subject.<br />
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Her book is somewhat tongue in cheek - and hilarious if you read it that way. But it also makes some valid (and scary) distinctions between Chinese and Western parenting (grand generalizations though they are). Western parents make an conscious choice to allow kids to choose their activities - even if it means Facebook and spending time at the mall. Chinese parents make all the choices for their children and demand compliance. This is why so many Asian children are so accomplished, Chua argues. She speculates that teenagers of both types hate their parents. And she also implies that adults of both types love their parents. So she is proud of her parenting style.<br />
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A lot of my students have parents like her, at least to some extent. They are driven by their parents' desires and they make academic gains because their parents ensure that they do. I can really tell the difference between those children and those whose parents acquiesce to their kids' wishes.<br />
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The real question is which is the right way (or better way) to parent? And how do you decide which is right? (Fortunately for me, I am only pondering in a theoretical way. Many of my friends and acquaintances are making these decisions every day.) What about you and your family?Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-24450422884402476882013-02-12T13:44:00.002+00:002013-02-14T13:15:49.787+00:00Guernsey IslandI recently read <i>The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society</i> by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. It's a novel set in London and on Guernsey Island just after World War Two. I didn't know before that Guernsey (in the English Channel) was occupied by the Germans during the war; they were hoping to use it as a stepping stone to occupying the UK. Children were sent away from Guernsey for their safety to live in the British countryside.
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This was a brilliant novel, written as a series of letters to and from a young writer in London. She makes friends with the members of a literary society on Guernsey and eventually visits them.<br />
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I bought this book at the Oxfam shop in Central HK and I think it came from Costco in Canada - see the bilingual sticker.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-49772024541382809402013-01-27T09:42:00.001+00:002013-01-27T09:42:45.129+00:00what I'm learning: Libya, venom, and KyrgyzsI do not keep up to date much with current affairs. I also am terribly bad at the history questions in Trivial Pursuit. You could say I'm a little selfish about where I give my time since I don't often look outside my immediate surroundings.<br />
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As it turns out, I will be teaching a course called Theory of Knowledge next year. And it requires a broad general knowledge base. It's time for me to start paying attention to the world around a bit more.
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So to start with I picked up National Geographic Magazine. I had about an hour to use in Central. Usually I would go shopping, but this time I decided to get some reading material and a snack and settle down to learn something. And so here are some two (ish) sentence summaries of what I have learned this weekend.
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Libya, recently democratic, has a lot of archeological sites from Roman and Greek times and they were neglected, and hence preserved, all through the previous leader, Quaddafi's, time in power. Now they are being rediscovered, and hopefully actively protected.
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Venom from poisonous snakes, insects, and reptiles can be used as cures. Researchers are collecting venom sample, analysing them, modifying them, and testing lots of new drugs.
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There is a group of about 1000 people called the Kyrgyz, who live in the remote mountain ranges of isolated Afghanistan. They live in extremely harsh conditions but have close, happy families. The article I read hints that they may be connected to medical support and the modern world if a road is built to their area, but this is currently not the case.
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-81457511512792397032013-01-25T13:11:00.002+00:002013-01-25T13:11:51.308+00:00sports day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The whole school took part in sports day when we all had to run one lap of the track to earn a "dynasty point" for our dynasties. I am in the Han dynasty and red is our colour. I sported this red wig during our run to show my dynasty spirit.
Also, can you see Hanix, our mascot on the right? He won the mascots' 100 m race later in the day!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-64525112236911529432012-09-22T13:46:00.001+01:002012-09-22T13:47:15.191+01:00jewellery storage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have two empty boxes of Ferrero Rochers that I use as jewellery storage. One is for necklaces and the other for earrings. I have had them for at least five years and they were getting chipped on the edges where the top and bottom touch. So Anthony and I just had to eat our way through two new boxes so that I could replace them!
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Voila, my new box of earrings. Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-435143610569303482012-09-09T11:02:00.000+01:002012-09-09T12:19:05.403+01:00"you smell nice"The person behind me on the bus smells really good. A bit fresh, a little like apples, just enough to notice and enjoy. I wonder what it is that makes me so happy to be near that smell? I want to turn and ask about it and give a compliment.<br />
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The bus lurches to the side and my head swivels. I see the shoe attached to the leg of the person behind. It's a man! Ah, no. There is now no acceptable way for me to comment. I run though the options in my mind. Every conversation I can imagine that starts with "You smell nice" ends with awkwardness or embarrassment or both. I also try to visualise what would happen if I passed the man a note saying he had a pleasant aroma - maybe as I exit the bus. No, there is just no way to give a strange man a compliment.<br />
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Well, then, thank you strange man, for making my bus journey more calm and fresh-smelling. I hope you have a good day. And I hope someone else finds a socially acceptable way to appreciate you.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-77440414879249516862012-08-01T12:03:00.001+01:002012-08-01T12:09:32.718+01:00feeling happy?Answer me this: Which of these two options makes you happier?<br />
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1. Tidying the living room?<br />
2. Ignoring the mess and watching TV?<br />
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As it turns out, I have discovered that a quick way to feel happy today is to get something done. I have realised that I actually feel better after a little tidying than if I ignore it and choose to "relax" instead. Funny, isn't it? And I've been reading a bit about this in the book <i>Reality is Broken</i> by Jane McGonigal: "It turns out that almost nothing makes us happier than good, hard work." She's referring to "work" that we choose ourselves, that has some positive feedback when we've done it. That's because we enjoy the sense of accomplishment of improving something.<br />
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McGonigal actually says that things we think of as relaxing, like chilling out, TV, eating chocolate, don't make us feel better. They are actually mildly depressing because they are so undemanding and low-engagement. We are happier avoiding those passive entertainments and seeking out a more positive, active task. "We'd be much better off," she writes, "avoiding easy fun and seeking out <i>hard fun</i>, or hard work that we enjoy, instead."<br />
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<b>What do you think? Do you enjoy some "good, hard work"?</b>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-21703092493182975172012-06-10T14:40:00.001+01:002012-06-10T14:41:00.264+01:00lost and found<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was wandering in Soho recently and saw these items. A pair of shoes, empty, on the edge of the road. And a hat, on a pole, next to a big pile of rubbish.<br />
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When I go out with my camera I want to take pictures of the people I see. But I am shy. Taking pictures of the lost items is easier. And always strange.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-76726440360720086992012-05-28T12:09:00.000+01:002012-05-28T12:09:23.874+01:00post-workout drinkI do some hard exercise on Mondays. I work out with a group of colleagues, who have arranged a personal trainer to come to school and run a session with us at 5pm. As a reward after a hard workout, I have been buying (during my lunch duty at the canteen) a little box of chocolate milk. I have been enjoying it on my way home.<br />
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Today I had a brainwave. I brought in my empty water bottle, with a scoop of vanilla protein powder in it. Then I poured in the chocolate milk, shook it up, and stashed it in the staff room fridge. Then afterwards I had a wonderful, cold, creamy drink; a great reward!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-65988348848319729392012-05-25T07:38:00.001+01:002012-05-25T07:38:38.827+01:00mundane life thingsIt is a long time since I have blogged here. So I am using the only productivity strategy I have: just start with any small step. Thus, a post of mundane items. Its sole purpose it to restart a habit. This post has no other intrinsic value.<br />
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I have a mosquito bite on my elbow. What an awkward place for a bite. I have learned that I eat with my elbows on the table a lot. My grandfather would sing at me to chastise me if he could see.<br />
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I ate spaghetti with tomato sauce for lunch and accompanied this with a bowl of cherry tomatoes. Here's to more tomatoes! I love their summery flavour.<br />
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It's almost too hot for running now, except in the early morning. Sadly my running partner can only meet after work. It has been very sweaty recently. Also, I desperately need some sports sunglasses that I can wear while running.<br />
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I have started attending a Bible study group again for the first time in more than a year. It feels good to get some weekly Christian input from friends. And we eat together, which is good.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9204050.post-66348114091440001982012-04-08T08:57:00.005+01:002012-04-08T09:21:00.108+01:00my exercise log<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h41J4hyXot0/T4FFJFxcFrI/AAAAAAAAEPc/Yrwd7dD2MrE/s1600/IMG_2965.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h41J4hyXot0/T4FFJFxcFrI/AAAAAAAAEPc/Yrwd7dD2MrE/s400/IMG_2965.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728936223462659762" /></a><br />I use this little diary as my exercise log. It's just a small one I got for free from a textbook representative. But it's been invaluable in tracking my exercise this year.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WYlsGyj4VC8/T4FFIiR8RII/AAAAAAAAEPE/GDvlFJPwi0o/s1600/IMG_2969.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WYlsGyj4VC8/T4FFIiR8RII/AAAAAAAAEPE/GDvlFJPwi0o/s400/IMG_2969.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728936213935309954" /></a><br />Each day I exercise, I write it down in the diary. (Click on the picture to see a bigger version.) I write a bit about what I did, how much time it took, and how I felt. Usually I include three faces, which show my mood before, during, and after exercise. I have noticed that the "after" face is almost always happy. Now I know that even if I feel rubbish while running, I will feel better at the end. This helps when I am struggling.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AUWXRedsTaA/T4FFI218pRI/AAAAAAAAEPQ/BPU7Mv-8Hs0/s1600/IMG_2963.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 281px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AUWXRedsTaA/T4FFI218pRI/AAAAAAAAEPQ/BPU7Mv-8Hs0/s400/IMG_2963.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728936219455038738" /></a><br />And I have been using ticks on the year planner pages to show how my exercise habit is developing. In March, I exercised 23 times! I'm proud of that and it is motivating me to make April also a fit month. I have circled my two big events this year. On January 14 I did the Green Power Hike, which was a 50 km walk along the Hong Kong trail. And on March 4, I ran a 10 km event. Now the next challenge seems to be a half marathon. I am a bit nervous about committing to it, though, so I haven't registered for a race, yet. When I do, I'll circle the date and that will give me something to work towards.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Do you track your exercise?</span>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04435647248027246458noreply@blogger.com0