Sometimes a little bi-polarity is a good thing.

I meant to be posting, everyday, things I was grateful for until Thanksgiving. And now, on Saturday night, I am a few days behind. Not that I am any less grateful, just less productive, or perhaps a little less inclined to share these past few days. Sometimes this seems like a really inappropriately intimate medium. But then sometimes it seems perfectly germane.

I was sitting outside in the cold on the 9:30 ferry coming home on Thursday (on purpose – as sitting inside is garish, loud and above all MALodorous) watching Victoria Harbor’s lights go by. [See above, obv.] And I was struck by how unusual my life is in some ways. This skyline, or coastline, or reclaimed gelatinous marina, (take your pick) never fails to impress. And to have a city like Hong Kong at my disposal everyday is pretty amazing. Though I know I will not stay here and I feel it is a place that makes putting roots down very difficult, it is really cool to be right here, right now.

Being in a city, particularly one that is cold, around the holidays is thrilling… everything is electric, literally and figuratively – abuzz, as it were. And, save for sticking you finger in a light socket, I think palpable energy is a very cool thing. I am glad I am here. And I am grateful that Beijing perpetrated that ridiculous cloud seeding endeavor that people now credit with giving us all this wonky cold weather. I love that the PRC believes the weather is just one more thing to manipulate. Go China!

And it has been cold here, with humidity consistently below 50%, which is crackling dry in these parts. Add to that the wind and it seems positively (or negatively?) electric, even without the lights.  I think the wind does energize me, and whether this is a scientifically sound concept or just my feeling is moot, standing in the wind has always given me a charge. Add to that the possibility for static electricity and – wowsa – We’re all electric.

Today the skies are clear and blue and it is cold and windy and holiday-like and work-infused, simultaneously. I am happy to be in Hong Kong and glad to be going away next week and relieved to know nothing is permanent. I am busy and feel lazy, have lots to do and nothing to say.

Polarity is defined as the presence or manifestation of two opposite or contrasting principles or tendencies. Bipolarity suggests they are simultaneously present – perhaps erratically so.

Contrary to what many might say, I think that’s cool.

For now.

My time coming, any day, don’t worry bout me, no
Been so long I felt this way, ain’t in no hurry, no
Rainbows end down that highway where ocean breezes blow
My time coming, voices saying, they tell me where to go

Don’t worry bout me, no no, don’t worry bout me, no
And I’m in no hurry, no no no, I know where to go.

These stories are true.

Albert Markovski: The interconnection thing is definitely for real.
Tommy Corn: It is! I didn’t think it wasn’t! It is!
Albert Markovski: I know, I can’t believe it, it’s so fantastic!
Tommy Corn: It’s amazing!
Albert Markovski: I know.
Tommy Corn: But it’s also nothing special.

I met a young lady in the summer of 2005 in a class in San Diego. We had the same name; in a way. She was funny and audacious, and dead set on going to Germany by whatever means possible. This was, you will not be surprised to discover, related directly to a young man. I stayed in touch with this young lady as I entered into a very bizarre and mildly labyrinthine new chapter of my own life. Several months later, this young lady contacted me from Taiwan. She had decided that the reality as well as the rationale behind going to Germany were not meant to be, and so she had made a dramatic shift and come to Taiwan. This was fun for me, and for her I think it was acceptable. Less than a year later this young lady met a dashing young man in Taiwan. He was from Germany. She is now a happily married momma to a beautiful baby girl, living with her German husband… in Germany.

The Universe does indeed appear to work in mysterious ways.

Five Questions and some thanks for giving.

QUESTION #1: Who thought this was a good idea? It is not. It is actually a very bad idea. Sort of like this. I am aware of Movember and realize that it is probably necessary to fund men’s health in light of the current health care crises, and of course the cessation of funding to education, which actually – believe it or not – contributes to the sorts of stuffs people need to know in order to make discoveries to help men’s health… but I digress. Am I:  A woman who loves a Mo and wants to support the efforts of a Mo Bro in their life?

Not a whole lot of love for the Mo going on up in here.

[QUESTION #1 part 2: Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard? For real.]

QUESTION #2: If you are clearly a hipster by visual design, but you did not accomplish this momentous feat intentionally, it just kind of happened, are you in fact, a hipster?

QUESTION #3: Sarah Palin? Seriously? I stand by my assertion that one should not use words they can neither spell nor define. You are out on called strikes Palin. How Glenn Beck of you.

QUESTION #4: Why can’t I get this in Hong Kong? I feel cheated.

QUESTION #5: What is the meaning of life? I suppose this is as good an answer as any. Unless it is yoga. Then I like that answer better.

 

And on that note: I am thankful for the infinite ways that my students make my days unique, challenging and interesting… giving hope that there might be more than “bugger all down here.”

Ahhhh…. Carbohydrates: Thank YOU.

Alright… so it is winter in Hong Kong now. I think I wrote about it being fall last week, and that was nice. For a minute. Now it is winter and it is cold. Before you go telling me what a thin-skinned baby I must mention that when it gets into the forties here, with the damp and the lack of insulation and floor to ceiling tile… it is cold. Like colder than San Francisco summers cold. Colder than Incline winters cold. For real, because at least in Incline my Audi had heated seats and stylish warm boots were on my feets.

Here, it is just cold. And I do not have my cold weather clothes. And the cold came without warning. I very well may end up in one of the hats pictured above; a really popular item on the street today, by the way… Along with full length down parkas.

It is 52 degrees out there today. [My aunt visiting from Portland thinks it is all a bit funny.] It will be 44 tomorrow. Brr.

To be fair, the weather has been a bit harsh, huge winds and spitting rain last night on my walk home, a sampan was out due to the sea conditions. And my cats are going mental because I am not leaving their in-and-out window open because if I do I cannot get my apartment warm enough at night. So last night when I got home it looked like someone had tossed my place. But no, just cat mayhem. And I was too tired to deal with it. I was up at 5 a.m. yesterday to go to early yoga then less early yoga, then to get my nails done, then to lunch then to work, then to another appointment, then to the ferry, then home. At 10:30 p.m. Consequently, this morning I was exhausted on awakening at 6:00 a.m. and looked outside at the seriously blustery day.

The sky was grey.
The sea was black.
The trees were getting whipped.
The wind was really howling.
All I wanted to do was to crawl back into bed with a book, some hot coffee.

And a truck load of carbohydrates.

For real: all I want these days consists of baked goods, bread, muffins, croissants… you name the carb – I want it. It is a good thing it is winter and I have to wear every item of clothing I own simultaneously because for now at least it will disguise my irresistible urge for carbo-loading that the cold weather has induced. At least until it gets hot again – likely to be in a week or so.

And so in keeping with the Thanksgiving gratitude thing… yesterday I was very thankful for hot coffee and yummy hot soup, and today I want to say thanks for the change in the weather which makes everything seem a little more cozy, and the November 1 Christmas decorations slightly less sacrilegious… and the carbohydrates that much more delicious.

Oh, and thank you thank you thank you for the yoga practice that will also help to stave off the effects of scandalous carb consumption.

Okay… Okay! Okay!!! I get it! There is a lot to learn.

I realize that learning is infinite. I accept this fully. I generally even really appreciate this and advocate for embracing this as one of life’s greatest gifts.

But Holy Hell! Can a kid get a break once in a while? I am so tired of *%$*%)@!*^ learning lessons lately.

My brain is F-U-L-L.

I have no idea if the lessons have been here to learn all along and I have been too obtuse to notice, or if there is in fact, something major going on. But Oh. My. God. It is full on. I often watch my friend Adele’s amazing young son with awe as he is taking in all the world has to teach him. And he, my little B.F.F., has much to learn. He knows this and is okay with it most of the time. But there are those moments, like the moments I had today, when you can see the emotion welling up in him because it is all just too much to comprehend and yes, too much to freaking LEARN, sometimes. Of course, unlike me, he is five. He is supposed to be immersed in life lessons. Where is the justice here?

Sometimes I wish it could just be easy. For my L.B.F.F. and for me.

In the course of a few short hours today I had so much to take in. I think I managed. But it was exhausting. Flexibility, patience, chillaxing. Sometimes those are the only things you need.

And yoga, of course. Thank whoever I need to thank for that.

So yeah, in keeping with the Days of Gratitude leading up to Thanksgiving, I am thankful for the lessons, but still, man, I could use a break for just minute.

How about tomorrow?

Do you thank your family much?

I spend a great deal of time talking about my family. Among friends, old and new, in countries near and far: My family resonates resonance. In my classrooms they become models, examples, heroes, metaphors, motifs, sages, symbols; paragons of all the things that combine to make up the complex conglomerate of a family such as mine.

But they do not become these things through my words. They are these things through the way they live their lives.

I am thankful for my family.

And sometimes it is especially important to thank the ones who are the hardest to reach.

 

Non-Reactive Reaction.

The word for today is ruminate:

–verb (used without object)
1. to chew the cud, as a ruminant
2. to meditate or muse; ponder

–verb (used with object)
3. to chew again or over and over
4. to meditate on; ponder

from rumen (gen. ruminis) “gullet”

Lately, I find that the visceral pleasure in cogitating on something rather than reacting has been extremely satisfying. For instance: I receive an email that I have been waiting for. I am glad to have this email. The information it contains is interesting, if not exactly what I was looking for, and ultimately puts to rest the wait for the email. I am inclined to reply. But I do not. Instead, I ruminate over the email and the implications of the email and the potential outcomes of replying, not replying. The email needs no reply, though this does not always stop me from doing so. Right now I feel perfectly satisfied to have the email in my inbox and return to it when I want to remind myself that it is there. No need to “just say hey” back.

Or consider this example: I am on a boat (yeah, really, on a boat.) I am listening to people converse and speculate over the details of something of which I am fairly sure I have more accurate information. Should I share/correct/engage? I don’t know what I should do, but I don’t do anything. I sit and ruminate. There is no reason for me to get involved, particularly because they are not really interested in accurate information, as it tends to be quite boring. I turn my iPod up.

I return to the email. I am glad it is there. Why it feels so satisfying I have no idea, but you know, whatever.

Without advocating for passivity or excessive contemplation or worse, the creation of non-reality, I think that the pleasure derived from bouncing a concept around in your head for the simple interest of it is quite cool. It is like savoring something delectable on your tongue rather than wolfing it down. Wolfing definitely has its place, but this is certainly pleasant.

A non-reactive reaction.

 

[photo from here.]

Thanks Friday the 13th…

Paraskavedekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th. I use this word to introduce word roots when I am teaching vocabulary [for rather obvious reasons] but it always brings up very interesting conversations. Like: “How can someone be afraid of a day?” (Grade 7) “What does that kind of a fear look like?” (Grade 10) “What kind of loser is afraid of something like that?” (Grade 12, peer response: ‘People who don’t want to go to school/work on Friday.’)

Friday the 13th has an interesting history, tied of course directly to fear of specific things – women, witches, the inexplicable (wait, was I just being redundant?) and is equally interesting to investigate, though I do not mean in the Paranormal Activity way, just as a precautionary measure to see how absolutely dangerous fear can be, especially if you are female or a cat.

Today I am thankful for living in the relative absence of fear and the gift of good sleep. I have always been a good sleeper and some say this is a sign of a clear conscious. on the other hand, there is narcolepsy, so you can’t just assume. But either way, I am glad I have a bed to sleep in, time to sleep, and little I need to hide myself under the covers from, save for cats who want food at 5 a.m.

And today?

Today, I am very thankful
For the realization that
The grass
Is so rarely greener,
Elsewhere.

Saying thanks…

A person I know from a long time ago posted something on that notoriously annoying social networking site today that I really liked. It said:

Every day this month until Thanksgiving, think of one thing that you are thankful for…

Of course, there were some other requisite instructions I am going to ignore because that is how I am, but as an exercise, this is a good one. So, to start with, thank you Lance.

Today I am thankful for the return of my slightly distracted mojo courtesy of these two Tweets from the LA Times Books and the brilliant Lizz Winstead. [I mean if Sarah Palin and Carrie Prejan can write, come on...]