Peak hike

TGIF

More good words from friends

And it's true...hasn't God given me gifts that I didn't know to ask for and for which I didn't have to lift a finger?

More friendship

Friends who rally around are worth their weight in gold. Like her father, this friend's love language is acts of service. So cute. I don't think she realizes how much she takes after her mom and dad.

Little things

Subtext: that help me hang on

Unexpected friendships

How is this person so sure that I will come out of this okay? It's been sixteen years since I left that city. She does understand why some things are so hard for me. And her good words to me are so needed. (And hopefully they come true!)

Conundrum

Heard some terrible news at work today re Mi's decision and had zero desire to go out to badminton because I didn't think I would be able to control my face tonight. (Or, tomorrow either at which point I really should stay home too.)

Going to the gym was fine because I didn't have to interact with anyone and after that went to the store to pick up a drink. But alcohol is no fun alone. And soda has 10g of sugar per 100ml. Basically I got bubbly water because I couldn't bear to put 30-50g of sugar in my body because of this.

Bubbles in my water. Living on the wild side.

Word

Romans 7:14-16

14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.

The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea.

- Isak Dinesen 

Super moon

redemption

There are days when I just want to look for a different job. Then there are moments of great generosity from senior colleagues at my institutions and at other institutions. The best moments of my job are when everyone, myself included, realizes that we are all always learning. All the time, and at every stage, and none of us can truly be happy in this profession if we don't keep this front and center. If everyone who plays a part in the university and its adjacent institutions realize this, we can all be much happier and more productive.

The next few months will be incredibly busy again. I'm so grateful for the people who have given their time, and for thinking carefully about everything that is at stake. I'm excited by what I can learn in the coming months. And terrified that I won't get to where I hope to get. Mostly, I'm humbled by all the support I've gotten in the past few months.

Living under grace. That's me. On so many levels.

What a life. What a journey.

Soundtrack

There's drilling at home and now there's drilling in the office too. Is it any wonder that I think constantly of moving to the boondocks. A remote mountain village in Japan sounds about right. Except that as my friends remind me, there won't be any badminton.

However, it's a very nice day outside.

School gym

Getting back on track after vacation and rest.

Eczema

The eczema has returned. I hate the itch and the sensitive skin.

Yes, I would wish this on my worst enemy.

Shifen

Taiwan

The Pacific ocean

Reunions

It's amazing to reconnect with friends from the past and find friendship still there.

I have such great senior colleagues. It's almost as if I have found new big brothers. One of them is the kind of big brother who promises to beat up the bullies at the playground. Another tells me that the playground is a dangerous place, then explains why it's dangerous and here's what I need to do to protect myself. And another listens to my stories about being in the playground and tells me how to avoid the bullies. Lol. It's been a really rough year, but it would have been unbearable without these folks. Work seems like a much more hospitable place because of them. #thankful

In my neighborhood

I'm not sure when this happened. Sometimes I am oblivious to what's going on around me.

2016

So far, this year has been a year of stress and health issues. First, the knee sprain, then the horrible skin allergies. Break time from The Project is over, and as I'm looking at those documents again, I am seeing holes everywhere and how so much of what is in my head still isn't on paper.

Stress - pain - stress - pain - stress.

Looking forward to a short vacation in a couple of weeks. And I value good health so much more now. 

US elections

They seem to get more ridiculous every year. Republican values aren't terrible even if we might disagree with them. But their candidates....

Trump is painful to watch, and terrifying to contemplate.

Bella

And having a dog around makes a difference.

Lower Cheung sha village, Lantau Island

Not quite glamorous enough to be glamping but I felt like I was wit family.

dept politics.....haha

This week has been so hard. For the first time since arriving, I seriously entertained thoughts of going back on the job market. But as I engage in the "careful, arduous pursuit of reconciliation and justice," I am finding more and more reason to hope. I do not do this as thoroughly as I would in an ideal world, but I am doing my best and discovering that God's ways, while difficult and slow and painful, are good.

Today, my boss sent out minutes of a student-faculty meeting (two representatives attend every year, and I've done it before but have been given a reprieve), and I am gratified that students took the time to note some of the exercises and assignments I use in my classes. No one was mentioned by name in the minutes, but I know for sure that I do some things that my other colleagues don't. My annual reviewer also submitted his review today, and he confirms that I'm on the right path, but made special mention of the high teaching scores. Teaching is so tough and it takes so much energy, work, and thought (especially because one always makes mistakes!) but it's nice to know that students appreciate it.

And finally, both my classes this semester seem like they are going to be very lively.

More lessons

Today, I learned from my boss that not everyone is going to be happy with the decisions we make and that's okay.

I'm also meeting new people at badminton and some of them are awesome. They teach me how to be patient at the game and model grace to their partners.

It's been a hard week, but I am thankful for today.

Yum

Coach brought us some goodies from his trip to Tokyo. I love Japanese rice crackers. The kind he got is different though. The purple cracker in the picture tastes like sweet potatoes, and one of the other crackers looked and tasted like a whole mini dried shrimp.

Office

This is the cleanest my desk has been all year.