Asia and Chocolate

Do it if you're cool.

Twitter is the thing to do. And if you don't know what it is, then you need to find out. Even my CEO does it.

Wikipedia says it "is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send "updates" (or "tweets"; text-based posts, up to 140 characters long) to the Twitter website, via short message service (e.g. on a cell phone), instant messaging, or a third-party application such as Twitterrific or Facebook."

You can follow me here.

Tweet on, twitterers!

our history ...

To the left ... favorite moment from the AMA's ...

The Frizz Factor

I love that every morning in the local weather report, my weatherman gives a frizz factor. If you're not a woman, this may not make any sense to you. He saying how much our hair will frizz outside that particular day. What a concept. I would have killed for a "frizz factor" while in Asia. Although it would have been extremely high every day. But here in America the weatherman will tell you how much gel, mousse, or syrum you need in your hair. Amazing!

I'm a bloggin' fool today ...

but I just had to get this one in. I've sat in one chair all day and worked on the last final touches of grading. Almost, almost done ... hallelujah!

But back to the point. While taking a break from grading, I've surfed my favorite blogs and came across this survey for current and former people in ministry. Whew! What a calling and what a life. Being in ministry over the years, and especially these past two years, I've definitely felt the Mad Church Disease. At one point this past year the stress of it all sent me to a cardiologist who told me that my constant heart palpitations and shortness of breath were caused by an overload at school/church. My ministry was literally was making me sick. And I'm not alone.

So, go take the survey and help start the discussion about a universal issue in ministry ... and watch Los' video, which is way more fun and convincing than my little pitch.

Oink, Oink!

I've been sick. Not fun. But what IS fun is that it's now the year of the pig. Woohoo! It should be a good one. :)

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, well technically it's the Chinese New Year's Eve. Everything here is decorated in pink cherry blossoms and red Chinese lanterns. Families are going home to celebrate and school is out tomorrow. WOOHOO! I have no history celebrating this holiday, but I love it. It's hard not to get excited when everything is so pretty.

All of my students are excited because their grandparents will give them red envelopes called An Pao or Hong Bao. These envelopes contain some amount of money and of course the kids love it. I wish we had this holiday in America! :)

YOU ARE ...

Time's Magazine's Person of the Year 2006

NEW YORK - You were named Time magazine “Person of the Year” on Saturday for the explosive growth and influence of user-generated Internet content such as blogs, video-file sharing site YouTube and social network MySpace.

“For seizing the reins of the global media, for founding and framing the new digital democracy, for working for nothing and beating the pros at their own game, Time’s Person of the Year for 2006 is you,” the magazine’s Lev Grossman wrote.

Continue reading.

Yay! All of the myspacers, facebookers, friendster, bloggers and you-tubers out there are the way of the future. This IS the way of the future.

Do you myspace? Blog? You tube?

ponderings

If a guy on a street corner is directing traffic out of his own initiative and expects a tip, but when you get to the corner there is no traffic and therefore no need for him, do you still owe him a tip?

If you have a friend from a different culture and they do something that is impolite to you, do you correct them, or let it go on account of cultural differences? (ex: chew with one's mouth open, talk with food in the mouth, cough without covering the mouth, swearing, etc.)

As an authority figured, would you rather be respected, but feared (in a scary kind of way) or liked and have to fight for respect?

Is it wrong to eat McDonald's after you work out? :)

I didn't realize how much the American radio censors our music. I go to a gym here that plays all American music, stuff we've all heard on the radio. It's amazing how much profanity there in our music. It just gets edited out. I'll be humming away to some popular song and !%!#$$&* hits me.