Sitting, Sitting, Sitting

That’s what I’m doing.  It’s what I’ve done almost all day long.  In my hotel room (did you know that Marriott is owned by a Mormon, thus the Bible AND the Book of Mormon in each room?), in a coffee shop (where I ran into a gal whose dad I work with at SC and a couple of midwesterns that love Jesus), in a Prius (yes, I upgraded the rental and it was AWESOME!), on a beach (MORE AWESOME), in an airport ale house (no ale consumed, not a fan, although I ordered some as a belated birthday gift for a cousin).  Soon, I will be sitting at the terminal gate and then on a plane.  Then another airport and another terminal gate and another airplane, another rental and 3 more restaurants for meetings (although two will be fun meetings).

I’m tired.  I’ve been sitting a long time.

I’ve not been myself for a long time and I’ve spent time today thinking about that a bit.  I don’t really know what set me off my course, but I was lost.  I hurt.  I was sad and lonely.  I was simply not right.  I finally came to the point where I was so miserable I couldn’t stand it any longer.  I was tired of sitting in my office working until 1 am because I felt I had nothing else.  I was tired of sitting on my couch watching the same movies over and over and over, not wanting to sit anywhere else.  I was tired of sitting being miserable. 

So I got some help.  I cannot believe the change.  I’m not sure what was at hand, but I’m becoming myself again.  Thank God!

I love God.  That never changed.  It was hard to talk to Him though for a long time.  No reason why, I just didn’t have the words.  I felt like I was talking in a vacuum, knowing that even though I felt that, it wasn’t true.  It was almost like I was watching myself struggle in my faith and life.  Being able to converse with God again is as refreshing as a cool sweet lemonade on a sweltering Kansas summer day.  Wow.  It is goooooood.

I smile again and I mean it.  Sometimes I’m tired and want to sit.  That’s OK.  I can now sit and talk with God and that’s OK and far from where I was. 

God continues to provide, even when I don’t know how to talk with Him, let alone how to ask Him to provide, or what I even need. 

God is good.  I’m not worthy, but I am now happy to sit and be.  Happy to sit and be with God.

Book Review – The Little Red Book of Wisdom, Rev. Ed.

http://www.littleredbookofwisdom.com/By Mark DeMoss

This is a simple read, I read it over a couple of flights.  I’ve had this book for over a year, because I know that I packed it to move, the recent work trip was the perfect reason to check it off my list and decide whether to keep it or add it to the garage sale pile. 

The book is worth reading and I could see even keeping it on the shelf to reference periodically.  DeMoss offers some wisdom that may be more welcome and ‘wise’ coming from an expert in a published book than from me, the crazy foster mom.  😉

This is a timely book, I mean, this is the second edition and it has current illustrations.  There are topics that may not be terribly popular, but are still important to consider in your career.  The work trip I just took included travel and meals with my boss, which was completely benign.  DeMoss talks about guarding yourself, your career and your business by taking some precautions.  It was a thoughtful read and had some practical suggestions on improving our wisdom.  This is a book based on Scripture and the wisdom God has revealed through his word with DeMoss suggesting reading one chapter of Proverbs a day to increase our wisdom and awareness of God in all of our life. 

DeMoss focuses on the wisdom of honesty, regardless of the results.  It was refreshing and yet this is a book by a PR exec and sometimes seems a bit of a brag-fest and I think the book would’ve been better without that tenor.  As it stands I think I’ll loan it out and not be too concerned if it doesn’t return. 

It was a good and simple read.  While not my favorite, one I have already discussed with a couple of folks and one friend has asked to borrow the book. 

What to read next? 

Book Review

I read a book lately.  OK, so I tried to read a book lately.  I am a part of an awesome site that you should check out, if you are a reader, that is anyway.  I had this book for months and finally forced myself to take some time to read it.  I chose it because I thought it sounded interesting but it was just too much.  I tried repeatedly and it was not poorly written, it was just too politically bent for me.  I hated to stop reading, it goes against my obsessive tendencies.  But even more I just could not stomach the severe one-sided nature of the book.  It does have some good information in it though.  The second chapter, I believe it is, has some firsthand experience shared which is interesting and eye-opening.  But I just couldn’t get past that part.

In general I am conservative, and if you are conservative Republican, you may really enjoy this book and learn from it.  I suggest you check it out from the library first though.

Asia

Mercy, where does one begin?  I’ve been in Asia less than a week, hit two countries, spent more than I expected and seen more than I can imagine.  I’m overwhelmed to say the least.  I’ve written a few things on FB.  However, sometimes you just need something more than a status update, you know?

I’m sitting in my hotel room at the Chinggis Khan hotel in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia where it is currently 11 degrees at 4pm.  The sun is shining and the air pollution cloud hanging over the city isn’t too awful, I mean I can still tell there are mountains to the right.  I was going to post all my pics on picasa but it was blocked in China.  of course, who am I kidding, so was FB and I’ve just been putting everything there.  I’m trying to ease off and use this more often but FB is a hard habit to break.

Too bad it’s 1am in Colorado and 2am in Liberal.  Thought I’d call the folks.

If you want the WHAT story check out FB.  I’m going to try to share some of the rest of the story here.  I’m also going to have time in Cambodia, I think, and will try and finish my scrapbooks for China and Mongolia and have them shipped home so they are waiting for me when I get there.  How awesome fun will that be!?!

I have 2-3 hours before I’m picked up for the New Year/Spring Festival celebration that begins tonight.  It’s eat, eat, eat, until you may burst.  I’m not totally certain but it is something about eating to ward off hunger for the coming year, I think.  Hoping to learn more tonight.  Not sure how much I’ll even understand in the 5-6 hours I’ll be there but it will be good.

Please, if you hear nothing else, hear this.  LEARN ANOTHER LANGUAGE! AND LEARN IT WELL. It makes travel so much richer when you know what’s going on.  At least it does for me.  I find when I’m in a new country I just go around observing for the first several days.  I relate thing to what I already know and I just want to soak it all in.  I’m not really much of a talker at that point in my travel.  I know it may seem contradictory to what you know of me but it is true.  I’m happy to talk but it’s as if I don’t know what to say and need the host to lead the conversation.  That’s certainly where I am now.

I’m tired.  I feel like it’s a long time until I sleep again.  Need to try and get everything packed.  Then maybe a nap before it’s time to leave for the celebration.  5 am check-out will come awfully early tomorrow.  sigh.

Documentaries

I have a goal of watching at least 15 documentaries this year.  I just love them!  I’m a visual person so they are a great way for me to broaden my horizons.  I’ll let you know what I watch and welcome your suggestions.

1. Daughter from DaNang – This was well done but a hard story to watch unfold.  I saw the pain and frustration of cultural shock alive and well and recognized it from my own experience.  I wish she had had some sort of orientation and think that may have helped her.

2. Waiting for Superman – Saw this on one of my flights over to Asia.  I think it was SEA/TAC to NARITA.

 

Jetlag

Mercy, I had forgotten the joys of jetlag.  I’m not sure I’ve finished very many conversations the same time I started them.  I typically remember that I started and finish it off 3 hours later.  I’ve heard so many ways to overcome and at this point, don’t care.  I’m so tired I can hardly type!  🙂  Heading to bed – up about 7 to hit breakfast before heading out to the Wall with the tour at 7:55.  Hope you all have a great day, my friends!

It is currently 6:13 Saturday morning in Colorado and 2113 here in China (the whole country is in the same time zone) (Vietnam is an hour behind us, if you care).

China

I’m in Beijing and loving it!  It is cold and it was a long flight.  I have some jetlag but we’re having a grand time.  I’m going to try and post some pics later.  I’ve successfully plugged in my flat iron to my converter (not just the adaptor) and we’ll head out to the silk market shortly before dining on the famous dish of the city – Peking Duck.  Or Hard Rock (live Chinese cover band!).  The other will be tomorrow night.

Trivia: When did Peking become Beijing?

There’s so much to see here and so much I want to know.  I wish I had a local Chinese friend to explain things to me.

I did learn this today.  It is not uncommon to have Chinese young people come up to you and ask to go to tea to practice their English skills.  However, it could also be a scam where they bank on you knowing no Chinese and they take you to a fancy tea shop and order the most expensive tea which I’m told could cost 1000 yuan ($100) per cup and they stick you with the bill.  Not happened today :).

Hitting the Wall tomorrow!

Facebook is blocked here so I’m trying to keep up.  Love to you all, my friends!

I love to read!

I think that a big thank you is due to every teacher I have every had, from kindergarten through graduate school.  They all, in some way, fostered a spirit of the joy and adventure of reading.  There’s just something about having a book in your hand that is comforting, encouraging, challenging and knowledge forming.  It’s very common in my family to see at least 2 of us reading something at any given time.  Dad loves Westerns, one year we branched out a bit and gave him the entire Mitford series.  He’s from a small town.  Mom and Dad both loved it.  When we go shopping, Dad sits in the car or the food court and reads a book until we’re ready to go.

Mom received a Kindle for Christmas and has decided to go back to the classics.  She’s loving it, especially since Dad cheated and gave it to her several months in advance and they were sneaky and just didn’t tell us (we all gave her accessories for Christmas).  I remember the local public library doing the summer reading program.  They would have a drawing contest for a bookmark and I won one year.  I can’t imagine since my drawing skills are far from awesome.  It was a worm wearing a mortarboard coming out of an apple.  I’m sure it’s in a scrapbook somewhere.  I remember Mom suggesting books and me finding myself lost in the worlds of Romona Quimbly or a Mexico I’d never yet imagined.  She may not realize it, but I would bet my love of reading is part of the basis for my love of travel.

The last few years I’ve set a goal of how many books to read, thanks to my friend, Rachel, who has done the same.  2009 was 40 and I made 36 1/2.  2010 was 30 and I made 46.  2011 had a goal of 25 with the addition of the goal to watch 15 documentaries.  I almost have 2 on the list thus far.

I thought I was doing so well until a friend posted on FB that she read 130+ books last year. Awesome!  I’m content with my small number and am certain I will pass it but it’s fun for me to have a goal.  I’m competitive with myself and so read I shall.  I have a variety of things on my list and keep it updated as I go on FB.  I shall post it periodically here as well as on the new site another friend, Lora, suggested – http://www.goodreads.com.  I’d love to hear about your reading, any suggestions (as long as they aren’t scarey, I am a chicken) or any memories you have of reading and why you read.

I was saddened one day to hear from a coworker how he and his wife use reading as a punishment for their children and I pray that someday the whole family will see reading as a joy.

What are you reading right now?

Saturday Morning

I’m sitting on my couch in the dark as the morning light filters through the curtains and I listen to the few cars drive along a nearby ‘shortcut’ through town.  I fell asleep on the couch last night watching my Netflix NCIS on my laptop.  I woke up around 230 long enough to wash my face and move to my own bed.

Now I’m back on my couch where I’ve watched some more NCIS, done some facebooking, emailing, BBCing and such.  I checked to see if I needed to mail any cds or dvds from my swapa accounts (really cool if you don’t know about them).  On and on.  I think I’ll do some blog catching up now and then move along to more NCIS before I put it back into the mail this afternoon.

Nothing exciting here.  Looking at making a second cuppa tea and washing dishes.  Yup, that’s exciting as it gets as I await what I hope will arrive in today’s mail – my photo order so that I can start scrapping like a maniac.

So, as I try to get back into blogging, I wouldn’t say this is one of my better entries, but sometimes you just have to get out there and do something to get back into the groove.  Look out groove – here I come!

I want to live this way