Rose has started asking the question "Why?". I've heard parents talk about this phase as annoying. Now, I don't know if it hasn't been long enough, or if I'm just this scientific buuut I am loving it! Rose asks why... and I'm off! "Well, you see Rose the reason is..."
I suspect one of two things will happen after she realizes every "why?" is an opportunity for a full lecture from her mother on the topic. Either Rose will pass through this phase quickly or she will be the one rolling her eyes when anyone refers to the "why?" stage.
Oct 26, 2008
Book Smart
I am fortunate to work with some of the smartest and most gifted students this year through the IB program at Southside High School. I marvel at their analytical capacity, creativity, and even flexibility to adjust towards any number of standards and rubrics. Truly, by all means, these young people are marked by intelligence in all of its forms.
I want to write about what startles me the most however: their affinity to find the right answers. By no means discrediting them I'll mention that their experiences are limited in scope - most of them are only seventeen years old - and have never seen the politically significant events for which our text book presents forums. Yet, somehow they seem to understand.
I'm seeing a pattern of students simply becoming what I assume people mean by "book smart" the uncanny ability to use data in whichever way is asked of them: categorize, assess, compare, contrast, evaluate on and on - they know exactly how to meet and exceed expectations, or at least minimize, by any means, the possibility of failing expectations.
I'm not undermining the value of this but simply marveling at the ability of a student to find answers to multiple choice questions without truly knowing answer. Even essays show their continual grappling and losing of relevant data contrasted with trivial and non-critical. They'll use this priceless bank of information applied to the world and their choices in their futures I'm sure...
I want to write about what startles me the most however: their affinity to find the right answers. By no means discrediting them I'll mention that their experiences are limited in scope - most of them are only seventeen years old - and have never seen the politically significant events for which our text book presents forums. Yet, somehow they seem to understand.
I'm seeing a pattern of students simply becoming what I assume people mean by "book smart" the uncanny ability to use data in whichever way is asked of them: categorize, assess, compare, contrast, evaluate on and on - they know exactly how to meet and exceed expectations, or at least minimize, by any means, the possibility of failing expectations.
I'm not undermining the value of this but simply marveling at the ability of a student to find answers to multiple choice questions without truly knowing answer. Even essays show their continual grappling and losing of relevant data contrasted with trivial and non-critical. They'll use this priceless bank of information applied to the world and their choices in their futures I'm sure...
Oct 21, 2008
BOBO and COCO and more
Our friends Adam and Colette were married this past weekend. We were and are more excited for the joining of these two. They have depth of character and understanding far beyond anyone else we know at our age. The fruits of the spirit seem to pour from their lives: love, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness.
Every year since we've been married we have attended a wedding and get the chance to reflect on our own union. Year #1: We were coming out of the honeymoon stage and about to have a baby, we were thankful but I'd say our understanding of marriage was still shallow. Year #2: After a year of trials we were stunned at how close we had grown and realized the deepening dependence we have upon each other. Year #3: Life at present has gotten a little unmanageable, but we realized our devotion to one another is stronger than ever, and just how romantic words like "faithful", "respect", or "surrender" have become.
I remember some of the ideas and plans I had for our lives, some came to fruition, some I now laugh at, others I had to put on hold or let go of. There was a reorganization that had to take place once the honeymoon was over. Almost a disillusionment that we had to work our way out of. Its respectfully a difficult task to grow your childhood faith into an adult faith, with adult sized problems and stressors and adult... how you say... people.
On one particularly difficult day recently, Oliver took me aside in the middle of all craziness and reminded me that these are the days that we will someday look back on with fond memories. Memories of being stretch to our max, with so much life ahead of us, two beautiful crazy kids who want all the love we have to give, and a time where we are learning what it is to be faithful in every way to each other and our God. No matter how much we stumble, there is deep value in plowing ahead on this journey.
...Cheers!?!...
Every year since we've been married we have attended a wedding and get the chance to reflect on our own union. Year #1: We were coming out of the honeymoon stage and about to have a baby, we were thankful but I'd say our understanding of marriage was still shallow. Year #2: After a year of trials we were stunned at how close we had grown and realized the deepening dependence we have upon each other. Year #3: Life at present has gotten a little unmanageable, but we realized our devotion to one another is stronger than ever, and just how romantic words like "faithful", "respect", or "surrender" have become.
I remember some of the ideas and plans I had for our lives, some came to fruition, some I now laugh at, others I had to put on hold or let go of. There was a reorganization that had to take place once the honeymoon was over. Almost a disillusionment that we had to work our way out of. Its respectfully a difficult task to grow your childhood faith into an adult faith, with adult sized problems and stressors and adult... how you say... people.
On one particularly difficult day recently, Oliver took me aside in the middle of all craziness and reminded me that these are the days that we will someday look back on with fond memories. Memories of being stretch to our max, with so much life ahead of us, two beautiful crazy kids who want all the love we have to give, and a time where we are learning what it is to be faithful in every way to each other and our God. No matter how much we stumble, there is deep value in plowing ahead on this journey.
...Cheers!?!...
Is It Just Me Or...
Syllogism of Pandora Radio
Major premise: All Christians love listening to Jeremy Camp
Minor premise: Kyra Wong is a Christian
Conclusion: Kyra Wong loves listening to Jeremy Camp
Ahhhhh! Thumbs down! Thumbs down! Thumbs down!
Major premise: All Christians love listening to Jeremy Camp
Minor premise: Kyra Wong is a Christian
Conclusion: Kyra Wong loves listening to Jeremy Camp
Ahhhhh! Thumbs down! Thumbs down! Thumbs down!
Oct 11, 2008
Say Cheese!
Ahhhhh! We need a camera! Ours broke months ago! Okay, I know many of you o.k. blog readers are knowledgeable about this kinda of thing. Which camera do you suggest?
Oct 7, 2008
Oct 2, 2008
Tire Swing
For like a summer and a half I embraced this lifestyle that didn't elevate anything above anything else. Consider the following lyric from Juno which illustrates what I mean:
Joey never met a bike that he didn't wanna ride
And I never met a Toby that I didn't like
Scotty liked all of the books that I recommended
Even if he didn't I wouldn't be offended
The author of the song charms the listener by describing her day through a lens that doesn't apply an overall arch or expectation. She goes on to list the events of her day: check my email, write a song, and make a few phone calls mashing all of the events together without defining any of them more significance than the others.
The reason I like this song is that it frees me from the risk of embracing a personal narrative that may set me up for disappointment, or failure, or disillusionment. I'll probably sound like some kind of McCartheist but this type of song/sub-culture although light and appealing on the outside is also malicious to some extent.
A postmodern generation is bruised, wounded and disillusioned with modernity by definition. It reacts to the baby-boomers attachement to materialism and image-centered values in a new movement that avoids the common entrapments of a modern world and embraces a "flat" existential worldview. That is, we would say that writing a song is just a "spiritual" or sacred as writing e-mails.
The intent is well placed. Garden State, another prominent postmod hipster flick, features a hamster funeral that the protagonist comes of age to find value in. American Beauty, as early as '99, finds its message in realizing the beauty of a plastic bag in the wind.
These, I think, are symptoms of our aforementioned disillusionment; our sophmoric attitudes follow a distaste for the negative sides of our parent's lifestyles - their tendancy to be judgemental, hypocrytical, or exclusive. Without standard of truth, we are free from the problems that a very standard driven society has come to terms with in recent decades.
I'll just end by saying that I once agreed but now disagree with these contentions. To me, there are just some things that are black and white. And that's ok, our mind and soul need that. I think its pretty clear that if everything was true right and beautiful and nothing was wrong than we wouldn't have ground to be wounded and counter-culture in the first place. In other words, there is a significant arch to our lives whether we acknowledge it or not. If we are honest with ourselves we can't avoid this. Humans need purpose.
Joey never met a bike that he didn't wanna ride
And I never met a Toby that I didn't like
Scotty liked all of the books that I recommended
Even if he didn't I wouldn't be offended
The author of the song charms the listener by describing her day through a lens that doesn't apply an overall arch or expectation. She goes on to list the events of her day: check my email, write a song, and make a few phone calls mashing all of the events together without defining any of them more significance than the others.
The reason I like this song is that it frees me from the risk of embracing a personal narrative that may set me up for disappointment, or failure, or disillusionment. I'll probably sound like some kind of McCartheist but this type of song/sub-culture although light and appealing on the outside is also malicious to some extent.
A postmodern generation is bruised, wounded and disillusioned with modernity by definition. It reacts to the baby-boomers attachement to materialism and image-centered values in a new movement that avoids the common entrapments of a modern world and embraces a "flat" existential worldview. That is, we would say that writing a song is just a "spiritual" or sacred as writing e-mails.
The intent is well placed. Garden State, another prominent postmod hipster flick, features a hamster funeral that the protagonist comes of age to find value in. American Beauty, as early as '99, finds its message in realizing the beauty of a plastic bag in the wind.
These, I think, are symptoms of our aforementioned disillusionment; our sophmoric attitudes follow a distaste for the negative sides of our parent's lifestyles - their tendancy to be judgemental, hypocrytical, or exclusive. Without standard of truth, we are free from the problems that a very standard driven society has come to terms with in recent decades.
I'll just end by saying that I once agreed but now disagree with these contentions. To me, there are just some things that are black and white. And that's ok, our mind and soul need that. I think its pretty clear that if everything was true right and beautiful and nothing was wrong than we wouldn't have ground to be wounded and counter-culture in the first place. In other words, there is a significant arch to our lives whether we acknowledge it or not. If we are honest with ourselves we can't avoid this. Humans need purpose.
dreams II
I think its a sign we've allowed ourselves to get too busy when I start dreaming about kissing my husband. Can't I just do that!?
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